The Nation December 24, 2011

Insecurity: Senators, Reps consider state police Revenue allocation: Governors lay ambush for Jonathan Page

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‘We joined car-snatching gang because we could not resist the N25,000 its leader paid us weekly’ Page

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Expect gains of deregulation mid next year Page 2 -Jonathan

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL.05 N0. 1984 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

N150.00

ACP, MOPOL chief killed in fresh Boko Haram attack Page

12 sect members shot dead 2 Police: we took the battle to them Nigeria has no business being where it is today Page 63

- Sanusi ‘My life as a practising Christian married to a Muslim’ -Page

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The Bomber...

Our person of the year

Pages

11-15

Although The Bomber has been at work long before 2011, this year has been a particularly busy one for him. Since January, towns and cities across Nigeria have reverberated to the thunderous sounds of explosions which have destroyed buildings, turned vehicles into smoking wrecks, and shattered lives. From ultra-modern Abuja through liberal Kaduna to rustic Damaturu, The Bomber has shown his capacity to wreak ruins and kill people.

2 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Insecurity: Senators, Reps consider state police •Governors lay ambush for Jonathan over review of revenue allocation formula

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HE threats of Boko Haram and general insecurity in the country are threatening to spark a fresh round of agitation for state police.

The first sign of pressure appears to be building in the National Assembly where some members of the two chambers are said to be seriously weighing their options on the issue.

Many politicians, especially members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and top officials in the Presidency had, in the past, derided state police as divisive. But with the obvious inability of

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation the national police to check the growing cases of banditry and religious insurgency in parts of the country, some members of the National Assembly are beginning to have a rethink.

The idea is to include it in the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution. The Senate Committee on Constitution Review is due to meet in the first week after the National Assembly resumes from the Christmas/New Year break.

The Presidency, it was

gathered yesterday, may also have to contend in the new year with a move by state governors to push through a new revenue sharing formula designed to put more money in the accounts of the states The governors may use their agitation for the review of the allocation formula in bargaining with the Presidency over the amendments to the constitution.

Investigation by our correspondent showed that at a pre-sitting interaction by members of the Senate Committee on the Review of Constitution, some of them

canvassed a strong opinion in favour of state police.

It was also learnt that some members of the House of Representatives have been lobbying members of the House Committee on Constitution Review for state police.

Sources, however, said should the National Assembly concede to the demand for state police, it would be in a manner that such police would not be at the beck and call of state governors who might use state police to witch-hunt and intimidate opponents.

A top source, who spoke

in confidence, said: "We are going to begin work on constitution amendments during the first week of our resumption in January.

"There are many areas or principles awaiting amendment, but the most crucial, which most members are clamouring for, is state police.

"Some of us cannot even go home with the level of insecurity nationwide. And those who have travelled did so with heavy security network.

"It is now very glaring that it is imperative for Nigeria to have state police in the light of the security challenges facing the country.

"We are looking at ensuring true federalism in all facets of our national life, especially security. With the present police structure, we cannot guarantee adequate security for Nigerians.

"Most of us believe we need state police for a responsive security network at the grassroots. The only thing is that we might modify the structure of the state police.

The law will be drafted in a way that state governors cannot turn state police into an instrument of oppression.’’

Asked if the Presidency would buy into the idea of state police, the source added: "We will also try to build consensus with the Executive on the structure of the state police we are trying to conceive.

"So, I can tell you that we are weighing options on state police."

On the governors' push for a review of the revenue sharing formula, it was gathered last night that the governors intend to use it to bargain with the Presidency on the proposed amendment to the constitution.

A governor, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: "We will not waiver in our desire for a new revenue formula even though the Presidency has not shown much commitment to this.

"It requires the consent of all state Houses of Assembly to pass all amendments into law. If President Goodluck Jonathan does not allow the review of the revenue formula, we will also lay an ambush for him.

"We are also going to use this agitation as a bargaining power."

Expect benefits of deregulation mid next year, says Jonathan Austin AVWODE and Vincent IKHUOMOLA

•One of the newly sworn-in commissioners in Ekiti State, Mrs Bunmi Dipo-Salami, being congratulated by Governor Kayode Fayemi. With him are the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji (Dr) Ganiyu Owolabi and the Head of Service, Mr Bunmi Famosaya, at the ceremony in Ado-Ekiti...yesterday

ACP, MOPOL chief, four other policemen killed in fresh Boko Haram attack

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WO senior police officers, namely the Squadron Leader of the 41 Mobile Police Unit in Damaturu, Yobe State, Kabiru Musa Mohamed, and the state’s Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Ibrahim Abubakar, were reported killed on Thursday night in the wake of a gun battle between the police and members of the Boko Haram sect.

There were reports that 12 of the sect members were also killed in the confrontation.

Their bodies were picked up in the early hours of yesterday at Pompomari, a suburb Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

A foreign news agency, Reuters, put the death toll at 24 after another round of battle between the sect and security forces yesterday. Suspected sect members were said to have opened fire on a group of policemen shortly after Friday prayers in the city, killing four, according to local police officials.

Reports indicate that the military have taken over the security operations in the state, while the residents of Pompomari have been given notice by the security to vacate the area.

A resident of Sabon Pagi, who spoke with our correspondent on the phone, said “gunshots around Pompomari area is like music.”

Another resident said they all had to run into their houses for safety and fear of being caught in a cross fire.

Mallam Aji Manu, a resident of Buhari Estate in the town, said their houses in the estate

•12 sect members shot dead • Police: we took the battle to them

Families of three police officers killed by Boko Haram get N2.5m compensation Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano

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AMILIES of three Police Officers gunned down last week in Kano by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect and others shot while on duty have been handed a total financial compensation of N2.5 million by the Inspector General of Police (IG), Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, and the Kano State Police Command.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, who made the presentation to the widows of the policemen at the Command Headquarters yesterday, said the officers died in the course of defending their fatherland.

Of the amount, N1.5 million came from the IG while the remaining N1 million came from the state police command.

He explained that the sum of N500,000 went to each of the families of Corporal Sagir Sadiq, Corporal Hamisu Dahiru and Corporal Sani Mu’azu while the family of Special Constabulary, Abdulazeez Auwalu, who was also shot dead by unknown gunmen, was presented with N250, 000.

The five injured police officers were rewarded with N145,000 each. He said the money was just in the interim, adding that the IG would, in due course, work out their entitlements The Commissioner stated that the three slain officers were also given post-humus heroic awards, which he said would remind their bereaved families that they did not die in vain.

Duku JOEL with Agency reports almost crrumbled as a result of heavy explosions.

Jubril, a fleeing resident, confirmed that many people had fled the town and the streets had been deserted. ‘’It is better to stay indoor than walk around the streets of Damaturu,’’ he said.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Tanko Lawal, told

our correspondent on the phone that the police actually took the battle to the sect members after resident reported suspected movement of the sect members to the police in the area.

Reuters also quoted Lawal as saying that a dusk to dawn curfew had been imposed on Damaturu. "The situation is now calm. We lost seven security men and twelve members of the Boko Haram sect were killed in the shoot out last

night," he said.

"Though you cannot predict members of the sect, our men and the military are combat ready. Only one civilian was killed (in the violence on Thursday)".

Explaining the genesis of the confrontation to our reporter on the phone yesterday, Lawal said: “What prompted the attack of Thursday night was the reports we got from the residents of the area over suspicious movements by the sect members in the area. ‘’The sect members did not launch an attack on the police.

We actually took the battle to them after our intelligence gathering was confirmed.

“We moved into the area and engaged them in a battle so as to cleanse the area of all the IEDs. You know that after the Monday blast in the area, the police became more vigilant. ‘’What we gathered was that so many explosives had been buried in some buildings in the area. So, we have ordered all the residents of Pompomari to vacate the place.

“A team of bomb experts have been brought in as reinforcement from Maiduguri to help detonate some of the explosives that have been buried in the area.”

The Yobe police boss said enough security personnel had been deployed to Damaturu, assuring that the resident have no cause to worry.

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IGERIANS can begin to look forward to enjoying the benefits of the planned removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government from the middle of next year,President Goodluck Jonathan declared last night.

He told them to expect a massive creation of jobs in the construction sector and agriculture in particular.

Such is the success which agriculture is expected to bring that government plans to stop rice importation by 2015, while improvement in power output will ensure that the “average Nigerian will have no reason to own a generator.”

President Jonathan spoke on national television in his second media chat. He said: “At the beginning, there will be an increase in fuel price but it wont last for long.

“In the next four/five years, a lot of things will change.Of the six zones, there is none that cannot produce enough rice. Before the end of our term, we’ll stop importation of rice. The average Nigerian will have no reason to own a generator. You don’t have to wait for 10 years to achieve that.”

The chat, which was moderated by Mr. Kayode Akintemi of Channels Television, dwelt mainly on the oil sector deregulation as the President chose to describe the planned fuel subsidy removal. The other interviewers were: Dr. Fatima Akilu, Chairman, Editorial Board of Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Steve Nwosu, Editor, The Sun and Mr. Seyi Fasugba, Editor, National Mirror.

The president was confident of receiving the backing of the National Assembly on the issue,saying: “ I’m a member of the PDP. The PDP as a party understands the situation and is being taken along.Majority of members of the National Assembly are from the party.

“It (National Assembly) cannot be against creation of jobs.This is not just a Jonathan project. We have the ministers,the governors. We are discussing with all of them.

Even members of the National Assembly, they know that if the economy collapses because of the fuel subsidy, it will affect them.

“By the time they return from their break, they will see reason with us.I don’t think they will be against it provided they get the necessary explanation.”

Asked about his consultations with a cross section of Nigerians on the subsidy issue,he said the responses have been encouraging, citing the position of some youths who,according to him, said they were in agreement with government on its decision to cease borrowing to finance subsidy.

President Jonathan said deregulation is inevitable now, otherwise, the government succeeding his would have plenty of problems confronting it such as inflation, devaluation of the naira and unemployment.

But he said that is not to suggest that the country is broke in anyway.

On his achievements, he said he has set up ‘a strong economic team’ to lay a solid economic foundation for the country, while government is in the process of executing its robust agricultural programme.

He disagreed with the suggestion that he is not ‘forceful’ as president. He asked to be given examples of things he should have done forcefully.

He assured Nigerians that he and Vice President Namadi Sambo are not out to “inflict pains on you (Nigerians).”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

ANPP to Christians: Pray for peace, unity

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HE All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) yesterday urged Nigerians to rededicate themselves and pray for peace and unity in the country.

According to a statement signed by the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu: "We share with all, the joy of Christmas, especially at a time when many Nigerians worry about how the enormous problems of today could give way to a tomorrow of peace and plenty.

"We are confident that if we can strengthen faith in ourselves and reawaken our implicit confidence in the inesteemable power of Almighty God, surely, we can restore hope to the hopeless, return happiness to the sad, remove despair from the dejected and above all, rearm the weak to become strong and resolute.

•All for Christmas

NSCDC boss deploys 30, 000 personnel

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HE Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ade Abolurin has ordered the deployment of 35, 000 men to ensure safety of lives and property during the Christmas celebrations nationwide.

Stressing the significance of Christmas in a statement signed by NSCDC spokesman, Emmanuel Okeh, Abolurin congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo and all Nigerian Christians on the festivities. He also charged them to imbibe the teachings of Jesus Christ in their daily endeavours.

He said that all State Commandants had been instructed to deploy personnel to all the states and the Federa Capital Territory in order to checkmate criminals who could pose security threats to the society during the celebrations.

The CG warned criminals to desist from such acts, saying that the corps membersers would be on the watch to deal with them.

Abolurin said: “It should be noted by all that the Corps has put in place the machinery to curb the wave of crime and ensure that anyone caught

Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja engaging in criminal activities faces the full wrath of the law. Everyone should be security-conscious by giving useful information about any suspicious act or movement in and around their environment.”

He urged merry-makers and fun seekers to do everything in moderation to avert

any form of disaster, noting that criminals and other nefarious individuals usually take advantage of this period to perpetrate evil.

The NSCDC boss said that all hands should be on deck in the strive to promote security consciousness around the country.

He advised Nigerians to promote peace anywhere they find themselves, adding that the relative peace and tranquillity the country has

enjoyed in recent times should be encouraged until “we finally stamp out chaos, crises and all acts of terrorism from our polity.

“The organisation has also strengthened her relationship with other security agencies to facilitate reduction in crime rate, which is always high during festive periods as hoodlums and criminals capitalise on the carefree attitude of people during festivities to perpetrate criminal acts.”

We must build blocks of unity, says Tambuwal

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PEAKER of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has enjoined Nigerians to continue to reflect on the positive tenets that unite the nation, strengthen the polity and enhance its stability and prosperity as they celebrate this year's Christmas.

In a goodwill message to Nigerian Christians signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mallam Imam Imam, Hon. Tambuwal also called for sus-

tained prayers for peace, unity and stability in the country. He admonished all to be their brothers’ keepers and shun all vices and negative acts that can jeopardise the efforts of government in providing democracy dividends to the citizens.

He said: "This period calls for sober reflection and continued prayers for our dear nation. We must reflect on the teachings and lessons of Christmas and continue to exhibit good character as well as extend hands of fellowship

and build blocks of unity and understanding with all irrespective of our percieved differences.

"On our part, we are committed to providing legislative measures and interventions that will support government's effort at guaranteeing peace, welfare and security of Nigerians and the greater development of our dear country in line with our legislative agenda.

"On behalf of the House of Representatives, I wish all Nigerians a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year."

CAN urges Christians to lead life of service

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HE Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Reverend Musa Dada has called on Christians in the country to live a life of service and sacrifice which the coming of Jesus Christ depicts.

In a Christmas message he sent to Christians in the state yesterday, the CAN chairman said that in celebrating the birth of Jesus, the faithful should emulate the attributes of the saviour of mankind by exhibiting love, tolerance, generosity, obedience and sacrifice, which Jesus stood for.

Dada advised that for the

Jide ORINTRUNSIN Minna purpose of the coming of the Lord and the celebration of the season to be achieved, everyone must be conscious of these virtues in their relationship with one another, adding that commitment to the celebration of Christmas should be extended to service to God and mankind.

Calling for moderation during the period, the CAN leader advised Christians to remember that they could celebrate Christmas without Christ if they indulge in drunkenness, rioting, gluttony, sexual immorality

and other vices that are contrary to the teachings and spirit of the season.

“We should de-emphasise the social aspect and emphasise the spiritual aspects that the celebration comes with,” he said.

He urged government at all levels to ensure adequate security of lives and property during the period. He also called on Nigerians to be more security-conscious and prepare to willingly provide information to the law enforcement agencies about moves that could be inimical to the peace and progress of the states and the country.

“All hands must therefore

be on deck to ensure that peace is sustained in the state. We must eschew violence and assist the security agents with useful information about strange movements. ‘’All citizens should live up to their social and civic responsibilities to their states and the country,” the CAN leader advised.

Dada also charged religious leaders, irrespective of their faith, to educate and counsel their followers against violence and inhumanity to their fellow men through violent killings.

Any religious leader who teaches anything to the contrary, he said, does not wish the country well.

Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja "We implore our fellow country men and women to be their brothers’ keepers, for there is always strength in unity. ‘’At all times, we should remember that despite the challenges we face, we can only overcome if we as a people come together and stay together in love and brotherhood, resolute in the pursuit of those noble virtues that heal wounds and strengthen bonds.

"Just as Christmas symbolises a new beginning of greater promise, we share the conviction that sooner than later, our dear country will ascend the mountain top and show the way for others to follow.

"We wish all Nigerians and indeed the global family, a very merry Christmas."

Chime calls on Nigerians to promote brotherhood Chris OJI, Enugu OVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has urged Nigerians to use the yuletide to renew their commitment to the promotion of the virtues of tolerance, brotherhood and unity among all groups in the country.

The governor, who stated this in a Christmas message sent through his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, said the celebrations offered Nigerians the opportunity to reflect on God's love and compassion for man as epitomised in the gift of his begotten son for man's salvation.

He said such reflections would help Nigerians to understand why they should respect one another’s rights, especially the right to life and peaceful co-existence with their neighbours.

"As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the joy it brings to the world, we must urge ourselves to use this occasion to rededicate ourselves to the values and virtues that promote love, tolerance, brotherliness and unity among all Nigerians," the Governor said.

Chime stated his administration had taken serious steps to ensure that its citizens and visitors to the state enjoyed the celebrations without hitches. He stressed that adequate measures had been taken to ensure security as well as the provision of social amenities, including rehabilitation of roads in rural and urban areas to enhance movement and communication.

He further enjoined citizens to eschew any act that would disturb the peace during the celebrations, adding that they should rather engage themselves in activities that would reflect and foster the joy for which the season is known.

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Emulate Christ’s virtues, Gov Ahmed charges Christiams

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WARA State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has charged Christians in the country to reflect the the virtues and teachings of Jesus Christ in their lives so that Nigeria and indeed the world could be a better place.

Ahmed, who gave the charge in his Christmas message to the people of the state, also enjoined them to promote peace, unity and exhibit the spirit of tolerance in the bid to build a new Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to always portray the positive sides of the country rather than her negative sides and admonished Christians to emulate Jesus Christ in words and deeds and imbibe the core lessons of love, tolerance, sacrifice and generosity which Christ stood for.

He commended Christian leaders in the state for

conducting themselves peacefully in their religious activities and for joining the state government in promoting religious harmony.

While congratulating the entire Christians for witnessing yet another Christmas season, he advised them to use the festive period for increased spiritual devotion towards living in peace and harmony with adherents of other faiths.

He assured the people of the state that he would remain committed to the pursuit of policies and programmes that would have direct bearing on their lives.

The governor expressed hope that the coming year would usher in more progress, prosperity and fulfilment for all, wishing Christians in the state and the entire country a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEEMBER 24, 2011

NEWS 5

leader pledges Student leaders accuse Mimiko’s Association support for Tinubu aide of assault A T HE leadership of the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) and the Special Assistant to Governor Olusegun Mimiko on Youths and Students’ Affairs, Olamide George are at loggerheads over an alleged assault on some student execu-

Damisi OJO, Akure

tives.

The alleged attack was hinged on the non-partisan posture of the association.

The association said its Na-

tional Public Relations Officer, Comrade Irinsanmi Kelly Kehinde, and Director of Sports, Comrade Ogunboye Iyanu, were allegedly manhandled by George last Monday along Oyemekun road, Akure.

•Senator Oluremi Tinubu (left) presenting a gift to the Ojodu LCDA chairman’s wife, Mrs. Bolanle Oloro, and Hon. Lola Akande during the Christmas outreach of the Bola Tinubu Foundation at the Women Development Centre, Agege

Ajimobi grants 10 prisoners amnesty

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State yesterday granted amnesty to 10 prisoners.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said that five of the prisoners, who had been on death row, had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.

The remaining five, who had been serving jail terms,

were granted freedom by the governor.

The prisoners, who had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment, included Ganiyu Busari, Morufu Bolanle, Dele Akinyele, Julius Awe and Samuel Akpobi, while those granted freedom were Yusuf Nuhu, Solomon Adegboye, Gbenga Adeojo, Akpan Joseph and Sunday Ajao.

According to Adedayo, the

granting of the amnesty was in the exercise of the power conferred on the governor by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and subject to the advice of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.

“Under Section 212(1) of the constitution, the governor is empowered to pardon, free, grant respite or substitute a severe punishment with lesser one as a form of amnesty for the convicts,’’ he said.

Ogun PDP exco intact, says party

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GUN State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said its Executive Committee led by Chief Dayo Soremi “remains intact and has not been dissolved by anybody or group.”

The party said the report that the National Vice – Chairman of the party in South West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, had dissolved the Ogun PDP Executive Committee was not true but something designed to cause confusion within the Ogun PDP by persons who were ignorant of the constitution.

Addressing the reporters in

Ernest NWOKOLO, Abeokuta Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, the state Chairman, Dayo Soremi said Alhaji Oladipo could not temper with the Ogun PDP Executive Committee as that would translate to committing “illegality.”

Soremi, who spoke through the state secretary of the party, Chief Adepeba Otemolu, said “the purported dissolution is unfounded rumours and of no effect.” He advised party members to discountenance it.

He said neither Alhaji Oladipo, nor members of the National Executive Commit-

tee of the PDP, South West Zone had the power to terminate the lifespan of the committee just as an existing court order had equally restrained them from doing so.

“We plead with the members of our party to disregard this rumours as the zonal executive led by Alhaji Oladipo will be clearly in contempt of court if they fail to comply.

“The era of listening to the dictatorial instructions of certain bigwigs who are in the habit of embarrassing government at the highest level only to want to pretend to love the people is over,” Soremi said.

Stop violence against children, Mrs Aregbesola tells parents

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IFE of Osun State governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, has called on mothers to join hands with government to tackle issues of violence against children in the state.

She said this at the end-ofthe-year party for children across the state held at the State House, G.R.A, Osogbo on Thursday.

The first lady said the government alone could not eliminate the problems of violence against children, urging parents and guardians to complement government

efforts by safeguarding their rights.

She said: “We should now stop any form of violence against these children. Activities such as hawking, rape against girls or using them as maids to make money are capable of distorting their dreams of becoming great persons in life.

“As the new year draws nearer, I urge parents and guardians to provide for your children parental care, love and affection. You should also ensure that they imbibe the culture of Omoluabi which

emphasises truth and patriotism”.

According to her, “the problems children face while growing up create obstacles on their ways to realise their innate potential. It is the duty of parents and government to see that children grow to be responsible citizens.”

Mrs Aregbesola said in Nigeria, children faced a lot of social problems while growing up, maintaining that any society that sought development and progress must take pragmatic steps at solving such childhood associated problems.

At a news conference yesterday in Akure, the state capital, the Director of Special Duties of the students’ body, Comrade Arosoye Ayokunle, said that trouble ensued when the president of the association, Comrade Oguntoyinbo Victor, was suspended from office following a series of allegations levelled against him.

According to him: “On Sunday, December 18, 2011, the executive arm of the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) held a meeting to deliberate on the activities for the next year and address the various allegations that were leveled against the president, Oguntoyinbo Victor.

“The allegations were misrepresentation of the association, maladministration, misappropriation of resources, racketeering and gross constitutional misconduct.

“After so much deliberation, comments and reactions, the president was suspended and a three-man committee was set up to investigate the charges.

“The suspended president swiftly reported to the Special Assistant[SA] to Governor on Youths and Students’ Affairs,Olamide George, who mobilized thugs and attacked our members”.

He further said:”It is on this note that we want justice to be done and the faces of these evil perpetrators to be brought to book in order to make Ondo State worthwhile and violence-free. It is not in doubt that George and his allies are against the existence of peace in the students’ community and the state.”

Reacting, George told The Nation that the allegations were unfounded, stressing that the decision to suspend the president was that of the student executives.

He said: ”NAOSS affairs are not my concern at all. The bottomline of the whole issue is that some of the student leaders are being sponsored by a particular opposition group”.

Christians told to support govt activities

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call has gone to Christians in Nigeria to unite and support governments in their activities.

The General Leader, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church (Ayo Ni O), Prophet G.O. Fakeye, said this at the 2011 Anniversary Thanksgiving, Decoration of Patrons and Patronesses and Award Giving Ceremony organised by the All Christian Leaders /Ministers Forum (ACLMF).

According to him, Christians should support governments spiritually, morally and financially to move the country forward.

“Government cannot do it alone. We should help our communities to develop.

Christians should stop discriminating against one another because in heaven, there are no denominations”, Fakeye said.

The National President/ General Coordinator of ACLMF, Revd (Dr) Samuel Ogedengbe, said that Christians should unite and speak with one voice.

stalwart of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Apapa, Lagos State, Mr. Abiodun Animashaun, has pledged his unalloyed support for the National Leader of the ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Animshaun, who is the founder of the Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State (MOALS), Apapa branch, said Tinubu had done so much for not only Yorubaland, but the entire nation.

While wishing him a happy celebration during the Christmas, he said all other Yoruba leaders should support Asiwaju to take Yoruba nation to greater height.

Alaafin celebrates with children

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HE palace of the the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, was agog on Tuesday when some children joined the monarch for a Xmas programme.

The programme, which was at the instance of Senator Ayo Adeseun, saw many children celebrating with the monarch.

Speaking on the programme, Adeseun said it was one of his programmes to celebrate with the people of Oyo and other zones in the senatorial district.

Alaafin said he was happy with the programmes of Adeseun.

Taiye Osuntokun passes on

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former Auditor Gen eral (Local Govern ment) in Ondo State and later Ekiti State, Mr Taiye Osuntokun, is dead.

According to a family statement signed by Akinjide Osuntokun, Proferssor Emeritus and ProChancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the Ekiti State University, AdoEkiti, the late Osuntokun would be buried in Okemesi on January 20, 2012.

A graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and a chartered accountant, the late Osuntokun worked with the then WNBS/WNTV in the old Western Region and the Ondo State Broadcasting

•The late Osuntokun

Corporation.

He is survived by a wife, Dupe, and five children, three of whom are bankers and two accountants.

TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP I, Mr. John Orji of No. 7 Abrahan Adesanya Road Apapa Lagos hereby notify the general public that I have applied to LSDPC for its consent to change ownership of Block 30A Raji Rasaki Estate Amuwo Odofin, which was originally allocated to Mr. Owoseni Dolapo Adetu. I have made series of efforts to contact Mr. Owoseni Dolapo Adetu the assignor from whom I bought the property but all efforts made to locate him prove abortive. I hereby indemnify the corporation against any future claims that may arise if my application is granted and undertake to pay cost of any dispute that may arise on same. LSDPC, Mr. Owoseni Dolapo Adetu and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, RUFUS GIWA POLYTECHIC, OWO This is to inform members of the above named Association that the Annual General meeting of the Association is slated as scheduled below.

Date: Venue: Time: Agenda:

January 3rd, 2012.

Oke-Mapo Hall, Owo 9.00am Annual reports and Election.

This advertisement serves as an invitation to all members to discuss the progress of our alma mater.

For further enquires please contact the following numbers: 0803225132, 08036971775.

SIGNED: FEMI EHINOLA NATIONAL SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE WORLDWIDE EMPOWERMENT HOLY GHOST MINISTRY The general public is hereby notified that the above named church has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under the part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Pastor (Mrs.) Meg. Asu-Bisong 2. Evang. Lawrence Owan Obi 3. Evang.Agnes N. Onah 4. Pastor (Mrs.) Dorothy Effiong Anam AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To spread the gospel of Jesus Christ 2. To prepare God’s people for the kingdom 3. To promote peaceful co-existence and brotherly love among members of the society.

4. To bring salvation, deliverance healing and freedom to the lost.

5. To established schools, colleges and University 6. To also use the print, audio and Visual media to achieve 1 (one) above.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Pastor (Mrs.) Meg. Asu-Bisong

6 News

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Robbery, kidnapping, fraud: JTF operative, 21 others paraded in Rivers N operative of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Rivers State, Mr. Samuel Joshua, and 21 others were yesterday paraded by the police for alleged robbery, kidnapping and fraud.

The Rivers Police Command also mobilised 6,480 officers and men, to ensure crime-free Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers Command, Suleiman Abba, while parading the suspects in Port Harcourt, the state capital, declared that the command would deal decisively with criminals, who were ad-

A

Bisi OLANIYI & Clarice AZUATALAM, Port Harcourt vised, in their own interest, to turn a new leaf.

Abba assured residents of the state to be assured of adequate protection of their lives and property, urging them to go about their lawful businesses without fear.

The police boss also admonished Rivers residents to always make information about criminals in their midst available to the command, assuring that their identities would be well protected.

Abba described policing as a collective responsibility, urging all the stakeholders to cooperate to ensure success. He maintained that the yuletide and beyond would be crimefree in the state.

Abba added that in the last quarter of this year, the command arrested 320 suspected armed robbers, 71 of them fatally wounded (killed); 122 kidnappers were arrested out of which 32 of them were killed. During the same period, 122 firearms and 890 rounds of live ammunition were also recovered.

He noted that six men

among the suspects were fraudsters, who invaded MTN records and allegedly had been threatening and duping many people with information got from the telecommunications giant’s records.

The police commissioner disclosed that his command also arrested eight members of a kidnapping gang, who were involved in the recent kidnap of Chidi and Chinedu, who were returning from a club meeting in Port Harcourt.

Abba said an eight-member gang, including a girl in her early 20s, who specialised in car snatching,

was also apprehended.

One of the kidnappers, John Maduneme, a “businessman” from Anambra State, while speaking with journalists, revealed that he got involved in crime when he met some friends at a traditional marriage in Imo State.

He noted that his problem started when he supplied some electrical parts worth N2.7 million to Mr. Gift Nworukwo, whom he said never paid him.

Maduneme revealed they were arrested by policemen at their hideout along Iwofe Road by AP filling station in the Rivers state capital.

Reps poll: Ekwunife not sacked, says APGA

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LL Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) claimed yes-

terday that their member representing Anaocha, Njikoka, Dunukofia federal constituency in Anambra State, Hon. Uche Ekwunife, was not sacked by the Appeal Court as reported.

The party said what the Appeal Court sitting in Enugu, in its judgment, did was to order a re-run elec-

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•ACN, APGA set for another battle Nwanosike ONU, Awka tion in about five communities in the constituency.

The communities are: Agulu, Obeledu, AguluZigbo, Nri and Akwaeze.

On Thursday, the Hon. Justice Helen Moronkeji Ogunwumiju-led Appeal Court, sacked Senator Andy Uba of the People’s

Democratic Party (PDP) representing Anambra South . It was reported that Ekwunife’s election was nullified by the Appeal Court.

But APGA contested the report, saying that the court only ordered a re-run in some areas between Ekwunife and Dozie Nwankwo of the Action

Congress of Nigeria (A CN).

Nwankwo of the ACN had challenged the decision of the lower panel in Anambra State , which excluded Anaocha when it ordered a re-run also in some wards.

Irked by the decision, A CN’s team of lawyers, led

by Arthur Obi Okafor (SAN), went to Appeal Court to get fair hearing.

However, controversy has

Oil spill: Shell deploys ships, planes

HELL yesterday deployed ships with dispersants and planes in a bid to mop up one of Nigeria’s worst offshore oil spills in recent years, a spokesman said, amid fears it could soon reach the shoreline.

A Shell spokesman in Nigeria said five vessels and two aircraft had been deployed to attack the oil slick, with the company estimating the amount of the spill at its Bonga field at less than 40,000 barrels.

The leak has been stopped since the company became aware of it on Tuesday.

“Investigation is going on,” Tony Okonedo said.

Asked whether ships had been deployed as planned on Friday, he said, “Five vessels, two aircraft ... oil spill response specialists and other personnel are involved.”

The company says the slick has been thinning and breaking up, but the information was difficult to verify independently.

Shell became aware of the leak Tuesday at its Bonga field some 120 kilometres off Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer and an OPEC member. Production has halted at the field, which has a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day.

The company said the source of the leak was a flexible line linking a production vessel to a tanker.

It was Nigeria’s worst offshore spill since a 1998 Mobil incident, officials said, though onshore leaks have been estimated at levels far worse since that time in the oil-producing

Niger Delta.

Environmental group SkyTruth, using satellite imagery from Wednesday

morning it published on its website, estimated the slick was 70 kilometres long and 17 kilometres

wide at its widest.

It said it covered 923 square kilometres of ocean.

been raging on in the state following reports that the upper court had sacked Uba as well as Ekwunife from the National Assembly.

But APGA’s chieftain, Chief Silas Ojimma, claimed that what the panel did was to uphold the appeal of Nwankwo of ACN and ordered a fresh election in some areas in the constituency.

Both parties involved in the rerun election in the federal constituency yesterday began mobilisation of their members for a fresh battle in Njikoka, Anaocha and Dunkofia ahead of the 90 days ordered by the Appeal Court.

Ijaw chief, four others killed •Kinsmen protest

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HE Ijaws of Gbaramatu and other kingdoms in Delta State have asked the federal and state governments for permission to bear arms to defend themselves following growing insecurity in Warri and environs.

The demand followed the gruesome murder of Chief Emmanuel Timiyan, a prominent Ijaw chief and elder brother to King Joseph Timiyan of the oil-rich

Shola O’NEIL Ogulagha Kingdom.

Timiyan was shot dead in Warri on Thursday afternoon by a gang of gun-totting youths, who trailed him from a new generation bank at Okumagba Avenue by total filling station.

Addressing Ijaw protesters yesterday, Chief Alfred Bubor, the Fiowei of Gbaramatu, said since the

federal and state governments have failed in the provision of security, his kinsmen want to take their destinies in their own hands.

He hinted that Ijaw youths would do a better job of securing their kinsmen than the police and soldiers on the street.

Bubor, who spoke at the residence of the late Timiyan, said over four of their kinsmen were killed on their way

from the bank within the past one week.

Earlier, scores of Ijaw youths took over part of the New Layout Effurun to protest Timiyan’s death. They accused officials of some banks (names withheld) of supplying robbers with information.

They also carried placards denouncing security agencies’ perceived failure to tackle the security challenges in the state.

Nigerian Breweries to begin production in Onitsha March 2012 Adimike GEORGE, Onitsha THE Nigerian Breweries Plc will commence fullscale production of its brands in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State, before the end of March next year.

This was disclosed yesterday when the company’s delegation paid a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe.

Speaking at the event, the leader of the delegation and Managing Director of Life Brewery, Mr. Wilson Nubi, said that the company had acquired 99.9 % shares of the Life Breweries and will commence full production before the end of the first quarter of next year.

Nubi stated that the visit was to officially brief the monarch on the development and the inherent benefits of playing host to the Nigerian Breweries, adding that it will further stimulate economic activities in Onitsha and the entire Anambra State.

He maintained that the Nigerian Breweries is a corporate entity and will contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the people of the area, adding: “When the acquisition procedures are completed and the company commences full operations in Onitsha , the entire people and business communities will feel the impact”.

Responding, the monarch, who described Onitsha as the commercial hub of the South East, assured the company of a robust market that will improve their fortunes, urging them to create business opportunities for the local people.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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RANSFORMATION is the fashionable word nowadays for expectation of massive change in any environment. It is the in-thing in terms of useful, current and relevant vocabulary to show the direction and intention of governments, both corporate and national to make a break from the usual or the norm.

When I wrote my piece last Saturday I did not know that IMF boss Christine Lagarde woud be visiting Nigeria the following Monday to give a pat on the back to the Jonathan Administration for the 2012 budget correctly named budget of Transformation. Since I made my views known on the budget last Saturday there is no need for any repetition today.

Also as tomorrow is Xmas day let me wish Nigerians especially my readers, a Merry Christmas in spite of the budget of transformation which now has pushed the pains of fuel subsidy removal away from this festive season, some what mercifully, till April 1 next year .

My intention here today is to show that the concept and idea of transformation as a change principle can be for good or bad depending on the transformation drivers , their stated objectives or perceived motives for embarking on transformational change. In a world which has seen in the last year so much political change than all the years of the last decade put together, it is easy to see and say that transformational change is about earth shaking events that massively affect those involved in the vicinity, environment and direction of the transformation agents and forces.

I will illustrate this with

The pains and politics of transformation

events in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC ) and North Korea where dynastic succession has created security fears and grave regional and global concern. I will then round up with the warrant for the arrest of the Vice President of Iraq on terrorist activities in a volatile nation like Iraq and its import for global terrorism and democratic principles.

In the DRC newly re - elected President Joseph Kabila was sworn into office at a ceremony at which the major foreign guest was the much vilified President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. The reason for the boycott was the pervasive view of the international community that the voting was rigged. Indeed before Kabila was sworn in the opposition leader Ettiene Tshesekedi who lost to Kabila according to the election results had claimed victory and asked that Kabila be brought dead or alive before him and that he, Tshekedi, a veteran politician since the days of the legendary Mobutu Sese Seko would be sworn in as president.

Really the November 27 2011 election results were expected to redress an injury that is an open secret in Kinshasa which is that the current, reelected president is an alien from nearby but powerful

Rwanda. The story on that started from the days of the father, late Laurent Kabila a business man who funded the overthrow of Mobutu and reportedly drank beer from nearby makeshift camps while his soldiers routed Mobutu’s overfed army.

Indeed the fascinating mythical story is that Mobutu sent his regular army to the North East of the DRC to quell a rebellion in a refugee camp bordering Rwanda but the rebels instead of being subdued kept chasing the Mobutu army until Mobutu was violently deposed and the rebel leader became head of state.

When Kabila was later assassinated his son became President of the DRC and consolidated his rule by winning an election four years ago. Now he has won another election and the Congolese cannot take it any more. Even the Congolese in Lagos demonstrated to no avail.

So what the citizens of the DRC expected to be a transformational change to return their patrimony to a son of the soil, turned out to be another electoral farce and fraud that consolidated, to their chagrin and horror what they have always perceived as alien rule in the guise of democracy

in the DRC. The story is very much the same in North Korea except that succession is not violent and the dynasty is much older. Indeed this is the third generation of the Kims in power and that means a third Kim is succeeding his father.

The first Kim was Kim ll Sung, who was succeeded by his son Kim Jong ll who has now been succeeded by Kim Jong Hun. The funeral of Kim Jong ll who died aged 69 last week has been fixed for December 28 but his son aged 30 has already taken over and scenes of mourning have become the order of the day on N Korean TV. Although succession has been orderly and peaceful so far Western Europe and the US which supported the S. Korea in the 1953 Korean War in which the USSR supported N Korea has always predicted that succession crisis would be the undoing of the Kim Dynasty in NKorea.

Again that notion has been given a kick in the ass by the peaceful succession in N Korea.

Similarly, the notion in the west that the mourning scenes could be fake does not hold water for the simple reason that if the people of N Korea have been so brain-

washed into thinking the Kims are the best family in the world to rule them, it becomes natural for them to feel pain at their death . Which to me is what seems to be happening . I recall that at the last World Cup in S. Africa some of the N Korean players wept silently as their country’s national anthem was being played.

To me that was plain patriotism, propaganda aside, unlike the posture of some Nigerian players which showed crass indifference to the playing of the national anthem . Although nations in the vicinity of N Korea–Japan, China, S Korea - have put themselves on a state of high security alert nothing in terms of the transformational change or upheaval they have expected has happened in that nation that seems to be simply mourning its fallen leader.

What the west needs to know and appreciate is the fact that while grandfather Kim II Sung may have in the past behaved like a security and nuclear rogue in extorting financial aid whenever he was broke from successive US presidents by threatening nuclear attacks on real and imaginary foes , that fact alone does not make N Korea incapable of peaceful dynastic succession or its people immune to normal human emotion in mourning their leaders so pitifully as we have seen in the last few days.

The events in Iraq that I want to relate hover around the handling of terrorism and whether that should be regarded as transformational in nature or just normal transitional change . The Iraqi Vice President Tariq al– Hashemi has been charged with terrorist activities and is to face trial . He has roundly denied the charges and

pointed accusing fingers at Iraq’s PM Nouri Malik who he said is behind the story which he called a fabrication to frame him. More importantly he lamented that Saddam Hussein was a dictator but Malik the present PM , too is a dictator. Which really is like the clock turning full circle when you remember that the US troops which ousted Saddam left Iraq just last week.

Which also means that the democracy and security the US claimed to have bequeathed to Iraq are at best lukewarm, superficial and just skin deep. But really, the US wrought great transformation in Iraq and even the Middle East by organizing elections in that nation after eliminating Saddam in the process and blazing a trail that has derailed despotism in Tunisia, Egypt , Libya and now Syria.

But in planting democracy in Iraq the US gave Iraq on a platter of gold to its arch enemy Iran whose Shiite Muslims are in the majority in Iraq while the Sunnis are in the minority . Since Saddam and the Vice President are Sunnis and the PM Malik is Shiite you can appreciate why and how a VP can be accused of terrorism by his own government in an act which is not transformational but is a major transitional road sign to real democracy in Iraq .

You may say that the mills of justice grind slowly but they grind exceedingly fine and that real democracy is about to take off in Iraq with the true majority in control .

But at what cost to stability and unity ? That is the billion naira question to be asked and answered in any nation where sectarian or religious problems are not nipped in the bud as unfortunately we have with Boko Haram Nigeria in recent times.

10 COMMENTARY

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Power minister and his infamous declaration With

Vincent Akanmode 08077536312

vincentakanmode@yahoo.com

D

URING my first year in the university,I I had a roommate who was indifferent to heat. In the prime months of heat between March and May, some of us were forced to leave the room in search of some fresh air at the balcony because even the ceiling fan installed in the room would blow hot.

Not so for Mojeed. He would not only remain in the room, he would be so deeply asleep that we would hear him snoring from the balcony. Intrigued by his unusual nature, I called him aside one day and asked him the secrets behind the thick skin he had developed to heat.

“Quite easy,” he said with a wry smile. “Just condition your mind to the heat and pretend that it does not exist!”

The foregoing is the only prism from which I can relate to a statement the news media credited to the Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, last Saturday, about the power situation in the country. When the news filtered out that the minister had declared in Kaduna that the supply of electricity in the country had become stable and that consumers were now enjoying steady supply, my immediate reaction was to dismiss the story as a figment of the reporter’s imagination. I felt certain that in a matter of hours, the minister would come out to deny the story and, as usual, blame its writers for quoting him out of context. But hours ran into days without a word from the minister denying any aspect of the incredible story. When I had waited for six days without any indication that the minister would deny the story, it dawned on me that the words attributed to

him were indeed his.

He had gone to Kaduna to inspect the power project in the northern Nigerian city, after which he cheerfully declared that the Federal Government had achieved 4,000 megawatts of electricity. On account of that, he said, electricity supply in the country had become as stable as sunlight. “The things that prevented power stability happened not to be so much about money but real issues that can be addressed by minor tracking of the system or just discipline in the system, and we have addressed quite a lot of those things. So, there is significant drop in system collapse,” he was quoted as saying. He also dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that dealers in generator could be sabotaging the efforts of government in the area of steady supply of electricity, saying, “Importers of generators are not sabotaging our efforts. Let them be doing their own; we are doing our own.”

These, ordinarily, are words that would gladden the heart of the average Nigerian, given the traumatic experience of the populace with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the agency saddled with the responsibility of supplying the electricity

•Nnaji

‘

We busy ourselves with the game of deceit while neighbouring Ghana is enjoying uninterrupted power supply and all the companies of consequence in Nigeria are relocating to the country

’

needs of the people. The only problem is that they don’t seem to match the realities of the power situation in the country. The PHCN, which in a fit of frustration some have corrupted variously to the Power House of Corruption in Nigeria, have supplied more of darkness than light.

Since the minister ate his excess sugar, I have been the one suffering the dysentry. Since he made the statement that some have now tagged the Kaduna declaration of falsehood, my phone has been inundated with calls and text messages from readers who wanted to know if the minister actually pronounced the words that were credited to him in the story. Some asked if he conducts the affairs of his ministry from an outpost in Ghana. Others asked if he knew the difference between Nigeria and Aso Rock. The more exasperated ones have been asking me for the minister’s number, just so that they might tell him a piece of their minds over his alleged brazen exhibition of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians. Unfortu-

nately, I had no way of helping them. I don’t even know the phone number of the minister’s spokesman, not to talk of the minister’s.

I really wish the readers knew I was as alarmed as they were at the minister’s statement. Like many readers, I have been wondering if Prof. Nnaji was talking about the same Nigeria known to the rest of us. As I write this , deafening sound of generators remains the order in my neighbourhood. Even The Nation correspondent in Kaduna, who reported the minister’s claims, was gracious enough to add that at the time he was making the infamous declaration, many parts of Kaduna were in darkness. Was it then a desperate attempt to please his boss by justifying the billions that are sunk into the power sector on a regular basis or he was simply out to insult our sensibilities?

Assuming it is true that the nation now generates as much as 4,000 megawatts of electricity, would that be something worth celebrating in a country with a population of more than 150 million? South Africa ,with a population less than a third of Nigeria’s, generates as much as 20,000 megawatts without making any show of it. We busy ourselves with the game of deceit while neighbouring Ghana is enjoying uninterrupted power supply and all the companies of consequence in Nigeria are relocating to the country.

I believe the honourable minister is afflicted with the same ailment to which many of our leaders have fallen victim. They are so much out of touch with the people they govern that they cannot relate with their conditions. That is the premise upon which the proposed removal of fuel subsidy is based. President Goodluck Jonathan and his cabinet are buried in the exotic life in the Aso Rock and would find it difficult to imagine the additional pains it would inflict on the already pauperised people. With free food, free cars, free fuel, free electricity and even free women in profuse abundance, they can never understand it when you tell them that there are Nigerians who don’t know where their next meal would come from.

Killings fields, Aso Rock and endless profligacy Knucklehead

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ECAUSE of the festive season and what it portends in this season of wonky legs, writing about the official charade called budgeting was out of the picture when I sat down to develop this piece. Instead, I was intent on chronicling the earth-rending stories of bombs and gunfire that ricocheted through the cities and townships as killer sects etched a bloodied painting on the 2011 canvas. In just one year of unmitigated turmoil, the Nigerian story has changed. There are no safe havens anymore. Even fortresses like the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly have had to adopt desperate measures to stave off imminent attacks from the dreaded Boko Haram sect. And, of course, the outcome of that desperation is reflected in the humongous amount set aside to tackle security in the 2012 Budget. For the preservation of their lives, the government is prepared to throw money at the problem. And it is doing that in style. Is it any surprising then that the government is toying with the idea of borrowing money from India, China and France to fund its budget of transformation?

Nigeria has indeed transformed. Exactly a year today, its transformation from a relatively peaceful country with its own fair share of the absurd began with the detonation of five bombs in Jos, Plateau State. The blast, which went off at a social centre in Angwan Rukuba, left, in its trail, scores of casualties and many others maimed. The catalogue of agonizing tales was to continue on December 31 when a huge explosion silenced the celebratory ambience at Abacha Barracks’ Mammy Market in Abuja. As medics battled to save the lives of survivors of the Abuja tragedy, news of a twin devastating explosions at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Kabong, and the President Goodluck Jonathan Flyover, Jos, filtered in. Worshippers had planned to celebrate the beginning of another year with firecrackers but they were bombed out of existence.

And thus marked the genesis of a nation’s journey into the dark tunnel where terrorists hold sway. There was the April 8, 2011 bomb blast at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office in Suleja which killed, at least, six people, mostly ex-youth corps members. There was the Maiduguri explosion of April 26. In May 29, the mammy market at the Shandawanka Barracks in Bauchi State caved in under intense bombings, killing 13 people on the spot while scores were injured. There was the May 30 explosion on Baga Road, Maiduguri. Then followed the June 4 blast at another mammy market in Bauchi State where 13 people died and over 40 others suffered various degrees of injuries. Then another blast killed 10 persons in Maiduguri on June 8. And on June 16, there was the big one which rocked the heart of the Federal Capital Territory and put a big question mark on the ability of the police to protect the citizens as an alleged suicide bomber detonated a car bomb at the Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force located some few kilometers from the seat of power. Till date, the

police are yet to unravel the mystery surrounding the terror visited on its symbol of authority.

The bloody killings were to continue unabated. On June 26, a blast killed 27 persons at a drinking spot in Dala Kabonti, Maiduguri.; 10 persons were killed near a police barracks in Maiduguri on July 3; three persons were killed on July 10 during a blast at the All Christian Mission Church in Suleja; three others were killed via bomb blast on August 5 in Maiduguri; a suicide bomber attacked the United Nations building in Abuja on August 25, killing 25 persons while hundreds were injured; seven died in a September 13 blast in Bauchi; two died in an explosion in Maiduguri on October 2; on October 17 in Gombe State, four people were killed in yet another blast; there were the October 24 and 31 explosions in Kaduna and Borno states, which killed four people; there was the coordinated gun and bomb attacks in Damaturu, Yobe State with over 100 casualties; and the counting continues in December as the killings, bombings and robberies recur across the country. The harvest of blood, tears and sorrows seems unending.

The question is: what is Aso Rock doing to stop the needless killings of these innocent, unarmed and often unknown Nigerians? Well, no one can accuse the present landlord of Nigeria’s power house of doing nothing. Aso Rock is not only fortifying the rocky enclave with state-of-the-art gadgets to repel any attacks, it is doing everything within its power to purchase the best mobile bunker money can buy for President Jonathan and his deputy, Namadi Sambo. If the National Assembly would be kind enough to pass the 2012 Appropriation Bill as submitted by The Presidency, we may soon be breaking the vault to provide the kind of comfort that should be the exclusive preserve of the high and mighty in our midst.

These are persons that are rarely affected by the senseless killings that have ravaged the land in the last one year. Yet, they need more protection because their demise, in whatever guise, transforms into a national calamity! Arrant nonsense.

And so, to forestall any story that touches the heart, plans are underway by The Presidency to acquire two brand new bullet proof vehicles next year to replace the “aged vehicles of the Presidential Ground Fleet (PGF). This patriotic effort, according to findings, will cost a princely sum of N280m as a unit of the Mercedes Benz saloon 600E will cost N140m. In the same breath, Aso Rock plans to appropriate various funds to tackle the security challenges. They include the procurement of five Mercedes Benz saloon 350 (semi plain/partial bullet proof) at N25,000,000 each; 10 jeeps (assorted - Range Rover, Prado and Land Cruiser) at N10,000,000 each; accessories and maintenance equipment for guard vehicles at N25,000,000; the upgrading of Villa facilities; the extension of Villa gates 2, 7 & 11 at N75,960,819.50; extension of power supply to the State House Central Store at N35,913,032.40; extension of UPS power source to the popular Presidential Guest House No. 7, Villa, at N57,427,205.20; overhauling of

With

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

power house generator sets 1and 2 at N127, 500,000; renovation and refurbishing of the family wing of the main residence at N512,375,533.00; land reclamation at the State House Medical Centre at N385,350,320.00; rehabilitation of transformer sub-station in the Villa at N101,671,574.78; extension/ expansion of State House car parks at N97,950,710.50 and provision of communication equipment for the Villa, Dodan Barracks, Marina and Vice President’s guest house in Lagos at N 108,000,000.00.

I wish I could continue reeling out the figures but for lack of space. You can’t but wonder whether all this profligacy would ever stop. Besides the outrageous figure set aside for homeland security which is tearing the National Assembly apart, it is, to say the least, confounding to understand how easy it has become for the leadership to take its citizens for a ride. How long ago, for instance, was money appropriated for the purchase of new bullet proof vehicles for the No. 1and 2 citizens? Are the vehicles that ‘aged’ as they are being portrayed? In a country where the populace is being badgered to make additional sacrifices with the planned removal of fuel subsidy, is Aso Rock morally justified to fork out N280m for the purchase of mobile toys for the President and his Vice?

How is anyone sure similar demands would not be made by the ministers, senators and House of Representatives members in the nearest future?

If the government is serious about tackling the security challenges and winning the confidence of the people, it should stop, forthwith, the exaggerated attention it is paying on itself. The manner the government has been appropriating funds to itself to service questionable contracts will only ignite the wrong passions and attract cynical comments. How on earth can Aso Rock defend budgeting a whopping N1,502,149,195.38 for upgrading? How can it justify N992.57 million (about N1bn) set aside for food and general catering services in 2012?

As the orgy of violence and killings take toll on our collective psyche, why is Aso Villa carrying on as if only two things matter—the sickening urge to satisfy its culinary tastes and provide maximum security for those who rule from that heavily fortified fortress? Is this what democratic governance has become in Nigeria? Do have a memorable, happy Christmas!

Weekend

PEOPLE THE NATION, Saturday, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Relat io

nship

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PROLOGUE

No escaping The Bomber, our person of the year Sam OMATSEYE

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Enter The Bomber, the purveyor

•Scene of the blast at the Force Headquarters, Abuja

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011's Person of the Year is a complex amal gam of diverse components, somewhat like the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) he wields with such lamentable efficiency. He is a purveyor of panic, a trader in terror, a dealer in destruction. He is 'The Bomber'.

Three major events told the story of the bomber more than anything else. The first was the attack on the Force Headquarters, Abuja. The second was the assault on the United Nations building, and the third was the non-event of the October One independence celebrations, in which the president hid under the cover of the Aso Villa to mark a usually ornate event of drums and fanfare.

We could add a fourth, a portentous nonevent too when the United States unveiled intelligence reports about the possible attacks on the prominent hotels in Abuja.It became routine in Borno and Yobe states, and the nation saw that the body associated with it was called Boko haram. But we saw it not only in Borno, or in Abuja, but all over the country.

In Lagos, the airports crippled over fears of attacks. In Niger Delat, during the elections, bombs after bombs shook from Delta State to Bayelsa State. While we thought it was a north-east imbroglio, explosions rocked Kano and Kaduna, and then Sapele. The story of Jos also added its script of blood.

The Bomber is so called because he is what he does. He builds devices designed to cause explosions, plants them or throws them in crowded areas where they can cause maximum damage and loss of life. He kills and destroys because he wishes to persuade society of the veracity of his beliefs and the necessity of their universal imposition without discussion or demur. As one who prides himself on his unquestioning loyalty to his cause, he sees no reason why his objectives or his methods of achieving them should be questioned by others.

He is the front man for a virtual cottage industry made up of chemists, engineers, fabricators, suppliers of materiel, landlords who provide premises and safe houses, drivers with local knowledge of targets and religious scholars to offer an ideological basis for his actions.

It is not that The Bomber lacks a moral compass. He is not a mere sociopath who does not understand that there are ethical restrictions on what he can and cannot do. On the contrary, he actually believes that his beliefs are so intrinsic to his own existence that he should not only be prepared to die for them, but is under divine obligation to kill for them.

And kill he does. Since the beginning of the year, several hundreds of Nigerians and foreigners have died as a result of the activities

The Bomber’s nebulous identity has triggered a variety of reactions. He has been variously condemned, commended, appealed to and offered amnesty. He is the recipient of abject apologies and unmentionable insults. He has been dismissed as abysmally ignorant and acknowledged as incredibly intelligent. He is an alien and an indigene... of The Bomber. They include policemen, soldiers, diplomats, traders, politicians, would-be bombers, and The Bomber himself. The indiscriminate nature of The Bomber’s targets is a testimony to the savage effectiveness of the blunt weapon that has come to define him. They convey the message that nobody is safe, and such widespread insecurity feeds into The Bomber’s already-unshakeable belief that his cause is the right one. He reacts with satisfaction to the pain, grief, outrage and fear of his victims, all of which concentrates minds wonderfully, even those of a nation where amnesia is endemic.

The Bomber, naturally, has an overwhelming preference for the bomb over other weapons. He prefers it for its capacity to kill many people at once, and its relative ease of design, construction and deployment. He is particularly enamoured of its capacity to attract publicity, a feature which has trailed its bloody path ever since the bomb-thrower first came to modern prominence with anarchist groups in pre-First World War Europe. He knows that the bomb spreads terror more effectively than other weapons. Unlike bullets, knives, machetes and cudgels whose destructive impact can be narrowed to individual trauma, a bomb is an essentially communal device: it strikes at a community’s sense of itself as being safe, predictable and secure.

Although The Bomber has been at work long before 2011, this year has been a particularly busy one for him. Since January, towns and cities across Nigeria have reverberated to the thunderous sounds of explosions which have destroyed buildings, turned vehicles into smoking wrecks, and shattered lives. From ultra-modern Abuja through liberal Kaduna to rustic Damaturu, The Bomber has shown his capacity to wreak ruin and kill people.

Even worse, he appears to have undermined a nation’s unshakable confidence that things will be better, and shaken its confidence in itself. When the explosions first started, Nigeria was in denial. First,

the country took refuge in its self-acclaimed easy-going nature and love of life: it was “not in our character”. The arrest in 2009 of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab led to another excuse: those using explosives as instruments of persuasion were recruited, radicalised and trained “outside” in ideologies alien to Nigeria. The Bomber exploded those pretences with a bang, and with him came the end of a nation’s naive delusions about what it believed its citizens were capable of.

As crude as The Bomber’s methods often are, they represent a sophisticated assault on Nigeria’s many fault lines of religion, sect, ethnicity, indigenousness and class. He did not create those divisions, but he has widened them almost to breaking point. As such, he is the manifestation of deep-rooted problems, rather than the problem itself; he is

symptom, not cause.

Perhaps this is why The Bomber is so difficult to pin down. He is at once everyone and no one. He has been simultaneously linked with the powerful and well-connected, the poor and marginalised, and a variety of external forces, ranging from international terror organisations to international spy agencies.

The Bomber currently has an essentially northern Islamist bias, but his origins are definitely multi-ethnic. He hails back to the eggthrower of the late 90s in pro-democracy Lagos and the more recent dynamite-wielder of confrontational resource control. His ability to take on the character of his immediate surrounding is one of his major assets. When it suits him, he can speak the language of religious purity or political radicalism.

Regardless of what he advertises as his attitude to modern technology, he has displayed an ability to utilise its products as effectively as any geek. He issues telephone warnings and conducts interviews by e-mail. He has displayed a surprisingly nimble media savvy that has incensed government and alarmed the public.

The Bomber’s nebulous identity has triggered a variety of reactions. He has been variously condemned, commended, appealed to and offered amnesty. He is the recipient of abject apologies and unmentionable insults.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

of terror, panic and destruction

•Suspected Boko Haram members in court

He has been dismissed as abysmally ignorant and acknowledged as incredibly intelligent. He is an alien and an indigene. He is a rebel with a cause, a rebel without a cause.

He is freedom fighter and terrorist.

Who he is and what he wants have come to dominate national discourse like nothing else did in 2011. For a person who loves to hide himself in the shadows, he has ironically become the unwanted listener in every conversation and the unneeded guest at every gathering. Jokes abound about how The Bomber’s ability to carry out his threats has forced the most ostentatious citizens to adopt a low profile. Power outages at public gatherings provoke undignified dashes towards exit doors. Loud noises are no longer ignored.

The Bomber has significantly altered Nigeria’s landscape. In a supposedly peaceful era, the country has increasingly taken on the character of a nation at war. The military has intruded into the public sphere to a degree not seen since the end of military rule in 1999. There are heavily-armed task forces in the Niger Delta, Plateau State and Borno State. There are more stop-and-search units on roads and expressway s across the country. The uncompromising rules of engagement adopted by the task forces reinforce the impression: dusk-to-dawn curfews, house-to-house searches, gun battles lasting

for hours.

Even language has been militarised. All the talk is now of “security infrastructure” and “security architecture”, “no-drive zones”, “blast-proofing” and “actionable intelligence”. Nigeria’s security agencies have taken refuge in the comfortable familiarity of cliché: they are “on top of the situation.” even when it is the situation that is above them; they will “fish out” The Bomber, when it is clear that they are not fishers of men; there are promises to “bring the terrorists to book”, although the book is never given a title; assurances are made about a preparedness to “nip the problem in the bud”, although the problem has started to flower; people are encouraged to “go about their lawful business”, even though The Bomber has succeeded spectacularly in going about his very unlawful business; formerly “bloody civilians” are reminded that security is “everybody’s business”.

In time-honoured tradition, Nigeria is attempting to come to terms with The Bomber by throwing money at the problem he represents. Nearly one trillion naira has been devoted to “security” in the 2012 national budget; The Bomber is certain to ensure that government gets value for money.

—Harry OLUFUNWA

•Left & Right: Other scenes of the UN building blast

•UN workers crying after the bomb blast that rocked the Abuja building of the organisation

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

T

HE heart of democracy draws its nourish ment and support from periodic elections.

It is the key feature that distinguishes democracy from all forms of autocratic systems.

If in ancient Athens, the people could gather at designated places to discuss and take decisions, this has become impossible in the complex modern societies where political territories are made up of millions, in some cases billions of people, hence the need for representative government. A government is representative and responsible when it draws its strength from the citizens who freely elect people to execute defined programmes.

One major challenge that Nigeria has had since independence in 1960 is the conduct of credible and acceptable elections that would meet the needs and expectations of the people and accord with international standards. Election time in Nigeria is war time and political chieftains approach campaigns as military commanders get set for major battles. Opponents are seen as enemies who must be crushed. The stakes are so high that the polity is literally set on fire and, rather than unite the country, the social fabric is weakened each time an election is held.

It was within this context that Attahiru Muhammadu Jega and a new set of national commissioners assumed office in June last year.

The 2011 general elections were approaching and, having committed itself to redressing what had gone wrong with the conduct of previous elections, the Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration had to demonstrate utmost goof faith in deciding the chief umpire. Confidence in the electoral system and its outcome was at its lowest ebb and there was a need to choose a man who had paid his dues in the cause of serving the peoples’ cause. The mantle fell on Jega.

Jega, a Professor of Political Science was, at the time of his appointment, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano. He had served creditably as national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at a very difficult period under the Ibrahim Babangida regime. The reputation he brought to office was captured by one of the major national newspapers that described him, at his appointment, as “a radical at INEC”.

The question then was, would he be faithful to the calling? Could he shun all temptations and do that which is considered right? Could he leave office with his integrity as high as it was when he was sworn in?

Jega was not the first INEC chairman considered a man of honour at appointment. The first electoral commission chairman after independence was Comrade Eyo Esua, a trade unionist of repute. He had the respect and support of politicians of all hues who believed that he would not misapply the rules. However, the 1964 federal elections exposed the hollowness of the Esua commission. It pushed the young country to the precipice and it took di-

Jega: Reformer at INEC vine intervention to steady a tottering democracy. Even then, the First Republic was consumed by the raging fire set by the 1964 polls.

After 13 years of military rule, the man who had the task of midwifing the Second Republic was Chief Patrick Ani, a federal permanent secretary. Neutrality and anonymity was considered the hallmark of the civil service, at least at the time. But, even if by nothing else, the twelve two-thirds controversy at the centre of which were Ani and his presidential election returning officer, Francis Menkiti, reverberates till date.

Other men who preceded Jega in the office include Justice Ovie Whiskey, a former Chief Judge of Bendel State; Eme Awa who, like Jega, was a Professor of Political Science, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, another political scientist, who conducted the botched 1993 presidential election; Professor Okon Uya, a historian who never had the opportunity of conducting any election before he had to quit the office and Chief Sumner Dagogo-Jack who was, at his appointment by the Genral Sani Abacha government, a seasoned federal civil servant.

The man who succeeded Dagogo-Jack at the inception of the Fourth Republic was Ephraim Akpata who came highly recommended from the Supreme Court Bench. He conducted only the 1999 election before the cold hands of death snatched him away. He was succeeded by Dr. Abel Guobadia, an academic, university administrator and diplomat. When Guobadia had to retire in 2005, Maurice Iwu, a Professor of Phamacognocy and former ASUU activist, took over. He remained in the saddle until last year

FIRST RUNNERUP

when he was asked to step down before the expiration of his tenure.

It can, therefore, be emphatically said that the men appointed to the office have all been tested and had solid reputation before assuming office. But, none succeeded on the job. The question in 2010 was: Would Jega succeed?

One year, one general election after, the people and stakeholders believe that the INEC chairman has fairly sanitised the stable. The sail has been turbulent. By the dictates of the 2006 Electoral Act, which was subsisting at his appointment, Jega had to roll out the timetable for the 2011 elections within 60 days of assuming office. It proved to be the first false start. He promised to deliver credible poll registration as a base for the elections if the National Assembly could fast-track the process of approving funds before mid-August. The legislators met their side of the bargain, but Jega could not as the odds were stacked against him.

Consequently, the polls were moved from January 2011 to April and registration commenced in January.

The second false start was on Day One of the elections. Gross shortage of materials marred the first outing of the Jega commission on April 2. The people had trooped out in their millions to exercise their civic duty only to discover that INEC was not prepared. There was apprehension in the land as observers, analysts and the electorate wondered if Jega truly appreciated the enormity of the task at hand. The question was: Why didn’t Jega wait for the voters to arrive at polling units before realising that materials were not fully supplied by the vendors? Was he hoping for a miracle overnight? However, he quickly picked up from the spot.

Observers, domestic and international, who

had dismissed the Iwu 2007 exercise as the worst in the history of the country, had commendation for Jega. He was adjudged sincere and committed. The result is less litigation.

At the 7th All Nigeria Editors Conference in Benin City in September, Professor Jega had a rare opportunity of assessing himself. He said: “Having done what we considered a credible voter registration- it was not perfect, but it was credible enough to be a good foundation for conducting the elections- we proceeded with making adequate preparation for the elections.”

Based on that assessment, Jega has started a review of the process- ahead of the 2012 governorship polls in five states. He has committed himself to getting offenders prosecuted, strengthen partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association and civil society groups. He has called for additional legal reforms, additional amendment to the Electoral Act and delineation of constituencies in line with the dictates of the constitution and the 2006 population census.

A lot more needs to be done to raise the standard of elections in the country. Is Jega the man to restore the pride of Nigerians? He has taken a big step forward in conducting elections this year. There is now a credible voter register.

There is a database that features biometrics of more than 73 million Nigerians. The technology appears right.

If Jega’s INEC continues on track, genuine democracy is assured. For demonstrating courage, commitment and patriotism, Attahiru Jega is the first runner-up in The Nation choice of Man of the Year 2011.

— Bolade OMONIJO, Group Political Editor

‘

A lot more needs to be done to raise the standard of elections in the country. Is Jega the man to restore the pride of Nigerians? He has taken a big step forward in conducting elections this year. There is now a credible voter register. There is a database that features biometrics of more than 73 million Nigerians. The technology appears right

’

The youth corps member: Martyr of unity T

HE tiny, little twine that binds Nigeria’s claim to nationhood almost snapped last April. It was in the thick of the general elections. Suddenly all hell seemed to have been let loose as explosions went off in many places in some parts of the north. The offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were targeted and caught up in the deadly pyrotechnics were members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). When the thick smoke cleared, over a dozen of them lay among the debris of shame and destruction. The essence of Nigeria’s youth, Nigeria’s vigour and her patriotism had been felled. Nigeria tottered.

The ‘youth corper’ (as he is popularly known) symbolises Nigeria at her prime and her best. Well- educated and pressed to the service of his fatherland, he wears the badge of duty and self-denial. He gives a year of his life to the homeland and in an election year, he is on hand to legitimise a process that is at once tenuous and toxic. Through the last 37 years, the ‘youth corper’ was respected and protected. Any corner of the country he found himself was home. In his cheap khaki overalls and innocent plimsolls, he was always pointed out as a sovereign entity, a ‘government pikin’ that must never be violated.

But this code was breached this year, especially in Suleja, Niger State, where the INEC office was bombed and about 10

SECOND RUNNERUP

•Corps members at a parade ‘youth corpers’ died. As bodies of the gallant youths arrived various states of the federation draped in national colours, Nigeria mourned and the grieving was national. Never before had this happened to our soldiers, soldiers of patriotism. The nation was indeed troubled; panic ensued and parents balked. No father wants to be Abraham anymore, especially when you are not sure it wasn’t God speaking. Let every ‘corper’ serve in his home state, was the refrain. Some wanted an outright

dismantling of the youth service structure.

It has outlived its usefulness, yet some others conjectured.

However, better counsel prevailed. The service seems to be drawing strength from its calamity. While the trouble spots are avoided, the ‘soldier marches on into all corners of Nigeria, bearing high the banners of oneness and patriotism. Upon call-up, he is ensconced in far-flung hamlets and villages that he only read about in geography books. Here, he is engaged in

teaching, in providing medical services and in community enhancement. It was the ‘corper’ who discovered the naked aborigines of Koma who were far removed from civilisation right there in the central part of Nigeria. It is during service that many discover their life partners, their true calling and their fortune. The service is a fraternity and a life-long experience.

2011 is truly the year of the ‘youth corper’; the year of his sorrow and the year of his rebirth.

—Steve OSUJI

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

O

PINIONS might differ among Nigerians as to whether Mrs Farida Waziri, the erstwhile chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was a good anti-corruption czar or not; but her cup was full in the eyes of her boss, President Goodluck Jonathan who removed her unceremoniously on November 24.

Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, claimed Mrs Waziri’s removal was “evidence of Mr. President’s determination to revitalise the fight against corruption.”

Mrs. Waziri was appointed EFCC chairman by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on May 18, 2008 and confirmed by the Senate on May 27, 2008.

Her exit brought to two the number of chief executives to be so relieved of their appointments at the commission. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, her predecessor and pioneer chairman of the EFCC, was similarly sacked in ignoble circumstances in 2007. The main snag in Ribadu’s tenure was that the commission was used to haunt the political foes of then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Media reports, however, said Mrs. Waziri had to go because the war against corruption was losing verve and that the commission appeared too cozy with some of the big people it was supposed to use as scapegoats for the crusade. The James Ibori case was cited, in which the commission

Farida Waziri: Saint or villain?

May be with time, we would know the real reasons for Mrs Waziri’s sack, since nothing has been said about that by the government. It is also time that would tell whether her successor, Ibrahim Lamorde (who is now in acting capacity), will be a better anti-corruption fighter than her or not

lost in court but was expected to appeal the ruling of the high court, Asaba, which acquitted him, but it didn’t. She also had

running battles with the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Bello Adoke, among other speculated reasons for her sack.

No doubt, Nigeria needs an effective and impartial head at the EFCC to tame the cankerworm of corruption that has eaten deep into the fabric of the country and has kept us perpetually at the top of the

corruption index. May be with time, we would know the real reasons for Mrs Waziri’s sack, since nothing has been said about that by the government. It is also time that would tell whether her successor, Ibrahim Lamorde (who is now in acting capacity), will be a better anti-corruption fighter than her or not.

—Tunji ADEGBOYEGA

Chinua Achebe: Conscience of the nation

E

VERY generation is with its prophet.

Indeed, woe betides that age that is bereft of that strident voice singing to it that discordant tune it hates to hear. Our octogenarian novelist, poet, essayist and elder statesman, Professor Chinualumogu Achebe has fitted fine into that role. His literary works have become standard texts across the globe; his wizened face has long been adopted as Nigeria’s national icon of universal pride and about 25 years ago, he earned the Nigerian National Merit Award, the highest recognition for intellectual achievement.

All these, however, have not earned Achebe honourable mention in our Man of the Year for 2011. What in our view, has elevated Achebe to the status of a prophet among his people is that twice in 10 years,

J

Twice in 10 years, he has rejected Nigeria’s National Honours from two different presidents. His reason: they are poor leaders. He would not in good conscience, wear their medals because they are obdurate and would not listen to wise counsel... he has rejected Nigeria’s National Honours from two different presidents.

His reason: they are poor leaders. He would not in good conscience, wear their medals because they are obdurate and

Salami: Quintessential jurist

USTICE Isa Ayo Salami is a jurist that amplified the virtue of forthrightness in the Temple of Justice. His presidency restored the credibility of the Court of Appeal that was then at its lowest ebb.

Nigerians at a point nearly gave up on the capacity of the appellate court to dispense quality and dispassionate judgments: But Justice Salami’s tenure catapulted the Court of Appeal to high pedestal ratings in the eyes of the people.

He inspired landmark judgments in Ekiti and Osun states among other states where mandates of the people were hijacked by electoral robbers. His admirable leadership style that imbues, once again, public confidence in the judiciary rattled the powers that be. He refused alleged dictation from Justice Katsina Alu, former Chief Justice of

For standing to uphold the independent and impartiality of the judiciary in the face of persecution, we have chosen Justice Salami for a honourable mention Nigeria to give judgment in a particular manner in the Sokoto State governorship election petition appeal.

The system for this effrontery used the

instrumentality of the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC) to tyrannise, suspend and later hound him out of service, even when there is a subsisting court case on the matter.

For standing to uphold the independent

Al-Makura: Unusual voice for the disabled

D

would not listen to wise counsel. They would not do the right things and in Achebe’s highly revered opinion, they run a country that is in decay and perpetual recession.

—Steve OSUJI

ECEMBER 6, Nasarawa State Governor ,Tanko Al-Makura, reminded Nigerians that physical disability is not exclusive to the lower crust of society. That day, he led over 500 Nigerians to the National Assembly to protest the delay in giving assent to the Disability Bill. The bill seeks to establish a National Commission for

Persons with Disabilities, with responsibilities for the welfare, education, health-care and protection of the social, economic, civil and political rights of disabled Nigerians.

Leading the protesters, the governor, a member of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disability (JONAP-WD), told the lawmakers that

the government was not giving disabled citizens a fair deal. He should know: he suffers hearing impairment himself.

For identifying with the class of Nigerians, despite his privileged status, and for lending his weighty voice to get the bill signed into law, he earns our commendation.

— Sanya ONI

and impartiality of the judiciary in the face of persecution, we have chosen Justice Salami for a honourable mention.

— Bolaji SANUSI

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011 C

‘We joined car-snatching gang because we could not resist the N25,000 its leader paid us weekly’

•Stolen cars allagedly recovered from the suspects

Ebele BONIFACE

A

ROBBERY suspect, Muyideen Mudashiru (31), arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command has confessed that he joined a robbery gang after its leader paid his wife’s hospital bill.

Mudashiru, who made the confession while narrating his role in some robbery and car-snatching operations around Lagos, said: “I am a native of Ifu community in Osun State and I •Bolaji am married with two children. My father is late but my mother is in the village and I am the one who takes care of her. I learnt panel beating for six years and managed to have a workshop at Abijun in Ajah, Lagos. I worked with one Baba Rashidi, who ran away when he heard that SARS men had arrested me.

“We used to get jobs once or twice a week, and each job fetched us between N2,000 and N3,000. If we got N2,000, we would share it N1,000 each. Although it was small, it was better than nothing. I could not pay the school fees of my children, but we were feeding.

“My trouble started when Festus came to my workshop and asked me how many jobs I used to get in a week and how much I took home. I told him that if I had a better site, I would be willing to relocate, so that I could make some money on a daily basis.

About two days later, he came again and told me that because I was good at panel beating, he would like to be giving me jobs. He said he had a three-bedroom flat where he would like me to be doing the job for him. I obliged. He said both Baba Rashidi and I would do it together and he would pay us about N50,000 every week.

“From the first job he gave us, we shared N25,000 each and we were happy that we were working for a big man. He brought different kinds of jeeps and cars.

I started sending my children to school and even sent between N5,000 to N20,000 to my mother in the village every week, depending on the number of jobs we got. My life changed and my suffering reduced drastically.

“I thought he was an importer of vehicles or a smuggler. He used to be very kind to me. Even when there was no job, he used to give me between N5,000 and N10,000 if I complained to him that I was broke. He told me I should not complain as long as he was alive. I did not know that he was leading a robbery and car-snatching gang until I was arrested by policemen from Ajah Police Station and asked to write a statement as a member of the gang.

“When I was released, I asked his friend, Akaba (still at large) Festus’ real work. He said he was surprised that after working for Festus for more than two months, I did not know that he was an armed robber. I told Akaba that I would not be able to work for Festus again.

“Few weeks after, I had no money to take care of my family. Life became difficult for me again. I went to friends and relations to see if they could help me when my condition worsened with a strange illness that

•Muyideen, the Panelbeater

afflicted my wife. She was admitted in the hospital and all my running around to get money for drugs, not to talk of the total bill, became a big problem. Nobody was willing to help me and I had no money on me.

“When I heard that Festus had been discharged in court, I ran to him and narrated my problem to him. Without talking too much, he asked me how

•Continued on Page 18

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

‘We joined car-snatching gang because we could not resist the N25,000 its leader paid us weekly’ From the first job he gave us, we shared N25,000 each and we were happy that we were working for a big man.

He brought different kinds of jeeps and cars. I started sending my children to school and even sent between N5,000 to N20,000 to my mother in the village every week, depending on the number of jobs we got. My life changed and my suffering reduced drastically...

•Felix

•Continued from Page 16 much the hospital bill was and I told him it was N30,000. That was in the middle of last year. My wife was pregnant but did not know.

She took some drugs and it resulted in abortion and serious illness. After I was given the bill, I did not go back to the hospital. It was Akaba and Festus who called me and asked whether I was ready to work for them, saying they had settled my wife’s hospital bill.

“I had no choice but to agree because I was down financially and there were no jobs. To feed my family became a problem. I went back to my workshop, expecting to see them. When they came, I told them that I had agreed to continue to work for them and that I was ready to go to jail with them.

“Festus is with my phone number and Baba’s number. Either of us he called first would contact the other. He started paying us and my life changed again for better. I could not leave the gang because

they saved me from trouble.”

Asked how he worked for the gang, he said: “When Festus brought in a vehicle, he would take it to an apartment he rented at Shango Tedo, Ajah and call us on the phone. We would go there with hammer and chisel. We would break the glass which carried the registration number of the real owner or any mark the owner had identified the car with. The boy who lived in the house was an Igbo boy named Israel. We would then use the gum and new glass Festus had bought and fix them, after which we would collect N50,000 and leave.

“Festus has his own painter to whom he contracts painting jobs.

He built more than three houses in Ajah area. Each of them is a three-bedroom flat, but the one he uses for the job is rented. He has somebody who looks after the rented apartment, and the persons lives there with his family. The person’s job is to guard the vehicles and to see that nobody spies

to know what they do there. He pays him handsomely.

“I had worked on more than 50 cars and 13 jeeps for him. I used to see the buyers when they came around, but I had no business with them. Their role does not concern me. It is a job in which you mind your own business. Otherwise, you could be misunderstood and that could land you in trouble.”

Asked how he was arrested, he said, he was arrested on the 15th of last month (November) at Abitu-Ajah, in his own house.

“The house has no residential address because the place is a new area called Labura site. Many people live there,” he said.

On how much he had made since he joined the gang, he said: “I don’t have a father. I used to send money to my mother in the village. I used to send about N5,000, N10,000 or N20,000, depending on her needs.

“I used to pay the school fees of my two children, namely Selim and Samadu. Both of them are in primary school. They are very intelligent. I don’t want them to know that I work with armed robbers. Therefore, Festus’ men do not visit me at home. It is my policy. I don’t want them to spoil my children.

“I was with my wife and two children when SARS operatives stormed my house and picked me

•Israel

The recovered vehicles 1. Toyota Sienna 2. Toyota Matrix 3. Toyota Matrix 4. Toyota Corolla 5. Toyota Corolla 6. Toyota Corolla 7. Toyota Corolla 8. Toyota Corolla 9. Toyota Corolla 10. Toyota Corolla 11. Toyota Corolla 12. Toyota Corolla 13. Toyota Corolla 14. Toyota Corolla 15. Toyota Corolla 16. Toyota Corolla

EF 843 FST BU 247 EPE CH 356 KSF DD 58 MUS CD 156 AGL EL 273 GGE EU 214 SMK BZ 973 AKD SQ 369 AAA BU 337 BDG TA 611 AAA BU 746 BDG BU 248 EPE FJ 304 APP BP 361 BDG FF 361 KRD

up at about 3 am. It was their boss, SP Abba Kyari, who came with five others and arrested me.”

The Police said the suspects were being charged for armed robbery and car snatching. Then, on May 24, 2011, one Festus Ehis Aghatise was arrested with his syndicate of car snatchers and a total of 15 Toyota Corolla saloon cars, four Toyota Hiace buses, seven Toyota Camry Saloon cars and one Honda Element saloon car were recovered from the gang.

Consequently, Festus was charged to court with members of his gang on July 27, 2011. He was remanded in prison custody, but

unfortunately, he regained his freedom in September 2011.

On November 1, 2011, he was caught in the act while robbing a man of his Toyota Corolla at Ajah area of Lagos and was arrested after exchanging gun fire with the Police. He was said to have been seriously injured in the gun battle.

He took the Police to his house to recover another stolen Toyota corolla car.

He further confessed to stealing a total of 19 Toyota vehicles between the time he left the prison in September 2011 and the time of his arrest on November 1, 2011.

Following his confessions, on November 15, 2011, at about 3 am, one Muyideen Mudashiru, the panel beater who allegedly changed all the engravings on stolen vehicles was arrested at Abijan Labora New Site, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos and he confessed to have helped the syndicate to work on more than 50 Toyota vehicles, replacing the engraved parts with new ones.

Consequently, one Victor, who was said to be the driver that took the vehicles to Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State, was arrested on November 27, 2011. He then led the Police to Warri and Port Harcourt where two other members of the syndicate were arrested and a total of 16 vehicles recovered.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Saturday

THRILLER

Christmas of many colours

See Pages 20&21

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

T

OMORROW is Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The month of December has been made famous because of the celebration, which is every December 25 of the year.

As to be expected, it has become a season of festivities all over the world.

Here in Nigeria, many seize the opportunity to engage in so many social activities, reunion and general celebrations. Hence, a lot of activities

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Christmas of involving selling, buying, travelling and many more,go along with the season.

What are the signposts of preparations for this unique season? Our correspondents in some states felt the pulse of the people and report:

Insecurity induces travelling in Kano

HOUGH preparations for the celebration in the ancient city of Kano and the state in general appear dull compared to those of southern states apparently because of the overwhelming population of Muslims, the markets are, however, filled to capacity as curios buyers from within and outside the state besiege the various major markets to buy clothes , shoes and other items for the yuletide.

Nevertheless, this year’s Christmas in Kano promises to be extremely low-keyed as most Christians in the state have started moving out of the state in droves, attributing their decision to the current security situation in the northern part of the country, including Kano.

The various motor parks visited by our correspondent have been jam packed since Tuesday with hundreds of passengers scrambling for vehicles that will convey them to their various destinations across the country.

The parks in the metropolis, particularly the popular New Road Park, Ungwa Uku Park and Naibawa Park, among others, are filled to capacity with men, women and their children. Most of them are seen with items ranging from travelling bags, bags of rice, and baskets of tomatoes to bags of onions. But the few, who perhaps have decided to brave the security challenges that is common in the whole of the north, have been doing their shopping for things that will make the season memorable.

Sabon Gari, an area predominantly occupied by non-indigenes in the sprawling ancient city, can be said to the be worst hit by the exodus of those travelling out of the state. And as a result of the mass movement, the cost of transportation has increased, albeit slightly as opposed to the massive hike anticipated by travellers and communiters.

Linus Okechukwu, a luxury bus driver, told The Nation that the cost of transport from Kano to Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu has moved slightly from N5,500 to

Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano N6,500, while the cost of transport from the ancient city to Onitsha has also increased by N1, 000. He, however, disclosed that increase in fare is anticipated as the celebration gets closer.

At the famous Kwari Textile Market, sales were relatively low compared to last year. Alhaji Adamu Mohammed, a trader, who sells textile materials in the market, decried the low patronage, pointing out that the current market situation is largely due to the recent move by the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy coupled with liquidity squeeze.

“As soon as manufacturers heard of the proposal to remove fuel subsidy, they inflated the cost of commodities, including clothing materials. We purchase these materials at very high prices and we have to increase the prices to make profit.

This is a major challenge for us because most customers have resorted to window shopping instead of making purchases and some parents have resorted to buying second hand clothes”, he rued.

Commenting on the reason for the low patronage, a welder Mr. Alex Chinedu, said he cannot afford to buy new clothes for his family because his little resources will not be enough as the prices have sky-rocketed.

At the popular Yankaba tomatoes market, Saidu Ibrahim, a tomatoes seller complained of low patronage too. He disclosed that he made more sales last year despite the high cost of the commodity. According to him, a basket of tomatoes, which sold for over N5, 000 last year now sells for between N2,500 and N3,000. Inuwa Mohammed , an onions seller, who also complained of low patronage, confirmed that many states in the country made more yields this year compared to last year, stressing that “only Maiduguri and the neighbouring Cameroon were the major suppliers of onions last year but we made better sales.”

He said a bag of onions, which

•At a motor park in Kano

•A fabric store at Oshodi

sold for as high as N25, 000 last year, now sells for between N7, 000 and N8, 000.

The situation at the Sabon Gari market, was however, different as traders made lots of sales. Parents were seen busy buying clothes, shoes and other items to commemorate the season. Even parents that are not too well off were

not left out. They were seen buying second hand clothes commonly known as “tourist” for themselves and their children.

Little boys, who assist customers in conveying goods, popularly called “dan doko,” are equally busy dragging bags of rice and other food items for a token.

Those who were buying food

stuffs explained that whereas people can forgo clothes, they cannot afford to go hungry and as such, they go more for food items.

The cost of a bag of refined rice, which cost between N8,000 and N9,000 last year, now goes for between N10, 000 and N12, 000, depending on the brand.

Low patronage mars preparations in Ondo

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N Ondo State, preparations for the yuletide have begun; since Monday, shopping for Christmas and New Year has been stepped up.

At various markets visited in Akure, the state capital and some other major towns like Ondo, Owo and Okitipupa, there is a reflection of the festivities, but not exactly as it was in the past.

At NEPA market, Akure as well as Erekesan, Isikan and

Damisi OJO, Akure

Isolo markets, house wives and some men were seen purchasing food items like rice, garri, beans, yam flour and yam tubers as well as soup ingredients.

However, customers only trickled in and the economic situation in the country was cited as the major reason.

Hence, sellers are complaining of low sales, even though prices are relatively stable.

A trader, Mrs Eunice Onitiri, lamented that patronage has been discouraging since Monday, adding: “Since Monday, I have not been able to sell four bags of rice, even though my price is reasonable.”

According to her, the liquidity crunch in the country is affecting people’s purchasing power, saying that the development could adversely affect the way people celebrate the yuletide this year.

Also, a visit to many of the parks in town showed an influx of passsengers from other parts of the country, while a sizeable number of people were also seen boarding vechicles to travel out of the state for the yuletide and New Year.

Although transport fares had not been hiked as at Wednesday, our reporter observed that many of the transporters resorted to overloading to maximise profit.

Meanwhile, civil servants are very expectant because they had not received their December salaries as at Wednesday when this report was filed in.

This might also have contributed to the low sales since the workers were yet to be “empowered”.

And when they eventually receive their salaries, they are expectant that it might include a 50 percent bonus to enable them enjoy the yuletide.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

many colours Few travellers in Lagos IKE in other parts of the country, the mood about Christmas is already catching on in Lagos. Purchases are being made; bangers are already cracking and booming.

At Oshodi, an intersection hub in the metropolis, the usual bustling typical of the sprawling city was not in short supply.

The motor parks were a beehive of activities with people who are either about to travel out or are coming into the state. However, it seems as if the general lack of money, which many people have been complaining about, has rubbed off significantly on would-be travellers.

A member of the transport union at the Oshodi park, Gbolahan Adebayo, corroborated this when he claimed that “people are not really travelling because of lack of money. We’ve been here since morning and only five of these buses have left. They are complaining about money because it is the major decider of whatever a man wants to do. These people believe in calling members of their family rather than going home,” he explained.

As for the fares, they are still relatively the same. Again, Gbolahan explained that there was no need to hike the fares. “The price is still the normal price, there is no need to increase fares”.

At the fabric stand, a supervisor with a lace outlet owned by one of the big textile companies in Nigeria, Mr. Dosumu Kehinde, in comparing previous years with the present in terms of sales, said: “People prefer buying already made stuffs than buying the cut and sew. They believe that ready-made materials could be cheaper than going for expensive lace or Ankara.

“The answer has been cash crunch. They complained about the high price. Last year, it was same thing and the year before. Customers are never satisfied with what you offer, they still prefer to go for the cheaper ones. The economy has its own way of communicating and wherever it directs us, we will go”, he explained.

But whatever the case, come tomorrow, Nigerians will find a way to enjoy themselves and pray for another opportunity to celebrate 2012.

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•Passengers and mototrists square it up at Plateau Ridders Park, Jos

•People buying soup condiments in Kano

•Buying and selling at Oshodi... in the sprirt of the season

Plateau: Fuel scarcity pushes fares up in Jos

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N Plateau State, people ordinarily travel on a daily basis, but the rate of travelling has greatly increrased in the last one week. This has to do with the season-Christmas and New Year. Before now, you could just walk to any motor park in Jos and board any available means of transport to wherever you wanted. But in the last one week, you will have to book a day before.

There is a good number of privately-owned motor parks in Jos, the Plateau State capital, but majority of travellers prefer the government-owned park in the city where there is a measure of price control.

However, within the last one week, the volume of passengers leaving Jos for various destinations in Nigeria has increased by the day, resulting in the hike in transport fares. In fact, the more the travelers troop out, the higher the fare charged.

The trend witnessed at the Plateau State government-owned motor park, called Plateau Riders, is such that since December 20, fares have been increasing daily.

Yusufu AMINU-IDEGU, Jos A passenger, Abdulsalami Yahaya, said: “I brought a cousin of mine to this park yesterday 20th and the fare to Jalingo they charged us was N2, 050. Today (Wednesday), my family is travelling and they are telling me the same fare to Jalingo has risen to N2, 500; and I already arranged to travel based on the old fare.”

Eugenia Akan, who came to Plateau Riders to board a taxi to Bayelsa, lamented: “This is wickedness, there is just no basis for this hike in fares other than because they see many people travelling; we are just being exploited. We need government to help the poor people regulate this unwarranted transport fare hike, particularly in December.”

But one of the private drivers at the park explained the hike: “Yes, many people travel for Christmas, but where is the fuel? Go to filling stations in Jos and see long queue; even at NNPC-MEGA filling station, you queue for hours. Others sell

as black market, so we charge fares as we buy the fuel. It is not our fault, let government bring adequate fuel to Jos and we will reduce the fares.”

Jos to Akure with Plateau Riders costs N4,050, while Lagos is N4,500. Those going to Port Harcourt from the same park have to pay N4, 500. From Jos to Warri is N4, 550. The northern route is not any different, just as those plying the easthern routes have all witnessed 100 per cent increase in the last two weeks.

The scarcity of fuel in Jos and environs has also affected food prices in the city. The prices of foodstuffs have risen in the last two weeks and sellers have attributed this to the huge transport fares they pay to supply the foodstuffs. Incidentally, there is more demand for foodstuffs in the month of December.

A retailer of yam in Jos Terminus Market, Madam Ruth Joshua, said: “Yes, the price has increase since last two weeks, it is because of high transport fares from where we are bringing it. The drivers told us that

there is no fuel and they have to increase the transport cost. So we also have to increase our retail price or we will suffer losses,” she said.

The prices of parboiled rice, floor, sugar and other items have risen according to the seasonal demand as every family bakes flour snacks (Chinchin).

The difference in the price of rice is not much; it rose from N7,500 to N8,500 between November and December. A measure of flour which used to be N160 is now N180 in all the markets in Jos. Vegetable oil of four litres size used to sell at N1, 800 now costs N2, 000.

Many governments and corporate organisations that normally buy cows in large quantity and give out to stakeholders at a season like this have decided to cut their cloth according to their size. There is no cow in Yan-shanu (Cow market) that costs less than N80,000 that is the smallest of all. The sizeable ones, which have protruding horns go for about N150, 000, while bigger ones cost over N250, 000 to N300, 000.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 24, 2011

Governors, monarchs, others honour Aregbesola at first anniversary

• Senator Ajimobi (left) and Ogbeni Aregbesola

• Dr. Fayemi

• Alhaji Oyetola and Hon. Ayo Omodiran

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HE feats achieved by Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State within a year deserved the celebration they were accorded recently by the people of the state.

The 16-day celebration started on Monday, November 21 with a press conference addressed by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, who was also the Chairman, Anniversary Planning Committee.

November 22 was the opening of an art and photo exhibition, and November 23 was a day of a landmark event. Ogbeni Till Daybreak or A Night with Ogbeni ,where the people of the state and beyond were able to interact with the governor for over seven hours .

On November 24, the governor addressed a world press conference. On the same day, his wife, Sherifat, had an interactive session with youths and distributed some materials to the people with special needs.

Other activities were the OYES Marathon during which the governor trekked 10 kilometres with OYES volunteers; Novelty Match between the Lagos State egislators and their Osun State counterparts; Dinner

• Oba Sijuwade

With Bankers where the governor was able to interact with managing directors and chief executive officers of banks on how to develop the economy of the state; State Banquet ; Youth Rally and Celebration of Heroes and Martyrs where the governor declared that the new schools would be named after those that paid the supreme price in the course of rescuing the state from usurpers and that scholarships to the university level would be given to the children of the martyrs ; launching of the Osun Poultry (Broiler) Outgrowers Production Scheme and the OYES Employment Sustainable Scheme.

On Friday, December 2, the governor was inducted as Patron of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and a state banquet with tradition rulers followed.

December 3 was the day of a stage drama, Omoluabi, by the Osun ANTP and December 4 was the evening of Grand Theatre where the governor and other dignitaries watched performances of theatre groups.

The governor had a meeting with the Trade Group on December 5 before it was rounded off on Tuesday, December 6

• Justice Oladoke and Oba Aromolaran

•Osun State Head of Service, Elder Segun Akinwusi (left), and Alhaji Adeoti

•From left: Hon. Mudashiru Hussein, Elder Lowo Adebiyi and DIG Sunday Adedayo Adeoye (rtd).

with the anniversary lecture and the launching of three books – The Return of Oranmiyan; The Power of Oral and Documentary Evidence and Bola Tinubu: Threading the Path of Awo. Among the dignitaries that graced the celebration were the deputy governor of the state, Otunba Titilayo LaoyeTomori; governors of Lagos, Ekiti and Edo states, Mr Babatunde Fashola, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole respectively; the former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs Sarah Sosan; the wife of the governor of Ogun State, Mrs Olufunso Amosun; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran; the Orangun of Ila, Oba Abdul-Wahab Adedotun; and other traditional rulers in the state.

Other dignitaries at the celebration were Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salam; Chief Adelowo Adedeji; Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olaniyi Ojo; President, Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Gloria Adegoke; the ACN Chairman in the state, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi; and

the Secretary, Prince Gboyega Famodun, among many others.

Some of the achievements recorded by the administration were the rebranding of the state as the state of Omoluabi, a change that had restored the lost glory of the state and its people; employment of 20,000 youths within 100 days in office under the Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme (OYES), an initiative considered as the first of its kind in the country; establishment of the Osun Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Programme (OREAP), a move to encourage the people of the state to participate in farming with special consideration for massive food production; Osun Clean (O’CLEAN), a programme designed to ensure environmental cleanliness and make people remain healthy; Osun Tourism (O’TOUR) launched to drive the tourism potential for the economic development of the state ; and financial re-engineering, a bold step to relieve the state of its huge debt burden and save money for a series of developmental projects.

Other were 50 per cent reduction in the school fees of the state-owned tertiary institutions which has gone a long way in reducing the financial burden on parents •Continued on page 48

LOCATION

BACKSTAGE

SNAPSHOT

REEL NEWS

MUSIC

SCREEN

I will set a standard in Nollywood by 2012 —Carl Jiani

-See pages 28-37

Edited by: VICTOR AKANDE

Tel: 08077408676

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

ntertainment

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

STANDh BY! Wit

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

THINK

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

TINAPA on my mind!

The Cross River State tourism development agenda is an obvious determination to make TINAPA a Nollywood destination

SNAPSHOTS

Sikiratu Sindodo bounces back!

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OPULAR Yoruba language actress, Tayo Odueke also known as Sikiratu Sindodo is back with a radiant look, after her prolong stay in the hospital over what was rumoured to be a strange ailment, which rumour mongers later said was a liver related disease.

Spotted recently at the birthday party of her colleague, Iyabo Ojo at Adegoke Nursery and Primary School in Surulere where the latter was celebrating with kids with Down Syndrome, Sindodo looked chic than ever, and full of life.

The actress who appeared bitter over the negative insinuations which her period of

ill health received in the press declined comment on the situation. She was even weary f taking personal photos, which she believed may be used by the press to initiate another topic about her. According to the actress, “Why do you want my personal picture? Is it just so you can used it on the cover of your paper for another round of news abi?,” she asked.

For fans of Sikiratu who still wonders if truly the actress is back on her feet, Snapshot can authoritatively tell you that the actress is well and full of life and ready to mingle as she was seen doing during this party put up by her colleague.

Beneath Oby Edozien's ‘secret’ wedding

The state-ofthe-arts facilities are expected to transform the raw background of the various attractions to beauty in motion pictures.

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

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

SNAPSHOTS Is Tonto on damage control mission?

RE ELNEW S Nse Ikpe, O.C Ukeje, others star in Same Page

•Lala, Kunle and Nse Ikpe

Artistes converge as COSON doles out royalties

Blue Print Records unveils K.G.A.N.G

Dstv rolls out end of year promo

•Toju Ejueyitchie, Chris Nkwocha, Dr Ben Ofoeze, Charles Imoloame, Onyeka Onwenu

All set for Black Music Carnival

•K.G.A.N.G

•Yeni Kuti

•Theo Lawson

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

My father allowed me to do music y because of m my stubbornness —Solidstar

I was very stubborn and he just at some stage allowed me to do my thing. My father is a very difficult person and I had to over convince him

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Encomium for Yinka Ayefele

All set for Koko Concert

•Yinka Ayefele

Seun Kuti at Terra Kulture

Singing Bird back with Still Here •Seun Kuti

de’s A y n n u S g n Ki to surprise visit ress ong C t s o h G y l o H

•King Sunny Ade

Denrele bags broadcasters’ award

•Denrele

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

COVER COVER

COVER COVER

‘I had to shorten my name to gain recognition’

CAROL JIANI

With over three decades in the world of showbiz, UK based NigerianCanadian singer Uchenna Ikejiani, popularly called Carol Jiani is best known for her early 1980's song; 'Hit'n Run Lover'.

In this interview with AHMED BOULOR, she opens up on her sojourn into the world of music, why she shortened her name and her plans to make a mark in Nollywood.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

•Carol Jiani with a friend

37

RE ELNEW S

How Monica Ogah emerged winner of MTN PFWA Season 4

SYLVA’S CLASSICS

Nigeria’s only National Wrestling Tourney —Igali

Pg. 30

Mancini: Man City must aim for 90 points Pg. 32

Nation Saturday, December 24, 2011

•Osaze

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT

AKINLOYE AT LARGE

•Victoria, wrestler

SYLVA’S CLASSICS

08050246155 atlarge84@yahoo.com

Nigeria’s only National Wrestling Tourney –Igali •Igali

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OW did it all begin?

The Governor Sylva’s Classics

started in 2009. It was borne out of Governor Sylva’s desire to annually host a wrestling championships in Bayelsa.

Before then, Bayelsa state had never hosted a national championships at any level, though Bayelsa state since its creation in 1996 had been national champions forfor thirteen years in a row.

Before then, what was wrestling like in the state?

Wrestling has always been one of the most revered sports in Bayelsa state. At every national championship and every National Sports Festival, Bayelsa State comes tops, but the political will to host major national championships was lacking. Governor Sylva’s involvement changed all of that.

What has the Classics being able to achieve for wrestling as a sport in the nation?

So far, the Wrestling Classics hosted by Governor Sylva is the only National Wrestling Tournament that Nigeria hosts annually. Without the Governor Sylva Classics, wrestling would not have the leverage to select athletes to represent the country at international championships.

As the House Committee chairman on sports of Bayelsa state assembly, do you think the state has impacted positively on the sport?

The sports commissioner would be in a better place to provide details on the level of implementation of most programs in the state. However, I can confirm to you that Bayelsa’s position on the medals table has hovered between 4th and 6th over the past five national sports festivals.

Judging by that, the standard of sports generally has not suffered greatly in Bayelsa; however, Governor Sylva’s deliberate sponsorship of sports has seen the rise of sports in Bayelsa. Wrestling especially, has seen a dramatic upsurge in both participation and results.

I am also aware that football, swimming, Taekwondo, kickboxing, weightlifting, judo, boxing and a host of other sports have received major facelift since Governor Sylva took over as Governor of Bayelsa State.

What are the wrestling

An open letter to Keshi DEAR Stepehen Keshi,

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The third edition of the Governor Timipre Sylva National Wrestling Classics was concluded in Yenagoa last weekend with over four hundred athletes from a mixture of twenty states and seventeen clubs from across the nation in attendance.

In this exclusive interview with Florence Nkem Israel, the Technical adviser of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Honourable Daniel Baraladei Igali x-rays what the championship means to the Nigeria Wrestling Scene. Excerpts:

•Pakistan's Azhar Hussain, top, wrestles with Nigeria's Embikewenimo Welson for the gold in their men's 55kg free style wrestling final bout at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi, India.

preparations towards next Olympics?

Well, we have started off in good fashion. The first phase of Olympic qualification took

place in Istanbul in September.

We have already qualified Sinivie Boltic, who placed fifth at the World championships.

We have two more

tournaments, first, a qualifying tournament in Chad republic and the Olympic qualifiers proper in March. We hope to qualify between 4 and 6 athletes

for the Olympics.

Should the nation bank on wrestling for medals at the next Olympics?

The nation can expect

wrestling to produce several medals any other sport can produce for Nigeria. We have a couple of athletes that are on the verge of medal performances at

the world and Olympic levels.

Over the last two years, we have consistently won medals at the world championships in female wrestling. We hope to challenge

seriously for medals at the Olympics in 2012 all things being equal.

Can u meet up with sylva’s charge of producing an Olympic gold medalist.

There is a reason why gold medals at the Olympics come sparingly; there is also a reason why Nigeria is yet to win a gold medal at the Olympics in any combatant sports, its because it takes a lot more than mere talent to win an Olympic Gold medal.

It takes a lot of factors, chief of which is proper planning. Lip service has no place in winning medals at that level. It takes year round planning and competitions to make it to the top of the podium at the Olympics. I think we have a few athletes, who given the proper opportunities, the right planning and tactic, the right administration and motivation can win medals at the Olympics. But we must get right to work. We do not have anytime to waste. Governor Sylva has promised that every wrestler that qualifies for the Olympics would be given the opportunity to train anywhere in the world.

I believe that will go a long way towards exposing our athletes to challenge for medals in 2012.

But to answer your question directly, Nigeria has never won a medal in wrestling at the Olympics; we must win a medal to win a gold medal.

Talk about aspirations and expectations.

Our philosophy at the wrestling federation is premised on sound grounding of technique and discipline.

Our goal is excellence. Our aspirations are to rise to the top of the wrestling rankings in some weight classes. To do that, we must endeavour to groom athletes from a very young age and encourage the fusion of sports and education. We must have long, medium and short term goals and plans.

When these issues and plans are sorted out, we can expect results at the highest levels.

HE year is gradually going to an end and another year, according to the human calendar is waiting in the wings.

The outgoing year drained smile and laughter from the faces and mouths of soccer loving Nigerians. It was the year that Nigeria failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations and the Olympics soccer events in both male and female categories. Though we won the African U-20 Championship, the desire of the country to win the World Cup for that category was not met. The country crashed out in the quarterfinals. We lost out of the U-17 Championship also. The competition used to be our strong point forget the fact that we field over-aged players. This time we failed to qualify so we were unable to hunt for the world cup trophy. The story was the same at club level.

Enyimba and Sunshine showed a lot of promise and we thought we would win the Champions League. The expectation collapsed in the semi final as both teams crashed out.

None of our soccer stars was nominated for the African Footballer of the year award. They never shone as stars do. None is playing for a big club. John Mikel Obi who plays for Chelsea was not found worthy to be nominated not even Osaze Odemwingie who scored 15 goals half a season. It shows how deep our football has fallen and the enormity of the job which was placed in your hands.

I wish Nigerians a happy New Year so it includes you. I hope and pray that 2012 will be different. I am in full support of your move to comb the domestic league for talents for the national team. You have begun on the right footing. A country’s national team is as strong as the domestic league. The league was strong when you were playing and it was not professional though the players lived by it. The professional league which is being run has taken a lot of battering and it is not one to be proud of. Even with that, our national team should be built on players from the national league. Don’t get discouraged in your desire to fish out talents from the domestic football. You may not like what you are seeing. The standard has fallen no doubt, but I advice you to be hopeful that the exercise you embarked upon will be fruitful.

Do not listen to those who will tell you otherwise. There are still talents in the home league no matter the low standard. If there are not, Enyimba and Sunshine would not make it to the semi final of continental competitions. The problem with those who invited domestic players in the past is that they wanted quick results and it does not work that way. IT is good you signed a three-year contract with the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF). THerefore, you have time on your hands to carry out the exercise to the logical conclusion. IY you are looking for immediate result, you will be deceiving yourself. The talents would have to be nurtured and given confidence before they can be fit for big games. Finidi George was discovered from the national league and was transformed from a midfielder to a winger. It was not done in a day; it took months before Clemens Westerhof threw him into the battle.

Emmanuel Amuneke was discovered from the domestic league and it took some work to make him fit for the national team football.

I hope your desire to have local players in the national team is genuine. If it is not to sell them to foreign clubs in the long run, I believe you will make it to the promise land.

Discipline must be maintained at all cost. The players should not be given the impression that the coach is soft. They will ride on you and discipline will break down in camp. Samson Siasia deployed the weapon of stick to maintain discipline. You have to decide the weapon to employ to keep the players above board. Stick and carrot must go hand-in-hand, but you must determine when to use the stick and when to use the carrot.

I disagree with Okocha I DISAGREE with former international, Austin Okocha on his opinion that Yakubu Ayegbeni should not be recalled to the national team.

Instead, he said, that younger players should be invited. IT is better, he added, that a coach should fail with younger players than with the old.

Okocha should tell the world which of the players in the national team is young. If we probe further, we will discover that the gap between the age of Yakubu and the players in the current team is not wide. MOst of the players in the Super Eagles are older than the age they declared in their passports. Therefore, to call them young players is a misnomer.

Strikers are meant to score goals. Yakubu is scoring goals. He has scored nine in ten games. He is competing with the so-called younger players in the national team. What else does Okocha want? A young and inexperienced player or an older and experienced one? I choose both. I vote for Yakubu to start and the younger player to come on as substitute.The problem with the so-called young players is inexperience when it comes to international football. They could be scoring for club, but when it comes to the national team, they falter due to inexperience.

Yakubu scores for both club and country and I’ll rather start with Yakubu than with Ideye though he (Ideye) has scored ten goals this season.

Yakubu has proved his former manager David Moyes wrong already and he will prove Nigerians wrong on the long run. The Blackburn striker got into the bad books of Nigerians during the World Cup in South Africa when he missed a goal which could have ensured that the Super Eagles continued in the competition. No right thinking Nigerian would applaud him for that miss. It was monumental. Yakubu should be forgiven. IT is time for forgiveness. Yakubu should be recalled to the national team so that God would forgive the land for its trespasses.

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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NATION SPORT

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ANY Nigerian football fans would wish the experiences of the country in international football this year is never repeated in their lifetime. It could be described as our worst ever in recent times , a year we returned from international outings at the club and national team levels with almost absolutely nothing to show for the huge effort and resources channelled into the game. I said almost absolutely nothing because it was a totally sad story as some cynics would try to convince themselves in other to guillotine some of the officials at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The Falcons with Coach Eucharia Uche and the Flying with Coach John Obuh returned the county to continental winning ways on the continent with victories in the CAF Women Championship and the African Youth Championship respectively. The Nigerian girls reclaimed the Women’s Nation’s Cup and went on to represent Africa at the World Cup in Germany were they finished third in their group, while the Flying Eagles were only stopped by France in the quarter finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. It is important that we acknowledge this modest achievements going forward and then diagnosing the failures of the Super Eagles and the Olympic teams that failed to qualify for the Nations Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea as well as the London 2012 Olympic Games.

It is equally important that we commend the Marketing Partners of the NFF, Pamodzi Sports which celebrated the 12th year of the partnership with some landmark deals that were either resuscitated or were brought on board in 2011.

The moribund Globacom Partnership which

2011 Football Huge marketing scores, poor competition results hung in limbo in 2009 and 2010 has been repackaged and even made more rewarding for the company and the NFF. In this direction also is the recent renewal of the Guinness partnership which went from N150m to N180m and the coming on board of Samsung.

While the NFF jerked and puffed on the field, the bank vaults were brimming with money and if we agree that football is business, then we must say also that the NFF did good business in 2011. Mike Itemuagbor, the head of Pamodzi Sports Marketing must also enter the commendation list for reposing enormous confidence in the NFF despite the crisis. The fact that he doggedly worked on the sponsors to either return, renew or come on board showed he believed in the future of the game and was not dissuaded by the shenanigans of those who were writing off the NFF. Going into the New Year, it would be nice to eliminate the cat and mouse relationship between the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the football authorities which like it or not, contributed hugely to the quake in our results. A situation where the NSC behaved like negative prayer warriors prophesying doom for our football at every turn and hounding the football house as though they are not Nigerians administering the game in Nigeria did not bode well for the country. We will

• Chinyere Mbachu of Nigeria in action against Aicha Konate of Mali

all agree that the convoluted crisis that has tracked the NFF were unnecessary distractions.

It has been reported that in the period under review, the NFF Board faced a total of 18 litigations all of which were decided in their favour. You may ask who were behind the writs and what were their motives? It was not possible for the NSC to play its fatherly and guardian role as it showed its hands as an interested party in the disputes and was actually known to have instigated the crisis through various hirelings. All men of goodwill in sports should join hands this year to exorcise the rift and restore normalcy in the relationship between the NSC and NFF because all that we reaped from the crisis are the results we have lamented in the outgoing year.

It is not as though the NFF is blameless in the poor run that was our lot in 2011. There is the matter of our domestic football that has literarily gone to the dogs. While the origins of the crisis in the league pre-dated the present NFF Board, sufficient balm has not been applied to the festering sore and the New Year is the time to shift attention to fixing domestic football through the Nigeria Premier League. Like the NSC, the NFF has joined as an interested party in the NPL disputes, denying it the equity to come clean with neutral decisions. It is important that the NFF treats all parties to the

dispute as family and bring them together under one roof for a moment of frank discussion. Furthermore, the NFF as the chief regulatory authority for football must in the coming year strengthen the organs of regulation enforcement to compel clubs and all operators of domestic football to comply with irreducible minimums.

The NFF must also in 2012 review the operations of football academies with a view to laying ground rules for establishing the soccer kindergartens. It is not about collecting registration fees but about setting standards that must be complied with just like the various states has done with education through their Ministry of Education. Starting with the Premier League and National League Clubs, they must show evidence of junior teams and if possible academies. I cannot subscribe to the calls for the NFF to get involved in the running of what some persons have dubbed grassroots football. Those are clichés arising from misconceptions of the functions of a football federation. However, some interventionist mechanisms could be created to aide local football groups such as is done by FIFA through the goal project. It would be nice to see the NFF collaborating with dynamic States Sports Councils in equipping training camps with standard turf and training gears. The NFF could encourage its kits partner, Addidas to support local teams with kits such as jerseys, boots, shin pads, balls, nets etc.

This is the way to approach football development without expending scarce funds.

The NFF must also guide the NPL to plug the existing wasteful financial ducts such as the sending of match assessors every week. These match assessors made up mainly of Board members, Journalists and sometimes unemployed administrators is needless. It was a favour dispensing unit created by a previous board of the NPL in the aftermath of the battle of supremacy that engulfed the NPL and the Sani Lulu led NFF Board. Now that we have a shade of harmony between the two organisations, it is time to blow the whistle on the practice and save funds. The matter of appointment of match commissioners and referees must also be aligned by having a mutually agreed body carry out this function. The role of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) must be restricted to providing the list of certified referees to the NFF and NPL for the special body to assign matches while the NRA will at some point in the season be requested to review and update the list. This will eliminate the cronyism that presently impact negatively on match appointments.

Finally, let us all approach the New Year on a note of ‘it shall be well’ and work for the good of the game. Happy Christmas to everyone who kept faith with this column since it debuted sometime in May, 2011.

VOICE OF SPORTS

With Clement Nwankpa Jnr. sportswar@yahoo.com

Trials of ‘brother’ Ekeji

F

OR the past three weeks, or thereabout, the media has been awash with the impending ‘probe’ of National Sports Commission D-G, Chief Dr. Patrick Ekeji. I had to use ‘probe’ here because that was what many made out of a routine oversight function by the House Committee on Sports. In the heat of the hullaballoo that heralded the Committee’s summon on Ekeji, the Committee chairman, Hon. Godfrey Gaiya had bemoaned the unnecessary sensationalizing of the entire procedure. How could Gaiya have known that a seemingly innocent statement he made during the U23 Championships in Morocco would be this misconstrued and blown beyond proportion?

Gaiya may be grounded in ‘Nigerian’ politics but he soon realized that the Nigerian sports politics is entirely different from what he is used to in the Nation al Assembly. As soon as he proclaimed that his Committee would extend an invitation to Ekeji, the anti-Ekejis became both the judge and the accused. Not to be seen as being docile in the face of Nigerian football’s dwindling fortunes, the House Committee on Sports had taken a proactive step to get to the root of the problem and proffer the way forward. One sure way of doing this was to invite the stakeholders and ask questions. It was akin to the summon on Minister of Petroleum, Diezani AllisonMadueke by the House Committee on Petroleum to throw more light on the proposed removal of fuel subsidy. It could also be likened to the invitation extended to Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala vis-à-vis the 2012 budget.

On this page, I had once qualified Ekeji as the ‘bridge’ in Nigerian sports. I have now seen him usher in five sports ministers in the past three years. They come and go but he keeps his place as the DG to welcome the next helmsman.

This makes him a key figure in the whole equation. You cannot carry out any probe on Nigerian sports, in general, and football, in particular, without inviting him. That was exactly what Gaiya and co set out to do but Gaiya was shocked that the whole thing was turned around to demonize Ekeji. It was interesting to see Gaiya clarify his position right away.

The ‘honourable’ man was quick to point out that there was no ulterior motive in the invitation, while expressing his amazement at the ‘politicizing’ of the process by the different interest groups.

As an independent, but observant, stakeholder, I had noted the undercurrents of the process. It was all about who should leave and who should stay as all involved battled to save their jobs. It was also on this page that I decried the concomitant bulk passing trend of our football’s dark era. We have never had it this bad and all the gladiators know this. The fact is that we failed to qualify for all the tournaments we participated in their qualifiers. Even the women football that seemed our birthright, in Africa, has slipped off our hands. Falcons’ failure to qualify for the All Africa Games and Olympics and Eagles’ misfortunes at the Nations Cup qualifiers sum up the state of Nigerian football. The U-23 Eagles’ bad outing in Morocco was the final straw that hit the camel’s back. It was the tournament that fuelled the House Committee’s inquest.

We should have realized much earlier that the huge importance we attached to the U-23 qualifiers was a recipe for failure. It put a lot of pressure on the boys (and it must be noted that they didn’t have the requisite quality to bear that burden). We, as usual, placed a lot of premium on the immediate result without recourse to the years of maladministration that has crippled our football. I am talking about the years we would have put in place a solid grassroots structure that would have ensured a more consistent positive result today.

Truth be said, we are in an environment where ‘charlatans’ and busy-bodies loiter around the corridors of power. They have failed to evolve a developmental template that could have been adopted by successive administrations. In his allknowing nature, God has decided to let us realize our past follies, albeit the very hard way. Now, even the most ardent optimist will admit there is something wrong with our football. I must repeat today that this is not the time for us to start apportioning blames left and right. It is a time for some introspect. Demonizing people will not aid our navigation out of the murky waters.

Ekeji’s travails this period reminds me of the classic play by Wole Soyinka ‘Trials of Brother Jero’. When I did that piece ‘The Bridge called Ekeji’, I knew he would always be a rallying point for sports in the land. In fact, a House Committee investigation into the state of Nigerian football or sports will never be complete without him fielding some questions.

Of course, if one can’t stand the heat, he should leave the kitchen. But I’m appalled by the football helmsmen’s conscious effort to curry favour from Aso Rock and divert our attention from the crux of the matter. The fact is that we need to embrace former Sports Minister, Sani Ndanusa’s Vision 20: 2020 template. We need to get the Community Sports Development Centres functional. The results, surely, wouldn’t turn in now but we will be assured of better days ahead.

Now, I will get down on my knees and beg the so-called ‘fire fighters’ and sycophants milling around our football gladiators to allow them get focused on the onerous task ahead. The shenanigans and power-play of the past few weeks will get us nowhere. Only our hands and feet can take us to the ‘Promised’ land.

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NATIONSPORT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT

• Sanchez

•Buffon

• Mancini

• Ferdinand • Ibra

• Pepe

Table

Italia Seria A league Table - Dec

Spanish Laliga Table - Dec

• Suarez

34

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

NATION SPORT

Inside The Glass House WITH AMINU MAIGARI

Reflections on the past 15 months (3) A

national newspaper reported the other day about how a Member of the Sports and Social Development Committee of the House of Representatives asked questions about what the Nigeria Football Federation did with the close to N2 billion that was appropriated to it during the outgoing year.

While this column is not designed to respond to such questions, it is important that one points out here that there are so many activities, programmes, projects and events that a Football Federation gets involved in that gulps so, so much money. I will only mention a few of the activities that we were involved in this year.

At the beginning of the year, the U-20 National Team (Flying Eagles) entered camp for a first phase of camping for the African Youth Championship, initially billed to take place in Libya. Hotel accommodation, allowances and sundry expenses. There was also the Draw Ceremony for the event attended by the Director of Technical and the Head Coach of the team, in Tripoli.

Then, we had to buy a brandnew car for the then Head Coach of Super Eagles, Mr. Samson Siasia, who was new in office and whom we were determined to make happy in order for him to have motivation to do his job well.

The Flying Eagles entered a second phase of camping for the tournament in Libya, and we then made arrangements for the team to proceed to that country for a two-match tour, against the U-20 Team of the host nation. In-between, the Super Falcons had to start the first phase of camping for the 2011 FIFA World Cup finals for which they had qualified to

• Siasia

participate, in Germany in the summer.

Hotel accommodation, allowances and sundry expenses.

While the elections into the Boards of the various Leagues took place at the NICON Luxury hotel, Abuja, there was also the Welcome Tour programme by the organizers of the FIFA Women’s World Germany 2011 – the LOC visited all the 15 other countries that qualified for the competition.

Away from that, there was the international friendly match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere. In Libya, the Flying Eagles had to hastily pack their bags and head for a 25-day training camp in Antalya, Turkey, when the civil unrest in Libya broke out unexpectedly. The 25-day stay in Turkey was at the full expense of the NFF. The team played six friendly matches in Turkey, flew to Dubai to go and play two other friendly matches against Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and flew back to Turkey. By the time the team returned to Nigeria, CAF had moved the tournament from Libya and shifted it by one month. There was now the issue of where the team would go and camp.

We approached the Government of Rivers State, and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi obliged us with the camping of the team in Port Harcourt for one month.

Players’ and Coaches’ allowances had to be paid.

Determined to ensure that the team did not lack anything in the technical area, the NFF employed a physical trainer, Manfred Bender, to help the team as it prepared for the African Youth Championship.

For the Super Falcons preparing

for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany, we also decided to employ a technical assistant for Eucharia Uche. That was how Thomas Obliers came on board.

The U-23 National Team, with fixtures for All-Africa Games and Olympic Games qualifiers upcoming, also had to start camping programme. Hotel accommodation, allowances and sundry expenses.

Dis-satisfied with the decision of the NFF Appeals Committee over their appeal against the elections into the Boards of the League, some disputants vehemently made this clear, and wrote to the NFF Executive Committee. The NFF had to set up an Arbitration Tribunal.

There was a first-ever NFF Licensed Players’ Agents Workshop in Lagos ( a two-day affair) and following that, the Super Falcons had to resume camping for London 2012 Olympics qualifiers.

The U-20 National Team (Flying Eagles) won the African Youth Championship in South Africa in May, and that meant some expenditure. Immediately after the competition, the team proceeded to South Africa for a four-nation invitational tournament.

There was the WAFU Cup tournament in Abeokuta, for which the Super Eagles were the defending champions, and there had to be pre-competition camping and allowances paid.

Ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, the Flying Eagles had to spend another one month in Port Harcourt, this time, with the NFF picking the bills. From there, the team moved to Faro, Portugal for a two-week camping, before proceeding to Panama for a four-nation invitational before jetting into Colombia.

The team played five matches in Colombia before losing out in the quarter finals, and winning four matches (the first African team to have won FOUR consecutive matches at a FIFA World Cup finals) meant win-bonuses added to allowances. No complaints.

Now, the Beach Soccer team.

The team had two phases of camping before the African Beach Soccer Championship in Casablanca, Morocco in June – in Ajaokuta and in Badagry. The NFF is always grateful for the Lagos State Government for provision of the wonderful environment in Badagry for the team to camp ANYTIME. But in Ajaokuta, NFF bore all expenses, added to allowances.

Before taking part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Germany, the Super Falcons had a FOUR-WEEK training programme in Saalfelden, Austria, during which they played against the Women National Teams of Czech Republic and Slovakia, among

other kick-abouts.

The Beach Soccer Team went all the way to the final of the African Beach Soccer Championship in Casablanca, Morocco in June before losing to Senegal, but still qualified for the FIFA Beach Soccer Championship in Ravenna, Italy. The team stayed two weeks in Faro, camping ahead of the tournament.

Ahead of the Olympics qualifier against Cameroon, the Super Falcons had to stay FOUR WEEKS in camp. Some expenditure. The team also played against Ghana in the race to the All-Africa Games, home and away. The girls lost narrowly on aggregate.

Now, the U-23 Team. The team played EIGHT QUALIFYING MATCHES, before landing in Morocco. They played home and away against Liberia and home and away against Ghana in the failed bid to qualify for the All-Africa Games. The side also defeated Equatorial Guinea home and away and beat Tanzania on aggregate to reach the Eight-Nation CAF U-23 Tournament.

The technical crew again organized a screening programme, before the team stayed 10 days in Ghana, returned to Nigeria and then took off for Morocco, ONE WEEK before the competition.

Presently, the U-17 girls and home-based Super Eagles are in camp in Abuja.

I have not mentioned other programmes of the NFF like the Federation Cup, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women’s League and the Amateur League for which there are NO sponsors. There were also CAF ‘C’ Coaching Course, FIFA Associations’ Elite Referees Course and other courses and programmes, chartered flights to take our teams to qualifying matches, inspection of training camps, advance party to opposition territories, change of hotels, meetings of standing committees, attendance at seminars, workshops, commissioning events, awards, regional, continental and global Congresses and other football-related programmes.

I will continue on this matter next week.

Thank You, Your Royal Eminence On Tuesday, I led some members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management to the Palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and we were well-received and had a wonderful time as he spoke candidly and, like the father he is, offered excellent suggestions on the way forward.

I will go into some details on this next week, but let me say a very big THANK YOU to His Royal Eminence for the audience granted our team.

NFF Annual General Assembly All roads, as they say, lead to the Royal Tropicana Suite, Kaduna on Thursday, 29th December, 2011 for the Annual General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation.

Several people have called or sent me sms wanting to know the ‘earth-shaking’ decisions that will come out of the AGA. I have been telling them to wait for the day. It’s just around the corner.

I WISH YOU A MERRY XMAS AND VERY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR IN ADVANCE. NEXT WEEK: Candid Suggestions of His Royal Eminence

West Brom v Man City

Hodgson banks on Osaze

W

EST BROM boss Roy Hodgson has challenged Peter Odemwingie and his team mates to stay in the top half of the Barclays Premier League ahead of Boxing Day clash with leaders, Manchester City at the The Hawthorns.

The Baggies edged a five-goal thriller winning 3-2 at Newcastle to climb into 10th place in the table with a second successive away win.

He said: ""Some of our performances at home, I think, have been very good ones, but they haven't given us anything, so if we really want to stay nearer the middle than the bottom, then we need to start taking some points at home as well."

He added: "I know Boxing Day against Manchester City might be a tough place to start, but we have got a lot of other teams to play at home who are in our ball-park who hopefully we can get some points from.

"All the teams who are up there can [finish in the top half of there table], and they can all slip again - when I say all, let's forget the big-money teams we are talking about who are fighting for the top four spots.

"Everyone seems to have come to terms long ago that there are six teams with the financial resources and the ability this year, and they are

going to be fighting tooth and nail to see who gets the four Champions League spots.

"Behind that, you have got the Newcastles and the Stokes, perhaps, and after that really, a lot of us are capable of being in the top 10, but we have got to be careful because we are also capable of dropping down. But we have got to start getting some more points at home. We have been extremely unlucky at home."

Peter Odemwingie fired West Brom ahead with 20 minutes gone after applying the finishing touch to Chris Brunt's superb defencesplitting pass, but Demba Ba levelled with an equally wellstruck 34th-minute free-kick.

The Magpies were caught on their heels once again a minute before the break when Paul Scharner was allowed to help Brunt's free-kick back across goal for central defender Gareth McAuley to head home.

When Ba produced another adept finish nine minutes from time to take his tally for the season to 13 it looked as though Pardew's men had rescued a point but the visitors ensured they left with all the spoils when Scharner stabbed home the winner from Odemwingie's knock-down to leave Newcastle with just two points from their last six games.

• Osaze

Bad leadership, bane of youth unemployment—Don

T

HE Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Sunday Adelabu, has blamed youth unemployment on bad leadership in the country and has advised the country's leaders to address the issue of youth unemployment if youth restiveness and other social ills in the society must be checked.

Adelabu, said in his address at the 2011 MDG Training Workshop, organised for the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), with the theme: "Religious Tolerance and Peaceful Co- Existence as Panacea for National Development."

The vice-chancellor who was represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture

in the school, Prof. E.A Salako, also identified greed for quick money as the greatest problem bedevilling Nigeria's quest for development.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Hon. Alhassan Dogwa apologised to the CLTC on behalf of the committee for not according it due recognition and respect for its unprecedented achievements in the MDGs agenda.

The Committee also pledged to ensure that the centre receives all the necessary support and access to MDGs funds from the 2012 budget of the Federal Government and other donor agencies involved in the fight against poverty worldwide.

Olubanwo Fagbemi

On Sport Sport On SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

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Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf

Best golfers of 2011 (2)

L

AST WEEK, we began a countdown on golf activities in the out going 2011 year. It was a sad tale for golf through the past 12 months. Very few tourneys to play and total disregard for development of the game especially among youths. All the same, ten distinguished individuals stood out to lift the game from total collapse. We ran profiles on the first three, Otunba Olusola Adekanola, Senate President David Mark and Kingsley Ehi Okunbor, last week. Here are the remaining •Otunba Olusegun Runsewe (OON) seven. Enjoy it.

ALHAJI SANUSI; He is the Emir of Dutse in Jigawa State. He was trained in America as an Architect. His passion for golf is huge. At a point, he made frequent trips to the Kaduna Golf Club, all the way from Dutse, just to have a round of golf. An incident occured once. While playing at the Kaduna course, the Course Officer spotted that he was not tucking in his golf shirt. He was ordered out of the course. The fellow did not know he had just pulled out an Emir from the fairway. The Emir felt bad. He knew he breached golf protocols, but like he put it, this was as a result of constant suffering from heat. He, however, did not like the way he was pulled out, even when it was clear he was playing alone. He vowed he would not play elsewhere until he built his own course. He built a classy one in the heart of Dutse, appropriately named the Royal Golf Course. Jokingly, he said he would wait for the person who could pull him out of his course for not tucking in his shirt. Ask him how much he put on table to build the full blown 18-hole course and he would tell you: "If I want to recall the amount I would ask myself why I built the place in the first place". While opening the course some five years ago, the Emir brought out all Emirs in the North to come celebrate with him. After this, he approved a Pro-Am golf event with N3 million as prize monies. For two years, the tourney did not hold, even though the Emir deposited N3 million to the coffers of the Professional golfers. But last month, the event did hold and it was a huge plus to the game.

PROFESSOR EUGENE OKPERE: You wouldn't know he was a Professor since you can see him in midst of everyone. While serving as the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, he was faced with several problems of theft.

You could imagine this because the UBTH is surrounded by vast lands that are not developed. One of those vast lands soon turned into a jungle and a suitable home for thieves and terrorists. An idea soon reached Okpere that if the jungle was turned into a golf course, there would be no more hide out for thieves and terrorists in the area. Okpere never knew what the game was but he agreed. Five years down the line, the UBTH Golf Course has turned into a beauty to behold. It is a full blown 18-hole course carefully designed by Architect Chuka. But the beauty of the course became possible through the tireless effort of the Club's Captain, Professor Waziri Erameh who virtually turned the course into a home just to ensure it stands amongst the best in the county. That dream has been realized.

DR. KAYODE FAYEMI: He is the governor of Ekiti State.

Only God knows if he has ever seen a golf course or how the game is being played. But as an astute administrator, all he cares for are benefits that could lift his state. He has Ikogosi Spring water, a sort of haven to tourists from around the

Imouokhome Tees UBTH into 2012

A

Civil Engineer, John Airunuokhai Imouokhome, is poised to ensure that the UBTH Golf Club cards the first tournament in the year 2012.

While people are still warming up into the new year, the 'Engineer' like they call him in the golf circle, is putting on ground a classy tourney that will honor his 70 years on earth. We are talking of someone who is some six months old in the game of golf.

"I came into the game late", Imouokhome agreed". I must tell you that when I came into the game I discovered that the game was beyond mere exercise. Golf brings you total joy and you make friends. I simply tell myself how else could I celebrate 70 years on earth if not through golf. This is why I am doing this and it will happen during the

second week of January".

GOLFLINE

NTDC brings for

WITH

Tony Akhigbe golflineintl@yahoo.com 0 8 0 94863638

world. Then he read it somewhere that tourists cannot survive without seeing through a game of golf whenever and wherever they can. Fayemi quickly put things in place. A golf course inside Ikogosi. It's like if tourists are tired of feeling the warmth of the Spring, they could then retire to the golf course, then to their chalets. All in same place. The chalets are ready. The golf course will come to life around March 2012. Like the Special Adviser to the governor on Tourism, Dr. Segun Ologunleko put it: "The tourism potentials at Ikogosi are huge. We can make a lot by bringing a golf course here. The governor knows that much and he didn't waste time going for it. He wants something that will generate tourism fund for the state and this is it".

PROFESSOR OJERINDE: He is at the helm of affairs in JAMB. This means you wouldn't see the four walls of the University if you don't pass his exams. He loves golf like any hacker. The more he hacks, the more he wants to get back to the course. Then the man has got a huge heart for golf professionals who must be in tourneys before they feed. For some years now, the Prof has got this way of making his friends cough up some N10 million so golf professionals and amateurs could play in memorial of his late mum. The event is called the Memorial and it happens yearly.

JK GADZAMA: An astute lawyer. When the case is big, then you must need his counsel. He's clearly endeared to the game of golf. Watch him on course and you would see, first hand, how he would cringe for missing a putter-length putt or when he duffs an approach into the rough. Like he told a friend: "I cringe like this when I lose a case". He added a year last month. to celebrate, he threw the IBB Golf Club in one frenzy, an unbelievable Carnival via a five-star golf tourney. Happy Birthday, JK. OLUDARE BELLO: They call him 'Big D'. Well, he is big enough. If not, he wouldn't have been a past Captain of the IBB Golf Club and he wouldn't have been sitting atop CITEC, a huge firm that is building estates around Abuja. Oludare Bello loves golf with a passion. At the moment he's putting on ground a Green Putting surface in the hole 18 of his hometown course, the Ekiti golf Club. The effort is gulping some N5 million. Aside this, Bello, last month committed his company, Citec, into another unbelievable one-day tourney at the IBB course in Abuja. He did same last year. But this one read like the Masters at Augusta, given the huge crowd that graced it. Hope 'Big D' would make this a Pro-Am next year.

OTUNBA OLUSEGUN RUNSEWE (OON): He is the energetic Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation [NTDC] He used to give his all to Tennis. but through several trips to abroad he quickly discovered that the game of golf was the sure way to cage tourists, especially foreigners. Since he craves for the best for Nigerian Tourism, Runsewe delved into golf and he has never looked backed. Most golf tournaments that played out in 2011 had major supports from NTDC and this is reason no golf tourney plays out in the country without a big voice from 'Mr. Tourism" as Runsewe is known across golf courses in Nigeria.

Someone is suggesting there could be a N10 million NTDC Classic [a Pro-Am] in the new year. But why not. This can never be too much for Otunba.

•Her Excellency, wife of Cross River State Governor, Mrs Obioma Imoke addressing teenage golfers at the onging Mary Slessor Golf tournament sponsored by Firstbank plc.

e-mail: deewalebf@yahoo.com

FOREIGN COACH

A necessary gamble Published in February 2010, the following article deals with a topical issue.

T

HE search for a foreign coach as better replacement for erstwhile Super Eagles coach Shuaibu Amodu should not be seen as an exercise in futility. The possibility of the new coach’s failure at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa is no reason to side with the former BCC and Orlando Pirates of South Africa coach.

Amodu may have earned World Cup qualification – for the second time after the initial success of 2002 – but he did little to sustain his claim to the position of Eagles head coach. His tactical weaknesses were clearly exposed on the merciless stage of the Africa Nations Cup finals in Angola.

Weeks after, speculation swirled around candidates as accomplished names were juxtaposed with less-commanding ones. In turn, Egypt’s record-setting coach, Hassan Shehata and former Senegal tactician, Bruno Metsu were mentioned but excluded from reckoning.

Among names still in the hat ahead of next week’s screening and selection by the football federation’s panel are Giovanni Trappatoni, Ratomir Djukovic and Guus Hiddink – all illustrious aspirants.

Djukovic took Ghana to an admirable second-round run at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany while Trappatoni, Republic of Ireland coach, and Hiddink, Russia coach, hold intimidating credentials at club and international level.

Between the latter two, football officials should arrive at an inspiring conclusion, but first, the twists and turns that attended previous searches should be negotiated. Officials should not pander to the whim of a potential tactician as they did with the last foreign coach engaged by the federation, Berti Vogts.

The selection and employment process that ushered in the German before the 2008 Africa Nations Cup in Ghana was laced with extravagance rather than resourcefulness. Eventually, the championship-winning coach’s insistence on working mostly out of Europe amplified his failure with the Eagles.

A repeat of that sad episode in the World Cup year would be catastrophic. Already, the delay in announcing a new coach after Amodu – not unexpectedly – was shipped to the Home-based Eagles is an obvious dent on the country’s assault on the South Africa Mundial.

The federation erred in retaining the technical crew after the team struggled through qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup/Africa Nations Cup finals. It should have been possible to identify and discreetly interview a few good coaches not necessarily involved in World Cup campaigns, for a quick appointment once the qualifiers were concluded.

Due to a combination of administrative shortsightedness and sentimental inclination, however, the lacklustre Amodu was allowed to sit tight. The bronze-medal finish at Angola 2010, therefore, did not surprise perceptive critics.

No amount of brickbat would, however, help the situation. Nothing but a steady campaign for a memorable outing in South Africa would do. But working conditions must first be improved to ensure the prospective coach is not subjected to the neglect that Amodu disregarded to remain in the saddle.

The perennial challenges of adequate remuneration, official accommodation, transportation, and provision of equipment and facilities must be tackled early. No coach worth his badges would allow his hard-earned reputation to be sullied by the antics of an incompetent federation.

Time may be short before competition kicks off in South Africa but it will not help to dwell on the federation’s well-demonstrated inadequacies. Little, indeed, will it profit anyone to insist Amodu and his collection of spoilt superstars were handicapped by criticisms and official interference in Angola.

Had the team taken advantage of an unusually less-challenging route to the final, it might have lifted the trophy, but no one is sure the performance would have been more impressive. On that basis, the country would still have arrived at the same point: the search for a world-class technical adviser.

Yet, if the federation had unanimously toed a path opposed to its president, Sani Lulu’s unflinching support for Amodu, the search would have been concluded early enough to have a new and betterprepared coach appointed soon after conclusion of the qualifiers last November. With hindsight, the handling of that critical moment was the most ominous sign of the federation’s inflexibility.

If the appointment is concluded in a few weeks, it can only be hoped that the new coach would be willing to work football pastures early, and with focus. He must be ready to farm it, tend it and team it with the roughest of the talented crop available.

He would have to call for and sift through a list of players who have featured for all the categories of the male national team.

Consideration of the best legs in the local league as well as Nigeriaborn players in the Diaspora would widen the scope of the new coach’s salvage mission.

A series of camping exercises and tune-up matches – not necessarily Grade A – should be undertaken to determine players’ form and fitness. In two months, the coach would have a list of 40 to 50 players – including the finest of the foreign legion – capable of wearing Nigeria’s colours in South Africa.

Suitability to national team tactics and formation would then whittle the list to about 30 players who are likely to represent the Eagles best. In the end, only the fittest and most skillful would get to play in South Africa. Sacrificed in the pursuit of World Cup excellence, would be unfit and unmotivated players – the lot at the heart of national team decadence.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Nigerian artiste for Bacardi international commercial

Marc Anthony to fight J.Lo for custody •Uti

Justin Bieber sings ‘A Home for the Holidays’ •Uche Jombo

Britney flaunts engagement ring

•Lopez and Marc Anthony

Destined Kids breaks out with Breaking News

Crane over Ghollywood

Kwame, others sing carols for Sickle Cell patients

Socrates Safo arrested in New York

•Destined Kids

•Kwame

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Y

ES o, in 24 four hours time, it will be Christmas.

A celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ...

Christmas means different things to different people..

For some, it is a period to do a quick check-up on their spiritual lives.

Make amends where necessary. For some, it brings memories. Some good, some bad. Oh, and for the kids, it means new dresses; more visits to cinemas, beaches, a time to share with their folks.

Everybody has a story.What does Christmas means to you? A holiday?

A time to unwind and simply enjoy life to the fullest?

Or is it just another season that will come and go with the others?

I would like us to read some stories that could strike some chords in us and perhaps help take this Christmas with a more sober approach.Here is Mary Nappiers’s Christmas story... ’’It was getting near Christmas and I had delayed putting up a Christmas tree because this had been the first Christmas without our son. He had passed on to be with the Lord a few months before, due to having leukemia.

During his illness we would talk and he always told me he did not want me to be sad when he passed away and I promised him that I would try really hard not to be sad.

I was doing okay with it until Christmas came near and then I fell apart because he had always enjoyed holidays so much. He had a way of making Christmas so special to so many people. So, when that first Christmas came around without him I had decided not to put up a tree at all, but the closer it got to Christmas I just fell apart because I felt so sad that our son was not there with us.I tried not to cry but I did anyway as I was getting the decorations out of the box I had them stored in.I put them in the tree, one by one then I came to a very special ornament that my son gave me the year before.He had it all wrapped up in a pretty box when he gave it to me and said to me these words which i will never forget, “Mom, I wished I could have gotten you something more but I just don’t have

It’s Christmas, what’s your story...?

I wish you a merry Christmas, I wish you a merry Christmas, I wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy new year.

Christmas comes but once a year.

Let's get together and have a really great time. the money this year to buy much.’’ I hugged him and said,”okay son,” I understand. When I opened the gift, it was not an expensive gift but one given with love.He and I hung it on the tree that year and that was our last Christmas together.Well when I came across that same gift as I was opening the box containing the Christmas tree decoration ornament, I remembered my son, I hung the ornament on the tree as tears fell from my eyes and for a brief moment I felt his hand on mine as I hung it on the tree and felt his presence there with me.It felt as if he was physically present and was hanging the ornament on the tree with me.

I now know that he is always with me and the love goes on forever.That smell, cheap gift he gave to me was the most precious gift in the world to me, it means more to me than all the expensive gifts in the world, it was a gift given with love and nothing in this world can ever top that.

So, every year since, I have made it a special moment when i hang the ornament on our tree because I know he is there with me helping me decorate our Christmas tree.

No doubt, there are happier stories than that of

Mary’s. For instance , on this page , we have not really aired the views of children on this page from January till date. We have heard from mummies, daddies, uncles, aunties, and even undergraduates.

For our Christmas special, we have decided to air the views of others. Today, we are not discussing weightier matters; if you get my drift… what is their Christmas stories, I asked?

What does Christmas mean to them.

11-year-old Bukola says: “Christmas to me means spending time with those you love and who love you. It’s not only about presents, it’s about enjoying the time you have on this earth. It’s about forgetting those bad feelings you might have about someone and celebrating the birth of Christ Jesus, in the world no matter who you are.”

13-year-old Martins says; “Christmas to me is that time I am able to spend with my family and friends, catching up on times that we were not able to have. And since I am in boarding school, it means a lot to me because I’m not always with my family most of the time.

Angela says: “I pray a lot during the Christmas season, giving my thanks to the Lord. I have three children, so at the same time, I must teach them the true

meaning of Christmas which is the birth of Jesus Christ. It also means we as a family decorate the inside of the house, we put up a tree and decorate outside. My children really loves this. I also love to give gifts and I enjoy giving to people. Of course spending time with my family is also important.

It’s exciting!

17-year-old Moses says “I think Christmas is the greatest time and it means spending time with our dear ones.”

16-year-old Folashde says “To me, Christmas means a day with laughter, fun and not having to worry about problems. It’s about Jesus Christ.”

13-year-old Maria says; “Christmas is Jesus birth not anything more.”

14-year-old Joshua says: “Christmas to me means a time for fun, throwing bangers, big loud ones, games, a time for family to be happy. A time to thank God”.

13-year-old Bamidele says; “To me Christmas means having fun, drinking, eating, also it is about celebrating the birth day of Jesus Christ.”

13-year-old Buchi says: “Christmas to me means spending time with family

carry that out all year through .love, caring, sharing, keeping in touch with loved ones all year through. I believe it is Jesus’ way to keep the spark the lighting with love, joy, peace, happiness and hope.”

18 year-old Esther has this to say about Christmas, “For me Christmas means to celebrate the birth of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ and it is a time to thank the Lord for what He has done in this earth and that He was born in Bethlehem. And it is also time to forget all worries and the hatred that you have against people. That’s all… may God bless you all.”

Wow, so much responses from so many people. Their responses are as varied as their faces; right?

In conclusion I would like to say it like this, Christmas is not for drunk driving, orgies, showing off of new dresses and accessories, no, it is more than this, it is about living, giving, forgiving people that have hurt you in one form or the other. To my esteemed readers, have the merriest Christmas ever.

Text messages

Re: Ojukwu, the man who loved Bianca •Ojukwu’s profound practical gesture of love in the plane is worlds apart from the hollow and not too African gesture of holding hands in public. Poems to woo a Nigerian woman? The sun will rise in the West. Is romance and true love the same thing?

How do we explain the high divorce rates in “romantic” Western Societies? True love is about fidelity, devotion, loyalty, what to give not what to get. And yes, a man should control his emotions especially in public. Obvious is vulgar.

Aloysius, Abuja •Your today’s piece ‘Ojukwu, the man who love Bianca is so interesting and instructive. While it may not matter, I am a man, you are a good writer, thank you.

Mr and Mrs Anayo and Immaculate Okpe during their wedding at Ikoyi Registry recently.

that you have not seen in a long time and holidays.”

19-year-old Mattew say: “ Hello everyone may God bless each and every one of you all. Christmas is such a wonderful holiday.

Actually Christmas day is Jesus Christ birthday Christmas is for us to realize that this is the day God sent His only son so that we might have salvation.

This is what it’s supposed to mean but we as a people made it seem like a day to give gifts. Everything else is good, the gifts and everything. But is good to remember the true meaning of Christmas.”

Joanna is fourteen year old and she say: “Christmas is a day to stay with friends and family and celebrate the Christ was born. It is also a day to put people before you.”

10-year-old Amina says; “ Many people think that sending a present once a year is Christmas. In my eyes Christmas is the birth of Jesus. Every year, first in the morning my brother and I say, “Happy Birthday Jesus” and my children watch the birth of Jesus Christ movie. Christmas is also to be with family, caring, sharing, and loving and just being together. But one needs to

•Thank you very much for picking up your pen to write on one man who can not die but will pass on from glory to glory in the person of Dim Ikemba Ojukwu the crowd pillar in life and on death, Ojukwu loved his wife Bianca much with out hiding it, but he loved Biafra (Ndigbo) much better than Bianca and

all his children, that is why he lived and died for Biafran, Ojukwu love to Bianca was as legendary as the Biafran war.

Ojukwu love Biafran and Bianca which sound same for the first three words BIA. Echeson Columba write and lives in Kano. *I don’t know what you call love. Is it by sidelining the first wife and pampering the much younger second wife?

Real love is how much a man still love the wife of his youth

even when her hair is grey.

(First love) after all the Bible advise that a man should not abandon the wife of his youth.

Funke, Lagos *The way you have painted a love scene between Bianca and Ojukwu with lyrics shows that you are romantic with pen, your new title is "Dr. Love" keep it up.

Buddy, Abuja

Re: Don't blame the youth...

You are doing a nice job here, more stamina to your muscle. I really like the topic of last week, you see, most parents don't even know how old or even what classes their children are. They are so busy with their jobs that they are not concerned with their children's studies. Such parents keep spending money on goodies and flimsy things that will not profit the child. They never spend quality time with their kids. I pray such parents wake up their major prior-

ity - which is their children.

Malinda, PH. Parents should never get over saddled with anything that will abort direction of the paths of their children, but sad enough, some do not pretty care but notwithstanding, youths should avoid wasting their time, resources and energy on what does not secure them a better future.”Facebook does not go anywhere so face your book”.

Sir AOA Kenny, Ibadan

40

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

My Christmas poem to you and you and you The Christmas buzz came late for me although all around me, my loved ones actually started the frenzied preparations for the season long before now. I watched my sister, Wemimo Allen decorate her house over two weeks ago and we almost had an argument because I thought the Christmas tree was too, too decorated. Meanwhile, as the argument went on, I kept taking from the wraps of chocolates under the tree. Don’t mind me; the house is so fine now, what with all the blinking lights that I actually go there everyday just to be in the Christmas mood. My Christmas is made complete with the love I get from so many of you out there. For you I took this poem. That’s the Christmas message for you, you and you from my heart: I really want to tell you Just how precious you are to me, My every thought of you Is as loving as can be

My heart is totally filled with things That words alone can’t say, This comes especially for you With love on Christmas Day.

My ex is married but she still wants me between her legs Hi big sister. I love sex and I’m good at making it but I meet a girl who happened to be my ex back then 15 years ago while I was in secondary school, now she’s married with kids but she wants me between her legs. What do I do?

I’m sure you’re tempted to go between her legs, that’s why you’re asking in the first place. I’m also sure that you know that I’m sane and every sane person will tell you never to fall into that kind of temptation.

No matter how much you love sex, steer clear of married women! A married woman who calls you to her bed is silently calling you to your death. Whether the husband finds out or not, be mindful of that higher being up there who gives rewards for every of our actions.

And while we’re at that, there’s something wrong with you if you think that being a stud is an achievement. Everyday, many young people are discovering their talents in music, in arts and in many fields and they are making money from it. I wouldn’t know if knowing how to make love qualifies you for a fat cheque. Re-arrange your priorities and be condom-wise too.

My boyfriend is stingy and moody Hi Aunty, I’m 20 years old with emotional problems. My boyfriend claims he loves me so much but the relationship is like hell. I gave my pride to him all in the name of pleasing him but he treats me as if I am nothing to him. He does not even call me even if he has money - he is a banker.

For the 7 months of our relationship, there is nothing to show for it, instead I keep displeasing myself to please him and on the other hand I met another guy. It’s not that I love this other guy that much but he really shows he loves me, unlike.

Friends of my banker boyfriend talk negatively about him but they don’t like telling me openly the kind of person he is. The worst thing is if you should ask me to tell you about him, I don’t know what to say, all I know is that he is moody. I don’t know what to say, assuming we can talk one on one so that you will understand me better. I want to breakup with him and settle down with the other one. Please advice me. - K from Delta State.

Dear K, I don’t know this banker boyfriend of yours but I don’t think I like him. You have seen it all, so there’s even no question of whether you should leave him. Just leave him. Leave him for girls who are moody and selfish and ugly like him.

Even if a woman is not in a relationship for monetary

reasons, traditionally, a man is supposed to take care of her in his own little ways. He claims to love you without knowing that little gifts are ways of showing affection.

I know a lot of people who have been in similar situations and they kept hoping that the guys would change. Such guys will never change. Being moody is his way of making you unable to talk sense into him. Forget him; he’s not just man enough for you. Period.

I’m 27, should I leave my cheating 50-year old husband?

Hi, I’m 27 and married to a 50-year-old man who has four kids and love me. He is seeing anther woman; what should I do - continue or quit?

When I see questions like this, I wonder aloud what our women are turning to. We want to be so westernized that we easily forget that our own fathers and uncles were (and are) not so faithful to their wives. Let’s first disown our family members for acts of unfaithfulness to their partners before leaving cheating partners.

Show me a man who is one hundred per cent committed to his wife and I will show you about twenty within his age bracket who are not.

Would it then be right to say that all women whose husbands are cheating should quit? No. No. No. At 20, if you quit, you’ll go and marry another man and if that one too begins to cheat, you will leave. By the time you’re 40, I can bet that you would have married up to twenty husbands. Okay, maybe you will find a reverend or a pastor (some of those ones too cheat with church members, anyway).

Inasmuch as your husband is doing his duties, playing his roles (as your father and husband in this case) and he still shows much love, use all the tricks to get him back home. This is a gradual process, you know. Cook him nice meals, give him good sex, massage his ego and make him love the home. He will begin to wonder what is taking him out after a while. Be good to this man and give him what girlfriends give him outside. Follow him out occasionally to clubs and make yourself always so attractive that he would be afraid to leave you at home for fear that he might have a rival coming to check on you if he’s not careful. That should keep his butts in the house.

Hearts With Adeola Agoro E-mail: libranadeola@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 08023162609

He doesn’t take my call while with her and only visits me secretly Please ma I need your advice. I’m 20 years old and my boyfriend is dating another girl. Whatever he promises me, he’ll also promise her and he’ll never accept to leave any of us and this makes us fight always.

He claims that he loves me. Now he has told me to give him from now till Xmas to raise some money and open a shop for this girl as she’s not in school and after that, their there relationship will end. But what I don’t understand is that the girl must not know that we’re still dating till they separate so that she won’t feel he dumped her for me. He doesn’t take my call while with her and only visits me secretly. I don’t know if I should believe him because he always makes empty promises and I don’t know if this will turn out to be one of them. He wouldn’t want us to quit. I’m confused ma. I don’t know if I’m wasting my time keeping the relationship. Should I quit d relationship though I find it difficult to do but should I force myself? – Sp. Dear Sp, it looks to me that this man and the other girl had their lives already planned out before you came unto the scene. I feel strongly so because if you were the first to come into his life, you would have called the other girl an intruder or some other names to show that she had come to steal your guy. It’s really obvious that you were the one who came later and trying to take the space already occupied by this other girl.

The guy must have promised her so many things, including the shop before you came around, so let him do it. If you were in her shoes, you’d demand for the same thing.

It’s not an issue that she’s not educated (at least not to your level, whatever your level is), but the man may be wise enough to know that education in itself does not give you an edge over her. She already has an established vocation and with a little help, may begin to earn some money. Tell you what; all these guys you see out there rate monetary achievements over paper qualification that may just mean you have to start looking for a job after earning your degree. This other woman may be ready to be a help-mate sooner that you are. So, she’s more respected, I guess.

You know yourself that you are the secret. You are the hidden one. You are the one whose call cannot be answered when he’s with her. She’s his madam whether you accept it or not.

The man is just behaving like a typical Nigerian male who must have two or more women and he actually loves different things in both of you. If you’re not careful, he may choose to marry both of you – one for her enterprising qualities and the other for her education. Men like that abound.

Check out of the deal as early as possible because like all polygamous relationships, you may begin to fall into the competition of seeing who he loves most and who will bow out first. Mark it down, that other girl won’t leave. She has the shop to get, and she has other promises he has made to her too - for instance, marriage. So, leave him for her honorably.

She’s in her late 50s; I’m in my 30s but she always threatens to leave me Hi Adeola, please I need your help. I’m a single male in my 30s. I’m madly in love with a woman who is in her late 50s, but she hasn’t told me her actual age.

The problem here is that any little misunderstanding we have, she tells me it’s over. After a while, we come back strongly again. Her children know me. She doesn’t believe in love because she said that love wasn’t fair to her when she was growing up. I don’t demand from her which she attests to. She’s very nice and she’s so surprised of my love to her and the age difference but she likes me too.

I’m jealous and she is too. Please what do I do? I don’t want to lose her.

Let’s not waste time analyzing this relationship, sooner or later, you may leave each other. Thankfully, you already know that she has an issue with jealousy. Good. You’re single and you did not state whether you have kids, so I assume you don’t have any yet.

Very soon (if not already), your parents and family members will begin to drum it in your head that you should start a family. Would your older woman’s jealousy allow you to have a wife and thus be sharing your love and time with the lawfully wedded wife?

Any small misunderstanding and she says she’s off. By the time the wife’s issue surfaces, it won’t be small misunderstanding anymore, it will become big ones. She is not likely to want to make up after that.

I’m not opposed to the age difference and that’s because I’m well travelled and I’ve seen it all, but that is not how most Nigerians will view it. They will say she has cooked vegetable for you. You know what that means. We say, ‘oti se efofun e’ in Yorubaland. It means she has spiced your vegetable with love portion.

Save your love for a woman of your age who will come without much complication. Let’s find this woman a man about her age – a man she will love. She says she doesn’t love you because no matter how much you try to convince her of your love, she will always think there’s something in the relationship for you other than love. She won’t feel that way with an older man. I can bet that.

I’m bored with my boring boyfriend Dear Aunty AA, I’m 20 years old and I’ve been dating a guy of 26 years for the past 9 month. I feel bored with him because he doesn’t talk, chat, play or share his problems with me. I’ve told him several times about feeling bored with him but all he keeps telling me is that he doesn’t have anything to say. But before we started dating he used to talk, chat and play with me.

Please I need your advice – Ade. Dear Ade, it’s possible the guy is experiencing the same thing you’re experiencing – boredom. It’s likely that your relationship started as a relationship and not friendship. Even in some cases when friendship-based relationships crumble, the •Former Miss Ada Onyema and Chidi Amaefula during their traditional foundation of solid friendship will always wedding in Isiala Ngwa

hold the parties together. That’s why you see A who has left B still calling each other for chats and even hang out together with their new partners in tow. That’s the magic of friendship.

This guy may not be your friend. Your friend will always have gist to share with you and games to play with you.

The moment the chasing game ended and he got you, it’s possible he found you out of sync with is ideas and so, there is nothing to talk about.

If you want to keep this relationship as I suspect you do, learn to know what interests him and encourage him to do those things with you.

Don’t forget however that some guys are naturally quiet. If he shows interest in your talks, then it may just be his nature. Don’t push him to become what he’s not. You continue to keep the communication lines open once you’re sure that he loves you.

Lost Contacts

Hi Deola, kindly link me with my friend Mr. Peter Onosigho Emeni (if still alive) of Akotogbo, Ondo State . My name is Aderemi Adeyemi. (08137441177). Thank you.

•Aunty Deola, please link me up with my class/school mates at Central Primary Sschool, Jimeta,Yola.It is by the General post office. I was there in 1973 to 1975. I am Semiu Olugbode, A4 (08186798505).

•Hi Adeola, kindly help me to reach out to my friends Mbu Mbu Ettah and Lydia Ikpala. All are from Crossriver State. We did our N Y S C at Oscotech Esa-Oke. I can be reached on 08062392181 - Yongu Paul, Esq.

&

LIFE

Society Profile

THE NATION, Saturday, DECEMBER 24, 2011

STYLE Gossip Interviews

g in is t c a r p a s a e f li y ‘M ’ m li s u M a o t d ie r r a Christian m

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44

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Chief Iyabode Olufunmilayo Adedoyin, the wife of the President of Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State, manages Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife, Osun State, The beautiful mother of five girls and two boys tells GBENGA ADERANTI what it takes to be married to a husband who is always on the move. The Ile-Ife high chief, who will be 50 next month, also explains how she has managed to maintain her good looks

‘I thought my parents were ordinary visitors while I grew up with my aunt’

•Chief (Mrs) Adedoyin

W

HAT are your expectations as you approach the age of 50?

I have been looking forward to this. I have always prayed to God to give me long life and prosperity. Now that I am about to be 50, I am happy and I have told my God that I want to celebrate it, I am very happy.

Your husband is a very busy man. What does it take to be married to a man like that?

Well Dr. Adedoyin was not a busy man when we got married. We met as students.

I discovered that he was business-minded . He told me not to take up a paid job, I felt he probably had his eyes on business, and that was why he told me not to take up paid job. Although it was not easy, we thank God for everything.

I was a young girl when I met him. I was told that his father was a humble man and very hard working. It is unfortunate I didn’t meet his father. But my mother-in-law was

a business woman too; I think business traits are in their family, which he still continue.

How did your parents react when you first took him home?

You know as a lady, many men would seek your attention. But when it was time, I told my parents, ‘This is the boy, this is the man I want in my life.’ My parents were reluctant because he came from a Muslim family. We were Christians and members of the 7th Day Adventist. My parents were worried that I was getting married to a Muslim. They told me that I was born in a Christian family; why should I get married to a man like that?

They asked me how I would cope. They were not happy at that time. But as time went on, they discovered that he was okay for me, and they accepted him. They continued to pray for us.

How did you meet him?

We met when I was in Form 1. That was

in 1976. Her mother’s shop and my mother’s shop were directly opposite each other. Any time we were on holiday, he would come to her mother’s shop and would be looking at me. On my way home one day, he accosted me and said; ‘You this girl, I want to see you.’I was reluctant.

Do you still practise your religion?

Yes, my husband allows me. Being married to a Muslim has not changed me from being a Christian. You know there are some things you imbibe as you grow up. All the Christian traits and values my parents put in are still there. I can’t change those things even though I’m married to a Muslim.

How about your children?

Well, I can see some of them imbibing Christianity. You know that we women stay with the children than their fathers.

They are picking some things from me.

They copy the way I do things. That does not mean that all of them are Christians.

Some of them have chosen to go the way of Islam. I still call some of them their Muslim names. There is no problem, and they are okay with both religions because they can practise both.

Has there been a time the issue of religion caused a problem between you and your husband?

No. But what my husband always says is that he would not allow any of his children to be a religious fanatic or fundamentalist. He warns that if you want to be a Muslim, don’t be one that would be condemning everybody. And if you want to be a Christian, don’t condemn anybody either.

What was your growing up like?

My growing up was full of ups and downs. According to my parents, I was taken to my mum’s sister when I was six.

The woman had no child; my parents decided that I should stay with her. I was with the woman till I was 13 and got admission into secondary school. Funny enough, I didn’t know my parents, I felt they were visitors. The couple later had children and I had to leave. They were Muslims. I went to a Koranic school and graduated. There is nothing in the Koran I cannot read.

Would you allow your children to marry from outside your tribe?

Yes, I would. They can marry a Christian or a Muslim. There is no problem about that.

Would you allow your daughter to get married to a white man?

No, I won’t. If a girl is married to a white man, they will forget about home. You know that their culture is me and my wife. I don’t like their style.

How many children do you have?

By God’s grace I have seven; five females and two males.

What was your husband’s reaction when you were having female children?

Well, my husband did not think of anything negative up till the time I had the third girl. But by the time I had the fourth one, I saw it in him that he was not expecting a baby girl..

Was there any pressure from his family?

I can say there were some pressures. But with the help of God and the understanding God put in us, we did not bother ourselves about pressures from the family. You know human beings. We thank God for everything.

You’re looking gorgeous at close to 50. What is the secret?

It is God’s grace. What I can say about myself is that I don’t allow anything to weigh me down. You know many people, when they have little comfort, they sit down and start dishing out order; ordering people about. In fact, they won’t be able to drive again. But for me, I can drive from here to Kano without blinking. The secret of my being young, again, is that I’m always mindful of what I eat. It is wrong

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

‘

see the purity in you. Anybody who loves the white colour, you will not find him or her in a dirty place. That is my belief about the white colour.

What does your wardrobe look like?

In my wardrobe, there are mixed attires.

I have ethnic and formal dresses. But I have more of ethnic attires than English dresses.

What is that fashion accessory you can’t do without?

Is there anything like that? Even it is not compulsory for me to carry a bag. If I don’t wear earrings,, I don’t think I will remember, because at birth, my religion was Seventh Day Adventist, which does not encourage such things You manage Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife. What does it take for a woman to manage a hospitality business?

(She pauses) My husband and I never thought of hotel business. But it got to a stage that we had a challenge at the Universal Tutorial. What became Hilton Hotel today was built to accommodate students. But because of crisis, we could not use it again. We used it to accommodate riot policemen when there was a crisis between Ile-Ife and Modakeke.

And you know our God is so good. Things just changed.

When the idea of a hotel came about initially, I was against it because I thought hotel business was not clean; that people who go into hotels are bad human beings.

But we started it.

What has been the challenge of operating a hotel?

There are many challenges. You know human beings; you cannot satisfy them.

We thank God for giving us the opportunity to establish it.

What is the secret behind the serious bond between you and your husband?

Love and understanding.

How much of your upbringing have you impacted on your children?

I can see it on my children. I thank God that my parents are still alive. Anything I tell my children about what has happened to me, they can easily go to my parents and ask. And anything I tell them, they meet it like that when they ask my parents. I always tell them that I fear my parents a lot. I am the only lady my parents have. That is why I love them so much.

And the training they gave to me, they told me that I should give it to my children, and I have been doing so.

Your husband travels a lot. Do you nurse the fear that he could bring another woman home?

Well, God is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. So I don’t normally fear. But if you have many friends, something like that will come to your mind; that maybe my husband, who is in the US, is with one woman or one lady. But if you have trust in God, you don’t need to think about that at all. I’m not afraid any time he is away.

There is the tendency for female children to ‘rebel’ when they are growing up. How do you manage your daughters?

Well, it is not me that is managing them, it is God. Who am I? it is God that is controlling all these things.

Because if God is not controlling them, how would you control them yourself? You cannot. What if you sleep and don’t wake up the following day?

If you were to advise a lady who is about to get married,. What would you say to her?

My only advice for a lady who wants to get married is that she should put everything in God’s hand and should be asking God for wisdom, knowledge and understanding. If she asks for these, God will give them to him. You are your own prophet and pastor. Anything you want, if you tell your God, the answer from God is no, yes or wait. It is only when we cannot wait that we make mistakes. But if you are focused and wait and say this is the type of man I want in my life or this is the type of woman I want in my life, God will bring it to pass.

I think anybody who wants to marry should not say because she is a doctor, she would want to marry a doctor or she would want to marry a chartered accountant because she is a chartered accountant.

Such a home will not be peaceful. It will be like a two masters wanting to drive a car. is the secret of the white colour you see me It won’t be easy. I have ladies and I always tell them, ‘If you want to marry, marry the in. person that you love, not wealth. You need Does it have a spiritual undertone?

Not at all. You know that God is so clean, to do a proper check on the background of and if you want to be part of God, you have the person you want to marry. If the to be very clean and let people see it in you, parents of the people you want to marry apart from your behavior. Let the people are not together, that is a problem.

Well, God is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. So I don’t normally fear. But if you have many friends, something like that will come to your mind; that maybe my husband, who is in the US, is with one woman or one lady. But if you have trust in God, you don’t need to think about that at all. I’m not afraid any time he is away

s p

’

•Chief (Mrs) Adedoyin

for people to just eat all manner of things because they have money. I don’t eat junk food.

I know your husband likes white attires and you are also wearing one.

What is the fascination about?

My favourite colours are white and

purple. My grandfather and all my family members all like the white colour. If you get to my father, you will see him in white.

If you get to his bedroom, you will see that his bedspread is white. So, it runs in my family. And my own colour, apart from the family colour, is purple. I like purple. That

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THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 24, 2011

Make a statement with neck accessories

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HEN you want to know how passionate a lady is about her dress sense, check what she wears to complement her look. Dazzling neck accessories are making waves all over the world. A beautiful, crafted neck accessory will help any lady to get a pass mark in this festive period. There are different types of neck accessories,

•BARONG TAIWO

depending on what you want. Beads are being stylishly mixed with gold, wood, fabric and silver accessories to produce tasteful designs. There are also materials that can be combined with beautiful and exotic beads, gold, bronze and silver to produce powerful and fashionable jewellery. Bring out the beauty in you this festive period with a beautiful neck accessory.

•FUNMI ODUYEMI

Kenneth Jay gold necklace

•Stylish neck accessory

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THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 24, 2011

For the picnic on Monday

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HE only option for a truly breezy outfit is a thoughtful collection of cute skirts. And skirt this season is all about bright hues and interesting patterns.

One thing is certain: A stylish skirt will keep you cool.

•Model

Simply trendy A printed skirt, red handbag and lovely accessories will do!

Sleeveless satin blouse

Eni Balogun launches beauty magazine BEAUTY Overdozed Magazine (BOM) is the brainchild of award- winning and New York certified makeup artist, Eni Balogun. It is a publication which features mainly beauty, health, hair, lifestyle, fashion, travel and entertainment. It covers the most important things on the international scene and mostly the African beauty industry.

BOM is every woman’s luxury beauty guide. It represents a new, original voice on the newsstand, a voice that speaks to a generation of women, the old and the young, from diverse cultures, upbringings and interests. It is an international and domestic resource for all beauty professionals, beauty brands and companies, restaurants, hospitals and the general public.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 24, 2011

Governors, monarchs, others honour Aregbesola at first anniversary

•Wife of Osun State Governor’s Chief of Staff, Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola (left), and wife of Chiarman, Osun State ACN, Mrs Patience Adelowo Adebiyi

•From left: Otunba Laoye-Tomori, Mrs. Aregbesola and Mrs. Amosun

•A chieftian of the ACN, Ayo Afolabi(left), and former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, .

Iyiola Oladokun

• Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam

•Osun State Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning,Mr. Muyiwa Ige

• Deputy Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Akintunde Adegboye(left), and former Speaker , Hon. Mojeed Alabi

• Prof. Siyan Oyeweso and Osun State Commissioner for Environment, Prof (Mrs) Olubukola Oyawoye

• Hon. Ajibola Famurewa (left) and Osun State ACN Treasurer, Mr. Kunle Adeyemi

• Osun State ACN leader, Alhaji Fatai Diekola(left), and Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Special Needs, Mr. Biyi Odulade

•Continued from page 22 and guardians; the dredging and channelization of rivers and streams causing floods; nutritious feeding of pupils ; renovation of schools; introduction of computer tablets through which students learn and read their books with ease; cancelling of the WASC qualifying examination for all the students in SSS 3 and payment of WASC examination fees; recruitment of 8,554 teachers deployed to both primary and secondary schools; establishment of the OYESTECH through which a large number of OYES volunteers are exposed to the ICT training ; free eye surgeries and distribution of eye glasses tagged Jigi Omoluabi; free surgeries for all ailments •Osun State Commissioner for Health, Mrs. ; and making loans available to farmers Tope Ilori to the tune of N2 billion.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

•Show time at CARNIRIV

CARNIRIV: Garden City blossoms out T

HERE were intermit tent booms at the Lib eration Stadium, Port Harcourt last Saturday. As the sound reverberated, brightly sparks in multiple colours lit up the sky. The excited crowd yelled for more. It was the Peace Concert, the grand finale of the CARNIRIV 2011 activities.

Some years ago, such sound would have sent people scampering for perceived safe places with fear written all over their faces.

The fact that the closing ceremony of the CARNIRIV 2011 concert held in the night drew such a mammoth crowd was an indication of the difficult effort to haul Port Harcourt and parts of Rivers State to normalcy and peace.

Inside the Liberation Stadium, all the seats were taken with an overflow spilling to the football field, covering it and just leaving the tiny place for the band stand where the musicians such as Luciano, Ras Kimono, Ducan Mighty and many others were billed to perform.

However, this was just an icing in the cake for the oneweek programme put together by the organizing committee of the CARNIRIV on behalf of the Government of Rivers State.

It started with the ECOWAS Pageant where a young lady from Guinea Bissau won the coveted crown. In between this and the flagship event, which was the Port Harcourt Freestyle Carnival, were other activities such as the children’s carnival, regatta, the local government float and many others.

Rivers State was in festive mood and citizens trooped to be part of the fun at the stadium.

Before the Peace Concert, the Port Harcourt Carnival had taken the centre stage.

The carnival train was flagged off by the state governor ,Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at the Silver Bird Galleria in Port Harcourt.

From there, the carnival passed through Ikwerre Road, through Olu Obasanjo Street, with the adjudicated point at Aba

Road. There were five bands on display: Dynamic; Jubilee; Treasure Based; Libearation and Fusion Band.

Talking about the costuming, the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were quite colourful with the old school Afro hairdo and costume. Their enthusiasm was quite high.

Governor Amaechi, with carnival costume, not only declared the event open, but was with the carnival train from the beginning to the end. He spoke on why the government went into organizing the carnival.

“We knew that government owed the people protection and development.

We had to ensure that peace and security returned to Rivers State as well as convince first, our people ,and then, our friends, that Port Harcourt was back in business.

“In those early days,the CARNIRIV known initially as RIVFEST became one of the vehicles on which we rode to regain our lost glory as the fun capital of Nigeria.

“CARNIRIV-Port Harcourt Carnival- is one event that helped in convincing the world that Port Harcourt is indeed safe and open for business. It is a cherished platform that provides us with a great

opportunity to showcase the tourism potential of our state, our culture and traditional hospitality of the Rivers people.”

Speaking further on the carnival theme, the state Commissioner for Tour-

ism, Mr. Nabbs Imegwu, said: “The theme was anchored on the realization that Rivers State , the Treasure Base of Nigeria, has abundant resources of cultural products and practi-

•Governor Chibuike Amaechi and his wife at the carnival

Continued on Page 50

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

CARNIRIV: Garden City blossoms out Continued from Page 49

tioners and we have a responsibility and commitment to properly harness these into a viable investment powerhouse.

“Beyond showcasing our dynamic and rich heritage.

We are working tirelessly building on the past successes of our predecessors to ensure that the CARNIRIV assumes its pride of place as a global cultural and tourism brand.

“One must commend the Rivers State government’s effort in creating a peaceful environment. Tourism can only thrive where there is peace.”

This years winner of the

freestyle carnival was Jubilee Band. They went home with the prize money of five million naira.

However, a lot needs to be done to actually package the CARNIRIV to become a tourism product that would attract both local and inbound tourists.

While a lot of hype is made about the carnival, there should also be a concurrent effort to liaise with tour operator to package tours for local and inbound tourists.

In addition to this,the level of participation of corporate organizations in the fiesta is low. Orgainsers must put more efforts in sourcing corporate sponsors rather than depending mostly on the

government for sponsorship.

The carnival and other activities ought to be packaged and executed as a tourism product. So far, it has the hue of an internal celebration than a product.

But one thing one cannot take away from the festival is the followership and appreciation by the people. It is something they love and would love to always be part of.

The onus is on the organizers to also make outsiders love it so much to spent time and money to visit Port Harcourt and be part of the revelry. It is only then one can truly see it as a tourism product.

•Some dancers on local government areas‘ float

•Participants at CARNIRIV

•Nollywood actress, Monalisa Chinda (right), and a participant

Kehinde FALODE: 08023689894

Christmas wreath coffee cake Foluke ADEMOLA

The great season we have all been waiting for is here again.Many are worried about what to cook this Christmas for their friends and loved ones who are coming to celebrate with them.

But do not worry. With this beautiful cake recipe, you can surely have a good appetizer.

Ingredients • 1 ½ cups sifted cake flour (sift before measuring) • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 egg, slightly beaten • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 1/3 cup melted shortening • 1/2 cup milk • 1 teaspoon vanilla • Streusel • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar • 2 tablespoons cake flour • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon • 2 tablespoons butter

Preparation • Into a bowl, sift together ½ cup sifted flour, baking powder, salt; set aside.

• Combine egg, granulated sugar, melted shortening, milk, and vanilla in another bowl. Stir all at once into flour mixture just until blended.

• Add your brown sugar with 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Preheat oven to 375°.

• Place half of streusel mixture in greased 1 quart ring mold; top with half of batter. Repeat layers.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until cake tests done. Cool 10 minutes in the pan.

• Invert on wire rack to finish cooling. Drizzle with basic cakr glaze and decorate with nuts and colourful dried fruits, if desired.

Health and nutritional benefits of honey The essentials of honey go beyond its great taste. It is a great natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy for our bodies. It is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduction of muscle fatigue of athletes.

Its natural sugar plays an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar. So, to know more of the benefits of honey, below are a few tips: • Honey has a laxative effect on the digestion system of an individual and helps provide relief from constipation. It is also believed to provide relief from diarrhoea and dysentery. infected surgical wounds and ulcers.

• It also helps in cleansing blood and has positive • Cold and Sore Throat Home Remedy: Honey effects on the regulation of blood circulation, having is considered to be one of the best natural remantiseptic properties; honey is good for treating burns, edies for sore throats, coughs and general cold symptoms. Honey has long been used in various natural sore throat remedies ranging from teas to syrups. Even today, many commercial preparations for sore throats and coughs (such This wonderful drink is a very good delicacy for as lozenges) are still primarily based on honey.

Christmas. With your family and friends, enjoy this For a simple and natural remedy to a cold or healthy drink. sore throat, take one teaspoon of honey twice a Ingredients day until cured.

• 1/2 ripe mango, peeled and seeded • Honey is easily digested by the most sensi• 1/2 ripe papaya, peeled and seeded tive stomachs and helps kidneys and intestines • 1 ripe banana function better and good for improving appe• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice tite, especially in children.

• 1/2 cup skim milk • It reduces the production of acid in the • 1/4 cup non-fat yo- mouth, and thus is good for maintaining oral health. Majority of the allergies can be treated gurt with raw honey.

• 1 teaspoon honey • Being much lower in calories, as compared • 2 cups ice to sugar and having a very low fat content, honey is good for those trying to lose weight. It has Method • In a blender, combine properties to make the body heal faster.It helps the mango, papaya, ba- in convalescence.

• It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals nana, orange juice, milk, yogurt, honey like B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, acid, certain and ice. Blend until amino acids, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium smooth.

• This will make two and zinc which helps and gives the body good health. servings

Tropical fruit shake

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Yolanda Adams lights up Calabar

T

•Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, and NTDC boss, Otunba Segun Runsewe

Jos to host carnival of unity next year

I

N an effort to bring about a lasting peace in Jos, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has proposed a carnival in Plateau State next year.

Proposing the carnival to stakeholders at different fora during the peace week campaign in Jos, the Director General of the NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, said the fiesta would engender peace, love, friendship and brotherliness in the state.

Otunba Runsewe described the peace week initiative as divine when he visited the commander of the State Task Force, Major General O. O Oshinowo, alongside the representative of the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Dung Chong, and other top military officers in his office in Jos. Also during a visit to the Gbong Gwon Jos, His Majesty Da, Jacob Gyang Buba (CON), in his palace, Runsewe stressed the need to explore such lofty ideas

as the carnival to prove to the world that peace had finally returned to the plateau, saying there were several potential foreign investors on the line, all concerned about peace on the plateau.

Responding, His Majesty thanked the delegation for the visit and the good intention of the federal government, the military,the NTDC and other stakeholders in ensuring lasting

peace in the beleaguered state, lamenting that it was rather sad and embarrassing that Plateau has been in the news for the wrong reasons.

The Gbong Gwon Jos further thanked the security agencies in the state for their efforts, noting that security was everybody’s business, while emphasizing the need for the citizenry to be in partnership with the government towards achieving lasting peace in

the state.

In an interactive session with youths from some local government areas in the state, the representative of the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Dung Chong admonished the youths to shun violence, while Otunba Runsewe said the essence of the peace week was to sensitize on the need to embrace peace, saying there was no alternative.

La Campagne Tropicana woos visitors La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ikegun has said it has put together packages for leisure seekers during this Yuletide season,.

According to the resort’s chief executive, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, the resort’s facilities have been serviced and put in shape for the season.

He also said the resort had put together packages for both adults and children during this period to offer visitors all round entertain-

ment, fun and relaxation for the Yuletide.

From December 15 till January 3, children could visit the resort and have good times with the bouncing castle, clowns, big bird.

They are also to engage in singing competitions. The will have the opportunity to win fabulous prizes in the lucky dip. They have the opportunity for day or overnight visits to the resort.

The adult packages started on December 23 with

the fun at the beach side with DJs, three separate burnfires and buffet meals.

Visitors can try their hands in games such as tug of war, volleyball, football and other land and water sports. There would also be a whole cow barbecue For the adventurous who are not interested in staying in conventional facilities, the resort has camp tents.

How FIRS sealed tourism minister’s hotel over tax

T

ravel journalists from all over the country were recently at the Mirage Hotel, Calabar for a two-day training.

Having completed the training , they were about to embark on a tour of Calabar when personnel of the Nigerian Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) stormed and sealed the hotel, claiming that the hotel had defaulted in tax remittances running into millions to the government. The hotel is owned by the current Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke.

There were two taxes in dispute: The company tax and the Value Added Tax (VAT). There was a dispute on the amount of money payable to the FIRS on the company tax.

The FIRS officials, however, insisted that they were not after the company tax which their office and the hotel were trying to arrive at a mutually agreed tax that should be paid.

He said they were after the

•FIRS officials in action VAT which the FIRS officials alleged that the hotel had collected but refused to remit to their office.

Solomon Ajimotokin, who led the FIRS enforcement team, said the action was taken over the alleged default in the payment of

taxes for two years.

The hotel was later reopened after its management issued a cheque of N1 million as part-payment of the amount owed.

Ajimotokin had earlier said that the hotel’s management only produced tax

records of payment for 2009 and had refused to pay taxes for 2010 and 2011.

He said the FIRS was working within its mandate to ensure that tax defaulters were not allowed to continue to defraud the federal government.

HE spiritual content of the ongoing 2011 Cala bar Festival got more intense on Canaan Praise Night 3, with American Grammy and Dove winning gospel singer, record producer, actress and radio host, Yolanda Adams, delighting gospel lovers at the UJ Esuene Stadium.

American pastor and Christian worship music producer, Don Moen, and Jamaican-born reggae gospel singer, Chevelle Franklyn, had performed on Canaan Praise Night 1 and 2 respectively.

Adams, whose performance capped activities for the night ministered to the souls who had waited all night for her performance with powerful worship songs.

Just before Adams, popular Nigerian musician, Obiwon, had the atmosphere charged at the UJ Esuene Stadium in a riveting performance of gospel music. =Other performances were by Murphy, Rasine Brown and Pastor Chichi Ayodele.

The excitement of the night was further heightened with St Cecilia Mass Choir, emerging winner in the finals of a keenly contested Voices of Paradise competition in which they had filled the air in the stadium with angelic melodies.

The Voices of Paradise competition had started on the Canaan Praise Night 1 and

five choirs had made it to the finals on the Canaan Praise Night 3.

The five choirs were St Gregory the Great Choir, St Bernard’s Parish, Presbyterian Bells, Paradise Chorals and St Cecelia Mass Choir, all in Calabar.

The winners, St Cecilia carted home with N1million, a key board, mixer and amplifier. Runners-up, Paradise Chorals, won N500, 000, a five-string guitar and a five-piece drum set.

First runners-up, Presbyterian Bells, went home with N250, 000, a cord microphone and speakers. St Bernard’s Parish and St Gregory the Great in fourth and fifth positions respectively went home with N50, 000 each. All the choirs got plaques and certificates of participation.

•Yolanda Adams

SUDOKU 1ST STEP IN SOLVING PUZZLE 363: Look at the 3 top horizontal (ABC) 3 x 3 boxes. The left box has 7 in cell Ca, while the middle box has its 7 in cell Be. The right box must, therefore, have its own 7 in row A, where there are 2 vacant spaces - cells Ag and Ai. But, since column g already has a 7-in cell Fg, the only space available to accommodate 7 in the right box is cell Ai. Reasoning along these lines, try and fill in all the other vacant cells

SOLUTION TOMORROW. HAPPY PUZZLING!

52

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

How to improve on your marriage (4)

D

EAR Reader, I hope you are fully set for the Christmas celebration by making your home a lively one. It’s a great privilege sharing God’s Word with you today, being a day to the celebration of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Happy Xmas in advance!

This week, I wish to unveil to you How to Provoke Joy and Enjoy a Lively Home during this Christmas season.

I want you to know that God has designed this season to bring joy to individual lives, homes and marriages all over the world. This joy cannot be traced to man but God, the source of true joy.

The holiday season and new year celebrations are just round the corner. However, the excitement and stress of preparation and celebration can lead to certain unwanted health problems.

At last, it’s time for the long awaited holiday season merriment.

There are a number of errands to do before the holidays begin, such as cleaning, shopping, decorating the home, and finishing work assignments. In the whole process, people are likely to put a lot of pressure on their health and fitness and ignore personal safety. Many even spend the festive season overindulging on food and drink Work Assignments and Examinations: Stress There is usually a lot of work to be finished in the office before the holidays start. As far as children are concerned, examinations are generally scheduled to take place right before the holidays begin. The haste to finish all the work early and the high anxiety levels to perform well in the examinations can take a physical and mental toll on adults and children alike.

Individuals should avoid exerting themselves by trying to finish work and preparing for the festivities simultaneously.

Cleaning and Decorating: Wounds, Fractures, etc There are bound to be wounds and fractures as a result of giving the house a face-lift.

As a precaution, scrutinize all the

There are times when one gets excited over some things, but this usually does not bring joy that lasts.

Some people have the opportunity to experience joy only at Christmas.

Thank God for the month of December, thank God for Christmas and the joyful spirit of the season that comes into the home, but this does not only have to be for one season.

Joy can be made to become an everyday experience in the family, simply by creating the right atmosphere that guarantees a never-ending joy. The right atmosphere for joy to dwell is a Godly one. When your marriage is one that is of God, a home where the individuals are

born again, then it is easy for a godly atmosphere to be created.

God’s Word says: Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalms 16:11). God makes His presence only available in the homes of His children. In His presence, there is always fullness of joy.

The pleasures spoken about, in the scripture above, are all those things that will naturally provoke joy in the home. Most of these things are not just simple needs, but things that money may not necessarily buy. Some of them are divine health, protection, provisions, peace, sweet sleep, promotions, success, etc.

There is a popular song that says: ‘When Jesus is in a family; happy, happy home…’ This is true! When your home enjoys an atmosphere filled with the presence of God, it will indeed be an ever happy home. That shall be your own portion in Jesus’ name!

Godly atmosphere is one that is consciously created by the individuals in the home. It involves having the fear of God in the home, and practically obeying His commandments concerning covenant

responsibilities by the husband and the wife.

Therefore, let the husband obey God’s commandment, by carrying out his covenant responsibility of loving his wife. The love responsibility is the instrument a man uses to make his wife a glorious woman, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.

Therefore, the making of any wife is in the hands of her husband. If you want to enjoy a lively home as a husband, then, love your wife as your own body! Love is the price you pay for a lively home, while total submission is what is required of the wife to reciprocate her husband’s love to sustain a lively home, even after Christmas.

The presence of God in a home means lasting peace in a family.

When there is peace, there will be unity in the home and when there is unity, the blessings of God just keep flowing. These blessings include – promotion, success in your various endeavour, health, prosperity, divine direction etc.

A home that lacks the presence of God will lack the pleasures and joy that His presence carries. That home will suffer setbacks like lack of peace, stagnation, unfruitfulness,

sorrow, hardship, sickness, disunity and lack of joy. The presence of God that comes from a godly atmosphere is a must, for the family that wants its joy to be sustained after Christmas!

The right foundation for a godly atmosphere that commands the presence of God and gives lasting peace and joy everlasting for a lively family, is the one that is connected to His only begotten Son. You can become His child and be born again. If you are ready to accept Jesus Christ into your life, please say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now I know I am born again!

Congratulations! Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant and Building A Successful Family.

Health hazards of the holiday season •How to stay fit and healthy but still enjoy the festive period

Fairy lights are usually suspended from the external roof of the house and are also hung on fittings and bolts of the equipment.

Christmas trees. Negligent hanThis will help to avoid physical indling of these electrical fittings can jury in the form of cuts, wounds and be a reason for house-fires and elecfractures. tric shocks.

Shopping: Stress It is better to play safe and handle Shopping activities may sound the electrical fittings and lights exciting but they are likely to cause only if the person involved have severe stress and body ache. sufficient knowledge about them.

Doctors suggest consumption of If not, it is best to opt for help from a lot of water, juices, and green tea an electrician. to reduce the stress level.

Feast Food and Wine: Heart Christmas Tree: Allergy and Problems and Weight Gain Skin Irritation A typical feast comprises Christmas trees are surely a sign chicken, roasted turkey, beef, rice, of festivities, but these trees are cakes wines and lots more. All of likely to trigger a lot of breathing these excessively add to the calorie and asthmatic problems if they stay intake of a person leading to probinside the home for long. A freshly lems such as poor digestion, acidcut Christmas tree is likely to harity, heart burn, weight gain, and bor considerable dust and mold on rise in cholesterol and heart probits needles approximately a week lems. after it is erected. The needles are The best bet is to eat in moderate also likely to cause breathing probproportions daily so as to control lems and skin irritation to some appetite. Also, it makes sense to be people. calorie and cholesterol conscious Purchase the tree a day or two beand eat small proportions of food fore Christmas and dispose it off at least four times a day throughimmediately after the festival time. out the holiday season.

Alternately, the safest tree is a Holiday season is the worst time flame-resistant artificial Christmas of year for heart problems, with tree which can be erected and decoheart-related deaths peaking in late rated to look like a real life tree.

December and early January. This Lights and Crackers: Fire and is usually caused by holiday stress, Burns heavy meals (a known heart attack trigger), ignoring chest pain for fear of disrupting the festive mood, skipping meds in the hustle and bustle, and understaffed hospitals.

Sweets and Candies: Choking Choking is a serious health hazard which has resulted in many deaths. It is caused by the consumption of Christmas sweets and candies and is quite common among children who generally have a very narrow •As interesting as christmas is, one needs to be wary of the health hazards inherent in it in order esophagus.

It is best to to enjoy the celebration

Risikat RAMONI

monitor the quantity of sweets consumed by them all the time.

Make sure to buy sweets and candies in smaller sizes that can be safely swallowed by the children in your care.

To avoid choking, take small bites, chew slowly and carefully, and avoid talking or being distracted while eating. Be wary of high risk foods.

Late Night Partying: Vehicle Accidents, STDs This is the worst health hazard of the holiday season. Excessive drinking and late night partying is a likely cause of disastrous and fatal vehicular accidents. There is a notable rise in consumption of party drugs during this time which can cause drug addiction and severe damage to the body. There is also a steep rise in opting for unprotected sexual encounters during the parties and cel-

ebrations which are a likely cause of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Trust your instincts and opt for utmost safety during the parties.

The holiday season calls for family reunions and cherishing the wonderful life that people have during the last 11 months. It is best to carefully carry out all the festive plans and activities to keep the happiness and cheerfulness alive.

Sleep problems A good night’s rest is often the first thing we sacrifice in the midst of late-night parties, early-morning shopping, and year-end deadlines.

But skimping on sleep can lower immunity, increase stress levels, and lead to weight gain; plus, it raises your risk for depression and automobile accidents. As tempting as it is to ignore, it’s important to make sleep a priority to ensure a happy and healthy holiday.

“IVF babies are normal babies” T

HE managing director of Nordica fertility centre in Lagos, Dr Abayomi Ajayi said recently that children born through in vitro fertilisation, IVF, are normal babies contrary to popular opinions.

He proved this to many during the Nordica Christmas party organised for children born through IVF.

Risikat RAMONI The children played, danced, and had fun.

Ajayi said the party is an avenue for creating awareness in Nigeria that IVF works and that the babies from IVF are perfectly healthy.

He noted that many people do not want to be identified with IVF in Nigeria yet. "It's avenues like this thaat will make us break that stigma."

IVF is for people who are having a challenge of conception. It has to do with fertilisation outside the body.

The fertlity expert identified male factor as the singular most important factor for infertility in couples. He urged couples to go for counselling so they can understand where the problem lies and what to do in order to have children of their own.

In her contribution, the clinic manager, Mrs Tola Ajayi said when people have a fertility MD of Nordica, Dr Abayomi Ajayi with the first problem and opt for triplet born through IVF in Nordica. With them is IVF, that doesnt make them sub-human. the clinic manager, Mrs Tola Ajayi

53 Coping with diseases

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Holidays and health

S

EASON’S greetings to our readers! I take a break from talking about the club unwanted. I just want to join in the spirit of the holidays. Moslems had their New Year Al Hijra (November 26th 2011), Jews celebrate Chanukah (Hanukkah) (December 20-28th 2011), Christians celebrate Christmas (December 25 th always), our brethren - the African Americans - celebrate Kwanza (December 26th- January 1st always), and many parts of the world celebrate a new year on January 1st. Let us tap into the atmosphere of celebration for good health.

As human beings, many of us are born normal and balanced. During the advancement of life, the circumstances, environments, events, relationships, etc., that we pass through often flip our psyches here and there. This particular season is a season of intensity. For many people, it results in joy, pleasure, euphoria, and desirable feelings. For others, it results in frustration, sadness, depression, loneliness, and undesirable feelings. This is not just a question of chance. We can determine the outcome by our efforts.

Life without celebrations would be an emotional desert.

There are principles and qualities that every human being appreciates and most human beings seek, for example: love, solidarity, peace, joy, pleasure, happiness, freedom, safety, and security. In the past, Holy Days helped to advance such principles. Our present day holidays derived from Holy Days still do, even if they are highly commercialized. Commercialization is a

P

ELVIC inflammatory disease is caused by germs that are transmitted through sexual contact and other bodily secretions.

Bacteria that cause gonorrhea and chlamydia cause more than half of cases. Other organisms found in the vagina can also cause PID but are much less common.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Symptoms • If you have PID, you may have any of these symptoms: ( Abdominal pain (especially lower abdominal pain) or tenderness ( Back pain ( Abnormal uterine bleeding (

sign of our times and is desirable by many but it is left to each of us to not to lose the substance in the holidays. There are aspects of holidays that are good for our health of body, mind, and spirit. We take a look at some of them.

Add Meaning To Life: The Holy Days always come with their messages which can help to offset the weaknesses of our nature and the errors of our living. They afford us an opportunity to gain sanity, self-control, and direction and they help us to make the best of the rest of our lives in the future. Reflection is thus a healthy aspect of Holy Days.

Unwind: Indeed, modern life stresses our psyches continually. Financial pressures, intense competitions, threats and risks, and many aspects of capitalist life manage to stir up the worst in us: greed, hate, envy, selfishness, fear, anxiety, etc. Busy lives are often impoverished of pleasures.

The Holy Days affords us an opportunity to ease up any psychic pain or mess; down with the negatives and up with the positives. We can put the stressors on hold and see how beautiful and pleasurable life can be without them. Thus, taking a break is an important aspect of Holidays. When you return to work and business, perhaps you will even strategize to delete the stressors from your activities permanently and to add the uplifting gains of the Holy Days.

Relate: The human being is a social being and the most important ordinary society is the family. The family is a group of people who are re-

with Prof. Dayo Oyekole

Prostate enlargement

P lated by life and love. Relationship is an important psychological platform: an outlet for passions, a support for emotions, a source of identity.

The holidays draw people home from across towns, countries, or from across the world to enjoy relationships. Too often, we do not realize that good relationships are very important for our holistic health. Relationships are sometimes trampled upon and messed up by malicious intrigues therefore we should seek for ways of guarding and protecting our relationships. Relationships do have sacredness in them because they are generated from life and love and in turn can enhance our living and loving. The coming together of members of the family for holidays is thus an opportunity for uplifting. We should try not to let it degenerate into fears, intrigues, and fight.

Love And Be Loved: The holidays help us to practice giving and receiving. These two aspects of life make it possible for humans to live in peace and harmony whether within a family or within the larger society or country. Thus the holidays wake us up to become our better selves and better building blocks of a good society.

FEAST. This does not mean that we overeat or get drunk. It

does mean that we enjoy eating. Many people who are poor often confine themselves to perpetual misery, never daring to venture near good things. Holidays afford us an excuse to eat and drink things we like but usually cannot afford to eat. We eat well and the pleasure of good feeding helps to offset the effects of the miseries of life. We also spend time on things that our work lives sometimes suppress such as enjoying music, movies, conversations, relaxation, outings, etc. Families should always take care of occasions to feast such as holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, achievements, etc. There is no need to be extravagant or to incur regrettable debts. If necessary, we can always be creative and innovative in making simple changes that create a feast out of meager means.

We are very often thinking about our bodily health and doing exercises and watching our diet. We should not forget that we are more than physical body and should take care of our overall health: body, mind, and spirit. The holidays are a great time to advance holistic health. Happy Holidays!!

Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please Email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910.

Pelvic inflammatory disease Unusual or heavy vaginal discharge ( Painful urination ( Painful sexual intercourse •Symptoms not related to the female reproductive organs include fever, nausea, and vomiting.

•Your symptoms may be worse at the end of your menstrual period and during the first several days following a period.

If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you should see your health care

provider: •Abdominal pain that does not go away •Irregular vaginal bleeding • Foul-smelling vaginal discharge •Unusual vaginal discharge •Fever, nausea, vomiting Given the long-term complications PID can cause, such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy, it is recommended that you seek immediate medical attention if you have any of these symptoms: •Lower abdominal pain or tenderness •Fever greater than 101°F (38.3°C) •Abnormal or foul-smelling vaginal discharge Adult women with PID are either closely monitored or admitted to the hospital. More aggressive treatment may take place in the hospital for adolescents, who are at a much higher risk of not following treatment plans and of having complications.

You may be admitted to the hospital if any of the following are true: •The diagnosis is unclear.

•Ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis cannot be ruled out.

•You are pregnant.

•An abscess (an infection) is suspected.

•You are acutely ill or cannot manage your illness at home.

Exams and Tests Physical exam findings include the following:

•A temperature greater than 101°F (38.3°C) •Abnormal vaginal discharge •Lower abdominal tenderness when felt •Tenderness when your cervix is moved •Tenderness in your female organs Laboratory tests may include the following: •A urine pregnancy test if you are of childbearing age •Urinalysis to check for bladder and kidney infection •A complete blood count (although fewer than half of women with acute PID have a high white blood cell count indicating an infection) • Cervical cultures for gonorrhea and chlamydia •Testing for other sexually transmitted diseases, including syphilis and HIV •Additional tests if you have more severe symptoms •Imaging: A pelvic ultrasound, although not routinely done, can be an important tool in diagnosing complications such as tubo-ovarian abscesses, ovarian cysts, and ectopic pregnancy. Although unlikely to occur in pregnancy, PID is the most commonly missed diagnosis in ectopic pregnancies and can occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

•Dr B. Filani is the Chief Consultant of Sound Health Centre, Lagos. You can contact him on 08023422010 or on facebook or email soundhealthcentre@yahoo.com.

PROSTRATE enlargement is generally a disease of elderly men; and it is characterized by urine retention, lead ing to severe pains, anxiety, discomfort, and sometimes, loss of consciousness.

The full function of the prostate is not yet fully understood by scientists all over the world. However, it is known that as a gland, it produces fluid called ‘semen’ which is released by men, at the climax of sexual activity. The prostate gland will only grow and function under the influence of male hormones, the most important of which is called TESTOSTERONE, produced from the testicles.

The prostate gland surrounds the neck of the bladder and the first part of the urethra goes through it. An enlarged prostate, presses on the urethra and decreases the size of the opening through it, or it forms a dam which holds back part of the urine.

The causes of prostate enlargement are not very precise, but they are associated with hormonal imbalance; and available information indicates that most men who use drugs to improve their sexual performance tend to activate the level of their Testosterone hormone beyond the threshold, and consequently, they often end up developing prostate enlargement and related complications.

The enlargement can be a simple type called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or it may be cancerous, that is, Malignant Prostatic Hyperplasia. Both the benign and malignant types usually present similar symptoms of frequency in urination, hesitancy, urgency, trickling flow of urine and in advanced stages, there is acute urine retention as a result of blockage of the urinary tract.

A man suffering from enlarged prostate will first notice that he has to get up oftener than usual, to pass urine at night.

The stream will be small and slow to start. A long time may be required to empty the bladder.

Many men with enlarged prostate may have no further disturbance than the “nuisance” symptoms stated earlier.

Other cases will get worse until the patient cannot empty the bladder, and must resort to a catheter for relief.

Unfortunately, after the urine has once begun to be drawn by catheter, the danger of bladder infection is great. Also, the symptoms and problems of cystitis are likely to occur.

Treatment and Control

In Holistic Lifecare, it is strongly advocated that the best prospects of controlling Prostate Enlargement, is by going back to Nature. When symptoms of an enlarged prostate are noticed, it is advisable to avoid spices, condiments and alcoholic beverages; to lessen bladder irritation, which may promote infection. It is also important to avoid cold conditions or getting the feet wet, or holding the urine for too long.

Prostate Enlargement is not new in African context. In fact, ethno-medicinal research has shown that herbal remedies are very effective, without complications or side effects.

The holistic natural remedy being suggested for Prostate Enlargement is a combination of natural extracts of herbs such as Saw Palmetto, Cocos nucifera, Khaya ivorensis and Lycopersicum esculentum.

For further information and consultation on Holistic Lifecare research and services, especially on Blood Infections, Infertility, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chronic Debilitating Conditions as well as mental and social problems, please call on: 0803-330-3897 or visit: Mosebolatan Holistic Lifecare Centre, Adeyalo Layout, OgbereTioya, Off Olorunsogo Express Bridge, Ibadan. Website: www.holisticlifecare.com. Distance is no barrier, we can send remedies by courier if need be. We also have facilities for accommodation, admission and hospitalization in a serene and homely environment.

INTERVIEW

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

Subsidy removal is a pill patriotic Nigerians should swallow —Mike Onolemenem, Minister of Works The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolemenem, minces no words when speaking on the state of roads in the country. Armed with a deep knowledge of the twists and turns in a sector that is undergoing serious reform, Onolemenem, in an interview with a group of journalists, declared that many lives can be saved from untimely deaths on the road with the right approach to road construction and maintenance. Our Abuja Bureau Chief, YOMI ODUNUGA, was there.

Excerpts:

•Onolemenem

C

AN you tell us the situation of the road concession agreements which were signed with some firms sometime ago?

On the concession of the LagosIbadan Expressway, that agreement was entered into by the Federal Government in 2009 under the Late President Umaru Yar’Adua. But that was not the only concession that was signed. There was a second one, the Bana Bridge between Nasarawa and Kogi, which was entered into with Digital Tool Company. Unfortunately, these two concessions ought to have been the flagship of road concession in this country under the Public Private Partnership arrangement, and unfortunately both did not work.

The one between Nasarawa and Kogi did not work because of the attitude of the concessionaire. The Digital Tool Company entered into an agreement with the Federal Government in which the government was supposed to pay its counterpart of the deal with the Kogi and Nasarawa governments.

The government paid the component financial requirement but the Digital Tool did not bring in any capital into that project, so the contractor who was doing it, an Israeli company, was doing the road well until it got to a point where could no longer pay them because the money they were supposed to raise could not be raised. So, as we speak, that project is still being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Now, on the Lago-Ibadan Expressway, which happens to be one of the

first places I visited on assumption of office because of the comments and cries of Nigerians who use that road daily, I visited that particular project and I toured that project that day. I saw things myself and I demanded to know from the concessionaire what the problem was. In this particular case, the government had entered into proper agreement.

But, at that time, we had the banking crisis in the country.

Obviously that project was affected and the concessionaire wrote to the ministry in line with the agreement of the need to change the bankers and the financing instrument for that project. Of course, like every party to a contract, you have conditions to the contract and when there is a crisis like that, the contracts also spell out the procedure to adopt and the concessionaire was given the leeway for a new financial advisor and a new financier for the project. The last time we interacted with the concessionaire, he gave indication that a bank in South Africa and Globe 4 or 5 of South Africa were now behind the concession and we gave them a time frame within which they must deliver.

Beyond that, the government will not have a right to review that particular concession and recover it. It is not something you can just do at will because somebody says so. You must follow the concession agreement that was entered into by the Federal Government with the concessionaire. We did not draft the agreement and I was not a minister then. But that was what we met.

Now that the lot has fallen on me, it

‘

This is what I want Nigerians to understand on the fuel subsidy issue...If you listened to what the President said on the budger for 2012, you will find out that the Federal Government is sharing about N1.3 trillion as capital expenditure among all the MDAs. Removing subsidy alone, you will get that N1.3trillion and perhaps the government will be able to add another N600billion for infrastructural development and it is the Nigerians that will benefit from it

dent directed that we put in place a contingency plan for that particular project. We have done that and we are ready to go. We are just waiting for some procedures to play out. If, by the grace of God, they are able to put their heads together within that time frame and get it right, well and fine because our interest is just to ensure that the road is done. But if, on the other hand, it is clear that the concession has completely failed, the Federal Government will not hesitate to recover the road. It will reclaim the road and perhaps repair the road on its own or look at other ways of procuring that particular project.

How would you react to the allegation that corruption is behind the rot in most federal agencies, including the Ministry of Works?

On the issue of the corruption of the Federal Ministry of Works staff, I don’t always subscribe to the notion that every civil servant is corrupt. I was never a civil servant myself. I had always operated in the public sector as an appointee. I am a private sector professional and, on this job, I have come to it with the values of the private sector where for me, failure is not condoned. For as long as I remain the Minister of Works, I will not condone corrupt practices.

One of the things I did recently was to set up Engineering Monitoring Teams in all the zones apart from the zonal directors that are created and the new zonal directors of works in the states and engineering representative on each project. We now have six zonal engineering teams made

,

is my responsibility to see that the project works. And, for your information, sometime ago, Mr. Presi-

up of seasoned Nigerian engineers from the private sector across the country in the six geo -political zones who are now monitoring all our projects and feeding my office with independent reports on the performance of the project. With that, I am now able to monitor what my zonal directors, state controllers and what the engineer representatives are sending to me as monthly report.

I now have the benefit of an independent report of Nigerians that I will describe as Nigerians of an impeccable character. Many of them, our parts have crossed in the private sector and I know really some of them for what they are. They are people that you cannot influence with money because many of them are quite rich. I told them that it is a national service and I believe reasonably that will downplay the corruption issue.

Also, I have made it clear that any of our engineers in the ministry who is found to have compromised himself will be dealt with squarely because we will hand him over to the ethics committee of the relevant professional body. In this case, it will be the responsibility of the Council for Regulation of Engineering Profession and Nigerian Society of Engineers. We will also persecute. In fact, we have a case that we are investigating involving one of our engineers. It was alleged that rather than supervise a contractor, he is even the contractor’s engineer. You cannot get the best from such a person and he is being investigated in the ministry at my instance. I want to assure you that if the investiga-

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

55

INTERVIEW

‘Kerosine scarcity is linked to road construction’ tion team finds him culpable, I will not hesitate to use him as an example so that people will know what is to come. I believe the system will get better. I don’t want us to be cynical because we have no other country, and hopefully we will get it right.

Most ministers often find it difficult to operate due to the bureaucratic bottlenecks in the ministries, departments and agencies. Would you say your case is an exception?

I believe there are many ways of dealing with bureaucracy. For example, somebody just mentioned bonds now. The truth is that many investors out there are not comfortable to discuss bond issue with government because they see government bureaucracy as not suitable for that structure. That is a purely private sector structure. At least, we are creating a Road Authority. One of the things a Road Authority will be doing is to raise bonds. It will source money from anywhere to manage the road infrastructure.

Like I said, it is like a business. The one the government is doing is limited. Government cannot guarantee most of its bonds. The finance minister will tell you better. I have had a discussion with her on this issue and there is limit and even now, government is not accepting to guarantee certain things because it does not have effect on our economy and there is a limit they can go because bonds are not free. You guarantee them and that is monetary terms.

How much money do we have just now? We have already guaranteed a number of bonds and government can no longer do more, we have been told.

So, when we remove it from government bureaucracy, it is now a Road Authority with its own board that does not rely on Federal Executive Council on the decision to manage road or the minister per say. It is now treated as real business. People will have confidence, they will give it money. Look at Ghana; it is enjoying a loan of over $3billion for infrastructural development through its Road Authority. So what are we doing here?

Are you satisfied with the appropriation in the budget for 2012 and if you are not, what alternative means of sourcing for money are you looking at?

Well, it is clear that within the limit of government resources, what we have been given, we will have to live with it and manage with it. But the truth is that it is not sufficient. And I’ll tell you why. In a country where you devote about 76 per cent of your total budgetary provision to recurrent expenditure, you cannot really develop because 24 per cent is not enough to grow our economy the way it should. So I will not say I am satisfied. But, given the situation, I think that is the best we can get and we will make good use of it.

And this is what I want Nigerians to understand on the fuel subsidy issue. Subsidy removal is not a punitive measure by government, it is to be able to redress structural imbalance. If you listened to what the President said on the budger for 2012, you will find out that the Federal Government is sharing about N1.3 trillion as capital expenditure among all the MDAs. Removing subsidy alone, you will get that N1.3trillion and perhaps the government will be able to add another N60 0billion for infrastructural development and it is the Nigerians that will benefit from it.

We will be able to face our rail transportation system, the way that it has been planned. We will be able to fix more roads; we will be able to fix this Abuja- Lokoja road within the next 18 months; we will be able to complete Onitsha, Enugu and Port Harcourt road; we will be able to complete East West road, Kano Maiduguri road, among others, and we will bale to build a second Niger

•Onolemenem

bridge. And that money is not really the benefit that we will make from the subsidy withdrawal but the confidence it will give to investors to now come and invest in critical sectors in Nigeria. And when that happens, you could even have up to N7 trillion coming into our economy.

So the cumulative effect might as well be about N10 trillion every year. This is the real issue, and I believe as a person, it is in the interest of this country. Look at a country like Niger which has just successfully completed a petrol refinery. They built it at a place very close to the Nigerian border, hoping to use Nigeria as a target market. It is a shame. But if, for instance, we are able to reinvest our subsidy fund, we can build three new refineries and with what we have achieved with the existing refinery where production capacity has moved from about 25 per cent to about 70 per cent, we will be able to grow it to about 95 per cent and with the three new refineries planned for Kogi, Lagos and Bayelsa, we will become an exporter of petroleum products.

So it is a pill that patriotic Nigerians should be ready to swallow so that the country can be better. It is not as if the savings will be subjected to the bureaucracy. No, in fact, we want the private sector to manage the investment. That is what government has done and that is what it plans to do. I believe it will be in the interest of Nigerians.

But there still exists rampant cases of using sub-standard materials in road construction, how do you intend to deal with this?

As part of our review, we found out that most of the specifications and standard of construction for our road works, have become obsolete.

I will give examples of two which will suffice. The first one is the issue of the subgrade, where you compact soil to attain some strength

before you do the surface dressing.

For a long time, we have been used to soaking the subway with water for 48 hours, after which you will do the surface dressing. But, over the

‘

I found out recently that the issue of kerosene scarcity in the country has something to do with the Ministry of Works contractors or road contractors in Nigeria. Against environmental friendly practices around the world, in Nigeria we still use kerosene to mix bitumen for surface dressing.

That is why kerosene is never available to the masses for which the government has been subsidising the product

,

years, there have been specifications and changes around the world.

However, in Nigeria, we did not move with the tide. In fact, the conference held in California about the middle of the century, it was discovered that the subgrade performs better when you soak for 96 hours instead of 48 hours before compressing. That way, the subgrade is able to resist surface water and underground water and for us who live in the tropics, particularly in Nigeria where there is truly a problem, it meant that we have been applying the wrong medicine for that particular ailment that usually result in failed sections of road during rainy seasons in this country. Recently, I approved that from now on, for all our design specifications, our subgrade must comply with the California bearing ratio which is based on 96 hours soaking and compressing for it to attain additional 60 per cent strength than what we were getting with the 48 hours. The new departments created have been able to contribute to road development in this country which will have impact on the longevity of our roads in this country. In other words, our roads will now last longer.

The other issue is the issue of kerosene. I found out recently that the issue of kerosene scarcity in the country has something to do with the Ministry of Works contractors or road contractors in Nigeria. Against environmental friendly practices around the world, in Nigeria we still use kerosene to mix bitumen for surface dressing. That is why kerosene is never available to the masses for which the government has been subsidising the product. In fact, that subsidy has been going to so many multinational companies in this country who control well over 90 per cent of the construction industry, particularly road construction companies. For you to know the enormity of the problems, for every kilometer of road, you need about 26 tonnes of kerosene. And the road

contractors don’t buy it in gallons, they buy it in tankers, in trucks.

So, little wonder the product is hardly available to the people. But, like in most civilised parts of the world, what has been done is that rather than use kerosene, they use what they call emulsion for surface dressing and when you use emulsion, you will mix it with water which is environmentally friendly and the performance is better. Why can’t we as a country subscribe to that? When it got to me, I said from January next year, we will outlaw the use of kerosene for road construction. If we do, we are going to be making millions of tonnes of kerosene available for the masses that truly desire that particular product. In that way, the government will not be wasting money subsidising multinational who are the people who use a large percentage of this particular product.

What will you consider as the greatest challenge to road maintenance in the country? .One of the problems we have in the ministry is that of abuse of road infrastructure by Nigerians. Nigerians do not see roads as an asset and there is nowhere in the world road is abused like Nigeria. People defecate on the road, they heap refuse on the road, they dig on the road, they trade on the road, they cook on the road and they park on the road illegally. Sometimes and in the process, the leakage from the truck and vehicles result in some chemical reactions that impact negatively on the structural integrity of the pavement. . So, collectively, we take actions that are detrimental to our road infrastructure. As Nigerians, we need to have a different orientation to the road. If we keep the road well, it will serve our purpose and if we don’t, of course, we will continue to suffer what we are suffering.

It was believed that that most road projects in Nigeria were abandoned by contractors due to the reluctance by government to meet up with financial obligations. Has the story changed under you?

When I came in as minister, about 95 per cent of the ongoing projects in the country were virtually nonperforming because contractors had gone out of site because of non-payment. Some of them had claims that could not be paid; some of them had applications for the augmentation of their contracts because of poor design. So one of the major challenges I faced on assumption of office was how to get the contractors back to site. I decided to engage the contractors and I invited them to a round table. I decided that we should talk to each other.

For me, they are not just contractors but stakeholders because, over the years, they have done their business in this country. So, to some extent, this country has been responsible for their successes in their professional lives. I thought a little sacrifice from them would not be out of place. I encouraged them to move back to sites, particularly sites that were judged critical to the transformation agenda of the government with the promise that we were going to start paying some of the outstanding funds. It worked magic.

They gave me the benefit of the doubt and quite a sizeable number of them went back to sites and I happy that I was able to fulfil my own part of the bargain by getting them paid.

That motivated them to keep working on some of the projects and since then, we have been able forge this partnership that is so encouraging and I have motivated some of them to go beyond expectation in terms of service delivery and it has paid off. Since I came in, I will say that we have recorded well over 500 kilometers of the rehabilitated and reconstructed roads in this country as a result of the partnership.

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If you ask me, I think the amount is even too small for the exalted officers of numbers one and two citizens of this ever potentially great country. And, come to think of it, the president has been highly considerate

—Tunji Adegboyega

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.7, NO. 1984

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Letter to Minister Abdullahi I

T looks like yesterday but 13 years ago, there were heated debates in the newsroom of Thisday wondering who the real problems of sports development were?

For you sir, sportswriters were the biggest culprits, with their contradictory reports on the simple issue of who the country’s foreign technical adviser would be. You singled out top sports editors as the mafia that benefited from the intrigues in sports and wondered if genuine panacea for the industry could be found with ‘mercantile’ reports in newspapers.

Recall sir, that one of the debates almost rocked Thisday’s newsroom. It didn’t come as a surprise when you did an explosive article in the newspaper’s Sunday edition. Many thought that I wrote the report but put your name to hide my identity. I’m sure that those who indicted this writer then will today offer an apology now that they can truly identify Bolaji Abdullahi. How time flies.

What goes round truly comes around and this dictum rings so true now that decisions on the way forward for our sports must come from you and your men.

It smacks of administrative ineptitude for Nigerians to be told on air by the House of Representatives’ Sports Committee that your men are asking for more time to tidy up the report on the All Africa Games, which took place in Maputo from September 3 to 18.

Imagine sir, how the corporate world would perceive NSC when it comes to handling funds, yet the Olympic Games is bigger than the continental event. This explains why companies are reluctant to splash cash on sports development.

Again, there is this mentality of trying to exhaust all that is allocated to sports without projecting into the future. But the paradox to this view is that few people have argued that unspent funds must be retired at the end of the year. Why is it taking the NSC forever to reconcile the accounts that the House of Representatives want?

Is it, true sir, that Nigeria spent close to N5 billion on the Maputo All Africa Games? How much was the NSC’s budget for that year? Is it also true that two expense heads were used in the Maputo budget, according to House of Representatives’ committee chairman Godfrey Ali Gaiya? Gaiya wants to know the difference between camping and allowances for the games and the second expense head, tagged sporting activities for the games? He wants a breakdown on both expense heads. Is Gaiya asking for too much?

Is it true sir that we paid N127 million as consultancy fees for 20 federations whose bosses are screaming that they were underfunded? Who were these consultants?

You may need to find out also, if N112 million was paid to technical consultants of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria? We know that FIFA eggheads own the World Cup and that the Federal Government constituted a Local Organising Committee (LOC), which it funded, aside the complementary roles played by the NFF. It’s surprising that the NSC can’t produce records without prompting, yet they hounded NFF chiefs (Sani Lulu, Amanze Uchegbulam, Taiwo Ogunjobi and Bolaji Ojo-Oba) with the EFCC when they had not accounted for what they got?

The minister must ask how the NSC’s 2010 World Cup allocation was spent. Isn’t it time for the PTF to account for its stewardship?

NSC’s meddlesomeness in the NFF’s affairs is best illustrated by its quest to build a football house that has been tagged illegal.

PTF was constituted to rescue Nigeria’s 2010 World Cup campaigns. 14 months ago! If it had excesses, shouldn’t it be returned to the government? How come the PTF and NFF struck an agreement to build a new football house?

Globally, FIFA allocates goal-projects to its affiliate bodies to build befitting secretariats?

FIFA builds secretariats for uniformity and quality. Why is our’s different? Since when did the NFF and NSC start to work in tandem? Will

NFF chiefs agree to occupy a house built by its tormentors? Or have they forgotten the court cases and numerous ad hoc bodies that have sat under NSC’s auspices to fashion the way forward without regard to NFF board members?

One was shocked to hear from Gaiya that NFF president said he was part of the decision for the NSC to build its secretariat whilst FIFA’s funds would be used to construct Sports Excellence Centres in Bauchi, Enugu and two other states? Do the NFF chiefs have the right to spend FIFA funds on other things? How do they want FIFA chiefs to perceive them, given all that the NFF has gone through since the Lulu era?

So, Maigari has forgotten how the NSC locked out Ibrahim Galadima from the Glass House after the former insisted on his mandate as NFF president on the grounds that the premises belonged to the commission? Or does Maigari not know that PTF’s money belongs to the government?

Honourable minister Sir, the root of our football problems rests with the needles rift between NSC men and incumbent board members.

Over 207 countries are guided by the tenets of the FIFA statutes that ensure that everyone goes through elections that start from the local government areas in the contestants’ states. A rift begins when the NSC’s preferred candidate fails to get on board. It’s only then that NSC’s oversight functions over NFF is invoked for selfish reasons. The battle is still on. The only way forward is for you to insist on having Decree 101 repealed in the real sense of the word.

It has gone through two readings on the floor of the National Assembly.

We are told that it has been repealed. What is left is to provide the framework of the new Act and then sign it into law after the legislative procedures. It’s within your capabilities. It could just be the beginning of NFF’s financial independence.

Happily, 2012 is the Olympic year, which means that those inactive federation chairmen

can be sacked. It provides the platform for the NSC’s search for people who can run the federations without relying on meagre subventions from government.

Asoju-Oba Table Tennis competition (45 years old) has been successfully bankrolled by Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas. Winners go home with choice gifts, including cars. We need to scratch our heads to remember the last competition staged by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation. They, like others, specialise in traveling abroad to compete than to institutionalise the game through tourneys at the grassroots.

Sir, you may need to ask the Lagos State Hall of Fame how they have revamped boxing in the Centre of Excellence. The Hall of Fame’s template produced most of the boxers that Nigeria paraded at the Maputo All Africa Games. What we get from the Nigeria Amateur Boxing Federation (NABF) is a gale of controversies precipitated by the NSC. Our boxers worse off, in a game in which we have produced Olympic medalists and world champions.

The Lagos State Hall of Fame attracts the corporate world’s support simply because the chairman of the project is a respected technocrat with zero tolerance for corruption.

Sir, there is the urgent need to ask your men to produce a list of past sponsors of sports so that you can open discussions with them to return to the fold. Such sponsors should be allowed to supervise how their funds are disbursed so that they are not misapplied.

You need to ask the federations what they do with grants they get from international bodies.

One is always sad watching international sportsmen and women compete in smaller African nations, using facilities built with subventions from international bodies.

These are a few tips that could be expanded only if, you can legally constitute the NSC board to comprise technocrats, not people who play politics with sports. Need I tell you the number of people who can be gainfully employed, if NSC eggheads know their onions? I wish you a Merry Christmas sir.

NEWS

Appeal Court orders retrial of Borno governorship petition

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HE Court of Appeal, Abuja, yesterday ordered the retrial of the election petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Borno governorship candidate, Alhaji Mohammed Goni.

The appellants are challenging the judgment of the Borno State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which upheld the election of Governor Kashim Shettima of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Mojeed Owoade, the five-member panel dismissed the preliminary objection by the ANPP and Shettima.

The panel ordered that the petition should be heard denovo by a fresh panel of tribunal on its merit.

It, however, reserved reasons for the decision till another day.

Adopting their preliminary objections, counsel for the respondents, Messrs. Yusuf Ali (SAN), had urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit and being incompetent, adding that the appeal is hypothetical in nature.

He held that hearing the PDP appeal “would serve no purpose now” as the constitutionally stipulated 180 days period provided for the conclusion of election petitions had already elapsed.

Counsel for the appellants, Chief Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), however, urged the court to overrule all the objections to the appeal and hear it on its merit”.

Ali argued that no statute or rules of the court can override the provisions of the constitution.

He said the court could not extend the constitutionally stipulated time for hearing of

Kamarudeen OGUNDELE, Abuja election matters.

It would be recalled that the Borno State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on November 12 dismissed the petition.

In a unanimous judgment, the tribunal headed

by Justice Sani Adamu, said the petition had been abandoned by the petitioner since August 2011, when he failed to file the requisite application within the stipulated period for the pre-hearing notice.

Justice Adamu said, “A situation where the petitioner failed to bring an application for the issuance of a pre-hearing notice form amounts

to an abandoned case.”

The tribunal held that it had a duty to exercise discretion on matters before it, adding that such discretion must be founded on the relevant provisions of the statute in question.

It held that the application for extension of time within which to apply for issuance of prehearing notice and information sheet cannot be granted when it came through a wrong method of application.

The Supreme Court had on October 31 set aside the stay of proceedings granted by the Court of Appeal against the tribunal.

The court ordered parties in the suit to return

to the tribunal to resume hearing of the petition.

Justice Walter Onnonghen, who vacated the order of the Court of Appeal halting proceedings at the tribunal, said an interlocutory appeal in a case cannot operate as a stay in an election matter which must be concluded within a period of time.

The Electoral Act 2010 said the election petition must be heard and determined within 180 days.

Justice Onnonghen, who led four other justices of the court in deciding the appeal, said the Court of Appeal had no power to stay the proceedings of the tribunal.

Nigeria has no business being where it is today— Sanusi

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OVERNOR of the Central Bank of Nige ria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said Nigeria has no business being where it is today, considering how well God has endowed the nation.

He was speaking as the guest speaker at the 5th Annual Hijrah lecture of the Lagos State House of Assembly which took place at the Assembly complex yesterday.

Delivering his lecture on the theme for this year’s celebration, “Societal Reformation: The role of Muslims”, Sanusi said despite being a major oil-producing nation, poverty, lack and deprivation reign supreme in the country.

“We are an oil-producing country, how come 90 per cent of our people are living on less than two dollars a day, how come 70 per cent of our people are living on less than one dollar a day, how come we have so many women dying in

Oziegbe OKOEKI child birth, how come we have so many children that are out of school, how come life expectancy is down to 55 or 54. What has happened to us? We need to ask what have we done”?, Sanusi said.

He admonished Muslims to speak up about immorality and corruption in the society and should be ready to say the truth always even if they will not be loved for doing so.

He condemned the attitude of the average Nigerian of wanting to take more than his fair share in everything, saying “that is the very genesis of corruption which practically every Nigerian is guilty of.”

Sanusi called on the leaders, especially those in government, to remember that Allah will ask all about that which He has placed in their

care.

He said: “Each of you is a shepherd, each of you has been given something to take care of and each of you will be asked about that you have been given responsibility for. Every man is a shepherd and will be asked about the people in his house”.

He further admonished Muslims to read, understand and live the Quaran as injunctions there are meant to guide their daily actions in every sphere of life.

“We all need to ask ourselves what examples we lead, what values we base our lives on, what principle we preach and we need to always remember that this has been the one message of Allah all through time”, Sanusi said.

Illuminaations returns next week

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011