The Nation February 12, 2012

US TERROR ATTACK

Farouk Abdulmutallab knows fate Thursday –Pg 28

–PAGE 5

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.06, No. 2033

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

FEBRUARY 12, 2012

N200.00

Boko Haram: SSS draws up wanted leaders list Abubakar Shekau is public enemy No. 1 Kabiru Sokoto faces interrogation panel Jonathan, IGP, others review strategy –PAGE 2

N1.8bn jeeps for senators From: Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

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ENATORS may, this week, take delivery of their official Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps, The Nation on Sunday can reveal.

The cost per unit of the 2011 model of the jeep obtained from the manufacturer's website is $100,724 - about N16,115, 840.

The total cost of the vehicles for the 109 senators is put at over N1.7 billion.

A competent source in the National Assembly told our correspondents yesterday that the senators opted for the Land Cruiser jeep because of its unique features.

In the sixth Senate, senators settled for Toyota Camry at a unit cost of N9 million.

Some of the features of the Land Cruiser obtained online include: Displacement cc - 4500; Transmission Automatic; and Fuel Type - Diesel.

•President Goodluck Jonathan being accredited for the governorship election at Ward 13 Otuoke, in Bayelsa State yesterday

•Continued on Page 4

BAYELSA GUBER ELECTION

Dickson in early lead Low voter turnout mars poll ACN ward leader killed INEC boat carrying materials capsizes –PAGE 4

NEWS

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Boko Haram: SSS draws up wanted leaders list S

SECURITY agencies have drawn up a list of wanted leaders of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram in furtherance of the ongoing war against terrorism in the country.

Top on the list is the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, according to investigations in Abuja by The Nation on Sunday.

Other names on the list were not revealed for security reasons but sources said the names were compiled based on ‘useful tips’ given by the spokesman of the group, Abu Qaqa, to interrogators.

His fellow top strategist of the group, Kabiru Sokoto, who was rearrested by security operatives on Friday at Mutum Biu, Taraba State, is also now facing interrogation.

Kabiru is strongly believed to be the mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State in which over 40 people died.

Sources confirmed last night that the security agencies are now on the trail of more co-ordinators of the sect, including their leader, Shekau.

It was gathered that most of the co-ordinators have gone underground or changed their locations following the arrest of Qaqa who is widely rated as a ‘vital strategist.’

A top source said: “We are definitely after more coordinators of the sect, including their spiritual leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau. We have launched a nationwide search for them.

• Abubakar Shekau is public enemy No. 1 • Kabiru Sokoto faces interrogation panel • Jonathan, IGP, others review strategy By: Yusuf Alli and Yomi Odunuga

“We have a list we are working on. We have been able to identify the key strategists of the sect. The arrest of Abu Qaqa by the State Security Service has brought a setback to Boko Haram and they are feeling the loss.

“With useful confessions by Abu Qaqa, the target of smashing the sect is realizable. Although most of the leaders or strategists have gone underground, it is apparent that security agencies are no longer giving them any breathing space.”

On the re-arrested Christmas Day bomb mastermind, Kabiru Sokoto, the source said: “We have started interrogating the suspect on his role within the sect; the alleged sponsors of Boko Haram; what he knows about the Christmas Day bombings; and how he escaped from the custody of the Police on January 15.

“Being a prime suspect, other security and intelligence agencies might collaborate with the SSS in probing him. The probe of his initial escape was also done by a panel raised from all security agencies and the military.

“The ongoing interrogation of

the suspect is a round- the -clock exercise.”

The source added: “The suspect might appear before the Force Disciplinary Committee of the Police on how he escaped from a five-man police team in Abaji.”

Security has been tightened around the detained Police Commissioner Zakari Biu and other five suspects facing trial.

“There is a heavy security around Biu and other policemen on trial since we got the news of the rearrest of Kabiru Sokoto which will enhance the work of the FDC. The panel has the opportunity to crosscheck statements made by Biu and others from Kabiru Sokoto,” one source said.

“Ideally, Kabiru Sokoto ought to be handed over to the police again by the SSS but the multi-dimensional nature of the investigation into the Boko Haram menace might not allow that.

“There is no doubt Kabiru Sokoto will appear before the police panel.”

Shekau is yet to react to the rearrest of Kabiru Sokoto from his hide-out.

Shekau had, in a January 12 message to President Goodluck Jonathan, said in part: “This is also my message to the President of Nigeria, who has come out to say negative things about us and also a lot of harm to us. God has given us victory and we have done what we want to do. This is almost 11 years. our members are being killed!

“Anything people want to say or do, we say enough is enough!

We serve God and we do not harm anybody, but anybody that looks for our trouble, we will face such person or persons! We follow the tenets of the Quran and anybody that thinks he can fight God shouldn’t think his prayer or praying in the mosque can save him!

Any muslim that cheats and hides under the cloak of religion, if we know such person, we wont hesitate to eliminate him.

“Yes, I am saying so because it doesn’t take five minutes to kill just as we’re being killed. We follow the teachings of the Quran. This is what God has told me to explain.

Allhamdulillah!’’

It was also learnt that the President met with the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar and other security chiefs at the Presidential Villa on Friday after the re-arrest of Kabiru.

The meeting was to review the strategy on checking Boko Haram

A source said issues relating to the escape and re-arrest of the Sokoto were discussed with the President tasking the security agencies to get to the roots of the Boko Haram menace and track down the brains behind it.

The source said the Taraba State Commissioner of Police was summoned to the meeting to give an insight into how Sokoto was trailed to the state where he was arrested.

The President, it was learnt, stressed the need to explore all avenues, especially with the arrest of Sokoto, to unravel all the knotty details behind the deadly attacks of the sect.

“I can confirm to you that there was an emergency security convened by the President following the sensational arrest of Kabiru Sokoto. The IGP and some top security persons attended the meeting. The CP in Taraba was flown to Abuja to specifically brief the meeting and every effort is being made to get to the roots of the Boko Haram menace.

“The President was specific on what he wants done now that Sokoto is back in the net of the security agencies. He wants all information to be extracted including details on how members of the sect operate, their sponsors and otherwise”, the source said..

The Nation’s legislative Summit for S/West and Edo kicks off tomorrow

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THREE-DAY summit organized by The Nation Newspapers in collaboration with CEEDEE Resources begins tomorrow in Ibadan.

The Summit which is for SouthWest and Edo State lawmakers at both national and state assemblies is geared towards strengthening and consolidating opportunities among the states.

It is to hold at Premier Hotel, Ibadan under the theme: “Achieving Regional Collaboration Agenda for Rapid Growth”. The Chairman is Maj.-Gen Adeyinka Adebayo, while the National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi

Akande and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of the party are Special Guests of Honour. Governors of the participating states are also to address participants.

The First Legislative Summit is to assess prevailing opportunities for the people of the region within the socio economic and political structures of the country, among others.

A host of personalities and intellectuals from the South West are to address the participants. These include Prof Akin Oyebode, Prof Adebayo Williams, Prof Yemi Osibajo as well as Speakers of the Houses of Assembly.

• An Armoured Personnel Carrier on patrol with security agents monitoring the re-run election in Bassa-Jos North Federal Constituency in Jos, yesterday.

Dispute over FRA Williams’ estate: Court refuses request for arbitration

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LAGOS High Court has refused an application by two children of the late legal icon Chief Rotimi Williams - Folarin and Tokunbo – seeking to stay proceedings in a suit for the interpretation of the deceased’s Will.

The deceased’s first and second sons - Ladi and Kayode – had filed the suit last year praying the court to interpret the Will allegedly made by the late Chief Williams on June 22, 1954.

Rather than file a defence, Folarin and Tokunbo opted for the said application for the court to stay proceedings and refer parties to arbitration in line with a purported family agreement in which the deceased’s four children agreed to a

By Eric Ikhilae pattern of sharing their late father’s estate.

The four surviving children of the late Williams had entered into the agreement shortly after their father’s death in 2005 on how his estate should be distributed, believing that their father died intestate.

In the process of obtaining Letters of Administration, the Probate Registry of the Lagos High Court was said to have discovered a holographic Will made by the deceased, dated June 22, 1954, which was later read before the said children.

After the reading of the Will, Ladi and Williams filed the suit in

which they sought the court’s interpretation of its content, in response to which Folarin and Tokunbo filed the said application that the court should decline jurisdiction and refer parties to arbitration on the basis of the said 2005 agreement.

The applicants argued that the subject matter of the substantive suit was the manner of distribution of the deceased’s estate in respect of which parties had entered into an agreement, which would form the basis for the application for a letter of administration.

They stated that the said agreement contains an arbitration clause and urged the court to order a stay of proceedings and refer parties to arbitration in view of the said pro-

vision of the agreement.

Ladi and Kayode, in their counter argument, stated that the said agreement was procured by fraudulent misrepresentation and non disclosure of material facts and was consequently rescinded by the claimants (Ladi and Kayode) thereby rendering it null and void.

They argued that the agreement did not contemplate the existence of a Will and that since their father’s Will had not been pronounced invalid by any court, and the supposed revocation instrument was incompetent, the said Will remains the only document upon which the court can base its jurisdiction.

Ruling on January 31, Justice Joseph Oyewole upheld the argument by Ladi and Kayode and re-

fused the application for stay of proceedings. He thus assumed jurisdiction over the case.

Justice Oyewole held that the suit “cannot be justifiably called a dispute arising from the said family agreement. That being so, the arbitral clause contained in the said family agreement cannot, accordingly be extended to the subject matter of this suit as to justify an order staying the suit in favour of arbitration as contained in the said family agreement.

“In totality therefore, I do not find merit in this application and I must accordingly refuse it. Motion fails and it is consequently refused,” the judge held.

Further proceeding has been fixed for March 19

Column

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

The morphology of nations A S Nigerians engage in acute soul-searching about the fate and future of their nation, there cannot be a better time to interrogate the nation-state paradigm, particularly in the light of recent global developments. On the face of it, and if it has truly taken off, Nigeria would have been a great tribute to the self-undermining genius of the colonial imaginary; a haven, spiritual umbrella and renaissance rallying point for the Black race. How can any master-nation create the condition for the swift termination of its own hegemony with such glee and wanton abandon?

But it does appear as if our colonial masters were no fools. There is no doubt that as it is currently constituted, Nigeria is a great nuisance and a historic embarrassment to the classical notion of the nation-state.

It is a human abattoir on an industrial scale; a killing field of Hobbesian proportions. The state is not for the nation and the nation lives in fear and trepidation of an alien and alienating state. Here is a country so generously favoured in terms of nation space, so prodigiously endowed in terms of human and natural resources that it ought to have become one of the wonders of the modern world. Instead, Nigeria has become a living hell for its dazed and disoriented denizens.

After a life time of unrequited labour, the question was put to the late jurist, Adewale Thompson, as to whether he would like to return to Nigeria in the next incarnation.

The great occultist and pan-African visionary retorted that he was tired of living among animals. Goodbye papa, that was a resounding disavowal. When one of its greatest writers was asked whether he had a notion of hell, he had calmly responded that having lived in Nigeria for over seventy years, he had a pretty clear picture of what hell should be like.

But if this should be of some comfort, it is not only Nigeria that is in trouble as far as the nation-state paradigm is concerned. Yet despite the disjuncture between the ideals of the nation-state and what Nigeria has turned out to be, we still need a deeper inquiry into why the nationstate quickly exhausted its possibilities in Nigeria and how the paradigm can be amended –if possible or desirable—for the greatest good of the greatest number.

These are interesting times for the nation-state paradigm. As the whole paradigm begins fray and freckle at the edge nobody is sure of what is in the horizon. The global disquiet beginning with the “Occupy Everywhere” movement in all its transnational turmoil and turbulence may eventually lead to a reconfiguration of the nation-state in ways that defy conventional expectations.

The law and logic of uneven development is in full flight. While some nations, particularly on the continent of Africa, are yet to consolidate the nation-state paradigm, they are at the same time being frogmarched to hitherto unknown frontiers of human evolution by development elsewhere. Some nations are still being ruled by executive monarchs. Somewhere in Africa in the seventies of the last century, a deranged ruler actually turned his country into an empire, thus technically returning his people to the pre-colonial servitude that western colonization had helped them overcome.

It should be clear from all this, and contrary to the historical illiteracy prevalent in Nigeria, that no nation is ever divinely given. The nation-state paradigm itself is not an immutable and eternal verity.

But there is a deep logic and immanent rationality which undergird human evolution. Despite its set-

•Awolowo backs and drawbacks, the nationstate paradigm is a stunning advance for humanity in terms of the transformation of human consciousness and the dramatic emergence of modern society. It turns former subjects and the slaves and serfs of old empires and earlier formations into citizens with the sovereign will and capacity to determine who rules them.

Why then do some nations tend to do well while the great majority are marooned in mediocrity and utter futility of purpose and existence? All modern nations are artificial creations summoned and willed into existence by the creative leap of consciousness and the power of visionary imagining. But there are nations and there are nations. In other words, some nations are more artificial than others. The artificiality of a particular nation is a direct correlate of the artificiality, incoherence and inorganic nature of the elite thrown up by the nation.

Most nations have a history of colonial subjugation either in classical antiquity or in modern times.

It is useful to bear this point in mind. The Angles and Saxons ancestors of the current English people were Roman galley slaves and primitive tribesmen leading a life of enervating subservience. In an earlier incarnation as Huns, the Germans fought off their Roman overlords with savagery and the ferocity of the uncivilized. The modern nationstate is the reason why the French

will always remember Joan of Arc with gratitude.

Without Garibaldi, there would be no modern Italy. Yet while some nations emerge from the debris of external enslavement and internal colonization to become master-nations others remain slave-nations, controlled and manipulated by external forces who maintain an iron grip on their modes of production including knowledge production.

While size and the oceanic plenitude of space often matter for nations in securing a head start in the steeplechase of destiny, unfortunately, the size of a nation does not ultimately determine its status in the global configuration of power and glory. If size had mattered, Nigeria would have become a leading master-nation. But it has not and probably never will as it is currently configured. It is a slavenation.

Famously, Kwame Nkrumah was known to have dismissed Nigeria as big for nothing.

He probably knew what he was talking about. Small nations often play lead violin in the history of human development.

The nation that changed the entire world and which managed to impose its version of modernity and modernization on the rest of the globe by force and guile is a comparatively tiny island off the main coast of Europe. At a point, the empire on which the sun never set stretched from China to the Cape of Good Hope and beyond to New Zealand and the Falklands.

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu Barely sixty years after shaking off their Spanish overlords, the Dutch had become a leading global economic and military power. Before overreaching themselves with ill-gotten gold ingot from the Potosi mines of Latin America, the Spaniards came into their own after expelling their Moors overlords from Andalusia. Fifty years after being expelled from the Malaysian union, Singapore, which had earlier been dismissed as a dark and dirty colonial backwater, has become a glittering one-city wonder. Fifty years after coming to Nigeria to procure palm seedlings, Malaysia has become a leading exporter of palm produce while Nigeria could no longer provide its own needs.

What then is the crucial and critical difference between these masternations and a slave-nation like Nigeria whose destiny and trajectory continue to be determined by its colonial creators either directly or by feckless proxy? Like revolution, the nation-state project is not a tea party.

In order to take off, the nation in itself must become the nation for itself. The nation in itself is nothing but a mere geographical expression as Awolowo famously stated; an inert mass of clay waiting to be moulded into something .

To flee your fate is to rush to find it, according to an Arab proverb. Nothing confirms Nigeria status as a slave-nation ruled by a slave-elite beset by a deep sense of inferiority more than the recent fuel subsidy revolt. In the wake of the protests, two leading western intellectuals joined the fray from the vantage position conferred by the metropolitan pecking order.

Jeffrey Sachs is a well-known IMF/World Bank publicist and intellectual janitor for the metropolitan economic order, while Paul Collier is a respected development economist. It is curious and mildly hilarious that Sachs intervened after a duty tour of Nigeria and as trouble loomed. Both argued vigorously and compellingly for the removal of what subsequent revelations and disclosures have shown to be a phantom subsidy. The normally sober and restrained Collier was particularly pungent and patronizing, dismissing the riots as a Tea Party gone berserk.

Okon hears it by the nose and heads for Lusaka

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S the African Cup of Nations finally winged its way to a dramatic finale between Zambia and Cote D’Ivoire, Okon has been glued to television offering free commentary and subversive punditry. Upon learning that Didier Drogba’s mother also doubled as cook for the Ivorian team, offering choice cake and small chops to the rampart and rampaging elephants, the mad boy exploded in mirth.

“Na dem own Madam Ranger be dat one. Na Gorilla meat Saro woman dey give dem. He get one man for Ibadan like dat one dem dey call am Baba Balubalu. Na him dey release dem tear gas. Him go dey Mapo Hall and him go dey release dem tear gas for dem Liberty and all dem Jos players go dey scream, ankali tatase, ankali tatase”, Okon noted with a deranged sneer.

On another occasion, the crazy one pointed at the Gabonese state box.

“Oga, who be dat fat man with dem fine Oyinbo woman? Abi which kind yeye nonsense be dis,

man never sleep and dog dey snore.” Okon lamented.

“Okon, that is Ali Bongo, president of Gabon”, snooper corrected “Oh I think say na Etubom Bassey, dem devil of Bakassi “ The day after Zambia beat Ghana in a historic semi-final duel, Okon barged into snooper’s room, unannounced and uninvited as usual.

“Oga, he be like if say I wan reach dem Lusaka. Katakata don burst for Obodo”, the crazy boy announced breathlessly.

“And what’s up in Lusaka?” snooper demanded.

“All dem ashewo dey offer free ride. When Okon wire dem all, dem go seize dem Nigerian passport”, the mad boy croaked. Snooper took a sad, forlorn look at the adult delinquent. But a more pressing emergency had developed. Gas was smelling everywhere. Thinking that this was the prelude to some apocalyptic meltdown from the dreaded Boko Haram sect, snooper frantically jumped out of

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bed.

“Okon, gas is smelling everywhere. Can’t you smell?” snooper shouted at the boy.

“Oga, I dey hear am”, the crazy boy retorted.

“How can you hear gas odour?” snooper screamed at the wayward clown.

“Oga I dey hear am by dem nose”, Okon retorted, pointing at his flared nostrils. At this point and even in the midst of pressing crisis, the residual Shakespearean scholar in snooper surfaced. In The Twelfth Night, after some sweet singing by the clown contaminated by his foul breath, Sir Toby exploded: “to hear it by the nose, it is dulcet in contagion” Has Okon been reading Shakespeare, or could it be that our distant white cousins are not any different from us, after all?

“Okon, have you been reading Twelfth Night?” snooper ventured.

“Oga na one night for Lusaka I dey read”, the crazy one sniggered.

Snooper promptly threw the rascal out.

This is the problem with ideological battles pretending to be intellectual debates. They are fought under certain political occlusions which mask true reality from the combatants and which in turn prompt deep intellectual elisions and evasions. It is baffling that it never for once occurred to our metropolitan scholars that in the guise of subsidy the Nigerian multitude were actually rising as one against massive corruption and official sleaze. Both alluded with mandatory revulsion to past corruption.

But that was as far as they were willing to go.

The argument against subsidy is solid and unimpeachable. It is a crime against humanity to ask the poor to subsidize elite folly. But it is curious that Sachs and Collier never asked themselves why a major oil producing country should also become its major importer where domestic consumption is concerned. Even more curious is the fact that it never occurred to them that in the hands of a slave-elite, the proceeds from the so called subsidy will end up as usual in private pockets which will fuel inflationary pressures and which will eventually lead to the logical concomitance of massive devaluation: another round of subsidy. They gloss over this fundamental reality as if it all boils down to economic statistics and book-balancing.

The real truth is that in the miasma of false consciousness parading as objective concern, these two scholars are acting out a script as transnational agents and elite of the metropolitan economic order and the global dominion of master-nations. It is now clear that one of the principal instruments of this global order is the domination and destabilization of the knowledge production system of captive nations by master-nations, particularly in the old imperialist metropole. The bottom billion that Collier famously discovered in his seminal treatise is not a function of economics but a function of the politics of master-nations and slave-nations.

But if the role and situation of these two scholars can be justified based on origin, location and insertion into the global order, how do we justify the role of the top Nigerian official who kept waving Collier’s article as the bible of sacred covenant to internet interlocutors at the height of the protest? A slave- elite afflicted by a deep sense of inferiority and purposelessness must first transform itself before it can even think of transforming the nation.

Let us now summarize. A slavenation held hostage by a slave-elite can never morph into a master-nation. The nation-state paradigm is a historic advancement in the transformation of human consciousness in Africa, even though it seems to have shortchanged certain-constituent nationalities that appeared to have reached a higher stage of consciousness on their own steam.

Had these nationalities been left to their own devices, they would have arrived at a version of modernity on their own terms.

Finally, it would appear as if Karl Marx spoke too soon when he privileged intra-class struggle as the main locomotive of human history. Marx himself was a victim of false consciousness. The principal engine of conflict in the modern world is the struggle between slave-nations and master-nations.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News

BAYELSA GUBER POLLS: Dickson in early lead • Jonathan, mother, wife vote at Otuoke • Poll records low turn out E • ACN ward chairman shot dead in election eve ambush

ARLY results in yesterday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State have placed the PDP candidate, Mr. Seriake Dickson, in the lead.

But the standard bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Kemela Okara, expressed optimism of emerging victorious in the election which recorded a low turnout of voters.

A speed boat hired by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to convey electoral materials to some locations in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, capsized yesterday, but there was no casualty.

President Goodluck Jonathan who is from the state, his wife, Dame Patience and mother, Eunice; voted in his home town of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area.

President Jonathan was accredited at 10:05 am at Unit 39 Otuabule, Ward 13 Otuoke and voted at 12:45 pm.

He told reporters after casting his vote that the election was generally peaceful, orderly and fair.

“What we are seeing in Otuoke is the general picture across the state,” he said.

On the low turnout of voters, President Jonathan said it all depended on individual’s mood.

Most voters, according to him, were unaware until late Friday that the election would take place in view of the court cases filed by some people against the conduct of the election.

He was optimistic that the PDP would carry the day and go on to execute development projects across the state.

He said:”You know that in Bayelsa State, there were some kind of challenges as to who the candi-

N1.8bn jeeps for senators

• Boat hired by INEC capsizes with electoral materials From: Isaac Ombeand Bisi Olaniyi, Yenagoa

dates are, and who is not the candidate up till yesterday, (Friday).

Bayelsans were confused as to whether election would go on or not. But I’m a senior PDP member and I’m hopeful that Dickson will win.

“For the presidential election, Nigerians in Diaspora came home and they all voted. General elections always attract that kind of crowd”, The President returned to Abuja last night.

The PDP flag bearer, Mr. Dickson voted at Toruoruwa and described the process as peaceful, free and fair.

Mr. Kemela Okara, the ACN candidadte, also speaking after voting at Bomadi, said he has confidence in INEC and the security apparatus.

Okara who said he was yet to study the cases against the conduct of the election, however, noted that such happenings in the political process add to “the beauty of democracy. ” Bayelsa’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Edwin Nwatarali, described the election

as free, fair and credible.

The Public Relations Officer of INEC in the state, Timidi Wariowei, confirmed the boat accident in a telephone interview at 5:35 pm but said he had no details.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, on Azikoro Road, Yenagoa is serving as INEC’s collation centre, with the Outside Broadcast (OB) vans of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) beaming the collation live.

The final results from the eight LGAs of the state may be an-

nounced this morning and the winner likely to be inaugurated tomorrow.

A ward chairman of the ACN, Mr.Tustom Ogar was allegedly ambushed and shot dead by unknown people in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on Thursday night.

Supporters of two political parties also reportedly clashed at Otorofane leaving six persons injured. They were taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa for treatment.

Acting Governor of the State, Chief Nestor Binabo ,after voting at Okumbiri in Sagbama Local Government Area, enjoined Bayelsans to see themselves as an integral part of the democratic process, imbibe its core values and propagate them to the larger society.

Acting Governor of Bayelsa, Chief Nestor Binabo, casting his vote at Ward 11, Unit 17, polling booth, in Okumbiri, Sagbama Local Government Area of the state yesterday.

PDP governorship candidate, Mr Henry Dickson, casting his vote at Ward 2, Augalabiri, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa during the governorship election yesterday

Mother of President Goodluck Jonathan, Madam Eunice (L), with the wife of the president, Dame Patience voting at Ward 13, Otuoke, during the governorship election in Bayelsa yesterday

ACN governorship candidate, Mr Kamela Okara, casting his vote during the governorship election at Ward 10, Unit 12, Opotobo polling unit, in Bomuondi,Yenagoa Local Government Area yesterday

•Continued from Page 1 Sources said “no contractor” was used in purchasing the vehicles.

The National Assembly Service Commission reportedly handled the purchase transaction.

The Commission, sources said, might have opted to buy directly from the manufacturer to reduce cost.

Sources said the delivery of the vehicles will be in batches while vehicle documents would be handed over to individual senators in their offices after delivery.

It was also gathered that furnishing of offices of senators would commence this week as contracts for the supply of refrigerators, computers and other office equipment have been sealed.

Efforts to speak with the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, on the supply of the jeeps and other office items were unsuccessful as he did not answer calls put across to him yesterday.

But a senator who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity simply said “we have been on this issue for some time.”

He added “I cannot confirm anything because I have not seen any vehicle but we have been on this issue for some time. But I think they are not buying vehicles for senators as such. What I know is that they want to procure vehicles to facilitate the work of committees.”

Human Trafficking: NAPTIP Partners with Benin

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HE National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) has pledged its commitment to the success of its partnership with the Republic of Benin to facilitate the implementation of its mandate.

Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, the Executive Secretary of the agency, made the pledge in Abeokuta at the end of the 9th Nigeria/ Benin Joint Technical Committee meeting on Trafficking in Persons.

She said the partnership

would help both nations to achieve the objective of phasing out human trafficking and increase “the dignity of man.”

A communiqué issued at the end of the four-day meeting was jointly signed by Jedy-Agba and Emile Ekpinse, the Deputy Secretary-General, Ministry of Family and Social Affairs, Republic of Benin.

It said the regional status on child trafficking indicated that Nigeria and Benin were sources, transit and destination countries for the illegal practice.

The communique noted that the development had facilitated the signing of a bilateral agreement between the two countries to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in women and children.

It said a joint technical committee had been established to coordinate, develop and implement joint annual plans to identify endemic communities and make appropriate intervention.

The communiqué noted that the joint task force action had resulted in the reduction of the

number of children in quarries, street hawking, begging and sexual exploitation in Abeokuta.

It urged governments of both countries to evolve measures that would ensure the continuity of the intervention programmes in Abeokuta and Zakpota, Benin.

The communique said the meeting resolved that the intervention programmes should be extended to endemic communities in Nigeria and Benin, where there were prevalence of domestic servitude, street hawking, begging, sexual exploitation and plantation work.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News

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US terror attack: Farouk Abdulmutallab knows fate Thursday • Prosecutors demand maximum sentence of life in prison

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L-QAEDA leader Anwar al-Awlaki personally directed and approved the attempted bombing of a U.S. airliner which Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, tried to carry out on Christmas Day in 2009, according to new details released by federal prosecutors on Friday.

Awlaki, who was a leader of the militant group’s affiliate in Yemen, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), before he was killed in a drone strike last year, directed Abdulmutallab to conduct a strike aboard an American airliner over U.S. soil.

“Awlaki’s last instructions to him were to wait until the airplane was over the United States and then to take the plane down,” according to court papers.

Awlaki left it up to Abdulmutallab to pick the flight and date, the papers said.

Abdulmutallab, 25, is due to be sentenced Thursday in Detroit and faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to charges he tried to down a Northwest Airlines jumbo jet with 289 people aboard on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.

The bomb, hidden in his underwear, failed to fully detonate and he was subdued. The incident led U.S.

security officials to quickly bolster airport security, deploying full-body scanners to try to detect explosives hidden in clothing.

In October, Abdulmutallab pleaded guilty days after his trial began, saying he had wanted to avenge the killing of innocent Muslims by the United States.

In a sentencing memorandum filed in federal court in Detroit, prosecutors urged a judge to sentence Abdulmutallab to the maximum of life in a U.S. prison.

For the first time, prosecutors revealed new details of the plot, including Abdulmutallab’s close connections to the al Qaeda leader, who has been linked to other plots against the United States.

Abdulmutallab went to Yemen in August 2009 and sought out Awlaki in mosques. He made contact, was taken to Awlaki’s home in the desert and agreed to carry out an attack, according to the court papers.

He was then was sent to receive training from an al Qaeda bombmaker, Ibrahim Al Asiri, in an AQAP camp where they discussed the mission. Asiri delivered the underwear bomb to Abdulmutallab and trained him on how to detonate it.

Awlaki helped Abdulmutallab write a mar-

tyrdom statement and arranged for a “professional film crew” to film the fiveminute message, prosecutors said in the sentencing memorandum.

“Although Awlaki gave defendant operational flexibility, Awlaki instructed defendant that the only requirements were that the attack be on a U.S. airliner, and that the attack take place over U.S. soil,” the court papers said.

Prosecutors also asked permission to show at the sentencing hearing on Thursday a video the FBI created which simulated the bomb Abdulmutallab tried to detonate.

Awlaki, who was identified by U.S. intelligence as “chief of external operations” for al Qaeda’s Yemen branch and a Web-savvy propagandist for the Islamist cause, was killed in an attack by missiles fired from multiple CIA drones in a remote Yemeni town, U.S. officials have said previously.

The U.S.-born cleric left for Yemen after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Also killed in the drone strike was Samir Khan, another American who turned to militancy and served as editor of “Inspire,” a glossy magazine used as a propaganda and recruitment vehicle by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

L-R: Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, wife of the Governor, Oluwakemi, the Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Chief of Staff, Dr. Kola Ademujimu and anti-polio Campaigner and Musician, Ras Innovator at the flag-off of the third sensitization programme on Polio Eradication Initiative in Akure, Ondo State, yesterday.

Syria: Russia, China may veto new UN resolution

A

WEEK after vetoes from Russia and China put an end to a UN resolution on Syria its supporters are coming back with another draft.

Saudi Arabia, backed by the West and the majority of Arab countries, is hoping the document will be presented before the UN General Assembly, as opposed to the Security Council. Unlike the council, no country has the power of veto in the assembly, but its resolutions have no legal force.

Little in the text appears to have changed since the previous presentation. The resolution lays the blame for

the Syrian violence, which has taken thousands of lives, at the door of President Bashar al-Assad. It also calls for him to step down before a transitional period to a democracy.

Early signs suggest that the new document will suffer the same fate as the previous one. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Gennady Gatilov, has already dismissed the resolution as “the same unbalanced draft resolution text.”

In an interview, Sara Marusek, a researcher from Syracuse University, said the re-submission is “not unexpected. It doesn’t seem like

Uzbek man pleads guilty in plot to kill Obama

A

MAN from Uzbekistan who pleaded guilty at the weekend to plotting to kill President Barack Obama with an automatic rifle claimed he was acting at the direction of an Islamic terror group in his home country.

Authorities said Ulugbek Kodirov had discussed trying to kill the president as he campaigned for re-election because he would be out in public more often. Kodirov entered the plea during a hearing in Birmingham before U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon, an Obama appointee.

Defence attorney Lance Bell said the 22-year-old Kodirov avoided a potential life sentence by pleading guilty. He faces up to 30 years in prison, though Bell expected Kodirov to receive about half that. The judge also told Kodirov that he will face deportation once he’s released from prison.

Kodirov pleaded guilty to three counts: Threatening to kill the president, possessing an automatic weapon, and providing material support to terrorists. Four other charges were dropped as part of the deal.

Area Muslims who

•Obama

knew Kodirov were stunned to learn of his plans.

“I really didn’t want to believe it,” said Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society.

“I knew him. He attended mosque. He never demonstrated any radicalization in his behaviour, his words.”

U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance said members of the Islamic community assisted in the case against Kodirov.

The plea agreement said that in July 2011, Kodirov claimed he had been communicating with a person known as “the Emir.”

Kodirov said the person was a member of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan,

which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. Authorities did not reveal the identity of the Emir.

The Emir “asked Kodirov if there was anything Kodirov could do about President Obama since Kodirov was closer geographically to the president than the Emir,” according to his plea agreement.

Kodirov and a person who helped authorities discussed possible ways to kill Obama, including from long distance using a sniper rifle.

The agreement said Kodirov became disheartened when he realized how expensive sniper rifles are and realized he lacked the skill to pull off the shot.

Kodirov then decided he could shoot the president from a closer distance in public.

“Kodirov said that he did not care if he got shot and killed, as long as he

killed President Obama,” according to the plea deal.

Kodirov then struck up a friendship with another person in Birmingham who spoke Uzbek, and the two often attended mosque together. The two often looked at jihadist websites and videos on Kodirov’s laptop, the agreement said.

On July 11, after the two went to a mosque in Birmingham to pray, Kodirov asked his friend to buy a gun for him so he could kill Obama.

Kodirov told the person he “knew this was what he was supposed to do for Islam,” the plea agreement says.

Kodirov was arrested in July. Bell, the defence attorney, said Kodirov regrets what happened and “accepted responsibility for the charges he pled guilty to.”

He was accused of making four separate threats against Obama within a five-day period when he was meeting either with a witness who went to police or an undercover officer.

Vance, the prosecutor, said Kodirov’s threats were serious enough that law enforcement officers felt they had to intervene.

“He had developed a plan, he was reaching out to other individuals for aid and acquiring firepower necessary to kill the president,” Vance said.

the West is ever willing to negotiate and compromise.”

“They are interested in regime change in Syria, and they will not stop until they deliver a different government that is more sympathetic to Western interests, which is quite naïve. Any new government will also not be sympathetic to US and Israeli aggression in the region.”

Meanwhile fighting continues in Syria itself. Government forces are besieging the city of Homs, the heartland of the uprising against alAssad. Heavy artillery is being used to shell residential districts where the rebels are quartered.

There are no reliable figures on the numbers of casualties due to an absence of independent observers, though they are expected to be in double figures.

Meanwhile, the rebels have struck back, assassinating an army general in the suburb of the capital, Damascus.

Bonga Oil spill: Expert seeks transfer of power from DPR

F

OLLOWING the recent Bonga oil spill which has poisoned hundreds of kilometres of sensitive coastal wetlands, an expert and legal consultant in environmental matters, Chris Umaru yesterday advocated the immediate transfer of constitutional power on spillage from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

He sought for the immediate amendment of the existing NOSDRA Act to enable the agency discharge its functions effectively.

According to him, DPR should be asked to confine its regulatory role to the petroleum industry and allow NOSDRA which has been mandated to regulate oil spills in the country to do its job.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Umaru said that the amendment of the act establishing the agency has become

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

necessary as the agency as constituted, can only bark but cannot bite.

He said the unwieldy composition of the Board, insignificant penalties and poor funding are some of the challenges confronting the agency, adding that criminal responsibility for contravening environmental legislation in the petroleum sector is recommended for amendment to enable the agency perform its responsibility through enforcement.

While throwing more light on why the amendment has become imperative, Umaru said the present Act has no provision for officials of the agency to enter premises of defaulting organizations, offences and penalties for obstructing officials and powers to make requisition, stressing that these factors are germane if the agency must move forward in implementing its mandate.

6

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News

Ohanaeze flays CBN’s N100m donation to Kano victims From Chris Oji, Enugu

A

PEX Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has kicked against the N100 million donation allegedly made by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to victims of the recent Boko Haram bomb attacks in Kano State.

The organisation was reacting to a report published in one of the national dailies yesterday disclosing that the CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi presented a N100 million cheque to the Kano State Deputy Governor, Dr Abdulahi Umar Ganduje during a condolence visit to the Kano State government over the weekend.

According to the report, Sanusi said the donation was part of CBN’s contribution to the state government to alleviate the sufferings of direct victims of the violence and their families.

However, in a swift reaction, Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary, Ralph Ndigwe, demanded an explanation from Sanusi on why the CBN has not extended similar gestures to hundreds of Igbos who were victims of violent attacks in the North by the Boko Haram sect.

Ndigwe who made the statement in Enugu yesterday, warned that Ohanaeze would champion the removal of Sanusi as CBN governor if he fails to explain the rationale behind the donation to Kano victims only.

“We want Sanusi to tell us what CBN has done for hundreds of Igbos who were victims of Boko Haram violent attacks in various parts of the North. If Sanusi fails to give us an explanation for CBN’s selective donation of N100 million to victims of Kano attack, we will not hesitate to push for his removal from office as CBN governor,” the Ohanaeze spokesman stated.

He said somebody occupying the exalted position of CBN governor should be a person who lives above parochial inclinations, adding that Sanusi’s donation to Kano victims only, shows that he puts sectional interests above national interest even as governor of the apex bank.

Corrupt policemen risk dismissal, imprisonment, says IGP

H

ENCEFORTH, corrupt policemen will summarily be shown out of the force and made to account for their actions, Acting Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar has said.

The IGP handed down the warning at the weekend in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, to officers and men of the state police command.

Mr. Abubakar added that “the wind of change is blowing. Those who are willing will go along but for those who are not willing the wind will blow them away.”

He said the era of harassment and intimidation of members of the public is over as commissioners and their assistants will account for the misdemeanours of their subordinates.

His words: “I have publicly stated that this administration is set to usher in an era of commitment, determination, uprightness, discipline, dedication to duty, selfless service, among the ranks and file of the Nigeria Police

•To establish training college in Ilorin From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Force. ‘’I have also stated that we shall fight crimes and criminality in all its ramifications.

“These things however cannot be achieved in the face of the endemic corruption that has eaten deep into the fabrics of our workforce. ‘’They cannot be achieved if we do not improve on our relationship with members of the public.

Above all however, there is no way our visions can see the light of the day unless we completely change our general attitude to work which presently falls far below minimum standards.’’

Abubakar went on, “With the level of insecurity in our country and the persistent threats to lives and property, the Nigeria Police Force needs to re-awaken the spirit that has made the Force proud in yesteryears and rise

to the challenge of securing our homeland against attacks, crime and all forms of criminality.

“This is my message to all officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force and this is the subject of the crusade which I intend to take to all Police commands across the country and which I begun today in Kwara State Police command.’’

He said he was aware of the challenges in the Force and assured they will be resolved in no time.

The IGP stressed, “I am aware of the various challenges inherent in our job, I know of the constraints and I feel the frustrations that come with policing a typical Nigerian society. ‘’I want to assure you today that this administration shall do its very best to empower you adequately to perform your job optimally, and I shall as much as possible, endeavour to address the

many issues affecting our collective interests.’’

Abubakar called for dedication and commitment to law enforcement, stating ‘’we must reclaim our divisions, area commands and the entire state from criminals and make our environment conducive for habitation and economic development.’’

At the Kwara state Government’s House, the new police chief helmsman told Governor Abulfatah Ahmed of the command’s intention to establish a police training college in the state capital.

He added that in the next two months work on the proposed college will commence.

The IGP said the strategic location of the state in the country informed its choice.

Ahmed pledged the state’s preparedness to provide necessary moral and logistic supports for the success of the project.

Ilorin IPMAN threatens strike over release of pipelines vandals •Alleges intimidation From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

I

MMINENT fuel scarcity looms in Kwara, Kogi, Ekiti and some other states as members of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) plan to withdraw their services from tomorrow over release of pipelines vandals.

Kwara State Chair of IPMAN, Ilorin Unit, Alhaji Agbolade Bolaji told reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, “we just want to tell the general public that maybe from Monday, we will likely withdraw our services from those at Ilorin depot from selling fuel to any filling station.”

He explained why the union might embark on industrial action: “This is because police, state security service (SSS), civil defence corps and others are not treating the cases of people who were arrested on our land as they are supposed to be. ‘’Pipeline vandalism is an economic sabotage. When they are arrested after few days, they are being released. We are also being threatened. So we decided that we cannot take this anymore.

He went on, ‘’About two years ago they arrested about five people and they were sentenced at the Federal High Court to jail for five years up till now nothing has been done.

“The vandals also came back and threatened our people. We at IPMAN are the ones maintaining the lines from Ibadan to Ilorin. We spent about N5m every month.

We have spent bout N70m on this land in one year.

“When we always assist government to arrest vandals and they are being released. On January 15, we arrested four of them again. They have also released them now. The SSS, Civil Defense and Police went to the spot where they vandalized the pipelines. We cannot continue like this.

He threatened the union will strike in protest against the action.

“We will withdraw our services from Monday until government or the concerned security agencies re-arrest those people. ‘’There is one man that went to court to testify against them he is one of our members. He has run away for his life now. I do not even know where he is now. They threatened to kill him. He had to run away.

“We do not know what will happen to us who are even talking to you. We are appealing to the state government to assist IPMAN to ensure effective policing of pipelines.’’

• Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State with Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu during the governor’s visit to her at the weekend in Enugu

T

HE lingering leadership crisis in Nkpor community of Idemili North Council Area of Anambra State assumed dangerous dimensions yesterday.

Youths in the community allegedly working for one of the faction leaders Chuma Chukwurah attacked and disarmed policemen at a checkpoint.

They reportedly made away with AK 47 rifle belonging to the policemen.

Residents in the community alleged the group was involved in illegal sale of community lands and major disturbances.

Chukwurah, who claimed to have been appointed as Chairman of the Interim Management Committee by the community, alleged hoodlums terrorising the community were sponsored by the factional Executives of the Town Union Government led by Hon. Raphael Nnabuife.

Anambra communal crisis: Youths attack, disarm policemen From Okodili Ndidi, Onitsha

Nnabuife is also the Transition Committee Chairman of Idemili North Council Area.

Chukwurah accused the council boss of refusing to vacate or conduct fresh election after expiration of his tenure.

The development, he claimed, led to his appointment as interim chairman to manage affairs of the town union until new leaders were elected.

According to him, “their tenure has expired but because of the money they were collecting without accountability, they are frustrating all genuine efforts to resolve the crisis”.

Chukwurah maintained

that the Nnabuife’s group was using government resources and connections to exploit the resources.

He accused the state government of bias, saying ‘’it has been supporting one group for obvious selfish reasons”.

Nnabuife said the incident was not connected with the squabble in the community.

He stated, ‘’that incident has nothing to do with Nkpor issue. Please do not allow mischief makers to misinform you”.

He maintained the Chukwurah’s group neither enjoyed government authorisation nor the people’s support.

Nnabuife described them as a “set of jobless

youths exploring illegal avenues to eke out a living”.

Tensions were high yesterday that the police and army were preparing a final onslaught against youths of the community for daring to snatch police rifle.

Efforts to get leader of the other faction in the community Chief Chuma Chukwurah for more insight on the crisis proved abortive.

Calls and SMS to his mobile phone were unanswered.

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said he had not received details of the incident.

He said efforts will be intensified to address the issue amicably.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News

7

Fashola, Amosun mobilise community leaders to combat polio

L

•One of the burnt houses

•The deserted village... yesterday

Hoodlums sack Edo community •Two feared dead R ESIDENTS of Ogheghe village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State have fled their ancestral home following attacks on the community by hired hoodlums.

The attack last Thursday and Friday night left at least two persons dead. The community was a deserted yesterday when our correspondent visited, as all houses as well as buildings were under lock and key.

Fleeing residents were yet to return two days after the attacks.

Two buildings, including a guest house, two vehicles and one motor-cycle were razed during the attacks.

Security personnel were seen patrolling around the community.

A leader in the

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

community, Avarenren Osarenren, attributed the incident to a power tussle between one Kingsley Amayo and Samuel Emokpae.

He said armed youth stormed the village after the installation of Emokpae as community head and

Amnesty office sends 89 youths to UK, Cyprus for varsity education

T

HE United Kingdom has granted visas to qualified youths to embark on various courses at some select universities for the first time in the twoyear history of the Presidential Programme.

Eighty-nine of the

South East research institute workers for nationwide strike

W

ORKERS of research institutes and Allied institutions in the Eastern region of Nigeria have declared support for the nationwide strike scheduled to begin tomorrow.

The strike action has been endorsed by all their four trade unions.

The unions are the Academic staff Union of Research Institutions, (ASURI), The Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture (ASUCA) The non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Union of Research, Development and Associated Institutions of Nigeria (SSURDAIN).

In a statement yesterday in Enugu, the union leaders said they were embarking on strike becaus Federal Government has failed to implement most issues contained in the January 2011 agreement with them.

Some of these, they said, include payment of the arrears of the 53.37% salary increase (July 2009 to June 2010); failure of government to pay the Research and Allied Institutions Allowances due to them; retirement age of 65 years and 70 years for the staff of the sector; adequate funding of Research and Allied Institutions and the establishment of National Research and Technology Development Fund (NRTDF).

The statement said, “other issues capable of causing

started shooting sporadically.

Osarenren identified one of the deceased as Odouyi Ukokogho.

Chairman of the local council, Mr. Napoleon Agbama, said he had visited the village but could not ascertain the cause of the fracas because there was no

one to talk to.

Agbama confirmed that one corpse was recovered around 4pm on Friday by police officers.

He said he will be briefed when villagers returned.

State Commissioner of Police Umar Manko also confirmed the incident.

He, however, said he had been not been briefed.

From Chris Oji, Enugu

serious industrial disharmony in Research Institutes and their Allied Institutions which deserve Government’s Attention include retrogressive circular on Non-skipping of Salary Grade Levels from the Head of Civil Service of The Federation, contrary to the approved conditions of service for Research Institutions and their Colleges and Allied Institutions and appointment of Executive Directors, Directors General and provosts from outside the research and Allied Institutions System.’’

The union had previously issued a 14 –day ultimatum last October before embarking on a seven – day warning strike on October 31st.

Organisations that the industrial action will affect in the South East include Scientific Equipment Development Institute Akwuke , Enugu State; Projects Development Institute, PRODA, Enugu; Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State; the National Roots Crops Research Institute, NRCRI, Umudike, Abia State; Electronic and Electrical Development Institute ELDI, Awka and Metalkurgical Training Institute, Onitsha.

Others are the African Regional Aquaculture Centre, Port Harcourt and National Engineering Design Development Institute, NEDI, Nnewi, Anambra State.

From Yomi Odunuga, Abuja Bureau Chief

lucky youths will be leaving Nigeria next Tuesday for the UK and Cyprus to study Medicine, Engineering, Social Sciences and Economics among others.

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Chairman of the Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, told reporters yesterday at an orientation programme in Abuja that he was fulfilled the UK finally opened a window of opportunity for qualitative education for ex-militants.

Kuku said, “I am fulfilled. If I were to leave as Adviser to Mr. President today, I will leave happily.

Sincerely nothing gives me greater joy than to see that Niger Delta youths can now be educated in the best universities across the globe. ‘’The best Mr. President can give you is education.

It is the only thing you receive that can never expire. Honestly I am fulfilled.”

He said no fewer than 3, 000 youths from the Niger Delta region are in various world-class universities and other tertiary institutions of learning across the globe as part of the Amnesty Programme.

The goal, he said, is to build human capacity in the region that could key into the oil and gas industry based in their communities.

Admonishing the candidates to be of good conduct, Kuku said they have enormous responsibility to excel.

He added they could not afford to fail the country because of the trust reposed in them by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

According to Kuku, “you can’t afford to fail.

You must do Mr. President who has made this scholarship possible proud. You must do the Niger Delta proud and you must do our nation proud.

“Anyone who does anything to undermine our good name and intention will be deported the following day. This is necessary to ensure that no one does anything that would jeopardize the chances of others who would be selected for studies in these countries later.’’

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche canvassed for a quota system that will compel oil companies operating in the South-South to employ qualified candidates from the region.

Nwuche, who was Special Guest at the occasion, said ‘’government should start a programme in which a specific quota can be earmarked for youths from the region,” adding that when these youths are employed in the oil companies, the issue of breaking pipelines will not be there because they will become stakeholders.

He advised the youths not only to excel in their studies, but to also see the opportunity as a way of making their lives better by contributing to national development.

The candidates were given a breakdown of their allowances.

Each will receive an annual clothing allowance of $500 and monthly stipend of $700 for feeding and other logistics.

The Amnesty Office would also pay their full fees and provides comprehensive health insurance.

AGOS State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and his Ogun State counterpart , Senator Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday mobilised community leaders to join in the fight against polio eradication.

The duo, who met with the leaders at the third polio advocacy day campaign, said though the two states have achieved polio-free status, it was necessary to persist with advocacy, considering the influx of people.

Addressing the gathering, which held at Ologogoro Akunde ,a border community between the two states , Fashola saed Lagos and Ogun have teamed up to combat the scourge and bring back the glory of the old western region.

He pointed out that the South- West states have resolved to work together to fast track the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.

He said it was a national shame that Nigeria was still one of the countries like Pakistan , Afghanistan and India,

By Miriam Ndikanwu

wite cases of polio.

He pointed out that the advocacy campaign was endorsed by the states’ governors at the Governors’ Forum.

Fashola, who debunked the impression that the vaccines provided by the government were no longer effective for lack of storage facilities in the country , urged parents to bring forward their children for immunisation.

He urged private hospitals to also join hands with the government in its quest to eradicate polio in the country.

Amosun said the decision to embark on advocacy campaign across the country underscores the urgent need to kick out the disease.

He said for two years, no cases of polio has been reported in his state the governor said there is need for leaders in other states to get serious with measures outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to combat the dreadful and highly contagious disease.

Fire guts Kaduna Catholic Hospital female hostel

•The razed hostel

T

IMELY intervention of men of the Kaduna State Fire Service and men of the State Special security outfit, Operation Yaki, saved what would have been a major disaster at the St Gerard Catholic Hospital in Kaduna yesterday.

The late morning fire consumed parts of the female hostel of the hospital’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.

It was gathered that the one- storey building housing the female nursing students of the hospital was gutted by fire which started around 11.00am.

The inferno was reportedly caused by restoration of public power supply by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

One of the affected students who would not want her name in print said, “we were at the hostel at about 11.00am when PHCN restored power supply to the hospital. ‘’Before we knew it, the ceiling was already on fire.

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

Many students were not in the hostels when the incident happened. In fact many of our belongings including credentials have gone as a result of the fire.

She added, “The timely intervention of the Fire Service really helped. When we called them, it did not take them five to 10 minutes to arrive. If not, nothing would have been saved.

“Many of us lost our credentials, valuables including money.

The hospital Public Relations Officer, Sunday John Ali confirmed the incident.

He said fire fighters and other security operatives rescued the situation.

Ali stressed, “We thank God that no life was lost in the incident, but some of the students lost some of their belongings, including cash”.

He said affected students will be relocated to another hostel pending the outcome of investigation into the cause of the fire.

8

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News

Over 500 ghost workers found in Abia LGAs A

BIA Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Emma Nwabuko, said his ministry has identified over 500 ghost workers in the local government system. He said this was one of the means unscrupulous

From Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia

council workers have been misappropriating government funds. By plugging this waste pipe, several millions of naira may have been saved, he said.

Nwabuko assured that

those who have been identified as ghost workers and those who have been siphoning government funds through such fraudulent means are being investigated, adding that the panel will make its findings public soon.

Speaking with news-

men in Umuahia, Nwabuko said the introduction of the biometric data capture machine has helped the state government to identify ghost workers.

Nwabuko said that the identification of the ghost workers and the plugging

of the holes through which funds are stolen have made the state government to save several millions naira. Such funds he said, will be ploughed back into the system to help in developing rural areas.

He recalled that when the biometric data capture

machine was introduced, many workers resisted it, “because they use unscrupulous means to steal money from the system and since the state governor, Theodore Orji decided to put a stop to it that is why they are resisting it”.

Police parade fraudsters for duping Rev. Sis of N1.4m

T

HE police in Abia state, at the weekend, paraded a gang of fraudsters for duping a Reverend Sister (names withheld) of N1,180,000 and $1,650, totalling about N1.4m after she innocently boarded a taxi in Umuahia.

The police said the gang of fraudsters, whose operation style is popularly known as ‘one chance,’ specialised in duping unsuspecting commut-

From Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia

ers of their money and other valuables while playing on their psyche.

According to the police, the nabbed syndicate usually operates in a taxi cab with some of its members pretending to be passengers or planted at strategic bus stops to help deceive unsuspecting passengers.They would make empty promises of sudden wealth, if victims

would partner in a business deal.

Parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Bala Hassan, said the victim was heading for American Quarters at Umudike, near Umuahia, when she boarded the evil taxi, but “ended up seeing herself at Ntigha Okpuala in Isialangwa South Council Area, after being allegedly hypnotised”.

She was asked to deposit the said money by the gang

who promised to introduce her to a business deal that would earn her great dividends only to realise though belatedly, that she has been duped.

When it became obvious she was dealing with dubious characters, she quickly alerted the police who stormed the place and picked up three of the hoodlums while others fled.

One of the suspects,

Uluoma Alozie, 38, claimed they were not robbers but only earning their living through “game” (gambling).

Alozie said their victims ‘’are all greedy people’’ and had no moral justification to cry foul as they (victims) succumbed to their tricks to get rich quick. He dismissed claims that they were “charmed”.

He said that the Rev Sister fell victim to their game plan

Kaduna is polio free-Yakowa

K

ADUNA State has been free of wild polio virus since 2009, Governor Patrick Yakowa, has stated.

He attributed the feat to vigorous campaigns and efforts of stakeholders.

Yakowa spoke yesterday at

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

the Free Polio Touch campaign at the government house, Kaduna.

The Governor said that though the state is now free from polio, it cannot afford to

ignore the campaign because surrounding states are still not free from the virus.

On measures to maintain the clean slate, he said “I have directed all the Local Government Councils in the State to ensure regular meetings of

the Local Government Task Force on Immunisation and engagement of stakeholders, especially traditional and religious leaders in the campaign against polio in their respective areas.

“To ensure that Kaduna

No place for polio in Anambra G

OVERNOR Peter Obi of Anambra State has said his administraition must continue to do everything possible for the state to remain polio-free.

He said this yesterday during the kick off of third edition of polio eradication campaign at Nibo Health Centre. He called for the continued support of relevant stakeholders.

Earlier, in a radio and television broadcast, Obi had called for collective efforts to sustain the Polio-free status of Anambra State and achieve the target of reaching over two million children. The governor

FCT compensates families of accident victims

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HE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) passenger insurance welfare Scheme recently paid the sum of N310,000 to eight passengers and their next of kin.

In a statement by the Director Operations, Charles Ukpa, the welfare scheme is compensating family of accident victims belonging to Eagle Line Transport Company Limited, and Kwara Express Transport Company Limited.

It would be recalled that these vehicles were involved in separate accidents along Lokoja Okene, and Kabba road, Kogi State respectively on December 22, 2011 and January 17, 2012, recording one death and leaving several others various degrees of injuries.

According to Ukpa, “The passenger insurance welfare scheme was contacted by both company managers and a team from the office of the FCT staff was sent immediately to the scenes of the accident to verify the accident reports”, adding: “Since the inception of the scheme, several passengers have benefitted immensely from the welfare packages the scheme offers, compensation to victims ranges from minor injuries to death. Thus the next of kin of passengers involved in road mishap are given financial assistance such that the burden of having to

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

handle all expenses is reduced.”

Ukpa enjoined members of the travelling public resi-

dent in the FCT to avail themselves of the insurance cover offered by the FCT, stressing that they should endeavour to fill the forms before embarking on any journey.

said it was the right of every child to be immunised and the duty of parents to ensure that children were immunised.

He assured that government is doing everything possible to ensure that the set goal of this exercise is achieved through prompt release of funds for immunisation activities. Other logistics, he said, are being provided to ensure that the younger generation are stronger, fit and lived fulfilled lives, free from disability and have opportunity to distinguish them in life.

State continues to be poliofree this year and beyond, the Kaduna State Government has decided to identify and honour people who have positively influenced and advanced the polio eradication initiative in their respective domains. ‘’The people to be honoured today are going to be the polio ambassadors of Kaduna State.

“I therefore wish to charge those that are going to be decorated today as Polio Ambassadors to continue to support the polio eradication initiative in their respective constituencies.’’

Commissioner for Health Turaki Kalik said “since the beginning of this administration, Kaduna State has not been infected by the poliovirus.

There were also contributions and support of various stakeholders, which have contributed to this tremendous success.’’

because she was greedy and wanted to make more money.

However, another member of the gang, Miss Nwakaego Benson, 25, confessed but begged for pardon while blaming it all on the devil and the need to make ends meet.

Benson said the operation was her first outing and explained she decided to join the gang as a last resort following the hardship that engulfed her after her textile business packed up.

Paraded also was a fiveman gang of suspected robbers arrested at Umuikaa, also in Isialangwa. The police, acting on a tip off, raided their hideout as they were allegedly ‘’ planning to assassinate an innocent citizen of the state for a cash of N1.6 million’’.

The gang, according to police, was responsible for several robbery and assassination incidents in some parts of the state in recent times.

The police also paraded the ring leader of another robbery gang who attacked one Corporal Coleman Obilor attached to Police College Oji River Aba, and disposed him of his GSM set and a sum of N3000.

The police boss, Hassan, used the occasion to restate the commitment of his men to make the state uninhabitable for criminal elements.

He solicited the continued cooperation of members of the public through volunteering of useful information that could help track down hoodlums.

NEWS REVIEW

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Several days ago, the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) broadcast a tape purportedly from the extremist Islamist sect Boko Haram. Olayinka Oyegbile examines the making of a hoax and the fallout.

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N Tuesday night Nigerians who watched the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) 9pm news witnessed the broadcast of a videotape purported to have been sent to the station by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram. In the tape two people were shown with their faces covered with masks and a voice which claimed to be speaking for the group made some demands.

The group claimed that it has accepted government’s offer of an olive branch and is ready to enter into dialogue with it. It named some individuals as its representatives to meet with government team whenever such is raised.

Those named were Sheik Abubakar Gemuno, Dr Shettima Ali Monguno, Senator Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, Alhaji Junaidu Idris and a woman, Aisha Al Wakil.

According to the NTA tape, the group said, “The decision taken by these men (members) can bring a change to the entire situation.

Their word is our word. We trust and respect them.”

Among the four names put forward by the group, Dr. Monguno is a well known First Republic politician who is widely respected across the country, while AbbaIbrahim, former governor of Yobe State is a serving senator. The three other names are not well known nationally.

Gemuno, is a cleric, while little else is known about Idris, and the only female, Wakil.

However, the group described Wakil as “a peace broker who is also our mother.” There have been lots of talks about those listed by the group as its ‘face’, as many have been asking questions and wondering whether those named had been in contact with the group all along. For instance, the group appears to have so much faith in Wakil by addressing her as “our mother.”

A source close to AbbaIbrahim told journalists at the weekend that he had not been contacted by the group or anyone over his nomination. The source quoted the former governor as saying he was ready to help in the talks “If the negotiations would bring lasting peace in the country, stop the shooting, bombing and killing. I will be prepared to participate.”

Unanswered questions over NTA’s Boko Haram tape He, however, added: “I wish I knew those who are said to have named me to get involved in the negotiation.”

He dismissed any link with the group saying, “If the sect members want me to get involved in the negotiation with the government, they needed to contact me before going on air to name me and others.”

The senator who did not turn down the offer added that his choice by the group might have been based on his openness and credibility.

According to him: “If they say they respect and like me, they should be free to come out because Nigerians know that I ran an open door policy in my days as governor. You didn’t need protocol to see me. Nigerians know me as a bridge-builder, peace loving, a peace maker and a detribalised Nigeria who will go to any length to ensure unity and peace in Nigeria.”

Pinch of salt But since the broadcast of the controversial tape people have been asking questions as to its authenticity, and suggesting the message should be taken with a pinch of salt.

The first doubt that was cast on the veracity of the tape was from the another spokesman of the group who claimed that the tape was not from Boko Haram and that all the claims contained in it were false. This view was corroborated by an independent analyst who does

not want his name in print.

He told The Nation that his own reading of the whole thing was to dismiss it as a sham and a melodrama staged by some smart security operatives who want to convince those in power that they were working. According to him: “The manner in which the tape started was suspicious. I felt the tape was a ruse because its opening statement did not in any way tally with the signature of the Boko Haram group. If you watch all the tapes that have been sent in the past by the group they start by mentioning the name of the group, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad. But the one played on NTA said something like “We the group known as Boko Haram...” This to me is the first alarm raiser.” The second, according to the analyst who is a linguist with specialisation in Discourse Analysis, is that the usual Muslim greetings (A salam alaikum) which usually opens all its messages was absent in this particular video tape.

Others have equally faulted the genuineness of the tape. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) after its weekly meeting on Wednesday also expressed doubts about the tape. Speaking after the meeting, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said “It could be false (the tape). We don’t just take it on the pages of newspapers because you reported a story,

whether it is NTA, radio or video. It takes more than that to establish the veracity of a claim.”

The question many are asking is why did the NTA not verify its source and call in experts to analyse the tape before it was broadcast?

Many believe the station was naive in its action and was in too much of a hurry to give the colour of a scoop to something it should have exercised more caution or judgment over before airing.

Another respondent who said he was familiar with how the broadcast station deals with unsolicited tapes also felt there was something amiss for the station to have allowed the tape to be aired.

He was therefore not surprised that the State Security Service (SSS) officers visited the station to demand for the tape. According to him, this is what the station should have done in the first place. It should have approached the SSS to seek its views which should have been aired along with the story.

He pointed to the practice by other international broadcast stations and how they deal with such matters. “If the CNN or Al Jazeera is to broadcast such tapes they would normally tell viewers that they had not been able to independently confirm the claims in the tape. “Why didn’t NTA do this?” he asked.

On the other hand, Tunde Akanni, who teaches Journalism at the Lagos State

University (LASU), Ojo, is of the view that what the NTA did was professional and that the SSS went beyond its brief by invading its offices and seizing the tape. According to him, it shows how deficient those who manage our security agencies are in terms of disseminating information and making the media understand the import of what security entails.

He draws a parallel with what obtains overseas - especially in the United States of America, where security agencies from time to time brief senior media officials on issues of security and how to deal with such sensitive matters in the media.

Akanni wondered if any of the many security agencies

have thought it fit to parley with media managers since the Boko Haram crises started.

He also faulted the details given in the media by the security agencies when Kabiru Sokoto was arrested, “Who are they trying to impress by telling us that they tracked him down with the aid of GPRS? That is overzealousness and not necessary.”

In condemning the invasion of the NTA headquarters and the confiscation of the tape by the SSS, the university don likened the action to what the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) did to the Africa Independent Television (AIT) when it exclusively reported the plane crash at Lisa, Ogun State.

After the plane crash, while the aviation authorities were saying the crashed aircraft had been sighted in Kwara State, the AIT whose reporter was the first to get to the site had beamed it to the nation that it actually went down in Ogun and not Kwara State as claimed by the authorities. He said rather than blame NTA the security agency should have explored how to work with the station to see if it could lead to those who dropped the tape. He concluded that it is the business of journalists to report and that of security agencies to ensure people are secure in their day to day activities.

It is still unclear what the SSS wants to do with the tape and how the seizure would help in its investigations.

The SSS through its spokeswoman Marilyn Ojar, has however denied the seizure of the tape. She told journalists on Friday night after the agency paraded Kabiru Sokoto, the Chief suspect of the Madalla bombing who was rearrested in Taraba State that, "When NTA got possession of that tape, they called us to find out what they were going to do with the tape. The D.G was not in the office at that time, and so I told the Director of News to hold on to the tape until I got clearance from the DG."The NTA ignored this and ran the story.

THE PEACEMAKERS Shettima Ali Monguno Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno, 86, was a member of the Nigerian parliament in the First Republic. He was Federal Minister for Air Force and Internal Affairs (1965-66); Federal Commissioner for Trade and Industries (1967-71); Minister of Mines, Power, Petroleum and Energy (1972-75) and the president of OPEC (1972-73). He is chairman of Borno Elders and Leaders of Thought (BELT) Forum, was has severally called for dialogue with Boko Haram.

Bukar Abba Ibrahim Alhaji Bukar Abba Ibrahim, 62, was governor of Yobe State from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007. He also served as governor of the state from January 1992 to November 1993. He is a member of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). He is presently serving as a senator in the National Assembly.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News Review

Madalla bomber’s return to captivity and M Protests greet Nyako’s return

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ROTESTS by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) greeted the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),on Sunday,of Admiral Murtala Nyako of the PDP, as the winner of last Saturday’s governorship election in Adamawa State.

Nyako, one of the five governors sacked by the Supreme Court three weeks ago on the grounds that their tenure expired in May last year,was credited by INEC with 302,953 votes or 44.22% of the total votes.

Engineer Markus Gundiri of ACN got 241,023 votes (35.1%) while Brig-Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa came a distant third with 107,546 or 15%.

The ACN said the election was characterized by irregularities masterminded by the PDP.It said the result sheets were tampered with and vowed to challenge the result at the election tribunal.

The CPC said: “ “The oddity of this electoral outcome is seen in the mismanagement by the PDP administration in the last four

years, especially in the naked abuse of executive powers: the pauperised citizenry has been adjudged as electing the same oppressive regime!”

According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, the CPC is disappointed by the outcome of the election.

It said: “The CPC, having reviewed the electoral process leading to the declared results of the last governorship election in Adamawa State, believes it falls far short of acceptable standard for fairness.

“The ruling PDP, preying on the endemic poverty that its successive 12 years of governance of the state has foisted on the people, shamefully embarked on monetary inducement of the voters and law enforcement agents. The arrests made were those of the opposing parties’ agents that openly showed disapproval!

“In most parts of Gada Local Government Area, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to return CPC agents’ forms, thereby allowing the PDP to substitute with its agents to corrupt the process…”

MEND back to the trenches

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HE Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said on Sunday it had returned to the trenches after attacking an AGIP truck line in Brass,Bayelsa State.

In claiming responsibility for the attack,MEND said it was to serve as “reminder of our presence in the creeks of the Niger Delta and a sign of things to come.”

It also said it was the brain behind the recent attack on the house of the Minister of Niger Delta,Elder Godsday Orubebe in Delta State.

It threatened to attack South African investments in Nigeria on account of whatit called the interference of President Jacob Zuma in the fight for justice in the Niger Delta,a veiled reference to the ongoing trial of Henry Okah in Johannesburg.

It said: “British Ppetroleum is prepared to pay $25billion

compesation for the Gulf of Mexico oil spills,yet for worse spills in the Niger Delta,our people are paid with death at the hands of the Nigerian military.

“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) understands the negative impact our assault on the Nigerian oil industry will have o the ordinary citizenin a country which relies almost entirely on one source of revenue.”

The Joint Military Task Force condemned the attack and declared seven persons wanted in connection with the AGIP attack.

The suspects are: Friday Burutu, Lord Onipa, Robinson Agadugu, Eyala Karo, Stanley Udorie, Para Ekiye and Rasmus Omukoro.

It said the suspects and their cohorts “are out to swindle Niger Deltans by appropriating the identity of the erstwhile leadership of MEND to advance their selfish interest.”

OBITUARIES Chief Matthew Tawo Mbu Nigeria’s youngest ever minister

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HOUGH a lawyer by profession.it was in politics and diplo macy that Chief Mbu made his prized name.For much of his political career he was a disciple of the Late Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe be it in the NCNC of the First Republic or the NPP of the Second Republic.He was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the NCNC in 1952 from where he was made Labour minister in 1954.A year later he was made Nigeria’s High Commissioner to London in what marked the beginning of a remarkable switch to the diplomatic world.Chief Mbu returned to the House of Reps in 1960 and this time was made Minister of Defence in charge of the Navy and in 1966 became the country’s Representative in Washington DC.He also served as Ambassador to Germany and Foreign Affairs Minister between January and November 1993.He was also at different times Chairman,Eastern Nigeria Public Service Commission and member,Constituent Assembly (19771978).He died in London on Monday,aged 82.

TURKISH LAWMAKERS RESOLVING NATIONAL ISSUES • Turkey's ruling AK Party (AKP) lawmaker Muhittin Aksak (R) and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Mahmut Tanal (L) scuffle during a debate at the parliament in Ankara late February 8, 2012.

Photo: REUTERS

Boko Haram hits Kano, Kaduna

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HE Islamic sect,Boko Haram,struck at the Dalet Barracks of the One Division of the Army in Kaduna on Tuesday when a suicide bomber drove into the barracks. His Toyota Sienna bus was however shot at by guard soldiers after he coasted through the first gate of the fortified military base.The bus exploded once it was

hit by the bullet.

Residents ran for their lives with soldiers cordoning off the scene.

The major road leading to Zaria and Lagos roads was blocked, creating heavy traffic in the area.

Later that night,soldiers stormed a house at Mariri Quarters

on Maiduguri Road, believed to be a hideout of Boko Haram members.A confrontation son ensued between the soldiers and the fundamentalists.

A large cache of arms and ammunition including AK 47 rifles and explosives, was recovered while six suspects were arrested.

Professor Sam Aluko Committed Awoist and renowned economist

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RINCIPLE meant one thing to Pro fessor Samuel Adepoju Aluko:principle.He stood by what he believed in no matter what others thought of his action.Which explains why he was one of the first lecturers at the then newly established University of Ife to resign after the Akintola Administration in the old Western Region asked all the institution’s lecturers to work for the NNDP in an up coming election.He gave the statutory three months notice but the government of the day would not hear of it.He was paid off and told to vacate his official quarters within 48 hours.Aluko was undaunted even when thugs of the ruling party began intimidating his family.He soon relocated to the University of Nigeria where he defiantly haboured his soulmate ,Professor Wole Soyinka after the playwright had been declared wanted by the police following his famous invasion of Radio Nigeria,Ibadan.The events leading to the outbreak of the Civil War met Prof Aluko in the East whose head, the late Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu sought out the economist and in no time the duo became close friends.Aluko recounted in later years his intimacy with Ojukwu,including his efforts to dissuade the Biafran leader from seceeding.Principle also made him serve as economic adviser to the late military head of State,General Sani Abacha.He said he had no regret whatsoever for his action,stressing that he served Nigeria and not Abacha. He was aged 83.

Alhaji Abdullahi Sanusi Dantata Shrewd businessman

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BDULLAHI Sanusi Dantata belongs in the dis tinguished class of Nigerian men and women who could truly be called business tycoons.

He was born into the wealthy family of the late Sanusi Dantata in September 1945 and wet straight into business after his formal education. Starting with produce buying, Abdullahi soon tried his hand in transportation, farming, manufacturing and construction.

Dantata and Sawoe, the engineering construction firm he established with some Germans, is one of the largest in the country. He died in Germany last Tuesday.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News Review

nd MEND’S resurrection A sect and its damage to North’s economy-FG

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HE Federal Government drew attention, on Wednesday, to the massive damage being done to the economy of the North by the Boko Haram through its insurgency.

Information minister, Mr.Labaran Maku, briefing reporters at the end of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council said the economy of the north is now on the brink of collapse occasioned by the incessant attacks of the sect.

He cited the attacks on Kano which he said has reduced the north’s commercial nerve centre to a shadow of it’s former self.

“If a part of this country is in need of peace today, it is northern Nigeria. From all statistics, we are still behind in infrastructure, in literacy level and in industrialisation,” the minister said, adding: “So we need peace and this peace will only be made possible when all stakeholders are involved.

“The attack on Kano is so significant because Kano has always been the commercial centre of Western Sudan for the past 500 years. Ever before the evolution of Nigeria, Kano was the centre of economy of the North and the economy of Niger Republic. And it is the economy of Chad. It is the economy of northern Cameroun.

So when you destabilise peace in Kano, you threaten the foundation of economic and social well being.”

The week in quotes “Does he (President Jonathan) believe that he would be spared if—for once—Nigerians take to stone throwing as a preferred mode of expressing displeasure with mediocre leaders?”

—Social critic Okey Ndibe, on President Goodluck Jonathan’s threat to join Bayelsans in stoning the PDP governorship candidate, Seriake Dickson, should he fail to perform if elected as governor in yesterday’s election.

“Federalism is not an excuse for the high cost of governance. It is a question of leadership.”

—Former Finance Minister, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu at the pre-National Conference brain-storming session in Lagos last Monday.

“One can never be sure-going by the deceptive nature of the PDP-that the kind of appointment now being offered to Malam Ribadu is being made in good faith or just to get credible people to launder the government’s badly damaged image and credibility.”

—Lai Muhammad, ACN National Publicity Secretary on Malam Ribadu’s appointment as head of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force.

“This, therefore, is a national call. In answering it, I go back to the template of my own parents who taught me that honest public service is the greatest asset a person can offer his community.”

—Ribadu on accepting his appointment as the task force head.

Lagos hosts pre-National Conference brain-storming

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OR two days-Tuesday and Wednesday-eminent Nigerians gathered in Lagos to brain-storm on Sovereign National Conference.

The session which had in attendance the likes of foremost constitutional lawyer, Professor Ben Nwabueze, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Olu Falae,

Olorogun Felix Ibru, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Dr.Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Obong Victor Attah, Malam Sehu Sani and Alhaji Shettima Yerima, identified systemic corruption, insecurity of live and property, poverty and infrastructural deficiencies, lack of credible electoral process and

CAPTURED

Kabiru Sokoto re-arrested

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ABIRU Abubakar Dikko, also known as Kabiru Sokoto and Kabiru Umar, Boko Haram member linked to the Christmas Day bombing of the Catholic Church in Madalla near, Abuja, that killed 43 people and wounded 73, has been captured.

He was arrested in Taraba State, Marilyn Ogar, spokeswoman for the State Security Service (SSS), said in Abuja. Dikko had escaped from police custody on Jan. 16, two days after his initial arrest.

“Kabiru was picked up from where he was hiding at the residence of an accomplice,” Ogar said.

clueless leadership of state institutions as some of the issues constraining national development.

Participants deplored the “deteriorating state of insecurity “ in the country and condemned the “senseless killing of defenceless Nigerians in different parts of the country.”

•Ndibe

•Idika-Kalu

NOW OPEN

Dangote unveils massive cement facility

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ANGOTE Cement, Nigeria’s biggest listed firm, Thursday commissioned a $1 billion cement plant in Ibese, Ogun State. The plant with capacity to produce 6 million metric tonnes of cement per annum is said to be the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa.

Aliko Dangote who spoke at the commissioning which was attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, said, “With the commissioning of the Ibese plant, Nigeria has been transformed from major importer of cement to self sufficiency in production and export.”

Islamic Bank takes off Jaiz Bank Plc on Friday kicked off operations, opening its doors to the public for non-interest Islamic commercial banking in Nigeria. The bank unveiled its operation simultaneously at its headquarters in Abuja, and in Kaduna and Kano.

This is coming after over five years of going public to raise fund for capitalisation.

•Lai-Mohamed

•Ribadu

BANNED

No cellphones in Delta schools

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ELTA State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, during the week banned the use of GSM phones by school children in public primary and secondary schools in Delta State. He said use of mobile phones by pupils bred indiscipline as it distracts their attention from the main focus of academic pursuit. School head are to seize such phones from the p u p i l s henceforth.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News Review

Boko Haram: Jonathan should tell Nigerians the truth –Balarabe Musa Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Second Republic governor of old Kaduna State and leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) leader says the Federal Government and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) know more about the violent organisation than they are telling Nigerians.

He also says demands for a sovereign national conference are not practical. He spoke with DARE ODUFOWOKAN during the week.

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OU were in Lagos for the pre-national conference summit. What informed your participation?

Well, the meeting was a summit towards preparing for a national conference. It was meant to pave the way for the sovereign national conference. My participation was informed by the fact that some of us have been busy trying to find a way forward for Nigeria, especially at this very crucial time.

So you don’t share the position that the call for a sovereign national conference at this time is diversionary?

In the first place, we ended up dropping the idea of a sovereign national conference.

Why? It is not practicable because Nigerians don’t want to engage in a process that can truncate the current democratic experiment. A sovereign national conference means there must be an interim administration that will see to the sovereign national conference. Under the current situation now, that is not possible. So, the summit settled for a national conference. That is a conference of stakeholders in Nigeria to decide the way forward. It is

•Musa

actually a continuation of a process that started since 1994. You recall we had the first ‘All Politicians’ Summit’ in 1994. This one is a continuation of that very summit.

You can call it if you like, the second ‘All Politicians’ Summit. And even what we had in Lagos is merely a preparation for the said summit. In 1994 it was really a summit of all politicians. The Lagos meeting, I will say, is a process that will now lead to a national conference.

But some people still feel the call for SNC may actually fuel the tension already existing in the country today?

Unfortunately, I don’t share that view. How can we continue with this negative trend we are now in? How can we continue a government without direction?

How can we continue to flout our very constitution? For example, the provisions of chapter two of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is not being implemented. The country is not moving forward.

Instead of creating positive conditions for growth and development of the nation, we are daily creating new negative conditions.

But are you not scared

It’s a weird world Mozambican woman ‘was raped for walking in field’

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35-YEAR-OLD woman walked through a field in northern Mozambique, near where a group of teen age boys were undergoing their ritual circumcision into adulthood.

Accusing her of trespassing on sacred ground forbidden to women, the traditional leader meted out his punishment: He ordered 17 of his young initiates to gang rape her.

Four of the youths were arrested, but no trial date has been set, Delfino Jose, from Mozambique’s unit for crimes against women told AFP. In Mozambique, many court cases simple fall off the radar and never go to trial.

The case has ripped open a searing debate about women and tradition, in a country lauded for advancing women in politics. The previous prime minister and current parliament head are women, as are 39 percent of lawmakers. Mozambique won the African Gender Award for promoting women in 2009. But this is just window-dressing in a nation where women suffer brutal attacks, said activist Gilberto Macuacua.

that such a conference at this time can lead to the disintegration of the country?

The way government is being run now will lead to the breakdown of the country even faster. Take, for instance, the problem of Boko Haram… Some us who are sufficiently informed will tell you that Boko Haram is not a legitimate Islamic organisation. It is not a Muslim movement. It is an agent provocateur established for the purpose of destabilising Nigeria to achieve the predictions of imperial regimes that Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015 or 2030. Otherwise, why should government be handling it this way? It is also possible that the Federal Government established the group to deal with the opposition. That is why the issue is being handled the way you see it.

Are you saying the Federal Government and or the ruling party may be behind the emergence and activities of the sect?

Yes. We strongly suspect that. For instance now, the handling of the suspects arrested in connection with Boko Haram, proves that government has an interest, otherwise it wouldn’t be han-

dled this way. Secondly, two or three days ago, we heard something very shocking and incisive. The governor of Benue state expressed concern about the infiltration of Benue State by Boko Haram.

Are these reasons enough for you to conclude that there is nothing religious about Boko Haram?

Now if the sect is an Islamic organisation, why Benue which is ninety percent Christians? Is Boko Haram there to attack Christians? The governor went on to allege that political opponents are responsible for the infiltration. Are his political opponents in Benue Christians? So this Boko Haram issue is nothing religious. It is just an agent provocateur to destabilise the country.

But there is a school of thought that says the group is against the President because of his re-election last year…

There is also the possibility that yet another group within the PDP which could not forgive Jonathan for truncating the zoning arrangement of the party, and thereby emerging as President, could be involved too. So, it is high time for them all to tell us the truth so that we can see Boko Haram for what it is. We all heard when Obasanjo spoke about political Sharia. Where is the Sharia now? It is gone because there was nothing religious about it. So it is the same thing. We can have political Boko Haram just as we had political Sharia.

The government says it is now ready to dialogue with Boko Haram. Do you see that as a way out?

If the President truly doesn’t know who Boko Haram are, and what they stand for, I suggest he should work with Muslim leaders and Christian leaders in this country who are already doing something to tackle the problem. Let him bring them closer to himself so that they can help to identify if Boko Haram is a legitimate Islamic organisation because they should know better. The Muslim leaders, with the help of the Christians, they can lay the foundation for peace.

German police use Facebook pictures to nab crooks

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OLICE in the German state of Lower-Saxony will soon use their networks of Facebook “friends” to find missing persons and hunt out suspected criminals, according to the state’s interior minister.

The decision to use social media in manhunts follows the completion of a pilot scheme in the northern city of Hanover last year which drew sharp criticism from data protection groups.

The scheme helped police clear up six criminal investigations and two missing persons cases after identikits of suspects and stills from Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage were circulated on the social networking site Facebook. Two cases were resolved just hours after the information was uploaded to the site.

“Our successes so far clearly show that the police must not shut themselves off from this medium,” state interior minister of Lower-Saxony, Uwe Schuenemann, said in a statement. “The police department in Lower-Saxony can adapt to new trends,” he said. “With a fan page the police is showing itself to be modern and approachable.”

PEOPLE OF THE WEEK NUHU RIBADU Five years after his exit as Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, was named on Tuesday as Chairman of the newly constituted Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force.

The committee is charged with the responsibility of enhancing probity and accountability in the corruption-ridden operations of the petroleum industry. Ribadu, reacting to the barrage of criticisms trailing his appointment by the man against whom he contested the last presidential election said it “is a national call” he had to answer.

KALU IDIKA KALU The Federal Government ,on Wednesday, constituted a task force to revive the nation’s oil refineries with two time minister, Dr.Kalu Idika Kalu as head.

It will, among other things, conduct a high level assessment of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, review all past reports and assessments and produce a Diagonistic report complete with a Change Journey Map

FABIO CAPELLO Fabio Capello,quit his six million pounds a year job as England manager on Wednesday,after disagreeing with the Football Association on the stripping of Frank Lampard of the captaincy.Speaking to a light-hearted Italian TV show, due to be aired on Friday night, the former AC Milan, Read Madrid and Juventus coach also explained that he has no intention of returning to work in Italy.

“I didn’t flee, I left because there was a misunderstanding,” he told Striscia la Notizia,a light-heated Italian TV show.

“I felt great but sometimes you decide to leave.”

Nigerian sues city for $900 trillion–yes, trillion–for placing children in foster care

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NIGERIAN woman in the United States of America is mak ing national headlines after suing the city of West Brighton for $900 trillion, alleging the city improperly placed her two children in foster care. The $900 trillion figure, first reported by the New York Post, certainly is staggering and the standard response so far has been to treat the lawsuit as something of a joke, focusing on the mother’s alleged mental illness.

But I have to agree with the Inquisitr’s Kim LaCapria, who says plaintiff Fausat Ogunbayo, a resident of Staten Island is actually quite clever in choosing to sue for $900 trillion. After all, how many people would be reading about this story and discussing Ogunbayo’s plight had she quietly filed her petition without seeking monetary compensation?

Of course there’s no way she’ll get a settlement remotely approaching that number, if she is awarded anything at all. After all, the entire U.S. has an annual gross national income of just over $14 trillion. Or, put another way, if Ogunbayo was awarded $900 trillion she’d have enough disposable income to pay off the U.S. national debt several dozen times over.

COMMENT and ANALYSIS

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Fuel and Fury: Nigeria’s Molotov cocktail

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ARELY a month into 2012 and Nigeria has unwittingly brewed itself a veritable molotov cocktail. Africa’s most populous state has ushered in to the New Year with a potent mix of fuel and fury, one that threatens to push the country down an incendiary future.

The spate of violence, unrest, and outrage, which has roiled Nigeria in the past several weeks, has at its heart a prodigious wave of discontent now ominously finding expression through a twin-headed conduit - Boko Haram and Nigeria’s disgruntled plebeian class.

The collective force of the two stirred up nationwide protests, ground economic activities to a near-halt, paralyzed oil and energy industry, fuelled fears of sectarian strife and killed over 250 people in January alone. The fuse was first blown when President Goodluck Jonathan’s government announced a complete rollback of oil subsidies on January 1 as part of its efforts to rein in mounting national debt and boost the economy.

While the reform was a long-pending recommendation by the International Monetary Fund, the manner in which it was implemented wasn’t. Instead of rolling back oil subsidies in gradually introduced phases Jonathan’s government pulled the rug without warning. Fuel prices spiked overnight by 110% in a country where three fourth of the 160 million populace still lives under $2 a day. Nigerians exploded in collective fury.

In a fierce showdown with the government hundreds of angry protesters took to the streets in nationwide rallies, often threatening to turn violent, and subsequently prompting a military deployment.

In unison trade unions across various sectors went on an industrial strike for over a week, the longest Africa’s second largest economy has ever seen, causing a loss of $1.2 billion to the national coffers.

About the same time, discontent of a different variety went on a spectacular display. Boko Haram, fast emerging as Nigeria’s indigenous Taliban, started the year with a bigger bang than it ended the previous one with. After killing nearly 40 people in multiple bombings on Christmas day, the radical Islamic sect launched a fresh wave of vicious attacks across the country in January killing hundreds, including 185 in Kano alone.

The rising frequency and ferocity of its violent campaign in the last two years has not only morphed Boko Haram into Nigeria’s immediate national security concern, the international community is shifting uneasily as well amid growing evidence the group shares ideological and spiritual links with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

The attack on UN’s Nigerian headquarters in Abuja last August looked more sophisticated than any Boko Haram was ever known to have executed.

More worryingly, a recent UN report strongly suggests Boko Haram and Somalia’s al-Shabaab may have access to “large quantities of weapons and ammunition from Libyan stockpiles” smuggled in to the Sahel region during Libya’s civil war.

This binary combination of turbulence does not bode well for Nigeria. For one, history is not on the side of its profoundly fractured society. Ethnic and religious cre-

Lekan Otufodunrin lotufodunrin@yahoo.com 08050498530 (SMS only)

The merger of TASUED and OOU

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•Kano bombing

By Nishtha Chugh

vasses, a legacy of its colonial past and the 1967 civil war that killed over a million people, run deep in Nigeria.

The Muslim-Christian divide in the country can be geographically mapped between a poor largely Muslim North and oilrich mainly Christian South – a fault-line that bears a colossal impact on political, socio-economic and cultural spheres in Nigeria.

From power sharing arrangements to distribution of oil wealth and food production, the transactions between the North and the South are brittle and precariously exposed to mercurial religious sentiments. (Interestingly, a BBC survey in 2004 had found Nigeria to be the “most religious country in the world, with 90 percent of the population believing in God and willing to die for their respective religion.”)

Albeit, seven years late but Boko Haram came to understand the fragility of this balance and is now pounding on it with brutal force. The group, which condemns western education and rejects modern science including the Darwinian theory of evolution, upped its ante in 2009 after lurking on the fringe for several years since its foundation.

Boko Haram’s jihadi ideology in general and detestation for western influence in particular can be traced back to 100 years ago when Sokoto caliphate spread across what is now northern Nigeria fell under British control. However, its present objective is to dislodge the Nigerian government and establish a shariah-abiding Islamic state in its place.

It comes as no surprise then that the military campaign against ‘terrorist outfit’ Boko Haram authorized by President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the South, has come under sharp criticism in the North and is largely viewed as politically and religiously-motivated. His government has set aside a staggering 20 percent of the 2012 budget toward national security.

Arguably, Islamic Boko Haram’s resentment toward the Christians is also symbolically directed at their comparatively more

“Southern part of the country may score higher on socio-economic indices than the ‘marginalised’ North but Nigerians all across the country are growing weary of their venal political class, lack of opportunities, a deeply corrupt system and widening gulf between the haves and have-nots”

prosperous Southern abode. As history has amply shown, inequalities, however miniscule, look amplified when viewed through a sectarian prism.

So how have a radical group and a popular backlash added up to become Nigeria’s latest quagmire? To connect the dots, recent popular outburst over oil subsidy is not entirely different from Boko Haram’s brand of disgruntlement. In many ways both upheavals are symptomatic of a deeper malaise that has beset Nigeria for decades.

Southern part of the country may score higher on socio-economic indices than the ‘marginalised’ North but Nigerians all across the country are growing weary of their venal political class, lack of opportunities, a deeply corrupt system and widening gulf between the haves and have-nots.

As Africa’s top oil producer, Nigeria has a daily output of nearly 2.5 million barrels of crude, which also accounts for 40% of the annual GDP. However, proceeds from the country’s vast oil exports are yet to trickle down to the lowest rung of the society especially in the poorer North, the home to Boko Haram and its sympathisers. According to UNESCO’s Global Monitoring Report, over 80% of the Nigerians live in poverty in stark contrast with their country’s petro-dollar wealth.

The Nigerian government’s own official estimates put 22 percent of the population as unemployed, many of them with higher education degrees. Not surprisingly this is reflected in Boko Haram’s rank and file; most of its recruits are university students and jobless graduates. Health, education and power sectors are equally moth-eaten and haven’t seen any substantial improvement in years, thus providing little in way of boosting common Nigerians’ quality of life.

In accordance with the economic policy recommendations, the Jonathan government rolled back oil subsidies, to the tune of $7.4 billion a year, arguing it would have eventually bankrupted the country. But all economic common sense aside, cheap fuel was the only comfort common Nigerians could count on. Now with that blessing half gone again, the country is only pushed back harder to the wall.

Things need to change in Nigeria. And soon. The behemoth of religious, political and economic grievances is growing larger by the day in this vibrant African nation.

The anger bubbling right under the surface is already beginning to rekindle memories of the 1967 civil war.

If the scale of mass fury on display last month is any indication, Nigeria may well be brewing an indigenous version of Arab Spring in its courtyard.

AST Wednesday, the Ogun State government announced the merger of the Tai Solarin University of Education, (TASUED) Ijebu Ode with the Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago Iwoye.

The decision according to the state government is based on the recommendation of a visitation panel set up to assess the conditions of all the state owned institutions.

Expectedly the merger has not gone down well with students, lecturers and workers of TASUED who are protesting the decision.

Though I do not have access to the full report of the visitation panel, I am inclined to support the government’s decision. As the Commissioner for Information and Strategy rightly puts it “It will be better to have a very good OOU with a good faculty of education, than have two universities poorly funded and equipped.”

Undoubtedly, the country needs more universities to accommodate the large numbers of admission seekers, but that is not a justification for especially state governments to establish universities at will as it has been the case in some states where governors have chosen to play politics with the establishment and citing of higher institutions.

OOU used to be one of the best state universities in the country, but over time the standard of the institution has deteriorated and has become notorious as one of the institutions known not for academic excellence, but cult activities and all kinds of misdemeanour.

Instead of addressing the problems of OOU, part of which was lack of adequate funding to provide necessary facilities and hire qualified staff, the former governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s administration chose to establish another University some kilometres away from Ago Iwoye in Ijebu Ode. There was no justification for establishing TASUED in the first place; if the state government could not meet its obligations in OOU. What Ogun State has ended up with is having two glorified universities which even indigenes of the state are not proud of, and are not their universities of first choice.

If Ogun State really needs another university to meet the high number of indigenes seeking admission, it should be a normal multi-disciplinary institution and not one focused on education alone which after all is not the favourite course for many youths of today.

I am not surprised that 60 percent of the students of TASUED are said to be studying courses not related to education. Obviously to attract more students, the institution must have come up with other courses other than Education which is supposed to be its main focus.

For now, as I had earlier stated, the state government should concentrate on developing OOU to become a top university in the country and spare itself the burden of the competing need of another university.

Instead of protesting the decision, what should bother the students is having quality education and not the name the institution bears. They should be interested in how the merger is implemented without disrupting their studies.

If a wrong decision has been taken in the past, as it is in the case of TASUED, the new government should be bold enough to reverse it as long as it will be in the long time interest of the state and the affected students.

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Ogochukwu Ikeje ohgeeoh@gmail.com 08084235961 (SMS only)

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Comment & Analysis

HAVE had occasion to argue in this space for Igbo unity as a basis for the economic and political survival of the people of the Southeast of Nigeria. For such is the incoherence in the region that its people have not only shot themselves in the foot as a result, but also easily lent themselves to constant ridicule and taunts from their more cohesive partners in the federation. But now, something is happening that lifts the spirits. There is a ray of hope in the sunrise region, thanks to Anambra State Governor Peter Obi. The soft-spoken governor rallied his people, urging them to unite. It happened quite dramatically in Awka, the state capital, recently. It was not a political forum.

And no project was being inaugurated.

Nor was any being inspected. All he had for audience were some senior journalists who hailed from the region, and who were probably bracing up for a long list of achievements while in office, as is the wont of political officers, especially governors.

Then he began to speak. But he did not speak about projects. He said nothing about conquering his opponents. He simply addressed Igbo unity. He stressed the need for a common voice and cohesion that will prioritise individual progress as much as promote regional advancement. As Obi spoke, it became clear that he was not necessarily fired up about sending the Igbo man to the Presidency, as an immediate response to what is commonly referred to as marginalisation. He made the point about

A rallying point for Ndigbo Governor Peter Obi’s timely push for unity in the Southeast Ndigbo having a sense of common identity and belief in themselves. It is that mentality, he reasoned, that will prevent a brother from unduly turning against his brother. That mentality will inspire the Igbo man to support his kinsman even if that kinsman settles for the second-best office of vice-president, rather than the commanding post of the number one citizen, if such a situation develops in, say, 2015.

That sort of leadership mentality has been sorely lacking among the people of the Southeast. And they have paid dearly for it.

Therefore, and quite sadly, a region whose cup is running over, as it were, with human and material resources has, at best, been struggling to remain relevant, with its people almost living apologetically in their own country. The cohesion and passion required to propel the region forward have been in short supply. The only thing that seems limitless is the energy for private enterprise, which in any case some-

times earns the Igbo man ridicule rather than praise. There is a preponderance of village unions and associations but there is little political coherence to make an impact beyond the village square. A region brimming with first-class materials in the country has consistently found itself unable to have a common front at home to act as a platform on which to make an impact on the national scene. The point is made, to the discomfiture of Ndigbo, that if the three regions were required to present a candidate each for a position, the Southeast would be sure to produce up to three or more. In the end the region loses out to infighting and promptly blames it on marginalisation.

I have said on these pages that marginalisation is not half as much a problem for the Southeasterners as regional disunity. I have also tried to remind them that no one will hand them power willingly. They have to fight for it, using scarcely more than the elementary tools of unity and coherence, and love and respect

“Obi made the point about Ndigbo having a sense of common identity and belief in themselves. It is that mentality that will prevent a brother from unduly turning against his brother, and inspire the Igbo man to support his kinsman even if that kinsman settles for the second-best”

for one another. Nothing else will work.

Remarkably, the misfortunes of Ndigbo also approximate to the poor run of the larger country. The overflowing blessings of Nigeria have yet to translate into selfsufficiency, not to speak of leaving a little to export to other nations.

Thankfully, the right leadership sounds are being made. The unity campaign is getting off the ground. But it is not a call for disintegration. It is a campaign for a stronger, more cohesive and coherent region, which will in turn produce a better structured country.

This point was eloquently made last week by a battery of eminent elder statesmen in Lagos. They presented a strong case for sovereign national conference or SNC, a platform on which Nigerians will determine how they should be governed and how they wish to coexist with one another. The eminent personalities also made a good case for regional autonomy, with more powers devolved to the federating units. One of the prominent figures at the summit, Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and one-time presidential candidate, reminded everyone that Nigeria once had three representatives, not one, in London, one from each of the three regions.

Obi’s performance as governor will earn him applause. His dogged efforts in looking after Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu till the death of the Biafra strongman will amplify the applause, as will the governor’s leading role in the burial of the departed leader. But his regional campaign easily makes him a rallying point for the people of the Southeast.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Comment & Analysis

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MEND’s resurgence?

We do not see any need for this. But then, govt should improve on the Amnesty Programme

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HE increasing tendency for aggrieved groups in the country to threaten resort to violence at the slightest excuse seems to be a function of the growing perception that irrational force is the best way to attract the attention of, and extract rewarding concessions from the Nigerian State. One of the unfortunate fallouts of the Amnesty Programme adopted in 2009 by the Administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua to resolve the intractable problem of militant insurgency in the Niger Delta is the impression that the Nigerian State is weak and consequently easily cowed by terror tactics.

This negative view of governments’ seeming impotence against mindless violence has no doubt been reinforced by recent calls for dialogue with Boko Haram, the extremist religious sect that has turned many parts of the North, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, into a veritable theatre of sorrow, blood and death. We will recall that sometime ago, a number of state governments in the South-East actually contemplated offering amnesty to kidnappers, leading many to wonder if the same gesture would not, at that rate, be extended to armed robbers!

It is against this background that we can best explain the new acts of violence perpetrated in the Niger Delta by a group that purports to be the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND). Beyond its threat to cripple the country’s oil facilities until crude oil production reaches zero level, as well as its avowal to attack South Africa’s business interests in Nigeria, MEND has claimed responsibility for recent destructive acts in the region. For instance, the group says the attack on an AGIP trunk line in Brass, Bayelsa State on February 4 was to signal the commencement and escalation of similar assaults in future. Threatening to focus its attacks on security forces as well as those it described a traitor-

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S a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University in New York, I have endured my academic and other concerns diligently without bothering anyone including the Nigerian mission in New York or the US at large. It is nothing new that Nigerian missions abroad are often indifferent to those they are primarily supposed to serve. But what can anyone do in the event of the need for passport renewal and stuff like that? Brace up for the cold disposition of the tin gods at the missions. It was my turn a few days ago in New York.

I walked into the Nigerian Mission there and the conversation below ensued: I: Hello sir Security: What do you want?

I: I will like to reserve a room for an upcoming meeting?

Security: Call this number (He tore a 2-inch paper and scrawled a number on it) I: Thank you, Sir. But in case nobody picks, what do I do?

Security: Drop a voice message I dashed out immediately and called the number. It rang and rang to no avail. Afterwards, it slipped into voicemail and said: “You can’t drop a new message as the message box is filled” Undaunted, I returned to the security man and the conversation resumed.

I: I called the number you

ous indigenes of the Niger Delta, MEND took perverse pride in the attack on the compound of the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, at Ogbabagbene in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The threat to resume violent militancy in the Niger Delta poses a serious danger to the considerable steps towards normalcy achieved in the region in the last few years and must be treated with utmost seriousness by the relevant security agencies. Whatever may have been the weaknesses of the Amnesty Programme, it cannot be denied that it has succeeded substantially in ending violence in the region, restoring the country’s crude oil production capacity and transforming a large number of former militants from armed banditry to productive livelihood. Of course, the scope of the programme can be systematically expanded to encompass more individuals and groups. But any resumption of violence as threatened by MEND, rather than building on current attainments, will drag the region and the entire country back with damaging, almost irremediable, consequences.

A key causal factor for the emergence of armed militancy in the Niger Delta in the first place was the terrible environmental degradation, wide-

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh

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

•Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

spread poverty and dehumanising underdevelopment in the oil-rich region. Ironically, the widespread sabotage of oil facilities, bunkering, kidnapping and other violent acts associated with militancy only served to worsen the problems it was trying to solve. Out of the disaster of militancy, however, have come creative initiatives to address the problems of the Niger Delta such as the establishment of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to accelerate the pace of development in the area. It cannot, therefore, be justifiably claimed that government has been insensitive to the plight of the region.

However, it is obvious that MEND’s threat of renewed violence is not informed by any highminded concern with the developmental challenges of the Niger Delta. It apparently wants to force a negotiation with government as regards the ongoing trial of its leader, Mr. Henry Okah, in South Africa for alleged complicity in the bombings that destroyed lives and property in Abuja during the country’s 50th independence anniversary. This is apparently why it has threatened to attack South Africa’s business interests in Nigeria such as MTN and SACOIL. We condemn this cheap blackmail and urge government to reject it uncompromisingly. We have absolute confidence in South Africa’s judicial system and have no reasons whatever to doubt that Mr. Okah will receive justice in accordance with the rule of law.

The renewed threat of violence in the Niger Delta should remind the Federal Government as well as states and local governments in the region that there is still a long way to go to extricate the area from poverty and boost prosperity. In particular, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the NNDC must intensify their efforts to deliver on their mandates. Transparency and accountability for good governance must be the watchword.

LETTERS gave me now but the signal I got was that the message box is filled so I couldn’t drop a message. Can you give me another number?

Security: There is nothing I can do, even If I let you in, nobody will attend to you. Just go, go and go away…

As the security man railed at me a woman was about entering the building. As if she was sympathetic to my plight, she volunteered: “He is just a security man, so he can’t do beyond what he has done. Actually he has gone out of his way to as-

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T is no longer news that the state of security in our country is deteriorating.

The Boko-Haram menace is proving to be a hard nut for the government to crack.

There are fundamental questions we need to ask ourselves? The Boko Haram claims to be fighting against injustice. What sort of injustice? Is it political, social or religious in nature? It cannot be religious in nature because no one is foisting Christianity as a state religion. It definitely cannot be a fight against social injustice because poverty cuts across regional boundaries in this country.

But if the form of injustice that the Boko-Haram is fighting against is political, then the

Why have permanent missions abroad? sist you, just go away and keep trying the number…” It doesn’t bother them that the first person to be encountered in our mission should have some measure of courtesy?

Six years ago, I was postgraduate student in Belgium and had almost the same experience at our (?) embassy over there. After all these years I could never believe in my wildest imagination that I would

have to go through the same experience in the Nigerian Mission in New York with the large army of staff and a big building.

Our missions have become butts of jokes about embassy staff always extorting money to renew passports and how things never work. One needs to see the staff saunter in and out of the mission, and embarrassing fellow citizens they are supposed serve!

My pain is fresh and my heart bleeds once again for Nigeria, I then remembered a non Nigerian colleague who once needed a national dress and told me she was going to go get one from their embassy. I thought coming from a third world country, her embassy will have none to give her until I saw her in the dress, well ironed. She was resplendent in her national glory.

I looked at her enviously. Then

Insecurity in the land sect should stop chasing the shadows and stop killing poor and innocent souls. May be they should engage the government in meaningful dialogue and sort out their grievances. Another angle to solve the security challenge is for Mr. President to approach those who promised to make the country ungovernable for him during his campaign period and request for terms of truce to unravel these security challenges.

The recent coordinated bomb-blasts which sent scores of innocent souls to their untimely graves in the ancient city of Kano is another wake-up call

for all well-meaning Nigerians that all is not well with the nation’s security system. This unfortunate incident is condemnable and should be seen as coldmurder. The victims were not killed in war front or while participating in any social disorder and yet, angels of death snatched them away from their offices and homes just like that! Yet all we’ve been hearing from the security services chiefs are assurances and empty threats yet the activities of the Boko-Haram sect have become more deadly, daring and set on targets, sometimes with advance notices.

At a time like this when the

Federal Government seems to be helpless in tackling these security challenges, what should be role of our elder statesmen? The scriptures enjoin us to pray for the good and peace of our nation as our President has rightly requested. But our prayers should begin with genuine repentance of our sins in choosing leaders for ourselves not out of primordial sentiments The present socio-economic and political crises that have engulfed the nation are not what the church and the nation as a whole bargained for at the inception of this administration.

President Goodluck Jonathan

it dawned on me that na true, things work in most countries except Nigeria. Imagine going to request for a national dress at any of our missions, what would have happened to me?

If our diplomatic missions can’t be courteous or accommodating to us, the citizens, then it is better imagined how much of sheer drain pipes they constitute to hard earned revenues.

When are things ever going to move forward for us in this country? When will good people be deployed to our diplomatic missions?

By Hidayat HassanKadiri, is a visiting scholar at the Columbia Law School, New York, USA. may mean well and have good intentions for the country but his administration seems to have been hijacked by some political hawks for their own selfish gains and pecuniary purposes Candidly speaking, our Christian leaders should lead this nation in fervent prayers of genuine repentance. In this regard, we are not calling for another political jamboree but a sincere solemn assembly of genuine repentance.

It is now left for us as patriotic citizens to uphold the corporate existence of this nation and seek for God’s timely intervention in our land.

By Oluwagbemiga Olakunle, General Secretary, National Prayer Movement

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Comment & Analysis

On the tempo of re-engineering our unity Ropo Sekoni ropo.sekoni @thenationonlineng.net

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ESPITE subtle reservations about insistent calls for restructuring of the federation, the tempo of demands for sovereign national conference, national conference, or constitutional conference for the purpose of restoring federalism in the country has been moving into higher gears in recent months. While some individuals or groups are emphasizing reasons why there is no need for any form of national dialogue for the nation’s constituent groups to think together on how to optimize their cultural diversity, it now appears that custodians of power in areas traditionally opposed to any national conference are joining their erstwhile opponents in urging the country to do something about its structure before it is too late.

Such groups include General Mohammed Buhari of CPC and General Ibrahim Babangida of PDP. The two are some of the military leaders under whose tenure Nigeria had experienced erosion of its traditional federal character.

As we noted in this column last week, even the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the organization

The call for restructuring should not be expected to lead to allocation of more funds most blamed for resisting any form of national dialogue on the constitution imposed on the country by military dictators, has now, in the most tepid of tones, publicly announced to the nation that it has withdrawn its opposition to sovereign national conference. Only a few days ago, a conference of citizens from various nationalities at what was named a national summit in Lagos has also drawn attention to the imperative of a national conference to re-engineer the country’s unity.

The one group that added its strident voice to the call for re-structuring or what it has chosen to call devolution of powers to the states is the informal forum of governors of most of the states carved out of the former Western Region. It is the call by this group that is the focus of today’s piece. The governors that signed the communiqué deserve to be congratulated, particularly by those of us who voted for them with the hope that they would step up to the plate in the demand for restoration of true federalism.

Governors of the Old West brought bright smiles to the faces of their supporters last week when they publicly called as a group for devolution of powers from the centre to the states. They brought their critics, especially the cynical ones to shame with the communiqué at the end of the Abeokuta meeting.

Those in the Southwest that have been taunting their supporters that

the Southwest governors are not any different from their counterparts elsewhere must have been surprised by the clarity in the voice of the governors in the communiqué. Those that have accused ACN governors in beer parlours, in molues, and through texts to this column of “basically running back and forth to Abuja to position themselves for notice for vice presidential position in 2015 must now be convinced that the governors have not forgotten the recurrent call by their constituents for true federalism. The governors have now demonstrated that they are as committed to restructuring as the citizens that voted them into power. The governors are right on calling for devolution of powers.

But they should not put a lot of hope on allocation of more funds to the states.

The call for restructuring should not be expected to lead to allocation of more funds. If anything, emphasis should be on mobilization rather than allocation of funds. The states need to have the power to raise and keep what should belong to them in a federal system: proceeds from VAT, Sales Tax, revenue from driving license and vehicle registration, special allowances for states with ports that serve the nation for the use of such resources, etc, rather than allocation of funds from the monocrop that should be an issue for discussion at the proposed na-

tional conference.

It must be said that the governors have, with the communiqué of their recent meeting, enriched the discourse on restructuring in the region. In addition, they have also set the right tone for other stakeholders in the region. Individuals and groups in the region that have been preaching that the call for restructuring should be on the front burner in all the states of the Old West should now feel encouraged to support the governors in their own effort to bring federalism back to the country. No group should now feel constrained to invite governors to chair or give keynote speech at meetings that focus on ways and means of returning the nation to a federal system from the unitary constitution imposed on it by successions of military dictators from 1966 to 1999. They should feel that their governors are on the same page with them on the imperative to re-federalize Nigeria.

By their communiqué, the governors from the Old West have pushed the challenge re-federalize the country to legislative houses in the region. There is no doubt that the commitment of the governors to true federalism may not be enough, more so if it is not enriched by support from state legislators. It is now time for state assemblies to adopt the call of the region’s governors for political restructuring. There is an urgent

need to verify the true position of citizens of the region on this important national issue. The state assemblies are in a very good position to do this. Lawmakers need to debate the call for political restructuring raised by the governors in each of the region’s assemblies; take a resolution to call on the governors to conduct a referendum to determine where majority of the citizens of the region lean on this matter.

Doing this is perfectly within the framework of democratic politics. Scotland, one of the regions of the country that amalgamated the three regions of Nigeria in 1914 in imitation of the Act of the Union in Great Britain in 1706, has been taking exactly this approach in its bid to gain autonomy or independence from the rest of the United Kingdom. Using state legislatures to obtain a Yes or NO vote from citizens of the Old West and other regions on the issue of bringing federalism back to Nigeria, may be a much more effective approach than hundreds of summits or rostrum pontifications of self-appointed leaders in various sections of the country.

Conducting a referendum in the Old West is a good way to start moving the struggle for true federalism and a people’s constitution from soap boxes and newspaper columns to the true owners of sovereignty. The example of Scotland is a good practice to adopt to bring federalism back to our country.

Papa (Prof) Sam Aluko goes home in a blaze of glory Femi Orebe femi.orebe @thenationonlineng.net 08056504626 (sms only)

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HAT a ringing celebration of life; what an unending stream of eulogy? Not since Papa Awo , described by the inimitable Ikemba, himself now with the Lord, as the best President Nigeria never had passed on, have I seen anything like it. But on ekitipanupo, that exciting Ekiti intellectual round table, it was, understandably, totally unprecedented. An unparalleled Ekiti icon and national lodestar, the departed Professor Aluko epitomized everything Ekiti: brains, candour, decency, frankness and a glaring inability to suffer fools gladly. He was, for us, the quintessential Ekiti; never one to call a dog by any other name and never unfazed to talk truth to power.

There was no amount of money Professor Aluko could not have walked away from, underpinning his complete incorruptibility. He was human, yes, and could well be very fastidious, but you can bet that must be after he had duly considered every aspect of the matter in hand; the very reason he refused to join a strike by his academic colleagues agitating for a pay rise claiming his own salary was enough. Without a doubt, he was an exemplar.

Once it was confirmed that he had translated unto glory, on a day Nigeria lost three of its truly remarkable elder statesmen, namely Ambassador M.T Mbu, himself and Alhaji Sanusi Dantata, in that order, the dam

of eulogies literally busted open. It was a massive celebration of life for a departed doyen who had served country, state and community with tremendous distinction and aplomb.

Long before I met him in person at the University of Ife in the late 60’s, his name, like that other Ekiti prodigy, Professor Ojo ‘Ugbole’ of the same University, had entered the Ekiti folklore. All both had to do, we were romantically told as children, was to enter a library or a bookshop, pick up a book and by the time they leave after some hours, the whole book had been Xerox-ed in their humongous brains.

On my graduation, however, and working as an Administrative Assistant in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof H.A Oluwasanmi, who, with considerable justification, you could describe as Papa’s alter ego, I came to see him often and actually served as Secretary to some of the Ad Hoc Committees he or Prof Imevbore chaired but with him as member.

With Professor Aluko there was no pretence, no quibbles. He gave it exactly as it was. And here I must give a specific example.

For reasons which he copiously documented in a memo addressed to the Vice-Chancellor but was copied to the Musicologist, Dr Sam Akpabot, Prof Aluko, as Chairman, College of Humanities, felt convinced Sam’s appointment in the Institute of African Studies should not be renewed when it expired a few months down the line.

Although the Vice-Chancellor finally did not approve his suggestion, I would discover a few years later at the University of Ibadan that Prof Aluko , by letting Dr Akpabot have a copy, had demonstrated a rarity within the Nigerian University system where a lot of dubiety exists and still does.

There at the University of Ibadan, a very senior Professor had patented

The call for restructuring should not be expected to lead to allocation of more funds how to overawe even his brainy colleagues. Whether it was the Vice Chancellor, chairing a Senate meeting, or a Dean at the head of a Faculty Board meeting, the trick to have his way was simple. The elderly, and well respected, if not feared , Professor would casually let it drop that when a similar scenario to what was being discussed occurred in 1949, a year after the university was established, that is, this was how the matter was resolved. That often did it as the Vice Chancellor was probably still in his diapers in ’49.

When he wanted to deal with a junior departmental colleague, which was often, the style was unbelievably simple. A query would emerge from his office, as Head of Department, with a copy to the Dean but the original, meant for the staff, would have been neatly shredded. In the query, which the lecturer being set up for the guillotine would never see, he would have been given some 24 hours to respond, failing which he would be duly reported and most probably punished.

That was never Professor Aluko’s way of doing things whether he was dealing with a plebeian or with a Head of State. In one of his newspaper interviews, he gave the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the Petroleum Trust Fund. The murderous general had been dead set on increasing fuel prices but the highly regarded Professor Aluko-led Presidential Economic Advisory Board would not give its support. Indeed, the body stoutly resisted it until a truce was arrived at: the revenue accruing to government from the increase was to be set apart and devoted to a multi- pronged infrastructural de-

velopment of the country. He was never anybody’s clown which was why he was highly respected by Chief Awolowo who, himself never suffered fools gladly. His input to the very successful UPN administration in the Western Regions, and in particular, in then Ondo state where he served as Economic Adviser to the austere Papa Ajasin was unmistakable. He led many economic delegations abroad and given his yeoman’s contribution to the establishment of the Oluwa Glass company, it must have pained him to no end that the company did not justify the huge hopes invested in it.

To Papa’s last days, the Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, ensured that his government’s economic, especially its industrialization, efforts benefitted maximally from his expertise and wealth of experience. It was Papa’s unusual absence from the last week meeting of the State’s Economic Advisory Committee which he chairs that gave the first inkling of his being under the weather.

At the Ekiti State Education Summit which Papa also chaired last year, he was there with us throughout in company of his incomparable companion of over half a century, our Mummy Joyce Aluko, a key member of the trio that taught me all I ever knew in University Administration, others being Chief (Dr) JGO Adegbite under whom I cut my teeth, and the guru himself, the late Chief S.J Okudu who, as Registrar, University of Ibadan, had personally come to fetch me at the University of Ife to drive the mammoth 25th Anniversary celebration of the premier University in ’73.

As Papa goes home in a blaze of glory, hardly would any man be more proud or happier for the legacy he leaves behind, especially the children with whom he had been gifted by God. A truly amazing clan, with children and grand children recording remarkable landmarks in academia, politics and sports nationally and internationally, Papa must be truly grateful to his maker who, from a rustic Ekiti background, took him to the pinnacle of his career and to national and international honour and recognition.

Of this remarkable cast, Professor Bolaji Aluko, a First Class graduate of Chemical Engineering from the Great University of Ife, and now Vice-Chancellor, Federal University , Otueke, Bayelsa State, the beautiful hometown of our ‘shoeless’ President and his brother, Senator Gbenga Aluko, must sure stand out. An absolutely remarkable academic and workaholic, Bolaji is, without a doubt, a class act. Quick on the uptake and literally permanently multi-tasking, Bolaji simply amazes. As facilitator of the Ekiti State Education Committee on which I was privileged to have served, Bolaji demonstrated he could drive you as much as he drives himself. His transatlantic calls could be at any time of night or day. The minute he gets any document that would help, that very minute he is having it inflicted on Professor Dupe Adelabu and yours truly via mails and calls; the very next day he is asking if members already have copies of his copious documentations. This truly is what the Yoruba call ‘Baba ku Baba ku - Papa is gone, but by jove, Baba remains.

To Mama and her over-achieving children and grand children, I say congratulations. You obviously could not have had it better as Papa already rests at the feet of his Lord and Master, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Adieu Papa. Rest till we meet to part no more.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Tunji

Adegboyega tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

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Y the time you are reading this piece, it is not unlikely that the war between President Goodluck Jonathan and the immediate past Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, would have been won and lost, temporarily or finally.

Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might have been declared winner of the gubernatorial election held in the state yesterday.

And he would remain on the seat at least for the next four years, barring any unforeseen circumstances; unforeseen circumstances like the ‘God of Rotimi Amaechi’ of Rivers State intervening in the matter on Sylva’s behalf. If that happens, then Sylva may make it back to the Government House in Yenagoa, even though he did not contest the governorship election. That though, is a very remote possibility; because Amaechi’s case was a miracle and miracles are a rarity.

Amaechi was the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State, going by the party’s primaries in the 2007 election; but the powers-that-be in the party, namely the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, did not like Amaechi’s face and had him substituted with Celestine Omehia who never contested the primaries.

Obasanjo said Amaechi’s candidature had ‘k-leg’. Amaechi went to court.

After months of a frustrating legal tussle with Omehia over who was the validly nominated candidate of the party, the Supreme Court ruled that Amaechi was the ruling party’s

Postscript, Unlimited!

By

Oyinkan Medubi 08187172799 (SMS only) puchuckles7@gmail.com

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DO not take part in arguments, particularly useless ones. Argumentative encounters are usually for me worse than close encounters of the third or fourth kind.

It takes too much effort to pick out the right word that would not leave some legalistic man’s ears too tingly or too prickly. Imagine, for instance, having to prove that snails have ears. Where do you start? You can describe the species to your heart’s content or ask the garden gnome, but I doubt if you’ll leave your audience any wiser.

I know that it would perhaps require an argument to determine just when Nigeria’s rot began: before or after the civil war. There is no doubt though that past governments in this country, before and after the civil war till now, have a great deal to answer for regarding the paths of national consciousness or unconsciousness they adopted for themselves and for us. The former would have led the country out of the dark woods of war into the light of nation building, no matter how dimly. One after the other, like a pack of stacked dominoes, they just could not resist falling over themselves in leading the country out of the light into the dark, rank, abysmally deep woods

Comment & Analysis

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Tower of Babel that cost Sylva his job Isn’t it amazing that a multi-storey hotel project could be priority in underdeveloped Bayelsa? governorship candidate in the 2007 general election, and by implication the winner of the April 14 governorship election. The court ordered that he be sworn in as governor immediately, thus making him the first Nigerian to be sworn in as governor without participating in the election proper.

It is this kind of miracle that can reverse Sylva’s fate because as far as the PDP is concerned, his file has been closed and his fate of returning as governor dashed, perhaps forever.

Sylva has gone to the Supreme Court to ask it to declare him as the PDP candidate for the election held yesterday. The snag though is that the Electoral Act as it is today is quite different from what it was when Amaechi dragged the PDP to court.

The Act has more or less made the political parties tin gods with the power of life and death over who their candidate in elections should be. Whether this is the intension of the law is essentially what the apex court will decide when it delivers judgment.

Be that as it may, Bayelsa has been in the news for some time now, particularly in the last few months. And the issue had centred on who the candidate should be in yesterday’s governorship election

in the state. It would not have been an issue but for the disagreement between President Jonathan and Sylva, which begot the candidacy of Dickson who ran on the party’s platform in the polls.

In what seems like ‘my Mercedes is bigger than yours’ drama, Jonathan and Sylva had been washing their dirty linen in public. Both had engaged in diatribe bothering on ‘my performance is better than yours’. Although it was obvious that there was a big masquerade behind the Bayelsa crisis long before the president opened up, and that the president was the big suspect, things became clearer 10 days ago when the president finally owned up to the fact that he had since parted ways with his state governor. So, we now know that he was the drum sounding beneath the river that was responsible for the dance of hyacinths on the water’s surface. “Everybody knows that in our society, we need development. I was second in command to Alamieyeseigha. One thing I remember is the Tower Hotel. It was not my dream but it was conceptualised under the Alamieyeseigha administration. He discussed with the contractors. It was supposed to be a five-star hotel and it would attract people from all over the

“Presidents hardly quarrel with governors over non-performance in Nigeria. The issue must have been deeper than that. Or, was it not the same Sylva that the President raised his (Sylva’s) hand and spoke glowingly about his achievements in January 2011, saying he has performed excellently well and that the people of Bayelsa should return him as governor?”

world. But now, it is a monument of disgrace. One thing I know is that God is with Bayelsa people,” the President said on February 3 while campaigning for Dickson and his running mate, John Jonah.

I am not a Sylva fan. But then, if all the president would pick as bad governance in the state is Sylva’s non-completion of a hotel, then we can dismiss the case as that of a kettle calling the pot black. Bayelsa is backward in many regards, despite being rich in crude oil. And for years, the world has been made to believe that the entire Niger Delta region had been neglected because the central government decidedly made things so. But what do we now say of a state like Bayelsa in the neglected region having a five-star hotel as a state government priority? The state capital, a friend told me a few years ago, had only one major road. Indeed, my friend even said (rather jocularly though) that if one was looking for someone in the state capital then, all he needed do was ask the person he was looking for to be trekking on that road and that the chances of their meeting were very high! That was how bad things were in the state. And to think that that was a state where the president feels a five-star hotel should be its priority probably shows the kind of trouble and misplacement of priorities Nigerians would suffer under the Jonathan presidency. We are having a taste of that already.

Really, if the president is angry that his state has not made progress in the Sylva years, he is free to so do.

But, how much progress did Bayelsa make during the 17 months that

Jonathan was governor of the state?

The same president who assumed the role of headmaster over Sylva has himself not performed well whether as acting president or substantive president. And that was essentially responsible for the fuel subsidy protests over which Jonathan brought out the troops. As a matter of fact, Nigerians had not got to the stage of threatening to stone the president even though they are united in saying his style and policies were inimical to their well-being, before he unleashed the troops on them.

All the same, I hardly pity people in Sylva’s shoes because I have a feeling that he too might have conspired with some other people (probably including the president when the going was good) to met the kind of treatment Jonathan meted out to him on others. So, he should take consolation in the fact that such is life; it swings like a whip.

However, we are yet to know the real reason the president parted ways with Sylva. Definitely, it cannot be because of the five-star hotel. If the president is accusing Sylva of nonperformance simply because he abandoned the Tower of Babel started by Alamieyeseigha, how many governors do not deserve to be stoned if that were to be the punishment for non-performance? Presidents hardly quarrel with governors over nonperformance in Nigeria. The issue must have been deeper than that. Or, was it not the same Sylva that the President raised his (Sylva’s) hand and spoke glowingly about his achievements in January 2011, saying he has performed excellently well and that the people of Bayelsa should return him as governor?

Time now to seriously get going with our agric by choosing unconsciousness. It soon became a case of who could do it better as the country rolled and roiled from one regime to the other all the while asking: who is responsible for this contradictory contraption here? On account of this, the social services so longed for have failed to make an appearance, particularly agricultural services. You guessed it, I love food.

I still remember the years of OFN –Operation Feed the Nation and the Green Revolution of Obasanjo when the entire nation was commanded to grow something to feed this country. I remember people responding very enthusiastically then. Many got themselves fields to plant food crops, many got ranches to grow cows and chickens on. I went out and got myself pots to grow tomatoes that came from my sink. No, don’t scoff yet. My tomatoes grew but not enough to feed me (now you can scoff). And what with growing a house and children and other things, I gradually forgot about my potted tomatoes and fed instead on other people’s farms. Gradually, the nation also forgot about feeding the nation and the economy continued to suffer.

We are told though that the Nigerian economy is growing (Ha!) by about 7.5% and I want to ask on what exactly? If we measure growth by output, then we need to count the number of times I have purchased cement (e.g. to construct a new hen house) which is nil; or cassava seedlings (e.g. to make garri) which is also nil; or palm kernel fruit (e.g. for some oil) which is again nil; and so on. On the other hand, if we measure the growth by

input, we may stand on surer ground. For instance, I am sure that I now consume a larger amount of rice than before in proportion to my ever expanding body mass index. In other words, it’s the law of demand and supply for me where rice is concerned. Interestingly, I also understand that the entire country has upped its own rice consumption too, up to about one billion Naira worth per day! Honestly, this body mass index thing is terrible; everyone is getting bigger and bigger. Could it be because we all eat more rice? And do we need to eat more rice because we are now bigger? I am confused, I tell you. It’s like the age old riddle: which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Anyway, here we are, everyone is eating rice and few are actually putting their minds to growing a few blades of it. There really should be a revolution in rice eating and growing. I think that if a law were to be enacted that whoever cannot grow rice should not eat it, things might change. And I think we should start with the children. No one eats rice more than those little tikes. And I hear many of them even have favourites too. Seriously.

Many will not eat ‘rice that is not white’, or ‘rice that does not come from a bag’. That means, of course, that they turn up their pert little noses at the idea of eating ‘rice with stones’. Now, that is a to-do.

I like to remember my growing up years. Rice actually featured very little in it since my poor ol’ grandmother only managed to lay her hands on some grains of it once or so a week. Who then could turn up a nose at the grains of sand (I swear they all looked like rice to

me back then) that served the very useful purpose of increasing the substance on the plate? None. So … now what was I talking about before I digressed into the stony country of rice?

Ah yes, we are told that bread also takes a large proportion of our foreign earnings. Now, that is sad.

The truth is that food production in this country is at an incredibly low level because the government has never really encouraged those of us in it (including potted tomato growers). To really encourage us to do something more than eat and get fat, the government needs to put a few things in place.

Farm Communes should be encouraged. I have said again and again that there is nothing more painful to the heart than to travel through the entire countryside in Nigeria and find grasses idling their lives away because no one has deigned to tell them to shift their lazy behinds. A settlement of farms manned by different people working in tandem and directly supervised by government functionaries will do a lot of good for our collective souls. Fear of hunger will knit us together. This again depends on the completion of the revolution taking place in the banks: i.e. bank executive members would have been given complete tutorials on how not to ask for their own ten per cent cut from the loans they give out to these farmers. It is clear though that without the banks, the commune system cannot work.

The private entrepreneurs should also be encouraged to invest in the purchase of the products of these commune farmers. As it stands now, these entrepreneurs

appear to be interested only in quick-yielding enterprises, not buying corn to watch for when it will change colour. I was alarmed to hear that the government is actually building and installing storage facilities to store farm produce.

It would be good if the government workers were known for their ability to actually be interested in the maintenance of such projects. Experience tells us that while such facilities are new, the workers would deem them romantic but would soon lose interest, especially when their salaries are a little tardy… It is only profit-driven individuals who can maintain the nobility of these storage projects, and maybe develop one or two industries along the way to consume the products.

Then truly, something must be done about the Fulani Cattle rearers who value their cattle far above rubies and definitely far above anybody’s crops or life. It seems that they have assumed a national culture of just lobbing off anyone who dares complain that their cattle have destroyed a farm. I have heard so many stories of how cattlemen are judge, jury, and executioner in matters concerning their cattle, exerting (human) limb for (cow) limb, eye for eye, (human) life for (cow) life. And the police look on.

To be sure, agricultural development ensures food security which also in turn ensures national security. To ensure that development, some serious thinking that will hopefully lead to some serious action needs to be done. There are too many of us hungry ones to be rescued who cannot go beyond potted tomato-farming.

18

News Reel

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

•Governor Babatunde Fashola with the Dean, Lagos Business School, Dr Enase Okonedo at the Pan-African University, Lagos, at the weekend.

PHOTO: Omosehin Moses •Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola delivering his lecture “A Tale of Twelve Lessons” at the Third Edition of Project “WHAT NEXT” at the Pan-African University, Lagos, at the weekend.

PHOTO: Omosehin Moses

•Farm produce with burnt patches after a blast at Gombomru local market Maiduguri, Photo: Reuters

•Governor Abiola Ajimobi (right), swearing in former Special Assistant to ex-Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Mr. Oladeji Alabi Olanrewaju, as the Transition Committee Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government (left), Mr. David Olatunde, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet and Special Services (middle) at the weekend.

PHOTO: OYO STATE HOUSE

•L-R Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Commissioner for Works, Funkekeme Solomon and Managing Director, Wokson Construction Company, Chief Willy Oki, during the governor’s inspection of the Udumuogo/Obomkpa road under construction.

•Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), George Uriesi (right) with Chairman, League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) Mr. Chucks Iwelumo at a forum at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

POLITICS

19

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Lobbyists’ threats and oil subsidy probe Members of the House Committee probing the fuel subsidy are currently living in fear following disturbing approach of lobbyists on their trail. Besides endless telephone calls by faceless stakeholders, some of the lobbyists have reportedly approached relatives of the members to help influence the outcome of the probe. Dare Odufowokan, in this report, captures the development and wonders how it would likely affect the probe.

•Tambuwal

M

EMBERS of the Hon. Farouk Lawan-led House of Representatives’ Committee, probing the management of the petroleum subsidy regime, are under intense pressure from lobbyists representing various interests, ranging from politics, business and even private, The Nation learnt during the week.

Already, some of the relatives of the members allegedly approached by such desperate lobbyists are said to be afraid of their lives.

Burdened by such development, The Nation learnt that some of the members had lodged serious complaints to the leadership of the National Assembly. Although assurances have been given to such members and their immediate families, it was learnt, during the week that the leadership of the House may have resolved to tighten security around such members and their relatives so that the probe would not be affected negatively.

The House had, on January 8, 2012, instituted investigation into the management of oil subsidy over the years, during an emergency session held to discuss the removal of fuel subsidy on New Year’s Day

by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sources in the National Assembly told The Nation that members of the committee are now being trailed daily by people who would like to discuss the ongoing probe with them.

Committee members have spoken of how private lobbyists, politicians, government functionaries, traditional rulers and even relatives have trailed them for days and even weeks just to seek one favour or the other concerning the ongoing probe of the petroleum sector.

“Nearly all the committee members have been approached. The intention of those trailing them is the same. They would like the lawmakers to protect one interest or the other as the investigation continues.

Huge amounts of money are daily being offered the lawmakers by these people. Political and business patronages are also being dangles as carrots before them.

But most worrisome to the lawmakers, according to the complaint they made to the leadership of the House recently, is the

•Lawan

fact that some of these people had also attempted to reach the committee members through their relatives. They fear this could prove negative should the lobbyists decide to apply force,” our source said.

Our source added that when the pressure became too intense for the lawmakers to bear, they reported the various incidents to the leadership of the House.

Following the report, an emergency meeting was held between the committee and the body of principal officers led by Speaker Aminu Bello Tambuwal.

At the meeting, the Speaker reassured the members of the support of the entire house and urged them to continue their work without fear or favour.

It was also resolved that the House leadership should call certain individuals within and outside the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to order over alleged acts of interference in the committee’s work.

It was also learnt that some committee members expressed fears over the safety of their immediate and extended families since some people have actually approached relatives of the lawmakers in their bid to get the attention of committee members.

While promising to do something about the matter, the Speaker was said to have expressed his displeasure with the turn of events.

“The Speaker felt it was a terrible development and he said so. He just couldn’t understand why anybody would not be in support of the ongoing probe. On the allegation that top PDP members and some highly placed government functionaries are also involved, the meeting decided that the Presidency and the party leadership should be notified,” our source said.

The source claimed the committee chairman, Hon. Farouk Lawan, was recently summoned by some top functionaries of the ruling party to discuss the probe. “There is even an allegation that some committee members were summoned to the villa at a point,” our source added.

Though members of the committee declined to make any official comment when contacted on the matter, a committee member, who would not want to be named,

admitted that they have approached the House leadership on the need to beef up the security around the committee members and their families.

“There is no doubt that people who could be affected by the probe would want to influence us. But what is worrisome is the fact that our relatives could be exposed by these same people in their bid to get across to us. That is where we are worried. I can tell you that no single member of the committee is afraid of anything as we go on with the probe,” the lawmaker said.

Another member of the panel said he was not surprised as most of the oil companies are owned by politically exposed persons, like top government officials, traditional rulers, members of the National Assembly, party bigwigs and so on.”Yes, we are under pressure but it is understandable. These companies are owned and ran by big people, like top government officials, traditional rulers, members of the National Assembly, party bigwigs and so on. They know us. We just feel we should be allowed to do this job once and for all,” he said.

Perhaps, as part of its resolve to further encourage the committee members, the House of Representatives recently warned those seeking to interfere in the activities of the committee through various means to desist from such acts.

The House leadership acknowledged reports of attempts by individuals and a group to discredit and disrupt the efforts of the Hon. Farouk Lawan-led House of Reps committee investigating the management of petrol subsidy and restates its resolve not to bow to external pressure or blackmail.

In a statement in Abuja through its Media and Public Affairs Committee Chairman, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, the House said efforts to discredit the good works of the committee and by extension the House of Representatives would not deter them from carrying out their assignment.

According to Hon. Mohammed, the Farouk Lawan-led committee “will remain focused, in spite of the glaring attacks on their persons and the institution they represent.”

20

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Politics

NIGERIA

This week’s Summit in Lagos, on the state of the nation and the way forward, has renewed the debate on how to save Nigeria. In this report, Sam Egburonu sieves the views so far canvassed.

HE majority verdict was gloomy and uncompromising: “Nigeria is on the brink of collapse and needs to be saved! And the way out is a true national dialogue.”

But some of the ‘judges’ who gave what might be described as minority rulings, also agreed that the ship of state is sinking and must be rescued immediately.

The ‘judges’ who gave these latest rulings concerning Nigeria were speakers at the two-day Eminent National Leaders of Thought Dialogue, held on Monday and Tuesday this week by the National Summit Group (NSG), at the banquet hall of Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Lagos.

While the majority advocated a Sovereign National Conference as the only solution to the current problem of the state, the minority said a national conference or constitutional review, plus more responsive governance could do the magic.

The shades of their views notwithstanding, their tone was generally firm: “Nigeria is on the brink,” Professor Pat Utomi, who moderated the Summit, cried as he welcomed delegates.

“We’re on verge of being a failed state in almost every respect,” Alhaji Balarabe Musa, former governor of Kaduna State, added when he took his turn.

And former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, concluded the damning verdicts, when he said there would be no headway without SNC, restructuring.

The lead speakers, who came from different parts of the country, included Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, Sheikh Abdulraham Ahmad, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Chief Edwin Clark, Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Olu Falae, Senator Felix Ibru, Alabo Graham Douglas, Prof Akin Oyebode, Amb. Grace Eke, Professor Saliba Mukoro, Obong Victor Attah, Ms. Ann kio-Briggs, Mr. Femi Falana, Oba Adeyemi Adedapo, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Alkali; Chief Mike Ozekhome, Mahmud Othman and Professor Pat Utomi, amongst others.

Lamenting the wide spread poverty in the land, which they blamed on corruption, most of the delegates, drawn from different interest groups, including professionals, religious and traditional leaders, insisted that the component parts of the federation must sit down together and discuss the terms of the union.

The debate over Nigeria’s rescue has been on for years, but it became more compelling following the current state of insecurity caused by Boko Haram’s bombings and the fact that government seems unable to tackle the sect headlong.

In fact, since the terrorist group, Boko Haram, intensified bombings of some northern cities and killings of innocent citizens, a development that has claimed the lives of many Christians and southerners, especially Igbos living in the area, many Nigerians have warned that the action of the Islamic sect is a major threat to the peace and unity of the country.

This was because the killings have, more than any other action in the recent history of the country, fueled deep feeling of hatred, a ploy that seems to have been carefully designed by enemies of the state to cause political and social chaos and possible disintegration of the country.

Perhaps, for patriotic reasons, President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government initially tried to deny publicly the threat posed by the sect, dismissing the terrorists as a band of criminals, who

In search of rescue formula

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Jonathan

Musa

would soon be rounded up and destroyed.

That was before the December 25, 2011 Madala tragedy, when the group bombed Saint Theresa Catholic Church, during Christmas Day mass, killing many.

The group had officially warned all southerners and northerners living in the north to leave the area or be killed. This warning was waved aside by government and security agencies.

But at the expiration of the notice, the bombings and killings became more daring and ruthless.

On January 20, 2012, the terrorists detonated bombs in about ten locations in Kano, leaving hundreds of people dead and several others wounded.

Last weekend, they went a step further, when they boldly attacked the First Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna.

Since then, more easterners and westerners have been fleeing northern cities and returning to their states of origin, even as the military move to confront the terrorists.

Also following some counter warnings from some youths, the Ogbunigwe Ndigbo, in the eastern part of the country, many northerners in the south are hurriedly fleeing the area with their family members.

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural orgnaisation, Amb Ralph Uwaechue, while recalling various bombings and killings targeted at Christians and Igbos said, “It is now clear that unpatriotic political and religious elements are bent on making our country ungovernable.” He, in a statement therefore

Utomi

warned that enough was enough.

This Ohanaeze’s position was further emphasised after the multiple explosions in the commercial city of Kano, when the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a press statement signed by the President, Hon. Tobias Michael Idika, called on the governors of south-east and south-south geo-political zones to come to the aid of their citizens stranded in Kano state.

Part of the statement read: “The Igbos resident in Kano are living with naked fear and apprehension. Though there are few of us who may like to stay and defend ourselves, the majority of us, particularly, women and children, numbering over three million are jostling to leave the North (Kano), because unfolding events indicate that the North (Kano) is no longer safe for easterners.”

In the interest of peace and unity of the country, government has been cautious to ensure that the matter does not degenerate beyond controllable limits.

But reacting to the development, former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar, said, “We will say this openly and frankly and without fear of contradiction that given the spread and depth of our integration as a people, it is futile to expect Igbos, Hausa, Yoruba or any ethnic group to relocate easily or peacefully to their ancestral land even if Nigeria were broken up.”

In a recent press statement, read by the Chairman of ACF, Alh. Aliko Mohammed, the apex socio-cultural and political organisation of the north said of the Boko Haram onslaught and the general state of insecurity:

The meeting came to the conclusion that unless addressed quickly and decisively, the threat posed by these attacks have reached such a level that threatens national peace and order and has the potential to cause the collapse of peace, security and public order in the North in particular and the nation in general.”

It is with this general understanding that something must be done now to save the country that several options have been canvassed. They include: Sovereign National Conference: Since unemployment, poverty and crime rose beyond bearable levels, leading to disillusionment and call for fundamental changes in the nation’s polity, the most popularly canvassed option has been dialogue. Most Nigerians agree that it is the only means of finding enduring solution to the Nigerian problem. Even at the Lagos Summit this week, this view was almost unanimously adopted except that some speakers, like Chief Edwin Clark, opted for national conference instead of Sovereign National Conference. “We must sit down and agree on the basis of living together. We need national conference, not Sovereign National Conference,” he said.

The idea of distinguishing between SNC and national conference was first informed by the opposition of elected representatives, who claim that convocation of another sovereign body would not be feasible since a government is currently in place. This group has argued that as the representatives of the people, they will discuss any issue at stake in the interest of the people and that of the state.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

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Nwabueze

Majority of Nigerians however argue that the union itself is faulty as a peoples’ constitution cannot emerge without unhindered roundtable dialogue.

Fiscal federalism: One system that has been most passionately canvassed and opposed is fiscal federalism. While its advocates said in it lay the solution to Nigeria’s political problems, those opposed to it say it is an aberration in Nigerian context, since in their view, it is the federal government that presently holds between 50 and 53 percent of the national income, a practice that it against the concept of federalism, where the federating units were supposed to own their resources and to cede only an agreed percentage to the centre.

This dilemma has led to suggestions to restructure the country or return to First Republic models.

However, Hon. Adeyinka Ajayi, who cast his vote on fiscal federalism, in a recent interview, blamed the problem on the attitude of Nigerians. As he puts it, “Fiscal Federalism and strengthening of democratic institutions are issues paramount in my mind. These are critical issues that need to be addressed, if we are to move forward together as a nation. People have been talking about fiscal federalism for a long time, but we need to adopt a different approach to it. It has not been easy because we don’t have the right attitude.”

Return to Parliamentary System Chief Olu Falae, who raised this option at this week’s Summit said: “In 1958, as a prelude to independence, our leaders went to Marlboro, London to negotiate a political

Politics covenant that will be the bedrock of independence of our country. What emerged from it was a genuine federal constitution. The Englishman was not a fool when he agreed to a genuine federal constitution for Nigeria. At the last count, we have 484 ethnic and distinctive groups in Nigeria and the only way to give such a plethora of nationalities a chance is a federal constitution which will allow the individualities of each group in the federal country.

And so, we had the federal constitution, every region had its own coat of arms.

Every region had an ambassador in London, we had four ambassadors to London and not one. As a student in Ibadan, I studied four constitutions: the federal, North, Eastern and Western Nigeria.

Then, everybody did his own thing at his own pace and in accordance to his own priority. When the military came in 1966, we threw away that genuine federalism.

We must recover that common bond. We must convene the SNC. It is the people, who have sovereignty, not the government. Our problems can only be resolved in a genuine federal system.”

He is not the only Nigerian that believes Nigeria got it wrong when it changed this system to the more expensive American presidential system. Many would want this system of government but critics of parliamentary system said the problem of governance in Nigeria is more of corruption than the system.

Return to regional powers: This view, which has been canvassed often by Nigerians dissatisfied with the current 36 state structure, was passionately canvassed this week by the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh. To prove his case, Ogbeh asked: “How did we get here? Instead of being our brother’s keeper, how did we become our brother’s killers? How is it that our industries are dead? How is it that we are spending N20 billion on food importation a year? How is it that the local government system has virtually collapsed? How is it that our government apologises to terrorist organisations?

He said there was need to restructure the country and go back to what it used to be “when the regions rode on the back of inter-regional competition to develop; utilising agricultural products like palm oil, cocoa and groundnut and were world leaders in these products.”

Before the latest roundtable dialogue, other Nigerians have also acknowledged a return to the regional governments a practical way of saving Nigeria. One of the people that hold this view is Apostle Wole Oladiyun, of Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM). Aside endorsing convocation of Sovereign National Conference he called for strengthening of regional policing and agricultural revolution. This view is gaining support by the day.

Rebuilding public confidence in government Another issue that has been widely identified as the major problem of Nigeria is waning confidence in the government of the day. Most Nigerians, besides nuAs Chief George Moghalu, a former National Secretary of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), puts it in a recent interview, “First, a serious attempt must be made to rebuild public confidence in government. The Nigerian people must first start to feel that their government cares about them. That is when they will be willing to give the government the benefit of the doubt.

The debate, which has been on for years is still ongoing. But government’s attitude towards the calls has raised the fear that the present government, like the previous ones, may have decided to consign the outcome of the ongoing debate to the type of endless and absurd talk dramatised by Nigeria’s Professor Ola Rotimi in his Holding Talks and Samuel Beckett, in his Waiting for Godot and End Game. In these absurd plays, words tend to lose their meaning, further compounding the absurdity and senselessness of the talks and the very existence of the characters.

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Hurdles before Nyako Smarting from his slim victory at the rescheduled election, Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has many formidable battles ahead, reports Sunday Oguntola

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ICTORY can indeed be bittersweet. Newly re-elected Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, sure knows this. Only 42, 581 votes did the magic for him.

While he won 302,986 votes, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, M a r k u s Gundiri polled 206,405.

Gundiri’s showing impressed many political observers. Nobody gave him a chance.

He was the green horn in the race. Many expected former Lagos State Military Administrator and Congress for Progressive Change candidate, Buba Marwa, to offer the toughest challenge. At the end, it did not.

The voting pattern has thrown up concerns in many quarters that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might have rigged the election. This was much so because the ACN performed better than expected.

The party has vowed to contest Nyako’s re-election in court.

In the meantime, the farmer-turnedpolitician has been sworn in for a second term. He has scaled the first hurdle. But there are several others ahead. Nyako has to prove before the court that his election was popular and fair. This is the first headache Nyako has to contend with. ACN said it has collated verifiable and indisputable evidence that the election was marred by irregularities. There were talks of ballotstuffing and violence in many voting centres. Several agents also said declared results were different from what they signed.

How Nyako intends to prove otherwise in a court of law remains to be seen.

If ever wriggles his way out of the legitimacy concerns, Nyako will have to turn to his PDP for tough reconciliatory moves.

The governor was alleged to have sidelines party members in the administration of the state. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was at war with Nyako for the greater parts of the latter’s first term. Even the State Assembly gave the governor hell.

The crisis degenerated late last year when former Speaker Sadiq Dasil and his deputy, Wale Fwa were impeached. 23 of the 25-member accused the duo of incompetence and lacking administrative capacity to lead the assembly.

This did not go down well with Nyako.

He allegedly ordered the locking of the assembly complex for the impeachment of his staunch loyalists. This left the House in serious limbo for the most months of last year. As the elections grew closer, many expressed concerns the crisis might affect Nyako’s chances. He quickly closed ranks to stave off competition. In the last few days to the elections, Nyako was busy attending reconciliatory meetings, not rallies or campaigns.

He held talks with adamant stakeholders. Four days to the polls, President Goodluck Jonathan had to convene a save-Nyako-meeting in Abuja. The President was quoted to have said, ‘’This election is not about Nyako, it is about the PDP.

I plead with all of you to work for the victory of our party. Everybody must take responsibility for the lock out of the House of Assembly. Even I am not supposed to see the Assembly under lock and key. I share part of the blame.

“At worst, we should have resolved the Assembly crisis within a maximum of one week. Everybody must take the blame. But I want you to put the interest of the party above personal considerations.”

The meeting, it was gathered, was so stormy that stakeholders spared no words in objecting to Nyako’s leadership style.

One of them, Dr. Umar Ardo, reportedly said, ‘’ Nyako does not care about fairness and creating a sense of belonging for all. The situation was so bad under Nyako that the government locked up the House of Assembly for 52 days and none of our leaders in Abuja saw it wrong. Yet he wants to come back to the same office.”

It took serious pleas from Jonathan for Atiku, Senator Jibril Aminu and Dr Bamanga Tukur to agree to work for Nyako. That he is back does not mean the stakeholders have backed off. They still have issues with the governor that must be resolved. Many of them, it was learnt, complained Nyako was high-minded and sidelined them. The governor has to do more than enough to please these party stalwarts and keep them on his side.

The internal wrangling however is not as tough as the challenge of transforming the state. Many indigenes have complained of stunted growth and infrastructural decadence. The State, they said, has not made developmental strides.

How Nyako intends to transform this agrarian state is unknown. But he is condemned to deliver or face the wrath of Adamawa indigenes and residents.

His biggest challenge will be confronting the Boko Haram menace that spread to the state early this year. Over 43 people were killed in separate attacks by Boko Haram the Islamic fundamental sect, in Mubi. The savagery of the attacks shocked many Nigerians. In one instance, mourners gathered in the residence of a victim for plan for his burial. Little did they know they will be buried too. Boko Haram members invaded the residence and killed 16 people. Now that Boko Haram has become a force to reckon with in Adamawa, Nyako must devise means of arresting the security challenge.

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, they say. The next four years will show if Nyako will indeed buckle or cope under the demands of governance.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Politics

National Assembly not divided —Famurewa Ajibola Famurewa, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ijesa-South Federal Constituency, in this interview, speaks with our Correspondent, Adesoji Adeniyi, on the politics of fuel subsidy removal and the position of the National Assembly over the deregulation of the downstream oil sector.

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HAT is your opinion about oil subsidy removal?

To me, oil subsidy removal is a fraud. If we should examine and analyze the argument of the Federal Government and we also look at the record for the last five years, what Nigeria has been spending on the so called subsidy is between N250 and N300 billion.

Unfortunately, within the last twelve months, they came up with the claim that they have spent N1.3 trillion on subsidy. That alone shows that the subsidy is a fraud.

We in the House of Representatives stand by the people’s voice on the subsidy removal. The voice of the people is the voice of God. I hope the Federal Government will listen to the voice of the people.

During the fuel subsidy removal protest, the Speaker of the House of Representatives called an emergency session to deliberate on the fuel subsidy removal. How did it go?

Some of us came together and decided to address the issue. We resolved to be on the side of the people because we believe they are the ones that voted for us. We are in the House to represent the people’s interest and whatever they want will guide our action and decision at the floor of the House.

We conveyed the emergency session to douse the tension in the country over the subsidy removal.

If we had not intervened then, we don’t know what might have happened. We put up a motion and directed the president to stay action on the subsidy removal. We also directed the organised labour to suspend the strike. We set up two committees on the subsidy.

One was to take care of the relationship between the government and the labour leaders. The other was to investigate and know the actual figure of subsidy because what the government had spent in the last five years was between N250 and N300 billion. Coming around now to say you spent N1.3trillion on the same subsidy in a year called for investigation.

The last prayer of the motion was for the National Assembly to use our appropriation power if the President proves stubborn on our directive. We are doing all these things to defend the interest of the people.

The Federal Government keeps saying its decision to deregulate was informed by the sharp practices of the cabals. Does this also not make any sense to you?

The President must not deny knowing the cabals. What measure has the government put in place to checkmate them? I know the cabals are the people that contributed money for the President in

his last election. They are the set of people being used as fronts to defraud and deceive Nigerians.

These are what prompted the birth of the motion in the House and I thank God that majority of the members of the House supported us.

What lessons can we learn from the fuel subsidy removal protest?

If you look at the situation of things in Nigeria and the way and manner the subsidy removal protest spread across the country, it has sent a signal to the people in government that they need to thread softly. This was how the crisis in the Middle East countries started. I pray the Federal Government listens to the voice of the people and reason with what they are saying. If at all they want to remove subsidy, there are better ways of doing it.

How did the Federal Government lobby the House to support fuel subsidy removal? Also, you spoke about use of the House’s power of appropriation. How does it work?

The President granted an inter-

• Famurewa

view with some journalists before the removal of the fuel subsidy, where he said the people should not bother about the National Assembly, saying that he would talk to them in the language they understand and they would reason with him. That statement was loaded. When the Speaker and leadership of the House were invited to the Presidential Villa, they were offered the accommodation of the House of Representatives in the sharing formula of the fuel increment and the interest of the members of the House would be taken care of.

You know what that means. In what way are they going to take care of our interest? That was a way to buy the House over. I am happy that the leadership of the

House rejected the offer and stood by the people. Talking about the power of appropriation, whatever comes of the National Assembly becomes a law. It is duty of the executive arm of government to come out with its budget proposal. The House will read the budget, from first to second reading and then to committee level.

The entire budget will be split into segments whereby each part of the budget will be handled by each committee in the House. For example, anything that has to do with works in the budget will be handled by House Committee on Works before the final reading. At the committee level, the House has the power to remove or add to the content of the budget, if the House is convinced that there are some

projects that the executive arm of government must implement and either by commission or omission they were not included in the budget, the House has the power to include the projects in the budget and ratify it before giving it back to the executive. After 30 days, if the executive fails to abide by the decision of the House, we have the power to recall for the budget and pass it to law. If the executive fails to abide by the law then it becomes an impeachable offence. That is the last power the House relies on if everything fails on the subsidy palaver. That is what I know as the power of appropriation. That is the last power we have to save Nigerians and I believe it will work and we are supported by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Why is it that the House of Representatives is against removal of subsidy while the Senate seems to have been compromised?

I don’t believe the National Assembly is divided. Approach might be different on the fuel subsidy crisis. I don’t want to believe that the Senate has been compromised. We know the Senate’s effort on the crisis, though the intervention might be a little bit late or slow. The Senate might be slow on its own approach to issues, but members of the House of Representatives believe that we cannot sit at home when Nigeria is burning. But that doesn’t mean that the Senate has compromised. Going by the utterances of the Senate President and some of the senators, the senate is also on the side of the people but with a different approach.

Some people believe that the opposition parties are taking advantage of the subsidy removal to heat up the polity. Do you believe in this assertion?

If you have watched the emergency sitting of the House on that day, 70-75 percent of the representatives that opposed the fuel subsidy removal are members of the PDP. Fuel subsidy issue cut across the country. It involved all the political parties.

Health and political legacy in Abia As goernment and oppoA sition allege political conBIA State Government confirmed the central place health has taken in the politics of the state when it came out recently to debunk the report that the government has not done enough to create awareness on HIV/AIDS. The report attributed to Dr Uwaoma Adindu, the Aba Chapter Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), said the state government, through the State Action Committee on AIDS [SACA], has not been getting grants to run the AIDS programme in the state.Coming at the time Theodore Orji-led state government is expecting acclaim for its passion over rural health centres, the government is accusing its critics of trying to make cheap political gains.

So, Governor Theodore Orji has, according to his aides, resolved, even more, to make healthcare delivery as one of his political legacies in the state. This scheme became manifest following his decision to open up local communities through the building of health care centres across the state.

But for the new initiative to make the desired impact, the state government is alleging that its enemies may have tried to drag its image to the mud for some political interests.

siderations in the controversies over healthcare services in Abia State, Ugochukwu Eke in Umuahia takes a look at the issues in this report.

Reacting to the report that the state government has not done enough to create awareness on AIDS, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Okechukwu Ogar, said the report was in bad faith, pointing out that the state government has been giving grants to the state SACA to create awareness on the dreaded scourge.

Ogar said the state governor, Theodore Orji, has paid all the counterpart funds that concern HIV/AIDS programme that is run in the state and for other health agencies that have anything to do with AIDS. Ogar alleged that the grouse of Dr Uwaoma was because the state government, through SACA, refused to give him some funds to run his NGO when he made a request for the fund.”

Also speaking, the Project Man-

• Orji

ager of Abia state SACA, Dr Sam Ohaeri, said there is no truth that HIV/AIDS is on the increase in the state, rather that it has been on the decrease while people are becoming aware of the status through the sensitization of the citizenry.

Government sources said Orji is interested in building a political legacy through qualitative health care delivery. According to the sources, in the last four years, about 210 health centres have been built in the state. Also, the governor, one of the sources said, recently gave his healthcare vision a stronger political backing when he ordered council chairmen in the 17 local government areas to immediately open up the centres for people’s use.

He cited government’s partnership with an Indian health com-

pany, MECURE in the building of diagnostic centres in Aba and Umuahia as an example of the governor’s interest. The source said the centres have direct link with their parent hospital at India and surgical operations are done through internet connected directly to the hospital and the diagnostic centres in the state.

“Since the diagnostic centres commenced operation in the state, it has become a Mecca of a sort, as people from all walks of life within and outside the state have been visiting the diagnostic centres for their various health problems and they have been going home feeling satisfied with the outcome of the type of treatment they received from the medical team,” he said.

Also declaring this year’s Maternal and Child Health Week open in Abia State, Orji said his government was committed to providing adequate health care for the people, especially in the rural area which was why his administration decided to build the 210 health centres across the state and the renovation of the general hospitals in the state.

Earlier the World Health Organisation state coordinator in Abia State, Sebastine Okwu, had called on the state and Local Governments to further strengthen routine immunization by funding outreach activities.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Politics

Rebuilding the broken walls of Madalla HE December 25, 2011 bombing of Saint Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State would not be lost in the memories of Nigerians soon, partly because of the significance of the date and partly due to the gravity of the dastardly act and number of casualties.

It was the peak of wickedness and the height of man’s inhumanity to man, and it generated ire and sorrow from people around the world as people practically lost all they had while a church lost its serenity, its children, its building and its joy due to the occurrence that made it popular albeit for a wrong cause.

However, another act would make the Madalla experience last longer in the hearts of Nigerians and in fact the Christian community worldwide, it was an act of commitment, passion for people and the acme of man’s humanity to fellow men; Governor Godswill Akpabio’s thoughtful pledge to rebuild the affected Madalla church and the N50 million donation to the victims of the attack would linger for long.

In a manner that can be likened to what the Bible says in Isaiah 61:1-2, where Jesus read in one of his attendances at the Synagogue, “the spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed….,” the Akwa Ibom State governor moved across the Niger with good news for the affected people of the Madalla church, to rebuild the ruins left by the evilminded bombers while also easing the burden of the victims and their families in a way.

It was the occasion of the Episcopal ordination of a proud Akwa Ibom son, Rt. Rev. Monsignor Anselm Umoren, as the Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja. Their Lords spiritual and many other men of the laity and the clergy had gathered and in their midst was a man who in no little way reveres God, as he has expressed in different gatherings; the man was Akpabio. Not many expected him to make more than comments that bothered on the occasion, and it must have come as a celestial surprise to the thousands of people in attendance when the governor blazed the trail in announcing the total rebuilding of the affected church and a succour of a sort, to wit N50 million, to the victims and families affected in the Christmas Eve bomb blast.

While many were caught off guard and apparently surprised by the Akwa Ibom State governor’s thoughtful

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Political Politics turf

with Bolade Omonijo boladeomonijo@yahoo.com

Of task forces and ad hoc committees

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• Akpabio

By Jackson Udom

magnanimity, many who have known the governor for sometime might not be surprised. Raised in a strong Christian background, the passion for people and their welfare occupies the centre stage in Akpabio’s plans, as he demonstrated his commitment to people rather than policies and the witnesses have been thousands of lives touched in Akwa Ibom State ever since he was sworn into office as the governor of the state.

According to Mrs. Idara Inyang-Akpan, the act of mercy demonstrated by the governor is just like him. “I am not surprised by the step; Chief Akpabio in less than 2000 days in office has rebuilt everything, from roads to schools, from hospitals to other life-changing institutions in the state. In fact, Akwa Ibom people can say that he has rebuilt the lives of many young and old, so I am not surprised that he is taking that rebuilding beyond the borders of Akwa Ibom,” she stated.

Mr. John Edem also expressed happiness with his governor’s action, saying that it must have come from a governor that has the interest of people at heart. Mr. Edem said: “This is what we have been saying, Akwa Ibom State is a place with a difference and we are blessed to have a governor with a good heart. When I

read the report that the Digital Governor, that is what some of us call him, promised to rebuild the Saint Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla and even donated N50 million, I asked why him?

He definitely is not the only governor in the country, he is not the only Christian governor, so why him?

But the answer is not far-fetched, G o v e r n o r Akpabio is a good man with a different idea of governance, now people can see why he continues to win awards for humanitarian services.”

Ever since the announcement last week by Chief Akpabio, different reactions have trailed his action, with many across the country commending him for such unprecedented step but not many would readily recall that a church had given him an award, which he has now proved he deserved.

The African Church of Nigeria had given the governor what it called the ‘Nehemiah Award,’ citing the infrastructural development of the state, which it stated was “unequalled in the country.” Like the Biblical Nehemiah who refused to feel at ease when he saw the ruins which his fatherland had become, Governor Akpabio decided not to feel at ease and pretend that all was well with the church and the people affected by the Christmas Eve bombing.

Like a true Nehemiah, who is committed to rebuilding the walls and dreams of Akwa Ibom, the Promise Keeper, as many call him pledged to rebuild the Madalla church, while also touching the victims and their families’ lives in apparent demonstration of his belief that leadership is service.

While many have taken his act as unprecedented, some doubting Thomases

expressed resentment that politicians often promise and fail. However, some Akwa Ibom indigenes who spoke on the development noted that their governor was not a man to make a promise and not fulfill it, hence their calling him a promise keeper. “Our governor does not make political promises,” one Iniobong Abasiakan stated.

With the governor’s effort to rebuild the affected church and even the families who lost their bread winners, came a resounding testimonial for his legion of awards since he assumed office on 29 May, 2007. Having been previously recognised by Niger Republic with a national honour of Gold Humanitarian Services and the United States Congress for Humanitarian Services, rebuilding the ‘ruins’ of Madalla only goes to show how true these recognitions for Akpabio are, while the Nehemiah Award points to the fact that governance is not about individual comfort and affluence but about the good of the people, as exemplified

by Nehemiah and upheld by Governor Akpabio over the years.

For the families of victims of the Madalla bomb blast, no level of assistance can heal their wounds completely or restore their losses.

While Governor Akpabio recognised these facts, he chose to do his part in the rebuilding process thereby setting a worthy example for other public office holders, individuals and corporate organisations. By his act, he seemed to be calling on them to rise and build, not only in Madalla but also in places where the fury of the godless terrorists have brought tales of destruction, where walls of hopes and better tomorrow have been dilapidated by bombs and hatred.

Akpabio appears like the deep calling on to the deep to rise and build until lives are made better for all Nigerians.

•Udom, is Special Assistant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Media.

LL of a sudden, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the giant Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and other agencies and parastatals in the sector have come alive to the demand for good corporate practices. Our own dear Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has come out smoking, warning that anyone who attempts to stand in the way of reforms would go with the whirlwind blowing in the industry. It won’t be wrong to call it dividend of protest.

But, how permanent would the reforms be? Already, there is a task force charged with ensuring the institution of a transparent mode of raking in revenue. The chairman is none other than the ever ebullient and controversial Nuhu Ribadu. As chairman of the EFCC, he was an ill wind whose name spelt trouble for wrong doers. However, some soon discovered the formula for arresting Ribadu’s scud missiles- acquire the patriot missile Obasanjo. Obasanjo was the task master. He knew how to save his own.

On the other hand, if you were perceived an enemy of the President, you automatically became Ribadu’s enemy and he would come after you like Sango in all his fury. To assist Ribadu in the task, the former Head of Service of the Federation, Chief Steve Oronsaye and three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including ex-Nigerian Bar Association President Olisa Agbakoba and former Lagos Attorney General Supo Sasore.

How well would the men acquit themselves in the prevailing circumstances? This remains to be seen.

Restless, perhaps as a result of what she’s been made to face in recent times, Diezani has set up another task force; this time to look into streamlining and encouraging the establishment of refineries locally. One of the most virulent critics of President Jonathan’s economic policies, Dr. Idika Kalu, is chairman of the panel. He had played a major role supplying the intellectual fuel for the fire that ravaged during the anti-subsidy removal fire that burned brilliantly across the land. No one can say for sure if the plan is to entice the men away from their colleagues. And, if it’s so, would the government succeed?

At the level of the legislature, the current fashion is to set up probe panels using ad hoc committees. The engine of the legislature runs on the committees- standing committees. As part of the vanity of the Nigerian system, there are more committees than needed. The House of Representatives has more than eighty, while the Senate has about 50. The Senate committee system is so structured that every senator, young or old, literate or barely literate, experienced or not, is either the chairman of one. That way, the money periodically released to lubricate the engine flows freely.

But, in recent times, when it comes to work, both the Senate and the House are quick to ignore the standing committees and set up ad hoc committees. It is, in my view, an indictment of their own system. Why, for example, set up an ad hoc body to examine the issues involved in the fraud that has continually rocked the sector over the years?

Societies do not run on the basis of perfunctory policies and temporary measures. The path both the legislative and executive bodies have chosen to tread is akin to the declaration of emergency in select local government areas of five states. What has that achieved? It was after the President took the panic measure that Boko Haram moved from the North east to the North West. The lion is really roaring, seeking whom to devour and the government is out of depth.

I had expected that, after 13 years, the National Assembly would have perfected its act, realising the best way to hold executive accountable. All that has happened so far before the Farouk Lawan Committee, I dare submit, is grandstanding.

The measures to arise the reform would, most likely, dress the window. Pray, what happened to the Ndudi Elumelu Committee that probed the power sector?

The revelations were similar. The committee discovered that about 16 billion dollars was sunk into ensuring that the nation got steady supply of electricity and that the amount spent was not commensurate to the output in terms of generation, transmission and distribution. But, what happened? One would have thought that the EFCC would pick it up from there. The matter is as dead as door nail. Rather than pick up the culprits and get them prosecuted and public fund recovered, Elumelu was hounded, dragged before the court of justice and then quietly released.

What would happen to all the bodies, panels, task forces and committees set up ostensibly to clean up the stable? What would happen to the reports? Already, there is an audit report by the renowned audit firm KPMG. It is gathering dust. It is shocking that the minister could claim as she did before the Lawan Committee that the report had not been officially transmitted to her? How long does it take to move reports from one government desk to another? There was that committee set up by the late President Yar’Adua to collate and harmonise all previous reports on the development of the Niger Delta. What became of it? Before then, President Obasanjo had brought “eminent Nigerians” from all over Nigeria together to discuss the future. Nothing was heard thereafter.

This is the time for us all to speak out and keep up the pressure so that the current motion towards sanitizing the commanding heights of the economy could yield fruits, good fruits.

24

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUART 12, 2011

Politics

HE fuel subsidy removal almost grounded the nation for a week. As a notable union directly affected by the Federal Government policy, were you not consulted before government came up with the decision?

That is why I was surprised when we woke up on the New Year day and heard about the introduction of the new fuel price. I was surprised because of the fact that I was part of the Labour team President Goodluck Jonathan invited for a meeting over the issue. The meeting lasted for many hours till the following morning. Ministers were also in attendance. What I am saying is that though government tried to explain certain things to us on why she was removing the subsidy, we did not conclude on the issue. What I am saying is that we had not reached a compromise before the announcement came. So, we were shocked like other Nigerians when the filling stations had quickly adjusted their machine to put a litre of fuel at N144. It is a decision we did not expect at the time it was made. I think if Nigerians were duly educated about the issue, Nigerians would have shown a better understanding of the issue. At the same time, I think it is right to commend President Goodluck Jonathan for listening to Nigerians and reducing the price. It shows he is a listening President.

To what extent did the issue affect your business?

Of course, we are the most hit because vehicles are not run by water. Since fuel powers vehicle engine and the price of fuel was jerked up, it must definitely affect the amount drivers charge passengers and on goods. Let’s be honest with ourselves, what we buy is what we sell. That is, the price of fuel significantly determines transport fare.

But your people are fond of capitalizing on the situation to exploit helpless commuters. Are you aware of this?

What you mean by exploiting the commuters, honestly I don’t know. But I must tell you that Nigerians are fond of using unpopular policy of government to take advantage of their fellow Nigerians. This practice has been there for a long time. But this is not admitting your allegation.

What concerns me is that government should always create a good atmosphere where unpatriotic practices as the one you mentioned will not have a place. Do you realise that as soon as the price was reduced to N97, transport fare was also reduced?

That is more or less a law of business.

How can you describe your relationship with security agents, particularly the Police, given the allegation of extortion of commercial vehicle drivers often complain about?

I must tell you that we have a good relationship with all security agencies in the country.

Why you singled out the police looks more of mischief. The truth of the matter of the bad practices you see on the road is that it is caused by drivers who are not complying with the law and want to evade sanction.

Honestly, that is the matter. Are you surprised that I am saying this. I think it is high time we set

Fuel subsidy removal was a shocker-Yasin Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, the National President of Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), maintains that the January 1, 2012 fuel subsidy removal shocked him like other Nigerians despite meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan. In an interview with TUNDE BUSARI, he also spoke on the crisis in Lagos State chapter of the union, among other issues. Excerpts

•Yasin

the record straight so that nobody will be putting the whole blame on the wrong person. If a driver meets all the laws expected of him, such a driver has nothing to fear. He should be confident at the approach of any policeman at any point and do the necessary thing. In fact, the policeman will respect him and understand that if he pushes the driver further than that, he may find himself in trouble. It is true there are some policemen who still want you to part with something but they are few. I am talking from experience.

The issue here is that drivers create the loophole which the police exploit. But this has reduced now.

Accident on the highway has been attributed to poor driving, your men seem to top the list of the culprit, what is your take on this?

Irrespective of where you got the statistics, I must say that

before you blame drivers you should consider the state of our roads. I am not denying the fact that we have bad drivers who are not supposed to be behind the wheel. There are many underage and those without drivers’ licence carrying vehicle around.

This of course contributes to road

accident. But if the roads are good and the security agency in charge of enforcement of road traffic law does it accordingly, accident will be reduced. But in a situation our roads are, even if you are the most qualified to drive, anything can happen. I know what I am talking about.

“We had not reached a compromise before the announcement came. So, we were shocked like other Nigerians when the filling stations had quickly adjusted their machine to put a litre of fuel at N144. It is a decision we did not expect at the time it was made. I think if Nigerians were duly educated about the issue, Nigerians would have shown a better understanding of the issue”

So, I plead that government should do something about these roads.

Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) is another body in the same business with you, what is your relationship with the body?

There is a good relationship with the body. What the public don’t understand is that we are not rivals. For example, if you study their name, you will realise where the difference is. They are supposed to be employers of drivers, not taking over the road, doing the work of another body.

That is the area of conflict but there is a way we manage it to ensure that the situation does not turn to something else.

Touting seems to be synonymous with drivers union as they are used as instrument of violence by politicians.

No, nobody at the park is useless. I am being honest with you. It is just unfortunate that the society has come to tag our staff as touts. But those you call touts are not thugs but drivers assistants. Metres away from the park, you hear the noise of these people everywhere calling different destination, running to passengers, collecting their loads, and finding them comfortable seats in the bus. Be honest with yourself, can drivers do all these works? We are embarking on what I should call aggressive campaign and lectures and training on reorientating drivers. In fact, we are sponsoring some to Britain to receive lectures on modern way of doing our business. By the time we are through with these programmes, the era of drivers being used by politicians would be over. Driving is a profession, what we need is repackaging and we are already in the process of achieving this.

The crisis between two leaders of your union in Lagos State caused a panic among the people of the state and you just imposed a ban, stopping the two leaders from contesting the forthcoming elections. Do you think this step would resolve the problem?

It is true the matter was in the media and caused panic one way or the other but you will agree with me that it is now under control. There is no problem in Lagos again. I think our decision is also responsible for this peace.

With due respect, I should be in search of solution to problem whenever and wherever it arises.

Because of this, there is no need for me to go into the details of how the problem started and what caused it. What I can say now is the level of peace we have achieved since the national headquarters intervened in the matter. But to be honest with you, what we have realised is that the followers of the leaders concerned contribute significantly in the problem. We have found this out and it is one of the reasons we arrived at the decision. I must tell you that there is no going back on the decision.

Very soon, we shall all see the effect of the decision. It is very important to come into the matter on time because of the position of Lagos State in the economy of the nation. And because the role of drivers cannot be removed from the economy, saving the situation now is the best decision any responsible leader should take.

SUNDAY INTERVIEW

25

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

•Orji

‘Northerners or Boko Haram can’t tell Ibos to leave North’

W

HAT is your view on the raging Boko Haram crisis and the safety of the Igbos?

There is no Nigerian that supports what is happening now especially in the north where Boko Haram is bombing and killing people. Every reasonable person should condemn what is happening. The corporate existence of this country is essential. Those of us from this end had fought a war and we now know what it means to have peace. We now know what it is to live in a country that is united.

We want to sustain that. Anybody who is working contrary to that is an enemy of this country. Anybody who is working to see that this country disintegrates is the number one enemy of this country.

Largely, it is the Southeasterners that are on the receiving end. They are the people being killed. It is very annoying when you see your brothers and sisters being brought back. And we are saying, let them stop! Boko Haram should stop killing the Ibos. The Ibos have died enough in this country. Do these people want to repeat what happened before the war? Are they looking for war? We don’t want war in this country any longer? War has no friend. No religion supports what Boko Haram is doing. Any truly religious person will not kill people. So we condemn Boko Haram and we say let the Ibos not be killed wherever they are.

Would you not call for the evacuation of the Ibos from the Boko Haram affected areas in the face of the incessant onslaught?

It is for the Ibos who are living there to decide. When you are uncomfortable you leave. The Ibos are adventurous by nature. They don’t like staying in a particular place. They like to venture because to venture is success. So when you tell them to come back you are killing their spirit of venture. So I won’t call for the Ibos to come back.

The Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has been on the receiving end of criticisms for non performance especially from his immediate predecessor in office, ex-Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, Taiwo Ogundipe, Associate Editor takes him up on his record in office, as well as on other issues of the moment.

It is for them to decide. We are not telling the Northerners and people from other parts who are living here to go. Why should they tell us to go in a country that belongs to all of us without any reason? There must be a reason.

There have been strident criticisms especially by your predecessor in office, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu that your administration has not delivered dividends of democracy to the people of Abia State. Although we have gone to a few places in Umuahia, the capital city and saw a number of projects that your administration has reportedly executed or are still executing, give us a profile of your efforts so far.

The road you saw in Umuahia is among the many we are constructing in the entire state. If we start from Abia North – we have Abia North, Abia South and Abia Central – we are building Ohafia/ Arochukwu Road. That is about 45 kilometres long. That road had never seen a grader for the past 10 to 12 years. And that is the road that leads to Arochukwu, a historical area that has produced a lot of people, and it is a federal road. But we are doing it; if you go there you’ll be amazed. There is another road in the same zone –Ndioji Ndiokereke Ozu Abam Road. The road is about 26 kilometres. It goes into the

hinterland where you have the food basket. The foods that come out to town come from that place. The people there had been in pain all along. That road had not been worked on for donkey years. Even when Ndem Okpi who was a federal commissioner was alive as at that time and he pleaded with the then state government (under Governor Orji Uzor Kalu) to do that road, it was not done.

Today, if you go there, you’ll be amazed because the road is now smooth. The last time we went there, we witnessed an accident on the road. And you know accidents don’t happen on very bad roads; they happen on smooth roads because of speed. Nuya Road was started by my predecessor but was not completed. I’m now completing it. That one also is a very long road that moves from the express to Isikwuato.

We are almost completing it. The road is being done by Harpel. We have also engaged the Army engineers to work on Asa Road. Asa is another community in Abia State that had never benefited in term of road construction. We are now touching their lives and they are happy. That is apart from the internal roads that the Chief of Army

•Continued on Page 26

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012 •Continued from Page 25 Staff is helping us to do through the instrumentality of the Army engineers in Isikwuato. When you leave there and come to Uzuakoli, there is a road we are doing that crosses Umuahia Local Government and Bende. It moves from Umukagia and Ugunkpa Uzuakoli Road. That is another long stretch of road we are doing. Let me not bore you with roads. All the roads I’ve mentioned are for Abia North. You have gone round the Abia Central and must have seen the short, short roads in the urban area of Umuahia which we are variously rehabilitating and building new ones When you go to Abia South, Aba is the centre. The roads we are building in Aba are more than all the roads we are building elsewhere. This is because the roads of Aba have been very bad. We are not only building roads, we are also patching any potholes we see in Aba. We are working on Aba Owerri Road, Aba Port-Harcourt Road, Faulks Road, Ohanku Road, and Ukwumango which is the cesspool of erosion. That is where all the water in Aba will percolate. It doesn’t move out. And we are distilling and cleaning the gutter because Aba has a very well-planned drainage. When there is rainfall the flood will empty into Aba River. But because of the commercial nature of Aba and the lifestyle of the people, they have blocked the drainage with refuse. Some have even built on the drainage. Now that we have gone in, we have opened the drains and we’ve been knocking down any building we see so that the flood will find its way.

Apart from Aba we are also constructing a road, Obikabi Road which passes through Obinwa, Aba and Ugwunagbo, three local governments.

I recently went to inspect the road and we have made much progress on there.

We are also building a road in Isialangwa North, which though is central belongs to other ethnic zone. The road leads to a Catholic monastery and is being used by the people.

Apart from roads, the buildings that we have set up are monumental. I’m sure you have seen some of these. We have a government secretariat. We are building an international conference centre. We have started the fencing of the new government house. We are building a new court premises where we have the judiciary right now. We want to provide six court rooms there.

We are building are building another structure in the Ministry of Justice to provide accommodation for the staff.

We are building a 34-room structure up and down for the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State. We are building a new centre in Umuahia which will be a dialysis centre, and we are building another one in Amachara, which will be a children centre. We are building an auditorium for Abia State University Teaching Hospital in Aba. We are also building a court hall in Aba. We are building hostels and an office complex at the NYSC secretariat, which is a federal institution.

Talking about markets, we are erecting a new one to relocate the old industrial timber and building outlet in Umuahia. We are also building a new one to relocate the central market in Umuahia that has been a hinderance to the aesthetics of this town. We will then use the space that will become vacant afterward for the construction of other projects such as a housing estate or a shopping mall. I’ve been building housing estates everywhere. We’ve achieved one, the Amopo Housing Estate where we have a line of duplexes.

We are doing another one at Isi Eke. There you’ll see one (duplex) for the big men, another one (bungalow) for the middle men. We are trying to touch every strata of the society, the rich and not so rich to find a roof above their heads.

If all these are happening, why then do you think your predecessor has been saying all he has been saying about your administration?

That is the question people have asking me as well. I don’t like discussing human beings, especially him. I have said it several times that I don’t like discussing him. But any day he dis-

Sunday Interview

26

‘No more arrogance in governance’

•Orji

“Largely, it is the Southeasterners that are on the receiving end. They are the people being killed. It is very annoying when you see your brothers and sisters being brought back.

And we are saying, let them stop! Boko Haram should stop killing the Ibos. The Ibos have died enough in this country.” cusses me I will talk about him as well.

In Aba before now, there was no road that was done with stone base. They were Dubai roads. And that was why all the roads got spoilt. None of them lasted for long. If you build a good road it will last for eight years before you start mending it. Most of the roads he built did not last six months. We are now rebuilding all the roads. If the roads were solidly built in the past the money I’m spending now to repair them I would have used to construct new roads. No good foundation was laid for me. If there was any, I could have taken off from there. What I’m doing now is to lay a solid economic foundation for Abia State so that whoever will come after me will not be saddled with what I’m doing now. The person will take off easily and start from where I have stopped. For example, by 2015 when I leave office, the person who will come after me will not face the problem of building a secretariat for civil servants and the various ministries will no longer be scattered about in the town as we have it now. They will all be housed in one place at the secretariat and the money that is being used to pay rent will be saved. The places they are now occupying will be used for other purposes.

When I’m through with building a government house, the person who is coming after me will not have to build a new one. What we are building will stand the test of time and will be a befitting one that will be a thing of pride for the Abians. You can see that my

living room where we are seated now is like a bedroom. My office where we met earlier has been like it was since 1991 when this state was created. We are also building a new international conference centre that will attract people to come to the state and hold conferences. This will yield revenue for us.

What we currently have as conference centre is the Okpar auditorium that was built by a military regime. I’ve taken the trouble to explain at length in order to debunk the criticisms of our main critic. Is he justified? Is he fair to himself and his God to tell the world that nothing is happening in the Abia?

Before now you used to complain of paucity funds for projects based on your claim that the state is the least in the ranking in funds received from the federation account. Has the situation changed in view of the numerous projects you have listed as executing?

Of course, when you see the table of revenue allocation you’ll be able to judge whether we are the highest or the least in the ranking of the beneficiaries. Well, we receive allocation and we try to manage it very prudently.

We have also tried to increase our internally generated revenue. From all these sources we are able to do what we are doing. We also have project accounts combining local governments and the state government. In the account the state and local governments pool their resources together to execute some of the projects.

What measures or palliatives has your government put in place regard-

ing fuel subsidy removal and what general programmes have you embarked on to impact on the socio-economic well-being of the people?

We have mapped out our plans.

What to do with the subsidy is not our problem. Our problem is for the subsidy to start coming. Already we have bought 17 buses for the 17 local governments. Our objective in doing this is to ensure that transportation fare is brought down. For example, if a passenger from here to Aba used N10, 000, the buses can charge N5, 000. This will enable the ordinary person to have access to transport. Not only that, our people have to be healthy. We want to invest some of this money that will come into the health sector to fight all these diseases that are prevalent now, cancer, HIV-AIDS, diabetes and other diseases. How do you do that? You have to equip the hospitals. You have to build new ones. You have to build health centres. You have to recruit new doctors and train them. These are the things we have planned. Already we have started. You have seen our specialist hospital here. I’ve told you we are expanding it for a dialysis centre for kidney patients. Kidney disease is now ravaging everywhere. The other diagnostic centre in Amachara, as I said, is for children. We want to take care of our children so that they will grow healthy. We want to increase the number of our health centres from 210 that we have now to 500 so as to take care of our children.

What of the education sector? Our schools – both primary and secondary – are in bad shape. We need to train the teachers. We need to give bursary to the students as well as scholarship to those who are intelligent. We will invest in commerce and agriculture. We will buy farm implements and inputs.

We will train the farmers. We will make them to form cooperatives so that we can inject money for them to use for their farming. This will make us have food on our table. We will also not leave power to the federal government alone.

We have already awarded a contract to evacuate power from Ohia so that we can have electricity here. We will continue to partner with the federal government and private power operators, to come and establish power stations here so that the people, the artisans you have here can open up their small scale industries to manufacture things for people to buy and for commerce to move ahead.

It was reported that you have started paying the new minimum wage and that your state pays N20, 100 which is higher than that of most other states. Is this sustainable?

We are sustaining it. This month we are paying arrears because it is with retroactive effect. I agreed with the labour to pay N20, 100 which, as of now, is the highest in the country. I have paid it for two months now. I decided to do that so that our workforce will be intact. I also want our word to be our bond. I am for sincerity in government.

I want to engender trust in the people.

When I won election, I told the civil servants, my former constituency career-wise, that I would promote them.

They doubted it but I did that. I promoted all of them, I’ve sustained that promotion and I’ve been paying them.

That brought confidence into governance. I know that when there is any dispute, even though we have not had any, if I promise them I’ll do something, they’ll believe me. That was why when there was this general strike about minimum wage, all the states of the southeast went on strike except Abia because the workers believed in us.

Your sacking of non-indigenes in the government service was widely controversial as many voices of protest were raised. What is the present situation?

That one is a closed case now. Isn’t it? That is why I’ve been able to pay the minimum wage. I want to have a workforce that I could cater for.

What about the disapproving reac-

tion of some of your fellow governors from the South-east?

I told them about it. They were aware. It wasn’t hidden. When they did same to us, we were not told. We bore it; we didn’t complain. We absorbed our people. But in our case we opened up and told them this was what we wanted to do. We asked for alternative ideas.

Ideas didn’t come. Nobody came forward with any idea. And when the government took its own decision people started talking.

You used to say you were going to revive the Golden Guinea Brewery. How far have you gone with this move?

We were determined to do it but we had a challenge. From the information we gathered indicated that there is an investor that put in money into the company when it was distressed. He spent his money to offset the debt the company was owing a bank. The man is still interested in reviving Golden Guinea Brewery but the economic situation has hit him hard. But he is determined to source for money and do it.

That is why we have not done anything about it. Since he is still involved you cannot bring other investors. Once they see that somebody is already in it they’ll just withdraw. So we are encouraging the present investor to try and revive the place.

Abia State seems to be enjoying a relatively stable state of security. How has this come about?

By the help of God and mankind as well we have been able to maintain peace and stability in this state. Kidnapping is no longer here. Armed robbery is reduced to the barest minimum.

People are now free to move about as late as 2 am. Night life has come back and business is once more booming without any harassment. So Abia is now free and open for investors to come. And they have started coming. Peace and security are very essential for development. When we had kidnapping here, many of contractors abandoned site. Today, the military including all the security agencies and the federal government have helped us to bring security to Abia State.

Apart from the apparent pressure from your predecessor, your state now seems to enjoy relative political stability unlike what used to happen in the past. What is the magic wand?

The magic is that this is an embracing government. We are practicing corporate governance. This government recognizes all stakeholders as being important in the polity of Abia State.

We also give respect to whom respect is due. These things weren’t happening before. There was tyranny in this state whereby all the major stakeholders absconded. Go and ask all these people why did they abscond? They will tell you the reasons. We decided to change the face of Abia State. When you are in governance, you recognize the other people and they will reciprocate. Recognition is reciprocal. If you don’t want to do that because you are in power; because you have the paraphernalia of power, you want to teach him a lesson, you want to show him that you have arrived; he will leave the state for you to run it. Remember that one day you will leave that position. I’m governor because God has destined me to be one.

I’m not the best. But because I’m governor I’m perceived to be the best. There are people who had been governors before. They have experience. You can’t jettison them. You have to recognize them. Knowing full well that when you were governor you expected to be recognized; you expected to be respected.

And you still want that respect even if you are governor. Why don’t you give it to those who had been governors before? When you withdraw your respect for them, they will not respect you. As a government, we respect our elders; we respect those who are not in government. We bring them in and seek their opinions. And they are happy to give us free of charge. There should be no intimidation; there should be no arrogance in governance.

NATIONSPORT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Ivory Coast are up against Zambia in the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday. Yaya Toure takes up behind the scenes in the national team camp.

By Olusoji Olukayode

I

VORY COAST, looking to lay to rest the ghosts of failures past, and Zambia, looking to honour the dead from the 1993 air disaster, meet in what will be a deeply emotional Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday.

The Zambians have kept their date with destiny, stunning Ghana 1-0 in Wednesday's first semifinal to bring Herve Renard's side to Libreville off whose coast 19 years ago the national side perished en route to a World Cup qualifier in Dakar.

They face Didier Drogba's Elephants, who defeated Mali 1-0 courtesy of a brilliant solo effort by Arsenal striker Gervinho, in the Gabonese capital later.

•Francois Zahoui

•Yaya

•Herve Renard

•Kwarasey •Gyan

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

I’m living my dreams

–Ex-MBGN, Abiola Bashorun

– PAGE 42

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

Kehinde Falode Tel: 08023689894 (sms)

E-mail: kehinde.falode@thenationonlineng.net

n o r a e w o t What

y a D s ’ e n i t n e l Va

•Valerie Anusianwu

•Nkiru Nwachukwu

•Seyi Shay

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

Head to toe guide for Val day hotness

•Susan Younis

•Onyinye Nwokoma

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

•Big clutch bag

•Bottega Veneta

•Kenneth Jaylane gunmetal plated mulyi necklace

•String bracelets

•Chizo Oziri

•Yellow tank top

•Pink boyfriend jacket

Steal Chizo’s look!

•Hematite tear drop earrings

•Alexander Mcqueen heart peep-toe-shoes

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

It was one wedding that attracted the heavyweights in the Lagos social firmaments and beyond.

Expectedly, virtually all the celebrity women present looked fabulous, with a few fashion mishits. Here are a few glimses of the women who turned heads at Mrs Kemi Nelson’s daughter, Adetoun’s, wedding, which held penultimate weekend Photos: ADEKOLA BAMGBALA

Kudos to LAIDE OSIJO, she appears fabulous and very elegant

CAROLINE ADENEYE stands gorgeous as always.

Kudos!

YEJIDE BADMUS radiates beauty in a red patterned, stone embellished lace. Kudos!

Has BUKOLA FALEKE ever looked bad?

She looks super sexy in this number and notched it up with a red gollsy hanbag.

Kudos!

REMI ONAKOYA steps out ravishing.

Kudos!

Simplicity does it for YEWANDE ADESHINA. But always learn to smile on the red carpet .

Kudos!

ABIMBOLA ERICKSON turns heads in a fitted lace skirt and blouse.

Kudos!

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

Favourite shoe designer

TV presenter and winner of Big Brother Africa All Stars 2010, Uti Nwachukwu reveals his top ten things favourite to Kehinde Falode.

Favourite sport

Push by Chibuzor Oboz

Swimming

Favourite music

Favourite wristwatch

Rock

Jaguar

Favourite cap S.O.S

Favourite sunglasses

Favourite TV program

Aviator

Jara

Favourite wallet Tommy Hilfiger

Favourite Cologne Versace

by Versace

Favourite actor & actress (local & international) Ramsey Noah, Genevieve, Hugh Jackman and Kidman Nicole

Favourite drink Mojito

Uti’s top

0 1

THEATRE

t

BIGSCREEN

With VICTOR AKANDE

SOUND TRACK

Tel: 08077408676

Stage set for Top12 in Etisalat’s Nigerian Idol

plus

GISTS

PAGE

35

e-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

Meet TJ Sax Sax,, Nigeria's amazing kid Saxophonist Ovwe Medeme

Celine Dimas causes stir with remix of Oliver Twist

•Celine

I met with Yemi Sax and since then, he has been very helpful. He taught me a lot. I learnt from him, how to control my breadth when I am playing the Sax

36

Entertainment

Until recently when he started playing lead roles, Charles Inojie was known more as a movie Director. With his eyes on the seat of the Secretary of the Actors' Guild of Nigeria (AGN), he speaks with OVWE MEDEME on life on the comic side of the arts and a host of other issues.

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

37

All set for annual festival of Nigerian choirs

Comic roles give me split personality —Charles Inojie I am a shy person.

That, visĂ -vis the comic roles that I play, gives me a split personality.

Whereas I am the shy type, the roles I do are on the opposite side

Sandra Achums delivered of baby girl

O

NE time Nollywood sweetheart, Sandra Achums, is said to have been delivered of a baby girl recently. The actress who has been off the scene for quite a while is said to be healthy and so is her new born.

Sandra, who has rested from acting for reasons best known to her, is relishing the joy of giving birth to a fourth child, while also enjoying motherhood.

Rising Star: Ra Baba

Naeto C, DJ Zeez, W4, others for Indomie Val Jamz

38

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Despite his late start, Afro dancehall crooner, Anogiri, is undaunted and hopes to make a name out of his burgeoning music career. The energetic performer tells AHMED BOULOR about his yet-to-be released album and other aspects of his sojourn into the world of music.

Wadada falls out with label

Why I call myself Fela’s son

•Anogiri

Fathia Balogun adds another year!

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012, 2012

Why we can’t pay Baba Suwe —NDLEA Ahmed Boulor

39

n i s b e l e c p To KSB's Soup

•Baba Suwe

Kween set to sign deal

Sheyman comes on Trybe Records NMS winner, others dazzle in new soap

•Tamara

•Kween

40

Entertainment Dstv guide

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

BIG

CINEMA GUIDE

PICTURE Supported by: SILVERBIRD CINEMAS

The Darkest Hour: A race to save mankind

Underworld Awakening breeds vengeance

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

s ' n o t s u o H y e Whitn d n a s d u e f y l i m fa ' s e l b u o r t y e ‘mon

•Barbara Houston, Whitney's stepmother

By Danielle and Andy Mayoras

•Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks

•Whitney with her parents Cissy, left and John, right

41

42

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

I’m living my dreams

–Ex-MBGN, Abiola Bashorun She had walked into the Silverbird Galleria on Victoria Island, Lagos looking every inch a beauty queen that she truly is. As she walked, all eyes turned in Abiola Bashorun's direction. Her height, beauty and style easily gave her away as a model and beauty queen. Conscious of the glances coming her way, the former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, looked un-assuming, as she exchanged greetings with the few people who paid compliments. As she settled down for this interview with Remi Adelowo, the former beauty queen explained why she's been off the scene, her future plans and other personal issues

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

43

Social KAYODE ALFRED

(E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com, Tel: 08035733605, 08099400057)

Dewunmi Why Reginald Why Ogunsanya is Ihejiani doesn’t revered in run with the pack South Africa

Mobola Akinruntan's divorce gets messier

Mobola

Obaro Ibru adopts new lifestyle

Femi Oladein goes solo, sets up Argentil Partners Toyin Subair racing against time

Subair

Obaro

44

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Glamour

Emem Isong out with new TV series, CATWALQ

C •Susan Peters,Emem Isong & Ini Edo

•Desmond Elliot

HARMING film producer, Emem Isong, the brain behind Royal Arts Academy, recently launched a new TV series, CATWALQ . The event took place at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos, and expectedly attracted wave makers in the industry. They included Desmond Elliot, Shan George, Segun Arinze, Monalisa Chinda, Ini Edo, Adora Ukoh, Uduak Ogunamanam, Francis Onwochei , Zik Okafor, among others.

Olusegun Rapheal was there.

•L-R: Shan George,Adora Ukoh, Monalisa Chinda, Susan Peters & Mary Uranta

•Mrs Okorogie, Nkem Okorogie & Alex Okorogie

•Segun Arinze

•Monalisa Okonkwo & Chidi

•Chinedu Ikedieze

&

•Emeka Duru and Ngozi Nwosu

•Efe Tommy & Henry Adeyemi

OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL (08033572821) raphseg2003@yahoo.com

Celebrities honour Justice Abiodun Akoja at son’s wedding

By Gbenga Kutelu

J •Justice Michael Abiodun Akoja (Groom's father) and wife, Hon. Ebun Owolabi

USTICE Micheal Abiodun Akoja of the Kwara State judiciary became a proud father when his son, Alex got married to Evelyn Nkeiruka recently. The solemnisation of the nuptials held at the Holy Family Catholic Church, GaaAkanbi, Ilorin. A well attended reception later took place at the St Joseph’s Primary School Hall where guests were treated to different African delicacies, even as guests enjoyed good music from a live-band and disc jockey.

•John Olusola Baiyesea, (SAN)

•Mr Christopher Uka Obasi & wife, Helen •Captain James Bamidele (rtd) and wife, Alicia (Bride's parents)

•Couple: Alex Akoja and wife, Evelyn Nkeiruka

•Mr Adeola Omotunde and Mrs Funsho Lawal, Director, Civil •Hon. Justice Pius Damulak, High •L-R: Hon Justice Matthew Adewara, Litigation, Kwara State Ministry of Hon Justice Abiodun and wife, Janet Court, Jos & wife, Jessica Adebara Justice

FROM THE CAMPUS PAGE 46

THE NATION SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Oil Subsidy, Boko Haram and Sports

Fabio Capello out!

Good riddance?

I

HONESTLY didn’t see this one coming and I would have lost big time if I had placed a bet on Capello leaving before his contract expired as coach of the Three lions, but that is exactly what has happened.

The mean faced Italian resigned on Wednesday because of a row with the FA over his “out of favour” captain John Terry.

Terry is accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea's league game at Queens Park Rangers in October. Capello said Terry should have been allowed to captain the team because Terry's criminal trial is not scheduled until after the European Championships, which run June 8th to July 1st.

The FA decided on a more cautious approach, leaving Terry available for selection but removing him as captain. That was not acceptable for Capello, who voiced his opposition on Italian television.

According to Fabio Capello, the FA treated him badly and undermined his authority. When the news first broke out that he had resigned, my first question was, did the FA consult with him first before they took the decision to strip John Terry of the England Captaincy?

If no, then it was wrong of the FA and if yes, then I have lost respect for the Italian manager for walking out on a team 4 months before a major tournament.

Who is at fault here really?

Why didn’t John Terry resign as captain considering he has a criminal charge hanging over his head? On this matter, I am fully with the FA and I have often wondered why Capello even bothered to reinstate Terry as Captain after he removed him.

Whether we like it or not, English football is a brand and if you were the FA what will be the correct decision if someone in your organisation is killing your brand? Terry at this point in time was not right for the England brand and the FA

With Prof. Emmanuel Ojeme

who are the ultimate custodians had to make a call. The brand is obviously more important than any individual and rightly so.

Capello on the other hand believes that John Terry hasn’t been found guilty by the court and for that reason should not have been “judged” by the FA. When he stripped John Terry of the captaincy after the whole Wayne Bridge saga, did he have video evidence of an affair between Terry and Bridge’s wife/ baby mama?

Let's face it, the evidence against him was pretty strong this time, we heard what he said plus lip readers were sought to confirm his comment to Anton Ferdinand. In my opinion the Chelsea man should have stepped down as captain because as a leader and role model, you need to possess exceptional qualities and you need to display a high degree of consistency with maintaining a certain image.

You don't get too many chances to mess up but once you do, you need to be prepared for the consequences. He let himself down and as such, he should even have been the one stepping down even if it’s only an allegation.

As for Capello, now that we have established that the FA consulted with the former manager before they took the decision, I can’t help but wonder that you have a captain that has monumental character flaws and yet you keep fighting for him to wear your captain band. If you must take a job as a national coach, you must realise you are responsible for the sentiments of your employers. I don’t know how it works in Italy but in England (a multi-cultural nation) you can’t be a racist and a football team captain.

Did he stop to think about the impact that his captaincy would have on the other black players on the team?

Even the British Prime Minister David Cameron agrees with the FA’s decision. He said he was

“Capello on the other hand believes that John Terry hasn’t been found guilty by the court and for that reason should not have been “judged” by the FA. When he stripped John Terry of the captaincy after the whole Wayne Bridge saga, did he have video evidence of an affair between Terry and Bridge’s wife/ baby mama?”

T

"sorry to see Fabio go" after four years.

"He was a good coach and a good man," Cameron said during a visit to Sweden. "I don't think he was right about the John Terry issue.

You can't be captain with that question mark that needs to be answered."

Great Club Manager no doubt (ask Roma, Juventus, Real Madrid), but on the International stage he was an abject failure. What did he achieve in England?

Nothing! He didn’t seem to have a clue. And like Janusz Michallik of ESPN said “Before England, Capello always looked in charge,

•Fabio Capello quit as England coach on Wednesday just four months before the E u r o p e a n Championship, after publicly challenging the F o o t b a l l Association's decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy.

commanding.

Never thought he acted like himself in England; uncomfortable, without presence”.

As it is, it doesn’t matter anymore, Capello is out and so is Terry. Good riddance to bad rubbish in my view.

They both achieved nothing for England. He has left a sinking ship when he was supposed to be in charge.

The multi-million dollar question now is who will be the next coach of the English national team? It is no longer news that the FA prefer an English man to take the job, there are a few out there but my vote goes to Harry Redknapp.

HERE is no doubt about the fact that two major social forces of the moment which would shape the present and future of Nigeria are the Oil Subsidy and Boko Haram phenomena.

From public debates and media publications, a lot have been said and continue to be said about the dynamics of oil subsidy and Boko Haram.

Though both are different in their respective focus and method, it is not too much to further examine the social •Sport Minister, forces of oil subsidy and Boko Bolaji Abdullahi Haram in relation to sports development in Nigeria, particularly as this perspective has been marginalised in the on going debates.

(1)OIL SUBSIDY The oil subsidy is purely an economic and finance affair.

The government, in my opinion, rightly, has taken the appropriate position by introducing the policy as it liberates previously guzzled fund by private individuals and organizations for real national development and benefits. Having said this however, it is worthy of note that the deployment of the accruing fund seems to have totally neglected the sports sector. It is my view that this is a grievous error. Why? Sports is an integral component of youth development and hence, of national development. It is due to this reality that government has incorporated the sports sector as a thematic component of vision 20:2020 framework Now, it should be obvious to everyone that the possibility of realizing the vision 202020 sports development is deeming, largely due to its underfunding. The regular budgetary provision is grossly inadequate to achieve vision 202020 sports objectives Unfortunately, however, the Sports Committees of the Senate and House of representatives, seems not to have been perceptive enough to recognize this fact in all their dealings with the National Sports Commission. It would have paid higher dividend in terms of Sports development if the National Assembly Committees on Sports, have recognized the fact that a special fund provision from the oil subsidy accruals would have been needed to prosecute special programmes and projects in the Sports sector. It is, however, not too late to initiate the process of pushing for sports to benefit from the oil subsidy sector, to enable the execution of Vision 202020 programmes I hope that all government agencies and influential organizations and individuals will join hands in pushing for its realization.

(2)BOKO HARAM. For sure most nationalistic Nigerians are in great pain about the genocide of Boko Haram on Nigerians, who are selectively targeted. What is even worst is the fact that this monster is an alleged creation of Nigerian politicians. Considering Boko Haram’s mode of operation and human cost, it could be said that political power acquired through Boko Haram could not be from God but from the devil or satan. All hands must be on deck to put out the Boko Haram rampaging fire with its sociocultural dislocation of national life in all sectors including sports. If a key sports man or woman is snuffed out by Boko Haram, definitely it affects our sports programme. Secondly, in the endemic areas of Boko Haram, I am sure that people are afraid to live a normal life including sports practice and competitions. I hope we took special note of the Junior International Tennis Federation (I.T.F) competition which has been relocated from Nigeria to Benin Republic due to Boko Haram activities and security fears. Has the Boko Haram effect also been responsible for the shifting of the Flamingoes Game against Kenya, from Abuja to Abeokuta? All said and done, it creates insecurity, dislocates social activities and sports development is surely in its catchment area of casualty. Sports needs a fear-free atmosphere to thrive.

Potential investors in the sports sector may also remain centripetal. These are additional reasons while government, political leaders and indeed, all Nigerians must find the right strategy to neutralize the scourge.

The foregoing analysis of two critical factors with differential impact on sports development should be quickly addressed to enable the actualisation of Vision 20:2020.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

47

VOL 1 NO. 037

Again, our 'Islamic Banking’ model I

T all seems like Jaiz Bank Plc sneaked into Nigeria. It has happed in a fashion every way similar to a brand sneaking into a market, as Jaiz Bank open shop in Abuja. So much has been said for and against the concept of Islamic Banking, but here we are, Jaiz has kicked off as the pioneering brand of Islamic Bank (sub-sector?). We once laid out idea of Islamic bank on this page, we have decided to republish our understanding and expectations of the unique banking model, in the midst of all the fear, confusion and annoyance.

We made it clear in our article on banking sometime last year that we are not professionals in banking. We like to maintain that caveat, even as we continue in our efforts at asking questions. What we do is try to ask the salient questions concerning those areas or issues we do not have professional competence.

Also, we have carefully tried to run away from this issue of Islamic bank(ing) because of the sentiments attached to it. Religious leaders, politicians, lawyers, bankers and so many other groups have written and made speeches concerning this issue, so much so, it has become a means of identification for people you are either for or against Islamic banking; Muslim or Christian.

At MC&A Digest, we are committed to our purpose, objective and value-essence to our readers. We shall engage in the discussion or consideration of issues or happenings in so far as such will help us in building a population of better informed consumers in the market place. Where we don't readily have answers due to professional incompetence, we shall ask the right questions. So, on Islamic banking, here we go.

When we commented on the three new banks about three weeks back, the objective was to point out the systemic failure of the entire banking and financial system as operated in Nigeria, as it affects growth in the real sense. The indicators for such appraisal are evident in the simple areas of welfare and standard of living. For the common man, he wants food, shelter and cloth, simple. Call it whatever name, the operating financial system must help the ordinary man and woman meet basic needs, otherwise, talk about pattern and nature of banking only leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

And that is the stand-point we like to recommend. If we look at these issues attendant upon banking and types of banks from that position, therefore, we shall simply find ourselves speaking with one voice and for same purpose.

In reference to our article on banks in Nigeria, we did mention that the last strategic document on national financial growth is the FS 2020, a policy framework drawn to serve as the roadmap towards actualizing the nation's metamorphosis into the status of a developed nation by the year 2020. We also mentioned in that write-up, that that policy document (presented by Professor Charles Soludo, the then CBN Governor) was proudly put to be modeled after Singapore. All of these goes to show some people are really thinking.

What we are yet to find out, however, is if Islamic Banking is part of that strategic document or if perhaps SanusiLamidoSanusi made some revisions to include the new banking practice now known as Islamic Banking.

However, it is rather unfair on this country Nigeria, for people to be instigating others to vexation by playing up sentiments rather than look at issues objectively. Most of the comments on the emerging banking system have been rather instigating, leaving out real issues of positives and negatives to arrive at whether the decision is good or not.

And that is where we at MC&A Digest will like to differ.

We must understand the fundamentals and operations of the new banking system being introduced, for fair commentary. So, what really are the issues?

In establishing the operational framework for the new

banking models, the Central Bank of Nigeria clearly stated the main policy focus is INTEREST-FREE banking. Furthermore, it stated that this novel model (non-interest banking) is broken into two fundamental types as follows: 1. Non-interest financial products and services based on (the) principles of Islamic and commercial jurisprudence 2. Financial products and services based on any other any other established rules and principles.

So, put in other way, the CBN is introducing financial products and services in Nigeria, such that will be interest-free to the customer. Furthermore, the CBN recognizes interest-free banking in the type that runs on the Islamic

principles and laws, and any other such banking model that will run on any other established rules and principles, though not Islam. As a policy statement, this is clear and objective and principle for reasons of operation.

The CBN has also explained that the reason for this new banking model is to propel the nation's economic development and promote financial inclusions by introducing alternative (bank) products without undermining any group or interest within the country.

We think the above explains the two fundamental types interest-free banking is broken into. So, individuals are free to patronize interest-free banking institutions, products and services, either as operated within the laws and principles of Islam or according to “any other established rules and principles�, so far as it is INTERESTFREE. It is at this point of fundamentals that we at MC&A Digest take a position quite different from many others on this issue of Islamic Banking. We as brand managers and commentators on allied issues will not like to bother ourselves with the issue of flavor, as we would rather concern ourselves with the real substance. For the interest of the banking public, our concern is on the interest-free offering of the new banking model.

Time and again, people have always questioned the role of banks in the aggregate economic growth of Nigeria and Nigerians. The issues are clear, to the extent that the banks have become traders, property developers, importers and exporters, etc., just so that they make profit

for their owners. We challenge managers of any of the 89 banks that were in existence as at the time Soludo became the CBN Governor to come and tell Nigerians any development project they financed either as merchant or commercial bank, way back. Did any of them genuinely finance the establishment of employment-generating manufacturing concern?

Talk with any sincere private person with true and genuine investment ideas, but does not have collateral to support the investment loan assistance for his/her idea, and you will meet with a frustrated person. Whereas we have heard of loans granted friends and associates for no genuine reason, those who truly have genuine investment ideas never get off the ground with their ideas because the banks in Nigeria do not understand such involvement.

This situation persists even now, in the midst of all the confusion. The ongoing change within the banking industry caught industry players napping.

There is confusion within the sector presently because the rules are changing too fast for the flight-in-the-night (ers) to understand. The today banker is driven by an orientation not acceptable to traditional banking roles, so with the reversal of rules, all such practitioners are not too sure what to do.

But we must emphasize genuine wealth creation. The CBN has clearly stated that interest-free banking is all about driving economic growth by use of encouraging banking model that will make funds available to investors at no cost to such investors. We do not yet know how such operation will support itself, but we promise to find that out in due course. But is it not really interesting to know that we are gradually moving into an era where farmers can access bank loans free of interest, for instance? Can you imagine how many people would have been living in their own houses if only they were able to access housing loans (even at manageable interest?). In the old order, many people lost their properties to the shylock bank owners for repayment default, not because of just business failure, but bloated interest rates. Because these so-called banks knew no other way of generating profits, they heap it all on the miserable man or woman who manages to secure loans from them. So from the beginning, they look out for those juicy choice properties that far out-value the loan to be so granted, get their prospective victim to sign off such properties before the loan is granted. Now, at the middle of the running agreement, they increase the interest rate, so that the customer now finds it difficult to pay back, and with time the collateral is taken over.

What finally happens to such seized properties is anybody's guess, but often times, the bank MD, his/her friends and associates buy such properties at ridiculous price. It was sucha shame. Hence we like to consider the option of INTEREST-FREE banking option. Rather than worry over the Islamic coloration, why don't we look at the possibility of access to interest-free loans and the attendant benefits?

We are not unwearied of the many questions manifest with this new learning, but we like to rely on the laws of this great country to protect us from such abuses, if they do occur. This country is a secular state and the constitution says so, so freedom of religion remains the inalienable rights of us all. The beautiful thing again, is that the banking rules from CBN on this issue says interest-free banking, which is the crux of the matter is open to all, either according to Islamic principles and jurisprudence or as operate-able under any other established rules and principles. We think we should consider that a little bit more objectively.

48

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Chocolates, stuffed animals and long-stemmed roses don't say ‘I love you.'

Elissa Rosenthal writes.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

New WOMAN

49

China's booming ‘Rent a womb' industry

Relationships Deola Ojo 08027454533 (text) Pastordeegfc@yahoo.com

Marriage anchors (1)

Continued next week

50

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Arts & Life

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

POLITICKLE

The elements of gender In the spirit of the season, the writer again examines the subject of differentiating between the sexes with the ultimate aim of Valentine’s Day amusement. Crafted after the fashion of the periodic table in chemistry – is love after all not a matter of the right chemistry between two willing parties? –, this breakdown of the ‘essential properties’ of either gender should enlighten as well.

Woman

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

Element: Woman.

Symbol: Wo. Discoverer: Adam.

Atomic Mass: Usually from 56.5 to 75.4 kg at maturity, more or less.

Occurrence: Copious quantities in all urban areas.

Physical Properties: Generally round (or curvy) in form.

Surface sometimes covered with a painted matter.

Boils easily, and may freeze without a clear reason.

Melts if given special treatment.

Can be bitter if incorrectly used.

Yields to pressure appropriately applied.

Chemical Properties: Most active at shopping mall temperature.

Activity also increases in chatter groups.

Has great affinity to gold, silver and a range of precious stones.

Absorbs great quantities of expensive substances.

Usage: Highly ornamental.

An extremely good catalyst for disintegration of wealth.

Probably the single most powerful income reducing agent known.

Tests: Pure specimen ranges from rosy pink to coffee brown when discovered in the natural state.

Turns green (with envy) when placed beside a better-looking specimen of the same gender.

Hazards: Volatile except in experienced hands.

Illegal to possess more than one.

CHEEK BY JOWL

Man

Jokes Humour Mating Positions WHAT a Valentine’s Day rip-off, thought James. He went into the local bookstore and saw a huge display with a sign saying: “Newly translated from the original French: 37 mating positions.”

Noticing that the books were already wrapped in plain brown paper, he just had to buy one in anticipation of a romantic evening.

Once safely at home he opened it, out of sight of his wife, and found that he had just purchased an expensive book about Chess.

Eternal Regret IT WAS the first of August and Mike decided to visit a friend who had stayed away from their favourite hangout for some time. Mike found his friend holed up at home with a mournful look.

“Hey,” said Mike to the friend, “why don’t you want to hang out with your friends anymore?”

With both hands cupping his face, the friend looked up to say, “This day

holds a lot of meaning for me. It was on this day two years ago that I lost my dear wife and children.”

“Come on, it can happen to anybody.

Take heart,” offered Mike.

“Yes,” said the friend, “if only I didn’t play that last game of cards.”

Safest Way to Drive A FOREIGNER appalled by Nigerian driving habits offers the following advice: •The probability of being involved in a traffic accident is directly proportional to time spent on the road. Driving fast decreases one’s exposure.

•One third of traffic accidents are caused by drunk drivers; two thirds are caused by non-drunk drivers.

•Therefore, the safest way to drive is drunk and VERY fast.

QUOTE

What would men be without women?

Scarce, sir … mighty scarce.

—Mark Twain •Culled from the Internet

Element: Man. Symbol: Xy. Atomic Mass: Usually from 68.6 to 86.6 kg at maturity, but may be more or less.

Occurrence: Especially dominat at higher levels of habitation.

Physical Properties: Mainly angular in form.

Surface sometimes rough and hairy.

Boils under territorial threat.

Not-so-efficient absorption and reproduction of detail.

Can be resistant to pressure.

Chemical Properties: Active at room and field temperature.

Attempts to bond with Wo any chance it gets.

Easily combustible when mixed with Kd (element Kid) for a prolonged period of time.

Neutralise by saturating with alcohol.

Usage: Handy in discharge of more physical functions.

Effective as protective material.

Tests: Resistance wears off in Wo’s possession.

Deploys expensive materials to stimulate interest.

Hazards: May respond to stimuli at risk of existence.

In the absence of Wo, element Xy may lose magnetism.

EOPLE respect high Writer ’s Broth quality writing. Deliver your work in a original connections. It shuts down if the critical strong and error-free package and your message “editor” part of your mind goes to work too soon. will come through clearly.

If your secondary school English teacher’s voice Your writing is more powerful than the sword. runs through your mind as you write; if you worry It inspires, educates and entertains. If the writing is about spelling, grammar, or how to sell your book weak, readers say, “So what?” If the writing has while you write, you are writing with a dull pencil. errors, readers are confused or distracted.

There are many books written on how to unCompelling, clear, error-free writing is pos- lock your unconscious and let the writing flow. Here sible with writing tips appearing here. are a few ideas from them: Brainstorm words or images about your topic.

Put off editing Each of us works at writing on two levels: a cre- Don’t stop to evaluate their worth. Keep writing ative, unconscious level and a critical, conscious down ideas. When you can’t think of another word, wait a while. Often the most powerful idea will level.

The unconscious produces creative and pow- surface after you have cleared all the less valuable erful words and images. It makes surprising and ideas out of the way.

Write a page or two with your eyes shut. It Reader’s Response doesn’t matter if you can’t read what you’ve written. You are giving your mind permission to make GOOD day, sir. I’m Habib and I write poems. “mistakes” and just get on with it.

I enjoy your interesting page in Saturday Write with music in the background. ExperiNation. Please do you publish poems? Your ment to find the style that you like. Classical or pop brilliant reply will be expected. music, perhaps. Some prefer country or blues. +2348054644287 Give yourself permission to be emotional. If •If you consider them good enough for your writing begins to move you, experience the publication, please forward your writing to the full emotion. Before your writing changes others it will change you. art section of The Nation.

P

THE ARTS

51

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

The public presentation of The Nigeria Prize for Literature for 2011 finally took place in Lagos during the week. The winner, Mai Nasara who beat 142 other entries to clinch the 100,000 dollars prize was beside himself with excitement.

Edozie Udeze who attended the ceremony reports

I

T was one of the largest gatherings of literary eggheads in the country: the public presentation of the 2011 winner of the Nigeria Prize for Literature. Mai Nasara Adeleke Adeyemi, whose work, The Missing Clock came tops of the 142 entries that made the long list last year. With Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, as the special guest of honour the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Lagos, venue of the programme, was agog with the literati in their best mood, cracking jokes and exchanging banter endlessly.

The team from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), organizers of the event led by its Managing Director Babs Omotowa ensured that guests were seated early enough for the 10.00a.m programme to take off. With other literary giants like Gabriel Okara, Umoru Shehu, Ayo Banjo, Oye Ibidapo-obe, Jerry Agada, Yakubu Nasidi, Akachi Ezeigbo and others in attendance, the occasion was an apt moment to reflect on the state of Nigerian literature and the values of the prize which has placed literature in Nigeria on a higher realm.

Although Soyinka said he did not believe in prizes or even went out of his way to write to win any, he believes it is nice of the NLNG to institute the prize to encourage writers. In his response to questions by school children, Soyinka stated that one does not necessarily have to wait for inspiration to come. “But you have to move yourself somehow and then something in you or an event may push you to begin to write. I used to go out for a walk in England in those days. I’d sit out in a park in London and one day after I saw the statue of Winston Churchill which I was even tempted to push down, an event that happened in old Oyo many years before flashed in my mind. That was how I began to write” he said.

“So, keep writing. Never say this is a bad or a good script. The most important thing is that you must keep writing, for tomorrow may be your turn. Just take your pen and write. I can even see that these days more females write than males”, he joked, causing the women to clap and giggle, Mai Nasara, the winner of the prize was so exhilarated to see such a mammoth crowd

When NLNG gathered the literati

• L-R: Omotowa, Soyinka, Mai Nasara and wife Abolore

who turned out to felititate with him. In his speech entitled Meet me at the Library: Getting Nigeria to book a date with development, he recalled how his constant use of the library while at the Federal Government College, Katsina woke him up. To him then, the words of Alexander Hope, an 18th century English poet rammed into his brain.

Hope had written thus: “Hope springs eternal in the human heart”. “It was sheer hope that drove me to enter my first published work for the Nigeria Prize for Literature. If I learnt nothing else from this experience, I have learnt that hope drives us towards

‘Let’s make music industry grow’

B

ONNIE Ajugba who goes by the stage name Bonnie is not only an entertainer, singer, songwriter and vocalist, she has just released her maiden 12 – track music album entitled Love, the greatest gift which is now making waves in the music industry.

In a brief chat, she recalled how she discovered her musical talent in 1998, but had to abandon it briefly to travel to Egypt and the United States of America for further education. “It was also an opportunity for me to see the world and to learn more”, she said.

“I was out of the country for close to ten years. First I abandoned my admission into the University of Lagos to go to the US for further studies. There I took a degree in Aircraft Management from the University of Minnesota. After that I went to the famous University of Cairo, Egypt where I studied Computer Science”.

All the while, the musical talent in her could not allow her to be. She then began in earnest to write and compose some lyrics ranging from jazz, reggae, R and B and so on.

Bonnie has over fifty songs in her kitty and she hopes to write more as her own contribution to uplift the music and entertainment industry in Nigeria. “We have to make it grow into a big industry like it obtains in

Egypt”, she said.

“Part of the reason I am home”, according to her, “is to promote my musical album and also be part of the entertainment industry in Nigeria. At the moment, I have been getting contracts for stage shows and everywhere I performed the crowd would yell for more for my music”.

•Bonnie Bonnie explained that “All

By Edozie Udeze we need do now is to come together as a body to make PMAN work and then try to get government attention and recognition. If we can do that by ensuring that what we produce as music appeals to the people, we will make money, go places and encourage the industry to grow”, she submitted, smiling genially.

success, even beyond our imagination. I dared hope to make the shortlist, I won the prize”, he declared to a uproarious acclaim and thunderous ovation from the gathering.

Mai Nasara whose real is Adeleke Adeyemi studied Geology at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He pledged to use the 100,000 dollars prize money to help humanity and write more works not only for children but for all. The literary prize for last year was for children’s literature and the author has been commended by many for his high sense of creativity and proper usage of the English language.

Welcoming guests to the occasion, Omotowa reiterated the commitment of NLNG to the promotion of both literature and sciences in Nigeria. Even though no one won in the sciences last year, that does not mean that Nigeria does not possess some of the best scientists in the world.

“This is part of our corporate social responsibility… By initiating the prize for literature, we hope to improve the quantity of writing, editing, proofreading and publishing in the country with spill over effects on

newspapers, magazines and broadcasting.

Therefore, this is certainly a way of promoting writing, literacy and good reading culture among Nigerians”, he posited.

Chairman of the occasion, Professor Ayo Banjo in his remarks said that “the literature prize has been run on a four-year cycle in which, within each cycle, a different genre of literature is focused upon in the chronological order: fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. He however reminded the audience that the era of using gala nights to present the prize is over. “It is to synchronize this with that of the science where the award recipient is able to address an invited audience.”

The two runners – up are Ayodele Olafinatuade for his work Eno’s story and Great Chinyere Obi-Obasi for The Giant Fall both of whom were equally present at the occasion.

The event was anchored by the Editor of Guardian on Sunday, Jahman Anikulapo who jokingly asked if the prize will still be increased to 150,000 dollars this year. “I have already started writing my own script”, he said.

POETRY

The Voice of Poetry IF you verily know of Avon’s Bard or of minstrels dead and living with whom I tend to parley you’ll know I need no psychiatrist when I brood or scribble on some wrinkled lie-by sheets by stoves, by stowaways, by beds or bathsI birth only poetry’s damp voice And as gripping tornadoes shoving off all stout, steel feet, as songs on drums of cowhide skins, I hear this day her tingling voice upon this call, I can’t but call

children of my native land, elders straying astride afore supper time a call to the clear dance of moonlit night I hear...

I hear... her strained sad songs I hear... I hear... this voice of Poetry, PURE, I call…!

•Betty Abah (excerpt from Go Tell Our King)

52

H

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Arts/Reviews

OW do you feel about this new method of presenting the Nigeria Prize for Literature to the winner?

Oh, well, today’s event went well. It is so fine as you can see, very well organized and beautifully packaged. Many people came – children, adults, writers, the whole clan of Nigerian writers and it is a thing to be proud of. That it is done like this and in day time, indeed draws people’s interest and attention higher and higher to the place of literature in the land.

Every gathering meant to promote reading and writing is, to me, a welcome gathering and that is the beauty of today.

Talking about reading and writing why is it that Nigerian writers do not live solely on writing?

From what the authors say, even overseas, most writers and authors don’t live strictly on writing. That is also the impression I get. But it is just for a way for writers to fashion out a way of how they can live on what they write. It is possible and it can be made possible. It just takes a little act of organization for us to get it right.

For example, we have about 150 million Nigerians. Assuming that we have only one million committed people buying our books, are the books really there for them to buy? That’s the problem.

How do they get to see the books to buy? So, we have a marketing problem, which trickles down from publishers to sellers who most often do not make the books available. It is so hydra-headed. If the industry can get it right, we can get to that extent where writers can conveniently live on what they write.

You write basically children books, why children?

Not basically. You know sometimes you get prominence over one genre just for one book you’ve written.

Often this pre-eminence shows over other works. Like Professor Akachi Ezeigbo who has written so many works, but one children’s book she has written has given her so much acclaim. For me, I don’t basically do only children’s literature even though it is profitable and I can stick to it, I still do other works. And in the nearest future, other sides of me in terms of what I write, will show.

What is your take on this winner- takes – it – all approach by the NLNG? I was also pleasantly surprised when the winner, Mai Nasara, said his own personal view is that the prize should be spilt among the shortlist. That is even upon the fact that he has won. I think this may be the consensus of a few that if we get to a certain level we shouldn’t be left hanging. I think it is that general consensus.

Then what do you think can be done to make it better?

Book industry has marketing problem

Chinyere Obi-Obasi, lawyer, banker and writer, was the second runner-up in the NLNG’S 2011 Nigeria Prize for Literature. Her entry, The Great Fall came third. In this chat with Edozie Udeze she talks about the prize, her writing career and why writers should enjoy the fruit of their labour Okay, fine, for getting to that height and not leaving the people a little disappointed. Yes, that is my take on that. Also taking into consideration what Professor Wole Soyinka said that when you get to the last three it just becomes a bit difficult. It could have gone either way. When then they can think of making some money available to give to those ones who got to this level, both first and second runners-up.

Again, we all know that writers are not necessarily writing for money. There is this overriding believe, let God continue to take care of us continually, yet we all need money to sort out our health issues, for example.

As a writer, are you contented?

Yes, I am. But as you know satisfaction in this regard is relative. Contentment is just an inner thing. We must get to a level when we should live each day at a time. But you have to be happy for who you are. Because if you say you are not happy, there are many people out there who you are better than.

If you keep looking at those who are better than you, you’ll forget to look at those you are better than.

So, for example you are educated, like I work in a

•Obi-Obasi

bank and I am a lawyer with five children. I am writing and in the midst of that I am being recognized why wouldn’t I be contented? I don’t know what else I want, you know what I mean? So, I can only work harder each day.

Many views of Awolowo Book Review O RAL history has an exalted and treasured place in African tradition. Hence, when oral history transforms to written history, the end product is inevitably invaluable. If a testimonial to that effect was ever needed, Moses Akin Makinde’s book, AWO: The Last Conversation provides one with its niche, form and philosophical utility.

By some fluke or fate, a feat rarely accomplished by contrivance and therefore, frequently attributed to Divine intervention; it was most propitious that Professor Makinde would become both the beneficiary and indeed, the trusted custodian of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s intrusive, introspective and overarching last conversations before his death. But who was Awo? According to Makinde, he was: “a politician, political scientist, statesman, economist, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a strategist of the highest order, a great intellectual, a man of wisdom, courage, vision and above all, great philoso-

By Oseloka Obaze

pher of the twentieth century.

Surely, Awo lived a life with scope and intelligent pauses” (p.33) Generally, Awo has been posthumously conferred with the honor of “the best president Nigeria never had.”

Unbeknown Awo and Makinde, the three and a half hour conversation between them on Saturday 4 April 1987, which is the basis of this book and Makinde’s rich exposé, would become Awo’s great finale and his literary and political legacy to posterity. As Makinde observed, several other literary works intended by Awo remained unfulfilled.

What makes this work great is not that it is very well written (recorded), but that in life and death, Awolowo remains a much revered but equally misunderstood Nigerian nationalist, whose penchant for discipline in all its facets was the very antithesis

of the indiscipline that continues to bedevil his country.

AWO: The Last Conversation is the result of a last ditch attempt, albeit unintended, to probe and pick at Awo’s brain with a view to uncovering the foundation of his philosophical acumen.

What Makinde encounters and consequently unveils to the reader, is a multidimensional Awolowo; “various aspects of himself as well as the thoughts behind his publicly acclaimed phenomenal acts.” True to its genre, which accounts for its richness and proffered insight, this work is truly a product of a conversation, a give and take dialogue and debate, in which every option and question is intently exercised and the responses most thoughtful and revelatory.

AWO: The Last Conversation is therefore the stuff history scholars die for. Part of the book’s strength and attraction, is every reader’s hope for a glimpse of the real persona of Awolowo the legend; and the hope to uncover the fault line in the Awo mys-

tic, that would explain the inexplicable paradox, and why even though Awolowo was considered a master politician, administrator and philosopher, he failed woefully to muster the knowhow of how to sufficiently gain the confidence of his compatriots for them to elect him their leader. Yet, having failed to give Awo the mantle, Nigerians still wallow in nostalgia of what an Awolowo leadership would have meant for Nigeria given his leadership qualities and penchant for discipline.

Being the academic and philosopher he is, but perhaps recognizing that he was in possession of a gem, Moses Makinde structured the book in a manner that offers utmost utility. The four main chapters are devoted to the Introduction; Awo the Man; My Encounters with Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Thirty Five Days Before His Death: The Last Conversation.

Continued on page 67

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

53

How fuji musician was axed to death —PAGE 54

Another life on water

Edozie Udeze took a trip to the coastal town of Epe. He writes about the people’s dependence on water transportation and how it aids their business activities.

T

HE mid afternoon sun was veiled by a little cloud in the sky. But Ahmed and his colleagues were oblivious of this. They were busy, hitting away and hammering six-inch nails into the heavy woods of the engine boat they were building. There were other young men too, working a few yards away assembling materials for their own fishing boats.

But Ahmed and his group indeed made unhurried swing in the harbour’s cramped space as a few feet berthed not too far away.The selling was the harbour of the fish market called Oluwo located in Epe, Lagos State. The boat builders were simply in their own world.

As the reporter approached their workshop, they looked up sharply their eyes blazing.

“What do you want?” was their first question, fired with gusto and bemused aggression.

With a disarming smile on his lips, the reporter told them his mission: to write a story about their wonderful exploits and thereby call attention to their creativity.

“Ah, Oga, you have to pay if you want us to talk”, Ahmed, the proprietor of the boat-building workshop replied. After lots of pep talks and persuasion the issue was resolved amicably.

They then got into a more relaxed mood; ready to talk.

It runs in the family. The workshop is a large open space, it is their daily lair, where they fashion out and construct boats ordered their clients. Ahmed, using his open palms to clear the streams of sweat dripping down his face said, “This business was started by my grandfather many years ago. When my own father

took ill, I took over”.

In the workshop, three categories of boats are built. These are speed boat, canoe and engine boats.

The engine boat is a passenger carrier. It is also most popular and expensive. “This is our own version of Molue or BRT on water”, Ahmed clarified, smiling. According to him, “It costs N500,000 to build one engine boat, that’s if you provide us the woods. But if we assemble the woods ourselves, it costs N900,000 and it takes an average of two months to complete one”, he said reaching out for his face towel and hammer.

On the average, each engine boat carries 200 passengers and the more loads it carries, the better it roars on the sea. In Epe, therefore, the commercial life of the people revolves mainly around movements on the water ways. On completion, the boat is moved into the water by the owner who uses it for commercial purposes. Some others also use it as private family transport system.

Every morning the boats move up stream to the Waterside in Ogun State. From there, they convey to Epe fishermen and women and other farmers who come to sell their various sea foods and farm products. Over the years, this has been the routine. The Oluwo market now tagged ‘morning fish market’ provides an avenue for all sorts of items caught in the sea to be sold there. The market opens by 7a.m and before mid-morning flying boats, speed boats, canoes and engine boats of all shapes and sizes would have started anchoring from different locations where they went to bring in foodstuff, fish, shrimps, snails, crocodiles, alligators, monitors and so on.

No night travels “This market was at Ebute-Epe

“In the workshop, three categories of boats are built. These are speed boats, canoe and engine boats. The most popular and expensive is the engine boat. “This is our own version of Molue or BRT on water”

Photos: Edozie Udeze

• Engine boats at the harbour in Epe

• Toyin displaying a fish

before”, Toyin, one of the traders said. “But in 1990, Col. Raji Razaki as the governor of Lagos State relocated us here. The former space was too small and he really drew attention to what we do here”, she said. It is estimated that everyday about one million naira worth of fish, tortoise, snakes, rats, crocodiles, alligators, snails, and burn llagoon are traded in the market. In Epe the is known as Osa and it links the people with many other states like Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo et al. “But our immediate concern now is that the harbour

is too small to accommodate the many canoes and boats that anchor here during the peak hour”, Toyin said, frowning a bit.She added, “Everyday, about ten engine boats, fifteen canoes and speed boats, anchor at the harbour from different directions, from where they bring in fish and so on. Our lives depend on these. If we want to send some goods to Ore (Ondo State), for instance, we prefer to travel on water. For us it is safer and as we are so used to it. When we arrive at Ilaje or Okitipupa, we then take a vehicle to Ore. That way, we feel more secured.”As

people own vehicles for commercial purposes, so do Epe people purchase and own engine boats (fondly referred to as “our own BRT”) with which they convey goods and passengers every day”.

The routine is simple: depart in the morning to drop passengers and once it is getting dark, they close and berth their boats at the harbour. No night travelling! Jide, one of the boat owners and a native explained that he doesn’t feel comfortable travelling by road. “I am 45 years now and I have made millions conveying my people to and fro on the lagoon. Anywhere •Continued on page 70

54

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Life

How fuji musician was axed to death The brutal killing of Raheem Mojeed in Osogbo, has thrown the town into mourning. Tunde Busari reports on the controversy surrounding his death

R

AHEEM Mojeed, a fuji musician, like many aggrieved Nigerians, had in January in Osogbo, Osun State, joined millions of other Nigerians to protest the January 1 withdrawal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.

He left his music behind believing that he needed to make his voice heard.

To drive home his point he joined his colleagues in barricading Jaleyemi junction in the Odi-Olowo axis of the town on January 9, the day the protest started nationwide.

However, a week later when the federal government backed down by reviewing downward a litre of petrol from N141 to N97, Mojeed, also known as Apampa, was no more. He died in the early morning of January 10 following a machete cut allegedly inflicted on him by one Lawrence Dada. The suspect allegedly attacked Mojeed for obstructing the passage of his Honda car during the protest.

Sadly, all the lofty dreams the 33-yearold had nursed over the years, as a budding musician determined to see his career through, have now perished, and buried with him. Incidentally, Dada popularly known as 'The Law' claims to be one of the reliable fans who had engaged Mojeed's services in the past.

A police source who does not want to be identified said, "This is one of the things the suspect said during interrogation. He said he could not kill somebody whose music he enjoys. He even claimed that the deceased was the musician he engaged to entertain his guests at the naming ceremony of one of his children.

"But the colleagues of the deceased who were invited to the station, said the suspect is only trying to cook up a story to show that he is close to the deceased. But does being close to him mean he should kill him?"

THE NATION on Sunday also gathered that the claim of the suspect lacks substance going by the manner in which he allegedly descended on the deceased on the fateful day. The suspect saw obstruction of his car by the protesters as an insult to his person being a well known figure often deployed by politicians in Osun State.

Fighting it out Majority of the protesters are said to have conceded to him when he threatened to deal with them. Mojeed, how-

•The suspects

ever, scoffed at the threat and told him pointblank that he would be treated like other motorist.

This act even jolted Mojeed's colleagues some of whom were persuading him to let the sleeping dog lie. At the same time, a few others were inspired by Mojeed's hard stance and, thus, joined him, insisting the suspect must turn back.

"The next thing we saw was that 'The Law' just ran to his car and brought out a cutlass. To say the truth, some of us ran away but I saw Mojeed facing him.

The next thing was that 'The Law' hit him with the cutlass in the arm," one of the protesters who pleaded anonymity said.

What followed the encounter was dramatic as the cutlass had no impact on Mojeed.

"When 'The Law' realized the cutlass did not cut Mojeed, he ran to the booth of his car and removed another cutlass.

It was the second cutlass that did the damage. It is not an ordinary cutlass. It was laced with charm," the source also said.

More protesters were mobilized to the scene but they could not match the suspect. Instead, they took out anger on his car which they damaged until the suspect left the scene. Some of the protesters had taken Mojeed to the Our Lady of Fatima hospital near the scene of the incident. The slight cut on his body was stitched while the doctor advised Mojeed to go home and have some rest.

Everyone dispersed and normalcy returned to the area. Some hours after the incident, things took a different dimension, Mojeed's condition got worse and he complained of severe body pain.

His mother with whom he lived didn't think much of it, mistaken the symptom as the effect of the stitches on his body.

Before dusk, however, Mojeed's condition had degenerated. But as effort was being made to rush him to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), he breathed his last. His death instantly attracted many residents of the street to his house.

As the news of his death filtered to the town, his colleagues went wild, organized themselves and went after the suspect at his residence located at Testing Ground area. However, before they got to his house he had escaped to an

undisclosed hideout with his family.

It took the frantic pleading of landlord of the suspect to dissuade the angry mob from setting the house ablaze. The landlord in desperation to safe his property led them to the rooms occupied by the suspect. Without wasting time, the angry group broke the doors into the rooms, packed every item in sight and set them ablaze.

Curiously, a total number of 15 units of Laptops of different makes were among the items found inside a big bag the suspect kept in one of his rooms.

Also not less than 30 pairs of shoes were found, raising a suspicion that the suspect might be into a shady business, especially as he was not known to be a Laptop dealer in the town or elsewhere.

The group did not stop at those items, they also marched to his house under construction at OkeOdo area and pulled the entire structure down to the foundation level. Yet, they were threatening to take the pound of flesh if sighted in the town.

Consequently, the suspect was detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) where detectives from the homicide section grilled him. Given the publicity which the incident had attracted, the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, Olusegun Solomon hurriedly gave a directive for a speedy and comprehensive investigation of the matter.

Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCID, Gbola Adeyemi was saddled with this task of digging into every detail of the incident, culminating into the eventual death of Mojeed.

Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola also did not hide his displeasure about the incident as he was said to have thrown his weight behind the police effort to see that justice is done.

In a broadcast to the people of the state, the governor commiserated with the bereaved family, and assured the disturbed public that "the police authorities have been charged to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice".

By January 18, the Commissioner of Police paraded the suspect and his accomplice before a select group of journalists at the Command Headquarters,

Oke-Fia, Osogbo. He gave a summary account of the incident with identification of the suspect's vehicle number

•Mojeed

among other details. "Many witnesses identified the suspects as those that attacked them at the scene on the fateful day," he said.

Among the witnesses is the duo of Alhaji Fatai Bello and Yekeen Babatunde both of whom also sustained injury during the fracas that followed the incident. They said the suspect's behaviour on the day depicted him as one above the law.

However, the suspect stoutly denied the allegation. He maintained that he never attacked anyone let alone macheting the deceased. To him, what he only did was an act of self defence when he realized that the protesters would overrun him.

"I did not use any cutlass to cut Mojeed.

All the people are saying are lies to deal with me. But I don't know what I

•Mojeed’s mother

did for them to think of putting me in this trouble. Because I know I did not commit any offence, that is why I did not run to allow the police do their job.

Mojeed is somebody I know very well.

So I cannot fight with him," he said.

The suspect has since been charged to an Osogbo Magistrate court for murder. The case was adjourned till sometime in March while the accused is remanded at the Ilesa Prisons. The mother of the deceased, Fausat Raheem seems to have accepted her fate but insists in justice. She said the manner her son was sent to early grave indicates that the suspect is not new to wasting lives.

"I am not God and I am not the government but the killer of my son should not be allowed to go unpunished. That is what I want the government to do for me so that my son will rest in peace. "

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Life

55

Bridging the gap of infertility F

OR the family of Rev. Andrew Barnabas (not real name), having a set of twins after 12 years of marriage is the best thing to have happened to them.

For over a decade, they had gone through different kinds of medical treatments, some of which were unbearable, especially for the woman.

But their contact with Bridge Clinic last changed the course of their lives! Full of smiles and happiness, Andrew and his wife held their fragile bundles of joy born on January 19, this year.

Occasionally, he steals a glance at the two kids who were deep asleep in their cribs at the Bridge Clinic, Kaduna located opposite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Angwan Rimi area of the metropolis.

At the beginning Dr. Richardson Ajayi, Managing Director of the clinic, who invited journalists to a press conference to announce the delivery in Kaduna said it was to commemorate its first anniversary in Kaduna. According to him, the clinic which began its services in the city in January 2011 has received tremendous patronage from residents of the state and neigbouring states.

He said the clinic is run as a purely In-Vitro fertility centre to help couples having problem with pregnancy. Ajayi said that even though not all cases have

TONY AKOWE, from Kaduna, writes about a clinic where couples are assisted to become proud parents using IVE been successful, the system has been in use for over 30 years across the globe and has been quite successful.

According to him, the clinic which began operation in Nigeria in 1999 has recorded about 1,300 deliveries with the parents and children doing very well.

He admitted that undergoing an IVF treatment is a very expensive venture, pointing out that couples going through the treatment should budget between N800,000 and N1 million for the treatment.

While presenting the first beneficiaries of the IVF treatment in Kaduna to the media along with their set of twins, Ajayi said the entire process right from conception to delivery took about 34 weeks. He added that the IVF treatment is “not a quick fix solution” to problems of infertility or lack of pregnancy and don’t always work. He noted that there are times when the system does not work, stressing that in view of the approach and experience of the personnel of the clinic, patients who went through the treatment and are not

“While presenting the first beneficiaries of the IVF treatment in Kaduna to the media along with their set of twins, Ajayi said the entire process right from conception to delivery took about 34 weeks. He added that the IVF treatment is “not a quick fix solution” to problems of infertility or lack of pregnancy and don’t always work.”

successful always appreciate their efforts. He also argued that IVF treatment is not an alternative treatment for infertility, adding that studies have shown that one out of every four couples have the risk of not getting pregnant.

Miracle babies Having benefited from the services of the clinic, Rev. Andrew Barnabas told The Nation that living apart from his wife who works in Kaduna made things quite difficult for them. According to him, “I live in the South South where I Pastor a church and my wife works in Kaduna. We have gone to several clinics and undergone several treatments and at a stage, I had to ask my wife to stop going for one of the treatments because it was very painful and anytime she returns, I see the pain she goes through.

But our contact with Bridge Clinic has given us a set of twins and to tell you the truth, before we got married, we had made up our mind that we will have only two children. God has also shown me in a revelation that we would have two boys. But how the scan, with the sophisticated equipment they have could not detect the sex of the babies beats my imagination”.

But how did he come in contact with Bridge Clinic? Andrew said “my fatherin-law actually told us about the clinic and told my wife that they have a clinic in Kaduna. She investigated the clinic along with her friend before informing me. We decided to give it a try. I am a Reverend and I believe in God and His ability. Maybe this is the way God wanted it so that I can give this testimony to help others out there. When we came here, I was shown the entire

process and the eggs taken from my wife were fertilized. There were about eight of them and I was asked to choose two that are more fertile and I did. The two were implanted into my wife in my presence and we left. I went back to my base and two weeks later, my wife called me to inform that the doctors said that the she is now pregnant and that one of the two sacks survived. I was very happy and danced, giving praise to God. I also reminded God that we wanted two children and that since age was not our side, God should divide the sack into two. However, when she went for scanning, she was told that she was carrying twins, a boy and a girl and she called to inform me. Even though I was in a public place when she told me, I was overwhelmed with joy and I ran home to celebrate. She was delivered of the babies through Caesarian section. If they had sedated her, we would have argued that they swap the babies.”

His wife, Mercy (not real name) also said that since the doctors had told her that it was only one sack that survived, she had made up her mind that she was carrying only a child, saying “I went for scanning in three different places to be sure of what the scan was saying. At the first place, the doctor told me he was seeing two babies. I argued with her and decided to confirm it by going to other places to repeat the scan and got the same result. I was discussing with the doctors when the Caesarean section was going on. They brought out the first baby and they showed me saying it’s a boy.

When they brought out the second child and said the same thing, I told them that it was not possible because all the scans I did said that one was a boy and the other a girl. The reality of the situation is that they were both boys and identical too since they came from the same sack.

The things I bought were for both sexes and so, we had to dress the other with female dress”.

56

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Life

•Adeshina

My publishing odyssey, by Adeshina T

ELL us about the magazine you are publishing now and how long has it been in the market?

Thank you very much, the magazine is called Distinguished Nigerian magazine, it is a quarterly publication and we’ve been on for about four years and about to enter our fifth year of production.

But what is your link to the magazine then?

Remember I am a journalist. I started with the old Daily Times and I rose to become the political editor, while I was political editor I was also the national chairman of all political correspondents in Nigeria, a position I held for four years and there after I left Daily Times to set up my public relations firm called Omoronike ventures limited which is into public relations, printing etc. After a while, I was invited to the villa where I was appointed as the personal assistant to the deputy chief of staff to president Olusegun Obasanjo. I was in the villa for about four to five years, between 1999 and 2004 or 2005 thereabout. Because the passion in journalism was still boiling in me I left to set up this outfit. Why Distinguished Nigerian Magazine?, I felt that there are a lot of good things about Nigeria .There is this funny thing about journalism in Nigeria and some of our colleagues, they think that you have to be critical before you sell but I said no!

There are a lot of good things about Nigeria so I thought about it and decided to establish this Distinguished Nigerian quarterly to bring out the good things about Nigeria, let’s put the search light on and tell the world that there

Gbenga Adeshina is the Publisher of Distinguished Nigerian quarterly magazine and once worked in the corridors of power in Abuja. He spoke on his publication and the Nigerian media, his experience in the villa under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the need to pay local governments their monthly subventions directly with Assistant Editor, Nduka Chiejina are good things about Nigeria. That is why in every edition we have a focus we have no apology to say it is a promotional magazine that says good things about Nigeria. That’s not to say we don’t have critical columns if you are a writer and you have something serious that deserves condemnation of course we will publish because I am a typical Nigerian journalist and we are about the best in the world, we see things as they are but that’s not to say that there are no good things about Nigeria. It’s not all about stealing, corruption or Boko Haram, for God’s sake, there are so many good things about Nigeria. I have known for a while you have been contributing your own quota to development of journalism in Nigeria for goodness sake so if in my next package I decide to showcase you what is bad about that? Why must I focus on the negativity? That’s why Distinguished Nigerian quarterly has come on board. Before we stated the magaNigerians award we had about three editions and after the third edition we started an in-house magazine to package the award that was how we registered the name and started the magazine. As you can see we have an office in Canada that’s where we distribute the international arm of the

magazine and from the quality you can see we don’t compromise which is why we are a quarterly for now so that we produce something that is unique and good.

You said you worked as a personal assistant to the deputy chief of staff Dr. Stanley Macebuh, what was it like working under Obasanjo in the villa those days?

First my boss was senior special assistant to the president on special duties then we were at bullet building we were then on special functions but they found that my boss was good he was given another appointment to be the deputy chief of staff to Mr. President, before then we were in charge of communications in the villa in which case we were like a kitchen cabinet preparing information materials for Mr. President and for journalists we were always addressing the press and giving them information about the working of the government. So that was in our field. But when we got into the villa proper as deputy chief of staff it became more of a technocrat type of job but my boss being a journalist still found time to relate with the press so we were still working more in the communication unit but we mixed it

with other real serious businesses of government, so to answer your question it was very thrilling and challenging to work in the villa with security agents, it is not all materials you have to divulge which was not easy for people like us who were really strict journalists but I still had to cope we found it very interesting as an experience. The only thing there is that people thought that once you are in the villa you are a rich man so when they see my face on television I received a lot of call from people demanding for money. That was the problem I had and essentially I was not rich in the villa so it wasn’t too comfortable for me, when you are driving on the road you hear people calling Gbenga Adeshina you are a villa man so even the police on the road but it was quite challenging and interesting an experience.

What about the President himself, even though you did not work directly with Obasanjo in the villa what was it like being in close quarters with him under a work environment and what kind of person was he then?

My impression of Obasanjo very sincerely is that he is an honest down to earth person, very straight forward

man who never condoned corruption.

That was what I personally observed because on one or two occasions I heard stories in the villa; friends, his old friends, who came to him made requests that were not in tune with the basic philosophy of governance he shunned them so I think Obasanjo as a person is my man he is very straight forward and he tells you to your face if you want to be corrupt and to the extent that if you go to him that you want to gossip he doesn’t waste time calling the fellow you want to talk about for instance if went to tell him about a person and before you know it he’ll press a button to call the fellow ‘come o this fellow is talking about you why are you involved in this type of thing’.

He is that type of person. So to me Obasanjo is not as bad as he is being painted but I discovered in this country is that once you are a ruler or President you have many channels of information and friends and along the line you cannot really monitor every person one on one and he tries to manage cases that he could, but once you are close to him and he knows you are corrupt or bad his hammer will be on you. So to me I think he is a good leader, that’s not to say he does not have his limitations as a human being, there are some extremes there are some things you may not like about him but he scores over 70 per cent in administration.

Coming back to publishing, is Distinguished Nigerian quarterly the only magazine you want to be associated with now or do you plan to try out other publishing options?

Thank God I have people like you who are my friends in journalism and your MD Victor Ifijeh we were reporting together now MD CEO of The Nation. Some day we are planning to start a weekly newspaper so that we will be able to bring out more news we are planning to start a weekly newspaper which will be a sister organisation to the magazine in that case we will require the services of experienced hands bring in contributions and ideas. What I have discovered about Nigerian journalism or journalism generally is that space is needed and once you have meaningful contributions people will always patronise you so we hope to go into other areas.

Well the Nigerian space has been flooded with newspapers and magazines, some acceptable some not quite, so what do you think about the proliferation of media houses in Nigeria?

Yes very sincerely I appreciate what your MD is doing by trying to weed out the quacks when I started my magazine I heard some people saying that Gbenga has started a magazine forgetting the fact that I am a journalist by orientation but a guy sitting under a tree decides to publish something and he prints about 50 or 100 copies collects few adverts and comes out with an eight page magazine or newspaper and says he is a publisher.

I think the Guild of Editors of which I am a member and the NUJ which am also a member should do more work to sanitize the industry because I don’t think it’s fair enough for anybody to wake up in a day and say he is into publication some cannot even string two sentences together when you pick up some of these newspapers and magazines you laugh. They cannot write talk less of passing messages to a third party. So I think you and I who are professional journalists should start the work right away. If we see that there is newspaper or magazine that is not doing well we should report them to the NUJ or even the Guild of Editors, I think there is a provision in the Freedom of Information Bill that addresses that. But I think we should really sit up. People should not set up magazines and newspapers mainly for making money because if you do that it is then image tarnishing comes in which I don’t think is right. Journalism is the fourth estate of the realm and we are supposed to be the watch dog of the society once a newspaper or magazine is established not for that purpose then it is unfortunate. We are recognized, they know our background to be journalists and we stand challenged that I Gbenga Adeshina as

•Continued on page 70

BUSINESS THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

F

ABER Monroe (not real name), a Briton, is an aeronautic engineer by profession. He is presently on the retainership of three of the leading airlines operating in the country today.

Suave and gentlemanly, Monroe, who was on an international KLM flight to Nigeria en route Netherlands with this reporter recently, disclosed that he visits Nigeria yearly, at least, six times in a row.

Besides, on the average, he puts in over 450 man-hours which he dedicates to the repairs and maintenance of aircraft fleets. For all his efforts, he gets paid in over seven digit figures, wait for this: hundreds of thousands in dollars annually!

Monroe is one of many lucky foreign experts who appear to have literarily struck gold in the country simply because he has the right skill set that is high on demand.

Influx of foreign experts According to analysts, major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Jos, to mention just a few, like the proverbial honeybee, easily attracts prospective foreigners into the country so much for their cosmopolitan nature and commerce.

Corroborating this view, an immigration official at the Ikeja branch office in Lagos, who would not be named, since he has no authority to speak, revealed to The Nation that, the office receives hundreds of applications from prospective foreigners seeking temporary permits in the country on a daily basis.

“In recent times, we have been receiving a deluge of applications from would-be expatriates seeking work permits. What we do when such applications come, under the circumstance is to do thorough background checks and treat each case on its on merit”, the source said.

Socio-economic impact Investigation by The Nation revealed that foreigners appear to dominate key sectors of the economy such as oil and gas, energy and power, construction, telecommunications, real estate, banking and finance, among others.

Giving fresh insights, Mr. Henry Ojogho, Vice Chairman, Broron Group of companies, a conglomerate with interest in oil and gas, telecoms, energy and power, in an interview with The Nation recently disclosed that foreigners still dominate most businesses in the country today.

Specifically citing the oil and gas industry, Ojogho said that the country has the right local expertise for most of these jobs. He was however quick to admit that there are lots of handicaps militating against the capacity of local experts to deliver on the job when compared to their peers abroad.

“In Nigeria, I can tell you in all honesty that we have expertise that can compete favourably with their counterparts abroad but they are hamstrung by the lack of capacity.

What do you make of a professional involved in seismic engineering who has no equipment to

Much ado about foreign consultants

57

‘Unstable power responsible for rising cost of telecoms’ -- Page 59

Briefs

Total refutes alleged fuel subsidy overpayment Opinions are divided as to the propriety or otherwise of foreign OTAL Nigeria Plc has dispelled ruexperts manning major commanding heights of the economy.

But are these expatriates really dominating our economy? Asks, Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf do these jobs?” he stressed.

Continuing, he said: “For instance we had to mobilise enormous resources from our overseas group to be able to finance the purchase of an ocean going vessel suitable for exploration activities. This cost us millions of dollars. Only very few companies out there can easily muster such resources.”

In the view of Arc. Roti Delano, President of the Association of Consulting Architects of Nigeria, who spoke in an interview last year, he decried what he described as the “invasion of foreign architecture” in the country.

Delano, who is a former Honorary Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) and the Managing Director of Femi Majekodunmi & Associates, disclosed that: “We have had other foreign architects working in the country but the problem we are having now is the incursion of foreign architects practicing illegally in Nigeria. Some clients engage these people in ignorance and we know of clients, who, when this is drawn to their attention, reverse the situation.

“It is not only the clients that are encouraging foreign people coming to practice illegally in Nigeria, we have instances where the Federal Government engages foreign architects to work illegally in Nigeria. Part of the problems we are going through now is trying to make our clients realise that the Nigerian architect can produce what the foreign person can do and if we have foreigners coming to work in Nigeria, it should be in collaboration with Nigerian architects.”

Going down memory lane, Delano recalled that when President Olusegun Obasanjo was Head of the Military Government in the 1970’s and the country was going to develop the second generation universities, at the time, all the projects went to Nigerian architects provided they showed they have the technical experts.

“The cost of engaging a local architect is a fraction of what you pay the foreign architect. We have done our studies and we have seen that even Ghana pays twice, the fees of the architect in Nigeria.

In 37 countries that we studied, Nigerian professionals earn the least.”

Echoing similar views, Mr. Mustapha Benjamin, who heads Restoration Chapel International, in an interview with journalists

•Nweze

• Ojogho

T

mours alleging fuel subsidy overpayment to it under the current fuel subsidy regime, saying it did not collect any amount over the value of the products it delivered into the market since its participation in the regime.

Making this clarification in a press statement, the Corporate Affairs Manager, Moyo Areda, after the company’s second appearance before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the subsidy payments by the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to oil marketing companies on Thursday in Abuja, the company absolved itself of any shady deals, insisting that all its transactions under the regime were guided by highest corporate governance principles.

The statement reads in part: “Following the presentation made by Total Nigeria Plc to the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Subsidy payment by the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the alleged overpayment of N2.613 Billion by some Nigerian newspapers and electronic media, the company wishes to put the issues into proper perspective and states categorically that it never received such an amount from the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) as overpayment on subsidy.

“It was opined that there was a difference between the amount received by Total of N18.800 billion and the amount of N16.186 billion under recovery claimed in respect of the year 2011. The total amount paid to Total Nigeria Plc in the year 2011 amounted to N18.800 billion.”

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

• Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Ernest Nwapa

• Director General, BPP, Emeka Eze

recently declared that: “I have it on good authority that the Federal Government of Nigeria pays a lot of money for consultancy services to someone from the Caribbean.

Every three months, the government flies him in, pays him heavily. What that man is doing is something other Nigerians here can achieve in a lesser time than he can achieve even at far lesser cost.”

Raising a poser, he queried: “Why go to the Caribbean island that should be depending on us to get a consultant and pay him money that you can use to employ over 4, 000 people? Even if they have no work to do, just be giving them N10,000 or N15,000 every month which they will appreciate. I want the government to look into.”

But in the opinion of Mr. Olawale Kabir, who has a master’s degree in International Affairs from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife, argues that the fears by Nigerians that foreign-

ers are taking up their jobs are rather unfounded. Nigeria, he said also benefits immensely through the Technical Aid Corps (TAC), a programme of the Federal Government, which enables locally qualified experts to be able to ply their trade in different countries of the world, including subSaharan Africa, among others.

“A lot of Nigerians, I can tell you have benefitted immensely from TAC. You find a lot of them spread across the globe, all thanks to this kind of programme. The government, I think realised the futility of closing up our society, which is why they made a focal point of our foreign policy”, he said.

Expatiating, Kabir said: “The idea that foreigners are coming in droves into the country is enough evidence that Nigeria still has a lot to offer the rest of the world.

More than this, we live in global Continued on page 58

The Nigeria Stock Exchange All-Share Index lost 122bps cumulatively last week.

The banking sector, in line with dominating bearish sentiments in the market, recorded more losses than gains. On the up-tick however were Access Bank and Sterling Bank, with cumulative gains of 6.2% and 1.2% respectively. On the flip side, a profit warning announced by UBA during the week led to a 9.5% drop in its share price, while other toptier banks, GTBank, First Bank and Zenith Bank lost 6.5%, 3.3% and 1.0% respectively.

Diamond Bank swung back into bearish territory today, losing maximum points and closing on full offer. Top–tier banks, with the exception of UBA, all bagged marginal points, with light volatility during the session as prices continued to hover around current levels.

The food and beverages sector was also bearish, as glutting offers shaved off 10.4% from Dangote Flour. Honeywell Flour and Dangote Sugar also lost 9.5% and 7.5% respectively, while Nestle and Cadbury finished on the up-tick with cumulative gains of 1.5% and 0.1% respectively.

Dangote Cement, on Thursday commissioned a US$1.0bn cement plant, raising its production capacity in Nigeria by more than 40.0%. The new plant will produce 6.0 million metric tonnes of cement per annum (MTPA), which along with its other plants will take total production to 20.25 million MTPA. A surge in the price of NB early in the session drew potential sellers, curbing its appreciation to a 1.4% mark-up. It subsequently broke the N94.00 naira threshold and closed at N95.40.

58

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Business

‘Why Nigeria remains investors’ choice’ President of the Kaduna Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), Alhaji Umar Yahaya led other executive members of the chambers on a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of Vintage Press Limited, publishers The Nation newspaper titles recently as part of efforts aimed at raising awareness ahead of the 33rd Kaduna International Trade Fair coming up on February 24th. The group had an interface and discussion session with a team of editors. Excerpts:

H

OW do you intend to beef up the security, the agency that will be involved and your plan and then secondly, what is the present situation concerning the management of the Trade Fair Complex?

The Trade Fair kicks off in less than two weeks’ time on the precisely on the 24th of February. We have a number of key events after the opening ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony will be chaired by the former Head of State, Ernest Shonekan, who has since confirmed his participation.

Former Minister of Commerce is going to be a guest.

We also have a quiz competition being organised as part of our efforts towards energizing the educational sector by bringing out the interest of both youths and other stakeholders.

The Kaduna International Trade Fair actually predates the popular Lagos International Trade Fair. It is now in its 33rd

edition. Last year, about 411,000 people visited the fair on a daily basis. We expect that it will be higher this year and that is the reason why we have improved on security.

Now coming back to the question you asked with respect to security, it is a major concern for us. What we have done is that we are teaming up with the State and Federal agencies. The state government is taking some measures and since all these things are security issues, we do not want to give the details too far ahead of time because it is possible to counter-vane provided they have enough information but we have visited the State governor, we have had lengthy discussions with him and his cabinet on this issue. Even though the previous years, we can get to see how things are so that this year, we are taking special interest in the area of security.

Secondly, we have direct contact with the Nigeria Police

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

•Yahaya.

and the Secret Security Service (SSS) and a few other agencies whose basic objective would be to make sure they enhance the level of security substantially.

Now to the management of the Trade Fair complex, I am happy to announce that the Federal Government has actually given us the go ahead to take over the management of the Trade Fair Complex because we are part owners of the company for historical reasons and we own the land. Efforts are now fully on to resuscitate some of the moribund structures. So far we have committed over N30 million on infra-

PHOTO SHOP

•L-R: TV/Film Director MNET, George Sumon, Kora; Head Writer/Script Editor, Uche MacAvley; CEO Bufferzone Ltd/Executive Producer, Akin Fadeyi and Muyiwa Ojo of MNET at the final script conference for the National Health Insurance Scheme’s Drama Project held in Lagos recently

•L-R: Executive Secretary MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma; Executive Secretary Lagos State Technical and Vocation Education Board, Olawunmi Gasper and MTN Foundation Chairman, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu at the MTNF Youth Skills Development Project contract signing ceremony in Lagos recently.

PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

structures. We do hope that in the next one or two years, we will partner with agencies both local and international to further develop the facility because it is a very big area and has huge opportunities.

Already, about 10 countries have signified their intention to be part of the trade fair. A number of these countries are in Europe, Middle East Asia among others. The security challenge notwithstanding, Nigeria has remained an investor’s delight because even the so-called foreigners who we expect to be

worried about the security situation are very enthusiatic about investing in our economy. This is enough proof that there is still hope for us in the country.

What we need to do is to remain resolute to the indivisibility of the country rather than people fanning the embers of disunity.

What is the position of the Chamber on fuel subsidy?

The focal question in the minds of Nigerians is, ‘Is there really any subsidy and if there is, how much is it?’ Everybody is looking forward to the special committee that is in…because right now, nobody even knows how many litres we consume. Is it 30, 40 or 50 million? All of these figures have been bandied around and we really will not be able to pin down the problem of subsidy without knowing first the number of fuel that we consume.

Secondly, the template based on which the consumption of subsidy was calculated, people are beginning to punch holes into it and issues to demurrage and issues related to the interest rates applied and so on and so forth. We have had revelations about people who wield pieces of paper around would then benefit from the subsidy. So the issue of whether indeed there is subsidy and how much there is ...The second one, is if we believe there is subsidy, for a number of economic

reasons...the leakages to our neighbouring countries...if there is right pricing and so on and so forth. And that the removal funds will now be used to cushion the effects of the resultant poverty that will.... on the populace. So, I believe that one of the other questions that people are asking for is the modalities by which this cushioning can be done. What government has done, the nation will benefit immensely from a very well thought out, very well rounded and very transparent exposé of exactly how those funds will now be utilized., so that the average citizen will benefit. If the populace is satisfied that this is done, I think the principle itself of the removal of subsidy is not really the issue, it is other major tertiary causes and that is my own position and there should even be a website of the Ministry that all the major capital projects that subsidy funds will be used to financed will be mentioned. A comparative cost of them, vis-avis, of such projects from other parts of the world...so that there will be no overload to the contract. There are ways by which a transparent system will be achieved. The average Nigerian will be ready to welcome taxation or subsidy removal, provided he knows that the benefit is coming back to him. So I think these are the issues that need to be tidied up as we go ahead.

Furore over foreign consultants Continued from page 57

village, a globalised economy which makes it possible for easy access to any part of the world. Therefore you can be in Nigeria and be working for a company abroad and vice versa.”

In the view of Dr. Austin Nweze, a political economist who lectures at the Pan African University, the issue of the influx of foreign experts into the country is like a double edged sword. Much as he thinks it is a positive idea, he however gave a caveat: “there must be knowledge transfer.”

“In a way it is a positive development because we are exporting resources. But we also have to consider other things. Is there knowledge transfer? If such a case subsist, it is absolutely necessary that must get the local experts involved to understudy these foreign experts. I believe that any developing that wants to progress must ensure that there is adequate knowledge transfer because that is the way to go. Where we don’t have good knowledge transfer, then such exercise is consider a mere waste of resources. Other countries have done it. Take Singapore for instance, it towed that part to help build its economy by seeking out expertise from overseas. Today, Singapore is better for it because during those long years when they engaged these experts, knowledge transfer was uppermost in their minds.

“But in our own case, if we are bringing in people into

the country to serve us in different capacities without the requisite know-how being transferred to our local experts to equip them on the job later on, it is not worth it at all. It is just like buying a machine whose manual is in Chinese.

In order to understand the workings of the machine you may necessarily have to get somebody from China who understands Mandarin. It would be better on the long run if you are able to get local experts to understand how these things work to enable you save on cost and all of that.”

Mitigating measures It is instructive to note that the Federal Government have took concrete steps to prevent the undue advantage of foreigners on the economy by creating equal opportunity for the citizenry through strategic policy frameworks. A case in point is the Local Content Act, which has led to the establishment of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), given mandate to ensure the development of local skills, technology transfer, use of local manpower and local manufacturing among others.

The targets set by the Nigerian government for local content is 40% by 2007 and 70% by 2010 and beyond. For instance, field and detailed engineering design for all projects is to be domiciled in Nigeria just as project management teams and procurement centres for all projects in the oil and gas industry must be located in Nigeria.

Besides the NCDMB, there is also the Public Procurement

Act of 2007 which established the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), a quasiparastatal under the Presidency responsible for harmonising existing government policies and practices on public procurement and ensuring probity, accountability and transparency in the procurement processes.

In Part V1 sub-section 25 (1),of the Act, it says that: “Invitation to bid may be either by way of National Competitive Bidding or International Competitive Bidding and the Bureau shall from time to time set the monetary thresholds for which procurements shall fall under either system. “...In the case of goods and works under International Competitive Bidding, the invitation for bids shall be advertised in at least two national newspapers and one relevant internationally recognised publication, any official websites of the procuring entity and the Bureau as well as the procurement journal not less than six weeks before the deadline for submission of the bids for the goods and works...”

As part of efforts aimed at mitigating the recourse to the use of foreign technical experts, analysts hold the view that the country should as a matter of urgency consider the need to devote resources towards this end, a development, they reckon will ultimately lead to an increase in the number of local technical institutions/organisations as consultants, researchers, trainers, advisors in the country.

59

Business INTERVIEW

W

HAT should be the role of telecommunication in a given economy like Nigeria?

The role of telecommunications in the economic growth in Nigeria cannot be over emphasised. This is largely because business has become easier to do because of telecommunications services available now in Nigeria.

Let me give you a simple illustration of how telecommunications has made business transactions a lot easier in Nigeria. If for instance you deposit money in a bank and you have already subscribed to SMS alert service, you immediately get alerts on transactions relating to your account. With a service like this, courtesy of telecoms, you no longer have to take trips to the bank to confirm cash deposits. Mobile banking services are now available which makes it possible for businesses to operate without the movement of physical cash.

Compare the scenario above with the era when businessmen had to travel with loads of money by road to purchase goods and services, during which they sometimes either suffered robbery attacks resulting in loss of money. Today, a businessman from the East can initiate a mobile transfer of cash via an application on his mobile phone while in the market with his distributor, the distributor can receive an SMS confirmation of payment and goods can be released without the movement of cash.

Today, people now make huge transactions and get credit alerts as payment confirmation without the risks and delays associated with waiting for cash transfer confirmations. This simple illustration shows the extent to which telecommunications can hasten economic growth, and that is what is happening in Nigeria today.

Digital telecommunications allows many people access to better information and more instant help services. Do you agree with this?

Yes, this is very true. For instance, my mother in the village uses a telephone, and so do I; as a result, communication has been made easier between us. Furthermore, I can access any kind of information on my phone, and even when I cannot access information, I can easily put a call to any of the media organisations in the country, and there will be immediate response. We now have all kinds of information just at a click of a button on our phones!

In terms of instant help services, we have online medical services. In case of emergencies, you can access easy medical services where you can call a doctor via particular services on your phone even if you don’t have the number of any particular doctor. This applies to getting instant help from the Nigerian Police, Fire Service Ambulance services, etc. For instance, recently Lagos was under the siege of floods. A member of our church who is a retired top civil servant but

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

‘Unstable power responsible for rising cost of telecoms’ Jimoh Umoru, a lawyer, is currently the General Manager/Company Secretary and Legal Adviser to IHS Nigeria Plc, one of the foremost telecommunications infrastructure providers in the country. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf he gives insights on the increasing operational cost of telecoms services, among other issues

• Umoru

physically challenged was in his house.

When the flood began to overwhelm him, there was nobody at home to rescue him; all he needed to do was put a call across to me while I got in touch with the necessary peo-

ple, and we immediately began efforts to rescue him. I tell you, that is one of the blessings of telecommunications services; it builds bridges and shortens long journeys.

Furthermore, telecommunications serv-

ices allow people instant help services. The Police have used phone services to track kidnappers, recover stolen vehicles and also call for help during armed robbery operations.

Telecommunications services can be designed in ways that will be beneficial to people with disabilities. What is your reaction to this?

I believe that God will help us to get to that point where we will have telephones that have operations where visually impaired persons can enjoy telecommunications services without any hindrances. We are looking at that direction towards ensuring that telecommunications services are designed in ways that will be beneficial to all humans. Even though the company I work for (IHS Nigeria Plc) is not one of the licensed GSM operators, we believe we can still champion the cause in order to add value to that segment of the society through our clients that are operators. It is my hope that telecommunication services will be designed in the nearest future to help physically challenged people.

What do you think the government and regulators can do to improve telecommunication services in Nigeria?

First and foremost, power generation!

If we can rectify our power problem, we will not need to deploy power generating sets to various base stations across the country. As a result, the cost of provision telecommunication services will drastically reduce.

This would automatically translate into making calls at cheaper rates.

It is obvious that our lack of electricity is a major contributor to the high tariffs we are paying today. This is tied to the fact that service providers as well as infrastructure providers like us will need to put generating sets on each of our sites as you see all around which produce costs that run into millions of Naira monthly/annually. Once the issue of power is taken care of by the government, it will go a long way in contributing to the improvement of telecommunications services in Nigeria.

‘Nokia no longer at ease with counterfeiters’

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HE market share of Nokia globally is dwindling but this is not the same for Nigeria, where Nokia has a fair share of the phones market. How did Nokia Nigeria achieve this feat?

Nokia is a market leader in Nigeria by the volume of phones shipped and sold in Nigeria. The reason is not far-fetched. Nokia has got the biggest portfolio of products ranging from the very low end to the high end smart phones. Besides Nokia has got innovative value-added services that make the customer experience mind blowing. The Nokia store, which used to be known as the Ovi store is Nokia’s proprietary platform for all sorts of applications ranging from music downloads to games, navigation and other locally relevant apps. In Nokia we say “with the Nokia Store you carry the world around with you”. This is a major differentiator.

What is Nokia doing to tackle the menace of adulterated branded Nokia phones in the Nigerian market?

The problem of counterfeit is not peculiar to Nokia. This is an issue that transcends different industries. However, we quite understand why we seem to be worst hit. Every counterfeiter would naturally want to clone

James Rutherfoord is Vice President, Nokia, West Africa. In this interview with Bukola Afolabi he speaks on effort by the company to tackle the menace of adulterated phones and other issues a device with a good reputation that he can easily sell. Nokia therefore becomes his first option. We are tackling the problem on all fronts. A key strategy we have decided to employ is to create awareness in retail about the dangers of counterfeit phones on the consumer. Apart from being short-changed in the long run due to substandard products, these devices have adverse effects on the health of consumers due to uncontrolled radiation levels. We have also developed the technology to enable consumers verify whether or not the phone they are buying is a counterfeit through the sms warranty check. All the consumer needs to do is to send the unique IMEI number of the phone he is about to purchase to a short code; he then gets a response via sms that confirms whether or not his device is a genuine product or not. We also hold periodic media roundtables with our media partners to continue to educate the public on the dangers

of counterfeit phones. Again our pricing of products is such that the lure of prize, which used to make consumers patronise counterfeit devices no longer holds. Depending on your purchasing power, there is a Nokia phone for everyone.

From available information, the batteries of most Nokia feature phones have short lifespan. Why is this so?

This is not correct as Nokia phones, whether mobile phones or smart phones have a reputation for long battery life. We are however happy to address any isolated care or short battery life through our care centres spread across the country.

What is the future of Nokia in Nigeria?

Our strategic intent is to continue to connect people to the things that matter to them via mobile. To this end we shall continually seek ways surpass the expectations of customers by the value added services on our phones.

•Rutherfoord

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Business

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2011

COMPANY NEWS

Gates, Kagame, Adesina for IFAD annual confab B

ILL Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is expected to join world leaders including Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, Andrea Riccardi, Minister of International Cooperation and Integration Policies, Republic of Italy, Akin Adesina, Minister of Agriculture, Federal Republic of Nigeria and others at the annual Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricul-

Stories by Rita Ohai

tural Development (IFAD) which will hold from February 22 and 23 in Rio. Among other things, the conference will feature international personalities who will address climate change issues affecting the agricultural sector – more storms, droughts and rising sea levels. At the very intersection of these challenges are smallholder farmers in developing

countries.

Taking place ahead of Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, slated for Brazil later this year, where climate-smart agriculture will be a major focus, discussions at the Council will highlight how food security and climate change are inextricably linked.

Bill Gates, will share his perspective on the importance of agriculture and how sustainable productiv-

ity improvements can reduce poverty in developing countries. He will challenge both global players and national governments to adopt a new approach to supporting small farmers.

The President of Rwanda and IFAD President will address a joint press conference on 22 February at 12:15 p.m. to explore the urgent need to enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change.

Ecobank, others for 6th Africa Economic Forum

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COBANK will join other multinational companies at this year’s edition of the 6th Africa Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, 57 March 2012.

Making this announcement recently was Dr Duncan Clarke, Chairman / Chief Executive, Global Pacific & Partners, the organisers of the forum.

“Our focus is on Shaping Africa’s Future, as Africa holds great commercial promise, its destiny to be unlocked by local and foreign investment, enhanced trade and development partnerships, along with competitive business strategies across its landscapes”.

“Africa is not poor, but poorly managed: It needs more growth and investment” Dr Clarke continues: “The Forum will address leading-edge shifts in Africa’s evolving economies, critical investment and business concerns, and the Continent’s emerging role and strategic position within a highly competitive and rapidly globalising world.”

The 6th Annual Africa Economic Forum will bring together Africa’s leading industries, companies, state players, senior executives, and government officials to interface in a content-rich meeting, including players from countries outside Af-

rica, and so connect fastgrowth core industries inside and outside Africa’s economies.

The company has hosted key oil and gas events, including Strategy Briefings, around Africa (Cape Town, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Lagos, Marrakech, Tunis) and in Asia, Latin America and Europe.

The Conference features Keynote Ministerial Addresses from Hon Dr Rob Davies, Minister of Trade & Industry (South Africa) and Hon Elizabeth Dipuo Peters, Minister of Energy (South Africa).

Featuring 40+ seniorlevel presentations from

across industry and the Continent including presenters from: Comesa, Brenthurst Foundation, GE Corporate, Ecobank, DHL Global Forwarding, Agricultural Business Chamber, Dupont, Industrial Development Corporation, Gordan Institute of Business Science, Petroleum Agency SA, PetroSA, Shell, Engen, Galana Petroleum, Forest Exploration SA and many others.

The forum hopes to discuss Africa’s economic future over an intensive three-day programme with thematic pre-occupations as follows: Corporate Strategies &

Investments,Economic Growth: Business & Government, Africa’s Changing Economic World To 2050, Giant Economies & Newly-Emerging “Next Five”, Investments & Financing Africa’s Industries, Economic Drivers & Future Growth Locomotives, Natural Resources, Africa’s Trade & Corporate Projects, Development Challenges & Future Economic Shape, Africa’s Fast-Growth Economies & Emerging Markets, Resources, Industries & Business Drivers, Corporate Africa: Portfolio & Investment Strategies among others.

•L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Youth At Risk UK , Mr. Neil Wragg; former Deputy Governor of Lagos Mrs. Sarah Sosan and Executive Director of Freedom Foundation, Mrs. Tenidola Awoyemi at a forum organised by Youth At Risk in Lagos, recently

Tantalizers fetes customers at Valentine

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ANTALIZERS Plc, one of Nigerian’s foremost Quick Service Restaurant chains, has put in place programmes to ensure its teeming customers have a tantalizing Valentine’s Day celebration.

According to the Advert/Promo Manager, Tantalizers Plc, Mr. Toluwa Oyetayo, the company is offering special couples meal plus cake, ice cream and wine for N4,000 for its customers who visit on Valentine’s Day. For purchases of these special meals, customers are entitled to teddy bears, aside the teddy bears, the company is also giving out other gifts like, chocolate bars, and roses, Mr.

Oyetayo explained that the promo is in line with Tantalizers philosophy of showing appreciation to its customers, who has

bond to the brand over the years.

He emphasised that Tantalizers is very passionate about her custom-

ers, hence its untiring drive to satisfy them by offering high quality meals, services and provision of gift items during festivity.

•Vice chair, House Committee on Water Resources, Hon. Lasun Yusuff and chair, Hon Aliyu Ahman Pategi at the screening of the River Basin Authority, in Abuja.

Beyond Talent

By Adetayo Okusanya Email: adetayookusanya@hotmail.com

Effective time management: Put first things first

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AVE you ever thought about your week and found it hard to recollect exactly what you accomplished with your time. You had so many things to do, so many people to meet, and an endless barrage of emails, phone calls and text messages. You feel like you barely had time to breathe and are you certain that you worked overtime. Yet all that effort does not seem reflected in the results. In fact, your to-do list only got longer.

As a budding entrepreneur, I find myself bogged down with the multitude of tasks that need to get done to build an enterprise, such as marketing, networking, relationship building, prospecting, project execution, etc. There is certainly no shortage of things to do. But are they all equally important? Given that I only have twenty four hours in a day, how do I decide which tasks are important and which are not? How do I determine which tasks to execute immediately, postpone, delegate or just simply drop off my todo list? I run the risk of falling short of my goals for the year, if I do not focus on the key actions that drive most of my success. This is why I have made it a priority to educate myself on techniques for setting daily and weekly priorities.

Last week, I made the case that time is a currency that we spend, which is limited in quantity and cannot be replenished.

I hope I was successful in impressing upon you the importance of managing and mastering your time. This week, my goal is to equip you with tools that will help you become better at prioritizing your tasks. Below are three decision making and prioritization techniques, any of which will add significant value to your personal effectiveness and productivity if consistently applied. The idea is not to apply all the techniques but to select the one that best helps you to organize and make sense of all the things that compete for your attention and time every day.

Pareto Principle - This is a statistical technique in decision making that is used to identify a limited number of tasks (or inputs) that give you the greatest advantage or most significant outcome. It is also known as the 80/20 rule and simply states that twenty percent of the tasks on your to do list will drive eighty percent of the total outcome you desire. The key learning here is that only twenty percent of things you have to do are really important and impactful, the rest is noise. You can get closer to your end goal faster by selecting the right tasks to accomplish first.

Eisenhower Method - This technique enables you to categorize your tasks into four groups based on level of importance and urgency. Group One is for tasks that are urgent and important, such as attending to a sick child. Group Two is for tasks that are important but not urgent, such as preparing a career development plan. Group Three is for tasks that are urgent but not important, such as responding to email and text messages. Group Four is for tasks that are not urgent and unimportant, such as web surfing or watching reruns of your favorite TV soap. The rule of thumb is to get the tasks in Group One done immediately and personally, block quality time on your calendar to get tasks in Group Two done, delegate tasks in Group 3 as best as you can and minimize or eliminate tasks in Group 4.

POSEC Method – This stands for Prioritize by Organizing, Streamlining, Economizing and Contributing. It is somewhat based on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This technique requires that you start by prioritizing and putting first things first, then organizing by creating a plan of action to tackle your prioritized to-do list. In creating your plan, you should streamline the things you must do but do not like to do such as household chores, economize the things you like to do but are not urgent such as pastimes and socializing, and make time to contribute to humanity.

Try any one of these techniques this week and see the impact it will have on your personal effectiveness and productivity. It will help you make the right decisions and trade-offs, without sacrificing the things that are important to you. Be sure to regularly revisit your action plans and reprioritize based on new information and changing circumstances. If you desire to operate at the highest level of efficiency, effectiveness and productivity, you must be willing to make an upfront investment in clearly defining the outcomes you desire, evaluating the relative benefits of each outstanding task, creating a prioritized action plan, and executing your plan with diligence and commitment.

Join me next week for tips on effective scheduling.

• Okusanya is CEO of ReadinessEdge

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WORLD NEWS THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

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UNMEN assassinated an army general in Damascus yesterday in the first killing of a high ranking military officer in the Syrian capital since the uprising against President Bashar Assad’s regime began in March, the state-run news agency said.

The attack is a sign that violence in Syria is reaching the tightly controlled capital, which has been relatively quiet compared to other cities.

Though there was no immediate claim of responsibility, it could also indicate that rebel soldiers who have risen up in numerous cities and towns are trying to step up action in Damascus.

SANA news agency said three gunmen opened fire at Brig. Gen. Issa al-Khouli in the morning as he left his home in the Damascus neighborhood of Rukn-Eddine. Al-Khouli was a doctor and the chief of a

Africa launches Gunmen assassinate South Mandela bank notes Syrian army general S military hospital in the capital.

Violence in other parts of the country left at least 11 people dead as regime troops pushed into rebel-held neighborhoods in the restive central city of Homs and shelled the mountain town of Zabadani, north of Damascus.

The president of Iran, one of Assad’s top allies, warned Arab countries yesterday not

to give aid to the opposition.

Speaking to tens of thousands of supporters in Tehran on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ahmadinejad said countries in the region that have never held free elections are trying to write a “prescription for freedom and elections for others” with the help of the United States.

“This is a very bitter and the most ridiculous joke of history,” Ahmadinejad said.

For the past week, Syrian forces have been bombarding rebel-held neighborhoods in Homs, aiming to regain control of one of the main cities involved in the uprising.

Activists say more than 400 people have been killed in the campaign.

Two journalists killed in Bangladesh

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WO television journalists in Bangladesh were found stabbed to death yesterday in their home in the capital of Dhaka, police said. The motive of the killings is unknown.

Police officer Imam Hossain said authorities are investigating the killings early yesterday of Sagar Sarwar and his wife, Mehrun Runi.

Sarwar was news editor of private TV station Massranga and Runi worked as a reporter at another private television, ATN Bangla. Both were in their late 30s.

It was unclear if their deaths were related to their work, Hossain says.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has offered condolences to the family and ordered police to find the killers.

Sawar’s colleagues said he worked late in the night Friday before leaving for home, where he lived with his wife and their 5-year-old son.

Relatives went to the house after the child called his grandmother, who lives in the neighborhood, saying his parents were lying in a pool of blood in their bedroom.

Police said Sarwar was found with his hands tied from behind. No valuables were missing from the house, investigators said.

S

will now bear Mandela’s face on the front. Officials would not say what design would be on the back.

Central bank governor Gill Marcus said it was standard international practice for countries to upgrade their bank notes’ security and design every six to eight years, and that South Africa had last enhanced security measures on its notes in 2005.

Marcus said Mandela, 93, had seen the notes and was “delighted”.

The former president, whose public appearances have grown rare as he has become increasingly frail, was not present at the unveiling.

Zuma praised his legacy, calling him “Madiba,” the clan name by which he is affectionately known.

“It needed a president like Madiba to lead a bruised nation like ours on a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation, and he acquitted himself exceptionally well, as he has always done in every aspect of his life.”

Sudan rebels say captives are civilian engineers

R Young Turkish people demonstrate against Turkish Government’s education policy outside the First National Assembly in Ankara yesterday. Around one hundred protesters took part in the demonstration.

AFP PHOTO

Libya demands extradition of Gaddafi’s son

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AADI Gaddafi, one of the sons of Libya’s slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi, has vowed to return to his homeland.

“I will return to Libya at any time,” Saadi Gaddafi told Al-Arabiya television by telephone from neighbouring Niger, where he took refuge after the fall of Tripoli which ended his father’s 42-year iron-fisted rule of Libya.

Asked about the ruling National Transitional Council, which took over after his father’s overthrow last year, Gaddafi said: “There will come a day when the Libyan people will be capable of wiping out these gangs.”

The NTC responded with

•Niger balks a renewed call to the Niger authorities to extradite Saadi Gaddafi.“The council demands that the Niger government extradite Saadi and those who are with him to the Libyan authorities as soon as possible to maintain the relationship with the Libyan people,” National Transitional Council spokesman Mohammed alHarizy said, reading out a statement to reporters.

Harizi warned that the “thuwar (former rebel militias) have not given up their arms and are ready to fight any unwise force.”“They should follow the Algerian

Snow in Europe cuts off thousands

NOW drifts reaching up to rooftops kept tens of thousands of villagers prisoners in their own homes yesterday as the death toll from Europe’s big freeze rose past 550.

More heavy snow fell on the Balkans and in Italy, while the Danube river, already closed to shipping for hundreds of kilometres (miles) because of thick ice, froze over in Bulgaria for the first time in 27 years.

OUTH Africa launched a new line of bank notes yesterday bearing the image of its first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, on the 22nd anniversary of his release from prison.

“It is my honour and pleasure to announce that new South African bank notes will bear the image of president Mandela, the first president of a free, democratic South Africa,” President Jacob Zuma told a press conference in Pretoria.

The notes bear the former president’s image circa 1990, the year he was freed from prison in a moment that came to symbolise the fall of apartheid and the rise of a new, democratic South Africa.

They replace a design featuring the “big five” safari animals — Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino — introduced in 1992, two years before Mandela was elected the country’s first black president.

All five notes — 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rand ($1.29 $25.80, 0.98 - 19.60 euros) —

Montenegro’s capital of Podgorica was brought to a standstill by snow 50 centimetres (20 inches) deep, a 50-year record, closing the city’s airport and halting rail services to Serbia because of an avalanche.

Eight more people were reported to have died in Romania, taking the toll for the country to 65, three in Serbia, one in the Czech Republic and one in Austria.

Authorities said an estimated 30,000 people were still cut off in Romania, and more than 110,000 in the Balkan countries, including 60,000 in Montenegro, nearly 10 percent of the population.

In Italy Rome was again blanketed by snow for the second time in a week, but authorities seemed to have learned from their previous experience, when the capital was brought to a halt.

government which prevented Gaddafi’s daughter from making statements or causing any trouble from their land,” he said, adding that NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil had called Niger’s president to discuss Saadi.Algeria ordered members of Gaddafi’s family in exile on its territory to stay out of politics, after Gaddafi’s daughter Aisha angered the Libyan government by telling the media her father was still fighting to hold onto power.The Libyan News Agency LANA said Niger’s Foreign Minister Bazoum Mohamed and his Libyan counterpart Ashour Bin Hayal had spoken by phone, and quoted Bin Hayal as saying Saadi’s comments “threaten the bilateral relationship between the two countries.”

Authorities in Niger signaled that their position on any future extradition of Saadi had not changed.

“We will hand over Saadi Gaddafi to a government which has an independent and impartial justice system,” government spokesman Marou Amadou told a news conference.

“But we cannot hand over someone to a place where he could face the death penalty or where he is not likely to have a trial worthy of the name,” he added.

EBELS in Sudan are holding captive six Sudanese civilian engineers who worked with a group of Chinese freed by the rebels several days ago, a spokesman for the insurgents said yesterday.

The engineers were initially suspected to be security agents working in the war-torn state of South Kordofan, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), told AFP. “They are engineers,” he said. “According to the information I got... they are not security.”

Lodi said the engineers are fine, and the rebels are prepared to release them.

On Tuesday, the 29 Chinese workers held by SPLM-N for 11 days were

released and flown to Kenya on a Red Cross aircraft from South Kordofan, where rebels since June have been fighting with government troops.

Both the Sudanese and the Chinese were captured on January 28 when the SPLM-N destroyed a Sudanese military convoy between Rashad town and Al-Abbasiya and took over the area, the rebels said.

Sudan’s military said the workers had been taken hostage.

Beijing lodged a formal protest with Khartoum over their capture and dispatched a six-member team to help gain their freedom.

China’s official news agency said the workers, who were involved in a roadbuilding project, were taken after a rebel attack on their camp.

Bollywood’s Bachchan ‘hale and hearty’ after surgery

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ETERAN Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan was “hale and hearty” after undergoing a three-hour operation yesterday for an abdominal ailment, a hospital official said.

Bachchan, 69, has a history of abdominal problems — the legacy of an accident suffered while filming three decades ago.

“The operation lasted three hours. Bachchan is hale and hearty now,” a spokesman for the Seven Hills Hospital in India’s entertainment capital Mumbai told AFP. Bachchan, who acts in several films a year, is the father of top Bollywood star Abhishek who is wed to leading actress Aishwarya Rai.

He was admitted to hospital yesterday morning after complaining of abdominal pain earlier in the week, sparking worries about his health among thousands of his adoring fans.

Abhishek sought to reassure fans about the health of his father after the latest medical scare, saying the surgery had been successful.

“The surgery went off well and dad is now in the room resting,” he wrote on microblogging website Twitter.

“The Big B,” as he is known, has suffered abdominal problems since he ruptured his spleen during a fight scene on the set of the 1982 film “Coolie”, after which he was critically ill for months.

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Essay

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

The Greek debt trap A small nation without its own currency is like a man who has become a squatter on his own land

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HERE are few things as unwelcome as a corpse that refuses to be buried. This must be the sentiment towards Greece of German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and financial junkers controlling the European Central Bank (ECB). That the euro zone’s bank is headquartered in Germany is more than symbolic. The propinquity reveals the European Bank and German financial sector share much in common. They share the same martinet state of mind. Merkel and her allies have done everything possible to obliterate Grecian economic sovereignty. Feckless Greek leaders have shamefully accepted their dictates to jump into the grave, but the people of the pesky little nation refuse to go without due protestation. Their wailing has been an embarrassment for the high bosses of Europe.

These bosses had wanted what they forced upon Greece to be seen as a voluntary sacrifice by the supine nation. Due to the outcry of the Grecian street, their manipulations now take on the visage of the forced execution that they are.

Attempting to borrow funds from the ECB and IMF in order to pay government bonds falling due in March, the frail coalition government agreed to another round of austerity, although they had already undergone several rounds too many. Greek unemployment has veered over 20 percent, while economic output continues to decline.

Social services are minimal. Economic strain rips at the societal fabric. Families and individuals are breaking down. Valuable assets of the ancient nation are on the auction block. With people having a difficult time making ends meet, the most active merchants in the country are its pawn brokers. The nation is in the hug of depression. Yet its weak leaders, fearful of losing standing with their colleagues in the more powerful countries, found a way to squeeze more from a dry cloth. This rightfully caused the public to stir; even a dumb, ignorance populace knows the difference between a caress and strangulation.

Greek politicians thought they had carried the water for their euro zone masters, only to be brought to shame within 24 hours.

European leaders rejected the proposed workout, meaning Europe and the IMF will not make the loan needed to pay the maturing bonds. European finance ministers, led by Germany, heartlessly complained the Greek proposition did not go far enough into the nether realm of austerity. The Greek debt-toGDP ratio currently approximates 160 percent. The European target is to reduce that ratio to 120 percent by 2020. The Greek workout was rejected because it purportedly would have only reduced the ratio to 136 percent by the target date. None of this makes much sense. Forecasting debt ratios eight years into the future is like trying to swat a fly in the dark of night. This is more occult than it is science. A debt ratio of 120 percent has no particular financial utility. It does not represent an objective boundary separating the creditworthy debtor from the deadbeat.

Moreover, what is so magical about 2020 to make it Judgment Day save that it is the beginning of a new decade and that the date has a sonorous repetitive quality. Otherwise, its selection is as arbitrary as proclaiming that all women shall wear pink and men purple on the second Wednesday of every odd numbered month.

That the Greeks must reduce their debt is unassailable. If they actually manage to reduce it from 160 to 136 percent of GDP, such a drop would constitute a material diminution. Yet, perhaps the essential point the European misers ignore has less to do with debt ratios and more to do with growth rates. The higher the troubled nation’s growth rate, the less troubled the nation will be and the better situated it will be to pay its debt.

The best way to lower the debt ratio is to increase growth. However, what European

•Lucas Papademos, Greek Prime Minister

By Brian Browne leaders have in mind for Greece is the opposite. GDP will contract for years to come.

Government tax revenues will fall accordingly. To prevent the debt from increasing, government budgets will be cut further. These cuts will cause economic activity to shrink, meaning GDP and resultant government revenues will again wither. The cycle heads forever downward until Greece touches rock bottom. By mean design, Greece is being placed in a debt trap not much different than a death trap. What is being done to the nation is the financial equivalent of a medieval siege by Huns on a rampage.

Digging the unjust pit even deeper, the German Chancellor previously stated any subsequent loans would not go to the Greek government. Instead, loans would be such that the funds would go directly to Greece’s creditors. Even more insulting was the German proposal to establish a foreign financial commissar to oversee Greek fiscal matters. This non-Greek supranational individual, with no input from the Greek electorate and likely in violation of the nation’s constitution, would have veto power over the nation’s fiscal and budgetary affairs. The nation’s economy would be effectively placed in overt foreign control. In the calculation of Merkel and her hosts, the welfare of the Greek state and people matter little. Those in control of the euro zone have laid naked their objectives. Their understanding and compassion are exclusively reserved for the

“The truth is that the Greece leadership is wedded more to the European financial and power structure than they are to the daily lives of their people. The Greek leaders will not suffer and will likely be enriched the more the rest of the nation goes under”

•Angela Merkel, German Chancellor

financial industry. The bailout has been for Greece in name only. What is being demanded is not so Greece can manage its debt-ridden economy, but so that the economy can pay its creditors, dollar for dollar, euro for euro. If this requires the near annexation or enslavement of the Greek economy, let whip and chains be quickly brandished.

Greece is to be manacled to indefinite penury so the financial houses can remain glistening playpens of merry profit. As such, the invaders have agreed to lift their brutal siege on the condition that Greece tenders itself unto them as a vassal state and open the vault to the national treasury. 21st century finance has taken up where 19th century imperial expansion left off.

The economic and financial lessons from this are profound.

First, the western economic powers use two conflicting definitions of the term, “free market,” depending on the circumstance.

When things are going well for them or when only the ordinary individual or small company is being hurt, these powers stand on the altar of unbridled capitalism, claiming that the “creative destruction” of unproductive firms and enterprises is necessary to give room to more efficient ones.

If they truly believed this claptrap, they would let the large financial firms suffer the consequences of their errant lending practices. After all, both creditor and debtor willingly take risks when entering any loan transaction. That is why loans accrue interest.

Under the pure capitalist creed, banks profit when the loan is paid but should also suffer loss for loans improvidently made.

When the fate of large banks actually dangles in the balance, the definition of free market converts into something different. The dynamics of the market place will not be allowed to take down the imprudent financial houses. Instead, the ruthless dynamics of the market will be suspended. At this point, governments of powerful nations will redefine the free market to mean that these governments are free to do whatever is required to keep Money Power in the black with regards to the banks’ financial statements. Whenever an active player has unilateral power to alter the rules, the game can never be fair. He who writes the rules makes himself the winner of all things important. In this, Greece is bound to lose as long as it plays the German game.

Second, weak nations should never enter into a monetary union with nations of great power. This caveat goes to the heart of the matter. There is no such thing as pure

economic objectivity. There is no purely scientific measure of economic utility.

Economic vice and virtue are subjective decisions just like political decisions or one’s preference of artwork. What is good or bad depends on where one sits and how the decision affects one’s purse. In the end, the monetary union will not be run to maximize the benefit of the greater number of its members. It will be run to benefit its most powerful members, meaning it will be run by and for a privileged minority. The other nations will be dragged along as if dropped into a cart. Some like Greece will fall from the cart yet continued to be dragged with their faces in the dirt.

Third, nations need to have courageous leaders with the bravery to change economic course. Greece entered the euro zone because it was promised great trade benefits from Germany and the rest of North Europe. After ten years in the monetary system, the promised benefits have proven to be chimerical. Still, Greek leaders seem purblind to the trouble their nation has suffered. These leaders stubbornly insist Greece must remain in the euro zone because of the benefits. Yet, the only benefits the people see are unemployment, a shrinking lifestyle, reduced social services and protracted recession. If these are benefits, the Greek populace is likely on its knees praying not to be so generously benefitted.

Fourth, economic policy is about more than statistics and charts. It is about the lives, dreams and efforts of flesh and blood people.

The only good economy is one that maximizes output in a way that opens the door for widespread opportunity and decent, effective employment of labor and resources.

Statistics should be used to serve the people and not the people made to serve the impersonal digits on a computer keyboard.

The truth is that the Greece leadership is wedded more to the European financial and power structure than they are to the daily lives of their people. The Greek leaders will not suffer and will likely be enriched the more the rest of the nation goes under. Also, these leaders are not very brave. It is much easier to force the public to submit than to defy the barons of international finance. However, the relative ease of a policy does not make it right.

The Greek crisis has been unfolding over a year. Each month it gets worse for the people.

Months ago, this column recommended that Greece find its nerve, default on this mountain of debt and exit the euro. By reclaiming its monetary sovereignty, the nation not only will regain control over its destiny the move will provide the nation greater policy leeway. It will not have to suffer the draconian measures now asked of it. By using exchange rate adjustments, Greece can reach many of the same targets now sought through cutting budgets, jobs and social services. This will not be painless but the longer the Greeks wait, the more pain there will be no matter which path they take. In total, this approach promises less pain and more independence than the current course. The path they now trek portends a decade of dense misery.

The irony of Greek adherence to the dictates of Merkel and her associates is that Greek leaders want to stay in the euro zone more than the zone wants them to remain.

Merkel is making it hard for the Greeks to remain because she now could care less about them. In the time since this crisis began, she has done what she could to insulate Germany from the repercussions of Greek debt default. Sadly, Germany is more prepared for a Greek default than is Greece.

This is the height of irresponsibility for the leaders in Athens as the chances of a Greek default are near fifty percent. If it now happens, it will not be as a planned demonstration of national sovereignty and economic foresight. It will take place as a sudden catastrophe.

In the end, this crisis has been a profile of the lack of bravery in leadership. Greece is heading for the riptides, but its leaders would rather stay the course than rock the boat even when staying the course might destroy the vessel. This is a lesson for all who aspire to lead a people or a nation. When it is easier to close one’s eyes and be pulled by conventional wisdom or strong selfish forces that is precisely the hour when the good leader stands against the tide to mark a course that will take his nation to the place it should be instead of the inferior place others want it to occupy.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

63

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

News

64

BRIEFS Auto crash claims one in Cross River From Nicholas Kau, Calabar

O

NE person died while several others sustained injuries when a bus conveying Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful to Senator Liyel Imoke’s governorship campaign rally in Obubra Local Government Area in Cross River State was involved in an accident over the weekend.

The accident occurred along Calabar-Ikom Highway when the driver unwittingly drove into a bad portion of the road under construction.

The impact caused the vehicle to somersault, it was gathered.

The incident forced suspension of campaign rallies and other engagements of the team in the area.

The Acting Governor, Mr. Larry Odey who visited victims at the Obubra General Hospital immediately after the incident, ordered the transfer of other causalities to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital in Calabar for proper medical attention.

He said the State Government will take responsibility of their bills.

The Acting Governor was accompanied by the PDP Governorship Flag bearer, Senator Liyel Imoke and his running mate, Mr. Efiok Cobham

Rep donates to church

H

ON Kingsley S. Ebenyi representing Enugu East/IsiUzo Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, at the weekend donated substantial sums of money to support the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion of Eha-Amufu, Enugu State which was marking its 3rd Year Diocesan Anniversary.

Speaking before the congregation at a well attended anniversary ceremony at Eha-Amufu, Ebenyi, said he would continue to support the Church so that it could successfully propagate its teachings to all the nooks and crannies of the local government.

A statement issued by Mr. Titus Agbo, Legislative Aide to the Honourable member, said Dr. Ebenyi donated N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) as his contribution to support the completion of the Cathedral Building of the new St. Andrew’s Church at Ikem.

He also pledged to bear the costs of training two of the Church’s pastoral workers for a four-year comprehensive theological course.

Honourable Ebenyi further made monetary contributions toward the building of the Bishop’s Court at Eha-Amufu and assured he would continue to rally round the Church and the Bishop whenever such opportunity occurred.

The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Eha-Amufu, Rt. Rev. Bishop Daniel Nkemjika Olinya, expressed the appreciation of the entire Diocese for this support, describing Dr. Ebenyi as very caring and prayed that God would continue to reward him for his selfless support to the Church.

The Bishop had listed a number of requests and needs of the Diocese, in order to usher the Church into the thresh-hold of full-fledged Diocese.

Bishop Olinya singled out Rt. Rev. Caleb Anezionwuonyeogegbu Maduoma, the Bishop of Ideato Diocese in Imo State, and praised him for being the first to sow a monetary seed for the Bishop’s Court.

In attendance at the anniversary celebration, were the Chairman of the Isi-Uzo Local Government, Chief Augustine Nnamani, the Honourable Member representing Isi-Uzo at the Enugu State House of Assembly, Dr. Emeka Ogbuebor, the Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Reduction in Enugu State, Mr. Godwin Ogenyi, Chief Hon. Osita Ogene, Deputy National Financial Secretary of PDP, former Chairman of the Local Government, Dr. Sam Ugwu, Chief Ezekiel Ogbu, Priests, several sons and daughters from the area including top party officials.

Fashola for Synod

L

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola is to declare open the Synod of the Lagos Diocese, Methodist Church Nigeria, on March 1.

It holds at the Wesley Church Ikoyi by 8am.

A ministerial session to conclude the synod is to hold on March 4 with a thanksgiving service at the church premises, 8, Obalende Road where Most Revd.

Ephraim Adebola Ademowo, Archbishop of Lagos (Anglican Communion) is to deliver the sermon.

Madam Noibi for burial

M

ADAM Mercy Ibidun Noibi, 89, who died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, on December 27 is to be buried on February 18.

A statement on behalf of the family by Aramide Tola Noibi, said the burial rites begins on February 15 with service of songs at Adaranijo Primary School Ground, by 5pm.

Christian Wake / Lying in State hold at her Moborode Area residence, Itele Road, Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State by 6pm on February 17.

Funeral service is at First Baptist Church Isensi, IjebuIfe, Ogun State on February 18 by 11am.

Internment follows at her residence, Itele Road, with entertainment of guests at CMS (Anglican Communion) Primary School Ground, Iwade Area, Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ABIOLA

LONGJOHN

AMIDA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Abiola Funke Moyinoluwa, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adeyemi Funke Moyinoluwa.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

AKINWUNMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibitomie Longjohn, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Ibitomie Gabriel. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Aristolin Onoye Amida, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Aristolin Mark. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ZAMANI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyedikachi Jane Agomuo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Erondu Onyedikachi Jane. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akinwunmi Falilat Morenike, now wish to be known and be addressed as Miss Akinwunmi Morenike Beatrice. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Yackachat Zamani, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Yakachat Vitalis Pada. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

PAUL

ZAMANI

AGOMUO

HAASTRUP

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Haastrup Rebecca Aderonke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Itadare Rebecca Aderonke. All former documents remains valid. Loacl govt and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Uyonwu Paul Akah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Badaru Summaiya Vivian. All former documents remains valid.

UNN, NYSC and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Yackachat Zamani, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Yakachat Vitalis Pada. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Chukwu Stella Nnennia, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Ajahovia Stella Nnennia. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

CHUKWU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olushola Anna Oyenaiya, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Olushola Anna Yusuf. All former documents remains valid.

Yewa North LGEA and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Egunyemi Elijah Bayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Oluwayemi Elijah Bayo. All former documents remains valid.

OSLGSC and general public should take note.

OKOLI

AKINWANDE

CHUKWU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akinwande Oyinade Famudehin, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Famudehin Oyinade Olusunbo. All former documents remains valid.

Ondo State Local govt. Service Commission and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Innocent Veronica, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Fidelis Ovomiani Veronica.

All former documents remains valid. Nigeria Police Force, Government and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs Eneh Ebere Modeline, now wish to be known and be addressed as Miss Okoli Ebere Modeline. All former documents remains valid.

NMCN, Zenith Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Chukwu Stella Nnennia, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Ajahovia Stella Nnennia. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

INYAMA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ezinne Susan Inyama, now wish to be known and be addressed as Barr. (Mrs) Ezinne Susan Okoro.

All former documents remains valid. Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and general public should take note.

BELLO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bello Yetunde Omowunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Ogunsola Yetunde Omowunmi. All former documents remains valid. Yewa North LGEA and general public should take note.

ADEBAKIN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Naheemat Aderonke Adebakin, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Oyeyomi Naheemat Aderonke. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OSUNLUSI I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Osunlusi Olayemi Tolulope, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mr. Olalorun Olayemi Tolulope. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ROSIJI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwabusola Olayinka Rosiji, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Oluwabusola Olayinka Soola. All former documents remains valid. FMC, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta and general public should take note.

ADELEYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeleye Abosede Agbeke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs AkingbadeSoyebi Abosede Agbeke Alice. All former documents remains valid.

Yewa North LGEA and general public should take note.

IBRAHEEM I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibrahim Kehinde Hassanat, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Olaoye Kehinde Hassanat. All former documents remains valid. Oyo SUBEB, Ibarapa Central LGEA and general public should take note.

AJIEH I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyeka Ajieh, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Onyeka Ukandu. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OYENAIYA

INNOCENT

FANADA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Fanada Grace Kehinde, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Olowe Grace Kehinde. All former documents remains valid.

Ekiti State Ministry of Education, SUBEB and general public should take note.

LEMIKAN I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Lemikan Olayinka, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Agboola Olayinka Folashade.

All former documents remains valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Erondu Cletus Chijioke and Ngwakwe Cletus Chijioke is one and the same person. I, now wish to be known and be addressed as Erondu Cletus Chijioke. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Uriel Dienye Banigo and Wilfred Dienye Banigo is one and the same person. I, now wish to be known and be addressed as Uriel Dienye Banigo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OMALI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omali Ebele Mediatrix, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Nzekwe Ebele Mediatrix.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

EGBO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Egbo Eucharia Kenechukwu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Lazarus Eucharia Kenechukwu. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ENWERE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Enwere Dorathy Chidinma, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Okuebo Dorathy Chdinma. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JELLION I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Rose T. Jellion, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Rose Donald Bob-Manuel. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

EGBOJA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Mercy Ugwoma Egboja, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Mercy Ugwoma Okeh. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

WOCHA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Chikagbum Wocha, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Chikagbum Omianwele. All former documents remains valid.

Rivers Polytechnic, Bori, UNN and general public should take note.

KILASHO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Kilasho Bushirat Adebisi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Akande Bushirat Adebisi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

EGUNYEMI

AKASA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akasa, Rose, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Pricott, Rose. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

LEESI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Nabie Jacinta Leesi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Dornu-Mike Jacinta Leesi. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

A

INNOCENT

I,formerly known and addressed as Boulos Antoun, now wish to be known and be addressed as Paul Joseph Antone. All former documents remains valid. Ragolis Waters Limited and general public should take note.

IBITOYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bunmi Rihanat Ibitoye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rihanat Bunmi Abdu-raheem. all former documents remain valid.

Nigeria Police Force and general public should take note.

ARIFALO I,formerly known and addressed as Master Arifalo Olalekan Issac, now wish to be known and addressed as Master Odidiomo Olalekan Issac. All former documents remain valid.

Crown Poly, Ilawe Ekiti State, Ondo State Government and general public should take note.

OLUOHA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluoha Nnenna Chiaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nnenna Solomon C. Njoku. All former documents remain valid.

Federal Medical Centre, Ido - Ekiti, and general public should take note.

ONAYINKA

CHANGE OF NAME ADERETI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adereti Felicia Oluwasola now wish to be known and addreessed as Mrs Chukwu Felicia Oluwasola.All former documents remain valid. Osun state college of tecnology,Esa-Oke and general public should take note.

AKOTAOBI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwamara Ezinne Akotaobi, now wish to be known and adressed as Nwamara Ezinne Uwakwe. All former documents remain valid.

Nigerian Communications Commission and general public should please take note.

OPALEYE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Opaleye Folasade Julianah now, wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Folasade Julianah Sosanya. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

AJAYI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi Folasade Oladunni now, wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Folasade Oladunni Ayoola.

All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

KABIRU

I formerly known and addressed as Kabiru Olalekan now, wished to be known and addressed as Emmanuel Ejike Olalekan Nwajagu. All former documents remain valid.

Nigeria Immigration Service Hqs and the general public should please take note.

CHIMEZIE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chimezie Karyn Chidinma now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Chiedozie Ezenwa Karyn Chidinma. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I Lewachi Arinze Enoch and Lewachi Arinze Alex is one and the same person. Now I wish to be known and addressed as Lewachi Arinze Alex. All former documents remain valid. Abia State Polytechnic Aba and the general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I Fred Kalu Onuoha and Friday Kalu Egwu are one and the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Fred Kalu Onuoha.

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ARIFALO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sangodele Tayo Ann, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ikioda Tayo Ann. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

FA S U S I

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Yetunde Oluwatosin Onayinka, now wish to be known and adressed as Mrs Yetunde Oluwatosin Ojugbele. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Communications Commission and general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Fasusi Florence Yemisi , now wish to be known and adressed as Mrs Onatoyinbo Florence Yemisi . All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

BEN

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just (N3,500.)

The payment can be made through FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number 1892030011219 Account Name - VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to gbengaodejide@yahoo.com or thenation_advert@yahoo.com For enquiry please contact: Gbenga on 0 8 0 5 2 7 2 0 4 2 1 , 08161675390, Emailgbengaodejide @yahoo.com or our offices nationwide.

Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Mfon Edet Ben now, wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Mfon Joseph Ibong. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and the general public should please take note.

ELUKE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogechi Joyce Eluke now, wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Joyce Arua Okoro. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

OGUNYEMI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunyemi Tunmise Blessing now, wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Akomolafe Tunmise Blessing. All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic, Ado-ekiti and the general public should please take note.

AREWA

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Arewa Blessing Iyabo now, wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Alo Blessing Iyabo. All former documents remain valid.

Preston Intl School, Akure and the general public should please take note.

OLAWUMI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Olawumi Julianah Ibukun now, wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Ekundayo Julianah Ibukun Oki. All former documents remain valid.

Community Comp. High School Akungba – Akoko, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-akoko and the general public should please take note.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012

65

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Advertorial slip-ups C LEAN advert copies make a good read because of their usually interesting nature and editorial slant.

“That way you don’t miss any of the action (actions) in….” (MultiChoice Nigeria Full Page Colour Advert, THE NATION, February 7) “Please note that vehicle plate numbers with proofs of ownership are required for obtaining new Tags/Stickers.” (Full Page Advert by Integrated Intelligent Imaging West Africa Ltd, BUSINESSDAY, February 7) This way: numberplates “Committee on port reforms move 2,080 overtime containers away from ports” (BUSINESSDAY Headline, February 7) Get it right: Committee…moves “Solutions for a cashlite Lagos” (FIDELITY Bank Full Page Colour Advert, THISDAY, February 7) Solutions to (not for).

“Cote d’ Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea in make or mar encounter” Sport: make-or-mar encounter “…there was no indication that they were intending to build on a troubled spot.” Standard expression: trouble spot National Mirror of February 2 falsified the English language on four occasions: “Ad, media stakeholders partners on value addition” Brands and marketing partner “Winners emerge in LG win a trip to Dubai promo” Life is Good: LG’s win-a-trip-to-Dubai promo “His depth and finesse as a professional stands (stand) him out amongst equal….” Current trend: among equal….

The next two headline blunders are from DAILY SUN of February 2: “Fire guts ATM machine, office equipment at MMA2” (sic) It is mandatory to drop ‘machine’ from that headline!

“Communities benefit from World Bank assisted dev project” Voice of The Nation: World Bank-assisted dev project “All strategic decisions in the Peoples Democratic Party under the tepid and visionless presidency of Goodluck Jonathan are taken by a caucus of mediocres.”

(The Moment, February 9) Get it right by using any of these: mediocrities, mediocrists or the medioc-

rity. ‘Mediocre’ is exclusively an adjective.

“Ex-head of states, who have cracked and liquidated the nation’s coffers, are to be paid N2.1 billion this year.” (Daily Trust, February 8) Building a new nation: Ex-heads of state. “ V o c a t i o n a l equipments, basic infrastructures and qualified personnels must be given priority in our scheme of things.” (Blueprint, February 9) Uncountable words: equipment and personnel.

“The news of the death of…via a ghastly motor accident recently came as a rude shock to us.” (The Pilot, February 9) Advert condolence: fatal (not ghastly) motor accident.

Beyond the correction, since the man died, there was no need for the inclusion of the mode of mishap.

Simply: a motor accident.

Got the point?

“But suffice it to say that those rooting to unseat a recalcitrant lawmaker shouldbe abreast with (of) the legal bottlenecks rather than arm-twisting.” (DAILY CHAMPION, February 9) “Even there is a lacunae in the recall clause.”

(Source: as above) Singular: lacuna; plural: lacunae or lacunas.

“It is very easy for a moneybag who has lust to be an assembly man to obtain fake signatures of voters.” (Leadership, February 9) “…our eating and living habits can predispose our systems for (to) such diseases as....” (Nigerian Compass, February 9) “2 vigilante men roasted” (DAILY SUN, February 9) First: 2 vigilance men; second: the men were burnt, not roasted!

Have we lost the human dignity? “…that is a prerequisite for development in (on) the African continent.”

(THISDAY, February 9) DAILY INDEPENDENT of February 9 disseminated the next three errors: “UN abandons troubled spots in Africa” Get it right: trouble spots.

“This is tragic and a degradation of human specie (species).”

“Staff of the Federal Ministry of Education and its agencies in Lagos has (have) been told they have till next weekend to present their papers.”

“As he spoke to the admiration of the labour leaders and journalists at (on) the occasion….” (THE GUARDIAN, February 9)

“The stories, in the opinion of the trial judge, was (why these recurring discords?) considered embarrassing to the government.” (Vanguard, February 9) “Journalism schools should include courses on shedding crocodile tears to (in) their curricula.” (The PUNCH, February 9) “The police has an image problem, too.” Bound to correction: The police have….

“I have persistently advocated, without much success, the need to align policy-making to (with) crime control….”

“But if the House Ethics Committee fails to sanitise affairs, then we would be setting a dangerous precedence contrary to the Buhari and Enwerem example.”

(DAILY SUN, February 9) Not yet: a dangerous precedent.

“Additionally, signals suggest that a lot of work still need (needs) to be done to get us on the democratic superhighway.”

(THE GUARDIAN, February 9) “The purchasing power in the hands of consumers have (has) been going down; it means that demand for goods and services are (is) reducing.”

“Houses, furnitures and domestic helps (sic) are not provided for as government regulation, as we do here.” No question about this: ‘furniture’ is uncountable.

“The executive cannot acquiesce to a patently wrong situation in demur in a similar situation.”

(Leadership, February 8) The legislature we deserve: acquiesce in (not to).

“It was later gathered that the mayhem was as a result of conflict (a conflict or conflicts) between two cult groups.” (THISDAY, February 9) My own preference: delete ‘two’ to avoid headaches (even as it is acceptable to some people and curious reference materials).

“A general strike began on June 1, 1964 (another comma) which did not only shutdown the entire country but also led to violent protests and anarchy.”

(The PUNCH, February 9) This way: shut down.

“Punishments should also be similar to what they meted out on (to) the innocent non-cult students.” (THE GUARDIAN, February 9)

Kano commits N8b to housing projects

K

ANO State government has concluded plans to partner with the Federal Mortgage Bank and Aso Savings Loan Scheme to construct 20,000 housing units before the end of the year.

The State Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Surveyor Mohammed Nadu Yahaya disclosed this to reporters during an inspection tour of the housing projects, which would be embarked upon by the Kwankwaso’s administration by redesigning the over 17,000 hectares of land acquired by the State government from land owners.

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

Yahaya explained that the project would gulp about N8 billion, while the first phase , comprising 700 hectares of land would commence immediately the state House of Assembly approves the 2012 budget .

According to him, K w a n k w a s o ’ s administration would complete the multi-housing projects in three locations within the metropolis, namely, Kwankwasiyya city, Amana city and the Western Bye-pass city, which was conceived about 28 years ago.

On completion of the housing projects, the Commissioner disclosed

that it would be sold to members of the public, who are interested, as well as civil servants and other corporate organisations.

Financial institutions, which have already signed an agreement, he explained, would be provided plots of land, including infrastructure for the construction of the housing units.

Earlier, 30 companies participated in bidding, organised by the Kano Urban Planning and Development Agency (KNUPDA) for the construction of the dualisation and terminus development plan for various roads within the metropolis.

•L-R: Chairperson, Kosofe Local Government of Lagos State, Mrs. Mosunmola Sofola, Proprietress, Heritage Home, Anthony Village, Mrs. Vivian Osuntokun with some children during a visit to the home recently.

CPC senator worried over threat to democracy

T

HE Senator representing Kaduna central on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Major General Mohammed Saleh (rtd) said yesterday that unless Nigerians eschew personal greed,

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna the nation’s democracy would suffer dire consequence.

Speaking at the launch of a book entitled “Fallacy of Democracy” written by a member of the Kaduna State

Akpabio to Nigerians: emulate Ojukwu

F

OR his devotion to the cause of justice of the ordinary man, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and the Ikemba of Nnewi, is worthy of commendation, Governor Godswill Akpabio has said.

The Akwa Ibom state governor, who spoke during a condolence visit to Barr.

(Mrs) Bianca Ojukwu, the widow of the deceased statesman, stressed that Nigerians needed to study the philosophy and ideologies of the late Ikemba in order to find the pathway to lasting peace in the country.

He insisted that Nigerians should always dialogue to achieve peace and not allow the country to move to the precipice of war, noting that the late Ikemba was a reluctant rebel and in him, Nigeria had a man who lived a good life, made valuable contribu-

tions to national development, exhibited true patriotism and greatness, and left indelible marks in the sands of time.

The governor who was speaking in Kasabianka Lodge, Enugu, residence of the Ojukwus, described the late Dim Ojukwu as a crusader for justice and an icon even in death, and stated that all Akwa Ibom people shared the pain of his loss because when he was alive he fought for the justice of the entire Eastern Region.

Responding, Mrs. Ojukwu expressed appreciation to Governor Akpabio for the condolence visit, adding that the enthusiasm and support the governor had given to the family so far has given them hope that the late Ikemba will be given a national burial.

House of Assembly, Mohammed Ali, Saleh said that “for democracy to strive and be vibrant in Nigeria, majority of the Nigerian people must participate fully while Nigerians must eschew greed and be courageous for democracy to survive,” Saleh said.

He argued that the survival of democracy does not depend on one person, saying democracy could not be practiced by one person.

According to him, the constitution which is an embodiment of democracy was made for the people and advised every Nigerian to participate fully in the nation’s democratic process in order to checkmate the political activities of the ruling party.

He stressed that the CPC, which is one of the main opposition parties in the country would do all it could to checkmate the activities of the ruling party in order to ensure truth and justice for all.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT This is to notify the general public that the original deed of conveyance dated 6th day of Nov. 1958 and registered as no 8 at page 8 in Vol. 295 Ibadan belonging to Madam Sariatu Animashawun of No 5 Bajulaye Str. Lagos has been declared missing in the course of relocating to her new residence and all effort to trace it prove abortive. If found please contact: Bar. Lukman Folorunsho, L’ávocat (The Legal Consultants) 08080335010

66 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

OKOME

OIGIANGBE

I,formerly known and addressed as Okome Esther Olufunmilayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Presh-Nwaoha Esther. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

IDIMOGU I,formerly known and addressed as Georgina Nkasiobi Idimogu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Georgina Favor Humphery Enyinnah . All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OREREH

I,formerly known and addressed as Pastor (Mrs.) Mary Miama Reeves Orereh, now wish to be known and be addressed as Pastor (Mrs.) Treasure Miama Reeves Sign. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OREREH

I,formerly known and addressed as Hesed Oghenetega Orereh, now wish to be known and be addressed as Hesed Oghenetega Sign. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OREREH

I,formerly known and addressed as Jedidiah Ovie Orereh, now wish to be known and be addressed as Jedidiah Ovie Sign.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

UDOM I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Aniema Solomon Udom, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Aniema Nyenieme Eshiet. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ADELEKE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeleke Adejumoke Opeyemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Bakare Adejumoke Opeyemi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

WATSON

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Watson Bukola Victoria, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ogungbesan Bukola Victoria Nora. All former documents remains valid.

OAUTHC, Ile-Ife and general public should take note.

ADESINA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesina Abidemi Rukayat, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olanrewaju Abidemi Rachael.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

FASHAKIN I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Fashakin Kehinde Owowunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Owati Kehinde Omowunmi. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

OLADESU I,formerly known and addressed as Oladesu Towoju Daniel, now wish to be known and be addressed as Towo Daniel. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

JOLAOSHO I,formerly known and addressed as Peter Shobayo Jolaosho, now wish to be known and be addressed as Peter Olubayo Jolaoluwa. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JOLAOSHO

I,formerly known and addressed as Esther Taiwo Jolaosho, now wish to be known and be addressed as Esther Abosede Jolaoluwa. All former documents remains valid. College of Medicine University of Lagos and general public should take note.

ADEYANJU

I,formerly known and addressed as Olayinka Peyibomi Adeyanju, now wish to be known and be addressed as Olayinka Peyibomi Alabi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OLANIRAN I,formerly known and addressed as Olaniran Sumbo Rukayat, now wish to be known and be addressed as Olujide Sumbo Rukayat. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OKIGBO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaora Perpetua Okigbo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adaora Perpetua Onyekachukwu. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Maureen Oigiangbe, now wish to be known and be addressed as Maureen Tobi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ORJI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Orji Ijeoma Dora, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Onyam Ijeoma Dora. All former documents remains valid. UNN and general public should take note.

ALESE

I,formerly known and addressed as Elese Sharon Oluwapeluni, now wish to be known and be addressed as Akinsinde Alese Sharon Oluwapelumi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OLOWOOKERE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olowookere Olubunmi Shade, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Atoyebi Olubunmi Elizabeth. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OBIANWA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Obianwa Uzochukwuamaka Maryanthony, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Eze Uzochukwuamaka Maryanthony.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

WILCOX I,formerly known and addressed as Ms Cynthia Mirian Wilcox, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Cynthia Ngozi Oluwaleye. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

DINA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Yetunde Omolayo Dina, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Yetunde Omolayo Olukoya. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ODIANA

I,formerly known and addressed as Roseline Aduke Omoyiahairu Odiana, now wish to be known and be addressed as Roseline Aduke Omoyiahairu Akhabue.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

SOTONYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sotonye CharlesGranville, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Sotonye Enemenia Enemenia Amachree.

All former documents remains valid. Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria Bar Associassion, Ajumogobia and Okeke and general public should take note.

UGWUERU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ugwueru Vivian O., now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Chime Vivian.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

MOKAYI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oiza Bridget Mokayi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oiza Bridget Ojo. All former documents remains valid. A.A.U. and general public should take note.

SULE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sule Safiat Akhayagboke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ogunmolade Safiat Akhayagboke.

All former documents remains valid. A.A.U. and general public should take note.

NZURUIKE

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Nzuruike Gladys Unekwu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Ms. Omede Gladys Unekwu. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

SULE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sule Safiat Akhayagboke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ogunmolade Safiat Akhayagboke.

All former documents remains valid. A.A.U. and general public should take note.

DOSUNMU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Temilade Ruqayat Dosunmu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Temilade Ruqayat Agunbiade.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

QUADRI

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs Quadri Idowu Olawunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Miss Ogunfowokan Idowu Olawunmi. All former documents remains valid. Office of Accountant General and general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ADEGOKE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adegoke Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Odebode Oluwakemi Oluwabunmi. All former documents remains valid.

Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, Abeokuta and general public should take note.

BAMIDELE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bamidele Folashade Titi Ariike, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Aderogba Folashade Titi Ariike. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ADESANYA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesanya Abimbola Omotola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Alaba Abimbola Omotola. All former documents remains valid. Ogun SUBEB, Ijebu-Ode LGEA and general public should take note.

OSO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oso Adenike Titilayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adekoya Adenike Titilayo. All former documents remains valid. Ogun SUBEB, Sagamu LGEA and general public should take note.

BURAIMO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Buraimo Bilikisu Ebudola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Gbakosi Elizabeth Ebudola Idowu. All former documents remains valid.

Ogun Waterside LGEA, Ogun SUBEB and general public should take note.

ADELEYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeleye Aminat Sewa, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Odulana Aminat Sewa. All former documents remains valid. NYSC, TASUED and general public should take note.

AKODU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akodu Julianah Ayoola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Abiola Ayoola Julianah. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

FATOKI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Fatoki Oluwatobi Olawunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adedokun Oluwatobi Olawunmi. All former documents remains valid. UNAD and general public should take note.

JIMOH I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Jimoh Shadiat Folakemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ayo-Ayoola Shadiat Folakemi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

IPINLAYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ipinlaye Grace Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Komolafe Grace Oluwakemi. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

OKE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oke Adesayo Adeduntan, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Jooda Adesayo Adeduntan Favour. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

DINAH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Mosah Dinah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ikechukwu Dinah Akunjer.

All former documents remains valid. Federal College of Education Special, Oyo and general public should take note.

ADEBANJO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebanjo Adebukonla Oyekunmi O., now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ayojimi Adebukonla Oyekunmi O. All former documents remains valid. UCH Ibadan and general public should take note.

LAWAL

I,formerly known and addressed as Lawal Qudus Olasunkanmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Lawal Are Qudus Olasunkanmi.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

AJIRO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajiro Funmilayo Damilola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Falana Esther Funmilayo. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State LG Service Commission, Ekiti South West Ilawe and general public should take note.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012 CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME AJAYI

OKIKIOLA

EMMANUEL

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi Modupe Caroline, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adebolu Modupe Caroline. All former documents remains valid. High Court of Justice, Ekiti State and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Temitope Okikiola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Miss Bello Okikiola Monsura Temitope. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Emmanuel Samuel, now wish to be known and be addressed as Matey Samuel Matey. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Osunniyi Olubukola Evelyn is the same and person as Osunniyi Evelyn Oluwabukola, Osunniyi Bukola Evelyn, Osunniyi Evelyn Bukola. All former documents remains valid. UNN and general public should take note.

MICHAEL

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Michael Kehinde Kemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ikeh Kehinde Kemi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Mmaju Blessing Amara, now wish to be known and be addressed as Adimekwe Blessing Amara. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

ADU

ANIFALAJE

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Abiodun Sherifat Anifalaje, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Abiodun Sherifat Anifalaje Kafari. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Caroline Kehinde Igbinedion, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Caroline Kehinde Alafe. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adu Victoria Mojisola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ayodeji Victoria Mojisola . All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ABOLLO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Tejiri Abollo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Tejiri Divine Sobotie. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

AMUSA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Rukayat Bidemi Amusa, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Rukayat Bidemi Ige. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JAYEOBA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Jayeoba Florence Oluwabunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ilesanmi Florence Omowunmi.

All former documents remains valid. Ijanmodu Comprehensive High School, Ijan Ekiti and general public should take note.

OYIBOCHA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyibocha Patience Blessing, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ayeni Patience Blessing. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Local government Service Commission and general public should take note.

OKEOWO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okeowo Ebunlomo Agnes, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adetifa Ebunlomo Agnes. All former documents remains valid.

Irepodun/Ifelodun and general public should take note.

ADIYA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adiya Grace Egboja, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adiya Grace Odeh. All former documents remains valid. Nigerian Prison Service and general public should take note.

AMEH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Christiana Ameh, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Christiana Onche. All former documents remains valid. Nigerian Prison Service and general public should take note.J

INIEMOR

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Enake Iniemor, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Enake Owota. All former documents remains valid. Niger Delta University, NYSC, Zenith Bank and general public should take note.

ONUCHE I,formerly known and addressed as Abigail Tomilayo Onuche, now wish to be known and be addressed as Abigail Tomilayo Bernard Amuda. All former documents remains valid. Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)and general public should take note.

SANUSI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sanusi Eunice Modupe, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adekunle Eunice Modupe. All former documents remains valid. Local govt. Education Authority, EfonAlaye and general public should take note.

AIFUOBHOKHAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sarah Omoyemen Aifuobhokhan, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Sarah Omoyemen Ajagun. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

OKORO I,formerly known and addressed as Okoro Celestina Uzochi and Elekwachi Celestina Uzochi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Esomonu Celestina Uzochi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OLAIFA

I,formerly known and addressed as Olaifa Titilope Susan, now wish to be known and be addressed as OlajesuTitilope Susan. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

IGE

I,formerly known and addressed as Oluwafunmike Lola Ige, now wish to be known and be addressed as Olufunke Adenola Oyekunle-Oyeyemi. All former documents remains valid. Lagos State Teachers Establishment and Prison’s Office and general public should take note.

OLOWONIYI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeola Olowoniyi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adeola Adelola. All former documents remains valid. Capital Assurance and general public should take note.

NANBAM I,formerly known and addressed as James Cecilia Nanbam, now wish to be known and be addressed as Dasgwan Cecilia James. All former documents remains valid. Capital Assurance and general public should take note.

OKEWOLE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okewole Rebecca Oyeyemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Aiki Rebecca Oyeyemi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

DARAMOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Daramola Abigael Alake, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Omolebi Abigael Alake. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti West Local govt., Aramoko Ekiti and general public should take note.

OGUNBANJO I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Ogunbanjo Adewale Abiola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mr. Adeyemi Adewale Abiola Praise. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

EGBUNA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ijeoma MaryAnn, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Anaezemba Ijeoma MaryAnn. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

OLAWALE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olawale Stella Bolanle, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olagunju Stella Bolanle. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

BADEJO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Badejo Serifat Aderonke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Arikeuyo Serifat Aderonke. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

SANGOFOWOTE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adedoyin Titilola Sangofowote, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adedoyin Titilola Idowu. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

ADENAIKE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adetutu Oyindamola Adenaike, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adetutu Oyindamola Osifala. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

MMAJU

IGBINEDION

ATOYEBI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Atoyebi Fatima Bukola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Mohammed Fatima Bukola. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OLAWALE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olawale Nosakhale Joy, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ofoegbu Joy. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

BAMGBOSE

I,formerly known and addressed as Bamgbose Grace Oyindamola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Olatunji Grace Oyindamola.

All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

UTOH I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Utoh Ifechukwudeni Besttina, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Lawal Ifechukwudeni Besttina. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

EMELUMGINI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Emelumgini Chigozie Obioma, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Chigozie Obioma Adiele. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note.

USIGBE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Feyisayo Roselyn Usigbe, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Feyisayo Roselyn Alabi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

EDOGUN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Edugie Daisy Edogun, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Edugie Daisy Ogunade. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

DARAMOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Daramola Mariam Bosede, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. JideInadagbo Fayokemi Bosede. All former documents remains valid.

Medicacal Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, School of Health Technology, Ijero Ekiti and general public should take note.

KELEKO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Keleko Aderonke Adegbemisola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adegoke Aderonke Adegbemisola. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

KOLAWOLE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Kolawole Funmilayo Esther, now wish to be known and be addressed as Miss Ajewole Funmilayo Esther. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

ODELOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Odelola Busayo Ruth, now wish to be known and be addressed as Miss Adeleke Busayo Ruth. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just (N3,500.)

The payment can be made through FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number 1892030011219 Account Name VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to gbengaodejide@yahoo.com or thenation_advert@yahoo.com For enquiry please contact: Gbenga on 08052720421,08161675390, Email- gbengaodejide @yahoo.com or our offices nationwide.

Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012 FTER a year of running around, looking for funds and solutions to restore her health back, four-year old Kaosisochukwu Chime who suffered from cancer is dead. She died at about 3:30pm on Thursday, February 2, after being rushed to the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos around 8:30am earlier in the day.

Her medical battles started in January 2011 when she was repeatedly treated for fever without success. But, it was not until last June that Kaosi as she was fondly called was diagnosed with Angiosarcoma of the liver, a rare cancer.

Her case got national prominence when her story

A

•Continued from Page 52

News

67

Little Kaosi dies of cancer

By Joe Agbro Jr.

was published in The Nation newspaper, as well as other newspapers.

With N2.2m donated by some well-meaning Nigerians which includes a N1m donation by the Chairman of Udi Local Government, Enugu State, Barr. Bona Ude, Kaosi and her father, Mr. Chime, were able to travel to India for further treatment in September 2011. Two weeks later, they

returned to LUTH where Kaosi completed her chemotherapy treatment cycles on January 23.

Kaosi resumed school at Adewole Adeyemi Memorial Academy, EbutteMetta, Lagos, on January 30 before an emergency forced her to go to LUTH penultimate Thursday. It was during efforts to treat Kaosi that she gave up the ghost.

According to Mr. Chime, the plea of being

thirsty and wanting to drink water is the last thing he remembers of his daughter. By the time he had brought the bottle of water, it was the empty bed she laid on he met.

“Her lifeless body laid on a bed in the corridor of the ward,” said Mr. Chime who is accusing LUTH’s management of negligence and believes his daughter could have been alive if her case was treated with the care it deserved.

Conversation with Awo

The book is made whole with very detailed notes and references, but it is in the appendices that Makinde provides the reader with extremely rich and invaluable repertoire of Awo’s philosophy, his thinking, political mindset.

Of the appendices, perhaps the most engrossing is titled, “The Prophesy About War and Befalling Darkness” (p.231-35).

This was an address by Awo on 11 September 1963, (earliest 9/ 11) before Justice Sodeinde Sowemimo, at the close of his treasonable felony trial. Therein, Awo made the following prophesy, which has unambiguously manifested in Nigeria: “[For] some time to come the present twilight of democracy, individual freedom and the rule of law, will change and might change into utter darkness.” In another appendix, the reader is offered an insight into Awo’s 1939 analysis, in which he proposed that there should be rigorous and empirical inquiry into the use of juju, in order to ascertain the “scientific facts”, if any.

He concluded that piece thus: “the aim of those engaged in the research work throughout should be to get the best and nothing but the best out of the juju practice’” (p.230).

In his extended conversation with Makinde, Awo shed light on an array of issues, in some instances recounting and recalling his known views and in others, espousing new visions and observations. The prefacing discussion dwelt on his philosophical thinking and how they were in tandem or at variance with those of philosophers like Plato, Aristotle Cicero, Nietzsche, Locke, Hegel, Marx, Engel, Mill, Russell and others, all of whom Awo had read. As always, Awo was candidly unrelenting in his candor and very precise in his diction and language. Every reader must determine what they find most capacitating in Awo’s views but it would suffice for this reviewer dwell on a few of his intuitions.

Leadership Traits: Awo developed the idea that “every man is a potential genius” however, their reach is determined by their “ego” which he considered “perhaps the most important element which he sees as playing constructive or destructive (or both) roles in a person, be he/she an ordinary person or a leader in society. Drawing on this thinking,

•Makinde

Makinde asserts, “In this country, it is the ego that can be used to explain the arrogant and pompous habits of our leaders, their open display of wealth, abuse and misuse of power, etc.” (p. 45).

Nigeria’s Wealth: “Nigeria makes money every day. What we need to know is if our leaders are honest with themselves, and plug some if not all the avenues of wastage and stealing, we all will suddenly realize how much money Nigeria has to pursue these noble objectives” (p. 47).

National Equity: “Use Nation’s resources for the greatest good of the greatest number and not just for a selfish few who have unlimited opportunities to steal and corner resources meant for all of us to themselves.” (p. 81).

Role of Research in Nation building: “It is a mistake to think that all researches must lead to positive results... whether positive or negative, it tells us something which propels us to further research...since we spend little or nothing on research efforts (which is not one of our priorities), we always depend on the products of the research efforts of others in order to survive”(p.88).

Ethics and Religion: “The greatest good of all…is found in the Holy Bible: ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself’ or ‘Do unto others as you would wish them do unto you’” (p.114).

Democracy in Nigeria: “I have said that we will not see democracy in this country for the next fifty years. By democracy I mean real democracy, not cash and carry democracy or chop and chop democracy. I mean civilized democracy. Nigeria is ripe for it, but it cannot achieve it now or in the nearest future. That is the irony, I am sorry to say (p.128).

External Borrowing: “If you borrow too much money, you lose your economic independence and self-esteem, and I think losing our economic independence and selfesteem is good for the western countries, and it may very well be their strategy for economic and political domination which we Africans have refused to understand” (p.131).

Leveraging Human Resources: “Unlike Nigeria, Japan has no oil. But they are a very serious and hardworking nation.

And I believe their leaders have focus, tremendous foresight and

clear-cut objective. They made good use of their available natural resources but more especially human resources”(p. 136).

Needed Leadership Qualities: “We need educated and sophisticated leaders before we can ever think of finding the path leading to technological development in Nigeria. For instance, how many of our leaders since independence had seen the four walls of a university, i.e. had a university education for them to understand and appreciate the proper meaning, value and importance of intellectual and technological development and growth” (p.140).

Nigeria’s Brain Drain: “This is a shame. It is even strange because none of these industrialized countries will ever allow their best brains to leave the shores of their countries. Britain will not allow it; America will not allow it. But Nigeria seems to enjoy seeing their best brains desert the country one by one, and yet we are doing nothing about it. People say America will buy the best brains from any part of the world, including Nigeria, to develop the country. Now see how America has developed to the benefit of all Americans’ (p.142).

Free Education and Free Healthcare: “Nigeria has money to pursue free education and free health to a reasonable level. Yes, the government has sufficient money to make education and health free. And this is for the greatest good of the greatest number” (p. 156).

Presidential Decisions: “I don’t think we should always blame a President’s lapses on his advisers. It is the duty of a President, as an educated and intelligent man, to know what advice is good or bad for his people. If he considers the advice just, and of public good, he will take it as he himself would have calculated the consequences of such action.

What is more, he should be able to use his own discretion as Mr. President” (p.193) Value of Intellectualism: “My respect for intellectuals lies in their ability to see things critically, differently and objectively, and comprehend salient details of issues, apart from their research capability (p.203).

Basis of Good Governance: “I have never regarded myself as having the monopoly of wisdom.

The trouble is that most people in public life and in the position of leadership are spending whole

•The late Kaosi

days and nights in the clubs or in company of men of shady character and women of easy virtue. I like a few others, am always at my post working hard at the country’s problems and trying to find solutions to them; only the deep can call to the deep” (p.208) AWO: The Last Conversation is a book that begs to be read by practicing and aspiring Nigerian politicians, scholars and students. Reading it is a political imperative for those who truly need to understand Nigerian politics and seek to serve the Nigerian nation and not their own personal ends. As Awo said of himself, “I have rendered service to this country which historians and the coming generation will certainly regard as imperishable” (p.233).

One wonders how many contemporary Nigerian politicians can lay claim to such accomplishments and standing.

In writing this book, Moses Makinde acquits himself creditably and truly so, as the scholar and philosopher that he is, by ensuring that Awo’s views on a wide array of issues did not die with him, but were shared and saved for posterity. The conversation exercise for Awo must have been serendipitous. Faithful to its title and genre, this work is truly an intimate and unfettered conversation – a dialogue of give and take and of hard-headed questions that elicited the most thoughtful, unvarnished and sometimes totally shocking and surprising responses. This reviewer concurs with the view that “while it is one thing to directly witness or hear about the actions of a great man, it is a higher and more valuable privilege to gain knowledge of the reasons and thought processes guiding those remarkable acts.”

This brilliant compendium of Awo’s life, facts, theories, history, philosophy, and political and personal recall offers elegant insight into one of the greatest and strategic minds to come out of Nigeria, if not the entire Africa. For Makinde, this is mission accomplished with great verve, erudition, clarity and intellectual sagacity. This is an indispensable tour de force and a must read for those who really care or seek to know the man AWO! • Obaze is a co-founder of the Kwenu.com Book Review Forum.

(ISBN-978-978-020-860-8; Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publishers) Ltd., Ibadan, Nigeria, 2010, Pp. 270, Price, $35.00)

68

WORSHIP THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

INTERVIEW

Living T Faith

By David Oyedepo

Actualizing your glorious destiny! (2)

L

AST week, I started this series by letting you know that sanctification is the foundation needed for you to enjoy a glorious destiny. Also, I showed you some blessedness of sanctification.

This week, I will be teaching on other blessedness of sanctification, what it takes to be righteous and the dangers of desecration.

The blessedness of sanctification: 1. Sanctification guarantees health and vitality. The Word of God says: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (3 John 2). Your health is a function of your spiritual prosperity. Carnality can destroy the body (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Godliness enhances good health. So, sanctification offers health and vitality. To ensure that you maintain your sanctification, endeavour to flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

2. Righteousness empowers you for prosperity. The Bible tells the testimony of Job. He feared God and eschewed evil. No wonder, he enjoyed supernatural prosperity.

3. It takes righteousness for our offerings to be acceptable unto God. 4. Sanctification offers unending progress. Proverbs 4:18 says: But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The path of the sanctified shines more.

You don’t go down because you are attacked; you go down when you sin against God, thereby falling short of the His glory.

5. Sanctification secures posterity. Proverbs 20:7 says: The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. Also, Psalms 112:1-3, 6 says: ...Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. Righteousness is an investment to your generation and posterity.

6. Righteousness offers eternity in Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

So, it takes sanctification to inherit the Kingdom of God (Revelations 21:8). There is no gate-crashing into heaven! It offers every good thing of life.

Having known the blessedness of sanctification, the question now is: What is to be done to ensure you are righteous?

1. Confession of sins: No one qualifies for forgiveness without the confession of sins (1 John 1:8-9). God’s Word says: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy (Proverbs 28:13).

2. Thirst after righteousness: Continue to develop thirst, hunger and love after righteousness. Shun every evil. God’s Word says: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).

3. Maintain a prayerful life: We must maintain a prayerful life at the prayer altar.

4. Depend on the Spirit of holiness: Continue to depend on the sanctification power of the Holy Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4; matthew3:11-13). You need the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God) to live a sanctified life (Romans 8:13).

5. Salvation: Every great destiny attracts great attacks. So, destiny is a risk without sanctification. That is why salvation is the number one step to sanctification. If you are not saved, you can’t be sanctified.

The dangers of desecration: 1. Shame: Sin is a barrier to honour in anybody’s life, whether white or black, literate or illiterate, young or old. No matter who you are, sin will never allow you to see honour. Wherever sin reigns, shame reigns.

No honour or glory awaits the crooked. This is because Proverbs 28:13 says: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

2. Sickness, disease, affliction: God’s Word says: A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones (Proverbs 14:30).

Every disease has its root in sin. There was no sickness before sin came. But by Adam, sin came and sin brought death and everything that leads to death, including leukemia, cancer, AIDS, etc. So, let go of sin, so you can enjoy newness of life in your health.

Friend, the power to flee from dangers of desecration, is available, if you are connected to God. You get connected by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. This way, you will be born again. You can be born again now, if you haven’t, by saying this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for saving me! Now I know I am born again!

I will continue this teaching next week.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. Our midweek services hold on Wednesdays between 6 and 8 p.m. We have four services on Sundays. The first one holds between 6.30 and 8.15 a.m., the second between 8.25 a.m. and 10.10 a.m., the third between 10.20 a.m. and 12.05 p.m. and the fourth between 12.15 and 2.00 p.m.

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books — Walking In The Newness Of Life, Conquering Controlling Powers and The Blood Triumph.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO, Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: bishop@davidoyedepoministries.org

WO thousand and twelve started on a very negative note for Nigeria. What is your reaction?

I will not say I saw it coming but I am not totally shocked at all the developments. Nigeria is at the point of a major breakthrough and that is what the devil is against. He is using everything to bring religious and tribal wars and all kinds of confusion. Most importantly is that the people have not understood that although our president is not the best, he is still our president.

President Jonathan has been spiritually programmed to fail and without strong intercession, he will definitely fail. So, our job as a church is that we should continuously break the spell over his presidency; the bad spell that the wicked people have cast over his government. If we just keep talking about him, all of us will go down, the nation will go down, Jonathan will go down and we will all perish. But if we call upon the name of the Lord, there will be respite.

Some of you were not on the streets during the national protests. Was that to say you were in support of the removal of fuel subsidy?

People have different callings. I was not called to stand on the road and be cursing the president. That is not my calling. Unfortunately they used that to judge who is a man of God and who is not. The truth is that we are called for different purposes.

You don’t expect Papa Adeboye to come out and lead such protest. No, that is not his calling. They talk about Martin Luther and I say that was Luther’s calling.

So, we cannot be what we are not. You don’t know what he is doing in the secret. For all you know, that may even be more important than what those on the streets did. The people that stood on the streets, what did they gain at the end of the day? What did they gain?

Many people lost their lives; the nation lost a lot because this is not a battle to be

‘Why protests, mass action can’t save Nigeria’ General Overseer of Revival Assembly, Lagos, Apostle Anslem Madubuko spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the state of the nation and sundry issue

•Madubuko

fought physically. I believe that if we have suggestions or if we have something against the president, you can look for a way to get to him or to those close to him. We are not to use the media to be raining abuses on him as if he is nobody.

Are you saying that the mass protest was uncalled for or that the nationwide strike should not have been at all?

What did we gain from it?

The thing that we achieved through it could have been achieved without it yet the nation lost a lot. Most importantly, we lost lives. We can’t do things because Egypt did it. We are not Egypt. This is Nigeria. Egypt did theirs that way but it does not mean that is our own business with God. Our own business is on our knees; we are to stay on our knees until we see the desired change. So, this is our nation and we have got to salvage it. We can’t just allow things to go wrong. We have

to keep talking to God until he hearkens to our cry.

For how long are we to pray? Don’t you think that is like an escape route or a docile approach to the fundamental problems of the nation?

The truth is that the natural man does not understand the things of the spirit because they are foolishness unto him. So, I don’t blame them if they think that prayer is an escape route. But the Bible tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God. So, it is only through God that any change can happen, whether we like it or not.

Where did Nigeria miss it?

We have never been right as a nation. There are injustice, corruption, serious idolatry and all forms of evil. People have shed so much blood on foreign altars and our politicians have dabbled into serious occultism. Some of the things we see are the effects of occult involvements, the consequences of denying God as God. These people come to the church and pretend to know Him but behind, they offer human sacrifice and do all kinds of things. So, many things are wrong with us as a people. That is why we have to keep on begging God for mercy and forgiveness. We don’t deserve what we are getting. We are not supposed to still stand as a nation but God’s mercy has sustained us and we have to keep begging Him to keep showing us that

mercy until the turn around takes place. How, when and where? I don’t know.

How can Christians handle the Boko Haram challenge?

Boko Haram cannot be beyond God. So, I believe it is only through prayers that we can conquer them. You don’t know who Boko Haram is; your neighbour could be one. I believe the time has come again for the church to go into serious prayers. We don’t have to announce the prayer meetings. We don’t have to go to the National Stadium to pray. We don’t have to go to Abuja to pray. We can do all the praying in quiet groups, lifting our voices in intercession and travail to God to bring judgment because these people are wasting innocent lives. I saw on television the other day the mother of an innocent man that was slaughtered like chicken. God must bring judgment.

Are you saying we don’t need to beef up security network since we are praying?

We have got to do what we must do so that God can also do his part. However, we must understand that we are fighting suicide bombers.

We are not fighting people who will come and throw bombs and then run away.

We are fighting people that are ready to die at anytime.

So, how far can you go? How much security can you afford to put in place? The bomber is out to blow up everybody and everything. Boko Haram may be beyond the politicians and the masses but it is not beyond God. So, people should not see prayer as an escapist attitude. This is the time to really, really pray.

NEWS

F

OR over two hours, members of Christian Welfare Initiative (CWI) last week sought the face of God over challenges facing the nation, especially the Boko Haram menace.

President of the interdenominational body, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, said only prayer can save Nigeria at this stage.

According to him, God is always willing to hear the cries of His people when they seek His face.

He said the body will continue to pray for divine intervention, and that the Boko Haram insurgency will soon frizzle out.

Atilade said, ‘’we are sure God will step in and defend His people. We have activated His powers and we shall soon see

CWI prays for Nigeria •Says Boko Haram will fizzle out in one week significant changes in the nation. ‘’In the next one week, the operation of Boko Haram will give way. Nigerians will witness a new dawn’’.

He however called on gov-

ernment to play its part in transforming the nation.

In a statement read after the session, Atilade demanded true federalism and approval of community policing for effective security.

He stressed the need for the federating units to brainstorm on peaceful co-existence.

Such national conference, Atilade said, was long overdue.

Council seeks God’s help

C

HRISTIANS and Muslims in Orile Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA) held a joint prayer session to kickstart activities of the council in 2012 penultimate week.

Prince Orimolade Emmanuel and Usfaz Abdul Raheem prayed on behalf of Christians and Muslims respectively.

The Union leader, Comrade Yusuf Jelili expressed

gratitude to the council’s boss, Hon. Taofeek Adaranijo.

He pledged workers’ commitment to the aspirations and goals of the council.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Life

•Continued from page 56 publisher if am not doing well people know how to reach me and they know what to do and I think people should wake up to their responsibility.

You were 50 recently where do you want to go from here, has life just started for you or did it start when you were 40?

To me life is just beginning at 50 and as said in a recent interview I would rather die as a journalist because journalism to me is a good profession, it is a profession I cherish I wonder what I would have done if I was not a journalist we are the voice of the society and it is a thrilling profession you can imagine when I came into your newsroom and saw you writing and putting things together am sure you derive a lot of pleasure even though it comes with its risks, you are hunted left, right and centre in fact I was shot recently by armed robbers when I was on my way to see the governor of Rivers State for a cover. On the way I ran into some armed robbers who had just finished robbing and I was shot and my car snatched but I have recovered, this is part of the hazard of the job of a journalist may be I wouldn’t have run into them if I was not pursuing a cover for the magazine but it doesn’t draw us back. Journalists are like soldiers and that is why I think we should be more remunerated better respected and stuff like that. Like I said at 50 life is just beginning and I hope that I will put more to my nation, my society and I thank God this is easy for me as a journalist. The next edition which is coming this December is featuring Edo State when I visited Edo State I discovered the governor is doing pretty well that’s why he is on my cover I saw all the things he has done and I think such a governor does not need too much campaign. We will not hesitate to criticise any governor or local government chairman who is not doing very well but as a celebrity magazine we owe it a duty to bring out the good in society that is why Oshiomhole is on the cover of the magazine for December because he is doing pretty well, I am not campaigning for him but as a journalist we need to promote people who are doing very well also.

Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will very soon be on my cover because he is someone I admire and he is a dogged fighter and such people should be encouraged in our society. Very soon we are organising the next dinstinguished award and Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is top on the list and if he clinches it he will be on our cover for the next edition.

As a member of the Guild of Editors some media houses have been accused of not taking good care of their staff (journalists and all) what is the •Continued from page 53 evening finds me is where I anchor and sleep”, he said, taking a cursory glance at the women offloading baskets of fish and shrimps with satisfaction. “We are mainly fishermen and farmers and the volume of business we do in this axis is big enough to compete with oil. All we need from government is the enabling environment both at the harbour and on the sea. Once in a while we encounter sea pirates and area boys who waylay us on the high sea. And hardly do we have people to protect us.”

Jide’s complaint was corroborated by Tomboy, a member of Marine Vehicle Towing Association whose office is located at the old Dock Yard, Ebute-Epe. “We often patrol the waters to see if there are boats needing our assistance. On many occasions, some bad boys would stop them on the sea and collect money from them. Besides that, we too are not safe because we have no protection from anybody. Our job mainly is to tow boats with engine problem ashore”, Tomboy grinned and vanished into his flying boat, saying: “Later. I’m on my way to the other side of Osa”.

As he disappeared into his flying boat, a bigger engine boat arrived from Ilaje loaded with drums of local gin. The drums numbering

Local govts should be given direct allocation Guild doing to correct this?

I am one of the executives of the Guild of Editors and I know president Gbenga Adefeye who is a good friend and would be reading this piece now they get a lot of information from the media houses and am sure as am talking to you this is not new to them and he must be making contacts both personal and official with most media organisations thank God the Vanguard which he represents treats its workers well am also aware of Punch and The Nation, we be also aware of some media organisations that are doing well, making money but not taking care of their staff I would want to seize this opportunity to implore the proprietors of such organisations to please know that we are journalists and we are doing our work they should please give us our remunerations I don’t have too much staff under me sure that if you ask my staff they will tell you that am not doing too badly for them but I still hope to improve on their package as am talking to you now we have a couple of distribution vans my editor has his official car and some of my reporters have their official cars so we are still trying to do our best I just want to appeal to our proprietors to please treat our colleagues in a better way, even government media houses should also do the same. With the recent salary package approved by the federal government I think the private sector should follow suit and I will want our friends and colleagues to have this at the top of their agenda, because very sincerely journalists in Nigeria are one of the best in the world but unfortunately our remuneration is not the best so why are we the best in terms of performance but we are not the best in terms of remuneration I don’t think it is fair enough when some of our colleagues travel around the world their counterpart rate them so well and they pity us that we are not being well remunerated I think it is an unfortunate thing but some of our employers are waking up to their responsibility and some are milking us we know those milking us we just want to appeal that before we decide to revolt they should change their attitude and give us better package so that together we can bring up a better society and a better journalism environment.

Your generation (those in their 50s) seems to be doing very well individually and collectively what advise do you have for those coming after you?

Thank you but let me correct that impression our generation has rather been cheated that is the truth as most of my colleagues should be ministers, heads of state and stuffs like that if not

•Adeshina for the wave of ‘revolution’ that is brining in the young blood now you will agree with me that the old ones did not want to leave the scene and that is why I really feel bad for this country but thank God by design or by accident the new generation is coming up that why we have our colleagues like Emeka Ihedioha who is my personal friend and the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Victor Ifijeh your MD, Lateef Aderogba who is now the commissioner in Lagos, Segun Ayanbolu who is on your board so we have them scattered what I want to say is that our generation has not been so lucky but I pray and hope that the present administration will create room and give opportunities for the young ones and best way to do this is to perform. The problem we have in Nigeria is that of leadership it is obvious we have the resources so if our leaders can seat up create employment for the youth, get our factories working, repair the roads, then the young one will have something to look forward to in the future and their participation in governance, in economy, in whatever field will be meaningful and it will add to the over-

all development of the country we will have less of brain drain and get employment here so there wont any need to go to London to clean hospitals and corpses when as a graduate you can be employed meaningfully in Nigeria and that’s why I give credit to President Jonathan even though he started on a shaky note he is beginning to get his grounds with recent one or two things he has done first on the credibility of the election, in agriculture, with the cassava bread initiative if the percentage of cassava in bread can be made to stay then that would create opportunities for the cassava farmers and it will even encourage more graduates to go into farming among others. I think the coming generation may be luckier if we have a more focused leader but it as it may it is not totally lost because even though they do not want to give us our right and the chance to develop the country we struggled to get there and we are still struggling to get there and that is why you see people like me opting out of government to start something private we have the vigour and people like you are in our generation you are not doing badly the basic thing

is that our leaders should sit up, lead us well and allocate resources judiciously and the resources so allocated are being monitored up to the grassroot then this will work well, Which brings me to the issue of local governments, the federal government should please look into this issue of local government funding, the channelling of funds directly to local governments would make a better impact because as far as am concerned the states are starving the local government and they cannot perform under this dispensation. Until allocations are made directly to them and a proper monitoring process put in place so that local government roads, environmental sanitation, other developments at the local levels will be more meaningful and the local people will feel the impact of governance so these are all that the new generation are expecting. If these could go well 5 there will be less of Boko Haram, armed robbery and the nation will be better for you and I. So how would propose the separation of state and local government accounts so that local governments can receive their funds directly?

Just a new legislation, if possible, because this was what we used to have in the past. Local government received their funding directly let the revert back, they have practicalised this channelization through the states and they found out that the states have being exploiting local councils and the local councils chairmen are crying and all of us come from local government area or the other we can see what is happening I am a supporter direct channelization of finances, allocations direct to local government. I want local government allocation to be given to them directly so that if they are not performing you will be able to take them on but as it is now if you take them on they will tell you that N100 million is supposed to come to us this month but we were only given N30 million what do you want us to do after paying salary what is left to is just N5 million what can we do with N5 million but if they are given their own lot of bulk money may be N120 million or N200 million and they don’t utilise it then we will be able to take them on on that, so let the local governments have their own, states have their own and the federal government has its own afterall I think that should be on the exclusive legislative list if it is on the exclusive legislative list the federal government can take that decision so that they will now channel all the funds appropriately.

Another life on the waters

• Boat builders at work

hundreds were strapped with black nylon bags to protect them from contamination and possible evaporation.

Customers were already waiting at the harbour when the boat arrived.

As soon as the patrol boat anchored, the team and its passengers came ashore. Three men with an assortment of small brief cases gathered up to dish out instructions. After setting the loads ashore, the owners and buyers began to haggle over prices.But the sailors were in no mood

to waste time. Their leader, clad in jumper and jeans quickly asked them to pack the goods inside the warehouse. “How was the trip?”, an old woman asked the leader who obviously looked tired and worn-out.

“Fine, we only had a brief breakdown before we got to Waterside where we offloaded a few drums”, he answered, yawning tiredly. On the whole, with the magnitude of commercial movements on the sea, government can genuinely improve

• Women taking delivery of their fishes

on this mode of transportation and business transactions to help the people. The people feel that government can equally provide ferries and bigger engine boats to facilitate movements and make the conveyance of goods easier. “This is one area government can come in to open up avenue for more commercial means for the people”, Toyin said.

According to her, “If government can break the monopoly of the boat people and make the cost of

transportation cheaper, it will pay us better”.

Most of the residents lamented lack of government assistance and attention to the immense benefits and of water transportation. The clogging of the waterways incessant by water hyacinths, according to them.

They want government to concentrate on having a viable agency to regulate this sector to avoid boat mishaps.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

NATION SPORT

Yakubu returns with goal against QPR

F

ORMER Nigeria international, Yakubu Ayegbeni made a goalscoring return as Blackburn survived a secondhalf fightback from fellow strugglers QPR to secure three precious points at Ewood Park.

Rovers, striker Yakubu, back from suspension, opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, Steven Nzonzi extended the lead in the 23rd by converting Junior Hoilett’s

•Mikel gets bench role •Anichebe missing •Etuhu plays for 10 mins pass and Nedum Onuoha’s owngoal then made it 3-0 just prior to the interval.

Substitute Jamie Mackie netted in the 71st minute and again in the closing stages to set up a nervy

• Ayegbeni

RESULTS Man U. 2 - 1 Liverpool Blackburn 3 - 2 QPR Bolton W. 1 - 2 Wigan Everton 2 - 0 Chelsea Fulham 2 - 1 Stoke Sunderland 1 - 2 Arsenal Swansea C. 2 - 3 Norwich Tottenham 5 - 0 Newcastle German Bundesliga Bayern 2-0 Kaiserslautern B.Dortmund1 - 0Leverkusen Mainz 1 - 1 Hannover Stuttgart 5 - 0 Hertha BSC W.Bremen 1 - 1 Hoffenheim Mon’bach 3 - 0 Schalke Italia SerieA Udinese 1- 2 AC Milan

finale, but Blackburn held on for the victory, the ideal response to last weekend’s humiliating 7-1 defeat at Arsenal.

A two-goal win would have seen Rovers move out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone and send QPR into it, but Mackie’s late second strike means the London outfit stay where they are in 16th, while Blackburn are up a place to 18th, with both clubs level on 21 points from 25 games.

Top scorer Yakubu returned to the hosts’ starting line-up after serving a threematch ban, but defender Gael

Renard: Drogba, others will respect AMBIA coach Herve Zambia Renard believes Ivory

Z

Coast will not underestimate his side in the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

Zambia coach Herve Renard believes Ivory Coast will not underestimate his side in the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Frenchman said he has a great deal of respect for the West Africans, but said he believes Zambia can cause another upset and lift the continental trophy after Saturday’s final.

“I don’t think Cote d’Ivoire will underrate Zambia, they have respect for us and we also have a lot of respect for them but we want to beat them,” Renard told reporters.

“We will be in a tough game. It will be tough game, like the game against Ghana.”

Zambia beat Ghana 1-0 on Wednesday to progress to the final against an Ivory Coast side who are yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

Givet was beginning a suspension following his sending-off in the Arsenal game, so Grant Hanley also came into the team, along with Bradley Orr, who was making his first start since joining from the R’s on transfer deadline day, and Mauro Formica.

QPR tried to make a quick response as Onuoha headed wide, but soon after Blackburn had doubled their advantage as Hoilett broke into the box and teed up Nzonzi, who swept the ball in.

Hoilett looked to put Rovers further ahead but his shot was blocked.

A tame attempt from QPR’s Adel Taarabt did little to trouble Paul Robinson, and Morten Gamst Pedersen then drove a free-kick into the visitors’ wall.

Hanley failed in a bid to connect with a corner, the Scot injuring himself in the process although he was able to carry on, before Buzsaky lashed well wide and Robinson got down to save Traore’s shot.

Blackburn then made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time, Scott Dann heading the ball across the area for Hoilett, whose shot went in off Onuoha.

Meanwhile in other fixtures involving Nigerian players in the English Premiership, Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi could only manage a bench role as his side went down 0-2 to Everton with another Nigerian import Victor Anichebe conspicuously missing.

Fulham’s Dickson Etuhu, only had 10 minutes action in his side’s 2-1 win over Stoke City.

‘King Henry’ signs off in style, as Rooney’s brace sink Liverpool

• Everton downs Chelsea

T

HIERRY Henry brought the curtain down on his glittering Premier League career in perfect fashion with a stoppage-time winner to earn Arsenal a precious 2-1 victory at Sunderland on Saturday.

Henry, on loan from New York Red Bulls, pounced on an Andrey Arshavin cross to poke home from close range as the Gunners moved above Chelsea into fourth place in the Premier League.

Aaron Ramsey had equalised for Arsenal with his first touch after coming off the bench to cancel out James McClean’s opener in a frenetic finish.

Ramsey was on for Per Mertesacker, who rounded off a game to forget by going down with an Achilles problem to hand the ball on a plate to McClean. The midfielder made up for the disappointment of his omission from Giovanni Trapattoni’s latest Republic of Ireland squad by finding the bottom corner with a calm angled drive.

The lead lasted five minutes as Ramsey equalised after good build-up play by Robin van Persie, finding the net from 18 yards off both posts to peg the Wearsiders back.

Henry has lit up many a contest down the years with his dazzling skills and a goalpoaching talent that leaves him third on the all-time list of Premier League scorers behind only Alan Shearer and Andy Cole after extending his tally

to 176.

Having come off the bench just after the hour to make his 258th and — barring an unlikely second return to these shores — final league appearance here, Henry went out on an undoubted high with a seventh goal in 11 games against the Black Cats.

The 34-year-old has one last chance to say his farewells in the mid-week Champions League quarter-final trip to AC Milan before his short-term loan spell comes to an end.

At Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney’s double helped Manchester United down Liverpool 2-1 as the illfeeling remaining from the Luis Suarez racism controversy escalated. Suarez scored an 80th minute consolation for Liverpool to ensure an anxious finale for United but the game will be remembered for other reasons involving the Uruguay international.

Players from both sides had to be separated in the tunnel at half-time by police and stewards as Patrice Evra confronted Suarez, starting a game for the first time since serving an eight-match FA suspension handed out for making racist comments to the United defender.

There were also ugly scenes on the final whistle as Evra celebrated with United supporters and infuriated Liverpool players with his gestures.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

QUOTABLE "I never thought again that after 1966 and 1967, events would happen in Nigeria where we would be having mass movement of people. I never knew we would ever get to a stage in Nigeria where people would be killed for their religious beliefs.”

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 6, NO. 2033

— Former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi on armed insurgency in Nigeria

M

ALLAM Nuhu Ribadu, the ebullient former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was on Wednesday eloquent in justifying his acceptance of the job of supervising the 23-man special task force on petroleum revenue. He interpreted the job as an extension of the anti-corruption battle he waged so valiantly and for which he won acclaim in his days as the EFCC boss. Petroleum revenue, he insinuated correctly, was mired in the cesspool of corruption, and it required a determined and collective effort to fight it and give our people, particularly youths, the opportunity to live decently. For the sake of emphasis, he added that there was already a national consensus on the impact of corruption on the body politic and the need to fight it.

Having set the intellectual basis for his decision to serve on the task force, he proceeded more surefootedly to the equally demanding task of establishing the philosophical basis, as a leading politician, for considering his new job as appropriate in the circumstance. Here, without saying it, he was responding to raised eyebrows over how he managed to reconcile the new job under the President Goodluck Jonathan and his position as the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 general elections. His answer was that the decision was personal, and was an investment in the good governance of his country, an investment he suggested was a response to a national call no patriot should or could spurn.

Ribadu further took refuge in what he described as the biographical example of his father, Alhaji Ahmadu Ribadu, who returned home after his stint as a federal legislator in Lagos to take up service as a local councillor in Yola. The spirit of community service sometimes transcended personal ego, he argued profoundly, adding that honest public service was the greatest asset anyone could offer his community. It is hard to controvert Ribadu on both the intellectual and philosophical arguments for taking up the Jonathan offer. He also drew a helpful line between his political party and national service in a manner that recommends itself to others who may be confused about what public service is all about.

Ribadu may have answered why in general he took the appointment to help scrutinise the foggy accounting that undermines transparency in the oil industry, but he was discretely silent on why he

The Nuhu Ribadu dilemma

•Diezani Alison-Madueke

•Nuhu Ribadu

took appointment under a pre-emptive Petroleum ministry and evasive and sometimes unprincipled Jonathan government.

He did not also provide explanation on whether answering a national call was an inescapable duty of every patriot even when it was clear that the callers, like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Sani Abacha, et all, saw themselves as self-made men who megalomaniacally saw themselves overshadowing the country they ruled. The former EFCC boss is unlikely to answer these last two questions, for they are either truly discomfiting or they touch on and reveal the internal contradictions in the responder’s personality.

It is true both he and the party he represented in the last presidential poll have tried to draw a line between the task force job and the party’s decision not to take any appointment in the Jonathan government.

It is also true that while the party has dissociated itself from its former candidate’s decision, the candidate himself has exonerated his party from any blame. Both appeared anxious not to step on each other’s toes. But it cannot be wished away that there is something frightfully wrong when someone who rose to the position of being candidate in a national election takes a job offer, no matter how altruistic and pa-

triotic, from an opposing party, especially a party famous for its ideological and policy sterility. It is either the candidate’s party was careless in electing him in the last election or the candidate himself was clever at disguising his lack of conviction.

Ribadu’s integrity is not in doubt, nor is it expected that he would compromise with a political party that has famously proved almost totally incompetent in ruling the country. What we doubt, as I have always said in this place, are the former EFCC czar’s sometimes hasty decisions, feistiness and ideological disingenuousness. He may have a progressive predilection, but I think he is at bottom merely a pragmatist who can work with any party and excuse this on national service. As a progressive, I could never take an appointment under Obasanjo, for I knew the man to be full of schemes, was too shifty, too provincial, and too egregiously tyrannical. How Ribadu coped with such a man who affronted both civilised and democratic values openly must remain a mystery. It is either Ribadu was truly and amazingly dexterous, and hence is a diplomat and politician per excellence, or his principles were too fluid to be held down or measured. However, we must respect the uncommon savvy he brought into

Teslim Folarin’s fulmination against Southwest integration

T

OP politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of Oyo State are talking and boasting themselves into unaccustomed unity.

They announced last week that their electoral loss in Oyo was caused by disunity. If they were united, one of the politicians boasted, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) could never have won the last governorship election in the state. Reacting to a prominent plank in the progressive party platform, former leader of the Senate, Senator Teslim Folarin, described the ACN campaign promise of regional integration as a political gimmick. The region was already integrated, he said, and so it was pointless campaigning for integration. How on earth anyone could look at the European Union, NAFTA, ECOWAS, and a host of other regional economic cum political organisations all over the world and make the asinine pronouncement that integration was unnecessary is difficult to understand.

It is a reflection of the abysmal drop in political standards in Nigeria that in spite of its dismal record in office, the

PDP could argue that its loss in Oyo was occasioned by disunity, not poor performance. With the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu serving as an irritating cog in the wheel in the state, and the administration of Adebayo Alao-Akala providing uninspiring leadership, little or no initiative, and slow march backwards, it is shocking that the PDP leaders do not appreciate the value of their electoral loss. Are these the best minds the party can rely on in Oyo? Given Oyo’s enviable record in the 1960s as the seat of Southwest renaissance, it must come to many of us as a shock that poor thinkers like Folarin rose to any prominence in the region. Well, if Adedibu and motor park touts could hijack power in the state, and sybarites could occupy the State House and frolic in its splendour, why should the PDP in the Southwest, whose leading lights are fifth-rate Yoruba men, not push for power on the altar of empty reasoning and programmes?

However, whether conservative or progressive, the goal for the Southwest must be to produce and nurture the best political minds in the

country, men and women whose brilliance are neither hamstrung by ideological persuasions nor injured by their moral character.

Instead, the conservative party in the region has put forward such men as Obasanjo, Oyinlola, Adedibu, Folarin, Arapaja, Alao-Akala, Oni and Daniel, among others, men who find embracing nobility or profound ideas an arduous exercise. Given its antecedents and the impressive mark the progressives are beginning to make, the region prides itself in its political sophistication. This sophistication is, however, diluted by the presence and campaigns of Obasanjo and co. The Oyo PDP denunciation of integration, their boastful assertion on the 2015 elections, and the close call elections sometimes assume in many parts of the region all indicate how deceptive Southwest enlightenment is. Progressives will have to work double hard to restrain the region’s voters from indulging their worrisome tendency to stray and flirt with those who seek to humiliate them, or that when they stray, let it at least be with decent, civilised and sensible conservatives.

prosecuting the anti-corruption battle, a battle and savvy we would never have known he possessed had he not taken the job.

Ribadu is once again putting us on the horns of a dilemma with his pragmatism.

No, I do not think he will compromise with nation wreckers. The man is too principled, when it comes to personal matters, to sell his soul for money. I think he will do some good job in the task force, and he will put the fear of God in public officials in the oil sector. But is Jonathan selfless in his appointments, or as many analysts have recently suggested, does he merely want reputable names to burnish his administration’s soiled reputation? Given the unexampled manner the president appointed and discarded the TY Danjuma-headed advisory committee in his acting days, it would be overrating him to say that he is selfless, principled and visionary. The president is none of these.

Even more profoundly, Jonathan is not a democrat. We have not heard any original idea on democracy, federalism or rule of law from him. And until his presidency expires, nothing original or profound is likely to issue from him on any lofty or noble matter. It is such a man that Ribadu, a former presidential candidate on the platform of the ideologically progressive ACN, has opted to work for. Finding a balance between national service and commitment to principles is a responsibility every politician must discharge adroitly.

Ribadu has made impressive marks in public service by tipping his private scale in favour of public service sometimes to the detriment of personal principles, but what if by providential intervention he had brought his strong will and puritan disposition to the same service? If he couldn’t walk that tightrope under the modestly endowed and fairly consistent Obasanjo without inviting acerbic censure from analysts like myself, how far could he hope to travel under the flip-flopping Jonathan who assumed the presidency with a mind as virginally bare of solid and dignified views of life and society as a child approaching life with the innocence of birth?

I am unable to predict whether Ribadu will make a success or not of his latest assignment. All I know is that he is a hugely talented and sometimes dispassionate professional who is also prone to taking uncalculating steps. Even if he has ruled out a future contest for the presidency on the platform of ACN, with a little more maturity, and a little more preparation and perseverance, he could still offer himself for public service at the highest level on another platform, even if conservative. I am unnerved by the fact that though he boasts of working for the nation in his new assignment, he has in fact chosen to work for a man who is often excessively inspired but lacking in the capacity and discipline to transform his permanent illusions into something more solid, something we can measure in terms of democracy, constitution, law, economic development, human rights etc.

It is often said that a reformer can help change a system from within rather than from without. This absolutely nonsensical logic encourages fruitless conformity.

Obasanjo’s government was irredeemable in spite of the smattering of bright minds in his cabinet, for the man was too far gone in objectionable and brutal tactics to be saved. Jonathan is calling on the Ribadus, Idika Kalus and other illuminati to help shine their intellectual and moral lights on his darkened government. How the Jonathan government can be helped when he himself does not have the visionary eyes nor the moral core to do what is right and noble should preoccupy the Ribadus who I suspect will find that in their latest appointments, as in the last when they cast pearls before swine, they had all along been tilting at windmills.

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