January 14, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

RS E THOCK O , 4 F ST DES M E O A ST 1% TR 54 I ER 5 T E M AKE RKE AG P T A M

President shifts Ondo rally as 46 PDP leaders join APC NEWS PAGE 2

•Party in disarray as Mimiko’s leadership is rejected •Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3095 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

68.8m eligible to vote, says INEC

Govt threatens rice importers over unpaid N36.56b duty

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

T

•Firms fault policy

By Bunmi Ogunmodede

F

IVE companies have up till tomorrow to remit N36.56 billion to Federal Government’s treasury or face sanctions, a minister said yesterday.

The firms owe N36, 569,117,975.4, being preferential duty and levy on the tariff and levy on the 732,555.55 metric tons of rice they imported, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Akinwunmi Adesina said in Lagos.

The companies are: Popular Farm and Mills; Olam, CenContinued on page 4

•www.thenationonlineng.net

•Prof. Jega

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday listed 68.8 million people as eligible to vote in next month’s general elections.

The presidential and national assembly elections will hold on February 14 to be followed by the governorship and state assemblies’ elections on February 28.

The number of voters is about five million less than

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

THE FIGURES

68.8m 30m 130,000

•Eligible to vote

•PVCs yet to be collected •Card readers deployed

the 2011 figures of 73.5million. About 30.8 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)

are yet to be collected. They can still be picked up till end of the month, INEC said.

Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, spoke yesterday as the agency unfolded the statistics for the elections.

The presentation was done by INEC Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT),Mr. Chidi Nwafor.

Continued on page 4

•INSIDE: CAMEROON KILLS 143 BOKO HARAM FIGHTERS P60 SIX PDP SENATORS DEFECT P60

Obasanjo to Jonathan: it is too late to support you Ex-president dismisses PTF probe report From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

T

HE desperate battle to secure former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid may have collapsed, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Dr. Jonathan and Chief Obasanjo met for about one hour on Monday night at the former president’s Abeokuta home. The President requested for Obasanjo’s support.

“It’s too late; I’m sorry,” Obasanjo reportedly told Jonathan.

A source close to the meeting told our reporter on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media.

At the meeting were two Christian leaders – Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and Bishop David Oyedepo of the Winners’ Chapel – who attended at Obasanjo’s request.

None of those at the meeting spoke about it, but it was learnt that it was brief because Obasanjo insisted that for him, it was too late Continued on page 4

?

INSIDE

•Tinubu: PDP lacks integrity to query Buhari’s certificate WILL THE •Ogun rulers back CHIBOK GIRLS APC candidate KIDNAPPED •Buhari’s wife at ON APRIL 15 Abeokuta rally EVER RETURN? •AND MORE ON PAGES 4&60

•Chief Obasanjo (third right), Gen. Buhari (third left), Prof. Osinbajo (second left), with Chief Odigie-Oyegun (left), Chief Akande (second right), Asiwaju Tinubu (right), Amosun (behind Chief Akande) and Mamora (behind Asiwaju Tinubu) and others in Abeokuta…yesterday.

When you were going to become manager of PTF... when you finished ‘and I took over, we looked into it...Although there was that investigation, its report was not of any material importance ’

•REPS MAY PEG OIL BENCHMARK AT $40 P53 PDP TAKES CAMPAIGN TO EKITI P60

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

2

NEWS

NIGERIA DECIDES

•Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (right), inaugurating one of the 99 earth-moving equipment recently procured by his administration in Ibadan on Tuesday

•Gen. Buhari

•Obasanjo

Issues that w The economy: Continuity or change?

•Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, presenting a souvenir to the Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba when the police chief visited him at the Governor's Office, Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

•From left: General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Martin Mabutho, General Manager, GOtv, Mrs. Elizabeth Amkpa and General Manager, SuperSport West Africa, Mr. Felix Awogu at the press briefing on AFCON 2015 at Regent Hotel, Ikeja, GRA, Lagos...yesterday.

•Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioners Dr. Ismael Igbani (second left) and Prof Layi Olorode (second right), President, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Najeem Yasin (left) and Resident Representatives, Nigeria, Frierich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Klaus Peter Treyte at the workshop on the Dissemination of Election Security Findings in Abuja...yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE.

H

OW good is the economy?

Very solid, say the books.

Very suspect, counters the market reality. Which of the two truly reflects the correct state of the economy?

Since Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (NOI), Finance minister for most of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second term (2003-2007) and current Finance minister and coordinating minister for the Economy under President Goodluck Jonathan, stamped her imprimatur, that has been the question on everyone’s lips.

The question that should matter in the February 14 presidential election: should the dichotomy between what the economics books say and what the reality dictates exist? Should there be continuity, or should there be a radical change in the country’s economic direction?

The World Bank Nigeria Economic Report for 2014, prepared by a team led by John Litwack, the World Bank’s lead economist for Nigeria, also seemed to betray some befuddlement at the see-saw that is the Nigerian economy, viz-a-viz the promises the books project and the sheer near-hopelessness on the ground.

“Microeconomic data on growth, poverty and living standards in the last decade have been rather puzzling,” the Litwack report submitted.

“On one hand, the country appeared to be experiencing strong economic growth averaging seven percent annually, which was particularly concentrated in the pro-poor areas of agriculture and trade. On the other hand, the national per capita poverty rate remained very high at more than 60 per cent of the population, with little evidence of recent progress in poverty reduction.”

On Nigeria, even Breton-Woods itself appears confused! And that confusion is not helped by the 2014 rebasing of Nigeria’s economic accounts, which, by that very act alone, catapulted the economy to No 1 in Africa (ahead of both the dynamo, South Africa and Egypt).

In World Bank’s own words: “The recent rebasing of the national accounts, which increased estimated

BY OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA EDITORIAL BOARD Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to $509 billion, making Nigeria the 26th largest economy in the world, brought further attention to this puzzle. How could a country of the size and wealth of Nigeria have the poverty rates much higher than neighbouring countries like Niger and Benin Republic?”

Even the poverty spread is a mishmash that does not in any way ease the mind. Though the 2014 rebasing showed that the national average poverty level might have been grossly exaggerated, anchoring at 33.1 per cent of the population (down from the around 70 per cent hitherto feared), regional poverty spread, between Nigeria’s North and South, is well and truly alarming.

The World Bank report gives the poverty range from 16 per cent in the Southwest (the least hit) to 28.8 per cent in the Southeast, 45 per cent in the Northwest and 50.2 per cent in the Northeast (the worst hit). In other words, from the Southwest, where almost one out of every five people is deemed poor, the pendulum wildly swings to the North, where almost one out every two citizens lives below the poverty line.

This grim statistics has more than economic implications. Indeed, it has security implications — for a country with such stark economic dichotomies might just be at war against itself. A generally well-off South versus a generally poor North would appear a demographic bomb that should question the current economic paradigm and perhaps cry for an urgent shift.

If the books are so good, yet the reality is so grim, it is simply because the current economic policy has not taken care of some critical pillars, without which the economy cannot compete, create jobs and drive development and eventual prosperity.

Those twin pillars are power (electricity) and energy (fuel).

The power sector has just completed a bout of privatisation, seeing off the sale of Electricity Generation Companies (Gencos) and Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to private

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

3

NIGERIA DECIDES

‘

Should Nigeria continue with the NOI model, since 2003, of scrupulous balance of the books, with scant regard for the economic reality; or get hands real dirty with fixing the key fundamentals of power and crude refining to domesticate the economy?

•Oyegun

•Jega

‘

•Okonjo-Iweala

will shape presidential poll (2) Election 2015: Whither the police, DSS, armed forces?

H

OW primed are the security agencies for the general elections, starting with the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 14 and the governorship and state legislature elections two weeks later?

That question is vital, given the grim security challenge in the North east and parts of the Northwest.

On January 12, at a forum organised in Abuja by the African Policy Research Institute, Prof Attahiru Jega, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chair, expressed doubt at the possibility of elections in the Northeast.

“A place like Borno State,” he warned, “unless something is done about those that have been displaced, to be realistic, we must say that it may be impossible to hold elections everywhere, in every local government, in every constituency in these three states (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, all under emergency) in the Northeast”.

Though Prof. Jega pledged his commission was doing everything to reduce, to the barest minimum, the number of disenfranchised Nigerians, it is clear the key to “something being done” is enhanced security, the forte of the security forces.

So, are the police, the core civil security agency, the Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria’s version of secret police that has nevertheless become very visible of late and the armed forces (tangentially involved in election matters), well primed for this one? It is not easy to say, though the omens would appear rather grim.

To start with, the security challenge in the Northeast — and to some extent, part of the Northwest like Kano and Kaduna, with their occasional bloody witnesses of sorties from suicide bombers — the military appears to have its hands full.

investors. The change on baton is the final dismantling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), according to the Power Sector Reforms.

The sub-5,000mw of electricity now in supply falls far short of the 10, 000 mw projection for 2007. That is a terrible lag: at least seven years after that ambitious projection, power output is less than half the megawatts projected for 2007!

Yet, without constant power, there can be no talk of powering the economy to more jobs, resuscitating manufacturing and at least, reducing urban poverty by providing more factory jobs; and even boosting the rural economy by improving agricultural stor-

No less the police, from flashpoints across the country, where hideous violence is already rearing its head. News from Jos, Plateau State, speak of partisans, suspected to be All Progressives’ Congress (APC) sympathisers, destroying a branded campaign minibus belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

More harrowing: another report, from the same Jos, that some youths, reportedly sympathetic to the arrested suspects on the vandalised bus, torched a local police station, allegedly to spring the suspects.

Much earlier, came reports that the PDP could not find drivers to recruit to drive its branded campaign vehicles from Abuja to Kano. To solve this problem, another report suggested President Jonathan was contemplating a presidential order to soldiers to help drive the vehicles.

It is not clear if the President eventually gave the order. But if he did, it would have involved the security agencies in partisan political endeavour, which could further dress these agencies in partisan cloak, in the run-up to the general elections next month.

On the other side, in Rivers, another flashpoint, the APC would appear the butt of hideous violence, from the hands of suspected PDP partisans.

At the kick-off of the campaign of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the APC presidential candidate, gunmen shot at a vehicle carrying APC supporters to the Adokiye Amaisimaka Stadium venue of the event, injuring the occupants.

A few days later, a bomb went off at the Okrika, Port Harcourt, APC campaign headquarters, with fingers of guilt, again pointing towards suspected PDP partisans. Okirika is particularly symbolic in the menace of violence, which appears set to beset Rivers State.

Okrika is the hometown of the President’s

age (particularly of perishable farm produce like tomato, vegetables, among others) and boosting rural manufacturing with value-added agro-allied industries.

The energy sector appears to be another tale of privatisation and liberalisation that seem to have only postponed the proverbial evil day.

President Olusegun Obasanjo opted for downstream liberalisation-byimportation on the reason that the local refineries had become drain pipes — which, indeed, they had and still have — and therefore, it was needless for the government throwing more money down the drain, over expensive Turn-Around-Maintenance

wife, Dame Patience, who picks no bones on her support for Nyesom Wike, the PDP Rivers gubernatorial candidate, to the extent of even openly declaring him the “next governor” of Rivers.

The proposed redevelopment of Okrika and the imperative of Governor Amaechi levelling its waterfront shacks to achieve his goal, was where the Patience-Amaechi tiff first broke into the open. Though the Okrika APC secretariat bombing has elicited a public peaceful protest from local youths, sympathetic to the APC cause, the police say they are still investigating the matter.

Another grim news of violence from the Rivers front: Kingsley Emenike, an APC leader in Ward 19, Obio-Akpor, Rivers, was badly injured by political opponents on Monday night. That is the spectre of violence in the run-up to the elections. And to add salt to injury, the police reportedly arrested the victim yesterday.

How fast the police move to bring to book the alleged perpetrators of violence, in Jos, Plateau State, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and indeed, all over the country, would decide whether or not the elections would be peaceful, free, fair and credible.

Aside from these basic challenges however, the security agencies face pre-poll credibility crises, of their own.

The DSS, for example, twice raided the APC Data Centre in Lagos (despite a court order forbidding it from carrying out a second raid), echoing the United States (US) Watergate scandal, that put paid to President Richard Nixon’s political career and came out with “findings” the APC has dismissed as “hogwash”.

So, have “gunmen” raided the Abuja home of John Odigie-Oyegun, APC national chairman, reportedly holding his family hostage and

(TAM). That was hardly illogical.

President Jonathan has kept to the same track.

Years after, that concept is clearly not working. For starters, it would appear economically unwise, to say the least. This is because, by settling for imported refined fuel, Nigeria appears to export her niche (crude) cheap but import the by-product(with valueadded of course) at a premium. The result is net loss of scarce national reources.

Besides, it has led to a huge controversy over fuel subsidy, the huge corruption embedded in the perceived racketeering involved in subsidy and the economic rent that further drives

searching his room, even in his absence, according to a news release by APC national spokesperson Alhaji Lai Mohammed. Was that armed robbery or some covert security operation? The APC is calling for a probe.

Thus, on the virtual eve of a major election, the DSS is perceived, at least from the point of view of the major opposition party, of being “partisan”. No matter the merit or otherwise of that allegation, the DSS is entering a crucial election season, lugging an image problem.

That cannot be good for its essence as an impartial agency of state, sworn to fairness, to all partisan divides.

The police too appear entering the period with hardly any less albatross. Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba, from his rather unwise intervention in Aminu Tambuwal vs. the PDP in the contentious speakership issue and the subsequent police invasion of the National Assembly, has done the image of the institution under him hardly any good.

Neither has the threat by Jelili Adesiyan, the Police Affairs Minister, that he had ordered the IGP and the DSS Director-General, to “arrest” anyone making “inciting comments”, given that the threats were basically directed at President Jonathan’s opponents.

Add the fact that, at both Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, the duo of Adesiyan (Police Affairs) and Musiliu Obanikoro (the erswhile Minister of State (Defence), tried to marshal the security agencies to help skew the polls, does not, in any way, raise public confidence in the security agencies.

For this election to be credible and acceptable to all parties, security is key. So, security agencies must not only be above suspicion, they must be clearly seen to be so.

easy cash without value. This further under-develops the economy.

But even while this, for the books, made some sense in the days of booming oil sales, it is becoming double jeopardy now, since the end of last year and turn of the New Year, when the price of crude oil has hit the sub$60 a barrel mark. By that sole downturn therefore, both the books and the market drip with red. Of course, the economy itself, quite logically, heads south, likely to worsen, even more, the national poverty index.

So, as energy policy, should the government stick to its present downstream-liberalisation-by-fuel-importation policy, or embark on a paradigm

shift of aggressive local refining of crude, by either building (but not necessarily running) new refineries, or putting in place a more attractive policy framework to encourage the private sector to invest in new refineries?

Put more grandly: should Nigeria continue with the NOI model, since 2003, of scrupulous balance of the books, with scant regard for the economic reality; or get hands real dirty with fixing the key fundamentals of power and crude refining to domesticate the economy?

Those are the economic questions that should drive this year’s presidential election.

•TO BE CONTINUED

S ER K OC S DE

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

NEWS President shifts Ondo rally as 46 PDP leaders join APC

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in Ondo State might have fallen apart with yesterday’s defection of 48 ky members to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Following the development, President Goodluck’s campaign – slated for today in Akure, the state capital, was cancelled.

Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko who is the Southwest coordinator of the Jonathan campaign, received a huge jolt by the defections, announced at a news conference in Akure, it was learnt.

Since Mimiko’s return from the Labour Party (LP) to the PDP, the party in the state has not knonw peace.

Party leaders have accused the governor of playing politics of exclusion.

Part of the reasons they gave is his choice of Mr. Tokunbo Modupe as the Jonathan campaign coordinator in the state when he (mimiko) is the Southwest coordinator. He was accused of not giving any consideration to the original members of the PDP. Mimiko’s spokesman Mr. Eni Ekinsola, however, said the

From Damisi Ojo and Leke Akeredolu, Akure

Presidential Campaign in Akure was rescheduled because of the need for the President to receive visiting former Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Mr. Kofi Annan.

The defectors who were mostly former political office holders, old PDP members and former Labour Party(LP) chieftains include, the Chief of Staff to former Governor Olusegun Agagu, Mr. Femi Agagu, former Speakers of the State Assembly, Victor Olabimtan and Taofeek Abdulsalam, a House of Representatives member for Owo/ Ose federal constituency, Eniolorunda Omosule, Niran Sule, Akinyemi Akinnigbagbe and Tola Wewe.

Others are Prince Olowokanga, Bukola Tenabe, Boye Adegbemisoye, Olaitan Ayeni, Mrs Tola Owoh, Ife Iji, Felix Okereji, Akinyugha Jones, Kunle Odidi, Abiodun Jerome, Pelemo Samuel, E.O Obagbemi, Ade Obe, Banji Ajaka, Tolu Babaleye, Akin Aibinuomo, Funso Esan, Kole Oluwajana and Feyi Bali.

The rest are: Deolu Ijose,

Otunba Itiola, Deji Aiyejoto, Tolu Fadahunsi, Tony Jayeola, Tola Akinseye, Yinka Orokoto, Jide Ipinsagba, F.A Falohun, Kunle Adebayo, Razaq Obe, Rasak Isijola, Falana Tajudeen, Segun Adagunodo, Wale Ogunmola, Prince Kiladejo, Wale Adegbakinro Hon. Olasunkanmi and Tunde Taiwo.

Agagu, who spoke on their behalf, hinged their defection on the fact that Nigeria needs a change and Ondo state needs a new direction.

The former CoS said those in their group were formidable stakeholders.

He decried the level of tyranny and bad leadership in the state.

Agagu said the defectors included former state party chairman, working committee members, members of National Assembly, Speakers and members of the State Assembly, commissioners and Special Advisers, Permanent Secretaries and Senior Civil Servants; Chairmen of Boards, parastatals and local government councils, special assistants, councilors and established grassroots political lead-

ers.

He added that they had resolved to embrace change which the APC represents and drum support for the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and other candidates of the party.

The former CoS said: “We took this decision after lenghty sessions of consultation with friends,political associates as well as supporters in all the 203 wards of the state. We have also received the confidence of distinguished elder statesmen, non political young amd elderly citizens who are concerned about the future of our dear state and country.

“Today is indeed a watershed in the political history of Ondo State. Never before have so many notable people chosen to desert a political party at the same time like this. ‘’There are several reasons for our decision but most important is the obvious fact that Nigeria needs change and Ondo State, a new direction, we need change which is the burden of good, honest, diligent, prepared, testContinued on page 61

Govt threatens rice importers over unpaid N36.56b duty Continued from page 1

tral Trading and Export; Conti-Agro and African Farms.

Akinwunmi, who at a session with journalists, accused rice importers of sabotaging the government’s policy.

But Olam Nigeria Limited said: “there is clearly a misconception and mistake in the policy. These rice millers are sorting this misconception and mistake.”

Three other operators also spoke in the same vein.

He said the companies imported 508,653.55 metric tons of rice in excess of the 223,902 metric tons approved by the government.

The minister said the firms resorted to attacking the policy on rice and blackmail rather than respect the gentleman’s agreement they reached with the Nigerian Customs Service when they brought in their consignments.

His words: “Without waiting for determination of supply gap by the inter-ministerial committees or issuance of quotas, two Asian companies – Popular Farms and Mills, owned by Stallion Group and Ola -, had each imported 390,145.53 MT and 244,126.63MT respectively of polished rice as at December 3rdat the preferential duty of 10% and 20% levy, according to data from Nigerians Customs.

“These two companies together imported a total of 634,270.16MT of finished rice or 56% of the total imported finished rice under the new policy as at December 3rd, 2014.

“According to Customs, the importers agreed to pay any duty andn levy differential if their eventual quota allocation turned out to be lower than what they have imported.”

Akinwunmi said the government will not fold its arms and watch some foreign firms undermine its policy, which, according to him, has been designed to encourage local rice production and discourage importation.

The minister said: “Every company must follow the rules and there are no sacred cows. I will not allow them to scuttle our self-sufficiency drive in rice production. These two companies - Olam and Popular Farms and Mills - owe N28.399 billion and they must pay for the excess rice they imported above their allowed quota at preferential rate.

“This is not the first time that foreign importers have tried to derail government rice self-sufficiency policy. They have always sabotaged every rice policy of the Federal Government; even the efforts of the the Presidential Initiative on Rice put in place in 2001 and 2003 by the Federal Government.”

The minister insisted that the government policy on rice was yielding the desired dividends as domestic rice production has increased and the number of modern rice mills grown.

He listed Dangote Group, Elephant Group, Flour Mill and Honeywell as some of the local firms that have been enticed by the policy to go into rice proContinued on page 61

68.8m eligible to vote, says INEC Continued from page 1

•Gen. Buhari (speaking)...yesterday. With him (from left) are his wife Hajiya Aisha, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, Prof. Osinbajo and Chief Odigie-Oyegun.

Jegsa said: "in line with provisions of the law, the Commission has just announced the publication of the register of voters that will be used for the February 2015 general elections. The total number of voters registered for the elections is 68,833,476."

Jega explained that the reg-

ister was cleaned up to prepare for the production of PVCs and to eliminate ghost

voters.

Political parties are expected to collect the register today.

Jega said INEC had collected all the cash it proposed to spend for the elections.

Besides, he said the commis-

Continued on page 61

Obasanjo to Jonathan: it is too late to support you Continued from page 1

to back Jonathan.

The former president has been a virulent critic of the Jonathan administration, which he accused of embracing

corruption and burgling the anti-insurgency battle.

Jonathan replied, slamming some “elder statesman who talk like motor park touts”. He, however, did not mention Obasanjo.

A l s o y e s t e r d a y , Obasanjo advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, to recruit “men and women of character” - if the party wins the February 14 election.

Obasanjo said such abound in all political parties and also in every part of the country, adding that they make things better for a government, the country and the citizenry.

According to the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), the advice applies to other political parties.

Obasanjo spoke also on the report of the probe panel on the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), for the period Gen. Buhari was the chairman, saying the “report was not of any material importance”, as he was convinced that Gen. Buhari made no personal gains while his tenure lasted.

The former president said he deemed it necessary to bring up

PDP lacks integrity to query Buhari’s certificate, says Tinubu

A

LL Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify APC presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari over certificate issues.

Tinubu, who spoke yesterday during the APC’s rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, described PDP as a “shameless” party.

He said: “I laugh when the incapable government of Nigeria, the Poverty Development Party has nothing to say; they have the temerity to question the educational qualification of General Buhari and look for his certificate. Aaaaaaa! (laughter) Shame on them... what an insult!.

“The Armed Forces institution... Don’t go through General Buhari, ask the military.

After all, he went to Army school - from Cadet School, he got a star. From there, he became Colonel, dem no talk. Then Major, dem no talk, from Brigadier General to General, dem no talk. He went to war and came back, dem no talk. They (military) sent him to Army School in London, he passed; you (military) also sent him to United States the PTF report publicly now, believing that Nigerians, particularly politicians seeking elective offices, would “face issues rather than trivialities”. “Issues based campaigns are very important,” he said.

Obasanjo, who noted that he is still a card-carrying member of the PDP and had chosen to remain firm in the party at the ward level, said regardless of the

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

where he and white Americans did left, right, left, he passed. He came back and was not removed from the Army. He became Head of State. Nobody talked about his certificate. Since he has been contesting for the presidency, no one complained about his certificate. Now that we begged him to come and rule, they are asking for his certificate. I don’t want to follow a leader who lies.”

Tinubu reiterated that Gen. Buhari is the right person Nigeria needs at this challenging period.

“Every nation,” he said, “has a period of challenges.” “When United States was challenged, they turned to a war great man, their ex-military general, Harrison Iowa; when the French were challenged, they turned to General Charles de Gaulle; when Britain was challenged, they turned to their great general, Winston Churchill. Today, Nigeria is challenged, economically challenged, physically challenged and security challenged; who do we turn to... General Muhammadu Buhari. He is the real man for the job; if you talk of military experience, he has it abundantly; if you talk of courage, he has it abundantly; if you talk

political parties participating in the general elections, Nigeria comes “first” and should remain “paramount” to him.

The soldier-turned farmer was addressing a group of APC chieftains who visited his Abeokuta home. Among them were Gen. Buhari, his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Asiwaju Bola

of simplicity, he has it abundantly; if you talk of great determination, a combination of mission and ability to perform, honesty and integrity, he has it abundantly, abundantly, abundantly...”

Tinubu flayed President Goodluck Jonathan’s 10 million jobs promise made at a campaign in Ibadan on Monday.

He said: “Today, many of our youths are unemployed and only yesterday (Monday), the man (Jonathan) promised 10 million jobs. He has spent six years without securing jobs for our children and now you are looking for votes. Is he a liar or not? Lies have torn their umbrella. They are failures.

Under free economy aspect, they cannot create jobs for you. Are you not tired of it?

You went to the university for seven or eight years for a four-year course. Are you not tired of it? School fees are becoming a thing of tears. Are you not tired of it? I can teach them how to create the jobs locally.

We will give you student loan. Our programme - four years would be four years.

You will not stay beyond four years before graduating from the university. By your fourth year, you will be taken through that critical path.

Tinubu, Barnabas Gemade, Chief Audu Ogbe, Chief Bisi Akande and Senator Bukola Saraki among others.

The APC national leaders and stalwarts, including wives of the party’s presidential candidate and his running mate arrived at Obasanjo’s mansion at 11:25 am.

Gen. Buhari intimated the ex President of the APC’s road map for the country and sought for

Continued on page 61

his “support, trust and understanding” that the party’s incoming government at the centre would give the nation a “better” and “quality” leadership.

Gen. Buhari said: “Your Excellency, under whom I served the most lucrative appointment of the minister of Petroleum Affairs for three and a quarter years before he sent me on course.

When I set about the pro-

gramme of going round the states, somebody had the temerity to ask me that when I come (to Ogun State), shall I call on Chief Olusegun Obasanjo?

“I don’t think I answered the man, I just looked the other way.

I think that I should not come here (Abeokuta) in whatever capacity without calling to pay my respect.

“Sir, it’s a fact that you know more than all we know about the problem that we are in. But what we will do is try to convince you to believe us that we are going to do better.

“We expect your understanding and support, although you insist on remaining in the PDP. I have reached a certain degree of frustration in my attempt for you to try to shift a bit but you have refused.

“Briefly, we have been going around three fundamental issues: security, economy, corruption. This vicious circle is what the APC is determined to break.

Because without security, there is no way the country can settle down not to talk of living in it.

“So many people, educated and uneducated, some said up to 60 per cent, will say Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gun powder. And then corruption; we believe that if we are able to stop Continued on page 61

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14, 2015

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NEWS

Senate to politicians: support INEC to conduct free polls

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HE Senate has asked Nigerians, especially the political class, to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to achieve free, fair, transparent and credible elections next month without hindrance.

It said it was disturbed and saddened by the war songs emanating from many quarters, particularly from highly-placed Nigerians, threatening violence.

Elections, it said, must not turn into theatres of war.

Senate President David Mark said this yesterday while welcoming senators after the Christmas, New Year and Eidel Maulud festivities.

He urged INEC to ensure that the internally displaced persons (IDPs) vote next month.

INEC, Mark said, must ensure that no eligible Nigerian is disenfranchised.

He reassured Nigerians that the National Assembly would ensure that the 2015 Appropriation Bill and other bills are passed before the end of their tenure.

He listed some of the top items on the agenda of the Senate as the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the fall in oil

•Mark reassures on passage of budget, PIB, others From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

prices and its impact on budgetary commitments, ensuring credible elections and resolving insurgency in the Northeast.

Others are consideration of the reports of the Conference of Speakers of State legislators on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and the management, welfare and rehabilitation of IDPs as well as the welfare of families of deceased members of the armed forces.

The speech marked the beginning of the final lap of the Seventh Senate.

His words: “We are in the fevered grip of elections, but despite the pregnancy of expectation and the excitement being generated by the elections, we must always stick to the task of delivering democratic dividends to our people.

We must not shirk our responsibilities.

“The enthusiasm across the length and breadth of the land for the upcoming elections is a proof that Nigerians have imbibed democratic ethos and

values.

“Many of us are already on the field seeking the votes of our constituents. Experience has shown that the electioneering period are often difficult times.

“Politicians must desist from provocative and inciting utterances. We may be in different political parties, but we are not enemies. We must educate, caution and guide our supporters and followers.

“Election should be an asset to democracy, but where it leads to violence or acrimony, it becomes a liability.

“We must, irrespective of party affiliations, do our best to ensure free, fair, transparent and credible elections.”

He said he was disturbed and saddened by the war songs emanating from many quarters, particularly from highly placed Nigerians.

“Elections need not dissolve into theatres of war. It is my belief that war mongering will only result in a legacy that we will all regret,” he said.

The Senate president said as senators, they have a role to play in ensuring that the country witnesses a peaceful general election.

Mark added that despite the vaunted anxiety that the nation might not survive the elections, he was optimistic that the country has the strength of character, the political will, perseverance and maturity to rise above the challenges that lie ahead.

Mark, who alluded to the loaded agenda before the Seventh Assembly, reminded his colleagues that there were many issues to be addressed before the termination of their tenure by May. He said: “As we resume this last lap of the Seventh Senate, we shall endeavour to pass the lingering Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). We are conscious of the concerns of various stakeholders - Nigerians and foreigners.

“It has taken long, but we should do all we can to pass it.

When passed, the PIB will have profound impact on the future direction of our economy and will be one of the legacies of this Assembly.

“Although, we have a critical and congested legislative timetable ahead, we must be thorough in our work.”

On the worsening insurgency in parts of the country,

•Mark

he said: “It is with deep pain in my heart, embarrassment and frustration that I draw our attention to the fact that insurgency and terrorism are still with us.

“Consequently, several innocent and productive lives have been needlessly lost. The truth is that the Northeastern part of our country is under siege.”

He urged every Nigerian, irrespective of partisanship, to demonstrate patriotism, by supporting the armed forces and other security operatives “to stop this evil.”

Bomb blasts, according to him, are non-partisan in their destructive nature, adding: Insecurity plagues all of us and must be tackled holistically.

“The armed forces and government must intensify efforts to rescue our young innocent Chibok girls. Government must do all it can to end this insurgency. This is a war that we must win and we will win.”

On the 2015 Appropriation Bill, he said: “The National Assembly is committed to the passage of the 2015 Budget.

Before we do that however, we must allow for a deliberate, meticulous and exhaustive debate of the estimates.

“This is an important process which affords us the opportunity to make inputs for the common good of the people. I must emphasise that this is a constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly.

“In the face of declining oil prices, it is clear that our overreliance on a mono-product is unhealthy and unsustainable.

“This reality makes it even more pertinent that the Federal and state governments work assiduously to develop other sources of revenue generation outside the oil and gas sectors.”

One million to march for Buhari/Osinbajo

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OUTHS under the umbrella of Buhari/Osinbajo Movement will on Saturday converge on Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, for what is tagged: “One million march” for the political aspiration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his running-mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

A statement by the leadership of the group stated that the event was being put together to boost the clamour for change in the polity.

“Southwest youths, especially people in Lagos State, see the need to join force with other well-meaning Nigerians to advocate change in the polity.

“Nigeria is undergoing a critical period of her life. Therefore, it behooves individual and group to make a conscious effort to be part of that revolutionary move to rescue the nation,” the group stated.

The group indicated that the Saturday gathering would set a tone for people of the Southwest geo-political zone on where they should stand in next month’s general elections.

Freedom Online returns

T •Speaker, House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (second left); the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha; and the House Leader, Mulikat Akande, proceeding into the House for the first plenary session of the year at the National Assembly, Abuja...

PHOTO: yesterday.

ABAYOMI FAYESE

HE management of Freedom Online has announced its return to the online news market.

A statement by its managing director, Gabriel Akinadewo, reads: “It is our strong belief that Nigerians should have another voice: objective, exclusive, accurate, a fair and editorially-balanced piece of journalism “Freedom Online (www.freedomonline.com.ng) is going to be a new type of online newspaper, producing a quality product with a loyal following.

“Since Nigerians have very strong views and want to feel represented, Freedom Online will provide the platform”.

Let’s parley on violence-free elections, APC tells PDP

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HE need for a meeting between the leaderships of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stem the rising violence ahead of next month’s polls has been restated.

APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who said this in a statement in Lagos yesterday, notedthat such a meeting would send a message of zerotolerance to violence to the supporters of both parties.

The statement noted that the parley would also send a message to other parties, the citizens and the international community as well as douse the tension building up ahead of the election.

The call, it added, was a fol-

low-up to the steps took by the APC, dating back to May 2014, when it first wrote to the leadership of the PDP calling for such a meeting.

The statement reads: ‘’Following up on a meeting of representatives of both parties in Washington, DC, United States (U.S.) on April 7 to 8, 2014 under the auspices of the CSIS Nigeria Election Forum, at which it was agreed that a joint meeting of both parties be convened to discuss and agree on the crucial issue of a Code of Conduct for the campaigns and the elections, we wrote a letter to the PDP suggesting a bipartisan meeting to address the issue. ‘’We have since been following up on the letter, the latest effort being on Decem-

ber 28, 2014, when we again called for the holding of the bipartisan meeting. Apart from its reply to our initial letter, the PDP has not responded to our peace overtures till date.”

It added, however, that whether or not the PDP signs on to such a meeting, “the APC - as a peaceful party will continue to educate its members and supporters on the need to eschew all forms of violence before, during and after the election”.

The party restated its pledge to continue working for violence-free polls next month, even though the opposition party has been at the receiving end of a series of grave acts of violence in recent times.

“It is common knowledge that our supporters were shot at while travelling to Port Harcourt for the inaugural presidential campaign on January 6, 2015. The police even prevented those of them who were hospitalised and treated for gunshot wounds from being discharged.

“Also, our office in Okrika was bombed on January 11, 2015. Another major incident is the burning of the Jonathan campaign buses in Jos, which is a PDP-on-PDP violence in the wake of the intra-party crisis in Plateau after an apparently unpopular candidate was rigged in as the party’s governorship flag-bearer. The APC had nothing to do with the Jos violence, even though the PDP has tried to spin it to portray

our supporters as being behind it.

“Even then, our presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, moved fast to condemn the violence in Jos. On the contrary, neither President Jonathan nor any of his party leaders has condemned the shooting of our supporters and the bombing of our office in Okrika,” the party said.

It, however, alleged that only the PDP could benefit from acts of violence, because it did not want next month’s election to hold, having seen the handwriting on the wall, adding: ‘’We suspect that is why the party has been cold to our persistent calls for a meeting of the leadership of the two major parties to avert violence.”

APC said as a party waiting in the wings to assume office at the centre on the strength of the votes of Nigerians next month, it could not allow violence to scuttle the will of the people.

The party also expressed curiosity at the escalating Boko Haram crisis in the Northeast, saying it fits perfectly into the strategic plan of the PDP to depopulate areas where it is not popular ahead of the election.

It said, however, that Nigerians would reject violence and vote en masse to bring about the much-needed change, “instead of the continuity of insecurity, poverty, corruption, bad economy, impunity and bad leadership, which the PDP is clamouring for”.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14, 2015

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NEWS

Reps to probe alleged hack into INEC database

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HE House of Representatives has resolved to constitute a high powered committee to investigate allegations by the Department of State Services (DSS) that there was a plan to hack into the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The committee is to report to the House within two weeks.

This was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Deputy House Leader, Leo Ogor, titled: “Unauthorised and alleged hacking Into INEC database.”

The House also through a motion moved by the leader of the opposition, Femi Gbajabiamila, urged the INEC to

•Lawmakers want Nigerians to vote with temporary voter cards From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

allow eligible Nigerians with temporary voter cards to vote because of the difficulty being experienced in getting the permanent voters cards (PVCs).

The Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, in his short welcome address, promised that the House would accelerate the passage of the 2015 budget, the Petroleum Industry Bill and the Electoral Act. Ogor, in his motion, asked the House to constitute a high powered committee to investigate the allegations by the DSS and report to the House within two weeks.

According to him, the allegation portrayed danger towards a successful conduct of the 2015 elections.

His words: “The INEC database may contain highly sensitive data. If compromised, it could cast heinous aspersions on the integrity of the elections.”

Ogor added that the allegation raised by DSS should not be treated with levity.

The lawmaker, who called for the House intervention, noted that the weighty allegation by the DSS should be investigated without further delay.

The Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, Jerry Manwe, when

asked to comment on the issue, informed the House that the committee had written to the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, on the issue.

But he added that his committee was yet to receive a response.

Gbajabiamila, in his motion, said the slow pace of the distribution of the PVCs might deprive many eligible Nigerians from voting in the general elections.

He noted that the commission had not succeeded in replacing the temporary voter cards, which were issued since February 2013.

“The INEC has being and is still issuing PVCs to eligible voters in replacement of

the temporary voter cards issued to Nigerians about four years ago,” he said.

He expressed concern “that the general elections being just four weeks or 31 days from now, it is very unlikely that the commission will be able to distribute the PVcs to all registered and eligible voters before the elections.”

According to the lawmaker, if the position of the commission that only voters with the PVCs could vote was not addressed, many registered and eligible voters would be disenfranchised.

The House, therefore, urged “that the commission should include in its election

guidelines for the 2015 general elections a provision or provisions allowing registered voters with the temporary voter cards, whose names are on record to vote during the 2015 general elections.”

Tambuwal announced the names of some defecting lawmakers.

They are Mbadiwe Eddy, who defected from All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Muritala Kayode Busari defected from Accord to Social Democratic Party (SDP); Ibrahim Olaifa defected from Accord to SDP; Jerry Manwe moved from PDP to SDP and Ibrahim Ebbo defected from PDP to All Progressives Congress (APC).

EFCC: we won’t act on frivolous petitions From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

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•Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters at the party’s presidential rally in Osogbo...yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Annan cautions politicians against violence •Onaiyekan, others to voters: be guided by your conscience

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ORMER Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) Koffi Annan has cautioned Nigerian politicians against resorting to violence and other foul means in their quest to obtain victory in next month’s general elections.

Annan, who is now the chairman, Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security (GCEDS), spoke in Abuja yesterday at a forum tagged: “Roundtable on the role of civil society in ensuring electoral integrity.”

It was organised by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) under the auspices of the Policy and Advocacy Centre (PLAC) with the support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

He urged political actors to desist from deploying inciting languages and exploiting the nation’s diversity for their selfish political gains.

The ex-UN secretary general urged Nigerians, particularly the youth, “to unite and resist efforts to use regional, tribal and religious differences for political gains. You must unite against those that threaten the cohesion of Nigeria and incite violence.”

Annan, who noted that the nation’s elections since 1999 have been “fraught and marred by violence,” said the country could no longer afford a violent electoral process in view of its implication for peace in

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

the sub-region and the continent.

“Many people I have spoken to worry that violence might once again disfigure and undermine the election process. So, I entreat all Nigerians and especially the political actors, not to put the amazing progress Nigeria has made into jeopardy. Politics should be about serving the higher interest of the country and not self-serving,” he said.

He also condemned the activities of Boko Haram sect and urged Nigerians to be united in doing same.

Annan, who spoke on the significant of the next elections, stressed the need for electoral integrity, adding: “Elections are too important to be left to the politicians. Elections are key moments in political life since they are foremost mechanisms for peaceful and democratic rotation of leadership.”

He contended that although it was yet possible to have a perfect electoral process, Nigeria should strive to achieve credible elections, capable of conferring legitimacy on the winner, security on the loser and peaceful change for all.

“The 2015 elections are an opportunity to conform Nigeria’s progress in the eyes of the world, but most importantly in the eyes of its own people.

“It is for this urgent reason that we must stand as one against Boko Haram. We must resist their evil ideology, re-

gardless of where we live in this country or in the world, for we are in the same world. Boko Haram’s vicious tactics have no place in the civilised world. No cause, and I repeat, no cause can justify such brutality, murder and kidnapping of innocent children, women and men.

“Nigeria is rightly proud that theirs is a big country. The size of Nigeria is a major source of your worth and power. But the price you pay for that size is diversity, which should be accepted, valued and even celebrated.

“I also urge politicians and their supporters and party loyalists to be careful of the language they use, for words can inflame, incite and provoke. But they can also calm, soothe and reconcile. Nigerians should realise that their destiny is a common one, whether one is a Muslim or Christian, a northerner or southerner, or a member of PDP or the APC. “Nigeria has the future of our continent in its hands. What happens in Nigeria has an impact far beyond its borders. Nigeria’s success in the forthcoming election will be Africa’s success. So, I wish you well as you approach the great test of national unity,” he said.

Other speakers at the event include the Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Abdulwaheed Omar; Chairman, Senators’ Forum Senator Hairat Gwadabe; Secretary General,

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Affam Osigwe; the Chairman, Transition Monitoring Group Ibrahim Zikirullahi; and National Vice President, Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Farida Sada Yusuf.

Onaiyekan called for the separation of religion from politics, saying it was unfortunate that both politicians and religious leaders did not know when to draw the line between religion and politics.

He urged Nigerians to be guided by their conscience in choosing those to vote for at the next election.

“Everyone can reach God through prayer. If you believe you need spiritual guidance to know who to vote for, you do not need any pastor or church leader to direct you,” he said.

Omar, Osigwe and Gwadabe urged the electorate not to allow money and other material gifts from the politicians to influence their choice of who to vote for.

Although Omar said where it becomes unavoidable, one could accept financial gratification from politicians and still vote against them.

But Osigwe and Gwadabe argued that it was impossible for one to remain objective after collecting money from a candidate.

They urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do all it could to ensure free and fair elections next month.

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said yesterday it would not act on frivolous petitions against some leading candidates in next month’s general elections.

The commission said it cannot be instigated to move against such figures.

It also warned against reading political motives into the activities of the agency.

The EFCC spoke in a statement in Abuja against the backdrop of pressure on the commission to stop some candidates.

A highly-placed source said the petitioners cut across all the political parties in desperate bid to stop some candidates.

But, the EFCC said it won’t allow itself to be used by anyone or group, reminding the public that the law empowers the commission to prosecute those writing frivolous petitions.

The statement said: “It is another season of politics. With the general elections fast approaching, politicians of all hue are traversing the country in desperate bid to woo the electorates for their votes.

Such is the beauty of democracy, which is founded on healthy contest with the electorate as the ultimate decider.

“Unfortunately, not all the actors in our nation’s political arena understand the rudiments of a free electoral contest. For some category of politicians, elections are nothing short of open warfare, where any weapon that can swing the tide in their favour is fair. It does not matter whether such weapons deviate from the acceptable norm.

The EFCC said it would stick to its standards on investigation than being coerced by anybody or group.

The anti-graft agency reminded the public that it was an offence to write false petitions.

The statement said: “It is equally important that members of the public realise that it is an offence under the EFCC Establishment Act to write false petitions or supply misleading information to the commission.

“Also, the trend where persons engage in acts of criminality and attempt to blackmail the EFCC from going after them by imputing political motives to the commission’s enforcement activities is most unfortunate.

“Nobody is above the law. The fact that a politician is the standard bearer of any political party for any political office does not amount to immunity from investigation or prosecution for any acts of criminality.

APC Diaspora members declare support for Buhari From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Diaspora, Canada Chapter, has declared support for the party’s presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo.

Its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jerry Solomon, said this in a statement in Abuja.

Solomon said the policy framework by Buhari and Prof. Osinbanjo was the way out of the nation’s doldrums of under-development.

He said: “We in APC-Diaspora, Canada Chapter and other branches are in full support of the party and appeal to Nigerians back home to vote wisely.

“We encourage Nigerians to objectively analyse issues confronting the nation, assess the performance of the government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a whole, in comparison with development witnessed in APC controlled states as well as the good policies and plans itemised by Prof. Osinbajo and choose the path of true positive transformation.

“We are agreeing absolutely with the issues raised by Prof.

Osinbajo on how the administration of successive governments have been characterised by graft and corruption, whose effect inhibits the nation’s progress and development.”

Solomon urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure a level-playing field was provided for the candidates, where a free and fair election will be conducted.

He also advised the political parties and all the stakeholders to emulate Prof. Osinbajo and base their campaign strategy more on issues that bordered on how to develop the country, rather than attacking each other and using political thugs to cause violence and disturbing the peace of the nation.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

NEWS UCH CMD appeals to striking workers From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

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HE Chief Medical Director (CMD), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Temitope Alonge, has appealed to striking workers to embrace dialogue in pressing for their demands.

Health workers, including nurses and administrative staff, have been on strike since November to press home their six-point demand, ranging from increased salaries to better condition of work.

Alonge appealed to the workers to resume talks with the government and see areas of the demands where government can meet as well as their own obligations towards maintaining a healthy sector.

The CMD observed that though the struggle has taken a long time, only a return to a roundtable can end the “dispute”.

“Though this has taken a long time, there is no end in talking, until the solution comes,” he said.

The health workers are seeking the release of the circular on adjustment of salary, immediate payment of two months arrears on newly adjusted salary structure and the immediate release of circular on the payment of arrears on skipping of CONHESS 10 salary.

Other demands include: immediate issuing of circular on retirement age of healthcare workers from 60 to 65 years, payment of arrears of specialist allowance to all hospital-based healthcare professionals who possess a relevant post-graduate qualification, and release of circular amending the extant circular for medical laboratory scientists interns to include post-NYSC placement on Grade Level 09 Step 2 and stale officers across board.

Don’t link your failure to my generation, Fashola tells Jonathan L AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to take responsibility for the failure of his administration, rather than link such with his generation.

Fashola made the remark at a Town Hall meeting attended by members of various associations under the aegis of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

At the meeting in the Blue Roof Hall, Lagos Television, Agidingbi, Ikeja, the union members drummed support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

The President, in his speech at the launch of his campaign in Lagos last week, said his generation had failed.

But Fashola said he belonged to the same generation that Jonathan was referring to, albeit unlike the President, his administration did not fail but performed credit-

•NURTW drums support for Ambode

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

ably well.

“He is in his 50s, I am also in my 50s but I don’t even want to join that generation because my own generation has not failed, I have done well on my job and I am proud to say so. If he has failed, let him account for himself, he should not join us.”

He said the issues that would form the basis of debate for the elections would be how well the citizens have fared under the present administration.

The governor said he was pained about the situation in the Northeast where citizens have become “refugees” in their country, due to the inability of the government to tame insurgency.

Citing an example of the Paris terrorist attack, where

12 persons were killed, he said: “By midnight, they had deployed 80,000 troops, locked down Paris, they entered the forest. Our President could not lead our trained and competent military, give them direction to enter Sambisa forest. And in 24 hours, they had killed three of the terrorists and declared one wanted and they had identified all of them.

“Instead of telling you how he plans to secure the nation, our president was telling you they tried to kill him four years ago and we did not know.

“That is a serious national security issue because nobody wants our commander in chief dead. If anybody tries to kill him, we should have known. And if I was commander in chief, and the per-

son who tries to kill me is in a South African jail, I will ask that he should be repatriated to Nigeria to come and face punishment.”

Fashola accused Jonathan of looking for sympathy votes ahead of the presidential election.

“In 2011, it was no shoes, now he is saying they tried to kill him, it won’t work this time. This time it is the job record, the promise that you must look at.”

Earlier, heads of the various transport associations took turns to endorse Ambode who was present with his running mate, Mrs. Idiat Adebule.

NURTW Chairman Tajudeen Agbede assured that the unions will work for the success of the APC candidate to ensure continuity in government.

Ambode assured the transport workers of his commitment to continue the strides of Governor Fashola, if voted into office.

He assured them of greater recognition in government if voted in, adding that his government will build on already existing structure established by his predecessor and also establish new ones to improve the standard of living of the people.

“We assure you that we’ll take you to the next level that will touch your life, and we promise to give you greater recognition in government if voted in.”

He said emphasis will be placed on technical and vocational programmes considering that the sector is being occupied by foreigners.

“We are looking for qualified bricklayers, mechanics and technicians, because in these areas foreigners have taken over our jobs, but we will make it possible for artisans to have dignity in their labour.”

Jonathan woos Ladoja’s men From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

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EADERS of the Accord Party (AP) in Oyo State have agreed to work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, following an agreement brokered between some aides of the President, chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party.

A source said Accord members accepted to mobilise for the election of President Jonathan.

He said: “We are pro-people and we are consistent with this ideology. Of course, the AP, from the onset, has shown to be masses-oriented, this is what everybody knows.

“That we agreed to work and ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan is re-elected is in line with this principle. And that is the position for now, we don’t know if it will change tomorrow. But for now that is the pact we have with Jonathan.”

The Director-General, Rashidi Ladoja Campaign Organisation, Adeolu Adeleke, neither denied nor confirmed the pact.

Rather, the former Speaker of the House of Assembly said Accord would make its position known when the time comes for it to do so.

He said: “The AP will always follow the way of the masses.

It is only appropriate for the party to speak for itself and not that someone else should speak for the AP on issues like this.”

•Fashola (third right); Deputy Governor Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (second right); Ambode (third left); Mrs. Adebule; Commissioner for Transport PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES Kayode Opeifa (left) and Agbede...yesterday.

N500m EFCC loot: You’re a liar, Ajimobi tells Ladoja

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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has described former Governor Rashidi Ladoja’s denial of the allegation of the refund of N500million to the state as panicky and lamentable.

In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Olalekan Alli, the governor insisted that Ladoja indeed returned the amount, as well as vehicles he procured from the sleaze, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ladoja, the Accord Party’s candidate, in an advertorial yesterday denied allegations that he refunded N500million allegedly stolen from the state’s treasury.

The governor, in an interview, accused Ladoja and some of his former aides of fleecing the state during his tenure as governor, following which the EFCC was said to have quizzed him.

To wriggle out of the mess, the Accord governorship candidate was alleged to have entered into a plea bargain with the EFCC, which informed the refund of N500million and some exotic vehicles.

Ajimobi said: “Ladoja’s shameless denial of his refund of Oyo State’s stolen loot is not only regrettable, but lamentable. His brazen denial in the face of overwhelming evidence reflects what led to the lack of trust in this country.

“The public will recall that in 2008, Ladoja was embroiled in allegation of theft of proceeds from shares belonging to the government, which he “converted” to personal use. He was subsequently arrested and detained by the EFCC. “The former governor returned N500 million to the EFCC which thereafter issued a cheque later collected by the government.

“Government thus immediately opened an account to cater for this repatriated Ladoja loot tagged “Oyo State Government repatriated fund Account No. 5030048128 with Fidelity Bank, Jimoh Odutola Road, Ibadan.

“In its quest to use the refunded money to develop the state, N449,070,155.89 was thus paid to the contractor handling the construction of model schools in the state.”

‘Ladoja’s shameless denial of his refund of Oyo State’s stolen loot is not only regrettable, but lamentable. His brazen denial in the face of overwhelming evidence reflects what led to the lack of trust in this country’ Recalling the saga, the governor said Ladoja’s travail with the law started in 2008 when the former governor and one of his principal aides, Chief Adewale Atanda, became guests of the EFCC. The statement reads: “In a statement he wrote on August 8, 2008, Ladoja explained how the shares’ fund was spent.

“However, in a paper per-

sonally written by Ladoja and provided by Chief Olawale Atanda, who was his ‘official cashier,’ the former governor spelt out how he spent the proceeds of the Oyo State money. He shared the money among his wife, himself, children and cronies.

“While investigation was ongoing, the EFCC recovered some money from Ladoja in that same year. Indeed, the money was paid to the commission through bank drafts (issued by Ladoja).”

As the legitimate owner, Ajimobi said the state began the process of recovering the loot from the EFCC in 2013 through exchange of correspondence between the attorney-general, solicitorgeneral and the anti-graft agency.

He maintained that N449million was indeed paid to the contractor handling the construction of model schools across the state.

The governor, therefore, urged journalists to re-investigate the matter by crosschecking the facts and evidences presented by the government with the EFCC.

Robbers kill 15 in Ikare bank robbery From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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IFTEEN people were killed yesterday during a bank robbery in Ikare Akoko, headquarters of Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Sources said four of the victims were policemen. A police station was vandalised by the bandits.

It was learnt that the incident started at 3pm.

The robbers, a source said, came in two vehicles painted in military colours. They were dressed in mobile police uniform.

The hoodlums reportedly blew up the bank’s security door with dynamites.

It was gathered that most of the victims were bank customers, including three who met their untimely death at the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) point.

The robbers, who reportedly escaped through routes leading to Edo State, were said to have carted away huge sums of money.

The town was deserted for the two and half hours that the operation lasted.

Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said he had not been briefed about the incident.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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NEWS Oyo grades rural roads

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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has inaugurated and presented 99 earth moving equipment, including bulldozers, graders and low beds, to the 33 local governments to facilitate accessibility to rural areas.

Inaugurating the equipment yesterday at the Governor’s Office Car Park, Ajimobi said the move was to promote rural integration and development and end the waste of farm produce.

He said the equipment would enhance movement of farm produce from the hinterland to urban centres, stressing that farm produce were destroyed due to lack of accessible roads to farmlands.

The governor noted that the procurement of the graders and bulldozers would improve road rehabilitation, especially in the rural areas.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ibadan NorthWest Local Government, Wasiu Olatubosun, said the state was the first to achieve such a feat.

Courses accredited

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HE Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has granted full accreditation to five undergraduate and five post-graduate diploma engineering programmes of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

The Council, in a letter, listed the undergraduate programmes as Agricultural Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Civil Engineering and Chemical Engineering.

It also listed the post-graduate diploma programmes to include Computer Engineering, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Agricultural Engineering.

Signed by the Council’s Registrar, W. Kamila Maliki, the letter said the effective date of accreditation was November 27, last year, and remain valid for five years.

Lawmaker condemns attack From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

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HE lawmaker representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Abiodun Awoleye, has condemned the attack on his aide–Muideen Adeleke, Abdullahi Alao and Tali Ayoade.

Awoleye, who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, said this yesterday after visiting the trio, who were ambushed at Awosika area of Awolowo Junction in Ibadan.

They were attacked by some members of the Labour Party (LP) while pasting Awoleye’s and Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s posters .

The lawmaker described the attack as an act of wickedness.

He called on security agents to investigate the matter and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested.

•From left: Chief Oyelade, Chief Akinyele, Chief Abimbola, Makinde, Oloye Alabi and Chief Oyero at the event…yesterday

Royal aide urges politicians to eschew violence

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MEMBER of the Olubadan-In-Council, High Chief Theophilous Akinyele, has urged politicians in Oyo State to be politically matured and ensure acceptable and violence-free elections.

He warned that the state could not afford to witness any violence during and after the elections and enjoined all players to play the game by the rules.

Akinyele , a former Head of Service, gave the advice yesterday in Ibadan, the state

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

capital, at the launch of a book titled: “Election Law Practice in Nigeria” in honour of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Oluwaseyi Makinde.

The former HoS said he is looking forward to a situation where father, sons and siblings of different political ideologies and parties would live together without crisis.

The Bobajiroro of Ibadanland, who chaired the occasion, urged stakeholders and political actors across the country to always play the game by the rules in order to have free, fair and acceptable elections next February.

He said contrary to some opinion moulders, Africa needs strong institutions and not strong men to move the continent forward.

The book reviewer, Dr Abba Kolo from the University of Dundee, Scotland,

said the book would be helpful in the academic and the political system.

Kolo, who was represented by Solomon Okedara, said all hands must be on deck to curb irregularities in the voter registration processes.

Makinde, who described internal democracy as the focal point of all democratic processes, attributed poverty as the major problem confronting the state.

He said if given the mandate to lead the state, he

Leave Ekiti workers out of politics, APC tells Fayose T HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has urged Governor Ayodele Fayose to stop dragging civil servants into politics, saying such is dangerous to neutrality and professionalism in the civil service.

The party’s comment followed a directive by the governor to the workers, making their attendance compulsory at President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign rally in Ado-Ekiti yesterday.

Its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said declaring a holiday for civil servants to enable them attend a political rally is against the tenets of civil service rule, which bars civil servants from direct parti-

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado Ekiti

san politics.

The party praised the civil servants who acted professionally by objecting to the governor’s plan, saying by maintaining their professional integrity, they had demonstrated that their loyalty belongs to the state and not individuals.

Olatubosun said Ekiti workers have become wiser not to sacrifice their careers and integrity on the altar of campaign deceits, which is the hallmark of PDP politics.

His words: “The last time President Goodluck Jonath-

an visited Ekiti State during Fayose’s campaign rally, he said he would immediately start development projects in the state if Fayose won.

“After Fayose was declared winner, the Federal Government awarded N480 billion road contracts across the country. Ekiti State did not benefit from these contracts.

“The only two federal projects in Ekiti over the years- the silo and 132/ 133KVA electricity projectshave been abandoned.

“Fayose sacked workers and a list of others to be sacked is being prepared.

He collected September al-

location but refused to pay workers.

“If Fayose is sure the teachers love him, why was he forcing them into waiting buses as they arrived in the schools?

“The governor reversed the promotions of many workers and has abandoned even the members of his party who he deceived with juicy appointments.”

The APC spokesman said it was regrettable that a President who created conditions of impunity for all these to happen is coming to the state again to deceive Ekiti people.

“What will President Jonathan tell the people after the man he foisted on the state had desecrated all the institutions of government?“

We’re shocked by your ignorance, Oyo APC tells Folarin

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has said it was shocked by what it called the “crass ignorance of the state” by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin.

The party said this showed that Folarin is incapable of ruling the state judging by his comments at the launch of his campaign in Ibadan on Monday.

The APC, in a statement in Ibadan yesterday by its state Director of Publicity, Olawale Shadare, said it

was inconceivable that a person aspiring to rule Oyo State needed to rely on the brief by his cohorts before knowing what to tell the people.

“Unfortunately, throughout Folarin’s speech, he could not tell the people what he has in stock for them and how he intends to run the state in the next four years better than Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

“He succeeded in dampening the people’s morale who had waited patiently to hear from him what he intends to do differently.

“Folarin’s barren speech at the rally has given him away as clueless, incompetent and grossly incapable of ruling the state without being spoon-fed.

“This has shown that he has no mind of his own and intends to rule the state by proxy.

“We are, however, not surprised because his eight-year stay in the Senate, four of which he spent as the leader, yielded virtually no dividend for the people of his senatorial district,” the party said.

The party also said it is regrettable that the PDP candidate is completely lacking in facts by saying that only 200 doctors are in the civil service to cater for the medical needs of seven million citizens.

It stated that only recently, the government employed 1,000 health workers, 300 of whom are medical doctors.

APC called on the people to be wary of Folarin whom it said has no electoral value but only out to hoodwink them and whip up unnecessary sentiment.

would implement projects to banish poverty.

At the event were the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, who was represented by High Chief Tajudeen Abimbola, the President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adebayo Oyero, Are Alasaa of Ibadanland, Chief Lekan Alabi, and Chief Abdulatif Oyelade, SDP state Chairman Chief Michael Adegbite and Chief Lateef Oyelade, among others.

‘Stop removing our posters’

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has alleged that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members are removing its posters and banners.

It said this is a dangerous display of political recklessness and illegality that will not be allowed to stand in Lagos.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, the party said the open display of outlawry and brigandage by the PDP with the show of support from the Commissioner of Police, Cornelius Aderanti, showed that PDP disregards the law.

“We recall that recently the Lagos PDP alleged that it was not being allowed to paste posters in Lagos, which necessitated the intervention of the state police.

“Following this tacit support from the Commissioner of Police, the PDP members and agents began removing APC’s posters and campaign bills on Lagos Island.

“They have gone further to lay their posters on top of APC posters in flagrant disregard of the feeling of Lagosians and the Commissioner of Police has remained conspiratorially silent.

“While we await the action of the police commissioner on these flagrant display of illegality and actions against our party, we want to warn that we will not take kindly to any effort by any party and the police to intimidate us in our state.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

New church opens Saturday

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HE Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Atunbi Mose (Oke Aanu El-Shaddai), will on Saturday commission its AjowaAkoko, Ondo State branch.

Its Founder, Primate Gbenga Ogundele, said the church was built to spread the word of God. Dignitaries expected at the event, according to him, include: Alesifa of Esifa, Oba Olumitan Ogundele; Deputy General Superintendent of the church, Abraham Olorunfemi and Major Gen. Kazeem Ibrahim.

Muslims seek peaceful poll

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

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•Fashola (middle) addressing the traders...yesterday.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Fashola promises to help Balogun Market traders

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AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola promised yesterday to help traders whose shops were razed by fire at Balogun Market on Monday.

Fashola said the government would work with the market’s officials to verify losses, adding that relief would be provided to victims after the exercise.

Describing the incident as pathetic, he said the government would reconstruct destroyed buildings and structures.

The governor said: “I sympathise with you on this incident, especially you women trying to earn a living and keep body and soul togeth-

er. This is indeed a very pathetic incident. Be assured that our government will stand with you at this difficult period and we will help you get back on your business; that is the reason I have come with the Commissioner for Special Duties.

“I am working with the Iya Oloja and other market women to authenticate and verify all legitimate losses to the incident and this will apply to all affected in all the plazas. Once everyone has been identified, we will do our best to put you back to business and that will include replacing as many destroyed properties and buildings as possible.”

He said the incident was a compelling reminder of the need for traders to insure their businesses against losses.

Fashola said, apart from compensating for losses, insurance would also help to reduce business risks.

He urged Lagosians to be on their guard, saying: “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to all Lagosians that this is the dry season. We have two seasons in our state, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season, where we have the risk of flooding, we have successfully contained that. We are now in the dry season, where we have the risk of fire.

“We must be interested in

our own safety and security.

I appeal to you to stop storing inflammable materials in your homes and business places. Residents should cultivate the habit of turning off their electrical appliances not in use. It is the harmattan period and the harmattan wind makes fires easy to start and difficult to contain. As at yesterday, we were dealing with 18 fire incidents. That should tell anyone that a lot more precautions are needed this season.”

Hailing the fire service for responding adequately to the incident, he said the fire engines acquired by the last November greatly helped to contain the fire.

Briefing Fashola, Director of the Fire Service Mr Rasaq Fadipe said the cause of the fire had not been ascertained, but an electrical fault around the market was suspected.

Fadipe said it was a challenge putting the fire under control as there were too many illegal structures around the market which limited access of equipment and men to the scene.

“We are happy that at last, the fire was brought under control. What we have now is smoke billowing from the destroyed market and that poses little threat. We are still here, we will ensure that the smoke is gone before we vacate here,” he said.

VER 5000 Muslims across Lagos and its environs are expected to converge on the Blue Roof, Lagos Television (LTV), Ikeja, Lagos for a special prayer for peaceful elections this year.

The prayer session, put together by the Joint Muslim Forum (JMF) under the auspices of the Muslim Community of Lagos State, will hold on Sunday.

A statement by the Chairman, Steering Committee of the group, Alhaji Thabit Wale Sonaike, said the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Garuba Akinola Ibrahim, would lead the prayer session.

Vice-President, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Senator Hassan Fasinro, will deliver the welcome address, while NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof Ishaq Oloyede and former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaja Lateefah Okunnu, will give keynote address.

Prayers will be led by the National Missioner Ansar-udDeen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad, while NASFAT Chief Missioner, Sheikh Abdullai Akinbode; Chief Missioner, Al-Fatiu Quareeb Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Sulaiman Adangba and AbdulHakeem Awwal of Ikhwan Muslimun Society of Nigeria will take turns for special prayers.

‘We can’t watch our daughter die’

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SOME diseases can be wicked. This ailment troubling my child should have realised that I am a poor primary school teacher like her mother and leave us alone. Where do we go from here; where?”

This is the cry of the cashstrapped father of a threeyear-old girl who needs N3 million for a surgery to correct the hole in her heart.

Mr Kehinde Bashorun cut a pitiable sight yesterday when he took the case of her ailing daughter, Teniola Bashorun, to the Lagos Headquarters of

•Parents seek N3m to save girl with hole-in-heart

By Basirat Braimah

The Nation to seek help for her.

Bashorun said Teniola was four months old when the family noticed an unusual growth on her neck, adding that he did not realise that it was a big problem when he took her to the Ifako General Hospital (IGH) in Lagos.

“It was there it was confirmed she has a hole in her heart. From there, we got a referral letter to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Since then, we have

been struggling with fate on her,” he said.

His wife, who is expecting a baby, is also distraught. She wondered where help could come for the family to tackle the “huge problem in our hands.”

Bemoaning the girl’s condition, she said: “Her growth has been so slow. She can’t walk for long. Her gait is unsteady as she is always weak and dizzy. She lives on liquid food. She always suffers sudden loss of consciousness

which leads to vomiting and excretion whenever she is playing. She doesn’t talk much. Our daughter is in pains and we can’t watch her die.”

A Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist at LUTH, Dr N. Ekure, in a report, said Teniola needs urgent surgery to correct her abnormalities before they grow worse.

The report noted that the needed facilities are not available at the hospital, suggesting that the surgery could be

done in India.

The father said:”The fact that my daughter can’t partake in what her peers do makes me sad. I am even more troubled that we are at a loss for where to turn for financial succour to rescue her.

“It is painful that we have to turn to beggars to appeal to individuals, government and non-governmental organisations for assistance. We have nowhere to run to.”

Bashorun said an account had been opened at Ecobank with number: 2961198124 un-

•Teniola

der the name: Bashorun Felix Kehinde. He gave his phone numbers as: 08188275717 and 08028561402.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14, 2015

NEWS Chris Uba, others make INEC’s list From Dele Anofi, Abuja

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HE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, over the factions to produce candidates for legislative elections, may have been resolved.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday in Abuja published the names of candidates submitted by the Ejike Oguebego-led executive in deference to a judgment.

Although INEC indicated in its website that the publication was informed by a court order, it listed Chief Chris Uba, Prince John Emeka and Senator Annie Okonkwo as candidates representing the three senatorial districts.

Another faction had submitted the names of Uche Ekwunife, Princess Stella Odua and Senator Andy Uba as winners of the primaries.

The Oguebego faction, led by Chris Uba, insisted that it remained the duly recognised faction, as its primaries were monitored by INEC’s officials.

A judgment on the matter attested to that.

To justify its position, the faction said it relied on a Certified True Copy (CTC) of INEC’s official report, which said the delegation was led by Chika Okafor, an assistant director in the commission, Adam A.DanShuaibu, a principal admin officer and Joy Uba, a senior executive officer.

The list also included the names of 13 House of Representatives and 33 House of Assembly candidates submitted by the Oguebego faction.

Moves to impeach Elechi begin

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ORCES alleged to be from the Presidency have begun moves to impeach Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday quizzed three top officials in the Elechi administration for alleged corruption and financial recklessness of local government funds.

They are the Accountant-General, Edwin Igbele, Commissioner for Finance, Ogbonnaya Odaa and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Cele Nwali.

Although the amount in-

•EFCC quizzes commissioners, accountant-general •Odaa: I was not arrested FromYusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

volved in the alleged corruption was unspecified, EFCC said Nwali would account for the deduction of N13million from the local government funds to produce T-shirts for the centenary celebration.

It was, however, learnt that the invitation of the officials signalled the beginning of a plot to impeach Elechi by alleged forces in the Presidency.

The governor and top government officials were said to be championing protest votes against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the elections, following the hijack of the party structure from the governor

by Abuja forces.

Two godfathers in the state (the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and ex-Governor Sam Egwu ) had been at loggerheads with Governor Elechi.

Investigation showed that the

three officials, who flew into Abuja yesterday, have been detained.

It was gathered that they were grilled on what they knew about an asphalt project meant for the 13 local governments.

A source said: “The officials are being quizzed on allegations bordering on corruption and financial recklessness involving local government funds.

“The interrogation borders on what they know about an

U.S.: Polls behind increased Boko Haram attack

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•Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, greeting traders when he visited the burnt Balogun Market, Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN

We’ve delivered on our promises, says Jonathan

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in next month’s election said yesterday his administration has delivered on his promises to Nigerians in the last four years.

Jonathan, who spoke in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, in continuation of his campaigns, said his performance was the justification for his re-election bid.

Accompanied by the party’s national leaders, including Vice President Namadi Sambo; National Chairman Adamu Muazu; Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman Tony Anenih, the President said the February 14 election would be a battle between light and darkeness.

Jonathan said he represented light and the opposition the darkness.

Although he did not mention a name, the President said it would be retrogressive for Nigerians to leave their destiny in the hand of a “man without adequate and sound education”.

He added: “Since our assumption of office four years ago, every sector of this country has been touched. The railways, which had been abandoned by successive administrations, have been revived. So, I am promising to use my next mandate to transform this country.

“We have done reasonably well, despite the challenges we face as a nation. We have put in place cottage industries and small scale industries that will make our youths to be self-reliant. The neglected railways are now working. I am sure that in a few years, this will galvanise the mass transit system in this country. The resuscitated rail

asphalt project earmarked for the 13 local governments by the Elechi administration for which money running into millions of naira were deducted at source from local governments’ account.

“Nwali was quizzed for allegedly directing the 13 local governments to erect asphalt complexes in their headquarters. Six of the councils complied and seven did not. Yet funds were deducted from the accounts of the local governments.

“Nwali is fingered as the mastermind of the deduction of N1million from each of the council ostensibly to fund the production of T-shirts for the centenary celebration.

“There is no evidence that the T-shirts were produced and the N13million remains unaccounted for.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “We may detain them, pending the conclusion of this preliminary investigation.”

•Aregbesola, Osun APC fault PDP leaders’ statements on state From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

system in Osun State is done by the PDP government. Today, our people are happy.

“In the Education sector, more Almajiri schools have been established across the country.

Also, universities in the Southwest have benefited more from TETfund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund) since our assumption of office. My administration will do more, if given the opportunity in the February 14 presidential election.

“We are set to create additional two million jobs for the teeming youths of this country.

Also, all industries we have established will start exporting goods in the next five years.

Assess us with what we have done ever since. You should ask our opponent what they have done while in office.

“Do you want to vote for a tyrannical government and a man who does not believe in the ethos of democracy? Do you want to vote for a man who wants to scrap the office of the First Lady and relegate womanhood to the background? In the PDP, we have demonstrated that women can be used optimally; our administration has demonstrated this by appointing women to positions of trust in Nigeria.

“The coming election is a vote for free citizens, which we represent and imprisoned citizens, which they represent. We are determined to reposition the country in the next four years.

We are going to create opportunities for Nigerians as we have been doing.”

Jonathan urged Osun State

electorate to vote en mass for him and his party in the February elections.

The President promised to do more for Nigerians.

Muazu, Anenih and Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, berated Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola for owing workers salaries.

Muazu said the Federal Government had not failed to release monthly allocations to the state, adding that Osun State was getting its allocations “as at when due”.

But Aregbesola and the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reacted last night to the PDP accusation.

Tthrough his Director of Communication, Research and Publicity, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the governor described the PDP leaders as very shameful.

The governor said what they said was a blatant lie.

Aregbesola condemned Vice President Namadi Sambo and the National Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, for asking workers in Osun to demand for their salaries, claiming that Osun state government collects its Federation Account allocations as at when due.

He said: “It is a tragedy of immense proportion when people in exalted offices such that of the vice president of a country could descend so low to the point of telling barefaced lies to score cheap political points.

According to him, Muazu and Sambo should tell the world when last were civil servants under the direct employment of the Federal Government paid as at when due.

He said: “It is easy for Sam-

bo, Muazu and other discredited leaders of the PDP to come to Osun and tell blatant lies over Federal Government’s obligations and make bogus claims about non-existent Federal Government presence in Osun.

Apart from the continually unexplained late release of allocations, it is an open truth that allocations to states have also dropped in an unimaginable proportion.

“How can Sambo and Muazu justify the criminal reductions in the allocations to a state like Osun from N4.6 billion to N1.1 billion? In a state where salaries of workers alone carry more than N3.6 billion, what magic do the PDP leaders have to make any state fulfil its obligations as at when due? Even with Federal Government unfair chunk of the allocation, why does it owe federal workers salaries.

“But their evil plans have failed woefully. Not only have the people of Osun comprehended the real reasons for the funds starvation, they have gone ahead to look for means of sustaining the state in spite of the disappearing funds from the Federal Government.

“In case Sambo and Muazu are not aware, workers in Osun under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress, have risen to the challenges. Rather than being in confrontations with the government of the APC under Aregbesola, they are brainstorming to come up with alternative plans to get funds to run the state efficiently. We are confident to state that only workers who know the prudence, capacity and commitment of their government

to their welfare would do this.”

Also, the All Progressives Congress in Osun State has told President Goodluck Jonathan that he is one of the most unwelcomed visitors to thie state because “the perception majority of our people have of the President is that he is a very vindictive leader unsuitable to govern a complex society like Nigeria.”

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi, the party said: “We have known this since 2011 and our stance against his presidential bid then has been comprehensively vindicated over the last four years.

Nothing stands to vindicate us more than the latest Legatum Research Institute, London report and ranking on the Prosperity Index (PI) which has just been released.

“In 2010, when Jonathan was acting President, Nigeria placed 106 on the PI index out of 142 countries. But owing to Jonathan’s mismanagement of Nigeria’s economy and finances, the country’s living standards and condition of life had deteriorated so badly that by 2014 Nigeria declined to 125th position. No president deserves to be returned to office after this level of appalling performance.

The APC said that “Jonathan has a pathetic understanding of the responsibilities of a President in the governance of a federal state or any nation for that matter. The President appeared not to know where politics stopped and governance began. His statutory responsibility to the State of Osun had practically nothing to do with the politics of his presidential election.”

HE U.S. State Department said yesterday it believes the Feb. 14 election in Nigeria is a factor behind the sharp increase in attacks by Boko Haram in the northeast.

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said, however, the elections should go forward despite the increase in attacks, which human rights groups say have forced about 20,000 Nigerians to flee to neighbouring countries in recent weeks.

“There has been a sharp escalation in the number of reported casualties,” Harf told a daily briefing. “We do believe the election is a factor,” she added.

Community leader passes on THE death has occurred of Pa Emmanuel Ojo Akomolafe. He died on December 8 last year after a brief illness. He was 96.

The Awodamiro family of Ilawe Ekiti in Ekiti State said the deceased was a devout Christian, a community leader, a drummer and a cocoa merchant, adding that he would be remembered for his drumming skill with which he won souls at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Okeloye, Ilawe Ekiti.

One of his daughters, Mrs. Esther Lucas-Ajanaku of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, Lagos, said Pa Akomolafe’s remains would be interred after a befitting rite of passage on March 14 at Ilawe Ekiti.

She said: “We have lost an icon, but we are consoled by the exemplary leadership of our kind father, husband, grandfather and great grandfather.”

• The late Pa Akomolafe

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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NEWS

Trouble for Igbinedion varsity students

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EDICAL students of the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State are in for a tough time as the state government has terminated an agreement to train them at its specialist hospitals over a N350 million debt.

Commissioner for Information Mr. Louis Odion, at a news conference in Benin city, the state capital, yesterday said the university had not paid anything to the government since the agreement was entered into on September 1, 2006.

He said Governor Adams Oshiomhole approved the termination with immediate effect.

•Edo revokes clinical training deal From Osagie Otabor, Benin

The MoU was entered into on September 1, 2006 under the Lucky Igbinedion administration to enable the Igbinedion University use the state-owned Central Hospital Benin and Stella Obasanjo Hospital for the practicals of its medical students. It was part of the condition demanded by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to grant the Igbinedion University accreditation to train medical students in the clini-

cal specialties.

Odion said: “Consistent with his avowed commitment to the principle of probity, accountability and transparency, Comrade Oshiomhole in 2013 directed the State Ministry of Health to invite the management of Igbinedion University to settle the outstanding liabilities as well as convey to the university management a notification for an upward review of the annual fee to reflect current economic realities.

“However, the university wrote back and offered to pay a ridiculous N50,000 per

month for use of the facilities and highly-skilled personnel/consultants at Benin Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital.

“Regrettably, concerted efforts made ever since by the State Government to make the management of Igbinedion University to pay the debt that had accumulated over the years and also agree to an upward review of the annual charge have proved abortive.

“In the circumstance, the government is left with no other option than terminate the MOU in public interest. The Ministry of Health has equally

been directed to inform the Nigerian University Commission and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria that the Benin Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital will no longer be made available for the use of the medical students of Igbinedion University.”

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, said the university was yet to be informed about the decision.

Prof. Osaghae, who spoke in a telephone interview, said the university honoured the terms of the MOU and wondered why the state government would rush to the media instead of writing to the university.

Why l rejected Jonathan as brother, by Sylva

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•Akwa Ibom State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate , Umana Okon Umana (third left); his wife, Florence and his running mate, Ben Ukpong (right) during the kick-off of Umana's campaign yesterday in Abak.

PHOTO: KAZEEM IBRAHYM

Over 1,650 Edo PDP members defect to APC

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XACTLY a month to the February 14 general elections, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost more of its members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Over 1,650 PDP members in Uhunmwode Local Government Area yesterday dumped the party for the APC. Receiving the defectors, led by Justin Omoruyi, Edo Sate Deputy Governor Pius Egberanmwen Odubu described their decision as “quite gratifying”.

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

The deputy governor noted that the defection had also increased the APC chances of winning next month’s general elections in the state.

He said the APC was an allinclusive, participatory party, irrespective of whether or not the members were new or old.

Dr. Odubu said the party would continue to ensure equal opportunities for the people to have a sense of be-

longing in the party’s activities.

He said: “The people I saw coming into the APC are those we have always worked with since 1980s. What happened today is very reassuring: Uhunmwode is 99.9 per cent APC. “I thank the leader of the local government, Charles Idahosa, for bringing them (the defectors) back. Their defection has further lightened the burden of APC in winning next month’s elections.”

On the candidates for the National Assembly and House of Assembly elections, Odubu said

they were tested on their wealth of experience and competence to deliver the people from the shackles of poverty.

Idahosa hoped that APC would sweep the February elections in the local government, with the defection of the former PDP members.

He said: “Over 500 PDP leaders from across the local government have just joined the APC. This is even without their followers. With this, it is over for the PDP in the local government.”

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

given the state a new look in the last six years.

He urged the governor to ensure that a credible candidate succeeded him to avoid

drawing the state backward.

The three-term lawmaker, who was among PDP’s senatorial aspirants in Edo South in the party’s primary, spoke yesterday with our reporter.

He said: “There is no ques-

tion of whether or not the governor has performed. Even though I want to deny the governor of some credit because he is in the All Progressives Congress (APC) while I am in the PDP, but my conscience will not

allow me to completely deny him the credit.

“When you fly into Benin, for example, and take an aerial look of the city, you will see that things have changed. They are no longer what they used to be.”

Edo NMA threatens strike over unpaid salaries

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HE Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike, if the state government refuses to pay their July and August 2014 salaries.

The association also expressed anger at the government’s failure to implement the full Consolidated Medical Salary (CONMESS), poor infrastructure, lack of appropriate working tools, poor healthcare delivery and shortage of health manpower in the state.

NMA State Chairman Prof.

Afekhide Omoti, who ad-

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HE Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given its defected members 48 hours to return to the party or be expelled.

PDP Southsouth National Vice Chairman Cairo Ojugbo, issued the threat at the kick-off of the party’s governorship campaign in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area.

Also, PDP Delta State governorship candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has said the thrust of his administration, if voted in as governor, would be the development of youth and women capacities.

Delivering the message from the party’s national secretariat, Ojugbo said every PDP member at all levels were expected to make sacrifices.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Oshiomhole has done well, says Ehioge-Idahosa FORMER House of Representatives member and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, West Ehioge-Idahosa, has said Governor Adams Oshiomhole has

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

SDP begins campaigns in Edo

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

ORMER Bayelsa State Governor Chief Timipre Sylva has said he publicly denounced President Goodluck Jonathan as his brother because the President failed to develop the Niger Delta.

Besides, Sylva, said Jonathan denied him all the love, care and protection expected from a brother.

Sylva, while campaigning for the Presidential candidate of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, last weekend disowned the President before a crowd of people.

But justifying his position on a private radio station, Royal FM, Sylva said he was convinced that the candidature of Buhari would change the polity and the nation for good.

He said the bond he shared with Jonathan ended when the latter removed him from office and hatched series of plot to put him in jail.

The former governor, who is flying the flag of APC for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, said he feels more comfortable working with his new political friends than Jonathan.

Defected Delta PDP members get 48 hours to return

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

dressed reporters in Benin, the state capital, said the government withheld the July and August salaries of its members in public hospitals because of their participation in a nationwide strike, at the instance of their national leadership.

Prof. Omoti, who issued a 21-day ultimatum for the payment of the two-month salaries, alleged that multiple taxation paid by private hospitals and the inefficient management policy had hampered quality healthcare delivery in the state.

The union leader noted that

the gross shortage of manpower in the Health sector had resulted in “work overload for the few available unmotivated hands rendering services in extremely difficult working conditions”.

He added: “Other states in

Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), apart from Lagos, have paid the salaries. There was a ‘novictimisation’ agreement with the Federal Government when the strike was called off.

“We also note that members of other professional unions, including the Academics Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), were paid their salaries despite the fact that they embarked on a sixmonth nationwide strike.”

HE Social Democratic Party (SDP) yesterday began its campaigns in Edo State ahead of next month’s general elections.

It promised to preach peace instead of engaging in violence and throwing bombs.

SDP National Chairman Olu Falae, who performed the ceremony in Auchi, headquarters of Estako West Local Government Area, also received defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Falae said the SDP was revived, following absence of democratic ideals in the two major political parties in the country.

‘Peterside’ll restore peace to Rivers communities’ From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

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IVERS State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, has assured that his administration will restore peace to all communities, if elected governor on February 28.

Peterside made the promise yesterday when he visited the paramount ruler of Abua Kingdom, King Kaleh Obuge, at Otari in Abua/Odual Local Government Area.

He was at the palace for royal blessings for his governorship bid.

Following the reports of a cholera outbreak in Andoni Local Government Area, , Peterside, who represents Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro in the House of Representatives, also funded a medical mission consisting of doctors, nurses and other health personnel to support the efforts of the state government.

Ijaw youths: PDP making Jonathan’s re-election bid difficult

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JAW youths have accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of making the February 14 presidential election difficult for their kinsman, President Goodluck Jonathan.

The youth spoke yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, through the Ijaw

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.

IYC President Udens Eradiri addressed reporters on the group’s frustration.

He said the PDP created many obstacles for the President ahead of his quest for a

second term re-election.

Eradiri alluded to the crisis rocking many chapters of the party, in the fallout to the party’s primary elections.

The youth leader said these were among the roadblocks erected by the party against the President.

He said the PDP created internal frictions within its fold by allegedly imposing candidates on its members.

Eradiri said the development forced several party members to defect to the opposition, thereby reducing the voting strength for the President.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

Life

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The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Text only: 08023058761

•National Theatre

2014: Slow, bumpy path to creativity – SEE STORY ON PAGE 44

Whose Centenary?

– Page 48

‘Prizes are no determinants of great literature’ – Page 50

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

2014 REVIEW

But for some private sector operators, the last one year would have been too slow and bumpy for any significant growth in the creative industry, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

2014: Slow, bumpy path to creativity

Mrs. Bolanle Austen-Peters identified theatre as a major boost in the sector with productions such as Saro the Musical 2 creating new audiences and breaking barriers. “The visual arts remained relevant with art auctions and exhibitions organised by the various galleries and auction houses. New auction houses sprung up within the period with younger clientele showing interest in art collection. There was also a significant interest in Nigerian art by foreigners hence an increase in the number of exhibitions of Nigerian art outside the country,” Mrs AustenPeters said.

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HE winner of 2012 ANA Poetry Prize, Mr. Karo Okoko, writes on poetry and drama. At the close of a stint at the Ebedi International Writing Residency at Ebedi, Iseyin in Oyo State, last September, he wrote in Ebedi Review his feelings and experiences. “I have learnt quite a lot from my colleagues. They see me as a loner who is always indoor, which is not strange because that is what people think of me…and that is what I am. But, when we commune, I learn a lot of things from them. Within those weeks, I was able to write and finish a novel from the scratch, title Letter; from Her, and a play title; Pellets of Power.

In Washington DC, United States, a Nigerian designer, Ms Patience Torlowei was honoured by the Smithsonian Museum of African Arts for winning the Earth Matters Fashion competition in September. Her entry, Lady Esther, a hand painted dress named in memory of designer’s departed mother, is an illustration of the historical situations across Africa, such as apartheid South Africa, oil spillage in Nigeria and diamond mining in Congo. It was exhibited by the museum.

On November 5, the founder, Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation (BOF), Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya, was also honoured by the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, US in recognition of his significant achievement in the arts over six decades. The institute held its 50th anniversary gala during which Onobrakpeya was special guest.

These are examples of efforts of by some individuals in the creative industry that shone like stars in their chosen fields despite seemingly lack of government support. But for the significant contributions of individuals and corporate bodies, such as gallery owners, moviemakers, artists, publishers, writers, musicians, designers among others, the year would have ended on a very sour note for the industry.

Rainbow Book Club, Port Harcourt, is one of the leading private bodies that shaped the industry in the preceding year with Port Harcourt winning the United National Educational Scientific Cultural Oragansation (UNESCO) World Book Capital 2014 in April.

This was in recognition of the club’s successful hosting of a book festival yearly since 2008 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The festival has impacted on the reading culture of the people, especially the youth who have been exposed to writing workshops led by renowned writers. It has also attracted great literary scholars from across the globe.

Other key players include NLNG Nigerian Prize for Literature, Etisalat Prize for Literature, African Movie Academy Awards, (BOF) Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF), Terra Kulture, Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), Ake Arts and Book Festival, Muson Centre, Plateau International Film Festival, Olu Ajayi Studio, Unilever, Nigerian Breweries Plc, MTN and African Artists Foundation.

The Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation’s core mandate is to promote culture and tourism as a foreign exchange spinner, income distributor, major employer, a catalyst for rural development / poverty reduction and fostering peace. But, the implementation of these is often hindered by paucity of funds, policy somersault, poor planning, red-tape and corruption.

Yet, its vision is to position culture and tourism as leverage for economic growth and development.

How much of these have we witnessed in the sector? How effective are the nine parastatals, departments and agencies charged with implementing of policies of the supervising ministry? How far did they fare in 2014?

Some of the flagship events, such as Abuja Carnival, Art Expo, ARESUVA, NAFEST, National Visual Art Competition, Nigerian Visual Art World Tour (NIVATOUR), annual

Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) Expectedly, the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) held its conferences and colloquiums across the country and the Diaspora during the year under review. As early as January 14 it held the 8th Pan African Congress at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It was collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society, Cape Town, South Africa.

Theme was Mobilizing Global Africans, for Renaissance and Unity: The Social and Economic Conditions of Global Afro-Descendants.

It also partnered Pan-African Strategic and Policy Research Group (PANAFSTRAG) and the Nigerian Mission in Washington DC to organise a roundtable in Washington DC, USA on January 17, 2014. The roundtable with the theme: Culture as instrument of the Nigerian Foreign Policy in America and the Americas, was held at the Nigerian Chancery, Washington DC. Other conferences included the Black History Month at Ibadan, discussion and exhibition marking the international women day, CBAAC annual colloquium at Kingston, Jamaica and the festival and colloquium at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in December.

•National Theatre, Lagos

•Tomoloju

•Mrs Mbanefo

•Mrs Keshi

•Mrs Kalango

distinguished lectures and symposium are either dwindling in terms of regularity, participation and content or gone moribund. The National Theatre, Lagos is still a monument bedevilled by unclear agenda of outright sale or concession of its landed property.

Former Deputy Editor, The Guardian, Mr. Ben Tomoloju described the sector in the outgoing year as a bag of mixed blessing. He noted that most of the positive developments were driven by the sheer gut of private sector stakeholders. “The Committee for Relevant Art continued to give a good account of itself in terms of consistency in quality programming. Private production outfits came up with stage hits, such as Kakadu and Saro. The Soyinka and J.P Clark at 80 events filled a huge vacuum for literary scholarship,

theatre production and their multifaceted cultural dimension. The Macmillan Literary events remain on course. The Nigerian Prize for Literature sponsored by NNLG and the Wole Soyinlka Prize for Literature in Africa organised by Lumina Foundation sustains a heritage of literary excellence at the national and continental frontiers respectively. Outfits such as the Jos Repertory Theatre, Arojah Productions in Abuja and Crown Troupe in Lagos offered great promise,” he said.

From the states, he said Cross River, Rivers, Lagos, Osun and Ondo were exemplary in state-funded carnival, literary and heritage events. According to him, federal cultural agencies are still on the average altogether, though there are a few with a rising profile.

Proprietor of Terra Kulture Arts Centre,

National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Apart from the yearly hosting of its events, National Festival for Arts and Culture NAFEST and African Arts and Crafts (AFAC) Expo, the council led by Mrs. Dayo Keshi completed and inaugurated the National Research Centre on Textiles Traditions Osogbo in Osun State, the National Research Centre for Masquerade Traditions in Enugu, Enugu State, the Crafts Development Centres in Ikare, Ondo State, Kano and Sokoto in August last year. It is glad to know that these centres have been inangurated but the effective utilisation of the facilities remain the concern, especially equipping them for the local craftsmen.

Eighteen countries and 12 states participated in the AFAC expo while only 18 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) out of 36 also participated in NAFEST last year. This drop in participation is being linked to the ongoing political campaigns towards the general elections in February.

But the council also held the National Culture Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools at Awka, Anambra State with little or no publicity. The council honoured nine Nigerians, including Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Sir Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, former National President, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) Chartered, Dr. Sally Nkem Adukwu-Bolujoko and Prince Adetokunbo Kayode at its honours lecture/ awards in Abuja.

Observers say the council should among others overhaul its marketing strategy to make NAFEST and AFAC expo attractive to states and private bodies in the industry.

Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Mrs Sally Mbanefo-led NTDC kept faith with its three strategic imperative focusing on rebuilding the corporation, growing the tourism value chain for revenue generation and re-inventing the tourism industry through PPP programmes.

“The National Tourism Policy thrust is to develop sustainable tourism by capitalising on heritage diversity as the basis for promoting domestic and international tourism. This is aimed at competitive sustainable tourism development within the confines of the world tourism market and open up Nigeria as a •Continued on page 50

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14, 2015

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POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

In the First and Second republics, the Southwest geo-political zone suffered many devastating effects of political violence. In 2011, many people were killed and property destroyed in some northern states, following the announcement of the result of the presidential election. As the parties warm up for the general elections, pockets of violence and arson have been reported at rallies and campaigns. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the factors responsible for conflicts and violence and their implications for the polity.

Averting violence in general elections F

OR supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, last Tuesday was a painful day. The campaign train had rolled into Port Harcourt, the state capital. Brooms filled the air on the way to Adokie Ameziemeka Stadium, the venue of the campaign.

There was drumming, singing and dancing. But, suspected thugs brandishing dangerous weapons waylaid some of the supporters, beating, maiming and inflicting wounds on them. Many of them landed in the hospital.

The APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and other party leaders were shocked when the victims narrated their ordeals.

According to them, they were attacked without provocation, adding that their only undoing was that they were going to attend the APC campaign.

It was the first act of violence in this electioneering. Other unruly behaviours, especially the defacement of posters and bill boards, paled into insignificance. But, according to observers, there have been hot exchanges by leading contenders. Ahead of the general election, the polity is enveloped in tension due to the inflammatory remarks.

Before the Port Harcout incident, former Foreign Affairs Minister Prof.

Bolaji Akinyemi had alerted the nation to an imminent electoral violence. He expressed worry about the combative nature of desperate politicians-turn war mongers. The former university don noted that many people were importing arms to fight electoral battles. He feared that the result of the presidential poll may not be acceptable to the loser.

He said if President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from the Southsouth, wins, the outcome will not be acceptable to the North, and if Gen. Buhari, a Northerner, wins, the result may be rejected by the Niger Delta. Akinyemi warned that perilous times are around the corner.

Alarmed at the hot campaigns and unguarded statements by gladiators, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, cried out that politicians were heating up the polity. He said, while the commission is prepared for a peaceful and transparent election, key actors may erect roadblocks. “The greatest obstacle is the conduct of the political class,” he added.

Last week, Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje was reported to have said in London that the Niger Delta will shut down the economy, if President Goodluck Jonathan does not win the poll. He has denied it.

But, no denial has come from Niger Delta activist Mudjaheed Asari Dokubo, who had earlier said that the oil exploration and mining will be made difficult, if power shifts to the North. Thuggery is on the increase, with unscrupulous politicians recruiting jobless youths to terrorise opponents. Irked by the recourse to violence, a monarch, the Osile of Oke-Ona Egba, Ogun State, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, appealed to politicians to play by the rules to

•Dr Jonathan

• Gen. Buhari

‘During electioneering, a chain of events often culminates into violence, especially when gladiators throw decorum into the gutters. Signs of electoral violence often manifest in politics with bitterness, intolerance and desperation for power, which predisposes politicians to rigging’ • Jega

avoid catastrophy. “We don’t need bloodshed in elections. God does not want bloodshed. We appeal to politicians and government officials to conduct themselves very well during the elections,” he urged.

Also, Oyo State PDP governorship flag bearer Senator Teslim Folarin, who reflected on the growing tension, enjoined politicians to pull the break. He said it is worrisome that big shots who keep their children in good school abroad are recruiting the children of the poor as thugs, thereby making them sacrificial lambs.

In his new year message, President Jonathan also read a riot act to agents of violence. He said government will not give them a chance, unlike 2011, when riots broke out, following the announcement of presidential election results and many people were killed and property destroyed.

Politicians are beating the drums of war. Their followers are dancing to the peculiar tunes and fanning the embers of intolerance and discord.

Political campaigns create panic and tension, sending the wrong signal about do-or-die election. Steadily, the fear of violence and electoral crisis is gradually being registered in the sub-consciousness of the people.

During electioneering, a chain of events often culminates into violence, especially when gladiators throw decorum into the gutters. Signs of electoral violence often manifest in politics with bitterness, intolerance and desperation for power, which predisposes politicians to rigging.

But, the greatest factor in electoral violence, according to analysts, is rigging.

Except in 2011, large scale violence has not broken out in the postelecti0n period since 1999. The 2011

• IG Abba

riot was a far cry from the mayhem in old Ondo and Oyo states in the Second Republic when many houses were in flames and corpses littered the streets. Even, the scenario was a tip of the ice bag, compared to the operation wetie of the First Republic wild wild West. But, despite the fact that there have been manifestations of violence, which were short-lived in this dispensation, the victims cannot forget the incidents in a hurry.

Now, more worrisome is the penchant for using the police and the military to intimidate opponents.

Ahead of the last governorship election in Ondo State, political meetings were disrupted. Campaign offices were vandalised.There were accusations, counter-accusations and denial. Apart from the hot media campaigns, fears were rife that the political class was planning to hire members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers ((NURTW) to perpetrate mayhem. Warning them against nefarious activities, former Inspector -General of Police Mohammed Abubakar said: “Political thuggery will be ruthlessly dealt with. I want you all to take this message to your members all over the country that anyone who gets involved in violence would not be spared.”

Last year, Ekiti State nearly became a battle ground. The atmosphere was charged. Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, a chieftain of the APC, was on his way to the state. But, soldiers and policemen said that they were under instructions to turn him back. Few months later, in Osun State, hell was let loose on the eve of the governorship poll. Policemen and soldiers invaded the residence of key APC chieftains. They were arrested and detained. The poll was held in an atmosphere of apprehension.

The late announcement of the results also contributed to the anxiety.

However, the root of violence is deep-seated political intolerance borne out of the desire to either gain

or retain power. In the long run, it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.

A political scientist and lawyer, Dr Derin Ologbenla, observed that, any effort to totally eliminate violence from social life may not yield the desired result. He clarified that, when violence is endemic and persistent, or not manageable, it may become an anathema to political stability and economic development.

Ologbenla, who teaches at the University of Lagos, Akoka, described electoral violence as an aspect of political violence. In his view, this may include all sorts of riots, demonstrations, party clashes, political assassinations, looting, arson, thuggery, maiming, kidnapping, and ballot snatching which occurs before, during and after elections.

“All these could be regarded as election-motivated crises employed to alter, change or influence by force or coercion the electoral behaviour of voters or voting pattern or possibly reverse the electoral decision in favour of a particular individual, group or political party”, he stressed.

The university don described violence as part of winning tactics for dubious politicians. He distinguished between pre and post-electoral violence. ”The pre-electoral violence may occur where electoral laws or provisions are seen as favouring a particular candidate at the expense of the others. It could also occur when a particular candidate is over-ambitious and perhaps, sees the signals that he may likely lose the election to the opponents. Experience has shown in Nigeria that such a candidate may engineer violence to disrupt the electoral process”, he added.

However, post-election violence may lead to more debilitating effects.

Ologbenla warned that it may be spontaneous, adding that it may also be engineered by individuals, group or a political party who feels cheated, rigged out, alienated or deprived by the unfairness of the electoral process and the deprivation may be real or perceived.

“In Nigeria, the purpose of such violence, apart from seeking redress through illegal means, including killing, maiming, destruction of property, is also “to destroy it, if we cannot have it”.

But, can’t violence be prevented? Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi said that electoral violence can be averted, if there is no electoral malpractices. “If there is no rigging, if there is no malpractice, voters will not be provoked,” he said. Besides, the governor said that when politicians recruit youths as thugs, violence is looming.

A security expert, Dr. Lionel Rawlins of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, said, since there is the growing awareness that the elections may be violent, the tragedy can be averted. He said, since youths are being recruited as thugs, the first step towards stopping electoral violence is to reach out to the youths. The university teacher called for sensitisation programmes where proper values can be communicated to them. “We have to reach out to those youths and talk to them about the ills and destruction such behaviours could cause during elections,” Rawlins added.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14, 2015

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‘

When you compare Buhari with Jonathan, it is like comparing day and night. It is time for us to bring somebody who will fight for the common man, who will fight for Nigeria and I am sure that Kwarans, irrespective of your party affiliations, if they place Buhari and Jonathan side by side, you know who will move Nigeria forward

‘

Ambode: I ‘ll take Lagos to greater heights K T

PDP will fall in Kwara, say Ahmed, Saraki From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

WARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Senator Bukola Saraki, have predicted failure for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the general elec-

HE governorship candidate of the All Progressive Con gress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, has promised to take the city state to greater heights, if elected at the poll.

He described the election as an opportunity for Lagosians to invest in popular rule, assuring that they will garner progress and development as returns.

Ambode, who held partisan meetings with artisans, peasants, market women and members of the informal sector urged them to vote for the APC at the polls.

He said: “Lagos deserves a tested hand who will continue in that tradition of excellence. The governor that Lagos State deserves at this period of our continued growth and development is a man with a track record of performance and excellence; a man who is tested, who understands governance and is an experienced administrator who will not experiment with the resources and growth template of this state. I, Akinwunmi, Ambode, is that man.”

Contributing to a lecture titled:’2015 General Polls: Beyond the Rhetorics of Credible Elections,’ at the Muson Centre, Onikan, which was delivered by Prof. Anthony Kila, the flag bearer promised a government of continuity.

Ambode, a Fulbright scholar,

• Ambode

said that selfless service and leadership by example should be the hallmark of an elected office holder. official who He added: “Selfless service becomes non-negotiable if the process that brought elected leaders into office is free, fair and credible. But often, we see leaders who derail and abandon their promises to the electorates because the process that brought them to office is flawed. They feel they do not owe the voters. This is why we in APC have been very vocal about the need to have a credible

election; to have a process that is fair and transparent and to have an election that does not seek to systematically disenfranchise electorates.”

He added that APC would not relent in urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do everything in its power to ensure that all the eligible six million registered voters in Lagos State get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in order to exercise their civic duties, failing which those with Temporary Voters Card should be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights.

“This is the only way to ensure that INEC’s preparedness is beyond rhetorics so that the February elections can produce leaders that the people want.”

The former Accountant-General alsos reiterated his readiness to serve without blemish. He has met with stakeholders, including the Zonal Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Lagos Zone, Comrade Tokunbo Korodo, the National Coordinator of the Civil Society Club of Nigeria (CISOCON), Comrade Babatunde Ashafa, and the Chairman of the Council of Arewa Chiefs, Alhaji Sani Kabiru.

Ambode urged them to mobilise members of their various groups to endorse the APC at the polls. ]

Kogi APC senatorial aspirant defects

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OGI West All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial aspirant Hon. Abidemi Adebola has dumped the party.

Adebola, who is the Minority Whip in the House of Assembly, was one of the three APC chieftains eyeing the senatorial ticket during the primaries. He joined the Labour Party (LP) where he picked the party’s ticket.

Another aspirant, Hon. Bamidele Aro, had earlier defected to the Accord Party (AP), followingthe acrimonious party primary election.

Aro, a former member of the House of Representatives, was adopted by the Accord Party as its senatorial candidate for the general elections.

The duo had accused Hon. Dino Melaye, the flag bearer, of hijacking materials for the primary poll and declaring himself winner of an exer cise that did not take place.

Following the shadow poll, many APC members from Kogi West took to the streets in Lokoja and Kabba/Bunu, alleging that election materials meant for exer-

From James Azania, Lokoja

cise were diverted by Melaye.

He was alleged to have later declared himself the winner of the contest.

Aggrieved delegates and supporters, who waited in vain for the primary in Kabba, said the APC has failed to live up to expectation. They complained that the primaries were marred by malpractices.

Another aspirant, the Minority Whip of the House of Assembly, Adeyemi Abidemi, said he was shocked by an online publication that he polled 300 votes and Melaye polled 3,000. He said the primaries did not hold.

Abidemi described the exercise as a fraud and a mockery of democracy.

He further accused former Gover Abubakar Audu of being the brain behind the crisis, adding that the leaders of the party have jettisoned the principle of equity and justice.

INEC decentralises PVC distribution

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• Jega

He had threatened to seek legal redress, if the illegal action is not redressed.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in its report, had denounced the outcome of the exercise.

INEC said its officials at the Kabba venue of the exercise left without witnessing the primary.

The commission stated that no written agenda was made available, nor was the list of delegates for the primary made available to its officials at the venue of the exercise. It however, added that an official of the party (APC) from the state came in about 6.30 p.m with results.

Following the alleged diversion of materials for the House of Representatives primaries, the exercise was suspended.

Our correspondent who monitored the election, report that election only took place in Lokoja/ Kogi federal constituency, amidst tight security.

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the decentralisation of the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to the ward level to enhance access by prospective voters who are yet to collect their cards.

Before now, the distribution was done at the local government offices of the commission after the distribution at the polling unit level.

Rising from its meeting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Terri-

tory (FCT), the commission resolved that the period for the distribution of the cards should be extended.

INEC’s spokesman Kayode Idowu said that registered voters who are yet to collect their cards can now do so from 8. 30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily.

The Secretary to the commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, said Resident Electoral Commissioners have been mandated to set up effective monitoring strategies and ensure that the specified hours are strictly complied with by INEC staff.

tions.

The APC chieftains, who spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, during the inauguration of the party’s campaign team, enjoined the people to vote for the ruling party. The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Atunwa, is the DirectorGeneral of the team.

Saraki, whose speech was interjected by applause by supporters, described the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Simeon Ajibola, as a paper weight politician.

The former governor said: “In the governorship election, we have Abdulfatah Ahmed as our own candidate. We have the PDP candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola. We know Ajibola very well. We carried him; we know what he can do. We know his capacity.”

Saraki said the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will defeat President Goodluck Jonanthan at the poll. He said it is wrong to compare the two candidates, adding that it is tantamount to comparing light with darkness.

He stressed: “When you compare Buhari with Jonathan, it is like comparing day and night. It is time for us to bring somebody who will fight for the common man, who will fight for Nigeria and I am sure that Kwarans, irrespective of your party affiliations, if they place Buhari and Jonathan side by side, you know who will move Nigeria forward.

“They have tested us and tried us. We have gone through so much in the last one year to fight for the common to make them do the right thing in this country. The only answer to that is on the elections dates of February 14 and 28. I want all of you in Kwara to vote massively for the APC; to vote massively on February 14 for General Muhammadu Buhari, all our National Assembly members and for Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for another • Ahmed

‘Akwa Ibom PDP has confidence in Emmanuel’

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HE Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Paul Ekpo, has said that the governorship candidate, Udom Emmanuel, will unite the ruling party and the state, if elected as the governor.

The party leader spoke in Uyo, the state capital, at a reception for the flag bearer.

Ekpo said: “The presentation of the governorship flag to our candidate, Udom Emmanuel has finally laid to rest speculations and misinformation that had pervaded the political sphere. “ I am impressed with this turnout of our people to welcome us and this is a demonstration of the fact that

Udom is the best for Akwa Ibom and he is the face of the new Akwa Ibom.”

He added: “Udom is the best for Akwa Ibom and our people are happy because he will take the state to the next level because of his wealth of experience and exposure in the corporate world. In the face of dwindling oil revenue, it is apt that somebody with Udom’s kind of background be made to manage our state and not just anybody.” “ I call on my fellow brothers and sisters, who are threatening to decamp to the opposition to have a rethink and rally round Udom who is the choice of the generality of Akwa Ibom State at home and in the Diaspora.”

Akala’s wife assures Oyo farmers of husband’s support From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

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IFE of former governor of Oyo State and Labour Party (LP) candidate Chief Oluwakemi Alao-Akala has assured farmers of adequate support, if Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala is voted as the next governor.

Mrs Alao-Akala said her husband was committed to making the lives of the masses and professionals better. She added that, having thread the path before, he is more committed to surpassing his feat.

Mrs Alao-Akala spoke when she paid a courtesy visit to the state headquarters of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Molete, Ibadan.

She said: “Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala is a man with a large heart, who does not toy with the well-being of the masses at any point in time.

“This without gain saying made the people of the state to call for his return as the governor of the state. I am very happy that the people want him back as governor because it will give him another chance to make their lives better.

“I am sure that farmers across the zones of the state had the privilege of working with him during his first stint as the governor of the state.

I want to assure you that he knows where the shoe pinches and he has come up with a wellarticulated policy to encourage farming the more and even empower farmers in the state again if voted into power come February 28.

• Alao-Akala

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

19

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Honoraria hoax •The Federal Government must set the right example NE of the biggest problems with the Jonathan administration has been its inability to live up to the expectations that it demands of others. In the wake of the recent sharp decline in the international prices of crude oil and the subsequent contraction of projected revenues, a general call went out to the citizenry for a renewed bout of belt-tightening. However, a cursory look at the Federal Government’s proposed expenditure in the 2015 budget seems to show that it is not doing what it requires from others.

In the proposals, the Office of the President plans to spend N456.98 million on honoraria and sitting allowances for 2015.

This is in addition to the N348.34 million that the State House plans to spend on exactly the same items for the year. In 2014, State House spent N320.22 million on honoraria and sitting allowances, while nothing was budgeted for the Office of the President. What this means, in effect, is that an extra N485.10 million will be spent on honoraria and sitting allowances for 2015.

Why has the Federal Government chosen to increase the budget for honoraria and sitting allowances in such a manner?

If the Office of the President did not spend money on those items when the nation was more buoyant, why must it budget those items when it is not? How come a belt-tightening administration facing the most precipitous decline in revenues in decades does not feel that it is possible to substantially reduce the sums it pays its officials for essentially attending meetings and going on trips? How can it ex-

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pect that other arms of government, as well as the larger population, will take its call for fiscal discipline seriously when it does not?

While it is true that there have been reductions in the 2015 budget proposals for items such as local and international travel compared to that of 2014, the trend appears to be towards increases rather than reductions. The 2015 budget proposal for fuel and lubricants (N131.911 million), for example, exceeds that of last year (N122.86 million).

There does not seem to be any attempt by the Federal Government to make substantial cuts to those parts of the budget that have to do with the comfort and convenience of its most senior members. It is a trend that is in line with government’s previous actions. In 2012, in the wake of widespread protests against the removal of alleged subsidies on petroleum products, President Goodluck Jonathan promised to reduce his official international travels and build refineries. These promises were not kept: the president’s travel itinerary was characterised by several delegation-heavy trips to several countries around the world, and no refineries have been built.

When the government fails to live up to the fiscal discipline it is demanding of others, it weakens its capacity to effect meaningful change. Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, cannot expect that the various import surcharges that she has imposed on private jets, luxury yachts and cars, and wines and spirits will succeed if the administration that she is a

part of finds it difficult to reduce its sitting allowances. Such hypocrisy is unlikely to go unnoticed by the other arms of government, especially the National Assembly, whose members are notorious for making sure that their budget fully meets their expectations.

In all aspects of governance, those who occupy the highest rungs on the ladder are expected to lead by example, and this is especially true when it comes to belt-tightening measures. In some countries, such demonstrations of leadership would be seen in substantial pay cuts, reductions in ancillary staff, emoluments, allowances and travel expenses.

Such measures amount to a recognition of the symbolic importance of walking the talk and making words suit actions.

‘When the government fails to live up to the fiscal discipline it is demanding of others, it weakens its capacity to effect meaningful change ... Such hypocrisy is unlikely to go unnoticed by the other arms of government, especially the National Assembly, whose members are notorious for making sure that their budget fully meets their expectations’

Equal right •Who is afraid of financial autonomy for the judiciary?

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TRIKE by workers appears to be the only way to gain attention under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, and that is regrettable.

Now the judicial workers have embarked on a strike, which may affect the smooth conduct of the 2015 elections, aside from other litigations before the courts. The grouse of the judicial workers is the refusal of the Federal Government to obey the judgment of a federal high court that interpreted the provisions of the constitution over the financial autonomy of the judiciary. In refusing to obey the judgment, the Federal Government is trumping the rule of law, contrary to the president’s claim in his campaigns.

According to section 81[3] of the 1999

‘Strangely, despite the grinding effect of the strike on the country’s judicial process, the Jonathan administration has gone ahead with its political campaign, as if the matter is of a minor importance. Even more confounding is that in his campaign stops, President Jonathan falsely claims that obedience to the rule of law is one of his major achievements’

constitution, the budget of the judiciary is a first line charge on the consolidated revenue of the country, and that provision has gained judicial imprimatur by the judgment of the federal high court.

Of note, the Federal Government, which is a party in the suit, did not appeal the judgment. Of course it shouldn’t. So, while the constitution expressly provides for that autonomy, the federal authorities refused to obey the law, necessitating the approach to the court, which has reconfirmed the provision of the constitution.

It was the refusal of the Federal Government to obey that provision of the constitution that prompted the former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chairman, Olisa Agbakoba SAN, to approach the court for its interpretation. To the utter amazement of Nigerians, the Federal Government went to court to canvass against the constitutional provision, but despite its best efforts, the court discountenanced her claims and gave a favourable judgment in favour of the constitution. That erudite judgment was deservedly hailed by all well-meaning Nigerians, and it was expected that the Federal Government would immediately retrace her steps and obey the court judgment.

But instead, the government continues to ignore the judgment and the constitution. To press home their point and to force the Federal Government to obey the law, the judicial workers’ union decided to embark on a strike, which has paralysed the country’s judiciary.

Strangely, despite the grinding effect of the strike on the country’s judicial process, the Jonathan administration has gone ahead with its political campaign, as if the matter is of a minor importance. Even more confounding is that in his campaign stops, President Jonathan falsely claims that obedience to the rule of law is one of his major achievements. This is strange.

We enjoin the Jonathan administration to retrace her steps over this flagrant disobedience of our constitution, and disrespect of the courts. We wish to remind the administration that democracy is predicated on obedience to the rule of law. Indeed, without the rule of the law, democracy is jeopardised, and what we have is a rule of the jungle. Considering that we are in an election year, a functional judiciary is even more paramount, and the Jonathan administration should not take steps that could affect the nation’s transition to a new government.

While the president is entitled to campaign for re-election, he should give priority to the survival of democracy which is the very platform on which the entire campaign is predicated.

We urge the National Assembly to call the executive to order, if they would not be considered as accomplices in this lawless enterprise. We recall that the federal legislature had used its vantage position to force her own financial autonomy.

Now, we ask her to use her powers appropriately in favour of the provision of the constitution and the concurrent judgment of the court.

Now the president stands tall…

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IR: A news item occurred in some newspapers of Monday, January 12.

Unfortunately the import of the news may not immediately be appreciated by Nigerians. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Director General Arunma Oteh was refused a second term. The President was alleged to have stood his ground.

Going back a little, one would remember the cat and mouse relationship between Oteh and her staff, Oteh and her management, between Oteh and the National Assembly. Also in the capital market and its environment, Ms. Oteh was not rated high in performance and in lifting SEC and the capital market as a whole to any appreciable height.

We remember the extraordinary way the exchange chief lived. Squandering over N800,000 on hotel accommodation in a day and N85,000.00 on a single meal, our technocrat must be living in a fairy land, not in Nigeria where millions manage to eke out their daily life with less than N100.

With all the above negative attributes and reverses, can any Nigerian understand or appreciate while the Secretary to the Federal Government, Pius Ayim would recommend to the Minister of Finance that Ms. Oteh’s tenure be renewed? Some have called it tribal dealings, but what is important here are: For once, what many of us have been saying quietly is out of the bag, that the SGF in collaboration with some ministers are appropriating to their kith and kin (call it tribesmen and women), most of the perks and selected upper crusts of the public service of Nigeria. Today, more than half of these positions are occupied by a particular tribe in the country, while others pick up the crumbs.

We thank our stars that our President finally rose to this modern colonization.

On what basis did the duo of Ayim and Okonjo-Iweala recommend another tenure to an officer whose tenure witnessed a nose-dive in the capital market? We are happy that the President has opted out of the three musketeers.

We pray he should continue to be Presidetn of all and not that of an enclave. He has scored a resounding success in the New Year.

• ‘Deji Fasuan, MON, JP, Ado-Ekiti.

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: Having a weak candidate for an election is as good as having no candidate at all.

Someone called me from Lagos a few days ago wishing to know about the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2015 governorship poll in Ogun State, Gboyega Isiaka. I said I only recalled one or two things about him.

One, he contested the 2011 election but was trounced by the current Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Two, he was the Group Managing Director of Gateway Holdings Limited, which was accused of obtaining a loan of N2.8bn from banks to build a head office for the company. The current Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, had to cry out when the banks were chasing her about to come and repay the loan obtained under the previous administration.

She was reported to have said that she searched everywhere in Ogun but could not even see the foundation of the head office. Gboyega

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Ogun guber: PDP arrived too late Isiaka reportedly denied the charge.

The last thing I know about him is that he is from Ogun West and hopes to win election on that strength.

I have only heard two statements from him, which provoked a roaring laughter and that enquiry of my friend from Lagos. He was reported to have said Amosun would hand over to him and that he was serving the governor a quit notice! Really, is this how to win elections? Making empty statements, not backed up with any concrete structure on ground?

I used to be a boxing aficionado (especially the heavyweight divi-

sion) before the Klitschko brothers came to ruin the sport through their lacklustre and anaemic performance in the ring. Those were the days when up to $70m was up for grabs in one night. But since the Klitschko brothers took over, I lost interest in the game. I once fantasized the WBC, WBA, IBO and IBF paying off the brothers and sending them into retirement in order to rescue and restore the glory and glamour of the sport.

In the boxing era of Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson, the challenger needs to fight twice as much as the champion in order to take away the

Osun’s farcical petitions

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IR: The election petition tribunal sitting in Osogbo has dismissed the petition of the candidate of the Accord Party, Barrister Niyi Owolade. This has actually revealed the farce that passed as petitions at the tribunal.

Owolade had asked for the withdrawal of the petition on the ground of insufficient time. This drew sharp rebuke from the tribunal which charged Owolade of asking for incessant adjournments only to turn round and ask for withdrawal. The petition was then dismissed and N50,000 cost awarded to Aregbesola.

It is a mark of civility to seek legal redress for any perceived injustice and especially on an election, which borders on the sacred mandate of the people. However, this petition was baseless and frivolous ab initio. It was meant to give the wrong impression and cast doubt on an election that was won by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, in spite of all the obstacles put in his way by the PDP Federal Government.

The interesting thing about this case is that both Owolade and Senator Iyiola Omisore, the other petitioner at the tribunal, relied on and put forward basically the same evi-

dence and argued in the same way.

Nevertheless, they relied more on deception, lies and misinformation rather than on truth and pursuit of justice.

While the examination of ballot papers was going on, PDP spun a lie that 100,000 ballot papers which belonged to Omisore and wrongly credited to Aregbesola had been discovered and returned to its rightful owner. They now concluded that the discovery had tilted the result in favour of Omisore who would be sworn in on November 27 last year, instead of Aregbesola. But as truth would have it, it was Aregbesola that was sworn in. The lie was knocked from its bottom. A television station, AIT, which published the story on its website retracted it with an apology.

The truth eventually came out in the course of the inspection, that not only was a single case of irregularity like invalid ballot paper, unsigned result sheet or unstamped result not found, a recount of the ballot papers was not even in the prayers of Omisore before the tribunal. So a transfer of even a single ballot from Aregbesola to Omisore is not going to happen. The tribunal cannot give what was not asked

for.

Then again, the PDP caused to be published in some dailies the falsehood that there was over-voting in Oriade Local Government. If this were to be true, it would have established one of the claims of Omisore but the tribunal strongly disavowed this reporting and had to summon the correspondent of The Punch who syndicated the story. The tribunal averred that the report was false. The correspondent ran away and never showed up at the tribunal.

Indeed, in the course of inspection, tendering evidence or calling witnesses, it was never established that there was irregularities anywhere. Rather, what was established, even by Omisore’s witnesses, including PDP state secretary, was that the election was peaceful, free and fair.

It is not for me to preempt the tribunal’s judgement, but what is clear now is that PDP went to the tribunal as a face-saving measure in order to rally its members in the vain hope of mitigating a catastrophic outing in February general election.

• Mike Ogundele, Osogbo, Osun State

belt. You are not declared a winner just because you seemingly have some points ahead of the champion.

The fact is, you have to pummel the champion sufficiently and glaringly enough to be able to take away his belt - that is when you cannot secure a knock-out. Otherwise, the champion will still retain his title by judges’ decision.

Here in Ogun, rather than the challenger doing twice as much as the champion to win, it is Amosun (the champion and incumbent governor) that is going across the state from village to village, hamlet to hamlet, town to town to canvass for votes while Isiaka is busy making grandiloquent statements.

“Travellers,” Wole Soyinka admonishes, “you must set forth at

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dawn.” While Isiaka is still in bed, Amosun has already set forth, enjoying the marvels of the holy hours and savouring the fellow-feeling endorsement of the market women, farmers, youths, artisans, workers, etc.

What this means is that in the scheduled 12-Round Match on February 28, even if Isiaka were originally expected to stretch Amosun to Round 4 before being knocked out, the match will now last a few seconds - he won’t survive the very First Round.

You don’t win elections by serving empty quit notices on the pages of newspapers to the champion. Just how many days does the PDP with its coalition have left to campaign amidst the current infighting within its fold on who should or should not be the governorship candidate and who should or should not be this or that?

Sorry PDP and your coalition; you arrived too late; the train to OkeMosan 2015 has already left the station. Please come back in 2019.

???????????????????

•Soyombo Opeyemi Abeokuta

Fear of Buhari…

IR: The only permanent thing in life is change. It is true that people oppose change when it affects them negatively. No wonder, it is said that when the drum for change of fortunes is beaten in a social gathering, its dancing is normally done by the “hoi-polloi”. In fact, its dancing steps are applauded by all except the rich who would turn their backs to the drummer(s).

Those who oppose Buhari on the account of his military administration should know that times have changed. Come to think of it, if Buhari/Idiagbon did not come on 31/ 12/1983, Nigeria would by now be another Zimbabwe where a loaf of bread is sold for millions of dollars.

A ruined economy. Those were between one and 15 years then should ask the older generation. After all, the good thing about history is the incorruptible nature of its verdict.

Buhari is taciturn; yes, he is not senile. At 72 years he is as mentally straight as he is physically tall. One cannot compare his mien with the crass young men who would cave in at the shout of a woman in labour. If

you don’t say something nobody will ask you to repeat it. The little he says is often misconstrued, misinterpreted and corrupted.

On the arrest and detention of people especially politicians, it is better summed thus: when a net is thrown into the river to catch fish and fish only, it also obviously catches many other unwanted living and non-living things including the other amphibians and dead leaves It is when the net is brought ashore that fishes are separated from the catch and the unwanted things are discarded with. For the record, Buhari/Idiagbon era restored our value system as the mention of the duo made wrongdoers shiver.

Buhari is the Aminu Kano of our time, leader of the “Talakawas” a man of the people. In the same way, one can predict with a reasonable sense of accuracy that the electron of February 14, will be a vote between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. History has many cunning passages; it is either now or never.

• Adelani Olawuyi Odo Oba – Ogbomoso

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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COMMENTS

‘Our Girls, Our People’; ‘CINS’, Violence in election; Political Constipation; ‘Don’t Steal Nigeria’

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UR Girls, Our Boys, Our People’ are awaiting justice and release, many since Chibok, April 15. We must rise against Boko Haram. Nigeria needs Tony skilled professionals and Marinho good people. Are there enough? These are members of the long awaited ‘Critical Mass’.

In the alternative Nigeria waits to die from hooligans and ringleaders masquerading as professionals and experts when they are professional thieves with ‘self’ as their goal but with ‘service’ as a diversionary slogan. This malaise is everywhere, even in hospitals.

In politics, Nigeria has a surplus of bad politicians judging simply at national, state and LGA quantum of development and compared to funds and budgets available. This quantifies the systemic political Corruption, Incompetence, Negligence and Selfishness, CINS. Can Nigerians ‘bother’ to ‘exercise their franchise’ to choose good over bad or the reverse, now disgustingly disguised as the stomach bribe- stomach infrastructure- and thus buying four years of silence? Do we put too much hope in the electorate to choose between ‘good and evil’? Are we still slaves in our own country, living from day to day, with no future life expectancy?

As we approach the elections, we must all pray to be ‘invisible to the enemy’ -an army of political thugs, or politicians actually planning to provide dirty money, weapons and drugs - all aimed at violent overthrow of democracy through election rigging, voter card and ballot fraud and fictional figures. They say politics is a dirty game. No, the game does not play itself! Politicians are very dirty players.

Politics is not a game but a form of treatment for the disease of ‘leaderlessness’.

Politicians should ‘fight the good fight’ on the fair play political field of battle with wise and witty word and good and better deed. Why are Nigeria’s political violence and murder acceptable? Why would anyone die or murder for political success of another? They have achieved political non-

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T was like a replay of a horror movie at noon last Wednesday, January 7, as two brothers, armed with guns, burst into the offices of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical magazine, located in the heart of Paris, the French capital. What followed was a staccato of gunshots.

The two men started shooting from the reception area before moving to the newsroom, where they killed journalists and cartoonists, a policeman and a visitor, and later executed another officer who tried to stop them. By the time the smoke from the booming guns finally died down, a total of 12 people were stone dead. The corpses of the casualties were strewn everywhere, from the lobby to the blood-soaked stairs and the second floor of the building where the bodies lay on one another. It was a commandostyle attack, the sort that creates heavy carnage. It bore the signature of a terror strike.

The world was enraged, with many world leaders spitting fire and brimstone from their various comfort zones in condemnation of the dastardly act. Naturally, nowhere was the outpouring of emotion and solidarity more pronounced than in France where the citizens in their tens of thousands gathered spontaneously across the country for poignant vigils in the aftermath of the attack. At noon, a day after the attack, the country literarily came to a standstill as a minute’s silence was observed all over the country in memory of those who lost their lives in the senseless attack. Later in the evening of that day, several thousand people gathered again at the Place de la

violence even in neighbouring Ghana, hurray.

Let all politicians know, as we in ‘giant’ Nigeria sink solely because of their disgraceful behaviour, democratically free countries rise. Hurray! A free and fair play non-violent political field is the sole creation of the political class architects who can create disaster and doom or peace and security –simple decisions. Unfortunately many in our political class choose violence. Nigerians must guard against trivialising serious Human Rights Abuses.

There is no such thing as ‘political violence’ –all is violence.

The victims of violence during politics are just as injured, maimed and dead as from war violence. Ask the thousands of silent souls, dead victims so far since even 1999 if not since the 1950s. The terms domestic violence, political violence, campus violence and cult violence are situational descriptions of the same heinous crime. The situational terms do not reduce the criminality, the blood spilt, the bones broken, the bodies shot. Death by domestic, political, campus or cult violence is all violent - Grievous Bodily Harm, GBH, and all equally legally punishable. Once they have successfully ‘Stolen Nigeria’ through violence in politics, the vicious victors spit on justice by masquerading before the media as good family politicians by carrying their victims’ babies on New Year’s Day while blood still drips from their hands.

Survival of the nation is an emergency depending on the morality and machinations and motivation- self or serviceof current politicians and how they conduct themselves. No matter what they have done in the past, each politician will still have to choose in 2015 between good and evil, like any thief or priest has to at each confrontation between God and the devil. Will public opinion or the threat of public ridicule work? Will it be a personal encounter with their Maker or dinner with political devils?

Everyday government has the new opportunity to impact on every individual, save lives, improve incomes and prevent deaths through its activity. Unfortunately most of governance is scarred by ‘inactivity’ with nothing getting done or if it is done, it is 2-3 years too slow –‘political constipation’. Look at the Lagos-Ibadan expressway potholes, the pedestrian walk way at Alausa, the numerous stalled Lagos State vs Federal government ‘loggerhead projects’ with federal opposing

every project- all suffering ‘political constipation’. From the airports to the roads, there are unsolved problems. The abysmal treatment of airline passengers needing to enter vehicles is a preventable nightmare-a FAAN incompetence issue. In other countries everyone is a VIP. Nigeria is very like a would-be beautiful Christmas tree.

We have the wherewithal to create a wonderful Christmas tree and we buy the decorations and stick some on!

Unfortunately politicians and others come and remove most of the glittering lights and ornaments and presents. Eventually the beautiful Christmas tree, Nigeria, is left bare and unfulfilled, till the next election when it will again be dressed for more to come and ‘steal Nigeria’ again. Will this stop in 2015?

Can we see violence as a foreign enemy or a virus, like Ebola, and unite? If not, we will fall under ‘bad politics’ for another four years which will kill the country dead- politically and physically! Remember Nigeria has thousands of Nigerian economic refugees abroad from Babangida’s regime and now from Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen’s violence. Let us not add refugees from 2015 election political violence or we may well be in the millions crossing West African borders.

Nigerian politician, think, and pull back from the 2015 election violence brink! Don’t steal Nigeria!

‘Nigeria is very like a would-be beautiful Christmas tree. We have the wherewithal to create a wonderful Christmas tree and we buy the decorations and stick some on!

Unfortunately politicians and others come and remove most of the glittering lights and ornaments and presents. Eventually the beautiful Christmas tree, Nigeria, is left bare and unfulfilled, till the next election when it will again be dressed for more to come and ‘steal Nigeria’ again. Will this stop in 2015? ‘

Bedlam in Paris Republique in Paris, a traditional protest site, shouting, “He isn’t dead, Charlie” or “Hip hip hurrah, we are Charlie.” Also on Sunday, an unprecedented crowd attended the unity rally in Paris to denounce terrorism.

Today, Charlie Hebdo and France are mourning the callous murder of a total of 17 people, comprising 10 journalists, two police officers and five others. The fatal attack is an extreme example of the brutal, often violent reality for news hunters worldwide. In Syria, Yemen, Mexico, Iraq, Pakistan and many other volatile countries, the shock and fear that has stunned France is all too familiar. The International Press Institute, IPI, has always included in its annual report titled “Death Watch”, a list of journalists and media staff who are deliberately targeted because of their profession - either on account of their reporting or simply because they are journalists. Since 2011, at least, 158 reporters and photographers have been killed while doing their jobs making it the worst three-year period on record. With this growing statistics, it appears there is a global battle against freedom of expression as journalists are unquestionably under increasing threat these days.

What happened in Paris is a clarion call on newspapers and magazines across the globe to brace up for anticipated attacks in the foreseeable future as terrorists are not about to let down their guard at all.

‘This spirit of oneness and unity demonstrated by warring political leaders in France and beyond, is worthy of emulation by our various political leaders in Africa, especially in Nigeria, a country that is plagued by deep seated political, tribal and religious animosities, chronic discontent and disunity even as the country battles a band of terrorists currently holding it by the jugular’

Instead, they are practically mushrooming everywhere and getting more vicious. There will, sadly and with outmost certainty, be more attacks across the globe as the year unfolds. When journalists are murdered, it is our entire society that should feel the wound. It remains to be seen, if, perhaps, this latest attack could be the one that finally jolts everyone to the stark reality that an attack on a journalist is an attack on us all.

After the beheadings all over the place and a terribly violent year in 2014, what the latest attack portends is that, journalistic entities that challenge power structures in their societies are constantly being attacked. The Paris shootings conform to that form of attack, except that, in this case, it happened in Paris, a place that was hitherto considered very safe in view of its vibrant and robust intelligence network. That alone makes it more shocking and much unexpected. Well, if the intention of the terrorists was to intimidate, it may have largely succeeded, except that the attack is nonetheless incapable of dampening the enthusiasm and resolve of journalists across the globe to sanitise the world, a world where journalists face threats from religious fanatics, organised crime and overzealous security agents. Presently in Italy, about six journalists live under police protection because of threats from groups like the Mafia. Lirio Abbate, a reporter with l’Espresso magazine, is one of them. Abbate goes around in an armoured car and is protected 24 hours a day by five police officers. The Paris attack has enabled the whole world to really appreciate the risk in the job of reporters. In the past, such devilish attack was a common sight only in Italy. Today, it has defied all borders.

Charlie Hebdo is one of the few publications carrying on a tradition of satirising religion and rulers in cartoons dating back to the French Revolution in the closing years of

the 1700s. Famed for its irreverent style, the magazine, which was attacked by extremists claiming a mission to “avenge” cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, is unique in France for its broad thematic sweep. The magazine is not only devoted to political satire but it is also a social critique, from ecology to economy and finance. At Charlie Hebdo, you can say and draw anything. There are no forms of taboos. The latest attack on the newspaper, strikes at the fabric of democracy, and aspiring democratic societies, the world over. This is because an attack on such a newspaper that is so bold, unwavering in its acerbic political satire and penetrating social commentary, is only intended as an attack on the values free societies uphold.

The fact that this attack occurred in a country that is nonetheless committed to believing in difference and diversity, while struggling with its multicultural identity liberté, egalité, fraternité - is a tragic blow for those committed to these values. What is exceptional in this instance is that the climate of hatred that fuels attacks on journalists worldwide, has reached the heart of European newsrooms. As we grieve, and as the reasons unfold and the story develops, I hope it will register deeply in the hearts and minds of everybody just how precarious our freedoms as human beings and as information practitioners have become. That anyone, anywhere, should be killed for exercising the right to freedom of expression is a travesty. Whether it happened in France, Iraq, Syria or Yemen, there is no exception. Only in solidarity can we hope to withstand assaults like this. But the reality – based on the lack of reaction to previous, countless, tragic slayings of journalists everywhere, over the years – is that until it happens in our own backyard, it often goes unrecognised as posing any threat at all.

For those of us in Nigeria, in the

Dele Agekameh face of this recent tragedy, we must reject the fear it was calculated to spread. We have a duty to those who died: to soldier on. They lived in the name of freedom, and died its truest defenders. Though democracy is hurt in their heart, we must not yield to provocation, intimidation and other forces that are ever willing to express themselves in this crude, cruel and abominable way.

However, for every development, there are always the bad and the good sides. Agreed that the terrorists’ attack in Paris was bad, but something good came out of it. This is the fact that even political foes within and outside the country, who would normally have met through gritted teeth, set their differences aside and became united in grief.

The attack provided a platform for everybody to brush aside their differences and come together as one.

This spirit of oneness and unity demonstrated by warring political leaders in France and beyond, is worthy of emulation by our various political leaders in Africa, especially in Nigeria, a country that is plagued by deep seated political, tribal and religious animosities, chronic discontent and disunity even as the country battles a band of terrorists currently holding it by the jugular.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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COMMENTS ‘Those who think the endorsement of the president by IBB will translate into winning an election are living in a fool’s paradise. If IBB could describe himself as an angel a few days after the visit of the president in his house, then the president should look elsewhere for support. The president should by now understand that even those that are singing Jonathan up and down are not fully with him. If the president could be accused of corruption by somebody he called ‘father’ a few days after his visit then, something is wrong somewhere. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos’ • IBB

For Olatunji Dare Re:Bakasi–Lake Chad traitors! Sir, you know it, and we know it too, that as a sovereign, internationally recognised, legal nation, Nigeria was really 54years, not 100! It’s a big lie!

We said it, “the centenary president’ is only forced on cover page all the oddities on Bakasi.

Anonymous ”GEJ and the ‘vision’ thing” To begin with, there can be no such thing as a “25-year” planning horizon; that’s divinity exclusive to an inerrant God! Yes, 25-year stuff is visioning and not planning; you can’t have measurable targets to aim for and hit, with that length of a future; too distant that it is nebulous... It is an epic scandal that a fellow with the coveted doctorate degree could be so blunted by crass superficiality, raising a web of doubts as to the integrity of the awarding university; because of his unbelievable bumbling and drabness.

Anonymous Happy New Year. Nice to read your column again today. I love your style of writing. God bless you. From Kelechi Amakoh, Mass Communication Department, University of Lagos We all thank Almighty God as we could all see it today that the leader and a strong pillar, one of the founders of the PDP, former President Obasanjo, has turned his back against President Jonathan. God has answered all his prayers in life with little or no struggle; from deputy governor to the governor and from governor to the vice president and from that to acting president and later became president.

Now that he has decided to go further he should learn from Abacha and stop chasing the shadow. From Odunlami Taiwo Taiwo Re-GEJ and the ‘vision’ thing. You wrote extremely well but spoilt the ‘soup’ with your last two lines. Who among Nigerian leaders since 1960 has led Nigeria to the promised land? Contributors need write on hitches and suggest solutions. That is when we can grow.

Late Tafawa Balewa, Dr Gowon, Late Murtala Muhammed, Chief Obasanjo, Alhaji Sheu Shagari, the then and now Buhari, IBB, Late Abacha, Again Chief Obasanjo, late Yar’adua and now Dr Jonathan. None was ever said to have taken us there. Anonymous Nigerians should not be deceived of TAN propaganda over the performance of the present government. We must get it right by electing credible people that would move the nation forward. Nigerians should not continue suffering in the midst of plenty because of bad governance ,let our votes count. From Gordon Chika Nnorom The president is still living in the shadow of yesterday’s politics by saying what he could not do in the last six years that he will do it in his second coming. If a man who could not deliver the promise he made to Nigerians in 2011 is now singing a new song and we believe him, something is wrong somewhere. I wonder what type of vision the president has for Nigerians when many people are dying daily and he is helpless. A president who had no vision in the past has no business in the vision of the future. From Hamza Ozi Momoh Apapa Lagos.

Your article:”From Mbaka’s adoration to other grounds calls for this comment.

Mbaka spoke from the spiritual temple of religion as a servant of God. What he said was not his personal opinion but a message of God’s verdict on Jonathan’s administration.

Jonathan has lost the throne, simple. As for Labaran Maku’s defection to APGA, you should have known before now that Labaran Maku has always been a palace jester. He is never a politician but a vitrolic comedian.

Coming to President Jonathan’s insult on former President Obasanjo, the Yoruba have a saying thus: ‘the river that insults its source is sure to dry up. Welcome General Buhari to Aso Rock. From Mike Myeleke.

For Segun Gbadegeshin

Prof. It could have been much easier for people to easily accept all that were usually said and written about President Jonathan’s lowlevel performance if care was equally taken by his critics to apportion blame/award credit accordingly as and where they apply. But to continue passing sweeping condemnations on every step he took in his government as the tradition has been with the APC, can simply be seen by many Nigerians as mere political remark usually made by political opponents with biased minds. No leader can be so incompetent or bad that a single virtue can’t be traced to him or his administration no matter how bad. Without fear of contradiction, President Jonathan has done his best, considering the enormity of the problems he inherited in addition to the ones thrown up all over the place in his government. That his best hasn’t been good enough to take us to the Promised Land, let’s face it, shouldn’t be sufficient to dismiss him as a complete failure. From Emmanuel Egwu.

The battle has just begun as all parties had picked their candidates for 20l5 general election. We the voters would decide who leads us to the Promised Land, irrespective of the party the candidates come from. Let our votes count, because Nigerians want good governance from 2015. Prof Jega and his men should not fail the electorate. There is enough fund for government to conduct credible polls in Nigeria. From Gordon Chika Nnorom.

President Jonathan and Buhari: Despite the posturing of the opposition, my analysis of current political situation in the country, is that President Jonathan is set to retire Gen. Buhari permanently from politics, as General Babangida and the boys retired him permanently from the Nigeria Army. From Chukwuma Dioka, Imo State.

I thought what the APC could have done is to carefully study how the said interim government being proposed by some “well-meaning Nigerians” was going to work in the overall interest of the people and the nation before kicking against it. Much as the idea of interim government looks like a call for the extension of President Jonathan’s administration ennobled by other names, it may however not be totally in the interest of the people and the nation for the opposition to discard the idea whole-hog without sparing thought about what could possibly come out of the idea in the circumstances, for our good. It’s quite a shame for a sovereign nation to panic over a violent threat from some small unruly groups within it and abandon the conduct of the general elections due in the country. Anonymous

For Gbenga Omotoso I love this write up; we are tired of this era of PDP regime. We need a change.Buhari can make a difference. From Eraga Aidenojie, Edo. Dear Gbenga, Reverend Mbaka is a Catholic Priest under a Bishop and not God; he has not spoken the minds of millions of Catholics.

Mbaka was flippant to have said what I read in The Nation newspaper if its true, I am sure there is an interpolation, let the real version be published, the Reverend is yet to give a rejoinder to all that is being ascribed to him, President Jonathan will prove him wrong soon. From Sir Emelumba I. Ven Happy New Year Gbenga.Your Editorial

•Rev. Mbaka Notebook touched on various issues ranging from Rev Fr Mbaka, Pastor Tunde Bakare etc .Nigerians are not too blind to be deceived by all kinds of prophetic revelations that cannot change the minds of Nigerians against our beloved President Jonathan. Those pointing accussing finger now that Nigerians want to go to the polls are of Boko Haram agents.

Come rain Come sun Dr Jonathan will win 2015 election. From Chris Ogbonna Eluama Isuikwuato The call for the postponement of 2015 polls, and setting up a transition government by Pastor Tunde Bakare is not borne out of altruism. I am sure were to be a running mate to General Buhari if he would not have contemplated that. I take it as Nzeribe’s ‘ABN’ that was used to truncate 1993 transition. Nigerians are for change through elections. So elections must hold. Let heavens fall. Anonymous My editor of The Nation newspaper, I love the way you write your editorial notebook, it’s a masterpiece. I do follow-up your writing always, it’s exclusively rich. May your ink and blood never dry. From Jaiye, Lagos I sincerely praise Rev. Mbaka for saying the truth about the current situation. He is a true Nigerian. God bless him. God bless Nigeria.

Anonymous Honestly, Rev. Mbaka’s painful truth is emanating from the altar of the Most High God. Given the universal law, whatever has a beginning must have an end’ and if the only Good that doesn’t have expiry date is God and President Jonathan being mere man, Nigerians are saying his time is up. From Eze C. Truth is bitter than anything bitter that you can think of on this planet, earth. Rev Mbaka had spoken the truth and it is left for us to respond to his call and vote wisely on the 14 February 2015. We should not vote for sentiment but for integrity. From: Edego Mohammed I read your today piece with interest. It’s nice.

What do you have to say about the PDP campaign speech in Lagos? Did it address the three issues Mr President mapped out to talk on?

So we should celebrate corrupt people instead of handing them to face the law. So non payment of December salaries by some MDAs means the ministers and DGs are corrupt. So war against indiscipline is not a current global trend. Does partying at the Villa by some men of God and partisanship in politics mean they can’t say the truth? Did Mbaka say something out of the truth? From Henry, Abuja.

Rev. Mbaka has spoken the truth. Please do not threaten his life. He is a well known and respected man of God. From Richard, BeninCity Reverend Mbaka is a prophet of doom, he is not a saint. He is a business man and a politician in cassock. From lchie Emma Ezeh, FCE, Eha-Amufu, Enugu State.

Re-Mbaka’s Adoration to other grounds.

The fact is if all our Imams and Rev. /Pastors as well as Emirs and Chiefs say the truth like Reverend Mbaka, Nigeria will be Great. From A.Ibrahim My dear Rev. Fr.Mbaka: Did God send you to preach gospel of peace or gospel of politics on New Year Day? From Chibuike Mba. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Benin City.

For Tunji Adegboyega Re: Angel IBB. There was or is nothing angelic about ‘corruption. Corruption by whatever definition may not be zero-tolerant though; it should be a hated index that should be significantly intolerable. However, the comments

by Papa IBB and Mr. President show that ‘it is one of those things’ that is admissible. All these free comments occur because the deterrence we have been witnessing were not potent at all; hence it’s been business as usual! A country does not grow that way, otherwise a pot calling the kettle black is unacceptable. It should be regrettable. From Lanre Oseni.

Those who think the endorsement of the president by IBB will translate into winning an election are living in a fool’s paradise. If IBB could describe himself as an angel a few days after the visit of the president in his house, then the president should look elsewhere for support. The president should by now understand that even those that are singing Jonathan up and down are not fully with him. If the president could be accused of corruption by somebody he called ‘father’ a few days after his visit then, something is wrong somewhere. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

Despite names that IBB has been called over corruption in his government concerning the Gulf Oil windfall which was said he did not account for, he has come out to say he is a saint, compared with the present people in government. We need to hand over the country to credible leaders that can change Nigeria for better before the present crop of rulers sink it with corruption and other social vices. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

The corruption championship belts are for different categories: feather weight, light weight and heavy weight. But the president’s government qualifies for none! Anonymous.

It appears the president takes us as fools. How on earth can a president insinuate that we are daft to the extent that we don’t know what corruption is or that corruption doesn’t have a clear definition in our laws? This man is corrupting everything, including the meaning of corruption itself. Please tell him Nigerians are no fools and we know corruption when we find one. If he doesn’t, he should apologise to Nigerians for taking us as simpletons. His government is too corrupt. From K. Ndiana.

When a president goes abroad and tells whosoever cares to listen that the problem of Africa is insecurity and not corruption; when the same president says what people call corruption in Nigeria is stealing; in other words, corruption is not as endemic as people want to make it, it becomes a great risk to trust that president when he promises to fight corruption simply because an election is approaching. In some countries, the reward for corruption is death. Yet, you still find people being caught for corrupt practices. Here in Nigeria, we celebrate corrupt people, we give them chieftaincy titles and national honours, and if any of those rogues is unfortunate enough to be arraigned before an incorruptible judge and jailed, he only has to be patient because eventually, he would be granted amnesty. President Jonathan says he would rather institute scientific study on corruption than send anyone to jail if reelected.

Psssh! There is a Yoruba word for all that trash, …. Truth be told, this president is in love with corruption. From Simon Oladapo, Ogbomoso.

‘Truth is bitter than anything bitter that you can think of on this planet, earth Rev Mbaka had spoken the clean truth and it is left for us to respond to his call and vote wisely on the 14 February 2015. We should not vote for sentiment but for integrity. From: Edego Mohammed Good day, dear editor. I read your today piece with apt interest. It’s nice. What do you have to say about the PDP campaign speech in Lagos? Did it address the three issues Mr President mapped out to talk on? So we should celebrate corrupt people instead of handing them to face the law. So non payment of December salaries by some MDAs means the ministers and DGs are corrupt. So war against indiscipline is not a current global trend. Does partying at the Villa by some men of God and partisaning in politics mean they can’t say the truth? Did Mbaka say something out of the truth? From Henry, Abuja’

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net Stories by Taofik Salako

Helios raises $1.1b for African private equity investment

H

ELIOS Investment Partners said it has stopped taking contributions for its third and largest private equity fund for African investments after exceeding a $1 billion target.

Investors in the fund included sovereign wealth funds, corporate and public pension funds, endowments and foundations, and development finance institutions across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa, London-based Helios said in an e-mailed statement today.

The fund has raised $1.1 billion.

“Africa-specific factors, including economic liberalization, increasing technology-driven productivity, demographic dynamics and urbanisation are driving growth and creating attractive investment opportunities,” Helios said.

Helios’s third fund made its first investment last year, buying a minority stake in Nigeria’s ARM Pension Managers PFA Ltd. in June for an undisclosed amount.

The investment firm, established in 2004, has stakes in companies active in industries including oil and gas, on-line retail and micro lending.

NLNG is one of the biggest success stories in our country. From what I am told, the company has invested $13 billion so far since inception, and has become a pacesetter in terms of revenue generation for the government.

-Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga

Fed Govt offers new bonds amidst dwindling demand --

T

HE Federal Government will today launch the first tranches of its bond issues for this quarter, as the government seeks to raise some N305 billion over the next three months.

The Debt Management Office (DMO), the Federal Government agency that manages sovereign debt issues, is scheduled to offer three tranches of bonds today, according to an issuance schedule made available to market operators.

The bond issues, which are re-opening of previous issuance, are expected to raise about N73 billion, about a quarter of government’s target for the quarter. The bonds to be offered at today’s auction included the N24 billion 15.10 per cent FGN April 2017 bond, the N25 billion 14.20 per cent FGN March 2024 bond and N24 billion 12.1493 per cent FGN July 2034 bond.

In order to encourage retail investors and broaden investors’ participation, the bonds

•Launches first tranches of N305b issuance

By Taofik Salako

will be offered with a minimum subscription of N10, 000 and in multiples of N1, 000 thereafter.

A unit costs N1, 000.

While the issuance today consists entirely of re-opening, DMO is expected to launch a new five-year instrument sometimes in February.

The new bond issues come amidst notable decline in demand for sovereign bonds. Analysts at FBN Capital noted that demand for government bonds had fallen below supply in the previous quarter.

The DMO had raised N182 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014 as against its targets of between N195 billion and N285 billion.

“It has a new challenge in that investor fatigue for auction participation has emerged,” FBN Capital stated in a review of this quarter issuance progamme.

According to analysts, DMO has the unenviable task of roll-

ing out bond issuance calendar when there is no approved 2015 budget and there may not be any one until after the February elections.

Analysts attributed the slowdown in demand for sovereign bonds to attractive rates on money market instruments as well as tight monetary policy and macroeconomic worries due to pressure on crude oil price and Naira.

There are expectations that the Federal Government may overshoot its proposed budget deficit of N722 billion in 2015, raising the possibility of larger bond issuance.

Analysts at Afrinvest Securities Limited said the current macroeconomic scenario suggests possibility of a higher deficit than anticipated in 2015 citing the declining crude oil price and the vulnerability of the non-oil revenue mobilization.

According to analysts, with

a new floor yet to be established, there is the possibility of crude oil prices declining, which will undermine Nigeria’s budget benchmark and pose major challenge to budget performance during the year.

Analysts noted that in the scenario that oil prices do not recover to a minimum of $65 in 2015, Nigeria’s budget benchmark price, government may incur larger deficits than the previously estimated sum of N755 billion.

The 2015 Budget indicates net federally collectible revenue of N6.9 trillion, with a total of N3.6 trillion envisaged to fund the FGN 2015 Budget, representing about 3.4 per cent drop from N3.7 trillion for 2014 Budget. Details of aggregate budget revenue of N3.602 trillion included oil revenue of N1.92 trillion and non-oil revenues of N1.68 trillion. This represented a ratio of 53 percent oil revenues to 47 percent non-oil revenue.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$117.4/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,396.9/ troy Sugar -$163/lb MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE -N11.4 trillion JSE -Z5.112trillion NYSE -$10.84 trillion LSE -£61.67 trillion RATES

Inflation -8% Treasury Bills -10.58%(91d) Maximum lending -30% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -1% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $45b FOREX CFA EUR £ $ ¥ SDR RIYAL

-0.2958 -206.9 -242.1 -156 -1.9179 -238 -40.472

•The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr Bassey Dan-Abia,(in white dress) discussing with Mr Benson Amuwa (second left) the representative on the board of the NDDC, at the inspection of the 10.5-kilometre Igbokoda-OrereAra Road in Ondo State.

‘Cotton production ‘ll revive textile industry’

T

HE General Manager, Agribusiness Development, African Cotton Company (WACOT), Mr. Pankaj Chawla, has said a sustainable cotton production sector will help to revive the moribund textile industry.

He said the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, was doing its best towards reviving the industry by investing in the cotton value chain.

Chawla, in an interview in Abuja, said the Ministry of

Boost on PoS deals despite cash-less crisis

- P26

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

Agriculture was working hard to revive the industry.

He said: “The Federal Government in its effort has supported the cotton sector/ cotton value chain development.

“The implication of a viable cotton industry in Nigeria is the resurrection of the textile industry to which the Federal Government distributes free cotton harvesting bags to farmers to reduce the contamination in cotton.

“We started from 1250metric tons (mts) and now have

up to 2500mts/3000 mt. And this I will say has stabilised the production and now a constant supply of cotton seed like other food crops is sustained and as demand comes we can always up scale it.

“The important thing is to sustain the awareness and impact that has been created on cotton farmers towards ensuring continuity in the production of cotton.”

The Federal Government had in 2012 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WACOT proposing a four-year seed

Analysts optimistic on Nigerian equities - P28

multiplication plan to cover Katsina, Jigawa, Kano, Zamfara, Adamawa, Gombe, and Borno States respectively.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said the MoU is aimed at expanding the production of cotton from 200,000 hectares in 2012 to 250,000 hectares this year.

Dr. Adesina said 105,307 cotton farmers across the 11 targeted states would benefit from the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme covering seeds and fertilisers.

Govt reiterates commitment to Made-in-Nigeria goods

By Toba Agboola

T

HE Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to growing the Made-in-Nigeria goods market--in line with its determination to create more jobs and generate wealth.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said the government’s policy on Made-in-Nigeria products, which gave priority to the patronage of locally-made products, will, among many other benefits, help curb the waste of foreign exchange on what could be manufactured in the country.

Aganga spoke during the inspection of the Secure ID plant for smart cards in Lagos.

He said the launch of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) by President Goodluck Jonathan had kick-started the diversification of the economy and revenue source of the country since 2012.

According to the minister, for the first time in the history of the nation, Nigeria has a robust and comprehensive plan, which the current administration started implementing in 2012.

This, he noted, is to diversify the economy in the areas where Nigeria has competitive and comparative advantage.

Aganga said: “The Federal Government is ahead of the present fall of oil price today by focusing on agro industrial processing such as sugarcane to sugar under the Sugar Master Plan Policy that has attracted $3 billion investment commitment; the development of local content and job creation under the auto policy; and backward integration in cement and rice production, among others.

“Our approach has always been value addition, using local content, which had resulted to $14 billion investment in the oil and petrochemical industry. We have created a gas industrial park in Delta State mainly to provide a source of raw materials in the petrochemical sector.

“The beauty of NIRP is that it looks into the areas of competitive and comparative advantage and focuses on how to reduce the cost of production and make products produced in the country more competitive and easier for Nigerians to afford.”

The minister also said to boost industrial development, tariff adjustments were only being done on sectoral basis, stressing that tariffs to individual companies have been stopped since 2011.

‘Embrace farming for food sufficiency, revenue’ - P39

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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THE NATION

BUSINESS MONEY

e-mail: money@thenationonlineng.net

Boost on PoS deals despite cash-less crisis E

LECTRONIC payment through Point of Sale (PoS) terminals has risen by 19 per cent to N241 billion, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Deputy Governor, Operations and Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) Chairman Alhaji Suleiman Barau, has said.

Despite the rise, analysts insist that cash-less banking is still facing challenges. The policy is meant to change the cash-driven economy and reduce operational costs usu-

Stories by Collins Nweze

ally passed on to customers through other means. The policy’s implementation began nationwide last July.

The policy is designed to promote financial intermediation, financial inclusion, minimise revenue leakages, eliminate robbery and high cash payment and encourage electronic payment. However, feedback from customers shows that these objectives are far from being met.

From non-working Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), debiting of customers’ accounts without payment, and poor network in the use of Point of Sale (PoS) terminals, customers have stories to tell.

Analysts said aside campaigning for the use of alternative channels, such as the PoS and ATMs, in settling bills, the banks and CBN need to get the platforms in good working condition.

They said Nigerians were being denied the convenience and effi-

ciency experienced by other countries in bills payment using alternative banking channels.

According to Barau, the company also reported 249 per cent increase in its profit before tax, which rose to N2.82 billion for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Barau, who spoke at the 2014 Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos, said the financial performance of the company was greatly assisted by the impressive business activities recorded during the year, adding that Gross Income grew by 32.33 per cent to peak at N5.13 billion, up from the N3.88 billion recorded in 2013.

“We closed the year with a Profit Before Taxation (PBT) of N2.82 billion representing a growth of 249.31 per cent over prior year figure of N806.59 million”.

He explained that both the NIBSS Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) and NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) products have enjoyed steady adoption over the years, enhanced by the CBN mandate for government and corporate entities to make all salary and administrative payments electronic.

“The volume of NEFT transac-

tions increased by 29.51 per cent from 29.20 million (N13.61 trillion) in 2013 to 37.82 million (N14.93 trillion) in 2014, while customers’ affinity towards instant payment has seen NIP grow volume by 204.03 per cent from 9.22million (N7.6 trillion) in 2013 to 28.03 million (N15.80 trillion) in 2014,” he said.

Barau said cheque clearing as a key product of NIBSS have evolved over time from being purely paper-based to electronic via the implementation of the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) deployed by NIBSS on the banking industry.

He explained that through CTS, clearing period has reduced from T+3 to T+2 in Nigeria and consequently, cheques processing increased to 15.40 million (N7.79 trillion) in 2014 compared to the 12.23million (N7.15trillion) recorded in 2013 representing an increase of 25.96 per cent.

He added that NIBSS serves as the Payments Terminal Service Aggregator (PTSA) for the financial industry as part of the Cashless Nigeria Initiative which requires all PoS terminals to connect directly to NIBSS through the Central Terminal Management System (CTMS).

Super Agents search for N50m minimum capital • From left: Executive Director, Skye Bank, Mrs. Ibiye Ekong; Head SME/Value Chain Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Sunkanmi Olowo; Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Tony Okpanachi and Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Rasheed Olaoluwa, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Bank of Industry and some SME friendly banks in Lagos.

Intra-Africa trade crosses $100b

T

HE Africa Development Bank (AfDB) has said the share of intra-African trade has risen by 11 per cent to $110 billion of the value of total African trade.

The Trade Finance in Africa released by the bank at the weekend, explained that given the estimated rejection rates of trade finance applications, the conservative estimate for the value of unmet demand for bank-intermediated trade finance is $110 billion to $120 billion, significantly higher than estimated earlier figures of about $25 billion. These figures, it said, sug-

gest that the market is significantly underserved.

It said African banks face numerous constraints in meeting the demand for trade finance. “The survey reveals that the main constraints are limited dollar availability (by far the dominant currency in international trade, and by extension, trade finance) and insufficient limits with confirming banks for confirming letters of credit. Other constraints include small balance sheets, which tend to make single obligor limits frequently binding. These constraints

• From left: Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo welcoming the Lagos State Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Ben Akabueze to the Fidelity Bank Special meeting held in Lagos.

also suggest that the AfDB’s trade finance programme, as well as those implemented by other international financial institutions, are needed and well suited to relaxing some of the most binding constraints,” it said.

It however, insisted that the outlook of banks for trade finance remains positive, with 72 per cent expecting to increase their trade finance activities in the immediate future.

“However, banks foresee obstacles to their trade finance portfolio growth such as low US dollar liquidity, regulation compliance, slow economic growth in some markets, and the inability to assess the credit-worthiness of potential borrowers,” it said.

Also, the AfDB Board has approved $1-billion trade finance (TF) programme to support African trade and provide financing to underserved African-based financial institutions and enterprises.

The African lender said that despite its importance, there is a great deal it never knew about the trade finance market on the continent.

This includes the size of the market, the variations across sub-regions, the scale of financing gap, the trade finance devoted to intraAfrican trade, the relative importance of on-balance sheet versus off-balance sheet financing, and constraints faced by banks.

“It is based on a unique survey of the trade finance activities performed by commercial banks in Africa in 2011 and 2012. Our survey questionnaire was sent to approximately 900 banks on the continent. We received a high response rate, resulting in a dataset that covers 276 banks across 45 countries.

All the sub-regions on the continent are represented in the survey,” the bank said.

D

O you want to be a Super Agent? You must have N50 million to make the mark under the Agent Banking initiative.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced Agent Banking to bring banking closely to the grassroots.

The CBN pegged the minimum shareholder fund for Super Agents at N50 million.

In a circular to Deposit Money Banks, mobile money operators (MMOs) and switches, CBN Director, Banking & Payments Department ‘Dipo Fatokun said to be licensed, a Super Agent must be a company with an existing business, operational for at least 12 months and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

He explained that the agent must also have a minimum shareholders’ fund unimpaired by losses of N50 million and obtain a reference letter

from a financial institution as part of its documentation for licence request.

The Super Agent, he said, must also have a minimum of 50 agents, adding that applications for such position shall be accompanied with board approval, Certificate of Incorporation, shareholding structure of the consortium and feasibility study for the agent network among other conditions.

“The Nigeria Interbank Settlement Scheme (NIBSS) shall provide the switching infrastructure to enable inter-scheme CICO at all agent locations. The super-agents’ platform shall be for the management and monitoring of the activities of their agents only and shall not hold electronic money value, whereas, the financial institutions shall provide and operate the Mobile Money platform and hold electronic money value,” he said.

Foreign reserves decline persists under falling oil price

T

HE foreign exchange (forex) reserves have continued to fall amid declining oil price, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Data obtained from the CBN website showed that the reserves decreased by $1.96 billion in November to $36.8 billion.

The reserves currently stand at $35.4 billion. The decline, analysts at FBN Capital said, can be attributed to a fall in foreign exchange inflows following the sharp decline in the price of crude oil and the exit of some offshore portfolio investors at a time when demand was little changed.

Head, African Markets at FBN Capital, Olubunmi Ashaolu said the bi-weekly sales of foreign exchange at the CBN’s retail Dutch auction system (RDAS) declined by $700 million from the previous month to $2.29 billion.

However, this merely reflects the CBN circular excluding specific import transactions (such as elec-

tronics, finished goods and generators) from the RDAS window. Authorised dealers were thereby driven to source these transactions for their customers on the interbank market.

At current levels, he said Nigeria’s external reserves are sufficient to provide cover for 8.2 months of merchandise imports. However, once services are included, the ratio drops to 5.6 months.

A cursory glance at the sectoral utilisation of foreign exchange in second quarter 2014 shows that the oil and gas sector accounted for 32 per cent of the total.

This consisted largely of petroleum products, for which the import bill should have since declined sharply.

As a rough guide, the spot price of Bonny Light averaged as much as $112/barrel in the quarter compared with about $70/barrel currently.

“Looking further ahead, the bill would be reduced by deregulation of the fuel price and the resulting increase in domestic refining capacity,” he said.

27

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

MONEY The economy has been badly hit by the falling oil price. There is need for urgent measures to turn things around. Can the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) interventions, including implementation of Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDCs), do the magic? COLLINS NWEZE asks.

CBN’s magic wand for growing economy E

NTREPRENEURSHIP is the backbone of thriving economies. Hence, the Cen tral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele sees support for entrepreneurs as a critical role of the apex bank.

The regulator has over the years, and under other successive governors, performed some major developmental roles, focused on the key sectors of the economy like financial, agricultural and industrial sectors.

One of these mandates carried out by the bank through its various departments, include the Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDCs), implemented in different zones in the country; the N220 billion Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) fund currently disbursed in different states across the country and the N213 billion intervention in the power sector, among others.

For Emefiele, the success recorded by these interventions has shown that hitches to Nigeria’s drive to become the economic hub of Africa by the year 2020 are surmountable. He explained that some of the key challenges that need to be addressed in the country’s efforts to becoming the economic hub of Africa by the year 2020, are skilled manpower and the need to device practical measures to engage the army of unemployed youths in productive economic activities.

It is the need to realise this objective that informed the CBN’s decision to actively develop, support and complement the efforts of other government agencies by establishing one EDC in each of the six geopolitical zones.

The centres are also one of the deliverables of the Microfinance Policy Regulatory and Supervisory Framework for Nigeria aimed at providing conducive environment for the growth and development of the Micros, Small and Medium enterprises. One of CBN’s strategic priorities is supporting Small and Medium Enterprises so they can create jobs and reduce poverty.

Director, EDC at Pan Atlantic University, Peter Bankole said that building a network of entrepreneurial leaders is the core focus of EDC and that the body also promotes enterprises that contribute to economic development. He said the centre’s strategic priority is supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)so they can create jobs and reduce poverty in the country.

The focus of the EDC is to equip and professionalise managers of SMEs with the skills needed to achieve and sustain success in their entrepreneurial endeavours.

Its flag-ship programme is the Certificate programme in Entrepreneurial Management (CEM) through which it trains and supports over 150 new business owners every year.

Programme Director, Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) Anthony Ubani, said one basic challenge to successive administrations in Nigeria is the need to create adequate employment opportunity to the populace, especially the youths.

However, he insists that globally, there is increased emphasis on supporting entrepreneurs as government does not have the capacity to employ everyone that needs job.

Analysts said, the need to ingrain in the youths the spirit of entrepreneurship is underscored by the growing population and the attendant social crisis in a country like Nigeria.

Hence, the CBN said that in establishing the EDCs, it took cognisance of the nature of Nigeria’s labour market and the pressure on government to accommodate the rising army of jobless youths.

EDC adopts a person-centred and demand-driven approach towards promoting and developing competent and productive initiatives in the area of small enterprises.

The project is designed to provide training, strategies and certification programmes that will assist young Nigerians to embrace micro, small and medium scale

‘The centres would also link entrepreneurs to financial institutions for a start–up capital, especially microfinance banks and to generate employment opportunities for youths in pursuance to the Federal Government Empowerment Schemes’ • Emefiele

enterprises as alternative employment options. It seeks to effectively mainstream youth participation in the economic activities of their respective communities with a view to reducing unemployment, while also generating a higher value addition for the nation’s economy.

Roles of EDCs The centres, the CBN said, were established in 2008 on a pilot basis located in North-West, South-West and South-East.

They were set up to develop entrepreneurship spirit among youths and provide insight in tools, techniques and framework for managing business enterprise; to develop skills of would-be entrepreneurs to successfully start, expand, diversify and manage a business enterprise.

The centres would also link entrepreneurs to financial institutions for a start–up capital, especially microfinance banks and to generate employment opportunities for youths in Nigeria in pursuance to the Federal Government Empowerment Schemes such as the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy and the recent Transformation Agenda.

The initiative was also informed by the need to raise a new crop of entrepreneurs that can compete globally in managing micro, small and medium enterprises as well as providing the bridge for future industrialisation of the country.

Performance of the pilot phase of the EDCs from inception in April 2008 to April 2013 showed that pilot EDCs located in the Kano (North-West), Lagos (South-West) and South-East (Onitsha) have trained collectively 41,828 and created 11,414 jobs. Under this scheme, 1,743 trainees were said to have accessed loans.

The CBN explained that in a bid to spread

the gains of the scheme to other parts of the country, its management consequently approved the establishment of the remaining three EDCs in North-Central (Makurdi), North–East (Maiduguri) and South-South (Calabar) geo-political zones in June 2012.

Feelers from the beneficiaries and host communities showed that the performance of these centres todate is commendable.

From their inception in January 2013 to September 2014, the centres collectively trained 8,807 beneficiaries.

A beneficiary of the EDC scheme, Abdulrafiu Mohmmed, a welder based in Makurdi, said the training was helpful as it enabled him employ more workers that increased the output of his business. “The skills I gained from the training helped me a lot. I now know that there is need to have an accountant and auditor to improve accountability,” he said.

Further breakdown of the figures showed that in Maiduguri, 2,862 were trained while in Markudi, Benue State capital 3,242 benefited from EDC’s training and in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, 2,703 were trained.

The total of beneficiaries that accessed loans was equally impressive as the programme captured 2,350 people.

The analysis shows that 1,005,418 and 927 people benefited from loans offered by the centres in Maiduguri, Markurdi and Calabar respectively.

Also, the number of job created within the review period totalled 5,243 spread into 1,530, 1,649 and 2,064 for Maiduguri, Markurdi and Calabar respectively.

Check revealed that in June 2013, following the end of the first phase EDC project lifecycle, the CBN approved that the projects in these zones be extended by three years.

Accordingly, this project strategy was re-

‘The centres are also one of the deliverables of the Microfinance Policy Regulatory and Supervisory Framework for Nigeria aimed at providing conducive environment for the growth and development of the Micros, Small and Medium enterprises. One of CBN’s strategic priorities is supporting Small and Medium Enterprises so they can create jobs and reduce poverty’

designed to target school leavers, tertiary institutions graduates and owners of existing businesses. It was gathered that under this review, the candidates are to undergo training for 12 weeks for tertiary institutions graduates and 16 weeks for school leavers and others.

Counselling, internship, mentoring and attachment to incubators have also been built in during the training and post training period for the prospective entrepreneurs.

The EDCs are conceptualised to run for three years funded by the bank (personnel only), thereafter the relevant state governments and implementing agencies would carry on the operations of the centres sustainably.

A number of implementing agencies approved by the CBN to run the centres were spread in the various zones.

According to the CBN, in the North-East Zone (Maiduguri), the list include A.I. Development Limited, Entrepreneurship Development Centre, North-East (EDC-NE), Borno State University, Complex, Kano Road, Maiduguri. For the North-Central Zone the address is African Community Entrepreneurship Development Centre Complex,Makurdi, Benue State. In the South-South Zone, it is located at EDC South-South Centre, (Prof. Eyo Ita House,) Calabar, Cross River State.

Development Finance Officers To ensure success of the project, the regulator appointed development finance officers whose roles include monitoring of the training modules delivered by the implementing agencies appointed by the bank.

They are also expected to ensure the participation of youths from their respective states in the programme within their respective zones; ensure that the centres continually collaborate with relevant agencies to enhance the outcome of the programme; and periodically monitor trainees on internship in their states.

They are also expected to collaborate with the implementing agencies in linking graduate of the centres to finance particularly Medium and Small Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) through the microfinance banks.

Also, the CBN is in the processes of flagging off three centres to be located in Kano (North-West), Ibadan (South-West) and South-East.

For the smooth running of the new centres, some new implementation agencies were recently approved by the management of the CBN. These include, Africa Leadership Forum – Ibadan (S/W); International Centre for Development Affairs (S/E) and DII Development II Nigeria Limited (N/W).

The EDCs, analysts say, were created to inspire and boost entrepreneurship among the young generation in Nigeria, enabling them to develop individual initiatives to support economic development and prosperity in the country.

They insist that although it is the responsibility of the CBN to ensure monetary and price stability; issue legal tender currency in Nigeria; maintain external reserves to safeguard the international value of the legal tender currency, the apex bank should also continue to support entrepreneurs.

The CBN is equally charged with the responsibility of administering the Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Act (1991) as amended, with the sole aim of ensuring high standards of banking practice and financial stability through its surveillance activities, as well as the promotion of an efficient payment system.

But for most stakeholders, the EDCs remains essential continuation of the CBN’s policy aimed at equipping a new generation of business leaders with much-needed knowledge and skills, assisting them to enter the business world with confidence and become standard-bearers for Nigeria at home and internationally.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE NATION INVESTORS

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I have laid the foundation for virile capital market, says Oteh

ORMER director general, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Ms Arunma Oteh, said she had used her fiveyear tenure to lay the foundation for a virile capital market that will help to solve Nigeria's pressing financing challenges.

Oteh's tenure ended last week's Wednesday. She handed over to an acting director general, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, on Monday.

Presenting her scorecards, Oteh said she handed over a better SEC that has been positioned to drive inclusive economic growth and provide impetus for national infrastructural development.

According to her, when she joined SEC in January 2010, she was absolutely certain about why the SEC was important and what it's role and what the agenda was. This enabled her to articulate a new vision in one phrase of "building a world class market".

She said she was able to lay the foundation for a capital market that will help tackle national infrastructure challenges and which will help people who are setting up businesses, who own businesses raise millions of naira in capital.

"To have a vision and have everyone being able to connect and align around it for me whether it is capital market operators, shareholders and other stakeholders for me was very rewarding. But I don't think it would have been possible without each and every one of you accepting the challenge to try something in a different way or to do

something in a way that you are not quite sure of," Oteh said.

She explained that the aim of her policies was to build a meritocracy so that it is the viable businesses that get funded, not necessarily the ones that have connections.

She noted that Nigeria's socioeconomic challenges could only be tackled when people can feel that they are included, that they have economic access; that they can create wealth and that the income inequalities that people see around can be addressed.

"And I believe that the capital market is the answer and what we have done in the last five years is to lay a foundation; there is still a lot of work to be done," Oteh said.

She therefore appealed to staff to continue to work hard and support the leadership to ensure that the brand that has been built is not eroded.

Earlier in a statement endorsed by her, Oteh had outlined her achievements to include restoration of investors' confidence, promotion of corporate governance and deepening the market.

On investors' confidence, she outlined that through strong enforcement actions and improvement of rules and regulations, and investor education, she was able to encourage investors' participation. Creative initiatives include partnership

with Nollywood to produce movies, an annual integrity award to promote integrity and capital market knowledge. SEC established the National Investor Protection Fund and strengthened its Administrative Proceedings Committee On deepening and broadening of the market; the market witnessed significant product innovation, improved listing rules, landmark bond market reforms (which brought it almost at par with the equities market and made it attractive enough for Triple A issuers such as African Development Bank (AfDB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) to issue bonds), introduction of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), widening of participation in the markets through licensing and coming - on - stream of other capital trade points like National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and Financial Market Dealers Quotation (FMDQ) that have expanded market access.

Also, in the area of restoring market integrity through zero tolerance for rule infractions, SEC's enforcement machinery was significantly strengthened to respond to this new emphasis. In addition to other measures, an 18-man Nigeria Police Force team was deployed as a resident enforcement team at the SEC to respond to enforcement matters with speed and prompti-

•From left: Mr. Eric Elujekor, Acting Director Enforcement and Compliance Department; Hon, Zakawanu Garuba, Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services; Former Director General, Ms Arunma Oteh; Acting DG, Mounir Gwarzo and Acting Executive Commissioner, Operations, Mr. Abatcha Bulama at the formal handover by Oteh to Gwarzo in Abuja on Monday.

tude. This was unprecedented in the history of the apex regulator.

In the area of strengthening of disclosures and transparency; SEC, under her leadership strengthened disclosure requirements and spearheaded the implementation of international financial reporting standards for listed companies.

As far back as 2011, under Oteh's leadership, the SEC published a new code of corporate governance for the Nigerian markets which was aimed at standards improvement in line with international best practice. In addition to a significant improvement in corporate governance, the code is now mandatory.

SEC's role in revamping corporate governance at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) was globally recognized.

Within the SEC, capacity building took unprecedented heights intended to strengthen the capital market as a whole by specifically enhancing personnel and technological capacities at the SEC Nigeria through training and retraining of human capital.

Pursuant to the human capital enhancement goal, she streamlined the training function at the SEC to make it more relevant and responsive to the apex regulator's capacity needs; she instituted the SEC Learning Series with the objective to foster a culture of learning and knowledge seeking at the SEC Nigeria especially in relation to critical issues that relate to capital markets, economic diplomacy, macro economy and the larger society.

Beyond the capital market, under Oteh's leadership, the SEC instituted an Annual SEC Journalists' Academy, a skills improvement workshop aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the markets through improved professional journalistic reportage. A journalists' only essay competition was also instituted to stimulate interest in reading and writing about the markets among Nigeria's community of practicing journalists. Prize winnings at this competition are in the form of exposure to trainings in elite local and foreign learning centers. She created a forum for delivering capacity enhancement to shareholders in Nigerian companies called the "SEC Shareholders' Academy" to enable the role of this important stakeholder public in fostering sound corporate governance in the Nigerian capital market.

Under her leadership, the SEC also championed reforms at the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) which has witnessed much more robust output and delivery in its operator/oversight role. The initiative to revamp listing rules led

to landmark transactions such as the dual listing of SEPLAT Petroleum on the NSE and the London Stock Exchange in April 2014 as well as the development of an alternative securities market.

Oteh provided thought leadership on the role of the capital market as an enabler of socio economic development, an efficient mechanism for capital allocation, and for fostering meritocracy in the economy and ultimately peace and prosperity in the society through efficient resource allocation.

She led a market-wide effort which culminated in the launch of the 10 year capital market master plan in November 2014 which supplies a strategic architecture for repositioning the Nigerian capital market as one of the best and biggest globally within the envisaged timeframe, re-focus the market and help double its size over time and grow the economy The role and reputation of the Nigerian capital market in the International arena was significantly enhanced through SEC's greater visibility and contribution in international regulatory fora like the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and its Africa and Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC). In both organizations, Arunma Oteh played influential roles in their highest decision making echelons.

The spike in the SEC's reputation and renown has made both the apex regulator as well as Ms. Oteh serial winners of awards and laurels bestowed by local and foreign organizations.

The stock market also witnessed appreciable growth under her leadership. From a market capitalization of N4.99 trillion in January 2010, the market peaked at over N14 trillion in 2014. The Nigerian stock market rose by 35 per cent in 2012 and a further 47 per cent in 2013, and it was among the 10 best performing markets in the world that same year.

However, by the end of 2014, the NSE capitalization had regressed to N11.5 trillion on account of the combined macro - economic forces including dwindling confidence in the Nigerian economy by anxiety around the imminent general elections; plummet in the price of crude oil in the international spot market and decline in the exchange rate of the Naira which attended the recent adverse fortunes of crude oil, the sole foreign exchange earner in Nigeria's mono - cultural economy and cessation of Quantitative Easing in the all important United States economy to induce divestments of foreign portfolios from the Nigerian market.

Dubai World gets majority creditor backing for $15b debt deal

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TATE-owned conglomerate Dubai World edged closer to a second major restructuring in four years on Monday after announcing it had reached agreement with a “substantial majority” of creditors to back its $14.6 billion debt deal.

However, despite having enough backing to effectively prevent challenges to its new deal, a relatively untested court process to impose it will mean formal completion is still months away.

Dubai’s economy has rebounded strongly from a local property crash which triggered a wave of debt restructurings at state-owned entities at the turn of the decade — most notably Dubai World’s request for a debt standstill on $25 billion of obligations in 2009 that resulted in a global markets selloff.

It has been in talks with lenders for months to secure a renegotiation of terms of the debt deal it signed in 2011 which followed the 2009 standstill request, given the size of the $10.3 billion 2018 repayment and the slow pace of asset sales.

An agreement would alleviate worries over Dubai’s largest debt hangover and may also lift the upcoming results of local banks. A number, including Emirates NBD ENBD.DU, have said they are studying whether to reverse provisions held against their share of the debt.

On Monday, Dubai World said it had made a “voluntary arrangement notification” under Decree 57 legislation to amend its existing debt deal, the first formal notification from the conglom-

erate that support from creditors for a new deal had passed the 67 percent mark — the level needed to authorize a change of restructuring terms.

Decree 57 was brought in by the Dubai government to administer the conglomerate’s previous restructuring in the absence of effective insolvency law in the United Arab Emirates.

The process will begin with a procedural court hearing on Tuesday, which may set a date for a directional hearing at which Dubai World and its creditors will put their cases before a three-member judicial panel at the court in Dubai’s financial free zone.It will be the biggest test of the legislation. While the tribunal played only a supporting role in the 2011 debt deal, it handled the $2.2 billion restructuring of one of Dubai

World’s subsidiaries, Drydocks World, a year later.

That restructuring process took five months from first court date to final agreement, and a legal source estimated Dubai World’s process would take around six months, depending on the progress of talks with creditors.

“The renegotiation of an already rescheduled facility is a clear reminder to all of the scale of the challenge facing Dubai World,” said Doug Bitcon, head of fixed income funds at Rasmala Investment Bank.

He added the restructuring reflected improved fiscal planning from Dubai World, which would hopefully benefit all parties as assets were sold.

For creditors not yet signed up to the restructuring deal, Decree 57 prevents

them from launching court action against Dubai World.

Decree 57 also allows for Dubai World to impose the new deal on creditors even if they are against it — a technical process known as a cramdown.

A clause requiring any ruling to be “fair” and “unprejudicial” to creditors in the eyes of the judges would be the likely basis of any challenge brought by dissenters, the legal source added.

The new plan involves repaying early an existing $2.92 billion maturity due in September 2015, Dubai World said.

The company will also extend a 2018 repayment to 2022, with higher pricing, an amortizing structure and more collateral backing the loan, confirming a September Reuters story.

Newspaper of the Year

AN EIGHT-PAGE PULLOUT ON THE SOUTHWEST STATES

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

PAGE 29

M

INSIDE

ANY waited with bated breath for the Yuletide to come. They expected a Christmas with a difference following assurances from Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose that every family would have a fowl to kill, rice to cook and some money for merriment.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the Fountain of Knowledge State had in one his early broadcasts immediately he took the saddle on October 16, 2014, told his army of supporters that the birds were already being reared to meet the December 2014 target.

Those who heard the promise wondered the possibility of nurturing a poultry bird to maturity within three months. Christmas was just a month and half away from October 16, 2014.

The largess was to launch the ‘Stomach Infrastructure’ policy.

Fayose, shortly after his inauguration at the Oluyemi Kayode Statdium, Ado-Ekiti, spoke of his plan to make ‘Stomach Infrastructure’ one of the cardinal policies of his administration.

To him, ‘Physical infrastructure’ without ‘Stomach Infrastructure’ makes no sense.

As a matter of fact, he promised to create an office of Special Assistant to the Governor on Stomach Infrastructure to effectively drive the policy and ensure that there is food on the table of every Ekiti person.

Fayose also revealed during his inauguration that he had given directive for the commencement of the rearing of chickens to be distributed to the people of the state during Christmas which was about a month and half away.

The governor took a step further during his maiden media chat known as “Meet Your Governor”, where he emphasized the importance of his stomach infrastructure policy as he promised to appoint ‘Assistant Governors’ in all the 16 local government areas to. The job of such officers is to take the policy to the grassroots.

He said: “I will appoint Assistant Governors in all the 16 local government areas because everybody cannot personally reach me in Ado-Ekiti.

The local people approach these Assistant Governors for assistance like cash and materials anytime they want to celebrate special occasions like weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals and other functions.

“The Assistant Governors will be my representatives in the local government areas and they will process requests for assistance for onward transmission to my office.”

Three months into his administration, the Assistant Governors are yet to be named. No thanks to the shrinking and irregular handouts from the Federation Account to the states.

The Yuletide might have come and gone but the dusts kicked up by the governor’s goodwill will take more time to settle down as the gesture was viewed differently across the state.

Residents lament years of paying for darkness PAGE 32

•Governor Fayose giving a chicken to one of the beneficiaries

Ekiti...stomach infrastructure turns controversial From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

Offering more explanations on the Stomach Infrastructure mantra of his principal, Fayose’s Special Assistant on Information, Youths and Sports, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, described the policy as the governor’s immediate intervention to banish hunger from the land.

Ogunsuyi said: “Ekiti people, who had adopted the 0-1-0 or 0-0-1 feeding formula because they could not afford three square meals, would appreciate what Stomach Infrastructure is all about.

“What this means is that we are going to return our people to the path of development by first of all ensuring that there is food in their stomach and we will also make sure there is money in their pockets.

“We are doing this because the people have been so impoverished so much that they cannot pay school fees, their utility bills and so on. So, we are going to revive their economy by

making sure that artisans get jobs and workers’ salaries are paid on time. The multiplier effect of this is that the people would be prosperous again.”

The governor made good his promise when on December 18, last year, he personally gave out rice, chickens and vegetable oil to residents.

The distribution, which began in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, saw interested members of the public trooping out in large numbers to collect their Christmas package from Mr. Governor.

Fayose said the gesture confirmed the importance of the people’s welfare to him as a person, adding that his administration would always strive to improve the welfare of the people “who, against all odds, returned me to office with a landslide victory, after eight years.”

The governor explained that the poor financial status of the state would not deter him from reaching out to

them because “I made a covenant with God that I will ensure that the people are liberated from the shackles of poverty.”

Not left out were uniformed personnel who also went home with their own share of the largess.

Buy the time the curtain was lowered on the distribution, about 80,000 birds and 100,000 bags of rice had been shared out in a state inhabited by more than two million people.

Teachers in public schools- though on Christmas vacation - had their own package sent to schools. The head teachers/principals had taken delivery of the consignment for onward distribution.

Apart from the creation of distribution points in the 16 local government areas, collection centres were also created in the markets to ensure that no section of the society was left out.

A beneficiary, Mr. Idowu Jewoola, who resides in Ado Ekiti, said he was

Our challenges, by chief medical director

‘NDDC safe, secure under Buhari’s presidency’

PAGES 34

PAGE 35

thrilled receiving the largesse from the governor which he described as a “rare privilege”.

Jewoola said: “The governor himself handed over to me rice, chicken and money. This is a rare occurrence here and you can see that everyone is happy and appreciative of Fayose.

The stomach infrastructure train also moved to Ikere-Ekiti, the second largest town in the state where people also turned out in their numbers with the beneficiaries praising the gesture.

Mrs. Eyitayo Adekola, a resident of Ikere-Ekiti, said the gesture confirmed Fayose as a man in touch with the grassroots.

Another beneficiary Gabriel Aluko, a student, saw the rice and chicken as extra to the slash of tuition at the state-owned university.

But the rare gesture has its own

•Continued on page 30

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

30

THE SOUTHWEST REPORT

Ekiti stomach infrastructure stirs rows row •Continued from page 29 share of controversies.

Besides the fact that some unscrupulous residents took undue advantage of it to get double and triple rations, many returned home from the distribution centres frustrated. Many secondary school teachers said three of them would have to pair to get a chicken.

At one of the distribution points, Fayose embarrassed a desperate would-be beneficiary. He sent him out of the queue for having the effrontery to queue up for rice after receiving “a handsome financial assistance” from his office few days earlier.

There were also complaints in some public schools that the number of chickens allocated to them fell short of the number of staff on the payroll.

The Nation learnt that 17 chickens were allocated to each of the public primary and secondary schools in most parts of the state.

A teacher, , who pleaded for anonymity in one of the secondary schools in Ikere-Ekiti, told The Nation that sharing 17 chickens in a school with staff strength of 94 teachers became herculean.

In some schools, many teachers just did not see the rationale in spending more than what they could use in buying a chicken in their community on transportation for the chickens. Many said they were not impressed with the size of the chickens which they considered as “not big enough”.

The Nation gathered that in a particular school, many of the chickens died because the intended beneficiaries did not show up and there was nobody to feed them.

A local government official, said although he got rice and chicken, but that he would have loved that the twomonth arrears of salaries being owed council workers were paid.

“This would empower me to buy myself the best of Christmas gifts,” the council staff said.

The gesture also became a bone of contention between the ruling party and the main opposition in the state.

The APC accused Fayose of throwing overboard the various empowerment programmes initiated and

•Police officers collecting chickens from Governor Fayose

implemented by his predecessor, Dr. Fayemi for stomach infrastructure that has turned Ekiti people to beggars.

Taking exception to the brickbat, the PDP accused the APC of hypocrisy. It said leaders of the opposition party also reached out to their supporters at Christmas.

“It is hypocrisy at its peak to do what you abuse someone else of doing,” PDP Secretary Tope Aluko said.

He went on: “They abuse us for providing immediate succour for our people. They described stomach infrastructure as an insult to Ekiti people.

They said it does not add value to the people; it diminishes their self-esteem, it diminishes their sense of self-worth and it denigrates what politics ought to be about.

“After condemning the concept, isn’t it rather too late that the APC people are just realising that poverty should be addressed by providing immediate succour because poverty is poverty; it knows no religion and it has no tribal mark; and it affects everyone of us?”

The APC State Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, berated the Fayose administration for treating Ekiti people as beggars.

In a statement, Olatunbosun said: “The governor has turned Ekiti people to beggars by giving them handouts in form of kwashiorkor-infested chickens not bigger in size than ailing pigeons.”

He said Ekiti people have now seen the deceit of a man who claimed to be the friend of the common man with his callous attitude to the same people he claimed to love at a time they should be happy.

Olatunbosun said: “Governor Fayose gave two ‘congos’ of rice and miserable palm oil not up to a litre all totaling N700 - to each worker that the governor had earlier deducted N2,000 from his salary for Christmas gift.

“This is in contrast to Governor Kayode Fayemi who empowered the people through agriculture, cooperative and employment and apprenticeship schemes involving over two thousand youths, which helped the people to earn a living and made them happy for four years as against Fayose’s tokenism as Christmas gifts.”

The APC spokesman said that instead of Fayose to build on these laudable schemes, he had cancelled all the programmes, rendering the youths jobless and cancelled many promotions in the civil service and dismissed many workers for the offences they did not commit.

He explained: “Fayemi last year paid civil servants 30 per cent of their salary as Christmas bonus. He also paid their leave bonus while their December salary was paid on December 18.

“In contrast, Fayose has refused to pay civil servants their September salary even though he had collected September allocation from the Federal Government. Civil servants are yet to be paid as at December 22.

“Last year, apart from the 30 per cent bonus and leave bonus, all offices in MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) were given gifts but all these have gone under Fayose as workers are now praying for their September salary let alone December salary or xmas or leave bonus.”

He carpeted Fayose for making civil servants to go through harrowing experiences as many of them could not celebrate Christmas with their salaries “as many of them kept vigils at ATM points in banks till the wee hours of the Christmas day without receiving their pay”.

His words: “Governor Fayose should ask Ekiti citizens how Fayemi added value to their lives for four years. He didn’t wait till Christmas to pay N10,000 to over 20,000 youths in volunteer services for four years.

“He didn’t wait till Christmas before he paid N5,000 to 20, 000 elderly people in his social security scheme for four years in addition to feeding them with both cooked and raw food all year round.

“Fayemi trained over 500 youths under the Odua/Job Creation Agency Skill Acquisition scheme.

“Under the Youth in Commercial Agriculture Development scheme, over 600 young farmers have been trained and this generated about 15,000 direct and indirect jobs with the YCAD beneficiaries becoming employers of labour rather than beggars to be given handouts as Fayose is presently doing to Ekiti youths.”

Olatubosun urged Fayose to pay workers their entitlements and stop treating them like beggars, stressing that even though APC is not in power, each of the 177 wards across the state is receiving no fewer than 20 bags of rice from APC leaders to make the members happy while PDP leaders only take care of their families.

He concluded: “From what Fayose is doing, he is deliberately encouraging poverty so that people can be sub-

servient to him and we sympathise with Ekiti workers and people who have suddenly been inflicted with miserable conditions by a governor touted to be the friend of the masses.”

The Stomach Infrastructure however sank deeper into controversy following the controversial transfer of the Mobile Police (MOPOL) Commander in the state, Mr. Gabriel Selenkere.

Selenkere’s transfer was over his alleged refusal to allow his men line up in public to collect the Christmas largesse.

The Nation gathered that Selenkere has since been transferred to MOPOL 45 in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The conventional policemen had lined up to collect their share of the gifts but when it was the turn of mobile policemen, Selenkere ordered his men not to collect the gifts in full glare the public which he believed could be implicative.

His action was reported to have angered top government officials who saw his action as “rude, unfriendly and insolent.”

A police officer who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed Selenkere’s transfer.

He said: “It is true that he (Selenkere) has been transferred as confirmed by signals for his transfer. The issue of Christmas gifts shared by the government was part of it but you know he has many issues as well bordering on his line of duties.

“It is true that he ordered MOPOL men not to collect the gifts and ordered them to go back to their bases despite the fact that the conventional police collected.”

But the Special Assistant to the Governor on Stomach Infrastructure, Mr. Ayo Arowolo Fayose’s said the idea is not all about rice, chicken and vegetable oil alone. He said the government also intends to make micro-credit loans available to citizens of the state to empower them.

According to him, the first batch of beneficiaries, who are market women, would soon be given micro-credit facilities to assist them in their businesses.

He explained that this would breathe life into their businesses and stimulate the grassroots economy.

Will the largesse be a regular bazaar or a one-off affair? Can the 80,000 birds and 100,000 bags of rice distributed in Decembers 2014 sustain a population of more than two million for a year?

Can stomach infrastructure succeed without committing more resources to agriculture? Only time will tell.

TRACE warns motorists against excessive speeding

T

HE Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), has embarked on public education/enlightenment campaign in all motor parks and garages in continuation of the safety exercises.

The programme was organised to remind road users of the need to always be safety conscious while using the roads.

The exercise featured songs and drama presentations in different ethnic languages such as Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and Egun, apart from presenting it in the English language. This, the organisers said, aimed at passing the safety messages across to all road users in the languages they would understand, in order to minimise incessant crashes on our roads.

Speaking at Sango garage, the Ado-Odo/Ota Zone II Commanding Officer, Commander Adekunle Ajibade, said the need to organise the event was to sensitise the road users against all forms of indiscipline that are causes of crashes on the roads.

He said motorists are expected to imbibe the defensive driving culture, adding that drivers must be able to see dangers ahead and

quickly apply wisdom in order to prevent accident from occurring.

He warned road users to avoid night travels, saying it causes accidents due to lack of adequate concentration on the part of the drivers who may not have had enough rests before embarking on any long journey.

Mr. Ajibade also warned motorists against over-speeding, which he said thrills but kills. He urged drivers to shun making or receiving calls while driving, wrong/dangerous overtaking and drink and drive.

Contributing, the Corps Commander/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Corps Commander Ayo Sangofadeji, who was represented by the Director of Operations, Prince Olaseni Ogunyemi, said there is the need to be safety conscious by all road users at all times. He said it is one of the steps necessary to reduce crashes on the roads.

He said TRACE is committed to checkmating and controlling road traffic problems within the state in order to ensure significant reduction in road crashes.

He urged motorists to change their attitude on the use of roads, adding that both motorists and pedestrians should strictly obey traffic rules and regulations.

•From left: Prince Olaseni, The Director of Training, Commander Sola Bamidele and Ajibade, at the event.

Sangofadeji warned against hazardous/illegal parking, as the Corps will no longer tolerate picking and dropping of passengers in any unauthorised bus stop. He also warned motorcycle operators not to disregard the use of crash helmets, even as he said carrying of more than one passenger, especially a pregnant woman and children, is a serious traffic offence.

He admonished traders/hawkers along the expressway to evacuate and relocate to a safer environment to give way for free-flow of human and vehicular movements.

At Ita Oshin Motor Park, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Transportation, Mr Gbenga Opesanwo, urged road users to always be mind-

•Some of the dram

ful of safety while using the roads.

He said: “All road users, be it pedestrians, cyclists/tricyclists, drivers or passengers must think safety first whether on inter or intraroads.”

He further said every individual that uses the road should cultivate good safety culture and always consider other road users. This will make the roads safe for all.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

31

THE SOUTHWEST REPORT Subomi praises God at yearly prayer

Council holds stakeholders forum

Jeremiah Oke, Abeokuta

C

ALL it a political gathering, you won’t be wrong. The refurbished auditorium of the Mosan-Okunola Local Council Developmental Area was fill to the brim on Monday People from diffrent walks of life thronged the council as early as possible, all the first Stakeholders’ Forum under the administration of Princess Opeyemi Adunni Akindele, the council’s Executive Secretary (ES).

Being her first interactive session with the people, Princess Akindele was at her best as she received her guests in twos, threes and then in scores.

They exchanged pleasantries, share jokes and banters.

Many congratulated her on the new appointment while the elderly prayed for her success.

The traditional rulers were led by the Baale of Akinogun, Prince Martins Oladega; marketers by the IyalojaGeneral of Mosan-Okunola LCDA, Alhaja Aminat Alabi and Mrs. Comfort Alabi from Abesan Primary School represented the teachers. Others in attendance included: representatives of Community Development Committee (CDC); artisans; farmers and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).

In her opening remarks, the council chief said the meeting was germane for the socio-economic development of the council.

“We realise government alone cannot fashion out the needs of the community, hence the necessity for this meeting to receive inputs from all stakeholders so that at the end of the day, we shall have a budget presentation that meet the aspiration of the people,” she said.

According to her, any project that would be embarked upon would be a realistic one, promising to complete any project initiated during her tenure.

She assured them that at the end of her three-month spell, the council will wear a new look.

During the interactive session, Mrs. Alabi canvassed for the deployment of more security personnel in public schools within the council.

“We have gotten school materials from the state’s Ministry of Education with a warning that they must be well

I

•Princess Akindele, addressing the council officials and party leaders

•Cross-section of participants

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

kept. With the porous security in our various schools, all these streets urchins could break into our offices and destroy the materials,” she said.

She also asked for provision of boreholes and other amenities in the

schools.

Chairman of the Mosalasi Unit of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Folunrusho Fasuyi, described the event as “unique because the person at the helm of affairs is someone the people love and she is a mother with

great heart.

Fasuyi enjoined the ES to have a listening ear and take advice that would move the council forward.

He urged her to develop the hinterland by opening up roads for farmers to get their products to the market without stress.

T was all dance and praises for the Asiwaju Onigbagbo and the Olori Omoba of Ijebuland, Otunba Subomi Balogun, when he hosted at his Ijebu Ode residence, the 2014 Christmas Carol and the annual New year prayers.

At the two-in-one event were members of the local chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Ogun State and many others, including traditional rulers.

The programme was oragnised to celebrate and appreciate God for what God did in the family of the doyen of financial institution and commit members of the family to God’s hand this year.

In his remarks, Subomi spoke of his resolve to praise God and contribute his quota to the development of his home town, pointing out that he has to spread what the Lord had deposited in his life.

Recounting God’s favours in his life, the octogenarian commended the contributions of the CAN for its usual contributions to his life and the annual carol in Ijebuland and the state at large.

His words: “All that I want to do for the rest of my life is praises. I cannot but appreciate God for what He has done in my life and I have to transfer such gesture to the less-privileged in the society. I want to continue to contribute to the development of Ijebuland. I give thanks to God. I will always praise God. I also pray for good health and long life.

“At this juncture, I want to commend the leadership of CAN in Ogun State, especially the Ijebu-Ode chapter for setting up a committee that held the Christmas carol. On behalf of my family, I want to express my profound gratitude to the men of God here presence today, may God be with us all back to our various destination.”

The CAN chairman in Ijebu-Ode, Bishop Ebenezer Bankole who said the sermon entitled: “Christ in your Christmas”, prayed to God for long life and God’s wisdom for Subomi and the royal fathers.

The cleric said many of the people celebrating Christmas today refused to allow Christ to rule in their affairs, a development he alleged, often lure them to commit atrocities.

Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan nursed a life-long dream to visit Jerusalem on pilgrimage. The 63-year old finally won a return ticket for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He shares his experience with JANE CHIJIOKE

A pilgrim’s dream fulfilled

F

drama groups choregraphing road signs

He warned motorists against the use of mystical powers as it would not guarantee safety on the roads.

Drivers should shun undisciplined behaviours, such as over-loading, over-speeding, making or receiving calls while driving, violent behaviour and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs that could cause accidents.

The Ogun State Chief Vehicle In-

spection Officer (VIO) Bayo Otuyemi warned against any distractions that could lead to crashes while driving.

He urged them to always ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on a journey, saying that drivers should cooperate and support traffic managers in a bid to ensure safety on the roads.

OR Mr Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan, visiting Jerusalem was a dream he had long nursed in his heart.

He had committed it prayer everyday with great hope that it would come to pass one day.

This dream became a reality after he participated in a three-day seminar organised by the Seventh Day Adventist Church where he emerged the overall-best participant and won a return ticket to Jerusalem, Isreal.

After the end of the seminar which had its theme as: “Biblical prophesies as it applies in our time”, participants were given series of biblical questions to answer and return two weeks after.

The performance of Mr AyoVaughan, being among the participants from other church denominations, gave him the opportunity to clinch the grand prize while 11 others went home with a telephone tablets.

The journey to Israel began with an award dinner at a Chinese Restaurant on Victoria Island, where the psychologist and author was presented with his award.

He said: “When I was announced winner of the grand prize, I was very happy. I have won many prizes in the past but this was quite a surprised. I knew I could win because I put in my best so it didn’t really come as a shock but a surprise.

“After the dinner, I met Mrs. Mary Oyedekun of Unique Pilgrim’s Tour an organisation that works in conjunction with Tailor Made Tour of Israel to make arrangement for my nine-day trip.”

On December 9, 2014, Ayo-Vaughan in the company of 10 other pilgrims boarded an Ethiopian’s Airlines at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. The flight had a stop-over at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It arrived at the Ben-Gurian Airport, Tel-Aviv, Isreal at 3am on December 10.

“Eleven of us were from different chapels and among us, Pastor Abiodun Adebayo of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was selected as the team leader because of his previous experiences in the Holy Land.”

After breakfast on December 10, he narrated that they were handed over to their guide, Mr David Czvika, who has a 30-year experience in tour guide. They started the tour around the Crest of Mount Carmel and continued along the coastal road known as Caesarea Maritima, reputed to be the first seat of government of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.

Their next stop was Haifa, which houses the Bahai Garden. The pilgrims were told that the Bahai represents a religion that originated from Iraq.

“Today, however, Israel seems to be the world head quarters of the Bahia faith and the significance of the gardens is in the fact that adherents of the faith from around the world gather at the garden for their convention,” he said.

He said the religion ought to be an offshoot of Islam but the main Islamic religion believes that Mohammed is the last or the seal of the prophets. The Bahai faith is opposed to this as it believes that Bahaullah, the founder of the religion is recognised as a prophet.

They went further to visit the Druze village, then Mount Carmel where Prophet Elijah encountered the prophets of Baal in the Bible.

He said: “We proceeded to Daliyah where they learnt it is a Kibitz which has a politico-cultural place in the life of the Jewish society. It also has a community structured after the idealogy of socialism relying on the principle of ‘from each according to his ability and to each according to his needs.

“We stumbled on Mount Megiddo known as Armageddon, also Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle.

The Church of Annunciation where Gabriel visited Mary to announce to her as the one to conceive Jesus Christ, they learnt still holds a controversy as to whether Angel Gabriel met Mary at a well or in her house deliver the message.”

“We proceeded to Nazareth where

•Continued on page 35

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

32

33

THE SOUTHWEST REPORT

THE SOUTHWEST REPORT

Residents of Idimu-Shasha-Akowonjo live in utter darkness. They only had interjections of ‘light flashes’ supplied by the Bolounpe Power Station in the last 10 years. Since then, life and business in the areas Philantrophist have been one long stretch of slow and dreary darkness and stillness, reports Assistant Editor, Investigations, JOKE KUJENYA donates electric

poles to community

Residents lament years of paying for darkness M ANY of the residents wanted to talk at the same time. “I was an automobile mechanic for seven years, now I am a petty trader”, said a male resident called Waidi.

“I had a hairdressing salon, now I am an apprentice to another woman in another location, far away from here,” said a lady called Eunice. She added, “My salon used to thrive but when we had no light for so long, my business collapsed”.

“In my case”, said Mama Sola, “I was the only one in this area that used to have many grinding machines to blend whatever anyone wanted to grind such as pepper ingredients, beans for akara or moin-moin and others.

Today, I have sold out all the machines since there was no light to operate my business.

“On the business, I used three generating plants (generators) that had all packed up. Life became so hard for me.

It has been terrible because government has not helped us in this area at all.”

And there were more stories from several others in the community. The residents, numbering about 14, crammed the reporter on Wednesday, December 10 as she stood on Foursquare Road, Idimu. They faulted the Federal Government for the failed utility as well as the slow pace of work and scattered power restoration effort.

An elder in the community, who spoke on the origin of the problem, said:”It began in 2004. At the time, they had someone called ‘special base commander’. We were invited to be part of the project to give us light in our area. So, we joined without a second thought. After all, it was going to be for our good. That was during the Olusegun Obasanjo tenure.

“We were then told that the contract

was awarded at N1.28 billion. I was one of those assigned to supervise it for the benefit of our community. So, I took it as a duty. And for the next three years, when the engineer assigned to work on it took some soil from a borehole dug at the location that they were taking them to Japan, China and Germany, for ‘soil test’, we never heard anything again. Those of us in this community got fed up with the whole thing and retired back to our normal lives.

“Then, when the late President Yar’Adua came into power in 2008, we were told initially that the contract would be re-awarded. And even as civilians, we were posed to ask questions about what happened to the initial N1.28 billion for the project that was not done. We demanded to know what happened, but nobody was willing to listen to us. Even the then Business Manager (BM), Akowonjo Exchange, Engineer Raji, told us in confidence he had no answer, that he was as puzzled as us all.

“Even another BM called Mohammed, who later came on board was as lost as the community residents. There were even other BMs such as Engineer Abayomi who was the one there when the project actually started; he too, had no answers.

“But when they noticed that we persisted in our investigations, we were directed to one Engineer Olotu, Chairman, Niger-Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC). But the longand-short of our prying into what we considered very crucial was that, we ended up being tossed back-and-forth.

“However, the NIPP pile of hogwash was that while we were told the project was only for Idimu, some engineers from Alausa, Nwosu and Balogun, early this year, came to test the lines. They then called some of us community leaders and informed us

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

R

•Shasha-Akowonjo IPP project

that some of the materials used for the plant are ‘deaths-waiting-to-explode’.

“On March 14, 2012, the whole of this community experienced a terrible burning at Bolounpelu Feeder Station near College in Ikotun behind the Synagogue, where we are being supplied borrowed electricity”.

It exploded due to the load on it.

The two panels supplying residents with electricity burnt an operator working on it beyond recognition as he tried to switch on the light.

By then, they had changed their name to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and Engineer Akamnonu was then the CEO. So, after the explosion, he said it was impossible for them to replace the two panels because they cost N500 million as at that time; that they could only afford one for N250 million.

“Akamnonu said the only available option was to manage with load-shedding. And that was how they started giving us lights one day on or off.

Sometimes, we could even be off for three to four days because we are not Bolounpelu feeder’s first priority resi-

•The IPP project after years of abandonment

dents. So, they may even decide not to give us light on our ‘on’ days.

“Sadly, as at Tuesday, December 23, officials of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) who visited the area told Idimu community residents they still have to wait much longer. They kept telling us that once the energy plant is completed, we would enjoy uninterrupted power supply. But for now, we are suffering.

Another resident, who spoke in confidence, told the reporter that: “Most of those contractors only front for the President as we later discovered. I am not a government worker, a politician and neither do I belong to any party; I’m just a concerned community member.

“So, when some politicians came to woo me, I told them no, that all I want is the development of my community.

And they left and had never returned to me. I even told one of them they are the people in government sabotaging these laudable projects for their personal benefits. He only pretended not to hear me”.

Calm but angry at the whole she-

nanigan is Alhaji Olatunde Badmus, 64, Chairman, Community Development Association (CDA), Sunshine Estate, Idimu, Lagos who moved to Idimu in 2002, said: “Since I moved in here 12 years ago, I packed into a community in darkness. I was told they had been in darkness for nine months.

But I shared three months with them.

Then, the electrification of this area was awarded to DFRI. Later, DFRI allegedly transferred it to a woman called Mrs. Tetede, an ex-NEPA official. She left the works uncompleted.

It was members of this community that completed what she left when we went to the Mines and Power, Lagos office, around 2003 to know what was going on.

“We were in that terrible trend when in 2004; Obasanjo came with the NIPP and said they would give us one in Idimu. By then, I was the Chairman, Transformer Users of Idimuland. So, I went with our king , Oba Abdulazeez Olayemi Dada-Aluko, the Onidimu of Idimu, went to the Air Force Base to meet with Commander Balogun, who was the then Air Force Commander.

He then gave us the portion of land on which the plant was sited along Foursquare Road. The contract was then awarded to Engineer Okonkwo of Njonas Engineering Firm. They later began work, dug a borehole, brought our specimen which they said they needed for soil test.

“They said the soil test will enable them to know the type of plant to install. We were told they were taking the soils to Japan, China and Germany.

For almost three years or so, we didn’t hear anything. Years later, life is worse for us that it was back then.

“Our worst three years have been from 2010 to 2012. According to records I kept, the number of hours of electricity supply given to us in Idimu was 1, 477 hours for the three years. That means for the three years, we didn’t have light for up to two months.

“Economy collapsed in this area more than the entire Nigeria put together. Businesses collapsed. Welders, electricians, auto-mechanics, all became motorcycle operators. Tailors and fashion designers became petty traders or sales persons working for oth-

•Alhaji Olatunde

ers. This is why our area has nearly become so empty because many went to other sides of Lagos to seek business and populate okada business.

“And because bills kept coming, those who do not have metres were given estimated or coded bills. As they explained, coded bills are done each month after they had taken count of consumed energy from Bolounpelu from a meter at Ejigbo through which they read Bolounpelu injection station.

That is what they also call crazy bills.

Our reporter made several attempts to meet with either the CEO, IKEDC, Engineer Biodun Ajifowobade or the MD, Alausa, Ikeja, Engineer Balogun through the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Pekun Adeyanju. He asked for questions to be sent to his e-mail.

He later informed our reporter that the agency to speak on the issue is NDPHC and forwarded the contact name of the Lagos PRO, Mr. Yakubu Lawal.

On seeing the questions forwarded to the NDPHC by Adeyanju, Lawal sent a text to the reporter and said he had forwarded the e-mail to their PRO, Abuja office, Emeka.

Later, the Abuja NDPHC, PRO asked that a correspondent from Abuja visit their 17, Nile Street in Maitama, Abuja.

Two days later, one of The Nation’s correspondents in Abuja visited him and he declined an interview, claiming that his boss was not in the country. He, however, asked the correspondent to return for the interview in January 2015.

However, contact with another top official at the NDPHC, who said he is not officially competent to speak with the media, said the actual agency to power the plant is IKEDC and not NDPHC. He said that the plant had been handed over to IKEDC for some years and whatever failure is being experienced by the communities where the plants are not working should be addressed by them.

About 4:36 p.m. on Thursday, December 20h, this reporter called Engineer Asha for his comments on the issue. He simply said: “You can contact the PRO, IKEDC, Pekun Adeyanju. We have been told not to speak with the media and hung up the phone”.

The reporter then returned to the Idimu/Shasha/Akonwonjo on

2015: CAC President inducts 1000 pastors

T

Wednesday, December 24h, sadly, despite the Christmas celebrations being lights-soaked, the district was in utter darkness save for electricity being supplied by several generating plants in different homes.

Many of the streets were dark. Children limited their plays to the front of the houses. Life was slow and dry.

The Nation reporter also went in search of Njonas, the engineering firm that handled most of the projects; at their 9, Adeola Raji Avenue in Atunrase Gbagada, area of Lagos, but on asking to see Engineer Okonkwo, the reporter was turned back at the entrance that the man is rarely in Lagos.

And as of Friday, December 27, Olatunde informed the reporter that he just got informed by Engr Balogun of IKEDC, Lagos, that the company is yet to purchase the ‘relay’, one of the materials needed to make the plant supply electricity to the Idimu-ShashaAkonwonjo areas.

“This means, we are automatically going to start another New Year in utter darkness”, lamented Olatunde.

Agbaje promises 150 housing units in four years

•Cleric warns politicians against violent elections

HE expansive auditorium of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Babalola Memorial International Miracle Camp, Ikeji Arakeji, was filled to the brim penultimate weekend. More than 1000 pastors filed out for ordination by the President of the Church, Pastor Abraham Akinosun.

Decked in designer’s suits of different colours, the ordinance, who had just concluded a one-year pastoral programme were formally welcomed into the ‘One fold, one Shepherd family.’

Clerics from across the country converged on the CAC Camp Ground, at Ikeji Arakeji, to begin a new adventure in the vineyard of God and the ministry.

It was a joyful occassion as the ordination was coming after years of embargo placed on such activities in the CAC fold.

With joy and happiness radiating, the pastors danced to the melodious renditions of the choir to appreciate the goodness of God. One could not separate the mood of the occasion from the spirit of the festivities which beclouded the atmosphere of thanksgiving and praises, even as the auditorium was decorated with different Christmas trees and other ornaments synonymous with the Yuletide.

While lending his voice on the 2015 general elections, Pastor Akinosun said Nigerians should look on to God and be saved.

He said: “If our nation and those

•PDP candidate scores Fashola high on security, environment

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

people we are going to vote for should look unto the Lord, the nation shall be saved and all the people therein “But if we continue to go into the way that is not biblical, like killing and maiming because someone wants to rule, this is against God’s wish and the scripture.”

The cleric said politicians should learn from other nations where the interests of the citizens are of utmost importance to government that serves the people diligently.

Pastor Akinosun berated some politicians who are allegedly preparing for the coming elections as if they are going to war front.

He said: “We are going to vote and we are hearing of people stockpiling arms. We are not preparing for war; we are preparing to vote for credible people to be at the helms of affair. So, why should they be piling up arms?

“Our politicians should have a rethink and look unto God. It must not be a do-or-die affair. If someone fails now, another time, he may be called upon to come and rule. So, people should take politics as a game and play according to the rules.” Pastor Akinosun stressed.

Speaking on the role of the ordained pastors in ensuring a better society, the CAC leader said embargo has been placed on ordinations for a very long time because of the understanding that a lot have

PHOTOS: JOKE KUJENYA

ESIDENTS of of Olisaro community in Ijoka, a suburb of Akure, the Ondo State capital are to enjoy better electricity supply to their domain, courtesy of Pastor Oluwatoyin Ogunrinbido, the founder of God We Trust Academy.

The philantrophist, who has donated 10 poles to boost electricity supply to the area, also gave some youths in the community scholarships.

Explaining the gesture, Ogunrinbido said he was worried about the erratic poor power supply which he blamed on decaying of some electricity facilities.

He noted that the donation became necessary after the old wooden electric poles in the area have been eaten up and destroyed by termite.

The cleric explained that he went round the community only to discover that all the wooden poles were on the verge of falling down.

Ogunrinbido said he was donating the poles and awarding the scholarships for no political gains but doing so as a social responsibility.

The philanthropist promised to continue to assist the community with the provision of basic infrastructure.

Responding, the representative of the landlord association the community, Elder Igbekele Ebiniyi, described Ogunribido as a God-fearing man, who put the people’s interest above own personal interest.

According to him, the community has enjoyed low power supply due to lack of good electric poles in the area. He advised the cleric to continue his goodwill and contribution to development of human kind believing that his reward is with God. Also speaking, the vice chairman of Ileri Oluwa Street, Abimbola Akinsunmola, rated Ogunribido as a philanthropist who has contributed to the development of the state and the nation.

He therefore called on other prominent Nigerians to emulate the good gesture of the donor.

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•Some of the inducted Pastors

to be put into the training of pastors so as to contribute meaningfully to the society.

“You see this people; many of them have been working on churches without ordination; many of them have acquired knowledge; but we really want to train them as pastors so that, if the Church of God change for better, the society will

•Pastor Akinosun

be good for it,” Pastor Akinosun explained.

The cleric warned that the New Year may be a bad experience for the ungodly.

He said for those who look unto the Lord, the coming year will be filled with blessings and uniqueness.

“For those who looking unto God,

they don’t need to fear, though we don’t know tomorrow, but if we know the God who knows tomorrow, then we will be rest assured that tomorrow will be good.”

Earlier in his message entitled: “The New Beginning” with text taken from the holy Bible, Second Corinthians, and Chapter five verse 17, Pastor Akinosun charged the

newly-ordained to start living a new life.

According to him, as they have received a new training, the Holy Spirit must be in them to do the work always.

He condemned some Pastors who run after money and jettison their ministries and their duties with the Lord.

“Baba” as fondly called among the CAC family urged the new Pastors to live a life which will serve as a role model to others.

While congratulating them, he described the ordination as a welcome development.

The CAC President said even though there has been some in the past, but this year’s own was unique

because embargo had been placéd on it for a long time.

In his own address, former General Evangelist, Pastor Paul Bandele expressed his joy over the development.

He appreciated the leadership of the CAC worldwide for the success recorded on the programme.

HOUGH the All Progressives Congress (APC) has done well in the areas of security and the environment in Lagos, the ruling party’s best is not good enough for Lagosians, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Mr Jimi Agbaje said at the weekend.

Agbaje, who unveiled security, health and education as his administration’s flagship policies if elected as the next Lagos governor of on February 28, however spoke of plans to do more.

He spoke with media managers in Lagos in the company of his running mate, Alhaja Safirat Abdulkareem and some political aides.

Specifically, he promised to facilitate the provision of 150, 000 housing units in the next fours, saying the 25,000 units built by the APC administration in 16 years was a far-cry from the housing needs of a cosmopolitan state like Lagos.

According to him, a minimum of 200,000 housing units is required to meet the accommodation needs of the state’s estimated population.

Urging Lagosians to choose between continuity as represented by the ruling APC and change as being offered by his PDP, Agbaje warned that it will amount to liv-

ing in Fools’ Paradise for residents to be contended with the status quo.

The PDP candidate, who promised not engage in the politics of mudslinging, said he was in the race to win and not just to participate.

His words: “I have in my CV already a former governorship candidate. I don’t want to put in it a two-time former governorship candidate. I am in this race to win, not just to participate and we are serious about it. Lagos is moving, but moving very slow.”

Agbaje spoke of plans to partner the private sector to retrain the army of jobless youths on vocations that would transform them to employers of labour, rather than seeking after white-collar jobs that are hard to come by.

He also promised to ensure that five per cent of government’s procurement budgets are set aside specifically for the youths.

On health, he said his administration will remodel the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to enable government provide only the premium on beneficiaries.

Rating the APC government high for setting up the Security Trust Fund (STF), he promised to widen its scope beyond the metropolis.

He also spoke of plans to overhaul the education policy and review the tax policies in the state if elected.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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THE SOUTHWEST REPORT The Federal Government has upgraded its Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ido-Ekiti, in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, Ekiti State to a teaching hospital. The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Majekodunmi Ayodele, in this chat with ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA, bares his mind on the benefits of the upgrade in the delivery of quality healthcare.

He says the hospital’s new status will enhance medical students’ access to training.

Our challenges,

by CMD

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AN we have insight on your background?

I am a trained psychiatric and came to this hospital as a consultant more than 10 years ago. I pioneered the psychiatric department with the support of Dr. Ololade Ojo, who was then my boss and the Chief Medical Officer (CMD). We worked together to take the department to an enviable height that earned us recognition by the West African Medical College as one of the best training psychiatric centres in Nigeria .To the glory of God, I moved from there to become the Head of Clinical Services of the hospital. That position I held for two years. During my tenure, I brought a paradigm shift to that office. I had to sit in as acting CMD Dr. Ojo completed her second term. In September 2012, I was made the substantive CMD. Since then, the struggle to get a teaching hospital status for the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and with the mighty weight and philanthropic gesture of our revered Aare Afe Babalola, we have been able to achieve this dream.

The feat was achieved not until the philanthropist has expended about N2 billion in putting the infrastructures in place according to the dictate of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the National University Commission (NUC). Now, we when clinical hostels that you would probably not find in any teaching hospital in this country because, each room is en- suite for all the students.

We also have fully equipped teaching laboratories, for the training of these students. It is all with the efforts of the sage himself and we are able to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) which was facilitated by the Ministry of Health (federal).

The FMC has just been upgraded into a Federal Teaching Hospital by the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. The hospital is now in the club of those hospitals where medical students undergo clinical training.

When did the idea of upgrading started?

•Dr. Majekodunmi

As a matter of fact, I would say that the renaissance started with my predecessor. We shared a common vision and she opened the floodgate of this hospital to a number of consultants during her eight- year tenure. We have up to 50 consultants then. Although, the number is not fixed because, as some of them are coming in, others relocating to other institutions within and outside the country. It was during that time we started the idea of changing the hospital to the status of a teaching hospital. And that is why I pioneered the training of clinical students in this hospital. My Mental

Health was the first to go into residency training.

Before now, we had departments that were given partial accreditation. So, when I came on board, I ensured that we had full accreditation for some of these departments.

Apart from that, we had new departments like the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department. We also have new Pathology Departments - the Chemical and Microbiology.

They are all into investigation.

What we concern ourselves with is the strengthening of the already laid down structures in the hospital. And for us to do this, a number of reforms have been carried out

in the last two years that I came on board. These are fundamental to any institution like ours.

The first step I took was to ensure that all the Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) are paid directly into the banks. It was to end the culture of business as usual.

Because, one thing that can easily frustrate the operation of this institution is lack of finance, more so, that government is not 100 per cent responsible for its funding owing to the austerity measures here and there. So, we fought that battle and won. Although, it is not a new thing because, other institutions do it but we happy that that is also entrenched in our system here. I am also happy that my people also realise that I meant well for them by introducing such measure. Even as CMD, if I had to spend a dime, I had to raise a voucher for that purpose. I cannot just draw any money from any cashier.

That was what was in operation before I took over. Part of the reforms is that, we had to constitute some bodies that were never in existence before, like procurement committee. It existed in law but not in practice before I came. This is important so that the CMD or anybody would not just appoint anybody based on closeness or friendship to be buying all the items needed in the hospital. The law is clear on who should head the committee and there are processes. Then I also resuscitated the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF). The head of Clinical Services is to head the body and the Chief Pharmacist The ServiCom now is in operation.

Above all, we laid emphases on discipline and hardworking since we are providing the necessary infrastructure. The reforms are directed towards improving clinical services and welfare of workers too.

With the teaching hospital status, is your management considering the possibilities of raising charges for patients in this hospital?

We will be shooting ourselves in the leg if we increase our charges in a hospital that has just being upgraded. What we need most now is the number of patients patronising us because we cannot afford a teaching hospital that is empty. Also, considering the level of poverty in this part of the country, doing so might be counter-productive. If you increase their charges beyond their reach, they naturally stay away. They rather wait until they see somebody who will assist them

or they die. So, it is better to bring the charges down to the barest minimum. What we are planning to do here is this; the issue of austerity in Nigeria is not a new thing. And some people are saying that it is just being pronounced officially. Our overhead is so negligence - almost non-existence. I mean what is being given to us from the Federal Government to run the hospital per year. We get an average of N4 million per month which is not even enough to power our generating sets. As I am taking, we are still running on generators and we must ensure that this place runs like a standard hospital. You will probably turn back if you come into the hospital at night and everywhere is dark. We are also strengthening our outreach programmes to the nooks and crannies of the state and beyond so that people can have a feel of the services we render. Apart from that, we need to device other means of generating funds. This is why we established the ventures that are self-sustaining. These would generate income for the hospital. It has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). We intend to have among others things car wash business, poultry farming, water plants and so on.

How was the idea of teaching hospital conceived?

Well, let us give God the glory. I am only fortunate to be the pioneer medical director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti but the whole idea emanated from Aare Afe Babalola himself. He told us that from his experience outside the country, we have varsities that run medical schools but never had teaching hospitals of their own because they could just reach out to any standard hospital around and affiliate. Aare cited many examples of where such is done in Europe and America. So, he brought the request to my predecessor. Although, there was initial error in the sense that my former boss took the whole matter on her own shoulder, thinking she could grant the request. Eventually, the Ministry of Health got to know about it and nullified everything.

It was only last year that we restart the process through the normal channel. The former Health Minister Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu said only the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could upgrade

•Continued on page 36

Monarchs, Hausa community promise to support Accord candidate From Jeremiah Oke

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•President, Kingdom of Light Ministries, Pastor Samson Makinwa, presenting gifts to the less-priviledged as part of the church’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Lagos.

HE House of Representatives candidate for Akinyele/Lagelu constituency under the platform of Accord Party in Oyo State, Asiwaju Yemi Aderibigbe has received royal blessings, just as the Hausa community in the council area pledges total support.

Aderibigbe got the supports last week when he took his campaign train to six wards out of 12 wards making up Akinyele Local Government Area.

The blessings came from Onikereku of Ikereku, Chief Olasunkanmi Akinyosoye; Baale Agbagi, Chief Fabunmi Babatunde; Baale Ojoo, Chief Amusa Olagboyega; Baale Irepodun, Chief Alimi Alao; Baale Oretu, Chief A. Durodola; as well as Baale Olanla, Chief A.O. Oyedapo and Chairman, Kara market, Akinyele, Alhaji Audu Kuka.

While receiving him in his palace, Chief Akinyosoye prayed God to see him through, just as he showered encomium on him for the tremendous achievements recorded during when he served as chairman of the council and Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON). Responding, Responding, Aderibigbe promised equitable distribution of the dividends of democracy.

He berated some politicians, who seek elective offices to enrich their pocket. He said the trend portends bad omen for generation yet unborn. Aderibigbe sought for the supports of all and sundry with a view to enabling him achieving his set goal of turning Akinyele/Lagelu constituency around.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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THE SOUTHWEST REPORT Attack sparks outrage in Ondo community

NDDC’ll be safe, secure under Buhari, says ex-Board member

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FORMER representative of Ondo State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Benson Enikuomehin, has faulted insinuations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) would scrap the Commission if elected next month.

Enikuomehin, who is a chieftain of the APC in the Sunshine State, described those behind the rumours as enemies of the nation.

Besides, another community leader from the oil producing areas of the state, Claudius Omogbemi said Buhari’s antecedents in the petroleum sector had exposed him to the importance and relevance of the NDDC to the South and Nigeria.

The duo said Buhari’s experience

From Damisi Ojo, Akure.

as a former Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) in 1995 Chairman, a Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources in 1977and Chairman, Nigeria National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) in 1975 and 1995 would assist him to restructure and sustain the Commission.

Enikuomehin and Omogbemi however condemned what they called the domination of the Commission by mediocre, who have bastardised the agency to the detriment of the people and its objectives.

According to them, the alleged plot by Buhari to scrap the commission was politically motivated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to discredit the APC presidential candidate and block his victory in the Niger Delta at the presi-

dential election.

They said the existence of the NDDC was the only consolation people in the region have on the devastation of their domain.

They expressed the hope that Buhari would apply the fund accruable to the Commission judiciously to develop the region and empower the people physically and economically.

The duo cautioned members of President Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation to refrain from the campaign of calumny against the opposition, urging them to base their campaign on issues and avoid attacks of individuals.

Enikuomehin specifically advised Buhari to overhaul the commission and inject new blood into it, rather than scrapping it as doing so will do more harm to the people in the region.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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•Gen. Buhari

•Mrs Ogagaoghene (in a native attire) cutting the cake. With her is Mrs Adetunji (fifth right) and other officers’ wives at the event

FRSC men’s wives get group

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PPARENTLY emulating spouses of military and police officers, wives of officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have launched their own association – the Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA).

No fewer than 200 of them converged on Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on January 3, for a get-together.

At the Ogun State Sector Command of the FRSC venue of the event were the women and their children.

To lively up the day and give the kids a sense of belonging, singing, dancing and quiz competitions were organised as part of the activities.

The Commander in-charge of the Lagos/Ogun Zonal Command of the FRSC, Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM), Godwin Ogagaoghene, accompanied by his wife, Hope, chaired the event.

The chairperson of the event’s organising committee, Mrs. Adekunbi Adetunji, said the gathering was to bring together in a social gathering, the children, who rarely have the opportunity to sit with their fathers due to the work schedule.

ARELY a year after he was arrested by the police over alleged involvement in the killing of a Prince, Titilola, a traditional ruler in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State is in the news again. He is being accused of alleged attack on Prince Faforiti Awolowo. Incidentally, Awolowo, is a family member of the deceased.

Sources hinted that the monarch and 10 others would soon appear in court over the matter.

Lawyer to the Awolowo family, Mr. Koboju Atima, told reporters in Akure that the monarch’s action was callous.

Atima, who was accompanied by the victim’s wife, Arolawa, alleged that the monarch led about 14armed thugs to Awolowo’s residence at Okoga, in Igbokoda on January 2.

He said the suspected assailants reportedly shot sporadically into the air, forcing residents to scamper for safety.

The lawyer alleged that the hoodlums later shot Awolowo in the chest and took his body away in the process.

Mrs. Awolowo lamented that all her pleas to rescue her husband were turned down by the monarch.

She said: “I saw the monarch and his boys with my two eyes as they shot and descended on my husband. I begged them to spare his life but they didn’t listen to me. Rather they assaulted me and smashed my head on the wall.

“There was blood everywhere. My husband’s blood flowed like a river as they forcefully took his body away.”

The family counsel said it could not be ascertained whether Awolowo was still alive or dead because his whereabouts remained unknown after he was forcefully taken away by the assailants.

Atima said the matter was later reported to the Divisional Police Officer (DP0) at Igbokoda, but claimed no action was taken on the matter.

He accused the police of aiding the monarch in terrorising innocent residents of the town.

Atima said Igbokoda witnessed unprecedented peace in the last two months when the DPO went on a course until two weeks ago when he returned to the ancient town.

While appealing to the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP) to personally investigate the allegation against the monarch and his boys, the counsel called for the immediate redeployment of the DPO in the interest of peace.

It would be recalled that the monarch is currently standing trial over the murder of Prince Lebi, who was a cousin to the missing Awolowo.

When contacted, police spokesman in the state, Wole Ogodo, said he was yet to be briefed on the development.

The monarch could not be reached on phone, but one of his chiefs who spoke in confidence said the allegation against the monarch was untrue.

A pilgrim’s dream fulfilled •Continued from page 31

•Some of the children at the event

By Olalekan Ayeni

“This is to strengthen love and unity among the officers’ wives and children. And to pass messages across to the families of those that had lost their beloved ones due to crashes, that they are remembered,” she said.

She expressed gratitude to God for the success of the event despite all the challenges her committee went

through and to Mrs Ogagaoghene for throwing her weight behind the idea.

ROSAWA, as she said, is a nonprofit and non-governmental organisation, aimed at promoting goodwill, friendship, socio-cultural opportunity of its members.

Mrs. Adetunji, said the association, would afford members the platform to interact in a way that would

be beneficial to their families and the less-privileged in the society.

Mr. Ogagaoghene congratulated the women for their efforts and urged them to stand as pillars of support to their spouses, especially when away on duty.

He urged them to remain focus on welfare programmes that could benefit women, youths, children and the less-privileged.

they lodge for two days. They went on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee where they met other pilgrims from different countries. They headed to Capernaum and saw an inscription welcome to the home of Jesus. There they visited the ancient synagogue, the Mount of the Beatitudes, the church where Jesus fed the 5,000people with loaves of bread and fish, the Mount Tharbor the Basilica of the transfiguration. They later proceeded to Bethlehem and Jerusalem where they stumbled on various landmark places written in the bible.”

On December 15, 2014, the pilgrims were decorated with badges and given certificates formally acknowledging them as Jerusalem Pilgrims (JP).

Mr Ayo-Vaughan said his experience gave him a better understanding of the concept of the brotherhood of man as according to him, during the boat ride, the pilgrims had the privilege to share experience with their counterparts from South Africa and Canada.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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THE SOUTHWEST REPORT Our challenges, by CMD •Continued from page 34

•Executive Secretary, Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, Mrs Fausat Hassan-Olajokun (right) congratulating a member of the council’s Advisory Board, Bunmi Jimoh, during his swearing-in at the council’s secretariat. With them is a Board member, Rasak Amosu.

Chieftaincy tussle: Lagos family petitions Fashola over alleged imposition

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HE Maja family, have petitioned the Lagos State Government demanding for an end to the unfolding drama over the purported installation of a Baale (local chief) in Baiyeku community, in Igbogbo/ Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.

They demanded that the man parading himself as the Baale be stopped, arrested and prosecuted for flagrant disobedience of the judicial process.

Representatives of the aggrieved family - Chief Nojeem Muka Maja, Mr Olawale Maja, Alhaji Kamoru Oteju and Mr Muri Maja - claimed that they also have equal right to the stool and asked the government to put a stop to the moves being made by a particular family to perpetuate itself as the sole lineage.

Mr. Maja, who spoke on the development in Igbogbo, told reporters that the installation of one Saheed Tajudeen Aleje, (of the Ajibode family, which has turned the stool to personal property), as Baale was “illegal, null and void.”

According to him, there was no authorisation from the government or the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs or the IgbogboBaiyeku LCDA, or Ikorodu Local Government.

Maja, who is one of the claimants in the suit filed by the family on October 16, 2014, at the Ikorodu Division of the High Court of Lagos State, described as shocking that the Ajibode family, a party to the suit, could go ahead on December 30, last year, to install the Baale of Baiyeku without waiting for the disposition of the case in court.

He listed the reliefs being sought by his family to include a declaration ; voiding the registered chieftaincy declaration of February 25, 1986, on the grounds that it does not represent the true law and custom regulating the selection and appointment of Bale of the village; that the Maja family is entitled to be selected and appointed as Bale; a declaration that it is the turn of the Maja family to present candidate to be in-

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

stalled as Bale and an order of perpetual injunction retraining the state governor and government agents from taking steps leading to the selection; the appointment and installation of anybody as Baale of Baiyeku and an order of injunction restraining the Ajibode family being defendants from appointed, installed, recognised and parading themselves or their agents, privies or any person whatsoever as Baale of Baiyeku in accordance with the registered chieftaincy declaration of February 25, 1986.

Joined as defendants by the claimants are: Dr Tajudeen Aleje, Hakeem Sanni, Rahman Ajibode and Muraina Ona-Sule Ajibode, on behalf of the Ajibode family of Baiyeku.

Others are; the Governor of Lagos State, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lagos State and the Ikorodu Local Government Area.

Maja said the Oba of Igbogbo, the supervising authority over Baiyeku, had equally stayed away from the illegality though the Ajibode family had gone to his palace for the installation.

He said: “We are shocked and surprised at the level of impunity and unconcionable disregard of the laws perpetrated by the Ajibode family who went ahead to install one of their own as Baale despite the subsisting suit and without any legal backing whatsoever.

“This is a state that cherished the rule of law. That is why tendencies that tend to rubbish our gains as a state should be stamped out. That is why we are calling on the state government to look into this matter and mete appropriate punishment to whosoever is standing against the rule of law.

“The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, the Oba supervising Baiyeku also did not give his “blessing to the illegal installation.

“As peace-loving members of the society,” he continued, “we are therefore calling on the state government to step into this matter and put an end to this charade before we all exhaust our temperance and patience over the actions of these impostors.

“As it is, Saheed is not known to law as the Baale of Baiyeku and he should be stopped on his tracks now and prosecuted before he begins to gain false confidence. People like him and his sponsors should earn prosecution as a reward of their futile actions.”

On his part, the regent of Baiyeku, Pa Solomon Oduala, said “what the people needed now is not Baale but a genuine resolution of all grouses that led to the violence that erupted between the community and their neighbour, Ayetoro, two years ago.

“Immediately after these people (the Ajibode family who all fled the community on the heels of the violence), returned, consequent on the death of the then Baale, they started the agitation for the selection, appointment and installation of a new Baale and would not listen to any contrary counsel.

“They went ahead and installed someone from their family despite the pending suit and the agitation by the other two royal families to present candidate for the stool.”

He said what the people want now is peace and urged government to do all in its powers to put a stop to all attempts to plunge the community into another orgy of violence.

The 90-year-old regent said since the return of the Ajibode family, Baiyeku has been living in fear as residents do not know what next to expect, adding that everything he and his committee has done in the past to engender peace in the community have been upturned.

He said the two persons who were declared wanted and had gone underground following their alleged involvement in the death of two people two years ago, have since returned home in Baiyeku and going about as free men.

•Left to right: Executive Secretary, Mushin Local Government, Mr. Babajide Bello at the swearing in of Fatai Oyewuwo, Muritala Oyeniyi, Olusegun Olabode and Musbau Ajaga at the Council Hall, Mushin...on Monday

a hospital to a teaching status. And without being in a teaching status, it cannot train medical students. The minister advised that we should apply to Mr. President through my office, telling him the facilities that we have on ground and why we think we could do it. He later said he would send the ministry’s team to access the facilities before he puts forward the recommendation to Mr. President. That was exactly what happened and it took us almost a year to complete the process. All these were made possible because Aare Babalola was a tenacious person and one bid lesson that learnt from him is that he did not believe in impossibilities. Aare Babalola is a philanthropic of high repute who will commit any amount to a course he believes in. All these he did for the betterment of humanity. For somebody to commit as much as N2 billion in a project, even if somebody is rich, I don’t how many people would want to do that, knowing that all the facilities would not be his own after ten years. I don’t know whether the MOU states anything about a sharing formula. It only says that after 10 year, Aare Babalola ceases to make use of the place. He was optimistic that before the expiration of the agreement, he would have put up his own Teaching Hospital. In other words, it is like providing facilities for government for a period of 10 years. Aare uses his name, his goodwill to remove all impediments along the way.

After the expiration of the 10-year agreement, does the university have the plan to renew it?

I must believe so. Although, it is not clearly stated in the MoU but I think there can be room for that. So, I don’t think it would be too difficult to do that if the ABUAD hasn’t gotten her own teaching hospital.

What do you think could be done to discourage medical tourism by Nigerian leaders?

Let me start by saying that I don’t believe that our leaders travel abroad for medical tourism because we lack facilities in Nigeria, or as a result of lack competent experts. Some of our leaders who go for treatments overseas do so not because of medication, but because they want rest. They have this notion that they would have a better time to relax in the developed world. But, if we are talking about care only, I would say that a number of them travel out for sickness and diseases that we can attend to locally here in Nigeria. So, they go there to catch fun. No matter how equipped this hospital might be, those who are hell-bent on travelling abroad will still do that because they have other reasons for their actions.

What are those spectacular feats that you have attained or recorded in the institution?

I pioneered mental health and it was surprising to the people in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. Many of them were asking where is Ido-Ekiti on the map of Nigeria? Many confirmed that residents doctors from our hospitals who who go coming for examinations do excel with high grades ahead of their colleagues in bigger and older hospitals. We are doing a lot of exploits here which is not known to the public and that is why we are seeking the assistance and corporation of all, including the media, in this regard. By law, we are barred from placing advertisement but we can only do it in a subtle manner.

Right now, we have not less than 66 full-time consultants. I am talking of those who have attained the peak of their chosen careers in medical discipline. With that alone, it is obvious that we have the manpower here. We have the gadgets but we will still need more, even the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the University College Hospital (UCH) and others need more.

If you go round the hospital, you will see our dialysis centre. It can match any within and outside the country. We have no fewer than six dialysis beds here and we have a separate one for HIV patients. And we charge paltry fees. We also have a cardiac centre.

Church empowers less-priviledged

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OR some 100 members of the Praythrough Church, Ota, Ogun State, the penultimate Sunday service was not only the first in the New Year, it was one with a difference. They went home with bowls of food and other consumable items.

The beneficiaries of the magnanimity of the Founder/General Overseer of the Church, Pastor Taiwo Ayeni, included widow, widower, orphans and the lesspriviledged.

He (cleric) said extending such largesse to the needy has become part his calling to do the work of God, pointing out that he has no regret establishing such outreach more than five years ago.

According to him, God’s assistance, the support of members of his congregation and voluntary donors have kept his Church going since the launch of the programme.

He urged philanthropists, political and religious leaders to use their resources to support and uplift the less-privileged and youths in the society, as according to him, such gestures would assist to curb criminality.

Ayeni also urged the political class to shun violence during the next month’s elections to avoid killings of innocent citizens.

“Politics of do-or-die,” he said, “would not take the country to a greater height.”

•Pastor Ayeni

By Olalekan Ayeni

He also had a piece of advice for youths, who he cautioned should avoid yielding themselves as will ing tools in the hands of desperate politicians.

The cleric warned to shun acts of hooliganism and thuggery, which he noted could truncate their future and drag the names of their families’ names in the mud.

“Be change agents and not destroyers,” he urged.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

37

THE NATION INVESTORS

Analysts optimistic on Nigerian equities N

IGERIAN equities may start a modest rebound towards the end of this quarter and thereafter enter a major recovery phase as investors begin to see clearer picture of the macroeconomic and political direction.

Most analysts said they expected the stock market to start a modest recovery towards the end of this quarter after the presidential and National Assembly elections.

Analysts said the current downtrend at the stock market was due mainly to anxieties over the political transition and the clouded outlook for fiscal and monetary directions. These concerns are however expected to reduce after the elections.

Aggregate market value of all quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) dropped by N1.498 trillion to close last week at a low of N9.980 trillion as against its opening value of N11.478 trillion. The benchmark index at the NSE, the All Share Index (ASI)- a value-based index that tracks prices of all quoted equities and also doubles as country index for Nige-

Stories by Taofik Salako

ria, indicated a week-on-week average decline of 13.05 per cent. The ASI dropped from its opening index of 34,657.15 points to close at 30,143.02 points.

The performance in the first week of the year raised the spectre of the previous year. Nigerian equities ranked among the worst-performing stocks globally in 2014 with average full-year decline of 16.14 per cent. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities closed 2014 at N13.226 trillion as against its opening value of N11.477 trillion for the year, indicating a loss of N1.75 trillion during the year.

Managing director, Finawell Capital Limited, Mr. Tunde Oyekunle said the bearish state of the market is due to the current state of the Nigerian economy.

"Specifically, the economic and political risk of the country is currently too high for multinational and foreign investors. Factors influencing this includes dwindling price of Brent Crude Oil, uncertainly of the election transforma-

tion period, decreasing value of Naira and unfavourable foreign exchange. Local investors are further affected by the increased volatility of the market due to increase in movement band from daily allowable change of five per cent to 10 per cent," Oyekunle said.

He said the market situation would improve towards the end of the first quarter as the political risks subside.

Group head, research, Lead Capital Plc, Mr. Sadiq Waziri, attributed the current downtrend to the pump and dump technique adopted by most traders at the NSE. According to him, traders forced the market to close high towards the end of 2014 by pumping up the share prices in order to ensure that their portfolios closed the year on a good note.

"They all adopted the same tactics to close the market high and dump in the New Year. Since everybody has the same strategy, the market will suffer for it," Waziri pointed out.

He however noted that the market situation will moderate after

the February elections, adding that investors should expect stronger performance after the swearing in of the newly elected government.

Head, research and intelligence, BGL Plc, Mr. Femi Ademola, said the security challenges in the North East, which is scaring away many strategic investors and the continuous decline in oil price with its effect on exchange rate stability as well as political uncertainty had created a risk scenario that is making investors to be afraid to risk their money into the market.

According to him, most investors would now rather sell down and keep their assets in cash and other more liquid form than staking on quoted equities.

He outlined that the crude oil price outlook is not favourable to the country in the short term since this will affect Nigeria's foreign earnings capacity and may lead to further devaluation.

"Since we adopt a semi-fixed exchange regime, using our foreign reserve to defend the currency, the reduced earnings capacity of country will continue to put pressure on

the exchange rate and may necessitate devaluation in the short term.

Devaluation would lead to losses on existing investment by foreign investors in the country; hence they would rather wait until after the devaluation before they commence investment," Ademola said.

He however added that most of the identified problems are transitory and the market may ride over remaining concerns after the February elections.

"The elections are five weeks, away and while some skirmishes are likely, it is expected to be largely free and fair with competing parties expected to handle the fall out in matured way and seek legal redress where necessary. Once the election is favourably settled, the security challenges are expectedly to be dealt with swiftly by whoever wins the election. This is because while a new government would like to score political points by quickly resolving the problem, the continuing administration would be more assertive to combat the menace given the new mandate that it has," Ademola said.

FBN Holdings, UBA, Flour Mills are the best stocks to buy, say analysts

I

NVESTORS seeking to more than double their money within the next 12 months should consider stakes in FBN Holdings Plc, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, according to analysts at Afrinvest Securities.

In the latest review of the Nigerian stock market, analysts at Afrinvest Securities indicated that while the equities market had started on a tumultuous note, there are significant buy opportunities in the stock market as several stocks have potential to make between double and threedigit percentage returns over the next 12 months.

Analysts said FBN Holdings, UBA and Flour Mills have the greatest potential in terms of capital appreciation. FBN Holdings was estimated to have the possibility of appreciating by 177.5 per cent during the period. UBA also has potential upside value of 174.7 per cent while Flour Mills was expected to grow by as much as 171.9 per cent.

According to analysts, FBN Holdings’ share price could rise to N22.17 over the next 12 months while UBA and Flour Mills could be trading at N10.41 and N96.20 respectively.

FBN Holdings opened this week at N7.99 while UBA and Flour Mills started trading at N3.79 and N35.38 respectively.

Other stocks with potential for three-digit growth included FCMB Group Plc, with possible appreciation of 162.6 per cent, Diamond Bank, 133.1 per cent; Access Bank, 124.8 per cent; Skye Bank, 120.8 per cent; Aiico Insurance, 117.9 per cent and Dangote Sugar Refinery, which has upside potential of 109.6 per cent.

Investors in Nigerian equities started this year with the unnerving hangover of the previous year as quoted equities lost about N1.5 trillion in the first week of the New Year.

With consecutive decline all through the five trading sessions, last week saw most equities dropping to their lowest levels.

Aggregate market value of all quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed last week at a low of N9.980 trillion as against its opening value of N11.478 trillion, representing a loss of N1.498 trillion. The benchmark index at the NSE, the All Share Index (ASI)- a value-based index that tracks prices of all quoted equities and also doubles as country index for Nigeria, indicated a week-on-week average decline of 13.05 per cent. The ASI dropped from its opening index of

34,657.15 points to close at 30,143.02 points.

The performance of quoted equities last week raised the spectre of the previous year. Nigerian equities ranked among the worst-performing stocks globally in 2014 with average full-year decline of 16.14 per cent. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities closed 2014 at N13.226 trillion as against its opening value of N11.477 trillion for the year, indicating a loss of N1.75 trillion during the year.

Analysts at Afrinvest attributed the bearish market situation to weak macroeconomic fundamentals pointing out that the steep decline in crude oil price and increasing Nigeria’s vulnerability were making investors to be anxious.

Afrinvest’s stock recommendation may further encourage investors’ participation in the ongoing supplementary issue by UBA. UBA is raising funds from existing shareholders through a rights issue of one for 10 ordinary shares held as at October 15, 2014. The offer price is N4.

Application for the rights issue, which opened on December 29, 2014, will close on February 5, 2015.

UBA plans to use the net proceeds of the N13b rights issue to strengthen its business units across Africa.

UBA had in 2013 launched a new business development plan aimed at consolidating the bank’s position as a leading pan-African global financial services group. The threeyear business development plan codenamed Project Alpha was designed as the group’s next focus of strategic transformation and it contained key transformation initiatives.

Group managing director, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Phillips Oduoza, said the new business plan was designed to consolidate the group’s strategic positioning and fully capture the opportunities from Africa’s economic renaissance.

According to him, Project Alpha is focused on leveraging all aspects of the group’s footprint, product offerings and operational capability, allowing a commitment to customer service transformation, market share growth, the implementation of key e-banking initiatives across all segments, the growth of corporate and trade finance capabilities.

He outlined that a critical aspect of the Project Alpha initiative is the focus on UBA Africa, which is projected to contribute about 50 per cent to the group by 2016.

•From left: Mr Haruna Jalo- Waziri, Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Sidney Onoriode Esiri (Dr Sid), Recording Artiste, Mavin Records, Ms Tinuade Awe, Head, Legal and Regulation Division, NSE at the NSE’s year-end closing gong ceremony in Lagos

‘Expect no spectacular dividends from companies’

Q

UOTED companies may not declare any spectacular dividend this year as corporate earnings had been impaired by many macroeconomic and regulatory issues.

Analysts at leading investment firms said their expectations on dividend payouts ranged from modest to poor, noting that while some companies may retain earlier payout rates, others may be forced to reduce their payouts.

Head, research and intelligence, BGL Plc, Mr. Femi Ademola said there were no strong prospects for any major increase in dividend payouts in the immediate period given the performance of the companies as shown by interim results released so far.

According to him, 2014 was not a very strong year in terms of corporate performance and as such there is no expectation of a spectacular performance from listed companies more than what was experienced in the previous year.

Ademola noted that regulatory rules, poor power supply, crude oil price crisis and insecurity had combined to weaken corporate performance.

“Regulatory headwinds in the banking sector would only allow modest growth in earnings if at all for 2014 while disruptions to energy source would affect performance of companies involved in industrial goods. Oil compa-

nies face the problems with oil price decline despite growing expenses,” Ademola said.

He however noted that consumer goods companies are expected to outperform other sectors in terms of dividend payouts.

Group head, research, Lead Capital Plc, Mr. Sadiq Waziri, said the current high lending rates and devaluation of the national currency would undermine returns to investors.

He said dividends and returns to investors, especially real returns, may be poor given the economic situation under which companies are operating.

Managing director, Finawell Capital Limited, Mr. Tunde Oyekunle, however noted that the current bearishness may result in high dividend yield for investors, although corporate performance may be low.

According to him, expectation on corporate earnings should be a little above average in respect of dividend yield since most stocks are currently trading above their intrinsic value. However, while dividend yield may be, total earnings may be equivalent to or drop slightly below the performance in 2013.

Quoted companies are expected to start announcing their earnings results for the year ended December 31, 2014 later this month.

Post-listing rules at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) require quoted companies to submit their earnings reports, not later than three months after the expiration of the period. Most quoted companies including all banks, major manufacturers, oil and gas companies, breweries and cement companies use the 12-month Gregorian calendar year as their business year. The business year thus terminates on December 31.

NSE’s regulatory filing calendar indicates that the deadline for submission of annual report for companies with Gregorian calendar business year will be Tuesday March 31. NSE maintains a strict compliance regime on earnings report. It tags and applies fines on companies that fail to meet earnings reports’ deadline.

Under the corporate governance and rules compliance assessment report known as X-Compliance Report, NSE identified four different kinds of tags or symbols to alert investors about the status of each quoted company. These include below listings standard (BLS), the first degree alert level indicating a company that has not complied with post listing rules such as late submission of financial statements, unauthorised publication, and management failures among others.

38

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS P ENSION

11 PFAs exceed investment limits, others

E

LEVEN Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) overshot their investment lim its in the second quarter of last year, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said.

It said Section 7 of the Pension Reform Act 2014 on ‘Regulations on Investment of Pension Fund Assets’ stipulates that not more than 10 per cent of the total pension assets under management shall be invested in all instruments/securities, which include equity, money market and debt issued by a corporate entity.

It said: “PFAs shall ensure that not more than 45 per cent of pension assets under its management are directly or indirectly invested in any one sector of the economy.’’

PenCom’s Director-General, Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, said in its Second Quarter Report made available to journalists that during a routine examination of 11 PFAs in the period under review, the PFAs were found guilty of delays in the payment of retirement benefits; receipt of pension contributions without appropriate schedules; unresolved customer complaints; failure to fill certain vacant management positions; and non-implementation of disaster recovery plans.

She said the examination, which was riskbased, covered 11 areas of the PFAs’ operations.They included company, board and management operations; information and communication technology; pension administration; benefits administration and

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

payment arrangements; and fund management.

She said: “Other areas included risk management and compliance, service delivery as well as internal control systems.The draft report of the routine examination had since been communicated to the boards of some of the PFAs. “The examination report had since been discussed with concerned PFAs’ management and commitments were obtained for remedial actions to be carried out by the operators examined.”

The PenCom chief added that evaluation of risk management reports forwarded by the operators showed that some operators faced operational risks associated with receipt of contributions without appropriate schedules. She said they also faced litigations, concentration of portfolio investment, and non-funding of RSAs by employers, adding that the affected operators were advised by the Commission to strengthen their mitigating measures to avert the identified risks.

She further said the Commission received and reviewed the actuarial valuation reports of 10 Defined Benefit Schemes for the year ended 31 December, 2013.

“The reports revealed that some of the schemes had some funding gaps as at the end of the reporting period.

Consequently, the affected scheme sponsors were directed to come up with funding arrangements with a view to clear the identified shortfalls.

“During the quarter, the Commission received and reviewed 28 corporate governance reports from licensed operators. The reports indicated some violations of the Code of Corporate Governance by the operators.

“The review further showed that some operators did not evaluate the performance of their Boards, Board Committees and Directors; and did not hold inadequate number of Board meetings as stipulated by the Code.

“In addition, some Board members did not attend Board and Committee meetings regularly. Subsequently, the affected operators were asked to address the issues of non-compliance with the Code of Corporate Governance.

On the Returns Rendition System of the operators, Mrs Anohu-Amazu said 30 operators rendered returns on the funds under their management and their company accounts to the Commission through the Pension Returns Rendition System (PenRRS).

“The Commission scaled up its compliance and enforcement strategies to enhance compliance with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2004. Consequently, sanctions were applied in line with the Compliance Framework.

“In addition, the Commission had participated in public enlightenment programmes as well as collaborated with various stakeholders to enhance compliance,” she added.

•From left: Chairman of Ugonic Ventures Ugochukwu Ugorji receiving an award from Sales and Marketing Manager of Viju Industries Mr Tom Hod. With them is the Quality Control Manager Ifeoma Okafor and Marketing Manager Suleiman Ali during the Viju distributors party and launching of its new factory in Igbesa, Ogun State at the weekend.

Steve Webb: sell your pension

P

ENSION’S Minister Steve Webb wants to extend freedoms announced in the Budget to give up to five million existing pensioners the chance to trade in their annuities for cash Millions of retired workers would be given the power sell their pensions, under major plans to relax annuity rules being drawn up by ministers.

Up to five million pensioners would stand to benefit from the proposals, if they would rather have money in their bank accounts than a guaranteed income every year.

Reforms announced in last year’s Budget will mean working people who retire in future will be able to cash-in their pension savings for a lump sum which they will be free to spend as they wish.

But an estimated five million pensioners who have already retired will miss out because they are locked into their contracts until they die.

Steve Webb, the Pensions Minister, told The Telegraph he wanted to change the law to enable these pensioners to sell their annual lifetime incomes known as “annuities” to the highest bidder at any time after they have retired.

Pensioners may decide they would rather have cash than a guaranteed income stream to give money to children, to pay for home renovations or to invest.

Insgroup in $35m premium deal

H

OUSTON-BASED insurance broker Insgroup Inc. has acquired a book of business from Houston-based Dean & Draper Insurance Agency LP worth a yearly premium of $35 million and 500 new clients, said Brian Kapiloff, COO at Insgroup.

Insgroup hired J. Mace Meeks to serve as senior vice president and shareholder at the company, who left his post as an agent at Dean & Draper. Meeks hired eight to 10 employees roughly five of whom are from Dean & Draper as part of his new team. Insgroup also bought the equity that Dean & Draper owned in Meeks’ book of business.

“It was a mutual agreement. We are moving forward and It is business as usual at Dean & Draper,” said Kyle Dean, president and CEO at Dean & Draper. “We continue to serve upper, mid and lower-market clients.”

Meeks is at a point in his career to take what he feels is the next step in professional growth, he said, and Insgroup is a firm with clients that fit in the mid- and upper-mid market category. Meeks’ clients had originally fit into the mid- and lower-mid category while working at Dean & Draper, but have since grown and evolved to fit more squarely with the mid/upper-mid market clientele of Insgroup, said Kapiloff.

•Culled from Bizjournals

LASPEC chief urges workers on CPS

S

OME workers are yet to understand the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission, Rotimi Hussain, has said.

He spoke during the seventh pre-retirement seminar for the civil servants and other employees of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Teacher’s Establishment & Pensions Office (TEPO), Government Parastatals and Local Government staff, who are retiring from the state Public Service between January and June, this year.

According to him, the seminar is aimed at preparing the government’s employees on the workability of the CPS. He said LASPEC organises the seminar on with the state-approved Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and insurance firms.

He stressed that workers should have the right knowledge to guide them into retirement.

He said: “The state was mindful of the

fact that the rudiments of the scheme had yet to be fully understood by many workers which necessitated the need for understanding in the scheme.

“The pre-retirement seminar is aimed at assisting prospective retirees to adequately prepare for physical, emotional and financial well-being in retirement as well as afford them the benefit of being in a better position and frame of mind to build a comfortable and rewarding life in retirement.

“Participants will, among other things, be exposed to the procedures for processing of their end of service benefits; how to monitor and ensure that their Retirement Savings Account is consistent with their 7.5 per cent statutory monthly deductions and the 7.5 per cent counterpart contributions by the employer, and also highlight the two exitoptions of the programmed withdrawal provided by the PFAs and the annuity for life provided by the insurance companies.”

Executive Director, Technical, Mrs. Folashade Onanuga, explained that the

Lagos State Pension Reform Law 2007 allows a retiree to choose from two options for his monthly pension. These are the withdrawal module of the PFAs or Life Annuity from a licensed life insurance firm.

“Life annuity is a regular income payment (monthly or quarterly) made to a person (retiree) for the rest of his life, in return for payment of the purchase money (lump sum premium). It is provided by the insurance companies and would be paid for life with the pension guaranteed for 10 years.’’

On the programmed withdrawal, she said it is a product of the PFAs. She said its computation is based on the template given by the National Pension Commission (PenCom), adding that the higher the lump sum, the lower the monthly pension in the programme.

“It is a periodic (monthly or quarterly) pension payment to a retiree from the balance in his retirement savings account for an estimated guaranteed pension period or life span. PFAs owed the retirees the duty to enlighten and agree with them on the

preferred withdrawal option.

She said the process entails PFA to provide current total RSA balance, amount for lump sum and other necessary data for the purpose of generating annuity quote “Retiree should provide life insurance Company chosen with RSA balance less amount for lump sum and collect the quotation or provisional agreement from Life Insurance Company and submit same to his PFA as soon as possible.

“PFA shall within seven days of receipt of application seek approval from PenCom to pay lump sum and release annuity premium. PenCom will send approval to PFA and copy Pension Fund Custodian (PFC) and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

“PFA will pay the lump sum of the retiree and transfer balance to Life Insurance Company. Life Insurance Company will issue the policy document of the retiree.

Payment of monthly pension is made by standing order to the bank account of the retiree,” she said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

39

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Essiet_daniel@yahoo.com 08180714151

‘Embrace farming for food sufficiency, revenue’ “Y OUNG Nigerians do not want to dirty their hands anymore, and it just shocks me.

“Now if the average Nigerian spends N100 ($0.6) per meal, and we are a population of 170 million people, my question to you is this: why have we neglected an industry that has the potential of generating N51billion ($300million) on a daily basis?

Those are numbers you should begin to think about.”

These were the posers to Nigerian youths

by Cynthia Mosunmola Umoru, an entreprenuer who has spent the last 10 years building her career in agriculture.

She started Honeysuckles PTL Ventures straight out of college, and today the business is engaged in farming, food processing and distribution. The company runs its flagship retail outlet “Farm shopper” in Ikeja, Lagos, offering a wide range of farm produce, including poultry products, eggs, snails, catfish and vegetables.

At a recent TEDxIfe event in Nigeria, Umoru told the audience that country’s agricultural sector has been severely neglected.

She said:“Today Nigeria is the current dumping ground for food produce from all over the world. We have grown a palate for food we don't produce. We have developed a lifestyle we can't sustain… We bring in tomatoes from Chad. We bring in beans from Burkina Faso,”she said.

“We spend over N200billion ($1.1billion) importing rice on an annual basis in Nigeria… and only in Nigeria will people prefer

•Umoru

strawberry over mango and watermelon that is locally grown. A kilo of strawberries costs an average of N4,500 - somebody's salary for a whole week.”

She said that it is up to young people to revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria and solve its problems.

“We did a survey and realised the average age of our farmers today is 55 to 60. This means in another 10 years these guys will

age and not be able to work. What is going to happen to food production? We have left that sector; we have ignored it completely.

It's about time we begin to think of a revolution in [agriculture] and begin to effect change.

“And you and I are the people who will effect that change, and the time to act is now,” she said, adding that food production is where the money is.

Cynthia noted young people often aspire to be doctors and lawyers rather than farmers because they see agriculture as less glamorous, and do not think they can accumulate wealth. However, she emphasised entrepreneurs can be successful in farming, and that she is living proof of this.

But it has not always been easy sailing for her, and success has come after learning some hard lessons. For example, after the first five years of running her company, and at just age 27, she was bankrupt.

The 27-year-old lady had lost $150,000. “I had gone bankrupt, and interest was still piling up on some of the funds I'd borrowed from the bank. And then people said I was a failure," she recalled.

However, within three years, she had managed to turn the business around and owes this to persistence, hard work, and learning from mistakes. "It has been 10 years of hard work, 10 years of discipline, 10 years of learning and 10 years of preparation," she said.

In spite of her success, she is surprised that not many young people want to enter into

farming and agribusiness, adding the sector holds so much potential as everyone needs to eat.

“Now if the average Nigerian spends N100 ($0.6) per meal, and we are a population of 170million people, my question to you is: Why have we neglected an industry that has the potential of generating N51billion ($300million) on a daily basis?

These are numbers you should begin to think about,” she said, adding that opportunities abound across the entire supply and value chain.

“Nigeria currently sits on over 85 million square hectares of arable land. Guess what, we have barely cultivated 40 per cent of that land mass. It means the potential for engagement is still huge,” said Cynthia.

However, outside of crop cultivation, she added that there are also other opportunities young entrepreneurs and university graduates should look into, such as distribution and food processing.

One opportunity is in agricultural machinery and equipment supply. For example, she noted that a minimum of between 50 and 60 tractors are usually needed for every 1,000 hectares of farmland. But in Nigeria there are only about two per 1,000 hectares.

“So opportunities across the value chain in that sector are so enormous. As young Nigerians it's time for us to begin to think 'out of the box' and see how we can strategically position ourselves across the agricultural value chain.”

•Culled from www.howwemadeitinafrica.com

With the advancement in technology and changes in user behaviour, hotel industry dynamics are also changing. Many customers prebook their trip online rather than going to a certified travel agent.

This has influenced an exponential growth in the hospitality industry, especially as consumers have become 'smarter' with smart devices. Now, entreprenuers are leveraging on technology for better efficiency and higher returns, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Hospitality: Leveraging on technology

T

HE hospitality business, especially in the hotel segment, is on an upward swing. This is because of the ease with which people can now book and access hotels right from th corner of their homes. Besides, with the emphasis now on generating revenue from other sources apart from oil, the sector offers good avenue for investment and also good return on investment.

Now, with an increased awareness on information technology, and the ease with which businesses can be done online, the sector has been further opened up.

One of the early entreprenuers that have keyed into this regime is Mark Essien, Founder, Hotels.ng. With 6000 hotels in the fold and counting, Essien has been experiencing phenomenal growth and kicking butt.

Today, he is a market leader in emerging hospitality industry. Essien is taking advantage of travellers increasing frustration with hotel booking.

For him, after a careful research , he discovered that there was no Nigerian hotel online. Thus, in 2012, he launhcedhis online portal for the industry players.

Initially, when they started in Calabar the first few months, it was self funded. Later, they got an investor who gave them $75,000.

Subsequently, they got another $100,000.The first product actually focused on a single sector - hotels - and the platform took off from there.

According to him, Hotels.ng has transformed the hospitality industry and is seen as the biggest online hotel booking portal for Nigeria.

With ongoing development of computer reservation systems, the online hotel booking has taken a natural leap, with every part of the booking process coming closer to the user.

Launching hotels.ng, Essien put travellers in control of their travel plans, contributing to making online booking one of biggest revenue streams for the hotel and travel industry.

His background as a software developer has assisted him to build a portal that creates a smooth booking process that satisfies users and supports business objectives.

There are many different ways that a user

will arrive at a hotel site. hotels.ng is just one of many travel aggregators that have become almost ubiquitous with the booking process. The booking portal attention to detail has already created a much more organised and trustworthy portfolio of the great hotels on offer.

Eeach local hotel is thoroughly vetted by staff to ensure that all details are accurate and to ensure the quality of the hotel’s services.

He noted that there is a growing hotel industry in Nigeria and the company is to be part of the growth and their success.

Essien has always wanted to become a mechanical engineer. Along the way, he diverted into software, and not wanting to let his education waste, also added mechanical to it by studying robotics. Before founding Hotels.ng,he was a software developer. At a certain point, he used to be the #2 rated coder on rentacoder.com . he made money through contract jobs.

To Mark,the journey has been long, hard and exciting. To build it to the point it is today, he has had to be willing to think outside the box, work around every constraint, and work with a team that supported itself through up and down.

Currently, the company has about 30 people, and based off the offers they have received, the portal is worth between $5m and $10m.

He sourced the seed fund of N5million to startup hotels.ng from my sister and my mother. They have always been his key investors for any idea he did not have enough cash to do.

Along the line,he started chatting with Jason Njoku (Founder ofSpark) on Facebook, and he told me about his SPARK fund. They invested a total of $225,000. which is the money that has taken the company this far.

Following a solid consolidation phase, the company is commencing an International expansion phase that would result in booking possibilities for Ghana.

The hotel market requires that prices and availability be continually adjusted to reflect daily variances. The majority of bookings through the system come from guests requiring hotel rooms, 1-2 days ahead of the

•hotels.ng

booking date. Direct contact can be made directly with the hotel and confirmation may be received within minutes of the request being made.

Hotels.ng breadth of hotel supply have contributed to its phenomenal growth and success. There is no doubt that Mark Essien, the founder of hotels.ng has been a success story for mobile hotel bookings. He has seen phenomenal growth in recent years with watchers describing the journey of the company as "remarkable. Right now, the portal has contributed to over 60 per cent of total hotel booking transactions with mobile becoming the key booking platform . The portal allow clients to book hotel rooms online, provide comprehensive help and support to our clients and make the hotel booking process smooth and easy.

He has an active role as the Managing Director of the organization, overseeing operations. The company employs 30 full-time staff, 5 contract staff and more than 70 adhoc staff, with an estimated 6000 hotels on the site.

According to him, when he launched the company,he ran it for about a year before raising capital.

He knew it was a great business because of how excited the customers were in finding out that a site like theirs existed. The first 100 customers came because they were the first people to list the number of hotels they listed in Nigeria. So people looking for hotels would stumble across Hotels.ng and make a booking from there. He is happy they have explored opportunity within a sector that was ignored.However, building the traction so quickly in such a busy space has been a huge challenge and an amazing achievement for the whole team.

The hotel portal is not Essien's first business.He started his first business when he was 19 years old. He had just left Nigeria to go study in Germany, and saw a com-

•Essien

puter there for the first time. He instantly decided he would build a piece of software, and started working on a competitor to Napster. It was called Gnumm. One year later, he sold it to Bertelsmann. He did not raise any capital for this - just worked out of his room.

They intends to remain within the industry. The success of the product is all about being about to expand the listing of hotels from 400 to 6000. They were able to achieve this some really smart technology that looks at, hotel location and personalised data to make the right decision every time. Getting that right, and making it fast, has had the biggest impact on the customer experience.

The strategy is that they have learned then not be afraid to make bold changes when things aren't going to plan. They have made mistakes but learn from them rather than dwell on them.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL

Auto industry’s past, future Crude slump weighs on energy shares collide in Detroit U F OR Detroit’s first auto show of the 21st Century in January 2000, General Motors announced “the largest auto show exhibit ever in North America” to usher in the new Millennium.

Company publicists declared that if the exhibit’s 230 tons of steel were melted into beams and laid end-to-end they would stretch seven miles, equivalent to crossing the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Canada four times each way, or running the length of a soccer field 105 times.

GM’s press release added that the steel would rise three times higher than Mt. Fuji, a not-so-subtle swipe at the company’s automotive rivals from Japan.

That exuberance provided a sharp contrast to the Detroit show a decade later in January 2009. Record profits had turned to record losses.

GM’s exhibit was a few vehicles parked on a dirty carpet. Company executives staged a pep rally at which hundreds of employees chanted, “Here to Stay, Here to Stay.” GM declared bankruptcy just six months later.

This year marks this correspondent’s 30th straight Detroit car show, or the North American International Auto Show as it is officially called. While the 2000 and 2009 shows were especially memorable, each had its special flavor reflecting the prosperity, austerity, upheaval, or (more recently) transformation of an industry that helps shape the economies and define the

cultures of nations.

This year will be no exception.

The global auto industry is undergoing three simultaneous technological transformations: the propulsion revolution, the connectivity revolution and the autonomy revolution.

The first will determine whether the internal combustion engine will be supplanted by hybrid cars, battery-powered electric cars or hydrogen fuel cells. This effort will continue, the recent plunge in global oil prices notwithstanding, because governments seem to love alternative fuel vehicles, even if most consumers do not.

The connectivity revolution is putting Internet services, from satellite navigation systems to advanced telecommunications, into vehicle dashboards.

The autonomy revolution, in plain English, is the driverless car.

It is already creeping into vehicles in the form of radar that can sense a potential collision and automatically apply the brakes.

Ultimately, autonomous cars might obliviate individual ownership as cars ferry passengers to their desired destinations before heading off to pick up their next customer. Driverless cars could be a linchpin of a future “sharing economy.”

At this year’s show all three trends will be evident, but not

dominant. Google’s driverless guru, Chris Urmson, will attend the show, but without one of the company’s prototype cars.

For every electric-powered Tesla there will be lots of gas-gulping pickup trucks and SUVs, the vehicles that for all the impending technology upheavals still fuel Detroit’s profits.

The future’s uneasy coexistence with the present has been a recurrent theme during my annual pilgrimage to the Motor City. This juxtaposition was starkly evident, for example, at the show’s centennial year in 2007, when GM drew rave reviews for its prototype “plug-in” hybrid car, the Chevrolet Volt.

Last year the Corvette (all models, not just the ZR1) outsold the Volt by almost two-to-one, as the Volt continued to short-circuit, metaphorically, in showrooms.

GM is introducing a new version of the Volt this year.

One of my vivid auto show memories occurred when I was leading a group of Cub scouts, including two of my sons, through the show on the night of Jan. 17, 1991. It was the night the first U.S. war in Iraq started.

We rushed to the press room to see the bombing on big-screen television. “Let’s go home now, boys,” I said after a while. “Tonight isn’t a good night to look at cars.”

• Drop in oil price has led to more cars on the road.

O

IL dropped to the lowest level in more than 5 1/2 years after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Societe Generale SA reduced their price forecasts.

West Texas Intermediate decreased 4.7 percent to $46.07 a barrel, and Brent 5.3 percent to $47.43. Crude has to “stay lower for longer” if investment in shale is to be curtailed to rebalance the global market, according to Goldman analysts. Societe Generale said falling prices may force the shutdown of expensive crude operations in Canada and the U.S. “In a violent move like this it’s impossible to pick the magic number that’s the bottom,” Katherine Spector, a commodities strategist at CIBC World Markets Inc. in New York, said by phone. “I’m not going to pick a bottom. Prices will have to go to a level that inflicts maximum pain before the bottom is found.”

Oil slumped almost 50 percent last year, the most since the 2008 financial crisis, amid a supply glut estimated by Qatar at 2 million barrels a day. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is battling a U.S. shale boom by resisting production cuts, signaling it’s prepared to let prices fall to a level that slows

NITED STATE stocks fell, after the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index posted its first back-to-back weekly retreat since October, as the continuing selloff in crude pulled down energy shares before the start of corporate earnings.

Energy shares tumbled 2.8 percent, the most among 10 groups in the S&P 500, (SPX) as crude dropped 4 percent. Tiffany & Co. lost 14 percent after the jewelry retailer lowered its annual forecast after sales declined during the holiday.

SanDisk Corp. fell the most in almost six years after reporting preliminary results below its own estimates.

The S&P 500 slid 0.8 percent to 2,028.43 at 4 p.m. in New York.

Losses accelerated after the market’s open as the benchmark gauge fell through its average price for the past 50 days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 93.86 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,643.51. The Nasdaq 100 Index slid 1 percent as technology shares retreated.

“When you get the kind of 1 percent moves we’ve had in both directions, there’s definitely still uncertainty out there and that’s usually not the sign of a healthy market,” Matt Maley, an equity strategist at Miller Tabak & Co. in Newton, Massachusetts, said by phone.

“With earnings kicking off the question is going to be how much of the decline in energy company earnings is already priced in.”

The index lost 0.7 percent last week, following a 1.5 percent drop the prior week, amid concern over sliding oil prices, falling U.S. wages and that the European Central Bank’s bond-buying plan won’t be enough to combat deflation.

Investors were whipsawed during the week as the S&P 500 had up and down swings of more than 1 percent on three separate days, with an average daily move of 1.3 percent for the full week. The volatility stands in contrast to 2014, when the gauge fluctuated 0.53 percent on average each day for the calmest year in U.S. stocks since 2006.

The S&P 500 has fallen 3 percent since a record in December amid sliding oil prices. That’s prompted analysts to cut their profit forecasts for companies in the index, with reductions spread across nine of 10 industry groups and energy producers seeing the biggest cut.

“Markets have been volatile because they still haven’t made up their mind whether lower oil prices are positive for consumers and the overall world economy or whether it means more financial stress,” Otto Waser, chief investment officer at R&A Research & Asset Manage-

ment AG in Zurich, said by telephone. “This has been the tug of war between the two camps. We think it’ll be positive for consumption. We’re overweight in the U.S. this year.”

Falling oil prices have kept damped inflation, leaving it below the Federal Reserve’s target even as the economy shows signs of accelerating.

Fed Bank of San Francisco President John Williams, who will vote on policy this year, said raising interest rates in June would be a close call amid “strong momentum” in the labor market and weaker wage gains.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen told reporters last month not to expect the central bank to raise rates before the end of April, leaving expectations intact for a move around mid-year.

Profit at companies in the benchmark gauge probably climbed 2 percent in the final quarter of 2014, and 2.8 percent this period, analysts forecast. That’s down from October estimates of 8.1 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively.

Alcoa Inc. will post fourth-quarter earnings after the market closes today, unofficially kicking off the reporting season. Later this week, investors will weigh reports for clues on the health of the world’s largest economy, including retail sales, manufacturing in the New York region and industrial production.

Schlumberger Ltd., which posts earnings this week, fell 3.9 percent.

The world’s largest oilfield-services provider was cut to neutral, the equivalent of a hold, from buy at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Other energy stocks also retreated after Goldman reduced its forecasts for global benchmark crude prices, predicting inventories will increase over the first half of this year. Oil needs to trade near $40 a barrel in the first half of this year to curb shale investments, the bank said.

“Many people are fearful that this is a sign of deflation coming,” Rob Lutts, chief investment officer at Salem, Massachusetts-based Cabot Wealth Management Inc., said via phone. “There’s a little bit more fear in the air and it revolves around things we can’t control, including overseas economies and concern over how fast they’re growing.”

Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. plunged at least 1.8 percent today to lead declines in the Dow. Forty-two of the 43 members in the S&P 500 Energy Index retreated, as the gauge slumped 2.8 percent. Transocean Ltd. lost 3.7 percent for a 10th straight drop and the lowest level since 1995.

Goldman, SocGen cut oil price outlook American output that’s surged to the highest level in more than three decades.

A worker waits to connect a drill bit in the Permian basin outside of Midland, Texas.

WTI for February delivery declined $2.29 to $46.07 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was the lowest settlement since April 20, 2009. Total volume was 34 percent above the 100-day average.

Brent for February settlement dropped $2.68 to end the session at $47.43 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. It’s the lowest close since March 16, 2009.

Volume for all futures traded was 57 percent higher than the 100-day average.

“It’s hard to see what will end the move lower given how bearish sentiment is,” Michael Wittner, head of oil research at Societe Generale in New York, said by phone. “The very weak fundamentals are still being priced in.”

WTI will trade at $41 a barrel and Brent at $42 in three months,

Goldman said in a report distributed today, citing excess U.S. storage capacity and predicting inventories will increase over the first half of this year. It also cut its price estimates for six and 12 months.

“To keep all capital sidelined and curtail investment in shale until the market has re-balanced, we believe prices need to stay lower for longer,” said Goldman analysts including Jeffrey Currie in New York. “The search for a new equilibrium in oil markets continues.”

Societe Generale reduced its average WTI price for this year to $51 a barrel from $65, Wittner wrote in a Jan. 9 report. Brent will average $55 a barrel in 2015, down from a previous estimate of $70.

“The price forecast cuts by both Goldman and Societe Generale reinforce the fears that have driven us down to these levels,” Gene McGillian, a senior analyst at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut, said by phone. “We’re hunting for a bottom, but it’s anyone’s guess where that will be.”

The Brent-WTI spread closed at $1.36, the least since July 2013 as the demand outlook for U.S. crude surpassed that for barrels elsewhere.

U.S. refineries have operated at over 90 percent of capacity for the last two months, according to the Energy Information Administration.

“The strongest pocket of demand is here, with refineries operating at near 94 percent of capacity,” John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC, a New York-based hedge fund that focuses on energy, said by phone. “The Mexican request for U.S. exports is also reducing the spread.

This is a signal that more light, sweet barrels should be going that way.”

The 40-year-old ban on most U.S. crude exports is set to be loosened after Mexico’s state-owned oil company asked for an exception.

Petroleos Mexicanos said last week that it’s in talks with the U.S. Commerce Department to import 100,000 barrels a day of light crude to increase Mexico’s gasoline production and improve refining.

Rigs seeking oil in the U.S. fell by

61 to 1,421, Baker Hughes Inc. said Jan. 9, extending the five-week decline to 154. It was the largest drop since February 1991, which also followed a slide in prices before the start of the Persian Gulf War. “This is a major change but we probably won’t see lower output this year,” Stephen Schork, president of the Schork Group Inc. in Villanova, Pennsylvania, said by phone. “We won’t see the ramifications of this and the lessening of the glut until 2016.”

OPEC decided to maintain its collective output target at 30 million barrels a day at a meeting on Nov. 27. It’s competing for market share amid surging output in the U.S., where production expanded to 9.14 million a day through Dec. 12, Energy Information Administration data show. That was the most in weekly records that started in January 1983.

Oil won’t return to $100 a barrel again, Saudi billionaire businessman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said, according to USA Today.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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SHOWBIZ

Boyhood takes Golden Globe honours •David Oyelowo loses

I

T was a joyous moment for Richard Linklater, whose Boyhood; a film that took 12 years to prepare, won top honours at the Golden Globe Awards which held at the Beverly Hilton, and was broadcast by NBC, Sunday night.

The movie won Best Film Drama, with Linklater named Best Director and Patricia Arquette as Best Supporting Actress.

Nigerian-British actor, David Oyelowo, could not deliver his nomination for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama category, for Selma. He and three other contestants in that category were defeated by Eddie Redmayne, who was nominated for The Theory of Everything.

Interestingly, Boyhood, which took over a decade to produce, is the unassuming story of a boy’s passage through 12 years of life. Linklater, who was said to have gambled with the unusual movie, filming three to four days a year for more than 10 years, appeared to have been rewarded for that long effort.

“The bottom line,” he said, as he accepted that prize, “is that we are all flawed in this world. No one’s perfect. And I just want to dedicate this to my parents, who gave so much love and support, and to my parents who are evolving everywhere and families who

By Victor Akande

are just passing through this world and doing their best.”

When he returned to the stage to accept the Best Picture honors, he turned the microphone over IFC Films president, Jonathan Sehring, who also served as one of the movie producers, who said that when Linklater first proposed the project more than a dozen years ago, “We said yes because the man has such humanity. He’s so humble. He put so much of his life in this movie.”

Although it didn’t prevail in any of the other three categories in which it was nominated, The Grand Budapest Hotel, a quirky tale about the concierge of a European hotel on the eve of World War II, won when it mattered, collecting the prize for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical. And true to his sometimes eccentric ways, director Wes Anderson turned his acceptance speech into a bit of a comedy routine by thanking many members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which doles out the awards, by their first names.

The trophy for Best Dramatic Actress was presented to Julianne Moore for playing a woman confronting early-onset Alzheimer’s in Still Alice, while Eddie Redmayne was named Best Dramatic Actor for portraying physicist Stephen Hawking as he succumbs to ALS disease in The Theory of Ev-

• Richard Linklater

erything.

For his part, Redmayne spoke of the “huge privilege” of appearing onscreen as Hawking, whom he came to know in the course of making Theory of Everything. He heaped praise on the movie’s cast, especially his co-lead Felicity Jones. And he acknowledged his new wife, Hannah Bagshawe. “We had to cut our honeymoon short to come to Los Angeles,” he confessed, thanking everyone for “giving us a night at the end of our honeymoon that we will always remember.”

Amy Adams, who was named Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical last year for American Hustle, was called up to the stage again this year, winning the same award for her performance in Big Eyes. “I didn’t even reapply my lip gloss,” the actress exclaimed, insisting she hadn’t prepared remarks, although she then

Omotola Jalade makes Yahoo’s list of world movie stars

By Mercy Michael

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OLLYWOOD star actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, has once again added a big feather to her crown, with Yahoo, a famed search engine, naming her among the highest-grossing movie stars you may never have heard of.

The site described Omosexy, as she is fondly called, as Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian rolled into one.

According to Yahoo writers, “... Not only have you not heard of Omotola JaladeEkeinde – or ‘Omosexy’ as her fans call her – but we reckon you probably haven’t even heard of the industry she spearheads: Nollywood. Yes, that’s Nigeria’s version of Hollywood, in which Omosexy dominates – she has over 300 film credits to her name (although most go straight to video). In her homeland she’s like a cross between Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian, with her own reality TV series following her and her family. Though it’s nigh on impossible to determine what her box-office total is, given that the Nigerian film industry is mostly one that distributes through market stalls and street corners, it is estimated to be worth upwards

• Omotola

of £320 million a year – and Omosexy is a Nollywood cornerstone.”

This mention is another worldwide recognition of Omotola as the undisputed queen of Nollywood, following her earlier mention in TIME magazine’s One Hundred Most Influential People In The World.

The actress broke into Nollywood as a teenager over a decade and half ago, delivering in over 300 movies. She has also experimented with music, with two albums to her credit. She is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, mother and wife.

• Patricia Arquette

found time to pay tribute to Margaret Keane, the painter she plays in the film, and also to express her gratitude to “all the women in this room who have such a lovely and beautiful voice.” Adams became the first actress to pull off back-toback wins in the category since Kathleen Turner, who took home the honors in 1984 and 1985 for Romancing the Stone and Prizzi’s Honor.

Birdman’s Michael Keaton was singled out as Best actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical, for his turn as a movie actor trying to win respect by turning to Broadway.

After praising his director, Alejandro G. Inarritu, he paid loving tribute to his own family — father, mother, six siblings and, as he started to choke up, his best friend, his son Sean, saying, “I love you with all my heart, buddy.”

While receiving the Best Supporting Actress trophy,

Arquette, who plays a single mom in Boyhood, took a moment to recognise her fellow nominees, including Meryl Streep, adding, “Meryl, thank you for giving me a hug — I hope your DNA transferred to me”; she hailed “our visionary director Richard Linklater” and said the movie also allowed her “to honor my own mother.”

On the other hand, J.K. Simmons earned the Best Supporting Actor in a motion picture for Whiplash, in which he plays a tyrannical music teacher. He thanked the movie’s young director, Damien Chazelle, “for the opportunity to be this guy” and the movie’s star Miles Teller, who “inspired me every day to want to scream at him and hit him in the face.”

The award for best score went to composer Johann Johannsson for The Theory of Everything. And John Legend and Common took

2Shotz recounts police brutality

By Mercy Michael

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ROM all indications, rap artiste, 2Shotz, was a ‘guest’ of the Nigeria Police recently, and going by his Instagram message, the visit was not a pleasant experience.

Recounting his ordeal, he described the Nigeria Police with unprintable names, urging the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Government, as well as those seeking political offices in the next general elections to take the issue of police brutality seriously.

He said: “Hello everyone... With deep pain and anger... the Nigeria Police force, frankly speaking, is the most corrupt system in Nigeria. I was dragged to this ‘hole’ (even after my identity was disclosed to them); harassed and detained with my car from 10pm till this morning, for just pulling out of a friend’s place yesterday. I pleaded with them, tried to understand what they were talking about till I was dragged to the police station where they put together a lie that I took one way, just to extort money from me.

What pained me the most was how they

Genevieve, Uche Jombo call for peace

By Medeme Ovwe

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N the wake of a heightened terrorist attacks in the northern parts of the country, two of Nollywood’s finest actresses have called on Nigerians to embrace peace.

First, it was Genevieve Nnaji, who urged Nigerians to pray for the country. The top actress called on citizens of the country to keep their hope alive and pray for Nigeria. She stated this on her Instagram page earlier on Sunday, when she said; “We lose everything when we lose hope. Keep faith alive and please, #PrayForNigeria wherever you are. #OurLivesMatterToo. Thank you and God bless.”

Following Genevieve’s admonition, another Nollywood actress and film producer, Uche Jombo-Rodriguez also took to the social media to plead with Nigerians to forget politics and protect their lives first.

According to Mrs. Rodriguez, it appears that lives no longer count in Nigeria, and she questions when Nigeria became a country where lives doesn’t matter.

“What about security? When did we become this nation where lives don’t matter? Nigeria deserves better #IamBaga #PrayForNigeria #prayForPeace. WeAreNigerians let’s NOT become D nation international community has 2 push b/4 we take care of our domestic matters.

Let’s leave politics for now and focus on Nigerian lives #PrayForNigeria,” she posted.

the prize for best original song for “Glory,” the title tune they wrote for Ava DuVernay’s Selma. Common, who also acts in the film, spoke about the movie’s importance, saying, “Selma has awakened my humanity,” and concluding, “We look to the future, and we want to create a better world. We want to create a better world, and Selma is now.” Legend seconded those thoughts, adding, “We still are in solidarity with those fighting for justice right now.”

The Russian feature Leviathan, which is also on the shortlist for Academy Award consideration, was the victor in the foreign-language film category. Director Andrey Zvyagintsev proclaimed, “We are absolutely happy,” while producer Alexander Rodnyansky observed that the movie about one man who faces off against an indifferent system “is absolutely universal.”

• Genevieve

• 2Shorts

were bringing in all sorts of innocent people and by morning, gave them all a bill. I maintained being calm because the police officers were oozing of serious alcohol and still drinking in the police station. So I remained calm. For fear of being shot for just asking questions about why I was being dragged there. Now, I have seen policemen from this particular police division harass innocent people and no one is doing something about it. If this post goes viral, I’d like to use this medium to alert the police commissioner and Lagos State Government to look into these policemen and police area divisions before it gets worse than it already is. People in that area have become scared of the terror and inhumane treatment from these policemen. Please dear future leaders; this is a post that should be taken seriously if you want our votes.”

2Shotz is one of the founding generation of Nigerian rappers.

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DISCOURSE

Humanity against the narcissists of death Excerpted from recent Overseas Lectures on our common concern, for the BRING BACK OUR GIRLS Visitation yesterday.

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UR predicament is universal, and this is what we have stressed from the very beginning. The nature of religious zeal that would routinely maim, kill, or enslave the object of its proselytizing – that sometime euphemism for brainwashing – rather than let it thrive and contribute to humanity from within his or her limitations and uncertainties, from within its questions or skepticism, a mental cast that equates the mere absence of exhibitionist ardour or rigid conformism with impiety and apostasy, punishable by death or mutilation, is no different, in effect, from the tyrannical temper of the political dictator of any age. Both can only grasp the substance of their being through an inverse reflection of themselves, that is, in the complete and evident submission of their citizens, their flock, their human charge, in every aspect of their lives, without questions, without the concession of a possible alternative order of social being to whatever ideology or religious absolutes that they choose to peddle.

Total submission, laced with adulation, remains the driving goal of the authoritarian temper - never mind that it is covered in mufti, khaki or clerical regalia. The objective remains – Power over others! And if ever there was an unholy marriage entered into to plague human existence, it is the obscene wedlock of the theocratic and secular mandates of power. Its issue has always been guaranteed as enslavement, misery, death and destruction. It is this that represents the greatest threat to human freedom, and its creative will.

This is the proposition that acutely confronts the African continent today, following upon centuries of enslavement, colonialism, and the mutated versions of both in her dealings with the rest of the world. No wonder then, that we feel compelled to ask ourselves: what were our people’s struggles for liberation about? True Liberation? Or re-enslavement?

Algeria has gone off the radar in recent times, but I must continue to stress this, especially on the continent: we would do well to keep our mind on that nation, not so long freed – and not even completely as yet – from a malady that is currently consuming other parts of our continent and the world. In our own interest, for the survival of our humanistic values, we could do worse than keep that nation in our minds as a crucial cautionary template, so that we can begin to grasp the enormity of Boko Haram, al Shabab, al Queda and other active carriers of the same spore of human deformity. It is only at our peril that we forget that we have been here before, and elsewhere, that there is nothing new about the extremes to which the power urge can exert itself.

For those who perhaps were not born during that prolonged internal struggle for a people’s total liberation – and I am not speaking of the brutal struggle against French settler colonialism – or

who were miraculously shielded from its vicious and prolonged intensity, or whose education has stopped short of the chilling testimonies of its survivors, I recommend a sobering and thoroughly authenticated compilation

by Professor Karima Bennoune with the title – Your Fatwa does not Apply Here. All that is necessary is that we immerse ourselves in the tragedy of that nation to enable us to grasp the ruthless enterprise of terminal censors, the shadowy killers, the obsessed enemies of creativity, crippled minds whose notion of a divine mission is the eradication of all knowledge, and truncation of the reaches of the imagination. Then we would cease to be surprised by the fate that nearly overcame, and still threatens our neighbour Mali, that ancient warehouse of Africa’s intellectual heritage whose capital, Timbuktu, became a household name even in the racially jaundiced histories of European scholars.

Perhaps it is time that we constructed Walls of Remembrance, on which we shall inscribe the ever lengthening rollcall of victims of this ongoing resurgence, and their place names, in order to give flesh and blood to statistical losses sustained to blind doctrine, victims young and old, extinguished before the full bloom of their creative powers. We are speaking of musicians, cineastes, writers, journalists, intellectuals, even the consumers of their products, condemned for daring to taste the forbidden fruit of knowledge. My mind immediately goes to – among others – fellow authors like Tahar Djaout to whose posthumously published work, The Last Summer of Unreason, I had the honour of contributing a preface.

The kind of monument I speak of is one that should occupy the centre of every state capital of the African continent and of the African Diaspora. For those who still believe in, or simply dream a resurrection of the pan-African idyll, such a project offers us a purpose, a propelling motivation towards a holistic self-recovery. It will serve to remind us that we are a people to whom tolerance is a norm, knowledge an eternal pursuit, and pluralism the foundation of our communal ethos. Such monuments will represent milestones of the human journey towards enlightenment, a shrine to the real martyrs of human civilization. They will restore meaning and dignity to that word “martyrdom” that has become hideously corrupted, degraded and blasphemed against by those who wage war against infants, yet wallow in their own perverse conception of bravery and valour. Nor must we neglect those who survived their mindless onslaught, damaged yet intact, and undaunted – the Malalas of our world.

The wages of morbid narcissism in the extreme – or should I say ‘supreme’?

- exercise of power remain the coveted prize for the self-appointed warriors of a new blood-thirsting godhead that has

been extracted and distorted from the religion of islam. If this speaker had put Abubakar Shekau – or any of his multiple incarnations – on stage, you would only have granted him the grudging concession of a satirist, yet Shekau remains real, deadly and ludicrous, a clown, yet a human obscenity. Those of you who watched him taunting Nigerian humanity and the world after the abduction of the Chibok girls will understand my evocation of the banality that is power.

Not indifferent to, but clearly relishing the anguish of parents, family, and the trauma of victims, cavorting, rather like one of those advertising balloon marionettes you may have encountered in front of American gas stations, he gloated: We have your girls. We are going to sell them off as slaves, and there is nothing you can do about it”. Shekau felt that he had the entirety of the world in his palms to squeeze as the mood directed him. Shekau indeed, in those moments represented the solipsistic totality of power at its most banal. So did the solemn assemblage of the holy warriors in Northern Nigeria around a pit clotted with blood, as they interrogated a captured Nigerian soldier before slitting his throat, turning the chorus Allah Akbar into a parody of piety.

It is the same savoring of the trickledown potion of power that sustains the hooded figure, allegedly straight from a humdrum life in faraway, sedate England, standing over a kneeling health volunteer or journalist before beginning his gory task. It is what nerved the commander of the killer squad in Peshawar to slaughter a hundred and thirty school children and gloat: I want you to feel the pain. It is not piety, but the seepage from the obscene communion of power that induced the massacre of twelve French protagonists of the freedom of expression and leveling of divine afflatus in the affairs of mankind - the Charlie Hebdo martyrs. The narcissists of morbidity – these are the elite beneficiaries of the toxin of power and its pursuit.

Let us learn to repudiate the language of “Political Correctness” that attempts to dim the incandescent rage that is justly felt in us as response to assaults on our humanity, to pretend that history, or societal or state corruption justifies the invasion of a community of children, blowing them to bits, then hunting the rest down one by one as they cower under their desks.

We are being programmed to understand and accept their fate, and the fate of their peers in Nigeria who are called out by name from their dormitories one by one in a sanctuary of learning to meet their end. Often, the analytical language of media pundits merely panders to, indeed encourages criminality, especially through misplaced emphasis. Without actually intending to, it enfeebles moral outrage, nudges readers into accepting that the abduction of over two hundred school pupils in Nigeria, whose fate is

•Prof. Soyinka

‘

Let us learn to repudiate thelanguageof “Political Correctness” that attempts to dim the incandescent rage that is justly felt in us as response to assaults on our humanity

‘

to be turned into sex slaves, into suicide bomb conscripts, is a logical response to all kinds of governance criminalities and infelicities, or indeed the brutality of a military. We are being inducted into the credo that the serial slaughter of school children and their teachers across a widening swathe of Northern Nigeria is an understandable response to the decadence of western society across the globe, that the amputation of hands which clasped each other across the gender barrier in Somalia under alShabbab, the live burial of women to be stoned to death in Northern Mali under affiliates of al Queda, or the open decapitation of aid volunteers in overrun parts of Syria and Iraq, the execution of anti-polio workers, be it in Northern Nigeria or the Middle East are all “traceable” to association with the devilish west and its ways, and usury on the world markets. This is the language of appeasement, an indulgence that urges Africa to accept a renewed condition of enslavement – this time by religious overlords.

Appeasement is the diet of impunity. For those who seek explanations for the intolerable in the role of memory, in historical precedents, in distant causes and effects even from remote times – these are all legitimate zones of enquiry, and corrective action in the present becomes a social and political duty. So does the whittling away of contradictions within society, thus cauterizing the breeding grounds for future recruits to the ranks of homicidal maniacs. Surely, by this present, we should have learnt to stop parroting the time-worn clichés of social disaffections as acceptable causative factors for the dehumanizing of our kind. It is time to confront the long persistent question of what truly fits, unsentimentally, into our definition of humanity. Definition by race, colour, gender or faith have ever been

derogatory and untenable, contributing to the world’s current dilemma in furtherance of the agenda of power. Our parameters must now transfer to social conduct, to the manifestation of blind attachment to creeds that contradict and dismiss our very aspirations as thinking, reflecting and expressing beings. If the world shies away from that task, we on the African continent, should take on that duty, and annunciate what, for us, constitutes basic humanity. From those whose acts place them outside of such a definition, we must withdraw recognition, protect ourselves and take the battle to all such outcasts.

Let me underline the foregoing in the specific language of a political precedent. Once, under a president who was considered somewhat intelligence challenged, the public in the United States evolved a short-cut mantra for bringing the reality of a national recession to his notice. That mantra was “It’s the economy, stupid”. The world is not stupid, but I have come to suspect that it often falls asleep, even falls comatose, and thus requires some kind of wake-up call, a bluntly heretical viewpoint to check the assigned primacy of economics as the material base of all social upheavals. What is required today is a balancing of the economic catechism through a saturation of vulnerable environments with variations of the complementary mantra that becomes a mental tickertape: It’s the power drive, sucker”!

After Baga, surely no one can be left in any doubt: the world is confronted with the narcissists of death. Study the killers as they strike poses for the iconic photos before setting forth to earn their so-called martyrdom in a terminal, dastardly act. Watch Shekau of Boko Haram prancing about in his propaganda video as he taunts the world – We have your girls. We are going to sell them into slavery. Share the testimonies of survivors as they grope for language to convey the cultivated swagger of these killers as they go from hut to hut on invading a hapless village, where they massacre the men and herd the women before them for enslavement, their studied posturing and comportment of self-adoration. The exploits of this breed bring to my mind the apocalyptic acronym of the policies of power blocs during the Cold War M.A.D. – Mutual Assured Destruction, the doctrine of the balance of nuclear terror. At least that madness was mutual - our ongoing orgy of destruction is anything but mutual. It is arbitrary, dictated, one-sided, yet equally Doomsday determined. The narcissists of morbidity contemplate their images in troughs of blood as they slit throat after throat of their captives ululating with snatches of praise songs to their Almighty.

The challenge is out, and it is couched in anything but the language of spirituality. It is humiliating, I know, but let us be sufficiently humble as to admit the truth: this is one scourge that laughs in our faces, mocks the comfort zone of the rational, the schematic, the contextual, even comparative habit of mind, defies probability theories and historical precedents. And what choice of responses do we imagine has been forced on us, the rest of humanity? The expression, I believe, is – damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. This phenomenon understands only one language: Mobilize, or perish!

NEWS

‘Vote Buhari, bid corruption goodbye’

A

vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s election is a vote to end corruption, a group, the Buhari Vanguard, has said.

Its Lagos State Coordinator Mr Pade Ojoodide, at a news conference in Lagos, said corruption has become “state policy” under President Goodluck Jonath-

By Joseph Jibueze

an, while the economy has regressed during his six years in office due to mismanagement.

“If they say Buhari is old, what has young Jonathan given us in the last six years? His ‘new fashion’ has given us ‘deformation agenda’. With all the privatisation of the power sector, the situation is worse. Corruption has been entrenched. They don’t

steal millions anymore, its now billions of dollars and naira.

“When the President says that corruption is not stealing, has he not given people the liberty to do what they like? PDP has sold the future of our children – a cabal of irresponsible people.

“By their fruits we shall know them. If Buhari was not corrupt when in government, he

will not change now. Buhari and Prof Yemi Osinbajo are men of integrity and impeccable character.

“During Buhari’s time in government, there was discipline. Before you think about stealing, you would think twice.

How many of our leaders walk their talk? Talk is cheap, but Buhari walked his talk,” Ojoodide said.

The group said contrary to PDP’s portrayal of Buhari as being old to govern Nigeria, the older APC candidate is smarter than the younger Jonathan.

“Time has shown than our president lacks competence. It is not about age. He lacks what it takes to take Nigeria forward.

We need a man who will take us out of this mess. The times require drastic measures,” Ojood-

ide said.

The Buhari Vanguard also debunked PDP’s claim that the APC is a “Muslim party,” and that Buhari is an alleged Islamic fundamentalist.

“PDP’s chairman is a Muslim; APC is led by a Christian. Out of 19 states, 10 state governors were Christians during the Buhari regime; eight were Muslims and one was an atheist...”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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•Reed Dance by Akande

•From left: Akande and Jose Van Roy Dali

Artists as role models

Despite his seeming low profile at Ibadan, Oyo State capital, Olugbenga Akande emerged the ‘best artist in the world’ at an international art exhibition in Paris, France, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

Behold ‘best artist in the world’

H

IS name may not ring a bell among mainstream arts collectors and within the exhibition circuit. Yet, the self-trained Ibadan based-artist, Olugbenga Akande is a rare artist with a strong passion for the art. He would sell off his property to attend an art exhibition anywhere.

Last year, his efforts paid off as he was rewarded for his stylistic value at an international exhibition, La grand exposition universelle, in Paris, France. He bagged the ‘best artist in the world’.

His winning artwork, Eyo featured at an exhibition that hosted 81 artists from 31 countries.The organisers of the exhibition came for secret room of art in Palemo, Italy.

Akande said he chose to sell his property to attend art exhibitions not because of any material gains, but to network with artists from across the globe. He said he was more comfortable dealing with artists and gallery owners outside.

“I sell my property to attend art exhibition across the globe. It gives me greater opportunity to meet captains of the industry on the world stage. I don’t think anything good can come from the local fronts, so I collaborate with foreign galleries, especially in the marketing of my paintings,” he said.

His first international exhibition was in December 2013 at Florence, Italy. He was part of eight-man group exhibition.

Sallamattise Gallery in Torino, Italy is one of the galleries that sell his paintings in Europe. At Polo Club, Ibadan in 2010, he participated in an exhibition, My Exposure for a week. His theme dwells on African culture, history, languages and dances. Some of his paintings include Return to chance, Your Highness, The Reed dance and Many rivers to cross.

He disclosed that he was planning a street

I see artists, such as Massacio, Leonardo Da Vinci, Giotto, Rembrandt, Friday Kalo, Gustav, Salvador Dali, Piccaso, Edvard Munch, Raphael, Sandro Botticelli as some of my favourite artists. I also appreciate some of our artists, such as the late Aina Onabolu, Erhabor Emokpae, Demas Nwoko, Kolade Oshinowo, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Muthada Lawal, Adisa, Adewoles, Clara Aden, Jimi Solanke and others.

AWARDS carnival that would feature dances from African and Europe. The project, he said, was to provides a forum for artists to broaden their minds about Nigeria and Africa.

Akande, who is founder of Gbegi’s Art Gallery at Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State went into art business after leaving Lagelu, Grammar school, Ibadan. According to him, his first gallery was burnt by his siblings because they wanted him to go for further studies.

He later studied at the Federal Cooperative College between 192 and 1984 for a diploma.

Asked why he was not keen at exhibiting locally in cities such as Lagos, he said: “I sell my works which are mainly paintings and portraitures. In fact, I just want to be on my own.”

He however, noted that he was not perturbed by the relatively low patronage of art in Ibadan, saying: ‘I am not into art to make money but to follow my passion. If money is at the back of my mind, I will not be a good artist. However, I have clients like hotels that demand my paintings.’

The France award “I am so happy to be recognised and awarded the best artist in the world. I received the award at the grand universal exposition Gustav Eiffel Hall, Eiffel Tower on the 125th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower on October 23, 2014, featuring 80 other contemporary artists from 31 countries, including three Morocco and Algeria. It was curated

by Francesco Saviero Russo and Salvatore Russo. It is worthy to be awarded at the most prestigious art exposition in the world. I am so delighted to see myself among the best in the world as a Nigerian, am glad and as an African, am proud I find myself at the top echelons of art, art merchandising and its absolute practice in totality world over. Recognised for whom I am, has paved the way for me. I have been invited to the most prestigious art expositions, international biennials of art around

controllers of the contemporary art world.

I also get to meet other fascinating artists from across the globe.

It has always been advised that ‘use what you have to get what you want, I have no regrets whatsoever in properties I have sold to get to where I am today. I am the best artist in the world for the stylish value and that is authentic.

I am a self-thought artist with over 30 years as a professional and I have had the privilege of meeting great artists, consultants. I have also visited various museums and galleries across the world, I have viewed the works of several masters from ancient times and I have worked with various local artists in my over three decades of practise.

Impact on the local art market

• Dr Elizabetta Vannuzzi besides one of his works the world. It has given me the privilege to know the best and active curators, international art consultants, art critics, valuers, galleries, gallerists and others.

Benefits of the award I have exhibited at the Gustav Eiffel Hall and the Louve Gallery and many other galleries along with my fellows and I am still going places. In a nutshell, the award is a career boaster and absolute identity that has given me quantum leap in progress. I am a force to be reckoned with in contemporary art world. It means that African arts have been accepted into the mainstream contemporary art world because until now, most people still believe African art is a tribal art instead of being the basin of modern contemporary arts.

The best thing I can do to myself is invest in my ability and passion which I have always done and I will do all over again and again and again. To get invited to foreign exposition is the big deal. It’s the dream of every living artist and I thank God that I fall into that category. It gives me the privilege of getting to know the Who is Who and the

‘I have exhibited at the Gustav Eiffel Hall and the Louve Gallery and many other galleries along with my fellows and I am still going places. In a nutshell, the award is a career boaster and absolute identity that has given me quantum leap in progress. I am a force to be reckoned with in contemporary art world. It means that African arts have been accepted into the mainstream contemporary art world because until now, most people still believe African art is a tribal art instead of being the basin of modern contemporary arts’

In this part of the world, sponsors are hard to come by and it’s necessary I do things that will improve my standard positively The art market scene is nothing to write home about compared to what is available in other world. Firstly, there is no help for the Nigerian artist either from the banks, government, corporations, culture and tourism ministry etc.

Secondly, not much is done on talent development in this country, from whichever angle you view the prospect.

Thirdly, Nigeria has economic/financial crisis and this cannot allow the citizens to think of collecting works of art as they have to struggle to keep body and soul together.

There is no much collaboration between the artists, the galleries, the museums, arts and culture ministry, art institutions and foundations and art merchandising companies. Museums, art institutions are not properly funded, so they have nothing to offer the developing artist or the true artist.

There is less of art merchandising companies, foundations, maximum galleries, credible art consultants, curators, critics, collectors and credible galleries and gallerists that can truly propel our art and artists on platforms in the international scenes.

Aalso, there is less collaborations between art institutions in Nigeria and their foreign counterparts despite the richness of the artworks we produce here. The market scene is not buoyant enough to support and assist in producing quality artists that can stand the test of time both locally and internationally with exception to a limited few.

Expectation Things will get better if the government, the banks, financial institutions, corporations and foundations, embassies, arts and culture ministry can review their policies to favour the artist. The art industry needs total overhauling to assist our ability to be competitive globally. Hardly can we find a parent organisation whose primary aim is to get the true artist in our mist busy all year round.

If these issues are properly addressed, the nation will generate adequate revenues from our arts and cultural practice like other developed nations.

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For two days, some artists converged on the ancient city of Benin, the Edo State capital, using their works to interrogate the centenary celebration titled Whose Centenary? From King’s Quarters on Akenzua Street through Airport Road to Ring Road and the Oba’s Palace, the artists used the project to redefine the boundaries of museological spaces in Africa. It also provide an avenue for interaction between the community and the artists as Igun Street assumed a living museum.

The Head, Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos and coordinator of the project Dr. Peju Layiwola, speaks to Prof Mabel Evwierhoma on the collaborative public art project held in Benin last December.

Whose Centenary?

W

E all know that year 2014 was the Centenary commemoration of the amalgamation of Nigeria. Why are you not categorical about the com-

memoration?

Whose centenary? opens with a rhetorical question because in actual fact the project questions the commemoration of the 1914 amalgamation that formed what is now known as Nigeria. There had been various activities to mark the amalgamation. A centennial song was composed; awards were given to various people an act that was heavily criticised in the press; and throughout the entire year there were several events across Nigeria tied to the centenary.

It should be noted that the amalgamation was a structure put in place by the British imperialists to unite both the northern and Southern protectorates without any input from the people who later became known as Nigerians. It was an arrangement done to ease British colonial administration of the country. Why celebrate an event given first of all that the motive behind the merger was anti-one nation, and also for the fact that when viewed against contemporary events in Nigeria, the amalgamation was not, and still is not, synonymous with unity, even in diversity. How unified are we as a nation today? The 1914 amalgamation was not the only amalgamation that took place in Nigeria. The 1906 amalgamation of the Lagos colonies with the southern protectorate did not warrant any sort of commemoration in 2006. Therefore the project takes a different approach at reviewing and commemorating 1914. It also marks the centennial year of the passing of great Oba Ovonramwen, the King of Benin, exiled to Calabar who died in 1914.

So, this date becomes the entry into celebrating and commemorating the life of a king who fought to protect his territories against foreign incursion. We believe that Nigeria should not be defined by the colonial period alone because there is a rich pre-colonial history of the Benin people. There are certain structures in pre-colonial Nigeria that should be celebrated and sustained. One such structure is the establishment of Artists’ Guild for which Benin was known. It was a way of keeping the art alive and vibrant so it can be sustained even centuries after.

So, as artists, we decided to celebrate the rich cultural traditions of Nigeria in general, but of the Edo people in particular. In going to Benin, we identified with the fact that the great name Nigeria has in the arts derives from the several works from Benin and other cultural areas of Nigeria, that reside in foreign museums. Nigeria is a great nation with a peculiar kind of national history and great artistic traditions worthy of celebration.

Through multi-series exhibitions in Benin, the project comprised performance art, poetry reading, songs/choreography, dance, installation art, painting, costumes, photography, and video art. It was also collaboration between the academically-trained artists, traditional Edo bronze casters and their protégés in a series of community-based projects in Benin City. This ground-breaking art intervention began with a procession on the December 6 at 11am, from the King’s quarters at Akenzua Street through Airport Road, Ring Road, the Oba’s palace and culminated at Igun Street. The street is a world heritage site and the home of traditional bronze casters in Benin City who for centuries produced the bronze works the city and country are renowned for. At Igun Street there were several art exhibitions and performances.

What I consider the most intriguing part of this project is the redefinition of boundaries of museological spaces in Africa. In using Igun Street and other public spaces in Benin it takes the museum to the people and pro-

• Some students of Creative Arts Department, University of Lagos during one of the performances

PROJECT vides an avenue for better interaction between the community and the artists. Igun Street, conceived as a living museum, becomes an ideal space for this intervention.

Although this is the underlying theme of the project we are liberal enough to accommodate other views and are comfortable with interventions that may differ from this position.

This project had several dimensions to it, songs, performances, procession, exhibitions and poetry. What was the essence of making this multilayered?

To start with the multi-dimensional quality of this project follows a similar path of Benin art which is multi facetted. The diversity of Benin art had to be reflected in the performative and visual components of the project. The praise songs were of the kings of Benin. I had collected them over a period of four years. Yes, the major reference was to Oba Ovonramwen but there is a sense in which commemorating kings in Benin is done collectively. It was therefore necessary to sing as many songs that celebrated the kings and royalties during the performances at home as well as on the streets. Songs about Oba Ovonramwen that emanated from the period during and after the 1897 event were mainly dirges but they give insight into what transpired at the time. A common adage goes ‘it is on the street that a king is popular’. The praise songs also glorified the artists and the art for which Benin is known. Processions are commonplace in Benin and to have one which was so colourful with an array of beautifully designed traditional costumes drew attention to the depth of Edo culture.

This is huge artist collaboration. How did this come about? Who initiated the project?

Well, this is a two-year long artist- led research and collaborative project. The layout and conceptualisation of the project was

• Three of the participants mine. This idea had been playing in my mind for about three years until its actual realisation this year. In a sense it springs up directly from an earlier project titled: Benin1897.com but differs a bit in its content given the various artist’s interpretation of the theme which in a sense, every artist could connect with. I had been thinking of how best to bring my solo exhibition, Benin1897.com exhibition to Benin, my maternal side, which held in Lagos and Ibadan. But because of the monumentality of the installations in that show and the lack of adequate funding I thought of another way of showing the works through new media- video, photography and film. For me it was important that the people of Benin, where the event of the plundering of works

‘To start with the multi-dimensional quality of this project follows a similar path of Benin art which is multi facetted. The diversity of Benin art had to be reflected in the performative and visual components of the project. The praise songs were of the kings of Benin. I had collected them over a period of four years’

and dethronement of a king actually took place in 1897 viewed this contemporary attempt at reenacting history even after a century. Each time I thought about showing my works in Benin I kept visualizing the works particularly, the 1000 terracotta heads installation in front of a mud wall, the same way they appeared in the king’s palace in 1897.

The ‘Whose Centenary?’ project made this dream possible!

Why did you decide to make this project a collaboration and what were the challenges you faced while planning it?

I have always worked as a very individualistic artist professionally except when I carry out huge community projects in specific places within and outside Nigeria. This would be my first time of having this sort of collaboration and on this scale too. Foreign participation in this project also meant that it would have the much-needed exposure that it deserved and also provide the possibility of showing the works outside of Nigeria.

Working with artists, and indeed, a large •Continued on page 49

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Whose Centenary?

•Continued from page 48 number of artists is not always an easy task but somehow given the expertise of the project coordinator, Jude Anogwih, we were able to pull this through without much difficulty. Names of participating artists were suggested given the body of work they had been inclined to produce. The artists in this first part of the project include Andrew Eseibo, George Osodi, Jelili Atiku, Elizabeth Olowu (my mother), Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Taiye Idahor, Victor Ehikhamenor, Jumoke Verisimmo, Ines Valle and I. Princess Elizabeth Olowu was also a good conduit between Lagos and Benin. Her intervention helped to sort out plans and negotiations in Benin whilst majority of us lived outside Benin. We had to make series of field trips to Benin.

Jelili, Jude and I chose the sites of the various performances and exhibitions and also procured materials from Igun Street.

The major challenge was that of fundingsuch collaboration requires huge funding which artists find difficult to attract. Since this is a research-based project, the University of Lagos research grant would cover part of the expenses of fieldwork and archival studies. We still require funds for the other part of the two-year project which would include roundtable sessions, video streaming, a documentary production and exhibitions.

A major part of the funding would be for a long term community intervention in training girls and wards of the casters in various arts. This we hope to make an annual event.

What was the main thrust of the various artistic projects?

The concept for this project is a celebration of a very unique nature. It begins with the adornment of Wura-Natasha Ogunji, one of the artists in Benin traditional regalia. Wura is African American. Even though her father is Nigerian, she never met him. She grew up with her mother and other siblings in the US and only came to Nigeria on receiving the prestigious Guggenheim grant for artists a few years ago. As a performance artist, she has become very well-known in the art circles in Lagos. In her splendour, Wura appears like a Benin Princess dressed velvet cloth and adorned in coral beads. This performance by both Wura and Elizabeth Olowu becomes a means of welcoming Wura, as many other artists of the African Diaspora, back home to Nigeria. There is a sense of connectivity to the energies lost during the transatlantic trade and the middle passage with the carting away of several Africans. Through this performance, Olowu reenacts a regular duty she performs presently in dressing several brides and grooms of Benin extraction based in the West who return to connect with Benin through the dress culture. Wura adorned by the Oba Akenzua’s daughter endorses her as a member of the clan- ‘Omosowa’ (a child as come back home). This return is also celebrated with songs and dances.

The procession kicks off from the king’s quarters at Akenzua Street through Airport road and berths briefly at the front of the Oba’s palace before finally culminating at Igun Street. Throughout the procession praise songs of various kings are sung. The stop at the palace is in recognition of the Centre from which this culture emanates. Wura’s performance evolves into another which she titles Queen Sweep. She sweeps the Street at Igun and this opens up discussions on politics. The APC- led government in the state uses the broom as symbol for the party. Wura metaphorically cleans the streets of detritus left over by colonialism. The close of her performance heralds Jelili’s chants, beckoning on the public to attend the church service in his ‘Holy Ovonramwen Cathedral’. Jelili cuts an outlandish image, like Brother Jero, in Soyinka’s scripting of a false prophet, he is dressed in an all gold costume. He rings a church bell frantically handing church flyers to people as they walk and drive along the streets. In another hour the service begins.

Jelili’s performance draws attention to the syncretic nature of most of Edo society. Held in an open filed beside a church, it draws attention to the once vibrant Street of Igun known for the art, which is now gradually replaced by pentecostal churches. The well-

• Jumoke Veressimo (centre)reciting her poem, No Answer at the event

• A sence from one of the perfomarnces led by Jelili Atiku known iconography of Christian worship such as the cross is replaced with bronze memorial heads which once served as shrines objects. Elizabeth Olowu through her project journeying makes a return to Igun in a grandiose style. Her songs and dances are celebratory of the inroad she made into the art of bronze casting learnt under the tutelage of late chief Osa of Igun in the 1970s. She therefore became the first female bronze caster in Benin and Nigeria today. Victor Ehikhamenor, in his usual style depicts chalk iconographic drawing in Benin shrines. His installation, My Bits are not your Pieces at the palace of the Inneh of Igun mounted right next to a bronzecasting studio and shrine with similar drawings, presents two sides of a coinone as reality and the other as representation. This way art reinforces reality. My installation titled Face/off represents a thousand terracotta heads as a reference to the pillage of the Benin palace in 1897 by British soldiers. A number of terracotta tiles with inscriptions on them drawn from archival records by the British soldiers as they made their way into Benin are as revealing as they are shocking. In relating these historical facts in my handwriting, there is an attempt to bring closer and more assessable history tucked away in the recesses of the archives.

The colour of the terracotta heads and tiles,

complemented by the walls of the palace speaks to the appropriateness of the siting of this installation in the house of the head of the guilds of casters whose predecessors produced the plundered bronze heads that adorn several foreign museums today. Face/off creates a platform for bringing together works by several casters displayed along my terracotta pieces in a collaboration that represents social change and the blurring of hierarchies in traditional societies. Andrew Eseibo and Ines Valle reach out for old photographs of the 1970s of Igun Street. By superimposing images taken in 2014 with those from the archives, they come across a living artist who featured in the 1970 photograph.

The placement of both sets of photographs registers these changes both with the physical structure of Igun Street as well as its morphing to meet with the realities of the 21st century and the passage of time. Jumoke Verissimo, the only poet in the group, renders her poem titled No Answer as a reference to the silence to numerous requests for the return of Benin Cultural objects kept in Western Museums. Burns Effiom captivated by the event arrive from Calabar to present a selfsponsored and captivating performance.

Standing under an umbrella, he suspends photographs of the houses in which Oba Ovonramwen lived while in Calabar. The

‘The major challenge was that of funding- such collaboration requires huge funding which artists find difficult to attract. Since this is a research-based project, the University of Lagos research grant would cover part of the expenses of fieldwork and archival studies. We still require funds for the other part of the two-year project which would include roundtable sessions, video streaming, a documentary production and exhibitions.’

umbrella becomes a metaphor for both shelter and nurture. His piece is autobiographical. Effiom’s extended family placed host to the exiled king while in Calabar. Taiye Idahor does a series of drawings representative of hairstyles in Benin. Derived from her recent exploration of hair as vehicle of cultural expression, she explores the various hairstyles and the coded meanings inherent in them. Jude Anogwih shows a video of his work titled Emittere meaning waiting. His shot video interrogates the concept of movement, mobility, migration and borders.

Anogwih reverses a flow of water revealing that the sea could take away as much as bring back was had been lost. The video shown in the studio of Mr Eric Ogbemudia, Secretary to the caster’s guild, transforms this unusual space and breaks the barrier and inhibitions of searching/ paying for a white cube as exhibition space. Art can therefore be found in unusual spaces as well as appreciated therein.

What would be the attraction to Benin given that you are a Yoruba artist.

Well… Nigeria has very vibrant art traditions that speak to you each time. Every artist or researcher usually focuses on whatever interests him or her and often times one draws from a familiar culture and environment. Although my research work has covered several aspects of the visual culture of Nigeria, I seem to have defined my research area as Benin studies. I am a product of a mixed marriage- my father, Babatunde Olatokunbo Olowu is Yoruba and my mother, Princess Elizabeth Olowu (nee Akenzua) is Benin. Some of my works are influenced by my Yoruba heritage. I see myself oscillating between both cultures. Both are complementary. Indeed, both Yoruba and Benin cultures are linked by historical traditions and I see myself in that unique position of having the benefit of drawing from the rich repository of both cultures.

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‘Prizes are no determinants of great literature’

U

NITED States-based Nigerian scholar and columnist Okey Ndibe has urged young writers to write books if there are stories they believe must be told instead of writing to win prizes. He said prizes are important impetus to writers as part of literary competitions, but are not determinants of great literature.

“Prizes are part of literary competitions, prizes are important and they have their place but prizes are not determinants of great literature. It is a big mistake for someone to write because you want to win the Etisalat Prize or the Caine Prize, you should write because there is a story you believe must be told and this story will not forgive you if you don’t write it and when you write it, that is its own reward,” he added.

Ndibe, who spoke at the last Ake Arts and Book Festival in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said Nigeria should support the young writers because they have great stories to tell. He said there is a lot of information for the young writers to work with and be part of the conversation on the nation.

But he identified passion and commitment as major ingredients that make a writer adding that good structure of editing and enterprising publishers would help bring the works of younger writers to a wider audience.

“Thematically, in all the genres, there are great opportunities and great stories to tell. What we need in Nigeria now is good structure of editing. So, we need more editors to help young writers shape their work. We also need more enterprising publishers to bring the work of these younger writers to a wide audience. What it takes to be a writer is passion and commitment. I tell young writers not to fall into the trap of wanting to write to make money, wanting to write to win prizes because sometimes prizes come from your writing. But you must write because you are committed to the craft,” he said.

On Nigeria’s democratic journey, the author of Foreign Gods said politicians have been reckless in the practice of democracy, saying most of the leaders are after their pockets. “We have been reckless. I mean our politicians have been reckless in their so called practice of democracy that the majority of those who presume to be leaders are there for their pocket. So, they are

‘We have been reckless. I mean our politicians have been reckless in their so called practice of democracy that the majority of those who presume to be leaders are there for their pocket.

So, they are almost bandits who set out to seize the resources of the public. There is no ideological content to what they do and one finds it really disturbing that too much of our country’s vast resources are wasted in payment to so-called democratic structures, which are not productive’

•Ndibe

By Ozolua Uhakheme, Assistant Editor (Arts)

LITERATURE almost bandits who set out to seize the resources of the public.

There is no ideological content to what they do and one finds it really disturbing that too much of our country’s vast resources are wasted in payment to so-called democratic structures, which are not productive. They take too much of our country’s resources both as remuneration as well as money that they steal.

So, I doubt if this can be sustained. It is either Nigerians rise up and sanitise the system or the politicians should exercise selfrestraint in the way they squander the resources of this coun-

try,” Ndibe said.

A year ago, Ndibe published his latest book, Foreign Gods, a story of Ike who decides to steal the deity in his hometown to sell to a gallery in New York, US and his simple motivation is money. He wants lot of money from selling a deity to enable him have a different life.

Asked the challenges facing book publishing in US, he said rather than look at the challenges, he looked at the prospects.

Continuing, he said: “When I finished the novel the major challenge was finding an agent. I had an agent when I was writing the novel but when I finished it, she read it and said that she had decided not to sell fiction anymore but to sell non-fiction.

So, she asked me to look for another agent. For a few months, I wrote to about 10 agents, about half of them ignored me and the other half wrote, praised the novel and recognised its power.

But they were not interested because some had enough writers on their list while the others gave other reasons.

“But in the end, I was lucky to find a publisher Soho Press in New York, who buys manuscripts directly from writers. So, they bought the manuscript from me and they published it and it became their big book of the year. I am very pleased that my book is the biggest book they have published this year.”

Monarch’s menu for politicians As political campaigns hit feverish pitch, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, the Osile Oke-Ona Egba has enjoined politicians to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship as they contest at the forthcoming general elections. His pamphlet, Handling victory or defeat in elections, which contains some advice is a must-read for politicians, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

“N

EVER judge a book by its cover”, is a common phrase among literati. But, for Handling victory or defeat in elections(A gift to Nigeria, Africa and the World) the appropriate phrase is ‘never judge a pamphlet by its size’.

The 16-page pamphlet written by Oba Dr. Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso, Karunwi (111) Oranmiyan, Osile Oke-Ona Egba, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, is a collection of timely and essential pieces of advice for everyone especially politicians seeking elective positions. It is a rare antidote for this season when bombs of political hatred and violence are looming over the country.

The opening page titled: Welcome, a five-paragraph statement, is a clarion call to Nigerians that ‘we all have duties to carry out beyond prayers to have a stable society

during the period of electioneering.’

He assures that however hard and tough the road may be, ‘surely God has earmarked victory for us because we are on a righteous cause.’

To reach a wider audience, it is published and distributed free to government official and people across the world whose heart cry is for peace.

Every page is dedicated to selected messages for the readers who may find some of the messages refreshing and others reassuring on how to handle the outcome of an election. Some are very pungent and brief to the extent that the message is less than 20 words on a page. For instance, on Page three, in colourful lettering in caps, the monarch says: “Leave something behind as you move along in liveA good name – it’s the greatest asset for your family.”

•Continued from page 14

major tourist destination in Africa,” she said.

But most importantly, NTDC began campaign for domestic tourism with the authentication of tourist sites in the six geo-political zones and covered 20 states.

Mrs Mbanefo stressed that Nigeria must put in place mechanisms through which benefits can be derived from all departures and ‘‘we must develop tourism not just for paid travel’’ but leisure infrastructure in various communities for citizens who cannot afford to travel.

To achieve these, the corporation called for the establishment of a tourism development fund, implementation of the 2007 tourism master plan, inclusion of tourism in concurrent list of the constitution and increase funding.

NTDC in the last one year collaborated with diplomatic community from Mexico, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Cuba, The Gambia, Turkey, Venezuela and Israel on the need to market Nigeria in their home country. In line with the spirit of PPP, the corporation signed Memory of Order Understanding (MOUs) with VISA, ABC Transport, Arik Air, Redington Hospitals, Heritage Bank, British Airways, Nigeria Turkey Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nigeria Football Federation, Jovago (hotel bookings on NTDC web portal) and the Gambia Tourism Board for best practice exchange.

Expert say beyond the signing, the corporation must ensure that it translates the collaborations into actions that would engender tourism growth. All the collaborations must

Using the famous story of two bees struggling to get through a passage into a small hole as an illustration, the author enjoins politicians not to be distracted by running down their opponents.

“The error of your opponent does not make you a success. It’s what you intend to do for your electorate that counts. So concentrate on what you will do,” he says.

Messages on other pages centre on why politicians must first run the election race in his mind before running it on the field, why there should be no blood shedding, imbibing the spirit of forgiveness and winning of election should be to lift the peoples’ standard of living.

In The Desperate politician on Page 8, the author draws readers’ attention to the character of a desperate politician as illustrated by the story of two women who are

claiming the ownership of a child in the Holy Bible. According to Oba Tejuoso, politicians who mean well for the people will never allow themselves or their supporters to engage in anydestructive act, particularly the destruction of properties and more seriously killings.

He also enjoined politicians never to lose their mind when they lose election, instead they should learn from it. Beyond politics, the author differentiates between heroes and celebrities saying, heroes are people with integrity who use proper means to achieve their goals while celebrities are people that suddenly appear on the scene with or without proper explanations for their success.

Tips to get more votes on page 14, is one of the pages that is very instructive to every reader including politicians and the

electorate.

The monarch sums up his counsel: “So, we should sow the right seeds in our political pursuit if our desire is to build our nation.” Though very brief messages, the pamphlet is truly designed to help politicians think deep in all their pursuits.

Handling victory or defect in elections is a well produced pamphlet with varied fonts pleasant to the eyes.

The glossy paper and graphic layout also added quality to the design.

Slow, bumpy path to creativity be appraised regular to keep with the spirit of the understanding as well as to maximise the benefits.

Unlike in the past, the corporation scaled its participation in travel markets to when necessary and affordable. It maintained international profile at major travel markets such as World Travel Market, London, ITB Berlin, World Travel Market, Cape Town, South Africa as well as the hosting of Nigeria Fans Village at the FIFA World cup in Brasil.

National Gallery of Art (NGA) Going by records, the outgoing year was not particularly eventful for the National Gallery of Art (NGA) as it could not hold some of its major programmes such as Art Expo, Nigerian Visual Art World Tour (NIVATOUR), ARESUVA, annual distinguished lecture and symposium. In its place were new programmes such as Art of Friendship, Nupe Art Conference/Exhibition held at Bida, Niger State. It featured traditional artists from the old Nupe kingdom exhibiting different works ranging from paintings, sculptures and textiles.

This was followed by the annual NGA Children’s Day Art Competition, which drew pupils and students from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to the Women Development Centre. Then came Art of Friendship initiated in 2012 as a plat-

form for Nigerian artists to cross-fertilise ideas with their counterparts from other nations through their embassies in Nigeria. The Art of Friendship 2 featured artists from Nigeria and four countries- Republic of Czech, France, Italy and Korea showcasing about 40 works of art comprising paintings, mixmedia, drawing, sculpture and printmaking. Is Art of Friendship a replacement of NIVATOUR? The National Visual Arts Competition/Awards, NGA in-house exhibition, tagged, Together Again, and the unveiling of the Abuja Biennial logo were the other programmes NGA executed in the preceding year.

Observers wondered what has become of the old programmes that have been abandoned for new ones. If it is difficult for NGA to improve on Art Expo, Aresuva and NIVATOUR, distinguished lecture and symposium what guarantees the success of the new ones such as Art of Friendship, Abuja Biennial? Or is it a problem of name or location of event? And if poor funding is the bane of the old programmes, NGA must look beyond the box to source funds for the success of these new programmes otherwise high turnover of events may not give the gallery a good image. In the year under review, apart from NCMM, other culture agencies seemed to be less concern in executing capital projects that will provide the enabling environment for

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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The Midweek Magazine

T

HE search for an alternative to oil as the mainstay of the economy has become even more crucial with the prevailing falling price of oil in the international market. Of all the options available to Nigeria, the Nollywood industry, one the most active of Nigeria’s creative industries holds the greatest promise. The United Nations (UN) has identified world trade in the creative industries sector to be 3.4 per cent with an yearly growth rate of 8.7 per cent. This gives the industry the fastest growth rate globally. In 2012, United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) rated Nollywood as the world’s second largest film industry with its potential yearly revenue of N522 billion; over 2000 movies produced per year and a captive viewing audience of over 200 million across Africa and beyond.

A recent British Council funded creative industries pilot survey in Lagos, which I had the rare privilege of superintending, showed that combined, Nollywood, fashion, and music contributed N2,547,300,490.26 during the reviewed period with 61 per cent of the total Gross Value Added (GVA) derived from the Nollywood industry alone; the fashion and music industries contributed 26 and 13 per cent, respectively. The survey also indicated a steady rise in Nollywood’s contribution to the GVA from 2010 to date. This first and perhaps, for now, the only empirical evidence on the economic performance of Nollywood moves the argument from the idea of mere economic ‘potential’ of Nollywood to more concrete, measurable economic contributions.

However, one major challenge that has threatened the rapid development of the Nollywood industry in Nigeria over the years has been the mismatch between scholarship and practice.

Whereas there is an appreciable improvement in the quality of productions from 1992 to date, scholarship appears to be lagging behind. The results of the few serious studies conducted on the industry so far are inaccessible, hence hardly inform subsequent works of Nollywood professionals. The inaccessibility is either because the studies are published abroad or tucked away gathering dust on library shelves of many universities in Nigeria. Herein lies the significance of the contributions of this enriching publication by Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, titled, Trends in Nollywood: A Study of Selected Genres I am convinced that the scholar and critic, through his/her critical writings, extend the life span of an artistic product. History has shown that creative works or indeed any remarkable human activity for that matter, which is not documented or interrogated by critics who are knowledgeable in the subject matter, will be forgotten sooner than later. I therefore commend the author of Trends in Nollywood and urge more scholars to help Nollywood live longer by interrogating its products and activities of its players in scholarly publications like this.

Ayakoroma’s book x-rays the evolution, development and thematic preoccupation of Nollywood movies, particularly in the first 15 years of the industry. The author’s choice of very accessible style, lucid language, full colour illustrations, in-depth analyses, and bold prints on cream bond paper, makes his book a reader’s delight any day.

The book is broken into five parts. Part One provides the context of the evolution and devel-

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Nollywood as money spinner

BOOK REVIEW Trends in Nollywood: A Study of selcted Genres Author: Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma Reviewer: Prof Emmanuel S. Dandaura Pages: 365 Year of Publication: 2014 Publishers: Kraft Books Limited, Ibadan Title:

opment of Cinema in Nigeria. Part Two, titled, Studies in Genres in Nollywood establishes the theoretical framework. Parts Three, Four and Five give the author’s taxonomy and critical evaluation of the diverse genres in Nollywood, using relevant case studies.

The author begins with a historical perspective of Nollywood. The reader learns from the opening chapters that Nollywood is a child of circumstance, having emerged from the unfavourable economic and social climate that saw the decline of locally produced television soap opera and prohibitive cost of producing Nigerian movies on celluloid. The author recalls that the harsh policies of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in the 80s also provided Nollywood its first crop of ‘discontented’ experienced independent television producers and directors, who saw in the video format, a viable alternative which emboldened them to call off the bluff of the then NTA management with its stifling policies. The marriage between these television producers/directors and some adventurous traders gave birth to Nollywood, which has become a commercial success. The industry offers Nigeria’s teeming youth alternative em-

ployment, either as actors, crew members or distribution and marketing players and has become the country’s accidental cultural diplomatic tool.

Being a product of his doctoral research, Dr. Ayakoroma seeks to establish in this book the symbiosis between the production context of any movie industry and its different film movements or genres. The author’s analysis goes beyond the superficial chronicle of stylistic and formal qualities of the selected movies. In addition, he offers the average reader easily digestible information on prevailing political, socio-economic, technological and ideological contexts within which the movies were produced. The book analyses the factors that drive the mutations of genres in Nollywood, from its early preoccupation with ritual to its more profound exploration of burning social issues and its recent drift towards more research-driven historical themes.

The major trends in the industry highlighted by the author include, the phenomenon of crossover television directors/producers; the metamorphoses of some executive producers into producers/directors to cut costs, lopsided gender representation, the dominance of piracy, stereotyping and type-casting, bandwagon effect in terms of production approaches and its concomitant cultural misrepresentations, weak ideological foundation of the industry, and the overwhelming influence of the Igbo traders turned executive producers on the creative freedom of the movie directors, the impact of the crave for quick profit on the choice of some genres considered more cost effective as against the epic genre, which requires more financial investments, inter alia.

The beauty of this critical publication is the invaluable insight it offers the reader into the social and political history of Nigeria. From the authors analysis of Igodo: Land of the Living and Egg of Life,1 & 2 produced by Ojiofor Ezeanyaechi and directed by Andy Amenechi, the reader is educated on the sharp contrast between the concept of leadership in the traditional Nigerian societies and modern political leaders. Whereas the traditional concept of servant-leaders is fast becoming extinct in contemporary Nigerian polity, the reader is guided to understanding the extent to which this age-long traditional value of personal sacrifices for the common good of society has been supplanted with politics of greed and self-aggrandizement. The exemplary sacrificial leadership qualities of the two major characters: Egbuna (Igodo) and Buchi (Egg of Life), are projected as models the reader can take away from reading of Nigerian history through the two movies.

Similarly, through Ayakoroma’s analysis of the Issakaba Series produced by Chukwuka Emelionwu & Moses Nnam, directed by Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, the reader can understand the root of the prevailing poor governance in Africa and the near collapse of the state apparatus; its failure to protect the lives and property of its citizens in the face of rising crime rates; and the resort to self-help by most communities either as vigilante groups or civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) as we now know them. The taste of the reader, who needs to understand the intrigues in the Nigerian political terrain will surely be quenched on reading through Ayakoroma’s discourse of The Senator and MasterStroke movies.

Indeed, the cluelessness of any casual reader, who has neither watched most of the movies analyzed in the book or understood the sociopolitical happenings in Nigeria in the last three decades will be replaced with informed perspective on going through the pages of this book.

The author argues that for Nigeria to break away from its doldrums of development, Nigerian films ought to move towards greater functionality than entertainment. Sadly, the mercantile focus of the Nollywood industry as at today has made this option rather unattractive to the average producers. The role of the traders turned producers/directors in the Nollywood industry has become akin to the stifling role of the NTA management of the 1980s. The time has come for practitioners to seek a break from their strangulation. This is important, as the industry has now grown beyond the capacity of these untrained interlopers.

However, who will ‘bell the cat’ in the face of the persisting monopoly of the marketing and distribution component of Nollywood? How will the relatively low availability of film exhibition centres in Nigeria be addressed? How do we better the entry points for fresh graduates of theatre and film? These and many more are some of the teasers Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma’s Trends in Nollywood presents to film lovers, professionals, corporate Nigeria and the public policy drivers.

As refreshing as reading this book is, the critical reader might demand more in terms of wanting to see actual screen shots that ‘speak’ key actions in the various movies analysed in the book in addition to the portraits of Nollywood stars generously printed in full colour.

My reading of this book also agitates my mind further about the urgent need for comprehensive mapping of the Nollywood industry in order to establish its actual composition, character, size and net contributions to the Nigerian economy, which has today been adjudged the largest in Africa with one of the highest global annual growth rate of 7 per centt. Such a study will correct the current disconnect between this sector, and the organized private sector (OPS). The later is not able to evaluate, in statistical terms, the net potentials of Nollywood; thus, any investment in the sector is classified as high risk; thereby denying Nollywood the needed support from the major capital markets or the organised private sector. The involvement of these major financiers is one way to free the industry from the strangulation it faces in the hands of the electrical/electronic traders who are its core investors to date.

Surely, on the strength of my thorough reading of this book and deep consideration of its contents, I have no reservation recommending this book to all who seek to understand the full value of Nollywood. The organisation and style of the book makes for interesting reading. As a critical scholarly work, the hypothesis was well framed and properly investigated; the analysis thorough, comprehensive, and academically enriching. The work is anchored on relevant theoretical frames; its method of enquiry is sound, factual, objective, and intellectually provocative. The language used by the author is lucid, engaging, effective, resounding, meaningful and refreshing. The book deserves the attention of all Nollywood professionals, who desire to break fresh grounds.

It is a valuable asset to film scholars, Nollywood fans and even casual lay readers. The taste of the food they say is “in the eating;” so I urge you to get your copy today.

Niger Delta Peace pageant gets new winner

D

EBORAH Ibeinmo Alfred defeated 21 other contestants to emerge winner of the keenly contested crown for the Miss Niger Delta Peace Cultural Pageant.

The event, which is in its 14th edition, was one of the highlights of the holiday season at the Dr Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

She went home with a brand new car and an undisclosed amount of money.

Miss Alfred who was all smiles at the event, said she is determined to use her reign to positively affect lives in the region. “I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to win the competition. God-helping me, during my reign I will use my position to touch the lives of people in the region.

Other awards included Model for Change won by Idahosa Ucharia. The Face of Beauty award went to Chidinma Ucharia; Oreke Regina Ijeoma won the Symbol of Talent award. Emese Nichole Emuvoke bagged the Pride of Niger Delta award, while Oreke Regina Ijeoma got the symbol of Talent award.

By Evelyn Osagie

PAGEANT Guests were thrilled to diverse songs and comedy from musicians and comedians from within and outside the state, such as Harrysong, Jaywon, Sound Force band, Mr Idea, Fortune, Gordons Arinze Baba, Miss J, Daniel West, Double J and Wonder Boy. The pageant, according to Chief Executive Officer, Miss Niger Delta Organisation, Prince Sodin, is not just about funfair and crowning of beauty queens, but one aimed at empowering young women from the region. Sodin said it is high time young women in the region began to live up to their roles as young ambassadors for peace and development in the country. He added that since its inception in 1999, the show had produced 13 beauty queens and titles such as “Ambassador for Peace” and “Development, Symbol of Talent”, “Model for Change”, “Face of Beauty”, “Pride of Niger Delta” and “Miss Niger Delta in Diaspora”.

“The show and post event projects are

centred on re-orientation of values, sociocultural integration, peace promotion, talent and skills development, capacity building for self-reliance, self-employment and empowerment of young women of the region. These beauty queens have used their positions and offices to add positive values to life as well as promote change and transformation in the region as role models,” he said.

While urging both government, corporate organisations and stakeholders in the region to support the initiative, he said, it is complementary to various projects and programmes aimed at transforming the region as expected.

A representative from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) promised that they will continue to support the Miss Niger Delta Organisation because it is a laudable project that has brought peace in the region.

Dignitaries at the event included Solomon Diepriye of the Bayelsa Tourism Board; Rector Bayelsa Institute of Tourism and Hospitality, Prof Efere and Mr Francis O. Francis.

•Deborah

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

53

BUSINESS EXTRA NCAA suspends Discovery Air’s certificate

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HE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), suspended yesterday the Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC) of Discovery Air. Discovery Air began flight operations last year The suspension of the airline’s license, the NCAA said, is predicated on its failure by the operator to correct certain actions raised on its operations in an audit carried out by the regulatory authority.

The NCAA according to its Deputy General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr Sam Adurogboye took the safety steps after it served a warning letter to the defaulting operator.

He said the suspension will take immediate effect, as the certificate could be restored after the operator complies with the statutory regulation.

The NCAA said it will ground any airline that fails to comply with safety regulations.

A statement by the NCAA read: ”In pursuit of its oversight responsibilities as stipulated by law, the Nigerian NCAA has lately carried out a review of the operations of some domestic airlines after which letters of warning or suspension of AOC were served on defaulters.

“A case in point is an airline that failed to carry out certain corrective actions within one week from the 1st to 7th of January, 2015 as raised in an earlier letter to the operator.

“Consequent upon the inability to address the issues raised, the NCAA in its 8th of January, 2015 letter to the operator declared, “the Authority pursuant to Section 35[2] and [3][b] of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 and Part 1.1.3.3.3[a] [1] of the Nig. CARs 2009, hereby suspends the Air Operator’s Certificate [AOC] of Discovery Airways Limited .

“The suspension takes effect from the 8th of January 2015, the date of the

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

letter conveying the notice.

This order would be in force pending the outcome of a comprehensive review of the Airlines operations to be carried out accordingly.

“As much as it is not the desire of NCAA to regulate any Airline out of existence, the Authority however viewed any violation of safety regulations seriously.”

Discovery Air has been grappling to keep its operations afloat in the highly challenging domestic sector with its two operating aircraft.

Its Chairman, Mr Babatunde Babalola said the airline was undergoing some challenges.

Babalola said: ”Aviation lives on credit. Even British Airways as big as it is, if you get to Heathrow Airport in London, they would tell you they owe Aviance. So, it is not a big deal for us to owe, but what is important is whether you are a going concern and servicing your debts. If a business is a going concern, there is no way you won’t owe. In accounting, there are two entries anyway; credit and debit.

“Talking about salaries for the staff, a good business owner should not knowingly owe his staff.

The salaries we are working on are those we owed before the issuance of AOC, which we are working on to make sure we pay. And don’t forget within that period, we were not earning anything.

“The salaries we owe were the ones of the last three months to the issuance of AOC. However, we have been paying salaries regularly apart from those three months. We are just trying to amortise it and gradually we are paying the arrears that we owe.

Yes we owe, but gradually we are paying it off, there is nothing to hide.”

Oil price: Senate urges CBN to work harder

S

ENATE President David Mark, yester day said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should double its efforts in the face of dwindling oil price.

Mark stated this after the confirmation of Mr. Okwu Joseph Nnanna for appointment as the apex bank’s Deputy Governor.

He noted that it is obvious that the CBN would be a key factor in the current economic situation in the country.

The apex bank, he said, should work assiduously “to ensure that we don’t find ourselves in the woods in the face of declining oil price.”

Before Nnanna was confirmed, the Senate adopted the report of its Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions which screened him.

•Confirms Nnanna as CBN deputy governor From Onyedi Ojiabor, Asst.

Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

Also yesterday, the Senate deferred the consideration of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

Chairman, Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, told the Senate that the revised MTEF was yet to be transmitted to his committee.

Makarfi said his committee would require some time to work on the fiscal document.

Mark said the MTEF would be referred to the Finance Committee by listing it on the Order Paper today.

• From left: Directorate Head, Information Technology and Service Delivery Channels, Skye Bank Plc, Mrs Markie Idowu; Group Managing Director/CEO, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo; and President, Mastercard International (Sub Sahara Africa), Mr. Daniel Monehin, when the Mastercard team’s visited Skye Bank....yesterday.

Reps begin consideration of 2015 Budget today T HE members of the House of Representa tives will begin consideration of this year’s budget today.

Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, said yesterday the budget would be given accelerated consideration alongside the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act. Tambuwal said the budget which was laid in the National Assembly on December 17 by the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was brought late.

There are, however, possibilities that the lawmakers may reduce the benchmark to $40 against the $65 the Federal Government’s proposal.

This is to align the country’s budget projection with current realities because of the continuous slide of the crude oil price in the international market.

Crude oil price has long fallen below $50 per barrel.

Though yesterday’s Order Paper listed the budget for consideration and second reading, it was eventually deferred after the Majority Leader, Mulikat AkandeAdeola presented it for consideration.

• May peg benchmark at $40 per barrel

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

However, the Deputy Leader, Leo Ogor, while speaking with reporters yesterday said the decline of the price of crude oil at the international market has delayed the consideration of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

He said: “I’m glad that our colleagues that was supposed to handle the MTEF issue have not submitted their report because there’s a lot of fluctuations going on at the moment. If they had probably accepted and submitted $65 by now we would have been thinking of adjusting the figure again.

“We may decide that the oil benchmark be pegged $35 per barrel, $40 or insisted on $65. We can also say that the difference should be sorted out from another means either borrowing or whatever but the important thing is that reality on ground now is that the oil price is about $47, so we must bring the benchmark down to the

present day reality.

“Be mindful that we have a budget of about N4.3 trillion, when you add the statistics, with that particular amount alone it can’t cover salaries.”

According to the lawmaker, the major challenge in the budget was the recurrent expenditure, adding that the possibility of labour unions asking for enhanced increase salaries will reduce the capital expenditure.

He said in order the fashion out a workable budget for the country, the National Assembly may align with Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and exercise its powers, as the budget submitted by the Federal Government remains a proposal before the National Assembly.

On the issue important bills before the House, Ogor assured that the House would strive to pass most of the pending bills.

“We have been able to push the constitutional amendment to a logical conclusion.

“The PIB which has been

delayed will also be attended to and passed before this House winds up.

The budget itself which is a document before the House will be looked at tomorrow (today). We’ll do all our best to make sure that all these pending bills are totally taken care of.

“As for the Electoral Act, it is only a matter of amendment. We have a working electoral Act which is very functional.

But there are issues with the proposed amendment which will definitely raise dust. And this issue bothers on the constitutionality of empowering INEC to deploy troops for the purpose of elections when the President has been vested with that sole responsibility of determining the operational use of the military.

“So, no president will sign such Act even if we pass it. So such issues need to be addressed before we pass the amendment.

“You also know that as an election period, we are also having challenges, because we can’t be sitting down here while some of our colleagues or opponents are out there campaigning. We are mindful of the fact that before the end of February we should have tackled all these pending bills.

NNPC rejects refineries’ builders partners for TAM

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HE management of the Nigerian National Pe troleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday said it rejected the partners nominated by the Original Refinery Builders (ORB) because they came up with ourageous charges.

It therefore explained how the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the nation’s refineries are now being handled.

In a statement, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe denied that NNPC committed N152 billion to execute the Turn Around Maintenance of four refineries between 2011 to 2013.

The statement however, pointed out that though a

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

decision was taken in 2011 to rehabilitate all refineries using the Original Refinery Builder (ORB) of each of the refineries, the Corporation made a recourse to a new strategy after the ORBs declined participation and nominated some partners in their stead who came up with outrageously unfavourable terms.

NNPC said: “The nominated partners, as sole bidders came up with humongous price offers after two years of thorough and exhaustive scope of work definition and price negotiations. The proxies were also unwilling to provide postrehabilitation performance guarantees.”

It noted that the new arrangement which kicked off in October, last year entails phased and simultaneous rehabilitation of all refineries using in-house and locally available resources in line with the spirit and letters of the Nigerian Content Law. The statement noted that the strategy also embraces the direct use of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) representatives to effect major equipment overhaul and rehabilitation.

The NNPC said it is projected that the new strategy would create 70 per cent reduction in costs which would help in mitigating the financing challenges of NNPC visa-a-vis refinery rehabilitation.

NNPC said: “The phased re-

habilitation programme started in October of 2014, after the required funding stream was established, and will last for 18 months.’’

The firm said over 60 percent of TAM materials have been delivered to Port Harcourt Refinery and installation of such equipment and parts is in progress while material orders and deliveries to Kaduna and Warri refineries are substantial and sufficient to operate the production process.

The NNPC urged members of the public to discountenance sensational comments about its operations being bandied about by some desperate politicians who are bent on achieving partisan political objectives

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 13-01-15

Meristem, 4 others account for 51% of stock market trades

F

IVE stockbroking firms accounted for some 51 per cent of total market turnover on the Nigerian stock market in 2014, according to transactions details to be released today by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

As the management of the NSE presents the scorecard for the market today, initial report obtained by The Nation showed that five stockbroking firms, including Meristem Securities Limited, Stanbic IBTC Stockbroking Limited, CSL Stockbrokers Limited, Rencap Securities Limited and Chapel Hill, accounted for 51 per cent of total transactions at the Nigerian stock market in 2014.

Market data showed that the five stockbroking firms traded 71 billion ordinary shares valued at N1.36 trillion during the year.

Meristem Securities, Chapel Hill Denham and CSL Stockbrokers are fully-owned indigenous stockbroking

By Taofik Salako

firms. Rencap Securities is Nigerian subsidiary of Renaissance Capital, a global investment and finance company while Stanbic IBTC Stockbroking is a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, a member of South Africa’s Standard Bank.

There are more than 250 stockbroking firms at the stock market. The report highlights the concentration of activities within few major companies.

The report indicated that Stanbic IBTC Stockbroking recorded the highest turnover value with N472.415 billion or 17.5 per cent. CSL Stockbrokers Limited followed with transactions worth N262.99 billion or 9.7 per cent. Rencap Securities Limited traded equities worth N246.98 billion or 9.2 per cent. Chapel Hill Denham Management Limited accounted for N223.849 billion or 8.3 per cent while Meristem Securities Limited

traded shares valued N156.210 billion or 5.8 per cent.

In volume terms, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers maintained the lead, recording 24.781 billion shares which represented 11.42 per cent, while CSL Stockbrokers traded 15.339 billion shares or 7.1 per cent. Chapel Hill Denham Management accounted for 14.849 billion shares or 6.8 per cent just as Rencap Securities Limited traded 12.252 billion shares or 5.5 per cent while Meristem Securities Limited accounted for 3.783 billion shares or 1.7 per cent.

Nigerian equities ranked among the worst-performing stocks globally in 2014 with average full-year decline of 16.14 per cent. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities closed 2014 at N13.226 trillion as against its opening value of N11.477 trillion for the year, indicating a loss of N1.75 trillion during the year.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 13-01-15

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

55

MONEYLINK

December inflation hits 8%

T

HE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday said inflation range rose from 7.9 per cent in November to eight per cent in December last year.

In its December 2014 report made available to The Nation in Abuja, the NBS said the implication of this is that the country has remained on a single digit range for 24 months.

The report said food price went up slightly in December as a result of the festive period, rising by 9.2 per cent from the 9.1 per cent recorded in the previous month, adding that this was the first uptick in rates of food prices for four months.

The report said: “In December, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation rose by eight per cent (year-on-year), 0.1 per centage points from 7.9 per cent recorded in November. This implies that inflation has held in the single digit range for twenty four consecutive months.

“Specifically in December, the faster pace of price increases recorded by the Headline index was as a result of advances in a broad array of divisions that yield the Headline index.

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

“Food prices edged slightly higher in December as a result of the festive period. Over that span, the Food sub- index rose by 9.2 per cent (yearon- year) up from 9.1 per cent recorded in November.

“This was the first uptick in rates of food prices observed in four months. While higher increases were recorded in the Meat, Fish, and Dairy groups, the Food sub-index was weighed upon by slower rises in the Bread and Cereals, Oil and Fats, and Fruits groups.”

It added that the pace of advances recorded by the “All Items Less Farm Produce” or Core sub-index slowed for the first time since August last year. The Core sub-index eased in December, increasing by 6.2 per cent, after increasing by 6.3 per cent in the previous four months.

NBS said: “While prices increased in most divisions that contribute to the Core sub-index, slower increases were recorded in the Communication and, Recreation and Culture groups. It should benoted that the Headline Index is made up of the

Core Index and Farm Produce items.

As Processed Foods are included in both the Core and Food sub-indices, this implies that these sub-indices are not mutually-exclusive.

“The Headline index rose by 0.82 per cent (month-on-month) in December, higher from 0.59 per cent recorded in November. This represented the highest month-on- month increase since March 2014. Prices increased in most COICOP divisions that yield the Headline index prices but eased in the Communication and Education Divisions.

“Year-on-year, the Urban index increased at the same rate in December as in November; by 7.9 per cent.

Rural prices as observed by the Rural index increased at a faster pace in December after increasing at a slower pace for the previous three months.”

“The Rural All items Index increased by 8.0 per cent, marginally higher from 7.9 per cent recorded in November. On a month-on-month basis, both the Urban and Rural indices recorded the highest increases since May and September 2014 respectively. Prices increased by 0.2 percentage points to 0.83 and 0.82 per cent respectively.

Firm inaugurates N1b headquarters

C

• CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

“The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelvemonth period ending in December over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve-month period was recorded at eight per cent.

“The corresponding 12-month year-on- year average percentage change for the Urban index was 8.2 per cent in December, while the corresponding Rural index was also unchanged in December increasing by 7.9 per cent.”

World Bank raises $91m bond

T

HE World Bank Green Growth Bond which closed last week realised $91 million from the deal.

The transaction closed with a total subscription of $91 million, making this the largest public offer subscription for a non-Euro denominated equity index-linked bond across Belgium and Luxembourg last year.

The bond was the first to be linked to an equity index designed for retail investors in Belgium and Luxembourg. The subscription period lasted a total of six weeks, from

By Collins Nweze

November 17, 2014 to December 29, last year with a one day reopening on January 7 to satisfy investors’ demand.

There was strong appetite from investors, with the minimum issuance target of $15 million reached in the first three days of launch.

World Bank said 10 banks distributed the product, together representing a large proportion of the Belgian market, including BNP Paribas Fortis, Fintro, Puilaetco Dewaay, Belfius, ABN Amro, KBC, CBC, Bolero, Banque Degroof and

Fortunéo Banque.

The product was developed in partnership with BNP Paribas Corporate & Institutional Banking.

Director and Head of Global Capital Markets at the World Bank, Doris Herrera-Pol, said: “This offering marks the first time equity index-linked World Bank Green Bonds are accessible to retail investors and we are thrilled that the bonds met with such success. The transaction highlights the World Bank’s ongoing appeal to investors across the board, offering an opportunity to support environmental

solutions while maintaining a long-term performance potential.”

Commenting on the development, Global Head of Structured Equity, BNP Paribas Corporate and Institutional Banking, Renaud Meary, said: “The appeal of this product in Belgium and Luxembourg points to continued trends in the responsible investing space.

BNP Paribas is committed to driving progress in sustainable and responsible investment solutions, and was proud to partner with the World Bank to deliver this pioneering solution to retail investors.”

OURTEVILLE Business Solutions, yesterday inaugurated its new headquarters valued at over N1 billion in Lagos.

Its Group Managing Director, Bola Akindele, said the firm, quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), is focused on process re-engineering in both the private and public sectors.

The new headquarters, he said, would boost its operations, adding that the companyprovides cutting edge solutions to complex operational challenges.

This, it does through the development and delivery of unique business solution models, revenue stream improvement and cost management processes.

The launching of the building, from where it now operates, Akindele said, coincides with the firm’s 10th anniversary.

“The new head office is a befitting architectural masterpiece with all the trappings of top corporate offices worldwide. The four storey building has so many features which include panoramic elevators, private lounge, water fountain in the lobby, existing facilities for branch banking and ATM galleries, a 60 person training facilities with modern training equipment, 36 CCTV cameras all wired, teleconferencing system at three different locations within the building and Biometric access control. The building and its content values in excess of N1 billion,” he said.

Akindele said the new headquarters is ‘a thing joy for all the Courteville family’.

“This is an indication that our business has grown tremendously in the last 10 years when we started the company. It is a thing of joy for all of us at Courteville to move into this new befitting new head office. Most importantly, it coincides with the 10th year anniversary of the company,” he said.

DATA BANK AFRINVEST W. A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGE FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FIDELITY NIG FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

126.95 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.63 1.39 1,730.21 1,100.04 112.60 121.16 1.67 1.29 1.32 0.95 1.17

126.90 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.62 1.33 1,730.21 1,099.29 112.97 120.30 1.62 1.28 1.32 0.93 1.17

C/PRICE 9.01 2.31 0.55 16.11 28.60 1.40 3.80 16.42 36.00 0.77 0.95

CHANGE 0.59 0.11 0.02 0.57 0.82 0.04 0.10 0.42 0.62 0.01 0.01

LOSERS AS AT 13-01-15

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

ACCESS AGLEVENT DIAMONDBNK UACN UNILEVER VITAFOAM UNIONDICON JOHNHOLT CCNN CAVERTON HONYFLOUR UBA NAHCO

5.23 1.36 4.70 27.60 33.80 3.83 13.95 1.01 9.39 3.32 3.15 3.79 5.12

4.78 1.29 4.46 26.22 32.11 3.64 13.26 0.96 8.93 3.16 3.00 3.61 4.90

Transaction Dates 13/01/2015 3/12/2014 1/12/2014 ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: December

CHANGE -0.45 -0.07 -0.24 -1.38 -1.69 -0.19 -0.69 -0.05 -0.46 -0.16 -0.15 -0.18 -0.22

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 400m 350m

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 399.97m 349.96m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES January 13, 2015

8%

Monetary Policy Rate

GAINERS AS AT 13-01-15

SYMBOL O/PRICE UBN 8.42 SKYEBANK 2.20 ABCTRANS 0.53 OANDO 15.54 BETAGLAS 27.78 CUTIX 1.36 CUSTODYINS 3.70 ZENITHBANK 16.00 FLOURMILL 35.38 AIICO 0.76 WEMABANK 0.94

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS)

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

167

168

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

$35b

US Dollar

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$45

Pounds Sterling

261.9395

263.508

Euro

206.2617

207.4968

171.546

172.5732

Yen

1.3838

1.3921

CFA

0.2944

0.3144

242.3484

243.7996

Yuan/Renminbi

27.1505

27.314

Money Supply (M2)

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

Swiss Franc

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

WAUA Tenor

13-01-15 Rate (%) Rate (%) 14-01-15

Overnight (O/N)

10.54

11.17

Riyal

44.4906

44.757

1M

11.94

12.18

SDR

243.2856

244.7424

3M

13.08

13.33

6M

14.03

14.17

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

FOREX RATES

R-DAS ($/N)

165.29

165.29

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

162.75

Parallel ($/N)

185.50

185.50

0

Jan. 13, 2015

Rates

T-bills - 91

13.65

T-bills - 182

13.88

T-bills - 364

13.65

Bond - 3yrs

13.81

Bond - 5yrs

13.85

Bond - 7yrs

13.83

56

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

57

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

58

NEWS

El-Rufai to rebuild Kaduna

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ARELY 24 hours after Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero asked his supporters to defend themselves against attacks by the opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has asked his supporters to shun trouble makers.

The APC said his administration, if elected in next month’s general elections, would rebuild the state from

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

the ruins of the ruling PDP. El-rufai said he and his running mate, Bala Barnabas Bantex, would not disappoint Kaduna people, if elected in next month’s poll.

He said: “Myself and Bantex are very grateful to Kaduna people. Our focus is to reposition Kaduna. We will not abuse anyone. We urge our party members not to cause trouble. If they tor-

ment you, don’t retaliate.”

The former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister said it was those who knew they would lose the 2015 elections that had resorted to abuses.

He added: “APC will form the next government. If elected, we will not take state resources to someone in Abuja in the name of loyalty.

“We will focus on the empowerment of farmers, teachers, students, state workers, market men and women. We

will make Kaduna great.”

Before his speech, El-Rufai asked the crowd to observe a minute silence for people killed in Southern Kaduna, Birni-Gwari and the Northeast.

Batex noted that with its formidable team, the APC was sure of victory at the polls.

He hailed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso; Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and Leadership publisher, Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, for ensuring the party’s successes in all elections.

Join bandwagon of change, Ortom tells Benue voters

B

ENUE State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Samuel Ortom, has urged the electorate to join the bandwagon of the wind of change blowing across the country by voting for the candidates of the party in next month’s general elections.

The APC candidate addressed the Nongov community, his kith and kin, at Agasha, in Guma Local Government Area.

He said Nigerians had resolved to change the nation’s leadership at all levels, hence the need for his people to tag along.

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

The former minister of state for industry noted that the lack of capacity to address the nation’s challenges by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), coupled with injustices meted out to aspirants for various offices by the ruling party, led to the mass exodus from the party to others.

He said God influenced leaders and major stakeholders of the APC to choose him as the governorship candidate because of his disposition to unite the people and the ability to tackle challenges.

Ortom said he had taken steps

to pacify aggrieved aspirants and their supporters ahead of next month’s elections.

The APC candidate pledged that if elected in February, his administration would provide critical infrastructure, including roads, affordable and enhanced healthcare, education and potable water throughout the state.

He also promised to address workers’ welfare, the payment of salaries and commitment to pensions’ welfare.

Ortom said the populace had accepted him because of his experience in politics and governance at all levels, his contributions to the

development of the state and his God-fearing stance.

The former minister urged the people to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs) and prevent rigging in all the elections.

He advised party members to shun all forms of intimidation from those who might provoke them into violence.

Ortom called for violencefree polls, adding that political leaders had subscribed to peaceful elections.

Leaders of the various segments of the community promised to work for the APC candidate’s victory in the February 28 election.

•Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima displaying his permanent voter card (PVC) after obtaining it at a polling unit in Maiduguri... on Monday evening.

Northern governors’ wives donate materials to insurgency victims T HE Forum of Wives of Northern Governors, led by the wife of the Benue State Governor, Mrs Yemesi Doshima Suswam, yesterday donated various items worth millions of naira to victims of insurgency in Borno State.

The women, who were in Maiduguri, the state capital, included wives of the governors of Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Taraba and Kaduna states.

The materials were do-

nated to the Borno State government. They included 1,500 cartons of Indomie noodles, 1,500 cartons of spaghetti, 1,500 cartons of Maggi cubes, 400 bags of rice and 300 bags of beans.

Mrs Suswam prayed for peace to return to the state.

She said the forum was disturbed by the plight of Boko Haram victims in Borno State, hence the need for the dona-

tions.

Governor Kashim Shettima thanked the governor’s wives for their gesture.

He said it signalled the signs of brotherliness and goodwill the nation needed to progress.

The governor said it was encouraging that the governors’ wives had put aside political differences to make the visit and donation to the

state.

Shettima said: “We must put aside religious, ethnic and political differences, if we are to be our brother’s keepers and ensure that an injury to one is an injury to all.

“The pains of others must be felt by all and sundry, especially by our leaders and the privileged few. This is one sure way of entrenching unity and perseverance in the country, regardless of our individual and collective differences.”

Police ban street rallies in Niger

T

HE Niger State Police Command yesterday outlawed political road walks, processions and street rallies during electioneering campaigns ahead of next month’s general elections.

It also banned the use of private security outfit by any political party for rallies and campaigns.

Police Commissioner Emmanuel Amore spoke in Minna, the state capital, at a meeting with leaders and

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

governorship candidates of the political parties.

The police chief said the ban was meant to ensure safety and effective management of electioneering campaigns among the parties.

He added that it would forestall violence among party supporters.

Amore said: “All rallies must be held in a specified venue so that the police can provide tight security before,

during and after such gatherings. We will not tolerate a situation whereby party supporters will clash on the streets to trigger violence.”

The police chief directed parties to formally write the command about their rallies, indicating the venue and time, to ensure protection by security agencies.

He said the police would be impartial, in line with their constitutional duty, during the electioneering campaigns and the election proper.

Amore said: “The law prohibits the use of inflammatory language and provocative actions or manifestation that can incite violence against another party or candidate.”

All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman Mohammed Jibrin Imam and his PDP counterpart, Honourable Musa Maali, hailed the command for planning peaceful elections.

Seven of the nine governorship candidates in the state attended the interactive session.

‘1.18m PVCs in Akwa Ibom’ •Hoodlums steal 5,000 cards

T

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed 1,177,910 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to prospective voters in Akwa Ibom, an official said.

The commission’s Head of Operations in the state, Mr Michael Odey, addressed reporters yesterday in Uyo, the state capital, on the need for peaceful elections, organised for traditional rulers in the state.

Odey said the PVCs distributed accounted for 80 per cent of the total number received by the commission in the state.

He said of the 1,468,780

PVCs received in the state, 284,915 had not been collected by their owners, while 5,955 PVCs were stolen by hoodlums.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Austin Okojie, urged the monarchs to encourage their people to collect their PVCs. He said: “We are now at the ward level for the distribution of the cards. So, we appeal to the royal fathers to use town criers to encourage the people to collect their cards.

“Our royal fathers can also mobilise people in the communities for active participation in the electoral processes.”

Police arrest hospitalised APC leader in Rivers

A

HOSPITALISED leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 17 at Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Kingsley Emenike, has been arrested by men of the state police command.

The policemen also arrested another leader of the party in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chukwu Nwoha.

They were arrested on their hospital beds at Ebony Clinic, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, with their drips removed by the security agents.

Emenike, Nwoha and many other APC members in the area were attacked last Sunday with machetes, bottles and other dangerous weapons, by thugs working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Prior to the attack, the APC members were preparing for the party’s rally in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area, to be addressed by Chief Tony Okocha, an ally of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

The politician is the party’s candidate for Obio/Akpor in the House of Representatives February 14 National Assembly election.

Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Chief Nyesom Wike, hails from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

It was learnt last night that the two APC stalwarts were immediately moved, with the blood stains and injuries they sustained, to the Rivers State Criminal Investigation De-

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

partment (SCID).

They were later released on bail and told to return to the SCID. A former Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chikordi Dike, spoke last night on the incident.

He said: “Emenike and Nwoha were arrested on their hospital beds. The policemen removed the drips on their hands and took them to the State CID.” APC Chairman in Ward 16 of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Pius Amadi, who was arrested last week by the police in Port Harcourt, was still being detained at press time last night.

Amadi, according to an APC chieftain in the area who spoke in confidence, reported the destruction of the party’s campaign materials to the police. But he was arrested and kept in police custody.

APC leader in thre local government, Chief Tony Okocha, expressed surprise at the rationale behind the arrest.

Okocha said he later learnt that Emenike and Nwoha were taken away by the policemen, “to make statements” that could help the command to apprehend those behind the attack.

He said: “I called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area and I was told Emenike and Nwoha were needed to make statements.

Somebody even sent me a text message, consoling me over Emenike’s death. But the truth is that the man did not die after the Sunday attack.”

Large crowd receives Kebbi PDP governorship candidate

K

EBBI State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, General Bello Sarkin Yaki, was received yesterday by a huge crowd of party executives and supporters at the Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi.

It was a welcome party of sort for him as he returned home from Abuja as the confirmed candidate for the party in the February 28 election.

Sarkin Yaki was accompanied by Governor Saidu Dakingari as the PDP candidate and his supporters held rally on major roads of Birnin Kebbi.

The party faithful sang

From Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi

various songs as they marched on the streets with a large convoy of vehicles.

At the PDP secretariat, they were received by other party stalwarts, candidates for various positions, party executives, including the Director of Sarkin Yaki Campaign Organisation, Dr. Isah Mohammed Argungu.

Sarkin Yaki thanked the people for their support.

The PDP candidate promised to run an open-door administration in which justice and equity would be the cardinal principles.

He also promised to make policies that would enhance youth development, if elected governor.

THE NATION JANUARY 14, 2015

59

FOREIGN NEWS Burkina Faso MPs agree to cut pay by half

France attacks: War with terrorism not Islam, PM says

F

RENCH PM Manuel Valls has said his country is at war with extremism and terrorism but not with Muslims.

He told the French National Assembly that the Islamist gunmen who murdered 17 people in Paris had wanted to kill the “spirit of France”, but had failed.

He was speaking after funeral ceremonies were held for seven of the people who died in last week’s attacks.

This week’s edition of the magazine targeted by the gunmen is to show a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

Charlie Hebdo’s previous depictions of the Prophet are said to to have prompted the

attack on its offices which left 12 people dead, including the satirical magazine’s editor and four other cartoonists.

The cartoon shows the Prophet weeping while holding a sign saying “Je suis Charlie” (“I am Charlie”) - a slogan widely used following the attack on the magazine to express support - under the headline “All is forgiven”.

There’s the full-page cartoon of a weeping Muhammad on the front cover, but inside there are no more caricatures of the Prophet.

There are plenty - in the paper’s characteristic scurrilous vein - of Muslim extremists. In one cartoon, two terrorists are seen ascending to

heaven and asking: “Where are the 70 virgins?” In the background, the murdered staff at Charlie Hebdo are enjoying an orgy.

An editorial thanks the millions of people who have declared themselves as Charlie in the past few days - but it says it wants no more of the past insinuations that by provoking Muslims, it has somehow brought trouble on itself.

French lawmakers - meeting in the National Assembly for the first time since the events of last week - observed a minute’s silence for the victims before singing the national anthem, the Marseillaise.

Members of France’s Na-

M •Vallas

tional Assembly held a minute’s silence before singing the national anthem Mr Valls told them the huge unity demonstrations attended by millions across France on Sunday were a “magnificent response” to the violence, before adding: “We are at war against jihadism and terrorism... but France is not at war against Islam and Muslims.”

EMBERS of parliament in Burkina Faso have decided to cut their salaries by half.

The move followed heated exchanges on social media after it was revealed that MPs were paid more than $3,000 (£1,985) a month.

The average salary in the West African state is about $150 a month.

One MP said the pay cut would promote better governance and rebuild confidence in democracy during a year-long transition to elections.

The former National Assembly in Burkina Faso has been replaced by an interim parliament, the Transitional National Council (CNT), as part of arrangements following the forced resignation of longserving ruler Blaise Compaore last year.

Mr Compaore seized power in a coup in 1987 and went on to win four disputed elections.

Tens of thousands of people took part in protests in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, in October over moves to allow him to extend his rule, eventually forcing him to step down.

Members of the 90-member CNT have been paid a gross salary plus attendance fees, office allowances, healthcare supplements and fuel costs.

Campaigners, including grassroots political movement Balai Citoyen, have said MPs should not be paid attendance fees and have pointed out the substantial gap between their salaries and average earnings.

Another campaign group, the Coalition Against Costly Life, has said a maximum salary of $900 would be sufficient.

Palestinian Independence: Reps summon minister over vote

T

HE House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Foreign affairs, Aminu Wali over voting for the recognition of Palestinian independence.

Nigeria abstained from voting after which the Palestine lost the bid at the United Nations.

The minister is excepted to defend the reason behind the country’s decision to abstain from voting.

The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Aminu

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

Suleiman (APC, Kano) who said the reason for Nigeria’s sudden turn about on the voting must be given to Nigerians.

“The volte face of Nigeria in the voting for the Palestinian recognition is a negation of its commitment to supporting the Palestinian quest.

“Voting was dispassionate, France, Germany, China, Russia and Chile all voted in favour of the Palestinian independence.

Ukraine: Another shell hits bus, kills 10 •Relatives of the missing students say they will continue searching until they are found dead or alive

PHOTO: AFP

Mexico missing: Protesters try to enter army base

R

ELATIVES and supporters of 43 Mexican students who disappeared in September in the south-western state of Guerrero tried to gain access to an army base in the town of Iguala on Monday.

The protesters demanded to be let in to search for the missing students.

They accuse the security forces of colluding in their disappearance.

Local police officers have confessed to handing the stu-

dents over to a drugs gang, but they have not been seen since and their families are still searching.

Prosecutors say members of the Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors) drugs gang told them they had mistaken the students for members of a rival gang.

Protesters stopped a lorry carrying beer bottles outside the 27th Infantry Battalion’s base in Iguala They armed themselves with bottles, which they

threw at military police guarding the entrance They said they killed them and burned their remains, which they tossed into a river.

A bone found in the stream has been matched to one of the 43 students, Alexander Mora.

More remains are still being tested at a specialised laboratory at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, but they are so badly burned it is not clear they can ever be identified.

The relatives of the missing students have refused to give up their search until they are presented with evidence which proves their loved ones are dead.

They say soldiers witnessed a clash between the students and local police which immediately preceded their disappearance, and failed to intervene.

For weeks, the relatives have been demanding an investigation into the role of the military on the night of the disappearance.

Nigeria, Finland sign MOU on human trafficking

N

IGERIA and Finland yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU on a closer partnership in curbing human trafficking between the two countries.

The Executive Secretary of NAPTIP, Beatrice JeddyAgba who signed on behalf of the Nigerian Government advocated for a united and holistic approach by nations of the world as a major strategy in winning the fight against human trafficking.

According to her, a holistic response would imply the adoption of the 4ps of Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership by all countries, adding that any one left would negatively affect the

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

counter-trafficking agenda of the International community.

While stating that no one country has the capacity to curb human trafficking within its territory, she maintained that collaboration in all areas identified by the United Nations through the Palermo Protocol must be maintained by supply and destination countries.

She disclosed that such an understanding informed the setting up of the Training and Manpower Development Department, and the Intelligence and International Cooperation Unit for the Agen-

cy on her assumption of office.

The Executive Secretary, however, thanked the Finland Government for the assistance so far rendered to the Agency including the rehabilitation of one of the Agency’s Shelters.

The Finland Ambassador to Nigeria, Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury expressed her Country’s appreciation of the reception by NAPTIP and the cooperation between the two countries on issues relating to countering human trafficking.

France attacks: War with terrorism not Islam, PM says While stressing that Human Trafficking is a serious violation of Human rights, she informed the Executive Secretary of her country’s desire to sustain the relationship be-

tween both countries as part of Finland’s plan of sustaining the defence of human rights of victims.

She however, added that the relationship has been beneficial to both countries.

The Finland Ambassador was accompanied by a delegation comprising the Minister Counsellor Embassy of Finland, Markku Laamanen, Chief Superintendent, National Police Board, Terho Rajala, Detective Sergent NBI Finland, Ariteno Anttonew and Liason officer for BG embassy of Finland, Mikko Oksanen.

Ambassador Dankano of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also present.

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SHELL has hit a bus in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 10 civilians and wounding many more, Ukraine’s military says.

A statement said the incident happened at a government checkpoint in Buhas, about 35km (22 miles) southwest of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.

Donetsk regional officials blamed pro-Russian rebels but a report said rebel leaders had denied it.

Fighting has intensified recently, despite a truce agreed in September.

One report said the bus had been carrying civilians from the coastal town of Mariupol.

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

Vyacheslav Abroskin, head of the Donetsk regional interior ministry, said it appeared the target had been a road block set up close to the nearby town of Volnovakha but the attack had gone astray.

“It was a direct hit on an intercity bus,” he said.

“An investigation is in progress. The road between Donetsk and Mariupol has been closed,” he said.

Initial reports said a shell had hit the bus although a statement by the military later said it could have been a Grad rocket.

Zimbabwe court halts evictions blamed on Grace Mugabe

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IMBABWE’S High Court has ordered a halt to the eviction of farmers who claim they have been targeted to make way for a game park proposed by First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Police have been demolishing homes of more than 200 families who had occupied land seized under the government’s controversial land reform programme.

The government has denied that Mrs Mugabe is linked to the evictions.

The court ruled that the evictions were illegal and the farmers could not be forced out without being

•Grace Mugabe

provided with alternative land.

Lawyers for six of the farmers brought the case against the police and the ministry of land and home affairs - not Mrs Mugabe, reports the BBC’s Brian Hungwe from the capital, Harare.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14, 2015

NEWS Ogun traditional rulers back Buhari Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

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Executive Secretary, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Deaconess Modupe Ajibola-Ojodu addressing stake holders at a meeting at the Freedom House, council secretariat, Festac Town, Lagos...yesterday. With her are her counterpart from Oriade Local Council Development Area, Hon. Bola Badmus-Olujobi, (second left); Alado of Ado Kingdom, Oba Olayinka Ado (left) and Onilado of Ilado and Inagbe Island, Oba Mobadenle Oyekan

PDP loses six Senators to APC, LP N

O fewer than six Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators have dumped the party to join forces with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP).

The defection of the Senators to the opposition parties was said to be part of the fallout of the controversial PDP primary elections.

PDP governors in collaboration with the national party leadership was alleged to have hijacked primary elections to the disadvantage of some Senators.

One of the defecting lawmakers, Senator Atiku Bagudu Abubakar representing Kebbi Central joined the APC. Abubakar got the APC ticket to contest the Kebbi State governorship election.

Senator Bassey Otu, who represents Cross River South Senatorial District is another defector.

Senator Otu defected to the (LP) actualise his ambition for re-election to the Senate.

Otu’s ticket was given to Chief Geshom Bassey, Chairman of the Cross River State Water Board.

Senator Out is the LP candidate.

A former National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Barnabas Gemade who had a long battle with Governor Gabriel Suswan of Benue State on who should fly the flag of the PDP for the Benue North East

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Sanni Onogu, Abuja and Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi

Senatorial District, is also another defector. He is the APC candidate.

Chairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Senator Mohammed Magoro, representing Kebbi South on the platform of the PDP also joined his colleague, Senator Bagudu to defect to the APC. Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang is also now an APC sympathiser.

Enang who could be described as one of the staunch members of the PDP in the Senate is expected to defect to the APC soon.

Enang told reporters in Abuja: “I am working for APC to ensure that it wins governorship election down to other positions. I will only work for Jonathan as President.”

A source close to Enang confided in our correspondent that the lawmaker is determined to work for all APC candidates in the state.

It is also expected that Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Helen Esvene, one of the aggrieved 22 PDP governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State that rejected the outcome of the primary, is likely to pitch her

tent with APC. The PDP governorship ticket in the state was handed to Mr. Emmanuel Udom to the dissatisfaction of 22 aspirants.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Abubakar Saraki Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) Senator Magnus Ngei Abe and 10 others had earlier defected from the PDP to the APC in what was described as a heavy blow to the strength of the majority party in the Senate.

With the current wave of defections the standing of the parties in the Senate stood at PDP 58 Senators, APC 46 Senators, Social Democratic Party (SDP) into which the three Ogun State Senators, Olugbenga Obadara, (Ogun Central), Akin Odunsi (Ogun West) and Adegbenga Kaka (Ogun East) defected to, has three Senators, Accord Party has one in the person of Olufemi Lanlehin while Progressive Peoples Party (PPA) gained one Senator in the person of Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman.

The defections have however not been officially announced by the Senate President, David even most of the defectors have communicated him on their decision to jump ship.

Magoro alongwith others were received inot the APC in Kebbi State.

The other defectors are General Abubakar Tanko Ayuba , rtd General Dan Asabe , Col. Manga.

They were received at the Zuru township stadium during the presentation of APC governorship running mate , Col . Samaila Yombe who is from Zuru emirate Other PDP chieftains from the area who also dumped the party to join the APC with hundreds of their supporters included Alhaji Zaki mental, PDP youth leader Yauri local government , Alh.Abdullahi Lamba, the chief of staff to Governor Dakingari, Alh. Jelani Mohammed,Wazirin Yauri, former Commissioner and Alh Yusuf Dan Ladi Layi Layi,a prominent business man in Zuru.

Gen. Ayuba said Senator Magoro could not attend the gathering due to bad weather which prevented flights. He said part of reasons why they dumped the PDP was because zuru is marginalised politically “ PDP has ignored zuru, no governor, no deputy governor, no SSG but the APC has accepted us “ he said.

The APC Senator Bagudu, and former FCT minister Senator Adamu Aliero, described the APC as the sword to salvage the country.

Politics no longer about lies, says Jonathan

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan took yesterday his campaign for votes to Ekiti State with a promise to focus more on the empowerment of the younger generation if reelected in the February 14 presidential poll.

Speaking at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti where he addressed a crowd of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters and members of the public, the President also pledged to use agriculture to create more jobs for citizens and ensure food security.

He was accompanied by Vice President Namadi Sambo, PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu'azu, Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman Chief Tony Anenih, Campaign Council Director Senator Ahmadu Ali, Southwest campaign Coordinator, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and zonal leaders.

But the rally did not go without controversy as Governor Ayo Fayose launched attacks on the All Progressives Congress

•President campaigns in Ekiti From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

(APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The President said his administration is targeting two million jobs every year to accommodate not less than 1.8 million graduates.

He explained that a Presidential Jobs Board have been set up to formulate a framework to reduce the massive unemployment. The President identified the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), power sector, CBN/Federal Government micro-credit loans,YOU-WIN initiative as other areas his administration has empowered Nigerians.

Jonathan emphasised that his administration has redefined governance by not cajoling Nigerians with lies and falsehood like other politicians, saying the era of using deceit to hoodwink

the electorate was over.

The President said: "We have been following politicians in the 70s and in the 80s . You will remember the song of Tony Wilson, who says the politician is a man of many words.

"He portrays the politician as somebody who will call black white and blue red. But we are redefining politics, I cannot deceive Nigerians, whatever we say, we will do, that's what we are doing."

Jonathan also expressed his appreciation to voters in Ekiti for re-electing Fayose, promising to collaborate with the governor to develop Ekiti.

He recalled that his campaign in 2011 earned him majority votes in that year's presidential poll.

Jonathan explained that Ekiti State suffered teething problems after its creation alongside his home state of Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Gombe and Zamfara because they were not given takeoff grants.

The President noted that Ekiti

is renowned for academic excellence having produced eminent academics but had no federal university until his ascension to power.

Jonathan paid tributes to Ekitiborn intellectuals like eminent historian, the late Prof. Jacob AdeAjayi, the late Prof. Sam Aluko and literary giant, Prof. Niyi Osundare, who recently received the Presidential Merit Award.

The PDP presidential flag bearer hailed eminent lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola for establishing a private university saying the Federal Government has partnered with the chief to establish a federal teaching hospital.

Another project the Federal Government has executed in Ekiti, according to the President is the 100,000 capacity silo executed through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He described Ekiti people as "great farmers" who use their money to train their children saying his administration would now focus on commercial farming to boost export.

ROMINENT Ogun State traditional rulers - the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adeniyi Sonariwo and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Michael Gbadebo – yesterday blessed the All Progressives Congress(APC)’s Buhari-Osinbajo ticket. They said their joint candidacy if elected, would lay a solid foundation for a better Nigeria.

Buhari, Osibajo and APC national leaders visited separately Oba Adetona, Oba Gbadebo and Oba Sonariwo at their palaces yesterday..

The traditional Rulers expressed the confidence that a combination of Buhari and Osinbajo would bring about the change Nigeria desired.

Oba Adetona expressed confidence that the country would witness a new lease of life with Gen. Buhari at the helm of affairs.

According to him, Nigeria would begin to flourish once again..

Oba Sonariwo assured them of his support Oba Gbadebo described Gen. Buhari as a “man of vision, very committed, hard working, purposeful and very determined.”

The campaign train also visited the Ikenne home of the late, Chief Obafemi Awolowo,where they were received by the matriarch Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu(HID) Awolowo.

Oba Gbadebo described Gen. Buhari as ‘’a purposeful man of vision who is competent for the task of salvaging the nation at this critical time.’’ ‘’Before you today is a man of vision, competent, hardworking, purposeful and determined. He is a man totally devoid of sentiments who calls a spade, a spade.

“The first time Baga in the North was over-run, this is the same man who was sent to clear the place and return it to Nigeria.

Nigerians, this time will not be making a wrong choice if we share in the same vision of General Muhammadu Buhari. The nation of Singapore was transformed through the efforts of one man. God will help Gen. Buhari to take Nigeria to a place of our dream,’’ he said.

IDPs rise to 981,416, says NEMA From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

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HE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said yesterday that the figure of internally displaced persons in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states rose to 981,416, as at January 9.

The Director-General of NEMA, Mohammed Sani Sidi, gave the figure at a meeting with a delegation representing the United Nations Secretary General in Abuja.

Sidi lamented that the IDPs’ Monitoring Centre (IDPMC) earlier came out with a blotted figure of three million displaced persons in the Northeast in a bid to collect money from International donors.

He said: “We want to state categorically that NEMA never blotted its figures of IDPs. We also welcome the figure of the International Organisations for Migration (IOM), which gave a similar figure to what NEMA gave.

“Borno, Adamawa and Yobe have a total population of over nine million people. Daily profiling and registration is constantly ongoing by NEMA officials in these states. In most cases, the data varies because of movement of IDPs. “The agency is partnering with IOM to ensure accuracy of data collection in camps round the Northeast.

“Some of these non-governmental organisations (NGOs) come to NEMA pleading for figures to be blotted so that international donors can give more money. But this is wrong and fraudulent. So, they choose to go to the media to give them figures that do not exist. The three million displaced people given by IDPMC did not exist.

“NEMA has stockpiled food item in the three states of the Northeast for emergencies.”

Cameroonian troops kill 143 Boko Haram fighters

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AMEROON’S Army said its troops have killed 143 Boko Haram fighters, with the government saying it was the biggest defeat it had inflicted to date on the Islamist group.

Government spokesman, Issa Bakary, made the announcement yesterday in Yaoundé.

He said the insurgents were killed after they attacked a military camp in Kolofata, north of Cameroon.

The military initially said that 143 Boko Haram fighters had died in the over five hours of fighting.

Bakary said the battle ended after the army bombed the attackers, forcing them to retreat to the Nigerian border.

“However, Cameroon lost one soldier,’’ he said.

The Central African country has deployed over 1,000 troops in its Far North region, where Boko Haram members frequently enter from Nigeria to stage attacks.

Unpaid arrears: Military pensioners to protest From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

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ETIRED military personnel have notified the Federal Government and the military authorities on plan to stage a peaceful protest tomorrow over unpaid pension arrears.

The retired military personnel, who are under the umbrella of the Ex-Service Men Welfare Association, in a statement yesterday, said they were being owed pension arrears from July 2010 till date.

According to them, the Ministry of Finance had, without due consultations, decided to implement 33 per cent increment for military pensioners while their civilian counterparts got 53.37 per cent.

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NEWS Obasanjo to Jonathan: it is too late to support you Continued from page 4

corruption, a lot of resources will be available to invest in infrastructure, get the factories to reopen, get jobs, and get goods and services.

“So security, economy, in terms of employment, production, manufacturing, goods and services, and then agriculture will again give impetus to employment. We have to be systematic and work to make sure that the vast land we have is cultivated not only to produce food, but to produce raw materials for agro-allied industries, which used to be very viable but which we allowed to die because everybody has concentrated on getting oil money.

“Now the oil money is dwindling rapidly; I think we better come back to our senses. Sir, briefly, this is what we intend to do and this is contained in our manifesto. We are not going to be inflexible the way some people accused us of doing it.

“We are going to be dynamic as we go along and that’s why I said we are here to seek for your understanding, for your support, in spite of the political card you hold.”

Replying, Obasanjo said he put off all engagements outside the state capital yesterday in anticipation that Gen. Buhari and his party would visit him, urging politicians to engage in campaigns of “issues” and how to solve the nation’s “crying problems” rather than inanities.

Obasanjo, was apparently referring to the campaign of falsehood and misinformation against Gen. Buhari regarding his tenure at the PTF as chairman, noted that he did not find anything against him from the inquiry initiated into the establishment’s books.

According to the former President, he called off further inquisition into the PTF matter when Gen. Buhari assured him that there was no personal benefit accrued to him while his tenure at the PTF lasted.

Obasanjo said: “Our paths have crossed on a number of occasions and when I was told you are going to be coming to Ogun State, I wasn’t sure whether you will come here or not. But I told my boys; I said well, whatever programme we have outside Ogun State for today, let us shelve it just in case

Muhammadu and his party and his team decide to call here.

“You have kindly underlined what I want everybody to remember; that I am a card-carrying member of another political party. But I have always also said that party or no party, what is paramount for me is Nigeria.

And that will remain paramount as far as I am concerned.

“There is no political party in the world that is made up of saints and our own political parties in Nigeria will be no exception. All the political parties have saints and devils among them.

“But because what you are campaigning for is the votes of saints and devils to be able to win an election, I wish you well. Muhammadu, maybe I’ll remind you of one or two things.

“When you were commissioner for Petroleum, you went out for a meeting of OPEC and because of my carelessness, you give me anything. I am very careless about what people give me as presents. One of his colleagues gave me a hand-made shoes and I wore it once and I gave it to my ADC. “So, the man then came up after about one month, he said ‘look, where is the pair of shoes I gave you?. Normally, I shouldn’t ask of it but I haven’t seen you wearing it; you are wearing these wretched shoes instead.

“I said I’ve given it to my ADC. He said the shoes cost £250. So, he called my ADC and said, ‘ADC, oga gave you a pair of shoes? He said ‘yes’. ‘Go and bring it’. When he brought it, he said when next I travel I will get you a captain’s pair of shoes.

“Muhammadu heard that story. So, he went and they gave them present; I think it was a gold coin and he came to me and said, assure me that you will not give this thing away. So I had to assure him that I will not give it away. After I had assured him, he said alright you can have it.

It’s meant for you really since I was representing you.

“I must confess today that I didn’t give it away but in recent time, I cannot locate it. Another thing that I want to sayý, when you were going to become manager of PTF. We talked about it and when you finished and I took over, we looked into it.

“I haven’t said this publicly, I would say it publicly now. When we looked into it, there was real-

ly nothing amiss, except that organisation went from road building to mosquito net buying and all sort of things.

“And what the investigation discovered is a bit of inconsistency in prices and all that. In one area, mosquito net might have been given for N50; in another, N45. And then remarked that this is fishy. We should look into it.

“And I called my brother and colleague; I said this and he said, ‘look, we are managing billions of naira and I tried to make sure I see everything. But I will not say that what they have said about this is correct or not correct. But I can assure you I tried to see everything.

“I said, ‘okay. Muhammadu, between me, you and God, was there any personal benefit for you? And you said ‘no’. I said that is the end of the matter. Although there was that investigation, its report was not of any material importance.ý “I thought that I should say it today that I have this opportunity because I hope people will face issues rather than trivialities. On occasion like this, issues are very important. And you have mentioned three areas which are demanding issues in Nigeria today.

“I will just beg all of you who are contesting to add one to it; you mentioned economy, you mentioned corruption, and you mentioned security. All of you I will beg of you to add infrastructure. It’s very important. You may take it as part of economy but I will take infrastructure as special and give it special attention.

“For all political parties that are trying to woo us to vote for them in the coming election; let’s go away from red-herring, let’s go away from trivialities; let’s face issues and tell the people of this country what we will do to deal with these crying problems of our country.

“Having said that, I will also say that while a party must be microcosm of a nation - and in a nation you will have the good and the bad and a good party must have all these in them. But what matters is that when that party has to go into government, it must look for men and women of character. And we have them in all parties, we have them throughout the nooks and crannies of this country.

“I cannot end without remind-

ing you, even though I saw some old faces(past PDP members), but some of us will remain firm, at least at the ward level where I am very active in my party.”

A massive and enthusiastic crowd welcomed the APC Presidential candidate and his running mate to Abeokuta.

Buhari had on his campaign train the National leaders of the party, including Chairman Chief John Odigie - Oyegun, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Senator Barnabas Gemade, Senator Oloruninmbe Mamora, Senator Bukola Saraki, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu among others entered the town at 12 noon.

Apart from ex-President Obasanjo, the delegation visited the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, before proceeding to the MKO Abiola stadium venue of the rally.

Gen. Buhari pledged to explore the nation’s non-oil sectors so as to create jobs and wealth for Nigerians, if voted into office.

The former military Head of state said over reliance on the oil sector and the failure to manage the revenue from it, particularly during period of booms, the nation’s leaders threw Nigeria into the current economic woes.

He said:”our leaders have over relied on oil money to the detriment of other sectors. Now that the price of oil has crashed, we are now facing serious economic challenges.

“Our extreme concern is the vicious cycle of insecurity, corruption and unemployment that is confronting Nigeria now.”

He also promised to explore more opportunities in the agriculture and the mining sectors.

Buhari said the education standard had fallen and gave assurance that the APC government would tackle it by creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning to thrive.

He said: “we will engage in commercial agriculture and mining as well as resuscitate the abandoned agro-allied industries so as to generate employments and create wealth for Nigerians.”

Chief Odigie - Oyegun hailed the people of Ogun for their support for the APC-led government.

He also handed the party’s flag to Amosun and presented him to the people for re-election.

President shifts Ondo rally as 46 PDP leaders join APC Continued from page 4

ed and competent leadership.

“Change, which is a mission to a destination of greatness where our state and nation ought to be. Change from broken promises, broken infrastruture, broken confidence, broken trust, broken leadership and broken future, all from which our people daily and consistently suffer”.

Receiving the defectors, National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of APC, Chief Pius Akinyelure assured them of level play ground,stressing that there is no founder, no joiner in the party.

Akinyelure charged members to go back to their local governments and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

State APC Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, said the defection of

prominent chieftains of PDP has finally collapsed the structure of the party.

The former Secretary to the State Government(SSG)said the party and the entire citizenry would resist any attempt to rig the elections.

He urged INEC to allow collection of PVC,urging the electoral body to inform the people that “Kaadi Igbeayo” could not substitute PVC.

Dignitaries at the event include Senator Ajayi Boroffice,Chief Tayo Alasoadura, Lebi Morayo, Ifedayo Abegunde, Adedipe Adegboyga, Ade Adetimehin, Tunji Abayomi, Erelu Modupe-Akindele Johnson, Kehinde Adeniran, Abayomi Adesanya, Olu Adegboro, Solagbade Amodeni,Adewale Omojuwa, among others.

68.8m eligible to vote, says INEC Continued from page 4

sion had taken custody of 130,000 card readers to be used for the elections. They have been distributed; adding that the remaining would be brought in before month end.

He said: "Contrary to doubts being peddled by some persons, INEC will use card readers for the 2015 election. The Commission has already taken delivery of more than 130,000 units of these card readers, and we are on schedule to receive the remaining quantity before the end of January. Deployment of the card readers to states has commenced."

With the card readers, Jega said the commission would be able to tackle electoral fraud as the technology would greatly eliminate impersonation and

other forms of electoral fraud.

Jega foreclosed the possibility of using the temporary voter cards for the election. Only the PVCs would be used.

Speaking of the PVCs, Jega said: "As we have already made public, more than 38million PVCs have been collected by duly registered voters across the country. But that leaves many PVCS yet to be collected. " To address this challenge, we have directed RECS to further decentralise distribution to the Ward level. We have also extended the time for distribution, which is now 8:30a.m to 5:30p.m, Mondays to Saturdays.

Our staff will strictly comply with the announced hours of distribution. "Failure by any of our staff to comply with the schedule can be promptly re-

ported at the Local Government and State offices of the Commission, as well as the National Headquarters through the INEC Citizens Contact Centre (ICCC)."

On the issue of funding, Jega said "the commission is happy to say that it has received from the government all the funds required to conduct the general elections. We can say, in effect, that funding is no longer a challenge to the forthcoming elections."

Speaking on the efforts to ensure that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) vote, Jega said "the Commission is finalising arrangements to enable IDPs to vote. On Tuesday, we will be having a meeting with stakeholders to present our plans and get their input, as well as buyin."

INEC has also released Candidates' list for February 14th National elections following nominations made by political parties and as required by law.

Buhari for Ekiti Jan. 24

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HE APC presidential Campaign scheduled for today has been shifted to January 24 by the NEC of the party.

APC Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State Taiwo Olatunbosun in a statement said: “We wish to tell our members and the good people of Ekiti that all arrangements to give GMB (Nigeria Next President) a befitting reception are ongoing.

PDP lacks integrity to query Buhari Continued from page 4

“You have not been able to create that job for six years. You assembled our youths at the stadium in Abuja, Owerri, Enugu, everywhere and told them to pay for forms; they died without getting job. You did not show remorse. Nobody was sacked; and now he is making another promise. Who are you deceiving? PDP! Don’t be deceived. If they want to continue to say we are sadistic, we are

not. Our children are dying.

Our nation, our being, devastated through the hail of bombs. If your son comes back from school and says he has failed, you tell him to look for another job. Jonathan said he has failed; let him go and look for another job. We don’t want a President that can’t perform.

It is not his fault; he does not have what it takes to rule Nigeria. Let him go and rest at home.”

Govt threatens rice importers Continued from page 4

duction on a large scale.

Adesina said: “The goal is to turn importers into local producers. And that is being achieved.

For example, Dangote Group, a major importer of food in the country, is developing 150,000 hectares of rice fields in Edo, Kebbi, Jigawa, Niger and Kogi states that will produce one million MT of rice paddy per annum within four years.

“Elephant Group, another major rice importer, is investing $300 million on a 76,000MT/annum mill and a 10,000Ha farm in Oyo State. These are all investments that have been publicly announced.”

“The Asians are getting good competitors in our local firms and they are not happy.

Dangote Group is investing $1 billion; Flour Mill ($218 million); Elephant Group ($300 million); and Honeywell ($213 million) He said: “Nigerian entrepreneurs have also seen the opportunity created by the increased paddy production; rice mills have risen from just one integrated rice mill in 2010 to twenty rice mills today, with a combined capacity of 700,000MT annum.

“The use of certified im-

proved seeds by farmers led to high quality uniform paddy which greatly increased the marketability of rice from out local integrated millers comparable with import-grade, high quality rice. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), price of local rice has consistently been lower than that of imported rice; no wonder some unscrupulous importers bag local rice and sell it as imported rice.”

PUBLIC NOTICE AJAYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Samuel Olayinka Ajayi now wish to be known and addressed as Abayomi Olayinka Samuel Ajayi-Ola. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

AGBOWORIN I, formerly known and addressed as Ishola Lateef Agboworin now wish to be known and addressed as Ishola Lateef Olajide. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

IHENECHE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Iheneche Deborah Ijeoma now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ukadike Deborah Ijeoma. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

IRONDI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ezinne Ugbonma Irondi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Celestina Ezinne Ugbonma Nwadike.

All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

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SPORT EXTRA

Man City confirms loan move for Nwakali

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NGLISH Premier League champions, Manchester City has confirmed that it will loan out Flying Eagles midfielder, Chiediebere Nwakali to an unnamed club outside of England.

The 18-year-old has found it difficult to break into the

Manchester City first team and has been touted to go on loan to gain more first team experience.

And with the January transfer window currently open, the English side have confirmed that the former Golden Eaglet player will be

Nigeria Cricket Federation appoints new coaches HE Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has appointed new set of coaches for the national U-19 cricket team in preparation for next month’s African championship scheduled to take place in Botswana.

The selected coaches are Tamuno John and Joseph Onoja as Head Coach and Assistant Coach respectively on Tuesday after its general staff meeting held in Abuja.

John, who was the former assistant female coach, Southsouth takes over from Seyi Soyinde who had been in charge of the team for some time now.

By these appointments, resumption of camping in preparation for the African Cricket Association (ACA) Championship will now go full swing with the arrival of 24 invited players to camp.

Mr Joseph Eshua, the NCF General Manager told reporters that 14 players would be se-

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From Patrick Ngwaogu, Abuja lected out of the 24 invited to camp in preparation for the Botswana tournament. ``At the end of today all invitation letters to the 24 players will be sent out for them to start moving to camp in Ilorin, Kwara, even though they are on standby as we speak,’’ Eshua said.

He noted that the general staff meeting which approved the appointment of the new coaches and the calendar of NCF events for 2015 gave the coaches a specific target.

This, he said was to ensure the team do not derail from its preparation plan. The major target we have given them is for them not to use players that are over 19 years of age; it affects our development. ``Because at the end of the day, even with the over age players we don’t win the u-19 championship and the essence of using the senior players will be de-

leaving the Etihad stadium for a loan spell in Europe.

“For Chidiebere Nwakali, we are currently in the process of agreeing his loan deal to Europe. At this moment in time, we feel it is best for his development that he cements his place in the club side.”

The midfielder, who has been invited for Nigeria’s participation at the 2015 Africa Youth Championship in Senegal, will not make Nigeria’s team to the Championship due to his impending loan move away from the Etihad.

“Chidiebere Nwakali will not be available to meet up with the national team until further notice,” Manchester City’s scouting and recruitment operations manager, Fergal Harkin, said in a letter sent to the Nigeria Football Federation.

The English club also confirmed that Kelechi Iheanacho will also miss out on Nigeria’s participation at the Africa Youth Champonship, as he’s currently nursing an injury.

“With regards Kelechi Iheanacho, he is currently injured. We believe he will be fit around the middle of March but can keep in contact regarding his recovery.”

Both players have been integral parts of the Flying Eagles team and their absence should be a source of concern for the Flying Eagles coaches.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

63

SPORT EXTRA BALLON D'OR

Ronaldo, Messi snub each other

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HE Ballon d'Or may be the most prestigious individual prize a footballer can win, but a deeper look at the voting leaves a feeling of bemusement and frustration.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have quite rightly been voted the world's best player on Monday night - his second consecutive win and third overall - and gushed about Lionel Messi, hailing his great rival for helping him become a better player.

But the Real Madrid superstar could not bring himself to include Messi in his top three players in the world, instead choosing to opt for teammates Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale and Karim

Neuer´s third place unfair - Kroos

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ONI Kroos believes it is "unfair" that Manuel Neuer finished third in the Ballon d'Or voting, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo claimed the award for a third time on Monday, finishing as the clear winner with 37.66 per cent of the vote.

His La Liga rival Messi took second with 15.76 per cent, while Bayern Munich goalkeeper Neuer was third, just 0.04 per cent behind the Barcelona man.

Benzem Equally Messi, despite saying Ronaldo deserved to win, voted for Argentina teammates Angel di Maria and Javier Mascherano and Barcelona buddy Andres Iniesta.

Are the world's two best players really that petty that they can't recognise the other's achievements on paper?

But let's be clear, Ronaldo and Messi are not the only ones who simply 'vote for the boys'.

Vincent Kompany, captain of Belgium, deemed international team-mates Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard as the world's two best players with Arjen Robben third. No Ronaldo, no Messi, no Manuel Neuer. Really, Vincent?

Diego Godin, the Uruguay captain, opted for former

Atletico Madrid team-mates Diego Costa and Courtois ahead of Robben. Again, no sign of the eventual top three.

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteigher went a step further, picking international and Bayern Munich team-mates Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller. The trio of course won a Bundesliga title and a World Cup, but did all three really outshine Ronaldo and Messi?

Unfortunately, the list goes on.

Radamel Falcao, captain of Colombia, put above everyone else James Rodriguez - of, yes, you guessed it, Colombia.

Wales captain Ashley Williams opted for Gareth Bale, Robin van Persie went for Robben and Hugo Lloris deemed French team-mate Benzema the world's secondbest player.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.10 NO.3095

TODAY IN THE NATION ‘Nigeria is very like a would-be beautiful Christmas tree. We have the wherewithal to create a wonderful Christmas tree and we buy the decorations and stick some on! Unfortunately politicians and others come and remove most of the glittering lights and ornaments and presents’ TONY MARINHO

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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T has become almost a cliché that since President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari, the two leading contenders in next month’s presidential election, launched their campaigns in earnest last week, they’ve spent more time attacking each other than in talking about issues. Last week I said I agreed candidates should be discussing issues alright, but added in effect that I saw nothing wrong with discussing personalities as well. Character, I said, was for me indeed more important than issues because the problem of this country is less the right diagnosis than the fact that we seldom practised what we preached.

In other words, we can analyse issues to death, but it makes no difference if we lack the disposition to walk our talk. This was why I was sceptical when President Jonathan said in effect that his campaign will be without animosity during his New Year broadcast on January 1.

“Let us,” he said, “not promote sectionalism, disunity, intolerance, hate, falsehood or the malicious abuse of political opponents... Let us put the nation and the people first. Let us all conduct our electoral campaigns with the highest possible decorum and civility towards political opponents.”

Fine and noble words, no doubt. But no sooner did the president utter them than some of his men decided to practise exactly what he’d preached against. One of the first to fire the first shots was the National Secretary of the president’s party, Professor Adewale Oladipo. Buhari, he said, was a semi-literate jackboot.

The next election, he said, “is going to be between light and darkness. It is going to be between a cosmopolitan highly focussed PhD holder and a semi-illiterate (sic) jackboot.” These words clearly failed the president’s tests of tolerance, love, truth and absence of malice.

Since then, the president has appointed Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode as the director of publicity for his campaign organisation. That put paid to any hope that the president sincerely meant to heed his own call for a decent campaign. For, Fani-Kayode has never been one to shy away from using the foulest language against anyone he disagreed with, including, of course, the president himself who he once dismissed as clueless.

This would not be the first time the gentleman will use the most abusive language against someone only to turn around to be his spokesman. Pretty early in General Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term as president, he condemned the man as sell-out to the so-called Hausa-Fulani and the international capital. He even said the man would end in disgrace. Yet he eventually turned round to serve the man as probably his most virulent spin doctor once Obasanjo invited him to come and chop, to use the local lingo.

It then says more about the president’s character than about Fani-Kayode that he

RIPPLES MY GOVT CREATED JOBS, SAYS JONATHAN

Those JOBS must have been created for ‘GHOSTS’

People and Politics

•Jonathan

•Buhari

would employ him to publicise his campaign.

Not surprisingly, the man has been doing his best to justify his boss’s new found confidence.

As if the uncivil language of such president’s men like Professor Oladipo was not bad enough, he himself descended into abuse. On January 7, while receiving in audience some members of the Northern Elders Council led by the octogenarian, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, famous for being a permanent fixture in the corridors of power since the Second Republic, the president must have entered the Guinness Book of Records in the use of foul language against an erstwhile benefactor, if such a category existed.

He did not name any name, but even the blind could see through his mind’s eye that his attack that day on elders, who have become highly critical of his performance, was aimed at Obasanjo.

“You are,” he said, “not a senior citizen you can never be. You are ordinary motor park tout because if you are a senior citizen, you will act like one.” Obasanjo is, of course, notorious for pulling no punches when it comes to criticising others. Even then I thought, and I am sure many people would agree with me, that to call a former leader of a country, and one old enough to be one’s father at that, a “motor park tout”

was really the limit.

Of course, Jonathan is not in contest with his erstwhile benefactor for the presidency. But the way the former president has persistently attacked the incumbent since their simmering cold war came out in the open late last year, the president might as well have been.

Taking their cue from the president’s actions rather than his words, many of his supporters, especially conveniently anonymous ones like “CONCERNED NIGERIANS” have since been publishing adverts against Buhari which are anything but decent. These supporters of the president are so blinded by their dislike of Buhari that the irony that some of their adverts are indictments of many of the president’s men – and even of the president himself seems lost on them.

Take, for example, the one published in several newspapers last Monday casting doubts on Buhari’s reputation as an honest man. Titled “HYPOCRISY” with a cartoon picture of the general behind another cartoon picture of the late military ruler, carrying a handbag with PTF (the Petroleum Trust Fund which he served as chairman), it asked how an honest man could serve, as Buhari did, in the administration of General Sani Abacha which the advertisers claimed was “globally

acclaimed to be Nigeria’s most corrupt government.”

Obviously the irony was lost on the advertisers that if serving in Abacha’s administration was a failure of the test of one’s honesty, then the PDP leadership must be full of many dishonest men. For, among those who were either part and parcel of Abacha’s administration or were his henchmen are such PDP chieftains like its erstwhile chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Chief Ebenezer Babatope and, not least of all, Senate President David Mark.

Of all the campaigns in support of the president, which have observed his fine appeal for civility only in the breech, none is more disturbing than the words of the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Samuel Uche, last Sunday during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Interdenominational Service at the National Christian Centre, Abuja. The Archbishop spoke in the presence of the president himself, the Senate president, top officers of the military and of other security agencies and other VIPs. “Let me,” he said, “reveal to you this evening and at this important service at this juncture that some of our soldiers, because you know we Bishops have impact in the society, we relate to soldiers and all manner of people. And some of the people in warfront have confided in us that apart from some mercenaries from Chad, Libya as well as Somalia, 95 per cent of those fighting our country are (sic) of Fulani and Kanuri origin.

“They are aggrieved because they want power at all costs. They believe Nigeria belongs to them alone and that they are born to rule while others follow. It is a deceit. The second is that they want to Islamise Nigeria and build a parallel caliphate from the one in Sokoto.”

Because the president broke his own standard of the quality of debate that he said should precede next month’s election, one is not surprised that some people in the opposition camp have responded in kind.

The other day, for example, the All Progressive Congress (APC) leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described those in power as “predators and scavengers.” Nigerians, he said, must utilise the power of their vote to take back their country “from the predators and scavengers in the corridors and bedrooms of power that currently hold her hostage.”

So far, however, the party’s presidential candidate and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, have admirably restrained themselves from using vile language even in their strongest attacks on the president.

If this is reassuring, the same can hardly be said of the kind of campaigns from the ruling party. Certainly if the words of Archbishop Uche last Sunday is a reflection of the mindset of the leading figures among his distinguished audience after all the president preached about conducting a decent campaign for next month’s elections, one can only say God help this country!

•For comments, send SMS to 08059100107

HARDBALL

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

By MOHAMMED H ARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

PDP’s virulent campaign

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S Nigeria no more than a vast motor park?

President Goodluck Jonathan introduced that possibility when he received members of the Northern Elders Council (NEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. In reaction to recent criticisms of his administration, especially by two former political helmsmen, on the basis of alleged monumental corruption, Jonathan employed an interesting metaphor. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida were the apparent targets.

Jonathan said: “Some people call themselves statesmen but they are not statesmen; they are just ordinary politicians. For you to be a statesman is not because you occupied a big office before, but the question is what are you bringing to bear? Are you building this country?” He continued: “Making provocative statements in this country, statements that will set this country ablaze and you tell me you are a senior citizen. You are not a senior citizen, you can never be; you are ordinary motor park tout.”

It was a stinging comparison, and those who thought Jonathan went too far by likening the unnamed personalities to motor-park touts staged a counter-attack. The Northern Elders

Motor-park mentality Forum (NEF) spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said: “President Jonathan should know that in a motor park, there are touts and there are pickpockets. So, if some past leaders are touts, some sitting leaders are pickpockets and thieves. So, you have to pick from them.” According to him, “pickpockets in a motor park cheat the passengers as well as the owner of the vehicles, while touts work for a commission.”

Isn’t it interesting and food for thought that Abdullahi didn’t reject the image of a motor park? Rather, he elaborated on motor-park structure and operation by bringing in “pickpockets and thieves” as well as “passengers” and “the owner of the vehicles.”

It is relevant to reflect on the identities of those in the identified categories. Who are the passengers? These must be the people.

Who is the owner of the vehicles? Who are the touts, pickpockets and thieves? In the picture painted by Abdullahi, “the passengers as well as the owner of the vehicles” are victims of cheating; and the beneficiaries of

the system are the touts, pickpockets and thieves.

The question must be asked: Why did Jonathan think of a motor park, which then informed the labelling of his targets as “touts”?

Could it mean that Jonathan considers himself a motor-park president? If so, what are the implications of such self-perception?

Additional posers: As the self-perceived head of a motor park, what has he done to arrest the negativities of the pickpockets and thieves Abdullahi spoke about? Is Jonathan himself one of them?

Perhaps Jonathan deserves praise for his enlightening figurative language because it has not only helped to clarify his idea of the space he governs; it has also prompted further clarification by his antagonists who appear to recognise his motor-park mentality. In this metaphorical motor park, the passengers who are perpetually short-changed will need to do something to achieve redemption. That must be the lesson to be learned from Jonathan’s motor-park imagination.

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