The Nation December 27, 2014 4

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THE NATION

NEWS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

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O fewer than 11 people were feared dead in different Christmas day tragedies involving fire and auto accidents in Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states.

Three persons were burnt to death when fire gutted a hotel located near the popular Jigbale Market around Orhumwonrun roundabout in Udu, Delta State.

More than 20 shops and other property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the inferno, which also ravaged a residential building located near the hotel, which is said to be used mostly by sex hawkers and itinerant traders.

It was gathered that the fire started at about 11:45 pm probably from an electrical connection in the red light facility, killing a couple and a young man in two separate rooms.

When our reporter visited the scene, hundreds of traders and other victims of the disaster were seen milling around the burnt down shops; they were wailing and weeping over their losses.

An eyewitness, Ms Tonia Semali, said: “The fire started

Christmas Day tragedies: 11 die in fire, auto crashes in Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa •Property worth millions of naira consumed Shola O'NEIL, S'South Regional Editor, Port Harcourt and Mike ODIEGWU, Yenagoa at about midnight. Nobody knows what caused it; but the shop owners who rushed down could barely rescue any of their wares.”

Our reporter, who visited the scene on Boxing Day afternoon, reported that the three charred remains of the victims were removed by health officials from Udu LG council at about 1 pm.

The bodies were scooped into three jute bags and evacuated from the scene in a Toyota Hiace bus painted in the official blue/white colours of the state’s taxis and buses.

A council official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the victims were burnt beyond recognition, adding, “in nor-

mal circumstances, we would need DNA tests to ascertain their identities because, as you can see, there is nothing to see from the mass of ash and burnt skulls.”

Auto crash claims two

In another tragedy, no fewer than two persons were confirmed dead in a fatal auto

accident which occurred between Mbiama and Okogbe communities of Ahoada West area of the East/West highway in the afternoon of Christmas Day. An eyewitness account of the accident indicated that the accident involved a Toyota Venza and Honda Accord cars. The two vehicles, which were said to be on top speed,

were caught in a head-on collision at about 3 pm.

The two young male victims were said to be riding in the Honda Accord. Our source said they died on the spot, adding that their remains were still at the scene when he got there.

“The driver and passengers in the Venza were seriously wounded and had been taken

to an unnamed hospital when we got to the scene.”

Earlier on the eve of Christmas, it was learnt that an Itsekiri contractor to an indigenous oil services company, Nest Oil, allegedly fell into the river at Sapele, Delta State, during a routine operation to supply petroleum product to the company.

An eyewitness, Akpoudje Olomaekugbe, said the re•Continued on Page 3

Osun APC preaches hope, perseverance •Adeleke tasks indigenes on peaceful co-existence

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HE All Progressives Congress in Osun State has called on people of the state to maintain hope, fortitude and perseverance as they observe the Yuletide period.

The party said it is imperative that everyone should look forward with “hope that divine change will occur to end this needless suffering that is sweeping across Nigeria under the PDP-led federal government’s utter mismanagement of the country’s finances.” ýIn a Christmas/New Year message to the people by its spokesperson, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, the party said Osun in particular was being made to suffer because the state stood up to the Federal Government’s tyranny and voted against the PDP in the August 9 governorship election.

The party said: “No matter the economic terrorism of the Federal Government and the PDP, the people of Osun shall remain unbowed to the evil economic might of the PDP-led Federal Government, which they are currently using to strangulate workers in the State of Osun.

“In this season when people are celebrating the

Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo. great advent of Jesus of Nazareth, the Federal Government, led by a so-called Christian, is entertaining himself with the agony of Nigerians who are miserably suffering under the massive corruption of the PDP that has left our economy comatose.”

Also, the first civilian governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, charged the people of state to continue to live together in peace and harmony, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

In a Christmas message by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Olumide Lawal, the former governor said it was necessary to allow peace in the state in order to ensure its accelerated development, no matter the odds.

Senator Adeleke, who is also the Asiwaju of Ede, said the cooperation and unalloyed loyalty of the people of Osun to the Aregbesola administration at “this crucial time of economic downturn should not be compromised in any way.”

Adeleke noted that despite the lean financial resources of Osun State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola is determined to see all ongoing projects completed in good time.

•A burnt section of the hotel

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Borno Christians defy vehicular ban, trek long distances for Xmas

N spite of the ban on vehicular movements in Maiduguri metropolis and other parts of Borno State, there was high turnout of Christians at churches in the city to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas day.

The city has been one of the hotbeds of attacks by the deadly Boko Haram sect, but worshippers trekked long distances to attend the Christmas mass at different locations in the city.

One of the churches that witnessed the massive turnout was St. Patrick Catholic Church Maiduguri in spite the palpable fear of bomb attacks attack on the worshippers by the Boko Haram sect.

In his sermon, the Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri, Most Rev. Dr. Oliver Dashe Doeme, assured the worshippers, many of whom are internally displaced persons from Adamawa part of the diocese (Pulka, Madagali, Gulak, MichiKa, Mubi ) assured that he would “be with them even

Duku JOEL, Maiduguri in the deepest dungeon”.

He said: “My dear people of God, the priests, religious and the entire lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, I extend my fraternal greetings to all of you, especially at this trying moment in our life as a church.

“To say that we are experiencing severe test of our faith in this diocese hardly requires an emphasis. We are thoroughly devastated by the Boko Haram attacks. All our parishes in areas such as Monguno, Gamboru Ngala, Bama, Pulka, Madagali, Mataka, Gulak, Kaya, Yaffa, Shuwa, Michika, Bazza and Betso are under Boko Haram control.

“As a result of this, thousands of our Catholic faithful have been displaced. Many of them are on top of mountains, thousands are in Cameroun and thousands are in Yola as

well as in Maiduguri city, among others.

“There are over 24 of our priests who have been displaced and are managing with their brother priests in the Diocese of Yola; thanks to the kind gesture of Bishop Stephen Mamza. And a few of them are squatting with their friends elsewhere.

“Since the crisis began, thousands of people have been killed. There are hundreds of our women and children who have been adopted.

“Some of the men have been forcibly conscripted into the Boko Haram army. In the recent attacks which led to many of our people fleeing, a lot of our aged people have been trapped in these areas.

Some of them have been killed by the sect members while others have died of hunger.

“There are many of you whose family houses, shops and vehicles have been van-

dalized or burnt down. The animals and crops belonging to some of you have either been looted or destroyed. The destructions done to our church structures both in the cities and villages are enormous”.

Samuel Amaza, one of the worshippers who spoke with our correspondent, expressed joy that the Lord Jesus saw them through their trying times.

“We have to thank God that we are alive today. Some of our people have died. Even though we have no homes now, we still hinge our hopes on the almighty the creator of heaven and earth.

“It is our belief that the problem of Boko Haram would not last forever. Our land will witness peace again. Our peace would be everlasting after these bad times.

“The scriptures have said it all. It will surely come to pass.”

THE NATION

NEWS 3

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Doctor burnt to death in own hospital on Christmas Day

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RAGEDY struck at Oke Ibukun Street, off Araromi area, Akure, Ondo State in the early hours of Christmas Day as a medical doctor, Adetayo Oguntuase, was burnt to death in his own clinic.

Sources said the incident occurred at about 12:30 am on Thursday when neighbours had already retired to bed after the Xmas eve church service.

The late Oguntuase, a consultant pediatrician at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), died at his Specialist Children Clinic after he was trapped in a raging fire that broke out in his private hospital.

It was learnt that no one could determine the immediate cause of the fire.

The deceased was found burnt beyond recognition and sympathisers who came to catch a glimpse of the incident wept profusely.

Some youths in the vicinity, who had joined others in the failed effort to rescue the victim, described the development as sad, accusing men of the Fire Brigade Service in the state for failing to show up.

Amid tears, bereaved nurses at the clinic described the deceased doctor as generous and humble.

One of them said: “We can’t say what exactly caused

Damisi OJO, Akure the tragedy because all of us (nurses) had gone home when it occurred. All we can say is that the doctor came into the hospital and cracked jokes with us about Christmas festivities and later told us to go home and celebrate without an inkling that we would not see him again.

“Before we left, he instructed us to lock all the windows and doors, which we did and left only him behind while the rest of us went home. We were even happy that the doctor released us and we won’t have to come to duty on Christmas day.

We never knew this would happened. It is very sad.”

One of the Nurses also revealed that no patient was inside the clinic at the time the incident occurred.

She said: “We had discharged all patients and everyone had gone home for Christmas. It was only the doctor that was left behind in the clinic.

“The incident occurred at midnight and I heard people shouting, ‘Fire! Fire!’ I had to quickly call other residents on the street for rescue.

“We mobilised and looked for water to pour on the building but all effort proved futile as the gate leading to the clinic was already locked and we had to

break it to find our way into the building to save the fire from spreading to other houses on the street.

“We immediately called fire fighters but they told us there was no vehicle” Another resident of the area, Temitope Adelani, said the residents never knew that the doctor was inside the building at the time the fire began, adding that his vehicle was not parked outside the hospital.

He said: “Throughout the process of breaking the padlock to enter into the clinic, we never knew the doctor was inside the building because he did not park his

vehicle outside. It was when we were making frantic effort to stop the fire from getting into other compounds that we realised that the doctor had burnt beyond recognition.

Also, Mrs. Iyabo Aderibigbe, a neighbour, who owns a building close to the clinic, revealed that officers of the Ondo State Fire Brigade Service refused to visit the scene of the fire incident after several calls placed to their office.

Mrs. Aderibigbe added that the officers blamed malfunctioning vehicle and lack of fire-fighting equipment as reasons for their action.

She said: “We alerted the men of the Fire Brigade Service in the state but they told us there was no vehicle to carry them down to the scene and advised that we should we should search for water to quench the fire.

“This is a shame in a state where government is in place. For almost five hours, we were battling with fire without the presence of fire fighters.”

The fire brigade officers contacted were not willing to speak on the issue.

It was the second time in one month that fire outbreak would occur in Akure without rescue effort as fire

officers failed to appear on the excuse that they had no equipment.

Police spokesman in the State, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation had begun into the matter.

He said: “A medical doctor was consumed in an inferno inside the clinic and we have commenced our investigation while his corpse has been taken to the morgue for autopsy.”

Ogodo added that the wife of the late doctor, Wuraola Oguntuase, had come to report the incident at the ADivision Police Station in Akure.

11 die in fire, auto crashes in Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa •Continued from Page 2 mains of the victim (name withheld) was yet to be found at the time of filing this report on Boxing Day afternoon.

He said: “One of our Itsekiri brothers fell into the river this morning and till this moment, his body is not yet found. He and some of our brothers brought fuel from Sapele to houseboats at Jones Creek.

“As they were trying to moor and position their boat there, he slipped and fell into the river. Till this moment, they’re still searching for the body.”

Two cultists, three kids die in Bayelsa

A renewed supremacy battle between two cult groups in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, claimed the lives of two persons on Christmas Day. It was gathered that members of the cult groups engaged one another in a bloody clash while most residents of the cities were in festive mood.

A security source who pleaded anonymity said the bloody conflict occurred in the afternoon along Salvation Road, Agudiama.

He said guns boomed in the area during the violent confrontation which caused panic and confusion in the area.

The source said: “There were gunshots during the fight. In the end, two members of the rival cult groups, the Highlanders and the Icelanders, were found dead at the spot. They were shot dead,” he said.

In a more tragic development, three children died while one another was

hospitalised after an inferno gutted some wooden shacks at the Yenagoa axis of Swali.

It was gathered that the fire incident occurred at about 9 pm on the eve of Christmas.

Property worth hundreds of thousands of naira was reportedly lost to the fire and thieves who looted many valuable items during the incident.

The incident was said to have taken the entire neighbourhood by surprise.

It was gathered that the affected children were left at home by their mother who went for vigil when the fire started.

Efforts to put out the fire by the locals failed because of lack of sufficient water.

Eyewitnesses, who said the wooden houses were burnt to ashes, rained curses on an unnamed wealthy neighbour for disallowing sympathisers to fetch water from her tanks to fight the fire.

A victim of the incident who lost valuables said her child was fortunate to have survived it.

She said she came back to her house on time after nursing some feelings that something terrible was happening in the area.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Asinimi Buswat, said there was no report yet on the cult clash.

He, however, confirmed the fire incident and said it claimed the life of a six-year old girl.

“One girl died in the fire incident, not three kids,” he said. “But there is no report of any cult clash that killed two persons.”

•From left: The Chief Imam of Abuja Central Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed; President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Namadi Sambo and President Christian Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Rev. Israel Akanji, during a Christmas homage to the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN

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Sultan charges Muslims on security

HE Sultan of Sokoto and President- General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has enjoined Muslim youths to desist from actions that would compromise the nation’s security.

The Sultan stated this at the formal opening of the annual Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Southern Zone held at Km 53, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

Alhaji Abubakar who was represented by the Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN) said Muslim youths should resist temptation from anyone to commit acts that would lead to violence as Islam remains a religion of peace.

He said: “We have said it

Tayo JOHNSON times without number that any act that breeds violence like the one being exhibited

by Boko-Haram has no basis in Islam. As you are aware, our religion, Islam stands for peace as its name denotes.

“So let us remain peaceful always so that we may live a peaceful life here and be accommodated in the home of peace in the life to come.”

In a keynote address, the National President, MSSN, Mallam Sirajudeen AbdAzeez, enjoined the federal government to find a lasting solution to the problem of insurgency which has continued to threaten the unity of the country.

“The once great and giant nation is at the verge of collapse. It is no more a selling news that terrorism is on the rampage, taking over our

lands on a daily basis. We want to reiterate that Mr. President should address the nation on why the country is under siege by the terrorists.

“Why have the insurgents continued to beat the nation’s military arsenals despite the billions of dollars voted for security? Why have the terrorists become stronger even after a year when some states in the North- East have come under partial emergency rule”.

AbulAzeez also called on President Jonathan to put a stop to the threat by his kinsmen to unleash terror if next year’s election did not favour them.

“Different ethnic militia are threatening they will let all hell loose if their candidates are not elected. The worst threat is coming from the Niger-Delta militants

who have been threatening to cause violence should their tribesman not return for second term,” he said He questioned the rationale behind the sentencing of about a hundred soldiers to death for demanding sophisticated equipment to fight the terrorists.

“Why are these unfortunate warriors being tried secretly or secretly? Why is it that for the first time, the Nigerian army, which has been celebrated for successful peace keeping missions in many African countries are now rebellious and some have to be sentenced to death for making legitimate demands?”

The National Legal Adviser of All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr Muiz Banire, urged Musilms to always demand for their rights in legitimate manner.

Our joy will come soon, Ikuforiji tells Nigerians

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S Christians all over the world commemorated the birth of Jesus Christ, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has urged them and non-Christians alike to rejoice because joy and celebrations will come the way of all Nigerians shortly.

In a Christmas message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rotimi

Oziegbe OKOEKI Adebayo, Ikuforiji said: “As our fellow brothers celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ this season, one thing that is certain is that joy and celebrations are coming the way of believers and all Nigerians shortly.

“Since the Holy Bible has already prophesied that joy normally comes after mourning, the days of cel-

ebrations and dancing for all Nigerians, who have in the last 16years being suffering and gnashing their teeth under the yoke of the PDP-controlled federal government, is at hand.”

Ikuforiji said he was sure that the Almighty God is set to “unleash his abundant blessings on us all as we move into the new year, 2015.

“All that is, however, re-

quired of us all for now is to gird our loins and be decisive in all that we do to embrace change, come 2015 .

Since the Almighty God himself frowns at complacency, all Nigerians of voting age should, as a matter of compulsion, get themselves registered, secure their permanent voter cards, and vote for “ Change” come February 14, 2015.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 27, 2014

4 News

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HE All Progressives Con gress (APC) wants Presi dent Goodluck Jonathan to lead by example in the effort to check volatile comments by politicians.

The party,responding to the President’s lamentation on Thursday in Abuja about divisive statements by some politicians ,said his exhortations would have carried weight, if the President had acted in such a way that his compatriots would not doubt his sincerity.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement yesterday in Lagos wondered “how the President could admonish others to avoid sowing the seeds of discord and hatred through their utterances when that is exactly the stock in trade of his political associates, supporters and spokespersons.”

The APC added:''Everything that the President's political associates, supporters and spokespersons have done has been geared towards creating division among Nigerians and sowing the seeds of discord and hatred, and the President is not on record as having ever called them to order. ''Recently, Chief Edwin Clark, a die-hard supporter of the President, said glibly that if the opposition has its way it can poison or kill President Jonathan just to take power.

Worry over volatile statements: Lead by example, APC tells Jonathan No statement could be more absurd and incendiary, yet the President never called him to order. ''Another dyed-in-the-wool supporter of the President, Mujaheed Asari Dokubo, said on national television that there will be blood on the streets, if President Jonathan is not re-elected in 2015. He also said 'we will not take any prisoner of war. It will be total battle', but the President never uttered a word in his rebuke. ''Since President Jonathan's main opponent in the 2015 elections, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari, emerged, his party members and spokesmen have been falling over themselves to pour invective on him and his party, the APC. The National Secretary of the President's party, Wale Oladipo, called the former head of state a ‘semi-literate jackboot’, Doyin Okupe lambasted Gen. Buhari for not stealing money during his many public appointments, while PDP spokesman Olisa

Metuh issued his most jejune statement to date just to pillory the APC and its leaders. ''In all this, President Jonathan never saw a comment that could fan the embers of discord and hatred.

Having failed to call his spokesmen, party members

and supporters to order when they made incendiary comments, President Jonathan has lost the moral authority to call anyone else to order for the same wrong doing.''

The APC said Nigerians are more divided along ethnic and religious lines today than at

any time in the history of the nation, and blamed this on President Jonathan,saying he should look inwards and stop being sanctimonious. ''On our part, we say, without equivocating, that we do not need any admonition from anyone, least of all a holier-

than-thou President, to avoid actions that could divide the people or create discord or hatred. We are a party of peace, inclusiveness and concord, so President Jonathan should first speak the truth to his party before saying it to anyone else,'' the APC said.

Boko Haram: DHQ warns politicians against inciting mutiny in Armed Forces

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S politicians warm up for campaign ahead of next year’s elections, the Defence Headquarters yesterday warned the political class against inciting mutiny in the Armed Forces.

The war on Boko Haram terror,the DHQ said, is not all about equipment but mindset of both the military and the public,and described incitement to protests or mutiny in the military as an ill-wind that would ultimately blow no good to anyone It vowed not to succumb to alleged blackmail to forestall the exercise of due command and control over the system.

The DHQ, which gave the warning in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said there was no going back in the trial of some troops who refused to launch counter-attacks on insurgents.

It asked individuals or groups to moderate their activities with decorum.

Although the statement was silent on those being cautioned, the military was apparently reacting to a statement credited to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, who is the DirectorGeneral of the Buhari Campaign Organization.

Amaechi had said it was within the fundamental rights of soldiers to protest.

The DHQ faulted Amaechi’s principal (General Muhammadu Buhari) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for not disowning the statement credited to the governor.

It said: “In view of the series of insinuations, allegations and false claims being made by certain activists and politicians on the legal and disciplinary process in the Nigerian military, the Defence Headquarters finds it necessary to call on politicians to

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation avoid using the forum or medium of their political campaigns to incite or endorse acts of indiscipline in the nation’s military establishments.

“This call has become necessary as the trend got to another level on Tuesday when a prominent politician declared that ‘The soldiers have the right to protest for the Federal Government’s failure to fully equip them’.

“It was expected that the fellow quoted or his party would have made immediate moves to correct this fallacy or erroneous impression being propagated especially in view of the level of knowledge of his principal and candidate in forthcoming elections. Unfortunately, no such gesture seems to be forthcoming.

“There is, therefore, the need to caution against the propagation of this dangerous idea before it causes more problems.”

The DHQ insisted that the ongoing trial of some officers and men is in accordance with military law and the 1999 Constitution.

The statement added: “For the avoidance of any doubt, the military institution rejects this declaration and its intention in all ramifications. The military law as recognized by the Constitution of the Federation is an appropriate legal document for the management of affairs of the military.

“The processes it outlines for handling military offences remain legal and will continue to be applied in the interest of the nation’s security and democracy.

“Individuals and interest Continued from Page 59

•Top and bottom: Prof. Osinbajo during his visit to the mall

APC VP candidate Osinbajo visits mall

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HRISTMAS Eve was a busy day for the All Progressives Congress' vice presidential candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

After a two-hour meeting with young entrepreneurs, entertainers, professionals, bloggers and journalists at the

Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, the law professor turned up at the Lekki Palms in the company with carolers and choreographers.

He made a short speech, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

The Redeemed Church of God pastor went around the mall, shaking hands with everyone, signing autographs and taking selfies. He even found the time to get an ice cream from Cold Stone.

He was a big hit in the mall, as he drew huge crowds everywhere he went. He freely

gave out his contact details as well.

At an earlier meeting, Prof.

Osinbajo took the time to explain some sections of the APC manifesto.

He also explained at length Muhammadu Buhari's plans to tackle insurgency and corruption.

Buhari ‘ll end Boko Haram insurgency, says Okorocha

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MO State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday as sured Nigerians that the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, if elected, would stop the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northern part of the country.

The governor, who lost to Buhari in the keenly contested APC presidential primary election, stated that “the former Head of State has the capacity

Okodili Ndidi, Owerri more than any other Nigerian to tackle the current insecurity ravaging the country.

Speaking to journalists at the Government House, Okorocha recalled that Buhari as the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to President Shehu Shagari effectively tackled a sect similar to the Boko Haram sect.

He said: “There is no doubt that Buhari as President will put an end to Boko Haram and other security challenges confronting the country which the present administration has failed to tackle. During the Maitacini crisis in Kano, it was Buhari who resolved the crisis and it was as deadly as the Boko Haram”.

Okorocha, however, described Buhari’s presidency as

an interventionist administration that would hand over power to the Southeast after doing just one term.

He said: “Buhari’s administration is going to be an interventionist government because I don’t see him doing a second term. After solving the country’s security and other challenges and putting it back on track, he will hand over power to the Southeast in 2019".

THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 27, 2014

News 5

INEC: we can’t cope if Jonathan, Buhari go into run-off The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is in a fix about a possible runoff in the presidential election between the two leading candidates, General Muhammadu Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan.

The 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) stipulates the organisation of a run-off within seven days of a presidential election, if there is no

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation outright winner at the first ballot.

Sources at INEC now say seven days are too short to prepare for a run-off in respect of the presidential or governorship election.

There is already a proposal to amend that section of the

•Says seven days not enough for rematch •Seeks amendment to Electoral Act Electoral Act at the National Assembly since 2012.

Investigation showed that INEC is in a fix over possible governorship and presidential run-offs, especially between President Goodluck Jonathan

(PDP) and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(APC).

The timetable for the 2015 poll published by the Secretary to INEC, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, on January 4, 2014

...commission under pressure to dump PVC

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OME politicians, includ ing governors, and gov ernment officials are mounting pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), to shelve the planned use of the Permanent Voter Cards in next year’s elections.

The fear of the politicians and government officials stems from their realisation that they may not be able to manipulate the process as they did in the past, The Nation gathered yesterday in Abuja.

A highly-placed INEC official confirmed the pressure on the commission to jettison the PVCs,but vowed that the agency would not succumb.

Investigation revealed that those crusading for the dropping of the PVCs claim that many voters would be disenfranchised should the card be used.

INEC had, with the aid of Automated Finger-print Identification Software (AFIS), registered 70,383,427voters.

There is an average voter density of nearly 590 voters per Polling Unit(PU) in 119,973 PUs across the country.

However, not all registered voters have been able to collect their cards, following some hitches.

A highly-placed INEC source said: “As the count-

down to the 2015 poll approaches, some politicians, who are used to manipulation have been lobbying for the stoppage of PVCs for the elections.

“They believe with PVCs, it will be extremely difficult to return jumbo results as witnessed in some states in 2011.

This has caused anxiety for those who are used to rigging.

“They are mounting pressure and citing security concerns to frustrate the engagement of PVCs for the general elections.

“Surprisingly, some governors are behind the plot to stop the adoption of PVCs for the poll. And if you look at voters’ turn-out in some states during the recent elections, you will appreciate that PVCs are necessary.”

The source described the PVCs as an electoral innovation which will define the 2015 elections and said that under no circumstance would INEC abandon the initiative midway.

“We had used the PVCs to conduct elections in Ekiti and Osun states with huge success.

Why are they now saying we should change the rule midstream?

“I think some politicians are already jittery and they don’t want us to use PVCs. They want to kill the initiative in the same manner they rejected the

creation of additional 30,000 polling units nationwide.

“In fact, some of them are even praying that our card reader machines should not work. Yet, we were tidier in what we did.

“INEC management invited leaders of political parties and took time to explain to them why we opted for PVCs to enable the right voters exercise their civic duty.

“The era of ghost or proxy voters is gone in the nation’s electoral history. The use of PVCs is our own antidote to multiple voting,” the source said.

While receiving a UN Special Representative, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, in November, the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had assured that the PVCs will be used for the elections.

He said that the commission had since 2011 devoted a lot of time and energy to keep on improving the processes and setting up policies and mechanisms that can help us have remarkably better elections in 2015.

He said on that occasion: “We’ve done quite a lot. Of course, there are challenges; and we have to acknowledge these challenges. One of the key things we have done is that we have updated the register; we have cleaned it up and we

Why there must be change at federal level in 2015 — Fashola

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AGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Wednesday advanced reasons why change of leadership is expedient at the national level, saying Nigeria is too important both globally and continentally to be left in the hands of those who play politics with the lives of her citizens.

Addressing the quality gatherings of members of the Yoruba Tennis Club and their Island Club counterparts at their respective club houses in Onikan, Governor Fashola said the national government, formed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has failed to provide its most important responsibility, which according to him, is the security of life and property of citizens and protection of the territorial integrity of the nation.

The Governor, who noted that Nigerians handed over a whole country to the ruling party in 2011, expressed regrets that the same party is now returning to Nigerians to ask for another leadership mandate with only part of the country, having lost some parts to insurgents.

Noting that the party has reneged in its primary duty to secure the territorial integrity of Nigeria, the Governor warned, “They are returning now to ask for our votes with

only a part of the country that we gave them because some parts of the country have been lost to people we didn’t elect.

So, in that most important responsibility, they have dropped the ball”.

He added: “That is the alternative that is being offered you in Lagos. The choice is yours”.

Governor Fashola, who expressed dismay that the party has politicized everything, noted that nothing is too much for the party to sloganize about, recalling the way the national government played politics with the very sensitive issue of the more than 200 abducted secondary school girls in Chibok in Borno State.

The Governor also recalled that the PDP-controlled Federal Government has also orchestrated about how it made the country “the biggest economy in Africa”, wondering why smaller economies could provide electricity for their people while the self acclaimed “biggest economy” could keep her people in darkness.

“Please ask them why smaller economies could get petrol easily for their people and why we have to queue for hours and days to get petrol in a biggest economy in Africa”, the Governor said, also wondering why the so-called

biggest economy in Africa is trying to buy arms from a smaller economy to secure the country.

He pointed out that the nation’s currency, the Naira, is now trading for N180 per Dollar, while the South African Rand is trading at R11 to one United States Dollar, adding that what matters is the quality of the life and prosperity of the citizens and not the size or number being bandied by the PDP-led government.

To buttress his point on the little importance the Federal Government places on the economy of the country, Governor Fashola tasked the people to figure out the last time the President went to present the annual budget in the National Assembly, an obligation which, according to him, is a constitutional one.

The Governor also noted that the Federal Government also played politics with the Ebola virus disease containment as it almost turned the very grave situation into a political trophy, “even though they knew little about how the battle was fought and won in Lagos which was the epicentre”.

Conversely, Governor Fashola said the All Progressives Congress-controlled Lagos State Government has done well at many

have been working very hard to produce and distribute what the law says we should – Permanent Voter Cards.

“We have gone very far with this. So far, we have produced PVCs and distributed them in 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and we have also done an update of the register in those states.

“We are absolutely sure that before the February elections, every validly registered Nigerian will have his/her PVC to be able to exercise their voting right. And we are doing everything possible to ensure that happens.”

included a caveat for run-off.

It said: “Note: Run-off election to the Office of President or Governor of a state (if any) will be held within seven days after the announcement of the result of the election in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(FRN).”

Another key official of INEC said: “The more the process becomes credible, the likelihood of a presidential run-off.

But INEC management is in a fix on how to go about the presidential run-off, if it becomes necessary for the nation to go through it in 2015.

“The seven-day gap between when the presidential election will hold and the runoff is not feasible for us to print ballot papers, result sheets and distribute the sensitive election materials nationwide.

“In 2011, we did anticipatory printing of ballot papers for presidential run-off, but

some people/groups wrote petitions against INEC. They said we printed run-off ballot papers ahead because we wanted to rig the elections.

“They also accused INEC of wasting taxpayers’ money on run-off ballot papers when the poll did not hold. Some of our officials were taken to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), queried and subjected to unnecessary interrogation.

“With this nasty experience, INEC will not want to print presidential run-off ballot papers in advance again. It has learnt its lessons in a hard way.

“But in 2012, we made a proposal to the National Assembly for the amendment of the seven-day clause in the Electoral Act for more days to prepare for any run-off.

“As I speak with you, the National Assembly is yet to effect the amendment. This kind of lapse can lead to more electoral challenges in 2015.

"And at the end of the day, Nigerians will be blaming INEC. If you ask me now, I will say we have no position yet on how to go about any run-off.”

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (right); former Governor of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Raji Rasaki (left) and former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (middle) during the Island Club Christmas Eve Dance at the Lagos Island ... Wednesday night.

•The Lagos State All Progressives Congress Governorship Candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right); Chairman Skye Bank Plc, Dr. Olatunde Ayeni (middle) and former Governor Oyinlola (left) at the event. fronts, including the education, security, power and the financial sector in spite of the very precarious economic and security situation in the country.

On education, the Governor expressed pride that the public confidence in public schools have risen tremendously, pointing out that a recent poll result on the issue returned 53 per cent of Lagosians preferring to have their children in state-owned primary schools as against 47 per cent that opt for private schools, while 69 per cent as against 31 per cent now prefer to have their chil-

dren in state-owned secondary schools.

He said in spite of the average West African Examination Council (WAEC) results, if the Lagos State result is isolated to stand on its own, the state has moved from seven per cent pass for students who obtained five credits at a sitting in 2007 to 45 per cent in 2014, Lagos standing alone.

Attributing the success recorded in this area to the support and taxes of the residents, Governor Fashola told the audience, “When you understand the ratio of private schools to state schools, which

is about four private schools to one state-owned school, you will appreciate the enormity of the task we undertake. But we are happy to undertake this challenge because Lagos is working with your support and with your taxes”.

In the area of security, the Governor said the poll results also showed that 77 per cent of Lagosians now say they feel secure, while 89 per cent say crime has been greatly reduced, adding that “this is in spite of the increasing global crime index and Nigeria’s security challenges.”

THE NATION,

6 News

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

Forget September salary, Fayose tells workers

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OVERNOR Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has told civil servants including teachers in the state who are agitating for the payment of their outstanding September salary to forget about it for now.

Fayose dropped the bombshell on Friday while featuring on his monthly media chat, “Meet Your Governor”, said the precarious financial situation of the state would not allow him to pay workers’ September salary.

Fayose also revealed that governors of Jigawa, Adamawa and Katsina States sent rams and cows to him as part of their contributions to his “stomach infrastructure” agenda for Christmas celebra-

Odunayo OGUNMOLA, Ado-Ekiti tions.

He explained that he took the step in his desire to make Ekiti people happy and ensure that they do not go hungry during the festive season.

While urging workers in the state to exercise patient with his administration, Fayose emphasized that the financial position of the state is so bad to the extent that he had reached an agreement with some banks to give the state what he called “financial leeway” for six months to enable him pay salaries.

The governor explained that the deductions from the allocation of the state from the bond sourced by the last administra-

tion and commercial loans obtained from banks had adversely affected the state finances.

Fayose asked Ekiti workers to stop complaining urging them to adjust to the prevailing realities.

He said, “I became governor on October 16, 2014 and that is two months and ten days now; I want to state categorically that I have managed resources of the state very well.

“Now coming here to tell the people that I will pay September salary, no, no, I will not say that. The salaries I am paying now, I had interface with banks to give me leeway for six months to be able to arrange myself.

“I spoke with bank executives and I want you to know that we are owing in four categories.

The bond of N34 billion and deductions are made from Abuja and commercial loans amount to N21 billion and monthly deduction on that is N700 million.

“The wage bill of civil servants is N1.5 billion and that is expected to increase because people retire every month. There is monthly subvention of N269 million to Ekiti State University and about N800 million to other government-owned institutions.

“If anybody is expecting me to pay September salary now, that person is deceiving himself.

Where will I get money from?

If somebody was in office for

•Revelers on Mascle-Castle to celebrate Christmas day at Trans Amusement Park, University of Ibadan... yesterday PHOTO: Femi ILESANMI

Anger over alleged release of murder suspects

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HE people of IsinbodeEkiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area have called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba, to investigate the alleged killing of the driver of the traditional ruler of the community, Mr. Lawrence Ojo Olujobi.

They are also demanding the trial of the alleged murderers of Olujobi who was killed on June 15, 2014.

Olujobi, who left behind two widows, was trying to settle a quarrel between his attackers and another fellow in the community when he was hacked to death.

His death sparked an orgy of violence in the community with irate youths vandalising the property of his suspected killers who were initially arrested but were later released.

The release of the suspects from police custody is already causing tension in the

Odunayo OGUNMOLA, Ado-Ekiti community.

The widows of the deceased, Mrs. Mosunmola Olujobi and Mrs. Fayoke Olujobi, in a petition to the IGP made available to The Nation in Ado-Ekiti, lamented that the suspected killers of their husband were released a day after their arrest “without proper investigation and no charge brought against them” for their alleged complicity.

The petition was written on behalf of the widows by their solicitors, A.T. Lawal and Co. The petitioners wondered why the State Executive Council and Commissioner of Police issued a legal advice on the matter and the release of principal suspects when there was no pending criminal charge against them at the appropriate Magistrate Court.

The widows said they were shocked that instead of the sus-

pects to be arraigned in court to face murder charge, some members of the deceased’s family members were charged to court.

The petitioners added: “To our chagrin, some members of the deceased’s family were arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court while those who facilitated the death of their husband were graciously released for no other reason but pecuniary interest, even when the complaint against them are yet to be fully investigated.”

They urged the Inspector General of Police to step into the matter to allow the family get justice.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, however, said the complainants did not provide enough evidence to assist the command to get to the root of the matter.

Babayemi said:”We can’t pros-

ecute on hearsay most especially in a murder case.The available evidence which resulted from the police investigation has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP).

“Murder is a very heinous crime and it carries a capital punishment. There should be concrete and direct evidence linking the suspects to the murder.We don’t act on sentiment and emotion as people will want us to do but we cannot prosecute based on hearsay.

He added:“The complainant did not provide enough assistance to enable us to get to the bottom of the matter. Yet, we went ahead to carry out our own investigation and we have some evidence available which we have sent to the DPP as stipulated by law.There must be an advice from the DPP to know whether to go ahead with the prosecution. What we are waiting for is the advice from the DPP because the evidence and the case file is with the DPP.”

four years and he owed you salary for two months and I don’t owe you from the time I took office; our people should be patient.

“This government has been in office for just two months now and people are complaining, what are they complaining about? We should not be deceiving ourselves. Oil benchmark used to be 78 dollars but it has now dropped to 62 dollars.

“Fayose love you all but I will not sell house or children to pay salaries. Since my coming to power, I have been paying deductions and I have ensured water supply to Ikoro, Ijero, Moba and we are closer to Aramoko and Iyin.

“Problems of the state won’t end at once, we must be truthful to ourselves. This period is a difficult period in our country and the whole world. Some countries no longer buy our oil.

“Let us go back to agriculture, let us go back to the farm. What I met on ground is gargantuan.

If somebody owed two months salaries before I came and now, I came and had not owed you, we need to be patient.

“Some people will say abandon other sectors and pay our money, are we going to leave health, water, education and others?If you are patient, things will be alright I want you to face the reality of the moment. Let us continue to show understanding”.

Responding to a question from a listener, Fayose promised not to probe his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, saying “I am not interested in running after anybody”

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Odunayo OGUNMOLA, Ado-Ekiti He warned the NERC to drop the plan and not to add to the burden of Nigerians who are already impoverished by massive corruption and bad governance.

The human rights lawyer also vowed to take a legal action against the NERC, Power Generation Companies (GENCOs) and Distribution Companies (DISCOs) if the planned increase is not shelved.

Ogele regretted that the electricity authorities have failed to make power supply

available to Nigerians maintaining that the proposed hike cannot be justified when majority of Nigerians are living in darkness.

He said, “We are saying no to increase in electricity tariff because it cannot be justified in a country where electricity is not available.This is wicked, ungodly, oppressive and unacceptable and we in the human rights community are going to resist it.

“In many parts of the country, citizens are going through epileptic supply of power while others don’t have electricity at all despite paying

their bill either through prepaid meters or analogue meters.

“Most of the artisans including hairdressers, market women, barbers and those whose livelihood depend on electricity have been rendered jobless by poor power supply.We are going to fight it through protests, court action and other legitimate means.

This must not be allowed to stand because government is about making life easier for the masses.This tariff hike is one suffering too many, I call on all Nigerians to resist it like we resisted the subsidy hike in January 2012”.

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OTHWITHSTANDING their failure to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress ( A P C ) i n t h e i r constituencies,defeated aspirants of APC in the state and national assembly primaries in Ondo State have resolved to unite and work for the victory of the party in 2015 general elections.

The motion to ensure victory for the APC was moved by the lawmaker representing Akure North/South Federal Constituency, Ifedayo Abegunde, who contested against Chief Tayo Alasoadura for Ondo Central Senatorial ticket.

It was seconded by Abegunde’s counterpart in the lower chamber, representing Akoko NorthEast/NorthWest, Ganny Dauda who lost the Ondo North Senatorial ticket to the incumbent Senator Ajayi Boroffice.

Many aggrieved aspirants were allowed to pour out their minds on their reservations over the primaries and eventually agreed to go back to their constituencies for consolidation to facilitate victory for the next February.

While speaking, the state Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke urged the aspirants and APC supporters to start sensitizing the masses to facilitate victory.

Kekemeke said the only way for the party to win the general election in the state is to be united, saying election could not be won when members of the party are aggrieved.

He advised the aspirants who lost in the primaries to see their investments into the election as their contribution to the growth and development of the party.

Oyo Speaker commends residents for support

HE people of Afijio, Atiba,Oyo East and Oyo West Local Government Areas in Oyo State, have been commended for their active participation in the last primary elections of the All Progressives Party(APC) in the state.

The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly who is also the flag bearer of the party for Oyo Central Senatorial zone in the forthcoming 2015 election, Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu, stated this when she led other APC candidates for state and national assembly on a ‘thank you’ visit to the four local government areas.

While appreciating the roles of all stakeholders, Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu assured them that her impact as their representatives would be felt positively in all the 11 local government areas in Oyo Central Senatorial zone.

In his remarks, former chairman of Atiba Local Government Area,who is also the APC candidate for the House of Representatives election, Prince Akeem Adeyemi said:” The crop of APC candidates are God fearing and will do everything possible to take care of the welfare of the people.

The team had earlier visited the Akibio of Ilora, Oba Stephen Oparinde, in his palace for royal blessings.

The monarch said he has full confidence in the team and promised them his readiness and the willingness of the people to support them.

‘There is no reason for unemployment in Nigeria’

Reject increase in electricity tariff, activist tells Nigerians AWYER cum activist, Mr Morakinyo Ogele has urged Nigerians to reject the plan by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to increase electricity tariff.

He described the planned increase in electricity tariff as “a bad Christmas and New Year gift” to over 170 million Nigerians, majority of whom are already living below poverty line.

Ogele in a chat with The Nation on Thursday described the proposed electricity tariff hike as “wicked, oppressive, ungodly and unacceptable”.

Ondo APC aspirants pledge support for party

•Abiara HERE is no reason for Nigeria to be faced with unemployment problem, the General Evangelist Worldwide of Christ Apostolic Church(CAC),Prophet Samuel Abiara has said.

Speaking during the 29th anniversary of CAC, Agbala Itura, Lagos, Abiara said the country has enough resources to be great. “I believe many of you know that God has

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blessed Nigeria with different natural resources. Apart from oil, we have good soil, weather and many other untapped natural resources. This means, more jobs can be created through these resources if they are exploited. A lot of Nigerians are hardworking. Many people want to work but cannot find work. They even want to venture into business but are not encouraged. For instance, the roads are in terrible state and as a result many hours are wasted in traffic every day.

Vehicles get spoilt easily, while many unavoidable accidents happen because of bad roads.”

He advised Nigerians not to believe in people who see nothing good about the country saying: ”Put your mind at rest. Do not listen to prophecy of doom.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

7 COMMENTARY

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The good side during the year in the Middle East was that the US which earlier sat on the fence over the chemical weapons issue in Syria finally decided to organise airstrikes against the advancing, beheading ISIS army

2014: Year of global terrorism and Nigeria’s election primaries ET me start with an apology that the topic for today was meant to be - ‘ 2014 Person of the year ‘. For various reasons that I will enumerate here I could not bring myself to reconcile that topic with my choice for the award on the normal criterion. I give this award annually in line with Time Magazine’s well known criterion of giving the award to someone who has influenced world affairs for good or bad. Undoubtedly Boko Haram and Islamic State of Syria and Iraq - ISIS or Islamic State, have influenced world affairs negatively and more bloodily than anybody or institution in 2014. The trade mark beheading of innocent captives by ISIS, the suicide bombing and random killing of innocent Nigerians by Boko Haram have made the Pope Francis 1, to lament in his 2014 Xmas Message at the Vatican against religious discrimination against Christians in the Middle East and to state categorically that ‘too many people have been abducted and killed in Nigeria ‘ by Boko Haram. To give the award on its simple criterion therefore would glorify terrorism, murder and mayhem and give an undeserved platform to the dark and bloody champions of these nefarious activities. To deny terrorists what they crave for - publicity - is the reason for the innocuous title above cushioned with the good news about Nigeria’s electoral primaries of the two major parties as they head to the great show down in the 2015 general elections. Which the ruling party says it is its, for the taking while the opposition APC has stated categorically that the last chance for change to save the nation from the destruction of the present political misrule is the same 2015 election.

Let me recall some winners of the Person of the Year Awards of Time Magazine and share some of the defining moments of their choice. Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini of Iran was made the Man of the Year in 1979 for leading the Iranian Revolution that toppled the Shah Reza Pahlavi and went to make himself the Supreme Ruler of Iran even as he declared the US the Satan and the enemy of the Iranian people. President George Bush senior the 41st president of the US was named Man of the Year in 1990 after his election and he later put together a coalition of 15 nations in 1990- 1991 under the auspices of the UN to drive Iraq, whose army had invaded Kuwait on the orders of its President Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait, in a one sided war that Saddam had boasted would be the Mother of all Wars. Later the 43rd president of the US and son of the 41st got the award in 2000 on his election and in 2004 on his re election and for the war against terror after 9/11, the invasion of Iraq and the capture of Saddam Hussein. In 2011 the award was given to - The Protester - like the Tea Party, The Occupy Movement and the demonstrators against Arab demagogues in the Middle East N Africa even though most of

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the gains have been reversed especially in Egypt and Libya. For 2014 Time Magazine has given the award to Ebola fighters in the US and Liberia and named such doctors and health personnel which I found most unfair and outrageous because it did not include our Dr. Adadevoh who paid mortally by stopping the Liberian diplomat who wanted to spread the disease in Nigeria by leaving her hospital under diplomatic cover. Again the World Health Organisation paid tribute to Nigeria for the way we handled ebola till the nation was declared ebola free and that too could have earned Nigeria at least a mention on any award on ebola anywhere in the world in 2014. I therefore have no compunction on parting company with Time Magazine on the choice of the award for 2014 as I have often done in the past.

Now let us look in all ramifications on the good, the bad and the very ugly side of my choice starting with the very bloody role of ISIS and Boko Haram in 2014. I have already mentioned the well articulated response of the Catholic pontiff to the two terrorist organisations. That concern reflects the view of a civilised world. The two organisations’ creation of caliphates that cut across borders gave serious concern to a civilised world . They created caliphates of terror in the Middle East and Nigeria and caused serious border issues with Nigeria’s neighbours like Cameroons to which Nigerian soldiers reportedly fled to be disarmed and returned home in obvious military disgrace. They killed Emirs in the North East and have again threatened to kill the Emir of Kano who bravely asked genuine Muslims not to run away from worshipping at the main mosque where the Emir normally leads in prayers because the mosque was bombed with worshippers sometime ago. The Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido deserves my Man of the Year Award in his own right, for asking the people of Kano not to live in fear but to do the needful to protect themselves against Boko Haram. Similarly the story this week that a 13 year old suicide bomber girl confessed that it was her parents that donated her to Boko Haram to be a suicide member means that Muslim and clerics have a big role to play in giving sermons that go against such parental dictatorship that turn little girls into overnight terrorists and suicide bombers thus wasting their lives and those of their innocent victims. In France the government checks sermons in mosques to prevent state subversion and terrorism. Given this little girl’s story there is no reason why our authorities cannot do the same at least for now against the spread of the Boko Haram poison in Muslim households in the North.

The good side during the year in the Middle East was that the US which earlier sat on the fence over the chemical weapons issue in Syria finally decided to organise airstrikes against the advancing, beheading ISIS army. In addition the airstrike coalition is made up of Arab Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan which had a pilot shot down and captured by ISIS after his plane crash landed. This will be the first time that Arabs will

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be fighting Arabs in order to protect the good name of Islam which both ISIS and Boko Haram have defiled globally with killing of innocent people. It is my hope that the air strikes and cooperation of the Arab states fighting for Islam against the perversion of the religion will grow sustainably in the new year and beyond such that the menace of Boko Haram and ISIS will wither and die by such force before the end of 2015.

It is such hope that the party primaries of 2014 have brought to the Nigerian electorate as they enter the year of presidential, gubernatorial and National Assembly elections in 2015. At a church service to mark Xmas in Abuja the President warned opposition parties not to heat up the system with their utterances but he himself said some people in the opposition behave as if their fathers own Nigeria which itself means a lot in terms of quality of political discourse and dialogue. Anyway the incumbent president appeared coolly confident of winning the 2015 elections and retaining power under the auspices of the PDP. The opposition APC too after the highly successful presidential elections primaries and the delay of selecting a presidential running mate seemed confident that it has done enough to wrest power from the party ruling in Abuja. One thing is certain however and that is that the culture of transparent, participatory primaries has become a way of life with the opposition APC just as it is an anathema with the ruling PDP whose presidential primary became a one man, all incumbent affair after some candidates had collected nomination forms with huge amounts that were not immediately returned in spite of a lack of the enabling environment for a competitive presidential primary. In great contrast the aftermath of the competitive choice of the APC Vice Presidential slot showed the sterling role that the former Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu played in the successful and peaceful choice for a position which he was offered but had to defer on the issue of the Muslim Muslim ticket which guided his strategy in mid wifing the choice of the party in the Lagos state guber primary. In making his own sacrifice in spite of the offer by the presidential candidate of the party he has shown that with him, national interests have a priority over personal ambition. That is statesmanship worthy of mention and recognition in the ’l first before others‘ mentality typical of Nigerian politics. For that salutary insight and respect for party discipline and cohesion I recognise the co author of the book Financialism as my Man of the Year 2014 for masterminding the two successful primaries that have made Lagos the Athens of democracy in Nigeria. Having called him the Houdini of Lagos politics before I need no further elaboration on this award well earned in the huge vista of hitherto unexpected hope it has opened for millions of Nigerians - that the APC led by General Muhammed Buhari and his running mat Professor Yemi Osibajo will bring succour and Salvation to Nigerians at the 2015 presidential elections by the Grace of God and Insha Allah. Amen

• See FAMILY FORUM and FAMILY HEALTH on Pages 60 & 61

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

COMMENTARY

My person of the year 2014 S the saying goes, “it is not the glittering weapon that fights the fight, rather the hero’s heart does”.

Sometime in 2014, the Ebola pandemic, a.k.a. the “hydra-headed monster from the shores of Africa” came like a thief in the night, devouring everything and anything in its sights. For several years, this devastating disease has particularly haunted rural African villages and communities, saliently devouring its victims but not in huge and alarming numbers. However, precisely in March this year, this changed all of a sudden. An outbreak of the disease turned into an epidemic, deemphasizing borders as it reached Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone (which share borders). It further travelled to Nigeria and Mali and across the African continent to Spain, Germany and the United States.

The virus, not a respecter of persons, age, sex or position, apathetically struck doctors and nurses in unparalleled numbers, unapologetically claiming the lives of about 90% of its victims, even completely annihilating a public-health infrastructure in Liberia. The virus began assuming frightening proportions, essentially making anyone willing to treat Ebola victims run the risk of becoming one.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Ebola scourge brought with it the revelation that national governments weren’t adequately equipped to respond to it, the World Health Organization (WHO) was in denial about the veracity of the virus and first responders were castigated for “crying wolf” over the devastating effects of the virus.

However, in agreement with the globally renounced Times Magazine, my heroes of the year, the knights in shining armor (in this case, white armor), constituting the local special forces of doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, all health-workers, health practitioners, ambulance drivers and the international league of Doctors without Borders, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Missionary medical-relief workers, fought side by side, regardless of the risk of infection and death, saved the day like heroes do in popular Hollywood movies. These doctors and health workers, who possess the “rare hero’s heart”, distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility and strength, in times of adversity, were the true heroes in the battle against the Ebola scourge. Tales of victims who were afflicted by the virus wasn’t soothing to the ear, as they complained that the pain they felt was like nothing they had ever known. In one victim’s account, she tried likening the pain to the pain of an axe, busting your head.

While the scourge was initially treated as “an African

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problem” by the international community, the West African sub-region was inundated by the sheer scale of human suffering and fatalities in relation to the Ebola Outbreak, and the speed at which the virus was spreading. It was not until it reached the West in “nightmarish forms”, that they felt this was indeed a global scourge and adequate measures should be taken immediately to halt its spread. Coming home, Nigeria was able to effectively halt the spread of the virus which claimed 8 lives, the lowest when compared to other affected sub-regional countries, through the heroic exploits of our doctors, nurses and health workers.

Sadly however, the majority of the dead were health officials. Top among the list is Sierra Leonian Dr, Sheik Umar Khan and the brave Nigerian Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, who brazenly confronted, restricted and quarantined Mr. Sawyer, the Liberian-American who brought the virus with him into the country. Dr Adadevoh, a senior consultant endocrinologist, was among those infected with the deadly virus while treating Mr. Sawyer. She died as a result of her infection and was sadly turned down the experimental drug, Zmapp by the US, which had been used to successfully cure two American citizens afflicted with the virus. Special recognition and kudos should also be given to Nigerian health officials who identified and placed under surveillance about 59 people who came in contact with Mr. Sawyer.

Also, in the immediate aftermath of the first death from the disease, health officials shut and quarantined the hospital involved to stop the virus from spreading. Indeed, this commendable proactive feat and foresight should be applauded. The nurses who also loosed their lives while treating and tending to Mr. Sawyer are heroes in their right and should be duly immortalized.

A salient lesson that should be learnt from the Ebola saga is that the Ebola pandemic was a litmus test perusing the capability of the global community to respond to

potential pandemics. We however failed this test, as it exposed corruption in African governments along with complacency in Western capital cities. It showed the world isn’t effectively capable of coming together in sync in combating a common health-related enemy. The Ebola saga generated a lot of mistrust within the global community; from Monrovia to Manhattan, Lagos to Louisiana. Most pre-emptive and security measures from Ebola which most countries took were; the discriminatory and blatant restriction of nationals from Ebola affected countries; taking passengers temperatures at international airports; confining nationals particularly Africans from the Western sub-region to rigorous and embarrassing searches at land, air and sea borders. The question we need to start asking now is that what will it take to develop treatments for diseases largely confined to poor nations, even as this Ebola outbreak had taken far more lives by mid-October than all the earlier ones combined?

Another question which begs for an answer or answers is that why wasn’t the drug Z-Mapp made available to African nations, even when it was confirmed that the trial drug recorded twin successes when it was administered to two Americans who was afflicted by the virus?

As we bask in the euphoria of winning the fight against Ebola thus far, we should have it at the back of our minds that Ebola is a war and indeed a warning. The Ebola pandemic exposed the inadequacies of the global health system in that it is nowhere close to or strong enough to keep us safe from disastrous infectious diseases. The global community should begin working in tandem and in sync on measures to be taken on forestalling future occurrences of such a fearsome magnitude. As we go about our daily activities, it’s assuring to know that we can sleep at night because a group of men and women are willing to stand and fight, irrespective of age, creed, gender or race; they are prepared to perform tireless acts of courage and mercy, for buying the world time to boost its defenses, for risking, for persisting, for sacrificing and for saving. To them, every life is as precious as theirs, but are willing to forgo theirs for the overall benefit of mankind. These doctors, nurses, health workers and care-givers risked and persisted, sacrificed and saved against all odds. They showed resilience and gallantry in the course of the year and ensured our world is made safer to live in. This is why doctors and health workers who painstakingly fought the Ebola pandemic and are still fighting against health-related epidemics are my Person of the Year for 2014. May God forever bless these • Continued on page 59

A tale of contrasting Christmas celebrations N Christmas morning two days ago, I turned on the television set in my room to listen to the news. The channel that came on was Galaxy Television where market men and women took turns to tell a reporter their sales experiences on the eve of Christmas. The same line ran through their stories as they lamented unprecedentedly low patronage. Rice sellers, tomato hawkers, vegetable oil dealers and others who dealt in various food items could not help wondering what had become of Nigerians who in previous years would troop to the market to buy such food items even if they could not afford the luxury of Christmas dresses for their wards.

While many of the traders had no clue as to what could be responsible for the unusual situation, a few of them believed that the political class was responsible for it. "We could not even add a kobo to our prices because there are no customers. The politicians have mopped up all the money in order to use them for their campaigns next year," one of them said.

Determined not to have my Christmas spoilt by the dreadful tales that flowed from the traders, I changed the channel and Television Continental (TVC) came on. It was like jumping from frying pan into fire. The pictures that confronted me were the gloomy, sober and pensive faces of some mothers of the close to 300 girls abducted by the Boko Haram sect from Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State on April 14. The looks on their faces told the agony that has been their lot since their children were kidnapped by the deadly Boko Haram sect and taken into Sambisa forest more than eight months ago without any hope of their return, save the few of them that have managed to escape from the den of their abductors.

It had taken concerned Nigerians 18 days to convince President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife and his aides in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa that the girls were actually kidnapped.

The President and his wife were said to have waved off the news as another piece of propaganda by the opposition the first time they were told that the girls, who were doing their school certificate exam, had been kidnapped from their hostels. They were, however, forced to believe that the story is as real as daybreak when the pictures of the girls appeared on Cable News Network (CNN), with the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, beating his chest frantically and boasting that the girls would be sold or married out to unknown suitors.

In keeping with the saying that a parent whose child is dead is better off than one whose child is lost, the poor parents have spent the last 258 days agonising over the plight of their children, wondering what could be happening to them and whether they would ever return. Those thoughts were evident on their faces as TVC beamed their pictures on Thursday. They were all lost in thoughts as they stared into empty space, their eyes fixed on objects they alone could see. As I watched their faces on the tele-

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Vincent Akanmode vincentakanmode@yahoo.com SMS only: 08034426263

vision, I tried not to imagine what the mood would be in the predominantly Christian Chibok town where most of the abducted girls come from.

In Aso Rock, it was a different scenario. The President, his wife, aides and hangers-on were all in celebrative mood not just because it was Christmas but also because of the euphoria occasioned by the whopping N21 billion the President’s friends had just contributed to fund the campaign for his re-election bid.

Thus Chibok was the epitome of misery and gloom occasioned by the pains of the abduction of close to 300 girls from the community while Aso Rock was in double celebration as the naira rain that had just fallen on the President coincided with Christmas.

The naira rain on President Jonathan is a proof of what a friend had earlier told me: in next year’s presidential election, Gen.

Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), will not be up against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. In other words, the presidential race will not be a contest between Buhari and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan but one between the embarrassingly rich members of the oligarchy and the mass of miserable Nigerians so much tormented by poverty that they know not where their next meals would come from. And while they constitute the vast majority and could easily sway victory in favour of their preferred candidate, they are so vulnerable that with just N500, many of them will be more than willing to surrender their voter cards as they are reported to be doing already in some parts of the country.

On the other hand, for instance, the culprits in the recent fuel subsidy scam, who duped the nation of billions of dollars, would do anything to ensure that an administration that has treated the matter with kid gloves remains in power.

They have every reason to fear the victory of a candidate like Buhari who as a former head of state has demonstrated his aversion to corrupt practices. Besides, he has a deep knowledge of the goings on in the oil industry, having served as ............................... and chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). Compare this with the one who has turned himself to the defence counsel of cabinet members accused of corruption and compounded that recently by declaring that stealing public funds does not amount to being corrupt.

That is why I laugh when people ask for a probe into the obscene, illegal and insensitive flaunting of ill-gotten wealth by many of the friends of the President at last week’s fund raiser in Abuja. In a country where the law says that no individual can donate more than one million naira to the campaign project of any political office seeker, former Minister of Information, Jerry Gana, audaciously announced to the world that he and his friends had donated the sum of N5 billion to President Jonathan’s campaign. It is either he and his friends broke the law or he is the Nigerian with the highest number of millionaire friends.

The pertinent question to ask in a civilised society would be what is the tax status of Jerry Gana and his friends as well as other donors to the Jonathan campaign project? And by what magic did the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which has been dispensing darkness and hardly pays its workers as and when due, raise the sum of N75 million for the campaign project? More questions than answers.

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n Olatunji OLOLADE, n Associate Editor HE sad fate of Chibok’s 276 commands a compelling narrative. In a decisive swirl, the 276 teenage girls of the Borno state village got drawn into the vortex of terrorism currently ravaging northeast Nigeria, at their abduction by selfstyled Islamist terrorist sect, Boko Haram, on April 14. The teenagers have since metamorphosed from starry-eyed, innocent high school students into sex slaves and prisoners of war; or put more precisely, helpless pawns in an intricate terrorist plot against the Nigerian state.

When Nigeria stirred to the alarming news of their abduction by the Boko Haram terrorist sect, overnight April 15, from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, civil society groups and the abductees’ relatives feared the worst and sought the Federal Government’s prompt intervention.

According to some of the 57 who escaped captivity, they were turned into sex slaves and frequently gangraped – one of the escapees came back with four months pregnancy – by the terrorist sect thereby suffering untold psychological torture

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•Dr. Ezekwezili during one of the BringBackOurGirls protests

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Jonathan

Obasanjo

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Tinubu

Olatunji OLOLADE, Associate Editor

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Buhari

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Oyegun

Patience

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Tukur

Aregbesola

Omisore

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Muazu

Tambuwal

Sawyer

Adadevoh

Chukwu

Amaech

Shekau

Fashola

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Fayose

Fayemi

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•Adekunle

•Ashiru

n Patience SADUWA n Brig-General Benjamin Adesanya Maja Adekunle aka Black Scorpion (1936- 2014) reference to the Nigerian civil war fought between Federal forces and the defunct Republic of Biafra is incomplete without the name of Brigadier-General Benjamin Adekunle being mentioned. Not surprising considering his feats during the war which are still a subject of intense discussion over 40 years after hostilities ended between the two warring sides.

As the Commander of the 3rd Marine Commando, Adekunle made waves with his exploits and handling of the war zone under his command. Indeed, it was these exploits that secured his reputation of a fearless war general, earning him the sobriquet 'Black Scorpion'.

He was a good manager of men and resources who threw all his efforts, knowledge and military tactics to the •Igwe prosecution of the civil war. At the outbreak of the war in 1967, the 'Black Scorpion' was tasked to lead elements which included two new battalions (7th and 8th) to conduct the historic sea borne assault on Bonny in the Bight of Benin on 26 July, 1968.

His successful landing of these battalions led to capture of the city of Port-Harcourt and the total liberation of the parts of eastern Nigeria that are

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now known as Rivers, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom states respectively as well as towns and villages in the then MidWest.

Blunt, outspoken, fearless, he was considered by many including his numerous admirers as a maverick soldier who threw his weight behind whatever he believed in.

It was this attribute that informed his courageous and determined stance in his prosecution of the war zone under his command, which some pundits believe contributed immensely to help fast track the end of the unfortunate and fraternal civil war.

However, his frank, politically incorrect views made him misunderstood by some who saw him as one who was hell-bent on winning the civil war for the Federal Government by whatever means possible, including food blockade to the beleaguered South Eastern region of the country.

Nonetheless, many who witnessed the war saw him as a humane war commander, who extended his large heart not only to his troops, but also to people of the occupied towns as well as to prisoners of war whom he rehabilitated.

He was a true war commander who led his men into battle, rather than staying behind in protective bunkers. To ensure his soldiers were motivated for their heroic tour of duty, he vigorously

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pursued their welfare by ensuring that equip ment and rations were disbursed as and when due.

Whatever opinion anyone might have of him, there is no doubting that Adekunle was one of the finest officers Nigeria and indeed Africa has ever produced in contemporary times.

He was a true soldier, patriot, and administrator par excellence, who fought courageously that Nigeria remained a united country. His war exploits remain legendary, a testament to a man who found himself in a situation he did not ask for but made the best of what was available to him to achieve stunning results.

Brig. Gen Adekunle was born on June 26, 1936 in Kaduna into the polygamous household of Thomas Adekunle, a native of Ogbomoso, Oyo State and Theodora Amina who hailed from the Bachama tribe in present-day Adamawa State. The young Adekunle was the fifth of six children of Theodora Amina.

After completing his secondary education at the Government College, Okene, Kogi State, he enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 1958. Having passed the army selection examination, he proceeded to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in the United Kingdom. On completion of his military training in the British military academy, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1960, and thereafter became platoon commander in the Queen's Own Nigeria Regiment during the United Nations Peace-keeping Mission in the Congo. In 1962, he became aide-de-camp, ADC to the Governor of the then Eastern Region, Sir Francis Akanu Ibiam.

Upon promotion to captain the following year, he became staff captain to the Nigerian Brigade headquarters in the Congo. He also held a brief position as Adjutant General at the Army head-

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Whatever opinion anyone might have of him, there is no doubting that Adekunle was one of the finest officers Nigeria and indeed Africa has ever produced in contemporary times. He was a true soldier, patriot, and administrator par excellence, who fought courageously that Nigeria remained a united country. His war exploits remain legendary, a testament to a man who found himself in a situation he did not ask for but made the best of what was available to him to achieve stunning results

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quarters in May 1965 and assumed command of the Lagos Garrison as Lieutenant Colonel.

Upon the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in July 1967, he was charged with conducting the historic seaborne assault on Bonny in the Bight of Benin on July 26, 1968. A very uncompromising soldier who knew how to fight for his own, Adekunle caused the army headquarters to upgrade his Lagos Garrison into a brigade status through the creation of the 31 and 32 battalions. A combination of this formation with the eastern seaboard was officially designated as the 3rd Infantry Division, a military formation that stretches from Lagos to the southern borders of the country.

Feeling that the name •Ado Bayero did not project the nature of the unique terrain in which his men had to fight, he renamed it the 3rd Marine Commando.

Described by admirers as a soldier’s soldier, Adekunle, with his men, seized the major towns in the present Delta State, liberated towns in the southeastern states and frustrated the westward advance of the Biafran soldiers. After the war in 1972, he was promoted to Brigadier-General, and put in charge of decongesting the Lagos ports, a job he carried out successfully until he was prematurely retired on August 20, 1974.

In retirement, Adekunle held no public office, chased no contracts, and was not involved in politics. Rather, he settled to the quiet life of a community leader amongst his Ogbomoso people, mentoring young leaders.

Until his death on September 13, the retired General had been ill for sometime.

His condition degenerated so much mid last year that his son, Biodun, had to go public for government and the army to come to his aid.

Prof Dora Nkem Akunyili (19542014) HE death of Prof Dora Akunyili on June 7 this year, though shocking, did not come as a surprise to many Nigerians aware of her battle with ill-health for sometime.

The former strong woman of the NAFDAC whose name instilled fear in the heart of every fake, counterfeit and adulterated drugs baron in the country had been ill with ovarian cancer for about two years before she succumbed to the disease in a Specialist Cancer Hospital in India.

The reaction to her death from a wide section of the public cutting across ethnic, religious, political divides, was a testament to the high esteem many Nigerians hold her in. Encomiums poured from everywhere both home and abroad, extolling her bravery, courage, patriotism and dedication to duty in the face of all the odds stacked against her in her herculean battle to bring some sanity to the drugs business in the coun-

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A trained pharmacist, lecturer and public servant for many years, it was however, Akunyili's stint as the DirectorGeneral of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFADC, that brought her to national and international prominence. Before her appointment in 2001, NAFDAC had been in existence for several years but few Nigerians knew of its functions or had even heard about the important government agency.

It was due to Akunyili and her supportive staff's efforts that NAFDAC came to national spotlight. Formerly, fake and substandard foods and drugs were sold in Nigeria without any form of regulation or control. On assumption of office, she felt distressed at the manner fake and adulterated drugs were killing innocent Nigerians due to the greed and wickedness of some misguided businessmen. Akunyili had noted back then that so many men and women were fighting killer diseases like malaria and tuberculosis 'with little more than sugar syrup and chalk tablets, cynically packaged to look like the real thing.'

Her desire to stop this inhuman and dastardly trade in fake drugs pitted her against the drug barons most of whom were incidentally, from the part of the country (the East, specifically Anambra State) where she hailed from. Her life was at risk several times in the execution of her duties, but being the brave woman she was, she remained undeterred. Her work won her the admiration and accolades of not just grateful fellow citizens who had been at the mercy of this 'evil cartel' for years but international recognition. By the time her tour of duty at the agency ended in 2008, Akunyili had garnered awards from all over the country as well as

•Amaka Igwe abroad in recognition of her sterling qualities. They included Time Magazine Award 2006 ( 'One of the eighteen heroes of our time'), Person of the Year 2005 Award ( Silverbird Communications Ltd, Lagos, 5 January 2006), Award of Excellence -Integrated World Services (IWS, Dec. 2005), Meritorious Award 2005 – (St. Michael's Military Catholic Church, Apapa, Lagos, 4 December 2005), African Virtuous and Entrepreneurial Women Merit Award 2005 – (African Biographical Network, Dec. 2005), Award for the Best Government Parastatal – National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), December 2005, Grassroots Human Rights Campaigner Award London Based Human Rights Defense Organization (8 December 2005), Most Innovative Director Award, Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos. (Oct. 2005), Integrity Award 2003 – (Transparency International) among others.

Dora Nkem Akunyili was born in Makurdi, Benue State, but brought up in Nanka. Akunyili's educational career

as a Hospital Pharmacist from 1978–1981, in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (U.N.T.H) Enugu, after which she ventured into academics as a Graduate Assistant (Research Fellow) in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, U.N.N. from 1982–1986.

In the university system, she made a steady progress from Lecturer I in 1986 until she was made Senior Lecturer in 1990. She transferred to College of Medicine, U.N.N. in 1992, where she was made a Consultant Pharmacologist in 1996, a position she held until 12 April 2001. Due to her love for teaching and nurturing young ones, she was also a part-time lecturer of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists Lagos, Nigeria from 1992–1995.

Akunyili was also prepared for her administrative position at •Olowude NAFDAC by her four years stint as Zonal Secretary of Petroleum started with her passing the First School Special Trust Fund (P.T.F.), co-ordinating Leaving Certificate with Distinction at all projects in the five South Eastern St. Patrick's Primary School, Isuofia, States of Nigeria (Abia, Anambra, Anambra State in 1966, and the West Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States).

African School Certificate (W.A.S.C.) She also served as a Supervisor for with Grade I Distinction in 1973 from Agriculture and Member of the CareQueen of the Rosary Secondary School, taker Committee for her Local GovernNsukka, both in Nigeria. ment, Anaocha Local Government Area These exceptional results in the First of Anambra State from 1994 to 1996.

School Leaving Certificate, and From 1992 to 1994, Akunyili served as a W.A.S.C. earned her the Eastern Nigermember of the State's Hospitals Manian Government Post Primary Scholaragement Board and State Advisory ship and the Federal Government of Nigeria Undergraduate Scholarship. She Council for Women Commission both in Anambra State of Nigeria. got her First Degree in Pharmacy It was while serving with the PTF B.Pharm (Hons) in 1978 and her PhD in that she got a health scare that took her 1985 from U.N.N. She was a Post Docto the United States for a second opintorate Fellow of University of London ion. Given a clean bill of health, Akunyand a Fellow of the West African Post ili whose trip had been sponsored by Graduate College of Pharmacists. To the PTF promptly refunded the money prepare her for managerial positions, she was trained on Computer Education meant for her treatment, an action considered unusual in a country where Programme by WHO/UNDP/World government officials often never return Bank Sponsored and Senior Managemoney they had taken out of the treasment skills Course in RIPA, London, in ury.

1994 and 1998 respectively.

That singular act of honesty was the Akunyili started her working career

children.

deciding factor her name was recommended when someone was needed to head NAFDAC during the administration of former President Obasanjo. Her performance at the agency made her end up as one of the most outstanding public officers in Nigeria’s history, celebrated locally and globally.

After leaving NAFDAC, she became Minister of Information and Communications between 2008 to 2010. In Aprill 2011, she ran for election as Senator for Anambra Central for the APGA, but was defeated by Chris Ngige of the ACN. Akunyili was a delegate at the National Conference from Anambra State. It was while there that her health situation deteriorated as she looked frail and lean, a shadow of her smiling, robust and bubbly self. A devout Catholic, she was married to Dr. J.C. Akunyili, of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu and they had 6

Olugbenga Ayodeji Ashiru (19482014) NTIL his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2011, Olugbenga Ashiru had worked as a diplomat in the foreign affairs ministry for several decades. A graduate of the University of Lagos, Ashiru was Third Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972, and served as ambassador to People's Republic of Korea in 1991. He was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, with concurrent accreditation to Lesotho and Swaziland in 2005.

Though his tenure in office was shortlived, the diplomat was credited with re-energising Nigeria’s presence in international diplomacy in the postOlusegun Obasanjo era. For instance, Ashiru played a key role in the diplomatic face-off between Nigeria and South Africa in 2012 over the deportation of 125 Nigerians for not possessing valid yellow fever vaccination certificates. Nigeria retaliated and the standoff was eventually resolved.

Some of his achievements in office included placing emphasis on economic diplomacy resulting in the rise of Nigeria’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to $8 billion in 2012 and securing 22 key international appointments for Nigerians. Some of the positions included the Commissioner for Political Affairs in African Union and Commissioner for Peace and Security at the ECOWAS commission.

As a young diplomat nearly four decades before, Ashiru's greatest ambition was to become an ambassador, a wish that was fulfilled when he attained that position before his retirement in the foreign ministry in 2007. It was from retirement that he was appointed a minister by the Jonathan administration.

Born on August 27, 1948 in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Ashiru, in his career was decorated with various awards, including Commanduer de L'Odre National

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Dame Felicia Remi Oyo (1952-2014) AME Felicia Oluwaremilekun Oyo, who died at 62 on October 1, in London, where she was recuperating after receiving treatment from a cancer related ailment, was a seasoned journalist, administrator and accomplished professional. Beginning her journalism career in 1973, in the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation now known as the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Oyo later joined the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as a Desk Editor in 1981. She left in 1985 as a Principal Editor, the first woman to attain such a high position in the agency.

From NAN, she joined the Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS), working there for over a decade as the Nigerian Bureau Chief later becoming the international news agency’s West African Bureau Chief.

Oyo has been a trailblazer of sorts for women in the media. For instance, after serving as Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, she became the first female President of the Guild, serving for two consecutive tenures from 1999 to 2003.

In 2003, she was appointed Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and served in that capacity until the end of the President’s tenure in May 2007.

This appointment was also a first as she was the first woman to hold that position in the history of the country. Oyo was later appointed the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria in July 2007.

Born into a Catholic family on October 12 1952, Dame Oyo had her primary

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A trained pharmacist, lecturer and public servant for many years, it was however, Akunyili's stint as the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFADC, that brought her to national and international prominence

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• The winning coach Jossy lad

By Adeyinka Adedipe

• Continued from Page 33

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Most IDPs live with host families (not in camps), and neither the government nor international organisations have systematically assessed or addressed their situation. According to sources, of the 470,500 newly displaced people, roughly 200,000 were children, 157,000 were women, and 110,000 were men

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•Kidnapped Chibok girls

Bad year for kids F

EBRUARY 25, 2014 was a day of mourning in Buni Yadi, Yobe State, when 59 boys were killed at the Federal Government College of Buni Yadi, by the Boko Haram insurgents. About 24 buildings of the school were also burned down during the attack.

The insurgents reportedly barged into the school while the students were sleeping. They threw explosives into their rooms as they sprayed the rooms with gunfire.

Some of the students, who tried to escape through the windows, were slaughtered like sheep by the terrorists who slit their throats, while several others were gunned down.

Female students were said to have been spared during the attack, while scores of wounded survivors were ferried to the Sani Abacha Hospital in Damaturu, the state capital.

If the female students of Buni Yadi were lucky to have been spared, their counterparts in Chibok, Borno State, were not. On April 15, 2014, members of the terrorist group unleashed their bile on the Government Secondary in Chibok and kidnapped 276 girls. A number of the abducted girls were said to have escaped from Sambisa forest where they were kept. However, nine months have passed, yet the remaining 219 girls have not regained their freedom from the den of the terrorists despite the Federal Government’s assurances that security forces would rescue them from the grip of their abductors.

Suicide bombers again launched deadly attack on Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State on November 10, 2014, about 7.48 am, killing 47 school boys while about 79 others were injured.

Displaced children in camps The perennial attacks on communities in some parts of the North by Boko Haram and brutal attacks by rampaging Fulani herdsmen and the effect of communal clashes have displaced many residents from their abodes. The displaced also include children who had either been dislocated from their parents or whose parents had been killed during several attacks by the insurgents.

In a figure released by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, it was estimated that there are 3.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, out of

n Kunle AKINRINADE n

which there are about 200, 000 children refugees.

“This figure includes people displaced since 2010 by the brutal attacks by the Islamist armed group Boko Haram, by the government-led counterinsurgency operations in north-eastern Nigeria, and by ongoing inter-communal conflict in the country’s central Middle Belt region.’’

There were at least 470,500 newly displaced people fleeing all these forms of violence in 2013. The bulk of displacement took place in three north-eastern states affected by Boko Haram violence, namely Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, where the government maintained a state of emergency since June 2013. ‘’Most IDPs live with host families (not in camps), and neither the government nor international organisations have systematically assessed or addressed their situation.

According to sources, of the 470,500 newly displaced people, roughly 200,000 were children, 157,000 were women, and 110,000 were men,” says IDMC. The year also witnessed increasing cases of child trafficking, sexual abuse and upsurge of baby factories where teenage girls from poor homes were impregnated and their children sold to affluent couples. Not a few of the perpetrators were arrested, while their victims were rescued by security agents in some states of the federation.

In April two teenage girls and a nine – month - old baby were rescued by police in a home operated by suspected baby racketeers in Adigbe area of Abeokuta, Ogun State. Similar raids were carried out in Abia and Rivers States in the outgoing year.

A 2014 mid year analysis carried out by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), revealed there was increase in child trafficking in the year.

“There was a drastic increase in the number of cases of child labour reported to the agency between January and June 2014 compared with the same period of 2012 and 2013. Cases of child abduction from guardianship, child abuse and external trafficking for sexual exploitation witnessed steady increase in number during the period under review,” NAPTIP said.

•Some internally displaced children

•Internally displaced persons camp

•Some teenage girls rescued from baby factory

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VIPs who went with the year education at the St. James’ Catholic Primary School in Ilorin, where she grew up. She also attended the prestigious St. Louis Girls Secondary School, Bompai, Kano and had her higher education in Lagos and Britain with a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Canterbury at Kent. She also earned a post-graduate Diploma in International Relations from the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos.

In 1999, Oyo was appointed by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar a member of the Constitution Drafting Committee to craft the constitution that ushered in the present democratic dispensation..

A recipient of Nigeria’s national honour, the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), Dame Oyo also earned many other awards among which was the National Council of Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria merit award. On January 7, 2011, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI made her a Papal Dame of the Order of St. Gregory the Great.

She was Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and the Nigerian Institute of Public Administrators.

A devout Catholic, Dame Oyo was a former Vice Chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council of SS Joachim and Anne of the Catholic Church, Ijegun, Lagos.

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Samuel Akinbode Sadela, country's oldest preacher (1900-2014) T his death in August aged 114, Rev. Samuel Akinbode Sadela held the enviable record of being Nigeria's oldest preacher. Indeed, if he had had a verifiable birth certificate, he would have been the oldest living man, the oldest living person in Africa, the oldest person in Nigeria as well as the 10th oldest living person in the world.

Born in Ondo on 24 August 1900, Pa Sadela attended St. Paul's Primary School, Ifon, Osun State.

In 1914, he was forced to drop out of school and start working. In 1918, he returned to school. He went to the University of Cambridge in 1925.

After graduation, he became a preacher. He worked with Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola.

His pastoral calling started in 1928 when he visited the famous Prophet Moses Orimolade of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church.

When he marked his 113th last year birthday, the aged pastor had expressed hope to live up to 200 years of age.

Back then, he had stated: “I feel happy to be this old. Actually, I feel like a young man. I still enjoy my meal of Iyan (pounded yam), Eba and bush meat. I sleep whenever I want to and wake up stronger I want to live longer to prove to all that God remains the same as He was in times past. If Methuselah could live for 969 years, God can make me live well beyond 113. If Noah could be 950, it is not too much for Him to make me live up to 200.”

Unfortunately for the pastor who made headlines when he married at the age of 107 in 2007, his wish was not granted as he passed on before hitting that great milestone on August 24 due to an age-related ailment.

Ado Bayero, Kano's longest ruling monarch (1930-2014) LHAJI Ado Abdullahi Bayero, the late Emir of Kano was one of the longest serving traditional rulers in the country and the ruler with the longest reign in the history of the Kano emirate. A highly respected leader, he was a man of many parts having worked as a banker, police officer, MP and diplomat. He was installed the Emir of Kano on October 22, 1963, becoming the 13th Fulani emir of Kano and the 56th ruler of the Kano Kingdom.

Bayero was born to the family of Hajiya Hasiya and Abdullahi Bayero and into the Fulani Sullubawa clan that has presided over the emirate of Kano since 1819. He was the eleventh child of his father and the second of his mother.

He started his education in Kano studying Islam, after which he attended Kano Middle School. He graduated from the School of Arabic Studies in 1947. He then worked as a bank clerk

for the Bank of British West Africa until 1949, when he joined the Kano Native Authority. He attended Zaria Clerical College in 1952. In 1954, he won a seat to the Northern Region House of Assembly.

Bayero was head of the Kano Native Authority police division from 1957 until 1962, during which he tried to minimize the practice of briefly detaining individuals and political opponents on the orders of powerful individuals in Kano. He then became the Nigerian Ambassador to Senegal.

During this time he enrolled in a French language class. In 1963, he succeeded Muhammadu Inuwa as Emir of Kano.

As emir, he became a patron of Islamic scholarship and embraced western education as a means to succeed in a modern Nigeria. Perhaps that informed his stance against the brutal Islamist group, Boko Haram, strongly opposing their campaign against western education. He nearly lost his life over this.

On January 19, 2013, he survived an assassination attempt blamed on the Islamist group which left two of his sons injured and his driver and bodyguard dead, among others.

Bayero was a former Chancellor of the University of Nigeria and served as the Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.

He was also a former Ambassador to Senegal.

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Continued from page 37

Igwe was a consummate journalist, publisher, author, biographer and pastor whom along with his long-time friend and business partner, Mike Awoyinfa, had midwifed some hugely successful media outfits

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Dimgba Igwe, journalist and media manager (1956- 2014) UST when Nigerians and indeed the media industry were coming to terms with the passing on of the late Remi Oyo, the sector lost another veteran, Dimgba Igwe. Igwe, who was the Vice Chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited as well co- publisher of Entertainment Express died September 6. He was knocked down by an unknown driver, while jogging in his Okota, Lagos neighbourhood and died at LASUTH where he had been taken for surgery.

Igwe was a consummate journalist, publisher, author, biographer and pastor whom along with his long-time friend and business partner, Mike Awoyinfa, had mid-wifed some hugely successful media outfits, including the now rested Weekend Concord, The Sun and lately Entertainment Express and Sunday Express respectively.

A prolific author and columnist, Igwe was a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. He is survived by a wife and four children.

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Remi Olowude (1951-2014) NTIL his death at 63, in a hospital in the United States of America after a prolonged battle with a cancer-related ailment, Mr Remi Olowude was the Executive Vice Chairman, Industry and General Insurance Plc, (IGI). He was the founder of IGI, which was incorporated as a limited liability company on October, 31, 1991 and commenced operation in January 1992.

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He had a total of 28 years cognate experience in insurance management, serving as the Chairman of National Insurance Corporation Ltd. (since July 2005), and as a Director at Global Trust Bank (U) Ltd. He was also an economist, chartered insurer, and investor. Olowude held a Master’s Degree in Economics and was an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London.

Amaka Igwe, an amazon in Nollywood (1963-2014) MAKA Igwe nee Isaac Ene was one of the leading lights in Nigeria's movie industry.

In a sector largely dominated by men, Amaka made her mark, becoming a top player in Nollywood with her hugely popular productions, most of which attracted mass viewership and popularity.

The hardworking producer, writer and director hit national limelight as the writer and producer of the award-winning TV soap, 'Checkmate’ and 'Fuji House of Commotion'. Both were very popular soap operas, among the viewing public, helping to cement her reputation as a serious and committed producer in the TV and movie making industry.

She was one of the pioneers of Nollywood whose early projects included `RattleSnake’ and `Violated’, two critically-acclaimed movies that set apart Amaka Igwe Studios in the Nollywood industry.

She founded the BoB TV Expo and was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Top Radio 90.9 FM, Amaka Igwe Studios, and the newly-launched Q Entertainment Networks.

Born in Enugu, Amaka Igwe had her early education at All Saints School (now Trans Ekulu Primary School), Girls High School, Awkunanaw, Enugu and Idia College, Benin, where she did her A levels. She also studied Education/Religion at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and had a Master’s degree from the University of Ibadan.

She worked as a lecturer at Anambra State University of Technology and briefly in the oil and gas sector before settling for the motion picture industry.

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Alhaji Abdul Azeez Arisekola-Alao (1945- 2014) BDUL Azeez Arisekola-Alao, Ibadanbased businessman, who died on June 17 was a top philanthropist who used his immense wealth to help the less-privileged in the society. He was the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland and was well known for his cause in support of Islam in Ibadan and other parts of the country. These included the construction of mosques and alms giving to many residents who trooped to his home regularly. He was a patron to many Yoruba Muslim groups, including the youth wing of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organizations of Nigeria (NACOMYO) and some Yoruba Muslim women's group.

Born on a Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1945, to the family of Alhaji Abdur Raheem Olatunbosun Olaniyan Alao and Alhaja Rabiatu Olatutu Abegbe Alao who hailed from Ajia in the Ona Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State, the young Alao had his elementary education at St. Luke’s School, Adigun, and later ICC Primary School, Igosun, both in Ibadan, after persistent persuasion of one school teacher, Mr J.O. Oladejo, because he initially was not interested in the acquisition of Western education, as he was contented with Islamic education which he began at the age of three years.

On completion of his primary education in 1960, he sat for the entrance examinations into two of the notable schools Christ School, Ado-Ekiti and Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan. He was the best candidate in the Christ School examination, while he emerged as the third best candidate for admission into Lagelu Grammar School.

However, despite his brilliance, he could not advance his western education as a result of the poor economic standing of his parents who were peasant farmers. But his lack of western education was compensated for by his sound Islamic education and a strong resolve. Buoyed by the zeal to survive and make a decent living, Alao ventured into business, armed with admirable qualities such as intelligence, shrewdness, truthfulness, aggressiveness and the determination to succeed. He had a brief stint with his uncle as an apprentice at Gbagi Market, Ibadan before going solo in 1961, vending Gammalin 20.

Being a shrewd businessman, he was soon to become an agent of Imperial Chemical Industries.

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THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

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Groups which Yombo TOKODE and Paul UKPABIO

Bring Back Our Girls Group

EMBERS of the Bring Back Our Girls Group, a creation of the abduction of 276 girls of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by the Boko Haram sect on April 15, launched themselves into the struggle for their liberation immediately the harrowing incident became public knowledge.

The grimness of the situation and the awareness created by the group continued to generate a furious backlash from Nigerians and foreigners who always subjected the Federal Government to condemnation for lacking competence in crisis management.

As the group’s war of liberation reverberated nationally and internationally, it exposed the government’s insensitivity to the plight of the girls who were left in the lurch and low spirits of their parents, who were facing up to the harsh realities of life without their loved ones.

The group, under the leadership of Oby Ezekwesili deserves commendation for the increasing awareness of the girls’ captivity through its activities in the outgoing year. Since the start of the crisis, the government has been in a state of confusion, while the group fights on to bail the girls out of bondage.

The nobility of the group’s objective notwithstanding, it suffered persecution from the Federal Government, which perceived its cause as an illegality, deserving a severe punishment.

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• Members of the BringBackOurGirls Group protesting

Boko Haram

•People rendered homeless by Boko Haram militants

Members of the Boko Haram sect began the year with the dogged determination to achieve success in their obnoxious and illegal act of terrorism aimed at foisting an Islamic regime on the country.

This iron will was perceived in the threats to the Federal Government and insults and accusations hurled at religious and political leaders, especially President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and emirs.

Their operations, usually carried out with brutality and mainly targeted at the NorthEast states of Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and some other states, were characterised by the killing of innocent people; abduction of children, women and the aged; violation of the nation’s territorial integrity; raping of the young and the old; stealing of personal belongings; robbery of banks; destruction of government buildings and razing of houses.

In the theatre of war, schools, churches, markets, motor parks, mosques and other vulnerable places were their main targets.

The resultant effect of this lunacy was the displacement of people who first ran into sanctuary before taking a sojourn in refugee camps where they were susceptible to disease and death spurred by poor sanitation, harsh weather, poor feeding and starvation.

Of all the atrocities perpetrated by the Boko Haram militants in 2014, the abduction of 276 girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, the recent similar one in Gumsuri in which 185 children and women are being held hostage and other cases of kidnapping are the most heinous ones, considering the traumatic experience of the victims and the psychological effects on their close relations.

Ebola health workers

The entry of a Liberian, suffering from the Ebola disease, into the country on July 20 brought Ebola health workers into being.

•APC presidential aspirants

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The Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, against medical advice, sneaked into Nigeria with the contagion. His sudden collapse at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and subsequent treatment at First Consultants Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos, exposed the plaque being formerly considered as common fever.

The index case proved to be a thorn in the health workers’ flesh. He rejected their instructions, snubbed questions posed to him and cast aspersions on them. He ultimately asked for a discharge, but when his request was turned down, he went wild, spitting, urinating and unleashing violence on them.

Sawyer later died. But he left a trail of calamities behind. His caregivers became victims by infecting them, a situation leading to their quarantine and marking the beginning of their terrible ordeal.

Dr. Stella Shade Adadevoh, a woman of noble birth, who physically prevented Sawyer from taking the pestilence to the public, was the first to pass on on August 19.

There were other deaths. But there were survivors and the fortunate ones – those who were not infected – who are now in Sierra Leone and Liberia, helping in the cure and containment of the disease.

They are all being praised for saving Nigerians from panic and mass destruction, the two major concomitants of the virus, through courage, diligence, patriotism, perseverance and expertise.

APC

Not many gave this amalgamation of parties a chance of survival at the onset. But the of All Progressives Congress (APC) has proven sceptics wrong, by emerging the biggest rival for the nation’s seat of power come the 2015 general elections. And it has been aptly tagged ‘The Mega Party.’

For APC, year 2014 has been a great year of politicking, mediating, networking and fighting tooth and nail for the soul of Abuja.

The party has successfully proven that ethnicity is not really a barrier in Nigeria, as the party witnessed a mass fellowership from all around the country and mass decamping of erstwhile faithful of other parties into its fold. The APC remained the only party in year 2014 that received mass exodus of governors and House of Representatives members, Senators and other top government officials from other parties, into its fold.

It has indeed been a big year for APC. Like a mustard seed, it has grown so big to accommodate Nigeria and vividly express and practise what true democracy is about.

This much was witnessed throughout the political process that has now prepared it for the 2015 elections. No party member was forced to join; every party member was given an opportunity to participate in all political processes, including the primaries.

And above all, the APC’s recently held primaries across the country saw flag bearers emerging in the different categories, with no rancour or hooliganism. Instead, what was witnessed in post-primaries has been the coming together of the winners and the losers, to work together for the up-coming elections. APC is certainly, a party to watch out for come 2015.

PDP

The year 2014 was, indeed, the worst and weakest year for PDP since the last few years. No time has the party been this bad in the eye of the general public. But what else would anyone expect, when the party launched a protracted war within itself?

As the group’s war of liberation reverberated nationally and internationally, it exposed the government’s insensitivity to the plight of the girls who were left in the lurch and low spirits of their parents, who were facing up to the harsh realities of life without their loved ones

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shaped events The PDP’s house throughout 2014 was on fire: From the Board of Trustees to the member on the street, internal rancour tore the party apart. The party witnessed its top members and public office holders decamping into APC, a rival party, and this took place even in its erstwhile strongholds like Kwara, Imo, Rivers, Abia and others, a stream of disenchanted members of PDP have continued to find refuge in the APC, seen easity as a sure alternative to the ruling party.

To worsen its headache, some of its prominent members who are pissed off by things in the party have continued to throw jabs at its leadeship. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, have refused to hide his contempt for the party he contributed in nurturing. His annoyance with the party is that the present president has derailed in laid down development structures. His face-off with one of the party’s leaders in South West recently culminated in the futile effort to stop Obasanjo’s book, My Watch, from seeing the light of day. Obasanjo of course rebuffed it.

PDP, indeed, is a house divided against itself as witnessed in its rancorous primary elections that took place across the country, with rancour, wild protests and litigations trailing the exercise. It’s been a tale of things fall apart...

Presidency

The outgoing year has been a year of twists and turns for the presidency. The popularity of the Jonathan presidency, which peaked at the turn of the 2011 elections, began to nose-dive in January, 2012 by allowing the needless fuel subsidy strike to fester for a whole week during which the entire nation shut down.

Instead of recovering, it has been floundering from one crisis to the other, with consequential damage to its goodwill. The presidency faced its greatest test with the insensitive manner it handled the kidnap of 276 girls from Chibok in Borno State in April this year.

Nigeria has wobbled under political crises since the beginning of the year, from the mythological-like search for the said abducted Chibok girls, to the total declaration of war in some parts of Northern Nigeria; echoes of corruption have reached its the peak as the presidency is said to play insensitivity and nonchalance to sensitive matters of state.

The opposition, critics on social media, commentators and even foreigners have scored the presidency all-time low. But the presidency came up repeatedly with a defence that the problems of Nigeria have not been its making, that it they have always been there.

The opposition has apthy capitalised on this to offer Nigerians a covenient alternative as the nation goes to polls in February, 2015.

National Conference

While critics saw it as a huge joke and others as a jamboree, the national conference was the hope of the common man on the street to unravel the mystery of his nationality and encourage him with a possible hope in Nigeria and all the benefit of being a Nigerian.

But did the National Conference meet with the hope of the common man? Amidst all its hiccups and lack of proper structure and organisation, the members of the conference sat down to do a job, arrived at some decisions and passed them to the government.

The wildest critics of the conference held on to their ground that it was a rubber stamp to fulfill a prepared agenda of the presidency, which needed an elongated tenure.

Despite the hue and cry, it was said that the conference had come up with ‘volumes’ of worthwhile amendments to move the country forward. But since the hand over ceremony, the reports of the conference, for which each member received over N12m each, submitted to the presidency, and passed to the National Assembly, not much has been heard about the matter.

House of Representatives

Over the years, in this particular dispensation, the House of Representatives has assumed the only hope of the common man on the street. One recalls the House’s support for the public resistance of the increase in fuel pump price, and the various probes that have been carried out by the lower chamber to checkmate injustice, government’s high-handedness and corruption.

In the year 2014, the House of Representatives remained the nation’s conscience, as it has subtly refused the undemocratic acts of government and resisted executive authoritarianism.

The frosty relationship between the House leadership and the presidency burst into the open recently when the police, with the believed prompting of government, shamefully looked out members of the lower chamber and tear-gassed those who scaled the gates to enter the hallowed chambers.

The main target, according to reports, was the Reps Speaker, Rt-Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, who was to be removed should the lock-out had succeeded. His security aides had earlier been withdrawn on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, Sulaiman Abbah, for defecting to the APC from the PDP. But the House as a body, refused to be cowed into submission. Went ahead and possessed their chamber, met and took official decisions. The Presidency had to softpedal in the end. The police, hiding under Tambuwal’s emergence as the state APC governorship aspirant, later tooks steps to restore the Speaker’s security aides.

The House of Representative’s victory in that face-off was, indeed, victory for democracy.

•President Jonathan during the PDP presidential primary

Fulani herdsmen

Fulani herdsmen constituted a terror to farmers in many agrarian communities in different parts of the country in the outgoing year.

The areas mostly affected were Kaduna, Taraba, Benue, Plateau as well as parts of Ogun, Oyo, Osun Enugu, Imo states, among others where there is lush green vegetation.

They took up arms against farmers who put up a strong resistance to the feeding of their cows and bulls on plants on their farms.

The herdsmen’s incursions into their farms and the counter-attacks swiftly launched by the farmers resulted in the killing of innocent people, kidnapping of women and children, burning of houses and destruction of personal belongings.

The police drafted in to quell the skirmishes usually got to the scenes of crisis late, thereby creating room for extensive damage and escape of culprits.

Fighting between Fulani herdsmen and farmers has become a recurring nightmare in the country.

•Members of the House of Representatives in session

INEC

Most of the tasks undertaken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2014 attracted a mixed reception from Nigerians.

Important ones among these were the sensitisation of Nigerians to the disadvantages of elections, creation of additional wards in the North, distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and registration of voters.

The electoral body was criticised for the inadequacy of its efforts to create awareness on electoral rights. But this criticism was from a negligible number of Nigerians.

The creation of additional wards in the North divided the country into two. While the North was in its support, the South vehemently opposed it, a situation that led to its cancellation by the INEC. The distribution of PVCs and registration of voters was marred by irregularities. This provoked a nationwide condemnation of virulent nature, though an insignificant number of politicians, especially members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed a different view.

•First Consultants Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos

•INEC officials giving out PVCs

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Madueke

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Abbah

Wike

Nyako

Sherrif

Shetimma

Mbu

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Tambuwal, Ahmed, Saraki others in Ilorin for Baraje Stories Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin PEAKER, House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal and Kwara state Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday attended the Walimat and wedding of the children of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

Former governors of Osun, Ekiti and Kwara states, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Segun Oni and Bukola Saraki also graced the occasion.

Others in attendance include Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), Ambassador Nimota Akanbi, state chairman of the APC, Ishola Balogun- Fulani, Secretary to Kwara state government, Isiaka Gold and members of the state executives council.

The chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Salihu officiated the Walimat and Nikkah ceremonies.

In his sermon, an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sulaiman DanBorno charged the couple to relate with each other with the fear of God. He charged the bride, Halimat Baraje to be obedient to her husband and admonished the husband to discharge his duties accordingly as the head of the family.

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• Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State clearing debris from the bomb blast site at the Central Market in Bauchi on Friday ...

Photo: NAN

2015: Group cautions politicians against violence

Kano APC elders pick BUK Deputy A VC as Ganduje’s running mate HE APC Elders Committee in Kano State, has chosen the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professor Hafiz Abubakar, as the running mate of the party’s governorship candidate , Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

His choice was decided at a meeting of the elders held at the Kano Government House on Thursday.

Gov. Kwankwaso at the meeting cited Abubakar’s high level of academic

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Bauchi PDP gov. candidate donates N30m to Bauchi market bomb victims Austine TSENZUGHUL, Bauchi AUCHI state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Hon. Auwal Mohammed Jatau yesterday donated thirty million Naira to victims of last Monday bomb blast in the Bauchi Central Market, in the state capital.

He also assured them of a better life if elected in the February 2015 governorship election in the state.

The governorship candidate made the donation and gave the assurance when he visited the traders' leadership after inspecting the damage caused by the bomb explosion said to have been caused by a suicide bomber last Monday at 6 pm.

Seventeen persons lost their lives in the incident while 50 others sustained different degrees of injuries with millions of Naira also lost to the fire that followed the blast.

Jatau who was briefed on the bomb explosion by the Bauchi Cetral Market traders' chairman Alh. Adamu Musa Noma, described the incident as "unfortunate, barbaric and inhuman."

He prayed for those who lost their lives in the bombing, condoled with the deceased families, but asked the injured and those who lost their wares to have faith in Almighty Allah, who gives and takes.

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Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano preparation, experience, ability to do the work, general competence and acceptability by the people.

The governor, who chaired the meeting, revealed that many influential people as well as his colleagues had wanted him to favour their candidates but said the elders were insistent on a capable hand.

Kwankwaso urged APC

members in the state to desist from addressing one another as members of Legacy parties or PDP Kwankwasiyya, cautioning that the attitude would not augur well for the progress of the party.

He said having come this far party members should stop identifying themselves or others with their former parties .

"We are all members of the APC and we are contesting elections on that platform,'"

he said.

Prof. Hafiz was Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Special Adviser and later Commissioner of Finance during the latter’s first tenure as governor from 1999-2003.

At the inception of Kwankwaso’s second term in 2011,Abubakar was appointed Head of Service at the beginning of Kwankwaso's second tenure in 2011.

Police kill four robbers in Kano team of anti-robbery police squad yesterday in Kano killed four notorious armed robbers who have been terrorizing motorists along Zaria Road.

Kano state Commissioner of Police, Adenrele Shinaba told reporters at the Bompai Police headquarters that his men engaged the armed robbers in a gun duel at about 10 P.M. along Kurna Dangora, near Kariya village, close to Nigeria Law School in Bagauda, Kano.

Shinaba said the robbers met their waterloo when they wanted to rob travelers, but were trailed and subdued by the police who displayed superior fire-power.

“You know this is Christmas and this robbers wanted to use the opportunity to disturb law abiding

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Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano Nigerians. We have a number of security measures. We have been on patrol throughout the night. This morning, we have gone round all the churches to ensure that everywhere is calm and all security measures have been put in place to ensure that Nigerians and Kano resident have a peaceful celebration.

“At about 10 P.M. on Wednesday, December 24, our men on patrol had encounter with armed robbers on the high way, precisely at Kurna Dangora towards the Nigeria Law School.

During ensuing shoot-out, four of them died and four arms and other ammunitions were recovered from them,” the police boss stated.

Among exhibits recovered

from the armed robbers and displayed by the police include three bareta pistols, one revolver pistols, charms, amulets and ammunitions, including two masks.

According to Shinaba, armed robbers have been operating within that axis in recent times and police mounted surveillance on them, adding that Kano remains a no-go area for armed robbers and other criminals.

“Police are fully determined to protect lives and property.

Christmas is not made for armed robbery or armed robbers; it is made for law-abiding citizens. Criminals and their cohorts should better leave Kano for us. We will never allow criminals to take over the state,” he stated.

22 states owe workers three months salaries —NLC O fewer than 22 state governments are owing up to three month salaries, according to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Vice President of the NLC, Mr. Issa Aremu, calls the development wage robbery, an economic crimes and therefore unacceptable.

The NLC Vice President, in a statement in Kaduna, alleged that the same governors who have defaulted in meeting their financial obligations to workers were able to mobilise funds to pay the delegates to the just concluded party primaries.

He urged the affected governors to settle the salary arrears immediately by sourcing money from the same avenues from which they got finances to pay their party delegates.

His words: “We see that

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delay in payment of salaries as wage theft, wage robbery. It is actually an economic crime because Nigeria Labour law says thou shall pay the worker as at when due. In fact by 22nd of every month you must have paid the workers fully.

“We never heard of any delegate being owed a single penny during the primary elections, but they cannot get money to pay the workers. In fact, some of the delegates even bought new cars and properties after the primaries because they money they got in just few days is much more than what workers earn in many months”.

The NLC Vice President also asked the Federal Government to review upward the national minimum wage in view of the emerging economic challenges in the country,and warned

against any attempt by government to further impoverish the Nigerian workers through the recently announced austerity measures by the Federal government.

He said that the $65 per barrel of crude oil as captured in the 2015 budget has confirmed Nigeria’s over reliance on oil contrary to the claim of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy that the budget is projected on a non oil revenue basis.

Mr. Aremu said the National Assembly, while debating the budget proposal, should put policies that will grow the real sectors of the economy and also ensure that the Central Bank of Nigeria lowers the interest rate and stop the free fall of the Naira which will undermine purchasing power of the working people.

socio-political organisation, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) has cautioned politicians against violence in the 2015 elections.

The union said this in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital at its 49th anniversary.

IEDPU urged politicians in different camps to work for the progress of the community, advising them to shun violence.

"The union wishes to appeal to all our political players to tread with caution, maturity and fear of Allah to ensure that peace and tranquillity prevail before, during and after the 2012 elections.

The national president of the union, Alhaji AbdulHameed Adi added that: "This union believes, as the wise men do, in the superiority of peace over violence. Besides, honour or dishonour does not apply to winning or losing elections. Indeed, it is more honourable and Godly to accept defeat without recourse to violence", he said.

The IEDPU President also called on the federal government to halt the planned relocation of the Air force Base in Ilorin.

“We do not want this to happen, in the first place. Ilorin, the state capital of Kwara state has what it takes to conveniently continue to host the base.

We have a good airport and not too busy to accommodate the Air force aerial activities as well as good accommodation for her officers and men. Secondly, the presence of the base in the state increases the sustianability of peace in the state,” he stated.

APC will build Kafin Zaki Dam Austine TSENZUGHUL, Bauchi AUCHI state All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate Barr. Mohammed Abubakar yesterday the All Progressive Congress will complete the construction of Kafin-Zaki dam if elected in 2015.

Mohammed who expressed concern over the abandoned dam which he noted will befit all the states sharing common border with Bauchi, said all legal, political and social issues militating against the dam dream will be resolved for the goodo f all.

The APC gubernatorial candidate who spoke to journalists in Bauchi, the state capital on Boxing Day, said: "I know that besides geographical issues canvassed in the building of the dam,t he realization of the dam has been wrongly over-politicized and blown out of proportion."

The construction of KAFIN ZAKI DAM located in Ganjuwa local government area of the state started during the Alh. Shehu Shagari regime but has been abandoned. But it has become a major issue of campaign as each successive civilian government had used it to source votes.

"But I can assure you that APC government at state and national levels will sort that out by bringing all stakeholders to a round-table discussion and allow each to give convincing reasons. And at the end of it all, we will have an upper hand because, over a million persons will be beneficiaries of this project."

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Benue students reject Xmas gift HE last may not have been heard of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primaries in Benue State, as aggrieved youths and students from the state rejected the Christmas gifts presented to them by the state government.

The President of National Union of Benue State Students and Youths, Comrade Orkuma James Shirshima, said the reason for not accepting the gift was over the shabby manner the PDP gubernatorial primaries were conducted in the state, which were an anathema to democracy and noted that it spells doom democracy and the state.

According him, if the party should allow the charade it called gubernatorial primaries to hold, the youths and the students were not going to support the party, noting, “What we are saying, let there a level playing field for all the aspirants and whoever that wins will have the respect and support of not only the youths and student but also the other aspirants and at the end democracy would be deepened in the state.”

They called on the party stakeholders to give them listening ears and works towards upholding democracy in the state and in the country in general.

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NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

Cross River senator dumps PDP he senator representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Otu has resigned his membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing his supporters at the Margaret Ekpo Airport in Calabar, he said he resigned because he could not identify with a party which does not have the interest of the people at heart. He said he was displeased with the way the party had conducted itself and as such, his decision to resign from the PDP. The crowd which received him at the airport seemed enthusiastic about his decision.

Sweet Prince as he is fondly called by his teeming supporters, lost the PDP primary

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•Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of the President, being received on arrival in Umuahia by the Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, for a grand civic reception organised in her honour by the Ohuhu clan in Umuahia North LGA.

election to chairman of the State Water Board Corporation, Mr Gershom Bassey.

Although he did not say which party he would be heading to, it is strongly believed he has already joined the Labour Party in the state.

“I want to thank you for the support and prayers I have been enjoying from you.

Today you sent me to represent you. My representation in the Senate has been totally about the people and not myself. I am totally displeased with the way the PDP has conducted itself. My objective here is to consult with all of you and in no distant time, we would come out with a decision.

Lawmaker hails Okowa, Pondi over victory HE Majority Leader, Legislative Arm of the Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Hon. Joseph Alubeze-Fuludu yesterday hailed Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa and Hon. Julius Pondi over their land slide victory at the recent governorship and House of Representative primary elections in the state.

The Majority leader, Hon. Alubeze-Fuludu who gave this commendation at Asaba, headquarter of Delta State over Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa’s land slide victory at the poll, said Okowa’s

n

n Nicholas KALU, Calabar n

n Polycarp OROSEVWOTU, Ughelli n choice as the governorship flag bearer of the party, cuts across the three senatorial districts, saying that victory is sure come 2015 general election.

Hon Alubeze-Fuludu while describing the primary election as one of the most peaceful and freest party primaries as conducted in the party, said he is optimistic that Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa and Hon. Julius Pondi will floor other political parties during the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

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APC funding: Rivers replies Princewill IVERS government, yesterday in Port Harcourt, through the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Chamberlain Peterside, described as malicious, Princewill's recent publication, especially where he alleged that the Rivers government sold the state's assets to fund APC's campaigns, while insinuating that proceeds of the sale were not received in the Rivers’ coffers.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party

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n Bisi OLANIYI, Port Harcourt n (LP) in River state, Prince sufficient grounds for such Tonye Princewill, yesterday malicious accusations by had a reply from the Rivers any individual, like the calState government over his ibre of Mr. Princewill has statements on the funding done.

"It must be noted that of the campaigns of the All Progressives Congress Tonye Princewill has himself originated and an(APC).

Prince Tonye Princewill chored several projects and through his spokesperson transactions in the state, (Finance and Budget Plan- geared towards his own pening Campaign Team) D.M. cuniary gains. Meanwhile, Emmanuel insisted that the the outcome of such projRotimi Amaechi's adminis- ects remains questionable tration was not sincere in its and far from the set objecclaims on the sale of the tives. Rather than focus on Rivers government's assets his political career, I wonder and usage of the proceeds, why Mr Princewill will while calling for the setting delve into an area of goverup of a full and independ- nance – public finance, ent commission of inquiry, which he knows little or with immediate effect, to nothing about.

"For the avoidance of probe the alleged scandal, warning that it should not doubt, Rivers State under to be swept under the car- the current administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike pet.

The Amaechi's adminis- Amaechi operates a very rotration said: "This news is bust and transparent public totally misleading and a finance system. Since asfabrication that is so far suming office, efforts have from the truth. It is uncon- been relentless to modscionable that the source of ernise the public finance adsuch utter nonsense is a so- ministration in the state to called gubernatorial aspi- improve how we account rant on the platform of the for revenues and report our Labour Party, Mr. Tonye Princewill. It simply beats my imagination that someone like him who has been on the corridors of power in this state that should know AJORITY Leader better, will peddle such of the Edo State falsehood and derogatory House of Asseminformation relating to the public expenditure of the bly, Hon Philip Shaibu, has distributed over 1000 state.

"There is no gainsaying bags of rice to market that Rivers State is a front- women in Estako Federal line state and potential bat- constituency as part of the tleground in the emerging Christmas celebration. political scenario in Nigeria, The distribution was but that is not reason for made in Fugar, Okpella, careless tales that is devoid Jattu, Uazirue, Iyamho of facts. It should be rea- and other villages in the soned that mere suspicions locality. At Iyamho, a mild or insinuations on public drama took place when expenditure pattern is not Governor Adams Osh-

expenditures. It is on record that the Rivers State remains the first and only state that maintains a dual international credit rating from Fitch and Standard and Poor’s. This is no mean feat considering the rigorous process of not only obtaining the ratings but constantly sustaining and improving it. Compared to several other states in Nigeria or sovereign entities around the world, as can be attested to, by these ratings, the state has maintained an enviable record of accountability, financial prudence and full disclosure. Our records are therefore verifiable and open from the regular rating reports and annual audited financial statements."

The Rivers government also stated that one of the key pillars of the transformation and modernisation policies in the state was the enactment and operation of a transparent public procurement process that has created a level playing field to all potential vendors and contractors in the state.

Lawmaker distributes rice to market women

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n Osagie OTABOR, Benin n

iomhole also collected a bag of rice.

Hon Shaibu told newsmen that the gesture was part of his humanitarian service to reward rural women for supporting the All Progressive Congress.

He promised to do more and urged the people to vote for the APC in the general elections. Shaibu also hosted thousands of children to a Christmas party at Jattu.

Group tasks Youths on violent free 2014 election youth group under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Caucus has charged youth across the country to shun violence and maintain peace and orderliness before, during and after the forthcoming elections in the country.

In a press statement issued and signed by the President of the group, Comrade Splendour Agbonkpolor, the Niger Delta Youth Caucus urged youth to contribute positively to a transparent process that would ensure free

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and fair election.

Agbonkpolor said as part of efforts to sensitise the youths in the country on the need to shun violence and supports process that would ensure credible poll, the group has organised several sensitization programes for youths.

“We are committed to peaceful electioneering process and we are sensitising to play positive role rather than taking to violence. We have organised many sensitization programmes and we shall not relent.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

NEWS

My person of the year 2014 • Continued from page 8

brave and precious soldiers of humanity… for all of eternity.

Non Nigerian of the year: ‘Malala Yousafzai’I often wonder how great people, such as, Mandela, Gandhi, Deedat and Mother Teresa become great.

Watching Malala as she fought, survived and continues to fight for the right of the girl to have an education, I realize I’m watching the making of greatness right before my very eyes.

Of the Nobel Laureate Forbes once wrote; “Malala has given us a glimpse of what the world could look like when one voice is heard, when it’s valued, and when it’s unique leadership is prized. She reminds us that leadership comes in all shapes and sizes…” Indeed she does.

For her selfless ability to change and inspire the world, make people believe and show us sacrifice and greatness at its best, ‘Malala Yousafzai is my non-Nigeria of 2014.’

Nigerian of the Year: ‘Governor John Kayode Fayemi and Mrs. Bisi Fayemi’The achievements and Dr John Kayode Fayemi as governor of Ekiti State needs no introduction. The development he brought to Ekiti and the excellence and professionalism he exhibited throughout his one term will forever be written in stone. The pedigree and composure he showed during his 2014 2nd term election should serve as a model for all Nigerian politicians. And although his defeat in that election may not have been so much about policies as it was about ‘bags of rice,’ JKF did a humble, patriotic, gallant, decorous and unusual act by congratulating the victor and peacefully stepping down.

For being one of the most honest, capable and decent people by every standard to occupy public office in Nigeria; by being a gentleman who is guided by his faith and committed to his family; by putting the peaceful coexistence of the people of Ekiti State above his own personal interest, ‘Dr. John Kayode Fayemi Together with his exceptional wife, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, are my Nigerian of 2014.’

Story of the Year: ‘Chibok Girls kidnapping & BringBackOurGirls’On the night of 14th April 2014, Islamic Insurgents in Nigeria kidnapped 276 female students from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok, Borno State. While the news was devastating, it wasn’t until a fortnight had passed, since the abductions, before the world stood and took notice. As parents and concerned Nigerians organized protests, took to social media and began to use the hash-tag #BringBackOurGirls, the story swiftly reached a global audience. For the global outrage and concern it aroused and the demand for greater government action, The Chibok Girls kidnapping & #BringBackOurGirls Campaigns is my story of 2014‘ Book of the Year: ‘A brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James’Unfortunately, I was unable to read as many books as I would have wanted this year but of the several that I read, the story of the imagined circumstances that lead up to and beyond the attempted assassination of Bob Marley was an enjoyable and riveting piece of fiction in the backdrop of reality. Bob Marley, himself, is not a main character in the book but his presence is very much felt throughout. It follows the journey of seven men who attempted to assassinate him in 1976 the central narration role unfolds through witnesses, government official, criminals, security agents, journalists and ghosts. The story was long, somewhat violent and, at times, the multiple voices was a little confusing. It is the first novel written by Marlon James I have ever read. I was gripped, then exhausted and was finally in awe with his ability of linguistic gymnastics. For its riveting reading and epic ambition, A brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James is my book of 2014’.

Columnist of the Year: ‘Simon Kolawole’CEO of Cable Newspaper Nigeria Ltd, Mr Simon Kolawole’s articles in Thisday Newspaper, The Cable and several other print and online forums are informative, enjoyable and give a deep understanding into any of the topics he chooses to write on. I find his incisive scrutiny and factual interpretation of news, thought provoking and, as such, often find myself referring to his column to get his perception on several subject matters. He is presently one of Nigeria’s most prolific and brilliant writers and his objectivity is essential and extremely refreshing. For his column’s objectivity, philosophical undertone and his simply amazing literary prowess, ‘Mr. Simon Kolawole is my Columnist of 2014.’

Article of the Year: ‘Between Buharists and Jonathanians: The gathering storm written by Azuka Onwuka’http://www.opinions.ng/between-buharists-andjonathanians-the-gathering-storm/ This article by Mr Onwuka, which imbues the aftermath of the upcoming 2015 general election with a sense of foreboding, is simply a logical warning of the possible fallout

Nigeria faces in February. Nigeria is ]going through a very uncertain period. Not only does it seem as if we are standing on the precipice of our existence, the anxiety that the suffering and lack of security brings, meshed together with an overcharged political atmosphere, evokes a dark and ferocious consequence to an election where ‘both sides must win!’

In his piece, Onwuka addressed this and dammed the consequences of critics by speaking his truth with the impartial and harsh honesty needed to express the reality.

His message? Come what may, in the 2015 February elections, Nigeria remains at the mercy of Jonathan and Buhari supporters! It is a warning that each and every Nigerian needs to consider seriously in order to avoid the expected overflow of passions and fallout of an ugly For his candid approach in articulating the apprehension of the upcoming elections between General Muhammadu Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan, ‘Between Buharists and Jonathanians: The gathering storm written

by Azuka Onwuka is my article of 2014’.

Video clip of the Year: ‘Sadie doesn’t want her brother to group up’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84DLT4yRcy4 (The clip of a little girl named Sadie crying because she doesn't want her baby brother to grow up is so breathtakingly cute. As she struggled with the thought of growing up, ageing, life and death, it made a most hilarious and adorable video. For cute little Sadie’s example of the sweet innocence of childhood as she cried for her little brother, ‘Sadie doesn’t want her brother to group up’ is my video clip of 2014.’

Best Headline/Breaking News of the Year: ‘We have killed Nigerian Insurgent Leader, Abubaker, Shekau — Nigerian Military’. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/168622-we-have-killed-boko-haram-leaderabubakar-shekau-nigerian-military.html While nobody knows definitively after so many of such statements, I guess…one can only hope…! For the desperate wishes and hopes of all peace loving Nigerians for this headline to be 100% confirmed as true, ‘We have killed Abubakar Shekau’ is my best headline of 2014.’

Worst headline/Breaking News of the Year: ’Scores killed as Suicide Bomber strikes...! hostage Beheaded by Extremists...!’

It is hard to describe the horror and devastation of suicide bombings, murder and beheading of hostages by extremists and insurgents. It is hard to describe just how sick it makes one feel. To watch the footage of these atrocities, view their propaganda tapes and mention their names makes me feel like I am partially to blame. Earlier this year, I made a decision never write or mention the name of the Nigerian Insurgents, for by doing so, I feel as if I am giving them an identity and recognition. As long as these atrocious, evil and barbaric crimes continues, words will forever fail me.For its barbarism and horror, breaking news of, ‘Scores killed as Suicide Bomber strikes...! hostage Beheaded’ have been the worst headlines of 2014...!’

2014…!’

Movie of the Year: ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’There is just no arguing that, the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit series that surrounds it, is the greatest fictional story ever written! The fact that this movie adaptation of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s genius literary masterpiece will be our final cinematic Middle Earth visit, alone, makes this last chapter of ‘The hobbit trilogy my movie of 2014’.

Show of the Year: ‘The walking dead’The Walking Dead is a post-apocalyptic horror-drama TV series based on a comic book series about a group trying to survive in a world dominated by flesh-eating Zombies and hostile human survivors. The fifth season returned to TV with groundbreaking ratings and reviews.

Season 5 of the show came with a bang, stabbed and raised the dilemma level of our group of survivors by adding human cannibals into the mix (Nice Right?). The Season 5 action-packed premiere was the best of any show I had ever seen on TV. For the dazzling adrenaline rush filled with suspense the show provides and my (weird) obsession with anything Zombie-Movie, ‘The walking dead is my show of 2014’.

Song of the Year: ‘SIA – Chandelier’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vjPBrBU-TM While I was unable to relate to the lyrics of the song, this provocative and emotion filled piece leaves me feeling hypnotized and strangely inspired whenever I listen to it.

I could listen to this one track for hours over and over again. Sia is, without doubt, one of the most gifted, creative and prolific songwriters of this generation. For the song’s ability to push and pull at my emotional strings, and give me a profound appreciation of spellbinding rhythm, ‘SIA’S Chandelier is my song of 2014’.

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APC will fix Nigeria, says Saraki Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin ORMER governor of Kwara state, Senator Bukola Saraki has assured that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will fix Nigeria.

He therefore urged the people to vote for the APC in the 2015 general elections.

The Senator and a chieftain of the APC attributed the country’s travails to mismanagement of resources by the PDP federal government.

The senator spoke this in Ilorin, the state capital at a town hall meeting with members of the APC from Ilorin West and South local government areas.

Senator Saraki who was received by large crowd of APC supporters assured that the APC government would address youth joblessness through job and wealth creations and expressed confidence that the APC would continue to be more sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

He urged the people of the state to vote for continuity of good governance in the state and guide their vote jealously.

Senator Saraki said that he embarked on ward town hall meetings to feel the pulse of the people at the grassroots with a view to enhancing their well-being and assured that youth empowerment scheme would be unveiled within the next few weeks.

The former governor announced a donation of N36 million as empowerment for women in the two local government areas.

Speakers at the meeting applauded Senator Saraki for his commitment and passion towards the wellbeing of the downtrodden and pledged to vote for the APC in the forthcoming general elections They equally pleaded for more government patronages in their localities to further make democracy more meaningful to them Speaker of the state House of Assembly Razak Atunwa was on the senator’s entourage.

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Boko Haram: DHQ warns politicians against inciting mutiny in Armed Forces • Continued from page 4 groups seeking to play to the gallery by being meddlesome, sensational or mischievous in interpreting developments in the military are advised to moderate their activities with some decorum.”

The military said it would not tolerate any attempt to tarnish its image under any guise.

It also faulted what it described as sensational reports in the media on the ongoing court martial of some officers and soldiers.

The DHQ said the court processes were still ongoing and yet to be concluded,stressing: “It is clear that the false accusations that depend on unsubstantiated allegations being peddled on the military operations in Nigeria are intended to tarnish the reputation of Nigerian military and its leadership. The campaign apparently aimed at undermining constituted authority in the military must not be encouraged.

“It is obvious that most of the comments and sensational stories in the media have been oblivious of the fact that the processes are still ongoing and yet to be concluded.”

The DHQ asked all Nigerians to be part of the ongoing war against terrorism instead of yielding to the whims and caprices of those seeking to undermine the military.

The statement said: “The war on terror is not all about equipment but mindset of both the military and the public. Inciting remarks can only compound the situation for all involved.

“The military is resolved to prosecute the counter terrorism campaign with all sense of commitment by the rank and file. The tendency to suggest or encourage dissention in the system will not yield any advantage to any wellmeaning Nigerian citizen.

“Politicians are therefore requested to guide their utterances as the military remains a veritable institution of the state.

“Those who seek to undermine or destroy it should be prevailed upon to stop the mission considering the fact that the institution remains indispensable to government and its process under any dispensation.”

The DHQ however pledged to defend the nation’s democracy and protect civil-military relations.

It added: “The Nigerian military reiterates its commitment to defending the nation’s democracy. Individuals and personalities are enjoined to refrain from pronouncement and attitude that seek to undermine the established justice/disciplinary procedures and processes of the military system. This counsel is very vital to the excellent civilmilitary relations which is crucial to the nation’s development.

“Incitement to protests or mutiny in the military is an illwind that will ultimately blow no good to anyone.

“The military authorities should not be blackmailed with a view to forestalling the exercise of due command and control over the system as established by law in the interest of the nation. The Nigerian military has resolved not to yield to whims and caprices of those seeking to undermine its system purely for populist or political ends.”

Email: counselling@faithoyedepo.org

Coping with Diseases h

it

W

Professor Dayo Oyekole,

Ph.D. (Ibadan), NMD, FNCP. Tel: 0803-330-3897 Website: www.holisticlifecare.com E-mail: kolemetric@yahoo.com

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

62

SPORT EXTRA

Sunshine Stars shine in tour of Europe • Beat Hungarian club 2-0 in friendly

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UNSHINE Stars defeated Inter CDF of Hungary 2-0 yesterday in a friendly match at the Vasas Sports Club in Budapest as part of the club's training tour of Europe.

The Akure Gunners took the lead midway into the first half through Ozor Chinedu after a great team work before the team put the game beyond their hosts’ reach in the second half through a second goal converted by Tunde Adeniji.

Speaking after the match,the chief coach of the Akure based side, Kennedy Boboye expressed satisfaction at the level of the players' performance but pointed out areas the club must improve on in subsequent matches.

Earlier, as part of effort to give Sunshine Stars the needed experience, tactical and technical balance, the team underwent various fitness and tactical ses-

From Tunde Liadi,Owerri sions in Budapest, Hungary as they continue their tour of Europe.

In a bid to get the best out of the team ahead of the fast approaching league season in Nigeria,the management of the Ondo State Football Agency led by the Chairman, Akin Akinbobola engaged the services of Foreign experts to tutor the team during the training tour.

The experts, Messrs Franscisco Lekante and Agonglo Geraldo Joel guided the team in the area of physical fitness / training and tactical approach.

Both sessions were carried out at a special indoor facility /Stadium of the Vasas Sports Club in Budapest.

The Akure based team are expected to round off the European training tour this weekend as preparations continue for the next soccer season in Nigeria.

Man City win to keep pressure on Chelsea

GLASGOW CELTIC MOVE

‘Kayode will get ‘special talent’ work permit’

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UDU Dahan is confident that his client Olanrewaju Kayode will be able to join Glasgow Celtic in the January transfer window, stressing that the striker is eligible for a work permit on the grounds that he is a special talent.

The top Israeli agent has suggested that the Maccabi Netanya striker is not obsessed with joining Efe Ambrose at the Scottish Premier League champions.

And he has strongly hinted that the Nigeria youth international could be heading to Belgium instead. ''We are discussing with some clubs. We are hoping that the transfer fee being demanded by Maccabi Netanya will go down because the price they are ask-

ing for is not realistic,'' Dudu Dahan said to SL10.ng. ''Glasgow Celtic and some clubs in Belgium are interested in him. He can get a work permit in Scotland because he is a special talent. ''I believe in Kayode and I think he has a bright future. ''Due to the holidays, everyone is on break, starting from tomorrow things will start moving.''

While Dudu Dahan is keeping sealed lips on the identities of the suitors from Belgium, SL10.ng understands that Club Brugge, Gent and Standard Liege are in contact with him.

Kayode is under contract with Maccabi Netanya until the summer of 2016, but the First Division champions will give him the green light to leave the club in the new year.

• Manchester City players Yaya Toure, David Silva, Jesus Navas, Samir Nasri, Fernando and Bacary Sagna celebrate their victory yesterday

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ANCHESTER City kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea with a convincing 3-1 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Friday.

Fernando, Yaya Toure and David Silva were on the scoresheet as Manuel Pellegrini's second-placed side provided an emphatic response to Chelsea's win against West Ham earlier in the day.

It was a seventh successive win for the champions as they continued their excellent recent form and provided further evidence they remain firmly in the title race with just three points

separating them from Chelsea.

They will have few easier games this campaign, however, after being gifted the initiative early on by a poor Baggies side and, such was City's dominance, they already had the game won by the time heavy snow started to make playing conditions difficult in the second half.

Alan Irvine's side, who scored a late consolation via Brown Ideye with his first Premier League goal, have now won just one of their last eight games and that sequence combined with their disappointing level of display, leaves the head

coach's position under increasing pressure.

Midfielder James Milner again led City's attack for the Boxing Day trip in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko, with the fitagain Stevan Jovetic only ready to be named among the substitutes.

It made no difference, however, as Pellegrini's side raced into a two-goal lead within the opening 13 minutes.

Yet the Baggies had only themselves to blame after a pair of costly errors from two of their most experienced campaigners.

First, Ben Foster had a moment to forget in the eighth minute as he dropped what a appeared a routine Jesus Navas cross - gifting Fernando the simplest of finishes into the empty net.

Then five minutes later, Joleon Lescott - in his first appearance against the side he left for the Hawthorns in pre-season - mistimed a challenge on Silva to hand the champions a penalty.

Toure made no mistake with the resulting spot-kick and, although Foster guessed the right way, the Ivory Coast midfielder's shot was precisely dispatched inside the left post to leave the goalkeeper with no chance.

Mourinho appeases 'crying' Chelsea players

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• Kayode

Kwara FA commiserates with Otolorin family

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HE Kwara Football Association has commiserated with the family of Moses Otolorin, a former footballer who died on Monday, Dec. 22 at the age of 65.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Otolorin was a midfielder with the former Green Eagles and defunct IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan.

Chairman of the Kwara FA, Mallam Busari Ishola, in a statement in Ilorin on Wednesday, prayed God to grant the

family the fortitude to bear the loss.

The statement called on the State and the Federal Governments to immortalise the late Otolorin.

The statement added that Otolorin would be remembered for his honesty and hardwork.

Otolorin, scorer of nine of the 15 goals his club scored to bag the 1976 African Cup Winners Cup title, died in a hospital after a protracted illness.

OSE Mourinho was purring like a cat that had devoured the leftovers from Christmas dinner but it did not stop him showing his professional claws after his Chelsea side eased past West Ham United 2-0 on Friday.

Not content with basking in the glow of one of Chelsea's best 90-minute performances of the season, the single-minded Portuguese coach ordered his players to do two light training session in 24 hours to prepare for Sunday's trip to Southampton.

"I had two training sessions planned for tomorrow but my players are crying so much in the dressing room that I decided to make a change," Mourinho joked to reporters after his team remained three points clear at the top of the Premier League.

"They are training now and tomorrow they will have only one session."

The crammed festive programme means Chelsea are in the middle of a run of five fixtures in 14 days and Mourinho acknowledged it was a tough schedule for every team in the league.

"My players are human, Southampton's are human, so it will be very difficult for us, very difficult for them, very difficult for West Ham against Arsenal on Sunday, very difficult for ev-

erybody but we have to do it," he added.

"But before this match I had the same feeling I always have on a Boxing Day, I was so proud. We get the salaries we get because people are in love with the game so if people want football we must give them football and I'm so happy to do it."

Chelsea dominated from start to finish against West Ham and it was only an inspired goalkeeping performance from

Adrian that kept the scoreline respectable for the visitors.

Captain John Terry was on target in the first half with his second goal in five days, tapping the ball in from close range after a towering Diego Costa header from a corner.

Costa made the points safe when he latched on to a pass from livewire winger Eden Hazard and planted a left-foot shot into the bottom corner of the net for his 13th league goal of the

season.

Chelsea went close to winning the title last term but Mourinho believes this season's vintage is a vastly improved side.

"We are a much better team when we have the ball," he said. "Last year we were very strong defensively and very well organised but we lacked a bit of creativity when we had the ball."

Van Gaal thrilled with win

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OUIS van Gaal has praised Manchester United’s dominant victory over Newcastle United at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils surged into a 2-0 half-time lead courtesy of captain Wayne Rooney’s firsthalf brace on Boxing Day. Netherlands international Robin van Persie wrapped up three points before Papiss Cisse scored a consolation from the penalty spot.

And United manager Van Gaal admitted that United took their foot off the accelerator ahead of their trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

“I was very pleased because we dominated for 90 minutes,” Van Gaal told BBC Sport.

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

63

SPORT EXTRA TURKISH AGENT TO SUITOR CLUBS

Pay N4.5bn, take Emenike • No offers yet for Nigerian

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HE agent of Nigeria international, Emmanuel Emenike, has declared

that although the Super Eagles ace has no plans to quit Turkish champions Fenerbahce, any club is welcome to have him, if it can pay the striker’s 20 million Euros (4.5 billion naira) release clause.

The media has been awash lately with reports that the former Spartak Moscow man is set to quit Turkey, but his agent, Erdem Konyar, has put paid to the rumours by stating that there

are no offers for the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) highest goal scorer.

Konyar played down the talk about an impending move for the former Spartak Moscow forward in the winter.

“Emenike has had no official offers,” he said.

“Even if he does receive official bids he has no intention to leave Fenerbahce, he is happy at the club and wants to win the league again with them.

“Emenike has two goals right now, he wants to score as many

goals as he could for Fenerbahce and help the club win a recordbreaking fourth star.

“If a club want to hold talks with him they can if they meet his minimum fee release clause of 20 million euros (N4.5bn or £15.7m) but as I said he is not interested in leaving right now.”

Speaking on the matter, Emenike himself told Hurriyet newspaper: "I do not even think of that for a moment because they do want me here."

He has scored two goals in 13 games this season.

2014 AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

Enyeama excited to make CAF top three

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UPER Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama has expressed excitement after he made the final shortlist for the 2014 CAF African Player of the Year.

The Lille of France goalkeeper has been named alongside Pierre EmerickAubameyang of Borussia Dortmund and Gabon, and current holder, Yaya Toure of Manchester City and Ivory Coast.

And the 32-year-old has told SL10.ng of his delight at making the final shortlist of the prestigious award.

"I feel so proud and honoured to have been nominated for this award. To be the best in Africa is not easy and I am excited that I have been shortlisted," he told SL10.ng.

Enyeama was voted for by coaches of the national teams affiliated to CAF for the award ceremony which will hold in January in Lagos and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner has once again expressed gratitude to all those who voted for him.

"I have to say a very big thank you to all those who voted for me, it's a big honour for me, my family and my country."

The former Heartland goalkeeper has been in inspired

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RESULTS

England - Premier League Chelsea 2 - 0 West Ham Burnley 0 - 1 Liverpool C. Palace 1 - 3 S’pton Everton 0 - 1 Stoke City Leicester 1 - 2 Tottenham Manc Utd 3 - 1 Newcastle S’erland 1 - 3 Hull City Swansea 1 - 0 Aston Villa West Brom 1 - 3 Man City Arsenal 2 - 1 QPR England - Championship Brentford 2 - 4 Ipswich Charlton 1 - 1 Cardiff B’nemouth 2 - 0 Fulham B’ham City 0 - 4 Derby Bolton 2 - 1 Blackburn H. Albion 2 - 2 Reading

<<<<<<Continued from back page plaudits will help Mikel lift his game to a level where many rated him highly in 2005 in Holland during the FIFA U-20 Championships which Nigeria lost 2-1 to Argentina. In that competition, Messi was adjudged the best player with Mikel and Taye Taiwo finished in second and third positions.

It is equally heartwarming that Mourinho has seen the wisdom in playing Mikel along with Matic, not comparing one with the other. His statement on Wednesday lifted my spirits when he said after Chelsea beat Stoke away from home 2-0 on Tuesday: “We decided to play Mikel and Matic, so we lost one creative player. We had stability in the team. They put themselves in every situation and I think the kids were fantastic.”

Master of the mind game Mourinho is. But I ask Mourinho, which of the two kids are you referring to in your last statement? Mikel or Matic?

Read my lips.

Crowd violence in stadia

• Enyeama

form for both club and country in this calendar year and has been instrumental in their relative success.

The only dent, however, is his failure to qualify with Nigeria for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

BIG MONEY MOVE! Aaron Samuel agrees terms with CSKA Moscow L10.NG understands that CSKA Moscow have opened talks with Aaron Samuel and his camp over a possible move to the Arena Khimki in the winter transfer market.

The Guangzhou R&F starlet used the opportunity handed him by Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi to showcase his skills to a num-

Clap for Mourinho

ber of European clubs based in Russia, Germany and Turkey.

But it is CSKA Moscow who lead the race for his signature, with Samuel already agreeing personal terms with the back-to-back Russian champions.

The team from the old Soviet Union will test Guangzhou R&F's resolve not to sell the Nigeria international by tabling an 'astronomical offer' that will make them shred the agreement they have with the 20-yearold.

That said, last month Guangzhou R&F rejected an enquiry from Shanghai East Asia, who were prepared to offer the attacker a threeyear deal, and the prospect of reuniting with his former manager, Sven Goran Eriksson.

CSKA Moscow hope to conclude thrashing out terms with their Asian counterparts probably before the second week of January.

Samuel, who has made 16 appearances for Guangzhou R&F since joining from Sarpsborg 08, is tied to the Chinese club until December 31, 2016.

At the start of this year, the Shooting Stars product trained with Monaco but the transfer failed to materialise.

I was excited reading a statement credited to the president of the Nigeria Referee Association (NRA), Ahmed Muade, on the need for the domestic game to have not more than 23 referees to handle the matches at the professional level.

Muade told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday: “They hardly promote three to four referees to the Premier League in a year in England, unlike what we have in Nigeria. You must be exceptionally good before you come to the premier league.

“We must identify the best and restrict the number (that gets promoted), so that the more they officiate, the better they become. If you only officiate once in five weeks, how good will you be?”

Good talk Muade; evidently one of the benefits of exposing professionals to refresher courses. But Muade must be reminded that his committee is in charge of promotions and punishments for referees. They have failed in these tasks. We have seen referees found guilty of poor officiating return to the league in the same season. Some others return the following season. We also have reported cases of one referee handling games involving particular teams for over 24 matches in a 38-week league competition.

These devious acts are perpetuated because the referee’s committee plays god, largely because its decisions are final and no other body can dictate to it as decreed by FIFA. Muade must be reminded

that his NRA encourages quota system. Excellence has no room for such mediocre indices as quota system. Any referee who fails medical test must not be allowed to officiate in matches again. This idea of bringing them back because they have shown a referral letter from any doctor should be discouraged.

The reports turn out to be fake.

We don’t get to know about these fake documents until they either collapse on the pitch or die during the routine FIFA medical tests.

The president hinged his submission on what he found in the English game during their training in England last month.

He argued that there was the need for one referee to handle at least two games in one month.

The NRA president is the problem with officiating in Nigeria. His men have accused him of favouritism. And the only way that the president can implement all that he learnt in England is to officially publish the list of referees for two months. That way, we can monitor the list of referees. The president cannot justify how certain referees handle only away games of certain rich clubs in the league. Club chairmen, such as Dominic Iorfa and even the current NFF president Melvin Amaju Pinnick, have accused the Referees’ Committee, which he heads of lopsidedness in the list of referees for the domestic game.

I’m surprised though that Muade didn’t comment on match commissioners. Some of them are part of the mess. Most of the time these match commissioners are former referees whose previous records are nothing to cheer. God help any team that has such match commissioners with an incompetent referee.

In fact, the centre referee from Bayelsa State who handled last year’s FA Cup finals in Delta State should never be allowed to go near any football field. If Muade doubts what I have written, he should ask the current NFF President to produce the match’s final tape. That referee is a disgrace to association football. He was grossly incompetent. He was not bribed because there was no need for such ignoble acts. The two teams were already in the national draw, having qualified for the finals.

If the Maude committee can implement all that they were exposed to in England, league venues will be safer and Nigerians can come and watch the domestic games. Muade holds the key to stop crowd violence at match venues due to ter-

ribly biased performances from our referees.

All hail Okagbare, Oparanozie, Oshoala Three names top my list of Nigerian athletes who excelled.

And they are all women, not for the first time. Take a bow Blessing Okagbare, Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie.

Okagbare is the Commonwealth Games’ fastest woman in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She has been Nigeria’s brightest medals prospect in any multisport competition, but that we have federation chieftains who don’t know how to manage her affairs for her to be best in the world.

Thank God that the Delta State governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan developed interest in Okagbare, bankrolling the little details that would help her attain the height that pundits had predicted that she would hit.

Shortly after Okagbare’s poor outing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Uduaghan sought a parley with the queen of the tracks to find out what her training programmes were and how to make them compare with those of world stars such as Usian Bolt.

The blueprint submitted by Okagbare was financed by the governor. And, like they say, the rest is history. Uduaghan didn’t stop his support with just providing the cash. The governor was at the stands, cheering Okagbare as she dusted the pack of sprinters twice to win the 100 metres and 200 metres races in style.

Okagbare could get Uduaghan’s support because she is a Deltan. Oparanozie plays football in France. She is a professional earning a living through salaries from her club’s coffers, unlike Okagbare, who must finance her expenses with pittance from the smaller athletics prix that she attends.

Oparanozie sprang from the dusty streets of Owerri, playing the game (soccer), which many feel is for boys because it is a contact sport.

Thank God, Nigeria’s brightest moments have come from Nigerian girls’ exploits in soccer for women in Africa and at the world stage. If our boys had done as well as the girls in soccer, we would have broken the banks. Not so for the girls, but it hasn’t deterred them from winning laurels for our dear country.

The grassroots in Nigeria is filled with raw talents. It has raised a new star in Oshoala, who emerged from the robust grassroots projects that the Lagos State Government has to effectively engage the youths to shun the social vices and face sports. Bravo, worthy girls.

Abubakar thrilled to have signed for Ashdod

M

S Ashdod have completed the signing of Flying Eagles defender Aliyu Abubakar from Muntunchi Football Academy, Kaduna, after passing a medical.

The Israeli Premier League side did not disclose the duration of the agreement, but SL10.ng has been informed that the 18-yearold will remain with MS Ashdod for the next three years.

The Under-17 World Cupwinning centre-back says he is thrilled at joining The Dolphins, adding that he is hoping to replicate the performances of Efe Ambrose, who was on the books

of the club before leaving for Celtic two years ago. ''I am happy to sign for MS Ashdod; it's a big progress for me. ''I want to do what Efe did at this club, with the help of my agent Dudu Dahan,'' said Abubakar to SL10.ng.

Prior to completing his move to Ashdod, the Nigeria youth international was linked with a plethora of teams in Sweden, Belgium and Spain.

He made five appearances for the Golden Eaglets at the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• Aliyu Abubakar

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.9, NO. 3075

We all know that the least developed and therefore the most under-utilized resource that we have is precisely this one that pertains to both the capacities and potential of our people, most especially our young people that constitute the demographic majority of our populace —Biodun Jeyifo

L

AST week, I contended that the 2015 gen eral elections will afford voters the oppor tunity to make a choice between continuity or change both at the centre and in the various states of the federation. I argued that a resounding case can be made for fundamental, even drastic, change at the centre. Nigeria totters on the brink of collapse. She is a crippled giant (apologies to Professor Eghosa Osagie). Insecurity pervades the land. Poverty stalks the streets. Unemployment aborts the future of millions of our youth. Corruption arrogantly inspects a guard of honour on our highways.

Most Nigerians are worse off today than they were before the inception of this democratic dispensation in 1999.

Of course, I am aware of the partly valid argument that the overall state of the nation is a joint responsibility of the federal, state and local governments. However, the bulk of the country’s revenues are controlled by the centre. The 36 states of the federation get less than 1% each of nationally generated revenues. Yet, they are nearest to the people. Moreover, the Federal Government has the responsibility and powers to determine the general direction of the country including the economy. It has failed abysmally to utilise its enormous powers and resources to pursue the public good.

The presidency is the centre of gravity of our presidential system of government. Effective and visionary presidential leadership is, therefore, critical for national progress and transformation.

This has been sorely lacking since 1999. Each successive PDP president since Obasanjo has been weaker and more ineffective than his predecessor. The presidency has sunken to its nadir under Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Yet, the PDP continues to ridiculously dress him in borrowed, ill-fitting garbs of greatness. The people of Nigeria have the right to reject this delusion of grandeur and look elsewhere for genuinely transformational leadership.

Is it that the PDP and President Jonathan have not chalked up some achievements that they can be proud of? Certainly not. Some progress has been recorded by the Federal Government in aviation, power supply, agriculture and rail transportation among others. But there is a vast gulf between the resources at its disposal and actual accomplishments. A country as endowed and blessed as Nigeria should be thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed of what are today celebrated as landmark achievements by the Jonathan administration. It will be tragic to entrust a party and leader with such a pedestrian standard of performance with another four years of the country’s life. National greatness is made of loftier and more ambitious stuff. The case for change at the centre is unassailable.

I argued last week that while some PDP and APC-controlled states deserve continuity on the basis of their exemplary performance, others of both parties should be shown out of power for famished vision and manifest mediocrity. The state elections will be a different kettle of fish from that of the centre. Ogun state, for instance, will offer an interesting study at the next polls.

Even his most ardent critics cannot credibly claim that Governor Ibikunle Amosun is not one

Ogun: Continuity or change?

‘ •Gov. Amosun of the star performers of this dispensation. His spectacular road infrastructure revolution is clearly the flagship of his administration. It is an aggressive, path-breaking initiative that has seen the massive construction of a network of fully equipped modern roads, bridges and flyovers crisscrossing and transforming the landscape of substantial parts of the state. The positive implications of this kind of radical modernization of infrastructurefor job creation, foreign and local investment, as well as rapid industrialization are obvious.

Even though the infrastructure revolution must surely task the financial ingenuity of the governor, a chartered accountant, and his team to the utmost, the administration has also been pursuing other aspects of its five cardinal programmes, which include Affordable Qualitative Education, Efficient Health Care Delivery, Agricultural Production/Industrialization as well as Affordable Housing/Urban Renewal.

In education, for instance, the Amosun administration provides free education in all public primary and secondary schools, has consistently devoted not less than 22-23% of its annual budget to education in accordance with UNESCO standards and expended N1.8 billion on the provision of free text books to all primary and secondary school pupils and students in public schools. While the sum of N415 million

The path he has chosen is a more difficult one. It is one of laying a solid foundation today for the future financial independence of the state. It is the path that might involve temporary pain but will ensure enduring gain

’

was expended on provision of instructional materials to public primary and secondary schools in 2011 and 2012, N120 million was disbursed as bursary, scholarship and grants to students of Ogun state origin while 15 of 28 proposed Model Schools with a capacity of 1000 students each are under construction across the state.

To achieve its goal of consolidating the agricultural sector to enhance food production as well as serve as a basis for agro-allied industrialization, the Amosun administration has enumerated 43 hectares of land for corporate bodies to engage in agricultural production, enumerated 2526 potential beneficiaries of a N1 billion agricultural loan facility, allocated 3290 hectares of land to investors in the state and completed a Cassava Processing Cottage Industry at Okolemo Community in partnership with British American Tobacco under the state Fadama Project.

Its massive investment in infrastructure and security has paid off with the creation of a conducive environment that has attracted major industrial concerns to invest in the state. Since the inception of the Amosun administration, 50 new firms and investment worth $10 billion have been attracted to the state. Ogun state is thus emerging as the country’s industrial hub, its economy is being diversified; opportunities for employment are being multiplied while the revenue base of the state is being strengthened to

lessen dependence on centrally collected revenues.Of course, the administration is also pursuing policies to take maximum advantage of the state’s massive real estate potential, boost its housing stock and take economic advantage of the huge population of neighbouring Lagos.

While a significant number of citizens will appreciate and fully support the Amosun administration’s development strategy, it also has its own risks and vulnerabilities. For one, the pressure on resources will mean there is less to accumulate by public office holders. Secondly, sections of the political class will be aggrieved that the emphasis is on development expenditure rather than political patronage. The administration will have to creatively and effectively respond to sustained attempts by the latter to mislead members of the public into believing that the administration’s massive investment in infrastructure is wasteful, fanciful and unproductive.

Matters are compounded for Ogun and other states by the inept, opaque and incompetent management of the national economy by the federal government. The Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole recently lamented that the amounts received by states from the Federation Account had dwindled significantly because of the non-transparent management of the account by the Federal Government. The comrade governor wondered how oil theft and the attendant loss in revenue due the federation account had grown astronomically under the Jonathan administration even with the end of Niger Delta insurgency and the award of multibillion naira oil pipeline protection contracts to ex-militants.

Painting a graphic picture of the unfortunate scenario, Oshiomhole said “What this means is that our budgets have not performed over the past three years, whereas the budgets have been based on an average of between $77 and $79 a barrel. The average price of Nigeria’s sweet crude has been around $108 per barrel. That gives a surplus of over $30. Ideally, we ought to be saving $36 per barrel and 2.3 million barrels a day over the past three years and if you look at these numbers, you will find that we have in our excess crude oil account should be over $30 billion but we have barely $3 billion in the Excess Crude Account”.

The continuity we need is the financial acumen and developmental impetus exhibited by the Amosun government in Ogun and not the financial ineptness, incompetence and lack of transparency exposed so scathingly by Oshiomhole in the centre’s management of national oil revenues. Of course, it will be easier and more convenient for an Amosun to sit back complacently, collect monthly allocation from Abuja, distribute the largesse to political entrepreneurs and leave Ogun at the end of his tenure as financially dependent on Abuja as he met her. The path he has chosen is a more difficult one. It is one of laying a solid foundation today for the future financial independence of the state.

It is the path that might involve temporary pain but will ensure enduring gain. It is the path of courage and statesmanship that can guarantee a lasting legacy.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Clap for Mourinho

I

T is Christmas; plenty to eat and drink. A lot of visitors stream into the house to share in the Yelutide tidings. I almost didn’t want to write this column. It is always written on Thursdays, which meant doing this piece was on Christmas Day. What would I be telling readers of this column? So, let me start by wishing them all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, devoid of bombings and other insane acts.

Back from church, kids jumping all over you and your wife’s frowning face eager to be told that you won’t be at work on Christmas Day, even if it is Thursday, it was almost like climbing a slippery pole as I punched the computer keys to fulfill all righteousness to my dear readers. Let me confess that I sneaked out of the house on such days.

I was always prepared for the backlash

whenever I returned home late. It was not always a pleasant sight but I knew that such sulky faces from those at home wouldn’t last long.

Penultimate Saturday, I chastised Chelsea FC of England’s manager Jose Mourinho for blaming the team’s sickening 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Mikel Obi’s mistakes. Mourinho rued the absence of Matic from the game and reckoned that had Mikel scored via a header, Chelsea would have led the game before conceding the first goal.

My angst against Mourinho stemmed from the fact that Cisse has always scored against Chelsea and it was his duty to fashion out how to stop the Senegalese instead of slamming Mikel. I’m waiting for Mourinho’s comments over Diego Costa’s wastefulness against Stoke on Monday. Mourinho showed his displeasure over Costa’s missed chances

by pulling him out of the game. I thought that would have been the most appropriate thing to do to Mikel, if he thought he underperformed in the game against Newcastle.

It is true that Mourinho has the right to chastise his players. But one would love to ask those in this school if that is the way others do theirs? I’m glad that Mourinho answered those in this school by substituting Costa and lashing him inside the dressing room instead of in the media. Mourinho’s comments drew a lot of flak from people in the social media against Mikel. Many of them who scolded Mikel were, sadly, Nigerians.

On Tuesday, the media were awash with what I would like to tag an afterthought by Mourinho who praised Mikel thus: “The first time he played (from the start in the premier League) was Newcastle and he was our best

player.” I hope that those English pundits, such Alan Shearer, can back off Mikel by recanting their potshots against the Nigerian, apparently taking a cue from Mourinho.

It is, therefore, appropriate that one commends Mourinho for his praises on Mikel even before the game on Monday against Stoke.

Besides, Mourinho’s recant is coming several days after he lashed Mikel, but it is good that he has eaten his words. Chelsea will lift the Barclays English Premier League diadem. My dream for Mourinho is for Chelsea to lift all four trophies (EPL, FA Cup, league Cup and UEFA Champions League trophy). Mourinho is the best manager that I have seen because of his positive influence on the team from the bench. His body language on the bench tells his boys if the manager is happy or not with their display. Mourinho’s biggest attribute rests with his ability to read matches and make flawless substitutions that result in victories for Chelsea.

However, I only hope that Mourinho’s

•Continued on Page 63

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