July 19, 2015

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

Man uninjured after being run over by freight train

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HE police in New York said a man escaped injury after being run over by a freight train while sleeping in the middle of railroad tracks in an upstate New York town.

38-year-old Aaron Collins of Stillwater was said to be highly intoxicated when he went to sleep Wednesday night on tracks in the Rensselaer County town of Schaghticoke, 32 kilometers north of Albany.

Police said a Pan Am freight train about 1.6 kilometres long approached around 10:30 p.m. The conductor spotted Collins on the tracks and stopped the train, but not before the first two engines passed over him.

The engines were separated and the first engine was moved forward to free Collins, who was uninjured but still drunk.

He was taken to an Albany hospital for evaluation.

CAPTURED

Talking trade NEXIM Bank MD /CEO Robert Orya and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, at the 3rd International Conference on Finance and Development in Ethiopia which held from July 13-16.

sunday@thenationonlineng.net

Political succession: Obasanjo so offensively wrong

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ORMER president Olusegun Obasanjo has an inimitable and exasperating way of confusing his first person pronouns.

No reader of his letters, or any member of his audience when he talks shop, should ever be deceived. When he says “We”, he often means “I”. To him, there is a thin divide between the plural and singular forms. He is nonetheless a highly nuanced man and speaker, and you need to keep track of how his often imponderable mind works in order to understand his constant and turbulent drift. Yes, he uses his first person pronouns interchangeably, but the moment you understand him, particularly his deep narcissism, it is not difficult to navigate your way around his chaotic thoughts and deployment of personal pronouns.

Speaking last Wednesday to Channels Television, he attempted to defend his promotion of the candidacy of the late Umaru Yar’Adua in the 2007 presidential election. In the interview, he gave the impression that the support given President Yar’Adua was a collective one, hence his constant use of “We” in identifying those who promoted the late

president’s ambition, when really he should be using “I”. As every Nigerian knew in those stifling days of the 2007 presidential campaign, Chief Obasanjo constituted himself into the sole judge of who gets what, whether at the national or state level. He was imperious and, when provoked, as in the case of the Rivers State governorship election of that year, even didactic. He taught everything, from Politics 201 to Religion 202, and he dared you on pain of complete banishment to dissent.

His nuances are also delicately woven. When he tries to claim glory for what is truly a collective effort, such as the roles many generals played in the civil war, he unabashedly uses the first person singular, almost as if he fought the war alone, or as if his role was incomparable. But he is a man in permanent denial. When his policies and decisions backfire, as in the President Yar’Adua case, especially on account of the latter’s ineffectiveness and early death, Chief Obasanjo switches effortlessly to the collective mode. The fact, however, is that he took the decision to promote President Yar’Adua without consultation, without remorse, and with fanatical and puritanical zeal.

But what is even more offensive about his view on political succession goes far beyond how he coins and misuses his words. Hear him: “Even if you take your son as your successor, you are not sure of what he will do when he gets there. Don’t ever kid yourself.

What do I know about any successor? What he presents.

When he gets there, he presents it differently. We did our best, but if you say our best is not good enough, I will say, when it comes to your turn, do better. With all the people who are available as successor, what we came up with was about the best that we could think of at that time.”

It is clear Chief Obasanjo misses the point very badly.

Neither he nor his fawning cabinet had the right, let alone sole responsibility, to pick his successor, whether as a presidential candidate for his party or as a so-called elected presi-

dent for the country. Knowing full well he did the wrong thing in 2007, leading to the most atrocious abuse of the electoral process ever, he naturally felt the need to be defensive about the appalling choice he made. Chief Obasanjo knew his choice was wrong.

More, he knew neither he nor his ministers had the right to arrogate to themselves the collective wisdom of the electorate. In fact he knew he willfully and maliciously subverted the rules of his party and the constitution of the country.

Examined more closely, Chief Obasanjo was even

wrong on many more grounds in the said interview. He claimed he could not be sure what his own son could do had he been his choice for the presidency. If it is any comfort to the former president, many Nigerians knew he himself was the worst choice for the presidency when meddlesome generals exhumed him from jail and retirement and thrust him, almost broke, angry, unreformed and offended, into the presidential palace. If he couldn’t tell reasonably what his son could do, who is bone of his bones, why would he attempt to foist on the country a man he knew very little about? The late Yar’Adua was not corrupt, Chief Obasanjo glibly said in defence of his choice. Should any civilised

society base its choice on that singular factor, it would be an unthinking or dying society. And yet, Chief Obasanjo based his judgement on that solitary factor in selecting and imposing a ruler on about 160 million Nigerians.

Chief Obasanjo’s cynical and gratuitous admonition to anyone minded like him to impose a successor on the country to try and better his own effort calls to question the forbearance of Nigerians. The former president actually believed he had the right to dispense the top job to anyone he fancied, and he does not seem unnerved by that dismal arrogation of responsibility. In fact, it seems that when he writes another of his self-promoting biographies, assuming he still has the time, he will predictably continue to be remorseless.

After the extremely narcissistic “Not My Will” (1990) and the sanctimonious latest, “My Watch”, who knows what gamut of deplorable logic Chief Obasanjo is yet to embrace?

Between Okonjo-Iweala and Marilyn Ogar

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GOZI Okonjo-Iweala was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy under the Goodluck Jonathan presidency. She was effectively the country’s prime minister.

But like many Nigerians, the enormous powers bestowed on her frail and eternally shrugging shoulders were not matched by a corresponding display of responsibility. Insular, cocksure of everything, and combative, she led the economy down the garden path of near total paralysis and ruination.

Accused of unplanned expenditures, especially of illegal withdrawals from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to the tune of $2.1bn, one billion of which was

allegedly spent on Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection campaign, her only defence, for a woman who knows the law, is that Dr Jonathan authorised the spending. Had she been a suspect in a criminal case somewhere in Nigeria’s urban jungle, she would naturally have blamed the devil for any illegality attributed to her.

Marilyn Ogar is another beleaguered public official. As spokesperson of the Department of State Services (DSS) until recently, she was overly enthusiastic in dishing out what the then opposition parties described as patent falsehoods. But she was unrelenting and unapologetic. Not only was she ordered, among others, to re-

vert to her previous rank when a leadership change occurred in the agency, her friends and supporters now allege that she is being witchhunted, as evidenced by her posting to Maiduguri, a posting that they said was immediately reversed. In a signed advertorial in the Vanguard newspaper of July 14, the South-South Congress for Justice and Equity accused the APC and the DSS of improper conduct. She should be left alone, the signatories said, for she did nothing beyond the call of duty.

For both Dr OknjoIweala and Mrs Ogar, it would be interesting to find out how the shoe pinches

now that it is on the other foot. Maybe, soon, public officials will recognise how to serve the nation, not individuals.

By ADEKUNLE ADE-ADELEYE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

COLUMN

The Army that lost its way T

HE first part of this treatise was written exactly twenty two years ago after the military annulled the freest and fairest presidential in the nation’s history. In that first installment, this columnist cautioned the military that its historic and professional expertise lay in a coup against the state which is usually a brisk and lightning affair ending in a matter of hours rather than a coup against political society which is often a messy and protracted affair ending in humiliation and disgrace. Five tragic years after, the military withdrew to the barracks in humiliation and disgrace.

With the clinical dismissal of the ranking echelons of the Nigerian Armed Forces this week, retired General Mohammadu Buhari has completed perhaps the most difficult aspect of regime transition from entrenched incumbency to nascent but determined opposition. Nigerians are yet to accept the scary extent of the institutional damage inflicted on the nation by the departed Jonathan administration, but It is a measure of how low our military has fallen in public esteem that nobody of note protested or regretted the summary retirement.

If anything, there were a lot of people who felt that the retirement came a bit late. Such was the wide revulsion with and the contempt for the departed military chieftains that the public openly rejoiced at what they considered a belated departure. Nobody wept for the military kingpins.

They had clearly overstayed their welcome.

This column is not interested in excoriating individual officers over what is a deep systemic, structural and institutional failure. The army, in the last instance, is as good as the society which throws it up and of which it is only an organic manifestation. Like the nation itself, the army has occasionally flirted with suicide. At the last moment when darkness is all but visible, Nigeria’s legendary luck always ensures that there is a ray of light and a window of opportunity.

Only once did the luck fail, in the epic events leading to the civil war when the army completely fractured along ethnic, religious and regional lines. It is a measure of the unresolved National Question that ever since, the nation itself has survived in a precarious liminal existence with its old demons relentlessly stalking.

A deeper organic crisis is usually in progress whenever all the major institutions of the state are simultaneously and concurrently in crisis. In such circumstances and in more cohesive nations, the military as the most national and nationalist institution, acts as the principal bulwark of the realm. But in a situation where the military becomes the butt of rude and derisive jokes and are held in deep contempt by the populace, a major national disaster is in the offing. Often, it is as a result of failure in a national project.

This time around, the army truly scraped the bottom of the barrel. Having failed in its principal duty and responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of the nation, the army resorted to abusing itself. Unprecedented court-martials, desertions on an industrial scale, accusations of betrayals, ethnic and religious perfidy became the order of the day. The military began desecrating the memory and record of its own most revered and iconic commanders. When you insult yourself, you should not be surprised when others join in.

In a haunting sense, this is a coming to pass of the scary premonition and prophetic admonition of General Mamman Gulu Vatsa. As his treason trial unfolded, the Nupe war hero, combining the insight of a professional soldier with the intuition of a notable poet, cautioned his colleagues against insulting themselves. Fasten-

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•Vatsa

ing a truly unnerving gaze on the then Brigadier Yohanna Kure, the deputy chairman of the General Valentine Ndiomu led military tribunal, Vatsa calmly delivered: “When you insult yourself others will join in”.

Thirty years after, Vatsa’s ringing words have come to pass. Just as it became a willing tool in the hands of military politicians thirty years earlier, this time around, the army became a sorry tool in the hands of professional politicians. Overriding the wish and supreme will of the National Council of State which included at least four of its own former commanders in chief, it summarily imposed a six week postponement of national elections in order to give an undue and unfair advantage to the incumbent.

When this was not enough, it tried its best to sabotage the outcome of already held elections.

On the road to institutional ruination which its old forebears trod at their grave peril, the military began questioning and eventually attempting to compromise the educational qualifications of its own former commander in chief. As if these grave infractions were not enough, the military High Command, in an epic and unparalleled breach of army protocol, dismissed General Obasanjo in an unsigned statement as a barely literate fellow given to wild and unwarranted tantrums, or words to that effect.

Meanwhile as they were still at this, unprecedented sleaze, high wire corruption, opulent living and conspicuous consumption which would have made the redoubtable Ottoman emperors squirm in modesty and rectitude took deep institutional roots among the ranking military Brahmins. Widespread mutinies were reported. A serving general owes his life to taking refuge in an armoured car.

The same army which had globally distinguished itself in several peace missions abroad became a pathetic shadow of its former self. Even the modest gains recorded in the war against the Boko Haram insurgents turned out to be due to the efforts of South African mercenaries surreptitiously recruited. In an unprecedented national humiliation, the Chadian army openly accused the Nigerian army of rank cowardice. For fear of endangering its expensively trained military personnel or having its sacred data compromised, the American military quietly withdrew diplomatically citing operational difficulties.

How did the Nigerian military get itself into this trough of despair and national humiliation? This is the question President Buhari must find a compelling answer and then solution. The military is the ultimate distillate of the national essence . No nation can be stable when its military is unstable. Yet each time the Nige-

rian military has betrayed its sacred duty and obligation to the nation, it has always come off worse than the nation itself.

The fact is that some armies are simply not made for certain things.

For example, the American military can pulverize any nation at short notice, but it has shown consistently that it is not good at nation-building and rebuilding. Americans don’t do nations. This is because America was not conceived or founded as an imperial colonizing nation. The only time America ever successfully did nationrebuilding was on the fertile soil of Japanese cohesive and organic nationhood.

But by the same token, armies founded on the principles of the defence of the nation against external aggression are never good at internal aggression against their own people.

To carry out a successful coup, you must be ready to fire on your own people. When the crack Soviet army attempted a coup for the first time in its history against Mikhail Gorbachev, it was so inept and amateurish that it became the butt of jokes from security experts across the globe.

The imperial Russian army was not founded as an army of internal occupation but as a defender of the Russian people. Such was its comical bungling on this occasion that it even allowed a half-drunk Boris Yeltsin to mount one of its own tanks to rail against the coup. When one of the coup plotters, a war veteran and most decorated national hero, was eventually traced to his bleak quarters, the fourstar general had already hung himself by his own bootstraps. His only earthly possessions were his boots and medals.

With its roots in colonial predation and its origins as an instrument of imperial pacification of the natives, the army often behaves like a son whose father has eaten sour grapes.

Yet despite this ancestral curse, the Nigerian military has produced some exceptional officers who have been a

source of pride to their uniform and their nation. After each misdemeanor, the military has also attempted to reform and redeem itself.

The problem with past military reforms is that they neither went deep enough, nor did they attempt to address the institutional roots of the problems. For example, the Obasanjo post-military rule reform which saw to the prompt retirement of politically exposed officers was a brilliant exercise in de-militarization.

But because it did not ask the right questions or probe in the right direction, it merely secured presidential incumbency rather than institutionalize military neutrality in political struggles. Once you are out of power, you are out of the power loop. A terror machine is an equal opportunity terrorist which does not recognize original ownership.

Obasanjo who once regarded himself as the father of the nation would have been miffed by the incorrigible disrespect of the sons he left behind in the military. For the Owu-born military avatar, it was indeed a miraculous reprieve from a second demystification. As he himself would later put it, it was like standing in front of a moving train.

Perhaps, then, those who insist that the problem of the nation and its errant military is a reflection of the structural misconfiguration of the colonial contraption called Nigeria have a major point. Right from independence, every ascendant group in power has tried to barricade itself in the presidency, sealing off the state and creating a political logjam which can only be prised open through a combination of cunning, blackmail and outright force.

Obasanjo also did the same thing and was in fact scheming to rule the nation in perpetuity. But his nationalist instincts prevented a relapse into the regionalization and ethnicization of the army. Throughout his eight years as a civilian president he did not appoint a member of his own ethnic stock as army commander and neither did he unduly disrupt the chain of command.

In the case of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, they could hardly help themselves.

Under their watch, the old demons of ethnicity and regionality which have haunted the military since 1966 reared their abysmal heads once again. In the dying days of the Yar’Adua presidency, a major apocalypse loomed in military formations throughout the country. Only Nigeria’s legendary luck sustained it through the crisis of succession.

But it is with the Jonathan presidency that we can see what havoc an embattled and insecure minority

president can wreak on the major institutions of a multi-national country.

Jonathan simply took the judiciary, the legislature, the party formations and the military to the cleaners.

Despite his pan-Nigerian mandate, Jonathan, in an attempt to perpetuate his rule and in what many observers saw as a return to the Abacha years, simply privatized the military in an open and flagrant disregard for seniority and distinction.

After decades of chafing under majority oppressive rule, if the country does not want a minority president, it can as well go to blazes.

Having bent the stick of state in the other direction by acting in political extremis, Jonathan has left Buhari with the short end of the wrong stick.

But going by the quality of the new service chiefs and his NSA, President Buhari has shown that he is probing in the right direction even if tentatively. It is instructive to note that both the new Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Abayomi Olonishakin and the National Security Adviser, retired Major General Munguno, are former Commandants of TRADOC based in Minna.

In the military, TRADOC is regarded as the ultimate dead-end of the professionally up-ended; a warehouse for the upright but uproarious career officer and military intellectual.

Its most iconic commandant till date is another military refusenik, the illustrious General Ishola Williams who famously exchanged his uniform for civvies on the very day General Sanni Abacha came to power.

Snooper personally knew the new Defence Chief from his Ife days. He combines the rugged bravery of the exceptional career officer with the forthrightness and integrity of his hardy Ekiti forbears. Munguno, a Kings College product like Ishola Williams, is also known to have had a running battle with his erstwhile military superiors before being quietly eased out.

It should be clear by now that a reform of the military institution cannot be complete without a reform of the structural debility which has hobbled the nation. Whenever a nation is stranded in the jungle of aborted nationhood, the military must also miss its way. It is an iron law of societal evolution.

President Buhari has his work cut out for him. Perhaps it is time to look beyond the structure of the military to the very structure of the nation of which the military is but an organic actuality. The military should now take to heart, the words of Mamman Vatsa, one of its most outstanding products. When you insult yourself, others will join in.

……and from Akogun Tola Adeniyi, aka “Irunmole”

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RINCIPALITIES and people’s power in Nigeria…… the problem with Tatalo Alamu is that

he cannot be read in a hurry. For him, journalism is not history in a hurry but history for the elegant mind of

the intellectual bent. Once again thank you for the illumination and nourishment. The Irunmole.

Now, even Okon ducks Hurricane Sai Baba !!

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OW about this for the real gale that Nigerians have been waiting for? As the Buhari tempest sweeps all before it with the implacable fury of the ethically affronted, even a naughty recalcitrant like Okon has been conducting himself with sober propriety. Of late, the crazy one has been turning in all receipts of market transactions with diligence and painstaking promptitude. When he was pressed for the reason, the mad boy retorted with a crooked grin.

“Oga, even dem mad dog sabi fire.

You wan make dem Baba mala come nab man? Even dem Dasuki man dem come surround him house. Orubebe dey cry and dem yeye Colonel from Kabba wey him head no correct at all, him dey scream make dem no kaput am this time. Dem Lamido dem put dat one for Guje with him Shakara”.

“Okon, I thought you applied for the Green Eagles job?” snooper pressed advantage.

“Ha oga dat one he get as he be. I no wan make dem nab man for over under-age”.

“And what is over under-age?” snooper demanded.

“Dat one na when man under-age too much, like dem grandfather who dey play for under-seventeen”.

“I see, how come the egg tastes different these days?” snooper asked with mild tremor.

“Oga na alligator egg I been dey cook before before”, the mad boy crowed.

“May god punish you and your mother”, snooper screamed and charged at the crook.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

NEWS

DSS probing Dasuki for treasonable felony 'These cars which from all available evidence were purchased with tax payers' money, were being kept for possible sinister enterprise.'

HE 24 hour siege on the Abuja residence of the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA),Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) by the Department of State Security (DSS) was to prevent "attempts to commit treasonable felony," the agency said last night.

Operatives of the DSS on Thursday stormed three properties of the former NSA and his father located at Nos. 13, John Khadiya Street, 46, Nelson Mandela Street, both at Asokoro, Abuja, and No. 3 Sabon Birni Road, Gwiwa Area, Sokoto, Sokoto State, armed with a warrant to search them.

The siege was lifted on Friday evening with Col. Dasuki accusing the agency of

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•Recovers five bullet proof vehicles, seven high caliber rifles during search •Magazines, military related gears also seized witch hunting him and trying to implicate him for alleged security breach.

But responding through a three page statement, the DSS blamed the ex-NSA for unduly prolonging the search that should not have taken more than two hours.

It said: "On 16th July, 2015, about 1650 hours, based on credible intelligence linking the immediate past NSA, Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Col rtd) with alleged plans to commit treasonable felony against the Nigerian State, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) conducted a search on the properties belonging to the former NSA, Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Col rtd). The properties are on Nos. 13, John Khadiya Street, Nos. 46, Nelson Mandela Street, both at

Asokoro, Abuja, and Nos. 3 Sabon Birni Road, Gwiwa Area, Sokoto, Sokoto State.

"The search operations were planned to be simultaneously conducted, but Dasuki, refused the operatives entry into his main residence located at No. 13 John Khadiya Street, Asokoro, despite being presented with a genuine and duly signed search warrant.

"Consequently, what was to last not more than two hours, lasted more than 10 hours, up till the early hours of 17th July, 2015. Indeed if not for the sense of maturity and professionalism of the officers and men assigned this task and the very good understanding and timely intervention of the new Chief of Army Staff, Tsukur Y. Buratai (Maj Gen), there would have been a clash between the army operatives

guarding the house and Service operatives, as Sambo directed the soldiers on duty not to allow any movement into his house, despite the subsisting court order. SAMBO thereafter raised a false alarm to the military authorities to come to his aid as he failed to correctly tell the military that his property was about to be legitimately searched.

"Please, recall that Sambo retired from the Army as a Colonel, and is therefore not entitled to have military guards, if not for the fact he was NSA. Even as NSA, such guards should have been withdrawn after his removal as NSA since he would not have been entitled.

"The search was thoroughly conducted, and several items recovered, among which were some incriminat-

• Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, alongside her children and other Muslim faithful at the Eid-el Fitri prayer at the Ansarud-deen Mosque in Abuja, yesterday.

NAFDAC union backs management on reforms

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EMBERS of the Medical and Health Workers' U nion of Nigeria (MHWUN), National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) chapter, have backed the many reforms being embarked upon by the management of the agency.

The union, led by its chairman, Comrade Attah Ibrahim, along with Comrade Anzaku Peters, secretary and Comrade Albert Udeme, PRO, while addressing a joint press briefing at the agency's office in Lagos, yesterday, said they were in support of the reforms, including staff redeployment exercise enforced by the management in recent times.

Ibrahim recalled that the union had last November embarked on strike to press home their demand for improved welfare among others but regretted that the issues were yet to be adequately addressed.

The MHWUN boss, who fell short of accusing some of the directors of dereliction of duty, said their actions and inactions were

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

beginning to adversely affect the smooth working of the agency thus far.

"Our members have been at the receiving end of bad management, especially in the hands of Finance and Accounts and Admin and Human Resources Directorates respectively, which is why we embarked on strike last year demanding the removal of some directors who were constituting a clog in the wheel of fortune. But the management in its wisdom will not hear of that. We were, however, happy that Dr. Paul Orhii-led management decided to wade into the crisis by redeploying the staff in question to another directorate in order to save the agency," Ibrahim said.

He said, it was, however, disheartening to note that the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Ademola Mogbojuri, who was affected in the recent redeployment exercise had to resist the move.

"We had a lot of issues with the Finance and

Accounts director in the past but we were happy our pleas were finally being heard but a situation where he is resisting is as if we have some super directors who are above the law," he stressed.

"At the union, it is our conviction that the management should not rescind its decision. This is in the best interest of NAFDAC." Mogbojuri was initially redeployed to the Planning Research and Statistics Directorate but following his petition to the Governing Council of NAFDAC, he was subsequently moved to NAFDAC Training Institute in Kaduna.

Expatiating, Anzuka and Udeme said the alleged resistance by Mogbojuri smacked of insubordination and should not be tolerated by the management, as that may set a bad precedence.

Citing the Public Service Rule, section 150-151, 2010, Anzuka said: "Under the Civil Service rule, a staff upon the recommendation of the board management can be redeployed top any

unit, division, to any part of the country. So, it is therefore an act of impunity for a staff so redeployed to resist such move. Resisting transfer is against civil service rule.

This should not be allowed in whatever guise. Nobody should be bigger than the agency."

ing items. These include seven high caliber rifles, (high assault weapons), several magazines and military related gears.

"The team also recovered 12 new vehicles, out of which five were bullet proofs. These vehicles which are all exotic vehicles were retrieved from Sambo's residence having failed to produce evidence of ownership. For instance, what could he be doing with five bullet proof cars as a retired NSA? These cars which from all available evidence were purchased with tax payers' money, were being kept for possible sinister enterprise.

"The Service would want to state categorically that this search operation is not a witch hunt. The Service decided to move at this time in line with current Management resolve to be proactive and pre-empt individuals with penchant for impunity and lawlessness from putting back the nation to the dark days. "The Service is also aware that the lethal arms and the vehicles recovered were not reflected in Sambo's handover notes or what could a former NSA be doing with destructive weapons and bullet proof cars which put together could disrupt the peace of any city in Nigeria for a while.

"On the search of his three properties, including the Sokoto residence, the Service is aware that in his capacity and given his antecedents, he might decide to use any of his residences for such diabolical plans, rather than his main residence.

"The Service Management would want to assure members of the public that it would not trample on the freedom of individuals or groups as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and emphasized by the current administration's position on transparency, and probity underlined by justice and equity for all Nigerians.

"This is the driving force for all DSS operations. However, the Service would not hesitate to go after any person or group of persons, no matter how highly placed once such individual (s) breach or attempt to breach the laws of the Federation. The days of impunity and indecisiveness in the face of unpatriotic acts by individuals operating against the State are over.

"The Service hereby appeals to all Nigerians to be law abiding and partner with it in ensuring a peaceful and se-

cured nation. In the same vein, those that are bent on breaking the rules governing our peaceful co-existence due to either the huge ill gotten wealth they have acquired or imaginary hold they think they have on our nation's survival, are being warned to rethink. The DSS will use all constitutional means as defined by its mandate to deal decisively with such unpatriotic individuals."

The statement was signed

by Tony Opuiyo.

The DSS has already barred Dasuki from travelling out of the country having impounded his passport during the siege.

Dasuki told The Nation on Friday by phone that the state was merely witch-hunting him.

"They are desperately looking for something to implicate me," he said. They went to my father's house, breaking into the ceiling to look for incriminating documents.

They broke a safe in my father's house. Also, my sister kept a 20-year old box in my father's house, they also forced it open. What has my father got to do with this?

"And the old man is in hospital in London, he was shocked to hear that they broke into his house. The good thing is that they did not find anything.

"They brought the photocopy of a 2007 draft by my brother, Ahmed, and asked me to comment on it. Was I in office in 2007 as NSA? You can see the extent to which they are ready to go to implicate me.

On the allegations that the house arrest might not be unconnected with the $15million cash for arms seized by South Africa, Dasuki said: "I read some of these allegations in THE NATION but nobody has asked me some of these things they are saying. I was not even in charge of some of these things. How do I account for all?

"And if you want me to respond to these issues, you have to give me access to relevant documents. You do not need to restrict my movement. You can see that they are just out to set me up. Even if they find a knife in my house, they will say it is incriminating.

"There are some who should account 10 times for some of these allegations they are raising but they are walking about freely."

Jonathan's ex-Chief Security Officer detained

HE Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former President G oodluck Jonathan, Mr. Godwin Obuah, has been arrested by the Department of State Security (DSS) for yet to be disclosed reasons.

Obuah, a senior official of the DSS was taken into custody on Thursday, four days after he had been reporting daily at the Abuja Headquarters of the agency as directed.

Online publications which broke the news yesterday suggested that his incarceration might not be unconnected with certain oil bunkering deals when he served at the Presidential Villa and alleged movement of security allocation from the seat of power in the dying

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days of the Jonathan Administration.

These could not be officially verified last night.

Obuah is said to be in solitary confinement in an underground cell at the DSS Headquarters.

He is reportedly denied access to his family, doctor and lawyer.

The Cable (online publication) said Obuah has also embarked on hunger strike to protest the condition in which he is being kept.

ISIS car bomb death toll hits 120

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HE death toll from a massive car bomb that tore through a crowded market north of Baghdad has risen to 120, with Islamic State (IS) extremists claiming responsibility.

It's the deadliest attack in the country this year, with at least 130 others wounded in the blast on Friday night in the town of Khan Bani Saad.

Prime Minister Haider al-

Abadi vowed to punish the "terrorist" perpetrators. "The terrorist gangs will have no place in our country. They will not escape punishment.

Their crimes increase our determination to hunt them."

The blast in Bani Saad took place while locals were gathering to celebrate Eid elFitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

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HE peace talks to end the leadership crisis in the Senate appears to have collapsed following the decision of the Unity Forum to challenge in court the June 9 election of Dr. Bukola Saraki as Senate President and Chief Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.

Some members of the forum are praying a court in Abuja to nullify the elections of Saraki and Ekweremadu.

But the Like Minds backing Saraki hurriedly convened yesterday in Abuja to assess the situation and launch counterlegal attacks if they are joined.

The Saraki loyalists, who were caught unawares, were still meeting at press time.

Members of the Unity Forum are said to be angry at what they see as the hard line position of the Saraki group against the directive of the APC leadership on the sharing of principal positions in the chamber.

Their decision to go to court is hinged on alleged lack of quorum in the chamber on June 9 when Saraki and Ekweremadu were elected and the use of alleged forged 2015 Senate Standing Orders (Amended) to conduct the election.

Although the Police who investigated the alleged forgery are expected to release their report this week, the Unity Forum opted for legal redress irrespective of the outcome.

A top member of the Unity Forum said: “We have decided to seek legal redress to contest the validity of the election of the

Constitution unfair to traditional institution, says Bindow

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O V E R N O R Mohammadu Bindow of Adamawa State has said that the country’s constitution is unfair to traditional institution for not assigning constitutional responsibilities to it.

He made the remark yesterday in Yola when the Lamido Emirate Council paid him Sallah homage.

According to the governor, constitutional recognition of the role of traditional institution would have prevented some of the security challenges and other social vices currently confronting the country.

He pledged that his administration would give due recognition to traditional institution in the state.

He said: “the neglect of the traditional institution has caused us what we are passing through today. The institution is the closest contact with the people and they are required to be given constitutional role. We in Adamawa will continue to recognise traditional institution.’’

The governor announced that his administration had already purchased 30,000 metric tons of fertilisers to be distributed to farmers in all the 21 local government areas of the state.

“The fertilisers cost N3.5 billion even without transportation cost,’’ he said, adding that the gesture was aimed at boosting agricultural production.

Earlier, Dr Barkindo Musdafa, the Lamido of Adamawa, who led the council, promised that the people of the emirate would support the administration to improve their standard of living.

The Emir, who is also the Chairman, Adamawa State Traditional Rulers Council, said that the policies of the new administration would alleviate poverty and reduce youth restiveness in the state.

NEWS

Senate crisis: Lawan group asks court to nullify Saraki’s election FROM: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Senate President and his deputy based on forged Standing Orders.

“We want to lay all the cards on the table before the court. If at the end of the day, the court affirms the validity of the Standing Orders and the election of the Principal Officers, we will abide by such judicial pronouncement.

“We have discovered that

•As peace talks breaks down the Like Minds are not ready to yield ground despite the intervention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a panel raised by the APC Governors Forum.”

“Is it not better to follow the rule of law than impunity? The management of the National Assembly is expected to tell the court how it came about the forged Standing Orders,” the

source said in response to a question.

The Like Minds behind Saraki launched into a meeting last night in Abuja to review the situation, while leaving the Clerk to the National Assembly and his team to handle the legal aspect of the matter.

“Saraki had nothing to do with the Standing Orders whether legal or forged. It is the

business of the Clerk to the National Assembly to handle,” a source in The Like Minds said.

It was not immediately clear if the two warring groups would return to the negotiation table this week.

The APC Governors Forum Committee on the crisis in the Senate is being coordinated by Governors Atiku Bagudu and Adams Oshiomhole.

5

A source close to the committee said: “The governors are expected to meet Saraki and Lawan after the Eid-el Fitr break.

The resumption of negotiation was one of the reasons why the National Assembly fixed July 28 for Senators to return from recess.

“If members of the Unity Forum have gone to court, it means they have expanded the scope of negotiation. We can resolve everything with cooperation from all parties to the crisis.

“The issue is how to respect party supremacy and abide by the directive of APC on the choice of principal officers.”

The APC National Chairman, Chief John OdigieOyegun on June 23 sent the party’s position to Saraki.

The June 23 letter to Saraki, referenced APC/NHDQ/ NAM/01/015/05, said: “Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party, after excessive consultations for the 8th Senate as follows: Sen.Ahmed Lawan (Majority Leader)—North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Chief Whip)—SouthWest; Sen. George Akume (Deputy Majority Leader)— North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim(Deputy Chief Whip)— North-West.

16 Niger villagers killed in Boko Haram attack •L-R: Lanre Okoya; Dr. Dare Akanji Onifade Alhaji Ishau Mobolaji Alhaji Aro Lambo and Alhaji Tajudeen Okoya during the Ramadan Prayer at Oluwanishola Praying Ground Eleganza House, Ajah, Lagos. PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL.

Jega to receive Democracy Award

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HE International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has named the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, as one of the three recipients of its 2015 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award.Also to be honoured are US House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Congressman Ed Royce (R-Calif.).

The award ceremony is scheduled for September 29 in Washington D.C. Jega, according to IFES President and CEO Bill

Sweeney, is being honoured for his handling of “Nigeria’s successful general elections in 2015.”

“He deserves full credit for his efforts to increase the credibility and transparency of the electoral process under extreme logistical challenges, such as terrorist threats from Boko Haram, where failure could prove the catalyst for predicted election violence,” Sweeney added.

Jega who has returned to teaching at the end of his tenure as INEC Chair said he is “deeply honoured to accept” the IFES award.

He spoke highly of IFES’

long-standing partnership with INEC in preparation for the general elections which he said “resulted in a credible process accepted by Nigerian citizens and the international community.”

“These elections have put Nigeria on the right path toward democratic stability,” he said.

IFES, one of the world’s leading democratic institutions, seeks to protect the ballot box in more than 145 countries of the world.

The Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards are presented each year to a Democrat, a Republican and a

member of the international community who demonstrate the dedication to democracy and human rights embodied by the award’s namesake, former IFES Board of Directors Chairman Charles T. Manatt. Past international recipients include Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado (2014); former President of the Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico Dr. Leonardo Valdés Zurita (2013); Kenyan gender advocate Maimuna Mwidau (2012); South African Judge Johann Kriegler (2011); and former Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ziad Baroud (2010).

Sallah tragedy: Policeman in moving patrol van knocks head against highway barrier, dies

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RAGEDY occurred on Sallah day in Bauchi when a policeman on special duty knocked his head against a barrier meant to restrict heavy trucks from plying a road, and died.

Corporal Solomon Paul, attached to Explosive

Ordinance Disposal Unit, Bauchi Police Command, became unconscious and later died at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH) Bauchi, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Spokesman for the state Police Command, DSP Haruna

T

Ganduje administration is not interested in censoring any media outfit in the state but advised them to go by the ethics of the profession in order to distinguish themselves from practicing junk journalism.

Garba also sought for the cooperation and support to the Ganduje-led administration in order to enhance a cordial relationship between journalists and the state government.

The Commissioner, said:

Mohammed described the incident as “tragic”.

He said: “the incident occurred when the victim brought his head out of the roof of a moving patrol vehicle while on special duty.

“As a result, he hit the overhead barrier meant to

restrict heavy trucks from plying the road, and became unconscious.

“He was rushed to ATBU Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for treatment but was later certified dead by a medical doctor while on admission,” he said.

Kano against censorship of media, says commissioner

HE Kano State Government has said it is against censoring any media organization operating in the state in the discharge of their statutory responsibilities.

The Commissioner for Information, Youths Sport and Culture, Malam Mohammed Garba, who spoke to reporters yesterday, also urged journalists to abide by the ethics of the profession.

According to him, the

“We don’t believe in censorship of media houses but they should at all times avoid sensational journalism and be wary of hate speech in order not to undermine the security of the state and the country at large.

He maintained that the enforcement of the ethics of the profession is crucial to the national development and sustenance of democracy, judging from the virile violations of the ethics, prior and during the just concluded

2015 elections.

He, however, advised journalists operating in the state to be sensitive of the environment, where they are reporting, so that they can come together and discuss something of mutual benefits for the people of the state.

He therefore urged journalists to be fair in their reportage of events and ensure to balance their reports to capture both sides.

B

OKO HARAM terrorists have killed 16 civilians in an attack on a southeast Niger village, near the Nigerian border, a local official said yesterday.

“On July 15, Boko Haram elements fired on locals who were praying in a village near the town of Bosso,” said Bako Mamadou, mayor of Bosso.

“They killed 15 people on the spot and another person succumbed later to their wounds,” Mamadou said on state television.

According to the Bosso mayor, four others were injured in the attack.

Meanwhile the Niger army said yesterday it had killed 32 Boko Haram fighters from July 15-17 during “sweeping up” operations following the July 15 attack by “Boko Haram elements”.

The defence ministry added that three terrorists were taken into custody, adding that Chadian soldiers also took part in the operation.

Nigeria and Niger, along with Chad and Cameroon, have launched a joint offensive to end Boko Haram’s six-year insurgency, which has claimed at least 15,000 lives and caused about 1.5 million people to flee their homes.

Amaechi calls for oneness

F

ORMER Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has urged Nigerians and Muslim faithful to join hands in praying for peace and unity while celebrating the end of the Ramadan fasting period.

In a statement by David Iyofor , the former governor prayed for Allah’s blessings for the country and its citizens. He enjoined Muslims as they celebrate to reflect on ways to tackle the nation’s problems and together cause a positive impact on the peace, unity and growth of the country.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

NEWS

I cook president's meals, says Aisha Buhari From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja IFE of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, said yesterday that she personally still prepares her husband's food, their recent relocation to the Presidential Villa notwithstanding.

Official cooks mainly prepared the food of previous first families at the State House.

Mid way into a Sallah party she held yesterday at the seat of power for children, Mrs.Buhari sought her guests' permission to leave to go and cook for President Muhammadu Buhari.

She said: "I'm going to leave you soon. I want to go back home to cook for my husband. Because my children are here playing with you, so nobody is at home, only my husband. So I want to go back home to be with him and also cook dinner for him."

She urged them to continue to pray for other Nigerian children who are currently at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)' camps in parts of the North.

She also asked them to be good ambassadors of their parents at all times.

She said: "The future of this great country lies in your hands.

You are to complement the efforts of government by working very hard in school and be obedient to your parents.

"Tomorrow, you may be the President, President's wife, senators, honourable members, governors, medical doctors, teachers, journalists, engineers, nurses, lawyers and the rest of our honourable professions."

The wife of the President asked parents to encourage and monitor their children.

Saudi breaks up 'IS network', arrests 431

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W

19 Boko Haram insurgents killed in Chad

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T least 19 Boko Haram fighters and two Chadian soldiers were killed in combat at the weekend after the insurgents attacked a Chadian village on the banks of Lake Chad, a military source said.

"The Islamists fighters attacked early this morning and we returned fire and they were forced to flee back into Nigeria," the source told Reuters by telephone from Komguia, where the fighting took place.

Chadian President Idriss Deby had earlier vowed to crush the insurgents who have killed thousands of people and threatened the stability of the region.

"Chad will never bend in the face Boko Haram and I promise you that Boko Haram will disappear," he told a group of Muslim clerics.

Niger's army killed at least 30 suspected fighters as it searched for militants in villages just over the border with Nigeria, Nigerien security sources said.

The army launched the operation on Thursday, a day after gunmen thought to be from Boko Haram crossed over from Nigeria and killed at least a dozen villagers on the Niger side of the border.

•L-R: Mr. Pascal Dozie, Founder of Diamond Bank, Chairman, Geometric Power Ltd, Prof.Barth Nnaji, and Mr. Ike Chioke, CEO, Afrinvest (West Africa) Ltd, during the burial of Igwe Alexander Chioke in Enugu recently.

HOUSE LEADERSHIP CRISIS

Gbajabiamila splits Dogara's camp

H

OUSE of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara may be losing his plot to allocate four principal offices in the House to geo political zones other than those prescribed by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dogara in a July 16 letter to the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, proposed that in accordance with the federal character formula enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the position of House leader should go to the Northwest; Deputy House Leader to the North Central; Chief Whip to the South East; and Deputy Chief Whip to the South South.

This is against the party's proposal of Femi Gbajabiamila from the Southwest as House leader; Alhassan Ado Doguwa from the Northwest as Deputy House leader; M.T.Monguno from the Northeast as Chief Whip; and Pally Iriase from the South South as Deputy Chief Whip.

Dogara's position is seen as a ploy to stop his rival for the Speakership, Gbajabiamila, from becoming House leader.

Sources in the Speaker's camp told The Nation yesterday that some of his supporters are beginning to express their frustration at what they see as his winner takes all stance.

One of the Speaker's backers from Sokoto State said his camp is now split between those who believe that the party should be allowed to have its way on the filling of the four positions and those who want Dogara and his group to have everything for themselves.

"As far as I am aware, the issue of the vacant principal offices is yet to be resolved. As we speak, the groups led by Speaker Dogara and his rival, Femi Gbajabiamila, are yet to

•Unresolved leadership crisis forces NASS to shift resumption date

By Dare Odufowokan and Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editors

agree on the would-be occupants of the offices. I can also tell you that those of us in Dogara's camp are divided over the matter too, especially over the Speaker's last letter to the APC chairman," the source said last night.

He added: "While there are those who believe the Speaker should not agree with the party on how best to resolve this matter, some of us are of the opinion that it is best for us to allow for party supremacy at this point. There is no need for further opposition to the party's directives on this matter especially after Mr. President intervened on more than one occasion. We feel we must be magnanimous in victory."

The House was originally scheduled to resume on Tuesday, July 21 but this has now been shifted by one week, same as the Senate which is also contending with its own leadership problem.

Sources said the crisis is at the root of the shift in resumption date by the two chambers.

The Nation learnt that the disagreement among proDogara lawmakers started before his letter to the APC National Chairman.

Sources said the letter has even aggravated the disagreement in the Speaker's camp with some describing it as an affront on the party leadership.

"Before the letter was written, we met to discuss the various options available to resolve the crisis and I can tell you that a good number of us are in support of the party's position.

"But it appears some people are scared of something.

The opposition is more against Gbajabiamila than against the party. In spite of pleas that we should no longer rock the boat, the letter was written to the disappointment of some of us.

This has led to a more complicated situation because there are further cracks within the House."

A Rep from Lagos State and supporter of Gbajabiamila said:"We are aware that the current leadership of the House itself is divided over how best to resolve the crisis. We also leant that given the sharp difference in opinion, it is likely that resumption may be shifted to avoid another rancorous plenary. But whatever happens, we are resolute that party supremacy should not be sacrificed for any political gain by all the camps involved in this matter."

But House Ad-hoc Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Mohammed Sani Zorro, differed on the reason for the postponement of the resumption date.

His words: "I don't think the House is postponing resumption because of its inability to reconcile the matter at hand. The House works with a calendar. The Senate has shifted its resumption to July 28; you know sometimes they come out with a common calendar; at times, one chamber resumes a few days before the other. I assure you that if there is any postponement, it cannot be as a result of the disagreement."

Multiple sources told The Nation in Abuja that "various caucuses at the National Assembly have been meeting with the aim of finding ways and means to put the leadership crisis behind us when we resume."

"We don't want to come back a divided house," one of the sources said.

Another source said: "We have it on good authority that the Governor Abubakar Bagudu committee set-up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to resolve the National Assembly crisis has submitted its report to the party.

"The leadership of the National Assembly thought it necessary to give the party leadership some time to consider the report and state its position on the matter."

He said that the National Assembly leadership is working to ensure that Senators and members of the House of Representatives return as a united parliament in their chambers.

"Enough of bickering, it is better to give the party leadership a little more time to sort out the remaining differences. The Bagudu led peace committee has submitted its report to the party.

"The party should be allowed to consider the report and come up with its position.

We are all poised for peace. If one more week will give us the peace we desire, it would not have been a wasted effort.

"I can also tell you that (Senate President) Saraki is reaching out to stakeholders with the aim of arriving at agreeable resolution of all issues at stake."

The National Assembly plans to resume next week by which time President Muhammadu Buhari would have returned home from the US. The National Assembly has been embroiled in crisis since the June 9th election of the Senate President, Deputy Senate president as well as Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker.

AUDI Arabia has broken up an organization linked to the Islamic State group, and arrested 431 of its members, mostly Saudis.

Authorities have "managed over the past few weeks to destroy an organisation made of a cluster of cells, which is linked to the terrorist Daesh organisation," the interior ministry said yesterday, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Network members were engaged in a "plot managed from areas of unrest abroad, with the aim of sowing sectarian sedition and spreading chaos", the ministry said.

The cells were involved in several attacks and plots, including deadly suicide bombings at Shiite mosques in the kingdom's Eastern Province, it said.

The ministry said that authorities foiled attacks plotted during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, including a bombing at a mosque belonging to security forces in Riyadh and Shiite mosques in Eastern Province.

The group also plotted to attack a diplomatic mission, the statement said without elaborating.

Among those detained are 144 people accused of supporting the network by "spreading the deviant ideology on the internet and recruiting new members".

The Islamic State group, which considers Shiites to be heretics, claimed responsibility for the mosque attacks.

IS controls swathes of neighbouring Iraq and Syria, and has claimed widespread abuses including the beheading of foreign hostages.

It has expanded its operations in the region, also claiming an unprecedented attack on a Shiite mosque in Kuwait, and several attacks in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Gulf neighbours last year joined a US-led military coalition bombing IS in Syria, raising concerns about possible retaliation in the kingdom.

Interior Minister Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef said after a deadly mosque attack in May that Saudi Arabia's security remains "under control".

"Incidents such as this will not destabilise us. We have been through bigger ones," said the minister.

UN condemns terrorist attacks in Nigeria NITED Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday condemned the Boko Haram terror attacks which killed more than 60 people in Gombe and Damaturu over the last one week.

Ban reiterated the UN's support for the federal government in its fight against terrorism.

Fifty people were killed on Thursday at the Gombe main market as residents made last minute shopping ahead of the Eid el Fitr.

About 15 others were killed on Friday when three underage girls detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) moments before the Eid prayers in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

U

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

NEWS

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Gunmen abduct Odi compensation committee chairman O DI community in Bayelsa State has been thrown into confusion following the abduction of Compensation Funds Disbursement Committee Chairman, Prof. Zibokere Daukiye, by unidentified gunmen.

The riverine community

MTN chief wins PhD fellowship, grant

From: Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

has been engulfed in crisis since 1999 when federal troops under President Olusegun Obasanjo bombarded it to avenge the gruesome murder of security operatives by youths during the militancy era.

The community was awarded N 37.6 billion by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State but was later paid N15bn by the government after negotiation.

The N15bn compensation paid the community by the government after series of le-

gal actions has also unsettled the people in the area following alleged diversion of a chunk of the money.

It was gathered that Daukiye, amidst controversies, was appointed by stakeholders in the community to manage disbursement of the compensation funds which had torn the people

apart.

The unknown gunmen were said to have stormed the community on Friday.

It was gathered that they arrived the area on a speedboat through the community’s river.

The gunmen were said to have caused panic in the com-

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

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HE Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, Bayo Adekanmbi, has won a global inter-school PhD research competition.

The fellowship focuses on academic doctoral research that solves real world problems.

Adekanmbi’s thesis, Algorithmic Pricing Optimisation for the Emerging Digital/Social Business Model was adjudged the most industry-relevant PhD research work because of its profound theoretical construct and real-world application.

For attaining this laudable feat, the MTN boss has been awarded a grant and consequently requires dedicated time to further develop his proposed model with simulated market experimentation.

He is expected to execute the field work of his doctoral research work in London and Mumbai.

According to him: “I am really looking forward to the opportunity to contributing my quota to the next frontier of knowledge that will shape the mobilised future of integrated telecoms, commerce, retail, education, entertainment and multi-lifestyle solutions.”

MTN, Corporate Services Executive, Akinwale Goodluck said: “MTN has strong leadership bench mark.

This aligns with our talent management and leadership development.

“We are therefore pleased to give Bayo our full support and we wish him the very best as he proceeds on sabbatical to take on this new challenge.”

NOA to parents: Don’t allow wards to be used as suicide bombers From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

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HE National Orientation Agency (NOA) has advised parents and religious leaders to monitor their wards and followers, especially under-aged children so as not to fall into the hands of sponsors of insurgency.

NOA’s Director General, Mike Omeri, stated this in an open letter in Abuja in the wake of discoveries that the insurgents now use under–aged children to convey explosives.

Omeri said it has been observed that the insurgents have resorted to increased use of females and the under-aged to perpetrate acts of terrorism, including suicide bombings and placement of explosives devices in high population areas.

munity by firing staccato of gunshots into the air to scare residents.

Residents were said to have fled to many direction for safety as the gunmen invaded the residence of Daukiye.

A source who spoke in confidence said: “They seized him and bundled him to the riverbank. They shot their way out of the community and disappeared in the creeks. It was a scary sight”.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident in Yenagoa.

He said: “A manhunt has been launched by a combined team of Marine Police, anti-kidnapping unit and JTF to rescue the victim and arrest the abductors”.

Buhari, Jonathan Obasanjo, others eulogise Asika

P L-R: Director General, Deutsche Welle, Petter Limbourg; Chairman, Channels Television, John Momoh; his vice, Mrs. Sola Momoh and Consul General, Federal Republic of Germany, Lagos, Michael Derus after the signing of a pertnership pact with Deutsche Welle (DW) at Channels corporate office on Lagos-Ibadan expressway... at the weekend.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

New electricity tariff likely in October

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HE planned upward review of electricity tariff by the electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) nationwide may take effect later in October, The Nation has learnt.

Investigations revealed most of the Discos are still consulting widely ahead of the planned tariff review.

It would be recalled that the planned upward review of tariff by the Discos had become a subject of litigation at a Lagos High Court.

A lawyer, Adebiyi Toluwani, prayed the court to stop the move to increase electricity tariff.

But the Discos are holding public forum pending when the matter would be resolved.

Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) was the first to give notice on tariff increase, other DISCOs soon followed with consultations and debates over the move.

Consumers have rejected the move to adjust electricity tariff, arguing that review would only be accepted after

• Discos support 10-14% review for 10 years

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf necessary infrastructure for constant supply and credible tariff charge have been put in place.

The guidelines set by NERC expects Discos to submit consultation papers stating what they intend to do with the views of the different customers under their networks.

The consultation paper defines what their energy plans and must be uploaded to the websites of the Discos.

Speaking at separate interviews with The Nation yesterday, some of the Discos said the proposed tariff was inevitable as most of them were running at a loss.

Electricity consumers in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa states may pay more for power consumed by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company.

The Manager, Corporate Communications, PHED, Mr.

Jonah Iboma, said the proposal for a review of the tariff was based on the directive by NERC to the electricity distribution companies to charge what they considered fair to their sustenance.

“We began the public consultative forum last Monday which will end by Friday.

After this, we hope to send a proposal to NERC because we can’t increase tariff ourselves.

“We are planning to increase tariff gradually. For us, the timeline we’re targeting is September or October.

“We may propose between 10-14 per cent increase annually for the next 10 years.

Even then, we would still be running at a loss.”

The Head of Communication and Strategy, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Mr. Olaonipekun Adeyanju, who spoke with our correspondent on phone, said the company was putting final touches to the customer forum notice, which holds

later this week.

“On our part we are still doing wide consultation. We hope to hold a public forum this week.

“As part of NERC guidelines on tariff review, we’re expected to publish the public consultative papers before we make representation to the NERC. We are still far from where we are going.”

The management of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc plans to hold its maiden public consultation with customers on Tariff Review, according to its Head, Public Affairs, Mr. Paul Ikwu.

Ikwu stated that the move to hold the consultation was in strict compliance with the directive of the NERC that the Discos should hold such consultation before any tariff review.

According to him, the public consultation would be held across Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Benue states under their supervision.

South Africa provides ID cards for 400 IDPs

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O fewer than 400 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday received identity cards.

The distribution carried out at the Area 1 and New Kuchingoro camps in Abuja was courtesy of the South African High Commission in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Institute (NMI).

Some of the details in the cards include names of the displaced persons, photographs, states of origin, ID numbers, signatures and location of camps.

The South African High

From: Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja Commissioner in Nigeria Ambassador Mnguni Lulu said the gesture was in commemoration of the 2015 Nelson Mandela International Day Celebration.

The envoy, who also presented IDP Support Booth to the camps, said the embassy and NMI would replicate the gesture in other camps within the city so that the displaced persons do not feel marginalised.

“We have given the IDP Support Booth which they will use as an administration centre so that whoever wants to

communicate with them knows where to find them.

“We also help provided generators for them to have electricity; we also brought in some food stuff with the truck here.”

Lulu, who said South African would continue to support Nigeria in its effort at tackling the Boko Haram menace, stated the visit to the camps was to improve the quality of lives of the displaced and to promote the legacy of Mandela.

The Director, Development, Nelson Mandela Institute, Olajide Babatunde, said the institute would ensure that the children in this camp are

educated.

According to him: “We are building a university in Abuja called the African University of Science and Technology.

“Mandela believed that education is the great engine of human development,” Babatunde said.

The Chairman of IDPs in Area 1, Ibrahim Ahmadu, expressed gratitude to the South African High Commission and the Nelson Mandela Institute.

He appealed to the federal government to sustain the fight against the insurgency so that normalcy will be restored to the troubled spots.

R E S I D E N T Muhammadu Buhari, former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd.) were among prominent Nigerians who condoled with the family of the late Chief (Mrs.) Chinyere Asika.

Asika, who died on May 3, was 75.

Buhari, in a letter of condolence, said: “Chief (Mrs.) Asika leaves behind a rich legacy of dedicated service and outstanding achievements in public.

“Her contributions to the development of Nigeria testify to her patriotism and enduring faith in Nigeria, like her husband, the late Dr. Ukpabi Asika, the former Administrator of the defunct East Central State.”

To former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who appointed Asika as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on NEPAD from 2002 to 2007, the deceased “stood shoulder- toshoulder with other notable personalities in Africa and was well respected among her counterparts from within and beyond the shore of Nigeria.”

Jonathan said: “Hers was, indeed, a life truly worthy of celebration.”

Gowon described Asika as “an uncommon believer in Nigeria.”

He recalled the contributions of her husbands, Dr Ukpabi Asika, former administrator of East Central State and the deceased to the post civil war reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts of the federal government.

According to him: “Ukpabi and Chinyere formed a solid Eastern team that strongly believed in Nigeria, much against the popular belief of their people.

“Chinyere was strongwilled and she associated courageously and without reservations with her husband’s views on one nation for us all regardless of whether one was from the East, West or the North.”

The lying-in-state holds on Wednesday, July 22 at her residence, 22 Niger Drive GRA, Onitsha while funeral and Internment will be at All Saints Cathedral Onitsha on Friday July 24.

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Ondo APC to PDP: Apologise to Nigerians for bad governance From Damisi Ojo, Akure HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has called on former President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to apologise to Nigerians for inflicting what it called "bad governance and mismanagement of the country's resources for 16 years, and most particularly in the last six years."

In a statement made available to reporters in Akure, the state capital, the Publicity Secretary of the party Abayomi Adesanya, said with the huge mess inherited by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, nothing short of tendering an unreserved apology by Jonathan and his party would assuage the pains suffered by Nigerians for 16 years.

The party added, "Jonathan and PDP brought this country into domestic and international odium and disrepute, serious economic crisis, insecurity, u n e m p l o y m e n t , unprecedented corruption at all levels, abuse of state apparatus (Military and Police), disobedience of court orders, religious crisis and ethnicity, among others.

"But rather than for PDP and Jonathan to be remorseful and apologetic, they were making unwarranted excuses and coverup that is baseless and insulting to the sensitivity of Nigerians."

It added, "It is laughable listening to the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, saying his party was considering 30 days before appraising President Muhammadu Buhari's government.

"Only of recent, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, disclosed that the current administration under Buhari has increased Nigeria's foreign reserves from $29 billion to $31.89 billion in just one month.

"What more, the anti-graft bodies that were hitherto moribund, are now active and responsive, docking former governors and bureaucrats."

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Political office holders charged to be prudent From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo ORMER President and Chairman in Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Dr. Segun Aina, has charged political office holders to be prudent in their use of the nation's resources.

Speaking at a workshop organised by his NonGovernmental Organisation, Segun Aina Foundation (SAF), for its members of Board of Trustees, Advisory Council and beneficiaries, Aina blamed the cash crunch being experienced at all the levels of government on lack of prudence on the part of some of the custodians of the country's common patrimony.

Aina, who is a renowned industrialist and member of the last National Constitutional Conference, expressed dissatisfaction with the inability of some states to pay their workers' salaries, while attributing this development to alleged "financial recklessness of public funds by public officials."

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

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1004 residents, facility firm clash over service charges S ome residents of the popular 1004 flats in Victoria Island yesterday protested what they described as exorbitant service charges by the facility manager, 1004 Nigeria Limited.

They also said they have fired the CEO of the facility firm, Samuel Ukpong.

The aggrieved residents accused Ukpong of gross mismanagement, lack of transparency and accountability.

But Ukpong dismissed his purported sack, wondering how residents who did not hire him or the firm can turn around to sack him.

Chairman of the Residents and Landlord Association of the Estate, Tayo Soetan, said: "The bone of contention is very simple. We all bought flats here when UPGC/Union Homes offered to sell flats to the general public.

"We did this with the expectation that we were

By Yetunde Oladeinde

moving into an Estate that would be well managed.

"Trouble started when the core investors exited from the Estate in early 2011 and handed it over to a company called HISPANIA, which was purported to be a foreign company. But upon search at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), we found out that it belonged to two individuals, Samuel and one Mr. Akin.

"Over a couple of months, we discovered that HISPANIA was just a name and we had been deceived to believe that a foreign company was taking over 1004 Estate.

"But it turned out to be a core set of individuals, who were either former or current UPGC/UAC staff."

He went on: "Since Ukpong took over, nobody has known

peace in this Estate. When we moved in, power was being sold at N50 per kilowatt hour and the excuse that UPGC gave us was that it was because the Estate was not fully occupied.

"They promised then that by the time we have full occupancy, the power rate would drop. When it peaked at 95 per cent rather than bring down the rate, Ukpong increased it by 50 percent and we started paying N75 naira."

He continued, "The association had been in existence before he took over and he has done everything to bypass, sideline and demonise it.

"As at today, he has not given an account for all the monies that have been collected in four years. We decided to employ KPMG to audit the account of the service

charge we pay and the power consumed.

"He agreed, but as at time went by, he refused and KPMG had to pull out, while the money we paid to the company had to be forfeited.

We have therefore served him notice of termination."

Reacting, Ukpong said: "These few disgruntled residents are those that cannot afford living in a luxurious apartment like this.

"They want to bring this place down, because they want to be suppliers of diesel. The purported sack is laughable because they did not hire me or the firm. They are not investors or shareholders.

How can they ask us for account? It would interest you to know that many of the troublemakers are tenants, not flat owners.

"We are service providers; over 90 percent are impressed by us, but these few tenants are out to foment trouble."

• L-R: Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni; Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, Baba Adinni of Lagos, Abdulafeez Abou and former Minister of Works, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, during the Ramadan prayer at Obalende praying ground in Lagos at the weekend.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

University pensioners petition Buhari over plan to defraud members T HE Federal University Pensioners Association (FUPA) has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by a federal government agency, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), to perpetrate fraud against its members.

The pensioners have forwarded a Save Our Soul (SOS) to President Muhammadu Buhari asking on him to intervene and checkmate the "well designed plot to make life more difficult for us in spite of our vulnerability."

Speaking at the Centre for Awolowo Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the Chairman, Obafemi Awolowo University chapter of the Federal University Pensioners Association, Comrade Joseph Olulayo Akintaro, alleged that the agency was planning to

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From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

bring the FUPA under its direct management in order to make its plot sail through.

According to Akintaro, who was accompanied by the association's officers, including the Secretary and Financial Secretary, Comrade Elijah Adeniyi Osungade and Comrade Jacob Akinwunmi Falodun respectively, it was imperative to bring the development to the attention of the president because of its far-reaching implications.

He accused PTAD of lodging over N1.2 billion of the pension fund of its members in the bank for one week in order to attract interest from the deposited sum to itself.

Akintaro, who disclosed that PTAD was established by the former Minister of Finance,

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to manage pension funds of 378 agencies, maintained that the high number of many agencies being managed by PTAD could be counterproductive and susceptible to corruption.

Also speaking on the issue, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Awolowo Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance, Prof. Moses Akinola Makinde, decried the late payment of pensions under any guise.

Makinde added that PTAD should be made to pay the N1.2 billion pension it fixed in the bank with the interest to the beneficiaries.

He also suggested that pension funds should not be subjected to taxation, adding that it was criminal to deduct

between 20 and 33 percent tax from pension of the nation's senior citizens, who had contributed to the national growth.

He said: "Pensioners are well treated in civilised countries like Britain, United States and others where they enjoy heavy welfare packages like free transport, highly subsidised houses, food and medicare, none of which is within the reach of Nigerian pensioners. It is regrettable that the young are cheating the aged.

"Only a corrupt government would watch when an agency is appropriating the sweat of the senior citizens under a very dubious scheme. Staggering of pension payment must stop.

Those indulging in this act are doing so to delay payment and accrue interest from the fund to themselves. This is a wicked act."

NASS crisis: Solution in sight, says Rep

member of the House of Representatives from Ondo State, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, has expressed optimism that the leadership tussle in the National Assembly will be resolved before it reconvenes on July 28.

Babatunde, who spoke to our correspondent in a chat, disclosed that series of meetings

From Damisi Ojo, Akure have been held by members loyal to the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and his main rival, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

While reiterating that members of the House have resolved to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the country, Babatunde added that the peace

committee set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors headed by the former Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, had met with major stakeholders in the crisis to resolve the issue.

The lawmaker added that the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari has also assisted in

resolving the leadership crisis in the House.

The lawmaker, however, noted that the appointment of Lasun Yusuf as the Deputy Speaker may affect the choice of Gbajabiamila as the Majority Leader of the House since he comes from the same geo-political zone as the deputy speaker.

Osun: Disquiet over opposition summit

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Yoruba socio-political group, Coalition of Yoruba SelfDetermination Group (COSEG) at the weekend, warned opposition politicians in the state against hiding behind any proposed summit to precipitate violence in the state.

The group said it was aware of a clandestine meeting held in Osogbo by some individuals who claim to be working towards organising a summit on the state of education and finances in Osun State to, according to them, "bail out Osun from its crisis on education and finances."

In a statement signed by COSEG's Chairman, Oludayo Ogunlana and Secretary, Rasaq Olokooba, the group said, "Information reaching us indicates that some people met at one hotel in Osogbo on Friday and resolved to pretend to be organising a summit on education and the finances of the state and invite some scholars and finance experts.

"We also have it on good authority that this so-called summit is aimed at creating confusion by orchestrating violence on the participants and thereafter blame the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

"We have been informed that those who attended the meeting include a known member of the opposition from Lagos, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, former governorship aspirants, Niyi Owolade and Dr. Oladimeji."

COSEG said to the best of its knowledge, the education summit organised by the state government in 2011 is the basis for the ongoing massive reforms in the state's education sector.

It added, "Anybody who has been following the education sector in Osun knows that the massive infrastructure upgrade in the sector is unprecedented. The state currently boasts about 50 mega schools out of several that are also undergoing construction across the state.

"This is in addition to recruitment of about 6,000 teachers in critical subjects and other reforms such as introduction of a learning device called Opon Imo, reclassfification of schools into more functional categories of Elementary, Middle and High School and increase in funding among others.

"We must never fail to state that among states owing salaries, Osun has more developmental projects to prove that the Aregbesola administration has been very prudent and focused on good governance.

The group also said that Osun's finances remains a model for any state especially with similar challenges of revenue generation and development needs.

Ex-Osun CJ dies

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former Chief Judge of Osun State, Hon Justice Olatunde Oluborode, (Rtd.) is dead.

The late jurist, according to a statement from his immediate family, was 80.

The family said burial details will be announced later.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

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ORE than a month after its inauguration, the National Assembly has been wobbling because of the inability of the Senate and the House of Representatives to elect its principal officers in a peaceful, credible and transparent manner. Rather than settling down for business, the new leaders of both chambers have been performing Executive functions by entertaining courtesy calls, solidarity visits and globetrotting in search of legitimacy and acceptance by the public.

The implosion within the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the two chambers has grounded legislative activities leading to an unnecessary and long recess to allow tempers to cool down.

While Nigerians are looking forward to July 21 for the National Assembly to reconvene, the much-needed peace appeared not in sight as resumption from recess was shifted again to July 28.

According to a highly-placed source, the "postponement of resumption is to enable us calm frayed nerves and agree at amicable resolution of the issues at stake."

There are four things in contention to redirect the APC in the National Assembly.

These are: convincing the aggrieved Senators and House of Representatives members to accept the June 9 election of principal officers as a fait accompli; prevailing on the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to abide by the party's decision on sharing of principal officers to accommodate Sen. Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Inside the war without end Since the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, things have fallen apart to the extent that it has been difficultfortheSenateandtheHouseofRepresentatives tosettledownforbusiness.Inthispiece,YUSUFALLI, MANAGING EDITOR, NORTHERN OPERATION examines the multi-dimensional intrigues, its consequences and the ways out. groups; coming up with political solutions which will reunite APC caucus in the National Assembly and ward of infiltration by the Peoples Democratic Party; restoration of party supremacy to enable the President focus on the CHANGE agenda

The demands For Saraki and Dogara, they are savouring the moment because they have gone to the negotiation table from a position of strength having been elected or crowned as leaders of the Senate and the House. Even their mien had been

suggestive of a pyrrhic victory. But the Lawan and Gbajabiamila groups, which are loaded with the intelligentsia and principled leaders, have risen above their 'losses' to insist on what is right and deference to the supremacy of the party.

All the actors had used the past three weeks to hold meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, party leaders and elders, and the National Executive Committee. The crux of the matter is how to strike a deal between Saraki-Dogara alliance and the APC/ Lawan and Gbajabiamila groups on the demands of the latter.

The template for negotiation was set by the All Progressives Congress. The position of the leadership of the APC was contained in two separate letters to the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, by the National Chairman of the APC, Odigie-Oyegun . The June 23 letter to Saraki, referenced APC/NHDQ/ NAM/01/015/05, said: "Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party, after extensive consultations for the 8th Senate as follows: Sen. Ahmed Lawan (Majority Leader)--North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Chief Whip)--South-West; Sen. George Akume (Deputy Majority Leader)--North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim (Deputy Chief Whip)---North-West.

A similar letter, APC/NHDQ/NAM/ 01/015/06, to the Speaker said: "Please find

•Contd. on page 10

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•Contd. from page 9 below for your necessary action: names of principal officers approved by the party after extensive consultations for the 8th House of Representatives as follows: Femi Gbajabiamila (House Leader)---South-West; Alhassan Ado Doguwa (Deputy House Leader)---North-West; M. T. Monguno (Chief Whip)---North-East; and Pally Iriase (Deputy Chief Whip)--South-South. This comes with the assurances of my highest regards."

Despite the template, Saraki with his Like Minds Senators went ahead to defy APC and selected its own principal officers: In a July 1 session with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Gbajabiamila group tabled its case and was unwavering in asking Dogara to respect the party's wish.

It said: "On June 9, 2015, 174 APC members in the House faithfully and loyally followed the directives of the party to vote for Femi Gbajabiamila and Mongunu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker while 39 other APC members colluded with the opposition party, the PDP, to elect the current Speaker and Deputy Speaker with only eight votes superiority.

"The party directive was based on the mock primaries conducted for all aspirants to the two positions. Whereas the candidates of the majority (Gbajabiamila and Mongunu) openly congratulated the winners and continued to cooperate with them in the House, the opposition and the 39 APC members continued to hold the APC leadership in contempt. Whereas, we the 174 party faithful and loyalists had been obedient to the party, what shall be the reward of our loyalty to the party?

"The party has chosen not to punish the 39 APC members including the elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker, but chose to direct, as it is customary and conventional, on how the other four (4) principal officers should be distributed.

Alas! The opposition and the 39 members continue to hold the ruling party in contempt by disobeying the party "Whereas, the beneficiaries of the disobedience are citing Federal Character Principle as the main reason for their disobedience, His Excellency should note that (a) During the 6th Assembly (2007-2011), the following Officers were elected from the NORTH WEST: (I) The president and Commander in Chief, (ii) Ismaila Kawu and (III) Mutawalle--two occupied two out of the four principal officers positions of the Minority Party, (iv) Aminu Tambuwal was elected Deputy Chief Whip. "(b)Also during the 7th Assembly, the following officers in Government were elected from the NORTH WEST: (I) The Vice President, (II) The Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, (III) Ismaila Kawu, Deputy Minority Leader, (IV) Garba Datti, Deputy Minority Whip. There was never an issue of Federal Character in these instances.

"It should be noted that the Federal Character principle as embedded in Chapter of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) IS NOT JUSTICIABLE AND OF NO LEGAL CONSEQUENCE. Its provision in S.14 of the Constitution is only applicable to appointments in Federal Ministries and Agencies. The House of Representatives is not an Agency of the Federal Government and the Principal officers positions are elective and not by appointment. If the federal character is applicable to the National Assembly, then both the Senate President and the Speaker cannot come from the North, one of them should be advised to step down."

The Lawan group had also made presentations at separate meetings with the President and Oyegun alongside the Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawal Shuaib, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Segun Oni, and the National Secretary of APC, Mallam Mai Mala Buni.

Will 'cold war' in the

•Saraki

According to findings, the meeting was able to chart a "way forward" on how to reunite all APC Senators in the 8th Senate.

At the end of the meeting, the Lawan group made the following demands: o APC leadership should instil discipline and intervene in the choice of some principal officers in the Senate. o It is better to leave the choice of some principal officers to APC than zonal caucuses in order not to further divide the governing party o Ranking must be considered in the selection of principal officers. o Concession of some principal offices to the Unity Forum including Ahmed Lawan (Majority Leader); George Akume (Deputy Majority Leader); Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Senate Whip); and Abu Ibrahim(Deputy Whip). o Reconciliation is possible if Saraki group does not play the politics of winnertakes- all o PDP should not be allowed to produce any principal officer except those due to it as the minority party in the Senate The negotiation so far When the hostility was intense, the APC called a meeting of the National Executive Committee meeting to douse the tension, despite higher expectations, the session could only attract a commitment to party supremacy from all leaders (including Saraki, Dogara, Lawan and Gbajabiamila) and groups; a pledge to work for peace and success of APC administration; and it acceded to the request of the APC governors to wade in the crisis. The governors have set up two committees including Aminu Tambuwal Panel to resolve the crisis of confidence in the House and Governors Atiku Bagudu andAdams Oshiomhole Intervention Committee for the Senate.

A source, privy to the activities of the two committees, said: "The two committees have met only once with all the gladiators before the National Assembly went on recess. The key actors presented their terms for peace.

"I think the committees will use the next one week to allow the key actors to negotiate and agree on some terms. The pressure is on Saraki and Dogara to demonstrate their loyalty to the party by accommodating the aggrieved."

So far, only Dogara appears to have

•Dogara

come up with a variant of the party's advice.

He has partially accepted to accommodate the Gbajabiamila group but he tactically rejected the party's nominees. Out of the four principal offices, Dogara only conceded two to the Gbajabiamila group, including House Leader and Chief Whip.

In a July 16 letter to Oyegun, Dogara, who hid under Federal Character Principle after emerging as the Speaker said: "Consequently sir, we propose the following zoning arrangement for the distribution of principal offices in the House of Representatives. Speaker-Yakubu Dogara (North-East); Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Sulaimon Lasun (South-West); House Leader (North-West); Deputy House Leader (North-Central); Chief Whip (South-South) and Deputy Chief Whip (South-East).

"Above proposal satisfies the provisions of Order 1 of our Rules and Constitutional provision on Federal Character and gives all parts of Nigeria a sense of belonging. The proposal will also obviate all pending court cases filed by some zonal caucuses on the matter.

"To resolve this problem, we had offered that some of the aggrieved members of our party (APC) who lost the election for the office of the Presiding Officers should produce some of the remaining Principal Officers for peace to reign. For emphasis, we have conceded the position of the Leader of the House and Chief Whip to those aggrieved as long as the persons do not come from the North-East or SouthWest zones that have already produced the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

"In any case sir, I pledge as the Speaker of the House, to accommodate other colleagues of ours in the party list, who may not be taken care of by this arrangement, with other commensurate appointments or other existing opportunities for service to the nation.

"We owe a duty to lay the truth bare as we have done in this case. The party in conjunction with governors, national leaders and the APC caucuses in the House may agree otherwise as the saying goes: 'volenti non fit injuria'. Our party must not have the undistinguished honour of setting a precedent outside of the provisions of the constitution and the Rules of the House."

Investigation revealed that Saraki has

not made any substantial concession other than the outstanding office of the Chief Whip which is yet to be filled. With benefit of hindsight of a list coming from the party, Saraki played a fast one by filling some principal offices in order to have an excuse that event has overtaken the party's advisory. The power sharing formula so far in the Senate is as follows: President of the Senate, Saraki (North-Central); Senate Leader, Ali Ndume (North-East); Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na'Allah (NorthWest); and Deputy Chief Whip, Francis Ailimikhena (South-South). A reliable stakeholder said: "Saraki's body language has indicated that he will not empower Lawan and Akume because they are capable of a political rebound which can undermine his Senate Presidency. He is also looking at the bigger picture of the politics in APC. He knows that party leaders, who are backing Lawan and Akume, can spring a surprise any time.

"I think the Like Minds will only concede the Chief Whip and some juicy committees to Lawan and Akume in the Unity Forum if only they will be loyal to his leadership. The same Saraki is in league with the leaders of the New PDP in APC to influence Dogara not to shift ground."

The main setbacks for negotiation The battle ahead is still complicated with each of the warring groups engaging in subtle underground war. For instance, the pro-Dogara loyalists have not withdrawn the suit against Gbajabiamila's eligibility in a court in Abuja because of the fears of a likely political resurgence if it becomes imperative to remove Dogara.

Certainly the Gbajabiamila group is unhappy that those backing Dogara could move to tarnish its arrowhead's image. This is a thaw in the ongoing negotiation.

In the Senate, the Like Minds is unforgiving of the decision of the Unity Forum to write a petition to the InspectorGeneral of Police on the purported forgery of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as Amended). The implication of the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu created an upset in the Senate and it has changed reconciliation equation with the Unity Forum. The outcome of the police investigation will determine many things in the Senate.

Another setback is the involvement of

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NEWS REVIEW

National Assembly end?

•Gbajabiamila

Governor Aminu Tambuwal in the reconciliation process. As a leader, who was neck-deep in supporting Dogara, he needs more reconciliation than some of the key actors in the National Assembly drama.

Options available to Saraki, Lawan, Dogara and Gbajabiamila While it is difficult, remote and impossible to conduct a fresh election of principal officers in the two chambers, the conspiracy of June 9 will continue to haunt the 8th National Assembly. But findings revealed that there are four options out of the woods. Ironically, each of the options has its cost. These include abiding by the party's directive, adopting a winner-takesall strategy as presently the case by Saraki and Dogara, working out a political solution in the interim to share offices and committees before adjustment later and leaving the National Assembly perpetually on the edge to pave the way for musical chair in both chambers.

Abiding by the party's directive Although the APC is being turned into a toothless bulldog by the camps of Saraki and Dogara by ignoring its advice on sharing of principal officers, it will pay the two groups to have some modicum of respect for party supremacy. Shunning the party will amount to destroying the platform with which they won election into the National Assembly. If they have their way, they may not have the last laugh in any party they may belong to realize their aspirations in 2019, even after the looming realignment of forces. Their future political alliance partners will henceforth be more circumspect in dealing with them. Dogara was quick to realize this when he hid under the Principle of Federal Character in the constitution to produce a variant of party's directive for peace to reign. It was a partial compliance with the party's directive after much pressure. The ball is however in Saraki's court whose only concession might be zoning the Chief Whip to Prof.

Sola Adeyeye in Lawan's group of Unity Forum. He finds it difficult to ask Senator Ali Ndume (Senate Leader) and other Principal Officers to step down because he has boxed himself into a corner with all manner of concessions and platitudes to get the coveted seat. As a politician with his eyes on 2019 presidency, he feels obliged to honour these subterranean and

•Lawan

conspiratorial agreements at the expense of the APC because it is about his personal aspiration in the future. The alliance between Saraki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also made him to be on a tight rope. If Saraki listens to APC and sacrifices the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, who is more adept in diplomatic and concession politics, he will lose his much-cherished Senate Presidency. He has to run a pliant administration for both APC and PDP members in the Senate.

But as 2019 approaches, the PDP may also bare its fangs and clip the wings of Saraki by conspiring with APC Senators to remove him from office to checkmate his presidential ambition. Overall, respecting APC's directive will give Saraki more respite than the marriage of inconvenience with PDP. Adopting a winner-takes-all strategy This is an option with many consequences for Saraki and Dogara and the ultimate will be about presiding over a divided National Assembly. Senators and Reps will develop hyena relationship, conduct legislative business with mutual suspicion, disrupt sessions, frustrate bills and they may end up with less than 30 to 40 per cent performance. At the end of the day, the APC's Change Agenda might not be realized and the masses will be worse off. For Dogara with a victory of eight votes over Femi Gbajabiamila, he will be in a tinder box without enjoying every minute of his tenure. The winner-takesall attitude may also pitch the presidency against the National Assembly leaders because it will confirm intelligence report that some forces, who have an axe to grind with President Muhammadu Buhari, bankrolled Saraki and Dogara's election. The body language of the President has suggested that he is unhappy with Saraki.

At the Eid-el Fitr prayer in Abuja on Friday, while Saraki was adjusting his Alkimba (Special robe) to pose for photo shots with President Buhari, the latter remained unsmiling. No Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives had successfully, since 1999, fought a sitting Nigerian President and had his cake and ate it. The Senior

Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, spoke Buhari's mind when he said: "As a leader, the President has given guidance… His own position is that if the eye troubles you, whatever medicine you are going to apply, don't put a pin."

Leaving the National Assembly on the edge If Saraki and Dogara brave the odds and damn the consequences of Lawan and Gbajabiamila's groups, the 8th National Assembly will perpetually be under tension because the power equation can change at any time. To survive, Saraki and Dogara will spend a greater time in office appeasing one group or the other; making ridiculous concessions to different caucuses to stay afloat or they may be preoccupied with launching counter-plots against "political enemies." Apart from overstretching their personal and official resources, their desperation for survival might lead to high-handedness including reaching the temperamental stage of suspending some Senators and Representatives from the chambers.

Still revelling in their victory, Saraki and Dogara are confident that their removal from office is more difficult than their subterfuge election in the light of the provision of Section 50(2) (c) of the 1999 Constitution. The section says: "The President or Deputy President of the Senate or the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall vacate his office…if removed from office by a resolution of the Senate or of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, by the votes of not less than two thirds majority of the members of that House."

But the scenarios in the National Assembly between 1999 and 2003, which led to the emergence of four Senate Presidents and two Speakers have proved their assumption wrong because power game in the legislature is a "slippery" thing.

Once either the President of the Senate or the Speaker steps on the famous banana peel, getting two thirds is always easy.

A high-ranking Senator said: "The Senate and the House of Representatives will certainly witness musical chair and we may end up changing our leaders two

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or three times before the expiration of the 8th National Assembly.

"The way things are going now, I don't see the present leadership surviving the next two years unless Saraki and Dogara lower their gaiety and draw substantially from the survival magic of ex-President of the Senate, Chief David Mark, who was extremely humble with power.

"Look at how an attempt by Dogara to please a member of the House has backfired. He chartered a jet to go to Delta State and it has become a moral issue. Many faltering steps like this will arise in both chambers and such slips can lead to the change of guards.

"Money is a key weapon for retaining the loyalty of members of the National Assembly. These members used to ask for one allowance or the other and with a budget cut from N150billion to N120billion, there will be some belt-tightening which might not go down well with Senators and Representatives. They will become restive. The alternative is to abuse the oversight powers of the Senate and the House to hold MDAs to ransom for cash. The attendant scandal from oversight functions may prove fatal for the new leadership in the National Assembly.

It was also learnt that from the way Dogara is conducting his affairs, he is tied to the apron string of Saraki in deference to the alliance which brought the two leaders to power. He seems to draw confidence from Saraki because each time he agreed to some peace terms in the closet; he reneges in the open due to the fear of backlash.

Members of the House might not tolerate Dogara's servitude to Saraki for long because since 1999, the House of Representatives had always charted a vibrant and independentminded attitude in contrast to the Senate's docility. If Dogara does not sustain the template of House vibrancy and radicalism, he will be shoved aside by his colleagues.

What alternatives for Lawan, Akume and Gbajabiamila?

Certainly, there are four options available to Lawan, Akume and Gbajabiamila. These staying out of politics of Principal Offices in the Senate and House of Representatives because Saraki and Dogara will deliberately scheme them out; going back to the trenches to re-strategize to pave way for a speedy political recovery; accepting any token concessions from Saraki and Dogara as sacrifices for the overall survival of the 8th National Assembly; and allowing Saraki and Dogara to burn their political fingers. Since they enjoy the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC tomorrow is another day.

Which way out?

A disturbed President Muhammadu only succeeded in pricking the conscience of APC leaders at the maiden meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. Buhari said, "Let us as members of the APC, no matter our personal differences get together and use the mandate given to us by this country. This is my personal appeal to you in the name of God. Whatever your personal interest or ambition is, please keep it close to your heart and in your pocket."

But he needs to initiate an enlarged reconciliation process to reunite party leaders like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, ex-VP Atiku Abubakar, Chief Bisi Akande, Abubakar Kawu Baraje, former governors in New PDP who crossed over, and all members of the coalition which formed the APC. The APC leaders must return to the starting block for everything to come back to shape. It is a Herculean task but doable. Or else, the Cold War may persist in the party till 2019.

12

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

NEWS REVIEW

Ebola: 'Nigeria has reactivated W response mechanism' hat is the country doing to check importation of Ebola virus following its resurgence in Liberia?

Usually, when you have such outbreaks and it subsides, you unwind your response mechanism, in case of resurgence. So, the moment you start seeing element of resurgence again, you start reactivating the system. So, that is what we discussed today (last Friday) in the Ministry with the Permanent Secretary.

So, what are the things being put in place now together with the states and other stakeholders?

For instance, all the things that the states need to do- all the health education materials that we need to spread across the country, we are brushing them up. We want to reactivate the functions of EOC, though not full activation, but at some rudimentary level operations.

Then, we want to empower the Port Health Services to increase surveillance at all ports of entry where there is likelihood of entry, so they are now reactivating that again and so on and so forth. Of course, we are writing the government to say this is what is happening, we need special funding to buy and stock pile drugs, just in case and then reactivate centres where if you get a case, you will go and isolate. So, we are giving ourselves the next one week to be fully reactivated.

What about public enlightenment?

We have public enlightenment that is ongoing.

But it is all about money, but it is very expensive. Many people don't know this. So, we are calling on the Ministry of Information to join us. The past administration was able to do it by actually putting three ministries- information, health and science and technology together. So, the Minister of Information helped by bringing NTA and others to do it for us free of charge. But all we do now is to do interview, talk and enlighten people.

Are you also thinking about taking the fight against the disease to where it is now, by sending volunteers back to Liberia to avoid further spread?

We are helping them. We have 16 Nigerian experts there, the Acting Head of AU intervention, Dr. Obasanya is there, our team is there. We are helping them to put so much things on ground. And they are the ones that are on top of what is happening now.

Others have left it is only Nigerian people that are on ground now.

Is there any plan to send more volunteers to Liberia?

Well, it depends, taking more volunteers is money.

The last time, we trained 500, we sent 200. So if we can quickly reactivate the remaining 300. The 200 are back in the country because Liberia has been declared Ebola free, but because we are not sure, we left 16 there. It is as if we knew, now with this resurgence, those 16 Nigerians are working on it.

After our last intervention in Ebola outbreak in the subregion, a lot of controversies came up over payment of allowances to the volunteers and so on. Do you really have a list of allowances due to the

With the resurgence of Ebola virus in Liberia, Nigerians have again been placed on the red alert. In this interview, the Director, National Centre for Disease Control, Prof. Abdulsalam Nasidi spoke to VINCENT IKUOMOLA on Nigeria's preparation to tackle any resurgence as well as some sundry issues surrounding the volunteer voyage to Sierra Leone and Liberia.

•Nasidi volunteers because what they are saying is that they were not paid what they were entitled to?

Let me tell you something- there was an agreement between the Nigerian government and the African Union on what each of the party will do. The allowances were in categoriessome to be taken care of by the African Union, some by us. So, African Union is taking care of their own, we are taking care of our own. So, in the process of paying them the allowances here and there and so forth, we realized that some of them are getting allowances from the African Union and also coming to us to get the allowances also. So, as I am talking to you now, we have people that have received double payments. So, we said we have to suspend their payments. But it is not true that they are supposed to be paid something and we have refused to pay them. And they are blaming African Union that the African Union is not paying them. African Union is facing problems- we have to face reality. AU was promised $500 million or something to do the job by World Bank and many other donors, but it didn't get up to one tenth of that amount. So, it became a big problem for them (AU) to sustain this operation on the field. And we explained to these guys.

We told them that look, AU is not cheating you. It is just that they did not have the cash now to fully pay everybody, but they are working hard. So, there was delay in paying them. But as I am talking to you now, Obasanya confirmed to me two days ago that they have finalized their last pay. I am sure they will soon start seeing alerts. They

were there for six months, they got five months salaries, now there is records from the AU that some of them were overpaid, they have to even pay money back. The complaint against AU was that they were not paid in time and AU is even complaining that it is only Nigerians that were complaining. Others didn't complain- Ethiopians were there, Kenyans were there and so on and so forth. Let's control Ebola. If you controlled Ebola, then we can face ourselves.

But their complaint is that it is only the Nigerian contingent that was not well taken care of and were not paid the December and May salaries. How true is this?

Let me tell you- for all the contingents, the condition is that you must go back to your country before they release your money to you, so that people don't escape. Now, I don't know whether they didn't do it for other countries, but Obasanya told me that, and why should they leave only Nigeria out? The problem with the initial payments of their allowances was due to the fact that many of them have problems with their domiciliary accounts. Before we left Nigeria, we said how do you want to be paid? They said, oh, they want to open domiciliary accounts, we said fantastic. But when they went to Liberia, Sierra Leone to transmit money became a problem. You know why? If the money was paid in the local currency, particularly in Sierra Leone into their accounts from AU, to pay in dollars becomes a problem.

They are very strict in Sierra Leone, so the foreign exchange problems affected Nigerians particularly.

But the Ethiopians, their money was

not paid to them individually.

It was paid to their government. Can you do that to Nigerians? They won't agree. Nigerians want their money to be paid to them individually and we said yes, they should do it. The Nigerian government did not interfere in the payment.

Is it that there were no payments from the Nigerian government to the volunteers at all?

In Lagos, the Nigerian volunteers signed for some money.

They also complained that the $1000 that they were supposed to be paid before leaving the shores of this country was not paid to them.

I am hearing about this $1000 for the first time. Why should the Nigerian government pay them $1000?

But I know that they collected some money from us in Lagos.

What they were entitled to, we paid them. When we went to Lagos, they were supposed to be 250 invited to come for the training.

We actually shortlisted 504 for the volunteer work, the people they brought subsequently were about 300 plus that we contacted. So, by the time we were applying here for money, they said, no we cannot give you money for this, we can give you money for 220 or 250, I cannot remember the figure exactly, but that can be verified. So, we applied for that 250 to do the training in Lagos and all that.

But remember, the money is not only for training- we have to pay the media that covered the programme, the live training, we have to pay for some other services, feeding, stationeries because it is a crash programme. AU didn't pay for all that, but they don't

want to see that. We also paid for their tickets, we paid for their hotel accommodation in Lagos.

Do you have copies of the contract?

I will ask Mr. Obasanya to send me the copies of the contract. They signed the contracts and I have the picture where some of them were shaking me that tomorrow, they will appear at the airport, but we went to the airport, and we didn't see them. I led them to Liberia and Sierra Leone, I didn't have contract, I didn't have insurance. I didn't have anything. I risked my life to go there.

The twenty one days mandatory observatory for the volunteers, did they really observe that?

Let me tell you one thing.

If somebody goes to the country where there is Ebola and worked on the Ebola area, on return to his country he must be isolated for 21 days.

In my first recommendation, I said those coming from Liberia do not need it. They don't need to be quarantined, but we shall monitor their temperature for 21 days. Those coming from Sierra Leone, some will need, some will not need- those who worked with Ebola patients will need to be completely isolated. But the AU told us that no, 14 days, instead of the 21 days when they left Liberia they have already been removed from contacts with any patient with Ebola. So, no Nigerian volunteer had contacts with Ebola patients 14 to 21 days before leaving. But that doesn't mean that Nigeria should not do its own.

The government did not give penny. It was the transition period.

The President said there was no money; the SGF asked if we can we get Dangote? We got

money from Dangote.

Let's talk about the money budgeted for decontamination of First Consultants Hospital, Lagos In fact, the meeting with the Lagos State Commissioner of Health was recorded. So, the first thing we told them was that there was a problem, let's do something.

I invited the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, the WHO and so on. All of them came only on the third day. So, that meeting at the Ministry of Health in Lagos showed that at the beginning, the Ministry did not even understand the problem to be as big as it turned out to be. So, with that, they asked us, what should we do now? So, we immediately need to seal the hospital, not close it totally because if you close it and you push out the patients that were there, some of them will escape. So, I said let us do what is called open quarantine and that the immediate thing is to start the contamination of the hospital, all the territory and you start decontaminating all health facilities in Lagos. For 21 days, I didn't leave Lagos to prevent the escape of the virus to the Community. So, I now asked them in Abuja to apply for things that we need urgently.

But there was no immediate money, except the NCDC money. So, they quickly apply and I think they requested for N28 million to quickly get the things to decontaminate the hospital and the other places.

A whopping N28 million to decontaminate one hospital, don't you think that amount is too outrageous?

The places are listed, if you see the file, you will know that it is just a mischief. But the money didn't come out after 21 days and when it came out, I was already in Abuja. So, they brought it to my attention. I said No, Lagos State has made this money available and they have decontaminated. As I am sitting here, I spent my own money to start the decontamination. I bought the materials; we started decontamination before Lagos State bought its own materials.

What about the issue of isolation tent?

Let me tell you, there are isolation tents in the world that can cost N1 billion, the type in America. Didn't you hear about the one in Atlanta which they used about $200 million to put there? Anyway, I don't have anything to do with isolation tents; the Permanent Secretary doesn't have anything to do with isolation tents. A committee was set up to do it and luckily for me, I was not attending the meetings of the Committee.

My own interest was what they should be for the NCDC complete the mobile laboratories and so on. The wisdom with which the then Minister and the Permanent Secretary handled Ebola in terms of getting us to do what we have to do at the right time, they deserve national honours and I can say it anytime, anywhere. Look, the ability to decide immediately- I risked my life, I was in Lagos, I called everybody to join me. That girl who died was making tea for me. Most of the people talking now will come to that hospital and they will be afraid to enter.

Ropo Sekoni

13

Page 14

Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

The real pay cut tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

O

NE thing that cannot be taken away from President Muhammadu Buhari is his passionate interest in checking corruption in the country. Another is his disgust for the high cost of governance which he is desirous of reducing drastically, given his countenance and his electoral promises.

This should be expected from someone who rode to power on the crest of his anticorruption credentials. Apparently, it was as part of his intention to send appropriate signals to public functionaries that the era when public funds are spent anyhow is over that he announced the reduction of his monthly salary from about N1.2million approved by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), by 50 per cent.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, apparently taking a cue from this, also announced a personal reduction of his salary too by the same 50 per cent.

This can only be symbolic. It does not seem to me that it is going to have any dent on savings for the government. Indeed, if you ask me, the remuneration is small. I do not understand what the country’s First Citizen is expected to do with that. And I am being serious. Anyway, perhaps it was in consideration of how many minimum wage earners’ salaries his salary will pay monthly that the president felt he had to reduce his. He might have meant well, but he should not take the matter that far.

I am an advocate of good pay for a good job. And as far as I am concerned, we are only deceiving ourselves with the kind of salaries we pay our civil servants, even at the very top. If many of them who had retired had lived on their miserable pay alone, they would not be in a position to buy the official quarters they gave them the option of first refusal when they were leaving the civil service. That is even if they never spent a dime of their salaries in their 35 or so years in service, and even if they had been receiving the salaries they received at the point of exit right from when they joined the civil service.

So, President Buhari should continue to earn his salary as stipulated by the RMAFC. I am not going to concern myself with whether it is legal for him to reduce his salary via a letter instead of collecting the full pay first and now returning the half he has pledged to reduce it by to the government. For me, there can only be legal issues if the president decides to increase his pay himself, or directs that other people’s pay must be increased or reduced simply because he has reduced his own.

One thing I know for sure is that the president needs money to enable him fulfil his campaign promises. And quite unfortunately, many of those who are asking him to do miracle even as he is yet to settle down are those who looted the country’s treasury, necessitating the decision to slash his pay himself, as a way of sacrificing for the country. Now that it is the very people who looted the treasury that are asking for democratic dividend from Buhari, with what do they ex-

Buhari may mean well by reducing his salary, but that is usually not where savings will be made

•Buhari

pect him to do the magic? I guess the right place to begin is to make them cough up what they stole and not the self-denial by the president of a lawful and rational salary.

If therefore President Buhari is desirous of making money for government, he already has his job cut out for him. The appropriate place to begin is to insist that those who stole public funds, especially in the immediate past, should return same or face the music. What I am saying in essence is that, as for pursue, President Buhari must pursue the public officials who stole so much for Nigerians to notice. As for catching up, he must catch up with them. And as for retrieving the country’s money that they stole, he must retrieve the stolen funds.

This is the position I canvassed on this same page a few weeks back. We would be surprised at how much the country would recover from the shameless looters. It is only those of them who repent and return a substantial part of what they stole that we can be talking about forgiveness or plea bargain for.

But to be running from pillar to post, as former President Goodluck Jonathan was reported to have done last week due to his phobia for probe will not yield any result.

President Jonathan cannot feign ignorance that his government was damn corrupt; all of us said that even when he was in power.

But since he chose to see the massive looting as mere ‘stealing’, he should not start blaming anyone now that a king that does not think there is wisdom in distinguishing between stealing and corruption is in power.

“As for pursue, President Buhari must pursue the public officials who stole so much for Nigerians to notice. As for catching up, he must catch up with them. And as for retrieving the country’s money that they stole, he must retrieve the stolen funds ... He does not have to punish himself for the sins of his prodigal predecessors. ”

Moreover, President Buhari should prune the number of aircraft in the presidential fleet. We do not need 10 or 11 aircraft, gulping more than N10bn annually. It is a luxury we should not have any business with in the first place but for the profligacy of the immediate past. Also, Nigerians must be ready to resist the attempt to make law making a big deal that should deserve all manner of outrageous pay and comfort. People did this same job in the first and second republics and, in spite of the financial recklessness of the Alhaji Shehu Shagari era, there was still some sanity on the question of remuneration for the country’s law makers then. In spite of the over-pampering that our present law makers enjoy, they have not performed better than those of the past. The only thing they have excelled in is the outrageous wealth that they keep making and annoyingly display at the expense of the average Nigerian. Their pay and allowances must be revisited.

Furthermore, President Buhari should study the expenses at Aso Villa; there are too many areas where he could curb wastage there. We have had cause to shout in the past when we saw some of the budgets made in the villa for all manner of items; say on entertainment and feeding, generator sets, presidential pets and all. The president should continue to send the right signals about his seriousness to fight corruption.

This is not to say that President Buhari has not been sending some signal already. He had, only on July 8, for instance, rejected five new armoured Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222) valued at N400million cars for his use. The Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Nebolisa Emodi, who told President Buhari of the plan to buy the cars was not doing anything wrong or new; that had been the tradition – new president; new cars! But do we have to waste money changing such vehicles that have the best of attention and care simply because the users have changed? That is part of the ways money is wasted at the seat of power.

The president would do well to peg the number of special advisers at the 15 that he had sought the approval of the National Assembly to hire, as against the 23 hired by his predecessor. He should also have a look at the Orosanye committee report on the need to prune the present number of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) from the present 541. Of course the president may slightly increase or reduce the number further in view of the country’s present economic challenges and even the need to remove duplication of functions by some of these MDAs. He does not have to punish himself for the sins of his prodigal predecessors.

Sorry I couldn’t write last week.

It was due to circumstances beyond my control.

otufodunrin@thenationonlineng.net

08050498530(SMS only)

Visa processing hassles

G

ETTING visas to travel to many countries for Nigerians can be very tough.

Even when some applicants have necessary papers and meet all requirements, some embassies for reasons best known to them deny legitimate requests.

Some countries which ordinarily should allow Nigerians get visas at points of entry to travel to their countries come up with various reasons to deny our citizens visas, while some have some requirements which are hard to meet except one has no choice but to make the trip.

I remember having to abandon a trip to Thailand when I realised I have to get a Nigerian Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) clearance and a letter from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, among other documents.

I am not unaware of false claims by some applicants and visa rackets which have made foreign embassies to be suspicious of every application by Nigerians.

I know people who were granted visas for the right reasons, but did not return home after the expiration of their permit.

Notwithstanding the bad name some applicants have given the country, I think Nigerians still deserve better treatment than what some applicants are made to go through.

However, while Nigerians have cause to complain about how we are treated, our embassies also have to improve on processing of applications for other nationals.

Two cases have shown that the attitude to work by some of our embassy staff and other government officials involved in issuing visas and other accreditations leave much to be desired.

In the first case, two journalists from Kenya and South Africa working for an American media organisation applied for visas to cover the presidential inauguration of May 29. Though their applications were made months ahead of the event, non-issuance of media accreditation as at when required prevented them from getting the visa for the trip.

The media accreditation arrived few days to the inauguration and to the shock of the applicants, the one for Kenya was sent to South Africa, while the South African one was sent to Kenya.

Efforts to get the embassy officials to correct the error were rebuffed on the ground that the fault was from Abuja and not theirs. Expectedly, the journalists were enraged and found it difficult to understand why key officers in charge of such sensitive process could be lousy in the way they handle their assignments.

The second case is yet another instance of officials who should be responsible for sending documents from one of our consulate to Abuja for approval not sending them.

The mix up was also discovered late because those who should have noted it failed to do so until the last minute.

While we should subject every foreign application for visa or accreditation to thorough scrutiny as it is done to our citizens in other countries, the process should not be unnecessarily long.

We cannot afford to allow sloppy civil service approach which many government workers are used to, to further damage our already dented image in international circles.

Applications should either be granted or denied as promptly as possible.

The various arms of government involved in issuing any international approval document should give the process the due attention required like in other countries.

I once applied for a visa to France and was initially told that it would take some weeks to process. When I made a case for expeditious processing due to the date of the programme I was attending which was about three weeks from when I applied, my request was granted and I got the visa.

My recent visa application to South Africa was granted within a week.

The kind of complaint I have heard from some international journalists who have applied for Nigerian visa is not complimentary. There is a lot of room for improvement in our procedure.

14

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

COMMENT

Beyond ‘bailout’ for states (1) President Buhari and his advisers—economic and political—need to pay attention to the root-cause of the crisis that he has been able to solve patriotically within the first two months of his regime.

Q

UIBBLING about the proper definition of recent special grants to states to enable them meet their primary obligations to citizens in their employment is not as significant as coming to terms with how to move away from the political philosophy and federal governance model that made it irresistible in the first instance for states to run to the central government for special assistance.

It is therefore unnecessary to join hair-splitting arguments about whether the special grant passed from President Buhari’s central government to the 36 states last week falls, in the fashion of strict constructionism, into the category of bailout.

This is the first time that so many states were unable to pay workers’ salaries for months. Not being a common occurrence suggests that most of the states must have been under unexpected revenue pressure. It should not matter if the immediate cause of the failure of states to meet their contractual obligations to workers is traceable to decline in the price of oil and resultant decline in allocations to states from the federation account. What matters most is that both the central and state governments had shortfalls in their revenue and thus had to take loans. The federal government would have been as guilty as the states if it was not for the central government’s bigger access to loans in relation to the access of states to loan facilities—domestic or foreign.

There are many matters that should arise from the patriotic response of the federal government on this matter. While acknowledging the speed of response of President Buhari to this crisis, it is important for citizens to start looking at remote causes of failure of states to pay their workers, simply because those buying the country’s major foreign exchange earner, petroleum, are compelled to respond to the dynamic of supply and demand. Just as the coming to power of President Buhari and a progressive party encourages us to ask for changes, so should the decline in revenue from petroleum urge us to look beyond rushing funds to states to avoid the worst crisis in mod-

ern polities and societies: workers’ revolt. It is instructive to bring into focus a Yoruba proverb that says the problem of a physically handicapped person to carry his luggage dexterously stems from his physique.

The problem of the states in the last months with respect to salary arrears and to diverting pension funds to pay salary of workers in service may not be all traceable to mismanagement by individual state governors. This is not to say that poor judgment may not be a part of the crisis. What appears to be the most important cause of the crisis is the character of the country’s political and economic management.

President Buhari and his advisers—economic and political—need to pay attention to the rootcause of the crisis that he has been able to solve patriotically within the first two months of his regime. He needs to find out if he will always be in a position to give bailout to states if the culture of running a Manna Economy, such as has characterised governance in this country for decades continues. He also needs to ask himself if it is rational to grant whole scale bailout without ascertaining the impact of corruption on each state. More importantly, he needs to ask himself if all the assumptions that produced a system that was thrown into turbulence by a fall in oil price are right for managing a federal system that has over the years become a quasi-federal system that has been sustained by federal allocations.

One school of thought about how to prevent states from experiencing similar embarrassment again is to adopt the suggestion at the 2015 Jonathan National Dialogue that the central government take just 42% of revenue (as opposed to the current 52% the federal government takes) while states and local governments receive about 56%. This mindset is still beholden to the mistakes of the past. The real problem is the structural imbalance in the redesign of the federal system inherited at independence in 1960. Just as retired Colonel Kangiwa Umar said recently, the military dictatorships of the past made egregious mistakes in the balkanisation of the country into unviable mini-states.

Before 1966, each of the four regions had more powers of raising and spending revenues.

A related question is why the federal government would need up to 42%. Should the federal government face fewer functions such as defence, foreign relations, currency, rather than saddling itself with all functions imaginable, it should not need more than 20% while the remaining 80% should go to states and local governments to carry out most of the functions on the concurrent list. But this is not the big problem; the big problem is that we need to move away from the model that encourages states to rely on allocations from the federation account.

Under the military regimes of Manna Economy, during which the dominant mantra was “money was not the problem of Nigeria but how to spend it,” it was discouraging for political managers to look ahead and imagine negative scenarios such as we have today, and towards a time that oil might not bring as much easy flow of foreign exchange into the country. Even President Buhari has acknowledged the inevitability of the Manna Economy by saying that states should look for more IGR to supplement allocations from the centre. What happens in all other federal systems is that states, provinces, lander, use transfers from the central to supplement what they generate on their own. In other words, states in other federations across the globe are positioned by size, population, and natural endowments to leverage on their huge potentials to self-finance. Our federal system has been starkly different from what obtains in Australia, Canada, Germany, Mexico, United States of America, and United Arab Emirate, to name a few federal examples.

The legacy left by military dictators to the civilians that took over from them is one in which even automobile (vehicle registration and drivers’ licence) taxes are taken away from states and put in the hands of some federal agency. All customs, excise, port charges, and consumption taxes are, under the current system fashioned by military rulers, collected into the central pool for sharing among federal, state, and local governments, a commitment to make subnational governments to accept the centre/periphery relations imposed by military re-design of the Nigerian state between 1966 and 1999 in particular. Even civil-

ian rulers do not seem capable of thinking outside the box. If they were, no delegates at the last national dialogue would have mentioned creation of more states, let alone recommend moving the number of states from 36 to 55.

Otherwise, it would have occurred to delegates that increasing the number of states to 55 and increasing allocations to states and local governments from 42 to 56 would not change the fortunes of subnational governments in any noticeable way.

Giving bailout to states at times of financial emergencies is about the small picture. The big picture is thinking about and planning towards changing states and local governments from centres of consumption to sites of production. At both the corporate and personal levels, the country has gotten inured to a political and economic system that encourages laziness and fear of self-exertion to produce values. Just about every level of government has come to see as given a system of sharing funds from rents, rather than one of sharing responsibilities. In the short-term, preventing states from going into bankruptcy is a good gesture by President Buhari, who workers in Yoruba states now refer to as Aboki (friend) because of his immediate intervention in the financial crisis of states.

The long-term solution to the problem at all levels of government having to borrow to even pay government workers may lie in new thinking that includes asking why a country of this size needs 36 states and 774 local governments. Such thinking should also ask if the obsession with unity is justifiable if states have to be guzzlers of funds from rent collection. Just as Colonel Umar also observed, President Buhari needs to start thinking about whether the present 36 state systems with 36 bureaucracies and legislatures are sustainable in the long-run, even after we start mining another set of non-renewable minerals.

There is no better time for the country to come to terms with mistakes of the past. No federal system can survive, let alone thrive, on the strength of handouts from one level of government to other levels.

•To be continued

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

COMMENT

15

Budgetary brigandage The National Assembly should not be allowed to execute the contradiction of determining how much it spends

N

IGERIA’S National Assembly, the legislature, is assigned a pivotal role in achieving good, accountable, transparent and effective governance under the country’s presidential system of government. Apart from its specialised function of law making in a tripartite separation of powers that sees the executive implementing laws and the judiciary adjudicating disputes, the National Assembly is given broad oversight functions over all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Section 88 of the extant 1999 constitution invests the National Assembly with powers to conduct investigations as regards items in the concurrent and exclusive legislative lists. These wide ranging legislative powers include investigating any matter or thing with respect to which the National Assembly has power to make laws as well as the conduct of any person, authority, ministry or government department responsible for executing these laws and disbursing moneys appropriated by the National Assembly.

It is only logical to expect a body charged with such high-minded and critical responsibilities, which are indispensable for the attainment of good governance, to be a model of institutional accountability and ethical integrity. This is, unfortunately, far from being so as the National Assembly has acquired notoriety for operating a budgetary system without precedence in the global democratic community in terms of opacity, sheer brigandage and shocking recklessness.

The National Assembly’s annual budget of N150 billion is scrupulously shielded from public scrutiny, making its components one of the best kept secrets in the country. Not only does the National Assembly determine and approve its own budget, it also implements same with practically no independent oversight to guarantee transparency and accountability. It is a grand irony that a body that exercises oversight control over others is itself immune from oversight constraints. This surely cannot be the intention of the constitution.

T

HE recent appointment of former captain of Super Eagles and a member of FIFA technical study group, Sunday Oliseh, as the coach of our national team should be seen as a step in right direction.

Although some soccer analysts have expressed misgivings at his coaching experience, and his temperament while he was the Eagles’ skipper, the ugly situation that

Knowledge of details of the National Assembly budget is reportedly limited to the Senate President, the Speaker of the House, their deputies, chairmen of services committees in both chambers as well as the Clerk of the National Assembly and a few powerful directors under his control. This unhealthy situation is responsible for such frivolous and fraudulent expenditure as the alleged spending of half a billion Naira annually on maintenance of generators alone, award of three contracts within four years for the installation or rehabilitation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras within the National Assembly complex at close to one billion Naira and the procurement of standard plasma television sets for each Senator, Representative and top National Assembly bureaucrats at about five times the market price. This, we learn, is only a tip of the iceberg in a patently criminal opaque budgetary system that only provides cover for an extensive contract awards racket with most of the contracts hardly ever advertised for competitive bidding as required by an assortment of relevant laws.

Of course, there is merit in the argument for financial autonomy of the National Assembly to enhance its functional efficacy, extricate the legislature from the dominance and control of the executive and achieve the constitutional stipulation of separation of powers. However, this goal is already guaranteed

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh

•Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile

•Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye

•Associate Editor Sam Egburonu

•General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye

LETTERS

Oliseh must not fail Nigeria led to the sacking of Stephen Keshi should be a lesson for Oliseh on how he handles the national team.

Many Nigerians know Keshi was never on the same page with many Nigerians

not only with his employer, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), due to some of his attitude to some aspects of running the national team.

One need to call on the new coach to know that Ni-

gerian soccer fans are the most impatient when it comes to issues of the round leather game. Hence, he must achieve quick result in the best interest of the country.

AY I crave the indulgence to use this medium of communication to call on the youths of Mubi Sabon Dale, which comprises MubiNorth, Mubi-South and Maiha of the need to give the Governor of Adamawa State, Bindow Umaru Jibrilla, all the necessary support and cooperation to succeed in the

M

Open letter to the youths of Mubi

constructive criticism.

Governance is a collective responsibility. This will contribute a lot in achieving the desired result. We don’t have to be in any appointed office to do something, but there are several ways, that we can contribute positively.

Charity begins at home.

•By Joshua Mbula Silas, Muttawalin Bah.

E

Throwing away the baby with the bath water

VERY agency of government, either military or paramilitary, ýwas established to perform specific or general functions with the aid of the act that set up such an agency. In other words, the duties, functions and responsibilities of every agency have been spelt out in the act that established it. The Department of State Service (DSS) is one of such agencies.

The SSS takes charge of the internal security and intelligence gathering of the nation, the NIA takes charge of foreign intelligence while DIS formed

by Section 81 of the 1999 constitution, which ensures that the National Assembly like the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), directly receives its budgeted funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). However, the process through which the National Assembly arrives at the size and composition of its budget cannot continue to be shrouded in secrecy. It must be open to the citizenry who, in a democracy, exercise ultimate oversight responsibility over a government that derives its legitimacy from a popular mandate.

True, agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) are empowered to scrutinise the National Assembly’s budget and apply necessary legal sanctions against detected infractions. However, these agencies are probably impeded in this regard by the fact that they are also open to the National Assembly’s oversight scrutiny. We thus have a vicious cycle in which they turn a blind eye to the legislators’ budgetary brigandage and the latter are, in turn, morally incapacitated to undertake any serious oversight of the regulatory anti-graft agencies.

The National Assembly’s opaque budgetary system is only one manifestation of a generalised chaotic and erratic budgetary process that has compounded the country’s economic woes. Recent revelations, for instance, indicate that critical national agencies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (NNLG) and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) run similar opaque budgets that are ill aligned to the national budget. It is not unlikely that is also the case with other cash cows such as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) or the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). A thorough audit and holistic overhauling of the country’s budgetary system at all levels is a necessary condition for the promised change of this new dispensation.

task of governing the state?

The youths of MubiSabon Dale should realise the success of Governor Jibrilla is the success of the youths of the area. The governor is now the symbol of the area and as such, it is imperative for the youths to rally round to give him maximum sup-

the defence intelligence service.

SSS instrument of 1999, among other functions, empowered the SSS to provide security to designated principal government functionaries, sensitive installations and visiting foreign dignitaries. It, therefore, suffices to say that provision of close body security to the president, governors and other principal government functionaries is one of the specific functions of the agency, which they have been performing since the establishment of the agency. It is

port to deliver the goods for the overall interest of the state.

I call on all the youths especially politicians, civil servants, businessmen and women, who hail from these areas to put aside all forms of differences, be it religion, ethnicity or political to unite by offering

an undisputable fact that the SSS is not doing the protective work in isolation. During the military era till date, the SSS formed the inner ring while the military and the police formed the outer ring during protective operation.

Regarding the conduct of the SSS during the electioneering campaign of President Buhari, if the head of any agency, for any reason, misused the power given to him, such a person should have been removed and not to throw

away the baby with the bath water. In any developed nation outside Nigeria where system of doing things had been established, though interagency cooperation exists among security agencies, no agency of government usurps the duty of others and interagency conflict and rivalry are reduced to the barest minimum.ý So, it is unfair to throw away the baby with bath water in the case of the SSS and the Buhari’s presidency.

•Ademola Ajayi, Ilorin, Kwara State.

He should have it at the back of his mind that much is expected of him to deliver, and anything short of good result will have Nigerians grumbling. The country is blessed with talented and skilful players who are plying their trade around the globe.

The development plan agreement with the NFF to discover the best for the country shows how serious the egg heads at the glass house meant well for the development of soccer in the country.

Oliseh should not place any parochial interest while going for the best for the country to make sure Nigeria’s soccer power is show cased globally.

Nigeria will give him all the necessary support if he ensures that he is ready to bring happiness to them through this world-acclaimed beautiful game that has attracted global attention irrespective of sectional interest.

We hope his coming at this time of our dwindling soccer fortune will ensure Nigeria get it right this time with his ascension of coaching the national team.

•By Bala Nayashi Lokoja Kogi State.

Don’t kill textile and furniture industries

T

HE only explanation so far given by the Department of Customs for the federal government’s lifting of the ban on fabrics and furniture imports is that ‘textile and furniture have become dutiable as both commodities have been removed from the Import Prohibition list’.

Assistant Comptroller General Victor Gbemudu, representing Zone A, reportedly said this. What the Comptroller did not say is why the Common External Tariff, (CET), had to be removed in the face of the dwindling fortunes of our textile industries.

If Nigerians keep importing common items like furniture which are in great and cheap supply in Edo State, and fabrics as against our Ankara, wouldn’t that further impound the growth of our economy? What is 35% import duty to Nigeria compared to the huge gains that translates to a robust GDP? •Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, Benin.

SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 500 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS: sundaynation@yahoo.com

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

COMMENT

For Buhari’s anti-corruption war to succeed, he must do the unusual

To succeed, President Buhari needs a brand new agency which must be freed of all the entanglements the present one was deliberately made to suffer

T

HE flurry of EFCC activities, as observed in the past two weeks, which former Governor Murtala Nyako’s former Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, has summarily, but understandably, dismissed as effete, goes a long way to show the critical role the person, even the mere body language of a President plays in the war against corruption even though in the instant case, it s President Muhammadu Buhari’s well known anti corruption stance that has put the agency on over drive.

Long before President Goodluck Jonathan verbalized his now oft-quoted ‘stealing is not corruption’ gaffe, he had shown, in every material particular, but especially in his body language, as well, as his government’s penchant to withdraw ongoing corruption cases from the courts- and that was where prosecution was allowed at all – that he saw nothing wrong in allowing corruption to luxuriate under his watch.

Nor was this unpremeditated.

As I once wrote on these pages, President Jonathan’s re-election bid began as soon as he was sworn in 29 May, 2011 and it was more of a SouthSouth project than one nursed by the President who was then confronted by the huge challenges confronting him as he stepped into high office, for the first time ever, on his own mettle.

His election in that year’s general election was his very first. For his minders who were, mostly his South- South compatriots, they were going to use what they have, that is, oil, to get what they want. Therefore, go through the major incidents of corruption in his four years –oil subsidy scam, unremitted crude sales, oil swaps, LNLG dividends

and taxes, to mention the most disruptive of the Nigerian economy, they were all linked to oil and to the NNPC. Indeed, it was to perfect one scheme or the other that the Petroleum Minister of the era accounted for more Group Managing Directors than any of her predecessors, going down several decades. They knew exactly those who must be appeased with one thing or the other and for that same reason the number of oil importers, just like the amount claimed to have been spent on subsidy which more than tripled the appropriate amount, all ballooned beyond belief.

A recent article on Wikipedia summed up corruption during the Goodluck Jonathan administration as follows: “In 2014, Nigeria’s rank improved from 143rd to the 136th position on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. In late 2013, Nigeria’s then Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi informed President Goodluck Jonathan that the state oil company, NNPC had failed to remit US$20 billion of oil revenues, which it owed the state. Jonathan, however, dismissed the claim and replaced Sanusi for his mismanagement of the central bank’s budget. A Senate committee also found Sanusi’s account lacking in substance. After the conclusion of the NNPC’s account Audit, it was announced in January 2015 that NNPC’s non-remitted revenue is actually US$1.48billion, which it needs to refund to the Government. Upon release of both the PwC and Deloitte report by the government at the eve of its exit, it was however determined that truly close to $20 billion was indeed missing or misappropriated or spent without appropriation. In addi-

tion to these, the government of Goodluck Jonathan had several running scandals including the BMW Purchase by his Aviation Minister, $250 million plus security contracts to militants in the Niger Delta, massive corruption and kick backs in the Ministry of Petroleum, Malibu Oil International Scandal, and several scandals involving the Petroleum Ministry including accusations of sweetheart deals with select fronts and business people to divert public wealth. In the dying days of Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the Central Bank Scandal of cash tripping of mutilated notes also broke out, where it was revealed that in a 4 day period , 8 billion naira was stolen directly by low level workers in the CBN. This revelation brings to the fore, a crime suspected to have gone on for years but went undetected until revealed by whistleblower”.

Five weeks into the new administration, that mild view of corruption under Jonathan has been completely shredded as gory details of more pour in. For instance a 4-man committee set up by the National Economic Council (NEC) is now investigating how out of N8.1 trillion it earned between 2012 and May 2015, NNPC paid only N4.3 trillion to government, illegally withholding N3.5 trillion.

I am sure Nigerians now know how Jonathan’s Petroleum minister was able to fund her multi-billion naira luxury flights, an investigation of which, by the National Assembly, President Jonathan defiantly foiled.

If NNPC is tear-inducing, EFCC’s performance during the Jonathan administration makes everything more galling. So nauseating is it that Governor Nyako’s man, Malam Sajoh could describe the agency in the following words: “an agency that was very sloppy in prosecution and losing virtually all

high profile cases cannot in any way help in the current anti-corruption war”.

That is nothing but the truth so EFCC should please get off this pretended resurgence which is, of course, nothing more than a façade. How many cases did it win in the entire four years of President Goodluck Jonathan?

Here then is where my advice to the President comes in if he hopes to succeed in the anti-corruption war; a war in which the other side has already taken the commanding heights of the national assembly. But the President is already assured of the backing of Nigerians if those who allegedly financed the mala fide at the National Assembly ever thought payback time had come when the President moves to put up the legal structures for his anti corruption war.

To succeed, President Buhari needs a brand new agency which must be freed of all the entanglements the present one was deliberately made to suffer. If it could be done in electoral matters, a maximum of not more than 6 months should be prescribed as the duration of any corruption case. In the new Law, the accused must be presumed guilty, ab initio, and the onus put on him to prove his/her innocence.

The President should consider an anti-corruption agency patterned after the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption which is, itself, modeled after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) of Singapore.

Established in 1974 The Prevention of Corruption Act of Hong Kong has the following powers: The power to investigate not just the suspect, but also the suspect’s family or agents and to examine their financial and other records.

The power to require the attendance of witnesses for interview.

The power to investigate any other sizeable offence which is disclosed in

the course of a corruption investigation.

A time limit for cases ( to avoid the penchant for sundry adjournments as we see with Nigerian courts working in cahoots with lawyers and EFCC officials).

As of January 2015, a review of the Act and a new One-Stop Corruption Reporting Centre is in the works which is guaranteed to come up with stiffer penalties. Investigations carried out by the CPIB are habitually completed efficiently and with limited public exposure.

Drastically weakened under the Jonathan administration, with Attorney-General Adokie hardly ever allowing it to function, EFCC can no longer effectively partner with the President to successfully fight corruption. .Dead already, it should just be buried to enable the Buhari government start on a fresh slate, a tabula rasa of sorts. Most of those involved in EFCC cases are complicit: EFCC officials, the lawyers on both sides, and even some of the judges who all ensure that the cases run like forever with some now as old as seven years, replete with poor investigation, and far worse prosecution. As you read this, many of our swashbuckling senators, especially the former governors among them, have anti corruption charges hanging on their necks but, stinking rich as they are, they know exactly how to wangle their way through. If President Buhari must succeed in this war, he would have to set up a brand new anti-corruption agency, name a respected anti-corruption Tsar, expunge all those loopholes the legislators deliberately include to weaken laws and put the agency on a first line vote to ensure it is financially buoyant to perform its functions. Above all, it must be independent. And the new law must also provide for the establishment of a Special Court to handle corruption charges with the express directive to complete cases within not more than a period of 6 months.

Anything less, we would not have started the anti-corruption war, at all.

In the name of God, please let these bombings stop!

Surely, there is a lot more to life than killing people

‘I

SN’T Dr. Smith moderate in his charges?’, enthused a grateful patient. Another sceptical patient replied, ‘Yes; you can say that he has managed to bring illness within the reach of everybody.’ In another book I once read, someone commented on the fact that the funeral charges of a neighbourhood’s undertaker were too high, and so he should be sanctioned. Somebody else replied that by making his charges so high, couldn’t we say the undertaker was doing his best to discourage people from dying?

I learnt three things from these two jokes. One is that you can never satisfy human beings. Oh no, that is not original to me. I think Ebenezer Obey once said something like that, only better because he used a song to say it so that you could dance while listening to him.

The second thing I leant is that people will make jokes out of anything. They are that jobless. The third is that there is always a second (or more) way of viewing things. Take illness for instance. Can you imagine a medical doctor going round advertising his skills like a trader advertising his wares by saying something like ‘You can relax your rigid lifestyle and fear of illness now; you can afford to be sick, you know’. Then you imagine a tensed up individual going ‘Phew! Thank God. How very beneficial that is!’

I am one of those who have grown

perpetually and pseudo-permanently sceptical about anything and everything ever since I sat in at a lecture titled ‘Appearance versus Reality’ at university. I believe my disbelieving problem started then. I stopped believing that leaves are really as green as they appear in summer and the skies are as blue as they appear on clear days. And I am often proved right. Just wait till autumn, winter and spring to see the real colour of leaves; and the harmattan and rainy seasons to see the real colour of the sky move from blue to grey to red. Have you ever seen a reddened dust-laden sky? Um hum.

I also stopped believing anything the government says. For instance, have you not noticed there is always a variance bordering on wide gulfs between the casualty figures given by the government/police and those given by hospitals whenever there has been a disaster, natural or manmade?

Well, because of that, I have now taken to believing only the figures given by our ancestors. Yes, they do speak – through the morgues. And talking of figures, I am sure you will agree that the casualty figures from bombings (manmade) in the northern part of the country is getting uncomfortably high for a human as against a vampire society.

I honestly do not know what is going on but there are several theo-

ries and a half that sound more like conjectures, but you never know, since appearance is not always reality. On the surface, it would appear that the boko haram has become rather emboldened and has refuelled after the onslaught of attacks close to the end of the Jonathan era. So, from appearances, they are now retaliating what they thought they suffered from the soldiers who took them on.

Secondly, on the surface, it appears as if, having been pummelled by the Nigerian Military, the boko haram people have decided to ask for external help, much as our president is doing now. So there they are; boko haram reaching out to their murderous kindred across the seas and the deserts for more arms, bombs and know-how, while our president is reaching out to the sane world for help – you know, arms, know-how and all.

Thirdly, the theory goes that the soldiers themselves are trying to convince our president that there really is a problem with the boko haram, just in case he does not know that there is one, by letting down their own guard.

In short, much like the state executives and the oil plunderers, it would appear, according to people’s thoughts (remember I am just a reporter), that the soldiers believe there is a need to, you know, twist the president’s arm a little to soft-pedal a bit on his anti-corruption drive.

Frankly, I don’t know which one of these appearances is the reality. I do know one reality though: there is too much ease in bringing bombing within the reach of everybody in the north and it is unsettling. For a while now, bombing has become a daily

ritual. First everyone breakfasts with joy, and then goes about the days’ labours with a great deal of hope, then suddenly ‘gboam!’ goes off somewhere, and the peace of that environment is shattered, along with a lot of bones and flesh, by a bomb. Haba!!!

There is half a fact that is coming out of all these, and which I am only now acknowledging to myself, and that is that the knowledge of bomb making is too much within the reach of too many people up yonder. In a country suffering from too little knowledge of things in general, this knowledge is too uncomfortable.

Why is it that the boko haram people are not seeking knowledge on how to run one factory machine, produce, weave, mould, bake or craft something, etc., all of which will be tantamount to creating something? Why will they rather prefer to destroy things and people and lives? Is it because it is easier to destroy that to build? Or rather is it because people are not showing them the way?

In a way, one reality still stands against the government in all this. I do remember the locust years of import licence when every grasshopper was given the licence to import whatever it wanted, and mostly finished products. Industry-minded people were not given the opportunity to grow their craft, bring out products, employ people and put food on the table for millions. Instead, the government preferred to put plenty of money on the table of their cronies by allowing them to import even flies.

Many were the victims of this policy, including this writer and oth-

ers known to her. Many had taken advantage of the previous years’ border closure to finished goods and gone and borrowed heavily to fill the gap in the market with such goods. Suddenly though, the new government opened the flood gates to them goods and voila, many of us industrialists were left biting our fingers, and our goods. These included the textile factories round the country, the tomato, rice, wood pulp factories, etc. That, plus the poor education track records of the north, is why there is such a large army of the unemployed, unskilled and uneducated ready for use by boko haram.

Perhaps it is possible to bring sickness within the reach of everybody, but bringing bombings within the reach of everybody is another kettle of fish in this society. A society that is staggering politically, battered economically, unsettled culturally in spite of the fact that everybody is going around ‘settling’ the other, cannot afford more bombings. The boko haram people need to understand that there is a lot more to life than just killing people.

There is, for example, the joy of working for a pittance which may sometimes come late; or giving birth to children who turn around and question you on every order you give them when they become adolescents. Definitely, there is the joyful thumping you hear in your heart when the rent is due again or the joy of that new car that soon begins to make you hiss first thing in the morning. I do not want the boko haram boys to miss these beautiful facts of life; so they should not make others miss them. Please, in the name of God, let us discourage death and stop these bombings.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

COMMENT

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(125)

NNPC is not a parallel government; it is the heart and soul of the government: an open letter to Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai D

EAR Governor El-Rufai: Greetings! Your talk as the distinguished guest lecturer at the 7th Wole Soyinka Center Media Lecture Series in Abuja this past Monday has sent shock waves round the country and the Nigerian diaspora. “Kill NNPC!” you titled your lecture, adding at the climactic moment of the lecture that it is either Nigeria kills NNPC now or NNPC will eventually kill Nigeria.

Although the figures that you gave in your lecture as an indication of the stupefying level of graft and corruption in NNPC are not new at all, they are worth repeating, quoting your own words directly: The long and short of the situation of our oil industry is best exemplified by the parallel government called the NNPC. In 2012, it sold N2.77tn of ‘domestic’ crude oil but paid only N1.66tn to the Federation Account. In 2013, it earned N2.66tn but paid N1.56tn to FAAC; in 2014, (it earned) N2.64tn, but remitted N1.44tn; while between January and May 2015, it earned N733.36bn and remitted only N473.2bn.

“That means that the NNPC only remitted about 58 per cent of the monies earned between 2012 and the first half of 2015. A company with the audacity to retain 42 per cent of a country’s money has become a veritable parallel republic!”

On any count, these are indeed staggering figures and this column, as well as many other columns of the Nigerian “commentariat” have written extensively on the same figures with anger, alarm and desperation and in a few cases, despair. For this reason, this open letter to you is not about the scale of the seriousness of the matter. Rather, my concern with the analysis and prognosis in your lecture pertains to two issues. The first of these is what, for want of better words, I can only describe as the dominant role of halftruths in your lecture, this being constructed around your claim that NNPC is a parallel republic or government, when in fact, NNPC is the very heart and soul of the government.

The second of my two main issues in this letter is the call in your lecture for the privatization of the NNPC. Whether by accident or design, this call was not made explicit in your lecture, but it was nonetheless palpable enough that any attentive reader of the published text of your lecture could not have missed it.

Before coming to brief discussions of each of these two issues, let me remark that, as reported and published in its entirety, your lecture was eloquent not only in language, but also in ideas, especially ideas crucial to the political and economic survival of our country with special regard to the dire poverty

•Killing NNPC and privatizing it before recovering all the stolen loot?

and insecurity that the vast majority of our peoples have to endure on account of the scale of the looting of our national wealth in the NNPC. My one big difference with you on this particular point is the figure of 70 million or 40% of our population for those living in extreme poverty. I don’t know from where you got this figure. Perhaps you’re quoting the figures given by the Jonathan administration and the PDP during the recent electioneering campaigns? They claimed they had reduced the absolute poverty rate down to 40% from 70% in four years, based on an additional claim that they had created millions of jobs. But everyone not in the PDP knew that these were cynically bogus figures. The wonder then is how and why you of all people should be repeating these same figures. But this is a minor point; I must now move to my main issues in this letter, issues of life and death for our country and its peoples, especially the dozens of millions of unemployed young people. As I have said earlier in this piece, the first and main issue is your claim that NNPC is a parallel government that Nigeria must destroy before it destroys Nigeria.

Dear Governor El-Rufai, how in the world can you describe NNPC as a parallel republic or government when practically everyone in the country knows that the corruption

and looting in the NNPC was directly linked to the presidency and the federal government itself? Are you pretending not know that corruption on that scale could never, never take place - in Nigeria or any other country in the world - if it was not linked, body and soul, to the government, the powers that be? Are you feigning ignorance of the fact that the Ministry of Finance and through that ministry, the Federal Government, has effective supervisory control over the NNPC? For a man of your intellect, one of the things that I found absolutely unbelievable in your lecture was the claim that, quoting your own words, “hundreds of employees of NNPC feed fat on Nigeria’s resources”? Haba, Governor! The upper managerial staff of the NNPC may be the highest remunerated workers in Nigeria, but are they the ones sharing the billions of dollars that were not remitted into our national public coffers? Are the employees of the NNPC the people that made away with the 2.53 trillion naira stolen in the 2011 oil subsidy mega scam? Wasn’t that scam a huge chunk of the monies expended by Goodluck Jonathan as the war chest for his 2011 presidential campaign? Aye you unaware of the fact that a Committee of the Senate probed that mega scam and when it published its reports and gave the

names of people involved in the scam, not one of them was an employee of NNPC? I have posed these preceding questions rhetorically because I am sure that you know that the answer to each and everyone of the questions is a resounding no. Because I strongly believe that you do know that NNPC is not a parallel government but is a part of the government, I have pondered on why you chose to mischaracterize the parastatal as indeed a parallel government. My “generous” reading of your motivation is that since you know that NNPC is the biggest single source of uncontrollable, unregulated corruption and looting in the government, perhaps describing it as a parallel government might enhance the possibility of once and for all tackling and ending this biggest, gargantuan source of corruption in our country. On this account, if we can effectively end corruption in NNPC, all the other sites and locations of corruption in government can then be also engaged, based on the lessons learnt from the containment of the NNPC mega crisis.

That is my “generous” reading of your probable motivations.

However, I must confess that I do have an admittedly less “generous” reading that, in my opinion may be nearer the mark. This is none other than my suspicion that your true motivation is the privatization of NNPC, the single biggest and most critical parastatal in our country. You are now a member of the ruling party, one of its thinkers in fact, and you wish to accomplish now what you couldn’t when you were in the PDP and, as Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, supervised the privatization of dozens of state owned enterprises and utilities. As a matter of fact, towards the tail end of your lecture, you openly stated this demand for the privatization of the NNPC, although you took care not to directly mention the word “privatization”.

The privatization of the NNPC would constitute a big, momentous date in the economic history of our country. For this reason, it cannot, and should not be done without a thoroughgoing, public and nationwide review of what this would mean, especially in the light of the results of privatization in Nigeria in the last few decades, with special relevance to what transpired under your watch as the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. What have been the net results of the privatization carried out under your headship of that Bureau, Governor?

Here I must confess that I used to be a total opponent of privatization of public enterprises in our country and still retain some of that intransigent opposition. However,

I am realistic enough to acknowledge the fact that in Nigeria as in many other parts of Africa and the developing world, the ideological and pragmatic winds of economic development have swung decisively against nationalization in favor of privatization. But what has not has not changed, what indeed cannot be changed is the fact that whether public or private, enterprises must enhance the economic survival and consumer needs of the population.

Dear Governor El-Rufai, please be explicit, unambiguous and honest about your real intensions and maybe the intensions of the APC of which you are a major intellectual and political figure: Are you floating a kite, the kite of the privatization of the NNPC? If so, please give a full report of the economic and social impact of the massive privatizations that took place under your tenure as Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. You do know, don’t you, that at least on the anecdotal level, privatized public enterprises have not functioned better than they had done before they were privatized? The transformation of the old ECN into PHCN is a case in point. The experience of GSM users is another telling example: there is hardly any country in Africa and the world where consumers of the services of the GSM corporations suffer more at the hand of the monopolies than in Nigeria. More generally, Nigerian capitalism is largely unregulated or perhaps even unregulatable and the Nigerian consumer is completely at the mercy of the free and uncontrollable abuse of virtually all enterprises, public and private.

The underlying cause of all of this is of course the unregulated and unregulatable nature of governance itself. As I have repeated many, many times in this column, the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, told The Economist in 2011 that corruption and waste in the Nigerian governmentwere so vast that she would feel satisfied if by the end of her tenure she had reduced the scope by a mere 4%. It would be a great act of opportunism to sell off NNPC without first significantly raising the bar of regulatory control of corrupt practices in government, in public enterprises and private businesses far above this Okonjo-Iweala benchmark of 4%. So far, Governor El-Rufai, you and other spokespersons for the APC have inundated the media with news of the unspeakable levels of corruption that you have discovered in the NNPC and other parts of governmental and parastatal institutions. Before selling off the NNPC, could you at least tell us what you are doing to (a) recover the stolen loot and (b) how you are going to substantially reduce the corruption, the looting, the waste?

Biodun Jeyifobjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

COMMENT

Politics, public service, morality and integrity in Nigeria (2) ( Continued from last Sunday)

P

RESIDENT Obama, President of the richest country in the world earns $400,000 per annum. The British Prime Minister earns 190,000 Pounds. A Senator, in Nigeria, one of the poorest countries in the world, earns, $1,700,000 per annum. It is absurd. It is, as someone has called it, “a feeding frenzy” The Senate President is reported to be earning N250, Million quarterly or N83.33 Million per month, whilst his deputy earns N50 million per month. The Senate has allocated N1,024,000,000 as quarterly allowance to its 10 principal officers, known collectively as Senate leadership. Each of the other principal officers earns N78 million every three months or N26 million per month.33 All data on legislators salaries and allowances were obtained from (1) Business Hallmark Newspaper, June 3.6 Someone sent text messages to many Nigerians putting the above situation in context as follows: “It is being speculated that it cost N290 million annually to maintain each member of the National Assembly. This is happening in a country where virtually every amenity does not work and where average earning of 80 per cent of the populace is below N300 per day.

Whereas [the earnings] of a Nigerian Senator is more than the salary of 42 army generals or 48 professors or 70 Commissioners of Police or more than twice the pay of the US President Obama or nine times the salary of US congressional representative.”

This tragic state of affairs is clearly unsustainable. Those engaged in this feeding frenzy are endangering our democracy.

3.7 Legislators have been arrested and are being prosecuted for unlawfully procuring federal contracts for their private companies.

Legislators have also been prosecuted for demanding bribes before approving budgets for ministries.

Some Federal Ministries’ officials have been known to share unspent parts of the budget allocated to their ministries. The Ministry of Health was in the middle of such a scandal two years ago. Can we guarantee that this is not also happening in the States’ Ministries?

2009, saw the revelation of major

By Itse Sagay frauds in our banks, perpetrated by the Chief Executives and Directors of the Banks concerned. So grave were the acts of fraud that the seven banks would have failed, if the Central Bank had not injected billions of naira into them. How innocent the ‘offence’ of Dr. Azikiwe of merely banking Government funds in his bank at a rate of interest, now seems in retrospect.

3.8 This corruption pandemic has even spread to the judiciary. The Business Day Newspaper of Monday 28 June 2010 reports that it costs between 1-3 billion naira to bribe judges who are members of Governorship Election Tribunals.

Many Judges have already been dismissed for collecting bribes while sitting on election tribunals. This involvement of the Judiciary in corruption is the most painful of the injuries being inflicted on Nigeria. The Judiciary ought to be the Nigerian safe haven to which we can all look for relief and respite from Nigeria’s political earthquakes storms and fire.

We must however acknowledge that the Court of Appeal has largely redeemed the image of the Judiciary in recent times.

3.9 In addition to all these, we still have the foreign companies’ bribery scams involving numerous public officers. These include, the Halliburton scam, involving 80 former public officers, the Wilbros scam and the Siemen’s scam.

Of course many state Governments are currently or have in the past experienced raids by the EFCC and ICPC in which officials were arrested for multibillion frauds both at State Government and Local Government Levels. These excesses have no limitation in terms of quantity and diversity.

3.10 The outcome of all this, is the prevalence and persistence of fraudulent, violent and horribly rigged elections, lack of accountability in governance, uncontrolled corruption, a rundown economy, underdevelopment, broken down infrastructure, particularly power and roads, poverty of the masses and decayed social services. This is followed by capital flight, diversion of investments to other countries, and the achievement of pariah status by Nigeria in the international community. The last time I arrived in Muritala Mohammed Airport at the

end of a trip abroad, both conveyor belts for conveying luggages at the arrival hall had packed up and to Nigeria’s eternal shame, luggages were being manually transferred to the floor of the arrival hall of that dilapidated and government abandoned Airport.

Meanwhile, British passengers through whose computerized airport we had commenced the journey were looking on with contemptuous amusement.

Only recently The News Magazine observed correctly as follows: “In the 11 years that Nigeria has returned to democracy, infrastructure decay (roads, railways, power supply), has worsened, while all sectors (education, health, housing, manufacturing) have further collapsed, despite the several trillions of naira budgeted each year to improve the nation. One Nigerian columnist called the parasitic nature of the politicians “a feeding frenzy”, a term that described how predatory animals descend hungrily on preys, like when piranhas or sharks attack a school of fish.4" 3.11 Some current State Governors are giving themselves stupendous pensions even before the end of their terms of office. In one case, a Governor gave himself 200 million naira, a monthly pension equivalent to his present salary, a personal assistant of level 8 or above, two vehicles with drivers, replaceable every four years, free medical treatment abroad for the Governor and his immediate family, a 30-day annual vacation abroad, with estacode, free mobile phone with internet services, and in one case, a retirement house.

4.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 4.1 I wonder whether Nigeria has not gone too far down the depths of the abyss to be saved. Recently, Professor Ben Nwabueze suggested that only a bloody revolution could save Nigeria. I hope not. What we absolutely and urgently need is a leader who can impose discipline and eliminate corruption. There will be need to amend our laws to strengthen the state at the expense of individual liberty at least for a short while, if we are to get to redemption point. All legal provisions permitting preliminary objections to prosecutions for corruption must be repealed from our laws. The power of any court to issue an order of injunction against a

trial for any crime, particularly corruption should be repealed.

Interlocutory applications in cases concerning corruption should be banned.

4.2 Apart from the above, legislators should no longer be allowed to fix their own allowances and such salaries and allowances should not exceed that earned by a Permanent Secretary.

Inspite of the gross rigging of elections in 2003 and 2007, no one has so far been prosecuted for electoral crime. This must no longer be the case.

The Electoral Crimes Tribunals should be established at once and all persons suspected of flouting provisions of the Electoral Act should be charged before it.

4.3 However, the most important factor that can effect a fundamental difference to our situation is a change of orientation on the part of our politicians. They must take a leaf from the conduct of our 1st Republic Politicians if our polity is to survive.

They must shed their cloak of self interest and ‘feeding frenzy’ for a garment of public service and sacrifice.

They must see politics as a call to serve the Nation and its people rather than an opportunity to make a fast fortune.

In other words, they must imbibe a culture of civilized and enlightened servants of the people, rather than that of primitive and barbarous hordes of foreign invaders determined to feed ferociously on and exhaust all of our resources. Leaders or even rulers are not termites or foreign hordes of invaders. They must not subject the populace to a scorched earth policy.

4.4 Inspite of what I have stated above, I do not want to give the impression that’s the country is enveloped in total darkness. NO. There are glimmers of light and hope here and there. Though few and far between, they raise our hopes of the possibility of a brighter and civilized future for Nigeria and Nigerians.

Developments in Lagos, Rivers, Edo and Ondo States in the last 2 to 4 years, give us a glimmer of hope for the future.

4.5 I conclude this address with the following inspiring statement by a man I regard as the greatest Nigerian who has ever lived – Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

In his autobiography, Awo stated as follows: “As I said before, we believe in the equality of all men, and in the liberty

of the individual. I believe that every citizen, however humble and lowly his station in life, has a right to demand from his government the creation of those conditions which will enable him progressively to enjoy, according to civilized standards, the basic necessities of life as well as reasonable comfort and a measure of luxury. In other words, every citizen, regardless of his birth or religion, should be free and reasonably contented.

It is often overlooked that there are two vital and inescapable stages in life wherein all men and women, however great or small, and however, rich or poor, are equal: at birth and at death.

Through these two events, Nature herself is incessantly imparting to us a lesson which is also vital and inescapable and which mankind ignores at its peril, namely that all men and women should be treated as equal, both as political and economic beings.

For this reason all laws, measures and programmes introduced by government must be framed so as to give equal treatment and opportunity to all.”5 Whenever I think of the chaotic, disorderly and confused condition of things in our dear country, the following verses of a Church hymn which seem to be directed at us, come to my mind.

“Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Drop thy still dews of quietness, Till all our strivings cease; Take from our souls the strain and stress, And let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire Thy coolness and thy balm; Let sense be dumb.

Let flesh retire; Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, [of Nigeria] O still small voice of calm.”

(Footnotes) 1See New Webster ’s Dictionary of the English Language. P. 649 2 Obafemi Awolowo, Awo: An Autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo ( Cambridge University Press, 1960), p. 225.

28 – July 4 2010and (2) Elombah Perspective, by Elombah Daniel, posted in the internet, June 29, 2010.

4 Issue of 29 November 2010.

• CONCLUDED

Corruption, EFCC and conspiracy theory

T

HE issue of corruption has over the years been a constant subject of discourse among Nigerians.

To properly underscore how germane the subject has become in the affairs of the country, the current leader of our nation, President Muhammadu Buhari, made the fight against corruption one of the most focal points of his electoral campaign. At every given opportunity and platform, he was always telling Nigerians that: “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us”. This, no doubt, highlights the endemic nature of corruption in Nigeria.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the corruption image of Nigeria has become global. The country was ranked high in corruption by Transparency International Index as well as other prominent bodies that monitor the intensity of corrupt practices in the world. In 2001, Nigeria was ranked the 2nd most corrupt nation in the world after Bangladesh. In 2003, Nigeria, again, was the 2nd most corrupt country in the world. In 2004, a minor improvement was made as the country ranked the 3rd most corrupt country in the world.

Without a doubt, corruption is one of the biggest among the numerous challenges Nigeria is contending with.

It is clear to every Nigerian that the level of corruption in the country is high as this evil cankerworm is found in almost every sector of the country. When critically examined, there is every

ByTayo Ogunbiyi possibility of observing corrupt practices in every facet of our national life, no matter the scope. Presently, corruption is so entrenched in the country that people factor its consideration into anything they want to do. The situation is now so bad that even some government officials are alleged to bribe one another to get government business done.

It is, however, in the political arena that one finds corruption really prevalent in our society. It is rather sad that despite the hues and cries in the media by social critics and other stakeholders, the rate of corruption in Nigerian political and government circles is ever-increasing with a surge in the number of cases where the machinery of governance has become a tool for the enrichment of political elites and their cronies. The several policies and programmes of subsequent administrations in the country have not achieved desired results due to the deep rooted nature of corruption among the various classes and groups in the country.

It was in an attempt to frontally tackle corruption and rid the nation of all corrupt tendencies that the Obasanjo administration established the Economic and Financial Crime Commission in 2003. By then, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) had ranked Nigeria among one of 23 countries that are non-cooperative in the

international community’s efforts to fight money laundering. At the initial stage, EFCC demonstrated a strong resolve to deal with the issue of corruption in the country. Its pioneering Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, swiftly cut the image of a no nonsense and uncompromising anti-corruption crusader who was ready to stake everything in order to rid the nation of corrupt tendencies. Under Ribadu’s leadership, the agency prosecuted and convicted a number of high-profile and well connected corrupt individuals.

Many influential Nigerians were under the scrutinizing radar of the agency. In no time, the fear of the EFCC became the beginning of wisdom among the nation’s socio-political and economic elites.

However, as it is often the case with most Nigerian institutions (remember NAFDAC?), since the exit of Ribadu from the Commission nothing tangible has actually been achieved in the crusade against corruption in the country. On June 6, 2008, Mrs. Farida Waziri became the new helmsman of the EFCC and was later replaced by Ibrahim Lamorde who currently holds sway at the commission.

But then, under the duo’s leadership, the once dreaded EFFC has become a mere paper tiger and a toothless bulldog that could only bark and not bite. Many of the high profile cases that were in court under their respective leadership were mostly inconclusive. Majority of the former governors and prominent

political figures whose cases were once widely celebrated in the media are now not only walking free in the society but are equally playing vital roles in the nation’s social-political and economic spheres. This has made many Nigerians to lose interest in the EFFC and all it represents.

The declining image of the agency has been further battered by a recent trend in which it loses high profile corruption cases in a most ridiculous and curious fashion. In recent time, concerned citizens have watched helplessly as the EFCC slammed 120 count charges on perceived corrupt persons only for the agency to fail in its bid to establish any of the charges. This has called to question the sincerity of the leadership of the EFCC in attempting to prosecute those cases in the first place. It would be recalled that the commissionlately lost three high profile cases involving ex-Governor Timipre Sylva, ex-Minister Femi Olukayode and ex-Bank PHB Managing Director, Francis Atuche. It is rather curious that in-spite of being prosecuted by experienced lawyers; the cases were lost on flimsy technical grounds.

It is indeed the nauseating feelings evoked by this rather hideous trend that have made keen watchers of EFCC affairs to suggest that there is, perhaps, a conspiracy by key players in the anti graft agency and their collaborators to ensure that individuals accused of corrupt practices eventually go scot-free. An integral part of this conspiracy theory is

what many have described as the EFCC’s inclination towards constantly filing amendment of charges after the arraignment of the accused. Nonappearance in Court and unending demands for adjournments are other notable ploys purportedly used by EFFC lawyers to frustrate some of the agency’s high profile cases. It has become so bad that a few judicial and EFCC sources have alleged that EFCC lawyers collude with the accused in frustrating their trial.

Although top EFFC officials have attempted to blame the country’s judicial system for their inability to obtain favourable judgments in most of the cases prosecuted so far, it is, however, crucial to emphasize that the anti-graft agency cannot but take the lion share of the culpability as many have accused it of shoddy and unprofessional investigation mechanism. If we are to ‘kill’ corruption as it is often being canvassed by President Muhammadu Buhari, the EFFC has to step up its game.

It has to do more than it is currently doing. It is nothing but the height of hypocrisy and deception for the agency to dissipate public funds in prosecuting corruption cases whose outcomes leave much to be desired. If, indeed, we are in an era of change, the EFFC must be properly alive to its responsibilities. God bless Nigeria.

•Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

19

LIFE

SUNDAY

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

Kaduna beggars and a governor’s stick Abdulgafar Alabelewe, takes a look at the Kaduna government's ban on street begging, which has pitched the beggars against the affable governor

I

t was a shocker of sort recently, when news emerged that Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai had banned hawking and street begging in the state till further notice.

The announcement came on the heels of a series of bomb blasts, that climaxed with bombing penultimate Tuesday at Sabon-gari Local Government Area of the state that left 25 people dead and several others injured. The decision according to the special assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, is to enhance security. The statement further said that anyone caught flouting the ban will be arrested, pending when the ban will be relaxed. The statement further urged the citizens to report all suspicious persons and movements to the security agencies.

Naturally, the ban has generated a lot

of controversy, with the beggars taking to the streets and threatening to sue the state governor for defamation of character, for labelling them terrorists. Last Sunday at the Kaduna State Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the beggars also dared the governor, saying they would remain on the streets, until the government gets them gainful employment.

In a swift reaction, the governor has however insisted that there is no going back on the decision, saying that the government does not see begging as a profession and as such would not permit it. He said “We had to take an unprecedented decision to ban beggars in Kaduna State because of the security threat that some of the beggars and hawkers pose to the rest of the populace.”

He finished off by saying that “Begging is not a profession; begging is humiliation.

We don't believe in it. (And) There is no going back on the ban on street begging.”

As a palliative, the governor has also said that the beggars will be trained in various skills to empower them and make them useful to self and society.

However, old habits die hard and it

seems the beggars, especially those who have not known any other occupation, cannot fathom what now seems to them like a bleak future, hence the stalemate persisted.

Many have however argued that the governor, by that singular action, has done the unthinkable, especially as

•Continued on Page 20

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

20 SUNDAY LIFE •Continued from Page 19 begging seems to have become an integral part of the society. They have taken time to make there cases, most times citing the Islamic tenet that holds the care for the poor sacrosanct. Not to forget, they also cite the pervasive problem of unemployment, rocking the nation.

The religious angle All the religious doctrines in Nigeria and across the globe, stressed the need for rendering assistance to the lessprivileged and disabled, as in most cases, they are not architects of their misfortunes. In most cases they are victims of circumstances, or perhaps destiny.

Giving alms to destitute, from history, is therefore a phenomenon where well-to-do citizens and philanthropists share with the lessprivileged and destitute, part of their wealth in the form of cash, food items and clothing.

Even the two major scriptures, the Holy Quran and the Bible teach their faithful to always remember the poor.

Zakat, as a pillar of Islam, is phenomenal in this regard, in that it distributes the excess wealth of the rich to the poor and destitute in the society.

The Bible, the holy book of the Christians, is no exception as it reminds adherents of Christianity to give out of their wealth to the poor, because it is believed that, he who gives to the poor gives to God. Within the human realm, helping the needy or giving of alms, received international attention boosting, when the United Nations passed a charter, calling on government and people to give assistance to refugees and destitute, especially, victims of the World War II, who suffered body and emotional injuries during the war.

In Kaduna State, like every other part of Northern Nigeria, giving alms to the needy has for long become part of the society. The kind gesture has however given birth to a bad phenomenon, begging, which has overtime become an embarrassment to the society. Along the major roads, worship places and of recent, houses of the rich, beggars are seen loitering and waiting for the next benevolent giver.

It is especially a common sight along major roads like Ahmadu Bello Way, Ali Akilu Road, Waff Road and Independence Way in the state. Some of the beggars, especially the blind and the cripple, could be seen, being led around

‘It was never our wish to be beggars’

•El-Rufai

by able young men. Literally, it has become a way of life, a profession or vocation.

The development has therefore become a nuisance to the society.

Previous efforts to rehabilitate spurned After the unfortunate Sharia crisis that engulfed Kaduna State in the year 2000, the state government made moves to settle the beggars at a permanent site. Whilst the idea was still in the pipeline, a philanthropist established the first beggars' colony in the heart of Kaduna metropolis.

The colony comprised apartments, conveniences and kitchen. The development moved the state government to key into the arrangement. Soon after that, the colony was engulfed by fire. The wife of the then Governor, now serving Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Hajia Asmau Makarfi, came to the rescue by rehabilitating the burnt structures.

• Samaila

Other philanthropists, such as Senator Sani Saleh, added another structure to the existing ones, in an effort to keep the beggars off the streets. For some time, positive result was achieved, as many beggars moved into the colony. However, things started going downward, as some of the beggars started moving out of the house, and back to their former spots on the streets, citing different excuses for their action. One of such excuses was that the colony was being used as quarantine to keep them away from the society.

The beggars make their cases Some of the beggars who spoke to Sunday Nation in Kaduna said, by keeping them in the colony, the usual alms they get from the streets have been cut-off, as very few people follow them to their new home to assist them. Others accused the state government of dumping them in the home and turning its back against them.

According to an old beggar who spoke to our correspondent at her usual begging spot, behind the Kano Road Mosque, "We are

physically challenged and there is a limit to which we can go to cater for ourselves and our families. The government that brought us to the colony have forsaken us. They only come to the house when they want to score cheap political points."

The beggar, who identified herself as Maryam, lamented that, "We are left with no option than to come back to the street and seek for a means of livelihood."

"If you go to Kano Road, the large number of people you see begging there are elderly people and the same thing applies to other spots within the metropolis. So, if the government is really serious, they should provide home for the elderly people as is being done in advanced countries." She said.

Another beggar, Ibrahim Usman said he, like many other beggars on the streets were pushed into the begging business by the ill treatment meted out to them by the society.

In his words, "I feel bad that I have to beg people to give me peanuts before I can eat, but I have observed that the same society that sees us as nuisance is the same that

Navy Boys pass out in style

“T

HEY came as toddlers six years ago to Nigerian Navy Boys Secondary School, Abeokuta, they saw and today, Nigerian Navy is sending them out to the larger world.” This was the opening remarks by the compere as all road led Nigerian Navy Boys Secondary School, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The occasion was the 21st edition of the 2014/2015 'Passing out Parade.'

Unlike the speech and prize giving day ceremonies of conventional secondary schools, that of NNSS,Abeokuta came with the display of ceremonial military drills.

In military institutions, schooling is the combination of academic training and the rigours of military drills.

The 'navy boys' as they are fondly called, dazzled their guests with the expertise imparted to them of established navy drills.

The passing out parade, which had former commandant of Nigerian Military School, Zaria and the paramount ruler of Egba land, Oba Michael Aremu Gbadebo and other dignitaries, in attendance, was all glam.

Interestingly, the school musical band added a lot of colour and panache to the occasion what with the beautiful rendition of military melody.

Expectedly, for a first time audience, the passing out parade could easily pass for an archetype military ceremony with the martial music composition.

Rear Admiral Jonathan Ango, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, as the Chief Reviewing Officer set the tone for the occasion.

Rear Admiral Ango identified knowledge, discipline and hard work as unambiguous path to

A soldier never retires, he can only pull out of service. This was the case with 170 Navy boy's who took their bows at 2014/2015 passing out parade of Nigeria Navy Secondary School,Abeokuta. DanielAdeleye reports success in life.

Ango who was represented by Rear Admiral Bee Ibe Enwo, Western Naval Chief Staff Officer, described the parade mounted in his honour as highly impressive and admonished the graduands to be good ambassadors of their respective families and NNSS,Abeokuta.

“Occasions such as this provide opportunity to admonish and encourage young school leavers like you that are stepping into the ladder of life to face the challenges of the larger society. Though the challenges of life are enormous, there is no gainsaying that the training you have received in this school in the last six years must have prepared you to tackle and surmount such challenges and forge ahead to succeed in life.”

“Every year, like all secondary schools, Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta graduates students that complete the secondary education.

“All you need to do is to always plan ahead, as this is the most logical process that ensures success.

Those who fail to plan are definitely planning to fail as the old wise saying goes.”

The naval chief who seize the opportunity of the ceremony, announced that infrastructural improvement and temporary staff regularisation of the school are being looked into tasked the outgoing naval boys to contribute no matter how little, to the good image of the school and not be the ones that will drag the good name of the school in the mud.

The commandant of the school, Navy Cdr Felicia Arukwe who could not hide her joy that the 197 students that gained admission into JSS1 together six years ago are graduating at the same time

described them as gifted and talented students who would mount the helm of affairs of Nigeria in the nearest future.

“It's a thing of joy to see the students live to witness this day, 197 of you that entered into JSS 1 together are graduating at the same time.”

“I pray God's protection for you even as you are leaving NNSS, Abeokuta, to the larger world.

You should be focused, believe in yourselves, and above all always bring God to everything you do.

The world is full of so Many distractions and opportunities, for you to excel, it takes the

decision that come from inner self.”

“You should always remember your school, don't derail from its motto of hard work and discipline, which you have been trained with in the last six years. With this, there is nothing you will not be able to achieve in life.”

The highpoint of the ceremony was the pulling out of the graduating students to the adjoining Panseke/Adatan road by the junior boys to corroborate the military popular saying that 'Soldiers don't retire, they are only pull out of service.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

SUNDAY LIFE 21

•Beggars on the street of Kaduna

pushed us into it. Good, we are disables but, our disabilities do not naturally reduce us to common beggars, but when you strive to do something different, the same society discriminates against you.

"I am speaking from experience. Some years back, I tried to make meaning out of my life, but the society pushed me back. I decided to use my

B

oth men and women want partners who will make them better. It takes a real man to berth a real woman and vice versa.

That is why there are vital signs young ladies have been urged to look out for when single ladies are searching for their partners.

There are indeed, real men in the society, but only a few of them can still be found these days, said convener of Awesome Treasures Foundation, Mrs Jumoke Adenowo, who was among the panellist at the July Summit of the Foundation, which held at the Shell Hall of the Muson Centre last Sunday.

It was at the 3rd leg of the Summit tagged: 'Marriage where are the real men,' which had over 1,200 people from all walks of life in attendance.

One of the highlights of the event was an interesting, educative and interactive session with prominent, influential and distinguished individuals in the society, who have impacted lives in various ways and had a lot to say about who a real man is and what signs young ladies need to watch out for when choosing a partner.

The panellists were: Managing Principal, Financial Institutions Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, Mr. Olukorede Adenowo; CEO of Verse 29 Ltd Mr. Akpo Kentebe; Mr. Jimi Tewe, CEO of Inspiro Consulting, assisted

by Aderonke Adebanjo, an On Air Personality at Smooth FM 98.1 It was noted that society plays a role in creating a platter for a real man. Ladies were also blamed for being the cause of many fake

wheelchair as an advantage, I went to the market to get goods and I started selling at hold-up like my able colleagues, but with time, I discovered that people don't even like to patronise me because of the stigma. I was still managing it, until one day when a motorist dressed me down in the public

just because I struggled with other people to get his patronage. Since that day, I decided to go back to begging, because the risk is limited compared to struggling to sell amidst able-bodied men.

"This experience is not peculiar to me alone. Some of our people were trained in various vocations, but patronage has been one serious issue they've had to contend with. For example, there is a welding workshop in Kinkinau, the workshop is solely manned by disable people, they do beautiful fabrications, but people don't buy." He explained.

Speaking on the predicament of the beggars, their leader, Abdullahi Samaila told Sunday Nation that they had to keep begging to keep body and soul together, since previous governments had abandoned them.

According to him, "In this our home for example, we have been facing series of challenges, and government's assistance comes only once in a while. When we have cases of sick people in Kaduna in the middle of the night or one is of our wives wants to deliver, we always run into confusion, because there is no vehicle to take them to the hospital.

"Aside that, even on the streets where our people beg for alms, there are lot of challenges. So, if there is a reasonable alternative to begging, all of us will quit."

He said.

Meanwhile, the beggars, some of whom have fled the state, have expressed regrets for voting Malam Nasir el-Rufai in the just concluded election, wondering why he has to pay them back with this ban.

Government intention, noble As a corollary to the beggars' outcry, Governor El Rufai has appealed to the people to see reason with the ban and cooperate with the government for the safety of citizens of the state...Our government will never unleash pains on beggars and hawkers in the state. The government's decision was not aimed or targeted at the vulnerable group but to protect citizens."

"This government is a responsible government and conscious of its constitutional role to protect citizens and ensure law and order for common good.

The state government will not fold its arms and allow citizens to be killed via terror acts and break down of law and order, hence the decision."

He argued that the overriding need to secure the lives and property of the over eight million Kaduna State resident is superior to that of a few who think they have a right to beg.

"As painful as it could be or

misrepresented, the decision was taken in the best interest of our citizens and government appreciates support from all sections of the state regarding the reality of our security situation," the governor said.

The beggars however remained adamant. They issued the governor a three-day ultimatum to rescind its decision or risk been victims of their spell.

AND THE BEGGARS SURRENDER But barely 48 hours after their protest, the beggars have caved in. They accepted the government's decision to give up begging, provided it fulfils its promises.

They agreed to sheath their sword following the Governor's visit to the Kano Road beggars' colony and Kaduna State Rehabilitation Centre on Tuesday.

El-Rufai who addressed a mammoth crowd of the disabled beggars said the government had concluded arrangement to rehabilitate and train them on various skills.

He maintained that, the interest of a group who think they have the right to beg for alms cannot override the security of over eight million people living in the state.

The Governor who earlier visited the state-owned rehabilitation centre in Kakuri area of the state said, the centre which has the capacity to house and train 500 physically challenged, will soon be rehabilitated and used for training of the beggars affected by the recent ban.

He however clarified that no beggar will be repatriated on the ground that they are not indigenes of Kaduna State, adding that anyone resident in Kaduna will be given equal opportunity under his administration.

"There is no going back on the ban on street begging, but we are not going to repatriate anybody. The problem is here and we will solve it here." He said.

He promised the beggars at the Kano Road Beggars Colony to acquire a land close to the colony to build a training centre for them.

Meanwhile, the head of the beggars, Abdullahi Samaila while responding to the governor commended him for visiting them and promised to cooperate with him.

He said it was not that they derive pleasure in begging for alms, and pledged that they will all get off the streets once the governor fulfils his promises.

With this recent truce and agreement between the Kaduna State government and the beggars, it is left to be seen if Kaduna streets will now be free from the menace of street beggars?

Tips for choosing life partners It was a sober time for men and women in attendance recently, as carefully chosen panellists discussed the challenges and secrets of choosing the right partners for marriage at the recent Awesome Treasure Foundation summit held in Lagos. Nneka Nwaneri reports men parading themselves due to their excessive demands. Successful women were also warned not to rub success in the faces of men who chase after them, because to be a couple is to be a team where none should feel intimidated by the other person.

According to Mrs Adenowo, a real man is one who has a vital connection with God. She said: “Real men also attract real women. A real woman is one who can maintain a real man till the end.

Real women bring blessings and are not just in their homes to fill spaces but to fulfil the biblical injunctions of obtaining favour from God, to the man financially and spiritually.

“A real woman covers the man's shame and can make a real man out of the raw material she sees in him. The real man is the foundation upon whom the woman rests.”

Mr Adenowo reiterated that 'a real

man must be a man who leads, takes decisions and takes responsibilities for those decisions. He is one who respects his wife and consults her duly before taking any decision.' He went further to say that a real man is one who does not rely on physical looks as a determinant factor in choosing a wife and he never gets intimidated by his wife's success.

Dr. Dokun Adedeji, the Founder of Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry, an NGO, revealed that in about nine private universities, he has worked with, eight out of every ten students use drugs, including young girls.

Dr. Adedeji named other substance abuses and further advised that real men and women should pay more attention to their children. He called on the real men and women to join hands with the association in curbing the menace.

The next Lagos summit will hold on November 22.

•Adenowo

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

22 SUNDAY LIFE

OLANREWAJU ADEPOJU

‘I didn’t receive bribe from Abacha’ Controversial Yoruba Ewi exponent and activist, Olanrewaju Adepoju shares stories of his rise to recognition, his days as a broadcaster at the defunct Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, tussle with the military and a somewhat disadvantaged childhood. He spoke with Taiwo Abiodun.

I

n his library are books on various fields and LPs, cassettes and VHS of different artistes across ages. You also cannot miss the plaques of awards and certificates, hung all over his walls, relics of his exploits as Nigeria's foremost Ewi (Yoruba poetic) exponent of the 70s, 80s and 90s. You also notice the Qur'an and various Arabic books, indicative of his faith, and several Yoruba books and novels scattered all over. For a moment, you almost want to believe you are in the presence of a thoroughbred academic.

For the older folks who have known him through his prime days when he was a torn in the flesh of erring governments and institutions, there is also the temptation not to recognise him, as his once shinny dark hair have all gone grey. His slow calculative thread, as he ushered this reporter into his living room, also betrays a man, whose sight might gradually be yielding to the pressures of age; but he nevertheless still talks tough, and pretty much retains his radicalism.

Welcome to the world of Olarenwaju Adepoju.

For a man always interested in happenings in his environment, Olanrewaju Adepoju wasted no time in declaring that Nigeria is on its way to Eldorado, with President Buhari now in the saddle of leadership.

Still waxing stronger Adepoju debunked the assumption that he has been quiet of late, saying "I am in circulation; shortly before the last presidential election, I released an album titled 'Buhari Ti De'. As he said this, he gave

PHOTO: Taiwo Abiodun out copies to this reporter, declaring in between that "unless you listen to it, you may not understand the message."

Views on present day Nigeria "Before now, it was very much disturbing, but now we have every reason to be thankful to God, as we now have the right man at the helms of affairs. God so good, we also have a Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who is capable of putting things right.

Unfortunately, the Jonathan administration made things worse. I think his transformational agenda was a deceitful propaganda, as it did not give us any positive result. Rather they succeeded in ruining the economy, showing unconcerned attitude to the security situation in Nigeria, to the extent that the Boko Haram killer group almost seized power from them, and taking corruption to the highest level ever. The situation during the Jonathan administration gave me a lot of concerns; and that is why never stopped shouting to high heavens in my Ewi metaphysical poetry that things must be done properly. It is unfortunate that the June 12 Presidential Election was annulled by the Babangida administration; and don't forget that this is also a country, where we have killed some of our best leaders, talking about Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, General Murtala Murhammed, and again Chief MKO Abiola, after winning an election adjudged to be the best so far in the country.

Travails in the hands of the military Reminded that he was a thorn in the flesh of the military, the social critic said "Even as a powerless citizen in my days in broadcasting, I never tolerated any bad leadership. During the military era, especially during the Babangida era, I waxed some records, which did not go down well with them. In fact, it got to a stage when I was arrested and prosecuted over an album I released. I was in detention for a while before being arraigned before High Court in Ibadan, where they made a lot of unfounded allegations, but fortunately, I was discharged and acquitted on the basis of the fact that they couldn't prove their allegations. I was invited

to Lagos by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammadu Gambo, and I told him what I meant in the album.

On another occasion, I released another Ewi hit and the then Commissioner of Police invited me for questioning. But one of his colleagues of nearly the same rank, who happened to be my friend, came in and asked: 'Why did you bring my friend here?'

Anyway, I told him that the album had nothing to do with the government and they eventually let me go. I had so many nasty experiences like that in the course of performing my profession as an ewi poet.

On the Abacha regime Known for his boldness and courage to comment on controversial issues of the time, many had wondered why he did not say much about the despotic General Sani Abacha regime. Some even insinuated that he must have collected bribes to keep quiet, but screaming at the top of his voice, Adepoju said “I was never bribed! I am above that. I don't need bribe to survive, and nobody can gag me."

He however confessed to slowing down a little when it became apparent that Abacha would go to any length to silence his adversaries. "Abacha was a terrible officer; we knew he killed so many Nigerians and I was not prepared to die just like that. “ On why he defends the masses "I was born in this society, I grew up in this society and have lived among indigenous people, but the abnormality of the Nigerian situation makes me unhappy.

I was once a proof-reader in a newspaper organization called "People's Star Press Limited, founded by the late Ladoke Akintola. I also played other parts in that newspaper organisation which shaped me until I became a broadcaster in the late 60s, 70s. So in my broadcasting days, I introduced a programme called 'Ijinji Akewi,' which was always broadcast at 6:15am. There I used to comment on happenings in the country, which did not go down well with my bosses at WNTV and

WNBS; but because of my poetic effusions, I became the darling of every Yoruba listener and my talent began to show. It even got to a stage when the corporation itself (WNTV and WNBS) wanted to be publishing my works with the copyright. It was this copyright issue that led to my sudden disappearance from the television. At a point I was producing 'Gbele Gbo' and 'Tiwa nti wa,' Yoruba programmes, I was also manning the continuity as announcer; and it got to a stage when I had to complain that I was singularly overloaded.”

Adepoju said the problem spiralled and it got to a stage he was given an ultimatum to submit the scripts of his past Ewi broadcast on radio and television or face the consequence. He said things got to a climax and he handed in his resignation.

“I just paid in one month salary in lieu of notice and handed them my letter of resignation. Suddenly they became uncomfortable. They made every effort to make me change my decision, but I refused.

You'll get more details in my biography, which I am compiling. Before that time, I had formed the Akewi Theatre Company and we extended entertainment to all parts of the country.”

His breakthrough album After waxing so many albums, Adepoju finds it hard to singularly pick his best, but he managed to mention a few that he believed brought him fame. "The one after the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed; it was a bilingual record waxed in Yoruba and Hausa. My most popular album, 'Obafemi Awolowo' was released in 1979. It was accepted everywhere and it brought me to limelight. Thereafter I followed with several other records that also received widespread acceptance everywhere in Nigeria and even by Nigerians in the Diaspora. After the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, I waxed another record 'Iku Obafemi Awolowo'; the flip side was 'Nibo La Nlo?' That particular record •Continued from Page 24

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

SUNDAY LIFE

23

Harvest of deaths as Lagosians abandon footbridges Olusegun Johnson chronicles the unsavoury reality on Lagos highways, as pedestrians reject the use of footbridges, thereby leaving room for traders and beggars to take over.

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HEN the idea of pedestrian bridges was first muted, wherever that may be, one can be sure it was to ease pedestrians' crossing of dangerous highways,

eliminate all risks and save lives. Nigeria's case was no exception, as the governments, both states and federal, have over the years, taken time to invest huge public funds to construct overhead bridges, especially on dangerous highways and multiple-lane expressways. Like every responsible government, both tiers of government have taken it upon themselves to, as much as possible, construct these bridges, to protect their citizens. Sometimes they even go the extra mile, by compelling citizens to use the bridges and, as someone put it, save them from themselves.

However, this seems to have amounted to little, as many citizens still ignore the bridges and embrace the dangerous option of dashing across the dangerously fast roads. The implication of course have been that many Nigerians have been losing their lives, while the facilities have been taken over by beggars and traders, who have found them veritable for their purposes, especially as there seems to be plenty of unchallenged space on them.

Prince Adesoji, a pedestrian spotted trying to cross the Oshodi Expressway at the popular 'Under the Bridge' spot, who gave his reasons for not using the pedestrian fly-over, said he usually crosses the highways whenever he is in a hurry or under pressure to meet an appointment.

He confessed that the only time he uses the bridges is “whenever the KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline) brigade officials are around.”

At the Palm-grove end of Ikorodu Road, another pedestrian, Mr. Jones, who had just crossed the eight-lane road, said people normally cross the road due to impatience. “As human beings, you know we tend to prefer short cuts; that to me is the reason many people including me, cross the highway.”

Mrs. Adekoya, a resident of Onipanu, near Palm-grove, however explains that she had to cross the road on this occasion due to tiredness.

“Today, I have been trekking all day and I'm coming from a far place; sincerely, if I use the pedestrian bridge, I know my blood pressure is likely to rise; and that is what I'm guarding against. However, I do make use of the bridges when I have the strength.”

Another woman caught on the verge of crossing the expressway at Onipanu told this reporter that hers was due to old age: “As you can see, I am old and my legs are weak; it is difficult for me to use the pedestrian bridge. If I try to climb the bridge, to come down will be difficult and the

•A pedestrian being punished for crossing a highway whole of my legs would be shaking. That is why I don't use the pedestrian bridge.”

A gentleman, who refused to reveal his identity at the Obanikoro axis of Ikorodu road, however gave what seemed like a valid reason for not using the pedestrian bridge there. “If you look at the Obanikoro pedestrian bridge up there, you will see that it has gone rusty with holes, making it dangerous for human use. If the government can repair or replicate the modern ones for this spot too, then I'm sure people will start using it again, as against risking their lives crossing the expressway.”

Traders and beggars take over What the pedestrians have however left unused, beggars and traders have seemingly taken over. Most of the pedestrian bridges across metropolitan Lagos and other major cities in the country; have been turned into quick markets and alleyways for beggars of all sorts. Except for the renovated bridges manned by uniformed security men, virtually all the other footbridges have traders and beggars jostling for space. A good example here would be the foot bridges at Charity Busstop, even though it has been renovated, Cele Bus-stop along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Anthony Bus-stop. Most times, pedestrians have to thread gently, else they anger the traders, who are quick to give them a piece of their caustic tongues.

Blessing, a trader who has commandeered a portion of the Obanikoro pedestrian bridge, said she now sells on the bridge because she cannot raise the money to rent a shop.

According to her, “The government agents have been here so many times to

force me off the bridge or confiscate my wares, but I always beg them to have mercy on me because I have no space to showcase my goods. And this is my only source of livelihood.”

Somehow, she has been lucky thus far, as she says she has been there for about two months.

In the same vein, a physically-challenged beggar on one of the footbridges at Oshodi told The Nation that he has taken a space on the bridge to seek alms, because he has to raise money somehow to fend for himself. “I am here because I don't have money to eat and nobody to care for me; but when I stand here, passersby who see me and my condition, pity me and show me mercy.”

Almost similar to the above, though not quite, is Gbadebo, a physically-challenged Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) staff, who says his duty is to keep the Oshodi pedestrian bridge clean. However, he takes advantage of the generosity of the pedestrians to make extra bucks, as most of them take him for a beggar offering voluntary service, and throw him their loose change.

Authorities confess frustration The Nation sought explanations from one of the Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI officials mandated to maintain sanity in these places.

One of them, Mr. Ajibade, at the Oshodi traffic point said “People are so stubborn that they'd rather use the highway, rather than take advantage of the pedestrian bridges. We have arrested many of them overtime; and usually, we take them to the mobile court in Alausa, where they are charged and fined immediately. But that has not changed anything.”

Curiously, Ajibade also revealed that they (KAI) also become subjects of attacks each time they try to carry out their duties.

“Whenever we arrest people who ignore the pedestrian bridge, you find that passersby, traders and thugs would be raining insults on us; sometimes attacking us and telling us to release them.”

He therefore calls for a strengthening of the law, so that pedestrian will know the gravity of the offence they're committing.

Explaining further, Ajibade said “If you go to the U.S where their highways are mostly eight lanes and you insist on dashing across the road to get to the other side, then it means you're likely to get hit by a vehicle or if you're lucky, get arrested.”

He recalled one of the most gruesome sights he has ever witnessed, which he said occurred two years ago at Ikeja Along busstop (Lagos), where six people died instantly on an environmental day, killed by a Toyota Jeep, while trying to cross the highway. “I had tried to persuade one of the victims, a woman, to use the pedestrian bridge, but she ignored me, and sadly, death claimed her life seconds later.”

Ajibade said the situation is so bad that you will always witness an accident along Palm Grove, Onipanu, Obanikoro and Ikeja Along, mostly between 9 am and 12pm daily.

He wondered why people have chosen to ignore these facilities and take such high risks, despite the fact that the government has spent millions, constructing them for their use and safety.

Another KAI officer, Hammed Mukaila, stationed at Onipanu bus stop said the reason the problem has persisted more recently is lack of enforcement. He said it was more stringent in the time of the immediate past governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola and hoped that such degree of enforcement can come back. “During Fashola's tenure, you dared not cross the highway, especially at Ojota, where you had the policemen to the left, and the KAI officials to the right, waiting to pounce on you.”

Peter, a monumental guard at the Palmgrove flyover, said “It pains me to see children and women with babies crossing the highway everyday, with no KAI officers in sight to arrest them. Do you know that three people have died crossing this road in the last two weeks, two of them students? Seriously, we need people to stop them from killing themselves.” He said.

“What I find strange now is that Agbero guys now take the place of the KAI officers near the BRT Bus Stop at Fadeyi Bus Stop, arresting those crossing and extorting money from them.”

Concerning beggars who have turned the bridges to begging zones, Peter said “We send them away always. But there is a particular one, who has refused to heed to our instruction for four years. He claims he is son of the chairman of this garage. He is the only one who has been giving me trouble.”

Another KAI officer at Oshodi, who gave his name as Mr Cole said, “We persuade people to use the pedestrian bridge but if they ignore, we arrest them.”

He however said they have stepped down the arrests because of change of administration, saying that “We are waiting for the new administration to give the goahead from the headquarters.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

24 SUNDAY LIFE

Y

ou simply cannot miss Fehintola Kuyoru as she plies her trade in Itamaga area of Ikorodu. That's perhaps because she is the only lady vulcanizer in the vicinity, and because she does it with so much dedication, commitment and not to forget, dexterity.

That also explains why she gets due patronage, maybe more than some of her male counterparts, if you like.

Standing about four feet tall, fair-skin Kuyoru is 40 years old, and she has spent the better part of her life doing the job, which she says her father propelled her into, albeit without any regrets now.

“Initially, this job was never part of my agenda or plan for the future,” she said, “but when I finished school and my father (now of blessed memory) called me to ask what handwork I would like to learn and I told him hairdressing, he simply became annoyed and vehemently opposed it. He wondered why we ladies in Nigerian could not reason beyond the commonplace profession society seemed to have dictated to us. His reason was based on his experience when he travelled to Jerusalem, where he saw ladies engaging in occupations that seemed to have become the exclusive preserve of the men in this part of the world. He said he saw ladies who were vulcanizers, drivers and mechanics; who were not just doing it in the crude manner in which we operate here, but with high standard machines and computerised equipment. He therefore wanted me to follow in the steps of those white ladies and insisted that I should go and learn vulcanizing.”

“That of course did not go down well with me, but after much persuasion, and persistence on his part, I finally yielded.”

Besides, Kuyoru recalls that she had little option, as failure to yield to her late father's wishes or instructions by any of his children always got him furious. Besides, she said her old man had studied her well enough to know that she was strong and tough enough for the job. “He knew I was strong-willed and that I could do virtually anything an able-bodied man could do. He therefore knew I would survive and succeed in the business despite all odds. He said he saw something in me that was rare among ladies and even some men.”

Kuyoru says she has been in the business for 26 years, having graduated from a three-year apprenticeship in 1989.

Her boss was one Mr Kola, a professional vulcanizer, then stationed at Bariga area of Lagos. She recalls that for some reasons, she was happy with the prospect of learning a job generally believed to be men's job, such that after three months, she had become engrossed in the basics and fundamentals of the job and could

‘Dad pushed me into vulcanising,’ says female vulcaniser Chinedu Ihueze profiles Fehintola Kuyoru, a one in a million female vulcanizer holding sway in a profession utterly dominated by men. independently carry out major tasks in her boss's absence. This she says made her to become his favourite apprentice.

“I still remember vividly a certain day around the Muslim "Ileya" festival, when I made close to two thousand naira for my boss. I am talking about far back into the 80s, when N2000 was really huge money.

My boss had travelled at the time, and I developed the courage to make some money for him in his absence. That trend continued until I had my freedom, which was graced by family, lots of friends and well-wishers. I got my freedom on the 4th

of June, 1989, but I was all the more overjoyed because many had thought the feat was impossible for a lady like me.

“Since then, I have been in this business and have had no regrets whatsoever.

During the period of my apprenticeship, I was not yet married and I made sure I finished as a qualified vulcaniser before getting married.”

Continuing, Kuyoru said “I started my business at Bariga before moving to Ikorodu. To be candid, vulcanizing business is a very lucrative one even though

•Fehintola Kuyoru

people fail to recognize or admit this. As at the time of my apprenticeship, one could claim that it was not very lucrative, but in this age of technological advancement, the rate at which money comes in has skyrocketed enormously. It is a business that sustains a family; so as a vulcanizer, you are capable of taking care of your family and training your children to any level, unless of course if you are the lazy or stingy type.”

The mother of five therefore says she is proud of the job and is not ashamed to say it is a business that has made her and her family to prosper. “To be precise, this business has helped me to train all my children to tertiary level and beyond. It is also our main source of livelihood.

Not to forget, the job and her proficiency at it has also earned her great recognition even amongst her male counterpart, who ordinarily would not have imagined a woman holding sway in their macho profession, as their association unanimously elected her, Assistant Senior Warden Officer in the entire Lagos State Vulcanizers' Association.

Feyintola Kuyoru is an indigene of Oke-Ijemo, Abeokuta, Ogun State and a Muslim.

‘I didn’t receive bribe from Abacha’ • Continued on Page 22

infuriated the military junta and they arrested me. They also prosecuted me on that occasion before I was set free by the court.”

On his seeming invincibility Asked to explain how he managed to escape goin g to jail despite all the persecutions he suffered, Adepoju, who is a staunch Muslim said “I am a strong believer in God, I normally pray and seek protection from God, Almighty. I don't believe in juju.”

Why he parted with Ologundudu Asked to speak on his apprentice whom he trained and later parted with him, Adepoju said "The case of Ologundudu is quite different from other Poets whom I know .When we formed Egbe Akewi Yoruba (The Association of Yoruba Poets) of which I am Life President, Ologundudu was a member at that time. We have his photograph in our membership form. At a time he ceased coming to the meetings of the group, and it took us some time to know that he was the one calling himself Kunle Ologundudu, whereas his real name is Femi Orifunmilade. My opinion is that somebody who decided to hide his identity, all because of money cannot be a friend or associate of mine, because Ewi

trade calls for bravery, sincerity and strong belief in God. But he lacked all those qualities. He only came to pollute the Ewi market through abusive songs, abusive poems; and all those things are not tolerable to any Ewi poet who wants to succeed.”

Regrets his tribal marks Beneath the septuagenarian's bushy white hair are thick tribal marks that would otherwise have been very conspicuous. In his younger days, they quite marked him out, but he now swears that he would never put them on a child's face. His children, for one, do not have them. "I think it is barbaric.” He said of them. “I'm sorry to say it, but it is barbaric to put tribal marks on children. Imagine cutting innocent children's faces in agony! It is even better here a little, when you see a Hausa and Fulani with marks, the whole cheeks are inflicted with wounds, and it takes some time to heal.

So I don't see it as a good part of our culture at all. Besides, there is a verse in the Koran which says you should not change the creation of God. As a matter of fact, I am waiting for a situation that will compel the FG to ban it everywhere in the country.”

He is however happy that his marks didn't really spoil his face.

Background

Born in the 1940s, the man, Olanrewaju Adepoju, who says he'll soon be 80, claims he never had formal education. "I was born in a village called Oke pupa; there was Okedudu, which is no more in existence.

The founder of Okedudu was a very, very black, while the founder of Okepupa was light in complexion. It is located in Akuffo area of Iddo Local Government, Ibadan. I was born into the family of late Pa Gbadamosi Olajide Adepoju. It was a purely agrarian family, and I grew up learning the names of various creation of God like plants, trees, animals, rivers, mountains and so on. Yoruba language was the sole mode of communication.”

Self-tutored “One thing that may sound incredible about my life is that I never went to school; I did not even go to kindergarten school," he declared. “But if you are endowed with a particular knowledge, nobody can take it away from you. The method of learning was very interesting for me. My cousins used to come and spend their holidays in our village, and usually while they were talking, they would suddenly switch to English language, and it pained me a lot that I did not understand the language. So I started saving money realised from firewood sales. One of my cousins Muyideen Oyedele (now deceased) started teaching me; he was my junior, so you can imagine how old I was when I started learning. I had already passed school age when I started

learning Yoruba alphabets and it took me one week or two to finish the entire contents and start learning to read and write effectively in Yoruba Language. It was when I moved to Ibadan that I started learning English. I have never experienced any classroom education in my life; it got a stage when I became frequent at the University of Ibadan Campus, because I had friends there, who were undergraduates, and people thought I was a student there, whereas and I was not. Even as I am talking to you now, I have no certificate from any institution."

Happiest moment "My happiest moment was when I visited Saudi Arabia and beheld the Holy Mosque in Khaba. I wept at its beauty and the architectural wonders; same with when I saw the Holy Prophet's mosque in Medina.

Another moment was when I first visited London and found myself in moving plane. That was in 1985. Another was when my first child was born, and so many others.”

His Ewi inspirations "I get my poetic inspirations from my father, my grandfather and other knowledgeable members of my family.

They used lots of deep words and proverbs to describe so many situations and I somehow saw my family as a great school, where I was first taught use of language.”

26

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

GLAMOUR

ISOKEN

OGIEMWONYI arnt my most progressive

‘I le Isoken Ogiemwonyi is CoFounder of Winterfell Ltd, which owns Le Petit Marche Nigeria and L'Espace trademarks. She was the 2012 MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week/British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur of the Year. Her label,Obsidian showcased at the 2011 & 2012 MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week and participated in the 2013 PittiImmagine Trade show in Florence, Italy. The graduate of Law (LLB Law Hons.) from the University of Nottingham shares with Adetutu Audu why she switched from law to fashion.

A

T only 25, you already set an impressive record. You Cofounded Le Petit Marché and also owns L'Espace. What drives you?

I'm actually 28 now! I've always been an entrepreneur at heart (I started my first business at 8 years old!). I believe in having an idea and going after it relentlessly. With the opening of my new store ZAZAII on the horizon, I can't wait to show our new direction and really take the time to foster new designer businesses. What drives me is a passion for entrepreneurship as an engine of economic and personal growth.

How being a winner of the MTN/British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur of the Year rub on you?

It was great inspiration, and the trip itself was actually quite a reassuring experience.

It made me realize that entrepreneurs the world over have so many of the same problems. It just gave me extra impetus and ideas to implement when I returned.

From law to fashion, why did you switch?

I've always been obsessed with clothes. That in turn informed my obsession with branding and communication, concept execution and starting out with Obsidian, and then LPM gave me incubators to create in and I haven't looked back since.

Why did you choose to focus on fashion retail business?

At ZAZAII (my new African fashion, lifestyle and beauty store in V i c t o r i a i s l a n d ) , Following the success of L'Espace - a 3 y e a r

ideas from family’

learning experience - We are still wholly committed to helping designers achieve their commercial potential and grow both their businesses and brands. This commitment has also driven us to explore new ways of working within our industry.

It has been argued that there are no designers in Nigeria, only tailors as only few of them have international appeal', what is your view?

That is a pretty dated argument - the past five years have seen the industry explode.

Nigeria has some very talented designers.

Our main issue has been creating sustainable businesses - not flash in the pan designers. Once the industry matures especially production capacity and opportunities for commercial expansion, and there is more education of both consumers and designers - we will have many more exportable Nigerian brands.

Retail stores like ZAZAII and Grey Velvet add immensely to the value chain.

Online marketing is gaining ground in global commerce. What would you say are your initial challenges and how did you surmount them?

When we started out (with LPM) almost all our communication was online predominantly via social media. As the space expanded so did the noise making, it is harder to reach our end consumer. ROI on popular sites isn't what it used to be - so we have had to buttress our online efforts with more traditional, offline direct to consumer marketing - and of course good word of mouth. Social media and online marketing is still very effective when targeted precisely and visual mediums like Instagram have been instrumental in our marketing mix, but we definitely have less of a dependence on it than we used to.

You recently announced closing shop and restructuring come July. What influenced that decision?

It was a wonderful six years but we both felt we could contribute more to our industry separately. This is a new beginning for us at ZAZAII giving a fresh opportunity to implement all the lessons learned at L'Espace and create an even more valuable experience for both our consumers and our brands. ZAZAII is an accessible luxury brand that is designed to delight surprise and entertain.

Who influenced you in life, the good, the bad and the ugly?

My parents and my siblings most

definitely. We have a very close family unit and I learnt my most progressive ideas and limitless thinking from them. My siblings and I were brought up to be fearless and believe in achievement for its own sake. My parents are unflinchingly supportive and we learnt pretty early that not every argument is a bad one. Learning to confront things logically, and that our opinions, even as children - were valid, is probably the greatest lesson passed on by my mother and father. I really hope I can instill that kind of confidence in my children one day. Bad & ugly? i have none - I take every setback as an event, learn from it and move on.

How do you maintain a healthy work- life balance?

I don't know that anyone person can achieve a perfect balance; it's something you define for yourself. Thankfully, women naturally multi-task very well. I'm in awe of my older sister, who balances running a phenomenally successful personal brand are head of a key department in a financial services and Investment Company, keeps her household, stays fit and is mother to the most wonderful child. I watched her work relentlessly before, during and after her pregnancy like it was nothing! My mother was the same and I hope to be as m u c h o f a superwoman as they are!

I find a way of balancing everything by scheduling, prioritizing and p l a n n i n g everything that I need to do. I break my day it into manageable little chunks of ZAZAII/Obsidian/Ot her. I also understand when my body and mind require breaks, and I act accordingly.

Globally, there is a heavy reliance on social media (Twitter, blogs etc.) to connect with potential consumers. How important and useful was this tour for your budding career and business?

Social media is a vital part of our growth strategy to c r e a t e a n unbeatable African, omni-

channel accessible luxury retail and media group. Following a strategic review of our business, we realised social media is a key part of our sales funnel - especially for customer acquisition - we use social media and technology to acquire new consumers and offline marketing to maintain the consumer relationship.

The “market” concept is not unique and there were similar events before LPM and since LPM started, many others have emerged. What sets LPM apart?

Depending on who you speak to - we were pretty much the first to do it in the way we did it. And many revolutionary businesses don't necessarily have a novel idea - just a novel application of an existing one, which is exactly what LPM was. The ZAZAII market is a new twist on the original concept and we can't wait to share it with you!

What sort of feedback have you gotten from LPM vendors over the years?

Excellent feedback (mostly). Managing LPM was a phenomenal experience and I loved the sense of community we got from the vendors and being a part of their success.

Over the years you have worked with the Freedom Foundation. Would you say you are fulfilled?

Content. Sometimes. The goal post for personal and professional fulfilment is always moving. And that's how I like it.

Working with the Freedom Foundation was a great experience, we have also worked with an educational foundation called YESA. Charity work is important and one I plan to continue working with and for important causes.

What would you say is the keys to your success?

Focus. Act as though it is possible to fail.

The only times in my life I have doubted myself or let myself feel like I was failing is when I let my fear overcome my faith. It's crucial to - as a friend says often - 'Work like you don't pray, and pray like you don't work'.

Which fashion items is hot for you now?

Current obsession: Peasant blouses, especially ones in chambray or gingham. Perennial obsession: anything and everything with fringing on it.

Makes me feel like I'm in the Roaring Twenties.

Easily the most glamorous (and rebellious) decade as far as I'm concerned.

What will you not do f o r fashion?

Become b a s i c , conformist or boring.

What does fashion mean to you?

To me, fashion is the current expression of style.

Saying who you are without a word. Fashion transforms - ask any woman who has worn her clothes like armour from board meetings to bumping into the ex.

Style is a visual language that communicates how we want to be perceived.

Tell us a little about your background and how your career in the fashion business started?

I am a graduate of Law (LLB Law Hons.) from the University of Nottingham. I also have a PGD in H o s p i t a l i t y Administration from GIHE, Switzerland and an M S c i n Management from BPP London. I have been in the business of fashion since 2009.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

30 SUNDAY LIFE EXTRA

Nigerians in Diaspora can transform the nation Ganiyu Ademola Dada is a Nigerian-American in the Diaspora, an International Trade Specialist and President/Chief Executive Officer, Kofa International, Chicago, USA. He is also former Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora in the Americas and former President of Continental Africa Chambers, USA. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he talks about how Nigerian businesses can compete favourably with multinationals in the country, why the economy is dwindling, as well as helping to facilitate low cost interest finances for the private and public sector.

W

HAT is the focus of your organisation?

The main mission of Kofa is to develop African economy,

Nigeria inclusive with US funds and technology, so that our economy can grow like that of the USA. USA has been creating about 225,000 jobs monthly in the last six years and Nigeria can adopt and customise these programmes to create at least 250,000 to 300,000 jobs monthly. In the last six years, it has generated over 12 million quality jobs and for that to happen in Nigeria, there must be single digit interest rate capital for Nigerians. This capital is the blood of business without which, whatever people are talking about remain only as ideas. But the right capital with low interest loan with long tenure is what the economy needs.

What Kofa is doing all over Africa but more importantly in Nigeria, is to create as many creditworthy Nigerian companies that can have capacity to leverage and borrow more money from abroad.

And more importantly to do business in the Western way, whereby they would be creditworthy and be able to attract capital to expand the economy of Nigeria and create jobs for the youths.

What are you focusing on at the moment?

We are to deliver a multipurpose dredge from DSC LLC to Japaul Maritime, Oil & Gas Plc, the only Maritime company in the Nigerian stock exchange. We have been supporting the company since 2004, by facilitating low cost single digit loan interest rate for the company from US for it to buy equipment in order to be able to compete with multinationals in Oil & Gas industry using EXIM Bank program.

So we have at the moment given Japaul multimillion-dollar equipment, which they are clearing and amongst which is one of the best dredges in Nigeria, if not in West Africa as a whole.

Do you support other companies apart from Japaul?

Yes. We had worked with many companies in Nigeria in different industries like Wattcon in manufacturing in Kaduna, ABG in Telecom in Abuja, Ibile Holdings Ltd, wholly owned by Lagos State in Lagos and many other companies in the dredging industry like Azikel Group in Bayelsa and Land Dredging Ltd in Lagos to grow too.

All these companies are using DSC Dredges too. And because they are using DSC

technology for dredging, they are growing too.

Do you also assist small scale businesses?

We are not only for big companies.

Japaul was not big when we started with it. But we are proud to be part of its success because it is into many things. Critically, we are trying to help small, medium, and large companies to be creditworthy, so they can be considered first before any other for low cost finance; and through them direct foreign investment will enter the country. Every day, money is looking for where to go in the United States and the Western world as a whole, but these monies can only go to those that are creditworthy and those who have been doing things in the way of the Western world and direct foreign investment {DFI}will come through them.

Today, we have 60,000 US companies operating in China; we don't have many with the exception with the few US oil and gas companies in Nigeria. You cannot count a thousand US companies in Nigeria.

That is why our economy is not growing because everything we do is cash-based, whereas the rest of the world is doing business on credit. One other problem is that our interest rate here is above 25%. For the last 15 years of Kofa using Exim Bank in Nigeria, we have never done anything more than single digit interest rate and it has longer tenure in the sense that it has 515 years tenure to pay back; and that is what real business needs to grow and not the trading aspect that the Nigerian banks are doing whereby they give you two years to pay and charge you 25%30%interest rate.

So what Kofa is doing is taking one company at a time and using EXIM Bank program and other ECA programs to develop credit worthy Nigerian companies.

EXIM is the Export/Import Bank of United States and Kofa provides Ancillary Services to the Bank's Programs by working collaboratively with US Consulates and Embassies in every African country.

Why must our business owners go all the way to the USA to borrow funds?

There are so many reasons they

•Dada may have to go to the USA to borrow money. Number one is the cost of capital in Nigeria is so expensive. Two, for whatever reason, we unfortunately do not manage our economy very well because of so much leakages, which has brought so much austerity and lack of sufficient foreign reserve for us. So, serious business owners must have access to offshore loans. For example, an American company coming to do business in Nigeria is getting his loan say for single digit interest rate - 5%, 7% interest rates and so on, while a Nigerian counterpart will get his own for 20% to 25% interest rates.

So what does it entails for a company to benefit from this program?

It entails financial discipline and literacy. EXIM Bank has made possible for US companies to facilitate finance for Africans, which Kofa is one of them, meaning that we market EXIM Bank programs to foreign buyers all over the world. Kofa just chooses to concentrate on Africa. What Kofa does is to identify the leading companies in each industry in United States and Kofa puts money behind them to supply creditworthy African government and private companies in Africa. And you grow them to the extent that they are continuously credit worthy. In Nigeria people do business on cash and carry basis and on the personality involved and therefore there is no succession program, whereas in the Western world, when a company has established a creditworthy business, when the leadership changes, the credit capacity still continues and increases progressively. So when anybody has an international company profile and an international credit profile, you can borrow from anywhere in the world.

That is the fundamental requirements even though there are others.

So any company, organization or individuals coming for the first time must have a Nigerian bank to guarantee them until they develop their creditworthiness abroad. Once they are credit worthy, they would remove the guarantor and then they would be lending money directly to them like Coscharis and Japaul is enjoying today.

We want to develop over 10,000 Nigerian companies that will be creditworthy, so that direct foreign investment can come through them from abroad into the country and then our private sector economy can expand.

What are some of the challenges encountered?

Well, there are lots of challenges.

Credit culture is alien to Africans and Nigeria inclusive. People don't want to incur debt. In the Western world, if you are not creditworthy, you cannot survive.

But here in Africa we do not know the value of creditworthiness. So as a result, it is difficult to find many Nigerian companies that are creditworthy. And when you find those that are ready to develop their creditworthiness, Nigerian banks make it difficult for them, because they do not give them the necessary support to succeed because they do not want them to get away from them, which is shortsightedness.

What would be your advice to Nigerians, the government and business owners?

Nigerians abroad and those at home must work to together. Nigerians abroad have access to a lot of things they could bring into the country. Unfortunately, our politicians here are part of the problems of Nigeria because they put their salaries and emolument beyond any other country in the world, when a lot of people are suffering out there. The politicians are not supposed to be competing with the business owners in Nigeria. You find that the same people that are supposed to create laws and conducive environment for businesses are the ones competing with business owners in Nigeria, thereby getting all the businesses and all the money. The politicians are struggling with business owners even when nobody in the world gets the kind of money they vote for themselves; but the worst thing is that w h e n t h e y g e t t h e s e businesses/contracts, they would not execute them. So how can they create laws to control themselves? That is why Kofa is focusing on the private sector, giving them capital to expand their businesses.

PAGE 33

JULY 19, 2015

• Ribadu

• Jonathan

• Odili

PDP Chair: Ribadu, Odili, Mohammed on the cards

Pages 36 & 37

• Secondus

• Imoke

Minority Leader: Crisis in PDP Senate caucus rages Pages 34

• Mohammed

Fears over 2016

CENSUS Pages 34

Post election crisis: More troubles for Oyo PDP Pages 34

34

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

POLITICS

Minority Leader: Crisis in PDP Senate caucus rages The tension arising from the alleged choice of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Minority Leader of the 8TH Senate by the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to subside, reports Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo

T

HE crisis is subdued, but raging nonetheless. Just as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is still agonising on how to resolve the lingering animosity between its lawmakers on the sharing of principal offices in the National Assembly, the minority Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus has also caught the crisis bug over the same issue.

A few weeks ago, there were unconfirmed reports that the national leadership of the PDP had allegedly settled for Godswill Akpabio, a first term senator as the Minority Leader of the Senate.

This development was contrary to an earlier decision that the Senator representing Delta South, James Manager, should head the minority caucus of the Red Chamber.

Akpabio's choice, it was gathered, has not gone down well with many PDP senators, some of whom are questioning the rationale behind the decision of picking a non-ranking lawmaker to head his more senior colleagues.

Manager is not only a third term senator; he is perhaps the next most ranking PDP senator after the immediate

J

UST as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre is struggling to reposition itself with a view to seeking a return to power in 2019, the Oyo State chapter of the erstwhile ruling party, following its defeat by the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi, of All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2015 governorship election, has been working round the clock to mend its fences and come out with a united front ahead of the next general election in the state.

The troubled PDP had wielded so much influence in Oyo State between 1999 and 2011 when it first lost to Ajimobi.

Determined to reenact its old winning tricks, the party went all out to displace the APC in the last general election. But bedeviled by internal wrangling that refused to go away, it couldn't make good its threat. Its defeat this time around is more humiliating as its candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, came a distant fourth, trailing the APC, Accord Party (AP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in an election that was comfortably won by Ajimobi.

Expectedly, following the humiliating loss, founding fathers of the party in the state, like the former National Vice Chairman of the party, South-West, Alhaji Yekeen Adeojo; former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese, former Minister of State for FCT, Jumoke Akinjide, Senator Teslim Folarin, and several others, resumed efforts to rid the party of internal crises but with little or no success.

And when it appeared the party may be finding its bearing gradually, all hell again broke loose as a faction within the party, during the week, pulled out of further talks and launched what it called the Reformed PDP. According to party chieftains and political analysts, with the emergence of the new PDP in the state, given the volatile nature of politics in Oyo, especially within the troubled opposition party, it may be difficult for the party to overcome the current crisis.

• Akpabio

• Manager

former Senate President, David Mark, who is currently serving a record fifth term. Mark, according to sources, had declined to take up the offer for "personal reasons".

The position of the Minority Leader had been zoned to the South-South and Manager, being the highest ranking senator from the region was expected to fill the position.

But that was not to be, as Akpabio's camp was alleged to have kicked against two lawmakers from Delta State, Manager and Leo Ogor as the Minority Leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly respectively.

Unlike Ogor, who was unanimously chosen by his colleagues to be their Leader, sources revealed that the PDP caucus in the Senate is divided between Akpabio and Manager, who has allegedly vowed to resist what he describe as an attempt by party leaders to impose Akpabio on the rest of his colleagues.

With the National Assembly still on recess, feelers indicate that the two senators are using the opportunity presented by the break to lobby their colleagues for support.

This is happening against the backdrop of an allegation that one of the two senators

has allegedly voted several billions of naira to finance the project of his election as the Minority Leader.

Prominent members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) are being accused of receiving huge gratifications, which allegedly influenced their shifting support from Manager to Akpabio.

The acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, is also caught in the eye of the storm, as he is being accused of railroading other members of his committee to back Akpabio, who was elected as senator following the expiration of his two terms as governor of Akwa Ibom State.

The Nation however learnt that fresh moves have commenced to resolve the imbroglio before the Senate resumes on July 21. Expected to spearhead the peace mission is Mark and the acting Chairman of the party's Board of Trustees (BoT), Dr. Haliru Mohammed.

But if indications within the top hierarchy of the party are anything to go by and all things being equal, Akpabio may likely get the nod as the new Minority Leader of the Senate.

Speaking on why the former governor is rated above Manager, a source said: "Yes, Manager is a ranking senator, but he does not boast Akpabio's national image, who served as the first chairman of the PDP Governors Forum (PDPGF).

Most importantly, he has a deep pocket which he would always put at the party's disposal at this most challenging period."

Is Akpabio waiting to be crowned or will Manager pull a last minute surprise to emerge as the Minority Leader of the 8th Senate? The answer to this poser would be provided when the Senate reconvenes later this week.

Post election crisis: More tr

With the formation of 'Reformed PDP,' Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports that the crisis in Oyo PDP has deepened A former state executive committee member, Dr. Bade Balogun, observed that his former party would have to do a lot to survive its current challenges. Balogun, who was among those who defected from the party in the run up to the 2011 general elections over perceived injustices, said the formation of the Reformed PDP has finally polarized the party along irreparable lines.

"The problem is intolerance on the part of some leading figures within the party. It was the same factor that drove Ladoja out of PDP. It was the same factor that drove Seyi Makinde out of the party. It was the same factor that drove former governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala, out of the party. So, now that this has finally happened, I see serious trouble for PDP in Oyo State.

The survival of PDP, after the ongoing implosion rocking it, would have to be seriously worked upon to enable it retain its status as a formidable political party before it could become attractive to people again. I am yet to see how the party will shake off this current threat to its survival," Balogun said.

Speaking on the state of the party in the state, Senator Lekan Balogun, another bigwig of the party, attributed the festering crisis to alleged high handedness of some leaders, saying, "Some ministers destroyed the party and the presidency. It is more painful that the party may be destroyed permanently.

According to him, instead of the party leaders to take global interest as their cardinal principle, they pandered to selfish interest which spelt doom for the party. He added that for the party to regain its lost glory; there has to be radical departure from its selfish interest. In as much as he would not want to be enmeshed in the unedifying crisis within the party in the state, he

disagreed with those who said Senator Folarin was a wrong candidate.

To him, if the leaders had genuinely worked for the party, Folarin would not have lost the election noting that as a former Senate leader; he had contested and won election before in the state.

But chieftains of the Reformed PDP, led

by Adebisi Olopoenia, claimed that the motive behind the move "is to reform the party and also make it a force to reckon with in the world of politics", adding that unless something drastic is urgently done, the PDP in the state is doomed.

According to Olopoenia, who spoke on behalf of the new group, "we gather here today to reform the PDP in Oyo State. The last session was marred with inordinate ambitions, but, by the time we hold our congress in March 2016, we will have those that can take the party to greater heights in place. The former leaders are not honest with most of us who are real party people and the PDP we are going to have now is going to be a collection of new breed PDP members."

Former Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and one of the party's governorship aspirants in the last election, Soji Adejumo, another chieftain of the Reformed PDP, confirmed the move. He said: "I am fully part of the whole process.

This re-branded PDP will do away with politics of selfish, moribund, unintelligent interest by some party leaders who struggled to take control of the party."

Other party stalwarts, including Azeez Salawudeen (alias Eyonbo Anobi) from Atisbo Local Government Area of the state, Ismaila Osuolale Ashipa from Ibadan North Local Government Area, and Busari Murtala (alias Moriyeba) from Atiba Local Government Area, have been supporting the formation of the Reformed PDP.

• Folarin At a meeting in Bashorun area of Ibadan on Thursday, PDP stalwarts from 13 local government areas of Oyo-East, Atiba, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan North, Afijio, Olorunsogo, Itesiwaju, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan NorthEast, Atisbo, Saki-East, Kajola and Saki-West, all agreed that the party could not afford not to return to its number one position it is known for without the Reformed PDP. They all maintained that there was the need for the PDP to be rebranded as "it is only the PDP that can tackle the All Progressives Congress (APC), only if it is reformed".

For PDP in Oyo, the road to the ongoing crisis started with allegations that Teslim's woeful performance in the last election was as a result of alleged uncooperative attitude of leaders like Akinjide; Senator Ayo Adeseun

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015 ONCERNED Nigerians, including experts, have expressed fear that 2016 National Census may not hold after all.

Those who raise this alarm also contend that even if the National Population Commission (NPC) overcomes the current lull in its activities and manages to conduct the exercise next year, there is nothing so far to suggest that the outcome would be different from the controversial outcome of all the previous censuses in Nigeria.

Perhaps more than any other census exercise in the country, many Nigerians are hopeful that all the alleged inadequacies of previous censuses would be rectified with the forthcoming 2016 Census. It was Chief Festus Odumegwu, the former NPC Chairman, that first raised expectations of Nigerians, when he, while still in office, said that previous censuses in the country were padded for socio-political advantages of some sections of the country and promised to rectify the anomalies with the 2016 Census. Odumegwu however lost his position as NPC boss shortly after that promise; a development that led critics to allege that government was not ready for a credible and generally acceptable census in 2016.

That fear over 2016 National Census was renewed last week as Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark this year's World Population Day. Incidentally, it was the Chairman of National Population Commission, Chief Eze DuruIheoma (SAN) himself that raised the alarm. While addressing a press conference with the theme, "Vulnerable Population in Emergencies," to mark the World Population Day, DuruIheoma said 2016 census may not hold.

According to him, if indeed Nigerians want the conduct of 2016 national census, they must demand it like they did during the recentlyconcluded general elections. DuruIheoma said, "I want to remind us that censuses are supposed to be held between five and 10 years after the previous one. Now, the previous census in the country took place in 2006. That is why we are sticking to the 2016 date. That is when the next census is due in this country.

"It is an exercise that involves Nigerians.

Look at the way Nigerians reacted to the last election. They demanded what they wanted.

The next thing after the elections ought to be the national census. We want it to be in the

C

POLITICS

Fears over 2016 Census

Census results in Nigeria have continued to generate controversy as citizens allege manipulations designed to gain sectional socio-political advantages. This has been the case since the first national census in the country conducted by the British colonial government in the 1950s. Last week, the debate was renewed when the chairman of the National Population Commission, Chief Eze DuruIheoma, expressed fear that the proposed 2016 National Census may not hold. Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports on the current fears and traces the prolonged census politics in Nigeria

• Buhari

• DuruIheoma

consciousness of Nigerians. The last one took place in 2006. Ten year after, we want to know how many we are.

"Our duty here in NPC is to help Nigerians realise this goal. Whatever they want us to do; we will carry out their wish. If they want us to carry out the exercise, we will."

Following this public commentary by DuruIheoma, who recently lamented alleged poor budgeting, tongues are wagging that both the commission and the new federal

government may not be prepared for such an exercise next year.

It would be recalled that the former chairman of NPC, Chief Festus Odumegwu, entered into troubled waters in 2013, following statements credited to him that previous national census figures were padded to favour some parts of the country.

Odumegwu had promised to use the 2016 census to correct the alleged misdeeds of the past. He promised to conduct a census that would

professed loyalty to the party. While they have deceptively carried themselves as members of the PDP, their activities in the last governorship election showed their duplicity and it is on this account that the party has suspended them," Adeojo said of their suspension.

The PDP leader pointedly alleged that Akinjide diverted all the resources meant for the PDP to support the Accord Party in the governorship election, just as she misled party loyalists to support Senator Ladoja's governorship ambition. He noted that while Adeseun and Balogun contrived to work against the PDP in Ogbomoso zone by supporting the Labour Party governorship candidate in the governorship elections, Mustapha betrayed the PDP by working for the APC in Iseyin Local Government Area.

"We urge the leaders of the party and members of the public in the South-West and at the national level, including the SouthWest Chairman of the Presidential Contact and Mobilisation Committee, Chief Olabode George; the South-West PDP zonal executive, governors of Ekiti and Ondo states, Mr. Ayo Fayose and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to be abreast of the development.

It is a shame that these so-called leaders of the PDP sold out their conscience for personal aggrandisement and greed, despite their professed loyalty to the party. While they deceptively carried themselves as members of the PDP, their activities in the last governorship election showed their duplicity and it is on this account that the party has suspended them," Adeojo had claimed.

Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, Hon. Moroof Akinwande, amongst others, were the chieftains shown the door by the party. But in a swift response, a group within the party, the Progressive Youth Frontiers (PYF), according to its Secretary, Comrade Abiodun Adeniyi, accused Adeojo and Folarin of creating more problems for the party with their actions.

"These same retrogressive elements pushed Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Mr. Seyi Makinde, Elder Wole Oyelese and others out

of the party just to gratify self-serving ends.

They took hold of the National Working Committee of the PDP in Abuja, embarked on a zero-sum game and tilted the party to a near abyss all because of selfish interest and unrealistic ambition," the group claimed.

Olopoenia, while vowing that the Reformed PDP would not be deterred by threats from Adeojo and others, said "everyone knows they are failed executives of the party. I do not even expect them to talk at this point in time. They should come and tell the whole World what they have done towards the progress of the party in recent times, most especially, the last general elections.

I can say that all they know is to share bags of rice and collect money from aspirants in the guise of giving them tickets. A promise which they did not fulfill 100 percent. Some of those they collected money from and failed to give tickets to contest the last election are still raining curses on them.

It still baffles me that they are now coming out to kick against a group of people who are willing to transform the party and give it a new face. Where were they when the APC was hitting hard on the PDP on radio, T.V and even on the pages of newspapers?

They should be able to tell us why he was unable to respond to criticisms from opposition parties most especially the APC before and during the last general elections. In fact, I'm still wondering how such a group of people will be threatening sanction on a particular set of people who are ready to change things from the old way of doing them in order to turn around the fortune of the party in Oyo State".

With the party chieftains still going for each other's political juggler, leaving no end in sight to the ongoing crisis in Oyo PDP, it is left to be seen what will become of the once vibrant party left behind by Late Lamidi Adedibu, the acclaimed strongman of Oyo politics.

re troubles for Oyo PDP

• Olopoenia and the Chief of Staff to former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Dr. Saka Balogun.

Specifically, Akinjide, who coordinated the presidential campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan in the state, was accused of funding the campaign of the Accord governorship candidate, Rasheed Ladoja.

Though she denied the allegation, her obvious negative disposition to Folarin's candidacy and her little or no participation in the governorship campaign, cast doubts on her loyalty to the party's candidate.

After accusations and counter accusations for weeks, Chief Yekeen Adeojo announced the suspension of Akinjide, Adeseun and Balogun with immediate effect. "It is a shame that these so-called leaders of the PDP sold out their conscience for personal aggrandisement and greed, despite their

35

be universally accepted with a budget of over N200 billion. The Olusegun Obasanjo-led federal government soon after these utterances relieved Odumegwu of his job.

Census politics Since the exit of Odumegwu, the prospect of 2016 census has continued to elicit special interest in the polity. This is more so because of the intricate politicking that has been associated with census results since the emergence of the Nigerian nation state.

According to Adewale Maja-Pearce and Eleanor Whitehead, who conducted comprehensive research on the challenges of census in Nigeria, "accusations that the country's official population figures had been rigged date back to the 1950s and have continued unabated under military and civilian regimes.

"In the run up to independence in 1960, the British authorities were accused of skewing census figures to favour the interests of northern political elite. After independence, the same accusations were made about the seriously flawed 1963 census.

"The next official population count, conducted in 1973, was no better. It was officially annulled and no figures were published. After that there was nothing until 1991 when a census was conducted and just as quickly discredited and annulled."

The controversy has not ceased since then. Even after the most recent national census in 2006, when it was declared that the country's population was over 140 million, the then President of the Senate, David Mark, reportedly complained that the count was not credible. "Every time we talk about statistics in this country… we don't appear to have the accurate figure," he said.

Coming shortly after Festus Odimegwu resigned or was sacked from his position as the National Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) in very controversial circumstances, observers expressed interest to know why census exercise has remained a riddle in the country. But when Odimegwu responded, his explanation further worsened the controversy. The former NPC boss was quoted as saying, among others, that no census in Nigeria's history has been valid and that trying to count Nigerians was "impossible".

It would be recalled that in the referred 2006 census, Kano was declared the most populous state, with about 9.4 million inhabitants, followed by Lagos, with a little over 9 million. Lagos and some critics from the south described the census as fraudulent.

The resultant controversy over the census result peaked when Lagos State Government conducted its own census, ignoring reports that under the constitution, only the federal government is permitted to conduct a population count. At the end of the exercise, the state declared that it has 17.5 million people.

Explaining the reason behind the current fear over the possibility that 2016 census may not hold, Dr Godswill Udomba, a statistician in Lagos, told The Nation, "the truth is that Nigerians are very sensitive when it comes to census because they are aware so much socio-political evil have been perpetrated on common Nigerians by leaders who have been manipulating figures for their selfish interests. Everything wrong in both the political development of the country and our economic planning are traceable to census fraud. It is a shame that we do not know our population and have sworn never to know.

In that circumstance, how can we plan as a nation? I therefore plead that the Buhari-led government should take census as a top priority. We must know the true population of this country if we ever hope to plan well.

It is a pity that we chose to politicize such a sensitive exercise," he said.

Adewale Maja-Pearce and Eleanor Whitehead, on their part said, "The real cause of controversy in Nigeria has always been the influence of politics and money.

"The reason the British rigged the preindependence census figures in the 1950s was reputedly to allocate more seats in parliament to those they favoured in the north, and diminish the political influence of the south.

"The censuses of 1963, 1973 and 1991 are also widely seen in the south as having deliberately underrepresented the southern population to justify the distribution of resources to the north.

"Today, population size helps determine the share of revenues given out by the central government to the different states, meaning both federal and state authorities have a major financial interest in the census numbers."

The debate continues.

36

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

POLITICS

PDP Chair: Ribadu, Odili, Mohammed o An underground battle over who becomes the next National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has started in earnest with three candidates emerging top favourites for the seat, reports Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo

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UST two months after losing the presidential election for the first time since 1999, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is already dreaming big for the next election in 2019.

Now gradually easing into its new, but somewhat unfamiliar role as the major opposition party in the country, major stakeholders of the party have, in the last few weeks, been brainstorming on how best to reposition the party against the backdrop of its massive loss of goodwill among Nigerians, which has raised fears that it could become irrelevant in the political scheme of things, or in the worst case scenario, go extinct.

While the second scenario remains a far-fetched possibility, leaders of the party are however not taking chances.

Though presently in control of 13 out of the 36 states of the federation, not a few of the major stakeholders of the former ruling party are allegedly nursing secret fears that the PDP as it stands today, is at the verge of being blown away from the political space in spite of boasts by some of its leaders that the party would be back in power come 2019.

Soon after the last general elections, a fact finding committee was set up by the immediate former National Chairman to reach out to every major stakeholder, including aggrieved members and recommend the way forward.

Sources disclosed that one of the major recommendations of the committee is a holistic rebranding of the party through series of ways, few of which include constituting a new credible National Working Committee (NWC) and reaching out to its former members now in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return.

But what is of utmost concern to the party leaders presently is the election of a new national chairman, with words rife that the pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, is the odds-on favourite to succeed Prince Uche Secondus, who is holding forth, albeit in an acting capacity.

It was gathered that those rooting for Ribadu are of the belief that this is the most auspicious time for the party to catch in on to the former anti-corruption czar's favourable public perception, which can serve as a match up to the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari. Ribadu's integrity, said sources in the party, could be used as a bargaining edge by the party in successive elections.

The Nation further gathered that party leaders are also aware of the perceived image of the party in many

• Jonathan

• Imoke

quarters as very corrupt and are determined to change that negative impression with Ribadu as the national chairman.

As a matter of fact, PDP apparatchiks believe that the party lost the last general elections because of President Buhari's anticorruption credentials, which many voters keyed into by voting massively for the APC. With the party's national convention, where a new national chairman and other Board of Trustees (BoT) members will emerge, billed for August, strong indications have emerged that supporters of Ribadu have begun a mobilisation and campaign drive among members from the six geo-political zones.

"The leadership of the party is looking at somebody with a good track record of doggedness, forthrightness and somebody that is not easily intimidated. Nuhu Ribadu fits the profile," a PDP insider said.

• Ribadu

• Secondus

The source further disclosed that at a time when a man of high moral standing like Buhari is at the helm of the nation's affairs, the PDP, now in the opposition, cannot afford to have somebody of questionable character or somebody who does not command the respect of Nigerians and the international community as its leader.

Ribadu earned global campaign while serving as EFCC chairman between 2003 and 2008, during which he successfully prosecuted cases involving several high profile individuals.

Moves to draft Ribadu, who was the PDP governorship candidate in Adamawa State in the last elections has gathered momentum, with some unconfirmed reports claiming that he enjoys the blessing of former President Goodluck Jonathan and some other party stalwarts.

Another factor working in Ribadu's favour, it was learnt, is his relatively good understanding of the inner workings of the ruling party, having been a presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress Nigeria (now part of the APC) in the 2011 general elections.

Following the outcome of the last elections, a cold war had ensued among its leaders, with claims and counter-claims over the real reasons the party performed woefully at the polls.

Why North is favoured for the chairmanship Insinuations that the PDP lost the last elections due to the refusal of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to honour a one term pact he signed with PDP northern leaders came to the fore again recently with a statement credited to Dr. Cairo Ojuigbo, the National Vice Chairman of the party,

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

POLITICS

ed on the cards

• Odili

• Mohammed

alluding to that fact in a newspaper interview.

This belief may have swelled the support base of Ribadu to become the next national chairman, as ceding the seat to the South-South as some party members are proposing, may completely obliterate the little support base of the party in the North.

Of the 19 states in the North, only two, Gombe and Taraba are controlled by the PDP, a fact that is not lost on the party leaders who are apprehensive of what fate lies ahead for the party in the 2019 elections if something is not done quickly to appease the region.

While the Ribadu candidacy is being strongly considered, those opposed to him say with the former EFCC boss at the helm of the party, the fortunes of the party may plummet further than expected.

The temperament of the former retired police officer, his s o m e t i m e s controversial off-thecuff statements and lack of relative experience to manage a complex political organisation are being cited by opponents as factors that may cause unanticipated crisis if eventually he emerges the National Chairman.

Interestingly, support for Ribadu is coming from unusual quarters.

Beside Jonathan, former Minister of Aviation, Fami Olukayode, recently on his Twitter handle, drummed support for the Adamawa Stateborn politician, wit this statement: "The best thing that our great party, the PDP can do now is to draft in @NuhuRibadu as our National Chairman. We need credibility and strength."

Other likely contenders Other notable PDP leaders in contention for the position of the n a t i o n a l chairmanship include former governors of Rivers and Cross River states respectively, Dr. Peter Odili and Mr. Liyel Imoke and the immediate former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed.

After he served his term as governor, Odili kept a low profile throughout the eight-year tenure of his successor, Rotimi Amaechi, owing largely to a cold war between the two.

Those who want Odili onboard the PDP chairmanship seat, argue that aside the fact that his name needs no introduction among many Nigerians; he would also easily command the respect of many party members, particularly the governors.

In the case of Imoke, who has consistently denied having any interest in the seat, it was learnt that his name keeps coming up on account of being non-controversial, coupled with his demeanor, two attributes needed to unite the party and move it forward.

His alleged non-interest in the contest may, however, count against him, sources say.

If the Ribadu option fails to fly, Bala Mohammed may be drafted to run for the seat, it was gathered. The former minister may not be too much of a hard sell as he is known to be a loyalist of ex-President Jonathan, who from all indications would have a large say in who becomes the next PDP boss.

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'Why I fought to recover my mandate in spite of physical threats' Hon. Olufunke Ehuwa is a former member of the Ondo State Executive Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one of the women leaders of the party in the state. In this brief encounter with Yetunde Oladeinde, she recounted her experience in politics so far and what has motivated her to forge ahead in spite of the obstacles, threats and denials

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EMALE politicians in Nigeria have encountered a number of problems. This is as a result of large scale marginalisation both in voting exercises and in allocation of political offices. Political violence and the social stigma that politics is a dirty game is a further stumbling block for women to become actively involved in the politics of this country. These are the major causes for the low representation of women in Nigeria's political terrain.

More often than not, men constitute a larger percentage of the party membership and this tends to affect women when it comes to selecting or electing candidates for positions.

Since men are usually in the majority in the political party setup, they tend to dominate the party hierarchy and are therefore at advantage in influencing the party's internal politics.

In spite of the challenges, some women are determined to carve a niche for themselves in politics against the odds. In Ondo State, Mrs. Olufunke Ehuwa is one of such women forging ahead in spite of the obstacles she has encountered in politics. She has served in different capacities. Giving a summary of her socio-political profile so far, she told The Nation in a brief encounter, "I served as a member of the state executive council of the PDP. I have also served as the senatorial woman leader. I was once appointed on the board of Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) as commissioner one and now I am a chieftain of the PDP and the state coordinator of the Country Women Association (COWAN)."

How did she get into politics you ask? "I got into politics through the encouragement of my late uncle, Chief Olusola Omonira, who being a philanthropist, has been coming to our area to advocate for people. I felt that by going into politics, I would be well placed in serving the interest of the people. I got into politics in year 2001 ".

What was she doing before politics? "I was a management consultant and was into property and estate development. It was a service-oriented company. The experience was really exciting but at a point, I thought I had to leave Lagos to serve my people. I did the property thing for about ten years."

You want to ask what the transition from business to politics was like and she replied this way?"It was interesting, although it looked like leaving certainty for uncertainty; the interest of my people was very paramount and I was ready to venture into it, take the gamble and do some of the things that I did".

What were some of the initial challenges?

"When I got into politics, the rarity of women in decision making position was a challenge.

Women were not given chances but I did not allow that to deter me and I was determined to forge ahead. In year 2004, I was elected the chairman of my local government but just like Chief Abiola's election was annulled, my election was also annulled. I pursued it to the Supreme Court. I was the elected chairman but they just did not allow me to claim my mandate. This was the Ilaje Local Government in Ondo State".

Ehuwa continues her story: "While I was at it, there were physical threats, violence and all that but I was determined to claim my mandate.

I did not allow any of that to deter me. I pursued it through the legal source and we moved from the tribunal to the high court, from the high court to court of appeal and from the court of appeal to the Supreme Court. When we now got to the Supreme Court, they said it was a local government case. They said it was a one bus stop appeal and should not get to the Supreme Court. I was the elected chairman and the case was not decided up till last year."

You remind her that a lot of women's groups are complaining that the number of women in politics and positions are dwindling and you wake up something in her with this response. "We need to do things the way it is

done in other parts of the world. They make use of legislation whereby women are given their slots and they would now work to get this slots filled. That is one and then women should also be encouraged by the community to come out. When women come out and they are not given the opportunity, it gives them setbacks and it is really an impediment.

If you really look at it, you would find that women have a larger figure when it comes to voters. If the larger parts of the voters are not represented, how can their interest be taken care of? So this is a national challenge and we want our leaders to look at it".

Getting funds for campaign is usually a big challenge for a lot of women in politics.

Was it easy for Ehuwa? "It was not that easy for me. I used the money I saved from my property business and I got support from some uncles and the community." After that experience in 2004, was it easy giving politics another trial? "I am somebody who believes in serving. I also contested for the nomination for the House of Representatives but there wasn't enough money for me to scale through."

Ask her to advice women politicians and she answers: "I would tell them to work together as women, if we actually work together and ask for our slots from our leaders, the president, and governors and if they see our large numbers, they would do something. Women are actually the ones that go out to do the voting. If we work together, we would have a formidable platform to make our point.

What are some of the memorable moments for Ehuwa in politics? Without thinking twice, she answers pointedly: "During the political victory and during the house-to-house campaign. Reaching out to people and they invite you to different events. It is also exciting working with people at the grassroots; you know their problems and challenges. This affords you the opportunity to really care for them when you get to office".

Ehuwa studied business administration at the University of Benin, MBA at the University of Lagos. Explaining her specialty and what she has been doing, she said, "At the MBA level, I had a specialty in Corporate Management. I worked along that line and that was what took me to the property line later. The property venture, I learnt a lot of lessons like being proactive, knowing how to connect and render good and qualitative services to the client. The property sector is in dire need of development. Right now, I am working on this. I got into COWAN because of politics. While I was there, late Chief Mrs. Ogunleye knew about the election that was annulled and she took up the matter."

Ehuwa adds; "She went straight to the secretariat of the PDP then with the documents, telling them that I was the elected chairman then. She helped me to pursue the case and I joined COWAN, ever since, she has helped and is a source of inspiration and motivation to me. Apart from this, I also have the Alabaster Community Development Foundation to help and grow the community along the state government policies. We give care and support in collaboration with Ondo State Agency for the support and care for AIDS."

• Ehuwa

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

POLITICS

Adelabu Centenary: Whither Ibadan politics?

T is very tempting to commence by sharing with you the conclusion of my discussion with a former Military Governor of Oyo State about fifteen years ago shortly after he had finished his tenure.

Subsequently, at various intervals we refreshed our previous conclusion, namely that the problem with Ibadan is that there is too much politics already! Hence, it should jettison political maneuvering, all night scheming, broad daylight mischief making and unrelenting plotting against enemies and foes alike. We both agreed that Ibadan would be better served if its powerful elite and indefatigable politicians would devote their time and energy to reviving and sustaining the fortunes of its indomitable football club - IICC [Industrial Investment and Credit Corporation] often nicknamed 3SC or "Oluyole Warriors".

According to the Military Governor, every Ibadan citizen - man, woman or child is a born politician. They are stubborn, dogmatic and utterly fearless. His official report was that: Confrontation is their favourite sport. Ibadan is swarming with lawyers.

"They are ready to abuse anybody at any time, even if he is the Military Governor right there in his presence. They do not believe they owe anybody any apology unless he is the Olubadan."

Fortunately, Kabiyesi Oba (Dr.) Samuel Osudiran Odulana CFR MHR JP Odugade I Olubadan of Ibadanland is here with us.

Without necessarily hiring the services of a forensic accountant or auditors, Ibadan should take stock and count its blessings before allowing itself to be sucked into the cauldron of Nigeria's eternal crises and the vortex of mega conflicts.

For a start, the process of selecting Olubadan is a unique contribution of Ibadan to the rest of our nation which is yet to come to terms with the enduring merit of peaceful and orderly succession. It bears repetition that with the hierarchy firmly established and in strict accordance with rank and title, the selection of Olubadan is guaranteed to be smooth (without rancor or resort to litigation). This is uncommon ingredient of statecraft.

As a bonus, Ibadan has no issue regarding who is an indigene on non-indigene. The sons and daughters of the soil know each other and they also "know themselves". The matter has long been settled. This is most unlike Lagos where every now and again we are confronted with the claim that Lagos is no man's land!

Neither the Kabiyesi, the Olubadan, nor the people of Ibadan would give such postulation anything but short shrift.

We should also rejoice with Ibadan for the social harmony which prevails between Christians and Moslems who have clearly embraced each other as brothers and sisters.

Here we are in the middle of Ramadan and some of my cousins who have long ago established their roots in Ibadan are observing the Ramadan fast even though they are church-going Christians.

Of course, we are all aware that in Ibadan (as in Lagos), Christians and Moslems intermarry without anybody batting an eyelid.

Indeed, we need look further than His Excellency Senator Abiola Ajimobi who is a devout Moslem. His wife, Her Excellency Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, is a practising Christian and I understand that their children have been given the freedom to adopt any religion of their choice without any hassle or recrimination.

From my rather infrequent visits to Ibadan, I have been able to appreciate the distinct difference between the lifestyle in Lagos and what prevails in Ibadan.

Whenever my Ibadan cousins venture to come to Lagos, they cannot wait to rush back to Ibadan. Their constant refrain and lament is that they cannot cope with the tension, traffic, hurly burly, congestion and chaos on which Lagos thrives.

According to them, Ibadan provides a permanent refuge and oasis of calm as well as serenity. Their evenings are spent mostly on the balcony of their homes chatting with neighbours. Dinner (amala of course!) is served on the same balcony and after the nine 0'clock news, it is time for bed!

By way of contrast, in Lagos, the social frenzy commences well after nine 0'clock and at weekends it stretches to the early hours of the morning with just enough time left to attend communion in Church.

• Adelabu

By J.K. Randle I am also informed that in Ibadan, it is not unusual to find that the same buildings serve as both churches and mosques depending on the time of the day without any problems with worshippers who have memorised which hours are devoted to Christian prayers and those reserved for Moslems who wish to perform their religious rites.

We need not dwell on the vast tourist potential of the crocodile (alleged to be one hundred and thirty years old) which is located at Oje part of Ibadan. It is reputed to possess mystical powers which would be beneficial to all those who are facing health challenges, financial problems, domestic tension, problems at work and other debilities which require magical attention in order to deliver instant cure.

It can even be argued that amongst the blessings with which Ibadan has been endowed are numerous hills which Ibadan people prefer to call mountain (Oke)! In ancient times, they served as a bulwark and natural defence against marauders and invaders looking for loot, slaves and women in no particular order.

Ibadan is dotted with "Oke Bola"; "Oke Padre"; "Oke Mapo"and "Oke Sapati" There is not enough time to recall the numerous wars fought by Ibadan against Egbas and Ijebus and virtually everybody else.

Indeed, according to folklore, Ibadan used to be a walled city and entrance was restricted to only those who had access cards or knew the computerized code!

Perhaps we should add that Ibadan is also fortified by a vibrant press amongst which "The Tribune" founded in 1949 by the sage, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is an enduring and recurring reference point and champion. As for the "Lagos/Ibadan" press, which has terrorized politicians over the years, they remain the formidable Fourth Estate of the Realm".

Late Chief Adegoke Adelabu deserves all the encomiums with which he has been showered as well as the bountiful harvest of commendations - even from his foes.

However, it would not be out of place to seize this opportunity to pay tribute to three other sons of Ibadan whom I had the privilege to come across. I refer to late Chief Olu Aboderin, who like Chief Adelabu was from the Kudeti area of Ibadan. He was the founder of "The Punch" newspaper which over thirty years after his death is right there in the front ranks of Nigerian newspapers. One of the other gentlemen is the inimitable late Engineer Mashood Akanbi, who as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Oil and Marketing Company of Nigeria had amongst

his top lieutenants none other than His Excellency the Governor of Oyo State who was then known simply as Abiola Ajimobi.

I believe he was in the Finance Department but still had time to venture into business on the side. Consequently, he was very comfortable before he entered into the business of politics or the politics of business. I was the Auditor of the company and I can confirm that none of the company's funds were missing.

Neither were there any unpaid salary arrears!

It must have been at the 1982 Football World Cup in Madrid, Spain, when I found myself seated between Chief Aboderin and late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

All of us were Chartered Accountants who had abandoned our tasks at grappling with financial balance sheets to enjoy football.

Paulo Rossi did not disappoint as he delivered three sizzling goals to the credit account of Italy. It was a brilliant hat trick Masterly and spellbinding. What was equally amazing was that both Chief Aboderin and Chief Abiola knew the precise details and exact timing of the coup d'état that would topple the then Nigerian government. They had a joint battle plan to be unleashed by Chief Aboderin on the pages of "The Punch" and Chief Abiola would galvanize the now defunct "Concord" newspapers and magazines to demolish the prey - a government of incompetent, greedy and corrupt politicians who were hostile to Yorubas (South-West) while vigorously pursuing an irredentist ethnic agenda. They succeeded in preparing the ground for the eventual collapse of the government and the takeover by the military.

Believe me, if the coup de'etat had failed, all of us would no doubt have been rounded up. Which military tribunal or civilian court would accept that I only went to watch the beautiful game of football?

As for Engineer Mashood Akanbi, it was his father Alhaji Akanbi (who was an avid fan of horse racing at Lagos Race Club where my father was the Chairman) that first alerted me that his son would be leaving Igbobi College, Yaba to join the Sixth Form at King's College for his 'A' Levels. He was in Hyde-Johnson's House while I was in Harman's House but in the Dining Hall, he was the captain of my table as I was then in Form II, (I think). Anyway, we became firm friends and remained so until he died.

His was a remarkable life which deserves a special chapter. Here was a devout Moslem who had attended Igbobi College (founded by Anglicans and Methodists) and had excelled in academics, sports and everything else. During Ramadan, the school arranged for him to observe his religious obligations without any

hindrance. Indeed, the Dining Room was kept open for him regardless of the early or late hours.

He became the Head Boy (School Captain) and his fame had preceded him to King's College. He was exceptional and become a prefect which was most unusual considering he was an "outsider" from an "up school"!! Anyway, from King's College he bagged a Shell scholarship to study Engineering at Loughborough College, England where he again excelled. Shell had a job waiting for him in Lagos and it was a foregone conclusion that he would end up as the big boss of Shell's National Oil and Marketing Company of Nigeria. He flourished at the company and the company flourished too under his leadership. He wore a signature bow tie with an inimitable swagger. He was also a keen golfer and he drove a sports car. Then he ran into confrontation with the military (Navy) who wanted him to keep supplying them with fuel even though they would not settle their bills. Engineer Akanbi insisted that it was against company policy and being an Ibadan man, he put his foot down. He would not budge. The military resorted to the gun and retired him (as the government was a substantial shareholder in the company).

The rest is history.

The third gentleman in the index of great citizens of Ibadan is none other than the revered late Chief S Ade Ojo. He attended King's College, Lagos and thereafter became a teacher and eventually a House Master before joining the Federal Civil Service.

He was the first Nigerian Clerk of the Legislature and the first Chairman of the Western Nigerian Public Service Commission. He was a contemporary of the legendary Chief Simeon Olasebikan Adebo, another old boy of King's College who was the head of the civil service in Western Nigeria.

However, what is relevant is that the Western Region had the good fortune of a succession of outstanding chairmen of the Public Service Commission. They were mostly old boys of King's College and their personal discipline, integrity, commitment, fairness and boldness set the tone for the entire civil service where merit and dedication to duty were the staple diet.

You must forgive me if I appear unduly biased. Chief Ojo was my uncle-in-law on account of his marriage to my aunt, Modupe Martins, and as a student at King's College, I spent several glorious holidays with them at their residence on Queen Elizabeth Road, Bodija Estate. Chief Ojo had children Adewale, Adetoyan and …….. from an earlier marriage and I remain eternally grateful to the Ojo children. I believe Adewole and Adetoyan became professors of medicine.

The relevance of the likes of Chief S. Ade Ojo in the context of the challenge of: "Wither Ibadan Politics" is that the civil service kept strictly out of politics! They focused entirely on their job as the guardians of public funds and the catalysts for economic/social development. In terms of knowledge, accountability, transparency and etiquette, the civil service of Western Nigeria was at par with the British civil service under whom they had served their tutelage. Corruption was unheard of as they were well paid; their tenure was guaranteed and their pension/ gratuity could never be in peril. Their clarion call was that even the most junior civil servant e.g. cleaner, janitor; gateman, etc, was not a servant of the boss. On the contrary, the boss (Permanent Secretary) and cleaner were both servants of the people.

The problem that now confronts us is that there is a disconnect, which suggests that politicians (with all due respect) are out of touch with the people. Professionals and civil servants are struggling to pay their bills in addition to having to cope with arrears of salaries together with unpaid bills for professional services rendered to the government and government agencies (MDA's).

Therefore, it would appear that the most valuable contribution this august gathering could make to "Whither Ibadan Politics ?" is to change the subject to: "Whither Nigerian Politics ?" and postulate that our salvation lies not in politics and politicians but in a civil service that is utterly professional, exceptionally competent and self-assured even fearless, with no room for corruption.

•Contd. on page 40

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POLITICS

39

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HERE is no doubt that the art of good governance the world over is predicated on the unfailing factors of vision, courage, character, commitment, compassion and being a good team leader. And in a democratic setting as Nigeria currently operates the bottom line is all about meeting the people’s interests, needs, dreams and desires. Leadership therefore, entails the capacity on the part of the helmsman to identify the most critical and crucial needs of the led majority, prioritize them and putting in motion the mechanisms to solving those challenges, one after the other.

With the new All Progressives Congress (APC)led party in place in most states of the federation, people’s expectations are high that the ‘change’ mantra would become a reality. Good enough, emerging empirical evidence attest to the fact that some governors are already piloting their states towards assuaging the pains of their people.

For instance, we have seen an el-Rufai, the new governor of Kaduna State going beyond the slashing of his salary by 50 percent to outright banning of street begging and mass gathering of people to mitigate the scourge of mindless Boko Haram attacks. His Kano State counterpart has merged ministries, agencies and parastatals and streamlining them for a more cost-effective administration. Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajumobi, has also reduced the number of ministries from 24 to 13 in tandem with the prevailing harsh economic realities.

In a similar vein, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has re-jigged the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for the first time in many years to infuse a great dose of dynamism, pragmatism and cost-effectiveness in running state affairs. Gone is the Ministry of Rural Development to reflect the mega status of Lagos. In its place comes the more peopleoriented Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment Generation. The new office of Civic Engagement is saddled with assuming the responsibilities of the erstwhile Office of Political and Legislative Powers Bureau.

Besides, to catalyze foreign investment, the Office of Oversea Affairs and Investment, nicknamed ‘Lagos Global,’ has been created. Now, over 40 multinational companies are jostling to do business with the Centre of Excellence.

The former Office of Transformation has its scope expanded and rechristened the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation to engage and unleash the mental capacity of our talented youths.

Now also, the Ministry of Finance takes over the mandates of the former Debt Management Office, DMO and Special Adviser on Taxation. The Former Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture, no longer undertakes cultural affairs, hence the rechristening to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

And to make his government more people-oriented, the former Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has since been expanded with the additional mandate of community affairs. Its focus on Tourism, Arts and Culture falls in line with his campaign

The making of a president

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• Ambode

As Ambode’s petals unfold with a human face

By Abayomi Opeyemi promise to make the Centre of Excellence the haven of Tourism on the African continent, nay the world. All these are geared towards improving the internal management of the state government and reasonably so.

Similarly, recognizing the strategic significance of good road network in enhancing socioeconomic activities in the state, creating jobs and boosting productivity, the new government has commenced work on the rehabilitation of some 90 roads by the Public Works Corporation.

Interestingly, 70 percent of these are in semi- urban areas. Some of these places include Ikotun, Ejigbo, Ayobo, Ijegun, Badagry; in fact cutting across the entire state.

That is notwithstanding the fact that this is the rainy season, with flooding still a persisting challenge, no thanks to the sandy nature of the coastal state. And some unpatriotic citizens dumping refuse right into the gutters. What with a tough topography of an average of 2 metres below sea level. Notably, the past government left over 9,000 roads paved in Lagos, spent some N5 billion on federal roads. Still, Ambode’s administration is already building on this. But he recognizes that there must be a workable marriage between infrastructural development and the people’s welfare. There comes his humane and compassionate nature which has started unfolding to the great admiration of millions of people resident in Lagos State.

For instance, his speedy response to distress calls from victims of fuel tanker explosions in Iyana- Ipaja and Ikotun soon after mounting the pedestal of political power was instructive.

Next came the heart-rending, truelife tale of Mrs. Uche Ruth. She was abandoned by her husband soon after she gave birth to the last pair of three set of twins. The piece of good news however is that she has been placed on welfare by the

Lagos State Government under the directive of Mr. Ambode the evercaring and compassionate Lagos State Governor. His desire is to see that the children grow up comfortably to become responsible citizens. Said he: “It is only when such children are properly taken care of that they can achieve their full potential in life and become responsible citizens in the future.”

Similarly, only the previous Monday, the governor alighted from his vehicle to assist in the rescue of an accident victim. The voiceless victim, Miss Anukam Angela, was driving alone in a wine-coloured Toyota Corolla car with registration number EKY 415 CG, at about 8:15am, when she lost control and rammed into the median of the road along Osborne Road, Ikoyi before the vehicle somersaulted.

The governor immediately instructed the ambulance attached to his convoy to convey Miss Angela, who was in a state of shock, and could barely move or talk, to be taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital for treatment.

Angela’s sister, Amaka, who was contacted shortly after the incident, said she was treated for minor injuries and discharged free of charge on the order of the governor.

So far, residents of Lagos State have been watching with keen interest what unique attributes the new governor is bringing to the table. By directing the officials in charge of traffic laws, environmental sanitation and tax open government of inclusion that will not leave anyone behind. No matter your age, sex, tribe or any other status, as long as you reside in Lagos, we will make Lagos work for you.” This should be food for thought for all.

We all must therefore, assist his government to succeed by playing our own part without being compelled to do so. And this is because Ambode has proven within a short time to be the people’s governor.

-Opeyemi, a political analyst, writes from Lagos.

ACH time one had to give example of doggedness and persistence, the name that readily came to mind was American President Abraham Lincoln. He was determined and kept striving to serve his people. He worked, he would not give up until he obtained the prize.

Now, we have another example in the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari. He had been a military leader. In 20 months, he was sent packing by his Chief of Staff, General Ibrahim Babangida.

At the time, it appeared all over for him. He simply faded away. He got involved in the political arena shortly after the return to civil rule in 1999, He attempted the presidential race for the first time in 2003 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party,. He lost to the incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo. That was not enough to deter him. He was again the party's flag-bearer four years later. But, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Action Congress, Buhari lost to the candidate of the ruling party. His performance however earned him national attention as a politician of note and promise. By out-performing Atiku, he proved that the future could be brighter.

All attempts to come up with a coalition of forces with Buhari as the symbol and candidate failed. He went his way and emerged the presidential candidate of a party that lacked structure, soul and character. The Congress for Progressive Change could only win the governorship in one stateNassarawa. He cried foul. He yelled and shrieked. But the harm had been done. It was either he overestimated his worth or simply did not give as much thought to harvesting the votes as he gave to soliciting. But, again, he was second.

For most people, that would have been enough to retire him from the race, but not the Daura-born leader of men. He chose, at about 72, to give it another shot. This time on the platform of a broad coalition that has tested political generals.

Atiku worked for him. Bola Tinubu was at hand to lend the move his support; Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aliyu Wamakko, Al Makura, the South West governors, Edo State's Adams Oshiomhole, Rochas Okorocha and the dashing Rotimi Amaechi worked assiduously for him. He is now President-elect.

It is my hope that the experience gathered along the line would serve him well. He was not a reluctant or accidental President. In 1999, Obasanjo merely saw power drop on his laps; in 2007, Umaru Yar'Adua was good enough for the office just because he was anointed by the incumbent. And, the death of Yar'Adua was the reason Dr. Goodluck Jonathan emerged President in 2011. None worked for it. None had developed a vision and mission to lift Nigeria out of the woods. None was known to the

political scene as a political general. Therefore, none of the former Presidents had a pact with the people. They failed. If we go further down the road, in 1979, Alhaji Shehu Shagari's modest ambition was to be a Senator-it was the infamous Kaduna mafia that fished him out and enthroned him. He had been investitured before he realised the enormity of the task at hand. In the First Republic, Sir Abubakar TafawaBalewa would have been content with being a minister had Sir Ahmadu Bello not resisted the move to be dragged away from the North where he was premier. So, none of our leaders was readymade and it showed in their dismal performance in office.

Buhari now has the chance to show that he has not been merely hungry for power. He cannot afford to disappoint the millions of Nigerians who bought his message. I love his short acceptance speech after collecting the certificate of return from INEC. He said he would fight corruption and that, with the cooperation of all Nigerians, it would be defeated. I hope he realised the enormity of the task. Corruption has eaten so deep into the fabric of the society; it is so entrenched that only a determined president who has the right team could tame the monster. In NNPC, Sports, the civil service, the cabinet and even the political parties, the monster has taken position and is ready to fight back. But, a President Buhari would have one weapon to fight the battle-a popular mandate.

The new President would also be confronted with the burden of breaking the backbone of terrorism.

This should not be too difficult with the support of Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Our military, too, seems to have realised the need to rise to the occasion. General Buhari has the reputation of being a patriotic officer. He once warded off an attempted incursion by Chad Republic. As GOC of the Josbased Armoured Corps, he chased the marauders into the Chadian territory and great was the cry of agony in that Army. Would he repeat that feat against Boko Haram as he has promised?

My admiration for the General is because he is Spartan. He does not appear to worship at the shrine of mammon as most politicians do. It remains to be seen how he would convince or fight his colleagues to join in the crusade. If Buhari succeeds in achieving his objective, he would have solved a major problem. He would have saved Nigeria trillions of Naira pillaged from the country yearly through over-invoiced contracts, by ghost workers and to service godfathers. We are watching.

I join millions of the President's well-wishers in urging him to write his name in gold by doing the will of God and wiping tears from the faces of the 70 per cent of his compatriots who fall below the poverty line.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

POLITICS

r. Peter Obi was born on the 19th of July, 1961. He is therefore 54 today. It has become customary among Nigerians to use the period of one's birthday to crown one with unmerited praises. We know that in our clime, once one can boast of a few wads of the naira notes, one can commission friends and wellwishers to take him to literary sanctity through adverts containing what, most times, are far from the man's true character.

We know that these people even prompt friends to write flowery praises which they use their own money to place as adverts.

We also know that some executives force contractors to place adverts for them or their friends that are celebrating their birthdays.

These are not ennobling in any way.

As Obi turns 54 today, you may not see many adverts on him, pontificating on unmerited higher spiritual values just as it was even when he was a governor. He normally would urge those that approached him to use such monies to support worthy courses in the society. That was his style and that remains his style unto this day.

In Nigeria of today, if there is one man that merits to be celebrated, that man is Mr. Peter Obi, essentially in terms of the values he has created. Indeed, it can be said of him that institutions he passed through in his on-going pilgrimage on earth became better because of the afflatus of his touch. Those close to him would have discovered that his consuming passion is how to contribute to the progress of civilisation.

Prompted by the same line of reasoning, a thinker was reported to have said in the past that he would rather discover a single demonstration in geometry than win the throne of Persia. The heroes of our times are not billionaires, but those who have made their wisdom to function actively in society. Obi has done exactly the same.

Sometimes when one tells the story about great men, as Obi, who made seminal contributions to civilization, it seems like fairy tales. Take for instance, the story of Archimedes in geometry. Archimedes lived many years before Christ. He made contributions to geometry, physics, strategies of war and many other branches of learning - just like Aristotle. It was Archimedes who discovered the principle of lever and pulley which gave rise to the saying 'Da Mehi focurom, et terra movabo‌' (Give me a place to stand and I will pull the world). He equally discovered the principle of floatation. Today, many people use the word 'Eureka' without knowing that it came to us through one of those linguistic odysseys that characterize philology traceable to Archimedes.

Archimedes' role in the Roman War against Syracuse remains a classic. Do you know that he wrote his own epitaph before he died, which was a cylinder circumscribing a sphere, as he considered his work regarding cylinders and spheres to be his best?

Archimedes was not alone in this class of uncommon men whose discoveries were named after them. We have Newton's Law of Motion in Physics; Pythagoras Theorem in Mathematics; Boyle's Law; Ohm's Law and many more of such branded names. The trend continues, even in recent times and around us where the Philip Emeagwalis, the Chike Obis, the Achebes, the Soyinkas and some other notable names have established themselves as institutions.

But why this excursion into history when the subject is espousing Obi's principles as he turns 54? We must note that in today's Nigeria, Mr. Peter Obi has introduced a new governance module. Here is a politician who has decided to do things differently, always insisting that it smacks of insanity to keep doing the same thing the same way and expect a different result. While others in positions of authority use sirens to disturb the peace of neighbourhoods, Mr. Obi detested such act. He shunned the use of VIP lounges at our airports, preferring, instead, to queue up like other ordinary travellers.

Most importantly, Obi was a lone ranger in advocating what could be called the principle of allocating resources to the end users. Rather than concentrate on monitoring of projects, government at all levels are concerned more with transactions, serving as clearing houses for funds meant for end users. One of the consequences is that when an organization wants to assist an institution, the fund would pass through the government where it is cut into half under strange headings like administrative costs before reaching the end users. But to reduce all these bureaucracies, Obi championed the

The Peter Obi principles

• Obi

By Valentine Obienyem and Alexander Ejesieme concept of funds meant for any intervention project going straight to the point of use.

He did this so wonderfully in Anambra State and the results are still there for all to see.

What the schools, hospitals, towns and other institutions who were beneficiaries of this innovation have done with their funds was exemplary. Most times projects that would take government contractors forever to finish with countless variations were completed in record time.

We therefore call on government at all levels to understudy Mr. Obi's principle of 'Fund for end-users to end-users'. This spells the solution to profligacy in the execution of government projects in particular and governance in general.

Besides changing the psyche of the people of the state and the re-conditioning them to once again think and act for the interest of the state, we consider his return of schools to their original owners as his most important achievement.

Today, everybody commends Obi with their mouths bursting with pride because all he did are clear for even the blind to see. There is no genuine Nigerian that is not full of kind words for him for approaching governance from the point of view of service to the people and the community.

It is only those who lived in Anambra during the period of chaos that will understand and appreciate the former governor, Mr. Peter Obi. In those days, Anambra carried on as if

she was being controlled by Bedlam. Let Bishop Hilary Okeke who is in a position to judge those days speak: "Indeed, before Mr. Peter Obi became the governor, Anambra State looked like a state abandoned by God. Many people in Anambra State really believed that Anambra State was abandoned. Political turmoil and turbulence generated by godfatherism halted development in the state.

The little money that would come to Anambra State was used to settle the godfathers. An attempt to shake off the tentacles of the godfathers resulted in wanton and reckless destruction of government houses and property. Schools at all levels suffered abysmal neglect; public hospitals suffered the same neglect; life was listless as people in Anambra State were bereft of a sense of direction and responsibility. One could liken the state of affairs then in Anambra State to the situation in Israel at the time of the Judges. In those days, there was no king in Israel, and everyone did as he saw fit" (Judges 21:25). Lawlessness was the order of the day; gross indiscipline, general insecurity and lack of respect for human dignity and life, lack of development in most public sectors and loss of confidence in government."

Indeed, Obi became governor when Anambra was faced by all manner of problems.

His coming into power was equally turbulent.

However in his characteristic doggedness, each challenge he conquered brought out his essence to the people. He was the first person to unseat a sitting governor through the courts; he was the first to come back from impeachment and to go for tenure interpretation.

Besides, Obi did so much for Anambra State which made him not only the darling of the state, but a darling among Nigerians.

Again, let Bishop Okeke say it as it is: "We commend Mr. Peter Obi for his perceived determination to serve the people of Anambra State through his development strategy of Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS); for his courageous return to their legitimate Church proprietors (Anglican and Catholic) of schools forcibly seized by the government of East Central State under Chief Ukpabi Asika, that destroyed education in our area; his determination to revamp education and health care by partnering with the churches to reconstruct dilapidated schools, providing buses, computers, generators, laboratory equipment, funds for sports and other needs of the schools system to both public schools and mission schools; his investment in healthcare delivery by uplifting hospitals, maternities and health centres, and schools of nursing, midwifery and medical laboratory to provide suitable personnel in our health institutions.

Anambra State enjoys one of the best networks of roads. Retired persons, the poor and marginalized of Anambra State are receiving government attention. Every aspect of life in Anambra State has benefited from the administration of Mr. Peter Obi, CON! Indeed, Anambra State under his administration is no longer an abandoned State!"

If you study successful economies of the world you will see behind them both long and short-term planning. You will hear of projections to the year 2020 and all that. A wise man prepares for winter in summer's time of plenty, but it is foolishness to encourage Epicurean indulgence, the lower animal's philosophy of: "Let us eat today for tomorrow we shall die." This was the reason Obi, even when others crippled their states and sold the investments of the state for peanuts to their cronies, left over N75 Billion for his successor in cash and investments.

Today, Obi is a reference point in playing decent politics, belief in the rule of law and adherence to principles. These are edifying credentials of a true reformist. I expect Obi to suffer because as Machiavelli said, it is difficult to introduce a new order because the person doing so (Obi) will have opposition from those that benefited from the old order and lukewarm defenders in those that are not sure of its success.

In spite of paid critics and lukewarm defenders, Obi marched on and rescued Anambra State. The man is not a saint, but certainly a man with high moral standards.

In the world of wealth, he may be among the first 100 Nigerians and yet he is unobtrusive about it. Obi has a happy family and can be called the man without cant.

If we can tremble before the work of nature, why should we not tremble before a man that exemplifies virtue as far as Nigerian politics is concerned? Indeed at 54, he deserves a Homer to tell his story.

-Valentine Obienyem and Alex Ejesieme contributed this piece from Awka.

Adelabu Centenary: Whither Ibadan politics? •Contd. from page 38 As for Ibadan, it has a special role to play in healing the wounds that have plagued our nation for so long and afflicted our souls in preparation for damnation. The chasing of the demons must start in Ibadan, because this is where the trouble started over fifty years ago with the shooting of politicians - the Premier of the Western Region, Chief S.L. Akintola; the Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto; the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and a host of senior military officers on 15th January 1966.

Retaliation, following over-jubilation by one section of our beloved nation at the expense of other sections roared in July 1967 to consume the Military Head of State, General Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi, and his host, Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, the Military Governor of the Western Region. The rest is history.

Fortunately, the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, the most powerful man in the world, has thrown us a lifeline by inviting President Muhammadu Buhari to the White House on July 20, 2015, which is only eleven days away. Our President has been requested to come along with a "Wish List". In the old days, top civil servants would have considered it their duty to reach out to

the likes of Governor Abiola Ajimobi and perhaps professionals such as myself for advice on account of our long-standing relationship with America. We would have felt compelled to chip in that a "Wish List" is the exact opposite of what you think. It requires advising our own Mr. President that the strategy to be adopted requires thinking outside the box.

Besides, nothing goes for nothing. Between now and then, General Buhari should find time to read "The Game Theory" by Professor John Nash (he and his wife died a few weeks ago in a motor accident in America).

Actually, what the White House is expecting is not a "Wish List" of I want this; I want that.

No way. Rather, President Barack Obama is awaiting "CP's" [Credible Proposals] on what we are doing to tackle the serious problems with which we are confronted: Boko Haram / Security ? Economy ? Oil Theft ? Fuel Subsidy ? Corruption ? Looted Funds ? Power ? Education Justice ? Health, etc.

We are in July now and trust me; the United States of America has no provision for Father Christmas until December, if at all.

I am convinced that Senator Abiola Ajimobi knows from experience that the President of the United States of America is not in the business of bailing out any country that is not ready and willing to put its house in order. After this address, Governor Abiola and I are scheduled to

hold serious further discussions on this highly sensitive issue.

Some of us do not need to be reminded that in 1982, President Shehu Shagari was invited to the White House by the President of the United States of America. He was asked to bring a "Wish List". Instead, our president delivered a warning to America. It was a bombshell: "We shall use our oil weapon against the United States of America."

I was a partner at KPMG at the time and I recalled that the civil servants who accompanied our president were aghast. They were adamant that the threat was not in the prepared address which they had carefully vetted. History is the best teacher.

Straightaway, President Reagan instructed his officers to ensure that America becomes self sufficient in oil production. This year the United States of America has not imported even a single barrel of oil from Nigeria.

Christmas is still six months away and Ramadan fast will be over next week. May the Almighty bless us all and guide us on how best to serve our nation.

-Bashorun Randle is a former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and former Chairman of KPMG Nigeria and Africa Region. He is currently the Chairman, JK Randle Professional Services.

Email:jkrandleintuk@gmail.com

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

POLITICS

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2019: ‘PDP will bounce back in Imo’

Hon. Ichie Ken Agbim is a member of the Imo State House of Assembly representing Ahiazu Mbaise Constituency. In this interview in Lagos, the lawmaker, a former media and entertainment executive, and one of the six lawmakers elected on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform in the state, spoke on his plans for his people; his determination to work cordially with other members of the House for the good of the state, and the plan by the legislators to assist the government to increase its IGR, amongst other issues.

Sam Egburonu reports OW do you think you can successfully and positively impact your constituents given that you were elected into the Imo House on the platform of PDP and the state is governed by the APC? Well, this question has come up severally and my answer has been that as soon as we were elected and became members of the House of Assembly, everything about party politics come to an end; all of us in the House are representing various local governments and we are equally elected. We all represent the interests of our people. I am representing my people of Ahiazu Mbaise and was elected on PDP platform; I think I represent the conscience of the government because I have the right to speak my mind whether what I think is right or wrong. Of course, I know that being in the opposition means that I have to face challenges to be able to get our voice heard; that's the most interesting part. I want to say that my people will not lack anything that rightfully belongs to them.

Whatever that is our entitlements as local government or as constituency, we will get them. Workers will be paid when others are paid; when dividends of democracy are shared - in terms of road, etc, I will not allow what should come to my people to be taken to another local government because I am not a member of the ruling government.

We were elected to serve irrespective of party. I should expect the governor also to accord me that respect and that honour to say whatever I want to say; that way, it becomes a symbiotic relationship. I don't expect the governor to, in any way, deny my people what is supposed to be given them. Or whenever a meeting is called for all the honorable members and I will not be invited because I am of a different party.

And in such a meeting, I should speak like any other honourable member in the House. I will not be hindered because I am in another party; the platform on which we were all elected to the House is immaterial now, what matters is service to our people and quality representation.

I have heard the governor say on several occasions that now that politics has ended, politicians must face governance;

H

• Agbim

so, now that the governor has spoken, I believe there is no more politics of this is PDP or APC, but service to our people. Every local government deserves a right to have good roads, and other amenities. My local government will not lack.

With the way things are now, what happens to the PDP in Imo State? It used to be in control of the state, but now it has lost out; can PDP rise again in Imo? We are six PDP members in a House of 27 members. I still believe that Imo is a PDP state up till today. You know, there were some issues during the election; after PDP lost the presidency some members quickly shifted ground probably because they thought they stood a better chance of benefiting from the new government. There were many PDP members who didn't work as expected to see the victory of their party's candidates because they did not want to be seen to be opposing the new government at the centre, especially big time contractors and financiers.

I want to put it on record that we won three senatorial seats in Imo State. We won eight, out of 10 Federal House of Representatives positions; so that tells you that Imo remains a PDP state. But of course, when former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, lost the election on March 28, a lot of people we could call fair-weather politicians, shifted ground. Because they believe if you're openly seen as working for our party, you could be denied the opportunity to benefit from the Federal Government; somehow, they did not come out to mobilise people during the House of Assembly election; that way, we lost a lot of seats. As it stands now, people should not be in a haste to say that Imo is not PDP state, even though the governor is of the APC. But even before the last election, Imo had been under a different party - from APGA to APC. So, it's been long PDP lost the state or what do you think?

Of course, you know politics is a dynamic thing. At a point when it was APGA we know what happened. The former governor - Ikedi Ohakim- was elected on the platform of PPA, that was when there was struggle in PDP over who should fly the party's flag.

Even when Ohakim was ruling on that platform, there was really no PPA platform in Imo State. When PPA got the power, Ohakim eventually came back to PDP. In 2011, there were lots of issues; there were

many people who insisted that Ohakim should not be returned to power.

He had many issues even with Catholic Church; although he denied it, the propaganda against him was so strong that even those who would have naturally supported him felt he overstepped his boundary and decided to support APGA candidate.

APGA, regarded as an Igbo party, naturally, a candidate presented by the party became the beautiful bride. A lot of PDP voted for APGA. The party always has a good relationship with PDP, especially at the national level. APGA has always adopted PDP presidential candidate as its candidate.

At that point, we were not worried. But a point where it moved from APGA to APC was where Imolites became worried, because that was totally different from what they were used to. But what I can tell you is that whatever is the situation, in 2019, PDP would bounce back in Imo State. I can also tell you that our gubernatorial candidate is still challenging the election at the tribunal; nobody knows what the outcome will be. To that end, I want to say that we must not conclude for now that Imo is no longer PDP. Some people believe that going by the number of roads being constructed under the Okorocha administration and other visible achievements, the APC government has been a blessing to the state; now that you're here, could you please tell us the true position of things in the state?

We won three senatorial seats in Imo State. We won eight, out of 10 Federal House of Representatives positions; so that tells you that Imo remains a PDP state

We cannot really at the moment judge an APC government. APC administration as I told you is just about one month old in Imo State; before now it was APGA. Also, well, roads have been constructed, but sometimes, when roads are constructed, it depends on the quality and also particularly what people are looking for from a government. Are people looking for road or food to eat, employment, etc? If a government constructed a big market and there's nobody to sell and buy in that market, it does not benefit the people. I am not saying that construction of roads is not good, but you have to find out what the people really want. What is the pressing need? So, beyond constructions, there must be employment opportunities for people to engage themselves and be able to get something for themselves at the end of every month. It is not just enough to have block work everywhere for people to know that you are working; the question is, how does such block work positively impact directly on people's wellbeing?

Most of the governors, particularly, those from states with issue of unpaid salaries, say the shrinking allocation to their states occasioned by the fall in revenues accruing from oil was responsible for their plight and the need for bailout.

Your state is among those with months of salary arrears. What is your take?

I know that fall in oil prices is key factor in the dwindling revenue to government, but I still want to believe that there are other reasons. We just came out of elections; I know that most of the governors spent so much money trying to win election or fund election. Those monies that were spent affected states' purses because election is not in the budget. You don't provide for election in a state budget; if you are running an election, you spend from your pocket, but of course, there's no state governor that is running for an election that doesn't spend from the state purse. I ran an election as an individual and I know how much I spent, how much more a state governor. I think the election affected most of the states, either directly or indirectly. There could also be some other factors, for instance, in my state, there are 27 local government areas and the state government is building general hospitals in all of them- you can imagine how much the government will spend. In some states, there is also the case of misappropriation of funds. Some governors embark on projects that are not needed in the immediate. They did not prioritise the needs to properly allocate available funds.

The Imo State House of Assembly recently raised a joint committee to look at how to assist the state government increase its internally generated revenue (IGR); would such a drive not lead to increasing the burden of the common people?

As a member of the House, we are all committed to ensuring that government can increase the IGR of the state. We are aware that such a step could bring some burdens on the people. But we are looking at it to ensure that there are palliative measures and that the steps taken to do it are not draconian to avoid the good intention proving counter-productive.

What we are trying to do is to ensure that levies, taxes and other payments that should be made to government coffers are done. That is to ensure that all collections on behalf of government are remitted appropriately without allowing touts to have their way. This will check leakages and make more funds available to government to provide needed services to Imolites

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

POLITICS

Saraki: One goof too early?

Oyo PDP set to woo Akala, Makinde

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HE Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has begun moves to reconcile with some former members of the party who defected to other parties after the acrimonious governorship primaries, which produced Senate Teslim Folarin. Defectors including a former governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Seyi Makinde, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the last elections are some of those being wooed to return to the party, it was learnt.

• Saraki IS critics are accusing him of misleading the general public that President Mohammadu Buhari could appoint substantive Service Chiefs without confirmation of Senate. But his promoters say he meant that the appointment will still be confirmed by the senate on resumption next week.

Whichever of the divide you choose to align with, you'll no doubt agree that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is now in the eyes of the storm. And if you ask me, the controversial social media post by the indisputable strongman of Kwara politics that started the ongoing brouhaha, is one goof too early in his regime as the helmsman of the national assembly.

Recall that Saraki had on Monday evening, few hours after the appointment of the service chiefs, responded to a tweet sent to him by one Chinedu Peters that when would the senate reconvene to confirm their appointments, tweeted back by saying "appointment of service chiefs is an exclusive function of Mr. President. Senate can only approve Ministerial, parastatals, etc".

Instantly, he was put in the eye of the storm with attendant barrage of attacks by social media users, condemning what many called his ignorance of constitutional responsibility of the senate in that respect. Many of the online commentators, who attacked him, wondered why, as a Senator in the 7th Senate, he could still make such a blunder.

Though the media office of the Senate President was to later issue a separate statement to remedy the blunder, saying his tweet was completely misinterpreted, many analyst are insisting the goof may be a sign of things to come. This better not be true as the nation cannot afford a national assembly that is not conversant with its responsibilities.

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• Ndoma-Egba

Ndoma Egba playing the mind game

E

XPECTATIONS that former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, would be dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) may not end anytime soon. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), it would be recalled, was schemed out of the race to return to the Senate for a fourth term by forces in his home state of Cross River, allegedly led by the immediate former governor, Liyel Imoke, who threw his weight behind Fred Eno. No sooner had Ndoma Egba lost out in his return bid to the Senate than he was bombarded with entreaties from the national leadership of the APC to join the party. The former lawmaker, according to sources, has however repeatedly told his suitors to give him more time and consult widely before deciding his next move. But within the Cross River PDP, some top members who allegedly backed Imoke against Ndoma-Egba have secretly gone behind to ask for his forgiveness, with some of them claiming they were coerced to work against him.

• Akala

• Makinde

For Akpobolokemi, it's goodbye at last

L • Kuku

Kuku revives governorship ambition

F

ORMER Presidential Adviser, Kingsley Kuku, has revived his governorship ambition to succeed Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, sources have revealed.

Before the last general elections, speculations were rife that the 44 years old politician was planning to run for the 2016 governorship election in Ondo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But apparently based on orders from above, Kuku reportedly suspended his secret campaign to focus more on the failed re-election bid of his former boss, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. With the 2015 election now won and lost, sources disclosed that Kuku has resuscitated his political machinery preparatory to his throwing his hat into the ring later this year.

AST Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, while terminating the appointment of Mr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi as Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), knowingly or unknowingly ended an era of alleged brass highhandedness in the maritime agency.

To many people in NIMASA, the beautiful part of the whole story is that the termination of Mr. Akpobolokemi's appointment takes immediate effect. "This is a man who once boasted that no Jupiter can make the President remove him.

That was during the Goodluck Jonathan presidency. In spite of the many petitions and complaints we championed against him then, he ran roughshod over the labour unions and the entire staff like a tin god," a labour union leader said.

Sources within the agency claimed even after Jonathan's exit, Akpobolokemi made frantic effort to stave off what many industry watchers predicted was his imminent sack.

"He went all over the place seeking a way to remain in office longer. Though he was part of those who spent fortunes in a bid to keep Buhari out of the presidency, somehow, he thought he could eat his cake and still have it," another source said.

Now, Akpobolokemi is to hand over the management of NIMASA and all government property in his possession to the most senior officer in the agency who will remain in charge until a new Director-General is appointed. With that, it is goodbye at last to the man many people guardedly called the "Emperor of NIMASA".

• Akpobolokemi

•George

IN VOGUE

By Kehinde Oluleye

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

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

New WOMAN

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Beauty

Be trendy wit

h the

shirtdress O

NE outfit that helps you create that simple but polished outlook is the dress, especially the shirt dress. It fits into almost every event, makes you smart and younger, as well as create a ravishing effect for those who know how to combine them with accessories that are exotic.

For formal events, the shirt dress can be made with fabrics like damask, suede, strips, polka dot.

However, if the option is to dress down, then you can go for the tee shirt dress variety that also comes with a number of exciting options.

You can also go for designs made by top brands and designers that would also set you apart.

Care for your cuticles

T

AKE a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents, or areas of unusual colour or shape? Many less than desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. Others might indicate an underlying condition that needs attention.

Your fingernails composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle.

Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in colour and consistency and free of spots or discoloration.

Sometimes, fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age. Fingernails can also develop white lines or spots due to injury, but these eventually grow out with the nail.

Not all nail conditions are normal, however.

Consult your doctor or dermatologist if you notice: ? Changes in nail colour, such as discoloration of the entire nail or a dark streak under the nail ? Changes in nail shape, such as curled nails ? Thinning or thickening of the nails ? Separation of the nail from the surrounding skin ? Bleeding around the nails ? Swelling or pain around the nails To keep your fingernails looking their best, it is important to do the following: ? Keep fingernails dry and clean. This prevents bacteria from growing under your fingernails. Repeated or prolonged contact with water can contribute to split fingernails.

Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when washing dishes, cleaning or using harsh chemicals. ? Practice good nail hygiene. Use a sharp manicure scissors or clippers. Trim your nails straight across, then round the tips in a gentle curve. ? Use moisturiser. When you use hand lotion, rub the lotion into your fingernails and cuticles, too. ? Apply a protective layer. Applying a nail hardener might help strengthen nails. ? Ask your doctor about biotin. Some research suggests that the nutritional supplement biotin might help strengthen weak or brittle fingernails.

Don’t cut your cuticles

D

ERMATOLOGISTS say there's no good reason to cut the cuticles.

Cutting them could open the door to infection or irritation. "If you remove the cuticle, that space is wide open, and anything can get in there," Scher says.

Cutting your cuticles can also lead to nail problems and injuries such as ridges, white spots, or white lines.

55

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

Kongi’s Harvest throws up more questions

•Soyinka

•Adefila.

•The cast of Kongi’s Harvest.

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ROFESSOR Wole Soyinka came alive last weekend in his total theatrical and literary epitome. The venue was Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos and the play was Kongi’s Harvest. As the play mounted the stage as part of series of programmes to mark Soyinka’s 81st birthday, what took hold of theatre buffs and thespians most was yet the burning issues raised in the play by Soyinka. Although the play is not one of his most staged plays in Nigeria or anywhere else, Kongi’s Harvest is his most recommended text in schools across the globe.

It contains series of the problems that plaque Nigeria as a country. Directed by Segun Adefila and performed by his troupe, The Crown Troupe of Africa, the intrigues of leadership in a society where autocratic and reactionary and progresive forces combine to torment the common man – all in an attempt to jostle for supremacy reared their ugly heads once more. Many thought the play was to go the usual Soyinka way, but Adefila deliberately chose to intersperse it with “mixed menu of dance, drama and music.

This has helped me to serve a palatable play, served to showcase the numerous and conflicting problems bedeviling this society” Adefila averred.

Oba Danlola and Kongi were engaged in battle of wits. Who of the two would be in control of the soul of the society? While the images of corruption on both sides tried to militate against the progress of the system, most of their followers could not even understand the direction the two leaders tried to toe. What is Kongi up to? Is he really for the masses when he often throws his perceived opponents into prison? How can he liberate the people when his attitude, his leadership . competence is in question? If the society, mostly his closest allies cannot vouch for him, cannot trust him for one moment, how can they then rely on him for liberation and for the harvest?

This was why Oba Danlola refused to give in to his series of entreaties and ignominious attitude towards him and the masses. Not that Danlola himself is a better leader who has the ear of his people. He too is despised by his subjects due to his own excesses as an Oba. However, in him and Kongi, we see the

PHOTO: EDOZIE UDEZE

st

As Professor Wole Soyinka marks his 81 birthday, series of events have been put in place to honour him. Among them is the staging of one of his most popular plays, Kongi’s Harvest. Edozie Udeze, who watched the play last weekend in Lagos, reports on the intrigues and ripples generated by the play on many issues troubling the land meeting of the new and the old order, where none is prepared to sue for peace. Their hold on what they believe in does not however help to make for peace, progress and development.

The opening scenes quickly drew attention to the volatile nature of the play. There were series of songs and displays, with the artistes adorned in white costumes. As they approached the stage it appeared they were up to some mischief. The drums played away to usher in these dancers who introduced the play and told the audience that the Kabiyesi was seated on his throne. Already the squabble between him and Kongi had begun. The palace dancers were only to make it more obvious.

This done, the stage was now set for their emissaries to go to and fro to address the audience on the series of intrigues involved in the matter. Then more furious drumming and singing followed, all of which encompassed the rottenness of the system. With the Oba addressing his people to disparage Kongi, the people held their breath because they knew that castigating Kongi was tantamount to death sentence.

At this point the following dialogue ensured between the representatives of the two leaders. Daodu, who stood in for the Oba fumed thus: “Yes, the excitement at it alone should appeal to him. Kabiyesi loves to act roles. Like Kingship. For him, Kingship is a role.” Then the secretary who represented Kongi retorted. “Now where did I hear that before? Seems I heard it… that’s right. Now that’s funny, isn’t it? One of the Aweri said exactly the same of Kongi. ‘A flair for gestures, he said.”

And finally it appeared Daodu would have his way when he boomed: “Ah, may be that’s why they hate each other’s gut.” But the secretary is not done yet. She then went to

say: “Aha! Professional jealousy!

Eh?...Intrigues, machinations and manipulations coil forcefully to snuff out life from love and progress. But good, they say, eventually triumphs or does it?”

Thus, the King and Kongi kept on with such arguments that the issue of the harvest, an important embodiment of the message in the drama was temporarily ignored. But the people ought to come together to celebrate the new yam festival. If this is done at the behest of Kongi, how good would it be to the people? Because his temperament was never certain, the issue of bringing the people together for that purpose then became somewhat a nightmare.

Here progress and tradition meet to torment the soul of the society. None even shifted an inch or made attempt to listen to see how to resolve the logjam. Then, Kongi losing his temper once more took Oba Danlola away.

Having hounded him and his followers in prison, he began to agitate for total submission to his whims and caprices. Danlola who was released based on stiffer conditions, later went back to his old ways.

He refused to submit to the dictates of Kongi, branding him a brute and a dictator.

He also deliberately insisted on more conducive conditions to call for the new year festival. In the end the points of digression were never resolved. Not even the presentation of the yam could appease Kongi whose harvest hinged on his belief in his aiye fraternity.

Kongi even saw it beyond rhetorics, beyond the thematic thrust of the story itself. It is not only this story itself, the issue of the new order, the order of the reformed aweri fraternity. This was where he had so much hope, wanting to use it to replace the old order. But from the behaviour of both men, none seemed to be either for old or new order.

With rich costumes of different colours to

PHOTO: EDOZIE UDEZE

suit the different scenes and the messages they conveyed, Adefila really brought the play nearer to the people. In his updating some certain scenes to sychronise with the scenes of the present day Nigeria, he truly succeeded as a well-tested director. The issues of Boko Haram, the bombing in many places in Nigeria, the problem of education and leadership quagmire in the society – all reared their ugly heads to draw the message nearer home.

There were prostitutes all over the place and then they were unable to settle down to a good life. Even if they did, where are the jobs or the incentives to keep them busy. This made the secretary to scream, “oh politicians!

They are all the same. They only drop the umbrella and pick the broom.”

“We only hope the new change in the system would usher in a better Nigeria,” Adefila said in an interview. “Yes, Soyinka is the master of the language, and it was the language that we first of all mastered. After that, we went to the central message which is for the society to keep checking itself. It is about these two leaders struggling for superiority, based on ego. They are not doing it because they love the people. Soyinka is saying that we should question these people because they all come with the guise that they are for the people when in truth they are not.”

According to Adefila, what is in it when we have a change? Do we really get a concerted change, so to say? “Now look at Nigeria. Have we got a government that has really done better than the one before it? We hope that this one will give us that hope we have been looking for. But in decoding this play very well, you have to first of all, understand the person of Soyinka. Every of his statement means a lot not only in explaining the play but also in passing the message across to the audience. This is what I have been able to do.”

And he did very well. With the abstract movements on stage, with plenty of dancedramas, and heavy and meditative percussions of the drums, all typical of the Crown Troupe phenomenon, the play came alive with plenty of appeal to the audience.

The set designs were simply done with the constant illumination of the stage lights to bring out the aesthetics of Kongi’s Harvest.

A metaphor for Nigeria, the play is meant to tour parts of Nigeria to re-register its import thoroughly.

Some of the cast included Segun Adefila, Art Adegun, Onitiri Aishat, Toyin Buraimoh, Joy Akrah and many others.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

ARTS

JULY 19, 2015

Love and sacrifice define children theatre

I

T was captivating and interesting to see nursery and primary school pupils perform a play based on the life of legendary female warrior, Moremi Ajasoro. The play opened with war, many were killed and many were captured as slaves by invaders of Ile Ife. The play dates back in ancient Ile Ife kingdom when the people of Ile Ife were constantly under attack. This led the king, Oranmiyan, and his elders to consult the oracle who told them that the solution to their problem was a woman. When Moremi heard this, she consulted a god of a nearby river, Esinmirin, and offered herself as a woman who would save her people.

During the next raid, Moremi let them to capture her and took her as prisoner to the land of the Igbos where she got married to the ruler. Moremi later escaped and returned to her first husband after learning the secrets of the Igbo people. Her discovering helped her people have victory over the Igbo people.

•The children on stage

By Udemma Chukwuma

The stage was properly set in a traditional design, setting the atmosphere for the audience to travel back in time and relive the sacrifices made by Moremi to free her people

from invaders. The audience was mesmerised and there was a loud laugher in the hall when young Oranmiyan, played by Isaac YinkaDunsin, sang 2Face’s African Queen for young Moremi,

played by Tomiwa Apena.

The tragedy of love and sacrifice of Moremi was performed by the pupil of Beautiful Beginning School, Magodo, Lagos, during their Annual Awards and Graduation Cer-

emony at MUSON Centre, Lagos.

Costumes used were mostly traditional attire of the Yoruba people. The play was directed by Tony Biyi Boyede of Theatre Centrik and he did a good job by selecting about one hundred and fifty casts who delivered. Tune Kelani who was present to see the play commended the school for their effort. Lead character Moremi was played by Anjola, Tomiwa and Iteoluwa.

Oranmiyan was played by Isaac Yinka and Sigmound Onachie-Modi.

“The art of storytelling through theatre dates back to time immemorial, with music, dance, stage comedies and tragedies. The theatrical production of Moremi Ajasoro strongly portrays the cultural and historical context of the Yoruba people, of Ile Ife, though here we only seek wisdom of strength and will that drive one to the success land of victory, not the tribal aesthetic, also the lesson of culture, said the school director,” Mrs Bukola Ogunleye,

who also participated in the play, said..

The school also presented awards to Tune Kelani, and Bolanle Austen-Peters who was present to receive the award, as well as Omowunmi Dada who was represented by Judith Dada.

The pupils presented beautiful poetic award citation to these unique individuals. “I noticed some talents here today; there are exceptional talent in the girl and the boy that represented Oronmiyan and Moremi, they stood out. But the unfortunate reality is that we start everything very late in Nigeria, if children are trained from this early stage in life, it builds confidence in them,” said Austen-Peters.

“Acting is something we should encourage in our children, and Nigeria should also encourage this as part of our curriculum,” she concluded.

There were also other activities such as Benin royal dance, bata dance, and ballet dance, and award presentation to the teachers, students and parents.

Nigerian artist wins grand-prize in US ANA to develop its land in Abuja

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United States based Nigerian artist, Mr. Lanre Buraimoh, has won Choice Grand Prize Award at the Citywide African American Artists Exhibition at Texas Southern University Museum.

His artwork the ‘The Kiss’ won the grand prize with a full scholarship for one studio art class at the Glassell School of Art, Houston and a prize money of $500 prize.

The exhibition was organized by Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas.

Buraimoh who expressed happiness over the award said he was the only Nigerian artist that won an award at the event. According to him, “about hundred people, both African American and African Artists in the Diaspora participated in the event. I feel very excited about the award. It makes me want to go back to the Studio immediately.”

He described the award as a wakeup call for him. “This feat is the best I have ever had in the history of my exhibition. I have come second and in this but this it first and grand prize. So I am very pleased and encouraged. This is the fifth award all together, “he said.

Though not sure of when he would be organizing an exhibition in Nigeria, he is currently planning big for an exhibition with would include his father. “This exhibition will Feature both me and my dad and it will Highlights the similarities and differences.”

Nigerian artists in the US are their best to promote Nigerian culture and African culture at its best.

He gave kudos to the Nigerian artist in the US, saying Nigerian artists style of work are unique.

Lanre is currently looking forward to big show in Nigeria, after a long time exhibition in London, American and Canada.

Jason Moodie who was one the organizers of the

•Abdulahi (right) and other authors during the session.

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•Lanre receiving his award from Moodie

“This feat is the best I have ever had in the history of my exhibition. I have come second and in this but this it first and grand prize. So I am very pleased and encouraged. This is the fifth award all together” exhibition on behalf of Museum of Fine Arts Houston, presented the award to

Buraimoh.

The exhibition is open to all artists of the African Diaspora in the greater Houston area. Presented by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in collaboration with the Museum’s patron group Five-A (the African American Art Advisory Association) and the University Museum at Texas Southern University, the Citywide African American Artists Exhibition offers artists the opportunity to show their work to a broader public, and to the collecting community.

HE whole essence of the monthly meeting cum reading session of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos State Chapter is to discover budding writers and equally encourage them to do more to fit into the creative muse. But more than that however, writers also use the same opportunity to announce and bring their new works to the notice of the general house.

Last weekend at the University of Lagos where the session was held, not only that, as usual, new poets were welcome into the fold, Denja Abdullahi, the National Vice President of the association graced the session. Abdullahi who wants to contest for the presidency of ANA come November this year when election will be held, was in Lagos to intimate his colleagues and ANA Lagos with his laudable programmes and dreams for the association if elected the president.

But before he took the floor, Brenda Nwafor, Nwachukwu Olusegun and Linda Davies, all took turns to read their poems to the people. Nwafor, a graduate of Mass Communication from Delta State University, Abraka, read her work titled The Journey. She used her lines to lament the agonizing social situation in Nigeria. Even though her poem situates some certain problems as they pertain to the younger ones in the society, she still feels that poetry is one sure way to let out the steam in one’s soul. She says: ‘I count with my finger.’

‘I paddled through glit-

By Edozie Udeze

tering deep, my orbit was yet on the bait, the sun dealt with me, the rain showing no mercy… Drawbacks nibbed in the bud, ahead I moved on, to the end I get, only to begin another journey.” Her lines resonated deep into the foyers of the hall to show the dwindling fortunes of the society.

And soon after Davies took over with her work titled ‘I Pray.’ Even in times of despair, the soul is bound to seek the face of the creator of the universe.

She began thus: ‘I pray in times of despair to see beyond the day, to have come upon me the need to kneel and pray… But most of these I pray that in times of need and listening ear, may I never have cause to turn a soul away! Criticised for lack of cohesion in her work, Davies agreed that she is still new in the game and promised to go back to the drawing board. It is not only a question of writing few lines in the name of poetry, but writers should endeavour to follow the common rules to make poetry worth its own while. Poetry has a norm and even if that norm is difficult as it may appear, that gives it its distinctive beauty and acceptance.

When it was time for Abdullahi to address the gathering, his attention was first drawn to the lingering issues militating against the growth of ANA. “It is all about service and I am here to show my commitment and proven dedication to ANA after serving the association

PHOTO: EDOZIE UDEZE

in different capacities for close to twenty years.

“I joined ANA in early 1990s and became involved in its operations as a literary and cultural activist,” he began. Thereafter, he began to build foundations and formidable orientations to cement his hold on the association.

And so in 1998, when he joined the public service in Abuja, Abdullahi quickly ensured that Abuja ANA was made to stand out. Having been elected an ex-officio member in 2001, Abdullahi began henceforth his meteoric rise to stardom in ANA. Today he is not only the Vice President, he has equally given his all to ensure the steady progress of ANA. “Therefore we will reposition ANA to take its rightful position as one of the best associations in Nigeria.

It is the intellectual thinktank of the nation and we will ensure it is brought to the front burner henceforth. But above all, it is for us to develop, nurture and encourage and then promote the overall interest of writers in Nigeria, for this is the primary goal of the association.”

His attention also went to the plot of land allotted to ANA in Abuja which he promised to develop to generate revenue for the association. “It is such a massive expense of land. It is for us to develop it for the good of ANA. Indeed, that project will become one of the first issues that my tenure will tackle so that the problem of leaving the place fallow will be laid to rest finally” Abdullahi decided.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

Achieving-- Page fiscal53 and employment with solid minerals development

How to create sustainable wealth

Page 58, 59

Up, up goes food prices

•Clement

Page 59

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•Orya

Page 60

Public Complaints Commission repositions HE Public Complaints Commission has restated its commitment to service delivery.

Giving this assurance at the weekend was a member representing Akwa Ibom State in the commission, Hon. Chilly Okoko.

Okoko, who gave this hint in Uyo Akwa Ibom State at the weekend, while fielding questions from reporters, said: “In line with the current war against corruption, impunity and arbitration initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Public Complaint Commission has reposition itself to ensure that government business in the local, states and the federal government levels are conducted in strict compliance to administrative guidelines, procedure and extant laws.”

This development, the commissioner said, became necessary to ensure that no citizen of Nigeria or any person residing in the country suffers any form of injustice arising from the activities of any tier of government.

“In our pursuit to create a 21st century society and a vibrant economy, it is imperative that we maintain high standard primarily by government functionaries such that the rule of law prevails at all times.”

This, he stressed, will ensure better service delivery and citizen will be justly treated and their dignity and citizenship rights protected.

Group partners Eco Bank Plc, others HE African Industrial Growth Enhancement Organisa tion (AFRIGO) has concluded plans to launch a develop ment centre in Lagos.

This, if effectively implemented, is expected to advance the industrial sector of the African region including Nigeria through a strategic inter-relationship and integration of capital, technology and human resource base.

The launch, which is in partnership with the Eco Bank Plc, Mighty Oaks Consulting, PageCredit Microfinance Bank, African-British Diaspora International, Xanderwill Capital, Ben TV UK and Ziba Delicacies, holds later in July this year.

In a statement made available to The Nation, the President and Founder of the organisation, Gbenga Olomola said the group is a non-profit and non partisan membership organisation which is made up of investors, business executives and development professionals across the African continent with the sole purpose of bridging the innovation, capital formation and technical progression gaps in the African region.

Olomola said the group would assist governments at all levels in Nigeria and other Africa countries in implementing industrial development policies and programmes that would speed up even development.

Firm boosts data transmission with 300G technology ELECOM and cable television operators in Africa are set to improve on quality and increase their clientele reach, thanks to an affordable high tech innovation from the Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (ASN) that enables data transmission over a distance of 10,000 kilometers using real-time processing prototypes of a unique cost-effective 300 gigabits-per-second.

ASN which is the undersea cables subsidiary of AlcatelLucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) ear marks this new modulation technology to help optimise the performance of submarine cable systems whose introduction in Africa has seen the costs of internet and other telecom related services slashed by almost half and further helping deepening the adoption of technology.

The trial has been achieved on the 10,000km of ASN’s test bed, combining the innovative 300G 8QAM (8 quadrature amplitude modulation) technology of ASN’s 1620 SOFTNODE platform and second-generation coherent submarine fiber (CSF-2).

Olivier Gautheron, Chief Technology Officer of AlcatelLucent Submarine Networks said: “This breakthrough underlines ASN’s strategic focus in R&D to raise the bar for undersea fiber-optic technology. Our researchers continue to develop new solutions to further apply our own innovation to help traditional and web-scale operators cope with increasing requirements for speed, capacity and cost-effectiveness.”

Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks leads the industry in terms of capacity and installed base with more than 575,000 km of optical submarine cables/systems deployed worldwide.

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• From left: Managing Director, GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Dayanand Thandalam Sriram, President, Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association (LSMDA), Chief Kewiwson Emeka Opara, Marketing Manager Wellness, Mr. Ogbemi Kesiena and Expert Lead, Ms. Chinyere Chima both of GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, at the GSK Consumer Healthcare Nigeria partnership with the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN) to train and improve the practice of patent medicine dealers and sellers in Nigeria

C

LIMATE change investment in Africa just got a boost with the accreditation of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) as a partnering institution to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), making it the fund’s first African development finance institution.

AFC was invited by the GCF to consider becoming an accredited institution, and following submission of its application in early 2015, AFC has this month attained full accreditation.

Accreditation by the GCF enables AFC to access GCF’s committed capital of US$9.3 billion; a pool of funds for climate change projects to be utilised by members for onlending, grants, lines of credit, guarantees and other fiduciary functions.

AFC intends to use the fund’s capital to further its investment in renewable en-

AFC obtains $9.3m credit T to tackle climate change Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf with agency report ergy, a priority sector for the corporation.

AFC is the lead investor in the award winning Cabeolica project, a USD90 million, 26MW landmark renewable energy wind power project in Cape Verde and the first commercial scale public private partnership wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa providing over 20% of Cape Verde’ power needs.

The GCF, with headquarters in Songdo Republic of Korea, is a fund operating within the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

GCF’s objective is to promote the paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways by providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change, taking into account the needs of those developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

Over time, the GCF is expected to become the main multilateral financing mechanism to support climate action in developing countries.

With a total of 20 accredited entities, the fund is governed by a Board of 24 members and is initially supported by an Interim Secretariat.

While commenting on the development, Andrew Alli, President & Chief Executive Officer, AFC said: “This is very positive news as it reinforces AFC’s status as a multilateral financial institution.

Through partnering with the Green Climate Fund, AFC will have access to valuable resources to support investments across a variety of green projects, making a significant contribution to the global efforts to combat climate change.”

Kolade stresses good corporate governance

F

ORMER Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, has stressed the need for good corporate governance in any company.

Kolade made the emphasis while speaking at the Roundtable on Corporate Governance organised by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island Lagos.

Tagged: ‘A case for Corporate Governance Audit for Nigerian Public Companies’, the occasion had dignitaries from all walks of life.

According to Kolade, who was the chairman of the occasion, “Good corporate

governance has a role to play in the success of any company or business enterprise”, adding that “the theme of the Roundtable is to find out whether we conform to the corporate governance.”

Dr. Chris Ogbechie, Head, Strategy and Entrepreneurial Department, Lagos Business School, who was the guest speaker on the theme of the Roundtable, stated that corporate governance involved a set of relationship between a company’s management, its board, shareholders and other stakeholders, “Corporate governance failures damage reputations undermined confidence and erode confidence. Strong corporate governance is part of a successful business strategy and good governance can en-

hance an organisation’s competitive position; assist in retaining superior employees; attract top notch directors and contribute to long term improved financial performance,” Ogbechie further said.

The Vice-President of the Institute, Dr. Nat Ofo, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the event, said the way out of the Nigeria’s economic doldrums is for government to do the right thing at the right time.

Ofo also advised the governments at all levels to focus on the people’s welfare so that the electorate will continue to reap more dividends of democracy.

Speaking on corruption in the country, the ICSAN boss said “Looking at the Amnesty International report which has

dubbed Nigeria as one of the corrupt countries, the rot in the system is expected. The way forward for Nigeria is to focus on the welfare of the people.

Government should let the welfare of the people be paramount in whatever it does.”

Ofo said the Federal Government’s gesture in bailing out the states through the recent bailout package was in order as it would go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the masses.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government released over N713 billion to the states to offset the salary arrears of workers in their various states.

There is also N413.7billion that will be shared between the states and the Federal Government.

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58

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

BUSINESS

If the latest update of the consumer price index is anything to go by, then it may be correct to say that Nigerians had better brace up for the inevitable increase in the prices of staple foods, report Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf and Bukola Aroloye T the twilight of last year and up till the end of the first quarter of this year, prices of staple foods were not exactly pocket-friendly.

Of course, the reason for this was not far to seek as the most commonly soughtafter staple foods like rice, beans, yams, palm oil and vegetable oil, to mention just a few, were adversely affected by the vagaries of demand and supply, thus became literally priced out of the reach of the common man.

Fresh indication has emerged that the prices of staple foods would soar higher in the coming weeks.

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Fears over soaring food prices According to the recent Consumer Price Index, staple foods are expected to cost more for the remaining part of the year due to import restriction and devaluation of the naira.

Consumer Price Index CPI in Nigeria is reported by the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria.

In Nigeria, the Consumer Price Index or CPI measures changes in the prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services.

Consumer Price Index CPI in Nigeria increased to 173.20 Index Points in June of 2015 from 171.60 Index Points in May of 2015.

Consumer Price Index CPI in Nigeria averaged 73.10 Index Points from 1995 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 173.20 Index Points in June of 2015 and a record low of 14.36 Index Points in January of 1995.

Reality bite Soaring food prices in major cities across the Nigerian states are being reported with adverse impact on household budgets.

Prices of tomatoes, pepper and some other foodstuffs have increased in the major cities across the country before the commencement of Ramadan.

A market survey conducted in some cities showed that there was a significant increase in the prices of yam, potatoes, beans and onions while the prices of rice has remained unstable too.

Remote cause of soaring food prices The Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east and pockets of conflicts in some states where basic food items for the nation come from are making food commodity prices to rise for a range of foodstuffs, from beef to fruits and vegetables, thus squeezing consumers still struggling with modest wages.

For many years, the Northern region of the country has remained a major source of food supply to other parts of the country, especially the South. To be sure, about 90 per cent of food items consumed in Lagos and other South-west states come from the North.

For example, Ketu, Mile 12 and Oyingbo markets in Lagos, all get supplies from the North on a daily basis as countless trucks are seen unloading quantities of onions, tomatoes, pepper, fruits, potatoes, yams, vegetables and the likes at these markets.

But this is no longer the case as the general insecurity in the Northern part of Nigeria is adversely affecting farmers in the area.

Fewer trucks now come down to the South these days, because of the crisis and this is having its effects on prices of food.

The effects of the crisis in the North is already being felt, not only by the consumers but the traders as well who depend on

Up, up go food prices Source: NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS

supplies from the North for their business.

Expectedly, the cost of foodstuffs, especially pepper and tomatoes has hit the roof.

Most crop farmers and those dealing in livestock in the North are fleeing their land en masse and migrating to neighbouring countries because of the crisis.

Undoubtedly, the devastating effect of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North is having its impact on other states in the country, especially when it has to do with the supply of foodstuffs. Particularly affected food items are pepper and tomatoes, which mostly come from the Northern states.

The supply of these two major food items, which happen to be part of every delicacy in an average home, is in short supply, especially in Lagos where a handful is sold at a very costly price. This therefore implies that the insurgency in the North has not only caused scarcity of certain commodities but has also affected the prices of these commodities in the market.

In fact, cost of living has never been so high, and the masses are really complaining about the high cost of essential foodstuffs.

Madam Ogbuibe, a housewife who resides in Agege area of Lagos State said she had been buying tomatoes and assorted peppers that could make a pot of stew that could last for at least three days for her family of five at the price ranging between N250 and N300, but these days she coughs out between N900 and N1000 before she can make a stew that hardly lasts for three days.

“Before now I could make a good stew with tomatoes and pepper worth N250 or N300 but now I must buy between N900 and N1000 and with that I can only manage to make a pot of stew that would last for three day. It has never been this costly before,” she lamented.

At the popular Ile-Epo market along Lagos –Abeokuta Expressway, a small bowl of tomatoes that sold for N200 now costs N500.00.

Mallam Isa, a pepper vendor at Mile 12 market explained why he has not been able to buy more pepper to refill her stock.

He said: “The Mallams that travel home to bring pepper to Lagos are scared to go home because of the insurgency going on in the North.

“Even the farmers that grow them don’t go to their farms anymore because they fear they might be kidnapped or killed. Those who are courageous enough to go only managed to bring little and it is not enough to go round for us their customers.

“A basket of pepper which was sold at the rate of N4000-N5000 (depending on the quality of the pepper) is now being sold for N8000 including transport charges as well and people who are lucky to get it earn little or no gain after they have been sold in retails.”

Another trader, Mrs. Ayomide, a vendor at Iyana Ipaja market, said that since the beginning of the year, prices of pepper and tomatoes have gone up geometrically.

“We cannot explain what is actually happening; all we see is that prices go up every day. You cannot foretell what the price of anything will be by tomorrow, what you know is the last price at which you bought it.

It was not like this in the past. You just cannot predict prices and this affects our planning. This morning I had to use two tomatopaste, each sold for N40 with small dried pepper to make my stew since the cost of pepper has gone up,” she explained.

Mallam Shittu who has been bringing tomatoes to Lagos for over 10 years said that a basket of tomatoes that sold for between N300 and N500 about 10 years ago now goes for between N7000 and N9000.

According to him “the prices of tomatoes, onions and pepper have continued to rise since the beginning of the year. This truly, has been a bad year because of high cost of transportation, increase in fuel price and farmers’ inability to access their farms owing to Boko Haram insurgency.”

Shittu pleaded with the government to find quick solution to the insurgency going on in the North as well as doing something about the fuel price. “If this is done, things would be a lot better, because we are the ones

suffering”, he said.

At Shomolu market in Lagos, the situation is the same. A vendor, Ajoke Samseeden said: “I no longer sell pepper of fifty naira, because there is no gain on it”. She added that a tray of pepper now costs one hundred naira, which is double its usual cost.

Another trader, Mrs. Chikezie said the high price of the perishable item is attributed to the fact that it’s raining season and as such the goods are usually expensive.

At Mile 2, which is the first port of call for these items in Lagos, a woman who identified herself simply as Mrs Uche said she used to buy a basket of tomatoes for five thousand naira before but now it goes for between six to eight thousand naira.

One of the truck drivers that ferries the commodities from the North to Lagos, Aminu Isa said asides the rainfall that is a usual factor, he also blames Boko Haram for interference as it has become increasingly dangerous to transport these goods to other parts of the country.

Mr. Jude Okeke of Chuvex venture, major wholesale dealers in food items like Garri, beans, rice, and grains noted that a bag of 50kg rice which used to sell for N6, 000 now sells between N10,000 and N12,000 depending on the brand. The Golden Penny brand of rice, she explained, remained at N12, 500, while other brands such as Special, Mama Gold, Royal Stallion, Royal Turkish and Mama Africa remained between N9,000 and N11,500.

He disclosed that the cost of beans now average between N13,500 and N16, 000 for 50kg, while the 50 kg of Garri now costs N8000. He said the rising cost of rice may be due to continue importation into Nigeria as the quantity of the locally grown species cannot take care of the population demanding for the product.

In the same market the cost of a basket of tomatoes costs between N12,000 and N14,000.

A small plate containing 8 pieces of tomatoes goes for N100, while a big sack of onions, which was sold for N36,000 early in the year now sells for N42,000.

Another trader, Madam Jennifer Adepoju, revealed the price of palm oil had also gone up due to the rains. Earlier in the year, during the dry season, 25-litre gallon of palm oil was sold for N4,500 while it is currently being sold for N6,700. A 25-litre gallon of groundnut oil was sold for N9,500 as against the former price of N8,000.

A meat seller, Bala Shehu, complained that a cow which sold for N150,000 about six months ago, now goes for N200,000. And small size tuber of yam from the North which sold earlier in the year for N150 presently

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015 costs between N350 and N400; although there are other species grown in the East and West, which are a bit cheaper.

At the other side of the market, a moderate bunch of plantain, which was sold at N1,500 two months ago, now sells for N3,000.

Traders also attributed swings in the season of plantation and harvest as the cause for the price increase.

The prices of frozen food, meat and fish have remained stable as they still sell the same prices since the beginning of the year. Some of the traders and customers attributed the increase in the prices of the food items to scarcity of the items, rainy season and the commencement of the Also Usman Ibrahim a potatoes dealer in the state lamented the hike in the price of the commodity, which he said has affected his purchasing power. “I used to buy between 150 and 200 bags at times like this, but I am not sure whether I can afford to buy 35 bags of Irish Potatoes today,” Usman lamented.

A 20-litre keg of vegetable oil goes for N7, 500 as against N6, 000, while the price of garri still remains as the small basin sells for N300.

The traders, however, attributed the increase in prices of some food items to high cost of transportation, the lingering fuel scarcity and off season for perishable food items.

Mr Femi Odusanya, spokesman of the Mile 12 Traders Association urged the Federal Government to invest more in the agricultural sector by establishing more mechanised farms. “Government at all levels needed to invest more in mechanised farming because most of the food items in the markets are cultivated by peasant farmers.

“Mechanised farming will make farm produce to be available in large quantities even in their off seasons and the prices will not be ridiculously expensive,” he said.

Lamentations of Nigerians In the view of many Nigerians, the parlous state of the economy is such that has adversely affected the ability of many to have appreciable disposable income to cater for sundry needs.

To Adisa Dehinde, he is pained that whereas “For a naturally endowed, intelligent people with a rich cultural heritage as Nigerians not to be able to provide enough food for their young and old is unnatural.”

“It’s really alarming how the prices escalate every day. I don’t know if the government exists. I bet they got to do something to help the people.”

Like Dehinde, Mrs. Omolara Kehinde, a Nigerian based in Mexico says she is hard pressed to believe it could be so expensive to eat in Nigeria. “Something needs to be done. There is no work not even for university graduates. How does the government expect these good people to survive on these prices? I bet the government is not starving. In Mexico I could live for two weeks like a king on a hundred American dollars in Nigeria I would starve after the second day on a hundred American dollars.”

Nigeria not alone Like Nigeria, there are statistics showing rise in international food prices since January 2014 till date.

For instance, the newly-released World Bank’s Food Price Watch, “Food price shocks can be responsible for the origination and continuation of conflict and, more generally, political instability. Increasing empirical evidence shows that international food prices and the domestic pass through to local markets of these international prices has a significant role in all types of conflict, from interstate wars to civil wars, regime breakdowns, and communal violence.”

“I

BUSINESS

59

How to create sustainable wealth

REALISED that the fastest route to economic recovery and significance was by helping others to rewrite their financial stories.”

These were some of the words of Oladipupo Clement, Chief Executive Officer of LIFEPAGE Group and Convener of Wealth Creation and Retention Strategies, during a seminar tagged: ‘My Gameplan Mega Summit 2015’, which was held recently in Lagos at the 7Star Events Centre.

The one-day seminar attracted over one thousand participants from and outside Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital.

By Fredrick Adegboye

Clement further said that the project was a ‘crusade’ he put in place for “the economic emancipation of the common man in Nigeria and Africa at large.”

He stressed that his goal is to raise 600 people who will be financially free by 2021, though he started the project in 2011.

One of the facilitators at the seminar who spoke on why character is the best wealth creation and retention policy, Mrs. Bosede Olusola-Obasa, emphasised that one’s character is one’s social capital.

“Character will take you to the top and sustain you there; character keeps speaking long after your client has left you; reputation may open the door, but character keeps it open.”

Other notable speakers included Olumide Emmanuel, who spoke on understanding economic times and seasons; Ugochukwu Okere (leveraging people’s skills to create wealth); Stephen Akintayo (vehicles of wealth creation and preservation strategies); and Eizu Uwaoma (principles for building a lasting business).

•Clement

Nigerian, others launch online grocery mall

I

N their quest to serve the taste buds of Nigerians in diaspora desirous of homemade cooking, the duo of Tosin Osibodu, a USA-based Nigerian and his American partner, Ian CohanShapiro has launched NigerianFoods.com, an online portal that inspires and enables people to cook, eat, share and learn more about Nigerian cuisine.

I n t e r e s t i n g l y , Nigerianfoods.com has succeeded in delivering local Nigerian ingredients and foodstuffs to 47 of 50 states in the United States of America (USA) including Puerto Rico as at June 2015.

Stressing the importance of Nigerian online grocery store to Nigerian-Americans and American locals, Ian Cohan-Shapiro, cofounder Nigerianfoods.com said: “We arrived at providing this service when my school mate at the University, Tosin had to travel several kilometres in search of egusi

By David Lawal and eba. Then we agreed on establishing a platform to meet that need for other people who might feel like him.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Tosin Osibodu, co-founder and CEO said: “The idea for NigerianFoods.com came when I was studying in New Hampshire and craving Egusi soup. Finding the ingredients I wanted was impossible – I had to resort to bringing extra suitcases full of ingredients from my trips back to Nigeria.”

According to Cohan-Shapiro, the publicity for Nigerian food stuffs has not been enough and that constitutes the reason why Nigerian recipes are not well known across the world.

“I have been in Nigeria for a year and half now and my best meal is moi-moi and pepper soup. I like both because they are entirely new to me and I find them interesting.

“Nigerian foods mean different things to different people. Pepper soup helps me quench cold and it is just perfect for me. I enjoy moi-moi and already mentioned it to my mum who initially had difficulties preparing it but with our practical videos on cooking, she has tried her hands on it a couple of times except that I am yet to taste and certify her moi-moi,” he stressed.

The platform was established to deliver the widest selection of Nigerian ingredients in the US (over 180 products), so Nigerians in the US can enjoy the taste of homemade cooking without any hassles.

The online grocery store, headquartered in Lagos-Nigeria, has plans to grow its staff strength but currently has 11 employees across Canada, Indonesia and the United States.

“We have different practical videos on the platform with clearly

indicates steps and procedures for preparing each recipe desired. We do not have all Nigerian recipe yet but you would be amazed at our collections within these six months of our operations.

“We observed that the identity around food is not singular and there are diverse audiences for Nigerian delicacies. Imagine how we combine Chicken Suya Tacos – to suit the appetite of a Nigerian who visits Mexico where Tacos is commonly found,” Cohan-Shapiro said.

For Osibodu, the group endeavours to meet the need of these diverse audiences who crave Nigerian delicacies while appearing really Nigerian.

The company hires locally and supports exports of local agricultural products thereby contributing to the revenue of the Nigerian Export-Import.

On GOtv’s new pay-off: Live it, love it GSK tackles

M

ESSRS Nwaobodo and Adindun Nnebedum are GOtv subscribers, who both live in Enugu. I met them at a GOcustomer Forum organised for GOtv subscribers in Enugu last year. The GOcustomer Forum is one of several customer engagement initiatives of MultiChoice, which provides subscribers an opportunity to ask questions, air their views and learn more about the GOtv service.

Unlike other subscribers at the Enugu forum, these gentlemen opted to give testimonials during the question and answer session.

Mr Nwaobodo said that GOtv helpss child development. “My daughter learnt how to say her first words from watching children’s programmes on GOtv,” he said.

For Mr. Nnebedum, GOtv, through its documentary channels, is great source of education for him.

These testimonials underscore the new GOtv pay-off line, “Live it, Love it”. GOtv enables youthful guidance through friendliness. If your toddler is a follower of cartoon series like “Barney and Friends” or “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”, with the great sing-alongs, then Mr Nwaobodo’s testimonial would be very relatable.

As geography students in secondary school, we relied on textbooks to understand natural disasters like earthquakes, avalanches, tornadoes and volcanic eruptions because these conditions are alien to our environment - and thankfully so.

Many of us will probably never experience an earthquake, witness a hurricane or see a whale, but documentaries can give a reasonably good understanding of what such

•Multichoice MD, John Ugbeh

By Efe Obiomah

natural occurrences look like or feel like or why they happen.

The height of Mount Kilimanjaro, measuring 5,895 meters, is unfathomable when you read about it. But the emergence of pay-TV, with dedicated documentary channels such as GOtv’s Channel ED and Discovery World, enable us to appreciate the greatness of Mount Kilimanjaro much more than any textbook ever would.

Documentary channels expose us to previously unknown facts. For instance, from programmes such as Ultimate Animals on Nat Geo Wild, we learn that a flamingo can only eat when its head is upside down, or that some snails sleep for three years at a stretch.GOtv began its journey to “Entertain Nigeria” in October 2011 by providing affordable and quality entertainment.

From Ibadan, where it was launched, GOtv now provides its

hundreds of thousands of subscribers with unforgettable television experiences.

“Live it, Love it” is an expression of the value – more than entertainment - which GOtv offers. It is about the unforgettable viewing experiences of its subscribers. It is the power of GOtv’s clear pictures and sound, and the ability of the content to transform the worldview of subscribers.

Live it, Love it is also about escapism. The content on GOtv allows subscribers escape to places they wish to be.

Take Disney Junior’s “Doc McStuffins”. The cartoon series is about a little girl named Dottie, who decides she wants to become a doctor like her mother. She pretends to be one, “Doc McStuffins”, by fixing toys and dolls. When Dottie puts on her stethoscope, toys, dolls, and stuffed animals come to life and she can communicate with them.

With help from her stuffed animal friends – Stuffy the Dragon, Hallie the Hippo, Lambie the Lamb, and Chilly the Snowman, Doc McStuffins helps toys “feel better” by giving them check-ups and diagnosing their illnesses with “The Big Book of Boo Boos”. Kids who are fans of Doc McStuffins are transported into her world and soon begin to visualise themselves as doctors, too.

“Live it, Love it” is also about the wide variety of appealing content on GOtv. It is about family bonding, the moments shared with family, friends and loved ones, when they gather to watch programmes like “Family Ties”, “Meet the Adebanjos” and “The Johnsons” on AfricaMagic Family.

counterfeit products

By Omolewa Oshin

G

SK Consumer Nigeria Plc has restated commitment to fight products counterfeit-

ing.

The Managing Director, GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Dayanand Thandalam Sriram gave this charge at the weekend.

The event was at the GSK Consumer Healthcare Nigeria partnership with the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN) programme to train and improve the practice of Patent Medicine Dealers and Patent Medicine Sellers in Nigeria.

According to him, counterfeit products are harmful to the people and should be discouraged.

Speaking further, the GSK boss said if Nigerians can tackle product counterfeiting, it will reduce the high rate death due to administration of fake medications.

Also speaking, President, Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association (LSMDA), Chief Kewiwson Emeka Opara, said it was disheartening to note that people abuse pain-killers such as paracetemol, among others.

While commenting on the proliferation of counterfeit products in the market, Opara lamented that: “Most people venture into medicine vending just for the profit without considering the health of the people. Nigerians don’t care about the risk of consuming counterfeit products. Most times, they don’t care whether it is harmful or can have any side effects on the patients.”

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

BUSINESS

Achieving fiscal and employment with solid minerals development P

R E S I D E N T Muhammadu Buhari was on point in pledging priority attention to agriculture and solid minerals development in hiseconomic blueprint. More details on this will definitely emerge when he starts to work with his Economic Management Team. In the meantime, he has succeeded in sending a strong signal that his Administration will strongly intervene in these sectors. This provides a basis for optimism and expectation that private investments will follow the interventions.

Agriculture provides a means of sustainable livelihood to millions of Nigerian smallholder farmers.

But this has come under threat in the Northeast in the last couple of years of terror by Boko Haram insurgents. Even so, climate change poses a wider threat to agriculture, and it has compelled the need for adaptation by farming communities. Therefore, restoration of livelihood of the people is one compelling reason to give policy priority to agriculture. The other equally important reason is the fact that agriculture is a sector of immense growth potential and economic transformation, through agro-processing and development of the agribusiness value-chain.

Ending the fits and starts Quite on the contrary,the solid minerals sector has for decades remained circumscribedby policy neglect, ineffective implementation of reforms, and unsustainable mining operations. Policy attention to the miningindustry tends to be fleeting. There is a discernible alignment of reform of the solid minerals sector with when policymakers make grand national plans like the Vision 20:2020, or in moments of realisation that the country can tap the mineral commodity price boom — like we have witnessed in the most part of the last decade. Also, the need to reform solid minerals development comes to the fore in the period of economic adversity imposed by lower oil prices, as it is currently the case.

This means, therefore, that, by the very circumstantial nature of the pronouncements, the implementation of the various reforms are often not sustained. When the reform stimuli are absent or weak, a corresponding weakness in commitment to implementing the reforms becomes evident.

As a result, the solid minerals sector remains an acutely underperforming sector of the economy by all indicators, contributing a meagre 0.43% to the GDP

•Orya

in 2010.

However, a cross-section of market participants including policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors and funders agree that development of the solid minerals sector will help create jobs, generate returns, increase government revenue and spur forward linkages in several industrial sectors of the economy. We are completely aligned with this view at Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank). Solid minerals have immense potentials to support the quest for economic diversification in the country. The extensive use of labour across the solid minerals’ value-chain, from exploration to production, processing and end-use – including export—also shows immerse opportunities for employment generation and poverty reduction.In addition to this, Nigeria can become a strong player in the global mineral commodity market, beyond oil and gas; thereby, providing a source of significant and complementary foreign exchange inflow to the economy.

able to have a functioning mining economy that is generating tax income for both the state and federal governments. This is in contradistinction to oil & gas; whose proven reserves are concentrated in one geopolitical zone of the country. This localisation of the main source of revenue for the three tiers of government has been the source of great fiscal and political tension.

But a great deal of planning, financing and continuous policy support are required in bringing the potentials of the solid minerals sector to fruition. As most observers know, we have seen a number of landmark reforms of the sector more recently, including the passing of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007; establishment of the Mining Cadastre Office — an independent body that is responsible for the administration of all mineral titles; and establishment of the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, which collects geo-scientific information about the country and centrally provides access to it for interested entities.

An economy for all the states In the context of the Nigerian political economy, the solid minerals sector even takes a rather unique significance. Diverse solid mineral deposits are widespread across the geographic belts of the country. In essence, solid minerals development provides the country perhaps the biggest opportunity for making cross-country investment in land assets.

This was the reason each of the states of the federation was advised topush forward one solid mineral it wishes to develop. Every state in the country would, therefore, be

Knowledge-sharing among operators A market-facing institution like NEXIM Bank has been able to identify some of the possibly-overlooked, but critical support initiatives that the mining industry requires, from about five years of close association with operators. For instance, we found there is a need to leverage the limited technical know-how in the industry to the benefit of a wider number of industry operators. We found that technical know-how is conditional for being able to attract funding.

While such funding, theoretically, can be provided by in-

By Roberts Orya

“Formalisation of the solid minerals sector is the route to its sustainable development and economic viability”

vestors and financiers, those who can provide the investment look for how the exi s t i n g brownfield projects which dot the landscape are structured.

To address this, NEXIM Bank has provided the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) a free, fullyfunctional secretariat within NEXIM House in Abuja since 2013. The idea is to help facilitate knowledge-sharing and stakeholders engagement by operators in the sector.With this, MAN has been enabled to share project knowledge and best practices among its members. The Association has been able to increase its advocacy, leading to the establishment of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF). This fund was approved in 2013, although its operationalisation is still encumbered by fiscal and administrative constraints.

Beyond this, NEXIM Bank has been providing funding intervention for mining businesses. We have disbursed over N4 billion low-interest funding over the last five years. Our funding is developmental in outlook. We essentially want to help the mining operators to fund early-stage operations, build a profitability profile for their projects, so that they can subsequently attract commercial funding from the banks. This model works.

It,therefore,recommends a need to provide scale for development funding interventionas a strategy to unlock private sector, commercial funding for the solid minerals sector.

Relative to the funding we have been able to pro-

vide, we have seen some of the impacts we believe are very possible when funding intervention is made in a sustainable way to the solid minerals sector. NEXIM Bank’s intervention has been able to create or sustain over 8,000 direct jobs with its intervention in the solid minerals sector. And it has helped the miners to generate over $200,000.00 in foreign exchange.

Simple solutions to seeming knotty challenges Two of the most knotty challenges in developing the solid minerals sector are the formalisation of the mining operations and development of the network of road and rail infrastructures to link mining to markets. As with most difficult problems, the answersare simple solutions.

For instance, NEXIM Bank’s funding incentivises formalisation. Government can provide a wider vent to this principle by creating conditional incentives for accessing development funding.

The conditionalities can include membership of the trade association – Miners Association of Nigeria; whereby MAN provides social collateral (to offset part of financial collateral requirement) for members and help monitor performances of the businesses and repayment. But definitely, the conditionalities must include acquisition of the tax

identification number. The TIN requirement would not negate whatever tax breaks that might be offered miners, but it must compel annual filings with the tax authorities. This will ensure that fund disbursement will clearly map government’s tax revenue for the future.

This fiscal framework is crucial because of the scale of the revenue that will accrue to government in the forms of royalties and taxes. It even becomes the more important considering that, beyond providing funding which must be repaid, government has a huge requirement (and incentive) to, over the next few decades, invest in infrastructure to support the mining sector. Such investment would be the more credible testament of government’s long-term commitment to the mining industry. It will encourage large-scale investment because the entry barrier that lack of infrastructure constitutes would have been removed.

Artisanal miners, whocurrently dominate the sector, have eluded government’s tax net. But for government’s interventions — in funding and providing infrastructure — to be sustainable, they must generate returns. Formalisation of the solid minerals sector is the route to its sustainable development and economic viability. We have a number of economies that have been able to formalise their mining sector and therefore generate huge revenues from the multiple big operations that create and support employment. An example is the mining sector of South Africa, the second largest economy in Africa,which accounts for one-third of the market capitalisation of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

Comparative data for 2010 shows that South Africa’s mining sector contributed 18.7% to its $365.2 billion GDP and created 514,760 direct jobs and 838,623 indirect jobs. Australia also has a substantial mining sector which contributed 8.4% of its $1.141 trillion GDP, and created 183,000 direct jobs. Nigeria’s GDP of $228.6 billion had just 0.34% contribution from mining, with mostly informal jobsin the sector.In terms of mineral endowments, Nigeria compares favourably with these countries. We, therefore, can aspire to the level of the economic performances of their mining sectors and achieve as much employment generation, if not more.

Orya is Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export-Import Bank

61

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

E

MBARRASSING, absurd and avoidable were the words used to describe the story published on this page last Sunday. What is the way forward? What solution is the federal government proffering to the problem? These were questions from Barrister Cecelia Iquo who called from the University of Calabar.

It is just a case of using the wrong insecticide and wrong applications.

Every farmer ought to know that the wrong usage of Dichlorvos pesticide is dangerous to the health of consumers, so why are farmers still allowed to use it? queried another reader, Prof. Amachi Onyeche, in an email.

Still, another reader reacted thus: Why is the European Union making a case out of a mole hill? If they do not want Nigerian beans, other nations do. Is it not the same beans they rejected that we are eating and has anybody died from it? The reader queried.

Last Sunday on this page, we published a story entitled ‘Fears heighten as EU temporarily bans beans importation from Nigeria.’

According to the story, European Union [EU] banned the beans because of the high levels of dichlorvos pesticide in the beans which poses grave danger to the health of the consumers.

Also high levels of other chemicals like Chlorpyrifos, Cyhalothrin, Dimathoate, Trichlorphon and Omethoate were also discovered in the dried beans meant for export.

These are synthetic pesticides applied during planting and storage to preserve the beans from insects.

The ban which was confirmed by the Deputy Director, Ports Inspection Directorate, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Comfort Makanjuola, will stay in effect until June 30th 2016 by which time the EU hoped the exporters of dried beans from Nigeria would have adhered to regulations.

Most of the rejected beans were found to contain between 0.03mg per kilogramme and 4.6mg/kg of dichlorvos pesticide when its acceptable maximum residue level is 0.01mg/kg.

Explaining the incident as an embarrassment to Nigeria and the regulatory agencies involved, Mr. Nnamdi Ukoko said the issue of pesticide residue in grains is an issue that can be permanently eliminated by the usage of BioNim fertilizer and Bionimbecidine HP111 botanical

Experts’ recipe for beans pest

•Contaminated beans

storage chemical by farmers and handlers.

“Both products are organic plant extracts for planting, post harvesting and storage of grains which leaves no residue and poses no health threat to humans,” he said.

Ukoko, the Nigerian representative of BICCO Agro Products with head quarters in India and Netherlands, noted that organic fertilisers and organic storage chemicals should be used for planting and storage of grains, cereals, pulses, etc as they are natural products and as such human friendly.

Throwing more light on what must have gone wrong with the dried beans rejected by the EU, he said “the synthetic chemical used in storage of the beans did not break down before the handlers put it out for exportation. Ideally, depending on the chemical formulation, the beans should have been left in storage for a period of 3-4months before presenting it to consumers.

“But if an organic fertiliser and organic storage chemical is used in the planting and storage of beans, it will be suitable for consumption and exportation immediately as no pesticide residue is left.”

Organic fertiliser such as

BioNim, he explained, is the residual product remaining after the cold pressing of the Neem seed for the extraction of the natural and organic oil. The high content of azadirachtin in BioNim protects crops against a wide range of parasites in addition to enriching the soil.

Synthetic chemicals like dichlorvos, apart from leaving residue in beans, cause the product to shrink while adversely effecting the quality, but biotechnical storage pest control leaves no residue, maintains the quality, safety while also extending the finished produce shelf life, noted the stakeholder who has been in organic agro farming for over 25 years.

Cautioning consumers on eating beans with synthetic residue, a professor at the Nutritional and Toxicology Dept, University of Jos, who pleaded anonymity, said he will rather advice Nigerians to desist from eating contaminated beans.

Speaking in a telephone interview, he cautioned, “If you suspect the beans, it’s better you wash it thoroughly, par boil, get rid of the first water before adding fresh water to proceed to the final cooking.”

Several researches have confirmed that botanical pesticides are

eco-friendly, easily biodegradable, nontoxic to non-target organism.

The insecticide of plant origin could be exploited for the development of novel molecules with highly precise targets for sustainable insect pest management in stored grain.

Another great advantage is that the raw materials could be sourced locally.

According to a study ‘Evaluation of Botanical Products as stored Grain Protectant Against Maize weevil’ published on Maize Journal of Entomology 4: 258-262, paw paw leaf powder was found to be the most effective in reducing the number of live insects in the grains.

The study was conducted to evaluate leaf powder botanical products of eucalyptus, paw paw and lantana against the infestation of maize weevil on stored maize grains.

These botanicals were compared with synthetic chemical (Actellic super dust) and without insecticides application as controls. All tested plant products performed well in reduction of live insects during maize storage as compared to the no insecticide application.

However, pawpaw leaf powder was the most effective. This also reflects on the weight loss where the

maize grains treated with pawpaw leaf powder were lowest.

As a way forward, however, in view of the recent death occurrence in Ondo State which was traced down to exposure to pesticide, the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) after the baseline studies carried out in nine states asked that a list of all banned and restricted chemicals used as pesticides be widely circulated in public and private sectors and that the federal government should facilitate the enactment into law, an Agricultural Chemicals Pesticides Regulation Law. They have also recommended intense and regular, informative and widely distributed training of farmers and pesticide applicators, appropriate enforcement of regulation that requires that all pesticides retail and wholesale outlets, stores or facilities within the market be located at a designated section for easy control and accessibility and safe control.

Speaking on why pesticides have been grossly handled wrongly in Nigeria, Professor Chikwendu, the National Coordinator of WAAPP in Nigeria, said, “Although the National Environmental Standards Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is actively involved in ensuring safe use and management of pesticides in Nigeria, it’s major function of enforcing the regulation on pesticide use has been greatly hindered by the absence of a national pesticide regulation.”

Makanjuola advised exporters to find out the quality requirements specified by importing countries in order to prevent rejection and destruction of their processed and semi processed products.

“All the people dealing with semi processed and processed foods must know the quality specifications by the importing countries. We must know the acceptable levels of pesticides and agrochemicals used in growing and storing the commodities.”

The Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the National Special Programme on Food Security and all other relevant agencies should popularise organic agriculture to Nigerian farmers in order to produce safe foods for human consumption and for the export market.

Ministry lauds Nigerian Breweries for supporting teachers

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•From left: Vivian Nkem, Head, Government Relations, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education and Mrs. O. A. Ariba, Deputy Director, Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education during NB Plc management team visit to the Ministry as part of sensitisation efforts of the ongoing Maltina Teacher of the Year award initiative of the company in Abuja at the weekend

HE Federal Ministry of Education has enjoined

teachers across the country to avail themselves the opportunity offered by the Maltina Teacher of the Year Project to advance their career development and also to enhance the teaching profession in Nigeria.

Speaking during a visit of the Nigerian Breweries Plc. management team to the ministry in Abuja recently, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, stated that the ministry is happy with Nigerian Breweries Plc. for initiating such a laudable project at this time in the nation’s history.

“We commend Nigerian Breweries Plc. for introducing

Maltina Teacher of The Year, a reward programme that seeks to recognise, reward and train Nigerian teachers. It is our hope that this effort by Nigerian Breweries will encourage other corporate organisations to identify and support the ministry’s programmes geared towards the development of the education sector in Nigeria,” he said.

Dr. Nwaobiala, who welcomed the Nigerian Breweries management team led by Mr. Kufre Ekanem to the ministry as part of sensitisation efforts for the Maltina Teacher of the Year project, added that “the Maltina Teacher of the year programme aligns perfectly with our vision to bring back the glory days when teaching was

a respectable profession and people took pride in teaching, we all must join hands to bring dignity and prestige to teachers if we want to see improvement in our education system.”

He pledged the ministry’s support to ensure the success of the programme. He called on teachers nationwide to take advantage of the Maltina Teacher of Year to improve their career development and teaching practice in general.

The Maltina Teacher-of-theYear, launched in May, is set to splash over N50 million on Nigerian teachers. The winner of the coveted award will get one million naira cash upon his/her emergence at the finals while one million naira will be paid into his/her account annually

for the next five years. The Teacher of the Year will also be sent abroad for training by the company. The first runner-up will take home one million naira, while the second runnerup gets seven hundred and fifty thousand naira. Winners from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT will be given five hundred thousand naira each. The school that produces the national winner will also become a beneficiary of infrastructural development projects.

The award, initiated by Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, is aimed at restoring the pride of teachers and the dignity of the teaching profession.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015 Background

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'M a graduate of Marketing from The Polytechnic Ibadan. I had my beekeeping training at the Bee-craft Vocational Institute, Abeokuta. I had my entrepreneurial training with the National Directorate of Employment, programme 'Start Your own Business' (SYOB). I was on scholarship from Goldman Sach Corporations in the USA to study entrepreneurship at the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos. I was also discovered by Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) empowering women entrepreneurs who handed us over to Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where I happened to be among the first set of mentees of the LCCI. Inspiration for beekeeping I have always loved nature and agriculture was something I loved so much.

Many a time when I was growing up I had a little garden at the back of our house and every morning I will sit and imagine how the plants grow and I always appreciate God for His works. At a point, I learnt from a friend that there is a way one can keep bees to get honey. I was so fascinated and I desired that one day I will learn about it. My journey into beekeeping started when I got employed at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Consult, as the marketing officer to market all their products including honey which they produce and processed. It was the week I resumed that the staff in charge of the honey unit resigned. I had no option than to assist the boy who was assisting him then. It was also at that time that the Consult organised a threeday workshop on beekeeping which I was opportune to be part of, and that was where the passion for beekeeping was unlocked and I longed to have a hive of my own. I told the consultant about it and he told me that whenever I'm ready, I should get in touch.

I started out with three hives and these have increased with time.

Milestones recorded thus far Today, what started out as a hobby has been a blessing to me. I will share three of these achievements that I hold so dear to my heart. First and foremost, after I started out, I intended keeping bees as a hobby but as God would have it, it has become a big business today. I later discovered that this is the business I'm cut out for and when I heard

'Beekeeping is an untapped goldmine' Victoria Folasade Ojebiyi is Chief Executive Officer, Alpha-Cedar Corporate Company, which is involved in beekeeping and honey processing. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she speaks on the prospects and challenges of beekeeping among others. that NDE (National Directorate of Employment) was having a training for graduates that want to start their own business, I applied and was selected. After the training, I was empowered with some funds as loan which I paid back to start my business and that was when the confidence came and I started planning my exit from the Federal University of Agriculture to go into my own business.

The second one was when I won the Goldman Sach scholarship for Women Entrepreneurs in July 2011 to study at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University. This was exactly a month into my resignation and the third one was when I was given a space at the Technology Incubation Centre (TIC), Abeokuta where I am now.

Also I was selected to be among the first set of entrepreneurs to be mentored by the entrepreneurship unit of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and industries (LCCI) Memorable moments as a beekeeper There have been so many but this particular one, when I look back, I always thank God. It happened that I was working with the bees one hot sunny day with my husband in the apiary. We were well kitted-up but I was sweating inside the bee suit so, I left the hive I was working on to get some fresh air and then I forgot that the bees were still around and I removed my veil to get some fresh air and the next thing I saw was bees bombarding me and I was having braids on then, it was not a funny sight, but thank God for my husband who came to my rescue, else something terrible would have happened and this is one of the risks involved, though it was due to my carelessness.

Challenges on the job The major challenges that are peculiar to beekeeping are bush burning and pilfering by honey robbers. This has been so predominant among beekeepers and it has been a great pain. I have lost so

•Ojebiyi busy at her hive (inset Ojebiyi)

much to bush burning and honey robbing and I know this is also the plight of most beekeepers.

Another challenge is the policies and subsidies from the government affecting inputs to honey production, which includes access to finance, infrastructure, farmland and technologies useful for beekeepers. I have tried and still trying and I know one day I will get there.

Coping challenges Coping with these challenges has been so painful but one thing is that as the challenges surface I get to know of better ways within my ability to handle and overcome them notwithstanding the little capital at my disposal and that is where innovation and creativity comes in. I have positioned myself to solve problems and thereby gain more customers. I tried to work round situations and come up with solutions that will be beneficial to all stakeholders within my field of operation. I want every entrepreneur like me to know that the more people's problem we solve, the more customers we gain, hence the more money we make. Never be burdened down with any problem, see it as a challenge

and release yourself to tackle it headlong and when you do, more laurels are added to your cap.

Antecedents, why you chose this career line as well as the first job that you did?

When I got employed to the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta consult as a Marketing Officer, I never had it in my wildest imagination that I would end up in beekeeping but when I was faced with the challenge of assisting the boy in charge I discovered that, that was what I wanted to do. I began my research on honey and bees and what I learnt about the curative and medicinal properties of honey really fascinated me coupled with the demand on the product, my love for it increased. I also discover the various areas in the business that revenue could be generated, which could also create employment opportunities and above all adding value to the lives of my consumer through the consumption of good quality honey and its by-products.

Greatest influence God has been the greatest influence in my life. He gives the inspiration, courage and strength to continue despite all odds. My husband also

has always been there giving all the support that is humanly possible. Another influence over me is excitement.

I'm excited doing what I love doing and I think this has helped me achieve the little, little successes I have recorded so far, even when I go to people seeking for their assistance and they turn me down, my excitement does not let me down. I remain happy while I explore other means.

Life as an entrepreneur The Oxford's learners' English dictionary defines entrepreneur as a person who makes money by starting or running businesses, especially when this involves taking financial risks.

It takes rugged and determined individuals to weather the storm of entrepreneurship as the business for many years seems to be taking everything away from you without giving anything back in return and this could be frustrating. From statistics, it has been proven that just a third of new businesses survives till the tenth year and those that survived are fond of doing some things that others failed to do. This is a major challenge.

I would say being an entrepreneur is a great privilege especially when you are just coming up. One thing that keeps me on is the passion I have for what I do and with perseverance and hard work I know I will achieve my goal.

There had been times, when it seems I should pack up and look elsewhere, probably take up a paid employment but each time this happens, God gives fresh inspirations about how to add value to my existing products and ideas about entirely new products and I am very grateful for this.

Opportunities for women in beekeeping I have met with few women in my sectors that are beekeepers which they do as hobbies and they are really trying their best but as you would agree with me, finance to fund this business is a big challenge and I am using this medium to call on well meaning Nigerians and investors to start looking towards this branch of agriculture to invest and for concerned government agencies to consider giving grants to boost this branch of agriculture in order to encourage more women to go into beekeeping and that is part of my future plans to go into the grassroots and encourage more women to come into the business.

Prospects of beekeeping in Nigeria and abroad I would say we are far from been there, with all the challenges we are facing here which is drawing us back. In other developed countries of the world, beekeeping has really gone far with the use of modern technology in keeping bees, thereby making it more interesting and profitable. We now have hybrid bees which give rise to the high honey yield and profitability. But I know one day we will get there, because Rome was not built in a day.

Support for SMEs I would appreciate government effort for SMEs but at the same time how many SMEs are there that can say this is what they are enjoying from the government, securing funds are not easy, taxes are not SME-friendly, the power situation is nothing to write home about, not leaving out the difficulties involved before one can access farmlands from the government. I hope this new administration will visit these issues because lots of businesses are at the verge of collapse and I would advice this new administration to look into beekeeping as a means of generating employments for our teeming unemployed populace especially the youths.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

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OW did music find you?

Well I will say that music has been a part of my live from growing up. I give big credits to my parents. We grew up having family devotions and singing was a core.

We are a family of 5 boys and we used to go to the farm. My dad’s hubby was farming.

Most times, it was a long walk from the car park to the farm so we used to sing on our way.

Also we would all sing along as we worked on the farm. So a small family choir evolved. Moreso I always had a role to play every year at the Christmas concert in my primary school. I always would be one of the three wise men to sing”we three kings…”

So singing was a strong part of my growing up. After secondary school, I became born-again and then the most active part of Christianity in my community was singing.

Every Christian song, I sang! I grew up in the Obafemi Awolowo University. We all sang. From there I started my concerts series, “songs of Solomon” in the university and turned professional.

Many gospel music lovers consider you radical and eccentric. Is that a right perception of your personality?

The truth here is that I consider that a compliment. The issue is really that I do not do what people expect. I am used to always looking for better ways of doing things and most time it comes out to people as not normal.

I really would not have apologies for that. Christianity is a way of life not a system! You do not expect all children of God to respond to issues the same way. We are not idiots. We have brains and the Holy Spirit. So when I choose to do things the way that seem right I am called radical.

I can write a book on this issue so please let me stop here. One thing I will like to say to people is that we first need to have a personal relationship with Jesus; we need to engage Jesus personally.

Let’s allow Him open our eyes to personal truths that will set us free and then let us all develop ourselves and our minds. Then, we will begin to see that we really cannot be “stooges” and our expression extends beyond human expectations.

Why can’t you do gospel music full time?

I believe in hard work. I believe that there is no labor without profit. Now I want money, so I must be creative and hard working. So I am busy. I love ministry yeah but ministry is very expensive to run. I hate being a pest. I believe I can run my ministry with a lot of dignity. I do not want to be a beggar.

So, the best way to get on this right path is to get busy and work. The kind of money we need to do the work we have to do is not in the church.

Also I see myself as a role model so I have to set the right

INTERVIEW

‘Why many people say I’m radical’ Popular contemporary gospel act, Gbenga Adenuga, is a likeable and lively personality. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on his life, music, restless moves and values. Excerpts: mindset. I need the young ones looking up to me to be hard working and not looking for free gifts.

It’s not going to get us anywhere. I definitely know that I cannot earn all I need but then “value responds to value”.

More people will give to me because they already see value. So I must do other things that are legitimate.

Beyond the fact that I need to get funds for my family and ministry, I really think at this time in my life I can make more impact if I do more than music. I can talk, I can inspire, I can render logistics solutions services and the list goes on….

Music is just a small part of me. I need to express myself.

You know we are not here on this earth forever.

Many believe your album Awimayehun remains the best. Which is the favorite for you?

There you go again. Perception! You said many. That’s where you are seeing from.

On You tube, my song that has the highest hits is “I see you in me” and 90 percent of the hits are from non- Nigerians outside Nigeria.

The song has been used severally in schools in Brazil, Germany, USA and Canada by school children. I got letters from school children from around the world thanking me for the song. But you said Awimayehun. That’s your opinion my brother. I am sure you belong to the very conventional Church family in Nigeria.

But mind you I deliberately chose not to have a favorite. Which father has a favorite child and declares it in the open? Even if he does

he will not say it out.

Has music been rewarding?

I can boldly say YES! It’s my entry point in all I do and I still do so indirectly and directly YES. I am not sure I will be me today without music.

So I am completely grateful.

You are way different from your brother, Pastor Wale Adenuga. Why are you who you are?

Why won’t I be different?

His name is Wale while I am Gbenga. Even twins are different. Is it a crime to be different? You know I get that a lot. People say “why are you different from you brother?”

And I am honestly worried at such remarks. God himself made us different.

Can’t you see his height and mine? Our parents made us different by giving us different names. We are meant to be different. I think it should be more worrisome if we look alike and behave the same way!

Now even the church made us different! He is Christened “PASTOR” and I am christened “RADICAL” Gbagaun! Yeah we grew up together but I believe that there are different expressions. And that is the beauty of life. I can tell you, my brother and I share similar dreams but we just have different personalities and that affects expression but not focus.

If you have all the money in the world, how many albums can you come up with every year?

If I had all the money? I am not likely going to record an album self. I will rather put it into live shows and TV

•Adenuga production. My biggest desire is to create alternative shows on TV for the younger generation.

Our TV is gone. Even the cartoon characters now have curves and are getting sensually involved. I am sure soon that will be gays! So we need to work on alternatives. We cannot keep talking and not be doing.

Your concert, WWGA, is building momentum. What is the vision behind it?

The vision behind #WWGA is huge. First, I want to create a platform that is not denominational, a platform for families to engage God. Secondly, a strong element of WWGA is the growing concern for children. We have a dream to have concerts for kids. Write songs for them and engage them periodically. Just them praising God! Things are changing.

Music is changing. Even church music and we need to know. So we have to start to provide for the younger generation.

Third, I really want to just express myself and enjoy my life! I have one and this is one way to do it for me. So why not?

Not much is known about your family. Is that deliberate or an innocent omission?

Family is private business. I keep it as that. But then I need to say here that I have the best family in the world; my opinion and I am entitled to it. I have got the best children and the most reasonable wife. They are never going to compete with God in me.

On three, even four occasions, I have given my wife’s car out as a gift and she did not fight me! She is a wonder. She knows that I am still coming up. When I land, she will hear! Now that is enough about family. I am the musician not them. If you want to know more, visit us. We are always in Abuja for now. Next year, we might be living in Afghanistan.

You were in South Africa for sometimes. What took you away for so long?

Really South Africa was a getaway. I needed a break. I am a very restless person. I got really overwhelmed with life in Nigeria and the easiest getaway was South Africa. So I moved my family and we left.

I thought I would be there for a longer period though.

But it turned out to be just fifteen months. I kept coming back to Nigeria. I used to come to Abuja as many as three times a month. So, I realised I really should be here.

I am not too proud to retrace my steps. I can make mistakes a million times. I will bow my head in repentance but never in shame, say sorry when I have to and move on.

So I came back home and of course people were like “you this guy’ you are back again”.

Yes, obviously I am!

Some said, “why are you moving your kids around?” I smiled…In the last 6 years, I have moved around four cities of the world and to people I am not serious. That’s really up to them. What I have learnt and seen is my plus. I keep moving

NEWS

CYON’s football competition gets winner

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ION World FC has emerged winner of the 20th Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON) football competition.

The team defeated Samba Boys FC 3-2 penultimate weekend after the final match played at St Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja, Lagos.

Ten teams from churches and clubs in Onigbongbo Local Council Development Association (LCDA) participated at the tournament organised as a viable

By Ibrahim Adam

tool for youth and social development.

CYON’s president, Ekwenta Patrick (Jnr.) said the competition was to spot new talents and take youths off vices.

He stressed: “We are also trying to spot the best players among them so that we can also recommend them in the future.”

Patrick Ogewu of Excellent FC emerged the highest goal scorer with 6 goals in the tournament.

Wisemen’s fellowship hosts convention

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HE Redeemed Christian Church of God, Victory Chapel, Lagos province, is set to host this year’s Wisemen’s Fellowship Convention.

Tagged ‘Kings and Kingdom’, it holds 24th-26th.

Among the guest ministers include: Pastor Poju Oyemade, Senior Pastor, Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos; Pastor Jide-David Modede, Chief Executive Officer,

Flying High Consulting, UK; Engr Charles Aladewolu, Chairman, Teco Group while Lara George and Wale Adenuga are guest artistes.

A statement by the Host Pastor, Bisi Olowoyo, said the convention, which holds at the church’s main auditorium, is full of exciting and soul lifting activities that will impact positively on participants.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

WORSHIP

Pay cut: Cleric tells others to emulate Buhari, Osinbajo

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HE Mushin Area Superintendent of the Apostolic Church of Nigeria, Pastor Gabriel Adeniyi, has advised other elected leaders to emulate President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo by also slashing their salaries by fifty percent.

He spoke at the 24th annual convention of the church with the theme “You are the temple of God”.

Adeniyi said the pay cut will go a long way in demonstrating the change mantra of the ruling All

By Ibrahim Adams

Progressives Congress (APC) and make more funds available for developmental projects.

He also described the crises of the National Assembly as unfortunate, calling on the lawmakers to resolve their differences in the nation’s interest.

The cleric said: “I implore you all to please resolve any rancour because if it keep going like this and neglecting your primary assignment, I fear for the end.”

He frowned at the same-sex marriage approved by the Supreme Court of the United States of America (USA), condemning

the development as a flagrant deviation from God’s word.

According to him: “USA started with God but today they have deviated from the words of the Lord. What they did was totally against the will of God. It annoys God and God will never be happy with that attitude.”

He called on Nigerians to resist any attempt to introduce similar orientation in the country, saying “I charge Nigerians not to support this evil act any day but to concentrate on serving God the way the bible laid the principles to disallow any calamity.”

•Officiating ministers, guest speakers and graduating students of Anglican Girls College KetuIjanikin, Lagos after the valedictory service, speech and prize-giving day …last week

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HE voice was low, unusually low. But there was no way I could miss the words which still linger as I write this- two weeks after. “Your friend is gone,” her daughter, Agatha, a medical doctor, had said, trailing off.

The tears just came. It did not matter that I was in the office. Who says men don’t cry? “Gone?” I pondered.

About a month ago when we spoke, he did not sound so bad even though he said he had to be rushed to the hospital because of the excruciating pain he was feeling in his stomach. How was I to know it was the last time I would be talking to my friend of 33 years?

But Peter Aduro was not just a friend. He was a brother, a counselor, a confidant, a mentor. We met at the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Benin in the early 80s.

I was in my second year while he was a freshman. But he was a mature student, already armed with a professional certificate in Nursing with a wife in tow. I never asked why he chose Theatre instead of a Degree in Nursing. We hit it off immediately.

But it was in Lagos that our friendship blossomed prompted ironically by a health scare I had. It was perhaps his background in Nursing that made my wife to literally drag me to his modest apartment in Ire-Akari Estate. He listened attentively as I explained what happened expressing my fears and foreboding.

His soothing word was balm to my sore soul and for the first time my wife was calm. He then directed us to a Matron I suppose he worked with in the past but at the time at Lagos General Hospital, CMS. Through her I was taken to a Consultant whose

So long Peter Aduro

By Oji Onoko

care and attention stabilised me till date. Without letting him know, I always felt I owed him my life.

He would have been scandalised if I told him this, because for Peter Aduro, a devout Catholic of the purest hue and a fervent Charismatic, God is the only one worthy of such adulation no matter his role in what happened.

His usual line is “Thank God.” Religion means so much to him especially his beloved Catholic Church. He would not for any reason miss the morning Mass or any programme of the Catholic Charismatic Movement. This was taken a notch higher when he moved to Minna, Niger State where he became not just a local leader of the Charismatic movement but a state and national leader. He was a Catholic to the core and Charismatic to the marrow.

Still, he gave a very unserious Christian like me my space. It was therefore easy for me to visit his home and stay for some weekends especially after I relocated to Abuja. Looking back now, I wonder how he felt when I complain openly at such visits that their family prayer done before everyone goes to bed that I am obliged to partake in was too long!

Liberal as he was wont to be, he never chastised me. Instead, I am asked to pray sometimes. To compensate though, I would always attend the Sunday Mass with him but not the Charismatic programme which I find too loud and long.

Serious as he seemed from the exterior, Peter Aduro had his light side. He loved action films and would switch to Mnet Action once he is done with his evening meals. This was the only point of disagreement between him and his amiable wife -Marie,

an avid fan of African Magic!

And he had a soft spot for his wife. This was amply demonstrated when she turned 50 as he pulled off a surprise colorful birthday party for her… His talent for fiction came to the fore when his entry was selected and published in the collection by defunct Liberty Merchant Bank Short Story Series. I took it upon myself to encourage him to write more so that he would have a published collection…

Peter Aduro was a rare breed who crossed the line between religion and spirituality, an uncommon trait these days where religion is a mere fad for millions. His zeal for the Church is only marched by his unbounded generosity. He gave the maxim “a friend in need is a friend indeed” real meaning and life. His voice was sure to reassure you in moments of doubt once you reach out to him; his bank account open to help out.

How can I forget those bags of rice he usually sent periodically without being prodded and the crisp Naira notes tucked inside DHL branded envelopes? How can I forget his raucous laughter and banter? What of his gospel songs that he usually breaks into before any of his prayer sessions? What of the prayer itself in which he remembers every other person before his family and self, a sure sign of selfless service?

Departing now my friend is not fair. You should have forewarned me. Indeed, you should have let me know it is time. What else can I say?

So long Peter Aduro…

•Onoko, an Assistant Director (PR) with the National Gallery of Art, wrote from ojionoko2007@yahoo.com

COLUMN

Living Faith

By Dr. David Oyedepo

Maximizing the Blessedness of Kingdom Stewardship!

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INCE this month began, we have been examining spiritual stewardship, which is the core of kingdom stewardship and it includes soul-winning, soul discipleship and kingdomfocused prayers and intercessions. We must understand that the demands of spiritual stewardship goes beyond outreaches; it also includes ‘up-reaches’ which is prayer stewardship (Luke 18:1).Prayer Stewardship entails praying concerning the salvation of men, and going on outreaches to witness the gospel that will convince them to accept Jesus. More often than not, we emphasize so much on the outreaches and fail in the ‘up-reaches’, which is what empowers the outreaches to produce.

What ‘up-reaches’ does is to provide equal opportunities for the old and young to be part of Kingdom enlargement engagement (Luke 2:3637).

For instance, Epaphraslaboured fervently in prayer that the people may be perfect and complete in all the will of God. Also, Anna, an 84-year-old woman, served God day and night infasting and prayers (Colossians 4:12; Luke 2: 3637). However, it is important to know that both ‘upreaches’ and outreaches have the same reward.

How do we inengage Prayer Stewardship? ¯ We Pray to see Souls Saved: The devil is holding the souls of men captive; however,when we engage in prayer stewardship, we break his hold and rescue them for the Kingdom(Luke 11:21-22; Ezekiel 36:37-38). ¯ To see souls Established: After they are saved, we travail in prayers to see Christ formed in them and for them to be established in the faith (Galatians 4:19). ¯ To see the will of God Established in their Lives: We pray for them to experience breakthroughs and have their needs meet (Colossians 4:12).

¯ We pray for the Church: We pray for the Word of God to have a free course as the ministers preach (2 Thessalonians 3:1). ¯ We pray for Signs and Wonders in the House of God:The Bible says:Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession (Psalm 2:8).

In addition, we must understand that prayer is a closet ministry; but the reward is always in the open.Also, scriptures help us to understand that whatever good thing we do for others, we will receive the same from the Lord(Matthew 6:6;Ephesians 6:8).

What, then, are the Wonders of Kingdom Stewardship? | Among the blessings of Kingdom stewardship for the now is long-life. As it written: And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil (Exodus 23:25-26).

This means that as part of our returns for serving God, His integrity is committed to fulfil the number of our days. There is no careless statement in scriptures; thus, when the Bible said God will fulfil the numbers of our days, it is guaranteed thatHe will make do His promise.

Therefore, what number are our days?

The Bible says:And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years (Genesis 6:3; see alsoIsaiah 65:20).Furthermore, the Bible says: The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away (Psalm 90:10).

That means God has given a baseline; 70 is the minimum and by reason of strength, it can be any number between 70 and 120.

As horrific as death may appear, it is subjected to our choice (Deuteronomy 30:19).This means what we see is what we receive.

For instance, David saw 70 by revelation and died at 70;

Moses saw 120 and he passed on at 120 (Deuteronomy 34:7).

However, let me show you two scriptural illustrations: Paul and Stephen were both stoned to death.When Stephen was stoned, he said:...Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.

And when he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:59-60).

Paul the apostle was also stoned in Acts 14:19-20: And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Paul chose to retain his spirit and God granted it to him; we can do same.

It is also important for us to know thatJesus conquered the one,who had the power of death, to rescue us from the assault and bondage of death.That means death can no longer determine our life span(Hebrews 2:14-15;Revelation 1:18).

Therefore, as you engage the weaponry of prayer to see souls saved and established in God’s Kingdom, no devil can cut short the number of your days.Remember, we have victory over the sting of death and the grave through the resurrection of Jesus (Ephesians 6:16).

However, it is only those who are born again that can partake of this long life heritage. Are you born again? This means, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins.

Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

For further reading, please get my books: Wisdom that Works, Walking in Wisdom, All you need to have all your needs met, Winning Wisdom and Excellency of Wisdom.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

NEWS

‘Discipline, focus pathway to success’

F

OCUS and dedication to God will guarantee academic excellence, the Principal of Christ Redeemers’ College (CRC), Pastor Antointette OmoOsagie, has assured.

She spoke at the 14 th valedictory service of the class of Sufficient Grace 2015 last week.

She urged the graduands to maintain close relationship with God and embrace discipline to attain their educational dreams.

By Sunday Oguntola

Omo-Osagie said: “The world is waiting for you to show forth the light of Christ in you. You have received the best education but it’s up to you to make it count.”

The guest speaker, Pastor Ben Akabueze urged the graduating students to be prepared for leadership in life.

He said leadership requires proper preparation and hard work.

The former Lagos Commissioner said: “Reading all the leadership books cannot

guarantee you a leader. Your preparation for leadership includes learning in the way of God and hard work.”

Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye commended the teachers for impacting the right knowledge to the students.

She also appreciated the parents for their financial support towards their wards.

She charged the graduating students to hold on to God and choose their friends wisely as they go higher in their education pursuits.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

NEWS

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHUKWUBE Formerly addressed as Miss Judith Chinyere Chukwube, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Alaba, Judith Chinyere. Former documents remain valid. ObafemimAwolowo Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife and general public take note.

AJILORE Formerly addressed as Miss Ajilore, Bolajoko Leah, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Sarumi, Bolajoko Leah. Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

JEMIYO Formerly addressed as Miss Oluwayemisi Jemiyo, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Oluwayemisi Otegbade. Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

ADISA Formerly addressed as Miss Adisa, Oluwaseyi Motunrayo, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Orioye, Oluwaseyi Motunrayo. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IJALANA Formerly addressed as Ijalana, Oluwatoyin Deborah, now wish to be addressed as Aderinboye, Oluwatoyin Deborah. Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

AJIBOLA Formerly addressed as Ajibola, Adenike Aminat, now wish to be addressed as Oshinowo, Adenike Ajoke. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

LAWAL Formerly addressed as Miss Lawal, Olabisi Ganiyat, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Oloye, Olabisi Ganiyat. Former documents remain valid. Lagos State government and general public take note.

OSINFADE Formerly addressed as Miss Osinfade, Oyelola Oyenike, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Onyolu, Oyelola Oyenike. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AKINBODE Formerly addressed as Miss Oluseyi Abiodun Akinbode, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Oluseyi Abiodun Osikoya. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANIEKPENO Formerly addressed as MISS ANIEKPENO JOHN WILLIAM, now wish to be addressed as MRS. ANIEKPENO SATURDAY OWOREN. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

LOTANNA Formerly addressed as MISS LOTANNA IFEATU RALUCHUKWU CHUKWUDUM, now wish to be addressed as MRS. LOTANNA IFEATU .R. OKECHUKWU. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

LARABA Formerly addressed as MISS LARABA, AUGUSTINA ADUWAK, now wish to be addressed as MRS. LARABA AUGUSTINA AYEGBA-ADOFU. Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

BALOGUN Formerly addressed as Miss Mohammed, Fatima, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Balogun, Adebanke Fatima . Former documents remain valid. Federal University of Technology, Minna,NYSC and general public take note.

WOLE-OWOEYE Formerly addressed as TolulopeMotunrayoWoleOwoeye, now wish to be addressed as Tolulope Motunrayo Komolafe.

Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

BAKINSON Formerly addressed as Miss Bakinson Morufat Omolabake, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Tanimowo Morufat Omolabake.

Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

CHIMEZIE Formerly addressed as Miss Calista Loveline Chimezie, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Calista Onwumere. Former documents remain valid. UNN (Alvan Ikoku College of Education and general public should please take note.

EFFIONG Formerly addressed as MISS CYNTHIA IMEH EFFIONG, now wish to be addressed as MRS. ENOBONG, R. EFFIONG.. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHIDOZE Formerly addressed as MISS CHIDOZIE, FAITH ROSE, now wish to be addressed as MRS. OYEDOKUN, FAITH ROSE. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BIAM Formerly addressed as Miss Hembafan Biam, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Hembafan Ayua. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OHAGBO Formerly addressed as Ohagbo, Annaul Petronilla, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Omobamiro Annuaul Petronilla. Former documents remain valid. WAEC, NECO, NIS and general public take note.

OKEKE Formerly addressed as Okeke, Nneka Prisca, now wish to be addressed as Ibe, Nneka Prisca.

Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

NNAJI Formerly addressed as Miss Nnaji Mercy Gberechi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Mercy Eberechi Omotayo Shofu. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IFELODUN Formerly addressed as Miss Ifelodun, Kudirat Omowumi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Abdulateef, Kudirat Omowumi. Former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Lagos City Polytechnic, Ikeja and general public take note.

RAIMI Formerly addressed as Miss Raimi Aishat Oluremi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Oparemi Aishah Oluremi.

Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

OLAJIDE Formerly addressed as Miss Olajide Funmi Elizabeth, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. AkingbadeFunmi Elizabeth.

Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

ENEBELI Formerly addressed as Miss Patricia Ikubese Enebeli, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Patricia Enebeli Ovbioghor.

Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

ADETOLA Formerly addressed as Miss Adetola, Faidat Edalere, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Adetola Faidat Kilanse. Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

ODUBENA Formerly addressed as Miss Odubena Titilayo Oluwaseun, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Olaleye, Titilayo Oluwaseun.

Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME Mrs. AdebukolaSadiat Mapayda is this same person as Mrs. AdebukolaSadiat Maps. Former documents bearing above names remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Adetayo Risikat Olabode is this same person as Adetayo Olabode Sussan. Former documents bearing above names remain valid. General public take note.

LAWAL Formerly addressed as Lawal, Dolapo Ganiyat Ayomide, now wish to be addressed as Ogunniran, Ayomide Dolapo Ganiyat. Former documents remain valid.

LAUTECH, Ogbomoso and general public take note.

SANNI Formerly addressed as Mr. Sanni Olasunkanmi Daniel, now wish to be addressed as Mr. Daniel Oluwadamilare Olasunkanmi. Former documents remain valid. GTBank, First Bank, Skye, UBA, Keystone Bank, The Polytechnic, Ibadan and general public take note.

TAIWO Formerly addressed as Miss Taiwo Adefunke Temitope, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Omotola Adefunke Temitope.

Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

IGHOVOJAH Formerly addressed as Miss Urinrin Gloria Ighovojah, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Urinrin Gloria Idigbe. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ESIMAI Formerly addressed as Miss Esimai Chizoba Linda, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Emecheta Chizoba Linda. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ONYENORO Formerly addressed as Miss Elizabeth Chigozie Onyenoro, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Elizabeth Chigozie Alozie. Former documents remain valid.

LASPOTECH and general public take note.

BAKARE Formerly addressed as Miss Bakare, Basirat Anike, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Akinfala, Basirat Anike. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EMEGHEBO Formerly addressed as MISS EMEGHEBO NNEKA DESTINY, now wish to be addressed as MRS. NWOGU NNEKA DESTINY. Former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

ONYEAGBA Formerly addressed as MISS ONYEAGBA ORIAKU EGO, now wish to be addressed as MRS. NWAOKOBIA ORIAKU EGO. Former document remain valid.

General public should please take note.

FOLOWO Formerly addressed as Miss Folowo Oluwaseun Mary, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Olusola Oluwaseun Mary. Former documents remain valid.General public take note.

OHAEKELEM Formerly addressed as MISS RITA OHAEKELEM now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. RITA SIMEON. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AKPAMBANG Formerly addressed as MISS EDIKAN AKPAMBANG, now wish to be addressed as MRS. EDIKAN GABRIEL ANTAI. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MENSAH Formerly addressed as MISS EVA MAUDALINE BOAKYE MENSAH now wish to be addressed as MRS. EVA MAUDALINE CHIMA EGBUTA. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UKWUOMA Formerly addressed as MISS NGOZI SANDRA UKWUOMA, now wish to be addressed as MRS. NGOZI SANDRA UCHE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

WULUCHEM Formerly addressed as MISS UCHECHI WOLUCHEM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UCHECHI ONUNWOR. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

IKECHUKWU Formerly addressed as MISS IKECHUKWU ADA CHIDIMMA now wish to be addressed as MRS. ONUKWUE ADA FAVOUR. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

JUMBO Formerly addressed as MISS LOVE TAMUNOIBIFIRI JUMBO now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. LOVE TAMUNOIBIFIRI UZOR. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ICHENWO Formerly addressed as MISS DORIS C. ICHENWO now wish to be addressed as MRS. DORIS ITEKENA JOHNBULL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ONYEKWERE Formerly addressed as ONYEKWERE ESTHER NKECHI now wish to be known and addressed as ENENMOH ESTHER NKECHI. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EZEAKU Formerly addressed as Miss CHIKA SUSAN EZEAKU, now wish to be known as Mrs. CHIKA SUSAN ONWUGBENU. Former documents remain valid general public take note.

OKORIE Formerly addressed as Miss ONYINYECHI SCHOLASTICA OKORIE, now wish to be known as Mrs. ONYINYECHI SCHOLASTICA ONWUGBUFOR. Former documents remain valid general public take note.

OKON Formerly addressed as Miss ENO WARRIE OKON, now wish to be known as Mrs. ENO EMMANUEL ANTAI. Former documents remain valid general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME OJILINAKA LAWRENCE and LAWRENCE UMEBIDO refers to one and the same person now wish to be known as EBIDO IYKE LAWRENCE. all former documents remain valid general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME WOSU OVUNDAH GODSTIME and MARTINS GODSTIME MARTINS refers to one and the same person now wish to be known as MARTINS GODSTIME MARTINS. Former documents remain valid general public take note.

AKAN Formerly addressed as INIOBONG SUNDAY AKAN, now wish to be addressed as OLISA CHUKWUDI. Former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

IWUOHA Formerly addressed as Miss Iwuoha Joy Oluchi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Nebeuwa Joy Oluchi. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

BANKOLE Formerly known as Bankole Matthew Sunday, now wish to be known and addressed as Bankole Mutiu Babatunde Sunday. Former documents remain valid. ICAN and general Public take note.

UCHEHARA Formerly addressed as Miss RITA UCHEHARA, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. RITA OHUABUNWA. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AMADI Formerly addressed as Miss AMADI, UGOCHI NWAKAEGO, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. AJOKU, UGOCHI NWAKAEGO. Former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

MUSA Formerly known as MUSA ADEOLA RISIKAT, now wish to be known and addressed as OBAOYE ADEOLA RISIKAT. All previous documents and certificates remain valid. Covenant University and general Public take note.

OJURI Formerly known as Mrs. Ojuri, Jolaade Comfort, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ojurayo, Jolaade Comfort. Former documents remain valid.

Rufus Giwa, Poly, NISMN, R.H Care Ltd, Canadian, American, Nigeria governmen and general Public take note.

ABAH Formerly known as Miss Abah, Flora Aneyemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ikenye, Flora Aneyemi. Former documents remain valid General Public take note.

OGUNTOLA Formerly known as Miss Oguntola, Elizabeth Iyabo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akinoye, Elizabeth Iyabo. Former documents remain valid General Public take note.

OLATUNBOSUN Formerly known as Miss Olatunbosun, Oluwaseun Janet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Owoeye, Oluwaseun Janet.

Former documents remain valid General Public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME UGWU OSITA JOSEPH is this same person as NWOGBO OSITA JOSEPH and henceforth to be known and addressed as UGWU OSITA JOSEPH. Former documents bearing above names remain valid. Nigeria Immigration Service and general public take note.

CHUMA Formerly known as Miss CHUMA OGO HANDS, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. EMENGO OGO HANDS. Former documents remain valid General Public take note.

ONOJA Formerly known as Miss Catherine Ihuto Onoja, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Catherine Ihuto Ochada. Former documents remain valid General Public take note.

AFOLABI Formerly known and addressed as Miss Afolabi Rofiat Titilayo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Yusuff Rofiat Titilayo all former documents remain valid Osun State Hospital Management Board, Nursing and Mid-Wifery Council of Nigeria and general public take note.

ALABI Formerly Miss Alabi Tosin Janet now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oyeniyi Tosin Janet. All former documents remain valid NYSC and general public take note.

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

For enquiry please contact: Gbenga on 08052720421, 08161675390, Emailgbengaodejide@ yahoo.com or our offices nationwide.

Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

65

Firstnation blames FAAN for ground incident

F

IRSTNATION has attributed the ground incident collision of two of its aircraft last Friday to lack of diligence on the part of marshallers employed by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

It said the collision would have been avoided had the marshallers been ‘diligent to avoid marshalling the aircraft wrongly.”

The airline tasked FAAN to “retrain the marshallers as we understand that the marshallers at MMA2 are deployed by FAAN under an MOU with Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, the operator of MMA2, Ikeja.”

Its spokesman, Rasheed Yusuff, in a statement yesterday, also called on the regulatory authorities to enhance oversight of the marshallers and their authorisation to

By Sunday Oguntola

arrest the growing incidents of aircraft damage on ground.

Describing the situation as embarrassing, the airlines lamented that ground incident, which it said was avoidable, was making affected carriers to suffer economic losses.

Recalling that a similar incident involving Emirate aircraft occurred only a couple of days ago, Firstnation assured it takes the safety of passengers seriously.

While stating that the NCAA had been informed of the incident, the airline said the affected aircraft was undergoing repairs.

It pledged that it would ensure the aircraft return to service “in strict compliance with the highest safety standard in accordance with industry best practices.”

Onu: Buhari determined to rebuild Nigeria

A

CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogbonaya Onu, yesterday reassured that President Muhammadu Buhari was determined to rebuild Nigeria.

He spoke when the Association of Northern Nigeria Students paid him a courtesy call in his Abuja residence.

Onu stated that Buhari will build a nation that all will be proud of, adding Nigerians will earn the respect of the international community.

He said: “The Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari is determined to build a modern nation for us.

“A nation in which all of us as Nigerians will be proud of and the people of other nations will respect.

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja “You don’t ask anybody to respect you and you get that respect. You work for it when you behave in a way that you should be respected, people will respect you.”

The chieftain admonished the students not to despair, stating that the current administration will build a united, peaceful and prosperous nation that would guarantee the future of unborn Nigerians.

His words: “This is what is going to happen because a new nation is going to emerge from what we have.

“It is when that happens that your future and the future of your own children, our children and grandchildren will be better guaranteed.”

Community frustrating cleanup of spilled crude, Shell alleges

T

HE Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has accused the leadership of Edagbiri Betterland community in Rivers State of frustrating efforts to clean up oil leak from its sabotaged oil well in the area.

Its spokesman, Joseph Obari, in a statement, said its Adibawa- Well-8 in the Eastern Niger Delta was attacked by vandals who attempted to steal the wellhead.

He added that the sabotage led to a spill in the environment, which was reported on July 12.

He said: “The leak was

From: Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa stopped on July 15 but attempts to conduct the statutory Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) on July 16 and 17 to determine the cause and extent of the leakage have been unsuccessful.

“The leadership of the EdagbiriBetterland community prevented the representatives of industry regulatory agencies, the Rivers State Ministry of Environment and SPDC from accessing the site for containment and crude oil recovery operations.

“Without the JIV, SPDC cannot carry out badly-needed repairs or proceed to clean up and remediate the site.”

Imasuangbon Foundation gives iPad, cash to 200 students

T

H E K e n n e t h Imasuangbon Foundation yesterday gave out I-pads and cash to 200 secondary school students.

The beneficiaries distinguished themselves at the Imasuangbon 7th essay competition.

Cash prizes of N50,000, N30,000 and N20,000 were given to the first, second and third places respectively.

The topic of the essay competition was “Tenacity and resilient: The Buhari example for the Nigeria Children”.

Chairman of Ambrose Alli University Governing Council,

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Prof. Gregory Akenzua, recalled how an essay competition he won during his primary school days propelled him to become a professor of Child Health.

Akenzua praised the founder for seeking out creative writing talents in the youths.

He noted that the challenge was for the beneficiaries to be motivated to achieve greater things in the future.

Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, urged the students not to sell the I-pads but too use them to achieve great things.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

66

The real troublers of Oronsaye

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH A 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Alert to, not on “T

HE Nigerian Army, conscious of its commitment to its constitutional duties especially as regards to the defence of the territorial integrity of our dear nation….”

Get it right: either as regards the defence or with regard to the defence—not ‘as regards to’.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, and THE NATION ON SUNDAY of July 4 and July 5 respectively take over from THE GUARDIAN: “JTF alerts public on (to) new antics of kidnappers” In addition: for headline purposes, why not eliminate ‘of’ this way: JTF alerts public to kidnappers’ new antics “Most of those who have worked with Idris said his unique characteristic is (was) his daily ability to ‘clear his table of any issue before closing at work.”

“He must put his foot down to arrest indiscipline in his party and clean up the Augean stable (stables) of corruption in our nation and the economy.” “…in the rain or under (in) the scorching sun for a rigour that is totally avoidable.” “…challenges up and coming (up-and-coming) actors” “Wada’s hide-andseek game” Ripples: delete ‘game’ as it is encompassed.in the idiomatic expression.

“Bank related (Bankrelated) frauds and forgeries have been on the rise in recent times with over N23billion losses recorded in the last one year.”

“NFF sacks Super Eagles (Eagles’) coach, Keshi” Finally from THE NATION family: “Agent: Alampasu not club less (clubless)” FEEDBACK First come first serve, Practice makes perfection.

Beaten once shy twice. By P.M AKUJOBI (08028308118) from his pamphlet entitled “Corrected 420 COMMON MISTAKES (page 21).Corrected by me: First come, first served.

Practice makes perfect.

Once bitten, twice shy.

WRONG: Practice makes perfect.

CORRECT: Practice makes perfection. By

PRINCE DR. K. JOLAYEMI, from his pamphlet entitled EDUCATE YOUR MIND WITH 525 COMMON MISTAKES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE (page 9) 08033357825.

These pamphleteers and others wrote all the rubbish, which I’ve highlighted over the years in another column. I’ve books on English proverbs and Idioms. How can any reasonable person attribute the errors to me?

It is carrying eccentricity too far. It is insanity – the very height of madness to even do that. I don’t assert what I don’t know.

Thanks!

For writing last Sunday. “The next grammatical crises are from The Guardian Editorial and Opinion Page of the edition of July 7, 2015”, Ebere has been under the Grammar Hammer charged with “the crime of logorrhea”!

The background story, CRISIS: “Crisis” is widely used by journalists, working for such employers as the B.B.C., Daily Express and New York Times, for any kind of difficult situation – e.g. “the oil crisis”; “the water crisis”; “the coal crisis”. It is also the normal Communist word for the political and economic situation in any non – socialist country.

“The crisis of the capitalist world in its economic aspects” (Comment, 29.11.75). the difference between Communist and non – Communist journalists is simply that for the first the capitalist world, everywhere and in all its activities, is in crisis all the time, but for the second only about half the times”, so asserts Kenneth Hudson in his book, THE DICTIONARY OF DISEASED ENGLISH (page 52).

Nigeria was crisis–free between 1960 and 1963.

Since 1964, Nigeria has been in crises. The crisis could have come to a head this year but for divine providence. Yet still, a crisis was manufactured in the National Assembly (NASS) by people who want to reap where they did not sew!

In the instant context, Ebere could have used “ g r a m m a t i c a l infractionsinfringements or breches”. Period!

(BAYO OGUNTUNASE 08056180046) COLUMNIST’S

RE-

SPONSE: According to one of my dictionaries, Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, there is nothing wrong with the usage of “crises” as faulted above. From the reference book comes this elucidation: “A situation in which there are a lot of (sic) problems that must be dealt with quickly so that the situation does not get worse or more dangerous Emergency: The country now faces an economic crisis. The Prime Minister was criticised for the way in which he handled the crisis. The current debt crisis a major political crisis I was relieved that we had averted yet another financial crisis. Oil companies were heavily criticised when they made large profits during the oil crisis of the 1970s. The car industry is now in crisis.

He doesn’t seem to be very good at crisis management.” It may interest Baba Oguntuanse to note that the abuse misuse of the English language in Nigeria has reached a crisis point that must be addressed without resort to semantics and noun restrictions because of our peculiar sociolinguistic environment where we talk of “beer parlour” instead of “pub”!

FOR MUSLIM READERS: May the blessings of this season of rebirth remain with you all now and in the years ahead.

IN the late 80’s I wrote an article in The Guardian and National Concord titled “Grammatical Flaws” stressing inter alia the distinction between “its” and “it’s” stating that the former is a possessive adjective/pronoun based on the role.

Mr. Oguntunase tøok me up on this claiming he had.consulted this and that textbook on this simple elementary grammar and would not agree with me. Other writers soon took up the gauntlet supporting my claim but he stood his ground becoming cantankerous. Amazing, a simple three-letter word causing him to embark on such an extensive research! Three decades after history is repeating itself.incöntrovertibly.

Oguntunase is some character. Regards. (Komolafe G. O., Ilesa).

T 63, Stephen Oronsaye, former Head of Service, deserves to enjoy his retirement. Having worked in both the private and public sectors at critical times in the life of the nation, his retirement ought to offer him robust rest and prolonged laughter. But Oronsaye is not resting. Long shadows of accusation and strident voice of allegations, over some alleged misdeed while he was in office, are attacking his sleep and tearing through his peace. Just a few days ago, he was docked by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over an alleged procurement scam running into N2billion.

Granted that the law presumes Oronsaye innocent until he is proved guilty of the offences stacked against him, the unhealthy stain and pain of being investigated and arraigned, by an antigraft agency many Nigerians love to fear, is one trouble too many.

We may be quick to accuse the EFCC of being behind the anguish of a senior citizen like Orosanye but is the anti-graft agency really the trouble of the old man?

The truth of the matter is that Orosanye may be his own demon. With a 24 count charge bordering on stealing and obtaining under false pretences, as alleged by the EFCC, the former top civil servant would need the legal pyrotechnics of an F.R.A Williams and G.O.K Ajayi to scale through the storm of trial. Besides, with the lightning speed and amazing alacrity of the EFCC, he would also need all the prayers in this world, to halt the momentum his trial is likely to gain. He may also not be helped by a government that has promised never to interfere with the works of the EFCC and the judiciary in general. So, the real troublers of Oronsaye is certainly not the EFCC or our law courts.

His troublers are the the weight of allegations against him, which by their sheer weight, seem heavier than ten loads of granite.

If there is any period in the life of our nation, when we ought to roll out drums and blow trumpets in support of the EFCC, the time is certainly now. With unmistakable ease and consistence, the hawks of yesterday, who were shielded from any form of investigation by the machinery of the ousted government, are now bowing to the weight of arrests and prosecution. Oronsaye is in this mould. For a top civil servant that many regarded as forthright and thorough, the alleged theft of N2billion, hanging on his neck ,like the sword of Damocles, is one scam too many. Oronsanye is not alone in this misadventure. In recent times, the antigraft agency has been raising the bar of its prosecution of politically exposed individuals. The list of former governors invited so far for questioning is lengthening. Some of the governors like Murtala Nnyako; Sule Lamido and Ikedi Ohakim have been arraigned, in the same way that the EFCC docked some bankers for their involvement in the celebrated N8billion scam.

What all these suggest is that the EFCC has not been slumbering after all. While

•Oronsaye

By Wale Olayinka

we were all wondering what had become of its capacity for combat against the corrupt in our midst, the agency seemed to be bidding its time and waiting for a kill. The time is here at last and the stage seems set for frontal pugilism with those that may have soiled their hands.

Oronsanye is one Nigerian we cannot discuss in a hurry.

As a former Head of Service in the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government, he did his work with much swagger and savvy. His name was on the lips of every civil servant and his profile was high. However, his involvement and linkage with Abdulrasheed Maina, a Nigerian suspected to have compromised himself with pension funds, may be a pointer to some form of shadiness and sharp practices. If all that have been prepared against Oronsaye is anything to go by, the stage may have been set for what promises to be one of the fiercest legal fisticuffs in recent times.

Those who are alleging bias or persecution or any under-handed claims as the basis for Oronsaye’s prosecution, may not be embracing truth and objectivity involved in the trial. Is Oronsaye the only former Head of Service in Nigeria? Did his investigation start in a hurry or engineered by the weight of allegations against him? Did EFCC manufacture the names of the companies allegedly involved in the procurement scam? Are there witnesses to the scam involving him and his co-defendants in the triial?

What special benefits will the prosecution of a 63 year old man offer the EFCC? These and many other questions should be answered by the critic of the anti-graft agency.

There are those claiming that Oronsaye was involved in the exposure of the pension scam, involving some top officers in the civil service, and may not be part of any shady deals in the system. This is a brilliant claim but is this enough reason to look the other way when the EFCC uncovered other schemes involving him?

If we are serious about cleansing the Augean stable in our nation, we should be ready to accept truths wholesale and move on the strength of them. Allegations are questions seeking answers. The judiciary is equipped enough to sort out the chaff from the wheat. If there is any suspicion of any foul play in the trial of anyone by any of the anti- graft agencies, the reservation should be hinged on verifiable facts and ungarnished truths. It is true that Oronsaye recommended

that the anti-graft agencies be merged for strength, enhanced funding and operational efficiency, this is his view in the panel chaired by him. The buck stops at the table of the President, and it will be uncharitable for anyone to say that his present trial may be connected to the report. There are even those insinuating that the fear of prosecution by the EFCC may be responsible for the views Oronsaye expressed in the report. All these are primitive surmises which cannot hold water. The issue is simple: EFCC found Oronsaye answerable to some posers raised in some procurement deals and he must be encouraged to answer those posers.

We have reached a stage in our nation, when questioning public office holders over their stewardship in office, should become a regular engagement. A culture of questioning is the panacea to impunity. Oronsaye owes Nigerians explanations on what happened to the N2billion he is being accused of stealing. If the EFCC does not have water-tight evidences against him, the court will surely free him.

This is the beauty of the whole thing. The EFCC cannot be the accuser and the judge in its own case. So, letting the wheel of Justice run in this matter and in other matters before the court is important. Beyond Oronsaye, we should wake up to the demands of this new era by supporting the activities of our anti-corruption agencies to tackle the menace of corrupt practices. We are all reduced every time a corrupt person gets away with his infamy but become greatly strengthened when we destroy the motivation of those milking us dry. Corruption is not a picnic and it is not a tea party: corruption is deliberate attack on our commonwealth, it is odious tampering with the chord of our hopes.

Let’s face the facts: all the people and organizations being prosecuted by the EFCC or the ICPC are in courts, not because the antigraft agencies don’t like their faces, they are in courts because there are cases against them. As a people, we should not be found raising issues in support of chicanery and unnecessary siege claims of those playing ludo game with our future. Corruption is our mortal enemy and we should all come together to fight it. Whether Orosanye, Ibori, Dariye; Atuche, Akingbola or anyone for that matter, as long as the court processes are on-going, we should allow the system to function and refuse to interfere in their operations. The beauty of this era is the transparency involved in the workings of the government.

I’m sure, agencies like the EFCC and ICPC would be thanking God that they can now do their work un-fettered and achieve better results.

• Olayinka is a public affairs analyst based in Lagos.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

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HE bodies came daily.

Sometimes 10, sometimes 20 lives lost to torture, malnutrition or sickness in prison in Chad, say survivors.

Clement Abaifouta, a prisoner himself, had to wrap them in sacks and bury them.

“There was a lot of suffering, a lot of pain,” he said about his time in jail until 1989. “What did I do to have gotten four years in prison? I want to know why.”

Abaifouta wants justice, like thousands of other political prisoners who were victims of torture during Chadian ex-dictator Hissene Habre’s rule from 1982-1990. On Monday Habre will go on trial in Senegal, fulfilling the work of many who say they suffered abuse under his rule and setting a bold precedent for justice in Africa.

For more than a decade after his overthrow Habre lived freely in Senegal. His easy exile was a symbol of impunity in Africa until he was taken into custody and charged in 2013. Now his trial is a warning to other African dictators that they may be held accountable in Africa for their actions, say human rights experts.

Habre will be tried by the Senegalese courts’ Extraordinary African Chambers. It is

Chad ex-dictator Habre to stand trial the first trial in Africa of a universal jurisdiction case, in which a country’s national courts can prosecute the most serious crimes committed abroad, by a foreigner and against foreign victims, said Human Rights Watch. It is also the first time the courts of one country are prosecuting the

former ruler of another for alleged human rights crimes, it said.

“It shows that you can actually achieve justice here in Africa,” said Human Rights Watch counsel Reed Brody who has been working on the case against Habre since 1999.

Habre’s government was

responsible for an estimated 40,000 deaths, according to report published in May 1992 by a 10-member Chadian truth commission formed by Chad’s current President Idriss Deby. The commission particularly blamed Habre’s political police force, the Directorate of

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that victims with tenacity, perseverance and imagination can overcome obstacles and bring a dictator to justice,” he said.

The court prosecutor says 2,500 victims have registered as civil parties, and 100 will be called to testify during the trial that will last months.

Human Rights Watch says 4,000 victims, or victims’ family members, will be registered by next week.

Souleymane Guengueng, a prisoner from 1987-1990 and founder of the victims’ association has been anticipating this trial for 25 years.

South Africans Celebrate Nelson Mandela Day

S •Chadian ex-dictator, Hissene Habre

130 dead in Iraq after massive bomb attack HE death toll from a bombing at a crowded marketplace in eastern Iraq climbed to as many as 130 yesterday, Iraqi officials said, marking the Islamic State group’s worst single bombing attack on a civilian target in the country.

Imad Muthanna, a spokesman for Diyala provincial council, said that in addition to those killed, 20 more people were missing after a suicide bomber drove a truck packed with explosives into a market in Khan Bani Saad on Friday night.

The market in the largely Shiite town 20 miles northeast of Baghdad was teeming with families making preparations for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr as the blast tore through the street with devastating impact, collapsing several buildings. Bodies littered the area as secondary fires spread.

Islamic State militants,

Documentation and Security, saying it used torture methods including whipping, beating, burning and the extraction of fingernails.

Defense lawyers have dismissed the tribunal as a political tool of Habre’s enemies, emphasizing that the government of Deby, who removed Habre from office, is the court’s largest donor.

Survivors of the abuse, however, have been the main proponents for justice that is now finally in reach, Brody said.

“The most important thing at end of day is the idea

and al-Qaeda before them, have carried out scores of bombings against civilians as they seek to destabilize the country and expand their territory. However, Friday night’s blast was the biggest in Iraq since the group announced its self-declared state a year ago.

Iraq’s prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, described the attack as a “heinous crime” that would not go unpunished.

“I felt the ground shaking,” said Maj. Ahmed alTimimi, 35, a policeman who was manning a nearby checkpoint and arrived on the scene about 10 minutes after the bombing. “Most of the market was wiped out.

Hundreds of cars were burning, and bodies and human organs were everywhere.”

Timimi said the emergency services were overwhelmed, and residents

transported wounded civilians in shopping carts. “It wasn’t enough. Too many wounded people died before they got to the hospital,” he said, adding that bodies are still being recovered from the wreckage of destroyed buildings.

“Eid should be joyful, but those terrorists have made it a black day,” he said. “Each Eid we will remember this, and we’ll never be able to be happy during Eid again.”

For Shiite Muslims in Iraq, Friday was the eve of the Eid festival, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. For Sunni Muslims, it fell a day earlier. In a statement circulated on Twitter, the Islamic State group said the attack was carried out using three tons of explosives and was in revenge for the killing of Sunni Muslims in Hawija, in neighboring Kirkuk province.

The attack struck an “ugly sectarian chord,” the Iraqi parliament’s Sunni speaker, Salim al-Jabouri, told the Associated Press yesterday.

Islamic State militants have largely been pushed out of the eastern province of Diyala since seizing territory during their rapid advances a year ago, but pockets of fighting remain. Both Kurdish and Iraqi Shiite militia forces that led operations to secure the mixed province have been accused of not allowing Sunni Muslims back to their homes, ramping up sectarian tension.

Lt. Gen Abdulamir alZaidi, the army commander responsible for Diyala province, said Islamic State had carried out the attack to cause instability because the militants are too weak to fight on the front lines.

OUTH Africans honored the 67 years of former president Nelson Mandela’s service to the country with 67 minutes of charity and community action around the country on his birthday.

Established in 2009, the day is meant to encourage South Africans to emulate Mandela’s humanitarian legacy and recognize the decades he spent fighting apartheid.

All over the country, South African volunteers handed out blankets and

books, distributed toys at orphanages, and cleaned up public areas, before reporting their activities on social media.

His former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela held a lunch for elderly, needy women at the Mandela family restaurant near the family’s home in Soweto, and handed out blankets.

At the University of Johannesburg, his widow Graca Machel gave out food parcels.

Mandela died in December 2013.

Saudi Arabia arrests 431 Islamic state suspect

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AUDI Arabia has arrested 431 people suspected of belonging to Islamic State cells, and thwarted attacks on mosques, security forces and a diplomatic mission, the interior ministry said yesterday.

“The number arrested to date is 431, most of them citizens, in addition to participants from other nationalities . Six successive suicide opera-

tions which targeted mosques in the Eastern province on every Friday timed with assassinations of security men were thwarted,” the statement posted on the official news agency SPA said.

“Terrorist plots to target a diplomatic mission, security and government facilities in Sharurah province and the assassination of security men were thwarted,” it said.

California fire forces evacuation of more Kenya’s Westgate shopping mall reopens than 300 campers

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ENYA’S Westgate shopping mall reopened on yesterday nearly two years after gunmen from the Somali militant group al Shabaab massacred at least 67 people inside and held out for four days as security forces laid siege to the complex.

Once a totem of Kenya’s growing prosperity, the Westgate building has since become symbolic of growing insecurity in the east African nation and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s inability to prevent frequent Islamist attacks on Kenyan soil.

Images beamed across

the world during the September 2013 raid dented Kenya’s image abroad and scared off tourists, damaging a vital sector of the economy.

Kenya’s embarrassment was compounded by Westgate security footage which showed soldiers looting the mall after the militants were killed.

Nairobi governor Evans Kidero said the reopening of the mall showed the resilience of the Kenyan people.

“I know there will be apprehensions but as a country we are safer than ever and we will continue to work to ensure that our country is safe,” he said.

Thousands of people turned up when the doors opened yesterday morning, and stores and restaurants across the complex were crowded with patrons.

Major Western brands, including Subway, KFC and Converse, have outlets in the new mall along with Kenyan companies such as Nakumatt, a high-end supermarket chain popular with well-heeled locals and expatriate workers.

“When terrorists attack, one of their main aim is to ensure that where they destroy people pull down those buildings and put up memo-

rial parks but in Westgate we refused to do that,” said shopper Eric Muluka.

But, in a reminder of the security threat, armed police guarded the entrance to the complex. Inside private security guards in plain clothes patrolled the building, wearing earpieces for communication.

Israeli firm I.R.G. has been put in charge of running security in the reopened mall. New features include explosive detectors, luggage X-rays, scanners to check underneath cars, bollards to prevent car bombs, and bullet-proof guard towers.

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OZENS of children were among more than 300 people evacuated from campgrounds early yesterday morning as firefighters battled brush fires burning in Southern California’s drought-parched foothills, fire officials said.

No injuries were reported and no structures were threatened from the fire that broke out at about 9:30 p.m. along the Angeles Crest Highway.

It has charred more that 125 acres northwest of San Bernardino, according to an online U.S. Forest Service post.

At least five campgrounds near the fire were evacuated, sending 300 campers, including 130 children with special

needs, to a nearby high school, the Los Angeles Fire Department tweeted.

The highway remained closed yesterday morning near the fire, which is 10 percent contained, fire officials said online.

Another brush fire on Friday overran Interstate 15, north of San Bernardino, destroying four structures and torching 20 vehicles. No one was hurt in that blaze, which forced about 60 drivers to abandon their cars and scramble to safety.

Firefighters have contained 5 percent of that blaze, which is approximately 3,500 acres in size, fire officials said early yesterday.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015

WORLD NEWS

IRST there came the fanfare and backslapping of a signing ceremony in Vienna, then an early morning presidential statement from President Barack Obama in the White House lauding the “historic” agreement to resolve a decade-long crisis over Iran’s nuclear programme.

But in the offices of a senior Republican senator up on Capitol Hill the sounds were not of jubilation but audible, stunned disbelief, as the 159-page accord with its five lengthy technical annexes finally downloaded into anxious inboxes.

“It’s just appalling, I really don’t know what to say,” spluttered the national security director of one Republican senator as he scrolled through Annex II, the 31-page list of Iranian individuals and companies that will be released from international sanctions.

Even independent experts, like Suzanne Maloney, an Iran specialist at the Brookings Institution expressed surprise at the speed and scope of the relief being offered to Iran – lifted not in a phased manner, as the Obama administration had previously promised, but in one fell swoop.

“If these individuals and companies start to cheat, how are we even going to begin to deal with that? Do we even have a plan?” asked the disbelieving senate aide, running down the long list of Iranian generals and officials, many listed as a terrorist by the US. When it comes to judging the Iran deal it has often been said that the “devil is in the detail”, but to understand the backlash that Barack Obama is now facing, it is necessary to know that for many of the deal’s opponents in the US, the devil is not in the detail – he’s in Tehran.

So when Republican presidential candidates queued up to scorn the agreement – Jeb Bush called it flat out “appeasement” – they were not dissecting the minutiae but arguing that handing $150 billion in sanctions relief to a nation still on the State Department’s terror list was little short of madness.

“Laughing all the way to the bank” was the headline in the tabloid New York Daily News above a picture of Iran’s whiskered foreign minister, Javad Zarif, grinning like a Cheshire cat at the ceremony in Vienna. “Joke’s on us” was the front-page verdict in the New York Post.

Rick Perry, the former Texas governor who is running for president in 2016, expressed the typical Republican view of Mr Obama’s decision to reward a country that still holds four Americans in its jails, killed thousands of American soldiers in Iraq and regularly holds

Will Iran deal secure Barack Obama’s presidential legacy?

Republicans round on US president over his “cosmic bet” on Iran, calling the deal “appeasement” and accusing Obama of being “a very, very naive man who does not know how the world works.” By Peter Foster

•Khamenei

•Obama

rallies chanting ‘death to America’.

“I saw a very, very naive man who does not know how the world works,” he said, “who cannot put the dots together, and stood in front of the American people and said I really don’t care if Congress likes this or not, I’m going to do it.”

Mr Obama acknowledges that such criticisms are not limited to Republicans, but are shared by many in his party who have deep misgivings of their own.

It was to allay those fears that Mr Obama took the risk of giving a no-holds-barred press conference at the White House, at one point almost dancing like a boxer entering the ring, inviting the press corps to hit him with their best shots.

“Have we exhausted Iran questions here?” he asked, looking over to his press secretary, Josh Earnest, who was having near palpitations in the corner. “I really am enjoying this Iran debate …

[Are there any] topics that may not have been touched upon? Criticisms that you’ve heard that I did not answer…?”

It was a bravura performance, displaying absolute and lawyerly mastery of the detail, discoursing minutely on the modalities of the 24day inspection regime, uranium stockpiles and the ability to “snap-back” sanctions – but largely talking past the fundamental differences that separate both sides.

The black-is-white nature of the debate was most clearly expressed by the fact that both opponents and supporters argued with equal fervour that deal could both trigger an arms race – or prevent one.

On the cable TV shows, Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador warned that the

agreement had left his country in deep peril, while in the very next segment, Sir Peter Westmacott, the British ambassador, came on to say the precise opposite.

“We think this is going to make the situation much worse. We think this is going to endanger Israel,” Mr Dermer told MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “We think it makes the world a safer place,” said Sir Peter, “we think without this deal we would be in much greater danger of Iran securing a nuclear military capability.”

Mr Obama defends himself from the accusation of recklessness by arguing simply that Iran is further from a bomb under the deal than it would be without it.

“We are not measuring this deal by whether it is changing the regime inside of Iran,” he told Thomas Friedman of the New York Times, “We’re not measuring this deal by whether … we are eliminating all their nefarious activities..[but whether] Iran could not get a nuclear weapon.”

But hostile sections of the Washington foreign policy establishment argue that such a narrow interpretation is simply naive, given Iran’s track-record and the “cash windfall” the regime in Tehran will now receive.

Others simply believe that Mr Obama cut the deal because he has always secretly yearned for a rapprochement with Iran that would curb Sunni excesses and rebalance the Middle East.

They noted that at Wednesday’s press conference Mr Obama – for the first time – said that Iran must be “part of the conversation” in the resolution of the Syrian civil war, a view likely to confirm Israeli, Saudi and Gulf

suspicions about his ultimate motives.

In the final analysis, Mr Obama’s willingness to deal with Iran – even if diplomatic relations are not likely to be restored any time soon – is the faultline that divides supporters and opponents of a deal the White House must now ram through a sceptical US Congress.

In the run-up to the agreement, polls found America’s war-weary public to be marginally in favour, with the most recent Fox News poll putting the split at 47-43 per cent, but that support will now be tested by an intense lobbying campaign on both sides.

As Nate Silver, the polling and statistics guru noted this week, divisions over the deal mirror almost exactly America’s views on Mr Obama himself – broadly Republicans hate it, Democrats like it and everyone else is somewhere in between.

The tribal lines get blurred, however, by Democratic politicians with close ties to Israel, with its enduring influence in the US political system.

Robert Cohen, the president of AIPAC, the most powerful pro-Israel lobby group in the US, said the organisation would oppose the deal in the House and Senate with the “entirety of our institutional resources”.

The campaign promises to be bare-knuckle and brutal, with opponents absolutely determined to squeeze vulnerable Democrat senators and congressmen as hard as politically possible.

“AIPAC is all in”, one operative who is close to the campaign told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Pro-Israel, hawkish Democrats will be squeezed between their values, their constituents and

the demands of the White House.

“That’s where this fight’s gonna take place. Members will be clear that the price of them supporting this deal will be their donor-networks, their voters – and ultimately their own political futures.”

These are not idle threats, although it remains to be seen whether – as happened over the 2013 Syria vote on bombing the Assad regime for using chemical weapons – opponents can whip up enough protest to really rattle the White House.

Should Congress vote to disapprove, Mr Obama has promised to use his presidential veto to push it through, leaving opponents needing to find 13 Democrat senators willing to rebel against the White House to override the veto and actually scupper the deal. In the end, the widespread consensus is that enough Democrats will choose to defend their president’s single greatest foreign policy achievement, and leave the final verdict in the hands of history.

For Dr Maloney, the former State Department adviser and Iran-specialist at Brookings, the only certain thing about a deal that has so starkly divided both US politics and America from its traditional Middle Eastern allies, is that its consequences will be momentous – one way or the other.

“Iran has an incredible moment now,” she says, adding that there is no certainty that Tehran will not squander the immense geopolitical opportunity offered now offered them.

The Islamic Republic has had chances to emerge in the recent past, she notes, including winning the war against Iraq in the 1980s and the oil boom of the 2000s, but

both times found itself unable to seize the opportunity, hamstrung by a mixture of “ideology and incompetence”.

“I don’t think that there is any guarantee that they won’t do it again,” she says, “but this is a true and historic opening and one that can lead to Iran’s full integration into the international community. That would be a tremendous benefit to Iranians and, over time, a real benefit to the region and the rest of the world.”

In an onimous sign, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the United States and its Middle East policies, saying Washington sought Iran’s “surrender”.

Delivering a fiery speech at a Tehran mosque, punctuated by chants of “Death to America”, Khamenei said he wanted politicians to examine the agreement to ensure national interests were preserved, as Iran would not allow the disruption of its revolutionary principles or defensive abilities.

“We will never stop supporting our friends in the region and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon,” he said. “Even after this deal our policy towards the arrogant US will not change.”

As one US commentator put it, Mr Obama has placed a “cosmic bet” on Iran by agreeing to this deal – the world now waits to see how the chips may fall.

• Courtesy: The Telegraph

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015

ETCETERA

69

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi

POLITICKLE

deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

A modern dictionary •Romance edition The writer has gone soft. After reacting to heat in the polity, he hops on the bandwagon of love.

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

Attraction n.: A magnetic feeling shared by two to the exclusion of others at any time.

Butterflies adj.: On the approach of a love interest, the sensation in the stomach akin to the flutter of insects.

Crush n.: A temporary tenderness reserved for the opposite sex with even more temporary conviction.

Dating v.: Deploying energy, time and effort to get to know someone you like today, loved yesterday and may not really like tomorrow.

Easy adj.: A term men used to describe a woman who thinks of love in a man’s terms.

Friend n.: An opposite-sex acquaintance with some flaw which hampers romantic development.

Gift n.: Something that often counts more than the thought or giver.

Heartthrob n.: Something between a heart throbbing with love and a heart robbed of love.

Irritating habit n.: What little qualities that initially attract become. The guy with ‘dreamy eyes’ soon looks like a ‘sleeping fool’ to a displeased girlfriend.

Joke v.: A man’s indirect method of getting the attention of an indifferent woman.

Kindle v.: The process by which sly looks and enticing body language explode into full-blown and often uncontrollable passion.

Law of relativity n.: The attractiveness of one partner is directly proportionate to the unattractiveness of the other as proven by attention garnered by either the man or woman on an outing.

Money n.: The source, substance and sustenance of many an affair.

Nonsense n.: Also ‘sweet nothings’, it describes meaningless conversation between passionate lovers.

One-night stand n.: Invariable conclusion of a hurried romance.

Pair n.: The typical appearance of humans on Valentine’s Day. Note: there appear to be more four-armed and four-legged creatures about than usual.

Queer adj.: Description of the reserved Romeo’s loosened tongue or quiet Juliet’s fidgeting upon finding love.

Rendezvous n.: The meeting point where romantic progression often concludes.

Sober adj.: A state of calmness and reason impossible for lovers.

TLC n.: Whether in form of romantic dinner or treatment, ‘Tender Loving Care’ is both reward for the committed lover and cure for the love-sick.

Utopia n.: A form of higher wellbeing encouraged by reciprocated love and discouraged by developing-country conditions.

Valentine’s Day n.: ‘Buy-day’, Father’s Day and Fool’s Day all rolled into one, with visible consequence nine months after.

Whim n.: Or ‘love at first sight’. What occurs when two not-so-choosy people looking for love meet.

XXXXX n.: Kisses, as they appear in standard stationery of the season of love – letters and greeting cards.

Yarn colloq.: What the hopeful lover does to the object of his infatuation with chocolate, cake, greeting card, or spoken words.

Zodiac sign n.: The twelve parts of the imaginary area in the sky in which the sun, moon and planets are positioned make up the zodiac in the psychic realm. Matching the signs helps lovers decipher long-term relationship prospects. Example: ‘Today, you’ll meet a tall, dark stranger’.

CHEEK BY JOWL

Readers’ Response A twenty-first century guide Happy Sunday. I just read your SUNNY SIDE: ‘A Twenty-first century guide’ in The Nation of 21 December, 2014. Thank you very much. Regards. +2348026251***

Resolutions for all Resolutions for all: I read it. You are a man and actor, try more. The Nation: January 18, Page 76. +2348064239 *** I just read Resolutions for all. I like it. Keep the good work going.

Evans, Edo. +2348074075*** •’Significant terms’ to be continued

QUOTE Love, and a cough, cannot be hid.

Jokes Humour Forever Yours A GIRL asked a guy if he thought she was pretty. He said ‘no’.

She asked him if he would want to be with her forever, and he said ‘no’.

She then asked him if she were to leave would he cry, and once again he replied with a no.

She had heard enough. As she walked away, tears streaming down her face, the boy grabbed her arm and said, “You’re not pretty; you’re beautiful.

“I don’t want to be with you forever, I NEED to be with you forever. And I wouldn’t cry if you walked away. I’d die!”

Forever Not Yours A MAN walks into a jewelry store to buy his girlfriend an engagement ring. Looking behind the glass case, he sees an exquisite band with a handsome-sized rock in its center.

“Excuse me, sir,” the gentleman says to the salesman. “How much is this ring?”

“Ah, that’s a beautiful piece,” the salesman says. “It goes for N100, 000.”

“My God!” the man says in alarm. “That’s a lot of money!”

“Yes, but a diamond is forever.”

“Perhaps,” the gentleman says, “but my marriage won’t last that long!”

Marry Me ROBERT, a cynical man of early middle age, had evaded many a marital trap, but was now hopelessly in love with pretty young Susan.

Finally he said, “Will you marry me, Susan?”

She smiled and said, “Oh yes, Robert.”

There followed a long silence, till Susan said, “Well, say something more, Robert.”

And Robert, in a moment of deep reflection, said, “I think I’ve said too much as it is.”

Curse of beauty BEFORE Linda became engaged, she was quite the beauty, and didn’t mind letting her boyfriend know it too.

“A lot of men are going be totally miserable when I marry,” she said to him.

“Really?” asked the boyfriend, “And just how many men are you intending to marry?”

•Adapted from the Internet

—George Herbert

Writer ’s Fountain OW to write and Contest judges are not greatly moved by win: Would you really like to win a lyrical language, snappy dialogue or deep short story contest? What do judges look for insights into the human condition. They look when awarding prizes? You would expect for evidence of structure. Provided a story is every judge to bring his or her prejudices to competent in other respects, its structure, or the table – and they do – but professional lack of it, is the deciding factor. judges usually agree on which stories merit How can you strengthen story structure? an award.

By asking several key questions of your story: And how do panels of judges, usually Have you focused on just one protagonist? acclaimed authors, reach their verdicts? How A short story should have just one protagonist do they select the winners, among so many whose viewpoint the reader will occupy. A excellent stories? story may be told by several narrators, or Between men and women: through more than one point-of-view, but one •Men are a lot more streamlined than protagonist must clearly predominate to women for swimming, because the female’s sustain the reader’s engagement in the story.

For instance, a famous collection of short mamaries create a lot of drag – enough to ensure that racing suits have been developed stories was told through 24 different points with tiny pegs above the breasts to cause of view, but the presence of a single protagonist was always implicit. disturbance, which decreases the drag.

Do you bring on the protagonist early •Men are more likely to be left-handed enough? The main character should appear (10%) than females (8%).

•Men, on the average, can read smaller print in the first 400 words of a short story or no later than page one. than women.

Readers bond with the first strong character •Men commit suicide three times more frequently than women, but women attempt they meet. It’s important that the first person suicide two to three times more often than they meet is not a bit-player who subsequently disappears. men.

H

QUOTABLE “All the policemen that were deployed and soldiers since 6 o’clock in the morning, before I came out two hours later in the rains, cannot protect you; only God protects. I hope God will continue to protect us.”

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3281

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EVEN weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari took office the docks of Nigerian courts are becoming overcrowded. A long line of high profile politically-exposed types have been paraded through them in recent times and many more are headed in that direction judging from pregnant statements emanating from the new administration.

In the last few weeks were have been treated to the unusual sight of former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako and son as well as his erstwhile Jigawa colleague, Sule Lamido and offspring being ushered into prison vehicles at the onset of their fraud and money laundering trials.

Equally unexpected was the sight of Stephen Oronsaye, former Head of the Civil Service under President Olusegun Obasanjo, standing for two hours in the dock as he commenced the process of extricating himself from a long list of similar charges as the former governors.

But for drama, nothing beats the invasion of the Abuja home of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, by two truckloads of Department of State Security (DSS) agents. He has since been released and the siege on his residence lifted.

There was never any doubt that Sambo would have many questions to answer regarding the running of the office of NSA in the light of the seizure by South African authorities of $15 million which the Goodluck Jonathan administration claimed it was using to purchase arms.

The diplomatic incident triggered by that unorthodox transaction as well as rumblings about misappropriation of huge sums set aside for tackling the insurgency in the North East put the spotlight on the man and the recently ousted service chiefs. It would surprise me if he didn’t expect to face queries at some point. His comments in yesterday’s edition of The Nation suggest he was shocked at the speed at which the government has moved against him.

Dasuki is not the only member of the last administration who’s been feeling the heat. Former Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been in the wars - exchanging brickbats with Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole over her management of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and other actions whilst in office.

Among other things she’s said to have caused $2 billion to be withdrawn from the ECA illegally. In the ensuing dust-up OkonjoIweala first claimed the monies were moved with the knowledge of the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings – only for state commissioners of finance to deny that they ever signed off on such an action. The minister would later say

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The persecuted and prosecuted

•Dasuki

• Okonjo-Iweala

the amount was spent on payments made for petroleum subsidies as approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The ex-minister has put her travails down to political persecution; accusing Oshiomhole of embarking on a witch-hunt because she declined to approve loan requests totaling N15.37 billion which the governor sought to use to meet state obligations.

In the current charged political environment in Nigeria, a wise man would refrain from making judgments as to who’s telling the truth or breathing lies. It is safer to wait because sooner or later the four-man panel set up by the National Economic Council (NEC) would make their findings known and the courts would rule.

However, no one can escape the common thread that runs through the reactions of all those who have been put on the spot by the new administration. Okonjo-Iweala sees political foes at work. Lamido claims Lilliputians intimated by his political profile are frightened that he’s about to sweep to victory in the 2019 presidential race!

As for Nyako, the problem is Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, who is desperately trying to insinuate himself into the good books of Buhari by framing innocent men and their angelic children.

Service chiefs and ethnic champions

B

UHARI appointees to head the nation’s security agencies provide substantial material for analysts to sink their teeth into. Two of them – Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Tukur Buratai and National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd) – hail from Borno State.

The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar, is from Bauchi State.

This means that of the five senior positions, three went to officers from the North-East, one each to the South-South and South-West.

The underlying assumption appears to be that by selecting majorly those with direct connections to the hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgency we might see greater commitment in the war against the terrorists.

So far no one has raised questions as to the competence of the appointees, but plenty has been said about their ethnicity. Some have interpreted the fact that none of the officers is of Igbo extraction to mean a new dawn of South-East marginalisation. Newspaper editorials have even been written about the ‘snub.’ Those who make these arguments need to take a deep breath and calm down.

While their groups may be the largest,

—President Muhammadu Buhari, speaking to the Muslim community in the Federal Capital Territory that paid him the traditional Eid-el-Fitri homage at the Presidential Villa on Friday.

Nigeria isn’t just about Igbos, Yoruba or HausaFulani. It is extreme arrogance to carry on as though beyond the big three other ethnic groups don’t count. Indeed, there are hundreds of them and we all have equal constitutional rights as those who can’t see beyond the interests of their clans.

When Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika was Chief of Army Staff there were scores of other ethnic groups that were not accommodated in the leadership of the security forces. We didn’t hear them moaning about some perceived injustice.

In the last administration, at a point heads of three pivotal security agencies were from the South-South zone: Ekpeyong Ita, DirectorGeneral of DSS, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, Army Chief and Solomon Arase, Inspector-General of Police.

To be fair, recent Nigerian presidents have gone out of their way to promote inclusiveness in appointing leaders of the armed forces. The point should also be made that this country doesn’t have enough service chief positions to go round every ethnic group.

Those who think they are promoting the interests of their people by pushing these primordial arguments are actually hurting them as they end up cementing unhelpful prejudices and perceptions about them.

• Lamido

As of today we don’t know what the full list of Dasuki’s ‘sins’ are but he already has a zealous champion in Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, Olisah Metuh, who’s crying ‘freedom’, ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights.’

The more imaginative have suggested that through the visit of the DSS to the ex-NSA’s lair Buhari was finally exacting a revenge that was three decades in planning. Apparently, the retired colonel was among a three-man team of officers who at Sallah in 1985 went to arrest the general when he was military Head of State. So 30 years to the day Dasuki is getting his comeuppance – again at Sallah! Such impeccable timing!

We should be ready to hear lots of these conspiracy theories as more outrageous exposes emerge of the malfeasance of recent years. The template was put in place by Jonathan when he prophesied before the handover that he and his disciples would be persecuted for their service to the nation.

Some would be tempted to conclude from the travails of Dasuki, Okonjo-Iweala and others that the former president’s prophecies are coming to pass. But before succumbing to such a temptation let us remember that not only Jonathan’s acolytes are facing the music currently.

Nyako and former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva are members of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC). Oronsaye was one of the most influential members of Obasanjo’s team. Lamido was a thorn in the flesh of Jonathan till the very end. He was a member of the rebel G7 PDP governors until he and Babangida Aliyu backed out at the point of defection.

Whether or not there’s merit or not in ongoing probes, or cases being tried in courts, we must allow the system to resolve them. Too many times the judicial process has been shortcircuited through the introduction of politics and sentiment.

Indeed, sentiment is a curse upon this country. It contributes greatly to the impunity that we wanted terminated. Until people – no matter their station or how highly they rate their service to society – realise that there would be consequences for actions in and out of office, enduring change would never take root.

Of all the irritating sentimental slop I’ve heard in recent times, the one that takes the prize is the suggestion that Buhari should disavow any plans to investigate wrongdoings of the recent past because Jonathan didn’t challenge the results of the elections. This goes back to the sense that in accepting defeat the former president somehow did us all a favour!

Even if Buhari entered into some quid pro quo deal with his predecessor not to sniff in his mess as the condition for him going quietly, he

will soon discover he has no such powers.

He would be going against the laws he swore to uphold by bending them on the altar of expediency for privileged persons.

If all those alleging ‘persecution’ would be reasonable they would admit that the offences they are accused of are quite serious.

What we owe them is a fair process that allows them to clear their names. They should take comfort in the fact that Nigerian courts have proven that they are able to discharge their responsibilities in a manner that should give hope to those facing charges. The recent acquittal of former PDP presidential campaign spokesman, Femi Oluwakayode (formerly Fani-Kayode) on money laundering charges is a case in point.

But the accused must decide whether they want to take their chances in the courts of law or resort to blackmailing Buhari and his administration by deploying sentiment.

The latter option might provide a temporary feel good sensation but ultimately the media jury is worthless and of no practical effect.

If newspaper judges declare you ‘persecuted’ on account of your ethnicity or loyalty to the last regime, and a high court judge finds you culpable for criminal acts then you are headed for jail for a long stretch. So what really is the point in all the propaganda?

Why not keep your best shots for the judge that counts?

Ultimately, the success of the clean-up exercise which Buhari is undertaking, may come down to how he responds to the blackmail he’s increasingly being subjected to.

Given his past he would be accused of restoring dictatorship even if the police move to apprehend a bank robber caught in the very act.

Those who have criticised the visit of the DSS to Dasuki’s home have labeled it an ‘invasion’ – creating the impression that it was done illegally. But the former NSA has admitted that the officers had a valid search warrant from a magistrate court.

How times change! In the days leading to the March general elections, the DSS invaded an APC data center in Lagos – damaging doors and computers. They claimed the place was being used to clone voter cards and hack into Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) data base.

Several of the staff working in the office were arrested and detained for days. The agents never produced any warrant. Rather than condemn the brutal action of the DSS, Metuh and his party simply echoed the trumped-up allegations against the opposition and called for the law to take its course.

Where were Metuh and his PDP human rights activists when the same DSS was used to harass Sanusi Lamido Sanusi following his suspension as Governor of the Central Bank? Where were they when the police sealed off the Emir’s palace in Kano for days forcing the ex-CBN chief to be installed as traditional ruler in Government House?

Members of the former ruling party and those who served under Jonathan somehow believe that they can escape justice for mismanaging the country by blackmailing the police and other agencies that would be raking through their mess in the coming days and months. The authorities should deny them the satisfaction by doing everything by the book.

Luckily for PDP, in Buhari we have a president who is very sensitive to accusations about autocracy and intolerance. He is bending over backwards to prove how tolerant and democratic he’s become. That’s fine but he should also realise that the despoilers of Nigeria are stubborn characters who will try every trick in the book to get away with murder.

They will only stop when convinced that they’ve met their match in someone of equal obduracy. Buhari has talked up a storm; he must now prove that he’s the man for this hour.

PALLADIUM IS ON VACATION

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