The Nation July 21, 2011

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VOL. 6, NO. 1828 THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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Security agents close in as Boko Haram splits T

HERE is good news from Boko Haram: bombings will soon stop, thanks to the holy month of Ramadan.

But the breather is coming from a splinter group, Yusufiyya Islamic Movement (YIM), which emerged yesterday, even as security agents are closing in on the sect.

The new group has distanced itself from the bombings of civilian targets attributed to Boko Haram, de-

Sect’s faction orders no Jonathan insists bombings at Ramadan troops stay in Borno From Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Abiodun Joseph, Maiduguri

claring that “people with evil motives have infiltrated our genuine struggle”.

It condemned attacks on homes and places of worship by the other faction, which says it is fighting a Jihad (holy

war). It also declared a unilateral ceasefire during the Ramadan, which begins end of July or early August.

The new faction made its position known in a twopage unsigned leaflet. The leaflets were distributed yesterday at various wards, post

office area and sent to media houses in Maiduguri, the beleaguered Borno State capital.

The leaflet reads: “The Yusufiyya Movement has come to mean different things to different people in the last few months. This confusion and misinterpretation have

made it necessary for us to come out publicly with the clear truth with regards to our concept, struggle, aim and ultimate objective.”

The group said its declaration would assist to distinguish “the Yusufiyya movement from the various labels

ascribed to us, as the Boko Haram”.

It added: “This is necessary in the light of genuine concern by individuals and groups to the mass suffering of innocent citizens caught in the crossfire between our members and the Nigerian troops. This concern has again brought to the fore, the daunting issue of reconciliation through dialogue with the Nigerian Continued on page 2

NBA disagrees with AGF over EFCC, ICPC merger

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•Daudu

AWYERS yesterday backed the push for a decentralised police.

They said state police will ensure better security because “all crimes are local in nature”.

Besides, they disagreed with Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke’s call for the merger of antigraft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Inde-

Oyo, Ogun, 11 other INEC RECs to quit From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja

T

HIRTEEN Resident Electoral Commissioners are set to go, with the expiration of their tenure.

President Goodluck Jonathan will soon be shopping for new hands to replace them. But the President is also constitutionally empowered to reappoint the 13 commissioners.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, held a send-forth dinner for the 13 RECs on Tuesday in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, where the commission held a retreat.

The RECs are those in Oyo, Ogun, Abia, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Taraba, Kebbi, Kogi, Ebonyi, Enugu and Gombe states.

A source, who pleaded not to be named,

‘

I don’t agree with the AGF; we have the funds to run both organisations. Definitely, we have sufficient number of criminals for both of them to pursue without running into any difficulty ... It is no longer feasible or pragmatic to continue to insist on a mono-police force for the entire country

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

pendent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC).

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) called for the

decentralisation of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS).

NBA President Joseph Bodunrin Daudu told reporters at the end of a three-day

’

Criminal Justice Reform Conference in Abuja that the call for the merger of EFCC and ICPC is not in the best interest of the country’s desire to fight corruption.

He said: “In my view, I

think the ICPC should be strengthened to demonstrate the capacity, like the EFCC. I think the politicians are not too comfortable with having two anticrime bodies assisting the police.

“Like I said, Nigeria is underpoliced. I don’t agree with the AGF; we have the funds to run both organisations. Definitely, Continued on page 2

Corporate Communications Manager, Julius Berger PLC, Angela Schmidt (left) with the company’s Senior Public Relations Officer, Grace Ayoola and the participants from the Model Secondary School during the Julius Berger Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative on Education Supporting the Arts, held at the school in Abuja ... yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

Continued on page 2

•EIGHT ROBBERS ATTACK BANK WITH EXPLOSIVES IN EDO P8

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS Oyo, Ogun, 11 other INEC RECs to quit Continued from page 1

•From right: Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke; Head of Service Prof. Oladapo Afolabi; Labour Minister Emeka Wogu; Minister of Mines and Steel Development Muhammed Musa Sada and Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, during yesterday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

said: “The RECs came on board in 2006. They participate in the conduct of the 2007 and 2011 polls. They have completed their statutory five-year mandate.

“Their exit, however, has depleted the rank of RECs, who represent the 36 states and the Federal capital Territory.”

Asked of the likelihood of their reappointment by the President, the source said: “The President has the prerogative to renew their tenure or otherwise – in line with Section 14, Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitution.”

The section reads: “There shall be for each state of the Federation and the FCT,

Abuja, a Resident Electoral Commissioner who shall be (a) appointed by the President(b) be persons of unquestionable integrity; (c) not be less than 40 years of age.”

The source added: “The sad aspect of the appointment of these outgoing RECs in 2006 was that they are mostly politicians, card-carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Going by the President’s electoral reform, he may not reappoint those who are partisan like some of the present RECs. “There has been agitation for the overhaul of the RECs but there is no way the President can just violate the constitution to remove them. They have to complete their tenure and then

Security agents close in as Boko Haram splits Continued from page 1

authorities and individual leaders involved in the naked abuse of our birthright to the peaceful propagation and practice of our religion as we understand it.”

According to the statement, the YIM regrets the killing of its leader Mohammed Yusuf and the destruction and confiscation of members’ landed and moveable property in Maiduguri. The YIM said it has resolved “to wage a struggle between justice and injustice, between truth and falsehood, right against wrong”, declaring that the sect is sure of victory.

The statement said the public should know that the YIM is far from the image of the heartless terrorists, arsonists or sadistic robbers painted by other people with a distinct agenda.

“It is therefore unbecoming to attribute attacks on the civilian population or places of worship to our group, the YIM.” The statement said: “Ours is a clear fight for the blood of our founder Mohammed Yusuf and other leaders who were slain in cold blood by (ex-Borno governor) Ali Modu Sheriff, the former Borno State Commissioner of Police and the late (President)

‘Sect using locally made explosives’

S

ECURITY agencies seem to be closing in on Boko Haram members in Borno State.

The analysis of the bombs used by the sect has confirmed that they are locally made, it was learnt yesterday.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said security agencies have made tremendous progress in reclaiming Borno from the Boko Haram insurgents.

His words: “Contrary to insinuations, the Joint Task Force is really making progress.

Security agencies are closing in on Boko Haram members.

“And the activities of the security agencies, especially troops, have been restricted to constructive engagement in order to protect innocent civilians and property.

“So far, there is hope that these agencies will soon reclaim Borno from the Boko Haram insurgents. That is why troops cannot be withdrawn from the state now.

“The progress made by the troops is without prejudice to dialogue being proposed by the government with the members of the sect.

Intelligence findings have confirmed that most of the bombs used by Boko Haram are Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

Another source said: “Anti-bomb and forensic experts have been working hard in the last few weeks on the explosives from the Boko Haram sect.

“We have been analysing their explosives

Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.”

It added: “The late Yar’Adua has since been seized by Allah in an answer to the sect’s prayer for sup-

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja

and the results indicate that they are mostly IEDs like in some war-torn and hunger-ravaged African countries.

“Although we are not ruling out external backing in terms of training and indoctrination, the intelligence reports seem to suggest that they have been using IEDs. “The discovery of the use of IEDs by Boko Haram has given the government the encouragement that the challenge at hand is surmountable.

“We have launched counter-measures to uncover the base of the sect and those behind the making of the bombs.”

A water-tight security mounted as early as 6am, along the last portion of the route leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, was still in place as at last night.

The development left in its wake a long queue and discomfort.

It could not be immediately ascertained what informed the sudden checks which made some travelers to miss their flight.

A source said: “Since public buildings and airports have been targets of terrorists, the government has decided not to take things for granted.

“There had been some inconvenience for travelers but it is worth it for the safety of everyone.”

port against his aggression.”

“We therefore distance our group from all the bombings targeted at civilians and other establishments and equally

condemn them and pray that Allah exposes those who perpetrated them and attributed them to us.”

Exonerating the Yusufiyya

M

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

tion; however said soldiers who go beyond the rule of engagement in their conduct will not be spared.

At the meeting were: Vice President Namadi Sambo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim; Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Adoke; Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin; National Security Adviser Gen. Owoeye Azazi; Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Board Chairman Gen. Jeremiah Useni and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Bala Mohammed.

Maku said: “There were broad-based consultations about the outcry for the withdrawal of the military. But, during discussion, the meeting generally agreed that it was premature to withdraw

the military. What was agreed was that if there are cases of individual misbehaviour by members of the Joint Task Force, the authorities will look into those cases.

“And right now, we know one or two soldiers who were found to have done things in excess. They are been questioned by the relevant authorities. What is important is that the army is playing a great role and the situation we are in now is that if you withdraw the army, what happens?

“What is most important is to manage the military, until such a time that it is clear that some of the potent threats are lowered,” the minister said.

The meeting explored various options to the problem that has crippled Borno State.

Maku said: “All hands have to be on deck. Political lead-

•Jega

NBA disagrees with AGF over EFCC, ICPC merger

No troops withdrawal in Maiduguri, says Jonathan AIDUGURI residents should get used to having the presence of the military as part of security, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday.

Soldiers will not be withdrawn from the troubled northeastern city, until the security situation improves; he said meeting with some northern elders in Abuja.

It was a response to the call by the elders for the withdrawal of troops from the city, which has been hobbled

by Boko Haram violence.

They reiterated their public demand for troops withdrawal when they met with the President at his House 7 ‘Guest House.’

Information Minister Labaran Maku, who spoke to reporters after the meeting, said the President who did not mince words on his posi-

sect from other factions of Boko Haram sect, the statement reiterated: “We are concerned that some people with evil motives have infiltrated our genuine struggle with a false Holy War that is outright un-Islamic. We call this evil group to desist, failing which we shall have no option than to expose and hunt them. Finally, we have resolved to temporarily halt our fight against the assassination of our leaders in compliance with the prohibition of fighting in the holy month of Ramadan.”

Joint Security Task Force (JTF) spokesman Lt.-Col. Hassan Mohammed, said the JTF had seen the leaflets.

He said: “The JTF is on top of the insecurity situation in Borno State. The coming of the new faction of Boko Haram and the temporary ceasefire from them could lead to the coming of peace, restoration of law and order and the nipping in the bud all acts of terrorism by the other factions of Boko Haram.”

Col. Mohammed added: “We are here in Borno to restore law and order and not to intimidate or harass residents.”

He described soldiers as learned and civilised professionals out to protect the lives and property of peace-loving people.

the President will be at liberty to do a phase-by-phase restructuring.”

A source in the Presidency said: “The President is already shopping for fresh hands to replace those who have completed their tenure.

“The choice of their successors will be similar to the exercise, which led to the emergence of Jega and his team.

“This level of electoral officers is a crucial link. So, the President may rise above partisan interest to pick the new RECs.” In a statement last night, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said there was no iota of truth in the rumours that the 13 RECs were sacked.

Idowu said: “The true position is that the 13 RECs in question have formally served out their five-year terms and the Commission used the occasion of the post-election Retreat just concluded with them in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to treat them to a farewell dinner on Tuesday, July 19, 2011.

“The Hon. Chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, did make it clear that the farewell dinner was without prejudice to the possibility of their being returned by the appointing authorities for further terms.

“It should be noted that the RECs have served with exceptional diligence and integrity, and it was in view of this that the Commission deemed them deserving of a farewell dinner, irrespective of whether or not they would return for further terms. Besides, the Commission is in no legal position to sack RECs.”

Continued from page 1

•Maku

ers, community leaders, traditional leaders and religious leaders must come together so that we can look at ways to bring about the solution.

The meeting rose with the understanding that further consultations will be taking place. All the leaders are concerned about the need to bring about peace.”

we have sufficient number of criminals for both of them to pursue without running into any difficulty.

“Is the inefficiency of the anti-graft agencies due to the similarities of their functions or due to leadership failure and the under-funding of these agencies?

“The government should re-examine its strategy to the ICPC and should increase the capacity of the ICPC so that it can become as attractive in terms of functionality as its counterpart, the EFCC.” Daudu rued the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan and Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim at the conference organised to address a perceived growing crisis in the administration of criminal justice.

He said he personally took the letter of invitation to the

State House and presented it to the President, but President Goodluck Jonathan sent neither a representative to the opening ceremony of the conference nor an apology.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the conference, the NBA said considering the diversity and the population density of Nigeria, “it is no longer feasible or pragmatic to continue to insist on a mono-police force for the entire country”.

To the association, most crimes are local in nature, so the “introduction of State police and community policing to reflect true federalism” will help to stem the challenges.

The NBA urged the National Assembly to urgently provide the enabling environment for urgent criminal justice reform to be based on the constitution.

Continued on page 8

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS

Forty-eight hours after he slipped and got drowned in the Lagos lagoon, the remains of Lagos politician Mustain Abaniwonda were finally retrieved and buried yesterday at the Victoria Court Cemetery, Lagos, reports JOKE KUJENYA

‘Jonathan can’t solve Nigeria’s problems’

By Joseph Jibueze

Drowned Lagos politician’s remains found, buried

R

ELIEF came the way of family members of drowned Lagos politician Mustain Abaniwonda yesterday. His remains were found floating face-up deep into the sea by a search party 48 hours after he slipped into the lagoon in Marina and was swept away by the tidal waves.

The body of the Lagos East senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the April elections was buried at the Victoria Court Cemetery on the Lekki/Epe Expressway yesterday afternoon.

At his Victoria Garden City home, there were shouts of Alhamdulillah (we thank God) as the news of his body’s recovery was broken.

A search party led by his son-in-law, who simply identified himself as Yomi, who got married to Abaniwonda’s second daughter, Omoyinsola, last month, set out again as early as 8.00am after the futile effort to locate the remains on Monday.

His widow, Kuburat said: “I prayed to Allah throughout the night for his body to be found so that my mind could be at rest. The last 24-hours were traumatic. How could a person die in such a manner? How could he not be given a befitting burial? For my husband to suffer till he could have had the last breath and still be left to wild nature would have been contrary to my faith in Allah?

“No, I just couldn’t bear that thought. It was too much. So, I refused to sleep, praying throughout the night. And my God has never failed me. I thank God for answering me.”

Yomi said: “When his body was spotted in the middle of the lagoon, it was found face-up. “That made it easy for us to know that it was dad.”

He said Abaniwonda’s remains were found at exactly 10.52am. The body was carried on the flying boat used by the search party and taken to the General Hospital in Ikeja for clean-up and preparation for burial.

Yomi said: “I wish to tell you that we found all the personal effects, wrist-watch, the shirt-andtrousers he wore that morning with the belt, his socks and shoes, all intact on him. Nothing was missing when we found him. The only thing is that the water had changed the colour of his skin and he had cuts and blood stains all over his body.”

President of the VGC Muslim Association Alhaji Taofik Awwal performed the funeral rites in the company of Chief Imam of Epe Alhaji Sadala Abdulrahman. He said: “Our late brother Mustain was a man of high integrity. He would not take what does not belong to the other person.

“By the way our brother went, God has shown us all that we are mere mortals who could be taken out of this way as only He, God, decides.”

He also denied that Abaniwonda committed suicide.

Many of the late politician’s friends and associates were at the cemetery to bid him farewell.

They included: Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Mr. Wale Edun, Mrs Kate Akhigbe, representative of the Olu of

•The widow Kuburat...yesterday PHOTO: JOKE KUJENYA

Epe, Oba Sefiu Adewale, Hon Hakeen Gbajabiamila, Chief Setonji Koshoedo, Mr Tunji Shelle, Senator Wahab Dosunmu and Mr Leke Pitan.

Five dead in Jos clash

J

OS, the Plateau State capital, was on the boil again yesterday as Muslim and Christian youths clashed.

No fewer than five people died in the violence. Twelve others were injured. Spokesman of the Special Task Force (STF) in Jos, Captain Charles Ekeocha confirmed the violence, which erupted on Tuesday night in Angwan Rukuba district.

Yusuf Aminu Idegu, Jos

He said Muslim youths were protesting the murder of a carpenter who was allegedly lured to his death by a gang of Christian youths.

The carpenter, Dahira Musa, was said to have been killed on Monday and buried behind a poultry farm in Christian-dominated Anwar Rukuba district, residents said.

Muslim youths from the nearby Nassarawa Gwon district were said to have confronted the Christians.

The clash claimed five lives while 12 others were injured, said Capt.

Ekeocha.

The renewed violence may have been triggered by the rumour of the suspected presence of Boko Haram men at the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in

Jos. The Plateau State government yesterday condemned the violence.

A statement by James Mannok, Director of Press and Public Affairs to the governor said: “The Plateau State Government condemned this latest act of violence that is coming against all efforts by the government and security agencies to sustain the peace in Jos.”

Oyedepo recommends five-year tenure for President, governors •Urges govt to learn financial intelligence from Covenant varsity

C

OVENANT University Chancellor David Oyedepo yesterday backed the proposed five-year single term for President and governors.

He said the move would reduce waste and make political office holders more effective.

Bishop Oyedepo spoke at a news conference ahead of the university’s sixth convocation holding tomorrow on its Ota, Ogun State campus.

Dr. Oyedepo said if adopted, a single term would enable elected officers to focus more on governance rather than waste time and resources attempting to get re-elected.

He said: “Today, according to a reliable source, democracy in Nigeria is said to be the most expensive globally, and I believe one-term tenure will help address the enormity of waste involved. For instance, in the current dispensation as elected Presidents or Governors spend the first one year trying to study what is on ground and that is if there are no tribunal cases where he may have to defend his election in which case the time spent in studying the terrain may be longer.

“In the best scenario, he spends the second year working while he engages the third and fourth year in driving his re-election ambition. This politician has spent in reality one year working while the other three years are spent on electioneering. This is absurd and runs counter to the expectation of the electorate. We

FROM a group, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF) came yesterday a damning verdict on President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration: it has no policy thrust.

The forum said Jonathan appears not to have solution to the nation’s myriad of problems.

It said the sad reality were indications that the people’s expectations will never be met going by what it called diminishing policies in state affairs.

In a statement by its General Secretary, Mr Akin Malaolu, YRLF said Jonathan’s administration has not shown any positive sign to fight corruption successfully and deal decisively with increasing insecurity.

The group urged security agencies to be cautious, vigilant and avoid been entrapped in their bid to quell the threat posed by the Boko Haram sect.

It said: “The enemy they are fighting seems to have the will as well as needed advice on military tactics to outflank them.

Dialogue is still a better option to help avoid conflagration in the country,” YRLF said.

It added: “At this stage it is apposite and important to say that in the face of Jonathan’s ugly records of diminishing policies in state affairs, there is no guarantee that the all-important expectations of the people shall be met.

“Our secondary and tertiary institutions are collapsing under our very eyes while news of corruption allegations against some ministers means nothing to this ridiculously slow administration.

“Mr. President’s impetuous statement to his ministers and advisers at their two-day retreat lacks determination and safety valves to stem corruption as well as trained tenacity to fight our woes due to lack of remedies and settled policies for his administration.

“The strangest of all his statements was his ill-suited boasting to financial crimes’ agencies to fight corruption and to probe of Ministries, Department and Agencies while their former helmsmen who supervised the spending and lootings still sit atop them.”

Bi-Courtney gets bitumen plant

•Dr. Oyedepo speaking at the conference…yesterday. With him are his wife Pastor Faith (right) and Vice Chancellor; Prof. Aize Obayan PHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

believe a one-term will be most relevant in our own context.”

Dr. Oyedepo, who is the President of the Living Faith Church, owners of the university, said the cost of governance, put at 70 per cent, is too high to be sustained. He urged the country to learn from Covenant University, where only 30 per cent is used for overhead while 70 per cent of resources is dedicated to capital development.

“The cost of governance is unnecessarily extravagant. The management here uses 30 per cent of resources for overhead and 70 per cent for capital development. We have to learn financial intelligence.

The cost of governance in Nigeria is horrible. The whole of Landmark University was built from the

reserves of the proprietors. If we spent 70 per cent, we wouldn’t have any reserve,” he said.

On the debate about Islamic Banking, Oyedepo called for caution in introducing any policy that could cause disaffection.

He said: “My caution is that there is a sharp religious divide in the country already. Anything that will further cause disunity is not ethical or patriotic to promote such. Already, we have problems with credit issues, how a non-interest banking system will survive in this country is yet to be seen. But I am not an expert; let the experts decide how it will work. We need to be cautious. I think if the opinion poll says they don’t want it, the leaders should listen to them.”

On the quality of students graduating tomorrow, Dr. Oyedepo said they would enter into the labour

market as change agents and problem solvers who would lead Nigeria to the promised land.

“The rescue agents raised and released in the university as new generation of leaders will help to rebuild the old wastes, repair our wasted cities, even the desolation of many generations. The revolution we are driving is reflected both in our teaching, research and in community work as we are committed to producing into the labour force, active agents of change whose appearance will lead to new demonstration of integrity, probity, assiduity, creativity, productivity and sustained growth. No doubt the future we desire is already here as we can see the emergence of a glorious light for our nation and continent at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

TO speed up the redevelopmen of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the concessionaire, Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited (BCHSL) yesterday spoke of plans to install a $6.5 million asphalt mixing plant at the RCC yard, Kilometre 45, on the highway.

The machine, built by PowerPlus, will produce the asphalt needed to build and maitain the road.

Bi-Courtney’s spokesman Dipo Kehinde, disclosed that the plant will produce over 155 tons of asphalt per hour.

According to him, the expatriates hired to install the plant have begun work over a week ago.

Bi-Courtney resumed work on the expressway last month, following the final approval of the project design on May 10.

Kehinde said: “All we can do now is to put in some palliative measures while waiting for the rainy season to end. We are aware of what motorists are going through on that road, and we are determined to deliver a world class product.”

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS

Lemu panel seeks Reps support From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant

THE Presidential panel on post-election violence and civil disturbances yesterday solicited the support of the House of Representatives in the conduct of its assignment.

Panel chair Dr. Ahmed Lemu who led some of his members to pay a courtesy visit to Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, did not however, disclose the sudden visit became necessary. But a source at the closed-door meeting said that the panel members were in the House to solicit the support and cooperation of members of the House in its onerous task.

The source said Lemu “let the speaker into the modalities of the panel’s assignment and solicited the support and cooperation of Mr. Speaker to ensure that they have a successful outing.”

“You know the sensitive nature of the assignment of the panel. You know the level of mistrust that trailed the setting up of the panel. It is well and good for the panel to seek the understanding, support and cooperation of stakeholders.

The source said: “You should appreciate the fact that members of the parliament are important stakeholders in the project Nigeria. So it was important that Chairman of the panel led his members to seek the understanding of the House, especially Mr. Speaker,” he said.

Before asking reporters to be excused from the meeting, Lemu told Tambuwal that apart from finding immediate and remote cause (s) of the post-election violence and disturbances, the panel has a mandate to advise President Goodluck Jonathan on how to avoid the reoccurrence.

Dabiri calls for true federalism

By Emmanuel Oladesu

A MEMBER of the House of Representatives Mrs AbikeDabiri-Erewa (Ikorodu Constituency) yesterday urged progressives to intensify the agitation for true federalism. She said the concentration of power at the centre in a plural society is injurious to the health of the nation-state.

The lawmaker also flayed governors, who are reluctant to pay the N18,000 minimum wage to workers, although she agreed that the states are not receiving enough funds from the Federation Account.

Dabiri, who received the Fellowship Award of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba, Lagos, delivered a lecture titled; “Freedom of Information Act: Challenges and Prospects”. She was decorated by the Provost of the Institute, Dr Elizabeth Nkem, assisted by the registrar, Dotun Omonijo.

She called for concerted legislative and political efforts aimed at devolving power to the states and local governments in the spirit of federalism.

ANPP to Jonathan: It’s time for action not agenda

T

HE President’s security plan was on the scale of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) National Chairman Ogbonnaya Onu yesterday.

Onu noted that with the rate of killings by the Boko Haram sect, President Goodluck Jonathan lacked the action plan to tackle insecurity in the land.

He said: “For almost four years, the Federal Government has talked about nothing except an Agenda. Nigerians are tired.

“Nigeria is like a brokendown vehicle that urgently requires repairs so that it can be on the road once again.

This is the time for action, not words and rhetoric so that we can fix our broken down vehicle to enable us reach our destination.”

Nigerians, he said, deserved to live without fear in any part of the country of

•Onu says president can’t tackle insecurity From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

their choice.

Onu said: “It is the essence of our unity as a nation and nothing, absolutely nothing, should be done to injure this desire of our fellow country men and women.”

The Jonathan administration, Onu said, should show a more determined commitment towards addressing the security challenges facing the country adding that: “Daily, innocent lives are lost in various theatres of conflict in different parts of the country, especially in Maiduguri, Borno State as a result of the Boko Haram crisis.”

Government, he said should invest more on human and material resources with the view that the time has come

for it to explore the option of a multi- disciplinary approach towards addressing the problem of insecurity.

Onu went on: “Ladies and Gentlemen, the greatest challenge facing our beloved country at this stage of her history is the security of lives and property. Never before in the history of Nigeria have Nigerians lived in the present state of insecurity that pervade our fatherland. As a political Party we are deeply worried about the present state of affairs. This is so because without security, investment will hardly come in the level we desire. This will have an adverse effect on the development process and ultimately injure our march toward becoming one of the most developed countries of the world by the year 2020.

“We urge that it moves beyond a mere Agenda and translate its purpose into a working Action Plan that can impact positively on the lives of the people who deserve and desire change. An Action Plan is a work in progress. An Agenda is a promissory note.

We remain unshakeably committed to this patriotic responsibility. In all that we do as a political Party, we give all Nigerians our word of honour: we shall not fail you!

What we are doing today is an affirmation of our resolve to continuously ensure that the labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain The ANPP boss condemned President Jonathan over what he described as late constitution of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) adding that: “our great Party

AU job for Obasanjo

Centre for Kudirat Abiola coming

By Abike Hassan

T

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WOMEN’S centre in honour of the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late politician, Bashorun MKO Abiola, is to be built in Abuja.

An endowment fund for the building of the centre, to be called the Kudirat Abiola Women Centre, will be launched in September.

She was assassinated on June 4, 1996, in Lagos.

The Executive Director of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), Mrs Amy Oyekunle, spoke on the project yesterday when she visited The Nation. She was accompanied by other officials of the organisation.

Vital Voices, the global organisation promoting women leaders, which was founded by Hilary Rodham Clinton, has been asked to partner KIND to establish a museum at the proposed Abuja centre to celebrate women’s role in democracy.

KIND is being run by Mrs Hafisat Abiola-Costello, the daughter of the late MKO Abiola and Mrs Kudirat Abiola.

The centre will be built by her daughter to assist and train girls and women across the country in leadership roles, ability to speak in public, handle the media, educate women in politics to liaise with their male counterparts.

Mrs Oyekunle said: “We want women to get into the pipeline because there are women that are interested in politics but don’t know the process”, so we want to assist them and empower them with the necessary rights.

She hopes that with the new centre in Abuja, new centers

•Mrs Oyekunle...yesterday

PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

‘How Akingbola diverted Intercontinental bank’s N2.1b’

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LAGOS State High Court, Ikeja, yesterday heard how former Intercontinental Bank Plc Managing Director, Dr Erastus Akingbola allegedly diverted the bank’s 8,540,134.48 pounds (about N2.1 billion).

The first prosecution witness, a Chief Inspector at the bank, Mr. Abduraheem Jimoh, said Akingbola converted the cash, meant for the bank’s Nostro account, to his domiciliary account abroad on March 13, 2009.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Akingbola and General Manager of Tropics Securities Limited, Mr Bayo Dada before Justice Habeeb Abiru on an amended 22 counts of stealing the bank’s N47.1 billion.

Jimoh said part of his duties was to identify and investigate the bank’s transactions after which he would submit a report to the board of directors.

On this particular transaction, he said the Deutsche Bank alerted Intercontinental on Akingbola’s fund transfer in its bid to verify if it was in accordance with Nigeria’s antimoney laundering laws.

Jimoh said he also investigated five different transactions

by Akingbola while he was the MD/CEO of the bank.

wishes to state clearly that too much time was spent by Mr. President before constituting his Cabinet. Over one full month was allowed to lapse before the cabinet was put in place. It is our view that with clarity of purpose and a strong will to get things done, especially in view of how bad things have become, and Mr. President should have constituted his cabinet much earlier than he did.”

He said this could have allowed the conduct of government business to take off in earnest in order to urgently address the many problems confronting the nation.

Onu said: “the size of the Federal Executive Council should have been smaller.

Forty Ministers constitute a drain on the scarce resources of the country. With thirty six States, we should not have more than thirty six ministers..

By Joseph Jibueze

They involved 8.5 million pounds, 1.3 million pounds, 10 billion pounds, 2.5 billion pounds and 8.6 billion pounds.

Jimoh told the court that N2,108,135,484.68, was first credited to Intercontinental Capital Market, a subsidiary of Intercontinental, but was later moved to Regal Investment Company Limited’s account.

From there, the money was disbursed to various bureaude-change operators. Some got cash while others were paid through their bank accounts, Jimoh said.

The witness added that he discovered that $11,840,427.00 was paid into Intercontinental Bank’s Interdepartmental Suspense Account.

It was converted to 8,540,134.48 pounds and transferred to Akingbola’s account, he said.

Justice Abiru had earlier refused the defendants’ applications for stay of proceedings until an appeal they filed at the Court of Appeal, Lagos, is determined. They had appealed a ruling by the judge.

The judge said he would not adjourn indefinitely or allow a delay in the trial. It continues on July 26

HE Africa Union (AU) Commission yesterday announced the appointment of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Chairman of the Commission’s High-Level Panel on Alternative Sources of Funding.

A statement in Addis Ababa by the Information and Communications Department of the Commission said Dr Maxwell Mkwezalamba, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs had already presented a letter of appointment to Obasanjo on behalf of Dr Jean Ping, the AU Commission’s Chairperson.

The statement said Obasanjo’s appointment followed the endorsement of the Commission’s proposal by the Summit of Heads of State and Government at its last meeting in Malabo.

“The appointment of Obasanjo was one step towards the fulfillment of the requirements of the aforementioned decisions. “ Obasanjo has welcomed the appointment and pledged his full support to the Union’s efforts,’’ the statement said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent in Addis Ababa reports that other members of Panel include Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, a former Secretary General of the OAU. The Panel would soon hold its inaugural session in Addis Ababa, and thereafter, embark on extensive consultations with member states and regional economic Communities.

The statement said the panel was expected to conclude its work in November, and submit a report to the AU Assembly in January next year.

Jonathan orders MDAs to review policies

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S part of efforts to gain maximum benefit from the country’s new foreign policy direction, President Goodluck Jonathan has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to review their policies.

The MDAs are expected to retain the workable policies and rework others to fast track development.

The new foreign policy direction according to the President is now on invest-

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

ment and economic cooperation, which ties foreign policy to the country domestic agenda, a radical departure from the old order which had Africa as the centre focus.

Briefing reporters at the end of the first Federal Executive Council meeting of the Jonathan/Sambo administration, the Ministers of Information, Labaran Maku and his Foreign Affairs

counterpart, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru said the council emphasized on the need for new policy initiatives for the country in line with change in international relationship.

Ministers at the meeting were told to emphasise on policies that will promote development and also come up with new initiatives that will bring investments, open the economy and also fast-track development, Maku and Ashiru said.

Maku explained that the council has agreed that the MDAs reviews its policies, tinker with those that needed to be changed and where necessary, come up with new initiatives in the direction of the new dispensation.

The President, it was also learnt, will be assessing the ministers to determine their ability to translate policies into action.

Maku said: “In today’s council, a lot of issues were

treated but council focused today’s meeting on major policy direction, on new methods of doing our work, on the kind of leadership the president expects from all of us. Mr. President in opening today’s meeting charged the new Federal Executive Council (FEC), which he will rely upon for his transformational agenda to be realised to go to their ministries and to take charge and offer strong and committed leadership.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS

Man seeks justice over ‘damaged’ sight He runs the risk of losing one of his eyes due to what he calls professional incompetence. To him, the cure is worse than the disease. But doctors insist the patient acted against instrtuctions, reports, MIRIAM NDIKANWU

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HEN Johnson Okiri, 39, returned to Nigeria from the United States after successfully undergoing a cornea graft, his joy knew no bounds.

With an improved vision, Okiri was able to complete his secondary and university education. He was in the law profession, until 2009, when he suffered partial sight impairment and was advised to go for another transplant.

But he was not twice lucky as the surgery failed to produce the desired result.

Now 52, Okiri depends on the goodwill of brethren in his church and some Good Samaritans, who identified him as a bundle of intelligence and hardwork, despite his physical challenge. They were moved to pity by Okiri’s effort not only to eke out a living, but to feed his “understanding” wife, Bose and four children.

He relived how he had the problem that affected his sight, when he was two years old after a measles attack.

According to him, the measles damaged his left eye completely and was about infecting his right eye.

His words: “Luck came my way when I was 13. Then my late father was working with the British government and through that connection, I was sponsored to the U.S. for a cornea transplant”.

Everything went on successfully and after staying in the hospital for three months, it Okiri’s sight was in perfect condition. With that report, he returned to Nigeria. But after completing his education, he was unable to drive Bad vision.

He said: “Everything was well until 2009, when concerned friends told me that my cornea was falling off and that it was imperative to go for another graft. In October 2009, I was introduced to Dr. Mopelola Faderin of the Eye Bank unit of the Ikeja General Hospital. We booked an appointment with her and I explained that my eye was actually fixed in the USA and I doubt if it can be well treated here in Nigeria”.

Okirin said Dr Faderin referred him to another senior surgeon, whom he identified as Dr. Oderinlo, a consultant with Eye Foundation, located on Isaac John, GRA, Ikeja.

Okiri recounted: “Dr Oderinlo advised me not to tamper with the eye.

That I should leave it until the eye

•Okiri

‘The doctor started avoiding me from August 2010, despite promising to replace the failed corneal. It was not until May 2001, that I finally saw him and he informed me that any operation carried out now will either be positive or negative’

‘The graft was carried out only once. The others were mere repairs on the damaged cornea The instruction was that he should not allow water to touch the eye for at least one month but this he did not comply with’

finally failed on its own. I went back to give her the feedback and she introduced me to her surgeon boss, Dr F. O. Oluyadi, who promised to do the transplant without any hitch.

“I was subjected to all manners of medical examinations and a surgery was carried out on the eye on the 5th of November 2009.”

Okiri said that after a month he was discharged from the hospital, he returned to see the doctor in the company of his wife, when he observed that his sight was failing again.

Okiri explained: “I met with him with the aid of my wife and he said I will undergo another operation but that I have to pay again. At that point,I became skeptical but with financial support from friends, I managed to pay for the surgery, which was carried out on December 14, 2009.

Again, Okiri said he was excited that his predicament was over and that he could take over his responsibility as his family’s bread-winner.

But his joy was short-lived as he was back at the hospital barely four weeks after.

Though, he admitted being skeptical of undergoing any surgery again, but that he was encouraged to go through it by the doctor, who assured him that corneal transplant could be carried out for as many times as possible.

He said: “At this junction, I was confused and exhausted because I had expended so much on drugs. But the doctor gave me a fund raising note which I took to Cardinal Olubunmi Okojie, who offered to pick the bill for another corneal eye.

“After the operation, I kept going for check-up at Dr. Oluyafi’s office at the Eye Foundation, though, I was registered with Eye Bank. I strongly believed both institutions were working together and the doctor kept telling me to continue using the prescribed drugs after all complaints that the corneal eye sold to me from

the foundation was not functioning.

“It (corneal) failed often and completely packed up three months after. Even before then, I had already developed ulcer as confirmed at the General Hospital based on the effect of the drugs I was taking.

“I went back to Dr. Oluyadi and he said I had to come for another operation and promised to prevent the eye from rejecting the cornea. I really didn’t know what to do, but my wife encouraged me to give him the benefit of the doubt. So, I went for the operation for the fourth time and the next day, the eye became swollen and watery. When I reported back to the doctor, he said it was based on the drugs applied and that he assumed it was as result of over usage of the drugs. He advised me to allow the water to dry up and that I should be coming for check up.”

Okiri lamented that since then, he had been in total darkness. According to him, the difficulty he encountered while trying to see the doctor, worsened his situation.

He said: “The doctor started avoiding me from August 2010, despite promising to replace the failed corneal. It was not until May 2001, that I finally saw him and he informed me that any operation carried out now will either be positive or negative”.

Okiri described his case as that of a victim of incompetence, saying that staying indoors for so long had caused him bed sore, which almost took his life.

“I spent all my money on bed sore and now my sight has been written off”, he said, appealing that Lagos State Government, human rights’ group and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), institute a legal suit against the general hospital and the Eye Foundation, to establish what exactly went wrong with his case.

“I am the bread winner of my family, I do seek that my removed corneal be returned or use your good offices to make me useful to my family and the entire nation,” he said.

Dr. Faderin described Okiri’s case as that of ingratitude and carelessness.

She explained that after the corneal graft, Okiri was instructed by the physician not to allow the eye have contact with water.

She described, Okiri as a very difficult person, who did not comply with medical instructions to report regularly for check-up.

Dr Faderin said: “Okiri is not the only one that has gone through corneal graft. He injured the eye and all we did was to assist him to regain his sight again and even if we try to carry out another operation on him, how are we sure that not much damage has been done on the cornea already.”

She also accused him of peddling falsehood when he claimed that he was operated on four times; saying that the graft was carried out only once. The others were mere repairs on the damaged cornea “The instruction was that he should not allow water to touch the eye for at least one month but this he did not comply with.” She said, adding that other patients who had gone through the same cornea graft had their sight fully restored.

Delta rerun: Court says Ogboru not fit to contest

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FEDERAL High Court sitting in Asaba, yesterday, ruled against the candidature of Chief Great Ogboru of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in the January 6 rerun governorship election in Delta State.

Justice Ibrahim Buba held that Ogboru was not validly nominated by the required 50 party members, who endorsed his governorship nomination form.

The judge held that some of the 50 DPP party members, who endorsed Ogboru’s form were not validly registered party member

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

as at when they did so.

The Delta State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, approached the court to challenge Ogboru’s competence to contest the election.

The pre-election matter, was filed at an Abuja High Court In the originating summons, Nwaoboshi, who is the 1st applicant/plaintiff, prayed the court to determine whether the 3rd & 4th

respondents complied with statutory provisions of the Electoral Act 2006.

The PDP is the 2nd applicant/ plaintiff.

Joined in the suit are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) (1st respondent), Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Gabriel Ada (2nd respondent/applicant), Great Ogboru (3rd respondent/applicant), while DPP is the 4th respondent/applicant.

The Delta Election Petition Tribunal, headed by Justice

Uzoamaka Ogwurike, will on July 25, give judgment in a petition by Ogboru challenging the victory of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in the January 6 election.

Counsels to Uduaghan and Ogboru are expected at the Ogwurike-led Tribunal to adopt their addresses today before the three-member panel.

Another tribunal sitting simultaneously and headed by Justice Abisoye Ayo will on July 27 continue preliminary hearing in the April 26 governorship election between Uduaghan and Ogboru.

Tsiga explains overseas traning From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

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HE Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), BrigGen Maharazu Tsiga yesterday said the need to curb the overdependence on white collar jobs and make the Corps members to be self-reliant after their service year necessitated their training abroad.

Tsiga said the NYSC, recognising its corporate social responsibilities to Nigerians said mass unemployment among the youths and its negative consequences, which are dangerously manifesting across the nation, cannot be tackled by government alone.

The NYSC chief, while reacting to some newspaper reports condemning the training of corps members abroad, said every responsive and responsible organisation must contribute its quota to finding solution to the unemployment problem.

This, he said can only be done through the deliberate construction of interventionist projects via constructive networking and productive partnership with likeminded organisations within and outside the country.

“This has been the hallmark of the NYSC since it was established more than 38 years ago” said Tsiga.

Mark’s N.5m for dead reporter’s family

By Emmanuel Oladesu

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ENATE Pressident, David Mark has presented a check of N.5m to the family of late Lagos State Television (LTV), reporter assigned to cover the Senate in Abuja , Mr. Gani Bakare, who died on June 15 after a brief illness.

Mark, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, described the deceased as a hardworking and committed journalist, who knew his onions.

While handing over the check to the first son of the deceased, Lekan , Mark described him as “a trustworthy, straight-forward, committed and dedicated journalist”, adding, “I always took pride to relate with him as my personal friend.”

Dangote, others to grace Tribune award

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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi; Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof Isaac Adewole, are among the dignitaries expected at the presentation of awards of Public Officer of the Year to the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii by the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the titles.

Others are: the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof Tope Alonge, the Executive Director, Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Prof Solomon Badejo and the General Officer Commanding 2nd Mechanised Division, Maj-Gen. Mohammed Abubakar; the state Commissioner of Police and Managing Directors of companies being regulated by NAFDAC. The management of the ANN in recognition of the innovation approaches and global leadership in the fight against counterfeiting drugs and other substandard regulated products by NAFDAC, Orhii with the award.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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NEWS Ex- Deji’s wife for burial tomorrow

From Damisi Ojo, Akure HE funeral programme for the late wife of ex-Deji of Akure, Olori Bolanle Adesina Adepoju, starts today with a candlelight procession around Akure, the Ondo State Capital.

The late Olori died on July 12 of kidney failure.

A statement by Fadeyi family, Owo and Adesina Adepoju royal family of Akure said the programme would be followed by a Christian wake at her residence, Oba Adesida Layout, Leo Junction, Akure.

The statement, signed by Adewale Fadeyi and Prince Adesina Adepoju, said her remains would be interred tomorrow at her residence, Plots 8 and 9 Oba Adesida III.

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Osun to develop tourist centres

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SUN State Deputy Governor Mrs. Grace Titi Tomori-Laoye, on Tuesday said the government has concluded arrangement to develop all tourist centres in the state to make them attractive to foreign investors.

The deputy governor, who represented Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the unveiling of the Osun Tourism Development Revival programme, said the state would be able to increase its Internally Gen-

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

erated Revenue (IGR) from N30 million to N1.5 billion monthly.

Mrs. Tomori said Osun has 63 tourist centres which, if properly managed, would contribute significantly to the economy of the state.

According to her, the Aregbesola administration is interested in tourism because of the cultural and historical values of the state.

Agagu loses senatorial bid From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HE Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Akure, headed

by Justice Aisha Bawa-Bwari, yesterday struck out the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the victory of Senator Boluwaji Kunlere of the Labour Party (LP).

The verdict was hinged on the failure of PDP to comply with paragraph 18 first schedule of the Electoral Act 2010.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Kunlere the winner of the April 9 election. But the PDP contested the result.

It said the election was marred by malpractices, including multiple thumb-printing, violence and manipulation of votes.

The PDP urged the tribunal to nullify some results in some polling wards in the district and declared the rest, which according to the party, would see its candidate, former Governor Olusegun Agagu, emerge winner.

But LP and INEC, through their counsel Fola Adeyeye, Olumide Ogunje (LP) and Ozaze Uzzi(INEC), objected.

They said the election was held in compliance with the Electoral Act.

328 Lagos pensioners get N2.2b

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HREE hundred and twenty eight pensioners, who retired from the Lagos State Civil Service, have received their retirement bond certificates worth N2, 198, 568, 804. 94.

Presenting the cheque to beneficiaries yesterday, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the presentation was in fulfilment of the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare.

Fashola, who was represented by Deputy Governor Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefu-

By Miriam Ndikanwu

lire, said the state had redeemed retirement bonds worth over N3.5 billion to 649 retirees.

The state promised to pay additional N1.6billion to another set of 240 retirees in four weeks.

The governor said the government had to discontinue with the old method of Pay As You Go, PAYGO scheme because of the inherent problems which hindered payment to retirees.

‘We’re not involved in mayhem’

By Eric Ikhilae

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HE National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Council, yesterday dissociated itself from Monday’s clash in Agbado, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area.

Its Secretary, Comrade Akin James, blamed those he called “disgruntled elements” in the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

He said some RTEAN members from Ilo in Sango area of Ogun State forcefully demanded money from NURTW members in their park.

“Those who failed to comply were thoroughly beaten. We are the victims, as our men lost their property and other valuables,” James said in a statement.

‘Oyo labour is political adversary’

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GROUP, the Oluyole Renaissance Forum (ORF) has urged the Abiola Ajimobi-led government to report the activities of the state Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to the national body.

It said what Oyo has as a labour union is a “political adversary”.

The group, in a statement by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Omitowoju and Secretary Tajudeen Kasali, said the decision of the workers to embark

on a strike a day to the national strike was an indication that the labour leaders had ulterior motives.

The statement also wondered why the Oyo NLC could not wait for the national strike declared by the NLC before it went on strike and why, even when all the 36 states, including Oyo, had agreed to pay the N18,000 minimum wage, and the impending strike was called off, Oyo state labour was yet to call off its own.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi (left) with the Managing Director, Urban Development Bank Plc, Abdulrazaq Oyinloye, when he visited the bank’s headquarters in Abuja …yesterday PHOTO:NAN

UNAD suspends two rape suspects, three others T

HE University of AdoEkiti (UNAD) yesterday suspended five students, including Adeniyi Temitope Johnson and Cosmos Betiku, who were remanded in prison custody for allegedly raping a 17year-old pre-degree student.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Registrar, Dr Omojola Awosusi, on behalf of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dada Adelowo.

The Nation exclusively reported the allged rape of the Faculty of Education student by the duo on July 8.

A magistrate’s court sitting in Ado-Ekiti remanded John-

•Expels accomplice

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

son and Betiku in police custody till July 28.

According to a statement by the university’s spokesman, Ajibade Olubunmi, the suspension of the two students, who are of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, would remain until final determination of the issue by the institution.

The statement also warned that Johnson and Betiku, whose matriculation num-

bers were given as 0600008 and 0600049, must not be found within the school premises during the period of the suspension “except on days when they appear before the Students Disciplinary Committee (SDC).”

The suspected accomplice, Miss Shadiat Alimot Hassan, who was a pre-degree student in the Humanities, has been expelled from the institution for allegedly luring her friend to the location where she was raped.

“You are to note that you must not be found within the premises of the university for any reason,” the statement said.

The two suspects made confessional statements admitting their guilt while Hassan admitted facilitating the rape.

The other three students, Daniel Adio Busola (073994 Education); Gbolahan Adebayo (Institute of Science lab Tech) and Kolawole Ayotunde (Public Admin) are also to “appear before the Students’ Disciplinary Committee for the final determination of their case” concerning their roles in a recent cult activity in the institution.

Akala govt an affiliate of NURTW, says RTEAN chief T

HE administration of former Oyo State Governor Adebayo AlaoAkala has been blamed for the crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

The Secretary–General, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Johnson Ayodele Akomolafe, said this yesterday at the judicial Commission of Enquiry.

He said it was not surprising that the Alao-Akala administration could not resolve the crisis because ‘‘the government cannot bite the finger that feeds it’’.

Akomolafe described the NURTW as an affiliate of the administration and, as such, it became impossible for it to curb the excesses of the

From Oseheye Okwuofu and Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

NURTW. He urged the new administration to establish the Parks and Garages Board to manage motor parks as a panacea to the incessant crisis.

The RTEAN Secretary alleged that members of the NURTW did not allow RTEAN members to operate at government motor parks, adding that the parks built by his association were violently taken over by the NURTW in August 2006.

He recalled that all attempts by the two associations to co-exist at motor

parks were frustrated by the NURTW, thereby forcing members to seek approval from local governments to build RTEAN motor parks, which were later taken over by the NURTW. Akomolafe said when the problem started in 2006, his association reported to former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, who, according to him, said he could not do anything because the administration was inherited from impeached Governor Rashidi Ladoja.

“We did not get justice because we believe that the NURTW was an affiliate of the government. During the first 11-month tenure of Alao-

Akala, he told us he could not resolve the crisis because he inherited it. He pledged to find a solution when he returned in 2007.

“As a way out, let government hands off union activities in the state. They should stop using NURTW as a political thug. They should also mop up arms and ammunition from it while all parks and garages should belong to local governments.” Komolafe said.

On the parks and garages board, the union leader said the model was being used in Ogun State where the two associations alternate management of the parks weekly. He said the managing association for each week makes remittance to the government.

UN, Covenant University sign MoU

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HE United Nation (UN) Habitat yesterday urged Nigeria to cash in on the opportunities provided by the data base of the organisation in finding solutions to the nation’s problems.

The Director, Global Monitoring and Research, Prof. Banji Oyeyinka, made the call at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UN and Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.

Oyeyinka said it was

disheartening to discover that Nigeria, a member country, was not showing any interest in tapping into the opportunities provided by the global body.

He said:“I feel disturbed when I see our countrymen come around the UN and rather than make requests that would expose them to great developmental opportunities usually provided on the platform of the organisation, they are busy running after other things.

“Nigeria cannot be an

island because as you know, one of the ways by which countries benefit is to tap into the global data base of the UN, tap into the network that exists there and seek more information.

“As you get exposed to all these knowledge, which ordinarily you might not have been opportune to acquire standing alone as a country, it would help broaden your horizon and assist in developing the country.”

Oyebanji said the idea of collaborating with the university was to put in place

a formal way of working with a partner, adding that universities were one of the partners that had been working with the organisation.

He said the university had indicated interest in working with the organisation by harping on the importance of the collaboration.

According to the ViceChancellor, Prof. Aize Obayan, the institution will ensure that it operates along the line that had been targeted as it has a driven agenda to Africa and the world.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS

Kogi INEC rejects forensic inspection

Aliyu blames Suleja bombings on Abuja influx

From Mohammed Bashir, Lokoja

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

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HE deviation from the original master plan of Abuja and the influx of people to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are the causes of insecurity and bombings in Suleja, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu has said.

He said Suleja suffered from the actions of successive federal administrations, which altered the FCT from a political to a commercial capital, thereby causing an influx and congestion in Abuja.

Aliyu spoke in Minna, the state capital, when he received the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Mohammed Dikko.

The governor noted that moving the capital city to Abuja was to reduce the congestion in Lagos as the nation’s capital, adding that the original plan had been defeated.

He said: “The main idea of moving the capital city to Abuja was to reduce congestion. But that purpose has been defeated as Abuja is now commercially active than Lagos and any other city.

Now that the concept is defeated, it has turned Suleja into an insecure zone.”

Ex-council chief, others arrested over Taraba crisis From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

HE Taraba State Police Command yesterday arrested a former Chairman of Ardo-Kola Local Government, Philemon Bitah, and several others, for their alleged roles in the uprising between the Mumuye and Kona communities.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ibiang Mbaseki said the suspects were under intensive interrogation.

He did not give an exact figure on those arrested but said: “There was a massive arrest.”

Mbaseki said Bitah and the other suspects would be punished if found guilty.

Investigations showed that Bitah, a Mumuye, allegedly supplied arms to his ethnic group to fight the Konas.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, said: “He (Bitah) was a gunrunner and trouble maker during his tenure as council boss.”

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•Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi with Commissioner for Health, Dr Wole Olugboji (middle) and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Kolawole Aina, at the opening of the World Malaria Day in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Tribunal rejects Suswam’s motion against ANPP candidate HE Benue State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the state capital, yesterday struck out a motion by Governor Gabriel Suswam praying the tribunal to reject an application by the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) governorship candidate, Prof Daniel Saror, challenging his candidacy, for lack of merit.

According to Saror’s petition, Suswam is not quali-

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From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

fied to contest the April election.

He alleged that the governor presented a forged West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The petitioner also prayed the tribunal to order Suswam to produce his General Certificate of Education (GCE) certificate from the

time he contested and won election into the National Assembly between 1999 and 2011, for verification.

Suswam had filed an application before the tribunal challenging its jurisdiction to entertain the suit, saying it was a pre-election matter.

Tribunal Chairman Justice Munir Ladan dismissed Suswam’s motion as he did in the case of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)

governorship candidate last Tuesday.

He said the days of technicalities were over.

Justice Ladan ruled that the tribunal had the jurisdiction to entertain the petition between Saror and Suswam, saying the petition would be decided on merit.

The case was adjourned till Monday for ruling on the motion for extension of time filed by Suswam.

Kwara ACN accuses PDP of plot to disrupt tribunal proceedings T

HE Kwara State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday raised the alarm that some members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) planned to disrupt the election petitions tribunal proceedings in Ilorin, the state capital, from today.

ACN governorship candidate Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN) is challenging the victory of Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed in the April election.

ACN has petitioned the Police Commissioner; the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) and chairman of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

ACN Chairman Kayode Olawepo said: “It has come to our notice that some PDP elements have perfected a plan to come to the

•Party: allegation baseless

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

tribunal from tomorrow and subsequent sittings with Mohammed Dele Belgore and ACN logo and slogans with a view to disrupting the tribunal proceedings and making the world believe it is the ACN that is carrying out such wicked act.”

The letter, entitled: Plan to disrupt tribunal proceedings, reads : “We refer to our letter of July 15, on the violent attack on ACN supporters, where we informed you of PDP’s threat to the state security, law and order and our request

for security and protection.

“We also refer to the meeting held with the Deputy Commissioner of Police on July 19, on the same issue, by the party chairman, where we were promised adequate security.

“We categorically dissociate our party, party members and supporters from this ungodly act, as our party is planning and will never be involved in such act and should, therefore, see the persons in such uniforms as impostors of ACN members.

“We, therefore, request Police authorities to arrest such impostors and treat them in accordance with

the law. We also request for adequate security at all times because of the growing security threat by the PDP. “Our party will always be law-abiding and will assist your command, by way of information, towards achieving peace and maintenance of law and order.” wara State PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Isiaka Danmairomo said the allegation was baseless.

He said: “It is untrue that some PDP members are planning to disrupt tribunal proceedings. It is only those who are evil-minded that will plan such a thing. PDP in the state is not known for thuggery. It is even alien to Kwara politics. We are using this medium to urge the security agencies to arrest anybody caught in such an act.”

Tribunal refuses CPC’s application for more witnesses

T

HE Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Kaduna yesterday turned down the request by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate, Mallam Haruna Saeed, to call additional witnesses in his petition challenging the election of Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

The tribunal also dismissed the governor’s application seeking to nullify the CPC petition for not joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

Yakowa’s party. It said the Electoral Act 2010 does not make it mandatory for the party sponsoring a candidate to be joined in the petition.

Ruling on both applications, tribunal Chairman Justice Ayuba Kwajafar said the tribunal could not grant the application to allow the petitioner to bring in more witnesses.

But it granted the application allowing for

‘The agents could, therefore, not be present at the tribunal to defend the allegations.’ the security of the electoral materials.

Ruling on Yakowa’s application, which sought to

dismiss the CPC application, Justice Kwajafar said the Electoral Act 2010 does not make it mandatory for the sponsoring party to be joined in a petition.

The governor’s legal team, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), had approached the tribunal seeking to nullify the petition on the grounds that the PDP was not made a party to the case.

The counsel also argued that the allegations by Saeed were made against PDP agents during the election who were also not

joined as parties.

They said the agents could, therefore, not be present at the tribunal to defend the allegations.

The tribunal chairman said though the agents and their party were not joined, no allegation made against them would be allowed during the hearing, since they would not be available to defend themselves.

The tribunal adjourned till July 26 for the beginning of hearing on the substantive petition.

DESPITE an order by the State and National Assembly Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has allegedly refused forensic experts from the Nigeria Police entry into its premises to inspect ballot papers used in the April National Assembly election.

The state tribunal had directed INEC to allow forensic experts to inspect ballot papers used in the last National Assembly poll held in some parts of the state.

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate for Idah/Igalamela/Ofu/Ibaji Federal Constituency, Sam Adejoh Okedi, filed a petition against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ismaila Husseini Inah, winner of the election.

Reps urged road expansion From Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja

THE House of Representatives yesterday urged the Federal Government to expand the Nyanya-Keffi road to prevent further accidents on it.

The lawmakers directed the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Vehicle Inspectorate Office (VIO), the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Nigeria Police to enforce the restriction of heavy duty trucks from 6am to 9pm on the road, as ordered by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister.

The resolutions followed a motion by Zephaniah Jisalo, who lamented the death of 20 persons in a multiple accident on the road on Monday.

FCT to auction vehicles From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

IMPOUNDED vehicles in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will henceforth be auctioned after six months, if their owners do not claim them or pay fine, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) has said.

It also said the ban on commercial motorcyclists from operating in the city forbids the directorate from releasing seized motorcycles to their owners.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja, DRTS Director Adamu Argungu said seized cars were those abandoned at accident scenes and unused mechanic workshops, among others.

He said the move is to rid the premises of impounded cars, which were often unclaimed for years.

Argungu said the director is monitoring banned commercial motorcyclists from returning to the city by working with those exempted from the ban to ensure compliance.

8

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS Deaconess kidnapped in Benin

A

BENIN-based gospel artiste, Deaconess Palmer Omoruyi, has been kidnapped.

Deaconess Omoruyi was abducted on Ekenwan road, in what eyewitnesses described as a swift and peaceful operation.

It could not be ascertained if whether the kidnappers had demanded any ransom.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Hurdi confirmed the incident.

The abductors of the wife of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs. Florence Obayuwana, are insisting on the N20million ransom earlier demanded.

Maritime body postpones launch

T

HE Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa-Ibom State, has postponed the N5 billion Endowment Fund launching earlier scheduled for tomorrow in Lagos.

According to a statement by its Administrator, Dr. Joshua Okpo, the postponement followed the appointment of a new minister.

The statement said the Minister of Transport Idris Umar would honour the event during the new date in September.

The launch will now expand the scope of the project to include the 36 states and the FCT.

Policeman denies ACN candidate’s case

A

DEPUTY Superintendent of Police, Moses Eno, who investigated the trial of the deputy governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Akwa Ibom State, Ime Umanah and Ikemesit Iyire yesterday told an Uyo High Court that there were many issues about the case that he did not understand.

Umanah is standing trial alongside Iyire for their alleged involvement in acts of terrorism and sponsorship of terrorism against Governor Godswill Akpabio.

Eno, who was testifying in the case before the Chief Judge, Justice Idongesit Ntem-Isua, said there was no evidence to prove the state’s allegation that Iyire has a link with the Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram.

The police office testified in the trial-within-trial being held to ascertain whether or not a purported confessional statement made by Iyire

The umbrella body of lawyers also called for a constitution amendment, “particularly as it relates to the creation of state and community police and other related federal institutions on carefully thought-out modalities that will allay the fears of critics that such organs may be hijacked by state authorities to fan embers of disunity”.

It recommended “ State Police and community policing to reflect true federalism as effective policing must be rooted in the community because most crimes are local in nature.”

The conference urged the National Assembly to probe the Prisons Decongestion scheme that cost billions of naira yearly without any improvement.

The NBA lamented that there are over 10 justice - sector related bills pending before the Senate and the House of Representatives at various stages of legislative process.

The non passage into law of these Bills “is adversely affecting the machinery of justice in Nigeria”.

The Bills include: The Administration of Justice Commission Bill, the Police Act Amendment Bill, The Com-

A

N eight-man robbery gang yesterday robbed a new generation bank at Ibillo in AkokoEdo Local Government of Edo State after using explosives to blow up the security door at about 4:30pm.

The robbers were said to have stolen an unspecified amount of money. However, no one was killed or injured.

Confirming the incident, Edo North Area Commander Haruna Gabriel said the robbers were masked and came in a rickety Volkswagen Santana Station Wagon.

He said the vehicle was abandoned and recovered by the police.

Haruna noted that the robbery showed that the robbers may be residents in the neighbourhood.

•N90,000 stolen at NUJ •Policeman killed in Ondo From Osagie Otabor, Benin and Damisi Ojo, Akure

He said the robbers were pursued by a police back-up team, adding that the bank workers were helping in the investigation.

The police chief called on the people to assist with information that could lead to the arrest of the robbers.

Also, a four-man robbery gang yesterday snatched a bag containing N90,000, cell phones and cheque books from a newspaper distributor at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) press centre in Benin.

Aghedo Jonathan, of Lucas News Agency, said he just withdrew the money from a

bank at the Ugbowo-Lagos road to pay for the newspapers he collected.

Aghedo said immediately he dropped the bag, two boys alighted from two motorcycles and pointed guns at him.

He said they took the bag and sped off.

Also, seven hoodlums reportedly killed an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Amisu Arogunrerin, in Owo, Ondo State.

Sources said the robbers ambushed a team of policemen from the ‘B’ division on Ekoro Road at Emure-Ile junction.

It was learnt that the bandits opened fire on the security operatives and shot dead, the leader of the team, Aro-

gunrerin.

Arogunrerin, also known as Abioye e, served at the Emure-Ile Police post.

It was gathered that he was on duty when information got to him about a robbery.

He was said to have rushed there to verify the authenticity of the distress call, accompanied by some officers.

Arogunrerin reportedly ran into an ambush laid by the gang and was shot in the neck.

He died on the spot.

Police spokesman Aremu Adeniran confirmed the incident.

The remains of the deceased, who left an aged mother, wife and children, had been buried in his home town, Auga-Akoko.

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

was voluntarily made.

Justice Ntem-Isua had ordered a trial-within-trial to be conducted to determine the admissibility of the statements made by Iyire.

Iyire had claimed that the statements tendered by the SSS officials were dictated to him while he was in their custody.

Eno told the court that he acted on the instruction of the commissioner of police in investigating the matter.

Umanah had earlier denied asking Iyire to threaten Akpabio via text messages.

The counsel to the two accused persons, Prof Andrew Chukwuemerie (SAN), said the alleged voluntary statement tendered by the prosecution was not made voluntarily by Iyire.

Justice Ntem-Isua adjourned hearing till September 28 for continuation of trial-within-trial.

NBA disagrees with AGF over EFCC, ICPC merger Continued from page 2

Hoodlums rob bank with explosives in Edo

munity Service Bill, The Victims of Crime Remedies Bill, The Prisons Act Amendment Bill and The Elimination of Violence in Society Bill and Evidence Bill.

To tackle corruption, the NBA said: “Emphasis must move from media-slanted crime fighting techniques of the present-day police and EFCC where suspects are paraded on television and on the pages of newspapers and after the initial furore, nothing is heard again about the process of concrete prosecution only for the case to be dismissed on account of poor investigation and prosecution to genuine and conscientious prosecution preceded by proper investigation.”

It said that the law must be used as an instrument for positive change, thus the need for a fundamental commitment to a just, reliable, consistent and fair enforcement of the law.

The NBA said a comprehensive review and reform of the criminal justice system should touch Criminal/Penal Code, Criminal Procedure laws, Abolition of the holding charge, introduction of and establishment of guidelines for plea bargaining, as in Lagos State, and establishment of sentencing guidelines and commissions.

•RETREAT ON PROTOCOL, ETIQUETTE AND ADMINISTRATION. From right: First Lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan; wife of the Vice President Hajiya Amina Sambo; wife of Taraba State Governor Hajiya Danbaba Suntai and other governors’ wives at the Obudu Cattle Ranch, Cross River State …yesterday PHOTO:NAN

Five injured in Ijaw, Itsekiri clash

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HERE is tension between Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups in Warri Southwest Local Government of Delta State, following squabbles over land ownership.

This led to the demolition of a building in Ikpokpo Community on Tuesday evening.

Aggrieved Ijaw leaders blamed youths from neighbouring Ugborodo, an Itsekiri community, for the destruction.

Angry Ikpokpo leaders said armed youths invaded and demolished a six-bedroom structure being built by Egbema/Gbaramatu Development Council (EGDC) for teachers in the community.

Chairman of Ikpokpo community Godwin Akori said five of his kinsmen were injured by the armed invaders.

Akori said the incident was the second in recent times, adding that the Itsekiri claimed that they owned the land occupied by Ikpokpo

community.

He said the attack by the Ogborodo youths, suspected to have been sponsored by an Itsekiri youth leader, is capable of sparking ethnic strife and fresh crisis between Ijaw and Itsekiri.

“Ikpokpo has been a community in Gbaramatu Kingdom. We are not Itsekiri people and they know that so we are wondering why some youths are trying to fan embers of discord.”

Akori said the Ijaw people

are peaceful people but would not fold their hands and watch the invaders who lay claim to their father land or try to cause disharmony among their neighbours.

He called on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to wade into the matter to forestall it snowballing into a major crisis between the Ijaws and Itsekiri.

Ikpokpo has a common boundary with an Itsekiri community, Madangho, also in Warri Southwest Local Government.

Edo Assembly clears Louis Odion

F

ORMER Managing Director/Editor in-Chief of National life Louis Odion was yesterday cleared as a commissioner by the Edo State House of Assembly.

Odion appeared before the House Committee on Rules and Business on Monday, for an interview which lasted for about 30 minutes.

Presenting a report of the committee during plenary yesterday, Committee Chairman Philip Shaibu said Odion is qualified to serve as Commissioner for Information and Orientation.

He urged other lawmak-

•State gets BIR chair From Osagie Otabor, Benin

ers to clear him.

Odion was asked to take a bow and leave after a brief introduction.

He will be sworn in today

by Governor Adams Oshiomhole by 12noon.

Oshiomhole has named Oseni Salawe Elamah as the chairman, Edo State Board of Internal Revenue (BIR). Elama was Special Adviser to the governor on Fiscal Gov-

ernance and Project Monitoring before his appointment.

A chartered accountant and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Elamah got a Master’s degree in Governance and Finance from Liverpool John Moore University, UK. He has worked in several top managerial positions in the public and private sectors.

A Knight of St Mulumba, Elamah(52) was the pioneer managing director of MCES and executive director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

•Mr Odion

He also served as pioneer managing director/CEO, TrustFund Pensions PLC. In November 2008, Elamah chaired the Asset Verification Committee to establish the assets and liabilities of the state.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

11

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

NUPENG threatens to shut Shell over oil blocks

Naira weakens as CBN cuts dollar supply

T

HE naira weakened after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cut the supply of dollars for sale by 38 per cent compared with a previous auction.

The naira depreciated by 0.07 per cent to N150.11 per dollar at yesterday’s biweekly auction, according to data published by the banking watchdog on its website.

The apex bank sold $250 million, less than the $361.7 million demanded by lenders. The central bank of sub-Saharan Africa’s second-biggest economy and largest oil producer has been using foreign-currency reserves to keep the naira within a three percentagepointband above or below N150 per dollar as its twice-weekly auctions to help check inflation.

“With the naira already under pressure, news of a shortfall in CBN’s supply affects its pricing immediately,” Usman Onoja, the chief executive of Lagosbased Lovonus Trust and Investment Limited, said by phone yesterday. “The central bank should balance supply with demand.”

Naira appreciated 0.05 per cent to N152.12 in Lagos on the interbank market, the strongest level since July 12, according to data compiled

by Bloomberg.

Foreign-currency reserves stood at $34.2 billion as of July 18, compared with $38.4 billion a year ago, according to CBN data.

The inflation rate slowed to 10.2 per cent in June from 12.4 per cent in May, the National Bureau of Statistics said on July 18.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$119.8/barrel Cocoa - $2,856/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢78.07.pound Gold -$1,161/troy ounce Rubber - ¢146.37/pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N7.82 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion

RATES Inflation -10.2% Treasury Bills -2.64% Normal lending -24% Prime lending -18% Savings rate -3% 91-day NTB -6.99% Time Deposit - 6% MPR -8% Foreign Reserve -$34.4bn FOREX CFA 0.281 • 210 £ 241.00 $ 150.00 ¥ 1.5652 SDR 241.5 RIYAL 39.3

We have commenced a review of all the laws and policies. However, most of our laws are friendly, just that investors are not even aware of these laws and policies. We want to make sure that we do not just review them, but that we also have them in a form that is easily accessible to both local and international investors –Olusegun Aganga, Minister for Trade and Investment

T

HE Nigeria Union of Pe troleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to disrupt the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) over sale of its assets.

He said Shell sold its of oil blocks, flow stations, well heads and other assets onshore in the Niger Delta, to some oil companies without following due process.

National President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, who disclosed this at a briefing in Lagos yesterday, said his union would carry out the action on Monday.

He said the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that has 55 per cent share in the joint arrangement and other secondary groups

By Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

operating in the company were not “carried along and taken into confidence about the future existence of workers and officials’ roles of the union in those companies that bought over SPDC’s assets.”

The beneficiaries include Conoil, Nestoil.

Suspecting foul play in the transaction of the oil blocks sales, the union has appealed to the Minister of Petroleum Resources to take “a cursory look at the transactions for the transfer and sale of the oil blocks.

Achese said when SPDC sold the first set of oil blocks, it apologised for not carrying NUPENG along, but it has done the same thing without considering the fate of the

workers.

“They have sold the first set of oil blocs. This is the second.

When they were asked why they did not carry the union (NUPENG) along in the process that led to the sale, the company said it was an oversight. Now it has sold oil blocks for the second time without carrying the union nor the community along,” he said.

NUPENG is asking for the formation of a stakeholders’ committee involving NUPENG and its counterpart, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN), to review the transfers and sales of oil blocks, as a drive towards transparency in the extractive industry.

Also as part of the way forward, NUPENG is calling on

NNPC, SPDC and others involved in the sales and buy out “to establish a negotiating team involving the two unions to determine the future roles of the workers in production and industrial relations.”

On casualisation of jobs, the union said the use of labour contractors by SPDC was unacceptable. It alleged that there are seven labour contractors providing drivers in the land transport and logistics department alone with over 2000 drivers across the country. He also said over 30,000 service contractors are involved in the employment of workers to provide support services to Shell Operations spread over 4000 communities in 11 states of the federation.

‘Govt loses N1.14b via scheme’

T

HE Area Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Ser vice (NCS), Seme Border Command,Alhaji Sadiq Sahabi, has said Nigeria lost N1.14 billion to the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Sahabi as saying that the amount was arrived at from six months monitoring of ETLS goods passing through the border.

“In the period under review, 1,454 trucks with ETLS compliant-goods, worth N4.12 billion, were cleared under the scheme,” he said.

He said N38.99 million or one per cent was realised as revenue, the total revenue lost by Nigeria through concession stood at N1.14 billion

• Members of Nigeria Labour Congress with the staff of Airtel Nigeria protesting over the non payment of wages and maltreatment at the Airtel Nigeria office, Iganmu, in Lagos... yesterday.

Jonathan signs Financial Reporting Bill into law P

RESIDENT Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has fi nally signed the Financial Reporting Council Bill into law, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, has said.

Aganga disclosed this at a workshop on attracting investments into Nigeria in Abuja.

He said the legislation is meant not only to create the enabling environment for the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standard (IFR), but also to

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

guarantee credible financial reporting regime.

The minister said: “This applies to both the public and private sector entities in Nigeria. It also involves wealth creation and economic transformation.

“It is worthy to note that the present administration is determined to restructure

and reform the economy of Nigeria, create necessary macroeconomic and regulatory environment, as a way of attracting foreign direct investment and encourage ideas that can lead to the realisation of the full potential of our national resources.

“President Goodluck Jonathan has already started taking steps to ensure that these objectives are realised.”

He recalled that the Federal

Executive Council had on July 28, last year unveiled the road map for Nigeria’s adoption of IFRS, with effect from January 1, 2012. This, he said, was aimed at enhancing dedication to reliable financial information and audit quality assurance.

He listed other benefits that will accrue from the application of the provisions of the financial reporting council Act to include increase in foreign direct investment and assurance of easier access to external capital.

Govt’s easing of restrictions cuts bond yields

N

IGERIA’s borrowing costs are set to plunge in its first bond auction since dropping requirements for investors to hold government debt for at least a year.

Africa’s biggest oil producer, according to Reuters, offered N70 billion ($460 million) of bonds yesterday including notes due 2015.

Yields on the four-year debt tumbled 191 basis points, or 1.91 percentage points, to a six-month low of 10.70 per cent since Central Bank OF Nigeria (CBN) Governor Lamido Sanusi announced the lifting of bondholder restrictions on June 23, according to data from the Financial Markets Dealers Association website last Tuesday.

Sanusi is opening Nigeria’s debt markets to attract more capital and prevent a weakening of the West African nation’s currency pushing up inflation and damaging economic growth, he said in March.

The naira has strengthened 2.8 per cent since Sanusi’s announcement to N152.125 per dollar, as of 9:44 a.m. in

Lagos, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“The result has been a substantial rally in government bonds, driven in the first instance by the expectation of greater foreign inflows, and then by actual foreign inflows,” CSL Stockbroker Ltd. analysts, including Alan Cameron in London, wrote in a report before the auction.

NESREA adds 13 new laws From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

T

HE National Environ mental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has added 13 new regulations to its rules.

The regulatory agency has also begun to educate the federal and state environmental personnel on modalities for proper implementation of extant laws to eliminate duplication of efforts between the states and federal environmental authorities.

Presenting the new rules to stakeholders and environmental players at a one-day regulatory dialogue yesterday in Abuja, Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, said the new regulations were necessary to properly define how responsibilities for enforcement should be shared amongst the various levels of government regulatory authorities.

12

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

BUSINESS NEWS Flight Schedule

Tin-Can Customs parades two hackers

MONDAY - FRIDAY LAGOS – ABUJA Departure Arrival 1. Aero 06.50 08.10 2. Associated 07.00 09.30 3. Air Nigeria 07.00 08.20 4. IRS 07.00 08.20 5. Dana 07.02 08.22 6. Arik 07.15 08.15 7. Chanchangi 07.15 8. Air Nigeria 08.15 09.35 9. Dana 08.10 09.20 10. Aero 08.45 10.05 11. Arik 09.15 10.15 12. Chanchangi 10.00 11.00 13. IRS 11.15 12.35 14. Dana 12.06 12.26 15. Aero 12.20 13.30 16. Air Nigeria 13.25 14.45 17. Chanchangi 13.30 14.30 18. Arik 13.45 14.45 19. IRS 14.00 15.20 20. Aero 14.10 15.30 21. Air Nigeria 14.50 16.10 22. Dana 15.30 16.50 23. Chanchangi 15.30 16.30 24. Arik 15.50 16.50 25. Aero 16.00 17.20 26. IRS 16.30 17.50 27. Arik 16.50 17.50 28. Dana 17.10 18.30 29. Chanchangi 17.30 18.30 30. Air Nigeria 17.35 18.55 31. Air Nigeria (T/TH) 18.30 19.50 32. Arik 18.45 19.45 33. Aero 19.20 20.40 1.

2.

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LAGOS – BENIN Arik 07.30 Associated 08.30 Aero 10.50 Arik 11.45 Associated 13.00 Aero 14.25 Arik 15.30 Associated 16.00 Arik Aero Arik Aero

1. Arik 2. Aero 1.

2.

3.

4.

LAGOS – CALABAR 07.30 11.20 12.50 16.00 LAGOS – JOS 10.55 11.15

LAGOS – KADUNA Aero 08.00 Chanchangi 10.00 Arik 10.00 Arik 15.10

08.30 09.10 11.50 12.45 13.40 15.20 16.30 16.40 08.50 12.40 14.10 17.20 12.15 12.45 09.10 11.00 11.10 16.20

LAGOS – PORT HARCOURT (CIVIL) 1. Aero 07.15 08.35 2. Arik 07.15 08.35 3. Arik 09.00 10.20 4. Dana 09.27 10.40 5. Aero 10.50 12.30 6. Arik 11.40 13.00 7. Air Nigeria 12.00 13.10 8. IRS 13.30 15.00 9. Arik 14.00 15.20 10. Dana 15.03 16.20 11. Air Nigeria 16.00 17.10 12. Arik 16.10 17.30 13. Aero 16.15 17.30 14. Arik 17.10 18.30 1.

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LAGOS – OWERRI Aero 07.30 Arik 07.30 Air Nigeria 13.40 Arik 14.00 16.30 Arik

08.40 08.40 14.55 15.10 17.40

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Arik Aero Arik Aero

LAGOS – WARRI 08.15 11.50 11.55 14.55

09.1 12.50 12.55 15.55

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LAGOS – KANO Air Nigeria 07.10 IRS 08.00 Dana 08.10 Arik 12.20 IRS 14.00 IRS 18.15

08.50 09.45 09.40 14.00 15.45 19.55

LAGOS – OWERRI 07.20 14.00 16.30

08.30 15.10 17.40

LAGOS – UYO 10.35

11.35

1. Arik 2. Arik 3. Arik 1. Dana 1. IRS 2. Arik

LAGOS – MAIDUGURI 11.15 13.15 15.50 18.00

LAGOS – ILORIN 1. Overland 07.15 2. Arik (M/T/TH/F) 17.30

08.00 18.00

LAGOS – ABUJA SAT/SUN Arik 7.15; 10.20; 2.20; 5.20pm – 7.30; 9.15; 10.20; 2.20; 4.50; 6.45 Aero 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 – 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 Air Nigeria 08.15; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30 – 08.15; 13.30; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30

By Oluwakemi Dauda

O

• From left: Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Skye Bank Plc, Mr Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti; presenting a gift to Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, during a courtesy visit by the management of the bank to the Governor in Abeokuta ... on Tuesday.

Cash policy: Senate asks CBN for quarterly report

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Senate committee yesterday asked the Central Bank of Ni geria (CBN) to give it a quarterly report on the proposed cash limit withdrawal policy before its implementation in June 2012.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate Committee on Banking and Finance made the demand when the CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, appeared before it to provide an insight into the policy.

The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Nkechi Nwogu, said the demand became imperative to enable the committee to perform its oversight function and ascertain the workability of the policy.

Nwogu said the committee was in-

terested in the cash limit, the charges and the time-frame for the pilot scheme before the full implementation of the policy.

The committee is also interested in the modalities for the deployment of point of sales (POS) terminals, automated teller machines (ATMs) and mobile phone banking across Nigeria.

“We want to monitor the policy. We want to be well- briefed on each development concerning the policy because we want it to benefit all,” she said.

Nwogu said the committee was aware of the essence of the cash withdrawal limit policy, adding that the initiative was a step in the right direction toward attaining Vision 20:2020.

In response, Sanusi allayed the fears of the committee and assured the members that the needed infrastructure would be put in place before the take-off the policy.

The apex bank had proposed June 2012 for commencement of daily cash withdrawal limit of N150,000 and N1 million for individuals and corporate bodies respectively.

The policy however, does not stop depositors from withdrawing cash over the specified limits. What the banking watchdog is saying is that withdrawals above these limits would attract extra costs. It said part of its objective was to enhance the efficiency of the Nigerian payment system, reduce cost of cash management and check money laundering.

Reps begin amendment of AMCON Act

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HE House of Representatives yesterday kicked off the amendment of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Act, which seeks to establish the Resolution Cost Fund for the banking industry.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is expected to contribute N50 billion into the Fund between 2011 and 2020, while all the 24 banks in the country are to pay 0.3 per cent of their yearly earnings into the Fund.

AMCON was set up to buy toxic assets from the banks after a debt crisis in 2008 and 2009 threatened the banking industry with collapse.

The amendment to the AMCON Act being proposed by the House seeks to establish the Resolution Cost Fund and empower CBN to manage the fund.

Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, who

From: Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja

sponsored the Bill, which went through second reading yesterday, explained that the proposed amendment seeks to amend Sections 42(2) and 61 of the AMCON Act 2011, which wants to absorb the toxic assets (non-performing loans) of banks.

The lawmaker said some of the rescued banks had non-performing loans worth over N2 trillion, which led to the intervention of the CBN to bail them out with N620 billion or ($3.96billion).

He said the contribution to the Resolution Cost Fund by the banks will stop a situation whereby public funds are being used as bail-outs for banks in crisis.

Members at the plenary agreed that there was need to ascertain the

amount of money generated by Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) from the levies paid by the banks and insurance companies as the organisation usually does not give account of the several billions of naira generated from the annual charges paid by banks into its coffers.

A member of the House, Hon. Garba said to ensure effective accountability of public funds, the House through the relevant committees, when constituted, should investigate the amount generated

by NDIC before the proposed amendment, is considered.

Some lawmakers also emphasised that there was need to curb excesses of various revenue generating agencies, who spend their Internally Generated revenue (IGR) without approval by the National Assembly.

NNPC casual staff seek assistance over status

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HE casual staff of the Port Harcourt Refinery Company Limited, Eleme, Rivers State have decried their non-permanent status in the organisation.

The workers appealed to the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to convert them to permanent staff of the corporation.

Speaking through their spokesperson, Mr Dickson Timothy, in Port Harcourt yesterday, the workers complained that most of them were qualified to be converted to permanent staff of the corporation having been on casual status for

From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

over three years.

Timothy, who decried the harsh condition of casual workers at the Port Harcourt Refinery, also appealed to the Managing Director of the refinery, Anthony Ogbuigwe, to come to their aid to enable them to have an improved working condition.

He also said: “As casual workers, our salaries are very poor considering the hazards we are exposed to working in the refinery. We are not paid allowances. There is no good health care programme for the ca-

sual staff.

“As staff of the refinery, though on casual status, we are not even entitled to dry ration, which other staff are entitled to. These dry ration include beverages and toiletries. We are begging the managing director to assist us in this direction.”

Despite this complaint, the Secretary of NLC in the state, Comrade Adda Williams, said the umbrella body of junior workers in the oil industry in the state, including National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has not reported any case of casual worker in the Port Harcourt Refinery.

FFICERS of the Nigeria Cus toms Service, Tin-Can Island Command have arrested and paraded two men for allegedly sneaking into the Asycuda workstation of the command to access vital information for the release of containers illegally from the port.

Speaking with reporters on the matter yesterday, the Area Comptroller of the Command, Comptroller Eporwei Edike, said if the two men had succeeded, they would have made away with passwords of all officers and began to release containers illegally to defraud the Federal Government.

He told reporters that some containers were released in the past based on the illegal activities of the men as officers concerned were called, but they denied their culpability. ”This means that some people have hacked into the system using passwords of officers to perpetrate the fraud. Since our officers had denied any complicity in the release of the containers, that means they were not involved,” he said.

One of the hackers is called Sofola.

Parading the hackers at the Port Police office at the Port, the Custom chief said investigation was still going on, adding that after they are found guilty, they would be charged to court.

Speaking on other developments, which had taken place since he assumed leadership of the Command, Edike said a 40-foot container that contained armour vehicles was seized for false declaration, noting that the container was already making its way out of the port when it was stopped at the exit gate.

He made it clear that the importer of the armour vehicles under the law must obtain clearance from the National Security Adviser (NSE) to the President before embarking on such venture, stressing that the importer of the confisticated armour did not get such approval.

‘Why women should support Islamic Banking’ From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

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HE Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nige ria (FOMWAN) has said the proposed Islamic Banking model by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will afford women with weak capital base access to capital and engage in active business when it becomes operational.

The body alleged that this category of women have in the past, been excluded from accessing loans and professional financial advice, saying addressing these problems were sufficient reasons Nigerian women should support the proposed non-Interest banking model.

Its National President, Maryam Othman, who spoke yesterday at a forum on the benefits of Islamic Banking to Nigerian Women, said the task ahead for the government and stakeholders, is massive awareness campaigns to allay fears of those opposed to its introduction.

She explained that the system is centred not only on credit worthiness and ability to repay the loans and its interest, but that these factors are the most important criteria of Islamic financing, while the ability to repay the loan is sub-segmented under profitability.

“This means that women who have hitherto been virtually excluded from accessing loans and professional financial advice due to weak capital base, now have a chance to access on the merit of their idea and its usefulness to the society,” she said

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

INDUSTRY

UN scores Africa low on manufacturing A

UNITED Nations (UN) report on development in Africa says Africa has scored the continent low on manufacturing. Africa, the report said accounts for about one per cent of global manufacturing. It noted that the continent cannot hope to reduce widespread poverty if its governments don’t take effective measures to expand this vital economic sector.

The report called for increased manufacturing on the continent to reduce poverty.

The report says Africa is losing ground in labour-intensive manufacturing, which is generally the entry-level step in industrial development, and is a category, especially important in Africa, where jobs are needed in rapidly growing cities.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, has described the ministry as strategic to economic growth and job creation for Nigerians.

He spoke when the Permanent Secretary, Dr Abubakar Muhammad, handed over to him in Abuja.

The Minister said their mission was to transform and refocuse the new ministry to ensure that it takes its rightful place as the driver of the Nigerian economy, adding that sustenance of the economic growth and job creation require a new way of thinking, some reforms and structural changes as well as finding creative solution to these challenges.

According to him: “The Ministry should be the heart of the economy and in fact it is the case in many developed and developing countries across the world.

There is a lot to do and we don’t have much time which means that it cannot be business as usual. The work has to start now.”

He said he will soon come out with a performance template with which reports on how departments and agencies have executed their own part of the reform agenda would be recorded.

“Mr. President has set the transformational economic agenda for our country and our role is critical to the success of that agenda. We must ensure that we play our own part in delivering sustained economic growth and jobs. This will require new thinking, some re-

•’Continent accounts for 1% global manufacturing’ Stories by Toba Agboola

forms and structural changes, finding creative solution to our challenges, a renewed commitment and a determination to succeed.

“I will, of course, welcome any ideas and suggestions from you.

We already know that Nigeria has great potentials and for too long we have talked about these potentials. Now is the time to turn the potentials into reality. That is the change Mr President has given you and I,” he said.

He charged the management and workers of the ministry to change from the business as usual attitude, stressing that teamwork would be critical in taking the ministry to the next level.

In his address to the heads of departments and the 15 agencies under the ministry, he said: “There is a lot to do and we don’t have much time, which means it cannot be business as usual.

The work has to start now. The ministry, departments and each parastatal will have key performance indices (KPIs) and this will be monitored regularly.

“I have no doubt that together we can make a major difference and deliver on the promise to our fellow Nigerians. Teamwork is however a critical factor to our success.

We need to work together as a team. I ask you to join us as we start the journey, which I assure you will be exciting and productive.”

To kick-start the new direction of the ministry, he announced that international experts would join the ministry at a workshop on investments.

He spoke extensively about the potentials for the economy under the new reform of the sector.

He said: “In any country, this ministry should be the heart of the economy. And in fact, it is the case in many developed and developing countries. In Japan for example, it is called the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment and it is considered the most powerful government agency. In Malaysia, it is called Ministry of International Trade and Investment.

It was called Ministry of Trade and Industry and in 1990, it was renamed again, its vision is to make

480 MSMEs benefit from NERFUND’s N1.5b facility

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HE National Economic Reconstruction (NERFUND) has disbursed about N1.5 billion to 480 Medium Scale real production Enterprises (MsMEs) since its inception in 1989.

According to the Manging Director, NERFUND, Alhaji Baba Maina Gmba, the beneficiaries are scattered across the country.

The disbursement, he said came on the heels of the United States support for Nigeria’s quest to promote enterpreneurship and youth empowerment in the country.

“Through its Citizen Exchange Programme, the US government is supporting the African Diaspora Partnership for Empowerment Development (ADPED) to implement a Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurship Programme in partnership with the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

Citizen Exchanges is an office within Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which designs and develops exchange programmes to address long-term objectives, such as support of democratic institution, the free flow of information, market-

based economic development, and international cultural exchange,” he said.

During the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ADPED NERFUND, and SMEDAN in Abuja , Director-General of SMEDAN, Nadada Umar, said the three agencies would jointly empower women and youths to acquire entrepreneurial knowledge, skills needed by them to successful manage their own businesses.

From the terms of agreement, ADPED with funding from the US would train some Nigerian youths and women to be identified by SMEDAN, while NERFUND would provide the funds to set them up after training from NERFUND Gimba said the agency would soon execute another MoU with another group of six development agencies, NGOs and state investment companies.

He said: “With these agreements, the fund would have succeeded in extending its dragnet to far flung corners of our country with the sole aim of empowering our people through job creation and development of the nation’s gross domestic product.”

Malaysia the preferred investment destination and among the most globally competitive trading nations by 2020.

“In the UK, it was called DTI but was renamed Department of Business Innovation and Skills and its primary focus is economic growth.

Its aims are to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy.

It is also responsible for raising the productivity of the UK economy, deepening private sector investments and development of relevant skills for the economy.

In Cape Verde, it is called the Ministry of Economy, Growth and Competitiveness. Our mission is to transform this new and refocused Ministry of Trade and Investment and to ensure that it takes its rightful place as the driver of the Nigerian economy In his remarks, the Minister of State, Dr. Samuel Ortom stated that Nigeria is endowed with both human and natural resources needed to transform the country into an amiable state. He, therefore, charged everybody in the Ministry to brace

up for the challenge of transformation agenda of Mr President.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Abubakar Muhammad in his handing over address had said the trade and industrial policy of the Ministry was anchored on increase in the productive capacity of the manufacturing sector, increasing non-oil export earnings and decreasing in import of consumable items.

He noted that the Ministry’s mandate was to address the challenges to trade integration and industrialisation with a view to generating employment, reduce poverty, create wealth and attract investment to the country.

•From left: Manager, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), ToughStuff Nigeria Limited, Mr Sunday Idahosa; Regional Sales Manager North, Mallam Usman Kabir and Regional General Manager (West Africa), Mr George Okoro, during the firm’s media launch of a new product in Lagos

Nigeria good for investment, says BBC

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HE British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has described Nigeria as one of the best countries for investment.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, the BBC Worldwide Executive Director, Sean O’Hara described Nigeria as a big country that no serious minded business person can ignore.

O’Hara called on Nigerians to remain positive about the country and its activities, saying Nigeria is a wonderful country.

“Nigeria is a wonderful country, its people are fantastic and welcoming, and we feel there is need to come here to do business.

Presenter, Hardtalk on BBC , Stephen Sackur said: “We want to meet advertising community in Nigeria- banks, oil and gas, manufacturing, telecommunication, etc. to ride on our Africa Business Report, Hardtalk Hard, and other

By Toba Agboola and Amidu Arije

programmes to reach their consumers locally and internationally.

“The impact of the Africa Business Report is very tremendous in Africa.”

Bilkisu Labaran, BBC presenter and broadcaster on African business report said the Nigerian environment is very friendly and fast developing.

“Nigeria is a great phenomenon it has great advantages, we believe in Nigeria,” Labaran said.

She said BBC News now reaches 47 million Nigerians in both Hausa and English language.

“Out of this figure, Hausa service alone on radio reaches about 35 million people in Nigeria, and the latest figure for our English service is 12 million people in the country, as for TV, I need to check the

•From left: O’Hara, Sackur and Labaran, at the briefing

figure. Globally, the news service reaches 300 million people,” Labaran said.

According to her, the Corporation broadcasts in more than 24 languages, globally. She said BBC’s choice of broadcasting in Hausa for the past 17 years was because Hausa is the most widely spoken language in West Africa.

Her words: “BBC looks at language with the widest audience, so, the choice of Hausa has nothing to do with ethnicity, it is not about Nigeria, it’s about how many viewers and listeners we can reach across the region.”

Another presenter on the BBC, who presents the Africa Report and BBC World News, Mr Komla Dumor, said the Africa business report programme is making hedge ways and paving ways for business to grow in Africa.

PHOTO: AMIDU ARIJE

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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INDUSTRY

MAN to build two power plants in industrial estates

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HE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) is to build two of its Independent Power Plants (IPPs) in any of the six industrial clusters in the country.

The six clusters are Ikeja/Ogba, Isolo, Apapa, Ilupeju, Kano and Kaduna.

Chairman, MAN Infrastructure Committee, Mr Reginald Odiah, said progress had been recorded on the power projects.

He said the committee had also taken some steps in terms of the type of plants, total capacity to be generated, the time to start the installation and the tariff to be charged, adding: “the next step is to call the council to take decision on this.”

According to him, the tariff will be lower than that of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria as the government has given a lot of subsidy on the power plants, which will help manufacturers and ben-

Stories by Toba Agboola

eficiaries to pay less.

He added that the tariff would vary from location to location and according to the size of the plant, stressing that “the smaller the plants, the higher the tariff.”

Odiah also disclosed that the major investors from the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden and others) would be meeting with the com-

‘We have already met with three power companies that are willing to work with us because the strategy we have adopting will need the relationship with companies that have experience’

mittee soon on how to finalise plans and sign agreements with them.

He said: “We have already met with three power companies that are willing to work with us because the strategy we have adopting will need the relationship with companies that have experience.

The companies will also help in the area of Power Purchase Agreements with the investors and suppliers. Our business is to provide land where it will be installed.”

He said the committee would also meet with the interested manufacturers to be sure of the capacity they would be able to pay for because MAN needed to protect the beneficiaries and the suppliers.

Odiah noted that the project would take a maximum of two years to be completed.

“For instance, we need to study the plants, know the fuel to be used and work on connection to beneficiaries, among others,” he said.

NACCIMA tasks countries on growth

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HE Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, In dustry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has called on governments of D-8 countries to demonstrate political will by giving priority to infrastructure development.

Dr Hebert Ajayi, the National President of NACCIMA made the call in Abuja at the forum of the Eight-Developing countries Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

“The time is now ripe for member countries to design creative and pragmatic approaches to assist the SMEs to grow, create new jobs and drastically reduce unemployment, reduce poverty as well as create desired wealth.

Therefore, governments of the D8 countries must demonstrate the political will to achieve set goals by giving priority attention to the issues of capacity building.

“Access to capital, information technology, infrastructural development and improved business operating environment for SMEs to thrive,” he said. Ajayi said that the aim of the forum was to sufficiently sensitise the member states to enhance the growth of the SMEs in their countries.

According to him, this will particularly boost the establishment of at least one small and medium-scale industry in each of the 774 local government areas in the country. He said it would also ensure the realisation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Vision 20:2020 Agenda.

Ajayi said the theme of the forum “Multilateral Collaboration for Wealth Creation Through Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)” was appropriate, considering Nigeria’s efforts to recover its economy.

Cocoa processors demand regulatory

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OCOA processors have asked the government for a regulator to boost earnings from the crop.

According to the President of the Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN), Mr Akin Olusuyi: “We are asking the government to set up an agency, an authority to monitor and provide the legal framework for this industry to operate.

“The absence of such a regulator has led to a very high distortion in the pricing of cocoa beans in the country, with international buyers going as far as farm gates

to buy the produce, he said.

“In Ghana, such buyers stay at the port areas to buy, but here, nobody cares because there is no regulatory body.”

He said Nigeria ranks behind the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Indonesia as the world’s largest cocoa producer.

“Cocoa is Nigeria’s secondbiggest foreign-exchange earner after crude oil, according to figures published by the government. Exports of cocoa products from the country rose 47 per cent to $822.8 million in 2010,” he said.

N1.3b waiver for importers

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•From left: Mrs Rachael Funmilayo Ayodele, a widow; Chairman, Igbo-Olomu Community, Comrade Wasiu Olomu; Project Co-ordinator, Hope for life Initiative, Mrs Kendi Aig-Imoru and Sales Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Mr Soji Ajayi, during the Women Empowerment Project by Hope for Life Initiative sponsored by NBC, at Igbo-Olomu, Ikorodu, Lagos.

How to improve life in Niger Delta, by chamber T HE Director-General of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), Mr Olusola Obadimu, has urged the Forum of Chambers of Commerce and private sector representatives in the Southsouth to work together with their state and local governments.

Obadimu said an improvement or otherwise in the standard of living of the average Niger Delta should be the yardstick for measuring the success, or failure of the administration of any state within the region.

In his keynote address at the Forum’s recent seminar on “Strengthening Public-Private Partnership,” hosted by the Calabar Chamber of Commerce in Calabar, Obadimu charged all the Chamber of Commerce within the region espouse best practices in the internal administration of their affairs by being faithful to their respective constitutions, stressing that in offering advocacy to the managers of the public sector, their own houses must be clean.

“This offers you the credible platform to demonstrate to the

public sector how best to govern, because advocacy forms a key activity of any responsible business association,” he said.

Obadimu added that his chamber was the first bilateral chamber to operate from its owned property in Nigeria and challenged other chambers of commerce in the Nigerian business environment to take a cue and always raise the bar.

Also speaking, Governor Liyel Imoke supported this position, adding that with the earnings

‘This offers you the credible platform to demonstrate to the public sector how best to govern, because advocacy forms a key activity of any responsible business association’

coming to the states within the region, it had the highest per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in this side of the continent. However, this, he lamented, had not translated to any meaningful development on the average man in the region. Imoke emphasised on the need to look beyond oil and gas resources within the region, noting that farming was more than subsistence planting and harvesting.

He informed the Forum that governors in the Southsouth region had set up a BRACED Commission. BRACED, he explained, stands for the states in the region: Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta respectively. Each of the states would put in money into the Commission to deal with key infrastructural issues to complement the efforts of Niger Delta Ministry, NDDC, and similar agencies. Imoke, as the current chairman of the Southsouth Governors Forum informed the delegates that the second Southsouth Economic Forum would be hosted

by Delta State later this year.

HE APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos, has offered importers N1.3 billion waivers on accumulated storage charges as part of efforts to decongest the port.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the waiver will also affect importers using Lilypond Container Terminal, a dry port in the Ijora area of Lagos.

The Chief Commercial Officer, APM Terminals, Mr. Koen De Backker, said in a statement that 75 per cent waiver had been granted to containers that had stayed at the ports for more than one year.

“At present, there are over 500 containers that qualify for this waiver,’’ De Backker said.

According to him, the waiver, which will expire on August 15, is

an incentive to importers.

“We, therefore, request importers to approach the APM Terminals or Lilypond Container Terminal’s release desks to apply for the waiver,” he added.

He also urged importers to take advantage of the opportunity to remove their goods and avoid forfeiting unclaimed containers to government.

NAN recalls that APM Terminals had in June 2010 granted a 70 per cent waiver on all longstanding National Integrated Power Project containers.

It said the gesture for the NIPP containers, which had been at the port for about three years, was part of its contributions to the Federal Government’s drive to enhance national electricity generation and distribution.

Emulate Mandela, workers tell Nigerian leaders

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HE National Union of Textiles, Garment and Tailor ing Workers Union of Nigeria(NUTGTWU) has urged the country’s leaders to emulate former South African President, Nelson Mandela, who celebrated his 93rd birthday on Monday, in order to address the problems of the economy.

The Secretary-General of the union, Issa Aremu, said: “He (Mandela) is 93 years old , and the textile workers join all progressive forces of the world to salute Mandela, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate’at 93".

“Mandiba, “remains the only living genuine icon and former Head of State to be so honoured by the global body- the United Nations (UN) with international day to mark his birthday”.

According to him, the UN, in 2009, agreed to commemorate Mandela’s birthday every year

to recognise his historic contribution to resolving conflicts and promoting race relations, human rights and reconciliation, globally, while urging Nigerian political leaders to follow the footstep of the South African icon in order to redress the insecurity plaguing this country.

Aremu said: “Mandela has made his significant contributions to humanity. And we demand that African leaders and Nigerian leaders in particular must learn to lead like Mandela.

Mandela inherited a divided racist country on a tipping point characterised by violence, the most heinous being black-onblack violence.

“Mandela creditably led South Africa out of plausible racial war with globally acknowledged reconciliation process and unprecedented reconstruction into a new rainbow non-racial society”.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The dust by the April general elections in Kano State is yet to settle. losers in the governorship and legislative positions have not given up. They have moved to the legal battlefield. KOLADE ADEYEMI reports the position of things.

Kano: Waiting on election tribunal T

HE April, general elections are adjudged to credible, with the international community tacitly endorsing the outcome but this does not suggest that the conduct of elections was without hitches. While those declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) winners are celebrating and bracing up for the challenges ahead, the losers have been battling for justice at the courts.

Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowers the Tribunal to entertain disputes arising from the conduct of the National Assembly elections in the states.

In Kano State, Nigeria’s hotbed of volatile politics, the National Assembly and Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal have been flooded with petitions.

For instance, four parties are protesting the outcome of the April 26 governorship election in the state, with each party vigorously seeking the nullification of the election that brought Dr Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso into power as governor of the state.

While the candidate of the opposition All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Alhaji Salihu Sagir Takai is challenging the victory of Kwankwaso on grounds of alleged electoral malpractices, multiple voting and other irregularities in six Local Government Areas the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) approached the tribunal to protest their alleged exclusion from the election.

However, in a sudden u-turn, the three political parties withdrew their joint petition in somewhat controversial circumstances, with counsel to the parties accusing the PDP and Kwankwaso of influencing his clients to dump the petition.

Following the formal application for withdrawal of the petition, the Chairman of the Kano State Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Iyabo Kasali, struck out the petition, describing it as ‘abandoned.’ The ANPP on the other hand, is optimistic that its ‘stolen mandate’ would be reclaimed from the PDP. The party’s National Chairman, Chief Ogbonaya Onu, who was in Kano recently, assured party supporters that the party would not relent in its quest for the nullification of the Kwankwaso election. This determination is expressed in the quality of legal luminaries that the ANPP has assembled to handle its brief at the tribunal. By August 2, when

hearing of the petition is expected to resume, about 59 witnesses will testify before the tribunal. The party’s Director of Publicity in the state, Alhaji Admed Aruwa, said that the major hurdle in the its quest for justice is the delay by INEC to produce the biometric data bank, which contains the finger prints of eligible voters.

Legislative elections

It is not only the governorship election that is being challenged at the tribunal; the April 9 National and State Assembly elections in some constituencies are also being vigorously contested before the tribunal. The Secretariat of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Kano, has so far received seven petitions over the outcome of the National Assembly elections and two petitions on the State House of Assembly poll.

According to the Secretary of the Kano State Election Petitions Tribunal, Hajiya Rukaiya Umar Bubaram, out of the eight petitions, one was filed by the ANPP Senatorial Candidate, Alhaji Jibril Barau, who is challenging the re-election of Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo of the PDP for Kano North Senatorial District.

In the petition filed on April 29, 2011, Barau accused INEC of invalidating 49,985 votes that were cast in his favour. At the moment, the tribunal has granted leave to Barau to have access to the ballot papers used in the conduct of the Kano North senatorial election, with hearing expected to resume on July 26.

Six petitions are about Federal House of Representatives. They are challenging the April 9 National Assembly elections in Bichi, Kumbotso, Kano Municipal, Dambata, Wudil/Garko,

Gwale and Doguwa/Tudun Wadah. But that of the Kano Municipal Federal Constituency has already been decided, with a member of the three-man panel of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Tsea-Tsea Kule, ruling that the petitioner, Alhaji Muhktar Ishaq Yakasai, failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

Of the 40 State House Assembly Constituencies in Kano State, two currently have petitions pending before the tribunal.

Alhaji Hamisu Abdul Hamid Ajingi of the PDP is protesting the re-election of the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abdul’aziz Garba Gafasa of the ANPP, who was declared winner of the Ajingi State Assembly Constituency election.

In a petition filed on May 17, 2011 by his counsel, Hamza Haladu, the PDP candidate alleged that the conduct of the election that returned Gafasa was fraught with irregularities. He prayed the tribunal to declare the ballots cast for Gafasa in the election as null and void.

On the other hand, the ANPP candidate, Alhaji Lawal Ahmed Karmeme of the ANPP is questioning the election of the PDP candidate, Alhaji Mahmud Dan’Azumi, on grounds that he was at the time of the election unqualified for the Gabasawa State Assembly seat. Barrister M. L Ibrahim, counsel to Karmame, asked the tribunal to upturn the election of Dan’Azumi, and declare his client, Karmame, winner of the election.

The Tribunal, would be very busy in the weeks ahead. Virtually all the petitioners appeared determined to prosecute their cases to logical conclusions.

This, at once, puts the tribunal

• Kwankwaso

‘Six petitions are about House of Representatives.

They are challenging the April 9 National Assembly elections in Bichi, Kumbotso, Kano Municipal, Dambata, Wudil/Garko, Gwale and Doguwa/Tudun Wadah. But that of the Kano Municipal Federal Constituency has been decided, with a member of the three-man panel of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Tsea-Tsea Kule, ruling that the petitioner, Alhaji Muhktar Ishaq Yakasai, failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt’ on a tightrope, as it relates to its impartiality and sense of fairness. The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Mukhtar Ladipo Abimbola has, however, assured aggrieved candidates in the April 9 National Assembly elections in the state that the tribunal would be fair and firm in the dispensation of justice.

The Chairman, who made the

pledge during the formal inaugural ceremony of the tribunal in Kano on May 5, stated that the tribunal shall deliver judgment on the various petitions filed within 180 days (six months).

“We promise to be fair and firm in the discharge of our noble duty, and we shall sit on a daily basis until all the petitions are expeditiously concluded,” he had said.

Wamakko promises free, fair council polls

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• Wamakko

ATURDAY’S local council polls will be free and fair, Governor Aliyu Wamakko has promised. While charging his commissioners and other appointees to work for the success of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wamakko said he would not interfere in the process.

“You should go all out individually and intensify campaigns for the victory of our party in next Saturday’s council polls,’’ he said.

He said PDP in the state would not compromise its chances for victory, adding that rather, the party and candidates must take every opportunity seriously in order to consolidate on its past electoral achievements.

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

The governor also noted that the party’s victory at the council polls would give the governor the opportunity to consolidate support and face the opposition at next year’s governorship poll in the state.

He spoke before an overwhelming crowd of PDP supporters in Silame town last Friday while inaugurating the PDP Southern Senatorial District campaigns for the council polls.

The zone comprises seven local government councils, namely: Wamakko, Sokoto North, Sokoto South, Binji, Tangaza, Kware, Silame and Gudu.

According to him, politics affords individuals active participation, particularly those vying for positions, adding: “You don’t fold your arms for someone to do it for you.

Even if it means embarking on house-to-house campaign, you have to do it for the electorate to see and know who they will vote for.”

None of his cabinet members was left out of the campaigns inauguration, which was also taken to three senatorial districts of the state.

The PDP, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) are angling success in the July 23 polls which many see as forereunner to next year’s governorship election.

18

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

POLITICS

‘el-Rufai is not a member of SNG’ The Save Nigeria Group (SNG) sprang up at a time Nigeria was drifting towards anarchy as a result of the illness of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The National Co-ordinator of the group, Mr Benedict Ezeagu, in this interview with SANNI ONOGU, says the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai who has been positioning himself as the group’s brain box, was never a member of the SNG. Excerpts:

H

OW would you react to reports that Mallam Nasir el-Rufai is the initiator and financier of the Save Nigeria Group?

I think it will be very funny for a person of el-Rufai’s exposure or status to try to feed the public with diet of unpalatable lies as to his being the originator or financier of SNG. As a matter of fact and for record purposes, elRufai was not and has never been a member of SNG. We also know that el-Rufai was not even in Nigeria when we came together to form the Save Nigeria Group; so, he couldn’t have been a founder as far as the SNG project is concerned.

So, how was the SNG formed?

Actually, what happened was that at the middle of the crisis generated by President Yar’Adua’s illness, we decided to brainstorm on how to help Nigeria out of the woods because, actually, Nigeria was being pushed to the precipice.

When I mean ‘we,’ I am referring to the seasoned human rights and pro-democracy activists in Nigeria - the likes of Femi Falana, Sam Amadi, Wilson Ajua, Yinka Odumakin and so many other persons, including Uba Sani, Uche Onyeagucha etc. We decided to really take the bull by the horns on that particular problem. First, we had what we called the G-57, later it was reduced to G-53 because some other persons, like Senator Ken Nnamani and Festus Okoye, decided to withdraw from that project after we had announced its emergence. From then on, we saw that the crisis was simmering and then I felt that there should be another strategic action to getting at the root of the crisis and having it solved without having Nigeria disintegrated. So, I convened what is today known as Lawyers of Conscience. I convened a meeting of about 100 lawyers in Nigeria from various parts of the country.

• Ezeagu

What followed the formation of the lawyers’ body?

After our general meeting, we resolved that the best thing was to give ultimatum to the cabal holding the country hostage. We gave ultimatum to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and his cabinet to do the needful, which was to hand over to President Jonathan as is required by the constitution. We held a meeting on December 31 and gave an

‘As a matter of fact and for record purposes, el-Rufai was not and has never been a member of SNG. We also know that el-Rufai was not even in Nigeria when we came together to form the Save Nigeria Group; so, he couldn’t have been a founder as far as SNG project is concerned’

ultimatum of January 31 and it was carried by the media outfits all over the country and even outside the country, like the UK Telegraph and so on. And that was a very serious signal to the cabal and whoever was actually fanning that ember of crisis that Nigerians were determined now to take action. It was as a result of that that, for instance, Mr. Falana called and said ‘Ben, thank you; that is a very wonderful development. We must follow it up with action.’ I then said ‘sir, what we should do now is to convene a meeting of the activists because we fought to bring the country to this level and we can’t afford to allow the country to be messed up because of the selfish interest of very few politicians and anti-democratic forces.’

How did Falana and others respond?

He said he would reach out to some other persons while I should reach out to other comrades for us to think of a time and a place to hold a meeting. A day later, he called me that he had been able to reach out to some persons, including Yinka Odumakin. I had also reached out to so many of our comrades.

Then, he told me that they had agreed that we were going to hold a meeting on January 6 in Lagos. At that meeting, we said that the ultimatum we gave was a wonderful idea, but it ought to be followed up with an action. That we must not even wait for January 31 before taking action, even if it is not for any other thing for us to send warnings across to those persons over there who were trying to bring the country down that we meant our words. And that was how we came out with a rally on January 12. We came back to Abuja, held a meeting at Transcorp, did a lot of networking and we held that rally and it was a watershed in the life of the country.

•From left: Osun State Head of Service, Elder Segun Akinwusi; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola; Deputy-Governor, Otunba Grace Laoye-Tomori; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; and the team leader, Osun Tourism Development Revival, Mr Abimbola Daniyan; after the flag-off and media presentation of the O’Tour Project at the executive chamber, Office of the Governor, Abere, Osogbo.

Former Power and Steel Minister Dr Olu Agunloye spoke with Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on the security situation in the country and what the government can do to restore order.

Agunloye: State police is no answer to insecurity

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HAT is your assessment of the security situation in the country?

I will talk about security from two angles. The first is at the surface level; at the surface level, the security system is bad.

Insecurity is very high. Once a while, things happen, which bring this to the fore. People see it and it sends negative signals. When the Inspector General’s Office is being burnt, when armed robbers seize the road and kill people in banks, there is panic. But these are just spice of activities already endemic in the system. The situation is very bad. If you want to go to the second stage, it is not only security that is lacking. Even, food security is virtually non-existent. When you have food in security, it leads to social insecurity, economic insecurity, and all of these would lead to violence. Again, these are just the symptoms. The root cause is that there is no justice in the system. The system is not just. The system is not fair. The system does not understand that the young ones need to be educated and employed after they are educated, and need to be supported so that they can become responsible citizens.

Do you think that the federal government is doing enough to arrest the trend and rekindle hope in Nigerians that they can still live in a safe environment?

The federal government may be saturated. The federal government may believe that it is doing enough. It does not depend on the capacity they have, but if enough here is defined in the context of abating insecurity, addressing security issues, they are not doing enough. The issues are still there. If people could go so close to the Inspector General to bomb him and on daily basis, violent crimes are going on, it is bad. The government is doing something about it, but that is not sufficient.

Is it not worrisome that at a time the Niger Delta militants are on leave, Boko Haram is rising?

Again, there cannot be solutions that are microscopic. You need global solution. You need broad-based solution. You need solutions that would address the entire thing. You need to address the entire reason the nation should be together. Otherwise, when you repress some people elsewhere, it resurfaces elsewhere. Of course, serious minded people do not believe that the Niger Delta issues have abated. So, we are not addressing theses issues correctly. That is why one is opening here and another ugly one is coming on the other side.

What is the implication of the security situation for the image of the country abroad?

It is more for the economic development and investment opportunities that even the image. The environment is not conducive to economic progress. That is a major problem for Nigeria. In 2007, Yar’adua said Nigeria should be one of the 20 largest economies in 2020. That time, Nigeria was number 41, which meant they needed to overtake only 21 countries. The truth of the matter is that, three years later, Nigeria has become number 44. So, it is going backward, making it more difficult.

Then, you look at the indices of a failed state, Nigeria has shifted from number 41 to number 14, which means we are within the bracket of the top 20 failed nations in the world. This cannot attract investment. Without security, there can be no peace.

Governors are saying that, if there is state police, they would be able to surmount the challenge of security in their states. Do you share their view?

Again, Nigeria is fond of taking an issue in isolation. On the surface of it, yes. But we also know that the state governments would just use the state police to harass opponents or perceived opponents. They may take actions that may lead to civil war. There are pros and cons. We need to sit together. When you look at these things objectively, we need to convene a Sovereign National Conference to argue. If we have national police, how would it be? What would be the limit? As long as we continue to shy away from that and the federal government exists for the sharing of the bounties of oil and state governments are struggling to spend people’s money, there will be insecurity and insecurity will lead to loss of lives and violence and more insecurity.

Apart from insecurity, what are the challenges which you think President Goodluck Jonathan should quickly confront?

There is unemployment among young people. The federal government should sit with state governments should come up with a programme that will provide mass employment for younger people. One of the biggest time bomb that will explode in Nigeria is that a lot of young people are not employed. An average of 250,000 youths are coming to do youth service corps every year.

Many people are not doing well in their examinations. They prefer to stay longer in the school. Then, they should tackle other issues like education, industrialisation, agriculture. Some people have argued and I support them that the entire NYSC should be directed to agriculture.

Lawyers, engineers, teachers would be on the farm. The teachers among them would teach the children of farmers. Asking them to go to all kinds of places is wrong.

Some organisations only recruit female corps members and use them to hawk or market their products in a way I don’t want to say in the public. All that should stop. Unemployment should stop. Infrastructure is important.

• Dr Agunloye

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION Comments

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Signing away the right to govern

Tell freedom •State assembly speakers’ search for financial autonomy is good for democracy

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PEAKERS of state houses of assembly have indicated their desire to meet soon, with a view to taking a position on the need for financial autonomy for the legislative arm of government in the states.

Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Razaq Atunwa, who disclosed this said inasmuch as the legislature was ready to cooperate with the executive organ of the government for good governance in the states, there was the need for financial autonomy for the Houses of Assembly, like the National Assembly, to enable them perform their functions effectively.

But for the benefit of hindsight, we would have welcomed the decision and regarded the proposed meeting as a mere formality, since it is in the interest of the legislators. We have however learnt from experience on this matter that nothing should ever be

‘The problem was that the governors took advantage of the fact that the legislators necessarily depended on them for funds. Their stranglehold on the state legislators would be reduced once they are no longer the ones ‘paying the piper’. This is why the state assemblies must seize the opportunity of the readiness of the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to support their bid for financial autonomy to strike while the iron is hot’

taken for granted.

This is not the first time that an attempt would be made to put funding of the state assemblies on the first line charge; unfortunately, it was the lawmakers themselves who either connived with their governors or succumbed to the latter’s coercion through their principal officers, and in the end failed to muster the required two-thirds majority needed for the proposal to scale through in at least 24 states of the federation. That was how they scuttled that idea in the immediate past legislative year.

Although some of the governors who killed that dream have left office, there is nothing to suggest that the incumbents would be different.

The fact of the matter is that few people want oversight over their activities; given human nature, this is understandable. But that is not good for society. It is not good for democracy either. As a matter of fact, democracy thrives in a situation of checks and balances and this is one of the things that differentiate it from other types of government.

Since we have opted for democratic system of government, it is incumbent on us to embrace the principle of separation of powers. This entails the sharing of power among the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, each with distinct functions to perform. In the real sense of the word, none must exist alongside the other in a master-servant relationship.

But that was largely what we have been having since 1999. Many gover-

nors simply assumed the status of emperors in their states. Indeed, to say that they lord it over their lawmakers is to put it mildly. The immediate past government of Ogun State under Otunba Gbenga Daniel presented a classic example of how governors could deploy the awesome powers of state to castrate the legislative arm.

The governor, with the connivance of some dissident members of the house of assembly, ensured the assembly did not function for months.

As a matter of fact, it was only after his tenure that the assembly became functional again.

This was not what the letter or the spirit of the constitution envisaged.

The problem was that the governors took advantage of the fact that the legislators necessarily depended on them for funds. Their stranglehold on the state legislators would be reduced once they are no longer the ones ‘paying the piper’. This is why the state assemblies must seize the opportunity of the readiness of the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to support their bid for financial autonomy to strike while the iron is hot.

The people are the ultimate losers when the legislative arm is in bondage. It cannot be otherwise when legislators can neither make laws for good governance nor carry out oversight functions without depending on handouts from the governors who, in some cases, wish the legislature never existed in the first place.

Slaying the ghosts • 43,000 concocted members of a workforce of 112,000 is unimaginable

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IGERIA’S central government must be having a very deep pocket; so deep that it did not even know that it was carrying about 43,000 ‘ghost workers’ in only seven of 36 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in just one year. Former Minister of Finance, Mr Olusegun Aganga disclosed, shortly after receiving the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) award for exemplary public office life that the 43,000 have now been weeded out, following the implementation of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The IPPIS system, which is biometric, captures the data of every employee of government and their salaries paid directly into their bank accounts. The 36 MDAs had 112,000 employees on their payrolls before the implementation of the IPPIS. Unless there is a mix-up somewhere, then the Federal Government must be having more of ‘ghost workers’ than actual ones, and these are partly responsible for the increase in personnel cost from N850 billion to N1.3 trillion between 2009 and 2010.

An interesting point in this matter is that there is hardly a time that the Federal Government or any of the governments at the other levels does not announce the existence of ‘ghost workers’ that had been removed after one form of exercise or the other. The Bola Ahmed Tinubu government uncovered a ‘ghost’ secondary school, complete with members of staff, all of whom were drawing

salaries, apart from the school getting whatever subventions were due to other schools in the state, shortly after its inception in 1999. So, it is not just a problem of ‘ghost workers’, but also that of ‘ghost’ institutions.

In spite of all these disclosures about ‘ghost workers’, we have not been able to eliminate them from the payrolls. As a matter of fact, the more they are weeded out of the system, the more they multiply, like rats. It seems for every genuine worker, there is a ‘ghost’ variant.

The impression Nigerians get after the announcement of the existence of this category of ‘workers’ is that the government is doing something about it. For instance, we know that before now, there had been many staff audits to determine the actual number of staff on the Federal Government’s payroll and that almost at every stage ‘ghost workers’ had been detected. This is one reason why we are skeptical about how far the IPPIS can go in addressing the issue.

Indeed, the matter goes beyond disclosing the number of ‘ghost workers’ or announcing that they had been gotten rid of. We need to unmask the people behind the ‘ghost worker’ phenomenon.

Perhaps the term ‘ghost workers’ is even unhelpful; ghosts cannot collect salaries.

The money, definitely, is going into some private pockets. That the matter keeps recurring suggests a strong collaboration in the administration, accounts and even audit departments in the affected MDAs. Indeed, it must be a huge racket and an industry itself in the civil service to have

defied solution for this long; that is if ever there was a genuine attempt to eradicate it.

What is required is for the government to wield the big stick and make scapegoats of some of the people involved, particularly at the top echelon of the civil service. Until then, we will keep losing billions of money that could have been spent for the collective good into private pockets in the name of ‘ghost workers’.

Not until then too that we would stop losing our pensioners dying on the queues during innumerable verification exercises. The government should extend the IPPIS to other MDAs and then do the needful to rein in the perpetrators of this crime.

‘Indeed, the matter goes beyond disclosing the number of ‘ghost workers’ or announcing that they had been gotten rid of. We need to unmask the people behind the ‘ghost worker’ phenomenon.

Perhaps the term ‘ghost workers’ is even unhelpful; ghosts cannot collect salaries. The money, definitely, is going into some private pockets ... The government should extend the IPPIS to other MDAs and then do the needful to rein in the perpetrators of this crime.

I

T used to be that a sworn oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution was the only promise required to become president.

But that no longer seems to be enough for a growing number of Republican interest groups, who are demanding that presidential candidates sign pledges shackling them to the corners of conservative ideology. Many candidates are going along, and each pledge they sign undermines the basic principle of democratic government built on compromise and negotiation.

Both parties have long had litmus tests on issues — abortion, taxation, the environment, the social safety net. The hope was that the candidates would keep their promises, and, when they didn’t, voters who cared deeply about those issues could always pick someone else next time.

Human beings, after all, do not come with warranties.

But iron-clad promises were just what the most rigid Republican ideologues wanted. They had seen too many presidents — specifically Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush — bend when confronted by a complex national reality. Both those presidents agreed to new taxes and some Republicans said they did not fight hard enough to outlaw abortion or cut spending to the point where government was unrecognizable. In other words, they compromised a bit, to keep divided government from destroying itself. Washington, the ideologues decided, corrupted true conservatives into moderates.

More was needed to keep them in line, which gave birth to the signed pledge — no more enforceable than a spoken promise, but a politician’s actual signature was seen as more binding. The oldest and most pernicious of these modern oaths was dreamed up by Grover Norquist, the leader of Americans for Tax Reform, who has managed to get 95 percent of all Republicans in Congress to pledge never to raise taxes for any reason. If they end tax deductions, Mr. Norquist’s pledge-takers say they will match the increase in revenue with further tax cuts.

That pledge is the single biggest reason the federal government is now on the edge of default. Its signers will not allow revenues in a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

Its success has now spawned dangerous offspring. There is the Susan B. Anthony pledge, in which candidates promise to appoint antiabortion cabinet officers and cut off federal financing to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. It has been signed by Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum. There is the cut, cap and balance pledge to gut the federal government by cutting and capping spending, and enacting a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. It has been signed by all of the above candidates, plus Mitt Romney and Herman Cain.

And there is the particularly bizarre Marriage Vow, in which candidates agree to oppose samesex marriage, reject Shariah law and pledge personal fidelity to their spouse. Until it was changed after a public outcry, it also contained a line saying that a black child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by a twoparent family than a similar child raised in the Obama era. It was signed by Mr. Santorum and Mrs. Bachmann.

Only one candidate, Jon Huntsman Jr., has refused to sign any pledge, saying he owes allegiance to his flag and his wife. It is refreshing in a field of candidates who have forgotten the true source of political power in America.

– New York Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

20

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: When the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in Oyo state complained that the former government in the state, led by Otunba (Dr) Adebayo Alao-Akala, had planted landmines on its path, some people thought it was a mere wolf-cry.

Alao-Akala had signed an agreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage few days to the expiration of his government. The incoming government of Ajimobi had seen through the veil and wrote Alao-Akala of the hypocrisy behind it. How could a government that was renowned with inactivity and inertia, that was known for profligacy, squandering people’s heritage with reckless abandon, now project itself as a lover of the same people, at its twilight?

Medical workers were on strike for more than seven months in Oyo state under Alao-Akala and this same administration did nothing about it. The same government paid itself billions of naira at the last minute as severance packages, so how come he did not pay labour the N18,000 if indeed he loved the masses of the workers?

It is also becoming apparent that the former governor is the marionette that pulls the strings of the current unrest in the state. T

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Oyo NLC’s booby traps The signs of a marionette somewhere are too palpable to be ignored. Less than a week after the current administration took over, this set of people showed their intransigence. They threatened to go on strike. The governor had to explain to them that he was just coming in and they should allow him to study the situation he met on the ground. After studying the situation, the governor, in the spirit of openness that he has always canvassed, opened the books to the labour leaders which revealed that total earnings, both from the federation account, VAT and IGR was N4. 2 billion. The amount that would be paid consequent upon the payment of the wage increase would be N4.4 billion, meaning that on a monthly basis, the state would have to borrow about N200 million to pay the new wage.

After several harangues, the government and labour agreed that the

government should utilize N600 million out of the N3.6 billion that the Alao-Akala government left in the coffers from the sales of government quarters. It was from this that the N18,000 minimum wage for the month of May was paid by the government, with a proviso, that the new minimum wage would only be continued upon the increment in the IGR of the state or the monthly allocation from the federation account.

The state government, paid the old salary for June, as agreed in the absence of a meeting of the joint negotiation council. And when the labour leaders confronted it, government said it paid this salary hoping that whatever agreement is subsequently reached with it would be paid in arrears. The truth is there was never a time government said it would pay the workers the old wage. It only paid that in the absence of a meeting with labour lead-

ers and had the intention of paying whatever is the extra on the increment.

The last straw which indicated that the labour leaders in Oyo are marionettes was the manner they went on strike on Tuesday. The leadership of the House of Assembly and the state negotiating team had met the leaders, promising that government was ready to pay the new wage particularly since ACN-led state governments had shown readiness to pay the money. On Monday evening, after throwing banters with House of Assembly leadership, the NLC in Oyo declared a strike action!

Why didn’t Oyo NLC wait for the general strike of Wednesday? What difference would 24 hours make that the state labour leadership could not wait for?

• Semiu Anifalaje, Omi Adio, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Time to address the national question

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IR: More than 12 years into the democratic process, Nigeria is still battling the contrived disequilibrium of the accumulated mess and myopic and foolish calculations of our rulers, not leaders, hence the continuous slide into political abyss and social stupor.

The clairvoyant prognosis of our altruistic patriotic leaders have been turned down and despised with supercilious haughty attitudes of those who had been holding fort the reins of power in Nigeria and this has resulted in unmitigated and unprecedented disaster on this potentially great nation. It is in view of these man-made social disasters and crises that the burning National Question issue can no longer be swept under the carpet.

Characterization of this fundamental issue should not delay or detain this nation before this dysfunctional, chaotic, anarchical, floundering and doomed Lugardian project is devoured by its obvious contradictions and the centrifugal forces that exact so strongly on the thin and weak fabric that connects its fragile and phantom unity to-

gether. It could be called any name; sovereign national conference, national dialogue, restructuring or constitutional conference. The fact is that Nigeria needs and badly too, dialogue today. It is only the tiny clique of beneficiaries of this fraud called Nigeria that are blind to the realities of today Nigeria. The inevitability of this is more glaring and noticeable than any other period.

The potentially disintegrative issue of zoning, the Boko Haram revolt and carnage, the subsided militancy in the Niger Delta and the intolerance of regional views and regional consciousness are capable of sounding the death knell of Nigeria. Today, Nigeria is socially fractured, immobilized and hellish. It is more socially afflicted and hotter than the darkest days of Abacha.

Nigeria is inexorably moving towards an avoidable precipice. The spate of ethno-religious crises is alarming, appalling, discomforting and shocking which portend a bleak, cataclysmal and catastrophic future.

The incident of these social crises

is a clear manifestation of one thing and that is ‘DISSATISFACTION’.

Nigerians are strongly dissatisfied with the current socio-political formation and system that has no known definable characterisation, neither federal nor unitary, neither understandable democracy nor full autocracy, a la Obasanjo, what is Nigerian system?

Nothing works in Nigeria. Nigeria is still “a mere geographical expression”, “a mistake of 1914”, “a political fraud”, and “Nigeria’s unity was an intention of the British”. All these eternal and truthful quotations were the statements of the founding fathers of Nigeria. So who is deceiving who except the few beneficiaries of this laughable contraption? The question that agitates the minds of millions of the citizens is that how long shall we live under a great deceit and illusion of a utopian and unrealistic notion of one indivisible and indissoluble Nigeria. It is living in conscious self-denial and a height of hypocrisy and chicanery. Linguistically, religiously, socially, mentally, culturally and economically

the differences that exist between the national groups greatly outweighed the similarities that could quicken the pace of national integration and unity. Similarities and uniformities cannot be decreed by fiat or executive pronouncements and imperious political bravado.

The rigidity of the views and opinions of the pretenders or proponents and tiny supporters of one Nigeria is not in any way helping matters at all. Our forebears and ancestors were neither consulted nor the present generations when this Lugardian fraud was forcibly foisted on us. Peoples who were traditionally hostile and antagonistic neighbours were merged together while peoples who were homogenous historically and culturally were separated from their kith and kin. It is like we are deliberately postponing the evil days. This is dangerous. The discerning minds can see the handwriting on the wall.

Nigeria needs restructuring urgently.

• Akinrolabu T.Omonitan.

Ikeji-lle, Ondo State

No to merger of EFCC and ICPC

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IR: Considering the pervasiveness of corruption in the Nigerian society at large, patriotic Nigerian citizens and stakeholders involved in the fight against corruption in the country, both at home and in diaspora, are bound to disagree with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) over his call for the merger of EFCC and ICPC as panacea needed for effective fight against the corruption cankerworm.

If the level of corruption in the three tiers of governance in Nigeria and in the country as whole is anything to go by, establishment of more anti-corruption bodies aside the EFCC and ICPC will not be considered to be out of place.

With the signing of the long-delayed Freedom of Information of Bill into law by President Goodluck Jonathan, it is expected that the workload of the existing anti-corruption bodies i.e. EFCC and ICPC are bound to be on the increase, hence the need for further strengthening of the two outfits as autonomous bodies.

The menace of corruption has dwarfed the achievement recorded by the two bodies since 1999 when Nigerian returned to full-blown democracy.

The President’s declaration of his preparedness to do away with the ‘business-as-usual’ syndrome in a bid to check corruption in the society will no doubt receive the support of patriotic Nigerians both at home and abroad. The appointment of a full fledged minister to take charge of Trade and Investment Ministry is laudable. Nigerians are no doubt looking forward to policy shift in foreign investment by paying more attention to countries with zero tolerance corruption such as the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway, and Finland. It is high time Nigeria relied less on foreign investors from countries that tolerate corruption in one form or the other.

President Jonathan should pay more attention to foreign investors from countries where zero tolerance for corruption is firmly entrenched in governance and in business in all ramifications.

• Odunayo Joseph Mopa Kogi State

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

21

EDITORIAL/OPINION

Relevance of Humanities to national development - 1

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T can easily be said that Nigeria’s impact on the world of knowledge has not been in the realm of science but rather in the area of the humanities. This is because of the handicap many of our scientists face particularly in the area of infrastructure which is a sine qua non for scientific breakthrough.

Unlike in the sciences, the problems facing intellectuals in the humanities are not overwhelming. What scholars in the humanities require are good libraries, intellect and creativity.

One can acquire good libraries but most of the time creativity is inborn or innate, although creativity can be acquired through learning. Creativity could be in form of the written word, painting, sculpture and other manifestations of artistic ingenuity.

The contribution to world civilization of Nigeria through the humanities goes back at least 2000 years to the period of the NOK Culture. One can also conjecture that even in future, contributions to the body of knowledge by Nigerians are likely to continue to be made by people in the humanities. To prove this assertion, one needs to point out that since the inception in 1978 of the National Merit Award in Nigeria, few scientists like Professors Adeoye Lambo, Chukuedu Nwokolo, Kayode Osuntokun, O. O. Akinkugbe, V. O. S. Olunloyo, O. Oluwole, Embenezer Meshida and other have been found worthy of the honour whilst the remaining recipients have been literary men, linguistics, jurists, historians, a porter and a traditional historian. It is also significant that these few scientists who have received the National Merit Award have been bio-medical scientists rather than people in the chemical or physical sciences and mathematics. The import of this that it is far more difficult for Nigerians to distinguish themselves in the sciences (especially those sciences directly related to the development process) than in the humanities. Without suggesting the abandonment of the sciences, one would, as a real-

Civilization properly defined is the amelioration of conditions through the arts or the sciences in order to make life worth living, and distinct from the crudity characterising the lives of barbarians. If this definition is true, then perhaps the contribution of Nigerian liberal artists to world civilization would be predominant in the arts, music and literature.

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HE White House was more than a restaurant and bar to us. It was a meeting point; it was where we gathered to gist, play and work in good and bad times.. It was a well known place to all in the Daily Times then. Our bosses knew that we could be found there any time we escaped from the newsroom in the heat of production. The White House was patronised by all. For us the reporters it was our second home. It was a place where we did the thinkable and unthinkable.

It was fun to be at the White House, which was so named because of the colour of the building. While our ogas sneaked in for one or two bottles of beer during production we sat there virtually the whole day enjoying ourselves. But in most cases we would have submitted our stories before retiring to the place. The White House as a joint was a leveller of sorts. It was a place to find every category of staff and nobody wore his rank on his sleeve. But the juniors never for any reason disrespected their superiors. Respect for authority was an unwritten rule.

Members of our group who loved having a ‘’briefing’’, which was euphemism for buying drinks for the boys after any of us returned from a juicy assignment, took our beer as serious as our job. Our work never suffered on account of these ‘’briefings’’ and our bosses many of whom are still alive can attest to this fact.

Anyway some members of the group were teetotallers. Members of the group were in every section of the Daily Times, but they could be found mostly in the editorial, the hub of the now extinct newspaper conglomerate.

ist, like to suggest greater infusion of funds into the humanities where results are likely to justify investment and place Nigeria on the intellectual map of the world.

Until the 1950’s it was fashionable to say that Africa had no history worthy of academic study and that African history was no more than the activities of a few white administrators, missionaries, and adventurers in Africa. But thanks to the writings of African and Africanist historians, the world now knows better and the world is the richer for its awareness of the immense contributions to world civilization of Africans.

Historians of course know that Africa is not only the home of man, the continent where man became man, it is also the place of Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Kush, Axum, NOK, KanemBorno, Ghana, Mali, Songhai and the relatively recent ones of Ife, Igbo-Ukwu and Benin.

Though we cannot really talk about Nigeria until 1914, people of the present day Nigeria were inheritors of the collective contributions of ancient Africans to the store of knowledge. The recent acceptance of the ancient civilizations of NOK, Igbo-Ukwu, Ife and Benin as among the landmarks in world artistic civilization has led scholars to identify the positive effect of African civilization on what was previously supposed to be the creation of Western genius. Their extra-ordinary vigour and their aesthetic impact and their brilliant use of geometric forms have not only come to be appreciated for their uniqueness, but have come to be appreciated for their influence on Western European art in the 20th century. Indeed, the response of Picasso, Braque, Modigliani and other great modern masters to African sculpture and to its way of representing form, has played a major part in making African, particularly Nigerian art, familiar to the whole world. It is also significant to note that apart from the Greeks, only ancient Nigerians particularly at Ife and Igbo-Ukwu, produced their exquisite works of art using the cire perdue process.

It is not only the material remains of African civilization that constitute a positive contribution: Nigerians can take pride in the humanising ethos of the world view or Weltanschuugen of their various and different peoples, as providing models of how to cope with an increasingly materialistic and exploitative world. The African way of life places emphasis on the spiritual rather than the material aspect of life. This is why Africans see the world as an unending chain of happenings: birth, adolescence, maturity and death all being connected by the belief in re-incarnation. This was a system of thought which made it obligatory for one to treat ones off-spring with care and consideration, because today’s child may in fact be the father tomorrow.

The place of the old was also guaranteed in the African philosophy of life. Unlike in the West, where old age was seen as

an affliction and where old people were the butt of societal jokes, Africans gave prominence to their old who were considered as repositories of societal mores, traditions, history and wisdom. In most African societies gerontocracy was the rule rather than the exJide ception. The concept of old people’s homes Osuntokun is anathema to the African way of life and it is the prayer of all Africans to have themselves cared for by their children when old age and adversity descend on them.

Civilization of course does not exist in water-tight compartments and it may in fact be difficult to separate African unique contributions to world civilization, but one would be doing a disservice to Africans, in a world dominated by prejudice, not to attempt however unscientific the effort may appear, to itemise the African contribution to civilising the world. The concept of the community (Jamaa or Ujamaa) in which everybody is his brother’s keeper is peculiar to AfroAsian cultures. This community gives support to all its members and in a world increasingly dominated by extreme individualism and materialism, the extended family organisation provides a cushion against the deleterious effect of Western civilization.

Civilization properly defined is the amelioration of conditions through the arts or the sciences in order to make life worth living, and distinct from the crudity characterising the lives of barbarians. If this definition is true, then perhaps the contribution of Nigerian liberal artists to world civilization would be predominant in the arts, music and literature. Before William Shakespeare, the Yoruba of Nigeria, we are told by the Late Professor Adeyinka Adedeji, had perfected the art of play-acting to such an extent that they took their plays round Yoruba country, staging them in open theatres before patricians and plebeians. The technical and artistic competence of the Alarinjo Theatre compares favourably with any of its type in the world. The development of leisure is a yardstick for measuring how advanced people’s cultures and civilizations are and the fact that theatre is as old in Africa as in any other part of the civilized world is significant.

Femi Olatunde (1962 - 2011) We had people from the newsroom; Sunday Times; Business Times; Evening Times; Times International; Headlines and the Feature Desk.

We were young men in our late 20s and early 30s. In the group were: Basil Obi; Emeka Nwosu; Tunde Rahman; Rotimi Ogunleye; Tunde Olusunle; Segun Ayobolu; Rotimi Adebayo(the chair); Femi Olatunde; Gbenga Alaketu; Hakeem Bello and many others. These young men as reporters and feature writers distinguished themselves in their jobs that their bosses could overlook some of their excesses at times.

These men have moved on in life. But whenever they look back today, they can never forget the times they shared together at the Times and the White House. We were soulmates.

Where you see one you will find the others. A prominent member of the group was Femi Olatunde(Bobo

Femo). I saw Femi last about three years ago at an hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

It was at a function organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN). He was working in the Corporate Affairs Division of CBN then. Our meeting was an opportunity to reminiscence on the good old days.

Femo was his bubbling old self.

He looked healthy and robust and there was no sign at all that he was suffering from any ailment. I was in the office on Monday night when our Political Editor, Bolade Omonijo, came around to chat with me as usual. I thought it was going to be our usual talk about happenings in the country until he asked in Yoruba: “Se emo Femi Olatunde.” I replied: “To nsise ni CBN.” Omonijo then dropped the bombshell: “Won lo ti ku.’’ I was dumbstruck on hearing

the sad news of Femo’s death. I tried Ayobolu”s number to find out if he has heard too but I could not reach him. I then called Hakeem Bello, who confirmed what Omonijo told me.

Bello added that he heard from Olusunle that Femo had been in and out of hospital before he died.

He was even flown abroad at a time by his employers. Femo’s death is painful as he died at a time he should be reaping the fruits of his labour. As a young reporter growing up in Lagos, he toiled to make ends meet amid the challenges of the poor pay which came most times when one is neckdeep in debt. Other times, salary was not paid for months, yet we didn’t die. We survived on the little we could piece together from various sources. Is this the kind of man that should die now?

Lawal Ogienagbon lawal.ogienagbon@thenationonlineng.net

Femo’s remains were buried on Tuesday in Abuja. My heart goes out to his widow and children and I pray for God’s protection over them. God gives, God takes, blessed be the name of the Lord. May Femo’s soul rest in perfect peace.

Minimum wage and doctrine of equity

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INCE President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Minimum Wage Bill into law, there has been disquiet in the land.

For labour, it is a major victory that the president signed the bill approving N18,000 as the minimum wage.

But the state governments that are also going to pay the wage just like the Federal Government are not happy. Many of them are saying they don’t have the financial muscle to pay. They contend that in a true federal structure, the central govern-

‘Labour is kicking. Labour sees the government’s plan as a breach of agreement. Labour may be right.

The government’s position is a source of worry. Is it not going to set senior workers against their subordinates with this plannned mode of implementation?’

ment cannot fix the wage bill of states. As true as their position is, there seems to be little they can do about the matter. All the states participated in the negotiation that led to the fixing of the N18,000 minimum wage. If they knew they cannot pay the wage why did they agree to it? With some of them now agreeing to pay, what will others now have as excuse not to pay. That is by the way.

A disturbing picture is emerging about how the Federal Government wishes to handle the issue. During negotiations, labour represented the interest of all categories of workers.

Labour never said it was negotiating for a certain class of workers.

What it did was collective bargaining. The government too did not say whatever is agreed upon as minimum wage will be for the benefit of junior workers only. Now that it is time for implementation, the gov-

•NLC president Abdulwaheed Omar

ernment is singing a different tune.

The government is seeking to: pay the N18,000 minimum wage to workers on grade levels 01-06 immediately; pay workers on levels 07-17 after

the passage of a supplementary budget and pay the new wage to only core civil servants.

Expectedly, labour is kicking. Labour sees the government’s plan as a breach of agreement. Labour may be right. The government’s position is a source of worry. Is it not going to set senior workers against their subordinates with this plannned mode of implementation? How does it want the senior workers to feel? They cannot be happy with the government’s planned discriminatory implementation of the minimum wage.

How are we even sure that it will pay the senior workers if it succeeds now in getting labour to shelve its planned strike? Equity demands that government should abide by the agreement on the minimum wage and not seek an easy way out through the back door.

SMS ONLY: 08056504763

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

22

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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AY I say (at least for now) a patchy well done to the Nigerian Environmental Rights Group for demanding financial compensations on behalf of the voiceless local victims of Exxon Mobil’s atrocities in the Niger Delta.

Laudable though it is, this campaign by the Nigerian Environmental Rights group should be comprehensively robust in order to effectively address the myriad of havoc wreaked in the Niger Delta by all the trans-national oil companies prospecting oil in that region. It is long overdue for all the oil companies in the Niger Delta to be made to operate by exactly the same rules and standards with which they operate on the coasts of advanced countries of Europe and North America.

In addition to paying compensation to affected locals, all the oil companies should be made to clean up their mess anytime there is oil spillage. And the issue of compensation must not be a one-off thing. It (compensation) must be duly demanded for as a matter of right whenever

‘It is an open secret that the activities of the trans-national oil companies on the environment in developing countries are nefarious as well as indictable to say the least. It has always been a catalogue woes and crass mindless operational system, with utter contempt and disregard for the natives and their environment’

Foreign oil companies and the Niger Delta

By Dotun Akinwole there are oil spillages. The Nigerian Environmental Rights group must also ensure that the compensation received is equitably disbursed among genuine victims of the disaster.

Furthermore, gas flaring should become a prosecutable criminal offence. After all, no country in Europe and North America would allow such copious amount of gas to be flared on their territory. Over the years, the trans-national oil companies have arguably flared off more revenue in natural gas than what Nigeria has earned from the sale of crude oil. But this senseless act of waste, with its attendant atrocity on the environment has been going on unabated in the Niger Delta for the past fifty years or so. It is counter-productive and hypocritical for the world G8 countries to spend precious time and vast resources to organise series of summits on various environmental problems on the one hand, while their trans-national oil companies on the hand are creating unprintable environmental mayhem of far reaching adverse consequences in developing countries.

It is an open secret that the activities of the trans-national oil companies on the environment in developing countries are nefarious as well as indictable to say the least. It has always been a catalogue woes and crass mindless operational system, with utter contempt and disregard for the natives and their environment. Nobody (not even the home countries of oil compa-

nies) knows how much money they make; or better said, loot from developing countries via their opaque mafia style modusoperandus. Even the accounts of tax remittance of trans-national oil companies’ overseas business in developing countries are shrouded in classified secrecy from the general public in the oil companies’ home countries.

Yet, the very few countries that consume well over 75% of global energy; and who are the direct beneficiaries of questionable capital flight and filthy lucre of shady businesses of trans-national oil companies under the aegis of corrupt economy that is characteristic of many a developing country, are shamelessly artful at showing the whole world how concerned they are with climatic and environmental issues by making self indulgent politically correct statements.

However, they would rather turn a blind eye to; and keep sealed lips over the “empire” of environmental damage under the brutal heels of their trans-national oil companies. And the beat goes on year in year out. A cycle of endless summits and communiqués! But their plight is never discussed, mentioned nor referred at the august summits. The plight of people whose farmlands, fishing lakes, creeks and rivers have been turned into poisonous aqueous solution of oil spillage and other compounds is never considered pertinent enough for discussion at the G8 summits, even when some of the leaders

of developing countries get invited to such summits. It will amount to overstating the obvious to have to point out that the people who live in the coastal mangrove swamps of developing countries absolutely depend on fishing and subsistence farming for their livelihood.

Thus, damage and pollution of their land and water is like sucking the oxygen of life out of these people. It is actually akin to a calculated campaign of genocide against an entire people.The Nigerian Environmental Rights group should, as a matter of urgency, take the Federal Government, the Senate/National Assembly, State as well as the Local Government Authorities of the Niger Delta area – in collaboration with the United Nations Special Agency for environmental issues, to task in providing regulatory operational guidelines for all the trans-national oil companies in the Niger Delta. The transnational oil companies are not entirely to blame.

Nigeria with her peculiar style of governance which, to all intent and purpose, seems to be at variance to the norm does not help matters a bit. It is simply logical and sensible for the trans-national oil companies to give something back into the community in which they do very lucrative business. In relative comparison to the immeasurable volume business they do in the Niger Delta, it will be mere peanuts if all the trans-national oil companies pool some resources together to provide basic infrastructure such as clean potable water, hospitals, school buildings, roads, recreational facilities etc for the Niger Delta. This is where they work and make their money. Providing such visible tangible amenities would definitely make the Niger Delta a safe working environment for the trans-national oil companies.

• Akinwole sent in the piece from the UK

VIEW FROM THE FOREIGN PRESS

“T

HEREFORE we seek to do things differently and reverse the notion of business – as – usual approach that has been a source of worry to our people.

We will be sensitive to what the Nigerian people want and increase our public sensitivity quotient”.

With this profound statement in his speech during the unveiling of the National Legislative Agenda for the seventh session of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the new helmsman of Nigeria’s Green Chambers opened a new chapter in parliamentary administration in the country.

Hon. Tambuwal from his antecedents has been a child of destiny. For shortly after his graduation from Nigerian Law School Lagos in 1992, it took him only few years to begin to attract public attention when he was elected as Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sokoto Branch. He was to move from one position to the other in the NBA leadership year in year out until 2000 when he became the 1st Assistant National Secretary of the organization.

In his famous letter to newly elected members of House of Representatives just before their inauguration, Tambuwal succeeded largely in winning their hearts with his humility and organizational ability.

Hear him, “Together we seek a congress that focuses on critical priorities, a congress that focuses on the most important needs of our citizens. We seek a congress that you and I will be proud of. The incidence of poor economy, escalating federal deficit, worsening fiscal problems in most of the States and other socio – economic pressures present new and complicated challenges for the 7th House of Representatives. Resolving these challenges call for a progressive legislative agenda and new approaches to oversight regimes … it requires you and I”, he stated.

From that moment, it was clear to most members who had not hidden their interest in having a patriotic and vibrant legislature that Tambuwal was the Chief Servant that could deliver. The rest is history.

Hon. Tambuwal true to his promises unfolded a legislative Agenda that was widely applauded by Nigerians who saw a fresh

Tambuwal’s legislative agenda

By Duro Meseko beginning for the leadership of the House.

According to him, “the legislative agenda of the House will aim at reviving and diversifying the economy, generating employment, strengthening our national security, curbing corruption, tackling electricity crisis and general infrastructural decay that confront us, improving our health and educational sectors and work to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)…. Our legislative agenda will be people – centered and correspond to the expectations of Nigerians”.

He stated the legislative agenda was meant to among others initiate a new order that would foster transparency leading to institutional integrity through efficiency of public expenditure management, restructure management and functions of legislative committees towards adequacy in capacity and improved productivity, design and implement the e-parliament blueprint that would elevate National Assembly to international best practices.

According to him, that legislative agenda would also review legislative branch budget in line with the requirements of openness, effectiveness and accountability while also reviewing the constitution in all relevant areas to facilitate the implementation of the House agenda in line with the aspirations of Nigerians.

He further stated that the House would engage actively with other arms of government to restore public order and national security.

Other novel initiatives in the legislative agenda include the strengthening of the processes of the House to deliver better quality and more passage of bills, including private member bills while composition of membership and leadership of committees would

involve serious attention being paid to the skills and relevant experience of members in order to achieve greater efficiency.

To strengthen this, Committees would be expected to prepare and submit their work plan, as well as periodic reports to the House on their activities, which would be considered and debated. Templates and standardization of reporting formats would be introduced for increased efficiency.

But perhaps the most profound aspect of the Legislative Agenda is the one that recognizes the concerns raised by Nigerians about the cost of running the National Assembly. In Tambuwal’s words. “The House will be more transparent regarding all public funds spent for the purpose of paying the salaries and allowances of legislators and ensure that distinction is sufficiently made between what a legislator actually earns and what is spent to run and implement legislative business and Committees activities”. Nothing could be more soothing to the frayed nerves of the Nigerian public than this.

Other features of the legislative agenda include investment in Sophisticated Communication Technology System to promote quick and effective communication among members. This would ensure that the national budget is predicated on effective prioritization, adoption of an effective Medium – Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) as well as effective monitoring of spending and of outcomes achieved while also emphasizing compliance with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).

All annual budgets presented to the House of Representatives would now be accompanied by a report setting out actual and budgeted revenue and expenditure and detailed

analysis of the performance of the budget for the 18 months up to June of the preceding year.

And as if to drive home his point, Hon. Tambuwal said the House would move to amend the provisions of section 82 of the constitution that authorizes the president to incur expenditure up to six months after the budget is supposed to have been passed.

With the amendment, such expenditure would be limited not to more than three months of the beginning of the financial year.

Tambuwal, an alumnus of Kennedy School of Government, Harvard and Stanford Graduate School of Business in the United States was Former Deputy Chief Whip and Former Minority Leader of the House. A consummate legal practitioner, the Honourable Speaker is also a member of the Body of Benchers among others.

In his words, “what we can achieve together as a nation is in our hands”. History beckons!

Meseko, a former member of House of Representatives, is a Journalist and Media Consultant.

‘But perhaps the most profound aspect of the Legislative Agenda is the one that recognizes the concerns raised by Nigerians about the cost of running the National Assembly. In Tambuwal’s words. “The House will be more transparent regarding all public funds spent for the purpose of paying the salaries and allowances of legislators and ensure that distinction is sufficiently made between what a legislator actually earns and what is spent to run and implement legislative business’

GHANA VS NIGERIA LIST

Onigbinde contradicts Samson Siasia Pg. 24

Ekpo hopes to bring creativity to Eagles

Pg. 24

Nation Thursday, July 21, 2011

FREE COPY

PAGE 23

EVERTON 2011/2012 SEASON

•Yobo

Yakubu's, Yobo's shirts not printed T

•Aiyegbeni

HIS week Everton’s online store, Everton Direct, removed the option to purchase 2011/2012 Everton shirts printed with the names of first-team players Aiyegbeni Yakubu, Joseph Yobo and Jack Rodwell.

This development might not be unconnected with the controversies that have trailed the desire of the Nigerian internationals to part ways with the Toffees recently after loan spells with Leicester City and Fenerbache respectively.

All three players have been heavily linked with moves away from Goodison Park, however, Joseph Yobo’s proposed move to Fenerbache has hit a stumbling block since the Turkish club are being investigated after match-fixing accusations.

Yakubu, on the other hand, looks set to leave the club as Leicester have supposedly lodged an improved £4m bid for the Nigerian. Should this move transpire it will disappoint those

fans who were excited after Yakubu’s promising display against Bury in last weeks pre-season friendly.

‘Slim, Fit, Sharp’ were three words used on the FE forum to describe the 28-year old.

Jack Rodwell, home from another England tournament to forget, has reiterated his desire to stay with the club.

The 20-year old seems unlikely to leave, but that may not stop admirers Manchester United tempting David Moyes to sell with a bid in the region of £20m.

Whilst we are certain that the lack of option to buy an Everton shirt with Yakubu or Yobo on the back is due to the imminent exit of both players, we have been told that Jack Rodwell’s kit withdrawal is simply because the midfielder will be given a new squad number – 4. The withdrawal is clearly to prevent complaints from fans who would have bought the home shirt with his old number on only to find he has been given a new number.

BLACK STARS FRIENDLY

Siasia to account for Eagles —Chukwu Pg. 24

NFF to honour Muda Lawal

Pg. 41

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

24

41

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT

SPORTS MINISTER TO F/EAGLES

Win U-20 World Cup

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EW NIGERIA sports minister Yusuf Suleiman has tasked the Flying Eagles to win the U-20 World Cup in Colombia.

•Yusuf Suleiman

Nigeria are the reigning African champions and are drawn in Group D along with Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Guatemala.

They play their first match on July 31 against Guatemala. “I therefore charge the NFA (NFF) to ensure that the team brings the World Cup to Nigeria,” the minister charged during a press briefing in Abuja.

Nigeria have played in the final of the U-20 World Cup twice, in 1989 and 2005.

In 2009, the Flying Eagles under coach Samson Siasia were knocked out in the second round of the championship by Germany after finishing as one of the ‘third best’ teams from the first round group.

It was the competition that Ghana Black Satellites made history by becoming the first African team to emerge champions.

The class of 2011 trained in Portugal and Panama in preparation for the tournament, which kicks off July 29 in Colombia.

GHANA VS NIGERIA LIST

Onigbinde contradicts Siasia

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IGERIA Football Federation (NFF) technical chief, Adegboyega Onigbinde has made declarations which directly contradicts the immediate reactions of Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia following the release of a squad of 22 players to face Ghana in an International friendly in London on August 9.

The technical committee of the NFF had invited Siasia to ‘defend’ his list of invited players for the game because of the alleged inclusion of two players, Isaac Promise and Solomon Okoronkwo.

When the list was released on Tuesday evening, the names of the two players were conspicuously missing and Samson Siasia declared that: “ “The committee never said anything

about Okoronkwo and Promise. They never mentioned the list until yesterday (Tuesday) so that was just a lie (that I was asked to exclude the players),”However, Onigbinde has exclusively told SuperSport.com that the two players were included in the original list submitted by Siasia to the technical committee earlier on Tuesday.

“Siasia submitted a list of 22 players to us and they (Solomon Okoronkwo and Isaac Promise) were included in the list,” Onigbinde revealed.

“Nobody asked him to remove any name from the list so if he has decided to exclude the two players, I think it would be wrong of anyone to say it was as a result of pressure from the technical committee,” he said. The Nigeria/Ghana comes up in London on August 9.

BLACK STARS FRIENDLY

Siasia to account for Eagles –Chukwu S

TRONG feelers have emerged why the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee acceded to coach Samson Siasia’s 22-man list for the international friendly against Ghana’s Black Stars on August 9 in London.

Christian Chukwu, a member of the technical committee, told SuperSport.com that the body decided to allow the former Nigerian international have his way because they do not want to be seen interfering in his duty more so as they want him to be accountable for whatever happens in his team.

“After much deliberation, arguments and counter-arguments, inquiries from the coach over the choice of the players we resolved to allow him to go ahead with the list.

“Our job is to guide and advice him.

He is the one assigned the job, and he is the one to be held responsible should anything go amiss, so we agreed to let him be. ”So it is not about whether we or I like the list, it is a question of allowing somebody given an assignment to do his work and be accountable for it,” Chukwu said.

Chukwu who described the August 9 international tie as crucial to Nigeria’s image hinted that a win in the encounter will spur on the team to face Madagascar in the Africa Nations Cup qualifier in September.

“That match will lead us to the Nations Cup tie against Madagascar in Antananarivo. A win in that game against Ghana will serve as a motivation for the Madagascar game which is a must

win for Nigeria.

“We should equally use the game to stop Ghana’s dominance over Nigeria in recent time. Their men’s Under-23 stopped our

Dream Team V from featuring at the 2011 All Africa Games the same as their women over our own Super Falcons,” he said.

Ekpo hopes to bring creativity to Eagles E MMANUEL Ekpo says he is thrilled by his call-up to the Nigerian squad and hopes to bring some creativity to the Super Eagles midfield.

The 23-year-old was listed by coach Samson Siasia as part of a 22-man squad to face Ghana in an international friendly in London next month, and says it is an opportunity he has been waiting for.

"I was very happy to hear that I had been called up. It's something I have been hoping for and expecting for a while and I thank God it has finally happened," he told KickOffNigeria.com.

Ekpo will be up in direct competition with the likes of Mikel Obi, Kalu Uche and Joel Obi, but says he has confidence in his own abilities.

"I know the kind of player I am. I always give my best. Each and every player in the Super Eagles have been very good, so I hope to add to what they have done and bring my own creativity into the team."

Ekpo last represented Nigeria at the 2008 Olympic Games playing in the team coached by Samson Siasia.

But while most of his teammates from that silver-winning side have gone on to become full internationals Ekpo is only now getting his own recognition.

•Ekpo "I am disappointed not to have been called up earlier, but I don't blame anybody. Most people will say it's because I play in the MLS, and maybe it is. Playing here may have affected my chances, but I'm happy that is over now."

Ekpo's Columbus Crew face David Beckham's LA Galaxy on Wednesday and the Nigerian says his new-found status will add an extra spring to his step.

"Of course it's an extra boost for me and will give me added morale boost for our match against the Galaxy."

NPL names team for Matchday 33

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HE Nigeria Premier League (NPL) on Wednesday released its 12-man Team for Week 33.

Enugu Rangers and Plateau United were the dominant sides in the team with three personnel apiece.

Rangers provided three players James Okwuosah in defence, John Nnam in midfield and Brendan Ogbu in attack. Plateau United head coach, Bitrus Bewarang, who also doubles as general manager of the club, is picked as coach of the week.

Centre-back Obinna Nwokolo and top scorer of the league, George Akpabio, completes the three personnel in the team from Plateau United. The 3SC duo of Chima Akas and Kabiru Alausa are selected in the team by the Premier League.

Chike Michael (Zamfara United), Uche Oguchi (Dolphins), Kola Anubi (Sharks) and Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars) complete this week's team.

HOW THEY MADE THE TEAM Goalkeeper: Chike Michael (Zamfara Utd) Michael put up a decent performance against Heartland at the weekend to help his side to a one-nil win. He makes the team for the first time.Right-back: Uche Oguchi (Dolphins) He distinguished himself in his side's 2-3 loss at Kano Pillars. Oguchi got his name on the score sheet but it wasn't enough to help side with a result.

Centre-back: James Okwuosah (Enugu Rangers) The former Lobi Stars' man was solid in the heart of defence. He played a role in keeping free-scoring Sibi Gwar of Niger Tornadoes quiet.

Centre-back: Obinna Nwokolo (Plateau Utd) The big central defender did a yeoman's job in defence for his side against Warri Wolves. Nwokolo slots in to pair Okwuosah in the heart of defence.

Left-back: Chima Akas (3SC) The 3SC youngster returns to the team after a decent display at left-back against Kwara United.

Akas has seamlessly slotted into leftback at the Ibadan-based side.

Right midfielder: John Nnam (Enugu Rangers) Nnam has shown that he can play at right-back and right side of midfield.

Against Tornadoes, he excelled and capped his performance with a fine strike.

Central midfielder: Kola Anubi (Sharks) Anubi's performance against Gombe United meant he claimed the central midfield role in this week's team.

Left midfielder: Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars) He's been one of the shining lights at Pillars this season. Ali was the link man to his team's forward against Dolphins, and he also kept his composure to score the winner for his team.

Left wing forward: George Akpabio (Plateau Utd) Akpabio got two goals against Wolves including a sweet volley. His performance has shot him to the top of the race for the golden boot.

Centre forward: Kabiru Alausa (3SC) The veteran striker caused Kwara United all sorts of problems at the back.

He put his big frame and positional play to good use and got his side's winner.

Right wing forward: Brendan Ogbu (Enugu Rangers) Ogbu hit a brace in 44 minutes to help his side on a 4-0 rout of Tornadoes.

The big striker is turning to be Rangers' source of goals this term after netting 11 times.

Coach: Bitrus Bewarang (Plateau Utd) Bewarang masterminded a big win from the sidelines for his side against title-chasing Wolves.

TEAM OF THE WEEK GK: Chike Michael (Zamfara Utd) RB: Uche Oguchi (Dolphins) CB: James Okwuosah (Enugu Rangers) CB: Obinna Nwokolo (Plateau Utd) LB: Chima Akas (3SC) RMF: John Nnam (Enugu Rangers) CMF: Kola Anubi (Sharks) LMF: Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars) LWF: George Akpabio (Plateau Utd) CF: Kabiru Alausa (3SC) RWF: Brendan Ogbu (Enugu Rangers) Coach: Bitrus Bewarang (Plateau Utd)

Ideye will get his chance –Coach S

S

“I have defended the list and already the 22 have been selected,” Siasia told SuperSport.com on Tuesday.

The gaffer denied that Promise and Okoronkwo were in the list he was asked to ‘defend’.

“The committee never said anything about Okoronkow and Promise. They never mentioned the list until today (Tuesday) so that was just a lie,” he said.

The Nigeria Ghana game will be played in London on August 9.

Ehiosun tipped to shine in Turkey

S

UPER EAGLES coach Samson Siasia has tipped Ekigho Ehiosun to make a success of his switch to Turkish side Samsunspor.

“I know Ehis is a good player, level headed and always ready to work. If he continues to work hard with his new club and listens to his coach, the sky would be his limit. I see him making the headlines in Turkey very soon,” the Eagles handler predicted.

“Ehis has made himself and the Nigerian Premier League proud by joining a Turkish top division club

Samsunspor. This is a rare opportunity for the boy to prove himself in Europe.

“Also I think Ehis would now rate among the very few who team up with a top club in Europe right from the home front (Nigeria Premier League), which is a very good advertisement for our league that good players could still be sought after here in Nigeria.”

The year-long loan deal was brokered by the player’s manager, Emmanuel Omijeh of Rudder Sports Management, who accompanied Ehiosun to Turkey to finalise the transfer.

•Tunji Babalola

T

“Unfortunately, at this moment we have a lot of strikers and they have all been playing together and developing an understanding with each other.”

Ideye, however, remains on standby in the event any of the called up forwards is unable to make the squad.

Eagles coach explains Ghana squad UPER EAGLES coach Samson Siasia has explained the reasons for excluding Solomon Okoronkwo and Isaac Promise from the 22 man squad to face Ghana in an international friendly on August 9.

Reports in the local media claimed that Siasia had been summoned by the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ‘defend’ the list because of the inclusion of the two players in the squad.

T

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is to honour former National Team captain, of the Green Eagles Mudashiru Babatunde Lawal, who died 20 years ago this month.

One of the finest ball jugglers of his generation, the late Mudashiru Lawal was the first footballer to play in five successive African Cup of Nations finals, between 1976 and 1984, and won 86 caps for the Nigerian senior team between 1975 and 1985.

NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu said in Abuja on Wednesday that the NFF would invite Muda Lawal’s wife and two of his five children who are based in London, United Kingdom as special guests to next month’s international friendly between the Super Eagles and Ghana’s Black Stars, at Vicarage Road, London.

“We will invite the wife and two children based in London as special guests to the match against Ghana on Tuesday, 9th August, and also invite the three children based in Nigeria to the Super Eagles’ next home match, which is a crucial African Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea in Abuja on 9th October.

“The late Muda Lawal contributed immensely to the development of Nigerian football, being a member of the senior team for more than 10 years, and was also Captain of the senior team.

It is important that we recognize our heroes of yesteryears in order to

NPL suspends Thursday games

24

AMSON SIASIA has described Brown Ideye as the future of the Super Eagles and says the striker will get his chance soon.

Ideye was again left out of the Nigeria squad named on Tuesday by Siasia, but the coach says he remains in the picture.

“Ideye will still have his chance soon because he and other players Nosa Igiebor and Anthny Ujah are the future of the team,” Siasia said.

NFF to honour Muda Lawal

•Super Eagles forward Ekigho Ehiosun (fourth left) training with his new club Samsunsport of Turkey recently

HE Nigeria Premier League has suspended re-scheduled league games slated for Thursday, no thanks to late Tuesday’s suspension of the three-day warning strike by the organised labo ur originally planned due to commence on wednesday.

Acting executive secretary of NPL, Tunji Babalola who heaved a sigh of relieve over the botched strike, however, told SuperSport.com that it is too late to ask the affected teams to play their games on Thursday.

He disclosed that only Week 34 games will now go on as scheduled at the weekend. “Thursday’s games will not hold. Fine, the proposed strike has been suspended but then it is too late for teams to play on Thursday, we can only go ahead with the week 34 games and teams have been informed appropriately,” he said.

The games slated for Thursday include the encounter between second placed Dolphins and Crown at the Liberation stadium, Port Harcourt which is a week 29 game; Kaduna United versus Lobi Stars billed for the Kaduna township stadium which is a re-scheduled week 26 game and another re-scheduled week 33 tie involving league leaders, Sunshine Stars and bottom placed JUTH in Ijebu Ode. There are equally an oriental warfare week 28 game involving Enugu Rangers and Enyimba at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu and the disputed week 31 game between ocean Boys and Heartland early slated for the Old Parade Ground, Abuja but later moved to Yenagoa which will be played closed door.

encourage the stars of today”, said Amadu.

A raw auto engineer from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Muda Lawal rose to the top of his footballing career through dint of hard work, self-application, discipline and diligence, and remains one of the most respected names ever to have played for Nigeria.

Born in 1954, Muda won his first senior cap in an international friendly match against Cameroon that Nigeria won 1-0 on January 22, 1975, and won his 86th and final cap in an African Cup of Nations

qualifier away to Zambia on August 18, 1985.

His 86 caps remained a Nigerian record until it was equalled by Nwankwo Kanu, when the latter featured for the Super Eagles in a FIFA World Cup finals match against Korea Republic in Durban, South Africa on June 22, 2010.

Lawal scored Nigeria’s third goal against Algeria in the final of the 1980 African Cup of Nations tournament in Lagos, and also scored when the Green Eagles lost 1-3 to Cameroon in the final of the 1984 competition in Cote d’Ivoire.

AFN celebrates Amata’s Germany feat •As jumper targets 2m mark

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HE Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is in celebration mood at the moment following the feat of African high jump queen, Doreen Amata-Igbokwe at the 33rd Eberstadt High Jump Meet in Germany at the weekend.

The 2007 All Africa Games high jump champion at the European athletics outdoor permit meet on Saturday equalled the 1.95m national record she set at the Mobil Championships in Abuja in 2008.

At the moment, Amata is the third best jumper in the event on global ranking.

“We are really excited by Doreen’s feat in Germany. We have no doubt she has the capacity to even do more for herself and the country,”observed Chief Solomon Ogba, the president of the AFN yesterday.

While congratulating the African champion, Ogba, a former Delta State sports commissioner wants Amata to remain focus and not allow the feat to get into her head as the country prepares for both the All Africa Games in September and the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in August.

“Having equalled her national record and emerged the best in Africa, there is no doubt that Doreen is capable of retaining the All Africa Games women high jump gold medal in Maputo, Mozambique as well as also make the podium at the World Championships in Daegu,”stressed the AFN chief.

Interestingly, Amata who returned to the field early this year after taking time out for procreation last year had

promised to chase the 2m mark no female Nigerian jumper has ever made.

After starting her season with the All Comers event in Shaganu where she managed 1.83m, Amata refocussed her programme, and missed most of the AFN Golden League. Her sojourn in Italy, appears to have paid off maximally with the brilliant for she put up at the Eberstadt Meet.

Shortly after failing to jump the 1.97m mark after the third attempt, Amata was contented with the precious bronze behind world leader, Russian Shkolina Svetlana (1.99m) and Vlasic Blanka (1.97m) of Croatia.

“I am really delighted that everything is coming into place for me. I have been training very hard and I believe I will join the league of 2m jumpers very soon,”an excited Amata gushed in a chat with Africa Athletics.com from her base in Italy.

“I believe in my ability and I am definite this year will be the year I will break that barrier.

It is top of my wish-list for the year and God is already showing me the signs,”she revealed.

While losing sight of her primary target of retaining the All Africa Games gold medal in the event, Amata is equally dreaming of making the finals of the women high jump event in Daegue.

“I am focussed on my goals for this year. I believe I have comeback stronger from childbirth and have nothing to distract me anymore,”concludes the proud mother of a baby boy.

Kaffo stages ITTF course in Tanzanian N IGERIA's former table tennis international, Bose Kaffo,is expected back in Nigeria this week after a week long International Table Tennis level One coaching course for the Tanzania coaches.

Kaffo, who is the coach to the African female ping pongers and a board member of the Lagos State Sports Council, has since been endorsed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to conduct coaching courses in any part of the world having excelled in the ITTF organized level two course.

While speaking a chat with NationSport, Kaffo explained that she will be training Tanzania Table Tennis coaches as well as the country's ping pongers going for the All African Games in Maputo, Mozambique, stressing that is the first time Tanzania would be taking part in such a course under the ITTF scheme.

The Olympian, who captained Team Nigeria to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, said her wealth of experiences in sports science paved the way for the offer, expecting the beneficiaries to also retrain other coaches after the event, thus improving the potential of the sport.

She said: "The course would definitely help to improve the player's tactics and techniques thereby exposing them to the latest techniques that will earn them points at the Games.

"The programme is a developmental

By Innocent Amomoh

towards rejuvinating table tennis in Tanzania.I eill also encourage many Tanzanians to take to the sports and also increase the number of table tennis coaches," she said.

She said the Tanzanian team might not win Gold medals at the games but they would make an appreciable impact.

•Kaffo

25

THE NATION

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

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

email:- education@thenationonlineng.com

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) expects the seventh National Assembly to expedite action on the aspect of the 2009 ASUU/Federal Government agreement that requires laws to be amended, something that the last set of lawmakers failed to do. A fresh disappointment may lead to the closure of universities. KOFOWOROLA BELOOSAGIE and ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA report.

•ASUU members protesting at the entrance of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology during the six-month strike that ended on January 16

Anxiety as another ASUU strike looms U

NIVERSITY teachers are threatening to go on strike again. Nigerians are wor-

ried.

On May 18, 11 days before the sixth National Assembly completed its tenure, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria said the failure of the lawmakers to endorse the 2009 ASUU/Govt agreement could lead to universities being shut again.

Addressing reporters in Zaria, Kaduna State, ASUUPresident, Ukachukwu Awuzie, said: “ASUU NEC wishes to alert the country to the fact that two years after the commencement of the 2009 FGN/ ASUUAgreement, government has failed, refused and neglected to enact laws that will give effect to certain major areas of the agreement that need legislation

•Awuzie

•Tomori

for their implementation and enforcement. Of particular concern is the 70 years retirement age for lecturers in the professional cadre.”

The sixth National Assembly left without passing the bill.

The five-month closure of federal and state-owned universities in 2009 is still fresh in the mind of students and their parents.

After the agreement was signed and the strike called off, many in the education sector had expressed hope that with its implementation, closure of universities would become a thing of the past.

With parts of the agreement yet to be implemented, Awuzie said members of the union have urged their leaders to act.

“The leadership is under pressure from the followership to take action,” he told The Nation on phone on Tuesday. “If anything happens out of the ordinary, we cannot be held responsible.”

Some universities are yet to recover from the consequences of the strike, including the extension of the academic calendar, delays in graduation and adjustment in teaching schedules to make up for lost time. For those in stateowned universities in Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra and Imo, the battle continued for another six months as the local

chapters of ASUU fought their governments to adopt the agreement.

Awuzie said ASUU has not fixed a date to go on strike. He added that the reminder to the Federal Government to fulfil its part of the bargain on May 18 was a fresh attempt by the union to get the agreement implemented, and sensitise the public on the plight of members so that if forced to go on strike, Nigerians would recall that they waited patiently for two years to no avail.

“It has been two years since the government refused to implement the agreement. The National Assembly refused to pass the bill, though it does not cost money to do. It only requires the lawmakers to amend the laws. This is insincerity on the part of government. We are asking you, the media, and Nigerians to appeal to •Continued from Page 26

•I’II CLEAR UTME AGAIN, SAYS CANDIDATE - Page38 •BEST PUPIL AFRAID OF ENDING UP A TEACHER- Page 39

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

26

EDUCATION

Foundation fetes professors, students in Anambra

A

NAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi’s efforts to raise education standard and ensure its grassroots development has received a boost in IgboUkwu, Aguata Local Government Area.

A Non-Governmental Organisation. Andrew Chiugo Okonkwo Memorial Educational Foundation (ACOMEF), hosted the maiden edition of secondary schools educational challenge, which featured debates, quiz, drama and cultural competition at Amaehulu Igboukwu.

Besides feting the winning schools and students, ACOMEF instituted the Igbo-Ukwu Distinguished Scholars Award, to honour outstanding academics from the three quarters of Ihite, Ngo and Obiuno, that make up the Igbo-Ukwu community. It is

From Adimike George, Onitsha

programmed to be an annual event.

The maiden awards went to three Professors who, by the assessment of ACOMEF, have excelled and impacted much on Igbo-Ukwu people and Nigeria with their various great research and breakthroughs.

The recipients were Uchenna Nwosu, a Professor of Medicine from Ngo quarters, George Ezeifeka, a Professor of Biological Sciences; and Leonard Nwaigbo, Professor of Agriculture from Obiuno and Ihite quarters, respectively. Another award entitled Golden Hand Award of Excellence given to 20 retired primary and secondary school teachers drawn from the three quarters, too in recognition of their immense contributions to the

community and the nation’s educational development.

“The role of any seasoned teacher in any given society can never be over emphasised as it is the teacher that taught everybody including the Professors that we are honouring today; and my humble self who is also piloting the affairs of ACOMEF today. I am a son of a teacher,” the founder stated.

He continued: “There is always this saying that teachers’ reward is in Heaven. No doubt, about that but the some school of thought which believes in the Igbo saying that ka esi eme ya n’uwa bu ka esi eme ya na enu Igwe That is, as it is done on earth so it is done in Heaven. Therefore, they should also start to get their own reward here on earth as other professionals,” the founder

of ACOMEF said.

“Primary among the objectives of the foundation were to raise the standard of education in the town; to restore the old good days where people leave big schools in the cities and come home to, among other things, get acquainted with the culture and traditions of their communities, create avenues for healthy educational challenge to help in producing the best academicians and future Professors. Additionally, ACOMEF intend to make the event form part of school curriculum development to contribute its quota to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by the year 2015.”he said.

“This goes to complement the huge efforts that Governor Obi administration is putting in the state. If similar programmes

were adopted by towns that constitute the present day Anambra State that the quest for the State to achieve MDG by the year 2015 would be an easier task”.

Three trophies were presented to the schools with cash prizes and medals. Christ the King College came first in the overall competition and went the giant trophy and a cash prize of N50,000; second position received to Girls Secondary School, a trophy and N30,000 cash prize while third and forth positions went to Holy Family Secondary School and Boys Secondary School with N20,000 cash prizes each, respectively.

It was gathered that ACOMEF was instituted to immortalise the Late Mr Andrew Chiugo Okonkwo, a teacher who died in 1999.

Anxiety as another ASUU strike looms •Continued from Page 25

government to implement the agreement,” he said.

Should the union decide to strike, ASUU Chairman, University of Lagos, Dr Karo Ogbonnaya, and Dr Harrison Adeniyi of the Department of African Languages, Literatures and Communication Arts LASU, give their support.

“Strike is the only language government understands,” they told our reporter on phone.

“Remember, the Federal Government entered into an agreement with us and they later reneged. Also remember, we also gave government an ultimatum to no avail. It is interesting to know that ASUU has issued this warning long before President Jonathan constituted his new cabinet, yet the Presidency did nothing about it.”

Awuzie said when ASUU makes demands, there is a tendency to think the lecturers are only agitating for more money. On the contrary, he said if implemented, the agreement would reposition the university system and make them more competitive. The agreement is to address challenges of funding in universities; reverse brain drain by improving the remuneration of lecturers; and ensure autonomy and academic freedom.

“ASUU strike is not about salary alone. We are talking about repositioning the university system. We want a situation where laboratories will be equipped and lecturers and students can carry out research; we want universities to have the necessary infrastructure and this is not so today,” he said.

However, the pressing aspect of the agreement seems to be the extension of retirement age of professors to 70 years from 65. Many have questioned why lecturers would want to keep working un-

til that age and whether they would still remain relevant.

On the union’s demand for the extension of the retirement age to 70 years, Awuzie said it was not out of place being the practice in some countries.

“How long does it take a judge to retire? Judges retire at 70 and until then, they still have to take notes manually during court sessions. If a judge can stay until 70 and they are still active, what is wrong with a professor staying until then? In the United States, professors have no retirement age unless they are incapacitated mentally and cannot carry out research. A professor can still teach until 70 as long as he is mentally sound and still active,” he said.

Rather than all professors benefiting from the retirement age extension, Vice-Chancellor of the Redeemers University (RUN), Prof Oyewale Tomori said only those who are productive should benefit from the privilege.

“ASUU is fighting for professorship retirement at 70, but it should not be a blanket thing. The professor should merit it. There are many professors who have stopped professing,” he said.

However, ASUU-LASU Chairman, Dr Jamiu Oluwatoki, does not agree with Tomori. He backed Awuzie, saying: “The argument in certain quarters that some of our professors are lazy does not arise.

For instance, in this country, why do we give judges more years when they are due to retire? It is because we believe the longer they spend on their job, the more experienced they become.

“As long as we are not senile, why must government retire us at 65?

Should the fact that some professors are lazy be an excuse for government to retire them as 65 more so when we don’t even have enough of them in the country?

However, a former ASUU member Prof Tade Akin Aina, had de-

‘As long as we are not senile, why must government retire us at 65?

Should the fact that some professors are lazy be an excuse for government to retire them at 65, more so when we don’t even have enough of them in the country?’

•Alado of Ado, Oba Lateef Olayinka; Chairman, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale; MD/ CEO Meleinstins, Mrs Chibuzor Patrick, at the 2nd Amuwo Secondary School Essay and Awards, at the Golden Tulip Hotel, FESTAC, Lagos

scribed strike as ‘archaic’ and urged the union to approach its agitation more creatively.

In an interview with our reporter during a meeting of the Association of Vice Chancellors in Nigeria Universities, he said: “The world has changed and ASUU needs to change with the world.

We’ve had enough strikes. Our children are not in universities for eight months. Our aim now should be to use our armoury of intellectual and creative powers locked in that constituency to begin to make transformations and form think-tank pressure groups.

“I’m sorry to say, as a former member of ASUU, I think collective bargaining should no longer be centralised. Every ASUU should negotiate with its own VC and Governing Council. Let the Federal Government set minimum standards for salaries. There is no reason why the salary scale of some lecturers or professors should be the same in all universities. ASUU needs to see how our universities can be a competitive structure and it’s not by shutting up the universities for months when their counterparts in private and universities outside the country are churning out graduates.

Let us have a new face of academic staff unionism. We should be using our brains. Does shutting down universities amount to using our brains?”

Expressing support for retirement at 70 years, Prof Tade Akin Aina, who is currently the Director of Higher Education and Libraries in

Africa Programmes for the Carnegie Corporation of NewYork, USA, argued that government must not offer such luxury without some conditions attached.

“In some universities abroad, anybody who wants to have his or her retirement age extended beyond 65, will be committed to supervising PhDs and mentoring young scholars by publishing

with them. The same should happen here. Seventy years’ retirement age should not be automatic, like what ASUU is agitating for. ‘’No! Let’s ask:what have you done in the last five years?’ If you have been a professor between 60 and 65, and you have not written one paper, produced one Ph.D, why should you be extended to 70? You have to demonstrate what you have done.”

“It’s a BB device with an early warning system ... or what I call Bauchi, Borno device!”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

27

EDUCATION

King’s College defeats Achimota at bilateral games

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UPILS of King’s College (KC), Lagos have defeated their counterparts from Achimota School, Ghana, in a week-long sport fiesta.

It was during a bilateral friendly games hosted by King’s College in collaboration with Queen’s College, Yaba.

The sports meet which climaxed last Thursday, featured football, hockey, scrabble, cricket and basketball.

The sports exchange programme between King’s College and Achimota School, Ghana was revived in 2009 when KC celebrated its centenary, after it was stopped for several decades. Last year, 100 King’s pupils travelled to Ghana for the competition. This time around 82year old Queen’s College collaborated with King’s College (QC) to engage the girls from Achimota competitively.

At the end of a stiff contest in all the sports, King’s College won five gold medals, including hockey which ended in a draw. The boys from Achimota won four silver medals.

However, their girls performed better - clinching four gold medals and one silver medal, while Queen’s College had to make do with one gold medal in Chess.

Principal, Queen’s College, Mrs Ademide Ladipo, assured of better performace from her pupils when Ghana hosts the two schools next year.

“This is the first time QC girls will be participating in the game. It used to be KC and Achimota boys, but this year, we also came in. That was why we couldn’t do well because we are new in the system. Achimota girls are olders than our girls which was also a disadvantage, ” she said.

King’s College Principal, Otunba Dele Olapeju, was delighted about the outcome of the games. He said the three schools had benefited from the collaboration.

He said: “We have gained from the collaborations. We did not know the boys from Achimota had practiced with local professional football clubs in Ghana in preparation for the games. It was our participation in the Lagos First Generation Colleges Association football league that helped our boys to be in shape for this games. Their girls had also done a lot of competitions that was why they beat the Queen’s College girls.

T

By Seun Olalude

But next year, Queen’s College has promised to beat them in Ghana.

“One of the take- aways from these games is that we are going to be fielding our junior students with QC girls to expose and help strengthen them.”

Olapeju urged the Federal Government to create sport departments in schools. For him, sports and learning are synonymous.

“At King’s College, we encourage all round students that we expect to be sound in their academics, manners and sport. No matter your level of academic performance, if you are not good in sports, we cannot recognise you here. Academics, good manners and sports make Kings boys,” he said.

Olapeju, who lamented that funding posed a serious challenge to the event, however, described the joint hosting of the event by KC and QC this year, as a fulfillment of the promise QC made during the sport meet in Ghana last year, to improve on it.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Prof Nicholas Damachi said sports in the 21st Century, evokes the universal message of international diplomacy, friendship and economic independence of the athletes.

Damachi, who was represented by the Director of Education, Basic and Secondary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Mabel Ozumba, said the government has over the years identified with the enormous potential in sports as a veritable tool for national development and diplomacy.

The Deputy Director/Assistant Head Mistress, Achimota School, Ghana, Mrs Joyce Acolatse, also expressed the hope that the game would further strenthene more partcipation between the participating schools.

“KC, QC and Achimota have some things in common. The schools are ancient and the best in both country.

Last year, we hosted KC and this year, we are in Nigeria- all is to network and become friends.

“We expect to see these ones becoming national and international players.

A pupil from Achimota, Nana Yaw Akonnor, who shared her experience, said he did not regret coming to Nigeria.

“This is the first I will come to Ni-

From right: Otunba Olapeju, Mrs. Ozumba, Mrs Ladipo and Mrs. Acolaste

•Mrs Ladipo presenting a trophy to Anisah, Achimota School captain

geria and it is really a nice time. Nigerians are very friendly. I have been able to make friends during the short time.

“The games are exciting. I had new

experiences, one of which is how Nigerians speak pidgin English, though we also speak in Ghana, but there is a difference,” he said.

Also from Achimota, female captain, Anisah Amponsah, said: “Coming to Ni-

geria is fun. The games are interesting and the referees are fair in their judgement. I will love to be in Nigeria again.”

The sport captain, Kings College, Tijani Adewale Rasak described the game as full of fun.

Blame PDP for rot in education, says CPC gov candidate

HE Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) flag bearer in the April governorship election in Kaduna State, Haruna Saeed Kajura has blamed the PDP-led government for doing nothing tangible to revamp the nation’s educational system 12 years in power.

Kajuru told The Nation at the 10th graduation of Adeyemo College, Kaduna, that rather than improve on quality, the PDP government has continued to pay lip service to education.

He added that with a decaying economy and collapsing infrastructure, there is no way the country’s education can improve.

He said: “First, you must understand that the attitude of parents

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

alone is not what has led to the falling standard of education. The thing is that the economy is really in a mess. People don’t even have enough to eat in their homes not to talk of contributing to what government would have done. Education is supposed to enhance the earning capacity of the individual who has passed through the system. But what we find today is joblessness even if they are able to graduate. The poor state of education in the past 20 years has led many students to drop out of school without attaining university degrees.

“So, the whole system has to be

checked and that is why we said we will give education a priority in our political party and that is what is lacking in the administration. The PDP government has been here for over 12 years and nothing has been done to revamp the educational sector and this is bad enough. The things that would have propel it such as agriculture, industrialisation and others are not working.”

He, however, stressed the need for private sector involvement in the funding of education in the country.

“Education is not something the government alone can shoulder.

What the private institutions are doing today is not only to comple-

ment the government, but play a strategic partnership role towards the educational development of this country,” he said.

Also speaking, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Sabon Gari Constituency of Kaduna State, Hon. Garba Datti Muhammed assured Nigerians that the House would enact relevant laws that would ensure an improvement in the standard of education in the country.

According to him, there has been a general deterioration of education in this country, adding that “since 1992, some institutions abroad don’t recognise Nigerian degrees and that is a cause for concern for all of us.

“As a responsible parliament, we cannot just sit and watch the trend continue and that is why it is part of Mr Speaker’s legislative agenda for the Seventh Assembly. Sometimes, it is not that there is adequate funding. There are leakages within the system and the money released is not used for the purpose for which it was released.

“The Speaker of the House of Representative, Aminu Tambuwal, has read out his legislative agenda and education is part of it. So, I am sure that by the time the seventh assembly comes to an end, a lot of legislations that would assist in improving the quality of education in this country must have been achieved.”

College confers awards on notable Nigerians

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N appreciation of their contributions to the growth of humanity, the School of Education, Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, last Monday, conferred awards of excellence on some heads of tertiary institutions, and seasoned administrators.

The recipients included the Provost of the college, Dr Olufemi Adeniyi; Vice-Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, Prof Timothy

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

Jaiyeoba; his counterpart in the Bells University, Prof Adebayo Adeyemi; and former Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations, Chief Oladejo Adeleye.

Others were the immediate past Head, Department of Educational Technology, Mr Ossai Eguas; Provost, Oyo State College of Agriculture, Prof Gabriel Farinu, Resident

Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Dr Kunle Ogunmola; and Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Dr. Nwanze Ignatius.

The occasion was part of activities to mark this year’s National Conference of the School of Education.

The theme of the conference was: The Application of Electronics in Education: Problems, Prospects and Possilities.

In his address, the Dean of the school, Dr. Victor Aleburu, said if Nigeria is to achieve Vision 20: 2020, instructional technologies must graduate from those traditional communication tools such as sticks, wood, chalks and books to the more advanced, effective, faster and global technologies of electronic systems.

Dr. Aleburu stated that the theme was relevant, timely and needed

at this point in the country.

“This is because ideas exchanged and generated from the conference can help in moving the quality of instruction in Nigerian classrooms upwards,” he said.

In his remark, Provost of the College, Dr. Adeniyi, who noted that only proper education could provide avenue for peace, urged academics to be wary of what they teach or do to their students.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

EDUCATION AAUA FILE Fourth Inaugural Lecture holds THE fourth Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko (AAUA), Ondo State will hold next Tuesday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall of the university.

The lecture will be delivered by the Deputy ViceChancellor, Prof Isaac Rotimi Ajayi, a Professor of Radiation and Health Physics. He will speak on radiation bombardments on oure earth: Are We Safe?

Ajayi holds BSc, MSc and in Physics from the University of Ibadan.

He was, until his appointment as Deputy Vice Chancellor, the Dean of the Faculty of Science.

He doubles as the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Director Information and Communication Technology Application Centre of the University.

Ajayi is married to Dr Theresa Ajayi, who teacher International Studies Department of the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Ag. CSO on group’s board THE Acting Chief Security Officer of AAUA, Mr. N. A. Adesuyi, has been appointed a Board Member of the Association of Heads of Security of Tertiary Institutions.

The Founder and Coordinator of the association, Imarah Okpako, said in letter conveying the appointment appointment was in appreciation of Adesuyi’s immense commitment to the concept of safety and security on campus to allow for learning and research.

13th valedictory at Olashore THE class of 2011 will bid farewell to Olashore International School, Iloko-Ijesa. The ceremony hold during Osun State on Saturday at the 13th valedictory service of the school at the Oba Okunade Sijuade Hall.

According to a statement, Miss EmokinovoDafeAkpedeye, a former pupil and head girl, who recently graduated from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom is the guest speaker.

Senator Babafemi Ojudu is expected as special guest of honour.

‘States are drawing UBE scheme back’

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NIVERSAL Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Chief Dr Ahmed Modibbo Mohamme, has accused some states of drawing UBE programme implementation backward by not accessing their grants.

Modibbo spoke at the second quarterly meeting of UBEC management with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education

Boards (SUBEBs) in Markurdi, Benue State.

According to the Executive Secretary, the Commission has received N184, 071 billion as matching grants since 2005 and disbursed N113, 919 billion to state and the FCT representing 76.93 per cent access.

He expressed disappoint that some states were yet to access N34, 152 billion remained unaccessed as at July 6.

“States that do not access their Matching Grants are drawing UBE Implementation Programme backward in the states,” he said.

Dr. Modibbo state disclosed that the Federal Government Statutory Allocation of UBE Matching Grant to state and the FCT for this year is N872,527,306.70. So far, he said 50 per cent of the amount has been received for two quarters. The counterpart funds of the states and

the FCT stand at N 436,263,653.35 for the first and second quarters.

Commenting on the 13th financial monitoring of the 36 state and the FCT in compliance with Section 9(g) of the UBE Act of 2004, he said the objectives of this exercise were to ensure judicious use of funds, determine compliance with the approved action plans, and provide the basis for the disbursement of intervention fund.

•From right: Mrs Agusho Oyewole Zulikhat and two judges Mrs Kemi Akinduro and Mrs R. E. Akerele Nwaha

ICT training should meet international standards

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ITH Computer Studies to become an examination subject in the 2011/2012 session in September, the Cheif Executive Office of Readmanna Ventures, Mrs Edna Agusto, has urged the Federal Government to ensure that the curriculum would imbue students with practical skills recognised in any part of the world.

Speaking at the end of the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) National Competition held at the Pees Galleria, Ikoyi, Lagos on Monday last week, Mrs Agusto expressed

T

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

concern that many schools claiming to provide ICT training for students are offering training that is not backed by internationallyrecognised skills and certification could provide bearers with employment after graduation.

“Many schools don’t have good IT teachers. They are not interested in participating in this competition because they cannot teach it,” she said.

This fact was made obvious at the preliminary stage of the 2010 edition of the

competition during which many students could not scale through the Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3), which tests basic digital literacy.

Speaking on the benefits of gaining IC3 certification, and the MOS, which tests students’ proficiency in Microsoft Word 2007 and Excel 2007 and other Microsoft Office packages like Powerpoint, Outlook, Project and Access, Mrs Agusto said bearers get certificates which can earn them credits in some 2,000 colleges in the United States, and also presented as demonstration

of skills when job hunting.

“The certificate is acceptable by over 2,000 colleges in the United States. Bearers can get college credits. Students are advised to take the MOS even before they write SAT, and with the certificates, they can get jobs,” she said.

In all, 16 students from Thomas Adewumi International College, Kwara State; Crescent University, Abeokuta, Babcock University, IlishanRemo, and the University of Lagos took part in the final of the MOS competition in either Microsoft Word 2007 or Microsoft Excel 2007.

Cultural clubs for Lagos schools

HE National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has inaugurated cultural clubs in Lagos State schools.

During the event held at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, NICO Executive Secretary Dr Barclays Ayakoroma expressed optimism that through participation in club activities, pupils would begin to appreciate the country’s diverse cultural heritage and imbibe positive values that support development.

“It is equally to encourage them to imbibe some positive cultural Nigerian values and build in them a sense of

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

pride of being Nigerians. It is, indeed, the institute’s bid at catching them young,” he said.

Despite substantial wealth of natural resources, Ayakoroma said poor attitudinal and mental disposition has stunted the country’s growth. Given that the development is culture-oriented, he said the institute hopes to arrest the challenge of effecting desirable behavioural changes in youths in line with its mandate.

“For this, the mandate of

NICO would be appreciated as the body saddled with the responsibility of orientation and engendering national consciousness,” he said.

In her address, the special guest of honour, Mrs Nkechi Obi, who is also the Managing Director of Techno oil Plc, advised that the best of cultural values be rekindled and preserved for onward transmission to the younger generation.

Mrs Obi lamented that many think culture is all about putting up a show.

“It is unfortunate that most people erroneously think that

culture starts and ends with dancing, singing and acting.

Although these are important aspects of our culture (but) there is more to it and Nigeria stands to benefit immensely if it can harness the benefits that abound in our cultural heritage,” she said.

Cultural clubs are to be launched nationwide through NICO’s offices in all six geopolitical zones.

In her remarks, the Head of NICO’s Lagos Liaison office, Mrs. B.R. Yerima, thanked the schools and other invited guests for making out time to attend the inauguration.

ACE FILE Registrar speaks on skills THE Registrar of Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo, Mr F. E. Aderinboye, has charged Registry workers to improve on their writing skills to enhance their productivity.

Speaking on the theme, Languages and technicalities of minutes and report writing in the administration of higher Eeducational Institutions at the Fifth Registry Retreat held last Saturday, Aderinboye underscored the importance of learning to use the English language appropriately.

“It is important and crucial to your continued relevance in an academic environment to master the nitty-gritty of minutes and report writing. Your mastery of the English Language in writing your minutes and reports determines the respect you receive from other stakeholders in the system,” he added Declaring the retreat open, the Provost represented by the Deputy Provost, Dr Olufemi Olajuyigbe noted that there are only two qualities in the world efficiency and inefficiency.

Pre-degree, NCE forms out THE Directorate of Preliminary Programmes of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo has started the sales of forms for the 2011/2012 admission into the predegree and pre-NCE programme.

The Pre-degreee and PreNCE programmes are designed to prepare students for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) slated for April 2012.

The College offers Predegree programmes in the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Physical and Health Education, English Language, Yoruba, French, Geography, history, Fine and Applied Arts, Agricultural Science and Home Economics.

The College also offers various Pre-NCE course combinations in the following schools of Arts and Social Sciences, Languages, Education, Science and Vocational and Technical Education.

How to shape pupils’ character

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HE management of Roemichs Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State, has suggested that academic and co-curricular activities in secondary schools be structured to help pupils form proper character that will make them become great leaders.

Executive Director of the school, Ms. Carmen Latty, noted in a statement that secondary education is critical in the growth and development of a child hence the

need for school administrators in both public and private schools to invest in human and material resources that will enhance the production of creative, versatile and problem-solving future leaders.

She noted that the curriculum in Roemichs is structured to make secondary school pupils rounded young scholars who are competitive anywhere in the world.

“Apart from running excellent academic curriculum

with well- trained and highly motivated teachers both Nigerians and expatriates, our school supporting infrastructure are built to provide the necessary ambience for learning and proper training for our students.’’

The school administrator said Roemichs has incorporated leadership training into its scheme of work because of the future roles the pupils would play later in life as leaders in both the private

and public sectors.

“It is important we inculcate civic responsibility and patriotism into our students when they are at secondary school as children form their habits and personality when they are teenagers, by the time a child gets to the University his or her character has been formed already and it is difficult at that stage to instil these virtues. The most life-long relationships are consummated in secondary schools,’’ she explained.

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UNICAL bubbles for Sprite Triple Slam

UNIJOS’ most busy season Page 34

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*CAMPUSES *NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS *GRANTS

THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE

0805-450-3104 email: ladycampus@yahoo.com

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

email:- campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

The parliament of the Lagos State University Students’ Union (LASUSU) has accomplished the “impossible”. It revived the third organ of government, the judicial arm, which had been comatose for long. NURUDEEN YUSUF (100-Level Common and Islamic Law) was at the joint sitting.

•The new judges taking the oath of office.

LASUSUG restores judicial council T

HERE will be fond memories of the 2010/2011 Students’ Parliamentary Council (SPC) of the Lagos State University Students’ Union (LASUSU) for a long time.

“LASUites” are grateful to it for accomplishing what many thought was impossible. It restored the third arm of the union, the Students’ Judicial Council (SJC).

•Ganiyu, the speaker

•Remilekun, president of the appeal court.

At the sitting where the new judicial officers were sworn in, Speaker of the SPC, Ganiyu Ibikunle, made it clear that it was an “important proceeding that would not condone any form of indiscipline from members”. He urged the house to put sentiments aside for what he described as a landmark event. The SJC had not been inaugurated in years.

The earlier nominated and screened judges were called in. For the appellate court, which is the highest court of the union, the judges are: Remilekun Ojudun, Tosin Gbadamosi, Adaku Emeka, Alexander Osondu and Kazeem Adedeji. All are 500-

Level Law students.

For the high court, also from the Faculty of Law, were Sessi Hundeyin (500-Level), Abiodun Ogunubi, Adekunmi Da-Silva and Kafilat Aderibigbe (400-Level) and Zainab Abiola (300-Level). Others are Augustine Kriko (400-Level Political Science), Opeyemi Oshiyemi (300-Level Economics Education), Akinjide Akinlalu and Toyib Olayikan (300-Level Mass Communication), Pascal Okereke, Seun Adesina and Adebola Adegunwa.

Yusuf Soetan, of 300-Level Law, is the chief registrar. Mavis Orji, of 200-Law, is the registrar.

They were each nominated by their faculties. Earlier, the SPC had requested faculty presidents to nominate judges, subject to the ratification of each faculty’s Students’ Representative Council (SRC).

Having approved all officers, the next task for the parliamentarians was to elect the chief judge, for the high court, and the president of the appeal court.

Three of the judges were nominated for the office of chief judge. They are Sessi Hundeyin, Kafilat Aderibigbe and Zainab Abiola. An open secret ballot system was adopted. After the election, Sessi defeated others to become the Chief Judge LASUSU High Court.

To appoint the President of the Appeal Court, the Speaker cited Section 21 (4): “The head of the Appeal Court shall be called the president of the appeal court which shall be appointed from among the members of the Appeal Court.”

At the end of proceedings, Remilekun Ojudun became President of LASUSU Appeal Court. He doubles as the chief judicial officer of the union.

The next process was the administration of the oath of office on the judges. This was coordinated by the President of the Students’ Union, Olayiwola Adebayo.

In his congratulatory remarks, the •Continued on page 30

• Varsity lifts ban on associations - Pg32 •Students protest late registration fee - Pg33

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

30

CAMPUS LIFE ing university admission. Thus, the next day after she arrived, I took her to the bank and we bought the JAMB UTME form. It was filled and submitted and all that remained was for her to prepare for the exam. Pronto, I had her registered in a tutorial center where a neighbour’s daughter who with already gained admission to Covenant University was tutored.

The “experience” started soon after.

This girl could not read the Bible at morn08054503104 ing devotion; she could not express her(SMS only) self in good English, save pidgin. Her was incomprehensible. When I •campuslife@thenationonlineng.net writing couldn’t stand it anymore – from some•ladycampus@yahoo.com one who had a good credit pass in English Language - I sat her down and literported that teachers and school principals usu- arily prised out of her how she got the result.

Of course I knew about exam malpractice; but ally collect up to N25,000 and N50,000 per student to sit for exams in the special centers… save the “giraffing” and “micro-chips” in exam most private schools were involved in exami- halls, and the odd case where one would hear of a student actually impersonating another nation malpractices in all areas covered.

“There were cases where a principal of a cer- to write for them, I was living in the Stone tain school collaborated with the teachers to Age! In the “new age”, parents colluded with perpetrate this heinous crime which is deadly teachers, principals, proprietors (for private to the posterity of this nation (emphasis schools), external invigilators and security mine). Some of these private schools have agents to ensure that students passed. Those special rooms or offices where this crime is parents who insist on the right thing are seen perfectly committed. They also allow their as “wicked” by their children.

It happened that my girl’s parents paid for her students to come into the examination halls with textbooks, cell phones, micro-scripts and at a special center. The payment was part of the school and exam fees paid in the beginphotocopied answers”.

For many students and parents who read ning of her SS3 year. But everyone knew what the story on Tuesday or reading it here, there part of the money was for what.

I then explained to the young lady that she is nothing “mind-blowing” about the development. The principals, proprietors, teach- now had a choice to either work on herself ers and students caught are all Nigerians, liv- (as I would give her all the assistance I could) and pass JAMB or she could go back to her ing in this country.

And everyone knows that Ondo State may folks and continue in the way she knew. Benot be the worst culprit. It came tops here prob- sides, it wasn’t that her people could not foot ably because members of the NAVC in Ondo the bill of her university education; no, she just wanted to stay with me. took their assignment very seriously.

Thankfully, she opted for the hard way, stay In this column, about two years ago, I wrote about my experience with a girl who came to with me. It was work; real hard work. Not surstay with me. She had a good WASC result so I prisingly, when the JAMB result came out, she was impressed and willing to assist her in gain- scored 164. That was less than average; but con-

A monster we Pushing must rein in Out

A

STORY on page 3 of the Tuesday edition of this newspaper had this headline “ICPC uncovers how principals aid malpractices”. The rider read: “Teacher ‘wrote exams for student’”.

It told of how the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) exposed how some principals and teachers aided examination malpractices during the May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), also called the West African School Certificate (WASC).

A statement signed by the commission’s Resident Media Consultant, Mr. Folu Olamiti, said that such principals and teachers in some states were charging parents and guardians between N25,000 and N50,000 to write the exams for their wards.

According to Olamiti, the ICPC made the discovery through its National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps (NAVC). Ondo State was the most liable, he added. There was a particular case in the state where a male teacher impersonated a female student to write examinations for her.

The commission further revealed that the malpractices were most rampant at special centres created by some principals, saying that such centers were being used to perpetrate “mind-blowing malpractices”.

Part of the statement read: “The NAVC made the observation in a comprehensive report it made after monitoring the just concluded May/June examinations for secondary school students, stating that principals and teachers have been colluding with lazy students who had perfected the art of cheating during examinations, after collecting some bribes. Members of NAVC in Ondo State re-

Ngozi Nwozor

Vivian Imobhio, a model, is a 400-Level student of Linguistics and Communication Studies at the University of Port Harcourt where she is the reigning Miss UNIPORT. She shares her experiences with CHRIS OKAFOR (400Level Microbiology).

LASU-SUG restores judicial council

'Discover your talent and develop it'

•Vivian

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HAT will you say are the qualities that stood you out?

I've always had this dream of becoming a beauty queen. I started by competing in my department where I won the Miss Linguistics and Communication Studies (LINCOMSA) title. So, when I got wind of the

Miss UNIPORT pageant I decided to give it a shot and after meeting the requirements of the judges I emerged victorious.

What did it feel like when you were announced winner?

I was overwhelmed with joy to be announced the queen of a great institution as UNIPORT. I was excited for days.

You are also a model. What is your drive?

As a teenager, I used to watch models such as Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Hieldi Klum and a host of others on Fashion TV and that was when I developed the passion for modeling. I would stand before the mirror daily and do the catwalk. I realised I had what it takes to be a model.

What are you responsibilities as Miss UNIPORT? As Miss UNIPORT, I represent the female community on campus. My primary responsibility is to promote projects and activities that will help young ladies believe in themselves and aspire to greater heights.

Are you having any particular challenge juggling these as a student?

I won't say so. I enjoy what I'm studying in school. I also have wonderful friends and being in school is really giving me an opportunity to express my creativity.

What are your expectations in the next couple of years?

I hope to have set up my own fashion label and carved out my own niche in the modelling industry. I also hope to be married and live a good life.

What do you say to the stories of unwholesome love affairs surrounding beauty queens?

I wouldn't say it's a falsehood but I believe it's a thing of choice because it has to do with the individual concerned. What appeals to one may be repulsive to another.

Any advice for students, especially those in UNIPORT? Believe in yourself and be your very best at all times. Find creative ways of expressing yourself. Each of us has greatness imbedded in us. It is left for you as a person to discover and build your own. Never give up on your dreams. We are all unique in our own special ways. There can only be you at a time.

sidering her background, I actually commended her and told her we (she had become a project I was working on) would do better the next year. Meantime, I pushed books her way and ensured she was engaged with only things and people that kept challenging her intellect.

The next year was 2010. JAMB came and she scored 261; we were ecstatic.

Now, this is not just about her gaining admission, it is more about her getting a much better orientation. She got some hard shove and she scaled through. I know that, forever, her value system has changed, and that for good. Initially, she did not believe she could make JAMB on her own. She couldn’t tell me that because I can be a disciplinarian when I need to (many of my students can tell you that). But she told her mum who called to suggest that “we suspend her going on her own till she gets to the university where she would have four years to catch up”. I told her I would pretend she never said that; and we never had that discussion again.

If a girl who grew up with illiterate parents in a value-warped culture could transform like this in two years, imagine what could have been our lot today if parents and teachers parented and taught indeed?

This time, the ICPC has blown the whistle.

If all we did is scream and holler Armageddon to these “unlucky ones”, we’d be doing ourselves more harm than good. As a good number of us reading this are guilty, that would then make us hypocrites.

We have a monster which no “reclamation, renovation, restoration, refurbishment or all the re-s of education ethics, values and quality” of President Goodluck Jonathan and Prof Ruqquayat Rufai can rein in without you and I doing our bit. Our bit is to parent well, to teach well and to dare to discipline. Discipline starts from the self; I cannot give what I don’t have. No one can. We must rein in this monster before we wake up to the already burgeoning products which could be our ruin.

Ciao

•Sessi, the new chief judge

•Continued from page 29

speaker, Ganiyu, urged the SJC to “cooperate with the two other arms of government and try as much as it can to do justice according to the ethics of the profession, without fear of favour”.

In his acceptance speech, Remilekun thanked LASU students for giving him the opportunity to serve them. He added: “I promise not to betray the trust reposed in me, by holding on tenaciously to the tenets of the profession and guarding judiciously the provisions of the Students’ Union constitution”.

Few minutes after the inauguration of the SJC, the house resumed sitting to inaugurate a constitution review committee. The eightman panel, consisting members drawn from each faculty, has as chairman Taiwo Akere (500-Level Fisheries and Marine Biology) and Kareem Jubril (300-Level Law), secretary.

Other members are: Sulaimon Ridwan, Political Science; Muideen Olushedu, English

Language; Oluwakayode Bello, Business Administration; Dawodu Olajide, Language Arts and Social Science Education; Olumide Faleke, Mass Communication and Maruf Agoro, Mechanical Engineering The committee was given six weeks to produce “a prototype of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the union, amending the ambiguities in the present constitution for ease of interpretation for good governance of the students.”

In a chat with CAMPUSLIFE Ganiyu said: “The judicial council has not functioned in years. It had been only the executive and the legislature. But I am determined to make a Uturn from the status quo. From the larger society which we are a sub set to, the three arms work hand-in-hand to ensure good governance to the people. We undertook to get the SJC working properly to ensure that the three organs of the students’ union run concurrently.

The place of the judiciary in any government cannot be overemphasised. I think from now, if any law is passed in error, the affected party can seek an interpretation from the judiciary.”

Remilekun urged, students to expect a “virile SJC.” He said: “We wanted to make students aware that now their cases can be brought forward to the judiciary and there will be proper judgment by the court. The pronouncements of my court will also be enforced because it is properly set up.”

His counterpart in the high court, Sessi, said the judiciary is necessary “in any government because it balances the interests of various groups in the society.”

He assured students that from the kind of judges that have been appointed, everyone would get fair hearing and justice.

UNAD wins quiz contest

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HE Victus Chambers of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has organised the second edition of its annual inter-university quiz competition in honour of Prof J.O. Fabunmi. The University of Ado-Ekiti won the quiz.

The competition began with OAU being evicted at the preliminary rounds with only four points. Next to be evicted was the University of Ibadan (UI). University of Lagos (UNILAG) also lost out with six points leaving the stage for three schools: Babcock

From Adebayo Caleb OAU

University, University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD) and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

In the end, Babcock University came third as UNAD won the contest while UNILORIN came second.

The honouree, along with many invited guests, graced the programme.

31

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

CAMPUS LIFE It was a mix of basket ball, rap and dance at the Southsouth zone of the Sprite Triple Slam held at the University of Calabar. CHARLES UDENZE and EMMANUEL SHEBBS (400-L Political Science) report.

UNICAL bubbles for Sprite Tripple slam

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T was a great way to start a new semester at the University of Calabar (UNICAL). The twoday show tagged Sprite Triple Slam, took place at the Malabo Refectory.

Students and lovers of fun within the campus and environs defied a heavy downpour to grace the event.

Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, the Brand Manager (Flavours) Coca Cola Nigeria, Mrs Toyin Nnodi explained: "This programme started three years ago. It's taking place in four different locations this year Enugu, Calabar, Abuja and Lagos as zonal qualifying centres before the grand finale in Lagos. Here, 133 participants registered for rap music, 48 for basketball and 28 dance teams, that is 56 dancers. So, we have 235 youths jostling for the four positions to represent Calabar at the finals."

The 2011 edition of the STS was an exciting fusion of skill and dexterity in music, dance and basketball. It was clear that the country is blessed with abundant dancing, singing and basketball talents in their raw form.

After hours of stiff competition, the judges had a Herculean task choosing the four individuals to represent the zone in Lagos. Eclectic Bassey Christopher, a 23-year-old indigene of Cross Rivers and 200-Level Computer Science student in Cross Rivers State University (CRUTECH), emerged winner for the basketball category.

Jane Amadi, a 21-year-old native of Ogbunabali in Rivers State and 200-Level Personnel Management student at UNICAL, clinched the music category. Meanwhile, the duo of Edeniyi Olayinka, a native of IleOluji area of Ondo State and 300-Level Theatre Arts student at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) and Mercy Gbarane, an indigene of Rivers State and also a

•Mrs. Nnodi (2nd right), Mrs. Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, Strategic Marketing Manager, Flavours, Coca-Cola (middle) and all the winners.

•Mrs. Nnodi (left) presenting the Rap prize to Jane.

•Inyanya (middle) and other artistes at the event.

300-Level Theatre Arts student in UNIPORT emerged winners in the dance category.

The four regional winners received gifts of Blackberry phones and tickets to represent the western zone in Lagos, where they will battle with other regional winners from Enugu, Abuja and Lagos for a N6 million cash prize.

According to Mrs Nnodi, the Calabar audition was very exciting. "We had a lot of participants who were willing to compete and show their

spark. Calabar is unique because the Street Maniacs from here won the previous edition in 2010. I know the judges had a challenge selecting these four because we saw a lot of good performances, but I believe they have done a good job."

On the rationale for choosing winners, Eldee the Don, a popular music producer and one of the judges said: "Calabar has always been a region with very creative hip-hop artistes which is one of the reasons they won last year. Also, it was good

seeing a female rapper come tops.

Given the high level of performance, creativity and fan appeal, choosing the four finalists was not easy, but we eventually selected the best of the best."

Other artistes who thrilled fans at the audition included Iyanya, Overdose, Dil and Praiz. Each took turns, performing several hit tracks which created an electrifying atmosphere.

Local based artists and comedians such Calibaba, Dream Kid, Speedy Man, Mr Harmony, Kobasta, Last Prophet, Olubo Olabode, Umyime Okon, Who Cares, among other” were equally around to spice the event with rib-cracking jokes. John Edwards popularly known as Roboticman, who is also a dance instructor, commended the efforts of all the contestants.

Free CDs and other gifts were shared to the audience.

Mr Austin Ufomba, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola, said the major motivation around STS is to connect with the core target - older teens aged between 16 and 24, with an urbane lifestyle who are creative in their thinking and who have certain passion points. He added: "Consumer engagement states you have to meet your target consumer at the point of need and be part of his lifestyle. The Sprite targets are eager to take a bottle of Sprite to spark-up their creativity. So, we thought of how well to get this young urbane youths to spark up their creativity and do what they know how to do best. This motivation gave birth to

the STS." For the final art, all the semi finalists were called on stage where the four finalists for each category were called. What made the event really appealing was the fact that the decisions of the judges were really in harmony with the audience's judgment. In rap music, three males and a female were selected while dance had three male groups and a female group; in basketball it was all males affair.

As soon as she came on stage for her finals, Jane, the only female rap music artist, received a well deserved ovation for her performance. When she touched the microphone, it was as if cold water was poured on the audience; when she started singing, it was as if her official language was rapping. Before she finished, the audience was screaming her name so loud, drowning all other noise.

People stood up to applaud the judges when she was eventually named winner.

Before the winners were called, the 2010 Sprite Triple Slam Champion Street Manic, products of Calabar zone, came on stage to perform.

Jane spoke to CAMPUSLIFE: "I decided to take part in the contest because I missed the 2010 edition. Also, I felt it is time to showcase my talent, show them what I know how to do best and show my swag. I am going to Lagos to do Calabar proud and I will definitely be a worthy ambassador to reciprocate the love shown me today by the audience. I owe them a lot."

SLAM is a magazine; it is also an acronym for "Smart Leaders Are Mad". It held a well-attended awards for students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State. PATRICK ACHUKWU (500-L Industrial and Production Engineering) reports.

Body holds 'heroes award'

S

LAM, a youth group, lived up to its billings with the rolling out of the third edition of its magazine, Slam 3, and a maiden "Youth Heroes Award". The double event took place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka.

The brainchild of Ngozi Emmanuel, a 400-Level student of Mass Communication and CAMPUSLIFE woman, SLAM (acronym for Smart Leaders Are Made) collaborated with DBC Associates to hold the award, an event that will run for the next five years.

Ngozi explained: "I thank God for making DBC Associates believe in the SLAM vision. There are not many companies that will see a proposal from a student and buy into it. I received several negative answers from managers including those who would want to sleep with you before they help you. I thank God for one of my mentors, Pastor Iykes Afoenyi, who introduced the idea to DBC; today, here we are. It is my passion to serve my community.

I don't have money or anything but I like impacting on lives, especially those of my peers. I believe in this generation; that is why I introduced the youth heroes' awards which DBC

has agreed to sponsor for the next five years. We had just six categories this year but as time goes on, more will be added by God's grace."

The categories are: most enterprising student, most creative student, fastest growing entrepreneur, best student leader, most influential UNIZIK graduate and then an award of corporate social responsibility given to DBC. The event was held at the Whyteview Hotel hall, where SLAM's website was also launched, simultaneously with the third edition of the magazine.

The awards were closely competed for by 25 students who were nominated by other students for each of the category. At the end, the five winners who made it include Nelson Omenugha (Best Student Leader), Nnamdi Onuchukwu (Most Influential UNIZIK Graduate), Kelvin Anyaegbunam (Fastest Growing Enterpreneur), Chigozie Akwanwa (Most Creative Student) and Melody Nwosu (Most Enterprising Student).

Speaking on the future of the awards, Ngozi said other universities may be included with time.

Some of the awardees spoke to CAMPUSLIFE. Melody, a student of

•Ngozi

•The SLAM 3 edition.

Engineering said: "This is my first award ever in my life and I thank SLAM magazine so much for giving me this encouragement". For Nnamdi Onuchukwu: "This is beautiful. I've never seen a more beautiful award."

For Kelvin: "I have never received an award in my life before. This is my first and it just gave me the drive to go through the rest of my life. To

my friends who are yet to start something, please do, SLAM is here for us! Thank you so much."

Nelson, the past Students Union president, actually shed some tears.

He said: "This award is better than others I have received so far. Coming when I'm no longer in office shows students appreciated my contributions in office."

The Vice-Chancellor of the insti-

tution, Prof Boniface Egboka, equally praised the initiative: "Congratulations to SLAM for the programme and also for the third edition. It is delightfully charming.

Keep up the good work."

Dickson Okoro is a crew member of SLAM. He revealed that they are "still searching for corporate bodies that will be interested in sponsoring this initiative. Up till this moment, we are still having fund challenges but we stayed on and will keep at it until good help comes."

The Head of Mass Communication Department, Dr Kate Omenugha, praised the initiative, promising support to the company.

32

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

CAMPUS LIFE Department holds seminar on food security

I

•Mr. and Mrs. Efobi flank their daughter, Onyinye, the best overall graduating student.

N a bid to encourage Agricultural students not to relent in the practise of the discipline, the National Association of Agricultural Students (NAAS), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) chapter organised a seminar for the students.

Tagged Food security: The challenges and the way out, the programme was aimed at identifying the challenges agriculturists encounter in the course of engaging in the profession. According to NAAS President, Afolabi Fashola, agriculturists were not encouraged despite the fact that everyone knows they plant the food the nation consumes. “We are calling on the government to invest in the agricultural sector as food is very important and good food cannot be compromised in any way,” Afolabi said.

President of the Students’ Union, Gafar Adebayo, said: “This is a giant stride. I believe after this seminar, they

From Adenike Ashogbon LASPOTECH

should be able to see Agriculture from a profitable angle.”

Present at the programme included a representative from the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) and Mr Gbenga Oyelaru, from Fishery Department, LASPOTECH, among others.

Meanwhile, the students of the institution have been awaiting the SUG Marathon tagged “Race against cholera”. According to the Sports Director, Ahmed Alawoki, the marathon is the union’s way of contributing to the growing awareness against social vices and diseases. It would cover 10 to 11 kilometres and the winners would be awarded prizes.

Pharmacy graduates take oath

T

HE National Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria has held an induction and oath-taking ceremony for the 2009/2010 graduates of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Health Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

The ceremony took place at the Margret Ekpo Convocation Arena.

Speaking at the occasion, the Registrar of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Mr Ahmed Mora, noted that the training given to the

From Oladele Oge UNN

students in school was different from the training of other students in the sciences field. He congratulated the students and urged them to do more research in human health.

In her speech, Dean of the faculty, Prof P.O. Osadebe, congratulated the new graduates for maintaining discipline during their days in

school. She said two students had distinctions in the six professional exams taken.

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals presented cash prizes to the best graduating students. Onyinyechi Efobi received N75,000 as the overall best student. Second best student, Chiamaka Asiegbu received N45,000.

The oath taking was well attended by parents and dignitaries from across the country.

•Some of the students at the seminar.

Varsity lifts ban on associations

T

HE Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) has lifted the ban on students’ associations; this is coming after months of proscription.

Meanwhile, the Students’ Affair unit has released the list of registered associations that are to operate within the university. This came after weeks of investigation and rigorous checking of the associations’ modes of operation.

For departmental, press, clubs and

From Faith Olaniran and Folajimi Orintunsin FUT MINNA

indigenous associations were called to revalidate their registration.

Students thanked the management and the Students’ Union Government (SUG)for reviving the activities of their “beloved associations.”

Career seminar for students

I

•The students at the Dan Zauzua outcrop.

Geology students on field trip

L

AST week was remarkable for students of Geology of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. They took the week off academic work to embark on a field trip.

Al-Amin Bello, the President of the Association of Petroleum Geologists Students (AAPGS), was

From Maliki Andas ABU

seen cheerfully conducting other students as they proceeded on the trip.

Dr. A.A. Aliyu, a lecturer in the department, led the students.

They went to the Dan Zauzua

outcrop of the Zaria batholiths, the rocks said to have been formed about 550 million years ago. Some geologic products in form of rocks, minerals and fossils were on display as students learned many things on natural formations.

‘Imperatives for good governance’

P

ENULTIMATE week, the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) held its 19th inaugural lecture. It was delivered by Prof Oluwole Morenikeji, who is the Dean of the School of Environmental Technology.

Titled Sloganeering, visioning and planning: Imperative for good governance, Prof. Morenikeji regretted that Nigeria was inundated with slogans and as such, none of the slogans like “Operation feed the na-

From David Osu FUT MINNA

tion” and “Vision 2010”, has benefitted the nation as the times go by. These programmes, he said, were characterised by duplicity of function and wasteful dissipation of resources. He added that Nigeria has improved “sluggishly”.

Prof Morenikeji said: “We are not being pessimistic. Rather, we believe that in finding solutions to these problems, identification of the

problem itself is an important step.”

He recommended institutional framework, funding and, institutionalisation of good governance as panacea to Nigeria’s woes.

The Dean appreciated God and thanked the university leadership for the support given him. The lecture was attended by the university’s principal officers, deans and heads of departments, members of staff and students.

The Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida, was represented at the occasion.

T was a gathering of students, prospective corps members and employed persons last week at a workshop organised by a consulting firm, Earl Consulting. Tagged “Career choice seminar,” the event took place at the Akindeko Auditorium of the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

In his paper entitled Career talk, Earl’s Managing Consultant, Mr. Aloy Okoduwa, urged participants, especially the undergraduates, to follow a career path that would give them satisfaction and fulfillment. He charged them to constantly develop and update their knowledge so they could compete effectively with their counterparts.

From Gilbert Alasa and Valor Iduh UNIBEN

Students who attended the function said the programme was an eye-opener. In a chat with CAMPUSLIFE, a Law graduate from UNIBEN, Agari Iroro, said he could now effectively utilise potential based on what he gained from the seminar.

A Mass Communication graduate, Jumoke Akande, said the workshop afforded her the opportunity to understand how new businesses are created “even from the most silliest of ideas.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

33

CAMPUS LIFE English students present drama

T

HE 100-Level students of English and Literary Studies, University of Ado Ekiti (UNAD), have presented their long-rehearsed drama and song for course ELS 123 (Stage Literature).

The students paired into three groups, made two presentations each - a dance and a drama. On the day of the presentation, Group one staged an Efik royal dance; groups two and three performed Benin and Yoruba Ifa dances. The students also acted a two-scene drama portraying the level of corruption in Nigeria, as their senior colleagues and lecturers from the department watched.

From Tunji Awe UNAD

Some of the students also relived their days of rehearsals.

Omotinuadewa Aladejebi said: “Aside the time we spent, we also spent money that most of us can’t even remember but in all, we enjoyed ourselves and got to know one another the more.”

The lecturer of the course, Dr. Ade Adeseke, said: “This set of students has really impressed me because they showed discipline and intellectual display. As young and new students to this course, they have displayed what some professionals might not even be able to do.”

Fear pervades college over cult clash •The protesting students.

Students protest late registration fee

T

HE part-time students of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi (AUCHI POLY) have protested the extra demonstrated N5,000 for late registration. The students at the administrative building which houses the office of the Rector, Dr. Philipa Idogho.

They said the management needed to listen to their plight, “being the most marginalised students when it comes to issue of fees”.

Some of the students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, said the economic situation in the country was responsible for their inability to pay the fee on time. “Our parents are suffering; they even manage to send us to

From Tosin Ajuwon AUCHI POLY

school. Instead of management to help us, they are adding fee for late registration,” were the words of Faith Akpan, a Business Administration student.

A student of Mass Communication said the 2011 elections caused her inability to pay because her family lost property after the election.

However, some have blamed a bank within the institution for their late registration. They said the bank has refused to send their names to the bursary department for collection of

file to complete their registration on the Internet.

“Some of us have paid. The bank refuses to send our names to the school after payment. Now we are unable to complete our registration at the Information Communication Centre (ICT). Who then should be blamed?” asked Bunmi Ijabiyi, a student of Banking and Finance.

However, a staff of the bank described the allegation as baseless.

Meanwhile, the Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Mr. George Umoru, said the students needed to be blamed because they did not take their registration seriously.

S

TUDENTS of the College of Education, Ekiadolor (COEE), Edo State, are scared following the discovery of a human head at the institution’s main gate. The head, which was still dripping blood when it was found, was eventually confirmed as that of a 100-Level student of Economics-Geography, Larry Obanor.

Some students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, described the “head discovery” as a sign of renewed cult fight in the institution. A student, Judith Ikehinde, said: “I cannot read within the school again at night because I fear the warring fraternities might invade the campus.”

Chineyere Iyoha said: “What we saw is the genesis of the terror that

From Tosin Ajuwon COEE

is likely to invade the school. This institution is no longer safe from morning to night. Government should curtail further attack.”

“We can no longer sleep with our eyes closed. Gunshots boom at any time, day and night,” submitted Charles Okpere.

Although, academic activities have since resumed following the initial panic, but security has been beefed up at the institution’s main gate. A lecturer in the school, Mr Anthony Odion, said: “You can see students running to class to receive lectures. Normalcy has returned and students have been advised to stay indoors at night.”

Igbo culture on display

T

HE Federation of Igbo Students Association (FISA), has held a cultural rebirth conference at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Pankshin, Plateau State.

The event started with a procession of the students, joined by Igbo lecturers, dressed in their traditional attire. The welcome speech was delivered by Dr. G. Chukwu, a lecturer, while prayer was offered

by Chief Festus Olisaeke, for the success of the programme.

Dr. Chukwu advised the students not to fear, but “rather be bold in the face of challenges.” He equally charged them to maintain

From Chidiebere Umeorizu and Ogechi Ajah FCE PANKSHIN

peace and unity among themselves as the motto of the association reads Ofu obi ka anyi ji ebi (in unity we all live).

Rufus Nwakor, a businessman in Pankshin, said he was happy to see the Igbo students in the campus coming together to organise a meaningful programme.

Maintaining their tradition, kolanuts were shared to the various representatives of the five eastern states, after which a short prayer was said. The kolanuts were broken and eaten.

“In Igbo community, kolanuts are given to only men,” Dr. Chukwu explained.

FISA outgoing President, Maryann Onwujiobi, thanked her colleagues for cooperating with her during her tenure. She advised the incoming executive to serve the association diligently and with hardwork “so that they would be successful.”

The students also launched their maiden calendar at the programme.

Speaking, Dr. Chukwu said the almanac was timely. After the launching, certificates and gifts were presented to members of the outgoing executive.

•Some affected business operators going through the wreckage.

Fire razes stalls

A

N early morning razed four shops at the mini market, popularly known as Coke Village, of the new campus of Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

Property valued millions of Naira was said to have beendestroyed. The fire which broke out about 2am, could not be put out on time because of the inability of those around to reach the fire station.

A shop owner is Mallam Ibrahim, said the fire might have been caused by epileptic power supply. Eyewitnesses said the fire was not noticed early as many people were then asleep.

One of the affected shop owners, Mallam Zangina, said he just ex-

•L-R Former president, Tayo, Pastor Emmannuel and Mr. Gbenga Rufai, a guest.

Fellowship gets new executive

T

HE Communicators for Christ (CFC) Fellowship of Mass Communication, University of Lagos (UNILAG), has inaugurated new leaders.

The event which took place at the Students Union Building (SUB). It was attended by Christian students of the department.

Pastor Femi Emmanuel, the guest minister admonished the new ex-

From Olalekan Adewale UNILAG

ecutive members to lead by example.

Former president of the fellowship Oluwatayo Alofun said he was happy to hand over the mantle of leadership.

“I am happy that someone able and led by the spirit of God is succeeding me. I look forward to seeing their ten-

ure turn things around,” Oluwatayo said.

The new executive members include Moses Huyinsode, President; Adetutu Wande-Kayode, VicePresident; Abraham Adegoke, General Secretary; Demilade Oresanya, Prayer Coordinator; Olayinka Ayekun, Music Director. Tosin Ajibola, Academic Secretary, among others.

From Moshood Isah and Ayuba Aboki BUK panded his shop and stocked it with goods worth N1million. The middle–aged man said he was “now left with nothing.”

Mr Kamsisi, who operates a business centre, said despite the loss, he would not lose faith in God. He said: “I lost five photocopying machines, two generators, desktops and other business tools. My faith in God is unchanging. He will make a way”.

All the affected shop owners called on the school authority and the government to come to their aid by helping them with capital to restart their businesses.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

34

CAMPUS LIFE Students of Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, have gathered last Wednesday to elect a new Student Union leadership. But it was not to be, no thanks to a criterion students claimed they did not know about. ONYINYE NKWOCHA (400-L English & Literary Studies) and THADDEUS IHEZIE (400-L Mass Communication) were there.

Election that was not to be T

HE atmosphere was charged; students trickled into the auditorium of the Imo State University (IMSU) in ones and twos.

They were gathering to listen to those aspiring to represent them; it was the manifesto day. The event preceded the general election scheduled for the next day.

Supporters used the opportunity to campaign more for their candidates whose praises they sang. The air was electrifying. A total of 32 aspirants vied for different offices.

Unlike the previous year's election, this had less pre-election campaigns and publicity. It also had a higher number of people, six in all, vying for the office of the SUG president.

Each of the presidential aspirants made promises which earned them cheers. Chukwukadibia Nwaogu, of the Faculty of Law, promised to install a transformer on campus, and to lobby the state government to make the university residential to reduce the stress of expensive house rent.

Cletus Okechukwu promised to tackle lack of conveniences by building toilets in different faculties on campus. Chukwudinma Okpara promised to lobby the government to mount police posts at the hostel alliances where students live, to ensure improved security.

Chinonso Onyekwere promised to get the state government to reduce the rent paid in private hostels; Chidiebere Umelo promised to dialogue with landlords in favour of

All departments at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) have conducted elections for the various student bodies.

HOPE OFOBIKE (400L) and ESTHER MARK (300-L Mass Communication) report that it was another interesting season.

•Some students in a queue, voting, before the rumpus.

•This was the situation before the VC intervened.

the students and to maintain a students union that will not be influenced negatively.

Apart from the presidential position, two other offices also attracted attention. They are those of vice-president, which had four girls slugging it out, and the director of socials, with four boys contesting. Surprisingly, the offices of the secretary-general and the assistant were unopposed, leaving many students to wonder. However, there were other captivating personalities for other offices, as well as some not-so captivating ones too.

After the manifesto, it was time for the presidential debate. The presidential candidates were required to answer questions asked by students.

Each was asked three questions. No one succeeded in thrilling and distinguishing himself. As a student who didn't want to be named noted: "all of them answered well enough".

The next morning, a large turnout of students gathered at the open ground opposite the security department, to cast their votes. The little threat of light showers did little

300-Level student, who gave his name as Tony Okechukwu, said: "The criterion of school fees receipt is absurd because we are not yet sure on how much to pay as fees following the conflicting rumours on school fees".

Another student, Bright Nwachukwu, said: "We are not happy with this development. What is good is good for everybody. Let them allow us to vote with our biometric ID".

But Vivian Umezu, in 300-Level Insurance, disagreed: "These are necessary requirements, though I do not meet them. I won't be voting; that's alright".

Theresa Nwakanma is in 400Level: "It is good in a way. I see no reason why one would call himself a student and not be financially up to date".

Another student stated: "This is not fair to other contestants because only the Law students have fully paid their fees. This means their presidential candidate may win the election”.

The UNECO chairman, while trying to calm prayed nerves, promised

to calm the tension in the air.

At about 11am when the University Electoral Commission (UNECO), led by Christian Obinwa, assisted by security personnel, declared everything ready, students queued according to their faculties to exercise their franchise. Just before voting the UNECO chairman announced that the voting requirements for students were an evidence of recent school fees payment and the biometric identification card.

At this point, drama ensued. Students rejected the criteria, claiming they were not informed earlier.

Voting queues were thus disrupted, except for that of the Faculty of Law, where the students had all paid their fees. The Law student watched as other students and officials of the electoral body argued.

Investigation revealed that many students preferred that only the biometric identification cards be used because it would be difficult for an outsider trying to vote to fake a copy.

Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, a

UNIJOS’ most busy season

T

HE University of Jos (UNIJOS) has practically been abuzz with political activities in the last few weeks. It was time to elect new leaders for all departments and faculties.

Colourful posters of aspirants in different shapes and sizes adorned the campus and its environs. They were placed at strategic positions. Flyers were also passed by hand circulated in classes during lectures. Text messages were equally used to gain popularity among students.

The campaigns were rounded off with manifesto days organised by the various departments where the aspirants underscored the essence of their aspirations by outlining their plans if elected. It was also a time

•Some posters at the Faculty of Arts building.

for “big grammar.” Those who could speak were applauded and hailed while those who could not convince the electorate were booed.

The department of English kickstarted the elections. At the end

of the keenly contested election, Olatunde Olaleru beat Simeon Sechivr to clinch the presidential portfolio.

Faculty of Law, however, took a different shape as the election could be mistaken for a senatorial

•Richard, new AMCOS President.

or house of assembly contest going by the turnout of students and overall planning for the exercise.

Cars of various sizes and classes lined up the faculty area, venue of the election. Social networks such

to get things resolved for the election to continue. By then, some votes had been cast. Protesting students who wanted to disrupt the election were restrained by security agents.

Ballot boxes for the various faculties were near empty, except for that of the Faculty of Law. Eventually, the umpire stopped the voting until the issue could be resolved. Thankfully, there was no outbreak of violence.

The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof B.E.B. Nwoke, and the SUG Staff Adviser, Dr. Sam Ezeanyika, wereinformed of the development and they intervened promptly.

After speaking to some studentleaders, the VC suspended the election,giving students more time to pay their fees, because according to him, "if you have not paid your school fees, it means you are not a student and cannot vote in the students union election.

His decision was acceptable to all.

Some of the aspirants told CAMPUSLIFE they would use the opportunity to fortify their campaigns. The new election date will be announced soon. as Facebook and 2go were well utilised as good means of campaigns as chat rooms and walls were filled with discussions and appeals to the students to vote in the right candidate. At the end, Micah Adaji became the new President of Law students.

Sociology was not left out in the political scene as its students turned out en mass to exercise their franchise. Other departments such as Languages and Linguistics, History and International Studies, Psychology, Economics, Accounting and others all saw their students participating in the decision making process. Emmanuel Nwosu is in 200-Level Accounting; he said of the process: “It was pure, transparent and easy for all to see and understand.”

However, in the department of Management, the election took a different format as things turned rowdy and almost violent when the ballots were counted. There were accusations of rigging and words were exchanged. At the end, the results were cancelled and a re-election fixed for a later date.

The Faculty of Natural Science also witnessed a large turnout of voters as the election had over eight departments slugging it out independently. From Mathematics to Physics, Geology and Mining, Zoology, Botany, Microbiology and Computer Science, candidates were elected. The various departments all •Continued on page 36

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

35

CAMPUS LIFE

You are not the messiah

By Vincent Nzemeke vincentmaga@gmail.com

I

DO not envy you, my friend.

Not even in my worst moments will I ever wish I were you. Not because you are a bad man, neither is it because I am not impressed by your sterling achievements. I just don’t envy you.

Don’t call me a bigot. You can’t discern the construct of a man’s heart on his face. Look beyond my frail arms and tremulous legs and you will see the strength in my

“V

IOLENCE is a dead end.

It is a sign neither of courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that’s how it is surrendered” – Barrack Obama As I pen this piece, many parents and relations are yet to get over the shock. Their hearts are heavy and exude unhappiness, a language better understood by the hapless, helpless and hopeless.

Their children and relations have been mowed down in their prime.

And so, their faces continue to blush crimson because some people had chosen the path of bloodshed, violence and religious fanaticism, neglecting the threats to our national life. And they seem to love it, too.

H

OW time flies! The environment is no reminder of anything. From the rocky town of Abeokuta to the knowledge spring of a race, my host was University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD) and I studied Accountancy. The rest is now history.

But there seems to be something unique in my sojourn: campus journalism. I don’t know how UNAD became excellent choice among students. I heard about it when I was in SSS1 in 1999. Then, my aunty, Medinat Omoyayi, was a student of the school but attended the satellite campus in Abeokuta. UNAD was far from my dreamed institution but I got admitted there.

Changing environment is a thing that makes people look different.

Different beliefs, ideologies, cultures and dialects, for all on morals I enjoyed my first four months at Iworoko, a rural area near the school populated by students.

Coming to UNAD, I thought to myself that I would fight a cause for humanity and ensure educational rights either as a journalist or unionist. Surely you may wonder why I chose to trek the path of the likes of the late Dele Giwa, Prof Wole Soyinka, Sam Omatseye, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Reuben Abati, Gani Fawehinmi, Tony Momoh and Gbenga Omotoso. It is because of the wide gap between the rich and poor, bondage and freedom, light and darkness, hunger and food, and right and privileges.

Then in UNAD, the act of writing to express your thoughts was not common. We have the central Students’ Union editorial board filled with no tabloid, no magazine.

To change this notion, a group of friends all in a class started a journey

wisdom. My father once told me that the strongest of all men is he who sees trouble and runs for his life. I thought you were that strong man, but I was wrong. You saw trouble and you did not run.

You entered into it with all the strength in you. What were you thinking? Who misled you into believing you were our messiah?

I don’t envy you because it hurts to be you. The burden on your shoulders are too heavy for one man. My head would rupture if I were president. The bones under my skin would pop out if I were Goodluck Jonathan. I would crumble under the weight of the myriads of problems that accompanies the first citizen of a multifarious entity like Nigeria. But you chose to be the president.

You are president, yet you don’t sleep. You live in the most secured house, but peace eludes you. Problems are your bed. The many challenges that confront our nation are your pillows. You are Jonathan, the bearer of our burdens.

Your name is the song on every lip. Fathers blame you for their

woes. Mothers rain curses on you for the rising price of kerosene.

Udeme said he took to drugs because you could not give him a job five years after he graduated.

Eloho said she trades body for money, because your government has failed her. Even Junior, who could not pass his Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), says you are responsible by not paying his teachers well.

If I may ask, do you hear them?

Do you hear the cry of innocent mothers and children dying in hospitals without doctors and drugs? Do you hear the cry of the ordinary Nigerian whose life is at risk every time he goes on the death traps we call roads? Do you hear the cry of the graduate who can’t get a job after five laborious years in school? Do you hear the cry of the youths with no future?

Do you hear the cry of Nigerian students, the ones whose lives have become miserable because they want an education? Answer me Jonathan, do you hear them?

You craved power and you got it.

You jettisoned the zoning principle

to actualise your presidential ambition. Tears and bloods flowed when you came. Brothers became rivals and swords clashed when you were declared winner of the election. Those who loved you called you a child of destiny. While those who abhorred you dubbed you a renegade. But the constitution called you president.

Now you are president of a nation on the brink of collapse. You are the peace maker in a bout of wounded warriors. You are the leader of a country where the scars of war and betrayal still haunt. The northerners despise you. The southerners treat you with disdain.

Even your own kinsmen, who swore to always be by your side, are giving up on you. Did you come at the wrong time?

You came with lofty ideas. You said you will terminate our perennial woes in 48 months. During your inauguration, you said you will hit the ground running. I am still waiting for you to start.

I am waiting for you to comfort the victims of bomb explosions and religious extremism. I am

NYSC: To be or not to be

By Martin-Luther Obeata luthery2k@yahoo.ca In recent times, Nigeria has become a haven of man-made disasters. This is orchestrated partly by extremists who see no sense in mutual tolerance. On the other side, this violence stems much from the grand scheming of political thugs who have refused to join the nation’s march to progress.

But what has continued to confuse every sane Nigerian is the current spate of killings and violence that have become a recurring decimal on the northern front. And as the focus of these scoundrels shifts to serving corps

members, parents and relations can no longer sleep in peace. Recently, we were bombarded with news of deaths of these non-combatant youths. Young, passionate and highly driven Nigerians being wasted and turned to nothing but miserable carcasses and cadavers! From Borno to Bauchi, the story was the same.

And of course, a Nigerian graduate poised to “serve his father’s land, with strength and faith” becomes a victim of such mindless assault. Sadly enough, the cases of the “NYSC 10” as well as the five serving members kidnapped in Rivers State are still fresh in our minds. But no sooner had this fury subsided than the

Boko Haram sect struck in Bauchi with other innocent victims sent to their early graves.

With this plethora of attacks and insecurity, it becomes pertinent to have a rethink as to how the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme should be observed. For those who advocate an outright scrapping of the scheme, I make bold to suggest that it may not be the most plausible panacea to the problem.

Rather, it would have succeeded in defeating the noble objective of national integration which informed its formation in 1973 by General Yakubu Gowon. It would equally hinder our quest for national unity as mobility of labour

waiting for you to bring back the souls of innocent corps members cut in their primes while serving their father land. I am waiting for you to bring succour to the mother of the child who died in an auto crash on the highway.

I am no Thomas Didymus, but I know you are not the messiah. I know you are not the one to bring an end to the epileptic power supply in Nigeria. The problems you inherited will blossom when your time is over. When you bow out, we will still have hospitals without drugs. There will still be universities of shallow knowledge. We will still have blood sucking tracks as express ways and more impoverished citizens.

The problems of Nigeria are beyond having a name that spells good luck. It is beyond having a boyish demeanor and the enthralling voice of a nightingale. Our problems call for a man who knows the root and is willing to go the extra mile in search of solutions.

You don’t look to me like that man.

The problems of Nigeria are beyond you, my friend. You are not the messiah and I still don’t envy you.

Vincent, 400-Level Mass Comm., DELSU Abraka would also feel the heat.

However, it would be safer to let graduates serve in their choice states. For one, this has many benefits to offer Nigerians. Chiefly among these is the fact that it will encourage healthy competition among the states. And as such, any state that seems to attract low interest will be put on their toes to improve on their security and quality of education. Whether we accept this or not, the NYSC has continued to unite Nigerians of diverse economic and religious orientations. Again, Nigeria is one sovereign nation and any attempt to scrap the scheme might result in dire consequences especially in our national integration drive.

Martin-Luther, 400-Level Chemical Engineering, UNIBEN

My campus journalism odyssey of evolving our mates out of the darkness of information hostility.

People like Seun Gbadamosi, Gabriel Agboola, Innocent Ogbodo, Ibironke Williams, Ayodeji Akinlade, Opeyemi Atoki, Gbemisola Olatuyi, Olalekan Salako, Opeyemi Samuel, Omolaoye Mathew, Olumide Omoge and I came together. They were members of faculty editorial teams which I chaired until 2009.

Cultism was one reason I did not want to come to UNAD. I had heard a lot of their bloody stories. As student accountants, our watchword was accountability and equity.

There was high level of intimidation, hunting, beating and even threats to life. Our offence: we dared to report their misdemeanour. I could recall the day I was beaten publicly at Dallimore for reporting a crime someone committed. It was a well learnt lesson.

I served my colleagues for three sessions. There were more foes than friends. Perhaps I did not notice them until I became General Secretary of the Association of Campus Journalist (ACJ), a registered body on campus. I remember the day and night we would not sleep, writing the ACJ constitution alongside my friend, Sunday Ogundugba. Ogundugba and I met through a friend Opeyemi Dibua, as student reporters for CAMPUSLIFE, the weekly pullout in The Nation. As a platform that gives the youths, especially students the hope of becoming relevant, CAMPUSLIFE was conceived

by Aunty Ngozi Nwozor and spon-

sored by Nigerian Bottling Company Plc and Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited.

Writing for CAMPUSLIFE placed me among kings, men of vision, who is who, talented writers. I remember the day I read my first published story. “Valentine day should be made public holiday”. I was ecstatic. Writing for CAMPUSLIFE raised my pedigree, and earned me accolades and fame. At times I felt like a sparkling star; it was fulfilling, alluring with fun and challenges. It established my dream and love for writing (journalism).

I remember the bad days, the early days. I had worked on a report celebrating the fighting heroes of PTP (UNAD). It was not used for a while.

I kept resending the report to my Editor until one day, it was a Wednesday, Sunday and Opeyemi visited me at home to show me Aunty Ngozi’s text saying “Sunday, tell whoever wrote the article ‘Brave heart’ to give it to a good writer, I can’t make sense of if”. I saw the text and my eyes reddened in anger. My heart pulsated while Sunday and Opeyemi laughed. I was their laughing stock. Why? We had for once argued superiority among ourselves. My dream of becoming a writer would have been dashed by the incidence but I told myself that I won’t relent.

I got books to help develop my style and skills; I also bought books on grammar and lexis to aid my choice of words and language.

Eventually, I got an opportunity to ask Aunty about the text message.

She said she was sorry and

apologised. I was so happy! So, even the queen could apologise?

This was a lady I used to see as semi God until I met her. She is funny and kind to all. The tale of my campus journalism style or adventure is incomplete without her and the challenges of covering stories.

Opeyemi and I suffered daily from one form of management or students intimidation to another.

Nevertheless, UNAD produced me. Prof Dipo Kolawole, the former Vice-Chancellor, spiced up our performance; he lighted us up when we needed it. We (Opeyemi and I) unarguably enjoyed writing liberty under him. Somehow information came to us; we didn’t go after it any longer.

Leaving UNAD is the beginning of what comes next. Good for me, I left the environment better than the way I met it. Today, journalism is widely accepted as tool of combating unpleasing policy of students, lecturers and management.

Lecturers see us as Amazons, untouched celebrities and somewhat a laughing stock, especially Opeyemi as he always told me when we don’t perform credibly in class. Meanwhile despite hoodwink, I shoved the unprofessional practices and I was honored all the years from department to department and more.

My long last relationship with University of Ado Ekiti ended on a sound note. For the journey it was challenging, frustrating, heightened by palpable decisions,

By Olusegun Adegbenro segzey4luv2001@yahoo.com filled with fun, glitz, remarkable memories of time, legacies, opportunities, discoveries that affects all positively and even negatively.

Above all I thank all who made the years a fulfilling reality (2005-2011).

Seems just like yesterday when papa told me “Sayo- in the choice of learning, your destiny is in your hand”. Be the architect of your fortune. To all CAMPUSLIFERS, Aunty NG, friends, family, fellow comrades in struggle, loved ones; you are close to my heart. By then, the means of the end shall be graciously ebbed with victory song.

What next? Benue State, here I come.

Olusegun, recently finished from Accounting, UNAD

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

36

CAMPUS LIFE Dirge for a colleague

L

Succeeding deliberately

By Uche Ogbonna uche.ogbonna@fidelitybankplc.com 08055061278

S

UCCESS and achievement rarely fall on anyone’s lap. If you are going to be successful from your student years up to the time you are actualising your dream, you must recognise this fact.

Success is negotiated, bargained, haggled and paid for. What you are willing to give is what you will get. It is time for every student reading this to realise that you must be tenacious if you are going to be successful. It is time to jettison all other ideas and be ready to pay the price.

Look at the cheetah, the world’s fastest four footed mammal. Nimble, light, built for speed.

It accelerates to 80kilometeres per hour, bursts into the savannah plain, locks its vision on the first prey big enough to be a meal and hurtles at top speed toward it. It runs and runs, heart labouring and pumping wildly; it gains on its prey. It must eat; therefore it must run and run with such pace! When it catches up on the victim, it has won the prize. But it almost always nearly pays with its life. You see, the cheetah’s heart pumps at such a massive pace that it has a limited time to catch up with its prey. The cheetah literarily risks having a heart attack if it continues to push its body on. Yet push it must.

This is because if it does not it shall die….not by the heart attack, but by hunger! There is a lesson to be learned here.

Many students reading this have become lethargic and lazy. Too many students are complacent and without a sense of urgency; many have become comfortable with being in the crowd. I must warn you, being lethargic and average puts you at the risk of being hungry tomorrow. You must resist this. You must declare a war against conformity to mediocrity; you must choose to succeed deliberately.

The greatest hearts and minds that ever walked on the face of the earth knew without a shadow of doubt that they would be successful.

How confident are you of your success? Fidelity Bank, as a brand, is not growing by the stroke of luck or by randomly won prizes, no! It is a carefully thought out, passionately followed process to grow and groom the brand. We will continue with it until we become a super brand and even then we will not stop!

Mozart (if you have never heard of this great composer, Google him now) wrote his first masterpiece at age 21. That seems very young; many people on the surface will allude his success to a stroke of luck. However when you

On and Off Campus

recall that he started playing professionally at age 4, then you realise that he put in his all into one thing for 18years! He was bound to excel!

Can you be that dedicated? Our desire is to drive that passion in you.

The country needs men and women who will light the flame and succeed - not by chance, not by good fortune, as advantageous as that can be, not just by fortunate birthright but - by deliberate living, deliberate decisions, deliberate choices and deliberate sacrifices.

You must start now to make good use of all that you have around you; the time, the people, the resources. You must begin to tap in, network, exploit and take advantage of every place you are. It is time to take more serious the assignments given by the lecturers. Time to put in one more extra hour even when others are turning in. It is time to be more tenacious…chase after your dream like the cheetah. Burst after your noble goal.

This is our calling at Fidelity Bank; we are tenacious. It is our nature; ambition is our drive and character keeps us on the path of ethical judgment. How can we fail? This is what you must become, but only if you realise that you can only succeed by doing the right things deliberately. Push yourself a little harder, research a little longer, take some moments to be a little quieter, challenge your ideas, make friends of like passion, accept the place of mentors in your life, read about people who have gone ahead of you and made waves, see beyond the campus, look beyond its raves, fads and ruckus!

There is a world of plenty and laurels waiting for you. Yes, you. And it all depends on what you will do once you drop this article. You can turn the page and go to sleep, or you can get fired up and join the Fidelity way. The way of obvious success! It is your choice, dear reader; but our desire is that the story of this great nation be changed by the addition of your chapter and the chapter of another student, reading and being inspired by these few words. The revolution can begin now and it will as long as you make the choice to live and succeed deliberately.

Join the Fidelity family. Walk into any branch and ask for the Fidelity Flex account. Send your comments, questions and suggestions of topics to write on to marketing.communications@fidelitybankplc.com.

We would love to hear from you!

By Solomon Izekor 08061522600

AW students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) are mourning their colleague, Clement Fadipe.

Fadipe died in an accident on Ilorin road.

He was on his way back from Kaduna where he went for an interview.

The news was broken by one of his relatives residing in Ondo town. The mourning students gathered, all in black, beside the university’s Relaxation Centre, chanting dirges, lit candles in their hands.

They said the late Fadipe died while struggling on the hill of greatness.

“We will miss him because he was a very devoted student, highly intelligent as well as being the Coordinator of the Christian Law Students Society (CLASFON). He wrote

From Imoleayo Oyedeyi AAUA

powerful article, which won him fame. He was about clinching another honour when death took him away,” one of the mourning students said.

Describing the late Fadipe as a genius, the Sport Director of Law, Emmanuel Obisong, said: “He was a rare man. His mode of thinking was superb. As a matter of fact, he died while struggling to the top. He was a friend to all.”

Another student from the faculty, Olajide Sagari, said of the late Fadipe: “He was my brother who motivated me. My lovely Clement, sleep tight in heaven.”

Man ‘O’ War cadets pass out

T

HE University of Jos (UNIJOS) Man ‘O’ War command has held its 26th passing out parade. Many students graced the occasion. Also in attendance were the Director of Academic Planning Prof M.T. Yahaya, Students’ Union leaders and ex-Man ‘O’ War members.

The ceremony featured colourful parades in military style, with march past; guard of inspection and salutes to the admiration of the audience.

Prof Yahaya praised the leadership qualities of the outgoing commander-inchief (C-in-C), Yunus Oladele, and his supreme council members. He also thanked Yunus for ensuring peace and orderliness

From Kelechi Maduakolam UNIJOS on campus throughout his tenure. He, therefore, presented an award of excellence to the young man.

The high point of the ceremony was the “hour of appointment and disappointment” a popular phrase used by the command for appointing new C-in-C and seven supreme council members to pilot the affairs of the command for another year.

Jude Udah, a student from the department of Management Sciences, was chosen as the new C-in-C.

•Some students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) in traditional costumes, during their recent Students’ Union Week.

PHOTO: HOPE OFOBIKE

UNIJOS’ most busy season • Continued from page 34

had new leaders whose promises during the manifesto would be assessed by the time the new session is over. Jubilations accompanied the announcement of the results.

The Department of Mass Communication witnessed what can be best described as a “political renewal”, going by the overall planning that went into the process. There was also a large turnout of voters. Apart from the offices of president and vice-president, all the others went unopposed.

Accreditation of voters started by 10am and the requirements were either the school identity card or school fees receipt. At 11am, voting was declared open by the Electoral Officer, Emmanuel Mwarangshak, a 400Level student. Voting was, however, interrupted by a heavy downpour. At 3pm, the ballot boxes were closed and votes counted in the presence of candidates and their agents. Richard Maiwada was declared winner of the presidential election, while Gift Nwachukwu was declared the new VicePresident.

The department went into jubilation as supporters of the winners began to celebrate. Drinks were bought and shared

freely; even those whose candidates did not win joined in the celebration.

In an interview, Richard said he was overwhelmed by the mandate given to him, and thanked all who voted “for being part of the emerging new dawn”.

In her response, Jacklyn Dakat, who lost to Richard, said the outcome represented the wish of the students. She thanked them saying “we all have won, since I’m the first female candidate to have vied for this position in the history of the department”. She congratulated the winner and urged him to live up to expectation.

Commenting on the election, Beloved Olusiyi, in 300-Level, said the turnout of students was highly encouraging and expressed gratitude to the constituted electoral committee for doing a good job. For Plangnan Dem, in 200-Level: “Leadership goes beyond winning the polls as in a year’s time, we would actually know if they lived up to expectation.

Biodun Azeez, in 100-Level, has a different opinion: “Today’s election and the outcome shows that this the department and the country is progressing, as credible elections can be held.”

37

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

EDUCATION UNAD FILE

Poly rewards outstanding student

M

ANY lecturers at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Ogun State, believe Miss Oluwadamilola Alade is on her way to greatness.

The 24-year-old has already added two professional certificates to her National Diploma (ND) in Accountancy, which she obtained in 2008.

Last year, she emerged the best female student for 2010 diet of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) – a year after she became a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN).

Last week, her alma mater honoured her for being a good ambassador. Presenting a plaque and a token to Dammy as she is fondly called, in the presence of her parents and some principal officers of the institution, the Rector, Mr Tokunbo Fowode, said MAPOLY products have been winning laurels.

Damilola and many others before her are demonstrating the quality of teaching they received, he said.

“Here in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, we are the type that agitates for parity between

Vasrsity get PCs THE management of the University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD) has reiterated its determination to make the institution ICT compliant.

While receiving 110 BRIAN notebook computers with special inbuilt facilities donated by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dada Adelowo, said the management would strive to accomplish the goal.

Adelowo praised NCC for the kind gesture and noted that the place of computers and internet connectivity in university education cannot be ignored, particularly in teaching, research and administration.

Presenting the computers on behalf of NCC, the Business Manager of Bring Reliable Information Access to Nigeria (BRIAN) makers of the computers, Mr Alaba Odetola, said that the laptops have the latest gadgets available in markets, a claim the ICT Director of the University, Prof F.M. Aderibigbe, acknowledge.

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

Bsc and HND certificates. It is not the type of certificate that matters, but what one is able to achieve outside the school. We believe our products should demonstrate the stuff they are made such as Damilola who performed excellently with just ND in Accountancy,” he said.

Oluwadamilola, an Osun State indigene, has just concluded her final examinations leading to the award of Bachelor Degree in Applied Accounting of the Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom.

She attributed her achievements to hard work and focus.

“It takes mentoring. It has not been easy, but I have been focused and hard working,” she told The Nation.

Asked if having a boy friend ever distracted her, Damilola answered: “You are asking if I have a boy friend because of the distractions that come with it?

Yes. I have, but mine is very supportive. He is not somebody that disturbs. He is always there to support me. He believes in my dream and saw me through it with God on my side.”

VC warns cultists •Damilola

Students who can school in UK, by consultant

S

INCERITY of purpose is important when applying to schools in the United Kingdom (UK), Managing Partner of Avail International Consult Ltd (AICL Education), Mrs Bola Agunbiade, has said.

She said students seeking admission into colleges and universities in the UK need to seek information from genuine recruiting agencies, while such firms also need to ensure that when admitted, the students would do Nigeria proud in their various schools.

In an interview with The Nation at Avail’s Ogba office, Mrs Agunbiade said the stringent immigration requirements of the UK Border Agency leave little room for errors or dishonesty on the part of the potential students.

Mrs Agunbiade said having spent seven years counselling students and preparing documentation for visas at a foreign education service provider, Preparation For Life (PFL) before establishing AICL Education in March, she has learnt not only to help students choose appropriate schools and courses, but ensure that their reasons for wanting to study abroad are genuine.

She said: “We are education consultants and visa counsellors. We don’t just help with admissions but help to pay tuition fees, do visa counselling and follow up on our students to ensure that the institutions they applied to live up to their promises.

“We want genuine students who are interested in studying – not people who will disgrace Nigeria.

We want students who have genuine intentions to go there and come out with good grades. We desire to give students genuine information. There are a lot of fraudulent organisations out there that collect money and advise students to submit fake documents and the penalty for such is heavy because the student could be banned from entering the UK for 10 years.”

In line with tougher measures to check unscrupulous students, Mrs

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

Agunbiade said the UK Border Agency has raised the stakes for visa rejections by allowing its educational institutions only a two per cent rejection rate. Institutions that have more than two per cent of their applicants denied visas drop from a new class of rating that has been established. As a result, she said partner firms have to be meticulous about helping their clients put together proper genuine documentation that would not be faulted by immigration officers.

“We have to also verify certificates from here. People come with fake results. The (foreign) universities in question are very careful.

They have been made sponsors so they have to ensure that students that apply are not refused visas.

They are only allowed two per cent refusal rate if not they will drop in

ratings from A to B and that will bounce back on the agents they came through,” she said.

When ascertaining whether her clients want to genuinely study abroad, Mrs Agunbiade said she asks questions and has had cause to turn away students who have the financial wherewithal yet are insincere about their purpose for traveling.

“I have interviewed students who tell me they just want to travel.

When you ask about the course they want to study, they don’t know. For such students, we turn them back. We have to protect our integrity,” she said.

Currently, Mrs Agunbiade said AICL Education represents 30 UK institutions in Nigeria, and by popular demand, has now made incursion into Canada, where it has established relationships with five institutions. She hopes to expand

THOSE belonging to illegal organisations in UNAD have been asked to quit or face the wrath of the law.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dada Adelowo, gave the warning while monitoring the ongoing first semester examinations taking place on campus.

He said he would not allow hoodlums to disrupt examinations as he added that adequate security had been provided for all students and staff.

During the tour, students were seen writing their papers in peace.

Registrar harps on hard work

•Agunbiade

AICL’s reach to more potential students and parents within Nigeria and Africa in need of trustworthy information and services about studying abroad.

MEMBERS of staff of the Registry unit of the university have been advised by the Registrar, Dr Omojola Awosusi, to make sincerity and hard-work their hallmarks.

He gave the advice during a meeting with the senior staff cadre of the unit.

The Registrar told them that they were crucial to the growth of the university, warning that management would not condole laziness among them. He also told them to instill discipline on their subordinates.

Dr Awosusi, however, promised that hardworking and honest staff would be rewarded.

AKSU gets principal officers

From right: Head of International Students, Recruitment Department, Diana Korniecka, President of University of Economy in Bydgoszcz, Krzysztof Sikora, Exclusive Analysis Nig Ltd, Okechukwu Nwafor, Professor at the University, KillionMunyama and CEO Arijoy Travels and Tours Ltd, Arize Sunny, at a one-day exhibition on university education in Poland held at the weekend in Abuja.

GOVERNOR Godswill Akpabio has appointed four principal officers for Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU).

Their appointments took effect from July 4.

The officers are: Mr Samuel John Udoekong, Registrar; Mr Samuel Moses Udowo, Bursar; Mr Daniel John Otoyo, Head of Works and Dr Mfon Essien Etuk, University Librarian.

Akwa Ibom State University Law 2009, Section 6 (5) of the First Schedule stipulates that the Governor, who is also the Visitor to the university, shall appoint the principal officers.

38

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

EDUCATION This year, 2,000 of the about 1.4 million candidates who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scored 300 and above. One of them, Oluwaseun Osonuga, a 16-year-old SS3 pupil of Vale College, Ibadan, scored 311. He told BISI OLADELE that he would make a higher score , if he writes the examination again.

I’ll clear UTME again, says candidate • Pupil scored 311 in last exam

H

E was 16 on May 10, 29 days before he wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for the first time.

Master Oluwaseun Osonuga, an outstanding SS3 pupil of Vale College, a private secondary school tucked in the valley of Iyaganku Quarters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, did the school and his parents proud when he scored 311 out of the 400 highest obtainable scores in the examination written on June 18.

With such a feat in English, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Osonuga, who applied for Electrical/ Electronics Engineering at the University of Lagos, said the examination was a walk-over because he prepared well, reading as much as possible to crown the tutelage he receives from his parents and grandparents.

Osonuga, a son of an engineer with a multinational, said his grandparents complemented the hard study

at home and in school by giving him tutorials right from his days in primary school.

“It was my grandmother who was a teacher that helped me with counting since I was a child. We live very close to each other. So anytime I come back from school she will engage me with counting. My grandfather also used to take me on English – give me assignments on essay writing and comprehension. Although I didn’t like it then I thank God today for their efforts in my life,” he said.

According to Osonuga, he drew a lot of inspiration for engineering from his father, who takes time to answer him on any engineering-related topic. He also revealed that his early exposure to toys was a big boost for his love for the profession.

His words: “Since I was little girl, I had fascination for light, cars, toys and everything. Basically, the things you enjoy most is what you do during the age of seven to 14, and dur-

ing that age, I was into games and toys, learning how they work. My dad also supported me a lot. So based on that fact, I believe I will be good at electrical engineering.

“I have always been inquisitive about them trying to break it out to see what is inside and to know more about how it works. There was a toy I dismantled one day and I fixed it back and my daddy was happy with me.

“The toy was a yellow monster truck and it was my dad that bought it for me. My dad also helped me to fix back the car because I am exposed to his tools where I used his screwdriver to bring out the car’s rotor and I fixed it back. So, he was really happy unlike other times when I would dismantle the toy and would not be able to fix it back.

On how much engineering he learnt from his father, he said: “I now know how a brake works and other parts of a car because he is very explanatory. Anytime I ask him a question about his profession, he tries as

much as possible to explain it to the best of my understanding and my mother too has been of great help being a nurse. She tutored me on how to live a healthy life. So my two parents have really been of great help to my life.”

However, Osonuga said he would not have been able to make his present achievement without Vale College, Ibadan. “”My parents, my grandparents, my toys and, most especially, my teachers in school who knew that I am very good at mathematics and physics and they asked me what I wanted to do. So, I told them my choice and they said it was a wonderful. If I were to tell them Medicine or another course entirely I believe that they would have counselled me not to do it.

“I think if I did not come to Vale College, I would not be what I am today because the school has brought out the intelligence in me and I am grateful for that, but being somebody is not only about intelligence,

•Oluwaseun

you have to be holistic and Vale College has really impacted me with that.

They have improved me in terms of eloquence, posture, moral, character and sport. When I came to the school, I did not like sport, but they pushed me to try hard to join the soccer team.

This school encourages you to do so many things and I try it.

Vale College has expanded my horizon. It has taught me new ways to think.

I think the problem about people is the way to think positively and Vale College has really taught me to think positively always,” he said.

2011 LAGOS TREE PLANTING DAY

‘We’ ve over 10,000 tree seedlings to give Lagos’

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HE Chairman, Beautification and Landscaping Committee of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) for the 2011 Tree planting exercise, Mrs Yemisi Ogundipe, has expressed the college’s determination to partner with the Lagos State Government on tree-planting.

Mrs Ogundipe, who is also Chairman, Committee of Deans, spoke at the annual tree planting at the college premises in Ijanikin.

“We are ready to partner with the Governor Babatunde Fashola-led government in this project. This college has over 10,000 seedlings that it is willing to give away free to various government ministries in our resolve to identify and contribute our quota as an institution to the lofty project embarked upon by our government,” she said.

The Provost, Mr Hakeem AjoseAdeogun, said AOCOED is ready to leverage on its ‘green’ ambience with trees and other plants.

During the exercise witnessed by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Mrs Victoria Akran, principal officers of the college, and a cross section of students, new trees

I

By Adegunle Olugbamila

were planted.

Governor Raji Fashola’s speech was read by his Special Adviser on Environment Dr Taofeek Folami.

Emphasising on the theme of this year: ‘A tree for life,’ Fashola recalled how the state joined the rest of the world on the tree planting crusade three years ago, adding that Lagos can now prove pundits wrong as it has recorded huge success from the project.

“Apart from the economic activity and the thousands of jobs they have helped us generate, they (trees) also constitute an important plank of our public health and preventive health care strategy in helping to depollute the air because more trees means more oxygen,” he said.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, represented

by Mrs Yemisi Ogundipe, recalled how Fashola’s administration on September 2, 2008 planted 250 trees, to kick-off the state’s one million tress benchmark for its first administration. He nonetheless lauded the administration for surpassing its target with an addition of over two million trees within the target

‘Trees not for firewood’

T was an innnocous question. She wanted to know whether because of the exorbitant price of kerosine, people could cut trees for firewood. The immaculate Junior Secondary School, Maryland, Lagos, pupils stood a while waiting for an answer after asking her question. She was waiting for answer from Mrs Titilola Oluseye, Secretary, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB).

Mrs Oluseye patiently explained to the pupil and her peers that with the roles they play in combating global warming, trees should not be cut down indiscriminately.

“You shouldn’t cut trees. The government is doing everything to be on top of the situation of kerosene scarcity,” she said.

On the contrary, Mrs Oluseye, who represented the LSUBEB Chairman, Mrs Gbolahan Daodu, urged the pupils to nurture the trees on their premises.

Mrs Oluseye read Governor Babatunde Fashola’s speech on the

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

significance of the exercise in which he said that the tree planting day was adopted three years ago to contribute to efforts to sustain the planet.

He said trees help to prevent flooding and warned against cutting of trees without permission.

“While we may all not be able to determine precisely the role played by the trees we planted in limiting the damage and impact of the flood, the truth is that trees help to mitigate flooding. Trees will help erosion prone areas react better and I, therefore, commend them to us and urge everyone to go out from today and plant a tree of life,” he said.

Ahead of the Tree Planting Day, Mr Soliu Agbabiaka, LSUBEB Desk Officer for Tree Planting, said trees were planted in each of the 1001 public primary and 324 junior secondary schools in Lagos State, while on the D-day, the exercise was carried out in 20 schools with the governor represented in each school.

•Dr Folami (second right) covering the tree after planting. With him are Mr Ajose-Adeogun (right), Mrs Akran (third from left) Mrs Ogundipe (after Mrs Akran) and the Registrar, Mr Bola Disu

time.

He said this year’s theme is centres on sensitising Lagosians to cultivate tree planting culture.

“Trees are sources of food for man

and animals. They create atmosphere of beauty, absorb carbon emission, provide shade, reduce heat, noise and shield our properties from vagaries of the weather.

Mrs Victoria Akran expressed happiness that 14 of the 15 trees planted last year’s edition of the exercise survived, adding that another 10 was added to it this year.

YABATECH wins award

Y

ABA College of Technology (YABATECH) has won the Lagos State Government 2011 Tree Planting Award.

The award was presented to the college at the third anniversary of Tree Planting tagged “Operation Green Lagos” for being “one of the tertiary institutions with the best nurtured trees” The Rector, Dr Margaret Kudirat Ladipo, said the institution aligns with the state’s Operation Green Lagos initiative all year round.

Dr Ladipo developed the assault on the environment by those felling trees indiscriminately.

According to her, “it is our duty to keep our land very green and safe, as one of the ways to achieve this is to plant tree. Tree planting and the sustenance of a green environment portray a sense of or

derliness and serenity, which could be likened to the provision of essential urban infrastructure.”

She commended the government for initiating the programme as the sustenance of it will in no doubt contribute to the transformation of Lagos into a green, safe and orderly mega city.

In his key note address, read by the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, Fashola said that it is not enough to plant the trees but importantly preserve the existing ones from those who may wish to cut them down for any reason.

He re-asserted that it is not lawful for anybody to cut down any tree in Lagos State without permission from the State Ministry of Environment as the exigencies

•Dr Ladipo

of our time immensely require that we do more to preserve nature so that we can live in peace.

39

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

EDUCATION

Best pupil afraid of ending up a teacher •Command School graduates 567

S

HE was simple in dressing, humble, respectful and composed. Hardly could anybody know that she is loaded ‘upstairs’.

She has won several awards some of which were, first position and the best speaker in International Debate 2010; second position: essay competition by Rotary Club of Maryland and award of excellence for outstanding performance in the fifth edition of we are the future of our nation competition.

This was the best graduating student of Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos during the school speech and prize giving day held at the school premises last Monday.

Eseoghene Eunice Tialobi, who scored 282 in the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), told The Nation that she loves to study English in university but she is afraid of ending up as a teacher.

Her words: “I love English as a subject and I have a flair for it. I love to see people speaking good English because of that I would have loved to study English but my fear is ending up as a teacher. People told me that students of English Language end up as a classroom teacher which I don’t want. Teaching in this country is not lucrative.

Because of the challenges in the teaching profession I discovered I love people who speak well and can defend themselves. Because of that I will study Law at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), IleIfe.”

A

By Seun Olalude

She said the recognition was an energizer to her.

“I was happy when I received the news that I would be honoured, I never knew it would come this way.

It has really encouraged me to do better that one day I will reap the fruits of hard work,” she said.

Eseoghene urged her junior ones to identify the talents in them.

“My fellow friends, make sure you identify your talent, at the beginning you might not do well, but as you keep trying you will be rewarded,” she advised.

A lecturer at Lagos State University (LASU), Dr Saheed Timehin, told the pupils to be prepared to pay successes’ price “Though knowing yourself and defining your goal are very essential ingredients of success, it is of equal importance to understand that success has its price. This price includes patience, perseverance, diligence and determination,” he advised.

He urged the pupils to identity their personalty.

His words: “To attain success therefore, it is necessary to take some steps. The first task is to discover yourself. What you see about yourself goes a long way in determining how successful you will be.

It is the way you see yourself that shapes your vision of the world around you, and inevitably determines how far you can go. A truly successful person understands himself and his goals and not necessarily the achievements of others.

•From left: Assistant Director, Army Education, Colonel Brave Clement; Maiunguwa and Aligbe

The school Commandant, Lt Col AU, Umar Maiunguwa, urged the graduates to shun evil vices.

He said: “I feel joyous to see these armies going to the world. We are sending them to institutions. We know the school environment has prepared you for the challenges ahead.

“You are to shun cultism and bad associations.

“I expect to see you all at greater height in future because there are ex-students of this school in high places. So, I don’t expect anything less from you.”

He said the staff were rewarded to get better results from them.

The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Chris Azu Aligbe, Chief Executive Officer, Belujane Konzult Ltd, promised to give a laptop to the best

pupil in junior secondary school one (Master Favour Daniel).

“I will provide Favour Daniel (The best student in JSSI) a laptop when he gets to class two. Pupils like this should be identified and bring them out of the class into a private place. That is how they do in developed countries such as Singapore but in this country, we are yet to get there. He deserves to be honoured,” he said.

Fun as school sends off pupils

LL eyes followed the blue balloons released by parents of 13 pupils of Scholastic Hall, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, who graduated from Kindergarten to Grade 1 until the objects became too tiny to distinguish from the clouds.

The balloons were released after the Director, Mrs Scholar Onyekwere, urged the parents to prophesy into the lives of their wards, beseeching the Almighty to mould them into successful professionals. As the parents, mostly mothers prayed earnestly, one of the graduates tugged at her mother’s dress and audibly told her to ask God to make her a doctor.

“Mummy, I want to be a doctor,” she said. Perhaps her mother added her request to her prayers and believed it would get to God through the balloons.

The release of the balloons climaxed the graduation, which featured many interesting presentations by various classes including poem recitation, quotable quotes,

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

songs, riddles, and a French drama.

The school choir sang inspiring songs. All the presentations centered on building self belief, daring to dream, and working hard to make dreams come true – giving parents food for thought as they got entertained.

However, the introduction of the graduates was the most interesting part of the event. From the High School, Eniola Owodunni-Oki was the sole graduate, while 13 fiveyear-olds crossed over from kindergarten to Grade 1 (primary one).

Despite being the only pupil, Eniola was commended by her teachers for being a very engaging pupil. Mrs Olubunmi Obadare, who taught her English, read the comments from all her teachers who described her as a focused, resolute, polite and task-oriented girl with a high sense of humour.

Mrs Onyekwere, who had to sing on Eniola’s insistence, said the teen-

•Parents pray before releasing balloons

ager did not feel lonely but took care of younger pupils.

“Eniola is a unique child. She takes all the children like siblings.

She did not care that she was alone,” she said.

When it was their turn the Kindergarten graduates matched to the

song “This little light of mine,” as they made their way to the podium of the school hall, dressed in white.

School managers urged to develop talents

S

•Pupils of NewHall entertaining guests.

CHOOL managers have been urged to help pupils discover their talents.

Speaking at the graduation and prize giving of Newhall Private School, Ajah, Lagos Mrs Ayo Odubayo, who chaired the event underscored the importance of rewarding other areas of endeavour outside academic excellence.

“The main reason of sending a child to school is to discover the abilities in them. The prize giving day should not be for the best pupils in academics alone but to motivate every pupil in their strength.

The less privileged children should be encouraged; those academically inclined should be encouraged. Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin

By Seun Olalude

Atlantic Airline was sent out of school several times but later his God-given ability was discovered,” she said.

She advised schools to go the extra mile to discover individual abilities.

The Director, Mr Biodun Agbaje, said the school teaches good manners.

His words: “We are not only giving prizes for academics performance but in good manners. Our aim is to build a total pupil, not for them to be good academically alone but when it comes to manners they should not be left out that is why we are rewarding the best behave and neat ones,” he said.

Mr Agbaje said pupils learn to speak major languages.

“Now a day, native languages are fading away gradually but here we promote our languages. We are not taking the language aspect with levity. We teach them key languages like Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa,” he said.

The school had earlier visited the motherless baby’s homes in the community where goods were presented to the home; this was done as part their ways of impacting the less priviledge.

Parents, teachers and quest had a nice time as the pupils presented drama, songs, chorography, poems among many others.

The pupils pleaded with their parents to keep them in the arms of their lovely teachers at Newhall.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

40

EDUCATION EDUTALK

with

Frank versus deceptive schools ATTENDED a graduation in Ikeja on Monday and was struck by the uncommon frankness of the proprietor. She had been part of the lives of most Kofoworola of the 13 graduands from when they were toddlers so knew them and their parents very well.

Kofosagie@yahoo.com While presenting awards, she praised the pupils individually for 08054503077 (SMS only) their strengths – without leaving out their faults. She did not care that their parents, her highly-esteemed clients who pay the fees that finance the school, heard all she said about their wards and may have squirmed uncomfortably in their seats when the remarks were not so complimentary. She was quite blunt.

Her behaviour is unlike the practice in many private schools, where school owners and administrators pander to the whims of parents, even when the demands are ridiculous. That is why we have many schools that cook up grades to keep parents happy. They ensure pupils do not fail internally-conducted tests and examinations, and do not force them to repeat a class even when their grades are poor. As a practice, some do not indicate the performance of the child in relation to the rest of the class in report cards so parents cannot accurately ascertain how well their wards did. During external examinations, they go to all lengths to get ‘expo’, bribe invigilators and supervisors to keep up a good front that portrays the school in favourable light. It is only when such children meet with peers from other schools that their weaknesses are exposed.

Once, a parent wanted to transfer his daughter from a private school to one of the Federal Government Colleges. She had completed her junior secondary education (JSS) at the private school. As part of the screening criteria at the unity school, he was asked to submit her scores in the Junior School Certificate Examination. Prior to that time, he had not seen the result and would probably not have cared to find out how well she did if she did not have to change school. He was surprised by how poorly she performed. I am sure it was a departure from the results he got from her school every term.

This is the season when parents have to choose schools for their wards ahead of a new session in September. I will advise parents to look out for schools where teachers are not afraid to tell the truth about their pupils; where there will be no cover-up of poor results; where teachers are not penalised for refusing to write examination for their pupils.

There are still schools that uphold time-tested principles of integrity, hard work, and excellence, and still maintain cordial relationships with parents without deceptively currying their favour. Such schools are worth searching for.

I

Belo-Osagie

•Mrs Oladunjoye presenting a trophy to District Two

Pupils preach HIV/AIDS gospel at Jam feast C HIEF executive officers of corporate organisations would ordinarily not have time to watch secondary school pupils act dramas, dance, sing or recite poems. But, some of them enjoyed watching the final of this year’s Jam Feast Competition at the Adeyemi Bero auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja.

The underlying objective of the competition was to reward secondary schools that were best educated on abstinence, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STEs) through various forms of entertainment.

Inventions and science projects exhibition by both public and private school pupils also featured during the event.

Mr Keith Richards, Managing Director, Promasidor, makers of Cowbell Milk, Mr Jaiye of Honeywell, Mrs Nike Essiet of Action Health Incorporated, Mrs Funke Mba of Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Ikeja, Lagos were among the helmsmen that cheered as the pupils competed for laurels while educating and entertaining top government functionaries in the education ministry, teachers and their peers.

The CEOs’ organisations were among those presented with plaques for supporting the fiveyear-old initiative organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education in collaboration with School Buggie, a firm that uses entertainment and the mass media to edu-

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

cate youths.

Through the various presentations, the pupils demonstrated that lessons they had been taught about HIV/AIDS were well understood.

In the drama category, it was Ojota Senior High School that won the trophy with its piece entitled: The Bus of Life which likened the risks young people take by engaging in unprotected and premarital sex, sharing needles with taking buses with less than 100 per cent guarantee of their safety. Kingstone College, Obalende came second while Ikeja Senior Grammar School came third.

In Choreography, pupils from Mende Senior High School dazzled with a combination of hip-hop and brake dance which was energetically presented. Joyfield School, Ajah, came second while Odofin Senior Secondary School, Mile 2 came third. In poetry presentation, none could beat the performance by Alakoto Senior High School, Ajegunle, whose pupils recited one of their poems in Yoruba. In second place was Ewutuntun Secondary School, Oshodi, while United Senior College, Lagos came third.

Festac Senior High School, Festac Town mesmerised the audience with HIV/AIDS theme songs to win the trophy in the Song category.

Their beautiful flowing gowns and

head gears for the girls, and buba and pairs of trousers for the boys sown with different colours of the local Ankara fabric may have also boosted their score.

Wahab Folawiyo Secondary School, Ikoyi and Wesley Girls’ School, Yaba, came second and third.

In the inventions category, Top Flight College Ifako-Ijaiye was crowned winner, while Olorunfunmi Junior Grammar School was first runner up and Araromi Ilogbo Secondary School was second runner up.

Overall, Ojota Secondary School and Olorunfunmi Junior Secondary Schools were rewarded with desktop computers each for emerging the best participating public schools, while Joyceville School, Ajah won the same prize in the private school category.

In her speech, new Education Commissioner, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, a lawyer said the aim of the event was to actively engage the teenagers in productive activities to take their minds off sexual intimacies and other risky behaviours that could result in their contracting HIV and other STIs. “Without mincing words, education remains one of the greatest change agents in any civilised society anywhere in the world. It ensures the transmission of all positive core values of society from one generation to another. This is why education remains the strongest tool in the combat against HIV/ AIDS pandemic,” she said.

School seeks Fashola’s help on flood

A

FTER the July 13 downpour, which wrecked havoc on its facilities, St Saviour’s School, Ebutte Metta, Lagos, has called on the state government to dredge a canal near its premises.

Recounting the school loss the Chairman, Board of Management, Mr Tochi Ogboi, said N20million property was damaged by the flood. He spoke at the school’s prize giving day.

“We want the government to come and dredge the shallow canal linking Alaka to Tejuosho area.

And to our dear parents, your financial assistance to redeem the loss of our school and maintain its remarkable academic standard shall in no small measure be esteemed,” he said.

Giving a breakdown of the cost, he said: “The generating set that was damaged cost about N13million; this is aside the cost of transporting it to Nigeria. Monetising other imported equipment wrecked as a

By Adegunle Olugbamila

result of Sunday’s 17-hour downpour was worth more than N7million. Our computer sets, electronic teaching boards, charts, bags, rugs and some other materials in the classrooms including the school fence, library and store buildings are now weak. New uniforms and stationery were destroyed. Broken and smashed furniture were also some of the irredeemable losses which were altogether calculated to be over N20million worth of damages.”

He urged the government to find a permanent solution to the problem of flooding.

He, however, added that the school is bracing to the challenge by ensuring all damaged facilities are replaced before the next session starts in September.

Ogboi said the survival of St. Saviour’s School, which clocked 60 this year, was courtesy, passion and

dedication of the commitment of series of board of managements, as well as teachers who have worked selflessly to sustain its legacy of quality.

He said the institution is ‘Not for Profit’ primary trust school to be opened in Nigeria.

A former Parent-Teacher (PTA) Chairman, Mr Adepoju Kola, lauded the efforts and contributions of parents to the success of the school over the years.

“Your investment in St Saviour’s School is, undoubtedly, an investment in the future of Nigeria. Indeed, the success of the school is remarkable since it has shown how a school built on a colonial foundation can move forward and be developed and run successfully from one generation of Nigerians to another,” he said.

Going down memory lane, Adepoju said the school was established by St Saviour’s colonial church council under Canon R.A. Wright.

‘There are still schools that uphold timetested principles of integrity, hard work, and excellence, and still maintain cordial relationships with parents without deceptively currying their favour. Such schools are worth searching for’

From my Inbox Re: Incentives for deprived school teachers (Thursday, July 14) See Kofo, education is a service to humanity and not profit making venture. Missionaries met the needs of these areas not because they were making gain but they wanted to improve living standards of the people for effectiveness and better future. So no amount of money will quantify the labour in those areas. I am talking from experience; I embarked on such a trip. It was unpleasant; I lost materials, money – you name it – and almost lost my life. But I stayed there for more than two years, nothing moved me. You send for the villagers rather than them spending for you as a motivation. Teachers sent to rural and hard-toreach areas should see it as a service to humanity. Government should take care of those teachers’ wants and there should be frequent transfers.

Compliment to teachers in rural and hard to reach areas. Miri Gwatau, Port Harcourt.

Belo-Osagie, I deem it fit to respond to your article, “Incentives for deprived school teachers”, which I tagged: “The Need of the hour” since you spoke for the voiceless. The teachers and their students in rural and hard-to-reach areas are neglected too much. Nobody cares for them.

Attention is only given to the ones in the cities. Some of these teachers are paid less than their counterparts in the cities, all in the name of lower cost of living. While from the students much is required from them during external examinations, even when little is given to them. Timothy Inaloko Ogu, Nyanya, FCT, Abuja.

As much as we will like to sympathise with those teachers posted to the hinterland, not all of them are complaining. For some it is an opportunity to be complacent and play truancy. Most of their students (do not) come out with good grades and it is my belief that the teachers cannot be excused. It does not matter the conveniences provided, some of them will not stay back because of their spouses and children, and because the place is rural. The matter is complex. Steve Aiyanyo, Abeokuta.

SLIDING TACKLE

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

42

B

ARCELONA coach Pep Guardiola claims the Catalan club are in negotiations to sign Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas is a long-time target for Barca and claimed earlier this summer it would be a dream to play for the club where he began his career.

Barca are back in pre-season training and have yet to make any signings, and while Guardiola admitted that Chile forward Alexis Sanchez is his priority, he also revealed the club are in talks to sign Fabregas.

"It is scary the amount of games we have to play," he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"Last year we were interested in Cesc but Arsenal didn't place him on the market. This year they have agreed to negotiate and that's what we're doing. Market prices are what they are but we hope in the end that everything will be sorted out - we have until Augist 31 to sign him."

Barcelona announced earlier this summer that they would only have around •45 million to spend in the current window, but president Sandro Rosell later clarified that the Catalan club could use some of next year's budget to sign players.

"There is some money in a box (set aside) for this player and we will try until the last day to bring Cesc because he will make our squad better," Guardiola said.

Fabregas was recently encouraged to force an exit from the Gunners by Barcelona rightback Dani Alves, but Guardiola believes the 24-year-old must be respectful to Arsenal as he sets his sights on a dream Camp Nou switch.

"I think Cesc has to do what Arsenal ask him. I wouldn't like it if a player from this institution stood up and said 'I am not going to train any more because I want to leave'," he said.

"When he is fit, (Arsene) Wenger will play him. He has spoken to his coach and his club and if he has the possibility to leave, he would like to come to Barca."

Guardiola also ruled out a summer move for midfielder

Barca negotiating Fabregas deal —Guardiola

C

Xavi: Messi’s criticism exaggerated XAVI Hernandez says criticisms of Lionel Messi’s form for Argentina are “exaggerated” after the World Player of the Year’s poor showing at the Copa America.

Messi’s Barcelona teammate dismissed claims the Argentina forward cannot operate without his presence in midfield, saying “like all football players, Messi depends on the collective (and) we are lucky to have an extraordinary collective.”

Messi, who scored 53 goals for Barcelona last season, failed to score for his country for the second straight major championship as Argentina exited the South American championship in the quarterfinals on home soil.

He was also scoreless at last

year’s World Cup. Xavi says “it’s easy to blame the best” for such a result.

• Xavi

EPL could have goal-line technology

• Fabregas

Thiago Alcantara, even if Fabregas joins the Catalan club.

Some reports had suggested the Spain Under-21 star could be sold, but the player recently signed a new long-term contract and his release clause was raised from •10 million to •50m.

"One doesn't have anything to

Terry wants to be Chelsea manager

HELSEA captain John Terry has reiterated his desire to become manager of the club but hopes new manager Andre VillasBoas will be around for "for a long time," reports said Wednesday.

Terry, 30, said he believed the appointment of VillasBoas showed Chelsea was willing to appoint a young manager, pointing out that he will be the same age as the 33year-old when his contract expires.

"Obviously that's my overall aim, to become manager," Chelsea was quoted by The Daily Telegraph as saying.

"It's great for current players as well, looking at this, and bringing in Roberto Di Matteo as well, and giving chances to players who have been around the club and who know the club inside out.

"So that gives the players like myself, who have been here a long time, hope that maybe if we do our badges, then there will be roles there in the future. The club are

"Last year we were interested in Cesc but Arsenal didn't place him on the market. This year they have agreed to negotiate and that's what we're doing. Market prices are what they are but we hope in the end that everything will be sorted out - we have until Augist 31 to sign him."

FC Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola claiming the Catalan club are in negotiation with Arsenal for the services of Cesc Fabregas.

encouraging that."

Terry, who was speaking during Chelsea's pre-season tour of Asia, however, stressed he had full confidence on Villas-Boas, the former Porto manager who replaced the fired Carlo Ancelotti.

"We have spoken about managers coming and going, but I’m certain he will be around for a long time," Terry said.

• Terry

do with the other," the Barca coach said when asked about Cesc and Thiago.

"Thiago has endless personality.

He is a very daring boy with a lot of talent, but he has a lot of [firstteam] competition.

"He has a very big future and we will try to give him the minutes (he needs) for his potential to explode. Now he is worth a lot of money."

Even though his side are in talks to sign Fabregas, Guardiola claimed the capture of Chile winger is likely to

happen first.

"The forward is our priority," he said.

However, the probable arrival of the Udinese star will have no bearing on the club's move for Cesc.

"Zubi [sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta] has told me there is money to sign them both," the Barca coach revealed.

And the former goalkeeper confirmed a deal for the South American was close, saying: "The transfer [for Sanchez] is nearing its end."

GOAL-LINE technology could be introduced to the English Premier League in time for the 2012/2013 season, chief executive Richard Scudamore said Wednesday.

Writing in a review of the Premier League season, Scudamore expressed hope that controversies over goal-line decisions could soon be a distant memory.

"The whole point of the game is about scoring goals. Players strain every sinew to either create or deny them, fans shout themselves hoarse exhorting their teams to score them, managers' and players' careers can be defined by them," Scudamore writes.

"The technology is available, it is the fairness that is important and the Premier League would introduce it tomorrow if it could. Now FIFA is constructively engaged we are hopeful the 2012-13 season is a realistic aim."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had been a long-time opponent of goal-line technology, but softened his stance following controversies which included the infamous "goal" by Frank Lampard which was disallowed during England's 2010 World Cup clash with Germany.

The International F o o t b a l l Association Board, which governs the laws of the game, has said that it will continue trials of g o a l - l i n e technology to find the best possible system before • Blatter making any final decision.

Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports

Pacquiao has to KO Marquez FILIPINO boxing icon and — Roach pound-for-pound king

Serena Williams continues comeback FORMER world number one Serena Williams has continued her comeback at the World Tennis Tournament.

Williams, who sat out almost a year with an assortment of health problems before returning to play the Eastbourne International prior to Wimbledon, beat Martina Hingis 5-3 to give the Washington Kastles an 18-15 lead over the New York Sportimes with only one

men's doubles match remaining.

After arriving just in time for the start of play and getting no practice or warmup, Williams and partner Leander Paes lost the mixed doubles in a tiebreaker against Hingis and Travis Parrott.

Williams and Australia's Rennae Stubbs then won the women's doubles, beating Hingis and Katie O'Brien 5-2, with Williams serving a love game to put the Kastles up 41.

Manny Pacquiao has to knock out Juan Manuel Marquez, says 4-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach.

In an interview with BoxingScene.com, Roach said that Pacquiao needs to win by knockout “100%.”

“I’m going to plead with him... ‘Do your job and knock him out and don’t let him off the hook,’” Roach said.

Roach had earlier said that he will urge Pacquiao to knock out Marquez so that there will be no doubt as to who is the better fighter.

The November 12 bout will be the 3rd between the two fighters.

In their first bout in 2004, Pacquiao had knocked Marquez down 3 times in the first round. Yet the Filipino settled for a controversial

draw.

The rematch in 2008 ended in a close split decision victory for Pacquiao.

Because of the questions surrounding the two previous bouts, Roach says that Pacquiao needs to do everything he can to knock out the stubborn Mexican warrior.

• Pacquiao

43

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

e-Business With Nigeria’s IT market said to be worth over $150 billion, and a projected growth of 10 per cent over the global average, the challenge remains how this can translate into the country’s economic growth. Experts at an IT conference suggest transformation strategies to engender growth, ADLINE ATILI reports

Using IT to drive growth I

NFORMATION Technology (IT) has become pivotal to economic development. It is so central that a country’s advancement is largely determined by its level of IT knowledge.

IT as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware.

IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.

In the emerging global worl, IT is arguably one of the most important determinants of competitiveness, social and economic growth.

Experts said IT offers new ways of exchanging information, and transacting business, changes the nature of the financial and other service sectors and provides efficient means of using the human and institutional capabilities of countries in public and private sectors.

The competitive and comparative advantages of countries, they added, are gradually being determined by access to IT and knowledge.

According to them, countries and firms are becoming more competitive because of their knowledge, rather than their natural resources and the low cost of their labour.

However, the benefits of IT are not fully realised in many countries, including Nigeria. Against this backdrop, experts have proposed a paradigm shift in order to effectively harness benefits.

Speaking at the opening of the 2011 IT Professionals’ Assembly of the Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN) in Abuja, President, Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Dr Jimson Olufuye, said with the conclusion of the elections, expectations are rife that the present era will witness the birth of properly structured execution of strategic initiatives that will guarantee the sustained progress of the country.

Citing the report of IT research and advisory firm, Gartner

‘

Worldwide IT Spending Forecast (Billions of U.S. Dollars) 2010

2010

2011

2011

Spending

Growth (%)

Spending

Growth (%)

391.3

7.5

Computing Hardware

364.1

8.9

Enterprise Software

235.9

6.1

253.7

7.5

2.5

817.9

4.6

426.6

14.0

465.4

9.1

Telecom Service

1,593.0

3.9

1,647.4

3.4

All IT

3,401.6

5.4

3,575.8

5.1

IT Services

782.0

Telecom Equipment

Source: Garner (January 2010) which projected a 5.12 per cent rise in global IT spend for 2011, up from $3.4billion in 2010, Olufuye said (ITAN) has estimated Nigeria’s IT market at over $150billion, with projected growth of 10 per cent over the global average.

He bemoaned the failure of various IT projects in the state which he attributed to lack of requisite IT skills, raising questions of how anticipated benefits of IT projects will be realised in 2011.

He said: “In Nigeria, the tendency is to engage the services of foreign firms and consultants to deliver key initiatives, often despite the Federal Government’s regulations about local content, to the detriment of the local industry.

“There is need to protect our local IT industry. Only economies that protect their local investments record significant and sustained growth in any sector.

“In view of the projected amount to be spent on IT, it is pertinent to address the quality of personnel entrusted to handle such projects.

“As the quality of the project manager has direct impact on the success of project delivery, it is safe to deduce that the high incidence of project failure in our IT sector is not unconnected with the lack of requisite skills and experience of the people entrusted with

project management and delivery.

“Either such skills and experience are lacking or the selection process fails to identify the right fit for the job.”

Olufuye urged professional bodies to consistently deliver value by providing opportunities to update technical knowledge through knowledge sharing with industry experts.

He advocated incorporation of best practices and imperatives from the global level as well as in-country initiatives for sustainable development.

According to him, IT can be leveraged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targeted for 2015 and the Vision 20:: 2020.

He also advocated the use of costeffective IT options to deliver affordable solutions for key areas of the economy.

Olufuye said for the Millennium Development Goals and the Vision 20 2020 goals to be a reality, there must be effective mobilisation of critical stakeholders to engender their realisation through IT. He devised a plan of action for all government bodies and individuals to achieve set objectives.

He said: “All stakeholders have common and specific roles to play to ensure that the MDGs and Vision 20:2020 goals are achieved in

Nigeria.

“Government bodies must evolve a joint action plan committee to synchronise workable strategies that would deliver projects for the realisation of the goals.

“Some of these projects should include broadband access for all, increased mobility/Internet applications for e-Government, eHealth, and e-Learning and building ICT industry standards; every organisation should evolve its IT policy and e-Strategy for a digital Nigeria by 2015; software companies and organisations should build local content.

“There should be localisation of content for local use and for export. Industry bodies can help software companies enhance their processes through exposure to agile framework.”

He said the creation of enabling environment for technology to flourish would ensure rapid realisation of these objectives.

To the Director of Information Communications Technology (ICT), Nigerian Air Force, Abuja, Air Commodore Victor Udoh, in order to be secured, a nation needs to possess economic security, energy security and environmental security, through deployment of Information Technology tools.

He said to transform Nigeria into a major IT hub, knowledge,

Government bodies must evolve a joint action plan committee to synchronise workable strategies that would deliver projects for the realisation of the goals. Some of these projects should include broadband access for all, increased mobility/Internet applications for e-Government, e-Health, and e-Learning and building ICT industry standards

There is need to protect our local IT industry. Only economies that protect their local investments record significant and sustained growth in any sector

’

technology and innovation should be used to preserve security, drive wealth creation, empower citizens, promote efficiency and national competitiveness, guaranteeing sustainable socio-economic development.

In a chat with The Nation, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alteq.ict, Dr Armstrong Takang said the IT industry stands to gain from IT transformation provided strategic steps are taken by professionals not to make the country a dumping ground for multinationals.

He said though the level of consciousness of the role of IT on social and economic development is increasing alongside the number of business and employment opportunities, the benefit to Nigeria will be dependent on how well positioned the industry is to leverage on it.

ICT officer of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Uwem Asomugha told The Nation on phone that the importance of IT deployment for transformation of the education sector and capacity cannot be quantified.

She said: “Attainment of qualitative education has been found to depend largely on the introduction of IT into the educational system.

“Empirical evidence reveals a correlation between the uses of IT, particularly, computer technologies, and positive academic outcomes, higher test scores, better understanding of abstract concepts and better attitude towards schools.

“Reaping the benefits of IT in education depends largely on the ability of a nation to establish the most conducive education environment for using IT.” She said policy development and setting of standards to guide the development and deployment of IT is vital.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

44

e-Business

Old IT systems cause insecurity

T

HE continuous use of outdated security systems is responsible for the insecurity in the land, some telecoms experts have said.

Speaking at the Physical security and building management system workshop organised by WECO Systems, experts condemned the obsolete security infrastructure installed by organisations for security purposes. They said a paradigm shift from proprietary legacy systems like the use of analogue Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) and Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) to High Definition Internet Protocol (IP) and network video surveillance was critical to the protection of lives and property.

National Sales Manager, Quadrant Security Group, UK, Laurence Summers said: “Physical security and building management system has grown beyond just having someone stationed at an entrance of a building complex. It has gone beyond reactionary responses, to preventive measures.

“That is why organisations and public sectors across the globe are migrating from manual processes and geographically dispersed facilities and personnel to an Internet Protocol based video solution that provides clear video footage to detect threats or criminal activities.

“An IP-based video solution that provides clear video footage to detect threats would easily allow us-

Stories by Adline Atili

ers to access, search and review footages from anywhere instantly. This is the new direction the management of physical security is headed.

“Adequate deployment of IPbased CCTV, Electronic Access Control System (ACS), Intruder Alarm System (IDS) and Perimeter Detection System (PIDS) are some very important technological innovations that can help in the area of physical security and building management system.

“An organisation that currently operates the analogue CCTV for instance can upgrade to the IP based cameras for effective and real time recording. This is because unlike the legacy CCTV, the IP based cameras have video analytic capabilities which mean they can automatically analyse videos or images to detect and determine criminal events not just based on a single but multiple images and can also drill down to chain of events monitored.”

Speaking in the same vein, Head of Systems Engineering, Quadrant Security Group, UK, Alan Davis stressed the need for organisations to implement credentials technology for personal identification of individuals for security purposes.

According to him, this is a means of identification which could be a card, a key held in the

persons memory (such as a PIN number), or a unique physical human attribute like a fingerprint known as biometrics. He said these require a device such as card readers, PIN pads and biometric readers to read the information.

Senior Pre-Sales Engineer, WECO Systems, Dafe Oroghi urged organisations to ensure identities of employees are protected from theft, cannot be shared, is unique and if stolen or lost, cannot be used by the person who stole it, adding that this is possible if organisations can employ the authentication process.

He said: “The authentication process involves the migration from the regular username and password to a third factor or an object which cannot be defined by the administrator. These could be PIN codes, finger prints, iris scan and facial recognition.

“To achieve this, organisations must utilise network and application security to confirm an employee’s identity, verify if the system they are accessing is authorised and approved by the organisation and meets basic security level for antivirus, malware, anti-spyware and necessary services. This would also ensure registry keys and applications are installed and running.

Once all of these are established, network admission control can be said to have been achieved.”

T

Firm holds exhibition

O meet the growing demand for vibrant retail trade, Information Technology systems, improved financial markets as well as diversification for Nigeria’s economic growth, UBM Montgomery West Africa is launching the Afribuild West Africa and PROPAK West Africa shows in Lagos for 2012.

In a statement by the company, Head, UBM Montgomery West Africa, Damion Angus noted that: “Nigeria has long been seen as one of the fastest growing economies on the African continent, with the most recent predictions by Morgan Stanley stating that it may overtake South Africa by 2025.

“Diversification of the Nigerian economy has led to a need for a broader spectrum of events that allow for information sharing and networking across different verticals. It is critical that we provide the plat-

forms that provide access to the latest market information, stimulate new business opportunities, as well as the chance to network with key industry players.

“This is done by creating accessible, centralised and relevant exhibitions that allow visitors the opportunity to interact with the latest innovations in their chosen sector. Trade exhibitions are changing dramatically, with an increased focus on providing real value to the visitor, thereby creating value for the exhibitor.”

Earlier this year UBM Montgomery managed the highly successful inaugural IFSEC West Africa 2011, attracting over 90 exhibitors and 2,214 visitors at the Eko Expo Centre in Lagos.

Angus said both Afribuild West Africa and PROPAK West Africa will run at the Eko Expo Centre in Lagos on October 2012 respectively.

Nokia introduces dual SIM phones

F

INNISH handset maker Nokia has introduced two models of dual SIM phones into the market-¯the C2-00 and the X1-01.

According to the Head of Marketing, Nokia West Africa, Reuben Onwubiko, the devices which are dual-standby enabled, stay active at all times, allowing users to receive notification of calls and messages on each account without needing to switch SIM cards on and off.

He explained the specifications of the devices: “The Nokia C2-00 has a 1.8-inch display and offers features such as Bluetooth, GPRS, FM radio, expandable memory of up to 32 GB, 3.5 mm audio jack, VGA camera, Web browser and talktime of more than five hours. It will be available in 4 colours –grey, jet black, magenta and snow white.

“The SIM cards are arranged, offering Easy Swap, a feature that’s only on offer from Nokia. One SIM card is stored internally, like a traditional phone. The second card is easily accessible through a slot in

the side, so you don’t have to open or even switch the phone off to change SIMs. This is especially useful for people who wanttousemorethantwoSIMcards.There is no need to reboot or redefine settings when SIM cards are changed, as the phone remembers up to five different SIM cards.

“The Nokia X1-01 on the other hand is a music machine, as evidenced by the massive speaker on the back. It has a 1.8-inch display and offers a music playback time of 36 hours. It also has an FM radio, a torch, anMP3musicplayerwithdedicatedmusic keys and one-click creation of a favourite playlist.

“Its memory supports up to 16 GB, expandable to 32 GB, a few preloaded games and will be available in red, dark grey, ocean blue and orange colours. Nokia C200 and Nokia X1-01 come with Nokia’s innovative services including Nokia Life Tools which provide consumers with a wide range of information covering healthcare, agriculture, education and entertainment.”

Glo kicks off SIM registration promo

G

LOBACOM has launched a SIM registration campaign to encourage its subscribers to register their SIM cards and also win prizes.

Its Group Chief Operating Officer, Mohamed Jameel, said the campaign was aimed at expediting the pace of the exercise which the company started last year, through special incentives that will encourage existing and new subscribers to register their SIM cards.

He said customers who comply will be rewarded with fantastic prizes during the 3-month duration of the campaign.

He said: “In the first instance, all subscribers who register their SIM cards get a guaranteed 30 minutes of free airtime during the three months of the promo.

Ten minutes of free airtime is given every month for three months. The 30 minutes bonus airtime will be given immediately the subscriber recharges N500 and above in each of the three months of

the campaign and will be valid for seven days.

“An additional N20, 000 worth of free airtime will also be given out to 300 lucky subscribers who will be picked during special draws which are to be held monthly. Hundred lucky customers will be selected monthly and rewarded.

“Not only that, an all-expense paid pleasure trip to Manchester or Dubai awaits 60 lucky subscribers who will be picked at special draws to be conducted monthly for three months. All Gloworlds, Glozones, dealer outlets and Glo agents across the country have been sufficiently equipped with high-tech systems to ensure quick, efficient registration of customers’ SIMs. The whole registration process with Glo takes less than 2 minutes at these points. Subscribers can text “reg” to the code “3456” in order to confirm whether their SIM cards have been registered or not.”

Awareness talks on PC usage

•Mrs Ijeoma Dim, representative of the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina; a beneficiary of MTN Foundation skills acquisition project, Ola Adekanbi and Chairman, MTN Foundation Ambassador Ahmadu.

MTN empowers 45 physically challenged persons F

ORTY-FIVE persons with physical disability have been trained in tailoring, welding, shoe making and leather works by the MTN Foundation in the first phase of its skills acquisition project.

The project, in partnership with a nongovernmental organisation, Friends of the Disabled (FOTD), is aimed at bridging the gap of limited skills acquisition centres targeted at the needs of the disabled in the society.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the FOTD Vocational Training Centre in Lagos, Chairman, MTN Foundation (MTNF), Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu said majority of the 26 million Nigerians living with various forms of disability do not have access to facilities that can enable them con-

duct daily activities without significant difficulties.

He added that the dearth of special schools and skills acquisition centres for this class of people to acquire education makes their plight disturbing; adding that the MTNF skills acquisition project was introduced to correct this.

He said: “The first phase of this project kicked off in 2009 with the formal inauguration of the centre.

That phase saw these talented youths begin the process of acquiring skills to empower them towards becoming self-sufficient as well as contribute their own quota to the development of the country.

“Today that dream has been actualised as we gather here to witness the graduation of 45 students who will be presented with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) certificates.”

He promised that the foundation would continue to monitor the progress of the beneficiaries as well as provide them opportunities to show their enterprising skills at fairs and exhibitions.

Ahmadu disclosed that 50 disabled youths across the country have been approved by the foundation to benefit from the second phase of the project, with full scholarship.

Apart from empowering the beneficiaries with technical skills, the foundation, according to Ahmadu gives upkeep allowances to the students as well as pays the teachers’ salaries.

C

OMPUTER Aid International, a not-for-profit (NFP) provider of professionally refurbished Personal Computers (PCs) will be holding series of information sessions in Kaduna, Abuja, and Osun as part of efforts to increase awareness on PC usage and improve Information Technology capacity of Nigerians.

In a statement, the organisation said it has provided over 180,000 computers in 105 different countries since 1998 with over 13,000 professionally refurbished Pentium computers distributed to educational institutions and non-governmental organisations in the country.

Computer Aid’s Director of Africa Programmes, Gladys Muhunyo said: “In Kaduna, Computer Aid International will be bringing Moodle eLearning and ICT4D information training packages to lecturers in tertiary institutions in conjunction with the Kaduna State University and Worcester College of Technol-

ogy, UK. More than 100 university members of staff are to acquire elearning skills in course development, training and deployment.

“This is the third of its kind on the continent by CAI. We are proud to be bringing this training to Nigeria and we believe it will enhance the capacity of lecturers at meeting the workplace challenges as well as improving the content and delivery of lectures in the universities.”

She explained that the Moodle training which is expected to end on July 28 will begin at the Kaduna State University; followed by a Computer Aid Information Session in Abuja and then the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The organisation said its July programme will be expanding its ICT4D information networking session in Nigeria as part of the overall goal of closing the information gap in the critical educational sector among critical stakeholders.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

45

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

46

DISCOURSE

Democracy and the rebirth of opposition in Nigeria Text of a lecture delivered by the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Chatham House, London, United Kingdom on July 18, 2011.

• Continued from yesterday

T

IME and time again our recourse to the courts won us, more constitutional vic tories than the National Assembly’s majority was able to secure for itself by legislation. By and large, the battle for a truly federal state has been fought not in the chambers of the National Assembly but in the hallowed halls of the Supreme Court.

Nigeria’s National Assembly looks like an undemocratic institution, serving undemocratic ends.

Winning back the states As mentioned earlier, the PDP fraudulently commandeered victories in the states and assembly elections. Rather than resort to the streets in protest and encourage anarchy, the opposition resorted to the courts because of it believe in the rule of law and began the battle to regain our stolen mandates. Thus, the battle to regain the state, of which we were brazenly robbed in 2007 elections- namely, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo were fought in the courts. For the first time in our country, we used technology and forensic analysis to prove electoral fraud in many states.

The method of rigging widely employed by the PDP in those states was multiple thumb printing of ballot papers, often with the connivance of the police. These thumbprinted papers were then stuffed into ballot boxes at different polling units. This method had succeeded largely in previous elections, with the perpetrators confidently believing that they would not be detected.

However, we were determined not only to win back the states, through the judicial process but also to prove the extensive rigging perpetrated by the PDP. The ACN hired 52 British finger print experts led by late Bristol-based finger print expert, Adrian Forty. We also hired an additional 10 Israeli finger prints experts. In a massive finger prints identification operation spanning almost four months, over 1.5 million votes across the contested states were examined. In the end the experts identified incredible percentages of multiple thumb prints. In one locality- Ifein Osun State, we detected over 80% of the ballots purportedly cast for PDP were thumb printed by a few persons. In Osun state, the biometrics was confirmed by simple arithmetic and common sense. In one unit Oduduwa Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo University, a total of 2,300 votes were returned. Two thousand of the votes were purportedly returned for PDP. The voting period recorded for that unit was between 8 am and 3 p.m. This is 420 minutes. When you divide 420 minutes by 2,300, you get an average of eleven seconds!

So we were able to prove that an average voter, who should have spent at least 5 minutes from accreditation to voting spent only 11 seconds! Only multiple thumb printing can explain that.

In the preparations for the 2011 elections, we knew what we were up against as the opposition: an electoral system designed for easy manipulation by the ruling party, electoral laws that were undemocratic and susceptible to abuse and manipulations by the ruling party, a hostile security environment, and a system in which so much state money had been pumped into the system to fight the opposition.

We were fully aware that unless we made electoral integrity a make-or-break issue, the 2007 travesty would only be a dressrehearsal for even greater impunity. We therefore initiated the “every vote must count campaign”. Several civil society and professional groups kicked off the cam-

• Tinubu

paign at a lecture given in my honour on my birthday- March 29, 2008. Thereafter we established in collaboration with several civil society groups “the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER), to ensure the integrity of elections. As part of our struggle for free and fair elections, we supported and joined the mobilization

by CODER to ensure the integrity of elections. We used CODER to demand for electoral reforms, we rallied Nigerians, especially politicians with progressive orientation to our side. Under my direction, CODER led the struggle for electoral reforms. Local and international civil society organizations and foreign governments also engaged with the government to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

From this stage, the –one man-one vote mantra resonated across Nigeria.

As a result of the vigorous agitation by the opposition for fundamental electoral changes, the government inaugurated the Electoral Reform Committee to bolster its image. Chaired by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammed Uwais, the committee did a good job and produced a comprehensive report detailing the faults in the electoral process and enumerating 83 procedural and substantive recommendations. Key recommendations dealt with ensuring the independence of the electoral commission and of creating an electoral process less vulnerable to manipulation. If implemented, the report would have constituted a radical transformation of the political landscape and place Nigeria on the right path to stable democracy.

As with most attempts to reform a stubborn and regressive system, our efforts succeeded in part and failed in part. Due to public agitation, the Electoral Commission Chairman who engineered the sordid 2007 election was replaced by a respected figure in whom civil society had confidence.

We also were successful in calling for a new voter’s register to replace the one the former Electoral Commission head had concocted.

These pressures opened the way for the change in the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which eventually was

largely responsible for the relative transparency experienced during the last elections. It must be stressed, however, that the change in the leadership of INEC is insufficient for the total transformation of the electoral process in Nigeria.

First, the recalcitrant government failed to resolve the issue of the independence of the Electoral Commission. Second, government refused to alter the selection process giving a president unilateral power to appoint the Chairman and its commissioners. And third, government refused to provide the Electoral Commission an independent budget. This means the Commission remained susceptible to political influence because the National Assembly and President could control the Commission’s purse strings for as long as they deemed appropriate.

The few and cosmetic reforms made by the National Assembly were also delayed because neither the assembly nor the presidency really wanted genuine reform aimed at improving the electoral process. Their eleventh hour antics were mere shifty maneuvers to bolster their political positions for the approaching election. Instead of perfecting and insulating the electoral process and broader political environment from manipulation, they focused national discourse on trivial intra party matters.

The 2011 elections Against this backdrop, the 2011 elections must be weighed. The elections improved on the 2007 edition. The PDP still emerged the dominant party, with its majority in the National Assembly slightly reduced.

Its losses were the opposition gains.

However, the 2011 elections were not of the high quality the government and many international observers proclaimed. In a way, international observers have done Nigeria a disservice that will become apparent in the future. The 2007 elections were the bitter dregs from a bad cup. Those who conducted it employed the full handbook of electoral malpractice. Coming into this year’s polls, foreign observers and many domestic observers thought the worst. These observers were possessed of the preconceived notion that they would see open and coarse misconduct in broad daylight and at every polling station.

Thus, observers were pleasantly surprised when they travelled about Nigeria’s urban centers only to find our citizens standing in orderly lines waiting to cast votes. Expecting the worst, they unduly applauded the modest improvement that took place. If this were all that constituted the electoral process, I would agree with the clean verdict pronounced by the observers. However, the observers did not see what took place before Election Day or what happened in rural Nigeria. More importantly, most observers ended their day as the sun set and the polling stations closed. They ended their watch just as the agents of malpractice would begin their craft. Observers made a broad final conclusion based on a thin filament of information. They judged a complicated play solely by viewing one of its several acts.

Had they looked more thoroughly, they would have noticed that ACN supporters and candidates were intimidated and beaten in many places. In Benue and Kwara states, the gubernatorial elections were snatched from our party. In Taraba and Akwa Ibom we suffered electoral brigandage. But the medallion for gravest

‘The few and cosmetic reforms made by the National Assembly were also delayed because neither the assembly nor the presidency really wanted genuine reform aimed at improving the electoral process. Their eleventh hour antics were mere shifty maneuvers to bolster their political positions for the approaching election. Instead of perfecting and insulating the electoral process and broader political environment from manipulation, they focused national discourse on trivial intra party matters’

misconduct goes to the PDP governor of Akwa Ibom State. Seeing his reelection in danger, this man, armed with billions of petro Naira, stopped at nothing to thwart our candidate. He threatened, maimed and destroyed. Hundreds of our members were injured. Many were killed. The security forces did nothing to protect our members.

Our candidate would not be deterred. The PDP then deployed the police powers to influence the election. Although we were the party being attacked, our candidate was arrested and whisked to Abuja to be charged with treason. In parts of Nigeria, deigning to contest against the PDP incumbent became a treasonable offense.

This is not the mark of democracy. It bears the stamp of crude repression. It is reminiscent of the military state.

There was more in the PDP state of Akwa Ibom. The Governor was not satisfied with the abuse of the law.

When our candidate returned to Akwa Ibom, the governor steamrolled through a pliant State Assembly a measure granting him the unilateral power to detain an individual without judicial recourse. The law was to straitjacket our candidate. It was backdated and gazetted in a hurry and retroactively used against our candidate.

Again, this was the fruit of an elected antidemocrat at work. The governor used the color of the democratic legislative process to accomplish a result that would make even the most flint-hard autocrat blush in giddy embarrassment. Akwa Ibom was just the most blatant manifestation of a bushel of condemnable electoral practices during the 2011 elections. The frequency of these practices at the state and local levels were such that they cannot reasonably be discounted as exceptions. This misconduct was a common, decisive feature of the elections.

This is a truer picture of the quality of the 2011 elections than the tidy fable widely disseminated. I can understand how observers came to their conclusion given the constraints under which they operated.

I can also understand that many friendly governments wanted to see the elections in Nigeria as successful. Given the world as it is, no one seeks another foreign policy challenge. Yet, the negative consequence of this inflated measure is that the bar has been set too low for the conduct of subsequent elections. Those in power now believe they will not have to improve the process. This would be a gross miscalculation of the public mood. Should subsequent elections be of the same uneven quality, I fear a backlash that cannot simply be contained by resort to the judiciary for resolution.

The Presidential election This brings us to the presidential election. I believe Jonathan won the election but that the returns attributed to him in some parts of the country obviously appeared exaggerated. The inflated tally subtracted some plaudits from what would have been a well deserved victory. Thus, celebrating the election as free and fair might lead to INEC beating its chest and might short circuit the process of fundamental electoral reform. We must not relent in our struggle for fundamental reforms.

To be honest, the opposition did not run a strong enough and sufficiently coordinated campaign with a unifying message. The opposition believed that public disenchantment with the ruling party, PDP was enough to get rid of them at the polls. In retrospect, we made an important strategic mistake that continued to play out and weaken us throughout the campaign. The major opposition parties began their serious work too late. We got distracted by the electoral reform gimmick employed by the PDP led National Assembly. Already faced with a short election season, we waited too long to make important decisions and to get our campaigns off the ground.

•To be continued

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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48

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

49

NATURAL HEALTH

Dele Ogundaini: A bow to low blood pressure G RASS is not always greener on the other side, contrary to popular saying. And, so, my gaseous cousin-in-law, DELE OGUNDAINI, has left mortal flesh after a bout, I guess, with low blood pressure. Many people beset with elevated blood pressure tend to envy their opposite counterparts until they are told low blood pressure could be a deadlier and faster killer than hypertension. The standard blood pressure many people are familiar with is 120/80. For many years until last year when I suddenly dropped to 90/60 or 90/70, I ran 10/70. At 110/70, I am as beautiful as the most beautiful weather. At 90/60, I began to feel funny. Even if I was walking in the street, overtaking sloppy, feet-dragging people about 30 years younger, happy that, biologically, I could be calenderically younger than these folks, I felt my eyelids wish to close, as though I was sleepy, despite all the springiness in my feet. Sometimes, my 80 kilogramme weight would appear to sway under normal wind pressure. I did not feel other characteristic symptoms of low blood pressure such as sleepiness, dizziness or feeling of fainting upon rising suddenly from a seat, or mental clumsiness and short memory loss. But I knew something odd was going on.

Blood sugar tests showed a fasting blood sugar as low as 60, 10 below the accepted minimum. For years, I’d suspected my pancreas was hyperactive, pumping out too much insulin and rapidly burning blood sugar, which was probably rising because of stressful lifestyle and an inevitable rocketing of stress hormones, especially adrenaline and cortisol. I should have been forewarned by a bulging abdominal pouch which, as often advised in this column, is a signal of in-creeping Syndrome X, a trainload of metabolic challenges, not the least of which is blood sugar imbalances. I learned to knock off simple carbonhydrates and high-glycermic index (rapid sugar- releasing foods) from my diet, upped my intake of minerals, vitamins, green drinks and other supplements, while I avoided, like a plague, foods cooked with MSG (monosodium glutamate), recalling that doctors such as Don Colbert have proven their links to neuron (brain cell) damage and the diabetes epidemic.

How 1 wish I knew Mr. Ogundaini had a blood pressure challenge. There could have been nothing lost in pulling him by the ear, even if, as we always hear, whatever will be, will be, when one’s time on earth is up. We’d have spoken about blood pressure and low blood pressure, and I’d have said of…

Blood pressure It is the force the blood exerts against the arteries as these vessels convey blood from the heart to all parts of the body. The pressure is indicated by two numbers (120/80) i.e. 120 over 80.

The varying pressure numbers (120 and 80) is caused by the contraction of the heart muscles (systolic – 120) to pump blood into the arteries, and relaxing or resting (diastolic – 80) between pulses. Hypertension is said to occur when the systolic pressure is above 140 and when diastolic pressure is over 90. For some time, there was delusion that a diastolic pressure slightly above 90 was age-related and alright for old people. But, now, with recognitions that old people in some countries do not venture near it, there has been a change of attitude. The question, then, has been: why do some people have age-related high diastolic pressure and some people of the same age do not?

Low blood pressure There are many possible causes of it such as 1) Weak, flabby and aging heart 2) Deficiency of heart hormones 3) Constitutionally weak, irrisistant arteries 4) Stress – damaged blood vessels 5) Spinal and nerve subluxantion(s) 6) Microbial overload 7) Low blood volume 8) Hypothyrodism Weak heart The heart is a bundle of muscles. Muscles anywhere in the body may be strong or flabby and weak. Strong heart muscles, like a good water pump, supplies blood efficiently. To do this, heart muscle cells must generate energy. Their energy comes from nutrients and oxygen supplied through blood circulation.

If blood vessels inside heart muscles which supply their cells with blood are deficient through blockages or some other causes, heart muscles will be starved. Starvation will cause cell death and lifeless, non-functional scar tissue will fill the gaps created by dead heart muscle cells. Over time, a heart with many scar tissues will lose form and tone and, weakened, produce low blood pressure. Such a heart is said to have a low ejection fraction.

This is the force with which blood is pumped out to create the right blood pressure. Doctors are worried if the rate falls below 50 per cent. In some people, it hovers between 20 and 25 per cent!

As can be imagined, a healthy heart would need oxygen. This column often mentions oxygen – carrying food supplements and proprietary products one may call the oxygen pill. We do not have to wait for things to get so bad that the doctor will have to order resuscitation on a life support machine. Such natural oxygenations include Squalene, Shark liver oil, Vitamin E (dalphatocopherol and tocotrienols), Wheat Germ oil, powdered green drinks, Chlorella, liquid chlorophyll and Spirulina, among many others. For shortness of breath, Common Club Moss tea should help. Enlargement of the heart due to overworking in hypertension, which may lead to congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart sends blood to the lump but is too weak to recall it, leaving the lungs blood flooded, responds from my experience to Hawthorn berries, thiamine (Vitamin B1) and Garlic. Better results are achieved when CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is added to the arsenal. Of course, Vitamin E would be an armoury, complemented with selenium. The proprietary product OXYGEN, from OxyLife, is remarkable. Agrimony, like

who had to be killed a second time on an electric chair. The observing doctor thought the first electric shock did not kill him but merely suspended heart functions, although the heart stopped beating. The doctor thought the heart was only in a spasm due to the electric shock. The “executed” man opened his eyes much later and had to undergo a second electrocution.

Stress HE hectic pace and haste of today’s world in which there are too many things to do in so short a time as 24 hours piles pressure on the body, spiraling stress hormones, an overabundance of which damages the heart’s blood vessels as well as other blood vessels. It was only for a person as Dele Ogundaini that I would venture a journey from my part of Lagos to Sango Ota, the traffic hell of which I’ve heard so much of, to see his widow. I left her at about 5p.m last Sunday but couldn’t get back home, about 45 minutes time in free traffic, and made the journey in six hours, about the time it takes to fly from Lagos to London! Everyone was sweating in standstill traffic on flooded roads! I doubt if many people who lived farther away got home that day earlier than midnight. Yet they’d have to be on the road as early as 5a.m. next day for their daily upkeep. Eating late and hardly steeping are terrible stress factors which kill installmentally through oxidative damage. Many proprietary products are on the market for stress alleviation. Some of them are StressAssist, Stress Complex, Adrenal Complex and Executive Stress. They combine high dosages of the B complex family and anti-stress amino acids.

T

Corn Silk and mistletoe, has a place where there is fluid in the heart. If a heart wine is desired, leading authorities prescribe a wine from the woody partition of the black walnut, which is now in season. Says Dr. H.C.A. Vogel in THE NATURE DOCTOR: “An infusion made from the woody partitions of inside the Wallnut is excellent in cases where the coronary vessels have become hardened, and for cardiac pains and fever. A narrowing of the coronary vessels can often be attributed to chronic nicotine poisoning… The woody partitions inside the walnut contains an excellent medicinal property from which you can benefit when taken as an infusion. Remove the dividing walls of four or five nuts, soak them in water for one day, leave overnight and then for a few minutes the next morning… when taken regularly, it will alleviate the feeling of constriction and pain in the chest…”

Heart hormones ORMONES therapy has become popular. The use of raw food or a green powder drink in healing therapies supplies plant enzymes, vitamins, minerals, co-factors, trace elements and, above all, plant hormones which the body converts to their human counterparts. A Hungarian professor discovered that the heart thrives on heart-specific hormones, says Dr. Vogel. The professor was researching the effects of hormonal extracts from the heart of a young lamb on an old sheep. Dr. Vogel reports: “As a result of this treatment, the vitality of the old sheep increased; its heart rhythm gained in strength and it was once again able to climb around the hills as if it had been rejuvenated.

When the old sheep was killed, the assumption that a rejuvenation had taken place was proved correctly by the presence of new heart cells which showed the nucleus to be in the process of dividing. Yet this dividing process is normally only found in young sheep during their growth period. The heart of a young animal is therefore somewhat able to cause the nucleus of the heart cells to divide and form new cells. However this process ceases to occur once the animal has reached maturity. The cause of the observed rejuvenation, which is still unknown today, was attributed to a heart hormone, a term that seemed to be the most appropriate to designate the unknown factor”.

Well, until the unknown factor gets known, I consider it wise to include lamb or sheep heart in the diet. Not only does it have lots of CoQ10, since it is in the heart that this vital heart substance is largely stored, it has, besides, a rich pantry of essential fatty acids from grazing on grass, not to mention the antioxidant beta carotene.

The heart is such a powerful organ that wise doctors do not rely on the palpable cessation of its beat or the pulse to certify a person physically dead. Long ago, it was known that a person may still be alive when the pulse no longer can be felt. The resort to checking the cessation of the brain wave for such confirmation would appear now not to be succifient ground as well. Dr. Vogel cites the example of one doctor who made this mistake and paid for it, reminding us of people consigned for the morgue who nevertheless came round and lived on. He reports: “It is interesting to note that the heart may continue to beat even when the person is already dead. On the other hand, it is also possible for the heart to stop beating although death has not yet occurred, as in the case of suspended animation (apparent death or asphyxia). A strong electric shock, for example, causes a spasm on the heart which may temporarily suspend its function, but death itself does not occur until later, when the oxygen supply is cut off completely and carbon dioxide accumulates because it is as longer eliminated.

“Vesalius, the father of modern anatomical research, wanting to determine the cause of death of a nobleman he had treated, performed an autopsy during which he noticed, to his horror, that the heart was still beating. Witnesses who were present at the autopsy took him to court. He was found guilty of having performed a postmortem examination on a living person and sentenced to death. This illustrates that life does not always concide with the activity of the heart. So, even if death lies occurred, the eyes are glassy and breathing has stopped, the heart may nevertheless continue to beat for a little while”.

This book tells also the story of a criminal condemned to death

H

e-mail: femi.kusa@yahoo.com or olufemikusa@yahoo.com

Weak blood vessels A plumbing system is as good as the pipes. Some people have leaking blood vessels, others varicose or inflamed veins which jot out under the skin, indicating high tensions in the body chemistry. Blood vessels are meant to offer some resistance to blood flow. Where they are weak and offer little or none, blood pressure may be low. Such people often notice that it is difficult for the laboratory technician or nurse to easily find their veins if they have to have their blood samples taken. Simply, these veins may have collapsed. Such veins may be helped by proprietary food supplement such as Butcher’s Broom or Healthy Veins, Silica, Horsetail or Cogimax.

Microbial overload Microorganisms such as candida albicans inhabit our bodies, but hardly disturb us if our immune system is strong enough to hold them down. When they gain the upper hand, they may invade even the heart. There are people who suffer from systemic candidiasis whose heart valves have been damaged by these organisms. Through the diet, every-one should try to eliminate as many of them as possible every day. This can be done through herbal antibiotic teas or food supplements taken on their own or with meals. Today, I had Common club moss tea with a tinge of Maria Treben’s Swedish Bitters before lunch. What will be on the table for dinner?

Low blood volume The heart may collapse if the volume of blood it has to pump drops below a minimum quantum. Blood volume may drop if blood vessels are leaking or if the vessels are good but the blood is too thin and seeps out of them. Damage to blood cells by disease – causing germs or drops may also reduce blood volume.

A sub-optimal bone marrow may be the cause of trouble. Ditto a sick spleen. Causes of blood loss need be determined and addressed. Chlorophyll-rich, that is green foods, help build the blood volume. So do liquid chlorophyll and green powder drinks. Extraordinary in blood hematocrit building is Jobelyn, a Nigerian proprietary blood formula which raises blood count by as high as 10-14 per cent in 24 hours. So remarkably does it do it that it is seen by many physicians, including Dr. Abia Okon, as an alternative to blood transfusion in many cases.

Hypothyrodism This is a condition in which the thyroid gland which surrounds the neck, is functioning below expectation. Every living process in the body functions in low key under hypothyrodism. Everyone can do a simple home check to know whether his or her thyroid is under or overactive. Dr. Broda Barnes taught fellow doctors not to rely solely on blood tests for thyroid function which have been found unreliable many times. The Barnes method which he developed (please see the internet) is a much more reliable Do It Yourself check. The thyroid improves its function on Sea Kelp, L-Tyrosine, Ginseng and the proprietary Iodoral, among other aids.

What will be, will be We can do all we can to live. What will be, will be. Dele Ogundaina was gaseous. He was everywhere. He would drop off his family at a family function in Lagos and excuse himself out, only to return for them about four hours later with tales of other functions he’d just attended in Ibadan and Ijebu-Ode. He hardly failed to honour an invitation. Two weeks ago, he was to be admitted to a hospital. He was pale and weak. But he choose a later date, just to honour a funeral invitation. He never made it.

That day, he felt weaker, telephones about 10 friends to take him to hospital. But they were all out of town. His doctor friend came later. But by the time they reached the doctor’s car, he slumped.

The doctor tried to revive him, but couldn’t. The gaseous Dele Ogundaini was gone, a reminder that low blood volume and low blood pressure are no friends of anyone. Maybe if I knew of his challenge, I’d have suggested Broom tops, Ginseng, Carrot juice, Sea kelp, all of which also, help low blood pressure to rise.

Goodbye for now, Mr. Ogundaine.

Tel: 08034004247, 07025077303

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS

The problem with Nigeria,

by Sagay, Ajibola, Utomi

E

MINENT lawyer, Prof.

Itse Sagay (SAN) , yesterday said the nation’s wealth has not translated to “development and high standard of living” for Nigerians since the return of democracy because the likes of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo had occupied leadership positions at the Presidency and the National Assembly.

Sagay noted that what distinguished the late Awolowo from today’s politicians was his great mind with his perception of leadership as “great honour, privilege and pleasure to serve”.

He said this was why the late sage gave the Southwest a good head start that today puts the region ahead of others in many areas.

He described the politicians in Abuja, the seat of power, as an assembly of political elites whose “political immaturity and indiscipline” impel them to waste “common patrimony” in frenzied consumption as though tomorrow will not come.

Sagay spoke when he delivered the keynote address on: Awo’s Strength of Character, Style, Vision, Philosophy, Rigour and Transformational Leadership in Nigeria.

It was at the special Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Dialogue held in Ikenne, Ogun State, the home of the Awolowos.

The legal luminary accused Nigeria’s political leaders of depleting the nation’s resources and rendering the country prostrate, adding that it was abnormal for a senator to “grab $1.7 million a year as allowances in a country where the average income is less than $350 a year”.

Sagay noted that Nigeria can enjoy genuine peace and rapid socio–economic development, as advocated by Awolowo decades ago, with the practice of true and fiscal federalism.

He said: “Chief Awolowo was the most consummate student of federalism Nigeria has ever known. He declared consistently from 1947 that federalism was the only viable system of government for Nigeria.”

According to him, the activities of Boko Haram sect in the North, the Niger Delta militancy between 2003 and 2008 in the South, and the stunted growth across the country “was a direct confirmation that you can oppress and im-

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

pose a unitary system on weak minority” at a great cost.

He said the country enjoyed political civilisation and prosperity during the Awolowo era and other founding fathers, lamenting that the legacy had been “destroyed and trampled underfoot” by politicians he called “modern-day barbarians.”

Sagay, however, singled out Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Segun Mimiko (Ondo); and Adams Oshiomole (Edo) for commendation.

He said they are serving their states like Awolowo did in the defunct West Region.

The lawyer said the reason elite overwhelm the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)headquarters with unsolicited advice and credentials or lobby heavily for ministerial appointments is for “self –service, cake sharing and primitive accumulation.”

Also speaking, Prince Bola Ajibola, urged political leaders to make good their campaign promises to alleviate “misery in the land.”

Ajibola, an international jurist, also charged leaders in government to emulate the service and leadership qualities of the late politician Awolowo by devoting attention to infrastructural development, preservation of the environment and tackling the increasing insecurity across the country.

Similarly, Prof Pat Utomi advocated for a return to true fiscal federalism and building of strong institution to fast track development based on mineral endowments of each region.

Utomi, who spoke on “The Nigerian Economy: The Imperative for an Enabling Environment”, said the only time the West, North and East experienced growth competitively and at their respective paces was when federalism held sway.

While also calling adequate investment in education and healthcare service as a way of developing the minds of those that would build the nation, Utomi called on the Southwest governors to consider the option of regional integration to connect the region socially and economically.

Lagos seeks Fed Govt’s intervention on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

T

HROUGH its Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, the Lagos State Government yesterday urged the Federal Government to repair the Apapa-Oshodi Express-way.

Ibirogba told reporters in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, that urgent attention was required to fix the road and save motorists from the untold hardship they go through daily.

The commissioner said the call became necessary because the deplorable condition of the road was a drain on the economy, not only of the state but also that of the nation.

He decried the pathetic sit-

By Miriam Ndikanwu

uation, describing it as “continued colossal loss” to the nation’s economy from the man-hour lost daily to traffic.

Ibirogba said: “While the state government is managing the traffic challenges as a result of the worse situation on the road, what is really needed to address the problems and put paid to the suffering of Nigerians on the road is its total reconstruction.

“It is not only ApapaOshodi Expressway. Check through Lagos and you will see that most of the federal roads are in terrible state of disrepair, including the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Suspension of strike patriotic, says Ihedioha D

EPUTY Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha yesterday commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other members of the Organised Labour for suspending the strike earlier planned to begin from yesterday over the implementation of the minimum wage.

He described the action of Organised Labour to suspend the proposed strike as patriotic.

Ihedioha, who introduced a motion on the floor of the House yesterday, congratulated the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for leading

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

the lower legislative chamber to avert the strike.

He said Tambuwal displayed visionary leadership that made the House proud.

The Deputy Speaker also commended other members of the House for backing the motion to intervene in the matter.

He praised the Senate for showing understanding and support in the truce initiative that contributed to the suspension of the strike.

He said the gesture from

the upper chamber was an indication of a new era of harmonious relationship.

Following the three-day warning strike threat announced by NLC and its affiliates, the House of Representatives had adopted a motion mandating its leadership to engage Organised Labour, the Minister of Labour and Productivity and other relevant agencies in a dialogue as part of efforts to avert the strike.

The House leadership, led by the Speaker, swung into action by meeting with parties involved at his office.

Describing labour’s resolve to suspend the proposed strike as patriotic, Ihedioha commended the Federal Government team, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, the Governors’ Forum, led by Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Governor Adams Oshiomhole as well as other stakeholders involved in mediating over the impasse.

The Deputy Speaker urged all concerned parties to respect agreements mutually entered into to avert any industrial unrest that could endanger the fragility of the country’s economy.

•Chief Executive Officer of the TY Danjuma Foundation, Ms Thelma Ekiyor, Founder of The WellBeing Foundation, Mrs Toyin Saraki and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr Tony Elemulu at the presentation of the Every Woman, Every Child Nigeria Intitative Stakeholders Engagment organised by the Wellbeing Foundation in Lagos on Monday.

Anambra tribunal warns against delay of proceedings T

HE Anambra State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abakiliki has warned against delay of proceedings.

The tribunal spoke at the hearing ofthe retition of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (PGA) senatorial candidate Prof. Dora Akunyili .

Mrs Akunyili is challenging the victory of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) senatorial candidate, Dr.Chris Ngige.

The tribunal, chaired by

Justice Usman Bwala, has 180 days to complete its assignment.

Mrs Akunyili appeared before the tribunal for the second time yesterday.

She told the tribunal that she wanted Obiora Obianwu (SAN), to represent her .

Obianwu had told the tribunal that his doctor asked him to rest for 10 days.

Mrs. Akunyili urged the tribunal to defer the adop-

tion of four motions because of the absence of her preferred lawyer.

Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) counsel Osita Nnadi argued that the tribunal would be setting a bad precedence should it grant APGA’s prayers.

Nnadi further submitted that by such actions, respondents could also come up with an application for

adjournment.He urged the tribunal to adopt the motions.

Ngige’s counsel Emeka Ngige (SAN) accepted APGA”s plea for adjournment.

Ngige, who said ill health could not be toyed with, added that the motions could be adopted in the absence of the lawyer that filed them.

Akunyili had asked for an order directing INEC to produce the ballot papers for inspection.

Pray for Nigeria, Christian pilgrims urged

G

OVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has called on Christians to pray for the country.

The governor made the call when he received members of the Sensitisation Team of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Abuja, at the Government House.

Chime, who was represented by his deputy, Sunday

Onyebuchi, said divine intervention and prayers would save the country from disintegration.

The governor appealed to Nigerians to pray for their leaders to steer the ship of the nation to safety.

He described pilgrimage to the holy land as an important religious duty, which helps to bring Christians closer to God.

The governor commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission and State Pilgrims Welfare Board, for conducting a hitch- free pilgrimage.

He assured that government would continue to sponsor pilgrims to the holy land.

Chime promised the commission an office accommodation to house its zonal office.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, John Kennedy Opara promised a hitch-free pilgrimage to Rome, Greece and Israel.

Opara said 600 chances had been allocated to the state this year and appealed to him to assist the council to sponsor more .

Opara said the pilgrims would begin their trip on October 29.

Boko Haram: 177 Enugu indigenes return from Borno

A

BOUT 177 indigenes of Enugu State yesterday returned home from Maiduguri, Borno State.

The returnees, who came in three luxury buses provided by Governor Sullivan Chime, were received by some government officials.

The returnees hailed Chime for his quick re-

sponse to their distress call, saying his intervention had saved them from further anguish in the troubled city.

Spokesman for the group and President of the Enugu State union in Maiduguri, Paul Igwesi, decried the precarious security situation in the city.

He said: “We thank God that we are alive to see this

day and we cannot thank Governor Sullivan Chime enough for making it possible for us to escape from danger and get back to our home. He has shown that he is an action governor and a true lover of his people. May God bless him.”

The women’s leader of the group, Mrs Chizoba Okonkwo, alsopraised the

governor’s gesture.

She condemned the disruption in academic activities and social life and called for government’s assistance.

Welcoming the returnees, Chime’s Senior Special Assistants, Paul Nnajiofor and Afam Okereke thanked God for their safe return and assured of further assistance.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

NEWS Firm holds seminar on ICT development

By Adeola Ogunlade

A SOCIAL media consulting firm, Teleios Consulting, will today hold a consumer engagement seminar, tagged: Harnessing the Power of Social Media for Brands, at Kobis Building, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.

In a statement, the company’s Managing Partner, Deola Kayode said the programme would feature bloggers, Internet marketers, social media and brand communication professionals.

He said they would explore the impact of the Internet on business and consumers.

Deola, who won the Social Media Thought Leader of the Year Award, said developers should deliver solutions and not just technology, because customers have more choices and lesser time to make decisions.

Facilitators for the seminar include the Chief Operating Officer, HotSauce Limited, Dayo Adefila; Lead Consultant, Michael Sage Consulting, Yinka Olaito; Business Director, Insight Communications, Franklin Ozekhome; Editor, TechLoy.com, Loy Okezie; and Digital Content Producer at NEXT. The programme is sponsored by Hotsauce Limited, Flying Antlers and Naija Business Lounge.

Kano police to set up intelligence squad on Boko Haram K ANO State Police Commissioner Ibrahim Idris is to set up an intelligence squad to tackle possible infiltration of Boko Haram sect into the state.

Idris, who assumed duty last Monday, told reporters yesterday in Kano that the squad became necessary to forestall the possible influx of Boko Haram members into Kano.

He said the new outfit would be different in intelligence gathering, which he said was crucial to combating crime and criminality.

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

Idris said: “We are going to improve intelligence gathering to get sufficient information to check possible influx of Boko Haram members since many people are fleeing from Borno State.

“We are going to improve on the deployment on ground and work within available resources to boost security so as

to curb crime, including possible Boko Haram threat in the state.”

The police chief said his focus was on how to spread community policing to every nook and crannies of the state by involving individuals and groups to tackle criminal activities.

“Our approach to all issues would be based on a more proactive and preventive meas-

ure and we are prepared to work with everybody and groups for effective policing of the state.

“We have the support of foreign partners to spread the concept of community policing to every nook and crannies of the state and all over the country,” he said.

Idris, who has served in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission for about seven years, also paraded 10 robbery suspects said to have been terrorising Kano residents in the past months.

Nasarawa NULGE chiefs quarrel over position

T

WO officers of the Nasarawa State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) are quarrelling over the leadership of the union.

A letter purportedly written by the union’s National Secretary allegedly recognised Ismaila Konga as chairman of the caretaker committee.

But the state Chairman, Salisu Eladoga, said he remains the union’s authentic leader, following a resolution on March 24 by delegates in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where Konga’s working committee was reportedly dissolved and Eladoga reinstated.

A letter yesterday in Lafia, the state capital, to Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura, recognised Konga as the state

From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

leader. The letter was signed by NULGE General Secretary, Comrade Goewam Adamu Muhammed.

It said the union recognised Konga following the April 1 ex parte injunction by the National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja, restraining Eladoga from parading himself as NULGE official and recognising Konga.

The letter reads: “This matter was brought before the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the union in session on June 9, where the decision of the NIC was upheld.”

But Eladoga said since an election was conducted by delegates and he was an-

nounced the winner by the state executive of the union, he remained the union leader.

Though he said he would await the outcome of the matter, which is before the NIC, Eladoga said he was recognised by the national body before the caretaker committee went to court.

This, he said, was in the resolution of the union’s delegates’ conference in Ibadan, where it was agreed that “the caretaker committee in Nasarawa State on April 13, 2010, led by Ismaila Konga, was dissolved and the State Working Committee, led by Eladoga, was reinstated with effect from March 24.

The resolution added: “Any member who disobeys the

•Almakura

resolution passed above should be treated as acting against the purpose and interest of NULGE and appropriate actions would be taken against such person(s)”.

Secretary to the State Government Hamza Elayo said the matter did not require the government intervention.

The government, Eleayo said, was awaiting the outcome of the matter at the NIC, which it said reserves the right to decide on it.

Striking workers call Jang’s bluff From Marie-Therese Peter, Jos

T

HE three-day ultimatum given by the Plateau State Government to workers in the state-owned tertiary institutions to resume work expires today. But the workers yesterday called the government’s bluff.

The workers said the strike would go on until the government meets to their demands.

The Jonah Jang administration yesterday opened a register for workers who are willing to resume, saying the register would be closed by 5pm today.

The registers, it was gathered, are to be supervised by heads of the institutions.

Speaking with The Nation, Chairman of the joint unions Comrade Yusuf Selchang said the government had no right to issue the deadline since it had not fulfilled its agreement with the workers.

Selchang said: “The government has not met with us since it paid two out of the three-month salary arrears it owed our members.

“Besides, the issue at stake is not the arrears but the implementation of the new salary structure.

“The government’s position is diversionary. If not, why should it invite heads of tertiary institutions to direct them to order us back to work?”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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MONEY LINK

Forex rule eases pressure at interbank market T

By Collins Nweze Senior Correspondent

HE pressure at the interbank market has eased following the policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) limiting weekly sale of forex to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to $250,000.

The pressure, created by multiple demand and supply of the dollar at the interbank, is now less after the apex bank placed the limit on forex sale, last month, a dealer, Mohammed Abdul, said.

A circular signed by CBN Director, Trade & Echange, Batari Musa, stated that the new plan is in line with provisions in the Monetary , Credit , Foreign Trade and Exchange Policy Guidelines for fiscal year 2010/2011.

Musa explained that before this amendment, banks and other authorised dealers could sell autonomous funds to BDCs subject to compliance with the Anti-money Laundering Act 2004.

However, the pressure has shifted to the cash market, where physical dollars transactions are carried out because of the high volume of demand and supply.

“The pressure in the cash interbank market has moved to the cash market after the new forex rule. But the naira has benefited more by maintaining a band of N151 to N152 rate in the last two weeks,” he said.

Analysts at Afrinvest said, the set limit has created a supply deficit in forex, envisaging strong demand for the Naira this week as its price remains attractive.

“The CBN has cut off the bulk of demand in the interbank with its policy limiting dollar sales to bureaux de change and this has helped the naira to gain,” one dealer stated.

The foreign exchange market remained relatively stable owing

to a deliberate policy on the part of the CBN to increase supply to the market to maintain the exchange rate within a band of plus or minus three percentage points, complemented by funding from autonomous sources, the source added.

The CBN policy also elevated the

naira to a 4-month high against the United States dollar.

At the Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) trading yesterday, the CBN sold all the $183 million demanded at 151.79 to the dollar.

A Lagos based forex trader, Teslim Abdul, said although once in a while, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and inflows from International Oil Companies (IOCs) usually stabilise the inter bank

market, but in many cases, that has not influenced positively the naira rate against the dollar on the interbank market.

“We expect the naira to gain value in the coming days due to inflows from more foreign investors and energy companies’ usual month-end dollar sales,” another dealer said.

Most oil companies in Nigeria’s

Foreign investors eye Nigerian stock market

A

DELEGATION of foreign in stitutional investors and fund managers led by UBS Wealth Management, visited the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday as part of investment-decision process to evaluate opportunities in the Nigerian capital market. The visit of the foreign investors was mediated

by BGL Plc. UBS Wealth Management is one of world’s largest financial institutions with over $1 trillion under its management and an overall market capitalisation of $66 billion.

UBS is also the largest private bank in the world, with $450 billion in client assets. It has 135 years of experience with an unmatched her-

Nigerian capital market would soon become a preferred investment destination for both local and international investors noting that Lagos was fast becoming a hub for regional financial markets.

He said that the present management of the Exchange has already taken some steps that would encourage rapid growth and development of the market. He identified zero tolerance to violation of post-listing requirements; ongoing trading platform upgrades; strengthening of the Exchange workforce; broadening of investment options; transparent and focused leadership; as well as working together with relevant government agencies to ensure that critical

By Taofik Salako

itage of success in serving substantial investors globally.

Chairman of BGL Plc, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, who accompanied the investors to the NSE, said the foreign investors were at the Exchange because they saw value in the market.

He said, Nigeria’s capital market has remained attractive to discerning investors and BGL wants to encourage international investors to participate in the Nigerian market because once they come, it would encourage local investors to do same.

In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema, assured that the

T

HE three tiers of governments have been advised to focus their public expenditure in areas that would improve infrastructure funding and attract more foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the economy.

Member, House of Representatives, Adeyinka Ajayi, said Federal, State and Local governments should commit reasonable portion of their budgetary allocations to resolving issues highlighted in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), of

improve on the investment climate in the country, saying ministers should continually improve government spending on infrastructure, to improve on the investment climate in the country.

“Governments at all levels must see to the provision of basic infrastructure and generally enhance the standard of living of the average citizen,” he said, adding that the provision of infrastructure will also help to bring peace and stability to the polity. He said the crises in the Niger Delta and other parts

which infrastructure funding is paramount.

The legislator, said improving infrastructure will boost inflow of capital into the country and by extension, enhance people’s living standard.

Such expenditure, he said, will boost investor confidence and attract more funds to key sectors of the economy.

He urged the government to focus on accomplishing objectives of MDGs in order to create jobs and

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 20-7-11 SYMBOL UNILEVER DANGSUGAR FIRST BANK GTASSURE PZ MAYBAKER UPL FIDELITYBK PLATINUM UNITYBNK

O/PRICE 26.00 10.10 11.50 1.42 36.22 3.70 4.57 2.15 0.68 0.78

C/PRICE 27.30 10.60 12.13 1.49 38.00 3.88 4.79 2.25 0.71 0.81

CHANGE 1.30 0.50 0.57 0.07 1.78 0.18 0.22 0.10 0.03 0.03

LOSER AS AT 20-7-11 SYMBOL OCEANIC AIRSERVICE PRESCO STERLNBANK WEMABANK VITAFOAM BAGCO AIICIO FCMB UBN

O/PRICE 1.20 2.63 7.87 1.41 0.94 5.99 2.40 0.70 6.05 2.40

of the country is a direct fallout of dissatisfaction resulting from the absence of life’s basics, enumerated in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) document. “Providing an acceptable standard of living for the people will automatically translate to a peaceful environment on which investments can thrive,” he said.

Ajayi, who is MDGs co-ordinator in Osun State, said the current administration can only be said to have done well if its impact is felt at the basic family unit where development targets are based.

DATA BANK

Tenor

OBB Rate Call Rate

•NSE CEO, Oscar Onyema

sectors of the economy like power, telecom, upstream oil and gas, and agriculture are listed and traded on the Exchange as part of on-going initiatives to position the market for stable growth.

‘Infrastructural financing key to attracting FDI’

FGN BONDS

NIDF NESF

top energy producer, sell dollars to selected banks at the end of each month to obtain naira to fund their domestic obligations.

He explained that the CBN funding of the forex market is a deliberate policy on the part of the government to arrest the wide margin between the official market and the parallel market rates.

C/PRICE 1.14 2.50 7.50 1.35 6.91 5.81 2.33 0.68 5.90 2.37

CHANGE 0.06 0.13 0.37 0.06 0.03 0.18 0.07 0.02 0.15 0.03

Amount Sold ($)

Exchange Rate (N)

Date

400m

467.7m

400m

153.59

25-5-11

400m

452.3m

400m

153.4

23-5-11

500m

499,8m

499.8m

153.45

16-5-11

EXHANGE RATE 30-05-11 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP

147.6000 239.4810

149.7100 244.0123

150.7100 245.6422

-2.11 -2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

Bureau de Change 152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

(S/N) Parallel Market

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N)

07-07-11 N7.823tr 24,465.52

08-07-11 N7.756tr 24,256.97

% Change 0.86% 0.85%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

(S/N)

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW January ’11

February ’11

May ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

8.00%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.3%

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 117.62 1,586.00 0.81 0.99 0.99 1,586.00 9.47 1.39 1.87 8,827.74 193.00

9.08 1.00 117.16 1,576.75 0.78 0.99 0.99 1,576.75 9.01 1.33 1.80 8,557.25 191.08

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY THE DISCOVERY FUND • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 04 MAR, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 24, MAY, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 MAR, 2011

07, MAR, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

57

EQUITIES

Stock market rebounds

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 20-07-11 2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 11 12

Quotation(N) 0.50 7.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 20,000 10,000.00 425,000 3,187,200.00 445,000 3,197,200.00

AIR SERVICES Company Name AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 7 41 48

Quotation(N) 2.50 7.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 325,000 812,500.00 758,191 5,157,514.94 1,083,191 5,970,014.94

Quotation(N) 2.07

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 13,683 27,109.24 13,683 27,109.24

Quotation(N) 6.46 0.89 5.00 2.80 5.90 2.25 12.13 0.54 13.70 9.40 1.03 1.14 0.71 6.00 0.85 1.35 4.79 2.37 0.81 0.91 14.66

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 4,870,994 31,226,434.99 204,024 181,613.34 1,271,752 6,275,391.06 200,844 568,539.83 1,966,447 11,681,299.50 1,597,555 3,533,659.32 11,416,569 136,090,809.82 964,564 531,793.44 23,027,157 316,672,651.81 1,907,998 17,882,033.40 3,159,156 3,147,577.00 2,389,739 2,783,510.71 501,508 353,773.68 13,974,754 83,951,307.00 1,269 1,027.89 2,908,801 3,946,013.34 8,847,458 42,338,871.26 1,709,000 4,019,169.70 5,187,716 4,021,364.17 1,141,592 1,042,688.32 12,683,505 182,008,917.84 99,932,402 852,258,447.42

Quotation(N) 243.00 6.39 90.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 6,260 1,445,121.00 1,500 9,120.00 893,738 80,543,893.81 901,498 81,998,134.81

Quotation(N) 19.45 8.55 121.11 45.60

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 515,445 9,888,979.69 31,088 263,882.44 64,598 7,768,138.83 144,436 6,635,173.76 755,567 24,556,174.72

Quotation(N) 8.96 27.00 1.42

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 921 7,846.92 13,890 385,124.00 250 337.50 15,061 393,308.42

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 11 11 BANKING

Company Name ACCESS BANK PLC AFRIBANK NIGERIA PLC DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC FINBANK PLC GTBANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC. OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC BANK PHB PLC SKYE BANK PLC. SPRING BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC UNITYBANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC ZENITH BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 134 25 42 27 32 67 523 28 800 87 57 56 13 209 1 42 251 109 23 37 251 2,814 BREWERIES

Company Name GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 10 1 111 122 BUILDING MATERIALS

Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 48 6 26 26 106 CHEMICAL & PAINTS

Company Name BERGER PAINTS NIGERIA PLC CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 9 1 12

T

No of Deals 1 12 1 14

Quotation(N) 0.50 3.01 3.82

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 18,000 9,000.00 286,000 863,039.00 750 2,722.50 304,750 874,761.50

CONGLOMERATES Company Name PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 61 8 30 61 160

Quotation(N) 38.00 1.03 39.03 27.30

Quantity Traded Value 974,814 252,550 181,352 638,436 2,047,152

of Shares (N) 36,574,749.82 260,126.50 7,078,488.59 17,116,204.42 61,029,569.33

Quotation(N) 2.79 50.82

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 328,105 880,250.81 202,364 10,218,024.16 530,469 11,098,274.97

Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

million shares worth N1.32 billion in 4,430 deals with banking sector accounting for 99.9 million shares valued at N852.26 million in 2,814 deals.

Insurance sub-sector followed on the activity chart with a turnover of 67.32 million shares worth N34.93 million in 111 deals. Hotel and tourism sector ranked third with a turnover of 22.92 million shares worth N33.63 million in 17 deals.

The market rebound came as more banks released their interim reports for the first half of this year.

Interim report of United Bank for Africa (UBA) showed a decline in gross earnings but the bank witnessed significant increase in profitability.

UBA’s gross earnings closed first half of 2011 at N87.66 billion as against N93.66 billion recorded in comparable period of 2010. Profit before tax rose from N8.64 billion in 2010 to N10.11 billion in 2011.

Profit after tax doubled from N4.85 billion in 2010 to NN8.11 billion in 2011.

The first half report indicated significant improvement in underlying profitability of UBA, as pre-tax profit margin increased from 9.22 per cent in 2010 to 11.53 per cent in the first half of 2011.

Executive Director , Finance, UBA, Mr. Emmanuel

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 20-07-11 STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC UNIC INSURANCE PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC Sector Totals

6 1 1 111

No of Deals 17 19 36

No of Deals 11 35 15 55 78 5 10 21 19 4 2 1 256

Quotation(N) 45.00 17.01 16.00 10.60 84.50 4.25 4.99 43.00 402.00 24.70 0.50 0.68

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 10,726 483,704.08 218,537 3,706,849.72 150,547 2,408,752.00 1,199,772 12,470,709.70 1,053,626 88,519,517.51 10,700 43,840.00 103,500 507,285.40 47,501 2,005,839.89 42,492 17,050,154.96 14,600 342,662.00 74,400 37,200.00 650.00 1,000 2,927,401 127,577,165.26

Quotation(N) 1.14 1.74 25.48 3.88

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 50,500 55,045.00 15,000 26,700.00 136,813 3,395,543.80 265,660 996,550.45 467,973 4,473,839.25

Quotation(N) 5.93 1.46

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 38,190 227,105.00 22,877,928 33,401,774.88 22,916,118 33,628,879.88

HEALTHCARE Company Name EVANS MEDICALPLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 3 17 15 38 HOTEL & TOURISM

Company Name CAPITAL HOTEL PLC IKEJA HOTEL PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 13 17

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name B. O. C. GASES NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 2 2 13 18

No of Deals 3 3

Quotation(N) 7.45 42.66 0.50 5.81

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 13,299 99,077.55 6,500 272,940.00 5,000 2,500.00 644,700 3,744,345.00 669,499 4,118,862.55

Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 52 52

Company Name DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 28 28

No of Deals 1 24 25

Quotation(N) 0.98

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 13,000 12,220.00 13,000 12,220.00

Quotation(N) 1.03

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,828,083 1,842,294.16 1,828,083 1,842,294.16

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 152,000 76,000.00 152,000 76,000.00

MORTGAGE COMPANIES Company Name ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC RESORT SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 10 1 22 33

Quotation(N) 1.38 0.50 0.52

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 485,000 640,200.00 1,000 500.00 1,939,625 977,933.57 2,425,625 1,618,633.57

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name CRUSADER NIGERIA PLC. NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 36 38

Quotation(N) 0.50 1.15

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 9,800 4,900.00 2,575,330 2,906,379.50 2,585,130 2,911,279.50

Quotation(N) 2.33 1.10 2.92 13.97

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,821,389 4,446,695.67 3,000 3,150.00 100 278.00 1,199 15,922.72 1,825,688 4,466,046.39

PACKAGING Company Name NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC POLY PRODUCTS (NIGERIA) PLC. STUDIO PRESS (NIGERIA) PLC. GREIF NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 170 1 1 2 174

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. FORTE OIL PLC MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. OANDO PLC TOTAL NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 22 29 2 10 11 130 21 228

Quotation(N) 0.50 70.75 34.30 4.30 19.28 157.50 38.76 195.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 106,200 53,100.00 68,517 4,606,139.74 63,273 2,062,067.07 5,150 21,063.50 8,297 159,966.16 10,024 1,503,306.92 662,131 25,366,664.94 18,751 3,571,829.44 942,343 37,344,137.77

PRINTING & PUBLISHING

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.57

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 99,000 49,500.00 3,032,885 1,721,224.45 3,131,885 1,770,724.45

Company Name LONGMAN NIGERIA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

Quotation(N) 0.68 1.05 0.50 2.85 0.50 1.49 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.51 0.51 1.92 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,938,500 1,318,080.00 15,000 15,300.00 4,000 2,000.00 64,800 191,860.00 35,250 17,625.00 700,580 1,015,264.20 38,000 19,000.00 50,000 25,000.00 6,800 3,400.00 16,000 8,000.00 43,000 21,500.00 6,880,507 3,518,788.57 556,000 282,970.24 3,000 5,760.00 2,700 1,350.00

Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 6 14 20

Quotation(N) 5.60 4.79

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 111,200 622,720.00 108,990 509,494.10 220,190 1,132,214.10

Quotation(N) 19.15

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 153,785 2,798,887.00 153,785 2,798,887.00

Quotation(N) 0.59

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 46,114 27,207.26 46,114 27,207.26

REAL ESTATE

INSURANCE Company Name No of Deals AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 25 CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 2 CORNERSTONE INSURANCE CO. PLC. 2 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC 7 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 6 GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC 7 CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC 2 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC 1 LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 2 LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC. 1 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC 4 N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. 30 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. 11 PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC. 1 SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 2

114,500.00 10,000.00 28,357,368.00 34,927,766.01

MEDIA

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name MASS TELECOM INNOVATION NIGERIA PLC STARCOMMS PLC Sector Totals

229,000 20,000 56,714,736 67,317,873

MARITIME

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCO Company Name 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC CADBURY NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC NORTHERN NIGERIA FLOUR MILLS PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

0.50 0.50 0.50

LEASING Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

CONSTRUCTION Company Name COSTAIN (WA) PLC JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

Nnorom said UBA’s performance was bolstered by management’s concerted efforts to curtail operating costs evidenced by a 2.4 per cent reduction in operating expenses from N51.8 billion in June 2010 to N50.6 billion in June 2011; in spite of the N4.9 provision charge made to the income statement.

Overall the bank’s balance sheet size strengthened further with total assets and contingents closing 17.1 per cent higher than the full year 2010 position.

He noted that the first half report was impressive given noticeable improvements across major lines of the income statement and recorded strong growth in financial position at the end of the period.

Also, Wema Bank Plc suffered contraction in the topline while its profit increased by 33 per cent.

The report for the period ended June 30, 2011, showed that gross earnings stood at N13.68 billion in 2011 as against N16.3 billion posted in similar period of 2010.

Profit after tax rose to N1.61 billion in 2011 compared with N1.21 billion posted in the comparable period of 2010.

The bank’s net assets currently stands at N64.17 billion compared with the N15.77 billion reported in 2010.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name COURTVILLE INVESTMENTS PLC RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

•UBA, Wema improve profits

HE Nigerian stock mar ket yesterday broke away from the recent spree of losses as most stocks rallied on the back of increased buy orders to add N49 billion to the overall market value of quoted companies.

Market capitalisation of all equities rose from its opening value of N7.53 trillion to N7.58 trillion, while the All Share Index grew by 0.66 per cent from 23,552.84 points to 23,707.47 points.

More than 64 per cent of price changes during the trading session ended on the upside with banks and manufacturing companies leading the rebound.

PZ Cussons Nigeria topped the gainers’ list with a gain of 178 kobo to close at N38. Flour Mills of Nigeria added 149 kobo to close at N84.50.

Unilever Nigeria trailed with a gain of 130 kobo to close at N27.30, while FirstBank of Nigeria and Dangote Sugar Refinery gathered 57 kobo and 50 kobo to close at N12.13 and N10.60 respectively.

However, Presco recorded the highest loss of 37 kobo to close at N7.50 per share.

Ashakacem dropped by 23 kobo to close at N19.45.

Vitafoam Nigeria lost 18 kobo to close at N5.81. First City Monument Bank dropped by 15 kobo to close at N5.90, while Airlines Services lost 13 kobo to close at N2.50 per share.

Turnover stood at 214.50

No of Deals 19 19 TEXTILES

Company Name UNITED NIGERIA TEXTILES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 34 34

Quotation(N) 14.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 849,327 12,296,680.70 849,327 12,296,680.70

4,430

214,500,807

1,312,425,833.20

58

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

59

60 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

IYODO

ODUNMBAKU

AFFANG

I, formerly known and addressed as Hilda Ojone Iyodo, now wish to be known and addressed as Hilda Ojone Abaka. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ONURA

I, formerly known and addressed as Onura Basil Austine N., now wish to be known and addressed as Obeche Basil Austine N. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

YOOSU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mary Mngu Yoosu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Mary Mngu Atachin. All former documents remain valid.

National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna and general public take note.

OLOGUNDUDU

I, formerly known and addressed as Augustine Ologundudu, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. Augustine Olusegun Olusola.

All former documents remain valid. Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, International Community and general public take note.

OLOGUNDUDU I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs Adesayo Olufunmi Ologundudu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adesayo Olufunmi Olusola. All former documents remain valid.

International Community and general public take note.

CLETUS

I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs Blessing Edidiong Cletus, now wish to be known and addressed as Blessing Uwemedimo Okoneyoh-Joseph.

All former documents remain General public take note.

NUHU I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bako Naomi Nuhu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Johnson Naomi Bako. All former documents remain valid.

FRSC, Osisatech, NYSC and general public take note.

FAPARUSI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Faparusi Yetunde Olasunbo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akinmolasere Yetunde Olasunbo.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OBAGBOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odunmbaku Elizabeth Funmilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Afolabi Elizabeth Funmilayo. All former documents remain valid. Yewa South LGA and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Affang Idongesit Patricia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Mann Idongesit Patricia. All former documents remain valid. LOUISVILLE Girls High Schools, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State and general public should take note.

OSARO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Toyin Labake Adio, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Toyin Labake Keripe. All former documents remain valid.

OOUTH, Sagamu and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mr Ojieho Patrick Osaro, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Esezobor Oj-Pan. All former documents remain valid. Edo State Local Govt. Commission, Igueben Local govt. and general public should take note.

JIMOH

I, formerly known and addressed as Jimoh Muhammed, now wish to be known and addressed as Jimoh Praise Osezeme. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MBAH I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joy Abah Mbah, now wish to be known and addressed as Joy Okokon Ita. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

KUDI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Queen Awashima Kudi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Queen Awashima Pilla. All former documents remain valid.

Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and general public should take note.

OPEOLUWA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Opeoluwa Oluwafunmilayo Oluwatosin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeniyi Olufunmilayo Oluwatosin. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

KOLAWOLE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kolawaole Iyabo Riskoh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abdul Quadri Iyabo. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

OLANIPEKUN I formerly known and addressed as Miss Olanipekun Abiodun Busola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Kolawole Abiodun Busola. All former document remain vaild. NYSC and general Public should take note.

EFFIONG

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Iwimi Stacy Obagboye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Iwimi Stacy Sunday. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Cynthia Comfort Effiong, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Cynthia Comfort Ojo. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

ADEWUNMI

I, Moronkeji Adebola Comfort hereby notify the general public that my name was wrongly written as Morenikeji Adebola Comfort during the Registration exercise for the 2011/2012 Academic Session U.T.M.E Examination instead of Moronkeji Adebola Comfort.

JAMB,TASUED, UNAB and general public should take note.

ABOLARIN I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abolarin, Folashade Titilope, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Odunaiya Folashade Titilope. All former documents remain valid.

Prokitchen Nigeria Limited and general public should take note.

AJEIGBE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebola Oluwaseun Ajeigbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adebola Oluwaseun Oloyede. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IFEDI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ifedi Elizabeth Chinwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Okafor Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. America Embassy and general public should take note.

ADEBOWALE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebowale Rukayat Adesumbo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Jolaoso Rukayat Adesunmbo. All former documents remain valid. OAU, IleIfe, NYSC and general public should take note.

OGUNGBENRO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Esther Ogungbenro, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeleye Esther. All former documents remain valid. TESCOM Ogun and general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatosin Adenike Adewunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwatosin Adenike Ariyo. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADIO

CONFIRMATION OF NAME That Francis Amaebi Doukpola and Francis Amaebi Doukpolagha refers to the same and one person.

That I wish to be known and addressed as Francis Amaebi Doukpola. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AKINYEYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akinyeye Remi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akinsehinde Remi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IGWE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Igwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Blessing Owhonda Ejims. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

JOSEPH

I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Joseph Ilenlor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Christopher Otu. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AKOSILE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akosile Mary Oluwafunke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Smart Mary Oluwafunke. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Local government Service Commission and general public should take note.

OGUNMILUA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunmilua Olayinka Bosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olayinka Gbolahan-Adebiyi. All former documents remain valid. Rufus Giwa Polytechnic and general public should take note.

ARCHIBONG I, formerly known and addressed as Esther Ime Archibong, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Esther Emmanuel Okon. All former documents remain valid. Uyo City Polytechnic/Heritage Polytecnic, WAEC, IKONO LGA and general public should take note.

EJILUDE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ejilude Adijat Ejijoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebara Victoria Ejijoke. All former documents remain valid.

Osun State Universal Education Board and general public should take note.

ADEWUSI

OKOJIE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Stella Okojie now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Stella Ukado. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Army and general public should please take note.

AKINOLA

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Mobolaji Aduke Akinola, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Mobolaji Aduke Ogunmosunle. All documents remain valid. Lagos State Government should please take note.

OKPARA

I, formaly know and addresd as Miss Okpara Priscilla Onyekachi, now wish to be known as Mrs. Ugorji Priscilla Onyekachi. All former document remain valid.

General public take note.

OBED

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adewusi Florence Adebukola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebayo Florence Adebukola. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

SIYANBOLA

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Siyanbola Oluwatoyin Motunrayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akinsete Oluwatoyin Motunrayo. All former documents remain valid. Ede South Local government, Ede and general public should take note.

AJAYI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi Folusho Adetutu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kulajolu Folusho Adetutu. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OGBONNA

I, formaly know and addresd as Miss Obed Amanda Chinenye, now wish to be known as Mrs. Ndudum Esobe Chinenye. All former document remain valid.

Abia State Polytechnic, NYSC general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Ogbonna Mark Amah, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwolisa Ezeugo Ufere. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ODUGBESAN

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chukwueloke Chidinma Maris, now wish to be known and addressed as Emuenodiagbe Kesyton Chidinma Maryann. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formaly know and addresd as Miss Motunrayo Adebimpe Odugbesan, now wish to be known as Mrs. Esther Motunrayo Oyekoya. All former document remain valid. INELGEA, Imukoro general public take note.

SAKA

I, formaly know and addresd as Miss Saka Temitope Adijat, now wish to be known as Mrs. Adeodun Temitope Adijat . All former document remain valid. Ogun SUBEB, Ijebu-Ode LGEA and general public take note.

CHUKWUELOKE

JACKSON

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ukeme Jackson, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Mercy Jackson. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Army and general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ADEDAYO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adedayo Omolola Sofiat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ademulegun Omolola Sofiat. All former documents remain valid. Oceanic Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

OTOHWO I, formerly known and addressed as MISS MARINA IKWESIRI OTOHWO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MARINA IKWESIRI IYEME-ETENG. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OGUNDIRAN

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS DOYIN ABIDEMI ANGELA OGUNDIRAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS DOYIN ABIDEMI ANGELA BAMIDELE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AKUKU

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AKUKU LUCY NKAGBOR, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADOR LUCY NKAGBOR. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011 CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME OLUSOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olusola Funmilayo Adetutu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Tijani Funmilayo Adetutu. All former documents remain valid. Ogun SUBEB, INLGEA Ijebu-Igbo and general public should take note.

KOMOLAFE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Komolafe Serifat Adebisi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Fowosere Adebisi Oluwafunmilola. All former documents remain valid.

Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, Abeokuta and general public should take note.

JACOB

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jacob Inibehe Ephraim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeyemi Inibehe. All former documents remain valid. Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Diamond Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

ADELEYE

AWUZIEM

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Banjo Tosin Adeleye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Jenje Tosin Adeleye. All former documents remain valid.

Ogun State Service Commission and general public should take note.

AWOWOYIN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omole Olanike E., now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Otukoya Olanike E. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CLAUDIA NNEKA AWUZIEM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CLAUDIA NNEKA HIRSCH. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AWOWOYIN ABISOLA VICTORIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IJAODOLA ABISOLA VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADEKOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adekola Kudirat A, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Afolabi Kudirat A. All former document remain valid. Federal Polytechnic of Nigeria ,Offa and general public take note.

ALO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Alo Titilayo Hannah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Boje Titilayo Hannah. All former document remain valid.

General public take note.

UGWUEGBU

I formerly known and addressed as Ugwuegbu Ammielchai Ikenna, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwandu Ammiel Ikenna. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OMOLE

ADESINA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesina Abiola Ganiyat Olufunke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs ShittuAdesina Abiola Ganiyat. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OKOLO I, formerly known and addressed as Friday Azubike Okolo, now wish to be known and addressed as Wealth Ugochukwu Innocent. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

AYENI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Abiola Christiana Ayeni, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abiola Christiana Ologun. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

UDEMBA

I formerly known and addressed as Udemba Favour Chi Kaodili, now wish to be known and addressed as Uduomor Favour Chikaodili. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

AKINTOYE I, formerly known and addressed as Akintoye Oluwabunmi Omolola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Odueyungbo Oluwabunmi Omolola. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State University, Eti-Osa Local government and general public should take note.

FOLORUNSO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Folorunso Tosin Hope, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Eniafe Tosin Hope. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

JOSEPH I, formerly known and addressed as Alhaji Joseph, now wish to be known and addressed as Pastor Joseph Makpene Idoko. All former documents remain valid. NAITES and general public should take note.

ADESOLA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesola Adetola Olubusayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akinfenwa Adetola Olubusayo. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHINONSO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obodoechina Cynthia Chinonso, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Udebuani Cynthia Chinonso. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

TOUR TO EUROPE & SOUTH AFRICA

For tour to EUROPE and SOUTH AFRICA this summer contact 08154714842, 0803336817.

Qualitex Travels Bureau LTD. 6 Simbiat Abiola road, off Awolowo way, Ikeja.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

Network Oil and Gas Limited wishes to state that Mr. Chris B. Emmanuel siezed to be an employee of the company since 1st March 2010 and not 1st March 2012 as earlier published in The Nation Newspaper.

Signed: Management

SOMASU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Aishat Abiodun Somasu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Aishat Abiodun Amele. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ODESANYA

I, formerly known and addressed as Saidat Abolore Odesanya Babatunde, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Sanya Saidat Abolore. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State Local government Services Commission and general public should take note.

This is to inform the general public and the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) that the Original Copy of Occupancy title with Plot No. 2415 Nbora District Cadastral Zone C06, Abuja and with file No. KW60038 belonging to HON. KOLAWOLE A. YUSUF of Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency Abuja is declared missing. All efforts made to trace the said documents proved abortive. If found, please kindly return to the nearest police station or to the above named.

PUBLIC NOTICE THE ACHIEVERS MEN’S KLUB 2011 This is to inform the general public that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for the registration under the Part C of the company Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR SANGOSINA, AKANJI ADAMS —— PRESIDENT 2. MR. OGUNPAIMO, AJIBOLA FATAI — GEN. SEC. 3. MR. OLAODE, ADEBOWALE OMOSANYA — EX-OFFIO

KASIM

AIMS & OBJECTIVES 1. To foster unity among members 2. To embark on viable projects that will be useful to the community.

3. To render assistance to the less fortunate.

4. To embark on cooperative thrift and credit facilities among members

ONAFUJABI

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Tigris crescent, Maitama, Abuja within 28days of this publications.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Kafayat Kasim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kafayat Abdul Azeez. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Onafujabi Joel Adewale, now wish to be known and addressed as Johnson Adewale Joel. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

SALIHU

I, formerly known and addressed as Mallama Salamatu Adibaba Salihu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Dahiru Abdulkari Salamatu Adibaba. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just (N3,500.) The payment can be made through FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number 1892030011219 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, Email- gbengaodejide @yahoo.com or our offices nationwide.

Note this! Change of name is now published every Thursdays and Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

Signed LASHILO, TITUS AKANJI O

PUBLIC NOTICE MYTEE CLUB OF NIGERIA This is to inform the general public that the above named social club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under the part “C” of the CAMA 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Ogochukwu Okoli 2. Mr. Ifeanyi Aniefuna 3. Mr. Kelechukwu Egbe 4. Mr. Ifeanyi Onyemena 5. Mr. Olisa Ileghalu

President Vice President Secretary Member “

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To promote peace, unity and progress of members.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: J. O ONYEKEWELU ESQ BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

61

FOREIGN NEWS

Cameron regrets hiring ex-NoW Editor

‘No discussion on Gaddafi ‘s exit’

B

L

IBYA’S foreign minister has denied that Col Muammar Gaddafi’s removal was being considered in efforts to end the country’s conflict.

“Gaddafi’s departure is not being discussed,” Abdelati Obeidi told reporters after talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Russia has been trying to mediate a deal to end the five-month conflict.

Last week France said it had been contacted by Libyan envoys saying Col Gaddafi leader was prepared to leave.

After yesterday’s talks in Moscow, Mr Obeidi said the Libyan government wanted to end the conflict with rebels seeking to end Col Gaddafi’s 41-year rule.

“We must all work on a peaceful solution in which all Libyans would participate and not just the council in Benghazi,” he said, referring to the rebel Transitional National Council (TNC) based in the city of Benghazi.

The rebels are holding eastern Libya and pockets in the west, but have so far not made decisive moves towards the capital Tripoli.

On 12 July, French Foreign

•Gaddafi

Minister Alain Juppe said: “The Libyan regime is sending messengers everywhere, to Turkey, to New York, to Paris” offering to discuss Col Gaddafi’s exit.

Guinea following the attack on President Lansana Conte’s home, officials say.

The detained soldiers include high-ranking officers who were close to Guinea’s former military junta, the officials said.

The junta handed power to Mr Conde last year after he won elections.

Forces loyal to Mr Conde repelled the attack on his private residence in the capital, Conakry, on Tuesday.

Officials said the building was hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades.

At least one guard was killed, several more wounded and parts of the house were destroyed.

R

IOTS have broken out in cities in Malawi as opposition groups protest against President Bingu wa Mutharika’s government.

At least one person has died in the northern city of Mzuzu and protesters are burning barricades and looting property in the capital.

The authorities have banned live broadcasts of the riots.

The trouble started after a court ruled on Tuesday the protests, called against the high cost of living, were illegal.

Northern Region Police

Mr Conde - Guinea’s first democratically elected president - escaped unhurt.

The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) said the attack could destabilise Guinea and destroy efforts to build democracy.

“Ecowas calls for the perpetrators of this attack to be brought before the competent courts to answer for their actions,” it said.

The BBC correspondent in Conakry says the arrested soldiers include former army chief Gen Nouhou Thiam, two colonels and members of the presidential guard of ex-military ruler Gen Sekouba Konate.

Earthquake in Central Asia kills 13

A

T least 13 people in Uzbekistan have been killed in a 6.1-magnitude earthquake centred in Kyrgyzstan near the two countries’ border.

The Uzbek emergency ministry said the quake, in the Ferghana valley, also injured 86 people.

Kyrgyzstan has so far reported no casualties. The quake struck at 0135 on Wednesday (1935 GMT Tuesday).

It was centred 42km (26 miles) south-west of the city of Ferghana at a depth of 18km, the US Geological Survey said.

“As a result of the earthquake, some old buildings were destroyed in the Ferghana region,” the Uzbek ministry said in a statement.

“According to initial information, 13 people were killed as a result of the damage to the houses.”

Ferghana resident Dilaffrus Muminova told Reuters news agency the earthquake had lasted for about three minutes.

“catastrophic error of judgement”.

And the prime minister came under pressure from Labour MPs to confirm whether he had any conversations about News Corporation’s now aborted bid to fully takeover BSkyB with executives from the company such as Rebekah Brooks, Rupert or James Murdoch.

He had returned early from a trip to Africa to make an emergency statement on the phone hacking crisis - the Commons is sitting for an extra day after the prime minister delayed MPs’ summer re-

cess so he could address the issue.

Mr Cameron said the public inquiry will be widened to examine broadcasters and social media and named the panel Speaker John Bercow launches an investigation into the foam pie incident at Rupert Murdoch’s committee hearing The Met Police drafts in 15 extra officers to work on its investigation - taking total force numbers to 60 - citing a “significant increase” in its workload Downing St and Bucking-

Riots in Malawi as opposition protests

Military officers arrested T least 37 soldiers in Guinea have been arrested in

A

RITISH Prime Minister David Cameron has told Members of Parliament that “with hindsight” he would not have hired exNews of the World editor Andy Coulson as spokesman.

In the closest he has come to an apology, the PM said: “Of course I regret, and I am extremely sorry, about the furore it has caused.”

Mr Coulson quit the NoW over phone hacking, saying he knew nothing about it but took ultimate responsibility.

Amid stormy Commons scenes Labour leader Ed Miliband said hiring him was a

“Everybody was afraid.

Everything was shaking.”

A resident of the Kyrgyz city of Batken - who wanted to be known only by his first name of Ismat - said cracks were visible in the walls of some houses.

“People were on the streets all night. There was a lot of panic.”

Uzbek President Islam Karimov has ordered officials to the region to inspect the damage, as have the Kyrgyz authorities.

“It’s clear that there will be damage, the earthquake was just too strong,” said Kyrgyz government seismologist Kanat Abdrakhmatov.

The Ferghana valley is split between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is one of Central Asia’s most densely populated areas. Reuters said tremors were felt across the region.

More than 70 people died in a 2008 earthquake in Kyrgyzstan while a magnitude 7.5 quake flattened the Uzbek capital Tashkent in 1966.

spokesperson Norah Chimwala told the BBC that one person had died in the unrest in Mzuzu, some 300km (185 miles) north of the capital, Lilongwe.

But she could not confirm if he had been killed by police.

A nurse at Mzuzu Central Hospital told the Associated Press news agency medical staff were treating people with gunshot wounds.

“We have more than 10 people in the hospital right now, some are in a serious condition,” she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

There have also been re-

ports that the property of a government minister has been attacked by demonstrators in the city.

The BBC’s Joel Nkoma in Lilongwe says the situation is also tense there, where angry crowds have been shouting, “Let him (Mr Mutharika) go”.

On Tuesday, ruling party supporters armed with machetes warned people in Blantyre not to protest He says police have fired teargas and have set up roadblocks to prevent protesters from entering the city centre, where all shops are closed and streets deserted.

The riots are taking place in three townships near Lilongwe - Biwi, Kawale and Nchesi, our reporter says.

“There have been running battles between the police and demonstrators, Malawi Human Rights Commission spokesman Mike Chipalasa told the AFP news agency.

“People are angry. The situation is tense,” he said.

A shop owned by an Member of Parliament from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and a warehouse belonging to a businessman allied with Mr Mutharika have been looted, our reporter says.

ham Palace deny claims by Labour MP Chris Bryant that royal officials raised concerns about Mr Coulson’s appointment The protester accused of throwing shaving foam at Mr Murdoch is charged with a public order offence.

News Corporation terminates arrangements to pay legal fees of private investigator Glenn Mulcaire “with immediate effect” Labour MP Nick Raynsford says that, when Mr Coulson was at Downing St, the cabinet secretary was alerted to evidence of illegal phone hacking, covert surveillance and hostile media briefing against a senior government official - the cabinet secretary later denied it.

Downing St confirms that the prime minister received and responded to a letter from Labour MP Tom Watson last October, in which he raised concerns about Mr Coulson.

In the Commons, Mr Cameron said that if Mr Coulson Mr Cameron’s former media spokesman - had lied about phone hacking at his time at the News of the World then he should face “severe” criminal charges.

He added: “If it turns out I have been lied to that would be a moment for a profound apology, and in that event I can tell you I will not fall short.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

62

NATION SPORT AHEAD OF FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

Obuh confident of success HE Flying Eagles coach has made it clear that he believes the team is capable of winning the world junior title for the first time in Colombia next month when Nigeria begins their U20 World Cup challenge.

Obuh will be expecting his lads to break the jinx surrounding their two silver medal finishes in previous tournaments in 1989 and 2005.

Neighbours Ghana won Africa's first in Egypt 2009 and the Flying Eagles will be expected to match up to that record as reigning African champions where they are drawn in Group D alongside Saudi Arabia, Guatemala and Croatia.

"We know the people back home want the World Cup; every country coming to Colombia have the same priority," Obuh told BBC Sport.

"We are going to take it one game at a time, then with strong discipline, hard work, focus and a bit of luck we'll achieve our goal.

Nigeria have won the world U17 title thrice and Obuh led his cadet team to a second place finish at the 2009 edition staged on home soil. He now has the duty to

T

• Obuh

take this junior team made up of many from that U17 squad to a first victory on the

world stage after dominating Africa with a record six titles.

Shorounmu hails Ehiosun’s Samsunspor move S

UPER Eagles’ Goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorounmu says he still remains a household name in the Turkish side, Samsunspor which now parades emerging Eagles’ star, Ekigho Ehiosun and he has given the former Warri Wolves hard -fighting striker tips on how to succeed in Turkey.

‘Ike Anobi’ as he is fondly called in the soccer fraternity told NationSport that Ehiosun will do more than contribution to clubs success on the field of play, adding that his conduct outside the pitch should also be of utmost priority.

“I will advise him to concentrate on the job he was contracted for and have a better future in Samsunspor.

Everybody loves a good player. If you are good they

• Advises Eagles’ star on life in Turkey From Tunde Liadi, Owerri will love you. You also need to complement your being good on the pitch with good behavior. You have to have good manners too as a professional player.

“During my days in Samsunspor, I never had any regrets and till today they still mention my name. I appreciate their effort and support.”

The Eagles’ first choice goaltender at Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup tipped Ehiosun for greatness in the Turkish league and he added that if he could re-enact the same fighting spirit he has

been exhibiting in both the national team while with Warri Wolves, clubs would be scampering for his signature at the end of his loan deal.

“Why not? He is bound to succeed. Like I told you earlier, the prospect of every Nigerian is to play overseas and to get better offer from there.

This is a good opportunity for him to achieve his potentials.

It behoves on his now to make good use of it and show himself as a good player. If he holds himself very well and be disciplined he will excel in Samsunspor.” Shorounmu stated.

Sport can build team spirit, Graceland proprietress

O

NE of the significances of sport in schools extra-curricular activities is to put together the value of harmony and comradeship in pupils.

Making this statement at the first ever Graceland Children School’s inter-house sports competition, held 19th June at L.S.D.P.C. playing ground Isolo-Lagos, the proprietress Mrs Sotola, said: “Studies have shown that sports builds sense of team spirits, understanding of the value of fair play, increased sense of honesty, trust and worthiness as all these are virtues that make a comprehensive child education.”

She also described sports as a pivot to physical and mental development which schools must not do without.

However, when asked by The

By Paul Oluwakoya Nation, on what really informed the birth of inter-house sports in her school, she explained thus, “Education and sport are essentials for a sound future. It is possible to make school children to be successful athletes and still be brilliant students in their academics. The community has entrusted the future of their wards into our care and we must do everything possible to meet their expectations. They know the children are their future hence they want the best for them, moreover extra curricular activities will help the students stay interested in school and provide incisive for them to excel in their academics” The sporting event reached

its climax not without expectation when Green house was declared the overall winner of the tight competition. The Nation Builders, Green house n won the highest gold medals to make the first position with the total of 734 points from all the track and field events.

With 672 points and honour of medals blue house God is our Strength proudly clinched second and yellow house Cidatel to Excellence emerged on the far third spot with 437 points and two medals while the Unity of Strength red house with warm encouragement and cheers from the spectators recorded 337 points, though without medals after apparently displayed low performances in the match past, 50m,100m, 200m, relay boys and girls races.

"Records are meant to be set and broken so we are not under any illusion that this will be easy.

"The stakes are high, we are working hard and hopefully this will be the year the country will go a step farther.

"There is pressure to emulate what Ghana achieved two years ago, but it's not negative pressure, it's a pressure we can control because it is the pressure we give ourselves,'' Obuh said.

Eguma: Dolphins must win every game

D

OLPHINS’ manager, Stanley Eguma says the club must win every game from now until the end of the season to be sure of winning the Nigeria Premier League trophy.

After back to back loses to Lobi Stars (2-1) and Kano Pillars (32), Eguma says the only way forward from now on is to win.

“It is give and take. That is football. The most important thing now is to get the victory,” Eguma said.

As it is now we must win every match if we should have any chance of winning the League.”

Dolphins despite their two losses remain second on the table behind Sunshine Stars, both on sixty points but Dolphins have inferior goal difference.

Lagos bubbles for Dodan Warriors prospects camp

A

LL is now set for the first edition of the Dodan Warriors Prospects Basketball Camp holding inside the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos with no less than 70 players and 20 coaches already in town for the camp.

The camp which saw the players and coaches arrive Lagos last night is put together by the Dodan Warriors Basketball Programme and supported by Global Sports Advantage, America.

President of the Dodan Warriors Basketball Programme, Col. Sam Ahmedu rtd told Daily Sunsport that the camp was set for take-off with the Nestle Milo floor already in place for the programme. “This camp is geared towards giving young players an opportunity to get a chance for better education as well as play the game.

We’re working in collaboration with Global Sports Advantage and the Samaritan’s Feet as well as Industrial and General Insurance. The camp will consist of defensive and offensive instructional sessions, practice opportunities, weight room clinics and live play against the other camp.

The camp coaches is led by Eric Community College, Alex Nwora from the USA. The other foreign coaches already in the country are Jackie Knowles, coach USA, Larzara Adingono of Camerooun’s national men’s team, Richard Jacob, head coach of ABA Sharks team, Ugo Udezue (BDA Sports, USA and former Dodan Warriors player, Simeon Akowe who finished at the Erie Com-

munity College.

Coach Nwora, who is at the head of the Global Sports Advantage states that the camp would provide athletes with an arena to learn, practice and develop the offensive fundamentals used by athletes in America.

“The idea behind the camp is to establish in conjunction with the Global Sports Advantage for youths to learn the productive mechanisms of the game of basketball, sportsmanship, teamwork and discipline. The camp will teach these concepts using collegiate athletes and coaches who are examples of these principles.”

On the other hand, the Nigerian coaches are Adeka Daudu, Peter Ahmedu, Alexander Owoicho, Mohammed Abah, who is incidentally the coach the Nigeria Customs basketball team and an alumni of the Dodan Warriors.

Other coaches are Mike Akuboh of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Fuburah Onyenabo of the gold winning Rivers State Basketball teams at the just concluded 17th National Sports Festival in PortHarcourt. Other coaches are Chris Nomingo, Dosu Mensah and Tony Ahmedu of Dodan Warriors Basketball club.

Adewunmi Aderemi of First Bank female basketball team, Lateef Erinfolami of First Deepwater basketball club, Shina Wahab, assistant coach of Lagos Islanders and an alumni of Dodan Warriors, Ogoh Odaudu, head coach of Royal Hoopers basketball of Port-Harcourt and former captain of the Dodan Warriors basketball club and Obande Ogboli-Dodan Warriors Public Relations Manager and camp statistician.

16-year-old girl wins Emzor Pharmaceutical ‘Wellness Walk’

I

F the Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited continues with its monthly ‘Wellness Walk’, there is hope of discovering new long distance athletes in the monthly race as a 16- yearold girl, Miss Aminat Olowoira, emerged the winner of the July edition of ‘Wellness Walk’.

The walk which kicked-off at about 8am on Saturday at the Emzor office, Aswani, Isolo, Lagos, saw participants racing to the junction of the International Airport, Lagos and was terminated at the starting point.

The 16-year-old Olowoira, who just completed her secondary education, beat other female participants to clinch the first prize in the female category. Mr. Femi Olusanya from Lagos State won in the male category.

‘Wellness Walk’ is a monthly

L -R : Mrs. Laureta Oshuo, Wellness walk, Coordinator, Amunat Olowoira , 1st place winner female, Adeshla Idowu, Femi Olusanya, 1st place winner male and mr. Simeon Okenkwa, Emzor, customer service manager with mr. Richard akalugwa , assistant manager, shortly after the race.

programme by Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited for both professional and non- professional athletes to keep fit. It takes place every third Saturday of the month.

Speaking on how she emerged tops, Olowoira said it was not her first time of participating in the programme. “This is not my first time of participating, I knew I was going to win because I prepared for it, I’m happy today that I beat all of them.”

Olowoira who was upbeat throughout the event said the encouragement from her parents propelled her in the competition. “Anytime I’m going for competition, my parents always pray for me and they are always with me. The’ve always been encouraging me. Anytime I’m going for any competition, they always give me what I want.”

Speaking on the monthly programme, the Technical Services Manager of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries, Daniel Onyenakorom, said Wellness Walk is part of the programmes of the organisation as a health care company.”We want to be holistic in whatever we are doing, yes we can give you drugs; yes you can do every other thing that can keep you fit but it is better to exercise your body.

We introduced Wellness programme to keep the society fit .

The programme is not meant for just members of Emzor family but the for the society in general.”

Onyenakorom said future stars could be discovered from the race. About 140 male and female, participated in the race.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

63

Tomorrow in THE NATION

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 6, NO.1,827

‘If President Jonathan truly valued Abati’s genius, why didn’t he pick him as running mate…Vice President to be precise? And if that proved too impracticable, why didn’t he nominate him for a ministerial role by which his “fabulous” intellect could be set to more profitable venture?’

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

D

R. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, a Managing Director at the World Bank, will return to Nigeria in August as the new Minister of Finance. It will be her second coming as Finance Minister. She was first appointed Minister of Finance in 2004 by exPresident Obasanjo after the resignation, on grounds of ill heath, of Adamu Ciroma. But she did not complete her term as Finance Minister. She was, instead, redeployed to the Foreign Ministry, a post that she was not familiar with and did not like. No reason was given at the time, or since, for her sudden transfer to the Foreign Ministry. It could have been due to irreconcilable differences between her and ex-President Obasanjo over economic and financial policy.

When she first arrived in the Finance Ministry in 2004, or thereabouts, the economic outlook was uncertain. Increased oil revenues had led to some recovery from the serious balance of payments difficulties that drove Nigeria to seek assistance in the 1980s from both the World Bank and the IMF. Nigeria had returned to fiscal and balance of payments equilibrium. It was beginning to pay its foreign bills. But the large foreign debt still constituted an albatross on the economy. Economic recovery was painfully slow, averaging only four per cent. Continuity in the structural adjustment policy was necessary to return public finances to full fiscal balance, essential for any meaningful and sustainable growth. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala achieved some success in this regard.

She had many critics as Finance Minister.

Many thought she was too wedded in her reforms to the World Bank/IMF model. But it would be fair to acknowledge that she brought some stability to Nigeria’s public finance at the time. This is why she is being brought back into government by President Jonathan. Under her, public spending was brought under greater control. There was a massive realignment of recurrent and capital expenditure in favour of the latter. She also introduced a clear cut strategy and greater discipline on public spending, including well defined budgetary priorities and targets. Reforms in the public sector, which were intended to reduce cost of governance, led to massive and painful layoffs. The public service was cut down to size, but due to wasteful public spending the cost of governance continued to rise.

This financial orthodoxy pursued relentlessly by Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala was part of the World Bank’s financial agenda and strategy for poor countries. She applied the classic WB/IMF prescriptions mercilessly. Under her watch, international confidence in the Nigerian economy began to return gradually. Foreign investment in the economy increased significantly. The western economies, our creditors and major trading partners, were happy with the restructuring of the domestic economy and Okonjo-Iweala’s handling of it. It was what they had hoped for

RIPPLES

DAPO FAFOWORA

FROM THE SUMMIT dapo.fafowora@thenationonlineng.net

Ngozi’s second coming ‘The biggest challenges Mrs. Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala will face include those of re-introducing fiscal discipline in public finances, cutting the cost of government by reviewing the bloated public sector wages, particularly the jumbo pay of the legislators, realigning public spending in favour of capital rather than recurrent expenditure and introducing policy instruments that will curtail the fraud and corruption in public expenditure.’

•Mrs Okonjo-Iweala

when she was appointed Finance Minister and she did not disappoint them. Of course, her financial and economic reforms were made easier by the surge in the oil income.

This allowed the economy to regain fiscal balance and return to the path of modest growth that averaged about four per cent.

Our Western creditors were even happier when Okonjo- Iweala began tackling Nigeria’s debt problem. Through negotiations, Nigeria agreed to pay $12 billion, instead of the $18 billion which it was claimed she owed. This was considered a remarkable feat as, on the surface, Nigeria got its creditors to write off the balance of $6 billion. Ngozi was considered a financial wizard for pulling off the feat. Soon after, she returned to her job in Washington, having fallen out with ex-President Obasanjo. The debts are piling up again.

But since then, some doubts have been publicly expressed by many regarding the financial prudence of seeking to pay off our foreign debt in one fell swoop. To start with, it is argued that we may not have actually owed all of the $18 billion we were alleged to have owed our foreign debtors. Some of the al-

T

HE tragic shooting on Tuesday of Corporal Clement Amachi, a member of the Abia State governor’s security detail, by Corporal Umaru Mohammed, one of his colleagues in the same office, brings to the front burner once again the importance of doing psychiatric evaluation of our armed security agents. Mohammed was reported to have shot Amachi to death over a disagreement on sharing of gifts from Governor Theodore Orji. While some of the reports said the gifts in question were related to professional courses for which Amachi was preferred to Mohammed, other reports suggested that the gift that led to the shooting was actually a large sum of money over which the assailant claimed to have been cheated.

Whatever the immediate or remote causes of the disagreement were, the danger in such incident is not so much the quantum of the gift, or its nature, as the fact that someone probably of delicate psychological balance occupied a sensitive security position that could have in different circumstances endan-

way Nigeria was treated by its creditors with the way Greece, Ireland, and Spain are now being treated with kid gloves. The EU and the IMF are falling over themselves in offering financial bail outs on favourable terms to those countries to prevent them defaulting. Nigeria was never in any real danger of defaulting and owed far less than those countries.

Of course, there has since then been a change of policy and strategy in the World Bank’s approach to debt issues, particularly where poor countries are concerned. When I had lunch with her in Washington in January, 2009, in the company of Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged that a comprehensive review of the debt issue had taken place in the World Bank and that poor countries could now expect to be treated less harshly. Since then, some African countries have obtained debt relief on more favourable terms than Nigeria.

When she returns as Finance Minister in August, she will find that Nigeria’s economic and financial conditions have changed. The challenges she will face this time will be vastly different from those she had to face in 2003. Deficit financing, most of it misdirected, has increased, undermining growth. Inflationary pressures are building up. But the medium-long term financial outlook appears better with the Nigerian economy projected to grow at about seven per cent from five per cent. At over $30 billion, the foreign reserves look healthy. With the political crisis in the Maghreb and Middle East, the surge in Nigeria’s oil revenue is likely to be maintained.

But the economy remains very fragile. Foreign investment has reduced to a trickle. Many commercial banks are in danger of total collapse. Due to high production costs and falling demand, the manufacturing sector is in a steady decline. The small and medium scale enterprises, crucial for industrial growth, are also facing hard times due largely to difficulties in accessing bank loans for expansion and poor energy supply. Unemployment is rising at all levels. Job losses are rampart.

The biggest challenges Mrs. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala will face include those of reintroducing fiscal discipline in public finances, cutting the cost of government by reviewing the bloated public sector wages, particularly the jumbo pay of the legislators, realigning public spending in favour of capital rather than recurrent expenditure and introducing policy instruments that will curtail the fraud and corruption in public expenditure. She will be given a free hand to tackle these underlying but grave financial and economic challenges. But the President must set her clear targets. She will, of course, encounter stiff opposition from vested interests. Already, members of the House of Representatives have given notice that they will resist any cut in their pay. Her task is by no means easy. But she must remain undaunted and move speedily to meet these challenges headlong.

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HARDBALL

CORRUPT MINISTERS WILL BE EXPOSED -Jonathan

••• on NETWORK NEWS?

leged debts were phony. They could not really be verified. True, a foreign auditing firm was employed to verify the debts. But this firm relied mainly on debt records produced by our creditors. Local records were either incomplete or unreliable. Since we were anxious to finally resolve the debt issue, Nigeria readily accepted the report of the foreign firm regarding our total debts and agreed to pay $12 billion, with the balance of allegedly $6 billion written off.

It is questionable whether we should have agreed to pay off as much as $12 billion. Nigeria’s total GNP at the time was $4 billion per annum. So, what was paid our creditors represented three years of our total GNP. It was totally unprecedented in the history of the international financial system. This huge debt repayment left a huge gap in our investment funds and increased our financing gap. It accounts for the rapid decline in our infrastructure today. As far as is known, no other indebted country has been subjected to such a harsh treatment by its creditors. Certainly, not Brazil or Argentina, both of which owed far more than Nigeria. Contrast the

OLATUNJI OLOLADE

Abia Govt House tragedy gered the life of the state’s chief executive.

The police authorities supervising the feuding policemen must appreciate the need to go beyond investigating the causes of the shooting or apportioning blame and prosecuting the guilty party. Having been remiss over the years in assessing and reviewing the mental balance of the men they arm and send on patrol or guard duties, it is time they began to require periodic psychiatric evaluation of their men.

The nation has lost count of the number of times innocent people were shot dead at checkpoints and even at police stations for doing nothing but provoking the officers on duty. These shootings, when not covered up, were often attributed to corruption or

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above misbehaviour among “the bad eggs” in the Police Force. The Tuesday morning tragedy in Abia Government House is doubtless a fair indication of what some citizens encounter routinely in the hands of security agents.

Whenever a killing occurred, the people’s rage was then mollified by the dismissal and prosecution of the erring officers, and life would continue as usual. These killings have, however, dented the image of security agents, particularly the police, over time.

The police should use the opportunity of the Abia tragedy to reassess their approach to tackling such unlawful and sometimes premeditated shootings. Merely dismissing and prosecuting offenders are clearly not enough.

After all, we are still witnesses to the Boko Haram explosion, which the sect’s militants argued was partly caused by the extra-judicial killing of some of their members by policemen claiming to be pained by the losses they suffered in the hands of fundamentalists. How many more of such tragedies do we need to be wise and civilised?

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