The Nation Janury 24, 2013

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Tinubu affirms June date for merger

Crisis hits CAN as Catholics withdraw NEWS Page 53

NEWS Page 2

•‘We need to settle our differences’

•Dignitaries visit Alaafin of Oyo

www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 8, NO. 2381 THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

CUP OF NATIONS

N150.00

•Eagles will beat Zambia, says Mikel •Ideye: Emenike and I great strike force •Bafana Bafana sends S/Africa into ecstasy •AND MORE ON PAGES 15,16&49

CBN sets new deposit limits for account holders

T

•CBN Governor Sanusi

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday set new deposit limits for all categories of account holders and introduced threetier Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements for banks.

The policy pegs a maximum single deposit amount of

By Collins Nweze, Money Market Reporter

N20,000 and maximum cumulative balance of N200,000 at any point in time on the Low Value Account. It also places a maximum single deposit of N50,000 and a maximum cumulative balance of N400,000 on the Medium Value Ac-

count. However for the High Value Account, no limit is placed on cumulative balance.

The policy also categorised bank customers into Low Value Accounts (Level One); Medium Value Accounts (Level two) and High Value Accounts (Level three).

A circular to all banks and other financial institutions (OFIs) signed by CBN Director, Financial Policy and Regulation, Chris Chukwu, explained that the policy became exigent after the CBN recognised that access to basic banking facilities and othContinued on page 2

Customs N275b contract for probe

T

HE House of Representatives has expressed concern over the management of N275billion Destination Inspection Scheme (DIS) between the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Ministry of FInance.

The lawmakers have mandated the Committee on ....

Business Page 11

Emenike: my best yet to come

E

•VICT OR YD ANCE: Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole acknowledges cheers from party faithful after his election petitions tribunal victory in Benin City…yesterday.

•VICTOR ORY DANCE: •SEE PAGE 59

Crowds cheer as tribunal upholds Oshiomhole’s victory

2015: PDP joins legal battle over Jonathan

Party says suit questions its right to sponsor president

I

S the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) planning to field President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015?

This question remained relevant yesterday, with the PDP applying to be joined in a suit challenging the President’s eligibility to contest the election.

Dr. Jonathan is yet to speak on his political future.

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

A PDP card-carrying member and Port Harcourt lawyer, Henry Amadi, is before a Federal High Court, Abuja, contending that Jonathan is no longer eligible to contest in 2015 because, by so doing, he would be spending more than the maximum of two terms of four years envisaged by the 1999 Con-

stitution.

The suit is similar to another filed by a chieftain of the PDP, Mr Cyriacus Njoku, on March 20, 2012 before an Abuja High Court.

Judgment in that suit is pending before Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi.

The respondents in this suit are Jonathan and the Independent Nation-

al Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the application by its National Legal Adviser, Mr. Kwon Victor, the PDP is urging the court to join it as an interested party because it would be affected by the outcome of the suit.

It is also asking the court to make a consequential order directing the Continued on page 2

AGLES’ striker Emmanuel Emenike has told MTNFootball.com he is yet to hit top form even after scoring in his AFCON debut on Monday.

The Spartak Moscow striker powered Nigeria in front after 23...

Sport Page 15

Senate clears Nebo, Turaki

T

HE Senate yesterday confirmed Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and Prof. Chinedu Osita Nebo as ministers.

The names of Turaki (Kebbi State) and Nebo (Enugu State) were last week forwarded to the Senate by President Goodluck Jonathan for confirmation.

The lawmakers unanimously gave their nod...

News Page 2

Mali: Govt firms up security

M

ILITARY and other security agencies have been ordered to place five states under extra-vigilance.

The states are Borno, Yobe, Kano , Kaduna , and Bauchi.

Also, security has been strengthened in all ...

News Page 2

•SPORT P15 •POLITICS P17 •EDUCATION P25 •E-BUSINESS P41 •N/HEALTH P51

2

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

NEWS Tinubu affirms June date for merger

T

HE grand merger of leading opposition parties is waiting to be formalised by June, National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said yesterday.

This is the second time in one week that a major player in the planned merger aimed at flushing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power in 2015 will confirm the status of the talks.

Leader of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Gen. Muhammadu Buhari last week said the marriage of the ACN and the CPC would take off in June.

Tinubu, who also said a new party would be announced in June, spoke at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo. He spoke after a tour of the burnt areas of the palace where about 21 rooms, some of them belonging to the wives of the Alaafin, and many artefacts were affected.

Tinubu said the AC N, the CPC and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) were “irrevocably” committed to the merger.

Tinubu assured the Alaafin

From left: Olori Abibat Adeyemi, Governor Ajimobi, Oba Adeyemi, Alhaji Olusi, Tinubu, Mohammed, Akande and Adebanjo during a visit of dignitaries to the PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI Alaafin…yesterday.

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

that the AC N and, indeed, the Yoruba nation were solidly behind the Oba, who he described as “our leader.

Courageous. Powerful and Consistent and effective leader. I salute your courage over time. You have the fire.

You have the thunder. We are glad you are well.”

Ajimobi praised Oba Adeyemi as one of the most

enlightened and seasoned rulers in the country. He said from the ashes of the burnt houses in the palace would rise a more beautiful edifice.

The governor went ahead to confer on the Alaafin the honorary membership of the ACN. As he made the announcement, the palace exploded in applause. ACN National Chair Chief Bisi Akande praised the kabiyesi for his forthrightness and

wished him more fruitful years on the throne.

The Alaafin thanked the ACN leaders for their visit and support. He said he had received overwhelming sympathy and support. Alafin encouraged the leaders to promote Yoruba culture and values.

In the team were Akande; National Vice-Chairman (Southwest), Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi and the National Pub-

2015: PDP joins legal battle over Jonathan Continued from page 1

plaintiff to amend his originating processes to reflect PDP as a defendant and cause same to be served on the party.

In the affidavit in support of the application, Kwon argued that from the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, PDP’s right to sponsor Jonathan for the office of the President in the 2015 presidential elections is being challenged.

He averred that ‘’this action cannot be effectually and completely be determined without joining the applicant herein.

“By the very tenor of the reliefs sought the plaintiff, this suit questions the right of the applicant to sponsor one of its members (Jonathan) for the 2015 presidential elections.

The applicant herein seek to protect its interest in the present action by this application.

“Having been sponsored by

the applicant (PDP) for the 2011 election and Jonathan been a member of the PDP who is capable of being sponsored for the 2015 presidential election, the PDP will directly be affected by the outcome of the decision of this court one way or the other.

Justice Adamu Bello has fixed February 26 to hear the PDP’s application, following the plaintiff’s lawyer C.N.Eke’s intention to oppose the application for joinder.

In his response to the suit, Jonathan had said he would contest in the election, as allowed in the Constitution.

According to him, with the political situation of Nigeria, it is better for him to spend nine years in office than to spend less than the eight years stipulated in the 1999 Constitution.

He spoke through his lawyer, Ade Okeya-Inneh (SAN)

in a counter-affidavit.

Jonathan asked the court to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction.

According to him, the plaintiff is an ordinary individual who is not qualified to request the court to stop him from contesting the election.

Jonathan said Amadi failed to disclose reasonable cause of action and that the plaintiff’s claim is hypothetical and academic.

Jonathan averred that he took the first oath of office on May 6, 2010 following the death of erstwhile President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

Amadi is contending that Jonathan is no longer eligible to contest in 2015 because by so doing, he would be spending more than the maximum period of two terms of four years envisaged by the 1999 constitution.

The plaintiff wants the court

er financial services is necessary in achieving the policy on financial inclusion. He advised banks to adopt the new KYC requirement adding that the proposed deposit limits is meant to reduce the risk of money laundering and financing of terrorism.

He said the Low Value Accounts are subject to close monitoring by the financial institutions and less scrutiny by bank examiners.

The CBN director said the accounts could be opened at branches of banks by a prospective customer or through banking agents and no amount is required for its opening.

However, such accounts prohibit international funds transfer.

According to him, the Medium Value Accounts can be opened face to face at any branch of a bank by agents for enterprises or by the account

holder but, the accounts are strictly savings with no amount required for its opening. Also, where cross-checking of client’s identity cards information is not completed at the point of account opening, withdrawal would be denied.

Chukwu added that for the High-Value Accounts, banks are required to obtain, verify and maintain copies of all the required documents for accounts opening. Account is to be opened at the bank branches by physical presence of the prospective customer and the accounts could be both savings and current.

However, for mobile banking products, the account attracts a maximum transaction limit of N100, 000 and daily limit of N1 million however, such products are subject to the CBN Regulatory Framework for Mobile Payments Services in Nigeria.

He said that banks are required to have robust, effective

and efficient anti-money laundering /combating the financial terrorism (AML/CFT) solutions with screening tools in place that will monitor the various thresholds. “All accounts, no matter how low the transaction or the risks, must be subjected to continuous suspicious transactions monitoring by financial institutions which will determine when incremental KYC requirements need to be provided by the customers,” he said.

He said the CBN will ensure the establishment of appropriate processes and procedures for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the regulatory framework. He added that non-compliant financial institutions would be sanctioned in line with the provisions of extant laws and regulations. He said 64.1 per cent representing 56.3 million adult Nigerians do not have access to financial services, hence the policy is also meant to bridge the gap.

form with shared vision and commitment to rescue Nigeria from the jaw of the drifting ship of this administration.

“We, as leaders, must be ready to make sacrifices, be ready to bring our character and value together to ensure that we build an understanding that will bring good governance. It is not about us. It is about the country. It is Continued on page 60

Senate confirms Nebo, Turaki for minister

T

•Dr. Jonathan

to direct INEC not to accept Jonathan’s nomination as candidate of the PDP for 2015 because by the oath of allegiance and oath of office he would take, if he wins, will violate the two oaths of allegiance and office stipulated by the 1999 constitution.

CBN sets new deposit limit for account holders Continued from page 1

licity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. They were led to the palace by Ajimobi.

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, an elder statesman joined them later.

“I assure the general public that this time around, we are again restating the fact that we are irrevocably committed; mark my word, irrevocably committed to the merger, making it become one party, one plat-

M

HE Senate yesterday confirmed Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and Prof. Chinedu Osita Nebo as ministers.

The names of Turaki (Kebbi State) and Nebo (Enugu State) were last week forwarded to the Senate by President Goodluck Jonathan for confirmation.

The lawmakers unanimously gave their nod for the appointment of the ministerial candidates after they were adjudged to have satisfactorily answered questions posed to them by senators.

Nebo, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria , Nsukka (UNN), practically turned the question and answer session into a lecture.

He thrilled the lawmakers with his mastery of contem-

From Onyedi Ojiabor, and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

porary issues in the country and the way forward.

Asked how he intends to deal with the mafia in the power sector, if appointed Minister of Power, Nebo said he would chase out the demons frustrating the growth of the sector.

He said some highly placed Nigerians still believe that witches are responsible for the problems in the power sector “but I believe that God will give me the power to chase out the demons in the power sector”.

He eulogised the immediate past Minister of Power, Prof.

Barth Nnaji, describing him as a “professional to the core, who was committed and did his best for the power sector but, unfortunately, something hapContinued on page 60

Mali crisis: Fed Govt firms up security in border states

ILITARY and other security agencies have been ordered to place five states under extra-vigilance.

The states are Borno, Yobe, Kano , Kaduna , and Bauchi states.

Also, security has been strengthened in all border posts with Niger, Chad, in the five states in question The ongoing intermittent house-to-house search in Kaduna was said to be part of the new security alert, The Nation has learnt.

It is all part of preventing a backlash of the Mali operation.

Nigeria, alongside several other countries, is fighting insurgents in Northern Mali.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, yesterday said Nigeria is not acting alone in its intervention on Mali crisis because of heavy human

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

and financial implications.

The military and security agencies have been asked to boost security in the sates because of the likelihood of a backlash to the Mali Operation by the UN Intervention Mission.

It was gathered that there were concerns in government circles that most wanted Boko Haram leaders, who were strongly suspected to be in Mali , might relocate to Nigeria for vengeance strikes.

It was learnt that the latest security measures accounted for the ban on commercial motorcycles, in Kano and intermittent house-to-house searches in Kaduna.

A top security source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Since the Mali operation started, we have been directed by the government to place the five states

under extra-security surveillance.

“The UN Intervention Mission and deployment of over 2000 troops to Mali by France will no doubt put pressure on the Islamic insurgents in Mali and their allies in Al-Qaeda in Maghreb and Boko Haram.

When the pressure becomes unbearable, any of the ECOWAS states in the UN Force, especially Nigeria, could be their target.”

ADVERT HOTLINES: 08023006969, 08052592524 NEWSROOM: LAGOS – 01-8962807, ABUJA – 07028105302 COMPLAINTS: 01-8930678

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

3

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

4

NEWS

Who dumped bodies in Ezu River?

•Police, activists, community in big row over strange discovery

•Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi in a handshake with the Director, United Nations Institute for Development and Economic Planning (UNIDEP), Prof Adebayo Olukoshi. Behind Olukoshi is the Executive Secretary- General of the United Nation Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mr Carlos Lopez and President , National Assembly of Senegal, Mr Mustapha Niasse at a conference on “50 Years of Developing Planning in Africa: Retrospects and Prospects” commemorating the 50th anniversary of UNIDEP in Dakar, Senegal ... yesterday

Days after bodies were found floating on Ezu River, rather than unmask the masterminds, authorities are trading blames, reports ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU

H

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, displaying his Tax Identification Number (TIN) card presented to him at the Joint Tax Board Tax Identification Number Sensitisation workshop in Abeokuta... yesterday. With them is the Chairman, Ogun State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Babajide Odubanjo (left) and Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

• From left: FSDH Merchant Bank Ltd MD Mr Rilwan Belo-Osagie, Senator Udo Udoma, Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chairma of FSDH, Mr Ibrahim Dikko, at the unveiling of the bank held at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos ... yesterday.

PHOTO: RAHMAN SANUSI

OW many bodies were dumped into Ezu River?

Who dumped them? Why should a flowing river that serves as the source of water to many communities in the Southeast be polluted? These and many questions have been begging for answers since the strange discovery of floating human bodies in the river last Saturday.

Controversy has continued to rage over the number of decomposing bodies found in the river. Some claimed 50 human bodies were found; others insisted they counted only 30 bodies. But official figures from the Anambra State government and the state Police Command put the figures at 16 and 14 respectively.

Local Government Commissioner Lady Azuka Enemuo confirmed 16 bodies were found. However, residents said 100 bodies were recovered in Amansea, Anambra State.

Ezu, a flowing river, linking several communities in the Southeast terminates into River Niger.

A community leader in Amansea, Chief Benjamin Onwuanyi, said Ezu River derives its sources and stren gth from all the rivers in the Southeast.

The river, according to him, cuts across Mmaku, in Ananri Local Government Area; Ufuma, in Orumba North; Akpugo-Eze, Oji River Local Government Area; Agbaogugu; Ozuu and Ezinator communities before getting to Ugwuoba and Amansea, in Awka North Local Government Area.

Ugwuoba and Amansea are border communities.

These two communities are border communities. Onwuanyi informed that the river continues from Amansea to Ebenebe-Ugbene through Awba Offemili, where it joins Ugwulugwu River and empties into Omambala River and subsequently River Niger and the Atlantic Ocean.

Some of the bodies were in under-pants; singlet and out-rightly naked when they were recovered.

Police Occupation The presence of 60 policemen in three patrol vehicles from Anambra and Enugu states, triggered tension in the community. The officer’s mission was to unravel the mysterious discovery.

The policemen came in patrol vehicles marked NPF 117 C, with the inscription of Anambra Cobra Squad B Division; NPF 2347 C, with the inscription of Enugu State Anti Robbery Squad and an registered vehicle belonging to the Cobra Squad.

The officers were civil as they made no arrests. They only interrogated those living around the area to say all they know about the mystery found in the river between Ugwuoba (Enugu State) and Amansea (Anambra State).

•From left: Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and Nigeria’s Permanent Delegate to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Mrs Mariam Katagum at the opening of the 62nd session of the International Bureau of Education in Geneva, Switzerland ... yesterday.

Civil society groups finger police Up till yesterday, there was no clue on the masterminds of the act.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) belled the cat with its sweeping allegation that the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) knew something about the shocking discovery.

It urged Police Commissioner Bala Nasarrawa to unravel the mystery and sanitise his command, failing which the rights’ group recommended his transfer.

Extra-judicial killing suspicion rife The allegation was made in a statement signed by the chairman of Intersociety’s Board of Trustees (BOT) Emeka Umeagbalasi and the head of publicity desk, Justus Ijeoma.

The statement reads: “IGP Abubakar should also investigate thoroughly and conclusively the recent shocking discovery of dozens of corpses inside the Amansea (Ezu) River, in Awka, Anambra State by the local residents on January 19.

“The river is located between the borders of Anambra and Enugu states. Since there is no known intra and inter communal violence or conflict in the area, it is most likely that the corpses were those of victims of extra-judicial killings.

“More so when little or nothing is heard of the prosecution, conviction or acquittal of those arrested for their involvement in violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping and culpable murder, particularly after they have been paraded.

“They are rarely arraigned and prosecuted in courts. In November 2005, over 20 detained citizens were massacred and dumped in the area (Agu-Awka).

“Therefore, every logical indication points in the direction of the state SARS and the Anti-Kidnap Squad as the source of the dead bodies.

“The IGP should order that the corpses be pathologically investigated to determine their style of killing and circumstances under which they were killed.”

Coming on the heels of the Intersociety’s allegation was that of the Anambra chapter of the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), which fingered the SARS. In a statement issued in Onitsha and signed by its chairman, Aloysius Attah and Secretary, Justus Ijeoma, the CLO said they were tempted to blame the bizarre incident on security agencies because of the knack for judicial killings.

Making references to the wanton killing of detainees allegedly perpetrated by the SARS operatives since 2004, the group further alleged that the anti-robbery squad may have resorted to kill and dump bodies into the river because the area they hitherto used as shallow graves in Agu-Awka has been developed as residential apartments.

The CLO commended the prompt response of Governor Peter Obi and condemned the hasty burial of the recovered bodies.

CLO calls for probe It also called for a team of foreign pathologists to ascertain the immediate and remote cause(s) of the death of those found floating.

The CLO insisted that local experts should be invited from other geo-po-

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

5

NEWS

•Obi , Nassarawa and other officials at the bank of the iver

•Some residents of Amansea at the River side

•Amansea residents queing up for water

litical zones in order not to jeopardize the findings of the test, adding that the searchlight should be beamed on the security agencies.

It said it was important for the authorities to determine the number of suspects released on bail, charged to court and those killed extra-judicially.

The CLO statement reads: “The reason why we are worried is not farfetched. Awkuzu SARS has acquired notoriety as the worst detention center by the police in Anambra where human bazaar goes on unabated.

“On 4th November 2004, our fellow comrade, Ifeanyi Onuchukwu was detained in the line of duty as an activist.

He later came out with a chilling revelation that the SARS operatives that same night at about 7.15pm mass murdered 20 able-bodied men in their custody.

“The offence that warranted their gruesome killing was that their relatives were not forthcoming with the bail conditions demanded by the police while the cell was getting congested.

“Also, citizens, Nonso Ayalogu, an Onitsha indigene and Chekwube Okeke from Nanka detained on 19th March 2009 for two different allegations of attempted kidnap and car robbery at Awkuzu SARS are yet to return home four years after, whereas, there is no record of court arraignment or prison remand about them anywhere. The list continues even now.

“Today, people involved in civil matters and family disputes top the list among the detainees at Awkuzu SARS office and they pay heavily to regain freedom or else they are threatened to be “taken to Abuja” a euphemism for extra-judicial killing if they fail to comply.

“It is disappointing to discover that mass burial has already taken place without efforts made to determine their identity and cause of death or to unravel the myths surrounding the dumping of over 50 lifeless bodies at the Ezu River, Ugwuoba , Enugu state, a boundary town to Amansea, in Awka North council, Anambra State. If we lack the expertise to investigate the death, why not involve international organisation?

“I remember that when the headless and limbless body of a five or six-yearold child, was found near Tower Bridge, London, in September 2001, the UK (United Kingdom) police spent

millions of pounds to investigate it.

“When forensic tests, involving samples taken from the bones, linked the boy to West Africa and subsequently to Nigeria, officers investigating the case visited Nigeria in search of his roots. Now more than 50 unidentified corpses discovered and we rush to give them mass burial? Sad! Sad!! Sad!!!”

Police Command absolves self But the Anambra State Police Command insisted that its men recovered 18 bodies from the river.

Police chief (Nassarawa) said three of the 18 bodies dumped by unknown persons were selected for autopsy. He said his command decided to bury the remaining 15 bodies because they were decomposing.

Nassarawa also disputed the claim that there were gunshot wounds and machete cuts on the bodies.

The police chief said: “We have also discovered that there were no gun injuries or machete cuts on their bodies as being speculated and the bodies are not up to 30 or 50 as speculated.”

According to him, a team had been raised to conduct the autopsy. Members of the team included the Commissioner for Health, the Police Commissioner in charge of medicals and other pathologists from Anambra and Enugu states. He said investigations were still ongoing.

SARS won’t join issues The Officer in Charge of SARS, James Nwafor, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said he could no longer commend on the issue since his boss, the governor and the Amansea monarch Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, have all spoken.

Nwafor said: “Those in authority and with the power to speak to the press have already done that. I wonder why you want me to still speak on this issue. But let it be on record that anybody accusing SARS of being the brain behind the dumping of the corpses is not a friend of the society.

“Those who want the old order and who don’t love the peace and tran-

quility now existing in the state are saying that. They are enemies of progress in the society and as I speak with you now we are in Owerre trying to resolve another robbery case. ‘’It is a rumour and misinformation. So, don’t believe it as we can’t do such a thing. I know everybody likes the peace now in Anambra.”

He cautioned against blackmailing the police.

Also speaking, police spokesman Emeka Chukwuemeka said that the command will not join issues with the CLO or any other group. He said the command has swung into action to unravel the mystery.

He said: “We are concerned and everybody is concerned about how best to unravel the mystery and not frivolities. We should subject ourselves to empirical evidence and not noise making. Why should anybody apportion blames when we are looking for solutions?”

Enugu yet to respond The Enugu State Government has not sent its officials to the scene. Its Commissioner for Information Chuks Ugwuoke said he was awaiting briefing on the matter.

Ugwuoke said: “The truth is that I do not know what to tell you because I cannot start talking without being adequately informed about the matter.

“I am not sure that Anambra has contacted us on what to do about the matter. We will issue a statement when I am duly informed.”

His Water Resources colleague Charles Ajah said the issue of providing drinking water to residents required the approval of top government officials.

He said: “The provision of alternative sources of water requires money and I have not been directed on that.

It is only the higher authority in the state that can make that happen.

“The only temporary alternative source of water I think the state can give is the provision of water tankers to supply water to the people.

“The government cannot provide another river for them. As long as

the river is flowing, it will purify instead of burying them.

The lawmaker representing the itself. Sooner Water from the river would soon be safe for drinking.” Awka North and South Federal Constituency, Emeka Nwogbo, yesterday commended the Obi for directing the Obi suspends UK trip Governor Obi, who cut short his immediate drilling of a borehole for the people of Amansea to avoid the trip abroad to visit the scene on outbreak of epidemic.

Sunday, directed that all the the Nwogbo told reporters on the telebodies be recovered. phone that the quick intervention Obi expressed shock over the dis- foreclosed imminent epidemic and covery of the bodies. He was briefed health complications. about the incident on the telephone He appealed to the Inspector Genon Saturday afternoon and by Sun- eral of Police to ensure a thorough day morning, he was back for a trip investigation by the Commissioners to the United Kingdom. of Police in Anambra and Enugu He told reporters: “The fact that states into the circumstances surRiver Ezu flows into Anambra State rounding the death and dumping of from another state, shows these the dead bodies in his constituency. corpses obviously floated from elseThe representative hoped that the where into our state. As you can see, autopsy ordered by the governor will the bodies are already decomposing go a long way to determine what and this shows that this incident hap- killed the people. pened some time ago.

He said that the efforts to recover “But I do not care a hoot where they the floating bodies and conduct a (the corpses) floated from from; I am mass burial for them were in order. worried that this type of scenario Youths bitter could be witnessed in our country in this age and time”.

Youths in the council, under the He urged Nigerians to respect the under the aegis of Youths for the Prosanctity of human life just as other tection of Environment, yesterday lacivilised citizens of the world believe mented the approach of the Enugu that life is sacred.

State government and its officials, “This is a most barbaric and unac- who had not visited the scene three ceptable development. It cannot hap- days after the discovery. pen in any decent society,” Obi said.

A statement by the group’s chairIt was learnt he had already con- man, Pascal Edozie commended Obi tacted the acting Enugu State Gover- and his officials as well as the nor Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, to thor- Anambra State Police command for oughly investigate the strange occur- the actions taken so far. rence even as he has assured that his He said but for Obi who mobilised administration had already begun a for the supply of potable water and painstaking probe. the construction of a borehole, Ugwuoba, a community in Euugu N5m reward for informant state and other communities affected Obi has announced an offer of N5 have not felt the presence of Enugu million to anyone who provides officials.

Edozie said: “But for governor Obi, useful information that will help in unraveling the cause and circum- who left called off his trip to London for our people, things would have stances of the strange incident Amansea community leaders and fallen apart.

“We thank him and all those who officials from Awka North council secretariat and Awka, the state capi- felt an epidemic was on the verge of tal, have visited the scene to consuming a people and reacted sympathise with residents of positively. But look at Enugu state Ugwuoba, who have sent a Save- even when the Ugwuoba people are Our-Soul (SOS) message to the affected, none of their officials visited. Not even a councilor and yet we Enugu State government. said there is democracy.

“We are unhappy with the attitude Concern over epidemic The council officials were worried of the people and government of Enugu state against not only their over possibly epidemic that may be people but against us because they caused by the decomposing bodies would have come to say thank you since residents depended on water to the Governor for doing a great infrom the river for their daily chores tervention for their people and our and drinking. people.

Igwe Okonkwo and his chiefs, the Nwogbo said he would draw the lawmaker representing the Awka attention of the National Emergency North State Constituency in the Management Agency (NEMA) to House of Assembly, Mrs. Rebecca guard against adverse health condiUdoji and council chair, Joy tions.

Enweluzor, all condemned the perCommending Awka North transition petrators of the heinous act against committee for supplying clean water to humanity. the people in the interim, Nwogbo said The presence of a police check- his motion before the House of Reprepoint near the river where the bod- sentatives brought a resoultion by the ies were found aroused the curios- National Assembly to task law enforceity of the people as no arrest was ment agencies to unravel the mystery made. found in Ezu-River.

Posers for security agencies The lawmakers asked for a quick action on the identity of the bodies Some of the posers being raised in- and directed NEMA and the Federal clude: Who gave the decomposing Ministry of Water Resources to probodies machete cuts? Was it not the vide alternative water source to the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the affected communities since the Ezu Nigerian Police that decongested its River is the only source of water for prisons of criminal suspects? Why Amansea and Ebenebe and other would they dump them in the river neighbouring communities.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

6

CITYBEATS

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- y

Dana Airline ignores protesters

By Damilola Owoyele

M

EMBERS of Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), yesterday picketed the headquarters of Dana Airline, Ikeja, Lagos, to protest the poor compensation of victims of the last June 3 plane crash.

They blocked the entrance of the building and impeded traffic on the highway as they chanted slogans and wielded placards. Pastor Daniel Omowunmi, whose four houses (a six-bedroom duplex, bungalow and two warehouses) were destroyed by the crash, said Dana was yet to compensate, using his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to barricade the access to the building.

“After Dana has resumed business again, it is only fair for them to give me back my life. Dana has all the verifiable documents to my claims; they ought to pay me. If they find some contentious, they should seek decisive proof,” he said.

He estimated his loss at N500 million naira, saying books warehoused on his properties and consumed by the fire were worth N250 million.

He lamented: “The books do not belong to me. The creditors of the man who owned the books are already after him.

And I have forwarded documents from the creditors to Dana, yet they have not responded. They have not even written me and it has been eight months since the crash happened.”

No official of the airline came out to address the protesters, whose protest stretched into the afternoon,. Policemen came and manned the building’s gate.

'No going back on Assemblies' autonomy'

T

HE Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday said there is no going back on the push for autonomy for state legislatures.

"It is not debatable and it is an issue that has come to stay regardless the extent of opposition from some people," the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Hon. Segun Olulade, said.

He was reacting to a statement credited to Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, condemning the Assemblies' and local governments' clamour for autonomy.

Olulade described Kwankwaso's utterance as "misguided and capable of inciting the public against lawmakers at the federal and state levels."

The three arms of government, he said, must be independent of one another to ensure checks and balances for democracy to thrive.

Real democracy and good governance, he said, would be a tall dream in situations where Assemblies are mere rubberstamps and handbags of governors.

Olulade said the autonomy would enhance administrative efficiency and effective discharge of legislative oversight functions.

Gone, he said, were the days when the legislature was relegated, adding that governors should not turn themselves to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

•From left: Hassan Bawa, Maddy James and her wife, Freedom.

Police parade suspected house help ro T

HE Lagos State Police Command has smashed a syndicate which specialised in using house helps, and other domestic servants to seal their employers’ properties.

It was gathered that the domestic servants, who are also members of the gang, are planted in the houses of wealthy clients. They monitor and dispossess of their valuables estimated millions

of naira.

Three of the suspects Freedom Maddy James (25,) her husband Maddy James (30) and Hassan Bawa (55) who allegedly stole jewelries worth over N20million have been paraded by the police.

Command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), who pa-

raded the suspects said they were arrested following a victim’s report at Area ‘F’ Ikeja.

She said: “On the October 3, 2012, at about 2pm, one Mrs. Monday David (not real name) reported at Area ‘F’ Command Headquarters, Ikeja that on September 20, 2012 while she was looking for a house help, one John and Joseph Obong brought one lady simply identified as Re-

joice to work for her. The complainant alleged that Rejoice only worked for two days and disappeared.

“She complained to John and Joseph who brought another house help whose name was given as Comfort. She worked for only a day, ransacked the complainant’s house and stole her gold jewelleries worth about N20million and vanished. The case was transferred to the

Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Command Headquarters, Ikeja on October 5, 2012 for further investigation”, Braide explained.

She said with the assistance of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ikoyi Police Station, Aisha Haruna, a Superintendent (SP), James was arrested for allegedly stealing and selling jewelleries worth over N20million to Hassan Bawa for

South African jailed for drug trafficking

Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a 37-year-old South African to 18-month imprisonment for attempting to export about 5.5 kilogrammes of Methamphetamine narcotic to her country. Mrs Duru Lindiwef, a mother of one, was arraigned in November 26, 2012, on a one-count charge of unlawful dealing in narcotic She pleaded guilty to the charge and was accordingly convicted by the trial judge, Justice Benedicta Molokwu,who adjourned to

A

Jude Isiguzo and Ebele Boniface

By Eric Ikhilae

January 23, 2013 for sentencing.

Yesterday, defence lawyer, Eugene Okenyi pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client.

He said the mother of one, who is HIV-positive was frustrated because she did not know the whereabouts of her husband and only son.

Okenyi also said the convict was only misled into conveying the substance which she had no prior knowledge, adding that it was put in her bag by a

supposed samaritan who paid her flight ticket back to South Africa.

Justice Molokwu, in her judgment, sentenced Mrs Lindiwef to 18-month imprisonment.

The judge ordered that the term of imprisonment should run from June, 27, 2012 (when she was first arrested and detained).

“Considering the passionate plea of learned counsel for the convict, and her health challenges, the court is swayed to tamper justice with mercy. The

convict is hereby sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, which shall run from the date of apprehension. Moreso, the convict is ordered to be repatriated back to South Africa at the expiration of her jail terms” Molokwu ruled.

Prosecution lawyer, Femi Oloruntoba told the court that Mrs Lindiwef was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on June 27 last year.

Oloruntoba said she was apprehended during an outward

clearance of South African Airline flight to Johannesburg, with about 5.5 kilogrammes of Metamphetamine narcotic recovered from her.

He told the court that the substance was concealed in a carton of sardine, to avoid suspicion, but was discovered by a female clearing officer at the South Africa departure table.

Oloruntona said the offence contravened Section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004

Boy's abductors demand N150m ransom

A

BDUCTORS of a twoyear-old boy at IfakoIjaiye, a Lagos suburb, have demanded N150 million ransom from his parents.

The boy was kidnapped on Monday at gunpoint by masked men when he was being taken to school in his parents' black Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).

The driver, identified as Daniel, believed to have a link with the kidnappers, is being detained by the Police.

The nanny, Mrs. Adeyemo, was said to have been beaten and pushed under the SUV for trying to resist the kidnap-

By Precious Igbonwelundu

pers.

Sources said: "The kidnappers took the driver's phone away and it was his phone they used to contact the boy's father. But the driver was arrested because when the security personnel tracked his call logs, it was discovered that he had close contacts with another number that the kidnappers called."

The boy, whose father, Olusegun Alonge, owns Barachel Group of Schools, is the only child of his parents who have been married for 15 years.

A source said the abductors, who were about four in number, came in a black Mitsubishi Montero SUV, which they parked about seven buildings away from the victim's compound.

"Residents noticed the black Montero SUV but were not suspicious because the occupants were playing around.

Suddenly, as the Lexus SUV carrying the child approached, they blocked it. The driver, it seemed, tried to resist them, but they threatened to break the windscreen and when he saw their guns he was frightened.

"After they succeeded in overpowering the driver, the nanny refused to hand over the kid to them and she was thrown under their car after being beaten severely and the baby was whisked away," the source said.

The Nation gathered from a top security operative that the gang has contacted the boy's father and demanded ransom.

Alonge confirmed the abduction, saying: "Yes, my son was being taken to school when the kidnappers abducted my little boy. I don't know why anyone would want to hurt a two-year-old boy, or my family," he said.

•Ngozi Braide

Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ngozi Braide, said she was not aware of the incident, but promised to confirm.

BEATS

7

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013 il:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

Ex-legislator, 88, charged with fraud

A

FORMER member of the Western House of Parliament, Olusola Alaba (88) was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an alleged fraud of N1.4million.

The prosecutor, Mr Francis Usani told Justice Lateefat Okunnu that Alaba, on June 20, 2011, fraudulently ob-

By Adebisi Onanuga

tained the sum of N1, 490,000 from Mrs Olutoyin Ogundipe.

Usani alleged that Alaba obtained the money by claiming that it represented the cost of a three-bedroom flat at Plot 8 Oladimeji Alo Street, Lekki Phase One, Lagos.

Alaba was alleged to have forged four international passports in the names of Babatunde Salvage; Anthony

Okundalaye; Lateef Alli and Magnus Obe to facilitate the fraud.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 1 (2) (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 and Section 467 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

His counsel, Mrs Mercy Emuveyan urged the court to remand him in EFCC custody pending the filing of his bail application.

Mrs Emuveyan prayed the court to consider his age, health and status as a former legislator.

Justice Okunnu ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody and adjourned the case till March 26.

'Lagos is committed to poverty eradication'

T

robbers N1 3million.

Braide said the group and others at large specialised in gaining employment as house help or driver with fake names, addresses, fake guarantors and phone numbers to rob their employers.

60 drums of fake fuel seized From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

T

HE Anambra State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has confiscated 60 drums of adulterated fuel on the bank of River Niger in Onitsha, its Commandant, Mr Michael Ochogwu has said.

Ochogwu said owners of the products escaped on sighting the security operatives. He pledged to stop the activities of vandals.

The truck load of products, he said, was being detained at the Corps’ headquarters in Awka together with a drivers’ license.

“Since the vandals decided to run away, we have towed their vehicle to Awka. Whoever owns the truck should report to Civil Defence headquarters in Awka to make claims,” he said.

The commandant said his men recovered a truck with a Lagos plate number XL 166 APP, carrying the consignment last Saturday at 3am.

“The anti-vandals department went out last Saturday with the arms given to us by the Federal Government after we received information about the activities of the vandals.

“The presence of the armed operatives of the Corps chased away the vandals, who abandoned 60 drums of adulterated fuel and the truck while offloading the products,” he said.

HE 2013 budget of Lagos State is to eradicate poverty, Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Poverty Alleviation, Ms Idowu Sebanjo said.

Sebanjo, who spoke at a press briefing organised by a Turkish firm, Meridyen International, at Eko Hotel and Suites, said the flagship tool, which the government would use is skill acquisition. She warned that child labour remained a crime in the state, urging parents to stop sending their children to hawk on the streets.

"Every programme Governor Babatunde Fashola is doing this year addresses poverty at the grassroots. We believe that eradication of poverty in the state is key to development, which is why His Excellency initiated various skill acquisition centres to engage idle youth and adults to learn and make a living from the skills," she said

T

•Turkish firm holds cosmetics fair

By Wale Ajetunmobi

The exhibition, tagged: "2013 Nigerian International Cosmetics Exhibition (NICEX)", will showcase various kinds of cosmetic and skincare products from international and local markets.

Sebanjo said some of the trainees, who graduated from the Lagos State skill acquisition centres, would be part of the exhibition, adding that the Fashola administration will continue to

support artisans using local raw materials to produce for local and international consumption.

The firm's International Project Director, Mr Ayodeji Olugbade, said the exhibition would provide dynamic and interesting flair in the makeup and beauty industry.

He said: "The fair, which will showcase series of beauty products, is intended to give makeup and beauty professionals a good platform to create and entrench businesses and relationships.

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola

The NICEX grand show will have exhibits from top business houses located in different parts of the world."

Immigration chief Musa unveils agenda

T

HE Acting Comptroller General of Immigration (NIS), Mr. Rilwan Musa has urged his men to follow due process in the discharge of their duties .

Musa said due process was necessary to ensure that the

By Jude Isiguzo

Service conforms to global best practices.

Musa promised to restore structures by allowing his deputies to function unhindered as stipulated in the Service manual. He said he

would collaborate with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence(NSCDC); Federal Fire Service; Prisons’ Services Board and other relevant government agencies to ensure prompt and regular promotion of officers.

Another pipeline fire rages in Arepo

HERE was fire outbreak in Arepo, Ogun State, yesterday following another attack oil pipelines by suspected vandals.

No fewer than 30 persons were reportedly killed in a similar fire at the place on January 12.

The fire started after a gun battle between the vandals and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The vandals, it was gathered, blew the pipeline in anger with dynamite, after being dislodged at Magboro, near Arepo by the Civil Defence

Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

men.

The Corps Public Relations Officer, Mr Kareem Olanrewaju, said the command was yet to establish if it was the same group his men engaged in a gun fight at Arepo.

Olanrewaju said NSCDC officials had been deployed in the area since the January 12 incident, adding that they arrested some suspects and seized many items.

He pledged to mobilise more armed personnel to the trouble area.

The Acting Group General

•The scene of the raging fire... yesterday

Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Tumini Green, in a statement yesterday, confirmed the raging inferno said the vicious break caused a fierce inferno which has been raging since yesterday’s morning.

She said: “We are unhappy that barely one week after the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Engr. Andrew Yakubu paid a working visit to the scene of the last fire and pumping of products resumed afterwards, we are back to the same situation. It is so sad indeed, however, as a Corporation, we are deter-

mined to ensure unimpeded flow of petroleum products no matter the odds.”

She stated that fire trucks and engineers from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, (PPMC), are already on ground in Arepo to put out the raging fire and commence repair work once the fire is extinguished.

Also, yesterday, suspected vandals and some Civil Defence officials enaged in a gun battle at Iperu/Ogere. Olanrewaju said his men, who were injured, have been taken to the hospital.

Rape: Army hailed for dismissing soldiers From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

T

HE National Human Rights Commission

(NHRC) has commended the Nigerian Army for responding to its call to investigate allegations of abductions and rape by soldiers attached to the Guards Brigade, Abuja.

The Army authorities have dismissed four soldiers found culpable of the offence after investigating six soldiers.

In a statement, the NHRC Executive Secretary, Bem Angwe stated that the dismissal “is a clear signal to all that no one is above the law”.

The statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Communications, Muhammad Ladan hailed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika over the feat.

The commission, however, called for further investigation and prosecution of the dismissed soldiers.

The NHRC had on January 16 urged Ihejirika and the Commissioner of Police FCT Command, Aderele Shinaba, to investigate the allegation that some armed men in army uniform abducted and raped some women in Abuja under the guise that they were prostitutes.

Police rescue abducted woman From Chris Oji, Enugu

T

HE Police have rescued a kidnapped woman while on the trail of the kidnappers of an Enugu-based medical practitioner, Dr. O. W. Madike.

Madike was abducted from his hospital on Tuesday evening by a four-man gang which included a girl. The girl was said to have laid siege to the hospital premises and jumped on the doctor as soon as he came in.

The other three men assisted the girl to bundle the doctor into a waiting navy blue Camry car and drove off.

Following a tip-off, a detachment of the anti-kidnap unit of the police went on the kidnappers’ trail and ran into a Land Rover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) suspected to be driven by hoodlums.

On sighting the police, the vehicle sped off but was chased to a filling station.

The occupants jumped out of the vehicle and scaled a wall.

On closer look, the police found a woman identified as Mrs. Maryrose Okafor in the trunk of the vehicle looking ruffled.

The woman revealed she was abducted the previous day at Amawbia in Anambra State on her way home while in her official Toyota Hilux van.

She said her husband had been contacted to bring the N2 million naira ransom demanded by her kidnappers before the police rescued her.

Also, Nnaji Chukwudi Christian, who was kidnapped on Tuesday by a six-man gang operating in a KEKE-NAPEP in Trans Ekulu axis of the state was rescued yesterday.

A massive manhunt is on for the kidnappers of the abducted doctor according to the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Musa A.Daura.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

8

NEWS

Keyamo prepares private charges against Lawan

A

CTIVIST lawyer Festus Keyamo has volunteered to privately prosecute House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan for allegedly accepting gratification from businessman Femi Otedola.

Farouk allegedly took $620,000 from Otedola in order to doctor a report of the House ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy probe.

In a letter to the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), Keyamo said he has also prepared charges against Boniface Emenalo, who he described as Lawan’s “accomplice.”

The lawyer said before he could begin a private prosecution of the two, he needed to ascertain whether the Federal Government would be conducting the trial or not.

He said he was giving Adoke till Tuesday to know the next line of action.

Keyamo said he gave a seven-day ultimatum to the

•Writes Attorney–General

By Joseph Jibueze

Police to begin the prosecution, but that the force has claimed that it has concluded investigation and that the Attorney-General’s office “has refused to file charges for reasons unknown to the public.”

“It is for the above reasons I have prepared a charge for the purpose of private prosecution,” Keyamo said.

He attached a proof of evidence to the letter, which he made available to The Nation, as well as a recording of a telephone conversation where Lawan was allegedly asking for gratification to doctor his report, and appealing to Otedola to keep it secret.

The lawyer also attached a transcript of the recording, and court processes in a suit where, according to him, the graphic details of how the alleged crime was committed.

Keyamo wrote: “May I

kindly request that, by virtue of Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Act, Cap. C41, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, you endorse on the charge whether, having seen the charge, you are prepared to prosecute Farouk Lawan and Boniface Emenalo for the counts in the charge or whether you have declined to prosecute at the public instance the counts in the said charge.

“The position of the law is that, before I commence private prosecution, you should be given the opportunity to prosecute or to decline to prosecute. This is what I have done by this letter.

“I will expect your reply by the close of official business on Tuesday, January 29, 2013, to enable me determine my next line of action.

“I sincerely hope you will make your decision one way or the other as any indecision on your part will amount to a

refusal to act as held by the Supreme Court in the case of Chief Gani Fawehinmi V. Col. Halilu Akilu & Anor: In Re: Oduneye Reported In 1987 (4 NWLR) P. 67.

“In that case, it will be allclear signal I require to file the Charge.”

The four-count charge prepared by Keyamo, to be filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, reads: “That you, Honourable Farouk Lawan and Boniface Emenalo, sometime between January and July 2012 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of Federal High Court, conspired to corruptly demand and receive the sum of $3,000,000.00 (Three Million US Dollars) as gratification from Femi Otedola, and thereby committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to Section 96 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of FCT

and punishable under Section 97 the same Act. “That you, Honourable Farouk Lawan and Boniface Emenalo, sometime between January and July 2012 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of Federal High Court, corruptly asked for, receivedand obtained the sum of $620,000.00 (Six Hundred and Twenty Thousand US Dollars) as bribe from Femi Otedola, and thereby committed the offence of gratification by an Official contrary to Section 12(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, Cap C31, LFN 2004 and punishable under the same section.

“That you, Honourable Farouk Lawan and Boniface Emenalo, sometime between January and July 2012 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of Federal High Court, corruptly agreed to receive the sum of $3,000,000.00 (Three Million US Dollars) as gratifi-

cation from Femi Otedola, and thereby committed the offence of Gratification by an Official contrary to Section 12(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, Cap C31, LFN 2004 and punishable under the same section.

“That you, Honourable Farouk Lawan and Boniface Emenalo, sometime between January and June 2012 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of Federal High Court, threatened one Femi Otedola with injury to his reputation and his companies, with intent to cause alarm to Femi Otedola and to cause Femi Otedola to give you a gratification of $3,000,000.00 (Three Million US Dollars) in order to avoid the said injury, and thereby committed the offence of Criminal Intimidation contrary to Section 396 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of FCT and punishable under Section 387 of the same Act.”

There ‘ll be no revolution, says Kukah •Tambuwal: Govt has abandoned the electorate •10th Daily Trust Yearly Dialogue holds in Abuja

A

DVOCATES of revolution were yesterday told to apply the brakes, because it can’t happen.

Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev Mathew Kukah said there are many reasons why it can never happen and that is our source of strength.

Rev Kukah spoke at the 10th Daily Trust Annual Dialogue in Abuja.

The Bishop also said all the Presidents that have ruled the country since Independence came to power by accident and “our goodluck has become bad luck”.

Also, two human rights activists, Ms Ann-Kio Briggs and Lagos lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN) poured venoms on the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, describing it as a government without hope for Nigerians.

Speaking on the theme: “Nation building: challenges and reality,” Rev Kukah said no matter the conspiracy or problem the nation is facing, “nobody is going to build the country for us,” adding that the sovereign national conference some people are agitating for is nothing but a romantic idea.

He disagreed with those comparing Nigeria with other countries that have made better developmental stride. He said these countries have not experienced coups like Nigeria.

The Catholic Bishop warned those, who are calling for revolution, saying “no revolution is going to take place in this country.

“There are many reasons

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

why it will not happen and that is our source of strength.

We must trace the history of our dislocation in this country and we must identify what the previous leaders have done and build on it.

People that said we cannot progress without a sovereign conference are joking because it is a romantic idea.”

House Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal warned those in position of authority to know that leaders hold their positions not by any divine law, but by the leave of the people, adding that they are only leaders by proxy.

He said: “This fact is common knowledge. But since we are talking about the reality of nation building, we must agree that more often than not, we leaders behave as if the people owed us rather than the other way round. Once we get power, we become selfish and arrogant and forget that we are servants of the people and not masters of the universe.

“This is the fundamental cause of our leadership crisis. Although we see daily proof that power is transient, it has not tempered our predisposition to misuse the opportunity when afforded us; and to squander the public’s goodwill on the altar of greed.”

Ms Briggs, who also described the Jonathan administration as shameful and disgraceful, questioned the rationale behind the celebration of the nation’s 100 years, adding that there is nothing to celebrate as Nigeria is full of corruption.

Chairman, Media Trust Limited, Malam Kabiru Yusuf (left); Tambuwal and Chairman of the occasion and former President of Botswana, Mr Festus Mogae in Abuja...yesterday.

•From left: Director, African Research and Development Agency, Dr Sule Bello; Rev Kukah and Ms Briggs ...yesterday PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

She said the people in power accept criminality and hooliganism, noting that corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation to the extent that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) now look as debt collector.

“Spending our money to celebrate 100 years is nothing, there is nothing to celebrate. God did not put Nigeria together; it was Lord Luggard that put Nigeria together. The challenges Nigeria face in building a nation will remain elusive be-

‘We must trace the history of our dislocation in this country and we must identify what the previous leaders have done and build on it’ cause we are not yet prepared to develop as a nation.

There is distrust in the country and that needs to be addressed. The 1999 Constitu-

tion is a false document, we need to sit down and come out with a document with mutual respect for one another.

“Fraud is rampant and the so called political elites will not do without rigging election. Government of today is a government the people put in place and which the people are ashamed of,” she said.

Falana said no Presidency and Governor’s Forum can tell Nigerians how much oil the nation produce a day, adding that they only protect the

interest of the imperialist.

He said: “Nation building in Nigeria is in crisis. The problem of Nigeria is impunity. Pirates have taken over power in Africa, particularly Nigeria, so much so that some people are dangerously rich and many are dangerously very poor. Nigeria is a country of paradox; it has crude oil but poor refinery. If the Federal Government does not address the problems in the country, the nation will be faced with serious crisis to the extent that what happened in 2011 will be a child’s play.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

9

NEWS Fake drug manufacturers may get life From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

T

HE National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said manufacturers and/or peddlers of fake/adulterated drugs would henceforth be sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Director-General of the agency, Dr. Paul Orhii, said if necessary legislative processes were concluded, they might also lose their property.

Dr. Orhii spoke on Tuesday at the Ekiti State Central Drug Store in the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ado-Ekiti, during a tour of facilities to understudy the operations of the establishment.

Observing that the record of relaxed penalties on defaulters in the country had been an attraction to others, Orhii noted that Nigeria remained the most accommodating of drug counterfeiters. “In countries, such as China and India, it is either death or life imprisonment.”

He pledged that efforts would be stepped up to bring perpetrators to justice to safeguard the health of the citizens.

The NAFDAC DG hailed Ekiti State Government for the pivotal role of the drug store, adding that such initiative remained the best way to track sourcing and distribution of drugs through which those faking drugs could be exposed.

Pensioners allege fraud in T petition to Jonathan HE Association of Federal Public Service Retirees (AFPSR) yesterday in Abuja accused the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation of alleged mismanagement of pensioners’ entitlements.

The National Chairman of AFPSR, Emmanuel Akinola Omoyeni, told reporters at a briefing that since the office took over the payment of pensioners’ entitlements last November from the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), 98 per cent of the retirees have been grossly underpaid, unpaid or denied existence.

In a letter written by AFPSR to President Goodluck Jonathan, Omoyeni urged him to order the office to pay the arrears of pensioners and return the payment of retirees to the PRTT, whom he said, has been paying promptly.

He pleaded with President Jonathan to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practic-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

es and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) investigate the matter and ensure that November and December entitlements are paid to the pensioners.

The letter reads: “We have called this news conference to let the world know that the cabals that destroyed and stole billions of Naira are back to the pension environment, stronger and bolder. It is sad to report to Nigerians that from November 2012 to date, the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has brought back their agents, who have started mismanaging the entitlements of pensioners.

“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan never told us that he used the PRTT to give us a temporary solution. We

have started to jubilate only to use the other hand to make the Office of the Head of Service return us to the years of pain, anguish, sorrow and penury. Why did this office bring this confusion? Since this office took over the payment of Pensioners’ entitlements in November, 98 per cent of our members have been grossly underpaid, unpaid or denied existence.

“The core management function of the Office of the Head of Service was primarily and principally designated to carry out pension payment as the most acceptable custodian and administrators of pension funds. Mr. Stephen Oronsanye, a professional accountant as the HOCSF, who initiated and inaugurated the PRTT, comprising professionals and officials of the law enforcement agencies to normalise and standardise the

pension climate, embarked on a verification exercise.

“Although, there were lapses in which the Chairman, PRTT, demonstrated competence by introducing strategies to have a meaningful starting point, the office suddenly hijacked the payment of pensions in November 2012 without recourse to the knowledge of PRTT; despite that the PRTT came on board in October 2010 and streamlined the monthly pensions as well as paying 3,986 pensioners their backlog of harmonised arrears.

“President Jonathan should stop the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation from interfering and stealing pensioners money.

All of us were denied our entitlements in November/December 2012. We celebrated the Christmas and New Year in hunger.”

Nigeria seeks international aid for basic education

N

NIGERIA has sought the assistance of the International Bureau of Education (IBE) to ensure national and regional development of the basic education sub-sector.

Minister of State for Education Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, who is the leader of Nigeria’s delegation to the 62nd session of the IBE council in Geneva, Switzerland yesterday said the Federal Government would also make financial contributions to the IBE to ensure that the group achieves its objectives.

The minister, according to a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Simeon Nwakaudu, said Nigeria has implemented the programmes aimed at developing relevant curricula in the basic education sub-sector with the Nigerian Educational Research Development Council (NERDC) taking the driving seat.

Wike noted that Nigeria dedicated its commitment to regional educational advancement by hosting the West African Regional Workshop on Curriculum Innovation and Teacher Capacity Building.

He said: “Nigeria appreciates the capacity building workshops and technical assistance programmes tailored to specific needs of member-states and the emphasis given to African countries, countries in transition and conflict-affected countries that are in need of this technical assistance.

• Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (middle); Managing Director, Nigeria Breweries Plc, Mr. Nicholas Verve Leda (second right); Brewery Manager, Lagos, Mrs. Ethel Uche (left); Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Shola Oworu (second left); and her Information and Strategy counterpart, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba (right), during the governor’s visit to Nigeria Breweries Plc, Iganmu... yesterday.

J

Judge frowns at EFCC’s inconsistency in ex-NIMASA boss’ trial

USTICE Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Lagos has frowned at the inconsistency of the prosecution in the trial of former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Raymond Temisan Omatseye.

The judge decried the incessant amendments to the charge brought against Omatseye by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC has amended the charge filed in 2010, and on which proceedings began in early 2011, three times without any explanation.

When prosecution lawyer, Godwin Obla, announced his intention to amend the charge again yesterday, defence lawyer Olusina Sofola (SAN) expressed dismay at the prosecution’s action.

Although he did not oppose the amendment, he urged the court to note that it was the third time the pros-

By Eric Ikhilae

ecution was amending its charge since the case started about two years ago.

He said such practice has caused delay in the case.

The EFCC first arraigned Omatseye in early 2011 on an 11-count charge in which he was charged with alleged diversion of public funds and contract splitting.

He was accused of unlawfully transferring £300,000 from NIMASA’s Barclays Bank, London account to fund the campaign of Mrs. Mbanefo, who was aspiring to be the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation.

Trial began, with the prosecution calling some of its witnesses.

The prosecution later withdrew the charge and replaced it with the one dated June 12 but filed on June 13 last year, resulting in a delay in the tri-

al.

The latest amendment has, however, altered the texture of the trial.

Sofola told the court that the new charge “is totally different.”

He said: “It is amazing that the prosecution has chosen to file a new charge. There should be an end to this trial.”

Sofola noted that the charge of unlawful transfer of 300,000 pounds and charges of contract splitting have been expunged, bringing in new charges of approval above threshold and bid rigging.

The new charge of 27 counts, containing allegations of contract splitting and bid rigging, was read to him.

He denied culpability by pleading not guilty, subsequent upon which the prosecution called its first witness.

The witness, Ibrahim Ahmed, an Investigative Po-

lice Officer with the EFCC, gave evidence in relation to his involvement in the investigation of the petition written to the agency, against NIMASA management, from the Ministry of Transport, headed by the then minister, Yusuf Suleiman.

Obla, through the witness, tendered over 20 statements and documents relating to the contracts allegedly approved and awarded by NIMASA under Omatseye between January and July 2010.

The statements tendered and admitted by the court include the three made by Omatseye on November 24, 25 and 30, 2010 and those by some management workers.

Upon the agreement of the parties, Obla sought an adjournment, which Justice Ajumogobia granted, but he directed Obla to ensure diligent prosecution.

Determined to ensure a swift hearing of the case, Justice Ajumogobia adjourned till February 6, 8 and 9 for continuation of trial.

Jonathan, others urge peace at Eid-el-Maulud From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor Augustine Ehikioya, Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi Abuja

A

S Muslims celebrate the Eid-el-Maulud, commemorating the birth of Prophet Mohammed, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday sent greetings to Nigerians, especially Muslims, urging them to pray for peace.

He also enjoined true believers in the prophet’s divine message to support the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government and its security agencies to ensure the safety of life and property.

Jonathan, through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Reuben Abati, urged them to pray for the officers and men of Nigeria’s security agencies at home and abroad, who are working hard and making sacrifices for security in the country.

He told Muslims to remember the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and members of his family in their prayers and pray for their speedy recovery.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of tolerance as the country celebrates the Maulud (birth) of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

In a message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal also appealed to Nigerians to eschew bitterness and primordial sentiments in their dealings with one another.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu urged Muslim Ummah to pray for peaceful coexistence, security and prosperity of the nation.

He made the call in a goodwill message to the Muslim Ummah on the occasion of the Eid-El-Maulud.

He said it was worrisome that whereas the country’s religions and cultures professed peace, love, good neighbourliness, “acts of hate and terrorism are being perpetrated under the guise of religion and ethnicity.”

Ekweremadu: no problem with private jets From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

EPUTY Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has said increase in the number of private jets would transform the Aviation sector.

The lawmaker, who spoke at the inauguration of the renovated General Aviation Terminal (GAT) and Hajj Terminal at the local wing, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, said private jet charter service could make the country a regional hub in Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa if properly managed.

Said he: “I want to make it clear that I have no problem with private airlines or chartered aircraft. There are several of such facilities all over the world. I’m told that in America alone, they have about 24, 000 private jets flying. So, Nigeria is not the only place where we have private airline or private chartered airline.”

He hailed the Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah for providing the facility and implementing the project.

D

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

10

NEWS Ondo politician petitions police on dud cheque From Damisi Ojo, Akure

A

FORMER Secretary of Akure North Local Government Education Authority (AKNLGEA) in Ondo State, Mr. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, has accused the State Accountant-General and his counterpart in the Political and Economic Department of the Governor’s Office of giving him a dud cheque.

He petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Danladi Mshelbwala, urging the police to prosecute the government officials.

Ogunleye, who resigned his appointment following alleged victimisation by the state government, said the two officials gave him the dud cheque on January 17, 2011, as his furniture allowance as a political office holder.

Ogunleye’s lawyer Segun Akamode said after series of letters to the officials were not replied, he petitioned the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede, on November 29, 2011.

Akamode said the Attorney-General did not reply his letter or take any step to address the issue.

It was learnt that the case has been assigned to a police inspector in the Criminal Investigative Department (CID) of the command.

It was gathered that the accused officials have been invited by the police.

Ogunleye, who is the director-general of the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) in Akure North/South Federal Constituency, said he informed the police because the allowance is his statutory right for serving the state government.

He said: “Those officers have no right to give me a dud cheque and no official reason has been communicated to me. Rather, the government is trying to set me up. Even the case involving my life is being handled by Zone II Command, Osogbo, following a letter that was sent to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).”

Ex-Ogun PDP chair Ojo is dead From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

T

HE pioneer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Mr. Lekan Ojo, is dead.

He died in Lagos yesterday.

The late Ojo was appointed leader of the party in Ogun West last month.

In a statement, elders of the party said they were shocked by the news of his death.

They described it as “a great loss to the party, state and nation.”

A chieftain of the party, Prince Buruji Kashamu, said Ojo’s death was “a personal loss to him”.

Kashamu described the late Ojo as “a strong and level-headed politician, who contributed to the development of party politics, democracy and governance”.

He said: “The late Ojo was never afraid to speak his mind on any issue. On December 30, last year, the late Ojo visited my IjebuIgbo country home and we deliberated on how to take the party to greater heights.

“Witty as ever, he made valuable contributions that reverberated across the length and breadth of the state. In fact, on that occasion, he was unanimously chosen as Ogun West PDP leader.

He was planning to host an Ogun West Stakeholders Meeting/ Mega Rally before his demise.”

Kashamu prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and urged his family, friends and associates to take solace in the legacies of “courage and forthrightness” that he left behind.

Man fined N10,000 for stealing vegetables

•Lagos State Deputy Governor Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulure; former Head of the Interim National Government Chief Ernest Sonekan; former Minister of Defence Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma and his wife, Senator Daisy, at the commendation service for the late former Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most. Rev. Abiodun Adetiloye, in Lagos...yesterday.

Ondo ACN flays barring of Adaba FM from tribunal T HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ondo State has condemned the barring of an independent radio station, Adaba FM, from covering proceedings at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Court by security agents on Tuesday.

In a statement by its Public-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

ity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Agbede, ACN said the “provocative act is embarrassing and ridiculous”, considering the importance of publicising

the tribunal’s activities.

“It is on record that Adaba FM became the darling of everybody for its unbiased reporting of events during the proceedings of the last gover-

norship election petition tribunal, which lasted for close to three years. This could not have been possible in a restricted environment like the present one.”

The party urged security agencies “to be above board” in discharging their responsibilities.

Fayemi felicitates with Muslims

E

KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi has felicitated with Muslims on the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.

He described the prophet as "a true messenger of Allah".

In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi said the prophet's birth is "remarkable and significant to Muslims and nonMuslims alike".

He said the Almighty Allah sent Prophet Muhammad

to the world to bring humanity closer to Him and show us the path to true worship.

The governor said Prophet Muhammad preaches humility and selflessness through his writings in the Hadith.

He described the prophet as an epitome of truth, justice, equity and fair play, who abhorred unrighteousness.

Fayemi said the prophet dedicated his life to humanity and defended the

defenceless, "whom he identified with despite his divine qualities and attributes".

He urged Muslims to emulate the virtues of Prophet Muhammad, whom he called the "Light of Islam".

The governor urged them to pray for peace and security in the country.

He described Muslims as "important stakeholders in his administration's quest to make Ekiti great in the comity of states".

•Dr. Fayemi

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

A

MAGISTRATE’S Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday sentenced a 49-year-old man, Mustapha Adesina, to a two-year imprisonment for stealing vegetables valued at N5,000.

Adesina was said to have been routinely harvesting vegetables at Mr. Adekunle Festus’s farm every Sunday.

Police prosecutor Augustine Ozimini said Adesina was caught in the act on January 20.

Ozimini said: “Adesina had been going to the complainant’s farm every Sunday to steal vegetables. That particular Sunday, Festus hid in his farm and raised the alarm when Adesina came into the farm and started harvesting the vegetables. With the help of other farmers, Adesina was apprehended and taken to the police station.”

Adesina pleaded guilty to the charge.

Magistrate Idowu Olayinka sentenced him to a two-year imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine.

Ajimobi hailed on youth development From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

T

HE Caretaker Chairman of Ibarapa East Local Government in Oyo State, Mr. Lanre Olaosegun, has praised Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s efforts on youth development.

Olaosegun spoke yesterday at the Eleruwa Stadium, Ibarapa, at the opening of the Lanre Olaosegun Inter-Secondary School Soccer competition, tagged: “Chairman’s Cup”.

He said the Governor’s Cup was initiated last year to promote outstanding youths in soccer and keep them occupied.

Olaosegun said he followed in the governor’s footsteps to ensure the “psychomotive, cognitive and affective development of youths, adding that the Chairman’s Cup is the first in the council.

He pledged to reward pupils who perform well in the competition, adding that two pupils from the council were sent to the United States by the state government last year.

Ibarapa Zonal Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Pa Timothy Jolaoso hailed the governor for investing in the development of youths, who he said are the leaders of tomorrow.

Jolaoso urged the pupils to see the competition as the beginning of a good thing and put in their best.

2013 budget’ll improve Osun, says ACN

T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun State yesterday said the policies and programmes in the state’s proposed 2013 Budget have “further proven” that the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration means well for the state.

Aregbesola presented the N183 billion proposed budget to the House of Assembly on Tuesday.

In a statement by its Publicity Director, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, ACN said the budget has proved the opposition’s criticism wrong.

The party said the budget centres on the implementation of the administration’s Six-Point Integral Action Plan, which is “aimed at abolishing poverty and mak-

‘

The governor’s commitment to agricultural development in the 2013 fiscal year will encourage rapid agro-allied industrialisation of the state and improve the welfare of the citizenry From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

‘

ing life more abundant and meaningful to the populace”.

It said: “The governor’s commitment to agricultural development in the 2013 fiscal year will encourage rapid agro-allied industrialisation of the state and improve

the welfare of the citizenry.

It will also make the sector attractive to people, especially youths.

“That N9 billion was budgeted for agriculture shows that the government has genuine interest in the sector. The gesture is a pointer that the state would have excess food in the year.

“In the education sector, the budget shows that the administration would rehabilitate all primary, secondary and tertiary institutions owned by the state government and provide necessary facilities and equipment.

“No government in the history of the state has shown much commitment to the education sector as the Aregbesola administration.

“It has demolished old structures and built modern classrooms in primary schools and introduced the free feeding programme, which will be extended to pupils in primary four, according to the 2013 budget.

“We urge the people to support the administration to deliver all its good promises in the year.”

Two Beninoise jailed for stealing motorcycle

A

MAGISTRATE’S Court in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has sentenced two Beninoise to four years imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle.

Jagunoyeji Adeniyi (25) and Sunday Adesade (25) allegedly committed the offence on June 25, last year, around 10am at Aye, Ejigbo Local Government Area.

The Bajaj Motorcycle, which belongs to Mr. Kehinde Olajide, a commercial motorcyclist, was valued at N110,000.

Adeniyi and Adesade pleaded guilty to the two-count

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The defence counsel, Mr. Ameachi Ngwu, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy.

Ngwu said his clients have been in detention since their arraignment last year and urged the court to give them an option of fine, a plea the court refused to oblige.

The Magistrate, Adebayo Lasisi, sentenced them to a fouryear imprisonment without option of fine.

11

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

‘ITF needs N4b to upgrade centre’ From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

T

HE Industrial Training Fund (ITF) needs addi tional N4billion to improve its Abuja Model skills acquisition centre, the Director-General, Professor Longmas Wapmuk, has said.

He spoke during a visit by the Singapore High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrr Shabbir Hassanbhai. He explained that with the fund, the agency will expand its scope of programmes, adding that the training centre which was established and patterned along the Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education, currently has 450 students. “Although the centre was originally conceived to accommodate 35 trades, it currently runs five programmes due to financial constraints.

“The programme cannot effectively implement the original design due to space and financial constraints. The desire of the agency is to accommodate 15 programmes as against five. Presently the institute lacks the needed facilities. Our plan is to have a bigger centre in the Federal Capital Territory. We want to expand the centre to accommodate more trades,” he said.

The agency intends to offer programmes in more than 15 trade areas, but for lack of space and inadequacy of funds, we make do with the available space which is meant for five trades. I wanted more programmes to be run, but the Institute of Technical Education said it cannot take more than five,” he stated.

Wapmuk maintained that for the institution to have a centre that will accommodate all trades, it will need not less than N4billion to acquire new facilities and expand service for students.

Hassabhai in his remarks said the partnership between ITF and Singapore has yielded the desired result.

He said the importance of vocational and skills acquisition to the development of any nation cannot be underestimated. He urged ITF to replicate the success story in other parts of the country.

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

-N6.503 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -11.7% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending -22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $43.5b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR -206.9 £ -242.1 $ -156 ¥ -1.9179 SDR -238 RIYAL -40.472

Risk management could entail avoiding the risk completely, reducing the negative impact of the risk through risk mitigation actions, transfering or sharing the risks with other parties and retaining the risk; ie, accepting some or all the consequences of the risk and budgeting for it.

- Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN Governor

NERC asks customers to pay for meters A GAINST its ealier stance to provide meters free of charge, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday asked willing customers to pay to Distribution Companies (DISCOs) after which a meter will be given to them within 45 days.

NERC Chairman Dr. Sam Amadi, who said this in Abuja, explained that in exchange for the payment, “the DISCOs will in turn reduce the customers' electricity bills monthly to the tune of the amount originally advanced by the customer."

He said the Commission may accredit meter vendors to supply and install the meters directly to customers, adding that NERC will work out the modalities for the

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

payment.

This decision followed the companies’ slow implementation of the 18-month timeline for metering deployment plan set by NERC at the commencement of the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO2) in June, last year.

The tariff made allowance for sufficient funds to provide meters so that customers were no longer required to pay for the facility.

But Amadi explained that the 18-month metering plan was based on the assumption that with financial viability, the process would improve after MYTO 2.

"Unfortunately, the negotiation between labour and the Federal Government has resulted in increased person-

nel cost by 50 per cent. The impact is that the operational cost of the DISCOs increased significantly. So the DISCOs have not been able to utilise increment in collection arising from tariff review to focus on metering.”

He said the Commission would hold a public hearing for SMEs and other stakeholders to arrive at a more affordable fixed charge to ensure sustenance of the sector.

“The Board of the Commissioners also reviewed the requests made by some electricity distribution companies to unbundle customers classes (R2 and R3), a development that will see to customers in the R2 category, who are mostly low-income working class customers paying less for electricity

without undermining the capacity of the operators to recover their costs.

He said NERC has requested for an imposition of Kilo Volt Amp (KVA) charges to users of heavy industrial machinery that are known to cause stress to the system, adding that the charge would serve as a deterrent to such customers and compel them to install capacitor baks that will be used to reduce the impact.

The Commission also revealed that it received a request from Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (Bulk Trader) to grant a special permit to the 450 megawatt Azura- Edo power plant located in Ihovbor Benin, Edo State.

Amadi explained that the permit is in respect of a site

specific wholesale gas price that is higher than the official price to enable it complete it's financial transactions and commence construction of the plant.

While accepting that the power plant is important in terms of wholesale, he stressed that the commission has resolved that a decision will be taken after a public hearing with the stakeholders such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation , DISCOs, electricity consumers and others.

On metering plans, he said: "I also like to inform you that we have received concerns about slow deployment of meters. As you know, NERC had indicated metering the nation in 18 months based on the assumption on how the financial viability would improve after MYTO II.

ICAN trains, certifies 38, 000 From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

T

• From left: National President, Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Ademola Ajayi, Chairman, Skysat Technologies Limited, Abdusattar Debs and Business Solution Manager, Mr. Michael Hans Mier, at the Konica Minolta Digital Print Solutions press briefing held at the Syrian Club, Ikoyi, Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE.

Reps probe N275b Customs contract

T

HE House of Repre sentatives has ex pressed concern over the management of the N275billion Destination Inspection Scheme (DIS) between the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Ministry of Finance.

The lawmakers have subsequently mandated the Committee on Customs and Excise to investigate the whereabout of the said money.

The DIS contracts were awarded to four foreign firmsCotecna Destination Inspection ltd; SGS Scanning Nigeria Limited; Global Scan Systems Limited and Webb Fountain (Nigeria) Limited to provide scanning services, risk management techniques and electronic platform at the various

• Malfunctioning PA system forces adjournment From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

ports in the country.

The firms that have been handling Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services for the NCS in the last 7 years, were supposed to build, equip, train and eventually transfer the technology and expertise to the Customs.

Bimbo Daramola (ACN, Ekiti) who raised the motion under matter of urgent public importance, stressed that it has become expedient for the country to block drains of its revenues, especially through the ports.

Daramola explained that in December last year, the Min-

ister of Finance, Customs and the service providers announced an extension of the contract for a period of six months.

He said: “This curious extension was without due process and against the overall interest of the country. As a result of the extension, N21billion would be paid to the service providers irrespective of the quality of work and without handing over to the NCS, or making Nigerians the dominant players after so many years.

“Our concern and worry is that the revenue potentials of the country are not being realised as adequate taxes are not being paid by the Destination

Inspection service providers.

“Needless to say that the collection of government revenue is also not being maximised as over $1billion of government revenue may have been lost.”

The motion was referred to the House Committee on Commerce after it was put to voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, who presided. The committee was given four weeks to report back to the House.

Meanwhile, plenary was abruptly adjourned till next Tuesday when it became apparent that plenary could not continue as a result of malfunctioning of the public address system in the chamber.

HE Institute of Char tered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), has so far trained and certified over 38, 000 chartered accountants who are engaged in the creation of values in all sectors of the economy, its President, Adedoyin Owolabi, has said.

Speaking at a public lecture, titled; ‘Accountancy Profession as a Tool for Economic Development,’ in Calabar, Owolabi said the body has currently registered a student population of about 186, 000 in its professional programme.

He said since the introduction of the Institute's Accelerated Programme, the number of students qualifying as chartered accountants have risen to 2500 annually.

Also, in order to facilitate the production of middle level manpower needed by the nation in the development process, he said they introduced the Accounting Technician's Scheme which has trained more that 12, 500 technicians in the last fifteen years.

He said the scheme currently has a registered student population of over 98, 000.

According to the ICAN President said these efforts did not only facilitate productive activities and made output to rise beyond immediate consumption needs, but ultimately led to an increase in the stock of wealth of resource owners which have transformed the society.

House defeats motion on cement import

T

HERE was an uproar in the House of Repre sentatives yesterday as the members voted on a motion brought by a member, Hassan Saleh (PDP, Benue).

Members were disenchanted with the refusal of the Deputy Speaker, Emeka

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

Ihedioha, to rule in line with the votes on the motion, causing an uproar.

While majority of the lawmakers shouted “Nay!” to the motion, the Deputy Speaker

dithered and asked the sponsor to repeat the prayer just in case members did not hear it well in the first instance.

This incited members, anger, resulting in an uproar.

For about three minutes, no one could hear anything in the chamber due to the mur-

muring that engulfed the chamber..

The motion, entitled: “Urgent need to investigate the non-implementation of the backward integration policy on local production of cement,” empahsised the non-protection of local ce-

ment producers, against the background of the glut in the local market and continued importation of cement.

The vote was eventually taken for the second time after the sponsor had read the motion a second time.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

12

CHIEF AYIRIMI EMAMI

THE AKULAGBA OF WARRI KINGDOM NO.1, SWISSCOURT ROAD, UBEJI, DELTA STATE, NIGERIA **THE STATE OF THE NATION* The Akulagba of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayirimi Emami, is a notable activist and an accomplished youth leader in the Niger Delta. Emami, bold, courageous, energetic and an unrepentant crusader for the development and transformation of the Niger Delta, is also the Chairman of the Itsekiri Regional Development Council, IRDC, an initiative of the American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, to foster good neighbourliness with its host communities. He is also the coordinator of the Savannah Delta Group.

In this interview with a group of selected journalists, Emami bares his mind on the state of the nation and the fortunes of the Niger Delta region under President Jonathan’s administration amongst other sundry national and local issues.. He says Jonathan has not do well enough and that the transformation agenda is a ruse. Excepts. : Question: How do you assess the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan?

Answer: Goodluck Jonathan has not done very well at all and this position is not new to those who have been following my views about his administration. I have been saying it that Jonathan not only lacks focus, he does not have any development blueprint. The so-called transformation agenda is a ruse. Where has he developed in the past three years? The Presidency is just paying lip service to development, it is a dubious propaganda to deceive Nigerians to secure an undeserved second term. A serious government should have an agenda. Why do I say so? We have been clamouring for an all round development in the Niger Delta because all the ethnic nationalities are suffering the same fate of underdevelopment, mass poverty, hunger, deprivation, threat to our environment and existence by the activities of the oil companies. We all desire good roads, portable water, foreshore wall, reclamation and electricity to enable us live a decent life like other people in the rest of the country. We have different Federal Ministries and agencies which ordinarily should provide these amenities for our people and we also have a President, who is from our region, because that was why he got sympathy votes from us, to develop our areas since he is one of us but the reverse is the case. I don’t know where the problem is coming from, either from him or his appointees.The ministries are supposed to carry out the day to day activities of government but some of these ministries only exist in names. They are not carrying out their mandate. They are just conduits to siphon the tax payers’ money.

Question: How?

effectively with his appointees. Those benefiting from him may not tell him the truth but for me, I will state my position at all times even if I am benefiting from you. I had thought somebody who said he had no shoe should not have forgotten his antecedent so soon and be carried away by the luxuries of Aso Rock. I don’t think anybody can come with a story of not having a shoe and win the sympathy of Nigerans anymore because of the performance of Jonathan. Anybody who claimed that he could not afford a shoe must have experienced a hard time like our situation in the Niger Delta such as lack of good roads, shore protection, reclamation, poor education and lack of food because if you don’t have these amenities how can you have shoe and clothes? Immediate expectations of Nigerians is that somebody with this horrible experience would have been in a hurry to provide these facilities not only in the Niger Delta but in the nooks and crannies of the country. Some people said Mr. President is very slow. But I am confused as to whether he is slow or lacks idea or that his aides are frustrating him or being wicked to Nigerians because there is an adage that says show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. With the kind of ministers, we can see the type of government and we should not be confused about the character and competence of the leadership.

Question: Does it mean that you share the views of people who claim that Jonathan has been hijacked? Answer: Of course, yes, he has been hijacked, otherwise people cannot be complaining about the Ministers of Niger Delta Affairs and Petroleum like my humble self for years and the President kept mute.

Q: What is your reaction to the criticism of Jonathan by some Ijaw ex-militants lately? Some stakeholders believed that their action was a natural response to the refusal of the President to renew their oil pipeline surveillance contracts, do you share that feeling?

Answer: I take the militants by their words. In the beginning of the struggle, it was not pipeline contract that was the issue but challenges of development. I think the grievance of the ex-militants against Jonathan is that we gave you support to get to the top and you are not carrying out development in our areas. The reason for militancy and amnesty is for development. Sadly, Jonathan got the presidency through sympathy from within and outside the country but he has failed to deliver. There is no development anywhere. The militants could not boldly say that they have got development because people will definitely ask them questions. These people fought and people were killed, Nigerians and foreigners and yet they have got to nowhere. There is nothing to show for it.

Answer:Nigerians are not feeling the impact of these ministries. The name of a ministry determines its functions. Take the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs headed by Godsday Orubebe, for instance, by that name, the ministry is saddled with the responsibility of developing the region in all facets but has Orubebe done anything? He is an abysmal failure. The records are there in the region, including his Ijaw areas. What has he done in terms of providing foreshore walls and reclamation for the various coastal Niger Delta communities, including Ijaw communities, which are being threatened daily by ocean surge? My community, Ugborodo, protested by closing down the gas project of the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC, to draw the attention of the authorities to our plight that the community is being washed away and the compelling urgency to protect the area with foreshore walls. The President intervened and as responsible and law abiding citizens we obeyed and withdrew from the site. Orubebe promised to deal with our problem but in line with his style, he failed to deliver in the past two years. Has he delivered on the East/West road, where lives are being wasted daily?

Even some us who are involved in pipeline surveillance jobs are doing that at our own risk. Some people say it was the same crude they stole to buy guns to instal Jonathan and that he cannot turn around now to stop it. Even at that some of us are still trying to persuade them to stop the sabotage to make more money available to the government for development. But they would ask you, where is the development? They said they are not seeing anything. The issue on ground is not about surveillance job. One day, these militants will go back home and they will have no story to tell their people about the gains of the mindless war, which claimed the lives of many people, including their own people, except their personal pockets. No development to justify the bloodshed.

The only thing they gain is the presidency, which is not producing results now. The outburst by the militants is because they are ashamed. But as for surveillance jobs, you cannot say you wont pay for such a dangerous job because some people are not performing in some areas.

Orubebe has not delivered any project in any part of the Niger Delta. The same thing with his counterpart in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Deziani Allison-Madueke. The oil minister is a total failure as it affects us in the Niger Delta. If you talk about the local content, for example, it is a failure as far as our region, where we get oil from, is concerned. The people are not being carried along. The oil multinationals are not carrying our people along. For instance, Chevron had a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ijaw, Ilaje, Itsekiri, in all their areas of operations, even in the East. I happened to be the chairman of one of them and since my assumption of office, there is a clause we have been pestering them to remove from the the GMoU, which they tagged “Equal Opportunity Employer”. They have consistently refused to expunge it and I never see it anywhere in the world where concession is not given to host communities. For example in political parties, you talk about zoning of political offices, and in government you talk about federal character and you begin to wonder why an oil company is insisting on equal opportunities whereas other companies like Mobil and Total would place adverts setting aside some jobs exclusively for the people in their areas of operation. But the reverse is the case with Chevron. The communities have written several letters to the Minister of Petroleum, Local Content Commission, Presidency with no response from any of them. This is one of the major issues that should attract urgent attention of a serious minister because we are talking of employment and the chances available to the people of the area, where she equally comes from. But she would just not give any attention .Their major concern is just how to get the crude to flow and petroleum products to their depots, while the wellbeing of the people does not matter to them.

Answer: Don’t even talk about it. We don’t even want any position from them because we know we won’t get it. That is not an issue you talk about. We are asking for development which I know will not come too. The minister, who is supposed to carry out shore protection and reclamation in Ugborodo in response to our peaceful protest, failed to act. The one we protested for we did not see, is it the one we did not protest for that they would give to us? If they failed to develop their Ijaw communities, is it Itsekiri communities they will develop?

Question: If you say the ministers have failed, do you support the views by some critics that Jonathan is not in control?

Answer: Yes, I support that assertion hundred per cent. He is not in control at all. There is no doubt about that. His deficiency allows the ministers to fumble and do whatever they like. For example, if I own a company as chairman and we can also compare Nigeria to a company with Jonathan as the chairman and the company has to make profit and the chairman of the company continues to romance with the management of the company which is declaring loss every year. Does that show that the chairman has a bearing? Does that connote that the chairman is ready for a serious business? That is the position of Jonathan on his ministers.

Jonathan is keeping undignified silence about ceaseless public outcry about the performance and conduct of his ministers. He is surely not in control, the ministers are totally in charge of the affairs of the country. For example, we have been talking about the administration of OML 42 in Delta State, in which Shell gave out its stakes. We thought it would afford the indigenes to for once participate in the operations of the oil industry in line with what the Presidency has been professing but the oil minister told us we were wrong. She came with the idea of awarding Shell’ stakes to another state-controlled company, NPDC, which does not have the structure to run the facility.

We had planned to run the facility and use part of the proceeds to develop our communities since the government has failed in that regard. I strongly suspect that NPDC is running the facility on behalf of the cohorts of some people and her action is not in the best interest of the Niger Delta.

For the minister, it is going to be business as usual. Ordinarily, if Shell is leaving Warri, we should not feel it. It would have been a matter of change of name, crude is still being taken. NPDC is just maintaining a caricature structure in Benin, sharing contracts, and it cannot get the actual volume of crude being pumped on a daily basis.

We were told that any company that was going to operate OML 42 is going to do it in total, that is going to be a total package. If an indigenous oil company had acquired the facility, the new owner would have been able to develop our communities as part of their corporate social responsibility, handling piling , reclamation, canalisation and other problems for our people.

But as it is now,the reverse is the case. Everything is tilted towards the realisation of their selfish interests.

Question: Are you advising Jonathan to sack his cabinet?

Answer:I am not calling for a blanket action because very few of them are working. I am restricting my appraisal for now to the two ministers whose activities have direct bearing with the well being of our people. With the prevailing situation in the Niger Delta, it is obvious that Orubebe and Allison-Madueke are not serving the people. Jonathan was voted for and he must run his tenure and he is the one who is going to be called to question and the performance of his government will determine his chances in 2015. Orubebe and Allison-Madueke have no business in a serious, responsible, responsive, sensitive and people-oriented government.

Question: What are the chances of Jonathan in 2015?

Answer:In the real sense, I don’t think he should be thinking of 2015, rather Jonathan should concentrate on the execution of the current mandate which he has not been able to discharge

Question: Is the Itsekiri ethnic nationality being fairly treated by the Federal Government?

Question: Are you satisfied with the war against corruption by the present administration?

Answer: This government is not waging any war against corruption. The actual name of this government is corruption, may be in a different style. But if they claim to be fighting corruption, the focus must have been on the perceived or real enemies of government, particularly those opposed to the second term bid of Mr. President. What is the outcome of the subsidy probe?Some of us who supported removal of subsidy because we thought the money would be used for development are ashamed of our roles because nothing has changed. The issue of fighting corruption is nothing to talk about in this government. Jonathan’s aides claimed that he was not the first Nigerian leader, easily making reference to past leaders, who could not deliver. But Jonathan should know that he was voted for to deliver. The worst that we have ever seen in terms of corruption is this government, we do not know which one is coming next.

Question: What is your reaction to the growing insecurity in the country?

Answer: Insecurity issue in the country is political. For instance, when Itsekiri was being killed in the Niger Delta, nobody cared. Whenever we call the attention of government, they will tell you it is political, instead of treating it as a criminal case.A major beneficiary of such action today is the President of this country.

Question: Why do you say so?

Answer: I will continue to say it. Niger Delta crisis started from Warri crisis, which is the mindless killings of the Itsekiri people by the Ijaw led by Tompolo as claimed in some of his publications.

At the end, it was handled politically, amnesty was given, political offices, including presidency, were shared, contracts were signed and political appointments were given. Persuasions went on to people who should have been treated like criminals. After the crisis and killing, the perpetrators were handsomely rewarded. You don’t expect other persons not to seek attention?They should continue on the other side of the North to give amnesty and juicy patronage to reward them for the killings afterall there was a precedent in the Niger Delta. If the MOSOP, OPC and others can cause mayhem, they should also be rewarded.

What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. As the late General Azazi once said that the insecurity in the North was being caused by the Norrthern governors, maybe the insecurity in the Niger Delta was caused by the governors of the area and President Jonathan was one of them.

Question: How do you evaluate the performance of the governors of the Niger Delta?

Answer: Some of them are performing according to the money available to them. Governors Amaechi of Rivers State, Oshiomhole of Edo State and Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom States are performing very well and as for Governor Uduaghan of Delta State, if he can continue and develop the spirit I saw in November and December, 2012, there is hope of a new dawn in the state and we can only encourage him to do more without the distraction of litigation.

I have opened my crusade again for the betterment of the Niger Delta and Nigerians at large.

God bless Nigeria.

Long live Savannah Delta , Long Live Niger Delta, Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Signed: AYIRIMI EMAMI

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

13

14

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

Keshi, Eagles in positive showdown talks

Pg. 49

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Sport PAGE 15

Keshi turns 51, shelves celebrations for AFCON Pg. 16

Ghana coach ready to face Mali

Pg. 16

Eagles will beat Zambia

—Mikel Pg. 16

Emenike: this is

not my

best

17

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

CONSTITUTION REVIEW As the National Assembly is set to review the 1999 Constitution, local government employees are agitating for autonomy for the councils. But governors are kicking against it on the ground that there is no third tier in federalism. Assistant Editor DADA ALADELOKUN examines the issues.

Can local council get autonomy?

L

OCAL government autonomy is a critical issue that has polarised the polity, since the begining of the constitution review process. Council chairmen and employees are clamouring for the independence of the grassroots government. However, the governors have objected to the clamour, saying that there is no third tier in federalism. The governors are using the platform of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to articulate their views and resisit the push for constitutional autonomy for the fledgling councils.

Right from the days of the colonialists, apostles of local government administration had seen it as an enviable means of getting the dividends of governance to the doorsteps of locals. To them, both the federal and state government administrations lacked the structural capacity to satisfy the yearnings of the grassroots inhabitants without ado. Therefore, all through the past years to the days of Ibadan District Council, which came into being in 1954, to the era of the Ibadan Municipal Government (1957 - 1979), which showcased impressive grassroots administrations, especially in the Southwest, it was hearty applause for the tier.

Perhaps for the time-tested importance of the tier of government, spirited efforts were made to revitalise it at various times in the course of the nation’s chequered history. Outstanding among such attempts was the famous 1976 Local Government Reform.

The same conviction gave birth to the Political Bureau instituted in 1986 to, among other things, make the local government system deliver its anticipated inherent goodies. Before then, there existed the Dasuki Committee on Local Administration in Nigeria. Its sole aim was how to make the system effectual through improved finance and unbridled autonomy.

Convinced beyond doubt that the local government system was the surest purveyor of the dividends of government efforts to local inhabitants, the Ibrahim Babangida-led administration moved to consolidate it. Between May 1989 and September 1991, it created additional councils, raising the tally from 301 to 589.

Eight years later, the number rose to 774, including the six Area Councils at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). They have since been listed in the contentious 1999 Constitution currently undergoing overhaul.

A die-hard apostle of true federalism, former Lagos State Governor and national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Bola Tinubu, actualised his belief in the efficacy of grassroots governance during his eight-year reign in the state. How? Enabled

by Section 7 of the 1999 Constitu-

•Mark

tion, he created 37 Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) to further take the fruits of governance to the doorsteps of the grassroots people. Though former President Olusegun Obasanjo did the titanic to scuttle the development, he failed to have a good dance. Till today, the LCDAs carved out of the original 20 councils are still waxing strong, springing forth appreciable service delivery.

Senator Smart Adeyemi averred last weekend that the opponents of local government administration in the country “are enemies of development.”

Oba Abdulfatai Oyeyinka Aromire, the Ojora of Ijoraland in Lagos State, lent his voice in support of Tinubu’s effort when he told The Nation: “Before Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu came into office, Lagos was at a standstill, but when he got there, he created more Local Council Development Authorities that have really helped Governor Babatunde Fashola to move the state forward.”

However, if asked for their candid verdict on the councils and their performance nationwide, most Nigerians - except perhaps the few beneficiaries of the perceived rots in the system - will score them abysmally low masks.

For a medley of reasons, the critical roles assigned to the tier of government by the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution have not been well attended to.

While the office holders at the level are always quick to implicate inordinate control by the states and lack of adequate funds to effectively run the system, analysts would differ a bit. To majority of them, who often accuse the grassroots administrators of ineptitude and offensive misuse of

•Tambuwal

resources, they also see them as being bereft of the sense of purpose, honesty and patriotism needed to run the affairs of Nigerians at the level to fructification.

With all these, it is not surprising that calls for either scrap or strengthen the local government system stood out among people’s demands when recently, consultations were made nationwide with the people by members of the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly in the constituencies.

Specifically, The Senate and House of Representatives had respectively set up committees to review the 1999 Constitution. Senate President David Mark, while setting up the 47-member Senate committee, had posed a number of questions thus: “How effective are the local government? Should they be made to function independently to the states? Is the Joint State/Local Government Account still necessary?

One of the stakeholders who expressed worry over the fate of the local government system,Dr. Ifeoluwa Arowosoge, is a member of the House of Representatives standing in for Ekiti South West, Ikere and Ise/Orun Federal Constituency. He had served as an elected chairman of the old Ekiti Southwest Council between 1991 and 1993.

The legislator bemoaned the illfate of the troubled tier in a chat with The Nation. “We cannot but review the constitution for the sake of our councils. They are now nothing but mere appendages of their various states to the detriment of grassroots people,” he said.

Underpinning his position, Arowosoge recalled his experience: “During our time, under Ibrahim Babangida, we enjoyed considerable autonomy and we had the free

•Okafor

hand to appoint capable hands to work with us and for that, we made remarkable impacts on our people.

Today, our councils have lost their so-called autonomy both economically, administratively as if the constitution is lame. Secondary school drop-outs are now councillors, and the councils now lack the wherewithal to embark on projects since the paltry sums they get from the states are barely sufficient to pay monthly staff emoluments let alone run the councils. Unless the constitution is amended to rescue the councils from the current shackles of bondage, the council will remain dysfunctional. I thank God it is under consideration in the current attempt to redeem the constitution.”

However, to Nwabueze Okafor, National President, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), all the new constitution under re-reconstruction needs to do is to ensure the autonomy of the their tier of government.

“The major problem of the local government system in the country is about the erosion of its autonomy. If the new constitution can make the local government autonomy an inviolate feature, the tier will be alive to it’s statutorily responsibility again,” Okafor said.

The rumour has been rife across the country that in the northern part of the country, the councils’ helmsmen only go to office on pay-day, share their allocations, go back home only to return for the unholy ritual the next month. This reporter drew the attention of a former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, to the insinuation. He was also asked to bare his mind on how he felt the ensuing new constitution should address the issue.

His reaction was vehement as he

‘The main problem lies in the fact that the state governors have never given the operators of the local government system the free hand to perform in line with the provisions of the constitution.

We are now faced with a situation whereby it is the governor that influences who become the chairmen of the councils, what to give them and how they are being run. This has not helped the system’

described the impression about the northern council bosses as erroneous. He explained: “It is completely wrong and unfair to say that it is only the northern council helmsmen that revel in sharing people’s resources at the level; it is a national problem. Across the whole country today, it is a story of stealing and non-performance at the local government level. It is the same sorry situation across councils in the country; no exception.”

“The main problem lies in the fact that the state governors have never given the operators of the local government system the free hand to perform in line with the provisions of the constitution. We are now faced with a situation whereby it is the governor that influences who become the chairmen of the councils, what to give them and how they are being run. This has not helped the system and its would-be beneficiaries. Therefore, we must see to a workable arrangement whereby the executives at the level are given the leeway to work within the purview of their statutory expectations,” Musa, who is also the national chairman of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), added.

To Chief Jide Awe, the chairman of ACN in Ekiti State, the new constitution being constructed must ensure the strengthening of the supervision of the local government system. Though my party has a stand on the issue, I have a personal opinion. My conviction is that no system is bad, but the operators’ disposition. Their attitude brought about people’s impression about the system. From the local government through the state to the federal government, there is no problem with the system at each level, it is the operators who often misbehave and mismanage the system.

“It is really disheartening the local government today has become a sharing centre of public funds. It is equally sad that both the political class at the local government level and the administrative staff are of the irritating opinion that the system offers them the opportunity to have their own share of the national cake. All that is done there is for them to share among themselves the resources that should be ploughed into providing basic amenities like water for the grassroots people because ideally, being the closest to the common people, the local government is supposed to cater for their basic needs.

But the opposite is now the case.”

Tunde Buraimoh, a lawyer and former Chairman, Ojodu Local Government, Lagos State, is also of the view that the local government system deserves urgent turnaround across the country. “I was once in the saddle at the level and I know how it feels, not only as a ‘governor’ at the level but also as a resident. Therefore, I strongly feel that no stone should be left unturned in efforts to revamp the vital system.

It is the tier of governance that feels the pulse of the commoners directly. It therefore goes without saying that the system must remain in sound health in all ramifications,” Buraimoh said.

Now, the question remains: will the new constitution bring sanity to the ailing grassroots administration in the country? Time will tell.

18

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

POLITICS

‘No crisis in Oyo ACN’

How did the Lagos State House of Assembly fare in 2012? OZIEGBE OKOEKI examines the past legislative year, the laws and resolutions passed, and the areas of priority in 2013.

Alhaji Abas Oloko is a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State. He spoke with JEREMIAH OKE about the Ajimobi Administration and challenges confronting the party in post-Adesina era.

S

OME members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) have kicked against the endorsement of Governor Abiola Ajimobi as the leader of the party in Oyo State. What is your reaction?

There is no faction in Oyo ACN. We do not know any group called ‘Asiwaju Omoba’ in our party. No section of the state is opposed to the endorsement of governor Ajimobi.

We are all one. Normally, the governor of the state should be the leader of the party because of the experience and the exposure. Look at the people who are holding that post in any state of the federation.

Our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is a former governor, Chief Bisi Akande is a former governor.

Chief Segun Osoba is a former governor. The late Alhaji Lam Adesina was a governor. Even during the time of Alliance for Democracy (AD), the late Bola Ige was the leader of the party and he was a governor. All these people emerged as leaders. If anybody wants to contest the position, he should come out. They do not vote for a leader, but the leader of a party in a state will emerge. The blood of politics runs in the veins Governor Ajimonbi because his father was also a member of the House of Assembly between 1979 and 1983.

He is not a new man in politics and he is capable to run the party.

How do you assess the performance of Governor Abiola Ajimobi?

He has been performing excellently. After the late Kolapo Ishola left as governor in Oyo State, we have had three democratically elected governors and none of them has performed like him. In the past, look at how dirty and unorganized the state was. If you enter the state from Lagos or Osun State, you will be disturbed by its filth.

If you had gone round Ibadan before the emergence of Senator Ajimobi as the governor, you will see how our people were dropping garbage everywhere. They built shops at the middle of the road. Imagine people building shops under a high tension wire, which is very dangerous for them. All these were as a result of the lack of discipline of the past administrations in the state. But within a year, Governor Ajimobi has returned the state to its old glory.

So, I want to say Governor Ajimobi has been doing great job in the state.

Do you see Accord Party as a major opposition in the state?

Accord Party is a worthless party in Oyo State. Senator Rashidi Ladoja should go and rest from politics because he is too old to contest. This

administration has achieved what he could not achieve during his time. So, I don’t see them wining any election in the state. Ladoja should go and relax somewhere and, if he contests for any election again, he will fail woefully.

Why did you leave PDP? I left because it is not structurally organised; everybody wants to be the leader. They are all liars and deceptive. I started PDP together with the Late Chief Lamidi Adedibu in Oyo State and I discovered that they don’t have any programme for the masses.

That is why the crisis is still lingering in their party. They can never win any election in Oyo State again, even if they succeed with their reconciliation moves because they are confused.

The people of Oyo State are progressive-minded and they will never allow the people who are corrupt, wicked and who have no conscience to come back and destroy the state for them again.

Some people have alleged that you are a political harlot for defecting from PDP to ACN. What is your reaction to this?

I have defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before election, because the former governor, Alao-Akala, does not listen to correction. He was a stubborn fellow who always creates problem in the state.

One of the reasons I defected was the issue of the chairmanship tussle oamong traditional rulers in the state. I went to the governor to complain that he should settle the crisis between him and make Alaafin as the permanent chairman of the traditional rulers in the state, but he objected. Even the history of Yoruba backs him up to be the head of all the kings, not only in Oyo state, but in Yorubaland. Akala even went to the extent of trying to divide Oyo town.

Another incident was that of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). Akala lifted the ban on the activities of the union in, just to create problem in the state.

The two incidents were aimed at creating problems for Governor Ajimobi, but the governor was so smart and he received divine wisdom from God to maintain peace in the state. With these reasons, I made up my mind and resolved that PDP is not a party of a credible people. I resigned and defected to the ACN. Even, if PDP in Oyo State resolves all its internal wrangling, it cannot beat ACN in the 2015 general elections because Yoruba people are tired of them. Their crisis is from the top.

Somebody will say there is no executive of the party in the state, another

Lagos Assembly renews focus

T •Oloko

person will want to be the governor, senator, and another person will want to be the party chairman. They are all having problems.

Look at the serious problem they are having now at the national level.

Do you think they can resolve it before the 2015 elections? Anyway, I am sure that, with the merger move of our leaders, we will wrest power from them at the national level in 2015.

Do you have any regret leaving PDP? I do not have any regret at all because I am leaving a peaceful life now, unlike before when I was still with them, where crises, troubles were their watchword. They will keep losing elections in the Southwest.

What do you think is the reason for the defection of prominent people like Olunloyo and others from PDP to ACN? We all defected because the crisis in PDP is terrible and we all want peace. Senator Ayo Adeseun is a grassroots politician and he has never lost any election. Senator Adeseun warned Alao-Akala not to venture into many things, but he refused to yield to his advice. Imagine, we went to a meeting in Lagos with President Jonathan; you need to see how rude Akala was to the President when he started banging the table, and said to his face that without him, he will win his election. That was when all of us knew that their is no discipline in the party. ive minded in the state.

Some people describe Governor Abiola Ajimobi as a ‘go slow governor’. What is your reaction to this?

They were saying that when he just came on-board. There is a reason for that because, when a new government emerges, he needs to study the condition of things in the office before he embarks on any project.

Let me give you an illustration.

When you want to drive a car and you begin to accelerate at top speed, that shows that you are inexperienced and that may cost you your life. It shows that you cannot drive, but when you start slowly, you will get to your destination safely and that shows you are an experienced driver. The same thing applies to the way Governor Ajimobi is running this state.

•Anambra State Governor Peter Obi addressing students from various schools at a Town Hall meeting at the Women Development Centre, Awka.

HERE was no dull moment during the crtitical legislative year. Lawmakers achieved a shift in collective focus. Unlike 2011, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed more bils and resolutions for good governance. in 2012. The deputy speaker of the House, Mr. Kolawole Taiwo, affirmed the shift. “We have moved from establishment laws to ‘law and order’ laws and we will continue with it this year. This is because we know that if we can let our people see reason now, why we need to live based on law and order, we would have solved several problems,”he said.

The House passed 11 bills into law in 2012. The most important of them, according to Taiwo, was the traffic law. Although the law was trailed by a lot of controversies and protests by commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called Okada, leading to destruction of property and sometimes lost of lives, the law has come to stay, more so when a suit filed by the Okada riders against the state government as a result of the law was thrown out by the courts. Many Lagosians agree that the law has instilled sanity on Lagos roads, although it has deprived a lot of people their means of livelihood.

Other laws passed include: The 2012 Appropriation Law; A law to amend the Lagos State Law Reform Commission; A Law to amend the High Court Law Cap. H3 Laws of Lagos State; A Law to provide for Lagos State Polytechnic; A law to amend and re-order the 2012 Appropriation Law; A law to establish the Lagos State Scholarship Board; 2013 Appropriation Law, and The Cremation Law. The Cremation Law which was passed at the last sitting of the House in December 2012 remained controversial until the day it was passed because of the opposition of some religious groups and individuals to it.

But Taiwo said that though the bill was controversial, “we passed it to correct imbalances on how we bury our dead, particularly unclaimed and unidentified corpses”. The law provides for cremation on unclaimed corpses in morgues and their voluntary cremation.

About twelve bills are at different stages of passage. Prominent among them are: Consumer Protection Agency Bill; Lagos State Revenue Administration Bill; Lagos State Oil and Gas Corporation Bill; Facilities Management and Maintenance Bill; Freedom of Information Bill; Lagos State Lands Registration Bill; Lagos State Anti-Terrorism Bill; Lagos state House of Assembly Budget and Legislative Research Office; Local Government (Administration) (Repeal and Re-enactment) bill etc. About seven other bills are awaiting executive briefing.

The Lagos State Revenue Administration Bill would have been passed in December 2012 but for the disagreement between chairman, Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho and Vice Chairman, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu and other members of the Finance Committee over the committee report presented to the House.

The Deputy Speaker also revealed: “The Consumer Protection Agency bill is one of the ‘law and order’ bill though it is yet to be passed, it is going to assist us; we lack political will to face reality when it comes to controlling the quality of products that come into our society. We will pass the consumer protection law which will move us from quality control to quality assurance which is the global standard. And we will be sure of a quality that is acceptable to our environment.”

The House was applaudee for recorded the early passage of the 2013 Appropriation Law. Governor Babatunde Fashola, while signing the bill into law, said it had not happened

in a long time.

The House also passed 62 resolutions in 2012 which resolved many contentious issues that could cause major crisis in the state, such as land disputes, state of roads especially federal roads, revenue and power generation, oil and gas production, local councils’ rates, deployment of indigenes of the state to crisis-prone areas in the North for their National Youths Service; demolition of faulty buildings, etc.

The resolutions are as follows: “That the state government takes advantage of the new policy on power transmission to provide light for citizens; that the federal government should rehabilitate deplorable federal roads in the state; redeployment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from volatile states in the North; deplorable state of Ikorodu/ Itoikin and Ikorodu/Sagamu Roads; the need to strengthen monetary policy, manage inflation and ensure economic growth; indiscriminate increase in petroleum products’ prices by independent petroleum marketers and hawking of petroleum products in the state.

The lawmakers were also not found wanting on oversight functions. They either undertook several fact-finding visits to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) or invited officials from the executive to come and explain one action, expenditure or the other either in the House.

The House was also up and doing in the area of infrastructural development in the Assembly. It improved on infrastructure in the complex as it commissioned an ultramodern legislative chamber last year.

And another six-storey block of offices for lawmakers is almost ready for commissioning. It also did not relent in capacity building programmes for lawmakers and staff of the Assembly.

In the area of Executive-Legislative relationship, 2012 witnessed the best in relationship between both arms. It was devoid of any crisis. This probably explains the early passage of the 2013 Appropriation Law by the lawmakers. And Taiwo confirmed the positive development.

Taiwo said the House will continue with ‘law and order’ bills this year to bring law and order to the society and ensure that things move smoothly.

“The consumer protection agency bill is another law and order law is very important to us; we will pass it to ensure that we control the quality of goods and services that come into our society,” he added.

He disclosed: “We will carry out our town hall meetings to get the feelings of our people. We shall go round the whole state, get information about their expectations from our government.” This time, according to him, officials from the executive, particularly economic planning ministry, will be involved in the town hall meeting.

•Ikuforiji

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

19

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

President Barack Obama

Season of anomie • The umpteenth attempt on the life of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, is a symbol of a societal meltdown

T

HE January 19 attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, from which no less than five have been reported dead, is bad news: both for the Kano community, particularly the sanctity of its traditional institution, and for Nigeria in the seeming forlorn battle against the menace of Boko Haram. It is a rising season of anomie that must be checked.

First, we congratulate the emir for surviving this heinous attack; and pray that there is no recurrence, given that it was not the first time Alhaji Bayero would face such attacks. We also commiserate with the heroic palace guards that, with their own lives, warded off the attack. We pray that God be with the families they left behind; and give them the courage to bear their huge losses.

In the North, the emir is more than a traditional ruler. He is also a sacred figure in the theocratic half of the native political system. For a band to therefore attack the emir, in broad day light, even taking a cue from the traditional gun salute to signify the emir’s movement to his palace, was more than a sacrilege.

It was indeed the closest to insurrection and subversion of the North’s pristine culture that very highly reveres royal fathers. It is also a dastardly challenge to the fundament of the northern traditional system, on which the extant society is erected. That Alhaji Bayero, 50 years on the throne this year, and one of the most revered traditional rulers in the country, is the victim is a rude jolt that should

worry everyone. Is it symbolic of a rupturing society, close to a meltdown? We hope not. But the omens are not too good.

That is why every step should be taken to roll back what appears a looming disaster.

Beyond Kano however, the attack on the emir, and the brazen way it was carried out underscores, once again, the general feeling of insecurity in the country.

If a revered emir could be so attacked, then who is safe?

Another worry for security agencies is that Kano appears most prone to terrorist attacks in the North West (a fate it shares with Kaduna, which lags a little behind), after the North East hub of Maiduguri and other parts of Borno State, as well as Yobe State. This is no good news, as far as curtailing Boko Haram is concerned. Though Boko Haram has not claimed responsibility for this attack, the mode of the attack bore its inimitable template. If it was not Boko Haram, then it is even more depressing that the body could have inspired some freelance anarchists to wreak havoc anyhow they like and at any time they chose. That is truly terrifying.

But even more troubling is this sobering fact: the North’s traditional rulers were being factored into strategies to curb the Boko Haram menace. That much was clear from the January 14 meeting of the Northern Governors Peace and Reconciliation Committee. It was obvious too, from the appointment of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) as national security adviser:

that the northern blue blood could help find a solution to the Boko Haram scourge. But with this devil-may-care attack on the Kano emir, these assumptions are becoming shaky. That is no good news at all.

Besides, the security agencies would have to buckle up. There appears an acute dearth of intelligence to avert terrorist attacks. That explains the annoying pattern of security agencies rushing to a place to cordon it off, only when an attack had successfully taken place.

That is not good enough.

The attack on the Emir of Kano is a disturbing sign of a fragile system close to rupture. The Jonathan presidency and northern leaders must collaborate to ensure that rupture never comes. It would be difficult. But with political will, the situation is not beyond redemption.

‘The attack on the Emir of Kano is a disturbing sign of a fragile system close to rupture. The Jonathan presidency and northern leaders must collaborate to ensure that rupture never comes. It would be difficult. But with political will, the situation is not beyond redemption’

That picture isn’t enough •In spite of his colleagues’ visit, Chime is yet to fulfill all righteousness T took a visit to ailing Governor Sullivan Chime in London on Tuesday to draw out some facts about the Enugu State governor’s health. Prior to the visit by the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Benue State’s Gabriel Suswam and Akwa Ibom’s Godswill Akpabio, there had been speculations about Chime’s helpless and alleged hopeless state.

However, yesterday, the pictures of the visiting governors with their host showed Chime standing without support, and it was suggested that he had pulled through.

He reportedly spoke with Vanguard, saying, “I am alive and will be back very, very soon.” His visitors also said he was moving about, eating and in good health.

I

‘If Governor Chime has pulled through, he should return home immediately and resume work. If he has to wait a day longer, he must make full disclosure about the state of his health. We understand what the governors tried to do for their colleague by the visit, but note that Governor Chime has not fulfilled all righteousness in this matter, in spite of what they might want us to believe’

That he was alive was obvious. That he did not appear to be in desperate health condition could not be controverted, either. But, the questions raised about the handling of the circumstances of flying him to London for treatment remain unanswered.

It is unfortunate that it takes speculations and rumours to force leaders of the country to come clean on issues that should interest the people. The Enugu State electorate had elected the governor to run the affairs of the state from 2011 to 2015. If anything were to break the pact, the people are entitled to know.

Even with the visit of the delegation of governors, Governor Chime and his government still fall below international standards in handling the situation. He is yet to tell his people what ailment took him out of the country, the condition under which he was admitted to the hospital, the course of treatment and the implications. It is not enough to see the governor standing with his colleagues. Standing, and perhaps looking calm, is not an indication that he has fully recovered. Or, that he is ready to take up the assignment he took on May 29, 2011.

When Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez needed help with his health, he held nothing back from his people. He was down with cancer, and he so declared. His choice of Cuba as destination for treatment was not hidden, either. Why is the situation in Nigeria different? For 136 days, Governor Chime has been away and saw no reason to convey the situation to the people of the ‘Coal City’ State .

Long after British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher left office, her health was

still of public importance. She first suffered minor strokes in 2002. Six years later, she was at a dinner at the Westminster when she took ill and was taken to a hospital. And, in 2010, a bout with sickness made her miss the elaborate arrangements made to mark her 85th birthday. None of these was kept from an inquisitive British public, many of whom regard the former Prime Minister a hero.

In Israel, Ariel Sharon, a former defence minister, war hero and former prime minister took ill and slipped into coma in 2006. It was at a time he was involved in a campaign to return to office. Neither his aides nor the son thought it wise to deny the obvious. The details were released to the media and no one thought it made the politician any less a human being.

Having decided to release that photograph taken with the three visiting governors, Governor Chime should discontinue insulting Nigerians by insisting that he is hale and hearty. If he is, why has he been out of the country since September last year? What is he still doing out of his post?

Nigerians have the right to have information on their leaders. If Governor Chime has pulled through, he should return home immediately and resume work. If he has to wait a day longer, he must make full disclosure about the state of his health. We understand what the governors tried to do for their colleague by their visit, but note that Governor Chime has not fulfilled all righteousness in this matter, in spite of what they might want us to believe.

P

RESIDENT Obama’s first Inaugural Address offered a clear and bracing vision for a way out of the depth of an economic crisis and two foreign wars. His second, on Monday, revealed less of his specific plans for the next four years but more of his political philosophy.

He argued eloquently for a progressive view of government, founded on history and his own deep conviction that American prosperity and the preservation of freedom depend on collective action. In the coming days, there will be no let up of political combat over the debt ceiling, gun control, national security and tax policies that can either reduce income inequality or allow such inequality to stifle economic growth and opportunity for all but the very wealthiest in this society.

But, on Monday, the president stepped back from those immediate battles to explain what it means in the broadest sense to be “we the people,” Mr. Obama’s most eloquent description of our common heritage.

“We have always understood that when times change, so must we,” he said, “that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action.”

In every sphere of life — improving education, building roads, caring for the poor and elderly, training workers, recovering from natural disasters, providing for our defense — progress requires that Americans do these things together, Mr. Obama said.

That applies, he said, to “the commitments we make to each other — through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security — these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.”

President Obama rejected any argument that the American people can be divided into groups whose interests are opposed to each other. The choice is not “between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future,” he said. “For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few.”

He spoke only obliquely of the persistent gridlock in Congress, where he will face right-wing Republicans whose bleak agenda would weaken civil rights, shred the social safety net and block important programs that could help put millions of jobless Americans back to work. “We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect,” he said.

Instead, he took the fight to the people, laying out his principles and priorities: addressing the threat of climate change, embracing sustainable energy sources, ensuring equality of gays and lesbians, expanding immigration and equal pay for women. Disappointingly, the need for stricter gun controls was noted solely in a reference to the safety of children in places like Newtown, Conn.

On foreign policy, President Obama expressed with fervor a view of the role of the United States in a world that is threatened by terrorism on many continents. “We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully — not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear,” he said.

“America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation.”

Mr. Obama is smart enough to know that what he wants to achieve in his second term must be done in the next two years — perhaps even in the first 18 months. Throughout his first term, he clung to a hope of bipartisanship even when it became obvious that his Republican adversaries had no interest in compromise of any sort.

Time is not on his side. It is pointless to wait for signs of conciliation from the extreme right, whose central ideology is to render government ineffective. He has gotten off to a good start by putting forward a comprehensive plan to tighten gun laws, despite outrageous propaganda against sensible controls from the gun lobby.

Mr. Obama acknowledged that there is much left to be done to shore up the economic recovery and invest in education and opportunities for the next generation. And, above all, he stressed the importance of the middle class to America’s economic survival.

“Our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it,” he said.

It’s natural for a second-term president to be thinking about his place in history. There is no doubt that Mr. Obama has the ambition and intellect to place himself in the first rank of presidents.

With this speech, he has made a forceful argument for a progressive agenda that meets the nation’s needs. We hope he has the political will and tactical instincts to carry it out.

– New York Times

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

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

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

S

IR: There is no doubt, that it is in Nigeria’s strategic interest, as the most populous black nation, to continue to be a key player in the West African sub-region particularly in helping to ensure that peace and stability continues to prevail. However, the decision of the Nigerian government at this point in time, to participate in the regional force packaged by ECOWAS to dislodge the Islamists in northern Mali is a step in the wrong direction.

The first rule of war is that one must know the enemy and understand his strategy and tactics, and the second is that one must adopt strategy and tactics suited to the circumstances of the war. The Islamists, having occupied northern

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

Before the misadventure in Mali Mali now will definitely be consolidating and solidifying their hold on the terrain of operation.

This is clearly an advantage. And because of their knowledge of the terrain, the Islamists may supplement normal conventional military operation with guerilla tactics by infiltrating small units behind the invasion force to disrupt communications, lines of supplies and

continually harass their opponents thereby weakening and demoralizing them.

Northern Mali presently occupied by the Islamists is an expansive landscape and is mostly desert.

And in a desert military operation that is usually characterized by a high rate of mobility, a force of 3500 as proposed by ECOWAS military planners will be so thinly

spread on the expansive landscape of the north. Such a situation will definitely allow the Islamists a lot of flexibility and freedom of manoeuvre. Sooner than later the ECOWAS military force would start requesting for reinforcement from their home countries.

Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces are currently engaged in internal security operations in al-

What was the President angry about?

S

IR: The Police College Ikeja is a mirror of our 52 years of absentee leadership and 13 years of the Fourth Republic democratic shenanigans. What is more to say?

With utmost respect, I submit that the rot and decay the Police College evidences, is nothing compared to that which lie frighteningly in several other sectors, erected copiously as the stark reality of our national story in this time and age. Thus, we refuse to be carried away by the President’s reported anger; rather we assert that the President should have been angry a long time ago particularly since he came to power.

If the President is just angry now after spending more than 13 years in the corridors of power, after about two years as President, then ours is a much more dangerous state of affairs.

So now that the President has visited the Police College, shall we still not wonder if his reported anger will survive the period after the President sufficiently regains his composure and returns to the air-conditioning comfort and staggering opulence of the Presidential Villa?

Time to ask the President the following questions, questions that must certainly evoke a wave of sadness, a burden perhaps too easily faraway from those in power: How will the Police College not be in

decay, when about 70% of the country’s annual budget goes into furnishing the belly and attending to the needs and luxuries of those in government in an unpatriotic spending styled “Recurrent Expenditure”?

How will the Police College not be in total rot when the annual budgetary allocation to the Nigeria Police, a body charged with the core responsibility of securing the country, is a lot less than that continuously wasted on unnecessary foreign travels by government of-

ficials that adds no value to the prosperity of the country? How will the Police College not be on its knees crying for help, when about N16 Billion is being budgeted to build the Vice-President’s official residence at the moment?

That is why the question again lingers, what is it that the President was angry about? Is it that as President, he has led by example in pruning down government’s bogus transformation team, thereby checking hundreds of pipelines of wastages in government, and chan-

nelling the rescued funds to critical Institutions of the state? Is it that as President he has relentlessly fought for increased allocation to the Nigeria Police and several other very sensitive sectors of the country, so as to help turn around their infrastructural facilities, but all to no avail?

With utmost respect I submit, and again ask that profound question, what exactly is it that the President was angry about?

• Olusola Adegbite, Esq. Abuja.

most three quarters of the states of the federation. With such a high degree of commitment at home, the Nigerian Army should have been excused from the war in Mali.

Also of interest is a report in the media that Nigeria is planning to send 200 members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to Mali as part of the ECOWAS Intervention Force. This idea, if true should be totally discarded. Apart from the legal implication of sending non-combatant paramilitary men to a war front, in a foreign land, serious operational problems are also likely to araise on the mode of operations of the civil defenders visà-vis the military. Their presence in Mali would also create a logistic nightmare for the Nigerian contingent.

Every solider worth his salt knows the importance of the element of surprise in war. Surprise apart from being a major principle of war, more often than not emanates from deception. Surprise is the psychological blow which if the deception is real, unbalances the enemy. It is however doubtiful if surprise can be achieved in Mali by the ECOWAS Force due to the likely infiltration of the force by the Islamists during the preparatory and training stage in Bamako.

• Lt. Col. Oluwole Bright (rtd), Victoria Island, Lagos.

Amosun’s many firsts in Ogun

S

IR: What should I say about my governor at this important moment? I do not know how to praise-sing. Amosun does not like praise singers. That is why he has refused to take any chieftaincy title. “If I deserve one, let me be given after I leave office,” he says.

But I should throw these questions to the public, especially the good people of Ogun State.

What would have been the state of our state today if Amosun is not the one in power at this time?

Why is it the government of Amosun that has built the first ever overhead bridge by any state government since the creation of Ogun in 1976?

Why is it Senator Ibikunle

Amosun (SIA) that introduced functional free education to school pupils after the era of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo in the Second Republic?

Why is it Amosun that has constructed the first ever international standard road - complete with modern features such as drains, median, greenbelt, walkway, street light, pedestrian bridge with an air-conditioner and CCTV (the only component yet to be installed)?Why is it Amosun that distributed 500 transformers to bring back to life comatose Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Ogun in one, single iconic gesture? Has that ever happened anywhere in Nigeria?

Why is it Governor Amosun that introduced for the very first time in Ogun modern luxury buses, un-

der the Bus Mass Transit scheme (BMT)?

Why is Ogun, under Amosun, the first state government in Nigeria to purchase the very latest technology of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and make the “maximum donation” of security equipment in at one fell swoop that the Inspector General of Police said he had never witnessed “since I have been serving as a Police officer”?

Why is it under the roof of Amosun that the idea of taking the 2012 Best WAEC students from the 20 Local Governments in the state on “merit excursion” to the United Kingdom was conceived - and all the 20 pupils are from public schools? Said the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United King-

dom, Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, “This is a laudable initiative that is worthy of emulation by other states in Nigeria. Let me state categorically that this is the first time ever that students are being brought to the United Kingdom on educational merits.”

As Senator Ibikunle Amosun (FCA) attains the age of 55 tomorrow, January 25, I believe he can look back and thank God for a good life, robust health and for being associated with many firsts in the history of Ogun State.

I wish him happy birthday in advance and all the pleasant returns of the day.

• Soyombo Opeyemi Abeokuta

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

21

COMMENTS

I

Chief Emeka Anyaoku at 80

T is a matter of joy for me to join the Anyaoku’s family to praise the Lord for his grace on the life of this distinguished and extraordinary gentleman. I first got close to Chief Emeka Anyaoku in 1978 when as Assistant Commonwealth Secretary-General, he came to deliver a public lecture in Ottawa Canada where I was then a Director of the Nigerian Universities Office, an office representing the interest of the National Universities Commission and that of all the Universities in Nigeria in Ottawa Canada. There were also sister offices of the office in Cairo, London and Washington DC. This was at a time the Nigerian Government had just established federal universities in Benin, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Kano and Ilorin and saw the need for staff recruitment, training and other ancillary services needed for the rapid take-off of their putative tertiary institutions. We used to call them the seven sisters. Chief Anyaoku then a dashing middle aged man gave a brilliant lecture I believe on “The Role of the Commonwealth in World Affairs” before hundreds of White faces. He discharged his responsibilities with distinction and aplomb. I introduced myself to him and he greeted me warmly and I as a black man was very proud of him particularly because of his confident mastery of the topic. Later I was at an audience when he gave another lecture in Lagos some years later on “The Racial Factor in World Politics”.

One of the things he said was that for a Black man or a woman to distinguish himself or herself internationally, he or she would have to be twice as good as a White person. I did not need to be convinced about this and I believe that many of us who studied abroad went through this crucible of fire. As part of divine providence, I was in the team headed by General Ike Nwachukwu, then Minster of Foreign Affairs charged with the responsibility of campaigning for Chief Anyaoku’s election as Secretary General of the Commonwealth in 1988. I was then Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Needless to say that we had a candidate who was sellable and just like a good product needed no advertisement, so it was with Chief Anyaoku. However we had a formidable opponent in Hugh Fraser, the former Australian Prime Minister.

But in spite of this and because of his sterling qualities, Chief Anyaoku was elected Secretary General of the Commonwealth in Kuala Lumpur in 1989.

I was present during his election and the Nigerian delegation was led by the late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu who was then Vice President and we were all filled with joy at this great stride by our fellow country man.

Chief Anyaoku remains the only Nigerian to occupy the highest post in an international bureaucracy. The late Prof Adeoye Lambo and Dr Rilwan Lukman at one time or the other served respectively as Deputy Secretary-General of the

World Health Organisation (WHO) and Secretary-General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Chief Anyaoku was Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in the 80s and 90s at a time of rapidly changing political situation on the Africa Continent. He was involved in negotiating the transfer of power in the then Southern Rhodesia from White settlers to Africans in independent Zimbabwe.

He was then not even Secretary-General yet but his role was crucial in persuading Dr Robert Mugabe to accept a compromise of retaining reserved seats for White settlers after independence and later delaying redistribution of land to African farmers.

His role in organising a Special Committee of Commonwealth foreign Ministers, including those of Nigeria, Canada, Zimbabwe, Australia, Zambia, Guyana and Tanzania to put economic and political pressure on the apartheid regime was quite significant in forcing the then government of South Africa to realise the futility of denying Africans political and economic rights in their own country. He was also the brain behind organising an eminent persons group in which Obasanjo was involved to put additional pressure on the apartheid regime in South Africa. The role of the Commonwealth in the emancipation of the people of South Africa from the slavery and oppression of apartheid remains to be fully studied. Suffice it to say, Chief Anyaoku was at the centre of all these.

Nearer home in Nigeria, he did everything that was humanly possible to explain to the various Military leaders in Nigeria the need for transition from military dictatorship to democratic rule. His effort against even his personal safety to persuade General Sani Abacha to respect the wishes of the electorate and to release Moshood Abiola was one of his attempts to ensure the survival of democracy and indeed the stability of the country itself. Even as a young man, he had tried without success to persuade Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to seek accommodation with the Federal Government in spite of the wounds inflicted on the Igbo people during pogrom against them in Northern Nigeria. He risked his life during the Civil war to see how he could alleviate the conditions of suffering humanity in Biafra.

In his public international career, Chief Anyaoku’s life is an epitome of integrity, discipline, fairness, equity, honesty and good up-bringing. Since his retirement, he continues to remain relevant serving as chairman of several international organisations, devoted to economic development and protection of global wildlife and environment. Since 1999, he has served as chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council on international relations, a forum which allows him to share

his experience and to advise all the Presidents from Obasanjo, to Yar’adua and Jonathan on Nigeria’s roles in the world. It has been my privilege to serve with him in the PAC and this is a service freely given and largely unrewarded.

Chief Anyaoku is Jide also chairman of Osuntokun Orient Petroleum, a position that he wants to use to prove that Africans can build and run a refinery so as to mitigate the sad situation in which an oil-producing country continues to import most of its refined petroleum.

A titled chief in Obosi, he is the Adazie and a member of the royal indichie that chooses and advises the Obi of Obosi.

It will be incomplete to write about his achievement without mentioning his wife Bunmi, the daughter of the famous Barrister Ladipo Sholanke of Abeokuta but who lived most of his life in England. He was the founder of the West African Student’s Union (WASU) in the 1920s, a Proto Nationalist organization that preceded the formation of ´political parties in Nigeria before independence. While Chief Anyaoku was at work in different parts of the world, his wife kept the home front and without peace at home he would not have been as great as he is today.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku remains incredibly strong and mercifully healthy and I believe he will continue to be of relevance for years to come. It is with joy that I celebrate this great man, this distinguished International Civil Servant, this patriotic Nigerian, this man of sartorial taste and elegance, this iconic figure, symbol of excellence, a man worthy of emulation; this civilised man, this l’homme engage´.

In his public international career, Chief Anyaoku’s life is an epitome of integrity, discipline, fairness, equity, honesty and good up-bringing.

Beyond the Ikeja Police College eyesore

I

N line with its corporate social responsibility (CSR), Channels Television did an expose on the Ikeja Police College. The report shed light on the rot at the college.The college, which used to be the pride of the police, has lost its shine. The classrooms, the hostels and other facilities had decayed. The trainees slept on the bare floor and received lectures in classrooms with broken down walls. The nation is praising Channels’ report today because it brought home the grave problems of the college. Its expose’ on the Ikeja Police College showed clearly how far gone that institution is. Institution? Yes, the college is supposed to be an institution, but in its present state, it has shed that toga. It is more of a pigsty now than a training institution.

The college was not always like this. In the late 60s and early 70s, it was a neat and prim place. From the outside, passersby craned their necks to see what was happening inside because a lot of activities were always going on there. At such times, the trainees were either being drilled or involved in one sporting activity or the other. At its gate were smartly dressed policemen with batons keeping an eye on those coming and going. They were firm and courteous. That was the golden era of our country’s foremost Police College, which many could not recognise from the Channels documentary. Those who know that place well will weep at its present state.

As a college, that facility ought to be properly maintained and its needs always met in order to make good policemen of those being trained there. As a place where

people are trained in the art of dealing with fellow human beings, nothing should be spared in ensuring that the trainees are in top mental, physical and spiritual shape, except if we want them to become animals on leaving the college. Indeed, with the kind of policemen we have these days, I say with all due respect that those being churned out of there these days are no better than animals.

Who then should we blame when our policemen misbehave in public?

Is it not those charged with giving them the best but who have cornered everything?

The college is in bad shape today because of the age-long corrupt tendencies of the police leadership and the institutions saddled with the task of ensuring that we have a good policing system. I believe that past Inspectors-General of Police (IGs) and the Police Service Commission (PSC) should be held responsible for the disgraceful state of the college. I don’t know if any of the past IGs passed through the college, but if there is an old student among them, he should cover his face in shame that his alma mater has gone seedy.

The deterioration of the college started long ago and it must have been during the tenure of one of them.

Many IGs would also have come thereafter without doing anything about the problem. The Channels expose’ seems like a bad dream to me and I have not stopped pinching myself to say that it cannot be true that the nation’s leading police college is in such a sorry state. Is it that past IGs were not aware of this mess?

Is the Ikeja Police College not under the IG? If an IG is not concerned with what is happening in a police college

‘Getting to the root of how the police top echelon nearly killed this famous college should be of more interest to the president than looking for those who granted Channels access to the college’

where the rank and file is trained, then what will interest him? What about the PSC? What are the functions of this Commission?

Should it not also be interested in the training and welfare of policemen? Should it only be concerned about discipline, appointment and promotion of officers?

The rot at the college has exposed the high level of corruption in the top echelon of the police. There is no doubt that in the police budget over the years, allocations would have been made for the college.

What happened to the vote? How was it spent, that is if it was spent on the college at all? With the situation on ground now, President Goodluck Jonathan should order a probe into how the police college got to this pass. The inquiry should go back the last 20 years because from the look of things the mess didn’t just start yesterday. We must know those who drove the college to the ground and bring them to book.

Getting to the root of how the police top echelon nearly killed this

famous college should be of more interest to the president than looking for those who granted Channels access to the college. Those who invited Channels to expose the rot in the college have the nation’s love at heart. How can we say that we are the giant of Africa and have such a good for nothing facility as our police college? Is it not a shame? We killed the Nigeria Airways, we killed the Nigerian National Shipping Line, we ran the Nigeria Railway Corporation to the ground, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is virtually bleeding. Now, the Ikeja Police College is almost gone. Haba! what is wrong with us as a nation? Are we cursed?

Let us thank God for what Channels has done. With its documentary, the television house has saved the college from imminent death. Our leaders are now forced by the report to give attention to the college. Yes, money will be pumped into the place to make it look good once again. But before we do that, I insist that we get those who turned the

Lawal Ogienagbon lawal.ogienagbon@thenationonlineng.net SMS ONLY: 08099400204

place into a pigsty or else the money spent now may make no difference in the near future if another set of thieves and never- do- well come and mess up the place again. If they see how those before them are publicly humiliated now they will think twice before dipping their hands in the till when they are put in charge of the place.

•Government has raised a panel to probe the rot.

Orubebe vs Amaechi

I

t is not often that public officers fight dirty in public. When they do, we watch with glee because it is fun. This is exactly what we are witnessing in the face-off between Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Niger Delta Minister Godson Orubebe. Their clash has its origin in 2015. Those close to President Goodluck Jonathan believe that Amaechi is interested in the 2015 presidency. Despite his denial, they don’t believe him. So, to ensure that Amaechi does not eventually declare his presidential interest, everything possible is being done to rattle him.

First, it was the president’s wife, Dame Patience, who took the fight to Amaechi in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the other day when she accused him of tormenting her people,

the Okrika, with the demolition of the waterfront, an exercise which the governor maintains is to beautify the Garden City.

Then came the purported ceding of Rivers oil wells to Bayelsa, the home state of the president, which Amaechi claimed was done because of the belief that he is interested in the 2015 race. It is only in our country that those whose political interest clash with that of the president are harassed and hounded all over the place as if they have committed a cardinal sin.

Come to think of it, is the presidency the birthright of anybody? The answer is no. So, if Amaechi wishes to contest the presidency in 2015, he is free to do so, whether or not he is in the same party with the president. It sounds illogical for any one to stop Amaechi

from contesting the 2015 presidential election, if he so wishes, because he is in the same party with Jonathan. With his henchmen jumping the gun before the 2014 date he set for himself to tell us whether or not he will contest in 2015, we now know how the president’s mind is working.

Mark my words, Jonathan will tell us next year that he is going to contest in 2015. But he should not because of his ambition give his loyalists a free rein and allow them to overheat the polity. There was no need for Orubebe to have attacked Amaechi the way he did under the guise of fighting for the president. He should leave Jonathan to fight his own fight and the time for that will soon come. I tell you, it’s going to be a decisive fight. Just wait and see.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

22

COMMENTS

P

RESIDENT Jonathan recent unscheduled visit to the decaying Ikeja Police College has been hailed by many of his country men and women including hundreds of his erstwhile ‘Facebook’ friends. The visit was remarkable in many respects. It was the first time the president would create time to address a domestic issue in the midst of his ever busy international engagements, which this time, was taking him to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The international engagement was to consolidate the war efforts of ECOWAS and international community’s resolve to chase out Islamists that took over half of Mali even in the midst of our own unfinished war with Boko Haram that has made the North-eastern states of Borno and Yobe ungovernable for close to two years.

The visit was also remarkable because the police institution in terms of power and influence, touches every body’s life; the privileged, the deprived the dispossessed, the depressed, as well as the depraved. Others that look up to the police to survive our harsh environment include musicians, independent oil fraudsters, and even politicians who all have so much to hide or fear from those they claim elected them. The police’s power and authority, as we can see, surpass that of soldiers, priests, doctors, lawyers and even judges.

The visit, said to have been provoked by a week-long expose by the Channels Television on what was described as ‘the dehumanising conditions trainee policemen go through in the college’, was carried out unannounced by the president accompanied

by Mamman Tsafe the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone Two, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko. They inspected the women’s hostels, the kitchen, and the dining halls.

Amidst the decay and stench of what goes for a police college, President Jonathan ought

‘As a nation, we continue to live in self-denial long after America with her unquestionable scientific advancement and as the world biggest military budget has admitted it cannot prevent all militant and suicide attacks’

T

HEY do not call the state of Osun helmsman, the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola the symbol of good governance for nothing. Aregbesola closed his account for 2012 with a flourish. As usual the signature tune was a trajectory of meticulously planned new initiatives.

The symbol is quite captivating when it comes to breaking new grounds. They appear to just keep rolling in; not by accident though. For it must be recalled that Aregbesola came in courtesy of a six-point programme of action. It represented at the time an old-fashioned sort of thing. Time was when a few people of a certain age will recall political campaigns where fought on the basis of well thought out, solidly put together programmes. Political operators of that era were as they used to say “blessed with a plan anchored on a vision”.

This was not just meant to be sloganeering. It connoted that a well conceived manifesto is invariably the beginning of good governance with sensibly implemented programmes. The manifesto thereby represented the beginning of a game changing administration. Unfortunately the intervention of the military interregnum induced militicians changed the ball game. Programmes were replaced with all manners of vacuous sloganeering. The end result was predictably, very predictably disastrous. Nowhere, so more than the now rechristened ‘State of Osun.’

When he was elected, Aregbesola met a broken down infrastructure and a demoralised people. Such was the effect of the interregnum of the militicians. Only a well conceived programme of social and economic reconstruction could rebuild spirits. This is precisely what he is doing.

To close his deal on an eventful 2012, the symbol put into play a couple of new initiatives. Once again the thrust was on the social sector. And yet again they provided

Jonathan and a nation in self-denial to have been persuaded that if we have a brutish, sadistic and corrupt police force, it was because that was exactly what we cultivated.

The president was visibly enraged, but unfortunately not by the decay he saw but by the fact that Channels Television was allowed to film and wash our dirty linen in public. But it is sardonic that while all Nigerians can see is a parallel between the rot in the Police College and Jonathan administration, described as the most corrupt in our recent history even by his PDP leading lights, what President Jonathan saw was “a calculated attempt to damage the image of his government”.

When the president, like an ostrich that buries its head in the sand claims “Ikeja Police College is not the only training institution in the country,” the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs , Mr. Usman Kumo, insisted he cannot pretend to be unaware that “All police colleges, barracks and formations in Nigeria are dilapidated and uninhabitable.”, attributable to poor funding, welfare and lack of equipment, problems which ‘had not been addressed for many years’.

The President’s attempt to play the ostrich has once again demonstrated why his administration has been involved in ‘motion without movement’ (apology to Olatunji Dare) for about two years. Nothing demonstrated this better than the on-going Boko Haram war against government institutions and innocent Nigerians resulting in the recent bombing of St. Andrews Protestant Military Church located in the Command and Staff College, Jaji.

As it is now the practice, each of President Jonathan’s periodic reassurance to end the

Boko Haram insurgency has in the past two years been met by a more devastating bloody attack on innocent Nigerians. Instead of seeking help, we seem to be more interested in expending about $1b monthly on security as recently alleged by El Rufai, the former minister for Abuja Federal Territory.

Whilst we continue to live in self-denial, the former French ambassador to Mali, an expert in Islamist insurgency, only last Friday told the world during Amanpour CCN program what our president has refused to admit that “Nigeria cannot overcome AlQaeda backed Boko Haram without external help”. A day after this bitter truth, the new British High Commissioner, Dr Andrew Pocock, told reporters in Abuja that “Nigeria is not alone in the fight against terrorism” and that. the “United Kingdom (UK) wants to increase its aid to the Nigerian military in its fight against the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, and other terrorists in the West African subregion.”

Outside our shores, we can also see the French President François Hollande, who instead of living in self-denial, quickly appealed to the United Nations and European Union immediately France discovered after its troops encounter with Islamist militants in Mali, that the desert fighters are better trained and equipped than France had anticipated before its military intervention. The result was that the EU met the following day, and decided to throw its weight behind the multinational military operations while also “reiterating the EU’s commitment to providing swift financial assistance to the African-led international support mission in Mali (AFISMA).”

A symbol of hope

By Bola Oke an example of a dividend of democracy.

God knows that nobody needs a democratic dividend more than the hitherto hard-pressed people of the state of Osun.

In the first instance the Ogbeni Governor launched the uniform scheme for 750,000 students of the state recently. This is a magnificent path breaking scheme. Aesthetically, the designs of the uniforms were very enticing and pleasing to the eye. The design itself is bound to increase the confidence of the pupils who will wear it. Secondly and very importantly, it will increase the feeling of self-esteem; a feeling of selfesteem is a vital bedrock psychologically at a certain age.

In an observation on a not too dissimilar proposition, the British war time leader and statesman, Sir Winston Churchill had cause to observe that, ‘We shape our buildings after which our buildings shape us.’

He was absolutely correct, although here he was referring to a housing project and its effect on the public good. We can however translate the essence of its message to the new uniforms in Osun State. The new uniforms will definitely shape the mood of the students; increase both self-esteem and self confidence which will translate to a better receptacle for the learning process.

It must also be stated that the progressive governor as usual made a direct link between a social advancement and an overall economic policy. The linkage is obvious. Design and implementation of the project took place within the state’s economy. A social policy was in this way turned into part of an economic stimulus.

In this way both seasonal and permanent

employment were created across the board in the state. It is a very good example of social and economic linkage. It is also an indication of what happens when you use your brain.

What we have here is an example of a sound body and mind in a pleasing and indeed eye-catching uniform. The resultant effect of pride and fulfilment will soon begin to become obvious. We must remember vitally that the new uniforms go handin-glove with refurbished and new school buildings and structures. The change is therefore all encompassing; coupled with a reinvigorated teaching workforce, what we are observing is a new deal for education in the state with the sobriquet – State of the Living Spring. Indeed it is a new lease of life and the effect on another generation in the state will be most positive.

There is of course now a convergence of opinion that education is now the key battleground. He who wins the race for the acquisition of knowledge is certainly the champion in this epoch. As in so many things this is again a throwback to another era when for example the now revered educational policy of the government of the western region was launched in the early 1950’s and looked like a lot of ado. “Why?” The disinterested would say “should you get so excited about a mere educational initiative”. The rest of course is history.

The policy turned out to be a seminal piece of social engineering. An entire region was transformed. Within a generation, every household had produced a graduate of a tertiary institution.

Aregbesola is in reality carrying on from there by refurbishing old schools and building new ones, providing new uniforms, as well as the revolutionary Opon

Government attempt to play the ostrich by its handling of the twin suicide bomb attacks on St. Andrews Protestant Military Church located in the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State on November 27, 2012, was a shame and a disservice to our men in military uniform. Why do we delude ourselves by keeping everything in secrecy? Journalists who accompanied Governor Yakowa and other non-military officers were barred from both the scene of the bombing and the hospitals. Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the Red Cross were also barred.

As a nation, we continue to live in self-denial long after America with her unquestionable scientific advancement and as the world biggest military budget has admitted it cannot prevent all militant and suicide attacks.

Last year a deranged soldier turned his gun on his fellow American soldiers killing and maiming many before he was overpowered.

American authorities and the military did not bar journalists from reporting and celebrating those who lost their lives in the service of America.

But here, all we were told was that the death toll in the bomb blast was 15. That was the figure the Commandant of the College, Air vice Marshal Ibrahim Abdullahi Kure, gave while conducting the then Kaduna State Governor, late Patrick Yakowa round the church.

Apart from the speculation that many more were killed and injured, no one has told Nigerians anything about these courageous men who made the supreme sacrifice for our nation. In the US, when a foot soldier dies in the service of the nation, he is celebrated. Stories are written about his state, town, family, siblings and his abridged hopes and dreams.

Of course few days ago, when the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the SSS, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, paraded before newsmen an 18-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed who she claimed confessed to have accompanied two suicide bombers to the gate of Command and Staff College on the day of the attack and one Mohammed Idris, a yam hawker and a native Jalingo, Taraba State as the prime suspects in the mindless murder of innocent Nigerians at Jaji, she met with an incredulous audience.

Frustrated Nigerians who are now calling for foreign intervention have lost faith in the police and the military precisely because government that should ordinarily see them as citizens and focus of governance, has continued to play the ostrich and has reduced them to periodic participants during elections.

Imo (learning tablet). All of these are the roadmap for a future which is based on winning the knowledge arms race. History is bound to be benevolent in its judgement on this and similar initiatives.

Closing the deal for the year also saw the distribution of free health books. Again the thrust here once again is on the social sector – the creation of the total personality who has a healthy mind in a sound body.

The transformation of the state of Osun is bound to accelerate in 2013. The linkage between social transformation and the deepening of the economic sector will be strengthened. Inadvertently, Aregbesola is a living example of the old German Social Democratic rallying cry – ‘Macroeconomic stability as the precursor of social justice.’

He is showing that fiscal rectitude, prudent management of resources and the emphasis on production will lead to an enhancement of the social sector and the provision of social services. On their part the people of the State of Osun can’t seem to get enough of initiatives such as the one we have just highlighted.

• Oke writes from Lagos.

‘The progressive governor as usual made a direct link between a social advancement and an overall economic policy. .. A social policy was in this way turned into part of an economic stimulus. In this way both seasonal and permanent employment were created across the board in the state’.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

23

24

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

25

THE NATION

EDUCATION Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

INSIDE Wamakko tackles private schools

email:- education@thenationonlineng.com

Long road to a varsity degree

SOKOTO State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko has said private schools shut recently will not be reopened until they comply with government’s education standards as well as the religious and cultural dictates of the Sokoto people.In a statement signed by the governor’s Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Abubakar Dangusau, Wamakko was quoted as saying, “ -Page 28

Jang employs 500 teachers FOLLOWING continuous mass failure of pupils in WAEC and NECO across the country, annually, the Plateau State Governor, Jonah David Jang, has begun moves •Gov Jang to improve performances of candidates in the state with the employment of 500 teachers.

The move is to stem the tide of perennial failure of students in major examinations, according to the Plateau State Commissioner of Education, Nanle Dashe.

-Page 39

•Cross section of graduands at the event.

It took some students seven years and others nine to complete their programmes at the National Open University of •An eight-page Nigeria (NOUN). section on campus Despite the delay, news, people etc they are happy that they have become How to achieve graduates following ‘balanced’ education, their convocation in by experts Lagos on Saturday.

TO many, something is wrong with the education system.

KOFOWOROLA When they talk like this, they BELO-OSAGIE and do so with anger because, according to them, “ the system MEDINAT we are operating is defective and breeds corruption”.

KANABE report This was the thrust of discussion

CAMPUS LIFE

at the 9th annual academic seminar of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter.

-Page 29

D

ESPITE its rich history, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has a problem and that has to do with its duration of its programmes.

Where conventional universities have fixed years for completing their programmes, NOUN cannot say the same for its own courses even though they have years affixed to them. On admission, students are told they are going for a three, four or five year programme, but end up spending more years in school.

Since its return 11 years ago, NOUN has held only two

•From left: Education Minister Prof Ruqayyat Ahmed Rufa’i with Prof Tenebe and the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Julius Okojie at the event.

convocations. The first, for diploma students was held in June 2010. The second came up at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, last Saturday, with 7,220 students from 49 study centres nationwide graduating.

The theatre’s two expansive exhibition halls could not accommodate all those that turned up for the event.

Giant viewing screens beamed the event to graduands who could not get seats in the main hall.

The National Open University, the precursor of NOUN, was established on July 22, 1983 by the

Shehu Shagari administration to offer Open and Distance Learning (ODL) education. The aim is to enable those interested in university education achieve their dreams. Barely a year after, its operation was suspended by the Muhammadu Buhari military regime in April 1984.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo revived the university in October 2002 and renamed it NOUN. Like other open universities, NOUN is an attractive option in the tertiary education sector which has a challenge of fixing a large number of qualified

candidates in conventional universities yearly.

The ODL mode operates mostly online. Students are provided with study materials they can read on their own. They complete tests and assignments and examinations online. They visit study centres to meet with facilitators for counseling, or with their study groups for discussions and tutorials.

On the average, students are usually happy during convocations. NOUN, students had more • Continued on page 26

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

26

EDUCATION

Bank robberies: OOU suffers one year after

T

OUGHER days are already here for the students and workers of the 29 years old state-owned university named after the first civilian Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo.

As the university resumes for the first semester of the 2012/2013 academic session this week, workers and students will once again contend with challenges of making financial transactions because eight commercial banks operating in the Ago-Iwoye campuses of the institution and in Ijebu-Igbo have remained closed more than one year after they were attacked by robbers.

When The Nation visited the OOU campuses last week, the facilities of the eight banks - Equitorial Trust Bank (now Sterling Bank), GTBank, Eco Bank, Skye Bank, Wema Bank, Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank), Zenith Bank and First Bank were abandoned, weeds overtaking their premises. Bullet holes could be seen on their walls and buildings, a reminder of the horrifying raid that left about four students dead.

The spate of attacks on the banks began between May and June 2011 and peaked on Thursday November 10 when armed bandits numbering about two dozens, raided six of them.

Many people including the then Deputy Senate President of the Students Union Government, SUG, Mr Femi Olugbodi, sustained gunshot wounds. One person was feared killed by stray bullets while three other students in a bid to escape the flying bullets, ran into a swampy and bee-infested bush, got

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta and Aminat Popoola

stung severely by the wild insects and died a few days later. It was only Wema Bank that stayed behind; but by October last year it caved in to threat and shut its OOU branch operations Since the incident, students and members of staff have suffered untold hardship traveling long distances to either Ijebu -Ode or Ibadan in Oyo State to either withdraw or make deposits.

Some have fallen victim of attacks in vehicles and in their offcampus residents and robbed of their money and other valuables, while others have been involved in accidents.

A 400-Level Accounting student, who gave her name as Joke said their plight is made worse by some thieving neighbours and colleagues who sneak into rooms to steal if they learn of bulk withdrawals to avoid the stress of frequent travel outside Ago-Iwoye.

A 500-Level student from the Faculty of Education, Owolabi Abiodun lamented being forced to travel as far as Ibadan to withdraw.

He said: “‘I’m tired of the situation. The banks that have managed to open in Ijebu Ode are not effective enough because they operate in fear. I have to travel down to Ibadan, Abeokuta or Lagos for banking activities and it is very stressful. The Ogun State government should please find a solution to this problem.

To avoid the tortuous journey to Ijebu-Ode, The Nation gathered that

•One of the abandoned bank facilities at the PS

•Omojola

students have also resorted to giving their money to Alajo for safe keeping. The Alajo is a person who pools specific amounts from a group of people on a regular basis and redistributes the bulk sum to members for profit. The advantage is that students can always run to them in the event of emergency.

Though students at the Permanent Site (PS) now make transactions at the OOU Microfinance Bank located at the university’s mini campus, the experiences is still horrendous as they have to trek long distances and queue for hours.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Saburi Adesanya was not available for comments, but a staff who craved anonymity said the university, has devised a cashless policy as a temporary measure to cushion the stress students go through.

Under the policy, the students pay

security to the students’ town and our campuses to enable banks feel secured to transact business so as to reduce the stress, danger and risk students undergo in order to make payment or withdrawal.”

Commenting on the issue, Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Mr Segun Odubela said the Ogun State government is aware of students’ plight and working out measures to ensure adequate security.

He added that Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) would be stationed at strategic locations in AgoIwoye town and near the OOU campuses to ward off criminal-minded fellows.

“We are working out something on the situation. APCs will be stationed at the university. Adequate security measures would be put in place to ensure that banking activity returns there,” Odubela said.

their fees and levies using ATM cards inserted into Point of Sale (POS) machines. Before this was introduced, the students had to make transactions at the OOU Microfinance Bank located at the university’s mini campus, trekking long distances and queuing for hours.

Urging the government to intervene, President of the Students Union Government (SUG), Comrade Ayokunle Omojola said: “We are passing through hard times over the closure of banks here. For any withdrawal or payment, students go to Ijebu - Ode at much risk.

Some had been involved in an accident in the process. It is not the fault of OOU that the banks left.

The university can only provide security for staff and students but not for the banks.

“The state government should provide adequate and maximum

Long road to a varsity degree • Continued from page 25

reasons to be happy last Saturday.

Many of them were admitted in 2006; some even in 2003. To finally complete their four/fiveyear programmes slowed down by unavailable course materials, unconducive study centres, poor and inadequate Information Communication Technology (ICT) facilities, inadequate facilitators, communication gap, administrative and funding challenges, among others, was a relief.

About three years ago, frustration caused by these factors forced students of the university in Lagos to take to protest. They blocked the Ahmadu Bello Way onVictoria Island, Lagos where NOUN Headquarters is, demanding that the university management, then led by the pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olagbemiro Jegede, find solution to the one-year-one-semester issue, provide conducive study centres, and ensure availability of course materials.

Jegede admitted then that the university lacked funds to provide adequate copies of study materials for students. He also spoke of difficulties in acquiring study centres, which were to be provided by state governments, according to the law setting up the institution. Not all governments responded to NOUN’s demand.

These problems were gradually brought under control before he left office in October 2010. His successor, Prof Ado Tenebe, graduated first set of degree products last Saturday.

Though study materials are still inadequate, students can now access and download them online.

Also, the university has improved its process of conducting examinations online and offline.

Sharing their experiences with The Nation, the graduands com-

‘

We cut cost by photocopying course materials from others who downloaded from the internet. Normally, they (the university) will tell us the materials are not available because they have not been developed and the courses are pushed to the next session. But they overcome those teething problems plained about the time it took to complete their programmes, difficulties in getting resources, and poor study centres. Despite these challenges, many said they would still recommend the institution to their relatives. They praised the institution for producing quality study materials which students of conventional universities borrow to use.

Mrs Oluwatoyin Aramide Ojo, who studied Nursing Science at the Osogbo Study Centre, said the university’s failure to supply enough course materials made students to spend more to get them.

“It was not easy because we did not get all our course materials despite paying for them. They were never enough. So, we had to download from the website and print and that costs more money,” she said.

Another graduate of Nursing Science from the Abeokuta Study Centre, understood too well the pain of spending more for what had already been paid for and advised the university management to rectify the problem before each semester begins.

’

“I will say that the most important thing is for the course materials to be in the different study centres before the beginning of each semester so that once the semester begins, they are distributed to every student,” she said.

The unavailability of these materials forced the university to move courses to other semesters, said Naomi Fregene, who studied Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Lagos Study Centre in Agidingbi.

She said: “We cut cost by photocopying course materials from others who downloaded from the internet. Normally, they (the university) will tell us the materials are not available because they have not been developed and the courses are pushed to the next session. But they overcome those teething problems.”

What the materials lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality. None of the respondents complained about the resources they got. They even boasted of getting better training than products of regular universities because of the rich materials.

“Our materials are standard,” said Titilayo Olusoga who studied Communications Technology, also in Lagos. “It can go anywhere.

Wherever you are you can boast of the materials,” she said.

Oluwatobiloba Onifade of the Sauna, Kano Study Centre, said lecturers from regular universities use NOUN study materials to prepare lecture notes for their students. “I am telling you that lecturers are using our course materials to teach their students. That means they are implementing NOUN programmes,” he said.

Fregene added that the materials are so well researched that students need to do little else to search for knowledge in their fields.

“Whenever you go to source other materials, you find such content already inside your lecture notes. They have gone to do researches for us and given us education on a platter. People says it makes us lazy, but they have prepared the materials well,” she said.

The graduands advised the university to make some adjustment to its operations in future by holding convocations in zones rather than in one place; and move more activities of the university online.

Mr Iyare Joseph, a 66-year graduate of Criminology said he was grateful to be graduating after nine years, “although I don’t like the idea of our coming all the way to Lagos for the convocation. The convocation should be done in all states.”

Another graduand Augustine Ogba urged the institution to improves its facilitators and pleaded with government to equip the study centres with good computers because “the computers at the centres are not functioning well.”

Mrs Azubike Damy who studied Corporate Management at the Abuja Study Centre also urged the

•Prof Jegede

government to assist the university in building more centres.

Obaro Bolarin Saka, who studied Financial Management at the Lokoja study centre said, he faced challenges while in the institution especially with the Tutor Mark Assignment (TMA). He urged the university to improve its ICT facilities.

He said: “The tutor mark assignment is an assignment that is done online. One will first print the questions online, answer them and log onto the internet again to submit the assignment which can take two or three weeks to log on because of the slow server.”

Tenebe sought government’s help to address some “important areas of challenges”, including “advocacy and acceptability of ODL; lack of finance to pay facilitators, course material development; among others.”

He said the university is making efforts to tackle these problems, adding that when the institution stabilises it would admit three times the number of students now enrolled (about 40,000) and even compete with the best Open University in the world.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

27

EDUCATION

‘VCs okay for electoral process’

A

CCOUNTANT-General of the federation Mr Jonah Otunla has said the use of Vice-Chancellors as returning officers in the 2011 elections was a commendable move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Otunla, who spoke at the Third Foundation Day lecture of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, said the election was fair and credible, judging by the calibre of Vice-Chancellors who announced the results.

“The 2011 election was a success because of the employment of VCs as INEC returning officers”, he said.

He urged the INEC to consider appointing them in the 2015 general elections.

His words: “In 2015, if INEC has no better alternative, I think it is best to re-employ the services of the VCs because it had the best result on the 2011 election, the idea of INEC using them as returning officers should continue”.

Delivering a lecture entitled: The Impact of Quality Education on National Development: Where is Funding Situ-

By Temitope Fatuase

ated? Otunla said rather than clamouring that private universities should be included in the funding circle of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Nigerian private universities must endeavour to do things that Nigerian public universities are not doing.

He stated that the reason private universities want to benefit from government funds is because most of them are still at the developmental stage and have challenges of funds to expand their infrastructure and resources.

“Education should not be seen as a commercial venture, it should be seen as a social service. Having regular funding from the government sources such as TETFund, would not actually be in the interest of the private universities. Instead, these institutions should work at developing such reputation that instead of them begging for money, others will come to them begging them to take their money”, he said.

To enhance their funding and reputation base, Otunla enumerated leadership and management, quality human resources, value for money, research activities and infrastructure as things that can make Nigerian private universities stand out and build reputations that are insurmountable.

“Reputation of universities is built on their research and related academic activities. Such activities would help in attracting funding from both government and private organisations such as companies and non-governmental agencies”, he said.

As part of efforts to encourage accounting undergraduates at the university, he pledged an endowment fund of 100,000 for the best graduating Accounting student of Caleb university with effect from 2013.

In his address, the Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Prof Ayodeji Olukoju, said the university is partnering with foreign and local institutions with encouraging

FEDPOFFA FILE Nottingham varsity donates books

•Otunla

results.

“We have pursued prospects of partnership with foreign and local institutions and we are on our way to cementing one of the best partnerships and linkages in the Nigerian university system. It promises to be a windfall for our staff and students in many dimensions”, he said.

H

•Elder Francis speaking after the presentation by the Bristow Uplift team (dressed in white t-shirts)

school. We pray that God continues to bless the management and staff of Bristow”.

Describing the initiative as the “Bristow Way of creating positive change in our communities”, the

Managing Director, Bristow Helicopters Nigeria Ltd, Captain Akin Oni noted that it demonstrates the organisation’s support for the children.

“Improving education is one of

the biggest challenges facing Nigeria, and we wanted to provide support for primary school children because that is the critical time to make sure these kids have what they need to succeed,” he said.

The satellite approach to mass education

U

NDOUBTEDLY, President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has made unprecedented progress across the country in the creation of access to quality education amongst less privileged Nigerians. The statistics are clear and the results are nationwide. These are facts that cannot be disputed, even by die-hard critics of the administration.

A few examples will suffice.

Schools for almajiris across the country, special girl-child schools in educationally disadvantaged communities, on-going construction of schools for out-of-school boys in the Southsouth and Southeast and direct intervention in the improvement of facilities in existing schools in the country. At the tertiary level the Federal Government established nine new Federal Universities with eight already on stream, while another three were recently approved. Within the same period, nine new private universities were also awarded licences to operate.

This programmed improvement of education opportunities for Nigerians has been premised on the fundamental goal of creating access to basic and tertiary education of the four-year strategy plan for the development of the education sector, 2011 to 2015.

Rector inaugurates SUG projects THE FEDPOFFA Rector, Dr Olatinwo, has praised students of the institution for their good conduct within and outside the campus.

Speaking at the inauguration of projects implemented by the Students Union of the polytechnic, Olatinwo noted that the students have been contributing positively to the progress of the instituion especially by encouraging hard work among themselves.

Olatinwo also praised the union led

by Comrade Ahmed Omuiyadun for the projects including a cyber café, modern notice board, campaign billboard, and the provision of a public address system.

The Rector laid the foundation of the 500-seater Students' Union Hall at the Permanent Site at the event.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Offa Local Government, Prince Saheed Popoola enjoined the students to continue conduct their affairs maturely, which he said is a clear departure from the past.

Bristow kits 400 pupils ELICOPTER Service providers, Bristow Helicopters, left pupils of four primary schools in Akwa Ibom State smiling with its school kits presented to them.

The firm, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative tagged “Bristow Uplift”, presented the school kits comprising of bags, uniforms, shoes, sportswear and sweaters to about 400 pupils drawn from four community schools in Eket, EsitEket, Ibeno and Onna.

Bristow Uplift volunteers visited the four schools over a period of two days in the communities and presenting the kits to each pupil.

Appreciation of the gifts, Head Teacher, QIC Primary School, Ikot Akpatek, Onna Local Government Area, Elder Francis Marcus said the Bristow Uplift programme is a kind gesture which has brought smiles to the children and their parents.

He said, “This act of kindness is one that these children will never forget. For some of them, this is the first time they will wear school uniform or even carry a bag to

THE Federal Polytechnic, Offa (FEDPOFFA) took possession of shipload of books and journals courtesy of a staff in the Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Dr Clement Olajide Oladoye.

The books, which were shipped into the country recently, were donated to the Polytechnic by the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom through Oladoye who underwent his doctoral programme at the university on the bill of FEDPOFFA. Receiving the books, the Rector of Polytechnic Dr Mufutau Olatinwo, commended Oladoye for his devotion to the development of the institution.

Also present at the presentation were the Polytechnic Registrar, Alhaji AbdulHamid Raji and the Deputy Registrar Senior Staff Establishment, Alhaji Tunji Agboola.

OPINION

By Simeon Nwakaudu

Beyond the achievements that have been recorded so far as regards the creation of access to schools for Nigerian children and adults, the Federal Government has resolved to directly involve the private sector in working out novel ways to reach those in remote communities of the nation.

The novel arrangement worked out between the Federal Ministry of Education and Daar Communications Plc will ensure that education signals in all subject areas in the basic education sub-sector are disseminated to Nigerian children residing in the 774 local government areas of the country.

Minister of State for Education Ezenwo Nyesom Wike said the Federal Government is ready to partner with stakeholders in the private and public sector to deliver quality basic education.

Wike announced that of the N29billion needed for the project, the Federal Government would not make any financial commitments, aside facilitating the participation of local and state governments.

Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi said his outfit would commit 22 dedi-

cated channels to airing education programmes patterned in line with approved Federal Ministry of Education curriculum.

Dokpesi added that highly trained and qualified teachers have been recruited to deliver lessons to Nigerian children. The local teachers in the respective schools are also partners of the project as they are expected to assist their wards in using the satellite facilities.

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr MacJohn Nwaobiala described the project as a landmark initiative to extend the benefits of the Federal Government’s education programmes to all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

Indeed, for the programme to succeed, the states and the local government areas need to buy into the initiative. The Federal Ministry of Education has already opened dialogue with State Education Commissioners and Local Government Education Authorities to ensure effective participation in the deployment of these facilities to schools across the country.

Daar Communications has the responsibility to reach out to the governors and also source for the financial resources to execute the project. Dr. Dokpesi is already reaching out to the governors.

•Wike

Indeed, many more Nigerian children will be reached because of the impact of television on young minds. For the children in rural communities, this would be an entirely new experience that would open up their world.

A comprehensive analysis of the expected challenges of the project has been conducted by experts in the private and public sectors, with the conclusion that the programme can be executed successfully. If other challenges arise in the course of project implementation, stakeholders insist that they are committed to address such challenges.

•Nwakaudu is the Special Assistant (Media) to Minister of State for Education.

Seedlings for sweet potato farm THE FEDPOFFA management has dedicated two hectares of land at the institution's permanent site for Sweet Potato Experimental Farm to deepen her commitment in the research for sweet potato for bread and other confectioneries.

The farm will be supervised by the institution's Food Technology Department under the coordination of Mr Oyeyemi Idowu.

During a visit to the farm, it was revealed that about nine different potato seedlings have been collected from within and outside the country for cultivation at the farm.

Among places contacted for the seedlings, it was revealed, were Agriculture and Rural Mechanization Training Institute (ARMTI), Ilorin; Universality of Ibadan; Agbamu Potato Gorwers Association, Agbamu, Kwara State; National Institute for Root and Tuber Crop Research, Umudioke, Anambra State; Potato Farmers Association, Abuja and Accra, Ghana.

LAUTECH resumes Monday THE authorities of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, has approved Monday January 28, as the resumption date for the 2012/2013 academic session.

A release signed by the Acting Registrar Rev. Jacob Agboola, said registration for courses starts immediately and no extension would be granted.

He also wished both returning and fresh students a happy resumption and crisis-free academic session.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

28

EDUCATION EKSU FILE Varsity greets Mahama THE Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti community has congratulated Dr John Dramani Mahama on his victory at the recent poll that made him the fourth President of the West African country.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Patrick Oladipo Aina who signed the congratulatory message noted that Mahama was still the Vice-President of Ghana on March 30, 2012 when EKSU awarded him a Doctor of Public Administration (Honoris Causa).

He added that then university had already seen in him sterling

Wamakko wields big stick against •2,000 supervisors, private schools teachers redeployed

S

OKOTO State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko has said private schools shut recently will not be reopened until they comply with government’s education standards as well as the religious and cultural dictates of the Sokoto people.

In a statement signed by the governor’s Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Abubakar Dangusau, Wamakko was quoted as saying, “All the private schools recently closed down by the ministry of edu-

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

cation for operating below standards will remain closed. They will remain closed until when they are willing to operate duly and in line with the religion and cultures of the people of the state.

“These private schools must also make strenuous efforts to provide the needed conducive atmosphere for effective teaching and learning to take place.”

Wamakko, who paid unscheduled visits to some primary and sec-

ondary schools in Sokoto North, Sokoto South and Dange/Shuni Local Government Areas, also instructed that 2,000 Education Officers (supervisors) at the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and teachers be redeployed to ensure equity in their distribution, improve effective routine inspection as well as monitoring and evaluation in schools.

“We also want the teachers to be more dedicated to their duties to reciprocate the gesture of the state government in committing huge amount of money in the education sector,” he said.

‘Home training is best degree’

Compendium for alumni THE EKSU has requested alumni of the institution to submit soft or hard copies of their resumes to the university to compile a compendium.

The submission is to be made through the university website or its liaison office.

The compendium of the 30-year old university will contain their bio-data for easy contact, and other information that would be useful for the University management when seeking human resources for developmental projects.

The EKSU management is also planning to organise an Endowment/Fund-raising programme, with a view to enhancing the university’s financial capacity to implement its numerous developmental projects aimed at translating EKSU into a world class ivory tower.

Training for security men THE entire members of the Security workforce of the EKSU have undergone rigorous training to put them in shape for the security realities of the day.

During the training organised by the Chief Security Officer, Captain Augustine Ajayi (Rtd), the security men and women were drilled by personnel of the Man O’ War, Ekiti State Command, led by the state Commander, Patriot Bello Ibrahim.

Prof Patrick Aina inspected a parade of the trainees on Monday, last week during which he told them that the training was part of the university’s vision to have a formidable security unit on campus.

“I am proud of you that you are happy going through this training and that you are committed to establishing peace in this University.” The VC stressed.

•Gov Wamakko

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

A

•A cross section of pioneer beneficiaries of the MTN Foundation Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme at a career development and enterprise workshop organised by MTN foundation after their graduation.

Kwara, City and Guild partner on vocational education with poorly trained peoHE partnership between the education ple”.

Kwara State Government and He explained that the curriculum

T

the City and Guild (C&G) of London in the operations of the International Vocational Centre, Ajasse-Ipo, Kwara State will benchmark quality training of technical graduates and entrepreneurs for the international market.

The Regional Head for Africa of City and Guild, Mr Juan Visser gave this assurance when he led a team on the assessment of the centre.

Visser said the interaction between the C&G team and the Kwara State Government showed high level commitment by the state government to transform the centre into an international institute.

He said his team was excited by the concept, background and delivery of the programme, assuring the governor that the qualification that would be offered at the centre would be recognised internationally.

“The qualification will be recognised on many frameworks around the world including the national framework of the United Kingdom and the training would be equivalent to what you will get in top notch schools in the United Kingdom, in Malaysia and Dubai”.

The Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, in his remarks, said the centre was established to solve the national unemployment problem due to the absence of well trained technical hands to man critical areas of the national economy.

“The reason why there is a huge group of unemployed people is not unconnected with the fact that the area that is supposed to support them to become entrepreneurs has largely been neglected. Thus, there is a huge gap between the transition from secondary and higher

of the vocational centre was developed with consideration for the needs in critical sectors such as marine, electrical, construction and oil and gas industries.

Ahmed said his administration chose to partner with the C&G, London because it has enviable records in the development of entrepreneurs worldwide with internationallyrecognised certificates.

The Synergy, the governor said, will make graduates of the centre employable anywhere in the world and also develop them into entrepreneurs and potential employers of labour.

Governor Ahmed said in line with the projection of City and Guild, an incubation Centre would be established in each of the three senatorial districts of the State for internship for students of the centre.

Teacher refurbishes sickbay

O

•From left: Mr Vincent Odiyi; Sales Manager C and I Motors Ltd (suzuki motors); Hon Adeola Adefolabi, former Member, House of Representatives; Mr Adebayo Ibiyeye, representative of Commisioner for Education, Lagos and Comrade Murisiqi Balogun, Executive Secretary, Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) at an event to supply motorcycles to teachers of the LGEA.

UNIVERSITY teacher, Prof Adeyemi Aderoba has described good home training as the best qualification any student can ever get.

Delivering a speech on “Home Training” at the awards presentation of the 2013 Ogunjumelo annual essay competition for secondary school pupils in Ikale Land, Ondo State, Aderoba counseled the pupils to cultivate good culture of how to greet, dress and respect elders.

Similarly, the Olotu Ijama of Ondo Kingdom advised the pupils against pre-marital sexual relationships, stressing that the secret of success for many Ondo men is having matured marriage particularly to Ikale women.

He cited himself and former Minister, Chief Alex Akinyele as a shining example, urging young girls not to loose their dignity because of money.

The programme which featured the scholarship and prize giving day was held at Ode-Irele in Irele local government.

Dignitaries at the event included the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Mr Remi Olatubora and the Olofun of Irele Kingdom, Oba Olarewaju Lebi.

Tutors-general in Irele and Ese-Odo local govrnment areas appreciated the generosity of Chief Ogunjumelo, a seasoned accountant for his contribution towards the development of education particularly in Ikaleland and Ondo State in general.

Ogunjumelo said he decided to give the annual scholarship running to several thousands of Naira to encourage poor pupils and assist their parents and also to give back to his community.

The beneficiaries include Adetan Olumoladun, Giwa Jesuloluwa and Oguntimehin Blessing among others.

VER 900 pupils of Keke Senior High School, Agege, were excited as one of their teachers and the President of Ikeja Elites Lion Club International, Mrs Pat Aina, refurbished the school’s sickbay.

The sick bay, which was painted in the school colour, green and white, was equipped with four ceiling fans, two first aid boxes, mobile kit for sports, one refrigerator, four bed sheets and two beds.

The project was launched last week by the District Governor, 404B of the Lion Club International, Mrs. Stella Agbogun.

Mrs Aina said the sick bay was refurbished to help provide comfort and efficient service to pupils and teachers who fall ill during school hours.

“I am a teacher in the school and I discovered that the school bay was not conducive enough and I decided to take interest in equipping the bay without any financial reward,” she said.

In her welcome speech, Mrs Agbogun said the club has over 1.35 million members spread across 207 countries who take an active interest

By Adeola Ogunlade

in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of their communities.

She said: “We are the best service club in the world. Lion Club wants to make significant impact on the Nigerian child through the development of effective service projects and activities that will not only benefit those children in our community but also create that awareness on the need of the Nigerian child”, she said.

Responding to the club’s kind gesture, the Vice-Principal of the school, Mrs. Oluyemisi Alabi said this gesture will further help in assisting the government in attending to the health needs of the pupils.

“The Lagos State government through its EKO project provided the site for the sick bay for the school and the effort of the club to upgrade it to provide better and efficient service is very commendable.

“We promise to maintain the facilities given to us and we urged other spirited Nigerians to emulate the kind gesture of the club in assisting the needy in the society”, she said.

29

A Corps member’s mission to save lives

*CAMPUSES Law’s *NEWS new *PEOPLE *KUDOS& method of KNOCKS Last week, all hell was let loose at the Ekiti State University (EKSU) following the death teaching of a final year student of Accounting, Teslim Adebola Ibrahim. OLATUNJI AWE reports. *GRANTS

Page 31

Page 34

THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE 0802-4550-354 email: ladycampus@yahoo.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

email:- campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

What system of education is best for the country? Secular or religious? At an Academic Counselling Seminar at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), experts write off the present system. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

In place of a Students’ Union Government (SUG), the Benson Idahosa University (BIU) has the Resident Advisors Student Director (RASD).

Prince Onyenso, 400-Level Law, heads the RASD. He spoke to JOYCE MARCUS on his agenda.

‘Communication is key in leadership’

•Members of the MSSN at the seminar

How to achieve ‘balanced’ education, T by experts O many, something is wrong with the education system.

When they talk like this, they do so with anger because, according to them, “ the system we are operating is defective and breeds corruption”.

This was the thrust of discussion at the 9th annual academic seminar of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter.

But how can the nation get out of the rot? The seminar provided some workable solutions to what it termed “unbalanced secular education.”

UNILAG’s main auditorium where the event was held, was filled to capacity. In attendance were Muslim students from within and outside the campus.

In line with Islamic tenets, male and female participants sat separately.

Among the guests were the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, who was father of the day.

He was represented by a group of imams from the Lagos State Central Mosque. Others included the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, represented by Mr F.A. Raji, and UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rahman Bello, represented by the Registrar, Mr Olurotimi Shodimu.

Speaking on the theme Balanced education: An agenda for Nigeria, the guest lecturer, Prof Dawud Noibi, Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of South-

west Nigeria (MUSWEN), said the lecture was about how spirituality and morality could sustain a nation and how balanced system of education could be used to achieve a progressive nation.

Noibi said breaking the barrier between religious values and modernity would channel the energy of the youth away from destructive tendencies and promote national development.

Man, he said, was not created to worship God alone, but also to seek knowledge. He said God was the source of knowledge, quoting from Qur’an 2: 31. He said any learning not in consonant with the divine guide-

line was bound to be defective and unbalanced.

Noibi said: “It is the proper development of the soul alongside that of the mind and the body that is a balanced education in the true sense of the term. Any education that lacks the development of any of them is unbalanced and therefore inadequate.

“Sadly, modern Western education falls in that category; while excelling in the development of the material components of human existence, it ignores the need for development of the soul. This form of education is defective as it ignores the true source of real knowledge.”

Such a flawed system, he argued, could only breed corruption, favouristism, clientelism, nepotism and bribery. Quoting the former Ex•Continued on page 30

•Prince •Continued on page 30

•UNICAL set for union election -P32 •Merger: NANS appeals to Amosun-P33

30

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

CAMPUS LIFE

A worthy example

A

Pushing Out

COLLEAGUE invited me to Benin City, the capital of Edo State last week to “witness something”. The excitement in her voice made me hop on the next available flight without really comprehending what that “something” was all about. Because she knew about my belief in the Nigerian project and that I am an incurable optimist who believe this country will change someday, she extended the invitation but nothing prepared me for what I witnessed, which for once, made me proud to be a Nigerian.

The event she invited me to witness was the official commissioning ceremony of Net-Work Oil and Gas/Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NDPC) Oredo Integrated Gas Handling Facility (IGHF) situated at Ologbo Community on the outskirt of Benin City. What makes this facility unique is the fact that it was built with 100 per cent local content with no “white face around”, making it one of the rare occasions where a Nigerian company had undertaken a venture without the usual controversy surrounding such ventures and also to have excelled beyond the expectations of the government.

Another reason I was invited is related to what we are doing with undergraduates in the Campuslife project. For the benefit of those who may be reading this for the first time, we are primarily concerned with equipping and empowering students with requisite tools to confront the challenges of the 21st century. Anyone familiar with this dispensation will be aware that change is becoming as rapid as the speed of sound, yesterday’s tool will not be sufficient to compete favourably in a globalized world of advanced technology in almost all facet of endeavour.

I met Engr. Clifford Osawaru Efe, the MD/ CEO of Net-Work Oil & Gas Limited for the first time last Thursday. After exchanging pleasantries for less than two minutes, he directed one of his drivers to take me to

with

Agbo Agbo 08052959489 (SMS only)

•aagboa@gmail.com “the site”. After about thirty minutes’ drive, we got to the facility which turned out to be a huge Gas handling facility supplying gas to the National Independent Power Project (NIPP) plants. Mr. Victor Ogiebho, the Health Safety and Environment officer, after a few minute safety procedure lectures, took me around the vast facility explaining how the plant functions.

What intrigued me about this plant was that almost everything was fabricated from scratch right there by young Nigerians painstakingly assembled by a visionary leader who did not stop there but extended the goodwill to Engineering undergraduates in various Universities across the country. A deeply religious man, Engr. Osawaru said the entire concept was “divinely inspired and directed”. After a stint with Shell and Elf, he resigned his appointment to start something on his own. According to him, he did a couple of Engineering designs for some clients who were surprised that he does not even have a company considering the high quality of his designs. This compelled him to register Net-Work Oil & Gas in 2001.

A year after registration, he was awarded the contract, but some people, both inside and outside of government were apprehensive about his ability to handle such a huge project which has a significant implication toward the drive for steady power supply in the country as the gas produced is expected to fire the huge turbines at the various NIPP plants across the country. Because of his humble and unassuming disposition, he was able to instill confidence in all parties concerned that the project can be brought to fruition.

Before this, he went on a recruitment drive to bring on board young Nigerian engineers with passion for excellence who are ready to sacrifice to ensure that something good comes out of Nigeria.

I interacted with these young engineers and could not but feel the energy coming out of them. And wait for this; almost all of them are products of Nigerian Universities and Polytechnics who were glad that they achieved this feat which goes a long way to say that all may not yet have been lost regarding Nigeria. If these Nigerian engineers - despite the deplorable state of our tertiary education - are able to achieve this, then we need more of the likes of Engr. Osawaru to help instill in our youth the confidence needed to lead a successful and worthy life.

He did not stop there; he also renovated a block of ten classrooms at the community’s dilapidated Primary School.

Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Petroleum Resources Minister who commissioned the facility last Thursday said the company “exceeded our expectations”. The company was given the mandated to produce 65 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd), but exceeded it by building a facility that produces 75 MMscfd of gas, at the immediate instance and capacity to produce 100 MMscfd in a few months’ time.

Engr. Osawaru said they have exposed close to 100 engineering undergraduates from University of Benin, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Federal University of Technology, Akure and a host of others to the latest technology obtainable in the field, this he does as part of his corporate social responsibility to Nigerians and the Ologbo host community in particular. These undergraduates come to the facility whenever they are on industrial attachment or on break from their studies and are even paid in addition to learning. They are taken through various components of some of the current engineering designs As a follow up, Engr. Osawaru said plans has reached an advanced state in another project he has in mind; he wants to establish a “College of Engineering” which will serve as a finishing school for engineering graduates

of Nigerian Universities and Polytechnics to gain more experience before going into the job market. He pointed out that what is obtained in other professions like Medicine and Law where the older a practitioner gets the more experience he becomes is not obtainable in engineering because newer designs come out regularly. An engineer who is not abreast with the latest technology would soon fizzle out, hence the need for regular update of proficiency.

My host said there is no iota of doubt in his mind that Nigeria would be a great nation someday. He made up his mind when he won the IGHF contract to look for serious Nigerians with vision to see the big picture to partner with him and today, he did not only built a credible facility, but he groomed a set of proud Nigerian youth. I never doubted him because of the way he related with his workers while I was there.

Looking at these “ordinary Nigerians”, it was difficult comprehending they achieved this feat.

The coming on stream of the IGHF was made possible by the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010 which was signed into law by then acting President Goodluck Jonathan to increase Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry and also to regulate support services in the sector as well. These support services include but are not limited to financial, insurance and legal services.

The Act establishes the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board with the mandate to oversee the implementation of the provisions of the law. The Act also provides a host of requirements designed to ensure workforce development of technology transfer to Nigerians. It requires that, whenever possible, operators will hire Nigerians. When the operators are unable to find skilled workers, the Act requires that they put in place programs and procedures for training workers and make periodic progress reports to the Board. In addition, the Act mandates that operators provide a succession plan for all positions filled by expatriates, except for five percent of management positions, which may be permanently held by foreigners, with the plan that Nigerians take over after a maximum of four years of apprenticeship under incumbent expatriates.

‘Communication is key in leadership’ •Continued from page 29

H •From left: Prof Noibi, Alhaji Bulama, Alhaji Badrudeen and Dr Adeniyi at the programme

How to achieve ‘balanced’ education •Continued from page 29

ecutive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Peter Okebukola, Noibi defined corruption in the education system as “the systematic use of public office for private benefit, whose impact is significant on the availability and quality of educational goods and services, and, as a consequence on access, quality or equity in the education.”

Corruption, he noted, manifests from school management to students, who are involved in falsification of results for easy admission, forging of transcript, plagiarism, cheating in examination, alcoholism, prostitution, computer crime and indecent dressing, among others.

Noibi said the solution does not lie in civic studies and moral education nor faith because the method is not sustainable due to lack of incentive and sanction of ultimate recompense.

The scholar said Nigeria must make religious education core subject in all level of education. He said inculcating in young learners sound orientation in God-consciousness (Taqwa) would steer them away from crime.

“There must be good intention for going to school and students or learners must be committed to the intention. There must be multiple rewards for good leadership, while learners must also eschew greed,” Noibi said, quoting Qur’an, “whoever is saved from his own greed, such are the successful.”

In a lecture entitled You and socialisation, Dr S. O. Sadiku said lack of balanced education was taking Nigeria backwards because people have a way of turning good intentions to bad.

He said there was nothing wrong with the social media, but “what people deploy the invention to do is the outcome we are witnessing in our national life today.” Sadku cited the celebrated murder of Cynthia

Osokogu as an example, noting that social media remained the home of uncensored videos and files, which, he said, are not good for the youth.

Parents know, he said, must know what their children are doing on social media, noting that just as there are killers on the internet, there are also perverts, whose views may change users’ worldview to something bad.

The Director of Vanguards Academy, Ogun State, Dr Zarafan Adeniyi, urged students to reflect on the theme of the lecture, saying “a man that gets education through an unbalanced education system will be corrupt because he has not acquired such knowledge through the guideline set by God.” Other guests at the event included Dean, Faculty of Education, Prof Muritador Bidmus, LASU Registrar, Mr Abdul-Lateef Animashaun and Amir, Lagos State chapter of MSSN, Alhaji Qossim Badrudeen among others.

OW do you feel being the Resident Advisors Student Director (RASD)?

I feel happy, naturally, as a human being. I have developed myself for the huge task ahead. Knowing that to whom much is given, much is expected, I cannot say I don’t know the responsibility that lies ahead. But I have undergone several trainings and need more training with new strategies in leadership because I am now a leader among leaders.

What are the responsibilities that go with the office?

They are two. One is to the school and the other is to the students. I must ensure that rules and regulations are complied with by students, communicating the mind of the management to students and making them see reason along with the authorities are my key tasks. I must strive for a consensus between management and students. In serving the students, I must ensure their welfare is catered for. They must be comfortable in their halls of residence and classrooms. I will relay their views to the management and, most importantly, I must help to achieve their aims in the institution.

How has it been given that you have spent three years in the position?

Actually, this is my fourth term in the resident advisor system and the journey has been good. Although there have been ups and down but God has remained my strength over the years.

How do you cope with your academics given your busy schedule?

In simple terms, hard work and

time management help me to balance both areas. God has been wonderful also in this respect.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure next academic session?

First, I want to restore confidence, love and respect back to the system.

Secondly, I will promote healthy relationship and trust between students and their leaders. Bridging the communication gap between management and students is important because it is the basis for success in leadership. In achieving this, I will provide electronic notice boards across the school to aid information dissemination.

What is your take on the tenure of the past RASD? Although there were a couple of difficulties in the house but I give my predecessor a pass mark judging from where we are coming from before the immediate past administration. I learnt a lot from the past RASD as a personal friend and a leader that he was during his tenure.

What is your opinion on students’ leadership in private and public universities?

Personally, leadership is leadership and whenever you find yourself as a leader, you must act according to the condition of the environment. If the environment is comfortable or not, a good leader must make his opinion known.

One of the main determinants of a good leader is adaptability. A leader will always meet people with diverse opinions, background and belief systems even in private universities. But ability to harmonise these differences makes one a good leader.

31

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

CAMPUS LIFE

A Corps member’s mission to save lives Market women and artisans at the Ojuwoye Market, Mushin, Lagos, participated in a free medical programme organised by Dr Biodun Awosusi, a Batch “A” Corps member. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

•Dr Awosusi attending to patients

W

HAT could have brought the ever-bustling Ojuwoye Market in Mushin, Lagos, to a halt during business hours? It was a free health mission.

Last Friday, traders and artisans left everything to attend to health issues. As if on cue, when the medical team of Corps members arrived at the market, many market women and petty traders rushed out to be treated.

It was organised by a Batch “A” 2012 Corps member, Dr Biodun Awosusi, to prevent death from hypertension and diabetes. The programme was tagged Here 2 Heal Medical Outreach.

Last month, hundreds of traders benefited from the first edition of the outreach held on the premises of Government College, Eric Moore, Surulere. The programme was supported by the Chairman of Odiolowo-Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, Hon. Adeyemi Alli, Market Women Association, E-green Services , Bond Pharmaceuticals, African Health Dialogues, GlaxoSmithKline and Ilupeju Today.

Members of the Lagos State Health Volunteers Scheme monitored the event.

Lagos State coordinator of the Na-

•Some market women on queue

tional Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi praised the Corps member for embarking on the health mission, urging others serving in the state to emulate him.

She spoke through her representative, Mrs Yetunde Baderinwa, who

expressed surprise at the large turnout of women for the outreach. She encouraged the beneficiaries to always use drugs and seek medical help when the need arises.

She said: “This medical outreach will be a waste if you are not here.

It is a laudable project intended to meet your critical health needs. The tests, consultations and drugs are given free. So I encourage you use your drugs.” Baderinwa also commended Biodun, while urging him to do more.

Principal Partner, E-green Services, Tayo Olosunde, said the programme would make a great impact on the beneficiaries. “I am very happy we are making so much impact through this outreach. Here are old women, men, traders and all cadres of people who have come to benefit from the medical mission,” he said, adding: “Here 2 Heal is a laudable social enterprise; we shall continue to provide needed support to expand its reach to more people in the state.”

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE on why he embarked on the health mission, Dr Biodun said: “Many people have died of preventable diseases because they could not afford to go to hospital for proper treatment. They believe that from the point of diagnose to treatment of diseases will make them spend a lot of money. This is why we embark on this mission to offer the deprived free medical treatment and diagnose. It is meeting critical health needs of the poor, who can barely afford medical services in hospitals.”

He expressed appreciation to all partners and volunteers who contributed to the success of the project.

He praised the Lagos directorate of the NYSC, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Yewande Adesina, Hon Alli and his vice, Hon Rasaq Ajala, management of the GlaxoSmithKline, and Mike Merchandise for support.

“The large crowd here underscores the massive need for this kind of service. We will not relent in providing quality health information and affordable healthcare delivery to the people,” Biodun submitted.

Several participants at the outreach expressed their gratitude to the organisers. Mrs Iyabo Popoola, a trader in the market, prayed for the medical team and urged the Corps member to continue the “good work”.

Mrs Fatimo Megida, a beneficiary, said: “This is a good programme.

There are many people like me who have high blood pressure but who don’t know about it. I cannot imagine what could have happened to me if I did not come out to participate in this programme. I was given drug and advised to always go for medical checkup. I commend the organisers of this programme.”

Another beneficiary, Kudirat Sanusi, said: “I am glad that my blood pressure measurement was normal. Though, I was counseled on what to do to remain healthy. I thank the Dr Biodun for organising this kind of programme in the market.

Ejected for fumigation Female students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) kicked last Tuesday as they were asked to vacate their hostels for fumigation, SAM IBOK reports.

T

HEY returned to their hostels after a lecture time at school to relax, but it was not to be.

Hardly had they entered their rooms when the officials came knocking on their doors. Welcome tot he female hostels of University of Calabar (UNICAL) where there was disorder last week. The officials, asked the students to vacate their rooms for fumigation.

There was confusion in Halls of Residence 8 and 9 as the officials pasted on the wall order that students should vacate their rooms.

According to a porter in Hall 8, who pleaded for anonymity, the directive came from the office of the Dean of Students’ Affairs “to enable the management carry out proper and effective fumigation in all the rooms in the hostel.”

Reacting the students, complained that they were not notified before the directive was issued.

Deborah Chanumuya, 400-Level Educational Administration and

Planning, told CAMPUSLIFE that the management was doing the right thing at the wrong time.

“There was no official information prior to the ejection of students from their hostels. In such a situation, we are supposed to be given time to arrange our personal effects properly. Now, some of us are stranded and don’t know where to go,” she complained.

Maria Edim, Bonita Harry and a student simply identified as Tonia, who were all ejected from Hall 9, said they would not leave their rooms to anywhere because they didn’t know where to go.

The Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Prof Eyong Eyong, said fumigation was not the only reason the management asked students to vacate the halls. He said the directive was also to enable the management carry out proper allocation of bed spaces to new students.

He added that most of the students living in the hostel were ille-

•Side view of Hall 8 hostel. Inset: Stranded students discussing along the hostel’s walkway

gal occupants, adding that the only way the squatters could be ejected was to direct all occupants to vacate the halls.

Sophia John, occupant of Room

234 in Hall 8, lamented that she could not pick her belongings when the officials came to eject students.

Meanwhile, the hostels have been

re-opened. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the halls were opened after the exercise was completed last Monday.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

32

CAMPUS LIFE

UNICAL set for union election

T •Ayi (left) presenting the plaque to Barr. Asuquo in his office

Union honours council boss

O

FFICIALS of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), have honoured the chairman of Udukpani Local Government Area in Cross River State, Mr Steven Asuquo, with an award of excellence.

The award was presented to the council boss during a visit by the students’ leaders to the council headquarters at Odukpani, recently.

During the presentation, the SUG president, Imah Ayi-Ekpenyong, noted that any award given by his administration was based on the recipient’s excellent achievements in position of authority. He said: “We have seen the achievements of the chairman and his contribution

From Emmanuel Shebbs and Joy Riman UNICAL

in the state and most especially in terms of education. We have come to honour you because not every leader has the heart to serve even if he has the opportunity to do so.”

In his reaction, Asuquo said education was his major interest in everything he did. He named his education programmes to include introduction of Skill Acquisition Centre, provision of water for 37 primary schools and provision of lavatories for six primary schools in his domain.

Asuquo said: “Education is one thing that cannot be taken away from anyone. It is one’s personal property.

It is something that grows all through life.”

He encouraged the students to face their studies with seriousness and promised to extend his hand of support to the students. “I will always support education. I will support the students as much as I can. I will embark on the payment of bursary to students in higher institutions before the end of first quarter of the year,” he promised.

Ayi Ayi-Ekpeyong, president of Southern Cross River State Students (SOCRISS), who was part of the delegation, thanked the council boss for his support of students’ activities, urging Asuquo to put more effort in making education available to all willing youth in the local government.

HE Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof James Epoke, has inaugurated the committees that will midwife the students’ union election in the university.

The VC charged members of the Calabar University Electoral Committee (CUECO) and the Independent Electoral Observers’s Committee (IEOC) to discharge their function with fear of God. The two bodies comprised students and members of staff of the university. The inauguration was held at the new Senate Chambers.

Prof Epoke said the management had resolved to ensure that things were done timely to avoid late elections and distortion in academic calendar. “We want to give them enough time to do their work. We want the students to have enough time for registration so that they will exercise their franchise without obstruction,” the VC said.

Dr Idaka Idaka heads the electoral committee while Prof Benedict Ita, chairs the observers’ committee.

They were re-appointed to chair the committees for the second time.

In his acceptance speech, Dr Idaka assured the VC that he would keep to the tenets of democracy as the duty demands. “I will ensure that I work with my team to provide a government for the students. We treat everyone without bias and sentiment,” he said.

Prof Ita noted that the major responsibility of his committee was

Students visit media house

S

•Michael discussing with the kids during the awareness programme

Corps member prepares kids for adolescence

A

S part of his contribution to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Anambra State, a Corps member, Michael Bara, serving in Awka South Local Government, has held an awareness programme for pupils of Golden Bells Nursery and Primary School, Awka.

The orientation programme was targeted towards preparing the pupils for adolescence period, and how to welcome and handle some physical and developmental challenges associated with those periods.

Michael, who told the pupils that adolescence period was characterised by a number of changes in individual concerned, said there was need for the pupils to know what to do and who to talk to.

“Adolescent stage comes with some

From Ayodeji Adesina NYSC ONITSHA

changes. These changes are accompanied by series of developmental problems, some of which are normal and are expected to occur,” he said. He advised the kids to discuss the observed changes with their parents or teachers but not with their peers.

The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) graduate of Counselling Psychology emphasised the essence of early sensitisation, saying: “it is important school pupils learn about adolescent stage early and in a formal way.”

“For years, school system has abdicated the responsibility of orientating pupils on the changes that come with puberty. It is good they learn it formally from the school system. They

will know the truth and it will be difficult for anybody to take advantage of them,” he added.

Michael said the wake up call to these responsibilities must be done in schools because most parents were either too busy to talk about puberty with their wards or they view it as unnecessary. At the end of the session, Bara told CAMPUSLIFE that well-informed pupils will grow to be wellinformed adults and ultimately responsible citizens.

He said plans were in place to create a platform where parents and guardians would be counselled on sex education and how to handle puberty. He said: “Guidance and counselling services are for all levels of education and is aimed at human development. We have counselled the pupils. We need to counselled the parents too, as knowledge is power.”

TUDENTS of Mass Communication at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have visited the headquarters of the National Pilot in Ilorin on an excursion. The students, who are in 300-Level, embarked on the tour to learn about print journalism.

Led by their coordinators, Mr Tajudeen Yusuf and Mrs Ganiyat Aderinoye, they were received by the Assistant Editor of the newspaper, Mrs Okejoke Adeniyi, who conducted the students round the newsroom of the company.

Adeniyi described the news room as a “mad room” in which reporters usually converge to file stories after returning from their various beats. She added that the newsroom was an avenue to get to know things better and generate ideas by discussing issues with other reporters.

The Editor explained what con-

•Dr Idika From Emmanuel Ahanonu, Sam Ibok and Joy Riman UNICAL

to observe. He said his team would use telecommunication gadgets to monitor the polls. “We will not clash with the CUECO but we will monitor from a distance to ensure that elections are conducted free and fair. We will make use of digital equipment to carry out our role in the exercise.”

In a related development, Prof Epoke has constituted the Freshers’ Orientation Committee, which is headed by Prof Eyong Eyong, the Dean of Students’ Affairs. The committee is expected to conduct an orientation seminar for the newly admitted students. Prof Epoke charged the committee members to make good use of the opportunity and serve the institution without fear or favour.

From Hameed Muritala UNILORIN

stituted the editorial department and its workings. She said: “The editorial department is very crucial to any newspaper organisation, because it performs the function of news gathering, editing and placements of such stories on pages of the newspaper.”

The students also visited the computer department of the organisation, where they were received by Mr Johnson Olayinka, a graphic artist. They were taught the processes involved in page planning and designing.

The Business Editor of the paper, Mr Kehinde Osasi, urged the students to be passionate about journalism. He said: “Don’t be discouraged with the fact that most students of Mass Communication don’t love specialising in journalism, because they believe it is not lucrative and even more demanding than other areas such as public relations, broadcasting and advertising.”

One of the students, Blessing Durowaye, commended the department for providing students with such opportunity to learn the trade.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

33

CAMPUS LIFE Union parliament holds valedictory session •Nine members honoured From Franklin Onwubiko UNIZIK

T

•From left: Olanrewaju, Hon Adeyeye, Rt Hon. Ikuforiji and Kehinde in the Assembly Complex

Union leaders visit Lagos Assembly

M

EMBERS of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) have paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

The union leaders, who were led by the president, Olanrewaju Balogun, also witnessed the proceedings of the House to learn about legislative activities.

Amongst the debates witnessed was the discussion of Cremation Bill, which was eventually passed

From Tolulope Ogunleye LASPOTECH

to law by the house. After the sitting, the students left for the Speaker’s office, with the majority leader in the House, Hon. Dayo Agunbiade.

The students later paid a courtesy visit to Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu 1 Constituency, to appreciate his gesture towards the union and for being the instrument to their visit to the assembly.

Agunbiade advised the students’ leaders to make the best out of

themselves while in school to be able to be marketable in the labour market. “If I was a cultist while in school, every parent will want their children or wards to be one,” he said, adding that his parents were proud of him as he took his academic serious.

The speaker, Students’ Representative Council (SRC, Kehinde Olofintuyi, told CAMPUSLIFE that the visit was a wonderful experience for him, adding that he had learned more about legislative matters and proceedings.

•Prof Aluko with some of the students after the event

T

HE concept of sustainable cities is closely interconnected with the environment, economy and natural resources, which in turn can lead to minimum acceptable quality of life. Prof Tajudeen Aluko, who was the guest lecturer at sixth Oba Abimbola Annual Memorial Lecture, has said.

The event, which took place at Saki Town Hall, was organised by Saki Students’ Union, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, chapter. The theme of the programme was The making of a sustainable city–concept, characteristics, stakeholders, issues and challenges.

The professor of Estate Management and senior lecturer at OAU, said clean environment and economic growth were interwoven, adding that they resulted to a vibrant community.

Emphasizing that the core areas inhabited by the indigines are characterised by problems associated with haphazard development, poor access and drainage system, improper refue tipping or dumps and a critical dearth of community and allied recreational facilities, the don asserted that more

Saki students hold their day From Abass Alobalowo OAU

frightening and discernible were the general human and environmental poverty and the declining quality of life in the city.

He said the map and master plans needed to be updated for a city to be renewed or rejuvenated. He said frustration of professional planners in a city could be imagined in the absence of a standardised arrangement and framework through which a city plan would have been drawn.

Maintaining that African countries are too small to generate economies of scale found in larger markets, he said the roles of the public sector in the developmental process had substantially changed in many countries.

He added that the government had put in place an enabling environment to drive private sector participation in infrastructure provision in recognition of the huge investment

required. On the solution to urban problems, Prof Aluko suggested that urban renewal strategies should be developed to enable cities to build foundations, which would ensure their ecological security that would bring economic and social development.

Justice Mutalubi Abimbola of the Oyo State High Court of Justice, who represented the family of the honouree, said he was delighted with the memorial lecture in memory of his late father, saying the late monarch would be happy with the students. He encouraged the students to be serious in their studies and be good ambassadors of Saki land.

Other guests at the event included Chief Isaac Koleosho, who chaired the occasion, and Deacon ‘Niyi Ojo, a respected indigene of the land. The president of the union, Sarafadeen Adetayo, 400-Level Microbiology, thanked the students of the union for their support.

HE legislative arm of the Students’ Union Government of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka has held her valedictory section.

The event, which took place at the Faculty of Law Moot Court, was witnessed by past and outgoing union leaders.

During the session, members of the parliament, who distinguished themselves in legislative duties, were honoured. The member representing Political Science constituency, Obinna Odogwu, was presented with an award of excellence for sponsoring the highest number of motions. Some of the motions he sponsored included Declaration of Free Transportation Fare for the Physically Challenged Students and Motion for the Review and Amendment of SUG Constitution among others.

Meanwhile, the majority leader in the parliament, Dominic Nwobi, who represented Public Administration, was awarded the Best Legislator of the Year 2012, Robinson Okoye of Civil Engineering department was honoured as the Most Vibrant Legislator, while Ugochukwu Kosisochukwu of the Pure and Chemistry department was awarded the Most Distinguished Lawmaker.

Others honoured included Chidi Ezenwa, Best Comported; Ebube Dike, Best Dressed (male) and Dike Maryann, Best Dressed (female). The Speaker, Isaac Anekwe, and his deputy, Chibuzor Nwabue, were also honoured.

Presenting the awards, the president of the SUG, Hillary Ugwu, thanked members of the parliament for their contributions to the welfare of students and to the growth of unionism in the institution. He said he was optimistic that new members would take up from where they stopped.

In his valedictory speech, Isaac enumerated some of his challenges in office to include friction between him and the president and inadequate financial support from the management among others. He said the parliament under his leadership embarked on the amendment of the union’s constitution which was initially drafted by some staff of the university and organised the first ever legislative day.

In his remark, Robinson said: “The best place to serve in the SUG is the legislature. This is because of the wide experience one can get through legislative dialogue and quality representations. I appreciate particularly when the speaker accepted and apologised when he was wrong. That is a sign of good leadership.”

Merger: NANS appeals to Amosun

T

HE president-elect of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Yinka Gbadebo, has appealed to the government of Ogun State to reconsider its earlier decision to merge the state-owned Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) and Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.

Gbadebo made this known in a statement last week at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), IleIfe. He said the new leadership of NANS was compelled to make a plea as part of its commitment to the struggle for quantitative and qualitative education in Nigeria.

He said the national leadership of the students’ body believed that the first step towards the resolution of any crisis should be dialogue, appealing to Governor Ibikunle Amosun to reconsider the decision to scrap TASUED. His words: “From the available statistics, Ogun State produces about 55,000 pupils at the secondary school level, which naturally cannot be effectively admitted by the available tertiary institutions in the state, hence the need to establish more tertiary institutions and the need to strengthen the existing ones.”

“The institution in question, according to the NUC, ranks as one of the best universities in Nigeria.

Tai Solarin University of Education is also the only university that specialises in the training of pro-

•Governor Amosun From Dhikrullah Akinola OAU

fessional teachers in Nigeria.”

He said the dissolution of the “great university of qualitative education delivery” in Nigeria may deal a great blow and entrench a loophole in the admission opportunity for the young school leavers in the state.

“We recommended that a great future development facility and asset like TASUED can be the future security of an average Ogun State student for qualitative education at university level. With due respect to the office of the governor, we believe the committee’s recommendation to merge the school with OOU will not do the state any good,” he stated.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

34

CAMPUS LIFE Twenty-seven Veterinary Medicine graduates were inducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), last week. ABIOLA SOLANKE (500Level Veterinary Medicine) reports.

Doctors in the house

A

LL of them were beautifully dressed.

They beamed with smiles as they congratulated one another and took photographs. They were the graduating students of Veterinary Medicine of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

Seated in the expansive venue with the graduands were their parents and guests. It was the fifth induction and formal admission of graduates into the profession.

Friends and relatives celebrated with the young doctors at the ceremony held at the College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET) auditorium, FUNAAB, last Wednesday.

After seven years of intensive training in animal health, the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) inducted 21 graduates into the profession.

The event started at 10:20am with the rendition of the FUNAAB anthem and national anthem.

•Prof Dipeolu with some of the inductees after the ceremony

The principal officers were led to the ceremony by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Prof Felix Salako, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole.

Other principal officers included the Deputy VC (Academics), Prof Toyin Arowolo, Registrar, Mr Matthew Ayoola.

The Dean of the college, Prof Morenike Dipeolu, congratulated the inductees and advised them to uphold the virtues of honesty and integrity. “I congratulate you the inductees and your parents for today’s ceremony. However, I want to admonish all of you that in whatever position you may find yourselves, exhibit the excellence that FUNAAB has inculcated in you and also uphold the Veterinary oath,” she said.

Prof Dipeolu commended the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the VCN for making the college to strive for excel-

lence through strict accreditation exercises.

The high point of the occasion was the administration of the veterinary oath on the inductees. The graduates subscribed to the oath, which was administered by Dr Josiah Kantiyo, a member of the Veterinary council.

The inductees walked gracefully amid applause and cheers from the guests as they stepped forward to append their signatures on the oath and receive their certificates.

The graduates bowed before the Dean of the college and also acknowledged the audience, among who included lecturers from the college.

The president of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, Dr Gani Enahoro, charged the graduates to avoid professional negligence, while admonishing them not to be derailed by ambition to make money. “Sharpen your skills from every possible oppor-

tunity that comes your way, retrain yourself and be internet, computer and social media literate. Always be a step ahead of your client in terms of knowledge and be willing to learn from senior colleagues,” Dr Enahoro advised.

In his address, Prof Oyewole commended the council for donating equipment worth over N7 million to the college. He urged the graduates to continuously demonstrate core values of hard work, honesty, self-reliance and sound judgment as worthy ambassadors of the university. He spoke Prof Salako. After the Vote of Thanks by the Deputy Dean of the College, Dr S.O. Omotainse, the ceremony ended.

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, one of the inductees, Dr Akintola Adeyiga, said: “I feel honoured today because for the past seven years, we have been under training. After everything, one must

be happy to see himself graduating, which is the end of the whole training.”

On his plan after graduation, Akintola said: “I live to learn. I will observe how the profession is practised in the outside world and improve on it. Doing so, I will be latest Vet doctor in town.

I am going to start small to earn big, then earn bigger and bigger until I am the biggest.”

Other guests in attendance included Prof A.B. Aina from the College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Prof V.O. Taiwo and Prof B.O. Oke, the current and immediate past Deans of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan (UI) respectively. Others are the Director, Veterinary Services, Ogun State, Dr K.K. Mustapha, chairman of Ogun State branch of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Dr Dotun Sodunke.

Moved by what they consider as the discouraging performance in argumentative law courses, some universities have adopted an interactive teaching method, which seeks to practically engage students. But students express divergent views on this method, writes HABEEB WHYTE (500-Level Law, University of Ilorin).

Law’s new method of teaching

A

MONG students, law is described as the most-sought degree in the university.

Law students believe that it is the most difficult discipline in the world. Some say it is demanding.

However, the knowledge of the discipline must be passed from lecturers to student.

There are some courses in law, which are taught from one level of study to the other. Some of the courses are theoretical; others are practical, depending on the scope of learning adopted by the school or the lecturers.

But in Nigeria, lecturers come to the class to teach students by giving notes, broad explanation and question and answer session.

Lecturers always do the bulk of the work. Things are, however, changing in the teaching of law.

The new learning method is that, after students are given course outlines, they will do their cum research on them and come to class to teach themselves, including the lecturers.

The lecturer will only make corrections based on what the students have presented. This

method is called the interactive method of teaching. It is used in various law faculties and law schools. As good as the method appear to be, students of Law have divided opinions of it.

Titilope Yusuf, 500-Level Law, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), said the adoption of the interactive method among students was a good innovation. “It helps every student to participate in the topic of discussion and apart from that, it helps a student who on a normal day will not like to talk in class to do away with fear and participate,” she noted.

“As interesting and time-saving as the new process maybe, it does not give room for a good exploration of the topic of discussion in most courses of study. Fine, it encourages the student to make further researches but some students still prefer to be given notes to read and know the mind of the lecturers, especially for exam purposes. As far as Nigeria is concerned, the student that writes the mind of his lecturer is the one that will pass. The mind of the lecturer

is best known when they give notes.” These were the words of Sheriff Tijani, a 500-Level Law student.

The interactive method of teaching is the best method to help students showcase their argumentative skills in law, said Abdulwahab Cook, 500-Level Law, UNILORIN. He said: “The method aids the speed of work and make the students to be practically efficient and effective in addressing issues. It encourages sound research and helps to inculcate good reading habit because you would only read what you make a research on in the exam.”

Olaleye Olalekan, 200-Level Law, believes the method is not the best. He said the method would not assist the teaching system in that it would create room for laziness on the part of the lecturers, because, according to him, some will not prepare adequately for classes anymore and students would be left at the end of each lecture with various opinions on the subject matter.

•Law students of University of Ilorin arguing cases in the class

•Tijani

Dayo Zulqurnain, also in 200-Levl Law, believed the method is good but its only shortcoming remained that it leaves students to puzzle on

various positions of law and principles.

Bukola Alomaja, 400-Level Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG), said the interactive method will be beneficial to students than the lecturer.

"Though some students might argue that giving of notes is good and makes them to know the mind of the lecturer, but the law we study is changing; we must learn to adapt to it.

The new method is called Clinical Legal Education at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka. According Uche Anichebe, 500-Level Law, UNIZIK, the method makes students to study before any topic is taught in the class. "It challenges indolent students to read whether they like it or not. It also makes us to understand the topic better since it affords students to present in the class what they have researched on," she said.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

35

CAMPUS LIFE

How to tackle indiscipline in police I

DON’T know the particular point the police came up with the popular slogan: “Police is your friend.” But I want to believe the expression was coined during one of those futile attempts to rebrand the police and correct the mistrust that exists between the institution and the public.

Not many officers themselves seem to bother about the slogan, and to many in the public, the concept of friendship with the police is curious and suspicious. I was returning from Lagos last year and had interesting experiences that demonstrated the level of suspicion that exists between the police and the public. One party sees the other as a necessary evil, and the other is at best indifferent.

When we got to a checkpoint in Ondo State, which was manned by three policemen, the driver of the vehicle I was riding in was asked to come down. As he alighted, the passengers started to grumble. “Instead of him to settle them, he is wasting our time by talking to them. Is it not only N200?” A passenger muttered.

“Open the boot,” one of the officers ordered. “Na one AIG get this bus oga,” the driver said, probably thinking he would be asked to go

R

EADING through Prof Akin Mabogunje’s autobiography, A Measure of Grace, tears rolled down my cheeks as I read Chapter 27. Nigeria: Africa’s Failed Asset? was the title of Sir Olaniwun Ajayi’s publication to which the author made reference on page 654. While still weeping, my mind imagined the drying reserve of oil, the abandoned agriculture, the smiling North, the groaning Southsouth and the looming doomsday.

I had wondered countless times, what became of all the wonderfully thought-out and mind-blowing visions of Nigeria since 1970?

Although my yearning to get to the root of the problems of my beloved country proved abortive, one thing came clear in the end: “The visions were killed before they were born”.

It dates back to the 1959 election – though, selection would have captured the scenario better. “It was clear that the British authorities played a decisive part in the selection of politicians for ministerial posts” was the words of Mr. Harold Smith, an Oxford graduate,

since the owner of the transport company is a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG).

“Common, open that thing. And if na IG get am nko,” the officer shouted and the driver obeyed.

“They even carry a vehicle engine,” he told other officers as he inspected the content of the boot. “If something happens to you now, you no go say na armed robber?” the other officer queried. “Thank God say AIG get money go buy motor. Me self I dey pray make I get the money go buy am,” he quipped as passengers watched helplessly.

A few minutes later, the driver was back in his seat and the vehicle moved on. I confess: I did not know how the driver settled with the officers. But a woman who sat beside me said: “These people, if they stop you, give them something. Do you think it is easy to secure the road?” At this point, I was disturbed.

This woman’s position is an example of how easily we compromise a system and allow corruption to thrive uncontrollably in our country. I was irritated that a responsible person could think in such a manner at a time we are talking about fighting corruption and changing Nigeria. “Madam,

these people are paid by the government to do this job. If anyone is going to appreciate them, it should not be by force,” I told the woman.

As the vehicle trudged on, my mind raced back to the checkpoint experience. “What manner of friends are the policemen?” I wondered. In fact, one of the officers showed the level of indiscipline and corruption in the force. Apart from making contemptuous remarks about a retired senior officer - it wasn’t actually about the person, but the office of the AIG – he also conveyed the impression that they could easily rob our vehicle right there. Who would know? And if anyone knew, what would they do about it?

The officers would simply escape in their rickety vehicle parked at a corner, and it would be as good as though we were robbed by any robbery gang on the high way.

Then I realised how much work we must do to restore professionalism, altruism and discipline in the police.

A police officer must be loyal to the people they swore to protect and also to their superiors even in their thoughts. I am not saying this because the officers failed to give preferential treatment to the bus

R

By Msonter Anzaa such an incident here.”

Here were gentlemen of the law, standing by the roadside in the dead of the night, to protect us, and yet we could not trust them. Then I realised that both the police and the public are victims of the situation.

We need strong institutional reform and attitudinal change for the public and the police to be able to work together as friends.

Msonter, 200-Level Medicine, BSU

Reclaiming Nigeria from the brink

By Oladele Madamidola who joined the colonial civil service in Lagos in 1955, in his publication Libertas Homepage.

Reading through his candid confession, it became easier to say that the British granted independence to Nigeria knowing that they had set in motion an ill-fated vehicle that can never bring the nation to its dreamed state. The result of their manipulations was the Nigerian civil war of 1967, just 7years after her political independence.

It was obvious that what we had was not independence but “in dependence”. One may not be wrong to say that colonialism is gone and buried, yet it may also not be wrong to say that the indirect rule with which we were governed before independence is still very much here with us. Suffice it to say that neo-colonialism is well rooted in this colony called Nigeria. What is presently happening in Nigeria can be best captured in Fela

Anikulapo Kuti’s immortal songs – Zombies. Fifty-two years after freedom, we act like zombies in our God-given kingdom.

Notwithstanding, my people say, when we cry, it doesn’t affect our vision. Though the British Imperialist planted the seed of discord on the Nigerian state, we have the capacity to uproot and destroy it, but it seems we are incapable.

Thirty years of military rule only breeds corruption and nepotism.

The years of civilian rule reinforce those vices.

The truth be told, the idea of “federal character” is Nigeria’s 21st century challenge. We have placed ethnic consideration and balancing over competence and efficiency in the distribution of political office in Nigeria. Even in some private firm, the same rule is employed to promote staff.

More so, over-dependence on federal allocation by state governments is another huge problem Nigeria is grappling with.

Female undergrads and prostitution UNS and aristo are, to the uninitiated, mere catch phrases that students throw around.

But to those who keep themselves abreast of happenings in our citadels of learning, these parlances are more than just expressions; they are signs of the times in our higher institutions.

Staying in a university or polytechnic hostel, the phrases are everyday words used by students. Many female undergraduates on many campuses are regular visitors to various redlight motels in cities, hawking their body on a cash-and-carry basis. With skimpy wears, they dress to thrill men, who have the wherewithal.

The most worrisome of the problem, however, remains the girls don’t have meaningful things to do with the money they earn from prostitution. This brings us to the question: where is our decency?

Why would a decent girl who has been sent to school to study for a degree descend so low to sell her body for money.

belonging to an AIG, but because of the manner they mocked the office of the AIG. They sounded as though they would not even respect the AIG, if they had their way.

A passenger, who sat behind me, told the person next to him: “Police always clash with soldiers.” The next person, who is young army officer, replied: “And the clashes will continue because policemen do not respect anybody, even themselves. In the army, we respect the authority. An officer will never fight a fellow officer in public. But police will even kill you and nothing will happen.”

The army officer said all policemen must be re-trained to interact with civilians when deployed on the field. He said every soldier in the barracks passed through such training.

I was almost saying that the police were responsible for the lack of trust existing between them and the public when we overran another checkpoint, this time mounted by uniformed officer. The driver did not stop on sighting the policemen. The driver said: “They rob here.” All the passengers were dazed as he continued: “I don’t have confidence in the ability of the officers to protect us should there be

Is it poverty or greed? or is it bad upbringing, sheer promiscuity or an unexpected taste of freedom? Interestingly, some of these girls, who have become stain on other decent students, even go as far as soliciting for sex at night by the road side.

Based on my experience from being close to some, who indulge in the habit, I disagree that poverty is the reason for engaging in campus prostitution. We have students born with proverbial silver spoon or who came from affluent background involving in this act.

Aristoism or manning as many people will call campus prostitution is caused by sheer greed because looking at many of the girls engaging in it, one can discern that they are not impoverish as many would have believed. As far as I am concern, the socalled “big girls” on campus want to have high-profile life even though they are still students; they want to own Fendi bags, Givenchi shoes and other expensive material to draw people’s

Unviable states in a section of a country are given the same opportunity to states that produce the resources from which Nigeria generates funds. This is I call “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. Why won’t the Niger Delta militants carry guns against the state? Gas flaring and environmental degradation affect their area, yet other states are developed through the oil money.

After all, school such as Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), IleIfe, was established with the proceeds from Cocoa sales. I am sure there are other mineral and human resources spread across the nation, but we have turned blindeyes to them because we can always depend on the crude oil. Only God knows what would become of us if the oil suddenly dries up.

My candid opinion is that autonomy should be granted the state, which is the fundamental principle of federalism. States should be allowed to develop at

their pace based on the internallygenerated revenue and mineral resources found beneath their soils. A fixed percentage should then be remitted into federal account.

That way, the burden will reduce on the Federal Government and important services such as security, electricity and infrastructure will be effectively carried out by the state governments. This is what is obtained in the United States that we so much look up to.

The states of Texas and Nevada are paradigm in this respect.

It is easier to condemn government, forgetting that we, the people, are the government. If we all discharge our duties as we ought to, Nigeria will not be a failed state. If Nigeria fails as a nation, then the people are the ones, who fail the country.

Oladele, 400-level Literature-InEnglish, OAU, Ile-Ife

Students to honour leader

S

By Mariam Alamu attention towards them on campus.

According to the outgoing Registrar of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Dr Olufoluke Oyeyemi, one can only be the architect of his fortune or misfortune in life. I implore all female undergraduates to stop this destructive vice and face their main motive of being in the varsity in other to achieve their aims and objectives to the happiness of their parents.

Mariam, 200-Level Educational Management, UNILORIN

TUDENTS of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), are to honour the late Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Adedapo Awopegba, who was popularly known as DPO. Adedapo died in an auto crash on Owo-Akure expressway, which also claimed the lives of his counterparts from Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Akure.

The students were coming from award ceremony organised by a faction of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to honour the governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko.

The students, under the aegis of Julius Awopegba Debate Organisation (JADO), unveiled plans to organise a debate in honour of the late student in the forthcoming SUG elections in the school. The group of students comprises students from differ-

From Babatunde Alao FUTA

ent organisations and social groups on campus, including the Rotary Club, Writers and Speakers Club and Campus Parrot, a news magazine.

While shedding more light on the plans, one of the students in the group, Kolade Gbolagade, said effort had been made to seek the consent of the family members of the late unionist, which yielded a positive result.

Kolade revealed that the debate would be in three categories. The first category will involve those contesting for the posts of the Assistant General Secretary (AGS), Welfare Director, Sports Director, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Social Director and the Public Relations Officer, while the second and the third categories will involve those vying for the posts of the Vice President and the President.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

36

CAMPUS LIFE Students hold week

F

ROM various higher institutions, indigenes of Ipele in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, last week, gathered to celebrate the annual Ipele Students’ Week. The students, under the aegis of National Association of Ipele Students (NAIS), converged at the multipurpose hall of St. Stephen’s Anglican Procathedral Church, Owo to deliberate on the theme of this year’s celebration, which was Credible leadership: A panacea for the development of Ipele.

The president of the association, Joseph Olupona, said the reason for the selection of the theme was because of the challenges the community experienced in recent times. Joseph, who is a graduate of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, said: “This year’s theme came into being as a result of the dilapidated and deplorable situation we are experiencing. Education is at its lowest ebb, community development is in a state of comatose.”

Joseph said the dream of the association was

From Babatunde Alao AAUA

to contribute its quotas to the development of Ipele in the area of peace and unity, and to promote the academic, culture and social lives of the people.

A guest lecturer, Mr Olatunbosun Isijola, said there was no commensurate attention given to the town for its revenue profile and votes delivery. He stated: “It is not hyperbolic that Ipele’s voting strength is reputed to be half of the totality realised in our local government and we generate more revenue for Owo Local Government, than any other town.”

He highlighted other challenges the town was facing to include inadequate learning facilities in secondary schools, dearth of health facilities, a befitting palace, bad roads and erosion. On the solution to the challenges, Isijola said quality representation at government level.

The week-long event featured activities such as inter-school quiz competition, environmental sanitation and marathon race. Highlight of the event included presentation of awards to eminent indigenes of the town and launching of modern lock-up shops and donations. The Olupele of Ipele, Oba Abel Alade II, was present at the ceremony as the royal father of the day.

On and Off Campus By Solomon Izekor 08061522600

•One of the stands displaying copies of The Nation newspapers

Library gets newspaper unit

T

O get students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) more informed about the happenings in the country, the management of the main library of the institution has created a newspaper department in the complex.

The modern newspaper stands are located at the entrance of the library complex, close to the receptionist unit in the building. The stands have couches, which can contain 20 newspapers each. It is meant for students and library users who wish to read the national dailies.

A library official who spoke in anonymity, said the introduction of newspaper sec-

From Joy Riman UNICAL

tion was a sign of academic development, which the Prof James Epoke administration was doing to revitalise the school system to meet up to international standard. He said the newspapers are changed daily and weekly as the need arose.

A part of the newspaper stand is filled with more than 25 chairs on which readers can sit while reading the papers. The reading centre is equally fitted with a plasma television, which shows news channels only.

The anonymous official added: “The library is not just a place where you come to read books and do your course assignments.

It is equally a place where students can come to seek for information on what is happening across the globe.”

Students urged to embrace excellence

T

HE founder and visitor to Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, has charged the institution’s pioneer students to demonstrate academic excellence and ethical values, which he said were uncommon among students from other universities.

Ade-Ojo’s position was contained in a statement signed by the institution’s Registrar, Mr Omololu Adegbenro, after the founder addressed the new students during the orientation programme organised for them.

He said he invested in university education to help the future of the country by producing self-reliant, ethically-acceptable and globally-competitive graduates. AdeOjo, who revealed that the institution had designed an entrepreneurial-oriented curriculum, affirmed that the university would forge a strong relationship with industrial and commercial establishments where the students would be sent to for practical knowledge and familiarisation with work environment during vacation.

He enjoined the students to adhere strictly to the rules and regulations guiding their studentship as contained in their handbook.

From Damilola Olayemi ELIZADE

Ade-Ojo warned students against involvement in cultism, examination malpractice, drug abuse and other vices. The visitor added that the university would employ appropriate sanctions on any student that violated the institution’s rules and regulations.

In his remarks, the institution’s ViceChancellor, Prof Valentine Aletor, congratulated the students for their admission.

He said they were lucky to be ambassadors of a university, which he said, was established to correct the abnormality in the education sector.

Aletor told the students that dedication, competence and care for academic and nonacademic staff had been employed to guide and direct their training along the university’s core values of diligence, honesty, integrity, responsibility and excellence.

He said all academic and administrative activities would be driven by Information Communication Technology (ICT), adding that students would have the best time in the institution as all laboratories and lecture rooms are air-conditioned.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

37

EDUCATION UNILORIN FILE 7,098 freshers matriculate

Ezekwesili for UNN convocation lecture today •Anyim, Jega, others for honours

F

ORMER Vice President (Africa Region) of the World Bank Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili will deliver the 42nd Convocation Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) today.

The former Minister of Solid Minerals as well as Education would speak on “The wealth and poverty of a nation: Who shall restore the dignity of Nigeria?” at the lecture that forms part of the Convocation celebrations.

Dr. Ezekwesili serves as Senior Economic Advisor at the Open Society Foundation as well as Director of Bharti Airtel, the fourth largest telecommunications company in the world. She is an alumna of UNN. Tomorrow and Saturday, UNN would give out certificates to 19, 880 graduands of first and higher degrees at the 42nd convocation of the university. First degree holders make up 18, 150 of the number while higher degree recipients number 1, 730.

There are 116 First Class Honours, 4, 405 Second Class Upper and 10, 048 Second Class Lower with 2, 633 Third Class and 154 Pass. A further 794 would earn Diplomas or unclassified qualifications.

A further 195 persons would be conferred with their Doctorate degrees while 1, 226 would earn Masters Degrees and 269 Postgraduate diplomas.

UNN would also confer honorary doctorates on four persons, the Secretary to the Government of Nigeria Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, Chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr Fola Adeola and Group MD of Diamond Bank, Dr. Alex Otti.

•Emeka Cliff Nzeruem with his father, Chief Cliff Nzeruem, and his younger sister, Obionuju during his graduation from the Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada where he studied Accounting.

‘Counselling centres must for varsities’

E

DUCATION Minister Prof Ruqayyat Ahmed Rufa’i has directed all universities to establish Counselling and Human Development centres.

She flayed the practice of providing counselling services through the Faculty of Education as she presented computers to the six universities with the best Human Development Centres at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja, last Tuesday.

The universities are: University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Northcentral; Bayero University Kano, Northwest; University of Maiduguri, Northeast; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Southeast; University of Benin, Southsouth;

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

and University of Lagos, Southwest.

The Minister underscored the need to provide support services to students to promote teaching and learning. She noted that the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government can only succeed if effective and credible education is provided to the populace.

She said universities “need to produce a crop of graduates who are wellequipped to face the challenges of nation building and not statistics that only serves to increase the number of unemployed graduates in the evergrowing labour market.”

The universities were presented with two computers each for their Counselling and Human Development Centres and a document, the Benchmark Statements on Student Support Services and Facilities.

The NUC Director, Student Support Services, Mrs Uwani Yahya, said the beneficiaries emerged following an assessment of counselling centres in all universities by the NUC in 2011, which rated them as the best.

Speaking at the event, the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof Julius Okojie, admonished university administrators to comply with guidelines set by the regulatory body and reiterated that the benchmarks are to ensure standard and qualitative education.

120th Inaugural lecture today UNILORIN’S 120th inaugural lecture will hold today at the University Auditorium under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ambali.

The lecture titled: “Key to Unlock” will be delivered by Prof Oluwasegun Adetokunbo Adekunle of the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Management.

Don bags CBN appointment

IBBUL seeks workers for programme

T

HE Actors Guild of Nigeria, Niger State Chapter has been urged to intensify search for qualified teaching staff for the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, ahead of the start of its Performing Arts programme next academic session.

IBBUL Vice-Chancellor Prof Ibrahim Adamu Kolo said this when members of the Guild, led by its Chairman, Prince Hussaini Yusuf Kodo, visited him.

He expressed delight partnering with the Guild, saying the university would benefit from their intellect.

Responding to a proposal for a joint workshop, Kolo urged them to liaise with the Dean of Faculty of Languages and Communication Studies and the Director, Development and Consultancy Services to facilitate the programme.

In his speech, Kodo called for the establishment of Theatre Arts Department in IBB University to train young actors.

Prince Kodo further disclosed that the Guild was preparing to produce a soap opera to be aired on some television networks, and therefore sought the ViceChancellor’s support financially and morally.

THE 7,098 new students admitted for undergraduate programmes of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), have been urged to shun cultism.

Speaking at the matriculation of the freshers last Monday, the ViceChancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, said penalty for joining such groups is expulsion.

“I will also strongly advise you to desist from joining unregistered and secret associations wherever they are because the penalty for this is nothing but expulsion from the university,” he said.

Ambali, who noted that the matriculants were only 11.1 per cent of those that applied to the university and 16.18 per cent of those who sat for Post-UTME Test, urged the students to work hard and imbibe good values.

A breakdown of the new students by faculties, shows that Agriculture admitted 365 students; Arts, 999; Basic Medical Sciences, 228; Business and Social Sciences, 862; Communication and Information Sciences, 239; Education, 1,642; Engineering and Technology, 595; Law, 124; Pharmaceutical Sciences, 14; Science, 2,019 and Veterinary Medicine, 11.

•Prof Ogunsola (middle) and Dr Sunny Kuku, chairman of the 50th anniversary organising committee presenting the award to Sipe of GTBank

UNILAG medical college seeks GTBank’s support for HE College of Medicine, Uniits curriculum and making facility upgrade reworking versity of Lagos (CMUL) is it more impactful so that the society

T

seeking support to revamp its facilities to match the best in the world.

As it recognised GTbank for excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes in health and education in commemoration of its 50th anniversary last week, the Provost, Prof Folashade Ogunsola said the college would like to partner with the bank to reinvent the good old days when its facilities were in top shape.

The bank’s interventions in Health include the rehabilitation of Mercy Children’s hospital and provision and regular maintenance of equipment; organisation of an annual autism conference to create awareness about the condition; support for the Sickle Cell Foundation as well as the ‘stop cancer’ initiative.

In the area of education, the bank has adopted schools in Lagos, Kwara, Jigawa and others, sponsored the

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

Lagos State Principals Cup among others.

Presenting the award to Mr Babajide Sipe of the Corporate Communications and External Affairs Unit at a brief ceremony held in the CMUL board room, Prof Ogunsola said the college had followed the bank’s progress in the financial sector and its activities in the area of education and health and found it deserving of the award.

Considering the importance of producing well trained healthcare personnel to serve in hospitals, Prof Ogunsola said the college, whose student population has grown from 28 to 1,800 in 50 years, seeks to improve its facilities to deliver its already reviewed curriculum.

She said: “The College of Medicine has in the last few years been

would feel more of our impact. And for us to get there, we need to have our strategic partners who would work along with us as build better infrastructure, better curriculum and produce even greater doctors. The facilities here need to be improved.

To do that, it takes commitment, it takes money, it takes those who would give us ideas and work with the ideas.”

Responding on behalf of GTbank, Sipe appreciated the college for the honour and assured its management of the bank’s support when such initiative is worked out.

“The College of Medicine is certainly another good platform and we would be committed to do our bit. We do not know what ideas you want to implement for now but we would be happy to be part of this tremendous effort to improve standards in this institution,” he said.

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has appointed Dr. Abdul-Razzaq Alaro of the Department of Islamic Law, Faculty of Law, UNILORIN, into the bank’s Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE) on Non-Interest Financial Institutions.

Among other functions, FRACE would ensure that products and services offered by non-interest financial institutions satisfy the requirements of principles of their mode of operation.

Other members of the FRACE, whose appointment would be on part-time basis, include Sheikh Sheriff Ibrahim Saleh, Chairman; Sheikh Adam Idoko; Dr. Ibrahim Jalo; Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, the Executive Director of the International Shariah Research Academy of Bank Negara, Malaysia; Dr. Mohammed Akram Laklin; and the Secretary General of the Shariah Supervisory Board of the Central Bank of Sudan, Dr. Ahmed Ali Abdallah.

Deadline for Pension PINs MEMBERS of staff have only today to submit their Retirement Savings Account PIN numbers to the Pension Desk Officer, Directorate of Human Resources, so they can be forwarded to the National Pensions Commission for adequate remittance of retirement benefits to their respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

According to a memo issued by the Pension and Gratuity Unit, some workers have refused to submit their PIN numbers under the pretext of their PFAs’ advice that their PIN Numbers should not be disclosed to anybody.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

38

EDUCATION ACE FILE College plans oratory contest STUDENTS of Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo will next month showcase their oratory skills in a competition organised by the management.

The competition tagged: Five speakers, one platform, according to the organising committee, is meant for all students regardless of whether they are running NCE or degree programmes, and it is also a way of showcasing their potentials.

The committee observed that one of the essential skills needed by teachers to project and teach their subjects is verbal skill; hence the introduction of the competition.

The pre-selection competition will be held in the five schools of the college namely: Arts and Social Science, Education, Languages, Science and Vocational and Technical Education.

Winners of the pre-selection competition will participate in the second and final stages of the competition that will be held at the college language laboratory.

Students to hold symposium THE female leadership forum of ACE, Ondo unit will hold its annual symposium in the college on January 31.

The symposium, according to the President, Miss Kafayat Adeyemo, is aimed at developing leadership skills in female students which will enable them become responsible adults in the society.

The lecture titled: Education: A tool for Empowering women for leadership, will be delivered by Dr Yetunde Akorede of the Department of English of ACE and Mrs. Bukola Olotu, a seasoned educationist.

Besides the lecture, the forum will also hold cooking competition among female hostels on campus which will be moderated and judged by lecturers in the Department of Home Economics.

SCHOLARSHIPS APPROACHING DEADLINES DAAD Scholarships for Developing Countries Masters (MS) Degree Brief description: The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides scholarships in Germany for international students for a range of postgraduate courses at German Universities.

Host Institution(s): German Universitiesoffering postgraduate courses with relevance to developing countries.

Field(s) of Study: Postgraduate courses are offered in the following fields:Economic Sciences / Business Administration / Political Economics, Development Co-operation, Engineering and Related Sciences,Mathematics Regional Planning, Agriculture and Forest Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Medicine and Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, Sociology and Education Scholarship value/inclusions: DAAD scholarship supports selected programmes with a variety of full or partial scholarships.

Eligibility: • Will come either from a public authority or a state or private company in a developing country and, as such, be engaged in the planning and execution of directives and projects with emphasis on development policies having a bearing on technological, economic or social areas.

•Holds a Bachelor’s degree (4 years) in related subject.

• Will have completed an academic degree far beyond average and at least two years of related professional experience.

• Is not older than 36 (for some courses the age limit is 32), and his/her respective academic degrees should normally not be older than 3 years.

Application instructions:

Scholarship applicants can apply at the German embassy or DAAD regional office, directly at the DAAD in Bonn or directly to the university. For Nigeria it is highly recommended to submit the applications only via the German Embassy.

Application deadlines for DAAD-scholarships •At German embassies and/or at the DAAD regional offices: 31 July Netherlands Fellowship Program for Master’s, PhD, and Short Courses Masters/PhD/Short Courses The scholarships allow candidates to pursue Master studies, PhD studies, or short courses at Dutch Universities or academic institutions.

Host Institution(s): Dutch Universities and academic institutions.

Field(s) of study: The scholarship covers all fields of study Target group: Nigerian students Half of the available fellowships should be awarded to female candidates and the other half should be spent on candidates from sub-Saharan Africa. Apart from this, priority is given to candidates from priority groups and/or from marginalized regions to be defined by the embassies.

Scholarship value/inclusions: An NFP fellowship is intended to supplement the salary that the fellowship holder should continue to receive. The fellowship also covers the costs of tuition fees, visas, travel costs, insurance and thesis research.

Eligibility You must be a professional with at least three years’ relevant work experience; be a national of, and working and living in one of the countries on the NFP country list valid at the time of application; be nominated by your employer, who pledges

to continue paying your salary and guarantees that you will be able to return to the same or an equivalent position at the end of your fellowship period; Nuffic urges you to return to your home country upon finishing the course or programme to meet the NFP aim in the most effective way.

If you apply for an NFP PhD fellowship, you must: not have accepted an NFP PhD fellowship in the past; pursue the PhD study following a ‘sandwich’ or ‘picnic’ model, which means that at least a quarter of the PhD study must take place in the candidate’s home country and/ or region. A quarter of the PhD study is calculated from the start date of the PhD-study (research) until the end of the NFP-PhD fellowship.

If you apply for an NFP master’s degree programme (NFP-MA) fellowship, you must not have accepted an NFP master’s degree programme fellowship in the past.

Application instructions: As stated above, to be eligible for an NFP fellowship, candidates need to be admitted to the master’s degree programme for which they would like an NFP fellowship. Thus to be eligible for an NFP fellowship, you must be admitted to the master’s degree programme, short course or PhD study, for which you would like to use the fellowship. Deadlines are 7 May and 1 October 2013.

Fellowship applications then have to be submitted through Scholarships Online (SOL).

Through SOL, candidates can apply for fellowships online and they can check the status of an application. Other parties such as the Dutch institutions, the embassies and consulates will use SOL to assess NFP fellowship applications.

Igbinedion varsity matriculates 900

N

•Chief Igbinedion

INE hundred students have subscribed to the matriculation oath of the Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State.

The students, christened ‘Paragons set,’ took the oath at the 14th matriculation held at the institution’s auditorium.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Eghosa Osaghae, who administered the oath, urged the students to avoid religious or ethnic intolerance and other social vices that can disturb the peaceful co-existence of students on campus.

Osaghae challenged the students to make their marks as successful en-

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

trepreneurs in the foorsteps of the founder of the university, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.

He warned the students that acts which breached the matriculation oaths would lead to expulsion, suspension or rustication.

The VC admonished them to take their studies seriously and see the opportunity to be in the institution as a life-changing transition.

Said he: “To be leaders, self-conscious models and accomplishers, do not show religious or ethnic intolerance of any kind.

“I congratulate you, our matricu-

lating students on this life –transforming transition and admonish every one of you to make use of the opportunity on offer through this matriculation,” he said.

Chairman of the institutions’ Parents Consultative Forum (PCF), Dr. Johnbull Aibangbe, said parents have launched an assurance policy for the students.

He said the policy allows PCF to pay three session tuition fees for any student whose sponsor dies in the course of study.

Dr. Aibangbe disclosed that the PCF has also built a recreational centre as well as a medical centre for the students.

Provost vows to sanction erring lecturers

T

HE new students that took the matriculation oath at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Otto/Ijanikin (AOCOED) last Thursday were puzzled when the Provost, Mr Wasiu Olalekan Bashorun, gave his cell phone number - 08090500157 to them.

He asked the students to feel free to report to him any case of intimidation or sale of handouts which has since been banned in the college, adding that any erring lecturer will be sanctioned. He also asked the students to avail themselves the phone numbers of the Registrar, Chief Security Officer, Students Affairs officers and Deans of Schools for same reason.

Bashorun also mandated the deans of schools to do more of supervisory roles of students in addition to their primary responsibility.

Bashorun said the new measure, is to further strengthen the college’s onward march to becoming the best college of education nationwide within the next three years, noting that the reform must first commence from within.

The 1,507 students cut across Schools of Vocational and Technical education; Science; Arts and Social Science; Language and School of Preliminary Studies.

“I challenge the students to report any member whether teaching or non-teaching staff who are selling

By Adegunle Olugbamila

handouts, not attending classes or harassing students. Deans (of schools) should go round classrooms, monitor teaching, look at the comfort of staff and students and take necessary steps to make the job easy for them.

“We are no longer contented with being one of the leading colleges of education in Nigeria. We want to be number one; and we will do everything possible to attain this within the next three years.”

To realise its dream, Bashorun said the college commenced with infrastructural development last year with full completion of three projects- health centre, IDCT centre and School of Technical and Vocational Education. Aside looking forward to full completion of the ultra-modern administrative block being constructed by the state government, the college would equally be awarding contracts for the new lecture theatre and auditorium courtesy TETFund intervention.

“We have placed advertisements in the newspapers inviting private sector interest in the construction of students hostel, eatery and a filling station in the college. The Lagos State Public Works Corporation is also helping with the resurfacing of our internal roads. We want to have a new AOCOED where teaching, learning, research and commu-

•The matriculating students in a joyous mood after the event

nity development shall be done in an aesthetically inviting, clean and wholesome environment.”

This year, we shall enhance our efforts to partner with leading institutions and organisations in and outside the country to attain our strategic objectives. Our ongoing engagement with the Ekiti State University (EKSU) and Lagos State University (LASU) shall be sustained. We shall continue to strengthen our relationships with the University of Wisconsin and University of Georgia both in the USA in the area of distance edu-

cation and distance learning.

Similarly, we shall renew our partnership with the University of Perth, Western Australia, University of London and Havering College of Further and Higher Education in the UK. We are also exploring the feasibility of deepening the skills and competencies of our administrative and teaching staff by adapting the highly acclaimed Finland Education Model in teaching and learning in the college.

He urged the new students to stay away from anti-social groups, dress

decently, face their studies seriously as the management would provide them with the best professional teacher education that would propel them to becoming good leaders.

Bashorun also identified staff welfare and training/development as key which the management will not compromise. Besides prompt payment of staff salaries, Bashorun assured staff training would be sustained. He therefore called on all to join hands with the management to ensure fulfillment of its aspirations.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

39

EDUCATION

Jang employs 500 teachers to reverse mass failure

F

OLLOWING continuous mass failure of pupils in WAEC and NECO across the country, annually, the Plateau State Governor, Jonah David Jang, has begun moves to improve performances of candidates in the state with the employment of 500 teachers.

The move is to stem the tide of perennial failure of students in major examinations, according to the Plateau State Commissioner of Education, Nanle Dashe.

Speaking with journalists in his

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

office Dashe said: “It is a fact that performances of candidates from Plateau State in WAEC and NECO, have been very poor in the last few years. But this decline in WAEC/ GCE performances is a national disaster and not peculiar to Plateau State. It is indeed a national disaster in our education system.

“But that does not mean we will sit down and watch the ugly trend; hence Governor Jonah Jang has directed that in order to improve per-

formances of candidates from its schools, 500 teachers should be recruited.

“These 500 teachers are mainly to teach Mathematics and English Language because even the few students that do well in their WAEC often fail Mathematics and English Language.

‘So the state government has set up an agenda for its school whereby these new teachers will be those that are professional on these two core subjects. At the same times, relevant teaching materials

are going to be purchased for this purpose.

“Enough provisions have been made in the 2013 budget to take care of this programme and very soon, WAEC/NECO will start recording higher performances from candidates from Plateau State. Plateau used to be the best-rated performance in the north and second in the country. This new effort is to return the state to such glorious period and this government has put all necessary machinery in place to achieve that”, he said.

• Gov Jang

Minister: challenges of providing qualitative education enormous

M

INISTER of State for Education Nyesom Wike has said the Federal Government is facing challenges in providing sustainable qualitative education to all.

The challenges, which are quite enormous, Wike said, require concerted efforts and commitment of all stakeholders to surmount.

Wike said this in Abuja at the handing-over of 317 classrooms to the Federal Government, constructed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for 33 schools in Kano State to advance basic education.

Despite the challenges, Wike said the present administration under President Goodluck Jonathan, has invested huge resources to tackle the twin problems of access and quality in the education system.

Government’s aim, he said, is to ensure that quality education becomes one important luxury that Nigerians from all background can take for granted.

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) coordinated the building project for JICA in collaboration with the Kano State government through the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board to ensure the project is delivered without drawbacks.

His words: “The present administration under President Goodluck Jonathan genuinely recognises the importance of education as the most potent instrument for achieving a rapid socio-economic transformation of the country. It is for this reason that the Federal Government has invested enormous resources to tackle the twin problems of access and quality in the country’s education system. Our goal in this direction is to ensure that quality educa-

•Agency hands over 317 classrooms worth over N2b to govt From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

tion becomes one important thing that Nigerians from all backgrounds can take for granted.

“However, the challenges of providing sustainable qualitative education to Nigerians are quite enormous and require the concerted efforts and commitment of all stakeholders to overcome. It is for this reason that the Federal Ministry of Education most heartily welcomes any positive intervention from our international development partners which is directed at improving the course of education in our beloved country.

“It is, therefore, pertinent to acknowledge the fact that JICA has demonstrated more than a passing commitment to the provision of educational development assistance and support to Nigeria. Today we are here to witness yet again the handing-over of 317 classrooms built, furnished and donated by JICA for 33 basic education schools in Kano State.”

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education will do all that is necessary to ensure that classrooms and facilities provided are put into effective use to achieve the purpose for which they have been provided.

Wike directed the UBEC to liaise with the Kano State Ministry of Education and the Universal Basic Education Board to ensure that quality teaching and learning take off in the classrooms: “without further delay as well as ensure that the facilities provided are adequately and sustainably maintained.”

Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji, said the project was signed in June 2010 and was

‘However, the challenges of providing sustainable qualitative education to Nigerians are quite enormous and require the concerted efforts and commitment of all stakeholders to overcome’

granted up to 1 billion 132 million Japanese Yen which is equivalent to N2.31 billion at the current exchange rate.

Although Shoji said some security threats erupted in the state during the project implementation, he

nonetheless added that all the works were securely done.

He said: “At present, there are about 800 million illiterates in the world, about one-quarter of who are in Africa. The situation is unacceptable. Therefore, Japan is giving a

high priority to the education sector and providing development assistance to Africa and Nigeria.”

The minister later handed over the key of the classrooms to the representative of the Kano State governor.

•Public Affairs Advisor, Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN), Clement Iloba (middle), Head Teacher LEA Primary School Jabi ,Luka Danjuma (right) during the donation of over one thousand books by Julius Berger Nigeria to LEA Primary School Library Jabi in Abuja yesterday PHOTO ABAYOMI FAYESE

Private schools urged to hire qualified teachers

T

HE Chief Executive Officer of Standard Mandate International (SMI), Pastor Ayodele Nelson, has urged owners of private schools in Lagos to employ qualified and experienced teachers to teach their early childhood classes.

He said this at a seminar organised to provide support services for schools to know what it takes to run a good private school in Lagos.

The seminar called The associate schools forum witnessed attendance of over 150 school owners in Lagos State.

Nelson said school owners should

By Medinat Kanabe

ensure that those in their early childhood class are very sound because that is the foundation. He told them to train their teachers if already trained ones don’t come handy.

“Give the teachers serious training because not just anybody can teach them. Train your teachers because if you don’t train them, you can’t blame them.

“If you are the only one going for all the training, seminars and workshop, there would be dysfunctional staff relationship and you will end up being the only one with all the knowledge,” he said.

Pastor Nelson, who spoke on Strategic school improvement planning and implementation, said every school

has challenges no matter how young or old, adding that in such trying times, proprietors need lots of encouragements, support and inspiration.

He said schools that are ineffective lack vision and have unfocused leadership. “The proprietors here are into other things, and they don’t give their full attention to the school.”

Pastor Nelson advised that they do everything to ensure that their schools are perceived well in their immediate neighbourhood.”Your school should not be described as where they fight or carry out exam malpractices, “he added.

He also advised them to get involved in corporate social responsibilities.

Council inaugurates schools

O

•From Left: Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN), National President, Eko Boys Old Students Association, EKOBA; Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Chairman of the occasion; Prof. Adio Ogunbonna and Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, Lagos House of Assembly at the public lecture to mark 100 years of Eko Boys High School, Mushin, Lagos.

VER 13,000 pupils from nursery and primary schools in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area have received school materials courtesy of the council Chairman, Hon Bolaji Muse-Ariyoh.

Each pupil was given six exercise books; school uniforms, bags and school sandals.

The council chair also inaugurated two schools with six classrooms and four classrooms respectively.

According to Muse-Ariyoh, there was no other way to fulfill his electioneering campaign promises than now, noting that he would do more.

The commissioned schools

By Kemi Okunade

within the council are Afariogun Nursery and Primary School and Aregbe Nursery and Primary School. Some of the schools that also benefited from school materials are Methodist Primary School; Ajibulu Primary School; Mafoluku Primary School; Owoseni Primary School, and New State Primary School, among others.

The council chair said the gesture is as a result of his passion for education development.

“Let it be told here that our administration has a very strong passion for education. It is our firm belief that qualitative education is the best legacy to leave behind,” he said.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

40

EDUCATION EDUTALK

with

Curricula review for health workers

I •Fashola (middle) with (from left) Ibrahim, Blessing, Ibukun, Yesirah, Simisola and Temitope

Essays earn six pupils scholarship

I

T was reward time last Thursday for secondary school pupils who excelled in the essay competition organised by the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) as they went home with scholarship grants and memories of shaking hands with Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Their reward was made more memorable because they were celebrated on the same platform with tax compliant individuals and corporate organisations at the sixth Lagos State Taxation Stakeholders’ Conference held at The Havens, Ikeja.

Ten-year-old Yesirah Adepeju Adebiyi, a pupil of Asafa Tijani Memorial High School, Iponri, won in the Junior Secondary School (JSS) category for her essay titled: Payment of tax is your duty, your civic responsibility and the law.

The JSS1 pupil was rewarded with N250,000 scholarship and a computer for her school, while first and second runners up, Ibrahim Adeyemi Olalekan of Federal Gov-

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

ernment College, Ijanikin, and Temitope Akinbinu of Gbagada Girls’ Junior Secondary School, Gbagada, got N200,000 and N150,000 as well as computers for their school.

In the Senior Secondary School (SSS) category, Ibukun Ajayi of Lagos African Church Grammar School, Ifako-Ijaiye, came first; Simisola Oyetomi of Apapa Senior High School, Apapa was second, while Blessing Idokwe came third.

The senior pupils, who wrote on Lagos State will continue to be a centre of excellence if all taxable adults pay their taxes promptly and correctly, got the same prize money as the JSS category winners.

Speaking to The Nation on the reward, Yesirah, whose favourite subject is Mathematics, said she learnt the importance of tax revenue to the running of the state while researching the essay.

“I feel happy. I learnt a lot about taxes. It is necessary to pay taxes

because it helps to build our country and the state,” he said.

On her part, Ibukun said from participating in the exercise, she now seeks opportunity to enlighten people about taxes.

“I wish I can be given the chance to enlighten people to pay their taxes. If they pay, the government will fulfil its promises,” he said.

Speaking on the competition, Executive Chairman of LIRS, Mr Tunde Fowler, said 2,017 entries were received from public and private secondary schools in Lagos with a ratio of 70:30 per cent in favour of the public schools. The cut-off mark was 85 per cent for JSS category and 80 for SSS. Tax compliant individuals rewarded at the event included Chief Akintola Williams, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, Alhaji Taofik Akinola, among others.

Corporate organisations honoured were: Coca Cola Nigeria Ltd; Julius Berger Plc, Methodist Girls High School, Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, and T.A. Amuda and Sons.

•Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Mr Segun Odubela (second left) standing next to Odubanjo and Mrs Adeosun (third right) with participants at the Civic Education programme.

Ogun takes tax campaign to schools

T

HE Ogun State government has taken its tax awareness campaign to secondary school pu-

pils.

The government, through the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, championed the cause at a Civic Education programme organised by her ministry in conjunction with the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service (IRS) last week.

Speaking at the event for selected secondary schools pupils in the state, Mrs Adeosun said there is need for the citizens to be informed and educated to perform their civic responsibilities such as paying taxes regularly and promptly.

Mrs Adeosun added that the pupils were included in the campaign

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

so they can be enlightened on why they should pay tax as adults in future, and so they can serve as change agents for their parents.

The Commissioner explained that the monthly federal allocation to the state is insufficient for the government to embark on capital projects, adding that Ogun State ranks 21 among the 36 states in the federation revenue sharing formula as it is not an oil producing state.

She said: “The money we get can only be used to pay salaries and for general maintenance. It is not enough to do capital projects. The only way we can get more money is through tax and every adult that is working must pay.

“The tax we generate in this state is very low. The problem we have is that a lot of people don’t want to pay yet everyone enjoys whatever amenity the government provides through tax.”

Giving his remarks, the Chairman of the IRS, Mr Babajide Odubanjo said tax education for school children would help government record less tax evasion in future.

On his part, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Segun Odubela, described the programme as an investment in the future of the State, saying, "we will not be in office by the time these young people become tax payers but the seed being sown today will make them responsible citizens in future, which will benefit the entire State.”

WAS at an event last week during which the Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof Folashade Ogunsola, said it had reviewed its curriculum to train doctors who would be more impactful on the society.

She rightly noted and I quote:

Kofoworola

Belo-Osagie Kofosagie@yahoo.com 08054503077 (SMS only)

Everybody’s life is touched by a doctor, a nurse, a physiotherapist, and we are the ones who produce these health workers. We lay the foundation and if we do not do it right, there is nothing that happens afterwards that we would be able to sort out.

If it has not already been done generally, the curricula used to train doctors and other health workers need to be upgraded to include empathy for their patients, good human relations, ability to work under pressure, emergency response, and crowd management.

I know little of the curriculum for medical students, but I would suggest that these areas be discussed in an entire course.

When I searched online, I found that the Stanford University School of Medicine curriculum offers a programme that is focused on helping doctors develop human values in addition to their skills “The Educators-4-CARE (E4C) Programme was established to enhance the development of medical students as skilled and compassionate physicians. E4C provides a formal curriculum aimed to foster the development of some of our core values – Compassion, Advocacy, Responsibility, and Empathy – from the beginning and throughout medical school.” (http://med.stanford.edu/md/ curriculum/) In the Nigerian health care sector, public hospitals are more trusted than the private because they boast of specialists in different fields of medicine. Their health workers are also more experienced probably because of the high number of varied cases they treat daily.

Many private hospitals lack the required expertise to treat complication in various areas of medicine. Those that do are usually priced higher than the average Nigerian can afford.

Sadly, it is in the public hospitals we are forced to run to that we experience the worst treatment. That is where nurses bark at patients, pharmacists ignore you when you’re asking questions, and doctors speak to you as if your case is not important. They have no time for assurances, they are impatient when you break down or complain of pain, and sometimes treat you as if you are dumb.

This is not to put down any medical worker. Even many of those that are snobbish are truly hard working and display commendable expertise in their fields. However, their poor attitudes make it difficult to appreciate those qualities truly worthy of praise.

Before qualifying to ply their trade, medical, nursing, pharmacy students, and others who work in the laboratories, administration and the like, should be made to visit hospitals to note behaviours they should not emulate when they start dealing with patients. I have witnessed such behaviours in emergency situations that make me pray that I or my loved ones do not experience emergency or referral cases that would leave us at the mercy of nurses and doctors with no drop of empathy in their blood.

Trainee health workers should be taught to wear the shoes of their patients. Where poor health is concerned, patients are psychologically affected. They worry about many things like the possibility of losing relatives, finding money to pay bills and buy drugs, and coping with an invalid after hospital stay. These concerns are troublesome enough to be complicated by dealing with unfeeling and bad mouthed health workers who leave patients feeling more miserable.

Sometimes when patients call a nurse’s attention to a problem, they are ignored. The reaction may be because the nurse is busy with other patients, assesses the situation visually and feels it not serious, or because she is attending to fickle matters like conversing with a colleague. Even when busy, nurses should be taught to respond, telling the questioner to be patient or allaying their fears.

Anybody that signs to be a health worker should realise that he has signed to take care of people. We all know the attributes of a caring person. We want to see more of them in our hospitals. Medical educators should start preparing them for this role from school.

From my Inbox Re: Agony of a candidate (Thursday, January 17, 2013) Edo State should look into the issue of miracle centres in Benin. Why Benin? The town seems to be notorious for miracle centres. Some years ago a bus load of students drowned on their way back to Anambra from Benin for an examination. Unscrupulous students travel from other states to Benin in a bid to get results they don’t deserve. The state should ensure that only students that passed from SS2 to three in a school should be allowed to for SSCE in that school. Why will a school register external candidates that they have not taught just to make money? Such students will definitely find it difficult to cope in the university. Keep up the good work. 08077875—.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

41

THE NATION

e-Business Is Anti-Mobile Phone Theft Initiative dead?

Eight years ago, the Anti-Mobile Phone Theft Initiative (ANTI-MOPHTI) was born. It brought hope that with its coming, it will help in reducing theft of mobile phones. In the last two years, ANTI-MOPHTI has been inactive, provoking comments on what has become of it. Has it been abandoned by government or is it being tinkered with to strengthen it? LUCAS AJANAKU reports

H

E was sleeping when they came in. Their mission, was not to kill or destory, if their victims cooperated. All they were interested in were their victims’ mobile phones. They were masked. In no time, they broke into the home of Austin Christopher, at Cement, in Dopemu, a Lagos suburb, holding everybody in the 12-room apartment (face-me-I-face-you) to ransom for about two hours.

“They were many that came that night. They gained access to our building by pulling down the entrance door. They were armed to the teeth, but they were not very aggressive except for those who were not willing to cooperate by surrendering their mobile phones. They brought a bag into which everyone willingly dropped his/her mobile phone.

After the operation, they fled,” he recalled.

Kunle Akinwumi will not forget the experience he had two years ago when he went to buy a new mobile phone at the popular Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos. He bought the phone for N55,000, brought it home, inserted the battery and started charging it in his bedroom. Time was about 7.30pm and he had slept off ostensibly because of the heavy traffic on his way back to his Akowonjo home in the suburb of Lagos.

“I put the handset on top of my reading table in my bedroom, very close to the window. I plugged the charger to the socket very close to the table and slept off. When I woke up, the handset was nowhere to be found. I raised an alarm only for a neighbour who had had a similar experience to draw my attention to the mosquito net on my window. It had been skilfully torn and a long stick used to drive the handset to the window area where it was disengaged from the charger,” Akinwumi told The Nation.

Austin and Akinwumi are examples of victims of mobile phone theft. While they are happy to tell their stories, not many are alive to tell theirs because the injuries sustained while being dispossessed of their phones led to their deaths.

Most of these stolen phones were later traced to the secondhand mobile phones markets without justice being done to the victims.

Though there are no official statistics, stolen mobile phones are estimated to run into millions of naira. This estimate is predicated upon the fact that, accordimg to figures from the Nigerian Commuications Commission (NCC), the total subscribers data released at the twilight of last year stood at 109million.

Worried by the menace, the National Association of Telecoms Subscriber (NATCOMS), in 2005 sold the AntiMobile Phone Theft Initiative (ANTI-MOPHTI) idea to NCC at the Telecomms Consumer Parliament held in Lagos.

NATCOMS National President, Deolu Ogunbanjo said: “It is to ensure that stolen phones are blocked/disabled, and are prevented from being used on any network in Nigeria, through the Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) used in detecting the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)/Serial Number, through dialing the code *#06# on GSM Mobile Phones.”

The NCC embraced the initiative and organised a forum about three years ago. The forum recommended that the Anti-Mobile Phone Theft Service must be free to subscribers/consumers.

NCC also registered Messrs NetVisa Nigeria Limited as

• Mobile phones

the company to run the Anti-Mobile Phone Theft Service.

After dotting the lines with the stakeholders in telecoms industry, the initaive was endorsed by and launched by former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof.

Dora Akunyili.

But lack of equipment to identify fake mobile phones may have put this laudable project in the cooler. The registration system, known as IMEI, can only identify genuine phones from big manufacturers, such as Nokia, Samsung, LG and others.

Globally, mobile phones are assigned a unique 15-digit IMEI code upon production, which is the backbone of genuine handsets.

In Nigeria, mobile phone vendors are expected to register their handset models with the regulator. However, this has seen only big market players comply, while a significant number of traders operate without the due process.

Major handset manufacturers selling in Nigeria include Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony, and Ericsson. Mobile operators say genuine phones register both the IMEI code along with a caller’s number on their systems while fake gadgets record only the caller’s details.

This made the plans by the NCC to bar the use of stolen phones in telecoms networks in Nigeria to crumble like a pack of cards.

Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said most of the phones had only batch numbers that could make it impossible to disable just one phone. Every mobile phone is assigned an IMEI number that is unique to it.

Thus, by supplying the IMEI of a stolen phone, an operator could easily block the use of the phone on the network and render the phone useless to the thief thereby serving as a disincentive to potential phone theives.

Juwah said most of the phones that came into Nigeria had batch IMEI numbers, which is not unique to one phone but to as many as five million phones.

According to him, the implication of this is that disabling one stolen phone from use in a network could also deny 4,999,999 other phones that are not stolen access to the net-

‘Barring of stolen phones could not succeed in the country because of the problem of batch equipment identity registry.

Sixty per cent of phones in Nigeria come from China. Many of the phones that come in here are fake’

works.

“Barring of stolen phones could not succeed in the country because of the problem of batch equipment identity registry. Sixty per cent of phones in Nigeria come from China.

Many of the phones that come in here are fake.

“If you bar one phone, you must have barred another five million phones. We are still looking at the issue with new technologies,” Juwah promised.

He said the agency bore no resposibility for the preponderance of fake phones in the country, adding that different ports of entry had prototypes of phones approved for use in Nigeria.

Under the agreement, anyone whose phone was stolen could report to Netvisa and submit the IMEI number so that the phone could be barred from use in all the networks.

The rationale was that if stolen phones could not be used in any network, the motivation to steal would not exist, thus the high incidence of the stolen phones would be minimised, if not eliminated.

The existence of a flourishing used phones market where stolen phones could easily be sold is also fuelling the predilection of mobile phones theives to keep doing the business..

The Preponderance of fake/substandard mobile phones has become an issue in the telecoms sector. The NCC and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) are said not to be doing enough in this respect. In some cases, both NCC and SON officials have at different times, stormed the shops where such phones are sold to effect seizures and at times, arrest the dealers. Despite this, importers and sellers of these substandard phones have remained undeterred as fake phones and accessories still flood the market.

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said the best way to eradicate them from circulation would be to compel the telecoms operators to switch off all fake and substandard mobile phones from their networks. The NCC, the body argues, must compel the telecos to switch off the fake phones to render them useless.

Though reliable statistics are hard to come by, it is estimated that more than half of phones in the country are fake or sub-standard.

ATCON President Lanre Ajayi said any device that is not type approved by the NCC should not be used on any network. He urged he Commission to ensure that such devices are not allowed on any network in the country.

A security expert and coordinator, Crime Prevention Campaign Organisation of Nigeria, Temitope Akindele, said the NCC should urgently revisit the Anti-Mobile Phone Theft Initiative. “Every government agency saddled with curtailing the influx fake mobile phones into the country must rise up to the challenge. Aside the security threats, these phones are said to be injurious to health and even compound the poor service delivery issue in the telecoms sector. NCC should go back to the drawing board and revisit mobile phone registration.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

42

e-Business

NCC plans virtual taskforce T to prevent child abuse

DBI to create knowledge-based economy

T

HE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will soon adopt measures to protect children from cyber abuses, its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Eugene Juwah, has said Juwah said the government would create the Virtual National Security Taskforce (VNST) to work with the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) to guide against terrorist recruitment and online predators.

He said: “VNST will be created, which will work with ViGT. VGT is a law enforcement body which provides a 24/7 mechanism to receive reports about illegal behaviour or content from persons in the United States of America, Canada,

Stories by Lucas Ajanaku

Australia and Italy.

Nigeria will join this global security platform most especially for counter-measures against terrorist recruitment and online predators,” According to him, the regulator will also ensure the adoption of a national policy on Nigerian child online terms and conditions based on common criteria and child acceptable use policies which all service providers must subscribe to, in addition to the industry’s service providers general terms and conditions. He said this is vital to motivate industry responsibility in the role and importance of communi-

cating the Nigerian child in terms of clarity, awareness of shared responsibility.

He stressed the need for industry and regulators’ partnership and collaboration on the classification and rating system of internet content and services using most appropriate age-based rating system, while benchmarking internet content rating standards in the country against universal system of rating.

“Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, and the industry they regulate shall work together in this direction in the overall interest of Nigeria Child online,” he added.

HE Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) is designed to create a knowledge-based economy in the country and provide the pool of skilled manpower to the ICT industry, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Tony Ojobo, has said.

Ojobo, who spoke in Lagos, recalled that in 2001 when the telecoms sector was liberalised, the industry faced "dearth of skilled manpower" to move it forward. He said over time, the DBI had trained engineers in line with technological trends across the world.

He said the institution is also in partnerhsip with other institutions outside the country. “DBI is working in collaboration with other isntitutions abroad including Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom (UK). We are partnering with thses offshore universities and we believe that this is going to be high class institution that compare with any institution in the world,” he said.

Dell, others launch Window 8 tablets, ultrabook

D

ELL, in partnership with Microsoft and Intel, has launched Windows 8 tablets and Ultrabook, promising that the products would usher in a new era of computing with its redesigned portfolio of business and consumer PCs which it said would take advantage of the new operating system.

Speaking at the launch of the product at Ikoyi, Lagos, Annie Odoeffiong, client product marketing manager, Dell Anglophone East and West Africa, explained that the products were built to optimise the Windows 8 operating system (OS), adding that Dell has crafted designs that would enable new users to experience and make touch computing available to more customers than ever before.

She said consumers would be able to purchase a range of new Dell products for home and for business including the XPS 10 tablet, Latitude 10 tablet, XPS 12 convertible Ultrabook, Inspiron 15z Ultrabook, Latitude 6430u Ultrabook, OptiPlex 9010 All-in-One with touch XPS One 27 with touch.

She said further that the products free customers from carrying mutiple devices, helping them to save time and be more productive.

The gorgeous and durable designs offer unparalleled security and manageability, empowering users to keep pace in an always-connected world.

‘Smart Tvs will dominate market’

A

•A cross section of pioneer graduates of MTN Foundation’s Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme at a career development and enterprise workshop organised by MTN Foundation at the After-school Graduate Development Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Samsung to build more engineering academies

G

LOBAL giants in mobile phones and household electronic products, Samsung, is to build more engineering academies to address technical and engineering skills shortage in Nigeria.

Managing Director, Smasung Electronics West Africa Limited, Bravo Kim, told The Nation that building the Samsung Electronics Engineering Academy (SEEA) in the country further demonstrates the firm’s commitment to building a workforce of technicians and experts to fulfil the Federal Government’s plan of creating decent jobs, especially for the young.

“We already have one SEEA in

Lagos. The last one, which we went to do the ground breaking ceremony was in Ekiti, Ekiti State.

So as long as any government shows interest, Samasung will partner with them. This year, we hope to have the one in Ekiti to join the one in Lagos. Every year, we like to establish one or two in each state,” he said.

In 2011, Samsung launched its SEEA in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria as part of the company’s broader goal to develop 10, 000 Electronics Engineers across the continent by 2015.

The SEEA provides hands-on, vocational skills training for Grade 1012 students and opening up skilled,

well-paying job opportunities for its students.

According to him, the Nigerian market remains the largest on the continent. He expressed pleasure in the fact that the economy is growing, adding that the firm would partner with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that Samsung keeps growing with the market.

Reviewing its activities last year, he said: “This (last) year, the economic situation has not been so good. But we are growing. In mobile phone (segment), we made about 60 per cent compared to last year and in our consumer electronics, depending on the product, there is some difference in general.”

How to bridge digital divide

T

HE Federal Government has received tips on how to bridge the digital divide.

The government was implored to look for funds and provide telecoms infrastructure in rural and underserved areas of the country.

The Director of Regulatory Affairs, Etisalat Nigeria, Ibrahim Dikko, said this has become imperative as operators prefer to invest in infrastructure in communities which they consider viable.

“The Government would have to find ways to subsidise rural infrastructure build because operators most times, invest in areas that they

consider commercially viable,” he said.

Dikko listed other factors hindering investment in telecoms infrastructure in the country, adding that a broadband strategy would go along way in luring investors into the sector.

“The Government needs to develop right spectrum policy to encourage investors to come in. Issues around multiple taxation, right-of–way and power must be addressed to encourage operators make requisite investment in infrastructure. The NCC needs to continue to foster competition in the broadband industry,” he

said.

One way the government has been doing this is through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). The Nigerian Communications Act 2003, that established the NCC mandated the Commission, “to establish USPF to promote the widespread availability and usage of network services and application services throughout Nigeria by encouraging the installation of network facilities and the provision for network services and application services to institutions and in un-served, underserved areas or for under-served groups within the community.”

BOUT 85 per cent of flat-panel televison sets produced in 2016 will be smart TVs while global unit production of flat-panel smart TVs will grow from 69 million in 2012 to 198 million in

2016.

Worldwide unit production of smart TVs in 2013 is expected to reach 108 million, Gartner, Incorporated has said in its forecast..

However, analysts said smart TVs alone won’t spur demand in the market. TV manufacturers must recognise the need to offer some compelling reasons for consumers to choose their brand over a competitor’s.

“In the end, the choice may be all about the extra content that one TV brand offers over another. Consumers will be asking questions such as, which Internet TV services can the TV access? Are these the sites I think are valuable? Can I use my smartphone or tablet with this TV?” said Paul O’Donovan, Principal Research Analyst at Gartner.

“It is critical for the TV industry during this global economic downturn and decline in consumer confidence levels, to sustain sales and maintain or grow market share — especially in emerging markets.

This is difficult when demand has slowed, so the extra functionality offered by smart TVs becomes the product differentiator — if prices are already competitive and all other variables are equal between brands.”

Mobile banking users to exceed one billion

O

VER a billion mobile phone users will have made use of their devices for banking purposes by the end of 2017, compared to over 590 million this year, a research by Juniper Research, has shown.

Whilst the forecast of one billion users by 2017 represents over 15 per cent of the mobile subscriber base, it should be acknowledged that around half of mobile subscribers remain unbanked, with limited access to traditional financial services.

The new Juniper report entitled: Mobile banking: Handset & tablet market strategies 2013-2017, found that most banks have at least one mobile banking offering, either via messaging, mobile browser or an appbased service. Yet, many banks are confidently deploying two or more of these technologies together, particularly where there is significant smartphone and tablet penetration.

“From the banks’ perspective the triple play platform is advantageous as it avoids them having to switch suppliers for different approaches as well as maximising client reach. While messaging remains highly popular and relevant in the financial sector, apps will be the dominant access mode in developed markets with banks reporting an increased number of visits per month on their mobile apps”, noted report author Nitin Bhas.

Google improves handwriting on tablets

G

OOGLE has announced some improvements to the Handwrite facility for smartphones and tablets that use handwriting instead of typing to carry out web searches.

In a statement, the company said that they have been working to improve recognition quality and also working on a number of features to make it easier and faster to handwrite searches on Google.

Users can distinguish between ambiguous characters, overlapping characters, and write multiple characters at a time in Chinese.

If you’ve tried Handwrite before, you may have had some trouble entering a lowercase “L”, the number “1”, or a capital “I”. Now, we provide alternate interpretations of your characters that users can select above the space bar. Similarly, in Japanese the characters “?” and “?” look nearly identical but are different characters and produce different search results. If Google interpreted the handwriting one way and the user meant the other, they can now more easily make a correction.

Compared with tablets, mobile phone screens are smaller and are a little more difficult to write on. Now, instead of squeezing in letters across the width of the small screen or writing one letter at a time, users can write letters on top of one another.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

43

INDUSTRY

Industrialists have lost confidence in economy, says LCCI

I

NDUSTRIALISTS have lost confidence in the economy, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has said.

In a report, the Chamber said 85 per cent of business owner in the extractive, manufacturing, processing and trade sectors are no longer confident about the economy.

Itakpe can make N72.9b yearly From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

T

HE National Iron Ore Mining Company(NIOMCO), Itakpe, Kogi State, can generate N72.9 billion yearly from the projected production of 600,000 tonnes of concentrate at the rate of $180 per ton.

The Chairman, Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Itakpe branch, Comrade Ibori Dauda Salihu, said besides the projected figure, there are other viable by-products like tailings, chippings, pi coat, feldspar, rail track, among others that can fetch additional N120 billion yearly.

He said: “NIOMCO is a viable platform for the achievement of Vision 20:2020 of the Federal Government in the area of wealth creation, employment generation and security of lives and property”.

Salihu praised President Goodluck Jonathan for making the steel sector a priority of his administration.

According to him, in 1979 when mining activities started in NIOMCO, “some significant achievements were recorded, but when the company was handed to Messrs Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (GINL), an Indian outfit in 2005, a lot of havoc was done to both the human and material resources”.

GINL, he said should not be allowed to turn to the company, adding: “we can only pray that government would not make the mistake of bringing back GINL or any such investors to NIOMCO to prevent the reoccurrence of such ugly incident”.

Stories by Toba Agboola

Using a Business Confidence Index (BCI), the report said 10.5 per cent of businessmen is “less confident” about the economy; 85 per cent is contemplating to either or reduce keep their work force.

“We discovered that BCI scores fluctuate significantly in line with the age, size and location of firms in Nigeria. For instance, newer companies (one to five years old) and bigger companies (250 - over 1,000 employees and over N500 million turnover per annum) tended to be more optimistic.

“When asked whether they will hire new employees in 2013, 85 per cent of business leaders confirmed that they are considering to either keep their work force size or slash it. This suggests that the country’s worrisome job market with an official unemployment figure of 23.9 per cent is expected to remain

sticky in months to come.

“The business executive (98.5 per cent), who are planning to expand or open new plant/shop (other than in Lagos) in 2013, tend to be looking mainly at the FCT and the southern cities (Port Harcourt, Ogun, Ibadan and Aba topped the list). Sadly, no northern state/city was mentioned among the top 15 alternative investment destinations in 2013,” the LCCI said LCCI President, Mr Goodie Ibru, said the exercise’s objective is to produce an initial BCI that would form the basis for a continuous quarterly survey, analysis and report for the country.

“It is a tailor made estimate of the business environment from the perception of top private sector players in Nigeria. Among several benefits of the BCI, we expect to see an increase in the quality and flow of information through the business and regula-

tory landscape, decision makers can begin to make more timely and better informed decisions.

“You would all agree with me that Nigeria suffers from dearth of business and investment statistics needed for strategic planning. In fact, decision-makers lack regular access to useful leading economic indicators to aid them in making business decisions even in the midst of rising risk profiles in Nigeria. The Lagos Chamber has decided to mitigate this concern by producing a template for the Nigerian Business Confidence Index (BCI).”

He urged the government to give more financial support to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to strengthen its capacity to provide the needed data and statistics for information users.

“I also task the statistical agencies on the timely release of data as appropriate for decision mak-

UK, Nigeria trade to hit £8b in 2014

T

HE New British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Dr Andrew Pocock, has said the volume of trade between Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) would double by £8billion next year.

Pocock, who is also the UK Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, was briefing reporters in Abuja 24 hours after presenting his letter of credence to President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said to boost partnership with Nigeria, Britain would double bilateral trade from £4billion to £8billion next year.

“To boost our trading partnership and work to double bilateral trade by 2014, we’ve had some success, but want more,’’ Pocock said.

The envoy said due to the size, resources and importance of Nigeria in Africa, “Nigeria matters to the UK’’.

He stressed the importance of strengthening the partnership with Nigeria, saying this would ensure more investors into Nigeria, through transparent accountability and better infrastructure.

Pocock, who hailed the successes in the country’s telecommunications sector, said similar achievements could be recorded in the power sector.

The envoy also praised the economic transformation in Lagos State, noting that with the size of its economy the state has continued to forge ahead as the fourth largest economy in Africa.

“Lagos is evidence that the oil sector is not the only game in town’’ Pocock said.

•From left: CEO, Financial Reporting Council (FRC), Mr Jim Obazee; Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga and the Chairman, Mr Victor Odiase, at the inauguration of the Steering Committee for the Development of a National Code for Corporate Governance in Abuja.

ing and planning “As we take this leap to fill an identified gap in decision making, we call for support and cooperation from the media, the government and the business community to make this effort sustainable for the good of all. We also urge other advocacy institutions to extend into research and statistics to make our advocacy campaigns evidence-based and more influential.

We want to appreciate the technical contribution of the Department for International Development (DFID) through the platform of Enable Nigeria,” he said.

Coca-Cola gets award

T

HE Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has praised Coca-Cola for achieving 100 per cent tax compliance.

The award was presented by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, to Adeola Adetunji, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, at the Sixth Taxation Stakeholders Conference in Ikeja.

Fashola said an efficient taxation system was necessary for rapid economic development.

“Countries with the highest tax compliance are countries with the highest standard of living. Taxes are meant to help bridge the gap between the rich and the poor and address the problem of inequality in society,” he said.

Fashola urged all to cooperate with various groups, stressing that the tax-payers’money would be used judiciously.

He said the growth rate of Lagos is six per cent, as opposed to the national growth rate of three per cent, implying that more amenities would be needed by citizens of the state.

Adetunji said: “Coca-Cola recorded 100 per cent tax compliance, a feat that had been acknowledged by the state for the past five years.

This speaks eloquently to accountability and integrity, two core values that are at the heart of our corporate existence. We are convinced that with responsible global citizenship comes the ethical responsibility of prompt remittances of tax, which enables the government provide basic services to the citizenry”.

New consumer protection bill underway

T

HE Federal Government is to enact a competition and consumer protection law to enable businesses operate more effectively.

Minister of Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga, made this known at the maiden edition of the Nigeria Consumers’ Award (NiCA) in Abuja.

Aganga, represented by the Minister of State for Trade and Invest-

ment, Mr Samuel Ortom, said the government would ensure that appropriate measures were adopted to protect investors and consumers.

He said: “Citizens’ empowerment and well-being are key performance indicators of the Transformation Agenda of the administration“.

This, he said, informed the decision to raise the competition and

consumer protection Bill.

The bill, he said, “it will enable the nation to harness the gains of privatisation and deregulation, modernise the legal provisions for consumer protection and the same time build the required synergy between competition and consumer protection“.

The Minister said the government would protect investors and consumers.

“Investors must be responsive to consumer preferences, while consumers must be patriotic enough to patronise made-in-Nigeria products,” he said.

Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Mrs Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, called on producers and service providers to take advantage of the country’s large market.

56 benefit from textile intervention fund

M

ORE applicants are to benefit from the intervention fund in the textile industry, the Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Ms Evelyn Oputu, has said.

Speaking at a workshop on the evaluation of the cotton, textile and garment(CTG) industry in Abuja, Oputu said by June last year, 56 applicants had received N41.11billion from the fund.

“In 2009, the Federal Government introduced a N100 billion intervention fund to revitalise the CTG industry, which was domiciled with BoI. Approval and disbursement of the fund commenced effectively same year with a total of N7.195 billion disbursed to three firms. By June 2012, a total of N41.1 billion had been dis-

bursed to 56 successful applicants

by BoI. ”More approval and disbursement of the fund would be done to successful applicants in 2013.

“Our desire is to save and create jobs in the CTG industry, protect the US$2 billion investment in the industry, increase the profitability of beneficiaries of the fund and strengthen the synergy between CTG sub-sectors,” she said.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, noted that the textile sector led in the economic development of the country. In the early 1980s, the industry had about 175 textile mills and employed over 600,000 workers, making it the second largest employer of labour next to government.

”Unfortunately however, by 2008, the textile factories still in operation had reduced to 24 textile mills and 10 ginneries employing less than 25,000 people and with exports less than US50million,”Aganga lamented.

He identified some of the factors that led to the decline in the sector to include massive influx of textiles and apparels from Asia, inadequate and epileptic energy supply and heavy reliance on selfgeneration of power, leading to high and uncompetitive production costs.

Others, he added, were global economic challenges, massive smuggling of cheaper textiles of lower quality, changing consumer tastes and habits.

The minister noted that the sec-

tor holds strong potential due to its natural cotton endowment, large market size and legacy sector knowledge, adding that Nigeria’s population of over 167 million represents a natural market for basic textiles and apparel related goods.

He said further that the potential to export to regional and select developed markets, such as the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) tariff regime, are also very attractive, adding that there are adequate the infrastructure and skills in the sector.

In 2010, the Federal Government introduced a N100 billion Cotton Textile and Garment Revival Scheme, managed by BoI to revitalise the sector.

44

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

NATION SPORT

45

EUROPEAN ...EUROPEAN ...

Sahin nervous in second Dortmund debut

Fabregas: Valdes' decision must be respected C

ESC Fabregas has called on his teammates and supporters to respect Victor Valdes' decision not to renew his contract at Barcelona.

The goalkeeper's representatives revealed the 31year-old would be leaving Camp Nou when his current deal comes to an end in July 2014, but Fabregas believes the team should now concentrate on winning trophies.

The midfielder also responded to claims that Valdes was only thinking of himself, with the former Arsenal man believing the decision has given the club enough time to find a replacement.

"Victor has clear ideas, we should respect his decision, and close the case. We have to compete for all trophies now," he told reporters at a press conference.

"Valdes didn't think about himself. He gave the club enough time to look for a solution."

Tito Vilanova's side suffered their first Liga defeat of the season on Saturday when they were beaten 3-2 by Real Sociedad, but Fabregas has attempted to play down the importance of the result in the context of the season.

"In football mistakes are inevitable, it's a game of mistakes, the important thing is to try to make the smallest number possible, but we are working very well. In 20

•Fabregas

N

URI Sahin admitted he had “goosebumps” after receiving a hero's welcome on his Borussia Dortmund return.

The Turkish midfielder was sent back to Germany on loan from Real Madrid after having his miserable spell with Liverpool cut short.

And Sahin played the final five minutes of Dortmund’s 5-0 win at Werder Bremen yesterday making his second debut, eight years after his last. He said: “It was pure goose bumps.

“To get such a reception was out of the ordinary and I’ve got to thank those crazy fans, in a positive sense.

“I just couldn’t wait to get onto the field again.”

Sahin is desperate to make a big impression back in the

Bundesliga and he added: “Of course I want to play and I’ll try to recommend myself in training.

“I’m trying to be a very, very good option for the coach.”

•Sahin

Ben Khalfallah sick of Ibrahimovic talk

B games we have only lost one.

"But the season is still very good, and hopefully we can continue that intensity."

The Catalans will look to bounce back from that loss when they face Malaga in the

Copa del Rey on Thursday; a match they must win after only drawing 2-2 in the first leg, and Fabregas stressed the importance of maintaining a clear focus throughout the 90 minutes.

He added: "When you get to finals and win trophies you will always face a great rival, who make things complicated, but we must not lose our identity and confidence in our game."

ORDEAUX midfielder Fahid Ben Khalfallah has revealed he has become bored of the amount of media attention Paris SaintGermain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic receives.

The 30-year-old did not hold back when it came to discussing the Super Swede and his wealthy current employers.

"Who cares about Ibrahimovic? Frankly, we have spent the whole season speaking about only PSG and Ibrahimovic. He score, they

won - fine," he told reporters.

"They are putting together a fantastic project, and they have the opportunity to do so as they have huge resources. To that point, it's OK." Ibrahimovic has had an excellent season at his new club since joining from AC Milan last summer, and he currently leads the top scorer charts in Ligue 1 with 19 goals.

Despite this, Ben Khalfallah believes he, and other star names, should be treated no differently to every other player in the division or lower tiers.

Coloccini anxious to return home T HE father of Newcastle United defender Fabricio Coloccini has once again underlined his son's desire to return to Argentina.

Coloccini, 31, informed the Magpies of his desire to return to Argentina in early January as a result of personal problems. However, with San Lorenzo unable to generate

the transfer fee required, the Argentinean club are relying on Newcastle to release the player from his contract.

"Today [Monday] there was an inconclusive meeting," Osvaldo Coloccini, who works at San Lorenzo as director of youth football, told radio show Rock and Closs. "Tomorrow [Tuesday] it will be defined.

"Fabricio is very anxious - he

wants an answer, for better or for worse. I think it's time to return to San Lorenzo. We both want the transfer. Newcastle have asked him to wait until May - the issue is whether San Lorenzo will wait until that date. A personal issue is at the root of the problem here."

Alan Pardew wrote in Saturday's programme notes

Magath: Guardiola not the messiah •Falcao

F

FALCAO: 'Everything is a lie'

A

TLETICO Madrid striker Radamel Falcao has rubbished reports he has met with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez over a potential capital switch.

The Los Rojiblancos superstar has been strongly tipped with a move to one of Europe's big-name clubs, with the Galacticos thought to be one of the 26-yearold's potential suitors.

Falcao, along with his agent Jorge Mendes, was this week reported to have had dinner with Perez, while the forward was also

believed to have been scoping out a potential move by buddying up with Real ace Cristiano Ronaldo at the Ballon d'Or event in Zurich earlier this month.

However, the highly rated frontman has vehemently denied the claims, telling Antena 3: "Everything is a lie.

"Lately there has been all kinds of reports about me.

All those that say I ate with Florentino are false.

"Neither is it true that I travelled with Cristiano Ronaldo to the Ballon d'Or gala."

ORMER Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath has attempted to lower expectations ahead of Pep Guardiola's arrival at the Bundesliga leaders at the end of the season.

Many have praised the Bavarians for capturing the former Barcelona coach, but Magath has warned that there

is no guarantee Guardiola will be able to replicate his Blaugrana success at the Allianz Arena outfit.

"Guardiola's being treated like a messiah before he's even arrived at Bayern. He might have difficulties living up to the high expectations," Magath said to Liga Total!.

"We are all talking about all the titles that Guardiola has

Cahill: Chelsea capable of title challenge

G

ARY Cahill believes Chelsea are still capable of competing for the Premier League this season.

The London club find themselves 11 points behind leaders Manchester United with 15 games to go in the season; but Cahill thinks the Blues still have a lot to play for this season.

Cahill told reporters: "We've just got to keep looking upwards, make sure we're in the Champions League spots for next season. We're still involved in both cups and we want to go as far as we possibly can in the Europa League.

"We just want to keep winning games. A lot of teams this season have slipped up here and there so we need to win as many as possible in the last four months of the season.

"We do still look at what City and United are doing. It's been frustrating because there have been many times this season when we've almost got ourselves back in there and then we just let it slip.

"But we're more than capable of putting a run together and winning nine out of 10 games. That's what we need to aim for us and see where that takes us."

won in his career, but Jupp Heynckes could end up winning three trophies with Bayern this year. It will not be easy to surpass that.

"Guardiola is an experienced coach, but German football should not adapt to him. He will have to get used to the Bundesliga. He has all the qualities to become a success, though."

The former Spain international has signed a contract with Bayern until June 2016

that Newcastle were examining all avenues as they look to keep Coloccini on Tyneside.

"We are looking at every option to try and keep a player who has done so much for the club with us for the future," he said. "Colo is a great guy and a great defender and I hope we can find a solution to this."

The uncertainty surrounding Coloccini's future is a concern for Newcastle, who sit just two points outside the relegation zone, and Pardew said after Saturday's defeat to Reading that the club needs "two or three" additions.

"We're lacking impetus," he said. "The result would have given us some, but we need to strengthen the team, give me some options that will work for us. We definitely need two or three more players in this group. Hopefully we could get them over the line before Villa [on January 29]."

•Magath

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

46

AFCON 2013 ...

NATION SPORT

Said: We aren't afraid of any favourites D

EFENDING champions Zambia and Nigeria are the top

seeded teams in Group C at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, but both found out the hard way that they might not have it all their way as they were held to 1-1 draws in their opening games on Wednesday. FIFA.com looks at the most surprising side of the section so far: Ethiopia, who managed to not only hold their own against holders Zambia but just missed out on a stunning upset.

Going into the match against the Chipolopolo, Ethiopia, who is the lowest-ranked team in the finals at 110 in the FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Ranking, had not scored a goal for almost 37 years at the AFCON finals. And after striker Saladin Said missed an early opportunity with the goal at his mercy and saw his penalty saved by Zambian goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene shortly afterwards, it seemed as if the scales were tipped against the 1962 champions.

To make matters worse, the Walya Antelopes had goalkeeper Jemal Tassew sent off in the first half after a wild lunge on Chisamba Lungu.

The southern Africans made their numerical advantage count deep in first-half injury time as Collins Mbesuma gave them the lead, and it seemed a rout would be on.

But the 2012 champions were made to pay for some missed chances as impressive 24-yearold Said, who is one of just three members of the squad not playing their club football in Ethiopia, set up Adane Girma in the 66th minute for the equaliser. The Wadi Degla forward Said, who won the man of the match award, admitted that it had not been an easy game for his side.

"First, I missed the penalty, then we lost a man after the red card. But our team played very well today and everybody showed we can put up a big fight, so we are very happy with this point."

The last time Ethiopia competed at the AFCON finals was in 1982 when they also faced Zambia and Nigeria in the group stages. In that case, they were eliminated in the first round after losing to both sides (3-0 to the Super Eagles and 1-0 against Zambia) and playing out a goalless draw against Algeria. However, after this good result against the reigning champions, Said and

his team-mates are dreaming of going further in the tournament. "We don't fear our next opponents Burkina Faso or Nigeria. Big teams are not a problem for us. We go into every match wanting to win it. If we win the next match, we will go to the next round."

Overcoming mistakes Team-mate Fuad Ibrahim, 21, who plays for Minnesota Stars FC in the United States is confident Ethiopia can overcome the mistakes they made and get even better moving forward. "It was a really good match for us. Everybody from our team helped each other, and happily we made the goal for a draw. We will now turn our concentration to Burkina Faso, and if we correct our mistakes, we surely can win," said the former USA youth international, who played in every game for the Stars & Stripes at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Ethiopian coach Sewnet Bishaw, who has engineered his side's upswing in fortunes that also sees them atop their 2014 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying group, was also happy with his side, praising their fighting spirit after going down a man. "I am happy as we missed a penalty and

still drew. This is our first experience after 31 years, so, as you see, it was fantastic experience. The players have shown their character and shown the rest of the world they can play football."

French coach Herve Renard, who led Zambia to their sensational win in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea last year and fielded 10 players from that team, said he was not surprised that Ethiopia had played so strongly. "I said many times before the game that we had to be careful, and I would like to congratulate Ethiopia for a very good performance.”

The Ethiopians even received praise from Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi who said that all four teams in the group were capable of advancing to the quarter-finals. "There are no weak teams here, and Ethiopia showed that they deserve to be at the competition. The group is a strong one."

With Burkina Faso also registering a surprising 1-1 draw against two-time champions Nigeria, the group remains wide open and all four teams can dream of securing the final place at this year's FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil for which the AFCON champion qualifies.

•Diakite

Mali’s team doctors working on Diakite, Maiga’s fitness

M

ALI duo, Samba Diakite and Modibo Maiga, are racing against time to be fit for their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Group B day two clash with Ghana’s Black Stars on Thursday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

The two midfielders were briefly involved in training last Monday and the team doctors are working tirelessly to get them to their best for the crucial game, the third Afcon meeting between the two teams within a year.

Both Samba and Maiga play for English clubs; Queens Park Rangers and West Ham United respectively, and are key performers for head coach Patrice Carteron.

While Samba made a second

half appearance against Niger last Sunday, Maiga was an unused substitute as the Eagles picked the maximum points at the expense of the Mena thanks to a Seydou Keita goal to go two points clear at the top.

“We are waiting for them to be given the green-light to play. They are showing positive signs at training and we can only take a decision on them after Wednesday’s training,” said Carteron.

Victory for the Malians against the Black Stars will move them a step closer towards a place at the knockout stage.

The Eagles were bronze winners at the last edition in 2012 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, beating the Black Stars 2-0 to claim the prize.

Ethiopian fans celebrate team's draw against holders Zambia

E

•African Cup of Nations Group C soccer match against Zambia at Mbombela

We’ve learnt lessons from DR Congo draw – Kwesi Appiah

G

HANA coach Kwesi Appiah said the Black Stars are now focusing on how to win their next game against Mali and have put behind that 2-2 draw game with DR Congo.

The four-time African champions were two goals up in their opening Group B game against the Leopards, but the

Congolese fought back to equalize leaving both sides with just a point.

Coach Appiah is optimistic the lessons learnt will go all the way to lift morale in camp as they prepare to face the Eagles of Mali in their second game at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

“We need to concentrate on the game ahead of us,” Appiah

said. “And we started the psyching already and everything is working very well.”

“It’s always good that you look at your team and look at where there are loopholes and stop them from scoring,” he said.

“Once you are leading and concede two goals, it’s not the best but normally what you

need to do is to psyche everyone up.

“It’s important that whatever happens, you put it behind and look forward to the next game, which is very, very important.

You learn from it and develop from there.”

Ghana’s next game against Mali is on Thursday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

THIOPIANS exploded in joy and celebration on Monday, moments after the country's national football team held African champions Zambia to a 1-1 draw in their group C opener.

The game was their opening encounter at the ongoing Nations Cup in South Africa.

After the final whistle, fans took to the streets and celebrated all night, waving the national flag. ``We are proud of the result, our boys have done a good job. This is wonderful,’’ enthused a fan sitting in the lobby of a hotel in the Ethiopian capital. ``We held the defending champions, despite our numerical disadvantage. This is an excellent result; the boys did a good job. They are heroes,’’ a lady clad in the national team jersey said.

The match against Zambia was hyped up here as a national event.

Two giant screens were installed at the Maskal Square, where big events are held, to allow Ethiopians to follow the first match of the national team in the tournament since its return to the continental championship after a 31-year absence.

Even before the kick-off,

supporters of the 'Walia Antelopes' had paraded through the streets, carrying large national flags.

The disappointment elicited by the 23rd minute penalty miss and the red card issued to the Ethiopia goalkeeper Jemal Tassew turned into joy when Adane Girma's 65thminute strike cancelled out Zambia’s Collins Mbesuma's opener.

Ethiopian supporters say they are even more confident that the team will perform better against Nigeria and Burkina Faso in their next first round matches.

•Ethiopian fans celebrating

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

47

NATION SPORT

Kubica to test DTM car but F1 a long way off

P

•Pacquiao

Arum: Pacquiao won't M fight in US ANNY Pacquiao no longer wants to fight in the United States due to the high tax rates applied to his purses, according to promoter Bob Arum.

The former eight-division world champion has fought almost half of his 61 career fights in the US and the vast majority since 2001, including his devastating knockout defeat by Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas in

December.

But when discussing a possible fifth showdown with the Mexican in April, Arum ruled out the Filipino's return to the US, with Macao and Singapore being considered as alternative hosts for the fight.

"He doesn't want to fight in the United States. How come? Because he'd have to give close to 40% to the government.

"I mean you know, it's getting ridiculous," Arum continued. "As far as Manny is concerned, and Marquez,

they would prefer that the fight not be in the United States.

"That's what happens when you raise taxes and you say, well, let the rich pay and so forth. Boxers are in the category where they are rich. It was bad enough paying 35 and now they're paying 40%. Enough is enough.

"These big foreign fighters don't want to fight in the United States."

OLISH driver Robert Kubica will test a Mercedes DTM touring car in Spain this week but any Formula One return remains a long way off as he continues his rehabilitation from a nearfatal rally accident.

New Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff told reporters on Tuesday that the former BMW-Sauber and Renault driver would be testing with the HWA team at the Valencia circuit.

"We all obviously like Robert, he's a very special chap and what we want to do with Mercedes-Benz is give him a chance doing a proper test in a proper race car and seeing how he goes on and how he feels," he said.

"This is what we will be doing in the next days and I'm very glad that he's able to do that. He's very much looking forward to it and he's very excited. Let's see how it goes."

Wolff said Kubica was not yet 100 percent fit and had not driven a car with such downforce since he suffered severe arm and hand injuries while competing in a minor rally in Italy in February 2011.

Asked whether Mercedes might give him a run in a Formula One car if the test was successful, the Austrian said that was not on the horizon.

"If the DTM test goes well and we see that he is doing well in a proper race car with downforce, I think there are still some physical constraints to drive a monocoque (single

•Kubica

seater) chassis with his elbow and arm," he said.

"I think we all would love to see Robert doing well in a Formula One car in the future but that is definitely too early at this stage."

Kubica, Poland's first and only Formula One racer who was a grand prix winner with BMW-Sauber in 2008, was considered a champion of the future before he had his accident.

The Pole has competed in and won minor rallies as part of his rehabilitation. He said last September that he was still hoping to return to Formula One eventually but might never return to the same physical level as before.

The Mercedes DTM car has a V8 engine delivering some 500 brake horsepower compared to in excess of 750 bhp for a Formula One V8.

McIlroy targets more majors in 2013

Serena Williams wants Dubai Duty Free Championships title W ILLIAMS and world No.1 Victoria Azarenka were confirmed on Tuesday for next month's tournament.

Williams last year claimed not only Wimbledon, the US Open and WTA Championships titles, but also a gold

medal in both singles and doubles at the London Olympics.

“The Dubai title is a tough one to get, but it is definitely on my radar this year,” she said. “I would really like to do well this year”.

Azarenka was unable to play in Dubai last year despite ar-

•Serena

riving in the city fresh off her triumph at the Australian Open, where she defeated Maria Sharapova to win her maiden Grand Slam title.

Shealso won in Doha, but enroute to claiming the title there she injured her ankle, and failed to heal in time for her to

play.

Azarenka did some of her offseason training in Dubai and is keen to play this year.

“I didn’t get to play last year so I am looking forward to it this year,” she said.

“Both Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka have proved themselves to be great champions at the very highest level of the game,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free.

“But neither have yet won the title here in Dubai and they will be very keen to fill that space in their trophy cabinet.”

So far, 17 of the world’s top 20 players expected to compete.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships take place from February 18 to March 2.

The WTA event will be followed by the ATP World Tour event commencing on February 25, featuring world No.1 1 Novak Djokovic, defending champion Roger Federer, as well as top 10 rivals Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin Del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Janko Tipsarevic.

For more details go to www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.

Yamauchi retires from marathon competition

T

HE double Olympian Mara Yamauchi has announced her retirement from elite competition.

The 39-year-old is the second fastest female British marathon runner in history behind Paula Radcliffe.

Yamauchi finished sixth in the marathon in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing but in London last summer she was forced to drop out after 10 kilometres with a foot injury. Following her withdrawal, she admitted she was unsure as to her future plans and on Tuesday she revealed she believes the time is right to move on to new challenges.

Yamauchi said: "I have

achieved my childhood dream of becoming an Olympian and enjoyed many years training and competing as an elite athlete. To be able to do what you love as your job is a rare and special privilege and I am very grateful to all the people who have enabled me to do that.

"I have now decided that it's time to leave elite competition behind and instead I will run for enjoyment and to stay healthy. The most memorable moments of my career were finishing sixth in the Beijing Olympic and winning the 2008 Osaka Marathon. But the most enjoyable thing was just going out training with friends."

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

48

NATION SPORT

Keita: My country can count on me Already up and running with three points in the 2013 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Mali owed much of their opening win against Niger to Seydou Keita. With the scores still level after 84 minutes in Port Elizabeth, it was the 33-year-old midfielder who pounced on a mistake by goalkeeper Daouda Kassali to fire his side in front. His goal lifted the Eagles to the top of Group B and served as another reminder why Keita is a hero in his homeland.

A worthy successor to his gifted uncle Salif, Keita enjoys star billing in Mali. Player of the tournament at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 1999, he can pride himself on having clinched 17 trophies in his professional career, more than any other footballer in Mali's history. The majority of those honours came during his time at Barcelona, when the former Marseille, Lorient, Lens and Sevilla player claimed two UEFA Champions League titles (2009 and 2011), three Liga crowns (2009, 2010 and 2011) and a pair of FIFA Club World Cup wins (2009 and 2011).

Success on the international stage has so far proved elusive, but Keita feels his side have reason to aim high in South Africa. "We're ready for this Cup of Nations," he warned, sharing his optimism with FIFA.com as well as his determination to help Mali record a historic triumph.

•Keita

W

HAT is the mood in the Mali camp at the start of this Africa Cup of Na-

tions?

Seydou Keita: We're ready. It's an important competition in many ways for Mali and we don't want to mess it up. We need to work our socks off and make sure that Mali can be proud of its children.

Mali finished third in the last edition. Do you have the potential to do even better this year?

The team has grown up. We've got more experience and more confidence too thanks to the last Cup of Nations. Of course, there's been a change of coach as well, with Alain Giresse, who did a lot for us, having left. Patrick [Carteron] is in charge now and he's already taught us a lot. We also have some new players who are making their own contribution. One thing is sure, though: we're not worse than we were in 2012. We believe we can win the title and we want to do better than we did last year. If we have any chance of going all the way, there's no doubt that we'll seize it.

You are Mali's most experienced player and spent four years at one of the biggest clubs in the world, Barcelona, between 2008 and 2012. How do you cope with the expectation that comes with your high profile?

I've felt it for a long time now.

When you have a status like that, there's a pressure that comes with the privileges. You just have to accept it, but I cope with it very well and it makes me proud to think that my country can count on me.

The expectation creates a positive pressure on me.

Your former coach Pep Guardiola was often known to sing your praises. What did that mean to you?

I thank him a lot for that – and I promise you that I didn't pay him to say any of it (laughs). He must

have his reasons. I've always tried to do my job to the best of my ability, to be 100 per cent all the time, give everything I've got and be professional. That's why I am where I am today. I don't take my job lightly – football is my livelihood.

We believe we can win the title and we want to do better than we did last year. If we have any chance of going all the way, there's no doubt that we'll seize it.

Seydou Keita, Mali midfielder.

What are your thoughts now on your time in Catalonia?

I had four magnificent years.

From memory, I won seven titles, including the Champions League, Club World Cup and the Liga.

Those were the most important years to me as a player, and even more so as a man. It was while I was in Spain that I raised my children and became a man, a father.

For me, my four years in Barcelona – and I'd add my year with Sevilla to that – were the most important and best years of my life.

Is the pressure you feel in a Mali shirt different to the pressure you felt wearing the shirt of a club like Barcelona?

It's not the same. Life at a club is day to day. If you lose, you can make up for it three days later, whereas you only play from time to time with your national team.

The margin of error is much smaller as a result, and the pressure is therefore greater. It's even more intense when you're playing in an international tournament that only takes place every two years.

You are currently playing in China PR for Dalian Aerbin. How is that going?

Very well. We finished fifth in the league despite a bad start. We finished the season in very strong shape: we were the best team in the second half of the campaign.

That proves that there's quality in the side. In personal terms, I'm happy here. I've scored goals and made assists. I feel that I've helped the team win matches, so I'm happy.

What is the standard of play in China PR?

I had four magnificent years. From memory, I won seven titles, including the Champions League, Club World Cup and the Liga. Those were the most important years to me as a player, and even more so as a man. It was while I was in Spain that I raised my children and became a man, a father.

For me, my four years in Barcelona – and I'd add my year with Sevilla to that – were the most important and best years of my life.

When you leave Barcelona to go and play in China, you obviously don't expect to find the same level of play – that goes without saying. As a matter of fact, when you leave a club like that, it's impossible to find a higher quality of play anywhere.

Mali has always had very good individual players but is yet to win a title. What is still missing as you look to become one of Africa's major powers?

Continuity. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of rotation on the playing side, either because of injuries or other problems. In addition, we have had a succession of different coaches, one after the other. You need a minimum of stability for things to work. Changes are always a handicap for a team.

Continuity is key.

Are you targeting a place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil?

Of course. When you're a foot-

•Keita

baller, you always want to take part in a competition like that. I was lucky enough to play in one at U-20 level in 1999 and I'd like to experience that again before the end of my career – both for myself and for Mali. I can't even imagine the joy it would bring to our people if we were fortunate enough to qualify. We have a chance of going through and we'll do everything to get there.

PHOTO PANORAMA 50

Thursday, January 24, 2013

•Togolese supporters celebrate their team's goal

•Messi •Ivory Coast vs Togo action

•Cape Verde's Soares challenges South Africa's Dikgacoi during the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Soweto

•Zambia's Stoppila Sunzu (L) vies for the ball with Ethiopia's Said Ahmed during their Group C 2013 African Cup of Nations football match at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on January 21, 2013

•Didier Drogba (left) and Gervinho celebrate the latter's goal against Togo

•Zambia's Chisamba Lungu, right, is challenged by Ethiopia's captain

AFCON 2013...AFCON 2013...AFCON 2013...

Chisamba doubt for Nigeria clash

DROGBA: We can only improve

•Gernot Rohr

•Lungu

Niger out to tame DR Congo

Keita can't intimidate us - Wakaso

A

•Mubarak

FTER showing reluctance to travel to South Africa because of “safety concerns”, Emmanuel Adebayor has allegedly been the victim of a robbery at his Sun City Hotel – along with his Togo teammates.

MTNFootball reports that The Hawks were robbed shortly after their arrival in South Africa for the Africa Nations Cup. The details of the case are unknown at this point, although some cash and personal belongings are said to have been taken.

"Police are conducting an investigation, therefore we are

waiting for the latter to be completed before releasing any comments," an official told MTNFootball Togo are up against Ivory Coast this evening in their Group D opener at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

Adebayor had prior to making the trip to South Africa, expressed fears over safety apparently remembering the his ordeal ahead of the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola where the team was attacked by gun men.

The striker had described the attack as "one of the worst things I've ever been through in my life".

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

51

THE NATION

NATURAL HEALTH E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

‘Erectile dysfunction is sign of failing heart ‘ W

HAT has erectile dysfunction (ED) got to do with a man’s wellbeing? Plenty, says a health coach, who relates the condition to the malfunctioning of a man’s heart.

According to Mr. Sam Ayeni, Chief Executive Officer, Sea Duck Limited, studies have shown that the signs of ED are warnings that a man has about three years before he comes down with a cardiovascular problem.

According to him, men have a critical choice to make to restore waning health.

He said treating the dysfunction will ensure they get good health and enjoy a naturally strong sex drive and long lasting erections.

He said: “If you are living with the challenge of ED it is important to understand that there is much more than your sexual prowess at stake. ED is an indicator that the vascular system and the penile vessels are experiencing dysfuction, which is a sign of poor heart health, even for those men who have no other common risk factors for heart disease such as high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and high blood pressure.

Research has shown that the number one cause of ED is atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries and if you are experiencing ED, statistics indicate that your risk of heart disease increases by 58 per cent.”

Ayeni, who is a health coach, said good sex has health benefits such as boosting the immune system, protection against heart disease, improving circulation and lowering blood pressure for at least a week.

“Studies have shown that in middle- aged men natural orgasms twice per week can cut the risk of death by heart attack and other causes in half, compared to men of the same age who have orgasms less than once per month.

•Ayeni

By Wale Adepoju

“Sex is part of healthy aging. But these benefits don’t apply if you are using ED drugs to force an erection. Your slowly compromised vascular system is not helped when an erection is forced with dedication and in fact, this type of practice can cause tremendous harm permanent blindness, negatively impacting hearing, and can even lead to death from

heart attack or stroke,” he said.

Ayeni said the wakeup call is making the choice to improve your total wellbeing for a fulfilling life.

On recommendation, he said, men should eat and live well.

They should also achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, adding that it ensures healthy sexual function.

He said: “Studies indicate that being overweight can increase your risk of ED 30 to 90 per cent compared with men of their ideal weight. If you tend to carry your weight around the mid-section and have a waist circumference of 42 inches or greater you will also have 50 percent greater risk of erectile dysfunction. Stay slim for sex and your best at every age.

“Exercise is an essential element in maintaining great circulation and vascular health. If you are riding a bike, whether out-doors or in the gym, get yourself a proper male bike seat and /or good pair of well padded bike shorts as injury to the perineal area (just forward of the anus) can contribute to erectile dysfunction.”

He said people should address the problem of stress or anxiety. “Stress impacts all aspects of people’s body, accelerates health problems and prevents proper healing. The physiological changes induced by prolonged stress can contribute to ED,” he added.

Ayeni cautioned men against smoking which he added can have a negative impact on sexual health.

He said there are proven natural botanicals that have been used for centuries in traditional healing to promote sexual health and function. They have also been proven by modern science to be effective, safe and free from dangerous side effect, Ayeni added.

Watch what you eat to prevent cancer

N

IGERIANS have been advised to pay attention to what they consume in order to avoid developing cancer.

This advice was from a phytotherapist, Dr Francis Elegbuo, Franel Phytotherapy Services, Ikotun, Lagos.

According to him, eating organic foods have been traced to cancer formation, because they contain some amount of pesticides, which have been linked to childhood leukemia and breast cancer, among other problems. So, it is better to choose food that is grown with organic techniques whenever possible, and you’ll keep suspect chemicals out of your body.

Organic farming decreases the amount of agrochemicals that end up in our water and soil, and our body is spared of cancerous growths.

“In the same vein it is good to obtain cleaning agents that are natural ingredients based than chemicals. Like pesticides, harsh chemicals in cleaning products have been linked to a wide variety of health problems and some are suspected of causing cancer.

Since cleaning companies aren’t required to tell you what’s in their products, the simplest way to avoid cancer-causing agents is to make your own cleaners using natural ingredients like vinegar. You should also avoid home care products that contain chemical fragrances, which may be listed as ‘parfum’ or ‘fragrance’ on the label,” he stated.

Stating the causes of cancer, he said microorganisms play a major role. Some of them are a fungi known as Aspergillus flavus; some viruses; unhealthy lifestyles such as cigarette smoking; radiation from x-ray system of diagnosis; toxic substances in the form of electromagnetic wave as a result of cellphone use, or living very close to GSM transmission repeaters gateways; pollution from industrial wastes, as well as gas-flaring etc; and pollution of neuro-transmission and corruption of cell-division blueprint which leads to production of abnormal cells and new growths.

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

On treating the disease, the phytotherapist said there are various types of treatment for cancer: Surgical intervention, radiation treatment, and cytotoxic drugs administration; and Natural Health treatment.

Explaining the latter way of treating the disease, he said: “Effective ways of treating cancer include: cleaning the polluted neurotransmission with natural remedies.

Starving the cancer cells by not making available the foods it needs to multiply, through dietary guidelines. Here the patient is placed on foods that neutralise and therefore reduce acidity in the body. Note, cancer cells feed on acidic substances and debris.

“Neutralising free radicals in the patients’ body. Fine-tuning the patient’s antibodies and boosting the immune system to destroy cancer cells in the body. Treating the patient

•Vegetables

•Elegbuo

with anti-cancer natural remedies. I also use Artificial Intelligent computer programme (IKB) (e.g. Patho-Data Processor) to constantly monitor the patient for alert information on the patients’ progress,” Elegbuo said.

How to manage heartburn naturally

H

EARTBURN is a burning sensation in your chest, just behind your breastbone. The pain is often worse when lying down or bending over.

Occasional heartburn is common and no cause for alarm. Most people can manage the discomfort of heartburn on their own with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

Treatment of heartburn depends on two issues. First, how much the symptoms bother you and, second, whether these symptoms signal an underlying esophageal injury that is happening because of the reflux. These can be two different issues, as the intensity of heartburn does not necessarily correspond to esophageal injury in fact, people with severe esophagus injuries - such as esophagitis, where tissue in the esophagus becomes inflammed, or Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition - often have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.

If you fit into this category, talk to your doctor about your heartburn. If you are not in a high-risk group , lifestyle changes, with or without over-the-counter medications, can be a good first step in heartburn treatment.

More frequent heartburn that interferes with your daily routine may be a symptom of something more serious that requires help from a doctor.

You may find heartburn relief by making small changes. Consider trying to: Maintain a healthy weight. Excess pounds put pressure on your abdomen, pushing up your stomach and causing acid to back up into your esophagus. If your weight is healthy, work to maintain it. If you are overweight or obese, work to slowly lose weight — no more than one or two pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogramme) a week. Ask your doctor for help devising a weight-loss strategy that will work for you.

Avoid tight-fitting clothing. Clothes that fit tightly around your waist put pressure on your abdomen and the lower esophageal sphincter. Avoid foods and drinks that trigger heartburn. Everyone has specific triggers. Common triggers such as fatty or fried foods, tomato sauce, alcohol, chocolate, mint, garlic, onion, and caffeine may make heartburn worse. Avoid foods you know will trigger your heartburn.?Eat smaller meals. Avoid overeating by eating smaller meals.?Don’t lie down after a meal.

Wait at least three hours after eating before lying down or going to bed. Elevate the head of your bed. If you regularly experience heartburn at night or while trying to sleep, put gravity to work for you. Place wood or cement blocks under the feet of your bed so that the head end is raised by six to nine inches.

If it’s not possible to elevate your bed, you can insert a wedge between your mattress and box spring to elevate your body from the waist up. Wedges are available at drugstores and medical supply stores. Raising your head with additional pillows is not effective.

Don’t smoke. Smoking decreases the lower esophageal sphincter’s ability to function properly.

Anxiety and stress can worsen heartburn symptoms. Some complementary and alternative treatments may help you cope with anxiety and stress. If your heartburn is worsened by anxiety and stress, consider trying: Aromatherapy, gentle exercise, such as walking or riding a bike, but avoid vigorous exercise, which can worsen heartburn. Hypnosis, Listening to music, Massage, Relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery.

Heartburn that occurs frequently and interferes with your routine is considered gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

GERD treatment may require prescription medications and, occasionally, surgery or other procedures. GERD can damage the esophagus and cause serious complications.

• Culled from www.mayoclinic.com

52

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

NATURAL HEALTH

Why some people get fatter while eating less(2) L IKE an inexhaustible bar, the questions fat people ask about why they cannot burn the excess fat baggages are unending.

The slow thyroid gland, like a dispprotionate white and brown fat cell ratio in favour of the white, or leptin flood and leptin resistance, answers only some of these questions, as shown in the first part of this series. From the enquires which I have received in respect of thyroid culpabibility, I reckon this organ will require a little more address this week. There were two outstanding questions last week…

1) What is the fat set point?

2) Why do fat people who lose weight during an illness regain the lost fat after convalescence?

Both questions are related, in my view. To them, I add the following: 1) What are the other signs or symptoms of hypothyrodlism or low functioning thyroid?

2) Why are some people fat only in the upper trunk or lower trunk, that is from the waist up, or from the waist down?

Again, I believe the issues are interlinked. I’d like to address symptoms of hypothyroidism, quoting Judy Lindberg McFarland in her AGING WITHOUT GROWING OLD. The book summaries the thoughts of Dr Broda Barnes M.D., Ph.D., famous thyroid researcher and author of HYPOTHRODISM: THE UNSUSPECTED ILLNESS. The list is long, and, in Judy McFarland’s words, includes: • Sensitivity to cold, especially in hands and feet.

• A young housewife, who feels rundown easily, is sleepy much of the time, and easily oversensitive to cold weather.

• A child or adult unusually prone to infection, particularly respiratory infections, but not limited to them • Frequent bouts of cold or influenza • A victim of frequent recurrent headaches.

• Poor circulation due to heart not pumping with sufficient force.

• Fatigue, varied from relatively mild to severe. May come to accept fatigability as a virtually normal state, inability weight gain and inability to lose weight despite constant dieting • Digestion problems,… irritable bowel syndrome or acid indigestion, constiripation • Menstrual disturbances, concentration, painful (menstrual) flow, irregular , or sometimes excessive flow that suggests possible need for hysterectomy • Memory disturbances, concentration difficulties, severe mental depression, paranoid symptoms, behaviour and emotional disorders, anxiety/ panic attacks.

• The barren couple, both male and female, unable to conceive.

• Low blood pressure.

• Weak or dormant (sexual) urge.

• Many skin disorders, including psoriasis and acne, sometimes respond to thyroid medication.

• Dry ,coarse, leathery skin • Swelling or puffy eyelids, lower half of eyebrow missing.

• High cholesterol and atherosclerosis • Wounds that heal slowly • Enlarged thyroid… goiter • Rheumatic pain… moderate to severe • Asthma and allergies

L

AST week, this column suggested that the thyroid gland may not be blamed alone for all the troubles it may cause by under functioning or overworking. It was said the thyroid is under the influence of both the pituitary gland in the brain and the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys. The pituitary gland itself is subject to the control of the hypothalamus somewhere also in the brain, and the hypothalamus is itself subject to the pineal gland, in the brain as well. We may from this see a working together of many endocrine glands to stabilise the body’s biochemistry and physiology. If one overfunctions or underworks, it disturbs the harmony of the body orchestra. In this regard, we cannot ignore the benefits of reflex zone therapy. This is the art of massaging certain parts of the body which have been found to stimulate or relax, where necessary, certain organs of the body. Anyone can practice it at home, in the office, in the toilet, in the car … anywhere, as advised in many books written on the subject, including those of Dr Devendora Vora of India and Dr Kenyon of the United States. In the 1980s, The Guardian newspaper and Duro Soleye Hospitals co-sponsored a training programme at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, for doctors and lay people based on the book by Mrs Marquardt, entitled Reflex zone Therapy of the Feet. I was privileged to be a member of that class. Mrs Elizabeth Kafaru, now of blessed memory, was there. So were Dr Abayomi Aiyesimoju, a neurologist and homeopath, Dr Victor Umoh, who migrated later to Ajaokuta to set up a clinic, and Mr. Femi Omowunmi, a State Registered Nurse who read political science at the Universityof Ife and reported foreign affairs for The Guardian before he went to work with the Mission of the United States One of the testimonial cases I remember was that of a woman who screamed when the area of her foot which corresponded to her appendix was massaged. Apparently, she had the appendix surgically removed about two years earlier. The conclusion of the trainer was that the surgery injury had not fully healed. Now, I would imagine that her body’s healing process was sluggish, or her diet wasn’t providing the right nutrients for healing work. I have told this story to emphasize the point that every-one can personally improve the tone of any of the organs of the body by personally massaging appropriate parts of the body. These special Sites are like buttons which control switches!

Top heavy, bottom heavy The distribution of an excess fat baggage may be even

throughout the body, or uneven.

Some people are heavy in the breasts and arms and normal ‘downstairs,’’ that is in the waist and hips, whereas some other people are bottom heavy and normal ‘upstairs’’. In some cases, the abdomen shares in the fat bashing. Why is this so? Many years ago, I learned a possible cause from Dr H.C.A. Vogel’s THE NATURE DOCTOR. This book blames it all on underfunctioning of the pituitary gland the thyroid gland and the gonads i.e. the ovaries and the testes. Says Dr Vogel in this book: “In the past, it was thought that being underweight was caused by an insufficient intake of food and that eating too much resulted in obesity. However, there are some people who eat a lot and remain extraordinarily thin, and others who eat very little and still put on weight. Everything, they say, turns into fat! ‘‘Meanwhile, research has shown that dysfunction of the endocrine glands, the glands with internal secretions, is largely responsible for both excessive corpulence and thinness. These glands are primarily the pituitary, the ovaries, the testicles and the thyroid. Their over activity or imbalance usually leads to thinness, while their insufficiency (or under activity) leads to corpulence.’’

According to Dr Vogel, whose book has been recommended many times by this column as worthy of prime place in the home health library, the pituitary and the thyroid glands hold the key to upper trunk blasts while lower trunk obesity is caused by ovarian or testicular insufficiency .’’

T

o drive home this point, Dr Vogel invites attention to ovarian diseases which functionally subdue the ovaries, and to the menopausal years during which the ovaries are no longer optimally active in the production of estrogen, a prime female hormone. In these conditions, even the thinnest woman becomes plump, especially in the abdomen.

Dr Vogel recommends that Kelp, a seaweed, be taken to support thyroid function, and wheat germ oil for the ovaries.

R

ecognising that many fat women are reluctant to consume anything fatty, and may thereby reject Wheat Germ Oil, Dr Vogel counsels: ‘‘There are some people who will not eat wheat germ for fear of getting fat, because it has also been recommended to thin people who wish to gain weight. Women need not to worry about this, since wheat germ and its Vitamin E content only regulate the functions of the ovaries. In fact, wheat germ stimulates their functions in the case of fat people and reduces their over activity in the case of thin people, in this way it actually helps the obese to lose weight and the thin to put on.

In addition, wheat germ contains other valuable protein, phosphates and natural sugar, all of which have a good effect on the body without the danger of causing an abnormal weight.

D

r Vogel says his practice has observed many people who grew fat although they ate little, and pinned the cause on dysfunction of the pituitary and thyroid glands, and the gonads…. testes and ovaries. If obesity in such cases had developed from youth, it is evidence, he says, that ‘‘the gonads are generally underdeveloped or retarded as far as proper activity and hormone production is concerned’.’

In people whose gonads are underdeveloped, according to this thinking, fat is often deposited on the hips, waist and breasts only and never on the arms and legs, so that these limbs Are not excessively big. In women the breasts show considerable fat deposits instead of being the shapely glands they normally are. Sagging breasts, due to a inaffuntion of the ovaries, are often an additional worry of overweight women.’’

In Dr Vogel’s view, obesity caused by deficiencies of the gonads is intractable if the trouble of these sex organs come from the pituitary gland which controls them and the thyroid gland.

But modern natural medicine physicians would appear to have found a way out with hormone balancing herbs such as Vitex, Black Cohosh, Wild yam, False unicorn root

e-mail: femi.kusa@yahoo.com or olufemikusa@yahoo.com

Motherwort, Evening Primrose oil, Flax seed oil, Asian ginseng, Ashwangadha Phytoestrogens etc. I have observed women beset with ovarian insufficiency recover well and speedily on some of these food supplements. Even when the ovaries have been riven by Candida, a yeast, and bacteria, multiple cysts taking Amazon AF, Bellaco capsi and Maharani has helped hormonal balance and restored menstruation where this may have ceased for awhile.

The fat set point There are people who believe body fat cannot be fought down successfully. Such people believe the body fat architecture is genetic and that , even when we succeed for a while to prune weight, as illness often does, the fat cells fight back to re-establish their genetic make-up. It is like the spirit of survival is at work as it is in every form of life. Does this then mean that the fat person n is doomed to his or her fate?

Bennett and Gurin developed the fat set point theory about 1982 to explain why slimming diets and other weight loss therapies were failing. By this theory, every human body has fat storages and each body types has its own preferred fat safes. Some scientists believe that the number of fat cells the body constructs at the end of the first year of life will determine the weight of that human body throught life. This would suggest that, no matter how much we try, we cannot alter anything afterwards. Like many people who reject fixations, I, too, reject this assumption. I have a younger sister who was puffy at birth but is now slim. I was thin until the age of 18 when, aided by some supplements, I began to balloon to the point that my ’O’ Level classmates who nicknamed me ‘paper weight’ couldn’t believe their eyes when we met about five years after we left school.

Natural Remedies The fat set point hypothesis would appear obliterated by permanent successes in weight control efforts. It would appear that relapses are caused by the failure to maintain helpful lifestyle intervention, some of which are discussed below Thyroid gland It is established that many people with underactive thyroid glands (hypothyroidism) cannot quickly burn food to energy, and this may lead to weight gains. Some foods, such as cabbage, contain goistrogens which lower thyroid function, and so, are to be avoided. They help, through, in hyperthrodism, as does the herb Bugleweed. The helpful roles of Kelp and the proprietary herbal blend IODORAL have been discussed. It is important to add that the halogen compounds be avoided in the diet. They are fluorine (from fluoride –based toothpaste and fouridsed water), brooonine (from potassium broonate in bread) and chlorine (from chlorinated water). Most “pure water” sachets are over chlorinated in the bid to kill germs. The halogens are chemical look – alikes of iodine. When they fill the thyroid gland, iodine cannot enter and this may lead to such thyroid dysfunctions. Weight gains. The thyroid needs iodine to work well. Boiling water eliminates the chlorine.

The pancreas In many fat people, food and infections over stimulate the pancrease to produce more insulin faster than in THIN people.

An insulin flood in the blood leads to insulin resistance, weight gains and diabetes. The stimulation comes from refined carbonhydrates, especially white sugar, white flour, food additives, monosodium glutamate (MSG), Candida (a yeast ) infection, viruses, bacteria, heavy metals and flat worms, to mentun a few agents. Chromium picolinate, Bilbeny, Fenufreak, Misletoe, and Balsam Pear (Bitter melon) help to burn blood sugar. Many of these sugar burners are formulated into proprietary products that normalise blood sugar and support adreanal function such as Amozon Adreanal support, Nature’s Way BLOOD SUGAR and Swanson’s ADRENAL ESSENTIALS The liver Most fat people have blocked and sluggish livers and need to do a liver cleante once in a while.

Intestines Many fat people don’t defeacate regularly or enough because the intestines are sluggish. They need fiber, magnesium and probiotics to check inflammation, gas, constipation, pain, food decay etc. Mrs. Monilola Aiyesimoju reminded me this week in a cell phone text message: “The colon is meant to be a point of transit for waste but through wrong diet and lifestyle it can become a place of storage for waste and, like a sewer, backs up into the entire body leading to disease”

M

RS. Aiyesimoju should know. Her husband, Dr. Aiyesionoju , a neurologist and homeopath , offers high colonic irrigation services at his holistic clinic.

It would appear to me that detoxifying the body through these various efforts is a much better way of losing weight than simply burning fat cells to force weight loss. For the lost weight would soon return as freed poisons are re-embodied in fat cells for bigger fat to the joy of fat set point theorists!

Wouldn’t it have been better if the body was detoxifiedfor weight loss?

Exercise Many people do not exercise. Exercise expands the lungs and brings more oxygen to the body. Oxygen supports combustion of food to energy and burns germs and diseases, reducing the poison load. One hour of walking helps the body to produce enough fat-burning enzymes, lipase, to burn fat for the next 24 hours running.

We can go on and on. I have observed many people crash long-menacing obesity through these and more lifestyle interventions, and, accordingly, come to the conclusion, that the fat set point theory is demolishable.

•This page is being re-run on popular demand

Tel: 08034004247, 07025077303

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

53

NEWS

Catholic Church suspends relations with CAN

T

HE Catholic Church, in Nigeria has suspended relations with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The church said its decision to temporarily “pull out “of CAN, was informed by the national Christian body’s alleged undue romance with the Federal Government.

The Catholic Church added that it was suspending its relations with CAN because the body, under its present leadership, headed by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was moving in a different direction from CAN’s laid down objectives.

CAN expressed indifference to the news. It said the Catholic Church was at liberty to leave the national Christian body. It blamed the Catholic Church’s action on the loss of CAN’s presidency to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

Also, a member of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Babafemi Ojudu hailed the Catholic Church for its decision to pull out of CAN. He urged others not comfortable with the leadership pattern in CAN to emulate the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church’s Di-

•’They can go’ •Senator Ojudu hails Catholics

By Eric Ikhilae and Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

rector of Communication, Reverend Father Ralph Madu and the Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Monsignor Christopher Ajala confirmed their church’s severance of relations with CAN. Madu said the Catholic Church in the country is still part of CAN, but the temporal withdrawal was just to settle their differences.

Ajala, at a conference in Abeokuta said the decision was taken as a result of what the church termed as the undue closeness of the Christian umbrella body to government, especially at the national level.

Ajala alleged that CAN under Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was moving in a different direction from its laid down objectives. He said Catholic is still part of CAN at the state level.

The Public Relations Officer of the 19 Northern States of CAN and Abuja, Sunny Oibe also accused Catholics of arrogance. He spoke with reporters last night in Abuja.

“There is no division in CAN and we are all speaking

one language.

“There is no need for anybody to lose sleep over the threat by Catholics to pull out of CAN because without them CAN will still continue. The constitution of CAN makes provision that membership can be terminated by any group that is misbehaving or any group can also terminate their membership.

“Why is it that when Catholics were in the leadership of CAN, every bloc supported them but now because power has changed hands, they are threatening to pull out and causing confusion?”

“They have been agitating that the Presidency of CAN must come from the South.

They are an appendage of PDP and PDP itself. They are known for double standards.

A man of God should not be double speaking,” he said.

Oibe, who is also the spokesperson of the President of “Tarayar Ekklisiyar Kristi A Nijeriya (TEKAN )”, a conglomeration of 13 church groups in CAN, said Catholics should not mislead the

public even if they want to pull out.

“The Catholics are claiming that the current CAN leadership has deviated from the vision of the founding fathers when they don’t even know how CAN came about. What did the Catholics know about the vision of the founding fathers?

“CAN was formed because of the neglect of Christians in the North. The Christians in the North, particularly those from the TEKAN extraction came together and formed Northern Christian Association. It was that body that metamorphosed into CAN,” he said.

He alleged that during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, when CAN was to be registered, “the leadership was given to them because Catholics were in leadership; I want to correct that impression because they have been telling the world that they are the founding fathers of CAN.” Oibe said: “Catholics have accused the present CAN leadership, led by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of being

pro-government. But if you look at the whole scenario, you will be able to find out who between Oritsejafor and Onaiyekan is closer to government.

“The problem of Catholics is that they always display arrogance in knowledge. They don’t want to be under anybody but they want everybody to be under them. It doesn’t work like that because there is no seniority in CAN, “Oibe said.

Ojudu said the church ought to serve as a corrective body to those in power and not as their buddy. He said the Christian body in the country had not done enough in condemning the wrongs allegedly being perpetrated by political leaders in the country.

He said Nigerian pastors should emulate Reverend Martin Luther King Jnr, who brought about change in the United States through non-violent means.

Ojudu, representing Ekiti Central, urged other churches who believe that their leadership is dragging them into the mud to do the same if several appeals to them to turn over a new leaf fail.

Korean scholarships for six Nigerian students

T

HE Republic of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) office in Nigeria has awarded post-graduate scholarships to six Nigerian students to study in Korea.

Mr Sang Jung, Chief Resident Representative at the agency’s office in Abuja, disclosed this yesterday during the orientation for the awardees.

Jung told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the scholarships would provide the opportunity for the students to learn from Korea’s experience in poverty reduction and socio-economic development.

He said that KOICA was an agency of the Korean government responsible for the delivery of grants and technical cooperation programmes in developing countries.

He said that 16 Nigerian students had in the last five years benefited from scholarships awarded by KOICA. Korean Ambassador, Jong Hyun (at the back row) with the students...yesterday

ACN: Nigerians ‘ll hold Jonathan by his words on Police College

T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday expressed the hope that the plan by the Federal Government to refurbish Police Colleges across the country is not a hoax designed to douse the nationwide anger generated by the report on the rot in Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.

Following a television report, Police Affairs Minister Caleb Olubolade promised that the Federal Government will restructure police training institutions across the land.

“If this is one of those ploys to divert attention from a burning issue and then continue with business as usual, the government is in for a rude shock, because Nigerians will definitely hold the Goodluck Jonathan administration to its prom-

ise to refurbish the police training colleges, “ACN said in a statement in Oyo by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The party said: “To convince Nigerians that this is not the usual government gimmick, the minister must give a time frame within which the government will redeem its pledge. This promise cannot be open-ended if it is to be credible”.

The ACN also queried why the government has chosen to intimidate Channels TV, which exposed the rot at the police college in Ikeja, Lagos. as part of a strategy to forge a public-private partnership to help raise the resources needed to refurbish the college.

The announcement by the management of the TV station “postponing” the forum,

which it had planned to hold in order to actualise its plan, is a direct result of President Jonathan’s unnecessary and inexplicable anger at the station, when he should have channelled his energy into reversing the rot.

“Yes, Channels TV has not said publicly that it was forced to ‘postpone’ the forum, but any discerning person knows the TV station had to retrace its steps after no other personality than the President left it in no doubt that its public service initiative was meant to ‘embarrass’ the administration.”

The party said while it is willing to give the administration the benefit of the doubt on this issue, ‘’we make bold to say that a sincere government would have ensured that those be-

hind the laudable initiative are carried along, or are at least allowed to pursue their initiative parallel to whatever the government plans to do, instead of cowing them to step back.’’

It said the Channels TV’s plan, to catalyse a public-private partnership on the issue, remains the way to go, since even a government with the very best of intentions lacks the resources to embark on all the necessary development projects before it. ‘’That is why some state governments have resorted to the Trust Fund initiative, pioneered by the Lagos State Government, to ensure that the police are better equipped to carry out their constitutional role. This initiative has been transparent and fast in terms of delivering results, and has not prevented the

federal government from doing its own bit,’’ ACN said.

The party advised the Jonathan administration to abandon its unfounded paranoia that the expose was aimed at embarrassing it, saying the President’s decision to make the issue personal has hurt his administration perhaps more than the expose.

“The rot in the Police College in Ikeja or the other police training institutions across the country did not start with the Jonathan Administration, hence it is wrong for the President to see whatever is being done to expose the situation (with a view to rectifying it) as a design by these ever-so present imaginary enemies to make the Administration look bad,’’ it said.

Nigeria, China sign pact on first solid minerals laboratory •FEC condemns attack on Emir of Kano From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

A

MEMORANDUM of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Federal Government with the Chinese government for the establishment of the first solid minerals laboratory in the country.

The Minister of Mines and Steel, Musa Mohammed Sada, who attended an exposition on solid minerals in China last year, briefed the Federal Executive Council on the progress recorded in the sector.

He said the laboratory will be private sector driven, adding that it will facilitate local processing of solid minerals.

Sada said: “The MoU we signed with the Minister of Lands of China was meant for the development of our solid minerals sector.

“Establishment of world standard minerals laboratory in Nigeria by the China private businessmen is a critical part of the agreement which is already in motion. We don’t need to take our minerals outside for processing, it discourages investors.”

“It will be private sector driven. Chinese government will encourage its private investors to come into Nigeria and decide where they want the laboratory to be located and fund it for their own business purposes.

“Government will not spend money but only facilitate the establishment of the laboratory since it has the capacity to benefit the country in the area of job creation.”

Sada went on: “The sector in China is employing a lot of their population in China and we are trying to understudy it.

The discussion started in 2011 and we want to know how they did it and replicate that in Nigeria since job creation is critical to Mr President’s Transformation Agenda.

“One critical area of the agreement is transfer of technology between the two countries. Capacity building also featured prominently in the MoU since we need human skills to achieve the target,” he said.

He went on: “The Chinese government will assist us in guidelines for their operators doing business here because we find out that the rules are so strong there but Chinese companies tend to be loose here and in other parts of Africa. We have to apply the same strong rules here to boost the industry,” Sada added The Federal Executive Council yesterday commiserated with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero over last week’s attack on his convoy in which five people were killed.

At a briefing, Information Minister Labaran Maku said: “We condemn the attempt on his life. We will hunt down the attackers. The incident will show that the issue is what we all need to condemn and work against terrorism.”

He also said the Council approved a training policy for the convoy drivers of ministers, heads of agencies and permanent secretaries and governors.

54

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 23-1-13

$50m bond ’ll boost market, says IFC T

HE International Finance Corporation (IFC) has said that the issuance of a five-year naira denominated $50 million (N7.787 billion) bond will boost Nigeria’s capital market.

The Vice President of IFC, Mr Jingdong Hua, disclosed this yesterday in Lagos during a visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). He said that the proceeds of the bond would be used for local private sector investments.

His words: “The proceeds will first be deployed for financing our cash line projects and also for the general funding purposes of IFC. This is a start of many more issues to come in the future.”

Being the first ever foreign and triple ‘A’ rated issue in the domestic market; Hua said IFC has the privilege of giving the bond a nickname. “We will name the bond which is issued

by IFC as Naija bond because there is no further symbol to represent the spirit of Nigerian people who are very industrious, hardworking, confident and above all optimistic about the future. We are happy to name the bond Naija,” he added.

Commenting on why Nigeria was chosen, he said the timing actually was very well, since the country’s market has been experiencing a momentum in terms of development.

“In Nigeria the government

By Tonia Osundolire

bond market has been functioning for a decade and the corporate bond market is starting to take shape. Also, it is very timely since JP Morgan and Barclays are including Nigeria bonds into their global capital market indices,” he said.

The inclusion by JP and Barclays, he said, is putting the Nigerian bond market in the world capital market map.

“There is a strong indication of the emergence of Nigeria as a choice of destination for international investors. I hope IFC debut bond issuance will add to the momentum and help accelerate the bond market”.

Hua, who is also the Treasurer of the corporation, said that the first naira denominated bond would offer domestic investors the opportunity to tap into the fixed income security.

The Country Manager, Nigeria Africa Department of IFC, Mr Solomon AdegbieQuaynor said that the issue was a fall out of its five years business strategy.

He said: “We didn’t just decide to issue bonds yesterday; we have been on it since five years. We have spent some time working with all the regulators such as SEC, CBN,

PENCOM and DMO. We are going through a process of really trying to ensure that the enabling environment was right not just for IFC as a supranational issuer but also for international and local investors.

“So it’s important to note that it wasn’t really just done in three months. We have foresight that this was exactly how we wanted to support the development of the debt capital market in Nigeria”.

Although the launch of the issuance of the bond took place yesterday, it will be listed in February.

Meanwhile, on the floor of the NSE, the twin market indicators, All-Share-Index and Market capitalisation both crossed to a higher mark level adding 1.49 per cent each. The index improved with 462.39 points to close at 31,446.22 points while capitalisation of 200 equities increased by N148 billion to close at N10.059 trillion.

Investors however, traded a total of 797.793 million shares worth N5.125 billion in 6,974 deals. The Financial Services which traded well over a billion naira worth of shares yesterday was joined by the Services sector.

Financial Services traded 524.421 million shares worth N2.133 billion in 4,180 deals followed by Services with 166.626 million shares worth N1.356 billion in 240 deals.

Other actively traded sectors were Consumer Goods, Conglomerates and Oil & Gas with 40.369 million shares, 27.421 million shares and 17.255 million shares.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 23-1-13

55

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

MONEY LINK

Why BDCs’ licences were revoked, by CBN

T

HE operating licenses of most of some Bureaux de Change (BDCs) operators were revoked due to their poor adherence to guiding principles, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has said. He disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen at the end of the 88th Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja.

“We revoke licenses when the operator does not meet

Stories by Collins Nweze

the conditions of the licences. There are a number of conditions and a number of them did not meet the mandatory deposit payments. A number of them have closed and we didn’t seem to find their addresses.

So for each of them, there was a reason and each of them knows the reason why the licence was revoked,’’ he said.

The CBN has therefore warned authorised dealers

against patronising 236 BDC operators whose licences were revoked nearly two weeks ago. In a circular to all authorised dealers, BDCs and general public, CBN Director, Trade and Exchange, Batari Musa advised that any foreign exchange transaction, including sale to and purchase from the affected BDCs is illegal.

He also said that transfer of funds through the affected BDCs and or on their behalf is no longer allowed.

The affected BDCs include A.F.A BDC, A.I.A BDC, Acclaim BDC, African Shelter BDC, Afrinvest BDC and All States BDC. Others are AMD BDC, AMX BDC, BTC BDC, Kano Agency BDC, IAS BDC among others.

The CBN had in October 2, 2012 published the list of BDCs that were in contravention of 3.5 of the CBN BDC Guidelines, which stipulates that every BDC shall maintain a mandatory caution deposit of $20,000 with the apex bank.

Sterling Bank tackles housing hitches with Rent-A-Month Scheme S TERLING Bank yesterday unveiled its RentA-Month Scheme designed to assist Lagos tenants pay their house rents with ease. Speaking at the launch of the product in Lagos, the bank’s Chief Finance Officer (CFO), Abubakar Suleiman said many tenants earn their salaries on monthly basis, making it difficult for them to pay their rents annually or every two years.

According to the CFO, by subscribing for the Rent-AMonth Scheme, the bank will step in at the due date and provide the needed fund for such expenditure at a reduced rate. According to him, the scheme creates an opportunity for prospective and existing tenants in wellstructured paid employment and self-employed profes-

sionals to access rent finance and pay on a monthly basis over a maximum period of two years.

“Rent in Lagos is always paid in advance, either for one year (in the case of sitting tenants) or two years (for new tenants). For some tenants, it is difficult to raise the rent amount when it falls due. The Rent-A-Month scheme enables eligible individuals solve their rent problem by taking a facility for the tenor of the rent, which they can then repay on a monthly basis, thus making payment of house rents convenient and affordable,” Abubakar explained. He further stated that the bank will provide 80 per cent of the rent

borrower’s risk level, adding that such rates will always be competitive.

The Managing Director, RSL Derivatives, Lekan Abiola said the product was developed based on customers’ needs. He said N56 trillion is needed to address Nigeria’s housing deficit in the long term while N1.4 trillion is needed to achieve same feat annually. He said the Nigerian housing market needs liquidity and the introduction of Rent-aMonth scheme is expected to provide such succour for the market. He said the product also provides incentives in form of cash-back for the borrower that does not default, which will also stimulate the mortgage market.

amount, while the borrower provides the balance of 20 per cent.

The bank’s Group Head, Consumer Lending, Kike Kuponiyi explained that the product was introduced in conjunction with RSL Derivatives Global Services Limited, a risk financial consulting firm which facilitates the availability of these facilities to eligible customers, while indemnifying the bank against the risk of default.

Kuponiyi explained further that the bank is starting the product in Lagos, plans to extend it to other markets in the future. According to her, the bank will charge an interest rate that is in tandem with the

FGN BONDS Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 23-1-13

SYMBOL UNITYBNK JBERGER PRESCO UACN AIICO CCNN BOCGAS FO ETERNA HONYFLOUR

O/PRICE 0.60 42.59 23.60 47.25 0.75 8.85 6.24 12.52 3.64 2.71

C/PRICE 0.66 46.84 25.50 50.00 0.79 9.29 6.55 13.14 3.82 2.84

OANDO AIRSERVICE TRANSCORP UPL VITAFOAM JOHNHOLT CONTINSURE UBCAP NEIMETH NPFMCRFBK

O/PRICE 15.97 5.90 1.10 4.80 4.10 2.07 0.90 1.14 1.02 1.03

C/PRICE 14.40 5.50 1.04 4.56 3.90 1.97 0.86 1.09 0.98 0.99

tised in the country.

National coordinator of DSG, Okikiade Adeyemi called on government to support the group in meeting its members life aspirations. He said majority of the members need support from both government and the private sector.

Also, DSG president, Afolabi Dahunsi said the deaf is faced with many problems in the society adding that it is the duty of friends, corporate organisations, government and non-governmental organisations to help them out of these challenges.

Dahunsi said that being deaf does not mean one cannot be useful to the society. He said the party was meant to enable every member of the group to relax and examine issues that affect their wellbeing.

CHANGE 0.06 4.25 1.90 2.75 0.04 0.44 0.31 0.62 0.18 0.13

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY • ARM AGGRESSIVE

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 137.16 139.93 0.80 1.13 0.96 100.00 1,000.00 1,782.25 13.64 1.39 1.87 10,129.50

9.08 1.00 136.77 139.81 0.78 1.13 0.94 100.00 1,000.00 1,781.21 12.97 1.33 1.80 9,839.01

• KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor

NSE CAP Index

Name

CHANGE 1.57 0.40 0.06 0.24 0.20 0.10 0.04 0.05 0.04 0.04

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12

LOSERS AS AT 23-1-13

SYMBOL

D

EAF Supporters Group (DSG) of Nigeria has advised commercial banks in the country to employ deaf interpreters in each of their branches. Speaking at the group’s end of year party organised in Lagos at the weekend, Dele Raji, a member of the group said that by employing such staff, the banks will be able to handle complex communication challenges faced during banking transactions by the group.

He said that many people are surprised that the deaf also use banks and called on banks to assist the group in bridging the existing communication gaps between both parties.

He also called for special education for the deaf instead of inclusive one as being prac-

Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

Currency OBB Rate Call Rate

DSG advises banks to employ sign interpreters

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM

MANAGED FUNDS

NIDF NESF

• CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido

difficulties adhering to its rules and requirements regarding the subsector.

DATA BANK

Tenor

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

The exercise is part of the CBN reforms in the subsector. The apex bank had recently listed the key documentation requirements expected from BDCs in filling their forex reports.

The apex bank said that BDCs are expected to document and render returns on statement of assets and liabilities, statement of profit and loss accounts, foreign exchange purchases and utilisation among others.

The CBN said it had observed that operators have

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

56

NEWS

Workers call for Health Minister’s removal

T

HE Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) yesterday urged the Federal Government to remove the Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, for “poor performance” and failure to implement the report of the Presidential Committee on the Harmonisation of the sector.

Led by the Chairman of its Lagos State Chapter, Comrade Ibe Stephen, the workers staged a peaceful rally at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) secretariat in Lagos.

Stephen alleged that rather than implement the report, the minister decided to support the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to the detriment of other health workers.

He said Chukwu’s action was a “gross disobedience” to Mr. President, who setup the committee to resolve lingering crises in the sector.

Stephen said: “He is insensitive to the poor health indices of the country. He has been opposing a fair, objective and masses-centred National Health Bill, which is why it has not been signed into law.”

He alleged that the minister has refused to allow a holistic review and input from other health professionals into the present Health Bill, which has

Amosun commiserates with Kano Emir

Protesters ground Nnewi hospital

P

ROTESTING health workers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, yesterday grounded activities at the hospital for more than three hours.

Over 1,000 protesters wearing red and black attires marched on the premises and the Nkwo Nnewi Triangle.

They called for the sack of the Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, for being inconsiderate to their plight.

They carried placards with inscriptions, such as “Mr. Minister remember posterity”; “Mr President please come to our rescue”; “We have unhealthy health minister”; “A quit notice for health minister”.

The Senior Staff Association, Forum of

By Olatunde Odebiyi

passed through the second reading in the National Assembly.

Stephen said the rally is to inform the government that health workers across the country should be attended to and not only doctors.

He said: “We are asking for the immediate removal of Chukwu because whenever there is an issue that concerns all health professionals, he always takes sides with doctors. He does not consider other health workers, such as nurses, midwives, pharmacists, radiographers and laboratory scientists, among others.”

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

Federal Health Institution Nurses and Midwifery, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Non Academic Staff Union under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) claimed that the Health Minister was insensitive.

In a statement by the National Secretary of JOHESU, Yusuf Badmus, said: “The need to carry out this rally becomes more germane and necessary, considering the lackadaisical attitude with which the Federal Ministry of Health is handling the case in the National Industrial Court.

“It has failed to make submissions for necessary hearing of the case at the last hearing date of January 9, thereby delaying the conclusion of the case in court.”

Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Health Professionals, Lagos chapter, Comrade Chris Ugboaja said medicine is a profession in health as pharmacy, radiography and other professions and should be treated as such, so that all health professionals can work together as a team.

Ugboaja said: “The doctors cannot do it all. Other professions also play major roles in the sector. Why is it that only the doctors seem to be relevant and others are not accorded their rightful place?

“We should be ruled by a health administrator and not a doctor as it is done in other parts of the world.

This is because the health administrator will know how to treat all health workers equally.”

The National Vice-President, Association of Medical Labouratory Scientists of Nigeria, Toyosi Raheem, said people are not confident in the way health care services are handled in the country .

This, he said, was because the totality of professionals involved are not carried along on how it should be run.

Raheem said only five per cent of the health work in Nigeria is done by doctors, adding that the remaining 95 per cent is done by other health professionals.

•Amosun

O

GUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has commiserated with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, for the attack on his convoy by gunmen, in which four of his aides were killed and others injured.

Amosun also sent his condolences to the government and people of Kano State on the incident.

In a statement by his media aide, Mrs. Funmi Wakama, the governor described the attack on the emir as “unfortunate, especially coming at a time when the ruler is collaborating with Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso to restore peace to the state”.

He urged security agents to bring the perpetrators to book and advised Nigerians to live in peace.

Amosun said no religion preaches violence and urged Nigerians to tolerate one another’s differences.

Thanking Almighty Allah for preserving the life of the monarch, he prayed for the repose of the souls of the slain aides and wished those injured speedy recovery.

Agege Catholic Church for dedication

By Precious Igbonwelundu

T

HE Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Diocese, Rev. Alfred Martins, will, on Saturday, dedicate the renovated St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Agege.

The event will start with the Mass by 11am.

The Parish Priest, Fr. Anthony Eboh and the Chairman of Dedication Committee, Mr. Allen Williams, in a statement, said the church has been expanded to accommodate 3,000 worshippers.

Two electricity generating sets of 150KVA and 40KVA have been installed in the church.

57

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

NEWS

Two killed in Ebonyi kerosine explosion

16 arrested for ‘murder’

•Elechi visits family

HE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ebonyi State yesterday arrested 16 persons in connection with the murder of a yet-to-be identified man in Abakaliki.

Addressing reporters at the Command’s Headquarters, Abakaliki, the Corps spokesman Emmanuel Nwali said the body was found on Agbaja Nnuhu Road by Izzi Development Union Hall. He said the victim had deep machete cuts all over his body.

He said: “About 700hrs yesterday, we got information that there is a body on Agbaja Unuhu Road.

“Our men are still investigating to know those behind the crime. We are yet to get the identity of the deceased.”

T

WO siblings, Favour Nwaonu (two years) and her sister, Rejoice (nine months) have been killed in a kerosine explosion, which razed their parents’ eightbedroom bungalow.

Their mother, Victoria and a maid, who were injured in the inferno and are receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

According to their father, Oliver, the incident occurred

From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki

at 7pm in his village, Inikiri Effum, in Ohaukwu Local Government.

Oliver described the incident as unfortunate and disheartening, saying the inferno was caused by the adulterated kerosine bought by his wife.

He said: “We have had power outage in Inikiri Effum for some time now and most

people use lanterns.

“That evening, my wife bought some kerosine and as she was pouring it into the lantern, there was an explosion.

“The fire spread to the room and smoke filled the house.

“While she was burning, she tried to rescue our two little children, who were on the bed.

“But she could not because she was in flames herself. The

maid tried to help but couldn’t.

She was in flames herself.

“By the time people could put out the fire, the children had been burnt . That was how I lost my two children and all I have worked for.”

Governor Martin Elechi and his wife, Josephine, visited the family.

Elechi described the children’s death as unfortunate. He urged the family to take heart.

The governor warned against bush burning during the harmattan.

W

‘We can now heave a sigh of relief that at last we know where our governor is’ From Chris Oji, Enugu

“At least we now know that our governor is in a London hospital.

“We now know that he is not dead as being peddled by rumour mongers.

“We also know now that he is responding to treatment as we can see him stand-

T

•Anglican Bishop of Amichi , Most Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor (right) receiving a cheque of twoMillion Naira from Anmbra State Governor Peter Obi when he visited Amichi Diocesan hospital.

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

The other charge sheet, signed by Mr. Olumide Ojo, a Senior Legal Officer in the Ministry of Justice, on behalf of the State Director of Public Prosecution accused Ajiboye of conspiracy and conduct likely to breach the peace.

Ajiboye’s counsel Mr. Biodun Abduraheem urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.

Abduraheem said since last June when the offence was allegedly committed, it had not been repeated.

He said the subject with commission for which the ac-

cused is charged is still before an appellate court and the briefs had been pasted by all the parties.

Abdulraheem said the matter would be heard on February 27.

The Chief Magistrate, Jejeomo Ogunbona, advised the defence counsel to defer his arguments on pending litigations till the hearing begins and concentrate on the bail application.

Prosecution counsel Kayode Babalola, a Senior Legal Officer, told the court to use its discretion in the matter.

On the first charges, Chief Magistrate Ogunbona grant-

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

and fast dispensation of justice in the country.

The governor assured that his administration would sustain adequate funding of the Judiciary.

The Chief Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi, advised the judges to work hard to ensure that the common man has access to justice.

PPA Chair advises officials •Chime

the grave as they insisted that the governor was not alive.

“What was the aim of the purveyors of such rumours?

Does it mean that they are not happy with the good work he is doing in the state as to wish him dead?

No government official would comment on the issue.

Oyo arraigns man over chieftaincy tussle HE Oyo State Government yesterday arraigned Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye at a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Oyo town for “unlawfully parading” himself as the Alago of Ago-Oja. Five charges were preferred against the accused in two charge sheets.

The first charge sheet prepared by the police accused Ajiboye of conducting himself in a manner likely to breach the peace, and disobeying a court order that restrained him from parading himself as the Alago of AgoOja.

Obi swears in judges

A

•Opposition withdraws ing with his colleagues in that picture.”

Nnaji said all the media hype that he was on vacation was nauseating.

“Now that we know his whereabouts, our concern has been assuaged.”

He said the concern of most people was in regard to the development Chime has been delivering to the people.

The Deputy President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, O. A. Onyema, declined comments.

The state chairman of the organisation, Eric Ebeh, did not answer his phone.

The debate in the state has shifted when will come back.

“I can now sleep and eat well,” said a former councillor, Joe Aneke.

Aneke said rumour mongers had almost sent him to

T

NAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi has sworn in six judges.

The judges are Justice Nkechi Nwenyi (Customary Court of Appeal), Justice Charles Okaa, Justice Peace Oti, Justice George Nwankwo, Justice Bennedict Ogbuli and Justice Cordelia Chukwura (all of the High Court).

Obi said the state Judiciary is setting the pace in promoting the judicial process

Enugu ‘back to life’ after Chime’s picture ITH the publication of the picture of Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime and other governors in London by national newspapers yesterday, the opposition has withdrawn into its cocoon.

The Save Enugu Group (SEG), in particular, could not make any statement on the issue.

Even government officials, as well as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, kept quiet on the issue.

A former member of the Ebeano political structure, who is also a member of the Save Enugu Group, Ray Nnaji, praised the efforts of the government in releasing the photograph.

Nnaji described the development as a good omen because “we can now heave a sigh of relief that at last we know where our governor is.”

From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki

ed Ajiboye N100,000 bail and two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be a serving state or federal lawmaker.

On the second charges, the Chief Magistrate granted him N50,000 bail and a surety in like sum.

The case was adjourned till February 20.

As at press time, the accused was yet to meet the bail conditions for the first charges.

The implication, according to a lawyer, is that the accused would be taken to the prison, pending compliance with the bail conditions.

T

HE National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Sam Nkire, has advised the six zonal and 36 state chairmen to take interest in the restructuring going on at the ward level.

Nkire spoke at the end of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja.

He said defaulting chair-

men would be sanctioned.

The PPA chair said every PPA member would be able to access his or her ward chairman or executive committee via the PPA website soon.

Nkire regretted that his party lost the 2010 governorship election in Anambra State.

“Bad history will not be allowed to repeat itself next year.”

Duke hails Chidoka

F

ORMER Cross River State Governor Donald Duke has hailed the Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, on his ‘Public Officer of the Year’ award by Hallmark newspapers.

Speaking during the event held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Duke said the FRSC under the leadership of its Corps Marshal, has come of age.

“Since Chidoka became the Corps Marshal, the FRSC has transformed to a technologically-driven organisation.

“The Corps was going moribund before the arrival of this Corps Marshal and with his feat, the corps has come to stay,” he said.

Duke said accidents have decreased and that Chidoka has been able to sanitise the transport sector.

NUT kicks against financial independence for councils

T

HE National Union of Teachers (NUT) yesterday joined the debate on local government autonomy, saying financial independence for councils would sound the death knell for primary education in the country.

The position of the union was made known when the President, Comrade Michael Alogba Olukoya, led the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NUT on a call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Olukoya, while making his presentation before the Speaker, said the NUT has brought its case of funding of primary education before the House to get “ a legal and legislative solution through the framework of the 1999 constitutional review.”

Olukoya said the NEC of NUT met recently, “at the centre of this exercise is the controversy over whether or not the State Joint Local Government Accounts should remain.

“May we in the spirit of patriotism inform you that the abolition of State Joint Local Government Accounts, to say the least, would be a

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

disaster to the Federal and States Administration in so far as implementation of education is concerned.”

The NUT President gave a recap of what primary education went through between 1990 and 1994 when primary education was under the control of local governments, saying teachers were owed six to 12 months salaries, and that those that retired during the period were not paid their pension and gratuities.

He said: “It is therefore our prayers that the House of Representatives will do all it can to persuade its members and the entire National Assembly to retain the State Joint Local Government Accounts or provide for the salaries of primary school teachers from first line charge from the federation account.”

He said an alternate solution would be “to transfer the responsibility for the payment of salaries to the state government, “ to guarantee uninterrupted and unfettered primary school education in the country.”

58

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

NEWS

Explosions rock Maiduguri

Tiv install traditional ruler From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

A

CTIVITIES marking the installation of the Ter Kwande 111 (Second Class Traditional Ruler of Kwande Local Government), Chief Hilary Ikima, began yesterday in Makurdi.

There was a paper presentation and discussion on the "History and identity of the Kwande".

A symposium will hold today.

Chief Ikima will be installed tomorrow as the traditional ruler of Kwande. A thanksgiving service holds on Sunday.

Kwande are the custodians of Tiv culture and religion. The popular Tiv clothes called Anger were made in Kwande Local Government more than 100 years ago and have become the identity of the Tiv.

National Troupe director loses father

T

HE death has occurred of Sir Peter Adamu Adaji, the father of the Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Sir Martin Ikani Adaji.

Pa Adaji, the patriarch of the Adaji family of Ikanekpo in Ankpa District of Ankpa Local Government, Benue State, passed on in the early hours of January 14, at the age of 87.

Until his death, he was a member of the Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba PUBLIC NOTICE ANYAORA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ebere Ukamaka Anyaora, now wish to be known as Mrs Ebere Ukamaka Okereke. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

and rose to the position of fourth degree knight. The deceased, an offspring of the ruling class of Uferane, will be buried at Ikanekpo tomorrow.

Christian wake and service of songs will hold today. Pa Adaji, who retired in 1984 as a headmaster, is survived by a wife, Lady Rosaline, six children and several grandchildren. Among them are Martin Adaji; the Director-General of Kogi State Liaison Office, Kaduna State, Mr. Raphael Adaji; Daniel Adaji based in Ikanekpo; Mrs. Philomena Ogwu of the Kogi State Ministry of Health; Mrs. Bridget Abuh, who works with Webbsquare Pharmacy in Haines City, Florida, USA; and Mrs. Angela Abutu, who works at the FCT Area Council Pensions Board.

PUBLIC NOTICE GBOTEMI CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM CHURCH INTERNATIONAL The general public is hereby notified that the above named Church has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied matter, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. SENIOR APOSTLE/PROPHET IDOWU OWU ALEGE - Founder/ Chairman 2. PROPHET TAIYE ALEGE - Member 3. URIEL ALEGE - member 4. PROPHET TAIYE OGUNLEYE - Member 5. PROPHET KUNLE ALEGE - Member 6. MOTHER FUNMILAYO AJIGBOTAFE -Member 7. EVANG. EBENEZER MEMAIYETAN - Secretary General Aims and Objectives TO PROPAGATE THE GREAT GOSPEL OF CHRIST JESUS Any objection to this registration should be forwarded within twenty-eight days to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Cresent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

F

IVE people were killed yesterday in Maiduguri.

Police said it is the latest attack in the stronghold of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

Residents and a Reuters eye witness said they heard loud explosions and gunshots in a town close to borders with Niger and Chad.

Residents rushed indoors, leaving major streets empty.

The explosions and exchange of gunfire between the military and suspected members of the Boko Haram preceded multiple attacks said to have been launched by the sect in parts of Maiduguri.

Sources said 12 people including a director in the civil service were killed.

It was learnt that in one of the attacks at Jiddari Polo, five persons, including a man and his son, the director in the Ministry of Animals and Fisheries, simply identified as Mr. Zakka, and two others were killed.

In another incident on Tuesday, three persons were shot dead around 8:30pm in the same area. The same day, five suspected gunmen laid siege to and shot someone on Baga Road near Ibrahim Taiwo Police Station before they fled and hid in a house at a nearby

•Director, four others killed •Many injured From Joseph Abiodun, Maiduguri

Jajeri settlement.

Eye witnesses said operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) attacked the house where the suspected assailants hid.

The sources alleged that the owner of the house and some people were killed.

When our reporter visited the area yesterday, three damaged Volkswagen Golf cars and three Rickshaws (tricycles) were seen.

The streets were deserted and traders closed their shops.

The area was cordoned off by the JTF, making human and vehicular movements impossible.

About 9am yesterday, a man was shot at London Ciki, a dangerous area in the state capital.

JTF confirmed the attack at Jiddari Polo, adding that three people were killed and not five.

A statement signed by the JTF spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, reads: “Information available to the JTF indicated that gunmen killed three people about 3am today (yes-

‘The streets were deserted and traders closed their shops. The area was cordoned off by the JTF, making human and vehicular movements impossible’ terday) at Jiddari-Polo in the Maiduguri metropolis. JTF was alerted, it cordoned off the area, arrested three suspects and recovered one rifle with 10 rounds of ammunition.

“Two gunmen were killed and a soldier was injured during the exchange of gunfire.

The suspects are in the custody of the JTF and efforts are being made to arrest fleeing members of the gang.”

Another statement by Lt.Col. Musa on yesterday’s attack said: “Information available to the Joint Task Force Operation Restore Order showed that there was an explosion from an Improvised

Explosive Device (IED) about 12:30 pm today (yesterday) at Shehuri ward in the Maiduguri metropolis. The JTF rushed to the scene, cordoned off the area and arrested 10 suspects.”

In the statement yesterday afternoon, Lt.-Col. Musa said: “Operation is ongoing. The suspects are in JTF custody undergoing interrogation. No life was lost and nobody was injured. Situation has since been normalised as people are going about their activities.”

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Garbai Umar El-Kanemi, said the security situation in the state would remain a problem as long as it had porous borders, which allowed attacks by criminals from neighbouring countries.

He said the porous borders have left Borno State open to criminal elements, who are terrorising the state.

The monarch noted that there is arms proliferation in the area, which has made the once peaceful area a theatre of war.

He urged the Federal Government to do something about the nation’s border towns, especially those in Borno State, which are being attacked by illegal aliens from Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Police destroy 140 explosives in Jos

T

HE Anti-bomb Unit of the Plateau Police Command yesterday in Jos destroyed 140 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) recovered from failed bomb attempts.

The Unit Commander, Mr. Abel Mbibi, who supervised the exercise, said the bombs did not explode but were discovered and defused by men of the unit in Jos and parts of Bauchi State.

Mbibi said the IEDs, which were recovered over time, were kept for public awareness and identification by sister security agencies.”The idea is to educate sister agencies and help them in identifying

SIGNED: IREHOVBUDE WILLIAMS O.,ESQ.

IEDs because they take various forms and shapes,” he added.

The unit commander said 90 per cent of the enlightenment on the bombs had been achieved and that there was need to destroy the IEDs as some had started deteriorating.

According to him, the explosives were home-made and refined grenades, unexploded military stores (another type of explosive), compressors, gas cylinders and cone iron pipes.

“Also, there are some devices inside vegetable tins, plastic cans, Coca-Cola tins and several others in differ-

ent shapes,” he added.

Mbibi said the destruction of the IEDs was a routine exercise aimed at saving the society from their harmful effects.

To ensure the safety of people around the quarry in Zaramaganda, Jos, where the exercise was carried out, he said the unit gave several days notice, advising people to stay away from the vicinity between 6:30 am and 4pm.

“We took time to ensure that nobody was close to the quarry, to avoid casualty as a result of the blast,” he said.

Mbibi assured the public that the unit would ensure a bomb-free society.

He urged the public to as-

•IG Abubakar

sist the police and other security agencies with useful information leading to the recovery of bombs before they exploded.

ACN spokesman decries neglect Lai Mohammed, has urged of ethnic group governments in Kwara State

•Mohammed

T

HE Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji

to carry along the Igbomina in the scheme of things.

He decried the relegation of the ethnic group in the state.

Alhaji Mohammed enjoined the Igbomina at home and in the diaspora to take their position in the scheme of things.

He spoke in Ilorin at the 10th anniversary of the National Association of Igbomina Students.

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Represented by a chieftain of the ACN in the state, Ayansola Atolagbe, the ACN spokesman said: “We need to be more focused as a people known for industry, honesty, hard work, decorum and sense of purpose. This is the time for unity. We should speak with one voice politically.”

He said the carefree attitude of the Igbomina in politics would affect the socio-economic development of the area.

The 2003 governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Kwara State donated N100,000 to the association, which also launched its almanac.

His representative pledged to donate N25,000.

Woman kidnaps nine-month-old baby in Kwara Body found on

A

LADY, Shade, has allegedly kidnapped a nine-month-old baby in Oro, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The kidnapper allegedly committed the crime on January 18 and escaped to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where she dumped the baby called Funke Alaba.

Police spokesman Olufemi Fabode told reporters in Ilorin yesterday that Baby Funke has been released to her mother.

The mother of the baby is said to be living at Okeola in Oro. Fabode said: “On January 18, a case of kidnapping was reported at the Oro Police Divisional Headquarters. The case was later transferred to the state CID. It was a case of a nine-month-old baby that was missing. On receiving the information, the state CID moved to Ibadan. In Ibadan, around Oranmiyan area, the nine-month-old baby girl was discovered.

“The suspect, Miss Shade, is now at large. Police

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

are working on how to arrest her. The report was initially made at the Oro Division. The incident happened at Oro. Shade is a friend to the mother of the kidnapped girl.

“She came around and was playing with the mother. The mother went into the kitchen to prepare food so that they could eat. When preparing the meal, Shade took the girl and disappeared.

“Our investigation showed that Shade brought the girl to Ilorin, bought her dress and other items before heading for Ibadan.

“On getting to Ibadan, she presented the baby to people as her child because they saw her last about three years ago. She presented the girl to an old woman who is her relation.

“Thinking that she might be discovered, she later abandoned the baby with the old woman and ran away.”

River Benue From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

T

HE decomposing body of a teenager was recovered by the Marine Police in Makurdi yesterday.

Police spokesman Daniel Ezeala told The Nation that the body was found floating on River Benue in Wadata, Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

He urged people who have not seen their loved ones to contact the Marine Police.

THE NATION THURSDAY JANUARY 24, 2013

59

NEWS Sack perm sec, say civil servants

S

ENIOR civil servants yesterday in Lagos said they would seek legal means to resolve the issue of the ex-military officer appointed permanent secretary in Edo State, if the state refuses to reverse the appointment.

The civil servants, under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), called for a review of the appointment of the retired military officer made permanent secretary by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

They said it contradicts Section 171 (2) of the 1999 Constitution , which empowers

By Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

the President to appoint permanent sectaries from the civil service.

The Secretary-General of the Association, Alade Bashir Lawal, said the appointment contradicts Section 208 (2) (c), which authorises governors to recruit permanent secretaries from the state civil services.”

Lawal said no matter how highly placed a civil servant is, he can never be appointed a major in the military.

He urged Nigerians to rise up against the appointment for it not to set bad precedent for other states.

350 constables for Delta

T

•Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (left), National President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Dr. Osahon Enabulele and National President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Okey Wali (SAN) at the NMA’s first National Health Summit in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

Airhiavbere’s petition a sham, says tribunal T HE Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal yesterday described the petition by Maj-Gen Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) “as a sham”.

Airhiavbere of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who challenged the electionon grounds of electoral malpractices, also said Governor Adams Oshiomhole was not qualified to stand for the election.

He urged the tribunal to declare him winner of the July 14, last year, election.

But the tribunal said the petition was “bereft of any substance and ought to be dismissed.”

It described it as an “elaborate pleading without evidence to support same.”

The tribunal held that it was mindful of the Supreme Court’s judgment ,which ruled that issue of non-qualification was not a ground in the petition.

It threw away exhibits 52 and 53 admitted as evidence, saying they ought not to have been admitted.

The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Mu’azu Pindinga, said judges could not act as oracles when evidences were not presented before them.

He said the petitioner complained about election malpractices in 11 local governments and 62 wards but called witnesses in four lo-

Oshiomhole: victory for Edo people From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

E

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday described his victory at the Election Petition Tribunal as an affirmation of the “voice of the people.”

The governor extended an olive branch to the petitioner, Charles Airhiavbere, to join him in moving the state forward.

He spoke at a campaign rally to celebrate his victory. The march took off from the High Court on Sapele Road to the Oba Ovoramwen Square down to Mission Road to the New Bini Market up to New Lagos Road to Lawani Street to Ibviame Street to Wire Road down to Oba Market and climaxed at the Oba Ovoramwen Square.

The governor said though in a democracy, contest was important, however the manner and ways in which the petitioner had gone to challenge the victory leaves much to be desired.

“It’s very clear. Edo people spoke loud and clear on July 14 and I won the 18 local governments.

“You were in court and you have heard the allegations and you have equally heard the findings of the court that this was just an exercise in futility.

“Nigerians were unanimous that the election was the best. It is clear that it was an empty petition, designed to waste the time of the court and also to waste our time.

“I promise all the great people of Edo State that I will give my all to the state. I want to assure the Benin Monarch that we will take Benin Kingdom to the next level.”

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

cal governments.

Justice Pindinga held that Airhiavbere failed to prove allegations of illegal amendment of the voter register beyond reasonable doubt by not tendering any voter register.

On the issue of anomalies in the filling of Form EC8A, the tribunal held that it was

the duty of the petitioner to prove the claims.

It also said facts and figures were not presented before the tribunal.

Justice Pindinga also held that evidence from witnesses in the four local governments were at variance with the pleadings in the petition.

According to him, “Owan

East was worse; the witnesses could be described as busy bodies.”

“Allegations in paragraph 15 were not proved. Evidences must be given within the precinct of the pleadings and not outside”.

Justice Pindinga held that Oshiomhole won majority of lawful votes and that the petitioner did not win in any local government or in the unit where he voted.

He ruled that there was no infraction of the Electoral Act to warrant Airhiavbere to be declared winner.

The tribunal chairman further ruled that it was not proved that alleged malpractices and other issues affected the results of the July 14 election.

He said the petitioner cried in vain and dismissed the petition.

A cost of N150,000 was awarded against Airhiavbere.

The court was filled with supporters of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and a few from the PDP. Former Chief Whip of the Senate Roland Owie and Dickson Imasogie were the only two PDP leaders present at the tribunal.

Security operatives had a hectic time escorting Oshiomhole outside the court as almost all ACN members wanted to shake hands with him.

Cross River calls for Fed Govt intervention in crisis

T

HE Federal Government has been urged to intervene in the alleged January 19 invasion of the Adadama community in Abi, Cross River State, by Amagu community in Ikwo, Ebonyi State.

Adadama and Amagu communities have been fighting over a piece of land.

Eleven people have been killed and 2,000 displaced since the crisis started.

Cross River State Security Adviser Rekpene Bassey, who made the call in a state-

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

ment yesterday, implored the Adadama people to maintain peace.

He called on the National Boundary Commission to intervene with appropriate actions.”

Bassey questioned the source of the sophisticated weapons allegedly used by the Amagu people.

He also wondered how the perpetrators were able to access the land and waterways even with the presence

of security operatives.

According to Bassey, following the January 14 attack on Adadama community by their Amagu neighbours, security operatives were deployed in the area.

Peace meetings were spearheaded by chairmen of Abi and Ikwo local governments.

The statement reads: “At that point, it was believed that both communities had agreed to give peace a chance.

“But while the Abi team

kept faith and waited for the agreed joint assessment tour, several armed persons invaded Adadama.

“The gruesome attacks on January 19 were coordinated and executed between 09001000 hrs, bringing to the fore speculations of either official complicity or culpable negligence.

“What is even more worrisome is the use of high calibre weapons to assault civilians during which innocent persons, including children, were murdered.”

HE Delta State Police Command yesterday received 350 constables to boost its fight against crime.

Commissioner of Police Ikechukwu Aduba, at a ceremony in Asaba, warned the recruits against criminal behaviour that could tarnish the image of the force.

The officers comprise 80 females and 270 males, who have graduated from Police Colleges, Oji River, Enugu State, Nonwa, Rivers State and Calabar, Cross River State.

He urged them to be guided by the police code of conduct and be committed to their jobs.

Also, the Deputy Commis-

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

sioner of Police Taiwo Lakanu maintained that policing demanded a high level of integrity and hard work.

He urged them to have a good relationship with the public and shun corruption.

Aduba has warned criminals to change or be prepared to face the consequences.

Aduba gave the warning when he received donation a van and other security gadgets donated by the commissioner representing Ndokwa at the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Rev. Chukwudi Eke to Ndokwa Vigilance Group.

Clark calls for equity in PIB From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

I

JAW National leader Chief Edwin Clark has canvassed equity shares for oil producing areas in the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Clark spoke yesterday in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government of Delta State at the inauguration of the new national leadership of the Izon-ebe oil producing communities’ forum.

Represented by Dr Cairo Ojuogboh, the Ijaw National leader told the forum to ensure that oil producing areas are catered for in the PIB. He urged the forum not to lose focus in its objective of ensuring that oil communities are not shortchanged on issues that would bring development and other benefits from oil multinationals operating in the Niger Delta.

Uduaghan subsidises renal dialysis

D

ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has called for public-private partnership in the health sector.

The state is to subsidise renal dialysis for the people.

The governor made the call at the first National Health Summit in Asaba.

He said government is taking this step as there was a huge gap between the needs of the people and services provided in the health sector.

“I am in support of public-private partnership in

the hospitals because that is the only way to improve on the services,” the governor said.

He said his administration has welcomed publicprivate partnership as it concerns specific units at the State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.

Uduaghan said a South African firm, Zenon, would take over the laboratory at the Teaching Hospital, Oghara; a Texas firm would take over the dialysis unit.

“In another 14-16 months we will be able to carry out renal transplants in the hospital,” he said.

Ikuforiji greets Bayelsa Speaker

By Oziegbe Okoeki

S

PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji has congratulated his Bayelsa State counterpart, Konbowei Benson, on the release of his 78-years old mother, Madam Betinah Okunwa Benson, by kidnappers.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Adebayo, Ikuforiji said: “The news of the release of the mother of my friend and brother has come to me and all of us at the Lagos State House of Assembly as a great relief.

“As we all rejoice over the release of the kidnapped Madam Betinah Okunwo Benson, I, on behalf of my family, and colleagues in the Lagos State House of Assembly, and the entire management and staff of our legislature, felicitate with Governor Seriake Dickson and all Bayelsans on the safe release.”

60

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

NEWS

Panic as EFCC storms Imo House

T

HERE was a mild drama at the Imo State House of Assembly yesterday, when operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stormed the House and arrested the Clerk, Chris Duru.

Other principal officers and lawmakers narrowly escaped arrest.

The visit of the anti-graft agency came barely 24 hours after Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha chided the EFCC for delaying the arrest

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

of his predecessor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim. The visit of the EFCC operatives threw the entire state into confusion as key government officials were battling to stop the operatives from making further arrests.

Although facts about the visit were sketchy last night, The Nation gathered that the EFCC invaded the House to arrest principal officers including Speaker Benjamin

Uwajumogu, who is out of the country, over an alleged contract scam and irregularities in employment and promotion of Staff without due process.

Media Assistant to the Speaker Mr. Samuelson Ihuoha, said: “The Clerk was not arrested as speculated, he was only invited and he went to answer the invitation.

There is nothing spectacular about the visit. The EFCC has the right to investigate any arm of government or insti-

tution, so their visit is in line with their constitutional functions. The Imo State House of Assembly has nothing to hide”.

Commissioner of Information Mr. Chinedu Offor, declined to speak on the matter, adding that the House is distinct from the Executive and could answer for itself. “You know the House is distinct, so you can contact the Media Assistant to the Speaker. I can’t speak on behalf of the House

Ransom money fuelling terrorism in Africa, says Jonathan

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday attributed the increasing incidence of terrorism in Africa to the huge funds received by kidnappers as ransom for hostage taking and drugs trafficking.

Speaking in Switzerland, Jonathan said the terrorists would always want to instigate crises because of the money they make out of it.

He said the Libyan crisis is fueling terrorism in the continent.

Jonathan, who spoke on the theme, “De-Risking Africa”, as one of the panelists at an interactive session at the World Economic Forum, said Africa needs the cooperation and support of the International community to deal with terrorism on the continent.

The President explained that deployment of Nigerian troops in troubled Mali was to prevent it from spilling over into other West African countries.

If not properly handled, he said, Africa is at risk of being run over by terrorists with the potential of increasing investment risks in the continent.

He said: “One fundamental problem in Mali is the issue of governance and religious extremism. The terrorist aspect

•We’re diversifying our economy From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

and issue of hostage taking for the purposes of ransom and drug trafficking happened because of the crisis in Libya and, of course, the terrorists will always want to instigate crisis because they make money from it.”

“If we do not contain the problem of Mali, definitely it will affect other African countries and that is why Nigeria had to move fast and we thank the government of France.”

Jonathan spoke alongside South African President Jacob Zuma, CEO of Bharti Airtel Limited, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Executive Chairman of SAB Miller, Graham Mackay, and President of International Crisis Group, Louise Arbour.

On the theme, Jonathan said that Africa was not the only one facing risks, stressing that there are generally risks involved in any business venture anywhere in the world, depending on the circumstances.

Jonathan said: “Before this time, African states were quite politically unstable. We have had military intervention and

where government is not stable and where the political system is not stable, it is a big risk in terms of investment because laws could be changed arbitrarily.

“Over the period, most of the African states now have stable political systems. Presently, about 33 African states have conducted successful elections two times, where one civilian administration has handed over to another.

In Nigeria, we have done our elections four times. In the past, we never experienced that.

“In terms of political stability, African countries have been reasonably de-risked because government has become stable and because the political system is stable, it also affects economic planning,” he added “The growth rate had been stagnant before this time, but over the period the growth rate in most African countries is significantly above the world averages,” he said.

Jonathan said Nigeria was diversifying her economy from overdependent on oil as a source of revenue.

“In terms of oil income, any country that depends on one

major commodity is a big risk because anything that affects oil production or global oil price also affects us. That is why we are looking at different areas and one of the key we want to market in Davos is our agriculture transformation, solid minerals and others, and those with the potentials. The country before now was not politically stable and if you take over power, what you want is quick money to satisfy the people. So there was no investment in other areas,” he said

Senate confirms Nebo, Turaki for minister Continued from page 2

pened”.

The ministerial nominee said since he was aware that banana peels litter the landscape of the country, he would be careful.

He added that if made power minister, he would, God being on his side, chase out the demons in the sector.

The nominee also promised to study what is in place in the sector to enable him determine the best way to deal with the problems.

He also said power generation is grossly inadequate, considering the population of the country.

He noted that no house should be connected to the national grid, if it is not certified to be ready for connection.

Nebo said the country could create over 10,000 jobs by engaging those who would check houses that are ready for electricity connection.

On Ajaokuta Steel Complex, he described it as “a giant in comatose” and added that “by the spirit of God that giant will rise one day”.

Nebo said, “Sometimes, I weep for the country. If it is conspiracy problem that killed

Ajaokuta, why do we allow ourselves to be used to injure our unborn children?

“We need more patriotism as a nation. Ajaokuta remains a giant in comatose, but by the spirit of God that giant will rise one day.”

He said that Ajaokuta Steel Complex and Delta Steel Rolling Mill should have turned the fortunes of the country around “but we missed it.”

Nebo also answered questions on insecurity, graduate unemployment and how to revive interest in the study of local languages.

Turaki spoke on how to combat insurgency, especially in the North, corruption, plea bargain, the petroleum industry and the electoral process.

After confirming the nominees, Senate President David Mark congratulated them and asked them to match their answers with performance.

‘To borrow the words of Professor Nebo, demons will not interfere in their performance.”

A technical problem almost disrupted the screening session as the public address system in the Senate chamber malfunctioned when Nebo was being screened.

Tinubu affirms June date for merger Continued from page 2

about commitment to democracy and value. That is what we are doing.”

The former Lagos State governor also sympathised with the Alaafin and Oyo indigenes on the fire. He promised to join others to rebuild the palace to the level that will radiate the culture, rich history, tradition and the values of the Yoruba people.

Akande, who also gave an insight into the merger, explained that a committee saddled with the talks was

progressing in the assignment and that various subcommittees had been set up to evolve a new name, new identity and logo for the new party.

Oba Adeyemi praised the ACN leaders and described them as true leaders of people who give honour to tradition and to all those honour.

He said Governors Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos) all honour tradition.

The monarch said that the

progressives brought federalism to Nigeria, adding that only federalism is good enough for a heterogeneous society like Nigeria.

The Alaafin prayed for continuous success of the party.

“We support you because we know that you are people of honour; you are good people,” told the AC N chief.

Giving a historical background of the palace and some of the artifacts, the monarch said that a historian had posited that the palace was originally 640 acres.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

61

FOREIGN NEWS South Sudan may resort to trucking oil if talks fail ANDLOCKED South Sudan may rely on trucks to export crude oil if talks with Sudan aimed at re-starting exports through pipelines fail, a South Sudanese deputy minister said on Wednesday.

The African neighbours came close to war last April in the worst border clashes since South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 under a 2005 deal which ended decades of civil war.

The neighbour failed to agree on how to withdraw troops from their disputed border after a round of talks in Ethiopia last week, delaying again the resumption of the crucial oil exports.

Mary Jervase Yak, South Sudan’s deputy minister of finance and economic planning, told reporters in the Ugandan capital Kampala, they were exploring the possibility of exporting crude using other means.

“If the talks fail completely then we will think of alternatives such as moving of crude by trucks.

“It’s being considered but we’re still working on infrastructure,’’ she said on the sidelines of an oil conference.

She did not offer further details about the plan.

South Sudan’s economy has suffered, mainly though a shortage of dollars to finance imports, ever since exports were stopped.

L

South African jailed

I never saw security requests for Benghazi, says Clinton

S

ECRETARY of State Hillary Clinton yesterday said she never saw the requests for additional security for the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, which was attacked in September.

She said the requests were handled by other State Department officials and normally would not reach her

level.

Clinton was testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the September attack in Benghazi

by Islamist militants.

In the attacks, the U.S. Ambassador and three other Americans were killed.

“The specific security requests pertaining to Benghazi, you know, were handled by

the security professionals in the department.

“I didn’t see those requests, they didn’t come to me, I didn’t approve them, I didn’t deny them,” Clinton said.

She noted that one of the findings of an accountability review board on the Benghazi attack was that “these requests don’t ordinarily come to the secretary of state”.

•Mrs. Clinton

EU mystified at how Cameron’s renegotiation will happen E UROPEAN officials and diplomats were left scratching their heads after David Cameron’s big speech on Wednesday, expressing confusion about how and when the prime minister expects to overhaul Britain’s ties to the EU. Cameron promised voters an in/out referendum on British membership of the EU if he is re-elected in 2015, saying the referendum would take place by the end of 2017, once Britain has re-negotiated its relationship with the EU. It may have been what eurosceptics in his Conservative party, and the wider British public, wanted to hear, but it is anything but a straightforward process, and not one that Britain can decide alone.

Leaving aside the fact that Cameron, down in opinion polls, would need to be reelected first, the critical question is whether the 26 other

EU member states or 27 once Croatia joins later this year would want to renegotiate the EU treaty, the framework that binds them together.

Fundamental changes to the treaty of the kind that Cameron is hinting at would require support for what is known in EU parlance as a European Convention.

Under EU rules, a simple majority of member states have to be in favour of calling a Convention, so at least 15

countries once Croatia has joined will be needed.

That is the first hurdle and one Britain might not manage to clear.

If there is a majority in favour of a convention, the EU would begin a long and complex legal and political process involving all member states, the European Parliament, national parliaments and the European Commission.

The convention’s recom-

mendations for treaty changes, which have to be unanimous, would then be put to what is known as an intergovernmental conference involving all member states.

Any alterations or renegotiations to the treaty would require unanimity.

It is possible Cameron could try to use a simplified procedure rather than a full treaty overhaul, but this is reserved for changes to treaty provisions for the EU single market.

JUSTICE Benedicta Molokwu of a Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday sentenced a South African to 18 months imprisonment for attempting to export 5.5 kilogrammes of Methamphetamine narcotic to South Africa.

The convict, 37-year-old Lindiwe Duru, a resident of South Africa, was arraigned on November 26, on a charge bordering on the offence.

She had pleaded guilty and was convicted by the trial judge, who adjourned the matter for sentencing.

At the resumed hearing of the case , her counsel, Eugene Okenyi, made a passionate plea for leniency.

He told the court that his client, a mother of one, was married to a Nigerian but was a victim of circumstance as she had no knowledge of the whereabouts of her husband and only son.

Okenyi told the court that she was only misled into conveying the substance and had no knowledge that it was put in her bag by a supposedly “Good Samaritan” who had paid for her trip back to South Africa.

Indian panel on sexual abuse laws gives recommendations ANEL appointed by the Indian government to examine sexual abuse laws gave sweeping recommendations yesterday for the reform of the police service and judiciary.

P

Retired Supreme Court chief justice J.S. Verma, who headed the committee set up after a brutal gang rape in New Delhi led to nationwide outrage, said it received over 80,000 suggestions over the past month and had gone into

each of them.

The three-member panel largely focused on three aspects, measures to tackle aggravated sexual assault, ensuring speedy justice and gender sensitivity in laws, judicial decisions and law

enforcement, Verma said at a news briefing.

Verma said incidents like the Delhi gang rape were “a failure of good governance and not the deficiency of laws.

Mere additions to statutes will not make a difference.’’

NEWS Police rescue kidnap victim

Orubebe is a failure, say Ijaw activists

From Chris Oji, Enugu

T

HE Police in Enugu have rescued a kidnap victim and are on the trail of the kidnappers of a popular Enugu doctor, O. W. Madike.

Madike was kidnapped on Tuesday by a four-man gang, including a woman.

The woman laid siege to the hospital and jumped on the victim as soon as he was sighted.

Her accomplices came in and assisted her to bundle him into a waiting navy blue Camry car and drove off.

Following an alert, a detachment of the Anti-Kidnap Unit chased the suspects. Their vehicle was trapped at a petrol station.

The occupants jumped out of the vehicle and escaped by scaling a fence.

After searching the vehicle, they found a woman, identified as Mrs. Maryrose Okafor, in the boot of the car.

The woman said she was abducted the previous day at Amawbia in Anambra State.

She told the police that her husband had been contacted to bring N2 million.

Nnaji Chukwudi Christian, who was kidnapped on Tuesday by a six-man gang around Trans Ekulu, was also rescued yesterday.

60 drums of petrol seized

T

HE Anambra State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Michael Ochogwu, said the command has confiscated 60 drums of adulterated petrol on the bank of River Niger in Onitsha.

Ochogwu said no arrest was made as the suspects escaped on sighting the security operatives.

He said the products have been moved to its headquarters in Awka.

A drivers’ licence, Ochogwu said, was recovered on the scene.

“Since the vandals decided to run away, we have towed their vehicle to Awka.

“Whoever owns the truck should report to the Civil Defence Office headquarters in Awka to make claims,” he added.

The commandant said his men recovered a truck with a Lagos registration number XL 166 APP, on Saturday at 3am.

•Ex-militants condemn face-off From Shola O’Neil, Warri and Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

•Orubebe

T

HE ‘war’ between Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe assumed a new twist yesterday when the minister’s kinsmen threatened to drag him before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ijaw activists, under the auspices of Ijaw Peoples’ Development Initiative, sided with Amaechi, describing Orubebe as a failure.

IPDI, in a statement by Peter Luke and Cletus Itari, Secretary and Chairman Board of Trustees challenged

Orubebe to state where his projects are located in the region.

They accused him of turning the ministry into a private company.

The activists appealed to Amaechi to ‘lift the lid’ on Orubebe’s private estates wherever they are.

“The question is how has Orubebe acquired mansions, how much is his monthly salary as a minister? Please the public is interested to know about Orubebe magic wealth.”

The activists dared the minister to accept Amaechi’s challenge to a debate on projects they have executed in their respective offices.

They decried President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to heed several calls to fire the minister.

‘The question is

how has Orubebe acquired mansions, how much is his salary as a minister?’

They said Orubebe’s lack of performance was an embarrassment to the Presidency, adding that his perceived poor performance and disappointment is also a source of shame for his kinsmen .

They called on the EFCC and the National Assembly to probe the ministry to know how funds are spent.

Ex-militant leaders have also condemned the face-off.

They called on President

Goodluck Jonathan to order the immediate completion of the strategic road.

Orubebe put the completion date at December 2014.

The leader of the Forum for Peace in the Niger Delta, “Gen.” Reuben Wilson, as well as “Gens” Ezekiel Akpasibowei and Darikoro Alfred, who commanded camps in Delta and Bayelsa states, spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The former warlords stated that they were uncomfortable with the President’s “slow” action on the EastWest Road, which they said might affect the integrity of the Ijaw people in the future.

“It is very disappointing that till date, the President cannot fix the East-West Road.

It is also painful that he cannot insecurity in the country.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls for selflessness HE apex Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called for the collapse of selfish and personal interest to achieve a unified front The group’s spokesman, Tony Oganah, who spoke with The Nation in Lagos yesterday, said it is only when Igbo speak with one voice that their ambition would be achieved.

He said Igbo would support President

T

By Jude Isiguzo

Goodluck Jonathan should he decide to go for a second term but that an Igbo must emerge president thereafter.

“Constitutionally, the President is entitled to a two-term of four years each, should he decide to step aside by 2015, an Igbo man must emerge the next president.

“But if he decides to continue in of-

fice, we will support him”, Oganah said.

Reiterating the region’s quest for the Presidency, he said: “It is unfortunate that Nigeria’s ruling system is on a tribal tripod but that is what we have on ground.

“Therefore, in 2015, Igbo must organise for the next election. And to achieve this, there must be an element of uniformity.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

62

SPORT EXTRA

Ideye hails Emenike partnership S

UPER Eagles’ forward Brown Ideye has revealed that his partnership with Emmanuel Emenike in the Eagles’ attack against Burkina Faso in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was near

From Innocent Amomoh, South Africa perfect.

Ideye, who plays his football in the Russian elite League, further stated the all they need is a longer time to blend and attack problem

would be as good as over.

The former Ocean Boys of Bayelsa prolific scorer provided the stylish pass that saw Emenike score Nigeria’s goal in the opening match of their campaign in Group C of Africa's most prestigious soccer fiester.

“It was a perfect team work between myself and Emenike,” said Ideye.

“Emenike is truly a striker of repute, he has pace and he is rugged. I know what he can

do with the ball because we play in the same league in Russia. .

“He is strong in the air and I know I can compliment his capabilities..

“Having a lethal finisher like Emenike in this team is great; he can play with anybody and can also play in any team in the world.”

“With a goal to his name, I believe he will score more goals and his goals will lift the team.”

Fans divided over Nigeria, Zambia tie

T

•Ideye

HE Group C tie between the Super Eagles and their Zambian counterparts has been tagged the battle of titans.

The football fans in Nelspruit are already divided over which team should carry the day and Possibly lead the group after the second match which will be played on Friday.

Both teams have drawn their first matches 1-1 against Ethiopia and Burkina Faso

From Innocent Amomoh, South Africa respectively and they will be aiming for the top sport, while expecting their last opponents to get entangled in another draw.

A faction of the fans at Nelspruit wants Zambia to repeat their 2012 feat by retaining the trophy, while other felt that 19 years is long enough a time for the Eagles to have a taste of the trophy after winning it last in 1994.

Eagles’ position saddens Oboabona

S

UPER Eagles defender Godfrey Oboabona has expressed displeasure over Eagles current position in Group C of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

NNSSF: Over 7,000 children expected in Port Harcourt today

N

OT less than 7,000 school children within the Primary, Junior and Secondary school levels across the nation are expected in the Garden City of Port Harcourt today for the 2012 edition of the Nigeria National School Sports Festival, NNSSF, being hosted by Rivers state.

Having unveiled the Mascot for the event, 'smiling Aligator' last week, the host sports director, Daobu Harry reiterated the preparedness of the state to host the annual event which was last hosted by Calabar in 2011.

"We are looking at the aspects of the festival", he said. "Hosting and Participating. How do we host? Because we have hosted the 17th National sports festival which is adjudged to be the best so far. Also, the LOC for this event and the various sub committees are doing their best to ensure a successful hosting. I am sure that Rivers state is going to have a good hosting", he said.

NationSport also spoke to some of the students who are already upbeat for the events.

Friday Umor is a Junior student of the Government Technical College in Port Harcourt and he already sees the

J

From Florence Nkem Israel, Port Harcourt. event as an opportunity for higher goals.

"Am grateful to God to be among those discovered to participate in this year's school sports festival and I know that this is my opportunity and that

it is also the beginning of my career in football", he beamed.

While most of the events are expected to take place at the new Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium, other venues are the Alfred SpiffDiete sports complex, Liberation stadium and Port Harcourt golf club.

•Vows to fight on From Innocent Amomoh, South Africa In a chat with NationSport in Nelspruit, South Africa, the Sunshine Stars ace rued the last minute error made in the first match against Burkina Faso resulting in the score draw on Monday but assured that he is bent on fighting to the end until the set goals are achieved.

"We are really sorry for the efforts made but I assure Nigerians that we will make up for it against the Zambia.

Obaobana has maintained he consistency since being invited

by Coach Stephen Keshi to strenghten the Eagles’ defence.

Female kickboxer says lack of funds hinders her exploits

L

OVETH Ekufu, an Inspector with the Nigeria Police Force, said on Wednesday that financial constraints had prevented her from taking part in the World Female International Kickboxing Championships.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ekufu is the first female to have won and defended the world kickboxing title twice for Nigeria and for the Nigeria Police Force in the -50Kg category.

The Delta State-born fighter won her first world title in 2009 in Germany and retained the title in 2010 in Berlin, Germany and

in New York, U.S. in 2011.

Ekufu told NAN that lack of funds had prevented her from attending most international competitions. ``Actually, it has not been so easy. One of the challenges I have is sponsorship, though the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has been trying but I need more encouragement. ``I could not attend most fights due to financial constraints. ``But I believe that with God and additional support from the NPF, I will participate in more championships because I have not got to the apex of what I want to be,” Ekufu said.

The athlete also said that she desired to be an Olympian, in spite of her world titles, adding that she could take to professional boxing if her Olympics dream was not forthcoming. ``I was supposed to be the one to represent Nigeria in the -51kg but I had an injury and was dropped. ``However, I have the intention of going into professional female boxing from 2014, after setting a record in the amateur. ``After all, Mohammed Ali never went to the Olympics but he still made the name. So, I believe I can still make a name without going to the Olympics,” she added.

Interim board can turn around NPL —Erico

OE Erico, a former Super Eagles Goalkeeper Trainer, on Wednesday said he was confident that the Interim Board of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) could turn around the fortunes of the league.

The 2012/2013 premier league season has been scheduled to kick off on Feb. 16, shortly after the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa wounds up on Feb. 10.

Erico told the News Agency of

Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, while reacting to a recent settlement of a disagreement over the rightful title sponsors of the league.

A telecoms company, Globacom Nigeria, has now been confirmed as the title sponsors of the league. ``I strongly believe that the present interim board has the capacity to turn around the fortunes of our league for good, because the signs are starting to show. ``The title sponsorship deal is

absolutely remarkable and I’m excited that we are starting to see such positive developments,’’ Erico said.

He said he was optimistic the Board could take the league to its pinnacle, if given the support.

Erico recalled that the Interim Board's chairman, Nduka Irabor, was instrumental to the successful tenure of Clemence Westerhof as Technical Adviser to the National team.

Irabor was then the Chief Press

AUSTRALIAN OPEN...

Secretary to the then military Vice-President, Augustus Aikhomu. ``He and his members are held in high esteem when it comes to integrity and technical capabilities; therefore, the league will get to the highest level,” Erico said.

He urged stakeholders to support the board and avoid interfering in its affairs, in order to enable it to develop the standards of the league.

•Serena

Furious Williams smashes racket

S

ERENA Williams had no idea how bad things were going to get when she muttered to herself that this year's Australian Open had been the 'worst two weeks'.

Not long after a courtside microphone picked up the comment during her quarterfinal with American Sloane Stephens, 19, not only did she lose to the teen, but she received a code violation after smashing her racket in fury.

Stephens outplayed Williams, whose movement and serves had been slowed by a back injury, and beat the 15-time Grand Slam champion 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

It was Williams' first loss since August 17, and her first defeat at a Grand Slam tournament since last year's French Open.

Williams' downer of a Grand

Slam Down Under started badly when she turned her right ankle in her opening match at Melbourne Park.

'I've had a tough two weeks between the ankle ... and my back, which started hurting,' Williams said. 'A lot of stuff.'

While Williams packed for home — she and sister Venus have also lost in doubles — Stephens advanced to a semifinal on Thursday against defending champion Victoria Azarenka.

It's not the first time Williams has lost her cool on the court.

She reiterated after the match that her injuries had made this Australian Open difficult for her.

'Absolutely, I'm almost relieved that it's over because there's only so much I felt I could do,' she said. 'I've been thrown a lot of (curve) balls these two weeks.'

Federer downs Tsonga, into Australian Open semis

R

OGER Federer's trademark poise under pressure has propelled him into his 10th straight Australian Open semi-final after a high-class five-set battle with power-packed Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The athletic Muhammad Ali look-alike went shot for shot with the four-time Open champion throughout Wednesday night's quarterfinal, with only a few critical points separating them as the Swiss great won 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 76 (7-4) 3-6 6-3.

It booked the second seed an enticing semi-final match-up with third seed Andy Murray on Friday night.

The Scot beat Federer in last year's Olympic Games gold medal match, after Federer had downed Murray in the Wimbledon final to claim his 17th major title.

With top seed Novak Djokovic and fourth seed David Ferrer through to Thursday night's semi, it means the top four seeds are the last four survivors in the men's draw for just the 15th time in a major in the open era.

While Murray cruised through his quarter-final

•Federer

against unseeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy on Wednesday, Federer's clash with seventh seed Tsonga coached by Australia's Roger Rasheed - couldn't have been much tighter.

Federer had not lost a set or even a service game previously in the tournament.

But Tsonga's mix of big serves, big shots, delicate touch at the net and court speed troubled the Swiss enormously as he dropped serve five times for the match.

In the second and fourth sets that proved decisive but in the first and third Federer's poise in the tiebreakers was invaluable.

In the first-set tiebreaker an over-rule fault call on Tsonga's first serve of the game proved critical as Tsonga lost that point, giving Federer an advantage which he maintained throughout.

In the third-set breaker, Federer produced an exquisite down-the-line backhand to grab a mini-break and 6-4 lead, then clinched it on his first set point.

Tsonga, who became the first man to beat Federer from two sets to love down in a grand slam match in the 2011 Wimbledon quarter-finals, refused to buckle or temper his aggressive game.

He roared through the fourth set, breaking Federer's serve twice.

A crucial unforced error on break point in the fourth game of the fifth set proved costly.

But Tsonga fought to the end, saving four match points on his own serve at 2-5, the third of those with a spectacular lunging volley, forcing Federer to serve it out.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

63

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

A

LL is not well with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The political behemoth is seized by a debilitating fratricidal war which has stretched to the limit the ability of its elders to make peace.

In one corner is Chairman Bamanga ‘I have forgiven all’ Tukur, backed by the Presidency, a few members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and some hangers-on in the corridors of power. On the other are governors.

They are rooting for sacked National Secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is believed to be in the camp of the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who suddenly threw in the towel as chair of the Board of Trustees (BOT) to launch blistering criticisms of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The other day in Abeokuta, some party chiefs joined a ceremony in honour of Obasanjo. It was not meant to be an all-wine-and-dine affair. In fact, Obasanjo and Tukur were believed to have met briefly to discuss the PDP civil war.

It was after the talks, according to a reliable source, who swore that he was briefed by another source, who claimed to know a source close to the talks, that Tukur told reporters that he had forgiven all those who offended him.

No communiqué was issued after the meeting, but Editorial Notebook ran into an old source – a truly reliable one, of course – who claimed to have met a friend of his whose maternal uncle was present at the talks. He pleaded not to be named because of the security implications of the matter.

Here is his unconfirmed account of the meeting: Tukur and some party chiefs sit in a room, waiting for Obasanjo, who walks in briskly, holding a file.

He stretches out his hand to shake Tukur.

Obasanjo: Chairman, welcome. Thank you so much. Yaya de (How’re you?)

Tukur: I’m fine sir. I would like us to discuss these problems, Baba. It’s not good for people to think that we can’t settle our differences, despite the fact that we are blessed with elders like you; people who are experienced and you’re a major factor in the resolution of these matters.

And (Obasanjo cuts in, raising his left hand).

Obasanjo: Please, please, Mr Chairman or whatever they call you. If there’s a crisis in your party, our party, what’s Obasanjo’s business in that? Am I still chairman of BOT? You see, if you want to hear the truth, I’ll tell you. Okay, tell me, is this whole thing not a self-inflicted accident? For instance, that boy…em em em, what’s his name now? Oyinlola. What did he do? You said a court asked you to remove him. On what basis? Forget the nonsense going on here in Ogun. It’s all fuelled by some despicable characters who think they can reap where they didn’t sow. Ignore them and let Oyinlola return. Is that not how to make peace?

And, baba, we’re disturbed by the way you attack the President nowadays. The other day you said he was too slow in his handling of Boko Haram and that when you faced such a problem in Odi you were…

Thank you, Mr Chairman. I don hear. Please, let’s move on. I don’t have any comment on that. If I criticise him nko? Don’t I have the right to talk? Is that why he unleashed his boys to be calling me a confused man? Haba! You look at it

RIPPLES NNPC LOSES N164B TO OIL THIEVES–News

OIL THIEVES...WITHIN OR WITHOUT?

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL. 8, NO. 2381

TODAY IN THE NATION ‘As a nation, we continue to live in self-denial long after America with her unquestionable scientific advancement and as the world biggest military budget has admitted it cannot prevent all militant and suicide attacks’’ JIDE OLUWAJUYITAN

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

GBENGA OMOTOSO

EDITORIAL NOTEBOOK

gbenga.omotoso@thenationonlineng.net •Winner, DAME Award for Informed Commentary

Obasanjo meets Tukur

•THE UNIPORT FOUR:

• Obasanjo • Tukur now. (He frowns, shaking his head).Today you say dialogue; tomorrow you send in soldiers. Is that how to be decisive? In any case, what did I say that I shouldn’t have said? That he’s slow?

That he’s not decisive? That he should employ the carrot and stick system?

You see, sir, it is the office that we are talking about, that it deserves some respect from us all, no matter our grievances.

Okay. Thank you. You have forgotten that I once occupied that seat? Three times! (He raises three fingers and frowns again). And I tried my best. Our legacies are there for those who want to see them to see. We tackled corruption. Are they fighting corruption now? So, if I see anything, because of the office, I should keep quiet ba? Nobody can gag Obasanjo. And this is my position, oga chairman. Office my foot!

I’m here for peace. I want elders like you to help me rebuild this great party. That is why I’m here.

You see, this is a simple matter. Anybody who takes up a job, an office, appointed, elected or whatever, whatever. Hmm! Hmmm!(He clears his throat).And you discover that you can no longer do the job, that you lack the capacity

to carry on, that you can no longer be decisive, you know what to do. If you say you don’t know what to do, that na your toro. Didn’t I quit the BOT job? It has not diminished my stature and ability to contribute generously to the development of our dear country and our great party. It is unfortunate now that you are having this mutiny, but I will always tell the truth, where there is no justice, there will be no peace.

How can I be here as an elder of the party and some boys, some characters, nonentities are coming to you that they are the authentic leaders of our party and you’re listening to them?

They say you should remove the party secretary, that a court said so and you removed him, even when their case get ‘k leg’. And now you say you want peace; peace ko, piss ni.

Honestly, baba, we need to move on. Look at Ghana; they have just had an election and all is peaceful, but here we are tearing at each other as if we are at war and we call ourselves Africa’s biggest party.

Yes. Ghana is becoming a model. Don’t forget I was the chief observer at that election. I

Super Eagles in South Africa

S

OCCER fans were shocked on Monday when the Super Eagles failed to hold on to a 1-0 lead against Burkina Faso, conceding a last second goal to give the Burkinabes an equaliser they truly deserved. What went wrong?

The Eagles lacked strategy. They lost concentration and were confused. They were lucky to have escaped with a draw. They played like giants with little hearts. Now Nigerians have started cracking bitter jokes about the team’s fate. Here is one of such rib-crackers: Judge to a child during a divorce case: Do you want to live with your mother?

Child: No

HARDBALL FTER speculating for over three months and running the whole gamut of pathology, the media have suddenly come to a crushing anti-climax with the release by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) of a photograph showing a “great, very great,” but mildly pensive Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State in company with three other Nigerian governors in London. The visitors were Governors Gabriel Suswan of Benue, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom. And the visit was presumed to have taken place on Tuesday, though the photo caption did not indicate where in London Chime received his visitors. Apparently, the photograph was meant to convey a picture of general wellness than to answer the equally important question of where the picture was taken.

The pointed message the news, which seems so affected, and photograph, which is so impersonal and yet familiar and puzzling, sought to convey is that the governor is as fit as a fiddle, is solidly on his feet, and will be back home very soon. The three visiting governors – they would gladly spend so much more of taxpayers’ money to show empathy – were quoted to have said a word or two underscoring Chime’s clean bill of health. One was reported to have said the Enugu governor

A

ensured that everything went on smoothly.

The people listened to me. Some people alleged rigging, but I was there to clear the air. No rigging. Here, any little instruction, you people begin to misbehave. You start shouting ‘door-die’! If you’re not doing the right thing and people are talking, you must listen. We must remember one thing: action and reaction in physics are equal and opposite. It is so in human interaction. No reaction is greater than action; you know that and I know that.

Now, people are saying it’s all about 2015; the next general elections.

Oh! 2015? You mean some people are already positioning themselves for 2015? Are they performing now? I dey laugh o.

What is the way forward? We can’t continue like this. Elections will soon come. I am in a hurry to rebuild this party.

You see, a leader must step on toes. The issue of leadership is a great issue, especially for a country like Nigeria, if we’re going to move forward. And you can’t be a leader if you will not step on toes. Even if you’re a leader in a church or in the mosque, if you have to do what is right, you will occasionally step on toes. Leadership is a responsibility. And anybody who is not prepared to accept responsibility should go. Simple.

Baba, I see your point. I don’t think there is any deliberate plan to embarrass you because of what you say and…

Please (He raises his hand and voice) chairman, hold it. Please. Please. Hear me clearly, you can’t embarrass me. Nobody can embarrass Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo. Go and tell them. If anybody is planning any such thing, that is a joke taken too far. Good day and good luck in your self-appointed crusade to unite the party. He stands up to leave and his guests are forced to get set to leave.

Thank you sir. I take it that we have made some progress.

Chime and his London visitors had made full recovery; another said he was in good shape; and the third, before berating the public for ganging up to wish their leaders evil, claimed Chime had recovered tremendously.

It is clear that neither Chime nor any of his three august visitors understood the issues involved, and indeed it is no surprise that most Nigerian governors are simply incapable of adapting to the governmental needs of the modern era. If Chime and his fanatical supporters had come clean on his health, regularly updated the public with news of the governor’s health condition, and not take the same electorate for granted, would there be speculations, let alone a wish for some hypothetical evil to befall him?

The problem with Chime’s long absence is not whether the constitution had been breached or not; the problem is lack of good faith, disrespect for Enugu people, childish contrivances, and now additional verbal indiscretions from the visiting governors.

But we have the three governors visiting

Judge: Why? Child: She beats me Judge: Okay. So, you want to live with your dad?

Child: No Judge: Why not?

Child: He beats me too.

Judge: So, who do you want to live with?

Child: Super Eagles Judge: Why? Child: They never beat anyone!

I hope Stephen Keshi’s Eagles will prove this child wrong. They can do it.

•For comments, send SMS to 08082036515

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above Chime in London to thank for inspiring reports expected to dispel all rumours about the ailing or fully recovered governor’s health. It would have been unnecessary to look forward to any governor’s reports, not to talk of doubting them, had the state and its hospitalised governor done the commonsensical thing in the circumstance. It is truly dismaying that three governors believed to be incapable of exaggerations of any sort – Chime is no longer a reliable witness in his own health story – had to struggle to tell what they swore was the truth. Yet, the story is much simpler than they have made it.

If, as they say, Chime has made “full and tremendous recovery, and is in good shape,” what on earth is he still doing in London? They say he’ll be home soon. This column wishes him safe journey. But it is a pity the constitution does not permit impeachment on the grounds of poor judgement, which Chime is exhibiting copiously.

Nothing so degrades governance and retards progress as poor judgement, a vice most African governments, by their incompetence, haughtiness and insensitivity, revel in. And nothing has been so appallingly sentimentalised in Nigeria as when its leaders fall ill, as Chime, a few other governors, and at least two Nigerian presidents have shown.

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025,Oshodi, Lagos. Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361.

Editor Daily:01-8962807, Marketing: 01-8155547 . Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Tel: 07028105302. Port Harcourt Office: 12/14, Njemanze Street, Mile 1, Diobu, PH. 08023595790. WEBSITE: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: info@thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 Editor: GBENGA OMOTOSO