The Nation January 04, 2015 by The Nation

Newspaper of the Year

Boko Haram abducts 40 in Borno

–Page 4

Socialite, Adunni Bankole, dies on daughter's wedding day –Page 77

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.09, No. 3085

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

JANUARY 4, 2015

N200.00

Indonesian soldiers carry coffins containing bodies of victims of the AirAsia flight QZ8501crash being taken to Bhayangkara Police Hospital for identification in Surabaya, Indonesia, yesterday. A total of 30 bodies have been found so far. Photo: AFP

2015: Tension in PDP over INEC deadline –Page 4

Candidates sweat over possible names substitution

Why Jonathan must go, by Catholic priest, Mbaka Full text of sermon

–Page 12

GUNMEN KILL TRADITIONAL RULER IN SOUTHERN KADUNA –PAGE 4

ELECTIONS: NIGERIA IN TROUBLE, SAYS NSCIA SCRIBE –PAGE 6

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

PAGE 2 ‘US girl survivor’ reports fatal Kentucky plane crash

DISORIENTED sevenyear-old US girl has walked to a home in the US state of Kentucky to report that her plane had crashed, police said. The plane was later found with four bodies inside in Lyon County, about 50km east of Paducah city. US TV news network NBC said the girl told the man who answered the door to her that her parents died in the crash. The identity of the girl has not been released and police have not commented on her relationship with the victims. The Federal Aviation Administration said air traffic controllers lost contact with the Piper PA-34 aircraft after the pilot reported engine problems. About 30 minutes after the plane lost contact, a resident of Lyon County called police to say the girl had walked to his home to report the crash. Larry Wilkins, 71, told NBC when he answered his door on Friday night there was a "little girl" standing there barefooted who was "bleeding pretty badly". "She told me that her mom and her dad were dead, and she was in a plane crash, and the plane was upside down," he said. "She asked if she could stay here. I got a wash cloth and cleaned her up. And of course called 911," he added. "I felt so sorry for her, tears come to my eyes. Brave little girl.”

PEAKING at a church service in Abuja last Sunday, President Goodluck Jonathan seemed nonplussed the country he presides over was experiencing more problems than when he assumed office. “We are facing a lot of challenges now as a nation," he said tersely. "The challenges did not start today but somehow, instead of abating, the problems started increasing for one reason or the other." How that statement did not occur to him as an admission of failure is hard to say. Indeed, in his inimitable fatalism, he thought the country was fated to endure the problems, for after all, even one's closeness to God, he philosophised, did not make you immune to them. Said he: "I always say that whenever I read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, particularly the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land, the kind of challenges they faced; their confrontations, the wars up to the days of King David, they were always fighting. You may need to

CAPTURED

Different New Year strokes

Across the world, people welcomed 2015 in different ways. Some crammed popular city squares, parties and spectacular fireworks displays. Others trooped into churches and mosques. The men in this photograph ride on a mikoshi, or portable shrine, as local people carry it into the sea during a festival to wish for calm waters in the ocean and good fortune in the New Year in Oiso, west of Tokyo, Japan.

BAROMETER

sion, the problems were increasing. In other words, under him, the probsunday@thenationonlineng.net lems had worsened; and they have ent. He is unable to see that nations worsened, not because his predecescontrastingly do enjoy long sors made it so, or because God mysstretches of stability and progress teriously decreed it, but because he for espousing and implementing lacks the discipline, wisdom and justice, equity, fair play, in short, altruism to redress the problems. His superficial religiosity leads righteousness, and that rewards normally accompany good deeds. him to visit churches for prayers to Rather than surrender supinely to remedy the country's grave ills, fatalism, a statesman of deep under- instead of the emendations which standing will naturally investigate spiritual contrition should lead him reasons behind the turmoil coun- to. He gave this bewildering explatries experience from time to time, nation: “One of the reasons I go ask, why should children of God and determine what can be done to round churches, at least in Abuja, is continue to be fighting? I believe avoid repeating history or at least to thank my brothers and sisters for what is happening to us is not even the prayers they have been having mitigating its consequences. as serious as sometimes the pasfor the country, the government But what is perhaps most appallsages we read in the Bible and God and me." He is not telling the truth. ing in the president's exegesis last saw them through.” The problem Sunday is his admission that rather His visits to churches are a disinwith rudimentary knowledge of the than abate, Nigeria's problems were genuous attempt to whip up relibible is that inferences and concluincreasing. So, in effect, the problem gious sentiment and rally the faithsions are often misplaced. Should is not that Nigeria has problems, ful behind him. He can fool worPresident Jonathan permit himself shippers; he can't fool God. Why is the task of actually studying the scriptures, he seems fated not to which he reasoned predated his ten- he still surprised that under him the scriptures, he will discover the true learn the rich lessons they provide ure, but that the problems, under his country's problems are worsening? rational behind the wars fought by for the wayfarer. He has made up watch, were stupefyingly increas- Does God no longer reward faithhis mind that since the Israelites ing. For this, there can be no fulness, and does righteousness no the Jews. Since the president has a rather endured unstable stretches in their exegetical explanation. The simple longer exalt a nation? superficial understanding of the history, Nigeria could not be differ- and obscene fact is that by his admis-

Jonathan's unabated pessimism

Fed Govt threatens to jail inciters

EFT to the Department of State Service (DSS), the entire country should be herded into detention, padlocks firmly clamped on their mouths, their minds lobotomised into one goose-stepping whole. In spite of the many imperfections evident in the practice of democracy in Nigeria, there is no doubt that pluralism is gradually taking roots. However, many national institutions, the worst among which is now the DSS, have simply refused to imbibe the culture of democracy and its attendant freedoms. Responding last week to the simple but doubtlessly vigorous suggestion by Governor Rotimi Amaechi that it would be a mistake to execute the mutinous soldiers recently sentenced to death by a

court martial, the DSS intemperately warned that free speech would be tampered with. Mr Rotimi had said: "The challenge of the Nigerian military is not funding but corruption. Now they want to kill some 50 officers for their own failure to equip them properly to fight terrorism. The soldiers have the right to protest the Federal Government's failure to fully equip them.” The DSS however reacted in this shocking fashion: “The attention of the Department of State Service has been drawn to inciting and unguarded statements and utterances by some politicians ahead of the 2015 general elections. Of particular interest is the statement of a serving governor calling on men of the armed forces to rise up in

protest against constituted authority, with the intent to undermine the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria...Political office-holders must not hide under the privileges of their offices to perpetrate and encourage the commission of acts inimical to the general interest of this nation, as this will henceforth not be tolerated...This statement therefore serves as the last warning to all those seeking to truncate the nation's democracy by their careless and obviously mischievous utterances and actions to desist and retrace their steps immediately." Yet, this is the same secret service that kept quiet in the face of Mujahid Asari-Dokubo's irritating provocations. The Nigerian secret service is not

only unfortunately unable to appreciate the scope of democracy which it professes its love for, it has sadly stubbornly and self-righteously refused to appreciate that the secret service is too important to national security and too cerebral to be the enforcement arm of President Jonathan's government or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It is a national institution; and it must remain so. But it is of course at liberty to determine what culture of secret service it wishes to institute: those of former Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries (Savak of Iran, Stasi of former East Germany, etc), or the modern ones of the developed democracies. There are no half measures, and there is no midway.

By ADEKUNLE ADE-ADELEYE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

COLUMN

Pawns and powerbrokers T

HE Nigerian hegemonic blocs are on the move again. Since they wear the mask of power and bear the powerful aura of some ancient masks, hegemonic power blocs move in a mysterious and confounding manner. What you sight is not what you actually see and what they say is not what you hear. Only the masters know what the masters are thinking. It is a duel of giants. Nevertheless, some significant movements of chips have occurred on the chessboard. There are many reasons for the oddity of the knight's move, says a famous Russian literary theorist and grandmaster. Some of these may be mere ruses or tactical feints before a major engagement; their import may lie in what they seek to hide rather than what they try to show. However that may be, there are major declarations of intent which cannot but fascinate the astute game watcher as the year 2015 finally unfolds. Despite the aroma of great expectations, there is something eerily subdued about this new year and its opening gambit. There is a strange calm abroad, despite the unnerving feeling that we have come to the end of an era. The French, with their fastidious elegance, call it "fin de siecle ". It is more like a watershed, when the world as we have known it has ceased to make sense; when change, imminent and momentous, has become the overriding imperative for continuous survival. The noise of collapse, of the crumbling of the old order, is very much with us. Yet the mood of the nation is sober, very sober and in fact sombre. Whether this is a historic decoy, some mass dissembling before an apocalyptic explosion, is hard to say. There is no premature celebration, no feckless jubilation or wild triumphalism. Like a man who has the full measure of a tough adversary, the Nigerian multitude are not about to start celebrating until the actual day of reckoning itself. And with each passing day, the hour inches closer. Having long been pawns on the political chessboard of powerbrokers, the Nigerian multitude have learnt the bitter lesson of premature celebration. In the past, they as the electorate would vote only for the selectorate to select who will rule. Sometimes they would vote only for the selectorate to dismiss the whole thing as an exercise in nullity and futility. At some other points, the selectorate might ask them to choose between being kingmakers who must nominate a king chosen for them or canon fodders. With the rumours of an interim government thick in the air, the selectorate is not about to give up its sovereignty. This is where and how something may eventually give in the next few weeks. The sullen mood of the nation is leavened by the optimism of the inevitability of change and buoyed by faith in the momentum for a drastic reorganization of the principles and paradigm of governance sweeping across the length and breadth of the nation. Nobody has been known to argue with an earthquake. There is no equivalent in our history for what is about to take place: the imminent dethronement of the status quo managed and supervised by political soci-

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

â&#x20AC;˘Chessboard

ety. Yet it is either Nigeria manages this transfer of power between two parties of the establishment or the nation should forget about democracy and even its own future feasibility. It is this possibility of the peaceful transfer of power between state parties that has brought peace and stability to hitherto fragile West African states such as Ivory Coast, Benin Republic, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Senegal. All those who stood in the way of the transition perished in the process. It is a shame, a shock as well as a tribute to the fact that the nation is structurally rigged against philosophical rationality and political modernity that Nigeria has not been able to achieve this transfer of power at the federal level since independence. The First and Second Republics perished as a result of the intractable crises arising from disputes over elections. The Third Republic perished on the altar of state annulment of free and fair presidential elections. In the Fourth Republic, presidential elections have been routinely rigged while opposition parties remain disorganized, demoralized and completely disconnected from the people. But this time around, bar one or two enclaves, the nation is astir in a way it has never been before. Loose wires seem to have connected at last. Irrespective of creed, region or religion, there is a pan-Nigerian awareness surging through the country that we cannot continue to be ruled like a Stone Age society. All over the country, people are saying enough is enough. Having been a toddler trundling on the floor like a monster child for fifty four years, it is time Nigeria got up or go under. Despite the later romanticization, the 1993 uprising against military rule was not a nation-wide phenomenon but originally a localized revolt pioneered and powered by a section of the country with advanced political consciousness. It was a blessed historical coincidence that it also happened to be the

very locality that produced the winner of the election. The 1999 election was very much an army arrangement for disengagement. Subsequent presidential elections are internal personnel redistribution within the ruling party that have elicited a tame and trifling response from the populace apart from the brief inferno that the north witnessed in 2011. The 2011 coalition of forces that swept Jonathan to power was truly historic and momentous. It bore all the imprimatur of cruel political engineering as well as exemplary power pragmatism. In a bid to consolidate his hold on power as well as to pay back both his northern accomplices who had turned their back while Abacha sent him to jail and the Yoruba Afenifere tendency that he treated with a mixture of fear and contempt, Obasanjo engineered a fracturing and fragmentation of the two hegemonic blocs. The dominant rump of the northern hegemonic bloc which then comprised of serving governors and legislators, after some bear hugs from the EFCC, quietly lined up behind Goodluck Jonathan. The emergent dominant political tendency in the west also appeared to have done the same thing. With the South East and his native South South already in tow, it can be seen in retrospect that widespread irregularities notwithstanding, the outcome of the elections could not have been different. Four years down the line, the coalition that brought Jonathan into his own has all but disintegrated, with the falconer no longer hearkening to the falconer. Jonathan's hitherto massive support base has fizzled out with only the South East and his native South South holding out for him. But even in these former strongholds, there is widespread question mark over his competence and fitness to rule. The old northern hegemonic bloc appears to have recovered its poise and passion for power. The entire north had become a hotbed of discontent and anti-Jonathan

exertions. Unlike four years ago. Jonathan is unable to rein in the northern power cabal who now seem to have a full measure of their man. To do that he would have needed the skills and wherewithal of the minatory farmer from Otta. But Obasanjo has since become one of Jonathan's most ferocious critics, cold-bloodedly stripping Jonathan and his government of legitimacy like a hound baiting a bear to death. Yet this was the same Obasanjo who famously and publicly serenaded Jonathan to contest for the presidency only four years ago. In retrospect, perhaps Jonathan's most signal political failure was his inability to prevent his own party from fracturing and factionalizing. It was this that allowed the dissident and disaffected members to team up with General Buhari's old CPC and the emergent dominant political tendency from the South West: the ACN. All of a sudden, and without any warning whatsoever, the opposition began to threaten the ruling party's supremacy in both houses. It was a historic reapproachment, a political truce between two bitterly opposed political tendencies and a coalition of seeming contraries the like of which has not been seen in the post-colonial history of the nation. But in politics as well as the life of a nation, all that is solid often melts into thin air. In critical times, there is sometimes a play of political irony across rigid binary lines. There are indeed no permanent fiends in politics. The coalition has opened up new vistas of possibilities in the political annals of Nigeria. The attempt by the ruling party to miscue the new alliance into choosing a presidential flag bearer other than the fiery and implacable General Mohammadu Buhari only shows the historic desperation creeping into the federal camp. Thanks to the historic realignment of political forces, the possibility of change has begun to stare Nigerians in the face in a way that would have been impossible four years earlier given the fractious and factionalized nature of opposition politics in Nigeria. There are hegemonic power blocs and there are hegemonic power blocs. While some wilt and fade in a matter of years, others seem to last forever due to their sheer resilience and ability to adapt to changing times and conditions. While some triumph over unrelenting political adversities by keeping their focus on the pursuit of power, others stumble and fold up as the pursuit of power is gradually blunted by the pursuit of food. Alimentary logic of instant and immediate satiation replaces the elementary logic of endurance in the pursuit of higher and nobler goals. As it ever so happens in other theatres of human endeavour, the capacity for delayed gratification and wary generosity of spirit are the key to success in building hegemonic blocs.

Even by the notoriously unreliable and faithless standards of the Nigerian traditional political class five weeks to the election is too short a time to procure a new hegemonic bloc. The one that was about to coalesce around Goodluck Jonathan as the first truly modern and modernizing Nigerian president has disintegrated in an inferno of greed, corruption, appalling lack of sensitivity and ethnic sabre-rattling. Jonathan must be ruing the day he allowed thugs, aging delinquents and ravenous sharks to gain ascendancy in his administration. But not to worry. There is magic and mystery in the air. Five weeks to election all is eerily quiet on the Nigerian front. There is no issue-related presidential rally in sight, not to talk of a presidential debate in the offing. Meanwhile, there are rumours of an interim government flying all over the places. From specially designated outlets, there are calls for the postponement of the elections, just as there are hints of looming apocalyptic violence. In what appears to be a nail on the coffin of the electoral fortunes of the Nigerian populace, INEC has openly pronounced its inability to conduct run-off elections. It doesn't get more eerily unsettling. All of which must suggest another looming confrontation between the Nigerian electorate and the Nigerian selectorate; between the powerbrokers and the long-suffering pawns of power and peons of powerlessness. As the nation-wide clamour for change reaches its crescendo, it is going to be a nasty confrontation indeed. The more things change, the more they tend to remain the same. Twenty one years after June 12, 1993, another duel in the same guise is shaping up; a looming clash between free and fair elections and the sovereignty of the selectorate . But things do not always remain the same. In 1993, while the wish of the electorate triumphed, the will of the military oligarchy prevailed. Yet in the current conjuncture, there are three significant departures from 1993. First, the military are no longer directly in power. Second, there is no overt American pressure on Goodluck Jonathan to do the needful. Thirdly, the potent civil society groups which acted as a modulating influence on the state and as a mediating factor in preventing a direct confrontation between power and the people have largely disappeared from the Nigerian landscape in a hail of controversy about their probity. Unfortunately, there is no moral traction that can dissuade anybody bent on sabotaging the electoral will of the people. The meek and the weak are not blessed in this particular case, and neither will they inhabit the citadel of power. The only language power understands is countervailing power and the balance of terror. It is how these forces shape up in the next few weeks that will determine the fate of Nigeria.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS

EAR now pervades the camps of many PDP governorship and State assembly candidates as the clock ticks towards the deadline for the withdrawal/replacement of nominees by the political parties. The emergence of the party’s governorship candidates in Borno, Imo and Ogun in particular, is being hotly contested by those who felt short-changed while the winners of the primaries are lobbying hard to ensure that they are not dropped at the last minute. Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for the parties to withdraw/replace candidates for the governorship/state House of Assembly elections is Tuesday, January 13 – 45 days before the election as stipulated by Section 35 of the Electoral Act,2012 (as amended). The names of the candidates as submitted by the various parties are now on display at INEC offices across the country with the final list expected to be posted on January 14. Sources at the Abuja national headquarters of the party told The Nation that some of the names earlier submitted to INEC may be substituted following “certain considerations and circumstances in a few states.” “The situation as we speak is such that nobody can say specifically if we will still make changes or not. Candidates can still be withdrawn or substituted according to the commission’s deadlines. Where necessary, we will make use of this opportunity. “We have some dicey situations on our hand. We have issues in Ogun, Borno, Imo, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom and so on. While we are using our internal mechanism to handle some of these matters, some are already in court. Some of these cases may be determined before the expiration of the deadline. “Where this happens, we will have to respect the rule of law. There are also instances where certain resolutions have been made to satisfy all sections in the state and resolve differences. We will also have

Tension in PDP, others over INEC deadline • Candidates sweat over possible names substitution to implement such resolutions before the deadline,” one source, a member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), said. It was also learnt that the party has been receiving petitions and complaints from states urging it to redress certain anomalies by changing its candidates if it intends to win the 2015 elections. This has created anxiety amongst candidates of the party.Candidates of the PDP in Zamfara State are jittery following the inability of the party to conduct governorship primaries on or before December 8 as stipulated by INEC. Rival parties have told INEC to respect its own rules by rejecting any late submission of nomination by the PDP. Some PDP aspirants are also kicking against the party’s choice of candidates in several states, citing alleged illegalities in the primaries. The Nation learnt talks are currently on between the national leadership of

By Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor

the party and the aggrieved aspirants on how best to resolve the crisis and prevent other political parties from cashing in on the situation to rubbish the PDP. In Borno State, a group of indigenes under the auspices of ‘Borno Coalition for Good Governance’ said Alhaji Gambo Lawan, who won the party’s governorship primaries in the state, will take legal action over his substitution with another candidate.It was reported that Borno PDP stakeholders met in Abuja at the weekend and substituted Alhaji Lawan with Alhaji Mohammed Imam, who is believed to have the backing of the former governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. The group, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Modu Wulgo, and Secretary, John Ndirbula, said Lawan will seek legal redress for the ‘injustice’ done to him. The Nation learnt that al-

though a reconciliation committee has been instituted to look into the crisis created by the development in Borno State, Lawan’s camp has refused to meet with the committee, preferring instead to seek redress in court as being championed by eminent PDP chieftains in the state. “The Borno case is one situation where the party may go back on its decision. From all indications, Lawan is the choice of the majority of party leaders and the party cannot go against its own chieftains,” our source said. Senator Ifeanyi Araraume is claiming to be the authentic governorship candidate and has gone to flag off his campaign. The INEC list on display in Owerri shows the name of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, as the PDP governorship candidate. Comrade Chris Udensi, an associate of Ararume, said the last is yet to be heard of the matter as Ararume remains the candidate of the party, having won the pri-

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (2nd left), the All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice-Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (left), the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right) and his running mate and Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs) Oluranti Adebule (right) during an Interactive Session with leaders of students’ union bodies of Tertiary Institutions in Lagos State at the Tafawa Balewa Square Banguet Hall, Lagos, yesterday.

Boko Haram abducts 40 in Borno

ORTY youths have been abducted in Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents who resorted to deceit to trap their victims. And the abduction was effected in the presence of many parents who watched helplessly as their children were taken away by the armed men. The insurgents had stormed Malari village in Damboa Local Government area on Wednesday night and called out residents to come to the frontage of the village head and listen to their preaching. But once the people had gathered, the armed men began picking the young men one after the other. A resident, Maisaje

maries last month. “That was why we flagged off our campaign during the week. Don’t be deceived by the appearance of Ihedioha’s name on any list. Imo PDP knows its candidate and we will not relent until the right thing is done,” he said. But the director general of Ihedioha campaign, Mr. Chris Okewulonu, said yesterday that the people of the state “know the conspirators and their sponsors are wickedly out to deny Imo State of good governance” by Ihedioha. Confusion still reigns in the Ogun State chapter of the party over the absence of some names alleged to have been pencilled down as candidates by the national leadership of the party, as part of a reconciliation effort, on the list. Former Governor Gbenga Daniel and several others who made the PDP “unity list” for the 2015 general election in Ogun State are missing on INEC’s candidates’ list.

From Joel Duku, Maiduguri

Abdullahi,61, said three of his sons and two of his nephews were taken away by the invaders. “They gathered us in front of the village head`s house for preaching after which they took away over 40 of our boys between the ages of 10 and 23 years heading towards Sambisa forest. They did not touch a single married man,” he said. “They said they won’t kill anyone but we have fled the village for fear of our dear lives.” Malari village is about 20 kilometres from Sambisa forest. Witness Mohammed Zarami said the gunmen arrived at the village of Malari at about 8 p.m. on Wednes-

day, heavily armed but did not fire shots or kill anyone. “People ran out of their houses in fear but they warned that no one should disobey them,” Zarami said in the state capital, Maiduguri, where he had fled to on foot. The attack on Malari has triggered panic in surrounding villages forcing residents to flee. Lawan Adamu, a resident of Mulgwai, is one of those on the run. He said Boko Haram insurgents regularly visit the village to preach and with what has happened at Malari, many villagers have learnt their lesson. “Now most of our people are fleeing the village, because they come regularly to

the village to preach and leave but with the recent abduction we are afraid they may come back to abduct our children or even burn the village and kill us,” Adamu said. Efforts to get the Borno State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Gideon Jibrin, for confirmation proved abortive, as his telephone lines were not going through. Over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in the same state last April by the sect are yet to be found. Parents of the girls said they are now taking the case to the United Nations for possible assistance having lost confidence in the ability of the federal government to rescue their children.

Daniel had, in a statement by his media aide, Ayo Giwa, said he was directed to run for the Ogun East Senatorial seat by the PDP National Working Committee(NWC) to ensure the party’s success in the state and that a “unity list” of candidates cutting across all interest groups in the state had been drawn up. The name of Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka appeared on the list as the party’s state governorship candidate. Before the primaries that produced Isiaka, the national leadership of the party, through its National Working Committee, had directed its state chapter not to hold the primary. National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said in the directive that, “For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC hereby states that it did not authorise any governorship primary in Ogun State. “Consequently, any such exercise held in Ogun State is hereby declared null and void and of no effect. A new date will be communicated for the primary.” But the directive was ignored as the party, led by its Chairman, Mobilising Committee in the South-West, elected Isiaka at the primary. Defending the decision to shift the date for the submissions of list of governorship and state Assembly candidates only, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, noted that it was not an extension but rather a shift which was agreed at during the meeting of the commission and leaders of political parties who asked for the observance of Christmas day as free day. “This new date is not an extension in any way. It was just a one-day shift because the Christmas (break) was asked for by the political parties. They felt it was not convenient for them to rush to INEC on Christmas day to submit list of their candidates and the commission granted them that request,” he said.

Gunmen kill traditional ruler in Southern Kaduna

NKNOWN gunmen on Friday night attacked and killed the District Head of Zangang in Atakar Chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mr. Yohanna Daniel Shinkut. This was less than 24 hours after 15 residents of AmbeMadaki village in Sanga local government area of the state were murdered by bandits. A resident, Emmanuel Samuel, said the gunmen ambushed Mr. Shinkut on his way back home from Manchock. “The incident happened around 8:00pm Friday when the attackers fired at his car. The car got damaged and they went and shot him on the chest,” he said. One of the daughters of the

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

late district head confirmed the killing of her father by telephone. “Yes, it’s true. He was shot dead,” she said. A community leader, Enock Zangang, who also confirmed the incident, described it as unfortunate. He said the District Head’s body has been deposited at the Rural Community Hospital, Manchok. “What is happening here since April 2013 is a war and total attempt to wipe out our people. This is worrisome. People are being killed. More than 600 people have been killed in this chiefdom alone. Something has to be done quickly,” Enock added.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS

Lagos lawmakers task INEC on PVCs, voting process

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â&#x20AC;˘Mammoth crowd of fun lovers at the 2014 countdown event at the Bar Beach, Lagos

Ex-militant leaders, groups attack Dickson's economic policies

OME ex-militant leaders and notable groups in the Niger Delta region have asked the governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to reappraise his economic policies or "kiss his reelection bid in 2016 goodbye." The ex-militant leaders and groups under the aegis of the Niger-Delta ExAgitators Leadership Forum (NEALF), Volunteer for Non-Violence and Association for Non-Violence spoke in Yenagoa at the

â&#x20AC;˘ Insist governor will lose re-election From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

weekend after a meeting to review developments in the state. They accused the governor of paying lip service to human capacity building and reneged in his electioneering promises to empower the youths. The convener of the meeting and President, Association for Non-Violence, Mr. Kennedy West, said the

governor was operating weak and poor economic strategies. He said it was wrong for the governor to blame the hardship in the state on dwindling revenue, insisting that the people had been going through tough times since the current administration came onboard. He said: "There has been hardship in the state since he came on board so the issue of dwindling economy

now is not the cause of the hardship. "The approach to human capacity building by this administration is very weak and if we follow this trend, with all due respect, l don't see the governor winning the second term." Citing an instance, West said the Centre for Youth Development (CYD), established by the governor to empower the youths died on arrival because of Dickson's inability to fund it.

Adultery is threatening marriages in Nigeria, says Counsellor

HE President of Igando Customary Court, Lagos, Mr. Ruphus Adeyeri, has said that the sin of adultery is threatening most marriages in the country. Adeyeri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on yesterday in Lagos that most married men and women were engaged in extra-marital affairs for reasons best known to them. ``Most spouses are perpetrators of infidelity, they get involved in it for one reason or the other,'' he said. Adeyeri, who is also a marriage counselor, attributed the cause of infidelity to economic reason, said that many families could not meet up with responsibility of taking care of their homes. According to him, there is a limit a woman can bear, when she discovers that her husband cannot provide for the family, she seeks assistance outside. ``The issue of money makes women to cheat on their husbands when he cannot meet their needs financially, she falls for a man who showers her with money.''

He said that infidelity was just a way of life to some people; they could never be satisfied with one man or woman. ``They are just wired to be unfaithful, some are serial cheaters, they cheat for the thrill of it,'' he said. Adeyeri said that when spouses become unfaithful to each other, most of them resulted to divorce as the only solution. He said that many partners, who come to court for dissolution of their marriages, came alleging adultery on the part of their spouses. The court president noted that insatiable sex could also lead to extramarital affairs, pointing out that many spouses always accused one another of dissatisfaction or denial of sex. ``Many couples complain of being sex starved by their spouses or that they are not satisfied with their spouse's sexual lives, while some couples withhold sex as a form of punishment for their spouses.'' According to him, divorce has a social effect,

especially on children, and the society is put at risk if the children are not catered for, they may turn out to be a nuisance to themselves and the society. ``Most of the children roaming the streets, committing havoc and those who drop out of school are mostly from divorced parents.'' He said that no single man or woman could train a child effectively or provide adequate care no matter how rich he or she was, as God had made it the responsibility of both parents. Adeyeri admitted that there was no perfect family in the world, no perfect man or woman, the couple must agreed together to make things work out. ``No marriage is made in heaven, spouses only agree to work together in unity,'' he said. He said that adultery set in when a partner feels neglected by his spouse, who pays more attention to his/ her career, children or relatives, thereby leaving the partner no choice than to seek for attention outside the marriage.

He asserted that spending little time with your partner could increase the chance of infidelity. According to him, the secret of a successful marriage is trust, patience, understanding, confidence and unity of purpose. ``Trust, understanding and patience are some of the important virtues that sustain a relationship, these virtues are the foundation of a strong bond between two people,'' he opined. The counselor advised couples to always place their family on the rock of Jesus Christ as He is the head of the home. He urged couples to be good communicators and listeners as this would strengthen their relationship. ``Couples should communicate effectively, avoid conversations that will cause their spouses pain, the more open you are the closer the bond you will have with your spouse. ``Partners must also be able to resolve conflicts effectively as every couple have disagreement. You should also accept that you cannot change your partner.''

OME members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have urged INEC to embark on sensitisation campaigns on procedures for collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and the voting process. The lawmakers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on yesterday in Lagos that the campaign was necessary specifically because of the newly introduced PVCs. Mr. Abiodun Tobun (APC-Epe I) urged the electoral body to take proactive measures in sensitising the electorate on collection of PVCs. "I think INEC should prepare more for the elections in term of public sensitisation on PVCs collection and the voting process. "INEC must wake up to its responsibilities because people are watching it and expecting credible elections. "So it must be ready to give Nigerians the best elections this time around," Tobun said. The lawmaker, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Environment, advised INEC to ensure that people who were yet to collect their PVCs get them before the elections. He said that majority of eligible voters in Lagos were yet to collect their PVCs. "We want peaceful elections; in fact people are ready to cast their votes, we don't want anything that will hinder us from exercising our franchise," Tobun said. Mr. Saka Fafunmi (APC-Ifako-Ijaiye I) also urged INEC to xxx ahead of embark on adequate public sensitisation campaign the general election. Fafunmi, the Chairman, Committee on Public Account (Local), added that majority of eligible voters in his constituency and in Lagos State generally were yet to collect their PVCs. The lawmaker also urged the electoral body to put in place mechanisms through which the collection of PVCs would be easier for voters. Mr. Bisi Yusuf (APC-Alimosho I) noted that adequate preparations in term of logistics and training of personnel must be put in place before the election. "Prof. Jega has to conduct credible elections in 2015 to protect our democracy.The commission should follow the due process and abstain from partisan politics to achieve free and fair elections," Yusuf said. NAN reports that INEC had displayed the names and particulars of 15 governorship candidates in Lagos State as presented to it by their political parties. Also displayed were the names of the candidates' running mates and the candidates for the state House of Assembly.

Coalition backs strike by Edo tertiary institutions From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

EMBERS of the Coalition of Edo State Union of Owned Tertiary Institutions, yesterday, threatened to resume strike against the state government for non-payment of salaries to workers of colleges in Edo State and the alleged sacking of over 34 staff of these institutions. It would be recalled that workers of the Colleges of Education, Ekiadolor, Institute of Management Technology, Usen, College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, and College of Education Igueben had last December suspended their protracted strike following an agreement reached between the state government to meet the demands of the workers in the affected institutions. Speaking on the matter, chairman of the union, Comrade Fred Omonuwa, alleged that workers of the affected institutions were being marginalised while some have been sacked on account of their agitation for better welfare for its members, adding that their families had to go cap in hand to celebrate the Christmas.

AD presidential candidate pledges two million jobs

HE presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Dr Rafiu Salau, plans to create two million jobs if elected in next month's election. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that to achieve the aim he would ensure more local content involvement in the exploration and sale of crude oil as well as shipment by local maritime companies. "First, a minimum of 70 per cent of the exploration of the crude oil in the nation must be done by local companies," he said. "Whatever the profit made by local companies will be invested in the economy of the nation. This will go a long way in increasing the revenue that will be generated in the industry. "Secondly, at least 70 per cent of the shipment of the crude oil shall be assigned to local maritime companies. "Thirdly, 100 per cent of the oil products used locally shall be refined by local refineries, meaning 50 per cent of refined products will be enough for local consumption while 50 per cent will be for exportation to countries without oil or refineries.'' According to him, this strategy will create two million jobs and increase oil revenue. Salau said the national revenue being spent on the importation of oil products and subsidy would no longer be spent on consumption, but invested on capital goods.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS

2015: APC equips polling agents with over 2,260 handsets in Ogun

Corruption: Presidency replies APC

LL Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is to equip all party coordinators and party agents in the 1,130 polling stations in the district with telephone handsets during the coming general elections. Speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the party at Ode in Ikenne local government area of the state, Abiodun said the move was to assist the agents to effectively monitor the elections at their respective polling booths and relay on-the-spot development to the party secretariat. It is also to help in checking fraud during the elections. “We are going to equip our party agents in all the 1,130 polling booths in Ogun East Senatorial District as well as all party coordinators to be able to communicate with the leadership of the party and the party team that would be monitoring and collating the election results,” he said. “It is not election results alone that they would relay to the monitoring and results collating team, they would also give situation reports in the individual polling booths so that if necessary, security agencies would be contacted on their emergency lines to check any electoral malpractices. “We are doing this so that the people’s votes would not be undermined by those who want to force themselves on the people and undermine the electoral process.” He, however, charged the people of the state to go out en masse on the election day and vote for him and all the APC candidates from the presidential, governorship and down to the state assembly.

2015: EnuguWest town unions endorse Ekweremadu From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

OWN unions in Enugu West Senatorial District have endorsed the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for the 2015 general election. Special Adviser (Media) to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu , said the gesture came as Ekweremadu called for closer partnership between government and town unions to speed up rural transformation. Anichukwu said the decision of the unions was conveyed by the Coordinator of the Town Union Presidents-General of Enugu West, Chief David Chukwumba, during a meeting of members of the body and the Deputy President of the Senate in Mpu, Aninri LGA. Chukwumba said their decision was informed by Senator Ekweremadu’s “highly rewarding representation”, noting that “his presence in the Senate had brought about numerous development projects, scholarships, bursary awards, employment, and adult literacy programme, among others.” In his reaction, Ekweremadu who applauded the various development strides recorded by town unions in the South East as a whole, recalled that apart from community-funded scholarships, many educational institutions, medical facilities, bridges, and other infrastructural development in various communities were sponsored by the unions. “Communities and their unions constitute the taproot of government and development,” he was quoted as saying, pointing out that “building stronger partnership with such unions and other traditional and social institutions in our communities is key to success in governance.”

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

•President Goodluck Jonathan (2ndright) his wife, Patience (right), Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson (left) and his wife, Rachael (2ndright) with the foster daughter of the President, former Miss Inebai Paul (3rdright) and her husband, Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi (3rdleft), during their traditional marriage at Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, yesterday.

2015 elections: Nigeria is in trouble, says NSCIA scribe •Those behind Boko Haram will soon be known—Oloyede •Blasts FG, says ‘it’s clueless’

HE Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs,

Prof. Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede he said Nigeria is in trouble and pleaded, with citizens to ensure that competent people rule them. He said in an interview on Radio Kwara that it was clear that the federal government merely used the recent National Conference to divert the nation’s attention from the forthcoming elections. He also said there is every reason to believe that there is a conspiracy theory behind Boko Haram. He said some traditional rulers in the north have discovered helicopters dropping arms and ammunition for Boko Haram insurgents. Nigerians, according to him, will soon realise that some of those berating Boko Haram are behind the sect. He said the abstention of Nigeria from voting on the fate of Palestine has justified the assumption in some quarters that the Federal Government is clueless. Oloyede, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University

FROM: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation of Ilorin, said: “Right from the word go, I think we knew the National Conference was a joke and we said so. We knew we were going for a jamboree. “In a letter we wrote to Mr. President, we said this thing (National Conference) is too close to election, you will not have the opportunity, the chance and the time to implement any decision before the election. “We said: why don’t you face the election? The time wasted was to divide attention from preparation for the election. And now we are talking about election in February and nothing is on ground when you have wasted four months and resources you could have expended on that. “And recently Mr. President said it was a Yoruba-inspired conference. It is so clear that the Presidency of Nigeria is so weak that a group can manipulate it and at the end of the day, the President said I have conflicting advice coming from different people. That is why you were elected to iron out conflicting advice.

“I think the issue is that we are in trouble. May God save this nation.” On Boko Haram insurgency, Oloyede said: “I see so many hands in it. If you like, call it conspiracy theory. If the government had taken the matter serious, it would have addressed it. “I have spoken to so many traditional rulers in the North who can tell you that they had with their naked eyes seen helicopters dropping food and ammunition for these Boko Haram insurgents. And they are people you cannot doubt. And what they will tell you is that why didn’t you take their photographs? “We will soon know that those who are shouting against Boko Haram are the perpetrators. We have spoken, we have lamented, let all Nigerians continue to pray to expose those behind Boko Haram.” On the nation’s abstention from voting on Palestine at the UN Security Council, the NSCIA scribe said it was a sad development. He added: “I feel very sad and I believe all those who have conscience all over the world should condemn the Federal Government for this stupid decision. “The implication is that Nigeria

has identified with the oppressors, Nigeria has said that what is going on is okay, Nigeria has endorsed the killing of innocent souls in Palestine. Nigeria has said there is nothing bad, it has said might is right. That is the position. I do not know what Nigeria can do to reverse that situation because the dent is already there. “That is why it is important for people to have competent people ruling them. A person that is not competent can do a permanent damage to a nation. And that is exactly what has happened. “To me, I just believe that if there is anybody who is in doubt about the fact that this government has lost all sense of decency, this event had proven that. This even had proven that you are clueless, you don’t even have simple principle of international diplomacy, you cannot be counted. “Of course, America will not because of that take you serious, Britain knows why you are doing that is because you want to do many things under the carpet. Israel also knows that you are just followfollow. They would just make a mockery of us as a nation because if we are really sensible, we would not have taken that position.”

Council chairman says seven died in attacks

HE Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area in State, Mr. CalebPlateau Mutfwang, yesterday confirmed seven persons killed in recent attacks on some parts of the area. He told a news conference in Jos that the area witnessed some security challenges in which lives were lost. He said the attacks occurred in Maitumbi, Jwak-Maitumbi, Kyampus, Mai-Rana, Sarbot and Kantoma villages and their immediate environs. According to him, the enemies struck on the night of December 26 and shot one Mr. Yoila Micah dead in his residence in JwakMaitumbi.

He said that while the community was recovering from the attack, the gunmen struck again on Tuesday and shot two men riding on a motor-cycle, killing and beheading one Longji Mikyes while another unnamed person escaped with gunshot wounds. Mutfwang said the killing precipitated violence in parts of the local government and attracted the attention of the Special Task Force (STF) which moved in to ensure peace. He, however, said that following the killings, some youths tracked the killers by tracing the blood mark to the house of one Alhaji Wada, a Fulani resident of the community. “Upon their request to

search the house, someone came out with a gun and shot randomly at the youths injuring some of them. “Angered by this reaction, the youths went on rampage and burnt some house belonging to Fulani residents and causing the death of a Fulani man on a visit from Barkin Ladi. “Not surprising, the Fulani mobilised at night and attacked some of the other communities, resulting in the death of four people, burning of houses and properties, and throwing up a lot of internally displaced persons,“ he said. He appealed for aid from relevant agencies for the displaced persons

while noting that the council held a major stakeholders meeting with all the parties in the dispute for peace to reign. Those at the meeting included district heads, leaders of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and the JNI chairmen and representatives of the Mwaghavuul and Fulani youth groups. “In the meantime, we are pleased to report that two arrests have been made and investigations are still ongoing,’’ he said. Emmanuel Abuh, the spokesman of the Plateau police command had confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that only one person died in the violence.

HE presidency has dismissed claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that President Goodluck Jonathan lacks the capacity to fight corruption in the country. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati called the APC’S criticism “habitual nonsense”. Abati, said that contrary to the APC’s position, President Jonathan is “committed to fighting insecurity and corruption.” His words: “This administration is committed to fighting corruption and has always done so. By bringing up the issue in his New Year statement, the president was ree m p h a s i si n g the importance of the war against corruption. On New Year day the President re-emphasised the importance he attaches to the war against corruption and it is such a clear message that should not be too complicated for Lai Mohammed (APC National Publicity Secretary who issued the party’s statement) to understand. “Anybody who listened carefully to the pr e s i d e n t and has followed the activities of government closely will see very clearly that his administration is committed to fighting insurgency and corruption. “It has also shown political will in strengthening the security process to deepening their capacity to win the war against terror. Many of our security agents have had to pay the supreme sacrifice in waging this war.” Abati said statements like the APC’s tend to insult the memory and heroism of patriots who have lost their lives in fighting insurgency, saying President Jonathan “has always appealed to the opposition not to play politics with issues of national security.” The APC in reacting to President Jonathan’s New Year day broadcast to fight corruption and insurgence had accused him of failing in his six years in office to deal with corruption and that even if he spends 60 years as President he will still fail to do so.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS

2015: Borisade warns APC against complacency

‘Nigeria, a country in the wilderness’

From Tony Akowe

By Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor

ORMER Minister of Education, Prof. Babalola Borisade, has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against complacency ahead of next month's general elections, saying nothing will stop the ruling PDP from subverting the will of the people at the polls if not checked. In a statement made available to newsmen, Borishade who headed the campaign organisation of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, said the leadership of the APC must increase vigilance and greater voter education if it intends to take over power from the PDP. He also warned that relying on the popular disenchantment with the alleged failures of the ruling party is not enough to give the APC victory, while calling on the party to properly mobilise and galvanise Nigerians on the imperatives of change to replace the current order of despair and despondency. The former minister further cautioned leaders of the APC not to lower their guards in the current efforts to unseat the ruling PDP in the coming general elections, pointing out that leaders of the major opposition party must work extra hard to bring about the much desired change that will usher in a purposeful political leadership in the country in February this year. Borisade added that if PDP could commit injustice against its own members, nothing would stop it from attempting to subvert the will of voters in the February general elections.

TUC accuses ruling elite of insensitivity

•Pupils from an Islamic school celebrating Eid-El-Maulud In Suleja, Niger yesterday

Denigration of Buhari over certificate ridiculous -David West

former Minister of Petroleum, Prof. Tam David-West, has described the denigration of academic and professional certificates of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as ridiculous and nonsensical. David-West said on Friday that the former military Head of State attended the very best military colleges in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and India, stressing that only well qualified candidates are admitted into such institutions.

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

HE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Rivers State chapter, has described Nigeria's ruling elite as unfeeling, wicked and unthinking. TUC, through its Rivers Chairman, Chika Onuegbu, who is the immediate past National Industrial Relations Officer of the union, said in Port Harcourt, the state capital, called on stakeholders to ensure that the 2015 elections are free, fair and credible. Commending Nigerians for remaining steadfast in the face of daunting challenges, Onuegbu said: "Indeed, the masses of this nation deserve to be congratulated for having once again endured yet another year of hopelessness and squalor in the hands of unfeeling, unthinking and desperately wicked ruling elite, who have mindlessly purloined our democracy and mortgaged our collective destiny, both as individuals and as a nation. "Nigerian workers at this time must be deeply appreciated for their continued perseverance against all odds to continue creating the wealth, which has sustained this nation within the ambits of the current unremitting pressures of crass neglect and marginalisation by the impenitent owners of capital, supported by their collaborators in the various corridors of power.”

•Says PDP troubled by soaring APC popularity From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

He described the development as the PDP's latest desperation to discredit the opposition candidate, but said it would fail like previous attempts. The former minister said that though President Goodluck Jonathan holds a doctorate degree, Buhari has the intellectual capacity to square up with him in any debate. He said: "I have been a professor since 1974 and I know Buhari can match many professors in intellectual contest.

He attended the very best military colleges in the US, UK and India. If he didn't have top class qualifications, he would not have been admitted to those colleges. He has also contested as president thrice. If he was not fully qualified, he would have been disqualified before now. "It only shows that PDP is desperate. They don't know what to do again. We are told that President Jonathan has a PhD, but I can say without fear of contradiction that Gen. Buhari can match him in any debate. In fact, Jonathan did not show up for presidential debate in the

last election though Buhari was there. Campaign about this election should be about issues, not frivolities." He also faulted the description of Buhari by the PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, as a semi-literate person describing it as ridiculous. David-West insisted that the PDP was taking the current steps, because it is troubled by the soaring popularity of the APC in the country. Describing Buhari as a popular opponent that cannot be maligned, the former minister urged politicians to put the interest of Nigerians above their personal interests.

High turnout as APC holds ward congress in Rivers

HE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State at the weekend held peaceful congress in the 319 wards across the 23 local government areas of the state. The exercise recorded huge crowd of party faithful. In all the wards visited by our correspondent, it was observed that the congress was an opportunity to introduce the candidates of the party, vying for various elective positions in the February general elections. The state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Director-General of Buhari Campaign Organisation, participated in the ward congress at Isiokpo, the headquarters of Ikwerre local government area

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

of the state. Speaking to The Nation, an APC stalwart in Ward 6, Ahoada East LGA of the state, Isaac Abbot, described the turnout as highly impressive, while commending members of the party for conducting themselves peacefully. He said: "We believe in change; APC will change Nigeria for the better from May 29 this year. APC is a great party with visionary and fullyprepared leaders that will take Nigeria to the next level. The candidates of the APC are

credible and will provide effective leadership. Nigerians should vote for only the candidates of the APC in order to put an end to the cluelessness of the Peoples Democratic Partyled government." Other party leaders who spoke to our correspondent including Chief Nwabueze Ahoada, Mrs. Margaret Ocukwu and Mr. Vision Paul, reiterated their support for all the candidates of the party, while also expressing optimism that the party would win the presidential and governorship elections in the state. Another APC member,

Darlington Nwauju, who monitored wards seven, eight, nine and 10 of Omuma LGA's 10 wards, also described the turnout as very impressive, a development he noted, was a confirmation that APC is popular in the state. In his assessment, a party leader in Abua/Odual LGA of the state, Ansalem Ibrahim, described the congress as successful. He praised the high turnout of party members due to what he called the impressive performance of Governor Amaechi. He further expressed confidence that the party's governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, would record a landslide victory in February 21 elections in the state.

INEC lists Ihedioha as Imo PDP governorship candidate

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally displayed the name of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State. This latest development brought to end speculations about who won the PDP governorship primary, which has been mired in controversy with Ihedioha and another aspirant, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, laying claim to the ticket. The name of the PDP

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

governorship candidate was missing on the list that was initially pasted at the INEC headquarters on Friday, but surprisingly, the Deputy Speaker's name was displayed on Saturday morning as the party's candidate alongside Hon. Chuma Nnaji as his running mate. Hours before the Ihedioha's name was published at the INEC office, his campaign organisation had decried newspaper reports that the deputy speaker's name was omitted in the list of

governorship candidates. In a statement issued by the Director General of the organisation, Barrister Chris Okewulonu, described the news reports as totally false, and misleading. The organisation further explained, "There is no court order of injunction obtained by any person or group restraining INEC from receiving, publishing or treating Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as the substantive governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2015 general elections in Imo State. "We are also amused by the press release of the outgoing APC-led Imo State

Government, reported celebration in Imo State Government House and in the camp of Senator Godwin Ifeanyi Araraume, over the false news report that the PDP has no governorship candidate in Imo State. "Imo people now know the conspirators and their sponsors wickedly out to deny Imo State of good governance under a PDP administration led by Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, but God Almighty does not sleep and will not allow the suffering of His children under the inhuman Okorocha administration in Imo State to continue beyond May, 29th 2015."

HE Nigeria Advance Party (NAP) has lamented the current state of the Nigerian nation, saying much still needs to be done ahead the 2015 general election to "prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from plunging the country into the wilderness." In a communiqué issued in Abuja on Tuesday, NAP listed the issues of legislative rascality, confab report, distribution of the permanent voters' card, epileptic power supply and the 2015 general election as areas that require serious attention. The communiqué signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Loveday Omorodion, said: "The reality of the state of the nation called Nigeria is a country in the wilderness. However, as we prepare for the forthcoming elections, it is important that we at NAP draw the attention of the nation to the truth that the choir master in INEC, Prof. Jega and its entire orchestra has perfected the plans to foist a two-party system on the nation and ultimately return PDP to government for another four years." Expressing fears that INEC may bungle the coming general elections, the party noted, "A credible election starts with the process that include registration of parties and voters and respect for the rule of law. So far, the indicators for a fair and credible elections is completely pointing to a direction that INEC will surely plunge this nation deep in to the wilderness." Raising further posers, the party said: "Are all eligible Nigerians voters fully registered? Have all registered voters received their PVCs? Have all the associations that meet registration requirements as political parties being registered by INEC? "Is there any justification for de-registration of parties by INEC without recourse to the law? As INEC complied with court injunction and ruling on political cases? NAP also urged Nigerians to question the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration on certain issues and demand answers before the next general elections. "In looking forward, we need to think on the following: What happened to the report of the confab with all the monies spent? Why is the government not saying anything about the pump price of petrol even in the face of tumbling international price? Why is there no single successful prosecution of corruption cases from Aviation, NNPC and NSE. "Power sector has been privatised with no improvement in service delivery and yet consumers are made to pay higher. Automotive policy, where is the result? Agric reform, where is the impact of GSM and fertiliser subsidy to the farmers? Our import bill for food is still on the increase," the party questioned.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS

Boat owners, JTF, join forces against piracy, illegal bunkering

Ughelli NUJ decries assassination attempts on member

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

ARITIME workers in Bayelsa State have entered into partnership with the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, to tackle piracy, sea robberies and oil theft in the creeks of the state. Following the partnership, maritime workers, especially boat owners, had set up a special taskforce with the mandate to identify and assist security agencies in arresting suspected sea pirates and illegal oil bunkerers operating in the state. It was learnt that the workers, under the aegis of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Bayelsa State chapter, were expected to exchange intelligence and engage unemployed youths through the task force. The Chairman, MWUN, Mr. Lloyd Sese, while speaking in Yenagoa at the weekend said the partnership with the JTF would ensure the setting up of the maritime task force. Sese said: "The programme will give youths the opportunity to help security operatives in the state to curb the activities of sea pirates and crude oil bunkerers that is crippling the economy of the state. "I want to call on all the youth involved in sea pirate activities to drop their arms and work with security agents in the state to ensure safe maritime transportation. "In this age, the society is free for everybody that wishes the good things of life to achieve them. So, I want to call on them to drop their arms and leave the creeks and do something meaningful with their lives.”

We have uncovered PDP's plan to rig in Rivers - APC chieftain From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

N All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Rivers State, a former Mayor of Port Harcourt, Chief Chimbiko Akarolo has said the plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State to rig 2015 governorship election has been unfolded. Akarolo said the last plan that was unfolded was how to cause problem that could lead to the re-run of election in three local governments in the state which include Port Harcourt, Khana and Obio/ Akpor local government areas. Speaking at his Elekahia residence in Port Harcourt yesterday, the APC chieftain said every evil plan to rig next month's governorship election in the state will fail because the people are yearning for change which he believes must come to pass. He said another factor affecting PDP in Rivers State is that the candidate of the APC in the state, Dakuku Peterside, is in his youthful bracket and can speak the language that the youths would understand without bribing and intimidating them to vote for him.

• From left: Mrs. Margaret Opara, wife of the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. JohnKennedy Opara (middle), with the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi during the marriage ceremony of President Goodluck Jonathan’s daughter, Inebharapu, at Otueke Village, in Bayelsa State yesterday.

Marginalisation: Oro youths threaten to bomb oil platforms E CONOMIC activities were paralysed in most parts of Oro, the headquarters of Oron local government area in Akwa Ibom State, yesterday, as elders, youths and women took to the streets to protest alleged marginalisation by Governor Godswill Akpabio, who they claimed schemed out their preferred candidate from the governorship race in the December 8, 2014 primaries. The President-General, Oron Union, the highest policy making body for Oron Nation, Chief Asuquo Iniukim, accused Akpabio of doing everything to rob the Oron people of their right to produce a governor for the state next year af-

DO State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of being financially reckless for allegedly spending N142m to inaugurate projects in the state. The party warned the All Progressive Congress presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), and national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to stop visiting the state to inaugurate projects because such exercise, according to the PDP ,depleted the state's treasury. State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, who displayed two supposedly state government vouchers to support his claims, said the APC-led administration was corrupt, financially reckless and wasteful. The vouchers displayed by Chief Orbih has reference number EXT/GOV/GHSP/ 2441/14 and EXT/GOV/ GHSP/2477/14, and were supposedly used to sign out the sum of N76 and N66 million

• Vow to give protest votes to APC From Uyoatta Eshiet, Uyo

ter waiting for 27 years. The youths vowed to begin their own version of militancy which may result in bombing of oil platforms and the gas plants located in the five local government areas of Oron land and waters if the ruling political party in the state, the PDP, fails to give their anointed candidate the ticket of the party to produce a successor to Akpabio next year's election. The ESSU NLAP ORO, the

umbrella body of youths in the five Oron local government areas, led by its international president, Ulap Asuquo Enweme, also insisted that it was the turn of Oron to produce the next governor in the state. He said if an Oro person is not given the ticket by the PDP, the entire Oro Nation will defect to another party of their choice. Some inscriptions on the various placards read: "No Oro 2015, no oil wells; Oron

2015 no negotiations” Oro produces 90 per cent of the oil wealth of Akwa Ibom” “We will set ablaze oil platforms in our estuaries and dismantle the gas plants” “Anang brothers, remember your past agreements.” “Oro the third leg of the tripod deserves governorship 2015” “AKS PDP remember APC is watching," among several others. The Prime Minister of the' Save Oro Group Initiative', Prince Victor Uweh, said the Oro people will not jettison their just demands and advised the party to do the right thing now for the sake of peace. He said the people should not be forced to go violent.

PDP accuses Oshiomhole of spending N142m to inaugurate projects • Displayed vouchers are fake, says Oshiomhole From Osagie Otabor, Benin

respectively for the commissioning of projects on November 28 and 29, 2014. Chief Dan Orbih spoke at Igboubazuwa, headquarters of Ovia South West Local Government Area, at a rally to receive some defectors from the APC. Some of the APC members who defected at the rally included a former APC coordinator in the locality, Comrade Richard Igorigo, Chief Richard Digho and an Ijaw youths leader, Samson Yanbor. The defectors said they left the APC a loser in the party's House of Representatives primaries in Ovia Federal Constituency was made the winner.

According to Orbih, "Governor Oshiomhole sat in his office and signed two vouchers to commission projects on 28th and 29th November. In those vouchers, the sum of N76 and N66 million were signed away simply to cut tapes for projects that had earlier been commissioned." Reacting, Edo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Louis Odion, said the vouchers displayed by Orbih were fake. Odion said the state government least expected that malice would push the PDP into forging vouchers to back up a shameless lie in envy and desperation to tarnish Oshiomhole's golden records. He said, "Comrade Adams Oshiomhole commissioning world-class projects all over

Edo State in the last two months, we knew the PDP would be gnashing their deformed teeth in envy. "Edo people are not deceived. They know their governor is a very prudent man. That is why even today whereas PDP-led federal government owes workers' arrears of salaries despite cornering whopping 52 percent of federation account, Edo does not owe workers. The joke is on Edo PDP. "With less down six weeks to the general elections, it is very laughable that PDP, rather than show remorse by first apologising to Edo people for under-developing the state for 19 years, has resorted to peddling fake vouchers for a transaction that exist only in their crooked imagination. It is very cheap indeed."

Urhobo Union, Tompolo in war of words over 2015

HE leadership of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, is at daggers drawn with Chief Government Ekpemukpolo over what they described as alleged insinuations by the latter that monarchs of Urhobo extraction may have endorsed the Delta state PDP governorship candidate, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa for the 2015 general elections. The President General of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Chief Joe Omene made this statement in his Mosogar country home, Ethiope West local

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

government area yesterday while briefing newsmen on his recent visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. The UPU boss said that the decision to vote out PDP was necessitated by the actions of the PDP party state chairman, Chief James Ibori and his cohorts whom he alleged manipulated the party primary election in favour of their choice of candidate against the interest of Urhobo nation. While reiterating that

Ekpemukpolo's statement on the endorsement of Okowa by Urhobo monarchs as malicious and mere allegation, Omene, however assured Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of its one million votes. Omene who appealed to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that there is a level play ground in all the elections in respective of party, said Urhobo nation will only give their vote for any individual of their choice but not political party. He said, "Urhobo will vote for Mr. President on his reelection bid because is our son and

brother and that is the position of Urhobo in the coming election. But on the choice of candidate for Delta state governor, we will work with Urhobo man that will have the interest of Urhobo nation." The leadership of UPU also described a publication credited to Chief Government Ekpemukpolo over a statement in the national dallies with a title, "Urhobo monarchs endorsed Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP flag bearer as falsehood as well as an attempt to malign their personalities."

EMBERS of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ughelli Correspondent Chapel, have condemned in its entirety, the continuous attack on their Financial Secretary, Comrade Matthias Ogbagah, by suspected assassins perceived to have been sent by someone who want him dead. In a press statement by Comrades Festus Ahon and Sunday Apah, Chairman and Secretary respectively, on behalf of the union, it prevailed on the security agencies in Ughelli and its environs to put an end to the incessant attack on journalists. The statement said, "It could be recalled that on the 15th of November, 2014, armed men spent about 4 hours to break into Comrade Matthias Ogbagah's Ughelli residence in the night and was machete to the point of death. They only left because they believed he was dead. "Again, unidentified gunmen numbering over seven stormed his residence at Ogodo Street between the hours of 8 and 9pm on December 31st and shot at him at close range and they left him in his pool of blood, thinking he was dead."

Amnesty for 14 prisoners in Akwa Ibom

OVERNOR Godswill Akpabio as part of the yearly ritual granted amnesty to 14 prisoners from Akwa Ibom serving various sentences in different prisons across the country. Six prisoners- Ndifreke Isong Ekanem, Samuel Ekanem, Patrick Okon Ekene, Oduok Daniel Jimmy, Charles Kingsley Isong and Eyakeno Imoh Imoh serving in Port Harcourt Prisons had their sentences converted from death to life imprisonment. Those serving life imprisonment- Ofonime John Udoh, Mbong Billy Udobong, Akpan Phillips Akpan, Uweh Iniabasi Okon, Emmanuel Ebong Inyang, Udo Etim Isonguyo, Bassey George and Edem Bassey Etim in Uyo, Calabar and Ikot Ekpene Prisons- were set free. Akpabio who announced at the weekend during a visit to Uyo Prison said the Nigerian Constitution empowers him to grant pardon to any prisoner in the country, and advised those pardoned to be of good behaviour to be fully integrated into the society. Unhappy with the living conditions of the prison, the governor donated N10 million for medical attention of the prison inmates, and directed the state Comptroller of Nigerian Prisons Service to liaise with the Commissioner for Special Duties in a bid to intervene in some areas begging for attention in Uyo Prison. The state Comptroller of Nigerian Prisons Service, Dr. (Mrs) Regina Akpan, thanked the governor for various donations to them and for reforming prisons service in the state through new edifices.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

Abia New Year ‘Baby’ are a set of twins •As the governor's wife pays to set newly delivered mothers free

HE New Year baby in Abia State who are a set of twins has brought a change of fortune to a woman, who has been detained by a private hospital management in Umuahia over her inability to pay her delivery bills. The lucky woman secured her freedom to go home courtesy of wife of the governor, Mrs. Mercy Odochi Orji. The gesture from the governor's wife may have brought a change of fortune to the woman's tricycle-operator husband, Mr. Onyedikachi Joseph. Joseph wept profusely as Mrs. Orji went on ward round to see other children delivered during the yuletide/new year period in the hospital situated at, 95 Azikiwe Road Umuahia and announced the payment of hospital bills of all women who delivered their children in the hospital. It was in the process that she saw the bill of Mr. Joseph's wife who has remained a guest of the hospital three months after delivery of a baby boy, due to a medical bill of over N150,000, which she cleared and a promise of automatic employment immediately after the New Year holiday. Speaking while presenting gifts to the set of twin boys (Baby of the Year): Masters ThankGod Chimeremeze Basi and PraiseGod Chinecherem Basi, who weighed 3kilogrammes each and delivered at 12.00am and 12.02am and delivered to Mr/Mrs. Basi Onuoha Okorie from Igbere Bende Local Government, Mrs. Orji thanked God for the safe delivery of the twins and described them as blessings and precious children. Mrs. Orji said that though the parents of the Basi's desired a baby girl but God gave them a set of twin boys in addition to four boys they already had, an indication that God does not give a man a gift the way he desireth it. She said that the gift of God is different from that of a man and charged the parents and parents of the other children to see their children as special gifts from God, urging them to take adequate care of their children by bringing them up according to the way of God. The wife of the governor commended the medical director of the hospital, Dr Ibrahim Ishmaila and nurses in the hospital for ensuring the safe delivery of the children and later presented various gift items like diapers, baby soap and lotion, wrappers and cash to the Baby of the year. Mrs. Orji also used the opportunity to clear the medical and delivery fees of other children, as well as cleared the medical bills of nursing mothers amounting to N400,000. At the General Hospital, Amachara to see the hospital Baby of the year, little Master Ekeoma Beke Obinna, Mrs. Orji urged men to endeavour to treat their wives kindly in view of the pains and risk they pass through in giving birth. She advised men not to beat their wives, saying, "No reasonable man would abuse or maltreat his wife after child delivery but share in what the woman passed through as they are now one body".

NEWS

Okezie Ikpeazu denies evading tax T

HE Abia State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has denied evading tax, saying that those peddling such rumour are out to not only mislead the electorate but also cause mischief. Ikpeazu said that he has been a public servant in the state for the past twelve years working in many offices, stressing that there is no way he would have evaded tax, which is normally taken from source. He also announced the speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Udeh Oko Chukwu, as his running mate for the governorship elections, describing him as a worthy politician who has proved his worth since entering politics. Clearing the air with reporters in Umuahia on the tax evasion controversy, Ikpeazu

•Picks Speaker as running mate From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

said, "As a public servant even when I never wanted to pay my tax, I didn’t have any choice than to pay my tax, as it must be deducted at source before my salary was paid into my account. So anyone saying that I have not been paying tax is just being mischievous." He said that mischief makers went and imported the tax document of one Chief Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, "who is a business man and a farmer, whom they are claiming has not been paying his tax. But I am not that person, as I am not a Chief. It is mere coincidence of name." The Abia governorship candidate said that all his docu-

ments including his tax papers have been documented and presented to the court during the case involving the tax issue, stressing that those behind the story intended to rubbish him through forgery. Ikpeazu maintained that when the case came up at a Federal High Court in Abuja, "We presented our stand and when the complainants saw our defence, they had no choice than to withdraw the case, while a cost was awarded against them". He used the occasion to urge media houses residing outside the state to always get back to their correspondents based in the state to crosscheck their facts before going public,

adding that the ethics of journalism profession proffers such. Ikpeazu warned that though the country may be in a political era, "We are no longer ready to take some stories for granted, as we are going to take such rumour mongers to court for them to prove their case." Explaining further, the legal adviser to Okezie Ikpeazu campaign organisation, Bar. Teddy Eruba, said that tax issues are not enough to disqualify any candidate according to the constitution of the country and the act establishing INEC. Eruba said that the only process through which a candidate could be disqualified is through a court process, "Any other process outside the court of competent jurisdiction will never work, as there are no tax issues in either the Nigerian constitution or electoral act."

• Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji (middle) flanked from L-R by Abia State PDP Governorship flag bearer, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Deputy National Chairman South-East PDP, Col. Austine Akobundu, former state chairman of PDP, Sen. Emma Nwaka, Speaker of the State House of Assembly and running mate of the governorship flag bearer, Rt. Hon. Udeh Okochukwu, observing the national anthem during the inauguration of 2015 PDP Campaign Committee in Umuahia

2015: Enugu-West town unions endorse Ekweremadu

OWN unions in Enugu West Senatorial District have endorsed the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, as their sole senatorial candidate for the 2015 general election, The Nation learnt yesterday. Special Adviser (Media) to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu, in a statement, said the gesture came as Ekweremadu called for closer partnership between government and town unions to speed up rural transformation. According to the statement, the decision of the unions was conveyed by the coordinator of the Town Union Presidents-General of Enugu West, Chief David Chukwumba, during a meet-

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Assistant Editor Abuja

ing of members of the body and the Deputy President of the Senate in Mpu, Aninri LGA. Chief Chukwumba said their decision was informed by Senator Ekweremadu's "highly rewarding representation," noting that "his presence in the Senate had brought about numerous development projects, scholarships, bursary awards, employment, and adult literacy programmes, among others." In his reaction, Ekweremadu who applauded the various development strides recorded by town unions in the South East as a whole, recalled that apart from community-funded scholarships, so

many educational institutions, medical facilities, bridges, and other infrastructural development in various communities were to the credit of the unions. He said: "Communities and their unions constitute the taproot of government and development. "I was privileged to serve as the president of my agegrade and my town's development union years ago. "Considering the modest, but vital interventions we were able to register, I believe that building stronger partnership with such unions and other traditional and social institutions in our communities is key to success in governance. "Government-town union partnership is strategic and critical for siting projects that ad-

dress the needs of the people, keeping the people well informed about government programmes, getting vital feedbacks, and ensuring the security and sustenance of development projects." Describing town unions as agents of development, the Deputy President of the Senate reminded the body of Presidents-General that their roles were to organise and provide leadership for their communities as well as serve as a link between communities and government. "On my part, the essence of your sending me to the Senate is not just to make good laws, but also to take your problems to Abuja and look for solutions; and this I will continue to do," he added.

Orji inaugurates PDP 2015 election campaign committee

BIA State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji has inaugurated the PDP 2015 election campaign committee with a charge to ensure that all the party's candidates are delivered during the forthcoming general elections in the state. Speaking while inaugurating the committee in Umuahia, Orji enjoined the committee headed by the former state chairman of the party, Senator

•Urges them to ensure victory at all levels From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia Emma Nwaka, to repeat the feat done by the party in the 2011 election by ensuring that PDP wins all the way. Orji said that with the election around the corner, the party needs to strategise on the way forward, especially with the noise being made by the opposition and implored all PDP

members in the state to remain steadfast in the party He said that the list of members of the committee already announced is not exhaustive as new names will be included to prosecute the assignment and urged those who did not hear their names not to despair. The governor rather urged them to continue to work hard, as every member of the party is

a campaign manager in his or her own right, adding that they are expected to deliver the party's candidates in their wards, local government and state. The governor pleaded with PDP members in the state to support the candidacy of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and other PDP candidates to win, and expressed confidence that the committee will do well.

'Ebonyi PDP plotting to rig elections using security agencies' From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki HE flag-bearer of the Labour Party for Afikpo North/ South Federal Constituency in the coming election, Hon Eni Uduma Chima, has charged security agencies in Ebonyi state not to allow themselves to be used by some desperate politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the elections. He gave the charge yesterday in the state capital, Abakaliki, when stakeholders from his Afikpo South Local Government Area paid a special New Year homage to Governor Martin Elechi at the Government House, Abakaliki. Eni, who is currently representing Afikpo South West Constituency in the state house of assembly, said the party is in control of the local government and the state, which is why the PDP is plotting to use security agencies to rig the elections. He said the people of Edda are fully behind the people-oriented government of Chief Martin Elechi. He said: "Provided there is free and fair election, Edda (Afikpo South) will deliver Labour Party (LP) up to 98 percent. The few people who are in PDP for selfish reasons are not on ground, they do not have any connection with the masses. Whenever they meet, their topic is always hinged on how to rig election and how to use security forces to intimidate the people; but that will not happen. We will protect our votes. "I am also using this opportunity to call on security forces to be professional because most of the time, they cause the problem even more than the political parties because they allow themselves to be bought as ready tools to manipulate the electoral process. We urge them to be professional. On our part, we are going to be very peaceful." "We cannot even afford not to be peaceful because we do not have the instrument of violence. We are not into heavy bribe-giving as is obtainable in PDP. Labour Party is the party of the commoners; party of the masses. We are going to comport ourselves in such a way that the election will be peaceful. Our target is to win the election by a landslide and we cannot do that when there is no peace. "The purpose of the visit is to show our love, appreciation and solidarity for the governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Nwanchor Elechi(CON). He is a very special person to Edda people because of the way his government has favored us as a people both in terms of infrastructure and appointment of our sons and daughters into high positions of authority." "On the area of infrastructure, it is in his administration that the jinx was broken that tarred roads were made to link the lower and upper segments of Edda and then that electricity got to 90% of communities in Edda among other things."

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS

Mark flags off Maccido's empowerment scheme

NEMA urges Nigerians to assist IDPs

From Barnabas Manyam, Yola

HE National E m e r g e n c y Management Agency (NEMA) has called on well meaning Nigerians to offer assistance to the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country. Speaking at the Church of Christ International to the Nations, which currently provides shelter to more than 20,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) under the IDPs Hosting Community Programme, the agency similarly called on all Nigerians take a cue from COCIN by offering assistance to the millions of displaced persons all over the country. Addressing thousands of displaced persons at the church premises in Yola, the Adamawa State capital at the weekend, the Camp Director of NEMA, Sa'ad Bello, urged those residing outside the government designated camps to register with the agency to enable them benefit from government assistance. "We understand many of you have been hosted by communities and families; you should come forward and give us your details so we can take relief materials to those places. The media should help us disseminate this information to the IDPs," he said. Describing the media as partner in the activities of NEMA, Bello lamented that some groups of IDPs were always waiting to be discovered instead of approaching NEMA contact desks for registration. In his address, the Resident Pastor of COCIN, Rev. Jonathan Bawa, expressed gratitude to NEMA for the donation, promising to distribute the items equitably to the intended beneficiaries. Bawa also enjoined Nigerians to come forward and render assistance by providing shelter to IDPs in order to give them a sense of belonging.

2015 elections: Cleric cautions politicians on inciting comments From Barnabas Manyam, Yola

HE National President of the Jama't Izalat al Bid'a Wa Iqamat as Sunna, (JIBWITS), Sheik Abdullahi Bala Lau, has warned politicians against making inciting comments capable of heating up the polity during the campaigns ahead of the next general elections. Speaking to newsmen in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, the Islamic cleric also called on the political class to desist from the use of foul languages, saying the survival of the country as an entity should be paramount on the minds of every Nigerian. He said: "My appeal to all politicians seeking elective positions in is to ensure that they do the nation and their fellow countrymen proud by avoiding gutter language or the kind of attitudes that can cause the shedding of blood of fellow Nigerians, because the country's existence is first and foremost important than seeking elective positions.

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

â&#x20AC;˘Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State (middle), presenting a cheque of N750 million Trade Intervention Fund to representatives of the trader associations in Gombe at the weekend.

2015: INEC, security agents compromised, says Mohammed R ADICAL critic, Dr. Junaidu Mohammed, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, the Military and other paramilitary outfits in the country have lost the integrity to organise a free, fair and credible election this year. Speaking in an interview with The Nation in Kano, Mohammed, who was a delegate at the National Conference held last year, alleged further that INEC and other security agencies have compromised to favour the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general elections. He noted, "It is obvious to me that democracy needs to be institutionalised. It is also important that a free and credible elections must be

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

institutionalised, which calls into being the assumed good behaviour of first and foremost the commission that is involved in the elections, that is INEC, the police, other security agencies like the SSS, military, police, immigration services and all the para-military organisations. But where ab initio, you have no faith in INEC, then there is a problem." Taking a swipe at the ruling class, Mohammed added, "I have always complained that there is a problem with the Nigerian elite. Unless the political class is serious and that means that the manifestation of their seriousness is reflected in the behavioural utterances and commitment of the political parties. I cannot say how we can have what we can call credible and rancour-free elections.

"Yes, I take this position, because INEC has become highly politicised. It is being governed by a chairman and all other members who are card-carrying members of the PDP. I have been saying this before 2011; I have been saying this since 2011. Now, there is no way you can assume non-partisanship, impartiality and good conscience in the conduct of elections even when it is being run by the most competent people you can pick around and allow them to be umpires. "The government is in cohort with its own party and INEC. I think he (President Jonathan) is asking too much to say that people are going to have to live with the consequences of an election being conducted by the party and INEC. "It is also obvious that election in this country have been tempted over the years

by corruption, open intimidation, abuse of office and abuse of security agencies, particularly the police." Proffering the way forward, Mohammed said: "First and foremost, the citizens should resist such harassmentâ&#x20AC;Ś this is because we are dealing with a bunch of characters in government who don't know the language of civility. So, you must protect yourself, because you cannot be protected by the judiciary; you cannot be protected by the police. "The SSS themselves are bunch of thugs working for the presidency. So, take whatever necessary steps to protect yourself and in doing this, history will be on the side of those who would want to resist the PDP, the police and the DSS." See full interview on page 11.

Fire razes 300 shops at Zaria market

O fewer than 300 shops were yesterday destroyed at Sabon Gari Zaria main market in Sabon Gari local government area of Kaduna State. Eyewitness accounts also

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

revealed that many buildings were razed down by the inferno, while properties worth several millions of

naira were destroyed. The inferno, which was suspected to have been caused by an electric spark, according to the eyewitness, Lawal Isa, started in the early hours of Saturday when the market was

already closed. He said, "It was good Samaritans and men of the fire service that worked very hard to put off the fire and prevented it from getting to the other side of the market."

Gombe created 160,000 jobs in three years-Dankwambo

HE Gombe State government has created over 160,000 direct and indirect jobs from its partnership with the Bank of Industry (BoT). Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo said this was made possible by his administration's partnership with the bank in the disbursement of N1 billion to which the state contributed the sum of N500million counterpart fund. He spoke in Gombe at the weekend during the flag-off of the disbursement of N750million Trade

By Vincent Ohonbamu, Gombe

Intervention Fund in collaboration with Jaiz Bank. He said the Trade Intervention Fund was inspired by the imperativeness of providing market outlets for the products of medium scale enterprises. The governor disclosed that Jaiz Bank was picked to administer the fund, because of its "Halal" banking ethics and readiness to contribute positively towards the development of the state. "Jaiz Bank and the state

government will contribute a total sum of N750million in the first phase for disbursement to 2,065 people," he added. Dankwambo said the amount would be disbursed to three main associations of traders in Gombe metropolis comprising of the Main Market Traders, old Market Traders and Village Market Traders. The second phase of disbursement, he said, would take place in 12 months' time after the first batches of beneficiaries have repaid their loans.

According to the governor, "The objective of the fund is to promote the socio-economic development of Gombe State," while appealing to all beneficiaries to utilise the loans and ensure timely repayment to enable others benefit from the gesture. He also disclosed that a Loan Monitoring Committee comprising all stakeholders would be constituted and would report to the Ministries of Finance and Commerce and Industry to ensure prudent management of the loans.

ENATE President, David Mark, has inaugurated the distribution of over N1 billion empowerment items to the people of Sokoto North donated by Senator Ahmed Muhammadu Maccido. The assorted items from Maccido, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, include 450 motorcycles, 5,000 , 233 and 200 water pumping, sewing and grinding machines respectively. Others items are 150 deep freezers, eight vehicles, assorted textbooks and 2,000 bags of NPK fertilizer. Mark, who was represented by the former Senate Leader and Sokoto PDP gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 general elections, Ambassador Abdallah Wali, commended Maccido for the humanitarian gesture, while urging the people to re-elect Maccido into the Senate. In his address, Chairman of the occasion and Ekiti state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, said that the gesture would improve the living standard of the beneficiaries. The governor, who was represented by former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Babatunde Omotoba, remarked that the PDP-led federal government remains committed to the total transformation of Nigeria, while further assuring that the party would continue to work for the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria. In a brief speech, Maccido said that the gesture was aimed at further uplifting the welfare of the people of the constituency and others across the state. According to him, "These items were provided in appreciation of the sustained support and cooperation I have been receiving from the people of the state in the last seven and half years."

Groups sign MoU to save Taraba PDP From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

GAINST the backdrop of stiff opposition from the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of next month's general elections, a consortium of pressure groups has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure the continued success of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State. The Global Achievers Group, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Volunteer Group and the Northern Friends of the South/ South Organisation of Nigeria signed the treaty in Jalingo, the state capital at the weekend. National President of the Northern Friends of the South/ South Organisation, Suleiman Yerima, said the objective of the MoU is to consolidate on the grip of the ruling party in Taraba State and the country at large. The groups said without the MoU, the PDP would lose to the opposition parties, which it claimed, are gaining grounds throughout the country.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

o you agree with the latest statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan that the 2015 elections will be free and fair? First and foremost, I speak as an independent person, and I also believe that as a democrat, I must have respect, and participate in the democratic process. Simply put, democracy is nothing but election. This election must be free, fair and credible. Once you accept that democracy is good; then even the elections are even better, because democratic systems can only work when the democratic institutions allow it to work; and that in itself, also is premised on the open and honest understanding of the needs of democracy and the desires of the people of Nigeria for democratic system. Now, I have always complained that there is problem with the Nigerian elite. So, unless the political class is serious and that means that the manifestation of their seriousness is reflected in the behavioural utterances and commitment of the political parties. I cannot say how we can have what we can call credible and rancour-free election. It is obvious to me that democracy needs to be institutionalized; and democratic free and credible elections must be institutionalizedthat calls into being the assumed good behaviour of first and foremost the Commission that is involved in the election (that is INEC), the Police, the other security agencies that is involved in the electionsthe SSS and the military police, immigration services and all the para-militaries. Now, but where, ab initio, you have no faith in INEC, because I am one of those who have no faith in INEC Why don't you believe that INEC can conduct credible elections in 2015? Yes, I take this position because INEC has become highly politicized; it is being governed by a Chairman and all other members who are card-carrying members of the PDP. I have been saying this before 2011; I have been saying this since 2011. Now, there is no way you can assume nonpartisanship, impartiality and good conscience in the conduct of election even when it is being ran by the most competent people you can pick around and allow them to be umpires. So, if the umpire is already, ab initio, tempted by partisanship, if the government is in cohort with the party, its own party and INEC, then, really, I think he (President Jonathan) is asking too much to say that people are going to have to live with the consequences of an election being conducted by the party and INEC. It is also obvious that election in this country have been tempted over the years by corruption, open intimidation, abuse of office and abuse of security agencies, particularly, the police. You have emphasized much on the Police in terms of electoral corruption. What is your grouse with the current leadership of the Nigeria Police Force? Now, we have in the Police Force, the most … (expletive) Inspector-General of Police in the history of Nigeria. Can you expect this fellow (Suleiman Abba) to conduct elections freely and fairly-the man who could have the guts to go into the National Assembly and tear-gas the principal officers and other members of the National Assembly! Do you expect free and fair elections under this fellow? The answer is no! Now, when you also go further, you find out that members of the so-called DSS are now behaving no better than political thugs-they are political thugs! The kind of statements being issued by Marilyn Ogar are in fact, sometimes, more irresponsible than the statements you get from Olisah Metuh, Publicity Secretary of the PDP. Now, if this is the kind of characters we have in the so-called non-partisan security agencies, now what do you expect from those forces which are openly partisan. So, I am not a believer in what the elite say; I believe in judging the people in power by what they do and not by what they say; because if you judge them by what they do, you are likely to come out with the kind of attitude and the kind of scenario that will pervade and prevail and facilitate universally accepted free and fair election. How do we ensure that Nigeria gets it right in terms of universally accepted rancour-free and fair elections? You see, these are the kind of things reasonable politicians and patriots will

NEWS REVIEW

2015 elections: INEC has been compromised, says Junaid Mohammed Dr. Junaid Mohammed, a Russian-trained medical doctor was chairman of different Committees at the House of Representatives in the Second Republic. In this interview with KOLADE ADEYEMI, the maverick politician who has served Nigeria in different capacities alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Presidency, Police, Department of Security Services (DSS), military and other para-military agencies billed to ensure free and fair elections have perfected plans to rig the 2015 elections in favour of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He urged Nigerians to resist this move by standing up to defend their votes at the polls. Excerpts:

•Mohammed

want to discuss; but you can see even in the cause of attempting to discuss the issue, PDP is playing games, Now, if they didn't want to discuss the topic, how do you expect them to carry out their own commitment in achieving free and fair elections? How do you expect them to give free-hand to their police, their … (expletives) DSS, their … (expletives) Armed Forces and other services-what are you telling me? My advice is this, Nigerians should be vigilant and take whatever step necessary to defend the

integrity of their votes and make sure that their votes count. From what you have said, you established the fact the government in power is capable of using security agencies to rig election. What is the way out? First and foremost, the citizens should resist such harassment; and they should also remember that those who have being subjecting them to intimidation by forces of Federal Government, particularly the Police, and the SSS hardly know them. So, if you get

“Now, we have in the Police Force, the most … (expletive) Inspector-General of Police in the history of Nigeria. Can you expect this fellow (Suleiman Abba) to conduct elections freely and fairly-the man who could have the guts to go into the National Assembly and tear-gas the principal officers and other members of the National Assembly! Do you expect free and fair elections under this fellow?”

yourself sabotaged, if you get yourself assaulted by a neighbour who you know is a member of the PDP; of course, you will take necessary steps to protect yourself and unveil whatever happens. This is so because we are dealing with a bunch of characters in government who don't know the language of civility. So, you must protect yourself because you cannot be protected by the judiciary, you cannot be protected by the police, the SSS themselves are bunch of thugs working for the presidency. So, take whatever necessary steps to protect yourself and in doing this, history will be on the side of those who would want to resist the PDP, the police and the DSS. The APC has alleged that people are moving en masse to their country homes because of fear of violence that may erupt during the election. What is your take on this? I think it is very unfortunate but it is prudent for people who have decided to relocate to their various places of comfort, where they feel save during the election, after all, life is very important because if you are dead, there is nothing you can do. As far as I am concerned, it is unfortunate that politics in our country has been reduced to a level where people don't feel comfortable to play politics outside their home town! Now, the solution is not to mourn about it, complain about it, the solution is to force … (expletives) …in government out of power and do the necessary things to ensure that all Nigerians are comfortable to play politics anywhere in the country in their own comfort. Nigerians must be allowed to exercise their franchise and vote for whoever they want no matter where they are within the country-that is very important. If the government cannot protect anybody, then I don't know what the hell they are talking about democracy. The primary responsibility of every government is to maintain law and order-to protect the integrity of every person, his family and belongings- if the government cannot do that, then I don't see any need we have for such government. So, I think we should realize that it is not the fault of those who want to go home, it is the fault of the government that has failed reasonably to protect lives and property of Nigerians. Number two, if the government cannot allow meaningful discussions with the opposition parties-then this is not the kind of government that we can hope on. Thirdly, we have a bunch of incompetent people who are card-carrying members of a political party, who are running INEC and don't know anything. They messed up the elections of 2011 and do you know they were busy telling foreign media that it was the best election we ever had in Nigeria. Now, in less than two months to the elections, they are telling us that the electoral law has to be amended; I don't know where on earth, you amend an electoral law two weeks to the election. Electoral laws are passed very early enough and they are tried and tested; and they will do some kind of trouble-shooting within them and see how far it can go; but this INEC chairman has been playing games. They only talk when they assume the interest of their pay masters at Aso Rock is at risk. I also noticed that INEC has nothing but contempt to public opinion. Anytime, they have programme and the public is against it, they resist, and then, they will come back and tell you this is the law and this is our own interpretation, when they found they cannot cope, they simply abandon the thing and look for something else. That was exactly what happened with the voters register and the increase which is logical-that when the population increases, you have to increase the number of polling booths but they so badly mishandled the issue and the thing turned out to be a farce. If Prof Atahiru Jega has any conscience, he should have resigned and I think it will be better for this country if he resigns now. From what you have said, you agree with the APC that PDP has perfected plans to rig the election? Yes. That is my opinion and it is a fact. The APC comment is correct and absolutely timely. This is why I insist that people should be organized, defend their votes, people should defend their votes, people should be vigilant. People should stand up for their rights and make sure their votes count-this is the only way out.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS REVIEW

Mbaka: 'Why President Jonathan must go' Renowned Enugu-based Catholic Priest, Rev Father Camillus Ejike Mbaka, noted for his crowdpulling services at the Adoration Prayer Ground, Enugu, is as controversial as they come. His blistering attack on President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection bid on New Year day has set tongues wagging. Excerpts:

N the year 2014, we had a lot of bloodshed in this country. People were dying like rats without anybody asking about them. This country suffered a lot of blood experience. Many of us witnessed that people were in tears. Just like the ancient world, the year 2014, the four in it had the queen in it, which had to do with death. Our leaders failed us with reckless abandon and nobody asked them questions. The so-called democracy was a hidden autocracy. It was deceptive and questionable quack miler. Nigerians suffered hunger unnecessarily. We heard about oil subsidy being removed and added. Whatever the jargon was nobody understood them. We heard about minimum wage, the civil servants suffered, the minimum wage was not paid and we were all calm. In 2015, Nigerians will not be calm again. Change is coming We need change. Whatever it will be, let it be. This is my golden message to my beloved country. What actually is happening (Ogini nne me?). The multitude of our youths, the quality young men, quality young women, brilliant youths, but nobody has plans for any of you. Our so-called leaders should come and apologize. In 2015, it shall not continue like that. By the grace of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are announcing spiritually, change! 2015 should not be a year of any hooligan maneuvering to hijack power. This is our New Year message. Listen, when you go home, tell anybody you see that from the oracle of the Holy Spirit, we are announcing change. Can somebody help me to shout change in Jesus holy name. Look at what it's like, as I'm yet to bless your families, bless your industries, bless your destinies. Come 2015, your plans are blessed, your visions are blessed, your locomotive society is blessed. I cover this year with the blood of Jesus. I seal this year with the blood of Jesus. My message is in two branches (folds). Number one branch: the theme of this first message to my fellow countrymen is from good luck to bad luck. Once upon a time, the whole countrymen was crying for a leader who would help us move forward with our economy, have an authentic democracy, give our unemployed youths jobs, enable our power to be steady, who would industrialize Nigerians, who would encourage mass education and agriculturalize Nigeria, having in view that oil price would soon drop, give us security at maximum level. By the grace of God, there emerged a Goodluck, all of us were happy. The Goodluck met Yar' Adua and Yar' Adua died. May the Holy Spirit help me as I utter this message, I know many will misunderstand it, but it will stand the test of time and you will know I'm speaking the truth. The Goodluck met Yar'Adua and Yar'Adua died. Before you know it, the Goodluck met our oil and the oil had a bad luck and poured away. Before we knew it, the Goodluck met our naira, our naira had a bad luck. Where are we going? What is the fate of this country? Shall we continue like this, we need change. As I'm speaking to you, most of our civil

•Jonathan

•Mbaka

“It is so unfortunate that pastors are becoming vultures around the president. Pastors are becoming hawks around him, eating the porridge of Jacob and selling their prophetic rights. And anointing is being merchandised in Aso Rock” servants did not celebrate their Christmas. The Christmas season that should be a good luck time became a bad luck time for Nigerians, forgetting that very soon, from 3rd January, the children will go back to school and the parents are going to pay school fees. From where? Are they going to use their urine to pay? But where is the good water even if they are going to use their urine. Are they going to use their stool to pay the school fees of their children? You have to eat well to defecate. Let Nigeria be What is the fate of our children? Tears fill my eyes when I see our young graduates hoping and walking our streets. What is the meaning of kidnapping? Kidnapping is the grandson of unemployment. Boko Haram is a grand great child of the same unemployment, mass looting, and poor governance. I'm not saying that Goodluck is a bad man. He is a good man. But he cannot lead Nigeria. As things stand right now, from the oracle of the Holy Spirit, Jonathan should honourably resign quietly and let Nigeria be. The destiny of Nigeria is greater than Goodluck Jonathan. The Goodluck in Jonathan has become a bad luck to Nigerians. Whatever brought him in should send him back and let Nigeria be. By this time in few months to come, many are going to lose their jobs and there is no

alternative. During election, Jonathan will answer Azikiwe, Ebele and become an Igbo man and after election, the Ebele, the Azikiwe and Goodluck will vanish from his identity. Who is fooling whom actually? Look at our federal roads, we are not even asking for new ones, roads built by Buhari and Babangida - the so called Hausa peoplecannot be maintained. Follow Enugu here to Onitsha, children born some years ago do not know that there was a lane along the other side of Isiagwu and we are all saying continue. The continuity of Jonathan means disaster to Nigeria. We need change. May the Holy Spirit help me to vocalize what he has shown to me while I was waiting on him to give me a message for my people? I'm worried about the future of you my children. Go to school, go to school, mention any government school functioning in Nigeria now? Our schools are dilapidated. Nigeria is like an egg about to break in the hands of Jonathan Goodluck and we cannot allow it to happen. It is so unfortunate that pastors are becoming vultures around the president. Pastors are becoming hawks around him, eating the porridge of Jacob and selling their prophetic rights. And anointing is being merchandised in Aso Rock, carrying our Naira, turning it to dollars and carrying it in jets moving out of the country. Listen, this is the voice on the pulpit: all

these men of God, who are telling Jonathan to continue because they are benefitting one thing or the other, you should question your apostolic, prophetic anointing. What the Bible says is that Samson did not know that the Holy Spirit had left him. Let them watch if the Holy Spirit is still in them. Judas and Jesus Listen, they will begin to tell us this one is a Christian the other one is a Muslim. I don't believe in that. Who is a Christian more than Judas? Did Judas not betray Jesus? Judas was not just a Christian, he was not just a mere apostle, he was a super apostle like a cardinal but at a time he messed up and Bible says his office, let another take. That is the normal thing. The way Nigeria is going right now, the office of Goodluck Jonathan let another take. I'm not campaigning for anybody. I'm filled with tears over what is happening in Nigeria. Some of us who have non-governmental organisations funding charity, I know what I'm suffering. The more they are looting our resources, the more they are rending you unemployed, the more some of us suffer the more. If I have been paying for the school fees of 500 people, it would now jack up to 3000, or more. What the government should do, individuals are struggling to achieve. When there is no road, no power, all this fake promises… where is the power? That Onitsha Bridge, has it now been built? No. After six years, and Goodluck has what it takes to do whatever. He surrounded himself with hooligans. By the time he comes down, he won't have anybody to work with. He played himself into the hands of hooligans. My interest is about the wellness of this country. Nigeria must survive what we are passing through by the help of God. The same God who saved us from Ebola will save us from this bad luck season. Look at it, there was a time there was an argument about pension fund - such billions. Who is talking about it now? Billions and we were hearing it… from excess crude oil money, where is the impact of the excess crude oil money? Now from oil boom, it has met bad luck; it's now oil doom. If my father will be my leader and my siblings will all die, let a stranger be my leader and let my family be. All I'm trying to tell you is that we have not entered into any covenant with anybody. Last time, the First Lady came here. We are not partisan, we welcomed her. We did a spiritual drama here. Lifted four birds to fly up, the main one that should fly up refused to go. I did everything possible and that one is the healthiest of them all but refused to fly and the spirit of God said, don't disturb him. When God rejected Saul, David took over. Let me tell you: in the history of Nigeria, we have never experienced bloodshed as we have in the time of Goodluck. If Goodluck means bloodshed for Nigerians are you waiting until your own blood is shed? We need change, however God will do it. Look at the insecurity if you go to the northern part of Nigeria. My fellow priests, my fellow pastors, don't just stand up to attack this message, because you have mouth. Think well before you put your mouth, the voice is beyond your own contribution. Listen, are you waiting for your own church to be bombed before you speak out? If you go to Maiduguri, some parishes have closed down. Go to Potiskum. People no longer go to church on Sundays in many parts of this country. Now imagine a scenario where a president cannot fight a simple insurgence. This is not an external country attack o. It is not like another country invaded Nigeria. It is an intra distraction. And many of us are claiming that it was because Buhari said that he was going to make Jonathan's government ungovernable. Listen, let's assume Buhari said something like that, even though it's not Buhari who said it. So if you are the president and somebody says something like that, will you not arrest such a person? Rev. Father Camillus Ejike gave this New Year sermon to thousands of parishioners at the Adoration Prayer Ground in Enugu, Thursday.

Ropo Sekoni

Page 14

Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

Hypocrites in power Power of election: No one is talking about subsidy removal again tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

UST how hypocritical public officials can be in Nigeria was exhibited by the country's finance commissioners when early in the year, specifically on April 13, they met in Abuja and passed a resolution for the removal of fuel subsidy, shortly after the month's meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). According to Timothy Odah, Chairman of the Forum of Commissioners of Finance of the 36 states of the Federation, under whose auspices the commissioners passed the resolution, the decision became inevitable because of certain irregularities observed in the fuel subsidy regime. The meeting, which was chaired by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla, was convened for the purpose of considering and approving the statutory allocations for February 2014. According to Odah, "We looked at subsidy on oil as more or less a solution worse than the problem it is meant to solve. Looking at it presently, you will discover that it is not solving the problem which it is meant to solve. In the first place, the NLC (Nigeria Labour Congress) and the majority of the Nigerian populace appear to have been deceived into clamouring for subsidy. "It is a system that robs Peter to pay Paul by making the rich to grow richer and the poor to go poorer". Odah is not done: "There are some states that are fully industrialised and you use this subsidy in that particular place and the people who benefit more are those from the states that are industrialised," he said, adding "So, what we are advocating is that the subsidy be removed so that every state or any member of the federating unit sharing from FAAC will take his own money, then decide to use it or grant subsidy in a level that it will be able to afford." That was only about nine months before. Today, all the government officials clamouring for fuel subsidy removal have suddenly gone dumb; they have all conveniently forgotten a situation which they had presented as precarious if fuel subsidy was not removed. Indeed, the way the commissioners went about their campaign for subsidy removal then, weeping louder than the bereaved, no one would have thought the country could still be up standing by now if their prayer was not answered. After the meeting, they promised to take their resolution to their respective governors for onward transmission to President Goodluck Jonathan, who would have gladly embraced it, claiming it was the wish of the state governments; as if we did not know that the so-called resolution was the product of their conspiracy against Nigerians. The finance commissioners even gave a deadline for the implementation of the subsidy removal. Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for Nigerians, one thing had led to the other since they passed that satanic resolution, resulting in the fast depletion of whatever was left of the Federal Government's goodwill. God threw confusion into their midst, with the Jonathan administration's serial wobbling and fumbling in major policy decisions. There was the government's running battle with Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. Matters were not helped by the defection of the House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu

â&#x20AC;˘ Odah

Tambuwal, from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on October 28. The ruling party was yet to recover from the shock occasioned by Tambuwal's defection when the APC held its national convention at which General Muhammadu Buhari emerged the party's presidential flag bearer. All these naturally weakened the government's ability or resolve to take the sort of anti-people's decision that subsidy withdrawal represents. As at April when the state governments conspired with the Federal Government to further compound the hardship of Nigerians, the three tiers of government had a total of N634.721 billion that was shared among them as federal allocation for the month. That was N6.659 billion less than the N641.380 billion shared to the three tiers of government the previous month. Naturally, as a result of the lopsided revenue sharing formula, the Federal Government got N249.060 billion (52.68%) as against the N249.084 billion in March. The state governments got N126.327 billion (26.72%) as against the N126.339 billion they got in March while the local governments were given N97.392 billion (20.60%) as against N97.402 billion in March. For the month, the oil producing states got N55.182 billion as 13 percent derivation revenue compared to the N57.270 billion they got in the preceding month. The mystery in the government revenue is that, as at April when the states were clamouring for fuel subsidy removal, crude prices were still high, compared with what they were last December. The challenges then had to do with stealing of crude and dwindling demand for the commodity by its former major importer, the United States of America. But then, a report published by the Publicity Department of the Federal Ministry of Finance on December 22, 2014, indicated that the generated revenue for last November was N35.438 billion more than the N593.337 billion generated in October 2014 and shared to the three tiers of government in November 2014. In essence, therefore, the three tiers of government shared N628.8billion, only N6billion less than what was shared in April. Given the fall in crude prices, one would have thought the revenue

However, in order to be fully assured that the politicians would not resurrect fuel subsidy removal after the elections have been won and lost, Nigerians should make the political parties to tell them what they intend to do about the matter now. In other words, if any of them still has anything against fuel subsidy, he should say it now, or forever hold his peace on the issue.

would have dropped significantly. Indeed, an official report more or less confirmed this mystery: "A drastic drop of 33% in export volume between September 2014 and October 2014 and a further drop in crude oil price from $96.81 in September 2014 to $87.78 in October 2014 impacted negatively on the revenue for the month. Other issues that had negative impact on the revenue include the ongoing 'Force Majeure' by Shell since June 2014 and incessant shutdowns and shutin of trunks and pipelines at various terminals". In spite of these developments, would it not have been a natural consequence for the states to intensify their quest for fuel subsidy removal? As at last December, more state governments had been unable to pay workers' salaries than the situation was in April. In essence, the states' woes had multiplied as at December much more than they were in April. Yet, they have not remembered fuel subsidy removal. Is that not deceitful, because the only reason they have remained silent on the matter is the 2015 general election. Even some of the state governments that one had hoped would dissociate themselves from the resolution then kept quiet, apparently hoping that they too would be able to get more money should they succeed in forcing the subsidy removal down the throats of Nigerians. Apparently they had battled the Federal Government unsuccessfully on their dwindling revenue and thought the people would be a softer bone. Yet, we know that not much is happening in many of the states whose governments want subsidy removed. They only wanted more money to share. So, anyone with the impression that the governments, federal and states, are not talking about fuel subsidy removal now because of the fall in crude prices should perish the thought. In Nigeria, successive governments have proved that such logic has no place here as there are always people to defend such nonsense on behalf of the government. The 'any government in power' (AGIP) people are not in short supply here. If they are short of reasons as to why the subsidy must go, they will tell Nigerians that government revenue has fallen and there is the need to augment it. Their ears will be deaf to the argument of rational thinkers that fall in crude prices should naturally translate to reduction in the pump prices of fuel, obedient only to their own warped logic. The truth is that political calculations have changed in the country such that even the hitherto arrogant ruling party at the federal level knows that things will no longer be the same when voting takes place next month. The calibre of defectors from the party must have taught those in charge there that these are not the best of times to even whisper anything concerning fuel subsidy removal. To some extent, therefore, the shift in political alliances is a benefit to Nigerian voters in that it is making them the king that they should be. But this should not be an excuse for people to go to sleep yet; Nigerians should still learn to police their votes on the Election Day if truly they are desirous of 'one man, one vote' in elections as obtain in civilised climes. However, in order to be fully assured that the politicians would not resurrect fuel subsidy removal after the elections have been won and lost, Nigerians should make the political parties to tell them what they intend to do about the matter now. In other words, if any of them still has anything against fuel subsidy, he should say it now, or forever hold his peace on the issue. It is not the fault of Nigerians that subsidy is not getting to the appropriate people; it is not their fault too that their country blessed with crude oil is importing refined petroleum products.

How bleak is 2015?

reader of my last column titled If 2015 comes was apparently not pleased with Bishop David Oyedepo's declaration of the New Year as that of Heaven on Earth which was cited in the piece. He was more worried that, according to him, I believed the Bishop's 'fairy tale'. "I live in the Niger Delta and there is mass arms build-up. Same for north. Your Bishop tells you a fairy tale and a columnist like you falls for it. This means you don't even read your paper," the unnamed reader stated in one of his four text messages on the column. "Did you not read from your paper Professor Akinyemi's warning? It was splashed in all the major tabloids last Monday. Time to grow up, Lekan. People of goodwill are urging restraint and your Bishop is luring you to complacency," he added. I concede to the faceless reader his right of reply to my column. I also understand his concern about an optimistic prophecy in the face of myriads of challenges facing the country which as rightly noted by the reader include the plummeting naira, high unemployment rate, violence and the continued abduction of Chibok girls. Who would not be worried that the situation in the country has degenerated to a state of hopelessness on many critical issues? The country seems to be faced with a bleak future with the uncertainty of the outcome of the general elections scheduled to hold in February and its aftermath. Notwithstanding, Bishop Oyedepo and other clerics who have been optimistic about the future of the country this year are entitled to their views which are spiritually inspired. The fact that Professor Akinyemi and some others have either been warning against or predicting post election violence is not enough to dismiss clerics as fairly tale bearers. We don't all have to agree with their prophesies but those who want to believe them for whatever reason should be free to do so. The clerics are not unaware of the dire straits we have found ourselves as a country and have at various times been urging political office holders and politicians at all levels to address the various issues requiring urgent attention. I am aware that religious leaders across the divide have been campaigning that their members become more politically active by getting registered to vote the right persons for political office. The political climate of the country may be gloomy like it has been in some past election years, but just as the clerics predicted then, we survived and this year may not be different. The charged political atmosphere in the country is understandable given the stiff opposition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) but it is not enough not to be hopeful about the future of the country. No matter the outcome of particularly the presidential election of February 14, governance in the country has to change for Nigerians to really get the long expected dividends of democracy and improvement in the standard of living. If the APC succeeds in sending President Goodluck Jonathan's administration packing, it will have to prove that it is a better option capable of bringing the expected change. If for whatever reason the PDP manages to retain office at the federal level, it will have to respond to the loud cry for better governance.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

COMMENT

2015 Politics: Oh God our help in ages pastâ&#x20AC;Ś As we pray for divine help in relation to the 2015 presidential and other elections, let us not forget that choosing a leader through elections is basically a terrestrial and not a celestial endeavour

OR a society that is world famous or notorious for having more prayer warriors than any other country of its size on the planet to have gone in the last few weeks into a higher praying gear must mean that citizens are more apprehensive than they normally are. The source of apprehension appears to be the polity, particularly the conflict between the politics of tradition and change. So manifest is the perceived threat to Nigeria's peace and progress that even the Pope found time to ask for a special prayer for Nigeria. Obasanjo has also called for special prayers and fasting for Nigeria. Political and religious leaders and their followers are calling for divine intervention from various corners of the country in matters that are essentially human constructs. Those with the courage to recognise separation of church/mosque and state are calling in their own recommendations for caution and restraint on the part of politicians, as a way to save the country from the abyss in 2015. Given the stridency of calls on God to save the country, first-time visitors to the country would have thought that Christianity and Islam had just come to the country and that those in positions of leadership in the country have just known Jesus or Mohammed. Such people would not realise that there had been no time since 1960 that the country's leaders had not been persons of Christian or Islamic faith. Even during the decades of military rule, all the dictators from Gowon to Abacha and their assistants were Christians or Muslims. Nothing is new about the current enthusiasm of political and cultural leaders to push political issues to God. This practice is in consonance with the habit of the average Nigerian to give unto God what is Caesar's. Buck passing is an aspect of the proverbial Nigerian Factor. There seems to be no cogent reason for the palpable fear and tension that have enveloped the nation since the emergence of Buhari and Jonathan as presidential candidates of the country's two major political parties. It is hard

to find any reason for the panic that has become manifest in all sections of the polity, particularly among direct and indirect spokespersons for the status quo. Many young people are wondering why elders and adults in public life are worried stiff about 2015, to the extent that those not calling frantically for prayers seem compelled by the look of things to call for special protocols to replace the constitution. Just recently, a one-time minister of foreign affairs called (apparently out of concern for peace and stability in the country) on presidential candidates and their parties to sign a special memorandum of understanding in which they pledge not to allow their supporters to get violent after the presidential election. One wrong assumption about postelection violence is that it is candidates and party leaders that allow voters to protest against election malpractice when citizens perceive that their votes have been stolen. In all the elections that had led to violence on account of rigging in this country: 1965 Western Nigeria's parliamentary election; 1983 Ondo State gubernatorial election; and the spontaneous one at the end of the 2011 presidential election; there was no evidence that it was candidates or party leaders that instigated voters to get on the streets to defend their votes. A more realistic and dependable way to prevent post-election violence is for INEC to ensure that the elections are not only free and fair but are also seen by members of all political parties to be free and fair. This is a surer way to prevent any violence than making candidates sign special Memorandum of Undertaking. It is INEC that is charged constitutionally to conduct free and fair elections. It is not the job of the president to promise free and fair elections. All encouragements should be given to INEC to do its job in such a way that it does not throw Nigeria into avoidable crisis on account of poor or substandard performance of a task that is crucial to the country's peace and stability. The constitutional responsibility

of the president vis-Ă -vis election does not go beyond ensuring adequate funding of the agency charged with conduct of election. It is not the job of the president to conduct election; he only needs to guarantee the independence of the electoral body. President Jonathan also has no reason to be promising that the election will be free and fair, as doing so implies that there is a role for the president in conducting an election constitutionally assigned to an independent electoral commission. Given the erratic nature of release of PVCs to registered voters, INEC does not appear to be doing enough to give citizens time to collect their PVCs. The system of giving out PVCs on and off in different parts of the country at different times does not make for the efficiency required for the important task of ensuring that no duly registered citizen is disenfranchised. Part of the tension in the air must be related to the fact that there are still thousands or even millions of voters who are yet to collect their permanent voter cards six weeks to the election. For example, Elebu in Iddo Local Government area of Ibadan still had at the beginning of this week thousands of permanent voter cards waiting to be collected by their owners. There may be many more of such wards all over the country that are yet to release PVCs to potential voters. Instead of asking for memorandum of undertaking from candidates, efforts can still be made to ensure that INEC is able to give out all permanent voter cards before the elections. PVCs that are not collected by the end of January should be invalidated and their numbers published in national dailies. In other words, the best way to assure Nigerians that their votes matter is to ensure that INEC is able to conduct free and fair elections in an atmosphere that is devoid of any form of intimidation of voters. What happened in Ekiti and Osun States earlier in the year should not be a model for the 2015 elections. It is reassuring that President Jonathan had promised in his New Year message that INEC would be given all the

support it needs to conduct free and fair elections in 2015. Our democracy must be prepared to experience whatever difficulties are part of electoral democracy. We should do everything to organise a credible election and have the courage to abide by citizens' verdict at the polls. The strength of democracy is that candidatesbe they incumbents or not-have the same chance to persuade citizens to vote for them at elections. And once an election is free and fair, any party that becomes violent then becomes an enemy of democracy and the country. And citizens should be up to the task to resist any senseless violence driven by any individual's inordinate ambition. In other words, what needs to inspire pundits and citizens about the elections of February of 2015 is the imperative of free and fair election. Furthermore, media pundits need to avoid misleading the average voter through sensational headlines about perfect candidates for the presidency. There is no candidate anywhere in the world that is perfect for any office. It is not part of the culture of democracy to look for perfect candidates or messiahs. Let our media assist our people to do what people do in other democracies: choose the best fit for the job at hand out of the many candidates presented by political parties. As we pray for divine help in relation to the 2015 presidential and other elections, let us not forget that choosing a leader through elections is basically a terrestrial and not a celestial endeavour. Putting electoral matters in hands of God may not be enough to guarantee free and fair elections. Let us remember that our responsibility as citizens and leaders is to ensure that the election to choose the next set of leaders to govern the country is transparently free and fair. Once an incontrovertibly free and fair election is assured, we can be sure that all the gods that 160 million Nigerians worship in different ways will be around to help shame anyone who opts for violence.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

COMMENT

Amaechi vs DSS Security agencies cannot circumscribe freedom of speech

HE warning issued by the Department of State Security (DSS) against the use of inciting and inflammatory statements by politicians in the run-up to the February 2015 general elections once again shows how partisan and unprofessional government agencies and parastatals have become in recent times. In a statement signed by Mrs. Marilyn Ogar, the DSS's Deputy Public Relations Director, the service claimed that it would no longer tolerate the use of "unguarded" statements by politicians whose actions it described as "irresponsible, selfish and against our collective well-being as a nation." Warning that no one was above the law of the land, Ogar specifically denounced "a serving governor" who had apparently called on members of the Armed Forces to "rise up in protest against constituted authority." Even by the abysmally low standards of neutrality found in most government agencies, the DSS stands out for its notoriously partisan approach to the performance of its duties. Ever since it became more visible with the rise in insurgent activities in the country's north-east, the service has made no attempt to hide its support for the government in power, even at the cost of its own image in the eyes of the citizenry. The service appears to believe that attacking perceived political and other opposition to the Jonathan administration is synonymous with ensuring national security. In August last year, it all but accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to bribe DSS personnel during the Osun State gubernatorial elections. No one has been charged to court on the matter. In the same month, Ogar infamously asked why bomb blasts do not occur when the APC won elections, only to become manifest when the party lost them. Even the respected "Bring Back Our Girls" campaign has not escaped DSS attention, having been described as fraudulent and a political tool.

HILE the Jonathanians cannot distinguish their boss from renowned cerebral entities like Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Madiba Mandela and even our Lord Jesus, they have continued to rant and rabblerouse as they leave issues by refusing to highlight his major achievements viz-a-viz the basic tenets of his proposed "transformation" agenda and the impact to a common Nigerian. The Goodluck apologists have only told us the sudden increase in GDP which according to them has led to Nigeria being the largest economy in Africa. Needless do I accentuate the fact that a country's GDP does not measure the environmental impact of growth, nor sustainability. A good economist will attest to the fact that it's possible that GDP is growing up but median income going down and poverty rate increasing. Hence, the criticism of GDP as a flawed metric of economic growth by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. Indeed, Nigeria's problem never started with GEJ, but further aggravation of the economy and the infliction of pains on the masses rather than amelioration by this administration cannot

The latest warning issued by the service is simply the continuation of this ill-disguised campaign of calumny. Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who was the main target of the latest DSS attack, merely expressed the opinion that soldiers engaged in anti-insurgency operations had a right to protest the lack of arms, ammunition and other supplies essential to success against the insurgents. Taken in context, it does not amount to endorsing mutiny or insubordination. The governor's position has been supported by respected retired officers like General Ishola Williams (rtd.), who said that the 54 soldiers recently sentenced to death for mutiny had a right to refuse to go to war if they lacked the necessary arms and ammunition. The position of Amaechi and Williams is borne out by objective confirmation of the fact that the anti-insurgency campaign is not going as well as it should have because the soldiers are ill-equipped, poorly-resourced and badly-motivated. Why else did President Goodluck Jonathan seek an emergency US $1 billion loan if the armed forces had received all that they required? If criticism of the anti-insurgency campaign is simply partisan political sniping, why has he not visited Chibok since the mass abductions took place in April? Why was Major-General Ahmed Mohammed, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 7 Division removed after he was allegedly shot at? If there is anything Nigerians should be worTRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

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ried about, it is increasing partisanship of supposedly-neutral government organs, rather than allegedly inciting statements from politicians. The world witnessed the antics of the Nigeria Police and the DSS during the elections in Ekiti and Osun states last year, when both worked to suppress the political campaigns of the APC while providing protection and succour to candidates of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). In December 2014, the DSS invaded an APC data centre on allegations that "unwholesome activities" were taking place within it. One month later, the service is unable to come out with any evidence to back up its accusations. The danger to the polity of blatantly partisan government agencies cannot be underestimated. It denotes a glaring lack of professional ethics and competence which will definitely undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of such agencies. The lack of trust spawned by the obviously-jaundiced statements of people like Ogar can only serve to erode public confidence and trust at precisely the moment when they are most needed, and by extension, can further weaken confidence in the operations of government as a whole. Rather than make common cause with any political party or public office holder, the nation's security agencies should simply focus on their duties. If anybody falls foul of the laws of the land, that person should be taken to court. This is the least requirement, especially in a democratic dispensation where free speech is an essential ingredient. No one should attempt to take that right away under the guise of ensuring security in the country. We would have understood the concerns of the security agencies but for our experiences with them, especially in recent years. Agencies like the DSS would do well to remember that while governments are temporary, the self-inflicted damage caused to their own reputations by their partisanship will last much longer.

LETTERS

Between Goodluck and Buhari be quick to be dispelled. The over one million internally displaced persons had their own share of the woes; this will undeniably deny their children access to basic education. The drama behind the captured Chibok girls still lingers in our memories, even with the hope of them returning to their parents fading away as recently admitted by the federal government. The recent pronouncement by the Minister of Power that power generation and

transmission has dropped to about 2000MW calls for serious concern, despite the huge investment in the power sector. The commercialisation of education and lack of basic infrastructure in our learning institutions show the level of gross incompetence of this administration, just to mention a few. As of today, most Nigerians would agree with me that the presidential contest is between Jonathan and Buhari. We might not have

found an angelic saviour, yet we have been provided with the next best alternative. Buhari, popularly called Mei Gaskiya (The Custodian of truth), has been birthed for the fourth consecutive time on a rescue mission. A man whose integrity and reputation has not been soiled by the murky waters of Nigeria's politics, a man who believes stealing is analogous to corruption. Little wonder because of his increasing acceptance, he had been

painted to be a religious bigot and a semi-literate "jackboot" by those who have refused to account for the "missing" $20bn federation account. As part of their plot to resist common sense revolution, they call him an old man, while they fail to realise that those who governed India and led her to one of the best twenty economies through their policies are octogenarians. They fail to realise that the common man has preference for a secondary school

certificate holder who has integrity and can give them electricity to a PhD holder who cannot preserve their territorial integrity, give them quality education and security. It is time for Nigerians to choose between hope and despair, between accountability and looting, between leadership and ruler ship, between a visionary and visionless leader, between mass employment and unemployment and ultimately between light and darkness. I agree with a columnist who said we need Buhari more than he needs us. Give us GMB/ OSINBAJO…..Sai Buhari Adetayo Peter archallusmcb@yahoo.com

The murder of hope

HE focus seems to be GEJ must go, everyone has his eyes on the man, his power is overestimated, the opposition envies it, his party wants to keep it. The fact, however, remains that institutions must be built to work so the disposition of leaders does not define our fate as it currently does. A governor can make the payment of workers' salary a non-issue and can't be held

accountable because he is in bed with the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the judiciary is also powerless because he can politically blackmail them; he can starve them of funds or buy them over with funds. Leadership is an industry requiring many units to function if any real gains would be made. The designers of democracy put in place a system where there

is effective monitoring of the actions or inactions of each component part. The systems to check our democracy are faulty, the people are ignorant of the role each man should play. We blame a single individual for the failure of multitudes, we forget about the legislative arm of government that we elected to monitor the executive. When did the House or the Senate rise above their internal corrup-

tion to ensure that Nigerians benefit from the Executive? Leadership has failed mostly because those we 'elected' to monitor leadership are in a sworn covenant with the leadership to impoverish us. The senate president is hand in gloves with the Executive, and hence can't be expected to speak for the electorate. The legislatures have abused our trust more than any other

group. They pass budgets for security year in year out and forget to ask questions about implementation. The man in the streets is being raped and battered with the consent and connivance of his kin who he elected to protect him. We can't have faith in the "Old Governors' Forum", that is what the Senate has become. By Ekitumi Ofagbor Ofagbor88@yahoo.com

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

COMMENT

It will be most unlike PDP not to rig the 2015 election Why would Fayemi lose? he asked, and the soldier simply told him that even if Ekiti people voted from then till the next morning, PDP had already won, having pre-programmed the ballot papers

ENERAL Buhari and Professor Osinbajo are not by any means men without fault. But they are our men for the job in the presidency at this point of our national history. The Buhari-Osinbajo presidency will not be an accidental or a reluctant presidency. These are two individuals with convictions of great possibilities for the nation. These are two men of courage: courage to follow through with great ideas; courage to take sides with the poor and the vulnerable; courage to do the right thing in the interest of the nation. The Buhari-Osinbajo presidency might be the beginning of our true democratic experience -the era where government is beholden to the people' -Gbemi Jaiyebo, New York. The more popular Buhari gets, and he is catching on like wild fire, the more desperate to rig, PDP gets. Chief Olu Falae has not stopped bemoaning his 1999 loss to Obasanjo, claiming the election was rigged. Many were killed in 2003 as thugs ensured that election results were declared for the PDP. It was worst in the Southwest where, anxious to outdo Awo, Obasanjo completely outmaneuvered the AD governors, except in Lagos. Suffice for the 2007 election to say that the late President Yar' Adua was scandalised enough to publicly confess that he was rigged into office. Unfortunately, such sense of shame has since departed the PDP; otherwise they would not be grandstanding, celebrating a non-existent transparency in the 2011 elections during which fake ballot papers, printed at an Abuja press named in General Buhari's pleadings at the Presidential Election Tribunal, were flying all around. Ditto Ogun and Akwa Ibom, two PDP states. In more

recent elections, Governor Adams Oshiomhole was close to tears describing to press men the shameless rigging and brigandage witnessed in an election in the Local Government Area of a top PDP chieftain in Edo State. Readers of this column are by now familiar with my take on the '16:0 defeat' of a sitting governor by now Governor Ayo Fayose of the PDP in Ekiti. Circumstances surrounding the Ekiti election which Professor Wole Soyinka aptly described as a mystery, and the call by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, for a Memorandum of Undertaking which would see Jonathan and Buhari order/direct their supporters to accept the result of the presidential election, willy nilly, irrespective of the integrity of the process, in order to avoid any post electoral crisis, are the very reasons for this article at a time we should still be singing 'Silent night'. Musliu Obanikoro, former, as well as, incoming State Minister for Defence, has been gloating and boasting concerning the 2015 election. The gentleman has been fouling the air around since he lost the governorship primary election to Mr Jimi Agbaje, believed by party leaders to have better electoral value. But having now successfully got back his ministerial position, which many believe was the reason for all the noise, he has headed to press interviews in celebration. In the interview, published in the Punch of Sunday, 28 December, 2015, Obanikoro declared assuredly: "Ogunlewe said in his interview with Sunday Punch that he doesn't know whether the PDP will win in the Southwest. He said it is not yet time for him to talk about that. But it is time for me to talk about it. I can

tell you that we are going to win. The president is going to win BIG; WE ARE GOING TO CLEAR THE SOUTHWEST. YOU CAN MARK TODAY'S DATE AND QUOTE ME'. Obanikoro may be everything Bode George and Seye called him but, they cannot contest the fact that this man knows much more than they do about PDP's behind the scene escapades. For instance, while it is doubtful if any of George or Seye knows anything about how the Ekiti election was won and lost, Obanikoro can beat his chest and claim he was one of the high priests of that strange election. It is for that reason that, like Wike in Rivers State, Obanikoro almost fought to the death to be the PDP candidate in Lagos State, in the sure knowledge that he will win BIG. For Obanikoro to successfully controvert any of these, he must explain to Nigerians what exactly he was doing in Ekiti during the election. This is somebody who is neither from Ekiti nor is he an official of INEC and he cannot claim to have been performing any official duties since the military high command had earlier warned him against politicising the military. While Jonathan's goons were stopping and detaining governors right on the highway to AdoEkiti, and stopping planes from landing anywhere near Ekiti, Obanikoro not only flew into Akure with an evil luggage which was later ferried into Ekiti in a bullion van as was copiously reported by newspapers, he joined other non-Ekiti PDP busy bodies, among them a self-confessed Igbo serial election rigger, all of who then worked the magic of 21 June, 2014, that night when the police declared a totally unnecessary curfew. At this point, I must narrate a story told me

by the very person to whom it happened. When one of the APC leaders detained before the election asked why they were being detained, he was told by the soldier guarding them that it was because they were the ones who could rouse people to riot after Fayemi had lost. Why would Fayemi lose? he asked, and the soldier simply told him that even if Ekiti people voted from then till the next morning, PDP had already won, having pre-programmed the ballot papers. He almost collapsed. The gentleman is alive and kicking. Only a fool would claim not to know that Obanikoro and Adesiyan were deliberately planted ahead of the elections as junior ministers in the armour-bearing ministries of Defence and Police Affairs for the sole purpose of intimidating and pacifying Yoruba land. Obanikoro's boasts, quoted above, are very reminiscent of Fayose's boasts before the Ekiti election. Fayose told everybody at his campaigns stops that he had already won. He even said he would defeat Fayemi in his ward which he, however, failed to do. But so certain of victory was he that he said publicly that Fayemi should not bother painting the new state house because he doesn't know his preferred colours. The Obanikoro boasts, also a replica of that of the president who has already sent ambassadors to their heads of state as to how seamless the 2015 election would be, are no phony boasts at all. Ekiti has more than shown that these people get serious when the business at hand concerns rigging and I just hope APC is not sleeping. INEC must be compelled to conduct the election strictly according to the provisions of the Electoral Law which, among other things, pre-

scribes ONLY INDELIBLE INK. Rogue elements within INEC rigged the Ekiti election for PDP simply by supplying VANISHING INK in place of indelible ink. I have once written on these pages that when you see a seemingly powerful governor, as in Akwa Ibom, or a presidency- supported candidate like Wike , insisting on a particular candidate, or being the candidate himself, to the total chagrin of majority of party members, many of who are therefore defecting to other parties, and the PDP is unconcerned, it is because they are not depending on legitimate votes for victory. The purpose of this article is to ask Nigerians to plead with the PDP - being the party with the history and the material capacity to rig on an industrial scale, to spare Nigeria the consequences of a probable postelection crisis. Unfortunately for the Southwest, most of those who traditionally perform this function - a check on governments - have already been sucked in by, and at, the National Conference and now love Jonathan more than an Asari Dokubo with books getting written and published in under two weeks and with Obasanjo getting serially thrashed by an amalgam of deliberately selected Yoruba National conferees. I cannot wonder enough as to where they will disappear to when Asari Dokubo levels their territory as he has promised, and, by the way, we are yet to hear these acclaimed Yoruba leaders comment on that threat by the President's Ijaw compatriot. Luckily for Nigeria, there are still enough men of integrity to do the needful. I wish my readers a happy and wonderful New Year.

And as we ring in the New Year... I rather think that Nigeria is still the way it is because people are praying too much and doing too little to effect good governance wherever they find themselves

give you very hearty New Year greetings! I read a story in some book not long ago about the pastor of a village church, somewhere in England, who had accosted one of his supposed parishioners, known to be an avid farmer, and accused him of not coming to church. The parishioner indifferently replied that he would be seen in the church as soon as it was known that crop pests could be killed by praying rather than spraying. I was a little amused when I read the news report about how the president of our country, while speaking at a church service, credited the peace experienced over the recent holidays across the land to the prayers of the Nigerian people and the work of the government. Wonderful, I thought; wondering if the president really put it in that order. If he did, then he must be wanting to say something to the congregation, and by extension, the entire Nigerian praying public. I thought he might really be saying that prayers could not only kill slugs and pests but could sling enough anti-terror deterrents to discourage the activities of boko haram devotees, armed robbers, kidnappers, ritualists, and other sundry silent terrorists. Now, I think that's saying something. Here we have been all this while, thinking that successful governance was

all about maximally employing all state apparatuses to ensure peace at all times. This means engaging the army, police, guards and all armed and unarmed forces to do their job to keep the peace. In the process, they may, of course, catapult a few pounds of warning bullets at the foes. Somewhere in the background, the unengaged but serious Nigerian populace can stay on its knees and deftly direct some well-aimed and well-armed prayers at the good heavens as support. Then we would have peace. Now, it seems our eyes are being opened, according to that story, to the possibility that those prayers may very well have been our main armoury. What then does that make of our state forces: supporting actors? Don't get me wrong. I know for a fact that there is no Nigerian who embarks on a journey now without first of all invoking all the heavenly powers to ban all destructive forces and loose all protective ones. Many there are who examine and re-examine all the possible cowries combinations at home to be sure the interpretation on their prospective journey is correct; not to talk of the ones who first visit their secret shrines backwards and front-wards before setting out, all just to travel on Nigerian roads. The reason is simple: it is in order to ensure that boko haram devotees, armed robbers, kidnappers, ritualists and other

sundry silent terrorists do not have their own prayers answered so that you can return from your journey. Oh yes, I understand that even armed robbers pray for a successful outing before they set out... Truly, if you understand something of the Nigerian situation, you will be tempted to do all three before you set off on a journey, sit down to a meal, enter your car to drive to work, take a walk on the road, talk over the fence with your neighbour, see your friend off after a good visit... It seems life in Nigeria has become so dangerous that we require prayers at every turn. The other day, I heard a story about how a man was visited by his friend and he decided to see him off in the evening twilight time zone. That was the last his family saw of him and all enquiries led to nothing. His friend insisted that the man turned back after he got into a taxi. Anyways, he was found weeks later in a place very far from home, barely alive. Obviously, you also need prayers to visit your friend and when you are visited by your friend. So, I know all about prayers; you really should hear me pray. However, in the operatives of governance, the people do not want to be told that their prayers are holding the state afloat. When that happens, it is a quarter to disaster, because it admits to the helplessness of the state. Then, the people probably would not need elected officials: they would elect to pray all day and all night; and angels would come down and take over the reins of government. Rather, the people want to be told

that the state has deployed this number of arsenals against the foes, this number of secret operatives to perform this action, this number of paid road troopers to perform that action. The people want a demonstration that the government is truly on top of the situation, not just figuratively so or because they say so. Then, the people would support the state with their prayers. As it is, there is no doubt that Nigeria is a praying nation. Oh yes, Nigeria prays, sir! Yet, I do not believe there is any nation of people on earth who are more corrupt, wicked, unserious, insensitive or uncaring than Nigerians. Just recently, I read of an army officer who was denied his entitlements for fourteen years by the army. Disabled by illness, he cried out and he was promptly upbraided by the army for going to the press. Presumably, they also pray. So, let's talk about the efficacy or otherwise of some action or the other please and let's have less of prayers. It is only in Nigeria that people use prayers to keep others awake all through the night in the name of night vigil! Only Nigerians head to praying grounds at seven a.m. before going to the jobs where they are expected to resume at half-past seven. But, let's not go into all that again. I rather think that actually, Nigeria is still the way it is because people are praying too much and doing too little to effect good governance wherever they find themselves. As we ring in the New Year, let us reflect deeply. I am not throwing out the

usefulness of prayers. I pray. It is, however, more important to first execute an expected right action in order to ensure others do not suffer as a result of our inaction or wrong action. It is more important to always practice putting ourselves in the position of the receivers of our actions. Above all, it is important to always remember that every action always comes back or boomerangs, good or bad. There is no exception to that rule. As you go through the year, I wish you everything I wish myself. I wish you more vibrancy than that of the famed tortoise whose instincts for self preservation made him one of the most interesting characters in fiction. Indeed, his vibrancy was such that if you hemmed your throat and mumbled 'Story, Story' to a group of children, you would immediately be asked, 'Is it about Tortoise?' He is the only fourlegged animal known to have somehow contrived to fly in the sky (what has his not having feathers got to do with it?), survived the sulphur of pit latrines for over ten years, made a king bow to him, and what else not. I also wish you a sharper instinct than last year's so that you'll be able to step nimbly out of the way of the new, over-speeding, baby oil sheiks; or come up with the right and most appropriate repartee in every situation, again like the tortoise. Then, you will not be like me who only comes up with the wittiest thing to say after the situation has passed. Above all, I wish you the ability to carry out 365+ acts of kindness this year. Your life may depend on it.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

COMMENT

(97) After the deluge: beyond corruption and regional realignment of forces in a post-PDP Nigeria

T is not hyperbolic to speak of a post-PDP Nigeria in mythic terms. To speak of our country as a land readying itself for cleansing and restitution after a great deluge that lasted for a long time and laid nearly everything to waste is to deploy the powers of language and symbolic logic to try to capture what Nigeria has gone through in the last sixteen years. This order of discourse moves us beyond the dry, conceptualist universe of political economy in which a country like Nigeria under the rule of the PDP is described as a failing state. With the discourse of symbolic and mythic logic, we are much closer to the human and psychic realities of the nation and the masses of its peoples in a period of great travail. For there are parts of the country in which, quite literally, it is as if one is in a physical terrain that looks very much like a land washed over by a great flood, a massive tsunami. Parts of the Niger Delta and the North come to mind here: those parts of the Niger Delta in which farmlands, fishing waters and the entire physical environment have been blighted by oil spills that are never cleaned up; and those parts of the North that have been seized by the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency. But these are only the worst expressions of realities that confront us everywhere in the country in which great suffering and insecurity have become the daily experience of millions of our peoples and the majority of the young that see only bleak futures ahead of them. At any rate, beyond the relatively more benign biblical parable of seven fat years coming after seven lean years, I see a post-PDP Nigeria as a land gearing up for a massive cleanup after a political tsunami, a moral and spiritual valley of death. The only caveat to add here is the necessity of anchoring the symbolic discourse of floods and tsunamis in concrete observations concerning the probable course of capitalist democracy in a post-PDP Nigeria. It is of course possible, though highly improbable, that the PDP will continue to rule after the general elections of 2015. In that case, I hasten to observe that my reflections in this piece will not have proved futile and delusory; rather, they would have turned out to be prescient in the sense that, by a reverse logic, the deluge will continue, the moral and psychic morass will not come to an end. This is because PDP cannot, and will never reform from within; it will never clean up the Augean stables of filth and rot it has created. If it

rigs its way into perpetuation of its misrule, it will be emboldened to raise impunity to new levels and we and the whole world will be astonished by new forms of monumental corruption, waste and mismanagement of our natural and human resources. Ngozi OkonjoIweala once said that she would be quite satisfied if she was able to reduce the scale of looting and squandermania in PDP's Nigeria by 4%; in a post-2015 general elections era that maintains the PDP in power at the centre, that 4% will dip into the minus percentile range, that is if it has not already done so. The worst will never reach its bottom in PDP's misrule for what we confront in it is an abyss, a bottomless cesspit. Dear readers, dear compatriots, do not withhold yourselves from dreaming about and working for a post-PDP, postdeluge Nigeria especially as it so happens that there are solid grounds on which to base projections of the PDP's complete rout in next month's elections, these being the roles that corruption and a new realignment of forces among our political elites, our ruling class will play in the presidential elections. Let me explain. Barring the stealing of victory by the PDP through massive rigging

and a will to use very costly repressive violence to contain mass resistance to rigging, the 2015 general elections will be fought primarily around the twin axes of corruption and the electoral alliance of mainstream politicians of the "core" North" and the Southwest. Corruption of course exists in all the ruling class political parties and is to be found at varying levels in virtually all the state and local governments of the country. As almost every commentator on corruption in Nigeria has stated, the scale of corruption in Nigeria is nothing short of systemic: it is the noxious glue that holds everything together among godfathers and clients among our political elites; and it is the nefarious bond that binds the rulers to the ruled with regard to the unofficial and manipulative redistribution of resources between the few thousands of the haves and the millions of the have-nots. Given these factors, the question arises as to how and why corruption has come to loom much larger in the coming February 2015 general elections than it had ever done in all previous elections since the return to formal, civilian democracy in 1999. The answer to this question is simple and unambiguous: under the Jonathan presidency, more

specifically under the Jonathan administration's endgame to the PDP's era of arrant misrule, corruption has far exceeded the systemic to become extra- or para- systemic; it no longer has rhyme or reason, method in madness, or logic in illogic. Trillions of naira and tens of billions of dollars vanish or are unaccounted for, even as government workers and contractors are unpaid; state governors go cap in hand to Abuja and return with near empty bowls, month after month. The looting frenzy has reached dizzying heights of impunity and this is why corruption is the first and perhaps main issue of the coming elections. Additionally, this is why short of massive and violent rigging, Jonathan and the PDP will lose as they more than deserve to do. Most Nigerians are focused on corruption as the main issue of the elections, especially given the myths, legends and facts concerning Buhari's alleged distaste for corruption The U.S. and the European Union will in particular be keenly watching the outcome of the elections and the main reason for this is also the scale, the extra- and para-systemic nature of corruption in the Jonathan presidency and its offshoots around the country. And of course the other big issue in the election is what is being described as the return of power or, more specifically the presidency, to the North, this in an alliance that brings large segments of mainstream political forces of the "core" North with those of the Southwest. This is an infinitely more complex issue than the unifying and idealizing "ABJ" (Anyone But Jonathan) battle against corruption. In the postindependence political history of the country, this is not the first time that this sort of alliance has happened, the NPC-NNDP alliance of the 1960s being the first time that a joining of forces between the North and the Southwest came to power in the center in our country. But this time around, the alliance will not be a simple repetition of history, a mere regrouping of similar ideological and programmatic tendencies. In the earlier case, the two parties did not completely merge, for the simple reason that neither the NPC nor the NNDP wanted to lose its regional identity in a single party in which regionalism was or could be completely subsumed into a national party whose regional currents took second place to a nationwide plurality. Now the allied forces have merged into a single party of diverse and even contra-

dictory ideological and policy orientations and as a consequence, we are about to enter into an almost totally unprecedented space of ruling class politics in our country. The parameters for apprehending this new space are already being set around very familiar oversimplifying ideas and perspectives. Perhaps by far the most common among these is the view that the new President will be Northern and Muslim while the Vice President will be Southern and Christian. This will certainly be the dominant view in the Western press and even within the ruling circles in Europe and the United States. And to be very candid about this, the thoughts, the emotions and the aspirations of a very large segment of the Nigerian electorate are also driven by this particular perspective. But like the question of corruption, this subject of a balancing act between a Moslem North and a Christian South begs the question of how a post-PDP Nigerian ruling class will be different in policy, programmes and issues from the era of the PDP and the long military interregnums before it. This is quite apart from the fact that the North is neither wholly Moslem nor the South wholly Christian. Perhaps the most important consideration of all is the fact that the APC being unlike any other merger of disparate ideological forces we have ever seen in the political history of this country, we are almost certainly on the cusp of a new order of political discourse in a post-PDP Nigeria. In this, our beginning observation is that the present coalition within the party is centre-right, with the proviso that a center-left formation is slumbering underneath the present dominant formation. There are some among those reading this piece who will think that these reflections are premature or perhaps even meaningless in the context of present-day ruling class politics in our country. These caveats, these objections will be our starting point in next week's concluding essay in the series as we focus on what sort of capitalism a post-PDP ruling class party will institute as a replacement for the present vacuum that combines a looting frenzy with a thoughtless, fundamentalist and unregulated capitalism driven by a latter-day primitive accumulation of the basest and most unregenerate kind that the world has ever known. Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

COMMENT

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Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, is a very powerful man. He has at his beck and call hundreds of thousands of men enlisted in the Nigeria Police. An indeterminate number of officers belonging to the shadowy Department of State Security (DSS) are equally available to do his bidding at the snap of a finger. In a country where the authorities over the years have not been squeamish about deploying armed agents of state to disconcert the opposition and claim 'victory' at the polls, the concentration of such power in the hands a brazen partisan is potentially disastrous for our young democracy. When he proudly announced at a book launch last week that he had given orders to the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba and the DSS to arrest anyone who makes 'inflammatory statements' ahead of the 2015 elections, the gravity and implications of his utterances were clearly lost on him. At the same event he made the incendiary claim that All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo were working to foist an interim government on Nigeria. Explaining his order for a crackdown, Adesiyan said: "Many of those in the APC are disgruntled PDP members who are no longer relevant and because they could not have their way, they have started to heat up the polity. They have said they will form a parallel government if they lose." This same statement had riled President Goodluck Jonathan who at one of his campaign stops at an Abuja church wondered how a politician, and a Christian to boot, would dare utter such a statement. Everyone knows that the 'Christian' politician being referred to by Jonathan is his bête noire and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi. I have no doubt that but for his constitutional restraint of immunity, the Aso Villa would have moved against the outspoken governor. Amaechi, never one to sidestep a controversy, infuriated his foes afresh with his remarks insisting that soldiers recently court-martialed and convicted for mutiny had the right to protest being asked to fight Boko Haram insurgents without being adequately armed. Since those comments were made all heel has broken loose with the army and DSS piling in the governor for saying things they consider an invitation for soldiers to be mutinous. It might help to remind readers here that the same comments the governor made have been repeated by the likes of Major General Ishola Williams (retd) who went on to state

E-mail: festus.eriye@gmail.com Twitter: @EriyeFestus

A powerful minister and his enforcers

•Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan

•Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba

that soldiers protesting suicidal orders was not unheard off. The remarks of the former Chief of Defence Operations, Planning and Training, at Defence Headquarters have been largely ignored, but Ameachi's have triggered near ballistic reactions given his political profile. In the light of what Adesiyan has revealed the response of the DSS is a follow-up to instructions from above. But beyond that it is especially sinister. The organisations's Deputy Director of Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, warned political office holders not to 'hide under the privileges of their offices to perpetrate and encourage the commission of acts inimical to the general interest of this nation." This, she said pregnantly, was the "final warning." I am struck by the finality of Ogar's threat. Assuming Amaechi or some other public officer protected by law from prosecution were to say something which the agencies consider inciting, would they violate that individual's constitutional immunity? In today's Nigeria nothing is impossible. If a squadron of policemen could seal off the National Assembly and humiliate its members by teargassing their chambers without consequences, then there is no low our security forces will not

plumb in their desire to please whoever holds power at a given time. I am all for peace and security. But democracy is also about free speech and freedom to choose who will lead a country or community. It is about exercising such freedoms without some non-judicial arbiter standing as a middle man to determine what constitutes appropriate or inflammatory comment, or determining what is constitutional or not. It was that sort of effrontery that prompted the Inspector-General of Police to declare that Aminu Tambuwal was no longer Speaker of the House of Representatives because he decamped from APC to PDP. In an outrageous power grab that remains as yet unpunished, he assumed the role of the courts to add to his powers

"Politics is activity that excites passions and roils emotions. It involves contest: we should expect the temperature to rise during any election cycle. All the lazy and clichéd talk about 'heating up the polity' arise from ignorantly trying to turn politics into Sunday Mass: it is not! It is passionate business that generates heat, insults and sometimes, unfortunately, violence. Live with it."

as an enforcer. Since that event, legislators have been crossing the carpet at the National and state assembly levels at a dizzying rate. Embarrassingly, the great enforcer of the Nigerian constitution has suddenly gone absent without leave. Whatever section of Nigeria's statutes the security services are depending on to clamp down on people for their comments, they would find that such provisions don't define what constitutes 'inflammatory comment.' When does a comment become inciting? What is the empirical gauge for judging its flammability other than the jaundiced assessment of the likes of Adesiyan and Abba? With barely six weeks to go before the general elections, I dare say any strong criticism of the incumbent and his embattled administration would rank as 'inflammatory comment' in the books of the Police Minister and his enforcers. On the day Adesiyan was making his arrest order public, he was also accusing two former Nigerian Heads of State of planning treasonable acts without providing any shred of evidence. In my book that ranks as a grade one 'inflammatory comment.' But who's going arrest the arresters? Is all this anxiety over “inflammatory comments” not an indication how fragile the Nigerian federation has become? Instead of looking for vulnerable scapegoats should we not be pointing the finger at failed leadership that has brought us to this pass? If there's a grave danger facing our democracy today, it isn't from the occasionally heated statements made by excitable politicians. It is emanating more from the pedestrian interpretation of what constitutes threat to national interest by Nigeria's security agencies. Politics is activity that excites

passions and roils emotions. It involves contest: we should expect the temperature to rise during any election cycle. All the lazy and clichéd talk about 'heating up the polity' arise from ignorantly trying to turn politics into Sunday Mass: it is not! It is passionate business that generates heat, insults and sometimes, unfortunately, violence. Live with it. This is the understanding that seems to elude our all-powerful minister and the enforcers that are ever so gung-ho about arresting people for speaking their minds. The police, DSS and others should stop inserting themselves in the middle of the political mudfight. By presenting themselves as interested partisans they erode the integrity of their institutions and lose respect in the eyes of the people. That is why aside the economy and insurgency, one of the most pressing challenges confronting the national leadership that will emerge this February is reforming our security services to make them relevant to the needs of an emerging democracy in the 21st century. What we have now are services whose mindset is stuck in the military era of the 70s and 80s. That reform must, however, be National Assembly-led because the abuse of the security agencies has always been a crime perpetrated by the executive branch. If APC wins the Presidency don't be surprised if next day security agencies start threatening PDP members who make critical comments about the new powers-that-be. The system is that backward and servile. We need a police and DSS that are truly engaged with protecting the people from violent criminals and insurgents. We don't need a bunch of armed men and women who are confused about what their roles are and have lapsed into some sort of 'thought people' dragooned to screen what we say in the heat of the moment. Don't turn Nigeria into North Korea please! But more importantly we need a decentralised police and intelligence agencies structure that does not leave such powerful institutions in the hands of small-minded individuals with anything but a democratic temper and mindset.

The PhD and the 'illiterate'

DP National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo, says this February Nigerians will have to choose between Goodluck Jonathan the PhD holder and Muhammadu Buhari, the 'semi-illiterate' jackboot. Oladipo isn't saying Buhari cannot read and write in English, Hausa or Arabic. He isn't accusing him of not passing through the precincts of some primary, secondary or military school. The former head of state has been forcibly demoted to the ranks of the illiterate because he didn't attend a university. Thankfully for the APC candidate that is no hindrance to his aspirations as the constitution only requires him to have secondary school education - a conditions he more than meets. Given that Oladipo is some sort of professor it is amazing he does not understand that mighty accomplishments are not a function of your string of degrees. Some of the greatest business leaders the world has ever known

•Winston Churchill

are either university dropouts or never even had the tertiary education experience. Names like Microsoft founder and one of the world's richest men, Bill Gates; Oracle founder, Larry Ellison, worth $28 billion who dropped out of University of Chicago; Chelsea Football Club

owner, Roman Abramovich, worth $11.2 billion - a college dropout who once sold plastic toys out of his small apartment in Russia. But the most interesting example is Britain's war time Prime Minister Winston Churchill who had a very poor academic record in school. He struggled through three independent schools before ending up at the famous Harrow School. After leaving Harrow he applied to attend the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He would make three attempts before passing the entrance examination. Although he never went to university, Churchill is today regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century. He is the only British Prime Minister to have won the Nobel Prize in Literature since its inception in 1901, and has been voted the greatest Briton ever. Strong leadership comes from your innate character traits, not the number of paper qualifications on your wall. Enough said.

20 SUNDAY LIFE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

As we usher in the New Year, Gboyega Alaka brings to the front burner, the growing cases of child obesity in our society, highlighting the health and psychological effects on the youngsters.

â&#x20AC;˘Continued on Page 21

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SUNDAY LIFE 21

•Akin-Jimoh

•Continued on Page 26

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22 SUNDAY LIFE

‘I want justice!’ says amputee, whose leg was damaged by a driver Ezekiel Yakubu, 30, whose leg was amputated after he was hit by a driver, cries out, saying he has been abandoned to suffering and penury. He is also not happy with the way the police and lawyer have gone about the case. Taiwo Abiodun reports •Ezekiel

PHOTOS: TAIWO ABIODUN

•Continued on Page 23

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

•Ezekiel’s arm

SUNDAY LIFE

•Bukola, the Jeep driver

•Continued from Page 22

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24 SUNDAY LIFE

• Young skaters at the National Stadium, Lagos

For almost a decade, peace has eluded Ijoko Egba town in Ado-Odo Ota local government area of Ogun State. Two families lay claim to the kingship of the town and the ensuing tussle has led to sorrow, tears and gnashing of teeth. Seun Akioye reports

TROUBLE IN IJOKO Residents recount days of violence and arson

•We have made some arrests-Police

•Continued on Page 25

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SUNDAY LIFE 25

Kingship tussle tears Ijoko apart

•Continued from Page 24

•Continued on Page 26

26 SUNDAY LIFE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

Residents recount days of violence and arson •Continued from Page 25

•Continued from Page 21

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

30 GLAMOUR

ADETUTU AUDU

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08023849036, 08112662587

Stephanie Henshaw cools off in Abuja

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

GLAMOUR 31

Ghazali Lawal starts on a fresh note

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

GLAMOUR/OUT & ABOUT

Ogbomoso Recreation Club marks 25th anniversary

HE Ogbomoso Recreation Club (ORC) on December 27, 2014 marked its 25 th anniversary with an Award night, commissioning of completed Club projects and the launch of a book on the history of the Club, Ogbomoso Recreation Club at 25, written by Olayinka Oyegbile. Taiwo Abiodun was there

• A cross section of traditional chiefs at the event.

•(L-R) Barrister Foluso Aremu, one of the recipients receiving his award from former Inspector General of Police, Chief Adewusi.

•L-R Vice President ORC, Prince Moses Adetunji (Azzurri), President, Chief Adebayo AlaoAkala, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Chief Sunday Adewusi, Anniversary Day Chairman, Engineer Abiodun Kehinde Ahmadu cutting the anniversary cake.

•Two of the Award winners, (L-R) Chief Layi • (L-R) Architect Elijah Akanmu, one of the reAkano (Pakiotan), Col Bode Adewuyi commis- cipients receiving his award from Gen Yusuf sioning one of the completed projects Brimo (rtd.)

• Chairman of the occasion Engineer • Oyelola Oyetunji displaying the post •President of the Club Otunba Alao- •Engineer Aremu Makinde receivAhmadu unveiling the anniversary humous Award on behalf of her fa- Akala ing his award from Engineer book. ther Oyewole Oyetunji. Ahmadu.

Former Miss Oladele Fakeye becomes Mrs. Ojetayo

• The couple, Bunmi Ojetayo and former Miss Oladele Fakeye cutting their cake

T was a celebration of love as former Miss Oladele Fakeye was joined with her heartthrob, Mr Bunmi Ojetayo, at the Saint Rita Catholic Church, Eleyele, Ibadan. Family, friends and well wishers trooped out to felicitate with the duo at the Tafo Arena, Along Poly Road, Ijokodo. The event was chaired by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof Temitope Alonge.

EHIZELE weds DAVE

•Groom's mother, Mrs. Cecelia Ojelola and aunts to the groom, from left - Mrs. Paulina Adepoju, Mrs. Elizabeth Oyeniyi

• Chairman of the ocassion, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of University College Hospital (UCH), Prof Temitope Alonge with wife and Mrs Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

•Former Miss Ehizele Okoduwa and Mr. Dave Okordion (middle), Alhaji Isa Ozi Salami (left), Dame Julie OnumNwariaku, board members of ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta, Chairman, ICPC and bride’s mother Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, during the wedding of the couple in Abuja, recently.

POLITICS EXTRA

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POLITICS

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POLITICS 43

POLITICS

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POLITICS 45

POLITICS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

IN VOGUE By Kehinde Oluleye

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

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

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

New WOMAN

Empowering victims of human trafficking T

HERE have been so many campaigns against human trafficking all over the world. Unfortunately, the act continues with over 80 per cent of victims being women. This trade in humans is usually for the purpose of sexual slavery, forced labour, as well as commercial sex exploitation. In spite of the campaigns and international conventions, this violation of the victims' rights is one of the fastest growing activities. A few years back, it represented an estimated $31.6 billion of international trade. It is therefore important for all hands to be on deck to curtail the trend. A former reporter, Bukola Oriola, is joining forces with the National Agency for The Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) to educate Nigerians at home about the

Stories by Yetunde Oladeinde

ordeal of human trafficking in the United States. In her 2015 Lagos upcoming week-long tour of public and private colleges, tagged, Bringing The Story Back Home, Oriola hopes to enlighten higher institution students as they are the armour bearers in the community. The event is planned to help them understand travelling abroad does not necessarily mean a better life or greener pasture, but that they should be aware of the challenges they or their loved ones may face in search of a better life. “The reason I have chosen this audience is because they are the youth and they are armour bearers in the community. They form the perfect niche to spread the message to the

younger generation and also leverage it to the older folks in the community. More so, they are passionate and are talented, always looking for opportunities within and outside the country. It will be of immense help to this sub-group to understand the fact that going abroad by visa lottery, marriage, further education, or other means can be a potential trafficking trap,” Oriola stated. Oriola, who is a survivor of labour trafficking, has chronicled her experiences in form of a book entitled, Imprisoned: The Travails of a Trafficked Victim to both expose one of the ways that a person can become a victim and how victims can reach out for help. This tour, scheduled for September 2015, is not set to discourage the Nigerian youths from pursuing their dreams of finding opportunities

abroad, but to equip them with adequate knowledge that will prevent them from becoming victims or finding help if they become victims of human trafficking. Oriola is also the founder and producer of t he Enitan Story: Imprisoned Show. The Enitan Story is a local non-profit organisation in Minnesota, United States, with a mission to advocate for victims and empower survivors of human trafficking. Imprisoned Show is one of the organisation's programmes dedicated to educating the public about human trafficking around the world. Since the launch of Imprisoned Show at one of the local TV stations in Minnesota, she has produced over 20 episodes featuring expert opinions, events, public presentations, students, members of the local law enforcement, non-profit organisations, attorneys and advocates to help victims reach out for help. “I believe that education is the greatest tool for preventing this heinous crime in our communities. One of the episodes on Imprisoned Show featured the Hubert Humphreys fellows at the University of Minnesota from Malaysia, Vietnam, and Nepal. Evaluating and discussing various forms of providing services, in addition to advocacy, will further help both government and nongovernmental efforts to effectively combat the crime. It was also documented as President Barak Obama's accomplishments in fighting human trafficking in the United States in 2013. Oriola is a consultant for the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) and was among the 20 survivors' forum at the White House in January 2014, which was the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the United States. The event, which was put together by the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Centre (OVCTTAC) was the first of its kind event by the federal government to effectively engage the voices of survivors in its programme to provide a better life for victims and survivors of human trafficking in the United States. The government has rolled out a five-year strategic plan which was made public on January 14, 2014 at the Forum and Listening Session.

Teenager wins talent hunt competition

t was a night of glitz and glam. The venue was grand finale of the star rising competition which took place at the Civic Centre in Lagos. Here, ten finalists consisting of solo performers and groups of dancers and instrumentalists contested keenly for the star prize. After a very keen competition, Precious Udo, a solo performer, emerged as the new star winning the first position. Two other solo performers, Timothy Attah and Alex Louis, got the second and third prizes respectively. For Precious, it was the moment she had been waiting for after putting in a lot of effort before and after the auditions. She joined the school choir at the age of ten and that was where she discovered her talent in singing. At the moment, she is an evolving song writer, singer, guitarist and she recently launched her own album titled AMEN. Like Udo, Alex and Timothy also

contested as solo performers. Other contestants included the Lillies Stars instrumentalists, Four and half men (Grace High School) instrumentalist, Baja girls cultural dance and Oyinkansola Ebony and Nonso Ifionu dance. In an excited mood, the initiator of the talent hunt, Kay Ovia, admonished the children to be hardworking, dedicated and strive for excellence in whatever they do. "It is a great privilege to seek and get this opportunity to mould their skills. At the end of the day, the children would be motivated and talented in their different areas." She added that "At this time, we are motivated by the talents we have seen so far. We are motivated by children that have already on their own motivated themselves to the highest level of excellence. Apart from entertainment, these children are also active in other fields and subjects like English, the sciences and current affairs”. The amazon went on to talk about future plans for the children and the project. "Our intention is to establish the centre across

Nigeria. This centre will act as a catalyst to protect our children into the open stage of the whole world. And by the time they are there, who knows, the sky may not even be their limit." While wishing all the participants success

and a brighter future ahead, Ovia stressed the need to be dedicated and have a focus. "The team would be there to guide, inspire and teach the young ones how to go about achieving their dreams as well as carving niche for themselves in life," she disclosed.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

Tough new realities confront mortgage banks Page 60, 61 •Singh

‘Business climate in Nigeria getting better’ Page 62

Falling oil prices: Expert urges govt to look inwards

ONCERNED over the unprecedented fall in global oil prices and the ripple effect this development has continued to have on the nation's economy, Prof. Chris Onalo, Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), has advised the federal government to consider the diversification of the economy as a viable option to ameliorate the credit crunch occasioned by the plummeting oil prices. Speaking exclusively with The Nation over the weekend, Onalo, who is regarded as the doyen of credit management in Nigeria, said this suggestion becomes necessary in view of the fact that the nation earns a huge chunk of her national revenue from crude oil sales. "There is nothing the country can do to change the

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf imbalance nature of our oil resources as a result of plummeting global oil prices. But that in itself is a wakeup call to the government to consider serious the need to diversify the economy," he said. Of concern to Onalo is the fact that the fall in oil prices has also led to the devaluation of the nation's legal tender, the naira, a development, he stressed, has further compounded the parlous state of the economy. Onalo who also doubles as President/Chief Executive Officer at Postgraduate School of Credit and Financial Management, a frontline training learning institution for credit professionals, reiterated that what the government should strive for is rapid agricultural development across the

board, saying: "Since we have good advantage in this area, it is only inevitable that we should develop our agric resource. That way the economy can be revived." On the devaluation of the naira, Onalo said it is high time the country weaned itself away from the dominant influence of the dollar, saying this was the only way to wade off the negative consequence of dollar domination. "Unfortunately, it may be difficult for Nigeria to do without the dollar almost immediately. Most countries like Russia and China, which hitherto had their economy dominated in the dollar were able to change that simply because their economy is on the right footing," he said. "In our case, the country's political ruling class has actually suffocated the economy with scant regard for public

interest. As far as I'm concerned, Nigerians need to braze up. Enough of this docility." The price of crude oil had a precipitous decline in the latter half of 2014 and has since fell to a current level of $53pb as at last Friday. The continuous fall in the price of crude oil in the international market and the recent devaluation of the nation's currency, the naira, are putting serious pressure on the economy, with the currency experiencing a free fall. The continuous fall in crude oil price had forced the CBN to use an enormous chunk of the nation's external reserves to defend the naira. The persistent depreciation of the naira, however, forced the CBN to on November 25th devalue the currency against the dollar by eight per cent from N155 to N168.

-- Page 53

‘My wife, a better manager than I’ Page 63

•Falana

Ultimate Microfinance Bank records N21million profit By Adeola Ogunlade

LTIMATE Microfinance Bank, Ipaja, Lagos has recorded N21.17 million profit after tax in year 2013. The bank's chairman, Mr Wale Odunayo, disclosed this at the 5th Annual General Meeting, in his review of the bank's activities in the preceding year. In his opening remarks, Odunayo said the bank which was known as Ipaja Community Bank Limited was incorporated on June 18, 1993 and commenced microfinance banking operation having been provisionally licensed on August 4, 2011. According to him, during the year under review, additional shares were allotted to the bank by CBN which rose from N50million to N100 million while the operating environment and cost of doing business in the country remain high. He disclosed further that the bank's gross earnings for year 2013 was N52.5 million while that of the year 2012 was N37.2 million and N26.4 million for the year 2011, saying that in year 2013, the bank recorded a profit of N21.17 million. "In the past three years, the bank did not make profit thus no dividends were paid. The reason for lack of profit in the preceding year was clear because borrowers refused to pay back their loans and the CBN took all our profit for operating capital. During the year under review, the bank made a profit after tax of N19.9 million out of which the board approved the sum of N2.9 million as dividends at 10k per share," he said. The bank's chairman said it is hoped that with the increase in shareholders' funds and increased operational activities of the bank in terms of loan and advances, the bank would make more profit next year while shareholders would enjoy more returns on their investment. He said despite the privatisation of electricity by the federal government, public electricity supply remains erratic and this has necessitated the continued use of generating set with its attendant cost of fuelling and maintenance. The chairman noted that despite the challenges, the bank has been performing its civic duties of tax payment and levies to relevant federal, state and local government tax agencies. "Salaries and allowances are being paid to the bank's staff in addition to other incidental expenses. It is hoped that the completion of Ayobo/Ipaja road will impact positively on the operations of the bank by making it more accessible to more customers and would be customers of our great bank," he said. The chairman said 50 per cent of the year 2013 profit has been added to shareholders fund adding that this in turn would boost the operating capital of the bank. "As part of the recommendation of the strategies committee being put in place, the bank has embraced group lending to various bodies, associations and cooperatives. In group lending, the risk was spread among members and it is easier to recover such loans than when the loans are given to individual borrowers," he said.

2014 rewarding for DeadlDey •From left: Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson, Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Etisalat Nigeria, Ibrahim Dikko and Principal Partner of KPMG, Mr. Joseph Tegbe during the Nigeria Investment Forum at the ITU Telecom World 2014 held in Doha-Qatar…recently

Oil spill: Akwa Ibom monarch demands $100m compensation from ExxonMobil

ORRIED by environmental degradation occasioned by frequent oil spillages, the people of Ibeno Local Government Area, one of the major oil-bearing communities in Akwa Ibom State, have lamented over what they described as environmental hazards caused by oil exploration activities by ExxonMobil. Ibeno, host community to the American oil-giant for decades, has been groaning over constant oil spills into their rivers, leading to

From Uyoatta Eshiet, Uyo destruction of aquatic lives, farmlands and fishing business. Speaking to reporters on the matter in his domain in Ibeno, the paramount ruler, Owong Effiong Achianga, lamented that oil exploration activities of Mobil has brought untold hardship on his people and urged management of the company to live up to their expectations by cushioning the effects of oil exploration activities in the area. The royal father, who disclosed that Mobil had been

defaulting in paying correct compensations accruable to the area over oil spills and environmental degradation, explained that "Mobil should be paying at least $100million yearly" to tackle the problem efficiently. Besides, Achianga urged the company to boost its social responsibility profile by creating jobs and other income generating opportunities to the local residents of Ibeno, noting that such gesture would go a long way towards making them have a sense of belonging in the company.

On the activities of sea pirates and other forms of maritime criminals operating on the shores of Ibeno and its environs, the anxious monarch lamented the ordeals faced by his people, adding that their means of livelihood including fishing and marine transports were under serious threat. He, therefore, appealed to the state and federal governments to step into the matter with a view to making the sea safe for maritime workers and oil exploration activities.

• To lift over 500, 000 entrepreneurs 2015

“2014

has been a phenomenal year for DealDey and our merchant partners. We thank you for being the fundamental reason as to why this has been possible." This was the submission of the duo of Kehinde Orila and Etop Ikpe both of DealDey, the frontline online sales merchant in Nigeria. In a statement issued on behalf of by the company, the duo said merchant base increased by 176 per cent, just as coupons sold increased by 359 per cent while orders shipped increased by 602per cent. Besides, they said the total savings made by customers was estimated at N2,105,689,148,translating to a total discount of 639,248 per cent. The revenue, the statement said, also increased by 288 per cent. While giving its projection for 2015, the company hinted of plans to spread its tentacles across the country. "We will be taking our services into many more states across the country and expanding our category offering as we plan to support over 500,000 entrepreneurs in promoting their products and services", adding: "This means we will have many more fantastic deals. We are also investing substantially in our order fulfilment network and infrastructure to bring you even quicker deliveries."

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

BUSINESS

HESE are certainly not the best of times for a good number of the mortgage banks operating in the country presently. Reason: their attrition rate these days is becoming as rapid as they are fighting hard to survive the biting credit crunch in the system. For economic watchers particularly, the revocation of the operating license of over 25 mortgage banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is a pointer to hat fact that all is not well in the sector. The revocation was communicated by the CBN via its gazettes dated 14 and 19 November, 14 and 19, 2014. Specifically, among the licenses withdrawn is 16 Primary Mortgage Institutions that failed to meet CBN's stipulated 30-days deadline to show proof of their existence and/or evidence of operations in the immediate past one year, recently. In the course of the recent examination of all licensed Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) carried out by the CBN, 16 PMIs were not found at their last known addresses. The Nation however learnt that the firms most affected were those that have unexpectedly closed shops or have ceased to carry on the business for which they were licensed for a continuous period of six months, as well as failed to render monthly returns to the CBN for at least six consecutive months, in contravention of Section 58 (1) and (4) of the BOFIA, 1991. The NDIC has subsequently been appointed the provisional liquidator to wind up the affairs of the closed financial institutions, according to a public notice by the corporation, a copy which was made available to The Nation. The corporation said it would soon make public announcement and publication on the verification and payment of insured deposits for depositors, creditors and shareholders of the affected banks. Affected PMBs According to the CBN, among the affected institutions are Alliance and General Mortgage Limited, Benhouse Building Society, Consolidated Estate Building Society, Cymon Savings and Loans, Euro-Banc Savings and Loans, First Amalgamated Building Society, First Capital Savings and Loans, Global Building Society as well as Harvard Trust Savings and Loans. Others are Home Foundation Savings and Loans, Jubilee Building Society, Lagoon Homes Savings and Loans, Leverage Home Savings and Loans, Mid Land Mortgages, Mortgage PHB, MultiBlanc Savings and Loans and Mustard Seed Mortgage. Others include Omega Savings and Loans, Password Savings and Loans, Post Service Savings and Loans, TMC Savings and Loans and Crystal Edge Microfinance Bank. Problem of mortgage banks To many analysts, among the mortgage operators, it is known fact the sector is facing a harsh economic downturn, notwithstanding the global economic crisis as the scarcity of long-term funds is hitting them hard. The short-term funds are mostly sourced from the money market, where commercial banks also complete for funds. Their cash flow is also hampered by their inability to tap into the National Housing Fund

No longer at ease with weak mortgage banks The revocation of licenses of over 25 mortgage banks unable to meet the new minimum capital requirement stipulated by the apex bank is an attempt to separate the boys from the men, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;˘Federal Mortgage Bank Headquarters, Abuja

(NHF) for their contributors through FMBN, and becoming a window for the collection of the fund, which has prompted umbrella body of the mortgage banks -Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN) to liaise with CBN and local financial institutions and international development agencies in planning to float a liquidity facility company. Official estimates show that about 65 PMBs were in operation before the recent withdrawal of licenses, which may have further dip the number of operators to about 40 banks. But operators say the figures are much lower than that number. About 292 PMBs were licensed between 1990 and 1998. In July 1997, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), which later handed over 195 firms to CBN in 1998, revoked the licenses of 97 of the firms. The initial minimum share capital for PMBs was N5 million, rising first to N20 million and later N100 million. Statistics released by CBN shows that loan and advances in the sector between 2008, 2009 and 2010 are N108, 531,488, N121, 290,217 and N124, 165,992 respectively; deposits for he same period are N166, 234,932, N151, 122,301 and N168, 577,083 respectively and shareholders' funds are N70, 345,140,N86, 614,813 and N80, 341,095 respectively. Worries over new capital benchmark Under a new guideline, mort-

gage firms had been categorised into national and state mortgage firms. While the former are allowed to operate in any or all parts of the federation after the payment of a new N5billion minimum paid up capital, the state PMBs are restricted to only one state if they satisfy payment of N2.5billion capital requirement. Several PMBs were believed to be lagging in terms of meeting up with the new capital requirement, thus making them easy target for the CBN's sledge hammer. Speaking exclusively with The Nation recently, Mr. Anthony Okechukwu Ewelike is the pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive, AG Homes Savings & Loans Plc while noting that his firm is a fledging primary mortgage bank with an asset base of over N8billion, he also admitted that shoring up their capital base has been a rather herculean task. "The toughest challenge for me has been how we recapitalise the company. It's quite a tough thing because it's by government fiat, Central Bank fiat. You must capitalise or you go under," he said. Expatiating, he said: "Today, it's been difficult with the climate of investment we have. You see what is happening in the oil market, what the capital market is doing, as such, investors are very skeptical and we have seen a lot of banks shut down. So before you can convince someone to come, he must believe that you have something to offer him or her. So, the toughest challenge I have had as

the CEO AG Homes Savings & Loans Plc is how to recapitalise the bank." Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company to the rescue It is however instructive to note that the federal government in its determination to turn the tide in the mortgage sub-sector had at last quarter conceived the idea of a special refinancing vehicle called the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company (NMRC). The NMRC vehicle was set up by the government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the CBN, after several postponements in the past. The company is also supported by the World Bank, which approved $300 million (about N48 billion). The NMRC is expected to help increase liquidity in the housing sector, provide secondary market for mortgages and thereby increase the number of people able to purchase or build homes at an affordable price in the country. A report by the Federal Ministry of Finance said 14 pilot states had been earmarked for the programme, adding governors of the states had agreed to provide and fast-track land titles, foreclosure arrangements and service plots. The company is also expected to help create more than 200, 000 mortgages in the next five years at an affordable interest rates. "To provide for those at the lower end of the economic ladder, there will be an expansion of mass

housing schemes through a restructured Federal Mortgage Bank and other institutions to provide rent-to-own and lease-to-own options," it said. The ministry said that the idea would help many Nigerian families to own a home. On the modus operandi of the NMRC, the Chief Executive Officer NMRC, Mr. Sonnie Ayere said mortgage loan applicants must provide 20per cent equity. "Right now, we say 20 per cent for a normal salary worker, and for payment, people have to pay through deduction at source for the public sector and even possible for the private sector." According to Ayere, the criteria will be the guidelines that a mortgage lender will have to meet to be eligible for loan, adding that for a property to be eligible for refinancing, it must have tenure of 20years. Vote of confidence for NMRC In the view of Managing Director of ASO Savings and Loans, Hassan Musa Usman, he believes the NMRC will open a new vista of hope in helping developers in the country have funds to provide more housing units. He expects that the company would help in the quest to increase housing stock in the country. According to him, "it means that we as mortgage bankers can now create more mortgages for 10 to 20 years or so, knowing very well that whatever we create, we can sell up to the Mortgage Refinancing Company.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015 "The NMRC will in turn issue long-term bond in the market, as it can afford to wait for the entire money (loan given out) to be paid. But we (mortgage banks) can pay up our own cash, go back and access new loans. What this means is that, for instance, with just N100 million, I can conveniently go and create loans worth N100 billion, package them, and after three months, sell them off to MRC. Then I can get loan worth N100 million from them and afterwards go back and create fresh loans. This can be done over and over again." Echoing similar sentiments, Ewelike said the advent of the NMRC is a welcomed development for a sector in dire need of a lifeline. "I can tell you that the special purpose vehicle for mortgage which the NMRC is all about will help to boost the sector to a large extent, especially help achieve the federal government's quest to improve housing delivery for the growing populace, " he stressed. President, Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria, Femi Johnson is also on the same page with Ewelike. According to him, the recapitalisation of mortgage banks was a pointer to a better mortgage finance system in the country and that with the NMRC, "loans at lower interest rates of 13 to 15 per cent for 20 years. So, definitely, there will be an improvement when all these monies come into the system. There will be new long term funds that are going to come into the system and so these banks will be able to finance mortgages for longer terms." The NMRC, Johnson noted, already has loan of about $250 million at 0.75 per cent interest for 40 years and with a 10-year moratorium from the World Bank. The mortgage company will raise money from the capital market through government guaranteed bonds. He stated, "The NMRC will be able to raise money that pension fund will be able to invest in. Today we have about N4 trillion to N5 trillion of pension funds in the market, and once the fund is government guaranteed, Pension Fund administrators will be able to invest in it; so, this money will be channelled into housing. "So, definitely there will be a lot of money channelled into housing and housing finance this year; the outlook is bright." A mortgage broker, Mr. Oloyede Obatoyinbo was also optimistic that the recapitalsiation of the mortgage sub-sector by the government in form of the special vehicle will help the cause of the sector tremendously, as more mortgage loans will be available as there will be more competition in the industry. "There may likely see a drop in interest rates, but the success of this whole thing depends largely on the activities and performance of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC)," he said. Defining moments for mortgage banks According to analysts, the new rule of engagement set by the apex for mortgage banks may be a good omen for the sector after all. It will be recalled that recently, following the recapitalization exercise of the CBN, 36 mortgage firms got licenses to administer mortgage portfolio in Nigeria. 10 mortgage firms were approved to remain in business with a national license having met the N5billion minimum capital; 26banks to operate with a state license for meeting up with only N2.5billion capitalisation, while

BUSINESS Driving anti-counterfeiting with marketing activation

The colour of Christmas and New Year festivities took a different form in Lagos as Kasapreko Company Limited, makers of Alomo Bitters rolled out a weeklong marketing activation aimed at boosting consumer knowledge of the brand against imitations, writes Adedeji Ademigbuji

A â&#x20AC;˘CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele

â&#x20AC;˘Ayere

others were delisted. A circular issued by the CBN revealed the following PMIs namely Abbey Platinum, Mayfresh, Jubilee Life, Aso, Trust Bond, Sun Trust, Infinity Trust, Haggai and Imperial Homes attained the National License status. On the list of the remaining approved 26PMIs by the CBN since only ten names were released, a source in CBN which asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak on behalf of the bank said no list has actually been released to the public by the CBN for the 26PMIs and it will be incorrect for anyone to speculate. "There is really no official list from the CBN yet and it will be incorrect for me to say this PMI is on the list and that one is not there. We can only wait till an official list comes out from the CBN," he said. As to whether the public should expect a significant impact now that the recapitalisation process seems to have been concluded and approved PMIs given the nod to start operations, the MBAN boss downplayed the expectations of market watchers about what had happened. "There can't be any serious impact. The mortgage banks have recapitalised since December last year and if there has not been any serious impact on mortgage administration in the country since then I don't think anything will change with just the national or state approvals given to PMIs," the further explained. "Although it is expected that with the recapitalisation there will be more mortgage loans available, there will be more competition in the industry that may likely see a drop in interest rates, but the success of this whole thing depends largely on the activities and performance of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC)."

S part of efforts to enlighten its consumers during yuletide especially in Lagos, the makers of Alomo Bitters, Kasapreko Company Limited, has rolled out a weeklong marketing activation aimed at boosting consumer knowledge of the brand. The marketing initiative, which will be ongoing till mid-January 2015, is also intended to deepen consumer consciousness about their wellness and safety by encouraging them to make healthier consumption choices amidst the euphoria of the yuletide. To support this, a well branded activation truck and a team of Brand Ambassadors have been deployed to strategic touch-points in the city of Lagos to educate consumers on the safety features of Alomo Bitters as distinct from the imitated version and other bitter brands in the market. For days, the ambassadors have been moving from social events to street carnivals and jams, market areas and neighbourhoods across the city of Lagos to drive the brand key message of Alomo Bitters as the "authentic African herbal bitters." The ambassadors also distribute flyers which contain vital product information. Radio hypes anchored by popular On Air Personalities and a television commercial that has been specifically produced, are also running on selected city stations just to ensure the consumers are equipped with adequate information they need on Alomo Bitters, thereby safeguarding them from harmful imitated products in the market. According to officials of the company, the rationale for the initiative is that as Nigerians shop

and catch fun of yuletide, they could also be assisted in making healthy choices while they also get some incentives for their loyalty to the brand over the years. The Managing Director, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kojo Nunoo, said the marketing initiative is part of steps to empower consumers to have access to genuine Alomo Bitters at all times against the backdrop of the criminal faking of the brand. "Criminal faking of the original Alomo Bitters has been a major challenge we face in Nigeria. As a safety, health conscious, ethical and responsible corporate citizen, this bothers us a lot, hence this campaign is aimed at helping the consumers to know the things to look out for when buying Alomo Bitters,'' he said. While stressing that the campaign also affirms the company's conviction in the timehonoured dictum that consumer is king, Nunoo said the safety and wellbeing of consumers are of utmost importance to the firm. "This is why we leverage the Christmas and New Year festivities to bring the flagship Alomo Bitters closer to the Nigerians, so they can know more about their favourite Alomo Bitters, made in Ghana by Kasapreko Company Limited. We are delighted to use the occasion of the year-end to also share love with Nigerians and to promote friendship, a key brand personality attribute of Alomo Bitters," he declared. Corroborating, the Sales and Marketing Director, Mr. Sam Osafo, said the consumer activation aligns with Kasapreko's vision of care which flows in every sip of Alomo

Bitters which people take. "This consumer contact programme reassures lovers of bitter drink that any time they drink Alomo Bitters, they are not only drinking to enjoy; they are also drinking to stay healthy because of the medicinal qualities of Alomo Bitters," he said. The Marketing Manager, Mr. Peter Adegor, on his part explained that taking the brand right to the consumers where they are, is an important aspect of the wholesome qualitative process that goes into the production of Alomo Bitters. According to him, "we ensure that the quality of our product is consistent from the point of sourcing the ingredients to the production stage and all through to packaging and delivery. The intent is that the consumers have the finest Alomo Bitters in their hands, hence this initiative to get the consumers well informed about the original Alomo Bitters is consistent with the quality assurance value chain that stands out our brand of bitters from others." In order to deepen consumer experience during the weeklong activation, Adegor said free brand collaterals such as flyer, T-shirt, face cap and ball point pen among others were given out in addition to huge discount enjoyed by consumers at the point of purchase. It would be recalled that the Group Chairman and Managing Director of Kasapreko Company Limited, Ghana, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, recently denounced the faking of Alomo Bitters by unscrupulous cartel which has resulted in significant loss of market share and revenue. He called on relevant authorities in Nigeria to wade in.

â&#x20AC;˘From left: Chief Operating Officer, Broll, Mr. Daniel Eze, The Palms Shopping Mall Promo Winner, Mr. Chukwuma Emekume and Head, Marketing, The Palms Shopping Mall, Mr. Tunji Folayan during the grand finale and the presentation of a Kia Rio Car to the winner of The Palms Shopping Mall promo in Lekki...recently

The Palms splashes car, N10m on loyal customers

HE management of The Palms Shopping Mall recently rewarded shoppers to the Mall with prizes worth over N10million and a brand new Kia Ceranto car in its 25 days to Christmas promo which ran from the 1st to the 24th of December 2014. According to the Head of Marketing, The Palms Shopping Mall, Mr.Tunji Folayan "the festive period offers no better way to recreate the joy of the season than extending to shoppers at the Palms shopping mall a truly exciting experience for their patronage." Folayan expressed his delight at

the continuous patronage the mall has enjoyed from its loyal customers. As the foremost shopping mall in Nigeria, the promotion was aimed at rewarding loyal customers who make repeated visits to the mall in the course of the year, to show appreciation for their patronage and most importantly share the joy of the season with them, he said. The grand finale winner of the Kia Rio car, Mr. Chukwuma Emekume expressed joy, stating that this festive period marks the best he has ever had and thanked the management of the Mall effusively

for the promo. According to Emekume, I never knew this promo was real, I am grateful to the management of the palms shopping mall and I will always do my shopping here. The Palms continues to maintain high standards and remains the onestop shopping destination that provides a wide variety of international and locally manufactured world-class products ranges including clothes, grocery, electronics, household furniture, books, luxury items etc, at affordable and competitive rates.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

BUSINESS

YEARS in the life of any organisation is a milestone indeed. Tell us how the PZ journey started, especially the story of your ups and downs as well as your assessment of the Nigerian business climate thus far? All the environments keep changing from time to time. We are not isolated from what happens outside. There are many factors which come into play when you talk of ups and downs. I think what we have seen over the years is that the ease of doing business in Nigeria is getting better day by day. Previously, the number of days it takes to clear the goods was much longer. But these days, it is taking a shorter time. In the area of infrastructure, it is slowly and gradually improving. Though it is tough, I believe if the leadership is focused, it can overcome those challenges. Tell us more about the downside of the business over the last forty years and the challenges you have been battling with. How far you have gone to overcome them? I think like every business, the environment is not always all conducive. It is basically left for you as a business to adapt yourself to the market situation, the realities and keep moving ahead. That makes you different from others. I think if you remain committed and true to your promise, then you can overcome all those challenges. Of course, we cannot deny the fact that there are some issues in terms of market challenges. Over the years, we have had to contend with many of them. We have had issues relating with new regulations, peculiar environmental conditions in Nigeria, where we have high temperature and humidity. In getting it right, we needed to make sure that the products are designed specifically for Nigeria. So, it was a challenge on one hand. On the other hand, it was a motivation for you to excel in those environments. So, if you can overcome as we have done in the last forty years, we have been providing products which are specifically designed for Nigeria which is helping Nigeria consumers to live a better life. Can you be more specific about those challenges? If you really look at Nigeria as a country in the appliance industry vis-Ă vis the changes in the industry, you will see that it has gone through various evolution stages. Initially, majority of sales was happening in the boxes, people were not having that experience with the product. Often time, you only get to see the display. You go to shop, and make purchase. There was no time to interact and get the right kind of information about the

'Business climate in Nigeria getting better' Vikramjeet Singh is Marketing Director, Haier Thermocool, a subsidiary of PZ Cusson Nigeria Plc, which has been a major player in the fast moving consumer goods sub-sector operating in personal, home care, food and nutrition and electronics segment in the last four decades. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, he speaks on the prospects and challenges of the business thus far. Excerpts: products. That was initially one of the challenges. In solving that challenge, we created the first retail outlet which provided the opportunity for consumers to experience the product before making any purchase. Another initiative we brought on board is that we made sure that our products are tropicalised in harsh humid condition whereby the product stays for longer hours even after power fluctuations. Basically, what we have done is to ensure that we overcome the gap between the products and the consumers. That is, you are making sure that the journey for consumers is much smaller and smoother. Another thing we realised is that these products are capitalintensive for the consumers. So, they needed to be supported with longer durability and assurance. On that basis, we introduced three years warranty on our units. We have 35 service centres nationwide. We are trying to bridge those gaps wherever they exist by bringing the capabilities of our people, our resources and infrastructure so that we can serve our consumers better. What is the level of compliance in term of tax and other remittances to government by your organisation? PZ is a registered and publicly quoted company in the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Thermocool is a subsidiary under PZ. On quarterly basis, we present our results to our valued shareholders and other stakeholders in general. So, as far as the government structure is concerned, we are complying with all the rules and regulations. We make sure that we pay the right duty, make the right quota and pay the right taxes. In terms of compliance, we do this in total obedience. And as far as multinationals are concerned, where issue of non-remittance was raised, I think it is more related to IT-related industry. This is because many of them don't have physical presence. It is about online transaction where you cannot ascertain the place of transaction. For us, all our

â&#x20AC;˘Singh

operations are happening in Nigeria. So, we make sure that we follow the strict guidelines and regulations. Whatever law is applicable, we ensure that there is total compliance in all the circumstances. As far as my knowledge can comprehend, we do not have such issue or brushes with government on due diligence or any problem whatsoever. In terms of compliance with the books, we are very transparent. We are governed by code of conduct which we adhere strictly to. All the directors and major stakeholders strictly follow the code and ethics of the company. Before now, your company didn't play in some particular segments of the market. Now that you are extending your frontiers into some of these areas, how well prepared are you to compete favorably in those segments? Basically, if you really look at the key strength of the brand, it is about trust. As such, you will understand how valued we are in the minds of our consumers. For us, trust has been the strength keeping us in the consumer segment. Secondly, if you look at our travel structure,

we are available nationwide. If you look in terms of after-sales network, we have got the brightest service networks. The same applies to people. Basically, we have got the capabilities ranging from design, research and d e v e l o p m e n t , manufacturing, to aftersales service. So, the issue of availability of infrastructure does not arise. So, expansion into various categories comes as a result of feedback from consumers. Before coming up with these new products, we made sure there is interaction with consumers to know basically the demands for those other products. One thing we do, specifically, is that we ensure that the product is designed for Nigeria. We made sure that all the standards are complied with, whether it is related to how testing is done, specification is carried out or reliability test. We made sure that all these issues are addressed well in advance. So far, we have been able to excel in the category which we have entered into. That is the testimony of the fact that the consumer trust which they showed in the deep freezer, our core heritage still exist.

So, they are showing the same kind of love and affection for the brand in other categories as well. Having been in the country in the last four decades it one would expect that you should be producing locally by nowâ&#x20AC;Ś We already have manufacturing facilities in Nigeria. We are producing air-conditioners, freezers and refrigerators. These are the products that we produce and manufacture in the country. For other categories, as we move along, if there is opportunity in terms of product development, we are open to ideas. Having been in business for long, what percentage of local content do you subscribe to? I think it is going to be very difficult to put a figure to that. But all I can say is that we had invested close to $21billion. Most of the investments were made in upgrading the manufacturing facilities. In the area of local content, we have tried to do it as much as possible. As you can see, our staff are mainly Nigerians. Besides, our compliance is in line with the rules and regulations of Nigeria. We also ensure that we designed for the local market. We make sure that everything is addressed to what is required in Nigeria. It is one thing to venture into new categories by providing innovative products, it is another thing to have good customer delivery service. How prepared are you to deliver effective customer service? The customer service delivery, basically, has two components. If you have to deliver it, it takes the combination of three things which include the physical infrastructure, the people and technology-enablers. In terms of presence, we have certified service centres nationwide. So, in that regard, there is no issue. Whenever we are introducing a new set of products, we ensure that we give adequate training to people to boost their knowledge so that they are able to address any technical issue if anyone arises. Another thing is in the area of the processes involved. We have a proper process in place where the customers can be called up when there is any issue to address particularly, technical issue. There is

proper process which allows that customer needs are addressed on time. As the head of marketing team, what role has marketing played majorly in further projecting and positioning the brand in the marketplace? Our principle for the market was very simple. We believe in one thing, being true to the customer. If you are true to your customer and delivering what is promised, you don't have to spend too much on communication. The trust itself comes to you. Trust in itself is the strongest kind of communication. For us, living the promise is key to our greatness as a company. If you are true in terms of product, you want to deliver, and also know how the consumer behaves by asking what are their pinpoints .So, if you can address those pinpoints, then the customers will begin to see the value in your products. If you are able to deliver the quality or promise you have given to them, they will trust the brand. If there is an issue and you are there to support them, they will trust in the brand. We have ensured that we design the product to suit the needs of Nigerians. We have ensured that we give the right product and the right information to the customers. We are making sure that we are there for them when they need us. We don't bring products for the sake of bringing alone, we try to understand what are required by the consumers. Once they buy it, they can have the real value. What share of the market do your brands take in the different category it plays? I may not be able to put a particular figure but I am sure we have close to 30 per cent of the market. This year, we have done one million units in 2014 in all the appliances put together. Tell us more about the partnership between Haier and Thermocool The relationship has been very good and smooth. Since the beginning of the partnership, we have been growing consistently year in year out. We have been able to expand to different categories after the joint partnership. You just celebrated forty years and rewarded consumers and trade partners. What informed the decision? As they used to say, forty years is a milestone in everybody's life whether it is an individual, or an organisation. So, it calls for celebration. But at the same time, you need to acknowledge the people who have been responsible for the success. We want to thank two categories of people and they include the consumers and the support partners. They have all facilitated to the success in one way or the other. This celebration was to celebrate them and also introduce new innovations that we have brought on board in the next few years for Nigerian consumers.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

O say that Mr. Femi Falana is a legal colossus is certainly stating the obvious. Truth is the Ilawe-Ekiti born activist has come to symbolise for many, the quintessential lawyer every aspiring member of the learnered profession wants to be like. The reason for this is not far to seek: This man has paid his dues as well as won numerous awards locally and internationally for his activism. Falana is renowned for providing free legal services to the poor and disadvantaged and had suffered long spells in detention under Nigeria's past military dictators. Thus, he has become a household name today for managing one of the successful law firms in Africa as well as a mighty force to reckon with both within and outside the shores of the country. Falana who set up private practice, Femi Falana Chambers, which later became Falana and Falana Chambers in 1991, after cutting his professional teeth at the Chambers of Alao Aka-Bashorun, a renowned legal activist in 1983, is a force to reckon with on account of his growing fame and popularity in the legal profession. An individual many in the corridors of power love to hate for being a dyed in the wool critic, Falana has stood true to his ideals over the years. Drawing inspirations from other leading lights like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi and other kindred spirit, Falana's decision to join in the struggle for the emancipation of the downtrodden in the society has always been for clearly altruistic motives. His petit size notwithstanding, Falana has always been vocal, fighting for the cause of others. The stormy petrel as many of his fans are wont to call him, even as a student leader at the then University of Ile Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, he stood his ground against oppression from the successive military governments. As a youth corps member, he handled the case of seven University of Ibadan students who were arrested for protesting for their rights. He succeeded in securing their freedom and he became a human rights activist as early as 1983 when he took bail for the students who had been unlawfully remanded in prison custody. Falana revealed that this incident led to his not being issued a discharge certificate by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) after his one year mandatory national service. "I was a student leader at that time and we had to address the welfare of citizens. We had to address the future of the Nigerian youths, we had to fight for free education, against commercialisation of education. "In order to secure the struggle I was attacked by the government, my life was at risk while in school. The NYSC refused to release my certificate because of my struggle for a good society. "But I didn't have to beg anybody. I didn't need it to work because the chamber that employed me knew that I had completed my service. They knew that my service was not extended only that I was being punished by the Nigerian State unjustly for fighting for the right of the people. So I had no problem at all and I didn't get the certificate until about 18 years later during the proceedings of the Justice Chwukwudifo Oputa Panel on Human Rights Violation in 2001. "Between 1984 and 1999 when we had uninterrupted military dictatorship of 15 years, my right to liberty, my right to dignity and freedom of movement was seriously abused and of course my right to life was endangered. I faced a lot of risks, but

BUSINESS

'My wife, a better manager than I' Femi Falana (SAN), renowned human rights lawyer and activist, is founder, Falana and Falana Chambers. Falana has been in active legal practice since early 80s, during which time he has earned some plaudits as well as suffered a lot of privations more than he is willing to admit. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf he speaks on his over three decade's career in the legal profession, his management style, relationship with his staff, among others

• Falana

it's just by sheer luck that I am still alive. I was charged on many occasions, even for the most serious offences under the criminal law such as treasonable felony. "There was a time no landlord would give me a house for fear of being either intimidated by the government or having their

houses bombarded although some of these embarrassing situations also contributed to my effort in ensuring that I owned my own property or else one would have had his family thrown out. So it has been a very challenging journey." Naturally, you would expect that for a

‘

My wife, Funmi, a partner at the Falana and Falana Chambers is the head of the chambers. I discover that she is more meticulous and more organised than I am. And don't forget, she is a lawyer. So, she manages the chambers. I only give a helping hand every once in a while

’

man who has recorded such remarkable feat in a profession with the highest attrition rate especially for individuals who like Falana are tagged 'enemies of the state' because of their perceived antagonism of bad government policies, he would have a very high opinion of himself, but not for him is such immodesty. He attributes his successes thus far to providence. "Whatever success I have recorded is by God's grace. But I can tell you that the secret is hard work, and dedication. Actually, my wife, Funmi joined me to manage the office and that gives me time for my other national commitments." But as to why he yielded the management of his law firm to his wife, the former president of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers as well as former chairman of the West African Bar Association, WABA, deadpans: "My wife, Funmi Falana, a partner at the Falana and Falana Chambers is the head of the chambers. I discover that she is more meticulous and more organised than I am. And don't forget, she is a lawyer. So, she manages the chambers. I only give a helping hand every once in a while." On his relationship with his staff, he said he doesn't apply the stick and carrot approach. Rather what obtains is a closerelationship with his members of staff. "We are very close. We're friendly and we encourage staff to discuss their problems and we look for solutions to them. We could do much better." On his management mantra, he said respect for others is paramount. "We delegate functions and simply supervise, and at other times we try to micromanage. And of course, it has worked for us tremendously." He wa,s however, quick to add that "In fact, in legal practice there is nobody who can do it alone. And I'm very happy that we have very competent colleagues in the office who put in their best at all times." As the boss around, the toughest decision he has had to take over the years was letting staff go. "Asking a very close colleague to leave the chambers is always a very tough decision or when you lose a very close colleague." But thankfully, he said the relationship with old staff has always been cordial. "We have very good relationship with old staff. As lawyers, we still give cases to some of our colleagues who have left for their own practice. We discuss and there are times we also handle cases together even when they have left." For aspiring young lawyers desirous of going into private practice, he said their watchword should be focus and determination. "It is for them to define their goal and then work towards achieving the goal. They must learn to respect colleagues who work with them and be free with them as well as ensure that they are close." On insinuations that lawyers hardly retire, he would not subscribe to that. "Oh, there are lawyers who retire. There is no way you won't retire in an underdeveloped society like our own. Why shouldn't a lawyer retire?" As to whether he has an exit strategy or succession yet, he answered in the negative. "I haven't seriously addressed that," he confessed. "Right now my wife works in the chambers. I have two children who are lawyers but neither of them wants to practice law. And I'm not losing any sleep over that, you know because my father wasn't a lawyer. I haven't addressed the question of exit strategy. I believe that water would always find its level…(laughs).

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

S the curtains finally fell on 2014, there is no doubt that there is a rise in the influx of counterfeit products in the country. To quote Dr. Joseph Odumodu, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Director General, "80% of electronic products in Lagos are fake while 40% of other commodities in Nigerian market are counterfeit." People fall victims to fake products every day. If you are in this country and have not experienced it, then you are a rare specie. Just recently, on the 29th of December, 2014, I went to a corner shop near my house and purchased the popular Always pad at the price of N220.00. Being a product I am used to, when the seller handed it to me, I observed immediately that it weighed very little which prompted me to have a second look at it. I saw the manufacturer's name, 'Procter & Gamble' and walked out of the store still brooding on how light the product had become. However, when I tore the blue nylon wrapping and brought out the single product, again I was surprised how thin and light it was. The wrapping was in a light pink cellophane instead of the purplish pink coloured cellophane the original product comes in. I tore the pink wrapping and noticed that the content was just plain soft thin rubber. So angry, I wondered if there is anything in this country that does not have a counterfeit. I went back to a bigger shop and asked for the same product. Just seeing that one, I knew it was the original. It looked bigger and holding it, it weighed heavier. At a closer look, there was a lot of difference between the fake one and the original. Though the two had the same manufacturer's address and name, the packaging and the prints on the fake one looked quite inferior. The contents of the original one also were full unlike the fake one. Meanwhile, I paid less for the original one. While I paid N220 for the counterfeit, I paid N190 for the original one. Confirming the rise in the importation and local production of counterfeit and substandard products in Nigeria, the National Co-ordinator, Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Initiative [ACAPI], Mr. Hanson Maduagwu, said that the degree has grown tremendously such that even brand owners are finding it difficult to distinguish between their original brand products and the fakes. "In 2015, it will be harder for consumers to tell the difference between the original brand products and their fakes except the issue of consumer education even at the grassroots is given more attention," he noted Throwing more light on the issue, Hanson Maduagwu said that the two major concerns will come from imported and locally manufactured products. "Due to the high dollar exchange rate, most importers of finished goods would begin to order lower quality goods so as to hedge against the high dollar exchange rate," he said. Subsequently for local manufacturers, he added: "the higher cost of imported raw materials will induce the production of more substandard products so as not to increase prices or just slightly." Basically, he stressed, "we will see the influx

N a sugar conscious world, it's important to find alternatives. Honey is one such alternative; but is it really better for you than sugar? Here's a short guide that can explain the differences between honey and sugar to determine if honey is superior to sugar. White sugar White sugar is also known as refined sugar. It usually comes from one of two sources - sugar cane or sugar beets. The process of refining sugar strips it of its nutrients and has additives added to it to allow it to crystallise and keep for longer than other sweeteners. Advantages and disadvantages of sugar The major advantages of sugar seem to be for the producers of sugar. It keeps longer meaning it has a longer shelf life and is less likely to be wasted. Secondly, refined sugar produces a more attractive product - more likely to attract customers to purchase it. However, according to its opponents, sugar has many disadvantages. It has been blamed for everything from diabetes to cancer. While many of the things sugar is blamed for may not be true, here are a few of the things sugar has been suggested to do:

How to avoid counterfeit products in the New Year

•Market place

of cheap counterfeits as well as substandard locally made products." Warning consumers, Maduagwu said consumers should pay particular attention when buying automobile spare parts, accessories, electronic and electrical accessories. Also, he advised consumers to be mindful when purchasing home appliances, building materials, foreign and local cash/financial instruments, among other things. According to Dr. Ndukaeze Nwabueze of the Department of Sociology University of Lagos, "counterfeit products are products which the constituents, weight, relevant measures, characteristics, qualities fall below national and international standards. So because of these short comings, their effectiveness, potency or fitness for purpose is criminally undermined and deliberately compromised." There is virtually no popular product that is not faked. Nobody wants to fake a product which has no market. You want a product which you can sell quickly. A wide range of products involved are intellectual and creative works, processed and manufactured goods, drugs, equipments, chemicals, cell phones and accessories, computer software, perfumes, etcetera. If it is a popular product, it is bound to have counterfeit ones. Mrs. Aina Adesina said she went to the Computer Village, Ikeja, recently to buy HP laptop. The seller being an old friend of hers ad-

vised her in confidence to go for another brand especially a less popular one as the adulterated HP laptop and accessories had infiltrated the market. As she insisted on an HP product, the seller directed her to HP major offices, insisting that the only way she can buy original HP products in the Computer Village was buying the second hand ones imported from the UK or US. The Anti-piracy Manager, Microsoft Nig., Temofe Ugbona, said quite a number of resellers abound in the country that are in possession of high quality counterfeit software that is packaged like genuine software, "a trend resulting in many consumers who believe they are purchasing software from a reliable source, unknowingly becoming victims of software piracy." While reiterating the need to play it safe, Microsoft urges consumers to ask questions, investigate the packaging, watch out for 'too goodto-be-true' prices and demand genuine software to ensure what is paid for and to protect families and businesses from the threat of malware associated with pirated or counterfeit software. Just as piracy has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigeria's entertainment industry, Vitafoam, one of Nigeria's oldest foam manufacturing companies in Nigeria, has said that counterfeiting and imitation of its products are the major challenges facing the organisation and the industry at large. The company said the imitation of its products is a major obstacle, especially in the north and that complaints keep coming in.

NAFDAC has severally intercepted packaging materials imported with the intention of faking drugs, especially codeine syrup. In one interception recently at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, 20,000 units of packaging for codeine syrup worth over N10million were seized. The Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) has called for a proper regulation and monitoring of pharmaceutical industry and for stricter laws and policies to be enacted with full implementation and enforcement in order to stem out the menace of drug counterfeiting in the country. A man in possession of 10,000 labels of assorted drinks was also recently arrested in Enugu by officials of NAFDAC, while officials of the Lagos State Task force sealed off 40 illegal drug stores in Alapere, Magodo, Ikosi-Isheri environs in Kosofe. What to do. While it is virtually impossible to ensure that all of the products you buy are the genuine ones, a few easy steps can help you reduce the chances of being duped. *Learn to spot a fake. Do not rely on retailers or the government to protect you from counterfeit products as the people and the products involved are so numerous. If the deal is too-goodto-be-true, the product is probably a fake. *Shop at reputable retailers. Consumer goods do make their way in to the shelves of even the largest most established stores but less reputable retailers are far more likely to sell counterfeit products. *Do not patronise traders selling along the high ways as they have no permanent addresses. If you are duped, you cannot trace them. *Be particularly careful when buying online. Online auction sites are rife with counterfeits and since you cannot inspect the goods first, it is hard to tell what you are buying. *While you shop around, research the price of the item you want at different stores. A deal that is too good-to-be-true, almost always is. *Quality of the counterfeit item. Even if the item looks genuine on the surface, a close look at the details will tell you if the item is of a low quality. Lastly, report suspected counterfeits. If you see or have purchased a product you think may be fake, contact the authorities so they can investigate. If you do not know where to go, contact Consumer Watch through the email address on top. As we thank God for keeping us through last year and bringing us into another wonderful year, I pray you will enjoy a prosperous and fruitful year. Happy New Year.

Which is better between honey and sugar? • Decreases appetite • Irritates the stomach and causes heartburn • Causes diabetes • Provides a quick, short burst of energy that leaves you worse off than before • Raises insulin levels • Weakens the immune system • Increases the likelihood of depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and

•Sugar

•Honey

inability to concentrate • Causes kidney damage • Increases the likelihood of tooth decay • Speeds up the aging process • Causes cardiovascular disease hypertension • Worsens cancer

and

Honey Proponents of honey over sugar say that honey is the world's most natural sweetener. It is not produced by human hands, and therefore is believed by its supporters to be an ideal sweetener. Honey is produced by bees. They gather nectar from flowers

and return it to the hive. There, the nectar is transformed into honey and stored in the hive for food over the winter. Honey has a long history of consumption by humans and is believed to be an older sweetener than sugar. Advantages and disadvantages of honey Like sugar, honey is a high calorie food. Pound for pound, it almost contains as many calories as

sugar. However, the good news is that honey is sweeter than sugar, so you need less for the same amount of sweetness. Also, unlike sugar, which is virtually nutrient-free, honey contains a small amount of nutrients. Some would say that this is a negligible amount and that consuming honey is no better off than consuming sugar. Proponents of honey offer these benefits: • Inclusion of healthy bacteria • Helps to control blood sugar better than refined sugar does • Can improve insulin resistance over that of refined sugar • Helps to improve the immune system, particularly in cancer patients • Contains antioxidants that help prevent free radicals These benefits, as well as the nutrients it provides, are reduced or disappear altogether in processed honey. Raw honey is recommended. A downside to honey, however, is the likelihood of a toxin that affects children under the age of one.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

AKE making business is no trifling business as celebration-freak individuals across the globe will testify. In Nigeria, in particular, cake is one of the most consumed snacks ever as it is often the dessert choice at ceremonial occasions like Christmas, New Year and other festivals. Sometimes, cake is presented as a gift. The demand for cake is high on weekends because many people do their wedding ceremonies then. During Valentine season, the rush for cake can be overwhelming. Everyone wants to show his or her lover that they care through cake. A birthday party without a cake is incomplete in any part of the world today. According to Layode Adeola CEO of Exquisito cake in Ibadan confessed that: "I developed a keen passion for cake making as a child while doing it with my mother at home. So after my secondary education, I went to properly learn it, because I had concluded to make a business out of it. I was so interested in the business that I would not have attended university, but for my parents. The graduate of Psychology from University of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, furthered her training in the cake business at Slaltery Manchester, BSG Skill School, with a lot of short courses with Tombi Peck, Atlanta among other celebrity cake makers abroad, started the business in Nigeria training students. Adeola, a member of the Inter Nation Cake Exploration Society (ICES) revealed: "Since I got the basic training in making cake from my mother while I was seven years old, I have been making cake for people. But because of the standard at which I wanted to run the business, I kept on attending classes both in schools and trainings, to acquire more knowledge in the business. "I started cake making business in Nigeria, training people the business, because my travelling abroad made me to lose all my clients in Nigeria. I got about two students for the two-week training. "My first student paid N18,000 for the two-week training. I was able to buy the basic equipment with the money. So I started cake baking business with N18,000 about five years ago. Now I make cool cash, with individuals and corporate organisations, home and abroad, on my clients list." Adeola is not alone. Tosan Jemide, a man in a woman business also said that he started baking 30 years ago but has been in commercial cake baking for 13 years when he started from a room in his sister's small flat. Now the cake boss sells

Boom in catering craft SMEs

xxxx Tejuosho market still awaiting allocation

The proliferation of small scale entrepreneurs involved in catering crafts is a clear indication that the confectionary food segment is experiencing a boom, reports Bukola Afolabi bread - Top Crust - and it's a hot sell. His journey into cakemaking can be described as accidental. "A few years after my mum's demise, my older brother was getting married and refused paying for a cake because he believed so many cakes have been baked in our home. He actually imposed this on me, though I was as good as a novice because all I knew were bits and pieces I had learnt from my mum in the kitchen,'' he recalls with glee. "Upon graduation from the University of Ibadan, where I read sociology, I went into clothing. I had a flair for clothing and even while I was in school, I was already running a small clothing business. Meanwhile, I was still doing a lot of cakes and I was getting orders. I found it quite interesting but I was very handicapped because I had just raw talent. I had not done any training. There are lots of things to learn especially in the more technical aspects and I felt lost. Then, I decided to embark on some sort of training. I went to the United Kingdom where I was for four years. I worked with different cake companies including Gloriette in Knightsbridge. At that time I was still doing my private work in England. It got to a point when I could not cope anymore and I had to quit my job. I had a choice of staying there to start a business or coming to Nigeria to set up a business, so I opted for the latter,'' he revealed. Some professions are seen as never-do-wells except one individual or individuals up the ante. Jemide has been able to do that successfully with baking cakes and mindsets are changing with people taking it as a serious profession. "When I started, I started with one worker in a room in my sister's small flat, it was very hard work, sleepless nights and passion for the job. Lots of sleepless nights, toiling has resulted in what I am today,'' he says. In a sense, his entire career was driven by that energy. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Diva Cakes and Confections, Mrs. Genia Okafor, is a source of motivation to those who may want to become authorities in cake business. Despite the fact that she has a Master's degree in Edu-

â&#x20AC;˘A caterer at work cation Administration and Planning, she is currently not working with her certificate. Okafor, who is also a certified autism teacher from a foreign university, has found fulfillment in this pastime of significant interest to her. According to her, this special interest is the business, which has turned her into a cake provider, a trainer and an employer of labour. She says, "We supply cakes and confectioneries; we train people who are aspiring to be cake decorators and bakers; and we bake different types of cakes." While encouraging an intending entrepreneur on the business, she gives an insight into how she started. According to her, right from when she was young, she had always loved to bake cakes for her immediate family member and friends. Little did she know that she would soon become a success story in this regard. Because of the high value she placed on education, she says, she proceeded to get her first degree and a Master's degree, with additional qualifications abroad. With her education and exposure, Okafor has been able to introduce innovative ideas into the business, which

she says, helps her to deliver her services more professionally. "Initially, I started baking free of charge. When I started doing it for weddings, people loved it. Then I began to receive increasing requests for cakes. This was the point at which I started charging fees to bake. I later went for more training and attended exhibitions before it became a big business," she says. According to her, the most important thing for an entrepreneur to thrive and stay successful in the business is the passion for it. "It is something you can start from your home, but what is important is that you have to have the interest; you have to love doing it. If you don't love it, you may somehow get frustrated and give up because it is not so easy to stay on in the business, especially during unpleasant periods," she says. She, however, stresses that a cake provider must have a good customer relations strategy. The reason is that baking cakes goes beyond selling it; rather, it largely entails ensuring customer satisfaction and delivery of quality products. On how she copes with

this, she says, "I always try to find a way to make my own different. We use quality products to bake our cakes, and we are very customer-conscious. We make sure that our customers get the best. We try to keep our quality and standard high and the same. These have helped us a lot." Okafor notes that, just like other business cake making also has its own challenges. The major challenges, according to her, include getting the right hands to work with, raw materials and poor infrastructure. She says, "Sometimes we import our raw materials but their delivery are delayed because of Customs procedures. Again, you have to consistently keep training your staff to perform well." Nevertheless, an encouraging thing about the business, according to her, is that an intending entrepreneur can start with little capital, probably from personal savings, after which he or she needs to acquire more capital for expansion. Without an office, she says, an aspiring cake baking entrepreneur can start the business from his or her home, especially at the beginning. Mrs. Idowu Adebayo is the Chief Executive of Partis Bakers, an outfit that supplies different cake types to suit different ceremonies. According to her, she learnt how to bake when she was still a student. She says she used to help her friend, who was very good at baking. She says, "I started by helping my friend to do most of her pastries. Later, I started reading books on baking, but I gained practical experience by assisting my friend that helped me to perfect my skill." According to her, there are usually innovations in baking. Adebayo, who says she had always had the mindset to be an entrepreneur from childhood, naturally saw the cake business as a venture she could delve into. She also points out that an individual needs to go for training as it helps to provide the needed knowledge to produce and serve high quality cakes to customers. The cake expert stresses the need for an entrepreneur in this field to be committed and focused. Besides, she says such a person has to set targets on how to grow his or her business.

IVE months after the ultra modern Tejuosho market was built and commissioned by the Lagos state Governor Raji Fashola, precisely last August, trading activities has not resumed at the complex due to inability of the developers to allocate the shops, The Nation has learnt. Confirming this development, Alhaja Ganiyat Amoke Dosunmu, the Iyaloja General of Surulere local government, who spoke exclusively to The Nation, said the market has not fully commenced full trading activities as a result of the non-allocation of shops to the owners. "All the shops have been occupied to the extent that the bank in charge is calling for those that have paid and have not gotten shops to come and collect their money back," she said. The number of shops vacant, she further revealed, "is more than those that paid for occupancy of the shops and as a result of that they need to refund their money back. There is a procedure for collecting the shops, because the bank has procedure for anyone occupying the shops, that's why we are waiting for the bank to give allocation to the allottees." Adducing reasons for the rising incidence of street trading, Alhaja Dosunmu observed that traders are still selling along the streets because majority of them who paid for space at the Tejuosho market were yet to be allocated their shops, assuring that such practice would seize as soon as the shops are allocated. "Since it was not the market association that built the market and been an agreement with the developer, financed by First Bank, we need to reach an agreement with them, before they give us our own allocation. When this has been done you won't find any trader on the street," she assured. The market with over 2,640 facilities in the new market complex includes banking spaces, eight lifts to enable goods, services and people move up, two escalators for up and down movement of people, two ramps designed to assist physically handicapped people to get into and out of the building and a crĂ¨che where nursing mothers can attend to and keep their children while they are trading, also have a dedicated fire service station within the complex with fire fighting systems built in the market to forestall any incident of fire disaster as well as a dedicated 800-vehicle capacity car-park unit.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

Peter Greste retrial order opens up ‘more options’ for his release Lady behind popular blog site, ladunliadinews.com, Oladunni Liadi speaks on her foray into online journalism, the rewards, challenges of blogging and her aspirations. She spoke with Daniel Adeleye

•Greste

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

Troupe to perform in conflict zones

OU assumed office as the new director of the National Troupe of Nigeria with the creation of Ajoyo, a dance pattern with which you've been touring the country. What is Ajoyo and why the tour? Ajoyo means celebration and it came up because immediately I received my letter of appointment, I realised I would be holding the position in trust for a lot of people. Until I got my letter, I wasn't really told which portfolio to hold, even though I was interviewed by the Minister of Culture, Chief Edem Duke. I sent text messages and I did all kinds of things for him to tell me what office I'd hold. But he didn't. It was on the last day that I realised it was the National Troupe of Nigeria. I was actually expecting something in the line of visual art which is my own area of training. When I got the letter I was thrown aback a bit. But after a while, it just occurred to me that I have experienced and I have organised series of programmes in the performing arts virtually all my adult life. Like I mentioned earlier on, I spent most of my life during my holidays while at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with Uncle Demas Nwoko. That was in his studios in Ibadan. Also, I spent some of my spare time with Oba Sonuga who was then an artistic director. I was also close to Adeniran who was once the director of OAU's Institute of Cultural Studies in Ife. And so performing arts has not been new to me. I have been involved, I have been with it most of my adult life as both an organiser of events and a promoter of cultures across states and climes. There had been command performances I had participated in over the years. I have done children theatre workshops at several times in different places through cartoons and so on. So, I have been into performing art. When I came to that realisation, I quickly began to write down my plan of activities; what I will do to put the Troupe on the right track to perform and be fully useful and engaged. This was what I did send to the minister, even though I also added some research which I conducted. By the time I was defending my plan of action, he was really impressed. He asked: where did you get all these from? Three of the points I raised were already in his action plan for the Troupe. So, when I got that kind of approval from him, I hit the road running. When I was at the Institute of Cultural Studies I had little to run and maintain the place. So, I am used to no money situation. In other words, I am used to a Spartan kind of situation. I was not afraid to go into it all even though I inherited a debt of N26million when I got to the National Troupe of Nigeria.

Even then overhead had not been released for three months. And the office that was given to me was a bit uncomfortable compared to what I had in Ife. But this is a federal parastatal and it was like I had that blank cheque for me to do the job I was appointed to do. That was why I had to quickly put in place the stakeholders parley so as to have the input of those people with whom I have had those contacts professionally. From there, ideas came up which are really in synchronization with what I have for the Troupe. It was in the process of that I said, ah, we cannot do this without having a production, an artistic performance to usher in the people. This was how Ajoyo was finally created with ideas and dances from here and there. Quickly, the experienced directors I inherited swung into action and in the end we have Ajoyo. It was a mosaic of repertoire which

With his appointment as the Director of National Troupe of Nigeria, Akin Adejuwon has decided to infuse new life into the Troupe. Having been assured by the Nigerian Army that the Troupe will be performing for peace keeping purposes across Africa and more, he told Edozie Udeze in this interview that he and the Troupe are ready for the tasks ahead offered us an opportunity of performing at the presidential villa too. Our performance at the conflict zones is to help douse tension and resolve conflicts. As it is today, the armed forces of Nigeria is constituting a schedule that will engage us for a year. They have all said that this is a good concept and it will go a long way to bring back peace in the minds of the people. However, I discovered that only a few of my people are the core artistes. The issue has to be looked into soon. What I have decided to do is to bring in some of the workers who are artistes but do not perform to be part of it. My predecessor in office, Professor Ahmed Yerima tried it and it worked. I've started talking to them about this, that we would draw them into performances. At least 70% of the staffs need to be engaged in the area of artistic performances. They should be ready to go troupe, because that is what we do; that is why we are here. We will also go into the society to engage other artistes and encourage them to be part of what we do. Even some were part of this first stage of states tours and we'll do more.

â&#x20AC;˘Adejuwon

comprised of all aspects of the art. And so within a few days the ideas were fused into stage with different dance patterns to have Ajoyo. That Ajoyo was completely put together by the core artistes themselves. That was how it came up. So how do you evaluate the nation-wide tour so far? I had evaluated it before we took it out to the states. I saw it as the best dances for the road-show. I had put it out before for peer review and the response was good. But we know we'll get better as the road-show goes on. The plan is that as more shows that we have the more we see the need to do more to get the attention of the people. We took references from the reactions we got from people. We worked on those ideas that today we've got better and bigger. The idea of Ajoyo is to truly get the people involved in the dance patterns, indeed the ideas which are meant to appeal to the public. Let the people see the Troupe as it really is. It is their own Troupe and they have to really identify with it. Also, I feel it is a work in progress. I will tell you that from my experience of organising festivals, you can see that this is a festival of sort; it is a noble festival. I didn't want to let the Troupe know exactly what I wanted them to do. This has not been done and they are not used to it. This is the European-type of theatre when you take the dances and performances to the people for them to feel it. You should know that Africans are known to take theatre to the streets; to the palaces of kings and market squares. And most of them are paraded in town before they are performed. This is what we've been able to do in the states where we performed and the reactions were very im-

pressive. So, our work is to discover new talents; is to see how we can lure the young ones into art as a profession and as a career. We have opened a website and the responses have been encouraging. The awareness createdby the road-show is beginning to permeate the society. We wouldn't find all these in a static theatre and so we had to move. Even the artistes, by the time we started, they said oga, let us try and see if it will work. What next for the National Troupe? Today, just after one week of performances, I am talking to you from the University of Ilorin, where a few minutes ago the vicechancellor, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, volunteered to partner with us to package a festival for Nigerian universities. It is to take off from the University of Ilorin and from there to other universities. I told you before that I wanted a festival of domestic arts and this conforms with that idea. We've just done week and you can see what we've attracted to the Troupe. I have work in progress. Yes, this is why we need to perform in the 36 states of the federation. I even intend to go and perform at the Sambisa forest next year. But before we go into that, we need to have proper meetings with the armed forces of the federation. We all have to agree on the modalities and all that. The soldiers welcome the idea, in fact they are more enthusiastic than most people are. No matter how good I am as a dance director, I can't just jump into performance in such a place. The soldiers have to be involved in terms of security and other assurances. So, I consulted and they said, okay, let us start from the peace keeping zones and a few other places like that. This involves The Democratic Republic of Congo and others. Yes, I've agreed and they have

The fear is that in the next one year or so some of these artistes may not be able to perform. What are you doing to ensure continuity and safeguard their future? To me, the first thing was to look at the artistes I have on ground. The artistes have been suffering in this profession, without being well remunerated. Just like we had in football in the past. But today the story is different. Football gives money and players are well taken care of with their future well planned. People like Thunder Balogun and others had no booth when they played. Today, you see footballers earn big in pounds sterling, in dollars. I also feel what these artistes are feeling right now. They used their youth and virile period to perform and elevate the nation and now it is time to ensure that they go home with something in their pockets for their future. So, what I did was to interface with some of my friends in the private sector to get some insurance in place for these artistes. This is in form of one million naira insurance in case of accident or accidental death. This is already in place as I am talking to you now. I proposed this to the National Theatre also, so that this can be expanded and captured on the website. This is much better than nothing at all. Each artiste will be making an input of three thousand naira to be able to make it work. We also have another plan; for those who are in-charge we will endow them. In this case, we'll interface with the producers of Coca cola so that they can get it when they are about to leave. When more money comes in, we will expand the endowments. I can assure you of that. We will never know where we can go from there. But that's the widow's might we have. Everything we do now is work in progress. If we have come this far, we hope to do more to ensure that this Troupe goes further than this. In one week of road travelling theatre, we have received this kind of accolade, that means we are on the right track and we will do more. The only way to go and keep going is to continue to try to keep the Troupe on its toes.

N every situation in all parts of the world when people agitate for freedom, what first comes to their minds is how far-fetched is this dream of obtaining freedom. There is nowhere in the world; whether in Africa or elsewhere where freedom is obtained on a platter of gold. But even then, when this freedom is finally got, what else follows; what do the people do with it to ensure that they consolidate on the gains of this freedom in order to take their society to a greater height? These and more were some of the issues that preoccupied the minds of Olayinka Oyegbile, Toni Kan, Derin Ajao, Kola Tunbosun, Femi Odugbemi and others during the just concluded 16th edition of the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF). In the theme of the discussion which centred on freedom and its aftermath the discussants took a swipe at the works of some authors who have written variously on this theme. In search of freedom, and freedom of what? This was the rhetorical question on the lips the of discussants. In introducing the topic, Odugbemi opined that books have helped societies across the globe to view their situations better. From apartheid in South Africa, to the cold war years and the fall of the Berlin walls, it is important to see how some very critical books have emerged on these sensitive issues to help the world grasp the situation in such a way as to guide against reoccurrence. Oyegbile's topic which was unique both in its presentation and subject-matter dwelt on the work of Alaa Al-Aswany, an Egyptian author resident in the United State of America. In his book entitled Chicago, Al-Aswany, an award-winning writer dealt with the crisis of identity for most Arabs who are torn between their own strict moral lifestyle in Egypt and the sort of freedom and loose society that pervades the United State of America. "It is the story of sex, love, freedom and identity", Oyegbile averred. Yet it is the story of some Egyptians sent by the government to the USA on scholarship to return back home to Egypt to help rebuild their society. Most of them now find themselves in a confusing state; being immersed in a country where morality is loose, yet the people are making progress. "They could not understand it; yet God has blessed and will continue to bless America. Back in Egypt, the people are made to live a strict religious life, yet there is strife everywhere; there is war and peace eludes the people. Even the Jews are better placed in the world. Is it because they are friends with America, that things are better for them?" Oyebile intoned, dwelling on the deep psychological impact of

The Missing Daughters Orubebe, G.E. Grace Springs Africa Publishers, Lagos NO. OF PAGES: 285 REVIEWER: Chijioke Uwasomba TITLE: AUTHOR: PUBLISHER:

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

ARTS

HE Missing Daughters is a morality tale by Orubebe Gandhi to warn men and women alike of the need to accept the will of God as it relates to the sex of their children. In order words, every child, whether male or female is important and should not be discarded. Those who out of foolishness or short-sightedness, dismiss their female child or children are bound to regret like Obi in the novel under discussion. The story is set in a village called Ogbabiri. From all indications and by all accounts, Ogbabiri is a village that lacks modern facilities that could make life more meaningful. The commonest source of energy in the area is firewood and no wonder the village is always enveloped by smoke. The point at issue upon which the story revolves round- the less value placed on the female child- further portrays the society of the novel as one that is primitive in every material particular. Egbema, who has six boys is always in the habit of boasting to his wife, Nigho that the female sex does not endear to his ancestors. He sees his family from time immemorial as a malebreeding one. Egbema dismisses Nigho for wanting to have a female child as if she is the one who decides the sex of a child. It is with this mindset that Egbema warns his children: "Any woman you marry among all of you, if she bears a female child in the midst of your children, she would have committed an abomination in that she may have had that female issue from another man, she would have committed adultery" (29). Egbema is obsessed with this reprehensible thinking to the extent that "No female children" becomes the chant in his household. It is important to note that out of fear and to satisfy their father, all Egbema's children are gripped by their father's story about male/female which they have dubbed " the male syndrome thing"(35). Bafukeme, the oldest son who has fallen in love with Ereseimo shows signs of fear because he does not want to hurt the sensibilities

JANUARY 4, 2015

Discussing freedom At the Freedom Park, Lagos, recently some literary eggheads met to discuss in search of freedom and what it constitutes to societies across the world. The issue of what societies do with freedom and their aftermath was the bane of contention. Edozie Udeze writes

â&#x20AC;˘From left: Tunbosun, Kan, Odugbemi, Ajao and Oyegbile discussing in search of freedom PHOTO MUYIWA HASSAN the book, both on the Egyptians who are torn between the two worlds and some Americans who keep the company of these Arabs. It is intriguing, but mostly, Chicago exposes the trauma of a people who live amidst the deluge of an endless lie; a people who are not, as it were, allowed to be true to themselves, to their beliefs and convictions. "Based essentially on a university campus lifestyle, it chronicles these experiences in a post 20/11 Chicago and also brings to the fore the inevitable role of America as the land of freedom and diverse ideas," Oyegbile surmised. In the second book which he discussed, Oyegbule equally ex-rayed the place of the News magazine and its founding editors in championing the cause of freedom from the clutches of military rule. "It was tough, yet these

brave writers rose to the occasion. In devising all sorts of strategies and methods, they were able to rattle the military," Oyegbile said. This story of the News, is the story of democracy in Nigeria today and it is incomplete to celebrate this dispensation without giving kudos to the likes of Bayo Onanuga, Seyi Kehinde, Kunle Ajibade, Dapo Olorunyomi and others for their sense of commitment and bravery that gave freedom to Nigeria. In his own contribution, Toni Kan dwelt on the situation in Jos, Plateau State, at the moment where fear and trepidation rule the hearts of the people. "This is a place where love ruled before; where people from all over the world converged to enjoy the bliss of the society. But today man-made strife, hatred and anarchy have taken over. What we see today is a replica

Making them relevant of his father. This is more so considering the fact that Ereseimo's family is known as a femalebearing one. But in the end both Bafukeme's wife and those of the other two siblings give birth to male children. Obi's wife cannot understand the queer premium placed on male children over and above the female by the Egbema family. She sees it as amusing. Obi tells his wife: "You either give birth to male children or you are not part of our family"(55). But unfortunately to Obi his wife gives birth to a female. Of all in the household of Egbema it is only Nigho, Egbema's wife that defends and identifies with Obi's wife. She teases Obi: "Becky has given birth to a female child. Go and kill yourself. Since she arrived here, she has been like a woman in harem"(59). Becky gives birth to two other girls and is driven out by Obi her husband: "Go away with your female children"(62),Obi chides her. Nigho, a very clairvoyant mother scolds Obi for his foolish decision. Obi's siblings and their father Egbema praise Obi to high heavens for the decision to send his wife and children away. No sooner has Obi taken this decision than he begins to regret his action, tormenting himself. Even in his place of work, Obi who is known for his exemplary industry and commitment to duties can no longer give his best. He is chided by the management: "Obi your attitude to work which used to be commendable has taken a plunge for the worse. This place is not a civil service arena rather we are a company. You had an adept hand in times past"(68). Obi is eventually sacked. He marries another girl. As if he has lost every

modicum of reason, he drives the third wife away saying: "go away with your female child"(69). Meanwhile, Becky, Obi's first wife who had been driven away by Obi has not lost hope in Jesus Christ in spite of all her frustrations. Her three daughters- Dora, Dolphin and Betty- who are under the custody of her parents and being taken care of, over time become graduates with the first daughter Dora,who at this point has become a lawyer getting married to Dr. Ibeh Ogbebor,a medical doctor. By a twist of events the king of Ogbabiri informs his people of how the Ogbu indigenes who the Ogbabiri clan had given its land for their settlement have turned around to be killing the Ogbabiri people. All the Ogbu males are wiped out. Some of the Ogbu girls are taken captive and one of these girls, Edna is married by Obi making it the fourth wife he has married. Strangely, Obi does everything within his power including cooking and serving Edna but the latter does not show any form of appreciation. Obi's drinking habit which he acquired when he was desperately looking for male children has increased even now that through Edna he has had three male children. His wife Edna and the three children take to alcoholic drinks like Obi leading to the death of the third son Roland. Edna is also rumoured to be sleeping with all sorts of men and caught in a room with a man. Because of the irresponsibility of Obi's children and the waywardness of Edna, Obi decides to keep his money in the bank to prevent it from being stolen but is beaten mercilessly by his children in his farm. Obi is rescued by a good

of the Berlin wall. You have to be restricted to your own area in the city if you want to enjoy your life," Kan revealed, "Jos, may not be the same again in a long time to come," he lamented. There is so much fear in the city of Jos. Kan related this scenario to the early years of the Berlin walls when the two Germanys were so scared of one another. Not even social contacts were made possible. Communism and capitalism were then pools apart. The issues of the beliefs of the people along social lines were the basis for deep mistrust. So then, what do we have in Jos now? Anarchy and fear for tomorrow have taken over the entire enclave. If that is the case, what then is freedom; how does man obtain freedom in order to prosper in the world? These are the salient issues in search of freedom raised and they are issues that indeed trouble the soul of humanity. How can man himself work to keep the society trouble-free? Tunbosun who discussed apartheid per se, was not happy that the world did not or could not see the true ironies of this monster until years later. By then, a lot of damage, deep-rooted for that matter, had been established to keep the Blacks perpetually backwards. "And this is what the Black South Africans are suffering today. That trauma of a situation so long perpetuated in their society is still haunting them. As a matter of fact, it will take a long while for them to get out of it,' Tunbosun argued. To him, the white supremacy in the enclave was perpetuated mainly to deny the Blacks of the right to vote. They were also denied the right to go to school and be exposed to the world. This worked for a long time, until people like Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and others began to challenge the white rulers of South Africa. And when the centre could not hold anymore, freedom came; came in such a way that the era of trauma cannot be easily forgotten by the people who were at the receiving end." The discussants harped on the need for people to begin on time to stand for their rights. No one has the monopoly of victimization or the withholding of other people's rights and freedom. Freedom is freely given to every man and therefore every man has the right to be respected. Why would people assume the policeman of the world or even go as far as dictating to other societies on how to order their lives? This was the main thrust of the matter and so where these rights have been knowingly or unknowingly infringed upon, people should rise to fight against it. And once this freedom is won, let there be concerted efforts to make the society better so as to justify the need for this hard won freedom. Samaritan, Ogbebor who takes him to his Doctor son, Dr. Ibeh Ogbebor who turns out surprisingly to be the husband of one of the three daughters of Obi (Becky's first daughter, Dora). Obi is healed in Ogbebor's house and is given a parcel of land to farm since he says he wants to be Ogbebor's servant. The turning point in the life of Obi comes when he realises that but for Dr. Ibe Ogbebor, all the other eight children of Ogbebor are all females. Obi is at this point in his life full of regrets, more so when he notices the enviable relationship that exists between Dr. Ibeh Ogbebor and his lovely wife, Barrister Dora Ogbebor. Each time Ogbebor's children display their love for their father with gifts, the gesture evokes thoughtful memory in Obi. He begins to regret his past actions especially the way he treated his wife Becky and children. The invitation of Becky to the Chieftaincy ceremonies for Ogbebor brings Becky and Obi together as Becky recognises Obi and holds him with joy. This leads to a reconciliation between Obi, Becky and their three daughters but with the search for the other daughters from the other women that had been sent packing by Obi in those days of his "madness". As noted from the outset of this review, this is a novel that is rich in didactic disclosures harping on the need for forgiveness. At the denouement of the novel, the reader realises the futility and foolishness in dismissing the female sex as unimportant. The novel throws up a lot of issues bordering on the need for good family values, respect for women, love, the recognition of women as human beings who have the same values as their male counterparts or even better. Ironically, the male children of Obi become alcoholics and father beaters who are given to criminality. Obi's most loved wife whom he pampers, in cahoots with her children become a thorn in the flesh of Obi. But for the love shown to Obi by Ogbebor after the thorough beaten given to him by his male children, he would have died. The love and fellow feeling showed to him by Ogbebor and his household, and the cohesiveness of the immediate and extended Ogbebor family prick the conscience of Obi and usher a turn-around in his entire consciousness.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

INTERVIEW

OW has it been running your church for over twenty years? The church clocked20 years in 2014 and it has been a wonderful experience. When we started, we were in a smaller church but we are now in this magnificent building. We have two other branches in Ejigbo and Magodo in Lagos. In addition, work is in progress in Lekki and we have more expanse of land. We also have branches in Owerri and Umuahia. In the ministry, I have travelled to all the continents of the world except Russia. We have also supported missionary works all over the world. For us, the word of God has kept our church. We have stood on the clear veracity of the word. I believe that the ministry is not founded on gifts but the word of God. When did the call come for you? I trained as a journalist and practised. In 1988, God called me to full time ministry. For the first six years, I travelled for the ministry and erected a building where we started from. The word of God is progressing and I never felt like quitting at any point but felt things could get better. Ministry is a journey of faith; you can't do much without him showing up. As an ex-journalist, how many Christian books have you written? I have written ten researched books. One of them titled Restoring mandate dignity won the triumphant

HE President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Presiding Pastor of the Word of Life Bible Church Warri, Delta State, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has been described as a true Christian leader who practices what he preaches. Imam Mohammed Saidu from Maiduguri, Borno State stated this at the annual poverty alleviation programme of the Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank, a brainchild of the Word of Life Bible Church where items such as seven brand new Hyundai Grand cars meant for taxis, 20 tricycles, 100 grinding machines and several other consolation gifts were given out to people. He described the gesture by the church as a practical expression of love. He said the CAN president has always been a man of the people and a bridge builder between the christians and the muslims. Oritsejafor, who also inaugurated the new headquarters of the bank at the programme, said he was quite excited and very fulfilled because the true essence of christianity is to love. According to him, the Eagle Flight Micro Finance bank was set up about nine years ago to provide banking services to the less

'Ministry not only about gifts' Bishop Humphrey Erumaka is the General Overseerof Word Base Assembly. He spoke with Yetunde Oladeinde about life in the ministry, challenges and the forthcoming crusade tagged My unbeatable God. award in North Carolina. The latest called Book of errors won another award. One of my classics is titled Divine power deposits and the best is called Sustainable friendship. Interestingly, one individual has printed over 12,000 copies and shared free. What are some of the challenges in the ministry? Most of the common challenges are meeting up budget to schedule project dates starring at you. If you start trusting Him, He would not abandon you midway. How would you describe the state of the nation at the moment? The situation appears unstable especially regarding the presidential elections in parts where Boko Haram has exercised damage. It is more of a national disaster. I have been to top clergy meetings where we donated money in good measure to send to our brothers in the north. We are doing our best but how much can you help a man who has lost house, family and more? When there is peace, things would be restored. There is war, whatever you give is a relief. We need the crisis in the north to stop and we must stop politicising it. Despite the fact that there are many churches, unrighteousness is still the

â&#x20AC;˘Erumaka order of the day. Why is this so? That is not in the absolute sense. Put the other way, you can imagine what would have happened if there are no churches. People do not need the church to be righteous. You have the positional righteousness which you re-

ceive from Christ as a free gift. The Bible says he that is righteous doeth good and has right consciousness. A Muslim can be right conscious but that does not give him the positional consciousness. When a people in a nation are righteous, then righteousness exalts a nation.

A lot of people have the positional righteousness but you have to teach them to be right conscious. What projects are you working on at the moment? At the moment, we are working on our annual festival of power and prayer crusade, which will take place from 4th to 11th January. It is not all about the church but the community. It is a period when we open our doors to members of the public. Over the years, a number of testimonies abound to the extent that it is now the community that demands for it. The theme for the next edition of the programme is tagged My unbeatable God. Our God never fails. We have done it for six years and it is usually a time to wait on God to start the year on a positive note. It is better to wait on the Lord because if you do not do it HIS way, you may go round looking for what God has placed just next door to you. Prayer is a two-way thing and it is better to pray and ask for direction. The programme is interdenominational and we have a number of speakers that include Sam Ihenacho from Enugu; Pastor Diallo from Canada and friends from within the country. For music, we have people like Frank Edwards,

Sharon and David Moore for our all praise night on Friday. In terms of security everything is intact; we have surveillance gadgets, police and vigilance groups involved. What are some of the testimonies from previous programmes? Over the years, we have had a number of cases of healing; declarations are made in terms of God's blessings and breakthroughs. A number of people who have been married without children come the following year with their own children. We also have cases of those who did not come to the programme but they were touched in their homes as well as those who built properties within the year. Of course, there are also testimonies about the testimonies about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and people who also got clear cut instructions that led to relocation. If you are the president of Nigeria, what would you do differently? The greatest challenge in Nigeria is poverty and it is orchestrated by corruption. Nigerians are not lazy but the opportunities and facilities are not favourable. In China, people are running factories from their garage but here we have issues with electricity. This leads to restiveness and makes our youth available tools.

NEWS

Oritsejafor fetes less privileged â&#x20AC;˘Distributes cars, grinding machines, others By Sunday Oguntola priviledge in the society and offer soft loans to indigent members of the society. He said it is part of the church's effort at reaching out to the downtroden in the society who cannot afford the huge interest charged by commercial banks. Also, he said the gifts are given out annually to assist the people in their businesses.

One of the guests at the event, Professor Mohammed Al-Amin, managing director of the Federal Housing Authority, described Pastor Oritsejafor as a true christian who practices what he preaches. "It is a practical manifestation of the religion. Many pastors across the country have been preaching but Pastor Oritsejafor really has been wolking the preach-

ing," Amin stated. He, however, enjoined the CAN boss not to restrict the gestures to Warri alone but to extend it to all parts of the country because it is all about love. Two of the beneficiaries of the cars, 24-year-old Augustine Chinaso and 20-year-old Dazide Boy, said they were overwhelmed with the unexpected cars given out to them.

Chinaso thanked the Church for its magnimity, adding that he would forever be grateful to the church for lifting him out of poverty as the taxi would be a source income for his sustainance and finance his education. According the Chairman of the Bank, Rev. (Mrs.) Helen Oritsajafor, the poverty alleviation programme aligns with Oritsejafor's desire to minister not just to the spiritual need of man but also to the physical and

Don't lose hope, Okonkwo charges Nigerians

HE Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission(TREM), Dr Mike Okonkwo, has advised Nigerians to hold on to hope in the face of daunting challenges facing the nation. Okonkwo, in a New Year message, said: "I urge every Nigerian to always go to God in prayers and not lose hope because the worst thing that can happen to any person or nation is not to have hope. "If you lose hope, then there is no point living at all but since there is hope and a place to run

to, then, it is best we seek refuge in that place and be sure of tomorrow." He tasked Nigerians to lift up the nation in prayers on the forthcoming elections. "I specially call on all Chris-

tians to pray that God will cause us to have credible elections and good governance, because I believe that Nigeria has a great future which God has laidout plans for," he stressed. Okonkwo appealed to Nigeri-

ans to obtain their Permanent Voters Card(PVC) to "re-direct the ship of the nation in the right path." He pleaded with agents of destabilisation involved in suicide bombings and terror attacks to desist and give peace a chance.

Church holds seven-day summit

RROWSEED Ministries International will commence a seven-day special ministration with the theme In the days of His power from Sunday 11th. The service holds at Princess Lillian Margaret Health Farm Ltd

125, Isheri Road, Almaroof Bus - Stop, Isheri Oshun, Lagos by 6pm. Guest Speakers expected at the service include Rev. Dr. A . C. Achusim; Rev. Paul Chikwem and Prophet Jordan Goodway. A statement by the presiding

pastor, Pastor Mike Nwimoh, said: "God does not need anything outside of Himself to bless you, and all you need to do is come expecting and God shall exceed your expectations. "You are at the threshold of a major miracle in hour life."

â&#x20AC;˘Oritsejafor economical needs of human existence. Furthermore, she said the bank turnover has risen to well over N25bn with a staff strength of over 300. The bank, she added, has empowered and registered about 3.5m micro credit groups with a cash value of about N2.5bn. Mrs. Oritsejafor explained that loans have been granted to Small Medium Scale Enterprises to the tune of N10bn and corporate bodies with a cash value of N15bn. "To further encourage entrepreneurial development and inculcate the culture of savings, the bank has approved the opening of accounts with a minimum balance of just N500 for savings, N1,500 for current accounts and N2, 500 for corporate accounts."

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

WORSHIP

COLUMN

2015: Nigeria cannot disintegrate, says Olukoya

IGERIA will not disintegrate in 2015, the general overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Olukoya, has assured. According to him: "Nobody can destroy Nigeria because it is a country of destiny." This was part of Olukoya's 2015 predictions at the church's Prayer City

By Sunday Oguntola along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway during the cross over service. He said: "No matter what happens, one way or the other, the prophetic agenda and prayers will bail it (Nigeria) out of whatever quagmire it gets into. "The Lord will not mind to kill or maim anyone who may want to destroy Nigeria."

He pointed out that Nigeria is strategically located on the continent and its shape on the continent is like the trigger of a gun, stressing the country is the most dangerous or most volatile part of Africa, which must not be toyed with. Olukoya charged Christians to pray to tackle the year he called "cautious, mysterious, dribbling," warning that prayerless churches will suffer in the year.

FOTA feeds 4,000 Lagosians at Christmas

There was an unprecedented queue in and out of the Araromi Secondary School, Sari Iganmu Lagos penultimate Friday when a humanitarian organisation, 5 Loaves 2 Fishes, gave out bags of rice and noodles to over 4,000 residents. The organisation powered by Foundation of Truth Assembly(FOTA) Lagos also carried out free medical checkups on thousands of the residents of the community. It was jubilation all the way for the residents and beneficiaries of the humanitarian programme. This humanitarian outreach, according to the Coordinator of the group and Senior Pastor of the Foundation of Truth Assembly, Rev Yomi Kasali, was in the spirit of the yuletide season and a bid to cushion the effect of poor Nigerians. Kasali said the humanitarian outreach is meant to put smiles in the faces of poor Nigerians. He noted that the empowerment programme has made impact on the

By Amidu Arije people of the community but decried the poor state of his organisation to continue to carry out the humanitarian programme every time. "I have made impact and it makes me happy you can see these people are very poor, so to give them food makes me happy. "The impact has been impressive but the funding has been frustrating because I wish people could give us money but it is the other way round. "People should put money where it matters to people that will help you give it to the poor," he said. Kasali stated that his organisation hoped to carry out larger free health care services to various Nigerian communities in the near future, dismissing insinuations that the outreach was to drive church growth. "It is primarily humanitarian; it is not a church growth programme and spiritual uplift. "We have over 4000 people benefiting from this exercise, we give the parents rice and the children noodles to enable

them feed themselves." He added: "My vision is to have four mobile clinics and free medic care on weekend basis. We will employ doctors that will go to these poor communities and give them free medic care every Saturday. "All I need is funding. I have the personnel on ground and I have the vision in my heart. I will be reaching 500 people every Saturday with free medic care in four communities," he said. One of the beneficiaries, Alice Akuete, said she was grateful and happy for the gesture which will put food on the table for the Yuletide season. "I want to thank God for their life and thank them for their gesture may God bless them," she said. Another beneficiary, Isaac Kelechi, said: "I and my brother just left my house not knowing that something of this was going on until we met a friend who told me about it and it is a very nice one. I am so happy getting this, most especially at this festive period," he said.

Bishop promises 'stomach infrastructure'

HE governorship candidate of the Accord Party(AP) in Akwa Ibom State, Bishop Samuel Akpan, has promised to end the biting hunger prevailing among the majority of the Akwa Ibom people, if elected governor. Speaking on what people should expect from him, Akpan said his government will implement 'stomach infrastructure' and fight unemployment by going straight into industrialisation. He lamented that many in Akwa Ibom people were still suffering from abject

By Uyoatta Eshiet, Uyo poverty with most of them going about in hunger. This, to him, is a misnomer as the wealth of the state is concentrated only in the hands of a handful of people in government or those having access to them. The Accord Party's candidate promised to distribute the wealth of the state through policies in such a way that will benefit the masses as against what is presently obtained. As part of his industrialisation programme, the Accord Party's governorship candidate said his administration will build modular refineries at dif-

ferent locations in the state and open- up participation in the oil and gas industry so that indigenes of the state can take part and benefit from this God given blessings. He said the other angle to his industrialisation programme will be more agricbased. Asked to expatiate on the 'stomach infrastructure' and the pattern it will take, the Bishop said that remains the secret of his administration when voted into office but assured it will contain the biting hunger prevalent among the majority in the state

Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, Lagos, recently celebrated its Annual Family re-union Harvest Thanksgiving.

â&#x20AC;˘ (L-R) Estate Officer, Methodist Church Nigeria, Mr. Adeola Olufon, with the Past President Busy Bees, Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, Lagos, Sister Olawunmi Tandoh, the Guest Preacher and the Secretary of Conference, Bishop Chibuzor Raphael Okpoko, Busy Bees President, Sister Ajibabi Andrew Thomas, the Presbyter, Very Rev Sola Ala and the Conference PRO, Mr. Aramide Tola Noibi at the thanksgiving service.

Living Faith By Dr. David Oyedepo

Deflating The Pressures Of Life!

APPY NEW YEAR and welcome to your season of Heaven On Earth! Pressures are real to life. This is evident today, as we see many living under different types of pressures - social, economic, domestic, political, etc - which are making life a most frustrating adventure for them. You can go through pressures with cheers. That is what I want to address in this teaching. For a start, I will be examining different aspects of financial pressure and how to overcome them. Just as battles are real to life, victories are equally real to life (John 16:33). There are some individuals living in houses, who are always under pressure, because of rental renewals. This may be due to the fact that they do not give due consideration to the size of their monthly income, before renting their apartments. Should there be a fall in your income, you can relocate your house. For instance, if you are working in an international organization where your housing allowance is 120,000 naira per annum, and now that job is lost, or the organization folded up, and you secure another job where your housing allowance is 40,000 naira, what do you do? This is simple! You just relocate with your family to another house whose rent you can afford. Some couples are misguided, because of what they feel others are saying. For instance, they may ask within themselves: "What will people think? What will they say? Won't they think I am losing grip of life? What will my colleagues think? What will my parents think? Won't they think I am los-

ing my mind?" You must accept your individuality and appreciate the destiny you are heading for. People can think anything. If you are borrowing and owing, they will still be the one talking. Therefore, be yourself and make the best of life. In most cases, what you think is what you do; it is not what others think. Who has time for you? Each individual is thinking about his own circumstance. If they are the ones thinking about your circumstance, when you need the money can't they give it to you free? The truth is, the kind and size of house you live in, should be determined by the size of your income. If not so, by the time the rent is about expiring, you begin to experience sleepless nights and restlessness. When I was stepping into ministry, I could not afford a three-bedroom apartment in the main city. I had to move to the outskirts for a cheaper house. If I would need a three-bedroom house, I should know the amount of money I have. Couples, always take your time to determine the type of house that can match the money you have at hand. It is not when you get to town that you start negotiating the price with the landlord or caretaker! If, for example, you walk up to a landlord with your N10,000 and tell him you want a three-bedroom flat, and he tells you the rent is N30,000 in that area, you automatically know that is not the area you are looking for! Therefore, you go ahead to look for the area where you can get a house at N10,000! The Bible makes us to understand that when a man wants to build a house, the first thing he does is to count the cost. This is to ensure that

the project is completed, to prevent mockery from people (Luke 14:28-30). It is clear from scriptures that King Solomon built the temple of God and was able to finish it (1 Kings 6:9). He didn't borrow and was not under financial pressure in finishing the project. This should serve as a good example for us to follow this new year, in order to overcome financial pressure. You should learn to cut your coat, not even according to your size, but according to the piece of cloth you have. You have to get to a point as a husband or wife, where you know where you are going, and you know what you have. Being able to get to where you are going, using what you have, is wisdom. If you can think enough, what you have is enough. Wisdom is the heritage of the redeemed. For you to live without financial pressure, you need this type of wisdom - divine wisdom. Also, for you to have it, you have to be redeemed (saved). You get saved by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. You can be saved right now as you say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious blood. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know, I am born again!" I will continue this teaching next week. Happy New Year! Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books - The Winning Wisdom, Understanding Financial Prosperity and Breaking Financial Hardship. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E m a i l : feedback@lfcww.org

â&#x20AC;˘ A cross section of the members at the 85th anniversary service.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

NEWS

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ABADARIKI

OKAFOR

UNOGWU I formerly known and addressed as Miss Unogwu Comfort, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Baba, Comfort. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Abadariki Oluremi Margaret, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluremi Margaret Pedro-Ayandokun. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State govt., Ministry of Information and Strategy and general public should please take note.

OGUNSOLA

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunsola Christiana Oluwabunmi, now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs. Erinfolami Christiana Oluwabunmi. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

GBALAJOBI

I formerly known and addressed as MISS GBALAJOBI ABIMBOLA ADEJUMOKE, now wishes to be known and addressed as MRS OJELABI ABIMBOLA ADEJUMOKE. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

ADEDEJI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss ADEDIJI OLUWATOSIN ANUOLUWAPO, now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs. TENIOLA OLUWATOSIN ANUOLUWAPO. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

OYELEKAN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyelekan Omorinola Tolulope now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Fakayode Omorinola Tolulope. All former documents remain valid University of Ibadan and general public take note.

AJAYI I formerly known and addressed as Dr. (Miss)Ajayi, Olubunmi Olubukola, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs.)Omotoso-Olagoke, Olubunmi Olubukola. All former documents remain valid. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti and general public should please take note.

SULEIMAN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Fatima Suleiman, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Fatima Fatima. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TANIMOWO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Tanimowo Maryan Fisayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Adebayo, Maryan Fisayo. All former documents remain valid. LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho and general public please take note.

IBIDIRAN

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwabunmi Veronica lbidiran now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Oluwabunmi Veronica Kehinde-Dada. All former documents remain valid. College of Education, lkere and general public should please take.

OLADOSU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss OladosuRafiatAdeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mustapha RafiatAdeola. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, Nigerian immigration and general public should please take note.

ADEROJU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Aderoju Omolara Favour, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. ldiaghe Omolara Favour. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AJAYI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss AjayiOlajumokeRoseline now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.OmotayoOlajumokeRoseline. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known as, MISS OKAFOR VERA NNEAMAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. VERA NNEAMAKA TOBECHUKWU ONWUGHALU. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

OGIDI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Charity Ogidi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Charity Awogbemi. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

OKON

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Itoro Grace Edwin Okon, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Itoro Grace Adeolu. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OMUEKWU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Omuekwu Ifeyinwa Thelma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Ossai Ifeyinwa Thelma. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

KILANI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Kafayat Yetunde Kilani, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Kafayat Yetunde Teslim. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANIEMEKA

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Nkechi Aniemeka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Patience Ayodeji Shaola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

NNADIRI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Nnadiri Chioma Juliet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Okoro Chioma Juliet. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AFULUKWE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Afulukwe Chinelo Peace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Agughalam Chinelo Peace. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EMERIBE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Emeribe Rita Obianuju, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Salihu, Rita Obianuju. All former documents remain valid. School Intensive Nurse, University of Abuja, Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Kogi StateSpecialist Hospital, Lokoja and general public should please take note.

EBOSIE I formerly known and addressed as Miss EBOSIE Clementina Adaugo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Tochukwu Clementina Adaugo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. SANNIOWO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Sanniowo, Rasheedat Oluwakemi Abisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Ibrahim, Rasheedat Oluwakemi Abisola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. MORAKINYO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Morakinyo Esther Busayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Busayo Edoh. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. ODUSOLU I formerly known and addressed as Miss Odusolu, Adeola Miracle Iyanuoluwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajibade, Adeola Iyanuoluwa Miracle. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

GBALAJOBI

ENE I formerly known and addressed as Scholastica Ene, now wish to be known and addressed as Scholastica Ene Aba. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKAFOR

MATANMI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Matanmi Adebukola Adeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Osinbajo Adebukola Adeola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS GBALAJOBI ABIMBOLA ADEJUMOKE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OJELABI ABIMBOLA ADEJUMOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor, Uchenna Dorathy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Uchenna Chijioke Okoye. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

SIYANBOLA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Siyanbola Nasmat Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akanbi, Nasmat Ajoke. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note. JIMOH I formerly known and addressed as Miss Jimoh, Sururat Adedoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Abdulwahab Jimoh Sururat Adedoyin. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note. AKUCHIE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinwendu Akuchie, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinwendu Glory Darlington. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. ORIADE I formerly known and addressed as ORIADE ADEBOLA ADENIKE SANDRA, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEOYE ADEBOLA ADENIKE SANDRA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. GARARI I formerly known and addressed as MISS GAFARI GANIYAT ADETUTU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS GAFARHASSAN GHANIYAH ADETUTU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. OKO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Mercy Omiko Oko, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Mercy Omiko Chukwudiebere. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just N4,500. The payment can be made through - FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number 2017220392 Account Name - VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert teller to and gbengaodejide@yahoo.com orthenation_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.

Aggrieved AP aspirant denies defection to SDP

N aggrieved aspirant in Accord Party in Oyo State, Chief (Mrs.) Bola Amole , has debunked reports that she has dumped the party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Amole, who contested for the ticket to represent Egbeda /Ona-Ara federal constituency, spoke in Ibadan at the weekend, insisting that she remains

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan a loyal member of Accord Party and does not have any plan of leaving the party. She said: “ I have not defected to the SDP as I am still a member of the Accord Party. Though I have been cheated by the party because no primary was

conducted, but I would still wait to fight for my constitutional right.” The SDP chairman in the state, Mr. Sunday Adelaja, corroborated Amole’s claim, but admitted that his party has been putting pressure on her to join the party with the promise of a ticket to contest for the House of Representatives seat.

Ekiti to launch Security Trust Fund

N line with his promise to secure lives and properties of residents of Ekiti State, Governor Ayodele Fayose would launch a Security Trust Fund (STF) later this month. Chairman of the Trust Fund, Chief Bisi Omoyeni, said in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Saturday that some corporate organisations were already contributing to the

fund. He also disclosed that 20 Hilux vans equipped with security gadgets, Armoured Personnel Carrier and other security equipment have been donated by some banks to the state government for the purpose of fighting crime in the state. January 21, Omoyeni said, has been scheduled as the tentative date for the launch. The Trust Fund, he

disclosed, would provide the needed logistics for security agencies in the state, assuring that “Governor Fayose will do everything humanly possible to make Ekiti a crime-free state.” Omoyeni called on corporate organisations and individuals to support the Trust Fund, adding that “a crime-free Ekiti State will guarantee rapid and sustainable development of the state.”

Ekiti groups urge PDP to drop senatorial candidate

HE dust raised by the outcome of the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State is yet to simmer. In the last couple of weeks, various interest groups have protested against the emergence of some candidates that won the primary elections of the party. The latest is the controversy over the candidature of former House of Representatives member, Mrs. Fatimat Raji-Rasaki, who won the Ekiti Central senatorial ticket on December 7. One of the aspirants who contested against Raji-Rasaki, Mr. Lati Ajijola, claimed that he won the primary election. Other aspirants kicking against RajiRasaki’s victory include

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado Ekiti

a former Senator, Chief Bode Ola and former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Obafemi Adewale. Another interest group, the Progressive Youth Forum (PYF), have also petitioned the N at i o n al Ch ai rm an o f the PDP, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Muazu, calling for the cancellation of the Ekiti Central senatorial primary election. Copies of the petition were also sent to the state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, Senate President, David Mark, PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo and Ekiti State PDP Chairman, Chief Idowu Faleye In the petition signed by its Coordinator, Olawande Julius and

dated December 31 a copy of which was made available to The Nation on Saturday, the group described the primary election that produced Raji-Rasaki as “compromised.” The petition read in part: “To us, the choice of Mrs. Fatimat RajiRasaki as the senatorial candidate of Ekiti Central is a misnomer, because that wrong choice through a compromised election will make other party opponents to go and sleep and expect victory cheaply. From all ramifications, Hon. Mrs. Fatimat Raji-Rasaki is a hard sell. She is neither well-known nor loved by the electorate within the senatorial district, most of whom sadly recall her dismal performance at the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011.”

•A group of Muslims celebrating Eid-El-Maulud in Suleja, Niger, yesterday PHOTO: NAN

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

Lagos and the defining moments of 2014

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH T 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Egregious flaws

COMPILING this conspectus of saucy howlers over the years has evoked salient questions in me: why are these egregious flaws committed? Is it a function of ignorance, carelessness or sheer mistakes? Could it be tactlessness or just inexperience arising from slothfulness? Should it all be attributed to the evolution of what has come to be known (and locally accepted?) as 'Nigerian English'. Staggered answers to these posers would be addressed in this column this New Year. "Plans by former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, to dump the PDP for the Labour Party (LP) to contest the 2015 governorship polls has (have) been put in abeyance…." (THE NATION ON SUNDAY Ripples, December 28) "Instant lustrous hair for the festive" (Source: as above) In vogue: the festive (adjective) period/ season "She had been knocked down by a hit and run (hitand-run) driver…." (THISDAY, November 10) "Governor Orji's legacy divide (divides) Abians" (THISDAY Banner, November 4) Legacy my foot! "Building collapse: SON reads Riot Act (the Riot Act) to contractors" Sunday PUNCH of November 16 also committed the same blunder: "Rivers PDP reads riot act to governorship aspirants" "…he said education remains (remained) a priority in his dispensation…." (THISDAY, November 14) "Osun's unforgetable (unforgettable) years" (THE NATION ON SUNDAY Comment Headline, December 14) "More grease (power) to your elbow, Mr. President" (Full-page advertorial by Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Former Minister of Health, DAILY SUN, November 21) "Efforts aimed at transforming this country is (are) most appreciated by the people of the FCT." (Full-page advertorial signed by Senator Bala Abdulkadir Abubakar, FCT Minister, DAILY SUN, November 21) "Govt imposes 24-hour curfew in (on) Damaturu over insecurity" (THE GUARDIAN, December 3) "The Parents Teachers

Association (PTA) of…." Get it right: Parent-Teacher Association "Jurisdiction is life-wire (livewire) of litigation" (THE GUARDIAN Law Report, December 16) "…the military simply loathed the prying eyes that was (were) bound to come with US involvement" (LEADERSHIP, December 5) "Court orders policeman to be charged over (with) N20m fraud" "Money can't break-up (break up) Midnight Crew" "Flag-bearers (Standard-bearers) to emerge in 24 hours" "FG impounds Russia (Russian) plane with arms in Kano" Over the years, I had been critical of American, especially North, English, insisting on the British version only. Having reflected on the hotchpotch miasma and collectivization of languages and events that culminated in the evolution of what is today known as British English, I henceforth accept the American variant, equally, which I expect Britons to be proud that their 'mothertongue', so to speak, has been massively and widely adapted, modified and accepted by other countries. After all, should it not be a source of pride to Britain, as I mentioned earlier, that Americans borrowed their language and retooled it to supranational reckoning? The critical point that needs to be underscored is that there should not be any admixture of the two in a particular environment to avoid confusion because of differences in spelling, pronunciation, usage, phraseology, idiom and meanings. Just like me, please rethink your emotive hysteria over this issue. FEEDBACK THE first set of interventions this year is from a renowned septuagenarian language activist whose professorial candour I have enjoyed right from his National Concord Mind Your Language days in the 80s, Mr. BAYO OGUNTUASE (Baba),who lives blissfully in Ikorodu, Lagos, 08056180046: New improved English: emu or ostrich? To bury one's head in the sand, meaning to deliberately ignore something that is obvious but unpleasant. The idiom refers to the old belief that

ostriches (emus) hide their heads in the sand when they are in danger because they think that then they cannot be seen. It is the emu (not the ostrich) that buries its head in the sand. Emu is a member of the ostrich family. The plural is emus. Cheers my brother. Still from Baba: 'Centre on/upon' is Briticism/ Anglicism while 'centre around' is Americanism. For example: 'The case centres around their adopted children'. For precision, we correctly say or write 'centre in…and "Other media 'practitioners' (managers/professionals/ experts/specialists/ consultants) have been called upon to be objective." (THE GUARDIAN, December 22, 2014) We do not somehow practice the media! We practice journalism/law/medicine/ public relations, etc. Happy New Year! Enjoy yourself! 'EVIDENCE', like 'couple', is one of those words in the Academic Word List that can 'betray' one's proficiency. Yes, it is both count and non-count. However, its plural usage is chiefly U.S. and in technical form. Example: 'They found many evidences of neglect to support/convict….' Even the British Broadcasting Corporation limits itself to the singular form in recent reports on Lockerbie bombing. Happy New Year! (SUNNY AGBONTAEN, Benin City, 08062998165) EBERE, I trust you are doing great! It has been quite a while I planned writing to encourage you after I read a couple of your articles since returning to Nigeria. Profound and brilliantly delivered in prosaic language that my perfectionist dad would have praised. Well done and may your ink never dry! Blessings always…. (-Dr. Oby Ezekwesili) I remember how we started off years ago at the defunct Daily Times where our professional skills were nurtured by such brilliant editors as Onyema Ugochukwu, the late Femi Sonaike, John Araka, Dapo Aderinola, and Ndu Ughamadu, among others. Along with such brilliant minds as Tunde Olusunle, the late Femi Olatunde, Hakeem Bello, Emeka Nwosu, Ebere Wabara, Abiodun Raufu, Louis Okoroma and Yomi Ola to name a few, we worked extremely hard and had such great fun. (--Segun Ayobolu, Lagos)

HOUGH 2014 has come and gone, its memories continue to linger on. To some, it was a year full of sweet memories while to others it was a year to be forgotten in a hurry. In Lagos state, the year was, undoubtedly, a crucial one with daunting challenges. It was a year that the state had to engage in a fierce battle to contain the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. Containing EVD was a tough task for the state government in many perspectives. For one, containing such a frightful disease was not something that was planned or budgeted for. Second, the disease was berthing in the country for the first time. Thus, Lagos had on its hand a volatile situation that needed to be tackled with utmost care, especially considering the havoc the disease was already causing in neighbouring Wet African countries. But, in its characteristic methodical style of handling such knotty issues, the state government carefully and systematically went to work to confront the dreaded disease. That Nigeria was eventually certified Ebola free by the World Health Organisation, WHO, is an affirmation of the untiring efforts of the state government in providing the needed leadership that became a rallying point in the onslaught against EVD. In order to ensure that those that survived EVD do not in any way become victims of stigmatization, the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, publicly met and fraternized with them. The trail blazing trend of the state government in the health sector was equally sustained in 2014 as the seventh Maternal and Child Healthcare Centre, MCC, and a School of Nursing Complex at the Alimosho General Hospital in Igando were handed over for public use. The Alimosho MCC, seventh in the series of ten such was delivered less than a month after the AmuwoOdofin MCC was commissioned. Other MCCs already handed over include the ones at Ikorodu, Isolo, Ifako-Ijaiye, Gbaja in Surulere, Ajegunle and Amuwo Odofin which was the sixth. The eighth one in Lekki is being equipped while the ninth and tenth ones are to be located in Epe and Badagry respectively. The state government was equally able to stabilize the state's economy in 2014. In a year when the national economy was threatened by global slump in oil prices, it is remarkable that the Lagos' economy fared better. While some states groans under financial difficulties due to the continuing fall in oil prices resulting in salary arrears being owed workers, it is noteworthy that the state economy remains robust and capable of discharging its responsibilities to contractors, workers and the people at large. In terms of budget

• Fashola

Tayo Ogunbiyi performance, the state government was able to sustain the tradition of admirable budget implementation. It was able to achieve 106 percent performance in the second quarter implementation of its 2014 budget. The second quarter result added to the performances of the preceding 86 percent performances of the first quarters to give the state an aggregate of 106 budget implementation for 2014. Between April and June 2014, the state budget performed at 106 percent. If added to the 86 percent performance in the first quarter, the result will be a cumulative half year performance of 86 percent. The impact of the performance can be seen in some of the housing and the roads projects that were completed within the period. To affirm the stable financial position of the state government in 2014, global leader in credit ratings and research, Fitch Ratings, upgraded Lagos State's national long-term rating to 'AA+ (nga)' from 'AA (nga)', thus giving the state a stable outlook . Fitch believes that Lagos management is becoming progressively more sophisticated. Fitch equally rates the state high on debt management, which has improved with longer bond tenures and more loans from development banks. The Fitch's upgrade is a further testimony to the state's continued firm operating performance, enhanced transparency and renewed efforts towards an increasingly urbane and transparent administration, which is favorable to increasing private sector investments. With a local GDP accounting for 20%25% of the national GDP, Lagos is a critical driver of Nigeria's economy. Domestic production is fuelled by its diversified economy as a commercial hub in the country, with service, construction, transport and industry making up 80% of the local economy. Fitch believes that Lagos' socio-economic indicators will further improve as local GDP growth is expected to outperform the estimated national GDP growth of 7%8% in 2014. Another essential moment for Lagos in 2014

was the handing over of the Transfer Loading Station at Agege which has been embedded with a medical waste treatment facility. The Station, the third of its kind by the Fashola administration, will provide hospitals and clinics that are close by with an efficient depository for treatment and disposal of medical waste in a safe and healthy manner. Unlike the first one at Simpson, which was simply about solid waste, the Agege Transfer Loading Station is set to do more as it will address the danger of medical waste, syringes and all of the end products of surgery which were often just dumped in the refuse where children can play around with them and result in possible epidemic. In order to sustain current pace of development in the state, the state held the 2014 Ehingbeti Summit with the theme: 'Powering the Lagos Economy: Real Opportunities, Endless Possibilities'. The essence of the summit's focus on power is for the private sector to draw the attention of the Government to places where its activities would enable the private sector achieve its potential in terms of delivering of service, provision of opportunities and growth of the economy. On its part, the state government has been working tirelessly in pursuit of a new power agenda for the state. Presently, government is working on a plan to set up a one-stop shop to fast-track the handling of all issues relating to right of way and power infrastructure development in the State. Similarly, apart from the three functional power plants in Akute, Lagos Island and Alausa, efforts are being made to install two other plants in strategic locations of the state. Other significant moments for Lagos in 2014 include presentation of Lagos State Development Plan (2012-2025), commissioning of 34 new fire trucks, reversal of the Lagos State University (LASU) fee from N350,000 to the old rate of N25,000, Horns free day, introduction of a 10 day paternity leave for male employees of the state government, extension of maternity leave for female government's employees to 12 weeks, the listing of Governor Fashola among the 100 Top Global Thinkers for 2013 by a global personality assessment organization, Lo Spazio della Politica among others. With the continued support of Lagosians, the state government is poised to take the state to new heights in 2015.Fortunately; Governor Fashola has vowed to continue working for the people until the very last minute of his mandate. This is what the people wanted. This is what they deserve. •Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

Ebola Nurse in Two large objects found in British critical condition AirAsia wreckage hunt A

NDONESIAN officials were hopeful yesterday they were honing in on the wreckage of AirAsia Flight 8501 after sonar equipment detected two large objects on the ocean floor, more than a week after the plane went down in stormy weather. Teams equipped with a remote-operated vehicle were battling high waves and strong currents as they tried to capture images of the find for confirmation, said Henry Bambang Soelistyo, chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency. The objects were detected early Friday by an Indonesian navy ship, and by midnight, searchers had zoomed

in with a Geological Survey ship to take dimensions. One was measured at 9.4 meters by 4.8 meters and a half-meter high, Soelistyo told a news conference. The second, found nearby, was 7.2 meters by a half meter. "I'm confident this is part of the AirAsia plane," Soelistyo told reporters. The Airbus A320 carrying 162 passengers and crew crashed last Sunday, halfway into a two-hour flight from Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, to Singapore. Minutes before losing contact, the pi-

lot told air traffic control he was approaching threatening clouds, but was denied permission to climb to a higher altitude because of heavy air traffic. It remains unclear what caused the plane to plunge into the Java Sea. Indonesian authorities on Friday grounded AirAsia flights from Surabaya to Singapore, with the Transport Ministry saying the airline did not have a permit to fly on Sundays, the day of the crash. AirAsia, which began operations in 2001, quickly becoming one of the region's most popular low-cost carriers, said it was reviewing the suspen-

sion. Rough weather has hampered recovery efforts, with only 30 corpses recovered so far, many of them by a U.S. Navy ship. Vessels involved in the hunt included at least eight sophisticated navy ships from Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and the U.S. equipped with sonars for scouring the seabed to pinpoint wreckage and the allimportant black boxes. "Many of passengers believed to be still trapped inside the plane's fuselage and could be discovered soon," Supriyadi said, "God willing, we would complete this operation next week."

BRITISH nurse battling Ebola in a London hospital is now in a critical condition, medical staff say. A statement from the Royal Free Hospital said the health of to Pauline Cafferkey, who was diagnosed after travelling back Glasgow from Sierra Leone, had deteriorated over the past two days. Ms Cafferkey, who was part of a team of medical volunteers deployed to Africa by the UK Government last month, is being treated using the blood of a recovered patient and an experimental anti-viral drug which has not yet been proven to work. Earlier this week Dr Michael Jacobs, who has been involved in Ms Cafferkey's treatment, said she had been sitting up and talking - adding she was able to read, eat and drink and had spoken to her family. However, he revealed the hospital was unable to obtain ZMapp, the drug used to treat fellow British volunteer nurse William Pooley, who recovered, because "there is none in the world at the moment". A brief statement on the hospital's website said: "The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is sorry to announce that the condition of Pauline Cafferkey has gradually deteriorated over the past two days and is now critical." Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "I know Dr Mike Jacobs and his team at the Royal Free Hospital are working tirelessly to provide her with the best possible care." Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon added their "thoughts and prayers" were with the nurse and her family during this "extremely distressing time". Ms Cafferkey, who is from Glasgow and works at Blantyre Health Centre, South Lanarkshire, was diagnosed with the deadly virus after returning to Glasgow from Heathrow. She had flown from Sierra Leone via Casablanca in Morocco. At Heathrow, the 39-year-old was considered high risk because of the nature of her work and checked, but showed no symptoms. When she raised concerns about her temperature, she was checked a further six times but cleared to travel and returned to Glasgow. Ms Cafferkey was then transferred from Scotland to north London on an RAF Hercules plane. A Public Health England (PHE) spokeswoman confirmed all British-based passengers and crew members on both flights from Heathrow to Glasgow and from Casablanca to Heathrow have been contacted.

Violence escalates ahead of Sri Lanka polls

C â&#x20AC;˘A young man jumps into the sea at Boa Viagem beach in Salvador, BahĂa, Brazil, AFP PHOTO

Bombing suspect dies in US custody

.S. embassy bombing suspect dies ahead of New York trial A Libyan, accused of plotting the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, has died in New York just days ahead of his scheduled trial. Abu Anas Al-Liby, whose real name was Nazih al-Ragye, died of complications from liver surgery,according to his

AD weather was the biggest factor in the crash of AirAsia flight QZ8501, the Indonesian weather agency believes. The BMKG agency said initial analysis suggested icy conditions in the air had caused the engine to stall. The Airbus A320 vanished with 162 people aboard en route from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore last Sunday. The discovery of four large

wife,Um Abdullah. Al-Liby was arrested by U.S. forces in October 2013 in the Libyan capital Tripoli and was taken to the United States to face criminal charges arising from the bombings. Two hundred and twenty-four people died in both bombings. Al-Liby, 50, died at a

local hospital after being transported from a lower Manhattan correctional center on Wednesday. Um accused the US government of "kidnapping,mistreating and killing an innocent man." Al-Liby's attorney, Bernard Kleinman, told the Washington Post that alLiby's health had declined

rapidly in the past month, though he did not know the cause of death. Al-Liby's family said he had suffered from the liver disease hepatitis C, and his health had delayed previous court hearings. He was to face trial, along with accused Osama bin Laden associate Khalid al-Fawwaz, on Jan. 12. Both men had pleaded not guilty.

AirAsia plane crash blamed on bad weather objects believed to be plane debris has raised hopes of finding the fuselage, where most bodies are believed to be trapped. Just 30 bodies had been recovered from the Java Sea as of Saturday morning. The plane's black boxes, its flight data and cockpit voice recorders, have yet to

be located. BMKG found conditions at the time of the plane's disappearance suggested it had probably flown into a storm and experienced extremely icy conditions. "From our data it looks like the last location of the plane had very bad weather and it was the biggest factor behind the crash,"

said Edvin Aldrian, head of research at BMKG. "These icy conditions can stall the engines of the plane and freeze and damage the planes machinery," he added. Officials have said the plane was travelling at 32,000ft when the pilot's last communication was a request to climb to 38,000ft to avoid bad weather.

AMPAIGN-related violence escalated across Sri Lanka ahead of next week's elections as President Mahinda Rajapakse fights an unexpectedly tough battle to remain in power, poll monitors and police said Saturday. The private Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) monitoring group said it had received 1,073 complaints since campaigning got underway in early December. Police said they had received a much smaller number of complaints, but that 130 arrests had been made. A deputy minister and 13 other elected representatives are among those who have been arrested in connection with 245 complaints of violence, police spokesman Ajith Rohana said. CaFFE said the increasing violence was well organised and target the opposition, which is mounting a serious challenge against two-term incumbent Rajapakse. "We are seeing a trend of increasing violence," CaFFE director Keerthi Tennakoon said. "The violence is well organised. It is almost always directed against the opposition's campaign." Rajapakse's main rival, Maithripala Sirisena, narrowly escaped a stone attack at a political rally outside Colombo Friday night, but some 20 of his supporters were injured, the party said. Mobile phone footage of Friday's stoning at the opposition rally shared on social media showed people trying to cover their heads and duck as stones were thrown from a nearby multi-storied building. Police spokesman Rohana said two men were arrested and they were looking for four more suspects. The opposition's Sirisena blamed pro-government elements for unleashing the attack against his rally. The attack came hours after Sri Lanka's External Affairs ministry warned the European Union not to interfere in Thursday's elections after Colombo-based ambassadors urged the government to ensure peaceful polls -- a sentiment echoed by UN chief Ban Ki-moon in a separate statement earlier this week. Previous elections have been marred by violence, particularly against Tamil and Muslim voters, the opposition's major support base.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

IVE men have been arrested in connection with the alleged abduction and rape of a young Japanese woman who said she was held captive for 12 days. The woman said she had been lured to the Gaya district in the state of Bihar, the site of one of India’s holiest Buddhist temples, from Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, by a man posing

NEWS

Five arrested in India rape case as a tour guide. When they arrived at the destination, two others were waiting, she told police, saying those men held her at gunpoint and raped her. The police said the episode occurred sometime after her arrival in Kolkata on Nov. 20. Anxiety in India over

violence against women has been especially high since the December 2012 gang rape of a young Indian woman on a Delhi bus that was so brutal she died of her injuries. Reported details of the latest case, including how long the woman was held,

varied widely as the police continued their investigation Saturday. It was unclear how two of the five men were involved in the case. The police said that at least some of the men were posing as tour guides and reported that at least one

spoke Japanese. A senior police official in Kolkata, Pallab Kanti Ghosh, said yesterday that after being held for nearly two weeks, the woman went to the city of Varanasi, where she found a group of Japanese tourists and told them what had

happened. She then returned to Kolkata, where she contacted the Japanese Consulate, which put her in touch with the police in late December, Mr. Ghosh said. Among the men arrested, according to the Gaya police, were brothers, Shajeed Khan, 32, and Javed Khan, 25, but it was not clear what role they played.

Indian, Pakistani guards trade fire on disputed border

NDIAN and Pakistani border guards exchanged fire along the disputed northern border in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving at least two people dead. A Pakistani military official said a 13-year-old girl had been killed by “unprovoked firing” from Indian border posts near the city of Sialkot. An eightyear-old was wounded in another district, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in

accordance with protocol. Indian officials said Pakistani rangers “kept on firing the whole night,” using mortars and machine guns against 15 posts manned by India’s Border Security Force. One woman was killed in the Samba district, said Rakesh Sharma, chief of the Indian forces in the Jammu region. Mr. Sharma said that the exchange of fire had been lighter during the day on Saturday, “an odd shell

left and right,” but that residents were beginning to leave their homes in anticipation of heavier nighttime firing. Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir, and the neighbors have fought two wars over the region. For years, cross-border exchanges of fire have occasionally erupted, but in recent months, episodes of heavier shelling have prompted thousands of families in villages near the border to flee in search of safety.

•New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton (C) shakes hands with a policeman as he and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (R) depart from slain NYPD officer Wenjian Liu’s wake in the Brooklyn borough of New York yesterday.

Palestinian officials seek probe of killing

ALESTINIANofficials are demanding that the Egyptian government investigate the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy from Gaza who they say was killed by Egyptian soldiers, condemning what the officials called excessive force against a teenager who had been crossing the frontier to find work. The shooting of the boy, Zaki al-Hobi, at the weekend was the first time in several

years that Egyptian security forces had been accused of killing a Palestinian on the border, according to Palestinian officials. It highlighted the Egyptian military’s intensifying clampdown to deter smuggling in an area that the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi increasingly regards as its most serious security threat. An Egyptian military spokesman denied that soldiers had killed the boy, saying in a

text message that “the shooting was not from our side.” Palestinian officials and the boy’s family said he had been shot as he and three friends crossed the border. The friends, arrested by the Egyptian authorities, said they had been trying to buy cigarettes in Egypt to sell in Gaza, according to police officials quoted by Reuters. “The child was defenseless and did not pose any threat to

Egyptian security,” Iyad alBuzom, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza, said in a statement. In the past few months, Egypt’s military has moved aggressively to create a security zone along the border, demolishing houses and smugglers’ tunnels and displacing thousands of Egyptians. Palestinians say that the military’s actions, which

followed the killing by militants of 31 soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula in October, have worsened the economic deprivation in Gaza. With border crossings tightly controlled by Israel and Egypt, the tunnels were the only passages to the outside world. Zaki, who had left school to work odd jobs like selling ice cream and repairing shoes, was typical of those desperate to leave, his cousin Bassem al-Hobi

said in an interview. Zaki had made his way to Egypt once before, about three months ago, and was arrested and sent home. He had not told his family about his trip on Friday. He was not one of the militants Egypt has been so desperate to keep out, Mr. Hobi, his cousin, said. Mr. Hobi, a member of the militant Islamic Jihad group, said he had tried several times to persuade Zaki to join, to no avail.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

ETCETERA

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi

POLITICKLE

deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

‘Naijungle’ •Or Reptilia non grata The redoubtable reptile of note here addressed as ‘Tortiz’ retains penchant for valour and villainy in a contemporary tale fit for the times.

CHEEK BY JOWL

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

TO ESCAPE suffocating existence in downtown Naijungle, a town that throbbed with all kinds of societal turmoil fuelled by decades of poor governance, three friends set out for a picnic on the coast. Larri the lizard packed the picnic basket with bowls of groundnut cakes (kuli-kuli), wraps of bean pudding (moin-moin) and packets of salted popcorn and roasted groundnuts (guguru and epa). Popo the toad arranged a basket of paw-paw, pineapple, mango and other tropical fruits as well as water while Tortiz, the famed tortoise, had the privilege of strapping the colourful picnic cloth to his back. But the picnic site was more than 20 kilometres away and the friends would have to walk for more than a week as the getaway coincided with yet another period of kerosene and fuel scarcity as well as abominable transport costs in their oil-rich land. Well, walk they did, from sunup to sundown and at the pace they could, which anyone who has ever seen the tortoise move would know to be just better than the snail-speed typified by their country’s leadership progression. At the coast, Larri took the stuff out of the basket, one by one, to accompanying slurps and gulps by the salivating animals. Finally, he produced the packets of guguru and epa, and said to Popo as he did so: “Popo, bring out the water and the fruits.” “Em, I don’t have the water or fruits,” to the group’s consternation said a shame-faced Popo. “I must have forgotten it somewhere between our first and second stops.” “Well, we are civilised folk and can’t just have a picnic without water or fruits,” Larri said once the others recovered from the shock of a sumptuous feast delayed. “What would others say when they see us do?” Tortiz nodded. Eating picnic food on sand and stones without water would just not be, well, a picnic. Stuck 20 kilometres away from home, hungry and unable to eat or drink, the friends discussed a remedy. Counting on his guile and resourcefulness, the other two begged Tortiz to do them the favour of locating the lost luggage, but the reptile with the quick wit demurred, knowing that a return journey would be no cakewalk. Besides, his friends would probably devour everything without the water, just to enjoy bigger rations behind him. Following a great deal of pleading, however, Tortiz relented, but not without extracting solemn pledges from the others that they would wait for him before touching the food. As soon as Tortiz turned the corner, Larri and Popo lay down to wait. Two weeks after, the friends in vain scanned the horizon for Tortiz, the fruits and the water. Starving, both exchanged puzzled looks but didn’t dare broach the subject of eating as they looked to honour their word. After another week passed without Tortiz’s return, the friends were sorely tempted to eat, but willpower prevailed. When two more days passed without Tortiz in sight, however, Popo was at his tether’s end. “I need sustenance!” he said with a crazed look about the eyes. “No!” said the normally level-headed Larri. “We promised.” But after four more days, Popo suggested that Tortiz probably stopped at an eatery somewhere and topped it with a visit to a watering hole nearby. Who knows, their politically astute colleague might even have stumbled upon some committee constituted by the government to probe a panel investigating a task force on I.D. card scam, contract scandal, pension fund fraud, or fuel subsidy racket. Too weak to reject the notion of their mutual friend’s ability to worm his way into relevance and reward, Larri acquiesced. The friends proceeded to lift the lid off the picnic basket, take out a wrap of moin-moin each and open their drooling mouths for the first meal in a month. At that moment, Tortiz peeped out from behind a rock and said: “Just for that, I’m not going.” Riled beyond tolerance, the other two immediately seized their sly colleague and pounded his body with thick clubs. He escaped by burrowing fast into the ground with strong forelimbs and stayed there until the friends left. Spotting a variegated shell upon his return to town a week after self-imposed exile, Tortiz appeared repentant but inclined to further mischief as his new-found ability to endlessly survive without food and water would allow.

QUOTE To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself. —Soren Kierkegaard

Jokes Humour The Sandwich A MAN walks into a bar with a sandwich under his arm. “A glass of beer for me and the sandwich,” he says to the barman. “I’m sorry, sir,” says the barman. “We don’t serve food in here.”

Hit and Run A SUCCESSFUL businessman parked his brandnew jeep in front of his office, ready to show it off to his colleagues. As he got out, a truck passed too close and completely tore the door off of the driver’s side. The mogul immediately grabbed his cell phone, dialed 911, and within minutes a policeman appeared. Before the officer had a chance to ask any questions, the man started screaming hysterically. His jeep, which he had just picked up the day before, was now completely ruined and would never be the same, no matter what the panel beater did to it. When the businessman finally rounded off his ranting and raving, the officer shook his head in disgust and disbelief. “I can’t believe how materialistic you businessmen are,” he said. “You are so focused on your possessions that you don’t notice anything else.”

“How can you say such a thing at a time like this?” asked the man. The cop said, “Don’t you know that your left arm is missing from the elbow down? It must have been torn off when the truck hit you.” The man screamed. “Ahhh! Where’s my gold watch?”

Quick Judge

THERE were three men at a bar. One man got drunk and started a fight with the other two men. The police came and took the drunk to jail. The next day the man appeared before the judge. The judge asked the man, “Where do you work?” The man said, “Here and there.” “I see,” said the judge. “And what do you do for a living?” The man said, “Oh, this and that.” The judge said, “Take him away.” Panicky, the man said, “Wait, when will I get out?” The judge thought for moment and said, “Sooner or later.”

Christmas Bonus BOSS: Who said that just because I tried to kiss you at last month’s Christmas party, you could neglect to do your work around here? Secretary: My lawyer. •Adapted from the Internet

Writer ’s Fountain RITING BRIEFS: Writing 301— For practical writing:Take a and a grip on reality because nothing worthwhile comes easy. Writing is hard work. But it is also pencil to write with on journeys because pens leak. gambling. Other people can help you but you are But take two pencils in case one breaks, and take on your own essentially. No one is making you do some paper to write on. Try and do back exercises it. It’s your choice, so you might as well get on as you travel. The pain that comes from sitting with it. in one position for too long is distracting. Be warned though: you can never read your Aim to hold the reader’s attention, but begin by own book with the innocent anticipation that comes holding your own. Then guess what fascinates with that first delicious page of a new book, because your reader even though taste differs between you wrote the thing. You have been backstage, so readers. To work efficiently, you are likely to to speak. You have seen how the whole thing need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, works. Still, you could ask a friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing Words’ worth: •Alma mater means bountiful mother. business. This friend should not be someone with •AM and PM stand for ‘Ante-Meridian’ and whom you have a romantic relationship, unless ‘Post-Meridian’. you want relationship problems. •A “quidnunc” is a person who is eager to know Just in case you are lost in the plot or the latest news and gossip. experiencing writer’s block, you do not have to •A palindrome is a sentence or group of wander on the streets or sit in the middle of the sentences that reads the same backwards as it forest for ideas. Retrace your steps to where you does forward: Examples: ‘Red rum, sir, is went wrong, instead. You could also change the murder.’ ‘Ma is as selfless as I am.’ ‘Nurse, I spy person or change the tense. Or change the opening gypsies. Run!’ ‘A man, a plan, a canal – Panama.’ page. ‘He lived as a devil, eh? Prayer or meditation may also be helpful. You •And the only palindromic nationality: a could try reading something else or constantly Nauruan, who is a person from the pacific island imagine the magical package that is the finished, country of Nauru. published version of your magnificent book.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 2015

Pacify aggrieved aspirants or lose Southwest votes, PDP members warn Muazu From Damisi Ojo, Akure

OME concerned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Ondo State at the weekend urged the national leadership of the party to pacify aggrieved aspirants in the Southwest or risk losing the region in the 2015 general elections. The warning was issued by some leaders of the party at Owo/Ose federal constituency while briefing journalists after an end of the year political review programme organised by the Thompson Aiyegunle Solidarity Group (TASG) held at Ose local government area. The PDP leaders, mostly political followers of Thompson Aiyegunle, condemned the alleged insincerity of the party's national leaders in handling the reconciliatory process. Noting that that there had not been any genuine move by the leadership of the party to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party following the crises that erupted after the party primaries across Ondo and some states in the South West, the PDP stakeholders said they were forced to raise the alarm following what they called the "all is well" posture being touted by some reactionary leaders within the party. The leaders added, "We are the genuine members of PDP and we cannot allow some political rascals to come and kill our party for us, and because of our love for Nigeria and President Goodluck Jonathan, that is why we are calling for genuine reconciliation." The party leaders traced the genesis of the lingering crises in the Ondo State chapter of the PDP to the defection of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his followers from the Labour Party (LP).

'We'll resist arrest of APC leaders' From Damisi Ojo, Akure

HE Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that the alleged plan to arrest some of its leaders ahead of next month's general elections by security agents acting at the behest of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government would be resisted by the Nigerian populace. Speaking against the backdrop of reports that plans have been concluded to use security agencies to harass, intimidate and arrest APC leaders ahead of the general elections, the State Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, in a statement, said: "We align wholeheartedly with the position of the national leadership of the APC on the plan by the federal government through security agencies under its firm control to arrest our party leaders. "Indeed, it constitutes a clear danger to the success of the 2015 general elections and the unity of our dear country, Nigeria. President Goodluck Jonathan, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and security agencies should take into cognisance that the 2015 general elections is 'peoples' election' unlike the previous elections in the country.

NEWS

Famous society woman, Adunni Bankole, dies on daughter’s wedding day

opular society woman, Iyalode Adunni Bankole, is dead. She was aged 55. Until her passage on Saturday, the deceased was the Iyalode of Gbagura and wife of popular politician, Chief Alani Bankole, father of Hon. Dimeji Bankole, former Speaker of the House of Representatives. The late businesswoman, it

By Adetutu Audu

was gathered, passed on the same day one of her daughters, Mopelola, was getting married. Sources in the family disclosed that Bankole had been in and out of hospital in the last few months to treat an undisclosed ailment. Fondly called "Chief Mrs." by friends and admirers, the

deceased was a dominant figure in the Lagos social establishment for three decades. Tributes have started pouring in for the late amiable businesswoman. An oil magnate, Mrs. Toyin Kolade, described her as a good sister who cared for everyone, adding, "She will surely be missed by all."

Nollywood actress, Liz Anjorin, described her as a great personality whose passage is a huge loss to the entertainment industry. Veteran female musician, Salawa Abeni, and politician, Mrs. Remi Adiukwu -Bakare, were still in shock to comment when contacted our correspondent.

•Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (2nd left), his gubernatorial running mate, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga (right), Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona (2nd right), and his wife, Olori Oluwakemi (left), during the governor's new year visit to Awujale in Ijebu-Ode...yesterday.

We'll introduce state police, says Osinbajo

HE vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has promised that the party will tackle insecurity in the country through the creation of state police. Speaking as a guest of Mr. Sunmi Smart Cole, the former Photo Editor of the Guardian Newspapers in Lagos, recently, Osinbajo said with each state having its police force that understands the local terrain better, security challenges would be identified quickly and nipped in the bud. Decrying the country's insularity and the urgent need

By Musa Odoshimokhe and John Ebhoto

to arrest the situation in order to return the country to the path of progress, Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, added, "The state police know more about the culture of the people than the federal police. The reason why many policemen were killed in the northern part, of the country is due to their lack of knowledge of the terrain they found themselves." Noting that the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is well positioned to handle the security situation in the country, Osinbajo also faulted claims

that the former Head of State is a religious fundamentalist. He said: "Those who call Buhari a religious fanatic miss the point. Buhari's daughter is married to an Igbo man from the Southeast, his driver of over 12 years is a Christian and his cooks are Christians. The man is a pure Nigerian who has no religious or ethnic bias." He added that the country was retrogressing because the resources in the country have not been properly expended; noting that the amount of money spent constructing the airports in the country was the same amount the government of Singapore used in transforming

the country to one of the best economies in the world. "Corruption will continue to increase in the country, because there is no discipline. The anti graft agencies are not working as expected; there is no plan to arrest the situation. Those who steal are even encouraged to steal more and under such a situation, you don't expect anything to change." While calling on Nigerians to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) which is their right to effect the change in the country, Osinbajo also urged them to be law abiding in all their activities.

Fulfill your promise on automatic tickets to PDP legislators, lawmaker urges Jonathan

HE lawmaker representing Okitipupa/Irele federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Albert Akintoye, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to fulfill his pledge of giving automatic tickets to all serving PDP federal legislators. Akintoye, who made the plea during an emergency meeting with PDP leaders in the constituency in Ore, said any attempt to reverse the pledge would spell doom for the party.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

He further charged the leadership of the party to address the issue urgently to avoid scuttling the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan. Claiming Jonathan publicly endorsed him as the party's candidate for the constituency at a meeting with the president in Abuja in compensation for his commitment to the development of the party and refusal to defect to opposition party during the

mass defection of some PDP lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Lower House. He accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of planning to stop his endorsement by the president and national leadership of the party with the aim of imposing his (governor's) candidates on the party. While vowing to institute legal action against any candidate the party presents as his replacement,

Akintoye further alleged that the primary election which produced Gboluga Kengboju as the PDP candidate for the House of Representatives election in the area was manipulated by the party chairmen in Irele and Okitipupa Local Government in favour of the candidate. He said 18 of the delegates believed to be his loyalists were disenfranchised during the primaries, while their names were replaced with fictitious names.

2015: Lawmaker tasks parties, candidates to sign undertaking

ITH the 2015 general elections about 40 days away, security agencies have been tasked to ensure that political parties and candidates contesting the elections sign an undertaking to maintain peace before, during and after the electioneering period. Taking this step, according to the lawmaker representing Ibadan

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

North Federal Constituency, Hon. Abiodun Awoleye, would ensure a hitch-free campaigns and elections. Awoleye, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, gave this charge in Ibadan, the state capital while speaking with journalists shortly after celebrating

Christmas with over 2000 of his supporters. Awoleye also called on Christians, Muslims and adherents of other faiths in the country to use the period to look back and reflect on the needed positive change the country deserves in all areas of human endeavours. According to him, “I implore

the security agencies to invite all candidates and political parties to sing an undertaking in order to have violent-free elections. Nigerians are yearning for elections devoid of violence, so that we can have a smooth transition from one government to another, and so that Nigeria would continue to deepen its democracy.”

Ben TV begins live transmission in Nigeria

K-based cable broadcast station, Ben TV, is set to begin live transmission in Nigeria. Director of Operations of the Nigeria-owned station, Mr. Lanre Ijaola, disclosed this at a press briefing held in Lagos recently. According to him, the television station which is the largest Black/Caribbeanoriented television network with over 50 million viewers globally, has commenced in earnest live event transmission from Nigeria, other parts of Africa and beyond events covering politics, entertainment and in other sectors. The transmission, Ijaola added, will go live in Europe, United States, Middle East, Asia and the rest of the world via the station's global platform. Speaking on the station's plans to give adequate coverage to the political events in the country ahead next month's general elections, Ijaola expressed the readiness of Ben TV to be part of the electioneering process, since according to him, Nigerians in the Diaspora are keen about getting first-hand information about the country. He said: "It is estimated that three out of every black people in the Diaspora are in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Currently, Nigerians are keen on information and developments most especially the 2015 general elections in February." The latest initiative of the satellite station, Ijaola added, is in partnership with Naijalive, a leading light ad leading independent specialist in the provision of high definition satellite broadcast facilities and various media technologies.

'I'll provide robust representation' From Damisi Ojo, Akure

ll Progressives Candidate (APC) candidate for Akoko South East/South West Federal Constituency, Mr. Kolawole Babatunde, has reiterated his commitment to the meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people in the area. Unfolding his programme to his constituents at an event in Akungba-Akoko to mark the Christmas and New Year celebration, Babatunde said education, health, youth and women empowerment as well as infrastructural development, would be accorded priority attention if elected into the National Assembly. While urging Nigerians to vote for General Mohammadu Buhari in the February 14, 2015 Presidential election, the House of Representatives hopeful further allayed the fears in certain quarters that Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would use the powers of incumbency to have influence the elections. Reminding his audience that the governor lost in his constituency during his reelection bid in October 2012, Babatunde added, "Everybody has been clamouring for change and want an end to the 16 years of PDP misrule and its corrupt government. The people are fed up of failed promises and the irresponsibility of the government."

QUOTABLE

SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3085

“I love President Goodluck Jonathan and I used to be his ardent fan, but I want good for my people and that's why I want Nigerians to vote out Goodluck Jonathan and vote General Muhammad Buhari. I don't care if Buhari is a Muslim and from the North; all I care about is that Buhari can save Nigeria” —Renowned Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, on why Nigerians should vote out Jonathan and vote in Buhari

IVEN Nigeria’s precipitous and barbarous descent into near anarchy and mediocrity, especially from the 1980s onward, it is difficult and painful to remember that Nigeria was not always the social and political pariah it has become in the eyes of the world. The military regimes of the 80s and 90s hastened that descent, and the democratic governments of the late 90s up to the present virtually sealed Nigeria’s unwholesome reputation. Sadly for children born in the 90s, many of whom are now in university, and are hence potential opinion moulders in the near and distant future, they have known no other cultures than the one engendered by the Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan governments. Older Nigerians have had a glimpse of ‘paradise’ so-called, and have lived under the tantalising hope of creating real paradise in Nigeria or recreating the imperfect paradise of their youthful longing, but the new generation whose distorted values have exacerbated the social chaos and economic distress the country is contending with has had no inkling of paradise, real or make-believe. As Nigeria prepares for the 2015 polls, it is time the sensible among the electorate pondered Nigeria’s past and present in order to make the right choice. For far too long, sentiments had influenced decisions and choices, producing men like Chief Obasanjo who have contributed nothing significant to the country’s civilisation, and others like Dr Jonathan who have produced perhaps the most elaborate schemes for the mediocritisation and ruination of the country. Chief Obasanjo probably has a little fire in his belly for Nigeria’s greatness; the problem however is that he lacked the discipline and the intellectual and visionary capacity to bring it about. Being an extreme narcissist, he was also quite incapable of detaching himself and his vile private goals from the great and noble objectives of a powerful nation. On the other hand, Dr Jonathan is immeasurably worse. He pretends to transcend tribe and claims to be impervious to religious bigotry. But he has been unable to overcome the parochialism of his youth, a fact so evident even in his Niger Delta redoubt where he has surrendered to the irredentism of his Ijaw brothers to the detriment of other ethnic groups, and has in addition blithely acquired the sectarian extremism of the Middle Ages, pitting Christians against Muslims. For a country long accustomed to groaning under poor leadership and bad policies, it is now also being made to suffocate under deliberately concocted social, economic and political schisms. In about 30 years, a period productively utilised by other nations in Southeast Asia to plot their way out of underdevelopment, Nigeria has under seven megalomaniacal rulers plunged into poverty and near chaos, held together only by the thinnest of threads. Looking at Nigeria today and the mess its rulers have made of it, who could have imagined that the same country produced the likes of Thomas Adeoye Lambo, a world-renowned scholar and psychiatrist, and Teslim Olawale Elias, famous scholar and internationally reputed jurist of the first rank? I limit myself to these two examples for reason of space. The 50s, 60s and 70s were a time of great promise for Nigeria, a time of can-do spirit, a time when the world seemed to be at our feet, inviting us to dare and to conquer. Even the civil war years could not fully dampen this new age of optimism, irrespective of whether the misunderstanding and mistakes that prompted and promoted the war were fully resolved or not. Sports grew in substance and frills, producing its stars and local heroes; and education received a boost even in the midst of the very profound social buoyancy and élan that hallmarked the careers of great musical impresarios. Professors Lambo and Elias bestrode the national scene like colossi. They gave the impression their scholastic achievements were products of little efforts. In reality, however, their fame was the result of intense intellectual applications and exertions. We took it for granted that we would always produced such men of importance, and

2015: Can ‘paradise’ be regained?

•Elias

•Lambo

that in fact we could produced many more with a little bit more flexibility and resources. While Prof Lambo was the first Western-trained African in neuropsychiatry, and rose in 1975 to become the Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Justice Elias was the first African jurist to become the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague, and five years later was appointed to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. In fact at a time, Justice Elias was Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice as well as professor of law and Dean Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, while never letting up in writing great law books, lecturing in far flung places like India, and drafting the constitutions of some countries. Sometime in 1995, in an interview with a magazine I worked for, Prof Lambo moaned about the appallingly low quality of leadership stymieing Nigeria’s development. He argued that given their predilections, it was obvious that most of them were mentally unwell. He then suggested it was necessary to subject

anyone aspiring to leadership position to mental health checks. Even though that was never done, and indeed cannot be done, it was clear that he knew what he was talking about, having pioneered the study of psychiatry in Nigeria and displayed uncommon initiative and brilliance in marrying native psychiatry with Western practice, or what he called methodological syncretism. In fact, his study of traditional psychiatry yielded a huge trove of information that became integrated into the practice of psychiatry worldwide. For instance, he was first to draw attention to the vast superiority of the psychotherapeutic sessions of African traditional healers, as well as their unquantifiable pharmacopoeia of herbal and psychotropic drugs. So comprehensive were his discoveries that he became a regular face in world psychiatric lecturing circuits. The intimidating achievements of Profs Lambo and Elias, their humongous scholastic works, their effortless internationalism, their unfathomable pioneering works, and the huge respect and honour they garnered for Nigeria

were indications of a period in Nigerian life and history that gave hope of a greater future for learning, politics, leadership and social and economic development. It felt good to be a Nigerian, and the world looked in our direction at a time when racism was still a stirring and provocative issue. Nigerian leaders themselves never really managed to appreciate the priceless talents the two professors put at their disposal, given the depressing fact that both the Aguiyi Ironsi regime and the Murtala/Obasanjo junta relieved Justice Elias of his post. But overall, the world recognised the abundant talents Nigerians possessed, and were willing to take advantage of them. Two main factors combined to destroy the hope Prof Lambo and Justice Elias represented for Nigeria. The first is the destruction of the Nigerian economy by, essentially, the military; and the second is the absolute lack of vision and intelligence by the same rulers. These two factors are still with us, and have in fact worsened under Dr Jonathan. He may have a PhD, but he has neither ruled like one who has that coveted degree, nor behaved even minimally like someone exposed to the cut and thrust of academic atmosphere, and the liberalism and accommodation a typical university environment affords its denizens. In the past two decades or so, the world has had pure contempt for Nigeria. Today, that contempt has risen virulently and obnoxiously to the level of shock and pity. Recall that after Dr Jonathan and his government mishandled the Chibok schoolgirls abduction, a few Western powers led by the United States offered a helping hand. Well, they have all left in frustration, deeply shocked by what they found, according to them, of a country completely rudderless, and leadership so inept. The world can’t seem to reconcile itself to its knowledge of our past and the decay of our present. Nor can those of us who glimpsed that peculiarly Nigerian potential for greatness. No one, no foreigner, and no member of the future generations will forgive us if we make the blunder of reinstating Dr Jonathan and his henchmen of greedy, proud and insular aides and supporters. Worse, there is no proof that given the way the military, Department of State Service (DSS) and other national institutions are being subverted and destroyed, that we would have the opportunity of remedying our folly sometime in the future if we repeat the blunder.

Okonjo-Iweala’s characteristic understatement

OR those determined to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan a second time, let them take counsel from the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy (CME), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, whose continuing and characteristic understatements and underestimation of the harm being done to the Nigerian economy have become quite stifling. She speaks of ‘some challenges’ to the 2014 budget, and seeks to reassure the public that the problems confronting the economy are not such as should frighten or alarm the people. Oil production has slumped by a mere 180,000bpd, she says, and price of oil has slumped to less than $60 per barrel from a June peak of $114 per barrel, all juxtaposed against a 2015 budget benchmark price of $77 per barrel. But when she adds that by October, it was obvious that budget target revenue had fallen short by about a trillion naira, and capital budget for the third quarter of 2014 could not be cash-backed to the tune of about N100bn, we were looking up the barrel of a looming disaster. Principally, the minister blames production shut-in consequent upon pipeline vandalism for the revenue shortfall, a vandalism Dr Jonathan has spectacularly been unable to tackle because he entrusted misfits with the task of pipeline protection. Arguing that oil price may never rise to $100 per barrel, the minister says the government will embark on a number of policy initiatives to diversify revenue. It is clear to everybody, except Jonathan diehards, that the Dr Jonathan government is incompetent to handle the economic disaster

that is unfolding upon Nigeria. Many states are unable to pay salaries as and when due, and are even owing more than a month or two; the judiciary is also finding it difficult to pay salaries at month’s end; the federal government is also experiencing difficulty paying all its staff at once; and many companies are shutting down amidst contradictory and harsh fiscal and monetary policies. In spite of the government’s halfbaked Sure-P programme, unemployment is galloping ahead as a welter of criminal activities, including kidnapping, insurgency and armed robbery, overwhelms the country. It does not require a soothsayer to recognise that should Dr Jonathan be re-elected, his government would in response to the mounting economic problems unleash a poisonous cocktail of hasty, panicky and halfbaked policies upon the country. The policies would be harsh, even cruel, wide-ranging and, in view of the obvious fact that the economic problems were either engendered by the government or mishandled by the

government, inadequate and misdirected. Dr Jonathan has spent the last six years or so of his government misdirecting the country and refusing to anticipate problems; another term in office would not suddenly lead him to a burst of fresh, insightful and appropriate policies. Consider, for instance, how barely one year into his presidency, the number of fuel (PMS) importers rose to about 140 in 2011 from a tolerable 19 in 2008, and subsidy payment also rose to about N2.5 trillion as at December 2011 from a budget figure of about N245bn. The mad looting, in the midst of other unaccounted spending totalling some $10bn or $12bn, has still not been fully explained at the end of Dr Jonathan’s first term. Apart from Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s overused World Bank orthodoxies, most of them jaded and misplaced, the Ministry of Petroleum has become both a law unto itself and a defiant cesspit of regulatory opaqueness, while pipelines protection has been callously and recklessly ceded to warlords and militants. In combination, these people and factors ensure that the national economy is not amenable to planning, laws and logic. Nothing will change should Dr Jonathan be re-elected. The president is himself tired, even overwhelmed, and his Finance minister absolutely fagged out after nearly six years in the economic saddle propounding much of the same panaceas day in and day out. Every patriot must be alarmed that a hint of their return is even being contemplated.

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