The Nation January 13, 2012

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

THE BIG PROTEST

Ajimobi warns hoodlums Kaduna youths defy curfew PENGASSAN to shut down oil installations Nigeria loses N1tr Protester killed in Kogi Arewa calls for caution Analysis 50 arrested in Edo over looting Police restrict protest in Enugu ACN accuses govt of plotting emergency in Lagos PAGES 2-10,54-56

www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 7, NO. 2003 FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR)

•TOP: Part of the crowd at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, demanding the return of petrol price to N65 per litre ... yesterday •President Goodluck Jonathan welcoming Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi to the meeting ... yesterday •RIGHT: NLC President Omar and his TUC counterpart Peter Esele arriving for the meeting at the Villa in Abuja ... yesterday PHOTOS: ISAAC AYODELE AND AKIN OLADOKUN

DEADLOCK

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s meeting with the leadership of Labour failed last night to resolve the petrol price crisis. It was inconclusive. The talks continue tomorrow.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Abdulwaheed Omar declared after the meeting that the strike, which started on Monday, will continue today.

But he said Labour and the government shifted grounds.

The government asked Labour to call off its strike, besides insisting

From Yusuf Alli, Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja and Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

on “total” deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry – an action that shot up the price of petrol from N65 to between N138 and N200 per litre.

Labour insisited on reversal to N65.

But Omar did not give the details of the shift in positions.

After the five-hour negotiation, the government offered N120 per litre for petrol, down from N138 and N200 that it has been sold since

January 1.

The government team said they would not go back to N65.

But Labour insisted on the mandate from workers – N65 per litre.

A source at the meeting said: “The President set the tone for the meeting with preliminary remarks which bordered on his usual points that everything was done in the interest of the nation and not to punish Nigerians.

“Shortly after the opening reContinued on page 2

Talks continue tomorrow Labour leaders to meet

N120 N65

•The petrol price proposed by the government. Labour rejected it, saying it has no mandate to discuss a new price

•The pre-New Year’s Day’s petrol price, which Labour and the civil society are insisting on.

2

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR)

Govt/Labour talks deadlocked Continued from page 1

marks, he left the negotiation hall with the Vice-President.

But Senate President David Mark took over to moderate the session.

“After the usual appeal and justification for deregulation by all the governors and other Federal Executive Council members, the government said it would not go back to N65 per litre. It, however, said it will be willing to peg the pump price of PMS at N120 per litre.

“The government was emphatic that it will not go below N120 per litre although some government officials were saying in confidence that if Labour pushes for N100 per litre, the government may concede.

“The way the government presented its arguments, they were not too keen on return to N65 per litre, they were more interested in security implications of the ongoing action. They were raising issues on how things will not get out of hands. That made the Labour to be suspicious.

“The governors were still raising the issue of high cost of governance and why the government cannot reverse the pump price to N65 per litre.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole said he knew the thinking of the labour but now that he is on the other side, he knows what he is experiencing. He, however, did not said what he is going through in office.”

“The NLC President and TUC President Peter Esele spoke on why the labour will not trade away the N65 per litre mandate given to them by workers.

“The Labour went further to say that the government must reverse the pump price to N65 with a 90-day moratorium to enable all stakeholders look at the challenges of subsidy, pump price and find ways for appropriate pricing for the PMS! “The idea is that within 90 days, a larger committee will look at the entire subsidy picture and the deregulation plans of the government and find a common ground. But this window was not acceptable to the government.

“When the deadlock was evident, the Labour leaders said they will go and consult with their National Executive

Committee on Saturday and get back to the government the same day. No time was fixed for the resumption of negotiation on Saturday.”

The negotiation session was facilitated by the Senate.

Omar said: “The outcome is that we have not concluded discussions yet but we have had fruitful discussions and we re to continue on Saturday.”

On whether both parties shifted ground, he said: “Yes; it’s part of it.

Of course, all of us are trying to shift ground, that’s why I told you that we have had fruitful discussions.”

On the possibility of the strike being called off, Omar said: “Unless and until we get a conclusive conclusion from the discussion; that means we’ll maintain status quo.”

The meeting, which was held at the Presidential Villa, started at about 4pm.

Senate President David Mark led a team which included Senators Ike Ekweremadu and Victor Ndoma-Egba.

Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman Rotimi Ameachi (Rivers) led the governors’ seven-man delegation, including Babatunde Fashiola (Lagos), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Peter Obi (Anambra), Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue).

Vice President Namadi Sambo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Minister of Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga, Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke, Minister of Labour Emeka Wogu, Minister of Petroleum Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke and National Security Adviser Patrick Azazi represented the executive.

•Wogu

•Protesters observing prayers in Ibadan ... yesterday

With Omar on the Labour side were Peter Esele of Trade Union Congress (TUC) and with 14 others. There were also Civil Society Organisations, representatives.

The President, the Vice President and the ministers left the meeting about 10 minutes after the arrival of the labour leaders.

The secretary to the Government of the Federation remained.

It was learnt that the President gave room for the Senate President, the governors and SGF to interface with labour and hammer out an agreement.

The meeting went on break at 8.20pm.

The Vice President rejoined the meeting when it resumed, before finally closing about one and half hours later.

•From left: President-General, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Peter Esele; NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), at a meeting on fuel subsidy in Abuja ... yesterday

Labour leaders stand on N65, says NLC President

F

OR the fourth day, the nation’s capital, Abuja, was grounded by angry protesters who were adamant on the reversal of the petrol pump price to N65 from N141.

The number of protesters also increased beyond the imagination of labour leaders President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar said labour will not go back on its demand for N65 per litre for petrol.

As early as 6am, protesters trooped out in hundreds to protest ground.

For about three hours, the protesters marched from Julius Berger Round about through Wuse Market axis, Zone 3, Zone 4, and Nnamdi Azikiwe Way to Area 1 where a rally was held.

The presence of a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, among the protesters and an artiste, Charly Boy, added glamour to the protest.

In spite of the fact that the crowd was well-behaved, policemen were armed to the teeth to prevent any security breach.

The NNPC Mega Station in the city was protected with an armoured tank and more than 50 policemen. The protesters avoided the route to avoid any clash with security agents who might provoke the protesters.

Addressing the rally in Area 1 before leaving for another dialogue session with the Senate, President of the Nigeria Labour

From Yusuf Alli, John Ofikhenua and Gbenga Adanikin, Abuja

Congress, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar said: “They said we are going to get tired. They said we cannot do it for more than two days. Today is the fourth day and we are increasing. Are you people tired?

No. We must achieve our aim and we must achieve our aim through peaceful means.

“We have been attending meetings especially with the Senate and the House of Representatives. On every occasion, we respect the mandate we are given by the people that the government must reverse back to N65. And that is what we have only discussed. We have not said that we have agreed to any price reduction.

“What we are saying is that we have a mandate and we will continue with the strike until government reverts back to N65.

We will not get tired. As I told you yesterday, we are likely going to change style as from next week. Maybe we will try and get a very strategic position to occupy in Abuja. And make sure we do not leave that place until the decision is reversed.

President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Peter Esele, said: “We must not allow anybody in the guise of religion or ethnicity to divide us. We don’t want anybody to divide us. We have Christians here.

We have Muslims here. Are we killing ourselves? No.

“We must not allow them because petrol does not know Muslims or Christians. Poverty does not know Muslim or Christian. We must note that we have nothing personal against President Goodluck Jonathan but we have something against the policy. Our attention must be on the policy.

“We are not here to overthrow anybody. We are here to let government know why we are here. This gathering is not a political gathering. The gathering is to let the government know that we Nigerians cannot be taken for granted.

“Since we started this protest has been very peaceful. Please let us continue to maintain peace because if you go violent, then the state can also go violent. We will be leaving very shortly. I and Comrade Omar will be leaving very shortly. We are going for a meeting but on N65 we stand.

Amidst standing ovation, a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, addressed the crowd.

He said: “I stand here today to assure you that I stand by you at this time of trouble and affliction.

It is not true that the ruling class is against the masses. There are many within the ruling class that oppose this evil system and despicable imposition of many upon the people of this nation in an attempt to make this country suffer unnecessary.

“I will share something with you today which I think you should know. In 2006, the policy

of withdrawal of oil subsidy was first proposed by the then Minister of Finance and many of us within ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government looked at him in the face and said this will bring too much hardship on the state and therefore it should not stand.

“Following the protest that time, Obasanjo stopped the policy from being implemented. Four years later, the same people, the same person who tried to impose it at that time advised this president to impose it after the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund came here to dictate to the President three weeks later, what to do.

“They changed the tune and gave us this gift on New Year’s Day. “They removed the petrol subsidy in order to bring this nation to doom and I tell you today it will not stand.

We would stand and support you.

We will fight. We will hold our hands up high no matter what they cause, no matter what they do, we will join our hands together; Northerners and Southerners, Christians and Muslims.

We will put our hands together and we will never let you down.

“I want to call on the Emirs, Obas and religious leaders of this country and other political leaders to stand with the people.

We are part of the system. I stand here with you shoulder to shoulder to say No to fuel subsidy removal and we would fight it to the end.”

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

3

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR)

Strike will be over soon, says Mark

S

Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar; Senate President David Mark; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, and Senate

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (left) and Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu during the meeting in Abuja ... yesterday

ENATE President David Mark yesterday declared that the nationwide strike over the withdrawal of petrol subsidy would soon be over.

Mark spoke after a meeting with the leadership of labour led by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Abdulwaheed Omar and Trade Union Congress President Peter Esele.

The meeting was held at the residence of the Senate President in the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.

Mark told reporters that the Senate’s role was to bring the Executive and labour to the negotiating table to reach a common ground.

He confirmed their meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan earlier in the morning and noted that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The Senate President said: “Our role actually has been one of trying to get government and labour together to get to the round table to talk, to reach a compromise and call off the strike.

“That has been our role and that is precisely what we are doing. We met with the President in the morning and then we met with labour now and they have agreed to meet and that is a giant step forward.

“It is really a big step, which has not come easy at all. All I can say is that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Omar said labour appreci-

From Onyedi Ojiabor, and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

ated the intervention of the Senate leadership.

He said: “We appreciate their intervention and we have just done one leg of this meeting.

“We are also going to continue the meeting at a different venue at 5pm but a different venue.”

Asked what discussions at the meeting centred on, Omar said: “We are looking at the reversal of the fuel subsidy removal and suspension of the strike. That is what we are out for.”

Mark led the Senate team to the President for the meeting.

He was accompanied by Senators Ike Ekweremadu, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Goerge Akume and Hosea Agboola.

The Federal Government team had the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Chief of Staff to the President Mike Oghiadome, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters Senator Joy Emordi and Labour Minister Emeka

It is really a big step, which has not come easy at all. All I can say is that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Nwogu.

The meeting started about 8am and lasted about an hour.

Minister of Petroleum Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke told reporters after the meeting that if the government was not convinced about the gains, it would not have opened itself to the public abuse and ridicule.

“And you should also trust and understand that no government would stand up and put itself through a sort of onslaught that we have been put through if they did not believe that what was to come is far better for the country than what has already passed. It is not possible.”

She said the government is not averse to dialogue.

“The whole intent of subsidy as we had said from the beginning was to try and ensure that the gains from that sector got to a much wider spectrum of Nigerians in manners that all Nigerians would actually gain from effectively for once openly and transparently.

“I think government tried to put all the measures and indices in place to try and ensure that Nigerians don’t only feel those gains as deregulation took effect but that they would also see transparency what was happening so that government would not be the one holding the reign of the implementation for the benefit programme.”

Day Four: Nigeria unlikely to remain the same

W

HILE Seun Kuti, King Wadada, Adewale Ayuba, Daddy Showkey, and a host of other entertainers were captivating protesters in Lagos with a mix of adapted music and inspiring revolutionary talk, Abuja emptied into Under Bridge, Area 1, Garki with a huge crowd to continue the protest against removal of fuel subsidy. In most parts of Nigeria the crowd of protesters has continued to increase in size, passion and aggressiveness. It may not be long before they are no longer amenable to restraint. By Day Four, when Ekiti was adopting the carnival style developed by Lagos and Abuja, Abeokuta was quaking under worrisome disorder. According to some reports, a few former presidents, very sensibly understanding that President Goodluck Jonathan was endangering too many things, including past leaders, himself, democracy, and the unity of the country, have called on him to revert to the former fuel price and begin the process securing popular consent afresh. Will he listen?

On Day Four of the protests, it become clear the battle lines had been drawn. The previous day, Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) met and decided there was no going back on the fuel subsidy removal, and they put that fact out to the public insensitively unadorned.

All government spokespersons talked passionately, sometimes imperiously and offensively, about the subsidy removal measure they said had no alternative. The government would intensify its provision of palliatives to cushion the effects of the measure, they offered. But for the labour unions and civil society groups, the problem was no longer that of fuel subsidy removal alone, for that would presuppose that the revenue shortfalls underpinning the subsidy measure was strictly economics. They insisted that a com-

NEWS ANALYSIS

By Kunle Fagbemi

plex interplay of economic and political factors were involved, and that except the country grappled with those factors, even if subsidy was returned, the problem of a dysfunctional system engendering poverty, social dislocations, and general infrastructural collapse would persist.

The two positions appear irreconcilable. It is clear that Nigeria reached a watershed last Monday when the country erupted in countrywide protests against subsidy removal. Jonathan’s ancient approach to governance made that watershed possible. But rather than merely focus on the subsidy controversy, the protests are sending a much more sublime message, probably influenced by the Arab Spring and other protests in the world, such as Occupy Wall Street and anti-Putin protests, that the problem of the country is systemic and much more structural and political than economic. In places like Lagos where the protests have been well organised and speakers get opportunity to articulate their views, there seems to be a growing consensus that President Goodluck Jonathan does not have the depth, democratic credentials, temperament and charisma to orchestrate or lead the change that would give Nigeria a workable and more perfect union. However, the protesters face the risk of being accused of impatience, as the constitution makes it possible every four years to change a bad president or even a non-performing ruling party.

If protest leaders ask for the president’s resignation or impeachment, it is simply a reflection of their frustrations with the system, frustrations that have built up over the decades because of poor governance.

There is, however, doubt that the or-

dinary protester smashing windows and burning houses and cars in the North or crowding rally grounds in the Southwest understand the deeper issues involved. There is in addition fear that those addressing them are both immoderate and inciting. It is in fact suggested that civil societies and labour unions are irresponsibly and unintelligently hardline. There is also the argument that the government is recklessly and unwisely rigid. What is not in doubt is that something will have to give. As unpleasant as it may sound to the government, speakers at protest rallies in many cities have been receiving applause for reiterating the fact that sovereignty resided with the people, and that the people could take it constitutionally or unconstitutionally. However, much more than Labour and Co., the government has a higher responsibility to be flexible and accommodating, no matter how appropriate it thinks its economic policies are.

Indeed, the turmoil in the country, the demonstration of extreme frustration by the people – whether they are knowledgeable about the issues or not – and the inconceivable defiance by government, seemed eerily like Libya in the closing months of the Gaddafi regime, like Mubarak in the thick of Tahrir Square occupation, and like Zine Abidine Ben Ali in late December 2010. But comparisons, it is said, are odious, and it may be too early to compare anyway.

Since last Tuesday, protesters have started to feel they are a part of history in the making. They sense that something dramatic is happening; they experience kinship with protesters in other parts of the world; and for once, they seem to think they can take their constitution seriously, believing that power belongs to the people. On the other hand, the government has either not felt that keen sense of history and has, therefore,

kept up its rhetoric of ‘apocalypse now’, or its leading functionaries feel fated to play the part of tragedians.

The protests are not only a first in terms of size and resilience; they are also a stunning first in terms of generations of families proudly identifying with the rallies. Dr Tunji Braithwaite came with some members of his family on Day One; Femi Falana appeared with his son the second day or so, Pastor Bakare also showed up with his wife; and the Kutis – Femi, Seun and Yeni – protest in their veins, also came and performed. Doubtless, many protesters mindful of history but unknown to the media showed up with their families at some of the rallies. Whatever the outcome of the negotiations brokered by the Senate, a culture of mass protest, like a genie let out of the bottle, has taken root. If the ongoing protests lead to a reversal in fuel price, it would strengthen democracy and create an unstoppable momentum in the fight for brilliant and responsive governance at all levels of government.

The fuel price protests have also seen creative cartooning and other forms of messages on placards, banners and other canvases. One had this bold and creative punchline targeted at the famously shoeless President Jonathan: ‘Vacancy: Applicants must have shoe and common sense.’

Effigies of Jonathan were also hoisted aloft, manhandled, but not burnt. In many ways, the protests have introduced many interesting novelties into Nigeria’s political culture, and the novelties are being adopted in many cities. They will be perfected over the years.

The outcome of the protests is by no means certain. By press time, government and labour were meeting. But by yesterday and gradually, more cities and towns were succumbing to violence as the population of protesters swelled to almost

•Dr Jonathan

uncontrollable levels. Many parts of the country could come under curfew in the coming days, and the situation could get so bad that law and order would break down. If the government sustains hard-line position, it will have to move against the protesters without any guarantee that it could pacify their rage.

Indeed, force is often an indication that a democratic government has lost the argument.

No matter what degree of success labour and civil societies achieve in the subsidy struggle, their image has risen in the estimation of the people. On the contrary, Jonathan’s popularity has plummeted. Few people think he acted presidential in the past few days, or showed empathy, or properly judged the issues that needed a show of courage and tenacity. Unbelievably, he seemed to have forgotten he was elected, or that he stood for that election on the platform of a political party, and that his political fortunes are bound to rub off on that party. In all, the country is unlikely to ever remain the same; and in the coming years, many analysts will realise that the great protests of January 2012 were in fact fortuitous.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

4

NEWS THE PROTEST (DAY FOUR) NEWBIG YEAR MESSAGES

ACN accuses Fed Govt of plotting to declare emergency in Lagos T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has accused the Federal Government of plotting to declare a state of emergency in Lagos State.

The party alleged the Federal Government’s plan is to hijack the anti-fuel subsidy withdrawal protests and instigate wanton violence as a pretext for declaring a state of emergency.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party urged the government to allow the people to continue their peaceful protests.

The statement reads: “Since the fuel strike started, we have noted the increasingly bellicose rhetoric emanating from the Federal Government.

We have reasons to believe the not-too-subtle threats are a precursor to something sinister by a government that has pushed itself into a cul-de-sac, from which it is now looking for a face-saving way out.

“While we abhor violence as an instrument of protest - an ACN cul-

Protesters urged to shun looting, destruction

T

HE Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday cautioned protesters against looting and destruction of property.

The party, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said hoodlums and street urchins have infiltrated the camp of genuine protesters.

The party said: “The party says since the protest started on Monday, January 9, this country has been losing close to 160 billion naira daily and warns that if we allow looting and destruction of public infrastructure and property to add to the huge loss, it will just be too much for the country that is yet to find its feet in the comity of nations.

“If we frown at the reports of willful damage of pubBy Wale Ajetunmobi

ture that is well known - we must warn that issuing military-era threats are not compatible with a democratic dispensation, and that no amount of force on earth can suppress a determined people.

“In particular, the civil society-anchored demonstrations at the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Lagos has set a

lic property around the country, the number of deaths recorded so far in the struggle pricks our conscience and it pains us to the marrows. It is like a dagger in our hearts and we hope that President Goodluck Jonathan will have the courage and the political will to stop this crisis immediately.

“Yesterday in Ibadan Oyo State, ACN Senators: Gbega Ashafa, Oluremi Tinubu, Babafemi Ojudu and Babajide Omoworare were attacked by hoodlums on their way to Abuja to contribute to the national debate on how to move this country forward at a time like this. We see this as a dangerous signal that things are getting out of hand and out of control, and only common sense, courage, wisdom and intelligence can help us in this time of need to avert a revolution.”

new standard on how to stage nonviolent protests. Speakers after speakers have exhorted the massive crowd that turn out at the park daily to abhor violence.

“Leaders of both the Christian and the Muslim faith have been brought to show that sectarian violence cannot be used to divide the people.

Music has been used effectively as a means of dousing tension and letting off steam.

“It is therefore clear that unless the Federal Government has a hidden agenda, it should rather hail the organizers of the Lagos protests, instead of planning to infiltrate their ranks with thugs as it has done in Abuja, where thugs were reportedly sent after peaceful protesters.”

‘How Fed Govt can get money to fund subsidy’

T

HE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan can get money to fund subsidy, if he cuts down the waste in the 2012 Budget.

The group, in a statement by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said: “A key argument by the government on why it must remove fuel subsidy has been that it needs money to improve the infrastructural development of the country. Well, if this government is genuinely serious about improving the quality of lives of ordinary Nigerians, it should go back to the basics and cut down the questionable pri-

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

orities and waste so visible in the 2012 budget.”

The statement reads: “Spending billions of dollars on travel, refreshments, generators and furniture while ordinary Nigerian women, men and children go without basic social services is incompatible with the purpose of government, and cannot be justified on any ground, especially at a time when over 70 per cent of the citizens live in extreme poverty, without reliable access to drinking water, electricity, and quality schools.

“President Jonathan should show

strong political will and act in the best interest of the country by cutting down the following allocations contained in the 2012 Budget: N13 billion for local and international travel; N4.5 billion for stationery, magazines, newspapers; N17 billion for maintenance of vehicles, furniture; N5 billion for training; N4 billion for generators; N9 billion for refreshments and meals; N2.5 billion for computer software; and N27 billion for research and development.

“President Jonathan should also cut down the waste identified in the allocations for the Aso Rock Villa budget by reducing N285 million

for welfare; N265 million for computers; N150 million for scanners; N161 million for buses; N295 million for new furniture; and N1.8 billion for the maintenance of existing furniture, office and residential quarters.

“As millions of Nigerians continue to demonstrate to demand justice and fairness, it will serve this government well to show magnanimity and leadership by urgently adjusting and reprioritising the proposed spending in the 2012 Budget highlighted above to fund fuel subsidy, and in a way that addresses social needs and improves the wellbeing of all citizens.”

David-West urges Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala to resign

F

ORMER Minister of Petroleum Resources Prof. Tam DavidWest has called on President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to resign their positions.

David-West spoke at a rally at the University of Ibadan (UI) yesterday.

Labour leaders and activists have been leading the protest in the city since Monday.

The former minister said the President and the minister lied to Nigerians by pledging withdrawal of subsidy in April. He insisted that the President and Dr. Okonjo-Iweala took Nigerians for a ride by their decision.

According to him, Nigerians have been subsidising the rich who own mansions in Nigeria and abroad and

‘We must embrace peace’

T

HE National Coordinator of the Peace Builders Organisation of Nigeria (PBON), Athanasius Enoch, has urged the Federal Government and the Organised Labour to seek a peaceful resolution of the subsidy crisis.

Enoch, at a rally in New Karu, Nasarawa State, said the removal of subsidy has triggered disaffection.

Athanasius appealed to all stakeholders to embrace From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

continue to get national merit awards from the Federal Government.

He maintained that the government should revamp the refineries, adding that infrastructure must also be developed, in addition to job cre-

peace and seek an amicable resolution of the crisis through dialogue. While urging political leaders to be just and rule with the fear of God, he said the country was in urgent need of lasting peace.

He said: “In spite of the challenges and trials, we shall triumph at the end of the day, provided we are patient and love one another and live in peace; and provided we are sincere to our people while we discharge our duties as leaders.”

ation initiatives.

David-West explained that the majority of those protesting are youths who are unemployed and unsure of their future because of corruption and inefficiency in government.

Also at the rally were former National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and State Coordinator, the Joint Action Front (JAF), Dr Demola Aremu and several labour leaders.

Revert price of petrol to N65, says Fayemi

E

KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to revert the pump price of petrol to N65 per litre.

The governor, who spoke yesterday when he received thousands of protesters in his office in Ado-Ekiti, said he remained on the side of the people who are already feeling the pain of the increase in the pump price of petrol.

The protesters, who were singing anti-subsidy removal songs, were led to the Governor’s Office by the

By Sulaimon Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

Chairman of the State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Ayodeji Aluko and his Trade Unoin Congress (TUC) counterpart, Mr Kolawole Olaiya. The protesters demanded a reversal to the N65 per liter pump price for petrol and presented a letter of protest to the governor for President Goodluck Jonathan.

Addressing the crowd of protesters, Fayemi promised to convey their message to the President.

He urged Nigerians to ensure the

sustenance of democracy and not to allow the military to capitalise on the crisis to stage a comeback to power.

Fayemi said: “You, the people of Ekiti State, have said it loud and clear that it is on N65 per litre you stand and I will convey your message to Mr. President.

“It is important to listen to our people and what our people are saying is that ‘consult more with us’ and they are saying this very loud and clear.

“No doubt the untold hardship is

going to affect all of us, particularly our masses, workers, students, artisans, okada riders, farmers market men and women, our fathers and our mothers.

“We are committed to working side by side with our people on this issue. It is not an issue of politics because the governor of Ekiti State does not determine the price of fuel.

It is a national policy.

The state NLC chief, presenting the letter of protest to the governor, said the people were not in support of the removal of the subsidy on

petrol and want the price returned to N65.

With the governor were some monarchs, led by the chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, the Owa Ooye of Okemesi, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji. Others were the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe; Oore of Otun, Oba Oladapo Popoola; Onisan of Isan, Oba Sunday Ajiboye; Ajero of Ijero, Oba Adewole Adebayo, Alara of Aramoko, Oba Olu Adeyemi and Elekole of ikole, Oba Fasiku Ajibade.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

5

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR)

• ABUJA ABUJA:: A crowd of protesters brandishing green leaves ...yesterday

• ADO-EKITI ADO-EKITI:: Fayemi ...yesterday. With him are: Aluko, Dr. Adewale Omirin and Olaiya

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

• LAGOS LAGOS:: Protesters, at Agbotikuyo Bus Stop, Agege ...yesterday

PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEL

Police threaten to arrest those who burn tyres on highways

P

OLICE yesterday warned protesters who barricade major highways and inroads with bonfires to desist from doing so, or risk being arrested.

According to the police, such actions are capable of damaging the roads and also destroying public facilities.

The police also disclosed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Pen Cinema Police Station who shot dead Damilola Abiodun at Ogba on Monday will soon be prosecuted.

•Investigation report on killer DPO to be made public

By Jude Isiguzo

Addressing reporters at Zone 2 Police Command, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), in charge of Administration (‘A’ Department), Mr Azubuko Udah said the killer-DPO has been arrested and that he is being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.

He said the report would be made public when investigators are through with their job .

He also promised that the DPO would be charged to court.

Udah noted that before the strike began policemen were lectured on the proper rules of engagements and how to hold their grounds, adding that no police officer was expected to use firearms to take life.

The DIG, who has been in Lagos since Monday to monitor the strike in the southwest region, urged the leadership of the Nige-

rian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to call protesters to order .

He said: “We had an occasion along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, where hoodlums, robbed people and destroyed property. They are taking the opportunity of the protest to commit crimes. Our duty is to hold the forte and make sure that things are normal. This is a challenging period and we must

take all precautionary measures to ensure that nothing goes wrong. We do not want a situation where there will be breakdown of law and order.”

“People should stop burning tyres and creating an atmosphere of anarchy because this will lead to the destruction of public facilities. We will arrest all those who are responsible for the burning of tyres and setting up bonfires on our roads. We have sounded a note of warning that we will not tolerate that again.”

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

6

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR) NEW YEAR MESSAGES

QUICK TAKES

Presidential jet for Fashola

L

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola was yesterday flown in a presidential aircraft to Abuja.

Fashola arrived at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos at about 2pm amid tight security.

Dressed in silk suit with trousers to match, the governor walked into the inner lounge of the complex, to wait for the aircraft, which arrived at about 2.20 pm.

The aircraft was marked FGN:

5N- FGU. The governor was accompanied on the trip by some of his security aides.

Fashola did not speak to reporters.

Sources hinted that he might have been invited by the Presidency, as part of efforts to resolve the impasse between the Labour and the Federal Government over the petrol subsidy removal that has sent prices rising .

The gulf stream presidential jet took off at about 2.35 pm.

Channels Television boss also

T

HE Chairman of Channels Television, Mr John Momoh, was on Wednesday flown to Abuja in a presidential jet.

Momoh rode to the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos in a car with an armed mobile policeman.

The Channels Television chairman returned from Abuja in another presidential jet marked FGN- 5N-

FGU, about 1.15 pm. He was dressed in a black suit.

Momoh said he was in Abuja for a private meeting.

Momoh said : “ I went to Abuja for a private meeting. “ When asked his position on the strike called by Labour and the civil society over the removal of fuel subsidy, Momoh said: “ I am with you people. I am on the side of the people.”

•LAGOS The crowd of protesters at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota... yesterday

Stranded passengers at MMIA

A

CTING on a tip- off that a British Airways flight was scheduled for last night, Labour’s strike enforcement team yesterday warned the intending passengers of the consequences of flying during the industrial action.

Members of the enforcement team, in a convoy of 48 vehicles, stormed the Departure Hall to stop the few airline workers from processing travelling documents.

The stranded passengers at the International Wing of the Muritala

Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja had appealed to Labour to end the ongoing strike.

But Abiodun Aremu, Secretary of the Joint Action Front (JAF) urged the passengers to stay away from the country because the airspace is always unsafe during labour strikes.

The team later told the officer in charge of the airport to evacuate all the passengers before 6pm, failing which, he said, labour would return to force them out.

Cover-up in Ogba police shooting?

R

ESIDENTS of Aderinto street where Abiodun Ademola was allegedly killed on Monday are appealing to wellmeaning Nigerians to help them as policemen have been coming to the neighbourhood to warn them not to give evidence against the

Divisional Police Office (DPO), Segun Fabunmi, who allegedly fired the shot that killed Ademola.

The nonagenarian guardian of the late Ademola, Madam Alice Aderinto said his relatives have arrived from Ilesa for Ademola’s burial.

•ABUJA: Protesters turning the Nigerian Coat of arm upside

PHOTO: NAN

•LAGOS: M Joei Okei -

Juju ‘scare’ at rally ground

S

OME protesters at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos displayed all kinds of funny things yesterday– to add glamour to the rally and probably draw attention to themselves.

There were various forms of juju at the arcade ground, which include

those known in local parlance as ebo, iwo, ifunpa, ori eku and onde, igbadi, among others.

Those who carried ebo (sacrifice) were led by a young guy dressed to mimic an old babalawo (Ifa priest) with many people gathering round him and moving behind him as he chanted incantations.

One-million-man Jumat service

I

F the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government thinks the protesters would back down, then he is in for a surprise as various Islamic associations have been mobilising their members for what they tag ‘a million-man special Jumat service’ today.

Under the auspices of the Con-

ference of Islamic Organisations (CIO), Muslims across the state have been urged to converge on the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota for the service.

CIO coordinator Imam Abdullahi Shuaib said it would show Muslims’ resilience to rescue the masses from oppression.

Traders, artisans are groaning

T

RADERS in Lagos are complaining of poor patronage.

Some of the traders, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the prices of goods have not been stable since the strike started.

A carton of Titus fish, which hitherto cost N8,500, now attracts between N9,800 and N10,000.

Other species of fish now sold for N7,500 per carton, up from N6,500. A bag of garri, which

went for N3,700 before January 7, now attracts N4,000.

The strike has caused a sharp increase in the prices of food items and created artificial scarcity of other goods.

Worse still, their customers now purchase items in small quantities because of lack of cash arising from the closure of banks.

Artisans, who depended on daily returns for survival, are also groaning.

•LAGOS •LAGOS:: A protester ’chanting incantation’... yesterday

•PORT HARCOURT HARCOURT:: Prosters in the River Stat

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

7

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR)

QUICK TAKES

Gani Fawehinmi ‘was there’

O

N the lips of many aggrieved Nigerians since the beginning of the fuel price brouhaha, has been the refrain: “How I wish Gani (Fawehinmi) is around today to witness this mess by the Jonathan administration?”

So it has been since the death at 71 of the legal icon cum firebrand activist on September 4, 2009, anytime the masses faced grim challenges as they are facing now.

Though the quintessential activist was not at the park physically, he was represented by his wife, Ganiat, and first son, Mohammed, who have been blowing hot like an active volcano let loose. They both condemned the withdrawal of subsidy on petrol as grossly anti-masses.

“With such increase in the pump price of fuel, the prices of everything will increase - transport, housing, school fees, food, among others. The common man will not be able to survive. We will say ‘no’ and oppose bad government policies. We will say ‘no’ and oppose IMF (International Monetary Fund) policies,” Mrs. Fawehinmi declared on Monday.

It has been the same story from Mohammed, who always comes down heavily on all stakeholders in the Jonathan administration for hatching such a “killing” policy on innocent Nigerians on New Year’s Day.

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti ‘resurrects’ PHOTO: AFP

•LAGOS Mohammed and Ganiat Fawehinmi at the Gani Fawehinmi Park... yesterday PHOTO: NAN

S

INCE the outrage over the removal of fuel subsidy, one personality has featured prominently in the struggle, though posthumously. He is the legendary Afrobeat maestro, Fela Anikulapo-

Kuti.

Right from Monday when the protests began, Femi and Seun Kuti, who have held aloft the revolutionary banner of musical activism for which their father lived, have remained in the forefront of the agitation for the reinstatement of the controversial subsidy.

The sprawling Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos has since remained the main rendezvous of the protests, both Kutis have never been found wanting among other Nigerians whose spirit revolts against the offensive subsidy removal.

Besides their own lyrics which they churned out to the admiration of co-protesters, who have been converging there in thousands each passing day, both have been taking the crowd down memory lane with their father’s popular revolutionary tunes from some of his evergreen albums.

Also, across the metropolis and in other states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Ekiti, the late Fela’s critical lyrics have remained the tonic that has been buoying up the protesters’ spirit through mounted loud speakers.

“Ah, how I wish Fela is alive today to as usual, move against these people (the government). Sure, we miss the Abami Eda. He would never brook this nonsense from any government, no matter how oppressive!”

The above were the words of an irate Nigerian who spoke with The Nation at Ile-Ise Junction, Ilupeju, Lagos, where some youths were playing one of the activist musician’s songs in evening on Wednesday.

“Sure, Fela is not dead,” he said.

Free bean cakes in Ikorodu •LAGOS: Mrs. Laide Bakare (left) , Pastor Tunde Bakare (middle), with Femi and Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti and Dr. Joei Okei - Odumakin... yesterday PHOTO: NAN

sters in the River State Capital... yesterday

T

HE protest against the removal of petrol subsidy took another dimension in Ikorodu yesterday as bean cakes known in local parlance as “Akara” were freely distributed to mourn the ‘demise’ of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The bean cakes were brought in a bowl to the Ikorodu Garage bus stop, the venue of the anti-petrol subsidy removal rally.

As the protesters were eating the bean cakes, they were using abusive words on the administration of Jonathan for inflicting pains on Nigerians.

The conveners of the mass protest called for the impeachment of the President and resignation of members of his cabinet for betraying Nigerians.

Former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, Mr. Ayodele Elesho, commended the Organised Labour and the civil society groups for remaining resolute on their demand for a reversal of the pump price of petrol to N65 before agreeing to dialogue with the government.

The late music legends, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Bob Marley, came alive in Ikorodu and its environs as their revolutionary lyries boomed from speakers to motivate protesters at Garage roundabout, Haruna and Agric bus stops.

Their songs were played in between speeches delivered by the leaders of the civil societies in Ikorodu.

NLC forms ‘shadow govt’ in Benue

A

NEW dimension has been introduced to the lingering national strike as the Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday announced the formation of a shadow government in the Northcentral state.

The Congress, which picked Simon Anchaver as the “Governor”, also named the commissioners for Justice and Information & Orientation.

Making the announcement adjacent to the ‘B’ Division Police Station in Makurdi while leading the protesters in the state capital, the labour leader said he had assumed the authority and what he said on behalf of the NLC in the state is final.

The shadow ‘governor ‘ appointed Gbagir as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. Mr. Okwe Noah was appointed Commissioner for Information and Orientation.

He led the protesters from Wadata to High Level, as well as Kanshio, a suburb in Makurdi.

Songs of the late social critics such as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti were played to ginger up the protesters. The song ‘Nigeria jaga-jaga, everything scatter scatter’ by Eedris Abdukareem was played in the background with some security agents nodding in approval.

After a stopover under President Jonathan’s portrait on Abu King Shubuta’s road, the protesters marched on Wurukum Roundabout near Cool-off Park, where they dispersed with the promise to reconvene today.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

8

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR) ‘Senate’ll resolve Govt/Labour face off’ From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

S

ENATOR Olufemi Lanlehin yesterday said he is optimistic that the face-off between Organised Labour over the fuel subsidy removal and the Federal Government would be resolved by the Senate.

Lanlehin, who represents Oyo South, spoke on the strike called by Labour over the removal of fuel subsidy.

The lawmaker condemns the manner the fuel subsidy was removed without first working out modalities for its removal.

He, however, pleaded with Labour to give the Senate a chance to broker peace between it and the Federal Government.

Lanlehin said: “Nigerians are agitating in all the nooks and crannies of the country because it is a situation that affects everybody. Fuel affects everybody’s life one way or the other.

“The Senate decided to mandate its leadership to continue brokering a dialogue and settlement which it started on Monday between Labour and the Executive.

“It seems the Senate enjoys the confidence of Labour and it seems also that the Senate enjoys the confidence of the Executive.

“To that extent the Senate is trying to interface and act as a go-between because we are all stakeholders.”

Religious leader slams fuel subsidy removal

T

HE Paramount Head of Ogboni Saala Fellowship Worldwide, Olaniyi Ifayemi, has condemned the fuel subsidy removal by President Goodluck Jonathan. “It is very harsh of him to have done that,” said Oba Saala. “It is a decision that affects the masses adversely so he should reverse it immediately.”

Ifayemi said: “There is no reason for the government to remove the subsidy. Fuel is already too expensive, considering that we are an oil producing nation. They should therefore reverse the removal with immediate effect.”

Continuing, he said: “One of the reasons why this nation has not been at peace is the neglect of three major institutions in Nigeria. They

are the police force, the teaching service and the traditional worshippers.

“Policemen stake their lives to safeguard the lives of other Nigerians, yet they are not being taken car of adequately. It is also in Nigeria that the reward of teachers is said to be in heaven while their students reap theirs on earth.

“Also, traditional religion has been relegated to the background, the other two imported religions, Christiniaty and Islam, have taken over, yet every Nigerian village, town and city settled where they are today by the divine revelation of oracles through traditional worshippers so the importance of traditional worshippers is so much that government shouldn’t be neglecting us too.”

Ajimobi to hoodlums: hijack fuel subsidy protest, face the music G

OVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has warned hoodlums hiding under the ongoing anti-petrol subsidy removal protest to foment trouble in the state to desist from the act, saying anyone caught would be dealt with.

In a state-wide broadcast yesterday, the governor regretted that the peaceful protest had been hijacked by hoodlums and miscreants to create disorder in the state.

He said: “You will recall that three days to the commencement of the current Labour strike, the government of Oyo State had warned of the evil plot of some disgruntled politicians to hijack the planned peaceful protest to create disorder in the state.

“In the last three days, we have witnessed ugly incidents of armed attacks and arson on public utilities like offices of the PHCN, police stations, the burning of private business concerns and attacks on individuals, assault and rape of defenceless women.’’

According to the governor, these cannot be justified as protests against the removal of petrol subsidy, describing thm as plain acts of criminality.

Ajimobi said: “This is an attempt by politicians who were rejected at the polls by the good people of Oyo State to return the state to the era of brigandage, lawlessness and impunity.

“We shall not allow this.

We shall maintain the peace and tranquility that have reigned in the state since the inception of this administration. Anyone who seeks to test our resolve will be visited with the full weight of the law, no matter how highly placed the person is.’’

While saying that the state government shared in the concerns and pains of the people, the governor added that his government had been part of efforts at finding a lasting solution to the controversy on the removal of oil subsidy.

He said: “As a government elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), we stand by the position of our party that the issue in contention is within the purview of the exclusive legislative list of the Federal Government.

“We also appreciate the

responsibility of the Federal Government for the overall economic management in the country.

“We, however, affirm the democratic right of the people to be informed, educated and consulted in the exercise of this power. More importantly, we hold that the utmost responsibility of the state is to protect the wellbeing of the people.’’

The governor informed that government had initiated consultation with the leadership of labour, civil society and other stakeholders in the state.

The governor said: “We have received assurances of the leadership of labour and civil society groups to the peaceful exercise of their democratic right to protest between 7am and 5pm.

Therefore, anyone who engages in procession and protests after 5 pm will be engaging in criminality and shall be so treated by the security agencies.

“Government has imposed a 12-hour curfew between 7pm and 7am. We have accordingly approved

a Joint Security Patrol of the Army, Police and other security agencies to dislodge illegal roadblocks and apprehend criminals who are hiding under anti-subsidy removal protests to harass, extort and assault our people.

“We shall ensure that these criminals are not allowed to impede the legitimate protest of labour and civil society nor constitute a threat to the safety and well-being of the people of Oyo State.’’

Besides, Ajimobi said the state government is in touch with the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure the safety of our people.

His word: “In addition, we are consulting with other state governors, particularly those elected on the platform of the ACN, to explore ways of resolving the current crisis.

“As a government elected by the people, we are committed to ensuring that government’s decisions and actions are to the benefit of the majority of our people. Our people have spoken. Their position shall be conveyed to the appropriate quarters for consideration, in the interest of peace and order.”

Ademola: Senator urges Ringim to prosecute DPO From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

S

ENATE Minority Whip Ganiyu Solomon yesterday urged the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim to prosecute the police officer, who killed Ademola Abi theodun on the first day of nationwide protests.

Ademola Abiodun was killed in Ogba, Lagos State, on the first day of the protest by Organised Labour over the removal of fuel subsidy.

Solomon, who represents Lagos West, told reporters in Abuja that it was unacceptable that a Nigerian could be shot and killed in “an unprovoked attack.”

He said: “The late Ademola was my constituent and I was told that he was not even involved in the protest against removal of subsidy.

“He was just playing football with some boys on Yaya Abatan Street in Ogba when trigger-happy policemen opened fire on them.

“I am specifically calling on the IGP to prosecute the policeman involved and not sweep this matter under the carpet.”

Miscreants loot shops in Osogbo

A

group of miscreants from downtown, Oja-Oba area of Os-

ogbo, Osun State, yesterday looted shops of those who defied the directive of the labour unions not to open.

About 25 youths marched on major streets and combed some inner streets to dispossess residents of their wares.

At Araromi market via Kaka Street, around 10am, they pounced on a provision shop opeartor and another petty trader, and carted away their wares.

Shop owners and hawkers were dealt with by some miscreants, who also burnt a church in the town.

Also, another group of youths barricaded Gbaemu

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo junction, and demanded money from motorists and Okada riders.

At CMS junction, some young women accompanied by some tough-looking boys, blocked the main road leading to Oja-Oba, and demanded petrol or money from road users.

From Dada Estate to Okefia, three barricades were erected on the road and in one of the points, some youths were drinking, while extorting money from motorists.

Protesters yesterday carried a mock coffin of President Goodluck Jonathan round major streets of Osogbo.

•Senate President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Kolade Olaoluwa (left), National President Dauda Mohammed and National President, National Association of Polytechnic Students, Fawale Oluwole Jacob at a news conference on the need for the stakeholders to dialogue on fuel subsidy in Abuja...yesterday PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

Boko Haram: OPC won’t retaliate, says Faseun

T

HE Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) said yesterday in Lagos that people or organisations attempting to create ethnic confrontation between the two bodies would fail.

The declarations by both the OPC and the AYCF were made on the heels of speculations of planned attacks by OPC on Hausa communities in Lagos.

OPC Founder Frederick Faseun described the speculations as fabrications and dangerous concoctions aimed at creating an unnecessary crisis in the country.

“It is not true. There is no crisis whatsoever between the OPC and any other groups in Nigeria,’’ he said.

Faseun, however, said he was aware of the speculations and had made enquiries to determine where

•’Northerners safe in Southwest’ From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

they emanated from.

In his reaction, the National Coordinator of the OPC, Chief Gani Adams, described the speculations as far from the truth.

Adams, who spoke through his media aide, Mr San Sileola, said that there was no reason for such speculations.

“We are aware of that text messages on the planned attacks. We have never planned such a thing,’’ he said.

Adams said OPC members and their leaders have Hausa friends like the President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, who is a good friend of Adams.

In an interview with NAN, Shettima urged Nige-

rians of northern extract, who are resident in Lagos, not to fall for the blackmail.

“The truth is that I am in touch with the leadership of the OPC. We saw the text messages. Some people are just working to cause disunity in the country and they will certainly fail,’’ he added.

The National Vice President (Southwest), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has also assured Muslims of Northern origin that Christians would not harass or attack them anywhere in the Southwest.

The cleric, who addressed reporters in Ibadan yesterday, also urged the Federal Government to reconsider its stand on the removal of oil subsidy in view of the mass protest that greeted the

policy.

He appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider reversing the price of a litre of petrol to the old N65 and embark on massive education of citizens on the policy before implementing it in phases.

“I want to appeal to the Federal Government to reconsider reversal the price of petrol and then start educating citizens on the policy. ‘’Nigerians who are groaning do not want to bear any more pain. My counsel is that government should show accountability. ‘’We want to see actual evidence of physical and infrastructural development.

Let them revive moribund rilway, equip hospitals, schools and let there be constant power and water supply. In other words, we want to see what our money is used for.”

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

9

NEWS NEW YEAR MESSAGES ‘Slash your salaries by 40%’ From Osagie Otabor, Benin

THE Iyasere of Benin, Sam Igbe, has said the 25 per cent salary cut for all federal political appointees is “too small”.

Igbe said it should be reviewed to 40 per cent.

The Benin chief predicted disaster for the country, if it continues to lose billions of naira to the on-going strike.

He said the situation calls for a dialogue between the Federal Government and Labour.

Activist advises Labour

T

THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR)

PENGASSAN to shut down upstream oil sector

HE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday directed oil workers in the upstream sector to shut down operations, including export terminals, by Sunday, if the Federal Government refuses to revert the pump price of petrol to N65 per litre.

At a briefing in Lagos, PENGASSAN President Babatunde Ogun said, among other implications , Nigeria would default in its contractual obligations to the international community as there would be no crude and gas supplies.

By Dupe Olaoye- Osinkolu According to him, it would cripple telecommunications, power and healthcare delivery to Nigerians and the country will not meet its crude production quota for the next six months.

His words: “PENGASSAN remains committed to the ongoing popular and nationwide protests, and will continue to work with all concerned groups to sustain the struggle, until the Federal Government respects the will of Nigerians.

“The resolution of the House of Representatives

and the Senate has said it all.

“All branches of PENGASSAN in the downstream, refineries and upstream sectors have been and shall remain fully mobilised in the actualisation of NLC/TUC directives on the on-going strike.”

“PENGASSAN, as you are well aware, contributed so much to preserve the long struggle that earned Nigeria this fledgling democracy.

“With no broken spirit or dented resolve, PENGASSAN is poised to ensure stout defence of our democratic ideals and respect for

legitimacy.

“PENGASSAN leadership has become fully constrained to fully employ the January 5 resolution of its National Executive Council at this critical and decisive moment of our national life.

“As drivers and technocrats of the oil and gas sector, PENGASSAN insists that all the policy and institutional issues, including the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act as condition precedent to deregulation must be given attention.

“We are hereby notifying the Federal Government

Gani Adams slams Clark

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo The National President of the Organisation of Unemployed in Nigeria, Olady Mbaba, yesterday urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) not to accept any suggestion from the Federal Government, until the pump price of petrol is reverted to N65.

Mbaba told reporters in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, that Nigerians should not back out of the protest, until the Federal Government rescinds its decision.

He said the masses should not be made to pay for government’s failures and inefficiencies.

Mbaba said the removal of fuel subsidy was not President Goodluck Jonathan’s idea but that of imperialists who surrounded his government.

He advised the Federal Government to work within the contest of the economy rather than adhering to the wishes of donor agencies, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank .

Abia NBA joins protest From Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia MEMBERS of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) yesterday staged a peaceful protest on some major streets of Umuahia, the state capital.

The protest was held in support of the national strike calling for the return of fuel subsidy. Members carried placards.

The lawyers were escorted by the police to prevent hoodlums from infiltrating the march.

An attempt by some boys to mount a counter protest was foiled by the police.

Some of the placards read: “Removal of oil subsidy is ultimately wicked and senseless”; “Face Boko Haram, not subsidy removal”; “Remove wastage in governance first not subsidy”, “Dialogue with Nigerians, do not be autocratic”.

Addressing reporters after the march, the NBA Chairman, John Iheanyichukwu Amajuoyi, said the protest was not for the lawyers but for Nigerians.

“The struggle is not against anybody but against the authorities that have visited us with this cankerworm,” he said.

and indeed all Nigerians that PENGASSAN shall be forced to go ahead and apply the bitter option of ordering the systematic shutting down of oil and gas production with effect from January 15, if the Federal Government fails to yield.

“PENGASSAN restates without further assurance that it is has become expedient to bring down all installations and production so that the wishes of Nigerians can be achieved with minimal consequences to the populace and operational safety of our industry in particular.”

T

•ALL FOR N65 . Some protesters at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos...yesterday

50 arrested in Edo over looting of bureaux de change

T

HE police in Edo State have arrested 50 suspects in the looting of some bureaux de change in Benin City, the state capital.

Commissioner of Police David Omojola, who confirmed the arrests, threatened to deal with anybody who forces others to join a protest.

He said: “Nobody has the right to close down any working place during protest.

•As hoodlums return N50m From Osagie Otabor, Benin

“Everybody has the right not to go to work but they should not stop others who want to work.

“All trouble makers will be dealt with, according to the law.”

Omojola said no death was recorded during the protest.

Police sources told The Nation that N50million looted

during the protest has been returned.

The sources said jewellery and some valuables have also been recovered by the police.

But Omojola said the police were not handling the return of the money.

Labour and civil society groups have threatened to resume street protests today,

if nothing tangible comes out of the negotiations over the fuel subsidy removal.

Former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof.

Festus Iyayi gave this hint while addressing civil society groups yesterday.

Iyayi said it was sad that hoodlums hijacked Monday’s protest and called on security agencies to arrest any person causing trouble.

Enugu police restrict protest within 100m

L

EADERS of Organised Labour in Enugu State were yesterday again prevented from carrying out street protests by the police.

They were restricted from holding the protest in front of their office at New Market.

The protest, however, took place within the 100 metres that the police guaranteed the labour officials.

The police hinged the action on the prohibition order by the government, which outlawed protests and public assemblies.

The protest was led by the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Chumaife Nze, with other union leaders.

The protesters carried placards that asked for a re-

From Chris Oji, Enugu

versal of fuel price to N65 per litre.

Nze said it was an exhibition of courage through which they have shown the government that they were responsible and law-abiding citizens, adding that it was their civic right to demonstrate.

He said they were unable to go beyond the permitted or guarded arena because of the policemen with armoured tanks.

His words: “What they (police and the government) are doing is against the right of the citizens but we said we must come out even if they are going to shoot us and we will continue to do it.”

On the imprisoned labour leader, the NLC chairman said they have contacted the national office of the NLC, lawyers, civil society groups.

He denied compromising with the government to foil the protest and strike in the state, saying the government’s riot act proscribing protests is unlawful.

HE National Coordinator of the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC), Gani Adams, has condemned the statement credited to some Niger Delta elders, including Chief Edwin Clark , that Lagos consumes about 65 per cent of the country’s fuel stock.

Clark and about 30 others signed a communiqué in support of the removal of fuel subsidy. They stated that “Lagos consumes 65 per cent of the country’s total fuel stock. This shows that Lagos alone enjoys over N900 billion of the subsidy on fuel to the detriment of others.”

Adams said: “It is unfortunate that an elder like Clark would make such statement.

“I wish to state here that it is imperative for Clark and others like him to realise the nature of Lagos as the commercial capital of Nigeria and a former political capital.

“Sixty five per cent of all the imports through the nation’s seaports come in through Lagos. Between 85 and 90 percent of all air travels come into the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

“Lagos also accounts for between 55 and 70per cent of Value Added Tax (VAT) while around 65 and 70 per cent of all essential commodities are produced in Lagos.”

Adams wondered why Clark would support an unpopular policy like the subsidy removal.

“It is really funny that a man like Clark would say this about Lagos. “ I am aware that he has about five buildings in Lagos, one in his home state and one in Abuja.

“He should not provoke the Yoruba. He should not cause trouble in Nigeria.

“As an elder statesman, I respect him, but he must realise that the total population of Yoruba in Lagos is not more than those from other states.”

Protests ignite beef scarcity in Benin

P

RICES of fish in Benin, the Edo State capital, and its environs have soared, following scarcity of beef in the markets.

Also, suya (barbecue) joints around the capital city have stopped operation.

This followed the violence that erupted during the protest over fuel subsidy removal as many cattle dealers took their cattle into hiding.

Many abattoirs were empty. The beef sold at markets were said to have been brought from

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Agbor in Delta State.

It was gathered that cattle dealers took the decision to quit after some hoodlums slaughtered a cow after its owner ran for safety.

Businesses have returned to Benin City as many filling stations and stores have opened.

•Adams

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

10

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST

Explosion rocks Rivers varsity

NEW YEAR MESSAGES

T

HERE has been an explosion at the offices of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Barineme Fakae and the Registrar, Mrs Daba Odimabo, of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt.

Fakae and Mrs Odimabo were not in their offices when the explosion occurred at about 8pm on Wednesday.

It was gathered that unknown men had thrown an explosive device, suspected to be a bomb, into the administrative block.

The university’s spokesman, Desmond Wosu, said it was yet to be determined if the explosive device was

From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

a bomb or a dynamite.

Wosu said: “We heard the explosion last night. It was between 7.30 and 8 pm.

“The security within the institution rushed down there and saw a fire.

“Luckily, they used a fire extinguisher to put it out.

But we cannot determine whether it was a bomb or dynamite.

“The police have come and they are investigating.

“It is an unfortunate situation and no good student of this university will perpetrate this heinous act.

“We have strengthened security within the univer-

sity environment. The chief security officer has taken control of the situation.

“The police are in control of the situation. There was no casualty.”

Police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulemt, however, said the explosion was caused by an electrical fault from one of the refrigerators in the VC’s office.

“On January 11, at about 1940 hours, the Commissioner of Police detailed an EOD team to proceed to the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, in response to a reported incident of suspected explosion.

“The EOD team arrived

at the scene at about 2000 hours and commenced Post Blast Investigation at the already cordoned scene.

That continued till this morning when at about 0930 hours investigation did not reveal any evidence indicating the use of Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

“Rather, a fire was started by an electrical device serving the office refrigerator. The fire was put out by the campus security. No injury or serious damage was recorded.”

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), through its Chairman, Dr. Felix Igwe, has condemned the incident.

Groups to Jonathan: resign now

C

IVIL society groups in Rivers State are demanding the resignation of President Goodluck Jonathan and members of his cabinet.

The groups, in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday, also demanded the sack of Ministers of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, her Finance counterpart, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Governor of Central Bank, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi “for deceiving Nigerians with wrong economic fallacies.”

The statement, which was signed by representatives of Civil Liberties Organisation; United Action for Democracy; Occupy Port Harcourt Movement; Occupy Niger Delta Movement; Child Protection Network, Rivers State; Social Action,

From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

Port Harcourt and Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), also called for “the immediate sack and prosecution of all Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) staff.

“The purported claims by the Federal Government that funds from the fuel subsidy removal will be polled back to create jobs, infrastructure, healthcare ,power supply and transform Nigeria into heaven is a deceit from the pit of hell.

“It is simply a ploy to steal more money. We know our politicians. All these claims show that the Jonathan government has failed Nigerians,” the statement said.

Abia gets 17 buses From Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia

T

HE Abia State Government has purchased 17 buses to subsidise transportation cost in the state.

Governor Theodore Orji, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Ugochukwu Emezue, said this is the first phase of the Mass Transit Scheme, which would cater for the 17 local governments.

Orji said he embarked on the scheme to mitigate the pains being experienced by Abians as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, assuring that his administration will not allow the people to suffer.

The governor said the second phase of the Mass Transit Scheme will be launched later.

Edo monarch pleads for calm

T

•A barricaded road in Alagbado, Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO:DAYO ADEWUNMI

Ezillo crisis: Water scarcity hits Ebonyi

T

HERE is water scarcity in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, following the killing of more than 65 persons at Ezillo community in Ishielu Local Government and the refusal of workers of the State Water Corporation to work.

The General Manager, Igwe Osmond, said the workers fled the area for fear of being killed.

Igwe said the Ezillo Water Scheme, which generates 45,000 cubic metres of water

From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki

daily, was no longer working at full capacity as a result of the crisis.

He assured residents of Abakaliki and its environs that the water scheme would become fully operational as soon as peace returns to the community.

His words: “I thank God that the disturbance and destruction didn’t get to us.

Our facilities and workers

are safe.

“If you experience the shooting and the trauma that the workers passed through, you would not blame anybody who says he is not coming to work.

“Their security is not totally guaranteed there.

“That’s why we have water scarcity in the state. Our greatest problem is the issue of security.”

The General Manager said although there was policemen at the Ezillo Water

Scheme, workers were afraid to go to the area.

Igwe said the corporation generates 10,000 cubic metres of water per day from the old pumping station in Abakaliki.

“The ongoing construction of Oferekpe Water Scheme is 98 per cent completed.

“Governor Martin Elechi recently released N1.5billion for the purchase of electromechanical equipment,” he said.

Mysterious fire guts building in Benin

G

OODS worth millions of naira were destroyed yesterday when a mysterious fire gutted some shops in a building on Ibiwe Street in Benin, the Edo State capital.

The fire was said to have started at about 8pm from the back of the building.

Some of the affected traders said the fire was caused by electrical fault but others said

From Osagie Otabor, Benin they heard an explosion before the fire started.

Men of the State Fire Service came with a truck and left after the water in the truck was exhausted.

Traders were seen retrieving their goods from the fire.

Some of them, however, lamented that some sympathisers stole their goods.

A shop owner, Okechukwu Ohaego, said he lost N500,000 in the fire. He said he was informed about the fire at about 8pm.

“Many sympathisers came to help us to get our goods out. We managed to get some of our goods out but others got burnt.

“It was not an electrical fault.

They said it started from the back of the building.

“I lost about N500,000 worth

of goods. Those living in the building said they heard an explosion before the fire started.

Another trader, Mrs Grace Obi, said: “Before I came here, the house was already on fire.

I am a widow and everything was lost.

“I can’t tell how the fire started. I have not opened my shop since Monday when they said we should stay at home for the strike.”

Expectant doctor kidnapped in Enugu

A

DOCTOR, Mrs. Chidinma Okwor, has been kidnapped in Enugu.

Mrs. Okwor, a mother of four, is said to be expecting her fifth child.

She was abducted on Tuesday in front of her house on Nike Road in Enugu East Local Government.

It was gathered that the victim is a senior registrar in the

From Chris Oji, Enugu Department of Radiology Medicine at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku Ozalla.

It was learnt that when Mrs. Okwor got close to the gate of her house, four armed men stopped her and whisked her away in their waiting car.

The state Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr Kenechi Madu, said his members would strike, if the abductors failed to release their colleague.

Describing the incident as ‘abominable”, he appealed to law enforcement agents to rescue the woman and her unborn baby.

The Chairman, Associa-

tion of Resident Doctors, UNTH Enugu, Dr Ugwunna Nwachukwu, said the kidnappers were yet to contact the family.

He said it was terrible that anybody could kidnap an eight-month expectant mother.

Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said they were on top of the situation.

HE Otaru of Auchi, Haliru Momoh, has called on Nigerians to embrace peace and harmonious co-existence for the country to progress and develop.

Momoh, who is also the Vice- President General of the Nigeria Council of Islamic Affairs, spoke to reporters after inspecting the Benin Central Mosque, which was vandalised by hoodlums during the protest against removal of fuel subsidy.

The monarch said vandalism and rioting has nothing to do with Christians

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

against Muslims, saying the hoodlums wanted to cause problem in the state.

Otaru said he had gone round some of the mosques in Benin and was now in a position to give authentic statements to Muslims across the world.

“We appeal to all Muslims and Christians in the country to embrace peace and we enjoin everyone to ensure that peace and justice reigns because justice promotes peace and progress and without it, we have problems.”

Protesters slam Edo PDP aspirants

P

ROTESTERS in Edo State have called on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains in the state to speak on the subsidy removal.

Their spokesman, Enobakhare Izebuwa, said: “We have watched the PDP aspirants in the state and discovered that they have not intervened in the on-going crisis.

“Why have they not made the fuel subsidy a campaign issue since it is their party policy?”

“We think that Chief Tony Anenih’s silence and that of the aspirants, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, Charles Airhiavbere, Oserheimen Osunbor and Kenneth Imansuangbon meant that they have taken a position on this issue.

“I think their silence is no longer golden. They cannot fool Edo people.”

Protest in Imo

M

EMBERS of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have marched on the streets of Owerri to request for the reversal of the pump price of fuel to N65 per litre.

The protesters blocked the roads, preventing vehicular movement for hours.

Acting NLC Chairman Nze Obinna Okeafor said the protest was in solidarity with the nationwide strike.

The National Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof.

Ukachukwu Awuzie, urged

From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

Labour to continue so as to meet the aspiration of the people.

However, the protest initially met some resistance as traders were unable to comply with the directives of NLC to close their shops.

At Ekeukwu Owerri and Nworie Lane Industrial markets, majority of the shops were open.

Okeafor said the union would set up a monitoring committee to watch the traders .

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Insurers shore up capital

By Chuks Udo Okonta

Nigeria loses N1trn to strike N

O effectively mitigate emerging risks insurers have began talks on how to raise their capital, the Director-General Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) Mr Sunday Thomas has said.

He told The Nation that some insurance companies are considering merger option as a way to beef-up their capital to enable them effectively underwrite larger risks. He noted that the decision by companies to shore-up their capital aligns with the risk-based recapitalisation initiated by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

He said the capital base of most companies is not adequate to underwrite larger risks, adding that if companies must remain top in the underwriting business, they must have sufficient funds.

Thomas said: “The capital base may not be adequate, but I am aware that companies that want to operate within the Local Content are making efforts to shore-up their capital. Also, NAICOM is working very hard to put in place risk-based supervision. And one of the fundamentals of risk-based supervision is risk-based recapitalisation. “ R i s k - b a s e d recapitalisation measures the type of business in relation to the capital to backup the business. Some companies may not be there now, but they would not be allowed to operate beyond their capacity. I think NAICOM is doing a good job in that direction. For the industry, efforts are being made to shore-up capital and of course, there have been discussions about mergers and how companies can be bigger, because companies have realised that there is beauty in being big. If they are big, they will be able to increase their capacity to retain more businesses and that will impact the economy through job creation.”

IGERIA may have lost about N1trillon to the protests on removal of petrol subsidy as the nationwide shutdown championed by the organised labour, civil societies and masses entered the fifth day.

With grounding of commercial activities across the country and zero revenues from major economic vocal points such as air and sea ports, Nigeria is tottering with operation of its crude oil exports. The petroleum industry labour unions have already threatened to shut down crude oil exports if the Federal Government failed to heed the yearnings of the Nigerian masses.

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) was $197 billion in 2010 and analysts at

DATA STREAM

RENT crude rose more than $1 to over $113 yesterday on worries that a showdown between Iran and the West in the Middle East Gulf and a strike in Nigeria could disrupt oil supplies.

Nigeria’s two main oil unions threatened to shut output as a national strike entered its fourth day yesterday, mounting pressure on President Goodluck Jonathan to restore fuel subsidies.

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) said yesterday it has withdrawn its workers from oil fields, while the other, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), said it told its 24,000 members to “be on red alert” in preparation for a shutdown of fields operated by companies such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc. “If there’s a prolonged shutdown of oil exports, that would put tremendous pres-

T

COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$107/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N6.503 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -10.5% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending-22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $33.01b CFA EUR £ $ ¥ SDR RIYAL

-

FOREX

0.2958 206.9 242.1 156 1.9179 238 40.472

The signing of the MoU with US is to create investment in the nation’s value chain, transnational border market, energy, infrastructure and aviation among other non-oil sector.

- Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga

By Taofik Salako

FBN Capital have estimated that the GDP for the 2011 fiscal year might be around $201 billion.

The analysts said with the move by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to reweight and rebase its series, Nigeria’s GDP are estimated to be between $260 billion to $300 billion.

Using a conservative estimate, the experts said the opportunity cost of the strike could be as high as $1 billion or N165 billion per day for a full calendar year of 365 days.

Analysts at GTI Capital however, noted that average loss per day due to the strike might be more than N200 billion, citing Nigeria’s large informal sector and shadow financial transac-

tions that have traditionally not been adequately captured in national accounts.

“We acknowledge that the true cost goes beyond our $710 million to $1 billion per day estimate. However, it provides an idea of the scale of the impact of the strike,” analysts at FBN Capital said.

FBN Capital however, noted that the lopsided nature of the economy and national accounts including structural problems such as low financial intermediation and overdependence on crude oil export would ironically shield the Nigerian revenue profile from the true impact of the strike.

The threat to shut down oil exports might escalate the adverse impact on the economy, raising concerns over the realisation of the 2012 budget, which already has built in defi-

cits of more than N1.1 trillion.

The financial services, manufacturing, services, agriculture and retail sectors are expected to bear more of the burdens of the general strike.

Average loss per day at the Nigerian interbank market is estimated at more than N83 billion.

Although the Nigerian stock market has sustained skeletal operations through the remote trading facility of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), market analysts are worried the strike might jeopardise the much-anticipated recovery of the Nigerian stock market.

Investment analysts said the strike might adversely impact on the inflow of foreign direct and portfolio investments, citing global anxieties over socio-political uncertainties.

• Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan cutting the tape to commission 100 buses to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal in Asaba yesterday. With him from left are: Prof Amos Utuama (deputy governor); Rowland Ibakpa (commissioner for transport) and Hon. Victor Ochei (speaker, Delta State House of Assembly).

Oil up on Nigeria, Iran supply worries

B

• Containers stuck outside ports

By Emeka Ugwuanyi with agency reports

sure on the government,” Antony Goldman, the head of London-based PM Consulting, told Bloomberg News by phone yesterday. In the short term, “companies producing off floating production storage and offloading vessels can probably increase production” to offset initial losses, he said.

Jonathan, who won a fouryear term in April, has pledged to use savings from the 1.2 trillion naira ($7.4 billion) subsidy to invest in power plants and roads. At the same time he faces an increase in religious violence in parts of the north where he has declared a state of emergency and says Islamist militants pose a worse threat to the country than the 1967-70 civil war.

Output has so far been unaffected but the threats were enough to unnerve the market as Africa’s biggest oil

exporter ships around 2 million barrels of crude oil per day and is a key supplier to the United States and Europe.

Worries about supply allowed investors to discount reports of sharply higher U.S. crude stocks.

Another worry for oil markets is the tension between the West and Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme has increased after an Iranian nuclear scientist was blown up in his car by a motorbike hitman on Wednesday, prompting Tehran to blame Israeli and U.S. agents.

In a related development, container shipping group Maersk Line is also unable to bring its vessels carrying consumer goods and foodstuffs into Nigerian ports as a fourth day of nationwide strikes has brought terminals to a standstill, a senior official said.

Sonny Dahl, director, West

Africa Services at Maersk Line, the world’s biggest container shipping company, said its container ships were stuck outside ports.

“Everything is at a standstill - there are no operations going on and everything is at a general strike level,” Dahl told Reuters.

Dahl said eight of the company’s container ships were being affected by the disruptions at ports across the country.

“They are carrying consumer goods of various kinds and foodstuffs,” he said.

He said some of the vessels were already anchored outside ports, while others would arrive in one to two days.

“We are consistently evaluating whether we should divert any of them to other ports (outside of Nigeria),” he said.

“For now, we have made a plan until early next week that we wait outside. It’s anyone’s guess when the strike will end.”

ICAN to govt: reduce cost of governance

By Daniel Essiet

T

HE Institute of C h a r t e r e d Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has called on the Federal Government to take steps to review the cost of governance by cutting down on the basic salaries of political office holders in the executive arm of government.

In a statement, its President, Prof. Francis Ojaide said cutting down on the cost of governance are some of the ways by which other countries addressed not only their financial challenges but also sourced funds for the development of critical sectors of their economies.

“The current cost of governance is overbearing and needs to be reviewed downwards considerably.

To be meaningful, the sacrifice should and must be collective,” he said.

On the removal of fuel subsidy, Ojaide said it was a good policy. “We believe that the removal of fuel subsidy and the full deregulation of the downstream sector of petroleum industry essentially constitute sound strategic economic policies.

It is about saving the near future. Well implemented, these policies have the potential to attract massive foreign direct investments, which can propel the nation into greater prosperity through their multiplier effects on the economy. From the reactions of Nigerians, particularly those who have been protesting on the streets since January 9, 2012, the introduction of the policy is not so much the problem as the way and manner it was done as well as the citizens’ lack of trust in the Government. In their view, the removal of subsidy was rather sudden, without adequate consultation and brusquely communicated to the populace.”

The institute called on the government to temporarily suspend its implementation to demonstrate the genuineness of government’s empathy with its people in response to their yearnings.

“This will make room for meaningful dialogue with organised labour and civil society. It is a mark of courage and statesmanship, not weakness, to defer to the voices of Nigerians, with whom the ultimate power rests.”

Appealing to Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and civil society organisations to express restraint, Ojaide said the resultant shutting down of economic activities, loss of productive man-hours estimated at several billions of naira per day, loss of precious lives and destruction of property are not only regrettable but also avoidable.

12

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

13

14

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

Eagles should have made Maigari hails home boys’ AFCON —Angola coach performance against Angola

Pg. 49

Pg. 16

Nation Friday, January 13, 2012

PAGE 15

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

16

49

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT

Eagles should have made Ademola Adeshina: Big Boss will deliver if … AFCON—Angola coach

A

DEMOLA Adeshina has seen it at the top level of international football. He was a prominent member of the Super Eagles’ squad that reached the final of the 1988 African Nations Cup in Morocco, playing alongside the likes of Bright Omokaro, Sunday Eboigbe, Peter Rufai just to list a few..

Although retired from active football, he is not tired of giving his shots for the game. Nationsport contacted him for a chat on the new senior national football team’s coach, Stephen Keshi (Big Boss) and his new band of Eagles, and Adeshina was sure glad to kick.

He spoke of his former colleague, professing faith in the former Anderletch of Belgium star to lead the team up the ladder and through the right track.

He began: “I believe he can deliver.”

He, however, remarked that this will be possible only “If he (Keshi) can be given the freehand to do so.”

And he was quick to add that he believes the Football House will give the coach the liberty to build a good side. He said: “I believe they will surely give him the freehand because he has been there before. I know his ability.”

On the Nigeria versus Rwanda 2013 African Nations Cup qualifier billed for Kigali in late February, Adesina said: “We shouldn’t expect much. We are too much in hurry. I know it’s true Nigeria needs result because we are the nation to reckon with in football.

But they should give him at least sometime.

“Then I expect them to do well but when the result comes one way or the other we should accept it and everybody will learn from his mistake. I will give you an example, just like what happened at the weekend in the

By Olusoji Olukayode Premiership, nobody believed that Blackburn could beat Man U at home, whoever believed that Chelsea will lose to Aston Villa at home that’s the game of football for you.

“But we should all wait and see, let’s give him the free role and then we pray for him also. Any result that comes, we should accept it then we should let him know where and where he’s supposed to adjust himself.”

But what does the former Shooting Stars of Ibadan player think of his former colleague’s rebuilding project and the blend of home and foreign legs he’s trying to put together? “You know in a game of football if you want to reform a team, you cannot just say you want to use the new breed, the young ones. (You) still need the experienced ones, old ones to come together and blend with the talented ones. I think he’s doing the right thing,” was his reply.

But he admonishes Keshi. “He should move around much and hunt for the young ones that can fill the vacuum because the old ones will soon retire so by bringing in young ones, they will be learning from the young ones. I think he’s on the right way.”

Asked what clime these young ones should be from? He said: “You know, it’s a mixture, he can still have the young ones (from) home.”

He recalls how it went when he toiled alongside Keshi back in their days as Eagles. “I can remember during my time with him, we were all based in Nigeria here and we were young in that team, at the end of the day we had a formidable team when Baba Onigbinde was our chief coach. I believe if we look for young ones, especially home-based then we can look for (those) doing fine abroad,” he said.

Maccabi Haifa chases Peter Utaka

1

2-TIME Israeli Champions Maccabi Haifa are interested in signing the Nigeria international forward Peter Utaka.

Utaka becomes a free agent at the end of the 2011-2012 season. Odense are willing to allow Utaka discuss with interested suitors, as they want to recoup some of their investment.

An unnamed club in Turkey are also desperate to contact Utaka and his German agent, Sascha Günter. They have promised to offer him better wages, more than what he is presently earning in Denmark. Ligue 1 club, Brest have also been mentioned with an interest.

OB Odense value Utaka at a bargain price of 2.6 million Danish kroner (equivalent of 350,000 euros).

• Utaka

the Owerri based Heartland FC this season as the Naze Millionaires seek honours in the domestic and continental fronts.

Despite starting on the low last season, Heartland scooped the 2011 Federation Cup at the expense of Enyimba FC last September in Lagos and the club did a follow up to that with another significant win in the season opening Champion of Champions duel between the Naze Millionaires Federation Cup winners and the holders of the League, Dolphins FC .

Ibenegbu in a brief chat with SportingLife hinged his optimism on the quality of players in the team’s fold which currently has about four players in the national team. He noted that it was very germane that the club launched the season with a bang and that having won the Charity Cup even with an understrenght side in Kaduna last month, when the full complement of the Naze Millionaires settle down for

we thought but I’m happy that we came away with a draw against a Nigerian side as big and determined as the one we saw today (Wednesday),” Vidal said.

The Palancas Negras gaffer also voiced his sentiments on Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

“It’s still shocking that the team did not make it to the Nations Cup,” he said.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the AFCON after it drew 2-2 with Guinea in its last qualifying game in Abuja.

LONDON OLYMPICS TAEKWANDO

Adam picks ticket

I

SSA Muhammad Adam joined Chika Chukwumerije to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games in the Taekwondo event.

To clinch one of the tickets for the quadrennial event, Mohammed defeated South Africa’s Mahlangu Duncan 4-1.

In the Second round however, the Beijing 2008 Olympics quarter finalist defeated DR Congo’s Botalatala Litofo 6-1 to advance to the semis.

To qualify for the Olympics, Adams saw the better of number one seed, Tunisia’s Briki Wahid 8-5 to in the semi finals.

Expressing his excitement at the feat, Adam said: I am so excited making it to my second Olympic Games in London. I think the exposure we had in Korea coupled with the rigorous training really helped me a lot and I want to say that the new Korean coach, Fihwan Keum really brought a lot to the team.

“Winning my first fight against the South African was a sweet revenge for me because he actually defeated me in the second round of the 2007 All Africa Games in Algiers. Although, he fought well but I was on top of the fight.”

On which of the fights was the toughest for Adams said: “In all the three fights, the semifinal tie against

• Joins Chukwumerije

By Innocent Amomoh the Tunisian was the toughest for me because I did not know how to approach the fight but the Korean coach inspired me and this gave me lot of confidence in the fight and I thank Allah for making it possible for me.”

N

IGERIA coach Stephen Keshi has begged the press and fans alike not to begin to hype his team of players from the domestic league because “they are not yet ripe”.

Keshi’s ‘B’ team held Africa Nations Cup-bound Angola to a goalless draw in Abuja Wednesday with most people scoring them very highly.

However, the Eagles coach was quick to warn that his team of three weeks still have a lot of work ahead.

“I commend the boys for their good showing. They did very well against the Angolans. But I want to warn that they are not ripe yet. So, please don’t flatter them. They still have a long way to go,” Keshi maintained.

“We have only been in camp for three weeks or thereabouts and there is a lot of work to be done. So, please

do not tell them that they have arrived.”

While admitting that the Angolans were a good side, the former Eagles captain revealed to MTNFootball.com that he relied on the experience he garnered when he led Mali against Angola at the 2010 Nations Cup. “I know the Angolans very well. If you give them a chance to play, they would overrun you. That is exactly what they did when I led Mali against them. They went four goals up but we eventually came back to draw.”

“So, that experience informed some of my decisions on Wednesday.

Keshi played an unfamiliar formation that saw the Eagles attack on 3-5-2 and defend on 4-4-2 formation The team will tackle Liberia this weekend in another friendly in

Monrovia as Nigeria step up their preparations for next month's 2013 Nations Cup qualifier in Rwanda.

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri the main business of the season, they would become irrepressible to clubs in the premier league and on the continent.

“We are assuring our fans that we are going to start the season with a blast this time around and not like the way we started last season. The Charity Shield we won has pointed in that direction. If you look at the quality of players we have in the squad presently, there is no gainsaying the fact that we are destined for greatness. We have four of us in the national team and there are other capable legs brought in from within and around the country.”

Heartland’s quartet of Kabir Umar, Uche Oguchi, Obinna Nwachukwu and Ikechukwu Ibenegbu are presently in the Home based Eagles’ camp with the first two names new acquisitions.

Other new players in the team’s fold as at the last count were Brendan Ogbu, Jolly Osas, Arinze Nwosu, James Amankwei, Haruna Abdul, Ndanusa Isah and Kingsley Udoh.

P

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari has commended the performance of the Senior Men’s Team, Super Eagles (made up of home-based players) against the ‘A’ team of Angola in an international friendly in Abuja on Wednesday, January 11.

“I believe that for the first time in a long time, Nigerians were afforded

• Confident of Adamu Mohammed

HE team manager of Dolphins Football club of Port Harcourt, Stanley Egumah is optimistic that Dolphins would make a good representation for Nigeria at the continent as they kick of their campaign next month against their Equatorial Guinea counterparts, N'guemo.

Speaking with NationSport on the club's preparation for the CAF

T

Hercules to invoke EU-Cotonou agreement to sign Akpala UST before the start of the 2011-2012 season, Nigerian striker Joseph Akpala was declared a surplus to requirements at Club Brugge.

Akpala was close to joining Zulte Waregem, but as deadline day was approaching, the move hit a snag.

The former goal king in the local premier league had been told by the coach that he was down the pecking order, behind two other strikers.

Soon, Akpala runs out of contract at Brugge; at the end of the 2013 season.

However, following his performances especially in the Europa League ( 7 goals), the club wants to offer him a new deal. ''When they said I was leaving, I was not panicked. At the end of the last transfer window, I was told I could not leave. Afterwards, I requested an interview to know what they were planning for me. It was a good conversation. There is not much said but they really wanted to keep me. For me that was enough, '' Akpala said.

There is competition for the services of Akpala from clubs in Turkey and Spain. The most concrete interest is from Spanish Segunda division side Hercules. Scouts of the club were in attendance on Sunday when Club Brugge lost 1-2 to Hamburg.

Clubs in Spain's second tier are only permitted to field two foreigners in a game. According to reports, Akpala is close to getting a Belgian Passport.

Hercules would invoke the EUCotonou Agreement if they decide to sign Akpala.

•Pledges NFF’s support for continued camping

Eguma hopeful on continental preparations

J

Ibenegbu targets trophies with ARTHOLOMEW Ikechukwu Heartland Ibenegbu says he expects another trophy laden season for

B

C

OACH of Angola’s senior national football team, Lito Vidigal has expressed his respect for the Super Eagles following his team’s 0-0 draw on Wednesday.

The Palancas Negras were highly favoured by bookmakers to claim an easy victory over their unheralded opponents made up of local-based stars.

However, an accomplished and fearless performance by the Nigerian team left Vidigal purring in appreciation of the skills of the Eagles.

“We had to change tactics when we saw that the team was stronger than

Keshi dismisses local boys' hype

Maigari hails home boys’ performance against Angola

Florence Nkem Israel, Port Harcourt Champions League, Eguma said his club has started preparations but hopes it can be better than what it is.

"By the time we are set with our preparations for the season, you will see a better Dolphins. I believe there are quality players that can improve the standard of our game. Dolphins is prepared for the continent. We have started our preparations, there is no time and its also good that we've equally started the Nigeria League.

"I would have been happier if wehave started preparations in earnest because the Champions League is a bigger is a bigger stage than others but then, I think we are ready", he said.

On his preparations for the first CAF league game in February alongside NPL games: "The league matches will be a very good ground for us. The team will be using the league matches to really prepare for the match (referring to their first continental tie that will hold in Equatorial Guinea)."

Commenting on his new sign-on from Gombe Utd, Adamu Mohammed who scored the only and winning goal in his debut for the club last weekend in Port Harcourt, Stanley seems confident of him.

"I have followed him for sometime while he was in Gombe Utd. He might not be too technically okay but he has that good finishing touch so we can work on the techniques to ensure that he blends and to make him a better player because as a striker, you must have all the skills to excelHe is a striker anytime, anyday and he is someone that can convert chances.

the opportunity to see what the home boys are capable of doing. Hitherto, they had always been used as training materials and the foreign based players would come a few days to a match and snatch the shirts.

“Now, the NFF has decided that everything would have to be on merit.

We are delighted to have a new Head Coach who supports the vision of the administration and is ready for the hard work that is needed to get there.

“Mr. Keshi will get all the support that is necessary from the NFF for the continued camping of the home boys, and we will ensure that friendly matches are available to expose the team and give the players’ experience and confidence”, said Maigari.

The home boys, playing their first international after four weeks of camping in Abuja, which included the Yuletide period, stood firm against the ‘A’ team of Angola, which is heading to the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, at the National Stadium, Abuja and came close to nicking the match with bold and beautiful moves.

Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Azubuike Egwueke, Godfrey Oboabona, Juwon Oshaniwa and Papa Idris, midfielders Gabriel Reuben, Uche Ossai and Obinna Nwachukwu and forwards Sunday Mba, Kabiru Umar and Ejike Uzoenyi who started the match showed comfort, calmness and class on the ball against the vastly experienced Palancas Negras.

Maigari continued: “Already, we are reaching out to some State Governments to help with the camping programme of the team.

There have been a couple of positive responses and we will move the team to any of the States that is ready, once the team returns from Liberia.

“You can recall that this is the same way that Mr. Clemens Westerhorf started his building of the team that qualified Nigeria for her first FIFA World Cup finals, won the African Cup of Nations finals in 1994 and impressed at the World Cup finals.

“The bulk of that team eventually won the Olympic football gold for Nigeria at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, USA – the first for Africa”, stated Maigari.

The Super Eagles will depart for Monrovia on Friday for the international friendly with the Lone Star of Liberia, which is scheduled for the Antoinette Tubman Stadium on Sunday evening. The team will return to Nigeria on Monday.

• Baribote

NPL reiterates commitment to violence-free season

T

HE Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League, Victor Rumson Baribote says the NPL will stay committed to ensuring a violence free football season this year.

Baribote made this declaration while receiving a plaque from 1 GAME, the organization that preaches football without violence over the weekend.

Baribote told newsmen after the event that they have carefully worked out modalities to ensure the league will not be marred by violence and other untoward conduct this season.

“I have seen what 1 GAME is doing.

They have signed up one hundred and fifty thousand Nigerians who say they want to watch the league but are afraid and that is why we are saying they should come to our stadia because they are safe.

“We completely frown at violence and we will not condone it. We are just asking all stakeholders to work with us to fish out these miscreants that cause trouble in our stadia,” Baribote said.

The plaque was presented to the Chairman by the Project Coordinator of 1 GAME, China Acheru.

Musa arrives at CSKA Malaga camp

T

HE 19-year-old attacking winger joined the side's training camp in Spain this week after passing his medicals on Monday in Germany.

Musa had signed a five-year contract with CSKA Moscow last week in Amsterdam, Holland that will keep him at the Russian club till 2017.

The former Kano Pillars' man is happy to have completed a switch from VVV-Venlo to the Russian big spenders.

"I'm happy with the move. CSKA will give me the chance to play in Europe with other big players," said Musa to SuperSport.com.

Though the transfer fee for Musa remains undisclosed, SuperSport.com has learned that the player may have cost CSKA Moscow in excess of •10 million.

AFCON 2012: Kalika roots for I/Coast, Ghana, Senegal

F

• Ikechukwu Ibenegbu

ORMER Super Eagles assistant coach, Simon kalika believes the likes of Ivory Coast, Senegal and Ghana remain favourites to lift this year’s African Cup of Nations, which begins this month in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Speaking to Nationsport, yesterday from Holland, the Dutch reckons new entrants like Botswana, and Niger will pull no major surprise when the competition commences.

He said: “I don’t think there will be a surprise; I think that teams like Ivory Coast, Ghana and also Senegal have so much talented and experienced players in big leagues.

“Maybe there will be surprise in one match but for the whole tournament there will be no surprise. The difference between those countries and the rest of the countries is too big.

“I am not a gambler, I am a coach but if I am a gambler I would have put my money on Ghana or Ivory Coast.”

The Dutch also thinks Guinea, which sent the Super Eagles packing on the last day of eliminations for

By Olusoji Olukayode the 2012 competition do not possess the quality to deliver at the African football showpiece, remarking that the Nigerian side would have done well if they had made the football fete.

He states: “I only played one match against them. I was not there for the first match in Guinea. We were not there as coaches. So I can only base my opinion on one match. I wish them all the best but regarding quality, again we just had bad luck against them.

“I know that only result counts but we Nigerians were so much better than the Guinea team. So I wish them the best but definitely (they are) not comparable with the level of Ghana, or Senegal or Ivory Coast, definitely not.

“We all know, we all know that it was just bad luck. That day, the difference between Nigeria and Guinea was six goals difference. We didn’t score and they scored the equalizer in the last second.

“And that is the bad thing about it.

But regarding quality and way of play

we will be the top favourite for the tournament, yes.

But should an opportunity to return to Nigeria as coach resurface, will be take it?

He replies: “Oh definitely, you know I have turned down some offers from other federations for the last couple of weeks because I don’t have any feeling that whatever I would do I could win something with those countries but Nigeria, definitely with all that talent, yeah.”

• Kalika

17

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

One month to the Bayelsa governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the list of political parties’ candidates. For the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), INEC simply notes - “subject to litigation.” Group Political Editor BOLADE OMONIJO reviews the list and reports the implications of the PDP crisis.

INEC: Court to decide PDP Bayelsa candidate

• Sylva

• Dickson

T

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the names of governorship candidates participating in the February 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State. Conspicuously missing are the names of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate and his running mate which INEC said would be determined by the courts.

The primary election held on November 19 to pick the candidate was said to have produced Hon. Seriake Dickson who later picked Rear Admiral John Jonah as his running mate. However, other aspirants backed out of the arrangement which they described as untidy. Governor Timipre Sylva is challenging the party’s decision in court, arguing that his nomination in January before the courts postponed the election subsists.

Thirty-six political parties have been cleared to field candidates for the election.

They include Kemela Obuobowi of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) who has Salaguo Christian as his running mate. Dr. Imoro Kubor, 62, is the candidate of Change Advocacy Party. His running mate is Julius Owoworibo.

Prior to release of the list on Tuesday, the PDP, as the ruling party, was regarded as favoured to win. However, the crisis that hit the party following the decision to sideline Governor Sylva has thrown up fresh possibilities. There are speculations that Sylva may throw his weight behind Kubor if the case he instituted goes against him. Both the PDP and Sylva have appealed the last week’s decision of the Appeal Court, hoping that it could be resolved ahead of the election.

The apex court is also expected to give verdict in the case filed by former military administrator of Lagos State, General Buba Marwa, who is the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in next week’s Adamawa governorship poll.

Sylva reacts Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for toeing the path of the rule of law in the release of the

• Okara list of candidates for the state’s governorship election.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, Sylva notes that “INEC has taken the right decision as an impartial umpire by acknowledging and stating clearly that the subject of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the governorship election is validly before a court of law, and that as an institution that respects the rule of law and democracy, it would not do anything to prejudice the final outcome of the matter in court.”

The statement by the CPS says Governor Sylva assures his supporters that he has a good case and believes in due process and the rule of law. As a democrat, he urges his supporters to remain calm and wait for the outcome of the case.

It would be recalled that in the run-up to

POSITION

NAME

SEX PARTY

AGE QUALIF

•Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy •Governor Deputy

Constance A. Alaorene Prince Asima Ebariotu Kemela Obuobowi Salaguo Christian A. Tare-out Actor Lugard Chief Dr. Ebinabo Jibson I. Amb. Dr. Morris Gabdiel Maxwel Festus Eberekumor Chief Amon Friday Arusaibai Dr. Oriodobwe Sunday Chief Kenneth Gbaligha Gbalikma Timi Diseghe Otonye Bob Hon. Black Aladdin Ebikeseye Chief Osein Osonkeien Utabie Imoro Kubor Rev. Omegha Julius Owoworibo Belief Tuoduowe Abiri Akono Issac Gabriel David Famous O. Baunemaigha Alawe O. Jonah Chief Hon. Johnson A. Opuzi Tarigha Collins Mrs. Anetorufa Pereotubo Godhelpme Kalaigo Chief Olomupieye Tonye Odum Mr. Dirime Jonal C. Gillis Timothy Olomabo Gboluseri Livi Ebikefi Olyingbo Standfast Donola Bodiseowei T. B. Atari-Adou Johnny Benjamin Bar. Bipeledei Efieseimokumo Biobarakumo Wilson Mrs. Onah Reginald Iwengighaboye Presidor Jeff Yerikema Oduduogwu O. Ebakumotuebi James Osain Chief Ogoli Sokar Valentine Keneth Abeke Emmanuel I. Joshua Ebibor Tuboulayefa Atei Beredugo Akpeli Lucky Chief Gwegwe Righteous Okpoebi Oziti Ibo Alagoa Tarimfagha Clement Joe Deaconess Peretu Felicia Onyeke J. Adamu Victor B. Eyororokumo High Chf. Shaganu S. Eberiye Osamawei Dennis Parker Jefrey Ebiasuode Youngbo Tiekuro Ndiomu Subject To Litigation Subject To Litigation Patience Vincent Olali Simeon Faith Famemem Henry Oyinbrakemiendely Lady Anne Yougha Prince Kelvin Opuene C. Alagoa Lawrence Korepughe Felix Akpos Marah Mrs. Preye Upaga Hon. Austin Inei Asamaowe Okani Clement Comrade Akiki Aprala Doris Tari Alagoa Seigha Davidson Eke Spiff Arekumor Godspower

F M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M F M M M M M M M M M M F M M M M M M M M M M M M M F M M M M M M

68 56 49 59 52 54 38 43 39 36 59 53 48 47 62 54 53 31 41 39 63 38 37 41 49 43 43 38 55 56 40 39 35 34 57 35 56 56 56 54 42 46 46 40 53 48 58 42 53 45 59 49 45 43

B.SC. WAEC FSLC WASC LLB,LD WAEC NECO NCE SSCE HND. B/ADM HND FSLC WAEC WAEC WAEC B.SC. WAEC WAEC WAEC WAEC ACEI WAEC WAEC NECO NECO GCE,FSLC B.SC. WAEC BA (ED) B.SC. (ED) SSCE SSCE LLB.BL NCE HND FSLC WASC WASC, GCE WAEC M.SC. FSLC NECO WAEC WAEC NCE NECO PGPH,PH.Y ND.ACCT. B.ED. WAEC MA/ ETHICS B.SC. ACCT. GCE WAEC

44 39 52 60 43 46 35 26 62 45 43 40 53 41

WAEC SSCE LLB,LLM,MA FSLC, GCE B.SC. WAEC OND B.SC COMPU BBA PGD SSCE GCE B.SC. NECO

the 19 November 2011 PDP governorship primary in Bayelsa State, the governor approached the Federal High Court in Abuja following his exclusion from the primary by the PDP apparatchik. The governor asked the court to uphold his candidature on the basis of the January 2011 primary or, on the contrary, allow him to participate in any primary that will be conducted by his party, PDP. The learned judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, consequently ordered PDP to show cause why the governor’s prayers should not be granted, and cautioned that the status quo be maintained.

But in complete disregard for the court processes, the PDP went ahead to conduct an illegal primary, and followed it up by filing an appeal at the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal has since ruled that the High Court has jurisdiction to hear the governor’s suit.

According to the statement, the PDP has now filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, to which Governor Sylva has cross-appealed.

The governor is arguing that the Court of Appeal erred in law when it held that some pronouncements of Justice Kolawole amounts to pre-judging the issues before

F F M F M M M F M M M F M M

ACD ACD ACN ACN ADC ADC APGA APGA APS APS ARP ARP BNPP BNPP PAP PAP CDC CDC CPC CPC CPN CPN CPP CPP DPA DPA HDP HDP JP JP LP LP LDPN LDPN MDJ MDJ MPPP MPPP MRDD MRDD NAP NAP NCP NCP NDP NDP NMDP NMDP NSDP NSDP PAC PAC PDC PDC PDP PDP PMP PMP PPA PPA PPN PPN PRP PRP RPN RPN SDMP SDMP UDP UDP

him.

Governor Sylva’s argument at the Supreme Court is that he is the authentic candidate of the PDP for the February 2012 governorship election. He notes that under the amended Electoral Act, a political party has no right to withdraw the name of a candidate it has submitted to INEC; it is only the candidate, due to resignation or death, that can so do.

Sylva notes that the governorship election in Bayelsa State was postponed, and not cancelled. The postponement of the governorship poll in Bayelsa State, for the governor, could be likened to the recent postponement of the Adamawa State governorship election from 14 January to 21 January. Assuming that this election was postponed for one month or more, will the Adamawa PDP go for another primary to determine the flagbearer in the rescheduled gubernatorial election? The answer to this, for him, is clearly, no.

The governor is asking the court to invoke section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to determine the case at the Supreme Court. So • Continued on page 18

18

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

POLITICS

Reps swear in new CPC members

E

IGHT members of the House of Representatives lost their seats yesterday.

The affected members are: Aminu Ashiru (Bindawa/Mani federal constituency), Umar Adamu Katsayel (Daura/Mai’adua/Sandamu), Murtala Isah (Faskari/Kankara Sabuwa), Muntari Dandutse (Dandume/Funtua), Musa Salisu (Kankia/Ingawa/Kusada) Umar Abdul Dankama (Jibia/Kaita) and Muhammed Tukur Abba (Katsina metropolis).

They were all from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State.

The Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, swore in eight new members at plenary yesterday without much ceremony because of the tense atmosphere in the chamber.

As the new lawmakers took the oath of office, the old ones were made to vacate their seats..

Five of the old members who were at plenary could not hide their tears as they were led out of the chamber.

It was apparent that they were not

• Cross section of new Congress for Progressive Change members of the House of Representatives from Katsina State taking their oath of office at the House Chambers in Abuja... yesterday PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

2012: Suswam and Ugba hold the ace

A

FTER the general elections of 2011, the waiting game in Benue State politics continues. The people of the state are waiting on the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to decide who really won the April 2011 election.

However, for the state governor, Gabriel Suswam, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his supporters, the 2011 elections are over. To them, a government is in place; so, tribunal or no tribunal, his mandate remains intact.

The governor has been telling those who care to listen that the PDP won the presidential election in Benue State with majority votes, and out of three senate seats, PDP won two. For the House of Representatives, out of

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

12 seats, PDP carted away eight, while it also won 20 House of Assembly seats out of 30.

Applying logic, the governor has continually held that it stands to reason that the PDP won the governorship poll, too.

However, to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate, Professor Torkuma Ugba and his supporters, such boasts from Suswam are not empty.

They contend that Suswam and the PDP stole their mandate and it must be recovered through the tribunal. To them, it is no retreat, no surrender in the quest to recover what they call the “stolen mandate”.

Tension has thickened between

the two camps, right from the campaign period to the elections and now, litigations resulting in the burning of houses and killing of innocent people, while s and counter accusations reign.

Ugba’s petition against Suswam has gone through the tribunal where it was struck out.

He took his case to the Court of Appeal and eventually to the Supreme Court where a retrial by a new tribunal was ordered.

Thus, its pre-hearing session commenced last December and was adjourned to January.

In 2012, there are two men to watch out for in the politics of the state - Suswam and Ugba – all in the race for the Government House, Makurdi, the state capital.

S

USPECTED hoodlums mas querading as fuel subsidy re moval protesters held residents of Ilorin, the Kwara state capital by the jugular yesterday.

The demonstrators torched the campaign headquarters of Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed, along Western Reservoir Road. Three cars were burnt there.

The hoodlums were said to have vented their anger on the Chairman Ilorin West Local Government, Hajia Tawa Kadir, and the Special Adviser on Emergency, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi.

In Gambari area of the metropolis, suspected thugs from Idi-Ape area were ambushed by another set of hoodlums over money.

Broken bottles freely littered the roads and rendered them impassable. The police were later invited to restore order.

Other areas affected by the trouble include Aba-Yawo, Okelele, Balogun-Fulani, Emir’s road, AgboOba and Offa Garage.

The state police command’s Spokesperson, Dabo Ezekiel (ASP), confirmed the burning of the governor’s campaign office as well as the three vehicles in the premises.

Organized labour indicated that it could order a sit-at-home protest

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

aware that their opponents would be sworn in.

The new members are: Ahmed Kaita, Salisu Salisco, Sheikh Umar Abubakar, Salisu Daura, Isa Doro, Sanni Mashi, Abbas Machina and Monsur Funtua.

All effort to get the ousted lawmakers to comment were spurned as they quickly left the vicinity of the chamber.

The swearing in of the lawmakers from the Aminu Masari camp of the CPC brought to a close the longdrawn pre-election legal battle which started in April 2011 and ended in favour of the Masari camp at the Supreme Court.

Until yesterday, the Lado faction of the CPC who were in the National Assembly had always maintained that the Supreme Court judgment did not ask them to vacate their position as lawmakers or that they be replaced by their opponents from the Aminu Masari faction.

Hoodlums attack Ahmed’s campaign office From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

from today to checkmate activities of the hoodlums.

Both the governor and the state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Umar Akanbi, confirmed the development yesterday.

Ahmed’s words: “We have met with the leadership of labour in the state and we have enjoined them to carry out their demonstration peacefully.

“I don’t want anything to push us into a situation where the imposition of curfew will become a necessity. I assure all Kwarans that this impasse will soon come to an end.”

Akanbi said that the agreement to suspend public rallies could be ratified today after a meeting with other stakeholders.

He added that “it is true we met with the governor and we discussed the issue and we acknowledge that some hoodlums hijacked the protest.”

Court to decide PDP Bayelsa candidate • Continued from page 17

that the matter will not go back to the lower court, and that the matter should be given expeditious hearing and treated on its own merit due to the time limitation.

Fate of PDP It is not clear how the ruling of the Appeal Court could affect eligibility of the PDP to field candidate in the Bayelsa election. In the timetable released last year, the last day allowed by law to withdraw a candidate’s participation in the election was December 27.

Could the party be allowed to field a candidate when the window has been closed? This is likely to be another issue to be resolved by the judiciary? Sources told The Nation that Governor Sylva’s lawyers have been ut on notice to file processes to prevent the PDP from submitting the name of anybody as its candidate after the time allowed by the Electoral Act and the INEC timetable.

• Kubor

The INEC timetable

According to the INEC schedule, all parties participating in the poll were expected to hold their primaries before December 1 last year. Nominated candidates were also allowed to start open air campaigns from the same day. Submission of Form CF001 for nomination was fixed for December 11 and INEC was mandated to publish the particulars of the candidates for possible objections by the electorate on December 18.

The parties were allowed to substitute their candidates upon withdrawal of candidates, while the personal particulars of the candidates had to be published not later than January 3. Nomination forms of candidates ought to have reached the electoral commission

by January 10 and the official voter register published the following day. The law mandates INEC to publish the final list of candidates not later than January 11.

Notice of poll is to be officially published on January 27, two weeks before the election, while the list of party agents is expected

to reach INEC on or before February 4. In accordance with the legal provision that campaigns must end 24 hours before the election, any appeal to the electorate after February 10 would be deemed an infringement of the law.

Main contenders When primaries were conducted in January, three political parties were considered strong in the state.

The flag bearer of the PDP was Governor Sylva who won the primary and was considered very strong as the official candidate of the ruling party who also had the support of incumbency. Chief Timi Alaibe, who was a chieftain of the PDP and a presidential aide, crossed over to the Labour Party following imminent defeat in the PDP. He easily picked the LP ticket and was ready to wrestle with the PDP candidate before the court halted the election.

There was also the ACN that had handed its flag to Kubor.

The intervention of the court and the one year period since last January has changed the equation. Sylva

is battling to retrieve the PDP ticket from Dickson, while Kubor left ACN for CAP. Kemela Okara, a lagos-based lawyer, is the ACN candidate.

Kubor is a retired federal permanent secretary and highly regarded in elite circles. A member of the Prophet Temitope Joshua-led Synagogue of All Nations, he has said party platform amounts to nothing in such contests. Rather, he said, voters would elect whoever they deem best approximates the qualities that they want in their leader.

He hails from Southern Ijaw, the largest local government area in the state. His running mate, Oworibo, retired as Head of Service. He, like Sylva, is from Okpoama.

Okara of ACN, who has Chris Alagoa as deputy governorship candidate, is from Bomadi community in the state capital, Yenagoa local government.

The questions now are: Would PDP be allowed to field a candidate for the poll? If so, who would that be- Sylva or Dickson? The next four weeks will be interesting.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION Comments

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Needless slaughter • The protests that led to deaths would have been avoided had Jonathan listened to Nigerians

A

CCORDING to Abdulwaheed Omar, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the casualty in deaths, from the on-going anti-subsidy removal national strike, is no less than 12, though the exact figure is difficult to give: five in Kano, two in Oyo and one in Kaduna, among other states.

Among the victims, but likely outside the tally of the NLC president, was the luckless policeman on guard duties at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Minna, Niger State.

The office was razed by irate protesters.

In Ogun State, at Ibafo, a border community between Lagos and Ogun states on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Dauru Nkemdem, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police (CP), said himself and his men were victims of violence, landing two policemen in hospital, and the CP himself hospital-bound. His car and back-up vehicles were battered. He was also hit on the leg and stomach by stonethrowing and bottle-wielding youths, venting their spleen over the subsidy removal.

Even four Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) senators, Oluremi Tinubu, Femi Ojudu, Gbenga Ashafa and Babajide Omoworare, ironically travelling to Abuja by road, in the absence of air services, to attend a Senate emergency session to find a solution to the crisis, were harassed and turned back at Ibadan. One of their cars was badly smashed.

The dead were needless slaughters. So were other victims, wounded and traumatised, whose sad fate could have been avoided, had the Jonathan Presidency not rushed to announce a hugely unpopular petroleum tax, disguised as

petroleum subsidy removal.

It all appears the logical unravelling of battling the cavalier imposition of state violence, via a cold, heartless policy, sure to drive people already grinding in poverty to abject penury. Yet, due to the monopoly of force by the state, and the selfserving claim that the government acts in the people’s interest, the people, in the best tradition of democracy, opt for peaceful demonstration. They hope it would have enough weight to force government to have a rethink. But government counters with a cynical ploy of tiring out the people, so as to ram down its policy.

Somewhere along the line, something gives. That explains the violence that has, so far, crept into the agitation.

On this stark reality, there is a case to be made for calm and caution on both sides. The government must resist the costly conceit of turning state guns on citizens, who have the “temerity” to dissent from what they rightly insist is unfair policy. But to be fair to the government on this score, it has generally handled the situation with tact from the security agencies. But what it gained from that sector is easily lost by incendiary statements some of its emotive appointees make that further fuel the crisis.

On the other hand, Labour and its civil society allies must ensure that the rallies and demonstrations stay peaceful and orderly, since the protesters clearly enjoy favourable public opinion, for what is perceived a generally just cause. It must disavow the mindless violence in Minna, Niger State and in Kaduna, Kaduna State, which has led to avoidable mayhem.

But even with government’s general

even-handedness, Labour and civil society coalition must follow through the case of cold-blooded killings, as the one in Ogba Lagos, when a divisional police officer (DPO) allegedly, in cold blood, shot four youths, killing one and wounding three, for having the temerity to play football on the streets, while their coercive majesties, the Police, were driving by. True, the Lagos CP has apologised and assured the accused police officer would be tried. But Labour and civil society must not let off, until the law takes its full course.

On the inverse, hoodlums who cash in on the protests to perpetuate crime should also be visited with the full weight of the law. After all, those who come to equity must come with clean hands.

In the final analysis however, the federal executive must take full responsibility for the ugly reactions to its violent economic policy. It should rethink its actions now before it is too late.

‘The dead were needless slaughters. So were other victims, wounded and traumatised, whose sad fate could have been avoided, had the Jonathan Presidency not rushed to announce a hugely unpopular petroleum tax, disguised as petroleum subsidy removal ... In the final analysis however, the federal executive ... should rethink its actions now before it is too late’

Sunday Bada (1969-2011) •Nigeria mourns the loss of a distinguished athlete and sports administrator

T

HE sudden death of Mr Sunday Bada, the Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), is a major blow to the country’s sports community, the Nigeria Police Force and the nation as a whole.

Bada’s life was an unusual combination of consistently high performance and personal humility. His specialty was the 400 meters sprint, a deceptively difficult event in which the athlete is required to race a complete circuit, combining the skills of sprinters and those of middle and long-distance runners. The judicious application of speed, strength, stamina and strategy which the event requires manifested themselves in Bada’s actions on and off the track, and helped to make him an individual whose superlative sporting feats were superseded only by his empathy and warmth.

He first came to the limelight in 1990, when he won the gold medal in the 400 meters event at the 1990 African Championships, and followed this up with a silver medal at the 1991 AllAfrican Games. He was to become Nigeria’s dominant quarter-miler, reigning as the national record-holder for an unbroken eight years between 1990 and 1997, and again in 2001.

In 1993, Bada came into global reckoning with a second-place finish at that year’s World Indoor Championships.

He won a bronze medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, and a second

silver at the 1995 World Indoor Championships. He was part of the bronze-winning relay team at the 1995 World Championships. In 1996, he became the world indoor champion in the 400 meters, and won gold at the 2000 Olympics at the 400 meters relay event, after the disqualification of the United States team.

These sporting achievements were achieved in the teeth of sub-standard facilities, poor institutional support, and the distractions of his full-time job as a police officer. In spite of the temptations to take short cuts to glory, Bada was never involved in doping or other acts of sporting misconduct. Nor did he indulge in acts of rebelliousness or indiscipline that characterised the actions of many athletes, frustrated at the poor treatment they continually received.

At the end of his running career, he began to build up his administrative capacity, eventually becoming the Technical Director of the AFN. In this position, he strove to develop the potential of Nigerian athletes by ensuring that they got the competitions, funding and other support that they needed. Just as importantly, he provided a listening ear and was always accessible to athletes who came to him with their concerns and problems. The huge turnout at his lyingin-state and interment ceremonies is ample testimony to the genuine love and respect in which he was held.

The sudden nature of Bada’s demise is a sobering reminder of the vital need for the country to improve its healthcare system, particularly its capacity to provide emergency medical assistance.

Bada was said to have taken ill on his way to meet his wife and succumbed to his affliction before he got to hospital.

While situations like this are sometimes unavoidable, it is important that more medical institutions should be able to offer a prompt response to such emergencies.

During his lifetime, Sunday Bada lived up to the ideals of a patriotic Nigerian. He gave his best for his nation and did everything within his power to ensure that he brought glory to it. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

‘In spite of the temptations to take short cuts to glory, Bada was never involved in doping or other acts of sporting misconduct. Nor did he indulge in acts of rebelliousness or indiscipline that characterised the actions of many athletes, frustrated at the p’or treatment they continually received’

The U.S. needs to intensify sanctions on Iran

T

HE FLURRY of initiatives and threats launched by Iran in the last couple of weeks may betray panic by the regime as it faces a

crumbling economy and mounting pressure from the West. The measures are insubstantial; the threats implausible. For example, a tour by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Latin America, limited to Venezuela and its allies, serves mainly to underline Iran’s isolation, since regional powers such as Brazil, Mexico and Argentina are not on his itinerary. A threat to close the Strait of Hormuz is hollow; the U.S. Navy could unquestionably reopen it. A death sentence imposed Monday on a U.S. citizen and former Marine is despicable, but most likely it won’t be carried out.

Then again, all this futile activity could also be coldly calculated. It could be a smoke screen for the one serious step Iran has taken, which is the launching of uranium enrichment at a new plant buried under a mountain.

The Fordow facility, near the city of Qom, was discovered by the West in 2009 as construction neared completion.

For a time afterward it was dormant. Now, however, Iran has begun using it for a particularly provocative form of uranium processing. Using material already enriched to the level needed for nuclear power, it is employing centrifuges to raise the enrichment level to nearly 20 percent.

Iran claims it needs this more enriched uranium for a research reactor. But it has already produced enough of the material to fuel the reactor for five years.

Moreover, it cannot legitimately use the enriched uranium, because it lacks the capacity to convert it into fuel rods. The opening of Fordow represents the launch of an Iranian plan to triple this form of uranium enrichment — and to do so in a facility that may be nearly invulnerable to attack from the air. When uranium is enriched to 20 percent, 80 percent of the processing needed to produce bomb-grade material is complete. So if it goes through with its plan, Iran could have enough of the 20 percent material by the end of this year to produce a bomb core very rapidly — perhaps even between visits of U.N. inspectors.

In short, the new Fordow operation crosses another important line in Iran’s advance toward a nuclear weapons capability. Was it a red line for Israel or the United States? Apparently not, for the Obama administration at least. In a television interview Sunday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said: “Our red line to Iran is: do not develop a nuclear weapon.” He asserted that Tehran was not trying to develop a weapon now, only “a nuclear capability.” The Revolutionary Guard, which controls the nuclear program, might well take that as a green light for the new enrichment operation.

In the meantime, the recent flurry of Iranian threats has had the intended effect of prompting a new chorus of demands in Washington that the United States and its allies stop tightening sanctions and instead make another attempt at “engagement” with the regime.

The Ahmadinejad government itself reportedly has proposed new negotiations, and Turkey has stepped forward as a host. Almost certainly, any talks will reveal that Iran is unwilling to stop its nuclear activities or even to make significant concessions. But they may serve to stop or greatly delay a European oil embargo or the implementation of sanctions on the central bank — and buy time for the Fordow centrifuges to do their work.

This doesn’t mean that the Obama administration should reject further dialogue, or take military action.

It does mean that every effort must be made to intensify sanctions — and in particular to stop, as the administration is trying to do, Iranian sales of oil everywhere in the world. Iran may be feeling some economic pain, and it may be isolated. But its drive for nuclear weapons continues.

– Washington Post

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile •Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon •Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina •Group Political Editor Bolade Omonijo •Group Business Editor Ayodele Aminu •Abuja Bureau Chief Yomi Odunuga •Sport Editor Ade Ojeikere •Editorial Page Editor Sanya Oni

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu • Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •Chief Internal Auditor Toke Folorunsho •Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge •Advert Manager Robinson Osirike •IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Press Manager Udensi Chikaodi •Manager, Corporate Marketing Hameed Odejayi • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

20

EDITORIAL/OPINION

S

IR: President Goodluck Jonathan presented the bait to Nigerians on Saturday, January 7, in a last-minute attempt to avert the nationwide strike planned by the organized labour and human rights activists. The gist of the baloney is this: “I have directed that overseas travels by all political office holders, including the President, should be reduced to the barest minimum. The size of delegations on foreign trips will also be drastically reduced; only trips that are absolutely necessary will be approved. For the year 2012, the basic salaries of all political office holders in the executive arm of government will be reduced by 25%. Government is also currently reviewing the number of

EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 1000 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.com

Jonathan’s soup is tantalizing but poisonous committees, commissions and parastatals with overlapping responsibilities.”

Those are the same measures that Nigerians have always demanded and government has always rejected. For instance, when the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua created the Niger Delta Ministry, I was one of those who argued that the Niger Delta Commission raised by his

predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo should suffice. Neither Yar’Adua nor Jonathan cared.

After his inauguration as President in May, 2011, Jonathan increased the presidential cabinet as if he was looking for what to do with money. Yet, the Governor of the Central Bank, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala who was then the Managing Director of the World Bank, frowned

on the high percentage of the national budget going into recurrent expenditure. Since the Obasanjo presidency, Nigerians have always lamented the huge sums of money going into the private pockets of those in the presidency and the legislature.

There is no reason whatsoever to believe that the President meant what he said. Consider the two months promise he made to calm

On students poor performance in examinations

S

IR: In recent years, there has been a down turn in the rate of performance in external examinations by students in secondary schools. Stakeholders in the education industry have times without number expressed concern over the dwindling number of passes in examinations, especially the WAEC and NECO exams. In their bid to finding out the root cause of the problem, they often pass the bulk of the blame to students, maintaining that students no longer read their books. Others blame the teachers. Yes, students no longer read their books, but that is not the primary cause, something provoked this sudden change of attitude in students.

The primary cause is the use of cell phones and the overgrown interest in watching home videos by students. Excessive indulgence in the use of cell phones has contributed immensely to the dismal performance of students in WAEC Examination. Under normal circumstances, what should occupy a student time is their books. In other words, books should be their

closest companion.

But alas, student’s companion in the school and at home these days is their cell phones. They spend much of their time in manipulating phones, playing games and making midnight calls. Those that have internet connection browse pornographic images and other irrelevancies. Reading their books now becomes a part time venture.

Another sordid feature which has become inveterate and which is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back is the habit of watching home videos. They take delight in watching all sorts of films that are neither educative nor edifying. The situation could have run amok but for the PHCN inefficiency in maintaining steady power.

Students give rapt attention to video films more than their studies. Ninety percent of their time goes to frivolities, while the rest goes to studies. In such a scenario a student cannot break even in their examinations no matter how intelligent they are.

Most worrisome is that parents who complain about this

unpalatable development are the same people who provide this luxury for them giving a child a bowl of salt and at the same time making rain against him.

To reinstate reading culture in students, parents should as a matter of course control and monitor their children as regards the use of cell phones and watching of videos. So my advice to parents and guardians is, from this holiday henceforth they should monitor their wards on the use of cell phones and ban them from watching home videos that are not educative or edifying and engage them in more meaningful activities like reading good novels,

watching television, listening to news on the radio and other knowledge building programmes.They should also avail them of the reading of news papers where affordable or buy old news papers for them to help improve their knowledge in English.

I strongly believe that if all stakeholders play their role well, there would be a remarkable improvement in WACE, NECO, and other exams.

S

southerners, attention was shifted towards the non-existing fuel subsidy.

‘We make absorbers to reduce shock effects: build first the refinery, manage well the allocations, show us your burden before you let go of subsidy.

And when we protest against policies distant from truth, gun

• Gabriel Orhuwhorun Field Crest international High School, Warri Delta State.

the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU), only to start changing his words at the expiration of the two months. Up to this moment, ASUU has not been attended-to.

Indeed what President Jonathan did was to give another promise to settle ASUU in January 2012, knowing that he would declare fuel subsidy removal on the first day of that same month. Is that the sort of President Nigerians can repose their confidence-in?

Nigerians must realize that Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and not the Boko Haram, is Nigeria’s albatross, because the latter assumed a new outlook after the former truncated the rotational presidency arrangement of the original PDP. Unfortunately, too many ordinary Niger Deltans and Igbos thought they found an opportunity to clinch the presidency after the death of Yar’Adua.

They overlooked the vice of opportunism, and too many Nigerians allowed themselves to be deceived by empty promises and propaganda. For the presidential election, the administration spent money like sand. Now the country is heavily indebted. Fuel subsidy removal is necessary to make Nigerians pay for electing another PDP candidate. We must pray hard for divine forgiveness and intervention, along with protest actions to restore rotational presidency, for order, peace, and progress.

• Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D, University of Ilorin.

Occupy Nigeria, not for fun

IR: We are occupying Nigeria not just for fun, it is reality.

They say thay want the rich subsidized, but the poor are becoming poorer. Our elected forlons leaders, oiled to foolishness have sucked the treasury dry. Now fuel subsidy is removed to provide more. Instead of them to focus on the persistent massacre of

barrels holds the unity. Everyday blood are used as libations. My assumption is that if both the threat posed by the Boko Haram and brutal subsidy removal decision stands, then Nigeria will be drowned to the river of war and revolution.

• Akinboboye Emmanuel, Akinjagunla, Ondo,Ondo State

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012 16

21

EDITORIAL/OPINION

Reality Bites T

Our knights in shady armour…

Olatunji Ololade

HEIR impotence will not catch up with them until the very end; when it does, they will simply desert their offices with a careless shrug. But then, they would have lost nothing even as we lose everything. They would be richer from the poverty they inflict on you and me.

I speak of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Finance – two supposedly brilliant and upright icons from Nigeria’s dwindling pack.

In their trust, we have found treason; villainous company has been the end of this purportedly brilliant and distinguished duo. But then, they are innately ill-equipped to repel the darksome influence of Nigeria’s vampiric cabal.

Okonjo-Iweala and Sanusi have been turned. Perhaps it’s due to their naiveté or arrant narcissism that these erstwhile promising beacons of hope met their maker in President Goodluck Jonathan’s corruptive administration. Now the best they could accord Nigeria’s poor and helpless citizenry is a desultory glow of despair and turbulence.

Obstinate and cocksure, these two self-styled economic heroes do not know yet the extent of their incapacitation by hubris, the bane of demagogues and nemesis of voodoo economists. Yet, it is instructive to see them cosset themselves in the ridiculous garb of 21st century Nigerian martyrs. Okonjo-Iweala and Sanusi would have everyone believe that they are being crucified for daring to speak truth to the rampaging

hordes of Nigerian masses.

Here goes their analysis of truth: that President Jonathan’s decision to remove fuel subsidy was a highly informed economic decision perpetrated in good faith for the future benefit and progress of the entire nation; that it’s economically and morally savvy to shift the tragic cost and burden of the federal government’s cowardice, fraudulence and ineptitude at prosecuting the subsidy-guzzling cabal debilitating the nation’s oil sector on the average Nigerian; that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil societies and professional groups, as well as every Nigerian with a differing view are negligible dissidents inured to the novelty of inconsequential protestation and nay saying as long as it is fashionable to do so.

That their controversial economic policies weren’t actually informed and tailored to the demands of the World Bank and IMF’s debilitating structural socioeconomic programmes for resource-rich developing countries; that every Nigerian, particularly the over-exploited average man on the street, is inherently incapacitated to understand the basics of their befuddling economics of fuel subsidy; that the Nigerian working class and breadlines will predictably scream themselves hoarse, exhaust themselves and eventually desert the streets to return to work and their tragic lives as long as President Jonathan refuses to blink first.

They probably rise each morning to brave the widespread umbrage incited by their economic misadventures under the false illusion that

A

T the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998, only few pundits gave the party a chance at sustaining the emerging democratic culture in Nigeria. Twelve years later the nation is set on the longest and most stable era of her democratic history. Most of the credit for this goes to the PDP. The party has been able to balance power amongst competing interests and strategic blocs through a zonal policy. This enables the office of political principals to pivot from one zone to the other. This inspires political stability and unity.

This rotational policy is peculiar, even exclusive to the PDP. It is largely a pointer to the multi-ethnic character of the Nigerian state. There are two notable consequences of this pragmatic policy: (i) it has allowed every geo-political axis in the country to have a stake in shaping the fortunes of Africa’s most populous nation. (ii) It has enabled the PDP to be returned to power at every general ballot since 1999. (iii) It is a factor in the ongoing stabilization of the nation’s democracy.

At formation, the G34 was the nucleus of

‘Senator Imoke’s legacy and political odyssey is far beyond the screaming headlines, and certainly beyond borders. It is a unique look at how a life laid at the service of humanity, state and country, has redefined the status quo and given the ordinary folks a different experience of governance’

time and history will eventually vindicate them. However, their delusion actually runs deeper than that; Sanusi and Okonjo-Iweala have over-estimated their worth to the incumbent administration.

They aren’t the masked pipers that they think they are. Rather, their desperate bid to countermand the devastation and impact of Nasir ElRufai’s analytical exposé on the dismal sleaze and ineptitude epitomized by the incumbent administration on “Matters Arising,” an Africa Independent Television (AIT) news offering, further revealed their true worth to President Jonathan’s administration – Okonjo-Iweala and Sanusi are essentially programmed to serve as spin-doctors to mitigate the ineptness of an utterly clueless regime.

Unfortunately, the best they could do is to approximate the emptiness of the incumbent administration.

And that too is a matter of choice as their wanton predilection to run the Nigerian economy aground goaded by their touted infallibility, exaggerated insight and hubristic yearnings.

However these two actually deserve Nigerians’ pity but the fact that we are in trying and very delicate times denies them the benefit of such luxury. Rather than proffer far-reaching measures to cut down the flagrant waste of public fund and fraudulence perpetrated by the incumbent administration, OkonjoIweala and Sanusi believe it’s more prudent and legitimate to take such extreme measures as removing fuel subsidy in the spirit of proactive fiscal discipline.

To justify their iniquities, they haul economic statistics at Nigerians to further intimidate and confound them while they force yet another bitter pill down the throats of the helpless citizenry. Were the corny duo as intelligent and conscientious as they are touted to be, they would have recommended that the Nigerian government cut down its

reckless spending.

But they aren’t; thus Sanusi and Okonjo-Iweala would rather pay lip service to the necessity of such drastic cuts in recurrent government expenditure. The two highly rated economic gurus see nothing wrong in the fact that this year, President Jonathan will spend N1 billion on his feeding and another N1.7 billion on fueling his cars and that of his kitchen staff.

They see nothing wrong with the fact that this year, Mr. President will spend N12billion ($80million) daily.

They applaud the fact that of that amount, N3.1 billion ($20.7million) gets spent on security daily for a nation that is increasingly becoming one of the most dangerous places to live. They see nothing wrong with the fact that 75 per cent of the country’s budget is spent on recurrent expenditure which has about 25.14 per cent as the salaries of its 460-strong National Assembly.

Sanusi and Okonjo-Iweala think it appropriate for a Nigerian senator to earn N240 million (About $1.7 million) in salaries and allowances, while his House of Representatives counterpart earns N204 million (about $1.45 million) per annum even as their United States counterpart earns $174,000 per annum, and a British legislator earns £64,000 per annum. Sanusi and Okonjo-Iweala’s fiscal discipline allows the Senate President to earn about N88 million in monthly salary and allowances while his deputy earns about N50 million.

Okonjo-Iweala and Sanusi will never recommend a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to resolve issues plaguing the Nigerian polity like constitutional shortcomings, unwieldy size of government, corruption, marginalization etc. They would rather sit back and rant, blaming these among other anomalies as the bane to conscientious and efficient leadership in the country.

Yet their gospel of fiscal prudence

Imoke and the PDP

By Etowa Okoi the PDP. The G34 was a group of 34, eminent Nigerians opposed to the dictatorship of late General Sani Abacha.

This included figures like the Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Alhaji Isa Kaita, late Chief Bola Ige, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Chief Tony Anenih, Alhaji Bamaga Tukur, etc. By the time the party came into shape, the group had expanded to include leading political figures from the 36 states of the Federation.

In Cross River State, it was Senator Liyel Imoke who smartly discerned the new party as the face of Nigeria’s democratic future. He therefore, aligned pronto with like minds in the PDP and its leaders. This easily conferred on him the leadership of the party in Cross River State. Indeed, it was Imoke who received the PDP flag for Cross River State. The flag is a veritable, symbol and instrument of authority for whomever it is given to.

Since then Senator Imoke has being providing strategic and operational leadership for the PDP in Cross River State.

He also provided intellectual leadership for the party. He largely instrumented the politico-economic blueprint on which the development of the State has rested since 1999. Under the leadership of Senator Imoke, the PDP has never lost any election in the state since 1999. In fact, his leadership and strategy was so effective that by 2003, the PDP was in total control of the state. The party held sway in all the 18 local councils in the state. The party won all the 194 councillorships in the state, chairmanship of the 18 local councils, All the 25 state constituencies,

all nine federal constituencies, and all three senatorial districts. The party has won all governorship elections in succession since 1999.

In developing the PDP in the state, Imoke was developing the human capital in the state that made the PDP tick. This included those whom appointments into local, state and federal governance he facilitated. Imoke always ensures the recruitment of the best and brightest there is into the PDP. Membership of the party in the state is, therefore, a valued assemblage of the high valued human content of the state.

It is mark of Imoke’s pragmatic leadership that instead of offering coat tails to those below him, he decided to serve up an anchor. That is how Donald Duke ran for Governor, and other of his associates for various other offices. Imoke himself decided not to stand for any office.

He was to be appointed a Special Adviser to President Obasanjo on Utilities and later a Minister and the political structure, Imoke and his associates put together in 1998, is still the dominant and most viable political structure in the PDP and in the state.

Imoke is an influential member of the PDP national establishment. He is one of a few foundation members of the party who is still in prominence since the formation of the party. As a former Senator, Presidential Adviser, cabinet member, and now Governor, Senator Imoke enjoys a qualified privilege that accords the honour of making input into the decision making process of the party.

Needless to say, he is a member of the

allows for the duo to keep the nation in the dark about the true figures of their monthly salaries and allowances while they flay the citizenry for demanding total accountability and transparency from them and their cohorts in power.

As you read, they are probably watching with a sneer, the NLC and civil societies-led protest against the removal of fuel subsidy. By their conduct so far, Okonjo-Iweala and Sanusi have shown abject disregard for the Nigerian populace. That is understandable in the light of the ruling class’ intractable inclination to treat the working class and breadlines with disdain whatever the logic and genuineness of the latter’s persuasions.

Like intransigent villains lost to truth and love, the self-styled martyrs unconscionably perpetuate the mediocrity and grotesqueness that Nigerians expected them to eradicate no sooner than they were named as crucial elements within President Jonathan’s lame duck team. But rather than live up to their billings, with studied sly and ensnaring economics, they set out every new day to brazenly betray the trust Nigerians reposed in them right from the moment they were appointed to their exalted offices.

To be continued…

‘Okonjo-Iweala and Sanusi have been turned.

Perhaps it’s due to their naiveté or arrant narcissism that these erstwhile promising beacons of hope met their maker in President Goodluck Jonathan’s corruptive administration. Now the best they could accord Nigeria’s poor and helpless citizenry is a desultory glow of despair and turbulence’

strategic organs of the party. Imoke has played highly critical behind the scene roles in strengthening the ranks of the party, resolving knotty party issues and learning effective ideas to the party’s strategy, and campaign drive during elections.

In Cross River State, where Imoke is expected to run for a second term, there has been a surge in his support level. As 2012 electoral concerns gather pace, all the 18 chapters of the party have rallied around Governor Imoke. Countless associations and assorted groups have pitched camp with Imoke for 2012. Some of these groups like Supreme Coalition, Destiny Group, Imoke/Cobham Door-toDoor Campaign and the Cross River State House of Assembly among others paid Imoke a Solidarity Visit on January 1 in his country home at Itigidi to re-assure him of their support. On that day, Itigidi was turned into one big carnival, and shortly after that by the next day, another sociocultural group from the Southern Senatorial District, “Tinkoriko” also virtually ambushed the Governor in Calabar to pledge their loyalty and solidarity. The spectrum of support for Governor Imoke is as broad as it cuts across demographic and gender lines. This is not just a development natural to election seasons but a true witness to his approval ratings and an endorsement of the popularity and efficacy of his programmes by critical constituencies, interest groups, church leaders, elders and community leaders.

Senator Imoke’s legacy and political odyssey is far beyond the screaming headlines, and certainly beyond borders.

It is a unique look at how a life laid at the service of humanity, state and country, has redefined the status quo and given the ordinary folks a different experience of governance.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

22

EDITORIAL/OPINION ‘A page of history is worth a volume of logic.’

———Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935) T is popularly assumed and rightly too that a nation without a good sense of history is definitely going to suffer developmental malnutrition and atrophy. History simply put is the study of past politics and the principal participants. In the field of Law where l proudly belong, history is an equivalent of what we in the learned profession call precedent. Without precedents (authorities), a lawyer no matter how brilliant might as well lose his matter. Thus, a good lawyer must in this regard have a good sense of relevant precedents if he intends to achieve remarkable feat in court.

Nevertheless, for any wise leader cum countrymen/women that are ready to avoid the pitfalls of the past, a clear understanding of the general history of a country and surrounding environment will suffice. Surrounding environment in this regard is universal because technology has made the world to now become a global village. Not only human beings but countries now have a lot to learn from one another.

This premise must have informed the commonsensical position that: ‘A people not prepared to face its own history cannot manage to face its own future.’ Nigeria as a country has not been able to paint a picture of any bright future because both leadership and people have lost clearly any sense of even their recent history. They, especially the leadership, have forgotten that all history must necessarily have reference to the existence and condition of man and that history is a memorial of the succession of time that waits for no man.

The recent history of Nigeria on Nigerians is that of hardship and exploitation. The history of leadership in the country is that of political and economic corruption/deprivations that greatly culminate in to the current retardation that the nation is presently witnessing. The followerships are increasingly becoming wary of hoping for a bright future because of obvious lack of trust and confidence in their leadership that make policies that have no direct positive impact on the generality of the citizenry.

The leadership make budgets that enrich individual pockets of those in power and few cronies than achieve the enviable ultimate paper objective of bringing developments to the people.

The developing culture of rebellion against

I

Ah, when corruption begin drink blood, Na him be say wahala don start proper This monkey don siddon for our doormot tay E don worry us go up, worry us go down, Dem say na subsidi but na corruption, E don begin drink our blood, Wahala don bust proper, Becos why, blood get power well, wel o!l

C

ORRUPTION alias subsidi: e don tay wey corruption don dey hala us for Nigeria. In fact e don pass 50 years.

You look left, him dey there, you look right him dey, you go up, you go see am, for corner, e dey. E grow fat so tay, e no fit waka again. In short, e don get k-leg. Now dem no wan callam corruption again, dem say na petrol subsidi. Na jeje we dey dey enjoy the crude oil wey God take bless us yanfu-yanfu.

We build oil mill we de refine am to petrol, the mill de work, we de buy petrol for small price and we de manage oursefs well, well.

Na him one day corruption come enter, scatter everywia, chop di refinery so tay di thing no get head or tail again. E go work small, e go die small, money de go yanfuyanfu for sake of repair, yet all na lie. Corruption don chop the oil mill. Him kukuma go siddon dia to make sure say di thing no go get hed again. So tay him make sure say gofment no fit build anoda oil mill for 30 years now.Dem tell us say gofment no sabi operate oil mill again say we go dey buy petol for obodo oyibo. As dem begin buy petrol for obodo oyibo, na him Mr corruption go put him dirty hand dia again. Him come do jibiti again make di price wey we dey buy petrol high well, well.

My people, na so dis thing wey dem call subsidi come enter our laif o! As dem don do wayo make di price of oyibo petrol high well well, dem com say dem go dey go dey put hand for gofment money take dey shock di obodo oyibo petrol. Na dis one dem come dey call subsidi. My people una see how mr corruption waka go obodo oyibo go enter our petrol for dia after him don siddon on top our oil mill for home?

My people, na so we enter dis subsidi wahala o. We no beg dem make dem give us subsidi, na di thing wey dem dey chop na nim dem call subsidi o! Every wia wuru wuru, mago mago, na so we no come get piss of mind again o. Every day since about

Jonathan’s contempt for history

•Jonathan

official persecution and bad policies is growing and spreading like a wild fire across the world. No country where these two vices and others are entrenched can claim to be insulated from what has come to be popularly known as Arab Spring syndrome. Nigerians have caught the bug and for five days running today, they have taken to the streets across the country peacefully protesting against the inimical and thoughtless policy of removal of fuel subsidy by the unnecessarily refractory administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Nobody ever thought that the organised labour under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Coalition of Civil Society Groups can sustain a protest of

not less than five days in the country. What more, professional bodies such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) have promised to provide gratis, legal and medical assistance to protesters. The sustained strike and protest march underscores how people’s power can be potent in a country where successive administrations had always seen protesting citizens as toothless bull dogs to be trampled upon.

The unrelenting latest general strike cum protest against subsidy removal has contradicted that long held official position that Nigerians are timid thereby goading most inimical policies that were foisted on Nigerians.

The demand of Nigerians through the organised labour is simple- the government should revert to N65 per litre pump price of fuel as against its decreed N141 per litre controversial price. But the recalcitrant President Jonathan is insisting that he would never revert to the old regime of N65 per litre of petrol.

The die is cast because the agents of neo-colonialism led by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala have held the president by the jugular ensuring that he never listens to the voice of reason. OkonjoIweala and Dieziani Allison-Madueke are two powerful women telling Nigerians that proceeds from fuel subsidy removal would be used to provide new and develop old infrastructures in the country. This was the same argument that Okonjo-Iweala made when former President Olusegun Obasanjo was

EXPRESSO STEVE OSUJI

SMS O8055001684 email:steve_osuji@yahoo.com

Subsidi: our corruption don begin drink blood 20 years now, na so our money dey fly up an down. From million-million, to billion-billion na so dem dey carry our money dey share-share dem dey tell us say na subsidi.

Di money wey dem for take build road, school, hospital, build oil mill, dem tell us say na subsidi, dem de share am. We no kuma worry. Na so we dey de look dem, as mr corruption dey finish us complete put for ground. We de manage our laif, de chop our gari jeje. We de carry our burden like donkey, we no worry dem we no do riot, we no hala.

Wen water come pass our gari: My country people, now de subsidi don pass million and billion, e don enter trillion, trillion. My people una see laif so? Make God no let us chop bone wey go hook us for neck o! E be like say mr corruption, alias subsidi don comot our doormat go siddon for dem doormat now! Alarm don blow, tory don get kleg and true talk don dey come out. Dem don dey tell us now say na cabal de chop subsidi. Dem say di country wan fall yakata for all we head if dem no comot di subsidi now-now. Na him countryman come talk say haba, e don do. Dis mumu don do now, wetin. Countryman come dey ask weda cabal bi him broda or sista or him in-law?

Countryman come look gofment for eye tell am say make him go collect him subsidi from the cabal wey him givam, and if guyman don guy guyman make gofment close de case jeje make dem lef us alone.

De yeye man and him palm bunch: But

gofment carry head nak for ground say him must to remove subsidi. We come tell am di palm oil tory. One yeye man been get plenty palm tree. Everi time him go cut him palm bunch full lorry carry go far market go sell.

If him sell finish, him go take de money buy one gallon of palm oil, sometime sef him go get half gallon. Man wey sell palm bunch don dash oda people palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, chaff wey dem de take make soap and oda jarasis we dey oil.

Na di same thing we dey tell our gofment wey de sell crude oil for 50 years say wetin dem dey sell join oil plenty. Dem dey sell diesel join, kerosin, oil for industry, crotar, chemical for plastic nylon bag, etc. Even sef, dem de sell beta work and business wey our people for de do join nam. Husai, corruption don kill our brain. Oilmill de work for small, small countries like Ghana, Niger Republic and Ivory Coast, but corruption sidon on top our oil business and him de eat our sense join.

Dat is why some express road don spoil for 20 years we no fit repair dem. Dat is why countryman wey de travel go drive for road, small time him go begin drive for bush like animal for sake say road no gud. Dat is why our boys and gals go finish school no job; some go go Libya go do mercenary so tay dem die throway, some go go Italo go do pololo. Nobody dey care, gofment no worry bicos corruption don spoil dem brain. My people, we dey see people take head dey fetch water near gofment house, we don see

hood winked to pay in one whole swoop debts owed the Brettonwood institutions by the nation. Till date, the advantages put up for making those irrational and dubious payments had not been felt by Nigerians. The president must quickly realise that women can be mischievously powerful. Biblically, we were made to understand that a woman, Eve, misled Adam, a man, to eat the forbidden fruit. The consequence was too dire to narrate here today. One hopes that fuel subsidy removal is not President Jonathan’s forbidden fruit.

Candidly, this is the time for President Jonathan to reckon with history. He must be a good student of history at this point in time.

The president must jettison the illogicalities that the talkative Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Lamido Sanusi Lamido and the two ‘Eves’ must have been feeding him with.

It was a United States renowned justice, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841 - 1935) in the case of New York Trust Co. vs. Eisner that said: ‘A page of history is worth a volume of logic.’ What then is the worth of Ngozi, Dieziani and Lamido’s illogicalities on fuel subsidy removal foisted on Nigerians?

The people’s power must triumph over Jonathan’s tyranny on fuel subsidy removal policy. This is necessary because anything contrary will mean that in 2014/15, the president might be emboldened if he subdued the people now to come up with sit-tight policy that would make him stay in power beyond 2015.

The president has unfortunately shown tremendous contempt for recent history and this might eventually be his waterloo. Whenever I reflect on the popular trio revolutions of year 2011, my mind agrees with Aristotle where he said that history repeats itself because men fail to learn from it. May I ask: Which reasonable leader will witness or watch on television the recent revolutions that toppled the status quo in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya and still illusorily believe that people’s power is nothing? The president must know that Babangida, Abacha and more recently, Obasanjo, tried despite popular rebellion to inflict anti-people policies on Nigerians but they all ended abysmally in power. They paid the price for showing contempt for history. How he (President Jonathan) prefers to end in power in view of his contempt for history is in his own hands: However, the obvious is that the signs are portentous! school wey near gofment house wia our pikins dem still dey sidon for floor dey read till tomoro. My people we de sell plenty, plenty oil and we de borrow money yanfuyanfu join am; yet dem no build house, dem no build bridge instead dem say we broke.

My people we don see oba for dis we country.

Now wey we dey drunging (draw game), as my papa dey call am and dis corruption don begin dey drink the blood of our people everi day, e bi like say our tory don get k leg o!

(Dear reader, yours truly has written about this same matter for so long that it has become very boring. This warranted a change of style. Please bear with me) LAST MUG: a cautionary note to H.E. Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi: barring the national stand-off, the hard-charging first lady of Ekiti State would have ended her tour of duty of the 16 LGAs in Ekiti today. Her objective to sensitise and empower the womenfolk in particular in the hinterland is noble. We also understand and laud her development activist background. But we are saying that madam must slowdown a wee bit and lead from the home front. She is neither an appointee nor an elected official so blitzing through town at a huge cost and unsettling government officials is a no, no. This point needs to be made quickly before some abhorrent practices we are used to seeing among PDP governors’ wives become the norm among the ACN women too. We think Mrs Fashola in Lagos has a template that can be adapted.

‘Oilmill de work for small, small countries like Ghana, Niger Republic and Ivory Coast, but corruption sidon on top our oil business and him de eat our sense join’

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

23

24

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

UNITY

CRIME

CELEBRATION

Okorocha calls for religious harmony

‘I am not a robber’

Centre marks third anniversary

Imo

37

Lagos

FRIDAY JANUARY 13, 2012

•The protesters HE resolve of Nigerians to see a reversal of the fuel subsidy removal was evident as the protest entered the third day.

The crowd thickened with more protesters. Christians and Muslims forged a formidable alliance, with Pastor Tunde Bakare, General Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly, and National Missioner, Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad calling for a reinstatement of subsidy.

The venue was the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota Lagos.

From various ethno-religious backgrounds, Nigerians came together to protest the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy that shot the price of petrol to an all-time high of N141.

They exhibited a rare unity of purpose.

T

Cross River 40

38

Page 25

Email: news_extra@yahoo.com

Muslims, Christians team up against subsidy removal Flay Boko Haram, other insurgents

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

“Nigerians must come together,” they chanted. “We must sink ethnic and religious differences. It is high time we laid emphasis on our common goals in order to forge greater unity and take this country to El Dorado.”

Thousands of Muslims under the banner of the Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO)

marched from Jibowu bus stop to Ojota chanting various slogans, including those that demanded for a strong unity among adherents of the two major religions.

The Muslim faithful were led by Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad; Mufti of Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO) Sheikh Dhikrullahi Shafi’I; Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Dr Is-haq Akintola; National

Missioner, Fatiu Quareeb Society of Nigeria Sheikh AbdurRahman Adangba; Imam Abdullahi Shuaib; Amir, The Muslim Congress (TMC) Luqman AbdurRaheem; Amir Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit, Alhaji Qasim Badrudeen; Chairman Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation Prince Sulayman Olagunju; Cordinator Al-Mu’minaat Social Advocacy Programme Hajia

Lawmaker helps the needy

T

•Chief Ekweremadu

HE Ikeoha Foundation founded by the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu has awarded scholarships to 300 indigent students in Enugu State studying in different tertiary institutions in the country.

The organisation also gave cash and other items to 300 widows.

Each of the recipients of the scholarships received a cheque of N50, 000 while the widows got N3,000 each, a bag of rice and a bundle of wrapper.

In his speech during the 2011/ 2012 Scholarship/Bursary Award

From Chris Oji, Enugu

Ceremony, Ekweremadu said the foundation thrives on the “vision of a more just and equitable society in which all individuals, families and communities have a meaningful opportunity to improve the quality of their lives both for themselves and posterity.”

He said the Ikeoha Foundation has continued to improve the lot of humanity, especially the vulnerable members of the society.

Ekweremadu, who is also the

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, disclosed that they have also sponsored a vocational and agricultural training programme for 750 women from the Enugu West Senatorial District.

The training, he stated, was conducted by the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, near Umuahia, Abia State, adding that they also ensured the sustenance of Ikeoha Quiz Competition.

Ekweremadu expressed happiness that the Adult Literacy Scheme they established in 2009 “is blossoming in 22 communities in the five local government areas of

Sherifah Ajibade-Yusuf and National Amirah Hajia Munirat Salith.

There was an an air of cordiality among the protesters.

They were shouting Allahu Akbar! (God is Greatest), Halleluiah!

Pastor Bakare, who introduced the Muslim clerics to the crowd, urged Nigerians to learn from the peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians in the Southwest, especially Lagos.

“Today is another great day in the history of our country,” he said. “Our unity and peaceful coexistence is never in doubt here.

No matter what any individual or group may have done to create friction among us, we remain united and determined to unite as one.”

Bakare urged those who stir up •Continued on Page 26 Enugu West Senatorial District with about 2,000 adult learners.”

He also said the scheme which is manned by professional teachers certified by the Adult and Non-Formal Education Agency of Enugu State Ministry of Education, is expected to produce its first batch of graduates this year.

Hear him: “The foundation also sponsored 250 engineering graduates from Enugu West Senatorial District, 50 from each of the five local government areas in the Graduate Skill Acquisition Programme of the Science Equipment Development Institute (SEDI), Akwuke Enugu to sharpen their skills, make them •Continued on Page 27

THE NATION

26

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

Muslims, Christians team up against subsidy removal •Continued from page 25 trouble under the banner of religion to desist from it or face the wrath of God. Sheikh Ahmad blamed the insurgency of Boko Haram on politicians.

He called on Nigerians irrespective of their religious and ideological inclinations to co-operate with the Federal Government and security agencies to end the Boko Haram menace by reporting suspicious movements to the security agencies.

Dr Akintola urged Nigerians to eschew waywardness, greed and violence.

“This is the period when we must look inward for some self-examination,” he said. “We must ask ourselves if we are fulfilling the wish of God who created us.

“Are we living a life devoid of sin?

Are we sure that we are not responsible for the calamities befalling our dear nation? How much patience and endurance do we exhibit? Are we prepared to perform noble deeds for our country Nigeria without asking for anything in return? Do we not crave material things of this world at the expense of the Hereafter? Do we love our neighbours genuinely and wish for them what we wish for ourselves? Do we forgive those who offend us? In other words, are we like Jesus?”

Akintola urged Nigerian leaders to engage in soul-searching.

AbdurRaheem also urged various religious sects to be united.

“Bombs do not respect Imams, Pastors, Muslims and non-Muslims.

Dangerous weapons portend doom for all. The various bombings of Nigerians do not find place and theological justification in Islam. The solution to whatever disagreement definitely is not killing and bombing, but dialogue and tolerance.

“These endemic killings can best be described as inhuman, wicked, condemnable and totally unacceptable in civilised societies. The action is even more repulsive during the periods of celebrations. This criminal incident has once again challenged the Federal Government to be more vigilant, responsive and alive to its responsibility of providing security for lives and properties,” the TMC said.

Sheikh Adangba challenged the security agencies to be more effective.

The incessant security lapses in the country, the Quareeb leader said, questioned their competence.

“You need to be proactive and jus-

•The crowd at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota tify millions of hard-earn civilians’ tax being used to pay your salaries,” he said.

Sheikh Shafi’I said their desire of the sponsor of Boko Haram is to set Christians against Muslims in a war of attrition.

“With Liberia, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan on our minds, we shudder at the thought of pushing Nigeria that far. The consequences of such a scenario are simply unthinkable. No side should imagine

PHOTOS: TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

the possibility of an easy run-over.

What is likely to happen is heavy toll on both sides, both human and material until an innate killer fatigue compels us all to ask: Why have we done this to ourselves?” he said.

CIO coordinator Imam Abdullahi Shuaib appealed to all religious leaders to exhibit maturity in their comments.

Responsible leadership, he said, demands manifestation of high

level of maturity and a good control of temper.

“This is the time to douse tension.

Religious leaders must avoid statements capable of inflaming passions. They must keep reminding their followership of the true teachings of love, tolerance and forgiveness which are replete in both the Bible and the Qur’an,” he said.

Alhaji Badrudeen urged the press to be more alive to its role as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.

Nigeria, the MSSN leader said, cannot afford the sensationalisation of religious and ethnic clashes.

The future of this country lay more in the hands of men of the pen and unless journalists caution themselves, the Nigerian nation is living between two wars,” he said.

Before their departure from the park, there were various Christian and Muslim songs calling for unity among the faithful.

Lawmaker donates to constituents

A

S part of his New Year gifts to his constituents, a member of the House of Representatives for Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State, Hon. Sunday Karimi, has inaugurated some of the projects he embarked upon since he became a member of the National Assembly.

Hon. Karimi also distributed items such as refrigerators and cash to widows involved in one trade or the other in Yagba West, Yagba East and Mopamuro councils, to help ease their various economic problems.

Some of the projects inaugurated were 10 of the 20 boreholes sunk across his constituency and four lock-up and 20 units of open shops

From Ralph Omololu Agbana, Lokoja

at Egbe Market. Beneficiaries of borehole projects in Yagba West Council included Odo-Ere, OdoEri, Ejiba, Ogbe, and Okoloke communities that got one each while commercial township of Egbe got five.

In Mopamuro Council, Agbajogun-Amuro and Itakede-Ide got one each while Ejuku, OmowaIsanlu, Itedo-Isanlu, Igbagun and Aginmi communities were the beneficiaries in Yagba East. Widows in the three councils received assistance in the areas of clothing and cooling systems as each par-

ticipant got a deep freezer.

Karimi, who contested for the same position in 1999, 2003 and 2007 said the gestures were his way of showing appreciation to the people of Yagba for the popular mandate given to him in April general election. He recalled that though he contested three times in the past and lost, he got the mandate when he least expected it. He said he saw in the empathic victory “a challenge to represent the people well while also ensuring that they don’t have to face the daunting task of the biting economic hardships and high rate of poverty unaided.”

He added: “The election was held in April but as at January, I did not dream of going to the House of Representatives. After my attempts in 1999, 2003 and 2007 were no successful; I felt it was not God’s wish. I decided never to run for the

House of Representatives election again in my life.

“But the people felt strongly against the second term aspiration of my predecessor. So, the inspiration to contest the election and rescue our people instantly came to me,” he said, adding: “that I won the election is not by my power but by the power of God who decreed it was time. It is also victory to all Yagba people who voted for me.

It was made easier because when God decided it was time and knowing that I would need resources to prosecute it, He made the resources available.” Community leaders who trouped out to witness the inauguration ceremonies showed appreciation for the gesture, saying it was novel in the area especially considering the short period of time of his election.

That I won the election is not by my power but by the power of God who decreed it was time. It is also victory to all Yagba people who voted for me.

It was made easier because when God decided it was time and knowing that I would need resources to prosecute it, He made the resources available

•A tricycle operator in Lagos also registered his protest

PHOTO: TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

THE NATION

27

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2011

•Some of the beneficiaries •Continued from page 25 more marketable to employers of labour and also help them to be self-employed and reliant.

“Today, we are continuing in human capital development tradition of the Ikeoha Foundation under the auspices of Ikeoha Scholarship Scheme.

“This scheme, which has benefitted over 1, 700 people, is predicated on our belief that education remains the universal equaliser between the rich and the poor.

Meanwhile, from the 2012/2013 academic session, we will be starting our first year to final year scholarship programmes.

Chief Ekweremadu has inaugurated several kilometers of roads with solid drainage system in Ima Amoli Umuagwu, and Ugbo, communities both in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State just as he has urged newly elected local government chairmen in the state to ensure that they provided basic amenities to the people.

The roads would be extended to Achi in Oji River Local Government Area as well as other communities in the zone.

Lawmaker helps the needy Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Chief Ekweremadu said the completed asphalt rural roads were among the projects he attracted to his constituents to alleviate their suffering.

He said: “I feel fulfilled seeing these projects that would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the people of these areas being inaugurated today.”

Ekweremadu, who was accompa-

nied by the Senator representing Imo West District and chairman Senate Committee on Aviation, Hope Uzodimma, South- east National Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh, member representing Awgu/Aninri/Oji River Federal Constituency, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, among other top political office holders, stated that the road projects were part of his cam-

This scheme, which has benefitted over 1,700 people, is predicated on our belief that education remains the universal equaliser between the rich and the poor… I feel fulfilled seeing these projects that would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the people

paign promises to the people of the area whom he said have been experiencing serious problems as a result of bad roads due to the peculiar topography of the locality.

He disclosed that at least, about 50 similar roads projects were ongoing in various communities of Enugu West Senatorial zone. He appealed to areas that were yet to benefit from such constituency projects to be patient with him.

The lawmaker, who represents Enugu West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, assured that every community within the zone would definitely have one or two projects sited in it.

Ekweremadu also promised the people of adequate representation at the National Assembly, even as he pledged his readiness to collaborate with the local and state governments to provide social amenities to rural communities in the zone.

He stressed that the fight against poverty in the district and state at large should be a joint project.

Earlier in his remark, Hon. Toby

Okechukwu, a native of Ugbo community expressed appreciation to Chief Ekweremadu for his love and kind gesture to his people. He recalled how he provided electricity to the area after connecting it to the national greed and the completion of the solar power electrification project as well as provision of a field office of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in the locality.

The former Special Adviser to Ekweremadu on projects stated that Ugbo community had earlier benefited from Ekweremadu’s water scheme which, according to him, had continued to make life easy for the people.

Speaking at a civic reception in honour of the Deputy Senate President, the traditional ruler of Ugbo community, Igwe Godwin Ebem Udeonu on behalf of his subjects, expressed gratitude to the lawmaker for his benevolence to his people, and conferred on him the chieftaincy title of Onwa netiriora of Ugbo land, which literally means the moon that shines for the community, just as Hon. Toby Okechukwu bagged the title of Omeleora, meaning a philanthropist.

Uduaghan urges private sector investment in Delta

D

ELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has appealed to the private sector to partner with his administration in its effort to accelerate economic growth.

Dr. Uduaghan, who made the appeal during the inauguration of

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Ultimate Food Industry in Asaba, the Delta State capital recently, promised to encourage the private sector to invest in the state in order to create job opportunities for

the teeming unemployed youths.

He praised the Managing Director of Ultimate Food Industry, Mr. Jonas Okafor, for his choice of Delta State for his investment, noting that the outfit would provide employment for youths and speed up the economic growth of the town.

“The oil industry cannot employ

•From right: A senior lecturer Yaba College of Technology, Dr Ismail Bidmus; Senior Research Officer, Federal Insitute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Mr Shakirudeen Ajani and MD, A.Y.A. Waheed Recordings, Alhaji AbdulWaheed AbdulYaqeen at a rally at Ojota

all our youths. That is why we encourage private investment. This outfit has helped to employ some of our youths and this has removed them from the unemployment market,” he said.

The governor observed that the outfit was strategically located as it was directly opposite the stadium. He promised that the stadium would soon be completed.

He further praised Mr. Okafor for contributing his quota to the economic growth of Delta State and the country.

In a brief opening address, Mr. Okafor said that the aim of his company was to empower Nigerians, especially the youth through job creation.

He disclosed that the fast food was a subsidiary of Jonas Limited and had earlier in June, 2011 opened an outfit of Ultimate Taste Fast Food in Asaba which, accord-

•Uduaghan ing to him, had employed over 150 Deltans.

Present at the inauguration ceremony was the Catholic Bishop of Isele-Uku Diocese, His Lordship, Michael Elue, among others.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

28

I

•Dr. Oboh

N pursuant to its programme of aggressive women empowerment, the Niger Delta Development Commission in collaboration with Shell Petroleum Development Company will soon begin skill development programme for rural women across the states of Niger Delta region.

To this end, the Directorate of Youths, Sports, Culture and Women Affairs has released plans for the programme centered on women between the ages of 18 and 35 with at least first school leaving certificate.

According to the plan which covers participants, trainers with modern facilities and management consultants, interested persons are to collect forms from NDDC state offices or SPDC community interface coordinators in the region.

It stated that such skills as hats and bread making, tye and dye, juice processing, interior decoration, soft furnishing, candle, soap, detergents and pomade making, hair weaving,

Abia to pay contractors N3b

A

BIA State government says it will make available N3 billion to contractors handling various road and housing projects in the state to enable them continue their work without interruption.

Governor Theodore Orji disclosed this in Umuahia during a meeting with contractors in the state, even as he decried the current industrial action which he said, will delay their payment as workers who are supposed to prepare their payment vouchers are on strike.

Orji said that the provision of the money is to enable them continue with the job they are currently executing within this period of dry season, stressing that it will enable them to work faster before the return of rainy season.

He further assured them that government has also removed all botlenecks that would have hindered them in accessing their payment and praised them for their good jobs so far.

The governor, who noted that he had reasons to complain about the quality of the jobs done initially by some contractors, however stated that there are great improvements now in their job and that he is praising them now as they deserve such

T

Abia From Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia

commendation.

He said: “When you contractors were not doing well, I complained about the standard of your work and now that you are doing well, I want to commend you and even our people who came back during the festive period also commended your work”.

Orji also said that the reason for the commendations and praises the government receive presently are all due to the fact that the contractors have been doing their work well, “unlike before when your work was nothing to write home about”.

Replying, the spokesperson of the contractors, Ben Emeka, thanked the governor for running an open door policy and promised that they would not compromise the quality of their projects.

Emeka enjoined the governor to ensure that their contract papers are prepared and handed over to them early enough to enable them access loans when government is not forth coming with payment.

Imo urges tolerance among ethnic groups T

NDDC, Shell to empower women Delta fixing, sale of attachment/weave-on.

Others are cloth weaving, basket/mat making, confectionaries, beautification, horticulture, crafts, photography/video graphy and cosmetology.

Also listed are product packaging and preservation, production of air freshner and detergent, tailoring and any other income generating initiatives.

Closing date for the collection and submission of forms has been fixed for January 31.

Obasanjo condemns Adamawa killings ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the recent mayhem in Adamawa State where 26 persons were killed by gunmen.

Obasanjo made the condemnation when he visited the Christ Apostolic Church where 12 worshippers were killed.

The former President, who described the incident as “callous and shocking’’ said the perpetrators of the crime were possessed by Satan.

Obasanjo, who was in Yola for the grand finale of Governor Murtala Nyako’s campaign, said: “If the intention of the perpetrators is to cause ethnic and religious crisis, the people of Adamawa State have disappointed them by their resolve to continue to live in peace.’’

The Pastor of the Church, Mr Ayuba Maju, who conducted Obasanjo round the Church, explained that the worshippers were observing prayers when the gunmen forced their way into the Church and opened fire on them.

F

•Mrs Adeola, one of the widows receiving financial empowerment from the chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area , Hon. Shamsudeen Abiodun Olaleye

Monarch advocates dialogue over fuel subsidy removal

A

traditional ruler in Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Obi, Dr. Efeizomor 11, Obi of Owa , has called for calm and understanding between organised labour and the government.

Obi Efeizomor, in a statement, advocated for more dialogue between the parties that could engender lasting peace and understanding among the people, saying that negotiations and dialogue would go a long way in resolving the current impasse.

The monarch also condemned calls by some persons on the Hausa community to relocate , saying such a move was ill conceived, adding that , “the general public particularly non-

NGO fetes widows, orphans

HE joy of Pastor Ruth Oreweme knew no bounds recently as her pet project, Springlane Mission, a non-governmental Christian Organisation, gave gift items to some people who ordinarily could not afford food and clothing during the festive period.

“The season is to give and share with people who don’t have and not expecting anything in return. We are to remember those who are in pains. We may not be able to take that pain away but we can give them a little succour,” she said.Indeed, that was exactly what she did when she organised a gathering for widows and orphans.

The beneficiaries went home with foodstuff and clothing donated by the mission. “We are called and heavenly empowered to operate as sculptors and builders that create beauty and excellence out of the ugly. We are committed to the rebuilding of broken lives and destinies.

Our assignment is changing lives that the society labelled as losers into winners,” she said.

Apart from giving out food stuff and clothing, Springlane Mission organised a seminar where the beneficiaries were taught how to make hats, beads and snacks.

Victoria Akindeyi, a mother of two, a beneficiary of the programme said she was going to start making hats and beads so she can augment her income and so enhance her family

standard of living. “It has expanded my knowledge on bead making and hat. I hope to do something after this training, I will make it in life,” she promised.

Akindeyi is enthused that a new page has been opened for her. “I have been motivated.

Since my husband died, God has never left me alone. Now I have been encouraged, so I am happy,” she said.

Church holds programme

• Women Leader of Nasrullahi Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Alhaja Nofisat Arogundade,(second left), Head of Women's Health, Alhaja Azeezah Salaudeen; Wife of the Deputy- Chief Missioner, Alhaja Sadiat Onike and Head of Publicity, Alhaja Hafsah Aralepo at the presentation of gifts to the first baby of the new Hijrah Year, Baby Ekenedo and her mother, Mrs. Joy Ekenedo at Hamkad Hospital in Lagos

HE Imo State government has called for tolerance among all the ethnic groups in the country and urged them to eschew vengeance.

Addressing a cross section of Egbuoma people at the grand reception ceremony on behalf of the Secretary to Imo State Government (SSG), Prof. Anthony Anwuka at Egbuoma community square, in Oguta Local Government Area of the state, the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha condemned the incessant ethnic and religious terrorist attacks in the country.

Governor Okorocha said the act was not only evil and barbaric, but also a threat to the unity of the country and urged the people of the community not to revenge but tolerate Hausas and Yorubas who live in the area.

He said the violence of killing those worshipping their God in the church is totally unacceptable because it would destroy the effort of the government and Nigerians to sustain unity in diversity and praised the efforts taken by the Federal Government in tackling Boko Haram.

The governor, however, thanked the people of the area for their support and urged them to continue to pray for the progress of the state.

He disclosed plans by the Executive Council to summon transporters in the state

Delta From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

especially tricycle , taxi and bus operators to decide on the transport fare for the masses, which he said would help alleviate the suffering of the ordinary man in the street.

Governor Okorocha also hinted that the state government is making efforts to introduce mass transit buses at a reasonable cost to assist its citizens cope with the present challenges.

E

CONOMIC and social activities were gradually picking up within the Benin metropolis in Edo State on Tuesday as the nationwide strike against the removal of fuel subsidy entered its second day.

Investigation revealed that although government offices were still deserted by workers, while some private offices and commercial premises were opened for business.

It was observed that unlike on Monday when people stayed away from the streets with bonfires in many parts of the city, there were

Delta From Okungbowa Aiwerie,Asaba

indigenes resident in Owa Kingdom are hereby advised not to entertain any fear or panic over the security of their lives and property. There is no cause for anybody to contemplate or feel the urge to relocate to his or her state or town or other parts of the country, anybody who is advising or forcing non indigenes to relocate is doing so without the approval or authority of Owa community and Obi of Owa. Such advice , threat or force in any form should be ignored”, he warned .

He praised the police and other security agencies in the locality for the way it has handled security challenges so far and called for more vigilance and dedication to duty, adding that “maintenance of peace and security is everybody’s responsibility; we should remain vigilant and avoid rumour mongering”.

The royal farther added that “it has to be emphasised that experience from past crisis in Nigeria has shown that it is the poor masses who die more and bear the brunt of the crisis and are usually unable to rehabilitate themselves and their families at the end of such crisis”.

•From left: Hajia Ganiyah Adenle,lecturer Lagos State University; Coordinator, AlMu’minaat Social Advocacy Project, Hajia Sherifah Ajibade-Yusuf and National Amirah, AlMu’minaat Hajia Munirah Salith at a protest in Lagos.

Monarch sends SOS to Fashola

T

HUGS instigated by land speculators have invaded Igbokuta, an Ikorodu suburb in Lagos State, displacing the community head and sacking the villagers.

The land speculators were contesting the ownership of the 500 acres of land, which according to the judgment of the Ikorodu High Court, belong to the Ogunbanwo family.

The Baale, Chief Nosiru Tajudeen, who has been sent packing from the village by thugs since November last year , told reporters in his Ikorodu hideout that his life and those of the villages were at risk. He urged Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Salau Oyefusi, and Lagos State Commissioner of Police to come to the aid of the community.

He said: “Thugs are terrorising my village, especially the members of Ogunbanwo family.

We could not spend Christmas and New Year in our village. Thugs sent to the village by land speculators have displaced us. They invaded our abode with dangerous weapons.

It has been difficult for us to return to our land and property.

“The children of tenants are turning around to wage war against us on our land. Since October 2011, their thugs have been harassing me. I fled my village out of fear because their intention was to kill me. They have destroyed

By Emmanuel Oladesu

my house and property. Except government intervenes, I cannot return home and this is painful.”

The Secretary of Ogunbanwo family, Mr. Nosiru Olayiwola, lamented that the land speculators contesting the land with the family have not relented in their nefarious activities, despite the High Court and Appeal Court judgments that gave pronouncements that the land legally belongs to the family.

He recalled that Ogunbanwo family inherited the land from Agbowa, adding that the Oba of Agbowa, had testified in court that the family owns the land.

Olayiwola said: “Those terrorising the village are our tenants. They use police from Lagos and Abuja to harass us, intimidate, victimise and detain members of our family. Policemen and army officers have been illegally given part of the land by the land speculators. We want to go back to our village, the place our ancestors bequeathed to us, but our life is in danger.”

The secretary further alleged that the thugs are sponsored by a notorious land speculator, who has illegally paraded himself as monarch in Bariga area, adding that efforts by the men of ‘Operation Mesa’ to flush the thugs out have not been successsful.

Briefly

‘Save us from land grabbers’ MEMBERS of Adams family of Anthony Village have cried out to the Lagos State government for help over the invasion of their land by suspected hoodlums.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, spokesman of the family, Alhaji Taiwo Shodunke said some hired thugs had invaded the family’s land in Westex Estate, Anthony Village a few weeks ago.

He said: “We are the rightful owners of the 14 acres of land in Westex Estate. The land was acquired by the Lagos State government sometime in 2001 and we took the matter to court. The case was later resolved out of court and in 2007, the government gave us back our land and that of other families whose property were acquired.

“We were surprised when some hoodlums invaded our land a few weeks ago and all efforts to remove them from our land have not yielded any results because their sponsors have been using police to intimidate us. We are therefore calling on the Lagos State government to intervene in the matter before it gets out of hand.”

Edo unhindered movements around some of the major streets, including the Kingsquare Road.

Commercial buses and motorcycles were seen on some of the busy routes which were deserted on Monday, including Sapele, Isiloko and Eewan Roads.

Banks in Benin remained closed with security personnel deployed at some strategic locations identified as flash points.

While activities in some markets were beginning to thrive, with some petrol stations opened for business, schools which were expected to have resumed academic session on Monday remained closed.

Armed policemen were seen providing security cover at the NNPC Mega Station on Sapele Road, the only station within the vicinity that was opened for business.

Acid victim petitions President, IGP, Obi From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

T

Hon James Abiodun Faleke (left) presenting cash donation to one of the beneficiaries of empowerment programme at Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos

T

HE Hausa-Muslim community in Anambra State has condemned what it calls senseless killings of Christians in some northern parts of the country.

The Secretary of the South-South and SouthEast Northern Traditional Council, Alhaji Iliyasu Yushau in a statement in Awka, urged the Federal Government to rise to the situation

• Okorocha

Business picks up in Benin

Boko Haram: Anambra Hausa community condemns killings

T

HE Redeemed Christian Church of God, Covenant of Peace Parish, at 38/40, Lowa Street, Jumofak Bus Stop, Ikorodu, Lagos, has begun its annual 21days revival programme. The programme, which has, Over to God as its theme, will end on January 29.

According to the host, Pastor Olaitan Aromolaran,the revival is all about encouraging all to hand over everything to God this year.

He added that the programme is deliberately packaged to add value to life of everyone in attendance.

Anointed men at the revival include Pastor Gbolahan Lawal, Pastor J.T. Kalejaiye, Pastor Charles Kpandei, Pastor Niyi Olowoporoku; Evang Ebenezer Obey and Evang. Sunny Ade.

37

Anambra From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

to protect the unity and corporate existence of the country.

The community also observed with concern the alarming deterioration of security in the northern parts of country, resulting in destruction of churches and killing of innocent citizens On the ultimatum given by Boko Haram to non- Northerners and Christians to leave

Dakingari assures on security

the area, the community enjoined all southerners to ignore the threat as the country according to them, belongs to all Nigerians.

They noted that large number of northerners both Christians and Muslims were also residing in the south while they go about their businesses without molestation from any quarter. They disassociated themselves from all terrorist activities carried out by unknown gunmen, noting that Islam does not preach violence but peace and tolerance among people. The community praised the government and residents of the state for their hospitality and understanding as well as the security agencies for their cooperation and protection of lives and property of Nigerians.

HERE is tension in Awka, Anambra State capital following the acid bath on Mr. Christopher Anaere on New Year’s Day by two of his younger brothers Ugochukwu and Anthony with alleged help of their mother and sister.

As a result, the victim with the help of his younger brother, Rev. fr. Patrick Anaere have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, Inspector General of Police Hafix Ringin and Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi to as a matter of urgency, arrest and prosecute the culprits.

The petition was entitled “SOS RE: Attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, wounding, grievous harm, acid bath and assault occasioning harm” and was made available to The Nation.

Others who were copied included Anambra State police commissioner, Muhtari Ibrahim, Assistant Inspector General of Police, zonal headquarters Umuahia, Deputy Commissioner of police, Cyril Okoye (Owerri Force Headquarters) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) It was signed by Rev. father Patrick Anaere, on behalf of his elder brother Christopher, who according to him, was still at the Hospital.

Not only that, the petitioner alleged that immediately the acid was poured on him, his mother , sister and his other brothers pounced on him hitting him with clubs, matchets and other dangerous weapons and equally tries to put him in the booth of Audi vehicle with registration number DW534LND (navy blue colour) but was rescued by his wife Justina.

K

EBBI STATE GOVERNOR Saidu Dakingari has assured Christians, non-indigenes and NYSC members that the state government will ensure their security.

The governor gave the assurance at a meeting with Christians and non-indigenes at the palace of the District Head of Jega, Alhaji Muhammade Arzika recently.

The meeting was attended by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Lateef Junaid; the Director of SSS, Alhaji Ibrahim Katsina; the Adviser to the governor on Security, Col. Musa Fakai (retd)and officials of other security agencies.

Dakingari said the choice of Jega for the meeting was in recognition of the fact that the town had the highest concentration of Christians and non-indigenes who were principally businessmen.

“There is no question of settlers in Kebbi because citizens who reside in the state have their full rights,” he said.

•From left: Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin; Governor Kayode Fayemi; his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu; and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Sheidu Jinadu, during the 19th Isan-Ekiti Unity Day celebration, in Isan

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

29

PEOPLE THE NATION

A SIX-PAGE SECTION ON SOCIETY

Eminent personalities, clerics and officials of the Lagos State Government assembled at the open field of the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, for a thanksgiving service and prayer for peace and religious tolerance in the New Year. MIRIAM NDIKANWU was there.

•From left: Hon Ikuforiji; Pastor Adeboye; Governor Fashola, his wife Abimbola; Mrs Foluke Adeboye; Mrs Orelope-Adefulire and Senator Tinubu

Lagos kicks off 2012 with prayers F

OR Lagos State, it has become an annual ritual. At the beginning of every year, the state holds a thanksgiving to seek God’s face.

The venue of this year’s service was, as usual, the open field at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

The atmosphere was convivial. The service attracted hundreds of eminent Lagosians, including Governor Babatunde Fashola and his wife, Dame Abimbola; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and his wife, Mayowa; former governors of the state, Brig-Gen Mobolaji Johnson, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Lagos State chapter Dele Ajomale.

Religious leaders were not left out. They were led by General Overseer (GO) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye; Daystar Senior Pastor, Sam Adeyemi; the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos and Dean, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rev Ephraim Adebola Ademowo; Prelate, Mothodist Church Nigeria, Ola Makinde and Rev Mercy Ezekiel, among others.

Guests decked in stunning attires started arriving the venue of the interdenominational service at 5pm. Scores of choral groups from different Christian denominations, like the Daystar Christian Church; Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), RCCG, among others, took turns to entertain the audience with praise and worship songs.

There was also solo performance by artistes,

like Kunle Ajayi, to add colour to event.

In his opening remarks, Fashola recounted the faithfulness and blessings of God to the state in past years, adding that it was important to begin the New Year with thanksgiving to God, despite the challenges ahead.

“At our thanksgiving today, I want to urge all of us who are here and those who are not here to know that vengeance does not belong to us. This is the ground upon which I recall parts of my address last year, where I stated that it is our humanity that binds us more deeply than our faith or ethnic identity. Our humanity is represented by the bonds of blood, food, water and brotherhood that we share,” he said.

He condemned the recurring violence in the North that has led to the loss of lives of many, stressing that every Nigerian owes it a duty to do something to prevent future occurrence.

He stressed the need for religious tolerance, adding that negative differences should not find a place in Lagos and the country at large.

“I am convinced that in the same way that our offering or thanksgiving last year was accepted by God, with this year’s thanksgiving, we will find favour with our Creator and He will accept and reward it with His own unquantifiable might and presence.

“Yes, there are challenges, but I believe that within those challenges lie inherent opportunities. I have always tried to see my glass as half full rather than half empty. I urge us all to do the same. If we do, maybe, it is possible to see another side of our challenges as I have tried to see them,” he said.

•Former Attorney-General of Lagos State Prof Yemi Osinbajo speaking at the ceremony

Fashola appealed to Nigerians to eschew vengeance, because, according to him, “Vengeance does not belong to us.” He added: “It is our common humanity that binds us more deeply than our faith or ethnic differences.

“Our humanity is represented by the bonds of blood, food, water and brotherhood that we share”, citing the gathering of Christians and Muslims and people of diverse ethnic identities in this year’s thanksgiving.

Quoting copiously from a book entitled: “God is not a Christian” written by Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, Fashola said Christianity and Islam came from the Middle East. He added: “Even among brothers of the same faith, whether Christian or Muslim hue,

ethnic differences can blur the brotherhood of faith and humanity”.

“Such negative differences,” he said, “must never find a place in any part of our state or our country and every one of us owes a duty to positively do something to prevent such an occurrence.”

While thanking the religious bodies for their support and encouragement which, according to him, “propelled our party and candidates to victory,” the governor also prayed for the repose of souls of those who died last year, extending condolences to their families and dependants.

In his sermon, Pastor Adeboye said it was important to praise God for the gift of life amid all events happening around us.

He prayed for the nation and for peace to reign in all parts of the country.

The cleric said before the end of 2012, all will be well. “The hearts of the people are shaking about what is going to happen. For those who are trembling, there is nothing hot that will not cool down,” he said.

He told the about 5,000-man congregation that God told him that He has surprises for Nigeria in 2012. He said God owns the ace and will surprise the enemies of Nigeria before the year ends.

The first lesson by Dame Fashola, who read from 1 Corinthians 13:1 -13. The second reading by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, was taken from Romans 13:8-10.

Special prayers were offered for the governor and his family. It was led by a representative of the General Overseer of MFM, Dr Daniel Olukoya. There were prayers for the state and the public service led by Pastor Sam Adeyemi.

The presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Ministries (TREM), Bishop Mike Okonkwo; Rev Ademowo; Rev Julius Adeniji; Rev Mercy Ezekiel , Rev Monsignor Okodua offered prayers for peace, women, children, youths, the education sector, economic prosperity and religious harmony in the state and Nigeria.

•More pictures on page 30

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

30

SOCIETY •Continued from page 29

•From right: Brig-Gen Johnson; Admiral Kanu and his wife Gladys

•Alhaji Jakande and wife Abimbola

•From left: Prelate Makinde; Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture Alhaji Oyinlomo Danmole and Secretary to the Government Mrs Oluranti Adebule

•Gen Adeyinka Adebayo and wife Modupe

•A cross-section of traditional rulers

•Governor Fashola’s parents, Mr Ademola Fashola and his wife, Omolara

•Mrs Kemi Nelson (left) and former Attorney-General Mrs Eniola Fadayomi

•Husband of fomer Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Commodore Oluseyi Sosan (left) and former Deputy Governor of Lagos, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye

•From left: Air Commodore Tony Omenyi; Colonel John Ekperare and CODER Convener Ayo Opadokun

•Chief Judge Justice Inumidun Akande (left) and Mrs Ikuforiji PHOTOS: OMOSEHIN MOSES

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

31

SOCIETY

What began in high school finally ended in a marital relationship between former Miss Opeyemi Temitope Ogunye, a sales executive with T.O.P. Marketing and her beau, Ufuoma Olanrewaju Edemirukaye, an auditor, with CME Group in New York, United States. TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO witnessed the wedding in Lagos.

‘He is my all-in-all’

•Bride’s parents Dr Ogunye and his wife Rhoda

•The couple Mr and Mrs Edemirukaye

I

T was the moment many had been waiting for. The couple, former Miss Opeyemi Temitope Ogunye and her beau, Mr Ufuoma Olanrewaju Edemirukaye, standing before the officiating priests to be joined as man and wife.

Clad in white shirt, baby pink waistcoat, tie and stunning black suit, Ufuoma, an auditor with CME Group in New York, United States (US), put his hand on his lovebird, Opeyemi, a sales executive with T.O.P. Marketing, who was decked in white tube wedding gown.

One of the officiating ministers said: “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the presence of God to witness and celebrate the marriage between Opeyemi and Olanrewaju, to ask God’s blessings on them and to share in their joy.

“It is into this way of life that Opeyemi and Olanrewaju have now come to be joined.

But first, I am required to ask anyone present who knows any just cause why the two of them may not lawfully marry to declare it now or hereafter forever hold his or her peace?”

A pin drop silence fell on the Guiding Light Assembly at Park View Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, venue of the wedding, that was filled with guests.

After the observance of every protocol, the priest declared Opeyemi and Olanrewaju husband and wife amid the church’s shout of Halleluiah!

Various praise songs were rendered by the choir.

The ceremony featured exchange of rings, blessing for the union, prayers for the couple, choir presentation and communion, signing of marriage certificate and rounded off with recessional hymn.

The bridal train then moved with the guests to the Nigerian Law School Auditorium on Victoria Island, Lagos, for the reception.

The reception featured the cutting of the cake, couple’s dance, toast and throwing of bouquet.

Chairman on the occasion Mr Samuel Nwakahu congratulated the couple.

Nwakahu, a lawyer and businessman, said marriage is personal.

He urged the couple to remain focused and committed to their marriage.

“I enjoin them to be humble with each other. I wish them a very successful and happy married life,” he said.

The bride’s mother, Mrs Rhoda Ogunye, gave God the glory for a successful ceremony.

Mrs Ogunye, a lawyer, urged the couple to be God-conscious and make Him first in whatever they do.

“They should love each other; Opeyemi, being a virtuous woman, should take good care of her husband, the home front and respect her in-laws. She did not marry Olanrewaju alone but his entire family. I have been teaching her that,” she said.

She described her son-in-law as humble, industrious and God-fearing.

•Groom’s mother Mrs Edemirukaye and the groom’s uncle Mr Ayo Edemirukaye

•Nwakahu

“I have four girls. Once their husbands come for their hands in marriage, God has blessed me with additional four males in the family.

I wish them happy married life with good children,” she said.

The groom’s mum, Mrs Dupe Edemirukaye urged them to be united and trust each other.

She described her daughter in-law as an angel.

“I will not wish someone else to be my son’s wife except her. She is blessed with a good home training. I wish them long life, prosperity, in fact, every good thing in life,” she said.

The bride said she was shocked when Olanrewaju proposed.

“I was surprised because I did not know our friendship would mature to that level.

But I thank God, he proposed. The courtship period was quite challenging because he was overseas but God gave me the strength to cope.”

Opeyemi, a Cell biology and Genetics graduate, described her beau as amazing.

“He is my best friend, my all-in-all and awesome. I look forward to a fruitful union,” she said.

“I feel elated getting married. I cannot be happier. Obviously, it’s something we have been planning for a long time,” the groom said .

Their love story, Olanrewaju said, began in high school.

“We went to the same high school at Ijanikin, Lagos. We have been friends since 1997. I was happy when she accepted my proposal three years ago. The courtship has been interesting. I come over every year to see her. Now, she will be going to the States with me. I am happy to have her as my wife,” he said.

•Mr Odogwu Julius and wife Elizabeth

•Mr Femi Ogundimu and wife Monisola

PHOTOS: RAHMAN SANUSI

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

32

The 19th Isan-Ekiti Unity Day was held at St Martins Catholic Primary School field, Isan-Ekiti, Ekiti State. SULAIMAN SALAWUDEEN was there.

From left: Oba Ajiboye; Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly Dr Adewale Omirin; Governor Fayemi; his wife, Erelu Bisi and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Yemi Adaramodu

T

HE sleepy town of Isan-Ekiti came alive when its sons and daughters trooped into the town for its yearly unity day.

The event also witnessed the launch of N200 million fund for the construction of a palace for the town’s monarch. It also attracted an illustrious son of the town, Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi.

Dressed in rich traditional dresses, indigenes and guests came early enough to honour the day that belongs to all Isan indigenes.

Fayemi, who came in company of his wife, Erelu Bisi, and members of the executive and legislators, basked in the euphoria of being the first son of the town to govern Ekiti State.

Interspersed with Ekiti dialectal songs rendered by the state Cultural Troupe and Ireyewa Music Group led by Pastor Hannah Ogungbayibi, the event also paraded a display/ inspection of mineral resources from the town, such as kaolin, clay and rocks of various types.

When it was time for dancing, Erelu Fayemi led other women to dance round the sprawling arena, greeting, thanking and exchanging pleasantries with members of the community and political associates for gracing the day.

In his speech, Fayemi observed that while he

Isan-Ekiti day of ‘unity ‘ understood general sentiments of his being a son of the community, his position as governor compelled him to see the state as his constituency. He, however, noted that he was ready to partner with otherS to develop the town.

Fayemi disclosed that efforts were on in “harnessing some of the vast mineral resources of the state towards creating wealth and opportunities for our people.

“And in this regard, Isan-Ekiti’s noted reserves of high quality Kaolin – which is an essential input in the paint, cosmetics, chalk, agro-allied and pharmaceutical industries, is in the course of being explored commercially.

“Importantly, as a people, in as much as we are largely driven by the aim of making IsanEkiti an exemplary living and working environment, I want to utilise the opportunity of this ‘Unity Day’ to emphasise the importance of reconciliation in all dimensions across the spectra of our community.

“I am equally using this occasion to advise our youths in Isan-Ekiti to emulate all that is

noble in our elders whose antecedents include hard work, honour and integrity,” Fayemi said.

Earlier in his address, the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Sunday Owolabi Ajiboye, recalled that Isan Unity Day celebration started in December 1989, as an idea of some highly- spirited Isan indigenes under the umbrella of Isan Progressive Union (IPU).

“The occasion,” according to Oba Ajiboye, “served and has continued to serve as an opportunity for the coming together of all our sons and daughters living home and abroad to chart a way forward for the town.”

Oba Ajiboye lamented the uncertainty in the country and other problems including youth unemployment, worsened by paltry allocation to states from the Federation Account. He noted that the development was due to lack of basic planning on the part of the government.

“Let me, for instance, take agriculture as a case study. In the 50s to late 70s, little attention was paid to oil while each of the East, West and

North were noted for and actually depended on certain agricultural products. Today, everyone awaits oil money having abandoned agriculture.”

IPU President Chief Sunday Babalola Ajulo, in his remarks, advocated the construction of a drainage system, scientifically designed and constructed to change the face of the town physically.

He said this would “stimulate job opportunities and prevent devastating flood that do not usually give any warning.

“Climate change is a well-known worldwide phenomenon of our time. The Tsunami in Japan; the ravages of hurricane in America; and the floods in Sokoto and Ibadan are indicative of what could happen anywhere, anytime, anyhow.

“But because the governor of Ekiti State scannot be expected to provide all the facilities that we need to satisfy our community, it would be incumbent on us to levy ourselves and to appeal to our friends at home and abroad to help us financially,” he said.

Fifty million naira was realised at the event from donations with governors of Oyo, Osun and Ogun states giving N1 million each.

The sleepy town of Agbiyi Umuede-Akpa in Abia State was agog on January 5, when Lagos electronics merchant Asiwaju Martins Agwunobi and Ijeoma Ekperi, a graduate of Accounts, got married. KUNLE AKINRINADE reports.

F

OR Asiwaju Martins Agwunobi, a Lagos businessman, his wedding on January 5 to Ijeoma Ekperi was the best thing to happen to him. The women’s acceptance to marry him was a dream come true. And he was not ready to hide his joyous mood at the traditional wedding held in Agbiyi UmuedeAnkpa, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.

The event drew family members, friends and close associates of the celebrator from all walks of life to honour the couple. Everywhere around the venue were posh cars brought by guests garbed in bespoke native dresses.

The ceremony took off at 3pm with traditional prayers for a blissful marital life for the couple while gospel tunes from a local band entertained guests.

The joyous groom wore a pink-lace while the bride spotted in golden lace material mixed with chocolate hollandaise which accentuated her beauty. It took the bride a few minutes to dance to where the groom was seated to perform the traditional wine-tasting required to identify her husband among the crowd. She made a success of the ‘assignment’ to the admiration of guests who could not help but honour her with rounds of applause.

A few minutes after the marriage rites, the couple beamed with smiles, took to the floor and ‘slugged’ it out with each other as if they were in a dance contest.

The groom, who could not suppress his joy, expressed how happy he was at taking Ijeoma as wife. According to him, Ijeoma’s sense of modesty caught his fancy among many other considerations.

“I don’t think there could have been an alternative to her because of her moderate lifestyle. She possesses all the qualities I desire in a woman and I could not have settled for any other lady. I love her so much and I believe she will make a good partner as well as a good mother to our children,” he explained.

The equally elated bride also has kind words for her husband who she described as caring, loving, open minded and kind.

“What else can I wish for in a man than the virtues my husband possesses. He loves me, cares for me and above all he is open-minded and kind,” she said.

In a remark, the groom’s uncle, Chief Christian Ifeanyichukwu Agwunobi, described the couple as wonderful.

“I have every reason to be happy today because I raised the groom and impacted discipline in him when he was with me. I am happy that he imbibed everything I have thought him as a young boy and those things have turned him into a successful man today. They are indeed; a wonderful couple and I pray that the marriage becomes fruitful while also wishing him a blissful marital life.”

‘Love binds us’ •The couple Martins and Ijeoma

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

33

SOCIETY It was a grand night when the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), in conjunction with the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), honoured some people and organisations. The ceremony, held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, was witnessed by AMIDU ARIJE and TOLULOPE OGUNKANMI.

For a more efficient police force

•From left: DCP Olayemi Bola; Prof Akinterinwa and his wife Fehintola

P

OLICEMEN know how they are perceived in the society. People see them as leecher ever ready to suck people’s blood. All this changed when the Victoria Island Police Command honoured some officers for their exemplary conduct. At the event, jaunty caps, flowing robes, and well-polished shoes competed for attention. Also, state-of-theart automobiles competed for space. The occasion stood out.

For their unwavering dedication to duty, some men of the Nigeria Police Force, especially in the Victoria Island Division, Lagos Command, were told emphatically: ‘You have served your fatherland well.’

The event was tagged, ‘The Exemplary Police Community Partnership Award 2011.’ And it was meant for the celebration of effective police and community relationships. It was to confer on the police and other corporate bodies and individuals who had supported effective community policing, in their domains.

Because the occasion was meant to rewarding dutious policemen, not a few donned their wellstarched uniform with shinning pairs of shoes to match. They were excited to say the least.

The occasion, which was chaired by notable security expert, Dr Ona Ekhomu, started as scheduled with introduction of various guests by master of the ceremony, comedian Prince Allam Bloo.

This was followed with opening prayer led by activist Pastor Ben Eragbai. While the national anthem was recited, the police band that spiced the occasion with enthralling performance offered some melodious back-ups.

The theme of the event: “Policing in an inclement environment: the case of Nigeria,” was delivered by the Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Bola Akinterinwa.

Akinterinwa, who said Nigerian Police officers would have performed better if their condition of service is better, added: “I admit that the many allegations levelled against policemen in Nigeria can be justified to an extent. But as much as I recognise these points, it is still wrong to seek to address symptoms of diseases, leaving the main causes of the symptoms. Allegations against the policemen are a result of a systemic problem. And if we decentralise policing, we are likely to have greater efficiency in dealing with crimes.”

An elated Ekhomu thanked the PCRC for its commitment to the success of the police and urged the group not to relent in supporting the police for effective community policing.

The special guest of honour, Chief Philip Asiodu urged the Nigerian government to be more effective in community policing by giving necessary

support and power to the police.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Victoria Island Division, Bar Beach, CSP Adegoke Fayoade, who is the Chief Host, could not contain his joy.

He attended to the needs of the people and monitored every activity as it unfolded.

In his speech, he said the police in his division had been proactive in securing the community of jurisdiction, adding: “The overall aim has been of moving from the traditional law enforcement, which is inherently reactive and isolates the police from community they serve ,to a more proactive style which seeks to consult and work in partnership with law-abiding citizens to prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime and apprehend offenders, thus improving the quality of life of communities.

“Quick information flow between the citizenry and the police has tremendously assisted in nipping most incidents in the bud. Victoria Island and its environs have witnessed a relatively very low crime rate during the year. Our men are ready and determined to sustain this tempo and improve on this laudable feat. But the responsibility of safe guarding our neighbourhood cannot be left to the police alone. Other stakeholders must work together with the police and involved in coordinated fashion to ensure a safer and more secure Victoria Island.”

Chairman of the PCRC, Prince Eddy Ugbodaga said the essence of the event was to draw the police closer to the people of the community, noting: “In the past few years, particularly in the tenure of DPO Adegoke Fayoade, we have seen policing being raised from combating crime to preventing crime, from reactive to pre-emptive.”

The awards were in different categories; the platinum, gold and certificate of dedication to duty.

Those who smiled home with platinum awards include the Lagos State Police Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Alkali; Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone II, Onikan Lagos, Chris Ola, the Chairman Iru/Victoria Island Local Government, Hon Muideen Daramola, Ekhomu, Akinterinwa, Oniru of Iru, Oba Idowu Abiodun and Chief Philip Asiodu, among others.

The Gold awardees were ACP Vincent Brown, Area Commander Surajuden Umar and Area Commander Rapid Response Squad (RRS), ACP H. O. Odumosu among others.

The police officers with certificate of dedication to duty and some money included Snr Inspector John Ohwokevwo, Georgeta Yehouenu and Endurance Ogban, among others.

The most dedicated, loyal and gallant patrol team award was given to Ibrahim Yusuf, Wada Ado, Victor Okosun and Ilyasu Ahmed among others. They were all urged to keep up their commitment to excellence.

•From left: Effiong Okon Ekanam; CSP Fayoade and Prince Ugbodaga

•Abba Kyari (left) receiving a plaque from Dr Ekhomu

•Prince James Ola (left) and Chief Asiodu

•Hon Daramola flanked by his wife Alhaja Funmilayo and ACP Olawale Olokode

•From left: Chief Mathew Adekunle Akinwunmi; Byran Bachmann and DCP Taiwo Lakanu PHOTOS: DAVID ADEJO

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

34

SOCIETY WEDDING BETWEEN ALIAT OLUBUNMI AND MOHAMMED OLORUNFEMI AT TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, LAGOS

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (left) and Comedian Tunde Adewale (a.ka. TEE A)

•The couple Aliat and Mohammed

•Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun

•Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye

•Alhaji Lateef Jakande and his wife, Abimbola •Lagos monarch Oba Rilwan Akiolu flanked by Alhaji Musliu Smith (left) and Prince Bola Ajibola

•Gen Theophilus Danjuma and wife Senator Daisy

•Justice George Oguntade (rtd) and wife Modupe

•From right: Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas; Chief Adebutu Kessington; Chief Razak Okoya and Chief Gbenga Obasa

•From right: Oniru of Iruland Oba Saheed Elegushi, his Olori and Erelu Abiola Dosumu PHOTOS:OMOSEHIN MOSES

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

35

COMMENTARY

“W

HEN responsibility is entrusted to an incompetent person expect the end of time” Prophet Muhammad (SAW) The above quoted Hadith was particularly in reference to leadership in any given society. When the Prophet was to send Mu’az Bn Jabal to Yemen as Governor, he asked him a pointed question as a way of confirming that his choice was right. He said asking Mu’az: “how will you govern the people in that country?”

The latter said he would use the laws of Allah as contained in the Qur’an. Then the Prophet asked: “and if you cannot find a relevant solution in the Qur’an? Mu’az said he would use the Prophetic tradition (Sunnah). Then the Prophet further asked: “and if relevant solution is not found in Sunnah? Mu’az said he would adopt the consensus of opinions of learned scholars’’.

Then, the Prophet asked: “and if you cannot get a consensus? Mu’az said he would use analogical deduction based on the three sources of law mentioned above.

Thus, with Mu’az’s satisfactory responses, the Prophet technically confirmed the four sources of Islamic law by which any leader in an Islamic society should govern. The summary here is that governance should be by law and not by whim.

Thereafter, the Prophet counselled him as follows: “when you get there, my dear Mu’az, endear yourself to the people and do not be hostile. Be kind to them and do not be wicked. Be lenient with them and do not be harsh. Be considerate with them and do not be dictatorial. Be compassionate to them and do not be sadistic. Be sensitive to their plight and do not be indifferent. Be transparent and do not be seen as corrupt. Be a man of your words and do not be seen as a liar. Fulfil your promises to them and do not renege on such promises. Be trustworthy in utterances and actions and not be seen as a betrayer of trust.

There are three signs by which a hypocrite is known. When he talks he lies; when he promises he reneges and when he is trusted he betrays. Remember that a leader is like a shepherd who cannot claim to be successful in a day until he has coasted home the last sheep in his flock.

And every shepherd shall be asked by the Almighty Allah about what he does with the flock in his care’’.

Thus, the historic conversation between the Prophet and Mu’az confirms that good leadership is the bedrock of peace, decency and progress in any society. Today, many countries including Nigeria are dangerously restive because of deviation from that yardstick by irresponsible leaderships.

A nation without a responsible leadership is like a body without head. Such a nation is likely to wander aimlessly and indefinitely in the wilderness of life just like the Egyptian gypsies of yore even as her citizens wallow helplessly in abject penury.

Man ordinarily takes food for granted until he faces hunger where food is not available. He takes sound health for granted until he falls sick. He takes freedom for granted until he becomes a prisoner and he takes peace for granted until he faces war. One of the signs of living in a bad time is to keep remembering the good old days with nostalgia. Such is a confirmation that the past is better than the present. This is the situation in which overwhelming majority of Nigerians find themselves today in a country naturally and abundantly enriched with milk and honey.

Who could have believed some years back that this same country called Nigeria might become a beggars’ own country one day? When political calamity engendered by economic mismanagement struck Ghana in the 1980s, Nigeria was the only rescue haven in Africa for hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians who trooped into this country for all sorts of jobs including menial ones. Thus, from that experience, one would have thought that a lesson had been learnt by Nigerian leaders never to subject the citizens of this country to a similar misfortune. But alas, the situation in the past 30 years or there about has proved otherwise. Ironically, the reality today, is that the citizens of this sixth largest oil exporting country in the world have become beggars being deported from a onetime calamitous Ghana that sought and got economic rescue in Nigeria. The same Ghana is today a model for Nigeria virtually in all things that is decent and civilised.

God, in His infinite mercy does not create any living thing without adequate pro-

FEMI ABBAS ON Femabbas@yahoo.com 08051101861

Dreaming the past

‘

•The late Yar’Adua

visions for its existence. He endows individuals and nations with wealth in time and space as a trust. But He does not physically come down to manage such wealth for anybody. Neither does He give anybody the authority to redistribute it. But in the end, the managers of such wealth will be asked to render account on how they manage it. Individuals and nations become humanly and materially rich only

by Allah’s will at the place and time divinely earmarked for it. Any manipulation of such wealth by certain greedy cabal can only pave way for an untold calamity.

Like a fly in a bottle of wine which drinks and drinks till it dies in there, today’s Nigerian rulers see their position as an opportunity to suck Nigeria’s oil wells dry at the expense of the masses to whom those oil wells rightly and legitimately belong.

These rulers have forgotten that if the oil reserve had not been divinely meant for this generation it could have been discovered and consumed by many generations long before ours.

Nigerians of today have found themselves in a dream land. They are not only dreaming of what they ought to be as against what they are. They are also dreaming of the good old days in this same country that once gave them the confidence to build hope in their future as well as that of their children. That hope has practically become forlorn. Without necessarily sounding pessimistic, if there is any expectation for an ordinary Nigerian today, it is for death as despair is currently the song of destiny.

Telling the history of Nigerian oil cannot end with the present generation. It surely extends to the future. Where are the founding fathers of Nigeria especially those who strove for the discovery of oil?

Was the current situation their dream?

Even as Prime Minister and Premier respectively, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto borrowed money from banks to purchase a car and build a bungalow. They never possessed more than those even when their political contemporaries were accumulating empires. It is easier to be a legatee than to be a legator. The greatest spendthrifts are those who do not know the source of money in their possession.

It is rather ironic that oil wealth which serves as the source of fortune for many countries is the main source of Nigeria’s misfortune. At least this country was economically steady and progressive before

Yar’Adua as a mortal being might have his own weaknesses, nevertheless, his short period as President wrought a remarkable foundation for this country. If he had not displayed the ingenuous tactics of declaring amnesty at the time he did, the story of Nigeria would have been quite different today

‘

the so-called oil boom. At least there was no oil money when Nigeria went through a civil war for 30 months without borrowing one kobo. Why has oil boom become oil doom?

In his nine years in office as Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon took the price of PMS from 6k to 9.5k per litre. After him was General Murtala Muhammed an obvious man of the people who never tampered with the price of oil till his death in 1976. It was General Olusegun Obasanjo who first took oil price by a leap moving it from 9.5k to 15.3k in his three and a half year reign from February 1976 to October 1979. In his own three years and three months in office, President Usman Shehu Shagari never tampered with the price of oil. And General Muhammadu Buhari who succeeded him maintained the status quo as he never increased fuel price even by one kobo during his 20 month rule. Thus, between 1979 when Obasanjo left office and 1985 when Buhari was overthrown, the oil price remained same and Nigeria did not fail as a nation.

When the self-styled Military President Ibrahim Babangida took over in1985, his first focus was on oil. It was he who moved the price of PMS from 15k to 70k in his eight years of governance. But by far the greatest leap of oil price in Nigeria was introduced by Chief Earnest Shonekan an interim Head of State who took the price from 70k to N5 within the 87 days of his illegal rule.

Then General Sani Abacha the maximum despot who forcefully high jacked power in October 1993 moved the price of PMS from N5 to N11 within his five years in office. That was an average of N1 increase per year. When Abacha died in 1998, General Abdul Salami Abubakar became the Head of State and virtually concentrated on oil. He can be called Nigeria’s Head of oil fields. It was he who took the price of PMS from N11 to N20 within the ten months he ruled Nigeria. When General Obasanjo returned to office as elected President in 1999, his first port of call was oil. Capitalising on the precedent laid by General Abdul Salami Abubakar, he went ahead to raise the price of PMS from N20 to N70 within eight years he spent in office.

Now, to prove that removal of the socalled oil subsidy by previous rulers in Nigeria was a child’s play, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan decided to surpass them all even if all Nigerians would go to the gallows. After consultations with

various stake holders and interest groups including traditional rulers, religious leaders, Labour Unions, ASUU and NANS, all of whom objected to any removal of subsidy at this precarious time, Mr. President decided to go ahead with his plan not minding any contrary opinion. His argument was that facilities like roads, hospitals, schools, refineries and rail system must be provided even if at the expense of the lives of Nigerians. And such removal must be done at a time when the feeding allowance of his family and that of his deputy is unilaterally fixed at about N1billion per year. Mr. President is calling on Nigerians to sacrifice while the cost of his medical services in the Presidential clinic is about N1.2 billion even as another N300 million is earmarked for replacement of his kitchen utensils. For his trips abroad in 2012 alone about N10 billion is earmarked. But to show a good example of sacrifice for the nation, he and his ministers have resolved to cut their salaries by 25 per cent though we are not told the amount of each minister’s salary. And nothing is said about their undisclosed allowances. That is exhibition of power for you.

Thus by the signature of one man appended to an obnoxious policy imposed on the populace, it is certain that many lives will be lost, many marriages will collapse, many children will drop out of school and many agreements will crumble causing irreconcilable rifts. These did not happen in the time of Yar’Adua because there was no cause for such.

With Yar’Ádua as President, Nigerians did not see their newly rekindled hope ending up in a paroxysm of despair as the case today. Until he came on board as President, every other person that ruled Nigeria except Shagari and Buhari had claimed that there was subsidy on oil.

Due to his short time in office, Yar’Adua might not have been perceived as a great achiever but the few achievements he recorded were quite remarkable. If those achievements had been sincerely inherited and maintained, Nigeria would not have been plunged into such a quagmire as we are witnessing today.

At least with his few achievements, many ‘FIRSTS’ can be attributed to him in the history of Nigeria. For instance, he was the first Nigerian President to publicly declare his assets and those of his wife on assuming office. He was the first Nigerian President to publicly admit that the election which brought him into office was flawed thereby promising to reform the electoral process the machinery for which he sincerely put in place before his demise. And he congratulated the Labour gubernatorial candidate, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State who won a court case against a PDP Governor Olusegun Agagu in the spirit of political sportsmanship. Yar’Adua was also the first Nigerian President to confess that there was no subsidy on petroleum products and therefore reduced the price of PMS (petrol) from N70 to N65 per litre. Not only these, he was also the first Nigerian President to declare amnesty in a warless situation to ventilate a conducive atmosphere for permanent peace. If he were alive and remained in the saddle the present situation of uncertainties would not have arisen. Perhaps that was why he called himself a servant leader.

Yar’Adua as a mortal being might have his own weaknesses, nevertheless, his short period as President wrought a remarkable foundation for this country. If he had not displayed the ingenuous tactics of declaring amnesty at the time he did, the story of Nigeria would have been quite different today.

Nigerians continue to remember the good days of Yar’Adua today because the foundation he laid for a new beginning in those days has begun to crumble so soon in the hands of his successors. Just two years before her centenary celebration as a country, the President is telling Nigerians that the security problem in the country is bigger than a civil war and he can hardly handle it. In such a situation, who will save Nigeria from the prediction of the West?

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has agreed in concert with Bornu State Government to pay a compensation of N100 million to the family of Muhammad Yusuf, the leader of Boko Haram who was killed by the police in their cell in 2009. The big question is WHY NOW? And who will compensate the families of several scores of many other Nigerians who were killed subsequently?

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

36

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08022664898

ACROSS 1.Sign (5).

3.Mineral(3) 6.Baking Chamber(4) 7. Avarice(5) 9.Plus(3) 10.Musical note(2) 11.Skill(3) 12.Drinking Vessels(4) 16.Mother(2) 17. Appropriate (3) 18.Urge to do(5) 21.Vigilant (5) 22.Square(4) 23.Golf Score (3)

44

DOWN 1.Labels(4) 2.Crawl (5) 3.Precious stone(5) 4.Hire (4) 5.Final (3) 8.Burst out (5) 13.Move Smoothly (4) 14.Frend(3) 15.Challenge (4) 16.Dispense (4) 19.Encountered (3) 20.Before (3) 21.Single (2)

ALPHA-NUMERIC PUZZLE

Fill the grid to ensure that every row, column and 2 by 3 box contains the letters A, B, C and the numbers 1,2 and 3.

No one number or letter must appear more than once on each row, column and 2 by 3 box.

Celebrity Nook Carl Lewis Wins N.J.’s State Senate Primary

SIMPLY WEIRD POETRY Broken Broken hearts, love’s deceit, pieces fall down to my feet.

Broken promises, love’s a lie, puddles form from tears I cry.

Broken dreams, love’s illusion, sorrowed cause of your intrusion.

Broken hope, love’s a game, doesn’t last, ends the same.

Broken sleep, love’s the cause, digs at me with sharpened claws.

Broken spirit, love of sorrow, stolen now is my tomorrow.

Broken life, love is lost, Broken now and that’s the cost. - Rachel RTVW

Hope is the Thing with Feathers Nine-time Olympic gold winner Carl Lewis is now officially a Democratic state Senate candidate—for now. He won an uncontested race in the New Jersey’s Eight District and could face his Republican opponent, Rep. Dawn Marie Addiego, who also was uncontested.

It’s all up to a federal judge to decide whether Lewis can keep running or will be stopped in his tracks. State Republicans have challenged the former track star’s eligibility to run for elective office, charging that he does not meet the state’s four-year residency requirement. A federal judge allowed his name to appear on the primary ballot although a final ruling on whether the residency requirement is constitutional must still be made.

Lewis was born in New Jersey and owns a home there, but he has lived and worked in California for the past several years and it also is where he last voted. He didn’t register to vote in New Jersey until just before he announced his bid for office.

Pep Talk

“Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all, And sweetest in the gale is heard; And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land And on the strangest sea, Yet never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me.

- Emily Dickinson

Gitanjali In desperate hope I go and search for her in all the corners of my room; I find her not.

My house is small and what once has gone from it can never be regained.

But infinite is thy mansion, my lord, and seeking her I have to come to thy door.

I stand under the golden canopy of thine evening sky and I lift my eager eyes to thy face.

I have come to the brink of eternity from which nothing can vanish—no hope, no happiness, no vision of a face seen through tears.

Oh, dip my emptied life into that ocean, plunge it into the deepest fullness. Let me for once feel that lost sweet touch in the allness of the universe .- Rabindranath Tagore

HUMOUR The teacher came up with a good problem. “Suppose,” she asked the second-graders, “there were a dozen sheep and six of them jumped over a fence. How many would be left?”

“None,” answered little Norman.

“None? Norman, you don’t know your arithmetic.”

“Teacher, you don’t know your sheep. When one goes, they all go!”

A man needing a heart transplant is told by his doctor that the only heart available is that of a sheep. The man finally agrees and the doctor transplants the sheep heart into the man. A few days after the operation, the man comes in for a checkup. The doctor asks him “How are you feeling?” The man replies “Not BAAAAD!” A man goes to his doctor for a complete checkup. He hasn’t been feeling well and wants to find out if he’s ill. After the checkup the doctor comes out with the results of the examination.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. You’re dying and you don’t have much time,” the doctor says.

“Oh no, that’s terrible. How long have I got?” the man asks.

“10...” says the doctor.

“10? 10 what? Months? Weeks? What?!” he asks desperately.

“10...9...8...7...”

BRAIN TEASERS If seven people meet each other and each shakes hands only once with each of the others, how many handshakes will there have been?

If you were to put a coin into an empty bottle and then insert a cork into the neck, how could you remove the coin without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle?

What is the longest word in the English language that consists entirely of vowels (excluding Y)?

The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can. - Robert Cushing

THE NATION

38

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

CRIME WATCH

Families of slain members seek justice F OR Mrs. Juliana Martins, 2011 will always remind her of the year some heartless hoodlums made a widow. She said the miscreatnts invaded the site where her husband had gone to earn their daily bread.

Like every other day, on June 14, 2011, the mother of six had prayed for her 38-year-old husband, Dele Martins and wished him well as he left their Magodo, Lagos residence for a site in Ogiji, Ogun State, where he worked as a mason.

She did not have any inkling that she was bidding her husband the final farewell.

It was gathered that no sooner had Dele and his colleagues settled down for the day’s job than some hoodlums who were armed with all manner of dangerous weapons invaded the site, shooting sporadically, ordering the workers to lie face down.

According to Mrs Martins, the trigger-happy thugs threw caution to the wind and fired directly at close range. Unfortunately, Dele and one of his colleagues, Oluwashina Abbey was among those hit in the chest by the invaders’ pellets. Both of them eventually died.

“His death has left me shattered,” she said. “I have been battling with how to raise our six children alone.

Even though we were not rich, at least, my husband was able to put food on the table and paid the children’s school fees. He was a faithful husband and a loving father.”

Continuing, she said: “If only I had listened to one of our children, perhaps, this would not have befallen us. Our son woke up the previous night and informed us that he had a dream where some people invaded the site where his father was working. I just prayed, believing it would not happen. Had I known, I would have persuaded my husband to stay back at home that day but no!

“That singular disobedience to the

Stories by Jude Isiguzo

voice of reasoning has not only cost me my husband’s life but has also left me with the sole responsibility of catering for our children. But for the assistance of owner of the site, my children would have died of hunger. My last child was barely three months old when it happened.”

Lamenting the inability of the police in finding her husband’s killers, she said: “The annoying part of the whole thing is the inability of the authorities concerned to bring my husband’s killers to book. His assailants are walking freely without any harassment. I am therefore calling on the Inspector-General of Police to use his good offices to bring the killers to justice, even though it would not bring back my late husband,” she said.

Mrs Martins is not alone in this anguish. The aged mother of the other victim, Madam Abbey, is also crying for justice.

The grieving mother of the deceased who was a security man attached to the site as at the time of the incident, wondered why none of those mentioned in the act has not been arrested and brought to justice six months after the gruesome killings.

They told Newsextra that several petitions have been written to police and each time an arrest was made, the suspects were immediately released following directive alleged from ‘above.’

In one of the petitions to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, by Kew Metal Works, owners of the property on which the deceased were working as at the time of the incident, names of 14 suspects were mentioned.

In the petition signed by the company’s lawyer, Mr. Omotubra Abayomi, it alleged that the said

•A picture of the late Abbey in his identity card armed men that invaded the site “were reported to have been procured, engaged, harbored and kept by a man that is having a face-off with the company over the property.

He stormed the site accompanied by his thugs on that fateful day to carry out the killing of our client’s workers at the site.”

The matter was reported at Ogijo Police Station. But only three of the suspects were arrested while others took to their heels.

Abayomi said: “While other fleeing suspects were being hunted by the police, I have it on good authority that they have recently gone to the police at zone Two Command Headquarters, Onikan , Lagos to solicit for the support of their police friends to delve into the matter, harass and intimidate the complainant, his workers and witnesses to the case, all in an effort to truncate and

Community protests installation of leader

F

EAR has gripped residents of Farasime community in Badagry West Local Government Area of Lagos State over a widespread protest that followed the installation of a community head.

The residents had, last week, staged a peaceful protest around the town in what has been described as the rejection of the installation of Abu Awesu as the Baale of the community by Oba Sejiro Ogungbe.

The protest created serious panic among residents of the community who are apprehensive of a likely clash between the supporters of the installed baale and those opposed to him.

The angry protesters also appealed to the Lagos State Government and the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to intervene and investigate the circumstances that surrounded the installation of the baale They accused Oba Sejiro, the Oba of Kwemeland of imposing the new baale on the community singlehandedly, not minding whether or not he is from one of the royal families in the community.

An octogenarian, Pa Yesufu Hunsu, who addressed the protesters, disclosed that due process was not followed in the selection of the community head and that the community kingmakers were not in-

volved in the selection process.

He also alleged that the installed baale does not belong to any of the Ruling Houses that are entitled to the throne after the death of the last baale, Chief Okenike Abdulkareem in 2009.

The community’s youth leader, Dansu Solomon, called on the state government to constitute a panel that will investigate the circumstances surrounding the installation of the baale.

A senior police officer at Badagry Police Station who pleaded anonymity for being incompetent to comment on the matter, enjoined the protesters not to take the law into their own hands.

•Dele make nonsense of the investigation into the murder case that is being conducted by officers and men of the Homicide Section, Force headquarters , Abuja.

“In furtherance to their action, the said members of the aforementioned fleeing suspects on August 6, 2011, stormed our client’s factory at about 11: 00 a.m., accompanied by one Superintendent of Police and a Corporal in the company of numerous heavily armed thugs and men said to be members of a vigilance group from Shagamu and Ogijo to carry out attack on our client’s workers and staff.

“On arrival at the said factory site at Ogijo, the said police officers and the fleeing suspects and their heavily armed men attacked our client’s workers, firing gunshots indiscriminately, damaging our client’s property, caused our client’s storage iron container to be broken into, carted away our client’s building materi-

‘I am not a robber’

A

•Augustine

27-year-old robbery suspect Augustine Jude who hails from Ulapo Village in Imo State has denied the ownership of a loaded gun that was found in his possession.

The suspect claimed that he is only a friend to robbers but has never robbed in his life, let alone owing a gun.

Narrating his ordeal to Newsextra, he said: “I am not an armed robber.

I am only a friend to armed robbers.

I keep guns for them and they give me anything they like after every successful operation.

“This gun belongs to one guy, Ikenna. Ikenna is a personal driver to the gang leader popularly known

as Spino.

“Spino is the one who buys guns for members. He sends Ikenna to Bayelsa State to recruit gang members and bring them to Lagos. He buys two guns at a time and gets the money back when the gang is sharing its loot. He usually brings out certain percentage for gun and planning as he calls it.

“One day Ikenna called me on phone and said I should meet him somewhere with my okada. When I got there, I saw him with Spino. So, I carried Tomgi and we drove to a place and robbed people. We were four and we got N80, 000 but they gave me N10, 000 only.

“They told me that I had not been

initiated hence I would not share the same amount with members. The second operation was at Orile Iganmu area. I got only N5, 000 but I did not complain. It was during the third plan for operation that we were arrested by police on stop-and-search duties on the road.”

He explained that on the day he was arrested, Ikenna called him on phone around 7: 00 p.m. and told me to bring that thing (gun) for repair.

“I took the gun and went to where he asked me to meet him. There I met him with other members of the gang and they told me that they were going for an operation. I agreed to carry one of them popularly known as Tallest.

als, pounced on our client’s site vehicle, a Nissan Cabstar, seized and drove same away to an unknown destination.

“They also chased the workers of our client about and in the process arrested three of them and took them to zone Two Command Headquarters, Onikan where they are still being detained,” it stated.

The petition also alleged that the fleeing suspects were, at present, threatening to kill the present Managing Director of KEW Metal Works, Mr. Gbenga Erogbogbo.

Gbenga Erogogbo, the man whose life is allegedly being threatened said: “My father bought over one hundred acres of land since 1978. The southern part was where the factory was built while the northern part was left fallow.

But in 2004, there was an encroachment on the southern part because the factory was closed down for a while. My father then approached the elders who said it was omonile that were involved and promised to speak with them.

“But there was no move to stop the encroachment and they were taken to court where an injunction restraining anybody from working or building on the land was obtained. But my father had stroke in 2008 and nobody was there to fight for him. As a result, the encroachment started massively. “Unfortunately, my father died that year.

After my father’s death, the family decided to preserve the land by fencing it round but there was much resistance to it, as trespassers and omoniles came to stop us from carrying on with the fencing project.

“However, on our way, policemen on stop-and-search duty stopped us for a search. They did not see anything incriminating on me but when they searched Tallest who I was carrying on my motorcycle, they saw a gun on him and shouted armed robbers!! Armed robbers!!!

Stand still wherever you are or I will fire. The moment I heard that order, I lay down flat while my colleague opened fire and escaped.

“I was handcuffed by the policemen who later handed me over to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

I am not an armed robber. The armed robbers have escaped.

“They are my friends yes and I am ready to help the police to find them.

They are bad friends. I was following them because of the small money I was getting from them,” the suspect said.

THE NATION

39

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

Akpabio proffers solution to Nigeria’s crises

•Akpabio

A

KWA Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio has said that for Nigeria to survive the current socio-economic and political challenges, everyone must love for one another.

He also said there was need for Nigerians to surrender the nation and its leadership to God. The governor also stressed that the business of leadership should not be left in the hands of President Goodluck Jonathan alone.

The governor gave the advice during the state’s inter-denominational solemn assembly. The programme was organised for the re-dedication of the state to God.

“I will do a new thing” was its theme.

He further stated that every Akwa Ibom person and indeed all Nigerians needed to change from evil ways for the betterment of the state and the country.

According to him, the way forward for the country is unity. He therefore urged evildoers within and outside the state to turn a new leaf in order to escape divine punishment.

Akpabio maintained that “there is only one God who created all mankind with a charge to serve Him.” While insisting that there was room for repentance, the governor said any further attempt by people to destroy other people’s lives will attract the wrath of God. Governor Akpabio said his firm belief in God as the root of all successes warranted his routine to start every year of his governance with solemn assembly and end it with a night of carol. He praised all clerics who attended the event.

The solemn assembly which was officiated by hundreds of pastors and bishops within and outside Akwa Ibom State witnessed another massive turn out of people including the governor himself who was accompanied by his wife Ekaette Unoma, the Deputy Governor and his wife, state and National Assembly lawmakers, royal fathers, and opinion leaders, among others.

The Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Bishop Sunday Ola Makinde took his sermon from the book of 2Chronicle 7:15

which reads: “Now my eyes are open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” He urged the people to pray believing that God will not forsake Akwa Ibom State.

Dr Makinde prophesied more blessings from God for the state in 2012.

The chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Akwa Ibom State, Bishop Cletus Bassey

Every Akwa Ibom person and indeed all Nigerians needed to change from evil ways for the betterment of the state and the country…The way forward for the country is unity. He therefore urged evildoers within and outside the state to turn a new leaf in order to escape divine punishment

while addressing the congregation stated the importance of the gathering.

Quoting copiously from the Book of Isaiah 65:17, he said: “Behold, I will create a new heaven and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

He added that if the people of Akwa Ibom State will humble themselves before the Lord, He will hear their cry and heal their land.

Prayers were offered for President Goodluck Jonathan, and the disorganisation of the satanic network responsible for the bombing, kidnapping, arm robbery and assassination in the country.

Wrestlers storm Edo for Oshiomhole

P

ROFESSIONAL wrestlers from 26 countries are expected in Edo State to participate in the first Comrade Adams Oshiomhole International Wrestling Championship which will hold in February, 2012.

The championship, which is expected to hold across six centres in the three Senatorial Districts of the state, is tagged “Parade of the Titans.”

Initiator of the championship, Prince Hameed Olaruwaju Mohammed said the 10 categories of belt to be contested for included Super Heavy Weight, Heavy Weight, Tag Team, Ladder Belt,

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Ladies Champion, Royal Ramble, Light Heavy Weight, Middle Weight and Cruiser Weight.

Prince Mohammed, who spoke during the presentations of the trophy and flags of participating countries to the state chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Mr. Thomas Okosun, a lawyer, said their intention was to contribute their quota to support Governor Oshiomhole in the sporting sector.

Prince Mohammed further noted that they decided to promote the activities of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole through sports since,

according to him, in other sector, he has done credibly well, hence they decided to engage the Edo State people in sports.

“We know that sports bring everybody together, irrespective of your party affiliation. In the time of sports, everybody is together. We also decided to engage the people in wrestling instead of the normal popular football.

“Wrestling competition is as old as man. When we start in February, Edo State will witness whois-who in this country and across the globe.”

Responding, Mr. Okosun said the necessary support would be given to make the event a success.

Don’t disappoint, council chief urges appointees

T

HE chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Kehinde Bamigbetan has charged the new political appointees in the council not to disappoint the people.

Mr Bamigbetan gave the charge during the swearing-in ceremony of nine appointees inside the council’s legislative chamber.

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party leaders and members, as well as spouses and friends of the appointees witnessed the colourful ceremony.

The council chairman urged the appointeees to see their appointment as a call to commitment and excellence.

His words: “I want to appeal to you not to take residents of Ejigbo LCDA for granted; they are more intelligent than you, and they have high expectations of what you are supposed to do. You must be humbled by their complaints, because you chose to serve them. It is your responsibility to make them happy, and as such you should be patient to listen to them and address their problems”.

Mr. Bamigbetan, while congratulating the new appointees, reminded them that they should not see their new positions as avenues to enrich themselves, but an opportunity to contribute their own quota to the development of the LCDA. In his address at the occasion, the ACN chairman in the council area, Hon. Micheal Adegoke advised the appointees to co-operate with the council chairman by proving to him

•From left: Wasiu Atinsola, Muritala Olaiwon, Remi Gbadegeshin, Ayotunde Ojo and Taiwo Adebayo

By Duro Babayemi

that they are committed to his programmes and plans of making Ejigbo a better place to live in. The party chair told them further that anyone of them who is found wanting would be sanctioned by the party.

The appointees who were sworn in at the occasion included, Mr. Remi Gbadegeshin, as Secretary to

the Local Government, Hon. Muritala Olaiwon, Mrs Onyinye Okoroji, Mr. Ayotunde Ojo, Mr Peter Ajayi, Mr. Taiwo Taheed Adebayo, Mrs Oluwayemisi Alashe, Mr. Wasiu Atinsola and Mr Ihechi Ike, as supervisors and special advisers.

The supervisors and special advisers would be given their portfolios at a later date, according to the council chairman.

They should not see their appointment as avenues to enrich themselves, but an opportunity to contribute their own quota to the development of the LCDA

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

40

Joined by the DCC children, he gave an address in which he expressed the joy of sharing with them, describing them as troublesome, playful and loving like other children

•Governor Imoke and children of Destiny Child Centre, Calabar

A

host of fashion designers converged on the prestigious Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, Calabar for the third edition of the DCC Fashion Show, a yearly fundraiser for the Destiny Child Centre (DCC).

Currently home to over 100 youngsters, the DCC was established in 2009 by the wife of Cross River State Governor, Obioma Liyel Imoke for the rehabilitation and resettlement of street children.

It was a display of the finest collections; the bold, the classy and the sassy. The roll call of clothing lines included Frank Oshodi’s House of Bunor, House of Dorcas, Kiki

R

ELIGIOUS leaders have been berated for what was decribed as their extravagant lifestyle and for failing to be role models for their followers and other Nigerians.

The Executive Director, Centre for Religious Co-operation and Tolerance, Prof. S. A. Olagoke

Centre marks third anniversary From Leke Oyeyinka

Kamanu, Just Judy’s, Davida, Queeen Ahneva, iamISIGO, Liwhan, Mmabon, Sunny Rose, Naledi’s Clothing, Orange Culture, 20th September, Ajeh, Yomi Casuals and lines from the US: Uzuri International and TK Design.

With renowned Jara presenters Uti Nwachukwu and Helen Paul as compeers for the event, the audience was entertained at every stage of the event.

Julius Agwu nearly had them fall-

ing off their seats, as they were overtaken by boisterous laughter.

He wittily admonished them to step out of their comfort zones and lend a hand to the project.

Musical performances by youngsters; Mya K and Kamsee and choreography by children of the DCC highlighted the rich potential with which every child is blessed.

Timi Dakolo lent his presence with several soul-stirring numbers.

The runway was also graced by celebrity models: Kate HenshawNutttal and Carnival Calabar Queens from 2007 to date.

The unveiling of the mystery model, Elder Mrs Eme Nwakaokoro was the highlight of the night. Though in her eighties, she cat-walked the runway with astounding grace, drawing a standing ovation.

Governor Liyel Imoke also appeared in the spotlight. Joined by the DCC children, he gave an address in which he expressed the joy of sharing with them, describing them as troublesome, playful and loving like other children.

The night ended with a perform-

ance by P-square, who was joined by the ever bubbly children of the DCC. In accordance with the tradition, proceeds from the show, which include ticket sales, corporate and individual donations and sponsorship and sale of clothing materials donated by designers, will be channeled towards the running of the Destiny Child Centre.

•Oyeyinka sent this report from Calabar

‘Religious leaders have failed the nation’

By Adebisi Onanuga

made this observation during a lecture delivered at the induction of Fellows and members of the

Institute of Administrators and Researchers of Nigeria held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka Conference Centre.

He expressed regret that reli-

gious leaders now compete with members of their congregation in material acquisition, even as he added that with such negative trends, they are in no way better than the unbelievers.

Prof. Olagoke advised them to re-order their priorities and be role models in the society so that the country could rid herself of problems of bad leadership and corruption.

“You have your callings which are to show your followers the right way and be their role model.

When Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed were alive, they were not after worldly pursuit. They lived on principle and their exploits were on record till today,” he said.

Olagoke, who stressed that the Holy Bible and the Quaran are the same, enunciated that the essence

of the two religious books is super development of man and the society.

He posited that for Nigeria to break record in democratic practice, we must remove sycophantic culture of rulership by propaganda and promote leadership by reality.

Prof. Olagoke was optimistic that God was very much interested in the advancement of the country and urged Nigerians to co-operate with those in authority in order to move the nation forward.

The President of the Institute, Prof. Clement Uwemedimoh admonished the inductees to develop enthusiasm for research, adding that they should study to acquire knowledge and prove themselves fit for the task ahead; not only for their organisation but also for all the people they come across daily.

You have your callings which are to show your followers the right way and be their role models. When Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed were alive, they were not after worldly pursuits. They lived on principle and their exploits were on record till today •Some of the female protesters

SHOPPING

41

THE NATION

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

e-mail: janicenkoli@yahoo.com 08033349992 sms only

email:- shopping@thenationonlineng.net

• Empty street of Idumota, Lagos.

No where to shop • How strike crippled markets

Since Monday, it has been quiet in markets and offices. Consumers have not been able to go shopping because of the closure of markets over the ongoing fuel subsidy removal strike. TONIA ‘DIYAN writes on the effect of the policy on shopping.

•STORY ON PAGE 42

Light shirts, sweaty patches Page 42

Shopping for maternity wears Page 43

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

42

SHOPPING

No where to shop C

OMMERCIAL activities have been paralysed since Monday, resulting in the closure of markets, malls, super markets, eateries and private shops owned by individuals.

Their closure followed protest over the increase in petrol pump price from N65 to N141 per litre.

Movements and sales were restricted to the streets and within neighbourhoods.

Even shops on the street were partially opened with operators at alert to quickly close in case of any danger.

Some food stuff sellers like pepper and fish, which are perishable goods, brought the remaining stock to sell in front of their houses at “glamorous prices”.

A popular meat seller in Ikorodu told The Nation Shopping that the Lagos abattoirs did not open, so there was no fresh meat anywhere. As a result, some people bought whatever frozen foods was avaible from cold rooms, which opened only in the street. Even the popular suya spots found at various corners and major places are all shut down thanks to the strike and fear by the sellers who are from the North.

The popular Ketu market known for relatively cheap fruits and foodstuffs has remained shut since the strike commenced on Monday.

The market is just a short distance from the Gani Fawehinmi Park where the masses gathered daily in peaceful demonstrations of their grievances over the sudden increase in the price of petrol by the Jonathan administration .

But every evening, when the protesters dispersed, a few market women would come out to display the little stock they have left at home to sell on the streets. Knowing full well that people would exhausted the food stuffs bought before the strike and they need to cook for their families.

One of the sellers, Iyabo, told The Nation Shopping that she has her four children to feed. ‘’I no come here come hide sell my fish, my pikin them no go eat.” Others wouldn’t have the time to speak as they were all engaged in their trade.

Though these food stuffs are sold at double their normal prices.Ranging from pepper, palm oil, vegetable oil, garri, starch, pap, fish, tomatoes, fufu, etc.

• Mile 12 market.

• Ketu market.

Have you ever wished that those embarrassing sweat patches on your shirt go away or that the dirty coffee spill never occurred? Wearing fresh Max shirts is the only answer to the problem. They are 100 per cent cotton shirts that do not show sweat patches and spills. They show nothing but confidence, writes TONIA ‘DIYAN

T

HOUGH sweating is natural and everybody does it, nobody likes it.

This is because sweat makes shirts dirty sooner than expected.

However, there are many shirts on sale, but some save users from the problem than others.

Fresh Max shirts take care of the sweat than others. They have many advantages over others. They are light and comfortable. With a Max shirt, you will look sharp in a meeting, cool at the bar or heavenly at church, during a job interview, a date or when travelling, no matter how much you sweat.

A Fresh Max Shirt looks and feels like any other quality shirt; the difference is its revolutionary Smart Weave technology which prevents sweat marks.

The shirt has been crafted to exact standards where each is tailored using silk needles to ensure a clean finish along the seams.

It tracks current and upcoming trends to ensure the collection always includes both classic and contemporary designs.

Its has been specially developed and computer modelled to provide a garment that can be worn with a suit and tie, without a jacket, or casually with jeans.

The smart weave technology, which is extremely difficult to produce, is used. It draws perspiration away from the skin, transports it across the shirt’s inner surface. Then, the moisture is spread very finely over a large surface area, encouraging it to dry quickly, maintaining a fresh feeling through out the day.

The weave actively directs the perspiration away from the outside of the shirt, preventing unsightly sweat marks from appearing.

It helps to look and feel confident, as it is essential to performance, also one would feel fresh and in control.

It is made of high-quality fabrics, the material is soft, smooth, light and extremely comfortable to wear. Not only will it prevent sweat marks, it will also keep you feeling cool and dry.

One good thing is that no one knows, because it looks like an ordinary shirt.

They come in various bright colours and patterns; shirt in sky blue, shirt in pale pink, shirt in white, shirt in bold blue stripe, shirt in bold pink stripe, shirt in red and black tartan etc.

• Naval blue.

• Red and black tartan.

Light shirts, sweaty patches Shirt in sky blue is a custom-designed cut, which looks great with a suit and tie or works equally well when worn casually with a pair of jeans. The fit combines stylish tailoring with relaxed comfort.

Therefore, whether you’re in a meeting, on a date or cycling to work, you’ll always look and feel as cool and collected as you did when you first slipped the shirt on.

Shirt in pale pink is ideal to wear on any occasion. Like all FreshMax shirts, it contains smart weave technology, which actively prevents sweat marks.

The fit combines stylish tailoring with relaxed comfort.

White shirt give all the confidence needed all day. Suitable for an interview for a new job, equally well when worn casually with a pair of jeans.

Eric Nwachukwu, one of the numerous customers of the Fresh Max shirts, said: “I wore the blue shirt on a hot summer night to a sweaty jazz club, for the first time in my life.

No sweat patches at all. I didn’t really expect it to work, but it did. My brothers are all using it. So, we wont be a sweaty family

anymore or at least it won’t be seen.”

Also, Taiwo Adeyemi, said: “I can’t believe it. I have spent years wearing jackets and jumpers to hide the marks and now this comes along. It’s amazing. “ “I used to get nervous and that made me sweat more. It was like a vicious circle. I got to the point where I had to avoid certain situations in case I got embarrassed, but these shirts have changed that. I don’t have disgusting marks under my arms. I seem to sweat a lot less, maybe because I feel more confident,” Odafe Akose.

43

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

SHOPPING

Shopping for maternity wears Pregnancy is the most beautiful period in a woman’s life.

Expectedly, the period also goes with the change of clothes. Maternity clothes have a lot more styles that one can use them for more than one pregnancy, writes TONIA’DIYAN

S

HOPPING for trendy maternity clothes is easier these days than many years ago. Designers have made maternity wears a priority in today’s fashion.

Gone are the days when some women wear their husband’s baggy shirts. Tight fitting maternity wears showing off one’s beautiful belly has become a fashion statement in today.

Most likely, if it is the first time one is pregnant, one is likely to stay off maternity clothes for four months. The clothes will feel warm for sure and one may end up buying bigger size in regular clothes. By five months, one will be seeing a bump in one belly. For those who have had children previously, within six to nine weeks, their clothes will be tight and they will be in their pregnancy clothes soon. The maternity cloth features signature wrapping and ruching in luxury pregnancy friendly fabrics. Some maternity wears are created to flatter the owner.

The maternity collection is designed to work from day into evening as some maternity clothing complements one’s curves. Gone are the days of baby doll smocks and T-shirts announcing “Baby This Way.” Today, we have a wide variety of clothes, from business to dress/formal wear, and even maternity lingerie, nursing dresses, tops, trousers, premium stretch maternity jeans, shorts, layering tops, etc.

Shop for funky maternity clothing in your pre-pregnancy size. If you are small in your regular clothing, then look for a small maternity wear. Make sure you allow enough room to grow and stretch. Buy wears with spandex or elastic so it can grow with your belly. Stripes and prints will make you look larger than you are, don’t forget to stick to solid colours.

The one prohibitive part of maternity clothes continues to be the money invested for clothing that gets worn for such a short time. To settle this, shop at stores where sales are on, discounts outlets, consignment shops or even end of year sales.

There are clothes one can buy that will take you all the way from pregnancy to nursing.

There are also sets that can be purchased that when you add a few colour T-shirts, you’ve got a whole wardrobe for a lot less than one would spend on two really nice outfits. If one is even slightly handy with sewing, making one’s own clothes should be fairly easy to do.

Buying maternity clothes does have its benefits, but the main benefit is that wellfitting maternity clothes are going to make you look and feel better. Choosing a size is usually based on your pregnancy weight.

• Long maternity wear.

• Funky maternity wear.

Though there are sizing charts available, notwithstanding try each piece on or if buying on line, ensure a good return policy.

Under wears deserves some mention as well. The maternity bikini underwear has bands just high enough to flip down .There are also granny panties which are delightful and comes in larger sizes, they work the best.

Shop around, see what you can get from friends and relatives and spend much less amount of money on a few well-chosen pieces to help you feel better. Looking great will help your esteem when pregnant and make you more comfortable in the long run.

• Stylish maternity wear.

Shopping Right with

After the festivities

F

OR the umpteenth time, I still maintain that shopping is one of the things we all have to do. Be it shopping for food, clothes, shelter or whatever, you just have to head for the stores sometime. It is everyone’s business.

Not even the hullabaloo about Christmas shopping could halt people from going to the stores this time. This is January. Many would tell you that they are not cut out for shopping because it is still early in the year.

But this will not stop them from buying essential commodities or those things dear to them. Perishable food items are the most patronised, irrespective of the rise in prices.

As the saying goes, man must wak.

Actually, for other products, this is the time to get good bargains. This is because the general notion is that there is no money.

As a result, many shops are willing to give great discounts. Besides, many would want to clear their warehouse to make room for new stock. Also, if you have some bucks on you, this is the right time to buy goods at clearance rates. Many of those things that sold at exorbitant cost during the festive period will definitely sell at give away prices.

Many would talk about how much they had spent traveling to celebrate the Yuletide with their families and kinsmen.

So many tales abound for many who sought to have a swell time during the festive season. For some, tales of woe, for others, memories of joy. Many visited their villages, having been outside the country for a very long time.

I actually know of this guy who had been in Canada for ten years. He got married to a Canadian and just came home with his wife and baby. It was a period of celebration and great shopping. The only problem was that, not being conversant with the bad road, his car fell into a ditch. The car was rigorously battered, but he came out alive, though severely injured.

As people were shopping few hours before the New Year at the Mammy Market of the Sanni Abacha Barracks in Abuja, a bomb exploded killing scores and others wounded. Shortly after the mourning died down, residents were back in the market.

That is the awesomeness of the need to shop.

Though the sad times were there, there is every cause to give thanks to God for his mercies and providence.

Truth is, shopping is an essential aspect of life which everyone must indulge in.

We have the books and TVs telling us where to go and have fun, what events to attend, what celebrities wear and the things in vogue, but no one ever gives insight as to what to look for when we pass through the threshold of the shop to be able to get those cutest stuffs. This is where shopping right plays supreme.

Some of us just get on with it and muddle through the process hoping to score more successes than failure. A few girls and a larger percentage of the boys hate it, while others are just too obsessed by it.

I think it is a good development that the face of shops is lifting these days. When at its best, shopping to me, should be the best theatre. It should simply be fabulous. There are the clothes, the colours, shapes and textures. Great service is also employed by many shops these days, even as we are transiting from the road side stores and neighbourhood kiosks to orderly markets and malls.

The reason is not far fetched. Just as tech-

JANICE NKOLI IFEME nology and every other aspect of life is improving, along side the individual, the world of shopping is equally making progress. Proactive investors understand the power of money, so they invest in malls so huge as to signify the importance of the shopper. The idea of the modern mall is to design a world where the shopper is king.

In this kingdom, the punter rules with his money.

“The ambience should enthrall you; the window displays should tempt you; the decor, fixtures and fittings should ignite your senses. Music and mood should transport you to another realm; the realm where you just want to get the best and where you are lured to shop till you drop. At least, that is how things ought to be when shops do it right.

That does not mean that you should go without your wits. You sure must be in your right mind to shop right.”

For me, right shopping should be all about having an eye for quality and style. Really, it should be a time of fun and fervour. If you want the best, you have to go all out for it.

The shopping interval for some, is a time well spent, and for others, it is a world of contempt! No matter what your attitude towards shopping may be, there are some ways to streamline the experience without breaking your back, wallet, or patience!

Before you venture into a shopping centre, make a list with two categories: Things you need and things you want. This will help you sort out your priorities. Vow to yourself that you would not buy something you want at the expense of something you need.

Put yourself in a good mood. None of the employees in the stores want to deal with anyone in a bad mood. You would get much further being pleasant while requesting help or looking for an item. Remember, this even when you call stores for an item. No one wants to be yelled at by a perfect stranger while they are doing their best to do a good job.

Do some preliminary research. Find the approximate price of the desired items to make sure you are getting a good deal, and also locate the stores where these items are being sold. Write the lowest price you found next to the item on your list. That way, you will have more options, especially if you find yourself coming dangerously close to the limits of your budget.

Decide how much money you would allow yourself to spend. Just hold the amount of cash you want to spend. However, it may be a good idea to keep an ATM or Point of Sale card with you in case of an emergency (emergency pairs of shoes or boxes of chocolates don’t count)!

• This column is being re-run due to popular demand.

Write to us, express your views, observations and experiences. Let’s have your comments about shopping. Your comments, questions and answers will be published first Friday of every month. With your full name and occupation, send e-mail to: janicenkoli@yahoo.com SMS - 08033349992

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

44

AGRO-BUSINESS ‘Livestock can create 350,000 jobs’

T

• From left: Director, Co-operative Services, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives Mrs Ayo Awokulehin; member, House Committee on Agriculture, Adebimpe Akinsola; Chairman, Ibraheem Layode and Commissioner for Agriculture and Co-operatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, during the special sales, at the Eko Farmers Mart, Ikeja.

Expert advocates food subsidy for the poor H

OW can the poor be helped to feed themselves?

It is through the issuance of a national food stamp, says, a consultant to Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Prof Biyi Daramola.

Food stamp aids lower-income families in buying a variety of food products at retail. Eligibility is based on income and assets.

Daramola said with the removal of fuel subsidy, disposable income of families have changed, and the level of poverty and hunger raised.

Subsidy removal, he said, has added to the declining economic growth and social conditions in the country, necessitating the creation of a national food stamp programme.

Daramola of the Department of Agric Economics, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), proposed the establishment of a fund for the programme.

He said the management of the food stamp programmes should be handled by civil right groups. This is to ensure that all persons are eligible to participate.

From the fund, grants will be given to groups, such as faith-based organisations, to encourage more

•Daramola Stories by Daniel Essiet, Agric Correspondent

people to use food stamps.

Given that food stamp is a welfare programme, he said the administrators would need to keep records on each recipient’s income, expenses, and other personal data.

As fraud and abuse are associated

with government management of public programmes, Daramola said efforts needed to be intensified to prevent wrongdoing, so civil society groups should be involved to keep track of millions of individuals and verify that their information is accurate.

With private groups, he noted that it will be easy to keep tabs on retailers who deal in food stamps to look for illegal trafficking activity.

Food stamps will be issued in the form of electronic debit cards and will reduce fraud.

The fund will provide grants to participating groups to pay for benefits and administrative costs and disburse funding to groups that operate the programme.

He said families with incomes below poverty level should receive free meals, while others should receive reduced-price meals.

Daramola urged the Federal Government to fund school lunch programmes by providing free and low-cost meals to needy school children that could not afford to pay for lunches.

He added that the subsidy has pushed up prices beyond the means of their parents.

‘Bonga spill cause of high cost of fish’

F

ISHERMEN operating in Akwa Ibom State’s atlantic shorelines have attributed the current fish scarcity to the oil spill from Bonga oil fields run by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

Some of the fishermen said the withdrawal order issued to them by the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), had limited their activities.

Akwa Ibom chapter Chairman of Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (ARFAN), Rev Samuel Ayadi, said the fishermen have complied with the directive.

“The scarcity of fish being experienced by Nigerians is largely a result of the Bonga oil spill, which is situated in the deep sea where we were making big catches.

“Since December 22, 2011, none of our members has gone to sea and the supply of fish has dwindled.

“The fish you see in the market now are the ones caught before the spill and the stock held by middlemen. There is a decline in supply because of the directive and if the situation remains the same, then prices will go up further because the middlemen will capitalise on

the situation.

“We are hoping that the regulators of the oil industry would expedite action and certify the waters safe again, so that we can return to work in earnest, because the spill has thrown more than 6,000 fishermen out of business in the past three weeks,” Ayadi said.

According to him, a stick of smoked “Bonga” fish containing 10 pieces now sells at N1,600 as against N700, while a stick of 10 sardine fish sells for N1,200 compared with its former price of N500. A basin of crayfish also rose to N17,000 from N10,000 in the

open market, he lamented.

Ayadi said about eight neighbouring states depend on Akwa Ibom for fish and other seafoods. At Ibeno fish market in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, the prices of frozen fish and other sea foods have also gone up. A kilogramme of croaker fish now sells for N1,400 compared to the former price of N800.

One kilogramme of red snapper fish also goes for N1,400 from N1,000, while barracuda fish sells for N1,600 as against N1,000 per kilogramme.

Fadama III provides jobs for women

T

HE Fadama III programme has provided employment and economic empowerment for women participants.

The Enugu State Co-ordinator of the programme, Mrs Amaka Uzoechina, said 50 per cent of the women who participated in the programme last year, engaged in dry season farming.

According to her, the women planted assorted fruits and a variety of vegetables, including pep-

per, tomatoes and pumpkins.

“To ensure bumper harvest, we provide the women with hand water pumps to enable them to water their farms effectively.

“We also supply them with improved seedlings as well as organic and inorganic fertilisers for improved yields.’’

She, however, expressed concern that the removal of fuel subsidy might impact negatively on the programme.

HE livestock sector has the potential of creating an estimated 350,000 jobs in the next four years.

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, who spoke in Abuja, said Nigeria has one of the largest herds of animals in Africa but has not been able to meet the demand because of poor nutrition, disease and poor breed of animals.

According to him, the yearly demand for meat and livestock products is high.

He said demand for beef stands at 600,000 tonnes, goat meat 450,000 tonnes, poultry meat 500,000 tonnes and egg 250,000 tonnes, while Demand for milk is about 649,000 tonnes.

To bridge the demand/supply gap, Adesina said the livestock transformation programme aims to achieve self sufficiency in meat and livestock production by 2015, through investment in livestock value chain programmes, such as large-scale farming in five geo-ecological zones, upgrade of local breeds through selective breeding and artificial iInsemination, and expansion of hatchery capacity to 25 million day-old chicks, (broilers and layers) weekly, among others.

Adesina said the government would promote the development of abattoirs and livebird market in each state, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On the oil palm transformation agenda, he said the team was engaged in field visits to secure commitment of state governments to the scheme.

He said they would identify nursery operators to participate in dry season oil palm nursery from February in addition to registering smallholder oil palm farmers.

Adesina said the ministry was set to establish zonal offices in the six geo-political zones to co-ordinate its operations.

He said the measure became imperative to boost the agriculture transformation agenda.

“The states for zonal offices have

been picked while required logistics and personnel for their effective take-off are being worked out.

“In addition, all the existing state offices are being put back to proper shape for effective commencement of operations by February.”

According to him, the ministry is partnering with both the states and local government councils to ensure positive results from the value chain initiative in the five identified targeted commodities of rice, cassava, cotton, cocoa and sorghum.

“Over 60 per cent of Nigerians who depend on agriculture as a source of livelihood are at the grassroots, including the states and local government areas; therefore, government cannot afford to neglect the sector.

“Agriculture should be made a big and huge business through which we should be comfortable.

“Democracy is a system that we must make to work in the country and this could only be made possible through sustainable food security.”

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Ezekiel Oyemomi, noted that the development of the agricultural sector would go a long way to address the unemployment challenges facing the country.

Oyemomi underscored the importance of building the capacity of the ministry to be able to achieve the objectives of the transformation agenda.

According to him, 1,000 staff of the ministry will undergo training in various aspects of agriculture both home and abroad.

He called for the co-operation of the staff to enable the ministry to positively touch the lives of Nigerians.

“It is time for us to put heads together and harness the agricultural potential that abound in the country but this cannot be achieved without proper capacity building for staff.”

Oyemomi said with adequate cooperation, Nigeria would be able to meet the 2015 target of food sufficiency.

Five more states get projects

T

HE World Bank-Assisted Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) is to be expanded to five more states to cover the six geopolitical zones and further increase the number of beneficiaries. This will bring the number of participating states to 10.

At the Mid-Term Review Mission of the project in Lagos, it was also agreed that the project be restructured to enhance speedy implementation and prompt disbursement to project beneficiaries.

The mission team visited four participating states and met with stakeholders, beneficiaries and top government officials. The states are Enugu, Cross River, Kano and Lagos.

The Task Team Leader of the project, Dr Lucas Akapa, told the state governments that CADP would ensure alignment with federal and state governments agricultural policies, especially the new Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

Akapa added that to ensure sustainability of the interventions, the project will make adequate arrangement towards ensuring the sustainability of the project after its closure in December 2014. “The issue of sustainability is very important as most of projects’ interventions died after the closure of the projects,” said Lucas Akapa.

The National Project Coordinator of CADP, Dr. Amin Babandi, said the Mid-Term Review Mission was meant to reflect and take a comprehensive review of the general performance of all

the components of the project and study the lessons learnt to correct them. “At half way, we need to reflect and get those aspects that are correct and enhance them, look at those that are not working and correct them,” Babandi said.

Babandi who lamented the low implementation performance, urged project staff to quickly make significant progress to enable commercial farmers to benefit from the laudable objectives of the project.

The Mid-Term Review is conducted at the middle of a project life to review performance and identify challenges impeding the smooth implementation of the project in the last two and a half years as well as work out solutions that would expedite implementation and attainment of the project development objectives.

CADP is being implemented in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Cross River and Enugu and will support three value chains per state as follows: Cross River - oil palm, cocoa and rice, Enugu - fruit trees, poultry and maize; Kaduna - fruit trees, dairy and maize; Kano, rice, dairy and maize and Lagos - poultry, aquaculture and rice.

With the restructuring and expansion of the project to other states, more value chains are expected to be added. The project will have direct impact on 50,000 small and medium commercial farmers while many households will benefit indirectly through access to farm roads, energy and market through spillover effects.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

45

AGRO-BUSINESS Expanding agric frontiers in Anambra

By Daniel Essiet, Agric Correspondent

A

• Bags of rice

Firm to produce Thai rice A

NIGERIAN firm has gone into production of Thai rice to stem importation of the commodity from Thailand.

Maganiya Agro Allied Limited (MAAL) has signed an agreement with agricultural experts from Thailand to that effect.

The rice plantation will be located at Wukari in Taraba State, the firm said.

The Vice-Chairman of Broron Group, Mr Henry Ojogho, said his company entered into an agreement with Maganiya, on the projects. He said the Wukaris Tsokundi road will be constructed for easy evacuation of the product.

Ojogho said the Thai tech-

By Daniel Essiet, Agric Correspondent

nical team has visited the plantation to collect soil samples from three different locations, adding that samples of rice plant from the site have been taken to Thailand for analysis. According to Ojogho, the Thai agricultural experts also visited the Wukari and Yola Rice Mills, where they observed farmers harvesting rice and collected some samples which have also taken to Thailand.

The Thai technical team comprising Dr. Chaiarre Witith, Mr. Chindarat Somchai, Mr. Lewsa-Ngar Popkid and Mr. Michael Abdullah Adegbesan, vis-

ited the plantation with officials of Maganiya, led by Mr. Ifeanyi Ajaebili, technical manager.

At the Wukari Rice Mill, where the expert saw three varieties of paddy rice: TR, CP and short rice, and at the Yola Mill, they watched farmers harvesting rice.

The partners have agreed that inhabitants of the hostcommunity be engaged to work on the farm.

The district head of Tsokundi, Dr. Shekarau Masaibi, while conducting the team round the water house near Tsokundi river, promised the community’s support for the use of the water house.

The team also visited I.O. Farms Limited in Agbede,

Edo State, which is an integrated farm with poultry, piggery, fish pond, grass cutter, goat, cattle, pineapple, plantation among others It met with the farm’s Chairman, Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

At the farms, the team proffered advice on ways to improve the faltering of pigs, fish, poultry production and pineapple cultivation.

About 6.7 million bags of rice were ordered from Thailand for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Last year, Nigeria emerged the biggest buyer of Thai rice. It imported 1.44 million tonnes Thailand rice representing 15.7 per cent of the 9.04 million tonnes of total rice exports.

AfDB hails IITA’s work in Africa

T

HE African Development Bank (AfDB) has praised the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for its marvelous work in Africa.

IITA Secretary-General Ms Cecilia Akintomide said the body is not only increasing knowledge in the sciences through research, but also transforming lives in Africa.

“The impact is real and I am proud of the results coming out of this African-based research institution,” Akintomide said when she IITA in Ibadan, Oyo State. This is not the first time IITA is being

praised for its impact in Africa.

In 2007, an impact assessment team by the Science Council of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) reported that about 70 per cent of CGIAR’s impact by the CGIAR in Africa came from research output of IITA. Akintomide noted that IITA’s gene bank has become useful in post-conflict countries. The bank, she said, is the source of the seeds and plants used to restart farming in post-conflict countries, such as Angola, Democratic

Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.

She recalled that in Nigeria, before the discovery of oil, agriculture was the key driver of the economy, with cocoa playing a leading role, particularly in the Southwestern region. The early infrastructure in the region were built with revenues generated from cocoa, she said.

Akintomide said AfDB’s Medium Term Strategy (MTS) included in its pillars; infrastructure, higher education, science and technology.

These MTS pillars provide areas of convergence be-

tween AfDB and IITA. IITA Director-General, Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, lauded the bank for its investment in research and development.

He said besides improving the quality of research, IITA would continue to focus on capacity building and the strengthening of partnership with international and local institutions.

These areas of focus by IITA, he said, would help in addressing the challenges facing the continent and compliesment the bank’s efforts towards improving lives.

‘Combating plant diseases will boost food security’

A

DON has called for measures to prevent loss of crop yield and impact on food availability.

The Head of Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Prof. Abel Ogunwale, said intensifying efforts on pest and disease management will prevent loss of crop and improve food security.

He said early pest and disease management approach has become necessary to maintain maximum crop

yield in the face of climate change.

Ogunwale said a whole lot is needed beyond use of pesticides to nurture crops to make them sustainable crops.

The don advocated a reliable crop production and sustainable food production system.

He warned against destruction of crop diversity centres, adding that securing genetic diversity is the key to food security.

Ogunwale reiterated that protecting crop genetic diversity is vital in ensuring

future food security.

Except these varieties are preserved, the expert noted that the nation would lose traditional crops, which are better placed to combat pests or diseases.

He said the pillar of the local farming system are locally-bred varieties, which have resistance to pests and diseases.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said about 75 per cent of the genetic diversity of agricultural crops has already been lost in the last century.

• Ogunwale

GRICULTURE is one of the priority sectors for development in Anambra State. The state has large hect ares of arable land suitable for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. Agriculture provides food and employment for about 80 per cent of the population.

The land is fertile for production of tropical crops, such as yam, cassava, rice, maize and cocoyam. Anambra has high potential for agricultural development. The lfite Ogwari Dam on the Anambra River provides water for 3,500 hectare irrigated land at Ornor for the cultivation of rice, maize, and out of season vegetables.

Several raw industrial materials and agro-products are located in various parts of the state and they include yam, cassava, rice maize and cocoyam.

The major food processing areas are Aguleri, Anam, Atani, Inoma, Ogbaru, Ufuma and Nzam. Rice, yam, cassava and other staples are produced in commercial quantities in these areas. Livestock is raised state - wide. Poultry and piggery are the major products. Oil Palm is also grown in the state with its by products palm oil, kernel oil, kernel cake used in the manufacture of margarine and compound cooking fats, soap, cosmetics, crayon and candles. The state has high potential for agricultural development, because of stretches of fertile land.

Forest reserves in the Mamu river basin, Akpaka and AjaliUmeje reserves provide valuable forest products, protect the watersheds and main tain ecological balance, thereby helping to prevent sheet and gully erosion. Services and programmes geared towards increased agricultural production and forestry, including the organisation of farm groups.

The state government believes agribusiness is a key sector in, helping to increase opportunities for people living in rural areas, by helping to create jobs and fuel economic growth. The government is inviting foreign and local investors to invest in the agricultural sub-sector. Investors have the opportunity to get involved in food processing activities.The following investment opportunities have been identified - production and processing of baby vegetables; production of biofertilisers, crops such as yam, maize, mangoes, bananas, avocadoes, guava, cashews, oil palm, coconuts, mushrooms, peas, cowpeas, beans, • Governor Peter Obi etc. The government is pushing the agricultural sector in this direction through food security strategies that are already bearing fruit. Development of the agribusiness sector is very high on its agenda. It plans to attract further foreign investment in areas such as large-scale farming, animal feed production, cattle breeding and high value added food processing.

The sector offers potential for value adding processing for local and international markets. Several raw industrial materials and agro-products are located in various parts of the state and they include oil palm, maize, rice, yam, cassava, and fish. The government is ready to allocate plots of land to private, local and foreign investors. There are opportunities for livestock and poultry production such as sheep, goat, swine and rabbits, fowls, ducks and turkeys for eggs and white meat.

Investors are needed for poultry and fish (aquaculture) feeds production and for manufacture of, veterinary drugs for the animal industry. Pesticide plants are needed for the manufacture or fabrication of pre- and post-harvest pesticides.

The state is supporting local efforts to help accelerate agric development according to international standards. There is effort to develop modern poultry production and food processing. The present regime has continued support the agricultural sector through innovative agreements with international organisations. Increased productivity and incomes in the rural sector remain central to the efforts. The government wants food production scaled up to feed a growing population.

What is needed is a change of agricultural paradigm. The government is scaling up industrial solutions and adopting agro farming methods as a model of land use and food production. The government is promoting agriculture as a strategy to reduce poverty by creating employment opportunity in rural and semi-urban areas through increasing agribusiness activities. An effort is made to expand activities of rural enterprises engaged in commercial agriculture including production, input supply, marketing, processing, and transportation.

These will generate employment in rural and peri-urban areas, raise the value added of non-traditional crops and commodities, and increase rural incomes. The state ministry of agriculture is working to increase women’s participation in agribusiness development to enable them provide contributions to economic growth.

The overall programme is to support agro-industries and value chains, options include linking small farmers with commercial farmers, exporters or agro-processing firms in long-term relationships, initiatives that improve the capacity of small farmers and small agro-enterprises to participate in chains for high value products, and innovative mechanisms to link public funding with private sector resources.

46

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

47

NATION SPORT

Henry eyes top four for Arsenal H

AVING marked his comeback with the winner against Leeds United, Thierry Henry is now targeting a top-four spot for Arsenal but he believes anything could still happen this season.

Henry began his two-month loan spell from New York Red Bulls in stunning fashion at the Emirates during the FA Cup third round tie and will once again be in contention for a place in the side when they face Swansea City at the weekend.

And with Arsenal currently trailing Chelsea in the race for the Champions League places, the Gunners' all-time record goalscorer wants to help push his side above their London rivals with the season now past the halfway mark.

"We obviously don't want to drop out of those positions," Henry told reporters.

"There's going to be a hell of a competition this year to be in them.

"But I do think this team does have what it takes to finish in the top four, particularly if

you think about the way the team has come back from the beginning of the season. I know that people want more, and I can assure you that the players want more. “[Targeting a place in the top four is] not what you want to see as an Arsenal fan and, trust me, as an Arsenal player also.

But the team is slowly getting into form. The season is still long, anything can happen."

Henry’s loan only runs until February 16 but that is now expected to be increased for a further 10 days, allowing him to take in the north London derby on the 25th.

The 34-year-old admitted the decision on how long he stays at the Emirates was not in his hands but added that he was determined to get the most out of his time at Arsenal before he has to return to New York.

"Remember I am a Red Bulls player, and all this depends upon what the boss decides to do, and how long I am going to stay," said Henry.

"But it would be a dream to be part of a team playing in

the Champions League or playing against Tottenham.

But that would be the same for any game, even if I never came on [from the bench]. I'm just trying to take all this in.

That's something I didn't do enough when I was playing here before.

"When you're at the ground every three days, you don't enjoy it as you should. I know it's not going to last long. I guess it was always going to be surreal. I just hope I don't wake up tomorrow to be told by someone that this has all been a dream."

S

• Clarke

T

OTTENHAM are favourites to land indemand defender Christopher Samba.

The Blackburn Rovers centre-half is wanted by Spurs, QPR and big-spending Paris Saint Germain.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp believes the success and pulling power of his side gives him an edge in the race for the player.

But he knows that former Blackburn boss Mark Hughes, now QPR manager, will also look to raid his former club.

PSG boss Carlo Ancelotti is believed to have been in contact with Ewood Park officials about a possible bid.

Hughes signed Samba, 27, joined from Hertha BSC for just £500,000 in 2007.

The Congo international is now Rovers' captain and has

DAVID MOYES has admitted that he will not be able to use the £10m Everton received for Mikel Arteta in summer on January transfers.

The Spanish playmaker was sold to Arsenal on the last day of the summer transfer window and it was hoped that the money would be made available for new signings in the winter transfer window.

"We have got some big games coming up this month and that's what everybody is involved in football for. We are looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we can get some positive results."

Liverpool face Manchester City in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final at the Etihad Stadium looking to avenge their 3-0 defeat a week earlier at the same ground in the Premier League.

The trip to Manchester gives the Reds a quick chance to make up for that loss and Clarke believes the players will have learnt from their mistakes and can secure a better result this time around.

He said: "If you sit and analyse the game, which we've done quite a lot since, we have shown the players some things they did quite well during the game and some things obviously they didn't do very well.

D

•Samba

Everton dismissed at the time reports that Arteta was sold to service the club's debts but that appears to have been the case after Moyes was asked if he would have access to the money during the window.

The Everton manager told the Post: "I don't think that is going to be the case.

"I think everybody knew at the time that the bank wanted the money.

"People knew that really."

Pienaar: No regrets leaving Everton

STEVEN PIENAAR insists he has no regrets about quitting Everton because he

•Pienaar

Silva's injury scare for Man City AVID SILVA missed training with a badly damaged ankle on Tuesday and is a big doubt for Manchester City's League Cup semi-final first-leg showdown against Liverpool, Goal.com has learned.

But it is understood that strikers Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko have both been passed fit for the clash at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

The pair were doubtful with ankle and knee injuries respectively but sources have told Goal.com that they will be available for the mouthwatering encounter against Kenny Dalglish's team.

Manager Roberto Mancini is considering another run-out for Owen Hargreaves while rookie Abdul Razak is set to be named among the substitutes.

Silva, who has been in outstanding form for City this season, was withdrawn at halftime during their 3-2 FA Cup

made 184 appearances for the club.

Arteta cash not available

Clarke praises Bellamy's role TEVE CLARKE has praised Craig Bellamy for his performances since joining Liverpool in the summer from Manchester City.

Bellamy has scored six times since moving to Anfield and has played an important role in the club's path to the semifinals of the League Cup. Clarke, Kenny Dalglish's assistant manager, worked with the Welshman when he was at West Ham and said he is pleased with his contribution since moving to Merseyside.

"Craig has done great for us," Clarke told the club’s official website.

"He is in a really good moment and his contribution is there for everyone to see.

"We are all really pleased for him, and to be fair we knew what we were getting when we brought him back to this club.

"I worked with Craig for a short time at West Ham, Kevin Keen worked with him before, and we knew the type of player we would be getting.

"We felt he could make a big contribution to the squad and that's what he has done and continues to do which is great.

Samba chase hots up

defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.

Scans showed that the playmaker suffered heavy bruising around his ankle and he is regarded as a major doubt for the Liverpool match after sitting out the team's training session on Tuesday, a day before the game.

City do not yet know the full extent of the damage but the fear is that his absence could be a lengthy one and he will be on the sidelines for a few weeks.

The return of Balotelli, who has been out since the Boxing Day draw at West Brom, and Dzeko, who did not figure against United, is a relief to Mancini as his squad faces an intense schedule over the coming weeks, including the two-legged tie against Liverpool.

Mancini has been impressed with Hargreaves in training and is considering starting with the midfielder, even though Gareth Barry is available again after serving a one-match suspension.

•Silva

was going stale.

The South African has been plagued by injury at Tottenham since he quit Goodison in a £3m move last January.

Pienaar, 29, was linked with a loan back to David Moyes’ side but is determined to make his mark at Spurs.

He said: “Everton will always have a special place in my heart. At Everton we had a great manager but the squad was a bit smaller and sometimes you get to a point where you don’t push yourself any more.

“For me, I just needed to move on and challenge myself. It’s always good because you can push yourself. You have to make sure you reach your limit.

“I would love to play against Everton because it’s always a special feeling to play against your old club.

“David Moyes gave me an opportunity to show myself in England and I’ll always be grateful to the club and the supporters.”

AC Milan waits on Man City for Tevez

AC MILAN are still waiting for a response from Manchester City over their latest offer for striker Carlos Tevez.

Milan CEO Adriano Galliani revealed last weekend that the Rossoneri have already agreed personal terms with Tevez, and that they had made a loan proposal with the right to purchase the striker at the end of the stint.

However, Goal.com can reveal the Serie A giants have yet to hear back from the Premier League leaders, and Milan will not plot their next plan of action until they have received a response from City.

Milan face stiff competition from arch-rivals Inter in the race

for Tevez's services, but Galliani refuses to be rushed into his next move by his city rivals' offer.

The Rossoneri executive will await a reply from City first before looking into the details of Inter's bid for the striker, and only then will he eventually table a new offer if required.

As long as AC Milan have not heard anything from City, they remain confident of luring Tevez to San Siro despite Inter's attempts to sign the forward, as they feel they hold an advantage over the Nerazzurri because of their personal agreement with the 27-year-old.

48

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

NATION SPORT

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL...EUROPEAN FOOTBALL...EUROPEAN FOOTBALL...

Why Marco Reus joined Borussia Dortmund

F

ORMER Borussia Monchengladbach attacking midfielder Marko Marin understands why Marco Reus left the club to join Borussia Dortmund.

The highly rated Germany international will link up with the Bundesliga champions in the summer, after impressive performances for Lucien Favre's men.

Reus follows in the footsteps of the now Werder Bremen playmaker in leaving Gladbach, and Marin empathises with his international team-mate and his reasons for moving on.

"I can absolutely understand [why he has chosen to leave], but it is a little bit different than my departure as it is so close to the European Championship," the 22-year-old told Sport1.

"He had a great learning curve and a good time at Gladbach."

Marin feels that Reus is making the next step in his career, and does not regret his own departure back in 2009.

"I would do it again; I think it was the best step I could have made. It has been confirmed for me," he admitted.

"I had a very good and successful first year at Werder, then the second was not so good. Now I must get really fit again and stay injury free.

I'm sure I can get back to my best," he concluded.

Both Reus and Marin will look to impress Joachim Low over the course of the remainder of the season to seal a place in a competitive Euro 2012 Germany squad.

•Chamakh

Fiorentina wants Chamakh move •Mourinho

Mourinho plans to block Chelsea’s Di Maria move

R

EAL MADRID boss Jose Mourinho wants to block any move from former side Chelsea for winger Angel di Maria, according to The Daily Mail.

The 23 year old winger is discontented with his current £1.65m a year salary at the Santiago Bernabeu and wants a pay rise. Di Maria signed for Madrid in 2010 for £25m and has impressed for Mourinho’s men, but the Argentinian is struggling to agree a new deal.

Chelsea are big fans of the Argentinian and are looking to sign Di Maria for £38m, a deal that Real claims has been proposed.

Mourinho is unhappy with Andre Villas-Boas’ attempts to sign his winger and wants to stop any move before it materialises. Di Maria’s head has reportedly been turned with the offer from the Blues and has asked to speak with

Chelsea in sight of a move to West London.

The Blues face competition from Manchester United to sign Di Maria, but Villas-Boas believes that if his offer is accepted, Di Maria will come to West London.

Mourinho may be reluctant to sell

Olic hopes to play more regularly

A

HEAD of the second half of the Bundesliga campaign, Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic has made a plea to coach Jupp Heynckes to use him more regularly in the first team.

With club president Uli Hoeness admitting that his side are in the need of another top class striker, the writing seemed to be on the wall for Olic’s future with the

Seedorf, Abate resume training ahead of Inter clash

A •Marco

C MILAN coach Massimiliano Allegri has been given a boost from the treatment room in the build-up to Sunday's Serie A match at home against rivals Inter as Ignazio Abate and Clarence Seedorf have both resumed training after a spell on the sidelines.

Seedorf has featured in nine league appearances so far in the 2011-12 campaign, but was forced to watch last weekend's 2-0 win over Atalanta from the stands due to injury.

The 25-year-old Abate, meanwhile, has been an undisputed starter for Allegri this term, but the right-back also missed the match against the Bergamo outfit due to physical problems.

Nevertheless, Milan have now announced on their official website that both Seedorf and Abate have returned from injury and are ready to take part in Sunday's derby clash against Inter.

Di Maria, but the chance to make a £13m profit on the 23 year old is not to be refused. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has tried to sign Di Maria before, when the winger was at Benfica, and will look to make another move if Di Maria is up for sale.

UNSETTLED Marouane Chamakh is wanted on a permanent deal by Fiorentina after the Italians failed in a loan move for the striker.

The Serie A side made an approach to take Chamakh on loan until the end of the season earlier this month, only to be told that the Moroccan star is not for sale on a temporary basis.

But Fiorentina are anxious to sign a new frontman before the end of the month and reports in Italy now suggest that they are ready to pursue a permanent deal for Chamakh, and are confident that they can agree a deal with the Gunners.

Chamakh has scored just one goal for Arsenal this season and the former Bordeaux striker's hopes of regular first-team football at the Emirates suffered a further blow earlier this month with the return of Gunners legend Thierry Henry on a short-term contract.

Milan currently sit top of the Serie A table with 37 points from 17 games and hold an eight-point lead over Inter.

German giants.

Heynckes recently praised the Croatia international, who he feels could be an able replacement for Mario Gomez if the star striker gets injured. Olic appears to have taken confidence in those remarks, and has now targeted more regular playing time.

“I hope that I play more because the last season, for the entire season, I had an injury," Olic exclusively told Goal.com. "Now, I have come back. I hope this for me and for the coach that I play more."

Following his club's 4-0 win over India in Tuesday's friendly match, he praised the host nation and hoped for a better footballing future for the country.

He added: “We came at them yesterday. In the first half, we scored. In the second half, India did

well. For me, the India team will be better, but they didn’t score today.”

•Olic

Milito hungry for Inter glory A REJUVENATED Diego Milito has confirmed that he wants to lift more silverware with current club Inter.

The Argentine was being linked

•Milito

with an exit after a problematic start to the season, but he’s recently rediscovered some form and impressed in the 5-0 win over Parma.

Despite having pretty much won everything on offer with the Nerazzurri since his 2009 switch from Genoa, he’s still as hungry as ever.

“I see myself at Inter in the future,” the 32-year-old told Rai. “I still have two years to run on my contract.

“I’m happy at the club and happy in this shirt – a jersey which I want to continue winning things with.”

Milito was subsequently

questioned on the rumours linking his club with Carlos Tevez and this weekend’s Milan derby.

“Tevez is, without a doubt, a great champion who everybody is aware of,” continued the South American.

“However, it is the club who are in charge of transfer market matters.

“As for the derby, it is always a special game. Let’s win it and forget about our difficult start to the season.”

The Nerazzurri are now fifth in the standings, but still eight points behind leaders Milan. Inter have won their last five matches in the top flight.

SLIDING TACKLE

“My preparations have been good this fall, 2012 is going to be a great year! I am injury free, working hard and everything is going according to plan.

There is only around six weeks to go to the London Olympics after this race and there is no doubt it will be surrounded by an enormous amount of interest” Friday, January 13, 2012

50

Fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt on his preparation and, 2012 first appearance in Oslo

Balotelli too big for Serie A —Agent

my form—Rooney W

AYNE ROONEY has admitted that his poor from over the festive period was affected by the row he had with Alex Ferguson over his night out on St Stephen's Day. Rooney and Alex Ferguson were embroiled in a major rift after the manager became aware of the player having a night out after their 5-0 win over Wigan with team mates Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson.

Having been dropped for the 3-2 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers and fined a weeks wages, Rooney was hauled off in the second half of United's 3-0 defeat to Newcastle after putting in a poor display.

Rooney was asked if he had complained about the fine, which amounted to one week's wages of £160,000. "Yes, but for reasons that I can't say. I accepted it. But I was tense when I got back on the pitch and I think it showed," he said "Football is made up of all kinds of conflict. In a

•Podolski

COLOGNE striker Lukas Podolski will miss his side's resumption after the winter break as he gets over a foot injury which will keep him out of the January 21 visit to Wolfsburg, Kicker reported him as saying Thursday.

"The target is to be back to face Schalke," the following week, revealed Podolski, Cologne's top scorer with 14 goals.

"I have to be careful as it is my left foot which I do everything with. And I can't help the team if I am not 100 percent."

Podolski, 26, had injured his ankle in a summer accident playing with friends and then injured the same foot while at Cologne's winter training camp in Portugal.

USAIN BOLT will make his first international appearance of the year at the Bislett Games in Oslo on June 7.

The triple Olympic champion will run in the 100 metres at the event, which takes place six weeks before the 2012 Olympics gets underway.

Before that he plans to run at least three training races in Jamaica starting next month.

“My preparations have been good this fall, 2012 is going to be a great year!” he said in a statement.

“I am injury free, working hard and everything is going according to plan.

“There is only around six weeks to go to the London Olympics after this race and there is no doubt it will be surrounded by an enormous amount of interest.”

He is expected to run the 400m at the events to gauge his fitness, with his first sprint race likely to

dressing room, between players, between us and the manager, between us and loads of people who don't seem to matter. It's constant and harsh sometimes."

Rooney seems to have buried the matter stating: "My manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, the greatest present that life has given me."

Rooney talking to Italian newspaper La Repubblica also dealt with the acusation levelled at him by Roberto Mancini that he got City captain Vincent Kompany sent-off during United's 3-2 victory over their bitter rivals in the FA Cup at the weekend "He (Mancini) claimed that I encouraged the referee to send off Kompany with a gesture. If it were like that, every player who makes that gesture after suffering a foul would direct the game in place of the referee and obviously it can't be like that. And the fact that it was a legitimate sendingoff is confirmed by the four-match suspension and the rejection of the appeal."

Rooney also spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Old Trafford for Real Madrid in 2009.

"It was thrilling and also a learning experience to play alongside him," he said.

come at the Jamaica International Invitational in Kingston on 5 May. The 25-year-old broke his first world record in 2004 when he beat the previous World Junior 200m record with a time of 19.93 seconds.

•Bolt

MARIO BALOTELLI's agent has slapped a £60 million price-tag on the striker and told any suitor from Serie A to forget about signing the Manchester City star because he is "too big for Italy".

B a l o t e l l i ' s representative, Mino Raiola, also indicated that the 21-year-old, who was subbed after just 39 minutes of City's Carling Cup semi-final first leg defeat against Liverpool on Wednesday night, is ready to sign a new deal at Eastlands.

"Mario is well in Manchester and perhaps he'll extend his contract," Raiola is quoted as saying in The Sun. "My

•Balotelli

feeling is that it won't be easy for him to return to Serie A. He is too 'big' for Italy."

The former Inter striker has been linked with a return to his homeland ever since he arrived in the Premier League in August 2010 but Raiola says the struggle that both Milan clubs are having to try to land AWOL City striker Carlos Tevez proves they cannot afford Balotelli.

Argentina wants Guardiola ARGENTINA FA president Julio Grondona would be delighted to appoint Barcelona's Pep Guardiola as national coach.

•Guardiola

EVEN WITH Messieurs Federer, Nadal, Murray and company circling, Novak Djokovic seriously thinks he can kick-start another 41-match winning run with a successful Australian Open title defence.

So supremely confident is Djokovic after his crazy 2011, when he went unbeaten until June and swept to 10 titles, including three slams, that the powerhouse Serb believes he can do it all again.

Maybe even eclipse what many believe was the finest season in history, given his chief rivals are already considered among the alltime greats of the game.

"My success gives me a reason to believe that I can win again. Why not?" Djokovic said as he pursues, for starters, a third Open crown at Melbourne Park.

"It doesn't make any sense to be anything other than optimistic. I

Guardiola, 40, took charge of Barca's first team in 2008 and has guided the Catalan giants to 13 trophies, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns.

Argentina have changed coaches twice since the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South America as Sergio Batista took over from Diego Maradona before being replaced by Alejandro Sabella in the summer.

•Djokovic

need to believe in my qualities and my abilities and I need to believe that I can repeat the success.

"Of course it is going to be an incredibly difficult task to achieve, but you never know - nothing is really impossible."

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

51

e-Business

NigComSat-1R and the confidence challenge (1)

Matters e-Rising Segun Oruame segun@segunoruame.com

N

IGCOMSAT-1R is here. It will commence full commercial service next month to re-ignite the return of a public sector presence in the highly aggressive competitive communication satellite industry. It will also mark the end of disillusionment over whether Nigeria will ever have a sustainable presence in the global communications satellite industry.

2011 is definitely a year of remarkable achievements for Africa’s most populous country. It successfully launched three satellites in orbit to firm up its increasing visibility in an industry where risks are high and dividends take time to come.

With the launch of NigComSat1R in space, it is open sesame for the managers of the pan-African communications satellite, NIGCOMSAT Limited and their Chinese partners. The exciting times are here; so too the challenges; and they are as intimidating as are the inspiring underlying prospects for a pan-African satellite.

NigComSat-1R is expected to help boost communications, broadcasting and broadband multimedia services across large swathes of Africa and parts of Europe and Asia.

It is a replacement satellite for NigComSat-1, the first African geosynchronous communications satellite effectively launched at 16:01

GMT on 13 May 2007, aboard a Chinese Long March 3B carrier rocket, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China.

The spacecraft was operated by Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited. On November 11, 2008, NigComSat-1 failed in orbit after running out of power due to an anomaly in its solar array thus temporarily pulverising the dream to have an Afro-centric communications satellite. Coming just after the crash of RASCOMstar, another pan-African satellite owned by over 40 African countries including Nigeria and launched immediately after NigComSat-1, Africa was simply flummoxed.

Its first attempt at joining the global communications satellite industry had crashed most expensively.

An expected service life of 15 years for NigComSat-1 and another 15 years for RASCOMstar or a combined lifespan of 30 years in which Africa was expected to have redrawn its communications destiny had crashed in less than 18 months.

Thankfully for NIGCOMSAT Limited, NigComSat-1 was still being managed by the Chinese and they agreed to have the entire craft rebuilt and launched back into space on China’s account. The result is the return of the satellite as NigComSat-1R. The communications satellite is currently undergo-

ing tests to ascertain its fitness after the successful launch and barring any hiccups, full commercial service will start February 6, 2012.

NigComSat-1R may have buried the doubts of sceptics who had ruled out the prospects of a successful return. But its return to orbit marks the beginning of a greater ache in a market where foreign-based private sector players are increasingly shoring up their relevance through services targeted at the same market segments and offering carrots in form of lower charges. The market dynamics have certainly changed.

More so with the entry of privately owned undersea cables that are bringing Giga bandwidth at incredibly low costs to the world’s most exploited connectivity market. The old tale of Africa paying almost a billion dollar yearly on bandwidth connectivity to offshore satellite backbone providers is becoming a fairytale.

Between the time NigComSat1 de-orbited and now, a lot has happened to completely reconfigure the market. Consider these remarkably defining realities. More satellites have established footprints on the continent hinged on the complex mix of an evolving market with expansive un-served green areas in the public and private sectors. In December 2011 that NigComSat-1R returned to space, the AMOS-5 com-

munications satellite successfully orbited too. Owned by Tel Avivbased Spacecom, the AMOS-5 satellite has a pan-African C-band and Ku-band payload designed to make it a prime carrier of African satellite communications traffic in both broadcast and data services.

Months earlier, the Intelsat New Dawn, a joint-venture between a consortium led by Convergence Partners and Intelsat S.A. opened for business to address the capacity backlog faced by ‘African wireless telecom operators, broadband service providers, corporate network service providers and media operators who have experienced exceptional growth along with.’

Add all these to the reconfiguration ushered in by the entry of sea cable operators, the likes of MainOne, ACE, and EASSY, there is no longer an easy walkthrough process for any satellite provider.

In the new era, all operators must contend for market relevance and market space. The more reason managers of NigComSat-1R must address the contentious issues that made so much fuss out of a routine happening in the satellite industry. Satellites crash as often as they are launched, therefore operators invest in back-ups whether by partnering with other operators or having other satellites in space to which they can migrate clients whenever a particular craft develops glitches. In addition, they kit their service on satellites in orbit

offering real assurance scheme in case the worst happens– one of such is AsssureSat. NIGCOMSAT Limited must address its past and live up to its present. The past is the very embarrassing situation in which it was selling services to clients without having a single backup to migrate its clients to. When the satellite packed up, it had signed on clients who were simply left in the cold. And worst still, it was beginning to win over doubtful clients who were ready to stake their business on NigComSat1. The already signed on clients and those already on the list constituted the worst referral that any business would never hope to have. In private and in public, they lampooned NigComSat-1 as a misadventure.

That is the past.

The present is a communications satellite in space with all the robust features to service an industry hungry for service. The market will not come to NIGCOMSAT Limited. It is NIGCOMSAT Limited that must go to the market to prove its credential as true and strong. NigComSat will have to defeat its own awry past and bring a formidable credential that could win the market. The months ahead will test its capacity to re-brand and re-instil marketplace confidence.

The entire game-plan is winning genuine acceptance outside of government’s patronage. It is only in squaring up to its past and leveraging on the existing market dynamics sufficiently enough can it truly tell sceptics to hang their doubts.

Govt urged to implement ICT initiatives

T

HE Federal Government has been urged to ensure proper implementation of the various Information and Communications Technology initiatives put in place for boosting broadband services and ICT access.

Speaking at a forum in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer of Visafone, Mr Sailesh Iyer, said Nigeria has several ICT initiatives that have been developed but without proper and focused implementation.

Such initiatives by the government, which Iyer wanted to be backed with proper implantation, include the Wire Nigeria (WiN) project, meant to facilitate the build-out of fibre optics cable infrastructure by providing subsidies and incentives to encourage rapid deployment of fibre transmission cables and the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI), aimed at stimulating demand for Internet services and drive affordable broadband access through provision of subsidy to build broadband infrastructure in all state capitals and urban and semi-urban centres.

The initiatives also include the Universal Service Provision Fund, a scheme put in place to provide ICT access in unserved and underserved areas of the country through the provision of subsidy to the private sector; the Digital Bridge Institute to increase the number of skilled Nigerians in the telecom sector as well as the Digital Awareness Programme targeted at encouraging the use of ICT in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions by providing computer and Internet facilities and basic ICT training for teachers and students.

Other initiatives, highlighted by the Visafone boss include Community Communications Centres meant to provide voice and Internet services to un-served communities on shared basis; Schools, Universities Access Programme designed to boost connectivity to schools, universities and neighbouring communities.

Others already created by the government are the Rural Broadband Internet Access to provide subsidy to private sector by offering

Stories by Adline Atili

wholesale bandwidth to cybercafés, rural service providers as well as the Accelerated Mobile Phone Expansion to boost network roll out in un-served towns and villages in all local government areas by the private sector.

According to Iyer, while most of the projects are aimed at boosting broadband access, poor or lack of implementation has been hindering the positive impact they would have created on the economy especially in driving mobile broadband penetration.

He highlighted challenges to broadband services delivery in the country, especially from the supply side to include high cost of goods due to port infrastructure challenges and delay in customs clearances and logistics costs; high cost of Internet bandwidth and terrestrial bandwidth; poor reliability of terrestrial bandwidth and high cost of fibre last mile connectivity.

He noted that the connection of many cell sites to a fibre backbone is essential to increasing the capacity available to end users, thereby achieving economies of scale to keep services affordable.

The Visafone boss noted that with hardly any fixed broadband access, Nigeria has tremendous potential for mobile broadband.

He said: “Recent reports have shown that by 56 per cent, wireless penetration has the potential to drive mobile broadband access, if properly harnessed. Nigeria holds the most promise among all African economies.”

According to him, 44 million Nigerians access the Internet for socialising, entertainment, news and job hunting, adding that personal mobile data subscription is increasing at the cost of cybercafé visits while Opera browser accounts for 80 per cent of mobile Web browsing in Nigeria using feature phones.

•From left: Chief Executive Officer, Visafone Communications Limited, Mr Sailesh Iyer; Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Joseph Ushigiale and Director, Compliance and Due Diligence, Mr Chuks Okoh, at a media briefing in Lagos.

Zinox in partnership to boost technology

Z

INOX Computers, manufacturers of Nigeria’s internationally-certified branded computers has entered into a partnership with Zaria Academy to support technology, skills and competition in the academy, through the introduction of the Zinox WhizKid. In a motivational talk to the school, Chairman of Zinox Computers, Leo Stan Ekeh, commended the academy for putting in place measures to extricate the school from the national poor performance of schools at certificate exams, noting that the academy recorded tremendous success in the last WAEC examinations by scoring 90 per cent.

He saidthe Zinox WhizKid, a notebook computer is loaded with over two million e-books and 100,000 simulated WAEC, NECO, GCE and JAMB questions and answers.

“Apart from providing 100 Zinox WhizKids and other digital equipment for teaching and learning, Zinox will also train four teachers in her laboratory for one week to drive this vision of excellence,” he as-

sured.

The Zinox boss announced an annual grant of N750,000 and laptop computers to deserving students of the academy. “We will give the sum of N250,000 and a laptop to the overall best student; N200,000 and a laptop to the second best student; N150,000 and a laptop to the third best; 100,000 and a laptop to the fourth best and N50,000 plus a laptop for the fifth best.”

He urged the members of staff and students of the academy to take advantage of the Information Technology tools that have been made available for their use. He reminded the students that the key to wealth creation is hard work, with ingenuity accounting for one per cent and perspiration 99 per cent.

He bemoaned the poor performance of students in certificate and entrance examinations, adding that there are fears about the future. He restated Zinox’s commitment to reducing the knowledge deficit in Nigeria with a budge of N250 million for research into strategies to make learning and teaching more fulfilling.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

52

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 12-1-12

Market trudges on as strike bites harder A

CTIVITIES at the Ni gerian stock market plummeted to the lowest level yesterday but the overall market position recovered slightly, edging up the year-to-date return at the stock market to 0.74 per cent.

Aggregate market capitalisation of all quoted equities inched up to N6.581 trillion as against its opening value of N6.579 trillion.

The All Share Index (ASI), which serves as the common value index for all quoted companies and as such doubles as country index for Nigeria, rode on the back of gains by handful of financial services and manufacturing stocks to 20,883.89 points compared with its index on board of 20,878.71 points.

But turnover volume and value of activities dropped significantly as the nationwide protests and general strike over government wastages and corruption, which was triggered by removal of fuel subsidy, entered fourth day.

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

Turnover stood at 29.36 million shares valued at N350.16 million in 244 deals compared with a turnover of 53.54 million shares valued at N649.34 million recorded in 295 deals on Wednesday.

Banking subsector contributed more than 93 per cent of the turnover with 27.39 million shares valued at N247.16 million in 190 deals.

The price recovery at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) broadly indicated by the two main value indices were driven by gains recorded by five companies including GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria, which gained N1.05 to close at N22.90 per share. First City Monument Bank followed with a gain of 19 kobo to close at N4.10. United Bank for Africa gathered 11 kobo to close at N2.41 per share.

PZ Cussons Nigeria rose by 10 kobo to close at N29.10

while AIICO Insurance added two kobo to close at 52 kobo per share.

However, Oando led the decliners with a drop of N1.05 to close at N21. Access Bank dropped by 10 kobo to close at N4.70. First Bank of Nigeria lost 4.0 kobo to close at N8.80. Japaul Oil and Gas slipped by 3.0 kobo to 90 kobo. Zenith Bank lost 2.0 kobo to close at N12.13 while Guaranty Trust Bank dropped a kobo to close at N14.14 per share.

Segmental analysis showed recovery within the financial services sector. The NSE 30 Index improved from 937.76 points to 937.87 points. The NSE Food and Beverages Index inched up from 1,717.19 points to 1,717.55 points. NSE Banking Index improved from 269.89 points to 270.34 points. The NSE Insurance Index improved slightly from 128.18 points to 128.57 points. However, the NSE Oil and Gas Index slipped from 231.13 points to 228.34 points.

Committee to Okomu Oil: re-invest HE committee investi unclaimed dividends gating the business ac

T

tivities of Okomu Oil Palm Plc has advised that in order to safeguard interest of shareholders, there was urgent need to re-invest the unclaimed dividends into the operations of the company.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) had set up a committee to investigate business activities of Okomu Oil Palm Plc. Presenting the report to the Registrar-General, Alhaji Bello Mahmud, the chairman of the investigation committee, Barrister Mainasara Mika’ilu informed the Registrar-General that the report was based on both oral and documentary evidence as well as other relevant information received by the committee.

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

The committee Chairman Mainasara Mika’ilu said, “the company had huge unclaimed dividends, if such dividends were not re-invested it has the risk to decline in value.” He therefore said in order to safeguard interest of shareholders there was urgent need to re-invest the unclaimed dividends.

“Since incorporation of the company most appointments and removal of directors were not done in accordance with the requirements of the law. The company was found to be dealing with companies not registered in Nigeria but registered in Belgium and Luxemburg,” Mika’ilu

said.

He stressed that if their recommendations were fully implemented, Okomu Oil Palm will no doubt have its fortunes overturned for the benefit of the Nigerian economy.

Speaking, the CAC Registrar-General, Alhaji Bello Mahmud commended efforts of the inspectors and pledged that CAC would critically study the report with a view to implementing their recommendations.

The RG re-iterated the Commission’s commitment towards providing prompt and efficient services to customers for the overall growth of the Nigerian economy.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 12-1-12

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

53

MONEY LINK

Lending to agric up by N212b B

ANKS have raised credit to the agricultural sector byan additional N212 billion, representing an increase of 40 per cent. This is in-line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive that banks move assets to critical economic sectors of the economy such as power, agriculture, transportation, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), among others.

The increase, based on a report, titled, ‘Bankers’ Committee Economic Development Agenda and Scorecard,’ indicated that lending to the agric sector rose by 2.78 per cent of total gross lending in the banking sector by October last year, as against same period of the previous year.

The report, presented to the Bankers’ Committee recently, indicated that the increase in credit was made possible by definite policy measures initiated and implemented by the deposit

Stories by Collins Nweze

money banks in the past year.

“Agric departments and desks were set up at all banks in the country to provide specialised agric lending services. Also 30 professionals were trained on agric commercial lending and Development Credit Authority and guarantees in the past year,” the report stated.

The Bankers’ Committee had in 2010, following a retreat in Calabar, Cross River State, taken a position to finance critical sectors of the economy as a major departure from financing operators in the financial markets and trading activities in a bid to ensure sustained economic development in the country.

The CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and the chief executives of the 24 banks collectively emphasised the critical role financial institutions play in national development. They however regretted that the bulk of aggregate credit was

1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 1234567890123456789 • Sanusi

channelled mainly to financial market operators and oil traders to the neglect of key aspects of the real economy.

The report indicated that assets deployment of banks in the power and transportation sectors also got a boost as 144 professionals were trained across commercial banks, development finance institutions (DFIs) and government agencies to facilitate infrastructure project financing.

Banks scramble for N500b ANKS are picking interest leasing funds in leasing as the volume

B

of business in the sector rises. The industry which recorded a turnover of N500 billion in the last 12 months, is also witnessing influx of foreign investors, Chairman, Equipment Leasing Association of Nigeria (ELAN), Kehinde Lawanson, has said.

In a statement from ELAN, Lawanson, said aside the traditional practitioners made up of banks, finance houses and independent leasing companies, the industry has attracted new investors cutting across the various sectors of the economy.

There are also a couple of foreign firms in partnership with Nigerians that have opened shops in the country with many more concluding arrangements to participate in businesses springing up in the sector. He said the oil and gas sector maintained its lead achieving about 40 per cent growth, followed by an impressive performance from transportation at 37 per cent growth, where commercial vehicles for passengers and haulage re-

Euro strengthens against yen as ECB keeps rates on hold

T

HE euro climbed the most in a week against the yen as the European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged and Spain sold almost twice its maximum target of debt at an auction, spurring demand for the region’s assets.

The Bloomberg News yesterday,

reported that the 17-nation currency rose versus most of its 16 major counterparts as Italian borrowing costs dropped at a bill sale, spurring optimism the debt crisis is easing. The ECB President Mario Draghi said he saw signs of stabilization in economic activity. The Dollar Index

foreign-exchange strategist at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc in London. The market will be looking for “insights into the likely outcome of the February meeting.” he said.

The euro rose 0.2 per cent to 97.98 yen after advancing 0.6 percent, the biggest intraday gain since January 3.

pared losses after a United States report showed retail sales increased less in December than economists forecast, supporting investor appetite for safer investments.

The decision was “as expected and now focus turns to the press conference,” said Paul Robson, a senior

FGN BONDS

DATA BANK

Tenor

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount

NIDF NESF

Amount

Offered ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

mained the major attraction to lessors.

“Total figure for the industry could well be over N500 billion taking into cognizance the level of leasing activities carried out by non-ELAN members especially in the oil and gas sector which are not captured,” he said.

Lawanson explained that there are over 350 established companies engaged in diverse forms of leasing in the country. For example, insurance companies, manufacturers/ vendors, construction companies, oil services companies and even government are now getting more involved in leasing.

Also, as a result of the impact of the economic meltdown, many institutions have added leasing as part of their product offering, although many of such companies mainly focus on Small and Medium Enterprises and consumer leasing.

Over the years, ELAN has been in the forefront of promoting socio- economic development and growth through leasing in Nigeria and beyond.

The Association remains committed to the development of a vibrant leasing industry that would provide the muchneeded integral support to national economic growth in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, he said.

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

Amount

Exchange

Sold ($)

Rate (N)

Date

450m

452.7m

450m

150.8

08-8-11

250m

313.5m

250m

150.8

03-8-11

400m

443m

400m

150.7

01-8-11

EXHANGE RATE 26-08-11 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX

INTERBANK RATES OBB Rate Call Rate

7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor

Amount

Rate %

Date

91-Day

30m

10.96

28-04-2011

182-Day

46.7m

9.62

“

50m

12.34

14-04-2011

Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD

147.6000

149.7100

150.7100

-2.11

NGN GBP

239.4810

244.0123

245.6422

-2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) 149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

Bureau de Change 152.0000 Parallel Market

153.0000

GAINERS AS AT 11-1-12 SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

OANDO

21.00

22.05

1.05

UBA

2.24

2.30

0.06

GUARANTY

14.08

14.15

0.07

NB

96.04

96.10

0.06

LOSER AS AT 11-1-12 SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

FCMB

4.10

3.91

0.19

STERLNBANK

0.97

0.93

0.04

CONTINSURE

0.76

0.73

0.03

ETI

10.70

10.50

0.20

FIRSTBANK

8.95

8.84

0.11

ZENITHBANK

12.30

12.15

0.15

FIDELITY

1.40

1.39

0.01

DIAMONDBNK

2.01

2.00

0.01

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS

(S/N) (S/N)

1-Year

NSE CAP Index

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Aug ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

8.75%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 9.4%

Name

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 118.85 98.43 0.76 1.04 0.88 1,642.73 8.24 1.39 1.87 7,351.90 193.00

9.08 1.00 118.69 97.65 0.73 1.04 0.87 1,635.25 7.84 1.33 1.80 7,149.37 191.08

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY THE DISCOVERY FUND • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 24 Aug, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 26, Aug, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 July, 2011

07, Aug, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

54

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR) ICT training put off A YOUTH empowerment training programme on global Information and Communication Technology (ICT), slated for Lagos on Monday, has been put off.

In a statement yesterday, the foundation, backed by the founder of Visafone Communications Limited, Mr Jim Ovia, sponsors of the programme, said the training has been put off indefinitely because of the ongoing strike.

The free training programme, in collaboration with some global brands, has the theme: Developing Nigeria’s Next Generation of ICT Entrepreneurs.

The statement said the programme is focused on providing practical mobile web software training in hardware, androids mobile apps, Java, QT, CSS3 and HTML5 training.

It added: “The Android Application training workshops for youths in Nigeria is to be divided into phases. The first stage of this programme will embrace 250 youths, who are required to undertake a screening test on the foundation’s website as part of the selection process.”

ACF urges caution in Fed Govt, Labour dialogue From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

THE North’s socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), yesterday urged the Federal Government and Organised Labour to exercise restraint and reach a compromise over the protest against the removal of petrol subsidy.

It noted that the nationwide protest has caused a lot of hardship to Nigerians.

In a communiqué after its emergency meeting in Kaduna, the forum appealed to Nigerians to disregard the ultimatum and counter-ultimatum by those it described as “divisive elements” asking nonindigenes to go back to their states or regions.

APGA calls for sack of Okonjo-Iweala From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki

THE Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has called for the sack of the Coordinating Minister of the economy and Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for her alleged role in the removal of the fuel subsidy.

The party urged President Goodluck Jonathan to revert to the original N65 per litre to avert civil unrest and a revolution.

Civil Society groups in the state yesterday dissociated themselves from the purported pro-subsidy rally in the state.

•Protesters at Alagbado, on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway...yesterday

PHOTO:DAYO ADEWUNMI

Gowon urges Fed Govt, Labour to dialogue without conditions ORMER Head of State General Yakubu Gowon yesterday urged the Federal Government and organised Labour to dialogue “without any condition” to enhance a quick resolution of the antifuel subsidy withdrawal strike.

“The strike is assuming strange dimensions and has been taken up by groups that are causing violence, destruction and deaths. This is unfortunate and unnecessary,” Gowon said in a telephone interview with the News of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The former Head of State urged Labour to consider the hardship the strike was causing to innocent Nigerians, who cannot do their normal businesses.

He called for “absolute care, patriotism and consideration” from all parties to

F

the subsidy logjam.

Gowon said: “The Federal Government has given reasons why it has taken its decision. It has also made some promises to Nigerians and rolled out what it intends to do with the proceeds of its action.

“The government has also explained the damage to the economy, if the subsidy is sustained. So, the two parties should sit down and discuss the issues sincerely, rather than any group seeking to dictate to the government.”

The elder statesman likened the current impasse on the fuel subsidy removal to the resentment his government faced when he introduced the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in 1973.

He said: “When we introduced the scheme, it was stiffly rejected. We were called names by people who

said we wanted to enslave the youths.

“But I was determined and honest about it. I was looking at the future and wanted young Nigerians to have a feel of what other parts of the country were like, because I knew that such youths were certain to be Nigeria’s leaders in future.

“After the scheme took off, I visited some camps and the corps members apologised for their initial demonstrations against it. Since then, the corps members have continued to play prominent roles in national development, as witnessed in the last elections.”

The former Head of State said he had listened to the strong argument put across by the central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on why the fuel subsidy could not be sustained, and had also listened to suggestions

that those benefiting from it (subsidy) would seek to create a situation where it would continue.

“If the situation is hurting the economy and monies are siphoned through dubious documents, it is up to Labour and the Federal Government to sit down and discuss the seriousness of the matter to reach an agreement that would best serve Nigeria.”

He decried the alleged statements by leaders of some political parties, saying their comments had little or no link with the issue at stake.

The former military leader urged the nation’s leaders to work towards the resolution of the subsidy logjam.

He hailed the police for apologising and taking steps to deal with police officers who allegedly shot some protesters.

Man killed in Kogi protest

A

25-YEAR-old man, Anas Gambo Basambo, was allegedly shot dead yesterday during a protest against fuel subsidy removal in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

Police Commissioner Marvel Akpoyibo had told reporters on Wednesday that the police would deal decisively with any street protester.

According to him, the decision followed the statement by the Nigeria Labour

•Police deny culpability From Mohammed Bashir, Lokoja

Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), organisers of the anti-fuel subsidy removal strike, that they would not participate in any street protest in the state.

An 18-seater bus, belonging to the state branch of the Nigerian Bar Association

(NBA) was vandalised by some protesters.

The police had, on Wednesday, dislodged the protesters from their usual protest venue at the Freedom Square as early as 6am.

The police followed the protesters to Madabo Street, Lokoja, and were said to have shot indiscriminately.

One of the bullets allegedly killed the 25-year-old, who

reportedly did not participate in the protest.

The Nation learnt that the youths hauled stones and sticks at the police when they took away Basambo’s body.

In the melee, the police commissioner was reportedly injured in his leg.

Police spokesman Ajayi Okansami, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the man’s death but denied police hand in it.

‘Inspector attacked at INEC Minna office not dead’ From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

T

HE police officer attached to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Minna, the Niger State capital, Inspector Jibrin Yunusa, who was attacked by hoodlums on Wednesday at the commission’s office, is alive.

The Nation learnt that Yunusa was rushed to a hospital following the attack, when his assailants also thought he had passed on.

A source at the INEC office, who spoke in confidence, said the police officer fainted when he was hit on the head by the rampaging youths who invaded the office during the protest on fuel subsidy removal.

It was learnt that the hoodlums descended on Yunusa for challenging them when they were about to attack the INEC office.

The source said: “The hoodlums, most of whom were under-aged, went for the Inspector, saying they would teach him a lesson of his life for having the audacity to challenge them.

“They hit him in the head and some stoned him and left him for dead. But God preserved his life and he is currently recuperating in a hospital I will not like to mention.

“That the Inspector survived the attack is God’s intervention. His attackers felt he was dead; in fact, we all assumed he was dead.”

Group, ACN chieftain call for impeachment of Jonathan YORUBA interest group, The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, and an Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain in Ondo State, Dr Paul Akintelure, have urged the National Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan, if he

A

fails to return the price of petrol to N65 per litre.

In a statement yesterday by its Secretary-General, Akin Malaolu, the group noted that the President has blown away the goodwill he generated during last year’s elections.

It added that Dr Jonathan has consequently lost the right to continue to lead the

nation.

The statement reads: “We feel satisfied in our minds that the insistence of the President on the removal of petrol subsidy, as against the popular wishes of the people, is capable of truncating our hard-earned democracy.

“Jonathan’s leadership

lacks the dedication and direction to understand the true feelings of the people.

The National Assembly should do wish of Nigerians without further delay.”

The group called for a halt to some of the government programmes such as the new identity card scheme and the new number plate.

Akintelure noted that the President’s removal of subsidy on petrol is unconstitutional, adding that he should not be allowed to force an unpopular policy on the poor masses.

The senatorial aspirant urged the public to shun the state NLC order and continue with the protest for the reversal of petrol price.

55

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR) police chief orders arrest Police allegedly kill two youths Kano of policeman over shooting in Niger T T •It’s not true, says police chief HE police yesterday allegedly killed two youths - Yahaya Adamu and Rabiu Abubakar – during a face-off between protesters and some policemen in Gawu Babangida town in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.

But the police have denied culpability in the killing.

It was learnt that Yahaya died on the spot while Abubakar died before he got to the hospital at Sabon Wuse, in Tafa Local Government Area.

Addressing reporters, Yahaya’s father, Adamu Ciroma, said the boys were killed when some triggerhappy policemen invaded his house and shot at them.

He said: “I was shocked when the policemen followed the boys to their houses and shot them. The boys embarked on a protest, as it is been done by other young men all over the country.”

Ciroma said he has buried his son.

He added: “We have submitted to God what happened. I buried my son about 30 minutes ago, in line

•212 suspects arrested From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

with Islamic injunction.”

It was gathered that trouble started when some youths allegedly besieged the police station to demand the release of their colleagues, who were arrested on Wednesday and early yesterday. The youths were arrested for allegedly blocking the Minna-Suleja-Abuja road.

An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, said the youths left the police station when their request was turned down. But the police allegedly followed them and shot some of them in their homes for demanding the release of their colleagues.

But Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 7, Alhaji Atiku Yusuf Kafur, told reporters in Minna yesterday

that nobody was killed during the face-off between the police and demonstrators.

The police chief said he was passing through Gawu Babangida when the incident occurred.

According to him, it was an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who was injured when the youths attacked the police station yesterday morning.

Kafur said: “When I was passing through the town yesterday, the youths had blocked the road. They were harassing people; they did not even want me to pass.

Those arrested had a locally made pistol, axe and cutlasses.”

The police yesterday said they have arrested 212 suspects in connection with the protest against the fuel subsidy removal in the state.

The suspects were reportedly apprehended in Minna

as well as Lambata, Gurara Local Government Area, where some youths allegedly destroyed some private and public property.

Spokesman of the police command, Richard Oguche, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said those arrested in Minna were responsible for Wednesday carnage in the state capital, where over 20 vehicles were burnt and over 50 others damaged.

The suspects were accused of burning the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the campaign office of Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and the law chamber of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy Chairman, Tanko Beji, as well as the constituency office of a lawmaker, Jumai Jafaru-Mariga.

The suspects were also accused of vandalising the Democracy Garden, Murtala Muhammed Amusement Park and the roundabouts in the state capital.

The police alleged that over half of those arrested were apprehended in the transit town of Lambata.

Cleric to Jonathan: respect people’s opinion

By Olamilekan Andu

T

HE Bishop, Diocese of Lagos West, Anglican Communion, Revd.

Peter Awelewa Adebiyi, has urged the Federal Government to listen to the masses, who have opposed his administration’s hike in the price of petrol and revert to N65 per litre.

In a statement in Lagos, the cleric noted that the power to govern any society comes from the people.

According to him, the nationwide strike on subsidy removal, coupled with the lingering insecurity in Nigeria, should not be allowed to snowball into ethnic or religious war.

He added that Nigeria cannot afford to go into another round of civil war any more.

The statement reads: “Our political leaders cannot sit in the comfort of their opulence while an average Nigerian wallows in abject poverty through their unpopular decisions and policies.”

Group calls for action HE Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum has urged the National Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan, if he fails to revert the price of petrol to N65 per litre.

In a statement yesterday by its Secretary General Akin Malaolu, the group said the President has blown the goodwill he generated during the elections upon which he has lost his right to continue to lead the nation.

“We feel satisfied in our minds that the insistence of the President on the removal of petrol subsidy as against the popular wishes of the people is capable of truncating our hard-earned democracy.,” the group said.

T

•Queen Salawa Abeni and King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (K1) at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, during the protest...yesterday

Kaduna youths defy curfew

S

OME youths from the Tudun Wada area of Kaduna metropolis yesterday defied the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state capital and environs by the Patrick Yakowa administration.

They marched on the city centre, despite the curfew.

The Nation learnt that rights activist Mallam Shehu Sani and two of his friends had on Wednesday defied the curfew with a vow to mobilise some youths to defy the curfew yesterday.

On his social network page, facebook, on Wednesday, Sani had said: “True to our word, we have just finished a long trek along In-

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

dependence Way, defying the curfew. We passed thru police check points. The police just decided to look at us while we passed with a group of journalists behind us. Tomorrow (today), I am circulating a signed leaflet calling on people to troop out and break the illegal curfew. That’s step 2.”

Residents woke up yesterday to see hundreds of youths on the street. The youths marched on the city centre in apparent disobedience to the curfew.

The state government had imposed a 24-hour curfew on the metropolis

and its environs to forestall the breakdown of law and order following the protest against the removal of subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government.

As at the time of filing this report, the State Security Council was meeting to review the curfew.

But it was not clear whether or not it would be relaxed or the council would order the deployment of more security operatives to the streets.

When The Nation visited the home of Sani at Angwan Serki, Kaduna, he was said to have gone out.

HE Kano State Police Command has ordered the arrest of a police officer, who allegedly shot two persons yesterday at Kurna Asabe Quarters, Katsina Road in Kano.

Police Commissioner Ibrahim Idris, who gave the order, said the command would not condone reckless use of firearms on unarmed civilians.

In a telephone interview with The Nation, Idris said he ordered that the police officer be taken to the Force Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for interrogation.

The police chief said the officer would be charged to court after an orderly room trial, adding that appropriate disciplinary action

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

would be meted out to erring officers.

Idris said: “Immediately the report came, I ordered my men to arrest the police officer, who allegedly shot two persons. I also instructed my officers to go to the hospital where the two injured persons are receiving treatment.

“One of them recognised the officer, who shot at them, and with that information, we have traced the officer and we have arrested him.”

Trouble reportedly started when some hoodlums attempted to hijack a peaceful protest by the Organised Labour and Civil Society Organisations, resulting in a clash between security agents and protesters.

Civl Society groups take over protest in Ondo •NLC, TUC ‘back out’ From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

A

S the protest against petrol subsidy removal by the Federal Government entered the fourth day yesterday, Civil Society groups in Ondo State took over the action from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The two leading Labour unions had allegedly backed out from the protest.

Members of the Civil Society groups, with hundreds of residents, marched on the streets of the state capital.

They promised to continue the struggle, even if the NLC and TUC refuse to participate in the protest again.

NLC state Chairman, Mrs. Bosede Daramola, was said to have announced that the state NLC would not participate in the protest following some unfavourable security reports.

But members of the Civil Society groups kicked against the action of the Labour leaders, saying they did not give a genuine reasons the unions backed out.

Rights activist Morakinyo Ogele said Daramola developed cold feet, adding that she lacked the authority to stop the protest.

Ogele alleged that the state NLC leadership had withdrawn the security permit for the protest, saying its members would not participate in the protest again.

He said: “Among the states in the federation, Ondo has been one of the most peaceful since the protest began on Monday. I don’t know the unfavourable security report which they are talking about. Our protesters have been displaying maturity since the commencement of the action. There have been no making of bonfires, vandalisation of property; even the police command has praised the protesters.

“Daramola has no right to cancel the protest because the directives came from the national body, which also directed civil society groups to join the body.

“We are going to write an official letter to the national body of NLC to call Mrs. Daramola to order. She should have addressed the Civil Society groups on why the body is not protesting again.”

T

Nurses back strike over fuel subsidy removal

HE Association of General Private Nursing Practitioners (AGPNP) has thrown its weight behind the ongoing nationwide strike over the removal of petrol subsidy by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

In a statement by its National Secretary-General, Balogun Wasiu Boye, and Public Relations Officer/Lagos State Chairman, Olusola Oyebode, the association noted that it is the primary responsibility of any government to ensure the welfare and security of the citizens.

“Therefore, government policies and implementation in Nigeria must be seen to be for the welfare and security of Nigeria,” it said.

The statement added: “Nigeria is the sixth oil-producing nation; it’s very shameful that we cannot guarantee steady power supply, no

By Olamilekan Andu

good road, good pipe-borne water and not even mortuary for the dead, as a result of bad government policies despite the enormous resources at their disposal.

“We strongly support the ongoing protest for subsidy removal and encourage all our members nationwide to support the strike and equally treat all casualties as a result of the protest in their different health clinics free of charge.

“We remain resolute with the public to ensure that the price of the commodity is brought back to the old price of N65 per litre with immediate effect, while advising the government to curb excessive wastage and corruption at the level of governance. All cabals must also be brought to book.”

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

56

NEWS THE BIG PROTEST (DAY FOUR)

NEW YEAR MESSAGES

Conference on subsidy

By Emmanuel Oladesu Deputy Political Editor

THE National Summit Group (NSG) will on Monday and Tuesday hold a national conference in Lagos on the state of the nation.

The organisers said the meeting would discuss the subsidy logjam, constitutional crisis and other national questions critical to national survival.

Expected at the conference billed for the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, are the Chairman of Constitution Review Panel, Justice Alfa Belgore, former Secretary to Federal Military Government, Chief Olu Falae, Dr Raymond Dokpesi, former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir elRufai, Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi.

Court declines hearing in AGF’s suit

T

HE suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), against the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) suffered a setback yesterday.

The National Industrial Court (NIC) refused to hear the case because the Attorney General failed to comply fully with the order of the court to serve the Labour unions the court process through substituted means by publishing in a few national dailies, including The Guardian.

The three-member panel chaired by the NIC President, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, also summoned a Lagos lawyer, Fred Agbaje for allegedly tagging the January 6 order of the court as a “black mar-

•Case adjourned till Monday From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

ket” injunction.

Following an exparte motion by Adoke and argued by Matthew Echo, the court restrained the respondents (NLC and TUC) from embarking on the strike.

The strike is against the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government. But the order has attracted criticisms from the public.

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has also called for the removal of Justice Adejumo.

Also summoned yesterday were the Saturday Editor of The Sun, Onuoha Ukeh and a reporter, Godwin Tsa. At the resumed hearing of

the case, counsel to the Attorney General, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) said the applicant was yet to publish the originating processes in The Guardian as ordered.

Justice Adejumo, who expressed surprise that the order was not complied with fully said: “The case cannot proceed. The claimant/applicant has not complied with the order of the court”.

The Judge, however, cautioned the media to be fair in its reporting of the case.

“Let me sound a note of warning to newspaper houses and editors, while we are aware that they have freedom of information, this must be done with decorum and internationally acceptable standard,” he said.

Referring to the comment which described the order of the court as a ‘black market’, Justice Adejumo said “there seems to be contempt of the court.

“We hereby order Fred Agbaje to appear before this court to come and purge himself that the order procured was a black market.

“We believe we are fit and proper to adjudicate over the case. We are here to do justice to all manner of people without fear or favour. We are to protect the Constitution “.

The judge promised that personal interest will not be allowed to influence the matter.

His words: “A court must be on the side of justice and that was what precisely we did on January 6.

“Having in mind that the la-

‘Stop killing Igbo in the North’

•Enugu State Governor Mr. Sullivan Chime being welcomed by the Catholic bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Calistus Onaga, for an interactive session with the Bishop and the clergy from the diocese on the removal of the fuel subsidy and other related matters, at the Sacred Heart Seminary, Nsude, Udi Local Government …yesterday

By Leke Salaudeen

THE indiscriminate killing of southerners particularly the Igbo in the North is capable of plunging the country into another civil war, former military governor of Kaduna State Col Abubakar Umar (retd) has said.

Umar warned those responsible for the ‘’senseless killings’’ in the name of religion to desist from their heinous crime that is creating the impression that the north is not peaceful.

He said: “I feel sad when I hear that those behind the killings claim that they are doing it in the name of Islam.

No religion Islam inclusive allows anybody to take innocent life.

“I’m disturbed that Igbo people are being targeted in the North. This act is sending a dangerous signal that must be nipped in the bud before it escalate.”

JTF imposes curfew on Maiduguri, council

T

HE Joint Task Force (JTF) on security yesterday imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the imposition of the curfew followed increased attacks on individuals by suspected Boko Haram militants.

The JTF Field Commander, Col. Victor Ebhaleme, said in a statement in Maiduguri that the curfew would be from 6.00 pm to 6.00 am.

He said security agencies had been directed to fish out the Boko Haram militants, their supporters and other criminal elements in the state.

Ebhaleme urged law abiding citizens to continue to go about their normal businesses without fear.

He advised those on essential services to identify themselves to security personnel on patrol.

NAN reports that suspected Boko Haram militants have continued their attacks on innocent citizens in the state despite the state of emergency declared by the Federal Government.

SNG, civil society groups: We will not succumb to blackmail C IVIL society groups yesterday reiterated their determination to continue the protest on Lagos streets, until the Federal Government rescinds its decision on the removal of fuel subsidy. They warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) never to succumb to government’s propaganda and blackmail, stressing that, if labour calls off the strike, the protests would go on, until government reverts the fuel pump price to N65 per litre.

The Convener of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Bakare told the protesters that government was planning to break the rank of labour and blackmail civil society groups by spreading the rumour that the protests are sponsored by unidentified politicians for personal gains.

Urging Nigerians to be wary of such propaganda, he said: “Civil society groups are collaborating with the NLC and TUC and we are not sponsored by politicians”.

Bakare’s clarification came on the heels of alleged plans by government to sanction the private broadcasting stations which have offered live coverage for the demonstrations in Lagos and Abuja.

At the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota yester-

•Protesters vow to continue

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Political Editor

day, the crowd doubled. Elite, professionals, clergymen, traditional rulers, politicians, and retirees joined the civil society organisations for the rally which lasted for eight hours.

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) erected a mobile clinic at Ojota, offering first aid to protesters. Also, SNG chieftain Yinka Odumakin, told the protesters that the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) had set up emergency centres at Ikeja, Ogba, Gbagada, Magodo, Yaba, Ikotun and Satelite Town for services.

A team of policemen maintained their presence at the venue of the protest throughout the rally. But there was no faceoff between protesters and security agents because the protest was orderly.

At the rally were the Campaign for Democracy (CD) leader, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, leader of the Campaign Against Corrupt Leaders, Debo Adediran, Coalition of Oodua Self-Determination Groups (COSEG) Secretary,

Rasak Olokoba, ace musician Wasiu Ayinde, actresses; Clara Chukwuma, Sikiratu Sindodo, Salawa Abeni, and a representative of Ogboni Confraternity.

Bakare hailed the intervention of past leaders, including former President Shehu Shagari and Gen. Yabubu Gowon, Senators and members of the House of Representatives who have enjoined the President to listen to the cries of Nigerians. He said: “Even, Obasanjo said ‘no to subsidy’. But Jonathan is a deaf animal destined to be killed by a hunter”.

Bakare explained that the subsidy protest transcends the affairs of labour unions, stressing that it is an issue affecting all Nigerians. He said: “If NLC and TUC calls off the strike without government reverting the price to N65, the protest will go on. There are more people without jobs who will continue the protest”.

The cleric said these Nigerians are demanding that President Goodluck Jonathan should halt the trend of corruption and profligacy on the part of government.

Bakare added: “No retreat, no surrender. We will continue the protest, until government rescinds its decision. Nigerians put them in power to serve their interest.

We say no to oppression”.

Mrs. Chukwuma said: “What we condemn is the dishonesty on the part of government”, advising the President to retrace his steps.

Ayinde Wasiu said: “We elected them into office. People gave them support. They must give us our due”.

Mrs. Salawa said: “Jonathan has ear. Let him hear. We want our demands met now”.

bour unions have not met the condition precedent for the strike, the panel said it weighed the consequence of the action on the larger society.

“We didn’t pronounce on the issue of oil subsidy, it is not for this court to do.”

Justice Adejumo emphasised that unless the labour unions met the conditions for embarking on strike, it will be illegal to go on in the union’s name.

Before adjourning till January 16 for hearing, the court ordered that the government should ensure publication of the processes in The Guardian.

It added that the proof of service should be kept in the file before the hearing date.

Doctors may down tools today

By Adebisi Onanuga

S

HOULD doctors join the protest against the removal of petrol subsidy, health delivery services may be paralysed in government hospitals nationwide today.

Chairman of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Adenekan Adekunle gave the hint yesterday when the organisers of the protest arrived at Ikorodu, Lagos yesterday to support the action.

Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Joe Ajaero, his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Mr. Adesina Lasisi Sanni, Treasurer Abdulrahman Olatunde, former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Dipo Fashina, human rights activist, Mr. Ayodele Akele, among others were in the ancient town.

According to Dr. Adekunle, the leaders of the NMA were in a crucial meeting in Abuja to discuss the state of the nation, particularly, the subsidy removal, adding that their decision would be conveyed to all chapters.

He said there are strong indications that doctors may be asked to down tools and join the protest as from today (Friday). He added that they have restrained themselves from joining the protest in order to be around to provide medical services to those who may be injured during the action.

Reps angry over comments From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

T

HE House of Representatives yesterday expressed anger over the comment by the Presidential Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Dr Reuben Abati, on the House resolutions concerning the removal of fuel subsidy during its emergency sitting last Sunday.

Following the emergency session on the matter, the House passed a resolution, urging the Executive to suspend the decision.

It appealed to Organised Labour to call off its planned strike and dialogue with the government on the matter.

The House also set up an Ad-Hoc Committee to mediate between the Federal Government and Organised Labour.

Abati described the House resolutions as “merely an opinion”.

But the House yesterday said Abati’s statement was “uninformed, rash, imprudent and unwise’’ .

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

57

NEWS Southsouth, Southeast leaders to resist change From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

SOUTHeast and Southsouth’ Elders and Leaders yesterday vowed to resist any undemocratic change in government, saying “such perpetrator will have no country to preside over”.

Rising from a joint meeting held at the Abuja residence of Chief Edwin Clark, the forum condemned the killings of southerners and Christians by the Boko Haram group.

In a communiqué signed

by Clark and 49 others, the leaders also appealed to labour unions to embrace dialogue to resolve the impasse over fuel subsidy removal. The communiqué was read by former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife.

According to the elders, past increase in fuel pump has never degenerated into crisis as been fuelled today by some selfish individuals.

With the tension created by the wanton killings and destruction of properties in the North, and the ultimatum given to southerners and Christians, the forum warned, that the country might be heading to the “ugly pogrom of 1966 which led to the civil war”.

Five killed in Plateau, Taraba road accidents IVE people were killed yesterday in two separate accidents involving a truck and a police van in Plateau and Taraba states respectively.

The crash involving a trailer carrying sugarcane occurred in Mangu, Plateau State, killed three youths and injured 15 others.

It occurred at about 10.30am.

Also in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital, an unidentified man was killed by a police van allegedly driven recklessly. A baby was wounded in the aftermath of the crash.

The driver of the truck, who sustained serious injuries was rushed to the Mangu General Hopspital alongside the 15 injured

F

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, and Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

youths.

According to an eye witness account, the truck, M.A.N. Diesel, marked a XB895MGU, allegedly lost control and skidded off the road into a nearby stream, where it killed the youngsters while washing fruits.

Mangu is about 70 kilometres away from Jos. The Plateau Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) confirmed the incident and blamed the incident on overspeeding.

Spokesman of the FRSC in Plateau, Saidu Badamasi said among those injured were two adults and 13 children.

An eye witness, Mr.

Ayuba, said the lorry was coming into Mangu from Jos when one of the tyres burst and the driver lost control.

Ayuba said: “People usually come to the stream to wash carrots and other fruits they harvest in their various farms before taking them to the market or other places to sell.”

The Jalingo incident occurred on Wednesday, at about 8pm, at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Junction, along Barde Way. Angry youths set the police vehicle ablaze. But the occupants escaped. They are, however, being detained at the State Police Command, for “reckless driving and for neglecting to protect lives, even as they were wounded

by the angry youths”, police said.

Eye-witnesses said a team of policemen, while pursuing a commercial motorcyclist (also knows as Okada) and his passengers (a woman and her baby), smashed them while the rider was negotiating a bend at the FMC Junction.

“A speeding police hilux hit a motorcyclist with a woman he was conveying, and a little baby. The motorcyclist died at the spot, while the woman died on the way to the hospital” another source said.

The little child survived the accident. He rushed to the Children Ward of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC).

Jonathan seeks Senate’s nod for Lamorde as EFCC Chair From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

P

Senior citizens get officers THE Senior Citizens Association of the Glorious Favour of God has appointed new officers. They are: Pastor J. Odumosun as the Treasurer, Mr Blessing Eweji Ogbekwe (Welfare Officer), Segun Orebela (Director of Media) and Mrs Joy Okechukwu (coordinator).

A statement by Mr Ayoola Omonigbehin yesterday announced the appointment.

Delta slashes transport fares •100 buses inaugurated From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

DELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has ordered the state-owned Delta Transport Company to revert to the old fare.

The directive, which takes immediate effect, is expected to last for six months.

Uduaghan gave the directive yesterday in Asaba at the commissioning of 100 buses.

He said the measure was aimed at cushioning the pains of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

He said: “All the purchased buses and taxies being handled by various transport operators are to revert to the pre-January 1 fares. “What I am saying is that before the January 1, some of the buses use to charge N200 have now gone up to N400, what I am saying is, come back to N200 if you are a Delta State owned bus, the difference in the increase will be dealt with by the government, so no transporter is going to run at a loss, I an assure you.”

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ibiang Mbaseki confirmed the incident to The Nation.

He said: “It is a typical case of an accident”.

Mbaseki, however, denied reports that the policemen were chasing the deceased persons.

He said the policemen took off from the State Police Command, and were being conveyed to their various duty posts, when they over ran the commercial motorcyclist and his passengers.

Mbaseki said: “Although, the Okada contravened the law forbidding their operations at night, the case in contention is purely a case of accident”.

•The ‘church’ after it was set ablaze...yesterday

Arsonists burn worship centre in Osun NIDENTIFIED arsonists yester- close to the centre, told NAN. The resident, who refused to disclose day set a worship centre on fire at Alekuwodo, Osogbo,Osun his name, said the anxiety of members of the public about the worship centre State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) may have led to the burning of the strucreports that a crowd milled around the ture.

But Mr Olatunji Oladele, the state’s razed structure, which was still smoulChairman of the Trade Union Congress dering as at 11:30 a.m.

NAN also gathered from residents of (TUC), dissociated “legitimate” protestthe vicinity that the building was a wor- ers from the incident, saying: “They are ship centre where some important per- not connected.

“We have carried out our investigation sonalities were said to meet and worand we discovered that the building was ship at odd times.

It was learnt that each time there was razed following the anger of the people a worship session, exotic vehicles were in the area at the activities of the worusually parked in the premises by high- ship centre.

“I am sure that the arsonists are not ly placed members of the public.

“The presence of the worship centre the protesting youths in our fold here has always been the talk of the town, because we have no axe to grind with the more so that it is unlike the convention- worship centre at all,” he said.

Mr Olusegun Solomon, the state’s al worship centres which are open to all Commissioner of Police, told NAN that and sundry.

“One of the strange things about the he had been fully briefed and men of his place is that it has no front door as the command were doing their best to conadherents enter through the back door trol the situation.

“Our men have been there since late yesas if it is a cult,” a resident, who lives

U

terday when we heard that some aggrieved youths gathered at the premises to set the worship centre on fire.

“However, as early as 7a.m. this morning, more than 6,000 angry youths reappeared there and the police tried their best to prevent them, but they had their way.

“This is because we were trying to prevent them in a civil manner without any attempt to shoot and kill people,” he added.

Asked if the incident had a connection with the ongoing strike, the commissioner explained that although there was no direct link, it was a fall out of the strike.

Solomon told NAN that while the police remained at the scene to restore sanity, some members of the worship centre had been arrested for interrogation.

As at the time of filing this report, officials of the State Fire Service had not reported at the scene of the incident to put out the fire.

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday forwarded Ibrahim Lamorde’s name to the Upper Chambers of the National Assembly for confirmation as the substantive chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Lamorde has been overseeing the affairs of the anti-graft body on acting capacity following the sack of the immediate past chairman of the Commission, Mrs Farida Waziri on November 2011.

The President in a letter read by Senate President David Mark at plenary in Abuja states: “The appointment of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is provided for in Section. 2 (1)(a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.

“By virtue of Section 2(3) of the EFCC Act which confers upon the President the powers to appoint the Chairman and Members of the Commission, other than Ex-officio Members, subject to confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I hereby request the senate to kindly consider and confirm the appointment of Mr Ibrahim Lamorde as chairman.”

Lamorde had earlier acted as the boss of the agency in December 2007 when the former anti Czar, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was sacked.

UN: Boko Haram must be held accountable for violence

N

IGERIAN authorities must hold Islamic militants accountable for “spiraling” violence as they try to pit the country’s Muslims and Christians against each other, the United Nations (UN) said yesterday.

“One day it is a church congregation that is being targeted, the next day it is a mosque, and the day after that it is some secular tar-

•Italy to train 20 Nigerian security officials From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

get,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement on the agency’s website. “I urge all Nigeria’s leaders to avoid falling into the trap of calling for, or sanctioning, retaliation or making other provocative statements.”

More than 85 people have died in bomb and gun attacks since Christmas Day on churches in Abuja, the capital, and in the North that the authorities blame on the Boko Haram group, which draws inspiration from Afghanistan’s Taliban movement. Boko Haram, which means “Western education is a sin,” says it’s fighting to

establish Sharia law across the country.

Boko Haram had on January 2 gave Christians three days to leave the north.

To check the activities of the Islamic Sect, Boko Haram in Nigeria, the Italian government is to train 20 Nigerian security officials.

Eight officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service

(NIS), eight officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and four officials of the office of the National Security Adviser will participate in the training in Italy.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday, the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Roberto Colamine noted that the course in Italy will be slighted adjusted to suit the Nigerian situation.

58

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

59

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

FOREIGN NEWS

UN says Sudan government blocking Darfur patrols

T

THE United Nations has said that the Sudanese government is “severely” restricting movements by peacekeepers in Darfur where fresh clashes have broken out and peace talks are deadlocked.

The Khartoum authorities are also holding up hundreds of visa applications for military, police and civilian personnel for the UN mission in Darfur, UNAMID, peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told a UN Security Council meeting on the Sudanese region where there has been conflict since 2003.

Clashes between government forces and rebel groups have increased in various parts of Darfur since December.

“The marked increase in maneuvers and clashes be-

tween government and movement forces in recent weeks was accompanied by a sharp increase in restrictions of movement imposed on UNAMID by government authorities,” Ladsous told UN ambassadors.

This included restrictions on flights and patrols in areas where clashes were reported, the peacekeeping chief added.

“The denials of access have severely impeded UNAMID’s ability to implement its mandate and resupply team sites in affected areas,” Ladsous said, adding that repeated demands had been made to the Khartoum government to get promised “unhindered” access throughout Darfur.

Ladsous also told the

council that as of Tuesday, 935 visa applications for UNAMID peacekeepers and staff were being held up. He said this “remains of concern”.

Darfur rebel groups rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in 2003 and the UN estimates that at least 300,000 people have died because of the conflict since then. The government says the figure is only 10,000.

Government forces in December killed Khalil Ibrahim, head of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the most heavily armed rebel group.

Ladsous said this had badly hit chances of talks between JEM, which has joined an alliance vowing to overthrow President Omar al-Bashir, and the government.

20 killed in sectarian clashes in north Yemen

Y

EMENI security officials say 20 fighters have been killed in new clashes between an ultraconservative Islamist group and former Shiite rebels in the country’s north.

Tensions between the groups have reignited since President Ali Abdullah Saleh

signed a U.S.-backed deal in November to pass power to his vice president. Yemen has been badly shaken by 10 months of protests calling for Saleh’s ouster.

The fighting pitted Shiite Hawthis against Sunni Salafi Islamists. Ten died on each side, officials said,

speaking on condition of anonymity according to military protocol.

The Hawthis fought a bloody six-year war against Saleh’s government that ended with a cease-fire last year. Yemen’s Salafis practice a hard-line interpretation of Islam similar to alQaida’s.

Israel ‘not shedding tear’ over deadly Iran blast A

MATURE Israeli formal yesterday offered a strange respond to a car blast which murdered an Iranian fischer researchers, saying he was not aware who did it but contacting it an act of “revenge.”

“I do not know who took vengeance on the Iranian researchers, but I am definitely not reducing a split,” Israeli army spokesperson Brigadier Common Yoav Mordechai authored on his formal Facebook or myspace web page.

Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, 32, was murdered along with

Ex-Czech trend popular Vaclav Havel dies at 75.

FORMER Czech chief executive and major man of the Purple velvet Revolution Vaclav Havel, who steered his nation to selfreliance from Soviet concept in 1989, passed away at the age of 75.

Havel passed away in his rest at beginning in his weekend break home in the town of Hradecek, about 140 kilometer (87 miles) northeast of Prague, after a extended sickness, his assistant Sabina Tancevova said.

“In his last moment at some point, his spouse Dagmar was with him, together with one of the nuns who have been looking after him recently,” Tancevova said.

Tributes included in from across Nations for the onetime dissident who was confirmed as a “great European” and the “soul of the Czech revolution” that toppled communism in his nation.

his driver/bodyguard in a Tehran car bombing previously on Thursday, in a crank the Islamic republic instantly held responsible on Israel and the U. s. Declares.

He was it all Iranian researchers to be murdered in a surge in the last two decades, with the kids finger regularly indicated at Israel.

Israeli authorities seldom answer such suggestions and for the most aspect, do not thoughts on activities in Iran, but the tale created the statements on the internet sites of the nation’s major magazines, as well as on its TV and r / c channels.

The crank came a day after Israel’s primary of personnel said 2012 would be

a “critical” season for Iran.

“2012 is predicted to be a significant season with regards to the hyperlink between the extensions of the nuclearisation (process), the inner changes within the Iranian authority, the increasing demand from the worldwide group and elements which occur to them in an artificial way,” Lieutenant Common Benny Gantz informed MPs in reviews proclaimed by a spokesperson.

His feedback were considered in the click as mentioning a sequence of strange problems directed at Iran’s fischer program and authorities engaged in various factors of it.

Posts Related to Israel ‘not shedding tear’ over deadly Iran blast

UK tabloid editors describe lax standards

A

FORMER tabloid newspaper editor told Britain’s media ethics inquiry yesterday that he published an inflammatory story about the parents of a missing girl because he thought there was a possibility the story could be true.

The unfounded Daily Express story suggested that Kate and Gerry McCann, the parents of missing schoolgirl Madeleine McCann, might have been linked to her 2007 abduction and possible death.

The Daily Express newspaper had to make a front-page apology and pay a substantial settlement to the parents, but former chief editor Peter Hill seemed unrepentant when quizzed about the decision to publish.

“I felt the stories should be published because there was reason to believe they might possibly be true,” he said, suggesting that the saga of the young girl’s disappearance from a holiday resort in Portugal had generated extraordinary interest throughout the world.

Hill testified before the Leveson Inquiry, a wide-ranging investigation of wrongdoing at British newspapers. The inquiry stems from public anger about the phone hacking scandal, which saw reporters and private detectives hack into the voicemail systems of celebrities, sports stars, crime victims and royal aides.

60

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

NEWS Senators, security chiefs meet over insecurity

S

ENATORS and security chiefs locked themselves up yesterday in what was described as “a crucial meeting” over the worsening security situation in the country.

On Wednesday, senators called for an overhaul of the security agencies over what they described as the abysmal failure of security chiefs to rein in sponsors and foot-soldiers of the Boko Haram sect.

The senators made the call in their contributions to a motion on general insecurity in the country sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and 72 other.

But Senate President, David Mark told his colleagues that he had mandated the joint Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Defence, Army, Navy, Air Force and Police to meet with the security chiefs on the way out of the security challenges.

Mark told the senators that he had already direct-

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

ed the Senate Clerk to invite the security chiefs for a meeting with the joint committee.

A source close to yesterday’s meeting told our correspondents that the security chiefs took turns to brief the lawmakers on the state of insecurity.

Senators were said to have consistently demanded to know why intelligence gathering ability of security agencies has failed.

A senator from the Southwest was said to have told the security managers that “Nigerians were tired of rhetoric.”

Those who attended the meeting included the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin, Chief of Army Staff, Major General Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sahad Ibrahim Chief of Air Staff,

Air Vice-Marshall Mohammed Umar, Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, and Director-General of State Security Service (SSS) Mr. Ita Ekpeyong.

Details of the meeting were not available yesterday.

The meeting, which started around 3 pm, was still in progress by 7 pm.

It was, however, believed that far-reaching decisions would be taken at the end of the parley to enable the Senate articulate ways and means to deal with the security challenges confronting the nation.

A senator from the Southsouth said, the meeting might be the last chance of the security chiefs to prove their mettle or be fired.

The senator, who spoke anonymously, told our correspondents that security managers may not have any more excuses for “embarrassing security failures.”

Ekiti pledges succour for fire disaster victims

E

KITI State Government has promised to assist victims of the fire disaster at a mechanic workshop opposite the O’dua Textile on Basiri road in Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state.

They are to get government assistance, it was learnt yesterday.

The workshop was razed by a spark from a high tension electric pole nearby.

It was reported that efforts by concerned residents and officials from the State Fire Service to put out the fire were unsuccessful.

Goods valued at about N10 million were razed.

Commiserating with the victims, Deputy Governor Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka urged them to be grateful that no lives were lost.

Mrs Olayinka assured that the state government will assist the victims, stressing government’s commitment to the well-

A

terday after the police shot a teargas while trying to disperse protesters at Owu/ NTA junction within the Abeokuta metropo-

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

lis.

According to eyewitnesses, the building caught fire when the teargas got into the upper sitting room through the window.

Oyo orders withdrawal of monarch’s crown

T

HE Oyo State Government has ordered the removal of the crown presented to the deposed Alepata of Igboho, Johnson Oyeyiola.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Akin Olajide, yesterday in Ibadan said the directive was in conformity with previous rulings of the Oyo State High Courts under Justices E. C. A. Lufadeju and M. O. Bolaji-Yusuff, which restrained Oyeyiola from parading himself as an Oba. The statement said it was

also in conformity with the latter’s judgment, which nullified Oyeyiola’s appointment as the Alepata.

It said besides asking Oyeyiola to stop parading himself as the Alepata, the government also directed security agencies and the Oorelope Local Government , where he was domicilled, to enforce strict compliance with the directive.

The state directed the council to stop the payment of Oyeyiola’s salaries and effect his arrest if he further parades himself as a traditional ruler of the area.

HE death of a French TV cameraman during a government-sponsored trip to Syria has renewed calls for an independent assessment of the violent conflict in the country, as the government and the opposition traded blame yesterday.

The French government, human rights groups and the opposition demanded an independent investigation into the killing of Gilles Jacquier while filming a pro-government rally in the restive city of Homs Wednesday.

Jacquier, who worked for France-2 Television, became the first Western journalist to be killed in the 10-month-old Syrian uprising.

He was among a group of 15 journalists on the government trip when they were hit by several grenades, and his death was likely to become a rallying cry for both sides.

The opposition called for protests in Jacquier’s honor Thursday, and activists said hundreds of people held demonstrations across the country in cold and rainy weather, demanding the downfall of President Bashar Assad.

M

•Mrs Olayinka

ing and always switch off electric appliances while closing for the day’s work.

One of the victims, Mr Oluwatoyin Akerejola, told reporters he was shocked to hear that his shop had been razed.

He appealed for government’s intervention to enable him return to business and live a normal life.

Strike: Ogun Police teargas razes building ONE-STOREY building was razed yes-

Fresh calls for independent probe in Syria T ‘Yesterday’s case of the killing of the French journalist raises a number of questions, who launched the attacks, what was the purpose. The answer is we don’t know’ The government has said the attack shows the uprising is the work of terrorists, a narrative the government has maintained since the start of the revolt against Assad ten months ago. The opposition contends the regime is behind the bloodshed, to tarnish the uprising.

“The journalists were attacked in a heavily militarized regime stronghold - it would be hugely difficult for any armed opposition to penetrate

the area and launch such a deadly attack,” said Wissam Tarif, a campaigner for online global activist group, Avaaz.

Nadim Houry, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, called for an independent, preferably international, investigation.

“Yesterday’s case of the killing of the French journalist raises a number of questions, who launched the attacks, what was the purpose. The answer is we don’t know,” he said in an interview in Beirut Thursday. “So at this point, what’s important is again to launch a credible investigation.”

The Homs governor formed a committee Thursday to investigate Jacquier’s killing, the state-run news agency said.

Syria has banned almost all foreign journalists from Syria since the start of the uprising in March, and only recently started issuing short term visas for a limited number of journalists, who are allowed to move only accompanied by government minders.

Street named after Martin Luther King Jr 44years after demise

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

being of residents.

She said: “In our usual practice over the last one year, we have been assisting citizens of this stat, who have incurred one loss or the other; whether through flood, fire or any other disaster. We have always assisted them and we will assist these ones as well. We need to alleviate this suffering at least”.

The deputy governor described the incident as unfortunate, noting that being a residential area, people should have alerted the officials of the Fire Service earlier.

She added that preventive measures, such as fire alarm systems, ought to have been put in place to alert the emergency section of the Fire Service.

Mrs Olayinka urged the people to avoid bush burn-

FOREIGN NEWS

Efforts by neighbours to put out the fire were unsuccesful.

One of the family members, Mr Salis Ademuyiwa lamented: “See what Jonathan and the Nigerian Police have done to us now? Where do they want us to begin from now, is it the building itself, other property or all our personal effects and belongings that have been burnt?

Mrs Ademuyiwa called on Governor Ibikunle Amosun to sanction the police team that perpetrated the act and compensate the family for the huge loss.

An octogenarian and the patriarch of the family, Alhaji Lasisi Anifowose, was so disturbed that he could not respond to our reporter on phone.

The Police Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi said he is not aware of the incident.

EMPHIS officials yesterday approved naming a city street after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., nearly 44 years after the civil rights leader was killed in the city.

The 10 members of the Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board voted unanimously to rename a nine-block downtown stretch as Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue. Previously called Linden Avenue, it runs in front of the FedExForum, where the Memphis Grizzlies play their home games, and parallel to Beale Street, the famous tourist drag.

The street also runs near the Clayborn Temple, where

King rallied with striking sanitation workers days before he was assassinated by James Earl Ray on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968. King also led a march on Linden Avenue during the strike.

The city already had a section of Interstate 240 dedicated to King, but the naming of a prominent street in the city’s tourist district is being seen as a symbol that the city is finally taking steps to heal the wound caused by the assassination A ceremony is planned for April 4 to honor King and unveil the new street signs.

About 900 U.S. cities already have city streets named for King.

Pakistan’s Zardari visits Dubai amid fears of military coup

P

RESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari has left Pakistan, tense with rumours and fears of another military coup, and gone to Dubai amid a stand-off between an increasingly belligerent political leadership and the powerful military. Political parties were quick to speak up against a likely army take-over.

Zardari went to Dubai, a city where he was hospitalised last December over a heart ailment, media reports

said Thursday.

According to Geo News Zardari left for Dubai on one-day private visit, while BBC report said that the president would be attending a wedding and returning to Pakistan. It did not give details of the wedding.

Presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar also said Zardari would return to Pakistan in 24 hours, reported Xinhua. It was not clear at what time would the 24-hour period end.

Restrain your men, Reps urge IG From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

T

The House of Representatives has urged Police chief Hafiz Ringim to restrain his officers from using live ammunition on peaceful protesters.

In a statement, the House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Justice, Dr Hamad Ali said all infractions of the rights of peaceful protesters are being closely watched and documented.

Ali, who is representing Ilorin East and South Federal Constituency added that “the House of Representatives shall leave no stone unturned to bring the full weight of the law on any person or official found responsible and as we await compliance of the authority with the resolution of the National Assembly to suspend the subsidy withdrawal, I urge all protesters to be law abiding and go about expressing their views peacefully.”

He commended for summarily dismissing the DPO that killed a Lagos protester, “but we urge him to go ahead and move against other similar officers and prosecute them, failing which the House of Representatives shall ensure they all face criminal justice.”

“The world was looking at Memphis to make its mark,” said Berlin Boyd, a former city councilman who made the proposal to rename Linden Avenue The board’s vote is final, but there still may be more work to be done.

Gregory Grant, a member of the National Action Network, said he supported extending King Avenue beyond the nine blocks approved Thursday. Leaders of churches that sit along Linden Avenue east of the nine-block section also support an extension.

“It would be an act on the part of this committee that shows we are healing,” Grant told the board.

Furious Iran wants action over scientist’s killing THE assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist sparked deep fury in Tehran on Thursday against prime suspect Israel and against the United States, which said it had nothing to do with the murder.

Some hardline newspapers even called for retaliatory action, with one, Keyhan, saying in an editorial that “assassinations of Israeli officials and military are achievable.”

The government’s reaction was just as angry, though more measured.

In a letter demanding strong UN Security Council condemnation, it said it had evidence unnamed “foreign quarters” were behind Wednesday’s killing of scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan.

The 32-year-old deputy director of Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility died when two riders on a motorbike drove by his car trapped in Tehran’s rush-hour and slapped onto it a magnetic bomb that directed a deadly blast inside the vehicle.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

61

NATION SPORT

• Thiery Henry

• Di Natale • Lionel Messi

F

IFA.COM’S latest stats review focuses on the scoring exploits of Messrs Cole, Di Natale and Henry as well as the sensational form of Israel’s unlikely pacesetters and a historic FIFA Ballon d’Or triumph for Lionel Messi.

Twenty-seven goals have now been scored by Antonio Di Natale in his last 27 home matches after he struck twice in Udinese’s 4-1 win over Cesena on Sunday. The Zebrette talisman has scored ten times in just eight appearances at the Stadio Friuli this season and, with 12 goals overall, leads the Serie A scoring chart alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic and German Denis. Di Natale’s 17th career brace left his tally in Italy’s top flight at 142, taking him level with Alberto Gilardino, Christian Vieri, Paolino Pulici and Benito Lorenzi in the league’s all-time ranking. Teammate Kwadwo Asamoah also had reason to celebrate, having marked his 100th Serie A appearance in style with his sixth goal.

Eighteen matches without defeat is the run that has left Israel’s Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona in pole position to win the first top-flight title of their history. This little-known team from the Hula Valley have suffered just one loss all season, and that four-and-a-half months ago, when they went down 3-1 at Maccabi Netanya on the second matchday of the Ligat haAl campaign. Since then, they have proved invincible, winning 12 of their last 14 matches to move six points clear of secondplaced MS Ashdod, another team

Comebacks and a coronation aiming for their first-ever national title. For Hapoel, a maiden championship would certainly crown a meteoric rise, given that the club that was formed as recently as 2000 and only gained promotion to the Ligat ha-Al in 2007.

Five major trophies and 55 Barcelona goals was the 2011 haul that underpinned Lionel Messi’s success at Monday’s FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala. The Barcelona star attracted 47.88 per cent of the vote to claim the men’s award by a comfortable margin from fellow nominees Cristiano Ronaldo (21.6 per cent) and Xavi (9.23 per cent). It was, of course, the third year in succession that Messi has been honoured by both FIFA and France Football; previously, only Michel Platini had won three straight Ballon d’Ors, and no-one had managed such a streak in the FIFA World Player award. Xavi, for his part, is becoming accustomed to the role of bridesmaid, having finished in the Ballon d’Or’s top three for a third time without

winning – equalling a record set

by Bernd Schuster. The female category, meanwhile, witnessed only the fourth recipient of the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award, with Homare Sawa following in the footsteps of serial winners Marta (5), Birgit Prinz (3) and Mia Hamm (2).

Four years, 11 months and 25 days after his last Arsenal goal, Thierry Henry was again on target for the Gunners on Monday as he marked his return in fairy tale style. Less than ten minutes after coming off the bench against Leeds United with the game still goalless, Henry – with just his fifth touch of the ball – stroked home the winner in trademark style. It was the Frenchman’s first goal for the north London outfit since a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough on 3 February 2007, since when he has been voted Arsenal’s greatest-ever player by the club’s fans and been honoured with a bronze statue outside the Emirates Stadium. The strike also enhanced Henry’s fine scoring record against Leeds, a team against whom he has now

scored 12 times in as many appearances, and settled a tight match in which the visitors had four shots on target to the Gunners’ three. It proved to be a week for dramatic comebacks in England, with Paul Scholes coming out of retirement to make a sudden return to the Manchester United fold, coming

on against Manchester City 225 days after what everyone assumed was the 37-year-old’s final Red Devils appearance.

Three goals in Lille’s 6-0 Coupe de France win over Chantilly gave Joe Cole the first hat-trick of his 14year career. The attacking midfielder, capped 56 times by his country, took just 43 minutes to equal his Ligue 1 scoring tally for the season, albeit against a team five divisions below the reigning French champions. Cole, who is on loan from Liverpool, has already scored as many goals for Les Dogues as he managed in his previous three combined with the Reds and Chelsea. Despite their cup success, Cole and Co remain four points off pacesetters Paris Saint-Germain in the title race, but do at least appear to have rediscovered their scoring touch, having notched up ten goals in their last two matches.

“Henry – with just his fifth touch of the ball – stroked home the winner in trademark style. It was the Frenchman’s first goal for the north London outfit since a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough on 3 February 2007, since when he has been voted Arsenal’s greatest-ever player by the club’s fans and been honoured with a bronze statue outside the Emirates Stadium. “

www.thenationonlineng.net

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 7,

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

I

N the universe that politicians call home, there is always a perceived contest between the rational and the irrational, and in the hallowed psyche of the politico, rationality will always prevail.

What with its eloquent appeal to reason, the final arbiter of all disagreements? And when reason is in turn supported with facts and figures, the deal is done. For only an “irrational” appeal to emotion would resist.

The foregoing narrative is deceptively simplistic on many counts.First, it isn’t an accurate reflection of the reality of the universe of politics. Much of what goes on in the matter of politics, including polls, elections and political behavior proceeds from and bears a close relationship to the irrational. Voters choose their candidates by appeal to their emotions and politicians exploit this to their advantage.

Second, the average politician is motivated not by reason but by a whirlwind of emotion and passion. The fire in the belly that spurs one to seek an elective office cannot be accounted for in rational terms. This is especially so in climes such as ours where the do-or-die mentality of many would-be politicians is sufficient to discourage a rational mind from active involvement.

Third, while in few instances one cannot rule out cases in which a cost-benefit analysis makes it into the calculation of participants, the majority enter the fray with closed eyes and confused minds. And the Machiavellian mindset that dominates the political arena is anything but rational.

Still, the idea that politics is or ought to be governed by rational calculation is attractive to many, including politicians.

This is especially true in the policy making arena where the calculation of benefits and costs of particular policy decisions is taken to be the high point of rationality.

Political office holders, who are elected (or rigged) into office by a confluence of factors, including primordial attachments such as religion, ethnicity, kinship, charisma, and the like now find themselves in a position of formulating policies for the nation, and suddenly they become estranged and alienated from the various attachments and connections. Worse, it becomes difficult, sometimes impossible for them to harness the emotional resources that attracted the people to them in the first place. They lose touch with their constituency.

Several questions arise from this observation, primary of which is “how does this happen?” What might be the consequences? In case the consequences are undesirable, what is the remedy?

To the first question about how politicians end up trading the irrationality of

SEGUN GBADEGESIN gbadegesin@thenationonlineng.net

The limits of rationality

‘

When people feel betrayed and dehumanised because their welfare is jeopardised by the policy of a government that they overwhelmingly brought to office, the spontaneous reaction we are witnessing is a natural one. The president and his team can only continue to ignore it at the expense of their own humanity •Dr. Jonathan

emotional attachment and empathetic understanding for the rationality of costbenefit calculation, there are two approaches to an understanding of political psyche.

First, it is what leadership is about. A leader doesn’t make decisions on the basis of what people want, but on the basis of what he or she knows to be right for them and the nation. This has always been the standard answer, as pretentious as it might sound.

The answer is pretentious because it is based on a false and dishonest assumption.

It’s hard for anyone to know what is right for or in the interest of another person and most such claims to knowledge end up substituting the “knower’s” interest for the other. As Bentham once remarked, no one can know your interest better than you. That is why liberal politics insists on the importance of representatives going back to ascertain the interests of their

RIPPLES

constituencies.

The second approach simply dismisses emotional attachment and empathetic understanding as dispensable obstacles to objective decision making. Unlike hard facts and figures, emotion and empathy are not quantifiable and therefore their persuasive capacity can only obfuscate issues. Needless to say, there is a certain kind of arrogance in this, traceable to the primitive bifurcation of reason and emotions.

Reason, we are told, deals with facts, while emotion deals with fantasy; and humans are supposed to be rational beings, subject to the law of reason. But when it is put this way, the “rational” politician has a crisis of credibility. Appealing to the electorate for votes, he or she turns the emotional side which makes him or her attractive to them as human. Then getting to office, he or she suddenly realises the rational side which

HARDBALL

NO TALKS UNTIL STRIKES STOP–Fed Govt

now portrays him or her as a monster.

When monsters make decisions about human affairs based on only facts and figures without an empathetic understanding of human frailties and fears, the consequences cannot be desirable. It is the nature of monsters to dehumanise humans. When, in exasperation, David Brooks, the distinguished New York Times columnist asks “Why do the most socially attuned people on earth…make the most dehumanised decisions?” he is making reference to monstrous decisions by people who are otherwise social beings. Such is the case of the policy to remove oil subsidy in Nigeria.

In other words, political office holders are normally social beings. They get into office because people love or at least like them.

They sell themselves to electorates on the basis of their sociability and likeability. It is the emotional side of the equation. But they despise this important side of the equation once they get into office, taking on the image of a rational calculator, aka a calculating monster.

The remedy is to go back to the basics.

Think of what makes us all humans; think of the fear that keeps people from a good night rest; the fear of where the next meal would come from; the emotional despair of a youth population that has done everything we ask of them—go to school, get a degree—and still find no employment; the unpredictability of life as “aliens” in one’s own country.

In these times of serious disconnect between the promise of freedom, justice and the pursuit of happiness and the reality that people encounter in their daily lives, it cannot be the role of government to add to the inordinate burden of life, no matter what the rational calculation is. Assume that you have to rely on cost-benefit analysis; must you engage in this without putting in place well-tested palliatives to sooth the pain?

It is clear that the removal of oil subsidy has not been based on an adequate consideration of its impact on the lives of the generality of our people. The emotional and empathetic understanding of people’s plight by the president and his team has been abysmally defective. When people feel betrayed and dehumanised because their welfare is jeopardised by the policy of a government that they overwhelmingly brought to office, the spontaneous reaction we are witnessing is a natural one. The president and his team can only continue to ignore it at the expense of their own humanity.

•For comments, send SMS to 08057634061

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Protests: Govt and media need soul-searching

N

...419

NO. 2003

‘We, the people know them more than they will ever assume.

People have asked simple questions that the government seems not to have answers to. What is so sacrosanct about the January date such that the government had to put the cart before the horse?

YOMI ODUNUGA

‘

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

TOMORROW IN THE NATION

IGERIA has a famous and worldwide reputation for producing poor quality leadership.

That humiliating conclusion comes not just from the mouths and diplomatic despatches of foreign ambassadors; it is also now firmly established in the minds of Nigerians who have had to endure perverse policies, and leaders lacking in the barest personal and public discipline, rigorous and scientific reasoning, and a passion for the people and country. For instance, it took an inordinate amount of poor leadership to raise the price of fuel by over 100 per cent in one fell swoop in a country where most citizens live on less than two US dollars per day.

More than this, it also takes an excess of courage for a president to be confronted by the kind of protests that paralysed Nigeria in the past few days, both in size and ferocity, and yet still miss the historical import of the unaccustomed unity of purpose propelling Nigeria to the front pages of world media.

But if Nigerian leaders often lack the presence of mind to appreciate the import of events confronting their governments, there

is no record to show the Nigerian media ever previously suffered the kind of paralysis that afflicted them in the coverage of the ongoing and unprecedented protest movement. The times called for live broadcasts of the protests: only one electronic medium with poor equipment rose to the occasion before also succumbing to pressure. The others either deliberately or because of logistics difficulties limited their coverage to analyses rather than live streaming, and to short takes during regular news broadcasts instead of live broadcasts.

Even the analyses were skewed in favour of government apologists. Live coverage of the protests would have helped to convince the government it was fighting an impossible cause. It would have reassured protesters that they were not alone and that they were a part of history in the making, while also helping the country to be better. But apparently, it was felt that live coverage would also lead to bandwagon effect, with many protesters elsewhere deriving inspiration from critical centres of protests.

What has gone wrong? The Nigerian media

used to have a most remarkable sense of history, a sense of relevance and keen appreciation of the yearnings of the people, and they glowed with so much patriotic heat that few absurdities escaped their searing and penetrating scrutiny. Some say the problem is the economics of publishing and broadcasting. Whatever it is, the media does not appear to be what it was. And just like Nigerian leaders at state and federal levels are being demystified by protesters, there is apprehension that the Nigerian media, which used to drive change and set agenda for the society, may be discountenanced by protesters in future in favour of other social media and be reduced to the level of an appendage of change, or even worse, a coconspirator with government against change.

Media professionals need to do rigorous soul-searching in the coming months in order to rediscover their souls and renew the methods and strategies that brought them glory many decades past. They can count on facing far bigger challenges in the near future, and they need to be both mentally equipped and ready for them.

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025,Oshodi, Lagos.

Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor Daily:01-8962807, Marketing: 01-8155547 . Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Tel: 07028105302.

E-mail: info@thenationonlineng.net Editor: GBENGA OMOTOSO

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

62

NATION SPORT

Eagles’ boss rates Liberia high S

UPER EAGLES’ head coach, Stephen Keshi, has warned his players not to expect an easy ride in the game

against the Lone Star of Liberia, declaring that it would be a tougher game than the match against Angola ’s Pelanca Negras.

Keshi, who was reviewing the Angolan game as well as previewing Sunday’s encounter against Liberia in Monrovia with the players, said the Liberians are tough, more physical and will struggle for every ball come Sunday. “Apart from that they have a compact pitch, where you are going to confront hostile fans and they will further put you under pressure. You must be ready for the challenge and don’t expect that you will have an easy game.”

He revealed that he has played against Liberian national team as a player and coach and each time he came away with the notion that they are a crack side that any team underrates at its own peril.

He, however, challenged the players to forget the missed chances of the Angolan game and focus on Sunday’s game.

“I want victory on Sunday and you must not look at the VIPs that will come for the match to give victory to Nigerians.” The team will depart Abuja today for Monrovia .

Osaze: I feel fully fit now •Osaze

W

EST BROMWICH Albion striker Peter Odemwingie is confident of his fitness.

Now he is ready to shoot West Brom to safety after stringing together seven successive starts in which he has bagged three goals.

Odemwingie said: “I feel fully fit now. I have played all the games recently and I’m happy I haven’t missed any and have no muscle problems.

“On Saturday I felt a little bit tired, which is normal after a few games, but I feel fit.”

AFCON: Odegbami gives it to X - N I G E R I A Black Stars international Shegun

E

Odegbami believes the Black Stars will be a ‘difficult’ side to beat at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The 60-year-old popularly known for his precise crossing and sharp shooting which

Agari: Keshi has started perfectly but…

F

ORMER NFA board member Ben Agari, has described as inspirational and a giant stride, Stephen Keshi’s fielding of a 100 per cent home based squad against the

Pelanca Negras of Angola last Wednesday in Abuja in an international friendly.

Agari, said he has not seen the Nigerian senior national team play with such gusto and commitment in the last five

Makinwa injured in training

A

S reported by the official website of Lazio, Nigerian striker Stephen Makinwa had a muscle tear in his right thigh on Thursday, and stopped training early.

Makinwa is training with the Lazio squad ahead of a proposed move to a club in

Italy's lower division. Varese and U.S Pergocrema are leading the race for the signature of the ex FC Ebedei wonder-kid.

The 28-year-old is in his sixth season with the Biancocelesti. The last three seasons was spent on loan at Reggina, Chievo and Larissa.

I joined Warri Wolves to remain active –Aneke

W

ARRI WOLVES’ latest acquisition, Jude Aneke has explained the reason why he joined the Delta State representatives after his dream move to AA Gent of Belgium could not materialize.

Aneke said he teamed up with the CAF Confederation Cup hopefuls after his return from Europe because of his desire to keep on very active in the game until better suitors will come his way from overseas and couple with his desire to continue from were he stopped last seasonscoring goals.

The former Kaduna United player shone brightly last season ramming home twenty goals to break the 18 goals record set by Ahmed Musa who was then with Kano Pillars in 2010 and he followed that with another assured performance in the CAF Confederations Cup Competition where his goals led the northern side to the Group Stage of the competition in its maiden appearance.

In a chat with SportingLife, Aneke opined that: “The desire to continue playing and to remain active informed his

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri decision to sign for Warri Wolves. They were the most serious of those that wanted me.

I also came here because i know that the club will not stand in my way from achieving my objectives as a footballer.”

He continued: “My objective is to travel to Europe and that has not changed at all. With offers here and there for me, it is still very possible that I would be on my way to Europe soon.

Offers have come for me from France and Germany and my agent is still working on them and at the appropriate time I will tell it out.”

years, even though the game ended goalless.

“We have seen that the liberation of our football fortunes lies with the homebased players and Keshi must be encouraged and the NFF must go look for money to sustain his camping of the national team for a long time”, he said.

Speaking further Agari said because he was so impressed with the team’s performance, he was forced to call NFF President Aminu Maigari, during the game to congratulate him for a job well done with the appointment of Keshi and the initiative to start with home grown talents.

The Benue born football administrator, however cautioned Keshi and his crew not to fall into the booby traps that past Nigerian handlers fell into by turning themselves into players’ managers which subsequently affected their selection patterns during games.

“I know Keshi is a thorough bred professional and will not allow that, but his assistants must also avoid that because it was part of the problem of the last coaching crew regime, when they turn themselves into players agent. I congratulate Keshi and I pray he remains on the course of professionalism and success will surely come to him and the victory hungry Nigerian football public”.

earned the nickname ‘mathematical’ during his playing days is adamant Ghana has the right materials to end a 30-year wait for an African title.

“Ghana have had through the decade some of the best and most colourful players in the history of African football and I have always sing praises for them through the generations,” he told Takoradi-based Melody FM. “Since then Ghana has kept on the tradition. There was a short period during which Ghana lost its direction but they are back on track now and I am very glad for them.

“I am even actually prediction that Ghana will be one of the most difficult teams to play against in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and I hope they can do the West African region proud by winning the championship.”

The Black Stars drawn in Group D open their Nations Cup account with a game against debutants Botswana on January 24 before rounding up its group campaign with games against Mali and Guinea.

•Odegbami

Etuhu linked with Turkish move

R

EPORTS from Turkey claim that Dickson Etuhu is set to complete a move to Samsunspor in the next couple of days.

The Turkish club’s president Kazim Yilmaz has promised a number of signings in January to help lift the secondbottom side out of the Super

League relegation zone and press reports claim that Etuhu is expected in Samsun by the weekend to sign a contract with the ‘Red Lightning’.

The Nigerian international has spoken of his disappointment at a lack of first-team football under Martin Jol, hinting at a

possible January exit, but delivered a string of fine performances when he replaced the injured Steve Sidwell in central midfield.

The credibility of the report is undermined when they describe the Fulham midfielder as being aged 30, when in fact he is still 29.

Gerrard extends Liverpool stay

L

IVERPOOL captain Steven Gerrard is to stay at Anfield after signing a contract extension with the Premier League club.

Local hero Gerrard, 31, has been a one-club man throughout his career and the England midfielder told liverpoolfc.tv on Thursday: "I'm very happy. It's a very proud day for myself and my family."

The deal, the terms of which have not been made public, was announced less than a day after Gerrard scored the only goal in the Reds' League Cup semi-final first leg win at Manchester City.

"It comes on the back of a fantastic team performance last night when we got the result we were looking for," Gerrard added. "The contract extension coming the day after has been the icing on the cake so it has been a perfect 24 hours."

His latest goal meant Gerrard has now scored in two of his three appearances since the new year as he looks to put a difficult 2011, where he was sidelined with groin and ankle problems, behind him.

"This is the club I love and is the club I have supported since I was a young boy," Gerrard said. "I am living the dream as the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"I love coming to work every day and the experiences I have had since I was eight years of age and first signed for the club, I wouldn't change them for the world.

"To extend that and to hopefully have some more good times in a red shirt is what I want.

"There will be more highs and lows, there's no doubt about it as that's part and parcel of being a football player at a top club.

"The important thing is that you react well to the lows and experience more of the highs.

I'm confident moving forward that the club is going in the right direction.

"We've got a fantastic team, we've got the right owners in place and the right team behind our team, so I'm really confident we'll have more good experiences in the future."

His latest deal means Gerrard is set to finish his playing career at Liverpool, having joined the Merseysiders as a schoolboy.

•Gerrard

LEAGUE RESUMPTION

We took the bull by the horn –Babalola •Defends Baribote as Bayelsa Utd Boss

T

HE Secretary of the Nigeria Premier League board, Tunji Babalola is happy for the feat achieved by the Baribote's-led board with the resumption of the 2011/2012 season last weekend.

In this exclusive chat with NationSport, Babalola said it was the first time in the history of the NPL to have kept to a resumption date.

"Last season, we extended the league for too long. It was so unusual throughout the world but we all agree that there was so much crisis last year, so it was not the fault of the NPL. "We ended the season on the 13th of November last year and this year on 7th January we started the new season and this is the first time in the history of the NPL. There has never been a time when we fixed resumption date for the league and kept to it, there must always be a shift which is not normal.

But this time, the stuck to its gun.

I have to commend all the clubs. During our meeting on the 5th of January, matches were supposed to be played on Sunday but because of the strike, it was shifted forward to Saturday and all clubs responded. I can authoritatively confirm to you that some clubs got to the match venue some hours before kick off which is so unusual, yet we still recorded three draws which is commendable. We sincerely thank the clubs for their cooperation. I am quite

Florence Nkem Israel, Port Harcourt overwhelmed and I hope it continues like that", he said.

On how the board intends to solve the problem of league fixture clash with continental ties, Babalola warns that there will be no excuses this time.

"What has happened with the league kick off shows that the board is ready to work and are ready to deliver. It is a clear signal to all the clubs that this board will not entertain excuses."This season there won't be excuses for you not to honour your matches. The law allows a club to register thirty-five players which means that you have enough extra players to execute any match. There is no need to waste the sponsors’ resources by signing players that are not being used. As a result, am confirming to you that we will not allow any unnecessary postponement of league matches because of a continental engagement.

We are far behind and will not accommodate any unnecessary excuse because that team will lose vital points that will go to the opponent", he affirmed.

On the issue of the crisis between the NPL Chairman, Baribote Rumson and the Commissioner for Sports in Bayelsa state on Bayelsa Utd Football Club, Babalola calls for adequate knowledge on the side of leaders.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

63

NATION SPORT AFTERMATH OF LONDON 2012 OLYMPICTICKET

Chukwumerije out of hospital

•Ekeji, Ndanusa commend duo

I

T was another celebration of joy for the Nigerian contingent to the London 2012 Olympic qualifiers in Taekwondo

taking place in Cairo, Egypt, when the good news that Chika Chukwumerije who suffered a broken nose and was rushed to hospital had

recovered.

A source close to the Nigerian camp said: “Chika is out from hospital. He is good and we are indeed

Eagles dream goals against Liberia …Angola’s keeper salutes team

T

HE Super Eagles resumed training Thursday evening in Abuja for the inauguration challenge duel against the Lone Star of Liberia, with one thing in mind, how to convert the several begging chances that they usually create into goals.

From Skipper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Oboabona Godfrey, Papa Idris and Azubuike Egwueke, who all shone like a million stars in the encounter against Angola’s Pelanca Negras, to midfielder, Sunday Mba, Ejike Ozoenyi, Ossai Uche and strikers Kabiru Umar and Uche Kalu, a resolution seemed to have been passed to go goals wire when it meets its next opponent on Sunday.

Hear Egwueke: We didn’t quite start well because it was our first game together but we still made a lot of efforts to

dominate the game and never allowed our opponents to play.

The only thing that we didn’t do was scoring, by God’s grace that will not happen in Liberia .

Mba on his part, was even angry with himself, noting that he missed at least two chances to score. “But we have another opportunity to prove ourselves and if the coaches still call me up to play I promise I will deliver the goals this time. The confidence is gradually building.”

Kalu said he was confident that he would be part of the team to Monrovia on Friday and he will justify his inclusion by scoring against Ellen Sirleaf Johnson’s country. “These set of coaches led by Stephen Keshi have so much confidence in us and we can’t afford to fail them”, he said.

Meanwhile, Angolan first choice goalie, Carlos Alberto

Yobo set for Kenya battle

S

UPER EAGLES' captain, Joseph Yobo will be in action on Thursday for his Turkish club, Fenerbahçe when they face Konya Sekerspor in the third round of the Turkish Cup. The 31-year-old who has been in impressive form for the Yellow Canaries this season is expected to be given a starting berth by coach Aykut Kocaman.

Fenerbahçe will be favourites to progress to the next round as they line up in

front of their vociferous supporters at the Sükrü Saraçoglu Stadium but will do well not to underrate the dangerous Konya who have been in plucky form all season.

Yobo has made 29 appearances for Fenerbahçe this season and has scored once this term.

The former Everton defender has made 86 appearance for the Super Eagles and has weighed in with 7 goals.

PUBLIC NOTICE HOLYGHOST DELIVERANCE MINISTRY This is to inform the General public that the above named Organisation has applied to the Coporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part C of The Companies And Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1) Apostle Chris David Osondu 2) Pastor(Mrs) Favour Xavier Osondu 3) Engr. Henrietta Ebofuale 4) Mr. Wealth Green 5) Barr. Okiemute Akoko 6) Barr. Akin Fakorede 7) Princess Jim Bob (Jp) 8) Jerry Ayah-Ngianga 9) Mr Amos Otikor 10) Evangelist Julian Ebisike AIMS AND OBJECTIVES INCLUDES: 1) To preach the gospel of our lord Jesus to every nation 2) To minister to the afflicted in accordance with the word of God Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 565 Ndola Square Wuse Zone 5, Pmb 198 Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: C.C. Onyema (Mrs) Esq. 08062695950

Fernandes, has described the Super Eagles as one of the best sides he has ever played against in Africa , wondering how they did not make it to the 2012 Nations Cup. "Very good team, but maybe, bad luck. I won't be surprised if they win the next edition of the Nations Cup", he said.

happy and grateful to God”.

Meanwhile, the Director General(DG) of the National Sports Commission and President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, Dr Patrick Ekeji and Engr Sani Ndanusa have also dispatched congratulatory messages to the Nigerian heroes in the Taekwondo event at the ongoing qualifiers.

According to the source: “Dr Ekeji called President of Nigerian Taekwondo Federation, Dr Jonathan Nnaji and felicitated with him over the feat recorded by the athletes.”

In the same development, President of the Nigeria

•Adam (right) at Beijing 2008

Olympic Committee (NOC) Engr Sanni Ndanusa said that their qualification was an indication that Team

Nigeria would not complete the numbers in London as they would contest for medals.