July 31, 2014 by The Nation

Newspaper of the Year

Govt gave Chibok girls’ parents N22.4m •Elders: we’re not involved

NEWS

Page 4

News Ladoja: I won’t return to PDP P7 Sports Another wrestling gold won P49 Business Govt urges Shell to end spill P11

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

VOL. 9, NO. 2924 THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

OSUN 2014

Oando pays $1.5b for ConocoPhillips’ assets

ANDO Energy Resources Incorporated (OER), the exploration and production arm of Oando Plc, paid yesterday $1.5 billion for the acquisition of the divested ConocoPhillips’ oil and gas assets in Nigeria. The completion of the landmark transaction, acording to the firm, brings to a close the deal, which has been on the table since 2012, when ConocoPhillips’ announced its decision to pull out of its upstream operations in Nigeria. Continued on page 4

•Al-Makura

N150.00

• AND •Panic as security agents show strength in Osun MORE ON PAGE 8 •CDHR to residents : don’t be intimidated •Omisore’s survey result ‘fake’ •Support grows for SDP

Nasarawa CJ under pressure to disband impeachment panel

By Emeka Ugwuanyi, Assistant Editor

•www.thenationonlineng.net

ESPERATE to impeach Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, lawmakers sat yesterday outside Lafia, the state capital, with a mace allegedly procured from the National Assembly. At the curious sitting, members of the Assembly

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

asked the Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, to disband the seven-man investigative panel looking into the allegations against the governor. The members of the panel, inaugurated last Friday, are: Yusuf Shehu Usman (chairman), Mohammed Sabo

Keana, Reverend Joel Galadima, Alhaji Abdu Usman, Samuel Chaku, Mohammed Sani Usman and

Pastor Daniel Chaga. The Assembly, The Nation learnt was uncomfortable with the composition of the panel, which the Chief Judge Continued on page 4

Boko Haram: 10-year-old girl on bombing trip held 13 residents die in Yobe attacks Three die as female bombers hit school

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

10-YEAR-OLD girl with explosives strapped onto her body has been arrested, a government official said yesterday. Hadiza Musa was arrested along with another girl, 18, and a male, Iliya Dahiru, whose age was not stated. They were all wired up with explosives, travelling in a car at night on Zaria Road in Tundun Wada, Funtua, Katsina State. The arrests were made on Tuesday night. National Information Centre Coordinator Mike Omeri, who is also the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), broke the news in Abuja, saying it was an indication that those behind women bombers are not using the abducted Chibok girls as being speculated. As Omeri spoke in Abuja, a female suicide bomber struck in Kano, killing three students at the Kano Polytechnic. Two mosques were attacked on Tuesday in Potiskum, Yobe State’s commercial city, by suicide bombers, who killed 13 worshippers. It was the second attack in two days in the state. An earlier attack led to the death of eight people. The Katarko bridge WHERE ARE linking Yobe to Borno and THE CHIBOK Adamawa states was blown up. GIRLS Omeri said: “The three KIDNAPPED •TRA GED Y AVER TED: Remnants of burnt vehicle used by three suspected bombers (two girls and a man) who tried to detonate a bomb in Funtua •TRAGED GEDY VERTED: ON APRIL 15? Continued on page 4

town…on Tuesday.

PHOTO: NAN

•ZONE 7 POLICE CHIEF ABBA TIPPED FOR IG P4 ••EKITI CREATES NEW COUNCILS P7

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS • Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (middle) cutting the tape to inaugurate the new Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) secretariat in Abeokuta... yesterday. With him are (from left) Ogun State NMA Chairman Dr. Edward Jagun and Oloke Odan of OkeOdan, Oba (Dr.) Olurotimi Fagbenro.

U.S.: Nigeria in The latest United States’ Department of State Report on Religious Freedom has more of knocks for the Federal Government than kudos

•From left: President of Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers (NIROPHARM) and M.D. of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Lekan Asuni ; Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii ; Vice-President of NIROPHARM and M.D. of Norvartis, Vera Nwanze ; Immediate Past President of NIROPHARM and founder/CEO of Reals Pharmaceuticals Group, Ade Popoola, and Director of Regulatory & Registration (R&R) at NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, during NIROPHARM's parley with the NAFDAC DG on Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) implementation.

•From left: Assistant Director, Legal Services, 2 Div., Col. Musa Muhammed; General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Div., Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Abejirin And Chief of Staff to the GOC, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Oladeinde at the inauguration of General Court Martial in Ibadan...yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

HE constitution and other laws and policies protect religious freedom. The Federal Government did not prevent detentions and restrictions affecting religious groups reportedly carried out by some state and local governments. The Federal Government was also ineffective in preventing or quelling religious-based violence, only occasionally investigated, prosecuted, or punished those responsible for abusing religious freedom, and sometimes responded to violence with heavy-handed tactics. There were reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Some Muslim and Christian religious leaders stated the terrorist organization known as Boko Haram sought to incite hostilities between Muslims and Christians in the northern and central states, where local laws, discriminatory employment practices, and fierce competition for land exacerbated ethnic and religious tensions. In areas where it was active, Boko Haram attempted to force non-Muslims to convert and targeted Muslims who did not follow its version of Islam or support its activities. Both Muslims and Christians experienced societal pressure if they changed their religious affiliation. The U.S. embassy and consulate discussed and advocated for religious freedom and tolerance with government, religious, civil society, and traditional leaders. U.S. government officials discussed Boko Haram in highlevel bilateral meetings. Visiting U.S. delegations, including the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, raised religious freedom with state and federal government officials. The embassy met with persons displaced by violence, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) expanded a project aimed at promoting tolerance in six northern states.

Religious demography

•Managing Director, Hyundai Heavy Industries, KB Chol (middle), Operation Manager, Keun- Woo lee(left) and Project Coordinator, Prince Nwosa at an investigative hearing on non-compliance of Local Content Act by the company at National PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE Assembly Abuja... yesterday.

The U.S. government estimates the total population at 174.5 million (July 2013 estimate). Most observers estimate 50 percent is Muslim, 40 percent is Christian, and 10 percent adheres to indigenous religious beliefs. The predominant Islamic group is Sunni, divided between Sufi groups including Tijaniyah and Qadiriyyah. Growing Shia and Izala (Salafist) minorities exist. Christian groups include Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, evangelicals and Pentecostals, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Groups that together comprise less than 5 percent of the population include Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahais, and individuals who do not follow any religion. The Hausa-Fulani and Kanuri ethnic groups dominate the predominantly Muslim northern states. Significant numbers of Christians also reside in the north, and Christians and Mus-

•Dr. Gooluck Jonathan

lims reside in about equal numbers in central Nigeria, the Federal Capital Territory, and the southwestern states, where the Yoruba ethnic group predominates. While most Yorubas are either Christian or Muslim, some adhere to traditional Yoruba religious beliefs. In the southeastern states, where the Igbo ethnic group is dominant, Catholics, Anglicans, and Methodists constitute the majority, although many Igbos combine traditional practices with Christianity. In the Niger Delta region, where the Ogoni and Ijaw ethnic groups predominate, Christians form the majority, while an estimated 1 percent of the population is Muslim. Pentecostal groups are growing rapidly in the central and southern regions. Ahmadi Muslims maintain a small presence in the cities of Lagos and Abuja.

Government Inaction The Federal Government did not act swiftly or effectively to prevent or quell communal or religious-based violence and only occasionally investigated and prosecuted perpetrators of that violence. The government also failed to protect victims of violent attacks targeted because of their religious beliefs or for other reasons. The government did not adequately equip and train security forces to contain violent extremist groups in the north who attacked religious freedom. Legal proceedings against five police officers charged in 2011 with the extrajudicial killing of Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf did not resume during the year. The court was not in session on continuation dates set in February, March, May, and June after the presiding judge transferred to a different jurisdiction in 2012. There were no indictments or prosecutions following three fatal attacks on highprofile Muslim leaders in late 2012. Christian groups continued to assert local and state authorities did not deliver adequate protection or post-attack relief to rural communities in the northeast, where Boko Haram killed villagers and burned churches throughout the year. Some Christian groups reported discrimination and a systematic lack of protection by state governments, especially in central Nigeria, where communal violence rooted in decades-long competition for land pitted majority-

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

ia ineffective in quelling violence ‘

The Federal Government was also ineffective in preventing or quelling religiousbased violence, only occasionally investigated, prosecuted, or punished those responsible for abusing religious freedom, and sometimes responded to violence with heavyhanded tactics •Obama

Christian farmers against majorityMuslim cattle herders. Federal, state, and local authorities did not effectively address underlying political, ethnic, and religious grievances leading to this violence. Recommendations from numerous government-sponsored panels for resolving ongoing ethno-religious disputes in the Middle Belt included establishing truth and reconciliation committees, redistricting cities, engaging in community sensitization, and ending the dichotomy between indigenes and settlers. Nationwide practice distinguished between indigenes, whose ethnic group was native to a location, and settlers, who had ethnic roots in another part of the country. Indigenes and settlers often belonged to different religious groups. Local authorities granted indigenes certain privileges, including preferential access to political positions, government employment, and lower school fees, based on a certificate attesting to indigene status. The federal government did not implement any recommendations despite ongoing calls by political and religious leaders to do so.

Abuses by terrorist organisations The Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, or People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad (commonly referred to as Boko Haram, Hausa for "Western education is forbidden"), continued to commit violent acts in its quest to overthrow the government and impose its own religious and political beliefs throughout the country, especially in the north. On November 13, the U.S. government designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization. Boko Haram killed more than 1,000 persons during the year. The group targeted a wide array of civilians and sites, including Christian and Muslim religious leaders, churches, and mosques, using assault rifles, bombs, improvised explosive devices, suicide car bombs, and suicide vests. An attack on the Emir of Kano in January was widely believed to be an attempt by Boko Haram to silence the anti-extremist Muslim leader, although the group did not officially claim responsibility. On September 28, Boko Haram killed at least 50 mostly Muslim students at a technical college in rural

•Shekau

Yobe State. After this and other incidents, security forces faced public criticism for arriving at the scene hours after the assailants had fled. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for many of the scores of fatal attacks on churches and mosques, which often killed worshipers during religious services or immediately afterward. There were reports Boko Haram had burned down dozens of churches, often at night or during clashes with security forces. Christian groups stated the media underreported the razing of churches. Several Christian leaders reported church attendance rates in the north remained low after decreasing by 30 to 70 percent during 2012, attributing the decline to fear of Boko Haram. There were multiple confirmed reports Boko Haram had targeted individuals and communities because of their religious beliefs, including Christians in remote areas of Borno and Yobe states. Survivors and relatives of victims said armed men had attempted to force them to renounce Christianity, killing those who did not convert on the spot. One Christian group reported suspected Boko Haram fighters had attacked a majority Christian town near Gwoza, Borno State on 11 separate occasions, attempting to force residents to convert or flee. There were also reports Boko Haram had targeted persons engaging in activities they perceived as unIslamic. On January 18, gunmen reportedly killed 18 hunters selling nonhalal meat at a market in Damboa, near the Borno State capital of Maiduguri. Also in January gunmen reportedly killed five men gambling by the side of the road in Kano State. Civil society groups, media outlets, and politicians stated Boko Haram killed more Muslims than Christians because its primary bases of operation were in the predominately Muslim north and it frequently targeted schools, security forces, and government installations. In one such August incident, Boko Haram killed more than 20 soldiers and policemen in an attack on the Borno village of Mallam Fatori. Boko Haram also targeted Muslim civilians who aided the security forces; this was widely accepted as the motive of an attack on a mosque in Konduga, Borno State, which killed 44 worshippers on August 11.

Government attempts to stop Boko Haram were largely ineffective. Actions taken by security forces under the state of emergency, declared in May in the three northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, often increased the death toll, as bystanders were caught in crossfire during urban gunfights, security forces committed extrajudicial killings of suspected terrorists, and detainees died in custody. Religious leaders, civil society, and international human rights organizations condemned the government's heavy-handed military response. Some of the more than 10,000 refugees who fled to neighboring countries reported fear of both Boko Haram and the military had prevented their return. Although most residents reported improved security for part of the year in Maiduguri, where large clashes between Boko Haram and security personnel had occurred frequently, Boko Haram continued to operate freely in rural areas in the northeast and a large Boko Haram force mounted an attack on Maiduguri in December.

Societal Respect for Religious Freedom There were reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Because ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic status were often inextricably linked, it was difficult to categorise social abuses or discrimination cases as either ethnic or religious intolerance. Some Muslims or Christians who converted to another religion reportedly faced threats and ostracism by adherents of their former religion. In some northern states, those wishing to convert to Islam were strongly encouraged to apply to the sharia council for a letter of conversion to be sent to their families, which served to dissolve marriages to Christians and to request Hisbah protection from reprisals by relatives. Similar procedures did not exist for those converting to Christianity. In July a woman living in northern Niger State who had converted to Islam requested local authorities protect her from her father, a Christian pastor who rejected her conversion and insisted she had been coerced, despite her public statements otherwise. There was no progress in the investigation of the murder by unknown

‘

gunmen of family members of a woman who converted from Islam to Christianity in 2012. In April a Christian leader in a northern state temporarily left the country after receiving threatening messages in response to his public support of religious tolerance and interfaith efforts. He suspected Christians in his area had made the threats and said other Christians and Muslims dedicated to strengthening interfaith ties often received hostile complaints from some members of their own religious communities. Muslims and Christians continued to fear reprisal attacks based on their religious affiliation. Shortly after a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber killed 22 people at a bus station in a Christian community in Kano city on March 18, there were unconfirmed reports of threats against the Hausa residents living in Abia State. Several Christian religious leaders publically called for calm, and no known violence occurred. There were reports some Christians, along with many other residents, moved away from the conflictridden northeastern states of Borno and Yobe throughout the year. Several interviewees among approximately 100 internally displaced people who had moved to Jos in Plateau State said they left their homes out of fear of Boko Haram and such incidents as house-to-house killings, attacks on churches, and sustained violence between extremists and government security forces. While the law prohibits religious discrimination in employment and other activities, religious groups continued to say some sectors discriminated in the work place because of religion. Muslim women in the south reportedly continued to face job discrimination in the private sector, especially in customer service jobs. Advocacy by Muslim groups resulted in three major banks in the south accepting the hijab (a veil covering the hair) in their corporate dress code for the first time. The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), an independent organization comprised of 25 Christian and 25 Muslim leaders, advised the government on ways to mitigate violence between religious communities. The federal government publicly sup-

ported NIREC efforts, but the council met only once during the year. Several Christian and Muslim religious leaders expressed growing frustration with and distrust of NIREC leadership. Although many religious leaders publicly supported tolerance and interfaith methods of conflict resolution, some said growing distrust between Christian and Muslim leaders (and discord among denominations within the same faith tradition) threatened interfaith efforts. Communities sometimes stigmatized those who did not accept the existence of God. For example, two Christians and one Muslim reported privately they no longer believed in God but continued to attend religious services out of fear their families would ostracize them and they would face extra scrutiny from their neighbors.

U.S. Government Policy U.S. embassy staff promoted religious freedom and tolerance in discussions with government, religious, civil society, and traditional leaders. The Ambassador arranged and attended meetings with government officials for visiting delegations, including the State Department's Under Secretary for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. These officials encouraged officials at agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the National Security Advisor to address sectarian violence and called for timely legal action against perpetrators of violence. Over 10 other visiting U.S. government officials met with civil society groups and religious leaders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria and the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, to listen to and show public support for their concerns. In a meeting with President Jonathan, President Obama expressed U.S. support for Nigeria's efforts to defeat Boko Haram and emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach that respects human rights to the success of those efforts, as did Secretary of State Kerry with Nigeria's foreign minister. Government officials responded with support for religious freedom and requests the United States assist Nigeria in combating Boko Haram. In August the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos hosted an interfaith iftar to promote religious pluralism. Guest speakers focused on the fundamentally tolerant and peaceful nature of Islam and denounced religious violence. The principal officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos discussed religious tolerance and interfaith relationship building on multiple occasions throughout the year with leaders of the growing Pentecostal Christian movement, other Christian leaders, and influential Muslim clerics. An embassy official noted a common commitment to religious tolerance and strong bonds between Nigerians of different faiths at an event in August, when 25 embassy volunteers served meals to needy youth and Muslims at an iftar. USAID continued working with the Interfaith Mediation Center in Kaduna State on a program to help interfaith organizations deepen and strengthen community engagement capacities and support interfaith dialogue in six northern and central states. U.S. embassy representatives supported interfaith dialogue by meeting with persons displaced by Boko Haram violence, speaking at a conference on communal violence hosted by the Plateau State government, and discussing religious tension mitigation efforts with religious, traditional, and academic leaders at several conferences and research presentations in Abuja. The embassy and consulate general regularly distributed information on religious freedom to journalists, academics, entrepreneurs, civic organizations, teachers, students, government officials, the armed forces, clergy, and traditional rulers.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

Nasarawa CJ under pressure Continued from page 1

•House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (middle) with Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (left) and business mogool Aliko Dangote during the lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia...on Tuesday

set up in line with Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution. The section states: “Within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Chief Judge of the state shall at the request of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, appoint a panel of seven persons who, in his opinion, are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party, to investigate the allegation as provided in this section.” In spite of the fact that the

ID money change hands when some parents of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls visited the Presidential Villa? The controversy raged on yesterday, with the leadership of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA), the group representing the Chibok people in Abuja, denying knowledge of a N100 million Presidential gift to the delegation that visited President Goodluck Jonathan. Instead, they said the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Prof. Dan Adebiyi, visited the hotel in the night and told the girls, who escaped from the Boko Haram insurgents, that the Presidency had sent them a token of N100,000 each. Of the 122 parents who visited, he gave 61 of them N200,000 each and 51, N100,000 each. The remaining 10 parents were told that the money was finished, KADA said. KADA added that it got no money and neither did Adebiyi, who co-ordinated the visit, tell them before sharing the money. According to KADA, the sharing formula adopted by the

From Grace Obike, Abuja

Presidency has brought reproach to their community in the eyes of the public which has supported them since the abduction of the over 200 Government Secondary School, Chibok girls, whose kidnapping on April 15 sparked a global outrage. At a news conference yesterday, the leadership of KADA through its spokesperson Dauda Iliya, said the controversial cash was the N1 million given to the parents by the member of the House of Reps representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, Hon. Biye Gumtha. His words: “It is noteworthy that our primary goal is the safe return of the girls that are still in captivity. It is sad that we are losing sight of this to the allegation of sharing money. We therefore want the world to understand that we, KADA stand by our earlier position and did not demand, receive or handle any finances throughout the process of the visit. “On the night of the 22nd July, 2014 at about midnight, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties who had been co-ordinating the

visit of the side of the Presidency, visited the hotel and told the 51 escaped girls who came that the President sent them a token of N100,000 each and accordingly gave them the said sum without prior discussion with any KADA official or any other person in the community. “He equally gave the sum of N200,000 each to 61 parents out of the 122 parents that came on the visit. 51 parents were given N100,000 each on the basis that the money given to him was not enough to go round at N200,000. The remaining 10 parents were not given any amount of money. “As for the money given to some parents back home in Chibok, it was the sum of N1,000,000.00 given to them by the Hon. Member of the House of Reps. Representing Chibok/ Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, which is the source of the alleged N7,000.00 given to parents in Chibok that were not part of the visit. “While we acknowledge that any well intended support for our suffering population which has lost its means of livelihood since the events of April 14 and subsequent attacks could be welcome, how-

ever the approach that the Presidency adopted has brought reproach and dishonour to our community in the eyes of the public that has supported us since the abduction of our daughters. “We hereby state categorically that no amount of money whatsoever was given to KADA leadership to share among the parents and escaped girls or for whatsoever reason and therefore the allegation is completely baseless, false and malicious. “We clearly spelt out to the Presidency through the office of the Chief of Staff that we shall not be involved with any financial transaction whatsoever, including payment of transportation from Chibok to Yola, flight by air from Yola to Abuja, hotel accommodation and feeding in Abuja, and intra-city transportation while in Abuja. “When the Presidency requested us to invite parents and escaped Chibok girls against 22nd July, 2014, we accepted the responsibility on the condition that we shall facilitate by way of contacting and mobilising the parents and escaped girls thereby playing the sole role of facilitators.”

Continued on page 67

Oando pays $1.5b for ConocoPhillips’ assets Continued from page 1

‘Govt gave Chibok girls’ parents N22.4m’

panel is made up of non-partisan members, the dissatisfied lawmakers relocated to Karu Local Government Area, near their new base in Abuja, to sit. The lawmakers asked the Chief Judge to disband the seven-man probe panel which they alleged was “tilted in favour” of the embattled governor. A source said: “They rejected the composition of the panel by claiming that it would not be able to look into the allegations against the governor without bias. “They have asked for the re-

With the conclusion of the deal, Oando becomes the owner of ConocoPhillips’ 20 per cent non-operating interests in onshore assets, including oil blocks in oil mining leases (OMLs) 60, 61, 62, and 63. Its ownership also extends to related infrastructure and facilities in the Joint Venture in which Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited, holds 20 per cent and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation 60 per cent. The related infrastructure and facilities include 40 discovered oil and gas fields, of

which 24 are currently producing, 12 production stations, approximately 1,490 km of pipelines, three gas processing plants, the Brass River Oil Terminal, and the Kwale-Okpai 480 Mw combined cycle gasfired independent power plant. Also, ConocoPhillips’ 95 per cent operating interest in OML 131 and 20 per cent nonoperating interest in oil prospecting licence (OPL) 214, converted to OML 145 last month, will be fully transferred to Oando. Other companies in the Joint Venture asset (OML 145) inContinued on page 67

Zone 7 police chief Abba tipped for IG From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

•Abba

ARRING a last minute change, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Suleiman Abba will take over today as the 17th Inspector General of Police. If approved by President

Goodluck Jonathan, the AIG Zone 7, will replace Muhammed Abubakar, who bows out today after serving the mandatory 35 years in service. Abubakar was appointed Inspector-General on January 16 , 2012. Abba, who hails from Jigawa State in the Northwest geo-political zone like Abubakar (who hails from Zamfara), was “strongly recommended” for the top job by the Police Service ComContinued on page 67

13 killed in attack on Yobe mosques as three die in Kano bombing

ERRORISTS have unleashed an army of female suicide bombers in some part of the country. A female suicide bomber believed to be about 14 years old detonated explosives yesterday at the Kano State Polytechnic in the city that has been under attack by female bombers in the past one week. Three people were killed yesterday. Seven others were injured when the bomb she concealed in her hijab exploded. Thirteen people died in attacks on mosques in Potiskum, the commercial capital of Yobe State, on Tuesday evening. It was gathered that the teenage suicide bomber sneaked into the midst of graduands, who were checking the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) deployment list pasted on the wall at the school’s gate, close to the bus stop. The incident happened at about 3:30 pm when the batch A NYSC members were checking the list for their postings. An eyewitness account said 12 persons were killed and 15 injured, but Kano State Police Commissioner Aderenle Shinaba said three people died; seven

Boko Haram: 10-year-old girl on bombing trip held Continued from page 1

suspects were arrested in a Honda CRV car, when they were directed to disembar for security checks, 10-year-old Hadiza was discovered to have been strapped with an explosive belt and Iliya and Zainab made an attempt to escape with the car, but were later blocked and subsequently arrested after which the police From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano and Duku Joel, Damaturu

were injured. ‘’ We are in very difficult times, a situation that is assuming a new dimension of suicide bombing in the state. This one that happened here at the Administrative Block of Kano State Polytechnic is frightening. ‘’ The incident, which occurred at about 3:30 pm, calls for vigilance on the part of every one of us because we have tried as much as possible for the deployment of police officers in every strategic location. ‘’ So, at these critical times, what is required is intelligence and vigilance on the part of everybody. Even when we have policemen everywhere, we require information as well as vig-

successfully unstrapped the explosives.” Police spokesman Frank Mba said the trend of female bombers is on the increase due to the notion that women are not properly searched. “The use of female suicide bombers is not totally new; there is increase in their use now since women raise fewer suspicion, unlike the male. Women don’t like

ilance of everyone of us. ‘’A situation where somebody is carrying explosives, what business does such person have where graduates assembled to check the placement of the Batch A NYSC deployment? ‘’It is disheartening to see somebody around, who is looking like a primary or secondary school pupil to disguise with her hijab in our midst without anybody taking note. We have been telling people about the issue of female teenage suicide bombers, which calls for the attention of the law enforcement agencies to be on the alert. ‘’Look, for hijab wearing female suicide bombers , sentiments and religion should not be the issue but we should face the reality of tackling it headlong so

male security operatives to frisk or check them. We will begin to see more security operatives as their use increases, “he said Mba urged parents and local governments chairmen to assist in curbing the use of young girls for hawking as most of them are now being lured into suicide bombing.

as to avoid future occurrence.’’ Two suicide bombers on Tuesday launched coordinated attacks on two mosques in Potiskum. The attacks were targeted at worshippers during the evening prayer around 7:30pm. They attacked the Alkali Kalli mosque, a few metres away from the Emir of Fika’s palace and the Sakafa mosque, located at the busy Potiskum Central Market. Despite security warnings that people should stay away from blast scenes, residents milled around the two mosques yesterday to witness the destruction. Residents stormed the Potiskum General Hospital to identify the dead and the injured.

The authorities declined to give the death toll, but hospital sources said 13 bodies were brought in from the separate attacks; 35 others affected by the explosions are receiving treatment at the Potiskum hospital. The source said victims with high degree of fracture would be referred to other hospitals. An official with Isma Medical Initiatives, who was involved in the rescue operation, also said 13 people died and 35 were injured. “We were involved in the rescue operation from the beginning up to this time and I can confirm to you that 13 people were killed in the separate attacks while 35 others sustained varying degrees of injuries. Many of those on admission will

be referred to Either Nguru or neighbouring Azare for treatment,” he said, pleading not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media. The Emir of Fika, Alhaji Mohammadu Ibn Mohammadu Idris, who visited the scene, condemned the attacks, which he described as “callous and inhuman”. He called on residents to be “vigilant at all times in the fight against terrorism”. The royal father promised to take responsibility for the medical bills of those on admission at the Potiskum hospital. In a message from the lesser hajj, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, through his Special Adviser on Information and Press Affairs, Abdullahi Bego, expressed deep shock at the attacks. The message reads: “His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, who is currently performing the Umrah (Lesser Hajj) in Saudi Arabia, is deeply shocked and outraged by the loss of lives and suffering caused Continued on page 67

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THE NATION THURSDAY JULY 31, 2014

NEWS Navy: foreigners behind most crimes on Nigerian waters •European naval vessel impounded By Precious Igbonwelundu

HE Navy has said piracy, oil theft and other sea crimes committed in the nation’s maritime domain are mostly perpetuated by foreigners. The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade, spoke yesterday on the involvement of foreigners in high seas crimes at the command’s headquarters in Lagos when he hosted crew members of a visiting British ship, HMS Iron Duke. Alade, who said the navy was poised to take full control of the nation’s waterways by ridding them of private security and criminals, added that the waterways should not be a private affair. He said: “Given the occurrences on our waters, the navy is now set to take complete ownership. A lot of people and nations have interest in our waters for obvious reasons. With the decline in piracy in the Gulf of Eden, it would not be wrong to say that most of the elements have left that area and found their way in the Gulf of Guinea, including our waters. “Some foreigners have been arrested in our waters for perpetrating illegalities. Most criminality in our waters is carried out by foreigners and not Nigerians. “The era when the navy had challenges of platforms will soon be over because we will take delivery of some ships before the end of the year and command our waterways. We will take full command once again and there will be no need for private security here and there because our water is not private. “We have some private security companies registered with the Nigerian Navy. They have a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with us, like Ocean Marine Company. We allow them to operate with their vessels. But normally, we attach our personnel to such vessels.” On the allegation that multi-national oil companies steal crude in Nigeria’s maritime area, Alade said oil theft was not being treated with kid gloves. According to him, anyone arrested is appropriately dealt with. Alade said: “Piracy and illegality on the seas are not beyond us. The responsibility of ensuring the security of the Nigerian maritime domain is that of the Nigerian Navy. We are poised to take total control of the Nigerian waters and rid it of any form of illegalities.” The Commanding Officer, HMS Iron Duke, Commander Tom Tredery said the ship came to Nigeria to work and train with the Nigerian Navy. He said: “We are looking forward to training and exercising together. The role of the navy is to work together and ensure that that freedom and safety are in place. Our range of training includes navigation, engineering, damage control and fire fighting, boarding party and security operations...”

Ajibola congratulates Shekarau

FORMER AttorneyGeneral and Justice Minister, Prince Bola Ajibola, has congratulated the new Minister of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau. In a statement by his media aide, Idris Katib, the former minister described Shekarau as a round peg in a round hole. He said the former Kano State governor was the type of leader Nigeria needs in

the Education sector. Ajibola said Shekarau is a lover of education, adding that he would make positive impact on the sector. The former Justice Minister hailed Shekarau for resolving the polytechnic teachers’ strike. He said: “Alhaji Shekarau is a consummate educationist who can turn things around in the Education sector.”

‘Opposition thriving under Jonathan’ From John Ofikhenua and Faith Yahaya, Abuja

PPOSITION parties are thriving more under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, a group, the Jonathan Trust Foundation (JTF), has said. It said the Jonathan administration has given more room for the opposition to express itself than any other previous government. Speaking with The Nation yesterday in Abuja, the group’s President, Mr. Abiodun Dada, recalled that under Jonathan’s watch, opposition parties controlled more state governments and seats in the National Assembly. The spokesman urged the opposition to always offer alternative solutions whenever they criticise national policies. He said the Jonathan administration could not turn the country into a one-party state. Dada said: “The opposition has even thrived more under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. Recall that under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, it was more like a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thing. But now, you have opposition parties holding states and people coming out to talk at the National Assembly. “Where were they during Obasanjo administration? So, saying that Jonathan is turning the country into a one-party state is false. I believe we should have opposition in Nigeria and the opposition should not just be there condemning. If you have to criticise, let it be constructive criticism.” The spokesman explained that despite the distraction and other disadvantages the Federal Government was facing, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources had lived above board. He also said the Ministry of Works had not only built new roads but its Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had also rehabilitated most of the collapsed roads across Nigeria.

•President Jonathan (right) launching the passport in Abuja... yesterday. With him are Moro (middle) and Parradang

Fed Govt launches 64-page e-passport

HE Federal Government launched the new 64-page e-passport yesterday to reduce the suffering of Nigerian travellers. The new travel document will be used with the existing 32-page e-passport. President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo were issued their new passports yesterday after their data were captured before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting started at the State House in Abuja. Jonathan urged Immigration officers to be efficient in their duty. The President said the impression they give visitors at the points of entry, such as the airports, has some effects on the nation’s image. He advised the service to end the complaints of Nigerians abroad by making it easier for them to get their passports. Jonathan said: “I always sympathised with those who travel almost weekly, changing passport every month. At least, we have moved a step forward. The key thing is for us to have a robust relationship with key countries so that some of these frequent travellers may not need vi-

• Jonathan advises Immigration officers at airports From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

sas. That will really help us more. “One thing we must know today is that it is not the issue of 64-page passport that is key to Nigerians but the security. If our passport could be easily faked by criminals, then we will have problems. One thing again is that how can Nigerians get the passport easily, especially those living outside this country? “When I travel, there is this complaint about how to get the Nigerian passport. It’s not necessarily the issue of 64page passport but how do they get passport. So, the ministry (of Interior) must look into this. “What affects every traveller is how efficient and committed our Immigration officers work at our airports. Visitors ...have different impressions about our Immigration officers. So, they must improve; they are the image of this country. How they handle visitors matters so much. If they conduct themselves poorly, it reflects on all of us. So, their conduct at the airports is key, besides the passport.” The President urged Nigerians, including those in gov-

ernment, the media and the civil society, to work for the improved image of the country. He said: “I always say that when people continue to paint their country with all kinds of colours, that is the way foreigners will associate those colours with your green passport. “I want a situation that whenever you travel to another country and you raise your green passport, people will appreciate you. It should not be that when you raise your green passport, people will begin to think that that it signifies some suspicious character. We are not helping ourselves when we paint ourselves the colours that we are not supposed to bear. “I wish to continue to appeal to all Nigerians that we must all collectively learn how we do our things: statements that we make, to paint brighter colours for our green passport.” Interior Minister Abba Moro said the new e-passport is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to giving seamless service delivery to Nigerians wherever they are. He said: “The introduction

of the 64-page Nigerian epassport ...is, to say the least, a demand-driven initiative to meet the needs of frequent Nigerian travellers. Based on some recommendations arising from the operational experiences of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Ministry of Interior recently approved some reforms concerning the Nigerian e-passport, including the newly introduced 64-page. “The fundamental rationale behind the reforms is to enhance the integrity of Nigerian travel documents and the image of the Nigerian traveller anywhere in the world. “Appropriate strategies are being put in place to sensitise the public on the new e-passport reforms to enhance full implementation after this official launch by Mr. President.” Addressing State House correspondents, Immigration’s ComptrollerGeneral David Parradang said the 64-page passport would last for five years before renewal, just like the standard 32-page passport. Hen said the 64-page passport, which will officially be issued to the public as from tomorrow, is meant for heavy travellers.

Ex-minister Abdullahi: APC holds key to Nigeria’s political future

FORMER Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has the solution to Nigeria’s political development and stability. The former minister urged Nigerians to be careful about the party they will vote for in next year’s general elections. Abdullahi, who publicly declared his membership of the APC yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, said it is the only party that holds the key to Nigeria’s political future. The former minister told reporters that he had become a card-carrying member of the APC and was involved in partisan politics. He urged Nigerian professionals, who desire a positive change in the affairs of the na-

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

tion, to join the party. Abdullahi noted that most decisions that affect the destiny of the people are taken at the political level. The former minister said he discovered when he was in office as a commissioner in Kwara State and a minister at the federal level that professionals, especially journalists with commitment, can make changes happen when they are called upon to serve. On the state of the nation, the ace journalist said: “The question you should ask yourself is whether or not you are better off today than you were six years ago; whether

or not the education your children receive today is better than what they six years ago and whether or not the health services available to you today are better than what was obtainable six years ago. “So, if you conclude that they are better, then there is no need for you to change. But if, like many of us, you face the reality that they are not, then you will understand why we say that we need a change. “I have served at the state and national levels and I am convinced now that I should be more involved in contributing to solving problems, not just writing about them (problems). That is why I am now a full member of the APC. “Yes, I used to see myself as a

technocrat. It was strategic because I needed to have an environment to perform the job I was given without necessarily becoming political or promoting myself. That’s because whether as a commissioner or minister, I was only there by the recommendation of my bosses. I needed to do the work assigned to me without failing. “However, I also discovered that much as that gave me the opportunity to perform, the truth is that it became a limitation in some ways. This is because when the decisions are to be made, which would affect the people, technocrats are not allowed to be in such gatherings. They are only called upon to implement the decisions and, even in doing that, they have to be careful because it may affect the fortunes of the politician.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS MTN sacked me for reporting ‘fraud’ to EFCC, ex-manager tells court By Joseph Jibueze

FORMER General Manager for Internal Audit at MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, Thuli Mashanda, has told the National Industrial Court of Nigeria that the company sacked her because she reported an alleged act of fraud to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Testifying for a former Network Group Operations Manager, Mr Paul Odunewu, who sued MTN, Mashanda said her employers were not happy when she made a report to the anti-graft agency. Odunewu accused the company of withholding his entitlements, including a long-term incentive scheme (share option) worth over $13.14 million (about N2.1 billion). He is also demanding N100 million damages, among others. The embattled manager said despite being responsible for MTN’s initial growth in Nigeria - having been persuaded to return home from the United Kingdom (UK) to develop telecommunication in Nigeria he became a victim of racism in the company and his contract subsequently terminated. “I built the engine of the defendant’s business in Nigeria, including people and process technology,” Odunewu said. Corroborating Odunewu’s testimony that some MTN’s workers were allegedly victimised, Mashanda, a South African, said she was improperly queried for doing what she thought was right, and was eventually fired. She said: “The query was improper because I reported fraud to the EFCC when they stole money. MTN did not want that to happen because the whites were transferring money illegally out of MTN Nigeria abroad. Hence, they terminated my employment.” Mashanda said she became a victim of her professionalism, adding: “I don’t recall that I parted in good terms with the company because I was doing the work that I was paid to do.”. Defendants in the suit are: MTN Group Limited, South Africa; MTN Nigeria and MTN International, Mauritius. Odunewu said prior to the “malicious” termination of his appointment, his impeccable record and achievements at MTN came under serious attacks in 2006 from “a group of white South African racists posted to Nigeria to oversee Network Group Management”. He said a particular white South African expatriate was “perturbed and astonished by the wealth of experience displayed by the claimant and set out on a collision course with him”. Matters got to a head when Odunewu said he received a letter, dated February 28, 2006, purportedly terminating his appointment. His access to MTN network was revoked.

Fed Govt committed to terror victims’ assistance, says Jonathan P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has said he expects members of the organised private sector (OPS) and friends of the country to donate generously to the Victims’ Support Fund to be launched today in Abuja. The fund will provide more relief and succour to those affected by terrorism and insurgency. A statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Jonathan spoke during separate audiences with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Mr. Kamalesh Sharma and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin.

•Targets over $500 Million income for Victims Support Fund From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

Jonathan hoped that about $500 million will be raised through the fund in the next 12-month to alleviate the suffering and deprivation of Nigerians living in states affected by the terrorist attacks. The President said his administration was committed to helping the victims of insurgency and terrorism rebuild their lives and communities. He said the fund, to be

managed by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will also be deployed to rebuild destroyed schools and create a safer environment for education in the affected states. Jonathan welcomed the pledges of support from the Commonwealth and UNFPA, made by Mr. Sharma and Prof. Osotimehin. The President stressed that his administration appreciated the solidarity of the international community as

Nigeria grapples with terrorism and insurgency. He said: “We continue to work very hard to deal with the problem. It is a major challenge, and we welcome all the assistance we can get.” He also assured Sharma that Nigeria remained committed to the goals of the Commonwealth and would continue to support efforts to reform and strengthen the organisation for the benefit of membercountries and their people. Sharma told Jonathan that he was in Abuja to express the

Commonwealth’s solidarity for Nigeria to overcome insurgency and terrorism. The Commonwealth chief said the organisation was also exploring ways to assist Nigeria in the fight against insurgency. Prof. Osotimehin said UNFPA was working with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its civil society partners to support the families and girls in the states affected by insurgency. He hoped the United Nations (UN) would evolve a comprehensive programme to support the humanitarian crisis terrorism and insurgency had caused in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

2015 TAN begins Rallies For Jonathan

•Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade (left) presenting a plaque to the Commanding Officer HMS Iron Duke Commander Tom Tredery when Tredery and his team visited Lagos... yesterday. PHOTO:PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU

POLITICAL group, Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria(TAN), said yesterday that it will begin rallies for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election from August 16. The rally will take off in Awka, the Anambra State capital, and hold in other deep political zones. The group’s Director of Public Communications and Strategy, Udenta O. Udenta, spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting in Awka. He said TAN was worried over “the almost near absence of coverage of President Jonathan’s very many achievements nationwide”. He noted that the negative antics of the few traducers of the administration were unconscionably allowed to dominate the public pace. Udenta urged Nigerians to carefully take a dispassionate look at Jonathan’s achievements. Listing some of the achievements sector by sector, he said these included oil/gas, roads, agriculture, power, sports, railway, women/youth empowerment, housing, port reforms, electoral reforms, aviation, port reforms, automobile industry and the National Conference. He said: “Membership cuts across the 36 states and political party affiliations in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), United Peoples Party (UPP) and others. Members are expected to be in Awka for the maiden mega rally.”

Mark, governors, Saraki condole with El-Rufai on son’s death ENATE President David Mark yesterday commiserated with former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and his family on the death of his son, Hamza, in an auto crash in Abuja. In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Kola Ologbondiyan, the Senate President said he received the news of Hamza’s death with shock and pains. Mark said the deceased had a bright future and vision, which would have been needed to contribute to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria. He said: “It is sad that a promising Hamza, with a very bright future ahead, died in his prime. We cannot question the will of the All-Knowing Almighty creator. We can only pray that Almighty Allah grant him eternal rest and give the immediate family the fortitude to bear this loss.” Mark implored the bereaved family to take solace in the fact that death is a necessary end that must come to every mortal. He urged the family to strengthen their faith with Almighty God, adding: “This is one of the challenges and mysteries of our existence as humans because nobody knows the time and the date death would come.” Also, Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Abdulfatah

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja and Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Ahmed (Kwara) and the senator representing Kwara Central, Dr Olusola Saraki, have commiserated with Mallam El-Rufai, on the death of Hamza. The governors expressed sadness over the young ElRufai’s death and prayed God to strengthen the bereaved family. Through a statement yesterday in Owerri, the state capital, by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor sent his “heartfelt condolences” to the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the death of his son in an auto crash last Tuesday in Abuja. The statement said: “The news of the untimely death of the young El-Rufai in a motor accident while in Nigeria on holiday from his base in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he was a student, came to the governor as a rude shock and, to say the least, most unfortunate. “Okorocha asked the APC chieftain to look at what happened from the angle that if God did not want it to happen, it would not have happened. “The Imo governor prayed that God should grant Hamza El-Rufai eternal rest. He also prayed God to grant the father and the entire El-Rufai family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

Fashola expressed deep shock at the incident. In a condolence message to the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, the governor said Hamza’s death is painful, especially when considered that he was a young man with a promising future. He added that the death was also saddening and regrettable because Hamza was poised to contribute to the development of his fatherland after concluding his education. In a statement yesterday in Ikeja, by his Specail Adviser on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, the governor prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed.

Fashola urged Mallam ElRufai to take solace in the words of the Holy Qur’an that Allah gives and takes away. He also prayed Almighty Allah to grant the former minister and his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Ahmed, in a statement yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, described Hamza’s death as painful, unfortunate and shocking. The governor noted that Hamza was a young man with huge potentials to contribute to national development. He prayed God to grant the El-Rufai family the fortitude to bear the impact of the death

and the deceased eternal rest. Saraki expressed shock over Hamza’s death. In a statement yesterday, the senator said he was saddened about the death of the young El-Rufai. He said: “My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time as they struggle through this period of shock and grief. “I pray that Almighty Allah will grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus. I also pray that Allah grants the family the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss during this difficult time. May the love of those around them help the family through the days ahead.”

NILS, CSOs seek more women in National Assembly

NTIL the number of women legislators in the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly increases, gender-based bills will continue to be difficult to pass, the National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) has said. The institute noted that the number of women lawmakers in the country, which is only seven per cent, is inimical to the interest of women and other vulnerable groups in the country. NILS Director-General, Dr Ladi Hamalai, who gave the figure yesterday in Abuja, regretted that the small number of women lawmakers was causing the failure of genderbased bills across the country. She spoke at an advocacy training programme for civil society organisations (CSOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs), organised by NILS in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Democratic Governance (for Development (DGD).

From Dele Anofi, Abuja

The expert said there should advocacy for an increase in the number of women in the next elections to solve the problem. Hamalai said: “The low participation of women in politics, just seven per cent, is unacceptable. It is what makes it almost impossible to pass bills that are gender sensitive. “There is need for advocacy for more cooperation between female legislators and CSOs, especially those involved in women issues.” She urged women parliamentarians to engage CSOs and other organisations involved in the cause of women. In her presentation, a former director in the Presidency and Executive Director of Gender Awareness Trust Dr. Lydia Umar said the adoption of an increased quota by political parties is the quickest way to achieve a significant increase in the number of women in politics.

THE NATION THURSDAY JULY 31, 2014

NEWS

New local govts not political trap, says Fayemi •19 councils get legal backing

KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said the creation of 19 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) is not a political trap for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The governor spoke at AdoEkiti yesterday while signing into law the Bill for the Creation of Local Government Areas (2014) following its passage by the House of Assembly. Fayemi, at the signing ceremony witnessed by members of the Assembly and Executive Council, said: “This is a promise fulfilled following the yearnings of Ekiti people, yearnings that predated the commencement of our time in office on October 2010. We will all recall that the first executive governor of this State had attempted to create new local government areas before the end of his tenure in office. That was not to be. But

our people never stopped requesting for additional local governments in order to bring development closer to them. “This is not a political trap for anyone, I must say that. This is without prejudice to whatever transition arrangements that are being put in place because these are minimum irreducible demands of Ekiti people. What we have done is simply fulfil the yearnings of our people, and we hope that succeeding administrations in the state will build on this effort.” According to the governor, the new local government areas would come into immediate effect in all the areas affected, “following necessary assets sharing and the necessary implementation of administrative responsibility”. Fayemi said transitional political leadership would be appointed for the councils.

Ebola: Ogun puts health workers on red alert GUN State Governor

Ibikunle Amosun has put health officials in the border areas of the state on red alert to forestall the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. He urged to doctors to stop the nationwide strike embarked upon by members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) about a month ago. Amosun, who was speaking at the Annual General Meeting of NMA, Ogun State Chapter in Abeokuta yesterday, lamented the rate at which human lives were being lost due to the strike. “We are terribly exposed because we have numerous border towns in our state. All the health officials and other

government agents in border areas have been put on red alert to work assiduously to curtail the infiltration of the deadly Ebola virus. “It is true that the environment is not the way our doctors want but I want to appeal to them to try as much as possible to avoid strike because their service is more of service to humanity. “I’m happy to know that this strike is not about your remuneration but clamour for facilities that will enhance your performance. Let’s endeavour to strike a balance on issues that brought about this strike for the sake of the lives we are losing daily nationwide,” he said.

Lagos to sustain zero deficit AGOS State plans to budgets in 2015 achieve a zero deficit

budget next year. Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget Mr. Ben Akabueze spoke yesterday during the sixth budget consultative forum held at Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa. He said the budget would maintain the same level as the 2014 budget. Akabueze explained that the projected budget would entrench sustainable government expenditure. He said the 2015 budget outlook for the state projected annual growth rate of 10 per cent would put the state’s GDP at over N19.992trillion by 2016. Special Adviser to the Governor on Economic Planning

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

and Budget, Mrs. Iyabowale Aluko, said the forum was organised to carry stakeholders along in the budget process. She said besides enhancing better and effective communication and good understanding between the government and the citizens, it would also assist in identifying programmes and projects capable of impacting positively on the lives of citizens “There is also this desire to ensure that the 2015 budget effectively identifies spending priorities in line with aggregate resources, the implementation of which would ultimately transform the living standard of the citizens,” she said.

Oyo APC to Akala, Ladoja: no HE All Progressives crocodile tears Congress (APC), Oyo

State chapter, has urged former governors Adebayo Alao-Akala and Rashidi Ladoja, to stop shedding what it termed “crocodile tears” over the rumoured plan to impeach Governor Abiola Ajimobi. The party, in a statement by its chairman, Chief Akin Oke, said the two former governors did not have the moral right to advise any government on peace. Oke said: “Isn’t it an irony that Akala and Ladoja would tell us how peaceful our state would be with a House of As-

sembly that is devoid of rancour? Both of them ran governments whose Houses of Assembly were like Israel and Palestine and the Governor’s Office like Gaza, even when members were of the same Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It came to a head when touts stormed the Assembly, beat members to pulp and a chief thug declared the governor impeached. Hundreds of our people were felled in the violence and bloodshed that the two of them abetted. Both of them have the blood of our people on their hands.”

Ekiti tribunal refuses PDP’s application on materials’ inspection

HE three-man Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in AdoEkiti, the Ekiti State capital, declined yesterday the request of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the presence of security agencies while inspecting voting materials used in the June 21 governorship election. Justice Mohammad Sirajo

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

granted the party’s relief to conduct the inspection but without security men’s presence. Justice Sirajo noted that “such order is not within the purview of this tribunal since it is the duty of INEC (Independent National Electoral

gation made by the petitioner to the effect that the ballot papers used for the election were programmed in favour of the 1st and 2nd respondents”. He added: “In order to defend our position , we need to inspect the materials and we need he leave of the court to do so unless the INEC will not allow us.”

I won’t go back to PDP, says Ladoja

‘No crisis in Oyo NURTW’

HE Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) said yesterday that there is no crisis in the group. A statement by its Chairman, Taofeek Oyerinde, Secretary, Akin James and Treasurer, Ademola Adeoye, said mischief makers were peddling rumours of a leadership crisis. The statement said: “It has come to the notice of the Oyo state council of the NURTW that some disgruntled elements were peddling rumours that there is a crisis of leadership in our union. “It is a lie to cause confusion and panic among the general public.”

Commission) to provide same during such exercise. So, no order of tribunal is needed for this”. PDP’s counsel Kolapo Kolade sought the relief of the tribunal for the inspection of all materials used for the conduct of the election. According to the counsel, the motion was important “in view of the serious alle-

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

•Ladoja

ORMER Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja has said he will not lead his followers back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ladoja, who spoke with reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, said he would not deceive himself by think-

ing that PDP leaders would welcome him back as the leader. He said having succeeded in building Accord, he does not need to abandon it for a party where his chances of actualising his political dream are uncertain. He said: “I am an engineer. I deal with physical materials. I am not a mathematician who imagines things. Accord is here as a major contender. By God’s grace, we have built the party and we are still building it. Why should I go

to PDP at this time when the chances of Accord are very bright?” The former governor debunked claims that he was under pressure from top PDP leaders at the national level to return to the party to give the All Progressives Congress (APC) a good fight in next year’s election. “Who are those powers? Which pressure? Can you mention their names and where they have been putting pressure on me?” The 69-year old Accord leader said he was not too old to be governor again.

THE NATION THURSDAY JULY 31, 2014

NEWS OSUN 2014

Panic as security agents, armoured carriers storm Osun

HERE was panic yesterday in Osogbo as Department of State Security (DSS) officers and armoured personnel carriers stormed the Osun State capital in a show of force. The hooded operatives, clad in black vests and trousers, shot sporadically into the air while being driven around the state capital in white Toyata Hilux vans. Many residents, who were scared by the presence of the security agents, ran in confusion to avoid accidental discharge of bullets. The usual clean air was violated by the smell of smoke from the men’s guns as they drove through the town, passing Gbongan Road, Olaiya Junction, Alekuwodo and Oke-fia, where the Government House is located. It was gathered that no fewer than 4,000 DSS operatives have been deployed in the state ahead of the August 9 election. The men, who came from Abuja and other parts of the country, arrived in Osogbo on Tuesday night through Akure, Ondo State. Some armoured personnel

•APC condemns ‘terror campaign’ Don’t be intimidated, CDHR tells would-be voters

HE Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has urged eligible voters in the August 9 election to reject all forms of intimidation and political brigandage. CDHR advised voters to cast their votes on issue-based participation by assessing the candidates and voting for them according to their programmes and performances. Its Vice President, Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye, warned that Nigeria’s politics is drifting sharply. The CDHR said: “There is severe danger on this democratic experiment. It is fast becoming exercises in the jungle and we have no option as a people to rise to these challenges. “CDHR is worried that President Goodluck Jonathan is fast drifting from the sensitivity and responsibility demanded by the office he occupies by his handling of state affairs; ranging from security, economic and political urgency bedeviling our country. He is unperturbed even with the increasing loss of lives and property. “The President junkets about with extravaganza and triviality which to our sense of judgment calls for deep reflections in the handling of state affairs and apparatuses. We see the president’s August 2nd, 3rd and 4th proposed visit to Osun From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

carriers also drove round the town. But the APC has raised the alarm that the campaign by the Peoples Democratic Par-

ty (PDP) to terrorise the citizens with security operatives had started. The party enjoined the citizens not to be afraid of high security presence, especially where gunshots from secu-

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

ahead of the August 9th elections as another jamboree. “This trip is a further waste of our collective resources; little wonder Mr. President is demanding an approval of another $1 billion to further his free spending of security fund, knowing well that he will bluntly refuse to give details of the spending of such money.” The President’s visit, it said, would “cost approximately N2.5 billion giving the paraphernalia of offices, security personnel and free gifts for electoral lobbying, which will accompany his visit to once again distort democracy as he did in the Ekiti elections.” It stated that the masses will suffer N7 billion worth of economic losses for the three days visit, since activities in major parts of the state would be paralysed by the visit. “We are constantly amazed that our sitting President is fast turning to a fascist; thereby endangering the political space the masses of this country fought for during protracted military dictatorship. The country is boiling as a result of this incompetence in our leadership canon. We wonder whether our leaders have a time to sit and compare themselves with other accountable leaders around the world.” rity convoys were heard. The party’s spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi, said “no citizen should be scared or run away when they see and hear gunshots from security men because they have com-

mitted no crime.” The party enjoined the people to go about their lawful businesses. It said: “A country in which the security operatives are the ones

doing what we are experiencing in Osun calls for the gravest concern. “Instead of Boko Haram, our own security officers who should be protecting us have now chosen to frighten us. So, if the terrorists come, who will protect the citizenry? “Osun will not bow to terror from either Boko Haram or security forces. We are only sad that evidence of the Banana Republic is slowly, but evidently crippling in. But if this is how the PDP intends to win in Osun election, God help Nigeria.” The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Bola Ilori, noted that the PDP was behind the deployment of DSS operatives. He said: “The deployment of security operatives to the state is normal if they are here to protect us. But any arrest of any member of the APC will be against the interest of democracy.” He added that the development was an abuse of office by the ruling PDP-led Federal Government, urging the people to remain calm in spite of victimisation.

‘Aregbesola deserves re-election’

GROUP, Eko United Association, has said Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola deserves re-election. It said the electorate should vote for him to enable him continue his good programmes. The association’s chairman, Alhaji Taofeek Ariyo Osuolale, who spoke at a special prayer organised for Aregbesola, said they decided to pray because the governor deserved reelection. He said the prayer was organised to coincide with the end of the Ramadan fast, adding that having fasted, they believed God would answer their prayers. The Missioner of As-Abul Nuhu Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Alhaji Kamaldeen Salmon Alawiye, hailed the group for praying for Aregbesola. A member, Sadiq Odusoga, thanked his colleagues for defying the rain to pray for Aregbesola’s reelection.

•Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (middle); former Anambra State Governor Senator Chris Ngige (third right); President, Igbo Community in Osogbo, Chief Mazi Sam Nwaoha (third left) and other Igbo indigenes, during endorsement of Aregbesola's re-election in Osogbo...yesterday. INSET: Aregbesola (right) and Chairman, Benue Community in Osun, Chief Augustine Tsol, after the governor was honoured as A Man of Infrastructure by Benue and other Middle Belt communities.

‘Omisore, PDP circulating fake survey result’

HE Director of Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of Osun State Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, has debunked an alleged falsehood being spread by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Iyiola Omisore, on a purported poll survey. Okanlawon, in a statement yesterday, said the PDP and Omisore claimed that a survey conducted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) put him ahead of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. He alleged that a short message being circulated on telephones and the social media claimed that the USAID had conducted a pre-election survey which favours Omisore. He said: “The latest claim coming from the PDP represents another fraudulent claim aimed at gaining undeserved advantage. “The short message reads thus: USAID opinion poll conducted across the state between 12-21, July put your honour ahead PDP, 58/ APC 42. Such poll may have 2 or 3 error margin.” Okanlawon described the alleged poll result as “the manifestation of the falsehood for which the PDP and its candidate are well noted.”

Olu Falae rallies support for SDP candidate

OCIAL Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Mr. Oluseg un Akinwusi will bring calm, integrity and transparency to Osun State, if voted for in the August 9 poll, the party’s National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, has said. Falae, in a message to party members, called on the electorate to vote for Akinwusi as the best option among the governorship candidates. He said: “Our candidate is a distinguished retired public officer. He is a complete gentleman and I am certain that he is the per-

fect person Osun State needs at this time. So, I strongly called on Osun people to massively vote for him. “He is not just bringing integrity into governance; he has served the state as Head of Service and came out with clean hands. He was an honest public officer who knows what to do. Osun people will do themselves a great honour to support and vote for him as a technocrat.” Falae, who is an Afenifere chieftain and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), regretted

that the election, like other recent elections, was being subjected to money politics. Monetisation of politics, he noted, was not pronounced during the 1999 general elections when he stood as a presidential candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD). “It is regrettable that due to high level of poverty in the land, parties that control funds at state and federal levels buy election all over Nigeria,” Falae stated. He praised the SDP members for their steadfastness and by proofing that poli-

tics is not only about money or mere pecuniary gains, but about good governance and people’s welfare. Falae bemoaned the high level of corruption in the polity, regretting that dishonest individuals without regard for the masses are now at the helm of affairs. Campaign teams of SDP continued their mobilisation yesterday at Olaoluwa, Ayedire, Ila and Boluwaduro local government Areas. The teams were in Ifedayo, Ife-South and Oriade local governments last Tuesday.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CITYBEATS ‘Death, please come now’

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

‘

Some months ago, I Rotary donates to hospital, was only worried schools about my children; By Nneka Nwaneri now, I am in deeper pains. Every second S part of activities to start off a new Rotary now, I pray for death Year, the Rotary Club to come quickly and of Gbagada South in Lagos take me away. God has donated items to schools hospitals in the area. It will take care of my and also disbursed micro-credit children should I die. facilities to traders in Akerele Diya Market in the axis. Death must come The club also donated five now, if help refuses wall fans and three handwashing ceramic basins to to come my way

•Breast cancer patient needs N7m to survive

“S

OME months ago, I was only worried about my children; now, I am in deeper pains. Every second now, I pray for death to come quickly and take me away. God will take care of my children should I die. Death must come now, if help refuses to come my way” Writhing in pains amid tears yesterday, Mrs Oluwabunmi Olabiyi, who has been battling breast cancer for over three years, prayed for death. Holding our reporter by his leg, the mother of three said: “This pain is too much for me to bear any longer; please, help me beg death to come now!” Mrs Olabiyi’s looked despondent as she stared at her swollen arms in self-pity. “God will raise people to help you; be hopeful,” a relation pleaded as he broke down in tears. Mrs Olabiyi realised something might be wrong when her last child, Emmanuel began to refuse to suck her right breast.

By Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

Whenever she tried to force the breast on the boy, he resorted to crying. “He was always crying each time I attempted to force it on him. Suddenly, I noticed a lump in my right breast, following which I sought medical attention,” she told The Nation. She was told at the hospital that she had developed breast lump, but she wasted no time to get it removed on April 22, 2010. Mrs Olabiyi thought her troubles were over until a few months later when another medical diagnosis revealed a cancerous growth in the same breast. At that point, her fortunes began to decline. However, her family rose to the occasion. But with no financial help from anywhere, she underwent her second surgery on June 10, 2011, during which the breast was removed. Her hope of returning to business got a boost when she raised a loan.

’

•Mrs Olabiyi ... yesterday. INSET: Before the ailment began

When she felt better days had come, armed robbers broke into her shop near her Ijoko, Ogun State home. Mrs Olabiyi was still smarting from the setback when yet another medical diagnosis gave her a shocker: Her second breast has been infected with cancer! As the infection festered,

she sought help from the public through an account with the Zenith Bank under the name: Bunmi Olabiyi, with number, 1004542305. Reason: She needs N7million to help her undergo treatment in India. Family sources said the efforts yielded about N300,000, which has gone

into chemotherapy, a temporary treatment aimed at weakening the cells of the cancer. She has been doing this pending when she can raise the N7million. The Nation gathered yesterday that she might be sent out of the Bariga, Lagosbased hospital where she has been for some time, for lack of funds. Mrs Olabiyi was born about 34 years ago in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where she obtained her first school leaving certificate. The third girl in a family of six, with only two survivors, she lost her mother at a tender age, following which she was sent to Lagos to learn a trade. Luck smiled on her as she grew to become a successful business woman. She got blessed with three children - two boys and a girl - before her ailment started.

Man allegedly stabs girlfriend to death in hotel room

HE Police have arrested a man for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend to death during a fight at Alapere, a Lagos suburb. The incident occurred at a hotel on Tuesday evening. The suspect was handed over to the police by a hotel worker. The victim’s family alleged that the suspect lured her to the hotel and attempted to chop off her breasts and fingers, appar-

By Jude Isiguzo

ently for ritual, adding that in the process the fight broke. The hotel workers were said to have had a shout from the room, following which they forced the door open and met the deceased in a pool of her blood. Efforts to save her failed as she reportedly died before reaching the hospital. Her remains were deposited at the Ikorodu General

Hospital mortuary. A bereaved relative, who asked not to be named, said: “What we heard was that on reaching the hotel, the suspect ordered for a drink. As our daughter was sipping hers, he brought out a pair of scissors and started cutting one of her breasts. She started screaming at that point. Not done, he cut one of her fingers and attempted to gag her so as to finish his satanic mission. Her scream alerted

people who came to her rescue. “We were told she gave this version when she was being rushed to the hospital. We were also told the boyfriend attempted to escape but was apprehended by the hotel staff before policemen from Alapere arrived. Her death has plunged everyone into sorrow and agony. All we want is for the police to interrogate him and find out why he killed our daugh-

ter.” Police’s spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), confirmed the incident, saying: “Yes, we have such a case, but that is not how it happened. What happened was that a man stabbed his girlfriend with scissors in a hotel room during a fight and the lady was rushed to a hospital where she later died. The man is in our custody and investigation has begun.”

Shabi, said at a seminar themed: “Effect of bakery activities on the environment in the state,” said bakers were crucial to the policy’s implementation. Shabi said the carbon audit carried out by his agency showed that bakers

contribute 18 percent of emitted pollution in the state. The bakers, who produce bread which is consumed by 80 percent of the population, he said, must embrace modern baking standards that would reduce their carbon

emission. “The EPMS will ensure that you are able to reduce pollution throughout the life cycle of the bakery. The wastes produced by the baking houses could be reused, reduced, recycled or recovered by the operators,” he said. The Director of Operational Health, Occupational Health and Environmental Services, Dr. LayeniAdeyemo said high standard of personal hygiene was sacrosanct for all operators and workers. She urged bakers to maintain good hygiene to prevent food contamination and epidemics. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Dr. Taofeek Folami, and Hon. Abiodun Tobun, who chairs the Environment Committee in the House of Assembly, said the seminar would boost bakers’ profitability in their businesses. The Chairman, Master Bakers and Caterers Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Prince Jacob Anjorin, urged government to give bakers loans for improved operations.

Lagos urges bakers to reduce pollution for healthy life

HE Lagos State Government has urged bakers to embrace the Environment Pollution Management System (EPMS). Government said the policy would preserve the environment by ensuring

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

that bakeries maintain standards that would promote safety of the environment and the bread they produce. The General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Mr. Rasheed

•Head, Education Department, Apapa Local Government, Lagos State, Alhaja Hafsat Kikelomo Buhari, receiving the plague of her installation as Iya Adinni of Ijagun-Ijebiti Central Mosque, Ijanikin, from the Chief Imam, Alhaji Muhammed Quazeem Abiola Akewukanwo Al-awori. With them is Alhaji Taofeek Arogundade, Chief Imam, Oto Awori Land.

Oworonshoki Primary Health Centre. Its Head Nurse, Mrs Beatrice Awojobi, thanked the club for the gesture. Also, the Home Economics and Handicap Centre, Oworonshoki, got gas cylinders, stoves, pots, cutlery, paintings, sewing machines and exercise books from the club. The District Governor 9110 Nigeria, Dr Dele Balogun, who led his co-members at the presentation, said the club is interested in assisting children in the public schools and to draw government’s attention to their needs President of the club, Doyin Amoda, who said they made enquiries about the pressing needs of the community, added that the loan granted them was interestfree. The club also donated a filing cabinet to the Rotary Centre at Ikeja to facilitate its administration and accounting activities

College celebrates

HE Lagos Anglican Bible College (LABICO) will hold its 16th Graduation Ceremony on August 7 at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral (AVMCC), GRA, Ikeja, at 10am. LABICO, whose Governing Council is being chaired by Prince Duro Oyinlola, was established by the Resolution of the First Session of the 27th Synod of the Diocese of Lagos on May 6, 1997 to hold Convocation for the awards of Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Biblical Studies of the College to its graduates. Its Rector, Ven. (Dr.) B.O. Okunnuga, said arrangements had been perfected to make the celebration memorable.

Leadership award holds

YO State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Minister of Agriculture, Mr Akinwunmi Adeshina; Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Oluseyi Makinde, an engineer and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are among the beneficiaries of this year’s Southwest Leadership and Enterprise Awards, The event, which was organised by Softmark Communications, was held at the Mauve 21 Events Centre, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State capital. Ajimobi got the Best Performing Governor Award; Adesina (Best Performing Minister), while Makinde bagged the Most Philanthropic Politician Award at the event.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

‘The June deadline is by the corner; Mr. President’s word is a bond. We must generate more power; we are prepared to assist all our agencies in making sure that the ball keeps rolling. We can’t afford to fail in our duties.’ •Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo

Govt directs SPDC to resolve Bonga oil spill crisis

PENGASSAN pickets Addax Petroleum over anti-labour activities

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

CTIVITIES were brought to a halt yes terday at the headquarters of Addax Petroleum on Victoria Island, Lagos by the leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) following alleged anti-labour activities leveled against the company. The leadership of the union including workers of the oil company gathered at the entrance of the company’s office at about 6a.m. chanting labour solidarity songs, saying that Addax management engages in anti-labour practices. A statement issued by PENGASSAN’s Media Officer, Mr. Babatunde Oke, said: “The oil company was insensitive to the health and safety concerns in its workers in operational areas, career progression and development as well as undue delay of the ongoing collective bargaining agreement, which has been on for eight months.” Addax workers were demanding that the management addresses all health and safety concerns and promotion issues raised in the agreement. Addressing members of the branch, the Addax branch Chairman, Comrade Kingsley Onoyom, accused the management of high handedness on issues of health and safety of workers. He said: “We have registered our concern over the offshore transportation system and feeding at the Izombe flow station but the management has refused to do anything to fix the problem.”

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$117.4/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,396.9/troy Sugar -$163/lb MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE -N11.4 trillion JSE -Z5.112trillion NYSE -$10.84 trillion LSE -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -8% Treasury Bills -10.58%(91d) Maximum lending -30% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -1% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $45b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR -206.9 £ -242.1 $ -156 ¥ -1.9179 SDR -238 RIYAL -40.472

• From left: Distributor, Myer Fruit Drink, Mrs. Sariat Mosunmola Bakare, Sole Distributor, Mayer Industries Limited, Mrs. Aisha Funsho, Field Marketing Manager, Myer Industries Limited, Vera Ye, Distributor, Myer Fruit Drink, Mrs. F.T. Ogunyemi and another Distributor Myer Fruit Drink at Lekki–Epe Express Road, Mrs. Joy Onatoyinbo, during the media launch of Myer Fruit Drink, in Lagos.

Aviation experts: N1tr investment has not addressed safety, security

OME aviation experts have lamented that the over N1trillion Federal Government’s investments at the airports have not adequately addressed safety and security matters. The experts, commonly referred to as the Think-Tank of the Aviation Roundtable, spoke at a briefing organised by AeroConsult Aviation Limited, in Lagos. Its arrow heads, including Group Captain John Ojikutu, an aviation security expert, President of Aviation Roundtable, Captain Dele Ore, and Babatunde Obadofin, an aircraft engineer and an aviation consultant, said the money has not addressed critical safety and security issues, including the second runway at the Nnandi Azikiwe International Air-

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

port, Abuja, as well as the security and perimeter fences around major airports nationwide. Ojikutu argued that if the resources were judiciously deployed, the aviation sector could contribute over N2trillion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, adding that this should entail harmonisation of all revenue points, as well as wholesale implementation policies as they apply to aviation management. He frowned at the proposal by government to abolish payment of royalties and commercial agreements by foreign carriers , insisting that it is another step by the authority to further under develop the aviation sector .

He said such a step will deny the sector the huge revenues that would have accrued from such royalties, that could be deployed to fix critical safety and airport security infrastructure, nationwide. He called on the new Aviation Minster, Osita Chidoka, to immediately review all bilateral air services agreements, saying some of them are lopsided. He said Nigeria is not gaining enough from the 78 bilateral air services agreements it signed with many countries which airlines are granted multiple entry points into the country. He called for a reversal to the single entry point in Nigeria for foreign carriers in line with the principles of reciprocity under which such

agreements are signed. Meanwhile, the management of AeroConsult has urged Chidoka to be pro-active in his approach in the administration of the civil aviation industry in Nigeria . Speaking on behalf of the group which is an aviation training and consulting outfit, the group’s Chief Executive, Babatunde Obadofin urged the new Minister to free himself from politicking, as the industry is a highly technical sphere. “We join the whole aviation community to welcome him to his new appointment, urging him to strive to replicate the feat he achieved in the road transport sector, which of course records more passenger movements on daily basis unlike the aviation industry,” he said.

Sarah Alade named AFC’s chair

HE Board of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) elected yesterday Dr. Sarah Alade as chairman of the Board of Directors. The lender also named Lamido Yuguda as a Director. Alade is the Deputy Governor (Economic Policy) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Yuguda is Director of Reserves Management at the apex bank. Also, the AFC has over the last six years, financed investments of approximately $1.9 billion across the continent, with a current portfolio of 26 projects. The appointment is part of AFC’s Board succession process which also saw the exit of Adebayo Ogunlesi and Aliyu Dikko. Other members of the board are, Andrew Alli, President and Chief Executive Officer; Solomon Asamoah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer; Dr Adesegun A. Akin-Olugbade, Executive Director and General Counsel. Among the directors named yesterday, are the former Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Aigboje Aig-

• Lender finances $1.9b investments By Collins Nweze

Imoukhuede, Jibril Aku, Mr Tony Elumelu, Mr Emeka Emuwa, Mr Tunde Lemo, Mr Olabisi Onasanya and Mr Ebenezer Onyeagwu. Others are Mr Lewis Tung, Director; Mr Robert Tung, Director and Mr Lamido Yuguda, Director. Commenting on the changes, AFC President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Alli said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to offer my warmest thanks to our out-going Chairman and to Mr Aliyu Dikko for their service. Mr Ogunlesi has served with distinction for the last five years. He has provided invaluable guidance and support as we have built the corporation into one of Africa’s leading multilateral finance institutions. Under his leadership, we have demonstrated the commercial viability of African infrastructure as an asset class, delivering consistent annual profitability, while funding several projects over the last 5 years. His tenure culminated in the award of an A3 (long term) / P2 (short term) foreign cur-

rency debt rating, making the AFC the second highest investment grade rated multilateral financial institution on the African continent.” “I would also like to welcome Alade and Yuguda to the Board. Dr Alade takes up the role of Chairperson at a very exciting time for AFC. Having proven the commercial viability of infrastructure as an asset class in Africa, and with the strength provided by an international class credit rating, we are very strongly positioned to grow our balance sheet and deepen our ability to support the expansion of Africa’s infrastructure under her leadership.” The outgoing Chairman, Ogunlesi said: “I am pleased to have had the opportunity over the past several years to serve as Chairman of the AFC during which time the Corporation has continued to make good on its goal of becoming a market leader in infrastructure financing in Africa. The vision of establishing an African-led, commercially oriented multi-lateral institution was always

• Alade

an ambitious one, but one which is well on its way to being been fulfilled. I am grateful to my former colleagues on the Board for their support and wish them, the new Chairperson and the AFC Team well as the Corporation enters a new phase in its growth.” Incoming Chairperson, Alade said: “I am privileged to take up the Chairmanship of the AFC at a significant time for the Corporation. With a strong and growing balance sheet, an expanding geographically diverse base and a deep pipeline of new investment opportunities, the corporation is very well placed to continue to deliver on its mission to foster the economic growth and industrial development of African countries.”

HE Federal Govern ment has directed the Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) to resolve the Bonga oil spill crisis in the Niger Delta. Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam gave the directive when officials of the corporation led by its country Chairman Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu visited her in Abuja. A statement issued in Abuja, said the delegation was on a follow-up meeting with the Minister to find solution to the Bonga spill. She expressed concern over the lingering crisis, saying she has received series of petitions over the delay in resolving the crisis. She said the petitions call for concern, adding that it is in the interest of all parties to get the matter settled soonest. The minister who thanked the affected communities for their patience, assured that the Federal Government will not allow the patience of the people to be overstretched. She appealed particularly to the shoreline communities whose fishing activities were affected by the spillage to continue to exercise patience, adding that government is aware of the impact of the spillage on their livelihood. She said the government and SPDC are working on how to help mitigate the sufferings of the communities affected by the spill. Early in his address, country chairman, Shell Petroleum Development Corporation Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu said that the corporation has carried out consultations with stakeholders as a step to finding solution to the crisis. He said the corporation was working on a mechanism that will put the matter to rest. Mr. Sunmonu revealed that a committee of stakeholders made up of Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC), the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the National Assembly (NASS), Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA) among others are being set up to come up with recommendations aimed at resolving the matter amicably. He appealed to the Minister to assist in the settlement of the dispute, while calling for continuous understanding and patience from the affected communities.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS INDUSTRY

industry@thenationaonlineng.net

Wanted! Local substitute for imported raw materials Despite Nigeria’s rich resource endowment, the country is still caught in the web of an import dependent raw materials economy. This has left sour taste in the mouths of manufacturers and industrialists. However, if on-going efforts by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) are anything to go by, the situation appears set for a reversal. Assistant Editors CHIKODI OKEREOCHA and OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE report.

EFORE his appointment as Director General (DG) of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) on April 8, 2014, Dr. Ibrahim Hussaini Doko had his job clearly cut out for him. Doko, whose agency has the mandate to promote, develop and utilise Nigeria’s vast industrial raw materials to feed the industries, was expected to reposition the agency and reverse the trend where between 80 and 90 per cent of raw materials used by local industries are said to be sourced abroad despite the abundance of raw materials locally. Experts say that the situation, described as the ‘import syndrome’ where manufacturers rely heavily on imports rather than source raw materials locally, has been digging a hole in the purse of the Federal Government to as much as N1 trillion annually. They, therefore, say that if Doko succeeds in halting the huge capital flight through import of raw materials, he would, by extension, be endearing himself to the hearts of manufacturers and Nigerians generally who have also been bearing the burden. For instance, not a few manufacturers have been agonising over the persistent high cost of production arising from the prevailing high cost of imported raw materials due to the high exchange rate. The skyrocketing cost of production is said to be responsible for the high cost of goods produced locally compared to imported ones. The cheaper price of imported goods is blamed for the penchant of Nigerians to patronise imported goods at the detriment of locally produced goods. This is why many local industries that could not stand the heat of the competition in the same market with imported goods are fast disappearing from the industrial landscape. By repositioning the agency to address the nation’s import dependent raw materials economy and enhance the global competitiveness of local manufacturers, the Chairman of DN Meyer Plc, Sir Remi Omotoso, noted that RMRDC would also help Nigeria stop creating employment for other people offshore particularly in Nigeria where the rate of graduate unemployment is very high. “There has to be that facility provided or promoted through or by the Ministry of Industry for production of local raw materials. “If we are producing the raw materials here you know that people will be employed in those outfits manufacturing those raw materials. They will also be paying income tax and a lot of benefits will accrue to government,” Sir Omotoso told The Nation, noting that a lot of materials used in the production of goods are available locally. National Vice President, National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and Managing Director, Spectra Industries Limited, Mr. Duro Kuteyi frowned at some manufacturing companies who would rather import raw materials than buy locally. While lamenting the lack of raw materials for certain sectors of the manufacturing sector, he told The Nation that the Food and Beverage sector where his company operates has no challenge with raw materials rather, with the cost of the raw materials and the issue of storage. He therefore, called on the government to improve on the quality of the seedings such as groundnut to protect it from diseases that affect oil seeds. “The current quality of cocoa, maize and soya is good, but the government needs to assist farmers to obtain cheaper seeds and land preparation in addition to adequate fertiliser,” he said. Like Kuteyi, Sir Omotoso lamented that those who should be developing local raw materials to feed the industries would rather go and import them and sale. “There is need for government to get RMRDC back in place in a purposeful, focused manner, visionary in its approach by collaborating with manufacturers to get a lot of the inputs produced

•Isemede

•Kuteyi

•Doko

locally,” he insisted, adding that putting RMRDC back on track is similar to the 10 per cent local content initiative in the oil & gas industry, which is necessary if Nigeria must realise her dream of becoming an industrialised nation. He said government could encourage the drive for local substitution for raw materials through some sort of incentives since government is mostly affected by the problem of import syndrome. Omotoso expressed optimism that after satisfying her local needs, Nigeria may even end up exporting to other countries. Hear him: “If we are compelled to rely on our own internal resources I can assure you that those who are importing will begin to see the need to develop local substitute for the imports. You must not expect the manufacturers themselves to be the developers of these raw materials, it’s not going to work, there must be other people along the value chain who can fill in that gap.” Indeed, Nigeria’s army of unemployed youths are expected to take up gainful employment from a network of industries that will be engaged in converting raw materials from their primary forms to intermediate and final products needed by the industries. The belief is that all the basic raw materials to feed the industries are available locally, but are not available in sufficient quantity and quality. According to manufacturers, most of the available local raw materials are in unusable form, requiring value addition before they can be used by industries. The value addition is done mostly by small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) because they take the materials from the unusable form to the next intermediate stage. It is the intermediate raw material that industries require. However, because of the low capacity of the SMEs to add value to available local raw materials, coupled with lack of access to capi-

tal to set up processing facilities, process technology and techniques, and spare parts, among others, they have not been able to fill the gap. Other challenges impeding the effective utilisation of local raw materials include multiple taxation by various levels of government, poor infrastructure, unbridled importation, labour cost, fiscal policies, nonsustainability of policies, high cost of funds, technical infrastructure, and gaps in diffusion of technology. The belief is that local raw materials in their natural forms do not have any value and would not attract any market demand; there is need to process them to meet internationally accepted quality and standards for use by manufacturers. The Nation learnt that the RMRDC is aware of these issues, which was why, following the expiration of the last Strategic Plan (2005 -2009), it recognised the need for a review of that plan with the aim of refocusing the Council with regards to local raw materials sourcing and import substitution. Incidentally, Doko was appointed by the Board to chair the Committee for the review and development of the current Strategic Plan ( 2014 – 2017). The agency’s Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Chuks Ngaha, told The Nation that the current strategic plan is focused on three pillars namely, to develop policy framework for deletion/import substitution (20 – 100 per cent) of 20 strategic primary and secondary raw materials with stakeholders in 2017; commercialise a minimum of 10 research and innovative projects (including three developed indigenous or adapted process equipment) into viable economic venture by 2017; increased local sourcing and utilisation of 30 strategic primary/secondary raw materials by 2017. Ngaha disclosed that in a bid to fast-track the implementation of the plan, the agency has held various retreats to ensure a buy-in

of all cadres of staff and also interacted with the members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) who are the major stakeholders in the success of the plan. “There has been an inhouse review in collaboration with the private sector of the success/status of the Deletion Programme, which is actually the heartbeat of the Council. Each sector has been assessed. The Council can confidently say the levels of raw materials utilisation and savings of foreign exchange by the ten sectors of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has improved. The Council has also identified the capacity building requirements as it is key to deliver the Strategic Plan. A lot of in-plant trainings are going on,” he said. He also said there have been consultations with other strategic partners such as Nigerian Export Promotions Council (NEPC), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and Abuja Enterprise Agency, among other relevant stakeholders who are coming on board. “All programmes of Council have been refocused to achieve the goals of strategic plan in ensuring raw materials value chain addition, job creation and economic growth,” he said, adding that “the progress recorded in local raw materials utilisation and backward integration in areas where Nigeria has comparative and competitive advantages (agriculture and solid minerals) makes it imperative for RMRDC to break new grounds in collaborations that would add value to her mandate.” Ngaha said progress so far recorded in local raw materials utilisation by the agency can be gleaned from the import bills of the different sectors of the economy, which vary from sector to sector. For instance, the Food Beverage and Tobacco sector that used to be one of the leaders of imported inputs for manufacturing, he pointed out, was the highest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “This means that the level of inputs of the sector requirement has drastically reduced categorically to about 50 per cent,” he argued. Similarly, in the Non Metallic Sector, cement being at the top of the agenda, Nigeria has fared very well, meeting local demands and even exporting to other African countries. He noted that this was not the case in the recent past when Nigeria was merely im-

‘There has been an in-house review in collaboration with the private sector of the success/status of the Deletion Programme, which is actually the heart-beat of the Council. Each sector has been assessed. The Council can confidently say the levels of raw materials utilisation and savings of foreign exchange by the ten sectors of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has improved’

•Continued on page 15

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

INDUSTRY

Young Ghanaian entrepreneurs to benefit from US largesse

CORES of young Ghanaian entrepreneurs are to benefit from a number of initiatives to be introduced by the United States of America. Under these initiatives, grants will be offered to support start-ups, expansion of businesses and social ventures in six countries in 2015 including Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Rwanda. This initiative was announced by President Barack Obama when he met young African leaders under the YALI initiative in Washington. Over the next two years Ghanaian entrepreneurs will benefit from a host of initiatives that will see the US Government expanding support to them by connecting them to investors, advisors, and distribution networks in the US and across the world. Over the next year, the US State Department will also lead three partnership opportunity delegations of entrepreneurs and investors to Ghana and two other African countries Tanzania and Ethiopia. In addition, the

Stories by Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

State Department and the U.S. Africa Development Foundation (USADF) will support selected young African leadership initiative (YALI) entrepreneurs to attend and participate in the DEMO Africa 2014 conference, to be held in Lagos, Nigeria, between September 25 and 26. DEMO Africa is a platform for top African companies to launch their products and announce to Africa and the world what they have developed. Speaking to the YALI participants, President Obama said the United States will continue to provide young Africans access to resources they can use to put their skills to work in service of their communities. Meanwhile, hundreds of new entrepreneurship grants will be dished out to African entrepreneurs. The USADF will partner with the US State Department to offer $2.5 million in seed funding to members of the YALI Network over the next three years in the form of 250 small entrepreneurship grants.

These grants will support start-ups and expansion of businesses and social ventures in six countries in 2015, including Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Rwanda. In a related development, U.S. embassies across Africa said it would build entrepreneurial capacity beyond the capital cities by training and helping to incubate the businesses of at least 5,000 aspiring entrepreneurs from the Network in provincial cities and rural areas during 2015. StartUp Weekend and other experts will accompany a mobile incubator, equipped with the tools and technology to get a business off the ground. The programme is billed to be in collaboration with local governments, institutions, and NGOs, the workshops and equipment are designed to walk aspiring entrepreneurs through the basic precepts of starting a business, including writing a business plan, leveraging online resources, raising capital, and expanding market share.

•From left: Director, Minister’s office Mr. Jonathan Juma; Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Mr. Muda Yusuf; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga; Deputy President, LCCI Dr. (Mrs) Nike Akande and Vice-President, LCCI Mr. Soboma Ajumogobia, during a courtesy call by the Chamber officials to the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja.

N4.9b exportable goods handled at Seme border, says Customs

HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Seme Border said it handled exportable goods valued at N4.9 billion between January and June this year. Area Comptroller, Willy Egbudin said this in a midyear report of the Command made available to the media in Lagos. Egbudin said that goods exported were plastics, furniture, fruits and drinks in retail packs, mattress, beer and slippers, among others. He said the total amount due for the Nigeria

Export Supervision Scheme was N24.5 million. The Comptroller said in spite of the challenges posed by the aquatic and marshy terrain of the Command, it had achieved higher level of suppression of smuggling and other related offences. He said this was possible through increased enforcement activities, enlightenment of border communities and the trading public about the dangers of smuggling. Egbudin said 18 suspected smug-

glers were arrested and their cases were at various stages of investigation and prosecution. The Comptroller said the command also made 487 seizures with a Duty Paid Value of N196.2 million. He said that during the period under review, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and complaint-goods with a Cost InsuranceFreight value of N5.39 billion were cleared through the command.

skills should be encouraged at the secondary school level in order to equip young people to be job creators. “If the women should die without getting someone that will succeed them, it will be a problem; and we are saying it is better for us to catch them while they are young. “We want to have them looking for things where others are not looking at; where opportunities can come up. And we feel that we can do it with these young ones so that once we start to tell them, or to teach them to look outside the box, they should not say okay when I finish the university, I am going to start to look for a job,

because you know right now, getting jobs is very difficult. We have so many graduates out there who don’t have a job.” She said that one of the visions of NNEW was to inculcate entrepreneurial skills in young people across secondary schools in order to teach them to be self-employed. While noting that while the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) put urban unemployment in 2013 at 29.5 per cent, a financial advisory company, Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), in a recent report, also predicted an increase of two per cent in the rate of unemployment in 2014.

Women network advocates entrepreneurship skills for students

RESIDENT, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA’s) Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW), Mrs Lola Okanlawon, has urged Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and parents to impart basic entrepreneurial skills in young people to reduce unemployment. Making the call in an interview in Lagos, Okanlawon said that most viable businesses collapsed because their owners did not have the children that could be relied upon to run their businesses successfully after they might have passed on. She said that entrepreneurship

Wanted! Local substitute for imported raw materials •Continued from page 14

porting and re-bagging cement. He identified another programme of the Council that has greatly reduced spending on the importation of raw materials as the Raw Material Processing Clusters Programme, which aims at increasing productivity and competitiveness. As he explained, “the programme promotes Common Facility Centres (CFC), reduces cost of production, bridges the gap between the industry and the research institutions and fast-tracks commercialisation of Research & Development (R&D) results. This ensures increased production of primary and secondary raw materials required by our industries on a competitive scale. A lot of savings have been made as regards raw materials importation. With the Strategic Plan in place with very measurable targets by 2017, number of inputs for manufacturing would have been taken off the import list. The RMRDC spokesman however, admitted that there are still other sectors where a lot of work need to be done, one of which is Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals sector. “Nigeria still imports a lot of chemicals due to the fact that our petrochemical industries are still evolving. It is important to note that Nigeria is blessed with abundant feedstock,” he observed. He however, expressed hope that “with the Gas Master Plan, which was launched recently, and with investment in the Methanol plant, among others, in the recent future, the contributions to the GDP will be greatly improved.” But there are challenges. Ngaha said, for instance, that funding remains an issue for RMRDC since inception 26 years ago. The Private sector particularly, manufacturing industries, are also challenged. “Manufacturers in many developing countries often operate in very difficult business environment, which encompasses policy, legal, regulatory constraints and a general absence of institutional mechanism to support private sector development. Nigeria is no exception,” he said, adding that the manufacturing sector in Nigeria is currently in a crucial stage in its development because of challenges arising from increased level of trade liberalisation occasioned by multilateral and bilateral trade agreements to which the country has made commitments. That is not all. The direct outcomes of the challenges faced by manufacturing in recent times, according to Ngaha, also represent the challenges to RMRDC in terms of dumping of sub-standard raw materials and products. The attitude of Nigerians towards imported products, and uneven playing field between foreign investors and local entrepreneurs, among others, are also not helping matters. He, however, said that if the tempo of government’s policy in the area of infrastructure is maintained, and the lack of synergy and cooperation by major stakeholders in the nation’s industrialisation drive addressed, the challenge faced by manufac-

turers would ease off. “If the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIPR) is to make the anticipated impact on manufacturing, deepening the utilisation of local raw materials must be accorded high priority,” Ngaha admonished. The need to promote efficient synergy among stakeholders for the purpose of ensuring sustainable sourcing of raw materials was the focus of a recent stakeholders’ meeting organised by RMRDC to announce the forth coming 2nd Nigerian Raw Materials Exposition (NIRAM Expo 2014) scheduled for October. “For us at RMRDC we are committed to address the lingering issue of capital flight experienced in the country through import of raw materials by Nigerian manufacturers as against the patronage of local materials due to insufficient awareness or quality of the product,” Doko declared. The DG, who was represented by Director, Agro Allied Department, Dr. Moyo Jolayoso frowned at the exportation of raw materials, which is imported back as finished products with the addition of certain additives at great cost. He identified the need for stakeholders to encourage the local supply of raw materials to halt the billions of naira spent on raw material importation when it can be sourced locally. “People still prefer to import raw materials because of quality concerns. The idea of the expo is our own contribution towards breaking the jinx arising from the gap between producers and those who need the raw materials. Another core area we will look at is the marketing aspect in order to identify ways that the private sector can break through in the international market,” another director in the agency, Mr. Samuel Olaniyan, explained. As far as the Director General, Nigeria Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr. John Esemede is concerned, there is no reason why the current import dependent raw materials economy should persist when Nigeria parades over 100 universities and 80 departments of agriculture, as well as 20 research institutes. His counterpart at MAN, Mr. Remi Ogunmefun, could not agree less, which was why he called on the agency to work hard to encourage local substitutes for the manufacturing sector to conserve the nation’s foreign exchange reserves. He therefore, endorsed the Expo, expressing optimism that it would achieve its objectives if all stakeholders collaborate for efficient synergy. Beyond that, Sir Omotoso thinks that a carrot and stick approach in the drive for local substitution would do the magic. He explained it thus: “If you rely on local raw materials, manufacturers will be compelled to contribute to the research funds for that body (RMRDC) because we are all going to benefit at the end of the day. If however, you want to rely upon imported raw materials, tariff should be able to take care of that.”

‘All the basic raw materials to feed the industries are available locally, but are not available in sufficient quantity and quality. According to manufacturers, most of the available local raw materials are in unusable form, requiring value addition before they can be used by industries. The value addition is done mostly by small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) because they take the materials from the unusable form to the next intermediate stage. It is the intermediate raw material that industries require’

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS LABOUR

NLC chief canvasses workers’ training

HE Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero has called on unions and right activists to invest in human capacity building to advance their positions and interests in the context of engagement with employers and government. Ajaero, who is also the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), made the call during the condolence visit of the NLC to the country home of the late Comrade Bamidele Francis Aturu in Lagos.

Stories by Toba Agboola

He said: “The call was necessary because the only way to honour him for the vacuum created by his death is to promote human rights and labour movement through aggressive human capacity development. “Our call is necessary because Aturu, until his death, was not only our official lawyer; he was a very resourceful ally of the entire labour movement as a consistent comrade who committed his entire adult life to the struggle for a better society.’’

He emphasised that Labour’s mobilising and organising capacity, for instance, can more ingeniously be utilised to advance its position and interests, in the context of engagement with other stakeholders. “I am of the view that labour and right groups must increasingly restate their relevance in the field of development, in the same way that both groups need to more clearly demonstrate a capacity to engender progressive policies, working in institutional arrangements with other relevant stakeholders, such as employers

and government through capacity building for the movement not to die a natural death. “I am also of the view that an important area to consider as part of labour’s greater focus of development issues, should be human capacity building. This area is critical to the extent that it maps around all possible strategic and operational goals of trade unions”, he said. On why training should be a principal focus of labour at this time, Ajaero said: “I would like to answer by reiterating the sub-

• From left: National President of the Hotel and Personal Services Workers (NUHPSW), Comrade Like Success, General Secretary, Comrade Augustine Mbavough and National Women Representative, Comrade Elsie Ileoluwachi at the Lagos council 5th Quadrennial Delegate Conference.

Why there are crises, by Wogu

HE declaration of redundancy by employers without consultations with workers’ representatives triggers industrial crisis in work places, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, has said. Speaking at a forum in Lagos, Wogu said: “One major cause of this conflict and grievance in the workplace is the issue of unprocedural declaration of redundancy by the employers/management of labour in the country without wider consultations with the workers’ representatives, which triggers industrial crisis in the workplace. This falls short of the provisions in the extant labour legislations particularly Section 20 of Labour Act CAP LI LFN, 2004 of Nigeria” Arguing that no economic relationship can survive under a stiff and tense industrial atmosphere, he added: “This error or

• Wogu

omission is not in tandem with the sacred principles of industrial democracy and social dialogue.” According to the minister, limiting the representation of the vulnerable employees and their

influence on decisions that have far- reaching implications on their survival can cause industrial crisis at the work place “There is a need for respect of the sanctity of duly-signed collective agreement, which is expected to come into being through dialogue between the employers and workers. It should be kept sacrosanct until it expires,” he said. On expatriate quota, the Labour Minister said: “I urge the employers and unions in the workplace to cooperate with the government agencies in ensuring that expatriates are not indiscriminately allowed into the economy under the camouflage of any technically imagined job titles.” The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar in his goodwill message, called on employers respect their union for industrial harmony to thrive.

Power firm worried over harassment of staff

HE Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has decried the spate of harassment and violent attacks on its members of staff on official duty in some communities in Lagos. The company’s Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Godwin Idemudia said the company will not tolerate any molestation, harassment or violent attacks perpetrated by anybody or group of people against its staff while performing their legitimate duties. He said some individuals and communities are in the habit of attacking EKEDC staff to evade payment of electricity bill or disconnection for non-payment. He cited a retired Army officer in Lagos,

who attempted to shoot one of the company’s staff that was in his house to ascertain whether the house had paid its electricity for the month. According to him, the case has been lodged with the police and investigations have started, adding that the company would pursue the case to a logical conclusion through diligent prosecution of the perpetrator in court. He urged members of the public who have complaints on the conducts of any staff of the company to report to the business district or company’s headquarters instead of taking the law into their hands. He explained that the company is doing everything to ensure that the customer is treated with ut-

most respect and esteem, but will not hold back from protecting the rights of its staff to perform their legitimate duties unhindered and unimpeded as guaranteed by law.

stantive institutional context, which define human capacity building as the third transition phase of labour and development history. “This phase has several correlates that appear to render the trade union and its members vulnerable. And such features as casualisation, downsizing and outsourcing are common with this phase, which encompasses issue such as human capacity development that has consequences for the union, its members, the organisation and the country.”

NDE trains 100 in Abuja

HE National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has kicked off a six-month inhouse training in some trades at its new Model Multipurpose Skills Acquisition Centre at Kuduru, Abuja. Participants will be trained in eight trades: plumbing, autotronics, computer engineering, furniture making metal fabrication, electrical installation, GSM services, and fashion design. Coordinator of the NDE in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Romiluyi Oludare Newton urged the 100 trainees to adhere to rules of the camp or they wiould kicked out.

He said beneficiaries should count themselves lucky because thousands applied for the scheme from all over the FCT. He reminded them that the directorate was shifting from training its participants through individual master trainers to a more formal school setting, which is obtainable at the new model skills centre. He assured the trainees and their trainers that the Director-General of NDE Mallam Abubakar Mohammed is passionate and committed to the success of the pilot training, considering the huge financial investment put into completing the skills acquisition centre for the training.

NTDC harps on staff welfare

HE Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, has described members of staff of the corporation as the core stakeholders in Nigeria’s tourism industry. She pointed out that neglect of the workers was why the tourism master plan never worked. She stated this at the corporation’s staff retreat in Abuja. Mrs Mbanefo said: “Why all the tourism master plans we have been having in the country did not work is that they abandoned the staff, and pay no or less attention to the welfare of the staff, that are going to drive the project and direct the strategic imperative of the organization. “I appreciate the fact that staff of the NTDC, the implementers of the corporation’s strategic imperatives, are the core stakeholders in the industry, hence, they must be well equipped and practically made ambassadors of Nigeria’s tourism industry to drive development in the industry. We must feed the goose that lays the golden egg. “As a result, capacity building and staff welfare are the priority on my agenda in repositioning Nigeria’s tourism industry and promoting domestic tourism in the country. And this, I

will execute to the letter. “Following our Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gambia Tourism Board, 20 NTDC staff will be going for an exchange programme in Gambia on customer care, public relations, health and safety, administration, management, and project management. Meanwhile, the Gambia Tourism Board are inviting tourism specialists from Netherland to imbibe our staffs with tourism best practices,” she said. The retreat, she said, was organisd to enlighten the staff on how to generate revenue, as well as to strengthen their capacity for enhanced service delivery. On her activities in the first year in office, Mrs Mbanefo said: “We want all Nigerians to recognize the importance of tourism; that is why we used the first year of our administration to create awareness and agree on implementable policy framework that would make it possible for the country to harness the potentials that abound in the tourism sector. “Staff will be locally trained on how to involve the staff in revenue generation, and to have understanding of what role they have to play because they are my most important stakeholders in this tourism value chain.”

President of NUPTE Comrade Sunday Alhassan, who addressed reporters during his union’s procession, said as workers who provide telephone services, his members decided to contribute their quota in the fight against preventable crashes. “Nigerians should not make calls, text or ping while driving. Don’t ping your life away because it is very easy to lose concentration

while using the phone and the result is usually irreversible,” he cautioned. Assistant Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Ngozi Imoroa, who led a team of officers of the commission to join the union’s campaign, said the commission would continue to enforce the law against using the phone while driving, urging Nigerians to quit the habit.

Telecoms union: don’t make calls on the wheels

HE National Union of Post and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) has warned against using the mobile while driving. At a campaign to sensitise workers and commuters at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, the union said the increase in the number of deaths through accidents was a result of drivers using phones while driving, which is a serious cause for concern.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

FROM OTHER LANDS

It is unfair. It is unacceptable

Intellect without character •It is sad that brilliant youths would take to fraudulent means to survive T was an ingenious and elaborate scheme carefully crafted to defraud thousands of job-seeking Nigerians of millions of Naira. The six suspected fraudsters behind the crime are young Nigerians between the ages of 25 and 27. They are all well- educated and clearly have the talent and creativity to earn a living by decent and legitimate means, even in Nigeria’s admittedly difficult employment climate. Yet, they chose to apply their intellect, time and energy to defraud their fellow citizens and have now fallen foul of the law. The criminal minds, that have made confessional statements to the Special Fraud Unit (SPU) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Milverton, Ikoyi, are all products of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). They include the suspected ringleader, Oluwapelumi Ayotunde, a 500 level Estate Management student; Asaolu Victor, a graduate of Mining Engineering; Awote Temitope Emax, another 500 level Estate Management student; Emmanuel Onaopemipo Bolatiri, a graduate of the institution who deals in handsets and Adebomi Oluwatosin, a computer graduate who works with Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, as a Programmer 2. Clearly the most embarrassing of the lot is Fajobi Olalekan, a Mechanical Engineering student of the institution with first class honours, who was the best graduating student in his department in 2012, and is currently working with Dee Xecutor Concept. These brilliant but misguided and depraved youths exploited the plight of at least 2,000 desperate job applicants to

criminally enrich themselves to the tune of over N5million. They specialised in designing websites of different companies and using such sites to lure innocent job seekers to apply and pay application fees for non-existing lobs. The crime was uncovered when the Special Fraud Unit of the police in Lagos received a petition from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development dated August 22, 2013, alleging that a website designed as OFID Scholarship Website with OFID name and logo was being used to defraud unsuspecting Nigerian applicants. The victims were required to pay N2,500 as application fee through the First Bank account number 2020814607 and Access Bank account number 005941009, with the fraudulent name OFID WSAS NG. This sad incident is another poignant reminder of the deep moral quagmire into which our society has sunk. When a society worships at the altar of crass materialism, the end of making money is what matters, no matter how foul the means. In a situation where the most venerated members of society are those who flaunt obscene wealth, even when the source is known to be criminal, there is little or no incentive to seek to earn a living through decent industry and ingenuity. It is thus not surprising that a Fajobi Olalekan with a first class university degree, which suggests brilliance, focus, industry and a capacity for disciplined study, would rather choose the easier, crime-ridden route to wealth acquisition. Olalekan and his accomplices are unfortunate examples of intellect without character. Yet, the degree of any higher

institution is awarded both for learning and character, since the educated individual who lacks moral scruples is a danger to society. The unsavoury unemployment situation in the country has rendered millions of desperate job seekers vulnerable to the antics of fraudsters and extortionists. At least 16 applicants lost their lives and scores of others were injured during the recent fraudulent and ineptly organised recruitment exercise into the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Hundreds of thousands of applicants were made to pay N1,000 each as application fees for no more than 4,000 job vacancies. Till date, no one has been brought to book for this atrocity and neither are we aware that any money has been refunded to the applicants as directed by President Goodluck Jonathan. Why then won’t other syndicates be emboldened to criminally exploit job seekers?

‘It is thus not surprising that a Fajobi Olalekan with a first class university degree, which suggests brilliance, focus, industry and a capacity for disciplined study, would rather choose the easier, crime-ridden route to wealth acquisition. Olalekan and his accomplices are unfortunate examples of intellect without character. Yet, the degree of any higher institution is awarded both for learning and character’

Whither espirit de corps? •It’s time to stop frequent military/police clashes

T could have passed off simply as a case of ‘two fighting’ but for the institutions involved - the army and the police. At the end of it all, one soldier and four policemen were killed. According to report, the incident happened on Sunday when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Zuru Local Government Council of Kebbi State was returning from an outing, only to be overtaken by a fast-driven car in a reckless manner. This provoked the police officer who as a matter of duty, caught up with the car and blocked it. It turned out that the occupants of the car were soldiers from the 242 Light Tank Battalion of the Nigerian Army in the town. The soldiers reportedly gave him a thorough beating; notwithstanding the fact that they knew he was a

‘The question begging for answer in all these is: whither the esprit de corps which normally should exist among the two institutions? However, since neither the military nor the police seems ready to bring this about, especially as the many panels set up to investigate some of the past clashes have failed to check the unfortunate trend, it is the government’s duty to ensure that each does not go beyond its bounds’

police officer. This naturally drew the anger of two other policemen who were on guard duty at one of the banks nearby. One of them reportedly fired a shot that hit and killed one of the soldiers. The fence-mending trip of the police area commander to the commanding officer of the battalion led to the killing of the four policemen that went with him by some angry soldiers, apparently on revenge mission. We deplore the lack of restraints on both sides. Ordinarily, one may be tempted to say it serves both the police and army right because the attitude of both arms is indeed deplorable. They molest those they regard as ‘bloody civilians’. But then, we cannot sanction a situation where uniform men would capitalise on the force of arms they bear to terrorise either themselves or any other law-abiding citizen. But it is particularly worrisome that clashes between the soldiers and policemen are becoming too frequent. In December, last year, soldiers of the 31 Artillery Brigade, Minna, reportedly invaded Minna Police Station in Niger State, molested the DPO and others over an alleged molestation of a soldier by policemen on patrol duty. The Brigade denied that any such thing happened. In Ibadan, Oyo State, police and army officers engaged themselves in a shoot-out about a year ago. The army personnel were reacting to the attack on one of their men at Mokola by some policemen, following an assault on a female police. A similar clash in 2005 in Lagos left four dead and 60 charred vehicles in its wake, while many police buildings in the Area

‘C’ Command of the Police Force, at Surulere, Lagos, were razed. The question begging for answer in all these is: whither the esprit de corps which normally should exist among the two institutions? However, since neither the military nor the police seems ready to bring this about, especially as the many panels set up to investigate some of the past clashes have failed to check the unfortunate trend, it is the government’s duty to ensure that each does not go beyond its bounds. Soldiers must be told in clear terms that their uniform is not a license to break the law while policemen too should be civil in their enforcement of the law. Many years ago, soldiers were hardly seen in public in the country; these days, they are involved in nearly all cases that the police should ordinarily handle, often on government’s invitation. The frequent clashes they are having with the police are probably part of the result of that role conflict. Yet, there should be no rivalry between soldiers and the police as the constitution is clear on what their respective roles are. It appears both arms of the force have been drained of the discipline that comes with their strict professional trainings. A society where might is right can never progress. So, we call on the authorities to investigate the Kebbi incident. We cannot expect a stop to these sad occurrences until scapegoats are made – and seen to be made - of those responsible. Both the soldiers and the police must know the lesson in subordination to democratic institutions.

– The U.S. push for a Gaza cease-fire should empower moderate Palestinians

S EFFORTS to forge even a temporary truce in Gaza founder, the Obama administration is indignantly protesting that its diplomacy has been unfairly maligned by critics, especially in Israel. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, officials say, has merely been trying to stop the bloodshed on the basis of previous ceasefire agreements, including an Egyptian plan that Israel accepted just two weeks ago. The U.S. account is mostly correct, and even some Israeli officials have acknowledged that the bitter and sometimes personal criticism of Mr. Kerry in Jerusalem went too far. Yet there is a good reason why Israelis across the political spectrum, as well as the Egyptian government and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, reacted badly to Mr. Kerry’s efforts. U.S. strategy has failed to take into account how the fighting in Gaza during the past two weeks, as well as the Middle East’s shifting political alignments, have changed how its closest allies view the conflict’s endgame. The big revelation of this Gaza fight has been the degree to which Hamas has invested in stockpiling missiles capable of striking Israeli cities and constructing cross-border tunnels whose only purpose is to carry out offensive attacks inside Israel. Israel is insisting, reasonably, that its troops remain in Gaza at least long enough to destroy the tunnels. It is also making the obvious point that a solution to the conflict must prevent Hamas from focusing Gaza’s economy on the production of more missiles and tunnels. Mr. Kerry’s proposal did not directly tackle that problem. While promising vaguely to “address all security issues,” it offered Hamas the explicit prospect of a border opening and funding to pay its government employees. These terms were promoted by Hamas’s regional allies, Turkey and Qatar. Mr. Kerry’s resort to them as mediators was another questionable call: It had the effect of sidelining the secular governments of Egypt and Mr. Abbas, which stand on the other side of the Middle East’s divide between pro- and anti-Islamist forces. Israel is demanding that Hamas be disarmed as a part of any peace. While the Obama administration rhetorically endorsed that goal, it doesn’t seem to regard it as feasible in the short term. In our view, the objective should be explored more seriously. It might be possible, for example, to make Hamas’s surrendering of its missiles the condition for steps that would enable Gaza’s economic development, such as the opening of a seaport — a trade-off that most Gazans would welcome. At a minimum, new security provisions should aim at preventing Hamas from importing more military supplies. More broadly, the Obama administration should be working with Egypt and Mr. Abbas, as well as Israel, to end the conflict in a way that reduces rather than reinforces Hamas’s power over Gaza. This is not unrealistic: A recent agreement between Mr. Abbas’s Fatah movement and Hamas to form a single government for the West Bank and Gaza, followed by elections for new leaders, could provide a mechanism. Mr. Abbas, who has been working closely with Egypt, is reportedly proposing that his U.S.-trained security forces secure the border between Gaza and Egypt, displacing Hamas. In its zeal to stop the bloodshed in Gaza, the Obama administration may have set back such creative and constructive solutions. Now it should get behind them. – Washington Post

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

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: The spate of building collapse in the country and the attendant devastation that comes with it is not only worrisome but also calls for urgent national attention. The rate at which they happen and the shabby attention accorded them by those supposedly in-charge has compelled one to ask if there exists any building code or regulatory agency saddled with the responsibility of ensuring standards in the construction/building sector. It took a petition by a coalition of civil society and professional groups in the construction industry for the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)to rise up to their responsibilities. The petitioners alleged that the use of 32.5 cement grade in construction works was responsible for incessant building collapse across the country. The SON quickly set up a technical committee to look at the existing grades of cement and to recommend the best for the overall good of the nation. The committee had members drawn from relevant stakeholders in the cement business chain, construction and building industry. In the end, the committee recommended the use of 42.5 cement grade. One wonders why it is the case of cement grade that has caught the fancy of the SON and the House of Representatives. As a matter of fact, neither cement nor its grade causes building collapse because it is a minute component in the entire building construction process. The committee set up by SON and the

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Of cement and building collapse House of Representatives ought to have painstakingly taken a holistic view and factor in other variables responsible for building collapse before arriving at its recommendations. The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) were of the position that cement as a water based binder and common ingredient in building construction does not stand in isolation or independent of other materials for they are jointly mixed together to form vi-

tal components of a building structure. Standing at different strategic locations in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world are many historical edifices built over decades and centuries ago with 32.5 cement grade. In fact, a whole lot of ignored factors have brought the building industry down on its knees. First, is the issue of quackery in the building industry. Many incompetent individuals who have no business in the construction industry are actively in the lead. Second is the flagrant abuse of building code, ethics

and standards. End users of building products for reasons connected with lets’ make do with what we have syndrome and personal gains compromise standards. Third, the nation lacks standard laboratories for testing and appraising locally produced and imported building materials. In fact, COREN has informed the nation that;”SON, which is the regulatory agency for setting standard for cement in Nigeria, has no competent and functional laboratory for determining cement quality”. Some companies have taken advantage of

•Sunday Onyemaechi Eze Samaru Unit, Zaria

Buhari: The price of greatness

IR: Condemnation trailing the attempted assassination of the former head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari by the yet to be known persons in Kaduna on Wednesday July 23, shows that that the man is really appreciated for his lofty contribution to nation building in Nigeria. As should be expected, the issue has led to a blame game among the leading political parties in Nigeria, PDP and APC. To the opposition APC, the attack on the general was orchestrated by the PDP due to his rising profile and

threat he poses to the second term ambition of the incumbent president. In response, PDP directed the APC to look inward for the culprit. The blame game continues but what is important is that Buhari was not killed and the nation is saved from violent reactions that might have greeted his assassination from his teeming supporters, particularly in the northern part of the country. Equally important is the fact that, the culprit may never be found and with time the attempted murder would join the number of unresolved

murder and attempted murder cases in Nigeria. Beyond that however, Buhari has greatness entrusted upon him, therefore, the attempted assassination was a price he had to pay for greatness. As of today, he is an issue in Nigerian politics. When he sneezes, many people catch cold. He is the arrow head of the opposition and among the few who can speak truth to power and be impactful. His denouncement of Boko Haram insurgents, in spite of threat to his life is a sign of greatness and who knows

Open letter to Governor Amosun

IR: I want to, first of all, commend you for your unparalleled dedication in providing social amenities - in Ogun State since assuming office - despite the paucity of funds. Whilst working as a Residence Verification Officer for one of the major banks in our country, I was opportune to scout around Ogun State, amongst other states. And having juxtaposed the rates of infrastructural development, I must confess that your government is doing excellently well to improve the living conditions of her people. However, after exercising ample forbearance, it has become necessary

this lacuna with the collaboration of unscrupulous individuals to import sub-standard products at the expense of the nation. Fourth, there is little or no awareness and enlightenment of Nigerians as to the kinds of cement grades we have, their suitable usages and how to identify them. Presently, most Nigerians cannot differentiate between 32.5 and 42.5 cement grade. This is a clarion call to SON, stakeholders in the construction and building industry, and indeed all Nigerians to as a matter of urgency step up action against building collapse before it consumes all of us. The ongoing effort at revamp the building sector should not be segmented. Rather a comprehensive approach to addressing them should be evolved.

to draw your attention to the sufferings of your people residing in Ibafo as I think Ibafo to be one of the prominent towns in Ogun State since it is a suburb. The inhabitants of Ibafo feel alienated from the on-going development process in the state, as they can hardly boast of enjoying a single basic amenity in their environ. Ranging from the lack of good roads, to the unavailability of pipe borne water and electricity, it appears that the attention of Your Excellency may have been diverted from the Ibafo region; following the good works at Magboro and other neighbouring

towns. In the wake of the recent intensive rainfall, the issue of bad road has become a pertinent matter - requiring urgent lasting solution - as floods threaten to destroy our homes and properties. The sound of a rushing rainfall remains an impediment to the well-being of your people - who call on your help. As per electricity, the term already sounds abstruse to Ibafo residents, particularly the kids. Since the beginning of this year, 2014, we’ve only seen electricity once; and that was sometime in early January. Nigerian citizens, living in Ibafo, generate

power for themselves on daily basis. The residents of Ibafo crave for your mercy, should they have offended your government in any way. They plead for Your Excellency’s leniency and desire you provide them with some basic amenities, with special regards to good road and electricity. I earnestly appeal to the development-oriented governor to remember the people of Ibafo. May God continue to grant you the vision for prosperity, even as you act in equity. • Prince C. Ifoh, Ibafo, Ogun State

whether the attempt was from the insurgents. All this are signs of greatness in a country where almost everybody was after what he could grab from the resources of the country. Nevertheless, the attempt is a wicked and cowardly act either from the Boko Haram or whosoever. Escaping death was an act of God but most importantly, it shows that Buhari has not fulfilled its destiny. Consequently, Buhari is advised not to relent in his effort to see that this nation attains greatness politically, economically and democratically. Obviously, for the sustenance of our nascent democracy, ruling party and presidency should stem the rate at which opposition governors are being targeted for impeachment by PDP dominated houses of assembly purely on political motives. Targeting Buhari, the arrowhead of opposition in this circumstance would force one to believe that opposition is being stifled and this would do the nation no good. Therefore, adequate security should be provided for all citizens irrespective of party affiliation. Let democracy be practiced according to the rule as this is the only way to entrench peace and stability in the country. •Adewuyi Adegbite Apake, Ogbomoso.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

COMMENTS

National Youth Service Corps posting

N Friday July 11, the directorate of the NYSC took a page in The Nation to warn the public about fake medical reports by corps members seeking concessional deployment and relocation. This advertisement is definitely in order but I take an objection to a part of it, warning parents and guidance to accept wherever their children are posted to in the national interest and in the spirit of the decree setting up the NYSC after the Nigerian Civil War. Most parents and potential corps members know about the spirit of promoting national unity which inspired General Yakubu Gowon’s regime to set up the National Youth Service Corps. Nobody can dispute the need and the necessity for national unity but unity is for the living and not the dead. The memory of the 15 youth corps members who were killed in Bauchi and six earlier ones who were killed in Jos should still be fresh in our minds and if not fresh in our minds but certainly in the minds of the parents of the dead. Another period of posting is on us and this should be the time to engage in a rational discussion on posting of youth corps members. The idea is that corps members should not serve in their own states or states where they were born. Sometimes this has been stretched to include corps member’ cultural areas or zones. Whatever the criteria are, the most fundamental and guiding principle is not to put our children in harm’s way. I currently teach in a private university and I know how much parents spend to educate and maintain their children and I also know how much effort teachers in this private university invest in teaching their students which is not like

It is no use for the secretariat staff sitting in their air conditioned offices in Abuja, drinking tea and eating cakes while sending the children of the poor people to Maiduguri and asking them to report first before seeking redeployment. This is patently unfair and it is this unfairness and injustice which are eroding peoples’ love for their country.

ERROR. This six-letter word has unfortunately become the face of Nigeria. Hardly a day passes that hoodlums do not strike, especially in the north and whenever they do they leave death, destruction, sorrow, tears and blood. In the past five years, we have known no rest from these terrorists who appear not ready to stop their dastardly acts. To many Nigerians, the face of this terror is Boko Haram. They may be right because the Islamic sect seems to have declared war on the country, with the way it has been killing and maiming people in the Northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. The Northwestern states of Kaduna and Kano have also joined the league of states under terror attacks. Could it be Boko Haram that is operating in these two leading Northwestern states? Or could it be the handiwork of another group, which is banking on the public blaming it all on Boko Haram? The public should not be blamed if it fingers Boko Haram for attacks in Kaduna and Kano in the last few days because they carry the sect's imprimatur. Until the sect claims responsibility for these attacks, the citizenry should give it the benefit of doubt. Many will not want to hear that give Boko Haram benefit of doubt when it is known for such attacks! This actually is the problem. Some

108 DAYS AFTER

WHERE ARE THE ABDUCTED CHIBOK GIRLS?

what goes on in public schools where students and staff maintain adversarial relationships which is neither conducive to teaching, impartation of knowledge and learning. This is to say as a citizen, a father and a grandfather, I have vested interest in the survival of young people generally because a country without young people has no future. I also have vested interest in the survival of my current students because of the in loco parentis relations which have existed between me and them over the years. I am for national unity and I believe all reasonable Nigerians are for the same. I am also a realist and it is a fact that some parts of our country are unfortunately distressed and consequently unsafe for all citizens including youth corps members. We all know that Boko Haram has declared war on Nigeria and is killing in the process, just anybody it can find without provocation irrespective of religion, region and tribe. All those who can escape from them have relocated to safer parts of the country and those who cannot escape have taken to self-help of arming themselves. Surely we do not expect parents to buy guns for their children who are going on National Youth Service. The point I am laboriously making is that no country has the right to send the children of citizens in the name of National Youth Service to places where the probability of being killed is very high. If we all agree to this argument and we all also desire that the youth service should continue, then as rational human beings we should for the time being stop posting people to states where the security of the corps members cannot be guaranteed. These states unfortunately would include all the states in the north-east of our dear country including Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba. For the time being also, no corps member should be posted to Benue and Plateau states which are currently facing the onslaught of socalled herdsmen or possibly Boko Haram disguised as Fulani herdsmen. There have of course been terrorist incidents in places like Kano, Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna but these are few and far between so while holding our breath as parents, we can accept posting to these areas. I would have added to this list of unsafe places, Rivers and Bayelsa but thank God the incidence of kidnapping in the two states seems to have abated. What is left of Nigeria where youth corps members can be deployed is still sufficiently large and culturally diversified that the purpose of youth service can continue to be maintained. But for goodness sake, do not let anybody be posted to the states that are unsafe and be told to first report there before asking for relocation. No parent should be made to

go through that ordeal. My advice to any such parent would be to sue the federal government and ask for huge cost. Our constitution makes the right to life and liberty our fundamental right. It is about time that these fundamental human rights are made actionable in the courts of law and somebody should blaze the trail and get judgement in this reJide gard. As citizens, Osuntokun most Nigerians do not ask for much from their government. Nowadays unlike in my own time, right from kindergarten, primary schools, secondary schools and universities, some parents pay through their noses to educate their children. Even children who go through public schools including public universities are also educated at high and expensive costs to their parents. We are told Nigeria is a rich country but can we in all honesty say that the average individual benefits from this common wealth where wealth is not common? One of the fundamental functions of government is personal and collective security; our government that has failed in this regard has no right to call on parents and guardians to volunteer their graduate children for slaughter in the name of national unity. When peace would have returned to this country which we all pray for, then I will be ready to send my grandchildren to Maiduguri and Jos voluntarily without being forced to do so for the sake of national unity. After all I, as a young person went to Jos and Maiduguri to perform Yeoman assignment in helping to build the universities in the two towns. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there. But that was another time and age when things were normal in our country. If this appeal fails, then the staff of the NYSC secretariat must show leadership by first sending their own children into harm’s way. It is no use for the secretariat staff sitting in their air conditioned offices in Abuja, drinking tea and eating cakes while sending the children of the poor people to Maiduguri and asking them to report first before seeking redeployment. This is patently unfair and it is this unfairness and injustice which are eroding peoples’ love for their country.

The burden of a nation people somewhere may be using these attacks as a ploy to destabilise the country, knowing that the incidents may not be traced to them since there is a fall guy - Boko Haram - to always carry the can. Yes, Boko Haram is evil, but let us look beyond the sect in unmasking the perpetrators of the Kaduna and Kano attacks. If we do not do this, I am afraid, we may never win the war against terror. Boko Haram, we all know, but what about the other faceless groups that are wreaking havoc on the country, using the dreaded Islamic sect as cover? Indeed, we are lucky as President Goodluck Jonathan said on Sunday that former Head of State Gen Muhammadu Buhari was not killed during last Wednesday's attack on his convoy in Kaduna. If Buhari had been killed as the President noted, the nation would have been in turmoil. Buhari narrowly escaped death, but over 100 others were not so lucky. Must we continue to lose our compatriots this way? Week in, week out, we lose hundreds of people to these recurring terror attacks. The worst part of it is that there is no sign of respite. It means that we will continue to be at these hoodlums' mercy for as long as they wish. Can our country afford that? Of course, we cannot, but what can the people do in the face of the seeming helplessness of the security agencies. The other day, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Kenneth Minimah, said soldiers are handicapped in the war against terror because they were not trained for such. What this means is that we are in for a long haul with these perpetrators of evil. Boko Haram, we know, but who are the others making life uneasy for Nigerians? It is only when we are able to identify the others, that is assuming Boko Haram is not the

sole evil doer, that we will be able to stop these terror agents, who struck in Kano barely 24 hours after the Kaduna incident. For now, we do not know where they will strike next. Kano, however, seems to be their main target. They have hit the North's commercial nerve centre thrice in the last five days. To add to the series of bloodbath, Boko Haram came on the scene last weekend, rampaging through Kano, Adamawa and Cameroon, where the sect kidnapped the country's vice Prime Minister's wife and killed three persons. In three villages in Adamawa, they killed 30 persons and abducted a village head. A family comprising the father, his son, daughter-in-law and maid were killed by a bomb thrown at a church congregation. All these happened during the celebration of the Sallah festival to mark the end of Ramadan. As if this is not enough, the nation is being buffeted on other fronts by Ebola and a gale of impeachments. In Nasarawa State, Governor Tanko Al-Makura is battling to save his job. The House of Assembly is determined to impeach him just as the lawmakers in Adamawa did to Governor Muritala Nyako a few days ago. Al-Makura and Nyako are members of the All Pogressives Congress (APC), which is determined to wrest power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015. PDP is not ready to let go of power just like that and it is determined to use everything in its arsenal to crush the leading opposition party. There are also speculations that the Houses of Assembly in Edo, Rivers and Oyo may move against Governors Adams Oshiomhole, Rotimi Amaechi and Abiola Ajimobi. Ask the lawmakers why they are making such move and you are likely to get the mantra ''gross

misconduct''. Under the Constitution, the lawmakers are empowered to impeach a governor for gross misconduct, but it does not define what amounts to gross misconduct. So, Houses of Assembly have been hiding under this indefinable phrase to cause all sorts of legislative mumbo-jumbo in order to impeach a governor whose face they do not like. he Constitution demands that details of the gross mis conduct must be specified but in most cases what the lawmakers itemise are laughable, but they usually have their way because they have the number or, at times, the backing of the central authority. This week, Al-Makura is expected to appear before the panel raised by the Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, to probe the allegations of ''gross misconduct'' against him. Many will be shocked if the panel absolves him of the lawmakers' allegations. These panels are a smokescreen for lawmakers to do whatever they want with an 'uncooperative' governor. Like play, like play, Ebola has sneaked into the country through a Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who died of the disease last Friday, about five days after his arrival in the country for an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) event in Calabar, Cross River State. Since Ebola is said to be highly contagious, the fear is do we have what

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it takes to contain the deadly disease? We have heard the authorities speak on efforts so far made to check the spread of the disease. We commend their efforts, but they need to do more in order not to endanger the lives of millions of Nigerians. Are they sure that one of those that the late Sawyer came in contact with has not escaped, carrying the deadly virus without him or her unwittingly? Whenever I see those treating Ebola patients in their coveralls, I get a chill down my spine. Is that how bad Ebola is, I ask subconsciously, while praying that it does not get here. Now that it is here, how do we fight it beyond the personal hygiene of washing our hands with soap and water? This is the question we must address our minds to before the disease spreads like wildfire.

‘Do we have what it takes to contain Ebola? Now that it is here, how do we fight it beyond the personal hygiene of washing our hands with soap and water? This is the question we must address our minds to before the disease spreads like wildfire’

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

COMMENTS

HAT can be described as President Jonathan’s Freudian slip occurred during the breaking of Ramadan fast with senators and members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, last Thursday when without necessarily claiming to be a mind reader said to his visitors: “one thing that is dear to your hearts is what the elections in this country will look like next year; it will be very peaceful in nature, that it will even surprise the whole world”. That was all sceptics needed to confirm their fears that nothing else matter in Abuja besides obsession with 2015 election All pretence to governance and other government projects including the inconclusive N8 billion Confab that many had thought was designed to address most of the problems bedevilling the nation before the election were but a ruse to divert attention. But if you asked me, I would say the concern of many Nigerians who today entertain fear about their future and those of their children is not 2015; that their concern and indeed the worries of the international community today are the over 200 impressionable school girls marooned in Sambisa forest 100 days after their abduction from their school dormitories. It is about sense of guilt, daily anguish and nightmares which all Nigerians who have daughters share with the parents of the abducted girls. It is about finding solution to daily harvests of deaths in north eastern states of Nigeria and in particular the Chibok district where rampage and killing accompanied with destruction take place unchallenged nearly on daily basis. It is about monumental corruption in government. It is about the missing $20 billion as alleged by Lamido Sanusi the former CBN governor, or the over $10 billion yet to be accounted for as admitted by government through the minister of finance. It is about our army of unemployed university graduates roaming the streets. It is about the outcome of the Confab Nigerians had hoped would chart a better future for them and their children. If Nigerians have a choice between addressing their current worries and 2015, they will probably wish 2015 away. Many now believe the scheming for 2015 by those who have indicated they will win “whether the people voted for them or not” (apology to Chief Remi Fani-Kayode for this infamous threat made and actualized in the first republic) is not about them. Many leading lights of PDP have continued to boast the party would rule for the next 60 years and that it would do

PDP’s desperation to control our tomorrow anything to ensure power doesn’t slip off their hands. Only few days back, while the president was admitting that Muhammadu Buhari has a massive following in the country, an admission that should ordinarily pose a threat to those who have faith in democracy as a game of numbers, Olisa Metuh the PDP national publicity secretary also issued a statement dismissing Buhari and his massive support as posing no threat to PDP. “He lost three times to our great party in the past presidential election and will lose the fourth time if he emerges the candidate of the APC”. Tarry a while before questioning the basis of this overconfidence. To Metuh’s boast, add that of Tony Anenih, the celebrated PDP Mr. Fixer who recently arrogantly reassured his PDP members by declaring “when it is time for election, PDP will do what it knows how to do-win”. Add that to the president’s “it will be very peaceful in nature, it will even surprise the whole world”; then you can start to interrogate if indeed these men are talking about democracy and election as games of numbers. And more. When you now imagined this feeling of ‘force majeure’ or we have won even before candidates are known is coming from a party that has an unenviable record of having many of its past chairmen, and elected governors either in jail, in court, or on the run from justice, on charges of corruption; whose flag bearer’s record in office has been less than impressive whether in fighting corruption, arresting infrastructural decay or ensuring security of life and prop-

T was a few weeks ago I read in a foreign newspaper that the percentage of adult children in Europe and in the Americas is growing at a very alarming rate. The figures churned out of adults in the age range of 25 and 35 who have moved back from the comfort of their own rented apartments to live with their parents were mind-boggling. It was not that I was ignorant of the growing trend the world over that a good number of those children who had moved out of their parents’ control since age 18 or thereabout were compelled to move back to live with their parents as a result of the global economic crunch but that the figure had assumed alarming proportion. It was while reading the said article on the plane en-route Canada that my mind raced back to my own home country where adults have remained children for at least two decades now. In the peculiar circumstance of Nigeria’s adult children, the worrisome part was that those children who are now adults never had the opportunity to move out of their parents’ or guardians’ abodes! They were compelled by circumstances beyond their control to remain in the same house where they were born and raised up to and beyond the time they ought to have moved out and start their own independent lives. But how could they? Some of these adult children who had graduated from the university or the polytechnic and had done their mandatory National Youth Service since seven years ago are yet to secure any gainful employment. And they have had no access to any form of capital to start their own business with. They have become relatively advanced in age but in terms of financial capacity and responsibility they have remained the children they were when they were adolescents in the High School! They have reached marriageable age but neither the male nor the female in their age group could afford the rent of a one-

‘We are fast breeding a generation of extremely dissatisfied and frustrated citizenry whose tolerance level may snap some day. These are men and women, well educated, exposed, and had tasted a great measure of freedom and independence while at the college but are now forced against their wish and will to revert back to the lives they had lived one-and-a-half decades before’

erty, and who was recently described by New York Times editorial as “Mr. Jonathan, who leads a corrupt government that has little credibility and whose deeply troubled government cannot protect its people, attract investment, lead the country to its full potential and cannot contain a virulent insurgency” – a damning verdict that instead of being contested, led the government to hire a Washington based Public Relations firmLevick Strategic Communications to assist in promoting “transparency, democracy, and the rule of law throughout Nigeria”, it is only then you can appreciate PDP probably plan an improved version of Obasanjo’s “do or die election” for 2015. When a party with despicable antecedents openly boasts of winning election even before candidates declared interests, they are probably not thinking of democracy where elections serve as verdict for performance or failure. What they have in mind is probably the replication of Ekiti’s unique form of participatory democratic experiment where a performing governor was defeated by deeply tainted candidate in an election where 200,000 voters decided the fate of about two million people under the combined supervision of card carrying PDP ministers of defence and police affairs leading 35,000 military and other security personnel, armed with a list of opposition members to be put under house arrest on the eve of the election. Morning as they say shows the day. With the lawlessness of a few PDP lawmakers in Port Harcourt, Edo and the gale of impeach-

ment in Adamawa and Nasarawa of governors for misdemeanours they perpetrated as PDP members three years before their defection to join the opposition party, with EFCC that for seven years was unable to successfully prosecute former governor Boni Haruna now a minister or an Ayo Fayose now a governor elect and a body that has for close to three years failed to make appreciable progress in prosecuting the children of PDP former chairmen Ahmadu Alli and Bamanga Tukur for their alleged involvement in oil subsidy scam, now embarking on a frenzy of freezing account of opposition governors even before they are served with notices of impeachment, one can no more take the determination of PDP to secure a landslide victory in 2015 for granted. By his actions, inactions or acquiescence, the president is not in a haste to disabuse the minds of sceptics who insist that neither ethics nor morality matters in the battle for 2015 which started with the president’s curious support for Pastor Jonah Jang who lost the Governors’ Forum election by 13 votes to Amaechi’s 16. Jang did not only go to church to celebrate his victory but accompanied the president on pilgrimage to the Holy Land probably to celebrate victory as well as atone for perfidy. The president has also maintained a dignified silence as lawless lawmakers who claim to fight in his name make Rivers and Edo states ungovernable. In Adamawa, 2015 more than Nyako’s unfounded allegations against the president over his handling of the war against the Boko Haram insurgency led to his ouster In neighbouring Borno State where everything -from setback by our ill-equipped military to the abduction of the Chibok girls which PDD and the president’s wife initially claimed was a ruse to discredit Jonathan presidency, was blamed on the governor. And now the president’s good gesture of providing armoured utility vehicle that finally saved Buhari’s life during last week assassination attempt has been described as a Greek gift to prepare the ground for explanation of the result of 2015 election by sceptics who think that for the battle of 2015, no conspiracy theory no matter how bizarre or tenuous should be thrown away. In the event of an expected curious landslide victory in 2015, a humble godly president-elect of a discredited party can turn around claiming his efforts after all once saved Buhari’s life, if he is defeated the fourth time by those who currently control our lives and insist on controlling our tomorrow.

Nigeria’s adult children By Tola Adeniyi bedroom apartment! They simply cannot marry or be married. We now have a multitude of men and women well past age 35 who technically are just children living with their parents, guardians or, worse still are mere squatters with friends who in most cases are also living off their parents’ patronage. We are fast breeding a generation of extremely dissatisfied and frustrated citizenry whose tolerance level may snap some day. These are men and women, well educated, exposed, and had tasted a great measure of freedom and independence while at the college but are now forced against their wish and will to revert back to the lives they had lived one-and-a-half decades before. They are very ripe for marriage and they must of necessity perform all of nature’s functions. And yet they cannot afford to get pregnant because they cannot afford the financial implications of child-rearing. They live a life of perpetual dilemma which may be compounded by their religious persuasion. We are compelled to raise alarm especially when we remember and consider the relative comfort and ease of our generation and the generations before ours. Most men and women in my generation were married before age 30. In fact it was most fashionable for men to marry at age 26 or 27 while our female counterparts got married before they turned 25. I recall an article written by humour merchant and one of Nigeria’s most celebrated columnists Gbolabo Ogunsanwo where he declared emphatically that any lady who was not married at 27 would have her mother spending sleepless nights at Prayer Mountains! That was 1974. But now a great number of ladies in their late 30s are still more worried about securing a regular means of livelihood, for self-survival than looking for husband, who also may be jobless. The men also are not ready because they are merely men biologically but children as far as responsibility is concerned. The implication for this scenario in the future is that we are going to have men and women in their 60s who will still be carrying children to High Schools! Or women in their 50s who will still be carrying children to nursery schools whereas a good number of my contemporaries had stopped child-bearing at age 35. I already had the last of my five children before age 36 and I consider myself to have married late, four years after graduation, by the standards of our time.

What we have is a very dangerous trend. When you have adults, who are constrained from acting as adults because of economic problems, and live a life of near hopelessness, we should know that collectively we have a big problem. When you have adults whose self-confidence has been eroded, whose understanding of their own self-worth is in doubt, and who feel alienated by the society, then we should start for a barrage of health challenges that are bound to follow either sooner or later. Emotional problems, psychological problems, mental problems are most likely to set in when one is not allowed to act one’s age. We can even begin to recognise some of these growing abnormalities where adult children in their late 30s are sagging their pants and women in the same age bracket of 35 plus dress like girls just out of Senior Secondary. You cannot blame them. They see themselves as children in adult bodies! Now I will not call on government. I’ll rather call on the larger society and draw our attention to this unfortunate and demoralising situation. In the article I read on the plane, Europe and the Americas were called upon to reverse the trend, pay serious attention to acquisition of skills and stop the mass unemployment which is currently plaguing the world. We should create an enabling economic environment that will guarantee a future of hope and satisfaction to our growing population. A situation where generations of school leavers is allowed to continue to swell an army of the unemployed is not healthy and is not good for the psyche of our youths. It does not make one feel happy that citizens who live in a more technically advanced age and who logically should be living a better life than the one we had when we were their age are forced by our planlessness and collective selfishness and greed to live a life less than enviable. If in my generation almost all my age group had moved into their own buildings before they turned 35, and all had become independent of their parents and guardians well before age 25, why should we allow children born 35 years thereafter to stagnate as children even at age 39-40? Why should we sentence our 35-40-year old adults to a life of children who still require N1,200 transport fee to travel from point A to point B? And nobody should tell me: why can’t they go and farm?’ ‘Or why can’t they go into business?’ Do you farm or go into business with empty hands? Where is the seed money for initial take-off?

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

COMMENTS

S I sit down to write this column this morning, I feel like the small American boy whose story I heard recently. Let’s call him John. John and his mother are alone in the house. Mother suddenly slumps to the ground and appears to be dying. John picks up the phone and dials the emergency number, 911, and a 911 operator answers. John says, “Mom’s lying on the ground, not moving”. The 911 operator asks, “Is she breathing?” “Yes”, answers John, sobbing, “but her breathing is getting littler and littler”. It shakes me up to say, “Nigeria’s vital signs are getting littler and littler”. But, sadly, it is true. Look in any important direction, what you’ll see most of the time is decline, decay, and rot – and each one of them getting worse and worse. Oh, I know, I know. Some ‘super-patriots’ would hurry to point out that Nigeria’s economy was rated Africa’s largest economy only three weeks ago. That’s true. How could anybody forget that? But, what does “largest economy in Africa’” mean to us Nigerians? How has it benefited our lives? Our own federal government has been honest enough to tell us that nearly 70% of Nigerians live in “absolute poverty” – meaning that nearly 70% of us skimp, starve and suffer on just one US dollar per day! And more and more of us are falling into this condition of “absolute poverty”. Our Minister of Power said a month ago that less than 50% of Nigerians have access to electricity. Compare that with Egypt where 99.6% of the citizens have access to electricity – or with South Africa with 75.8%, or even Ghana with 60.5%.Our situation is not only horrible, it is in fact getting worse. Some five years ago, about 50.6% of Nigerians had access to electricity. But that is not all. At any given time, even the few Nigerians who have access to electricity can only expect steady service for only a few hours per day – or even per week. And the implication is heavy. Electricity is the energy that moves the economy of our world; without it, the ability to produce goods is seriously stunted. Therefore, this one factor – lack of access to electricity –is one of the most devastating causes of our poverty in Nigeria. Every government of ours gives us glowing promises about it; but none ever does anything measurable about it. Predictably, it will continue to get worse, not better. The same decline and decay are true of most

HE rule of law is not something to be taken for granted in any functional democracy, but not so for Nigeria. Here, the line that demarcates separation of powers is broken by government functionaries with astonishing impunity; so much so that this disregard for the rule of law constantly challenges the autonomy of the judiciary. Much unlike Oliver Twist, they don’t just ask for more, they take it by force or tacit manoeuvrings as evident in the Senate’s reamendment of the Electoral Act. Ojeikpon Imoukhuede wrote an article in The Nation on July 12, titled ‘Who is afraid of Chris Okotie?’ In the said piece, the writer attempted to put down executive lawlessness to xenophobic opposition of our sit-tight leaders to the tide of change engendered by forceful personages like Rev. Chris Okotie. This, he said, may be because his paradigm shift philosophy offers an alternative to the status quo. Imoukhuede wrote: “… No excuse is tenable in law for the blatant disobedience of a court order. We cannot accept the argument that because the legislative authorities decided that only big or ‘money bag’ parties

‘These key pointers in understanding the backstage politics of this deregistration stalemate is further strengthened when we realise that this new lease of life which the electoral agency’s deregistration campaign is enjoying is reminiscent of some of the world’s political history’s darkest moments’

Nigeria’s vital signs getting more and more faint other aspects of our lives in Nigeria. Look around you. In many towns that had pipeborne water in the 1950s, the water no longer runs in many streets where it used to run – because the pipes have rusted away. Public school buildings are deteriorating in most of our states, and the quality of education has fallen and keeps falling. Even some of the most important of our highways (like the LagosIbadan expressway) have collapsed and become death-traps. For the most part, the root has been cut from under our economic well-being. Overwhelmed by the almost sudden emergence of large mineral oil revenues in our economy, our rulers shifted all attention to the mineral oil and pursued policies that have virtually destroyed those factors that had begun to build our prosperity during the years before independence. By 1960, our country was the world’s largest exporter of groundnuts and palm produce, and the second largest exporter of cocoa. The income from these exports (with cocoa in the lead as foreign exchange earner), and from many other smaller export products, strongly upheld our economy and put fairly respectable incomes into the hands of our common people. By the 1980s, all these had vanished, and we were no longer serious exporters of groundnuts, palm produce and cocoa. Meanwhile, our rulers and leaders had established a powerful culture of corruption around the mineral oil revenues – becoming vicious, insensitive and self-indulgent robbermillionaires, and making it impossible for the benefits of the oil wealth to reach the lives of our common people. These are the fundamental reasons why our people are now so desperately poor, why there is so much unemployment among our people, why nearly every Nigerian is scrambling to get some share from the stolen oil money, and why we are sharply losing creativity as a country. It is the reason why our governments and public services have deteriorated abysmally and are still deteriorating. It is the reason why our infrastructures (roads, electricity, water systems, schools, communication

systems, hospitals, etc)are all steadily deteriorating. It is the reason why our leading universities, once proud centres of academic excellence, have lost their edge. It is the reason why there is such horrifying insecurity – crimes, conflicts, terrorism – in our country. Our country is one of the most unsafe places in peace-time in the world. In the context of all these, participation in politics has ceased to have the objective of serving country and people; it has become a route to getting access to, in order to steal, the oil revenues. Legally (through allocating indefensible remunerations to themselves), and illegally (through countless practices of corruption and graft), Nigerian politicians have made themselves the best paid politicians on earth. Year after year for decades, Nigeria has been counted among the most corrupt countries in the world. In both the federal and state governments, elected legislatures have ceased to have any meaningful role in our country. It has become their central preoccupation to rival the people in the executives in the sharing of the stolen oil revenues. In the process, the legislatures have traded away their constitutional power of oversight over the executive arm of government and over the use of public money. More or less, whenever we hear any noise from them nowadays, it is because they are quarrelling with the executive folks over their own pay or over the magnitude of the bribes they are getting from the executive folks. As for most elected Local Government councilors, all they do these days is to share their Local Government allocations. All other agencies of order in our country

Gbogun gboro have caved in and collapsed – the police, the military, the secret service, the electoral commission – all. Nigerians live today with the sickening reality that their military forces are so riddled with corruption and inefficiency that they simply no longer command the capability to defend any of our towns or villages against even hoodlums like Boko Haram. When our president inaugurated a National Conference three months ago, very many Nigerians, including me, hoped for great changes to follow. Now we all know that we were deceiving ourselves. Worthy changes can’t happen here. What then is left of Nigeria? Not much. Many Nigerians would say, “Nothing”. How can a country so comprehensively abused keep living? A visitor to Nigeria remarked that Nigeria is a failed state that somehow manages to keep a semblance of standing. An eminent Nigerian remarked that if nothing changes, Nigeria would break up. Another pleads that all that is important now is that we should do our best to break up peacefully. What then is in the future for Nigeria?

‘In both the federal and state governments, elected legislatures have ceased to have any meaningful role in our country. It has become their central preoccupation to rival the people in the executives in the sharing of the stolen oil revenues’

FRESH’s deregistration battle By Toyosi Oke with effective capacities to appropriate enough votes to win some elections are dominant today, other parties should ‘fall down and die’. Democracy is about a level playing field. The absence of this has blighted our processes and actions. This INEC and lawmakers’ impunity in the FRESH case is unpalatable. Some people are even asking: ‘Who is afraid of Chris Okotie? Is all these attempts to shut out his party a sign of genuine phobia for the man and his paradigm shift ideals? If FRESH claims to be the only serious alternative to the present political shenanigans, we should allow the electorate to decide.” In my humble opinion, it goes beyond that. True, Rev. Okotie and FRESH’s entry into Nigeria’s political fray marked a ‘paradigm shift’ in the calibre of contestants, as he emerged on the scene with an unsullied record, having never joined the crony corridor-of-power politics. Above and beyond that, the party’s ideological input and Okotie’s grasp of Nigeria’s socio-economic complexities and his proffered solutions put him steps ahead of his political peers. He has both challenged and upturned the status quo with his can-do pragmatism, and has over the last decade maintained an unflinching belief in the paradigm shift philosophy which led to Fresh Party seizing the initiative by challenging its de-registration in court, leading to the landmark judgment, and subsequently, the series of sporadic and uncoordinated responses by INEC and now the Senate re-amendment of the Electoral Act. The behaviour of the ruling class does not embrace institutional democracy, jurisprudence and the rule of law. Therefore, any hint of a challenge which will offer the populace a glimmer of hope automatically becomes a threat to their ‘rulership’. In essence, the modest step which the Fresh Party took by way of the court victory has been turned into a hard

slog by INEC’s backdoor politics occasioned by the Senate’s re-amendment of the Electoral Act. These key pointers in understanding the backstage politics of this de-registration stalemate is further strengthened when we realise that this new lease of life which the electoral agency’s de-registration campaign is enjoying is reminiscent of some of the world’s political history’s darkest moments. In an internet website, History Today, Russel Tarr, in his article of 15 July, titled Lenin in Power wrote: “In Russia, the Bolshevik Party faced massive opposition following its seizure of power in 1917. The Social Revolutionaries (party of the peasants) had more support in the countryside, whilst the Bolsheviks (party of the proletariat) did not command the overwhelming support of the Soviets. Lenin contemptuously dissolved the Assembly, calling his action ‘true democracy’. “By the end of May 1918 Lenin expelled opposition parties from the Central Executive Committee. His close associate Leon Trotsky justified this by saying that, ‘We have trampled underfoot the principles of democracy for the sake of the loftier principles of a social revolution’. By the time of Lenin’s death, political opposition parties had been formally banned and the Bolshevik Party (renamed the Communist Party in 1919) reigned supreme.” Also in www.historylearningsite.com, when Hitler was appointed Chancellor at the head of Germany’s coalition government in January 1933, the nation was a democracy. The death of President Hindenburg in August 1934, allowed him to combine both Chancellor’s and President’s positions into one (Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor), and Germany soon became a dictatorship. Germany’s largest non-Nazi political resistance, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), was declared illegal in May 1933, robbed of its funds and forced to disband. On July 14, 1933, a law was passed making it illegal to form a new political party.

It also made the Nazi Party the only legal political party in Germany. Rana Muhammad Taha said in an article in www.dailynewsegypt.com titled Parties Call for Inclusion in Amending Laws to Govern Parliamentary Elections: “… The Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDP) and the Free Egyptians Party (FEP) called on the committee tasked with amending the Political Participation Law to be more inclusive in its activities. The parties noted that in order to avoid ‘exclusion’, representatives from political parties should meet with the committee to put forward their proposals regarding the amendment to the laws. Five parties met to discuss (and) later released a statement condemning the draft. The legislation was also criticised by the Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDP) and Misr Al-Qawia (Strong Egypt) Party in two separate statements. The statement said: “… ignoring political movements’ demands could push citizens to find ‘other channels of expressing their needs’. They criticised an Article 3 of the constitution, stating that this formation would deprive the ‘underprivileged’ of their chance of winning the elections, given that the costs of running for the elections individually would be “no less than EGP 1m.” This is the path of political discontent which INEC is treading upon by depriving smaller political parties their right of participation. It is spurious, and the potential for harm by the Senate’s re-amendment of the Electoral law that empowers INEC to ban parties far outweights the imaginary gains of eliminating them. The notion of a big party dominating the political space belongs to a by-gone age, and that attempt is only doomed to failure if embarked on in this era. I wholesomely agree with the path Okotie has chosen: to tackle this new political menace head-on. He is fighting for our future. • Oke wrote in from Lagos

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE NATION

EDUCATION

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

Despite the 6-3-3-4 education system, not many pupils stay up to Primary Six in private schools. Educationists warn about the dangers of this practice, reports KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE.

•Primary school graduands of Cardinal school, Idowu-Egba, Isheri, Lagos, during their graduation

PHOTO: MOJISOLA CLEMENT

Why pupils skip ‘ Primary Six U

In Nigeria, the education system is graded as 6-3-3-4. These children have passed examinations, yes, but Primary Six is putting the icing on the cake. They get more value out of education and learn more. We are sad they cannot graduate because they are going too soon. They are just walking away. They deserve to be celebrated

NDER the 6-3-3-4 education system, children are expected to spend six years in primary school, three in junior secondary school (JSS), three in senior secondary school (SSS), and in the university or other tertiary institution. With the signing of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Law in 2004, the first nine years of basic education (six years of primary and three of JSS are free and compulsory in public schools. Public primary schools’ pupils spend the stipulated six years, but many of their private schools counterparts hardly do so. Despite Lagos State Commissioner for Education Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye’s warning to private schools to comply with the laid down system, the practice is for pupils to enter secondary schools from primary five. The result is that many young pupils enter sec-

ondary school and even university ill-prepared. At the 2014 graduation of Scholastic Hall School in Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, on July 3, the five Grade (Primary) Five pupils that left for secondary school missed out of the exciting ritual that pupils, parents, teachers and workers look forward to at the yearly event. While the graduating nursery pupils wear white, carry miniature lights singing, This little light of mine, and enjoy other perks, the Grade Five pupils are only presented dressed in their uniforms. Their teacher, Mrs Lauretta Imoh, appealed to parents to let them spend the stipulated time in primary school. "Parents are not ready to listen to us to allow their children to continue to Primary Six. I hope that it will be different for the Grade Four pupils coming into Grade Five. I appeal to you to allow them stay on. It makes a difference," she said.

INSIDE

Ondo MSSN canvasses use of hijab in schools

MUSLIM students in Ondo State have urged the state government to allow their female counterparts in primary and secondary schools to use hijab in schools. -Page 27

‘Varsity degree not sole criterion for success’ -Page 47

The school head, Mrs Pamela Umebuani, explained to parents that the Grade Five pupils could not be celebrated because they have not stayed for the required time. "In Nigeria, the education system is graded as 6-3-3-4. These children have passed examinations, yes, but Primary Six is putting the icing on the cake. They get more value out of education and learn more. We are sad they cannot graduate because they are going too soon. They are just walking away. They deserve to be celebrated. "This is my appeal: please leave your children for us. You will never regret it. What they are now, the would be even 100 per cent more if you leave them," she said. At Mind Builders School, Ikeja, the story is the same. Last year, the school also made an appeal to parents to allow their wards complete Primary Six. This year, the number of pupils

CAMPUS LIFE Strike: Poly students say never again -Page 29

’

that stayed on increased. The Education Director, Mrs Bolajoko Falore, said this may be because of the appeal and the incentives the school introduced to encourage pupils to stay up to Primary Six. They get to participate in the graduation programme during which they are presented with the First School Leaving Certificates and awards. Most importantly, she said the pupils that stay up to Primary Six go through a special programme called the Finishing School, during which they learn vital life skills. "The children that graduated today, you can see their maturity. These children are grounded. Primary Six is not so much about academics but getting them more mature. The Finishing School prepares them to be able to face secondary school life. They learn good

• Continued on Page 26

•A 10-page section on campus news, people etc

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

EDUCATION ADO POLY FILE

Academic activities resume THE management of the Federal polytechnic, Ado Ekiti has announced the resumption of academic activities for the 2013/2014 session following the suspension of the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP). According to a statement signed by the Registrar, Mrs. Sade Adediran, lectures for fresh and returning students started last Monday. Students said they were happy to be back in school and prayed that the Federal Government and ASUP would come to a final agreement so the strike would not be resumed after the three months grace given by the union.

Alumni urged to contribute ALUMNI of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, have been urged to drum support for the development of their alma mater. Making the call in Port Harcourt at the inauguration of the Southsouth/Southeast chapter of the Federal Polytechnic Alumni Association (FEDPAAS), the Rector, Dr Taiwo Akande, emphasised the need for the former students to help polytechnics confront the challenges posed by the dwindling government funding. Dr Akande, who described alumni associations as "bridge builders and partners in the development and actualisation of the goals of their alma maters," praised the commitment and zeal exhibited by the leaders of the Southsouth/Southeast chapters to ensure the success of the inauguration. The National President of the association, Mr Dayo Oladebeye, who is also the Deputy Rector (Special Duties and Revenue Generation), expressed happiness with the progress of FEDPAAS in their various fields. • Continued from Page 25

manners, etiquette, self awareness, personal grooming, communication skills and how to make friends," she said.

Why parents do it Many of the educationists and parents that spoke on the issue, said parents send their children to secondary school early because of the bandwagon effect, bragging rights, and economic reasons. Mr William Pope, Principal, Nobel House College, Abeokuta, said parents bring under-aged children to secondary school because they think their wards are geniuses and should go through school fast. "Every Nigerian believes that their children are very bright, clever and very talented. I think that is good very wonderful but they also need to be realistic. They need to know the dangers of not putting a child through the right foundation. Then the parents need to realise that the people who wrote the curriculum know what they are doing. The curriculum is written for age-related development," he said. In his days, Mr Ezekiel Awe, the head teacher of Mind Builders School, said pupils entered secondary school at the age of 12 or more, or when their left hand could touch their right ear when passed over the head. However, he said these days, parents send their wards to secondary school early to be able to boast about it. "The ideal age for leaving a primary school now adays is 10. But during our time we left at the age of twelve which really helped. But some parent believe that their children should leave primary school at the age of nine and eight when they

Sultanate plans women medical varsity

Students sorry for protest

HE Students' Union Government of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo [RUGIPO] in Ondo State has tendered an apology for the July 7 protest staged by the students over school fees hike. The students, who protested the "No School Fee, No Test" policy, described their action as effect of youthful exuberance and thoughtless. In a statement separately issued by the Full Time SUG President, Akinomotomiwa Ayipada, and Secretary, Owadasa Olanrewaju; and Part-Time (PT) SUG President, Oluwole Adegboro and Secretary, Abiola Olowe, the students said after reflecting on the event, they concluded that protest was totally unwarranted and unjustifiable. They also praised the Rector, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, for bringing development to the institution. The Full Time SUG statement reads: "We did apologise that your magnanimity and priority given to welfare of students had been taken for granted by the reason of our protest. It is on record that no Rector in the history of this institution has committed much time and resources to the improvement of students' welfare like you have done so far. "We are very sorry for the embarrassment and discomfort our protest might have caused you and the entire management team. “We have indeed learnt our lesson and promise that nothing of such will ever rear its ugly head in future." The PT SUG said its members ignorantly attended the stakeholders meeting of July 6, where the idea of the protest was muted, but did not participate in the protest staged the following day. The polytechnic management has asked the students to resume on August 11.

LANS by the Sultanate Council, Sokoto, are underway for the establishment of an AllWomen Medical University in the caliphate city. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, said this in Sokoto on Monday at the meeting of the state Educational Development Trust Fund which holds a day after Eid-il-Fitr . The development is coming at a time activists and government seek to end the gender disparity that has long denied the girl-child access to western education in the north. The revered monarch explained that the Sultanate council had since applied to the state government for a land, adding that "it is receiving a positive attention." Abubakar said the aim was to further boost the education of women in the state and Nigeria as whole. The religious leader also said that

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

the council is making arrangements to convene a summit with prominent indigenes of the state on December 27 "to brainstorm on the state of education in the state, with a view to assessing the achievements and proffering the ways forward." He said a technical committee for the meeting has been set up and it will soon swing into action. Abubakar praised the state government for giving priority to education and other aspects of human endeavour, as well as other public-spirited citizens for their sustained efforts in promoting education in the state. "This is imperative as some of the prominent indigenes of the state had renovated and equipped several schools, among others," he said. Speaking through the Secretary to the state Government, Alhaji Sahabi Isah Gada, Governor Aliyu

•Saad Abubakar III

Wamakko promised to continue to partner and assist the fund achieve its laudable objectives. The chairman of the board of Trustees of the Fund, Alhaji Shehu Shagari said that it currently has over N 90 million in its coffers. "Over 90 per cent of the assistance we have received comes from Sokoto State and the 23 local governments, as well as the Sultanate Council. "We have been training the youths of the state in ICT and various types of skills, to complement the efforts of the government," he said.

• Students of the City of Knowledge Academy (CKA) performing at the school's Honours' Day in Ijebu Ode.

Why pupils skip Primary Six are not yet fully mature, he said. A parent, Mrs Kehinde Akinola, said some parents opt out of Primary Six if their wards are already 10 by the end of Primary Five. She added that expensive school fees also discourage parents from making their wards stay on to complete their primary education. "If your child is that age 10-11, the child can leave at Grade Five. Another reason parents choose to take their children away is because of school fees. Things are really expensive and they would rather save the money for JSS1," she said. Mrs Adebukola Jida, another parent, said she would do it for the age factor as well. "I went through Primary Six but it really depends on the age of the child," she said. However, Mrs Elizabeth Osuno, former Head of School, Bridge House College, Ikoyi, attributed it to ignorance. "It is actually ignorance. They think they are doing something good for their kids. They will even tell you, 'Oh she is brilliant; she even went from Primary Five.' What psychologists say is true. An 18-year old in the same class with a 14-year old, will definitely perform better than the 14 years old. So that age advantage is very important so parent should stop rushing them," he said.

Inherent dangers Getting pupils into secondary school before they are 10 or 11 may make parents fill happy, but educationists complain that many of such children are unable to cope with the rigours of secondary education. When she went to Grace High School, Gbagada, to complain that her son never settled down to do his assignments Mrs Ademola Bello (not real names) said the principal told her the child came in too early. "When I complained to the principal that my son never did his homework, he said, what do I expect from a 10-year old in JSS2? He is too young," she said. Mrs Funmilayo Awoniyi, Principal of Mictec High School, Ogudu, Lagos, recounted an experience with an under-aged pupil that was once admitted in her school, who gave away all her books as an example of what happens when children are pushed forward too early. "One thing is that a child must be mentally mature before crossing to secondary school; if not, the child will not be able to cope. A girl of seven or eight once joined us in JSS1. We gave her about 30 exercise books for the term. You know the books serve various purposes - for notes, continuous assessments and the like. But she started giving out all her books.

When we asked her, she said they were so many so she gave them out," she said. Mrs Awoniyi said she counselled another parent to allow her ward repeat a class so she could be older. "There was a particular child of nine years in JSS2. She did not fail but I counseled the mother to allow her repeat JSS2 because of her age. She did and the girl is doing better now," she said. Mrs Scholar Onyekwere said transiting too early can make otherwise brilliant pupils to depreciate academically. "The key thing I tell parents is why make an A student a C student? When a child has the mentality of being a C student, he doesn't do well. We need to weigh the maturity of the child," she said. For children sent to the boarding house when they are not ready, Mr Awe said, they fare even worse as the schools have to do more to monitor them. "Maturity in terms of academics is different from in terms of psychology. In terms of making friends, interpersonal relationship, it is better for a child to leave primary school when he or she is fully matured academically, physically, and psychologically so that when they get to secondary school, you don't need to be running

‘I will just plead with parents, please don't make your children leave the primary school faster. Sometime this year, I stood along a soccer field and watched the boys play soccer. I did not recognise the children because I was new at the school. But I could point at which boys in the soccer team that were underage’

after them. Some of them will be going to boarding house. (If they are mature), you don't need to run after them before they wash their cloths, pant, or polish their shoes," he said. Mr Pope said because they are younger, the children sometimes are out of place. "I will just plead with parents, please don't make your children leave the primary school faster. Sometime this year, I stood along a soccer field and watched the boys play soccer. I did not recognise the children because I was new at the school. But I could point at which boys in the soccer team that were underage. You can just see them they don't match with them and you can see them from a mile away, they look lost you know they should not be there and my heart really went out to those boys," he said. A parent (names withheld) said he would not allow any of his children go to school too early because of what he went through. Having a teacher as a mother made him go through school fast. However, the negative effect was that he was used by older boys to commit atrocities. "I did a lot of bad things because I was too young to understand. The older boys in my class would tell me to still my father's car keys, money and all sorts. They used me to do all kinds of bad things that I would not have done if I were older," he said.

Way out To end the practice of not completing primary school or sending to secondary school early, Mr Pope said the government has to enforce the rules and punish parents. "If the state actually goes around implementing punitive measures against the students and the parents who do not comply, it is never going •Continued on page 27

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

EDUCATION

Ondo MSSN canvasses use of hijab in schools

USLIM students in Ondo State have urged the state government to allow their female counterparts in primary and secondary schools to use hijab in schools. The students under the aegis of Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria (MSSN) made this appeal during a courtesy call on the Commissioner for Education, Jide Adejuyigbe, in Akure, the state capital. MSSN, which urged state to other Southwest states which allows

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

school girls to use hijab, alleged that some schools administrators have prevented female Muslims pupils from wearing hijab, even outside the school premises. "Hijab is part of the Islamic dress code for Muslim females and it has been adopted officially by Southwestern states such as Osun and Oyo states. Restriction on the use of hijab is an infringement on our fundamental human rights,” MSSN contended.

The body also urged government to allow the observance of Friday Jumat Service and Zuhr prayer to be holding in the school premises. Members are also seeking a place to be allocated for Muslim students to observe these prayers in various schools. Among other demands, the MSSN also called on the government to employ more teachers of Islamic and Arabic studies and deploy same to all public schools in the state. Adejuyigbe assured that government would look into their de-

mands. He however told the visitors that government's education policies did not discriminate against any religion in its operation in any form. Adejuyigbe said it was not only teachers of Arabic and Islamic studies that are lacking in the schools but many other subjects teachers are in need. He explained that the government was already working on the recruitment of teachers into the state public schools, assuring that the exercise would commence very soon.

Sokoto votes N800m for scholarship From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

OKOTO State government has earmarked over N800 million to sponsor the education of 420 undergraduate and post-graduate students in five countries. The Chairman of the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Musa Garba Maitafsir, said this last Wednesday while addressing 121 Masters' degrees students leaving for the Islamic University of Uganda. He said the money meant for the students' tuition/registration fees and living expenses, has been lodged in the account of the state scholarship board. Maitafsir said over N350 million of the amount was earmarked for the training of 220 students in the university, while N450 million will be used to sponsor 200 undergraduates in various universities in Sudan, India, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates ( Dubai). He said 99 students had finished their one-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Education in Uganda. "The 121 students leaving Sokoto for Uganda today will join the 99 already there for various Masters' Degrees courses in the same Institution," Maitafsir, added. "Also, 160 are going to Sudan, 100 to India, 40 to Bangaladesh and 60 to Dubai," he said. Maitafsir sad the scheme was being pursued under the state government's Teacher - Development Programme. "The aim of the programme is to have a good school administrators and Teachers, and by extension, for Nigeria," he said. He appealed to the students to be good ambassadors of the state and Nigeria, and stay clear of acts capable of tarnishing the image of the country. Spokespersons of the students, Abubakar Magawata and Kabiru Surajo praised the state for the gesture and promised that they would be of good behaviour and face their studies squarely. "We will not fail the people of the state and Nigerians," they assured.

•Prof Musa Garba

AAUA FILE

Again, Science wins VC's Cup FOR the fourth time, the Faculty of Science, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), has won the soccer event of university's seventh Annual Inter-Faculty competition, tagged, "Vice Chancellor's Cup". The victory is the third consecutive win by the faculty in the competition. Science defeated Faculty of Social and Management Sciences 2-0 in a penalty shootout after the game ended in a one-all draw at full time. Faculty of Education beat Arts 1-0 in the third-place match. Meanwhile, Faculty of Arts topped the medals table in the athletics events with one Gold, one Silver and two Bronze Medals. Faculty of Science placed second with one Gold and two Silver Medals. Faculty of Social and Management Sciences also earned one Gold and two Bronze medals to occupy third position.

Ondo CP visits

•From left: Deacon Osawomwan and Prof. Akpata presenting the Mathematics prize to Richmond at the event.

ECOBA rewards 11 Edo College pupils

UPILS of Edo College, Benin City were ecstatic on Friday last week as the Lagos branch of the Edo College Old Boys Association (ECOBA) revived the school's prize giving day. Eleven pupils who distinguished themselves in Mathematics, English Language, Economics, Accounts, Fine Art, Agricultural Science, Physics and Biology in the 2013/ 2014 academic session were rewarded with plaques and cash prizes. Audu Donald, an SS3 pupil, was the star of the event, carting away prizes in English Language, Physics and Biology. He was represented by his mother, Mrs. Margret Audu, who expressed joy with her son's performance. The Head Boy of School, Eribo Richmond, won the prize for Mathematics. He thanked ECOBA Lagos Chapter for the prizes and expressed optimism of becoming a

By Jane Chijioke

mechanical Engineer. He said that the Award has boosted his confidence. Olu Osei Victor, an SSIII pupil, won the prize for Fine Art, while Ogieva Osahenrumwen, a JSS 3 pupil won in English Language, while Osazuwa Eghosa clinched the prize for SS III Mathematics. He was accompanied by his father, a graduate of Mathematics from University of Nigeria Nsukka and retired principal. He said as a former mathematics teacher, his son Osazuwa, sees him as a role model. Speaking at the event, representative of ECOBA, Lagos branch and the Chairman of the Education Fund of the chapter, Prof E.S. Akpata, said that the initiative was part of the efforts of ECOBA, Lagos to encourage the pupils of the school to work hard and excel academically. The Professor of Dentistry, at the

College of Medicine, Lagos State University, added that funds donated by members of the Lagos State branch of the Association have been invested to yield dividends which will be used for future awards. He advised the students who did not win prizes in the inaugural edition to work harder as provision has been made for next year's event. In his remarks, the Principal of Edo College, Deacon Godwin Osawomwan, praised the old boys for their laudable programmes which he said, has helped the students' development and has repositioned the school to an enviable height in Edo State. He recounted the immense contributions of the different classes of the Old Boys Association to include provision of interlocking tiles in some parts of the school compound, provision of magnetic white Boards, Desks and Chairs, renovation of the schools Hall amongst others.

Rivers Commissioner wins award

HE Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi has won the 2014 African Child Prize Award for Education Development. The prize was for her distinguished service towards securing a better future for the Nigerian child. At the event, Mrs Lawrence-Nemi said education was a passion in Rivers State. Rrepresented by her Personal Assistant Mrs Victoria Anyanwu, she said every child meant a lot to the government. She noted that the Governor Chibuike Amaechi-led administration has made education free and compulsory for every child. The President/Country Representative, African Child Foundation, Prince Donald Onosakponome, said the award was given to Africans and non-Africans doing business in the continent, who have rendered

service towards the promotion of the rights, upliftment and empowerment of the African child – through business, child education, child healthcare, fight against child abuse, civic, community, political, professional, charitable, research, teaching or writing activities, innovation or remarkable accomplishments in their career or field of endeavours. Onosakponome said the recipients were role models, and sources of inspiration, succour and refuge to the society. He said te awardees distinguished themselves by: promoting a positive attitude and an unyielding desire to enhance the quality of life in our community; striving to unite communities; serving as exemplary role models for young people; taking up

•Mrs Lawrence-Nemi

effective leadership roles; among others. Other awardees at the event include, Prof Pat Utomi and Nigerian Musician Jordie.

THE Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, Isaac Eke, was at the AAUA to visit the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Femi Mimiko, last week. Accompanied by some police czars in the state, including the newlydeployed Divisional Police Office (DPO) of Akungba Division, Mr. Femi Joseph Femi, Eke, praised the university for supporting the police, especially in Akungba. He said the Command had been on a familiarisation tour of the state for two weeks and assured the VC that the police would continue to do everything possible to curb cultism and other criminal activities in the State. Responding, Prof. Mimiko appreciated the police for doing a great job for the country. "Whatever thing we need to do as an Institution to make the police system here more effective, the DPO should count on us. We will bend over backward to do such so as to sustain the peace in and around the University Community. We will do everything possible to deepen our relationship with you," he said.

Why pupils skip Primary Six •Continued from page 26

to happen," he said. He added secondary schools are sometimes forced to take younger children because if they do not, others would take them. "It is sad that the secondary schools are almost being manipulated to take children that are too young. I think it is very bad for the children. I think that one needs to realise that thorough foundation is important for that child. You might skip a year and initially the child might do very well. But somewhere along the line, it will catch up with that child. If not in school, in the university; if not in the university, in the work place. But some way, it catches up; by not setting the right foundation," he said. Mrs Falore said schools that accept underage children should desist from doing so. "Some private schools are not helping matters. I will not give a testimonial or certificate to a Primary Five child. But others will do it to please parents. But I tell them they are spoiling the standard. Some schools even give double promotion from Primary Four to Primary Six, which is not right," she said. Mrs Osuno said for children who complete secondary school before 16, undergoing a two-year A-Level programme would help them mature and prepare them appropriately for university education.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

EDUCATION GRADUATION

GRADUATION

Parents warned of threats

ARENTS have been warned to be wary of negative factors that could affect the development of their wards. Guest speaker at the sixth graduation of Cardinal Nursery and Primary School, Isheri, Idimu, Lagos, Mrs Stella Olagunju, who gave the warning, said the 21st century parents faced an uphill task raising their children because of the conflicting demands of career success. She added that the children are more vulnerable because of early exposure to the internet, resulting in its abuse. She said: “In this century, there are several threats to child upbringing; this range from the obliteration of what used to be. Insecurity, the harsh realities of economic down turn, unemployment, kidnapping, rape, pedophilia, gay, lesbianism and all sorts of moral decadence becoming the order of the day.” Mrs Olagunju said with today’s challenges, it takes far more than mere wishes to raise successful children who will make their parents and the society proud. She counselled parents to carefully nurture their children intellectually, emotionally, morally and

By Mojisola Clement and Oluwatosin Olawale

aesthetically in an ideal society that provides a secure and safe environment for the children to be well groomed. The event, which held at the D’Cubicle Events Centre, Isheri, Idimu, Lagos, also featured awards to graduands who distinguished themselves in their academics, conduct, and quest for excellence. Akintoye Samuel won the Best Graduating pupil award; Hannah Samuel was declared the neatest pupil, while Igbochi Emmanuel clinched the well-behaved award. The school’s head teacher, Mr. Kyei Samuel, advised the graduands not to pick up negative attitudes and behaviours they did not learn from the school. Chairman of the occasion, Dr Francis Nchuchuwe, said Cardinal School has developed tremendously adding that he is satisfied with the teachings in the school. “I have no reservations in saying kudos to the school because I am highly satisfied with the teaching methods. My children that attend this school are good testimonies to that fact,” he said.

• The graduating nursery pupils. Inset: Mrs Adeyemi

Pre-school fetes nine graduands

HE nine nursery pupils, for whom parents, teachers and other guests gathered at De'Hall Events Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, were in high spirits for their

• The School choir presenting a song at the Cardinal School graduation.

College bids farewell to pioneer pupils

EVEN pioneer pupils of De Dynamic Comprehensive College, Ota, Ogun State, were sent off last Thursday at the school's maiden valedictory. In her address, the Director of the school, Alhaja Aramide Bello, described the event as a milestone that called for gratitude to God. She recalled how the school began academic activities with 13 pupils comprising six pupils in JSS I and the seven pupils that eventually became the graduands. She admonished them to live their dreams and listen to learn the more.

HE Revd Payne Memorial College Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, has graduated its first set of Senior Secondary School (SSS) III pupils. The trio, Akinlootu Oyeronke, Abdul Akorode and Payne Deborah, were decorated during the school's awards and valedictory held last Thursday at the college hall. Decorating the graduands, the Chairman of Payne Group of Schools, Babatunde Payne, an architect, described them as future leaders and youths with lot of potentials. He noted that the school has achieved tremendous achievements within its short period of

By Nneka Nwaneri

Former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), and guest speaker, Prof Peter Okebukola, congratulated the school on its first outing. To parents, Okebukola said: "Parents who want to reap the investment they have made on their children should watch them closely. A network of communication with their friends will help you know when they are having behavioural changes in the higher institutions. Most of all, pray for them.

The best graduating pupil, Blessing Ojo, told The Nation that the school, with its boarding facilities and quality teachers, is a good place for adequate learning. "The experience we had is one we will look back on and share with our generation. “We have learnt the value of education, knowing that only hard work leads to success. "This is not the end; it the beginning of our lives. We are the best of ourselves in this beautiful journey and we will never forget our alma mater," Blessing said.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

graduation last Thursday. They looked cute attired in black and yellow - with graduation caps sitting on their heads. Some may reason that the next step for them is just the primary school, but for parents and teachers of the school, getting the right pre-school foundation at Cradle and Kickers School, Omole, Lagos was worth celebrating. The milestone was commemorated with a valedictory service that featured hymns, prayers for their future, and an exhortation by Rev Bukola Johnson, who admonished parents to ensure that their work - referring to their children - is productive. Director and founder of the school, Mrs Bukky Adeyemi, said the graduation, which is the eighth in the Cradles and Kickers, is particularly significant because it is happening in the school's 10th year of existence. She said through the years, the school has groomed children who have gone on to excel in other highflying primary schools. "Our graduands have been good ambassadors. When we started, I had a small ambition. I just wanted 12 kids. But God has been good. I am very proud of my Cradles and Kickers children,” she said. She also thanked the workers and parents, some of whom were rewarded with gifts at the event, for their contribution to the school's growth. For Mr Stanley Emenife, father of Trinity, one of the graduands, Cradles and Kickers has provided the kind of foundation he desires for his children. "In terms of etiquette, and morals, they are doing very good. When I am driving they point out that I should obey traffic laws. The school doesn't just teach numbers and writing. The foundation is really important. It is good to know that the school reinforces values we teach at home," he said. Chairman of the school's PTA, Mr Kunle Akinnibosun, said the school

School graduates first SS3 set By Ibrahim Yusuff

existence, which he attributed to God, support of parents and dedication of workers. "Under two years when we started the primary school, we also came up with a college. For the first time in the history of this state, the 13th edition of the Nigerian Stock Exchange essay competition was won by a pupil of this school when we were just five months old," he said. Earlier, the Proprietress, Mrs Folashade Payne, urged parents

not to relent in their efforts towards giving their children qualitative education. "On occasion like this, we have every cause to celebrate and rejoice as we are presenting our first set of SS3 graduands. It is our prayer that as we unleash these three beautiful angels into the world, their aspirations, goals and dreams in life shall be fulfilled. I want to thank all our parents for their support, understanding and cooperation all the while," she said. Also at the event, some pupils

received awards for outstanding academic performance in Mathematics and English language for the 2013/2014 academic session. Some of the awardees were: Omisanda Adetutu (SS2), Emmanuel Caleb (SS1), Yaya Lolade (JSS3), Salami Sulaiman (JSS2), Oyinlola Samad (Primary 5), Odunsanya Lolade (Primary 4), Abass Korede (Primary 3), Adeyemi Tobiloba (Primary 2) and Payne Zoe (Primary 1). The event also featured choreography, drama presentation and cultural dance.

concentrated its efforts on building a foundation of "godliness, morals and educational depth" which are important for future success in life. On her part, the school's Administrative Head, Ms Jennifer Shedrack, said having worked in three schools before joining Cradles and Kickers, she was impressed to find that it has the discipline to stop admissions even when there is a waiting list. "Cradles and Kickers is a family school. We have a particular limit for each class. It gets to a point my director will say stop admitting. This means we are able to give attention to every child in the class. Other schools carry those that are willing along and leave others behind," she said.

Glamour at Summerland’s graduation By Jane Chijioke and Oluwaseun Akinola

OMPLETING six years of secondary education is a milestone in the life of any pupil at primary and secondary levels. It was not different for pupils of Summerland Schools, Mushin, Lagos who graduated last Wednesday. The combined graduation for nursery, primary and secondary graduands held at the Toks Toks Event Centre, Mushin. Dances, choreography, drama, news casting and photo shots spiced the event. The Principal, Mr Idowu Olufade charged the pupils to be a challenge to those not in school and not neglect what they have learnt in school and at home. He encouraged them to seek the Kingdom of God, which is the foundation of everything in life and also to watch and pray. He underscored the importance of informal education, which he said could guide them inr life. "There is nothing in life that you learn that will be useless so it is that informal education that you need most," he said. Olufade also advised parents not to relent in molding their children in the right path. Ikechukwu Ugochukwu, whose ambition is to be a lawyer, won the English award for Basic Six said it came as a surprise. "I did not expect this but I am happy. English Language is my best subject. I love reading novels because they add to my knowledge," he said. Shittu Tajudeen, who won the best pupil in Mathematics and Commerce in the SS3 category, said he has always been the best in mathematics right from his JSS2, while he developed interest in Commerce in his senior secondary classes.

Freshers’ moment of joy

Calm after the storm

*CAMPUSES *NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS

Page 31 Page 42

*GRANTS

THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE 0805-450-3104 email: campusbeat@yahoo.com THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

email:- campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

Polytechnics and colleges of education are back, 11 months after they were shut following a disagreement between teachers and the Federal Government. The strike may, however, resume if the government does not meet the teachers’ demands in three months. JENNIFER UMEH (ND II Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Offa), writes.

Strike: Poly students say never again L

IFE is gradually returning to polytechnics and colleges of education, 11 months after they were shut following a disagreement between teachers and the Federal Government. Students returned to school about two weeks ago when the teachers resolved to suspend the action after meeting with the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau. But, the suspension will be for three months, during which the government is expected to meet the demands. During the strike, the campuses were desolate; weeds and mushrooms covered classrooms and libraries. Commercial activities were also disrupted as business operators closed shops. Many students became idle during the long strike. For Folake Adeojo, the strike was an anticlimax. Barely a week after the 22-year-old got admitted into the Federal Polytechnic in Offa (OFFA POLY), the campus was shut. She spent another 11 months at home, having stayed idle for four years, looking for admission. She said: “I wrote the matriculation examination four times before I got admission into OFFA POLY. I was really sad. It was like I am the only one that suffered the effect of the strike. I just wanted to start my studies.” OFFA POLY was lifeless during the strike, which cost the management and students a lot. The management may spend millions of naira on structural defects on some buildings, according to a senior official. President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Festus Ayodeji, a HND II Mechanical Engineering student, said some stu-

•Continued on page 30

•A deserted ADO POLY campus during the strike

PHOTO: TEMITOPE YAKUBU

•Union gets first female chairperson -P32 •Corps member builds bus stand-P41

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

From Liberia with love Pushing Out A

FORMER university course mate of mine from Liberia gave me a call penultimate week after reading one of my articles. He was among several students from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Namibia and South Africa that Nigeria offered scholarship to study in the country in the 80s and 90s. Yes, Nigeria was really the big brother of Africa back then. We played a key and strategic role toward the end of colonial rule in South Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Angola and Mozambique and in the end of apartheid in South Africa. We were also a staunch supporter of the Frontline States of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe which was established to achieve democratic rule in South Africa. Back then we had a robust foreign policy thrust with Africa as the “centerpiece.” This was the major reason most Nigerians were saddened that we were not duly recognised and accorded our dues and earned respect during the burial of Nelson Mandela. After exchanging pleasantries, my ex course mate expressed sadness at the current state of insecurity in the country. Because of the Liberian civil war, he travelled to Guinea as a refugee from where he came to Nigeria and was granted scholarship by the government. He is one grateful Liberian that sees himself as a Nigerian any day. ”Are Nigerians aware of what they are toying with?” was his question to me after we finished discussing old times. “The untold misery I witnessed in my country and Sierra Leone is better imagined. I hope Nigerians will rise up and nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand. Nobody is safe during a civil war, we are still battling to put ourselves together a decade after the end of our war. I love Nigeria for giving me a degree and pray this insecurity ends before degenerating to something else. I am eternally grateful for all you guys did for me.” After I hung up I reflected on some of the gory stories he told about their civil war, some of which I already knew because I have friends who fought in that brutal war, some never came back alive. I’m an optimist and I believe strongly that Nigeria will eventually pull through and overcome the current challenges, but I must confess that sometimes I feel weighed down,

especially with the senseless killings of innocent citizens who may not comprehend the dynamics of the security challenge we face today. with Surely, we all hope Nigeria pulls through. But that should not be taken for granted or to underscore the gravity of the issues the country 08116759750 faces in the context of a changing (SMS only) global order and the need for deep •aagboa@gmail.com thinking and strategic action. This is time to put on our thinking cap on and be reasonable for once. Samuel Huntington once noted that the and prepare for what may be a persistent force that seems to be moving the world these challenge of the 21th Century for Nigeria. With the exception of some editorials and days is not political ideology, but political identity. Everyone is asking the question: op-eds appearing whenever the bombings intensify, we lack a commendable civic enWho are we? And who are we not? The question is imperative for today. While gagement aimed at proffering solutions to answering the former may be contentious the crisis. How many seminars, workshops because of inflamed ethnic, regional and re- and focus group meetings have been conligious tensions in Nigeria today, the latter vened to think through the Boko Haram crican be answered immediately that we are sis? Definitely, the absence of such sort of not suicide bombers neither are we terror- engagements illustrates the low-energy public intellectualism that defines our public ists or murderers. In the midst of this it appears our space. It is also depressing but true that it is mainly intelligentsias have gone to sleep. Gone are the days when our ivory towers use to be a in foreign think tanks and centres that the beehive of heightened intellectual activities. Boko Haram crisis is receiving the quality Gone also are the days when economists, attention it deserves from scholars and sociologists, historians and political scien- policymakers. The Nigerian government, tists gather to take interdisciplinary ap- intellectual and civil society actors have not proaches to solving complex national prob- done well in engaging with the challenges lems that the government often find very of nation building. The danger of this lack of intellectual rigour and vigour is that we may useful. This is why it is frightening that deep think- not effectively overcome these challenges if ing is sorely missing in Nigeria today and efforts are not made to contain it. Perhaps it is because of our underdevelthe need to urgently popularise it again. Since the bombs started to go off in the North East, oped nature? The predicament of underdeAbuja and elsewhere, there have been no se- velopment approximates to the chronic abrious workshop and strategic meetings sence of problem-solving thinking. Whether organised by groups to rethink the social and viewed in terms of the weakness of institupolitical currents of the new wave of terror- tions or the low quality of goods and serism. Apart from a touch here and there, we vices, countries that persist in underdevelhave not heard insightful expositions by our opment are those that are unable to socially scholars and social critics. This is a clear evi- produce quality solutions to environmental, social, economic and political challenges. dence of the death of public reason. It is not rocket science that developed sociThe sad story is that this grave crisis has not elicited the expected rigorous thinking eties have successfully mainstreamed their and analysis from policy and intellectual universities and other epistemic communicircles in Nigeria. There have been no high- ties with their policymaking institutions. The profile intellectual events to headline a seri- marriage of knowledge production and ous commitment on the part of researchers policymaking is definitive of societies that and policy thinkers to properly understand are on the forward march.

Agbo Agbo

Prof Nail Fergusson, a right wing Harvard historian in one of his latest book titled “The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die” said the real issue for societies is the quality of public reason. He shows how the degeneration of western society occurred or could occur. What stands out from his analysis however is that the quality of institutions for coordinating social transactions makes the critical difference between prospering and declining societies. So, when societies think clearly and act intelligently, they create superior social institutions to solve their problems. But when public reason is weak then problems persist or compound. The dilemma of public reason in Nigeria is very evident and troubling. The quality of debate is also depressing. In the place of logic there is anger and fury. This is where a vibrant civil society comes in. The focus of civil society is formulating policies and programmes that affect social and economic outcomes for the people. It plays its role best when it plays the policy game and not politically partisan. Of course, policy is politics. But that is only to the extent that policy seeks to achieve broader political outcomes. Not just partisan outcomes. As we grapple with our security challenges, we need to remind ourselves that most of the more difficult problems we face today are not the products of mere partisan politicking. They are outcomes of leadership. And leadership begins with mobilising ideas that could change situations. Our continued underdevelopment is a product of low quality public reason. If we don’t improve the quality of public reasons, if civil leaders don’t see problems as opportunity for creative thinking and mobilise social engagement in search of solutions, we will wake up after much politicking and many elections and discover we have simply compounded our problems. Just like my Liberian ex course mate prays, I also pray we don’t get to that stage. In order to bypass that stage, we need to realise that creative ideas are not generated through superficial one-off encounter; they are generated through persistent, intense, rational and deep thinking. We must realise that solutions to social problems do not end with good ideas alone. There should be great leaders as well who can use the good ideas generated to mobilise citizens toward quality and positive collective actions. How we need such leaders in these trying times.

Poly students say never again •Continued from page 29 dents may not be mobilised for the National Youth Service because of age limit. He said: “Some students who were about 30 years last year may not be mobilised for Youth Service because they would have passed the age limit of 30 years.” The strike took its toll on the Federal Polytechnic in Ilaro, Ogun State. The economy of the ancient town was hit. Ilaro, whose commercial activities revolve round the institution, suffered during the strike. Apart from the security men at the gate and a few academic staff members in the Administrative Building, the school was deserted when CAMPUSLIFE visited a few days before the strike was called off. The shopping malls, stalls and business centres around the campus were closed. There was no business for commercial motorcyclists, who ply the campus routes. Some were seen sleeping in their parks; other were conversing. An operator, Tobi Okenola, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, said: “I had to return to my auto mechanic vocation to survive. The strike subjected our members to hunger.” A trader at the school gate told our correspondent he postponed his wedding because of the strike. “I expected to finance my wedding from the money I would make selling my wares to the students. But I postponed the wedding two weeks after the strike started because of no sales,” he said. There was gloom at the host community of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede (EDE POLY) in Osun State, during the strike. Food vendors and small businesses,

patronised by students closed shops. A bank on the campus was affected. There was no long queue of students in its hall. The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) in Lagos, which is famed as the busiest in the country, was a shadow of itself during the strike. Activities were low while the students were away. Some HND II students said it was only about two months to their graduation when the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) went on strike. Emmanuel Afolabi, a HND II Mechanical Engineering student, who had two months to complete his programme, said: “I am frustrated.” At 29, Afolabi said he regretted being a liability to his parents, who have to do extra work to feed him and his siblings. Students are worried that ASUP may go back on strike if the government did not meet its demands. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that only four of the 15 demands were met by the government.

‘ We should appeal to

ASUP to save our future. The Federal Government is not reliable going by the way masses are treated

’

•Students of YABATECH during a protest

The students are saying that they had suffered enough during the strikes. Khalil Ayinde, a ND II Accountancy student of OFFA POLY, said students must not be taken as pawn by the government and aggrieved lecturers. He said: “Another round of strike would be absolutely disgraceful for the country. This is not how to run education. Although we want a better system but there are ways our lecturers can go about it, without putting the future of students on the line.” For Damilola Ibitoye, a ND 1 Mass Communication student of OFFA POLY, polytechnic education should be forgotten in the country should lecturers embark on another strike. “I see no reason why the government should not meet the ASUP demand before the three months deadline lapses. They should not compound our problem with their politics because none of their children is studying in any polytechnic. Government should hurry up and answer the lecturers; I

don’t want to experience another strike again,” she said. Monarchs and non-governmental organisations should speak up for students should there be another strike, Fausat Olakope, a student of ILARO POLY, said. Oghenetejiri Ekete, a ND II Mass Communication student of ILARO POLY, said: “We know that ASUP is fighting for a good cause, but they should also consider students and accept what the Federal Government has to offer. I am spending four years already for a part-time programme I should do in three years.” Ayomide Aladegboye, a HND II Computer Science student of YABATECH, said students should only beg their lecturers not to go on strike because government has been insensitive in the face of the dwindling values of education. “We should appeal to ASUP to save our future. The Federal Government is not reliable going by the way masses are treated,” he said.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE The row over the selection of the Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNZIK) in Awka, Anambra State, by the Governing Council is gradually disappearing, following the endorsement of the process by stakeholders. MMADUKA ODOGWU (Political Science) writes.

Calm after the storm T HERE was tension at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra State as the tenure of its Vice-Chancellor, Prof Boniface Egboka, was about to end. Who would succeed Egboka? No member of the university community could tell, but all they knew was that the contest would be keen. No fewer than 35 professors, including the then Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Joseph Ahaneku, were in the race to succeed Prof Egboka, whose tenure ended. When their credentials were vetted by the Governing Council, Prof Ahaneku was picked. The council, led by Air Vice Marshal Larry Koinyan (rtd), selected Ahaneku after the candidates were shortlisted to nine. Other contenders were Prof Benjamin Osisioma, Prof Ikechukwu Oluka, Prof Christian Ikpeze, Prof Gregory Nwakoby, Prof Azubuike Nwankwo, Prof Ifeoma Enweani, Prof Emeka Nwabueze and Prof Godwin Mbamalu. The joint Council-Senate Interview Board met with the contenders. Using a scoring system different from the template issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, it interviewed the candidates. Three of them - Prof Nwakoby, Prof Ahaneku and Prof Osisioma - were adjudged to have excellent credentials. As required by law, the report of

the interview board was presented to the Council members for approval and adoption. The council used a voting method to select the VC from the three names submitted. According to members, they decided to toe the path of democracy to ensure transparency in the exercise. Of the 11 Council members who voted, eight chose Prof Ahaneku, three went for Prof Nwakoby, while Prof Osisioma had no vote. By this outcome, the stage was set for Prof Ahaneku to become Prof Egboka’s successor. The statement from the Council read: “The entire process was done in accordance with due process and provisions of the University Act.” But the selection method did not go down well with some of the contestants, especially the first runnerup, Prof Nwakoby. He reportedly called a press conference to proclaim victory before the official pronouncement of the winner by the Council. When Ahaneku’s name was announced, Nwakoby protested and alleged that he was shortchanged by the Council members. A few hours before Prof Ahaneku took the oath, there was rumour of “massive protests” being planned by some aggrieved contenders to disrupt the ceremony. There was tension on the campus. A prominent member of the management, who did not want his name in print, said the process that

•Prof Ahaneku (second left) with staff members at a function on campus recently

brought Ahaneku in was “completely transparent”, denying that the process was against other candidates. However, the inauguration of Prof Ahaneku was witnessed by a mammoth of crowd of staff members, students and members of the university community. President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) Chinonso Ibe said students were in support of the new administration, urging the unsuccessful candidates to team up with the VC to move the school forward.

Endorsement of Ahaneku’s administration also came from the most powerful union on campus - the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNIZIK chapter, whose members visited the VC to felicitate with him. Led by their chairman, Prof Harry Odimegwu, ASUU members said they were ready to work with Ahaneku. They canvassed improved welfare for academic staff. The union expressed confidence in the ability and technical competence of the VC to turn the fortunes of the institution around.

Similarly, the institution’s chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) declared support for the new administration. Its chairman, Comrade Louis Okwudili, while presenting some of their challenges to the VC, noted that discipline, hard work, and commitment would remain the watchwords of the union to ensure the progress of the institution. With the support of major stakeholders within the university community, the storm gathered by VC’s selection is over. Will tranquility return to the campus?

A model for Africa’s growth Students from some African countries were at the University of Ibadan (UI) last weekend for the maiden conference of the African Students For Liberty (ASFL). It was organised to propagate development, liberty and wealth creation among youths. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI (Language Arts) reports.

HAT is the best economic model that would hasten Africa’s development? A model that encourages the rule of law and wealth creation is most suitable, said speakers at the maiden African Students For Liberty (ASFL) Conference held last weekend at the University of Ibadan (UI). The participants, who are mainly students, came from Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania, among others countries. They share the belief that Africa can be liberated from poverty. Trenchard Hall of the university was draped in ASFL banners and emblems to suit the mood of the occasion. ASFL is an offshoot of Students For Liberty (SFL), a non-profit organisation founded in the United States, aimed at empowering students to become leaders and change agents in their communities. Speakers at the event included the co-founder of SFL, Alexander McCobin; a social media entrepreneur, Japheth Omojuwa; a renowned writer, Dr Wale Okediran; Vice President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Ghana, Mr. Kofi Bentil, and a former member

of the House of Representatives, Hon. Farouk Aliyu, among others. Okediran, who spoke on the Role of literature in sustainable democracy and good governance, said literature was vital to good governance. He noted that writers played the role of social critics and conscience of any nation. Okediran, a former House of Representatives member, said the literary works of the likes of Wole Soyinka, the late Chinua Achebe, Femi Osofisan, Prof Niyi Osundare and the late Festus Iyayi are a moral compass for the nation in search of good governance and development. He told the participants to uphold ideologies that could bring development and get themselves involved in politics. McCobin spoke on SFL and the global movement for liberty. He went down the memory lane, saying liberty had come a long way in the course of human history. If people want desired change, he said, they should espouse an economic model that can bring about prosperity within a short period. He condemned political systems that do not lead to social change but only respond to giving out hand-

•Participants at the conference

outs and incentives to lazy people. He said: “I challenge you to rise as leaders in your countries and change the lives of the people through progressive ideas. You must know that leaders see the end as the most valuable; values define them more than temporary pleasures.” Societies must not be subjected to the whims and caprices of individuals who are likely to manipulate social order to benefit their interests, Hon. Aliyu said. The ex-lawmaker, who spoke on Importance of rule of law to Nigeria’s development, said the society must be governed by a predetermined set of laws subscribed to by members through democratic processes. Does the rule of law rule work in Nigeria? Hon. Aliyu said decades of military rule in Nigeria saw the citizens suffer executive lawlessness, human rights abuses and violence, which, he said, were caused by disobedience to the rule of law. “Under military rule, the rule of law was sent to the gallows, while the soldiers used decrees, which were followed arbitrarily by the ruling military elite and imposed on citizens,” he said. He said without the rule of law,

•Hon. Aliyu

there could be no meaningful development in the country. The supremacy of the law, he said, is not a luxury that democracy offers but a platform on which democratic principles stand. Omojuwa, who spoke on Information and Communication Technology and liberty as catalysts for social change and wealth creation, said there was never an era in which humanity was blessed than in the age of social media. He told the students how social media had help improve the

condition of living in developing countries. He said, despite bombs and bullets, the youth must embrace the opportunity to create wealth and achieve prosperity. Gone are the days when telecommunications were luxuries and access to home videos was the exclusive preserve of the rich. The advent of social media, he said, has broken economic barriers and generated unimaginable wealth for young people, who embraced the opportunity. Omojuwa said: “Liberty has led to the advent of the internet and social media, which you must use to propagate ideas of liberty. Technological innovations across Africa must be embraced to take the continent out of poverty.” Highlight of the event included panel discussion on how students could benefit from opportunities offered by liberty and free markets. There was also an activism panel, which comprised pro-liberty students across Africa and presentation by Frederick Roeder, SFL’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and Peter Goetler, former Managing Director of Barclays Capital.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

Union gets first female chairperson

H •The Muslim sisters at the rally

Students hold awareness on Hijab

EMALE Muslim students at the Kogi State University, Anyigba, have held a sensitisation walk round the hostels to create awareness on hijab. Leading other students to observe the walk, the Ameerah, Tahaynat Baba, said the group decided to carry out the exercise to

From Yabagi Mohammed KSU enlighten women on the need for head covering. She said it was erroneous to associate hijab with terrorism, adding that Islam is a religion of peace and not war.

“We want people to know that the hijab protects the dignity of womanhood. It prevents other social ills such as molestation and sexual harassment. If a woman covers her body well, men will not be tempted in any way to say he wants to molest or harass her,” she stated.

ISTORY was made last Thursday when members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) chapter, elected Mrs Abiola Akinkugbe as their first chairperson. Akinkugbe, a senior lecturer at the General Studies department, scored 108 votes to defeat her closest opponent, Mr Rabiu Olugbenga with 51 votes. Akinrinola Olayemi was returned unopposed as Vice Chairman. Others are Arigbabu Kareem Olayemi, General Secretary and Oshin Taiwo Oluwatoyin, Public Relations Officer. Salami Olugbenga; Jaji Olatunde and Olorunfemi Alfred were returned unopposed as Assistant General Secretary, Treasurer and Welfare Officer. In her acceptance speech, Akinkugbe said she would take the body to the next level with the execution of her four-point agenda,

•Mrs Akinkugbe

By Kunle Akinrinade LASPOTECH saying: “I am indeed more than happy to emerge not only as the new chairman but as the first female leader of our great union. To this end, I shall strive to fulfil my four-point agenda which include the construction of ASUP secretariat, quarterly presentation of stewardship and promotion of financial discipline, among others.”

Graduate empowers pupils •Renovates library

GRADUATE of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, Bimbo Akinsanya, has dedicated her time and resources to transforming the lives of teenagers through her Bimbo ‘n’ Friends Initiative. Bimbo said the need to inspire students in public schools to lead better lives motivated the creation of the project. To mark its first anniversary, a four-day event was organised at Moremi High School, Ile-Ife, last week. The resource persons at the event, Dr Omotunde and Onyinye Obienu, spoke on topical issues, including hygiene, sex education

• Bimbo

From Sikiru Akinola OAU

and social etiquette. One of the partners of the initiative, Dr Brown, a sanitary pad manufacturer, donated the product to the female students. Project Beautify started the second

•Pupils at the event

day. Volunteers tidied up the already renovated library of Ife Middle School, Eleyele, and the library was ready for use the next day. On the fourth day, the library was launched. Mr Damilola Oguntunde spoke

on: “Having a vision for your life.” This was followed by a debate between School 1 and School 2. School 2 won. On the initiative, Bimbo said: We have a growing burden in our heart to reach out to students who are caught in or vulnerable to vices,

such as drugs or substance abuse, and we decided to carry out our responsibility by creating an atmosphere where everybody feels worthy”. She added that the organisation was confronted with the challenge of funding of vital projects.

Award in LAUTECH

LL is set for the 2014 OSCAR Awards at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, organised by Oscar Nigeria and Ecstasy International. The event will hold on August 22. The country representative of Ecstasy International, Mr John Ayodeji, in a statement, said the event was aimed at recognising students, groups, and brands at the institution that have distinguished themselves.

From Oluwatomilola Boyinde LAUTECH The organisers promised that the programme would be exciting, adding that notable figures and brands would receive awards. Winners from universities will later compete against one another in December at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos where several A-list artistes and comedians are billed to add colour to the event.

Faculty’s night of fun

T was a night of fun last week for members of the Faculty of Arts Students Association (FASA), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. They celebrated their faculty night at the Marble Arc Hotel, Awka. The event started around 8.00pm with a red carpet session. It featured exciting musical performances by upcoming artistes, including Mr Jaga Pac, Mr Vin and Young Chizzy, among others. There was also a dance performance by Pinko Ladies. The high point of the occasion was the Miss FASA and Mr FASA beauty contest. At the end of the competition, Jennesy Odimuko,100-Level History and International Studies, was crowned Miss FASA while Kareen Onyebueke from Theatre Arts was the Face of FASA, female

From Oluchukwu Igwe UNIZIK category. For the male category, Austin Fred Ezennaya, 100-Level History and International Studies, emerged Mr FASA and Martin Nrialike was crowned the Face of FASA, male category. The event also featured presentation of awards to staff and students who distinguished themselves in the faculty. They included Dean of the Faculty Prof Alex Asigbo; Dr Chike Okoye, a lecturer in the Department of Linguistics and Nicholas Akas, Theatre Arts Department; Udoka Ojukwu, Anthony Nwokolo, Dominic Nwobi, Ibe Abuchi and Gerald Eze. Others were Prosper Dimkpa, Nkechinyere Ezendiowere, Henry Oguguo and Peter Onyekwelu.

•From right: Prof Ozumba, Okorie, Christian (speaking) and other NANS members at the meeting PHOTO: OLADELE OGE

NANS greets UNN VC

TUDENTS in higher institutions have been urged to shun tribal sentiments in their relationship with fellow students. The charge was given by the ViceChancellor of the University of Nigeria, (UNN), Prof Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba, while receiving members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southeast (Zone B) in his office last week. Prof Ozumba advised the stu-

From Oladele Oge UNN dents to be selfless in the discharge of their responsibilities and maintain good academic records. President of the Students’ Union Government of the institution, Christian Agu said the union had bridged the communication gap between students and management. Presenting a paper titled: “Moral

behaviour and selfless service”, NANS Zone B President Ikechukwu Okorie advised members of the students’ union to unite for the progress of the institution. The Public Relations Officer, Mr Mike Asogwa, expressed gratitude to the VC for the cordial relationship with everyone. Agu expressed optimism that the visit would help the students’ body to understand the challenges faced by students.

Newspaper of the Year

AN 8-PAGE PULLOUT ON SOUTHEAST STATES THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

‘I don’t want to die now’

Abia POWA remembers widows

Fed Govt trains Abia technicians

•PAGE 35

PAGE 33

•PAGE 36

•PAGE 40

•Mrs Okadigbo with some Omambala women

A widow’s reward for constituents

IDOWS are considered to be among the lessprivileged in the society. They, therefore, attract sympathy from well-meaning individuals. Nobody expects anything worthwhile from them; rather, they receive from people who are moved by their plights as they have lost their husbands who should take care of them. However, it is unusual for a widow to give back to the society to the tune of millions of Naira. This was case in Anambra North Senatorial Zone where Margery Okadigbo, wife of former Senate President, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, gave a lift to members of her constituency. It was surprising to most of her constituents, who believed she had not done enough for the people of the zone which she represents at the Senate.

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

Recently, she presented several empowerment items worth N100 million to some members of her constituency. Senator Okadigbo, at Nteje, the headquarters of Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, gave out 200 deep freezers, 100 grinding machines, 200 sewing machines, 120 motor cycles, three ambulances and seven vehicles to the people. Those who benefitted were mainly her campaign coordinators from ward to local government, widows and other lessprivileged individuals. Each widow received a cooler while ward chairmen received a motorcycle each. The seven cars were for her campaign coordinators. Some less-privileged received deep freezers and sewing machines, among other items. The Senate President, David

‘Each widow received a cooler while ward chairmen received a motorcycle each. The seven cars were for her campaign coordinators. Some less-privileged received deep freezers and sewing machines, among other items’ Mark, who received a chieftaincy title of Dikeora from Ogbunike during the event, was accompanied by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. Also in his company were Senators Nuru Dim from Kogi,

Paulinus Igwe from Ebonyi, Esuene from Akwa-Ibom State and former Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih. Anambra State Governor Chief Willie Obiano was represented by his Senior Special Assistant

on Political Matters and former Commissioner for Information and Culture, Chief Joe-Martins Uzodike. The traditional ruler of Umunya, Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, and other monarchs were present at the event. Giving the car keys to the beneficiaries, Senator Mark urged them to use the vehicles judiciously to serve the purpose for which they were procured, advising those who did not get not to despair. He promised that they would benefit from such gesture in future. Noting that they were at the event to honour and support a colleague and not for a campaign, he reminded the people of Anambra North Senatorial zone of the need to continually support a winning team. Governor Obiano said through •Continued on page 34

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

•Members of the Imo State executive of the APC shortly after their inauguration

Imo APC gets Working Committee I

T was a gathering of political heavyweights in Imo State and beyond at the International Conference Centre in Owerri, the Imo State capital, when the elected members of the State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were inaugurated. The 10,000 capacity hall was filled to capacity with party faithful who thronged the venue as early as 7:00 am. Cultural dances and acrobatic displays by youths added colour to the occasion described by political observers as the largest political rally in the state in recent time. Addressing the crowd shortly after inauguration, Governor Rochas Okorocha said if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)led government at the federal and state levels had done well, APC would not have come on board, adding that the APC came up because of the failure of the PDP

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

to move the country and the states in particular forward. He said in Imo State, the PDP leaders had fed largely on the common treasury of the state at the expense of the masses, insisting that there is no basis of comparison between his three-yearold administration and the 12 years spent in the state by the PDP. He further noted that the 2015 elections will be like a contest between light which APC represents, and darkness which the PDP represents, he said. His words:: “The PDP leaders in the state had fed on the economy or common purse of the state. The APC is a new party for a new Nigeria. If you believe that Imo State has been transformed in three years, then APC is the party good for the people of the

‘The PDP leaders in the state had fed on the economy or common purse of the state. The APC is a new party for a new Nigeria. If you believe that Imo State has been transformed in three years, then APC is the party good for the people of the state. PDP should also allow the APC to govern the state for 12 years so that Imo people can give their verdict’ state. PDP should also allow the APC to govern the state for 12 years so that Imo people can give their verdict.

“They said PDP is an Igbo party. How is it an Igbo party? Is the National Chairman or National Secretary or the President or the

Vice-President or the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives an Igbo? The answer is no. “Don’t forget that Boko Haram began several years before the formation of the APC. The PDP has only succeeded in lining their pockets with money from the public treasury and nothing more.” Okorocha also stated that “the Imo PDP had left nothing behind in the Government House, Owerri for the 12 years they occupied it as to come back in 2015 to take it. When the time comes, the chaff will be separated from the wheat.” He, however, urged the APC leaders and members to be united, stressing that the victory of the party depended largely on how united the members are and •Continued on page 36

•Continued from page 33

Uzodike that what Senator Okadigbo did was part of the state government’s programme of empowering the youth, widows and the less-privileged people. He said despite Senator Okadigbo belonging to another party, she would receive the support of the state government in such event because it tilts towards eradication of poverty in the society. Uchenna Okafor, who is the chairman of Oyi Local Government Area and a member of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), praised Senator Okadigbo for empowering some members of her constituency. He described the empowerment programme of Okadigbo as the first of its kind in the area. In a chat with our correspondent, Senator Okadigbo said it was her own little way of saying thank you to her constituents for standing by her during all those years of trauma when she lost her husband and during the legal battle to reclaim her mandate. She said: “This is a tip of the iceberg. Before now, I believe I have done a lot to all the seven local

•Some of the vehicles

•The motor bikes

A widow’s reward for constituents government areas under my constituency and more empowerment programmes are coming. “I do not care what some people, especially those who are not members of my party, are saying. But if you move around in Anambra North Senatorial zone and ask questions, people will tell you the truth and you will see things for yourself.

“Politics is not about talking or praising oneself, it is a ground where your works speak for one. The people of the zone know that I have served them well within the two years I have been in the Senate.” For Innocent Nwanta from Iyiowa Odekpe in Ogbaru Local Government Area who received a motorcycle, it was a dream come

true and only God would reward the Senator. Also, Josephine Ayadiuno from Anaku in Ayamelum Local Government Area who received a sewing machine, praised Senator Okadigbo, saying her empowerment programme was the best thing that has ever happened to them. Amechi Obi from Umueze-Anam

in Anambra West who received a generating set and a clipper, the people of the zone would continue to support Senator Okadigbo. Others who spoke in like manner were Angelina Modu from Nteje in Oyi Local Government Area and Nwagu Chika from Fegge in Onitsha South Local Government Area, among other beneficiaries.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

I don’t want to die now, says FUTO student

NLESS assistance comes and quickly, the life of Chisom Duruokpo, a final year Agriculture Economics student of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, is in dange. No thanks to the ongoing nationwide doctors’ strike. Twenty-one-year-old Chisom is grappling with abdominal inflammation. Looking frail and tired, she said her predicament started late last year after successfully undergoing an appendicitis operation at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Curiously, a few months later, her stomach began to protrude, with an unusual sensation within her. Looking at Chisom, one could be temptated to believe that the once-vivacious young woman was due to put to bed. But that is far from the truth. She is suffering from an ailment which doctors assured could be corrected through surgery. Chisom, who hails from Orlu, Imo State, despite her troubles, is optimistic that she would bounce back to her former self with the help of kind-hearted Nigerians. She manifested her determination to live when, with her excruciating health challenges, she

By Wale Adepoju

finished her first semester examination. She had before the doctors’ strike, gone to LUTH for diagnosis. But, sadly, while her result was being processed in a private laboratory, the doctors embarked on an indefinite industrial action. When she returned to LUTH, the hospital was as silent as a graveyard. She was advised to visit any of the private hospitals that has the capacity to handle her case. It was at that point that the family knew that a danger was looming - lack of finance. The family members traversed many private hospitals. Unfortunately, the medical bills of those hospitals were way beyond their reach. Her abdominal ultrasound’s report, made available to The Niche, and signed by a Consultant Radiologist, Dr Igwilo J. U. reveals that there is a large central complex mass in her stomach. The ultrasound, however, shows that her liver, both kidneys and gall bladder are normal. “ My condition,” she managed to mutter in considerable pain, “is giving me restless nights,” describing it as a burden too

•Chisom before

heavy for her. The medical report reads: “There is a large central complex mass displacing the viscera postero-laterally. The mass measures 380.18cm, comprising multiple nodules, cystic and ne-

•Chisom with a protruding belly

crotic tissue. There is also a gross enlargement of the ovaries by a soft tissue mass. The liver is of normal span and shows a normal homogenous echogenicity. No focal lesion is seen within it. “The porta hepatis, veins are

all normal. Both kidneys are of normal size, shape, colour and contour. No calyceal dilatation or calculus is seen in either kidney. The gall bladder, pancreas •Continued on page 40

Community decries proliferation of arms, ammunition HE President of Okposi Community Development Union in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Dr. Eze Anoke, has cried out over insecurity, which he said has caused proliferation of arms and ammunition among youths. He decried the menace, saying it posed danger to the corporate existence of the community. Anoke said the indigenes are still mourning the abduction and murder of the former coordinator of the development centre, Ihebunndu Okorie.

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

He spoke after the union’s extraordinary emergency meeting held on the premises of Enechi Ekuma. The union president hailed the community members for their maturity and peaceful disposition during and after the Ezeship election, which produced Eze Cosmos Agwu as the Enechi Ekuma IV of Okposi autonomous community. The poll was held 10

years after the death of the former monarch. Anoke identified mistrust, rumour mongering, jealousy, envy, pull-him-down syndrome, backbiting, lack of mutual respect and unhealthy rivalry as the causes

of Okposi problems. Said he: “This avoidable ugly situation has given the Okposi community the nickname of Ovuruivuateweru, meaning ‘Big for nothing’, by the neighbouring communities.”

The president urged the traditional ruler to constitute his cabinet after 12 months of his coronation. He enjoined stakeholders, youths and good-spirited personalities to salvage Okposi.

‘We want worthy successor’

GROUP, the Akwa Ibom Professionals in Lagos, has urged Governor Godswill Akpabio to ensure he has a worthy successor

•The Enugu State Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi cutting the tape to officially commission the academy, assisted by the former Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mr. Osita Chidoka (right); chairman FRSC Board, Mr. Felix Chukwu and other top government functionaries. PHOTO: OBI CLETUS

By Tonia ‘Diyan

Members of the group spoke when they visited the governor in Uyo. The group president, Mr. Udeme Ufot, hailed Akpabio for transforming the state. He said: “The transformation witnessed in the state has not only changed the physical infrastructure, but it has also affected the people’s mindset.” Ufot said the giant strides resulted in a sense of pride and fulfillment in an average Akwa Ibom indigene. He enjoined the governor to ensure that the development is sus-

tained by his successor. Akpabio thanked the delegation for the visit. He lauded them for their support and encouragement. The governor recalled his earlier meeting with the professionals and advised them to contribute their quota to the development of the state. “We require your expertise to move Akwa Ibom forward in hospitality, education, banking, publishing and the like,” he said. The Akwa Ibom Professionals in Lagos is an umbrella organisation of Akwa Ibom indigenes, who live and have distinguished themselves in professions in Lagos State.

‘The transformation witnessed in the state has not only changed the physical infrastructure, but it has also affected the people’s mindset’

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

HEY may not have the academic qualifications that certify them as professionals, and you don’t expect them to start writing examinations for admission into universities to pursue a four or five years’ rigorous academic process and training. Also, they may not have hand outs or textbooks in engineering courses to catch the eyes of the global village, yet their natural skills and abilities to fix and keep industrial machines and automobiles working have saved most companies from being comatose. Companies within the Southeast and Southsouth are running their services, not because of cheap labour, but because they have much confidence in the services rendered by the unskilled auto-mechanics and electricians, who have displayed great skills in fixing various mechanical and electrical faults. Just like their counterparts in the business sector, automobile electrical and mechanical engineers help to keep companies in oil and gas, agricultural and industrial sectors functioning. Most companies that do not have the financial capacity to hire the services of expatriates or whose machines may have been caught up with technological innovation rely on their services to still be in production. To improve their skills in auto repairs, management of finances and customer services, the Federal Government, through the National Automotive Council (NAC), SURE-P and SMEDAN organised a three-week intensive training workshop for them. The exercise, which was well attended by members of the association in Abia State, featured lectured tutorials on the use of modern electronic device for easy test and identification of faults in cars. The participants were equally trained on the management of their resources and how and where they can go as small and medium-scale entrepreneurs to access funds. In a chat with reporters, Abel Onuma, the supervisor of the training from Bascom Motor Skills Agency Nigeria, said: “The training is being organised by the National Automotive Council

It was a three-week intensive practical and theoretical training for selected members of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) in Abia State. Our Aba correspondent, SUNNY NWANKWO who was part of the training reports

•NATA members during the training exercise

‘SMEDAN is exposing them on customer relationship, how to manage their resources, study their target market and also to build the confidence that they can compete favourably with their counterpart’

•NATA members with their workshop supervisors

Fed Govt trains Abia technicians

(NAC), Sure-P and SMEDAN and it is aimed at upgrading the skill and competency of Nigerian auto-technicians on how to fix challenges associated with modern vehicles, especially the new generation cars. “We consult with the Federal Government, especially NAC as a government body to train and re-train automobile mechanics and electricians. Our mandate is to train trainees in automotive sector as regards technological advancement in new modern vehicles. ”We have 27 participants who were being trained by the Federal Government to expose them to the modern method of fixing modern vehicles. The three weeks train-

•Over N500,000 automobile equipment given out ing has enhanced their skills on how to fix modern vehicles. In these 15 days training, we can attest that they are professionals in the areas they have been tutored. “We have very few universities that offer courses on automotivemechatronics. They have been the people who have learned this skill over the years. Even though prior to this time there has never been curriculum on how they should follow as it should be done in school, they are the one

fixing the issue now. “Our university to a large extent has not been able to produce competent and skillful engineers after graduation. We have seen a number of graduates who are just engineers on paper and cannot do what these set of people are doing even without being to formal school. “We have taught them the theoretical and practical aspect of automotive-mechatronics and that makes them to be very competent. The common people you see

when fixing vehicles on the streets are these technicians. “They are the best people for us at the moment to approach to begin to solve the problem associated with repairing of new model vehicles in our society and that is why Federal Government is much more interested in them. The Federal Government has also empowered them. The OBD2 scanning machine which has market value of over N100, 000 has been offered free of charge. “We went ahead to offer them

12 volt battery tester, multi-meter free of charge as well to empower them to fit in and be able to not only diagnose a vehicle, but to fix the challenges that is related to these vehicle. “The training has been certificated by the Federal Government. Their participation has been very impressive and don’t forget that It is a pan-Nigerian programme. In a chat with another resource person from Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN),

Imo disburses N270m to boost food production

Imo APC gets Working Committee

MO State government has begun the disbursement of N270 million grants to the departments of agriculture across the 27 local governments, to boost food

•Continued from page 34

the ability of the new state executive committee to carry everybody along. Some of the party leaders who spoke earlier, including the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, Chief P. C. Onuoha, Dr. E. J. K. Onyewuchi, among others, stressed the need for unity of purpose among the party leaders and members. The deputy governor charged the party officials to put the overall interest of the party above personal or selfish interest and ensure internal democracy at all levels. He said with the unprecedented achievements recorded by the APC-led administration in the state, the duty of expanding the membership base or acceptability of the party had been made easy, noting that the APC has become a household name.

He said: “Today, we are proud to be associated with the performing party because of the achievements of the Rescue Mission Agenda. Your duty, therefore, is to take the message of free education, youth-must-work programme, free maternal care and massive road infrastructure, among many others, to the people. You should avoid any attitude that will cast doubt on the integrity of the party.” Those inaugurated included the state Chairman, Dr. Hilary Ekeh, the Secretary, Barr. Emma Ibediro, Hon. Ugochukwu Nzekwe (Deputy-Chairman), Ifeanyi Onwueyiagba (Vice Chairman), Chief Christian Ogoma, (Vice-Chairman), G. N. Asika (Vice Chairman), Akubueze Batholomew (youth leader), Mrs. Theresa Ohanugba (women leader), among others. They were urged to unite and

Onyezonwu Allwell added “We are here to train the NATA people on entrepreneurship. Actually, we came from small and medium enterprises development agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). You actually know that as the name implies, it’s just an association but these are entrepreneurs who are doing various businesses in the automobile industry. They are rendering services and may be they have been doing it in an informal or crude way and you see that in the automobile industry

these days you have a lot of challenges. The industry is growing. There are a lot of new automobiles in sophisticated gadgets that are coming up every now and then. And they need to know what and what they should do to actually remain in business. “If you see in Nigeria, in terms of industrialisation, we are backward because in the past this opportunity of training entrepreneurs was not there or was not properly done. People did business haphazardly; they did it the way they choose and not the way the customers wanted. “This time we are trying to let them know that the customer is the key. You don’t do things the

way you like. You do what the customers want. If you want to produce goods or render services, you find out what will meet the need of the customer so that, you don’t come out to say you are doing business and nobody patronises you. Of course with the seriousness and time they have put into this programme, you don’t expect them to go and start looking for work in companies or elsewhere and which is not even the best. So, we want to empower them to enhance their entrepreneurial skills; let them know what they are supposed to do to make sure that they can compete with others/counterparts in the same field. ”SMEDAN is exposing them on customer relationship, how to manage their resources, study their target market and also to build the confidence that they can compete favourably with their counterparts. “Actually, by the law or edict establishing SMEDAM, MEDAN doesn’t have the powers to give out loans. We are just facilitators. We facilitate the access to finances for these entrepreneurs. If at the end of this training, finance becomes their problem, they can approach the agency. “We have what we call business clinic. First of all, we will put

the business in the clinic, test run it, find out actually if finance is what they need for the business to grow. The agency is patterning with Bank of Industry (BOI) and some other lending institutions. We can mediate between them just like we have been doing in the time past. So, it all depends on what they want.” On ways to monitor loans borrowed to ensure that they were used for the purpose it was meant for, Allwell added “Currently, there is this programme, we call it NEDEP programme. There is a particular amount of money the Federal Government has voted for Small scale businesses , the money is being channeled through the Bank of Industry and this has been like that over the years. Some entrepreneurs as I speak with you are at the verge of getting theirs. “So, we want to encourage them to form themselves into cooperatives. Forms are already available and once they meet the criteria that are required, the funds will be made available to them. The Bank of Industry has what it takes to checkmate that,” he assured Elder Reginald Umeike, Abia State Chairman NATA, Okechukwu Ike and Engineer Eusebius Obimkpu in separate interviews at the end of the training/workshop thanked the Federal Government for such gestures and stated that the training have opened their eyes and widened their knowledge, adding that the training was going to make them function well and better in their job as technicians and mechanics. According to NATA state chairman, the exercise should be made yearly and extended to their members who were not accommodated in the exercise. He said that they are going to take what they were taught into practice and called for more or a related exercise to be extended to them anytime the need be. Highlight of the event was the presentation of electronic devices purchased for members of the group by the federal government through the SURE-P project.

strengthen the party. In his acceptance speech, Ekeh assured that the team will work hard to win more people into the party and win all the elective offices in the 2015 general elections. He added. “We are, indeed, proud to be members of the State Executive Committee of our great party and we will do everything possible to ensure that we do not, at any time, betray the confidence reposed in us by the party leaders.” Highlight of the event was the distribution of over 40 APC branded vehicles to the executives, including local government chairmen of the party across the state.

‘When the governor announced the plan to disburse the money, we moved in to ensure it was not diverted or wasted. We made sure that it was managed by the heads of the agric departments. Today it is a success, it will boost food production’ •Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha introducing the APC State Chairman, Hillary Eke, shortly after his inuaguration

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

production. The Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Mathew Nworgu, a lawyer, who spoke with reporters in Owerri, said the Integrated Agric Farm Programme was conceived to revive agric departments and attain food security, especially in the rural communities. He said under the programme,

each of the 27 councils would receive N10 million, which would be managed by the heads of the agric departments for livestock and crop production, adding that the project recorded over 90 per cent success after the first evaluation. Nworgu said: “We’ve just concluded a monitoring tour of the local governments to evaluate the success of the programme. It has recorded over 98.9 per cent suc-

‘Conflicts, same sex marriage, signs of end-time’

NCREASE in conflicts and terrorism among nations and the ordination of gay men as bishops are some of the signs predicted in the Bible as an indication of the end-time. That was the view of the founder of Chapel of Faith Bible Assembly International, Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, who spoke yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State. He was addressing the congregation at a twoday programme for women expecting the fruit of the womb titled: “For the fruit of the womb”. Nwankpa said the signs that the world was

cess. The agric departments are alive with activities. The poultry and piggery departments are thriving. We are satisfied with their output. “When the governor announced the plan to disburse the money, we moved in to ensure it was not diverted or wasted. We made sure that it was managed by the heads of the agric departments. Today it is a success, it will boost food production.”

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

ending had become convincing, as gay men, who flouted God’s injunction, were ordained as bishops in Western countries, making a mockery of Christianity. He urged women to abstain from lesbianism and other immoralities, as they are sinful. Over 700 women across the state testified at the programme, organised every three months.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

Chime’s Chief of Staff and the opposition S

INCE 2007 when Governor Sullivan Chime assumed duty as the governor of Enugu State, the level of transformation has been unprecedented. This is despite the state receiving meager amount as allocation from the Federation Account; Chime has been shrewd in utilising the much he gets to provide benefits of democracy to the people. In terms of road network, Enugu ranks among the states with the best road network in Nigeria. In the area of crime-free society which has eluded the state for almost a decade now, Chime has done a lot in tackling crime wave in the state. Hardly does one walk more than 200 meters without meeting a flashy police car stationed in the vicinity. He supplied the police with many patrol vans with a view to ensuring that Enugu residents go about their businesses unmolested. The endemic water problem in Enugu became a thing of the past. In front every house, there is a water pump installed as it used to be in the 60s and 70s. Schools have been renovated and the over 400 secondary schools in the state were given a bus each. These are just few among the numerous democracy dividends achieved by the Chime administration. But the governor’s

S the political heat of who succeeds Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji, the incumbent governor of Abia State, in 2015 from Ngwa extraction intensifies, the Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA), Abia State chapter has urged political parties in throw open the contest to all aspiring candidates from the Ukwa/Ngwa area and other parts of the state. The party’s leadership stated that throwing open the governor-

From Chris Oji, Enugu

achievement is attributed to his choice of his Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, a Chartered Accountant. The governor once said of her amid the flurry of attacks on her: “I have no regrets appointing her. If I am given another opportunity, I will appoint her a hundred times over.” The prudent spending of the state’s resources guided by Mrs. Nwobodo made the governor to have absolute trust in her and would not take any final decision on an issue without considering her input. Her refusal for the government to open the state treasury for political hawks to loot became a source of worry to many people. And for her stance, she had incurred the wrath of politi-

cians, especially the opposition. The opposition and those not “favoured” by the government hold Mrs. Nwobodo responsible for their misfortunes. She is always blamed for any “wrongful” or “distasteful” position taken by the government. She is even being blamed for the current travails of the embattled Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi who is facing accusations of wrong doing that could lead to his removal by the state House of Assembly. They speculate that the Deputy Governor is being put on trial to make way for Nwobodo to become the Deputy Governor in order to have immunity to contest the senatorial seat of Enugu East. They alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is after her for finan-

‘For having performed creditably as the Chief of Staff and for having uplifted so many people from her zone, the Enugu East Senatorial zone, the elders, professionals, intellectuals and who is who from the zone unanimously adopted her as their representative in the Senate come 2015’

•Ifeoma Nwobodo

cial crimes. But sources say the EFCC has not gone after her now that she has no immunity. However, enquiries at the EFCC, Enugu office showed no evidence of such allegation. She was even accused of being responsible for the governor giving the governorship slot to Enugu North Senatorial zone which was announced by the governor last year. As the general elections draws closer, those in the National Assembly who are afraid that they might lose the ticket for re-election also blamed their woes on Mrs. Nwobodo. For having performed creditably as the Chief of Staff and for having uplifted so many people

from her zone, the Enugu East Senatorial zone, the elders, professionals, intellectuals and who is who from the zone unanimously adopted her as their representative in the Senate come 2015. Before this development, there was a policy by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that all those in the National Assembly who have served up to two terms would not get another dropped to enable them to make way for others. All of them, including the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who is in his third tenure, were affected by this policy. “The policy was introduced to pave way for Ifeoma Nwobodo to replace Gilbert Nnaji as the Senator representing Enugu East,” an aide to Nnaji alleged. But one thing that goes in her favour is the goodwill being showered on her by people of Nkanu. Recently, an advertorial in a national newspaper which was signed by “Save Enugu Movement” castigated the Chief of Staff, accusing her of being responsible for the removal of the former chairman of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ESUBEB), Mrs. Ethel Nebo-Ezeabasili. That advertorial was, however, consigned to the “dustbin” as one of the aides of the Chief of Staff put it “the faceless writers are at it again. If they know what they are alleging is true, let them come out and be identified. Afterall, this is democracy. There is no group known as Save Enugu Movement. There is Save Enugu •Continued on page 39

PPA to parties: throw governorship contest open From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

ship contest to all Abia sons and daughters, who wish to aspire for the position was going to ensure that credible candidates among the lots jostling for the office of the governor in 2015 would emerge. Prince Emeka Okafor, state

chairman and Chief Uche Enyioko, state secretary in a communiqué they endorsed on behalf of the party after an emergency state executive meeting of the party held at Umuahia, said it was both unjust and unconstitutional to exclude a section of the state that everybody believed it was their turn to produce the

governor of the state in 2015. PPA leadership, while admitting that the governorship position had eluded people from the Ukwa/Ngwa, stated that it would be undemocratic for political parties to cede or limit the contest for the governorship slot to a particular area. According to the release, it was a subtle way of disenfranchising tested politicians from the affected Local Government areas (Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South and Osisioma Ngwa) from contesting the governorship election, thereby denying the state of her best hands. Part of the communiqué reads; “This is the time for Ukwa/Ngwa to produce the governor of the state come 2015 and it should be about people and bloc and not about zone.

“PPA without any reservation, supports the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc to produce the next governor of the state in 2015 for equity and fairness, but what we are against is an attempt by some political parties in the state to disenfranchise some people from Ukwa/ Ngwa through the so called zoning which on its own was capable of creating division among the people of the area. The release further stated that PPA as a political party would not be party to such brazen flouting of the constitution by disenfranchising qualified people from contesting next year’s governorship election, adding that the party would as far as the election was concerned, throw her doors open to all qualified Abians and Ngwa sons and daughters.

‘PPA without any reservation, supports the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc to produce the next governor of the state in 2015 for equity and fairness, but what we are against is an attempt by some political parties in the state to disenfranchise some people from Ukwa/Ngwa through the so called zoning which on its own was capable of creating division among the people of the area’ •Some grinding machines donated to some less-privileged

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

‘National Conference platform T for Nigeria’s future’

HE National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh has described national conference as a veritable platform for deciding the future of Nigeria. Umeh said the conference would afforded Nigerians the opportunity to interact and chart the way forward for the nation, even as he described the membership of the conference as a good thing for the Igbo nation. Speaking in Umuahia while commissioning the party secretariat Umeh said that though the conference did not agree on all the issues raised but that some fundamental issues of national importance were discussed which would help the country navigate through it turbulent and challenging period if imple-

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

mented. Umeh said that the issue of special fund for rebuilding the North East was rejected because it did not consider the fact that the civil war victims in the South east were not compensated, adding that the fair and just thing to do will be to accommodate victims of the war and other conflicts across Nigeria. He maintained that the conference could not agree on derivation but believes that whatever would be decided eventually would be based on equity and justice.

The APGA national boss called on the Igbo nation to remain united in order to make impact in national discourse saying that APGA slogan is unity. He said the party was poised to take over Abia State government House in 2015 and transform the state as it did in Anambra state. Umeh said that the legacies of the late Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr Michael Okpara were still unparalleled in the annals of the state noting that it was the former Premier’s UPGA that transformed to APGA. He described the party as the Igbo identity and the symbol of Igbo

unity. He said, “Next year, 2015, APGA is the party that will take the lead and we will do more than we have been doing now; Abia State will be like Anambra state.” The national chairman of APGA reminded the supporters that Ojukwu’s dream for the Igbo was for unity “because he believed that when we are united nothing shall be impossible for Ndigbo.” The APGA chairman said the transformation the party was promoting would be total touching every aspect of life including infrastructure development, employment and qualitative education.

•Chief Umeh

Chime’s Chief of Staff and the opposition •Continued from page 38

Group; that we can identify.” Nonetheless, an activist and national coordinator of a group known as Southeast Revival Group (SERG), Igwe Willy Ezeugwu said he was out to defend the Chief of Staff because “if allowed to continue, these faceless writers would give the impression that Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo is a tyrant and corrupt person. “The attention of the Southeast Revival Group (SERG) has been drawn to a rambling, badly written and illogical hatchet job by faceless hired guns that go by the name “Save Enugu Movement” on page 11 of the Daily Sun edition of Tuesday, July 15, 2014 in which they attacked the person and office of Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Enugu State, and indirectly maligned the hard working and ever-performing Governor Sullivan Chime. Ordinarily, we of the Southeast Revival Group (SERG) wouldn’t have dignified this piece of junk writing with a modicum of response except that if such garbage piece of fiction is not re-

plied, the reading public will swallow their lies, falsehood and meaningless diatribe hook, line and sinker,” the activist said. Making reference to the SUBEB issue raised in the advertorial, Ezeugwu said: “For the avoidance of doubt, and for the interest of the reading public, the matter that the socalled “Save Enugu Movement” labored in vain to promote to the status of a current issue has been thoroughly investigated by both the Nigeria police force and the EFCC and the verdict of these two institutions are clearly well known to the parties involved. The matter under reference is a long settled case at the level of criminal investigation; what is baffling is that rather than avail oneself of the services of the courts and the nation’s judicial system if the matter means such and as the constitution provides, someone (and several unseen hands) are using the pages of a newspaper for mock trial. This latest attempt to pull wool over the eyes of the people has already failed. “Let me point this out; the issue of SUBEB is a red herring, a decoy by a few failed politicians from Enugu State to sow the seed of discord among the people and

‘Enugu State is our collective inheritance under the leadership of Governor Sullivan Chime. Enugu State political destiny will be decided by the collective will of people of Enugu State, and not by the whims and caprices of those who want to remain Senators for life and who, without any shadow of doubt, sponsored the drivel I am currently rebutting’ distract the Governor and his able team from completing the laudable state-round renovation projects they embarked upon since 2007. “The governor’s achievements are as sterling and glaring as to blind these failed politicians into thinking clearly and correctly. These failed politicians know who they are, not minding their rigorous newspaper propaganda and ever growing list of fictitious names deployed to achieve their nefarious ends.”

Blaming the advertorial on Enugu politicians at the National Assembly he said: “Let the truth be told, plainly and simply, there is no group, entity or individual called ‘Save Enugu movement’. The piece of garbage put out in that name is the handiwork of a few Enugu State politicians who are (1) opposed to the governorship of the state rotating to Enugu North [Nsukka Senatorial Zone] in 2015 and (2) who are opposed to the collective decision of Enugu State stakeholders that those who have

•Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha speaking at the inauguration of the Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

served in the Senate and the House of Representatives for three terms (2003-2015) should make way for a new set of representatives to serve their people. “To fish out the faceless characters behind this campaign of calumny against Governor Chime and his team is to identify, in utterances and deeds, the politicians who want to sit tight in the Senate and the House of Representatives as their permanent life ambition; indeed, as their birthright. “Let me sound a note of warning, Enugu State is our collective inheritance under the leadership of Governor Sullivan Chime. Enugu State political destiny will be decided by the collective will of people of Enugu State, and not by the whims and caprices of those who want to remain Senators for life and who, without any shadow of doubt, sponsored the drivel I am currently rebutting. “One million faceless advertisements will not change this situation. After their Abuja political grandstanding and throwing of untested weight around, we await them at home, and we will defeat and disgrace them.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT ‘The empowerment was a legacy of the police to empower POWA and help them uplift the standard of living of their colleagues who lost their husbands in the line of duty so that they would not beg for help all through their lives’

Abia POWA remembers officers’ widows

T was a day of shedding tears of joy as the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) of the Abia State command for the first time in the history of the association remembered the wives of the fallen police men who died in active service. It was the day 64 wives of police officers of the Abia State command who died in active service were empowered by POWA at the Police Officers mess, Umuahia, where several items were given to the women to help them be selfsustaining. The empowerment items, which included sewing machines, grinding machines, hair dressing equipments and cash were presented to them by the POWA chairperson in the state, Hajia, Khadija Ibrahim Adamu. Speaking at the event, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Adamu, said the gesture was the command’s way of assisting the widows and advised them to make good use of the empowerment items. Adamu said the empowerment was a legacy of police to empower POWA and help them uplift the standard of living of their colleagues who lost their husbands in the line of duty so

•Some of the empowerment items by Abia POWA From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

that they would not be begging for help all through their lives. He said that this is the first time the empowerment programme is happening in the command, stressing that many of the widows have suffered since the death of their bread winners while serving their father land. One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Evelyn Onyike Aja, who was giving a sewing machine, said her

husband died in 2012, in active duty. She explained that since her husband’s death taking care of the three children has not been easy for her. She said that her the husband died in FMC Umuahia, after he was rushed there from his duty post and since then the husband’s family abandoned her and the children, stressing that it was a great relief to her that the sewing machine was given to her as it will help her to start life anew.

Mrs. Aja said, she was already sewing before her husband died but did not have her own sewing machine, but with the machine that has been given to me today, I am going to start sewing again with ease.” She said that her husband was preparing to buy a sewing machine for her when he died. “Since his death life has been very difficult for us the members of his immediate family, so you can imagine what this sewing machine means to me and my children.”

Mrs Aja said, “I learnt how to sew before my husband died. He was about to buy machine for me before she died. The sewing machine will help me to earn income and take care of the three children my husband left for me. His family abandoned us, so this will help me to take care of the children he left behind, I am grateful to the CP and POWA leadership for including me in the programme our children are in primary school aged between seven to four years, since his death we have been surviving through the help of God.”

I don’t want to die now, says FUTO student •Continued from page 35

and spleen are also normal.” Her fear and anxiety over the gradual deterioration of her health could be felt as she beseeched doctors to urgently call off the strike. Having just one semester examination to write for her to become a graduate, she also begged Nigerians to quickly come to her assistance in seek-

ing medical treatment at a private hospital. Except help comes quickly, she may not partake in her last examination which is already around the corner. It is indeed a gloomy and dicey situation for Chisom as she worries over her health as well as her education at the same time. She recounted feebly, “Some months ago, I noticed that my

stomach began to swell up gradually. I told my parents and we went to LUTH for a scan. By the time the result was ready, the doctors were already on strike. We went to LUTH but there was no doctor to assess the result. I am feeling great pain at the moment, but it gets worse at night. My last exam for me to become a graduate is very close. There is no way I can concentrate on read-

•Chief of Staff, Mr. Cosmos Ndukwe, representing Abia State governor (right) presenting 100 bags of rice to the representative of the Muslim community, Sheik Ali Ukiwo, Chief Imam during their Ramadan homage in Umuahia.

ing my books. My legs are also swollen and I only manage to walk. I am pleading with the governor of my home state of Imo, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and President Goodluck Jonathan to help me out of this painful situation. My plea also goes to all spirited Nigerians to help put smile on my face again.” Her father, Mr. Duruokpo Ebere Paul, said the family has been to several private hospitals in search of lasting solution to his child’s ailment but is currently hampered by its financial limitations. According to him, about N2 million is being demanded to save the life of his first of two children. He grieved that the doctors’ strike was adding to the family’s sorrow, explaining that the financial requirement wouldn’t have been that huge if clinical services were available at

public hospitals. He said N2 million was out of the family’s reach. “I was previously dealing on tailoring materials but for now, I operate a commercial tricycle, otherwise known as keke Marwa for survival. There is no way we can raise such amount of money. That is why we are using this medium to beg Nigerians to come and assist us so that my daughter can successfully finish her education and become more useful to herself and the society. She has just one semester to complete her education,” he pleaded. For any financial or otherwise assistance, the family can be reached on 08161184471 or 08055811404. Interested individuals and groups may also send money to the Fidelity Bank account no 6016918387. The name is Duruokpo Ebere Paul.

‘Her fear and anxiety over the gradual deterioration of her health could be felt as she beseeched doctors to urgently call off the strike. Having just one semester examination to write for her to become a graduate, she also begged Nigerians to quickly come to her assistance in seeking medical treatment at a private hospital’

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

‘I’m mentally fit’ From Taiwo Adebulu IBADAN

•Sunday

HE Students’ Union President of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun, Ogun State, Sunday Ekeyokpa, has denied being mentally unstable from the injury he sustained during the June 10 protest on campus. A paper reported on June 16 that Ekeyokpa was injured during the students’ protest over the management’s decision that they must pay up their tuition fees be-

fore sitting for examination. The aggrieved students were said to have paid their fees but the university eportal did not confirm their payment while the authorities insisted no student must be allowed into the halls without evidence of payment. In a press release obtained by CAMPUSLIFE, Ekeyokpa decried the false report. He said: “I believe the press should serve as the voice of the voiceless and not a means to satisfy the need of a politician who derives joy in causing chaos among the student populace.” “I seize this opportunity to tell the world that I am mentally fit and sound. The Ogun State Hospitals Management has carried out a series of tests on me and I was issued a certificate of fitness,” the statement read in part.

Students elect leaders

• Israel (middle) with some delegates after he took the oath

Ondo students get parliament

EMBERS of the National Association of Ilaje Students (NAIS) have elected leaders to pilot their affairs. Seventy-four senators, comprising chapter presidents, were accredited for the election. The Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Banjo Elerije, from Delta State University, Abraka, urged students to cooperate with the committee to ensure a hitchfree exercise. Later in the day, candidates met a cross section of students at Akins Hotel, Igbokoda, Ondo State, for the manifesto. The seven presidential candidates were, however, the centre of attraction as they unveiled their programmes for the association. Voting began the following day at the Family Support Programme Centre, Igbokoda, at 12:30pm after the electoral committee had announced modalities for the exercise. At the end of the exercise, the votes were counted and verified and the Electoral Chairman declared the winners. Victor Adeya, University of Lagos (UNILAG) emerged president after polling a total mof 35 votes to defeat other aspirants. Others included Hannah Ikuejafo, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Vice President I; Oluwole Ayelaje, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Vice President II; Irekanmi Morioloye, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, General Secretary; Abimbola Temituro, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Public Relations Office; Ayotunde Omosowone, Federal

N •Victor

From Taiwo Adebulu IBADAN Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Financial Secretary; Henry Okunomo, Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, Assistant General Secretary; Oluwatobi Ogbaro, Yaba College of Technology, Welfare Director; Endurance Akinyomi, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Delta State , Treasurer; Olajide Okorisa, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Akure Chapter, Social Director; Kayode Manuwa, AAUA, Director of Sports; Obedience Malumi, Ondo State College of Health Technology, Akure, Auditor. An observer of the election, Israel Fagbemigun, Senate President, National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS), described the election as free and fair. A student, Ibukun Ayeyemi, urged the elected president to keep to his manifesto especially the re-negotiation of bursary and scholarship scheme for Ilaje students.

EW leaders of the National Association of Ondo Students (NAOSS) have been inaugurated. The event took place at the NAOSS Secretariat on Ilesa Road, Akure, the state capital. Speaking at the event, Chairman of the scholarship board Mr Dayo Awude said he was happy to be in the students’ midst. “I encourage this newly inaugurated Senate to be more pro-active and progressive in its parliamentary resolutions so as to contribute its quota to the development of the state,” he stated. He reiterated his commitment to students’ welfare, adding that he would always listen to the demands of students. The Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths, Mr Tayo

•Visits governor From Kemi Busari OAU Adenikinju, praised the leadership of the new Senate for their maturity in tackling challenges, pledging his support to the Senate. The Senate President, Fagbemigun Israel, from the Obafemi Awolowo University, said the students would play their role in contributing to the development of the state. “The Senate has not come to witch-hunt any executive, but will not tolerate any iota of administrative negligence or irresponsibility from its executive. All acts capable of tarnishing the name of the association will be duly checked and punishment

will be placed where needed.” He added. Israel expressed his readiness to work with the State Government in the interest of students, saying that the welfare of students would be primary in his agenda. The second phase of the event took place in the official lodge of Governor Femi Mimiko, where the senate paid a congratulatory visit to the governor on the announcement of the new federal polytechnic to be located at Ile-Oluji. The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on youth, Evangelist Olumuyiwa Asagunla, received the delegation. The students thanked the Governor for the prompt payment of their bursary despite the drastic fall in the federal allocation to the state.

A new dawn at UI

TUDENTS of the University of Ibadan (UI) have elected new leaders for the 2013/ 2014 academic session. Four fought for the presidency, following the disqualification of other aspirants. Odesola Oluwafemi, 400-Level, Agricultural Economics, became president after securing 2,534 vote to defeat his rival, Olawuni Mustapha, 300-Level, Zoology, who polled 2,458 votes. Others elected were Akpa Chidinma, Vice-President; Adeoye Babatunde, General Secretary; Adelekan Aminat Ajoke, Treasurer; House Secretary. Meanwhile, Nkata Ukoma Kinder, Assistant General Secretary, Adegoke Taiwo Vincent, Public Relations Officer and

From Hammed Hamzat and Tolulope Oladipo UI Ojutiku Oluwafemi Oladeji, Sports Secretary returned unopposed. However, students have continued to condemn the role played by the Association of University Christian Students’ Fellowship (AUCSF), following a text message it allegedly sent to members, compelling them to vote a Christian aspirant. A student, who did not want to be named, said the election was not free and fair, because of the religious sentiments that marred the polls. Some of the students who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE urged religious institutions on the campus to shun involvement in politics.

• Soliu (middle front row) with colleagues and residents after the structure was open for use

Corps member builds bus stand

serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Akande Soliu Oladipo, has built a bus stop stand at the Ilorin West Local Government Secretariat in Kwara State. The project has been inaugurated by the Council Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Sulu-Oloje, who was represented by the council’s Secretary, Alhaja Sekinat Abubakar. The council boss praised the corps member for the initiative. Sulu-Oloje urged other corps members in the state to emulate

From Hameed Muritala UNILORIN Akande, saying the local government would recommend him for outstanding corps member award’. “I want to urge corps members to start thinking of what they can do for the country and not what their country can do for them,” he said. The Zonal Inspector, Mr Folayan Kayode, commended the corps member for the project, adding that, “the project is not just a bus stop

stand, but an ultra-modern one.’’ Folayan urged the local government to always assist corps members in carrying out projects that would have impacts on the members of the community. “I constructed the stand to alleviate the hardship people go through at bus stops. On my first day in Kwara State, I was stranded for about five hours at the general hospital bus-stop and drenched by the rain since there was no form of cover. So, this motivated me to put up this project,” he added.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE Is Nigeria prepared for the climate change battle, which some researchers say may consume 30 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP)? This was the crux of the discussion at a Climate Change Research and Policy Symposium held at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). INYA AGHA EGWU and MOSES OYEDIRAN report.

F the negative impact of climate change on agriculture and petroleum resources persists, Nigeria may lose 30 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2050. The Executive Director, International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development (ICEED), Ewah Eleri, made this assertion at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), last Tuesday. Delivering a paper at a Climate Change Research and Policy Symposium organised by Africa Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ACCAI), Eleri identified climate change as the major threat to the country’s revenue, noting that 99 per cent of the its agriculture is non-irrigated while farmers have poor access to insurance. He said the international response to climate change had created an uncertain future for the economy, which he said depended largely on the petroleum industry. Eleri, who spoke on: Enhancing research influence on policy for climate change adaptation in Africa, listed the effects of bad climate in the country to include decreasing rainfall by 15 to 20 per cent, late season of rain and early cessation, increasing temperature and desertification. He called for a reform that would ensure an expanded access for farmers to insurance, noting that the insurance should be determined by a reliable measurable index of the risk associated with high or low rainfall, temperature or humidity. Professor Kevin Urama, Executive Director of African Technology Policy Studies (ATPS) in Nairobi, Kenya, identified poverty and poor economic development as factors that predisposed African countries to the impact of climate change. Urama, who spoke on: Research for climate change adaptation in Africa: Agenda, methodologies and emerging challenges, said African remained vulnerable to climate change because it lacked the capacity to adapt to the challenges, and not because its climate changes were harsh than those of other continents. He advocated the adaptation mechanism which would contribute to sustainable social

•Group photograph of the speakers and some participants after the symposium

Is Nigeria ready for climate change battle? and environmental development. He said such mechanism should integrate local knowledge into the adaptation process, emphasising that the campaign for a transition to low carbon emission pathways should not be targeted at the poor only. Urama urged participants to conduct interdisciplinary researches on climate change, saying: “You cannot solve climate change problem alone, so personal research is not enough.” Earlier, the ACCAI chairperson and the UNN Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof Polycarp Chigbu, represented by Prof Carl Okezie, said the symposium was aimed at enhancing awareness on climate change and

discussing ways to mitigate its effects with research. He enjoined participants to be part of the effort to moderate the negative impact by embracing interdisciplinary research. The Director of Centre for Africa Climate Change Adaptation Initiative, Prof Anthonia Achike, said the initiative was established in 2010 to partner with ATPS to build transdisciplinary climate change adaptation capacity in the institution. She said: “The objective of ACCAI is to build human capacity needed to address climate change adaptation that meets Africa’s unique needs through university-based curricular for post-graduate degrees, and undertaking short

training courses for a wide range of professionals from all sectors.” She said the centre would also incorporate various communities within African region in execution and implementation of its research findings, and also provide bases for adaptation of international best practices in climate change and collaboration with related agencies across the world. Prof. Achike said that since the inception of the initiative, which is sponsored by Open Society Foundation (OSF), six post-graduate students had been sent to different African countries to further their studies on scholarship under ACCAI-coordinated Africa Programme, adding seven students are currently in UNN from other African countries for the programme. She expressed belief that the symposium would help boost the research skills of staff and students in pst-graduate, Master’s and Ph.D programmes in Climate Change Economics Policy and Innovation (CCEPI) in the university.

It was all fun when the Kogi State University (KSU) admitted freshers, reports MOHAMMED YABAGI (200-Level Mass Communication).

Freshers’ moment of joy

ATRICULATION is an all-academic affair but at the Kogi State University (KSU) in Ayingba, the ceremony was held on an unusual day - a Saturday - when academic activities are low. But the school came alive as freshers thronged the campus to take the matriculation oath, which authenticates students’ admission. The institution’s auditorium – the venue - throbbed with activities; the freshers clad in green and orange academic gown sat in the auditorium. Their parents and guardians took vantage positions to watch the proceedings. About 4,283 students of the 13,076 applicants that chose the university were offered admission. The ceremony started when the body of principal officers led by the ViceChancellor, Prof Hassan Isah, entered the auditorium. Prof Isah urged the students to shun vices that could go against the oath they were about to take, saying that such acts were capable of painting the institution in bad light. He charged them to imbibe moral and academic discipline, saying they must resist pressure from toe-

•A fresher taking picture on a horse

•Cross section of freshers in the auditorium

ing destructive line of cultism, which, he said, would not only ruin their academic pursuit but also destroy their future. The VC stated that the process that produced the freshers was thorough and transparent, adding: “You are offered admission on the strength of your hard work, resilience and determination to excel.” Thunderous applause greeted Prof

Isah’s announcement that the institution successfully admitted its second set of students into its medical school, which was established three years ago. He said: “To make the medical programme stand a test of time, the state government has embarked on building infrastructure to ensure that our students are not stagnated at the end of their pre-clinical

programme.” The Registrar administered the oath on the students. Though the event was short, but the attending celebration and glitz that followed went into the night as the freshers threw “welcome party” to mark the day. Parents and guardians, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, expressed joy for witnessing the admission of their wards. Dr Isaac Abdulkareem, a parent, said he was grateful to God for seeing his twins admitted into higher institution. “My advice to my children and other students is to reject any friends that introduce them to any form of vices,” he said. The dean of Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof Bassey Nwankwo, urged the students to start their academic journey with hard work and dedication, noting that anyone who desired a good grade must give his

studies priority. Theresa Audu, 100-Level Medicine, described her placement as glory of God. She said she would work hard and deploy diligence to finish with a good grade as she hoped that the university’s Teaching Hospital would be upgraded to meet the world standard. Another fresher, Daniel Ogbadu, said: “I cannot really express how I feel at the moment, having surmounted the hurdles admission. So, I just want to thank God for this privilege.” For Aisha Mohammed admitted into Geography and Planning Department, First Class grade is the watchword. “I am determined to work hard and graduate on top of my class,” she said. Highpoint was the entertainment of the freshers and their parents after the oath session by various ethnic groups and students’ associations.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

Why tax religious bodies? F

REEDOM prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged - John Adams. Taxing religious bodies which was one of the subjects discussed at the National Confab in Abuja has brought several arguments to the fore. I don’t understand why the government should impose or think of imposing tax on religious bodies. As it is, religious bodies are exempted from paying tax. Rather, public servants, government officials and parastatals are subjected to paying tax. Some have argued that religious bodies should be taxed, but one is compelled to ask if the tax collected from the citizens are not enough or they want to use that as a means of exploiting the citizens. Besides, I would suggest that religious bodies should not be taxed. The Chibok girls abduction saga is still there to be solved. Challenges of insurgency, poverty, power failure, corruption and electoral malpractices in the country are yet unfixed. Why then should they focus on taxing religious institutions? I feel this taxation issue is just a means to exploit the masses because some of the

members of these religious organisations do pay tax. So, there’s no justification why churches or mosques should be taxed. The delegates may say religious bodies are making money, but it shouldn’t be classified as all religious bodies. The money made by these religious bodies, especially true ones, is meant for the welfare of their members and to carry out projects. The fact that some of these religious bodies make money doesn’t mean they should be taxed. The money received as salary by ministers in the country alone is more than what they say religious bodies make. Even if some religious leaders exude flamboyant lifestyles, with a general belief that they are living large while their members are suffering, government shouldn’t forget that these religious leaders also carry out certain projects that improve the lives of their followers. Churches and Mosques give out materials to their members. It was even through religious bodies that schools in the country evolved back in the 90’s. There is no religious leader that will want to see his or her member suffer, except for those

who are fake. If taxation is imposed on religious bodies it will lead to more harm and deceit in the country. The government should focus on terrorism and shouldn’t involve itself with this. If the tax is imposed, what about those religious institutions that are small with few denomination, will they also be taxed? If some of the religious leaders are living well, it’s because God has blessed them, and it’s not the church members’ offering or tithes they spend that sustains them but donations, voluntary gifts and contributions from willing members. The way God blesses religious leaders is not something one can tell its source because most of them are into full time ministry. If a census should be carried out on religious institutions, you will find out that the leaders majorly pay the highest amount. The government shouldn’t impose this policy on religious bodies. They should think about the future of the country, after all these religious bodies pray for the betterment of the country. The religious

By Inimfon Otung bodies and its members should rise up to condemn such policies. Inimfon, 400-Level REDEEMER’S

Mass

Comm.,

Attaining MDGs in Nigeria

By Mubarak Ibrahim

N September 2000, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, joined other world leaders to attend the Millennium Summit to map out some developmental goals that the country should achieve.

Many Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief thinking that the prayers of their founding fathers were about to be answered. But little did they know that their dream was still far from reality. During the summit, eight goals were set by the 189 United Nations member states at the time (there are about 193 currently), known as United Nations Millennium Declaration. These goals were referred to as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The Millennium Development Goals include: to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; to achieve universal basic education; to promote gender equality and empower women; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health, to combat HIV/ AIDS, malaria and other diseases; to ensure environmental sustainability and to develop a global partnership for development. It was, however, projected that by 2015, the member states must have achieved, if not all, a reasonable success within the 15 years life span it has. With all the supports given by agencies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Agricultural Development Bank and others, and with the current state

of Nigeria, one cannot be far from wrong if concluded that achieving the set goals seems impossible with barely a year to go and none of the goals has been satisfactorily achieved to the benefit of the common man. As of 2013, progress towards the goals was reported to be uneven. Some countries achieved many goals while others were not on track to achieve any. A.U.N conference which was held in September, 2010, reviewed the progress and concluded with the adoption of a global plan to achieve the eight goals by their target date. New commitments targeted women and children’s health and new initiatives in the world wide battle against poverty, hunger and disease were made. Nigeria who claims to be the giant of Africa is undoubtedly behind some other African countries in their bid to achieving the set goals. Many Nigerians still live on less than $1 per day. With this, how can it say that goal 1 has been achieved? One will normally expect a country like Nigeria, which is blessed with abundant human and natural resources not to have

any problems with achieving the goals. What is the use of the resources it has if not to put it into use such that it will benefit the masses? In a country where corruption is the order of the day, every other thing remains either stagnant or regressing. How much have we empowered women when our girls who will become mothers of tomorrow had been kidnapped for about three months and the President has not taken his time to visit Chibok in order for him to show his sympathy to the affected? Can we say that an environment that is riddled with terrorism is sustainable? For Nigeria to achieve the MDG, it needs selfless leaders. I mean leaders that will serve this country as if their lives depend on the state of the nation, leaders that will distribute the state’s resources equally between the elites and the masses. I believe Nigeria is yet to have these types of leaders. Nigeria is far from achieving any of the goals. To others, the country might have achieved something. Assessing the government’s effort is based on individual opinions. Mubarak, 500-Level Animal Science, UDUS

Casting corruption into the dungeon

re we really helpless in the light of the new heights attained by corruption in Nigeria? With the systemic and systematic nature of corruption, it is very easy to lose track of the individuals and agencies that are responsible for taking steps to rein in the monster called corruption. Bribes and inducements are offered daily in every facet of Nigeria, be it political, economic and our social lives. Despite this, we still have a lot of honest and hardworking men and women, who are ready to shun corruption and its allures. But the challenge is that we have allowed the dregs of our society to take control of governance and the levers of power. Politics today in Nigeria is one of the easiest ways to engage in corruption, as it is no longer for the clean and honest people because it is going to be a dirty game and only the dirty ones who are ready to wade through the mud are allowed to play it. Politicians are those who should bear responsibilities for curbing corruption, but they are the ones who are neck-deep in corruption. There are, however, steps that can be taken to reduce corruption. The word “reduce” is used deliberately instead of the word “eradicate”. This is because it is good to agree that we cannot totally eradicate corruption, but to reduce its prevalence as a determining factor for the successful conclusion of transactions in our national life. There are some steps that can be taken by the authorities and anti-corruption agencies that can tackle the challenge of corrup-

tion at all levels. There are some cases of corruption which can be looked into by authorities and anti-corruption agencies. Virtually in all states of the federation and at the federal level, there are ghost workers numbering thousands, which have been discovered. These ghost workers are paid salaries for years and in some instances, some even had illustrious careers, received service awards, collected gratuity and continued to collect pension until they were discovered. If we are to take a look at these ghost workers, they are the creation of high ranking public officers. You can imagine the thousands of ghost workers, pensioners collecting billions of naira every month. After the biometric exercise that discovered this outright theft, no one is punished; no one is made to account for the fraud and business continues as usual. This sends a clear message to intending criminals that fraud is profitable and punishment does not follow a crime. Thus, the perpetrators are simply requested to find another bleeding point which will take time to discover, since the authorities have just blocked one point. The Financial Regulations at the federal and state levels create the position of Accounting Officers with clear duties of being the permanent Secretary and he/she is in charge of ensuring that proper budgetary and accounting systems are established and maintained to enhance internal controls, accountability and transparency and also responsible for the safeguarding of

public funds. With the detailed responsibility of the Accounting Officer, the authorities know who to hold responsible for the emergence of ‘ghost’ workers. Even if the accounting officer is not directly responsible for the fraud, his negligence towards not knowing those who are in charge of compiling the names of the staff to be paid will be punished. Therefore, if the Accounting Officer is really made to account, he will be compelled to come clean by either confessing to the crime of identifying those who have participated in the crime and such a person or group should be dismissed from service. If the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) are serious about their work, they should be able to confiscate all the stupendous wealth and properties of those who are responsible for embezzling public funds However, the future of Nigeria lies in the hand of Nigerians, because the ball is always in our court every four years, when we have the opportunity to elect new leaders. Very soon, we will be asked to vote in elections and the outcome will either reduce or increase corruption. Nigerians are not helpless in the face of the grand heights of corruption; we can become proactive through anti-corruption and impunity campaigns. Another way of reducing corruption is by ensuring that public officers publicly

By Jennifer Umeh declare their assets and those who refuse to make same available to us should be blacklisted. We should also ensure that the law backs our demands of security welfare and the law should not only back the demands of the wealthy ones, but the law should back the demands of an average Nigerian on the street, in order to reduce social inequality and promote transparency, equality fairness among all Nigerian. Jennifer, ND II Mass Comm., OFFA POLY

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

19 bag scholarship

INETEEN Nigerian students have been awarded scholarship to do their Master’s in Australia next year, the Australia High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jonathan Richardson, has said. The scholarship is a programme of the Australian government. Richardson spoke at the launch of the Northwest and Northeast zones of the Australia Alumni Association in Nigeria in Kaduna. He said between 2010 and 2014, more than 200 students benefited, including 86 postgraduate scholarships. The envoy said the scholarship, which offers both long and short term study and professional development opportunities to citizens of developing countries, is aimed at providing enhanced leadership skill, knowledge and technical expertise for students to work in strategic organisations driving development. Richardson, who represented by the Third Secretary of the Commission, Mr Matthew Mechan, said a total of 923 Nigerians are stusying in Australian universities and vocational education school. He said: “We want to encourage Nigerians interested in studying abroad to consider Australia as an option, given the strong record and high quality of our universities and tertiary institutions.” He added that another scholarship window will open in September. He added: “Australian Scholarship Award covers a wide range of areas but is focusing on disciplines relevant to building government capacity including agri-

We want to encourage Nigerians interested in studying aboard to consider Australia as an option, given its strong record and high quality tertiary institutions From Abdulgafar Alabelewe KADUNA

culture, food security, extractive industry, infrastructure, health and public policy.” The co-ordinator of the zone’s Australia Alumni in Nigeria, Dr Zainab Mohammed, said the establishment of the association was necessary to build influence and contract, and to facilitate contact between the alumni and Australia in pursuance of developmental goals. “We want to encourage Nigerians interested in studying aboard to consider Australia as an option, given its strong record and high quality tertiary institutions and to also take advantage of the scholarship,” she said. In his goodwill message, Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Thot, praised the Australian government for its magnanimity and educational support for Nigerian students.

On and Off Campus By Solomon Izekor 08061522600

• Apete bridge before it collapsed

Apete bridge: Governor’s buses to the rescue O YO State Governor Biola Ajimobi has promised to haste the construction of the Apete bridge, which collapsed some weeks ago, following a downpour. Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, have expressed worry over the bridge, saying the alternate routes were expensive, timeconsuming and unsafe. However, when the Students’ Union Government (SUG) met with the governor in Apete, he promised

From Omolara Omoniyi IBADAN POLY

that Ajumose buses would be made available for student’s use. According to a Union official who pleaded for anonymity because he is not permitted to speak to the press, said: “‘We met with the State Governor today at Apete when he came to check the state of the bridge.

The Union has been able to get four buses strictly for students in Apete that will convey them from Apete to school.” A student, Pelumi Oladipupo, said: “I am happy the Governor has considered us by setting aside four buses. But these buses are not enough. There are thousands of students in this area. Again I hope the arrangement will not slow down the repair of the pedestrian bridge.”

Kaduna varsity begins post-graduate programmes

ANAGEMENT of the Kaduna State University (KASU) will begin postgraduate and Master’s degree programmes (MSc) in the 2014/ 2015 academic year. KASU’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Barnabas Williams Quirix said the introduction of the programmes followed their approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC). “Ten years after the establishment of this university, we are pleased to let you know that NUC has ap-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe KADUNA proved 44 out of the 52 courses that we applied for as Post Graduate Programmes,” the Vice Chancellor said. Quirix said they were commencing lectures in the 2014/2015 academic year with MSc in Procurement Supply in Management, Criminal Justice, Crime Management and Security Studies, Environmental Biology, Renewable Energy, Geographic Information System and PGD in In-

vestigative and Sport Journalism. The VC disclosed that as part of their research interest, the university was embarking on a research on ginger adding, “Ginger is a natural resource and we are embarking on an extensive research of the product. Some people are coming to our university on sabbatical for this purpose.” Quirix thanked the Kaduna State Government for their support that led to the approval of the programmes, adding, “We will run both academic and non-academic programmes.”

College gets degree status

UTHORITIES of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria have approved the running of Bachelor of Education degree programme at the Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya. Acting Provost of the College, Mallam Lawal Abdullahi Tukur, made this known during the 2013/ 2014 matriculation. The courses to be run, he said, included English, Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, Geogra-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe KADUNA phy and Social Studies.Others were Educational Administration and Planning, Guidance and Counselling, Economics, Agricultural Education and Home Economics. He said lectures for all approved courses will begin during the 2014/ 2015 academic session. Congratulating the new students, he urged them to make the best use of the opportunity by putting in

their efforts to achieve their goals. The Provost warned that the college had zero tolerance for examination malpractice, adding that the punishment was outright expulsion and subsequent prosecution. He commended the State Government under Dr Mukktar Ramalan Yero for granting approval for the recruitment of staff, urging the Governor to expedite action on the construction of the network of roads within the permanent site of the College.

Alumni mourn ex-Oil Minister Lukman

HE Imperial College Alumni Community in Nigeria has described the death of one of its alumnus, Dr Rilwanu Lukman, as a sad loss. The late Lukman served under different political dispensations as Nigeria’s Minster of Power and Steel, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Petroleum Resources. He served eight consecutive terms as President of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). A statement by the alumni’s president, Olugbenga Adelana and chairman, Board of Trustees, Sir Edet Amana, said the nation has lost an illustrious son. The statement read: “We received

From Fatimah Abdul LAGOS with great sadness, news of the demise of one of Nigeria’s finest technocrats and petroleum industry experts, Dr Rilwanu Lukman. As fellow Nigerian Alumni of Imperial College London, we are most proud of the honour this great alumnus brought to us, in being the first African to be conferred with the prestigious Fellowship of Imperial College (FIC). In fact, it was the conferment of the FIC on him that galvanised Nigerian alumni to form the Imperial College Alumni Association of Nigeria. “The death of Dr Lukman at this time is indeed a great loss to Nige-

rian people as a whole and in particular to the Nigerian Imperial College Alumni Community, especially as our association is going through incorporation, with a view to creating a robust forum that will galvanize alumni efforts to continue to make our mark on the socio-economic and technological landscapes of Nigeria. “We are however comforted by the fact that this great alumnus of our great college brought to the world stage the time tested attributes of humility and dedication to service excellence. His example is worthy of emulation and remain a source of inspiration for current and future Nigerian Alumni of the college and indeed all Nigerian citizens.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

FUTMINNA expels four, withdraws 23

OUR students of the Federal University of Technology (FUT ), Minna, have been expelled for examination misconduct while 23 others were withdrawn for poor performance. Another four were suspended for their involvement in examination malpractice during the 2012/2013 academic session. These were sequel to the findings and recommendations of a committee set up by the univer-

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

sity to investigate the involvement of the affected students in examination malpractice during the session. Its Senate at the 382nd meeting approved the recommendations. The expelled students were from the departments of Biochemistry, Urban and Regional Planning, Surveying and Geo-informatics and Industrial and Technology Education; while the suspended

Animal Production, three from the Department of Entrepreneur and Business studies while one each from the Departments of Water Resources, Aquaculture and Fisheries Technology and Crop Production. The Senate, however, exonerated Okunola Ahmed Akinkunmi of the Department of Building, from the allegation of examination misconduct during the first Semester of the 2013/2014 session.

AAUA VC donates conference allowance

NAFDAC to partner FUNAAB HE National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is to collaborate with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) on field trials and evaluation of feed additives for regulatory decision, risk assessment and identification. The agency has established the Directorate of Veterinary Medicines and Allied Products (VMAP) to determine the suitability or otherwise of medicines, drugs, food products, cosmetics, medical devices or chemicals for animal use. At a meeting with officials of NAFDAC, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Prof Felix Salako, said the university was interested in the collaboration as most of its products were due for re-certification. With the pact, Oyewole said the products would go beyond its immediate market. The Assistant Director of VMAP, Dr. Maiyaki Sani, noted that the agency had developed regulations and standards to control the manufacture, importation, distribution and use of agro-inputs in Nigeria, adding that animal feeds would be sent to specialised universities for practical evaluation. He said the result of the evaluation would mean either to register or shun the product registration, noting "we don't want to limit ourselves to the papers or docu‘To ments for regisdetermine tration.” The Dean, the of Anisuitability or College mal Science and otherwise of Livestock Proo n medicines, d( CuO Lc AtNi I M ), drugs, food Prof Christian said products, Ikeobi, NAFDAC had cosmetics, requested for scientific supmedical port to aid its devices or regulatory duchemicals ties, adding that modalities for animal the for the collaboration was being use’ worked out.

students were from the departments of Mathematics and Statistics, Architecture, Agricultural Economics and Bio-resources Engineering and Urban and Regional Planning. The Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Technology had the highest number of withdrawn students with seven sent packing; six from the Department of Food science and Nutrition, five from the Department of

ICE Chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, Prof Femi Mimiko, has promised to donate part of his allowance from participating in the national conference to the indigent students' scholarship scheme. Mimiko was the only serving Vice Chancellor delegate to the conference that lasted four months. At a reception to welcome him back to the university, last Friday, he said he decided to endow his allowance to sustain the scholarship fund. "There is a particular programme that is so dear to my heart. I know that there are so many indigent students on our campus. Under the University Advancement Office, we had thought of floating a scholarship scheme into which we will put funds from everywhere. And I can see that in the future the funds will be so big that every student that has the need will be able to draw from it. I had decided before I left Abuja to donate part of my allow-

ance to the scheme's account as a seed fund to support indigent students of AAUA," he said. Aside the scholarship scheme, Mimiko promised that the university would pay attention to issues that are important to students. He praised the workers and students for maintaining law and order during his absence, urging them to continue in that light. On the poor power supply to the Akungba community, where a large percentage of students resides, Mimiko promised to intervene. The VC also pledged to upgrade facilities, construct bus shelters, and equip the clinic, among other projects. "We would seek ways of working with the community to intervene in the electricity situation in town. We would keep upgrading our infrastructure. As a matter of fact, we may be able to have a few more classrooms for use during the upcoming Semester examinations. Prof. Mimiko, was received by members of the University Com-

•Prof Mimiko

munity made up of the principal officers, professor, deans, departmental heads, senior officers, and students. The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rotimi Ajayi, who held the fort for four months, thanked the VC for the confidence reposed in him for the period, and for his counsel. "Let me, particularly, thank the Vice Chancellor for not leaving me alone in the saddle as he was always providing the needed guidance for me whenever I asked for it even from Abuja," he said.

• Prof O. Giwa-Osagie, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, with members of the Year Book Class (YBC). From left: Ayomide Samuel (PRO); Alagbada Babatunde (member): Dibia Edward (Chairman): Moyo Akinde (Welfare Secretary): Awotoye Waheed (General Secretary); Babarinde Abdulraheem (Member); Moyo Awonusi (Sport Secretary); Evbuoma Ebuwa (member); Funke Aina (Financial Secretary): Towunmi Coker (Vice Chairman), and Onwuekwe Sandra (member) at a symposium.

Trainee doctors exposed to non-clinical careers

INAL year medical and dental students of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL) have been urged to make the most of their careers by being productive. Founder and Managing Partner, Hermes Consulting, Dr Adedayo Sobamowo, gave the charge at a symposium for the graduating Medical and Dental Class of 2014. The theme was: A frontline Generation. Sobamowo, who presented a paper entitled: Health and entrepreneurship, exploring the opportunities, said the healthcare industry is lucrative as opportunities abound for doctors to establish businesses. "There are private enterprises in hospital and specialty clinics. Also, there fertility centres, renal dialy-

By Inimfon Otung

sis, dental centres, laboratory, among other where they can invest," Sobamowo said. He added that those who prefer to be non-clinicians can work as healthcare management consultants, healthcare financiers, health economists, or health informatics, or even invest in pharmacies. He explained that doctors who sit in clinics are just a small part of a vast industry. With advances in medical technologies helping people to live longer, Sobamowo said health insurance can be lucrative. Presently, he said less than 20 per cent of Nigerians have the Nigeria Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) policy, providing a gap for businesses to fill. "Hospital business can be very

profitable and quality healthcare can be achieved through health coverage," he said. He said Africa is the second largest and second most populous continent but with the weakest healthcare system due to a fundamental lack of manpower, paucity of training, ineffective regulation and fragmented supply of chains. The second speaker, Dr Orode Doherty, Director of Africare Nigeria, urged them to be prepared for the ever-changing world of medicine. Doherty, who spoke on: My role in 21st Century Medicine, said the country is battling with various diseases. She listed malaria, respiratory infection and diarrhea as the major causes of death in Nigeria. Others are cancer and tuberculosis

among non-communicable disease, hypertension and measles. She added that mortality rate, especially in young children is still very high. As 21st century medical practitioners, Mrs Doherty counseled the students to adapt to the health system. She said medical practitioners need to ensure safety rules such as asking parents to ensure children between zero and five years do not sit at the front seat of a car. "They should address issue of water and resources management and what the new technology will play in medicine", she said. One student-coordinators of the event, Miss Sandra Okpalaonwuekwe, said the seminar was one of the programmes organised to make their final year in school memorable.

EKSU FILE

VC praises ENACTUS team THE Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Patrick Oladipo Aina, has praised the members of the team that won the Enactus National Challenge in Lagos last week. The team, who modernised the Eni-Iran (local mat) by converting it into products such as laptop carriers, bags, phone pouch, would represent Nigeria in the World challenge holding in the Peoples Republic of China in October. Aina said at a reception for the team that the students have put the university on the global map and would be richly rewarded. The excited vice chancellor, who danced to the victory, said their names would be written in gold. Speaking on behalf of the team coordinator, Mr Kehinde Adekanmbi, said the team clearly established the new status of EKSU as one of the best in the nation. The ENACTUS Team leader, Dolapo Odupele thanked the Vice Chancellor for his unwavering support and encouragement adding that their victory was a product of determination and hard work.

Don counsels on food A PROFESSOR of Food Chemistry, Emmanuel Ilesanmi Adeyeye, has urged the Federal Government to establish a food standards Programme under the Codex Alimentarius Commission in the Federal Ministry of Health. He said this would enable the government to monitor the suitability or otherwise of what the people consume. Adeyeye made the recommendation while delivering the 39th Inaugural Lecture of EKSU entitled: You are what you eat at the main auditorium of the institution. He suggested that the Federal and state governments should establish a Ministry of Research with the primary objectives of getting the right food for the people. The don warned Nigerians against junk food because of their harmful effect on human development; and raw eggs, because of contamination. He said exposing bottled drinks, fruits and vegetables to the sun and along the road makes them lose their Vitamin C. For healthy living, Adeyeye advocated consumption of proper and balanced diets. "Proper nutrition is not simply a matter of how much, but also of what kind of food a person consumes," he said. On the lecture, the EKSU Vice Chancellor, Prof Patrick Aina, urged the government to take the professor's recommendations seriously.

VC receives movie star AN undergraduate of EKSU, Akinwale Ayomiposi Feyisekemi, who was crowned the next movie star at a regional talent hunt held in Lagos has visited the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina. Miss Ayomiposi emerged champion ahead of 16 other contestants from African countries including Namibia, Gambia, Liberia, Kenya, Ghana and Sierra Leone. Aina described her as a true ambassador of the university. However, he urged her to focus on her academics while pursuing her career in show business.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS

ELIZADE VARSITY FILE

‘Represent institution well’ STUDENTS of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, have been urged to make the most use of their six-week internship. The founder of the university, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, said the programme was introduced to give them work-based experience. Ade-Ojo gave the advice while addressing the students at a session where they were given placement letters and log books for the internship. He said the university, in its quest to produce globally employable graduates, has decided to familiarise the students with the work environment where they could be exposed to the practical aspects of their training. He implored the students to be good ambassadors of the university. He told them they could be penciled for employment if they performed to the satisfaction of their employers. Ade-Ojo praised the pioneer students for representing the university very well during the maiden edition of the Internship. He said their display of moral excellence paved way for their successful placements. He assured them of his continued support. The Registrar, Mr Omololu Adegbenro, urged the students to take the programme seriously. He told them that the power point presentation they would make on resumption would carry a lot of marks. Speaking on the topic “How to have a successful internship”, Adegbenro advised the students to relate well with employees at their places of internship. He encouraged them to ask questions on anything that looks difficult to them, warning them against gambling on what is not clear.

Varsity partners CIPM ELIZADE University is partnering the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM). This is in fulfillment of the promise that students of the university must be qualified members of the professional associations of their disciplines upon graduation. Receiving the new executive council of CIPM, Ondo State branch, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Valentine Aletor, said as an institution that runs a department of Human Resource Management, Elizade would ensure the registration of its staff and students with the institute. He said the new Head of the Department, Prof Funminiyi Adewumi, would coordinate the partnership. Aletor disclosed that Elizade has entered into similar partnerships with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), among others. Earlier, the Chairman of Ondo State branch of the institute, Mr. Kayode Ogundele, who led other members of the executive council, spoke of the the willingness of the institute to work with the varsity. Ogundele added that CIPM would assist the university to ensure that students in Human Resource Management and other related disciplines are chartered personnel managers upon graduation.

APPROACHING DEADLINES ICTP Master Scholarships in Medical Physics for Developing Countries in Italy, 2015-2016. Continued from last edition STUDENTS of developing countries (Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African, Republic Chad, Chile, People's Republic of China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia,

Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint- Vincent and the Grenadines, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan,

Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe) are eligible for these masters scholarships. Scholarship Description: The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and Trieste University announce a second cycle of the Master's Programme in Medical Physics (MMP), a two-year advanced training programme in the field of medical physics, co-sponsored by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and in collaboration with Trieste Hospitals. The programme will be held from 1 January 2015 until 31 December 2016 and will lead to an Advanced Studies Master's Degree in Medical Physics. Number of award(s): A limited number of partial or full masters scholar-

Nigeria needs prayers, says Oyedepo

‘If this thing is properly managed, it would not have gotten to this level. Trade dispute is a global issue. There should not be apartheid in knowledge. If you are deficient in managing something; go find out from those who have managed it well’

RESIDENT, Living Faith Worldwide (Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, has said Nigeria needs prayers, given the myriad of problems bedeviling it. Bishop Oyedepo, who is the Chancellor of Landmark University, spoke at Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area, Kwara State during the maiden convocation of the institution. Oyedepo said 386 students would graduate in 13 programmes. He gave a breakdown of the graduands as: 39 First Class; 186 Second Class Upper; 152 Second Class Lower and nine Third Class. He said the programmes with graduating students included: Accounting, Banking and Finance, Business Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Sociology and Economics. Others are: Industrial Physics, Industrial Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Industrial Mathematics and Computer Science. The cleric blamed strike in the country on corruption and mismanagement of funds. He challenged the country’s leaders to learn from other countries who had experienced such crises on how best to manage them. He said: “Industrial actions are always prompted by economic crisis or mismanagement of re-

•Bishop Oyedepo and the Vice Chancellor, Prof Rotimi Ajayi. From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

sources and it is a global phenomenon. All we need is for God to give our leaders more wisdom in dealing with issues before they get out of hand. It is very pathetic that a medical corps of the country will close their eye and walk out of dying patient. "It is inhuman. If this thing is properly managed, it would not have gotten to this level. Trade dispute is a global issue. There should not be apartheid in knowledge. If you are deficient in managing something; go find out from those who have managed it well. Nigeria needs prayers. Let me stop at that."

Bishop Oyedepo said strikes by various institutions, particularly, in the education sector, were eroding the values' and 'killing the system'. He said workers should not be allowed to see strike as the only effective means through which they could get attention, because institutions would continue to employ the action, thereby, "making the system struggle to survive.” On Landmark’s agricultural revolution, he described "food shortage as the greatest problem" confronting Nigeria. He pointed out that the university was providing solutions to the food crisis through its agricultural

ACE resumes after strike

FTER seven months of lull, academic activities have picked up at the Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo. Its Registrar, Mr. Felix Eniola Aderinboye, in a statement, informed parents and guardians that the college would resume last Sunday while academic activities would commence the next day. The institution was shut following an industrial action by three unions - Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education in Nigeria (SSUCOEN), and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU). Workers complied with directives of their national bodies to proceed on strike over the refusal of the Federal Government, to abide with the 2009/2010 agreement purportedly signed with them. Similarly, the leadership of COEASU, SSUCOEN and NASU, has directed their members to re-

ships will be awarded. Duration of award(s): These masters scholarships are offered for two years master program starting from 1 January 2015 until 31 December 2016. What does it cover? Qualified candidates may attend the course at their own cost. A limited number of partial or full scholarships will be awarded to successful candidates from developing countries. ICTP will also cover, on the basis of a detailed request, travel costs and course fees for a limited number of successful candidates from developing countries who are not awarded the full scholarship. Selection Criteria: Not Known Notification: Not Known Online Application: The mode of applying is online. Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is August 31, 2014.

FUL post-UTME results out tomorrow

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

sume immediately at their various places of work following the suspension of the strike. When The Nation visited the 50year-old college, excited students were seen in large numbers. Some of them were cleaning while others gathered in groups discussing the resumption. Workers had also reported for work and were going about their duties. A student, Babalola Akinwale, expressed joy that the resumption would enable them complete the rain semester time table which the strike disrupted halfway. Also, a worker who spoke in confidence described the development as a good omen. The source appealed to the Federal Government to honour the agreement reached with the workers, which prompted the latter to suspend the strike. Efforts to speak with the Acting Provost of the College, Dr.

revolution programmes designed to ensure food security for the nation and Africa continent at large. "Our prayer is that God should give our leaders the wisdom and direction in dealings with where our problems are, as we are faced with enormous problems. Food shortage is one of the greatest problems confronting us now. No amount of policy can stop people from importing food," he added. Banning of some food items, according to him, will not ensure food sufficiency. He urged the country's leaders to enunciate policies and programmes that would banish food shortage for good.

From James Azania, Lokoja

•Mr Aderinboye

Olufemi Olajuyigbe were not successful as he was said to be attending a meeting.

HE results of the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL), in Kogi State, held last week will be released tomorrow. Deputy Registrar and Academic Secretary Mrs. Omoayena Duro-Bello, saidthe scores would be combined with the UTME scores of the candidates to find an aggregate. “We are going to merge the result with what they scored in JAMB, to determine their final score,” she said. Mrs Duro-Bello said the screening of the 2,111 candidates who applied for the 2014/2015 academic session, was done online. She added that the screening was done in batches for the three days it lasted (Tuesday-Thursday last week). “We have two faculties; Arts and Social Sciences and Science. The test was spread over three days, from Tuesday to Thursday, between 9am and 5pm each day and it was fully computer-based.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

EDUCATION

‘Varsity degree not sole criterion for success’

EARING the rags-to-riches stories of successful entrepreneurs last Wednesday sent a clear message to students of the Government Technical Colleges (GTC) in Lagos State that there is no excuse for failure in life. The speakers, Mr Cornell Mcbride Snr, founder, Mcbride Research Laboratory (MRL), United States; Mrs Nike Ogunlesi, founder, Ruff 'N' Tumble; Mr Adebola Williams, founder, Future Awards; and Mr Paul Orajiaka, CEO, Auldon Toys all shared stories of the ingenuity that led to the establishment of their businesses early in life at the second Lagos State Enterprise Day organised by the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) held at NECA House, Agidingbi. For them, a university degree was not the criteria for success but the drive to succeed, determination, creativity, and hard work. Mr Mcbride said he was spurred by the desire to build his mother a house and lift his family from poverty. He said he had to do so many things before finding out what he could focus on. He advised the students to be ready to scale all odds. "The joy of completing college, starting business and building my mum a house, I cannot describe the feeling. Whatever you do, you have to be determined. You are going to face a lot of rejection. You have to be a person of your word," he said. For many in the audience, it was a surprise to hear that Mrs Ogunlesi was the CEO of a successful

• From left: Mrs Ogunlesi, Mrs Adeyinka Oyemade, Chairman, LASTVEB Governing Board, Mrs Oladunjoye, Prof Li Rong, Director, Confucius Institute, University of Lagos, and Mr Gasper at the event. By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie and Adegunle Olugbamila

children's fashion label, yet without a university degree. She told the students that she dropped out of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, two weeks after she was admitted to study Law. But forced by highly-educated parents to think about her future, she decided to turn her creativity into an art. "I knew I had a gift. I was very creative. I can take a material and interpret it and someone would be

willing to pay me for it. I was 19 and on top of the world," she said. After 10 years of making clothes for women, Mrs Ogunlesi said she went into children's clothing but had to face rejection from people who thought Nigerian ready-made clothes are inferior. "You have to retain your focus. You must be relentless," she urged the students. On his part, Mr Williams who started his business at 17, counseled the students to take responsibility for their successes as no one else can make them fail.

‘The state government will be providing free mentoring to all successful young entrepreneurs from the technical colleges regardless of their position within the business life circle, from those only starting out with one brilliant business idea to past graduates of the colleges with more established business’

"I don't understand why polytechnic students feel less than themselves. When you look into the mirror, you are the only one that can stop yourself. We need you; you are the implementers. You need to leave here with a new sense of self. You need to package yourself as a professional," he said. Had his visa to the United States not being denied years ago, perhaps Paul Orajiaka would not have started his business. But that denial was what he said led him to spend four years in the University of Idumota, where he learnt the intricacies of running a business. Since then however, Orajiaka said on the advice of a relative, he went on to earn an accountancy degree from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), which gave his business an edge over the Idumota boys. In her speech, the Lagos State Education Commissioner, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, said the government is reviewing the curriculum in its five technical colleges to encourage students to embrace entrepreneurship. "In 2010, we mainstreamed entre-

PZ Chemistry Challenge winners begin internship

HE top four winners of the inaugural edition of the PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge have begun their three-month internship with the company. Emmanuel Ejiogu Onyekachi of Miketoy College, Ikotun, Lagos State, who won the inaugural edition of the competition last year, said he has learnt a lot as an intern. "I feel so much joy in my heart. I have confidence in myself and proud to be here because what I have been taught within this short span cannot be quantified. This training has geared me not just participate in similar competitions but to win them as well as be a first class student at the university," said Onyekachi, who now wants to become a Chemical Engineer.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

Second runner-up in the competition, Mgbemena Thank God of Leeland International College, Oregun-Ikeja, is also having a time of his life improving his understanding of what he was taught in school. "I just have to thank God I am part of this success story and likewise express my profound gratitude to PZ Cussons for having such a wonderful initiative to encourage young scholars to understand the basis of what they are being taught in the classrooms and put them into good practice," he said. The other two interns are Obi Uchenna David of Barachel College, Ifako-Agege (first runner-up); and

Victor Ike-Okoro of Top Grade Secondary School, Surulere (third runner-up). The quartet completed their secondary education this month. Pieter Stroek, Head of Research, Development and Innovation at PZ, said during the training, the interns would work on several projects. Mrs Yomi Ifaturoti, Corporate Affairs Director of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, said the internship is in line with the overall objective of the competition to deepen their understanding of the subject. "When they go back to school, they can fall back on what they had learnt during their practical training," she further said. This year's edition has been renamed the Premier Chemistry

•Mrs Daramosu presenting certificate to the Best teacher, Mrs Oredipe

Challenge, after the Premier Toilet bar, a brand of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. It is open to SS2 and SS3 public and private school pupils in Lagos.

preneurship education into the state technical colleges. This effort is evident in the second edition of the Lagos State Enterprise Day that is featuring as its goal the sensitization of students of the Government Technical Colleges on the relevance of their practical and competence-based education as well as facilitating the creation of youthled businesses in identified sectors within Lagos State," she said. In his speech, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Raji Fashola, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, assured the students of funding and mentoring support to start their businesses. "The state government will be providing free mentoring to all successful young entrepreneurs from the technical colleges regardless of their position within the business life circle, from those only starting out with one brilliant business idea to past graduates of the colleges with more established business," said Fashola. The governor also urged participants to invest in the untapped wealth of the coconut, which has over 200 derivatives. He said as a coastal state, Lagos is endowed with coconut trees, which can become a money spinner. "We are therefore inviting the private sector and financial institutions to seize this opportunity of the window already created by the Lagos State burgeoning young/ aspiring graduates of our technical colleges to grow as entrepreneurs," he said. The programme also featured the launch of a publication titled: Celebrating Enterprise Legacies, which detailed the stories of 24 successful entrepreneurs who started small; the inauguration of 10 of the entrepreneurs into LASTVEB hall of fame; and prizes to students who excelled in a business plan competition anchored by Fate Foundation. The Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Mr Olawumi Gasper, said efforts of the board to stimulate ingenuity among the students is paying off as students of GTC, Odomola, Epe, have produced a gas production plant. "We want to ensure the project is developed into a micro platform to supply gas to rural areas," he said.

Mushin LGEA rewards teachers, others

HE Education Secretary, Mushin Local Government Education Authority (LGEA),Mr Yusuf Olokodana, has pledged to support outstanding pupils and diligent workers in primary schools under his watch. Speaking at the 14th Annual Merit Awards in Mushin, Lagos, he said the LGEA collaborated with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to organise the awards aimed at “recognising, motivating and rewarding hard-working individuals, outstanding pupils and industrious staff in primary schools.” He said in recent times, the LGEA has improved to being among the best in the state. "Gone were the days, when people described Mushin as a ghetto; a breeding place for miscreants and hoodlums. The new Mushin is now celebrated at various competitions. As if it is not enough, the current Best LGEA Guard and Senior Staff in Lagos State are from Mushin. I think we should be applauded," he said. Awards were given to various categories of employees and pupils who distinguished themselves in the 2013/2014 academic session. The categories rewarded included: best pupils in various classes across the LGEA; best non teaching staff, and best teaching staff. Cash prizes and gifts were

By Basirat Braimah and Mojisola clement

given to all the recipients to encourage them to work harder. The SUBEB Chairman, Mrs Gbolahan Daodu, said the merit award were also aimed at appreciating the efforts of teachers, nonteaching staff and parents in the local government. Mrs Daodu, who was represented by Mrs Habibat Daramosu, Director Monitoring and Evaluating, SUBEB advised workers and pupils in the LGEA to emulate those rewarded so they can also be celebrated in future. She also urged parents, not just the teachers, to monitor the welfare of the children. The best head teacher, Mr Sunday Okedara, said he was delighted to be recognised by the government. "I am very delighted about this award because this is my 33rd year in this profession and I feel celebrated. My appreciation goes to the government and the merit award committee. May God bless them," he said. The best teacher, Mrs Mariam Oredipe, was full of joy. She advised her colleagues and others to be passionate about whatever jobs they find for themselves. She appreciated the government for not only identifying them but also giving them an award.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

EDUCATION EDUTALK

with

The road to entrepreneurial success

FTER attending the Enterprise Day programme of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) last Wednesday, I wished I was a teenager again. I was inspired by Kofoworola the stories told by some successful entrepreneurs at the event. Kofosagie@yahoo.com Mrs Nike Ogunlesi, founder, 08054503077 (SMS only) Ruff 'N' Tumble; Mr Paul Orajiaka, CEO, Auldon Toys; Mr Cornell Mcbride Snr, founder, Mcbride Research Laboratory (MRL), United States; and Mr Adebola Williams, founder, Future Awards; all launched out into business early and succeeded despite the odds. With ready-made jobs getting increasingly difficult to find because of the sheer number of graduates churned out by our tertiary institutions, poor skills and man-know-man syndrome, our youths need to find their feet quickly now more than ever. Interestingly, three of the four entrepreneurs who spoke at last week's event, started their businesses without having degrees. At least this tells us there is hope and proves that one does not have to wait to be out of school to launch out. It is also very instructive, especially as many secondary school leavers find it difficult to gain admission because of the limited states in our tertiary institutions. They end up spending years doing nothing while waiting to be admitted. If about half of the over one million candidates who write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) yearly, yet are unable to get into school, can start viable businesses, our economy will be better for it. Their quality of life will improve as well as that of their families; they would create employments for others, and would not likely commit crime. That youths without jobs are highly likely to fall into crime is demonstrated by the recent arrest of four graduates and two undergraduates of the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), who set up a fraudulent scholarship website to defraud innocent students of up to N5 million. One of them, Olalekan Fajobi, graduated with a first class in Mechanical Engineering. Is a lack of job enough excuse to commit crime? It is no excuse; but in the bible, a king prayed that he should not be so poor that he would steal and bring shame to God (Proverbs 30:8-9). This is one of the reasons we should seek to help our youth so that they can be more productive. I have been at so many programmes where youths have been told to view problems facing our country as opportunities to be exploited. They have been charged to be solution providers. However, I think more than just talking about these to young people, we need to put programmes in place to mentor them. A few will get it right on their own but majority will still seek more support. I wish those who are able to think out of the box are more in number. However, many more need support. For instance, during the question/answer session that followed the entrepreneurs' remarks, some technical college students and other youths undergoing skills acquisition programmes in various vocational training centres in Lagos State, kept asking for how they could get government funding. This was despite hearing over and over again that the entrepreneurs started with no family or government funding. We need more entrepreneurs like those who spoke last Wednesday, to be available to guide our youths through business ideas and challenges. Tertiary institutions are now mandated by their respective regulatory bodies (the National Universities Commission; the National Board for Technical Education; and the National Commission for Colleges of Education) to develop entrepreneurship programmes that would equip students with vocational and business skills to start businesses after graduation. Many boast of their programmes. It is now something they use to attract students. However, institutions need to go beyond mounting vocational training to monitoring how many of their graduates go on to start successful businesses after gaining skills from the programmes. If the percentage is small, they should go further to find what challenges they face and help them overcome them. Any institution that can provide us with statistics of its products that leave school and easily find jobs or set up businesses would set a benchmark for others to emulate. This is the hallmark of world class universities across the world.

Belo-Osagie

• Pioneer pupils of De Dynamic Comprehensive College, Otta, Ogun State, posed with Director of the school, Alhaja Aramide Bello (third right) and the Vice Principal, Mrs Olufunke Olorunnisola (left) during their graduation at the school premises.

Amnesty scholarship for 50 students •College launches U.S. Transfer programme BOUT 50 students from the Niger Delta are to transit to universities in the United Kingdom and other countries after completing one-year foundation programmes at the Westerfield College, a private sixth form institution in Yaba, Lagos. They got scholarships from the Presidential Amnesty Programme for Niger Delta militants for the programme. This was disclosed in Lagos at the launch of the Westerfield's American Transfer Pathway, which will guarantee that graduates of the school get automatic admission into any university of their choice in the United States. The event took place at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Westfield's Managing Director Michael Dosumu said the school

By Adegunle Olugbamila

had helped over 800 students secure admissions into foreign universities, especially in the United Kingdom (UK). He said the institution was making a foray into the American school system. Dosumu said the school was replicating its partnership with the government on the Niger Delta students with various states. "We are going to approach state governments for partnership with the range of programmes we have. We have actually approached three states in the Southwest. We have approached one in the North and almost covered the Niger Delta. We are interested in covering Nigeria as much as possible," he said. A representative of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta, Dr Ebitim

George, assured the college of the agency's support in its drive to develop youths of the region. "The Presidential Amnesty programme supports Westerfield. Our children are currently studying in the school and we believe in the school's efforts at providing quality education to our children," he said. Lagos State Commissioner for Education Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, who was represented by Mrs Yinka Bello, said it is gratifying to know that Niger Delta youths are not agitating, but educating themselves. Parents, she explained, should be confident that the programme would benefit their children. The highlight of the programmes featured testimonies from both parents and students on how the programme has helped them.

•Prof Ezeigbo (middle) with the winners, (from left) Oluwasoromidayo, Precious, Patience and Akinwande

Public school pupil lifts essay trophy

HE crown for the 10th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition will be worn by Miss Patience Brown, an SS2 pupil of Apapa Senior High School, Apapa. Patience scored 68 per cent in the first and second stages of the competition to top over 2,000 participants that sent in entries. The competition was started in 2004 to commemorate the birthday of Bishop Mike Okonkwo, founder of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM). The cleric hopes that Patience, who will be presented her reward, N100,000, a laptop and plaque, along with other winners on September 4, will move on to greater successes like past winners. Second place Precious Nwaigwe of St. Francis Catholic Secondary School, Idimu, Lagos, with 66 per cent, narrowly edged out thirdplaced AkinwandeAkinboluwarin of the Greater Tomorrow International School, Arigidi Akoko, Ondo

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

State by one per cent. The fourth place went to Master David Oluwasoromidayo of Roshalom International Secondary School, Egbeda, who scored 65 per cent in the first stage but dropped to 64 in the second. Chief examiner of the competition and celebrated author, Prof Akachi Ezeigbo of the Dept. of English, University of Lagos, praised the pupils for making similar scores in the two stages of the competition. She said this showed that they were able to defend the entries sent in (for the first stage) because the second stage was written under exam condition. "The four candidates who scaled through the first stage proved their intellectual prowess in the second stage by satisfying our criteria. The close correlation in the mark scored by the student at both stages of the competition validates their efforts," she said. Prof Ezeigbo said the pupils were

graded for their knowledge of current issues among other criteria. "The students who meet our carefully defined criteria are usually those who have and can express an informed opinion on contemporary issues of national significance proposed by the organisers of the competition," she said. In addition to her prizes, Patience's school will get three computers and a printer. Second placed Precious will get N75,000, a plaque and two computers and printer for his school. Third-placed Akinwande will get N50,000, a plaque and the school gets an Internet Ready Computer. The fourth candidate David, will get a consolation price of N20,000. The prizes will be presented at this year's Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture at the Shell Hall Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos on September 4, which has as theme: The Power of your vote: A catalyst for a stable and united Nigeria.

‘That youths without jobs are highly likely to fall into crime is demonstrated by the recent arrest of four graduates and two undergraduates of the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), who set up a fraudulent scholarship website to defraud innocent students of up to N5 million. One of them, Olalekan Fajobi, graduated with a first class in Mechanical Engineering’

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NATURAL HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

Ebola is a disease that kills within 21 days if not treated early. Last week’s death in Lagos of a Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who had the virus showed how deadly the disease is. Sawyer was admitted in hospital on Tuesday. He died on Friday. Traditional medicine practitioners are divided on the disease. Some say it can be cured; others disagree, reports WALE ADEPOJU.

The Ebola challenge, by herbalists

AN Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) be cured by traditional medicine? A traditional medicine practitioner, Dr Godwin Ihesie, said Ebola has no cure, for now, because it is still unknown to most practitioners. He said Ebola may be difficult to treat in the country because it is an emerging infection, although it has been in existence for sometime in other countries. He said effort should be geared towards prevention rather than treatment because “nobody would want to venture into an unknown disease just like that, adding: “Also, because researches have not been well-conducted locally for traditional medicine to device a way to stop the disease.” He said those conducting research on the disease must be careful because of the extent of infection, adding that it is very latent. Ihesie said traditional medicine has solutions to many problems but research needs to be conducted on new diseases. There will be trial and error before arriving at the real formula, he added. Chairman, Research Institute of Traditional Alternative Medicine (RITAM), Otunba Olajuwon Okubena said EVD belongs to the class of haemorrhagic fevers. “In Yoruba, a disease which has symptoms that Ebola presents is said to belong to the category of smallpox known as Ita or Igbona family,” he said. Okubena said EVD is a severe acute viral illness often characterised by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This, he said, is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, internal and external bleeding. He said haemorrhagic fevers are treatable with traditional and alternative medicine but studies are yet to be done on EVD. “However, antidote can be found for EVD because traditional medicine has a huge history of solving health problems that defy orthodox medicine,” he added. He listed ewe otili, ako okuta and Agbado (maize) as preparation used to kill the virus, adding that the patient will also be asked to bath with a special herbal soap made with ewe ayo. Okubena said Ebola is a viral disease like other haemorrhagic fevers, which makes it treatable. “What we often do is to ensure patients take formulas that will boost their immunity. When this is done the patient’s body can fight the infection. Then other treatment can follow. We usually give people with haemorrhagic fevers Jobelyn to boost their immune system. He said there various types of

‘Those having smallpox known as Igbona in Yoruba are usually ostracised. They take them to the boundary of a town where they are left to take care of themselves because it is believed the problem was caused by Soponna, a spirit’

•Two fully-kitted doctors attending to an Ebola patient

•Okubena

•Ebola virus

Ebola such as Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) and Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV), adding that they are found in Africa. Reston ebolavirus (RESTV) and Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV), he said are unfamiliar to Africa because they are not among the types that trouble Africans. But, a naturopath Dr Lambo Adebisi said traditional medicine has cure for ailments, “It is just that we have not sat down to look at it carefully.” He said when smallpox first

•Ogunkoya

broke out it was incurable but after close examination cure was found for it. “Those having smallpox known as Igbona in Yoruba are usually ostracised. They take them to the boundary of a town where they are left to take care of themselves because it is believed the problem was caused by Soponna, a spirit” he said. He said: “It was smallpox that made the government establish Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Yaba in Lagos. “Then herbalists started using Aseje (herbal concoction) to treat

those with smallpox. Leaves were hung on the walls to ward off the spirit responsible for it. Herbalists also kept Bara (wild pod) at the home of the sick to provide soccour. Adebisi said: “It is a kind of disease, which needs exorcism. The traditional medicine practitioners know what to use to stop the disease from ravaging a sick person. Conventional drugs may not be able to provide the needed remedy. It will only suppress it but cure can be achieved if herbalists step in”. He said there herbs and rituals that herbalists perform to rid a sick

person of this disease. People, he said usually come down with smallpox when the sun is extremely hot but later they started having it during rainy season. He said EVD is unknown until recently in Nigeria but it has actually been in existence for about 20 years. To cure EVD, he said traditionalists must know the symptoms before looking for herbs that can treat those signs shown by the sick. He said those with Ebola vomit and have diarrhoea because of poor immunity. “Modernisation has made people depend on junk food. In the past people eat fruits and vegetable regularly. This made them have strong immunity against infectious diseases,” Adebisi said. Provost, Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (FEDCAN), Lagos, Dr Idowu Ogunkoya said EVD cannot be cured traditionally because research needs to be done to inconformity to evidence-based medicine which is spoken off across the world before it can be accepted. He said a “potent” herbal leaf can stop blood from coming out of the mouth and nose of an Ebola patient. Ogunkoya said it is a wakeup call for herbal practitioners to research into the treatment of Ebola. Podiatrist and Registrar, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB), Dr Bodunrin Oluwa said no cure has been found for EVD but some of the symptoms can be managed traditionally with herbs. He said some of the symptoms can be managed with herbal preparations. “There are herbs that can stop stooling, vomiting and loss of appetite, among others, which the patient had. So, if these can be prevented then traditional medicine can help the recovery of people who have the disease,” Oluwa added.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NATURAL HEALTH

Cell salt for rainy season ailments

HINK of this event, I see behind it the great hand of Mother Nature’s Law of Giving and Taking. The earth gives, the earth receives. And this gives us the residents of this planet the blessings of more food, as the crops sprout in the fields and fish mushroom in the rivers and seas, and a cooler weather which compensates for the heat of the past few months which was, in fact, respite from the pounding of the bygone rainy months. I sometimes wonder how beautiful Nigeria our great country may have become if, as children, today’s adults had been taught always not to TAKE without GIVING! I wonder, also, about what Nigeria may have been like if, like the common folk, politicians did not have to empty the public treasure into the pockets of their clothes and give nothing in return to their looted country. But can you blame them? Aren’t they merely leaders of their people? And aren’t leaders merely people who, among a people, carry deep within them the strongest of the abilities for goodness or evil prevalent among a people? Aren’t shop girls and boys, like corporate chief executives, emptying the till as well? Someday, perhaps when the “beautiful ones” are “born”, this Law of Nature which the rainy season teaches us, would be given more respect in our lives, and our country would glow in beauty. Meanwhile, as students of Nature follow the seasons to learn what deep lessons of life each season’s wishes to teach, and falling in tune with the great Universe, there are many people who always appear left behind. These are the people whose health deteriorates in one season, picks up in another only to dip in yet another season. This has led doctors to classify a family of seasonal health problems as SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISEASE or SAD. The rainy season can, indeed be a sad seasons for many people, such as asthmatics, arthritics, or sufferers from intestinal troubles. Largely, the troubles come from the cold or damp environment and the wind which, in many cases, announce the coming of rainfall. The wind blows dust everywhere and, with the dust germs which cause air borne diseases. Rain water may also bring water borne diseases and the floods all sorts of germs. Many people are not lucky enough to live in upland parts of town. So, their homes and neighbourhoods are always flooded or damp. Dirty habits of the city dweller do not help matters either in upland area. Government failure to provide safe, drinking piped water for everyone has led to the growth of a gigantic private sector drinking water industry which sells its products in plastic bottles and cellophane sachets. These packages are dumped anywhere once their contents are consumed, and find their ways into drains. Rainfall time is an opportunity for many people to empty their waste at home in the gutters for the rain water in the open drains to carry them wherever in this case, means downstream, and flooding of downstream neighbourhoods. I felt bad one day two years ago wading through the floods at Ikeja Under bridge in Lagos. When I arrived home, I emptied a large quantity of table salt into the bath tub to give my toes, feet and other exposed parts of the body a salt scrub. After that I took herbal antibiotic teas. I do not know if many people take this kind of trouble to protect themselves after an exposure, such as this, to the water–borne germs. I will mention a few of the common rainy season problems which require protection against this rainy season to avoid a SAD, before I come to cell or tissue salts and some of the health troubles they have been known to help prevent or revent.

Malaria

allegens to Magnesium deficiency. Allegens include Cocknacles, furry animals such as cats, dust mite, smoke e.t.c. Some researchers have linked the condition to infestation of Candida and mould, deficiency of essential fatty acids, Magnesium and Vitamin A, and dehydration. For me, if two people are exposed to the same allegens and one goes down but the other does not, there must be something other than more allegens in the equation. Is this a constitutional weakness of the lungs, in which case, nutritional deficiencies as listed above and cell salt deficiencies may be underlining causes? In bronchitis and asthma, cell salt practitioners watch out for the colour of phlegm or mucus, and the colour of the tongue… pinkish red, which is normal, or grayish and patched which is not the colour tells them which cell salt is missing or not enough in the system. When they supply it, the ailment goes!

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Unlike osteoarthritis, which is degeneration of bone cartilage, growth of bone spurs, rubbing bones, inflammation, pain and stiffness, rheumatoid arthritis is an immune disorder in which the body is attacking its own joints. Both conditions hate damp and cold weather and worsen in such conditions. The good old hot water bottle helps but there are not many good ones in town in these days in China-Made products. I often order direct from England when I have need for it. Those ones come with factory made jackets for women who are treating Uterine fibroids and need heat in that region, under camphorated castor therapy or not, find it useful to improve blood circulation in that region. It helps RA people, too, as it does people with arthritic fingers or atrophic fingers.

Pneumonitis

Pools of water are collecting almost everywhere. Mosquitoes will breed, in them, bite their victims and, most probably, give them Malaria fever. It is rare to find a person who drinks lemongrass tea every day and comes down with malaria. The chemicals in this plant kill the plasmodium (malaria causing parasite) in the bloodstream. Chanka piedra (Phyllanthus) does it, too I guess a proprietary product named PARACLEANSE will act likewise. It is a combination of many herbs, including wormwood, which is an anti–malaria. The proprietary blend SPECTRAGREEN, blend of over 40 green since these two plants are used to treat malaria fever; plants including pawpaw (Papaya) leaves and lemon grass leaves may have an anti – malaria action. As Plasmodium damages red blood cells, creating Oxygen shortage, which causes pains all over the body, blood building herbs such as Nettle, Yarrow and Chlorella may help. So should Oxygen tablets which not only supply Oxygen indirectly but also burn to death diseases causing parasites. So does JOBELYN a Nigeria antioxidant herbal blood formula. in the cell salt family, Ferrum phosphate (Ferrum Phos.) and Potassium Sulphate (Kali Sulph) do this beautifully.

Gastroenteritis This is trouble in the intestinal tract. Add to it diahrrhoea and Colitis, which is inflammation of the colon. The trouble comes from bacteria in dusty air and in water, and may be water or food borne. Think of the many food canteens which keep plates and cutlery in open baskets outdoor, and of those service girls who do not rinse the plates (at best, they merely wipe them with dirty napkins) before they serve your meal in them! In gastroenteritis, one is unable to eat or drink. An intense burning sensation develops after meals, and there may be blood (dark or fresh) in the stool. Blood indicates ulceration or laceration of the intestine, which may provide a habitat to germs and, if care is not taken, damaged further to a point at which the cells may become cancerous. The intestine may also suffer from diverticulosis or polyps and other diseases. The amino acid L, - Glutamine, Zinc, Vitamin S, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Selenium and Bioflavonoids may help to heal intestinal tract injuries. Cell salts also have a major role to play.

Asthma Like Bronchitis, Asthmas is a respiratory system disease. Many suggestions have been given for its cause. They range from

This is inflammation of the lungs triggered sometimes by the invasion of fungi, including, Candida, mould or, simply, inhalation of dust. If the cause, is fungus or mould, the organisms produce antigens against which the body produces antibodies. Caught in the crossfire, lung tissue inflames. Cell salt practitioners prescribe remedies for it.

Fibromyalgia This is a condition of inflammation and pain in fibrous tissue in muscle, tendons, other connective tissue principally in the neck, shoulders, upper chest, rib cage, lower back, the arms and elbows.

The 12 Cell or Tissue Salts Dr Wilhelm Heinrich Schuessler (1821 – 1898) developed these 12 salts while condensing or simplifying Dr, Hahnemann’s over 200 Homeopathic remedies. He came to some conclusions, including that • If the human body was burnt to ash and the ash was analysed, it would yield 12 different biochemic salts which constitute all tissues in varying proportions peculiar to particular tissues. • Disease does not occur in a cell in which metabolism is in order. • Metabolism is normal if the cell has enough adequate mineral tissue or cell salts. • The cell’s ability to absorb nutrients and excrete wastes is disturbed by a deficiency of tissue salts. • Supply of specific tissue salts to the cell may restore normal metabolism. The 12 cell salts are numbered 1 – 12 in the following order: •Calcium Flouride This biochemic salt ensures suppleness throught the body. A deficiency causes slackness which may result in swellings and hardening such as is evident in swollen gums and loose teeth, piles, enlarged heart, enlarged blood vessels (Varicose Veins), wearing of enamel of the teeth. Its value in supporting elasticity of tissue recommends it for such other conditions as muscle weakness and weakness of tendons, ligaments and fibrous tissue, and rigid joints (gout or arthritis). •Calcium Phosphate This is the regulator of healthy cellular activity. In its pres-

ence, other cell salts intensity their action. It is a great restorative in run - downs conditions. It is a major constituent of all cells and fluids. Cyril Scot names its shortage in the eye as a cause of eye troubles. Also known as the Phosphate of Lime, good gardeners are said to know Calcium Phosphate is a major constituent of most productive soils, and, so, enrich the soil with it. It is probably for this reason that it features in the remedies of Children who are not growing properly, and in cases of infertility. It cannot be ignored in the building of healthy bones and bone joints. When it comes to cramps, Calcium Phosphate, with Magnesium Phosphate, calm the muscle. • Calcium Sulphate A great blood purifier, it is a cousin of Silica (No12) in cleansing the blood of toxins, helping with liver detoxification and the healing of some skin ailments, including an acne and pimples and supports the formation of new skin cells. • Ferrum Phosphate The body requires Oxygen to burn diseases, and here comes an Oxygen carrier. It oxygenates the outside of cells while Potassium Sulphate, another cell salt, oxygenates the inside. It fights congestions and inflammation. Of value in anaemia, Ferrum Phosphate delivers iron to the cells in small, homeopathic but effective doses, which does not cause iron build–up in the system or cause constipation as many Pharmaceutical iron pills do. This cell salt strengthens the walls of blood vessels, may stop abdominal bleeding and, when in short supply, has been identified as cause of fever and inflammation. • Potassium Chloride Here comes the famous Kali Mur, an important constituent of muscles, nerve and brain cells without which the brain is said to be unable to form, a great destroyer of poisonous wastes, especially when the body is fighting off a fever or other infections, a blood thinner and, like ferrum phosphate,, a remedy for cold. • Potassium Phosphate Kali phos is the most important of the three phosphate salts and is said to be the soother of jangled cells. It is plentiful in the gray matter of nerve cells, and complements magnesium phosphate which is active in the white matter of these cells. A shortage of one affects the functions of the other. Potassium phosphate is used worldwide as a natural tranquiliser and is reputable in the treatment of psychological problems, irritability, memory loss, dementia, sudden brain fog and rapid decomposition of the blood. • Potossum Sulphate Like ferrum phosphate, here’s another oxygenator of the blood and cells. It promotes the health of the lungs, is useful in asthma and bronchitis and skin health. Nicknamed the “Anti-friction” and the “Cellular Building Block,” kali sulph acts like a lubricant and helps to create new cells to replace those damaged or killed by disease. Its deficiency causes oil in the body to thicken and clog the pores of the skin. Such oil is often expelled, also, as a yellowish sticky discharge from any office of the body (the nose, vagina etc) or from a cancer, swollen gland or abscess, including boils. • Magnesium Phosphates An antispasmodic, mag phos is good news for people who suffer from cramps, including foot and menstrual cramps, and palpitations of the heart. Nerve and muscle spasms of asthma, like these which cause premature ejaculation, also benefit from it. The same goes for twitches of eyelids. Magnesium Phosphate works even more powerfully when combined with the other two phosphate salts, Calcium Phosphate and Potassium Phosphate. Together they build nerve tone. Magnesium helps to stop nerve pain, such as is experienced in neuralgia or sciatic nerve problems. A deficiency may cause nervous, convulsions, epilepsy, flatulence from, indigestion, and other nervousness, system disturbances. • Sodium Chloride This is by no means your table salt. It is Natrium Muri it is the “pre– eminent headache remedy”. Its main job is to set up and maintain osmotic pressure through which fluid enters the cell with nutrients and leaves with wastes. Another of its functions is to regulate fluid balance throughout the body, preventing dryness or water – logging. • Sodium Phosphate This is the body’s biochemic antacid. It is fund everywhere in the body… blood, nerves, eyes, muscles, blood, brain, lungs and lympth… everywhere, to decompose acids and to balance body pH. People who suffer from ulcer, heartburn, heat in any part of the body benefit from sodium Phosphate (Natrium Phos) therapy. So do people who suffer from other problems caused by excess acids such as back pain, arthritis. • Sodium Sulphate This is the cell salt for asthma. While Sodium Chloride attracts water to the body, Sodium Sulphate takes away excess water. It is especially friendly to the mucus membranes, which makes it good for asthma, sinus discharges, influenza, cold, and the bowels. It helps liver cleansing, and supports blood sugar metabolism and, by extensions diabetes therapy. • Silica Known as “the remarkable cellular cleanser” and “homeopathic surgeons, Silica dissolves boils and abscesses supports hair, skin and nail health, makes calcium deposit appropriately in bone, hardens bones, connective tissue, eliminates toxins and dissolves congestions and swellings. In the days before antibiotics were discovered and surgery was not rampant, Silica was named the homeopathic surgeon because it helped to solve most of the problems for which surgeon’s advice surgery today. In cases of hernia, for example, silica may so strengthen tissue fabric connective that makes a prolapse impossible. Beyond these and more, it is good for digestion and cleansing of the blood. Cell salt therapy is often described as “well kept” secret of Alternative Medicine this column will continue to discuss it, even outside the rainy season. •This page is being re-run due to popular demand

e-mail: femi.kusa@yahoo.com or olufemikusa@yahoo.com Tel: 08116759749, 08034004247, 07025077303

THURSDAY JULY 31, 2014

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

OGUN POLITICS Politics is in the air in Ogun West Senatorial District. Senatorial aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are warming up for primaries. Correspondent ERNEST NWOKOLO examines the contenders and issues that will shape the contest.

12 for Senate in Ogun West T

HE senatorial race in Ogun West District is gathering momentum. The election will hold next year. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not blown the whistle. But, the supporters of the contenders are organising rallies to drum support for their ambition. No fewer than 12 politicians across the three parties-the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) - . have expressed their interest in the race. Ogun West is a populous district. Its population is over one million. The inhabitants-Yewa and Awori-are politically conscious. The voters are enlightened. Therefore, there is political eagerness as the parties prepare for primaries. Since 2011, the APC has become the leading party in the zone. However, the PDP and the LP are not sleeping on guard. Although the primaries are party affairs, the choice of senatorial flag bearers has generated interest beyond the parties. Some power brokers outside the parties may have a say. Also, traditional rulers, community leaders and other interest groups cannot be ignored. But, one thing is certain: the candidates will emerge through primaries and not consensus. In the past, the district was represented by gladiators. They include Senator Ayo Otegbola, (Awori); Senator Afolabi Olabimtan (Yewa), Senator Iyabo Anisulowo (Yewa) and Chief Kunle Bajomo (Yewa). The district is now being represented by Senator Akin Odunsi, (Awori) of the APC. In the history of the zone, no senator has been elected twice. Also, in Ogun East and Central, no senator has had the opportunity of a second term. The puzzle is: can Odinsi break the jinx? All the aspirants parade intimidating credentials. They are household names in Yewa and Aworiland. They are also experienced technocrats and politicians. This is not surprising because the former senators were also great men and women. But, whether their credible resume has translated to effective representation and development of the area is debatable. Party activities revolve around the senatorial contenders. They have set up structures and committees for mobilisation, consultation, publicity and research. Emissaries are sent to those who matter to sell their candidature. The aspirants have been dispatching foot soldiers to field to woo the electorate. Their posters adorn the streets. One issue that may determine the fate of aspirants is zoning. Despite their contiguity, Awori and Yewa, which constitute the district, have distinct identities. There is an unwritten agreement that the seat should rotate between the two groups, in recognition of the fact that no senator had served more than a term in the history of the district and the state. The zoning may not change because it has become sacrosanct. In fact, it is being replicated at the party level where party offices are being shared based on zoning. Odunsi, who was elected in 2011, is working towards re-nomination. He has some hurdles to cross. In the APC, the senator has challengers. No fewer than six chieftains are warming up for primaries in the ruling party. Even, politicians from Lagos State are returning home to compete with him. In the race with Odunsi are Hon.

• Amosun

• Adeola

• Odunsi

•

Bajomo

‘One issue that may determine the fate of aspirants is zoning. Despite their contiguity, Awori and Yewa, which constitute the district, have distinct identities. There is an unwritten agreement that the seat should rotate between the two groups, in recognition of the fact that no senator had served more than a term in the history of the district and the state. The zoning may not change because it has become sacrosanct’ Adeola Olamilekan Solomon, the Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Bolaji Oyeleye and Prince Gbolahan Dada. In the PDP, no fewer than four aspirants are eyeing the slot. In the LP, there are two aspirants. The aspirants are determined. This is discernable in their clandestine moves. All

of them are, in varying degrees, are competing for public consciousness. But, Adeola, fondly called ‘Yayi’ by supporters, appears to be gaining more grounds. He seems to be giving others sleepless nights. The federal legislator had seized the district by storm last year when he visited home. He was given a warm reception. Although he has played his politics in

Alimoso, Lagos State, he is perceived as a home boy in Yewa. Also, last year, Adeola was in Abeokuta to give a lecture. After the lecture, many Ogun leaders requested him to return home to play politics. Adeola, who represents Alimosho Constituency, which is bigger than Bayelsa and Yobe states, in terms of population, is a legislator of over 13 years experience. He was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly for eight years before he was elected into the House of Representatives. At the Lagos State House of Assembly, he was the Chairman of the Finance Committee. This committee under his watch in the House of Representatives is said to have exposed many corrupt tendencies. This has made the legislator the toast of other committees, which perceive it as a model in effective oversight function. However, Adeola faces some hurdles. He has been labeled as a returnee from Lagos. His opponents have said that he is not conversant with the district. But, his supporters are trying to counter the argument that he is a Lagos politician. Thy point out that all the politicians in the district have their businesses and offices in Lagos. Many also agreed that former governors have followed the same route. Former Governor Gbenga Daniel and his successor, Ibikunle Amosun, were in Lagos before they returned home to contest elections. Before he entered politics, Adeola had a robust private sector experience. He had worked in The Guardian, before establishing a private practice in accounting. Many see this as a plus for him. Senator Odunsi is another aspirant to watch. He is the man of the moment. He enjoys incumbency. He has also worked for the development of the district. Many people have attested to the constituency projects he has attracted to the zone. ‘But, close watchers have said that the age long tradition of one term per senator in Ogun may count against him. Another APC aspirant is Prince Dada Gbolahan. He is an Awori. He is held in high esteem by the people of the area as a technocrat and clean politician, who cannot ruffle feathers. He has been preaching sanity and decorum, warning that politics with bitterness is dangerous. In 2011, many were rooting for him. But, he did not emerge as the candidate. Many still believe that he should succeed Odunsi. His emergence as the candidate, some said, may douse the tension that has engulfed the district over the race. As younger elements demand for a vibrant youth as senator for a change, the odd may favour him. If he becomes the APC candidate, he will be the candidate to beat next year. The LP aspirants are not relenting. But, the party is not firmly rooted in Ogun State. Besides, it is factionalised. The leader of the party, Daniel, and the chairman, are at loggerheads. The PDP is a wounded lion, seeking whom to devour. It is still bitter over its 2011 defeat. Also, the PDP is bogged down by factionalisation. A green horn, Omoba Segun Adewale, has initially indicated interest for the position under LP. He was a time the sole financier and face of the party in the district. But, a few weeks back, he defected from the party to the PDP. He may get the ticket of his faction. But, it remains to be seen how his lack of political experience and the problems of factions will propels assist him in realising his ambition.

THE NATION THURSDAY JULY 31, 2014

POLITICS Hon. Oyewole Oyewumi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a House of Representatives aspirant in Ogbomoso North, South and Orire Constituency, Oyo State. In this interview with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, he speaks about his ambition, the challenges facing his constituency and how he intents to tackle them.

‘Ogbomoso ‘ll be better under APC’

HY are you contesting for the House of Representatives? Let me say this is not my first time of representing the people. I had made myself available to serve my people at the local level in a number of occasions. I represented Apapa Ward in 1996 as a councilor and later became the Vice Chairman of Apapa Local Government, when it was upgraded to a council. I was elected under the zero party basis; I won the election in recognition of my personal quality. At a different time, I was appointed as a Supervisory Councilor for Works and later, for Health during Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s tenure. I was also the state legal adviser for Alliance for Democracy (AD). The only new twist is that I have moved my political activism from Lagos to Ogbomoso, where I think I can also serve my people better. I think all hands must be on deck; everybody that has something to contribute to resolve the challenges facing the country should play a role. As a politician, I believe I have something to contribute towards finding the solution, at the level of representation. That is why I chose to go for the Federal House of Representatives. What difference will you make to distinguish yourself from the person and the party currently representing the constituency? I have always belonged to the progressive, platform because it is known for its result, oriented politics. As for my party the All Progressives Congress (APC), it will make the change. I started with AD, then, the Action Congress (AC), which later became the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now the APC. I have never for once been scared by our programme of action, which is propeople. These are propounded on the ethos and doctrine of social democracy, welfarism and politics of inclusion. It has what I will call a national spread. I am happy the APC will have unfettered access to a wider section of the country to pursue these welfarist goals and agenda and to promote true democracy. Being a Lagos-based politician may affect your acceptance at home. How are you resolving this? The case of my politics in Lagos is like the case of a rural person that came to the city to see a colleague. My feet have always been firmly grounded in Ogbomoso town, not only in politics, but social affairs and every other thing. I went to secondary school in Ogbomoso. In fact, since my father returned to Ogbomoso in 1973 to become the Soun (traditional ruler) of Ogbomoso, the place has been more or less my home. I am familiar with the activities in my community. It will interest you to know that all the political offices I have held in Lagos are offices at the local government level. This automatically tells you that I am well at home with life at the grassroots. In a nutshell, I am very much a local boy in Ogbomoso. Hon. Mulikat Akande of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently occupying the House of Representatives. With her pedigree, can you displace her? I do not want to talk about the individual currently occupying the seat. Rather, I will rather talk about her platform. Let me put it this way: people occupying political offices under that platform are like tenants. Their time would soon be up and they would vacate their positions for the owners of the constituency, who are actually the Ogbomoso people. We know the circumstances under which the elections that brought them into power were held. I am happy to say that the truth has finally prevailed; the scales have fallen off the eyes of the people, and they would not allow anyone to intimidate them this time around through thuggery and the use of terror. People are now ready to protect their votes. We know where the peoples, vote will be. You will observe that, in the past, Oyo State was governed by the PDP. But, the party was swept off in the last general election by the APC. Ogbomoso North, South and Orire Federal Constituency, as well as Oyo North Senatorial Constituency, the two constituencies held by the PDP in Oyo State today, will return to the APC come 2015. • Oyewumi

Ijaws back Orubebe for Delta governorship By Joseph Eshanokpe

HE Ijaw ethnic group has endorsed the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, for governorship in Delta State. At the endorsement ceremony, members of the Delta Izon Congress (DIC), Ijaw Youth Council, traditional rulers and other personalities from the Delta South Senatorial District described him as the best man for the job. Orubebe, who is eyeing the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke in Izon language. He promised to transform the state, adding that, if given the opportunity, Delta would witness tremendous development. He asked those he might have offended during his political sojourn to forgive him, noting that the weight of public service was enormous and should not be counted against him. The chief host, Brig-Gen. Cletus Emein (rtd), in his welcome address, emphasised that the ethnic nationalities in Delta State were prepared to back Orubebe’s ambition to rule. Emein, the former military administrator of Niger State, lamented that, since Delta was created in 1991, no Ijaw has occupied the three key political and administrative positions adding that this has rubbed of the dividends of democracy. The special guest of honour, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, urged the Ijaw ensure that Orubebe won. Kuku, who was represented by Ambassador Joel Bisina, said: “Orubebe is set for the Delta State House; let us stand behind him to actualise the dream.”

‘No way for dregs in Anambra politics’ Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi spoke with reporters in Awka, the state capital, on life outside power and other issues. Excerpts:

OW are you coping with life outside power? I keep telling people that eight years as the governor of Anambra State was like eight years in battle front. I say this because of the complexities in the state, which the support of the masses, their prayers and divine guidance helped me to overcome. What do you mean by complexities in Anambra State? How do I explain this? You remind me about an author I was reading on general topics from philosophical perspective. The author was at a loss on how to explain Yoga and he ended up saying “only through Yoga may Yoga be known.” It is only through active participation in the governance of Anambra State would one discover in its fullness the complexities in the state. Anambra people are good, very industrious, proud of their heritage, and are justifiably the “Jew of Nigeria,” but over the years, through the misplacement of values, our state came very low, and at a point, even became a byword for rascality. I met all the challenges and complexities associated with a people that have lost the sense of values because the dregs among them took over the arena. I am happy that, today, we are reconquering ourselves and have gone far in the process of reclaiming our state for ourselves. You have received with a special Award by the Nigeria Computer Society because of the ICT revolution in Anambra State when you were the governor. How do you feel about it? Generally, conferment of awards and granting of dignities are ways by which the society acknowledges people that have done or are doing well for humanity. I am therefore, happy and elated that the Nigerian Computer Society found me worthy to be honoured. As they said, they had wanted to honour me when I was the governor, but, I declined in line with my belief that awards that are not time-bound are better given after one had left office. I maintained this position because, as soon as I became the governor, the request to give me awards started coming in torrents,even in my first year when I have not done anything for an organisation to want to honour me. Very soon, I discovered that most of the awards were predicated on one’s support. Therefore, I said no awards, until I have served my terms. Awards like Sun or Business day Man of the Year were accepted because they were tied to specific years. Again, I said that, before I accept any award, besides the organisation convincing me, I must be convinced within me that I genuinely merited it. Today, if an organisation says they want to honour me as a former governor with the best improvement on Internally Generated Revenue I should be honest to myself to know it is not true. I am therefore, happy to receive the award. I am also happy to receive the award by librarians of Nigeria, the Lagos Business School, among others, because from their submissions, it was obvious that I really came out the best in the area of the award. Take the issue of librarians that honoured me, they made it clear that I built the first library in Anambra State since the state was created and the first e-library in the Southeast. They also acknowledged billions of naira we made available to all the Government and missionary-owned secondary schools in the state for the provision of libraries as well as the provision of infrastructure to the libraries and the purchase of vehicles for Librarians, among others. Coming to the award by the Nigeria Computer Society, they enumerated the reasons for the award and they are verifiable. I bought over 30,000

• Obi

desktop and laptop computers for public and missionary schools in the state. In fact, our last purchase was 22,500 laptops at the ratio of one to 10 students, a feat not achieved by any state in Africa. We provided Microsoft academies and over 500 generators to schools to power the facilities. We connected our schools to Internet. We employed computer teachers for the schools and commenced the computerisation of departments of government in the state, among others. Are you satisfied with the teaching and learning of the ICT in Nigeria? First and foremost, let me repeat: any country or state desirous of equipping her people for competition in future must not joke with education and the critical part of modern education is ICT enabled. Recently, different Examination Boards said their examination would be through the computer. For people fromAnambra State, there is no need to be panicky. We have invested in the sector that we would not be disadvantaged no matter how they want to do it. We have also employed, trained and retrained ICT teachers. I want Nigeria to look more deeply on how to make ICT education readily available to Nigerians. I will like to encourage those in charge of our education to consider a programme to make computers available to students in tertiary institutions as soon as they enter year one. I am sure with about N35 billion yearly budgets, it is doable. That amount is not up to 30 per cent of what the Federal

‘Anambra people are good, very industrious, proud of their heritage, and are justifiably the “Jew of Nigeria,” but over the years, through the misplacement of values, our state came very low, and at a point, even became a byword for rascality. I met all the challenges and complexities associated with a people that have lost the sense of values because the dregs among them took over the arena’

Government spends on paying for one form of subsidy or another monthly. We were able to provide about 30,000 computers in Anambra State because we talked directly to the manufacturers or their representatives without going through first, second or third parties and were able to secure generous discounts. It is about time our people learnt to be more transformational rather that current culture of transaction pervading the country. As an international businessman, how can you rate ICT penetration between Nigeria and South Africa? When you compare that based on population, South Africa being about 53 million and Nigeria being 168 million, you will agree that South Africa tops Nigeria. With conscientious planning and adequate deployment of resources, Nigeria has the capacity to surpass South-Africa just as our GDP has recently surpassed theirs. Much has been said about the poor GSM services in Nigeria, especially in the area of drop calls. What do you think should be done to improve on it? I remember when people travelled hundreds of kilometres to receive phone call. I remember when people queued in NITEl offices to make calls; today it is no longer the case. I say this to let you know that the history of telecommunication has been impressively progressive. Today, phones are no longer status symbols. Today, secondary school students have phones. Due to increase in subscriber base and vandalisation of equipment especially in areas we have security challenges, we witness dwindling call quality. The way to improve it is by telecomm companies investing in infrastructure more than they do now. Moreover, telecomm regulators should monitors service providers more for compliance to minimum standards. I am aware that power problem also affect telecomm companies and I am confident that President Goodluck Jonathan is doing everything to solve the power problem. Rich Companies that are dependent on power should also work out how to invest in power in the country. Following the increasing awareness about the ICT, Nigeria is fast becoming a dumping ground for second hand and obsolete computers, laptops and phones. How can this be addressed? People buy used things because they cannot afford new ones. Today most Nigerians are buying new vehicles because of Innoson Motor Manufacturing Company, Nnewi. Government should encourage local manufacture of computers in other that new ones will be available to Nigerians. Do you think the Nigeria Communication Commission has the capacity to moderate GSM providers in Nigeria? Yes, it does. I have not read the law setting it up, but I have seen their adverts telling GSM providers what to do and what not to do. This means they have that mandate. I hope they also are empowered by legislation to punish recalcitrant ones. Comment on the increasing rate of cybercrime in the country and how do you think Nigeria’s cyberspace could be better secured. Crime of any form is not acceptable insofar as it is contrary to the norms of the society. Once we support the President, Goodluck Jonathan in his Transformation Agenda, part of which is job-creation, the problem of crime will be reduced, whether Cyber, armed robbery and what have you.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS e-Business

e-mail: e-business@thenationonlineng.net

Many countries are deploying information communications technology (ICT) tools in solving economic, political, social and cultural challenges. The World Bank says Nigeria ranks 118th on its Knowledge Economy Index (KEI). Experts at the national conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) canvass that steps be taken urgently to address the situation for Nigeria to move forward in ICT, LUCAS AJANAKU reports.

How Nigeria can move up the knowledge economy ladder T

HE World Bank ranking is frightening. No African country made the list of its global ranking of countries by Knowledge Economy Index (KEI), which is based on the four pillars of the Knowledge Economy (KE). Not even the United States, Britain or Germany made the list of the first 10 leading countries. The global lender identified education and training, information infrastructure, economic incentive and institutional regime and innovation systems as the four critical requisites for a country to be able to fully participate in the knowledge economy: It said an educated and skilled population is needed to create, share and use knowledge while a dynamic information infrastructure-ranging from radio to the internet-is required to facilitate the effective communication, dissemination and processing of information. It argues that a regulatory and economic environment that enables the free flow of knowledge, supports investment in ICT, and encourages entrepreneurship is central to the knowledge economy. Also, it believes a network of research centres, universities, think-tanks, private enterprises and community groups are necessary to tap into the growing stock of global knowledge, assimilate and adapt it to local needs, and create new knowledge. The liberalisation of the telecoms sector has been both a blessing and a curse. While foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow is estimated to have reached $35billion, subscriber figures have passed 130 million, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). With this growth has come the challenge of data security which experts say is a pre-requisite for a knowledge economy. President, NCS, Prof David Adewumi, said the black race was in a deep slumber when the industrial revolution swept across Europe and America. He said it would be unfortunate if ongoing ICT revolution was allowed to elude the country. According to him, creating a knowledge based economy in the country requires the support of the IT sector, lamenting that insecurity of data and lack of awareness were some of the issues to be addressed by stakeholders. Manager, Cyber Risk Services, Deloitte Nigeria Funmilola Odumuboni, who spoke on Security issues in a knowledge-based economy defined Data Information Knowledge as “Information, understanding, or skill that you get from experience or education; Facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.” She explains: “One, where organisations and people acquire, create, disseminate, and use knowledge more effectively for greater economic and social development; an economy where knowledge is recognised as the driver of productivity and economic growth. As a result, there is a new focus on the role of information, technology and learning in economic performance.”

Security issues in a knowledgebased economy

According to her, piracy, data protection, identity theft, industrial espionage, platform interoperability are some of the challenges of a knowledge based economy. She said: “In the economy of knowledge,

•From left: Chief Executive Officer, ActivEdge Technologies, George Agu; Vice President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof Sola Aderounmu; Chief Executive Officer, Signal Alliance, Collins Onuegbu; IBM Collaboration Solutions Leader, West Africa, Weyinmi Egbe; and Chief Executive Officer, Chams Plc, Sir Demola Aladekomo during the conference.

data is collected about everyone and it is a prime currency for activities and business. Protection of this information/data within the economy therefore, has to be of topmost importance.” According to her, the inability to know the people who has access to information; what information is being accessed; which information is flowing out of organisations and nation; and how this information is flowing out. The need to protect data from threat sources within and outside organisations and institutions is underscored by the importance of protecting the entire organisation.

Piracy

Odumuboni said one of the biggest security issues that would spring up from a knowledge-based economy is piracy. The reliance on knowledge as a means of exchange makes susceptibility to piracy a grand and growing problem. “Piracy is the act of illegally copying someone’s product or invention without permission. The BSA and IDC, global software piracy study revealed that the commercial value of unlicensed PC software installations totaled $62.7 billion globally in 2013,” she said. According to experts, piracy is not restricted to software alone, it covers several types of intellectual property including but not limited to organisational and aational trade secrets, movies, music, software source code and inventions products. Piracy will lead to loss of revenue, killing of innovation, reputational damage and loss of competitive advantage. Identity theft She described identity theft as a form of stealing someone’s identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person’s identity, usually as a method to gain access to resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person’s name. “In a knowledge-based economy where most information is digital, the challenge will be confirming the identity of each and every person. Although identity theft is not

restricted to social media sites but social media can be a good place to harvest information. With a stolen identity, the attacker can perpetrate all kinds of activities,” she averred.

Industrial espionage

Industrial espionage is the act of attempting to obtain trade secrets by dishonest means, as by telephone- or computer-tapping, infiltration of a competitor’s workforce and other unwholesome methods. She said with the advent of knowledge as a means to corporate wealth, the race for a company’s knowledge-base takes the fight to a whole new level, adding that industrial espionage is conducted for commercial purposes rather than national security purposes (espionage) and should be differentiated from competitive intelligence, which is the legal gathering of information.

Cases of industrial espionage

Hilton and Starwood: In April 2009 the United States-based hospitality company Starwood accused its rival Hilton of stealing corporate information relating to its luxury brand concepts, used in setting up its own Denizen hotels. Opel vs Volkswagen: In 1993, car manufacturer Opel, the German division of General Motors, accused Volkswagen of industrial espionage after Opel’s chief of production, Jose Ignacio Lopez, and seven other executives moved to Volkswagen Microsoft vs Oracle: Larry Ellison, the head of Oracle was said to have involved bribing the cleaning staff at Microsoft’s Washington office in order to lay their hands on documents Gillette vs Steven Louis Davis: In 1998, Steven Louis Davis was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution for his theft of trade secrets from Gillette. He was sent confidential designs to various competitors of Gillette.

Platform interoperability

According to the Deloitte security expert, in a knowledge-based economy, reliance on

‘Piracy is the act of illegally copying someone’s product or invention without permission. The BSA and IDC, global software piracy study revealed that the commercial value of unlicensed PC software installations totaled $62.7 billion globally in 2013’

infrastructure for data delivery is more emphasised than ever. Information may be accessed via different media and platforms that have different levels of security. At the point of interoperation and interface there is a wide gap that may be skilfully exploited by a seasoned attacker. “What appears to be a minor platform glitch may become a door for an attacker. When the knowledge cannot be confined to a singular location, it faces the risk of being misused by anyone who has access to it outside a confined physical location,” she said.

Sources of threats to data/information

Hackers: In the computer security context, Wikipedia, defined a hacker as someone who seeks and exploits weaknesses in a computer system or computer network. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, such as profit, protest, challenge or enjoyment. The subculture that has evolved around hackers is often referred to as the computer underground and is now a known community. While other uses of the word hacker exist that are not related to computer security, such as referring to someone with an advanced understanding of computers and computer networks, they are rarely used in mainstream context. They are subject to the longstanding hacker definition controversy about the term’s true meaning. In this controversy, the term hacker is reclaimed by computer programmers who argue that someone who breaks into computers, whether computer criminal (black hats) or computer security expert (white hats), is more appropriately called a cracker instead. Some white hat hackers claim that they also deserve the title hacker, and that only black hats should be called “crackers”. Script kiddie (also known as a skid or skiddie) is a non-expert who breaks into computer systems by using pre-packaged automated tools written by others, usually with little understanding of the underlying concept—hence the term script (that is a prearranged plan or set of activities) kiddie (that is kid, child—an individual lacking knowledge and experience, immature. Another source of threat to data is countries. In international circles, data protection is increasingly becoming vital as nations seek to take advantage of one another in the rat race to develop. The case of Ed Snowden, the American computer professional is instructive in this instance. • Continued on page 59

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

e-Business

NITDA urges creation of SITDA

HE National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has urged the 36 states to establish the equivalent of the agency to fasttrack the penetration of information communications technology (ICT) in the country. Its Deputy Director, Corporate Strategy and Research, Dr Vincent Olatunji, who spoke on the sideline at an Information Communication Technology (ICT) forum said if the states embraced the initiative and create State Information Technology Development Agency (SITDA), it would speed

Stories by Lucas Ajanaku

up the deployment and use of ICT across the country. He said after two major global conference on ICT, it was agreed that each country went back home and unveiled a road map on ICT. According to him, policies don’t work unless strategies are put in place to ensure seamless implementation, adding that the agency had done a lot in the area of providing infrastructure, manpower development and strategy for ICT growth. He said NITDA has done so well in providing the roadmap at the

Airtel customers hit 300m

HARTI Airtel has announced that it has crossed the 300 million customer mark across its operations. The milestone includes customers across mobile, fixed line and DSL, and DTH services. In a statement, the telco recalled that it began operations in 1995, reached the 100 million customers mark in 2009 and crossed the 200 million mark in 2012. The latest 100 million customers have joined the Airtel family in less than two years. The Company ranks as the fourth largest mobile service provider globally and second largest globally outside of China. Airtel Africa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Christian de Faria, said: “This milestone underlines the strength of our operations, which is one of the largest on a global scale. It is also a tribute

to the ‘Airtel’ brand which is trusted by customers in 20 countries. Today, telecom is at the cusp of transformation, which, going forward will be driven as much by the force of technology as by the changing demographics in emerging markets across Asia and Africa. “Accelerated data consumption by the youth is going to be the underlying story. I am confident that Airtel will continue to be at the forefront of this future growth story and continue to delight customers by adding value to their lives.” In Africa, Bharti Airtel is the largest mobile operator in the Continent in terms of geographical footprint, which spans 17 countries with over 70 million customers. Airtel’s mobile networks cover over 1.85 billion people across its operations in 20 countries and carry over 311 billion minutes of calls every quarter.

federal level, adding that agency is encouraging the states to set up SITDA to help harmonise the needs of the various government agencies, departments and ministries with a view to streamlining policy implementation for overall national development. “We believe that is the way to drive ICT development and deployment across the country. Sixty per cent of our people live in the rural areas. With SITDA or a bureau directly under the office of the state governor, ICT deployment will be all inclusive. It will go down into the rural areas,” he said.

He lamented that when the agency wrote all governors on the need to position the country as an ICT nation on the global space, only Osun, Enugu and Lagos states responded, adding that the pilot project with the states had been successful. He said the second phase of the project would capture Yobe, Sokoto, Ebonyi and about seven others. According to him, the modus operandi of the scheme is that states would first identify their ICT needs and brought them to the attention of NITDA, which would in turn work with them

through its resources persons on how to evolve a workable framework for policy formulation and consequently, implementation. Dr Olatunji said the agency was interested in both software and hardware and had created an ICT local content board while guidelines had been launched. He added that what was needed was a multi-stakeholders’ approach. He identified cloud computing, e-strategies, big data as new areas of global attention, adding that NITDA had inaugurated report on bid data and digital strategies.

‘GITEX’ll foster FDI, promote local content’

HE Commercial Director, Exhibition and Events Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, Bilal Al-Rais has said Nigeria’s participation at the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) will boost foreign direct investment and promote local content development in the country. He said this would help grow the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the single digit figure of nine per cent to double digit figure of about 20 per cent. Speaking on the technology fiesta, he said it would provide an opportunity for the country to showcase its largely untapped information technology (IT) potentials to over 4,000 investors aside other high profile participants expected at the event hold-

ing at the United Arab Emirates in October. He recalled that what is known as telecoms revolution first started with the licensing of the telcos, the firms that picked the global system for mobile communication (GSM) licences reluctantly did so and had hoped to begin seeing return on their investment (RoI) in five years, adding that it was a pleasant surprise that some of them got RoI within the first six months of operation. He said the government was desirous of pushing for the country’s presence at the event as Gitex Local Organising Committee (LOC) has been inaugurated by the Director General of NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack, adding that Nigeria is country partner for the event. Also, more than 35,000 visitors

came from Africa in the 2013 edition of GITEX where Nigeria premiered its presence by setting up the Nigerian Pavilion which was promoted by NITDA. He said, this year, Nigeria is riding on its last year’s presence as Official Country Partner to become the centre of thematic activities for the five day technology expo and conference in Dubai. He said Nigeria’s presence at Gitex would offer the opportunity to explore international opportunities for collaborations and investments that would further advance Nigeria’s burgeoning IT sector. He cited South Korea and India where information technology alone contribute over $200 billion to the economy, adding that 100 other countries will be in attendance to at the event.

‘Why MTN launched mobile health insurance’

I TN veered into providing mobile health insurance f because it believes in a healthy society, its Chief Executive Officer, Michael Ikpoki has said. He spoke when the telco signed a deal with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the nation and the aggregator, Salt and Einstein. He said health is wealth and a healthy citizenry will remain invaluable asset to the productive sector of the economy. He said: “At MTN, we believe that health insurance contributes to removing the financial barriers to healthcare, thereby giving people unrestricted access to good health care without having to pay out-of-pocket. More than bringing flexibility and ease to paying for health care service, health insurance is also a means of providing greater access to healthcare for larger segments of a population. Indeed we believe health insurance is imperative for closing the gap between the availability of health care service and the ability of the

citizenry to access it.” Described as The MTN Y’ello health cover, he said it is an all-inclusive mobile health insurance scheme, which will give all Nigerians the opportunity to access good, affordable and quality healthcare service wherever, whenever the need arises. The scheme will allow subscribers to gain access to pre-defined treatments and also freedom to choose their own Health Maintenance organisation (HMO), and healthcare provider from over 6000 registered partners across Nigeria. Under the scheme, subscribers will have access to unlimited number of visits to the hospital with at a weekly deduction of N250 only. NHIS Executive Secretary, Dr. Femi Thomas said: “This new service will provide Nigerians affordable health insurance cover on a prepaid basis. “Through the Y’ello Health, mobile subscribers are able to opt into a micro healthcare insurance scheme through Health Management Organisations (HMO’s), using their mobile phones for a range of

• From left: Business Development Manager, Visitors Management, Exhibition & Events Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, Eyad Khamis; Deputy Director, Corporate Strategy and Research, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Vincent Olatunji; and Commercial Director, Exhibition & Events Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, Bilal Al-Rais during the press conference to announce Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) in Enugu, Enugu State capital.

How Nigeria can move up the knowledge economy ladder • Continued from page 58

Some of the mechanisms used to obtain confidential information include social engineering, phishing, malicious software, collaboration with insiders and rogue wireless networks.

Way forward Dependable identity management She said identity management is a set of processes and supporting technologies for maintaining a person’s complete set of identity spanning multiple business and application contexts. Identity Management is the key to combating identity theft. The National Identity Management Commis-

sion (NIMC) has started a project of creating an Identity Management System (IMS) for Nigerians, everybody’s information would be tied to their unique National Identity Number (NIN) that would be verifiable. This would make it harder for criminals to impersonate people. NIMC’s Director-General, Chris said: “When we conclude the integration for a national resource optimisation, based on a standardised process of data capture and management and sustain it, Nigeria will be a better place for all because it will unlock significant economic and employment potential; it will drive financial inclusion; it will stimulate demand and domestic production in a peculiar way and this will in turn impact

on gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate. Most people did not believe the telecom sector will be transformed with the GSM revolution. It happened. Most people do not believe the identity sector will be transformed, by God’s grace, it will happen.”

Resilient information security framework

An Information security framework is the collection of processes and practices that are used to manage the definition and ongoing operation and management of the information security risks. It should address the following. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has commenced the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) project which it

assures will make repudiation of online transactions impossible.

Adequate legislation

To promote the knowledge economy, people have to be assured they will get justice when there is abuse of knowledge. Therefore, laws should be enacted to address issues such as piracy, cyber crime, corporate espionage, identity theft, data privacy/data protection. The National Assembly should expedite action on the passage of the cyber security bills that have been gathering dust on its floors.

Awareness

Another important factor for a knowledge based economy is the need to create awareness for the people to protect their data to guide

against its being used by criminals to defraud them. To her, this can be achieved via: government leadership: Raising awareness and setting the course for collaboration amongst entities( for example parastatals, private sector, academia, and the general public); Seminars, conferences: Can be used to facilitate engagement of particular segments of the community (e.g. small businesses and school children) with targeted specific messages; Assistance for small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs): Some countries use a security health check for SMEs as a mechanism to raise awareness; and Collaboration: Ministries, regulators, organisations as well as multinational companies, academia and individual users have a role to play in awareness.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

MONEYLINK

Fidelity Bank announces N9.4b half year profit

IDELITY Bank Plc’s Profit Before Tax (PBT) for the half year ended June 30, stood at N9.43 billion, its Chief Executive Officer, Nnamdi Okonkwo, has said. Okonkwo said the result is in line with the lender’s 2014 fiscal year and medium term Return on Equity (ROE) target, adding that the lender’s shareholders’ funds stood at N166.38 billion within the period. He said the result showed a gradual impact of some of the transformation it commenced at the beginning of the financial year, adding that the PBT rose by 12 per cent in the second quarter and net interest income improved by 32 per cent between June 2013 and June 2014. “We are confident that the profit

Stories by Collins Nweze

and efficiency momentum will be sustained in the coming quarters as we implement our newly tested lending structures, to grow the loan book in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and retail segment while consolidating on our niche corporate banking play,” he said. He said the lender’s gross earnings grew by one per cent from N62.9 billion recorded in first half of the year 2013 to N63.3 billion in half year 2014. Its Net Interest Income grew by 32 per cent to N24.8 billion in half year 2014 compared to the N18.7 billion recorded in half year 2013. This was driven by a steady growth in the

loan book and re-pricing of deposits and risk assets. Non-interest Income declined by 14 per cent to N13.0 billion from N15.1 billion recorded in half year 2013, basically driven by a reduction in foreign exchange earnings. Operating Expenses grew by 11 per cent to N26.3 billion in half year 2014 from N23.7 billion recorded in half year 2013. This was driven by an increase in remuneration costs and regulatory related expenses while the growth in the other expense lines was significantly below the inflation rate. Profit Before Tax (PBT) was N9.4 billion for the Half year ended June 30, 2014, which represents a drop of 16% from N11.2 billion recorded in

AfDB seeks improved banking access for women

FRICAN Development Bank (AfDB) has called for improved funding for womenowned businesses. The third African Women’s Economic Empowerment Summit, held in Lusaka, Zambia last week called on African governments to make more land available to women. Co-organised by New Faces, New Voices and the AfDB, this biennial event brings together key stakeholders in the financial sector throughout the continent, as well as influential global leaders, to look at how to put women at the centre of the African finance and economic development agenda to realise Africa’s potential. The theme of this year’s meeting was “African Women, Realising Africa’s Economic Potential”. Speaking during a session on land and property rights for women, Graça Machel, founder of New Faces,

New Voices, said land is a key natural resource in unlocking the entrepreneurship among women. “We need to demand the right for women to own land so that they can contribute effectively to the development process of their countries’ economies,” she said. Machel regretted the practice of underestimating the role that women play in the economic development of their countries, arguing that without the active participation of women, African nations cannot fully develop economically. “Women have the potential to change their own economic status, as well as that of the communities and countries in which they live. Yet, more often than not, women’s economic contributions go un-recognised, their work undervalued and their promise unnourished,” she said.

Earlier, Rose Mwebaza, Special Advisor to the African Union Chairperson on Women’s Economic Empowerment and Political Participation, called on African Governments to increase their budgetary allocation to programmes that will help women to own land. African Governments should come up with an effective strategy that will help support women economically as well as ensure that they own land, Mwebaza said. “Women must acquire land so that they can create wealth and help their families to come out of abject poverty.” Contributing on the same topic, Professor of Law at Jomo Kenyatta University, Jane Kamangu said giving land to women will inspire them to fully participate in the running of their countries’ economies.

the Half Year ended June 30, 2013. However, second quarter PBT was N4.97billion which represents a growth of 12 per cent from N4.45 billion recorded in first quarter 2014. Total Customer Deposits declined by five per cent to N766 billion as at June 30, 2014 from N806 billion as at December 31, 2013 as we rebalance our deposit book on account of high Cash Reserve Requirement on public sector deposits and continuous re-pricing of the deposit book. “On a quarterly basis deposits recorded a marginal growth in second quarter 2014 while interest expense remained flat in a period of

Offer Price

AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGET FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

168.45 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.39 1,663.89 1,663.89 1,05.92 1,087.30 1.3568 1.3692 1.0300 1.1792

HE Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has commended the new initiatives and policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, which it said are geared towards further improving banking practice and financial system stability. President/Chairman of Council of the Institute, ’Debola Osibogun, said at the Institute’s Presidential engagement with Emefiele that the initiatives of the apex bank were comparable with what obtained in the developed economies adding that the Nigeria banking industry was better positioned to support business and the economy. Osibogun observed that the new Code of Conduct in the Nigerian Banking industry approved by the Bankers Committee was an important strategic initiative, that would promote good banking practice

167.01 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.33 1,663.89 1,663.89 119.71 1,087.00

GAINERS AS AT 30-07-14

CBN EXCHANGE RATES July 23, 2014

Inflation: June

8.2%

Monetary Policy Rate

12.0%

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

154.73

155.73

US Dollar

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$110.44

Pounds Sterling

263.5207

265.2238

5.22

5.48

0.26

Money Supply (M2)

N15.9 trillion.

29.09

30.54

1.45

Euro

208.4523

209.7995

2.06

2.16

0.10

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N16.76 trillion

Swiss Franc

171.484

172.5923

Yen

1.5259

1.5358

CFA

0.299

0.319

237.348

238.8819

24.958

25.1202

Riyal

41.2569

41.5236

SDR

238.0521

239.5906

4.15

4.35

0.20

PHARMDEKO

1.72

1.80

0.08

AGLEVENT

1.34

1.40

0.06

UPL

4.14

2.28

0.14

CUTIX

1.90

1.96

0.06

LIVESTOCK

3.10

3.18

0.08

LOSERS AS AT 30-07-14

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

Rate (%)

Overnight (O/N)

10.500

12.175

12.101

13.328

13.225

14.296

14.-85

REDSTAREX

5.00

4.65

-0.35

WAPIC

0.90

0.85

-0.05

HONYFLOUR

4.25

4.04

-0.21

41.00

39.00

-2.00

VONO

1.44

1.37

-0.07

DANGLOUR

7.61

7.25

-0.36

R-DAS ($/N)

157.29

DEAPCAP

0.91

0.87

-0.04

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

68.99

66.10

-2.89

Parallel ($/N)

167.50

PRESTIGE

0.52

0.50

-0.02

FIDSON

3.18

3.06

-0.12

GLAXOSMITH

Currency

2.47

C/PRICE

VITAFOAM

CAP

Amount Sold in ($) 290.9m 279.08m 342.8m

27.94

25.47

SYMBOL

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Amount Offered in ($) 300m 300m 350m

$38.1bn

OANDO

EVANSMED

Transaction Dates 7/16/2014 7/9/2014 7/7/2014

Foreign Reserves

O/PRICE

STANBIC

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS)

CHANGE

SYMBOL PORTPAINT

and ethics while restoring public confidence in the system. She expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation from Banks’ Chief Executives as some of them have personally signed the Code of Conduct form and mandated their staff to do the same. The CIBN boss stated that the objectives of the Code of Conduct include guiding every member of the Institute, both individual and corporate in meeting obligations to customers and other stakeholders by maintaining and improving standard of service, performance and quality of banking products; ensuring that all bank employees conduct their duties fairly and honestly; maintaining best banking practice and strong commitment to sound ethical and professional standards in the banking industry, among others.

DATA BANK

Bid Price

1.3476 1.3692 1.0115 1.1792

increased monetary tightening. Net Loans and Leases grew by three per cent to N438 billion as at June 30, 2014 from N426 billion as at December 31, 2013, loan growth was 19 per cent from June 2013 to June 2014,” it said.

CIBN praises CBN initiatives

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

•Okonkwo

WAUA Yuan/Renminbi

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Rates

T-bills - 91

10.00

T-bills - 182

10.07

T-bills - 364

10.22

Bond - 3yrs

11.37

Bond - 5yrs

11.41

Bond - 7yrs

11.86

FOREX RATES

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 30-07-14

25-07-14 DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 30-07-14

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

EQUITIES Owel-Linkso Group raises $55m for gas plant acquisition

Equities break losing streak with 0.20% gain

HE Nigerian equities market resumed trading yesterday with a new rally as strong demand for blue chip stocks and news of the payment and closure of Oando’s acquisition of ConocoPhillips’ Nigerian assets restarted the market on the uptrend. The stock market had struggled all through last week with sustained downtrend, closing the week with average loss of 1.41 per cent. But the average return regained the uptrend yesterday as investors resumed trading after the two-day holiday for the Muslim’s celebration of Eid-ul-Fitri. Average gain at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday stood at 0.20 per cent, propping the market’s average year-to-date return to 2.52 per cent. The All Share Index (ASI), the common value based index that tracks prices of all quoted equities, inched up to 42,368.99 points as against its opening index of

•Oando, high-cap stocks spur new rally Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

42,285.82 points. Aggregate market value of all quoted companies also rose from N13.963 trillion to N13.990 trillion, implying capital gains of N27 billion. With equal spilt between the advancers and decliners, the positive overall market situation was driven largely by gains recorded by some highly capitalised stocks, especially Oando, which recorded nearly the maximum daily allowable gain of 10 per cent. Oando led the gainers with a gain of N2.47 to close at N27.94 per share. Oando had yesterday paid $1.5 billion to close its acquisition of ConocoPhillips’ Nigerian oil and gas businesses. Dangote Cement recorded the second highest gain of N1.94 to close at N233.94. Stanbic IBTC Holdings followed with a gain of N1.45 to close at N30.54. Nigerian Brew-

eries and Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria added N1.05 to close at N179.05 and N120 respectively. Nestle Nigeria rallied N1 to close at N1,121. Zenith Bank rose by 37 kobo to close at N25.60. Portland Paints and Products Nigeria gathered 26 kobo to close at N5.48. Ashaka Cement gained 23 kobo to close at N30.50 while Vitafoam Nigeria rose by 20 kobo to close at N4.35 per share. The market’s turnover was also on the upside with the exchange of 713.84 million shares valued at N6.73 billion in 5,835 deals. Financial services sector accounted for 585.78 million shares valued at N4.03 billion in 2,565 deals. Access Bank was the most active stock with a turnover of 217.53 million shares valued at N2.17 billion in 143 deals. Wema Bank followed with a turnover of 153.44 million shares worth N162.68 million in 48 deals.

Sovereign Trust Insurance to seek N1.1b from shareholders

OVEREIGN Trust Insurance (STI) Plc plans to raise about N1.1 billion in new equity funds from existing shareholders, The Nation has learnt. A regulatory filing obtained yesterday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) indicated that Sovereign Trust Insurance would float a rights issue to raise about N1.1 billion before the end of this year. Although the details of the rights issue are still sketchy, rights issue are usually pre-allotted to existing shareholders on the basis of their shareholdings at a particular qualification date. Market trend indicated that the rights issue may be offered at around the insurance company’s nominal share price of 50 kobo. According to the document, the net proceeds of the rights issue would be used to finance the company’s strategic plan accomplishing its five-year blueprint. The blueprint is expected to reinforce the company’s competiveness’ in the Nigerian market, including its market share. The rights issue is expected to commence in the third quarter of this year. However, the rights issue is still subject to approval of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Several companies are turning to existing shareholders to raise funds as the primary public offer market remains largely inactive. Shareholders of RT Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc last week authorised the board of the company to raise N10 billion to deleverage its operations

as the automobile and real estate company struggled with losses induced by huge interest expenses. At the annual general meeting in Lagos, shareholders mandated the board to raise new funds through any option or a combination of debt instruments, preference shares and ordinary shares by way of rights issue, private placement or offer for subscription. To create room for the impending fresh capital, shareholders also increased the authorized share capital of the company from N2 billion divided into 4.0 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to N3.25 billion divided 6.5 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each. Majority and retails shareholders in several quoted companies have been using rights issue to bridge equity financing gaps and reduce dependence on bank loans by injecting their own funds into their companies. Against the background of the in investors’ apathy and deteriorating pricing trend at the capital market, several core investors that hold the decisive votes on the success of recapitalisation of quoted companies have opted for rights issue, which allows existing shareholders to recapitalise their companies. Rights issue gives the first right of refusal to existing shareholders and thus preserve existing shareholding structure. It however provides window for new investors to buy into the company through rights trading on the secondary market. Market analysts said the grow-

ing list of rights issues early this year underscores the preparedness of core investors to refinance their companies as well as the undervaluation of several companies at the stock market. According to analysts, rights issue implies significant financial commitment by the core investors. Market analysts said they expected more companies to file for rights issue given the high gearing ratios of several quoted companies, which interest burden could stifle returns to shareholders in the period ahead. Managing director, GTI Securities, Mr. Tunde Oyekunle, said the recourse to rights issue was a sign of confidence of share holders in the prospects of their company, especially the core investor, which would provide the larger chunk of the required capital. He added that the generally weak state of the capital market has left core investors with little option then to pick up the gauntlet. Economist and securities advisor, Sterling Capital, Mr. Sewa Wusu said the current market scenario and timing did not favour public offer, particularly given d recent experiences and loss of value by most investors. “We are seeing more of rights issues because the core shareholders are ready to inject more funds to their company and still maintain their current holdings. The rights issue avenue will also give the existing shareholders the right to purchases new shares at a discount to the current market price,” Wusu said.

Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) placed third with a turnover of 44.45 million shares worth N242.45 million in 375 deals. On the negative side, Seplat Petroleum Development Company led the decliners with a loss of N5.04 to close at N670. Forte Oil followed with a loss of N5 to close at N211. Total Nigeria dropped by N4.45 to close at N172. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria declined by N2.89 to close at N66.10. CAP lost N2 to close at N39. Guaranty Trust Bank dropped by N1 to close at N30. Dangote Flour Mills lost 36 kobo to close at N7.25. Red Star Express slipped by 35 kobo to close at N4.65. Union Bank of Nigeria dropped by 30 kobo to close at N8.61 while FBN Holdings dwindled by 22 kobo to close at N15 per share.

AGOS Nigeria, 30 July 2014 – Owel-Linkso Group has completed the acquisition of the Egbaoma Gas Processing Plant located in OML 38, from the Platform Petroleum/Newcross Joint Venture. The equity investment supporting the acquisition was provided by Africa Capital Alliance, the Lagos based Private Equity Fund. CBO Capital Partners are sole financial advisors to the project sponsors, Owel-Linkso Group. According to a statement from Chuka Mordi, a Director of CBO Capital Partners, “We are pleased to support a project of this magnitude; it is in line with our investment philosophy of providing capital for the funding and growth of African businesses. We truly believe that infrastructural development, especially in the energy sector is extremely crucial to the economic growth of the country. Commenting on the $55m acquisition, Charles Osezua, Chairman of Owel Linkso Group said: “Having pioneered gas and power sector development with Gas Link, our organization is committed to continuous development and expansion of infrastructure in the sector; through the Gas Train project, we intend to become leaders in the sector.” CBO Capital is a leading Investment and Project development firm based in Lagos, Nigeria. It was established with the aim of servicing and supporting business growth in Africa. Its Asset Management subsidiary, CBO Investment Management (CBO IM) is currently raising a $200m Private Equity Fund, for investment across the West African region.

Global bonds surge on outlook for record rates

ONDS are rallying from the United States of America (USA) to Germany to Australia amid speculation the Federal Reserve will disappoint investors looking for signals it’s moving closer to raising interest rates from a record low. Treasury 10-year yields rose yesterday from almost the lowest level since May. German benchmark rates dropped to a record yesterday amid bets the European Central Bank will resort to buying bonds to spur growth. Unrest in Ukraine and Gaza is fueling the rally by boosting demand for the relative safety of government debt.Ten-year yields were at or near 2014’s lowest levels in 21 of 25 developed markets tracked by Bloomberg. “The Fed is likely to be a bit of a damp squib,” said Nick Stamenkovic, a fixed-income strategist at broker RIA Capital Markets in Edinburgh. “Treasuries in general have been more affected by the geopolitical environment, particularly at the longer end.” Bloomberg reported that Treasury 10-year yields added two basis points, or 0.02 percentage point, to 2.48 percent. The price of the 2.5 percent note due May 2024 was 100 6/32. The yield fell three basis points, or 0.03 percentage point, on Tuesday after sliding to 2.40 percent on May 29, the least since June 2013. Australia’s (GACGB10) 10-year yield dropped five basis points to 3.42 percent, and Japan’s was little changed at 0.53 percent. German 10-year bund yields fell as low as 1.109 percent yesterday, dropping below the previous record set in 2012 when the region was in the throes of a downturn that threatened the euro’s existence. It’s little changed today at 1.12 percent.

The Bloomberg Global Developed Sovereign Bond Index (BGSV) has gained 4.8 percent this year through yesterday, recouping a decline from 2013. “The potential implications for global growth seemed to have underpinned Treasuries and global fixed income,” said Su Lin Ong, head of Australian economic and fixed-income strategy at Royal Bank of Canada in Sydney. “It’s hard to see an end to some of these geopolitical risks.” The Fed will keep its target for overnight bank lending in a range of zero to 0.25 percent at the end of its two-day meeting today, based on a Bloomberg News survey of economists. US policy makers are scaling back the bond-buying program they have used to support the economy, and will reduce monthly purchases to $25 billion from $35 billion this week, based on responses from economists. Dan Fuss, whose Boston-based Loomis Sayles Bond Fund (LSBDX) outperformed 98 percent of its competitors during the past five years, said geopolitical risks will keep the Fed from raising interest rates for at least a year. “There’s reason to worry geopolitically,” Fuss said this week on Bloomberg Radio’s “The Hays Advantage” with Kathleen Hays in New York. “I think our central bank takes that into account.” Traders see almost an 80 percent probability the Fed will raise the target for its benchmark to at least 0.5 percent by September 2015, based on futures contracts. The US is scheduled to sell $15 billion of two-year floating-rate notes and $29 billion of seven-year fixed-rate securities today. The government auctioned five-year notes on Tuesday and two-year debt the day before.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS

AGF, NLC President, others seek end T to JUSUN strike HE Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Jonah Otunla; Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Abdulwaheed Omar and a group, the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR), have suggested solutions to the ongoing court workers’ strike. Otunla and Omar, in separate letters, urged governors to release the funds allocated to the Judiciary, in compliance with the January 13, 2014 judgment delivered by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja. They said it is imperative that the governors abide by the judgment to enable court workers call off their threeweek strike. The court workers have,

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

since July 11, embarked on strike, as directed by their umbrella body, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), to compel the Executive, particularly at the state level, to obey the court verdict given in a suit by JUSUN. Justice Ademola, in the judgment, held, among others, that it was unconstitutional for the Executive to withhold or release in piecemeal the funds standing to the credit of the Judiciary in the Federation Account and Consolidated Revenue Fund. “Now that a well constituted court with jurisdictional competence has pronounced

on these sections that touch on the constitutionality of the direct block release of money for the Judiciary through the National Judicial Council (NJC), it would be highly appreciated if we comply with the judgment of the Federal High Court to douse the hot tension, stop the strike of JUSUN and recall them to work,” Otunla said. Omar, in his letter, dated July 22, expressed support for the JUSUN strike. The NLC president warned that the governors “will be setting a dangerous precedence to be associated with blatantly refusing to obey a judgment that has been made by a court of competent juris-

diction”. He added: “On behalf of the National Executive Council of the NLC, I have the honour of conveying our compliments to you and to bring to your esteem attention the need to implement the direct funding of state courts as contained in the judgment of a Federal High Court. The delay in implementing this court order was provoked by a strike action by the JUSUN, an affiliate of the NLC.” JUSUN described the position of the AGF as a mere attempt to evade responsibility and abide by the decision of the court. JUSUN’s President Marwan Adamu said writing letters to the governors was not the action expected of the AGF.

Over N4m discovered in houseboy’s bank account

HE Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Tunde Ogunsakin, has said over N4million was discovered by the policemen in a houseboy’s bank account. He said this happened after he masterminded the kidnap of his boss, who was later rescued. The police boss urged the public to verify the back-

•Masterminds boss’ kidnap From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

ground of servants before employing them. He said kidnapping had reduced, following the efforts of the police. Ogunsakin spoke yesterday at the command headquar-

ters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt in an interactive session with reporters, ahead of the launch of “Stop Kidnapping” campaign of the command, which holds tomorrow at the Police Officers’ Mess, Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt.

The theme of the event is: “Kidnapping: The Cancer Spreading, Multidimensional Challenges for South-South Development”. Guest speaker is Prof. Seth Accra-Jaja of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), while the Oba of Ogbaland, Sir Chukumela Nnam Obi 11, will be the royal father.

Commonwealth to strengthen elections in Nigeria From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

HE Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, has said the global group is ready to strengthen elections in the country. Sharma spoke yesterday in Abuja when he visited Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Aminu Wali. The Commonwealth delegation is in Nigeria on a solidarity visit. Sharma, who addressed reporters on the visit, promised that the Commonwealth family would strengthen the existing election machineries in Nigeria. He said: “Each organisation brings its own strength. Our strength is much more in the direction of social harmony, resolving grievances within the society, particularly as recommended by our own report in the areas of women, youth, media and education.

Akwa Ibom professionals urge Akpabio on worthy successor By Tonia ‘Diyan

GROUP, the Akwa Ibom Professionals in Lagos, has urged Governor Godswill Akpabio to ensure a worthy person takes over from him. Members of the group spoke when they visited the governor in Uyo. The group president, Mr. Udeme Ufot, hailed Akpabio for transforming the state. He said: “The transformation witnessed in the state has not only changed the physical infrastructure, but it has also affected the people’s mindset.” Ufot said the giant strides resulted in a sense of pride and fulfillment in an average Akwa Ibom indigene. He enjoined the governor to ensure that the development is sustained by his successor. Akpabio thanked the delegation for the visit. He lauded them for their support and encouragement. The governor recalled his earlier meeting with the professionals and advised them to contribute their quota to the development of the state. “We require your expertise to move Akwa Ibom forward in hospitality, education, banking, publishing and the like,” he said. The Akwa Ibom Professionals in Lagos is an umbrella organisation of Akwa Ibom indigenes, who live and have distinguished themselves in professions in Lagos State.

Woman, cleric in police net over ‘killing’ of toddlers From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

•Anambra State Governor Chief Willie Obiano, (left), presenting the key of a new Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) to Igwe MacAnthony Chinedu Okonkwo, the new Igwe of Alor, at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia...yesterday.

Edo Speaker declares lawmaker’s seat vacant

Fisherman discovers missing man’s body

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

HE seat of Abdulrasaq Momoh representing Etsako West 1 in the Edo State House of Assembly has been declared vacant. He was among the lawmakers, who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC), but was not suspended. Speaker Uyi Igbe spoke during plenary. He said Momoh defected to the PDP without following due process and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the vacant position within 90 days. Momoh said the declaration was null and void because the plenary at the old chamber inside the Government House was not held at the designated place for legislative business.

HE body of Mr. Chinenye Eke, who was declared missing by the Rivers Police Command, has been discovered floating on Choba River, Choba in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Residents of the community were shocked yesterday when a fisherman, Mr. Isaac Ikechi, told them that he found a body floating on a river. Eke was last Saturday declared missing by his family. The fisherman said he and his colleagues were frightened when they saw the body floating on a river. He added: “We ran away but later summoned courage to find out the identity of the deceased. That was how we identified him.”

Nigeria must fight maternal deaths, says Osotimehin

IGERIA needs to reduce its maternal mortality and ensure that women have access to health services, the Executive Director (ED) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, said yesterday. The former Health Minister urged the Federal Government to improve access to information and first-class health facilities for women and girls. Osotimehin spoke in

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

Abuja at a meeting with the National Population Commission (NPC) Chairman, Chief Eze Duruiheoma. The former minister described maternal mortality as a major issue that may not be immediately identified. He said all hands should be on deck to solve the problem. Despite the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey Report, which placed the

rate of maternal death as the same in the last four years, the UNFPA chief said there is need to disaggregate the data by each state to ascertain the level of improvement. Osotimehin said: “One of the important things that might not be relevant immediately but is important is the issues of women and girls. We at UNFPA also pursue this because we believe that if we are going to have a society, if we are going to have a community and we

are going to have a country that is going to be vibrant, going to be healthy, going to be able to do the things that is supposed to do, we need to look after the health of women and girls. That implies that their access to information and services must be first class. “It is impossible for us as a country to accept that people can continue to die giving birth. So, maternal mortality must go down to the barest minimum...”

HE police in Delta State said they have begun investigations into the alleged poisoning and killing of two toddlers by their mother and a pastor at Abraka in Ethiope East Local Government. The command, in a statement given to reporters in Warri yesterday by its spokesperson, Celestina Kalu (DSP), said the suspects, Ese Oghenevwe, 25, and Apostle Austin Eduviere have been arrested. The statement said the command received reports that Oghenevwe killed her two children (nine-month-old and two-yearold), having given them a liquid substance to drink. She later told the police that she obtained the substance from Apostle Eduviere and the suspects were arrested. The Nation learnt that Apostle Eduviere told the police that the liquid substance is a mixture of water and salt, which he sells to people at N1,850.00 for healing of illnesses after praying for them.

Suspected gunmen ‘kidnap’ school proprietor in Aba From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

HE proprietor of Insight Academy, Mbutu Alaoji in Ugwunagbor Local Government Area of Abia State, Mr. Darlington Ogba, has allegedly been kidnapped by suspected gunmen. The incident, it was learnt, occurred about 9pm on Tuesday in his home on 266, Port Harcourt Road on the outskirts of Aba. A source said the four kidnappers, three men and one woman, accosted the victim when he was going home. They reportedly ordered him out of his Toyota Camry car at gunpoint and drove him away to an unknown location. At press time it could not be confirmed if the suspected abductors had established a contact with the victim’s family. Ogba’s family could not be reached for comments. Police Commissioner Adamu Ibrahim said he was yet to be informed of the incident.

Aspirant solicits support From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

HOUSE of Representatives aspirant in Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Mr. Taiwo Michael Akintola, has urged people to support him to enable him realise his dream. He spoke at a party he organised for the All Progressives Congress (APC) members and supporters. Akintola, an engineer, said voters and politicians should be vigilant to ensure a credible poll, which would guarantee the dividends of democracy. The officiating minister, Uztaz Luqman Kharashi, a renowned Islamic scholar and proprietor of Kharashi Centre for Quranic Memorisation and Arabic Studies, enjoined the constituents to support Akintola because he is a man of integrity who will offer good representation.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS ‘Pray for abducted Chibok girls’

2015: Cross River youths deplore campaign of calumny

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

GROUP under the aegis of Cross River Youths Initiative has frowned on what it described as the campaign of calumny against some political leaders by a faceless group, the Movement Against Third Slavery. In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Akwaji Erunke, the group warned that it would no longer take kindly to the smear campaign going on against those who have laboured over the years to bring about stability in the polity of Cross River State. Alluding particularly to the several insidious newspaper advertorials, which it noted were tantamount to causing angst among the unenlightened public, Cross River Youths Initiative said: “Our attention has been drawn to the ongoing campaign by a faceless and desperate group under the self-seeking and self-promoting banner of Movement Against Third Slavery, aimed at causing disaffection in the polity. “We have watched carefully the activities of these disgruntled and misguided elements, who are bent on eking out a living by parroting the selfish agenda of their paymaster. While we are not against anyone nursing a political ambition, we are particularly concerned about the approach and methodology deployed in the pursuit of such aspiration.” Warning that Cross Riverians are now wiser to be hoodwinked by money politics, which the youth group said, has acquired a dated appeal in the state politics, Erunke noted that “Cross River people can no longer be short-changed by the ongoing subterranean doling out of handouts by a certain fledgling desperate politician in a bid to buy their conscience.”

CBN to resuscitate 82acres staff estate in Ibadan

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

ORK will soon commenced on the abandoned 82 acres of Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) staff estate located in Owode, Apata area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. The CBN’s Deputy-Governor (Corporate Services), Mr. Bayo Adelabu gave this assurance while on the on-spot assessment of the multi-million naira property designed as housing units for its staff but which unfortunately had been abandoned and allowed to suffer neglect. Adelabu who led a team of staffers within Ibadan office of the CBN to the area, lamented the culture of waste and undue neglect that “this very massive property containing several blocks of housing units has been made to go through in a way that this place is in a state of neglect.” “But CBN under the current leadership of our Governor, Godwin Emefiele is a sensitive, responsible organization. You recall there was a news item in a newspaper about the neglect of a property which belongs to CBN last week. Immediately we read the news, we have to respond promptly because it is our belief that a very massive property containing several blocks of housing units that is in a state of neglect must be brought back to life,” Adelabu told reporters in Ibadan.

•Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Elizabeth Ighodaro, Chairman, Waste Management Board during the inauguration of the Board at the Government Hosue, Benin City...yesterday.

Uduaghan cuts short trip to settle Ugborodo crisis

ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has cut short his trip to Glasgow, Scotland, for the Commonwealth Games. He is returning home to settle the escalating Ugborodo crisis. On Tuesday, members of opposing groups stormed the Esisi Road, Warri township home of a factional leader, David Tonwe, torching two cars. There has been a resurgence of hostilities in the last one week, sparked by attempts by the authorities at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta to execute one of the articles in the peace agreement signed by the warring factions in the community- resettlement of displaced persons from Ugborodo community, which was resisted by some members in the community. The failed attempt at resettling displaced community members resulted in a gale of arson. Uduaghan said he had reached out to the two factions in the crisis, telling them to embrace peace. The governor, who spoke to The Nation from Glasgow

•Unrest spreads to Warri From Shola O’Niel, SouthSouth Regional Editor and Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

last night, however, debunked an allegation that the Ugborodo crisis was caused by the rivalry between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Tuesday night’s attack is considered to be the most provocative in recent times. Narrating his ordeal to The Nation in Warri yesterday, Tonwe alleged that the group that attacked his home, destroying the vehicles parked outside, was led by Chief Ayiri Emami, one of his rivals. Emami, however, refuted the allegation. He said he was in his home when he was informed of the attack and that it happened during a clash between a group led by Amejuma Atete and those loyal to Tonwe. According to Tonwe, the

problem started when the Emami group, leaving the police station, a short distance from his house, where they had gone to secure the release of the prime suspect in the series of arson in the past few days, attacked his home. “Yesterday, prior to the arson at Ubeji, the owner of the house went to report to the police. After he reported the case, police arrested one of the prime suspects, Mike Atete. When Ayiri heard that he was in police custody, he mobilised more than 50 boys to the police station and on getting there, they demanded that the boy be released. That was yesterday evening, about 6:30pm. “After leaving the police station with the boy, they passed through my place. The police station is near my house. He (Ayiri) led the troop. On reaching my place, they vandalised my cars and torched the two other cars,” Tonwe said.

But Emami said he was never around Tonwe’s house, adding that the person who attacked Tonwe’s home was one of his former loyalists, who felt disaffected. His words: “I was never near Tonwe’s house. I did not pass through his area. It is not true, he is just looking for a way to dent my name. If they have not told you the truth, I will tell you now. Police arrested one boy called Amejuma Atete, a boy they were using against me before, but who has turned against them. I was at the police station to secure his release because already they had gathered at the front of the police station. I left them at the place after he was released. “I had reached my home before I heard what happened at Tonwe’s house. I heard that when they left the police station, which is not far from Tonwe’s house, they passed through Tonwe’s home and clashed with his supporters. It was then that the destruction of vehicles happened. I was never around there.”

JTF uncovers illegal bunkering in Rivers

HE Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, has uncovered as illegal bunkering at Onne Port in Rivers State. It was learnt that the JTF operatives stormed the port on Tuesday and impounded 32 long barges and Cotonou boats suspected to be used for bunkering. The JTF’s monitoring team recently set up by the commander, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, was said to have received information that people were using the port to indulge in oil theft. A source, who partook in the operation, said many of the barges were laden with products believed to have been sourced from illegal refineries in the creeks close to the port. The source, who pleaded anonymity, said on sighting the JTF, people on board the vessels abandoned them and ran into the creeks. He said some of them dived into the water and swam to safety, adding that operators of illegal refineries used Cotonou boats to load the barges. The source said one of the

•32 barges, boats seized •Eight suspects arrested From Mike Odiegwu Yenagoa

barges was loaded with Automated Gas Oil (AGO), adding that the vessel had the capacity to carry 5,000 metric tons or 582,000 litres of the product. Describing such activities as a rape on the economy, he lamented that they were being carried out despite the presence of operatives of another security agency. The source said Atewe and the JTF’s Chief of Staff, Col. Hilary Nzan, led the Onne raid, adding that samples of the products were taken for laboratory analysis and investigations. He said the JTF was determined to punish the persons, including the security personnel linked to the theft, if found guilty. Said he: “We will carry out thorough investigations to determine the veracity of the information we got. We know that there are ships licensed to sell petroleum prod-

‘Sometimes, they mix genuine products with bad ones. We have impounded a Cotonou boat, which supplied such product and arrested the driver’ ucts. “But we learnt that people are using it as a cover to buy illegally- refined products. They anchor their barges and use illegally-refined products from illegal refineries to fill them. “Sometimes, they mix genuine products with bad ones. We have impounded a Cotonou boat, which supplied such product and arrested the driver. “During the operation,

some people, who may be benefitting from the illegality, tried to stop us, but we resisted. The barges will be investigated.” Col. Nzan confirmed the raid, saying it was carried out based on reports that bunkering was ongoing at the Onne Port. He said eight persons were arrested, adding that the JTF took samples of the product for investigation. Nzan said one of the suspects was arrested for allegedly stealing 55 gallons of the product. Said he: “following on a tipoff, we carried out an operation at Onne Port. “The team impounded Cotonou boats and discovered barges suspected to be used for bunkering. Based on the zero tolerance for oil theft, we arrested people. The JTF will investigate the barges at the general area. “Some of them were filled with products. We collected samples of the product and tested them to determine their quality. Most of the suspects ran away when they saw our troops.”

A LAGOS-BASED humanitarian group, Bomarah Foundation, has urged Muslims to pray for the rescue of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls. It congratulated Muslims on completion of the Ramadan fast and the Eid-il-Fitri celebration. The foundation urged Muslims to continue with the spiritual exercise and other religious activities they performed throughout the fasting period, in other months. Bomarah Founder/President, Hajia Bola Muse, urged Nigerians to remember the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in their prayers. She said: “Remember, Ramadan is synonymous with kindness, compassion, generosity and other beneficial dispositions to all creatures of Allah. We should not forget the abducted schoolgirls in our prayers.” Hajia Muse, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Bomarah Group of Companies, expressed concerns over the security situation in the country. She said this had instilled fears and discomfort in the citizenry. The entrpreneur prayed for Allah’s intervention on Nigeria. “It is high time we turned to Allah through sincere devotion, which is the ideal meeting point for religious activities between Muslims and Christians. We should also pray for our beloved country against political turbulence and other calamitous experiences,” she said.

Suspected gunmen kidnap 90-year-old senator's mum From Mike Odiegwu Yenagoa

SUSPECTED gunmen yesterday abducted Madam Florentina, the 90-year-old mother of Senator Emmanuel Paulker, from her home in Opolo-Epie, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. Residents were angry that the gunmen kidnapped the woman despite her age. They were also annoyed because the woman was kidnapped for the second time in four years. In February 23, 2010, the old woman was abducted by armed youths, who demanded N100million ransom. She was rescued in March 2010 by security operatives, who reportedly shot one of the kidnappers on Immiringi Road in a battle. It was learnt that the kidnappers returned about 3am on Wednesday and executed their evil plot. A source said they were five and armed with AK47 and other rifles. He added: "The kidnappers came through the main road. They drove a vehicle into the community and shot into the air to create panic among the people, who were fast asleep. "They broke into the old woman's room and took her away to an unknown place. Some residents thought the abductors were armed robbers." Another source decried the kidnap of Madam Florentina. Police Commissioner Hilary Opara confirmed the incident. He said one of the suspects had been arrested.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS Pro-Jonathan rally is security threat, says ACF From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

HE Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday said the infux of Nigerians into Abuja for solidarity rallies in support of President Goodluck Jonathan is a security threat. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, ACF said: “The mass movement of Nigerians into Abuja at the time of the rally might likely cause security breaches and possibly be hijacked by hoodlums…’’ “In as much as ACF is not against any peaceful rally or solidarity march in support of the President or any cause, we should consider the present insecurity in the country. “The forum considered it as ill-timed, ill-advised and a disregard to the feelings of other Nigerians affected by the security challenges. “ACF advises the authorities to ensure that such rallies are guided to avoid security breaches,” it said.

El-Zakzaky: Fed Govt silent on killing of my three sons, 32 members

EADER of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria Sheikh Ibrahim ElZakzaky, whose three sons and 32 followers were allegedly killed by soldiers in Zaria last Friday, has condemned the Federal Government’s silence. Speaking when the Publisher of Leadership, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, visited to condole him in Zaria yesterday, Zakzaky said the Federal Government’s silence confirmed his stand that there was a conspiracy. He said: “It is unfortunate how soldiers would kill innocent people on a peaceful procession and government refused to say anything, as if those killed were animals.” “We have confirmed that Lt Colonel Okuh killed some of the victims, including my sons. I am surprised that 33

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

people were killed and nobody from the government is saying anything. “My sons and some of the victims were taken alive to Basawa Barracks and tortured to death. There were signs of electric shock on some of the bodies, according to doctors. “It would surprise you to know that there was a roadside beggar the dead. There was Mr. Nyanwu, about 68year-old, also killed because he cautioned them on why they were killing innocent people. So, it is not about Shiites-Soldiers clash. “I don’t know if I can call them Nigerian military. I was told that on our way to the cemetery soldiers on checkpoints were saluting and sympathising, saying what

happened was not in their name. What happened was executed by a special killer unit, special murder unit. I was told there were 64 of them that came from Abuja. “They came after the demonstration was over and people were dispersing. They started shooting indiscriminately at people dispersing. ‘’The first among my sons to be murdered was just on his way in his mother’s car with the intention of going to convey his other brothers. He parked the car on the way. “Four of my children were taken alive. One of them, Ali, was shot in the leg; the rest were taken alive. Mahmoud, on learning that three of his brothers were taken, decided to go with them. ‘’They waited for him to come at close range before they shot him. The doctors

said the shot was targeted to ensure he bled to death,” ElZakzaky said. Nda-Isaiah called on Nigerians to come together to save the country from what he called poor leadership and impunity. He said: “We now heard that 33 people have been killed. Even if you kill 33 chickens illegally, that could have been quite serious. So, I believe the only thing that can solve our problem is leadership. “I think they (Shiite) should go to court and fight. It is commendable that their leader has called for restraint. ‘’I don’t know how many of us would lose three children and maintain our calm. That is commendable. ‘’All those guilty should need to face the law. It is time we started to punish crimes in this country,” he said.

FRSC promotes eight in Gombe From Vincent Ohonbamu, Gombe

HE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has promoted eight Assistant Route Commanders to Deputy Route Commanders in the Gombe State Sector Command. Sector Commander Galadima Kuteb, who decorated them yesterday, said the promotion was in recognition of their hard work. The commander urged other officers to be patient and work hard. Responding for the others, Deputy Route Commander Rimaskwe Gideon Kitan said “promotion is about hard work, commitment and dedication,” and sought the cooperation of everyone towards the goal of saving lives. State Sector Commander Kuteb hailed the conduct of road users during the Sallah celebration. “It was crash-free, we have never had it so good, Accidents rates have reduced”.

Mass for Austine Akpos Tadaferua

HERE will be a memorial mass for the late Austine Akpos Tadaferua, on Saturday, by 8 am, at the Regina Pacis Catholic Church, Sangotedo–Ajah in Lagos State. In a statement by the family, it said: “One year has rolled by since we lost Austine Akpos Tadaferua, fondly called “Dende” by his mother and “George” by his friends. ‘’Our loss and sorrow are as fresh as last night. But we are comforted by the glorious redemption Jesus Christ promised his faithful”. Tadaferua had a first degree in Business Administration from Babcock University and Master’s in International Business and Marketing from London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. He worked with the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue.

•Acting Governor of Adamawa State Umaru Fintri (left) swearing in the Chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education PHOTO: NAN Board (SUBEB), Mrs Kalepuwa Farauta in Yola ...yesterday

‘Yakowa’s kinsmen abandoned his projects not Yero’

HAIRMAN of the League of Northern Independent Publishers (LENIP) Mordecai Sunday Ibrahim has debunked insinuations that Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero abandoned road projects awarded by his predecessor, the late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa. Ibrahim, who inspected 31 road projects in the state, said some of the projects were abandoned by the late Yakowa’s kinsmen. Addressing reporters, Ibrahim said from his investigations some of the roads were abandoned by contractors, who after collecting the 25 per cent mobilisation fee, abandoned the jobs. He said this situation also applied to some Yakowa’s

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

kinsmen, who got state government contracts. The LENIP chair said some of the abandoned roads were awarded to those related to the late Yakowa. ‘’That was why I said if Yakowa were alive to see this, he would not be happy. Yakowa would not have tolerated the abandonment of contract by anybody. “If he were alive to see that his kinsmen were involved, he would be sad and angry with them. It is no secret that some of the roads were awarded to Yakowa’s kinsmen. ‘’There is nothing wrong with Yakowa’s kinsmen getting the contracts. But there

is everything wrong when they get the contracts and they abandon site after collecting mobilisation fee”, he said. “Anybody accusing Governor Muhktar Ramalan Yero of abandoning road projects is not fair to him, because he has not abandoned any project. He has awarded additional six roads. Some are completed, both at the northern and southern senatorial zones.” Ibrahim added that some projects were abandoned because the contractors do not have what it took to execute the contracts, noting that “some of them do not even have a wheel barrow. Some collected the 25 per cent mobilisation and took off.”

Asked why Governor Yero did not revoke some of the contracts, he said: “I know that if Governor Yero revoked the contracts, they will say he is denigrating Yakowa in his death. ‘’He has not revoked the contracts, yet people are saying he is denigrating Yakowa in his death. But I am aware some contracts are being revoked.” But he assured he was not sponsored to carry out the tour in defence of Governor Yero. “I am a citizen of Kaduna State. I am a tax payer in Kaduna State. I have the right to know how my tax is being used. If you collect tax from me and the money is not put to judicious use, I have the right to challenge such a government”.

Majority leader of the House of Assembly Paul Biam said he happy the people were rewarding hard work. Governor Suswam thanked the elders and urged them to also nominate candidates for the councils to prevent their members from defecting to other parties. Highlight of the event was the dressing of the governor and his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani, in Tiv traditional attires.

•Suswam

Suswam gets nod for Senate

EOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) elders in Benue North East have endorsed Governor Gabriel Suswam as the sole candidate for Zone A senatorial seat in 2015. With the endorsement, former PDP Chairman Chief Barnabas Gemade, who has indicated interest for a second term, may have been shut out of the race. Speaking at a reception for

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

the PDP zonal leader, Atodza Ihidan said having served the people well at the National Assembly and as governor, the elders hoped he would do well at the Senate. Elder Shande Anyakpa, who spoke for Kwande and Senator Jacob Gyado for Jeichera agreed with Hindan and promised they would work for his victory in 2015.

Niger East: PDP dumps consensus

From Jide Orintunsi, Minna

EOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State yesterday opted for primaries in picking its candidate for the Niger East Senatorial byelection on August 16. The party dumped former Deputy Governor Shem Zagbayi Nuhu as the party’s consensus candidate. This followed the formal presentation of a letter of intent by ex-House of Representatives member Abdullahi Musa, to contest the election. Acting party Chairman Tanko Beji said the emergence of a new aspirant voided the consensus of Zagbayi. Beji said: “Abdullahi Musa has emerged as another contestant. It means that party primaries must be conducted. This is a democratic process we cannot run away from. We will not shy away from the process and it will be transparent, fair and peaceful”. “Two weeks ago, we announced Dr. Nuhu as a consensus candidate, but with the emergence of Musa, consensus has been dislodged. “Musa has the right to contest hence we accepted his letter of intent. “We’ll have party primaries to ensure the most suitable candidate that will be acceptable is presented,” Beji declared. He assured aspirants of a level-playing field, adding that delegates would be made public. Beji said nomination forms would be sold for N1.5 million, with the intent form costing N100,000. Speaking with reporters, Musa hailed the party’s d ec i si on, sa y i ng : “ A l l I wanted was for the party to follow due process in getting the candidate for the by-election”.

‘Plan to probe Nyako ridiculous’

ORMER Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has described the plan by Acting Governor Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri to probe his administration as “ridiculous’’. Alhaji Fintiri, in a statewide broadcast on Tuesday, announced that he would probe the Nyako administration, which he accused of leaving N82 billion liability. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a statement in Yola yesterday by Malam Ahmad Sajoh, Nyako’s director of Press and Publicity, said the probe was an attempt to discredit the ex-governor and pitch him against the people. “To say Nyako left a liability of N82 billion is ridiculous. “How much did the state get as income over the period? It is not even half of the amount quoted’’, the statement said. It stressed that the probe would not be fair, adding that Nyako was in court challenging his impeachment and was hopeful that the judiciary would vindicate him.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS 13 killed in attack on Yobe mosques Continued from page 4

by the attacks in Katarko and Potiskum in which about 17 people were killed and many more injured. “Governor Gaidam strongly condemns the attacks which are senseless, heinous and barbaric and totally unjustifiable. “The Governor’s thoughts and those of his administration are with the families of the victims at this time of great loss. “Governor Gaidam has prayed Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant eternal repose to those killed and quick recovery to those who sustained various degrees of injury” He directed for free medical treatment of all victims affect in the blast, calling on the people to be ever more vigilante with

the change of mode of attacks by the insurgents. “The Governor has also directed that free medical treatment be provided for all the injured until they are discharged from hospital. “Given the changing mode of attack by criminals and insurgents, the Governor has called on people across the state to remain ever more vigilant to happenings around their communities and to promptly report any suspicious persons or objects to security agents. “His Excellency Governor Gaidam has called for increased cooperation with security agents and more intensive prayers for Almighty Allah (SWT) to help restore peace in our state and the nation generally.

“The Governor has also called on security agencies in the state to continue to do more to nip criminal and insurgent activities in the bud and reiterated his call on the federal government to provide advanced bomb detection and other stealth security equipment to help the security agents on the ground more effectively prevent attacks,” the statement read. President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday deplored the continuing terrorist assault on Kano and the heinous bombings. In a statement, presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said Dr. Jonathan similarly deplores the attacks on two mosques in Potiskum, Yobe State yesterday. “President Jonathan condemns the repeated targeting of wor-

shippers, and innocent students who are the nation’s future by depraved terrorists. “He believes that the callous attacks on soft targets fully affirm that the terrorists’ are nothing but bloodthirsty adherents of a warped and retrogressive ideology. “No amount of intimidation and violence would stampede the government into abandoning its goal of giving education a new lease of life and opening up access to all young Nigerians who wish to improve themselves. “President Jonathan has therefore directed the Armed Forces, Police and other national security agencies to further enhance security around educational facilities in states prone to terrorist attacks.”

Oando pays $1.5b for ConocoPhillips’ assets Continued from page 4

clude ExxonMobil (20 per cent and operator), Chevron (20 per cent), Svenska (20 per cent), Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (15 per cent) and Sasol (5 per cent). Oando also said that through this transaction, OER will indirectly own all of the issued share capital of ConocoPhillips in Nigeria effective January 1, 2012, which translates to the date of the transaction. Oando said the total reserves and associated resources in the deal, including proved, plus probable reserves, amount to

about of 211.6 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe), adding that the transaction represents a significant opportunity for OER to create scale and significant value for its shareholders. It noted that OER’s sales production from the onshore assets, averaged 36,494 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in 2013 and 39,266 boe/d in the first half of 2014. Oando said: “Upon completion of the transaction, OER will be positioned as one of the leading E&P players in the Nigerian oil & gas sector, as measured by end-2013 proved plus probable reserves of 230.6

MMboe. “The transaction was financed with an approximate 50/50 debt-equity ratio and is immediately cash generative and will contribute significantly to the cashflows of the company. “This transaction represents a transformational leap forward for our company and is in keeping with our overall strategy to grow our portfolio of Nigerian-based assets by focusing on those opportunities that deliver high quality growth in reserves and production,” said Pade Durotoye, Chief Executive Officer of OER.

“Our management team is familiar with these assets and possess the managerial experience and technical expertise necessary to unlock their value for our shareholders,” he added. The Chairman, OER, Mr. Wale Tinubu, said: “We believe in the significant potential that the Nigerian oil and gas industry holds and are privileged to play a pivotal role in its consolidation, growth and development. We will continue to seek strategic opportunities that provide a platform for enhanced growth and value creation for our stakeholders.”

First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Abacha. A member of the Nigeria Police Council, who spoke in confidence last night said: “Abba has been “strongly” recommended to the President and Commander-InChief of the Armed Forces as

the next IGP, based on the recommendation of the Police Service Commission. “The Police Council met and ratified the recommendation. The President is expected to make an official announcement upon the expiration of the outgoing IGP’s ten-

ure today. Abba was Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Chairman of Police Cooperative before he became AIG Zone 7. Another source at the Police Service Commission, said: “We looked at the security

Nasarawa CJ under pressure Continued from page 4

constitution of the investigative panel by the Chief Judge who had insisted on substantial compliance with the law. “They wanted the CJ to raise a panel made up of only PDP members or those who have an axe to grind with the governor. But the Chief Judge appointed panel members with unquestionable integrity.” According to the source, the game plan of the lawmakers is to create a stalemate which will not allow the panel to sit for three months as required by Section 188(7) (b) of the 1999 Constitution. “They want impeachment by ambush because they are afraid of the outcome of the panel”, he said, adding: “The idea behind yesterday’s sitting was to create an impression that the Assembly ordered the Chief Judge to disband the panel and recall the report on expiry of the constitutional period allowed for the panel and go ahead with the impeachment. “They are aware that the impeachment process ends constitutionally if the panel clears the governor of any wrongdoing on the 16 allegations of misconduct levelled against him.” It was gathered that some Abuja-based PDP leaders were behind the pressure on the lawmakers to go ahead with the impeachment. But it was not immediately ascertained how the lawmakers procured the mace to sit in Karu. A highly-placed source said:

“Some top members of the upper chamber of the National Assembly provided the logistics and the venue at the neighbouring Karu Local Government Area that was used during the sitting. Al-Makura’s spokesman Abdulhamid Kwarra said: “I want to tell you that these people are desperate to remove the governor. The mace that was used today is not that of the State Assembly but the National Assembly.” “Members of the Assembly have stopped using the President’s name but are now dropping the names of the Senate President and other members of the National Assembly from Northcentral Zone.” But the governor’s Special Adviser (Special Duties) Mohammed Abdullahi, said: “ I doubt whether the Senate President will condescend so low to support the subversion of the Nigerian Constitution ...If truly he does, it’s unfortunate!” Armed boys yesterday invade the Nasarawa State House of Assembly complex in Lafia and beat up some of the lawmakers. The youths laid a siege to the complex and attacked the members, who they thought came around in connection with the impeachment move against Governor Al-Makura. The protesters demanded the immediate suspension of all impeachment proceedings. People who work in the building were barred from the Assembly Complex.

Zone 7 police chief Abba tipped to replace Abubakar as Inspector General of Police Continued from page 4

mission (PSC). If Abba is appointed, some of the Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) will retire. The fate of the others was unknown last night. Abba is a former Aide-deCamp (ADC) to a former

challenges facing the nation and how to address them. The service records of Abba showed that he can lead the police to tackle terrorism headlong. “Some have raised issues on his being ADC during the Abacha era, but his evaluation confirmed that he was

never found wanting. “He has good antecedents for the job. And security reports indicated that he would excel.” On why a Northwest candidate is succeeding the outgoing IGP from the same geopolitical zone, the source added: “We are after merit.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

Gaza: UN accuses Israel over another school attack

SRAEL attacked a UN-run school housing refugees in Gaza despite warnings that civilians were there, the UN has said. UN spokesman Chris Gunness said “the world stands disgraced” by the attack, in which 15 died and dozens were hurt. The Israeli military said an initial inquiry suggested soldiers responded to mortar fire. The military says it is now holding a partial, four-hour humanitarian ceasefire. Some 1,200 Palestinians and 55 Israelis have been killed in the conflict. Most of the Palestinian deaths have been civilians. Fifty-three Israeli soldiers have been killed along with two civilians. A Thai worker in Israel has also died. Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after a surge in rocket fire from the territory. Peter Lerner of the Israel Defense Forces: ‘’We do not

Ebola a threat to UK, says govt

•15 killed, 150 wounded target UN facilities’’ Hamas, which controls Gaza, says it will not stop fighting until the blockade, maintained by both Israel and Egypt, is lifted. The current conflict is now the longest between Israel and militants from Gaza. A 2012 offensive lasted for eight days, and the 2008 conflict went on for 22 days. Children were said to be among the wounded in the school strike Mr Gunness from the UN Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) told the BBC that Israel had been told 17 times that the school in the Jabaliya refugee camp was housing the displaced. “The last time was hours before the fatal attack,” he said. “Our initial assessment is that it was Israeli artillery that

•School walls were wrecked by the shelling yesterday, according to witnesses. PHOTO:AP

hit our school.” Chris Gunness: “Children were killed as they slept next to their parents” He said there were “multiple deaths” including women and children, adding that the attack caused “universal shame”. Images from the school showed large holes in the walls and roof. Bob Turner, Unrwa’s Gaza director, said the UN was “confident” Israel was responsible. He said UN workers had collected fragments of projectiles that suggested they were artillery shells fired from Israeli positions to the north-east of the school. The BBC’s Orla Guerin was given access by the Israeli military to a tunnel they say was used by Palestinian militants The Israeli military said the incident was under review. It said in a statement that its

“initial inquiry suggests that militants fired mortars earlier this morning from the vicinity of Unrwa school in Jabaliya”. It said soldiers “responded by firing towards the origin of fire”. The military later said a ceasefire would be in force between 15:00 (12:00 GMT) and 19:00. However, it would only apply to areas where Israeli soldiers were not currently operating and residents were warned not to return to areas they had previously been asked to evacuate. Lt Col Peter Lerner of the IDF told the BBC: “I hope that Hamas will hold their fire as well, because otherwise things are going to get messier.” Polls suggest almost unanimous support in Israel for the military operation Palestinians try to put out a fire in Gaza City after an Israeli

air strike Palestinians gather leaflets dropped by an Israeli plane warning residents of Gaza City Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the truce was meaningless. “The lull which Israel announced is media exploitation and has no value because it excludes the volatile areas along the border, and we won’t be able to get the wounded out from those areas,” he said in a statement reported by Agence France-Presse. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using schools and civilian areas as bases to launch attacks. Last week, another UN-run school was hit, with Palestinians saying at least 15 people were killed. But the Israeli military denied the killings, saying a single “errant” shell had landed in an empty courtyard.

Russia counts cost of new sanctions

USSIA blasted the West’s new economic sanctions yesterday, accusing the U.S. of being “prosecutorial” in its drive to impose penalties on the country’s key energy and finance sectors. The U.S. and European Union on Tuesday announced a raft of new sanctions that would limit the trade of arms and technology that can be used in the oil industry and for military purposes. The EU also put its capital markets off limits for Russian state-owned banks. The U.S. and EU say Russia is helping the separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine who are accused of downing the Malaysian Airlines jet this month. Russia’s foreign ministry

said Washington was “advancing baseless claims.” In a statement, it accused the U.S. of conducting itself in a “pretentious, prosecutorial manner.” Experts say the penalties, which had until recently mainly targeted individuals, will have more bite to them this time, rippling through the economy and causing deeper damage.The biggest immediate impact is likely to come from the financial sanctions. In a first sign of concern, Russia’s central bank said Wednesday it would support banks targeted by the penalties.”State-owned banks are the core of the Russian banking system. Together they count for half of assets, half of credits they perform a very significant role,” said Vladimir Tikhomi-

rov, chief economist at BCS. “Given their current difficulties in raising new debts... that would mean their ability to lend to other banks, smaller banks, is going to be more restricted also.”U.S. officials said Tuesday that roughly 30 percent of Russia’s banking sector assets would now be constrained by sanctions. EU officials said Russia’s majority state-owned banks last year issued long-term debt worth 7.5 billion euros ($10 billion) on the EU market, as well as 15.8 billion euros in debt on the Russian market.The measures against Russian banks are meant to inflict just enough pain without causing them to collapse. Only debts with a maturity of over 90 days will be targeted by the measures.

Turkey: PM Erdogan returns U.S. Jewish award

URKEY’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is returning an award he received in 2004 from the American Jewish Congress, which has accused him of “dangerous rhetoric” against Israel. Last week the New Yorkbased lobby group said Mr Erdogan was “inciting the Turkish population to violence against the Jewish peo-

ple”. It asked him to hand back the award, granted for Middle East peace efforts. Turkey’s ambassador to the US said Mr Erdogan would be “glad” to do so. Ambassador Serdar Kilic said Mr Erdogan should not be expected to turn a blind eye to Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. “Attempts to depict Prime Minister Erdogan’s legitimate criticisms of the Israeli government’s attacks on civilians as expressions of antiSemitism is an obvious distortion and an effort to cover up the historical wrongdoings of the Israeli govern-

•Erdogan accuses Israel of PHOTO:AP atrocities in Gaza.

ment,” Mr Kilic said in a letter quoted by the Turkish news website Hurriyet. Mr Erdogan is campaigning to be elected president next month and has sharply criticised Israel’s military offensive against Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, where more than 1,100 people have died, most of them civilians.

HE Ebola virus, which has killed more than 670 people in West Africa, poses a threat to the UK, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has told the BBC. He chaired an emergency Cobra meeting on the issue on yesterday afternoon. Mr Hammond said no Britons had been affected so far and there were no cases in the UK, but the government was viewing the outbreak very seriously. Earlier this month Public Health England issued an alert to UK doctors to be aware of Ebola’s symptoms. Several West African airlines have now stopped flying to Liberia and Sierra Leone amid concerns about the spread of the disease to those countries from Guinea. The move by airlines comes after an infected American man of Liberian descent was found to have flown from Liberia to Nigeria last week. He developed symptoms during the flight.

Guinea: 33 dead after concert stampede

UNDREDS of people leaving a late-night rap concert on a beach in Guinea rushed to leave through a single exit, creating a stampede that killed at least 33 people, officials said yesterday. The victims included children as young as 10, and most bodies brought to an overflowing morgue in the capital were still dressed in bathing suits and swim trunks. Some had bled from their mouths after their small bodies were trampled, causing internal bleeding.” We are not used to seeing such a large number of bodies at the same time. It’s such a tragedy, these young victims killed in the prime of their life,” said an employee at Donka Hospital where bodies awaited burial. The hospital’s director, Dr. Fatou Sike Camara, announced the toll of 33 deaths.President Alpha Conde went on national television to declare a week of national mourning and promised a full investigation.

Somali woman allegedly killed for not wearing veil

ILITANT Islamists in Somalia have allegedly shot dead a Muslim woman for refusing to wear a veil, her relatives say. Ruqiya Farah Yarow was killed outside her hut near the southern Somali town of Hosingow by gunmen belonging to the al-Shabab group, they say. The militants had ordered her to put on a veil, and then killed her after returning and finding she was still not wearing one, the relatives said. An al-Shabab spokesman denied the group had killed the woman. Al-Shabab does not fully control the area where she was living, he added. The capital, Mogadishu, is controlled by the weak UNbacked government Relatives, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals, told the BBC that Mrs Yarow was killed at about 07:30 (04:30 GMT).

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS (SHOWBIZ) Banky W to host Club Quilox re-opening

Tuface, T-pain, others excite at AFRIMMA

T will be a night of music, dance and gaming as Nigerian nightclub, Quilox re-opens for business on Friday August 1. Management of the outfit said the club is now optimised for more posh partying, following a brief hiatus occasioned by the justconcluded Ramadan fast. The rebound comes with the introduction of the VVIP Friday night gigs, as well as restaurant, karaoke and the innovative Quilox pocket money. To host the Friday night gig is RnB sensation, Banky W. According to the founder of the club, Shina Peller, “The re-opening presents more opportunities to further the innovation that Quilox brings to clubbing experience in Lagos. “We are excited to return with a magnificent VVIP event after a brief hiatus for

•As Davido wins Africa’s best again

HE much-anticipated African Muzic Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA), which held at the weekend, has again confirmed hip-hop act David Adeleke, aka Davido, as an artiste to reckon with in 2014 – the singer clinched the diadem for Artiste of the Year and Best Male West Africa, making it the third of such awards this year. Davido had contested the category with three other Nigerian artistes, Wizkid, Iyanya and Flavour; two Ghanaian acts, Sarkodie and Shatta Wale and Ivorian singer, DJ Arafat. As if destined for the same jour-

ney, Tiwa Savage, who alongside Davido won the Best Female Act in the MTV Africa Music Award (MAMA) also beat her West African counterparts at the AFRIMMA award. She defeated Nigeria’s Chidimma, Senegal’s Viviane Chidid, Ivory Coast’s Teeyah, Benin Republic’s Sessima and Ghana’s Efya. High musical renditions were part of the activities that made the night thick. Expectedly, the show featured spectacular performances from top artistes from Africa, including a duet from hip hop act, Tuface Idibia and Grammy awardwinning rapper, Faheem Najm, alias T-pain. During the awards show which held at the Eisemann C e n t e r , Richardson, Texas, the two a r t i s t e s thrilled the crowd individually and jointly. Their duet was the remix of Tuface’s song, Rainbow, which features the American star. The song is Tuface’s popular single on his 2012 album, Away & Beyond. Anchored by comedian Basketmouth and Ghanaian actress

M-Flow floats record label Juliet Ibrahim, the show also featured performances by Kcee (Song of the Year), Iyanya (Best Dance in a Video) and Flavour (Best Video of the Year) among others. AFRIMMA’s founder Anderson Obiagwu, who was excited about the success of the show, noted that his company was determined to sustain the drive towards a world-class African awards show through what he de-

scribed as its “crossing boundaries with music”. Other Nigerian winners at the awards are: Best African Group 2014- P-square, Best Dancehall Artist 2014 – Timaya, Best Traditional Artist 2014- Flavour, Best Dance Group 2014Imagineto, Leadership in Music Award 2014- 2face Idibia and Transformational Leadership Award 2014- Chief Dr. Godswill Akpabio.

AST-rising rapper M-flow has joined the league of label owners, with his new outfit, Team the Motive. Coming under the auspices of Sar Eliud Entertainment, the first artiste to be signed in by the entrepreneur is Ogun State indigene, Mac Bizzu. M-flow said the vision of the label is to use the little finances within his disposal to help burgeoning artistes. He argued that there are so many talents in Nigeria, waiting to be discovered. The new act, Mac Bizzu (real name Samuel Adebayo Ajayi), is an energetic Afro-pop and Raggae singer, who is said to have started music in a church as a choir member at the age of 10.

Rodney wins Naija Street Champ

ONTROVERSIAL Nollywood actor, Jim Iyke, caused a stir yesterday, showcasing a dramatic picture that suggested he was fleeing Liberia, for fear of contracting the Ebola virus. The actor had posted the picture on Instagram, with the caption: “Monrovia unfinished business; leaving tonight. Not ashamed to admit this scares the Jesus outta me #Ebola.” But for a mask clutching his nose, the actor was dressed casually, while sitting in the airport’s luxury first-class lounge. His pant was also rolled up, revealing bare legs. He was also spotting a short-sleeved shirt. In a series of comments that accompanied the story on the social media, fans believed the actor took the virus for a joke. Obviously, there was a huge contrast between Iyke’s image in a first-class luxury and the thousands of terrified Liberians who are living in fear of contracting the deadly disease. Already, about 600 people are said to have died of the disease in Liberia. Fans berated the actor for wearing an expensive face mask to protect himself, whereas he was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt. Apart from chiding the actor for trivialising the virus, other Nigerians took him to task for travelling back to the country without having been tested to see if he was infected. “Please ooo, James Ikechukwu, aka Jim Iyke, should be quarantined,” one said.

Ramadan. With party rocker, Banky W and guest jockey, DJ Cuppy as the host for the reopening of Quilox, it is safe to say that clubbing is just about to get interesting.” Banky, according to Peller, will work with Femi Otedola’s daughter, DJ Cuppy, who is guest jockey, as well as Quilox in-house Disc Jockey, DJ Consequence. The club, since its opening on December 20, 2013, has held numerous events aimed at boosting nightlife in Lagos.

Ebola: Fans want Jim Iyke screened Ebola is transmitted through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals, and in many parts of West Africa, people are being told to cover as much of their body as possible to ensure the infection doesn’t enter their bloodstream through a small cut. Perhaps one of the harsh comments was that Iyke was giving false information about the virus. “Ignorance is a true folly! My dear Iyke, the Ebola virus is not airborne. Did he not bother to pick up a newspaper or tune into news stations there whilst in Liberia? I’m sure it’s all over the news and all networks! So besides telling us that he has no clue about what’s going on where he is, he thought it best to show us his fool-

ishness too! Granted, it is a scary situation. But as a socalled celebrity, can he not publicise his ignorance on social media? There are people out there looking at his updates 247, can he take it upon himself to spread the right information for the sake of his other illiterate followers! It’s the least he can do,” said an observer. However, others thought that the actor might be acting a portion of his popular reality show, Jim Iyke Unscripted. With the second season of the TV show being concluded, the actor had earlier released a teaser for season 3. In the trailer, the actor and Ghanaian beau, Nadia Buari, are seen flying in private jets, playing hard, partying hard and attending events together.

•The project manager, Naija Street Champ, Oladeinde Fajana; ace music producer, Olumide Ogunade ( ID Cabasa), winner of the competition Rodney Brown and music producer, Doyinsola Joshua (D’Tunes) during the presentation of cheque to the winner at the grand finale.

HE contest was tough for Shanuolu Adesola (Sholz), Rodney Brown Edemhanria (Rodney) and Abimbola Olugbenga (Raptitude), the three finalists in the maiden edition of Naija Street Champ, judging by fans’ reaction and dlemma of the judges; but in the end, Rodney Brown Edemhanria stole the day. Amidst the popular British band Right Said Fred’s ‘Stand Up’ victory song, the audience, mainly youths, went ecstatic at the Eko FM Hall, LTV studios, Ikeja, venue of the grand finale, as the name of the 25-year-old burgeoning artiste was announced last Saturday. Rodney the Monster, as he is fondly called, represented Ikeja zone in the competition, and thus had more crowd at the venue who echoed his victory – his contenders

stood agape as he was lifted to high heavens. The package for the winner was a cash prize of N1 million and a three-year recording deal – Rodney, posing with show jurors, Terry G, ID Cabassa and D’Tunes, smiled to the cameras, as the dummy cheque was being presented. The evening held great promises for all finalists, including Sulaimon Idris (Dabreez) who was the first to be evicted among the four in the first round of performances. Sholz, Rodney and Raptitude, the only lady standing, had performed twice on stage, thrilling the enthusiastic crowd with their songs done on beats produced by Terry G and ID Cabassa. And when there was no clear winner, the judges asked for another round of performances, this time, a freestyle show by the three contenders.

Despite Rodney’s win, the judges also had kind words for the two other contestants whose musical career they promised to help actualise. In the same vein, D’Tunes announced that he would be giving the sum of N300, 000 each to the first and second runners up. Taking inventory of the first edition of the Naija Street Champ, Project Manager Oladehinde Fajana described the show as a huge success. He was optimistic that subsequent editions will be greater. He also urged brand custodians to take the opportunity of the project to reach their targets, especially the youth market. Rodney, while speaking to the press, congratulated other contestants on their wonderful performances, courage and showmanship, saying he would be willing to work with them in the future.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

NEWS

Boko Haram: Decoding Alexander Nekrassov T

HE traditional view in the Kremlin on any conflict in different parts of the world, be it social unrest, a popular uprising, an overthrow of government or a rise in terrorist activity, has always come down to one question: What’s in it for the Yanks? Or, if we put it in the language of the statements that have been coming from Moscow in the past several months over Ukraine: What’s in it for our American partners?” The above statement was the opening paragraph which can also be said to be the major plank on which the opinion piece of Alexander Nekrassov entitled “Is B’Haram a Pawn in the Bigger Political Game?” rested. The article, which was reported to have been originally published by Aljazeera.com, was posted in TheCable.com.ng, a Nigerian-oriented news portal. In a clever but badly-thought-out attempt to bring Putin’s Russia into the mix of Nigeria’s BokoHaram terror rampage, Nekrassov, reportedly a former presidential and Kremlin adviser sounds ridiculous with his glaring contradictions and incoherence that makes one to wonder if he actually got paid as an adviser of any entity, let alone of the Kremlin.Nekrassovtries to mix the geo-political rivalry between Russia and the United States, which he probably knows a few things about with Nigeria’s Boko Haram terrorist networkwhich he obviously knows very little or nothing, to prepare a pre-determined but sinisterJonathanian Cocktail to be forced down the throats of unsuspecting Nigerians and the international community, which reacted and spills on his face, making him to look disfigured and confused, as we shall see here. For a starter, Nekrassov put the wrong foot forward. His chosen title in which he sees Boko Haram as a “Pawn in the Bigger Political Game” is a misnomer. Nigeria’s new non-state terrorist actorsmay have initially been put together by their pioneer Borno State political masters to intimidate—and if need be— break a few bones of their political opponents. But the terrorist organization can hardly be called a “pawn” anymore as it had long graduated into a ferocious and formidable terror machine that decides in its own time when and where to ask for the blood of innocent and hapless Nigerians. It now has probably the single most important—although unenviable ace—-that can determine whether Nigeria stays together or fractures, the latter option having been predicted that is most likely to happen in 2015 by an American study group some years back, contrary to the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian people. Since the premise of Alexander Nekrassov’s piece seems faulty from the beginning, it goes without saying that his entire argument on the

By Femi Odere

issue of Boko Haram and as it relates to the renewed rivalry between Washington and Moscow should therefore be jettisoned. His argument patently lacks merit, therefore unconvincing. As a former adviser to the Kremlin, Nekrassov ought to have known by now that save for winning national souls for its communist ideology during the Cold War in which it lost out very badly in that world of bipolarity, Nigeria has no overarching strategic military nor economic value to the present-day Russian government. Nekrassov’s assertion that the Kremlin is worried about “what’s in it for our American partners [in the] current turmoil in Nigeria and the dramatic rise of the threat from the armed group Boko Haram” cannot be farther from the truth. First, Russia has no overarching strategic interest to protect in Nigeria and secondly, it has since ceded the country to the west as part of the sphere of influence of the western hemisphere in which Britain is the main chaperon with the United States in lockstep with the former. Therefore, Vladimir Putin can hardly be bothered if there’s any crisis in Nigeria. His other postulation that the US may have remained unconcerned about the increasing wave of terrorist activities in Nigeria “had US First Lady Michelle Obama not lent her support to the very high profile “Bring Our Girls Back” hashtag campaign….” shows that either Nekrassovhas been seriously negligent in his professional calling in monitoring global events for his former or future clients or he’s simply being clever by half. Nekrassov will recall that the Jonathan administration initially vehemently opposed the United States’ attempt to classify Nigeria’s Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) which could have mandated the American government to swing into action in tracking the terrorist organization’s source of funding and armaments, among other things. Boko Haram probably would not have been this lethal if Nigeria had not expressed its displeasure when the US wanted to move Nigeria into the list of those countries “of interest” for terrorist activities in the aftermath of an attempt of the young Abdulmuttalab to detonate plastic explosives on a Northwest Airline flight over Detroit in December 25, 2009. It was not until after the abduction of the Chibok girls that Nigerians became aware of the several efforts of Britain and the United States to assist the country in fighting terrorism which the Jonathan administration consistently rebuffed.Because Nekrassov himself seems confused, jumping all over the place in his piece and muddling up issues that are not necessarily related, one therefore need to lend him a helping hand in bring-

ing clarity to an otherwise jaundiced thought process in his assertions, utilizing his own subtitles.

Disastrous Oversight

Rise of Boko Haram

Nekrassov’s view that the emergence of Boko Haram has added to the confusion of Russian officials because the terrorist networkthat is primarily “based in the north of Nigeria, is actually fighting for control of the area that has no oil reserves” may be akin to someone cleverly trying to transfer his own confusion to somebody else who has the wherewithal to be discerning. Boko Haram has never hidden its intention that its engagement in a Jihad inside Nigeria’s geographic space is because it wantsan Islamic state in the country to be patterned along the Taliban’s Afghanistan before they were routed by the superior military force of the United States. A kindergartner knows this Boko Haram goal by now. There should not be anything confusing by anybody about this, let alone Russian officials. It is amazing that while Nekrassov posited that “the interesting angle on the crisis in Nigeria is that it is seen in Moscow as political conflict rather than a religious one…” he also told us in the same breath that “the thinking in Moscow [is] if it was a classic religious war, then Boko Haram would not have been indiscriminate in murdering both Muslims and Christians.” Why would the Kremlin hold two diametrically opposed views about Boko Haram at the same time especially in view of the fact that the terrorist group had made its goal very clear from the outset? Boko Haram is indiscriminate in its orgy of murder of both Muslims and Christians in order to instill morbid fear into the hearts and minds of those it intends to practice its version of Islamic theocracy over where everybody becomes human robots in those territories under their control. Nekrassov doesn’t seem too happy that the opposition is blaming “President Goodluck Jonathan for its inability to prevent the carnage.” Should the opposition have blamed the United States, Moscow or Afghanistan for the carnage that the Jonathan government really has no clue by now how to stop?

Opposition Benefits

Nekrassov’s submission that “the kidnapping on such a vast scale was obviously intended as a blow to Jonathan’s regime first and foremost…[and therefore] a slap on the face of the government in power that could only benefit the opposition seems to have been carefully crafted to make the Jonathan administration look as if it is the victim of the Chibok abduction deserving the sympathy of the international community. This is a disingenuous submission at best and a callously despicable one at worst. Moreover, one wonders how Nekrassov managed to have obtained what seems to be

•Shekau

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media houses, thereby preventing President Jonathan from saying a word or two to his fellow Nigerians about the abduction of the Chibok girls for more than two weeks. Other examples abound that underscores a patently inept President Jonathan that Nekrassov perhaps may not want to be bothered with.

Boko Haram is indiscriminate in its orgy of murder of both Muslims and Christians in order to instill morbid fear into the hearts and minds of those it intends to practice its version of Islamic theocracy over where everybody becomes human robots in those territories under their control.

first-hand information from Abubakar Shekau that his asking price for each of our girls is around twenty ($20) dollars. There is a condescending racial undertone in this unfortunate statement, it seems to me. Perhaps due to his glaring and internationally acknowledged incompetence that is obviously impossible for him to admit, President Goodluck Jonathan has always seen virtually every issues of national importance as a political game by his political enemies to bring down his government. He would rather wish that Nigerians continue to celebrate a “shoeless” boy that rose to the nation’s highest pinnacle from among 160 million people. Nekrassov must have thought that it was the opposition that told the president to go a-dancing in another northern city of Kano less than 48hours after the Nyanya bombing that claimed the lives of more than 50 Nigerians. Nekrassov may have also believed that it was the opposition that barricaded all the nation’s

It probably wouldn’t have been necessary to respond to Alexander Nekrassov if he had declared himself an apologist of the Jonathan administration. It’s very nauseating if not outrightly distasteful for the former adviser to the Kremlin to have suggested that despite its “military and intelligence sources on ground…the US and other western nations having woken up to the reality of the Boko Haram threat only when the situation started to spin out of control” are now beginning to take proactive measures. The insinuation that the US should have been the one responsible for the security of the Nigerian people in the first place is pathetically condescending. It’s also an indirect indictment of President Jonathan that Nekrassov seems to have been mandated to defend. It’s even more of an egregious statement in the light of the unprecedented deaths and destruction happening under Jonathan’s watch since the country’s civil war and with no hope in sight for Nekrassov to have suggested that “all things considered, Johnathan’s [administration] regime is still a better option than the coalition of the Muslim extremists that is shaping up now with an aim to win next year’s election.” Well, this statement may be the whole point of Nekrassov’s piece, which is to change the narrative by casting Nigeria’s opposition party in the mold of Egypt’s “Muslim Brotherhood” as espoused by another associate of Levick. But the vast majority of Nigerians whose lives are on the line on a daily basis knows better. The $1.2 million contract secured by Washington’s Levick Strategic Communications from the Jonathan’s government is a freebie that can only happen in Nigeria. It’s like someone walking in the door of a good salesman offering hard, cold cash to sell a product. After some briefing, the salesman and the one offering cash both know that the product is patently bad. But it matters not. The salesman or anyone for that matter would be stupid to walk away from that humongous amount of free money. Methinks Alexander Nekrassov is one of those Levick subcontractors who must take his own cut from this freebie. But the sad irony about this is that Levick and his co-travellers are earning their paychecks on the backs of those hapless Nigerians who continue to die both in the hands of Boko Haram and because they could not to afford to buy the drug that the doctor had prescribed for them in the Naira equivalent of about $5. These are people whose lives mean nothing to President GoodluckEbeleJonathan. •Odere is a media practitioner. He can be reached at femiodere@gmail.com.

Gbadamosi chairs unveiling of Nollywood Book

R •Gbadamosi

ESPECTED economist, playwright, art patron and former Minister of National Planning, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, will today chair the unveiling and public presentation of Auteuring Nollywood: Critical Perspectives on the Figurine. The event holds at 10am at the Agip hall of MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The scholarly book which examines the highpoints of Kunle Afolayan’s awardwinning film, The Figurine, is edited by Dr. Adeshina Afolayan of the Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan. The book, a collection of scholarly essays, is first of its kind that is devoted to the work of a single Nigerian film director. It examines the

thematic focus and cinematic style employed in The Figurine, while also using that singular work to engage the trends in the new Nigerian cinema popularly referred to as Nollywood. According to a release by Relentless Media, the organisers of the event, contributors to the book include Dr. Sola Osofisan, Dr. Dele Layiwola, Dr. Chukwuma

Okoye, Jane Thorburn, Matthew H. Brown, Gideon Tanimonure, A.G.A Bello, Foluke Ogunleye and Prof. Hyginus Ekwuazi. An ‘Afterword’ on “Neo-Nollywood and its Other” by the prolific Scholar, Dr. Onookome Okome, is also provided in the book in addition to series of interviews with key actors and technicians that featured in the

film. “To do justice to the intellectual content of the book, Mr. Emeka Mba, the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Dr. Ikechukwu Obianya, the Director of Nollywood Study Centre, Pan–Atlantic University, Lagos have been enlisted to review the book at the Public Presentation”.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

NFF holds Elective Congress Aug 26 •Biambo to head electoral committee

•Maryam Usman of Nigeria competes in the Women's +75kg weightlifting final at the SECC Precinct during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Maryam Usman storms to weightlifting gold

UPERWOMAN Maryam Usman capped a remarkable performance yesterday lifting Nigeria to a Gold medal in a gritty test of power between her and Samoa’s Ele Opeloge. The two greats started their snatch lifts at 115kg. It was the Nigerian who lifted 120 and

125kg respectively, while the Samoan could not lift the 125kg thereby allowing Usman to enter the Clean and Jerk with an edge. The two who stayed back while the little lifters tried their hands on smaller weights, they bounced back to finish their rivalry starting

with 145kg. It was Maryam who led the way with 150 and 155kgs respectively. Aware that the Nigerian had gone further, the Samoan opted to lift 151kg and heightened the blood pressure of Nigerians when she lifted it. In her last lift, she called for 161kg to leap-frog

FIFA VP Grondona passes away

2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Bolt says Games slur claims are 'nonsense'

SAIN BOLT has described claims he made disparaging comments about the Commonwealth Games as "nonsense". The Times newspaper quoted the Olympic 100m champion as saying he was "not really" having fun in Glasgow. It also claimed 27-year-old Bolt said the London Olympics had been better. Bolt said on Twitter: "I'm waking up to this nonsense.. journalists please don't create lies to make headlines". The Times said it was standing by its story. The newspaper's Scottish editor, Angus Macleod, said: "We stand by this story 100%. We have utter confidence in this story." It is understood the reporter who wrote the story has "verbatim notes" of her conversation with Bolt. Bolt did not comment when asked about the Times article as he arrived at the SECC to watch Jamaica play New Zealand at netball. The athlete appeared relaxed, posing for photographs and signing autographs before joining in with a Mexican wave. As he left the venue, he shouted "awesome" to reporters who asked how he felt about the Games. His manager, Ricky Simms, earlier told the BBC the newspaper allegations were "utter rubbish". Mr Simms added: "The atmosphere in and around the stadiums has been absolutely fantastic and I have absolutely no idea where these quotes have come from." The Times claimed Bolt had been waiting in the rain for

his car to arrive shortly after meeting members of the royal family at the athletes' village in the east end of Glasgow on Tuesday. It quoted the world 100m record holder as saying the Glasgow Games were "a bit shit" and that he thought "the Olympics were better". Bolt, who has been staying in the athletes' village, then left "to do some business", according to the newspaper's report.

Tinubu, Keshi, Okoku, Odiye honoured in Lagos

N recognition of their contributions to uplift the lives of less-privileged kids in the society, the quartet of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Coach Stephen Keshi, ex-internationals Paul Okoku and Godiwn Odiye have all been awarded a shield award by the Mainland Local Government. Presenting the awards during a lavish ceremony held at the headquarters of the Local Government Education Authority in Yaba, the Executive-Secretary of the LGEA, Lawrence Adetona said the Shield Award, which is the highest recognition bestowed by the government on deserving and outstanding personalities, who have supported the drive to improve the lives of children in the society was given to the likes of Keshi, Okoku and Odiye because of their support to pupils of St Paul's Catholic School, Ebute Metta.

the Nigerian but could not cross the rubicon after suceeding in the clean but failed woefully in the jerk. As her babel hit the ground, sporadic applause erupted from the Nigerian camp as Maryam dropped on her knees giving Allah all the glory.

Keshi, Okoku and Odiye all went to St Paul's Primary School and the trio later proceeded to St. Finbarr's College. They also played for the Green Eagles in the 1980s. Recalling that the trio donated laptops and a generator set to their former Primary School, Adetona said this gesture has already boosted the quality of education at the school, adding that the former ex-internationals also sponsored the annual inter-house sports of the school and fed the children during this year's Children's Day and World Hunger Day celebration. “We at the local government are moved by what these sons of the country have done for our children and we are with this shield award saying a big thank you to them for their efforts in helping us deliver the dividends of democracy to our constituents”, said Adetona.

IFA vice-president and head of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) Julio Humberto Grondona has passed away aged 82. After being admitted to hospital with a heart problem on Wednesday morning, Grondona's condition deteriorated rapidly in the following hours and he was ultimately unable to overcome his fight with ill-health. He had been in charge of the Argentine FA for 35 years and was responsible for the construction of the Ezeiza training complex, where the national side are now based. Grondona also combined those responsibilities with his position as vice-president of FIFA and was the founder and chairman of Arsenal de Sarandi, who play their football in Argentina's Primera Division. FIFA president Sepp Blatter led the tributes to his former colleague, tweeting: "[I'm] very sad for the loss of a great friend. "Julio Grondona left us at the age of 82. Today embrace his family. He rests in peace.

•Grondona

HE Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)has resolved that the Elective Congress of NFF will still hold on Tuesday, 26th August, 2014 in Abuja, while the General Assembly will now hold on Wednesday, 18th November, 2014 at a venue to be determined later. The Committee also decided to retain the Electoral Committee headed by Mr. Amoni Biambo with the exclusion of Dr. Akpo Mudiaga-Odje and Mr. Pascal Patrick, while the Electoral Appeals Committee is also retained with the exclusion of Barr. Eddy Ibrahim Mark, who is a Chairman of one of NFF’s judicial bodies. The Committee which constituted a 5-man committee will also review the issue of bans on persons within the Nigerian football family and report back to the body within three days. The Committee, was inaugurated by the Acting President, Chief Mike Umeh and is headed by Chief Effiong Johnson and has Hon. Shehu Adamu, Mr. Ayodeji Tinubu, Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma and Hon. Suleiman YahayaKwande as Members, while Dr. Christian Emeruwa will serve as Secretary. The NFF also claims that a result of unforeseen circumstances, the emergency Congress of NFF earlier proposed for Thursday, 31st July, 2014 but not convoked, will now be convened at a later date. Board apologised for any inconveniences caused members of the NFF Congress by the postponement. In the same vein, following the report of a three –man committee appointed to open channels of communication with Mr. Stephen Keshi on the probability of contract renewal for the Super Eagles’ Head Coach job, the Executive

By Stella Bamawo Committee approved that the Acting President convene a meeting of the NFF Emergency Committee to approve/finalize details of Keshi’s possible re –engagement within the shortest possible time. Executive Committee unanimously appointed Hon. Shehu Adamu as Acting 1st Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation for Keshi’s re-engagement. Committee re-affirmed Barrister Musa Amadu as General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation. The Committee also unanimously resolved that henceforth, funds generated from registration fees for the Men and Women Federation Cup competitions will now be shared at the ratio of 60 per cent to the Federation and 40 per cent to be kept by Football Associations in the States. Committee also expressed sincere appreciation to the Lagos State Government for hosting the Grand Finale of the Federation Cup for several years now, and also approved that the State host the next three editions in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Ina attendance at the meeting were Chief Mike Umeh (Acting President); Hon. Shehu Adamu (Acting 1st Vice President); High Chief Emeka Inyama (Member); Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma (Member); Chief Effiong Johnson (Member); Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande (Member). Others were Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu (Member); Barr. Christopher Green (Member); Alh. Suleyman Muazu (Member); Mr. Ayodeji Tinubu (Member); Alh. Yusuf Ahmed ‘Fresh’ (Member)and Barr. Musa Amadu (Secretary).

Spurs won't release Musa Yahaya for AYC tie

NGLISH Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur will not release Flying Eagles’ forward Musa Yahaya for next month’s final 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier against Lesotho. His agent Babawo Mohammed informed AfricanFootball.com Yahaya has been lined up for several test games with the Spurs Academy team around the August 15 clash against Lesotho and so will not be available for the crucial qualifier. “Musa Yahaya has so far impressed in England with the Spurs Academy team, but he will not be available for the Flying Eagles next month because Spurs have arranged a couple of more matches for the player about the same time too,” Babawo disclosed. “But the player could be available for the return leg match in Lesotho.” The top star of last year’s FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates has been training now for several weeks with Spurs with whom he signed a pre-contract. He featured for the Flying Eagles in the second round of the AYC qualifiers against

Tanzania, where the Flying Eagles went through 6-1 on aggregate.

•Yahaya

www.thenationonlineng.net

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

TOMORROW IN THE NATION

VOL. 9, NO. 2,924

‘It is no use for the secretariat staff sitting in their air conditioned offices in Abuja, drinking tea and eating cakes while sending the children of the poor people to Maiduguri and asking them to report first before seeking redeployment.’ JIDE OSUNTOKUN

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

HE Committee on Devolution of the National Conference has submitted to the Conference a recommendation that a National Intervention Fund be established for the ‘stabilisation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by terrorism and insurgency’, specifically in the North East, North Central and North West in the first instance, and any other part of the country where such intervention might be needed in future. The draft of the recommendation was carefully crafted by its sponsors to allay fears that it favours the North. But it does and, understandably, there have been some strong objections from delegates from the South-South to the proposal on the grounds that the Fund, when established, should instead be national in scope and execution, and not confined to some parts of the North, even in the first instance as specified by the sponsors of the proposal. This objection is real and should not be dismissed. It is no doubt a reflection of the deep ethnic and regional mistrust that continues to dominate Nigeria’s politics, and which makes it difficult for a consensus to emerge on any critical national issue. In this particular case, opposition to the proposal in the South is based on the fear that the South is again being short-changed by being called upon to pay for the lack of economic development in the North, the result of decades of economic mismanagement by its leaders. This deep and lingering mistrust between the North and South divide in Nigeria needs to be addressed and allayed for a consensus to emerge at the Conference on this critical issue of a National Intervention Fund. A consensus has emerged at the Conference for a five per cent increase in statutory allocation from 13 per cent to 18 per cent to the oil producing states from the federation accounts. Most Southern delegates now feel that the proposed five per cent increase in federal spending in the specified Northern states is intended to recover through the back door the proposed increased allocation to the oil bearing states in the South-South from the federation accounts which, on its own, has considerable merits. But the motive of those calling for this Fund should not be questioned even if it is intended for the rehabilitation of vast swathes of Northern Nigeria badly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in which properties and lives have been destroyed, and thousands of people displaced. Even without the insurgency, Northern Nigeria needs more financial and material resources badly to make any economic progress at all, and to reduce the growing economic inequalities between the two halves of the country. When Lord Lugard ‘amalgamated’ Northern and Southern Nigeria in 1914, he admitted that it was largely for economic reasons. It was intended to pay

RIPPLES POVERTY RATE HAS REDUCED-Fed Govt

•••maybe in ASO ROCK

DAPO FAFOWORA

FROM THE SUMMIT dapo.fafowora@thenationonlineng.net

On the proposed National (Emergency) Intervention Fund

•Justice Idris Kutigi, Chairman, National Conference

for the administration of the vast Northern colonial territory. But despite the amalgamation, the North has remained economically backward when compared to the South. Yet, in land area, Northern Nigeria constitutes nearly two thirds of Nigeria. Because of its huge size, the North is of overriding political and economic importance to Nigeria. It cannot be ignored and the rest of the country must do all it can to assist the region to develop faster. Economic disparities between the North and South will not promote national unity. It is divisive and cannot be ignored. Nigeria cannot fully achieve its great economic potentials without special attention being paid to the peculiar economic circumstances in Northern Nigeria that have made it less developed than Southern Nigeria. The North has to be dragged along willy- nilly. The current Boko Haram insurgency in the North is a direct consequence of this economic divide after decades of economic neglect of the region by its own leaders. The mass poverty in the North was brought about largely

by its leaders. This economic neglect is a major source of social and political instability in the region. But something concrete has to be done by way of increased material assistance to the region, even if such assistance represents a financial sacrifice by the other parts of the country. Poverty breeds religious extremism, bigotry, violence and social disorder. The insurgency in the North is more political than religious, as the insurgents attack both Muslims and Christians without any discrimination between the two. It is a rebellion against widespread poverty and social injustice, more prevalent in Northern Nigeria than in other parts of the country. This is why there is some support for the insurgency, particularly among the poor in the region. The primary objective of the insurgency is to discredit and destroy the existing social and political order in Northern Nigeria, which has tended on the whole to increase mass poverty in the region. A poor North will reinforce the regional division in the country and will make national integration more difficult to achieve. The insurgency, now spreading beyond the northern fringes of Northern Nigeria, to the heart of the nation in Abuja, will not be deterred by military means alone. This is becoming more and more evident as the military has admitted that it cannot cope with this kind of insurgency for which it is illprepared and poorly equipped. The Federal Government is seeking a foreign loan of $1 billion to beef up its security forces. To counter the insurgency, the nation needs a more mobile military that can respond more swiftly to security threats in any part of the country. The Nigerian military is too static to cope with the danger presented by the insurgents. But even a more mobile military will not necessarily solve the problem of insurgency in the North. It will only end when the unemployed youths in Northern Nigeria are given alternative economic opportunities that will make the moral assertions of the insurgents less attractive to them. In fact, the insurgency is now fully

HARDBALL

IGERIA’s politics can be likened to a long lesson in subterfuge, trickery and bad faith. More tragic, however, is that new entrants to the system have proved to be even more adept at plodding these old, damnable ways. The recent ‘downing’ of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State from his exalted office through a crude and clearly subterranean ‘impeachment’ process is immediately reminiscent of the desperate days of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The Adamawa State House of Assembly suddenly accused the governor of gross misconduct warranting of an impeachment and before the cock crowed twice, all manner of kangaroo panels had been set up and in a flash, the deed was done. Murtala Nyako and his deputy have suddenly become history. Though he has threatened to challenge the action in court, Hardball wagers it would be an exercise in futility because he is sure to be in court till the end of his tenure, yet would not get a favourable outcome, if any at all. While Governor Nyako still writhes from his great fall, his colleague in Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, is in the line of fire

On subterfuge mode

and may be next to fall. And now, the impeachment fever seems to be catching on across the country with unsavoury stirrings in Edo and Rivers states. The common factor in all of these is that these are all opposition party states. Even a child can see through this dark veil. It isn’t that impeachment is not a necessary part of democracy or that Hardball seeks to absolve Nyako or the opposition party clan of whatever malfeasance they may have been accused of; no. We quarrel with the barely disguised ‘hand from above’ that is making state assembly marionettes dance with such uncommon excitement. It is not that anyone needs any proof or convincing (at play is a crude tactic perfected by Obasanjo) but last Thursday, six members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly led by its Speaker, Alhaji Musa Ahmed, were sighted in the Presidential Villa. They were reportedly there to meet

embedded in civil societies in the region, drawing its support from unemployed and ignorant youths, including women suicide bombers. In recent weeks, we have had suicide bombings in places such as Kano, Kaduna and Abuja that were previously thought to be safe. This is new and shows that we are now faced with a violent social phenomenon that requires large doses of material resources to resolve. This is why the proposed intervention fund is a step in the right direction. However, there are some flaws in the proposal that need to be addressed by its sponsors for it to secure wider support at the Conference. First, it is proposed that the five percent additional federal spending in the designated states, over N200 billion, is to be drawn from the budget of the Federal Government, and not the federation accounts. Funds should not be taken from the federation accounts to address regional problems. This is certainly fair, as the Federal Government has exclusive responsibility for law and order in the country. But the fact of the matter is that the Federal Government lacks the financial resources to meet this additional financial burden. The Federal Government is currently running a large deficit budget dominated by recurrent expenditure rather than capital expenditure. The proposed intervention fund will reduce funds available for capital expenditure which, over the years, has been falling steadily. The Federal Government will be hard put to execute vital capital projects if it is now required to spend five per cent of its budget in the rehabilitation of the designated states. Secondly, the proposed intervention Fund will command wider national support if it does not designate any particular states, even if it is only for five years in the first instance. The Fund should be made applicable to all states and parts of Nigeria that require rehabilitation. Such intervention funds already exist in the Delta region to compensate its people for the vast ecological degradation taking place there. It would be far better to leave the proposed Intervention Fund to the discretion of the Federal Government, and not make it mandatory. Thirdly, as it stands, the Fund derogates from the powers of the Federal Government as well as the Revenue Allocation Committee to share the national revenue on agreed basis. It will require an amendment of the Constitution for its implementation. It cannot be applied as a mere administrative measure by the Federal Government, even if the funds involved are going to be drawn from the federal budget. It is doubtful that it will secure the necessary support if taken to the National Assembly for passage. The history and record of special intervention funds in Nigeria is a sad one. There are several examples of this, such as the subsidy removal fund (SUREP) that has simply been diverted to other purposes. These flaws will need to be addressed for the proposed Fund to generate any widespread support, or even enthusiasm. • For comments, send SMS to 08054503031

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above the president. When did the impeachment of a governor become a presidential affair, one might ask? It is funny and Hardball laughs out loud at the unfolding scenario of unmitigated subterfuge meshed with a pastiche of bad faith. For the presidency to resort to rough tactics and garrison method to contain the opposition only suggests a failure of the intellect. It suggests a setting in of desperation if not the do-or-die virus. We must be careful what we get up to just because we want to retain power, just because of 2015; we must be wary of what we do today if only for the fact that there is always tomorrow. Let us recall that one of the actions that must haunt former President Obasanjo must be his obnoxious deployment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the police to forcefully and abhorrently nudge governors out of office. Obasanjo broke all moral rules and all democratic norms in what was obviously a megalomaniac quest. He must live in utter regret today about this baleful legacy. Would President Goodluck Jonathan live in a regretful tomorrow?

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