The Nation December 14, 2014

Buhari, Jonathan plot for epic 2015 battle –Page6

President’s campaign team for inauguration

APC leaders seek consensus over running mate

Ex-General plans massive campaign machine

HOW THEY STAND NATIONWIDE –Pages 9, 35-45 & 73

Lagos

Cross River

Bayelsa

Rivers

Akwa Ibom

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

PAGE 2

CAPTURED

Deposed Compaore returns to Cote d'Ivoire

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URKINA Faso's deposed president Blaise Compaore arrived in Cote d'Ivoire at the weekend on the latest stage of an odyssey which has taken him to several countries since he was toppled.

Should he seek to stay, his presence could complicate relations between the two West African neighbours and prove politically awkward for the Ivorian government as President Alassane Ouattara seeks reelection next year.

A senior official in the president's office said Compaore, who sought refuge in Cote d'Ivoire immediately after fleeing mass protests in October, had arrived in the capital Yamoussoukro after spending time in Morocco, Gabon and elsewhere.

"He came back here. He's free to go wherever he wants," the official said, adding that it was unclear how long Compaore planned to remain in the country. "The president has already said that he is free to stay as long as he likes. It's up to him."

Cote d'Ivoire's government spokesman Bruno Kone said he could not confirm Compaore's presence in the country.

"I don't know why the question keeps coming up. He is a free individual. He's free to come and go. It's not a question for us," he told Reuters. "He is a friend of Cote d'Ivoire.�

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DELICATE BALANCE The national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has come and gone but memories of remarkable scenes created by supporters of the presidential aspirants linger. One supporter of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar stands precariously on the head of another supporter outside the convention venue. A truly unconventional pose.

Photo: Muyiwa Hassan

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has many things going for him. He is controversial, but has managed to make his controversiality productive and rewarding. He is not gifted in many things, but out of his little endowment, he has cleverly forged a reputation for huge accomplishments, becoming a cult political figure to be consulted, venerated and feared. He has little interest in telling the truth, but even the lies he told, often with irresistible panache, have come across as reassuringly cathartic for their capacity to wound our common enemies. He does not amount to much with us, at least not in our estimation, but his statements, vituperation, and sanctimoniousness, paradoxically carry weight. He exasperates us, but we endure him, and even find him amusing. No man has ever lived so fulsomely in the public glare preaching half-truths.

It was, therefore, not surprising that on Tuesday, the insouciant former president indulged himself again to the maximum, barely a few weeks after thoroughly carpeting President Goodluck Jonathan for incompetence. This time it was at the public presentation of his book, My Watch, a narcissistic sequel to his

BAROMETER sunday@thenationonlineng.net

Obasanjo's provocative sophistries

many other books, chiefly My Command. A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, had two Fridays ago secured an ex parte injunction barring Chief Obasanjo from publishing his new book, saying it would permanently injure his reputation and preempt the outcome of a N20bn libel suit he had instituted against the former president. The case was to be heard again on Wednesday. But a day before the hearing, My Watch was presented.

During the well-attended and well-publicised presentation, Chief Obasanjo imperiously engaged in the-

atrics. He could not be bound by Justice Valentine Ashi's ex parte injunction because he had since finished the book Mr Buruji was complaining about, and his publishers had since published it. It was a legal fog the former president was happy to seize to deride everyone, starting from the bemused judge. If the Nigerian judiciary was normal, argued

Chief Obasanjo sarcastically, the judge would be sanctioned. He was not struck by the irony of constituting himself into an appellate court in a case in which he is the defendant. Nor was he discomfited by the fact that as an ex-president, he had by his resort to self-help and unstatesmanlike utterances once again scorned and humiliated the judiciary of the country he recently presided over.

The book itself, a trilogy on his life and public service, is according to him meant to settle many of the controversies that swaddled his time in office. He reiterated to his audience that he actually never courted third term, the infamous tenure extension he was accused of seeking, but that there was an attempt by some governors and politicians to foist it on him.

He only knew about the conspiracy, he said tersely, but never actively promoted it. He could have fooled us. If he did not conceive the plot, what did he do to halt it?

The worst speciousness he engaged in last Tuesday was his defence of his political meddlesomeness -- the foisting of the Umaru

Yar'Adua/Goodluck Jonathan presidency on Nigeria. "I don't regret bringing in Yar'Adua and Jonathan," he said defiantly. "If they don't do well, those coming from behind (whatever that means) should learn from me and do better." What insufferable arrogance.

Sneak reviews indicate that My Watch is a compilation of expletives, vituperations and judgemental inanities. We wait patiently to read the multi-volume autobiography, even if it breaks our backs. For sure it will only reinforce our view of Chief Obasanjo. He is too old to change, follows no one, does not have a following, and is too preoccupied with himself and his own narrow interests to care what the country feels or needs.

Ribadu's next unpleasant duty

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ORMER Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss, Nuhu Ribadu, has had the unpleasant task of jumping from the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he is ideologically suited, to the PDP, a strange habitat for him as a person and politician. His goal is the governorship than even their unenviable political of Adamawa State, which the PDP has promised him. Soon after he antecedents and qualifications.

Perhaps, as former President defected, an unwholesome turmoil Olusegun Obasanjo says with his char- engulfed the party in the state, leadacteristic immodesty and fallibility, a ing to a situation no one with candidate always needs a sponsor to Mallam Ribadu's reputation should achieve high office. But in the case of find himself.

Mr Agbaje, surely there are some by Worse, Mallam Ribadu has to all whom one must never make that prog- intent and purposes now been ress, or on whose shoulders one must imposed on the party as their candinever climb into prominence. He must date, to the irritation of all the other be acutely aware that should he win the contestants. In other words, there was governorship next year, Lagosians no guarantee Mallam Ribadu could would indirectly assume that they had have won had he not been helped. handed over the state to the duo of Sceptics are bound to wonder what Chief George and Senator Ogunlewe.

And yes, even for Lagos, there are some Mallam Ribadu's next unpleasant task politicians in whose hands fate must would be. Would the party rig for him, and would he accept? never place the state.

Bode George, Jimi Agbaje and Obanikoro

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Y all accounts, Jimi Agbaje, the PDP candidate for the Lagos governorship poll, is a solid man, politician and intellectual. Though inexperienced as far as governance is concerned, should he find himself in the Lagos State House, he is expected to give a good account of himself. It is believed he does not possess any of the cantankerousness of his sponsors, Bode George and Adeseye Ogunlewe, or any of their spitefulness, viciousness and parochialism. But he has found himself, a supposedly principled man, in the demeaning and discomfiting position of being sponsored by men of whom he and his peripatetic philosophy are considerably their betters.

Though Mr Agbaje claims neither

Chief George nor Senator Ogunlewe committed any electoral hanky-panky to help him defeat Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, his rival for the standard-bearer's position, it is clear the dispute over how the votes cast in the PDP governorship primary in Lagos managed to exceed the accredited number of delegates will continue for some time. The troublesome Mr Obanikoro will struggle to get the balloting invalidated, though the possibility of that happening is a little farfetched.

What is truly baffling, however, is the fact that Mr Agbaje is now beholden to the querulous Chief George and the immoderate Senator Ogunlewe, both of whom subscribe to no specific ethical or ideological values, and whose speeches and manners leave far more to be desired

By ADEKUNLE ADE-ADELEYE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

COLUMN

Muhammadu Buhari and the paradox of a nation G IVEN his landslide victory at the just concluded APC presidential primary, Major General Mohammadu Buhari seems to be on the cusp of history once again.

It is history steeped in and dripping with paradox. This needs not delay us. It has been said that thunder does not strike twice. But if the loud rumblings for change across the country and the sudden tectonic shift in favour of a sanitising presidency are anything to go by, the Dauraborn general has another rendezvous with history.

Exactly 31 years after his military colleagues chose him to be the public face of what they presented as a war against corruption and indiscipline in Nigeria, fate and the logic of aborted business seem to be conspiring to restore him to the very same pedestal. Is Buhari about to step into the same river twice? Put in another way, does history actually repeat itself?

It is a tangled web of ironies and confounding ambiguities. The ruins of reaction also throw up rays of revolutionary hopes. Thirty one years after riding to power on the crest of a popular military coup, General Buhari is seeking to return to the same office through free and fair elections. This will be his fourth attempt, too. As a soldier, Buhari was completely apolitical, often dripping with contempt for political generals.

But out of the army, he seems to have developed a gargantuan appetite for politics.

On the face of it, something does not add up. Why does Nigeria appear to be going round in circles like a barber’s swivel chair without any remission or amelioration of condition? The Buhari phenomenon is a huge paradox that requires further inquiry. We can no longer afford to play poker with the destiny of Nigeria.

Thirty one years after the then Brigadier Sani Abacha’s historic broadcast, Nigeria roils in the quagmire of underdevelopment; a cesspit of corruption and historic malfeasance. Sullen angry crowds confront you everywhere you turn. The social fabric that binds a nation together has collapsed, leaving in its wake a state of hair-raising anomie.

The nation has never been so ethnically, religiously and economically polarised. The north east has virtually imploded. If you factor into this the looming fiscal meltdown as a result of tumbling oil prices, it is a perfectly scary proposition. Never in its history has Nigerian been more in dire need of a redeemer or a group of redeemers.

But there have been Nigerian redeemers and Nigerian redeemers.

They have come in different sizes and shapes. Yet they have always almost without exception managed to leave the country in a worse shape than they met it. Many analysts have pointed at the structural misconfiguration of the nation right from colonial gestation which has made it impossible for Nigeria to throw up its best and brightest. Others have fingered an alien and alienating state originally designed for colonial galley slaves and which has now become an equal opportunity instrument of terror and torture. A few have chosen to blame a failure of leadership.

Whatever may be the reason, the evidence of state failure is staggering and overwhelming. The state is in serial stasis, its comprehensive paralysis so evident that Nigeria has become a butt of continental and global jokes, its leaders treated like comic buffoons and figures of outlandish farce in a brave new world of ceaseless innovations powered by knowledge production. Even a third rate country like Chad can subject

by his military superiors.

To appease the core north which was still smarting over the death of the tempestuous Kanoborn Mohammed, it was decided that an officer of pristine and immaculate Fulani extraction should be named as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters and in effect Obasanjo’s political deputy.

T h e choice narrowed to either Colonel Buhari or

•Buhari

Nigeria to a cruel hoax such as we witnessed in the cleverly executed Boko Haram illusory ceasefire.

Central to the failure and tragedy of Nigeria as a nation is the failure of military messianism such as we have witnessed in a huge chunk of post-colonial Africa. Military rule left many African countries in political and economic ruins with the military itself as an institutional bulwark of the state humbled and humiliated and a very poor shadow of its former self. In Ethiopia, Zaire, Liberia, Uganda, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Burundi and Sierra Leone, the official army had to be neutralised as a precondition for the reconfiguration and reorganisation of the state and the nation.

The Nigerian military has been lucky that its misadventure in power and partisan politics has not cost it much beyond a loss of institutional coherence and cohesiveness and a structural dislocation of its old fighting flair. It could be much worse.

General Mohammadu Buhari is very much a product of this military messianism in Nigeria and the paradox of his career illustrates the tragic trajectory. It also in a curiously paradoxical manner points the way forward for a cruelly afflicted nation. It is to this trajectory that we must now return.

In February 1976 after the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, the then Colonel Buhari was passed over for political promotion

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Lieutenant Colonel Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. Although he was Yar’Adua’s senior, it was felt that Buhari’s stiffness, his inflexibility and lack of political exposure might endanger and compromise a potentially distinguished professional career.

Thus Lieutenant Colonel Yar’Adua suddenly became Brigadier Yar’Adua at the youthful age of thirty three.

Although clever, dexterous and probably judicious in the light of extant political realities, the political engineering was not without its bizarre anomalies and contradictions.

A livid Colonel David Medaiyese Jemibewon , as the governor of the old west, bluntly refused to submit himself to the dictates of his former subordinate and routinely bypassed the Supreme Headquarters to reach General Obasanjo as Head of State.

However that may be, the courteous, affable and fabulously savvy Yar’Adua went on to make economic hay as a businessman and as the master of militarised politics in modern Nigeria. A wizard of the shock and awe school of political contention, Yar’Adua overwhelmed the old political ramparts with men, money and material and was virtually on his way to the State House before fatally succumbing to a combination of political and military ambush unfurled by his northern colleagues.

In the case of General Buhari, he went on to serve with distinction and immaculate incorruptibility as Niger-

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu ia’s Petroleum Czar. He was also a star GOC as his exploits in the Chad Basin would attest. Ironically when it was time for a military coup to dismiss Nigeria’s dissolute and corrupt political class, it was Buhari’s old qualities of stiffness and inflexibility, his iron will and old-fashioned distaste for immorality that recommended him to his colleagues as the stern, no-nonsense face and visage of the new project to sanitise Nigeria.

These qualities worked excellently well when it came to Nigeria’s external image and the management of the economy. But they foundered on the rocks of Nigeria’s cultural, political and regional polarities. It was felt in many quarters that the Buhari administration was grossly insensitive to the cultural and political sensitivities of other regions and religions. The arraignment and conviction of political villains was grotesquely lopsided. Many noted the preferential treatment given to Alhaji Shehu Shagari while his deputy, Alex Ekwueme, was kept in confinement where he developed a snowy beard of Nebuchadnezarean proportions.

Very soon, malignant rumours began to circulate that the coup was part of a sinister Fulani project to retain power. Led by the illustrious Mahmoud Tukur, the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities issued a famous treatise which dismissed the Buhari government as the military wing of the NPN. The reaction of the Buhari administration to these insinuations was a combination of astonishing innocence and political obtuseness. The government provided ammunition for its own enemies who were waiting patiently in the wing and very soon the Buhari regime became history.

Almost 30 years after, the country has arrived at a similar conjuncture with the same Buhari as a democratic exemplar and the civilian arrowhead of a nationwide clamour for democratic restitution and a restoration of national sanity in the economic and political spheres. In the interval, Nigeria has been laid low and prostrate by a succession of military despots and civilian autocrats.

An ethnic version of the Russian roulette or tribal round robin rammed down the country’s throat by a military cabal after they were confronted by the consequences of annulling the freest and fairest election in the country has become a po-

litical albatross with the advent of the Jonathan presidency. It is a proverbial fly perched on a delicate spot in the nation’s anatomy.

So, is General Buhari about to step into the same river all over again? Not exactly. If 31 years ago, the economy was in the doldrums, now it is in a violent tailspin. Thirty one years ago corruption was a national malaise, now it has become a pan-Nigerian pandemic threatening to overwhelm the nation. To worsen matters, the ethnic, religious and regional fissures of the country have become gaping wounds and a large swathe of the nation has already succumbed to religious insurgency.

All these require much more than General Buhari’s fabled incorruptibility and granite integrity. He will be asked not just to go after economic saboteurs but to create wealth without which it will be impossible to address the issue of social inequity, and with an eye to the sensitivities of a combustible multinational nation. It will require uncommon skills, political dexterity and the sagacity of a modern miracle man.

It is a measure of the urgency and indeed the emergency of the matter at hand that the dominant political tendency in the South West whose ideological ancestors and political forebears were in the forefront of the battle against the old Buhari administration have now teamed up with nascent political forces from the north in a last ditch bid to rescue Nigeria. This is just as it should be. We cannot be fixated on old battle orders and ancient feuds when emergent realities point at pressing and immediate dangers in other directions. Those who bear grudges of the past are rendered incapable of facing the grinding necessities of the present.

The ringing and insistent clamour out there is for a qualitative change of leadership based on competence, integrity and higher seriousness which will rescue Nigeria from its current economic rot and political disorder. The post-June 12 ethnic formatting of leadership pioneered by a military cabal and perpetuated

by General Obasanjo has now had its time and day. Otherwise like a catatonic animal in deep hibernation, Nigeria may be put permanently to sleep by adversarial climatic conditions. We have only two months to make up our mind.

The General in his labyrinth

H Jeez!!! Oh Jesus of Nazareth, has anyone else been reading the caustic and rebarbative memoirs of the one and only baba in town? As they say, an elephant skull is not a luggage for small children. It weighs in at three power-packed tomes and is a compendium of our history from Baba’s sour, surly and occasionally unreliable perspective.

But you must give it to the crusty old contrarian any day. Unlike most of our tragic rulers, the autumnal warlord has a sense of history and an eye for history, as the cerebral General Julius Alani Ipoola Akinrinade memorably put it. Whether you like him or not or what he has to say or not, Baba made history and is stoutly determined to force his version of it down our throat. It is a compelling exercise in ironic self-immolation.

Written in passable workmanlike prose, it is the equivalent of a

literary slugfest. Baba does not take hostages, and neither is he interested in the fabled Geneva Convention for warfare. Rules of engagement, my foot, as the old man would put it. In the event, baba leaves behind a blood-splattered canvas, dripping with the grisly gore of his mortal enemies. Baba is not just content with slaying his mortal adversaries, he draws and quarters them, making sure that resurrection is beyond them.

Umaru Yar’Adua, baba’s political protégé, is dredged up and summarily dismissed as an ingrate. Since baba said that he acted in higher national interest in foisting the sickly fellow on an unsuspecting nation, one is left wondering what the Katsina nobleman is supposed to be grateful for. What baba has to say about Jonathan, his other protégé, is not the stuff for the fainthearted. The collateral damage is bound to affect the Ijaw man’s presidential fortunes

in the coming months.

Soyinka, Gani Fawehinmi and Yesufu Bala Usman were all singled out for full page treatments. After grudgingly acknowledging their merits and talents, the old general mercilessly put them to the sword for their lamentable foibles. In the case of Wole Soyinka, baba approvingly quotes an “old classmate” who says that “Wole” has always been like that and he will always be like that.

In the particular case of Brigadier Alabi-Isama who so famously and memorably adduced weighty evidence against baba’s fabled generalship, the old warlord pointedly ignored the substantive allegations to indulge in wild ad hominem demolition of character and reputation. Alabi-Isama had always been clever but arrogant and unreliable.

He was a soldier of fortune with an eye for mercantilist gaming. It was a good thing that it was Theophilus

Danjuma, his former classmate, who eventually cashiered him. AlabiIsama may often be found in bed with a woman while telling his commander that he was in hot pursuit of rebels. Phew!!!!!

When he finally ran short of victims, baba rounded on his own family, like some old King Lear. Despite his warning two of his children about a plot by the Jonathan administration to use members of his family to smear him, Iyabo, his favourite daughter, succumbed to inducement and took her own father to the cleaners in a famous epistle.

What else can one say after this?

A man who is not sovereign over himself and his family cannot be sovereign over others. It is compelling historical cameo of flawed greatness and a glimpse into the tortured and tormented labyrinth of a tarnished titan.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

NEWS

Storm over ex-militant Tompolo’s gunboats T

HE alleged importation of seven gunboats into the country by former warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), has sparked fresh tension in the Niger Delta.

The high-speed Hulk-class guided missile boats, according to reports, were imported from Norway through an American private security outfit on behalf of Tompolo's Global West Vessel Services.

They had been decommissioned by the Scandinavian country.

Tompolo, an Ijaw, however rearmed them ostensibly for his company's operations.

The company currently has a multimillion naira contract from the Federal Government to protect a long stretch of the nation's coastline with a view to checking crude oil stealing.

The Itsekiri, Ijaw neighbours in Delta State, are in fear that the gunboats might be turned on them.

The two sides are currently locked in a bitter feud over the location of the $16billion oil/gas city project earmarked for Ogidigben, with each claiming ownership of the site.

The ground breaking of the project by President Goodluck Jonathan has been postponed twice following threat by Ijaw and Itsekiri youths to cause trouble.

The Warri Study Group, comprising prominent

• Itsekiri group allege arms stockpiling • Accuses Jonathan, NIMASA of complicity Itsekiri opinion leaders warned yesterday that Nigeria "is sitting on a keg of gunpowder" should the report of the gunboats importation turn out to be true.

The WSG in a statement by Mr. Edward Ekpoko and Tony Ede, Chairman and Secretary respectively queried the true intention of Tompolo's acquisitions, especially in the face of recent hostilities

From Shola O'Neil, S'South Regional Editor, Port Harcourt/ Bolaji Ogundele,Warri

between the Ijaw and Itsekiri in which Tompolo was said to be deeply and personally involved.

The group claimed that the multibillion naira coastline protection contract which has afforded Tompolo the leverage to amass wealth and

purchase arms and war equipment has profited neither Nigeria nor the Niger Delta.

It said rather than decrease oil theft and other marine crimes, it has been on the rise in spite of the contract awarded to Tompolo.

The group also wondered where the Nigerian Navy was when the federal government was giving such a huge marine

security contract to an individual.

The Itsekiri said: "President Jonathan, Tompolo and the DG of NIMASA are all of Ijaw extraction and we therefore see a script being acted out. Nigeria is the only country in the world where individuals - a rehabilitated militant for that matter - is awarded a contract to oversee the security of the coastline of a nation and with powers to import warships and sophisticated arms.

"The question that begs for answer is this: What is the role of the Nigerian Navy in

Lagos allocates land to industries at Imota Agro Industrial Park

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

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AGOS State Government has allocated plots of land to certified industries at Imota Agro-Industrial Park in an effort to promote industrial growth in the state.

Among the industries that benefited from the gesture yesterday include, Henry and Henry limited, Opeoluwa Integrated Farming Limited, Prime Farm Limited, amongst others.

State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Olusola Oworu, who presented the allocation letters to the beneficiaries at the Imota Industrial Park, said a total of 22 hectares estate has been designed into 131 plots with 12 service plots for banks, water provision, fire station, retail markets, taxi and trailer parks.

The commissioner said the government released the land to the beneficiaries at less than 33 percent of the intended cost assuring that it is still committed to the development of the estate.

She explained that the industrial estate also has provision for green areas as well as industrial research provisions, adding that provisions has also been earmarked for places of worship and restaurant to minimize the workers down time during production period.

Oworu said the need to establish the park became necessary considering that the state with its high population density and commercial nerve centre depend on importation of Agricultural products.

•National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed (left); Deputy Manager, Bharat Electronics Limited & Senior Manager-Business Development, Skipper Nigeria Limited, Mr. Satish Kumar (middle) and Deputy General Manager, International Marketing, Bharat Electronics Limited, Mrs. Mini Bijoy (right) during the demonstration of the Electronic Voting Machine by Bharat Electronics Limited in Lagos at the weekend.

Oyo PDP primaries: Court may commit Muazu, others to prison over contempt

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Federal High Court, Abuja has warned the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Muazu, National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo and some top members of the party involved in the conduct of the primaries of the party in Oyo State against contempt of court. It said they are liable to be committed to prison.

Other top PDP leaders listed by the court are National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon and the National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha; The court, in a Form 48 sent to the National Secretariat

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

of the PDP in Abuja and obtained by The Nation yesterday, pointed out the need to obey its ruling on the primaries, stressing that failure to do so amounts to contempt and that they shall be liable to be committed to prison.

The letter, dated December 9 and signed by the court's Registrar, stated that the party was bound to obey its earlier ruling.

The court had ruled on December 5 that the valid list of the PDP primary election in Oyo State for the 2015

election is the list of candidates who emerged from the ward delegate congresses held on November 24 in the 351 wards of the state.

It added that any primary election of the party conducted with delegates rather than the ordered delegates would be declared null and void.

It further restrained the PDP agents and servants from using any other delegates than the November 24 delegates.

The court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

from recognizing or accepting any other delegates.

But the party conducted primaries for the state and National Assembly as well as that of the governorship position using statutory delegates last Monday.

The governorship primary, which was held in Ibadan, was boycotted by some aspirants including Otunba Adebayo AlaoAkala, Oluseyi Makinde and Femi Babalola.

Alao-Akala has since dumped the PDP for Labour Party (LP) where he picked the governorship ticket.

Group to Alison-Madueke: Protect Nigeria's interest in OPEC T HE Goodluck/Sambo Global Campaign Group has ?charged the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, to use her new position as the President of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to protect the interest of Nigeria

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

in the international organization.

In a congratulatory message by its National Coordinator, Prince Oladele Akinola, ?the

group said Nigeria was lucky to have Alison-Madueke as the first female President appointed at the 166th OPEC Ordinary meeting in Vienna on 27 November 2014, urging Nigerians to support her to

succeed in the new assignment.

The group ?said the time was ripe for Nigeria to assert its authority and make itself relevant in the operations of OPEC. It congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan for producing the first female President of OPEC.

the protection and the security of the Nigerian coastline? Is the Ministry of Defence aware of all these arms deal?

"It must be noted that it is well over a year now that Tompolo has been awarded the security contract and since then not only have illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and sea-piracy being on the increase but the threat of violence by him and his kinsmen has equally gone up. Then Nigerians must ask: Are these warships and arm deals to fight piracy and other criminal activities on our coastline or to intimidate other ethnic nationalities especially Itsekiri in the Niger Delta or cause destabilization as in the North East?

"We call on President Jonathan to intervene immediately by withdrawing the contract given to Tompolo

by NIMASA and place him under security watch, if not, in the unfortunate event of weapons being turned against the Itsekiris or any other ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta, he will be held responsible for crime against humanity by the international community even if the Nigerian government fails to act."

Other ethnic groups in the Niger Delta are similarly worried by the development, according to an investigation

by The Nation on Sunday.

A prominent South-south leader from Edo State told our reporter on the condition of anonymity that the situation was a serious cause of concern for the people of the area.

Tompolo is one of the Niger Delta militants who in 2009 agreed to disarm under the federal government's amnesty programme.

Council flays PDP for irregularities in Cross River elections From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

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HE Inter-Party Advisory Council in Cross River State has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state for alleged perpetuation of illegality in the entire process that led to the emergence of their candidates for the 2015 general elections.

Speaking in a press conference in Calabar yesterday, the state chairman of the council, Mr Goddie Akpama, said the leadership of IPAC watched in dismay and utmost disbelief the predatory assumption of their despotic and arbitrary abuse of the rule of law which if not checked will lead to systemic collapse.

Akpama said a cue ought to be drawn from the leadership of the All Progressives Congress who conducted a rancour-free primary election, an example of how democracy should be.

His words, "The brazen charade, the perpetuation of illegality, the utmost abuse of own set rules and dictatorial assumption of some political parties subscribe to the Political Parties Code of Conduct 2013 especially the Peoples Democratic Party is most unfortunate, unnecessary and is hereby condemned."

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

NEWS

Barau wins Kano APC senatorial ticket

Berom, Fulani, others sign peace pact in Jos

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano LHAJI Barau Jubril is the All Progressive Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Kano North senatorial district.

Barau, who was chairman committee on appropriation in 1999 in the House of Representatives, polled 3,965 votes to defeat a former Deputy Governor of the state, Abdullah Tijani Gwarzo who got 141 votes in the primaries.

Out of 4,140 votes, 14 were invalid.

Barau in his acceptance speech described his victory as a victory for all and thanked the delegates for reposing confidence in him.

“I thank you for giving me this opportunity to fly the party’s flag in this senatorial district. This is the first step and I use this occasion to ask for your full support in the secondary election.”

He called for the support of all party members to defeat PDP in next year’s elections.

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

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A’Ibom 2015: Uncertainty over Udom Emmanuel

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HE candidacy of Mr. Udom Emmanuel as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship flag bearer in Akwa Ibom State next year is in jeopardy.

An Abuja High Court on Friday granted the ex-parte application by Mr. Ime Ekanem, one of the 22 aspirants who indicated their interest in contesting the December 8 primaries in the state, restraining the PDP from submitting any name as outcome of the primaries to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court, as others in the Federal Capital Territory, has since proceeded on vacation after fixing hearing in the substantive suit for January 5, 2015 by which time the parties should have submitted the names of their candidates to INEC. Defendants in the suit are the PDP, its national chairman and the national secretary.

Justice Y. Halilu also ordered the substituted service of the motion on notice, originating summons and other processes in the suit on the PDP chair and secretary through the office of the party’s national legal adviser.

He, however, turned down the applicant’s third request for the abridgement of the time for hearing on account of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Of the 23 aspirants who indicated interest in the ticket, 22 of them including Ekanem kicked against what they perceived as fundamental irregularities at the start of the exercise and submitted a protest letter through the Chairman of the State Electoral Panel.

Efforts by the protesting aspirants to seek redress from the party’s Appeal Panel also failed.

They alleged non accreditation of delegates and their agents at the venue of the primaries as well as the non display of delegates list in violation of the party’s rules governing the primaries.

5

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•Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau (2nd-r) with the Plateau PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Sen. Gyang Pwajok (r), sympathising with the victim of bomb explosion at the Plateau Specialist Hospital in Jos on yesterday. Photo: NAN

Terrorism will never prevail - Buhari T

HE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday condemned Wednesday’s terror attack in Kano and Thursday’s twin bomb blasts in Jos both of which claimed close to 40 lives.

General Buhari, however, said that the brains behind the two incidents have failed in their mission to destabilise the country because as he put it, “Nigeria will remain strong and united in the face of what has now become an almost daily infliction of terror on a defenceless people.”

“Once again, those who seek to influence our way of life, modify our faith and our most sacred core values,

have struck, leaving in their wake lives brutally cut short, limbs badly broken and dreams forced to fade away,” he said in a statement.

He added: “These people, whose actions are not sanctioned by any religion and who subscribe to no known decent values, will not succeed. Our people are resilient and strong, and our nation is capable, based on our rich human and material resources, of successfully tackling these nihilists.

“We will together see the end of them and their reign of terror. They have failed because Nigeria will remain strong and united in the face of what has now become an almost daily infliction of terror on a defenceless people.

Women, children and the aged are not spared by these barbaric purveyors of horror, intimidation and panic.

“No religion condones the killings of such vulnerable and innocent people; hence we are sure these terrorists profess to none of the world’s great religions, much as they seek to mask their actions with the cloak of religion.

“Because their ideals are primordial and whatever cause they claim to be pushing is not just, they will not succeed. In spite of their terror, our respective faith and how we practice them will flourish and expand. Our reputation as a people of deep faith and peaceful religious coexistence will shine through, it will not dimin-

ish, it will not be forfeited.”

He commiserated with the victims and their family members and prayed that Allah will grant repose to the souls of the dead and comfort those who lost loved ones.

General Buhari stressed that “terror must and will be defeated. All it requires is the political will, uncommon courage and unrelenting determination, and victory will be ours.”

Two female suicide bombers and several innocent people died when the terrorists struck at the popular Kantin Kwari textile market in Kano on Wednesday while 32 people were left dead by a twin bomb blasts at the Jos Terminus market the following day.

Only Buhari can fix Nigeria, Kwankwaso declares

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ANO State Governor and former Presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso has declared that even though he came second in the race, the winner, General Muhammad Buhari remains the only candidate that can take Nigeria out of socio-political cum economic mess after 2015.

Kwankwaso, who also confessed that General Buhari can fix the lingering insecurity quagmire bedeviling the country, said that he cruised back from Lagos to Kano as a victor, with Buhari emerging as the Presidential candidate of the APC. He said: “What I believe is that anybody who voted for Buhari is my friend; and if they had known the relationship between me and him; even those who really didn’t like me, if they had known, they wouldn’t have voted for him because I am sure you must have known that he was telling the whole world when they ask him if you are not getting it who else would you support and he said, ‘Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso,’ and this was just few days to the primary

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

election.

“Then, what else do we want and what else do I want? This is somebody who said that voluntarily at his age and he is outstanding in the society. He voluntarily passed out this information not to me but to the whole world. He said, ‘if it is not me, I will support Kwankwaso,’ so, to me, it is as good as I won the primary election.”

Kwankwaso also cast aspersions at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the era of internal democracy has eluded the party.

He added, “You see, the difference is very, very clear.

APC is now the PDP in those days especially in 1999 and 2003. That is how we built PDP. We allowed aspirants to show their interest, the party will support and even encourage those who are interested to go out and campaign; and it has a lot of advantages, especially if you look at it from my own contest.

“When I declared, I had to go round the country and convince many of my friends, many of them in APC, many of them were in other parties. As a result of

that, we have so many people who have now joined APC as a party not because they were APC or they wanted APC ordinarily, but because they knew that my leadership will be good for them and will be good for the country; and that was why they came and I can assure you none of them will go back to any other party.

“They will stay in APC and support it from bottom to the top; and so all so, other aspirants who have gone round, especially, Sam NdaIsaiah—many people didn’t understand the importance of those 10 votes that he got.

You know you can lose or win with 10 votes, not only in the election like the one we had, even in general elections, you can lose or win election with 10 votes in this country.

“So, 10 votes are very critical and those 10 votes will certainly bring in so many people into our party.

So, we are not even talking of the votes that were being recorded for Rochas, even Atiku himself and the ones that were scored by the winner, General Muhammadu Buhari. “ So, if you put the efforts of these five aspirants together, I am sure that will go

a long way; and we have seen a lot of changes in the last few months, especially, as it relates to even General Buhari himself.”

He said losing at the APC Presidential primaries has given him an ample opportunity to concentrate more on how to complete the gigantic infrastructural and human development projects he has established in Kano. He noted that Buhari’s presence in the APC has now made him a better politician.

He added, “ordinarily, General Buhari wouldn’t have taken so much time, so many efforts to go round the country to convince people.

Now, he is a full-fledged politician who has gone round to ask for support, to ask for understanding. He has worked like any other politician in this country, and that is what we want him to do.

“We don’t want to sit down in a room and look at him and say ‘let us dash him this ticket.’ Now, he has earned the ticket for himself and that has gone a long way in strengthening the party. It has gone a long way in strengthening and deepening democracy in this country.”

OPE is rising in Plateau State about a possible end to the incessant ethnic violence in the state over the last few years.

This follows the signing of a peace agreement yesterday in Jos by the representatives of the Berom, Fulani, Jarawa, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and Anaguta for their people to co-exist peacefully and stop fighting.

The agreement is the result of a 16-month long negotiations facilitated by Canada and the Genevabased Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD) through the Jos Forum of Inter-Communal dialogue.

The second phase of the peace programme is expected to commence soonest according to the Senior Country Advisor of Humanitarian Dialogue, Dr. Yakubu Sankey at the signing of the agreement.

“The feat was achieved because of the commitment of the communities through their various representatives to live in peace and avoid future violence and bloodshed,” he said.

He explained that the extensive negotiation addressed issues of mutual concern to the various communities such as violence and displacement, destruction of places of worship, boundary disputes, religious tolerance , security arrangements and grassroots dialogue in the countryside.

Sankey added, “The challenges we have discussed in the Forum are not unique to Jos and are in varying degrees faced throughout Nigeria. We believe that the solution to our problems lies with us: the people of Jos and this region. We are determined not only to reconcile our different communities but also to present a positive example of non-violent conflict resolution to the rest of Nigeria.”

The Jos Forum brought together representatives of the various communities living in Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas, including the Afizere, Anaguta, Berom, Fulani, Hausa, Igbo, SouthSouth, Yoruba, as well as women representatives.

Also speaking, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Ibrahim Dasuki (rtd) commended the citizens of the state for the reconciliation.

Col Dasuki, who was represented by Ambassador Lesiende said the Plateau model of reconciliation and peace agreement will stand as reference point to other communities facing similar challenges in the country.

Governor Jonah Jang who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Prof Shedrack Best, said government would come up with policies to facilitate the full implementation of the peace agreement which he described as the best to have happened to the administration.

Government, he added, would therefore do all within its power to implement the agreement to the letter.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

NEWS

6

Jonathan, Buhari fine tune strategies for epic battle L

EADERS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are dusting up their strategy manuals as the first step following last week's emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan as their flag bearers in the February 2015 elections.

Contacts are being made and ideas generated across the country by the two frontline parties in the election.

The Nation on Sunday gathered yesterday that General Buhari is planning an awesome campaign machine, details of which are being perfected by his strategists.

President Jonathan's campaign team led by a former national chairman of the PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali is to be inaugurated soon to enable the party go into the field.

APC leaders are said to be consulting all relevant stakeholders with a view to achieving a consensus and in the spirit

• APC leaders seedk consensus over running mate • President's campaign team for inauguration • Ex-General plans awesome campaign machine

By Our Reporter

of oneness evident at the just concluded national convention.

They are keen to emphasise that discussions are ongoing and allembracing: no decisions have been reached.

Sources revealed that the sole objective that would determine who the cap fits is the selection of a "formidable running mate" who will complement Buhari and one who is also capable of mobilising votes in certain segments considered critical to winning the presidential election.

Some of the qualities being considered in the choice of a running mate, The Nation reliably learnt, include cognate experience in the public sector,

religious balancing of the party's ticket and a solid track record to mention but a few.

Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; his Edo State counterpart, Adams Oshiomhole; former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Senator representing Ondo North in the National Assembly, Prof. Robert Ajayi Boroffice; and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osibajo, are in the frame.

One party chieftain familiar with the ongoing search who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Nation: "All those whose names have been mentioned are capable and worthy candidates for the role. Unfortunately only one

person can be picked and APC members understand this. " The PDP, according to sources, is making reconciliation a priority in its state chapters where members are at each other's throat.

Party sources said the PDP could not afford to go into the election with a divided house especially in view of the formidable opponent being presented by the APC. The Party is also said to be strategizing on how to clean up the image of the government on such issues as corruption, incompetence, insecurity especially the Boko Haram insurgency and the threat by the North to vote against President Jonathan.

More in News Review on pages 9,73.

Power supply drops to 2,954.51mw

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ATIONAL electricity generation has dropped to 2,954.51 Mega Watts ( MW) in the latest setback for government to meet the expectations of consumers.

The Ministry of Power indicated on its website that 64.01MW of the electricity was stranded on account of the weak and insufficient equipment used in distribution.

The ministry said 3,206.09MW was generated as at December 2 only to drop to 2,954.51 by Decem-

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

ber 11, a reduction of 251.58MW in nine days.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) from which the power distribution companies source electricity has capacity to transmit 6,000MW. Peak energy demand forecast for the market, is 12,800MW. The Federal Government planned to generate 5,000MW in 2014, but the target remains a massive task.

USAfrica names Obiano ‘Governor of the Year’

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HE international multimedia networks and public policy organization, USAfrica, has chosen the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, as the Nigerian Governor of the Year.

It said in a statement that its choice was "based on the USAfrica Governance Index for combining effective management, practical results and grassroots social responsibility since the blast of his Anambra Governorship whistle on March 17, 2014."

USAfrica with almost 23 years of professional journalism and multimedia publishing business from its headquarters in Houston, Texas - has been acclaimed by the CNN, The New York Times, international scholars and public policy leaders as the largest and arguably the most influential Africanowned, U.S-based multimedia

networks.

A statement issued by the Founder and Publisher, Dr. Chido Nwangwu, articulated why Obiano bagged the prestigious recognition, noting that "in less than ten months of taking over the mantle of leadership of Anambra State, the banker turned politician has, with purposeful zeal attracted investments and with the courageous heart of a bull, confronted the criminals and miscreants who had unleashed mayhem and gripped the peace loving people of the state in the throes of trepidation, fear and death…. Obiano is proving to the people of Anambra and Nigerians, at home and in the Diaspora, that here cometh a man of proven technocratic competence out to put Anambra State on its rightful place on the map of economic development of Nigeria."

Scores die in Akure gas explosion •Gridlock on Ikorodu road yesterday

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Benue: Former minister to run with Tarzor

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HERE are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) in Benue State may pick former minister of state for Niger Delta Samuel Ode as the running mate of Prince Terhemen Tarzor.

Tarzor beat eight other contenders to emerge the PDP flag bearer in a keenly

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UNDREDS of placard carrying supporters and loyalists of Mukhtari Shehu Shagari, Sokoto State Deputy Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant before last Monday's primaries, Thursday, evening besieged his campaign office protesting the result of the election.

In their hundreds from across the 23 local governments, the protesters, mainly women and youths, stormed the campaign office and condemned the election process which they said gave an undeserving victory to Ambassador Abdallah Wali.

Some of the placards read: "

T

ALIBAN insurgents killed at least 20 people in a series of gun and suicide attacks in Afghanistan on Saturday, underlining worsening security as US-led NATO forces end their combat mission in the country.

A suicide blast wrecked an

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

contested governorship primaries at Aper Aku Stadium last Tuesday.

Shortly after the emergence of the PDP governorship candidate , the battle for who would be his running mate began immediately with Sam Ode

highly favoured .

The Nation gathered that Governor Gabriel Suswam is also comfortable with Ode, who sources described as a complete party man and down to earth with everyone.

PDP big wigs are also in support of Ode, who they also describe as party man with huge influence among

the youths.

Another front runner Harris Ogbole, a staff of EFCC and a close confidant of Governor Suswam.

PDP stakeholders are however waiting for Governor Suswam, who is away in Bauchi State on a national engagement to decide.

Shagari's supporters condemn PDP primaries, accuse Bafarawa, Mu'azu From: Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto Bafarawa is an unrepentant political destroyer; he has betrayed us and PDP in Sokoto; We reject the outcome of the fraudulent primaries, Mukhtari is the bonafide and deserving winner; There was no primaries in Sokoto; PDP should cancel the election and conduct a fresh exercise;" they said.

The protest monitored by security agents was carried out peacefully.

Speaking shortly after Malam Yusha'u Mai Shayi performed an opening prayer, Chairman and Coordinator, Mukhtari Shagari Campaign Organisation, Bello Buhari Dange, described last Monday's governorship primaries of the party in the state as unrealistic, manipulated and undemocratic.

He said, "There was no election in Sokoto and we are calling on the party's leadership to speedily reject it and cancel the outcome."

He also accused former governor Attahiru Bafarawa, of betraying them.

He did not also spare the National Chairman of the party, Ahmed Adamu Mu'azu, as he accused him of being behind Bafarawa.

Gumburawa who represented Kware/Wamakko Federal Constituency in the National Assembly between 2007 and 2011 also accused Bafarawa using his loyalists as delegates in the conducted primaries.

Multiple attacks kill 20 in Afghanistan Afghan military bus in Kabul, killing seven soldiers, while a senior court official was assassinated in the city and 12 Afghan mine clearance workers were gunned down in the

south.

Two NATO soldiers were also killed on Friday in an attack in the east of Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a

statement, without identifying their nationality.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for all the attacks.

The latest bout of violence comes ahead of the official end

A

GAS explosion occurred in Akure,the Ondo State capital yesterday evening where several several people feared dead.

The incident said to have occurred at about 7pm ignited fire which affected an unspecified number of people and destroyed vehicles and other property.

Eyewitnesses said the fire started at the station when attendants at the gas station were trying to fill a gas cylinder.

According to an eye witness"We just heard a loud explosion and fire coming out of the gas station and we all started running," As at press time,nobody

From Damisi Ojo, Akure could determine how many people died in the incident as men of the fire service were still battling to put out the fire .

Residents who were angry over the delay of the fire fighters in arriving the scene, attacked the firemen with stones to express their displeasure.

Sources said it took the effort of men from the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure to curtail the mob and allow the fire fighters do their job.

It was learnt that quick rescue effort failed as there were no operational vehicles at the State Fire Station at Alagbaka,Akure.

Yemen troops kill Saudi-bound Qaeda suspects dressed as women EMENI troops yesterday shot dead five Al-Qaeda suspects disguised as women who fired at a soldier during a checkpoint inspection of their Saudibound bus, officials said.

Another suspect and the driver were wounded in the shooting in Harad, a town 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the Saudi border, the officials said, adding that two of those killed were Saudis.

Y

"As one of the soldiers climbed on board the bus for an inspection, one of the suspects opened fire and wounded him, prompting shooting from other soldiers at the checkpoint," said a government official who gave the toll.

All six had been dressed in black robes and wore the niqab, a face-covering veil commonly worn by women in Yemen, the official in Harad told AFP.

of NATO's war against the Taliban on December 31 after 13 years of fighting that has failed to thwart the Islamist insurgency.

The bloodshed has wrecked claims that the insurgency is weakening and has highlighted fears that Afghanistan could trip into a spiral of

violence as the US-led military presence declines.

NATO's force in Afghanistan will change at the end of the year from a combat mission to a support role, with troop numbers cut to about 12,500 -- down from a peak of 130,000 in 2010.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

Collect your voter card, Adeboye urges Nigerians

FG worried about poor WAEC results, says Shekarau From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

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INISTER of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has disclosed that the Federal Government is worried over the poor results recorded in the last Senior Secondary School certificate examination conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

Shekarau disclosed this Saturday at the 22nd Convocation ceremony of the Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State.

To address the anomaly, the minister said government has taken steps to improve on the capability of the Inspectorate Division of the Federal Ministry of Education to enable it monitor the quality of teaching and facilities available in secondary schools.

He further disclosed that government is working out modalities for the regular training and retraining of teachers through various short term courses, workshops and seminars.

He commended the achievements of the present management of the polytechnic, saying, "I am aware and pleased that Auchi Polytechnic has a well developed entrepreneurial curriculum and has commissioned an entrepreneurial village for skills acquisition with the sole purpose of producing job creators and not job seekers. Government is very particular about the development of vocational and technology education and believes that strengthening this will reduce the high rate of unemployment of youths, and ensure wealth creation.

NEWS

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HE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on Nigerians to ensure that they get their voters' card to enable them exercise their civic responsibilities during next year's general elections.

The voters' card, he said, is the only power the people have to vote in credible candidates.

Adeboye spoke during the annual Holy Ghost Congress of RCCG. The congress was with the theme: 'The Great

By Nneka Nwaneri

Shepherd'.

Holding up his voter card and that of his wife, Folu, the respected man of God reminded the congregation that everyone is expected to collect and bring their cards to the church on the first Sunday of December for prayers. He announced that the January 2 Holy Ghost Congress will be entitled 'The Burden Bearer.'

He noted: "It is very crucial you all get it even if it means spending the whole day at the local government

because without the card, you cannot vote. On the first Sunday of next year, come to church with your voter card before we will pronounce the New Year blessings on you."

He also called for donation of relief materials of food and clothings for thousands who have been displaced from their homes due to insurgency in the North East region.

Adebayo urged, "Let us all contribute to make life comfortable for those people.

All proceeds will be passed to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and from there will be passed to those

in need."

31 babies have been delivered so far in the camp ground comprising of 19 boys and 12 girls.

In attendance at the event include Togo's Minister of Justice, Esan Kofi; Nigeria's Minister for Sports, Tamuno Danagogo; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire and her Kogi State counterpart, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi; First Lady of Benue State, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam and her Lagos State counterpart, Dame Abimbola Fashola.

APC ticket: Igbo now force in national politics -Okorocha I

MO State Governor, Owella Rochas Okorocha, has insisted that his participation in the just concluded APC presidential contest was to disabuse the notion that the presidency is only reserved for a particular zone in the country.

With his participation in the race in which he came third, the governor added, the Igbo has become a force to reckon with in national politics.

He argued, "By participating in the contest, I have been able to prove that

the president can come from any part of the country. It is the understanding of APC that the president should come from the North ever since. I knew about that, but I don't like those facts, so I have come to distort those facts which are not the truth."

Okorocha made this clarification while addressing a mammoth crowd that came to receive him at the Sam Mbakwe Airport on his return from the APC Presidential Convention.

While commending the

party for organising a free and fair primary, the governor also congratulated Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for emerging the presidential flag bearer of APC. Okorocha thanked Imo people for their support and assured that his Rescue Mission programme is still on course, promising that the state will experience accelerated socioinfrastructural development in the next four years.

Commenting on the return of the governor to the Imo State governorship race, The speaker of the Imo State

House of Assembly, Hon. Benjamin Uwajimogu, said Okorocha's acceptance by the people of the state is a clear indication that they want him back as governor in 2015, insisting that there is no vacancy in the Imo government house until 2019.

The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Chief Uche Nwosu and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sir Jude Ejiogu, also commended their boss for giving the Igbo race a voice in national politics.

7

Health workers vow to continue strike, meets FG team Monday From Tony Akowe, Abuja

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TRIKING health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has said the government was not sincere and committed to addressing the problems that led to the four weeks old strike by choosing not to comply with judicial pronouncement on their demands.

The chairman of the Union and President of Medical and Health Workers, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, told The Nation that the union was baffled that the same government that dragged the body to the National Industrial Court with a view to putting an end to constant strikes in the sector has refused to implement the judgment of the court.

He, however, said that the striking health workers are looking forward to resolving the issues and bring life back to the nation's public hospitals soon, pointing out that the government has fixed another meeting with the union for Monday, December 15, 2014.

Wabba said: "The response as at the last meeting we had which was convened by the Minister of Labour and other government agencies, they agreed that we have a legitimate demand and that they needed to go and get sufficient mandate to be able to come and make a pronouncement.

"We told them that since they want to go and get a mandate, they should invite us when they are ready. We just got a notice that they are inviting us to a meeting on December 15 at 3.00pm. We will attend the meeting, expecting to hear from them."

8

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

NEWS

'Boko Haram has ended' says Oyedepo... as Shiloh 2014 ends

By Sulaiman Salawudeen S Shiloh 2014 wound to a close yesterday at Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, the Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church International, Bishop David Oyedepo, has said the end has come for the Boko Haram insurgency.

The Bishop assured Nigerians that God was ready to intervene and bring an end to the deadly exploits of the rampaging insurgents, adding that Nigerians should support the process with prayers.

He urged Christians to "pray without ceasing or season", insisting the only effective weapon to fight life's challenges as Christians were prayers, good deeds and fellow feeling, noting that God loves those who give with sincerity and genuine intention.

Bishop Oyedepo spoke at the 'Impartation Night', a special prayer session which equally witnessed ministrations in songs and dance by the church choir, officially marking the end of the five-day programme tagged "Heaven on Earth"

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Court asks EFCC to pay father, son N5.5milion as damages A

STATE High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to pay Mr. Abiodun Bademus, a businessman and media consultant, the sum of N5million as "damages for the breach of his fundamental rights."

The EFCC is also asked by the court to pay the sum of N500,000 to Master Tolu, Bademosi's son, who was un-

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

lawfully arrested and detained along with his father by the operatives of the anti-graft agency on January 19, 2012.

To join the Commission in paying the said damages to Bademosi and son, is an Ibadan-based businessman, Bode Afolayan, who was accused of lodging the complain (petition) on which EFCC acted upon and in the process, alleg-

edly breached the fundamental rights of the plaintiffs (Bademosi and son).

Delivering the judgment in the suit, marked M/85/12, Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, also held that the "spraying of a harmful chemical substance into the eyes of Abiodun Bademosi in Ibara, Abeokuta," at the time of arrest was "illegal, wrongful, degrading and unconstitutional."

However, the EFCC has

filed a motion before the same trial judge, asking the court to set aside the judgment delivered January 7, 2013. The EFCC motion seeking to set aside, the said judgment has been adjourned till January 14, 2015.

Meanwhile, Bademosi is asking the EFCC to return his International Passport in its custody, having submitted an application as well as filling of relevant documents to that effect.

Violence stalls Kosofe House of Rep primaries

By Adetutu Audu

F

OR the third time in a row, the primary election to elect the All Progressive Congress (APC) House of Representatives candidate to represent Kosofe federal constituency ended inconclusively on Saturday.

The election, which was rescheduled for the party's state secretariat, Ikeja failed to hold after the electoral team had directed delegates to go back home due to the violence allegedly instigated by one of the aspirants.

No new date has been fixed for the rescheduled primary.

The first primary election was scheduled to hold on December 7, but it ended in a stalemate. A fresh election took place last Tuesday which was attended by the state party chairman, Otunba Henry Ajomale and the Woman Leader, Mrs. Kemi Nelson, a development that compelled party leaders to fix another fresh election at the party's secretariat on Saturday.

Row over authentic winner of Okiti pupa/Irele N/A primaries

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HERE is controversy within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in Ondo State over the final result of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for the House of Representatives in Irele/ Okitipupa federal constituency held last Saturday.

The two PDP local government chairmen in Irele and Okitipupa,Stephen Akinmuda and Bitire Solomon, explained that Gboluga Akingboju scored 43 votes as against the incumbent lawmaker representing the federal constituency, Albert Akintoye(SOT) who was declared winner with 38 votes.

•From left: Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, author and Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Soyombo Opeyemi, daughter of Chief (Mrs) Leila Fowler, Mrs. Funke Fowler-Amba, Secretary to Ogun State Government, Barr Taiwo Adeoluwa, Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, Commissioner for Health, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, wife of Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs Oluwaseun Adekunbi, and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, during the public presentation of the book, Ogun State: The Golden Years, in Abeokuta, at the weekend.

Two dead, as Ibadan youth carnival ends in mayhem

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WO unidentified youths were yesterday murdered at Agbeni/ Agbaje area of Ibadan, in Ibadan South West Local Government when some youth clashed during a carnival at the weekend.

When The Nation visited the scene of the incident yesterday, over 20 shops were vandalised while their goods were looted by the hoodlums.

It was also learnt that over three other streets were affected by the violence which lasted over an hour.

A source who pleaded anonymity said ?:" The carnival started peacefully till around 11pm, when the gunwielding youths shot sporadically into the air, making

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

everybody to scamper to safety and there was another rival group that came to confront the youths at the carnival and that was how all this problem started."

A resident, who identified himself only as Demola said the violence was as a result of a misunderstanding between the two youths' groups that were supporting different political parties.

Narrating the incident, he said, "Some weeks ago, a politician in the area organised a political rally and the youths from Foko who are mostly from another party came to the rally and were attacked by the politicians' boys.

"Over three boys sustained injury, and with what happened over night today, I believe this is retaliation. Two boys were killed, while some were also injured and they have been taking to an undisclosed hospital by the police."

A landlord, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, said the area was no longer safe.

He urged the police authorities to station an armoured tank in the area.

He said, "Violence has become common in Agbaje area whenever election is fast approaching and these hoodlums are known by all but they seem to be above the law?.

"On Saturday about 10:30,

these hoodlums, some of whom wore masks, numbering about 80 from their base in Foko fully armed, stormed Agbaje streets. They ransacked and looted shops and also vandalised the shops.

"If the police can establish their presence here like they did in Idi-Arere and Popoyemoja, I believe peace will be restored."

He urged the police to conduct investigation and arrest those involved in the act.

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state command, DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said he would get back to our correspondent, as he is yet to get full details of the incident.

Boko Haram insurgency: Conceal your strategies, N Okitipupa lawyer in combating the activities of the Nigerian Army urged Ondo, Segun Lemo has Boko Haram sect, the war still urged President

A

Goodluck Jonathan to report any neighbouring country harbouring the Boko Haram insurgents to the United Nations for sanction.

The former Vice Chairman,Nigeria Bar Association(NBA)Okitipupa Branch who is also a House of Assembly candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) for Okitipupa Constituency II, said the war against the Boko Haram insurgency might be difficult to win due to external support from the neighbouring countries.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Lemo alleged that many countries were aiding and abetting the insurgents and therefore making the battle difficult for Nigerian Army to win He charged Jonathan to declare total war in the area taken over by insurgents and stop playing politics with peoples' lives.

The former NBA boss said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) should strive to bring sanity back to the Nigerian Army in order to restore its lost glory.

Besides,he said the media should stop excessive reporting

of the activities of the sect, if the federal government must succeed in its war against the sect.

He noted that the media had been over reporting the insurgents and make them and their sponsors feel more important than they are.

The APC aspirant advised the military to keep their strategies in combating the scourge intact and away from public consumption.

He said: "It is quite unfortunate that despite the billions of naira the federal government claimed to have expended in

persists. This is giving we Nigerians a lot of concern. Nigeria military should look beyond the area taken over by the insurgents.

"They should keep their eyes on neighbouring country leaders to ascertain where they actually belong. To me, the Nigeria military are trying their best in this regard but it appears some of the neighbouring countries are harbouring these insurgents.

"If this trend continues I think the war might be very difficult for the federal government to win."

Aspirants appeal against Ondo North primaries From Damisi Ojo, Akure WO Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Northern District of Ondo State, Barrister Nat Adojutelegan and Otunba Adegboyega Adefarati, have petitioned the Legislative Election Appeal Committee over alleged irregularities in the primary elections in the area.

Adojutelegan who polled 139 votes alleged substantial irregularities and electoral malpractices during the exercise.

The London-based lawyer hinged his grounds of appeal against the primary election on the result sheet indicating a substantial difference between the total numbers of votes recorded for aspirants and total number of votes cast.

According to him, the votes recorded for the five Aspirants was 1,882, while the total votes cast was 1,985 with the incumbent Senator Ajayi Borrofice scoring 1,146,a member, House of Representatives, Hon Ganny Dauda polled 565 ,Dr K.S Shaba,31 and A. Alabi, one vote.

Besides, the aspirant alleged that the number of accredited voters was not announced until the end of the voting exercise.

Adojutelegan said there was simultaneous accreditation and voting throughout the exercise contrary to the APC's 2014 guidelines which states that any delegate, aspirant or agent who arrives after the commencement of voting shall not be accredited or allowed to vote.

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‘Buhari's emergence is designed by God’

By Oziegbe Okoeki

D

EPUTY Whip of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Hon. Rotimi Abiru, has described the emergence of. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the primaries held this week as wind of change from the hopelessness in the nation.

Abiru, who was one of the delegates at the presidential primaries which took place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on Wednesday/ Thursday, said this in an interview with some journalists yesterday.

The lawmaker congratulated Nigerians for the emergence of Buhari as the APC candidate, saying that his emergence has rekindled hope in Nigerians.

"This is a historical victory, Buhari is a symbol of hope, man of Integrity, godly, dedicated and committed Nigerian who will save this country from the incompetent President Goodluck Jonathan led administration,” Abiru said.

Adding that it is unfortunate that Nigeria as a nation has failed under the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) for 15 years of return

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

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HERE is no doubt that President Goodluck Jonathan that went into the 2011 Presidential contest with the catch phrase of "A breath of fresh air" is not the same that would contest the 2015 poll.

All the goodwill and the promise of "fresh air" which were the aura under which he coasted to victory in the 2011 elections seem to have fizzled out. The President Jonathan that would face the electorate (read Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC) in 2015 is a totally demystified and disrobed president who has been shorn of all toga expectations due to a lackluster performance; that has been far from stellar. The promised "breath of fresh air" has become jejune and poisoned. As William Shakespeare would perhaps have put it, the story of his performance is like "A tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing‌" In 2011 President Jonathan led a united and solid Peoples Democratic Party to win the election despite early opposition by some members of the party that the slot should go back to the north. In fact, his victory in the 2011 election was seen as a pan Nigerian vote cast solely to reinforce him and his party for the bigger tasks ahead. When some skirmishes broke out in some parts of the country over his victory, this was largely viewed as a sectional thing and not big enough to cut a hole in his hat of victory. He was just too loved for anything to shake him.

Ahead of the election that brought him to victory he had the unalloyed support of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was his godfather and who almost did all his campaigns for him as he did for the late Umoru Yar'Adua. However, since his victory things have gone sour between the duo.

This came to a head last week when the former president released a trilogy of his autobiography with the title 'My Watch'. In the book the former president painted an unflattering picture of his hitherto godson.

HARD SELL Unlike 2011, even President Jonathan's greatest supporters know that he is a hard sell. There are so many forces ranged against him in the march to securing a second term in 2015. The first opposition to his candidature was from inside his party the PDP. At the initial stage seven governors, mainly from the north, were the arrowheads of the opposition against his second term. It was a solid movement against him and the seven governors (Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulfattah Ahmed, (Kwara), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), who opposed him looked determined to carry out their plans.

Their opposition led to the formation of what later became the New PDP. The five governors were joined by former President Atiku Abubakar in the new party. However, two of the five governors later developed cold feet and retraced their steps back to PDP while the five others joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The challenge from the opposition apart, President Jonathan is going into the 2015 election with a fractured and divided party. The events that led to his emergence as the sole candidate of the party for the presidential contest is still very largely divisive and many fell in line mainly to save their skin and not because they are convinced he is the best foot forward for the party. His performance in all sectors of the economy and governance has been far from something to write home about.

The economy has been in a terrible tail spin. Price of crude has fallen in the international market leading to

Buhari vs Jonathan: 2015 permutations Following the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan as the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, as the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), the battle for Nigeria's presidency has been joined. Deputy Editor, Olayinka Oyegbile and Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, report on the 2015 permutations and possible electoral routes to Aso Villa for the candidates. dwindling income and fresh load of hardship on the citizens. His ratings both at home and abroad have fallen to an all time low.

BOKO HARAM Perhaps the greatest drawback for the President is the unparalleled failure that has confronted his administration in the area of the Boko Haram menace and terrorism. Under his watch, the Boko Haram challenge has grown to a veritable insurgency that has led to the death of thousands of citizens without the government been able to stem the tide. The fate of the over 200 girls abducted from Chibok is still unknown.

In fact, the insurgents have grown so bold that they continue to launch attacks across the North East so much so that that section of the country seems to be like another country. The question many are asking is how a man who has failed to bring the insurgency under control and has refused to visit the states affected by this war could expect to be given another shot at the seat of power.

On the war against insurgency, former President Obasanjo in his recently released autobiography has been unsparing of President Jonathan, as ever. Writing about the handling of

the menace he gave a big thumb down to the administration saying it does not seem to know what it is doing. For instance, he writes that the security agencies do not seem to know how to deal with the menace and are working without coordination with one another.

According to him, "The one incident that overtly and graphically exposed the ineptitude, ineffectiveness, inefficiency, carelessness, cluelessness, callousness, insensitivity and selfishness of Goodluck Jonathan was the abduction of about 276 school girls from Chibok in Borno State by Boko Haram. The reaction and attitude of our president and his household was non-belief, to the extent that 18 days passed before he grudgingly concede to accept the reality of the abduction. If serious action had been taken within 48 hours, the story could have been different."

He also criticized the president for "dancing twenty-four hours after the Nyanya explosion that took seventyfive lives. I also found believable the statement allegedly credited to the president after both the Nyanya explosion and the Chibok school girls abduction to the effect that since some people in the North had said that they would make Nigerian ungovernable,

they could keep on killing and abducting each other."

STUNTED BATTLE AGAINST CORRUPTION Under the president's watch, the fight against corruption has been fought only in words and not in action. Even in words, the war is tepid and bland.

No visible acts have been taken against many who have been accused of corruption. A case that comes to mind is the aviation sector, despite all the hues and cries in that sector nothing has been done to punish all those perceived as perpetrating corruption in the sector, same for the power sector and various ministries.

Although, the administration has been crowing over the recent report of the Transparency International (TI) which rated the country 136th in 2014 from her 144th in 2013, and 139 in 2012 and 143 in 2011. This 'improvement' has not been visible at the home front. In fact, he has scored below average in the fight against graft as no one, high or low, has been punished on account of corruption since he assumed power six years ago.

Whatever any one might say against former President Obasanjo, he at least made some moves against

corrupt officials even if they were sectional and tokenistic. In his new autobiography, the former president is of the opinion that "Under Jonathan we seem to have gone from frying pan to fire. If in the past corruption was in the corridors of power, it would seem now to be in the sitting room, dining room and bedroom of power." What a damning verdict.

The former president in driving home his point alleged that incriminating corruption related documents against a former governor was ordered to be removed from the file because the accused is close to the president. Many Nigerians do not see the administration as ready to fight the hydra headed monster of corruption.

It is the believe that if there is a level playing field and the contest is held today, President Jonathan has lost the race to return to Aso Rock. However, the incumbency factor is considered as a plus for President Jonathan. But to a professor of political science who pleaded anonymity, this is over rated.

According to him, "Incumbency can only work in a situation where the popularity rating of the government is not as bad as what we have today. The Jonathan presidency is at its weakest now. The fact that former President Obasanjo decided to release his book at this time should not be lost on us. You may argue that the former president perhaps has no electoral value, but he is an opinion leader and his body language is a sign and a call on Nigerians to reject the present arrangement. He has clearly shown that the presidency is weak and not able to carry out its duties to the electorate."

The political science teacher added that the only thing that could help the present administration is the use of military to intimidate the electorate.

This, he quickly added, may not work pointing out that it didn't work in Osun State and he doesn't see how it would work in 2015 across the country.

Substantiating his thesis, the professor said incumbency advantage is only possible where a candidate is popular. According to him, President Jonathan has frittered away all the goodwill and optimism that ushered him in 2011. To him, "President Jonathan is coming into 2015 as a bowed, diminished and demystified candidate. The only thing that can see him victorious is if there is electoral fraud." He, however, warned that Nigerians are alert.

But is Jonathan's reputation that ruptured? The answer is out there in the field in February 2015.

THE BUHARI CHALLENGE The results of the presidential primaries of the two leading political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), show that their candidates enjoy full support of their parties across the board.

While President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan emerged PDP candidate unopposed at a National Convention held in Abuja, it was a landslide when the former Military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, garnered a whopping 3,430 votes to emerge the presidential candidate of APC in a keenly contested primary election held in Lagos the same day.

Today, the die is cast. The two have emerged as candidates and so stakeholders and observers, both locally and abroad, have already commenced careful assessment of their strengths and weaknesses and that of their platforms to determine the possible president of Nigeria in 2015.

THE MAN BUHARI Born on December 17, 1942, Muhammadu Buhari, a Fulani from Daura in Katsina State, served in the

•Contd. on page 73

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

Ropo Sekoni

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Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

Osun’s unforgetable years F

ROM the pre colonial era, when in 1951 H. L. Butcher Commission gave birth to Osun District, till 1991, when the General Ibrahim Babangida-led administration created Osun out of the old Oyo State, several efforts have been made to place the state on the proper position it ought to occupy on the world map. But none has been able to attain the golden age as it is today within four years under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, governor of the state.

From the days of surplus, when the military administrators were in-charge, till the coming of the civilian administration in1999, except for the period under Chief Bisi Akande, who started the restructuring of the infrastructure and the opening of the rural roads, so as to increase agricultural products, no one else has done what Aregbesola has done under four years of dynamic and purposeful leadership.

Abraham Lincoln stated: " Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. " Power is a test of character. In the hands of a person of integrity, it is of tremendous benefit: in the hands of a tyrant, it causes terrible destruction." The struggle for power lasted 3 and half years for the incubent. Under 4 years, most of the chronic political opponents with whom he wrestled power from have since become one in a political family. It is a credit to Aregbesola that his first term has brought in his successor; Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Senator Isaka Adeleke , first Executive Governor of the state, Peter Babalola (Peter Action) and many other political gladiators. The implication of the aforesaid, is the presence of peace and security in the state. The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, Section 14 (4) encapsulates that the state must ensure security of lives and properties, as well as the welfare of the people. Aregbesola no doubt has done marvellously well in this aspect .

In every age, there comes forth to meet the needs of the hour. Aregbesola's emergence in the state was similar to the Presidency of Franklin Delaino Roosevelt emergence in the USA presidential election. His major opponents never gave him a chance of success. The United States was in the midst of depression; banks were falling at an alarming rate; unemployment was rife; and life was brutish, hard and unpleasant. But against all odds, FDR emerged victorious. Roosevelt, in his victory speech, promised to lead the country in a completely new direction.

Roosevelt successfully revived the American economy through a socioeconomic template he called New Deal.

Aregbesola came on board when the state was in critical need of turn-around.

A state noted for poverty, underdevelopment and stagnancy, but the story has since changed, that even the blind and the deaf now know that development in a magnitude that was unprecedented has taken place, in education, agriculture, infrastructure, health and in social welfare.

EDUCATION Aregbesola's education policy centred on the total man; complete child, complete youth, complete citizen. His aim is to prepare the youths for generational change that will make them technically competent and economically motivated, thereby becoming potential entrepreneurs that will not be wondering or roaming the streets for jobs that are not available .

The governor shares the view of former American President, Bill Clinton, as he stated in Arkansas that " education is the

Buhari's fourth try: It will be real now

By Usman Santuraki

M

• Aregbesola

By Yomi Obaditan key to our economic revival and our perennial quest for prosperity. We must dedicate more of our limited resources to paying teachers better; expanding educational opportunities in poor and small districts; improving and diversifying vocational and high technology programmes...Without competence in basic skills, our people cannot move on to more advanced achievement. " The first term of this administration has witnessed huge investment on education, in all the local government areas, there are massive modern school buildings, well-equipped laboratories, as well as other instructional materials to meet the educational pursuit of the 21st century in any part of the world.

The school reclassification by the Aregbesola's administration into ; Elementary, Middle and High schools is synonymous to global trends in which effective teaching and learning take place.

The new educational policy is in tandem with the National Educational policy .

Under the reclassification, Osun government runs the modified National 93-4 system, as well as the normal school academic calendar. What Osun has now is 4-5-3-4 system, both systems are in harmony with the WAEC syllabus.

O'MEALS SCHEME In the last two years, Aregbesola's administration has successfully embarked on O'meal scheme, that is the school feeding programme. The result has been tremendous and amazing. So far, the pupils are robusly learning with free and well-nutritious meals daily at the huge sum of N3.6 billion annually. Thus, it has positively impacted on the public enrolment of pupils in primary schools, the highest in Nigeria. The school enrolment moved from 155, 318 in May 2012 to over 300, 000 pupils in 2014. These scheme also created jobs for 3, 000 women that prepare the meals. Osun farmers are patronised by the food vendors that utilised farm produces for their meals. Poultry Association members are also smiling to banks, as the pupils are being fed with eggs daily.

Great Britain did not only emulate the Osun free feeding scheme, in 2013, but invited the governor to address their parliament and to share his experiences with the former colonial lords. Indeed, this

invitation and the address has gone a long way in boosting the image of our country and Osun in particular.

OPON IMO Opon Imo, tablet of knowledge, is an educational computer device for learning, a celebrated academic tools that has come to revolutionise the academic world. It is a device for the students and non-students, who strive for knowledge.

It has been so programmed to instruct without a visible tutor. It is a mobile libary and an amazing device that has come to move the world to the next stage for human development. It is the product of a thinking leader, whose desire is to give the best education for a complete man. In the next few years, the world will remember this regime for turning around the education sector, not only of Osun but the whole world.

AGRICULTURE This agricultural revolution is on and cannot be denied, as the old and young farmers are competing for the war against hunger and poverty in the midst of plenty; due to self-destruction caused by long time neglect of agriculture as a means for living by any serious nation. Africa and Nigeria are blessed by vast arable land but the oil boom that turned oil doom in our nation made people to turn their backs at tilling the soil. Aregbesola has since preached, practiced 'go back to land' for battle against poverty. O'REAP is an agricultural project that has given the youths hope of earning a living. Some of our people are today employers of labour through agricultural investment.

Fertilisers and other useful chemicals that would boost agricultural production have been made available to farmers across the state. Seedlings were provided, lands cleared by government free of charge for would-be farmers. Cooperative societies were created for farmers to enhance fund for big time farmers. Today, the cost of living is far cheaper and economical. Poverty has been reduced drastically and unemployment has equally reduced and the state economy is adjudged the best seven in the Federation.

As Aregbesola commences his second term, his desire is to accomplish 20 year's work under four years that his second term would cover.

- TUNJI ADEGBOYEGA IS ON VACATION

Y instinct made me to believe, that General Muhammadu Buhari would clinch the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC's) primaries The other four contenders- Former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, Governor Rochas and Mr. Sam Isaiah will not really pose any threat in making the Buhari candidacy under the platform of the APC, because the retired General has enjoyed and still enjoys the people's confidence in yearning for positive change in this country.

It is therefore not a surprise, that when counting of the ballots started at the primaries, General Muhammadu Buhari polled a total vote of 3,430 out of the more than 7,000 delegates votes.

It is only General Muhammadu Buhari, in the whole of this country that can still be enjoying mass appeal of the people. A lot of things that are unexpected happened as the primaries was held in Lagos and one of the things that came to the open was the acceptability of General Buhari in South-East and the South-South by the people.

The massive supports given to General Buhari during the concluded primaries has break the jinx, that was associated with him as a strong religious bigot, who only care for the Muslims.

Those who tagged him with such incredulous label are political adversaries that are threatened by the support he enjoys from the people of this country from different parts of this country. It is clear that General Buhari in the election proper in 2015 would give the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan a good run for his money.

Most of the co-contenders like the former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has shown good sportsmanship by conceding defeat and congratulating the General over his victory.

The task has now shifted from General Buhari to all the party men and women to now vigorously come out from any shell they may be in to assiduously work for the victory of the party, and General Buhari, at the polls next year.

General Buhari stands a good chance in becoming the next President of this country in next year's election once the people will put aside any primordial interest and work in unison for the success of the party and the candidate against the dreaded PDP and its candidate.

People should eschew political rancor and money bags and vote according to their conscience in order to ease out the PDP and their presidential candidate.

The people have suffered too much especially in the North East where insurgents have ravaged so many towns and villages with scores of people losing their lives and hard-earned properties worth billions of naira.

Insecurity has scuttled the business opportunities of the people as people now live from hand to mouth. The year for real General Buhari's presidency is now and the people should rally round and see to its actualization.

General Muhammadu Buhari will transform this country that all can claim to be worthy in staying. This generation and indeed future generations yet unborn have no any other country than Nigeria and we must stay here and salvage it together.

- Santuraki is a Political Analyst/ public from Yola.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

COMMENT

Buhari versus Jonathan: time to end mindless campaign

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ESTERDAY marked the end of the search for the two political protagonists that will drive the campaign and shape the voting in next year's presidential election. The ruling party at the centre, PDP, presented yesterday its consensus candidate, the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan. On the other hand, the opposition party, the APC, elected before camera former Head of State, General MuhammedBuhari, as the party's flag bearer.

With the choice of the two candidates by the two leading political parties, it should now be the turn of citizens to hear more from the candidates about why each of them deserves to be voted in as president in 2015 than from distractive noises from chosen or self-appointed spokespersons. It should be assumed that public relations staff of each political party has done very well the preliminary work needed to put the two leading contenders before the electorate.

On the eve of the conventions of both parties, President Jonathan played the role of a statesman when he cautioned politicians not to act like touts during the process leading to the presidential elections. In other words, President Jonathan must have chosen to caution party men and women not to turn the campaign process into the type of mindless antagonism that characterises relations between co-wives or touts fighting with all means for the same gain in the kitchen or motor parks respectively. The president must have been trying to warn party fanatics not to act in a way that can erode public confidence in the electoral process. Given the spate of name calling of opposition parties and personalities such parties in the past few months by party functionaries in the ruling party, the president must have seen the futility and danger in failing to warn party loyalists in all parties to take the matter of presidential elections with the seriousness it should deserve.

One thing that may not be obvious but that is equally present in the president's caution to politicians is the imperative in a serious democracy for political elite to demonstrate political skills expected of individuals in positions of leader-

Merely deploying words that frame candidates negatively shows lack of political skills required of the political elite class. ship and evidence of a sense of the public interest by showing at all times during the electioneering campaign that political office seekers and their professional supporters have regard for the public, the citizens whose votes they seek and whose support they need to get elected in a truly democratic ethos. Unfortunately, the PDP spokesman failed to heed President Jonathan's advice when he couched his first response to the announcement of Buhari's candidacy in a language that detracts attention from policy matters, while focusing on personality of the person that is to run as alternative to the incumbent.

The publicity chief's statement: "Buhari has nothing new to offer, except 'tired ideas' and provocative utterances" is not an elegant way to start a free and fair issues-based campaign. Given anecdotal reports of citizens glued to television sets and radios in the last forty-eight hours during which the two leading parties formally chose their candidates, there is no doubt that citizens are interested in hearing what the candidates hope to do to address the problems that have confronted the country since 1999. Merely deploying words that frame candidates negatively shows lack of political skills required of the political elite class. Utterances and actions of party officials during electioneering do not only contribute to shaping citizens' decisions and final choices at the polls; they also reflect the political maturity of the elite class while having the capacity to degrade or upgrade political attitudes of citizens.

Another statement by the PDP spokesman: "We are convinced that the PDP remains the only truly national political party in Nigeria, a platform on which all Nigerians can pursue their legitimate aspirations" is hyperbolic and has no basis in reality. Such a statement undermines the INEC that found all the parties in the contest from PDP to APC, UPP to SDP national enough to deserve being registered for national elections. Such facile denigration of rival parties is capable of eroding citizens' trust in the political process and even of alienating floating voters from the party of the incumbent.

Certainly, there is a sense in which the job of public relations man or woman can be perceived as doing or saying everything that is capable of enhancing the chances of the client and to damage the chances of the rival or competitor. But statecraft and a sense of deliberative democracy require that party public relations officers act and talk in a manner to sustain trust in the system, rather than paint the system as pre-cast and frozen to serve just the interest of a competitor, regardless of fairness and respect for the rights of the other competitor[s] to present other cases to the electorate. All the political parties need to move away from the traditional notion of election as just an opportunity to smash your rival in words of assault. Elections are regular rituals that sustain democracy and socialise citizens to imbibe the tenets of democratic practice, not a war of words that cast the rival as a demon.

Truly, electoral competition presupposes that there will be conflict between or among candidates from different political parties asking for the same thing: the mandate to govern. But if we are not to be petty about this important matter, all persons functioning as party leaders need to imbibe and display commitment to the principle of choice by the electorate. Citizens' ability to choose correctly can be frustrated or destroyed by demonisation of candidates in a campaign that focuses more on personalities than programmes or on images than issues. Our democracy is too young (only sixteen years after the exit of military dictatorship) for the political elite to organise electoral struggle only in the plot and imagery of conflict for conflict's sake.

Inter-party conflicts during elections in particular and at other times in a democratic ethos are for the purpose of clarifying nationally important issues for the electorate, with a view to leading them to make informed choices about the future preferred by voters for themselves and their children. Let us not degrade the process with provocative utterances such as are inherent in the latest description of the nation's opposing party as Bola Tinubu's APC. Such statement could

have been designed to attack Tinubu as a politician who has reshaped the political party system in the country in the last sixteen years, but it also has the capacity to insult citizens and cast them as sheepish followers of an individual, rather than as believers in a multiparty system believed to be the surest way to sustain political democracy.

Nigerians have heard a lot of slogans in the last fifteen years: "Do or die struggle for power," "the political party that has been ordained to rule Nigeria for 65 years," "Nigeria's only national party that can keep the country united," etc. Yet, our multiparty system has not disappeared, and the struggle by various political parties for the mandate to govern the country has not become redundant. In fact, the only thing that adds legitimacy to any political party's bid for power is the existence of more than one political party. There is no better time for the political elite to act in the manner of elite, rather than as touts, to borrow President Jonathan's phrase.

Citizens are more likely to want to hear from all the candidates how each of them plans to address the real issues: corruption, security, an economy that appears to have been degraded by the diminishing value of petroleum, an education and health system in shambles, and a polity being broken into two by the diversionary tactics of Christian and Islamic fanatics besotted to political power at all cost. Let us all welcome the emergence of the two principal candidates for the office of the president with discipline and admiration for the democratic process by opening and sustaining the political space for unfettered presentation of policy statements to address the country's problems. In addition, let us candidates urge for full and prompt funding of the electoral commission, to prevent watering down of the electoral process on account of under-funding while also calling on the media to restrain from reducing the political debate of the next two months to personalities, images, and packaging. Citizens need to hear (without over mediation) from each candidate about the way to peace, progress, and prosperity in the country.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

COMMENT

15

Serious allegations Obanikoro's allegations that Bode George is turning SURE-P cadets into an illicit force, for election duties in 2015, should be probed

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HIEF Bode George, chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, is in the news again. He is in the news at the moment over weighty allegations that funds for the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) were being misapplied; and that the SURE-P task force being trained in Lagos was actually meant to terrorise inhabitants and also destabilise the coming 2015 general elections in Lagos State.

Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of State for Defence and leading PDP member, in exasperation after he lost the primaries, went on air to level these grievous allegations against George.

A breakdown of the allegations, as reported and beamed live on Television Continental (TVC), a satellite television station, shows the following: that Bode George is purportedly sponsoring and training thugs illegally for election purposes through the SURE-P Task Force at toll gate along Magodo expressway area; that members of the Task Force bear arms and ammunition allegedly in preparation for election violence; and that the SURE-P boys allegedly provide round-the-clock security for George's Ikoyi residence. But he is not known to occupy any top public office at present to warrant such protection, by people paid from the public till.

In fury, Obanikoro also stated that the only time the PDP in the state knew peace was when George was in jail.

We believe that the outburst of Obanikoro should not be shoved aside, as coming from someone who lost in the just concluded PDP governorship primaries. As a former ambassador, Minister of State for Defence and frontline member of the PDP in the state, he knows what he was saying about what goes on in the innermost circle of the party and, most

T

HE Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta, stood out among the 256 serving and retired staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), who were honoured with long service awards on November 17, 2014.

Although the honour was bestowed on him and others on the basis of their past contributions to the progress and development of NDDC, the event brought to the fore pertinent issues and lessons on attitude to work and conduct in service.

The Chairman of NNDC, Sir Bassey Dan- Abia, in his speech, said the essence of the awards was "to build staff confidence for career progression, motivate staff and promote excellence through healthy competition for greater service delivery."

He said another lesson NE thing that is certain as pilgrims on this earth is nothing but death which many tend to be petrified when the word is whispered.

Death is not what people should be jittery about; rather, they should be concerned on how a life is spent. According to Myles Munroe, "the greatest tragedy is not death but life without a purpose."

This suggests that if a person does not make his world a better place than he met it,

O

especially, on issues he raised.

To us, indeed, he spoke as someone who should know. In our view, such severe allegations should not be treated with kid's gloves; or dismissed as the ranting of an irritant party man. Rather, they should be treated with official promptness because they bear criminal imputations that could be injurious to Lagos and the entire electoral process if not properly addressed now.

We could not fathom why SURE-P, designed to bring succour to the long suffering people of Lagos and Nigerian in general under President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, could be turned, for selfish reasons, to an avenue for creating a possible destabilisation force with obviously the sole aim of threatening free and fair elections in Lagos State come February, 2015.

Hitherto, there have been reports of massive recruitment of able-bodied people into the SURE-P cadre and they were reportedly seen along the toll gate express-road, being given military drilling. That supports the allegation that they might be deployed to cause disquiet in the polity.

On several occasions in recent past, the task force cadets had reportedly engaged the officials of Lagos State Traffic Management TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye •Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile •Associate Editors Taiwo Ogundipe Sam Egburonu

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye

Agency (LASTMA) in avoidable battles over who controls highways in the Lagos metropolis.

The squabbles emanating from this have led to the unleashing of serious injuries on some LASTMA officials by SURE-P cadets that are reported to be routinely armed.

Yet, they have proved to be grossly inefficient in providing effective traffic management on major roads that they have illegally taken over.

In retrospect, we can authoritatively state that during the era of Adeseye Ogunlewe as Minister of Works under the Obasanjo presidency, he came up with a gang called FERMA task force through which they terrorised Lagosians on the road. Just as that ill conceived gang did not last long, we are not under any illusion, like its promoters, that this SURE-P task force will disappear like its predecessor did.

Still, we demand the intervention of the presidency in addressing the Obanikoro allegations against George. It is sad to note that the SURE-P funds meant to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal have been allegedly hijacked by Bode George and his faction of the party.

This amounts to nothing but an abuse of SURE-P funds and, in essence, which should not be allowed to continue. But for the crisis that was an aftermath of the PDP governorship primaries, the public will still be in the dark.

We wonder: how can money, specifically meant to be shared for the good of all Lagosians, now be turned into the exclusive preserve of a few in the state branch of PDP hell bent in creating mayhem come 2015?

President Jonathan must ensure, as a matter of urgent duty, that nothing is done or allowed to be done to compromise the coming elections in Lagos or anywhere in Nigeria.

LETTER

The NDDC long service award from the award was on the dignity that any diligent employee could earn on his duty post. In his response, Mr. Nta advised members of staff to aspire to qualify for long service award by staying clean and upright. The award given to Nta did not come as a fluke judging from the silent but far reaching innovations he is adopting to fight corruption in Nigeria.

As the Chairman of ICPC, Nta has launched new initiatives, anchored on his desire to make the difference in the anti-corruption war in Nigeria, tapping from a bag of ideas which he brought to the table to make the anti-graft war more effective and result-

oriented Before his appointment as the ICPC Chairman, Nigerians had witnessed an era in which corruption was usually tackled with a high measure of grandstanding by anti-graft officials who seemed to prefer a sensational process of trial of offenders and with banner newspaper headlines.

Nigerians no doubt got tickled by the sensational approach to the anti-graft war, as they cheered endlessly each time the anti-graft commission made arrests of suspects and interrogated them. Often times, the approach proved less effective because not many of the cases so celebrated in the media fulfilled all expectations

of having those arrested prosecuted.

Ekpo Nta thus came into ICPC with the mind set of changing the game while launching a preventive approach to the war against corruption. He succeeded in putting in place, a bottom-up measure which sought to fight corruption right from the source, targeting schools, institutions, civil society groups and civil servants as soldiers to be mobilised in the war.

So far, ICPC under Ekpo Nta has succeeded in creating a System Review Mechanism for checking corruption within government establishments, banking institutions, schools

An elegy for Ogundare then the person is doomed. But in the event that the reverse is the case, an apparent lacuna is created when the person is no more. It is against this background that the exit of Chief Olarinde Olajide Ogundare, an embodiment of virtues, has created a big vacuum which can never be filled as his sojourn was not only a blessing but an

impactful and fulfilled one which is worthy of emulation.

He made his world a better place.

Even though I knew you were going to die one day, I never knew it was going to be that soon as your uncommon disposition as a disciplinarian, intelligent, trustworthy, peace maker is what the world needs.

When I received the painful news of your death on November 14, a cold ice ran through my spine as I could not fathom why now, when the world needs people of rare character like you.

After one's demise, his close associates, family, friends and acquaintances are usually thrown into mourning. Your

and other areas. ICPC had also assisted in reviewing and strengthening the process of admission within Nigeria's tertiary institutions. In the process, it was able to clamp down on fake tertiary institutions which had long been exploiting unsuspecting Nigerian students with fake admissions.

The anti-graft commission has also extended its reach towards the secondary and elementary schools in Nigeria.

The essence was to build into the school curricula some precepts of anti-corruption for the students to imbibe, with expectations that they could be technically conscripted into the war against corruption, all the exit is mourned today not because everybody that dies needs to be mourned, but because of the mammoth of vacuum you created and the legacies left behind. Ogundare was a citadel of humility, generosity, care and peace. That his family, friends and associates, among others, still look back with nostalgia lends credence to his rare personality.

However, I am taking solace in the fact that death is not a means to an end but an

same.

Nigeria can also recall that the ICPC has been blazing the trail in reducing cases of frequent visa scams at the instance of visa racketeers in the country. The commission has entered into a synergy with foreign embassies and security operatives in Nigeria to lower the menace of visa racketeering in the country.

This led to many of the visa touts being arrested and handed to the law enforcement agencies for necessary action.

Not long ago, the ICPC entered into a partnership with not less than 70 civil society organisations, all duly registered and trained to work under the umbrella of the National Anti-Corruption Coalition (NACC), an initiative of the ICPC. The award on Mr. Nta is, therefore, well deserved for a man who has done much for his country.

- Innocent Clifford Port Harcourt. end to a means since he lived a life of purpose. He was a rare gem.

Mr. Ogundare hailed from the family of High Chief Onisan of Odo-Oji Street, Ikogosi by the late Chief Aregbesola Ogundare and the late Mama Oladameye.

He is survived by wife Remi and children; Tayo, Damola, Tola and Temilolu and grandchildren.

Good night, Daddy!

- Mr. Ademola Olabisi Ibadan

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

COMMENT

2015: APC and the battle to come APC must insist on the use of electronic card reader as PVCs currently being hoarded are destined to be cloned by the PDP

"The flow of handing over a mini bag of rice with cash to every voter on the queue in turn had been smooth until it got to the victim of the brutality; a staunch APC faithful I presume, well known to the distributor. I think the distributor had offered him his own with a wink of tease he did not find amusing. 'Get out of my sight or‌" the APC man was still saying when a hard slap from the civil defense man, from behind, cut him short of further words. This instantly ignited in me a pity for the miserable life these Ekiti people have just been deceived into, endorsing with these PDP's callous bait for a deeper wretched living in their land". - From the diary of a self-confessed member of the militarisation team that locked down Ekiti from 19th21st, June 2014.

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N a 4-part article titled "PERISCOPING APC's IDEAL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE" on these pages, I recently showcased why, in the interest of not only the APC but Nigeria at large, General Muhammadu Buhari should be the party's presidential candidate. I, indeed, opined that given Nigeria's current circumstances, the country needed the general much more than he needs her.

I should not delay with a rehash of those self-evident realities; a situation so galling a naturally taciturn Dr Christopher Kolade could not hold back from saying that Nigeria never had it so bad. The loud mouths have since replied, lecturing the 80-year plus senior citizen. Let me therefore quickly congratulate the party for proving us right. I must, however,

specially thank Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Chief Retuning Officer and his election planning team for organising such a first- in- Nigeria congress, so transparent a blind could see.

For the party, however, the time for backslapping is not yet here because for the very first time in its chequered history, the 'biggest rally' in Africa -PDP - is going to have an electoral contest, properly so called.

In place of those small, usually feuding political parties, PDP would, this time around , be facing a proper, well heeled opposition party. For a party which thinks nothing of manipulating an election which it should ordinarily win, this cannot be a joking matter for PDP at all. It will therefore stop at nothing to rig the presidential election in the vain hope that victory at that would trigger a bandwagon effect as if Nigerians are fools.

For the APC, therefore, the words of former President Obasanjo to the effect that "In politics, just as in war, what matters is not just your plan, but knowledge of your opponent's plan" become relevant and germane. For it, therefore, the point of departure must be the clear understanding that for PDP, nothing, however reprehensible, is off limits. In other words, PDP would fight bare knuckles. Fortunately, in Ekiti and Osun the APC saw, in its utmost brazenness, what the party can do. The bestiality of the militarisation team, described in the intro to this article, is a clear manifestation of one of the problems with rulers of resource rich countries, particularly in the Third

World. They always want to be rulers for life. APC must therefore be prepared: not for war nor for a recourse to AK47 but, it must, as a matter of urgency, head to the courts to ask that INEC be legally compelled to conduct the 2015 elections strictly according to the Electoral Law instead of, as usual, pandering to the ruling party and helping it to rig elections. Two examples will suffice to show INEC as nothing more than PDP's rigging partner. First, it has been shown that the sudden postponement of the April 6, 2011 election long after voting had commenced nationwide, on the grounds that voting materials did not arrive, was a ploy to enable the PDP ascertain where General Buhari was strongest to enable PDP ferry fake ballot papers, being printed in a well known, local printing press in Abuja, to shore up Dr Jonathan's votes in those places. It was to cover this infamy that Justice Ayo Salami was rapidly suspended from office, and, ipso facto, from his chairmanship of the Presidential Election Tribunal where he had already granted General Buhari leave to inspect the ballot papers. That leave was promptly reversed at the first sitting of the reconstituted Presidential Election panel. Second, is the use of vanishing ink instead of the prescribed indelible ink as we saw in the Ekiti election. Last week in the column, I demonstrated how the vanishing ink was programmed to impregnate a mark already affixed to the PDP column turning it to the voted party and how that accounted for their socalled victory in all of Ekiti's 16 Local Government Areas. APC just must stop this unholy PDP/INEC mala fidi. It will be its greatest battle because on its record of performance, PDP has already failed and fallen.

The Obasanjo regime -1999 -2007showed conclusively that PDP is a rigging machine. However, if rigging was then analogue, and in-your face, under President Jonathan, it has become industrial and scientific. It comes in various ways. In 2011, for instance, fake ballot papers played a major part in PDP's 'victory'. In an affidavit before the Presidential Election Tribunal, CPC alleged that fake ballot papers printed by at a press whose name it gave the tribunal, were used in the entire north.

In confirmation, the party gave the names of two individuals who were arrested by the police in Abuja with 100,000 fake ballot papers. Similarly, there were reports of arrests for fake ballot papers in Akwa Ibom, which is already notorious for election rigging, and in Ogun State the driver of a sitting PDP senator, seeking re election, was arrested with a vehicle loaded with fake ballot papers. In all of these, mum had been the case with the complicit Nigeria police.

Equally, some INEC staff, especially of the ICT department, are busy at work for the PDP. Their duty is to crutch data to ensure that PVC collection becomes as difficult as studying robotic science in areas of the country believed by PDP strategists to be APC-leaning. Therefore, at the mere touch of a button, they could maximally reduce the number of voters in such places. Like Governor Fashola, APC must do everything to hold INEC accountable. Where it fails to give out PVCs, it must, willy nilly, approve the use of temporary cards.

The party must also insist on the use of electronic card reader as I suspect that most of the PVCs currently being hoarded are destined to be cloned for PDP use.

However, as indicated earlier, of all these rigging methods, about the most difficult to guide against will be scientific rigging which was deployed in Ekiti but they could not use in Osun because their cover had been blown and it was too late to use another variant. A South African intelligence outfit, NASENI, which did extensive work on the Zimbabwean 2013 presidential election believed to have been scientifically rigged, concluded that the technology involves the development and use of a special water marked ballot paper, which is designed to give majority of the votes cast to a pre-determined party. Once the ballot papers are supplied by its complicit suppliers, all that INEC does is provide vanishing ink in place of the indelible type. I am persuaded that in the 2015 elections, PDP would like to deploy this rogue technology in some given states as boasts, reminiscent of those we saw in Ekiti before the governorship election are already being repeated by PDP leaders in such states. For example, in spite of the defection of the former Secretary to the Government of Akwa Ibom, Mr Umana Umana, with his teeming supporters which include very senior party elders who, though didn't defect but are deeply rooting for him, the state governor continues to boast that PDP will score nothing less than 99 percent in both the presidential and governorship elections. Ditto in Rivers State where Wike keeps repeating the same boasts despite the fact that the primaries have shredded the PDP there.

In conclusion, the APC, in particular, and Nigerians in general, must be prepared to stop PDP in its tracks. Enough of the national decline on all fronts.

Kidnapping and the spirit of community 'The game of politics has been left to ruffians, 419s, graduates of miracle centres and all forms of never-do-wells'

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OMETIME in the week, I received the following letter. I have, as usual, taken the liberty to tinker a little with it to make it more readable. Please read it first.

However, not too long ago, Alaba, an orphan of the Olatunji clan in Igogo, Ekiti state, was kidnapped in the almost silent, peace-loving community. This sent a strong message because it raised questions about the exact beginning of the tragedy of our deviation from the path of honour, integrity and all that is culturally good and normative. The orphaning of Alaba is significant here only because she is one of the unfortunate people in Nigeria (a country where peoples' welfare is not part of governance, and citizens are on their own) who became an orphan at a very young age.

Everyone seems persuaded of the aberration that military government is. It altered our lives and values as a people. Having said that, however, I believe the days of Shagari and his henchmen, Umaru Dikko and Adisa Akinloye, were the worst in Nigeria's recorded history. And every year appears to be getting worse than the previous one ever since. Conscience seems to have taken flight out of here.

Abacha's days marked another peak in the history of savagery as they stood against everything that civilization stands for.

The emergence of the new breed politicians introduced another dangerous dimension to the Nigerian dilemma. Since this new

breed took over, governance has ceased to be by intellect but by brute force and sheer brigandage. The real men of honour have been scared into taking cover, within the professions and private enterprises, leaving the game of politics to ruffians, 419s, graduates of miracle centres and all forms of never-do-wells.

Alaba, the orphan, was said to have been coming from work in Ifaki, Ekiti state, in a car in the company of three other women, only for their car to be snatched and used to convey them into a bush from where, I later learnt, a call was made by one of the captors to a man: 'we have got some males and females o'.

The evil men were said to have earlier kidnapped some men who were returning from the Ewu Ekiti day celebration. The captives were later known to have been tied, hands and legs, awaiting the arrival of another evil man who, as is now being suggested, trades in human parts!

Through the miracle of God, one of the captives who, incidentally, knew the terrain well, escaped and went to Orin to inform the community from where a message was sent to Igogo. My home church in Igogo, the Roman Catholic Church, was said to have been on a monthly crossover-night, during which a special thanksgiving service is held in celebration of a successful transition from one month to the other. Alaba, a chorister, was conspicuously missing. Then a

message from her phone into her sister's phone abruptly stopped and anxiety rented the air until a hint came from the escapee in Orin.

The Igogo Church immediately got a bus and filled it with the men, leaving the women to continue the vigil. Off they went to Orin for detailed information and reinforcement, if possible for a journey into the bush that was hosting the men of evil and their captives. All the efforts the evil men made to move their victims on hearing human voices failed because the voices appeared to be coming not only from behind but also in front of them. Rescue was coming from the combined force of the Roman Catholic Church, Igogo, and the good people of Orin, who had gallantly surrounded them! The kidnappers were left with no choice but to take to their heels, abandoning their catch, and an Okada, owned by someone I learnt, is now in custody.

The lesson: The issue goes beyond Alaba or any of the other victims. As a people, we will have to desire a good society to have one.

Politics, especially this Nigerian brand, has no chance whatsoever to guarantee us a good society where the citizens are assured of life devoid of fear and panic. Our traditional rulers, the custodians of our culture, might need to sit up and rescue our communities from evil men, the same way Yobe hunters are giving hope to Yobeans in the face of the evil boko haram. Politicians, in whatever form can't and won't!

Ekiti state government and the federal government must rise up to celebrate these heroes. Anyone who, like Ladi, the Yobe hunter and her group, takes steps, no matter how

little, to save even a single life, deserves to be celebrated as it is done in all the civilized societies we claim to be imitating. We need to encourage heroes if indeed we desire to make progress as a people and as a nation.

In most places where democracy is properly defined as government for the people, as opposed to this government for politicians and their families, each of them would receive a presidential phone call immediately as a starting point in their celebration. Antoinette Tuff received a phone call and spoke to President Obama, who on behalf of himself and Michelle, his wife, and the entire American people, thanked her for saving the lives of school children in a De Kalb, Georgia (US) elementary school. She stood face to face with death as she, though trembling and bare-handed, confronted and disarmed a guntoting youth! No human society, in which mediocres and charlatans, not heroes, are given prominence, can expect to make progress.

The names of these heroes, in this kidnap case, can be obtained from the Reverend Father in the Mission House, Roman Catholic Church, Igogo. I urge Mr. President to send a bill to the national assembly today, declaring these people heroes, alongside the Yobe lady hunter (Ladi) and her group. The literary giant, Sam Omatseye made a similar call in his essay, in which he did a comparative assessment of Ladi the female hunter of Yobe and Diezeani, the female petroleum minister turned OPEC president.

William Aborisade, 07032555486.

A few comments are needed here.

The narration above is just one of

very many of such detailing the experiences of different individuals.

Some have been lucky to escape while many have not been so lucky.

One thing is clear. Never in the history of this country has there been such blood thirstiness as now as most politicians have now come to believe that they cannot win any election, even to the headship of their families, without making human sacrifice.

That was how Niger Delta militancy and book haram began. So they prey on us economically and in the flesh.

The lowest point of our national history was when a bomb blast killed hundreds of people in Abuja and some people went there to pick up human flesh to sell!

Secondly, unemployment is doing things to us, clearly. Now, people are prepared to do anything to survive, and it does not matter if it includes catching other Nigerians for politicians to use in rituals.

Callousness and indifference appear to have taken the place of respect and fear for the humanhood of others.

Thirdly, Nigerians need to come together as a community to fight this evil practice whereby we are preyed upon by our rulers economically and socially as well. Just the other day, one entire express road was blocked to human and vehicular traffic in my city because some party was doing its primaries there. The rest of us had to squeeze through a small lane for hours to get home. I was in a western country once when a major election was going on but no one was discomfited for it. Indeed, the politicians were consigned somewhere, away from decent view.

So, why do our politicians behave like jungle kings here?

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

COMMENT

sms only: 08116759748

Buhari: The opponent PDP prefers!

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VEN before the first vote was cast at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) was already dismissing eventual winner, General Muhammadu Buhari, as a walkover. Its spokesman boasted that President Goodluck Jonathan would trounce all the opposition party's aspirants rolled into one.

Early in the week, all sorts of analyses made out former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to be the man most feared by the ruling party. One such article spoke of his immense wealth, intense preparation for the job and existing contacts with a remnant of his loyalists in the PDP who could work for him under the radar. At the end we were assured he would pip Buhari at the finishing line.

In their attempts to paint the former head of state as easy to beat many are quick to point at his three unsuccessful attempts at getting the top job. But they do so without putting those defeats in proper context.

For instance, it is settled that no one can become president of Nigeria unless they run on a broad-based platform with firm presence across the country. The constitution requires that to be elected you must win a majority of votes cast as well as 25% in two-thirds of the 36 states.

The two times Buhari mounted his challenge on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform, the party was strong only in a handful of northern states where it had governors. Down south it was virtually non-existent.

In 2011, after he parted ways with the ANPP, he offered himself on an even more ramshackle arrangement called the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). By the time of the elections, the party didn't control even one miserable local government area in the country. It had very little name recognition anywhere in the country and not much money.

Like before, his new party was virtually nonexistent in the south. He tried to remedy this and deal with accusations that he was a Muslim fundamentalist by picking a well-known pastor, Tunde Bakare, as running mate. Whatever point he thought he would score with southern Christians was neutralised by the fact that the clergyman had no political structures to add heft to the ticket.

A last minute attempt to cobble together an alliance with other opposition groups came to nothing, and the CPC plunged ahead with its ultimately futile bid. The astonishing thing is that despite the crippling shortcomings of the platform, his candidacy still managed to attract over 12 million votes.

This time around, Buhari is running on a platform that has 14 governors and strong presence in states where it does not control government. For the first time ever, this candidate who lost thrice because he didn't have a credible electoral route to Aso Villa, now has a realistic chance of securing a simple majority and 25% of votes cast in two-thirds of 36 states. And yet the PDP would have us believe that he would be so easy to beat!

Beneath the bluster, however, you get a sense of unease at the emergence of the old enemy.

There's no stronger evidence of this than the desperate efforts by the ruling party's online army to discredit Buhari by reminding Nigerians of a litany ancient sins allegedly committed by the former head of state.

One accusation that has been levelled against the APC in the past is that there's not much separating it from the PDP. The differences are becoming quite stark - starting with the two presidential candidates.

Let's begin with ability to communicate their ideas and positions. No one can accuse Buhari or Jonathan of being orators. In fact, listening to either drone on from their usually prepared speeches is guaranteed to send you to sleep faster than swallowing a pack of sleeping pills.

But what Buhari lacks in oratory he makes up for with that X-factor which attracts fanatical following. In this sense he is akin to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo - no great speaker himself -

•Buhari at the APC Presidential primaries but whose mere appearance at a public function could work his supporters into frenzied cries of Awo! The APC flagbearer excites his base. His followers are passionate about him: the word more commonly used to describe the connection between them is 'fanatical.' They will follow him for free and at the drop of a hat.

Can we say the same about Jonathan? Take away the platform and Buhari would still attract millions of voters. If you separate him from the PDP platform, how many supporters would follow the incumbent president on a journey into the unknown?

When you think of Buhari the adjectives that come to mind are firm, stern, strong and honest. Think of Jonathan and words like humble, amiable, deliberate come to mind. But you also think weak and indecisive.

This may not be a totally fair assessment of the president but it is the perception out there one that is reinforced by quotes like the one from former President Olusegun Obasanjo's

controversial new memoirs, "My Watch", that insinuated Patience Jonathan, Diezani AlisonMadueke, Petroleum Minister, Stella Oduah, former Aviation Minister and Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, were all 'Presidents' of Nigeria. Jonathan, he wrote, was the weakest of them all.

Buhari's strongest point - one on which friends and foes largely agree - is that he is honest and that in a country where a large chunk of the elite have been besmirched by corruption, he has remained sleaze-free. The PDP recognises this as his strong suit and is challenging that image.

We are now being reminded that when the nation's borders were shut amidst currency reforms in the mid-80s, the then military ruler's aide-de-camp, Major Mustapha Jokolo, pulled rank to get 53 suitcases belonging to an emir into the country. The bending of the rules to allow the privileged bring in the banned baggage with unknown content remains a sore point that dogs the General's steps.

"If we were to use the atrocities of former military regimes to exclude people from participating in the political process, then a large swathe of powerful figures in the land today would be disqualified everyone from Obasanjo to Babangida, David Mark and others who participated in the annulment of the June 12 election results, or who rubberstamped death sentences arising from trumped-up coup plotting allegations."

This one incident is what critics point to when they raise doubts about Buhari's saintliness. But to put things in perspective we should also note that the man has held several high profile offices - including supervising the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and yet has no house in Abuja or a foreign bank account. Most people accept that he's an honest man with a modest lifestyle, that is why attempts to paint him otherwise always ring hollow.

Under his watch three convicted drug pushers were executed under the retroactive laws instituted by the military junta of the day. Of all the actions of that tough regime, this is perhaps one of the most wrongheaded and troubling. It is one which he would one day need to confront and apologise for.

But if we were to use the atrocities of former military regimes to exclude people from participating in the political process, then a large swathe of powerful figures in the land today would be disqualified - everyone from Obasanjo to Babangida, David Mark and others who participated in the annulment of the June 12 election results, or who rubberstamped death sentences arising from trumped-up coup plotting allegations.

The ruling party supporters may be dismissive of Buhari in the belief that as they successfully did in times past they can define him again as some sort of religious nut. Against the backdrop of a polity polluted by sectarian disputes made worse by the atrocities of Boko Haram, this old trick could be used to damage the man before the undiscerning.

True, Buhari has said in the past that he supports Sharia. But I'm yet to see a Muslim who is opposed to the legal code that is part and parcel of their religion. Indeed, knowledgeable people would tell you that it had always been in the statute books in Northern Nigeria before and after Independence. The turning point was when Sani Yerima, then Zamfara State governor, dramatised and politicised the adoption of the code by his state in 2000.

Beyond one or two ill-thought out utterances, fair-minded people should look at Buhari's life, actions and associates and determine for themselves whether he fits the mould of an Islamic fundamentalist. Let's not forget that this same individual led the military push to destroy Maitatsine in the 80s. This last July, he barely survived a bomb attack carried out by extremists he is supposedly sympathetic towards.

Those who dismiss the APC candidate as easy to beat should ask themselves whether over the last four years he has shed support like his opponent for the February 2015 polls. Most people who voted back for Buhari in 2011 are still likely to back him today. After seeing what he has done with power , Jonathan has lost many erstwhile supporters.

What should disturb the ruling party more is that people are becoming increasingly resistant to the old propaganda. They take the position that Buhari may not be an orator, he may not be an angel or discuss economic policy like OkonjoIweala, still they would risk their votes on him because they are fed up with Jonathan's Nigeria.

Bursting some 2015 myths

O

NE of the great unknowns as polling day draws ever closer is how the 'North' will vote. For the past five years, the region has been devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency as well as communal clashes that set indigenous farming communities against itinerant Fulani herdsmen in places like Benue and Plateau States.

Unpredictable voter behaviour is compounded by the fact that the regional elite is divided between sustaining the status quo or lining up behind Buhari. For some, four more years of Jonathan might not be such a bad idea as it opens the door for them to run at the next contest.

In reality, the electoral picture that might emerge two months down the line could throw

up a clear winner in the region, but it would also bury almost permanently that myth of 'one North' as it probably existed in the days of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello.

The same thing applies down south. I hear people repeat lazy assumptions suggesting that every South-south vote is already in Jonathan's column. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The South-south zone is artificial - a product of the General Sani Abacha constitutional conference. This is one part of Nigeria where you would find one of the most diverse collections of ethnic groups - each with its own unique identity and political interests.

The Niger Delta insurgency and the emergence of Jonathan as president has helped

project the Ijaws into the limelight - but not always in a positive sense. Some ethnic groups have complained that access to the most powerful office in the land has made them more domineering. A case in point is the president's abandonment of his visit to Ogidigben to inaugurate the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project because of pressure from his Ijaw kinsmen. That action almost reignited bloodletting with the neighbouring Itsekiris.

Just as in the North, all zones of the country present opportunities for hardworking and imaginative campaigns to exploit. It would be foolish for any candidate to write off a zone because his opponent comes from there or supposedly has an iron grip on the area.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

COMMENT

17

(94) Michael Brown contra Eric Garner: further reflections on the twilight of the racism of impunity

I

N last week's essay in this column, I wrote with great but cautious optimism that the racism of impunity, the racism that is violent and completely unashamed to show its face to the world, this crude and destructive racism is in the twilight of its long, historic existence. One justification that I gave for this cautious optimism is the fact of the sheer number of people of all races, black, white, brown and yellow, in cities across every region of the United States who were protesting and demonstrating against the slaying of unarmed black men and teenagers by white police officers. A week after I wrote last week's essay the protests and demonstrations have not only continued they have grown bigger. As a matter of fact, in one of the most dramatic expressions of these protests, athletes in major American sports like basketball and football - with tens of millions of fans - have been displaying powerful, symbolic expressions of protest against the racist violence of the police, expressions like the wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription "I can't breathe". Indeed, as I write these words on Friday, December 12, 2014, the word is out that next weekend, a big, "Million-Man March" against racism is planned to take place in the American capital, Washington, DC. Now, this is all well and good but it is not the main reason why I am asserting that the racism of impunity is in its twilight days. Indeed, as important as the protests and demonstrators are, they do not constitute the real reason why I am returning to the subject in this week's column. For this, we have to turn to an unprecedented development that is closely connected to the social media that has turned the tables decisively against the forces of violent racist impunity among white American policemen and their millions of defenders and supporters in Congress, the media and ordinary citizens. Since this development is, in my opinion, an absolutely crucial factor in the ongoing protests, demonstrations and debates pertaining to the slaying of unarmed black people by white police policemen, I would like to put it across in as concrete and dramatic a way as possible. This is why, in the title of this piece, I have hinted at this development by the contrast I am implying in the phrase, "Michael Brown contra Eric Garner". Both men, unarmed, died at the hands of white policemen, one in Fergusson, Missouri and the other in Staten Island, New York City. What contrast am I making between the deaths of these two men and, more particularly, the role of social media in public perceptions of, and debates on their deaths?

On the surface, the difference is quite simple and indeed may seem unremarkable: no video clip exists of the last moments of the death of Michael Brown at the hand of officer Darren Wilson in Fergusson, Missouri; by contrast, the video clip of Eric Garner's last moments in the chokehold of officer Daniel Pantaleo in Staten Island, New York

Racism is not a constant of the human spirit.

Frantz Fanon, “Racism and Culture”

• Darren Wilson

immediately went viral on the Internet from the moment of its release and millions of people have seen it across the length and breadth of America and the world. But the matter is not that simple. If I may put the significance, the weightiness of the difference quite sharply, I would say that while to all people of goodwill of all races the video clip of Eric Garner's last dying moments says a lot, to the defenders and supporters of the Darren Wilsons and Daniel Pantaleos of this world that video clip means absolutely nothing. In other words, to their millions of supporters, no evidence, no proof that their black victims were unjustly and senselessly killed will make them waver in their support of killer white policemen. What this means is that black lives do not matter in the least to these white cops and their supporters. And if this is the case, they cannot be persuaded by any evidence to withhold their support for the Darren Wilsons and Daniel Pantaleos among white police officers of America.

But, this, it is beginning to become more and more apparent, is not exactly true. No nation, no social group in the world is immune to the effects and ramifications of the social media. The supporters and defenders of racist killer policemen are no exception to this rule, this norm of the 21st century world of the pervasively mediatized interplay between reality and the images circulated and consumed through the digital appliances that dominate our lives all over the world. The "evidence" provided by the social media can no longer be either ignored or left out of the logics that structure our daily lives, personal or collective. In other words, if the social media catch you in a compromised or damning moment and then circulates that moment to the

• Daniel Pantaleo

whole world, you cannot continue to act as if you are untouched by the national and global circulation of your moment of inhumanity, embarrassment or shame. This is the unexpected dilemma that has hit the defenders and supporters of the racism of impunity in the United States like a tsunami of moral and social crisis. Let me explain what I am claiming here by briefly returning to the concrete cases of the racist killers, Darren Wilson and David Pantaleo, and the difference between them that was established by the social media.

Fortuitously, the decision not to charge Darren Wilson by the grand jury in Fergusson, Missouri came two weeks before the decision not to indict Daniel Pantaleo in Staten Island, New York. Since there was no recording, no video clip of Wilson's slaying of Michael Brown, the grand jury hearing that case was presented with widely varying and divergent testimonies of what actually took place in the fatal encounter. Moreover, the public prosecutor who presented the case to the grand jury was quite openly sympathetic to policemen and their unions in general and Darren Wilson in particular. In the absence of any recording of the fateful event, this white public prosecutor manipulated his presentation of the evidence to the grand jury in favor of Darren Wilson. At any rate, the case became one of the classic instances of "take-your-pick" between one man's word against another man's word, with the jurors left to choose which side of the evidentiary divide to lean toward. In a country in which, overwhelmingly, all-white or predominantly white jurors never rule against white police officers who kill unarmed black men, the die was cast and not too many people were surprised that Darren Wilson was declared free to walk

away, no indictment if you please.

Things were completely different in the case of Daniel Pantaleo and the grand jury that he faced in Staten Island, New York. The evidence against him presented in the video clip on the Internet was both unambiguous and overwhelming.

The Chief Medical Examiner of New York City had proclaimed Pantaleo's slaying of Garner a homicide. Moreover, the use of the chokehold with which he killed Garner had been banned by the New York City Police Department for more than a decade precisely because it had caused many deaths of suspects in the course of attempted arrests by police officers.

Above all else, the evidence of the video clip not only showed that Garner was unarmed, it also showed that he was in fact jumped and pounded upon by five burly white policemen; since he could therefore not have escaped the grip of the arresting police officers even if he had wanted to, they did not have to apply lethal force in arresting him. For all these reasons, as people awaited the decision of the Staten Island grand jury in the wake of the disappointment of the decision of the Fergusson grand jury's decision that had absolved Darren Wilson of any criminal indictment, the feeling was high among the general population in America that this was one case in which the police could not use the convenient argument of conflicting evidence to abort the cause of justice and let Daniel Pantaleo off the hook. But of course that is precisely what the grand jury in Staten Island did; they chose to completely ignore the damning evidence against Pantaleo and his fellow killer officers. In other words, to the impunity of the policemen who killed Garner, the grand jury members of Staten Island added their own impunity of

complete disregard for the evidence provided in the video clip that showed to the whole world how Garner was killed.

Impunity has its limits and sometimes those limits can make all the difference in the world.

There have been countless cases in which all-white or predominantly white juries completely ignored clear-cut evidence of criminal wrongdoing of white policemen and consistently ruled to uphold and sustain terrible miscarriages of justice against black people, especially black men and teenagers in the inner city ghettoes of America.

But those were days before the rise, rise and further rise of the age of social media in which the eyes of the whole world are turned on America and on every single nation on the planet. In the period before the advent of the social media to a place of commanding presence in the world, impunity in American race relations always relied on a cloistered, hidden and protected form of white tribalism. To most decent, progressive and fairminded white people, this was always a cause of great shame, embarrassment and guilt, this protected and unashamed white tribalism that kept alive blatant forms of racism that belonged to the epochs of slavery and separate and unequal segregation. Now, the social media are relentlessly stripping the cover off this revanchist, murderous and racist white tribalism and things will never be the same again.

In this past week alone, we have seen, read or heard about condemnations of the Staten Island grand jury by prominent groups and individuals among American whites that had always defended and supported grand juries that shielded white policemen who shot and killed unarmed black men or teenagers. Where this unprecedented departure from a long tradition and practice of defence of the racism of impunity will lead no one knows, but it is important to record this rupture, even if it is a small, inchoate one.

At any rate, I repeat: impunity does have its limits. And I add: look for some of the most telling expressions of those limits in the effects and ramifications of the social media of the new and still unfolding digital age, with their anarchic, uncontrollable and contradictory tendencies.

In conclusion, I ask the reader to please note that in this piece, I have limited myself to the racism of impunity. If it is the case that it is by far the worst form of racism, it is however not the only racism that the world still has to deal with. My main or underlying point in this essay - as well as in last week's piece - has been to suggest that if this racism of impunity that is the worst of all forms of racism can find no refuge from the changing, transforming forces of 21st century experience, then we can agree with the utopian view of Frantz Fanon as stated in the epigraph to this piece: "Racism is not a constant of the human spirit".

Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

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POLITICS

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POLITICS

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

IN VOGUE

By Kehinde Oluleye

Tel: 08023689894 (sms) E-mail: kehinde.oluleye@thenationonlineng.net

Raising a voice for the Nigerian girl With Temilolu Okeowo temilolu@girlsclub.org.ng 07086620576 (sms only) Please visit my blog www.temiloluokeowo.wordpress.com for more inspiring articles. Twitter@temiloluokeowo

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

56

-

H

AVE you always wanted to be an artiste?

Not really. But I grew up listening to a lot of Christian music. My father was the choir leader in our church. He used to buy us CDs of artistes like Mary Mary. It was while listening to Mary Mary and others that I began to think that I wanted to make their kind of music.

What's your challenge as a female artiste?

It is basically about language barrier. I wit speak even one is a challenge for me n'The fact that I can. because I will love to si ag in several dialects ) Hausa or Yoruba l .nguages, Igbo(ll try and learn them Why did you enter for the MTN Project Fame? iI have always loved to sing since, Bas cally I was a little girl. My younger sister and I used to write songs then.

Throughout my primary and secondary schools, I found singing a hobby borne out of talent, so I wrote songs and sang for my friends. I continued in the church

as a member of the choir and recorded my first single titled Gospel on Da Beat in 2010. Before I auditioned for the MTN Project Fame, one of the judges suggested that I should try out because he believed I could sing. So, I had some confidence that I could actually do well, if I tried out. That was it; and today, I won.

Did you record a full album before Project Fame?

No. However, I recorded just one song that I didn't even promote.

Could you share with us some of the songs you did on the show and how long was it?

The show lasted for three months.

How was life while it lasted?

Apart from the musical techniques and. ,believe and have confidence in myself more I became a better person and began to trust, lAs a result. It was very interesting and I earnt a lot in the Academy business that we were taught, it made me to evolve and pursue my music career, learning the basics of good music. I also learnt from other people and also identified

my weaknesses and strengths.

You performed songs by Tiwa Savage, Tuface Idibia and Christy Essien-Igbokwe. So, which of them will you describe as your most favourite performance?

It has to be when I sang Chandelier by Sia. I felt that song would show the strength of my voice. I have always loved this song and I imagined myself singing it on a stage. When I was given the song to perform, I knew I had to get into the character of the song.

When was your most cherished moment in the house?

Akusoya because of what they said. and siMrsTuface Idibia , My most cher hed moment was when I met Banky W and all the advice they gave us. I cherish that moment because we got the opportunity to meet great people who shared their stories with us. They gave me hope all over and created the belief that I can be who I am, even though life is hard.

Did you agree with the judges' decision regarding the choice of the

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

‘What I gained from

Project Fame’

H

AVE you always wanted to be an artiste?

Not really. But I grew up listening to a lot of Christian music.

My father was the choir leader in our church. He used to buy us CDs of artistes like Mary Mary. It was while listening to Mary Mary and others that I began to think that I wanted to make their kind of music.

What's your challenge as a female artiste?

It is basically about language barrier. I wit speak even one is a ahallenge for me'The fc ct that I can. because I vwill love to sing in se aeral dialects ) Haus g or Yoruba languages, I ebo(ll try and learn th .m Why did you enter for the MTN Project Fame? dI have always love to sing since, Basically I was a little girl. My younger sister and I used to write songs then. Throughout my primary and secondary schools, I found singing a hobby borne out of talent, so I wrote songs and sang for my friends. I continued in the church as a member of the choir and recorded my first single titled Gospel on Da Beat in 2010. Before I auditioned for the MTN Project Fame, one of the judges suggested that I should try out because he believed I could sing. So, I had some confidence that I could actually do well, if I tried out. That was it; and today, I won.

Did you record a full album before Project Fame?

No. However, I recorded just one song that I didn't even promote.

Could you share with us some of the songs you did on the show and how long was it?

The show lasted for three months.

How was life while it lasted? qApart from the musical techni eues and. believe and have confid rnce in myself more, I became a bette person and began to trust, As a lresult. It was very interesting and I earnt a lot in the Academy business that we were taught, it made me to evolve and pursue my music career, learning the basics of good music. I also learnt from other people and also identified my weaknesses and strengths.

You performed songs by Tiwa Savage, Tuface Idibia and Christy Essien-Igbokwe. So, which of them will you describe as your most favourite performance?

It has to be when I sang Chandelier by Sia. I felt that song would show the strength of my voice.

I have always loved this song and I imagined myself singing it on a stage.

When I was given the song to perform, I knew I had to get into the character of the song.

When was your most cherished moment in the house?

Akusoya because of what they said. siand MrsTuface Idibia , My most cher hed moment was when I met Banky W and all the advice they gave us. I cherish that moment because we got the opportunity to meet great people who shared their stories with us. They gave me hope all over and created the belief that I can be who I am, even though life is hard.

Did you agree with the judges'

Candidates announced for

•Danjuma

57

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

-- Page 53

Lower trade and higher poverty rate are cousins

Tough times ahead for local airlines Page 60, 61

•Jonathan

Page 62

Why Nigeria's refining capacity falls below expectation

D

EFECTIVE policy framework, greed and corruption are key factors that have adversely affected the nation's booming oil and gas sector, especially in oil refining, experts have said.

Speaking against the backdrop of the World Oil and Gas Review 2014 released recently, which revealed the dwindling fortunes of the nation's oil and gas sector, petroleum expert, Mr. Nnamdi Ebube, said it was rather disheartening to note that despite its status as Africa's top crude oil producer and exporter, Nigeria continues to trail other African countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Libya and South Africa in terms of refining capacity.

Ebube, a former staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said at the centre of the crisis bedevilling the nation's petroleum sector is the blatant disregard for due process by the authorities, a development, he lamented would continued to work against the progress and growth of the sector.

According to the survey, which covers refining output for last year, Egypt has the highest primary refining capacity in 2013 among the five countries, followed by Algeria and South Africa.

Primary capacity in Egypt was put at 840,000 bar-

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf rels per day, in Algeria 607,000 bpd, South Africa 520,000 bpd and Libya 380,000 bpd.

In Nigeria, primary capacity was 342,000 bpd last year, as against 345,000 in 2005, according to the report.

"We need a paradigm shift in the oil and gas industry. As the United States stops buying our crude oil and set to become an exporter of crude oil, I think it is a call to action.

We need to start to look at value addition in terms of refining, petrochemicals and others," the chief executive officer of Dubril Oil, Imo Itsueli, said on at a public presentation of an industry book.

"Singapore has no crude oil, but they have many refineries. Why can't we be a refining hub for the rest of Africa? Why can't we export petroleum products to Europe instead of crude oil. We are still talking about crude oil, not value addition out of crude oil, that is our challenge."

The country's four refineries operated at an average of 10.46 per cent of their combined nameplate capacity of 445,000 barrels per day in June, data from the latest monthly report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation showed.

According to the data, 244,000 metric tons of dry crude oil, condensate and slop was received by the three re-

fineries, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Port Harcourt Refining Company and Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company.

"With an opening stock of 428,000 mt, total crude oil available for processing was 672,000 mt, out of which 221,000 mt was processed. The respective average capacity utilisation during the month was 0.00 per cent, 17.96 per cent and 13.44 per cent for KRPC, PHRC and WRPC respectively," the NNPC said.

Kaduna refinery in the month had total available crude oil of 169,301 mt, but nothing was processed. Out of 289,852 mt, the Port Harcourt refinery processed 152,889 mt, while Warri processed 68,098 mt out of 213,352 mt.

The country's refineries have long been operating well below installed capacity as they are in different states of disrepair. They operated at an average of 31.1 per cent capacity in 2012, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

"Our domestic refineries must be made to work. Appropriate incentives need to be worked out to attract new investment in refining. While domestic refining by itself is not sufficient to guarantee product price stability, there are clear gains to be derived from domestic refining as opposed to imports," said the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Dr.

Peter Ozo-Eson, in a report entitled 'Pricing of Petroleum Products in Nigeria'.

Dangote Industries Limited is building a $9 billion refinery/petrochemical/ fertiliser complex in Lagos.

The refinery, which is expected to be completed by 2016, will initially have a capacity of 400,000 bpd, doubling the country's refining capacity as well as cut imports of refined petroleum.

Nigeria is arguably the biggest importer of refined petroleum products on the continent, creating a lucrative market for refineries particularly in Europe and the United States.

The country, which is home to over 170 million people, imports more than 80 per cent of its refined petroleum products for the servicing of its economy.

"Subsidies have also contributed to low capacity utilisation at refineries. In Nigeria, for example, current subsidy schemes lead producers to sell crude overseas rather than to local refineries and therefore add to increasing volumes of refined product imports, which present a large cost to the economy," said KPMG in its 2014 Africa Oil and Gas Report, while noting that problems in the refining industry on the continent include corruption, poor maintenance, theft, and ggoperational problems.

•From left: Group Head, eBank, Tobi Nnadozie, Group Head, Ivory Banking, Rabi Momoh, Executive Director, Manila Banking, Niyi Adeseun, Group Head, Business Services, Wunmi Adeniyi and Group Head, Cowry Banking/Retail Bank, Davison Regha, all of Heritage Bank, during the launch of the first mobile POS in Nigeria by the bank in Lagos…recently.

PHOTO: ISAAC AYODELE JIMOH

'We work as a family' Page 63

•Toda

'Real estate can stimulate economic growth'

By Adeola Ogunlade

A

MIDST efforts to build a stronger national economy, the Managing Director, Grenadines Homes Limited, Mrs. Noimot Olatunji, has disclosed that the real estate sector has enormous potentials that can be tapped as a stimulus for growing the Nigerian economy.

She said in most developed economies around the world, the real estate sector contributes more to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than other sectors, stating that Nigeria could not be an exception.

Fielding questions from journalists on the contribution of the real estate industry to national development, Olatunji said the huge investment in numerous housing estates and social infrastructure by Grenadines Homes is a testimonial of the significant contribution of the sector to the building of a stronger and prosperous Nigeria.

Olatunji assured that Grenadines Homes was positioned as a solution provider in the affordable and luxury homes category for prospective luxury home owners. She added that despite the challenging environment, her company was committed to timely delivery of quality houses.

"Excellence in service delivery is the badge of honour that we wear. This is the philosophy behind the creativity that we reflect in our home products, across board in terms of concept, design, architecture, aesthetics and finishing. We build estates that we, our customers and, indeed, the nation, will be proud of in so many years to come," she said.

Expert lauds Mr. Chef on women empowerment

A

LEGAL luminary and former President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), Mrs. Boma Ozobia, has commended Bayswater Industries Ltd, producers of Mr. Chef beef and chicken seasoning cubes, for its sponsorship of a women empowerment initiative.

She gave the commendation in Lagos at the grand finale of the recently concluded Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show in which a 23-year-old undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Miss Juliet Ofodile, emerged winner.

Ozobia, who was the guest speaker at the event, said: "Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show teaches life's lessons that are in tandem with the show's main objective of discovering and nurturing the 'total woman' that best epitomised the essence of womanhood," stressing, "Bayswater Industries Ltd and other brilliant and large hearted minds behind the initiative should be commended for rewarding and empowering women of substance."

While sharing her success story as a wife, mother and professional, Ozobia challenged contestants to utilise the platform of their participation in the Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show to re-ignite their personal visions in order to be the best in their chosen areas of human endeavour.

"Thorough planning is one of the tools I use to attain my modest achievements. I set achievable and measurable goals for myself; I plan at home and at work and I build relationships because you never know when you will have to draw on the bank of the networks that you have built," she said.

Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Bayswater Industries, Mr. Piyush Nair, described the show as a corporate initiative to discover ready-to-face-the-world women who are not only beautiful but are brilliant, homely and economically strong to stand on their feet.

Winner of the show, Miss Juliet Offodile, described her victory as a triumph of vision and will power, saying: "I feel very happy to have been crowned as the Mr. Chef First Lady because I have very strong confidence in my ability as a woman who is determined to excel in whatever I set my mind upon," stressing, "Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show has empowered me to believe more in myself and in everything that I do."

60

I

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

BUSINESS

T is obvious that most local airlines are not having the best of times, as majority of them are neck-deep in debts, especially battling the challenge of running cost, among other incidentals, which is threatening to close down their business empire.

Crux of the matter The Nation can authoritatively report that apart from the accumulated N5billion domestic airlines owe the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) for payment of sundry charges, most of the airlines owe staff salaries, among other huge wage bills.

Consequently, in the opinion of some industry experts, because of the growing level of indebtedness by some of the domestic airlines, it would lead to job loss among other unpleasant actions.

However, to make matters worse, NAMA, which hitherto gave some form of financial allowance to airlines, is no longer at ease with such arrangement, a development, many operators argue, that will have adverse implication on the socio-economic activities of the country as no flight belonging to the indebted airlines will be given start-up to take off.

The Nation learnt that the agency decided to toe this line of action because all entreaties to the affected airlines to make good their payments were rebuffed by the airlines in the past.

The agency also said it was willing to spread the debts to be paid at instalment by the airlines which were invited by NAMA in the past to structure the payment pattern the way it suited them but almost all the airlines failed to honour the invitation.

Sources from the agency said it had written the airlines seven times inviting them for debt reconciliation but the request was rebuffed and when a meeting was organised, only very few attended.

Investigation by The Nation further revealed that the indebtedness of the airlines had started taking its toll on the agency which now struggles to carry out its critical functions such as upgrade of facilities, training of staff and payment of staff allowances, among several others. The agency said in order not to be found wanting in performing its roles, it did not have any option now than to sanction the airlines, adding that NAMA is self-sustaining as it generates revenue which it uses to fund itself and with the new rule that it must pay 25 per cent of its earnings to the federal government coffers, it becomes inevitable that the airlines must pay debts owed the agency.

As at press time, the General Manager, Public Affairs, NAMA, Supo Atobatele, could not be reached for comments.

However, a source who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak for the agency confirmed the indebtedness of the airlines but was not certain whether the affected airlines would be grounded as a result.

Incidentally, when the agency sought the view of the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, he reportedly acquiesced to the request of NAMA to ground the airlines over the debts.

Chidoka, who spoke in Abuja recently, said he had directed that any airline that owed any of the aviation parastatals

Tough times ahead for local airlines With a few exception, majority of the domestic airlines suffer dire financial straits with hope of their survival getting slimmer by the day, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

•

•Airline

be grounded until the debt was paid.

He equally threatened to sanction any aviation agency that continues to provide services to airlines which have failed to pay their debt.

He said: "That is my directive.

Any airline that owes any of the aviation parastatals would be grounded until it pays its debt.

The period of owing the aviation industry is over.

"We are going to work out a payment plan for old debt, but going forward, we must collect all our revenues and the agencies must also keep tab of that. I will sanction any agency that continues to provide services to any airline that fails to pay its lawful debt," he warned.

Growing debts burden of domestic airlines The Ministry of Aviation in its audit report released recently stated that all the airlines combined were indebted to banks and other financial institutions to the tune of N190billion, and much of which had been bought over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

But the spokesman for AMCON, Mr. Kayode Lambo, denied that five domestic airlines owed the corporation N190bn.

"That figure is not correct; the airlines owe but the figures in the report are not correct," said Lambo, who declined to give the correct figures, citing confidential reasons.

"This year, we are restructur-

ing the debts as part of our recovery drive because we need to pay another N1tn this year. So, we are going to intensify our recovery drive," he added.

Asked how the bad debt manager would recover Air Nigeria's debt since the airline was no longer in operation, Lambo said there were various options before AMCON, including foreclosure, saying it might consider the sale of its assets as a last resort.

"I am not a member of the board but the board will take a decision when the time comes.

AMCON may decide to sell the airline's assets, it has some aircraft. AMCON may decide to sell the aircraft to other airlines, or even decide to merge the company with another airline," he said.

Lambo said the need to restructure the airlines' debt was informed by AMCON's desire to ensure that local businesses did not die.

"Our aim is to help businesses grow wherever possible. We are not there to kill businesses. If restructuring/recovery will not work, we can appoint a receivermanager; and if that will not work, we will be inclined to foreclose in order to, at least, recover what we paid for the loans," he said.

According to the Ministry of Aviation's airline audit, which AMCON faulted, Aerocontractors (which the bank has taken over 60 per cent of its equity) owes $200m (N34bn); Arik Air, $600m (N102bn); IRS Airlines, $55m

(N9.4bn); Chanchangi Airlines, $55m (N9.4bn); and Air Nigeria, $225.806m (N35bn) as intervention funds collected by the managements of the airlines, which have since stopped operations.

The ministry was quoted as saying in the audit report that in its role as a referee and the enabler of a conducive business operating environment, it would encourage more private sector investment into the industry, "but in order to attract credible investors both locally and internationally, the true state of the debts of the domestic airlines must be revealed."

Arik Air reportedly said the figure ascribed to it was not a true reflection of its debt profile, arguing that the figure being bandied by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Aviation ministry was bogus; adding that its indebtedness was diminished by the debt FAAN allegedly owed it.

Whither aviation intervention fund Worried by the parlous state of the aviation sub-sector, stakeholders continue to raise issues over the much hyped missing N300billion Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF).

The House of Representative Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, had raised the alarm over the manner with which the N300billion Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF) is fast dwindling.

Tambuwal, who spoke recently, said it was regrettable that

the fund, established by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had shrunk considerably with no evidence of proper accountability.

Tambuwal assured that the ad hoc committee on the disbursement of public funds by the Bank of Industry (BOI), mandated to find out how the fund was being disbursed, would do a thorough job.

The Speaker noted that it was the responsibility of the legislature to ensure that the public funds were not subjected to waste or corruption.

He said: "We will devote attention to situations where the actions of government or any of its agencies infringe on the constitution. By some accounts, the volume of this fund, which originally amounted to about N300billion, has dwindled to less than N100billion.

"Officials claim that over N200billion has been disbursed through deposit money banks to certain individuals and corporate organisations without following due process.

"You will agree with me that we have a serious issue here, which falls within the precincts of the constitutional mandate given to the National Assembly that revenues belonging to the federation must be paid into the consolidated revenue fund. Withdrawals therein shall only be carried out solely upon the authority of an Act of the National Assembly.

"It is the mandate of the legis-

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014 lature to ensure that where funds are so authorised to be withdrawn, they are not subjected to waste, corruption, or inefficiency.

Section 88 of the 1999 constitution makes it mandatory for the National Assembly to protect the interest of the citizens and the tax payers, with respect to the use of public funds."

According to the Speaker, the National Assembly should not be ignored on its resolve to use the instrumentality of the constitution to correct the anomaly.

"In this vein, we shall not hesitate to recommend appropriate sanctions where any such violation has been deemed to have occurred. However, we shall not pursue every rumour of misdeed or subject government officials to unnecessary harassment either," he said.

Yakubu Dogara, who chairs the ad hoc committee, said agitation from quarters that the disbursement of the fund did not follow due process, was responsible for the investigation.

"In this process, specialised views and expert opinions are sought in a way that fully erases all time-inconsistencies as well as making-up for informed dynamics and complexities, which occur as a result of changing times," he added.

Alleged cover up It would be recalled that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Aviation Minister who was reportedly fingered in the alleged missing of the controversial fund, was discharged and acquitted by the law court over lack of evidence.

But allegations of diversion of such fund were confirmed by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) in a letter to the Minister, Osita Chidoka, where they raised alarm over alleged high powered politics at play over the release of such funds.

A reliable source inside the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) disclosed that the withdrawal of funds meant for salary and debts servicing of the agency is putting its purse in the red, affirming that it could go bankrupt within six months.

A letter dated 18th November, 2014 with reference number ATSSSAN/ADM/MOA/Vol.4/ 185 signed by deputy national secretary Captain Tamongu, declared "We cannot continue to toy with the life of innocent Nigerians and the flying public. You will agree with us that this equipment's are very critical to safe takeoff and landing of aircraft and more so your avowed commitment to security and safe airspace safe as a priority."

Way forward To Nick Fadugba, Chief Executive Officer, African Aviation Services Limited, Nigeria has all it takes to play in the global market. But, the country, he says, cannot realise its potential because its airlines are "too small, weak and undercapitalised. On how Nigeria stop foreign airlines from dominating its market, he attributed the ugly situation to the development has been accelerated by the unfavourable aviation policies being signed by our government with other foreign countries- a policy that grants them (foreign airlines) multiple entry points into our county.

"Even if we do so, do we have local airlines that can readily fill the gap and provide the same efficient and high quality service?

It has become a big problem for airlines in Nigeria because various Nigerian governments have been very generous in giving traf-

I

•Chidoka

BUSINESS 61 UPS rewards customers, assures on efficient service delivery

T was a fun-filled afternoon at United Parcel Service Lagos, as the customers of the global leading courier and logistics firm, thronged the premises to mark the company's 2014 customers' appreciation and award-giving day.

The customers received different categories of awards and gift items for their loyalty to the brand in the last one year.

Besides, there was a raffle draw, which rewarded customers with top quality phones, wall clocks, movie tickets at Silverbird Cinema for couples, buffet dinner at Sheraton Hotels, among others.

The highpoint of the event was recognition awards of varying degree to UPS esteemed customers. Starting with the Silver Award to Alcatel and Airtel Spares which was in recognition of their compliance with and utilisation of UPS's WorldShip, a timesaving IT platform that uploads customers' information, provides

By Adeola Ogunlade shipping alert, tracking and exporting of shipment data, error free.

This was followed by the gold level category awards to First Bank Nigeria, Diamond bank, Unilever, World-Wide Commercial Ventures (WWCV) and Union Bank.

Commenting on the occasion, Emeka Nwangwu, the Business Development Manager for UPS Nigeria, applauded the commitment of the recipient companies for their tech savvy, which include Nigeria Breweries, VFS Global, United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Standard Chartered Bank for their outstanding relationship with UPS throughout the year, adding that the Customer of the Year award went to First Bank Nigeria.

Echoing similar sentiments, the Managing Director of the courier firm, Mr. Ralph Ozoude, said the programme is a yearly event organised by the company in

appreciation of its customers for believing in them, despite challenges of the economy; and most importantly,organised to get feedback from the customers on how to serve them better.

Speaking on the programme, he said, "I'm happy that we have a very good turnout of customers. There is a remarkable difference from what it was last year. Every year, we try to introduce varieties into what we are doing. Last year, we started giving awards to customers, those, who have been with us for over 20 years. This year, we tried to ensure that every customer goes home with something."

Expressing his views on the programme and award, the representative of one of the awardees, Mr. Femi Adedeji, of WWCV said it wasn't a surprise that his company bagged the award, especially going by the volume of transactions his company has initiated with UPS.

Association, community leader hail FG agric finance initiatives

A

•Fadugba

fic rights, concessions, designations and entry points to nonAfrican and African airlines alike. Meanwhile, Nigerian airlines are now left with just three per cent of the air traffic market to and from Nigeria.

Not peculiar to Nigeria African airlines, Fadugab stressed, collectively carry only 20 per cent of the air passenger traffic to and from Africa. "Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa as well as the most vibrant air transport market on the continent. It is hard to rationalise and justify why Nigerian airlines have such a small share of their own market. But the fact remains that Nigeria is a signatory to the Abuja Treaty of 2004 under which the Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999, liberalising African skies, is legally-binding. I believe that Nigeria should stand by the Yamoussoukro Accord and honour the Abuja Treaty."

"The fact is that if you take Nigeria as an example, a few local airlines are in a position to respond to the competitive challenge posed by Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and others. For example, Arik Air has traffic rights between Lagos and Addis but the Nigerian passenger traffic is normally going beyond Addis. Most Nigerian travellers are not going to Addis Ababa; they are going to Dubai and to China. I would have wished that when Arik Air entered into that agreement they had negotiated traffic rights beyond Addis Ababa, or formed a partnership to feed traffic to Ethiopian Airlines and viceversa. This would have been a win-win situation for the airline.

Some Nigerian airlines are not yet ready to operate the regional and long haul routes that are currently available."

Fadugba is, however, persuaded that with effective collaboration of stakeholders, things would improve for the better in Nigeria’s air space.

LAGOS based farmer group, Agbeloba Farmers Association, has commended the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and the Rural Finance Institution Building (RUFIN) programmes for accelerating development in rural areas.

The president of the association, Mrs Adenike Charles made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

She said under ATA, members of the association had received a lot of farm inputs and under RUFIN, access to finance to grow their businesses had improved tremendously.

"We have benefited from ATA through the GES scheme I received fingering, nets and smoking clown.

"We have accessed farm implements which include engine boats and generators we paid 10 per cent and we shall pay the balance as we keep using them and making profit," she said.

According to her, the association had benefited a lot from RUFIN

saying that it had linked them to Lapo Micro Finance Bank where she had accessed loan up to a tonne of N180, 000.

This, she said was ordinarily impossible without collateral saying that RUFIN's intervention made it possible.

She said her fish business had received a tremendous boost saying that she was already diversifying was presently building a house.

In a separate interview, the Bale of Ado-Ikosi, His Royal Highness, Adesina Adesinya, said government had done a lot for rural dwellers through the GES scheme as access to farm input had improved.

He, however, said that there was need to do more as there were many rural inhabitants that were yet to benefit from the scheme.

On RUFIN programme he said the intervention of programme had brought over 300 per cent growth in his farm business.

He said members of his community had similar stories to share saying that the programme

should be extended beyond the seven years term.

RUFIN is being implemented in 12 states across the six geo-political zones, with two from each zone.

The programme enjoys financial assistance from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a UN agency.

It is being implemented over a seven-year period and specifically targets marginalised groups such as women, young people and those with physical disabilities.

The Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) is a programme of the Federal Government being driven by the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.

The GES scheme is a technology through which farmers have access to farm inputs like seeds, fertiliser and agro-chemical at subsidised rate.

The scheme has been expanded to include access to loans, farm machineries like tractors and extension services.

Nigerian Breweries launches new drink

N

IGERIA'S leading brewer, Nigerian Breweries has announced a brand new drink, ACE ,for its young, vibrant and daring consumers this yuletide season. The trade launch, which held simultaneously in Lagos and Port Harcourt had guests, distributors and key stakeholders in attendance.

ACE is the first ever sparkling alcoholic drink from Nigerian Breweries and ''Passion Apple Spark'', the first of the ACE series.

ACE ''Passion Apple Spark'' is made with 5.5% alcohol and natural fruit flavours in a unique 33cl bottle with

metallised labels for the bold and daring, which will change their game during that moment of truth.

The new ACE ''Passion Apple Spark'' is a groundbreaking creation from Nigerian Breweries focused on young aspiring and daring youths who want to live the good life within their means. "This is another major achievement for Nigeria Breweries Plc which has become a leader in innovation with the launch of several consumer focused products over the years. ACE Passion "Apple Spark'' is an exciting combination of spirits and natural

Apple flavour and can be shared among friends and family at different occasions. We are very excited about ACE because we are changing the game. People can now taste a high quality RTD for a very affordable price and enjoy their moment," Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries, Mr Walter Drenth commented at the trade launch.

Other guests present at the event included Regional Business Manager, Moses Ogbodo, Regional Business Manager, Non alcoholic Unit, Anslem Alokha, Yaw, amongst many others.

•From left: Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, Chief Emmanuel Emovon, Supply Chain Director, Mr. Cephas Afebuameh, Chief Stanley Obamwonyi, Osuma of Benin, Chief Noren OzigboEsiri; Benin Plant Manager, Mr. Kingsley Imade during the official presentation and blessing of Orijin at the palace of Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Erediauwa 1 of Benin…recently

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

BUSINESS

HE relationship between trade and poverty is inverted. Countries with higher proportions of global trade tend to have less of poverty.

Conversely, countries which contribute the least to global trade have higher poverty rates. This shows the importance of good trade policies in reducing poverty rates and increasing prosperity.

Also, this shows why there is intense competition for export markets even by countries that already control significant share of global trade. Little wonder trade facilitation has become an economic policy of great importance.

Development experts can't agree more. Jim Yong Kim, the World Bank president, said in a recent statement that, "Trade is a critical component to ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity." The foregoing therefore suggests that developing countries have to trade their way out of poverty. For African countries to reduce poverty, they must increase their share of global trade. But how to bring this about is anything but easy.

Trade Challenge Sub Saharan Africa is reputed to be the least developed region of the world. The SSA region is also the least integrated into the global economy through trade.

Since the 1960s, the share of sub Saharan Africa in international trade has become progressively smaller: less than 5% for all merchandise and 3% for agricultural products in 2010 (World Foundation for Agriculture and Rurality 2012).

Trade within the SSA region is also dismal. Tariff and non-tariff barriers have been obstacles to intra-regional trade. Although the higher hurdles are non-tariff barriers, the ECOWAS goal of free movement of person and goods across member countries remains more of a wish than reality.

Exports from Africa are mainly mineral resources and agricultural produce. With very low industrial base, the commodities are exported to other regions of the world and returned later to the continent as costlier finished products. This trade pattern results in "jobless growth" in the exporting countries when the prices of the commodities are high in the international market.

The jobs that are created and sustained during commodity boom are mainly in the countries that "refine" and turn the commodities to finished products through industrial activities.

But when prices of commodities are depressed, fiscal shocks are transmitted through the trade channel to the exporting countries, with severe human and economic implications. Apart from being pro-cyclical, trade in commodities is generally noted for volatility of current account positions and exertion of pressure on the exchange rate. The persistence of weak or negative growth in Europe and slower growth in China has dented economic growth in countries that depend very much on the export markets including Germany. But this does not build a case against active play in the export markets; it probably asserts the importance of domestic consumption as a cushion during a period of weaker exports.

Export Diversification Having established the role of trade in reducing poverty on the one hand, and the deleterious effects of export of mainly primary products on the other, it therefore

Lower trade and higher poverty rate are cousins

’’

62

"Nigeria is not just a place to set up a business.

The country is a big and growing market.

Investing in Nigeria is tantamount to connecting to a big market

’’

By Roberts Orya means that the way to reduce poverty in developing countries is through export diversification by boosting industrial activities.

Gaining a mileage in export diversification does entail formalisation of informal trade.

To achieve this, empowerment of smalland medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) is of utmost importance, both in itself and in gaining more share of global trade.

The key problem with informal trade is that it deprives policymakers of the major tool of policymaking, which is data.

Informal trade usually takes place off the radar, making data gathering and processing virtually impossible.

But policymakers need to know areas where it is important to scale up positive results in trade activities.

Understanding the obstacles that confront informal sector operators will aid intervention and will eventually prepare the operators toward making due contribution to fiscal policy by coming under the tax net.

SME Incubation Evidently, the Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has identified the SME sector as critical for boosting economic growth and job creation. On its part, the Nigerian Export - Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) is aware of the potentials of Nigerian SMEs. They can leverage domestic consumption, using access to over 170 million population to harness opportunities in foreign markets. Accordingly, our interventions are now geared towards such firms that we believe are relatively wellstructured to be able to stabilize their operations and then foray into external markets.

Several programmes under this Administration are incubating the SME segment for a major turnaround. In the traditional areas of providing infrastructure and electricity power, the country is seen to have made big leaps in policy formulation and execution, notwithstanding the milestones that are yet to be reached. Most recent perhaps is the launch of the N220 billion SME fund by the President in August, under the auspices of Central Bank of Nigeria. Specific programmes

•Jonathan

under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, infrastructural development for ICT utilization, local content development in oil and gas, the programme of industrialisation as encapsulated in the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) and the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Programme (NIRP) all speak of the resolve of President Jonathan to use the instrumentality of state policy to mediate market performance and SME growth.

On-going implementation of the programmes is concomitant with job creation, which is vital for eradication of extreme poverty.

Unmasking Poverty Poverty eradication has once again climbed to the top of global development policy agenda. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have announced twin programmes of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity by 2030. Feelers from post-2015 policy debates suggest that global development goals will focus on eradication of extreme poverty, going forward from next year. In the meantime, reports from some global institutions are making some important prescriptions on poverty reduction.

A recent publication by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) - Trade Policies, Household Welfare and Poverty Alleviation: Case Studies from the Virtual Institute Academic Network - strongly associates trade and poverty, offering policymakers insights on what it called "pro-poor trade policies."

Another new literature which focuses on economic growth - a sine qua non for poverty

reduction - reaffirms what we already know: that export diversification is the "gateway" to higher growth. To achieve export diversification however, Chris Papageorgiou, Lisa Kolovich and Sean Nolan, all of the IMF, identify manufacturing of high quality products as a necessity.

They suggest therefore that the world has gone past the Chinese industrialization model of producing cheap and low quality products to unleash price competition in the export market.

Accordingly, Chris and his colleagues listed human capital, infrastructure, institutional quality, financial deepening and proximity to markets as drivers of export diversification. These are very important recommendations which are familiar but which cannot be overemphasized. I will therefore run commentaries on them in the context of the Nigerian policy environment and readiness for trade as I conclude this piece.

Quality products: The Nigerian middle class and wealthy Nigerians are noted to be pretty sophisticated. As such, an industrial development model that manufactures cheap and inferior products would be mistargeted at Nigerians with means. Nowhere is this recognized more than in the cable manufacturing industry where Nigerian cables are noted for higher quality than some imported brands. Once known for exporting inferior products, China has been reforming its industrial policy to emphasize the manufacturing of high quality products. This is the direction Nigeria should go to ensure we can trade in the global market of today and not of yesterday.

Human capital: Within a practical framework, multi-level support for human capital development has been a key goal of this Administration. School enrolment has improved generally. Specific programmes have targeted areas that had lagged behind due to past neglect.

Tertiary education is being strengthened to be able to absorb more university candidates.

Another area that has benefited from government's programme of industrial development is vocational education. For example, there are ongoing efforts to develop skills that will support growth in the power sector and automobile production and assembly plants. Also, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) embeds training for skill acquisitions in the areas of public works, including road construction and maintenance, railway rehabilitation and dredging.

Infrastructure: The foregoing already highlights the fact that the country is moving in the right direction with infrastructure development. The pace may be slow, but there is no doubt that we will attain a tipping point sooner than later. At that point, it will become more obvious to global investors that so-called infrastructure deficiency in Nigeria represents investment opportunities which are being harnessed. This is a key lesson we have taken from the implementation of the power sector reform.

Institutional quality: The truth is evident that Nigeria is building and strengthening its institutions again. As a constitutional democracy, the governance framework is stable and predictable.

Market regulators do their jobs without the fear of any political backlash.

This is what has helped to put in place a sustainable path for the turn-around of our financial market, since the introduction of reforms in 2004. NEXIM Bank itself is an institution that has been revamped as part of government decision to strengthen public sector institutions and support private sector actors.

Financial deepening: There is perhaps no other country or jurisdiction that has introduced more far-reaching reforms in its financial market than Nigeria over the past ten years. The proliferation of marginal banks has given way to stronger and sounder private sector financial institutions including "mega" banks. A poorly organized and unfunded pension system has given way for the contributory system that has exceeded N4.5 trillion ($24 billion) in pension asset. Yet regulation and innovation have continued to characterize the Nigerian financial system, including the capital market.

Proximity to markets: Nigeria is not just a place to set up a business. The country is a big and growing market. Investing in Nigeria is tantamount to connecting to a big market.

Nevertheless, the country is also well-linked to the sub-regional markets by all popular means road, sea and air - except by rail.

As the country continues to develop capacity for trade through economic diversification, it is expected that the poverty rate will continue to fall.

- Roberts Orya is Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export - Import Bank.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

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BUSINESS

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• Chukkas-Onaeko

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

Youths receive free vocation training

'How studying agriculture I inspired my startup' Utibe Akpabio Edobong, a graduate of Agriculture Economics from Babcock University, is the Executive Director of Green Animalia, an agric-based startup.

In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he talks about the initial challenges of establishing a startup, opportunities and potential. Excerpts:

H

OW did you conceive the idea of the integrated agriculture project which you named Green Animalia?

I just wanted to be scientific about it and my mum was wondering how I was going to do it. So, why don't you change the plant to green? and that was how the name stuck.

Why did you decide to go into agriculture?

Initially, it wasn't just a plan to study agriculture, but at that point I just wanted to do something that would make me independent. I thought to myself that I wanted to be on my own and not be under any body. I looked at all the courses that I was good at in secondary school and I realised that I was good in agriculture. That was how it started.

When you started, what were some of the challenges that you encountered as a young person?

Well, I would say that the challenges started right from secondary school because people weren't as keen about agriculture as a course. When you tell anyone that you want to be a farmer, what comes to mind is planting cassava on two hectares of land and nothing more. So, I started thinking of ways to make agriculture more attractive. If you go to schools, you would find that the percentage of those going to agriculture was very marginal. In my school in a set of about 200 students, you had only 11 studying agriculture in my class and it was really bad.

So I began to look at things that I could do and be different and not just be like any other person.

You went to Babcock University. What was the training like?

The school also was a challenge and had its problems and I would say that they didn't really support agriculture like a course like law or a course like medicine. You found out that we were restricted to the classroom. It was only during the industrial training that gave one the opportunity to see things in a practical way.

So, at what point did you get a real practical ex-

By Udemma Chukwuma N an effort to keep youths out of trouble and empower them, the Rotary Club Metropolitan, division 9119, Ikoyi, Lagos, organised a one-day free vocational training recently for youths in their catchment area in Lagos.

The annual training according to them is to empower youths become entrepreneurs as the number of youths who are seeking admission into the university is on the increase, while many unemployed graduates are languishing.

Thus, the training is to "empower these youths to become entrepreneurs and create means of livelihood for them," said the division president, Rotarian Omo Egoegonwa, who partook in the training.

How to produce antiseptic, liquid soup and finger food, were what the participants were thought this year.

Free materials were lso provided for them which they will use to start their own business and certificates of participation will also be awarded to them after two weeks of the training, stated Egoegonwa.

The few who learnt the vocation were picked in Ikoyi and Obalende area in Lagos State because "we have what we call Community Call. Our catchment area is Ikoyi metropolitan and we are trying to assist our immediate community, which is basically why we chose people from here. We have to tract youths that are unemployed who are interested and they don't have means of training and we are just going to help, and give that extra hand.

"The vocational training is an annual Rotary project and is an International Non-Governmental Organisation. The club has five needs and this training is one of the needs," she said.

However, the training was not well attended as only 10 out of the 21 qualified youths were present to partake in the training.

"Some people say anything that is free is not appreciated but if you have to pay for it you will probably be more committed. If we have known that the attendant would be this low, we would have thrown it open for anybody to attend," she said.

Firm trains 100 SURE-P interns on entrepreneurship

A •Edobong

perience apart from your internship?

I wanted to come up with a concept on the integrated aspect of farming, a system that would stand the test of time. I started asking myself certain questions like why can't we recycle our agriculture waste and all that. I read a lot about integrated farming and also read a lot about waste recycling. In the process of reading, the first interesting thing that I came up with was biogas. It was interesting and I am still working on how to explore this area.

I didn't go outside Lagos until recently when I went to Songhai. This was the first time that I saw this being practiced and it opened my eyes once more to the opportunities available. In farming, especially fish farming, there are a number of waste generated and I thought that instead of throwing it out and using it to disturb the neighbourhood, why don't you make use of it elsewhere? First, I thought of how to sell it to others and package it nicely with a solution that won't make it smell. Even if you use it in your house, it won't smell.

So when people eventually buy it, because it doesn't

smell, you have added value to it and it would sell at a higher price.

This was one of the things that I was working on before I stumbled on biogas. Here, you have several tanks and a whole lot of underground piping and you need to have your own land and other things for this.

How did you come about the new concept that you have here?

Well, first I started with the fish and catfish was the idea from the start. I did it for about two years and I must say that at the beginning I did not know what I was getting myself into. I had only done poultry before this time, in school. I could not do fish because my school was the Adventist School and we were restricted on what we could do.

So, I picked catfish from what I had read about the fact that it was easier to manage unlike tilapia.

Next, I began to think of how to manage the waste and that was how we started planting tomatoes and discharged the waste from the catfish to the tomatoes. There were times when we had lots of the waste and had to discharge it. We then built

some blocks on top of the ponds and we put some sand and planted.

At that point, I used to carry the water up but it was stressful. We then connected a pipe from outside and used the pumping machine to tap and it watered the plants and made the process easier. It was quite exciting and the ideas started coming and we kept evolving. At a point, we had leakages which posed a problem but again we found ways to block the holes. The good part of it all is that if I had to redesign it for another person, it would be quite different from what we have now. So far, so good.

How did the opportunity to go to Songhai come?

My mother's friend is into travels and tours. She takes people to places like Jerusalem for tours. So she organised a trip to Songhai and Songhai has one of the biggest farms in Africa.

And what they practiced there is strictly integrated farming and so I got interested and applied to go.

The four-day trip was a study tour and it was amazing. Even if you are not interested in agriculture and you go there you would be inspired.

S part of efforts to enhance the employability of at least 50,000 unemployed graduates in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, the Federal Ministry of Finance in collaboration with SURE-P has sponsored a three-day capacity building training for graduate interns facilitated by Sinbol Consult Limited.

Speaking at the commencement of the training, the Project Director, Mr. Peter Papka, represented by Mr. Kenayo Elikwu, said the aim is to address the problem of unemployment in Nigeria, adding that "the graduate internship opportunities is the first to hold in Nigeria and provides a platform for the reduction of vulnerability among unemployed Nigerian graduates."

According to him, the training was also expected to improve skills through work placement, prepare the interns for mobile money agents and ultimately equip them for self-employment opportunities in the cashless economy.

Speaking further, he noted that the graduate internship scheme (GIS) is one of the interventions of SURE-P and it is a platform that provides young graduates with one-year temporary work experience to make them stronger candidates for job openings in the labour market as well as boost their chances of being self-employed.

In his remarks at the training programme, Mr. Kemi Ajisebutu of Sinbol Consult Limited stated that other efforts that the GIS is using to drastically reduce unemployment include strategic partnerships in the area of export training, creative industries, environment, financial inclusion, agriculture, education and ICT.

Bakers delight in new margarine

H

ANNO FOODS, a subsidiary of Deekay Group of Companies, has launched a new brand of margarine, Haano 15kg.

Justifying the need for the new product, Heads, Brands and Corporate Communication of Deekay Group, Damilola Owolabi said before now, it had only one stock unit of margarine which is the small 250 gram unit for household use, but the major users of the margarine who are the bakers and the few of those who use it to cook demanded for more.

"Bakers are the major consumers of the margarine and they complain that they always end up using a lot of the 250 gram for their baking and that was what informed the introduction of the 15kg to cater for their heavy use.

"It is a two -ear company and we are still in the process of evolving. Next year, our products will be relaunched into the market. We partner with the bakers association because bread is a major food in Nigerian market. From their own testimony, we will have an extension of word of mouth on the product. Bakers are the major target for this brand."

The event which attracted over 40 bakers from 20 local government areas in attendance, including the chairman, Association of Master Bakers and Caters of Nigeria, Prince Jacob Anjorin, who attested to the high quality of the product.

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

Presenting ‘Ultimate Morning Show’ is a privilege -Olaitan Bakare Olaitan Bakare, aka O.L.A., has carved quite an identity for herself presenting the Ultimate Morning Show on Ray Power FM. Her voice, every morning (week days), alongside radio big wig, Ambrose Somide, comes as a big complement, helping to spice up the show, widely regarded as Nigeria's most listened to morning show.

In this encounter with Daniel Adeleye, the sassy presenter spoke of her exploits so far, her inspirations and more.

W

HAT is it like presenting The Ultimate Morning Show alongside veterans like Ambrose

Somide?

It is pretty fun. Ambrose Somide is a fantastic human being. Let me start that way. I think that made it easy; especially for the fact that he can blend off microphone.

You can talk with him and understand each other. Of course we can also disagree on something. That way, there is mutual respect, even though I am much younger.

He respects my opinion, and that makes me feel special. So I don't feel like am second on the show; I feel like yes, we are doing this together. And for me, it's been very good. It also comes with a lot of hype; with people tweeting everyday and commending our efforts. I also see it as a privilege and an opportunity, which I treasure tremendously.

Who are your other inspirations in the industry?

First, let me start with Oprah.

Internationally, O p r a h inspired m e i n many

ways. I started following her when I was young. I followed her story and I discovered that we had similar background story. I was abused as a child, and Oprah had a baby when she was about 13 or 14. I was even much younger when I was raped. So I took all of that, learned from the way she explained how she got over it and used it as strength. So I converted those negativities into strength, to become the person that I am. For me, she is like the greatest inspiration. Also the fact that she experienced rape from a family member; although I was raped by someone I was familiar with, who used to come to our house quite often. It actually happened when I was very young, and for a long time afterwards, I was confused. But something later grew inside of me that I never knew it existed. I became more vocal, and I could suddenly speak for myself. Prior to that time, one of the issues I had was that I couldn't express myself. So Oprah impacted me both personally and professionally.

Coming home, I learned from a lot of other people. But overall, it is Ambrose Somide.

You've also got some recognitions and award nominations.

Yes, I was nominated for the Outstanding Radio Presenter of the Year at the Nigeria Broadcasting Media Awards (NBMA). I was also nominated for Presenter, Morning Show of the Year, this year, and although I did not win, it is something I appreciate a lot. I also have quite a number of other nominations.

And I have won awards as well. One of them that I really treasure is the Young Female Presenter of the Year award, presented to me at the Egba Youths Award, when I used to present in Abeokuta. Coming from young people like me made it really precious to me.

A few days ago, I also won Special Package for HIV and AIDS that's done by an organisation called Enhancing Nigeria's Response to AIDS, ENR, alongside The BBC. We won that as a result of quite a number of projects they did for HIV and AIDS, which we helped create awareness for. We created awareness on HIV, some of the issues and health-like media competitions and we came first. I presented that programme which won the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA) for Radio Production of the Year. That prize went to the producer of the programme, although I presented it. It's important to correct that; I haven't won yet.

Let's talk about your antecedent. Where were you before Ray Power FM? I started very young. I started as a trainee/intern at MiTV back in early 2000. I worked with Funmi Davis, now Funmi Farojoye, Kemi Ikotun-Adekusibe and Moyo Oyatogun. I also worked at Star FM, still the same organisation.

That was when I discovered the radio thing in me. I love radio but I got quickly bored wit h

TV. I did a little presentation and a little reportorial on TV. That was when I met with Femi Fashina (Uncle Fash) and the likes of Moyo Oyatogun, Seun Oyedeji, now Seun Davis, Kwame etc. In fact, I worked directly with Kwame. He started my curiosity in morning radio.

Thereafter, I did a little thing with DBN. But as I said, TV gets me bored quickly.

After that, I took a seven-year break before coming back. I kicked off my second coming at Rock City FM, Abeokuta. I was there for three years. Before I met Ambrose Somide, I worked with Beat FM for three years as acting head of programme, but then there were a number of things that didn't go down well with me. So, I decided to seek bigger challenges. I used to present a morning show at Beat FM before I resigned. So, one day, Ambrose Somide called me and said that he had not heard me for a while on radio, and was I on leave? I told him I had resigned, and he said not to worry and that he would get me fixed. That was how I journeyed into Ray Power in 2012.

If not radio, what would you have been doing?

I probably would still be an entertainment person. I like entertainment a lot, although I still have my eyes on some other things other than broadcasting. I have my eyes on PR for instance, and entertainment lawyer. I think I love those two.

What's your next big plan?

Well, I have been doing the Ultimate Morning Show for about two years now. We started in March 2013, and in these two years I am so proud that Ray Power has won Nigeria Media Merit Award's (NMMA) Radio Station of the Year. I think we are doing something right. And a few of my other programmes have also won awards and accolades. So, it makes me feel that I am doing something right. Hopefully in the coming year, I propose to establish my brand, Olaitan Bakare O.L.A. Right now, only about 20% of that brand is being utilised. I figure there is still a great deal of that brand that can be established and utilised. Also, there are still several other areas of broadcasting that I hope to get into.

How do you manage your low moments, especially when you need to go on air and get your listeners lifted?

I play my favourite song (laughs).

Although it's not the type I can play on radio most, it is usually the song that is popular at that time. I use myself as a point of contact to connect several other people that might be having low moments. What can make them happy is music. Music is healing, music is power, music is divine; music is everything!

So music is just there for me, any day, any moment. When I am tired, sad, broke, depressed; even when I am happy, music is everything.

What's your most memorable experience yet presenting?

For now, it is presenting the Ultimate Morning Show and getting the feedbacks.

Ultimate Morning Show is the largest morning show on the Nigerian radio. We have audience from every part of the country. You know how vast Nigeria is, so for you to draw audience from across its various parts, carrying them along and getting the kind of good feedback we get, makes it really pleasant and memorable. I received an email from one of the audience, who told me what the Ultimate Morning Show does in her life everyday and I broke into tears. I think that moment is my memorable experience yet.

Washington Post photographer dies on assignment in Liberia

A

photographer covering the Ebola story in Liberia for the Washington Post, Michel du Cille, collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack. The winner of three Pulitzer prizes, he was 58.

The Post's executive editor Martin Baron sent a statement to the newspaper staff in which he called Du Cille “a beloved colleague and one of the world's most accomplished photographers”.

He spent several years as the Post's director of photography and as an assistant managing editor.

Born in 1956 in Kingston, Jamaica, Du Cille moved to the US, to Georgia, in the 1970s. His wife, Nikki Kahn, is also a Post photographer.

Project Fame's Isaac Geralds releases first video

F

OR Project Fame Season 4 housemate, Isaac Geralds, it is indeed a season of great achievements, as he recently released his first single music video, 'Fall in Love'. The dandy-looking bearded gentle man who once confessed that the mega-publicity Project Fame availed him was his biggest take-away from participating in the show, plays the desperate love-struck village youth, who would do anything to win the love of his heartthrob in the video. It is a hilarious video that had him being chased in one of the scenes by a grenade.

Shot in a village in Ogun State by Yinka Davids of iFocus, the song is a folk soul that is rendered majorly in Yoruba and pidgin and features rich Yoruba heritage on display.

The video also features fast rising singer Stan Iyke, with cameo appearances by Immaculate, also an alumna of Project Fame, gospel artiste, Gaise and Henri Soul.

The video is available for viewing on Isaac Geralds Youtube page.

67

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

A

T last, the Federal Government has given the go ahead to the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation to complete the master plan of the complex making up the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. At a recent investors' roadshow organized by the management of the Theatre to sensitise the public on the need to complete the project, the federal government explained that all the fallow pieces of land within and around the Theatre have to be fully developed to give the complex the necessary and appropriate beauty.

Done in conjunction with Public Private Partnership (PPP), the idea is to make the Theatre environment conducive to accommodate other modern facilities as found in all the theatre complexes of the same size and repute all over the world. According to Chief Edem Duke, the Minister of Culture, with the establishment of fivestar hotels, shopping malls, commercial and banking facilities, office buildings, recreational areas and car parks, the federal government would have succeeded in ensuring that the original master plan of the theatre instituted in 1976 has been completed.

To him, the most important issues involved in the master plan which will come in phases is to make the 10,000 seater mainbowl functional once more.

For far too long, the mainbowl of the Theatre has been abandoned due to neglect over the years. But in the next plan of action, the development of the new facilities will help to make the iconic edifice more attractive and economically viable.

With the presence of possible investors in the tourism and culture sector and top players in the entertainment industry in Nigeria, the atmosphere inside the conference hall of the National Theatre appeared quite conducive to take the Theatre to the next level. Duke stated that the overall mandate of this transaction with the PPP and other big industry players is to purposely develop an Outline Business Case which will help to test the viability and feasibility of deploying PPP arrangement in actualising the master plan. However, before this could be done, the inclusion of the private sector investors is to ensure that government does not burn its hands by delving into an area where the people themselves can be allowed to go into and invest mainly in order to give necessary economic value to the Theatre.

In the new arrangement, the whole complex will be named the entertainment city with the planned development sitting on about 134 hectares of land. Presently, the existing Theatre only occupies just 10 hectares.

But the new design requires that the PPP with the partnership of the government will undertake the project, only using a mapped out design, finance, construction (build), operation and maintenance model.

When this is fully done, according

•Proposed office complexes and hotels to be built around National Theatre Complex

Making National Theatre entertainment city At a roadshow programme held in Lagos, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke told stakeholders, artistes and investors that the Federal Government has finally started activities to reclaim the fallow pieces of land within the National Theatre complex, Iganmu, Lagos, in order to build modern facilities through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. Edozie Udeze who was at the meeting, reports

•Duke to Mrs. Nkechi Ejele, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, "It will offer visitors, tourists, tespians and fun seekers, the opportunity to visit a modern, diverse, localised and existing

experience". Although she stated that the Lagos State government is involved in the project, she appealed to Lagosians to see the project as a means of ensuring that the complex is made to be more useful for public use.

"There is the need to make the complex conform with accepted international norms and standards", Ejele stated. She insisted that with this new plan, more business avenues will be opened to make Lagos the real economic hub of West Africa.

She said: "This project will be characterised by modern architecture and design, with wide range of business and recreational offerings of international standards within a friendly environment. Beyond that, after the completion, concessionaires will be given the opportunity to recoup their investment. This is why this meeting today is very esential. It is meant to lay the whole plan bay, and to allow possible investors see the viability of the project and make their own deductions and impressions.

These fallow areas of the Theatre complex have been allowed to lie

prostrate for too long. It is now time to put the areas into proper use."

The roadshow which would take the Ministry to other parts of the world to re-awaken the interest of more investors in the project is designed to encourage wider-spread and more committed investors. The more investors that come in from all over the world, the better chances of making the project a formidable one. This is why it is noted that the plan will incorporate Lagos as Nigeria's foremost entertainment city because the aura and ambiance of the Theatre complex will become very significant and alluring to all and sundry.

In his own contribution, Aminu Diko of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) reassured investors that the new concept would be favourable to all. He said: "This idea is mainly to transform the National Theatre edifice into a model city comparable to the Mandela Square in Johanessburg, South Africa, and Time's Square in New York, U.S.A. As you all know, there is an increasing awareness worldwide of the critical

partnering role the private sector can play towards the accelerated provisioning of infrastructure through the PPPs. This is why this project has indeed become necessary now."

He went on to state that wellprepared and better structures PPP projects define greater lifestyle efficiencies, more value for moey, improved service delivery and job opportunites and more. He however gave examples with other economies of the world where this sort of exercise has helped in key sectors like the railway, seaports, roads, and bridges to power the economy of the society.

Diko's concern however, "is to provide the necessary guideline to all stakeholders to enable them grasp the essential ingredients of the project." In all, the project will give artistes the necessary platform to exhibit their crafts and perform in an atmosphere that would boost their images and career.

The BGL Capital which acts as advisers on the concession business represented by one of its project directors, Dipo Wintoki reminded the gathering that the beauty, the importance and relevance of the National Theatre should not be allowed to go into oblivion. "This is an edifice that was established in 1976 and has been the hub of theatre activities, art exhibitions, symposia, filmshows and more. It has played host to various national, international theatre and musical events…Therefore, with wide range of commercial offerings, colours, a friendly environment, and everything else one expects to find at an international tourism centre and entertainment city, we intend to make this project one of the best in the world".

In the words of Wintoki, the initial feasibility and viability studies of each of the facilities have been conducted.

The projects has an average concession period of 30years, with the return on investment averaging 35% and pay back period within the first ten years of operation. And this, in the overall interest of the people will encourage the discovery and development of new talents in the country. It will also help in creating more employment opportunites in the sector and generally promote healthy cultural activities and habit in the society, while at the same time increase the revenue generation capacity of both the federal and state governments and the private sector investors.

The roadshow which attracted who-is-who in the entertainment sector, saw the General Manager of the National Theatre, Malam Kabir Yusuf fully in charge to ensure that all went well. Yusuf who described the show as the best thing to happen to reposition the Theatre, reassured investors and the general public that the future of the complex cannot be compromised.

"It is to make this environment the best place for the industry and the players to thrive", he said.

O.A.U. holds international conference

T

•Omole, VC, OAU

HE department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, (O.A.U), Ile-ife, Osun state, is to hold an international conference on 30th January, 2015 titled Left and Right and acute contradictions in Nigeria. This conference is being organized against the background of the acute contradictions and crises of immense proportions that have gripped the post-colonial Nigerian State so much so that various forms and kinds of arguments and explanations are being offered. These explanations range from ethnic, religious, social, political, structural, economic, class and other numerous

viewpoints. There is a convergence in the midst of these postulations as to the backward and almost irredeemable condition of the Nigerian State, its economy and society. The need to redirect the ship of state in a manner that will guarantee nation-building, development, democracy, equitable distribution of goods and services, mutual respect among the groups and classes that make up the federal republic of Nigeria, among others, is urgent.

There is no doubt that the country is in its tenterhooks and at its witsend and therefore desires an urgent change. What are the roles of the Left

in the formulation, articulation and implementation of any agenda for change? Can there be a change in its fundamental sense and depth without the Left as a vanguard force? Is there really a Left group with its accompanying historical consciousness in Nigeria? Should the current appalling state of affairs in Nigeria continue? Is it not time for a rescue mission? Must things continue to be the way they are? Given the current state of things in the country, can there be a future and what kind of future?

SUB-THEMES: The place and role of the Left in a democracy/tic

processes, The Left and the crisis of development and nation-building , The crisis of poverty and the role of the Left, The Left, intellectuals and received paradigms in a neo-colonial state, Insecurity and a failing state, The Left in an era of electoral democracy, The role of the Left in political parties/participation, The Left and the politics of ideology , The place of workers and students in politics, The Left good governance and popular participation , The Left, gender and the place of women in Nigerian politics. Interested scholars are advised to submit papers on any of the themes.

68

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

ARTS

TITLE : Diaspora and Imagined Nationality PUBLISHER: Carolina Academic Press.

AUTHOR: Koleade Odutola REVIEWERS: Wale Fatade

N

IGERIANS love to talk and we are proud of our ability along that line.

Outside the shores of our country, we are not afraid of airing our views and holding court on issues affecting the motherland. Among the hotly debated issues is whether or not Nigeria is a mere geographical expression, to use the words of a late political leader, or has emerged fully into a nation. While those living within the borders of Nigeria are engaged in debating this, those in the diaspora too are not left out.

KoleadeOdutola's Diaspora and Imagined Nationality: USA-Africa Dialogue and Cyberframing Nigerian Nationhood is an attempt at using the digital space to explore nationhood issues.

The book is a revision of the author's PhD dissertation, which required extensive rework of the initial research. "The whole idea behind my PhD was to make sense of what Nigerians discuss online," Odutola said in an online interview.

"I discovered there are many issues and I choose how the issue of nationalism is discussed online. It is a book that can be read in part by different audiences depending on their social location and background. You can just read the exchanges without the theory and methodology sections and it will still make sense to you."

Title - Tears of Rebellion Author - Terhemen Andula Publisher - Dooshima Publication Entreprises, Abuja.

Year of Publication - 2014 Number of Pages - 198 Reviewer - Awele Okwudarue

DECEMBER 14, 2014

Living life abroad In his research, Dr. Odutola discovered that "Nigerians in diaspora are very passionate about Nigeria. They want a change like yesterday." He added that the style of writing of most Nigerian scholars look toward Europe and America for authorities when it comes to complex issues like nationhood and "I thought I could locate Afrocentric ideas about nationhood but somehow I'm still searching." Asked whether the concept of nationhood is alien to Africans then, he responded, "No, just that there are not many authorities who have articulated the concept."

He added, "Most of us confuse the State with the nation but Dr. Adebayo Williams expressed the idea of State-Nations for most postcolonial countries instead of Nation-States."

Three concepts are therefore evident: The nation; the State, and the country. "A nation is like a dream, it exists first in the imagination of a few before it finds vent in text or in discourse. In the same way a virtual nation is normative in conceptualization. It is constructed through conversations and reflections. It speaks to how a nation structurally and functionally ought to be as opposed to how it is. The virtual narrative depends on external ideas to a great extent and on intuition in very rare cases. The purpose

of a virtual concept of nationhood is to act as a parameter on which the real nation with all its imperfections and contradictions are judged. One issue the idea of virtual nationhood brings to the fore is that of legitimacy; who is qualified to discuss how a nation ought to be?

Should the task be left to those who are within the malfunctioning national space?

Or should the task be left to those who are located outside of the national space but depend on mediated communication and information for their knowledge?"

Odutola equally acknowledges the eternal debate of 'inside/outside', which complicates the situation in that those inside may also be outside of the system

Sorrows unlimited Hembadoon. She says Hembadoon is used, that she will find a fresh, young maiden for him. Terdoo kicks against this saying he is old enough to find a wife for himself. He is even ready to be disowned by his parents if need be.

Things turn for worse when Denvihin ill-advises Hembadoon in using the services of a native witch-doctor to 'secure' Terdoo's love and attention for her. it turns out Kpadoo was right after all. Terdoo breaks up with her, and refuses her entreaties for them to get back together.

Terdoo's business takes a downfall, and with the help of his parents, he gets back on his feet.

Andula's Tears of Rebellion touches on a few societal values, that are considered old-fashioned, but draws the reader's attention by emphasising that these values are still to be treasured. From the prologue to the end, the book is riddled with a lot of grammatical and typographical errors that could have been avoided. A reprint of the book with corrections is highly advised.

HE protagonist, Terdoo Shande, as the only son, has responsibility thrust on him when his soldier father resigns from the army. His family moved from Ikeja, Lagos to Zaki-Biam, Benue. He begins a journey of helping his parents fend for the family, after his tertiary education. After his graduation, he realises his father's finance has dwindled, so he takes up paying his sister's fees through trading.

His first venture into trading was livestock, which he left after not finding job satisfaction. Terdoo later became a thrift collector, and succeeded due to his charm.

He managed to draw people, mostly of low-working class to engage in business with him. Meanwhile, his father, Tyovenda Shande is in the frozen fish business with Chief Okonkwo, who

encourages Tyovenda to open a branch in Zaki-Biam.

He meets Hembadoon in Goddy's Inn, who is her uncle. Hembadoon tells Terdoo that she is a single mother and some other things about herself. She later becomes his love interest, and a relationship blossoms between them. Terdoo later makes the acquaintance of Ngozi, who knows he has a girlfriend, but still manages to cause friction between the lovebirds.

Hembadoon becomes unsure of Terdoo's love for her, and is always trying to test him even with the use of seduction.

He refuses her advances because he tells her they are not married. The issue of trust is prevalent, as it is a determining factor in most relationships. Abstinence among youths, which has become a rare thing, is also touched on by Andula. This is very commendable coming from Terdoo as a male, because they always do the asking.

The age-old battle of parents choosing partners for their children can't be ignored when Kpadoo, Terdoo's mother is vehemently against his relationship with

T

Here comes Distinction

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HE dream was mooted last year by some of Nigeria's most outstanding studio artists. Their intention was to situate visual art on the platform of distinction and excellence and to show the public that group art exhibitions should be done with some heal of expertise. This experiment gave birth to

• A Concept of peace by Asidere

and thus alienated. Immigrants, especially those in well developed countries with functional systems and coordinated structures take more than passing interests in the political affairs of their homeland and there are many examples of immigrant groups that have facilitated change sin their homelands using different information and communication technologies to connect and mobilise and organize geographically dispersed members.

Does this then mean that Nigerians in the Diaspora engage more with nationhood issues than those in the country? "No, I can't say that, please," he answers. "I made a research decision to focus on Nigerians in the Diaspora because I was going to use a virtual ethnographic methods that relies more on text than on the ground observations. I know that Nigerians at home verbalize their concerns at different spots in the country. A visit to a vendor's stand would provide enough data to do the same thing I did online."

Asked if he thinks Nigeria would evolve fully into a nation based on his findings, Dr. Odutola says," Ha, that's a very tough question for a researcher without a crystal ball but reading what Nigerians in the Diaspora express online, I think Nigerians want the nation to survive beyond that "mere geographical expression."?Divided into five chapters, the book concludes that when identity is no longer anchored on location, home and nationhood become indistinguishable.

By Edozie Udeze Distinction art exhibition led by Abiodun Olaku, Alex Nwokolo, Bunmi Babatunde, Duke Asidere, Edosa Ogiugo, Fidelis Odogwu and Reuben Ugbine.

This year's edition which began yesterday at the Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos, has an additional artist in the person of Segun Adejuwon who described the idea as the most excellent thing to happen to visual art sector in Nigeria. "You need to identify with distinction, with people who have laudable ideas to take the art to the next level", Adejuwon decided.

According to Olaku while addressing reporters, this year's edition is a sequel to last year's "because people have been asking us to re-enact what he did last year.

People, indeed art collectors and patrons are in love with the sort of art we displayed last year. So, we need to move further than that to showcase what we have to the public", he said.

Sponsored by Kunle Tinubu of Trojan Estate, Lagos, the over forty

works on display have an array of assemblage cutting across paintings, sculptures, mixed media, installation and more. The assemblage of varied works of arts which come in different dimensions and experiments juxtaposes the dream of these artists who eac,h has over twenty years of studio experience behind him.

This is why the exhibition is detailed to run for one week to enable the public and visual art lovers have enough time to savour the aura

of distinction.

It is also to show how deep these artists have been in their quest to create new ideals.

Olaku says "these creations help his pendulum to swing in ceaseless harmony and impulse in obedient to the rhythmic creative energies and emotions of human experience of our world".

On his own part, Babatunde sums up this excursion as "as a form to express beauty at its best, since I know that it is an intellectual property. Therefore, it is my desire to penetrate any global audience."

Today's bomb

By Sam Omatseye

I

AM going down the street to pick a piece of bread The crowded street will only stall my steps and hunger, my morning companion, has a few minutes to say goodbye.

Boom, boom, I heard amidst cries Was that a bomb?

Yes, screamed a scurrying back I am in no mood for the body count Some people scampered about in fear I stood still and saw in the distance a bloodied face

and another man lifting a child limp of limbs in hurried alarm for a car to take the dying to the hospital If, that is, the car does not bear a hooded omen Of unexplored men and shrapnel I looked at myself, crown to toe, I am as new as the morning dew I have nothing to worry about, and I move on To pick my piece of bread and wish the morning companion goodbye Today has had its bomb.

69

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

INTERVIEW

H

‘How godly youths can take the future’ OW did you come about YDI?

YDI is a product of vision! As you are aware, every genuine assignment or ministry is located by vision. I am privileged to locate mine by vision. God has graciously given me the vision to raise young disciples for Him. Disciples properly groomed and mentored to make a difference in their generation for Him. Our vision is about raising modern-day types of biblical Joseph, Daniel, Esther, Mary and other characters who pleased God with their lives as young people.

To concretise this vision, we have come up with a powerful mission statement to drive this assignment. We are not beating about the bush!

We are called to groom highly informed, responsible, impactmaking and God-fearing successor leaders that will be relevant to God and humanity.

How did it all begin?

The vision of YDI started unfolding in 1994.

While doing my business, I started sensing a nudge in my spirit to reach out to young people out there, not just those under my tutelage in church. Then I was a youth pastor in Winners Chapel. I even toyed with the idea of using an office space at Johet Communications Ltd, a company which I cofounded with my wife, to attend to the youth on the street.

In 1995, I organised a 3day prayer retreat with some brethren at Redemption Camp to seek the face of God concerning the vision. After the retreat

The founder and President of Young Disciples International (YDI), Pastor Joe Ogbe, spoke with Tajudeen Adebanjo on youth development and sundry issues. Excerpts: I was moved to share the vision with my mentor and father in ministry, Bishop David Oyedepo, who readily blessed and encouraged me.

By December 31, 1995, my wife and I were commissioned into full time ministry. Work started immediately. God blessed us with a three-bed room apartment at Ponle Bus stop, Egbeda in Lagos.

January 30, 1996 a take- off ceremony was conducted

by Papa Oyedepo and then the doors of Ydi were opened to young people.

From inception, we have been involved in daily counselling and weekly discipleship training. It will interest you to know that some parents, especially widows, were enthusiastically sending their children to us. Our office became a beehive of youth activities. Our youth friendly bible school started in summer of 1996 with 107 pioneer students.

For six years, we occupied rented apartments for our office and youth centre. God who is not a respecter of persons or ministries graciously gave us this large place for our headquarters and youth development centre.

God has been good to us.

Who will ever imagine a youth ministry like us commanding the blessing of heaven? Who will ever believe that YDI can amount to anything when we started? Only God could have done all this and He only is worthy of our praise.

What kind of impact do you specifically make with

•Ogbe

the youths?

YDI has helped young people to embrace godly values and principles that easily position them for greatness in life by showing them the things that are really important for productive life. We inculcate in them values like Covenant of Purity (COP), academic and professional excellence, integrity, hard work, fear of

God, service to God and humanity etc.

I can assure all and sundry that quietly we are grooming successor leaders that are positively impacting their families, schools, churches, communities, nations and generation for God. Were there sacrifices you have made in the course of the pursuit of this vision?

Yes, of course. Can you

really run a vision without sacrifices? Sacrifice is part and parcel of any thriving ministry.

Without sacrifice, you cannot make impact. I am a beneficiary of the sacrificial ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When YDI started, I closed down my business to focus on the assignment full time.

I also committed what I call "class suicide" to be able to work with young people. I brought myself low to their level to reach out to them. You require sacrifice to be able to do this.

How do you react to youth unemployment in the nation?

As a youth- friendly pastor, my greatest desire and prayer is to have unemployment banished from our shores. Beloved, you will agree with me that unemployment is the greatest challenge in the world of young people today. Check out the number of graduates we churn out every year. No job for them.

If nothing is done fast this country we will experience serious upheaval. No doubt, unemployment is one of the major reasons behind prostitution, kidnapping and other heinous crimes.

Unemployment is an abnormality.

It is unacceptable! I see no reason why able bodied person cannot be fully engaged productively.

What are your dreams for the future of Nigerian youths?

I have a great dream for

our youths, it is a dream birthed on the infallible word of God as seen in Ps.144:12: "That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:" I dream to see highly responsible Nigeria youths who accept responsibility for their greatness and life of contribution. I want to see Nigerian youths take giant strides in IT, academia, politics, business, entertainment, clergy, military and what have you.

I don't want Nigerian youths to be first in crimes or vices. No! We should not be known for evil things. I believe God designed us to matter to Africa and the world. I dream to see our youths take this nation to our economic and political Eldorado via their profound mental resourcefulness.

All over the world young people are beginning to take the centre stage of problem solving.

Not being the problem but problem solvers. Nigerian youths too can make a difference.

Our continent needs moral rearmament. Our change agents must be men and women of integrity. As a ministry, we are proud of one of us who went to university with fake results but upon embracing the ministry's principle of integrity, reported herself to the university authority and left the campus! Today, we hold her in high esteem as our moral authority ambassador!

NEWS

T

HE General Overseer of Christ Royal Family International Church Lagos, Bishop Tom Samson, has finally opened up on the N80m Hummer jeep he recently purchased that set tongues wagging.

Samson explained that the luxurious Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) was a gift from someone he ministered to abroad.

Decrying the criticisms that trailed the acquisition which many dismissed as exorbitant, Samson said the issue was blown out of

How I got N80m limo, by Samson

By Sunday Oguntola

proportion.

The cleric told our correspondent last week: "That a limo is worth N80m does not mean it is bought for N80m.

Moreover, it was an individual abroad who saw that I like it and bankrolled it, not even a dime from me went into the purchase of the limo.

"He did it in

appreciation of the roles I played in his life. Every good car that I have driven came from persons whom I have impacted their lives positively. Not everyone enjoys such favour."

He denied allegation of ostentatious living, saying he runs a foundation that empowers the indigents.

According to him: "Tom Samson Foundation also engages in free health services; we have

constructed one of the best hospitals in the country at Royal City Iyesi Ota, Ogun State with modern equipment and all our charges are subsidised by Tom Samson Foundation.

The aged are treated free.

"We run free medical checkups, distribution of drugs and eye glasses for six communities around Ota, Ogun State.

"Recently, I donated borehole to Iyesi Ota

community and gave scholarship to some indigenes of Iyesi Ota in Ogun State.

"Two more boreholes are to be constructed in the first quarter of 2015 in Ijaba and Osuke communities in Ota Ogun State."

The educational services of the church, he further stated, are affordable with scholarships to many indigent students.

"I have established well over eight primary and secondary schools in different locations with moderate and affordable school fees while some students are on scholarships.

"I run a private College of Education NCCE approved with best facility and cheapest school fees in the country. Right now we are constructing a university (Monarch University, Ewekoro) that will be one of the best and affordable for the less privileged."

70

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

WORSHIP

Soyinka visits mission home

I

T will remain one of the most memorable days in the lives of the children of Stephen Children Home, Abeokuta, as Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, after a long expectation by the children, visited on Saturday, 6th December, 2014.

The children who earlier played host to a team from Oyedepo Foundation on the same day were seen in joyous mood as it was fun all through before the sudden arrival of the Nobel Laureate who immediately changed his name

from Prof. Oluwole Soyinka to Prof. Oluwole Somorin (literally translated 'I met you well') to amaze the children because of the aroma he perceived from the cooking competition by the children.

Professor Soyinka admonished the children to be good ambassadors of the African race and said his visit to the home was just a stop-over as his schedule was tight for the day and promised to re-visit the children in a grand style.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director of Stephen

Children Home Abeokuta, who is also the Director, Voice of the Christian Martyrs, Nigeria, Rev. Isaac Oluwole Newton Wusu, revealed that Stephen Children Home earlier known as Nigeria Special Children Home with over 400 children from mostly the northern part of Nigeria enjoying free feeding, shelter, education and health care services at the primary, secondary and higher education levels started with just eight children. Rev. Newton Wusu, a Nigerian who served for over 35 years under the leadership of Richard Wurmbrand, appreciated Christians all over the world, various groups, collective and individual donors and supporters of the children of the martyrs in all ramifications.

•From left: Rev. Isaac Newton-Wusu with his wife Feyisola and Prof. Wole Soyinka at the event recently.

USA Bishop leads prayer for Nigeria

B

ISHOP Nelson Ugwuzor, founding pastor of Church of the Anointing --one of the fastest growing churches in Los Angeles, California--is continuing to use his voice to speak into the lives of many in America and across the globe.Most recently, Pastor Nelson, as he is popularly known, called on listeners to join him in a nationwide prayer for Nigeria and his home state of Abia, during his weekly broadcast on Stevie Wonder's legendary radio station in Los Angeles, KJLH 102.3 FM. A global voice and leader, Pastor Nelson (Bishop) received the 2012 Stellar Award for his "Spread the Word" radio program on KJLH, which attracts a listening capacity of over one million listeners weekly across the USA and Canada.He led the city of Los Angeles in a prayer of victory for President Barack Obama before his 2012 election at a gathering of over 300,000 people during the city's annual Taste of Soul Family Festival.

He is a constant force and voice on the world's largest Christian television network, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), through which he reaches over three billion people in over 125 nations worldwide.

During his recent radio show broadcast, Bishop Nelson declared, "I feel in heart that my beloved country, Nigeria is at a place where it needs the best leaders to continue to lead that great nation and lead it to where it needs to be so it can be an example in all levels to the world and to Africa as a continent.

Wherever Nigeria goes, the entire continent of Africa goes.

That's why I am asking everyone across the United States and Africa to join me to pray for a peaceful, fair, transparent election process in Nigeria. I am praying for worthy, experienced, accountable, God-fearing leaders to emerge and lead Nigeria next.

I know that the world is watching Nigeria. I am praying for President GoodluckEbele Jonathan, all the Governors, all elected officials and political

appointees and aspirants who desire to lead to do so with the love of country at heart. I am praying for wisdom and God's guidance over all of them."

Bishop Nelson also said a special prayer for his state of origin, Abia State:"I am also praying for Governor T.A. Orji and ChiefEmekaWogu, the formerMinister of Labour and Productivity, who is aspiring to be nominated as a candidate for the next Governor of Abia State. Chief Wogu is a man worthy of that office; experienced, tested and proven in both local and national leadership…a God-fearing leader with accountability, a man of integrity and a visionary. I am asking the world to keep praying for the will of God to be done in Nigeria. Long live Nigeria, long live President GoodluckEbele Jonathan, long live my beloved Abia State, long live all who aspire to lead."

In closing, Bishop declared that If God be for you, no one can be against you.

Parents urged to instill godliness in their children

T

HE Chairman of the Elders Council of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Province 27, Elder Seni Adegbite, has advised parents to instill the virtues of love, patriotism and godly principles in the lives of their children so that they would become change agents in our world.

Adegbite said this at the Family Week celebration of the RCCG, Province 27 headquarters last Sunday in Ikeja, Lagos.

The programme, which was held simultaneously across the RCCG parishes worldwide, brought together hundreds of Christian's faithful.

There were bible teaching, drama, song rendition, fun and

By Adeola Ogunlade entertainment for the children and their parents.

According to Adegbite, the family remains the melting pot for love, oneness, togetherness and mutual understanding in any nation of the world. Families built on love, fairness, equity and godliness will rub off on the nation.

He lauded the patriotic spirit exhibited by an average American which according to him makes them think about the wellbeing of their country first, above self, tribe or language sentiments.

Adegbite posited further that when families are united and put their focus, interest and

ambition on God and his word, intruders will stay far away from them and peace that passes all understanding will reign in such homes.

He took a swipe at the federal government's commitment to the release of the abducted Chibok girls. Said he: "Americans are ready to die for one citizen of theirs in captivity, not to talk of over 200 children who have been held hostage without any clue of their release soon."

He challenged Nigerians to rise above tribal, religious and ethnic sentiment and work together to build the nation that is currently in dire need of honest, forthright and faithful individuals to bring the desired development in our country.

COLUMN

Living Faith

By Dr. David Oyedepo

Exploring The Secrets Of Success! (2)

L

AST week, I brought to you the introductory part of this teaching. I said, among other things, that every child of God is redeemed to be a success.

Talking about the quality goodies God has for those that love Him, the Bible says: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

You cannot have a genuine heart for God, and not make an outstanding mark on the earth. This week, I shall be considering The Power Of Divine Endowment.

The scriptures contain the secrets of God. When we engage the secrets of scriptures, they bring out the star in us (1 Peter 1:19).

Every child of God is ordained a star! It is how much we engage the covenant that determines when our star will shine.

Recognize that everyone is gifted in some special ways -- endowment.

Thisis clear from Matthew 25:15, which says: And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

We must discover our special gifting as individuals (1 Corinthians 7:7).

There is something in you that makes you unique (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). You must look inwards and identify your talent by the help of the Holy Spirit (Luke 15:7-8). Proverbs 20:27 says: The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. So, we engage

our spirit in searching out those things that we flow freely in. That is where your star is!

After you have found it, you must make use of it, for you to change levels. The scripture says:And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.Another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin (Luke 19:18-20). So, it is not enough to know what we carry; we must know what to do to put it to work for our profiting. You have to stir it up!

It is not enough to have potential; you have to maximize it to actualize it. So, potential is not automatically equal to manifestation. You have to know what to do to activate the potential you carry. So, you must work on your faith.

How? It is by working on the Word to keep your faith alive, because "faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God" (Romans 10:17). This way, you tap into what God has purposed for you.

Why are we talented? We are talented essentially for profitable living (Proverbs 18:16; 1 Corinthians 12:7). All we need to do is to learn how to activate the treasure in us.

This connotes responsibility.

So, we have a lot to do!

God's ultimategift for man is eternal life. By scriptures, we are seated in heavenly places on a mission here on earth (John 3:31). By redemption, we are ordained to be above all (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). It means, we should get to know what God is saying about everything, and go all out for it!

So, you don't succeed by doing nothing and waiting

for success to happen! Learn how to turn your potentials into results. It is not enough to be loaded with potentials; you must learn how to turn them into results.

You don't really have a problem with the environment. You have a problem because you are not well positioned. How well you engage divine giftings is what makes the difference!

Friend, you have to take responsibility (Proverbs 18:16). For instance, Apostle Paul said, "I labour more that they all…" (1 Corinthians 15:10). Such men deserve recognition).

You have all it takes to excel in life. So, you must do all it takes to get there. How? It is by doing what God says you should do to get there.

You can dominate your situation by walking in the light (God's Word).

Remember Peter? He went fishing all night, but caught nothing. When he walked in the light in the midst of that seeming frustration, he experienced a dramatic change of levels. He had a net-breaking, boat-sinking order of breakthrough (Luke 5:4-7).So, engage the Word to render the devil helpless in your situation (John1:5).

Friend, the power to engage the Wordfor success is for those saved. You get saved, by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you are set for it, pleasesay this prayer: "Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner.

Forgive me of my sins. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again!" I will see you next week.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. respectively.

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books: Success Button, Success Systemsand Exploring The Secrets Of Success.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

NEWS

'Nigeria needs restoration'

F

OR Nigeria to go back to being a blessed and peaceful nation, Venerable Emmanuel Gbadebo, Pastor, St. John's African Chruch, Arigbajo, Ogun State, has said that she needs restoration.

He said if one looked at Nigeria before and now, one would realise that Nigeria is no longer as blessed as before because of the sins Nigerians commit.

The Ven., who spoke at the church's adult harvest and thanksgiving service themed Harvest of restoration, explained that restoration to a Christian is the replacement or

By Medinat Kanabe

something that has been lost.

He said: "Everyone has passed through something this year and expect that God helps them in that area.

Someone also might have lost something this year and is expecting that God restores it by 2015. We want God to put Nigeria back where she used to be. This is what informed the theme of the harvest."

The Church Warden, Mr. Jacob Akande, called on government to assist the church, especially in the creation of an overhead bridge.

"People come from villages to this church but they have to cross the express before they get here, which is very dangerous.

Because of fear, many, especially the old, don't come to the church as they cannot cross over the pavement and then the road to get here," he said.

He also requested for a police post for the community, saying as big as the community is, there is no police post.

"People can come here anytime to rob us of our belongings. The church has been burgled many times too," he noted.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

71

With Adeola Ogunlade 08083127847

Hello kids I welcome you to a new and exciting week!

As the year is coming to an end, I want you to take stock of your lives’ dreams and goals and look forward to the new year with great optimism as you plan and work toward achieving them with diligence and commitment.

•Students at the football competition

Idimu school wins the HIV and AID Football competition

I

DIMU Junior Grammar school, Lagos has emerged the winner of the Kick against HIV and AIDS Football tournament organised by the Youth E m p o w e r m e n t Development Initiatives with support from Exonmobil, Mission 5000, MAC AIDS Fund and Grassroots Soccer held at Ejigbo Youth Centre, Lagos.

The event tagged Getting to Zero had Ireyemi School, Ejigbo, Lagos clique the second price among six schools that participated at the event. The tournament feature health talk, quiz skill practice and free HIV and AIDS testing and counseling, testing and treatment of malaria, medical checkup, eye test, blood sugar test

among others.

One of the students from Idimu Junior School, Agidi Paul, who was very happy for the trophy won by the school in the tournament said that the tournament is a welcome development for them because beyond the fun of playing football, the message of HIV and AIDS was very instructive for them.

“We are happy with this tournament because it reminds us on the need to avoid unprotected sex and unsterilized object. We promise to be ambassadors of this timely message for our peers back home”, he said Speaking at the event, the executive Director of YEDI, Anuoluwa Ishola said that the essence of the tournament was to use football which is an

Why did the rubber chicken cross the road?

She wanted to stretch her legs.

Why did the Roman chicken cross the road?

She was afraid someone would Caesar!

Why did the chicken cross the playground ?

To get to the other slide.

Why did the rooster cross the road?

To cockadoodle dooo something.

Why did the dinosaur cross the road?

Because chickens hadn't evolved yet.

Why did the turtle cross

effective way to engage hard to reach out of school youth.

Isola said “football is an effective HIV and AIDS prevention platform to promote behavioral change among young people all over the world. It is an education tools not a spectacular sport, young people retain knowledge best when they are active participants in the learning process.

She noted that 600, 000 youth population growth per annual in Nigeria and 60% of new HIV and AIDS infections I occurs in youth aged 15-25 and only 23% of schools provides HIV and AIDS education programme as of 2001.

“GRS Nigeria provides an effective and influential platform to mobilize Nigeria youth to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS, learn life and coping skills, sexual and reproductive health and personal development, she said

Jokes the road?

To get to the shell station.

Why did the horse cross the road?

Because the chicken needed a day off.

Why did the duck cross the road?

To prove he wasn't chicken!

CAREER TIPS

What you need to know MASS COMMUNICATION

M

ASS COMMUNICATION is a study of how individual, group of people, institution communicate an information, ideas, believes, opinion through a medium to a widely disperse audience at the same time.

Although there have traditional ways of communicating in years gone bye, but with new technology and discovery, mass communication emerge and its cover a wide area which include,

advertisement, mass media (radio and television) and public relations. Mass communication as a profession is needed across puvlic and private institutions which offers so much opportunities for young people who are interested in the profession.

Areas of specialization Print (newspaper, magazines), Electronic (radio, television, online radio,) Social media platforms Photojournalism Firm and documentary Pubic relation’ Advertising

Marketing and research.

Where you can work Media house (newspaper, radio, television stations) Advertising agencies Public relation firms Government agencies Multinational companies Small businesses owners Research firm Skill needed to thrive You must be an avid reader Be open to knowledge Ability to manage information Ability to write Time management

POEMS Once in Royal David's City Cecil Frances Alexander Once in royal David's city Stood in a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven, CHILD's PLAY Sing the songs of war Red blood drains on this wall Enemies they breath with us Love is better for all Why kill my brothers and son?

Why not shoot to face the sun?

Let peace replace each guns Let's leave solid as rocks.

Turn down the lyrics of war Turn back to refuge of love Join claps to change this world So joy controls mans thought.

HABIB AKEWUSOLA Ilorin State

Send in your stories, poems, articles, games, puzzles, riddles and jokes to sundaynation@yahoo.com

Who is God and Lord of all, And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall; With the poor, and mean, and lowly, Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

And through all his wondrous childhood, He would honour and obey, Love, and watch the lowly maiden In whose gentle arms he lay:

Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as he.

For he is our childhood's pattern, Day by day like us he grew, He was little, weak, and helpless, Tears and smiles like us he knew, And he feeleth for our sadness, And he shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see him,

RIDDLES RIDDLES ACTIVITIES Q. What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?

Q. What is the easiest way to double your money?

Q. What has a thumb and four fingers but is not alive?

Q. What has to be broken before you can use it?

Q. What has a neck but no head?

Q. What gets wetter as it dries?

Q. What goes up and doesn't come back down?

Q. What belongs to you but is used more by others?

Q. Everyone has it and no one can lose it, what is it?

Q. It's been around for millions of years, but it's no more than a month old. What is it?

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

72

A star is gone: Tribute to Ambassador G.H. Bristol

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH T 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Plurality of 'each other'

A

POLOGIES for my unannounced absence last week: late advertisements swept away this page!

"In due course, rights (rites) of passage would be announced by the Family ( u n n e c e s s a r y capitalization)."

"Your six points integral action plan has turn (turned) the State of Osun to our own America." (Fullpage advertorial by Sammya Nigeria Limited) "MTN, FirstBank, Dangote Group make top 100 Nigerian companies list" (THISDAY Front Page Window Headline, November 25) Truth & reason: companies' list "Dangote advocates for increased local refining of crude oil" (THISDAY BUSINESSWORLD Banner, November 25) Yank off 'for'.

Now the last headline from THISDAY under review: "Traders want LAWMA to deploy more trucks to (in) Mile 2" THE NATION ON SUNDAY of November 30 circulated just two mistakes: "It was truly a fight to finish (a fight to the finish) in many cases leading police to intervene." "…even as all evidences (evidence) so far points (sic) to an exceptionally dull celebrations." Sunday life: yank off 'an'.

"Leader, at 49 your achievements speak volume (volumes)."

"Do they believe that the logjam created by…who are the lifewire of social dynamics of this country?"

(THISDAY, December 5) The English language is the livewire/lifeblood (not lifewire) of journalism.

"I know fully well that…."

(THISDAY, December 5) I know full well that the excerpt is wrong.

"Customs devices strategy to check dumping" (Source: as above) Noun: device; verb: devise. It's only the corrupt form that does not distinguish.

"Exodus and all manners (manner) of drains.…" "…the new NDLEA boss, arrived at the peak of this disbelieve and disillusionment." Disbelief, please "Nothing, but thank God for restoring sanity into our banking industry.

"Restoration' goes with 'to'; not into.

"If it has occured in one sector of our national life.…"

This way: occurred.

"Consequently, security

around key government officials have been strengthened in India…"

Security…has….

"Angry gods want N5m ransome" I shall begin to demand ransom from subeditors!

"We cannot afford to have mediocre and archtribalists hovering around the presidency." It is either 'mediocrities' or 'mediocrists'. 'Mediocre' means quality--not person.

"Forget that the activities of this Agency is being.…" "Activities…is"?

An example of slipshod writing "In conclusion, it's my ardent hope and believe that the present panel…."

Noun: belief; verb: believe.

"I agree with Chief…that the consensus of opinion at the meeting…." (THISDAY, December 5) Simply, the consensus at the meeting….

"The adults are also not immuned from the health implications of nicotine addiction…" (Source: as above) "Studies all over the world has proved beyond any doubt that …" (Source: as above) Studies…have (not has). What's going on, gentlemen?

"We are living witnesses to the efforts of the.…"

(Source: as above) Critical thinking: the dead cannot witness. We should begin to question some Elizabethan expressions if we are to remain relevant to communication. Fixed impressions must give way to rationalizations.

"This is because the failure of our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd republics were because the political class did not have the spirit of give and take." The failure…was (not were) Let's avoid medieval English.

"Importation of secondhand vehicles reduce" Importation…reduces.

"But recent happenings on the national scene which frightfully seem to trade the same old…." In place of 'trade', put 'tread'.

"THISDAY checks reveal that the BPE is expected to meet by month end…." Either: month's end or month-end. Little checks that matter.

"Nigeria's chances of getting its candidate…is threatened.…" Certainly, our chances are-not 'is'….

"The Apapa residence of the late Ambassador…was a beehive of activities yesterday…." A hive of activity "Despite spirited efforts by these

organizations, their output hardly make any appreciable impact." Their output hardly makes (not make)…. "…in what till date had remained the most controversial election ever conducted in the annals of our history." 'Annals of history' is an archaic phrase: to be current, use either 'annals' or 'history'; not both at the same time (in the same environment).

Egbon Bayo Oguntuase insists that the expression is correct, while I strongly disagree. "….there was still some apprehension that restoration of service would take sometime."

There is a world of distinction between 'sometime' and 'some time'.

"The day a satisfactory answer can be provided for this question will be the beginning of a permanent solution to the embarrassing reoccurrence of fuel shortages in Nigeria. " Get it right: recurrence. 'Reoccurrence' is a motor park jargon!

"But for majority of the Press.…" A majority…

FEEDBACK NEW Improved English: The new improved English says 'each other' can be used for more than two people.

Example: The children were taught that they must return each other's books.

In modern use the old restriction is often ignored.

He or she becomes (s)he.

Example: A baby doesn't begin to thrive until (s)he is baptized. 'Retd/ret' is the abbreviation for 'retired' (not RTD/rtd, which is archaic). 'Subject' (not 'Re'): What does the North want? 'Ranking senators/officers' is Briticism while highranking senators/officers' is an Americanism. ATM (not ATM machine; PIN (not PIN number)….

(BAYO OGUNTUASE, 08056180046) TALKING about 'invitees': a guest is 'someone INVITED to a place' It is wrong to call him 'an invited guest'. If not invited, he is simply an 'uninvited guest', a gatecrasher or an intruder.

(KOLA DANISA, 07068074257) "And so it is safe to say that Nigeria's air safety is being supervised by one of the best hands in the continent." Safest: on the continent.

"He is subjected to humiliation and ridicule and atimes (at times)…."

HE Nigerian Foreign Service community recently suffered a huge loss in the untimely passing away of Ambassador Gordon Harry Bristol, Under Secretary for African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is a tribute to his friendship and a shared love and passion for Nigeria and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which we both joined as part of the legendary 1980 set.

A tribute to a friend lost to eternity in the prime of his life is a difficult one to compose as the storyline can only be jagged and rough consisting as it does of hugely unfinished business and of potential that will remain forever untapped. The best approach then is to speak to his qualities which included a huge and towering intellect, a penchant for hard work, an ebullient personality, a love of diplomacy and a passion for Nigeria.

Ambassador Bristol's painful and untimely demise has left a void that cannot be filled in the life of his family. This is equally true for his friends and colleagues especially those in the Foreign Service where he spent all his working life after completing National Youth Service. He was the first friend I made in the Foreign Service that had not been my contemporary at then Unife. We were introduced by Emeka Ifezulike (Ifez) who was one of my closest friends during our Youth Corps year and with whom Gordon had gone to Unilag.

Gordon Bristol was one of the brightest members of the 1980 set and this was no mean feat in a formidable group with several first rate minds coming from across the length and breadth of Nigeria. If I recall rightly, Ifez in introducing Gordon had informed me that he won the prize as the best student in the faculty of his graduating class. Gordon's intellect and quest for knowledge was such that right from our early encounters we were always planning to go to either Oxford or Cambridge and exchanging ideas on how best to gain admission and pay our way. He eventually went several years before I did and paid his school fees by selling off a car he had bought during our one year attachment abroad!

Since he did not then have the resources nor indeed time off from work to pursue his doctorate Gordon always insisted that he would not do a PhD from a lesser institution so as not to sully his hard won MPhil (Cantab).

Given that his intellect was matched by a huge capacity for work, it was not surprising that Gordon was often called upon to support very senior officials and given special assignments.

He thus worked as Assistant to several Ministers of Foreign Affairs including Professor AB Akinyemi,

•Late Bristol

By Adeyemi Dipeolu Major-General IOS Nwachukwu, and Chief MT Mbu. Indeed, with the advent of civilian government in 1999, we served together in the State House with Gordon as the right hand man to Amb (Dr.) PD Cole, Special Adviser to the President on International Relations and later on to Mr Stephen Oronsaye, when he was Permanent Secretary, State House. Hard work and a nimble mind ensured that Gordon quickly won the confidence of these highly regarded people but I am sure it was the additional quality of his ability to speak truth to power in the most diplomatic of ways that endeared him to them.

In addition to being personable, negotiations and communications are at the heart of diplomacy. These skills were Gordon's forte.

He spoke clearly and eloquently and negotiations were second nature to him in multilateral forums such as the United Nations and African Union. Indeed, in his last role as Under Secretary for African Affairs, he led the Nigerian delegation to the Africa-Turkey Summit which took place in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea less than a month ago. Gordon had a fine pen and his writing while lucid, crisp and concise was also underpinned by rigour and logical flow. I can attest to Gordon's great drafting skill because prior to our working together in the State House, Gordon and I had worked together on the Foreign Service Book Project to produce two under-appreciated tomes of work on 'Nigeria at the United Nations' and 'Nigeria in the Organization of African Unity'. It was while working on this project and on a visit to Vienna that Gordon learned of the untimely loss of his dear father. He was completely distraught and heartbroken and a far cry from the confident, ebullient GHB that I had come to know.

To know Gordon Bristol was to come into contact with a completely self-assured and well composed Nigerian diplomat. He had a great sense of humour and laughed loudly and with great gusto. When he was serving in the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations in New

York, he would regale me with stories of how his name had spared him from rudeness over the telephone only for his interlocutors, sometimes landlords, to find out after seeing him in the flesh that he was a fully born and bred Bonny Man. Of course, Gordon never failed to remind anyone who was listening that Nigeria's most famous product was ''Bonny Light.

Gordon had a very large heart and did not bear needless grudges. He quickly put misunderstandings and altercations behind him and when he was the victim of some malfeasance, he would tell the story with some amazement about human behaviour and then visibly shrug it off and move on to other things. This made him a natural born leader and he was very much in the forefront of the struggle by the 1980 and 1981 sets to fight the effort to pension them off early. Even then, when I spoke to him about the matter, he bore no grudges and was instead looking to the future with optimism.

Perhaps the greatest attribute that those who knew Gordon would attest to was his passion for Nigeria and desire to use diplomacy as a tool to promote Nigeria's interests. This much was evident from his work including a pioneering contribution to the framing of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the yet unfulfilled desire to see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs play its proper and functional role in the area of technical cooperation. Gordon was a huge success in his diplomatic postings spanning bilateral and multilateral missions such as Vienna, New York, Stockholm, Doula and Paris, the latter two in which he served as Head of Mission in the capacity of Consul-General and Ambassador respectively.

Gordon was immensely proud and protective of his family. His equally bright, hard working and lovely wife, Ambassador Ijeoma Bristol was one of our set and it took someone of her calibre to win Gordon's heart for keeps. I know he was immensely pleased with the academic achievements of his children, which as we always said was the one compensation we all got from the very disruptive life of serving our country abroad. One cannot begin to imagine the deep sorrow that this close knit family is feeling at this time but I would want them to know that we shared a love for Gordon whose memory will remain evergreen in our hearts and minds. His was a great mind, a happy presence and a kind heart.

Adieu, my brother, my friend. Adieu.

- Ambassador Dipeolu, is Director of the Capacity Development Division of the UN Economic Commission for Africa. He wrote this piece in his personal capacity.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

NEWS REVIEW

73

Buhari vs Jonathan: 2015 permutations

•Jonathan

•Buhari

•Contd. from page 9 Nigerian Army between 1962 and August 27, 1985 when he retired as a Major General. He was the head of the Third Armored Division of the Nigerian Army on December 31, 1983, when his colleagues, after a successful military coup d'etat that overthrew the civilian President Shehu Shagari, selected him to be the country's Head of State and CommanderIn-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

Since then, Buhari has become a factor in Nigerian politics and leadership. His uncompromising attitude has placed him, precariously though, at a point where he is so avidly hated by his critics and so passionately loved and adored by his supporters who describe him as the country's political messiah of some sort.

This is primarily because as soon as he took office as military Head of State in 1983, Buhari, and his second in command, the late Major-General Tunde Idiagbon, justified their seizure of power by reprimanding the civilian government of Shagari and describing it as exceedingly corrupt.

Their response was to launch a popular "War Against Indiscipline (WAI) campaign, through which they attempted to set a new road-map for the country's politics, introducing strict economic and political policies that have been described by some intellectuals as 'Buharism."

Like anything Buhari, the unique economic measure his short-lived government introduced was also passionately commended and criticized.

It would be recalled that in spite of the harsh economic realities of the time, Buhari rejected IMF loan and refused to adopt the IMF conditionality to devalue the Naira. While his critics blamed him then for resultant job losses, closure of some businesses and a decline in living standards, his admirers commended him for adopting unique economic measures that enabled his government to reduce inflation, curb imports of needless goods and curtail crude oil theft.

So, even though Buhari was overthrown on August 27, 1985 in a coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida, he has not ceased to be a factor in the country's politics. This is even so as he has repeatedly sought to become a democratically elected President since 2003 when he first contested as the presidential candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and was defeated by the Peoples Democratic Party's candidate, General Olusegun Obasanjo.

Since then, the retired general has never failed to contest in any presidential election in the country. In the April 2007 election, he also flew the flag of ANPP. For the April 16, 2011, he was the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and polled 12,214,853 votes in a presidential election that featured 20 contestants.

Today, as Buhari prepares to fly the flag of

the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 presidential election, many are keen to know whether it would be fourth time lucky for the general.

BUHARI'S STRENGTH Generally accepted as a leader with strong character, Buhari is also described by his admirers as incorruptible. It would be recalled that he first came into national prominence when in 1976 he became the Federal Commissioner (Minister) for Petroleum and Natural Resources under the then military Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo. Those who worked under him at that point of his career and even before, when he was appointed Military Governor of the newly created NorthEast State, during the regime of the late General Murtala Mohammed, say he is consistently firm and determined.

As a presidential candidate, this image is considered a strong point for the APC, especially amongst the electorate who believe that most of the current problems President Goodluck Jonathan's government are unable to handle promptly would require such a strong personality.

Some of the problems are insurgency in the North-East and epileptic electricity supply. "A strong personality like Buhari is what is required to solve the problem of insurgency. Even the problem of power generation and distribution, which had been hampered by deep rooted corruption would only be resolved by a candidate like Buhari," said Alhaji Yusuf Hassan, a legal practitioner in Lagos.

Ironically, Buhari's critics also consider his strong personality as a minus, as they say he would not be a listening president like Jonathan.

"No matter what some of us may say, we cannot take it away from Jonathan that he is a true democrat. In his passionate desire to achieve success, it is doubtful if General Buhari would respect democratic principles. This may be a challenge," said Goke Adelusi, a school teacher in Lagos.

It remains to be seen, what advantage Buhari's personality, which most Nigerians consider a plus, will bring to the fortunes of APC. ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS Since his retirement from the army in August 27, 1985, Buhari has remained active as a politician. Interestingly, he has chosen the path of the progressives and has remained in the opposition, first in ANPP, then CPC and now APC. Both the ANPP and the CPC could not muster the kind of finance and spread the PDP had. So, the Buhari that PDP beat in the past elections will not be the same in 2015 as he is now contesting on the platform of APC, a mega party that can match the ruling PDP in all relevant ways.

It would be recalled that in 2011 election, when Buhari contested on the platform of CPC, he polled 12 million votes. With a relatively more solid platform that is likely to provide adequate funding, 2015 is considered his best bet to win the presidency.

BUHARI'S WEAKNESSES These outlined factors above which would favour Buhari in the 2015 contest aside, it must be noted that he also has some weaknesses that may affect his fortunes.

He is a hardliner The first weakness is the fact that many still consider Buhari an unrepentant hardliner. But many supporters of the retired army general say this factor should be viewed as a plus instead of a minus, since, according to him, he must maintain that attitude in order to tackle with the most difficult problems a president with less hard-line disposition may never be able to tackle.

The Religion Question His critics also dismiss him as a Muslim fundamentalist with fanatical following.

Reference is always made of alleged comments suggesting his determination to turn Nigeria into an Islamic state. Defending him, a source close to the general said, "on religious ground, no one can deny that General Buhari is a devout Muslim, but I can assure you that he is not the type of person that would force others to adopt his religion. All through his career, he has always worked with Christians. Idiagbon was a Christian, most of his personal aides, including drivers are Christians; in fact, one of his daughters is married to an Igbo man," the source said.

There are indications that to improve his performance in the Christian dominated South, Buhari will need to correct this impression of his being a religious fanatic.

He is not an orator Another weakness some analysts have pointed out is that Buhari is not an orator. One of his associate, who waved the factor aside as being of little importance said, "Yes, the general is not an orator, but like the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was also not an orator, Buhari has what it takes to attract committed followers.

That is more important to Nigerians and to Nigeria of today. Besides, President Jonathan, who is his major opponent in the 2015 contest, is also not an orator," he said.

BUHARI VS JONATHAN - ELECTORAL ROUTE TO ASO VILLA In most states across the North-West and North-East, the general is expected to sweep a majority of votes. As happened in 2011 when he won the presidential polls even in states controlled by the PDP, a repeat of that pattern is expected in 2015.

Emerging projections are that the APC

flagbearer would win in Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger, Kano and Jigawa. He is expected to take his home state of Katsina handily - this notwithstanding the fact that the state government is in the hands of PDP. A similar scenario is expected to play out in Kaduna which incidentally is the home turf of Vice President Namadi Sambo. But such is Buhari's grassroots support that he's expected to sweep aside whatever resistance the ruling party might put up here. A crucial factor is that although he's from Katsina, the general has always made his home in Kaduna.

Other states expected to fall into his column are Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, and Bauchi. The fall of Adamawa into PDP hands could turn it into a battleground. But internal PDP squabbles strength Buhari’s hand.

In the North-Central he is expected to take Nassarawa as he did in 2011 and where Governor Tanko Al-Makura is a staunch ally. He's also expected to prevail easily in Kwara and Adamawa. However, the picture might be a bit more unpredictable in Benue, Taraba, Kogi and Plateau. The effect of sectarian and communal clashes in some of these states is expected to influence voter behavior in ways that may not be easy to predict at this point. Benue, Taraba and Plateau are clearly in play for all sides.

In the South-West it is advantage Buhari because of the APC hold on the region. However, Ekiti and Ondo States present difficult to predict scenarios. The influence of incumbent PDP governors in both states cannot be underestimated, although APC also remain quite formidable.

The South-South presents an interesting prospect. For long it has been projected as a bastion for Jonathan. However, the fallout of the bitter PDP primaries have split the party in several states raising ethnic tensions in at least two: Delta and Akwa Ibom.

The Urhobos in Delta are so embittered by the loss of the PDP gubernatorial ticket that they could punish Jonathan for this. The umbrella organization of the ethnic group, the Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) had vowed to mobilize its people to vote against any party that didn't present an Urhobo candidate.

A similar situation is playing out in Akwa Ibom where Ibibio anger could be visited against the PDP - neutralizing what was once thought to be Jonathan's redoubt. The president is still expected to do well in Bayelsa and Cross River but would face a battle in Rivers. In Edo a weakened PDP could see Buhari prevail.

Much of the South-East, with the exception of Imo, is expected to fall into Jonathan's column.

However, the bitter fallout from the Ebonyi PDP gubernatorial primaries leaves the picture a bit confused.

74

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

NEWS

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75

‘APC primaries has exposed PDP’s incompetence’ From Tony Akowe

A

MEMBER, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sam Nkire, says the presidential primary of the party which produced former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, as its presidential candidate has exposed the incompetence of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement made available to The Nation, Nkire, who is a strong supporter of Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, expressed confidence that Buhari would prove soothsayers wrong by running an all-inclusive campaign, adding that the success of the APC in the presidential election would depend on how the former Head of State manages his success at the just concluded presidential primaries.

In another statement, the National Coordinator of the Southern Mandate, a proKwankwaso organisation, Comrade Ikonomwan Francis, said the performance of the Kano State governor at the primaries is a demonstration of his commitment to democracy.

While congratulating the governor for emerging as the runner up in the race, he said: “I consider this a great political feat; the governor’s performance is a clear demonstration that he is highly accepted across the length and breadth of this country. He has clearly demonstrated he has what it takes to provide the right leadership which Nigerians are craving for.”

Francis further noted that the show of good sportsmanship displayed by the governor and other aspirants is what is needed to deepen democratic culture in the country.

Lagos orders partial closure of OworoOgudu Bridge

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

L

AGOS State government has announced the partial closure of the Oworo-Ogudu Bridge on Sunday.

This is due to the repair works that will be taking place on the damaged expansion joint on Oworo-Ogudu Bridge on the Ibadan-bound carriage along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, who disclosed this on Friday, said the repair works would be carried out by Messrs China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) between the hours of 9am and 11am.

As part of the traffic management strategies during the exercise on the bridge, vehicular movement from Oworonsoki / Ifako will be restricted to two lanes for the short period of the maintenance exercise.

According to him, vehicles moving inward Lagos from Ketu – Ojota interchange/ Ogudu will not be affected during the exercise.

He urged motorists and other road users to use alternative routes to avoid delays occasioned by the partial closure of the bridge.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

ETCETERA

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi

POLITICKLE

deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

Sunny Side awards

CHEEK BY JOWL

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

In the spirit of the season and parody of the recent national awards, the writer hands out more awards to the ‘deserving’ across all facets of national life.

•Continued from last week MOST overrated official: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The ‘madam minister from abroad’ is always at it. Some alleged she was fetched from a plum World Bank position with a dollar-denominated salary. Her denial barely satisfied critics, considering her not-so-fetching record on the job. Who championed the Paris Club debt writeoff with the country’s unprecedented wealth in 2005? Who advocated fuel subsidy withdrawal? Who invested the sovereign wealth in non-sovereign hands while making baffling excuses for economic leakage and delayed salaries? And who prescribes austerity measures to counter dwindling oil revenue without first holding accountable the spindrifts that instituted wastage?

Most puzzling plan: The National Budget. Capable of a riveting performance on the floor of the National Assembly in form of a yo-yo between the upper and lower houses, the financial template for economic expenditure yearly captures the imagination. Determination of the oil benchmark, the aggregate price of a barrel of crude oil on which the budget is based, often causes friction between senators and representatives. It also moves legislators to confront the executive on items removed or inserted in the budget and value inflated or deflated in either camp’s favour.

Most enduring weapon: The AK-47. The creek wars of the Niger Delta that led to the sickening contrivance called Amnesty Programme drew inspiration from the versatile weapon invented during World War II. Its designer, Mikhail Kalasnikov, may have passed on in the last year, but his Avtomat Kalashnikov (Kalashnikov’s automatic) or AK-47 lives on, travelling the world on the backs of insurgents from the resource-filled Amazon Jungle to the Northeast’s ‘mythical’ Sambisa Forest.

Most dependent organisation: INEC. Not independent from the Presidency enough, many say. But how could it be when the president appoints the INEC chairman? Naming the custodian of the electoral process remains politicised, and a succession of chairmen, including the incumbent Attahiru Jega, merely pick up the poisoned chalice. Conduct of the Anambra 2013 governorship election as well as Osun 2014 and Ekiti 2014 indicate that ‘free’ and ‘fair’ would hardly describe the 2015 elections.

Most neglected agency: EFCC/ICPC. The anti-corruption song goes on, but a different tune plays in the air that’s barely audible. Poor funding from the federal government has seen both agents of official investigation turn hunted from hunter following talk of merger or scrapping. As allegations gather bureaucratic dust, meanwhile, the accused thumb their noses at the system.

With crime afoot and criminals abroad, one agency is a sitting duck and the other a lame duck.

Most difficult ailment: Malaria/Polio/Cancer/AIDS/Ebola. Despite the best efforts of some state governors, hospitals remain obsolete and drugs fake or inadequate. Decades of poor policies have left the country with an unhealthy doctor-patient ratio while the ailments named stalk young and old.

Most agitated workers: Lecturers/doctors/tanker drivers. The country desires a lingua franca but there is already one tongue that all, from students to lecturers, doctors and tanker drivers, speak and the government understands. It earned the teachers a good deal (when implemented in full) and may get health workers one.

And while tanker drivers warm up over the possible sale of refineries, recall that everyone else united in January 2012 to expose the monstrosity tagged fuel subsidy.

Most rewarded body: The Federal Government. A strong centre is antithesis to the Nigeria ideal. As demonstrated by progress in identical ideology in the Southwest, strengthening of geopolitical regions and weakening of the centre are potential answers to nationwide turmoil. In, for starters: integrity and a revenue-sharing formula that favours the more active states; out: favouritism and mediocrity.

More accountable chamber: The House of Reps. Obviously benefiting from dynamic leadership, the House of Representatives appears the better performer in legislative duties. To challenge negative perception, the Senate would first have to shake-up the ossified leadership of David Mark and company. The superior rating of the Reps is only marginal though, for the obscene remuneration both houses command scandalises the polity and stymies democracy.

QUOTE

Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower.

—Author Unknown

Jokes Humour Guess Who? A GUY walks into a post office one day to see a middle-aged balding man standing at the counter methodically placing “Love” stamps on bright pink envelopes with hearts all over them. He then takes out a perfume bottle and starts spraying scent all over them.

The guy’s curiosity gets the better of him and he goes up to the balding man and asks him what he is doing.

“I’m sending out 1,000 Valentine’s Day cards signed, ‘Guess who?’”

“But why?” asks the man.

“I’m a divorce lawyer.”

Delivery Coincidences FOUR expectant fathers pace in a hospital waiting room while their wives are in labour. The nurse enters and says to the first man, “Congratulations, you’re the father of twins.”

“What a coincidence,” the man says. “I work for the Two Twins Tennis Club.”

A little later, the nurse returns and says to the second man, “You are the father of triplets.”

“That’s really an incredible coincidence,” he says. “I work for the 3M Corporation.”

An hour later, the nurse tells the third man that his wife has just given birth to quadruplets.

The man says, “I don’t believe it! I work for the Four Seasons Motel. What a coincidence.”

After hearing this, everyone’s attention turns to the fourth guy who has just fainted. He slowly regains consciousness and whispers. “I should have never taken that job at 50 Computers.”

Prison Mail A PRISONER in jail receives a letter from his wife.

It read: “Dear husband, I have decided to plant some vegetables in the back garden. When is the best time to plant them?”

The prisoner, knowing that the prison guards read all mail, replies in a letter. “Dear wife, whatever you do, do not touch the back garden. That is where I hid all the money.”

A week or so later, he receives another letter from his wife. “Dear husband, you wouldn’t believe what happened. Some men from the prison service came with shovels to the house and dug up the back garden.”

The prisoner writes back. “Dear wife, now is the best time to plant the vegetables.”

•Adapted from the Internet

Writer ’s Fountain RITING BRIEFS: Writing 201— Crime/detective writing: which pass through his mind. His intelligence must slightly, just slightly, lie below that of the In a crime story, ensure that you mention the average reader. criminal early enough, but do not let the reader Twin brothers – or doubles – must not appear follow his thoughts. the reader has been duly prepared for Rule out all supernatural agencies such as unless them. magicians and medicine men. And do not You may employ an unreliable narrator, engage more than one secret room or passage. preferably one who doesn’t know he is mad No previously undiscovered poisons may and has no recollection of such events as digging be used, nor any instrument which will into a grave to rip out the fingernails of his consequently need a long scientific explanation. recently departed lover, for instance.

No accident must help the detective, nor You could also include a beautiful woman must he ever have a strange intuition which with long, lovely hair and smooth skin, proves to be right in the end.

The detective must not himself commit the preferably quite young, and let her die tragically unknown ailment. crime and he must not discover any clues which of some Use old-fashioned words, as perchance, are not instantly produced for the inspection forthwith, and inasmuch. A little Latin will also of the reader. enhance the purpose of your story.

The stupid friend or sidekick of the Further, employ words as inebriation, detective must manage to reveal the thoughts imprisonment and insanity that induce discomfort. For greater effect, you may also Short and sharp: deploy men dressed as apes being burned to •A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours. death.

•A fly can react to something it sees and But, for the ultimate twist, why not bury change direction in 30 milliseconds. someone alive? That adds some dreadfulness •A giraffe usually sleeps for only one to 12 and sets the reader on edge concerning the logic minutes. and conclusion of the story.

W

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014

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SPORTS THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Golden Eaglets camp opens in Abuja on Sunday

MFM set to make history

H

ISTORY beckons as the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club of Lagos battle Colombia this Sunday in the final of the Church World Cup in Goa, India. The Nigeria representatives are tipped to become the first church to lift the cup as they had defeated the South Americans 3-0 in the group stage. Match is 4 pm Nigerian time.

The Church World Cup is the brain- child of The John Paul II Foundation For Sports. The participants at this inaugural edition are the host India, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Colombia, Portugal, Brazil and Uzbekistan.

En-route the final, the enterprising MFM boys have scored 13 goals and conceded none in four games. First to fall are Sundays opponents, Colombia who lost 3-0, next were the boys from Egypt who also conceded two goals, Uzbekistan were battered 7-0 while the host, India could not prevail over the Olukoya Boys, they went down 1-0 despite playing a ten man Nigerian side.

DECEMBER 14, 2014

Giroud (left) watches on as his strike nestles into the roof of the Newcastle goal to give them a 3-0 lead on 58 minutes

E

M M A N U E L Amuneke, Golden Eaglets' Head Coach, has said that fresh opportunities would be given to new players as the national Under-17 team's camp opens in Abuja on Sunday ahead of the forthcoming African cadet championship to be hosted in Niger between February 15 and March 1st, 2015.

Amuneke, who breezed into town midweek from Spain, noted that the next two weeks would be used to ascertain the fitness level and condition of older players, adding it was necessary to fortify the team in view of the challenges expected at the tournament.

The Golden Eaglets nearly won the 2013 CAN Under-17 Championship but were beaten 5-4 by Junior Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire after a pulsating 1-1 draw in Marrakech, Morocco.

"The peculiar nature of the Under-17 category means that we would continue to work with most of the players that have been with us for some time now," said the 1994 African Footballer of the Year. "But that has not fore closed the chances for others to break into the team since we need to present a very good team because our objective first and foremost is to secure one of the tickets for the next FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile."

The team would expectedly begin its training session on Monday at the NFF/ FIFA Goal Project Pitch and officials hinted that only those who are invited would be taken care of while others who want to be screened would cater for their own welfare.

EXTRA

SUPER SUNDAY

Man United, Liverpool ignite rivalry M

ANCHESTER United and Liverpool aren't where they want to be right now but matches between the two are still the most fiercely contested games in English football.

It's the biggest rivalry in the country and I remember as a player, no matter how each side was doing, it was the one match you wanted to win the

most because you knew it meant so much to the fans and was always one of the mostwatched on TV. Liverpool legend Jamie Redknapp says: "You've probably got Liverpool's worst ever forward line against Man United's worst ever defence.

Who knows what's going to happen."

This weekend's Super

Sunday contest between them at Old Trafford is important for both sides.

United may have won five on the spin but you can't say it's with any real authority, with the way they've played. Both sides have a lot to do.

United go into the match with a lot more confidence than Liverpool, though, that's for sure. Going to Old Trafford after being knocked out of the

Flying Eagles massacre Standard FC 12-0

N

IGERIA U20 team, the Flying Eagles, stepped up their build-up for next year's African Youth Championship after they trounced Standard FC of Zaria 12-0 in a test game in Kaduna on Saturday.

Non-league Standard are well known for their exploits in the cup in Kaduna State, but they were outclassed by a fitter and better organised Flying Eagles inside the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

Striker Billy Auta helped himself to four goals, while Musa Newman, Jacob Njoku and Mathias Samuel netted braces with Samuel Okon and Bernard Bulbwa also on

target. “Our finishing was a lot better than in our first test game against Jamba Academy, but we still have to do a lot more going forward,� said Flying Eagles assistant coach Nduka Ugbade.

Sunshine Stars striker Musa Newman opened scoring in the 14th minute when he simply tapped home off a left cross by Auta.

Auta turned from provider to scorer on 26 minutes when he fired home off a cross by skipper Musa Muhammed.

Auta then tucked away the third goal three minutes later from a cross by Mustapha Abdullahi, before Newman scored a typical poacher's goal

in the 50th minute courtesy of an assist by Musa Muhammed's pass.

A minute into the second half Auta completed his hattrick from another cross by left-back Abdullahi.

And six minutes later, the Al Cruziero of Kaduna striker netted a fourth goal with another assist by skipper Muhammed.

Substitute Okon then beat the offside trap to score a seventh goal in the 72nd minute, before Mathias made it 8-0 on 76 minutes.

Standard defence continued to collapse with FC Porto youngster Njoku scoring twice late on and so too Bulbwa and Mathias.

Lampard equals Henry's all-time EPL 175 goals record

F

RANK Lampard's winner for Manchester City saw the midfielder equal Thierry Henry's alltime Barclays Premier League total of 175 goals.

Lampard has scored for West Ham, Chelsea and City during his 19-year career, and is now just three goals from Wayne Rooney's total of 178.

The 36-year-old has been instrumental since arriving at the Etihad on loan from New

York City, and it's no wonder manager Manuel Pellegrini is keen to keep Lampard in Manchester.

Any hope of the former England international going beyond Henry's total on Saturday was taken away when he was substituted for James Milner after 60 minutes.

A handshake was exchanged between Pellegrini and Lampard, who had done his job in the first half by

giving a City side without Sergio Aguero or Edin Dzeko the lead.

'175 @premierleague goals for Frank Lampard who has now equalled Thierry Henry's goalscoring exploits.

Not bad for a midfielder!' posted City's official Twitter.

Rooney is likely to get his chance to pull away from Lampard on Sunday when United face Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Champions League by Basel is the last fixture Brendan Rodgers wants at the moment.

There's a huge amount of scrutiny on him, his team and his signings and if he loses this one the intensity goes up a couple of notches.

It's time for some of new signings to stand up and be counted because they've not performed.

Last year Liverpool beat Man United 4-0 on aggregate it could have been 6-0 at Old Trafford. There was so much pace and speed through the line in their displays, with people shooting and scoring and, of course, Luis Suarez delivering.

But now you look at them and without Suarez and the injured Daniel Sturridge they look the average side that they were a few years ago, they've gone back to what they were. It shows how one or two players can transform a team and make them better than what

they are.

You have to have some sympathy for Brendan Rodgers for that they haven't got Sturridge and there wasn't a lot they could do because Suarez wanted to go. It shows you how good Suarez and Sturridge were last year and I vividly remember the game at Old Trafford and those two absolutely ripped United apart. It was embarrassing.

Meanwile, Chelsea returned to winning ways in the Premier League and maintained their 100% record at Stamford Bridge with a scrappy victory against 10-man Hull.

Eden Hazard scored a rare header early on but the hosts only secured victory after Tom Huddlestone's 60thminute red card for a challenge on Filipe Luis.

Okaka: Why I picked Italy ahead of Nigeria

S

AMPDORIA attacker, Stefano Okaka has set his sights on getting more games under his belt for Italy's national team, having rejected the opportunity to turn out for the Super Eagles. ''I talked to everyone, gave me lots of advice. Despite my roots, with Nigeria I would have felt a bit of a foreigner. I said no, I do not know their culture, the language, nothing of that country. ''It's everyone's dream to play for the national team and I made it. I'm sure that's just the beginning of many other experiences,'' Stefano Okaka concluded.

Born in Castiglione del Lago, Italy , Stefano Okaka has scored 3 goals in 14 matches for Sampdoria this season.

Okaka also dismissed suggestions that he has the playing style as Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli.

The one - cap Italy international has clarified his future with Sampdoria, saying he is committed to the club, with earlier reports linking him with Inter Milan, AC Milan and teams in England. ''I wrote a letter to the fans to make it clear that I stay here 100 percent.

Juventus? I am good at Sampdoria. ''You ask me because I'm black? I'm not the new Balotelli, I'm Stefano Okaka. We are friends, I wish all the best to Mario but each makes its path,'' 25-year old Okaka told La Stampa.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

Angel Di Maria misses Liverpool

Charlton Athletic youngster misses Eaglets camp

WORLD CUP

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H A R L T O N Athletic trainee Edward OgbeborOnaiwu is gutted to miss the Under 17 National Team training camp, which starts this weekend due to an invalid travel document.

The 14-year-old's Nigerian passport is expired, and he recently applied for a new one at the Nigeria High Commission in London, but the document will not be ready until the next one week, at least. ''I am disappointed, however, I will just keep working hard at my club, and if I pick up the coaches' eyes again, hopefully I will be invited again,'' Ogbebor-Onaiwu said to SL10.ng. ''I won't be able to make it to camp because my passport comes out in the next seven days. I have not yet informed the coaches, I will call them today or tomorrow. ''In future if I am lucky enough, maybe I'll play a game for my country.''

The goalkeeper has expressed his joy at the recognition accorded him by the Golden Eaglets handlers, and also thanked his parents for backing him all the way. ''When I got the invitation, I was proud of myself, and my parents supported me since I was a little boy. I'll say I have the best parents I could probably ask for.

Olam wins Olam-All football tournament

O

LAM Nigeria Limited have emerged the champions of the Olam-All football tournament, which ended yesterday at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Lagos. The winners defeated Crown Floor Mills 5-3 after the game ended 1-1 after extra time.

The game started on a cautious note with both teams trying to establish dominance, but it was a ding dong affair in the first half, which ended without a goal. At the resumption of the second half, both teams became more business-like as they made incursion into the vital area.

The winners had more scoring chances, but it was Crown who scored the opening goal in the dying moments of the game which sent their fans into wild jubilation. However, Olam equalized in added time through a penalty after an opposing player handled the ball in the 18 yard box.

RESULTS ENGLAND Burnley 1 - 0 Southampton Chelsea 2 - 0 Hull City Palace 1 - 1 Stoke Leicester 0 - 1 Man City Sunderland 1-1 West Ham West Brom 1 -0 Aston Villa Arsenal 4 -1 Newcastle SPAIN Getafe 0 - 0 Barcelona Valencia 3 - 0 Rayo GERMANY Augsburg 0 - 4 Bayern Freiburg 0 - 0 Hamburger Hertha 1 - 0 Dortmund Schalke 1 - 2 Cologne Bremen 3 - 3 Hannover

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Leaders Chelsea overpower 10-man Hull

Diego Costa scores Chelsea’s first goal HELSEA returned to winning ways in the Premier League and maintained their 100% record at Stamford Bridge with a scrappy victory against 10-man Hull.

Eden Hazard scored a rare header early on but the hosts only secured victory after Tom Huddlestone's 60thminute red card for a challenge on Filipe Luis.

Diego Costa eased Chelsea nerves, sweeping home from close range.

It was a far from perfect display from Chelsea, with the sight of Willian and Gary Cahill diving sullying the game.

With momentum restored following last week's first league defeat of the season, Jose Mourinho's side remain top of the table and maintain their three-point cushion over

champions Manchester City, who beat Leicester 1-0.

Hull had never won at Stamford Bridge and did not look like creating history against a team who were unshakable defensively, although they lacked their usual self-assurance going forward in the absence of suspended creator-in-chief Cesc Fabregas.

But with Nemanja Matic back in the Chelsea line-up after serving a one-match ban during the 2-1 defeat at Newcastle, the hosts had ballast in midfield once more which allowed the impressive Hazard and Oscar to cause trouble in the final third.

All three combined for Chelsea's opening goal, with Matic finding Oscar on the left and the Brazilian floating a cross towards the unmarked Belgian, scoring with a header

HE Blaugrana are now four points behind Liga leaders Real Madrid and their midfield lynchpin was deeply frustrated by their profligacy at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez Barcelona playmaker Xavi admitted that Saturday's dismal draw at Getafe was a step backwards for the Catalan club.

With Real Madrid having triumphed at Almeria the night before to pull five points clear at the top of La Liga, the second-placed Blaugrana were under pressure to perform at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.

However, while Lionel Messi was unlucky to see a terrific free-kick strike the crossbar, Barca struggled to create many clear-cut chances in open play and were ultimately forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

Xavi was thus frustrated that Luis Enrique's men had failed to make the most of the few opportunites that had come their way.

"We tried our best," the midfielder told Canal Plus.

"It's always hard to score the first goal and they are very aggressive. We had three golden chances but now we are four points down on Real Madrid. This result is a step backwards."

Xavi also refused to be drawn on whether coach Luis Enrique should have altered his formation for the game in Madrid.

"We feel comfortable with 4-3-3 or with another one," the World Cup winner added. "It depends on the match and it's up to the coach."

Barca next face Huesca in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday night before facing Cordoba at Camp Nou next weekend.

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for only the second time in his career. The simplicity of the opening goal, plus the sight of Michael Dawson hobbling off with a hamstring injury and Chelsea's dominance of possession in the first 10 minutes suggested a torrid afternoon was ahead for the visitors.

Twice Chelsea players have dived in the first 60 minutes first Willian and Gary Cahill.

It's disgraceful. Managers can't say what I'm about to say - it questions the integrity of the refereeing. Is he intimidated by Stramford Bridge? The referee is not being fair. Cahill is on a yellow

Dike pens fresh deal for Toronto FC

N Xavi laments Barca’s draw against Getafe T

Mayweather hands Pacquiao May date

A

FTER six years of 'will they or won't they?' speculation, Floyd Mayweather has responded to those accusing him of ducking Manny Pacquiao by setting a date for a potential showdown.

During an interview on US network Showtime, Mayweather claimed he wanted to fight Pacquiao next and wants to make it happen on May 2, 2015.

"We are ready. Let's make it happen. May 2. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. Let's do it," Mayweather said in the interview in San Antonio, where his promotional

company was putting on a boxing card.

Saturday May 2 is Cinco de Mayo weekend, a traditional Mayweather fight night and a very lucrative time in the Las Vegas market, but many are already questioning whether Floyd will actually back up his words.

This is because the two appeared close to putting together an eagerlyanticipated collision back in 2009, only for disagreements over drug-testing protocol caused talks to fall through.

card and dived. He should have got another booking for that. The only conclusion you can come to is because it's Chelsea and now the injustice has got the Hull players' blood boiling. They're thinking they might as well take the law into their own hands."

But Hull's resistance stiffened for the remainder of the first half, and they even created a chance for Sone Aluko, though their striker ballooned his effort wide.

Such is the strength of Chelsea's squad, however, there is little for manager Jose Mourinho to put on his Christmas wish-list.

M

ANCHESTER United record signing Angel Di Maria will miss the visit of bitter rivals Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday but the Old Trafford injury crisis is easing, manager Louis van Gaal said on Friday.

The Argentina winger, signed for a British transfer fee record 59.7 million pounds ($93.8 million) from Real Madrid, will miss his third consecutive game after failing to recover from a hamstring injury.

The 20-times English champions will also have to cope without injured defenders Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling as well as midfielder Daley Blind. But United manager Van Gaal remained upbeat on Friday, saying he can see an end in sight to the injury crisis that has plagued his reign at Old Trafford and, at times, has seen him have 12 players unavailable at one time.

"Now I have only four players injured, so that's better than ever I believe," the Dutchman told reporters. United are third in the table with 28 points from 15 games, eight behind leaders Chelsea, and have won their last five matches.

Liverpool have endured a stuttering start to the season and are ninth, seven points adrift of Van Gaal's side.

IGERIA striker, Bright Dikem has resigned for Major League Soccer side, Toronto FC, the club confirmed on Friday.

The Super Eagles forward, Bright Dike scored his first goal for Nigeria in an unofficial friendly against Catalonia but his first official goal came in the 35th minute against Italy in an international friendly.

The later stage of Dike's stint with Toronto FC was marred with a torn Achilles injury sustained early on in 2014 and that ruled him out for several months. Bright

Dike,27, has summed up thirty-two appearances in the MLS with seven goals to his credit.

Toronto FC confirmed on Friday evening via Twitter that the Nigeria internal has re-signed with club.

The tweet reads: "Toronto FC can confirm that @bbright19 has re-signed with the club #TFClive" Bright Dike will be an added option to Toronto FC forward and he'll hope to relaunch himself back to the Super Eagles set up after an injury forced him out of being picked to represent Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Ghana to camp in Abu Dhabi for AFCON

G

HANA could pitch camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE to fine-tune preparations for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

According to reports in the local media, the Football Association has informed the Sports Ministry about their intention to camp in the Gulf for the tournament to be held in Equatorial Guinea.

If confirmed, the team will use facilities at the Zayed Sports City where they camped before the last Nations Cup finals in South Africa.

New coach Avram Grant, who is currently on a tour of Europe, has got an input to make and is yet to communicate his plans to the Ghana federation officials.

“We have not confirmed anything as such [Abu Dhabi camp]; we are still in the discussions,” Black Stars' management committee chairman George Afriyie told supersport.com.

Other 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finalists Ivory Coast and Mali have also expressed interest in using the facilities at the Zayed Sports City to prepare.

Toure wins Liverpool's player of the month award The Reds scraped the barrel for their Player of the Month award, giving it to Cote d'Ivoire defender Kolo Toure who played just one Premier League game.

Brendan Rodgers' side lost three Premier League games, had no goals from their

strikers and generally looked devoid of ideas in every match except a scrappy 1-0 win over Stoke.

So it's not a surprise to see that they scraped the barrel for their Player of the Month award, giving it to Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure who

Di Maria

Wenger urges Gunners supporters to get behind Arsenal

A

RSENE Wenger has told Arsenal's angry to fans to back the team because that is what they are there to do.

The Gunners boss was abused by a handful of supporters (see video) at Stoke station after last Saturday's 3-2 defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

He insisted he does not care about his popularity rating, but before the home clash with Newcastle said: “What is in the word supporter? Support. It says what it says.

“I don't expect anything but if you will look at the history of Arsenal and what we have achieved in the last 18 years and we have moved forward and that what is what we want to continue to do.

“I have managed in 180 Champions League games.

How many Champions League games did Arsenal play before? ” Wenger loyalists also fought last Saturday with those who want him out, but the man at the centre of it all says he is not concerned whether a majority of fans would like him to leave.

QUOTABLE First of all, the APC presidential primary and PDP convention have clearly shown those who are ready to practice democracy. APC’s primary was held smoothly without any rancour, and all of them have come out to accept the result.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3064

—Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, Ibrahim Coomasie, on why APC’s candidate, Gen. Mohammed Buhari (Rtd), is North’s preferred candidate.

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had no reason to contrive the mournful convention it had in Abuja last week on the same day the All Progressives Congress (APC) held its feisty and evocative political festival to elect a standard-bearer. If the ruling party elected to have a quiet and uneventful gathering, it was not because it was naturally and virtuously quiet, nor because it thought the mood of the country and the tempo of 2015 politics demanded it. It was perhaps a manifestation of its insecurity, or the insecurity of its leaders, of its inability to appreciate the principles and practice of democracy notwithstanding its preachments to the contrary, and of its cancerous indolence in envisioning a great democratic, political and philosophical future for Nigeria. It will take a lot of research to understand why the PDP needed to stifle all efforts to present President Goodluck Jonathan a virile opposition in last Wednesday’s presidential primary, when it was abundantly clear that even with 100 opponents, the president would still have won handily.

Contrastingly, the APC had the quintessential presidential primary Nigerians dream of, in which no one steps down or is cajoled to do so, one destined to become a watershed in Nigeria’s factious and turbulent politics. Henceforth, no party, big or small, will artificially concoct a primary. They will let the process acquire a momentum of its own; they will let the festival run on its own steam replete with variety shows; they will let party faithful converge in an atmosphere of periodic conviviality, their host cities adorned with the panoply of music, flowers, banners, buntings and flags — indeed, matchless entertainment. Remarkably, the APC last week showed how primaries should be organised. But whether it thought its way into it or was coaxed into it by its rebellious Young Turks is difficult to say at the moment. But perhaps it achieved this distinction by the very nature of its founding, anchored as it was on the ashes of about four mercurial political parties; because to have anything other than a transparent primary would have sounded the party’s death knell.

To be sure, the APC presidential primary did not go like clockwork, but it was unprecedented, matched in methodology, if not substance, only by the Lagos governorship primary of the week before.

Both primaries were indications that whether by accident or by design, Nigerians were quite capable of political behaviour that matches world standard. There were initial misgivings the APC presidential aspirants would tear themselves to pieces on account of their ambitions and irreconcilability. Surprisingly, the contestants behaved most nobly and admirably. Neither they nor their supporters vowed thunder or spoke it, again quite unlike the PDP Lagos governorship primary of two days earlier where Musiliu Obanikoro and Jimmy Agbaje, the two leading contenders, spoke daggers and used them. And when the APC primary results were announced, with Muhammadu Buhari a clear winner, the atmosphere of brotherhood was unmistakable, even with a considerably chastened Abubakar Atiku enveloped in detachment and despair.

The speeches both before the balloting and after a winner emerged were not of the highest standard, but future contestants can be trusted to learn a thing or two from this year’s APC primary and probably perform much better next time.

Contestant Rochas Okorocha, the Imo State governor, is the orator among the five, a man of florid imagination and phrasal fecundity, but he did not appeal imaginatively to the sacred longings of the delegates. Notwithstanding, he was a delight.

Former Vice President Atiku speaks very well, untrammeled by short and long pauses, but he too did not reach the height of renown where he seems forever poised.

But his brief remarks after he lost were very well delivered, unaffected by the gloom he felt and the humbling effect of

2015: finally, the battle is joined coming third. Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was the revelation of the primary. As this columnist noted last week, had he started the race much earlier, he would probably have caused an upset, for he ran the most sophisticated race. He speaks well, but is often distracted by the undue attention he pays to what he has to say.

We may never know what Sam Nda Isaiah is capable of.

His prefatory remarks showed a man overwhelmed by the intimidating pomp of the moment, and not being a naturally gifted speaker, he seemed to flounder badly, perhaps exhausted by the sheer intensity and convolution of a competition he was participating in for the first time. The contestant that surprised everyone most was the laconic former head of state and retired army general, Buhari. This is his fourth time of running for president, but this is his first time of really participating in a solid and demanding primary. His patience was probably tested badly, and he sometimes looked like

he was being made to participate in a needless and humiliating contest. But his opening remarks were appropriately short and pungent, and his acceptance speech to wearied delegates harassed by more than 24 hours of intense jostling was also inspiringly but guardedly succinct.

Altogether, the APC primary points to better days ahead for the party and the country. The party will go from the primary on a high, bolstered by the virtuoso performance they gave Nigerians last week, a performance underscored by the many dignitaries and governors who participated in the show, a performance that is bound to make the country give a second thought to the party’s claims to moral and ideological superiority. Coming on the same day the PDP concocted a regrettable and artificial show in Abuja, the conduct of the APC primary is bound to elicit salutary electoral responses from Nigerians. If the party manages to handle the choice of Gen Buhari’s running mate well (See Box), and given the

incontestable fact that Dr Jonathan is right now at his most vulnerable, the APC would probably win the presidency irrespective of earlier projections by detractors inspired by the prejudice of a large section of the media.

For the second time in a few years, Dr Jonathan will be squaring off for a fight with the expressionless Gen Buhari.

It will be a titanic struggle, the final for both men. More, it will be a struggle that will define and shape Nigeria. It will be a contest between a straight talker and a waffler, a patriot and an opportunist, a man of steel and a man of lead, a general with distinctly Bismarckian and ambitious worldview and a civilian with unmistakably restrictive and insular perspective, the former ennobled by his patriotic glow, and the latter sullied by his provincialism. But since the capacity and capability of Dr Jonathan are very well known, none of which inspires admiration or respect, the greater onus is on Gen Buhari to prove that his party did not make a mistake electing him their champion in the coming war, that his can-do spirit and hunger for order and progress far outweigh his past foibles, impetuousness, suspect democratic credentials, and lack of policy and administrative depth.

The PDP will make herculean efforts to centre the campaign on issues of religion, ethnicity and unsubstantiated and exaggerated achievements. The PDP had clothed the APC in religious garb, and labeled its leaders desperate power grabbers and autocrats. But having had the good fortune of a successful presidential primary, the APC will work hard to focus attention on the president’s uncoordinated and amateurish approach to governance, weaknesses, hesitations, the Chibok schoolgirls disaster, economic downturn, social decay, poor national image, unending insurgency, and a host of other clear evidence of poor performance, poor judgement and overall poor leadership tending towards apocalypse.

Dr Jonathan is unlikely to dispel grave and sobering doubts about his competence between now and February.

APC, running mate and options for 2015

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) is about to discover that deciding on Gen Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate is much tougher than electing their standardbearer. It is not simply because that choice, once it is made, has the potential to make or mar the ticket, it is because navigating the treacherous courses of Nigeria’s competing groups and issues has become almost an impossible task. Asked a few days before the primary whether he countenanced picking a Muslim as his running mate, Gen Buhari prevaricated. He said he preferred to defer to his party, and then went on to anchor his hesitations on historical facts confirming that Nigerians previously voted for same faith candidates and running mates. He was, however, indicating that his party was battling to make up its mind, and that one or two of the leading contenders for the running mate position are Muslims.

The incredibly successful conduct of the APC presidential primary, and in particular the election of Gen Buhari, places a huge burden on the party to make the right choice, one that would add value to the principles and philosophy of the party, and one that would inspire and fire the country to put a definitive end to PDP’s reign in 2015. That choice must not diminish the ticket or vitiate its battle preparedness. Two hard choices stare the APC in the face. First is whether to produce a running mate from the Southwest or elsewhere. And the second is whether to gamble on a MuslimMuslim ticket.

The choice the party makes, in its daringness and appropriateness, will be a reflection of how desperate it wants to dethrone the PDP. Once that choice is made, it will be irreversible. If it is the right choice the dynamics of electioneering will trigger a momentum that will ferry the party into the presidency.

But if it is the wrong choice, the same cruel dynamics will put the party on the defensive

and wreck its chances, perhaps for a long time.

No person, indeed no analyst, can claim to have the answer or see into the future. However, propelled by a primary election high, it seems much more sensible for the APC to avoid rashness and overconfidence in order to sustain the momentum, and also to ensure that the issues that will shape the February poll will not be polluted by Dr Jonathan’s desperate government.

First, the Southwest and its leaders may reason that having inspired the formation of APC, and having as it were led it so creatively, though under the weight of accusation by anachronistic members of the Yoruba political elite that the region was being sold cheaply to the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy, they may want to ensure a south-westerner on the ticket. Given the nature of Nigerian politics, especially the enormous powers wielded by the presidency over the ruling party, it is understandable why APC leaders from the Southwest would want someone from the zone on the ticket. The problem with that reasoning however is that the impression will be created that their exertions were induced by considerations other than philosophical, and that other powerful concessions bigger and more potent than a running mate cannot be secured. They will be saying that they were not inspired by great democratic principles and nobler motives required to redirect and nurture Nigerian politics and democracy along the civilising lines which contentious Yoruba leaders led by Ayo Adebanjo and others in Afenifere have failed to understand. Unknown to many, Nigerian politics is being restructured fundamentally away from the bigotries and antagonisms of the past. That process, masterminded by the APC, must not be aborted.

Second, because Dr Jonathan is at his most vulnerable does not mean he is already dead meat. The APC must therefore weigh the risk

of presenting a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Given how badly Dr Jonathan and his supporters have muddied Nigeria’s political waters and fouled it with ethnic and religious prejudices, the APC will find it difficult convincing itself it is prepared to sail near the wind with a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

It is of course nonsensical to religionise party tickets, as if same faith tickets would ineluctably promote one religion over the other. But the APC must be capable of reading the signs of the times, and of making choices that show its perceptiveness and acuity of mind. It must be able to anticipate Dr Jonathan’s campaign tactics and not hand it ready ammunition.

In 2011, Gen Buhari had his best chance of winning the presidency, if only he would reach accommodation with the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He incredulously made the wrong call. Now, it is not just Gen Buhari’s best chance to win, it is in fact the best chance for his party to win.

They must not make the wrong choice.

Apart from choosing the right running mate, the party must take over the general’s campaign, steer it away from the insularity that hallmarked his 2011 campaign, mould him as much as they can into a modern leader with believable democratic credentials and founder’s mentality, and into a politician who envisions great things, has the capacity to relate creatively with the National Assembly, and is capable of taking the people to a height that exists only in their constructive imagination. Whatever they do, APC leaders must recognise that their first task is to win and save Nigeria from apocalypse. Nothing must interfere with those noble goals of saving democracy and rebuilding this shattered and dispirited country.

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