June 04, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

Military kicks as AI seeks trial of officers

•Gunmen abduct 45-year-old Ondo regent, three aides P7 •Ministries row over ‘missing’ N500m inauguration cash P6 •Lawan ‘ll unite APC, PDP senators, says Unity Forum P44 •Alleged N300b fraud: EFCC grills ex- Governor Sheriff P4

NEWS – Pages 2&3

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3235 THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

•www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

CBN officials, others acquired estates in South Africa, Nigeria, court told

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HE Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan yesterday ordered the remand of another set of eight bank officials for alleged N8 billion currency scam.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned three Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) officials and five employees of First Bank Plc over the alleged scam.

The accused, the court heard, acquired assets in Nigeria and Pretoria, South Africa.

The CBN employees are Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Adeola and Togun Kayode Phillips.

Their alleged accomplices are Isiaq Akao, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Oyebamiji Hakeem, Ayodeji Alase and Ajiwe Adegoke The commission arraigned the bank officials on a 28-count charge bordering on forgery, misrepresentation and self-enrich-

•EFCC Operatives leading the suspects in the N8billion CBN officials fraud to the court premises in Ibadan ... yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

ment before Justice Adeyinka Faji.

The EFCC in the charge said that the CBN staff conspired with the First Bank employees to recycle N10 billion mutilated currency notes meant to be destroyed.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

PART OF THE 15-COUNT CHARGE

•Conspiracy •Abuse of office •Stealing •False declaration of actual amount •Concealing of property •Fraudulently acquiring assets in excess of their legitimate and provable income.

The six accused persons are facing a 15-count charge ranging from conspiracy,

abuse of office and stealing to false declaration of actual amount.

The others are concealing of property, fraudulently acquiring assets in excess of their legitimate and provable income and causing economic adversity to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The court was told how the suspects acquired assets worth several billions of naira through fraudulent means, in excess of their legitimate income.

The assets said to have been acquired by the accused bank workers both within Nigeria and Pretoria, South Africa, were allegedly gotten by stealing N1.25billion supposed mutilated currencies meant to be destroyed and taken out of circulation.

The accused persons, acContinued on page 4

•INSIDE: SENATE OKAYS LIFE FOR RAPISTS P61 BUHARI’S 15 ADVISERS APPROVED P5

Buhari vows to track and destroy ‘evil’ Boko Haram Gunmen kill French tourist

Nigerian troops to take over liberated towns

•Injure wife

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday vowed to destroy Boko Haram, saying “five years of the presence of the evil sect is enough”.

He promised to “renew my commitment to track Boko Haram into a corner, to destroy it,” while speaking to reporters on the sideline of his visit to Niger Republic.

It was his first official trip outside the country since taking the reins of power last Friday.

Buhari was accompanied by some government officials, including governors, among them Borno State’s Kashim Shetttima.

WILL THE His mission to Niamey, CHIBOK GIRLS which will also take him KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15, to Chad today, is to dis-

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

A

?

LAST YEAR EVER RETURN?

Continued on page 4

•President Buhari and his host Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou (right) at the Niamey airport ... yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP Buhari is on two-day visit to Niger Republic.

FRENCH couple, Mr. Nagnan Denis, 52, and Mrs. Nagnan Mee Lavaud Liana, 53, have been attacked by gunmen in Ebonyi State.

The incident occurred around 8p.m. on Monday in Abomege, Onicha Local Government Area.

Mr Denis, who was allegedly shot in the leg and macheted on various parts of his body, died on the spot.

Continued on page 4

•RICE MILLERS SEEK GOVT’S INTERVENTION IN EXCESS DUTIES ROW P12

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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NEWS

Amnesty •Group wants five Army Generals probed

•Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa (second right): Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC ), United States of America (USA) chapter, Tony Isama (second left); the chapter’s National Leader, Judge Dele Alade (left) and Women Leader, Felicity Mbanefo at the presentation of an award to Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa PHOTO ABAYOMI FAYESE for keeping the relevance of the Diaspora alive in the polity in Abuja...yesterday.

Global human rights group Amnesty International (AI) is calling for the investigation and trial of top retired and serving military chiefs for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In its latest report released yesterday and titled: “Stars on their shoulders. Blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military”, the organisation accuses some military commanders of extra-judicial killings, torture, highhandedness and sundry crimes in the prosecution of the battle against Boko Haram insurgents. But the military rejected the report as “blackmail”, saying its facts were produced by “disgruntled elements”. The report:

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•Front row from left: Commandant, 42 Div., Nigerian Army Engineering Corps, Brig.-Gen. Henry Ayamasaowei; General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Div., Brig.-Gen. Sanusi Muazu and Corps Commander, Education Corps, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Adebayo at the Second Quarter Conference of the Nigerian Army Education Corps in Ibadan...yesterday.

•From left: National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu; Chairman, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc., Mr. Atedo Peterside; the bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Sola David-Borha and Director, Mr. Dominic Bruynseels at the IBTC third Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja...yesterday.

•From left: Librarian , Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Dr Femi Oguntuase, Deputy Vice Chancellor Development, Prof. Tolulope Akinbogun, FUTA Vice Chancellor Prof Adebiyi Daramola, Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko , Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun , Registrar, Dr. Modupe Ajayi and Bursar, Mr. Emmanuel Oresegun after Ajibefun delivered the 69th Inaugural lecture of FUTA... on Tuesday.

ASED on years of research and analysis of evidence - including leaked military reports and correspondence, as well as interviews with more than 400 victims, eyewitnesses and senior members of the Nigerian security forces - the organisation outlines a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by the military in the course of the fight against Boko Haram in the Northeast.

The report, “Stars on their shoulders. Blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military”, reveals that since March 2011, more than 7,000 young men and boys died in military detention and more than 1,200 people were unlawfully killed since February 2012.

Amnesty International provides compelling evidence of the need for an investigation into the individual and command responsibilities of soldiers, and mid-level and senior-level military commanders.

The report outlines the roles and possible criminal responsibilities of those along the chain of command up to the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff - and names nine senior Nigerian military figures who should be investigated for command and individual responsibility for the crimes committed.

“This sickening evidence exposes how thousands of young men and boys have been arbitrarily arrested and deliberately killed or left to die in detention in the most horrific conditions. It provides strong grounds for investigations into the possible criminal responsibility of members of the military, including those at the highest levels,” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary-General.

“Whilst an urgent and impartial investigation of these war crimes is vital, this report is not just about the criminal responsibility of individuals.

It is also about the responsibility of Nigeria’s leadership to act decisively to end the pervasive culture of impunity within the armed forces.”

Amnesty International is urging the President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure prompt, independent and effective investigations of the following military officers for potential individual or command responsibility for the war crimes of murder, torture and enforced disappearance detailed in this report: Maj-Gen. John A.H. Ewansiha, Maj-Gen. Obida T Ethnan, Maj-Gen. Ahmadu Mohammed, BrigGen. Austin O. Edokpayi and BrigGen. Austin O. Edokpayi Rufus O. Bamigboye.

Amnesty International is further calling on the government to ensure prompt, independent and effective investigations of the following highlevel military commanders for their potential command responsibility for crimes committed by their subordinates.

They would be responsible if they knew or if they should have known about the commission of the war crimes and failed to take adequate action to prevent them or to ensure the alleged perpetrators are brought to

justice.

Mass deaths in custody In their response to Boko Haram’s attacks in the Northeast, the military have arrested at least 20,000 young men and boys since 2009, some as young as nine years old. In most cases they were arbitrarily arrested, often based solely on the word of a single unidentified secret informant. Most were arrested in mass “screening” operations or “cordon-and-search” raids where security forces round up hundreds of men. Almost none of those detained have been brought to court and all have been held without the necessary safeguards against murder, torture and ill-treatment.

Detainees are held incommunicado in extremely overcrowded, unventilated cells without sanitary facilities and with little food or water.

Many are subjected to torture and thousands have died from ill-treatment and as a result of dire detention conditions. One former detainee told Amnesty International: “All I know was that once you get detained by the soldiers and taken to Giwa (military barracks), your life is finished.”

A high-ranking military officer gave Amnesty International a list of 683 detainees who died in custody between October 2012 and February 2013. The organisation also obtained evidence that in 2013, more than 4,700 bodies were brought to a mortuary from a detention facility in Giwa Barracks. In June 2013 alone, more than 1,400 corpses were delivered to the mortuary from this facility.

A former detainee who spent four months in detention described how on arrival “the soldiers said: “Welcome to your die house. Welcome to your place of death.” Only 11 of the 122 men he was arrested with survived.

Starvation, dehydration and disease Amnesty International researchers witnessed emaciated corpses in mortuaries, and one former Giwa detainee told the organisation that around 300 people in his cell died after being denied water for two days. “Sometimes, we drank people’s urine, but even the urine you, at times, could not get.”

The evidence gathered from former detainees and eyewitnesses is also corroborated by senior military sources.

One senior military officer told Amnesty International that detention centres are not given sufficient money for food and that detainees in Giwa Barracks are “deliberately starved.”

Disease - including possible outbreaks of cholera - was rife. A police officer at a detention facility known as the “Rest House” in Potiskum, Yobe State, told Amnesty International how more than 500 corpses were buried in and around the camp. “They don’t take them to the hospital if they are sick or to the mortuary if they die,” he said.

Overcrowding and suffocation Conditions of detention in Giwa Barracks and detention centres in

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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NEWS

y International accuses military chiefs of war crimes •Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research Anna Neistat speaking at a news conference in Abuja...yesterday.

With her are: Director of Research & Advocacy for Africa, Netsanet Belay (left) and Head of Media and Publicity, Susanna Flood.

PHOTO: NAN

It’s all blackmail, military replies AI

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N a swift reaction to allegations of war crimes and high-handedness levelled against the military by Amnesty International (AI), the Defence Headquarters yesterday accused the global human rights group of blackmailing the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and other high-ranking military commanders.

Accusing the London-based organisation of premeditated indictment aimed at discrediting Nigeria for whatever purpose, the DHQ said AI’s latest report confirmed its alleged questionable interest in the counter-terrorism war.

The DHQ, which made its position known in a statement in Abuja through the Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, faulted AI for relying on spurious and manipulated statistics to draw a conclusion.

The statement reads: “The Defence Headquarters has noted with dismay the gruesome allegations made by the Amnesty International against some senior military officers serving and retired of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“It is unfortunate that all effort made in the allegation was geared towards continuation of blackmail against the military hierarchy in which the organisation had embarked upon as far back as the inception of military’s action against terrorist in the Northeast.

“The officers mentioned in the report have no reason, whatsoever, to indulge in the allegation made against them.”

The DHQ accused AI of premeditated indictment to discredit Nigeria, stating that all the allegations raised in the report had been earlier been responded to and cleared in the public.

It said: “It is unfortunate that the organisation just went out to gather names of specified senior officers, in a calculated attempt to rubbish their reputation as well as the image of the military. The action, no doubt, depicts more of a premeditated indictment aimed at discrediting the country for whatever purpose.

“Each of the previous allegations had been thoroughly responded to and cleared in the public and officially. The title down to the body of the allegation smacks of the extreme bias, which is disturbing coming from an otherwise reputable organization that is expected to be Just and fair to all.

“Unfortunately in this case, AI has taken a premeditated position, which is far from noble.”

The military faulted the group’s alleged research when it remained silent on insurgency in the country.

It said: “It is curious that a body that has never been able to seriously condemn terror in Nigeria now claims to have done an extensive research with Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, were so overcrowded that hundreds of detainees were packed into small cells where they had to take turns sleeping, or even sitting on the floor. At its peak, Giwa Barracks — which was not built as a detention facility — was accommodating more than 2,000 detainees at one time.

“Hundreds have been killed in detention either (by soldiers) shooting them or by suffocation,” a military officer told Amnesty International, describing the situation in Sector Alpha detention center (known as

•DHQ defends Badeh, Minimah, Ihejirika, others •Says group’s report based on jaundiced statistics, research

‘

Amnesty International is advised to stop playing the role of an irritant, coming up loudly only when the terrorists are losing out and remaining silent or complacent whenever the terrorist heightens its atrocities.

From: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

the aim of discrediting the nation’s effort at curtailing terror.

“It is clear that Amnesty International (AI) becomes more active in presenting distractive allegations whenever the terrorists are losing ground in the battle. It is very unfortunate that Amnesty International has used this report to further confirm its questionable interest in the counter-terrorism effort in Nigeria.”

On the alleged human rights violation of some terror suspects, the DHQ absolved the military.

According to the DHQ, the military relaxed its rules by opening its detention facilities to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other reputable organisations for inspection.

The statement stated: “It will be recalled that the Joint Investigation Team was set up by the DHQ as part of efforts to ensure that no detainee suffer unjustly.

“The detention facilities were thrown open for visits and inspections by independent bodies such as International Committee of the Red Cross and other reputable international organisations and personalities.

“Amnesty International is advised to stop playing the role of an irritant, coming up loudly only when the terrorists are losing out and remaining silent or complacent whenever the terrorist heightens its atrocities.

“It is unfair to persist in the effort to discredit Nigerian military by seeking all avenues to stigmatise individual officers of the nation’s military purely to satisfy an agenda against the security agencies and image of Nigeria before the international community.

“The Nigerian Armed Forces is quite conscious of the fact that the operation has prompted the

‘Guantanamo’). Amnesty International has confirmed that on a single day – June 19, 2013 — 47 detainees died there as a result of suffocation.

Fumigation In order to combat the spread of disease and stifle the stench, cells were regularly fumigated with chemicals.

Fumigation may have led to the deaths of many detainees in their poorly ventilated cells. One military official based at Giwa Barracks told Amnesty International: “Many Boko Haram suspects died as a result of fumigation. They

‘

need to save citizens from abuse of their rights by mindless terrorists.

“Accordingly, the forces have continued to state and restate its commitment to the rights of Nigerians and all its citizens while prosecuting its anti-terrorism campaign. It is very unfortunate that Amnesty International has chosen to ignore all the responses and clarifications provided to its inquires by the authorities. “ The DHQ accused AI of relying on jaundiced statistics and a spurious research.

The military said: “It is unfair to rely on records or reports provided by certain disgruntled elements or faceless collaborators who have axe to grind with the system as evidence against officers who have been conscientiously doing their duty to defend the nation and her citizens.

“For avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian military does not encourage or condone abuse of human rights neither will any proven case be left unpunished.

“The kind of impunity being alleged by Amnesty International has no place in the Nigerian military. Every officer in the field is responsible for his action and is duly held accountable.

“So far, no allegation has been sufficiently proved against those whom Amnesty International is so desperate to convict.

“The statistics are largely spurious or manipulated to satisfy a clandestine motive.

Indeed, the loud publicity given to these damning allegations suggests an intention to blackmail the military and particular senior officers rather than a sincere advice to the government. This cruel tendency is not new, despite the timing.

“The Nigerian military therefore rejects the biased and concocted report provided by Amnesty International. Additional definite response will be provided subsequently as deemed necessary.”

were fumigated with the chemicals you use for killing mosquitoes. It is something very powerful. It is very dangerous.”

Torture Amnesty International has received consistent reports as well as video evidence of torture by the military during and after arrest. Former detainees and senior military sources described how detainees were regularly tortured to death, hung on poles over fires, tossed into deep pits or interrogated using electric batons.

These findings are consistent with widespread patterns of torture and illtreatment documented by Amnesty International over a number of years, most recently in the 2014 report, entitled: “Welcome to hell fire: Torture in Nigeria.”

Extrajudicial executions More than 1,200 people have been extrajudicially executed by the military and associated militias in the Northeast. The worst case documented by Amnesty International took place on March 14, 2014 when the military

killed more than 640 detainees, who had fled Giwa Barracks after Boko Haram attacked.

Many of these killings appear to be reprisals following attacks by Boko Haram. A senior military official told Amnesty International that such killings were common. Soldiers “go to the nearest place and kill all the youths...

People killed may be innocent and not armed,” he said.

In a so-called “mop up” operation following a Boko Haram attack in Baga on April 16, 2013, a senior military official told Amnesty International how the military “transferred their aggression on the community.”

At least 185 people were killed.

Detainees were also routinely killed.

One military officer based in Giwa Barracks told Amnesty International that since 2014, very few suspects were even taken into custody but were immediately killed instead. This was confirmed by several human rights defenders and witnesses.

High level military commanders knew of the crimes The highest levels of the military command, including the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), were regularly informed of operations conducted in the Northeast.

Evidence shows that senior military leaders knew, or should have known, about the nature and scale of the crimes being committed. Internal military documents show that they were updated on the high rates of deaths among detainees through daily field reports, letters and assessment reports sent by field commanders to Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and Army Headquarters.

Amnesty International has seen numerous requests and reminders sent from commanders in the field to DHQ, warning of the rise in the number of deaths in custody, the dangers of fumigation and requesting a transfer of detainees.

In addition, reports by teams sent to DHQ to assess military facilities and “authenticate data”, highlight death rates and warn that overcrowding was causing serious health problems and could lead to “an epidemic.”

Amnesty International has verified this knowledge and failure to act from a number of sources, including interviews with senior military officers.

One military source told Amnesty International: “People at the top saw it but refused to do anything about it.”

Need for action “Despite being informed of the death rates and conditions of detention, military officials consistently failed to take meaningful action. Those in charge of detention facilities, as well as their commanders at army and defense headquarters, must be investigated,” said Shetty.

“For years, the authorities have downplayed accusations of human rights abuses by the military. But they cannot dismiss their own internal military documents. They cannot ignore testimonies from witnesses and highranking military whistle blowers. And they cannot deny the existence of emaciated and mutilated bodies piled on mortuary slabs and dumped in mass graves.”

“We call on newly-elected President Buhari to end the culture of impunity that has blighted Nigeria and for the African Union (AU) and international community to encourage and support these efforts.

As a matter of urgency, the President must launch an immediate and impartial investigation into the crimes detailed in Amnesty International’s report and hold all those responsible to account, no matter their rank or position. Only then can there be justice for the dead and their relatives.”

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

NEWS Another Boko Haram blast kills six in Maiduguri •Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, speaking during his visit to Onitsha to condole with the Anambra State Governor over the tanker fire accident ... yesterday.

With are Governor WIllie Obiano (middle) and Chief of Staff Azike.

Nigerian General heads regional task force

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IGERIAN Maj.- Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai has been appointed the Force Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, stated this yesterday in a statement.

Gen. Olukolade said Gen. Buratai had assumed duty at the new MNJTF Headquarters in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad Republic.

He said the reorganised

MNJTF arrangement was in line with the decisions of member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) which are; Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroun, with Benin Republic as a honorary member.

“The arrangement has the backing of partners in the fight against Boko Haram namely; France, the UK and the USA. “The MNJTF has now been sectionised into three Sectors to achieve more effect in its

operations with one of the sectors Headquarters retained in Baga.

“The MNJTF was formed as a result of the need by the LCBC member countries to pool their efforts together in a bid to provide a common and coordinated solution to the security challenges in the Lake Chad Basin region.

“Especially the security challenges posed by terrorists in the region and beyond. The MNJTF will work and collaborate with the forces of the

member countries in the fight against terrorists,” Olukolade said.

Olukolade said Buratai was a Director at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja before his new appointment.

He said the commander had at various times served as the Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry; the Brigade Commander at 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, as well as Commander, Joint Task Force, Operation PULO SHIELD.

Buhari vows to track and destroy ‘evil’ Boko Haram Continued from page 1

cuss how to tackle Boko Haram in coalition with the neigbouring countries.

He also told reporters after talks with Niger’s President Issoufou Mahamadou, that the Nigerian Army which had earned a good reputation across the world, remains a virile fighting force.

“I am four days in office today and we have already started the process of ending the insurgency,” he said.

The Nigerian army will now take a bigger role in the effort to crush Boko Haram, by taking over from soldiers from Niger in occupying towns liberated from Boko Haram.

Niger and Chad played a leading role earlier this year in driving the insurgents from Malam Fatori, Damasak and other Borno towns.

Yesterday, Buhari said: “On the issue of the Niger military positioned in cities of Nigeria ... I think in the next four weeks we will be able to replace them with Nigerian forces so they can return to their country,” he said.

A new multinational force of 8,700 troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin to combat the insurgency in the Lake Chad region will become operational in the coming weeks, Niger’s President Issoufou added.

Buhari said the other nations would provide weapons and help restore infrastructure destroyed by the insurgents. He also thanked Niger for hosting as many as 150,000 refugees who fled insecurity in Nigeria to Niger.

“Niger is ready to finish

with Boko Haram and protect its borders, its people and their property,” Issoufou said.

The meeting between the two presidents lasted over five hours during which the on-going operations against Boko Haram were reviewed for better results, according to Mallam Garba Shehu, a Presidential spokesman.

President Buhari said because of the peculiarities of terrorism, the movement of terrorists across borders and the unconventional nature of the war against terror, Nigeria will continue to seek the support of neighbouring countries in its bid to overcome Boko Haram.

Nigeria, he said, would also require the assistance of other nations and multi-lateral institutions to rebuild areas that have been adversely affected by the Boko Haram insurgency and rehabilitate displaced persons.

Buhari said: “Permit me also to acknowledge the consistency with which the government and people of Niger Republic have stood beside Nigeria under all circumstances. I would like to convey the appreciation of Nigeria for the sacrifices by Niger in the on-going efforts to counter the menace of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Niger Republic has over the years, proven to be a reliable ally to Nigeria both at bilateral and multilateral levels. It is our hope and aspiration that this special relationship would be further consolidated during my administration.

“My administration will bring new impetus and a renewed commitment to the efforts to wipe out the men-

ace of the Boko Haram insurgents. As a first step, we have directed the relocation of the command post of the counter-insurgency operations to Maiduguri until such a time that the insurgency is completely defeated.

“Another issue of concern to us which is closely associated with the insurgency in the region is the influx of refugees and other displaced persons. We are aware that currently, there are over one hundred and fifty thousand displaced persons comprising refugees and returnees taking refuge in various parts of Niger.

“Our administration will work closely with governments of the affected States to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced persons and their host communities.

“The ultimate objective however, remains to end the insurgency and facilitate their return to their homes.”

Niger’s president added: “Your decision to move the military command of Nigeria to the North East has further strengthened our conviction that the war against terrorism will soon come to an end,” He also assured Buhari that Niger will continue to support Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.

The President will also travel to Germany for the meeting of G-7 World leaders slated for Sunday and Monday.

Members of the G-7, comprising the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Japan and Germany invited President Buhari.

The G-7 summit meeting will hold in German town Schloss Elmau, south of Munich.

The theme for the summit is ‘Think Ahead. Act Together”.

Key topics to be discussed include the global economy, foreign, security and development policy, as well as empowering self-employed women and women in vocational training, energy security, and the upcoming UN conferences on international climate protection and the post-2015 agenda. These issues are all of global mediumto long-term importance.

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O fewer than six people were killed yesterday in an explosion in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

A civilian vigilante assisting the military against Boko Haram and a witness told French news agency AFP. “We have so far recovered six dead bodies. We are still working at the scene, so the casualties may rise,” said Danlami Ajaokuta of the blast on the city’s Baga Road, which happened at 17:30 (16:30 GMT).

Alleged N300b fraud: Sheriff surrenders to EFCC, faces grilling

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FTER three years former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff last nigh surrendered himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) for interrogation over alleged mismanagement of N300billion.

He was a governor between 2003 and 2011.

The anti-graft agency had invited Sheriff for questioning since 2012 but he always found one legal excuse or the other.

On April 23 it threatened to declare the ex-governor wanted if he failed to show up for questioning.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that Sheriff voluntarily walked up to EFCC headquarters at about

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

6pm yesterday for interrogation on the allegations against him.

It was gathered that Sheriff surrendered following EFCC’s intense surveillance which may lead to the engagement of INTERPOL to locate him.

It was learnt that the allegations border on misappropriation, embezzlement of funds and abuse of office while in office between 2007 and 2011.

A source in EFCC said: “The ex-governor showed up “miraculously” on Wednesday at our headquarters at about 6pm.

“Before his sudden appearContinued on page 60

Gunmen kill French tourist Continued from page 1

His wife, it was gathered, was injured.

Governor Dave Umahi broke the news at a meeting with staff and students of Ebonyi State University

(EBSU), Abakaliki.

According to him, the tourists got to Abaomege in the night from where they were to connect Calabar, Cross River State. They went into a Continued on page 60

AI report contains disturbing allegations, says Buhari

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R E S I D E N T Muhammadu Buhari yesterday acknowledged receipt of the Amnesty International report on Nigeria titled “Nigeria: Stories of horror in their own words.”

Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu said in a statement in Niamey, Niger Republic that President Buhari had received the report which he says “contains many disturbing allegations”.

According to Shehu, President Buhari assured that his

administration will study the document and act appropriately.

He quoted Buhari as saying: “I assure you that your report will be looked into.

This administration will leave no stone unturned to promote the rule of law, and deal with all cases of human rights abuses.

“Respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law are the life and soul of the democratic system. We will not tolerate or condone impunity and reckless disregard for human rights.”

CBN officials, others acquired estates in South Africa, Nigeria, court told Continued from page 1

cording to the prosecution counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, instead of carrying out the statutory instruction to destroy the defaced currency notes as their duty demands, substituted the currency with newspapers neatly cut to naira sizes and proceeded to recycle the mutilated and defaced currency.

The offence, as contained in a charge sheet read out to the accused persons is punishable under section 7(2) of the Bank Employees etc.(Declaration of Assets) Act,CAP. B1, Laws of the Federal Republic, Nigeria 2004.

There was however a mild drama during the court sitting when one of the eight accused persons, Ayodeji Aleshe, a cashier in one the commercial banks, claimed he is an illiterate who could not understand the English language.

Justice Faaj who described the suspect’s claim as false, said he had earlier communicated with him in English and that he was very fluent in the use of the language.

For about 15 minutes, the accused remained adamant, making the court to believe he is an illiterate.

There was confusion until the judge ordered that an interpreter should be sought to read the charge to in Yoruba language.

The Judge ordered their remand at the Agodi Prison in Ibadan and adjourned the matter till June 8 to hear the bail applications.

Chief Olayinka Bolanle, the defence counsel to the first accused person, Babalola, made an oral bail application on behalf of his client.

The judge opposed the oral application and said he preferred a written application for bail.

He said in view of the gravity of the offence, oral bail application would not be accepted.

He ruled that in view of the volume of evidence before him, it would be impossible for him to entertain oral bail applications from six different defence counsel.

The judge ordered the defence counsel to file their bail applications before the close of court business for the day and serve the prosecutor who in turn should respond by June 5.

The anti-graft agency had on Tuesday also arraigned six CBN officials and three employees of two commercial banks on similar charges before Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Ibadan.

The two commercial banks are Sterling Bank and Eco Bank.

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NEWS FRSC to enforce standards on fuel tankers From Bukola Amusan,Abuja

•Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi flanked on his right by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo and the immediate past Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Chief Ikeje Asogwa (left) when the people of Enugu East Senatorial zone paid the former governor a thank you visit, at his country home in Udi...yesterday.

Boko Haram: 54 convicted soldiers move to halt hurried execution

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NSURE of their fate, 54 soldiers sentenced to death for mutiny by the General Martial Court in December last year have applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja for an order restraining the military authorities from executing them.

The soldiers, who are of the ranks of Private, Lance Corporal, and Corporal were attached to the 111 Special Forces Battalion, Maiduguri, Borno State were among those convicted last year by the General Court Martial headed by Brigadier General. Musa Yusuf.

They stated in their suit that the military high command could consent to their execution any moment despite the military’s alleged non-compliance with prescribed procedures.

In an application by their lawyer, Mrs. Funmi Falana, the convicted soldiers, are of

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

the view that it was illegal for the army authorities to go ahead with their execution when the findings of the General Court Martial had not been promulgated.

They also argued, among other grounds, that until the confirmation or review of the findings of the court martial by the army authorities, the hearing and the determination of their appeal against the sentence, and the approval of the judgment by the President, the army cannot execute them.

The soldiers hinged their prayers in the suit on provisions of Section 36 (7) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sections 148, 149, 150, 151, 153, 164 175(3), and 192 of the Armed Forces Act (Cap A20) Laws of the Federation 2004.

Defendants in the suits include the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army.

The plaintiffs averred, in their supporting affidavit, that “the defendants may carry out the death sentence passed on the Plaintiffs any moment from now. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has not approved the death sentence passed on the plaintiffs.

“As the defendants have not forwarded the record of proceedings to the President he has not been able to consider the request of the Plaintiffs for remission of the death sentence on the plaintiffs.”

They stated that after their trial at Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja, the soldiers were transferred to the Counter Intelligence Command, Detention Centre, Apapa, Lagos, and their relatives have since been denied access to them.

The soldiers are also seeking separate orders directing army authorities to allow their relatives to visit them in prison and also for the release of a copy of the judgment to them.

They seek among others: “A declaration that the failure or refusal of the Defendants to confirm or review the conviction and death sentences passed on the plaintiffs by the Court Martial on December, 24, 2014 is illegal and unconstitutional by virtue of Sections 148, 149, 150 and 151 of the Armed Forces Act. *An order suspending the execution of the death sentences passed on the plaintiffs on December 24, 2014 pending the determination of the appeal which they intend to file against the findings and sentence of the Court-Martial.

Senate approves 15 advisers for Buhari

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HE Senate yesterday approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint 15 Special Advisers.

Buhari had in line with Section 251(1) of the Constitution requested the approval of the Senate to engage 15 Special Advisers as prescribed in Section 151 (2 - 3) of the Constitution.

Also, the Senate yesterday called for the review of the nation’s Foreign Policies to ensure greater respect for Nigeria in Africa.

This resolution followed a motion on the “50 years of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), sponsored by the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The motion to congratulate ECOWAS at 40 and to review Nigeria’s contribution to the sub-regional body was co-sponsored by members of the Nigerian National Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament from the Senate.

Ekweremadu lamented that Nigeria used to have a permanent position as the

•Mark seeks review of foreign policies From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

commissioner of finance and administration but has lost the position to Sierra Leone for no genuine reasons and “I believe that this thing needs to be restored.”

He added: “As it is today, Nigeria cannot even produce the President of the Commission. Nigeria admitted to a protocol that as long as we host ECOWAS institutions are here.

“We cannot produce the headship of this institution which is not correct because United States still produce the headship of IMF and World Bank and influence those that take over those positions whenever they become vacant.

“Nigeria over the years has not shown keen interest in the management of the funds of ECOWAS although she is the biggest contributor.”

Senate President David Mark in his contribution said it was unacceptable for other

countries not to give Nigeria her right of place in the ECOWAS Commission.

He added that it was time for the nation to review her foreign policy in relation to ECOWAS now that some of the members have chosen to take the country for granted.

Mark said: “Clearly there is a problem with our foreign policy and I think we do need to review it. Not reviewing it in terms of Africa being the piece of our foreign policy but at least in the implementation stage.

“I think we have not put in enough energy and determination to implement the foreign policy, the way we have articulated it on pages of papers.

“It is a shame that if we conceded truly that because we have the headship, we cannot then get any other commissioner.

“That will be a big shame because if we conceded that then we must do a proper thinking on it because it is unacceptable.

“The fact that the head-

•Mark

quarters is here is an additional burden on us if anything else and we should be duly compensated for that.

“It should not be used against us because we pay a lot of bills, electricity bill, water bill, painting the wall and other things, so we are contributing so much.

“As a big brother they should give us the due respect. We have been careful not to oppress the other countries in the subregion but we shouldn’t be taken for granted and they ride high on us and do what they want.”

WORRIED by frequent reports of crashes caused by fuel tankers, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, has urged security agencies to ensure strict enforcement of standards on fuel tankers .

In a statement issued in Abuja, Oyeyemi said the FRSC launched the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme in 2007 to train and retrain tanker drivers.

He said the scheme provided for regular safety checks by the FRSC and other relevant agencies to ensure that vehicle standards were carefully observed by fleet operators and drivers.

Boboye expressed concern that despite such measures, some operators were not following the rules.

Tanker drivers banned from night travels

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

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HE Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) yesterday banned its members from driving at night. It said any member who flouts the order may have their vehicle impounded.

A statement by PTD’s National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Atanda Adebayo, warned drivers to stop night travels.

He said: “In the light of the worrisome increase in accidents involving petroleum tankers, all branches of the union have been directed to impound any petrol tanker operating at night.

This directive has long been in existence, we have always been warning our members to stop driving at night but we would now take it more serious.”

He added that all measures would be put in place to deal with the menace.

According to him, PTD believes it is safer for petrol tankers to move at daytime because such would always minimize casualties anytime an accident happens.

Final interim report on DANA Air crash ready, says AIB •Airline explains delay in compensation

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

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XACTLY three years after its McDonnel 83 aircraft crashed into residential areas in Iju / Ishaga, a Lagos suburb killing 153 persons on board , the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) yesterday released the third and final interim statement on the crash .

This is a prelude to the final report on the crash to be released in the next 60 days .

According to the spokesman of AIB, Mr Tunji Oketunbi the purpose of the report is not to apportion blame or liability but unveil new safety recommendations for appropriate stakeholders .

The report reads :” On the 3rd of June, 2012 at about 1545 hours, a Boeing MD-83 aircraft, Registration 5N-RAM on a domestic scheduled commercial flight operated by Dana Airlines as (DANACO 0992), crashed into a densely populated area following a loss of power on both engines while on approach to Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, Nigeria.

“All of the 153 persons on board the airplane, including the six crew members were fatally injured. There were 6 confirmed ground fatalities.

“In accordance with Annex 13 to the convention on International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act 2006, this is an updated interim statement being issued for the 3rd anniversary of the accident.

“The purpose of this investigation is the prevention of aviation accidents and incidents; it is not to apportion blame or liability. Three interim safety recommendations were made to Dana Airlines and one to the Regulatory Authority respectively. These recommendations were accepted and have been implemented by both the Operator and the Regulatory Authority.

“The draft final report is ready and has been sent for the mandatory 60 days as prescribed in the Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chapter 6. 3) for comments and or suggestions. Four new safety recommendations were made to the appropriate stakeholders. The report will be released to the public accordingly in due course.”

Meanwhile, DANA Air said yesterday that the delay in final settlement of insurance claims is due to litigation in several courts both in Nigeria and the United States of America .

The airline according to its spokesman , Mr Sam Ogbogoro said the explanation has become imperative in view of agitation by some families of victims who are alleging that the airline has abandoned them .

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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NEWS

NASS members seek removal of fuel subsidy

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EMBERS of the National Assembly yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to prioritise the removal of fuel subsidy as a first step in the fight against corruption and sanitisation of the economy.

The members, under the auspices of the National Assembly Anti-Money Laundering and Cyber Security Coalition, spoke during its valedictory session in Abuja.

Chairman of the Coalition, Senator Aloysius Etok, in his address, stated that fuel subsidy as presently operated, only benefits a few rich persons at the detriment of the poor masses.

Etok noted that the country has so far lost over N2trillion to indiscriminate tax waivers, tax evasion and cyber crimes.

He commended Buhari for making the fight against cybercrime top priority of his administration.

He added that fighting tax evasion in the country is no longer a “choice” but a “necessity.”

Etok said: “With President Buhari’s administration which was inaugurated few days ago, it is generally believed that corruption and related crimes would be frontally tackled.

“We would expect, among other issues, the present government to: remove fuel subsidy which is seemingly a conduit-pipe for corruption.

Fed Govt owing us N291b subsidy claims, say oil marketers, depot owners DEPOT owners and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) yesterday expressed worries over what they called outstanding N291 billion subsidy claims to marketers.

Mr Olufemi Adewole, the Executive Secretary of DAPPMA, said in a statement that it had become imperative for the bodies to restate that they were still being owed.

The statement was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Adewole classified the debts as subsidy reimbursement, interest on delayed payment and foreign exchange differentials.

According to him, the aftermath of the Senate Committee’s meeting with major petroleum industry stakeholders persuaded the petroleum tanker drivers, and NARTO to call off their strike on May 25 and resume loading of petrol from the various depots.

“The former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Okonjo Iweala, in her letter to DAPPMA and the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) did not state the timeline for the re-verification exercise on disputed subsidy claims.

“She also did not state the expected date of payment which Petroleum Subsidy Fund (PSF) participants had clamoured for since

February 2015,” he said.

The DAPPMA scribe said the accumulation of subsidy debts followed marketers’ failure to access petroleum products import loans since the establishment of the petroleum subsidy fund scheme.

Adewole said:“It is also the first time that commercial banks will notify importers that based on CBN regulations, importers have attained their credit ceilings with their various banks.

“Due to debts owed transporters by marketers, marketers also have experienced serious financial difficulties following outstanding debts owed by the Federal Government under the petroleum subsidy scheme.

“The PTD and NARTO had at various times protested non-payment of their freight charges by withdrawing their services.

“It is unfortunate for anyone to insinuate that marketers are holding the nation to ransom through strikes.”

Adewole also said petrol importers and marketers, who participated in the petrol subsidy scheme, were entitled to subsidy reimbursement based on the published Federal Ministry of Finance payment list.

He described the publication of payees and other ‘PSF scheme’ participants as misleading and embarrassing, especially when government did make any payment.

•Say N2tr lost to tax evasion, cyber crimes From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

“Setting up of corruption court for speedy trials of corrupt officials and tax evaders and overhauling of expatriate quota policy.

“Repositioning of Free Trade Zones by giving specific tenure of not more than 10 years to enterprises to re-

vert to normal company just like Singapore, Malaysia and other countries of the world.”

He lamented that the operation of Free Trade Zone in perpetuity without payment of taxes has resulted in revenue loss and poor infrastructure “which in most cases makes the government to become a tenant instead of a landlord.”

He said: “As Chairman of this body, I am aware of the dangers of tax evasion and indiscriminate tax waivers present to our economy.

“It becomes obvious from the briefing of EFCC and ICPC on tax evasion and cyber crimes that Nigeria has lost over N2trillion.

“For all this reasons, fighting tax evasion is not just a

CAC advises Buhari, governors

T •Etok

choice, it is a necessity.

“It is now time for actionprosecution, investigation and recovery. Investigation should not be delayed in court especially when it involves tax evasion and corruption.”

He urged his colleagues in the 8th National Assembly to ensure speedy creation of cyber security agency, passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), enactment of asset recovering law and strengthening of anti-graft agencies through funding and enforcement of Federal Character law to strengthen the unity of our country.

The event was attended

by Representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Presidency, Judiciary, Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the United Nations Office in Drugs and Crimes, among others.

HE President of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), worldwide, Pastor Abraham Olukunle Akinosun, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and governors to be focussed on rebuilding the economy and value system.

In a statement by the church’s Director of Publicity, Pastor Ademisoye Alawode in Ibadan yesterday, Pastor Akinosun said: “In this onerous task therefore, you need to be focused, determined and unsparing in executing your agenda for the revival of the nation’s economy.

As a Church, I assure you that the Christ Apostolic Church faithful would continue to pray for your success, but all the good suggestions offered by the stakeholders for the revival of our economy, the achievement of peace and security and the revival of the comatose power sector, the fight against corruption and the restoration of value system into our polity, should be executed to the letter without fear or favour.

As you do this the God of justice, fairness and good governance would back your resolve.”

Pastor Akinosun urged first term governors to do everything within their powers to fulfil the promises made to the electorate.

Reps seek to avert communal clash in Okpella over cement deposit From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

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•DIG Operations, Force Headquaters, Mr Sotonye Wakama (right) congratulating a newly promoted Commissioner of Police, Mr Charles Ugomuoh (left), at the Decoration of Police Commissioners by I-G Solomon Arase (sitting right) in Abuja..yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

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IX days after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, some services amounting to about N500million have not been paid for.

The money was said to have been cornered by one of the members of the committee.

The unsettled bill has led to a blame game between the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

But the most affected are ushers and some traditional artistes engaged for the inauguration.

The over 150 ushers, mostly unemployed graduates, were stranded yesterday in Abuja with no one attending to them.

HE House of Representatives is seeking amicable solution to the ownership tussle over Obu cement deposit in Okpella, Edo State.

The lawmakers have called for the deployment of security agencies to Okpella for maintenance of law and order.

The lawmakers have also urged the governments of Edo and Kogi States to intervene and settle the matter amicably before it degenerates into serious inter-communal clash between the two communities.

The resolution of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a matter of urgent national importance by Abubakar Momoh (SDP, Edo) who expressed concern over the direction the matter is headed between the parties involved.

According to Momoh, the Okpella community in Edo State and Ebira community of Okene in Kogi have been living in peace and harmony for ages resulting to inter tribal marriages.

“This peaceful coexistence is being threatened by the purported sale of Obu limestone deposit in Okpella owned by Okpella Cement Factory (Edo Cement) to Dangote Cement Company by HRH Alh Ado Ibrahim and his company with a view to frustrating BUA Cement Company and also build a new model cement factory at Okpella slated for commissioning in June this year.”

Inauguration: Row over ‘missing’ N500m Yusuf Alli and Yomi Odunuga, Abuja

Investigation revealed that although about N2.7billion was voted for the inauguration, it was not certain how much was actually disbursed to seven sub- committees by the Main Committee.

One of the mysterious debts was N300million incurred by the inauguration committee on aviation-related expenditures.

It was gathered that although the money was released, a former political office holder offered to use it as an exit package and failed to remit to the relevant committee.

Those owed the N300million were shuttling between the SGF office and the

•150 ushers unpaid, N300m debts unclear Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday with the two units trading blames.

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We do not know the whereabouts of over N500million meant to settle some bills. Some members of the inauguration committee have bolted away with it.

“In fact, out of the N500million, there is an embarrassing debt of about N300million which is yet to be settled. The aviation-related expenses had to do with the movement of facilities for visiting Heads of State and foreign dignitaries.

“We are busy shuttling between the Office of the SGF and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with no one claming responsibility.

“If the government scrutinises the records of other subcommittees, more dirty deals will be uncovered. Some inauguration committee members took advantage of the outgoing administration to divert public funds.”

One of the officials involved in the inauguration said most ushers have not been paid their stipends.

“We engaged over 150 ushers, especially unemployed

graduates and married women, but there is no money to pay them. We had votes for the payment of the stipends but some officials diverted same.

“The ushers are stranded, they do not know who to contact for their stipends. Those who recruited them have left office.”

One of the ushers said: “It is sad that we stayed under the scorching sun for hours without being paid our stipends.

This is just unfortunate.

“We want the new administration to look into the diversion of stipends meant for innocent citizens like us.”

Another usher said: “The

organisers promised to sew three different dresses for us but they ended up providing one.

“Even with a dress, our size was not taken into consideration by those contracted. Some dresses were sewn without headgear. The whole thing was a rip-off.”

Checks revealed that the inauguration committee did not leave any report behind before winding up its activities abruptly.

Another source said: “The only favour the administration of President Buhari can do this nation is to hold all the civil servants in the Main Committee and sub-committees responsible for the disbursement of the votes for the inauguration.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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NEWS

Akungba-Akoko regent, three others kidnapped

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HE Regent of Akungba-Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Princess Oluwatoyin Omosowon and three of her aides have been kidnapped.

The 45-year-old regent was waylaid yesterday on the Owo/Oba-Akoko/ Akungba-Akoko Road on her way from Akure, where she attended a public function at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

It was learnt that the incident occurred at the same spot where a priest, Father Onyeka and his younger brother, Obi, were killed by robbers last Sunday.

A source said Princess Omosowon had, at a forum recently, pleaded with the ruling house to present a candidate and allow her return to her matrimonial home in Lagos.

The people of Akungba-

Akoko have appealed to security agencies to ensure the timely release of their regent.

Akungba- Akoko was a shadow of itself when our correspondent visited the university community.

Commercial activities were paralysed as all shops were closed.

Religious leaders and spiritualists have begun prayers and rituals for the quick release of the

abducted regent.

The Chief Imam of Akungba-Akoko, Alhaji Shittu Arikewuyo, who spoke on behalf of the community, appealed to security agents to assist in the rescue of Princess Omosowon.

He called on indigenes to pray for her safe release.

Also, Venerable Olu Akerele of the Anglican Communion, said Christians will continue to pray, until

the regent is released.

As at press time, it was learnt that two of the kidnapped persons have been released.

Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said the Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke, has led senior police detectives to the community to ensure the release of the victims.

He assured the people that the police would rescue the kidnap victims.

Osun APC advises lawmakers

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has urged members of the House of Assembly to be more proactive and re-invigorate their legislative responsibilities.

In a congratulatory statement by its Director of Publicity, Strategy & Research, Kunle Oyatomi, the party said during the just-concluded fifth Assembly, the House worked cohesively with the APC government.

“It was this partnership that strengthened the government and helped the party to withstand the gruelling attacks and sabotage launched against it.

“This new parliament will face the same daunting challenges that will test the integrity of its determination to serve the people,” the statement said.

The party said it has confidence that the lawmakers will live up to expectation.

Group praises Ajimobi

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SOCIO-CULTURAL organisation, Oyo Patriotic Front, has praised Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi for the early detection of another kidnappers’ den at Ojoku Village in Ona-Ara Local Government Area.

A statement in Ibadan yesterday by its Chairman, Chief Jare Adepoju, attributed the early detection to the proactive measures taken by the governor after the Soka incident.

“We are aware that the government has ordered all security agencies to comb the nooks and crannies of the state to smoke out these nefarious characters. There should be no rest in their pursuit,” said the group.

The group added that it was aware that undercover agents were also deployed to monitor the activities of unscrupulous elements, particularly kidnappers, and their possible hideouts.

It commended the governor for not only detecting the heinous activities going on at Soka then, but also for transforming the hitherto kidnappers’ den to a model school equipped with modern infrastructure, in accordance with the requests of the residents.

“We sincerely appreciate the governor for his efforts so far in stemming the tide of kidnappers on the prowl.

“We, however, urge him not to rest on his oars by smoking out all the bad elements in the state.

“The new Oyo State envisaged by the governor, in his second inauguration speech, should have no place for bad elements,” the group said.

Inauguration of Lagos Assembly postponed

By Oziegbe Okoeki

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HE inauguration of the eighth Lagos State House of Assembly slated for today has been postponed till next Monday.

A notice to that effect said: “This is to inform the public, especially invited dignitaries, that the proclamation/inauguration of the eighth Assembly (Lagos State House of Assembly), earlier scheduled for Thursday, June 4, at the Assembly Complex Chambers, has been postponed till Monday, June 8, due to unforeseen circumstances.”

Though there is no official reason for the postponement, two sources at the Assembly gave different reasons for the postponement.

One source said the postponement was at the instance of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who wrote to the House that he has an important meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari today.

The other source said the postponement was as a result of the inability of the lawmakers to agree on a consensus candidate for the speakership position.

Thugs attack The Punch reporter From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado Ekiti

T •From left: Emeritus Professor Abiola Odejide; Coordinator, Gender Mainstreaming Office, University of Ibadan, Prof. Stella Odebode and wife of former Ekiti State Governor Mrs. Bisi Fayemi at a national workshop on post-2015 gender issues in tertiary institutions in Ibadan....yesterday.

PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI

Six killed, houses burnt in Ondo communal clash

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IX persons died yesterday in a clash between loyalists of the Olu of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, and the family of the late Titi Olalebi.

The late Olalebi was murdered two years ago by suspected loyalists of the monarch.

The monarch and 10 others are standing trial for the murder.

Counsel to the Olalebi family Koboju Atima said trouble started when some thugs suspected to be loyalists of the Olu of Igbokoda invaded the house of a man, Tale Iwatan, at Temitan community.

Iwatan is a cousin of the late Olalebi.

Atima alleged that the violence was masterminded by the monarch.

He said the hoodlums arrived the Iwatan family house with guns and other weapons.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

They reportedly set two houses ablaze.

Atima further alleged that two vehicles belonging to the Iwatans were burnt by the hoodlums.

The crux of the matter, according to the counsel, was Iwatan’s resistance to Oba Odidiomo’s alleged desperation to forcefully take over his family land.

The counsel said the attack was the second in the last six months.

But Oba Odidiomo de-

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nied sponsoring the attack.

He said the crisis erupted as a result of the abduction of his messenger.

His words: ”I am a man of peace how can I mastermind violence in my domain?

“What happened was that I sent one of my boys on an errand and when we couldn’t find him. We reported the case to t he police. His body was later discovered in the town.

“The search party went with the police to recover the body but in the process

some thugs opened fire on them, killing six people on the spot.”

The monarch added that several people were injured in the process.

Police spokesman Wole Ogodo, did not deny or confirm the story.

He promised to reveal the details of the incident as soon as investigations are completed.

A team of riot policemen from the Ondo Area Command have been deployed to maintain law and order in the area.

‘Please return to work’

HE Caretaker Chairman of Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, Saheed Adejare Alaran, has appealed to striking workers to return to work.

Alaran said the interest of the workers is very germane to the government.

He said: “I want to appeal to our labour leaders to dialogue with the Abi-

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

ola Ajimobi administration.

“Strike is not the solution, the problem is a major challenge facing Nigeria. I am appealing to labour leaders and workers to listen to the government.

“This delay in the payment of workers salary is not peculiar to Oyo alone.

“It is a national issue and it is the inability of each state to put up a measure that can ease the effect of inadequacy of funds. “ Virtually all states are dependent on the allocation from the Federal Government, so the inability of each state to find a way of mitigating the effect of that is the main thing,” he said.

Man, 70, dies in Ondo police custody

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70-YEAR OLD commercial driver, Gbenga Omolo, has reportedly died in police custody in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Three policemen, including an inspector, have been arrested. The deceased’s remains have been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure.

Omolo reportedly died in the custody of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Oda Road, after being “detained and tortured for four days”.

An eyewitness said trouble started

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

last Thursday when a vehicle obstructed traffic on the popular Arakale Road.

The source said Omolo asked the driver to move his vehicle but instead of obeying, the driver-policeman beat up the victim.

“The situation took another dimension last Friday when some policemen attached to SARS came to Amudipe Street and started arresting people in the area.

“The victim was later arrested by six

policemen and taken to their station.

“On getting to the station, the policemen in charge demanded N150,000 for his bail, which symphatisers could not raise.

“On Tuesday morning, the branch chairman of his garage, identified as Mr. Muyiwa, raised N100,000 for his bail but on getting to the station, the man was found dead.”

The deceased’s family refused to speak on the matter. They said the commissioner of police had invited them to his office to discuss the matter.

HE Ekiti State correspondent of The Punch, Kamarudeen Ogundele, was attacked yesterday by suspected thugs while on official duty.

The thugs swooped on Ogundele on Secretariat Road in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

He was attempting to take pictures of a group of women, who had gathered on the road, leading to the House of Assembly complex.

The attack happened very close to a police checkpoint .

The reporter was dragged out of his car by the hoodlums, who kicked him endlessly.

Apart from tearing his clothes, the thugs also stole his phone and smashed his car.

Narrating his ordeal, Ogundele said two policemen whotried to rescue him could not disarm the thugs.

He said: “I kept shouting I’m a journalist. They were like 50 persons kicking me at the same time. They dragged me out of the car and continued hitting me.

“Two policemen raced to the scene to intervene but they were overwhelmed by the mob.

One of the policemen started shouting ‘run, run, run, don’t let them kill you’.

“I thought it was the end Luckily for me, a few of them felt they had beaten me enough and started fighting their colleagues to let me go.

“I capitalised on their disagreement and with the help of the police escaped.”

Governor Ayo Fayose said the action of the hoodlums should not be taken for the action of his government.

Describing the media as an important institution in nation building, Fayose urged residents to see journalists as partners in building a greater Ekiti and not enemies.

He assured reporters in the state of freedom to practise their profession without hindrance.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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NEWS ‘Buhari shares Adelabu’s philosophy’

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HE Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Adegoke Adelabu Centenary Birthday, Oloye Lekan Alabi, has said President Muhammadu Buhari shares the same ideals as the late politician, popularly known as Perculiar Mess (Penkelemesi), who died 57 years ago.

He spoke yesterday when the committee visited Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation.

He said the Adelabu planning committee was impressed with the March 28 election, noting that Buhari will return the country to the path of sanity, where merit will be the benchmark for appointments and distribution of the commonwealth.

He said the late Adelabu stood for justice, fairness and equity.

Alabi said a posthumous centenary birthday to celebrate the politician, who died in a car crash in 1958, would take place in September.

He said: “The family has mandated the committee to set up the Adegoke Adelabu Foundation, which is the main objective of the celebration.

“The foundation will be anchored on Adelabu’s thoughts, ideas and particularly his passion for a united Nigeria. In his book, he said he was committed to a country that was fair to all.

“He was committed to a country where appointments would be secured on merit and not on the basis of who you know.

“He was committed to a country where the son of the coal miner in Enugu, son of the herdsman in Katsina, son of the cocoa farmer in Ile Ife

By Musa Odoshimokhe

would be able to compete for the same office.

“Now we have change based on popular demand.

We hope to see Nigeria return to that order of merit.

We hope that President Muhammadu Buhari will fulfill his manifesto and promises.

“We hope that he will meet the aspiration of the people who are yearning for change and return the country to sanity, which the late Penkelemesi stood for.”

“The man, Adelabu, the prodigy, genius, nationalist, man of the people, also qualified to be a sage.

“When you go through his philosophy you will see that he was thinking about ECOWAS even before its formation.

“You could see that we wanted something good for the African communities, starting from River Senegal.

“He talked about environmental degradation, urban renewal and regional planning. Of course, these are reflected in some of his quotes. He died in a road accident at Ode Remo area of the former Western Region, which is present-day Ogun State.

“He attended St. David’s CMS, Kudeti, Ibadan (19251929) for his primary education, Government College, Ibadan (1931-1935) and Higher College, Yaba 1936. Please take note, that he had double promotions in primary school.

“He had double promotions at college. His academic record are still verifiable and yet to be beaten. You need to read the testimonial of his principal, the white man, Mr. V.C. Powell.’’

Niger Republic opposition to understudy APC

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PPOSITION political parties in Niger Republic have sent a delegation to Nigeria to study the “secret behind the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections”.

The delegation, which is led by a former President of Niger, Mamman Usman, who is also the leader of a coalition of about 16 parties, held talks with APC leaders at its Abuja secretariat.

APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said opposition parties should be allowed to put the ruling party in place.

Odigie-Oyegun said opposition parties keep the system on track, pointing out that democracy is not about regular conduct of elections, but a commitment to a cause by giving the people the choice to decide who leads them in a free and fair manner.

He told the delegation that a lot of sacrifices were made by the leaders of the parties that formed the APC. His words: “Victory was possible because of the

From Tony Akowe Abuja

sacrifices made by these leaders. We were not given a chance of survival talk less of even winning the elections.

“The APC went through so many challenges right from its formation stage until the elections. There were smear campaigns by the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) .

“Leaders of the 16 political parties that formed the alliance in Niger must be ready to subjugate. That is when the people of Niger will now have a choice.

We hope every nation in the continent will learn from our example.”

Usman said he came to Abuja to congratulate the APC on its victory and to learn the secret of its electoral victory.

He said his country followed the last general elections with fear.

The former Niger President said: “We were all in fear because of what could happen during and after the election.

“The change of power in Nigeria is a very good thing for the sub-region and Africa at large.”

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun flanked by Deputy Governor Yetunde Onanuga (left) and Head of Service Mrs. Modupe Adekunle during an inspection of offices in the State Secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta...yesterday .

Police arrest protesting OSUTECH students

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WO students of the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, were yesterday arrested by the police, following their protest over the poor living conditions and the closure of their institution.

The students, who have been protesting for a month, came to the Governor’s Office, Akure in six 18-seater buses,disrupting government activities and obstructing traffic.

It was gathered that the two students were detained at A Division Station in Akure.

The Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Union Matters, Dayo

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

Fadahunshi, reportedly left the scene as he could not address the aggrieved students.

Series of meetings between Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the students have ended in a deadlock as the students insisted on their demands, which include reduction in their fees. An indigene pays N125,000 and non-indigene N175,000.

They lamented over the continous payment of ICT fees without attendant facilities, neglect of the university by the government and non-payment of staff salary.

As a result of their continuous protest, the government ordered the closure of

the institution on Monday.

The Chairman of the Joint Campus Committee (JCC) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Odunayo Kowe, accused the police of shooting at the protesters.

Kowe confirmed that the arrested students were being detained at the Akure A Division.

He said the students would continue to protest in a peaceful manner, until the government does the right thing.

The activist, who claimed that he was part of the protesters, denied any rowdiness at the governor’s office.

He said the police were only being overzealous.

Kowe said the Mimiko

administration had failed to impact positively on the institution but preferred to establish a medical college in Ondo where it has devoted all its resources.

He called on the police to immediately release the detained students, insisting that they had always been peaceful in their protest.

Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said only two of them were arrested and they have been released.

Ogodo said the police were forced to arrest the students when they were throwing stones at the Akure Area Commander, Edward Ajogun and Fadahunsi.

Ogodo advised the students to always embrace dialogue rather than violence.

Ambode gives ultimatum to miscreants to return illegal arms

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AGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday presided over the inaugural Security Council meeting, issuing a four-week ultimatum to miscreants and persons in possession of illegal arms and weapons to give them up.

Briefing Government House correspondents after the meeting at the Lagos House, Ikeja, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Kayode Aderanti, said the major highlight of the meeting was the directive by the governor to all security agencies to mop up all illegal arms and weapons, often deployed by unscrupulous persons to terrorise innocent citizens.

He said Ambode was concerned about the safety of life and property in the state and, therefore, urged all security agencies to ensure that Lagos is rid of criminals and hoodlums.

“It was a very comprehensive meeting, very exhaustive and we were able to have

•Assures residents of safety an overview of all the security issues in the state. We reviewed the state’s security architecture generally and we concluded that we need to work harder to assure the people that Lagos will continue to remain safe.

“Lagos will continue to remain the investor’s destination and we are committed to that.

How we can achieve that is to ensure that we keep Lagos free of criminals, hoodlums and cultists,” Aderanti said.

The CP added that: “In doing that, the governor further directed that we (security agencies) give an ultimatum to all those who are in possession of illegally acquired weapons. We are giving them four-week ultimatum, they should hand over all the weapons that are in their possession to all the area commanders and after four weeks we intend to take steps.

“We intend to do these to rid the state of weapons that we have termed ‘weapons of

mass destruction’, because they are using it against innocent people- children, brothers, fathers and mothers- we believe we need to take them out and in doing that the carrot and stick approach will be adopted.”

Aderanti, however, said the security agencies will be forced to be take decisive steps to recover all weapons after the expiration of the grace period.

“But we are enjoining all those in possession of these weapons to please hand them over to the area commands and moving forward, we intend to take them out. We would do these within the four weeks of grace and we would have all these properly documented, captured and stored in the data base of the government, the police and other security agencies.”

Aderanti said the meeting also touched on all matters relating to maintenance of peace and security in the state.

“It is also the governor’s focus that under his watch, there would be emphasis on security. He believes that if Lagos State is secured, people will be able to come to Lagos and invest. He is looking at a situation whereby citizens can go out at night and walk on the streets, do whatever they want to do lawfully without being molested.

“If we have all these in place, then we can move forward and he can implement all his noble ideas and vision for the state,” the CP said.

At the meeting were the Director, Department of State Security (DSS), Little John, Assistant Director, DSS, Salami Yinka, Commander, 9 Mechanised Brigade, MajGen Ahmed Mohammed Sabo, Commander NNS Beecroft, Olokun Apapa, Navy Commodore Daniel Ikoli, Commander Airforce Base Ikeja, Air Commodore Lere Osanyintolu and the Secretary to the State Government, Tunji Bello.

I’m not being paid by NIMASA, says Tompolo

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IGER Delta activist Chief Government Ekpomupolo, also known as Tompolo, yesterday denied being paid N1.5billion monthly for the protection of the nation’s maritime domain.

In a statement yesterday, Ekpomupolo decried the statement credited to Mr Ahmed Tijani Ramalan as “wild, unsubstantiated against my person”.

He said: ”Without any further stress, it is obvious that the said Ramalan is merely seeking an undue attention.

And whatever that attention is, I make bold to say Ramalan, who claims to be the pioneer chairman of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), is not just economical with the truth but his outburst is an exhibition of ignorance and mischief, which should be ignored by all.

“I am not on the board of Global West. Ramalan’s contraption of any sum being paid to me is therefore rubbish, malicious, unsubstantiated and display of crass ignorance.

“I can only pity such a man whose

intention is perhaps to rubbish my name and needlessly drag me into the fray of disputes at a time a new administration is barely one week in office.

“For the avoidance of doubt, if Ramalan’s desire is to make a comeback to NIMASA or pursue other appointments in the new government, I can only wish him well.

“I, therefore, urge the public, especially President Muhammadu Buhari, to ignore Ramalan because his intentions are evil and generally misleading. “

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 04, 2015

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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CITYBEATS ‘You’re enforcement not harassment officers’

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

•Ambode meets with LASTMA, KAI, VIS officials

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AGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday implored Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials not to harass offenders.

At an interactive session with them at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, he said there were more civil ways of apprehending offenders without harassing them.

According to him, the government will, henceforth, adopt technology to arrest offenders.

Ambode said: “Don’t victimise Lagosians, there are more civil ways to control and arrest offenders. From now, no harassment; you are enforcement officers and not harassment officers, arrest people in civil manner.”

The governor said the meeting became necessary following feedback from the public about the worsening traffic across the state. He charged the officials to note traffic bad spots and report back to government so as to find a lasting solution.

He said places like Third Mainland Bridge, Abule Egba, Dopemu, among others, which are known traffic black spots, must be decongested immediately.

Ambode also promised to assist the officials perform their task effectively.

The time, he said, has come for a new Lagos, urging LASTMA officials to desist

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

from the habit of jumping into offenders’ car. The new tracking device of the government would be used to trace and arrest offenders, Ambode said.

The governor said: “I appeal strongly for your cooperation and support; as little as you think your work is, you are going to be the new face of this government.

Whatever you do outside, you are actually doing it on my behalf and anything you do is a reflection of who I am.”

He sought their support, urging them to reflect on the promises he made to the electorate during electioneering.

“The primary duty of all of us is to make life easier for every Lagosian. If you do this, the pattern of your service delivery will change,” he said.

Ambode implored LASTMA to ensure that traffic improved, saying: “The feedback from outside is that traffic situation has worsened; we have to work round the clock to ensure free flow of traffic.”

Earlier, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, urged the officials not to encourage indiscipline.

“You are the face of government; if the enforcement is not right and the traffic does not move, we are all in trouble. You have done well in the past, but you need to build on it; now, there will be

•Ambode flanked by Dr Adebule and Mr Bello...yesterday

no room for excuse,” he said.

Bello said LASTMA and KAI had been doing well but noted that they had to do more to keep Lagos working.

The SSG added that traffic must be decongested and street trading stopped.

Deputy Governor Dr Oluranti Adebule warned that bad eggs in LASTMA and KAI would be flushed out, saying extorting money from people must stop.

Dr Adebule charged the officials to live up to their responsibilities and ensure that the purpose for which their agencies were set up was achieved.

LASTMA Director of Operations Mr Phillip Ogunlade, and Mr Mayowa Adeyeye of KAI, said they would do their best to project the government.

•Cross-section of LASTMA officials...yesterday

Rider docked for alleged attempt to sell stolen tricycle

‘We’re big boy armed robbers’

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HE love for ostentatious life has put four apprentice traders in trouble. They rob boutiques, and the homes of the rich for expensive shoes, clothes and jewelry in order to show off as “big boy traders”.

A member of the gang, Ugo Nnakue, 26, told Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives that they operated discreetly.

Ugo, an apprentice in the Ladipo Auto Parts market in Lagos, is being held by the police with Ozioma Ike, 20, Kenechukwu Anierobi, 23, a hustler, and the gang leader, Obi Gaza.

Anierobi was arrested in Mushin by a patrol team on May 18 with a nylon bag containing stolen phones.

He was taken to Mushin Police Station where he confessed that he belonged to a four-man gang that used sledge hammers and iron cutter to break into boutiques.

He was transferred to SARS Headquarters in Ikeja, from where he took the police to arrest Ike and Gaza .

Nnakwe said: “I sent Kenechukwu to follow Obi and the other one to break a shop at Mushin and one boutique on Nkenu Street in Ajao Estate. They went with one rod and two iron cut-

•The suspects...yesterday

By Ebele Boniface

ters. I sent them two times. I shared their loot with my roommate. I chose my size of jeans and shoes and started wearing them. I received four phones while my roommate got about five.

We break shops to get expensive shoes, clothes which ordinarily we could not afford. But it was just to show off as big boy traders in Ladipo market and its environs.

“In our second operation, I got 12 jeans trousers, two wrist watches and 13 assorted shirts which I kept for personal use because I did not loot to sell. We suc-

PHOTOS: OMOSEHIN MOSES

ceeded in the third operation but one of us, Kenechukwu, was arrested by police. When police arrested him, we ran away but he later brought SARS operatives to arrest us despite the oath we took not to betray any member in a situation like that.”

“For three years, as an apprentice, my master (who is even my brother) refused to settle me. He even found it difficult to give me pocket money to be like my peers; that was why I joined the gang to get fine clothes to wear like my mates.”

Ike said he followed the gang to break into two boutiques, adding that his role

was to alert others in case of danger. “We shared our loot in our sponsor’s house. In the first operation, I got 15 jeans trousers and 10 tops (shirts), while in the second, I got 21 jeans trousers and 13 tops. I used my bag to pack some of the loot. We hanged somewhere till 4 am before we started working towards a bus stop. We steal to show off as big boy traders in Mushin,” he said.

Anierobi said: “I hustle in Ladipo market. I usually charged N1, 000 for carrying an engine. I joined them to break shop in Mushin where we got 35 phones. We used cutter, chisel and wheel spanner to break shops.”

AGOS State Police Command yesterday arraigned a tricycle rider, Polycarp Awuya, in Lagos, for allegedly attempting to sell a stolen tricycle to an unsuspecting buyer.

The accused is standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on stealing and fraud at the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

Prosecutor Police Inspector Gbemileke Agoi, told the court that the accused committed the offences between January and May at the Ibeju Lekki.

Agoi said the accused stole a tricycle valued at N410, 000, belonging to one Pastor Isaac James.

The prosecutor said James had entered into a business arrangement with the accused to ride the tricycle with Reg. No. LSD 100 QE for commercial purpose and to be making returns to him.

He said the accused instead obtained the sum of N220, 000 from one Ikechukwu Okorie with the intention of selling James’ tricycle to him.

“Awuya knew that the tricycle belonged to another person and still went on to make false presentation to another unsuspecting person in a bid to transact business with the same tricycle,’’ he said.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 278, 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Awuya pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate F.O. Dalley granted the accused N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

She said the sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of tax payment and adjourned the case to June 26.

CAC holds musical concert

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HRIST Apostolic Church (CAC), Itire Districts Coordinating Council (DCC), will hold a musical concert tomorrow during its monthly Pentecostal Power Night tagged “Sing and Make Music to the Lord”.

The DCC’s secretary, Pastor Gbenga Adelusi, said the venue of the programme, which will begin at 10pm, is the coordinating council’s Headquarters, CAC (Oke-Iyanu), 181/ 183 Mushin Road, Itire, Lagos.

According to him, the programme promises to be great as each district choir in the DCC and the Central Choir will render melodies songs.

He said the DCC’s Superintendent, Pastor J.O. Babayemi would mount the pulpit.

“Music lovers and people who want God’s blessings are invited,” Pastor Adelusi added.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

Man docked for alleged N1.1m theft

Five assaulted FAAN officials hospitalised

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•Customs officials beat up security men

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IVE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security officials were yesterday hospitalised after being allegedly beaten up by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) personnel at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The Customsmen were said to have been annoyed because the FAAN officials stopped them from entering the airport’s “restricted areas” since they were not wearing reflective jackets and had no On-Duty Card (ODC).

The airport’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), Col Carl Onalu (rtd), said the Customsmen beat up the FAAN officials who were doing their job.

Onatu berated the Customs officers, saying the uniform does grant anybody access to restricted areas of the airport.

He said the customs officers involved in the attack had been arrested by the Airport Police Command personnel, adding that the matter has also been reported to the Comptroller-General of Customs in Abuja.

He said: “What happened at the airport was very unfortunate. The officers were entering the restricted areas of the airport though they were in their uniform, but

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

without reflective jackets and on-duty card and our officers said they won’t allow them to go to the airside without the appropriate uniform, which they kicked against and descended on our men. The uniform doesn’t grant you access to restricted areas of the airport.

“The matter is still under investigation and we are going to look at the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to see what transpired between them. Be it Boy Scout, Red Cross and others, you all have your roles to play. About five of our men were beaten critically by the officers, but until the investigation is concluded, we cannot tell you what transpired today.

“I called the airport commissioner of police and even the headquarters of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in Abuja is already aware of this and even FAAN Managing Director. Everybody is interested in the whole case and there would be a security meeting, where this issue would be deliberated upon.

“We went to see the management of Customs and they also told us that they were sorry about what happened.

Those concerned have been

•Some of the injured officials...yesterday

arrested and issued queries.

“But, we are also requesting the copy of the disciplinary action that would be meted out to the officers that perpetuated this act for our record purpose.

“As I speak with you, even the headquarters at Abuja has already called and the Customs Area Controller too is very sorry about what happened and they promised that this will never happen again.”

To avoid a recurrence, Onalu

said there would soon be an airport security meeting, noting: “at the higher level, there is good working relationship, but there is disconnect at the lower level. Everybody has a role to play at the airport.

There are rules governing act of everybody.”

Dikko, it was learnt, has asked the Customs Area Controller at the airport to investigate the matter.

He was quoted as saying he would discipline any officer

who drags the agency’s name in mud.

A source said: “Investigation is going on to ascertain what happened and we cannot speculate about what happened today (yesterday) until investigation is concluded.

“The relationship between Nigeria Customs Service and FAAN is cordial, but once in a while, you have such issues.

We should not condemn ourselves in totality because of this isolated issue.”

Wheelbarrow thief bags nine-month jail

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HE Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced Femi James, a labourer, to nine months imprisonment for stealing a wheelbarrow worth N15, 000.

Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun Abolarinwa said James was sentenced to three months for conspiracy and six months for stealing.

“You are hereby sentenced to a total of nine months in prison and the sentence will run consecutively,’’ Abolarinwa said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports

that James, 21, pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing leveled against him.

Prosecuting Corporal Cyriacus Osuji had told the court that James stole the wheelbarrow on May 26, at at Oyingbo Bus-Stop.

He had said James stole and absconded with the wheelbarrow belonging to one Mr Augustine Chukwu.

He said Chukwu had chained the wheelbarrow to a pole from where the convict stole it.

27-YEAR-OLD employee, Agbo Samuel, was yesterday arraigned at an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly converting his employer’s N1.1 million to his own use.

The accused, an indigene of Ijede in Ikorodu, is standing trial on a two-count charge of stealing and a breach of the peace.

Samuel pleaded not guilty.

Prosecuting Police Inspector Gbemileke Agoi told the court that the accused committed the offences between August 2014 and January 2015.

Agoi said the accused fleeced his employer, 3MS Global Concept Nigeria Ltd. at Adeyemo Alakija Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said the accused collected N1.1 million from the company’s customers and failed to remit same amount into the company’s bank account.

The prosecutor said the accused conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace between the company and its customers.

“The conversion of the money from the company’s customers to his own use did cause the peace between 3MS Global Concept Nigeria Ltd. and its customers to be in disarray,’’ he said.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 166 (d) and 285 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

I always like to emphasise that I am never too keen on bailouts because they are always fraught with malpractices just like waivers and things like that. It’s always better to have a level playing field.

-Managing Director of Cocosheen Nigeria Limited, Henry Boyo

Group seeks govt‘s intervention in excess rice duties row

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OME rice millers have appealed to the Fed eral Government to prevail on the Nigeria Customs Service to reconsider its demand that they pay excess duties on rice imported in May, last year.

They said the importation was carried out based on the directive of the Ministry of Finance to address shortages in rice supply .

They dismissed the allegation they were granted preferential treatment by Dr Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Stating its case, the group said Jonathan on 26th May, last year granted approval to investors with rice milling capacity and verifiable backward integration programmes to import rice at 10 per cent duty with a levy of 20 per cent for four years.

The objective, according to the group, was to encourage proven investors in the rice value chain whilst addressing the supply gap effectively.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Finance issued a circular dated 8th July 2014 to that effect.

Consequently, several millers certified as bonafide the ministry,including Olam, Stallion Group and others,began imports, based on the circular.

By Daniel Essiet

The imports, according to the group, were timed to meet the country’s high demand period during the last quarter of last year, thereby avoiding rampant smuggling and shortage of the staple food.

As stipulated by the former President, the group said, the quotas for importation of rice were to be allocated to suppliers to cover the national supply gap, which was to be determined by an Inter-Ministerial Committee.

The group noted, however, that the committee exercise was never to be .

After six months delay, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued quotas to several companies, by November .

The announcement of quotas resulted in serious discontent and claims of unfair treatment from bonafide millers with large existing capacities, as the list shockingly included several companies that had only plans but no demonstrable existing investments.

To aggravate matters, according to the group, the Nigerian Customs Service demanded notices from millers who protested ,the difference in duties.

The millers, the group main-

tained, felt that their track record and significant support for the Agricultural Transformation Agenda were ignored in favour of new applicants with mere business plans.

Meanwhile, according to the group, the Ministry of Agriculture went ahead to issue quotas for this year , excluding some bonafide investors. Sensing that something was wrong, the Presidency called for the cancellation of the 2015 quotas and a full review of the 2014 implementation under the leadership of the former Vice President. The special meeting of the Rice Development Policy was held on May 14 , with former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Minister, National Planning, Minister of State for Finance and the Permanent Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development ministry in attendance.

A Technical Sub-Committee on the National Rice Policy , chaired by the Permanent Secretary , Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, met on May 15 to

agree on the national supply gap for rice for this year.

The meeting, attended by representatives of Federal Ministries of Trade and Investment and Finance , Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Rice Processors and Millers Association of Nigeria (RIPMAN considered criteria and allocated quota to rice millers and investors.

A final meeting conducted and chaired by the Vice President held on May 18, with the implementing ministries of the rice policy, to review the options of the Technical Committee, and come up with a final position.

During the deliberations, the group said , it was established that there were a number of issues with the 2014 allocations.

Among others ,it was that: the allocations were not done by the Inter Ministerial Committee as directed by the President; • the allocations were not approved by the President and that • there was no communication with investors on allocations for six months- a gap which created uncertainty in the market.

When the allocations were

eventually done, the group claimed that they were not strictly limited to companies under the criteria approved by the President, that is rice millers with verifiable backward integration programmes.

According to the group, some large- scale rice producers got low 2014 import allocations, when compared with their level of investments , but are now accused of carrying out excess importation during the year.

It was also noted that some companies, including Stallion Group, had to begin rice importation before receiving their allocations.

These companies paid 30 per cent duty plus levy “(fully collected by Nigerian Customs Service which generated income for government and also prevented rice smuggling from neighbouring countries. “ The companies are being asked to pay an additional 40 percent in retrospect for rice which they imported in the past,the group said .

Pleading for the government’s understanding , the group maintained that paying the 40 per cent was not fair because the allocation was late.

In addition, it noted that

FRSC, SON partner to halt influx of Tokunbo tyres

Electricity agency owes N4.7b to contractors From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

From Bukola Amusan,

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HE debt profile of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is now N4,774,254.122.16, it was learnt yesterday.

Also, the body said it has spent N2,266,942,382.30 on debt settlement.

The body’s Head, Public Affairs, Abubakar Ahmed said: “At the moment the agency has outstanding debts owed contractors from 2012 to date in the sum of N4,774,254,112.16, while we have spent N2,266,942,382.30.”

He said REA has completed deployment of 28 renewable energy (solar base) projects in 13 states of the federation.

Achugbu noted that the agency is presently executing 235 last year’s projects, spread across the six geo-political zones of the country.

He said about 80 projects are now completed, while others are at different stages of completion.

Arrangement, according to him, has been completed for the commissioning of 70 projects in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

He was hopeful that if there is adequate funding, the REA could meet the target of 75 per cent rural electrification by 2020.

Asked to state how much financial assistance the agency has received from donor agencies, Achugbu said: “ There has not been any financial assistance from donor aganecies so far.

the allocation criteria used did not reflect the size of investments. The group added that the situation was complicated because the rice charged with additional levy, is already in the market and in many cases,sold to customers.

The group claimed the meeting had concluded that the back dated retrospective duties be set aside for the reasons given before and also established a fair method of allocation of importation quotas for this year with appropriate criteria should be established..

The group said, to the dismay of the bonafide rice millers, 28th May letter from the Federal Ministry of Finance failed to address the 2014 issues and only included a list of companies eligible for 2015 quotas, as determined by the committee.

According to him, millers, including Stallion Group who imported based on the May 2014 directive of the Ministry of Finance, were exempted from the retrospective duties demanded by the Customs. The group urged the government to consider the interests of rice millers who are determined to invest in the sector by granting them relief

Abuja

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• From left: Head, Corporate Communications, Skye Bank, Mr Rasheed Bolarinwa, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Skye Bank, Mrs Abimbola Izu,, Snr Analyst, Client Service, Quadrant PR, Aniwura Peacemaker-Dada and Associate Director, Client Services Centrespread, Bola Akanbi, at the banks press briefing on the Launch of Skye Bank Smart Thematic Campaign at the Colonades Hotel in Lagos...yesterday.

Discos to NERC: electricity market not ripe for operator E LECTRICITY Distribu tion Companies (Dis cos) yesterday told the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is not ripe to have an Independent System Operator (ISO).

The NESI presently has the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) that comprises the Market and System Operators. But the commission is now seeking independence of the System Operator which is tantamount to unbundling the TCN. According to the presentation of Mr. Ahmed Tukur of the commission in Abuja, NERC is empowered to decide the terms and conditions

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

for the transfer of functions of Market and System Operation (MSO).

He recalled that preparatory to the establishment of an ISO, the commission by an order of May 31st, 2012 and in line with the Terms and Conditions of the License requested the surrender of the Transmission License to allow the issuance of two separate licenses to Transmission and System Operation.

The action, according to him, facilitated the ring-fencing of the functions of the SO and MO from the Transmission System

Provider (TSP) to forestall any interference by the TCN in MSO. He said: “Critically, reorganising TCN to enable the MO and SO operate as a separate entity, that is, ISO, shows good practice, and will enable the system operate optimally and facilitate the achievement of the objectives of the Roadmap for Power Sector Reform.”

But this did not go down well with the operators as the the Executive Director, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Mr. Abimbola Odubiyi, told the commission that the sector is still at its in-

fancy.

He said the model which NERC has proposed would increase cost and pose a burden on the industry. He added that it will also create operational issues in the electricity market.

“As to having and ISO for the country, Nigeria is not ripe for it. The model presented by NERC which is similar to the European model that our power sector evolved from and in Europe India and Australia they have a unified system operator,” he said.

TCN’s Acting Managing Director, Paul Stefisn, said a precondition for a successful launch of ISO which is the creation of the control of the substation is not feasible for now.

HE Standards Organisa tion of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Road Safety Coommission (FRSC) are partnering to halt the influx of fairly used (Tokunbo) tyres into the country.

SON’s Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu who met with FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi in his office in Abuja yesterday, urged the Commssion to step up its operations to halt the trend, which he said has contributed to road crashes in the country.

Odumodu frowned at the impunity with which motorists operate with Tokunbo tyres even in the face of road safety challenges associated with the use of such tyres.

He said the visit was meant to serve as a platform to review the partnership with the FRSC on vehicle safety standards in the country.

“It is worrisome that motorists patronise these products which have not only expired in some cases, but also do not conform to the minimum safety standards.

“It is also imperative to note that new tyres are not ruled out from expiration because some tyres may get close to expiry date before being purchased and used by motorists who are ignorant of this,” he said.

He urged the FRSC to expand its operational frontiers to tackle the influx of Tokunbo tyres into the country as part of measures towards further reduction in road traffic crashes.

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

A plucky address •President Buhari’s inaugural speech is efficient and pointed but…

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T is not anything near The Gettysburg Address delivered by President Abraham Lincoln of the United States to frame that solemn occasion of the commemoration of the national burial site in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It can also be argued that the grand moment of Nigeria’s historic democratic fervour may not have been properly framed, but it was an efficient address.

Perhaps not unlike the Spartan persona of President Muhammadu Buhari, his inaugural address of Friday, May 29, 2015 was spare but pointed and effective.

It was not devoid of sound bites and wow moments too as his line that “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody,” drew spontaneous applause.

What the speech lacks in literary depth and finesse is amply made up for in the careful understanding and articulation of the critical issues of the day. It was indeed moving and inspiring in an efficient way.

The president’s elocution and enunciation was vibrant and active though his voice dropped at a point perhaps due to

‘It was not devoid of sound bites and wow moments too as his line that “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody,” drew spontaneous applause.

What the speech lacks in literary depth and finesse is amply made up for in the careful understanding and articulation of the critical issues of the day. It was indeed moving and inspiring in an efficient way’

fatigue. But overall, it was a moving, inspiring and efficient; much better than what we have had in the last couple of years.

It was quite up-lifting and equally a show of statesmanship to acknowledge the outgoing president’s gracious acceptance of defeat early in the address. “I would like to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his display of statesmanship in setting a precedent for us that has now made our people proud to be Nigerians wherever they are. With the support and cooperation he has given to the transition process, he has made it possible to show the whole world that despite the perceived tension in the land we can be a united people capable of doing what is right for our nation… I hope this act of graciously accepting defeat by the outgoing president will become the standard of political conduct in the country.”

The speech captured quite succinctly, the current fears and aspirations of the citizenry. It is a fleeting pathway to the road ahead and a presage of the tone and character of the Buhari administration.

“At home we face enormous challenges,” he said in broaching Nigeria’s immediate worries. He went ahead to outline them: “Insecurity, pervasive corruption, the hitherto unending and seemingly impossible fuel and power shortages are the immediate concerns.” Again, unlike our recent experience, President Buhari offered the people hope while reaffirming the people’s self-worth and confidence: “We are going to tackle them head-on. Nigeria will not regret that they have entrusted national responsibility to us. We must not succumb to hopelessness and defeatism. We can fix our problems.”

He dwelt a bit on some of the issues

roiling the country and her people and stymieing the full realisation of her potential. Concerning electricity power, the president identified it as the single most debilitating cause of Nigeria’s poor economic performance. He noted that the close to the $20 billion spent since 1999 had only brought darkness, frustration, misery and resignation among Nigerians.

“We will not allow this to go on. Careful studies are under way during this transition to identify the quickest, safest and most cost-effective way to bring light and relief to Nigerians,” he vowed.

He has strong words for the insurgent Boko Haram group: “…a mindless, godless group who are as far away from Islam as one can think of.” He noted that though progress has been made in recent weeks by the armed forces, he thinks that victory cannot be achieved by basing the Command and Control Centre in Abuja. The Command Centre will be relocated to Maiduguri and remain until Boko Haram is completely subdued.

The inaugural address would not have been complete without a thought on the over 200 Chibok school girls abducted by the terror sect over a year ago. “Government will do all it can to rescue them alive,” he said.

The twenty-three paragraph speech spoke to Nigerians, capturing their mood, reflecting their fears and firing up their hope for a new tomorrow. Well spoken, but time is now for action. Nigerians will expect him to live by these words and by every word he has spoken, for instance not publicly declaring his assets as stated.

It is indeed a plucky and efficient address.

Air crash report •Pilot errors signal need for better professionals at the helm

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T has become imperative for those managing the country’s airspace to raise the bar in mandatory checks in our airports. This is the crux of the issues emanating from the final report of the Accident and Investigation Bureau (AIB) on four air crashes that occurred in the country’s airspace. The report was a damning indictment of captains of the aircraft who ignored safety rules or flagrantly failed to follow necessary aviation commands.

The air crashes covered by the report included that of the Beechcraft 1900D, with registration 5N-JAH belonging to Wings Aviation Services Air; the Cessna Citation 560XLS, with registration 5N-BMM, belonging to Bristow Helicopters; Boeing 737-500, with registration 5N-BLE, belonging to Aero Contractors; and AS 350 B2, with registration 5N-BHU, belonging to OAS Limited.

The Beech 1900D aircraft which was on a revenue positioning flight on March 15, 2008 crashed at about 9.20 a.m. in a mountainous terrain at Bushi Village, Obalinku Local Government Area of Cross River State. The AIB issued an interim report on the crash on March 29, 2009.

However, in its final report, the bureau blamed the flight crew for not responding promptly to the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS), adding that they were not familiar with the route in a situation of low clouds, poor visibility and mountainous terrain. It also indicted the area controllers in the region of the crash, who “did not detect the estimates as passed by the pilot for position not in the filed flight plan” even as it added that “The erroneous colocation of Bebi airstrip and Obudu on the

NAMA chart confused the crew.”

With regard to the Bristow Helicopters’ Cessna Citation 5N-BMM incident, the AIB cited “the decision of the pilot to continue the approach without the required visual reference,” poor crew coordination, pairing two captains together and marginal weather condition as causes of the crash.

The other two crashes were not spectacularly different. For instance, the crew’s decision to continue the approach in an unstable condition; the captain’s inappropriate attempt to take over control of the aircraft, poor crew resource management; and the prevailing weather condition, among others, were fingered in the case of the Aero Contractors Flight 200.

On the OAS Limited aircraft 5N-BHU, the causative factor for the crash was identified as the “pilot’s decision to conduct the flight under a Special Visual Flight Rule in an Instrument Meteorological Condition as depicted by the weather forecast.”

Contributory factors included “the pilot’s descent from 500ft without a clear visual reference and the pilot was not instrument rated.” Eventually, the pilot was unable to give his position when requested by the Air Traffic Controller and the plane collided with high tension cables belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria along the road to the Delta Steel Company in Delta State.

In almost all these cases, no lives were lost but injuries, some serious, were sustained by some of the passengers and crew members. The aircraft and other property, including runway light assembles and armoured cables at one of the airports were destroyed.

Part of the import of the report is that some

of the air crashes we have had in the country were avoidable if the relevant agencies that are supposed to ensure standards and compliance with laid-down rules and regulations do their job thoroughly.

We urge the AIB to remain committed to enhancing aviation safety and keep to its chief executive’s promise to continue to conduct thorough and unbiased investigations into aircraft accidents and serious incidents in the country. The bureau should expedite action on the other air crashes it is working on, with a view to releasing the reports on them on time.

We hope however that the reports would not be allowed to gather dust in the shelves. Rather, they should serve as wake-up calls to every stakeholder in the aviation sector. Accidents are likely to happen once in a while; but we should try as much as possible to minimise their occurrence.

‘Part of the import of the report is that some of the air crashes we have had in the country were avoidable if the relevant agencies that are supposed to ensure standards and compliance with laid-down rules and regulations do their job thoroughly’

Widows deserve social security

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IR: The plight of the Nigerian widow and her battle for survival usually begins from the very day her husband dies. She is dehumanized all in the name of tradition; she suffers material and financial deprivation as her late husband’s will is set aside by the inlaws. The widow is treated as an outsider who wants to reap from where she didn’t sow as whatever contributions she made to the growth of the family is ignored after her husband demise. Widows are usually suspected by family members of the deceased as being responsible for the death of her husband especially when the death is sudden and without any sign of protracted illness. To prove her innocence, the widow is usually subjected to all kinds of humiliations by the deceased community. She is expected to wake up much earlier than others.

In some communities, she is confined to a small room, weeping becomes her only means of communication with the outside world, with a low hair cut and black apparel she wears each day to mourn the death of her husband. Once she’s through with the necessary widowhood rites which may last up to one year, a big battle awaits her: the struggle for the ownership of the properties of her deceased husband in the absence of inheritance right.

Widowhood is the most devastating state which requires coping capacities and social readjustment to make life better for these categories of women in the society.They are the most vulnerable in the society; they are exposed to indiscriminate abuses by a society whose sensibility is lost to a jaded conscience.

Nigerian widows like others across the world belongs to the downtrodden class, stigmatized and often labeled a “witch”, especially if she has no children of her own before the death of her husband, and for the reason which remarrying is made difficult, unless any male relation of her deceased husband is interested in her.

Going by the social and economic hardship usually faced by widows as a result of the inhumane practices in some cultures in which she is disallowed to share in her deceased husband’s inheritance, thereby leaving the widow to wallow in untold abject poverty, the federal, states and local government should design a social security programme for the poor widows in our midst. Widowhood is generally considered a curse or a contagious disease today in Nigeria and Africa in general. Human right groups and non-governmental organizations have more jobs to do to this end, in ensuring that the rights of widows are protected at all times and across this country. Special legislative provisions should be put in place to address the plight of widows and abolish, prohibit and outlaw all forms of barbaric and inhumane treatments and abuse of the fundamental human right of widows in Nigeria.

• Hussain Obaro, Ilorin, Kwara State

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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• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •General Manager (Abuja Press) Kehinde Olowu •AGM (PH Press) Tunde Olasogba

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: There is still only one word to describe the ultimate mood of this nation today: change. Whatever, the type of change we desire, I strongly believe that the powerful catalyst to ensure that this change occur is you and I. The new APC administration is the greatest opportunity that we have in this country to move this nation to where we want it to be.

The desire of the APC is at idem with the genuine desire of the people for Change. This is why the APC won the election.

Without doubt, the President and his party, the APC together with the law – makers of which the APC has the majority at the National Assembly will bear the greatest burden to give effect to the change.

They have their duty well cut out.

They must all exhibit the will to fight corruption in deed. The president must place the right people in the various anticorruption agencies and monitor such relentlessly. The law- makers on their own part must make the appropriate laws to give efficacy to the investigations and processes by these agencies. I foresee the enactment of new laws as the bedrock to effect the changes. I foresee and support the creation of special anti-corruption courts with special rules and Practice Directions to tackle corruption cases while the normal courts will continue to exercise its jurisdiction also.

There must be a purposeful strategy to punish for acts of

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Change and fight against corruption corruption no matter how small the act or amount of money involved.

It is the same law that says we should not steal that makes stealing in billions or millions or thousands or hundreds a breach.

The prosecuting agencies should be bold to present to the courts cases of corrupt dealings no matter how small the amount or advantage taken may be. Our adjudicating courts must be bold enough to award the maximum sentences for crimes associated with official corruption. This must be so if the whole country is to be seen by others as acting as one in dealing with this scourge.

Clearly and by far the one single action that will foretell the readiness of our law makers to join and effect the necessary changes in our society will be their readiness to do the hitherto impossible things like disclosing their pay and accepting a reduction of such if found to be unsustainable in the context of our present socioeconomic condition.

Generally, we must be able to assist the law enforcement officers

with concrete information to enable them do their job. It is certainly the next neighbour who will have information to give to the law enforcement agents concerning the house bought by the public officer in London or elsewhere and even the fronts he or she is using. We must report all cases of corruption to the responsible agencies. The sphere has to be broadened for everyone to participate in this process for change. The readiness

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hancement and stability, infrastructural development, promotion of peace and security and reduction of indiscipline (WAI) during your debut as Military head of state in the (1980s). To be candid, emphasis on war against indiscipline in our society is now over due.

Indiscipline is the foundation of all kinds of wickedness, corruption and even crimes rampant in our society nowadays.

You are well known as a disciplined gentleman, and besides you hate corruption. These are rare and wonderful virtues hat strengthen and beautify leadership.

Already those who have been nefariously busy looting the wealth

•Barr. Orchardson Umoh Calabar, Cross River State

Strip them of their national honours IR: I read on the papers few years ago how a Japanese gardener found a huge sum of money in a dustbin as he tended to his early morning routine. Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity, this man chose rather to report the matter before the authorities.

It became the talk of town as some people praised the man while others rained curses saying “he will never be rich in his life”. X-raying the Nigerian situation in this

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Note to President Buhari IR: Congratulations’ you have become the people’s President, Muhammadu Buhari Abraham Lincoln of our generation. You struggled and struggled, behold you have made it in a big way with an overwhelming victory. Glory be to the Almighty God, the Allah who made it possible.

As Abraham Lincoln of blessed memory, did in the United States, many many years ago, please endeavor to bring about remarkable and positive change in line with the yearnings of majority of Nigerians and your well wishers. We urge you to kindly give immediate attention to economy stability, reduction of unemployment, light/power en-

to accept the consequences of our actions must be there as well as the opportunity to come clean it. We want to see people immediately discuss and return what have been unlawfully taken away from us in exchange for some form of pardon thereafter the full wrath of the law should take effect.

As we mobilize ourselves to be involved, certainly, those with something to be afraid of will fight back. We expect to hear such

ranting alleging victimization, political persecution and even ethnic jingoisms. We must as determined people resolve to ignore such ranting or propaganda as long as we are getting results no matter whose ox is gored.

We should expect those who are benefitting from any sort of corrupt activities to scorn our approaches in other to weaken the new government if possible.

Our chance to move our country forward consists in the above rather than in tolerating corruption in any form. There are countries that maintain a death penalty for this crime, like China, just to emphasize how important others treat this issue.

of the nation without restraint and making the economy unbearable for the poor masses, are already jittery and uncomfortable with your coming on board. But the majority of the ordinary and law abiding citizens are very happy about your advent that is why we have given you our votes in anticipation of a necessary and positive change for better prospects.

May the Almighty God, The Allah, help you to do your best and to prevail in all circumstances.

• Rev. Chinyeaka Amadi, Ngor/Okpala, Imo State

context as a new government takes over, I believe that the question that we ought to be pondering upon is who actually is the honourable man? Are they the oil cabals that continue to endanger the lives of Nigerians? Are they the politicians who see government as commerce rather than opportunity for representation? Or, is he the kind of man that has the Buhari format?

These questions have become necessary in the wake of the new dispensatinl even as so called men and women of honours starts to refund stolen money. I find it preposterous in a nation where power supply is almost a nightmare; where thousands of students graduate yearly in our universities without being sure of the next move; a nation dependent hundred percent on crude oil as source of revenue not caring about diversification!

I watched the British election that ended recently and I thought to see wide eyed people – mystics. But no, I saw gentle men and women going into a little house to cast their votes and the next day a winner was declared. I have not heard of any tribunal sitting ever since.

I thank God that in 2015, the fear of Buhari has become the starting point of wisdom. We put lions in

cages because of their behaviours.

The only thing that can cage Nigeria is a zero tolerance for the breaking of our laws. It is my proposal that politicians who have started to refund stolen money be striped of all their honours – stolen national honours. They were indeed stolen by their intrigues. My instinct tells me that there is more than a N100 billion dollars in their possession.

Let all Nigerians continue to give praise to Almighty God for the emergence of Buhari. In his words I quote “I will make nigerians proud of their country”. Thus the end of evil men has come in this nation.

Buhari is a seed that God has planted for himself. This seed Buhari is going to sprout and emerge into a great tree, a changed nation, full of good fruits – right minded Nigerian full of empathy for their nation thus putting an end to this mess we have found ourselves. Let peace, progress and success-loving Nigerians pray for our President for divine strength and direction for the task ahead of him.

• Chief James Okpomwense, Ezomo of Benin Kingdom, Benin City

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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COMMENTS

Let us begin

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HE journey of a thousand years begins with the first step, so let us begin the journey of the Buhari presidency. I think it was President Muhammadu Buhari who himself said to the cheering crowd who went to rejoice with him on his electoral victory that you want change now change has come! It has come indeed. The Jonathan crowd like Egyptians have disappeared hopefully never to be seen again in the corridors of power. Some of them will try to come back but Nigerians are wiser than they used to be. The total collapse of the state the last week of Jonathan in power showed us clearly how close we were to total meltdown of the state. It was frightening to say the least. In Ibadan where I live, we witnessed total paralysis .

There was no fuel, no light and to diesel to power the generator, the mobile phones stopped working because there was no diesel for the power they needed, banks shut down because their computers broke down, the ATM machines were not working so we could not get money and I could not pump water from my dug-out well in the absence of municipal water supply . Hospitals could not function and the civil service was and is still on strike because members claimed they have not been paid for six months. In some places, desperate young people took to brigandage and robbery. I had to ask myself whether life was worth living and also if it was not time to check out of the country.

But where will I go in my evening years? In all my years of living in this country, I had never seen this kind of hopelessness. The interesting thing was that I was not angry. Even if I was, who will I direct my anger against? Everybody around me was abusing the outgoing government and head of state but I felt our problem goes beyond this out gone administration. I see it as a systemic problem and to solve it will require fundamental approach to governance. But are will really prepared to face the problem squarely and if necessary bite the bullet?

I do not expect any radical changes in this regime because honestly speaking, the time is too short and there is so much damage to the country and our individual and collective psyches that palliative measures are what we can take now while radical measures may have to wait for perhaps the next two years. We need to make the systems work first, take care of our immediate needs of security, jobs, salaries, electricity, water, roads, hospitals, schools, municipal and urban cleanliness. As a university teacher, I sympathize with many of my colleagues in state universities who have not been paid for months and as a father I am sad that children in closed down universities are roaming around and some are getting killed in accidents driving their parents cars around without permission and with youthful exuberance. These are simple things in most countries but not in this overpopulated country of ours.

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HE nation was in festive mood last Friday, which was observed as public holiday to mark Democracy Day. It was Democracy Day with a difference - it was also Inauguration Day for President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Everything went well on the occasion, with dignitaries coming from different parts of the world. It was a day of glory and honour for Nigeria, especially the president.

Twenty-nine states also held similar ceremonies for elected and reelected governors.

But the focus, understandably, was on Abuja - the seat of government. Being the engine of governance, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) buzzed with activities. Facilities were stretched to meet the needs of the visiting dignitaries.

Such events are celebrated worldwide since they are not an everyday thing. They come once in a while. In Nigeria's case, it is once every four years. A Presidential Inauguration, beyond being celebrated with fanfare, should be an occasion of deep reflection for the leader being sworn.

When he looks into the faces of those gathered, what does he? What is on his mind? Will he meet the people's expectations? Will he change the fortune of his country for good? Will the world come to respect his country because of his leadership? How will he be remembered after his tenure? It is a mo-

416 DAYS AFTER

STILL WAITING FOR CHIBOK GIRLS’ RESCUE

Not all these things belong in the province of the federal government or what a president should ordinarily be concerned with. But their absence poses existential challenge to our people and therefore to the president. If there are institutions or people that are charged with the duties required to make things work and they are derelict in the performance of such functions they are to perform, then somebody must call their attention to it .

There may be need for strong-arm tactics to force some people to behave properly or to obey the dictates of their assignment.

Anybody not working for the corporate good of this country must be challenged and forced to do what is right. This is the essence of being in a national community which confers rights on us as citizens. If we all believe in the good of this country, then we should work towards its attainment because it is by this that we as individuals can fully realize our full potentialities. A situation in which individuals turn themselves into local governments providing themselves water by digging boreholes, electricity by having generators, security by having our houses wired with live electricity and surrounding our homes with tall fences and killer guard dogs and maiguard is in the long run not sustainable . Our efforts as individuals are futile because they are selfish and not based on the general good of our people.

Take for example the state of education in this country. It is the norm that everybody who can afford it and those who can not have boycotted sending their children and wards to government or public primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

Their preference is private institutions where there is discipline and apparently more dedication and certainty of duration of years of study. Yet people like me went to public schools and we are not the worse for it. If we are serious about reform we should focus on primary and secondary education and if we get it right, it will have positive result on tertiary institutions with vast opportunities for improvement all round.

I am not against private institutions but it should not be at the expense of public institutions going to the dogs so to say. I do not know any country in the world where primary and secondary education are mainly in the hands of private business people as it seems Nigeria is destined to experience. This is just an example of all that is wrong in Nigeria.

I was amused when I read what Professor Nebo our erstwhile minister of power said as an excuse for his failure as minister. He went on to advice Buhari to use force to put down those vandalizing gas pipelines and also to compel oil companies to cooperate in the area of gas supplies. Why did he not tell Jonathan whom he served for about three years this simple truth? Has he just recovered his voice or was he simply afraid to speak truth to power? The time those who serve in government are able to stand and be counted is when we will be getting near finding solutions for our myriad of problems.

President Muhammadu Buhari has a full plate and as the

saying goes, he has to start from the beginning. I was delighted that his first trip outside the country as president is to Chad and Niger. And perhaps Cameroon later on perhaps in one fell swoop. He is taking the security challenge facing the nation as first priority. I also like his statement that the Jide headquarters of the army itself may temOsuntokun porarily be in the North East of Nigeria presumably in Maiduguri. I will suggest he follows this by posting senior officers of the National Intelligence Agency (N.I.A) as ambassadors to the these three countries so that they can be providing government with good intelligence reports about movement of insurgents in the border areas.

The mercenaries from South Africa brought by the last regime have to be withdrawn. If we need fighting support, we should ask our traditional friends to assist. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty this should be inculcated to our people in the North of Nigeria and the whole country as a whole; defence is too important to be left to the armed forces alone.

We as citizens should be ready to provide information and to make whatever sacrifices will be necessary to rid our country of anarchists. There was a time in this country when we contributed financially to the liberation of Southern Africa.

Charity needs to begin at home. If needs be, we should again be called upon to contribute financially to the defence of the realm. We should also call on friendly countries especially our friends in the West to assist in whatever way they can and we must kit our armed forces well and supply them with most lethal and modern weapons and ensure that they are trained regularly. If we need support in this regard, we must never be shy to ask in this increasingly interdependent world. Everybody knows that terrorism knows no borders when humanity suffers somewhere, man suffers everywhere.

There is so much tremendous goodwill for our newly elected president and we must not fritter it away or refuse to strike when the iron is hot. In spite of the current situation of near bankruptcy and the impecuniosity of the moment, we must put on our thinking caps and put the right people at the helm of affairs while still oblivious of whatever political debts owed and ethnic configuration we have to bear in mind.

The Inauguration and other stories ment of truth for any discerning leader, who wishes to leave his mark in office. Unfortunately, many leaders look at the ceremonial side of the inauguration and not the business side of it - governance - which the event is all about.

Those who know that they are called to serve toe that path right from that event. They chart the path of their government and do all they can to follow it. What is the essence of promising, in your inaugural speech, to fight corruption, only for you to end up embracing the malaise. Inauguration is not all about merrymaking. Where many leaders miss it is when they see their inauguration as a jamboree - an occasion to wine and dine and forget why they sought the people's mandate in the first place.

It is about a week now since President Buhari took the oath and promised in his inaugural speech not to let Nigerians down. He spoke like a statesman. ''At home'', he said, ''we face enormous challenges. Insecurity, pervasive corruption, the hitherto unending and seemingly impossible fuel and power shortages are the immediate concerns. We are going to tackle them head on. Nigerians will not regret that they have entrusted national responsibility to us. We must not succumb to hopelessness and defeatism. We can fix our problems.''

Yes, Mr President, we can fix our problems and Nigerians are eagerly waiting for you to lead the way. By now, after almost one week in the saddle, you must have an idea about the magnitude of our problems. We have heard you speak and your speech gives us hope that very soon all will be well with us again. We know that Rome was not built in a day, so we do not expect you to solve all our problems in the twinkling

of an eye. But you know your countrymen too well - they are an impatient lot.

Already, they have started talking that by now, you should have appointed your key officers, such as, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief of Staff (CoS) and National Security Adviser (NSA). These, they argue, are some of the principal officers that would drive your administration.

Without the SGF, especially, nothing can move in government. The SGF is central to the running of government. He has to issue memoranda and generate letters on your behalf for your key appointees. So, for now without the appointment of such a key officer, many things have to wait.

You also talked about security.

But Mr President, Boko Haram seems not to have heard you. The group has continued to unleash mayhem in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, which is the epicentre of its dastardly activities. You cannot afford to allow Boko Haram to take you for a ride, just as it did to the Jonathan administration. You situated the Boko Haram problem when you described it as ''a typical example of small fires causing large fires''. We left the Boko Haram insurgency to fester by our inaction.

Under your administration, we expect things to change.

You hit the nail on the head when you noted that ''through official bungling, negligence, complacency or collusion, Boko Haram became a terrifying force, taking tens of thousands of lives and capturing towns and villages covering swathes of Nigerian sovereign territory. Boko Haram is a mindless, godless group that is far away from Islam as one can think of''. Again, you were right on target when you

said : ''But, we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by the insurgents''.

With your meetings with the security chiefs in the last two days, the public's hope is that soon the girls will be rescued and Boko Haram will become history. Boko Haram will not just disappear from the face of the earth by your say so; it has to be fought to the ground because it has become used to having things its own way. Since your coming, the insurgents have struck about three times now in Maiduguri. They know what they are doing - it is all to test your will. he people are waiting to see how you will take on Boko Haram beyond moving the military Command and Control Centre (CCC) from Abuja to Maiduguri. As laudable as the directive is, it cannot on its own stop the Boko Haram insurgency. The military must continue to pound the insurgents until they give themselves up. In doing this, we will be walking a tightrope because the Chibok girls are in their custody.

Boko Haram will surely want to use the girls as chips to get out of trouble. Boko Haram, as you rightly noted, is not only our security challenge. There is robbery; there is kidnapping; there is vandalism of pipelines, cables and other public property.

Before your inauguration last Friday, getting fuel to buy was war. It still is. Where it is available, it sells for between N120 and N150 where as the official pump price is N87 per litre. The people are groaning, especially low income earners and small business owners. We have never had it this bad with fuel supply not even during the famous June 12 crisis. It is early days yet in

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Lawal Ogienagbon lawal.ogienagbon@thenationonlineng.net SMS ONLY: 08099400204, 08112661612

your administration, but the people are already wondering what you are doing about the problem. ‘’Is this how we will continue even under the Buhari administration?’’ they wonder. Electricity supply is worse. Fela was mild in his assessment of the power supply situation years ago compared to what we are experiencing today. According to the legendary musician, ‘’he go light small; he go light gan. If he no go, he go come; If he no come, he go go. These days, he no dey come at all, not to talk of whether he go come small or gan. Nigerians cannot wait to see an improvement in power supply, which they believe, will lead to the revamping of the economy.

‘Before the inauguration, getting fuel to buy was war. It still is.

It is early days yet in your administration, but people are already wondering what you are doing about the problem’

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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COMMENTS

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ESPITE the ill-will of greedy oil importers and marketers, the greatest beneficiaries of Jonathan’s six years presidency, ex-President Jonathan last week made a triumphant entry into the N7bn Otuoke church, erected on his behalf by PDP governors and government contractors, to take care of the spiritual needs of his poverty-stricken villagers who daily battle the vicissitudes of turbulent ocean with paddle canoes, for a thanksgiving. It was there Jonathan, who claimed to have been in chains in the last 16 years, made contrition for all the sins his captors committed in his name against Nigerians. Hours earlier, he had left Abuja in a blaze of glory as a proud ambassador of his Ijaw nation.

Of Jonathan six years sojourn in Aso Rock seat of power, Friday May 29 was his most glorious day. And his finest hour came with the successful handover of power to Buhari without the violence and mayhem the Niger Delta militants, their sponsors and their battle-weary Yoruba Afenifere septuagenarians sympathizers had threatened to unleash on the nation. I am sure Jonathan’s predecessors dead or alive must be green with envy watching him receive a red carpet treatment as he was driven for the last time in a presidential limousine, shepherded to the podium by horse-riding men of the Brigade of Guards in their decorated ceremonial uniform. As he stepped into the podium, except for the few wailing chieftains of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), oil fraudsters and other economic saboteurs who wished Jonathan to remain in chains, he was hailed even by his political adversaries. Jonathan was celebrated in defeat. No Nigerian leader living or dead has ever had the good fortune of being celebrated even in victory.

Obasanjo stained his 1979 record of voluntary handover of power to Shehu Shagari by his third term fiasco in 2007. Tafawa Balewa, Aguiyi Ironsi and Murtala Mohammed were brutally murdered by those who once regarded them as benefactors. Yar’Adua succumbed to illness while in office, while Sani Abacha died eating apples. Shagari was deposed for destroying the economy. He spent time under house arrest.

Buhari was betrayed in the night of many knives by those who crowned him king. He was incarcerated for three years. Shonekan’s headship of

‘Jonathan’s triumph over those who held him in chains for 16 years was not just a personal victory but also a victory for our nation’

Jonathan’s final triumph Babangida’s contraption called Interim National Government was declared illegal by the judiciary before Abacha finally eased him out of office. Abdul Salami Abubakar generally regarded as a care taker to ease out of power the remnants of Babangida’s ‘army of anything is possible’ that had by 1993 destroyed our economy and budding industries was merely tolerated.

Jonathan secured his freedom by conceding defeat to Buhari who had beaten him ‘round and square’ in the March 28 election without first consulting his captors. It was the first unilateral decision he took in six years. As a hostage, his has been a government of ‘delegation by abdication’ during which PDP dealers and wheelers, exploiting his simplicity and artlessness, ravaged and pillaged our land with impunity. And for that one singular act, even the international community that has always treated Jonathan with disdain, hailed him for his act of sportsmanship. President Buhari equally praised him “for his display of statesmanship in setting a precedent that has now made our people proud to be Nigerians wherever they are”. And with Buhari’s declaration that henceforth, Jonathan’s “act of graciously accepting defeat will become the standard of political conduct in the country”, I am sure Jonathan will be pleased with himself that his electoral defeat in a way was a personal victory.

And by opting to do the most honourable thing instead of consulting the likes of desperate Elder Orubebe of Abuja INEC collation centre shameless theatrics, weeping and inconsolable Ifeanyi Ubas who wept louder than the bereaved, the caustic tongued Femi FaniKayode and his imaginary 24 states won by PDP while voting which later extended to the following day was still half-way, “PDP governors without character” who insisted 16 was greater

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HE political landscape of the country has since put on a new look since Friday May 29, 2015, when the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government was inaugurated. The inauguration effectively put an end to the 16-year reign of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which once called itself Africa’s largest political party. APC is Nigeria’s new ruling and dominant party. Although, many did not see this coming, but it is now a reality that PDP, which many of its followers have vowed would be in power for 60 years is now an opposition Party.

Nigerians, home and abroad have high hopes and expectations about President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the APC. It is not going to be an easy task for the President. However, it must be put on record that Nigerians who came out on March 28, to cast their votes for Buhari were the ones that brought about the real change in government and not only the President or the leadership of his party, APC. They voted for him because they believed that his leadership would bring about positive changes in governance. Therefore, it must be clear that Nigerians would no doubt use the same approach they used in sending President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP out of power if the APC does not meet their expectations.

However, it is gratifying to note that the APC has promised to be a governing party and not the ruling party as we have had under the PDP-led Federal Government. That in itself is a remarkable signpost of what to come. If indeed it would be a governing party, then it is safe to say that the new government has taken a lesson from the fall of the PDP Federal Government, where the rulers lord themselves over the rest of us.

To have a successful tenure, President Buhari must come up with his set priorities. He should not set many targets for himself. He should simply choose what Nigerians want him to do, and what we want him to do is to put Nigeria in its rightful place.

Firstly, Nigerians would like to know how President Jonathan and his team spent government revenue under their watch. It is our right to know how the money was spent, and we would not accept anything less from the Buhari administration. To achieve this task in a country like Nigeria where corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of her government, I would suggest that the President should simply go through the books. For instance, the claim by former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, now Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, that $20bn, that was supposed to be remitted by the NNPC to the federation account should be

than 19, Jonathan has besides saving our nation from avoidable turmoil and loss of lives, also saved himself from the fate that has befallen exIvorian leader Laurent Gbagbo, now facing charges of crime against humanity in the Hague as a result of the violence that engulfed his nation following his refusal to concede defeat.

Jonathan last minute heroism has probably thrown light on the real Jonathan or ‘the Jonathan Nigerians don’t know’. Last week, he confessed he has never been interested in politics. Speaking during a grand reception in his honour in Yenagoa, last Friday, he had said; “Without Alamieyeseigha, l wouldn’t have been here talking about being a former President.

Nobody would have heard about Jonathan without him”. Jonathan never fought for anything.

He never lobbied for anything. And he never won any election on his own.

Obasanjo single-handedly picked him as running mate to Yar’Adua in 2007. In an era of ‘do or die election’, he procured victory for their joint ticket. Jonathan was not even qualified to contest the 2011 election but following 12 years of PDP massive corruption, his captors settled for a harmless and ‘shoeless’ Jonathan. Nigerians swallowed the bait by claiming they voted Jonathan and not PDP despite Sonala Olumhense’s warning that if voted into office, Jonathan would sell the nation to PDP. As president, Jonathan never showed any passion for the job. He was really never in charge.

After publicly telling Nigerians of a cabal of economic saboteurs made up of fuel importers working against the interest of the nation, he was mandated by those who put him in chains to announce the increase of fuel pump price of fuel by 300% claiming the nation’s economy would collapse without visiting such a hardship on the people who had just given him a landslide victory. A house probe later revealed

Nigerians were paying for the sins of some of his captors and their children involved in the theft of about N1.7 trillion fuel subsidy scam.

From then on, Jonathan’s administration became a government of ‘delegation by abdication’. Okonjo-Iweala ran the economy alone.

She was intolerant of any form of criticism.

Not too long ago, Professor Soludo, the former CBN governor was forced to point out in the piece entitled, ‘Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the missing trillions’, that “Our public finance, under Okonjo-Iweala is haemorrhaging to the point that estimated over N30tn is missing, or stolen, or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged”.

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, besides presiding over massive theft in NNPC where $20b was said to be unaccounted for, and the N1.7 fuel subsidy scam, she was also alleged to have expended N10b on aircraft leasing for official duties.

Justice Minister Bello Adoke worked for Jonathan’s captors rather than for Nigerians.

Only one of those accused of contributing to the collapse of the banking sector was successfully prosecuted according to Lamido Sanusi who was illegally removed for asking NNPC to be more transparent. Not much success was achieved among those involved in the fuel subsidy scam. With Bello Adoke as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, an indicted villain got a presidential amnesty while innocent justice Isa Salami was given the boot for ruling against PDP vote riggers. Adoke presided over the controversial bloc, OPL 245, and the payment of $1.1 billion meant for Malabu Oil to Mr. Dan Etete. Abba Moro the Minister of Interior, Stella Oduah as minister for Aviation and Chinedu Nebo as minister for power and many others ran their various ministries like personal concerns.

These then were the representatives of those who put Jonathan in chains. They were the public face of those who contributed N21b in one day in breach of the constitution to support his candidacy, those who encouraged him to dare Obasanjo by reneging on his undertaking to do only one term, the bank fraudsters, fuel subsidy scammers, Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria who insisted night is day, that Jonathan has fought insurgency to a halt, that the new Niger bridge yet to take off is a reality, that petrol and kerosene are available at controlled price and that power generation at less than 2000MW down from 4500MW has improved.

Jonathan’s triumph over those who held him in chains for 16 years was not just a personal victory but also a victory for our nation.

Task ahead of President Buhari

By Olawole Oladeji looked into, and those who are involved should be allowed to face the music. The N255m car scandal of the former aviation minister, now a senator-elect, Stella Oduah should be properly investigated. Although, she has already been indicted by the committee was set up by President Goodluck Jonathan, yet the presidency is yet to take any decisive action on the matter.

Secondly, on the nation’s economy, Nigerians would like to know its true state. According to the British Member of Parliament (MP) and Shadow Secretary for international Development, Ivan Lewis, Nigeria is too rich for its people to live in ‘’extreme poverty’’ and deprivation. But the truth of the matter is that Nigeria is broke. Unfortunately, in an interview with CNN’s Richard Quest, the Nigeria’s then Minister of Finance, Okonjo-Iweala, denied this by saying that the country is not broke despite the cash crunch being experienced.

Thus, the President must let Nigerians know their true status. Nigerians voted for him, and a lot of people died in the course of ensuring that they effected the real change in the nation’s economy.

Thirdly, the President must cut deep all the excesses in government. There is no doubt that the cost of governance in Nigeria is not sustainable. Thus, we do not deserve a President who will continue with the status quo. Nigerians do not need 42 ministers and countless number of Special Advisers. Thus, he should reduce the size of his cabinet. He should also implement the recommendations of the Oronsaye committee on restructuring of Federal Ministries, Agencies, parastatals and commissions. The committee, while submitting its report on April 16, 2012, said government would save over N862 billion between 2012 and 2015 if the recommendations of the committee were implemented. Unfortunately, President Goodluck Jonathan did not implement any of the recommendations made by the committee.

The President will need to look into the 25 percent of the recurrent expenditure of the Federal Government’s budget which is being allocated to the National Assembly of just 469 members every year. He should put the sensitivities, wishes and aspirations of Nigerians in the front burner of his government. That is the only way he can earn the respect

and confidence of the people.

He should also address the issue of oil subsidy. Despite the fact that price of oil has gone down at the international market, Nigerians are still buying oil at the same amount that they used to buy it before the price came down. Excesses like these have caused untold hardship to the common man who seems to bear the full wrath of the rotten government alone.

Finally, President Buhari must ensure that he gets his team right. We do not want ministers or technocrats who will not share the goals and aspirations of the common man. He should look at the pedigree, qualifications and make-up of people he wants to appoint. He must ensure that they are as conservative and radical as he himself is. He must also ensure that only those who appreciate and have genuine love for the country are appointed as ministers in the administration.

Governance must start to wear a new look. It must be taken as a serious business and not the usual tea party. The welfare of the people should be the driving force of government policies and programmes.

No doubt, if the President can achieve these within the next four years of his administration, it will surely bring sanity back to the country. It will also restore our pride and dignity in the international community.

• Oladeji is of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Ibadan.

‘President Buhari must ensure that he gets his team right. We do not want ministers or technocrats who will not share the goals and aspirations of the common man. He should look at the pedigree, qualifications and make-up of people he wants to appoint. He must ensure that they are as conservative and radical as he himself is’

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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COMMENTS

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HEN most Nigerians talk about President Muhammadu Buhari, what we talk about most is his strong rejection of public corruption – his very strong anti-corruption credentials. Almost all of us Nigerians are persuaded by now that this man is not just using hatred of corruption as a ruse to attract popular support. He sees public corruption as an intolerable evil and he wants to get rid of it.

To realize how sincere Buhari is in his hatred of public corruption, we need to know that, though an anti-corruption stance is popular with the masses of ordinary Nigerians, it is very risky at some levels of the leadership of Nigeria. At such levels, Buhari has experienced rejection and hatred ever since he dared in 1983 to sack the huge corruption edifice that our Federal Government was becoming under President Shehu Shagari. There are even some who believe that Buhari committed an unforgivable sin against God by dismantling the Shagari presidency.

For instance, one of our country’s most revered Islamic scholars, the Sheik Ahmad Gumi, wrote in an open letter to Buhari some months ago that Buhari’s weaknesses as a leader are “compounded further” by his “strict and obsessive rejection of corruption”. Reminding Buhari that the Islamic religion allows the use of public money “to pacify and lure influential people” and that “men are also controlled by money”, Alhaji Gumi warned, “So, if your policy of governance is obsessibly (sic) centred on sealing tight the use of money, you will have great problem with men”. It says much for the depth of Buhari’s anti-corruption commitment, therefore, that he continues in that commitment, even in the face of such serious opposition by many influential members of the Nigerian elite – most of whom are from his own nationality.

But strong feelings against corruption never stand by themselves alone; they are messages from certain deeper tempers of the soul. He who is given to passionate rejection of public corruption is expressing, in effect, his belief that all citizens –the strong, the weak, the smart, the dull, the influential, the unknown and obscure, etc – all are entitled to the benefits belonging to their country, and that it is evil for a few powerful and influential citizens to corner off all the benefits for themselves alone. It is because the masses of Northerners (especially the masses of Northern

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HERE are several reasons why Femi Gbajabiamila deserves to be speaker of the Eighth Assembly. It is important to state unequivocally that he has the pedigree, talent and the enviable track record to be the Speaker of House of Representatives.

It is evident that some are made speaker, while others are born speaker. This is where Femi Gbajabiamila stands apart.

Little wonder, the people of Surulere nicknamed him Oluomo 1 – that is to say he is the number one prince among others.

Truly, he is a born speaker with phrase making artistry, a peerless orator with uncommon intelligence and sophistication in legislative matters.

Besides, he is objective, articulate and a self-effacing man with quiet disposition, a good listener with quick intelligence and dashing style. Once he is convinced about anything; he never gets tired to pursue it to a logical conclusion. He is a lawyer with two law degrees from two jurisdictions, Nigeria and the United States, LLB and a juris Doctorate (JD). He sees politics as an extension of his legal practice in which he would touch lives. There is no gainsaying that his academic background in law helped or positioned him to excel in the House of Representatives. He is a floor wonder, a rarity in the art of law making, hence he sponsored the highest number of Bills in the 6th Assembly. Thereafter, he sponsored 17 bills and motions in the 7th Assembly, namely Bill for the establishment of national vocational school, Bill to give interest free loan to Nigerian students, Bill to criminalize late under payment of employees in public and private organizations, economic stimulus bill to ensure the government pegs 40% of annual budget for capital expenditure annually till next 10 years, etc.

Sometime in October 2014, while setting up a campaign committee for his re-election, and he made a public statement

President Buhari: Respond to your soul youths) see this spirit in Buhari that they have been heavily supporting him for years – even in spite of his repeated failures in the elections. It is also the reason why, in recent months, large numbers of Nigerians in other parts of Nigeria have stepped out to endorse him too. The northern masses held on doggedly in their support of him, until the masses of other parts of Nigeria came at last to their aid.

In a foreign country during the 2011 Nigerian presidential election campaign, I participated in a meeting addressed by Nuhu Ribadu’s campaign managers, who had come to urge us to support and help their candidate. I remember remarking in that meeting that there were two northern political leaders whom the masses of South-west voters could easily vote for – one being Ribadu, and the other Buhari; and I added that both had some appeal in the South-west because of their anti-corruption records, which showed that they were concerned about the well-being of the common people. I am not surprised, therefore, that the voters of the South-west have endorsed Buhari so strongly this time around and, thereby, enabled him to win an election at last.

So, now that Buhari has made it to the presidency, he must respond to the message of his soul. Fighting corruption per se, penalizing some of the corrupt public officials, and recovering as much as possible of stolen public assets, is not unimportant in the prevailing circumstances of our country, but it is not as important as actually spreading the material benefits of Nigeria into the lives of the masses of Nigerians, especially into the lives of our youths who constitute the majority of our total citizenry. Stories already beginning to be told about the enormity of recent public robberies by public officials are almost impossible to believe. It is beginning to seem probable that very many highly placed public officials will end up before criminal courts and in prisons. But President Buhari must see to it that we devote more of our country’s atten-

tion to the task of pulling our people out of poverty and bringing some dignity into their lives. Nigeria’s notorious public corruption has meant that most of Nigeria’s public resources, incomes and assets have been regularly stolen and shared by Nigeria’s rulers at federal, state and local government levels, by elected and appointed public officials, by professional civil servants, and by the secret friends, cronies and fronts of all these. Buhari owes his friends – the masses of Nigerians – the duty of bringing this brigandage to an end, and of creating a new culture whereby the resources of Nigeria shall be employed in a resolute and disciplined manner to empower the masses of Nigerians to enrich and dignify their lives and to build and enrich their country. In short, we Nigerians expect Buhari to lead us through a whole revolution.

How would we achieve this? Let’s see what other Third World countries have done. Japan, starting in the last years of the 19th century, was the first; and within 40 years, Japan had become a technological, industrial and economic world power. When the Korean War ended in 1955, South Korea was far behind Nigeria in development. When, as a Nigerian Senator, I was invited to give a lecture at the Korean Institute of International Affairs in Seoul in 1982 and I had to brush up my knowledge of South Korea, I was staggered to find how much South Korea had surpassed my country in virtually all fields of development. In 1965, Singapore, then a state in the Malaysian Federation, was so terribly poor, so crime-ridden and so politically violent that the Malaysian federal parliament voted to expel Singapore from the federation. By the time I visited Singapore in 1976, the world was already singing the praises of Singapore as “Asia’s Success Model”. Other examples are Brazil, Argentina, China, Israel, etc. The revolutions took only a few decades in each case.

The secret is investment in the people – education (with emphasis today on science and mathematics); training of the youths in modern job skills and work ethics; training in en-

Nigerian thoughts trepreneurship; setting up of policy, financial arrangements and o t h e r programmes for helping the starting a n d growth of b u s i nesses; Banji Akintoye emphasis on energy supply; emphasis on product quality and on exports; incentives for attracting foreign investments and businesses, etc. This package has worked in every case.

In our case, as in other multi-nation countries (such as India), we must empower our state governments to implement the details of the new growth. An attempt at federal execution of the details can only lead to a return to massive corruption. For best effects, our Federal Government should be limited to the commanding heights of our economy (fiscal policy, currency, etc), defence and foreign policy.

Buhari can lead us to accomplish these things. It is all different from what we are used to. But most Nigerians believe that Buhari is different from the general run of our politicians.

‘Buhari owes his friends – the masses of Nigerians – the duty of bringing this brigandage to an end, and of creating a new culture whereby the resources of Nigeria shall be employed in a resolute and disciplined manner to empower the masses of Nigerians to enrich and dignify their lives and to build and enrich their country’

Gbajabiamila: Rare breed in parliament

By Yinka Ibidapo through a medium that: “My longevity in the legislative has allowed me to both wittingly and unwittingly redefine representation and this has become the theme of my 2014 re-election campaign. In redefining representation, I have sought to and intend to continue to represent every resident of Surulere, every resident of Lagos and every citizen of Nigeria irrespective of party affiliation, ethnicity or religion. In other words, I intend not to leave any Nigerian behind in my representation and to work only in the best interest of our country and for the greater good …”

It is true to say that this quoted public pronouncement shows that Gbajabiamila had a readymade mission and agenda for the Eight Assembly. It was from this public pronouncement that a 20-man campaign committee was born, and was christened Representation Redefined Campaign Committee (RRCC). The committee was the first of its kind in Surulere because Surulere men and women of substance from different tribes were fused together to work assiduously to make Gbajabiamila to be the first person to be re-elected for the fourth term in office in Surulere’s political history.

The success story of Femi Gbajabiamila’s re-election can be attributed firstly to God, secondly to the ingenuity and hard work of members of RRCC and to the massive support he received from the people of Surulere. So it was a common sight to see them on every occasion eulogize him during the electioneering campaign for his honesty, hard work, and for being a good ambassador to the people of Surulere in the National Assem-

bly. In fact, he was also eulogized for rejecting the N100million bribe offered to him to abandon the anti-third term struggle in the past, and for rejecting the National Honour that was given to him in November 2011.

These two noble acts endeared Gbajabiamila to the people of Surulere, hence they see him as a man of his words, because he had assured them in the past that he will ensure at all times that the overriding interest of the people will not be sacrificed either on the altar of political expediency or in pursuit of a narrow selfish interests.

On several occasions during the electioneering campaign, he campaigned vigorously for Buhari and Ambode. He commended Babatunde Fashola(SAN) glowingly for actualizing our dreams, but he described Akinwunmi Ambode as the icing on the cake of our actualized dreams.

Nevertheless, he blamed President Jonathan for his ineptitude and misrule.

So he assured the people of Surulere that Muhammadu Buhari’s government will put smile on the faces of Nigerians through people–oriented programmes. It is my humble view that these people-oriented programmes will or may need legislative backing. Therefore, we need a consummate and talented lawyer in the person of Femi Gbajabiamila to do justice to these programmes.

Interestingly, prior to the party primaries, some disgruntled people with the premonition that Gbajabiamila will win the party primary elections began to badmouth him, and posed questions such as is he the only person fit for the House of Representatives? Why must he be the only person? Or is there no other person? Consequently, when he toured the six wards

during his electioneering campaign, he cited several bills and motions he had sponsored, the unique achievements and the programmes he had executed in Surulere. Thereafter, the people cheered him to contest, and they began to call him the next speaker, and by extension the in-coming speaker of the Eighth Assembly.

As at today, Femi Gbajabiamila is facing the battle of becoming or emerging the speaker of the Eighth Assembly. Yesterday, the people of Surulere declared him the in-coming speaker. So the people of Surulere cannot be said to be wrong because according to John Scully – “the future belong to those who see possibilities before they become obvious” It is on this note that I make bold to say Femi Gbajabiamila will surely emerge speaker of the Eighth Assembly!

• Ibidapo, member of Gbajabiamila’s campaign committee (RRCC) writes from Lagos

‘Femi Gbajabiamila is facing the battle of becoming or emerging the speaker of the Eighth Assembly. Yesterday, the people of Surulere declared him the in-coming speaker. So the people of Surulere cannot be said to be wrong because according to John Scully – “the future belong to those who see possibilities before they become obvious”’

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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THE NATION

EDUCATION

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

• Okesina

• Olawoyin

• Gbolagade

Osun State University (UNIOSUN) Governing Council has fired the registrar and bursar. It recommended that the Vice-Chancellor be sacked. Some workers contend that the council's action is an abuse of power. They are calling for the release of the White Paper on the Visitation Panel’s report on UNIOSUN crisis, reports ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, who visited the school.

Battle for UNIOSUN’s soul

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INCE the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) Governing Council moved against the Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof Bashir Okesina, and two other principal officers last week, the institution has known no rest. The council fired the Registrar, Dr Julius Faniran; the Bursar, Mr Fatai Lasisi, and recommended that the VC be sacked.

The Nation learnt that the registrar and bursar refused to sign for their sack letters which were delivered to their offices by email.

The Academic Staff Union of

•Governing Council’s sanction of VC, others sparks row Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Union of Universities (SSANU), and a council member, Prof Alagbe Gbolagade, condemned the council's

‘

-Page 27

THE Ondo State Chapter of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) is embroiled in leadership crisis that has led to the emergence of two factions...

The panel constituted by Governor Rauf Aregbesola last February to probe the principal officers for alleged financial

We had a directive from our national body to hold that congress so as to prompt government to release that White Paper as quickly as possible. SSANU believes that the release of the document will not only end this crisis, but show the university the next direction it will go INSIDE

Two excos divide Ondo NAPTAN

action. They are calling for the release of the White Paper on the Visitation Panel’s report on UNIOSUN crisis.

Babcock honours Akpabio, Fashola, others today -Page 37

CAMPUS LIFE Rumpus over union leader’s impeachment -Page 29

’

misappropriation did not recommend their sack, The Nation gathered. An investigating panel set up by the council Chairman, Prof Gabriel Olawoyin (SAN) recommended their sack before the constitution of the visitation panel.

Last Friday, SSANU rose from its congress, condemning the council's decision. In a statement, its Chairman and General Secretary, Comrade Lekan Adiat and Comrade Adesigbin Akeem, asked the council to exercise restraint.

"The congress is of the considered •Continued on page 26

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

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

26

EDUCATION Dr Abiola Oladapo is the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Osun State University (UNIOSUN) chapter. In this interview, he tells ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA why the union faults the Governing Council for sacking two principal officers and recommending the removal of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Bahir Okesina.

UNIOSUN crisis: ASUU will defend due process

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HE union has condemned the action of the Governing Council. What is the rationale behind ASUU's action?

ASUU as an organisation has always been known to stand by the truth. Let me also say that ASUU has not yet called a congress. It is the extended executive that met and this not the first time we would be meeting. We are convinced that the Council is trying to jump the gun.

One, there was a crisis in the university sometimes ago and the governor of this state set up a Visitation Panel which has since concluded its assignment and submitted its report. We are all waiting for the White Paper from that report. So we felt it was not just ideal for the chairman of council or the council itself to now pronounce a judgment on a matter the visitation panel has adjudicated upon. Remember that during the investigation by the Visitation Panel was, the chairman of the council also appeared (before the panel) which equally makes him a party in the issue.

Maybe both Registrar and Bursar were accused of wrongdoings and the Council has the mandate to fire them if they found them guilty.

The funniest thing is that the •Continued from page 25 position that the Governing Council should await the decision of the Visitor and the proprietor of Osun State University. We are also aware that the White Paper on the Visitation Panel is at finishing stage of completion and submission to the Visitor," they said.

In an interview, Adiat said the congress followed a directive by SSANU national to compel the government to release the White Paper.

"It was SSANU national that actually directed us to react. If I had not called that congress, our members would have accused us of not carrying them along.

"We had a directive from our national body to hold that congress so as to prompt government to release that White Paper as quickly as possible. SSANU believes that the release of the document will not only end this crisis, but show the university the next direction it will go," he told our reporter in Osogbo, the state capital, on Sunday.

Contacted on phone, Okesina said he would speak after the White Paper is released.

"I do not want to speak for now.

Council did not allege that these principal officers committed any wrong. It was the chairman of council who made the allegation against them. Is it not funny that it is the same council chairman that now sat to determine their fate?

You cannot be a judge in your own case.

Let me use a small analogy, when case is in the Supreme Court, you don't expect a High Court to deliver a judgment on the same matter. All that is needed is for the High Court to withdraw as a sign of respect.

You just used a legal analogy.

Don't you think the Chairman has a good case considering that he is a lawyer and a senior advocate for that matter?

That you are a lawyer does not make you a perfectionist. Cases are treated on merit but in this context the position of the council is unfair

and does not show equity.

How do you convince the public that ASUU is not being sympathetic to the cause of the vice-chancellor and others?

ASUU is not! As a matter of fact, ASUU does not compromise when we have an issue to address under the present management. I recall that this year the vice-chancellor had to cut short his trip in the UK because of a problem at the home front in which ASUU kicked against. ASUU is only sympathetic to the cause of the system and not individual. What ASUU is saying is that the university system has a culture and once you are not grounded in the nuances of that culture you should politely move out; and if you are not, then you must be ready to learn.

Did ASUU intervene in the heat of the crisis?

Yes. We did that even up to national level to no avail. But according to ASUU's tradition, we would always consult and consult before finally acting. We have called on ASUU zonal coordinator to come and issue a release on the illegal suspension of the vicechancellor. The Extant Law of the university is so clear on this. And I think the Council has no power to sack the vice-chancellor and I think the Council has corrected itself, otherwise they would have gone ahead to sack the vice-chancellor.

That is why in their new act, they said they are recommending the vice-chancellor for a sack, and that is if he is guilty and I commend them for that. Don't also forget that the interpretation in that law says if you cannot hire, you cannot fire and that includes suspension.

What if the White Paper

‘ASUU is only sympathetic to the cause of the system and not individual. What ASUU is saying is that the university system has a culture and once you are not grounded in the nuances of that culture you should politely move out; and if you are not, then you must be ready to learn’

Battle for UNIOSUN’s soul All I know is that the governor has set up a Visitation Panel which has since concluded its investigation and submitted its report. But, rather than talk, I will wait for the report of the panel and government's White Paper on it. I am confident that, in the end, justice will prevail."

Olawoyin said he would not join issues with ASUU and the others.

He said: “I have read the report by ASUU but I do not want to join issues with them. I also do not want to discuss issues about the university on the pages of newspapers for now.

I remember I have done that before and I regretted my action. This is why I'm being careful this time

around.

“But let me tell you categorically that sooner or later truth will come out. There are some bits of information I do not wish to make public for now. This is why I'm ceasing further comments.

“The truth, however, is that whether anybody likes it or not UNIOSUN will survive. We all want UNIOSUN to survive and it shall survive by God's grace. Whatever we do, It is the image of the university and its survival that should be uppermost in our minds.

Thank you.”

In a four-page letter to the governor, Prof Gbolagade stated

‘But let me tell you categorically that sooner or later truth will come out.

There are some bits of information I do not wish to make public for now. This is why I'm ceasing further comments’

•A cross section of pupils at the 20th Vision 2020 Youth Empowerment and Career Awareness Initiative (YERI) organised by Lonadek Oil and Gas at the Shell Hall of the MUSON Centre, Lagos.

why he is against the council's decision.

He said it was wrong of the council chairman to have suspended Okesina, citing the law to buttress his point.

His letter reads: "The Governing Council's suspension of the vicechancellor is faulty because it has no basis in the University Establishment Laws of 2006, as the power to determine the appointment of the vice-chancellor is strictly inherent in the Visitor.

The Interpretation Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria also establishes that he who hires can fire, which were all not taken into consideration by the Governing Council while acting on the suspension of the vicechancellor."

Section 21(2) of the Osun State University Law (2006) obtained by this reporter grants the Visitor the power to raise a Visitation Panel every five years to look into the school’s affairs.

However, Section 23(1) empowers the Governing Council to sack any worker be it administrative or academic following a committee's report indicting the person. The law exempts the Chairman of Council and the Vice-chancellor.

Section 23(1) states that the removal and discipline of academic, administrative and professional staff can be done: "If it appears that there are reasons for believing that any person employed as a member of the same academic or professional staff of the university, other than the vicechancellor, should be removed from his office or employment on grounds of misconduct or of inability to perform the function of his office or employment.”

According to that section, a person accused of wrongdoing must have been served a notice by the council.

A representation on the same issue will be made by the council which will direct that a committee be set up before which the accused will be afforded the opportunity to appear and defend himself. This will be followed by sanctions which will be communicated to the person if found guilty.

•Oladapo

recommends that the vicechancellor should be axed?

We shall abide provided if we are convinced there are facts against him that are not exposed for now.

The most important thing is to allow the White Paper on the Visitation Panel's report to be made public as quickly as possible.

Immediately the sack (of Registrar and Bursar) was announced last week, ASUU appraised the situation and issued a press statement. But we were amazed that that statement was eventually adulterated by the media.

Contacted Director, Bureau of Communication, Osun State Mr Semiu Okanlawon said: "Kindly note that a panel of inquiry was set up by Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the crisis at the university and the panel has submitted its report and we expect all parties to wait for the decision of the government on the recommendations of that panel. The panel that recommended termination of the appointment of the vice chancellor is not the one set up by the governor. So, it is important all parties await the decision of the government."

The battle of wits between the pro-chancellor and the VC dates back to 2013. Last year, Olawoyin reportedly accused Okesina of "nepotism, insubordination to higher authority and drawing unauthorised allowances."

He also complained about the VC to Aregbesola. The vice chancellor defended himself in a letter dated October 2, 2014.

Things came to a head when the council suspended Okesina, the registrar, Faniran and Lassisi, on February 3.

On February 11, Aregbesola named a five-man Visitation Panel to investigate the crisis. The panel’s terms of reference included: "Investigate the basis of the simmering crisis in the university; determine the role of individuals and groups in the crisis; investigate the misunderstanding between management and Council with a view to finding lasting solutions."

Others are to: "Proffer solutions to address the issue of disintegration in relationship between students in the institution with special reference to Ikire Campus 'The professional Students Syndrome' and produce detailed report and recommendations."

The panel was chaired by Prof.

Adebiyi Daramola of the Federal University of Technology, Akure. Its members were Prof Jacob Laoye Ladipo, Prof. Omotoye Olorode (Department of Plant Science and Applied Biology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State), Babatunde Adebayo. Mrs. O. O. Kolawole, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Innovation Science and Technology, served as secretary.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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EDUCATION

Soyinka for KWASU convocation lecture

Two excos divide Ondo NAPTAN

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•732 to graduate Saturday

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OBEL Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka is scheduled to deliver the convocation lecture at the third convocation of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete on Saturday.

At a briefing on Tuesday, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof AbdulRasheed Na'Allah, told reporters that the renowned Professor of Comparative Literature would speak on a topic that is relevant to the present situation in the country, adding that "Professor Soyinka would speak from his heart".

He said 732 students would graduate this year - with six from the faculties of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Pure and Applied Sciences bagging first class honours degrees.

One hundred and seventy-four others would get Second Class Upper, 549, Second Class Lower, and three would be awarded third class.

The Vice Chancellor, who said the graduates of the university had been prepared with academic and entrepreneurial knowledge, added that some got funds from the university to start businesses, even while on campus, with the aim of making them job creators.

He, therefore, appealed to parents of the graduates to support and encourage them in their determination to create wealth and be solutions to the country.

The vice-chancellor also called on the corporate organisations, government, and others to partner with the university on research

• Prof Soyinka From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

outputs.

Asked his expectation from the new government, Na'allah urged President Muhammadu Buhari to revitalise public education in Nigeria.

He said: "Most of us here are products of public education. We were ready to defend our schools as the best. We had the best teachers; best equipment and we had the passion to make the difference in the world. Today unfortunately, most Nigerians who have something good for their young people prefer the private schools.

Today sadly too people have no more confidence in public schools.

"I think this government must take revitalisation of public education as one area of major change for Nigeria. If public education is revitalised and parents begin to have confidence in public education a lot of changes will come to this nation. ‘’The Federal Government should declare state of emergency on public education and mobilise state and local governments to revitalise public education in Nigeria."

HE Ondo State Chapter of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) is embroiled in leadership crisis that has led to the emergence of two factions - one led by Abimbola Omojola, and the other by Tunde Asho.

The Nation learnt that trouble started when Omojola refused to allow the chapter conduct a state congress where new leaders would be elected.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of NAPTAN had on February 24, this year directed its Southwest Coordinator, Pastor Julius Olaribigbe, to conduct election in Ondo state.

Following the NEC directive, Olaribigbe dissolved the pro-tem executive committee led by Omojola and announced a date for election.

Omojola was said to have rejected the dissolution of the executive committee and made attempts to stall the congress.

His argument was that he was duly elected as chairman of Ondo chapter and inaugurated on February 20, 2014 at the Teachers’ House, Akure.

But a letter of appointment dated February 20, 2014 showed that Omojola was to serve as pro-tem

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

chairman pending the NEC order to conduct election.

The letter, signed by Olaribigbe, who was the immediate past state chairman, read: "I am pleased to appoint you as the chairman of Ondo State PTA under the authority of the Southwest chapter of NAPTAN. "This is consequent upon the expiration of my tenure and the current face-off between the National and Regional chapters of NAPTAN. "As earlier scheduled, you are to report at the Teachers' House, Oda road, Akure, for your inauguration.

"By this appointment and with the certificate issued to you, you will be expected to run the affairs of Ondo state PTA until the NEC, which is constitutionally empowered to conduct state election, is constituted."

It was learnt that the national congress of the association took place in January 2015 in Abuja, where Olaribigbe was elected as Southwest coordinator with constitutional powers to conduct elections into the executive council of the six states in the southwest.

At the NEC meeting of February 24, the southwest coordinator was given

an order to conduct Ondo state election which took place on April 29, 2015, where the Asho-led executive committee was elected.

The new executive committee suspended Omojola from the association through a letter dated May 11, 2015, for colluding with one Benjamin Dugeri to concoct a letter as NAPTAN national secretary to stop the state congress.

He was also accused of refusing to hand over the NAPTAN property in his possession and sponsoring some PTA executive members outside Ondo state to destabilise the chapter.

Omojola, however, insisted that he was duly elected at a properly conducted state congress of the chapter in 2014.

He said: "In December, 2013, the state executive committee was dissolved and a congress cum transition committee was set up.

Pastor Olaribigbe made himself chairman of the committee.

"Nomination of candidates based on zoning arrangement was presented and adopted. All candidates were made to pay based on positions they were vying for. After fulfilling all conditions, election was conducted and officers were duly elected."

• The renovated sickbay building.

Poise Nigeria alumni donate sick bay

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O promote health, the Stream 30 of Poise Nigeria, a finishing school, has donated a sick bay to Oregun Senior High School, Ikeja, Lagos.

The community service project was implemented as part of the re-

By Jane Chijioke

quirement for graduation.

A nine-man committee from the class visited the school discovered and an urgent need for a sick bay.

They completed an abandoned building on the school premises,

painted and equipped it to serve as a sick bay.

Despite challenges of inadequate cash, transport issues and unscrupulous artisans, the group completed the project, which began on April 20, this year, on May 7.

2,000 pupils for ‘Project Capable’ summit

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ELEBRITIES in the entertainment industry will mentor over 2,000 pupils drawn from both public and private secondary schools during a summit titled: 'Project Capable'.

The theme of the programme scheduled to hold at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Wednesday next week, is: 'YES! Young, Empowered and Succeeding.'

The annual event is organised by Rubies Ink Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation that helps secondary school age pupils to

By Kingsley Diko

discover themselves through programmes and life coaching sessions.

The guest speakers are Waje, Seyi Law and Mannie, all popular entertainers.

Team Leader and Project coordinator, Esther Ijewere-Kalejaiye, said of the project: "Our aim is to influence the lives of teenagers by being part of their growth process and activities through out-of-class educative programmes and to make the role of celebrities and youth advocates more useful in their

everyday contribution to the growth of the nation's teenagers by sustaining them as behavioural and attitudinal change agents of our society".

Rubies Ink held its first summit in 2009 where Nigerian celebrities and youth advocates such as, Mi Abaga, Desmond Elliot, Kate Henshaw, Jimmy Jatt, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Tolu Sangosanya, Praise Fowowe and Uti Nwachukwu among others counseled pupils.

Project Capable is endorsed and approved by the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

New rector resumes at Bida Polytechnic

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• Rev J.O. Kehinde Adeyemi of the Diocese of Lagos Central, Methodist Church Nigeria, turning the sod of the proposed Wesley High School, Ojo.

R Abubakar Dzukogi has been confirmed as the substantive Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State.

The appointment took effect from May 21.

Dzukogi studied Mass Communication at the Bayero University Kano (BUK) and with Second Class (Upper Division) in July 1983. He had his M.Sc. (Mass Communication) from the University of Lagos in 1990. He attended a short

By Jide Orintunsin, Minna

course in "Publish & Develop" in 1994 from the University of Edinburgh (U.K) and had his PhD (Mass Communication) in October, 2012 from Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi.

The new Rector joined the polytechnic as a Lecturer III in the then Department of Liberal Arts on December 3, 1984 and served in various capacities such as Head, Department of Mass Communication;

Acting Dean, School of Applied Arts and Sciences; Director, Academic Planning Unit; Director, Directorate of Continuing Education; Deputy Rector, and Acting Rector.

Dzukogi served as Representative of Academic Board on the Governing council of the Polytechnic between 2009 and 2011 and till his appointment as the Rector, he served as the Representative of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida on the Governing council of Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

28

EDUCATION

Education managers need training, says NIEPA boss For over 20 years, the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) has focused on building capacity for education planners and administrators.

However,2w its Director, Peter Ojedele, laments that such training has not become a culture in Nigeria. He tells SEUN AKIOYE about best practice scenario.

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INCE its establishment in 1992, do you think NIEPA has fulfilled its mandate?

From its inception in 1992, NIEPA set out to transmit the most essential knowledge and practical knowhow needed to build the capacity for educational planning, management, monitoring and evaluation in the Nigerian education system. It is focused on producing for the nation and the sub-region articulate, seasoned, well grounded and technically skilled education managers, planners and administrators needed to ensure quality, efficiency and relevance in all spheres of the education system. To a large extent, I can emphatically say that we have fulfilled salient objectives of the founding fathers of NIEPA which of course include the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), UNESCO and IIEP Paris.

NIEPA’s training programmes have impacted on head teachers, principals, planners at the Federal Ministry of Education level, State Ministry of Education and Local Government Education Authority levels. We have also trained and retrained planners and managers in the tertiary institutions and private educational institutions in Nigeria.

The Institute is intended to serve the West African sub-region, but we have been more involved in training stakeholders in Nigeria because of the large size of the country and the enormity of problems bedeviling the Nigerian education system.

Before 2013 when the Annual Training Programme (ATP) was established, what was NIEPA’s major activity?

NIEPA has contributed immensely to building the capacity of education sector planners and managers. The institute has trained over 30,000 planners in the Federal and state Ministries of Education as well as over 15,000 principals of public schools and 3,000 principals of private schools in Nigeria. The Institute is also collaborating with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs to train head teachers of public primary schools in Nigeria on school effectiveness. Between 2011 and 2015 when the programme started, the Institute has trained 37,000 head teachers. We also trained registrars of polytechnics and some other workers of higher institutions of learning including Nigeria French Language Village and National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Before the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme started in Nigeria, NIEPA collaborated with World Bank to carry out capacity assessment of 16 states of the federation for its take off. The institute is currently working with Commonwealth of Learning to build the capacity of its professional staff in Distance Learning mode of training and in building the capacity of school principals on leadership skills.

How successful has the ATP been?

Well to a large extent the Annual Training Programme (ATP) which we started in 2013 has been successful. But we have been solely respon-

sible for sourcing for participants and registering for the programme across various states in Nigeria.

Until it is made compulsory that education managers across the states have to come and undergo training in NIEPA, maybe as part of pre-requisite for their career progression, participants’ regular training may be affected. But be that as it may, we have trained many participants from Federal and States Ministries of Education.

NIEPA had no seed grant, how has the Institute survived and how do you hope to generate funding in the future?

The government has been providing capital and operational cost for the institute like other parastatals within the available resources. With increasing patronage of the institute’s training programmes, as it is done in other parts of the world, NIEPA can increase its revenue base.

What would you advise the incoming minister of education to do for the institute?

The incoming Minister should as a matter of urgency give attention to educational planning, the need for credible data, and capacity building of teachers and school managers at all levels of the education system. Accredited government institutions should be allowed to take the lead in the above mentioned areas. NIEPA should be given due recognition so that it can serve the purpose for which it was established

by UNESCO and made to enjoy the patronage of all the stakeholders in education in Nigeria so that it can grow and develop like NIEPA, India that has transformed into National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), India.

Where do you see NIEPA in four years?

Honestly, I see NIEPA taking its prime position as the hub of educational planning in Nigeria. I see NIEPA having a critical mass of articulate and well motivated staff. I see the Institute taking its pride of place among other capacity building institutions across the globe like UNESCO/IIEP, Paris, SISMOINNOTECH in Philippine, National Institute for Educational Planning Argentina, as well as the National University of Educational Planning, India.

•Entrance to LASPOTECH. Inset: Lawal

As Dr Abdulazeez Lawal bids farewell to the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), he takes pride in his achievements and refutes allegations of fraud and highhandedness, reports KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE.

I surpassed my expectations at LASPOTECH, says ex-rector

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R Abdulazeez Abioye Lawal bowed out as the rector of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) yesterday after a tenure he described as one that has strengthened the foundation of the polytechnic for future successes.

For that, he told The Nation in an interview that he is grateful - especially as his focus at the beginning four years ago was just to stabilise an institution he met in crisis.

"When I assumed this position, my goal mainly was (to change) what I found in existence which was serious financial crisis - financial crisis that we could not pay part time lecturers for even two, three semesters.

Honorarium for semester, we could not pay; examination allowance, we could not pay; pension, we could not remit. We met a lot of liabilities. Sincerely, my goal was to ensure that at least I will stabilise the polytechnic and if I will be able to improve a bit on the human capacity and improve on the ICT and improve on the infrastructure, I think I have achieved.

"But by the grace of God today I have achieved beyond my expectation because I am an accidental rector. I didn't conceive that I will become this rector and as a result of that I had no strategic plan when I became the rector. It was when I became the rector that I formed a committee that we started coming out with a strategic plan."

Lawal is credited for massively developing infrastructure in the institution's main campus in Ikorodu, which prior to his tenure boasted mostly of small bungalows. However a source in the polytechnic (who does not wish to be named) noted that once in the saddle, he claimed years of un-accessed grants from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and used it to provide the institution with much needed infrastructure. He also got funding from the Lagos State government and endowments.

The result was the construction of modern lecture theatres, provision of relevant equipment for various laboratories, as well as the development of a directorate for Information Communication Technology (ICT).

In his address at the institution's 23rd convocation on April 9, 2015,

Lawal listed over 20 infrastructural projects he was able to complete during his tenure.

He told The Nation that the institution is now ideal for teaching and learning.

"When we moved the seat of administration to Ikorodu in 2000, we had little development there. But today, the Ikorodu campus is an ideal academic environment. We have been able to develop the physical infrastructure. We have been able to provide modern equipment for virtually all the departments within the polytechnic, especially in the field of engineering. We have also been able to provide modern lecture theatres for the School of Agriculture and the School of Management and Administration to the extent that some of the institutions outside Lagos come to Ikorodu to look at the facilities in our modern lecture theatres," he said.

Lawal also takes pride in the academic culture being established in the institution as a result of training.

He said the TETFund training grant came in handy in this regard as well.

However, the rector's tenure was not without its challenges, especially towards the end. Last month, one Adelaja Waheed Aderibigbe of the Council Affairs Unit, Registry Department of the polytechnic petitioned former Governor Babatunde Fashola to investigate allegations leveled against him. They included: claims of highhandedness, persecution of perceived enemies, financial recklessness, and imposition of an anointed candidate as his successor.

He was even alleged to own a company that handled contracts for the polytechnic.

Debunking the allegations, Lawal said the claim of highhandedness and persecution were from lecturers who were properly investigated and punished according to due process having been found guilty of offences ranging from sexual harassment to mutilation of examination scripts.

Lawal also said he could defend how the institution's money was spent, saying: "In my own management we have access to records. I strongly believe that I was prudent in the sense that my distracters put me on my toes. Because whatever I wanted to do, they will have the pho-

‘I have achieved beyond my expectation because I am an accidental rector. I didn't conceive that I will become this rector and as a result of that I had no strategic plan when I became the rector’ •Ojedele

tocopies of these things. I do things which I can defend anywhere and any day."

Regarding the appointment of a new rector for the polytechnic, Lawal said he did not influence the selection process for his successor. He said due process was followed throughout by the selection team which was made up of some executive council members of the former governor, three commissioners, a former recto, three rectors from other polytechnics, and a consulting firm, Philips Consulting.

Lawal added that he did not award contracts to any firm of his own but on merit.

"I have no hand in the selection of any successor. My prayer is that the person who will continue with my good work will be selected by the governor. Then I have no company, if I have company you will see the number of houses that I should have by now. Before I became the rector I was financially okay because that is my style. I lecture and I get money everywhere and I am a trainer, consultant. The only thing which I do is that I ensure that when you want to award contract particularly TETFUND project you award with those who would be able to deliver.

I do not put sentiments. I ensure that if you are unable to deliver with tetfund you will not be able to access more," he said.

In future, he hopes LASPOTECH would evolve from being an institution claimed to be owned by a group of people to one that serves the whole state.

He said: "It is high time we changed our orientation. If you look at the Lagos State University (LASU) the Aworis will believe LASU belongs to them; if you look at Epe the people from Epe believe that the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Norforija, Epe, belongs to them, if you look at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), it is the same. Until we change that orientation that this thing belongs to us in Lagos State we will continue to encounter problems. If you look at the history of Lagos State Polytechnic today, the belief of that region is that only those from Ikorodu should become the rector. They consider the polytechnic to be their right and they also believe that the Ikorodu people have been marginalised; that most of the people who have been rector are from Lagos Island. At this stage what we need is for somebody who will be able to improve the polytechnic not that he is from Lagos Island or Ikorodu."

Students set agenda for Buhari

*CAMPUSES

‘Give us back our union’

*NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS *GRANTS

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THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE 0805-450-3104 email: campusbeat@yahoo.com THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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

email:- campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

Students’ Union leader’s removal causes stir Noble Eyisi, President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital, has been impeached. He is accusing the ViceChancellor, Prof Joseph Ahaneku, of instigating his removal, following his letter to the management on “students’ welfare”.

OKECHUKWU NNODUM reports.

AS Noble Eyisi impeached as president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Akwa, the Anambra State capital, because of his differences with the Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Joseph Ahaneku? Was he removed because he sold out? These are some of the posers thrown up by Noble’s controversial removal.

Noble and his loyalistis are alleging that the VC instigated his removal. But members of the Students Representatives’ Council (SRC) are saying that there is no truth in their allegation.

Noble, a few days ago, wrote Prof Ahaneku, demanding to know the amount that has accrued to the union from students’ dues.

He said he wrote to demand answers to “pertinent questions bordering on the students’ welfare”.

But, his colleagues in SRC said the letter is in bad taste.

The May 4 letter sought answers to issues on finances and alleged

W

•I’m being victimised, says ex-president •VC: he’s impolite

•Noble

•Prof Ahaneku

exploitation of students. It alleged that the SUG had yet to access its account to know how much it got from levies.

It demanded to know why the fee paid by applicants for the postUnified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was increased from N1,000 to N2,000. The letter demanded the reason freshers were asked to pay N7,500 for biometric capturing, alleging that N45 million was generated from the exercise. Over 6,000 students admitted for the 2014/2015 academic session paid.

In response, the VC summoned the union members to a meeting, where he accused Noble of being impolite. He also denied all allegations. After the meeting, Noble was allegedly maltreated by the school security men, who seized his phone.

In the heat of the controversy, SRC Speaker Nzube Nnamani convened a meeting last Friday

where Noble was impeached for gross misconduct, unsound mind and embezzlement.

In a statement, chairman of Committee on Media, Freedom Chimereze, said Noble’s impeachment was a decision taken by “over two-third” members at a sitting held on May 22.

Freedom said: “Noble was found to be of unsound mind and has been impeached for gross misconduct, incompetence, embezzlement, impersonation of the SRC Speaker. He has been told to return all the union’s properties in his possession within seven days as stipulated by the constitution.

The Vice President, Precious Ozems, has been asked to assume office as the Acting President.”

But Noble described his impeachment as unfortunate, alleging victimisation by the management. Although he said there was disagreement among the union members before his letter, he said

the authorities fueled the crisis.

He said: “My impeachment was instigated by the management.

Normally, the process of removal of elected union officers takes time but in my own case, it was hurried up. I would not say much as I am watching the unfolding events. Anytime, any day, I will always stand on the side of students.”

On what caused the union’s crisis, Noble said it was his decision to remove Transport Task Fund, a levy paid by transporters on the campus. He said the union executive kicked against it, but he took the decision in students’ interest.

The impeachment jolted students, some of who took to social media to discuss it. A former SRC member, Ifeanyi Eze, faulted the impeachment, saying the SRC members were misguided in removing the president.

Ifeanyi said: “Noble is the best president that has led the SUG.

None of his predecessors is as outspoken, bold and student-oriented as him. Unfortunately, our so-called representatives and executive members colluded to remove him. Their decision is myopic.”

Emeka Eze, a student, said the SRC members and not Noble are incompetent and of unsound mind. “Noble is a president whose love for the students is incontestable. He reduced transport fare and saved students from being swindled of N7.5 million by members of the union and transporters. It is unfortunate that people who claimed to represent us have allowed sentiments to becloud their sense of judgment,” he said.

A close friend of the ousted president, who pleaded not to be named, said the worst has befallen UNIZIK. He said: “It is a shame to the

•Nigerian students conquer Africa•-P32 FUPRE students to construct racing car-P33

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

30

CAMPUS LIFE

How do we recreate Pushing Out our varsities? with

“I

HAD series of discussions with a parent who has three children in different universities across the country recently. He lamented that he spends millions of naira annually in fees and upkeep of his children and was wondering what jobs they would get in present day Nigeria to compensate for the huge funds he will, in the end, expend on their education. One of our discussions veered into the area of course relevance and the challenges of the 21st century where change is quite rapid.

“I discover that most of the content of courses offered in our universities today is not in tune with current realities, I even learnt that some lectures still use notes from the 1990s to teach students in this age and time. I also painfully discovered that a good percentage of them have stopped researching for various reasons,” he told me.

He’s not the only one with these concerns.

Without mincing words, our varsities need reform if we are to effectively key into the knowledge era. In their essay: “Learning for a World of Constant Change: Homo Sapiens, Home Faber & Homo Ludens revisited,” Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown argued that for much of the 20th century, learning had focused on the acquisition of skills or transmission of information “or what we define as ‘learning about.”’

They added that near the end of the 20th century learning theorists started to recognise the value of “learning to be,” of putting learning into a situated context that deals with systems and identity as well as the transmission of knowledge. “We want to suggest that now even that is not enough. Although learning about and learning to be worked well in a relatively stable world, in a world of constant flux, we need to embrace a theory of learning to become. Where most theories of learning see becoming as a transitional state toward becoming something, we want to suggest that the 21st century requires us to think of learning as a practice of becoming over and over again...to embrace change and focus on becoming as central and persistent elements of learning.”

Why should we be bothered about recreat-

ing our varsities? The answer is simple. Knowledge has become the most important factor for economic 08116759750 development in the 21st century.

(SMS only) Through its capacity to augment productivity, it increasingly constitutes the •aagboa@gmail.com foundation of a country’s competitive advantage.

This change, as expected, is most evident in India, 310 for Indonesia, and 5,440 for Brazil. developed countries, where investments in the Nigeria’s low research output reflects the low intangibles that makes up the knowledge base priority accorded R&D by government decisionof a country (e.g., research and development, makers. This is not only applicable in the scihigher education, computer software, patents) ences alone, it cuts across all disciplines. equals, or even exceeds investments in physical As we are on the threshold of a new dispensaequipment. Nigeria and other developing tion, innovative thinking and new strategies economies, while affected by these transforma- are seriously needed to serve as essential guides tions, are not yet reaping their benefits because to future educational provision and practice. they’ve not effectively invested in it.

Such strategies should include improvement of When the “Asian tigers” burst forth industri- evaluation and accreditation systems, review ally in the 1990s, their ‘economic miracle’ was of programs to make them more responsive to linked to substantial prior investment in hu- societal needs, informed management of higher man resources. These strategic investments were education, promotion of university linkages deliberate. Their university systems were over- with the private sector, and involvement in hauled; extent intellectual property protection policy analysis through research. laws were reviewed. As expected, this led to the In addition, improvement of higher educahistorical evolution of industrial Research and tion will require more effective utilisation of Development (R&D) and the mutually benefi- new information and communication technolocial partnership between private industries, uni- gies. Our varsities will need to review their versities and government in R&D. missions and come up with specific strategic Research suggests that public policy plays an plans based on each university’s unique situaimportant role in shaping national innovative tion, as well as national and global issues affectcapacity by determining human capital invest- ing universities. ments and creating incentives for innovation.

A number of programs already address the Countries that have increased their innovative issue of 21st century skills. For example, the Partcapacities have invested heavily in science and nership for 21st Century Skills (P21), a U.S. advoengineering education in addition to arts and cacy organization formed in 2002, developed a humanities. This often leads to the promotion vision of the broader set of skills required for of competition as the basis for innovation. success in the 21st century. These include core Does Nigeria possess the necessary elements skills covered by the existing curriculum in most to develop a national innovation system? We countries - language, mathematics, science, and have, but the facts are not encouraging. Where arts - combined with 21st century themes such as data is available, it indicates low levels of in- environmental awareness and the impacts of vestment in research capacity and education. globalization. These are complemented by learnThis explains why our non-oil economy has re- ing and innovation skills, information media mained consistently sluggish over the years. and technology skills, and life and career skills.

On the research side, Nigeria’s number of sciIt is possible to build on the P21 framework entific publications is negligible. For instance, which will enhance capacity in problem solvfrom 1,062 scientific publications in 1981, it fell ing and decision making, creative and critical to a mere 711 in 1995. In contrast, scientific pub- thinking, collaboration, communication, and lications were 3,413 for South Africa, 14,883 for negotiation, intellectual curiosity and the abil-

Students’ Union leader’s removal causes stir •Continued from page 29

members of the SRC for fighting the person, who protects and champions good cause for all students. Noble, on assumption of duties, sacrificed the money accruable to him from the transport fund for the overall benefit of students. On several occasions, he conveyed students in his official bus to their destinations whenever there was transportation challenge.

“For the first time, Noble brought all campuses of the school under one umbrella. Before his impeachment, Noble moved for the reduction of food prices from N200 to N150 within the campuses and this was greeted by opposition from his traducers. The last straw that broke the camel’s back was his recent letter to the Vice-Chancellor, which was made open after the response he got from the management was not satisfactory.”

But, a member of the executive, said a vote of no confidence was passed on Noble because he sidelined his colleagues. He said Noble preferred to consult his personal aides, rather than elected executive members, before taking decisions.

Philips Ferguson, a final year student, faulted Noble’s removal, saying the ousted president should have been encouraged for his good intentions. He said: “Noble Eyisi may be wrong in his approach to certain issues but no-

body can fault his intentions. Reducing the price of transport and food is good. Questioning the university authority on the union finances is also good because it is the responsibility of leaders to ask question if there is anything unclear to them. But what I fault is his approach. The impeachment was orchestrated by selfish members of the union.”

The Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr Emmanuel Ojukwu, dismissed the allegation that the VC instigated the impeachment. Rather, he said the embattled president approached the management to prevail on his colleagues not to impeach him.

He said: “Let it be made clear that the management has not, in anyway, harassed any student for holding a particular opinion. Despite his stance Noble is still occupying his room in the hostel.

Neither the impeached SUG president nor any his friends are being harassed as being speculated.

“The University is aware that Noble Eyisi had a misunderstanding with his colleagues in the union for several weeks. He pleaded with the management to save him from impeachment already served on him by the SRC and he was clearly told to go back and mend fences with his colleagues as the university authorities did not want to be seen to be interfering in students’ union affairs.”

Agbo Agbo

ity to find, select, structure, and evaluate information.

Additionally, effective economic and social operation in the 21st century demands adaptability, cultural awareness and advanced critical thinking and information literacy skills, demanding continuing learning opportunities in vital areas of the arts and humanities. The constant herdsmen/farmers clash in some parts of the country readily comes to mind which further points to the fact that we need new sets of skills, but it appears our varsities have all gone to sleep.

While we are sleeping, many 21st century skills are already supported by curricula around the world. For example, the U.K. science curriculum is designed to enable students to develop a number of skills such as teamwork and creative problem solving. Efforts are also made to translate theory into practice.

The transformation of skills and technology use cannot take place without a new approach to system reform. There has been a revolutionary change in nearly every dimension of society, with the exception of our lecture halls where we continue to reinforce traditional approaches to teaching. Changing this will require leaders to develop a compelling vision of 21st century learning, communicate it with passion, and ensure that it is translated into action at all levels of the system.

The factors responsible for the poor quality of university programs (and graduates) appear to be both internal and external to the universities. Internal factors include strikes, lack of employee motivation, and weak accountability for educational performance. External factors comprise lecturer shortages, corruption, inconsistent funding efforts by government, and admissions based on quotas rather than merit.

It is about time we take a look again at the Higher Education Policy Reforms which was formulated years ago to infuse quality into the university system in order to bring back its old glory in line with international standards. As things stand now there is a mismatch between teaching in our tertiary institutions and the needs of the labour markets. In essence, graduates from our institutions have acquired skills which are not demanded by the labour market. This, no doubt, is the major reason for the soaring unemployment rate in the country.

Knowledge, as a 21st century currency, is necessary but not sufficient for today’s success because Students need skills to be able to apply their knowledge. This is today’s critical challenge.

ESSAY CONTEST FOR UNDERGRADUATES The Nation, Nigeria, in collaboration with African Liberty Organisation for Development (ALOD) and Network for a Free Society (NFS), is calling for entries into the 2015 essay competition.

Details are as follows: Topic: Government regulations and controls are the biggest threat to jobs in Africa today. Discuss using practical examples Participants must discuss the topic using contemporary examples.

Qualification: Participant must be a student in any tertiary institutions (university, polytechnic, college of education and technical schools) in all African countries. The format of the text should be in Microsoft Word and not more than 1,500 words.

Interested student can visit: www.networkforafreesociety.org for useful background materials on the theme of this contest. Be informed that no participant is allowed to lift materials directly from works of any author and claim to be his/her own. Plagiarism automatically disqualifies any entry, which contains work of another author.

If any text or sentence is copied from another author’s work, it must be shown in quotation marks and writer must credit the original author at the bottom of the paper.

On the first page of the completed essay, participant must write his/her full names, department, and year of study and name of institution. Also include your email address and functional mobile phone number.

All entries should be sent to: adedayo.thomas@gmail.com Entries will be received between March 26 and June 26, 2015. Late entries will not be accepted.

Winners will be announced on July 29, 2015.

PRIZES 1st-George Ayittey (Platinum Prize): $1,000 and scholarship to the 2015 Liberty Camp in Kenya from August 5 to 9, 2015 OR Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA) in Ghana from August 19 to 23, 2015 2nd-Anthony Fisher (Gold Prize): $700 and scholarship to the 2015 Liberty Camp in Kenya from August 5 to 9, 2015 OR Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA) in Ghana from August 19 to 23, 2015 3rd-Franklin Cudjoe (Silver Prize): $500 and scholarship to the 2015 Liberty Camp in Kenya from August 5 to 9, 2015 OR Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA) in Ghana from August 19 to23, 2015 4th- The Nation CAMPUSLIFE (Media Bronze Prize): $300 and scholarship to the 2015 Liberty Camp in Kenya from August 5 to 9, 2015 OR Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA) in Ghana from August 19 to 23, 2015 We also have eight consolation prize of $50 each.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

31

CAMPUS LIFE Like many Nigerians, students are looking forward to President Muhammadu Buhari solving the nation’s problems urgently. To them, the best way he can succeed is by prioritising his programmes. IBRAHIM JATTO (Zoology) and HALIMAH AKANBI (300-Level Law, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto) report.

“I

AM for everybody and I am for nobody.” This is a quote from the inaugural speech of President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday after he took the oath of office.

Going by the tone of his delivery, it appears the change which the people are yearning for may have begun.

Buhari, a former military Head of State, was sworn in as the fifth democratically-elected president.

He defeated the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 28 election.

Buhari’s second coming as leader is at a time of enormous challenges for the nation. The country has been battling Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast, high-level corruption, crumbling economy and infrastructure decay. At the twilight of the last administration, the problem was compounded by feul scarcity and drop in power supply.

Although the Buhari administration has taken off, the challenges are yet to disappear. Given the widespread support enjoyed by Buhari, much is expected from him.

How can the government endear itself to the people through its message of change? Students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, advised President Buhari to prioritise his programmes in the first 100 days.

Ezekiel Efeobhokhan, a 400Level Pharmacy student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), does not expect much from the president in the first 100 days.

“President Buhari cannot solve all the nation’s challenges,” he said, adding: “He can only solve some of the problems at a time.”

Ezekiel said he believed there would be change in the way the

•Toyin

•Kingsley

•Jennifer

Students set agenda for Buhari nation is run, going by the president’s courage and integrity.

He added: “Within the first 100 days, I want President Buhari to restore rule of law in the polity and fish out rogues, who are milking the nation dry by stealing our crude oil. This may be somewhat a difficult task that may take longer time, but he should set the record.”

Toyin Ali, a 300-Level Law student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), wants President Buhari to focus on youth and socio-economic development. He said: “He should also extend his scope of governance on to the other sectors of the economy to create employment opportunities.

It is no news that the youth are suffering because of unemployment. He must keep to his prom-

power and economy,” he said.

Jamylah Yusuf, a 200-Level Law student of UDUS, said President Buhari must prioritise the rescue of the 219 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State, last year. She said: “Expectations are high, but I want the president to rescue the Chibok girls and deal with shortfall in power supply. After this, he can now move to other sectors to effect changes.”

Jennifer Umeh, a Mass Communication student of the Federal

Polytechnic in Offa (OFFA POLY), Kwara State, said: “I expect the president to rejig the fight against corruption and reduce it to the barest minimum. This, I believe, will restore our pride and the values that past governments have dented.”

Aminat Afolabi, a final year Chemistry student of UNILORIN, said the government should be concerned with the salaries of workers and gratuity of pensioners because “they are really going through hard times”.

Kingsley Amatanweze, an Engineering graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), said: “I expect President Buhari to produce a workable roadmap for combating corruption, reduce the huge salaries of politicians and make the country work again.”

enough, EEDC connects our light once in a day and supply University Market Road for four days.

Majority of us often dress shabbily to lectures because there is no electricity to iron our shirts.”

He said the students decided to embark on the protest because they could no longer bear the situation.

A protester, who simply gave

his name as Okechukwu, said: “EDDC has been treating us bad because we are students. We do not have money to induce its officials like Ankis Bread Factory and residents of University Market Road; that is why EEDC prefers supplying them light more, despite that we bought the transformer.

“EDDC should disconnect Ankis and University Market Road people immediately from our transformer or we will not allow them to gain access to the transformer whenever they are coming to disconnect our light.”

Vikki added that the students were not also happy over the outrageous electricity bills, despite the poor electricity supply to the area.

“They supply electricity twice in a week but at the end of the month, EEDC would give us outrageous bills, not considering that we are students, “ he said.

Mr Sunday Ajaegbu, the Operational Manager of EEDC, praised the students for their peaceful conduct, promising that the power company would look into their grievances.

He said: “I commend you for the peaceful protest and I want to assure you that your complaints will be promptly looked into by the management. Changes will be made.”

The students promised to return to EEDC office if the power supply did not improve. After Ajaegbu’s address, the students allowed staff of the firm into the premises. They also left to their hostels, singing and dancing to solidarity songs.

‘Within the first 100 days, I want President Buhari to restore rule of law in the polity and fish out rogues, who are milking the nation dry by stealing our crude oil’ ise of providing jobs for the willing youths. This should his topmost priority.”

To Abdulrazaq Ahmed, a 300Level Law student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), security should be the priority of the new government.

Buhari, he said, should consider strengthening security agencies in counter-terrorism measures to contain insurgency in the Northeast. “If security challenge is solved in the first 100 days, this will set the pace for recovery in

Day of rage Students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) disrupted activities at the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) over poor power supply in Odenigwe area.

OLADELE OGE reports.

T

HE district office of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in Nsukka did not know what hit it last Tuesday. Protesting students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), stormed the office over outrageous billing and poor power supply.

The about 120 protesters are residents of Odenigwe area, which is close to the campus. At 10: 20am, they arrived at the EEDC office, blocked the entrance and prevented members of staff and customers from gaining access.

They alleged favouritism in power supply to the area, noting

•Ezekiel

•Protesters at the power company

that the company deliberately cut off their neighbourhood from its distribution service. Their spokesman, Mr Hope Vikki, said the students embarked on the protest because of “unfair treatment” by EEDC. In 2010, Vikki said students living in Odenigwe contributed N750 each to buy a new transformer to end blackout in the area

but power supply has remained poor. Rather, he said a bakery and residents of University Market Road, who did not contribute to buy the transformer, enjoy power supply.

He said: “EEDC, without our permission, connected Ankis Bread Factory and houses on University Market Road to the transformer we bought. As if that is not

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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CAMPUS LIFE

T

HE Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof Mark Wokocha, has told the graduands of the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Umunze, Anambra State, to see their induction into the council as a call to commit themselves to professionalism.

Wokocha gave the charge at the maiden registration and induction for the college’s graduating students in Master’s, Post-Diploma in Education (PDE), degree and National Certificate in Education programmes.

He disclosed that the induction was part of the measures put in place to check quackery in teaching profession. He said the council had objectives to regulate teachers’ education, training and practice at all levels to ensure quality, discipline and professionalism in line with standards.

Wokocha said the council had set out to achieve its aims by promoting excellence in education through effective registration, certification and licensing of teachers, monitoring and supervision of teachers.

He appealed to the inductees to hold the profession in high esteem, adding that those who did not pass the teachers’ professional examination set by the council would have opportunity to re-take it after the ceremony.

•The inductees posing for photograph with Prof Ogbuagu and TRCN officials

College inducts 784 teachers From Emeka Chukwuemeka

AWKA The Provost, Prof Josephat Ogbuagu, congratulated the graduates on their induction, advising them to abide by the council’s regulation.

He said the college trained the graduates in collaboration with Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka for it to issue certificates for degree, NCE and PDE programmes.

He said: “The college has never been left out in the national educa-

tional drive towards professionalism; that is ýwhy it started with Teacher Technical Certificate (TTC) which was in vogue at its inception.

With the commencement of the PDE programme, TRCN has considered all other previously accepted

programmes, which had never been reviewed for more than 10 years now automatically closed down. This is particularly true of TTC and other related programmes, which pre-date PDE.” Ogbuagu advised those who have not got their TRCN certificate to do so in their own interest. He urged the inductees to be excellent teachers that and show good examples.

UNICAL matriculates 6,395

T

HE University of Calabar (UNICAL), last week, matriculated freshers into its fulltime programmes. No fewer than 6,395 students took the oath at a ceremony held at the school pavilion.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Epoke, congratulated the students on scaling through the admission hurdles. He said more than 25,000 applicants chose the university as their first choice during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but 12,340 scored above 180 to qualify in JAMB and were invited for the attitude test, through which 6,395 candidates were admitted,” Epoke reminded the freshers of task ahead of them, advising them to abide by the school rules and regulation.

•Prof Epoke

•Some of the freshers at the ceremony From Stanley Uchegbu, Frank Ejeagbasi and Kingsley Charles

UNICAL He said: “It is a great challenge to all of you, who have been given admission, to live up to expectation and defend your admission by working hard and passing your examinations very well. You are ex-

pected to keep to the rules and regulations of the school, bearing in mind that ignorance is no excuse for defaulters.”

He said students must have 75 per cent lecture attendance to be allowed to write examination, stressing that his administration has zero tolerance for examination malpractice and vices that could tarnish the

Tributes as college honours Chukwumerije

I

T was a moment of tributes and encomiums at the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Umunze, Anambra State, when members of the college community paid their last respect to the late Senator Uche Chukwumerije, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education.

Prof Josephat Ogbuagu, Provost of the college, led staff and students to the college’s main auditorium, where the event was held. He urged the nation to immortalise the late lawmaker for his contribution to the development of the country.

Ogbuagu, who described the death of the late senator as a great loss, said Chukwumerije’s interventions in education issues were incalculable.

He said: “As a Fellow and worthy ambassador of this college, we organised this event in honour of the late Senator Chukwumerije, a politi-

From Emeka Chukwuemeka

AWKA cal titan and technocrat. He was a shining light and a pathfinder. We will miss his contribution to nation-building, because his death has left a vacuum that would be too hard to fill.

He was a consummate and passionate Nigerian, who believed in the peace and unity of the nation.”

While many may disagree with his views, Ogbuagu said most Nigerians never doubted the late Chukwumerije’s patriotism and commitment to build a peaceful nation for all citizens.

He added: “As a senator, the late Chukwumerije maintained his typical boldness and most of the time became vocal minority against poor legislative decisions. He ýhad paid his dues for Nigeria in his definitive style

over the years. He showed in clear terms that he was a technocrat and a political giant. We pray for the repose of his soul.”

In her remarks, Lady J.C. Madichie, Deputy Provost, said the best way to immortalise the late icon was to imbibe his principles and virtues for which he lived.

“Senator Chukwumerije was a fearless fighter, whose back never touched the sand.

We cannot fill the vacuum left by his death,” she said, describing the late lawmaker as a fearless fighter for the interest of the common man.

The highpoint was a session of testimonies on life and times of the late Chukwumerije. There was also a poetry reading session to celebrate his achievement in literature.

The late Chukwumerije died on April 19, after a battle with lung cancer.

94th inaugural lecture at UNN lecture next week

T

HE 94th inaugural lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) will hold next Thursday at the Princess Alexandria Auditorium. The lecture, titled: Poor government budget implementation in

Nigeria: Who is to blame?, will be delivered by Rose Onah, a professor of Public Administration.

The lecture, according to organising committee, will explore why infrastructure and service

delivery remained poor despite increased budgetary funds. It will also show reality of the claims through an examination of budget projections and actual figures over a number of years.

image of the school.

Mr Moses Abang, Registrar, enjoined the freshmen to utilise make good use of the school library to equip themselves academically. He said the management had provided conducive environment for the students to excel in their studies.

Highpoint was presentation of the freshers by deans of faculties for the

S

TUDENTS of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State, have won the Petrol Bowl Competition organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers International (SPEI) for all students’ chapters of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Africa.

The FUPRE students also came third in a Petrol Quiz by the body.

This news was broken in a letter of commendation to the ViceChancellor, Prof Akii Ibhadode, by the SPE Section 104 Chairman in Warri, Mr O.G. Bruce.

In the letter, Bruce indicated that it was the second time FUPRE chapter of SPE would win the contest and make Nigeria proud.

The competitions were held during the just-concluded Africa Regional Student Technical Conference and Exhibition at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre. For their feat, FUPRE students will represent Africa at the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) coming up in September in Texas, United States.

The letter reads: “The SPE Section 104 Warri congratulates FUPRE SPE student chapter, the university management, lecturers and staff of the Department of Pe-

oath.

Janeth Ifejirika, who was admitted into Department of Economics, could not conceal her joy, pledging to abide by the oath of matriculation.

The attraction at event was musical performance by the school music band, which entertained the freshers and their family members.

Nigerian students conquer Africa •To represent region in U.S. contest

By Wale Ajetunmobi

troleum Engineering for this outstanding performance.”

It should be recalled that the students came second in 2013 edition of the national SPE competition and the 2014 edition of International SPE Competition for all subregional chapters. These made them to participate in the global competition held in Netherlands last year.

Prof Ibhadode hailed the students and their lecturers for the feat, which he said had placed the school on the world map for academic excellence. He said the school would continue to encourage students for greater academic exploits.

The students, who participated in the contests, include Samuelson Ehwarieme, Samuel Henry, Sodiq Sulaimon, Godwin Tesi, Isaac Ajimosun and Emmanuel Ikehi.

33

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

CAMPUS LIFE Macaroni Experience Night excites students

T

HE Bunmi Oyeyemi JuliusAdeoye (BOJA) Art Theatre of the Redeemer’s University (RUN) was agog last Saturday when students held the Macaroni Experience Night.

The show was an initiative of a 200Level Theatre Art student, Debo Adedayo. It was supported by his department.

Debo said the aim of the show was to encourage good theatre performance among his colleagues. It will also improve their drama, dance, music and fashion skills. He said the show’s title was his nickname “Mr Macaroni”, which he said was associated with fun and entertainment.

The show featured a drama that taught the essence of hard work and honesty, and reward for lazi-

•Participants with the Corps members displaying the banner of the event

DELSU sanctions 109

B •Some of the pupils learning barbing during the training

Corps members give pupils vocational training

N

ATIONAL Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State have trained secondary school pupils in vocational skills at Education Fare and Empowerment Scheme organised by Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Community Development Service (CDS) group.

CDS President Damilola Ayodele said the scheme was aimed at empowering the beneficiaries with basic knowledge of vocations for personal development and selfreliance.

The three-day event, attended by NYSC Inspector in the council, Mr. Sauki Maulon and Benue State MDGs Schedule Officer Mr. Theophillus Danjuma also featured a quiz to assess the pupils’

From Oluwafemi Ogunjobi

NYSC MAKURDI understanding of the training.

He hailed with the CDS’ initiative, adding that the community would remember them. He reiterated the MDG goals, saying Corps members should strive to touch members of their host communities with positive impacts and sustainable development.

Seven schools, including Government Secondary School, Royal Secondary School, Divine Wisdom Academy, Sugh Aneke Academy and Tombo Community Secondary School, participated in the training. The training and empowerment sessions were held for the first two days, while the

quiz competition was held on the last day.

Participants were asked to join class of their interest in bead making, barbing, weaving and soap making.

The competition was held for pupils in junior and secondary school categories.

Pupils of Divine Wisdom Academy took the first position in the junior category, with 115 points. Royal Secondary School and Government Secondary School took the second and third positions.

In senior category, Royal Secondary School won the first position after a tie with Government Secondary School.

Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, Isaiah Aunde, a participant from Government Secondary School, said: “I am happy to take part in the training and I appreciate the Corps member for their impacts.”

FUPRE students to construct racing car

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HE Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State, Prof Akii Ibhadode, has urged lecturers and students to engage in ground-breaking researches and inventions that would promote the institution globally.

The VC spoke at the inauguration of Eco-Marathon Team sponsored by Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC). He described the sponsorship as an opportunity to give expression to the specialised skills being acquired by students.

SPDC is partnering with the school to design racing cars that could be exhibited at global platform. Other higher institutions being sponsored by the multinational company include University of Benin (UNIBEN), University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The project, according to Prof Ibhadode, would be achieved by a collaborative effort of the team, which is made up of technically-oriented students and staff drawn from Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and

FUPRE Electronic Departments. Also, some Corps members serving in the school, who were part of previous project at the UNIBEN, would contribute technical support to the work.

The project was applauded by lecturers and other staff members. The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Desk Officer in the school, Prof Mary Edema, hailed the initiative, noting that the university could tap into the agency research grant to replicate the project.

As a specialised school for oil and gas exploration, Prof Edema suggested that the team could also build the first modular refinery that could be adopted by the government.

Responding on behalf of the team, Ewhrudjakpo Efemena, a student, said it was a rare privilege to be selected for the project that would project the image of the school to the world. He assured that the team would do its best to ensure the vision is realised.

The technical team leaders, Osas

Omijie and Adekola Adeyemi, praised the VC for creating the platform for research and project that can promote the country.

This team is charged with two tasks, to produce a prototype vehicle/go-cart for 2015 edition of South Africa Shell ECO-Marathon coming up in October and to produce Shell ECO-Marathon or Formula vehicle for national and international competitions.

The team comprises Precious Otuazohor, Oghenero Otaigho, Oghenekaro Okolosio, Essien Aniekan, Lawson Udonsek, Onome Aboribo and Ewhrudjakpo.

Also, Mr ThankGod Boye of the Mechanical Engineering Department is the Project Supervisor, while Mr Charles Igbinoba of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department is the Assistant Project Supervisor.

At the inauguration were the Deputy VC, Prof Olatunde Damisa; Bursar, Mr Sam Inengite; Librarian, Prof Esharenana Adomi and Dean, College of Science, Prof C. Osunbor, among others.

ARELY six months after the Delta State University (DELSU) in Abraka expelled some students for misconduct and examination malpractices, no fewer than 109 others have sanctioned for related offences.

Some were rusticated for two to six semesters, some expelled and the results of some were withdrawn.

This is contained in a joint report by the two groups of mobile examination malpractice disciplinary committees set up for regular and part-time programmes for the 2014/2015 academic session.

According to the report, some of the students were caught with materials prohibited in examination halls, forgery of school fees receipt, fake identity cards and sheets of papers containing answers, which

From Maryann Okonkwo

RUN ness. There was also a dance performance by Tupeez Osha, Blackman, Nurty, Jahblend, DJ Psychotune and others campus artistes.

Jahblend described the show as interesting, saying it provided opportunities to students to display their talent. He said: “Debo did a good job and I see him going places.”

A member of the audience, David Chukwu, said: “The fashion show was fantastic and I also enjoyed the drama.”

President of RUN Students’ Association, Adelekan Adedoyin, hailed the organiser, students to be more creative in whatever they do.

From Ese Okoduwa

DELSU are known as microchips.

While some of the students were rusticated for impersonation, others, who were caught for malpractice during their final degree examinations, had their results withdrawn. Freshers caught for malpractice were expelled.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Victor Peretomode, said he administration frowned at the actions that could compromise the standard of the school, saying the management introduced stringent disciplinary measures to ensure that only students who can defend their results are graduated from the school.

Some students, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, hailed the development, noting that it would improve the reading culture of students as they are now aware of the punishment for engaging in malpractice.

Varsity inducts doctors

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O fewer than 50 graduates of Medicine and Surgery were inducted at the Abia State University (ABSU) in Uturu last Thursday by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

The event, held in the school auditorium, was attended by dignitaries.

The inductees, who were in blue academic gowns, beamed with smiles as they led a procession into the auditorium, where their family members and friends were seated.

The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Chibuzo Ogbuagu, represented by his deputy, Prof Ifeanyi Elekwa, hailed the lecturers of the Faculty of Basic Health Sciences for nurturing the young doctors.

He advised the inductees not to engage in practices that could tarnish the university’s image, stressing that the MDCN would be forced to withdraw license of anyone found compromising ethics of the profession.

The Provost of the college, Prof Christian Aluka, praised the management for supporting the activities of the medical school.

Advising the graduands, he said: “I congratulate you on the achievement. Society expects more from you in character and morality. Your induction today marks the beginning of your career in medical practice. I advise you to practice with the fear of God. You must put the welfare of your patients first and render skillful and competent service.”

Aluka urged the graduands to

From Uchechukwu Amanze

ABSU keep themselves abreast of new development in medical practice, saying they should strive to update their knowledge and specialise in an area of medicine to be efficient practitioners.

Prof Paul Feyi-Wabaso, Dean of Faculty of Clinical Medicine urged the inductees to dress properly. He taught the doctors some medical ethics.

Highpoint of the event was the administration of the Hippocratic Oath on the inductees by the MDCN representative, Dr Oji Kalu Oji. Certificates of practice were also issued to the graduands.

Gloria Nkechinyere Davidson receieved honours and award for being the best graduating student. Her sister, Dr Esther Nzotta, achieved the same feat in previous induction. Gloria attributed her success to God and hard work.

She said: “I would not have achieved this feat if not for God and also my parents who supported me. Medicine and Surgery is very tough discipline, but I conquered it with hard work. I am grateful to have a sister, who achieved the same feat. Throughout my stay in medical school, she encouraged me.”

An inductee, Chukwuma Okereke, said he was elated to be inducted as a doctor. He said: “The journey has not been easy, but God helped me to surmount challenges I encountered in medical school.”

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CAMPUS LIFE

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N March 10, all hell was let loose at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, following the crisis that rocked the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election. A candidate, Michael Adeleke, was hit by stray bullet.

The management stopped the election and proscribed the union.

The school banned protest and social activities, saying students who violated the order would face dire consequences. Some candidates in the election were also suspended.

It is two months after the incident and there seems to be no hope that the ban would be lifted soon. Students said they have learnt their lessons; they are urging the management to deproscribe the union.

However, it is not clear if the management will accede to their request. Some officials believe that the situation is not yet stable for the union to return.

Some leaders of departmental associations said it would be boring if the management did not lift ban on the union and social activities.

But, in what looked like a hope on the horizon for the union, the Dean of Students' Affairs (DSA), Mr Omobayo Raheem, held a close-door meeting with presidential candidates in the aborted election, Olawale Shabiolegebe, an Office Technology Management student, Akeem Adeniyi, a Hospitality Catering Management student and Emmanuel Awoleye, an Electrical Engineering student.

Oladele Lawal, a co-contestant, was absent.

The meeting had in attendance, sub-Dean, Mr Lawrence Imafidon, Head of Welfare Department, Mr Isaac Orisasona, security personnel and representatives of students.

Although the details of the meet-

As students of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos return to the campus, they are urging the management to unban their union, which was banned after a violent election in which a candidate was hit by a stray bullet. MARK ORGU (Education Management) writes.

‘Give us back our union’

•YABATECH students waiting for the election results before the violence broke out

ing remain sketchy but a source said its objective was to unravel the cause of the violence, which marred the election and to ensure the inci-

dent did not repeat itself should the management lifts the ban.

The source said meeting raised hope that the management may re-

store the union and declare the winner of the election or conduct a rerun.

A presidential candidate, who

pleaded not to be named, said the meeting became necessary because they did not know the reason for their suspension.

Raheem, who later spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, said the presidential candidates were suspected to have engaged in election malpractices, which triggered the violence. "They all wanted to win at all cost, so the situation became rowdy and to prevent breakdown of law and order, the management had to act fast by suspending students' unionism and referring the key candidates to Students' Disciplinary Committee," he said.

The DSA said the management remained undecided whether to restore the union or not, but he added that outcome of the investigation by the school security would determine the next line of action. He said all candidates, who contested in the election were being investigated, assuring that anybody found guilty would be made to face the consequences.

Raheem said there were irregularities and attempt to rig the election, which led to the violence. He said the Rector, Dr Margaret Ladipo, directed that the masterminds of the violence should not go unpunished. "The Rector has directed the Students' Disciplinary Committee to do everything within its capacity to bring the perpetrators of the mayhem to book," Raheem said.

The Dean assured students of conducive environment as the college prepares for resumption of session. The Dean also debunked the rumour that the victim of the violence, Michael, who contested for Social Director, is not dead. He said the victim would resume hale and hearty.

Students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) displayed their skills in Campus Free Sketch (CFS), a drawing contest organised

by Magnum Arts in collaboration with Flash News Blog. EDDY UWOGHIREN (300-Level Medicine and Surgery) reports.

•Jideoffor (fifth from left) displaying the cheque with his colleagues

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AST Friday would remain indelible in the hearts of students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN). It was a day the institution was literally brought to a standstill by the force of the arts. Though it was a few days to the first semester examination but this could not stop the art contest and exhibition, as students trooped to Hall 2 car park - the venue of the event - to showcase their talents.

The event was the maiden Campus Free Sketch (CFS) organised

by Magnum Arts in collaboration with Flash News Blog to hone students' skills in arts.

Chief Executive Officer of Magnum Arts, Osemudiamen Etiobhio, a final year student of Medicine and Surgery, said the competition had an objective to project best artistic works of students to the world by creating a

At their creative best

platform to showcase and groom young talents.

He said the art works were being projected through fashion, music and dance to make an electrifying showpiece. Stressing that the event was to reawaking the nation's art, Osemudiamen hailed students for turning out at the event despite the approaching examination.

He said: "Sixty students submitted portrait paintings which were uploaded on Instagram, an online photo platform. Only 14 were selected and the best 11 of them are presented here for the grand finale."

The show started with a redcarpet reception hosted by Jabbal Momoh and Precious Omoregie, who were clad in creative outfits.

Peter Amayo compered the show and introduced the artists and judges to members of the audience.

The 11 competitors were called to the stage to sketch a portrait of Omoni Oboli, a Nollywood actress. They were given 90 minutes for the task. It was a battle of both technique and creativity as all contestants raced against time to complete the sketch within apportioned time.

Announcing the winner, leaders of the panel of judges, Femi Williams and Michael Basil, of the Lagos Fashion School, came out with tight verdict, saying it was difficulty getting the overall winner. They said professionalism, resemblance and speed were

among the criteria for judging the works, adding that all contestants deserved to win.

Jideoffor Akunne, known on the campus as J-Pen, emerged winner of the contest. He was presented with a cash prize of $300.

Williams said: "I marvel at the level of skills displayed by the contestants and it won't be a bad idea if government invests in these art works to encourage these upcoming artists. This is one of the best ways to solve the growing unemployment and increase national income through youth creativity."

An award of excellence was presented to the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroluem Resources in Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State, Akii Ibhadode, a professor of Manufacturing and Technology, who coor-

dinated a team of UNIBEN students who produced Eco Marathon Car that was showcased at Shell Eco Marathon in Europe and South Africa last year.

After the contest, the event was rounded off with exhibition of students' paintings, art works and photo sessions, after which Emy Tucker, a student-designer, brought his models on stage to showcase different designs.

There were also performances by VIP Dancers, Depths of Motion, Fresh Bliss, Paul Play and DJ Amado.

Sarah Aikpitanze, a participant from the Faculty of Education, hailed the organisers for putting up the event. She said: "I was impressed by the talents displayed by my fellow students. I would encourage the organisers to mentor the winner further. The event was both entertaining and educative."

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CAMPUS LIFE

Open letter to Buhari D

EAR President, My name is Habeeb Whyte and I have a responsibility, as a youth, to suggest a path deserved to be toed in taking decision that will affect the youth and the fate of our father land, especially at this moment when we have just ushered in a new era. You would agree with me that the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC), your party, in the last general elections can be said, without mincing words, to be the handiwork of the youth.

As key players in the youth movement, some of us had been locked in battles with your predecessor before the formation of APC as a party to rescue us from the brink. I said this to buttress my claim that we knew what we bargained for and have our expectations from your administration.

It should be said, the primary motivation for the involvement of the youth in the electioneering was not for pecuniary gains. Those who wanted money did not stay long before abandoning the struggle and joined parties where dollars rained.

Therefore, it becomes necessary for me to lend my voice to the high expectations from the youth.

It is true that expectations are very high, but I do not share in ‘miraculous change’ expectation. I believe in gradual change by I want you to know that there are some pressing issues affecting young people that

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HE ripples generated in the heat of the last general elections have gradually been going off the radar, except for those seeking redress at the election tribunals. Last Friday, we all witnessed the swearing in of new administrations; elected office holders vowed to match actions to promises as they confront the myriad of problems bedeviling the survival of our nation.

Power, security and unemployment are major issues threatening the wellbeing of this country. The new officials are faced with daunting task of rescuing the nation from economic instability, massive looting of national treasury by group of villainous politicians and their collaborators in the private sector. Greedy individuals plundered the nation’s resources to satiate their covetous ambitions.

Foot soldiers of ousted politicians were recruited and armed to prosecute the electoral battles of their paymasters in return for money.

Their job description ranged from

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must be addressed with sense of urgency.

One of them is abuse of the youth energy. The reign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last 16 years saw the promotion of youth inducement and engagement for criminal venture. For jobless young people, the best way to make cool cash is to destroy lives of others. Politicians exploit waywardness of some misguided youths to commit ungodly acts.

The nation is seen as a home to all forms of crimes and terror. Because nobody would like to bequeath a nation of monsters to the next generation, efforts should be made to pursue value orientation and psychological rehabilitation to enable these abused youths re-integrated back to the society.

Another challenge is that, years of maladministration have made some youths to be hopeless in securing good jobs that would make them responsible citizens. Most have been compelled to seek way out through organised crimes.

Youths have decided to depart from this because we cannot grow under these circumstances in a globalised world and be expected to compete with our peers from other nations.

We do not want to inherit a nation that cannot stimulate pride in her citizens.

There was already confusion about what needed to be done to right the wrongs in the system.

Most people are already trapped in the ‘employment creation’ syndrome so much so that they are hopelessly expecting nothing other than job from the government. Ours is not a nation without jobs; but one with as many people without jobs and jobs without people. The youth have decided to work with the government to correct this narrative, because we did not want to inherit a nation consuming itself from within.

Before the general elections, the nation was said to be sitting on flame as a result of possible religious or ethnic war. There was distrust and disunity among ethnic groups and between Muslims and Christians and this was fanned to the point of conflagration, with youths at the centre. Youths were used as evangelists or pseudo-ideologues of ethno-religious militias, preaching hatred and spewing venoms.

This is the extent to which our society has sunk. We need to change the orientation of our youths and make them to cherish the values of hard work.

You would bear witness sir, that the results of the presidential elections showed that the youth were all out to bring about the change.

The social media campaigns were made possible by the youth. This shows that the youth wanted an end to challenges facing our nation.

We expect you to cut down the cost of governance greatly. So, reforms in government structure and political appointments are expected.

We expect that there would be recovery of loot from past leaders and investing the funds in education as proposed by you sir. We expect a gradual rebuilding of infrastructures and amenities in all sectors, including health, education, transportation, energy, sports, etc.

Youth empowerment is key to development. We expect you to formulate and implement policies that will bring out positive potentials in the youth. While the long term objective should be paramount, there is the need for immediate sop to bring smiles on the faces of youths within the first year in office.

I would suggest you introduce a student-friendly programme to reduce hardship on campuses by providing affordable services for students only.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an area where the youth have found interests and committed great passion.

Wise countries like Singapore have digital entrepreneurship strategies to keep youths busy, thereby turning their passion to a significant source of revenue. Nigeria accounts for over 10 million global internet presence. This implies we can make over N100 billion rev-

The hero and villain

By Amos Abba assassination of political opponents to snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes and invading social media to distort public opinion to favour their paymasters. But, the activities of these low-life bandits do not stop after elections; they extend their nefarious activities to post-election period to wreak havoc, especially when the electoral outcome did not favour their paymaster.

Having had a taste for quick and fast money, their resourcefulness would be endless and the offshoot is reflected in increased cyber fraud, kidnapping and cult activities on large scale. They are villains and losers that don’t have any role to play in nation building. They sold their conscience like Esau did and betrayed our collective dream like Judas did to the detriment of

‘People should hold elected leaders accountable by ensuring they deliver on their campaign promises.

They must stop celebrating ill-gotten wealth unjustly acquired by leaders’ the nation.

Dan Millman rightly posited that “choice means saying no to one thing and yes to another”. These villains pitched their tents on the wrong side of history when they allowed their inordinate ambition to cloud their minds by doing the

devil’s bidding. They armed our youths to foment chaos; they stirred tribal divisiveness to cause disaffection among ethnic nationalities, gave out contracts to their cronies and siphoning public funds. They broke their social contract with the people.

James Joyce had them in mind when he said: “History is a nightmare I am trying to awake from.”

Their wrong decisions of the past created the demons we are dealing with, including militancy, Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and corruption. They commit crime against the constitution and abused the privileges of office.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow boomed in his poem, Psalm of life.

“Be not like dumb driven cattle, be a hero in the strife,” he said and he aptly describes the picture of heroes of Nigerian democratic system. People who braved the odds to take their destiny in their hands

Role of women in nation building

HE role of women in nation building cannot be overemphasised. Over the years, women have been relegated to the background on issues of development, especially in developing countries, such as Nigeria.

The reason may have been that, the views of women are always sentimental. While women have contributed positively to the progress of humanity, this article will focus on the role played by women in the development of Nigerian politics.

Women have been playing leading role in shaping our nation and this dates back to the pre-colonial era. In the history, we have read about women, who played active part in the administrative system and business.

Women during the pre-colonial period were allowed to participate in the administration of communities.

For instance, the exploit of Iyalode (women leader) of the old Oyo Empire has remained the reference point on how political involvement women can engender a free society.

By Adebola Adedoyin Not only did they shape the political system of the period, they also act as mediators in inter-ethnic rivalry. This can be seen in exploit of Moremi during the Ife-Modekeke war.

The advent of colonialism made women to disengage in political participation in the country. In this era, women’s role was limited to trading and other social activities, leaving out politics for the men. The colonial masters can be said to be chauvinistic in nature, having left out the local women in their indirect rule policy.

Though, the likes of Mrs Margaret Ekpo, Mrs Janet Mokelu and others were members of the Eastern House of Assembly. The late Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, though not a fullfledged politician, was a very strong force to reckon with in the politics of the Western Region. Hajia Gambo Sawaba waged a fierce battle for the political and cultural emancipation of women in the North. They made impacts in pre-independence era and

surmounted so many obstacles and limitation but their exploits still stand as a legacy up till today.

The coming of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s regime brought the role of women in the country’s politics to the front burner. The office of the first lady was first institutionalised by Maryam Babangida. Other women who have made impact in the country’s politics include, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Minister of Finance.

Mrs Obi Ezekwesili also left a huge landmark in the history of Nigerian politics. The late Prof Dora Akunyili, former Minister for Information, also performed credibly when she was the Director-General of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); she waged war against adulterated drug dealers, starting in her home state. There are many other women in politics that have done very well and still performing excellently well.

Though recently women have be-

come actively involved in the country’s politics unlike before, nevertheless, they are still face with some challenges that limits their chances and sometimes have some psychological effect that kills their morale. However, the role of women in our country can be reenergised and accorded popularity.

The role of women in a country’s administration has regained its prominence internationally. Liberia president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has made history as Africa’s first female president.

Also, we have the likes of Hilary Clinton in the United States. The world has, in the past decades, witnessed an unprecedented expansion of women’s rights, being one of the most profound social revolutions we have ever seen. Couple of decades back, only two countries allowed women to vote. Today, that right is virtually universal.

Millions of men and women around the world now support the call for gender equality, although

By Habeeb Whyte enue yearly if half of the youth make just N50,000 each monthly.

We only need creative approaches to explore our passion.

I will say emphatically that the huge fund claimed to be committed to technological advancement and similar empowerment schemes are more than what is required to turn things around and make this to happen within months.

Sir, if your government invests in digital entrepreneurship, it would empower millions of youths within the first six month. And it would turn in huge revenue. ICT industry alone, given the population of youth, will create millions of jobs within and drive in huge foreign exchange. I leave you with a mind full of hope and I believe you will not disappoint us.

•Habeeb, is a Corps member, NYSC ABUJA

by despising politicians’ gifts and voted according to their consciences. There are public office holders, who have and will dispense their duties and obligations to the electorate, thinking about future generation and not elections. We still have men and women who have and will expose the ills in governance, calling mischief doers to order. With the people of impeccable integrity in the helm of affairs, something good is about to happen.

People should hold elected leaders accountable by ensuring they deliver on their campaign promises. They must stop celebrating illgotten wealth unjustly acquired by leaders. Alexander Hamilton said: “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” This hallmark of integrity should be the guiding light for leaders and the follower in an era of crass opportunism and nepotism.

•Amos, 400-Level Mathematics and Computer Science Education, UNIAGRIC MAKURDI there is much to be done especially in developing countries like Nigeria.

In sum, it is apparent that no appreciable development can be made either at the local, national or international platform without recognising women as key players. The nation must empower, upskill and invest in girl-child for a better society.

The United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-Moon said: “When we empower women, we empower communities, nations and entire human family.” The impact of political involvement of women has left a patch in path; therefore it can be asserted that women are not only loaded with valuable potentials, but also have the legal right to contribute to the development of their societies. Any government should adequately provide for the position of women in its administration and make amendment to policies that have placed women at the losing end.

•Adebola, 200-Level Political Science and International Relations, LANDMARK UNIVERSITY

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CAMPUS LIFE PR campaign at UNILORIN

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OME 300-Level students of Mass Communication and Library and Information Sciences of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have held a Public Relations (PR) campaign to satisfy the requirement for grading of MAC 312 (PR Techniques). The course requires students to practise what they learnt in class.

The students were divided into two groups, each was expected to carry out a planned action meant to solve a hypothetical problem, using a named company as a case study. The identified problem was expected to be solved by their PR strategies.

The groups are Springboard Creative Services and Public Relations Agency and Mouthpiece Public Relations Agency.

Members of the Springboard group approached Maggi Nigeria Plc to organise a public lecture aimed at orientating students on stereotypes related to the use of maggi seasoning in preparing delicacies. The guest speaker was Mrs Deborah Opaleke, a lecturer at the Department of Home Economics and Food Science.

She described as false, the notion that maggi seasoning could cause cancer. She warned against excessive use of the seasoning in food, saying: “Anything that is abused can cause negative effect in the body; too much of everything is bad.”

Mrs Opaleke said maggi does not have any negative effect, noting that it could only enhance the flavour and taste of food without

•Students preparing meals during the cooking contest From Eddy Uwoghiren

UNIBEN diminishing its nutritional and dietary value.

Mrs Opaleke also said cooking with maggi seasoning could provide a source of iron and sodium for the body, which helps in the formation of blood and prevents sickness.

The event featured gaming, dancing and cooking contest, where two of the students,

On and Off Campus By Solomon Izekor 08061522600

Aminat Usman and Aminat Borokini prepared various meals that were served to guests at the event. The students also held a procession across the campus to sensitise their colleagues on the abuse of food seasonings.

In his remark, a former Head of Mass Com-

munication Department and MAC 312 lecturer, Dr Lukman Azeez, said he was happy with the performance of the students, saying the campaign was meant to equip the students with the practical knowledge of PR techniques and strategies.

VC donates books to library

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EDERAL University of Petroleum Resources, Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Akii Ibhadode has donated books and journals worth over N500,000 to the school library.

The donation was made after the 30th meeting of the school’s Governing Council.

Ibhadode donated 50 copies of his book titled: Introduction to Manufacturing Technology, published by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for 200-Level and 300Level engineering students.

He also donated 32 copies of Volumes one to six of International Journal on Engineering Research in Africa (JERA), which he published in Switzerland for research.

Presenting the books, Prof Ibhadode

FUPRE said the gesture was to show appreciation for the opportunity given to him to serve, noting that he has a vision to lift the school to the top 500 universities in the world.

The Chairman of Council and Pro-chancellor, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, praised the VC for the donation, saying that the council was justified by its choice of Ibhadode as the school’s helmsman. He described the VC as a dynamic and focused leader.

Other books donated included 18 copies of Advanced Materials Research (AMR) on Advances in Materials and Systems Technologies.

‘How to achieve sustainable energy’

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OW the nation can achieve growth through sustainable energy production was the theme of inaugural lecture delivered by Dr Taiwo Oyedemi at the Polytechnic, Ibadan (IBADAN POLY) on Friday.

The Mechanical Engineering teacher described energy as an essential catalyst for socio-economic and technological growth, noting that a sustained energy generation could make any nation to be sufficient in provision of basic needs, such as food, potable water, healthcare, educational aids and transportation.

Oyedemi said energy played key role in reducing poverty, improving production and enhancing quality of lives of the people. He said improved standard of living in industrialised countries was found to be directly related to the per capital energy consumption of such nations.

He said: “Lack of energy contributes to poverty and decline in economic growth. Energy crisis facing Nigeria has largely contributed to the incidence of poverty, which has paralysed industrial and commercial activities. The Council for Renewable Energy of Nigeria has estimated that power outages cost a loss of N126 billion annually. Besides, lack of energy is causing health hazards due to exposure to poisonous substances from generators.”

Using energy challenge facing Nigeria as case study, Oyedemi said the nation is endowed in resource that could make it abundant in clean energy production. He outlined some important energy conservation techniques to achieve a sustainable energy. According to him, the idea of using modern renewable energy as alternatives to traditional fuel wood was recommended in Nigeria in 1992 by the Presidential Task Force.

Oyedemi urged the government to invest in renewable energy sources and technologies to achieve sustainable development, noting that clean energy sources reduce damage

•Dr Oyedemi From Helen Olawore

IBADAN on environment.

He said: “Solar, as a source of renewable energy, has the greatest potential to contribute low carbon energy supply through Solar PV and Solar thermal processes. It is estimated that when one per cent of Nigeria’s landmass is covered with a solar technology of five per cent efficiency, about 333,480 Megawatts of electricity may be produced at about 26% capacity factor. This electricity generation capacity according to him will be more than enough to use by the country till 2050.”

On hydropower, Oyedemi maintained that Nigeria could harness its water resources to produce 15,000 Megawatts as against the 2,000 Megawatts being produced from Kanji, Jebba and Shiroro dams.

He urged local engineers to use their innovation to contribute effectively to sustainable energy development.

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CAMPUS LIFE

End quackery in teaching, provost urges CALL has been made to intensify the fight against quackery in the teaching profession.

Provost of the College of Education in Obudu, Cross River State, Dr Eugene Ibli, made the call during the first induction of teachers into the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) in the institution.

Ibli, who was represented by his deputy Obong Okon Akpan Mbuk, said since the teaching profession has become attractive, the need to protect it from junk and quackery has also become compelling.

He thanked the council for providing a platform for teachers to be graded and branded into a professional body.

He assured that the college would not relent in her efforts in producing well-trained and highly motivated teachers who will contribute to the development of the nation.

Guest speaker, Prof Zephirinus Njoku of the Department of Science Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, decried the trend that has turned the teaching profession into an ‘all comers’ business.

He described it as one job seekers fall back on when they do not suc-

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From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

ceed elsewhere. Even in tertiary institutions, he said there is student apathy towards the teaching profession. Hence colleges of education and faculties of education in universities are forced to wait for those whose cut off points were not high enough for the courses they applied for and fall back to education as a last resort.

He decried a situation where young graduates prefer to be inspectors rather than teachers because according to them, teaching is too demanding, especially writing lesson plans and notes, as well as administering tests and examinations.

Registrar of TRCN, Prof Addision Wokocha, represented by Director of Professional Operations, Alhaji Ibrahim Roni, said the council is poised to stem the tide of fake and unqualified teachers who only find their way into the profession as a means of livelihood.

Replying, one of the inductees, Dr Willie Eteng, expressed appreciation for being found worthy of being admitted full membership of the teachers’ professional body.

He pledged his loyalty and dedication to the profession.

•Kwankwaso

•Akpabio

Babcock honours Akpabio, Fashola, others today

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S part of activities to mark this year's convocation, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, will honour three former governors its senate has adjudged to have made significant contribution to national development and their various states.

They are: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, and Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State - all of whom spent two terms as governors.

While Kwankwaso is being honoured for improving education

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

in his state, Akpabio is being recognised for transforming the once backward state. Fashola's recognition is for his visionary leadership in innovatively attracting foreign investment to the state, among others.

The trio would be honoured during the Postgraduate Convocation of the university where over 150 masters and 50 PhD students would graduate.

Chairman of the UBA Group and Heirs Holdings Limited, Mr. Tony

‘Innovation, attitude affect ranking’

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•From left: Deputy Provost (AOCOED) Mr Wole Ajose, Librarian Mrs Oluwole Omotayo, Mr Bashorun, AOCOED, Mr Disu, (displaying his plaque) with his wife Mrs Kikelomo, Mr Ogunruku and Registrar Mr Olumuyiwa Coker.

By Adegunle Olugbamila

places operate. One is therefore bold to say our TEIs will continue to be badly ranked so long as we are not ready to change in our perception, attitude and manner of doing things.

"It is, therefore, imperative to use this medium to appeal to all managers of Nigeria's TEIs not to be inno-

vative in revenue generation alone, but also know how to priortise need and expenditures. No TEI is ranked on the number of official vehicles available therein, but on the basis on quality library and laboratory as well as the product."

As administrators, Ogunruku advised AOCOED workers to acquire

Nigerian graduates compete favourably, says UNILORIN VC

N spite of the dearth of infrastructure in Nigerian universities, products of Nigerian universities are globally competitive, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali has said.

Ambali added that the perceived falling standard of education in the country has no effect on annual rating of Nigerian universities in the world.

He said that reports from various employers of labour in and outside the country indicated that Nigerian graduates are performing to the admiration of their employers.

Speaking with reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the professor of veterinary medicine recalled that UNILORIN was ranked first among Nigerian universities in Africa in previous years.

The university was recently ranked 41st in Africa with the University of Lagos in 29th position in Africa.

Ambali, who said that annual world ranking of universities was

Elumelu, is scheduled to speak at the event.

Last year, the university conferred honorary degrees on Mosunmola Folashade Abudu (called Mo' Abudu) and Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala. The undergraduate convocation comes up on Sunday, June 7 at the university's stadium.

Honour for AUN President in Paris

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HE ranking of tertiary institutions will only get better if both administrators and workers adopt new innovations, former Registrar Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Mr Ayomide Ogunruku, has said.

Ogunruku stated this while delivering the Second Registry Lecture of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto/Ijanikin (AOCOED), Lagos.

He said Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is one way tertiary institutions could market themselves.

To this end, he counselled that workers must be ICT-compliant if they must align their dreams with robust vision of their institutions.

The lecture titled: "Effective administration of tertiary educational institutions in the 21st Century" was in honour of the immediate past Registrar of the college, Mr Bola Disu.

Ogunruku said: "No one is in doubt that Nigeria's TEI (Tertiary Education Institutions) are among the badly ranked in the world. The simple difference between the best and worst TEIs are not in the buildings or names, but in ways human beings in both

•Fashola

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

about every university keying into best practices in the world, added that certain variables were used to arrive at the rating.

They include: age of the university, assets, level of endowment and laureate attracted to the university, Information Communication Technology (ICT) capacity, how much money the university could attract through research works, and presence of the Web and number of activities on campus.

"It is all about beefing up those areas by universities," he said.

Speaking on the high rate of expulsion of students in the university, Ambali said the university authority always felt sad whenever it resorted to student expulsion.

He added that the number of expelled students was negligible compared to the total number of students

in the university.

Ambali said: "We feel sad to resort to expulsion; but we are established to produce graduates worthy in moral, character, and academic ability that will, in turn, be models in the society.

So, if we found out these to be absent in any of them, we find no other option than to show such person the way out. And the number is small to the number of students we have.

"We have to monitor every student.

So, if we find one to be a threat to others, we ask such person to go. We have zero tolerance to non-compliance with agreed dress code, cultism or exam malpractice. Penalty varies as it is not actually expulsion for the dress code offence. We usually put parents of offenders into the picture and we restrict details to only parents of offenders. That's why we don't ever publicise reasons for expulsion and also for security reasons."

laptops to further consolidate their knowledge of ICT. "With ICT, the mode of delivery of teaching has changed tremendously.

In fact, with ICT, lecturers have ceased being the only source of information as students too can individually access up-to-date information via the internet that teachers might not have accessed," Ogunruku said.

He warned senior administrators against victimising subordinates, describing it as a grave sin.

"As administrators, do not hoard information or sit down on people's promotions and privileges, when you do that, a life is being denied," he said.

While lauding AOCOED, Ogunruku urged its management to move from paper to paperless mode of operation.

He admonished management and workers to build the alumni associations into a brand that can also help in shooting the institution to the top.

Ogunruku said achieving this begins from the way workers treat their students. He noted that when they eventually became successful in future, they would love to associate with the AOCOED brand because of how they were treated.

The Provost, AOCOED, Mr Wasiu Olalekan Bashorun, noted that Disu deserved a pat on the back, considering his creativity and innovativeness when he was in the saddle.

He urged his successor, Mr Olumuyiwa Coker, to consolidate on his achievements.

HE American University of Nigeria (AUN) President, Dr. Margee Ensign, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the American University of Paris.

The degree was presented to her in the French capital during the AUP Commencement last Tuesday.

At the ceremony in Paris, she shared the stage with Lisa Anderson, the President of the American University of Cairo, and Benjamin Millepied, Director, Paris Opera Ballet.

Dr Ensign was honoured for her leadership role in using education to promote peace, community development, and empowerment through a local platform, the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), which she chairs.

Citing AUN's engagement with the refugees of northeast Nigeria, President Ensign used the occasion to urge the new graduates to find solutions to old, new, and unprecedented problems challenging the world today.

In Paris, Dr. Ensign was particularly acknowledged for undertaking humanitarian relief work in Northeastern Nigeria and for providing food aid to more than 270,000 internally displaced people sheltering with family members in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

Dr. Ensign's many laurels include the African Business Roundtable's Distinguished Leadership Award for Educational Excellence in 2011; the African Leading University of the Year Award by African Leadership magazine in 2012; the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship in 2012; the Adamawa State Peace Ambassador Award also in 2012; the African Leadership Award from the World Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility in 2014, and in 2015, the women's wing of the Jama'atulNasril Islam in Nigeria recognised her contributions to leadership, philanthropy, and the education of women and girls in northeast Nigeria.

•Dr Ensign

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

38

CAMPUS LIFE ACE FILE

Experts proffer solution to sociopolitico challenges IMBIBING right values and change in attitude of Nigerians have been identified as some of the solutions to the various sociopolitical and economic problems facing the country.

Prof Tomola Obamuyi of the Federal University of Technology, Akure and Dr. Adebayo Ajayi, the Provost of Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta both spoke at the seventh national conference held at the college.

Obamuyi, a professor of Banking and Finance, said the Nigerian economy had been significantly affected by the socio political challenges of corruption, poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and resource mismanagement.

Delivering the lead paper in the conference with the theme: 'The Nigerian economy and the sociopolitical challenges, Obamuyi said that there is a relationship between corruption, poverty, insecurity and economic development, noting that high level of corruption and insecurity are associated with high level of poverty, thereby causing a decline in the level of economic development.

SCHOLARSHIPS APPROACHING DEADLINE 2016 UCT Masters Scholarships in Public Health (Community Eye Health), South Africa University of Cape Town awards Master of Public Health scholarships for candidates from low- and middleincome African Commonwealth countries. Scholarships are awarded to undertake Master of Public Health (Community Eye Health) program.

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The closing date for non-South African applicants is 31 July. The closing date for

South African applicants is 30 September.

Study Subject(s): Scholarships are awarded for Masters Public Health, Community Eye Health program.

Course Level: Scholarships are available to pursue master's degree programme at the University of Cape Town.

Scholarship Provider: University of Cape Town, South Africa, Scholarship can be taken at: South Africa Scholarship Open for International Students, including Nigeria.

Scholarship Description: To support the training of eye health professionals with strong public health skills, the Consortium offers scholarships for

candidates from low- and middle-income African Commonwealth countries that have been accepted to study for a Masters Public Health, Community Eye Health at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The Masters Public Health, Community Eye Health, aims to provide students with the practical skills to develop and manage eye care programmes with an emphasis on meeting eye care needs in Africa. It also enables participants to undertake appropriate clinical and operational research to inform the practical planning and management for VISION 2020: The Right to Sight.

What does it cover? Scholarships will

cover course fees, travel costs, and accommodation costs.

How to Apply: •Inform the University of your Interest in applying for a scholarship using the Registration of interest form •Apply for a place on the course at the University of Cape Town.

•Once you have received an offer from University of Cape Town they will contact you about your application for the scholarship.

Scholarship Application Deadline: The closing date for non-South African applicants is 31 July. The closing date for South African applicants is 30 September.

Ibidapo-Obe seeks new methods of teaching

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NIVERSITIES have been urged to adopt new methods of teaching to produce engineers needed in the 21st century.

Former Vice-Chancellor University of Lagos (UNILAG) Prof Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, said this at a three-day workshop on capacity building for engineering and technology educators in tertiary institutions, held at Julius Berger Hall of the university.

The seminar was organised by African Engineering Education Association (AEEA) in partnership with UNILAG. In his keynote address titled: 'Educating 21st Century Engineers', Ibidapo-Obe said the status of engineering had become a cause of concern in the country.

By Jane Chijioke

He, therefore, advocated that universities move away from the Multiple Choice Questions, which he considered obsolete, to a new teaching method that would help graduates think for themselves.

"We need to change the Multiple Choice Question (MCQ). It is not the way to go in our universities. You do not actually get the best out of the students in terms of them playing a bigger role in the country.

'I suggest virtuous style of new learning which are motivation to teach how to think and not what to think," he said.

This new paradigm shift, IbidapoObe said, should be accompanied

with good learning environment, computer work stations, laboratories, technology projects, and small group tutorials, among others.

He explained that industrialisation, which is the bedrock of a nation's progress, is not evident in engineering courses in the nation's universities, which according to him, still struggle with low funding, outdated laboratory equipment, and low remuneration, resulting in drop in students' enrolment.

The second keynote speaker and Chairman, Promaco Associates Limited, Dr. Olumide Philips, lamented that the disconnect between universities and industry is the result of nonpartnership between the two. He advised universities to collaborate with

• From left: Commodore Ekanem Nesima, Commander Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital Ojo, Dr Azeez Anthony Chairman, Rainbow Cards Ltd Rear Admiral J Ango West, President&Chairman of Council, Institute of Environmental Accountants of Nigeria. Olusegun Lawal, Rear Admiral Babs Egbedina representing the Chief of the Naval Staff Nigerian Navy Vice Admiral UO Jibrin, Rear Admiral BEE Ibe - enwo, Rear Admiral AO Suleiman, and Commodore A. Onireti (rtd) during the "2015 Environmental Champion of the Year' presented to Jibrin during the annual investiture of the institute held at Sheraton Hotel and Towers Ikeja.

industries to enhance productivity.

"Companies have to focus on addressing consumers' problems rather than being theoretic. Academia should please come and relate more with the industry. Whatever theory or costly research you do, if the industry cannot translate it into money then it is of no value. It is the industry that can translate your development."

He continued: "We need support from technical centres, technical colleges, and polytechnics. Whatever you teach in the university cannot survive well in the industry. Motivate them to know that they are not just taking it as a degree but also to practise it."

The President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) Prof. Rahmon Salawu, urged schools to do more of project works than classroom notes.

"Engineering education needs more of project works and not writing equations on the board. I found out that the full time students are actually doing part time because what they need is just note. They need to get involved with class project works.

When you as a lecturer write a note, students give same note back to you during exams," he said.

The UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahamon Bello, said the new learning strategies, such as projectbased learning, problem-based, team-based, as well as flipped classroom, would enhance knowledge acquisition and improve the quality of graduates with relevant skills needed in the industry.

He added that the university would give its support to develop capacity in engineering education which is pivotal to the country's development.

Comrade Sam Akindele is a former national president of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU). In this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, Akindele traces the agitation by the union for the upgrading of the four federal colleges of education to universities, which the Federal Government approved last week. He talks about its implication, particularly to his colleagues, as well as the need to allow certain colleges with strong faculties be degree-awarding institutions without changing their status.

‘Conversion of colleges to varsities right step in the right direction’ W HAT is your take on the four federal colleges of education that government upgraded to universities last week?

Actually, our regime started the agitation for that conversion. We were initially complaining about marginalisation (in colleges) because we realised we had more students in colleges, so we felt we needed some universities of education. We also agitated that some of our colleges with facilties and personnel should award degrees.

We decided to start by first identifying with the foremost colleges of education - Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo (now Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo); Federal College of Education, Zaria (now Federal University of Education, Zaria); Federal College of Education, Kano (now Federal University of Education, Kano); and Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri (now Alvan Ikoku University of Education, Owerri). You will also realise that for years, these four institutions have been awarding degrees in education in affiliation with federal universities. So, we believe that the

government’s action is in the right direction and we also see this gesture as the fruits of what we laboured for nearly two decades ago.

But some said this mere change of name is simply on the surface and that those colleges would have remained because they are not matured enough to be universities?

I disagree. Let me correct an impression. I had the opportunity to visit the National Assembly during my tenure, and I presented to members of the House statistics backing our claim. As at then, ACE had 62 PhD holders, while Alfan Ikoku had 57.

Even state colleges like AOCOED (Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education) then had 47 and I understand they have about 87 today. Don't also forget that as at then, a Masters degree was the minimum qualification to teach in colleges of education.

But don't you think this dichotomy among universities, polytechnics and colleges will affect the colleges’ new status?

In all sincerity, I want to recall that during our agitation, we actually did not say those colleges be upgraded to universities. Leave them as they are, but let them be able to award degrees without affiliation with any university. But in this part of the world, we are so addicted to nomenclature. We believe for those colleges to be autonomous degree-awarding institutions, they must be turned into universities. In some foreign countries and even in Ghana, there are degree-awarding colleges of education. But here, you don't treasure the product until we say 'this is from a university.'

But do you share the belief by the government that the nation still lacks adequate teachers and the idea is to boost teachers production?

That's a big question! Today, there are many teachers without jobs. In some other parts of the country like the North, there are not enough teachers, so they recruit teachers on contract. In the South, it appears we

teachers are in surplus. But that reality is only in the urban areas because when you go to rural areas, teachers are equally inadequate. But the issue of quality is another thing. As a teacher, I've lectured for 28 years and I can compare those students that have passed under me. In those days, we used to have Grade 2, which was later scrapped. The good thing about Grade 2 is that it produced more matured and trainable students. Unfortunately, the students we have today do not have the passion for teaching.

It might interest you to know that many of them end up in colleges of education because they were denied admission from universities.

What challenges will the new status of these institutions have particularly on teachers. Don't you think professors from other universities will be recruited to eat what they had laboured for?

Well, challenges are a little enormous. In colleges, we do not have professorial chairs. Even with your PhD, the highest you can get to is Chief Lecturer.But let them follow Tai Solarin University of Education

•Ade

(TASUED) example, which was a college but was later upgraded by the Ogun State government.When TASUED was upgraded, some professors were recruited from other universities on contract to man certain key positions for about two years.

Within that period, teachers who were already in the system were asked to submit their papers for reassessment. I understand five of them that met the standard were given professorial status. Also, within two years, other teachers who were also due for professorial status were accorded accordingly. By then, those professors on contract would have been done with their assignments and returned to their former duty posts.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

39

EDUCATION

Teen wins Spelling Bee

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•To witness U.S. version

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OR winning the Spelling Bee competition 2015 organised

by Young Education Foundation, Chinenye Onyiyechi Onwubhuwa of Cherry Field College, Abuja, will be traveling to the United States to witness the 88th edition of the renowned Scripps Spelling Bee Competition in Washington DC. Chinenye beat 44 other pupils from two states (Oyo and Lagos) as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the final to emerge winner.

She is being sponsored on the trip

by Beta Malt, Indomie, Voltic, Etisalat, and Virgin Atlantic. She will also be the face of Beta Malt for the next one year – with her photograph and her school’s name beamed on billboards across the country – in addition to a year’s supply of Beta Malt drink.

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

The representative of the Young Education Foundation, Mr. Akinleye Olu Philips, said their version of the spelling bee was different from others.

“It is a total package. We look at the educational modules in Nigeria and realised that kids most times are not composed when they are standing up to issues. We made our primary ethics of spelling bees composure. Students must learn composure for them to win,” he said.

The Principal of the college, Mrs Olga Igbo, expressed satisfaction with the school's success in the competition, especially as another pupil of the school, Okechukwu Odo, came fifth.

She said that the credit goes to teachers of the Cherrfield College, whom she described as hard working.

•Chineye lifting her trophy.

Lagos SUBEB registers primary one pupils

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HE Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Gbolahan Daodu, has urged parents to participate in the ongoing registration of pupils into Primary One classes in the 1001 public primary schools for the 2015/2016 academic session.

Mrs Daodu, who flagged off the registration at the Local Government Primary School, Ikeja, on Children's Day, last Wednesday, said children who are six years and above would be admitted into primary one, while those below would go to the early child care classes.

She said the exercise would be carried out in all divisions of the state and urged parents to complete the registration forms and attach three passport photographs and birth certificate of the child and return to the Head teacher of the school where it was obtained before the July 15 deadline.

She advised parents to benefit from the state's free education policy by ensuring that their wards complete their education up to JSS3, which is the Universal Basic Education (UBE) benchmark.

"It is important that we ensure that our children go to school. The Universal Basic Education Act makes it compulsory to register pupils into a school of their choice," she said.

A parent and business man, Mr.

By Jane Chijioke

Azuma Amos, urged parents to encourage the government by being responsible for their wards. He lamented that some parents send wrong signals and create a negative impression of public schools in the society.

"It is our duty as parents to raise our children to a standard and not see government school as a dumping ground where you lay off your problems.

There are things the government cannot provide for them. Keep your children neat and attractive. Why should they look tattered going to school all the time? Some would wear torn uniforms for years with slippers on their feet. Were their parents asleep when they left home?

All these send negative signals of public schools," he said.

Speaking on behalf of children at a parade to celebrate the Children's Day earlier at the Police College Parade Ground, Ikeja, Chinaza Adiogwu of Agindigbi Senior Grammar School, Ikeja, praised the Babatunde Fashola administration for his commitment to education and hoped that the new government would do more. She also called to mind the plight of children in the country which should be addressed.

"I urge the government to use the

NGO promotes science education

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HE dwindling interest of secondary pupils in science and technology-based courses has elicited the intervention of a Non- Profit Organisation called Popularisation of Emerging Science and Technology (PEST).

Led by Mrs Aderonke Obafaye, the Executive Director, and four others, the association has a vision to expose pupils to the latest discoveries in science and technology and motivate them to pursue careers in related fields.

Their efforts have started to elicit interest in three years as the group has reached out to Capital Science School, Kuje, and New Hope International Secondary School, both in Abuja, as well as Model Secondary School, Akure, and King's College, Lagos.

The PEST executives also visited Faith Academy, Canaanland, Ota, in Ogun State penultimate week, in the company of some space scientists to shed more light on space science.

Speaking on the group's activities, Mrs Obafaye underscored the need to build local scientific capacity of Nigerians. She said for some four decades, Nigeria has produced high calibre scientists that are mak-

ing their marks in the western world. She lamented that some of their research findings were not popularised enough to gain the global acceptance they deserve.

Mrs Obafaye said PEST hoped to reverse this trend by encouraging young ones in secondary schools to appreciate the wonders of science and nature.

World-renowned space weather scientists who visited Faith Academy included: Prof Christine Amory-Mazaudier of Space Physics, Universite'Pierre in France; the Director/Chief Executive, Centre for Atmospheric Research, Prof Babatunde Rabiu, and award-winner in Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Dr.Rabia Salihu Sa'id of Bayero University, Kano.

Mrs Obafaye said their visit helped the students to gain relevant information on some advances in Space Research over the last decade.

"Now, they are better informed about our Planet Earth, its magnetic fields and the Aurora particles with their brilliant colours. They are better informed about the planets Mars and Jupiter and why Pluto is no more considered a planet because of its small size," she said.

occasion of Children’s Day to not only celebrate us for who we are but to bring awareness to the plight of children around the world as we are victims of violence in form of abuse, exploitation and discrimination among others," she said

Okorocha plans college MO State Governor, Rochas in Sokoto Okorocha, has promised to establish Rochas Foundation Col-

lege in Sokoto.

Okorocha made the disclosure last week at the inauguration of the state of the art Mana Model Primary School in Sokoto constructed under the UBEC/SUBEB 2012 intervention fund.

The school is furnished with basic facilities such as blocks of 32 classrooms, toilets for both pupils and teachers, science and computer laboratories, and over head water tanks, among other ancillary provisions.

The governor, who holds the Sultanate title of Dan Jekan Sakkwato, described himself as a son of the soil, and a link between the north and the eastern parts of the country.

He noted that the future of the Nigerian child was dependent on education. Saying that education is the best legacy to leave for the child, he counseled parents to encourage their wards to go to school.

"Without education, our children will have no future. I urge all to go back to school. No time is too late to go back to school irrespective of age and gender," he said.

Okorocha praised former Sokoto Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, who initiated the project, as a silent achiever, saying "you are a man of few words with many actions. I am convinced of your love for education and service to humanity."

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

On his part, Wamakko said the state as seat of the caliphate was by history built on the path of learning as bequeathed by Shiekh Othman Dan Fodiyo.

"We have been promoting education in line with the legacies of Danfodiyo in many respects so as to ensure standard and knowledgedriven development for our people.

"This has placed us tops among equals through sustainable implementation of policies and programmes as well as construction of schools with basic quality facilities, qualified teachers and their welfare to increase enrolment of our children," he said.

Okorocha also inaugurated the N1.5billion flyover popularly called "Alu bridge" on the Kano-Abdullahi Fodiyo road which links MaiduguriBirnin Kebbi road.

‘Without education, our children will have no future.

I urge all to go back to school’

• From left: The Chairperson, Lion International Services for Children, Mrs Felicia Koleoso; District 404B-2 Governor, Mr Abiodun Adediji; CEO Skiddo Foods Ltd, Mrs. Julia Shinaba; former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; LTV8 2014 Beauty Queen, Miss Miracle Immanuel; and Director, News, LTV8, Mr Ayo Agbesanwa, at the 2015 Children's Day party orgnasied by LTV8 in conjunction with the Lions International District 404B-2 in Ikeja.

F

ORMER Edo State Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Osarenren, has advised secondary schools to devote more attention to the quality of teachers they recruit.

She gave the advice while delivering the keynote address at this year’s Annual School Owners and Principal Officers Education (ASOPOE) summit, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The theme of the summit, convened by Covenant Educational Consultancy (CEC) and Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), was: “The truly educated child; a must concern to all education practitioners.”

Mrs Osarenen said: “A qualified teacher is not necessarily a competent or effective teacher. It is the creative application of necessary principles and methods to ensure quality learning that makes you an effective teacher.”

She said teachers who discipline students with love and care would

Hire skilled teachers, ex-commissioner urges schools

By Oluwatoyin Adeleye

be celebrated.

Mrs Osarenren, who is now the Head of Department of Educational Foundations, UNILAG, also urged parents to be more aware of their children’s educational needs besides formal education, saying: “To have a truly educated child requires honesty, transparency, will-power and integrity on the part of all the stakeholders in the education project.

“The synergy between the home and the school cannot be ignored.

Anybody trained in school alone is an uneducated person.”

Lead Consultant, CEC, Mrs Foluso Atilola, advised school owners to ensure that their schools reflect excellence, the true symbol of education.

She said: “The child is the main

‘A qualified teacher is not necessarily a competent or effective teacher. It is the creative application of necessary principles and methods to ensure quality learning that makes you an effective teacher’

factor in the running of a school. If a child now leaves school without being truly educated, then the system and structure of the school should be thoroughly checked.”

Mrs Atilola urged the use of proverbs, rhymes and lyrics, adding that they have the power to curb indiscipline in children. She advised parents not to interfere with the schools’ ways of disciplining a child, except when it bordered on abuse.

Director, Operations at Imavate Education, Mrs Adesope Olaoye, who spoke on the topic: “Enhancing the school curriculum to produce a total child: The place of value and culture education”, advised schools to combine academic excellence with moral values.

“We need to start using opportunities we have every day to teach more than academics to our pupils.

Teach them savings, holiday jobs, patience, grooming, manners, composure, exercise, responsibility, tolerance and many more,”she said.

She added: “To educate a person in mind and not morals is to create a menace to the society. Children are in school to learn skills, knowledge and character.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

40

EDUCATION

Don urges Buhari to prioritise education

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HAIRMAN, Director of PartTime Programmes, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Prof Gbade Oyediran has called on the Muhammadu Buhari administration and various state governments in the country to prioritise education.

Oyediran told The Nation in an interview that doing so could promote peace, a major challenge the governments are battling with in the country today.

The Osogbo-born Professor of Soil Science, who decried the neglect suffered by the education sector in

By Sina Fadare

the hands of successive governments, said unless it is addressed the promise to restore peace in the country might be nothing more than a ruse.

"Any nation that places no premium on the education of its youth cannot go far. Education enlightens the mind and gives direction. It is no more news that poor funding of education is what is responsible for most of the strike actions in our higher institutions.

"Sequel to this, a vast majority of our youth is left idle and readily

available for use in unwholesome activities that plug the society into chaos and violence," he said.

Oyediran, who has also served as Dean of Student Affairs, also called on parents to complement the efforts of the government by monitoring their wards while in school, and even pay occasional surprise visits to them in the hostel. He said it was necessary because many students behave strangely and dangerously once away from home.

He disagreed with the popular notion that the standard of education in the country is falling, saying rather than falling, the standard remains intact. According to him, it is the products that have problem due to mass production, adding that with proper funding there would be provision of infrastructure such that the international standard of one lecturer to 30 students could be adopted in the country.

• Pupils dancing at a Children's Day party anchored by TV Act, Nnenna & Friends and sponsored by Safeguard Anti-bacterial Soap at the National Theatre, Iganmu.

District rewards teachers, pupils

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EACHERS, principals, vice principals, administrators and pupils that were outstanding in 2014 were celebrated during the 9th Annual Merit Award of the Lagos State Education District I recently.

They were presented with certificates and gifts such as freezers, washing machines, flat screen television, among others at the well-attended event held at the school hall Government Senior College, Agege.

Tutor General/Permanent Secretary of the district, Mrs Florence Ogunfidodo, said the programme was a platform to reward deserving workers and pupils who had excelled to motivate them to do even more.

In an interview with The Nation, she said the workers were deserving of reward for contributing to the laurels the district won in the past year, including producing the One Day Governor and the winner of the Lagos State Spelling Bee Competition, Idowu Sonoiki.

She urged the winners to mentor others to be like them.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

"We are rewarding some of them that have been excellent. The reward of hard work is more work. They should work harder so that we remain on top and never go down as the district of excellence in the centre of excellence. For those not rewarded, I can only tell them to emulate the good works the others are doing. The awardees of today should mentor those ones that are not awarded today," he said.

Chairman of the occasion, Mrs Bolajoko Falore, who is the Education Director of Mind Builders School, Omole, praised the workers for bringing honour to the district.

She urged teachers present to do their work with excellence and sincerity.

"What kind of teacher are you? Are you one that does eye service and only works when the principal is around? When I was in the inspectorate, I told teachers that though their children may not be in their schools, they (the children) would

‘I won because of the performance of my students and my commitment to the job that I am doing. I make the subject to be real to the students, which assisted them a lot’

meet teachers with their kind of attitude," she said.

Mrs Falore instituted a prize of N20,000 each for the best non teaching staff in junior and senior secondary schools. She also promised to reward Sonoiki, an SS2 pupil of Ikotun Senior High School, Ikotun for winning the spelling bee.

Winner of the best principal (senior school category), Mr Emmanuel Adebiyi of Lagos Baptist Senior College, Ile-Epo, said he was not new to winning awards because of his consistency and passion for the job.

"I am a consistent manager. I have won many awards both at this local level, and the national level. I was conferred with a national honour last August - National Productivity Order of Merit - the only person from Lagos State. And since then I have been working assiduously to maintain that tempo that I have been maintaining for the past three or four years," he said.

Best Teacher (senior secondary category), Mrs Kafilat Salaudeen of Sasa Senior High School, described her award as a great accomplishment.

She attributed her win to good results of her pupils in Commerce, the subject she teaches.

"I won because of the performance of my students and my commitment to the job that I am doing. I make the subject to be real to the students, which assisted them a lot," she said.

Kwara Poly wins athletics meet

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HE Contingent of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has won the State Tertiary Institutions Athletics Meet with two trophies and two gold medals.

The Competition which was organised by the Kwara State Sports Council to commemorate the second term of Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed featured 4 x 100 metres relay races competed for by tertiary institutions and clubs.

The institutions that participated

with Kwara Poly included: University of Ilorin (UNILORIN); College of Education, Ilorin; College of Education, Oro; Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete; College of Arabic and Legal Studies; College of Health Technology, Offa and Oke Ode; College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi.

Receiving the contingent on campus, Rector, Alhaji Mas`ud Elelu, praised the team for proving their worth and making the polytechnic proud.

He said the management is making a

frantic effort to gear the contractor constructing the new auto-modern Stadium to complete it before the end of this year.

Elelu stressed that the completion of the institution's stadium would enhance their performance and earn it the right to host the Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) Games.

The Rector therefore, advised the members of the contingent to face their studies and improve their sporting skills to prevent them from joining bad company.

EDUTALK

with

Letter to Buhari

D

EAR President Muhammadu Buhari, congratulations on your election and inauguration last Friday.

The entire process has renewed the hope of Nigerians that our country can really work. You see, we have been pessimistic for a long time. You cannot blame us. It is because we Kofoworola have been disappointed again and again by past leaders.

But right now, we are more optiKofosagie@yahoo.com mistic that things can actually change 08054503077 (SMS only) - that we can see the Nigeria of our dreams come to pass in the present dispensation - in our lifetime.

Sir, we know the task ahead is herculean. However, we are counting on you to lead the change - give the direction we should go. If this means we need to climb mountains, swim through swift rivers, and endure storms, it would be bearable with you leading from the front.

All areas of national life are important, we know. But we want you to take special interest in the education sector. This is because we need education to develop as a nation. And it is not just about spending years in school with little to show for it; it is about quality education available to the average Nigerian - not a privileged few who can afford it.

This highlights the need for our public schools to be revamped. The private sector must be commended for rising to the occasion in the delivery of high quality education (though not always) when successive governments neglected public schools. However, the neglect of public education should not continue. More recently, at least since the return of democracy to Nigeria, there have been efforts to revitalize public education. But it has not had a blanket effect across the country.

The need is great. But that should not discourage you. It can be addressed if funds are judiciously utilized. While more funds should be devoted to education, it is also important that whatever is appropriated should be well monitored to ensure it delivers. If this happen, we will have better school infrastructure, classroom and teacher furniture and laboratory and ICT equipment in our public schools. We cannot celebrate success if only a few of our young population in school achieve the required learning outcomes.

It is when the average pupil/student - irrespective of socio-economic, religious or ethnic backgrounds - excels that we can indeed claim success.

Sir, another aspect in need of serious attention is teacher training. Something urgently needs to be done to boost the quality of our teachers and motivate them to remain in the profession. We need a template that can identify cerebral and passionate teachers and professionals who are not morally deficient to man our schools. The template should motivate students to study education in school. They should not feel inferior about their choice to teach. It should also include how to retain them. They must be respected. To be respected, teachers must be well paid, get opportunities for further training, and recognised for their efforts and expertise when it comes to appointments.

Your Excellency, perhaps you should also consider the agitation of private universities to benefit from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

The argument against their inclusion is that as private entities they charge high fees above what the average Nigerians can afford, so make profit. But they counter argue that since TETFund is funded by the private sector (two percent of the accessible profit of private companies), they deserve to benefit from the grant - especially as many of the students attending private universities are wards of the taxpayers that contribute to the fund. Moreover, as education is a social service, they insist they are supporting the government to offer education to Nigerians.

We would want to reason for their inclusion from another angle. Even public school administrators argue that education is capital intensive so private schools must charge 'high' fees at the tertiary level. The Vice Chancellor of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University once told us that it cost about N800,000 to educate an undergraduate per session. Yet, many private universities do not charge that much. This notwithstanding, not many Nigerians can afford the average of N400,000 that they charge. As a result, many private universities are unable to enroll enough students up to their carrying capacity. Yet, yearly, about one million qualified candidates cannot get into the university because of limited spaces in public schools. What the government can do, Sir, is to allow TETFund to offer scholarships to indigent students to enroll in private universities to expand access to university education.

TETFund has a template that has worked with public tertiary institutions that ensures that funds are not misappropriated. We trust that the agency can evolve a foolproof process to ensure that students who claim these scholarships into private universities really need them.

Sir, as the writer of this column, I have taken the liberty to use the pronoun, we, hoping that I am speaking the minds of many Nigerians.

We wish you the best in your efforts to revive our dear country.

Belo-Osagie

‘Your Excellency, perhaps you should also consider the agitation of private universities to benefit from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The argument against their inclusion is that as private entities they charge high fees above what the average Nigerians can afford, so make profit. But they counter argue that since TETFund is funded by the private sector’

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

43

THURSDAY JUNE 4, 2015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Former Kano State Deputy Governor Umar Ganduje has taken the baton of leadership from his former boss, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso. KOLADE ADEYEMI, who witnessed the swearing-in ceremony in Kano, the state capital, highlights the challenges that will face the new administration.

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HE patient dog eats the fattest bone. This popular saying played out in the ancient city of Kano on Friday, May 29, when Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, immediate past Deputy governor of Kano State took the mantle of leadership from his former boss, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, who is now the elected senator representing Kano Central District at the Upper Chambers. Though there was a ban on jubilation for security reasons, millions of Kano residents showed their solidarity for a man they gave even more than he asked for during the April 11 elections Ganduje polled over 1.5 million votes to defeat 13 candidates.

Ganduje’s quest to govern Kano dated back to 1999 when he indicated interest. But, was asked to step down for Kwankwaso who chose him as running mate. Though many at different times spread rumour of infighting between the two leaders, their cordial relationship, in the public betrayed all that. For one reason, the event that took place at the 2015 Coronation House in Government House where Kwankwaso formally handed over the mantle of leadership to Ganduje betrayed every suspicion that the two leaders were not in accord. At exactly 9:02 a.m. the two leaders, accompanied by Ganduje’s Deputy, Prof.

Abubakar Hafiz, stepped into the hall, amid cheers by the crowd.

After the handover, Ganduje spoke about Kwankwaso: “My boss, my mentor, the Supreme Commander of the Kwankwassiyya Movement. It is, indeed, a momentous occasion, it is a historic occasion; and what has happened this morning is a transaction of your own thinking, your own calculation and belief that what is happening today is in the best interest of Kano and our people. I thank you and I am not surprise because it is also as a result of our brotherly relationship spanning for over 25 years.”

Turning to the people, Ganduje said. “We are grateful for you electing us and our party, the APC in all political positions. I pledge on behalf of myself and my Deputy that continuity is a task that must be done. We shall emulate the good work of my boss. We shall complete the projects that are not completed just the way they are conceived.”

Supporters of the two leaders chanted songs of joy, triumph and jubilation. They thanked Allah for making it possible for Kano to have a smooth transition under the banner of change.

Kwankwaso’s reply was short: He said that the day completed his dream for a better Kano. He also pledged to support the new governor. “Let me congratulate my brothers, friends and confidants, His Excellency, the new Governior of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his Deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar. I want to assure that we will continue to work together for the development of our great state. Today, I feel so fulfilled because we have been able to deliver.

I wish you well,” he added.

After the event, Kwankwaso left for Abuja, while Ganduje, his Deputy and other guests went to Sani Abacha Stadium where people were waiting for a man who had just taken the oath before the acting Chief Judge, Mrs. Patricia Mahmud. The crowd was unprecedented. All major markets close to the stadium such as Kantin Kwari textile market, one of the biggest in West Africa, was closed down.

The security arrangement was commendable as no vehicle was allowed to step into the venue.

The stadium was filled to capacity. People of different religion were praying for Ganduje, for the sustenance of peace, harmony and proigress in the ancient commercial city.

Prof. Hafiz, took his Oath of Office at exactly 10 a.m. while Ganduje took his oath around 10:05.

They all promised to abide by Nigeria’s constitution. Speaking shortly after taking the oath, Ganduje, who has promised to build on the legacies of Kwankwaso, said he would make Kano a mega-city and take development to the hinterlands. He promised to review the Kano master-plan to give it the status of a mega-city.

He promised to run an all-inclusive government, based on the principles of fairness, accountability and transparency. Ganduje also warned that anybody working with him should purge himself of corruption of any form because his administration would not hesitate to punish corrupt public office holders no matter how highly placed. He also promised to boost transportation through the

Ganduje: I ’ll build on Kwankwaso’s legacies

• Governor Ganduje taking the Oath of Office before the Acting Chief Judge, Mrs Patricia Mahmud.

•The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi 11 in the midst of mammoth crowd From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

introduction of light rail-system. He also promised to boost agriculture, education, housing and human development. He also promised to restructure the system Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and ensure security of lives and property of the people.

Former Military Administrator who’s appointed Ganduje as the Commissioner for Works, General Dominic Oneya, said: “Ganduje is a very good man, a very loyal and hardworking Commissioner of Works during my time here in Kano as the military administrator. I am not surprised that God has made it possible for him to become the governor and I am sure he is going to deliver. He will not disappoint the people; and I feel so happy that I have to come all the way from my state to witness this inauguration in my other state which is Kano. I was a Brigade-Commander here and I was a military administrator here. So, I am at home here; and I sure Ganduje will not disappoint the people. He is hardworking, he has foresight and above all, his loyalty brought him to

where he is today. I will have to advice Ganduje to have the fear of God; and at the same time make sure that he keeps away people that will just come and tell him what they think he should hear. He should be able to carry his cabinet along and have confidence in his Deputy and make sure that he delivers on what the people want.

He should try his best and let sycophants keep away from him—that is my little advice to him.”

Also, a former governor of the state, who is now a senator, Kabiru Ibrahim, Gaya, said: “I believe governance is a matter of how you run your system. From day one, Ganduje is good enough and I believe he will continue with the good work Kwankwaso has started; and I am sure he is going to complete those works that are yet to be completed and bring out his own ideas. You see, in our time when I was governor and now are different times. In our time, the revenue that we collected from the Federation Account was about N60 million to N70 million per month; but this time, it is about N8 to N9 billion. So, the different is very clear. We thank God that we have been remembered for what we did during that time up till today and that is why we are still relevant

in politics. I believe Ganduje can do a good job and I wish him well; and I can tell you that we are so close that I know where and how to give him the real advice, not on the pages of newspapers.

Ganduje knows what he can do and I can tell you we speak almost on daily basis and I keep giving him positive advice. I have a full confidence that Ganduje is going to perform. He was a Deputy Governor for eight years; and the most important thing is that he had a break, and when you are in government and you have a break, you will learn and perform more than you did before. You can remember that what Kwankwaso did in his first four years is completely different from what he did now, because he had a break. When you have a break in government, you will look into your mistakes and correct them.

In his own views, the Senator-elect from Kano North District, Barau Jubrin, said: “Let me tell you that people will make mistake when they call Ganduje a new governor—he is not a new governor, he is an old governor. I say this because he has been in the corridor of power for a very long time and he knows everything about how the system works. Now, he has garnered enough experience. Don’t also forget that he is an intellectual, a bureaucrat. He is also a seasoned politician. If you combine all these factors together, you will find out that he is very experienced and you should expect that he is going to deliver—he is going to deliver in such a way that it will surprise everybody. He is going to build on what the immediate past governor has done to the people of Kano state and Kano is going to be better for it. Kano today is the best state in the country in terms of good governance and delivery oif democratic dividends and we believe that now that Ganduje is there, Kano is going to be better because Ganduje has an excellent pedigree. He is a groomed administrator, so expect the best from him. Sso, we don’t have any iota of doubt that Ganduje is going to perform.”

Dignitaries from all walks of life graced the occasion, including the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi 11.

44

THE NATION THURSDAY JUNE 4, 2015

The Senate everywhere in the world is known to be the stabilizing ‘chamber in every democracy. Thank God I have been in the Senate in the last eight years after my eight-year sojourn in the House of Representatives

POLITICS

’

The Senate Unity Forum, led by Senator Barnabas Gemade, has reiterated its support for the ambition of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmad Lawan and Minority Leader George Akume for the Senate President and Deputy Senate President. Gemade spoke with Assistant Editor ONYEDI OJIABOR and SANNI ONOGU on the position of the forum.

‘Lawan ’ll build consensus between APC and PDP senators’

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HAT essentially is the Senate Unity Forum?

The Senate Unity Forum is made up of many senators from all the geo-political zones of the Federation, united in one common course - to actualize the Senate Presidency of Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe State and Deputy Senate Presidency of Senator Dr. Goerge Akume from Benue State. The Senate Unity Forum has decided that these two gentlemen, being the most ranking Senators and by the grace of God, also, the most qualified in the fold of the All Progressives Congress returning to Senate in the Eighth Senate that they are the best people to lead us as leaders and as presiding officers when we are inaugurated.

What informed this decision?

We took this decision, very conscious of the fact that the standard of the Nigerian Senate has been improving gradually since 1999 and its stability has also improved dramatically and we would want to maintain that stability as well as continue to improve on the standard and the quality of Nigerian Senate.

On Monday, May 25, Senator Bukola Saraki displayed a list of 34 Senators-elect that has endorsed his candidacy. When will the Unity Forum publish its list?

We are not publishing the entire list of all the Senators that have signed in on this project because we know that a lot is still being done and in some cases, so much speculations are being made and indeed, a lot of claims are being made and it is not proper to join anyone in making claims that are not well thought out and well proven. For this reason, even though today, we have about 40 APC Senators-elect that have keyed in on this project, we do wish to launch such a list when thy have all returned to Abuja. We have a large number of PDP and other party Senators-elect that also keyed in on this project. We will like to unveil that list when most of our members that have traveled and those that are already in

their own states for the purpose of inauguration of new governments return to Abuja. We do not want to announce to you that we have 40 and then, 22 or 23 appear at the press conference which may have happened in the past. The day we will give you the list, all those concerned will be sitting with us and you will match the name with their faces.

What will senator Lawan do differently as Senate President?

The Senate everywhere in the world is known to be the stabilizing chamber in every democracy. Thank God I have been in the Senate in the last eight years after my eight-year sojourn in the House of Representatives. I believe that this time, the Eighth Senate should be a Senate where independence of the Legislature will be a key thing and cooperative governance and partnership with the executive arm of government would be enhanced. We have had about eight years of stability in the Senate and that is a thing that I would build on...On the independence of Legislature, until we are able to be independent of the Executive, we cannot properly position ourselves to undertake our responsibilities and discharge our mandate. There is need for us to always build consensus in the Eighth Senate and you will agree with me that the Eighth Senate is unlike any other Senate in the history of Nigeria.

That is because you have 59 APC Senators and 49 PDP Senators in opposition. The gap is narrow and that calls for consensus building and cooperation in and among Senators for anything meaningful to be achieved by the Senate. So, I intend to always build consensus between the two sides. I always believe that the we must cooperate with the executive arm of government. Until there is cooperation between us based on mutual respect and understanding, we may not achieve much. I recall in my first time in the House of Representatives, there was too much power tussle in the Legislature, particularly between the House then and the executive arm of government and nothing was

•Senators Lawan (left), Gemade and Akume at the interactive session with the Senate Press Corps achieved. We do not want to see a repeat of that. Yet, the National Assembly must not be a rubber stamp. I also believe the cost of government is high and the level of corruption, intolerable.

We will join President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption and all corrupt tendencies through legislation to ensure that whatever resources we are able to get is judiciously utilized rather than ending in private pockets.

Before you unveil Senators backing this project, can we see proof of that support?

As for proof of support, I want to put it this way, our candidate for Senate Presidency is the only one that two zones went out, publicly held meetings and endorsed.

Ahmad Lawan was endorsed by the South West and North West caucus of the APC. The South West has 13 senator and the North West has 20 members under APC. Nobody, out of those zones, came out to deny that there were caucus meeting and Lawan was endorsed and this is to tell you that no matter what percentage that disagrees or are not on board, must be a very small, insignificant number. Now, to the other two zones that have many senators of the APC, which is the North East and the North Central. This is the territory where the contestants are from, and, therefore, obviously, there will be a divided number of vote in these two zones.

Do you have the temperament

Varsity teachers back Saraki for Senate President

P

OLITICAL science teachers from Nigerian universities and Kwara Elite Group have thrown their weight behind former Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki for the Senate President.

The university lecturers spoke in Malete, Moro local government area, at the end of a roundtable conference on the Presidency of the 8th Senate. The conference was organised by the Kwara State University (KWASU).

The university teachers came from Redeemers University, Mowe, Ogun State, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Ondo State University, Akungba Akoko, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti and host KWASU. Dr. Jeremiah Omotola, also of the Department of Political Science, Redeemers’ University, discussed how Senator Saraki’s antecedents

ate President-deputy designate. Others who are running are not able to do so and I believe this an opportunity for Senators and Senators-elect to make up their minds who their presiding officers will be.

Why is there controversy in number? You claim 40 APC Senators-elect are on your side yet, Senator Saraki, too, claims to have 34 members on his side?

Let me make it very clear to you that it is the very foundation of the clumsy way of showing you a list with signatures that we do not want to do so because a list with signatures does not prove anything. First of all, you must get the person physically to tell you that ‘yes, my name on that list is by my authorization, the signature on that list was signed by me.’

We want to show you a list when all the people concerned are sitting with us. So, if you are making reference to the fact that one group shows the list and the other does not and therefore, one of them is lying, we will not be the one who will tell you here who is lying. I think it should be your business to find out who is lying and at the appropriate time, I think you will do Nigeria a very good service when you finally have found out who lied to say so publicly in your newspaper. As far as we know, we stand by our figure of 40 and the day we unveil that list we will have the people seated and that day you will photograph them and not just see the list.

Group extols Tinubu’s qualities

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin could positively and negatively shape the contest.

He listed Saraki’s antecedents as sterling performance while at the Budget Office in the Presidency.

Dr Omotola said Saraki’s virtues include exceptional wisdom, maturity, and dexterity, which were deployed to stabilise the Governors Forum as the Chairman of the strategic inter-governmental relations body.

The stability witnessed during Senator Bukola Saraki’s tenure, according to Dr. Omotola, showcased the rich human relations credentials of Senator Bukola.

He also highlighted the central role played by Bukola in successfully managing the process of defection of the 5 break-away governors from the Peoples Democratic Party.

required to handle this position?

I believe I possess the temperament that is required to run the Senate from June 9 by the grace of God. While I have never been a Presiding Officer, I believe that I have learnt a lot from the presiding officers in the House of Representatives where I had experience working with three Speakers and I have also watched and very closely related with the current presiding officers in the Senate for the last eight years. So, I believe I have garnered enough experience to deal with issues. As for tensions, I am not praying for tension but I believe that at some times in the Legislature, tempers may rise high. We will always try to control the situation. In fact, we will try to be as proactive as possible by ensuring that issues that could cause tension to be high are not allowed to escalate. I think with that kind of preventive approach, we could reduce the tendencies that could create tension.

Has the Unity Forum reached out to the 49 Senators of the PDP? We have been reaching out to them.

Perhaps when we present ourselves after the inauguration, maybe early June, you will see who our supporters in the PDP are but I want to assure you that majority of the PDP Senators-elect are on this ticket. That is to say they have a preference for us. We have already shown the world who we are, that is, the Senate President-designate and the Deputy Sen-

•Akinwunmi

M

EMBERS of Akinwunmi A m b o d e / B a y o Oshinowo Independent Campaign Group have extolled the leadership qualities of former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which they said, contributed to the electoral victory of the All Progressives Congress

(APC) in the general elections.

The membership of the group cut across Olubori, Odun-Ifa, Idi-Araba and Mosafejo Community Development Associations (CDAs) and the Progressive Widows Association in Oworonsoki Community, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Chairman of the group Mr Olusegun Akinwunmi described Tinubu as a courageous, selfless and dedicated party leader, who worked tirelessly for the victory of the party during the elections.

Akinwunmi who spoke with reporters in Lagos, expressed gratitude to God that the efforts of the party leader came to fruition. He congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Hon Rotimi Agunsoye and Hon. Bayo Osinowo among others for emerging victorious at the polls.

He called on Governor Ambode to site development projects in Oworonsoki, which according to him, is lacking good roads and functional drainage system, modern classrooms in primary and secondary school, and potable water.

Akinwunmi disclosed that there is only one primary and secondary school in Oworonsoki, which he said, was responsible for the congestion in the classrooms. According to him, there are over 100 pupils in a classroom. The solution, he said, is to establish more primary and secondary schools in the area given its population.

The members of the group present at the coference were Mr Olusegun Bakare (General Secretary), Mrs Bola Adebisi (Public Relations Officer), Mrs O. O. Lawal (Asst. Secretary), Mr Tunde Ajayi (Co-ordinator), Chief Tejumaiye Balogun, Mr E.A. Akinpelu (Whip) and Mr Bode Oladiye, Board of Trustees.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

45

THE NATION

NATURAL HEALTH CLINIC DAY

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

Lagos Sate Traditional Medicine Board Registrar Dr Bodunrin Oluwa answers the question on how to stop pile and back pain.

‘Take control of your posture and end back pain’ Question B ACK pain can be both frightening and debilitating. Its prevalence is high, going by individual practitioner case notes. Most Nigerians suffer from lower back pain severe enough to consult a health professional or use traditional or orthodox drugs to relieve the pain or reduce inflammation. Backache could lead a worker to absenteeism or lose time. There are professional ways to address the cause, not the symptom. These could be by Osteopath, chiropractic and acupuncture.

To understand your body, and arrive at a convincing answer whether you have back pain, answer these questions- Does back trouble keep you from playing your favourite sport? Does it stop you from bending or swinging your child into the air? Have you lost precious time from work, spent money on medications or undergone surgery, with little or no relief? Have you tirelessly experimented with various therapies to alleviate your back pain? If answer to any of these is yes, then you are suffering from back pain. And getting to the root cause is the best way to attempt a treatment, and also prevent a re-occurence. I am a Chiropractor and I will talk on Do It Yourself (DIY) way out of it, known as Alexander Technique, because you may not be located near a Complementary and Alternative medicine (CAM) practitioner.

Let me succinctly make you understand further, causes of back pain. Chronic back pain can be the result of inactivity, injury, emotional stress, flawed body mechanics or compressed posture. It is often treated with chiropractic adjustments, massage, pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs or surgery.

Each of these approaches can have a valuable role in recuperation; but the Alexander Technique helps you perceive the cause of your back problem, and gets to the heart of it by helping you change your movement style.

If you slump when you sit, you are overworking some muscles and underusing others. This muscular imbalance is evidenced by a collapsed or rigid posture. If you overarch the back or bend at the waist rather than the hip joint, you are unconsciously compressing spinal vertebrae. Sitting for sustained periods is the most challenging activity for the human spine, and it is how many of us spend our days.

The Alexander Technique is a proven method of self care that reduces pain, increases your mobility and provides long term relief. It gives you an understanding of the body’s fundamental design and a way to move that will help you feel better, on your own. For best results, you should learn it from an Alexander Technique practitioner, a highly-trained professional who can lead you through a one-on-one learning process tailored to your abilities and needs. Your Alexander Technique teacher listens to your symptoms, seeing them in the context of your entire movement pattern. Through keen observation of the body’s dynamics in movement, s/he focuses on how you move as you function.

How you can benefit from the Alexander Technique: You can then use the Alexander Technique to move safely and sensibly.

Rather than slumping, you can learn to sit upright without strain. The Technique enables you to reduce overuse of the body’s surface muscles by engaging the primary control: your body’s central support system.

Walking, lifting, reaching, climbing stairs, getting out of bed or into a car — you learn to accomplish all these routine activities, pain-free.

Lessons take place in a studio or clinic and usually last 30 to 60 minutes. You’ll be asked to wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing so that you’re able to move easily. The teacher will observe your movements and show you how to move, sit and stand with

I think I have pile due to severe back pain.

After drinking all sorts of herbal preparations, a colleague directed me to contact your paper, so I can be referred to a traditional/alternative medicine practitioner.

Any suggestions?

Chukwuemeka Godwin, 52- year-old furniture maker, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo State.

•Dr Oluwa

better balance and less strain. The teacher will use his/her hands to gently guide you in your movements, with your head leading and your spine following.

During the lessons you’ll be helped to explore the way you go about everyday activities. You’ll practice applying the Alexander Technique while standing, sitting, walking and lying down, maintaining a better relationship between your head, neck, spine and back.

You’ll need to attend a number of lessons to learn the basic concepts of the Alexander Technique. Once you have gained an understanding of the main principles, you’ll be able to apply them to everyday life.

Since study of the Alexander Technique helps you increase sensory awareness, you become more attuned to your body’s warning signs of tension and compression. You acquire the capacity to lessen or prevent epi-

sodes of pain, enabling you to decrease your dosage of painkillers or anti-inflammatory medications or agbo jedi- anti pile herbal preparation. You demystify your back problem-you understand where it comes from and how to change it. The efficacy of such an approach to this common problem is borne out by facts: Majority of back problems are known to be muscular in origin — meaning they are related to how you move your body.

Most importantly, it puts into your hands the capacity to relieve and prevent your back problems. Rather than wondering why you’re flat out on the couch after picking up a newspaper, you move through your day with more confidence, grace and ease.

What is the Alexander Technique?

The Alexander Technique is an education system that aims to improve posture and movement and promote the efficient use of muscles. It was founded in the 1890s by Aus-

‘If you slump when you sit, you are overworking some muscles and underusing others.

This muscular imbalance is evidenced by a collapsed or rigid posture.

If you over-arch the back or bend at the waist rather than the hip joint, you are unconsciously compressing spinal vertebrae. Sitting for sustained periods is the most challenging activity for the human spine, and it is how many of us spend our days’

tralian actor Frederick Matthias Alexander, who often experienced laryngitis with the stress of an upcoming performance. After multiple fruitless visits to doctors, he discovered that his symptoms were directly related to excess tension and poor posture, especially in the muscles of his neck. He developed a way of speaking and moving that cured his chronic condition, and then taught these techniques to others for the rest of his life.

The central focus of Alexander Technique is proper positioning of the head and spine by correcting imbalances caused by tension and poor postural habits. The technique focuses on unlearning poor habits of posture, movement, breathing and body orientation, replacing them with fluid movement that is free of tension.

Are there other therapies that might work well in conjunction with Alexander Technique? The answer is yes. There is evidence that this therapy is beneficial in conjunction with physical therapy, massage, osteopathy, chiropractic and acupuncture. Because Alexander Technique focuses on body alignment and posture, it can be useful with any type of massage or manipulation.

Pilates and yoga also focus on core strength, flexibility and body alignment and can easily complement the Alexander Technique.

Mind-body therapies also go hand-in-hand with this as both address how thoughts affect physical states.

How do I get in touch with a practitioner is a natural question to ask. There are some in the country, but mostly found in private practice. We have Archbishop (Prof) Magnus Atilade, Dr Olufemi Bankole, an Osteopath and I. At the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, we are training some young hands now in the art. You can also get this done through a physical therapist, chiropractor, physiatrist or Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician (PM and R), certified athletic trainer (ATC), or other spine specialist.

Alexander Technique is unique among bodywork therapies in that it does not generally consist of routine exercises - instead, guidance is individualised to fit each person’s unique needs. Two exceptions are a special method of lying down as a means of achieving deep muscular relaxation, and a “Whispered Ah” vocalisation technique used to promote efficient use of the voice.

46

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

NATURAL HEALTH

Anti-aging tips for Buhari in Change era (8) T

OMORROW IS D-DAY, when President Ebele Azikwe Jonathan should pass power to president– elect Gen Mohammadu Buhari (rtd). The hearts of many people, including Gen, Buhari’s must be pounding harder and faster as this column speculated last Thursday. At under 110/70, mine isn’t. As a matter of fact, I will not witness Gen. Buhari’s inauguration on radio and television, and I will miss the Trafalgar square–type assembly which my acquaintance, Alhaji Jide Tairu director at Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, has arranged for that day at our housing estate to commemorate the inauguration. I will be in Lagos alright, but out of circulation, cut off from radio and television and merry-making of all sorts. For tomorrow is May 29 one of the important dates in my calendar since 1977 which presages a three–day observance of PENTECOST. Christians know of Pentecost as the season of the ascension of the crucified but risen Christ. It is celebrated worldwide in Christiandom 40 days after Easter Monday, which reminds them of the teaching of early Christian fathers that the Lord Jesus physically arose from the dead on that day. There are many Christians who do not share this belief down the line. While they believe the Lord survived physical death, they see this more in terms of his soul or ethereal body and have explanations for the whereabouts of his physical earthly remains. Even Apostle Paul would note the body of the Lord he encountered was not the mortal earthly cloak of his essence.

Well, this is not the issue now. Since 1977, I have been priviledged to partake of the recognition and observance of Pentecost over three days beginning from tomorrow. I crave your indulgence to mention, briefly this event because the date coincides, somewhat, with the date chosen, for whatever reason(s), to inaugurate a new Nigerian Federal Government, and because Gen. Buhari’s election, unique at this time of Nigeria’s history, positions his inauguration as president for tomorrow.

Many Christians remember that Temple in paradise where 24 Elders unceasingly sing Holy, Holy, Holy, God Almighty. From eternity to Eternity.

HIS temple is at the boundary of the Divine World or the World of Angels with paradise, the world of human spirits. we humans are spirits from the spiritual world or World of spirit, which lies below the world of Angels in the divine world. At the summit of the spiritual world there is a semblance, though in spiritual content, of the temple of the elders in the Divine world. It is this Temple which bore a part of the light of God when God issued the creation fiat or order…” LET THERE BE LIGHT” PRIOR TO THIS ORDER EXISTENCE BEGAN WITH Him the creator and ended with the Elders. Below the realms of the Elders, a dark, cold void existed. The order brought a part of the light of God from out of Him to the boundary of the world of the Elders and of the void. That part of the light of God immediately brought light, heat and warmth to the void to give it life, and we are informed that “the spirit of God hovered over the land.” This was the creation of paradise, after which was to evolve subsequent creation which developed, through the Big bang scenarios described by science, after the prototype or archetype of the original creation. It is the beings in this original creation that were made after the “Image of God”, not the imperfect human beings on earth who are still struggling consciously or unconsciously, to achieve immortality. In the Temple at the summit of paradise, the world of perfected and evolved human spirits like you and me striving to become images of the images of God, there is a king. He is that part of the light of God, that is, He is a part of God, who brought creation into being and anchored God’s law within it. In this Temple, His Essence or being is cloaked in the finest spirit material, hence this Name of Holy spirit.

For God and God alone is Holy. The Lord Jesus referred to Him when He said... “And when he, the spirit of Truth is come…” It is of Him that the Lord Jesus also referred when He said any sin against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. For, as the Creative will of God the father, the Holy Spirit brought Creation into being under the Laws of God, anchored these laws in creation, has the responsibility for the smooth–running of creation, including the redress of any imbalance or injustice throw what we call the Law of Karma or of sowing and Reaping and, Finally, responsibility for the final Judgement. The Lord Jesus advises us that … when He the Spirit of Truth comes, He will reprieve the world of sin and proclaim the judgment” The book of Revelation in the Bible announces Him as … “ that which was, which is and which is to come...” (For the Judgement, the next verse announces greetings also from the risen and departed Lord Jesus and describe him as the “faithful witness”). This, two personalities are spoken of… that which is to come”, and “the faithful witness”. It’s goes on to describe Jesus as “the first begotten of the Death” which I understand to mean to mean the first son of God to live on earth with a spirituality dead humanity. Thus the Holy spirit as the will and power of God who is to come is the second son of God. As part of His responsibility for the maintenance of Creation, which He brought into existence, there is an outpouring of power from the Holy Spirit into Creation once, in what we observe on earth every year at a definite time those human Spirits whose inner or Spirit eyes are sufficiently sensitive to see the paleness or dullness of the earth when it is running out of this power, like an anemic person in need of blood transfusion, the peak of the receipt of this power has been determined to be between May 29 and May

T

31. This outpouring is like the surge of blood from the heart to all parts of the body to maintain them. The heart beats about 72 times a minute, but the outpouring takes place once a year. The scenario should flood us with humility; it should teach us that, as there is only one God, there is only One Law and one power. This law operates throughout creation in the same way: creation is maintained or the human body is maintained.

Revelation 1:4-6 describe the Holy Spirit as “that which was, which is and which is to come” and the Lord Jesus as “the faithful witness.” Being from the same origin as the Holy Spirit, Jesus would know of the timing of the outpouring of power from the Holy Spirit, He would delay His ascent homewards to the father and instruct His Disciples to gather in the upper chamber to witness this event.

Hitherto, He alone would have it, it was possible that was what happened at the Transfiguration been observing it.

Please recall that He once said He had many things He would have loved to teach them, but they were not yet mature for the information. Their grief over, His crucification which purged their souls of anything else most probably opened them up that “special“ Pentecost to receive power as It descended from high and perform the wonders ascribed to them at that Pentecost.

HRISTIANS would need to purge themselves of some errors connected with Pentecost. One: Pentecost or the outpouring of power was not a one–off event limited to the disciples alone. Two: They do not have the holy spirit in them but probably have in them power from the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit is personal like Jesus and is not merely the rush of wind.

Three, it is given to not only Christians to partake of Pentecost. God did not create religions. Man fashioned religions from out of the Messages He sent to different parts of the earth, on the basis of what spiritual knowledge they needed to have in order that they may ascend the next rung of the ladder of life on their homeward journey to paradise. Had these messages been left as pure as they were brought and joined in ascending order, they would have form a single ladder to the pedestal of Truth, to God. The power of Pentecost is impersonal. It works for every soul opened to it in the degree of the absorbent capacity of that soul.

It transforms from slumber of “winter” to spring what we call Nature, the hills and the mountains, the meadows, fields and the forests, the oceans and the seas. These things are not Nature but the effects or work of Nature. Nature comprise all the Nature beings who stand unswerving in the Will of God to fulfill His Command for the Creation of a home in different parts of developed or Subsequent Creation for the maturing of the human spirit who could not mature in the Original Paradise because that was too close to the proximity of the Power of God. Four we used the Power of Pentecost according to our nature, to ennoble ourselves or our environment, or to burden ourselves with more guilt spiritually and, thereby, entangle ourselves and our societies for spiritual perdition. If society is stagnant, such as ours, whenever Creation is on the move, it is evidence that we are entangled.

My prayer is that, as President, irrespective of his religion, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) would be sufficiently connected to the strengthening, guiding and helpful rays of the Power of Pentecost pouring forth from On high at his time, to fulfill the transformation of Nigeria to the honour and glory of the Almighty Creator AMEN. Thus, off I go, out of circulation at the time of the inauguration of the Buhari Administration tomorrow. Alhaji Jide Tairu and my other friends should now understand my absence at the inauguration of the Trafalgar Square–type Assembly. So should Mr George Ubeng, an avid reader of this column who, unsuccessfully, has been inviting me to a palatial pleasure garden turned to a health farm run by his wife. He believes I have no time for pleasure, that I am all work, work, work and more work. How wrong he can be. He shoudn’t soon be surprised about my plans to bring Jide Tairu‘’Trafalgar Square’’ to the ‘’gardens’’ in nearby Iju –

C

e-mail:johnolufemikusa@yahoo.com or johnolufemikusa@gmail.com

Ishaga neighborhood of Lagos, and bring the ‘’gardens’’ to the Square.

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS Let’s hurry back to familiar grounds. As president, Gen Buhari (rtd) cannot escape frequent air and road travel in and out of Nigeria. This week, he returned from a visit to Mr Tony Blair, British prime minister.

The western world is interested in Nigeria’s future. Under President Jonathan, foreign and home debts have climbed to a new Olympian height at about US60 billion dollars. There is nothing wrong with a debt if the money is judiciously spent on projects which regenerate repayments and post profits on top of it. Nigeria’s debts behave abnormally because they hardly bring anything back in return.

Traveling long hours by road, rail or air (I have no sea travel experience), the tendency is for some people to cross their tired legs, placing one foot on top of the other or, unknowingly, resting the fold of the knee against the seat.

Resting the knee fold against the seat may compress a deep vein which runs under, disturb free flow of blood or even cause the blood to clot. Clots of blood detaching from this thrombos may lodge someday. Sometime, the carotid (heart) arteries, deprive the heart of sufficient blood supply for its work or even cause a heart attack. If the lodgement is in the brain, a stroke may occur. Clots in the blood vessels may cause swellings in the foot which may give rise to interonitent claudication, a condition in leg when the sufferer experiences pain on walking even short distances.

Besides, clots may, give rise to phlebitis (inflammation of the walls of the veins). If you observe the hands and arms of many people, or even the legs, you may find the veins and other blood vessels so inflamed that they appear to want to leap out.

O dissolve clots, orthodox medicine relies on such pharmaceuticals as aspirin and waffarin. These could be dangerous for some people as they may cause lacerations in the stomach and intestine, thereby provoking stomach and intestinal bleeding. In alternative medicine, safer and effective remedies include serrapeptase, cayenne pepper, fish oil and Vitamin E to mention a few. Of Vitamin E, Judy Limberg Mcfarland, one of our tour guides in this series, says: “Vitamin E also decreases the need for oxygen in the tissues and organs of the body. Mega Vitamin levels of Vitamin C and trace levels of Selenum also share this function. Additionally, Vitamin E improves the transportation of oxygen by the red blood cells… dissolves clots and prevents their formation in arteries and veins. It is useful in treating and preventing phlebitis ( inflammation of the walls of the vein). As a preventive measure against strokes, Vitamin E helps prevent arterial and venous thrombosis or clots in the circulatory system of the brain.”

Judy Mcfarland says Vitamin E also “restores capillary permeability, it helps dilate the capillaries and this helps circulation of blood throughout the body”.

Judy Mcfarland adds: “A number of years ago, at a National Nutritional food Association convention, mother and I had the priviledge of hearing Dr. Nufrid Shute discuss his work with 38,000 candiac patients. During his lecture, he showed fantastic colour slides that I will never forget.

Among them were pictures of patients with ulcerated amputated stubs, diabetic gangerine, terrible ulceration and severe burns, all of which refused to heal. But after natural Vitamin E, usually 600 ius daily, had been given to the patients, and Vitamin E ointment had been used, all the patients were restored. Ulcerated and naked wounds healed more rapidly with Vitamin E therapy, and the scar tissue did not contact and was not tender. Vitamin E was even shown to prevent disfiguring scars and to help heal old scar.

Remember this, if you need a scar to heal after an operation.

YOUR HEART AND VITAMIN E is the classic book: by Dr. Evein Shute.

Of cayenne, she says: “Cayenne is more than a hot spice.

Like many herbs, cayenne pepper ( capsicum frudescuns) also known as capsicum, is used for medicinal as well as for culinary purposes. In recent years, more than 650 studies of capsaicin (the “hot “ property in cayenne pepper, have been published, including more than 100 clinical studies in human beings). Capsicum is excellent for equalising blood circulation, which helps to prevent strokes and heart attacks. It increases the heart action, effectively increasing circulation without increasing blood pressure.’’

On the information about Vitamin E shared by Judy McFarland, I would like to add that, in choosing a Vitamin E brand, the pack should be well inspected to ensure the product is the natural form of Vitamin E. The natural form is dalpha tocopherol. The inorganic form, sometimes made from petroleum sources, is dl tocopherol. The difference is between d and dl. There are mixed tocopherols, which contains all six or so variants of Vitamin E, and other brands, with only one or a few variants. If you choose to try fish oil for clots, be mindful that there are varying grades of it and that the safer and more effective ones do not come cheap.

Fish oil from fish in the Atlantic is less preferred, for example, to krill oil from krill fish in the Antarctic , which is unpolluted by heavy metals, while some producers take extra pains to purify their fish oil brand, some others do not and sell cheap. The secret of what goes on in the industry is shared in the classic book of Dr. Udo Erasmus, Fats that heal and fats that kill.

•This page ought to have been published, Thursday last week.

T

Tel: 08116759749, 08034004247, 08116759749

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

48

THE NATION

BUSINESS INDUSTRY

industry@thenationaonlineng.net

The campaign to strengthen the competitiveness of ‘Made-in-Africa’ products through harmonisation of standards has moved a notch higher. Heads of standards authorities from 54 African countries will converge on Abuja, between 22 and 24, this month, to brainstorm on how to rally the continent to a uniform regime of standardisation, which is believed to hold the key to reducing the preponderance of sub-standard products in Africa and paving the way for industrialisation. Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports.

How standardisation ’ll boost Africa’s T competitiveness

HE resolve to rid Nigeria of substandard products has never been in doubt. Even before his appointment as Director-General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu, had, in his capacity as first indigenous Managing Director of May & Baker Nigeria Plc, demonstrated his quality consciousness when he completed the May & Baker Pharma Centre to the standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The N4 billion pharmaceutical facility was constructed with the aim of getting the company’s products certified for sale in the international market. It also earned the pharmaceutical giant the WHO Good Manufacturing Practice certification.

It was the same culture of quality and standards Odumodu brought to bear on his job at May & Baker that he sought to replicate at SON when he was appointed the DG in 2011. As part of efforts to enthrone the culture of quality and standards, he moved to refocus SON through the launch of a six-point agenda, comprising consumer engagement, media engagement, compliance monitoring, capacity building, global relevance and competitiveness of made in Nigeria products.

The icing on the cake of his interventions was perhaps, the launch of ‘Zero Tolerance Campaign’ to rid Nigeria of fake and substandard products. The initiative has since paid off, reducing the preponderance of substandard products from about 85 per cent to about 40 per cent.

Having curtailed the activities of importers and manufacturers of fake and substandard products in Nigeria and imbuing the culture of quality and standards, Odumodu now has a new responsibility placed on his shoulders: extending the campaign to the continental level where, according to him, over 80 per cent of substandard products in Africa come from outside the continent.

His new charge was sequel to his election as President of African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), in Yaoundé, Cameroun, two years ago. As ARSO President, he is now is seeking synergy among National Standards Bodies (NSBs) in Africa to curtail the evils of sub-standard products through the harmonisation of standards for ‘Made in Africa’ products and services.

ARSO is an inter-governmental body established in 1977 by the Organisation for African Unity (OAU), now African Union (AU) with support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). With its secretariat in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, the organisation is saddled with the primary responsibility of co-ordinating issues of

• Substandard products being destroyed by SON.

standardisation amongst all NSBs in Africa. The purpose is to promote the harmonisation of African standards and conformity assessment systems, promote competitiveness of African goods and services by removing all technical barriers to trade, and provide a basis for value addition on African oriented raw materials to promote industrialisation.

ARSO also promotes selfsustainability for the continent through intra-African trade, as well as represent the continent in global issues of standardization, among others. Accordingly, ARSO is mandated to harmonise national and sub-regional African standards.

It is also mandated to promote and facilitate exchange of experts, information and cooperation in training of personnel in standardisation activities, aside coordinating the views of its members at the ISO, International Electro-technical Commission (IEC), International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML), Codex and other organisations that engage in standardisation activities.

Aware that without the culture of quality and standards, ‘madein-Africa’ products would remain uncompetitive and frustrate efforts at industrialisation, ARSO, to fulfil its mandate, has moved to break new frontiers through

standardisation.

Consequently, 54 heads of NSBs in Africa would converge on Abuja, between 22 and 24 this month, to seek ways of strengthening the continent’s competitiveness through the harmonisation of standards for goods and services.

At a media launch of the convention logo and information manual, and partnership drive for the conference tagged: ‘ARSO President’s Forum’ in Lagos, penultimate week, Odumodu explained that the mobilisation of all NSBs into the membership of ARSO would drive the standardisation programmes to strengthen the competitiveness of made-in-Africa products and engender regional and, or continental fusion into an economic bloc. To achieve this, he said there is need to increase ARSO’s membership from 34 to 55.

Odumodu noted that African economies can gather their momentum to become more robust and competitive if countries in the continent constitute a powerful and vital force to fight economic saboteurs. He expressed optimism that a synergy amongst the various African countries could frustrate the activities of dealers of fake and substandard products. He reiterated the fact that over 80 per cent of sub-standard products circulating in Africa

come from outside the continent, a situation which he described as quite worrisome.

“The global activities in trade indicate that no country or continent can advance industrially, economically and socially, without the culture of quality and standards,” Odumodu pointed out, calling on stakeholders to partner and support SON and ARSO in showing the strength of Nigeria as a people to break new frontiers through standardisation. He said on its part, SON had carried out a number of re-engineering activities, which involved organisational certification, accredited laboratories, and secretarial coordination of the Nigerian National Quality Policy (NNQP), among others.

Odumodu said as part of effort to assist other African countries enthrone the culture of standards, SON has given a total of 800 standards valued at $9 million to African countries, which do not have the technical and financial capacity to do so. He noted that the gesture also makes harmonisation of standards easy, adding that SON has trained standards authorities in other African countries, such as Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, on standardisation. “These countries now have their own standards bodies courtesy of Nigeria,” he said.

‘The global activities in trade indicate that no country or continent can advance industrially, economically and socially, without the culture of quality and standards’

The three-day ARSO President’s Forum, which is an opportunity for NSBs in Africa to synergise on how to engineer free flow of goods, services and technology across the continent, has three sub-events, namely: the ARSO CEOs Roundtable, the ARSO Made in Africa Expo, and the African Day of Standardisation. The CEOs Roundtable is an exclusive conference for 54 heads of standards authorities in Africa since they have to iron out their differences and move the continent forward in standardisation and internal trade.

Odumodu explained further:: “The CEOs will provide opportunity to chart a course for the standardisation of African products and the integration of a common market. Though the harmonisation of standards at both the regional and continental levels is an ongoing effort, the actual implementation of all the activities achieved so far lies on the shoulders of the CEOs to implement.”

The Made-in-Africa Expo is a trade fair where exhibitors from all over Africa and seekers of standard products will meet, learn, make enquiries or transact business as they wish. A wide range of products will be on the stands and they will be good products befitting of a gathering of Africa’s standardisation experts, industrialists, marketers and seekers of high quality products.

It also seeks to provide Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) opportunity to showcase products that have continued to remain shielded from markets because of fear of regulatory bureaucracies.

On the other hand, the African Standardisation Day would celebrate the modest achievements and sensitise the continent on the essence of standardisation and inform the people on their various roles and responsibilities. This has become necessary in view of the technical nature of the issues involved in standardisation.

Themed: ‘The role of standards in promoting sustainable agriculture and food security in Africa’, the day is marked by seminars and workshop to share ideas on issues that are at the front burner and require intervention by all stakeholders.

The forum, according to Odumodu, is structured in such a way as to achieve ARSO’s four strategic plans 2012- 2017. They include establishing standards harmonisation systems that supports a sound regulatory framework, strengthening of ARSO work management capabilities for the sustenance of the organisation, promotion of maximum and effective participation of members and other stakeholders, and disseminate harmonised standards and guidelines to support intra, inter-African and international trade and industrialisation.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

INDUSTRY ‘How our profit margin improved’

T

HE Finance Director, Nigeria Breweries Plc (NBL) Mr. Mark Rutten has said most of the revenue gained by the brewer came as a result of low foreign exchange (forex) exposure based on the local raw material content of their products.

“Combined portfolio makes it possible to have a stable price as we have products at every segment of the beer, stout and malt market. Interestingly some people are moving from high priced brand to low priced ones and the variety of our products as a result of the combined portfolio gives all segment accommodation,” he said.

Rutten said though competition is stiff, the consolidation undertaken by NBL with a brewer and preference for local raw materials, strategic support for research and development gave the firm an edge in the face of turbulent operating environment and occasioned by lack of parity in the forex market.

NBL Managing Director, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, said the company increased its portfolio of brands last year with the addition of Ace Passion in addition to two-line extension of the Star brand that comprise Star Lite and Star Radler.

“Also in 2014 as a result of merger with Consolidated Breweries, 33 Export lager beer, William Dark Ale, Turbo King Dark Ale, more larger beer and two malt drinks, Maltex and Hi Malt together with Breezer, a blend of rum and fruits became part of the company’s products,” he said.

Though the company recorded low growth in the 2014 financial year, it gained overall market share in Extra Larger Stout and Malt.

He said: “We were successful in the year due to our large portfolio of stout and malt. We removed unnecessary costs, reduced logistics cost and achieved cost leadership.”

Vervelde, who attributed the marginal decline in profit to the socio economic impacts, explained that for decades, the company has been sourcing its raw materials locally.

He said there are over 250,000 Nigerian farmers that are developing sorghum varieties, which indirectly and directly generates employments with local purchase supporting 85,000 jobs.

According to him, the company, in conjunction with Heineken supply chain B.V. of Netherlands and other Heineken companies, is involved in activities aimed at development of new hybrid sorghum varieties with

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

the potential of increasing the yield/ output for sorghum farmers and improving the quality of sorghum malt, which is a major raw material input.

He noted that two yielding hybrid sorghum varieties have been developed and registered by the company and the process of commercialising their production is on-going.

He also added that the company has a subsisting consultancy agreement with a Nigerian professor on the development of sorghum seeds.

“The company has entered into supply agreements with local cassava starch processors whose activities have impacted positively in the communities where they operate.

“We have off-take arrangements with a multinational company that has huge investment in sugarcane value chain. This is aimed at replacing imported sugar in our recipe with a local substitute,” he said.

For the year under review, the company declared a profit after tax of N42.5 billion, a drop of 1.3 per cent when compared to N43.08 billion recorded in the same period of 2013.

B

HE growth in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry in the last 15 years has revolutionalised businesses, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alhaji Remi Bello, has said.

He spoke at the ICT Expo (ICTEL EXPO) by the Trade Promotion Board of LCCI in Lagos, which had its theme as ‘Connecting businesses and creating opportunities’.

Bello said all sectors of the economy rely on ICT for their operations.

“From the financial sector, where e-banking is now the vogue, the agricultural sector, where the government now sells fertiliser through mobile phones to the consumer goods sector where online stores are now all over, ICT and telecommunications have become the backbone of businesses,” he said.

Bello explained that the expo was aimed at providing a credible platform to advance the opportunities and linkages in ICT. He reiterated the chamber’s optimism towards a great

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

investment opportunity that would come from closer interactions and business integration among ICT players and their customers at the expo, pledging his support towards it.

LCCI Vice President and Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, said the chamber chose the ICT sector because of its potential to revolutionalise business transformation, growth and improving the standard of living of people and communities through innovations.

He added: “The expo gives a 360 degree view of the ICT industry and provides visibility to sweeping trends and innovations as well as providing an excellent networking opportunity for business decision makers, innovation managers, enterprise solution providers and start-ups.’’

Others are ICT academics, origi-

nal equipment manufacturers (OEMs), investors, venture capitalists and other players in the ICT and telecom sectors,” he explained.

Olawale-Cole said LCCI was aware of the revolutionary roles ICT and telecoms play in business relationship and development.

He said with the incursion of ICT and telecoms, it would no longer be business as usual. “It has dawned on business people that you either embrace this technological evolution or ignore it at your own peril,” he said.

Earlier, Executive Chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugune Juwah, said ICT has grown such that it has moved into data and broadband.

He said though there were challenges, the advantages of ICT in modern business could not be over emphasised.

Juwah, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties of NCC, Ms Akiode Funlola, said with appropriate infrastructure the sector would grow the industrial sector.

• From left: Company Secretary, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Mrs. Chioma Madubuko; President, Aliko Dangote; Group Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Mr. Graham Clark; and Deputy Group Managing Director, Abdullahi Sule, at the 9th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Dangote Sugar Refinery in Lagos.

BoI lifts SMEs with IT skills, others ANK of Industry (BoI) has identified financial illit eracy, poor technological skills as the reason behind the high mortality rate of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). To check the failure rate ,the bank accredited some Business Development Service Providers (BDSPS ) to help some start-ups in packaging their documentation such as feasibility studies and doing business plan that can enable them obtain loan from the bank.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of BoI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa said they not only want to support SMEs in terms of financial but also in imparting knowledge to help businesses grow.

He spoke at the launch of the bank’s ‘Digital Product Offerings’, where he emphasised that digital technology and the internet are the key drivers of leading edge business processes worldwide.

“On March 2, 2015, we upgraded our banking application at BOI from Equinox to a more robust version called Rubikon, which provides a strong platform for the automation of our processes to deliver improved services to our customers, he said ”.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the number of internet users in Nigeria has grown to 83.3 million as at February 2015. Furthermore,

LCCI: ICT has revolutionalised business T

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

the number of active mobile subscribers increased to 145.5 million, giving Nigeria a teledensity of over 85 per cent, based on a population figure of 170 million.”

He said the BOI has repositioned her systems, processes and services to take advantage of the new digital and mobile world to offer her customers the benefits of speed, mobility and convenience that come with it.

Concerning the need for SME Mobile Application and those it was meant for, Olaoluwa said the objective was to provide the public, especially entrepreneurs, with easy access to information on their mobile phones, about key activities and products of the bank, and how to avail themselves of the bank’s services. The bank is leveraging the opportunity provided

by Nigeria’s high GSM teledensity and improved internet access.

On the benefits of the SME Mobile Applications, he said the application has array of features and contents and the eligibility criteria for accessing BOI’s loans and funding such as Cottage Agro Processing (CAP) Fund, Cassava Bread Fund, MSME Development Matching Funds in partnership with state governments and Dangote Foundation with BOI Matching Fund.

Govt can borrow, says ex-NACCIMA chair

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PPONENTS of borrowing by the government may have lost a supporter as a former Chairman, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Chief John Odeyemi, said the government could borrow for development.

He said the United States (US), which is the highest debtor-nation in the world, is also the most developed, adding that owing is not illegal.

He spoke at the Building construction and mining mart in Lagos organised by NILE in Lagos, Citing the Lagos State Government that was accused of owing so much, Odeyemi defended the state as having competitive infrastructure and improving the lives of the citizens compared to other states.

He said as long as what one is doing is viable, acceptable and beneficial to the people, debts accumulation was not a problem.

Odeyemi urged the incoming government to focus on the non-oil sector, such as mining and construction.

The former NACCIMA chair warned of the imminent collapse of the economy with the lingering fuel and electricity crisis that has brought manufacturers to their feet. ”We need to take hard and realistic decisions today and next week, the

• New president to emerge at AGM

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

out-going administration should pay the fuel marketers while the incoming government should work on deregulating the petroleum sector and let those who can import do so without government having anything to do with it,” he said.

Odeyemi said two of the companies he is involved in had a down time of between two and three weeks where staff were asked to stay at home. He advised that if it is left to linger thousands of jobs would be lost.

On high interest rate, he said it frustrates people from setting up businesses. “Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can’t cope with high interest rates because they contend with a lot of other factors. Security is also an issue when the economy is down, you can’t manage security when there is no electricity, and things go wrong in dark places,” he lamented.

According to him, people who otherwise would have been engaged are left unattended to and they will have no choice but to engage in crimes. “If people cultivate their crops and can’t store them because of poor storage and electricity they will be discouraged.

Steady electricity supply and good storage facility are ways to check security and poverty,” he added.

He called for greater private sector participation in all sectors, insisting that the government has no business in business.

His words: “Until Dangote Cement came into the sector, the cement subsector was distraught with government’s cement companies in comatose and moribund. Dangote came, bought over the moribund companies, and turned them around. Now, the company is producing over 30 million metric tonnes, as he brought in technology and expertise into the business against his major competitors that has been here over 50 years and refused to make impact in the sector.”

Meanwhile, NACCIMA will on next Wednesday hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) to elect a new president and national officers who will run the affairs of the association in the next two years.

The 55th AGM has as its theme: Policy consistency in the agricultural value chain: A key to socio-economic development.”It is billed to hold at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, Cross River State.

Highlights of the ceremony would be the investiture of Chief Bassey Edem as the 18th National President.

He takes over from Alhaji Abubakar Badaru Mohammed, the new governor of Jigawa State.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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THE NATION

e-Business e-mail: e-business@thenationonlineng.net

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

lukajanaku02@gmail.com

Waiting for efficient, affordable internet services Access to internet has defining impact on countries’ gross domestic product (GDP). This is because it destroys fetters, such as distance, race, colour and others. Though the mobile network operators (MNOs) have tried to close the gap, there is still a long way to go as access cost remains punitive while service quality is patchy, reports LUCAS AJANAKU.

T

HREE Nigerian journalists travelled to Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa for a three-day international conference. During the conference, they had no problems sending their stories and pictures from the venue of the event to their media houses in Lagos.

“As soon as I finished doing my story and click the attach icon on my gmail address book, it pops up and gives me options from where to attach pictures. I click my desktop and press attach. It attaches in the speed of electricity, regardless of the size. As soon as I click on the send icon, it disappears too and show ‘message sent’ immediately,” one of them said.

Back home, at a forum held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, reporters made futile efforts to file their stories to their offices located within the metropolis. Virtually all the modems of the MNOs were used but to no avail. Instead of displaying 3G which most of them claim is the technology on which their services are being rolled out, it is either WCDMA, EDGE or HSPA that was displayed. Then will come several hours of waiting just for the page to load.

If internet experience in an urban area such as Lagos could leave such a sour taste, it could only be imagined what it is going to be like in the rural areas of the country where there are 447 local government areas. After more than a decade after the telecoms sector liberalisation that ushered in the telecoms revolution, a lot of rural communities are still largely “disenfranchised”.

The story everywhere, from Calabar to Kano, Bauchi to Bayelsa, Abakaliki to Bornu, is the same.

Not even in cities such as Abuja and Port Harcourt is the story different. Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa with a population of over 168 million people as at 2012 according to the World Bank. Population has grown at a rate of 2.3 per cent for each year from 2000 to 2013. Nigeria is a country with a largely youthful population with 60 per cent approximately under age of 22.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said in line with these demographic changes, internet penetration has increased from less than 0.1 per cent in 2001 to about 32 per cent in 2012. The 2012 National ICT policy placed broadband internet penetration for both mobile and fixed broadband at about 6.1 per cent.

The Federal Government launched the National Broadband Plan (NBP) which set very ambitious targets to be met within specific time-lines. Under the plan, fixed broadband targets for cities (which is currently standing at 1.5per cent) expected to go up to 10 per cent in 2015 in the short term, 16 per cent medium term of 2018 and long term target of 25 per cent by 2020. Penetration level which stands at 0.5per cent, will move up gradually to 3.3 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively For national broadband targets, current level is 35 per cent while short term target is 60 per cent (2015). For medium term (2018), 80 per cent is targeted while 95 per cent is targeted by 2020 as long term target.

Penetration currently is six per cent. It is expected to go up steeply to 21 per cent, 42 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

But the road to achieving this target is laced with thorns as frequencies that are supposed to be freed to boost internet penetration are not available yet.

Director, Regulatory Affairs and Special Projects, Airtel Nigeria Osondu Nwokoro who spoke at an ICT forum in Lagos, said the launch of the National Broadband Plan (NPB), 2013-2018 by the Federal Government is consistent with developments in other parts of the world, adding that it is a step in the right direction and showed government’s commitment to pur-

sue a broadband agenda for the country.

Nwokoro defined broadband as the easier, faster, and high speed internet access for data transmission and download, compared to traditional telephone and modem.

Broadband supports real time internet radio, music, video, gaming, interactive services and others.

He said with six per cent broadband penetration in the country, there is both a challenge and an opportunity to meet the goal of realising a five-fold increase in broadband penetration by 2017.

According to him, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development charges that “access to broadband infrastructure and services must therefore be a top policy priority for countries around the globe, developed and developing alike as well as least developed countries,” adding that commission urges “governments and business to work together to develop innovative policy frameworks, business models and financing arrangements needed to facilitate growth in access to broadband worldwide Speaking on impact on the economy, he said wireless broadband is expected to contribute an additional N190billion to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 while wireless broadband will have a direct revenue impact (spend on usage and devices) of N598billon or 0.7 per cent of GDP this year.

He added that its ecosystem value will be N124billion comprising consumer retail (m-commerce; mEntertainment), financial services (m-banking), social services (mlearning, m-health, and m-governance) and corporate verticals (mfarming, m-enterprises, m-utilities).

Head, Core Network Services, Cyberspace Network Limited, Osuere Peter said broadband is the totality that forms the entity for faster information delivery across a network. This network could either be digital subscriber line (DSL), fiber-optic, cable modem, satellite, wireless and broadband over power lines (BPL).

He said internet and mobile banking: customers could now carry on banking transaction activities via their fixed and mobile devices while e-commerce sites such as Konga, Jumia, Olx have also emerged.

It has also led to the provision of public services like driver-license application, international passport, national ID card registration and the general e-government solutions, adding that the implementation of regulatory framework and policies to promote electronic transaction such as the Cashless Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Daunting hurdles The Nigerian Broadband technology infrastructure has grown up to an appreciable level in some very specific places and at different degrees.

Nwokoro said fixed infrastructure is not available in Nigeria and the cost and burden to put same in place is daunting. Wireless is the only viable option for broadband penetration.

Another challenge is paucity of spectrum. According to him, NBP acknowledges the need for spectrum for mobile broadband and proposes to publish plan for freeing up spectrum for LTE rollout this year, conduct licensing of 2.5/ 2.6GHz spectrum in 2014 and facilitate accelerated wireless infrastructure expansion and upgrade with operators.

Another issue is that of right of

‘Wireless broadband is expected to contribute an additional N190billion to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 while wireless broadband will have a direct revenue impact (spend on usage and devices) of N598billon or 0.7 per cent of GDP this year’

way (RoW) permits and other planning approval processes and associated charges between different ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) at federal, state & local levels remain a strong disincentive for infrastructure development.

Though NBP proposes to secure RoW waivers with states and also pursue expedited RoWs. achieving this goal between the three tiers of government remains a daunting challenge.

Device ownership and access points which are key to adoption and utilisation are also key challenges.

“NBP proposes to challenge original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to produce sub $30 access devices to reduce cost of ownership and thus facilitate uptake by the broader subscriber base.

“NBP also proposes to deploy local access points (in NIPOST premises and local government, headquarters to facilitate access within 2km for people who cannot afford own access devices,” Nwokoro said, adding that in spite of all the promises of the market size in the country, major OEMs are unwilling to site assembly plants for device manufacture, on account of unstable electricity supply, intellectual property rights issues and challenges in the business environment.

Solutions Mandate should be given to the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) to articulate a spectrum roadmap to address timely availability, cost-effective pricing and licensing of the 700/ 800 MHz Digital Dividend spectrum band to support mobile broadband penetration.

Another is resuscitation of the NFMC and expansion of its membership to incorporate private sector representation.

Nwokoro said consideration should be given to the 900 MHz and 2.5/2.6 GHz spectrum re-farming to support mobile broadband on LTE while spectrum policy and regulation to support flexibility while supporting regional integration.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

e-Business

How to bridge rural-urban digital divide, by HIS Towers

E

XECUTIVE Vice Chairman & Group CEO, HIS Towers, Issam Darwish, has said one of the best ways to bridge existing digital gap between rural and urban communities in the country is through the deployment of mobile application to the agriculture sector that engages the mass of the people.

Darwish who spoke against the backdrop of the firm’s sponsorship of a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit with Enabling a More Productive Nigeria: Powering SMEs as its title, said the launch of the report coincided with the World Economic Forum on Africa, which sets out the factors that empower small and medium enterprises (‘SMEs’) and looks to identify both what is driving growth as well as the issues that are holding them back.

He said: “One way to lessen the urban-rural digital divide is to deepen the application of mobile to agriculture, the sector in which the majority of Nigeria’s rural dwellers

work. Combined with improved mobile networks in rural regions, the penetration of ICT across wider geographies will significantly support favourable income distribution trends throughout the continent.

“Many of us are interested in Nigeria’s future prosperity, yet little is known about the universe of Nigerian SMEs and the entrepreneurs behind them, particularly the obstacles and enablers of their growth.

“This report recognises the efforts of government institutions in supporting SMEs but also importantly shines a light on the innovative thinking embedded in this vital part of Nigeria’s economy. It helps us all to understand what can be done to support their growth and drive their productivity.

“The importance of mobile telecommunications and its role as a leapfrog technology is readily apparent from this study, affirming our belief that an enhanced mobile network materially contributes

to the growth of both urban and rural businesses, with the potential to reduce societal inequality.

“For IHS this report is fundamental to our business. Our belief is that the future economic and social development of Africa will be accelerated exponentially by mobile connectivity, and our team of over 2,000 engineers in five countries is focused on making this happen. We are committed to developing the communities we serve, and to help people and businesses across the region build a powerful, prosperous future.”

He said the report looks at SME productivity across five categories – policy, transport, technology, energy and finance, combining SME interviews from across the country, with expert insights.

According to him, the findings suggest that Nigeria’s government has supported SMEs by reducing the costs of registering a business and through the launch of SMEtargeted funds, adding however that further attention

should be given to the tax system because Nigerian SMEs are subject to complex and overlapping rules which need to be streamlined and simplified.

In addition, import and customs charges are often unpredictable and costly, placing an additional burden on businesses, with no recourse available through official channels, he lamented.

On infrastructure, the report explores how SMEs are being affected by mobile networks, transport and power deficits.

While transport projects and power privatisation are underway, these will take time to deliver benefits. In the interim, SMEs are adopting innovative technologies – from solar panels to cloud computing. ICTs in particular are being used for remote work, mobile marketing and new product development such as apps and mobile services. The next technology productivity boost will come from strengthening ICT network quality across Nigeria’s territory.

• From left: Account Manager, Leedway, Mr Victor Achudume; MD/CEO, Media Perspectives, Mr. Tayo Oyedeji; and Media Director, Jude Odia during the unveiling of Good Morning Nigeria, an initiative that gives 30 minutes free airtime to MTN customers after making calls for three minutes in Lagos.

Blogging ‘ll reduce crime, other vices, says Smile Communications

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ROVIDER of long term evolution (LTE) of 4G broadband internet service provider (ISP), Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, has said the growing number of bloggers in the West African sub-region is creating jobs, decreasing crime rate, adding that professionalism, passion and content creation are critical elements in enhancing their capacity in the sub-region.

Its Chief Marketing Officer, Mrs. Alero Ladipo who spoke during a presentation on How to Promote Your Blog, during the West Africa Blogger Conference (WABC) 2015, held in Lagos, said in as much as bloggers must ensure explicit, informative and clearly defined content delivered with passion and fun, they should not relent in professionalising in order to attract right businesses to monetize the enterprise.

She listed qualities that distinguish bloggers from others to include sticking to their already created niches built on professionalism, uniqueness, responding quickly to trends, invest in the content design, while

building on loyal audience, relationships and reaching out to experts.

She said the leading ISP is already preparing grounds to partner with 10 bloggers to support them in lifting the platforms to greater heights.

She said: “People think that blogging is a habit that anybody can just pick up and start practising. However, as we get more people entrenched in consistent growth, it becomes important we make it professional. Essentially, readers visit bloggers for a particular reason. By implication, a blog is not a dumping ground. Stick to the core reason you started the blog and adhere to your principles.

“There is a philosophy that you stick to certain principles even when many people are deviating; it is the same thing with blogs. When you maintain the professional competencies, people will collaborate with you. For instance, on the course of my presentation I randomly asked participants ‘sell me your blog’, which is simply to market the platform, but people fell-flat on their faces. It is important you know what your blog is

all about and you can sell it, and also present it appropriately”.

According to Ladipo, for bloggers to attain the expected heights, they should improve on marketing and how to communicate, stressing that a lot of people do not know how to use these tow tools. She cited the social media as an example, wondering how many people talk about leveraging the platform to grow their businesses. “People need to understand their target audience, segmentations, and how to retain people’s interest. That is the way they will continue to visit your blog; keeping people interested and understand that you are one among many.

“That’s the strength you need to have, the tools of marketing and communication and it does not require long sessions of learning. It can be an hour session of going through the principles of marketing and communication at an introductory level, because you are not trying to go deeper on the subject, but how to use the tools. Truly, content is king, you also need to be smart about it. That is

where marketing and communication aspects come in.

“We chose to support the conference due to the link between our service offering and what the bloggers do.

During my presentation, I asked how many people had internet connection in order to monitor what is happening now or what has happened in the last hour that could inspire your writing.

For bloggers to keep tap on trends, they must have internet connectivity,” she said.

According to her, internet connectivity is a utility that will soon be in the range of demands such as water supply, electricity and others.

On the drive to partner with some bloggers, Ladipo said, “the organisers will help in screening ten bloggers that Smile Communications will partner.”

Managing Director, Advert Strikers Limited, and convener of the conference, Mr. Ayodele Oyebade, thanked Smile Communications for supporting the conference where a new chain of professional bloggers will emerge.

Speaking specifically on the motivation behind the con

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 03-06-15

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 03-06-15

Unitykapital Assurance’s profit drops by 46% U NITYKAPITAL Assurance Plc recorded a 46 per cent drop in net profit in 2014 as the insurance company struggled with slow top-line and non-performing accounts.

Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of Unitykapital Assurance Plc for the year ended December 31, 2014 released yesterday showed that while gross premium rose marginally by four per cent, pre and post tax profits dropped by 21 per cent and 46 per cent respectively.

Gross premium inched up to N3.03 billion in 2014 as against N2.90 billion in 2013. Profit before tax dropped from N222.47 million to N175.02 million.

Profit after tax also declined from N264.02 million to N141.48 million.

The audited report was released more than a month after the extended deadline for companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to submit their audited reports and accounts.

The Exchange had said it would sanction all companies that failed to meet the extended deadline.

Meanwhile, interim report and accounts of Unitykapital for the first quarter ended March 31, 2015 showed considerable growths in pre and post tax profits, while the top-line remained slow with a one per cent growth.

•Equities relapse with N62b loss

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

Gross premium stood at N1.0 billion by first quarter 2015 compared with N990.35 million recorded in comparable period of 2014. Profit before tax rose from N56.88 million to N276.24 million while profit after tax rose from N56.88 million to N217.37 million. The first quarter performance was driven partly by 44 per cent reduction in management expenses and provisions for doubtful accounts.

Unitykapital’s share price remained unchanged yesterday at the NSE as selling pressure sent the market to its second negative trading session in three days.

Benchmark indices indicated average loss of 0.54 per cent, equivalent to about N62 billion.

The downtrend pushed the market downward with average year-to-date return of -2.24 per cent.

The All Share Index (ASI), the composite index that tracks prices of all quoted equities, declined from 34,051.40 points to close at 33,868.72 points. With 36 decliners to 19 advancers,

aggregate market value of all quoted equities dropped from N11.571 trillion to N11.509 trillion.

Market analysts said investors were still searching for policy direction and macroeconomic guidance from the new government.

Forte Oil topped the losers’ list with a loss of N8.14 to close at N154.86. Total Nigeria followed with a loss of N5.95 to close at N155.05. Nigerian Breweries dropped by N1.50 to close at N148.50. Presco declined by N1.35 to close at N32 while Guaranty Trust Bank dropped

by N1.05 to close at N27.55 per share.

Nestle Nigeria led the contrarian stocks on the gainers’ list with a gain of N30 to close at N880 per share. Beta Glass placed a distant second with a gain of N1.99 to close at N41.96. SevenUp Bottling Company gained N1.50 to close at N179.50 while Guinness Nigeria added N1 to close at N165 per share.

Total turnover stood at 252.33 million shares worth N3.36 billion in 4,061 deals.

Mansard Insurance was the most active stock with 52.35 million shares valued at N146.98 million in 16 deals.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 03-06-15

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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MONEYLINK

CITN urges govt to implement national tax policy

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HE President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Chief Mark Dike has urged the Federal Government to implement the National Tax Policy (NTP) which was introduced in 2010.

Speaking at the institute’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) yesterday in Lagos, he said the new government should consider setting up an office to focus on the implementation of the NTP. Dike said about five years after the NTP was approved by the Federal Executive Council, its implementation has been inconsistent.

He also said many of the tax incentives granted by government have not achieved commensurate benefits for the economy. “In some cases, these incentives are abused by investors. Government should therefore streamline tax incentives especially pioneer status, import duty waivers

Stories by Collins Nweze

and double dipping for income exemption. Incentives should be sector based and industry focused to ensure a level playing field,” he said.

The CITN boss also urged government to renegotiate existing tax treaties to limit tax give aways and negotiate new treaties. “The existing tax treaties grant reduced withholding tax rates of 7.5 per cent on investment income compared to 10 per cent without treaty advantage. Given that Nigeria is predominantly a net importer of capital, we are giving away far too much than we are getting in return,” he said.

He also said it is currently complex and expensive to challenge unfavourable assessments by the tax authorities, adding that government should ensure faster and fairer resolution of tax disputes. “Judges should

be trained in tax matters and also consult with tax experts when resolving tax cases. Some tax audits take up to 10 years even without any appeal to the court. This should also be addressed and the tax authority should adopt a risk-based approach to tax audit and investigation.

“There should be annual fiscal policy statement in the annual budget. This should be designed to achieve the Medium to Long Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework of the government. There should be consistency in the policies with sufficient time for businesses to prepare for changes. Multiple taxation and earmark taxes should be reduced to the barest minimum. These taxes make Nigeria uncompetitive for investments and make the tax system extremely cumbersome. There are far too many taxes being imposed by all

Sterling Bank, LEAP Africa to educate SMEs

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TERLING Bank Plc and LEAP Africa are collaborating to educate Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on basic skills and strategies needed to sustain their businesses.

Speaking ahead of the 10th LEAP Africa CEOs Forum holding in Lagos, Sterling Bank Executive Director, Abubakar Suleiman, said over 800 SMEs expected at the forum will learn basic things that make businesses fail, and how to tackle them.

He said exchange rate fluctuations can lead to major losses for companies not experienced in handling such issue, and that the forum will enable the bank speak on how to address such challenge.

He said participants will also be taught how to properly keep their account records to attract funding from banks that will help them to

grow their businesses. He said the bank is supporting the LEAP CEO Forum because of the benefits it brings to entrepreneurs on sustaining their businesses.

He added: “As a result of the volatility of the exchange rate, and the fact that the economy is import dependent, a lot of our SMEs have suffered as a result of the devaluation recently. In the last 10 years, this is the third time we have seen significant devaluation. So the question is how do we help SMEs to be able to deal with these situations better?

“It is nice to partner with credible people who are doing things for the country but we also go back to ask ourselves if it is beneficial to the environment and if it is, as an institution we would benefit from it.”

Speaking on what this event

hopes to achieve, Suleiman said: “This event is about looking for specific things that could harm them and things they could benefit from and hopefully help to set them on the path to being better prepared for those events.”

The Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Mrs. Iyadunni Olubode said the event would equip business owners with skills to sustainable businesses.

She said: “This year, our theme is Staying Ahead: Maximising Profit and Mitigating Risks, and the focus is really getting into the room experts and people who have run businesses successfully. People who have encountered risks and have still being able to surmount the challenges they have encountered and builder sustainable businesses in spit the challenging environment that we find ourselves in.”

the three levels of government regardless of whether the taxes are legal or not.”

He said the banking system continues to enjoy a relatively stable operating environment even though dwindling oil revenue took its toll on same towards the end of the year to date. “However, they continue to show strong support for the power sector transformation currently underway.

“The government also introduced a scheme for small and medium scale businesses to gain access to loans for business funding. There is no gainsaying the fact that the banking system also contributes to overall productivity in the economy. This is fodder why interest and foreign exchange rates must be made optimal to give boost to local productivity. It

•Dike

is when this happens that we hope to see a virile tax base which is well able to contribute its fair share to economic growth and development,” he said.

Firm mulls new investments in Nigeria

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WISS Re AG, which has had an African presence for more than 60 years, said it’s in talks with Nigerian insurers to buy minority stakes and benefit from growth in the economy. “We’d like to have more investments in places like Nigeria,” Frank O’Neill, Swiss Re’s chief executive officer for the Middle East and Africa, told Bloomberg ahead of the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town. “The challenge is that the valuations are rich. We’re looking for the right kind of partners at a price that makes sense.

We’re at an early stage in talks, but we’re positive on the market opportunities.”

Swiss Re, the world’s second-largest reinsurer, bought a minority stake in Kenya’s Apollo Investments Ltd. from buyout firm LeapFrog Investments in October. Kenya is one of seven focus markets in Africa for Zurich-based Swiss Re, with the others including Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique and Angola.

While Swiss Re already reinsures companies in all of its target markets, it wants direct stakes in insurers to benefit from African growth rates that are higher than developed nations. Sub-Saharan African economies are expected to grow by an average 4.5 per cent in 2015, rising to 5.1 per cent next year, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Nigeria’s growth rate is forecast to be 4.8 per cent this year.

“The direct investments aren’t about having a footprint, it’s to benefit from the growth in primary insurance,” O’Neill said. “Africa is very attractive from a return perspective. The investments also give us a seat on the board and on-the ground-experience. We want more of them in the region.”

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

126.04 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.63 1.39 1,744.73 1,104.77 112.34 121.16 1.67 1.1978 1.3117 0.7319 1.1349

125.82 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.62 1.33 1,744.73 1,104.00 111.75 120.30 1.62 1.1912 0.7203 0.7203 1.1349

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

BETAGLAS PORTPAINT CILEASING UAC-PROP NESTLE BERGER CONTINSURE MANSARD CADBURY UBN NEM

39.97 3.82 0.70 10.10 850.00 10.00 1.02 2.92 39.00 9.80 0.82

41.96 3.99 0.73 10.46 880.00 10.30 1.05 3.00 39.90 9.99 0.83

1.99 0.17 0.03 0.36 30.00 0.30 0.03 0.08 0.90 0.19 0.01

LOSERS AS AT 03-06-15

O/PRICE

NASCON FO RRBRISCOE JOSBREW SKYE BANK NPFMCRFBK WEMABANK PRESCO TRANSCORP LIVESTOCK MAYBAKER

7.79 163.00 0.82 1.92 2.70 1.14 0.96 33.35 2.86 2.39 1.62

C/PRICE 7.33 154.86 0.73 1.83 2.58 1.09 0.94 32.00 2.75 2.30 1.56

Inflation:April

8.5%

Monetary Policy Rate

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

$28.2b

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$67.91

CHANGE -0.46 -8.14 -0.04 -0.09 -0.12 -0.05 -0.04 -1.35 -0.11 -0.09 -0.05

FOREX RATES (NairaVs Dollar) May 28, 2015 Interbank ($/N)

199.00

$1

Black Market ($/N)

215.00

$1

London Inter-bank Offered Rates (LIBOR)

Money Supply (M2)

GAINERS AS AT 03-06-15

SYMBOL

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

Tenor 1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 6 Months 12 Months

May 27

May 28

Rate)%

Rate (%)

0.1735 0.2147 0.2615 0.3841 0.6709

0.1715 0.2108 0.2626 0.3857 0.6744

Nigerian Stock Market Indices

Tenor

12-02-15 Rate (%) Rate (%) 13-02-15

Overnight (O/N)

14.683

76.583

1M

15.033

15.977

3M

15.809

17.177

6M

16.493

17.908

Transaction Dates 03/02/2015 3/12/2014 1/12/2014

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 400m 350m

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 399.97m 349.96m

Statistics All Share Index Mkt Cap (NGN’bn) Deals Volume (mn) Value (NGN’mn)

27 May 34,649.3 11.8 3,385 564,28 6,087.80

5 May 29,383.93 9,804.36 3,714 377,75 6,568.66

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Feb. 13, 2015

Rates

T-bills - 91

12.44

T-bills - 182

13.85

T-bills - 364

13.92

Bond - 3yrs

15.92

Bond - 5yrs

17.22

Bond - 7yrs

16.59

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

56

NEWS

•The banquet hall Amaechi said he left

• The bare banquet hall Wike said he met

•Another part of the house Amaechi said he left intact

•Wike showing his deputy and others a kitchen allegedly vandalised

Wike, Amaechi battle over Govt House S

INCE Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, started trading words over alleged vandalisation and looting of the Government House, Port Harcourt, the question on the mind of many has been: who is lying? The poser became deepened yesterday when Amaechi released what he said were pictures of the state of the Government House as at the time he left it.

The pictures are sharp contrasts to the ones supplied by Wike. According to Wike, all the bullet proof doors, furniture, cars, crested carpets, curtains and windows were stolen by the former administration.

He said: “As I speak with you, everything has been vandalised. I will not enter the Government House in the next two or three months.

“There is no vehicle in Government House, not even one. Yet the

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

former governor talks about corruption”.

Other things allegedly looted are: air conditioners, window blinds, electrical/electronic gadgets, safes, Jacuzzis, room facilities and other domestic utensils, including fridges, freezers, televisions, beds and beddings.

Amaechi, in a statement accompanying the pictures yesterday, said Wike was only out to witch hunt him.

Amaechi, in a statement by his media aide, David Iyofor, described as a fraud the video and pictures of the looted and vandalised Government House.

“The images are also fraud, arranged and executed by Wike to enable him vote billions of Naira from the state treasury to renovate and re-

As I speak with you, everything has been vandalised. I will not enter the Government House in the next two or three months. There is no vehicle in Government House, not even one –– Wike

This is clearly a game, a grand conspiracy to siphon state funds under the sub-head of renovating and refurbishing a supposedly ‘vandalised and looted’ Government House.

–– Amaechi

furbish the place, while also accusing me of corruption. I repeat, this is clearly a game, a grand conspiracy to siphon state funds under the sub-head of renovating and refurbishing a supposedly ‘vandalised

and looted’ Government House, while also falsely smearing my image.”

“Wike said the curtains in the Governor’s residence were looted, but even in his stage-managed im-

ages, you could clearly see that the curtains are still intact. I left Government House intact.

“Rivers people should hold Wike responsible if there’s any looting and vandalism in Government House. There is verifiable information that on May 29, Wike stopped key Government House staff, including the Permanent Secretary (who’s the chief accounting officer) from entering the premises, only to shout looting and vandalism 48 hours later. Why were civil servants, including the most senior civil servant in Government House, barred from entering the compound on May 29? Was it to give him time and provide cover to stage-manage the shooting of the fraudulent video that he’s now gleefully showing?”

The last has certainly not been heard about this matter and the poser remains: who the hell is the liar?

PDP: we have no candidate for Senate Presidency

T

HE leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the party has no candidate for the position of Senate President or Deputy Senate President.

Rising from its weekly National Working Committee (NWC) at its national secretariat yesterday, the party denied alleged plots to take the post from the All Progressives Congress (APC) which has a majority of the members.

Addressing reporters

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

shortly after the meeting the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh said, “We have decided to inform Nigerians that the PDP has no candidate for the position of Senate President or Deputy Senate President”.

He said the senators are mature and experienced enough to conduct their affairs, adding that they are capable of taking decisions on their own without interfer-

ence from the party.

“We have decided not to dabble into leadership selection process in the National Assembly because we have learnt our lessons from past experiences,” Metuh stated.

He said the meeting of PDP senators and senatorselect held with the leadership of the party in Port Harcourt on Monday did not discuss the election of Senate President and the deputy.

According to him, what is paramount in the agenda of the PDP is how to organise

itself and strategise for the role of credible opposition and offering alternative policy suggestions.

Also yesterday, Senatorelect Peter Nwaoboshi urged the APC to stop accusing the PDP of plotting to take over the Senate Presidency in the next National Assembly. He expressed support for the Senator Bukola Saraki.

He said: “We must quit playing with mundane things. At this point in our national history and in our bid to further entrench the

ethos of democracy as concerns the principle of Separation of Power. We all agreed that competent and capable hands must be elected or put in position of authority.

“In that respect, Senator Saraki is the most qualified to occupy the seat of the Senate President. He is a detribalized Nigerian. He was once a chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and in that position, he was able to hold the various governors from different political par-

ties together.

“He is not somebody that anybody can just pick up and dictate to. This means he will not allow any external force to dictate to us in the Senate.

He has done it before, even in Kwara State.

“If you remember, there was a time the younger sister wanted to run for the governorship seat but Saraki put his feet down and said, ‘no.

For the sake of justice and equity, I will not be in support of that”, said Nwaoboshi.

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

57

NEWS APC elders to Buhari, governors: cut your allowances From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

T

HE Elders Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 state governors to reduce their security votes and other allowances.

It advocated a lean cabinet and minimal appointment of officials for the new government to have a clean break from the past that encouraged waste.

The body also advised the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to reduce the allowances and salaries of political office holders.

Its Publicity Secretary, Dr. Bayo Orire, said the body applauded the decision of Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar to reduce their salaries by 50 per cent.

But the party elders urged them and other state chief executives to reduce their security votes and other allowances.

Orire added that Ekiti APC Elders Forum is concerned with the failure of many states to pay salaries of civil servants, urging them to devise means to clear arrears owed workers.

He described the security votes and other allowances of political office holders as “obnoxious, scandalous and unsustainable” in the face of present economic realities.

He contended that the overheads used to service the executive and legislative arms at the federal level are too high, hence the need to review them downwards to allow Buhari to deliver on his electoral promises.

IGP decorates 14 new CPs From Faith Yahaya, Abuja

T

HE Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has decorated 14 Commissioners of Police that were recently promoted.

The police boss, who decorated the officers in Abuja yesterday, urged them to embrace the paradigm shift of his administration.

He said: “Policing is a very tasking job and we have every reason to be grateful to God for you to get to this peak of your career and you know to whom much is given, much is expected.

“There is a new paradigm shift in policing in this country and I am sure you people will be following the policy thrust of this administration EDEwhich are: Zero-tolerance to corruption, intelligence policing and restorative justice. So, we expect that wherever you are posted to eventually, you will be able to help us operationalise the thrust of this administration.

“At your strategic level wherever you are posted to, you owe it to this country to ensure that the people under you are treated with a lot of degree of care, especially in terms of the welfare of our Inspectors and Rank and File. It is very paramount; we cannot be talking the issue of work corruption without putting side-by-side the issue of their welfare.

The officers decorated are: Hyelasinda Kimo Musa, Adeleye Olusola Oyebade, Olusola Kamar Subair, Shaba Alkali, Basen Dapiya Gwana and David Oyebanji Folawiyo.

Others are: “Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim, Ogbusua Aja Oleh, Nkpa N. Inakwu, Anthony Ogbizi Michael, Emmanuel Ojukwu, Christ Okey Ezike, Moses Ambankina Jitoboh and Charles Ugomoh.

•From right: Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander for Anambra State Sunday Ajayi; Acting Zonal Commander Zone 5, Benin, Crawford Oti; Head of Public Enlightenment, Chinelo Ezekwesili; Head of Operations, Anthony Okorie, and others, during the working visit of the Benin Zonal Commander to the FRSC Command in Awka...yesterday.

Ministry may suspend N9.2b clean cook stoves contract T HE Federal Government’s N9.2 billion clean cook stoves contract may be suspended because the contractor handling the project failed to supply the correct number of stoves for the N1.3 billion released to him.

The government is expected to procure 750,000 units of the stoves and 18,000 wonder bags meant to be distributed to rural women under the contract awarded to Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited.

The contractor handling the project has not been able to meet the agreed delivery deadlines reached with the Federal Ministry of Environ-

A

By Okezu Pascal

GROUP, Yoruba Youth Initiative (YYI), has indicated its support for election of Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the Eighth

House It is also backing Saka Dayo Fafunmi as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

YYI, which comprises students in the Southwest, said the emergence of the two lawmakers, will contribute more to the development of the new administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari at Federal level as well as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Its President, Mr. Toluwalase Dada, extolled the virtues of the two men, particularly Gbajabiamila, for his integrity, hard work and ranking status in the House.

“He Gbajabiamila has proven himself worthy and credible to midwife the affairs of the lower chambers and bring the good memory of insightful debates, people-oriented bills, efficient check and balances and aggressive holistic oversight functions,” he said.

saw we need to count. Because what is at the velodrome, looking at it, to us, we don’t think it is enough for the 15 per cent.

“We had agreed on dates that he (contractor) was meant to meet us and we have checked what he supplied and found out that what he supplied is less than the 15 per cent mobilisation sum that was given to him. If by the end of the week he fails to meet the 15 per cent, we will stop further payment.”

Former Vice President Namadi Sambo recently unveiled a few of the stoves at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

T

A

Group endorses Gbajabiamila, Fafunmi

the ministry to keep the balance of N3.7 billion till the remaining supplies are made.

According to her, the contractor had failed to supply the correct number of stoves commensurate with the N1.3 billion, which he received for the first set of the clean cooking stoves.

She said: “This contract was to last for three months. If you count from the time we mobilised him, you will know that the tenure of the agreement has elapsed. What he supplied to us is not up to 15 per cent.

We have written to him. We have told him that what we

Kashamu’s extradition suit: Parties await hearing date

‘Early detection of kidnappers’ den due to Ajimobi’s pro-activeness’ SOCIO-CULTURAL organisation, Oyo Patriotic Front, has praised Governor Abiola Ajimobi over the early detection of another kidnappers’ den at Ojoku Village in Ona-Ara Local Government.

The organization, in a statement issued in Ibadan on Wednesday by its Chairman, Chief Jare Adepoju, attributed the early detection of the den by the police to the proactive measures taken by the governor immediately after the Soka incident.

“We are aware that the government has ordered all security agencies in the state to comb the nooks and crannies of the state to smoke out these nefarious characters. There should be no let in their pursuit” said the group.

It noted that after the discovery of the kidnappers’ den at the Soka area of Ibadan early last year, Governor Ajimobi had instituted regular meetings with all the security agencies in the state with a view to stemming the tide.

The group also said that it was aware of the fact that undercover agents were also deployed all over the state to monitor the activities of unscrupulous elements, particularly the kidnappers and their possible hideouts.

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

ment.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Nana Fatimah, yesterday said N1.3 billion, which was about 15 per cent of the N5 billion released to the ministry, was given to the contractor to deliver the first set of stoves and wonder bags.

She spoke at a conference in Abuja to commemorate the World Environment Day, adding that there were no subsequent certificates issued for additional supply after the 15 per cent was paid to him.

This, she said, has made

•Kashamu

HE Federal Ministry of Justice officials and lawyers to Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) chieftain, Buruji Kashamu, are awaiting hearing date in the extradition application filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja in relation to the senator-elect.

The office of the Attorney General of the Federation

(AGF), is by its application, seeking the court’s permission to transfer Kashamu to the United States (U.S.) following a purported extradition application by the country.

The Nation learnt yesterday that the AGF’s application has been assigned to Justice Gabriel Kolawole of

Court Five of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

It was also learnt that the judge is yet to fix a date for its hearing.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) claimed on Tuesday to have served copies of the extradition application on Kashamu on Monday.

Land suit: Court threatens NDA Commandant for contempt

A

KADUNA State High Court has warned the Commandant of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Maj-Gen. Muhammed Inuwa Idris, that he risks being imprisoned, if he continues to disobey court order in respect of a landed property.

The warning, which was contained in ‘Form 48’ and dated May 25, was signed by the court registrar. It was said to have been served on the commandant through a courier firm last Thursday.

The court document, titled: “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order”, reads: “To Major General Muhammed Inuwa Idris (Commandant of Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna). Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

The Nation gathered that the two properties in contention -

•We ‘ve appealed suit, says academy From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

both in Barnawa GRA, Kaduna - initially belonged to NDA. But they were sold by the Federal Government through Presidential Implementation Committee to two occupants, late Mr. Joseph Kingo Lafidi and late D. Akpam, who were then workers of the military institution.

NDA authorities allegedly evicted their widows, Mrs. Elizabeth J. Lafidi and Dorcas D. Akpam, from the property in 2010.

The widows, however, took the matter to court and won in April 2014.

The court’s judgment obtained on April 15, 2014, a copy of which was made available to The Nation, reads in part: “An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the defendant, especially the 2nd defendant (Nigerian Defence Acad-

emy) whether by themselves, agents, servants, workmen, officers, privies and assigns whomsoever and howsoever otherwise from trespassing upon or disturbing the 1st and 2nd Plaintiffs peaceful enjoyment of the properties known as Nos. 11 Gongola Road, Flat 4, Barnawa GRA and 36A Gongola Road, Flat D, Barnawa GRA, Kaduna respectively.”

But, counsel to the widows, Barrister Lekan Oyerinde, who spoke with The Nation in Kaduna, said to their surprise, after the execution of the court judgment and installation of the “original owners” of the property by the court bailiffs on May 21, on the order of the NDA Commandant, armed soldiers forcefully evicted the widows from the property.

The soldiers, he added, later erected fence around the property and stationed armed guards there.

When contacted on phone, a source close to the academy, said the matter is in Appeal Court and, therefore, he will not want to comment on it.

The source, who did not provide the appeal number, said: “The widows were dubious. NDA has announced severally that no worker should get any house through monetisation because the academy is an institution where people come and go.

“So, there is no way it can monetise its houses. If it does, where will the people coming after live?”

He added that the widows were not told to evacuate from the staff quarters until the entitlement of their husbands are paid.

Similarly, the academy’s Director of Coordination, Commodore Yakubu Wambai, was also quoted that the case was on appeal and as such, the military institution cannot comment on the matter.

58

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

NEWS

Ex-First Lady’s loyalists shun Jonathan’s Bayelsa PDP parley

Rivers to move fuel tankers from city centre

R

IVERS State Governor Nyesom Wike has moved to stop indiscriminate parking of petroleum tankers on the popular Aba Road in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The governor said the move would prevent fire disasters and protect the public from losing their property to such accidents since the tankers park in residential and office areas.

The governor spoke yesterday at a meeting with depot managers, petroleum mangers and leaders of the transport unions.

He said the state government would work out the relocation of the parking space for the tanker drivers to reduce the traffic gridlock on the route.

Wike said a joint inspection of the alternative parking space for tanker drivers at Iriebe Park would hold today.

The governor stressed that tanker drivers were expected to operate a call system that would enable them be in touch with the depots instead of parking on the road.

He said: “We are taking these measures to forestall accidents or disasters on Aba Road, where these tankers park. Should anything happen on the road, there could be loss of lives and property.

“We are being proactive by calling this meeting to decongest the road and relocate the tankers.”

Wike noted that as a longterm measure, his administration would consider relocating the tank farms in the future.

Ogbonna Onyekachi of Avidor Oil and Gas told the governor that the stakeholders would cooperate with his administration to relocate the tankers.

Edo Assembly passes N127b reviewed budget From Osagie Otabor, Benin

T

HE Edo State House of Assembly has passed a bill reviewing the state’s approved budget from N159.3 billion to N127.16 billion.

The review followed a bill sent to the Assembly by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The governor, in a letter to the lawmakers, noted that the previous N159 billion budget was unrealistic because of the present economic realities and low revenue from the Federation Account.

The lawmakers, at a Committee of Supply, approved a 20 per cent reduction, or N32 billion, in the original budget.

Before the lawmakers passed the bill, the Assembly suspended House Rules 20(21), 55 and 43.

A total of N64,019,787,000 was approved for capital expenditure while N62,997,148,000 was approved for recurrent expenditure.

Speaker Uyi Igbe said the ministries of Works and Environment were affected by the reduction because the initial sums approved for them were impossible to achieve.

He said the cut in the budget was meant to reflect the present economic realities.

F

ORMER First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan and key members of her political camp were absent on Tuesday night at a meeting former President Goodluck Jonathan convened to resolve the crisis rocking the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was gathered that Mrs Jonathan’s key loyalists were not at the parley, which took place at the former President’s palatial home in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area.

The party is polarised into two factions.

One supports the second term ambition of Governor Seriake Dickson; the other pledged loyalty to Mrs. Jonathan, with a mission to stop the governor.

The crisis worsened recently, following the suspension of key loyalists of the former President and his wife from the

•Elders drum support for Dickson From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

PDP for alleged anti-party activities.

The State PDP is also faced with a leadership crisis with its suspended Chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd.) still parading himself as the authentic chairman and his deputy claiming to be the acting chairman.

Mrs. Jonathan is said to be “relaxing” in London. Most of her associates were said to have refused to attend Jonathan’s fence-mending meeting because of Dickson’s presence.

Inokoba; a former deputy governor and state Chairman of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Werinipre Seibarugu; former Acting Governor Nestor Binabo and other aggrieved members were not

at the meeting.

But most members in Dickson’s camp and elders supporting his second term bid attended the parley.

Most of the elders were said to have argued that party members should unite and work with Dickson to contain the overtures of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The elders were said to have vowed not to allow the APC to “disgrace” Jonathan a second time, after sending him out of Aso Rock Villa in the March 28 election.

For the PDP to retain the state in 2016, some of the elders reportedly insisted that the aggrieved members must support Jonathan and Dickson.

It was learnt that the elders decried the attitude of some people close to the former President in Abuja, especially those

nursing governorship ambition.

They were said to have regretted that such people used their offices to undermine Dickson and the PDP, alleging that some of them even built parallel governments to fight the governor and the party.

Jonathan was said to have constituted a three-man committee, headed by former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to reconcile aggrieved groups and individuals.

The committee was asked to ensure a united and a more cohesive PDP that will be strong enough to subdue the opposition.

The committee, which has King A. J. Turner and Chief Thompson K. Okorotie as members, was given two weeks to complete its assignment and submit a report.

Okowa decries Delta huge debt profile From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

D

ELTA State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has decried the state’s huge debt overhang.

The governor urged the people to be patient with his administration to tackle the financial challenge.

Okowa spoke yesterday in Asaba, the state capital, at the swearing-in of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Festus Ovie Agas.

The governor promised that his administration would ensure that development gets to every corner of the state.

In the last allocation from the Federation Account, about N1.5 billion was deducted at source from a N9 billion allocation accruable to the state by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Okowa said his plan for the state would not accommodate parochial interests but mutual cooperation and benevolent spirits that would cater for the yearnings of the people.

He said: “We must be willing to commit ourselves to the new order, an era of love for all, where the good of all takes precedence over the gain of one. The art of governance has become so complex and demanding that positions of leadership require efficient, articulate and progressive-minded persons who are flexible and team players.

“I am happy that Festus Agas satisfies these criteria and it explains why he has been brought on board to contribute his quota to the social, political and economic development of our dear state.”

Ogbemudia hails Oshiomhole for developing Edo From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

•An MTN official with pupils of Model Country Grammar School, during the inauguration of MTN e-library at the school in Etche, Rivers State...yesterday

Grandpa held for ‘leading kidnap gang’

T

HE Edo State Police Command has arrested a 53-year-old grandfather, Fred Ikhimu Arobi, for allegedly leading a kidnap gang in Uromi, headquarters of Esan North East Local Government Area.

One of their victims, 67year-old Premie Eboigbe Ohakhena, was killed and burnt in the gang’s hideout.

Arobi, who claimed that he

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

has 11 children, including two graduates, said he was paid N300,000 in the first kidnap he participated in.

Addressing reporters at the police headquarters, the suspect said he was invited to join the gang by a boy he met at a funeral.

He said the late Premie, who was his neighbour, was

kidnapped and killed by his gang because his brother died in a land dispute between the gang members.

Other members of the gang are said to be on the run.

Also, two suspects who snatched a car to kill rival cult members, were paraded.

The two suspects - Sunny Owin and Saliu Momodu – said they were members of the Eiye Confraternity.

Sunny said he was not a robber but a cultist who wanted to kill a rival.

Saliu said he was arrested, following his girlfriend’s invitation.

Police spokesman Stephen Onwochei, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said Arobi was arrested following painstaking investigation.

He said all the suspects would be charged to court after further investigation.

Expelled Bayelsa PDP members sue party

A

STATE High Court sitting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, yesterday granted an ex parte order for a substituted service on members of the state’s Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The committee expelled key members of the party for alleged anti-party activities.

Ruling on the motion, the Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Kate Abiri, said the defendants in the originating suits could be served by pasting the

•Court grants substituted service From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

court processes on the fence of the state’s PDP secretariat on Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Road in Yenagoa.

The case was instituted

by PDP’s suspended State Chairman Sam Inokoba and a chieftain, Osom Blankson.

It is challenging the legality and constitution of the committee to expel members for alleged anti-party

activities.

The defendants are: Governor Seriake Dickson; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Kemasuode Wodu; PDP’s State Secretary, Mr. Godpower Keku and members of the committee, headed by Mr. Cleopas Moses.

The lead lawyer to the applicants, Dr. Sylvanus Abila, told Justice Abiri that the court bailiff served the first two defendants, adding that

the third to 10th defendants had been evading service.

Justice Abiri granted the order for a substituted service.

She adjourned the matter till today to take a motion on the amended application for an interim injunction stopping the party from taking further action against the applicants.

One of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, Mr. Jackson Suokiri, expressed happiness over the approval of a substituted service on the defendants.

T

WO-TIME Governor of the old Midwest Region and Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, has hailed Governor Adams Oshiomhole for what he called his unprecedented development of Edo State.

Ogbemudia addressed reporters yesterday in Benin, the state capital.

He said: “Governor Oshiomhole is the finest thing that this state has had the pleasure to have in recent years.”

Ogbemudia, who said he would soon proclaim the Edo Mass Movement (EMM) to look into the future, irrespective of party, added: “We will ensure or fight or recommend somebody who will carry on where he stops so that development will be a continuous process.

“No matter what you think about Oshiomhole, he has performed more than his predecessors.

“So, what do you do with such a man? Put him in the hall of fame so that he can continuously guide the new man to act properly.

“Oshiomhole is expected to be the one to decide who he will support. If he does not want his legacy to be destroyed, he will make sure he gets somebody who will carry on from where he stops.

“Nobody can say he does not trust Oshiomhole. He has been there for six years and the difference is clear.”

59

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

NEWS

I inherited empty treasury, N104b P debt, says Lalong LATEAU State Governor Simon Lalong has said his predecessor, Jonah Jang, handed over to him an empty treasury.

He added that the former governor left a debt profile of N104billion, excluding seven months salary arrears.

Lalong said the debt profile was contained in the handing over note he received from Jang.

He said the debt profile excluded seven months salary and pension arrears.

But Jang urged Lalong to stop blackmailing him, saying he should concentrate on serving the people.

The ex-governor said he left six months salary arrears, not seven as alleged by the new governor.

Lalong, addressing judiciary workers led by the Chief Judge, Justice Pius Damulak, at the Presidential Lodge, Old Government

Taraba Speaker emerges •Promises accountability From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

•Jang: don’t blackmail me, concentrate on governance From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

House, Rayfield, Jos, said: “I found no kobo in the treasury. I only inherited a debt of N104billion, including the non-payment of seven months workers’ salaries and pension arrears as handover note.”

Damulak decried the poor state of the judiciary, following under-funding by the last administration.

He enjoined Governor

Lalong to regard the judiciary as a key sector.

Former Governor Jang, who spoke through his media aide, Clinton Garuba, said: “The attention of the ex- governor and Senatorelect Jang has been drawn to a story making the rounds that he left Plateau with a debt profile of N104billion.

“While it is true that in the handover notes given to the new administration,

the debt profile is as made available to reporters, it must be pointed out that the Jang administration did not borrow N104billion as being insinuated in some quarters.

“The last government only took an external loan of about N18billion with evidence of developmental projects to show for it.

“Jang is committed to the development of Plateau State beyond individualism and party affiliations

and is committed to work with the Lalong administration in the task of moving Plateau forward.

“It is in realisation of this that we advise Your Excellency to focus less on trivialities and focus more on improving on our modest achievements, while correcting our perceived mistakes because at the end of your administration, Plateau people will not judge you on the number of accusations and counter- accusations, but on the extent to which you have met their yearnings and aspirations through developmental projects that directly affect their lives.”

Security detail accused of removing items from Benue Lodge S ECURITY detail attached to ex-Benue State First Lady Mrs. Dooshima Suswam have been accused of removing items at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

The building is located at Asokoro District, off Yakubu Gowon Crescent.

A letter sent to the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Makurdi, by the Li-

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

aison Officer of the Lodge, Mr. Samuel Orchir, which was obtained exclusively by The Nation, alleged that the items were removed on May 29.

The letter said: “On May 29, a steward at the Gover-

nor’s Lodge, Abuja reported that workers of the former First Lady led an orderly (name withheld) and other security details to remove six TV sets, four refrigerators, photocopiers and plates.”

According to the letter, other items removed in-

cluded carpets (rugs) and bedding.

It alleged that ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam and his wife had travelled out of the country before the security details removed the items.

The letter, which was copied to the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Government House, Makurdi, drew the attention of Governor Samuel Ortom to the incident.

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ARABA State lawmakers yesterday elected the member representing Mbamga Constituency, Abel Peter Diah, as the Speaker.

The legislator representing Yorro Constituency, Mohammed Danladi Gwampo, became the Deputy Speaker.

Diah was nominated by the member representing Lau Constituency, Joseph Albasu Kunini, who was seconded by the member representing Takum I Constituency, Hosea Ibi. Gwampo was nominated by ex-Speaker Mark Useni, who is representing Takum II Constituency. He was seconded by the member representing Ibi Constituency, Mohammed Abdulkareem.

The Speaker announced the nomination of the lawmaker representing Lau Constituency, Joseph Albasu Kunini, as the Majority Leader, saying Kunini, who was the Majority Leader in the last Assembly, was the choice of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The election of the House leaders, which took place on the floor of the Assembly in Jalingo, was supported by the 24 legislators.

Diah promised to run a “transparent, accountable and result-oriented administration, by encouraging and welcoming constructive criticisms.”

•Diah

Tribunal strikes off case against APC’s candidate From Vincent Ohonbamu, Gombe

THE National Assembly and the House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal resumed sitting in Gombe yesterday.

It struck off the case filed against Alhaji Kawuwa Barambu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) by Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Sama’ila Hassan.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Roseline Adamu, said they had no option but to strike off the case because of the petitioner’s inability to prosecute it.

The tribunal advised the counsel to the respondent, Mr. Niyi Idowu, to drop the issue of the N5million he requested as compensation to his client over the case, as the dismissal was enough to assuage their feelings.

He said: “It is known all over Gombe and anywhere you have news media that Barambu has been taken to court and the person who declared war is afraid to fight it.

“It is not just that he walks in easily and he should just leave like that.

Something has to be done to assuage the feelings of our client.

“What they said was that we ought to have evoked the provision of that section ourselves, not the tribunal raising it; that is Section 18 (4) of the Electoral Act.

Umanah passes on

•Head of Lagos Office, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Otunba Jide Adebayo (left); welcoming Mr. Teun Meulepas, one of the two Dutch cyclists on a 17,000-kilometre journey en route Cape Town, South Africa, during their stop over visit to NAN’s Lagos Office...yesterday. With them is the Head of NAN’s editorial operations in Lagos, Malam Yusuf Zango.

PHOTO: NAN

Daniel Ademinokan goes public with love for Stella

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A N I E L Ademinokan and Stella Damasus have finally confirmed they are really a couple.

Ademinokan, ex husband of actress Doris Simeon, while coming out of the closet and admitting to a relationship with Damasus, in a radio interview, dedicated a song to the sultry actress, and mother of two.

According to the film director and scriptwriter, “I am so excited to dedicate this song to the one person who has been a rock. Sometimes God aligns things to

By Jane Kolade

happen at the right time.

Stella Damasus – you are an amazing person and I appreciate you so much . . .

I love you very much and I’m dedicating this song to you because I want you to stay with me forever.”

Ademinokan made no pretence of his love for the controversial thespian. The twice married Stella and her new beau, Ademinokan, a father of one from his previous marriage, have in times past refuted being in a relationship but have now decided to go public with their new found love.

• Stella and Daniel

A BUSINESSMAN, DR. Ime Umanah, is dead. He died on May 25.

A statement by his son, Ime Umanah (Jnr.), on behalf of the family, said: “Dr. Umanah was a consummate businessman, a selfless politician and a philanthropist, who catered for the downtrodden and spoke for the oppressed.

“In his business life, he was better known as the chairman of Imesco Group of Companies. As a philanthropist, he was popularly known as a friend of the poor.”

The family said funeral programmes would be announced later, asking for prayers “at this difficult moment.”

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

NEWS

Gunmen kill French tourist Continued from page 4

bush to set up their tent and rest.

Umahi siad: “As they were having their rest, gunmen stormed the area and shot them. The gunmen took one thousand, one hundred and sixty euros of their money and N13,000. ‘’Sad enough, they shot and killed the husband of the woman. The body has been deposited in the mortuary. ‘’The wife was so devastated. What we did was to put her in hotel accommodation and gave her some money.”

The Governor described the incident as “unfortunate” and warned that anywhere there is cultism and other violent crimes, the council chairman and development centre coordinator will be sacked. ’’All these robbery and violent crimes is a by product of cultism,” Umahi said.

Police Commissioner Maigari Dikko said 32 suspects were yesterday arrested in connection with the incident.

He said they had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further interrogation and prosecution – where necessary.

The commissioner, who described the victims as tourists who had travelled through several countries to get to Nigeria, added that about 1,150 euros and N13,000 were stolen from them by the hoodlums.

“Thirty-two suspects were arrested in the early hours of this morning (yesterday) and they are currently being transferred to the SCID for investigation and screening,” Dikko said.

According to him, the wife of the victim who reported the incident to the police, said she could identify the people

Thirty-two suspects were ar‘rested in the early hours of this morning (yesterday) and they are currently being transferred to the SCID for investigation and screening who killed her husband if she saw them.

Dikko said: “We got the report yesterday from the DPO of Onicha LGA about the French nationals, a couple; they were tourists who left their country on December 2014 and arrived Nigeria through Badagry on 23rd of May, that is last saturday “They passed through Abeokuta, Benin, Onitsha, Enugu to Ebonyi with their vehicle a one door with Caravan on it; they were passing through Ebonyi to Calabar when the incident happened.

“They arrived Abomega in the night and decided to spend the night there. According to the deceased’s wife, her husband had complained that he was tired and secondly it was night.

“As fate would have it, they didn’t report their presence to any law enforcement agents around, but decided to look for a place that was naturally endowed with shelter, a place that has tree and so they went two kilometres off the road to pass the night in a location near the bush.

“They found a location where we have a quarry site and decided to camp there; unfortunately, I believe that as they were going there, they were seen and, according to the wife of the deceased, when they were at the location, a motorcyclist, together

’

with a man, asked to know who they were.

“Unless investigation proves otherwise, we are thinking that the motorcyclist was the informant to the hoodlums. After an hour, he left, three people came into the car and by then they had already erected their tent on top of the vehicle.”

Dikko, who noted that the Police Headquarters and the French Embassy had already been informed about the incident, added that the deceased was shot by the hoodlums during an argument as they further inflicted machete-cut injuries on him.

He said arrangements were on to ensure that Denis’ body is taken to France without delay. He promised that the police will clampdown on the miscreants.

•Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade being presented with a plague by Governor of Jigawa State and immediate past National President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Muhammed Abubakar, during a visit to the Government House, Calabar ... yesterday.

Alleged N300b fraud: Sheriff surrenders to EFCC, faces grilling Continued from page 4

ance, we had concluded plans to declare him wanted because we gave him ample time to respect this lawful agency.

“Upon getting here, a team of crack operatives was raised to interrogate him. In the last two hours, he has been filling some firms and responding to questions from our officials.

“No one can say whether

he will be granted bail tonight or not. But we will keep you posted.”

Another source added: “I think Sheriff might have given up because of his inability to wield political influence like the case during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“He enjoyed presidential comfort in Chad when Jonathan visited President Idris Deby in N’Djamena to

the discomfiture of the EFCC. “But all these PoliticallyExposed Persons(PEPs) know that President Muhammadu Buhari will not take nonsense.

The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “We have Sheriff in our custody for interrogation. He came into our office this evening.”

Last week, Uwujaren said the EFCC was planning to de-

clare Shetiff wanted if he refused to honour the invitation of the commission.

He said: “We invited him (Sheriff) for questioning. As I speak to you, he did not honour that invitation.

“Once the commission invites a suspect in a matter and he fails to honour the invitation, options are opened to us. We might declare him wanted. Yes, we might do that.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

61

FOREIGN NEWS

Greek PM Tsipras calls for unity before Juncker debt talks

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RIME Minister Alexis Tsipras has urged Europe’s leaders to show unity and realism ahead of a key meeting on Greece’s debt crisis.

International creditors will present new proposals for a deal to unlock funds at the talks in Brussels later.

Mr Tsipras has already put forward a new plan of his own. Greece has a •300m (£216m) IMF repayment due on Friday.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande suggested Greece and its lend-

ers were on the brink of a deal.

“We are days, I might almost say hours away from a possible resolution,” Mr Hollande said on Wednesday, adding that “asking too much of Greece would prevent the return of growth”.

However, a European Commission spokeswoman earlier dampened hopes of an imminent breakthrough, telling reporters that no “final outcome” was expected from Wednesday’s talks.

Greece’s current bailout arrangement with the IMF, Eu-

China ship capsize: Hopes fade of finding Yangtze survivors

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• Tsipras

ropean Central Bank (ECB) and European Commission runs out at the end of June, and the cash-strapped gov-

ernment has been haggling since February over the release of the last •7.2bn in funds.

IS: 10,000 militants killed in nine months, says U.S.

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ORE than 10,000 Islamic State fighters have been killed since an international coalition began a campaign against the group in Iraq and Syria, the US says.

Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told France Inter radio the coalition had seen “a lot of losses” within IS in the past nine months.

“It will end up having an impact,” he added, but warned IS remained resilient and capable of taking the initiative.

He spoke after the coalition met in Paris to discuss its strategy in Iraq.

Representatives backed Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s plan to retake the

city of Ramadi, whose capture by IS last month he described as a “failure” for the international community.

They also called for the “speedy launch” of efforts to end the conflict in Syria.

Suicide truck bombings In his interview with France Inter on Wednesday, Mr Blinken insisted that the coalition campaign had not been a failure.

“There has been important progress, but equally Daesh remains very resilient and capable of taking the initiative,” he said, using a pejorative term for the group based on the Arabic acronym of its former name.

Mr Blinken said IS now

controlled 25% less territory in Iraq than it did when coalition air strikes began in August 2014, and that it had lost significant numbers of men and materiel.

But he also acknowledged recent setbacks, including the loss of Ramadi, where Iraqi soldiers fled their positions despite vastly outnumbering the IS force attacking them.

“At the start of this campaign [we] said it would take time,” he said. “We have conceived a three-year plan and we’re nine months into it.”

Mr Blinken’s assertion that more than 10,000 IS fighters had been killed could not be independently verified.

The UK-based Syrian Ob-

servatory for Human Rights reported at the end of April that coalition air strikes in Syria had left more than 1,922 IS fighters dead, along with 66 civilians.

In February, the US Director for National Intelligence James Clapper told Congress that IS could muster “somewhere in the range between 20,000 and 32,000 fighters”, but that there had been “substantial attrition” in its ranks.

Separately yesterday, the Iraqi ambassador to France, Fareed Yasseen, welcomed the US decision to send 2,000 AT-4 missiles for use against armoured suicide truck bombs, which helped weaken and demoralise government forces in Ramadi.

OPES are fading of any more survivors being found inside a cruise ship which capsized on China’s Yangtze River.

Just 14 of the 456 mostly elderly people on board the Eastern Star have so far been rescued, after the vessel overturned in bad weather on Monday.

Officials say they will keep looking for survivors, but it could be China’s worst boat disaster in decades.

In a new development, maritime agency records show the ship was investigated for safety violations two years ago.

Documents on the Nanjing Maritime Safety website showed the Eastern Star was held alongside five other vessels in 2013 over safety concerns, although no further details are available.

State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said 26 bodies had so far been recovered. Some of the few survivors were found trapped in air pockets inside the submerged hull of the ship.

“As long as there’s even a

little hope, we will give it 100% and will absolutely not give up,” Transport Minister Yang Chuantang said, before adding that rescuers were in “a race against time”.

Premier Li Keqiang urged divers to keep searching the ship in an “overnight battle” to find more survivors after at least two remarkable rescues on Tuesday, including one of a 65-year-old woman.

Zhang Hui, 43, was rescued on Tuesday after floating for 10 hours clinging to a life jacket.

He was in his room when a storm hit and he felt the boat tilt. “It was tilting very badly, maybe at around a 45degree angle,” he told the Xinhua state news agency.

He grabbed a life jacket and floated to the nearest window as the boat began to capsize “incredibly fast”.

He spent the night in the river, struggling to keep afloat. “I told myself, I just needed to hold on and everything would be okay,” he said.

He eventually made it ashore as dawn broke and received help at a nearby jetty.

Boston suspects ‘plotted beheading of police’

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WO men were plotting to behead police officers when one was killed and another arrested in Boston on Tuesday, US media report.

Police arrested one of the men at home, after shooting another in a car park.

Unnamed officials told US media the men were plotting to behead police, but Boston police and FBI officials refused to confirm that.

Usaama Rahim, 26, was shot and killed while under surveillance by counter-terrorism officers.

Police say Rahim attacked

officers with a large knife after being approached by officers in the residential Roslindale neighbourhood.

He had been under 24-hour surveillance, and apparently had made threats against law enforcement.

The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said Rahim had been “communicating with and spreading ISIS [Islamic State] propaganda online”.

“These cases are a reminder of the dangers posed by individuals radicalised through social media,” said Michael McCaul

Syrian refugees ‘stranded in Jordanian desert’

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• The missile being fired from Taean ... Yesterday

South Korea test fires missile to counter threat from North

S

OUTH Korea has said it has successfully test fired a ballistic missile that is capable of reaching most parts of North Korea.

The missile has been developed over the last three years in response to what it sees as an increasing military threat from the North.

The launch was watched by the South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

Last month, North Korea said it had fired a missile

from a submarine for the first time.

It also claims that it can now make nuclear weapons small enough to fit onto a rocket.

The new South Korean missile, which has a range of at least 500km (310 miles) was fired from Taean on the country’s western coast. It will be deployed later this year.

The South Korean president said the rocket launch

showed that her country possessed a substantial deterrence to resist North Korea.

“North Korea will have no choice but to come forward for dialogue rather than provocation,” she was quoted as saying by Yonhap, the South Korean news agency.

South Korea has been upgrading its military hardware in a programme agreed upon with its main

ally, the United States.

This new missile is part of a system called the Kill Chain. This will give South Korea surveillance facilities and weapons that will allow it to launch a pre-emptive strike against North Korea within minutes if it detects a threat.

There has been tension between North and South Korea, separated after the Second World War, for decades.

UNDREDS of Syrian refugees are stranded in remote desert areas because Jordan is restricting informal border crossings, Human Rights Watch says.

The refugees are stuck just inside Jordan’s border with only limited access to food, water and medical help.

HRW said Jordan had done a great deal to help Syrians fleeing the conflict in their country, but that this was “no excuse to abandon newer arrivals”.

Jordan’s government said it continued to “adopt an openborder policy”.

The country is hosting 630,000 of the almost four million Syrians registered as refugees with the UN. Jordan says a total of 1.4 million Syrians are living there, including those who arrived before the start of the uprising against President Bashar alAssad in 2011.

HRW said the Jordanian authorities had gradually tightened entry restrictions over the past two years, with two informal crossings in desert areas in the east - Rukban and Hadalat - becoming the only way in for most Syrians.

Jordan had heavily restricted entries at those crossings too from July 2014, the US-based group added.

HRW said recent satellite imagery showed approximately 175 informal tent shelters at Rukban and 68 at Hadalat, indicating the likely presence of hundreds of people.

Aid agencies estimated that about 2,500 people were stranded there in mid-April, but an international aid worker told HRW that this number had dropped to about 1,000 by late May after the Jordanian border guards allowed some of them to move out of the border zone.

“Jordan has gone to great lengths to meet the needs of the Syrian refugees,” said Nadim Houry, HRW’s deputy Middle East and North Africa director. “But that is no excuse to abandon newer arrivals in remote border areas for weeks without effective protection and regular aid access.”

HRW also said it had spoken to a Syrian who had been taken to the Raba Sarhan registration centre, then immediately deported to Syria without being registered.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

63

NEWS

Uproar as Senate passes 46 bills without sighting them

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HERE was uproar in the Senate yesterday following the hurried manner the upper chamber passed 46 bills referred to it by the House of Representatives for concurrence.

The controversial passage of the bills is coming a day to the termination of the Seventh Senate.

Some senators did not wait for the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, to conclude his motion for the adoption of the bills before they erupted into opposition.

Those opposed to the wholesome adoption of the bills insisted that they were passed in violation of Order 79 of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 (as amended).

Even after Enang managed to conclude his motion, entitled: “Adoption of a special procedure on Bills transmitted to the Senate from the House of Representatives for concurrence”, Senator George Thompson Sekibo drew the attention of the Senate to provisions of Senate Standing Orders on the proce-

•Senators protest From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

dure for passing bills.

Sekibo cited Orders 79 and 86, which spellsout the stages a Bill must pass to be deemed to have been passed by the Senate.

Order 79(1), for instance, states that “every Bill shall receive three readings previous to its passage, which readings shall be in different days, unless the Senate unanimously directs otherwise——” Enang noted in his motion, also endorsed by eight other senators, that the legislative time available to the Senate between yesterday and the end of the legislative term on or about June 3 is limited.

He said considering that time and resources had been expended in processing the bills, there was need to pass and forward them for assent.

He added that by mutual consent and legislative reciprocity, “the House of Repre-

sentatives is adopting same special procedure and passing such Bills passed by the Senate and transmitted to her for concurrence”.

Enang urged the Senate to invoke Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 as amended to adopt a special procedure on the Bills forwarded for concurrence.

He urged the Senate to suspend Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders and such other Orders, and deem all the Bills as having been passed First, Second and Third Readings on the floor of the Senate and concur to same; all the bills having been re-produced and circulated to all senators.

The senator added “that all the bills afore-named, by this resolution and hereby read, and deemed read a Third time and passed, to be transmitted to the President for assent in accordance with the Acts (Authentication) Act, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

“That the Votes and Proceed-

ings containing all the bills be produced for adoption, as passed by the House.”

Immediately Enang was done with his motion, murmuring intensified in the Senate chamber.

Sekibo promptly called attention to the flaws of adopting the bills without following parliamentary procedures.

Other senators also joined.

As the disorder continued, Senate President David Mark ruled that Enang’s four prayers should be discountenanced.

He said the only prayer should be “whether we concur or not.”

Mark went ahead to put the question and ruled that those in favour that the Senate should concur with what the House did carried the day.

The ruling did not douse tension as some senators were shouting that “the process of passing these bills was fraudulent”.

Others, who favoured what the Senate, did also shouted that “it is all over, it is all over.”

Sensing danger, Mark advised those opposed to the way and manner the Bills were

Dogara woos PDP with Deputy Speaker

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is plotting to take over the seat of the Deputy Speaker in the Eighth Assembly, it emerged yesterday.

It was learnt that the current Deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor, has been offered Deputy Speaker by one of the aspirants contesting for the office of the Speaker.

The alliance is to ensure that the PDP caucus votes as a bloc for the All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant, Yakubu Dogara (Bauchi).

It was also gathered that part of the understanding was that chairmanship of standing committees in the House would be shared on 50-50 basis between APC and PDP According to a source, who pleaded for anonymity, the alliance that was consummated during the party’s retreat for National Assembly members in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has caused disaffection among PDP members.

The retreat, which was attended by members of PDP National Working Committee (NWC), party leaders, gover-

•Jibrin steps down From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

nors, senators and House members was to strategise on the new role of the party as opposition in the eighth assembly.

Some members were said to be against the alliance that was seen as a form of imposition by the leadership of PDP. The source said: “The two leading aspirants in the contest for speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Yakubu Dogara, were expected at the retreat to seal a deal with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

“The idea was dropped because the PDP leadership felt that such physical presence would gather storm that may hijack the essence, using the retreat to educate the PDP members on their new role as opposition lawmakers.

“The PDP leadership advised the two to stay away from the retreat”.

Throwing light on the accord,

another source confirmed that PDP caucus gave its support to Dogara on the ground that the alliance would produce an APC Speaker with PDP as deputy.

He said: “Until nine months ago, Dogara belongs to the PDP and trusted to support the PDP more than Gbajabiamila, who is said to be favoured by the APC, which reportedly zoned the speakership to Southwest where Gbajabiamila is the sole candidate while Deputy Speaker goes to Northeast.

“But PDP members are divided because of the offer put across to the PDP after the retreat by Dogara.

“We PDP members-elect would do Dogara’s project.

Only about 35 per cent of us are supporting Gbajabiamila.

“We see a future for our party in a Dogara’s leadership of the House.”

Also yesterday, an aspirant for the position of Speaker, Abdulmumini Jibrin has stepped down for Dogara.

Jibrin said he believed in the passion and ability of Dogara to lead the 8th House.

His words: “You will recall that on Wednesday, April 8,

passed to come up with a motion today to state their grouse.

He said: “It is not over. Those opposed to what we did should come up with a substantive motion tomorrow (today) with their names signed.”

One of those opposed to the adoption of the Bills told reporters after plenary: “We don’t know what the bills contain, we don’t have copies of the bills and we have not read the bills.

Yet these are Bills, if signed into law, that will be binding on Nigerians, Bills that are meant to shape the lives of Nigerians. If it was a joke, it was a joke taken too far.”

Some of the bills adopted by the upper chamber included: Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment etc) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015(HB.269); Office of the Nigerian Financial Ombudsman Bill, 2015(HB.14); Institute of Chartered Trustees of Nigeria Bill 2015 (HB.19);National Convict and Criminal Records (Registry) Bill, 2015 (HB.57); Community Service Bill, 2015 (HB.29); People’s Bank of Nigeria (Repeal) Bill, 2015 (HB.710); and Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB712).

Others are National Commis-

sion for Rehabilitation Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB713); Maintenance Order’s Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB.714), Federal Saving Bank Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB.715); Loan (State Development) Act (Repeal) 2015 (HB.716); Nigerians in Diaspora (Establishment) Commission, 2015 (HB.69); Electronic Transactions Bill 2015 (HB.3); Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria, 2015 (HB.541); and Nigerian Metallurgical Industry Bill, 2014 (HB.689).

Also passed included Federal Audit Commission Bill, 2015 (HB.732); National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB31); Nigerian International Financial Centre (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2015(HB15); Investment and Securities (Amendment) Bill 2015 (HB.7), Nigerians Communications Satellite, Bill 2015 (HB208);Federal Capital Territory Education Resources Centre (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2015 (HB41), Labour Institutions (Establishment etc) Bill, 2015 (HB.99), Witness Protection Programme Bill, 2015 (HB118); Institute of Mediators and Conciliators Bill, 2015 (HB.1), Legal Education Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB.270) and Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, 2015 (HB.82).

Senate endorses life jail for rapists From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

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•Dogara

2015, I held a press conference where I declared my intention to contest for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“However, in the last few weeks, I had consulted widely with my supporters and colleagues. In order to diffuse the prevailing tension, unite the House and ensure a smooth take-off of the Buhari administration, I hereby withdraw from the race for the Speakership of the 8th House of Representatives and consequently throw my weight behind the candidature of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, one of our senior colleague, a man of integrity, an astute legislator and an amiable gentle man.

HE Senate has prescribed life imprisonment for rapists and other sexual offenders.

This followed the passage of the Sexual Offences Bill, which prescribes life jail for sexual offenders, including rape, child sex tourism and people who deliberately infect others with the Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).

The Bill, which was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, is expected to get the concurrence of the House of Representatives today.

The Bill also prescribes life imprisonment for gang rape and 10 years jail for incest and child pornography respectively or a fine of N2 million Other sexual offences would also attract 14 years jail term.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Umaru Dahiru, in his report, said the Bill is meant to redefine and consolidate existing laws on sexual offences.

Anyanwu, however expressed joy over the passage of the Bill which was introduced in Senate since 2013.

According to her, the Sexual Offences Bill “seeks to make a comprehensive legislation on sexual offences by criminalising certain acts such as sexual tourism, child pornography and cultural and religious sexual offences in our criminal jurisprudence.

“The Bill provides for effective witness protection programme in order to protect victims and witnesses in trial for sexual offences.

“It provides for compulsory documentation, supervision of sexual offenders and medical treatment for victims which is in line with the global trend and finally, and most importantly, it provides for adequate and stringent punishments to perpetrators.”

Clark canvases support for Buhari From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

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•Dana plane crash victims’ family members during the third anniversary in Abuja...yesterday

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PHOTO: NAN

Amnesty office appeals for calm over stipend

HE Presidential Amnesty Office has appealed to former agitators in the Niger Delta to be calm and eschew any act that would disturb the peace of the region.

In a statement, its Head of Media and Communications, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said the appeal became necessary follow-

ing the apprehension caused by the delay in the payment of last month’s stipends and intraining allowances to onshore and offshore beneficiaries of the programme.

It explained that the delay was occasioned by the ongoing transition process at the federal level.

It, however, assured beneficiaries that the funds for the stipends and other allowances of beneficiaries had been released and was intact but that the office was awaiting the required directive for disbursement in the absence of a substantive chairman of the programme

or a Special Adviser to oversee the programme.

It urged the former agitators to reciprocate the good gesture of President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his inauguration address on May 29, assured of investing heavily in the programme, by maintaining the peace at this time.

JAW leader Chief Edwin Clark has urged the citizenry to support President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the time has come for all to develop Nigeria.

He advised Buhari to treat all Nigerians equally, irrespective of ethnic group, party or gender.

The elder statesman added that President Buhari “is fit and ready for the job”.

Clark, a diehard supporter of former President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke in Abuja yesterday when a group, Probity Ambassadors Organisation of Nigeria, conferred on him a life time achievement award.

He said he was sure that the president will bring about development.

Calling on all Nigerians to help Buhari succeed, Clark stressed that electioneering campaigns are over and a winner has emerged in Buhari, hence everybody must support the President.

He added that “the nation has come to stay and must be developed”.

“My advice for Mr. President and APC is to regard Nigeria as one. The attitude of winner takes all should not be employed.

“Definitely, to bring development to the country, he has to satisfy the yearnings of all Nigerians - those who voted for him and those who voted against him.

“We all own Mr. President and no one section owns him. We all want a Nigeria, where everybody believes that we are one. Without the minority or the majority, no one group can succeed,” he stated.

Clark had debunked reports in some quarters that he slumped after Jonathan lost the March 28 election.

“Why will I die because Jonathan lost election. Nigeria belongs to all of us. No one owns Nigeria. I like the speech of Buhari that he belongs to everybody,” he added.

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TODAY IN THE NATION

‘Jonathan’s triumph over those who held him in chains for 16 years was not just a personal victory but also a victory for our nation’ THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

(Nigeria should forge new relationships outside Africa)

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

DAPO FAFOWORA

A

S he settles down to urgent business, President Muhammadu Buhari has a lot to worry about on domestic affairs.

But he has very little to worry about on Nigeria’s foreign policy, which did not feature at all in the presidential election. It was hardly mentioned by the two principal candidates, Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan. The electorate were more interested in ‘bread and butter’ issues than in foreign policy. There are no major foreign policy crises or issues ahead of President Buhari except, perhaps, Nigeria’s quest for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, and some consular problems. He should therefore concentrate his attention more on the dire domestic situation he has inherited from the Jonathan PDP Federal Government. The main focus of the new Buhari APC Federal Government should, therefore, be on how to tackle these crucial domestic issues on which the success of his government depends.

However, foreign policy issues cannot be totally ignored by the new Buhari APC Federal Government, as Nigerians expect their country to play a more important and distinct role in world affairs. There have been some strong criticisms of Nigeria’s foreign policy before and during the Jonathan PDP Federal Government.

Basically, the main criticism of Nigeria’s foreign policy is that it is lacking in bite. It is argued that Nigeria is punching below its real weight, and that Nigeria’s role in the world, particularly in Africa, has declined considerably in recent years. Critics of our foreign policy argue that as the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria should play a more important and decisive role in world affairs, particularly in Africa.

There is some validity in these criticisms.

But these critics tend to ignore both the unstable domestic condition of the country and the significant changes in the international system, particularly the emergence and the implications for Nigeria of a multi polar world, with new regional and powerful players, such as the BRICS. Until now, Nigeria’s foreign policy was concentrated on Africa. It considers itself the natural leader of black Africa. But many African states, particularly South Africa, now openly challenge Nigeria’s claim to being the leader of Africa. The francophone African states also continue to rely on France for their internal and external security. This trend diminishes the potential for Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa. Nigeria is now in search of a new role in Africa and in international affairs. This situation calls for a review of its foreign policy so as to take full account of changes in the international system. While this development should not lead Nigeria to abandon its leadership role in Africa, it should begin to look beyond Africa in forging new political and economic relationships. Much more importantly, the country should be made to understand that a more assertive foreign policy can only be based on a strong economy and domestic stability, not on mere wishful thinking.

O

UR Husband Has Gone Mad Again, goes the famous comedy from the theatrical stable of Professor Ola Rotimi, the late Nigerian playwright and academic. From the dark tragedy of The Gods Are Not to Blame, modelled after the Greek Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Our Husband is some catharsis, showing that life, no matter how imperfect or grim, could not be 100 per cent gloom.

But some comedies could be tragic, if not by broad classification, then by application.

A live example of such is the latest stunt by the Osoko, Ayo Fayose, enfant terrible governor of Ekiti and self-christened Irumale to nje jollof rice (Demon that feasts on jollof rice).

In his latest theatrics, Fayose has written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, practically staking a right to nominate a minister for him. His bona fides? Ekiti is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state through and through: from governor, Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly — 100 per cent!

So, as Ekiti-Kete lord of manor and command-

VOL. 10, NO. 3235

FROM THE SUMMIT dapo.fafowora@thenationonlineng.net

Review of Nigeria’s foreign policy countries to our mutual benefit. Early in the life of the new APC Federal Government, the President should go on a trade mission to these two countries to promote direct investments by them in Nigeria.

The US and the EU

•President Buhari

Regional Analysis Asia

This search for a new role for Nigeria in world affairs should involve a region by region review of its foreign policy with a view to redefining its national interests and foreign policy objectives. The main focus of this review should be on its bilateral relations with certain regional economic and military powers that have emerged in recent years. In Asia, the dominant economic and military powers are China and India. China is the second largest economy in the world after the US. It is believed it will overtake the US in the next two decades.

It has the largest horde of foreign reserves in the world, and it is forging new economic relationships with Africa. It is the country of the future. Nigeria should seek to expand its existing economic ties with China.

The same situation applies to India, now the third largest economy in the world. Unlike the western powers, these two countries do not have a past colonial record in Africa. Their interest in Africa is mainly commercial, not strategic. They only seek new markets and access to Africa’s rich natural resources, particularly its oil. It is crucial for Nigeria to strengthen its economic ties with these two

Nigeria still has strong economic and political ties with the western powers, particularly the US and the EU. These ties should be maintained and improved upon.

Together, these countries account for over 60 per cent of direct foreign investment in Nigeria.

But their share of Nigeria’s foreign trade has been falling steadily over the years. The US no longer buys Nigeria’s crude oil. But it offers through its AGOA programme the largest foreign market to non-oil exports from Nigeria.

Besides, the US has strong military and strategic ties with Nigeria. It has provided some military assistance to Nigeria in its counter terrorism war. Recently, there have been some minor strains between the two countries caused by the decision of the PDP Federal Government to review the existing defence agreement for the training of the Nigerian military by the US Defence Department. The President should move quickly to restore frayed relations with the Obama administration, which fell out completely with the Jonathan administration over massive public corruption in Nigeria. So far, President Obama has not deemed it fit to pay an official visit to Nigeria. He has visited Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Tanzania.

In the EU, Nigeria’s focus should be on Germany, the strongest economy in the EU, and on France, mainly for strategic considerations. Nigeria’s foreign trade with both Germany and France has remained stable in recent years. There has been a lot of foreign investments in Nigeria from these two countries in the fields of communications and manufacturing.

With regard to the UK, relations with Nigeria have been normal. But the old traditional Commonwealth ties with Britain have grown weaker over the years. The UK is now an EU country, and while it is important to maintain good economic ties with her, the UK no longer has the economic clout to offer Nigeria any significant assistance. Its overall aid to Africa

JIDE OL UW AJUYIT AN OLUW UWAJUYIT AJUYITAN

has been falling in recent years. It is still struggling to get out of an economic recession.

The British Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron, has not shown any real interest in Africa. He has not yet visited Nigeria.

Latin America The three dominant economies in Latin America are Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. But with the exception of Brazil, which has some limited foreign direct investments in Nigeria, none of the others are in a position to offer Nigeria any significant economic assistance.

Nonetheless, we should seek to forge strong political ties with all three countries.

The Middle East Nigeria has no real strategic interests in the Middle East. It should steer a middle course in the ongoing conflicts in the region, except that it should support the idea of a two states’ solution in resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The wider conflict in the region should be completely avoided. On the issue of the Iran nuclear programme, Nigeria should support the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the Western powers.

Ties with multilateral financial institutions For the foreseeable future, Nigeria will need foreign capital and investments in its still fragile economy. Already, it is looking to the World Bank and the IMF as sources of funding for its woeful infrastructure. We should maintain good relations with the two multilateral financial institutions while rejecting advice from them that is not in our long term economic interests. However, we should pay more attention to the AfDB (the African Development Bank) as a possible additional source of future borrowing for infrastructure development, particularly now that Dr. Adesina, the outgoing Minister of Agriculture, has been elected the new President of the bank.

Funding of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs The poor funding of the Foreign Ministry requires urgent attention. Nigeria now has 115 diplomatic missions abroad. This is too large in view of our limited and dwindling financial resources. With Nigeria’s foreign reserves virtually depleted and total revenue reduced by 50 per cent, it is clear that we cannot continue to maintain such a large number of diplomatic missions abroad. We have missions in some countries, such as Thailand and North Korea where we have no real economic or strategic interests. The use of foreign postings as a form of political patronage should be abandoned as it is too costly. Foreign policy cannot be run on a shoe string. Lack of adequate funding of our missions will continue to have a negative impact on their overall effectiveness and efficiency. The number of our diplomatic missions should be reduced immediately to 100, and thereafter to not more than 80.

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HARDBALL

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Our Osoko has gone mad again!

(APC), would die, if Nigerians made the mistake of electing him.

Why, only a few days ago, at the height of the impeachment saga, a clearly harried Fayose was sending an SOS to this same Buhari, to prevail on Ekiti APC legislators not to impeach him, even if he has committed brazen constitutional crimes! Today, a mischievous Fayose is staking powers to ministerial nominations! That is Fayose for you, blowing hot and cold.

Hardball genuinely feels Fayose should keep his rascality to Ekiti, which people appear to have the extremely elastic capacity to suffer fools gladly. Besides, if the president has spurned governors from his own APC on ministerial nominations, why would he listen to Fayose, a very unserious and unstable character?

Of course, to him, everything is stunt and show-boating. That is why he cuts the picture of a parody of Ola Rotimi: Our Osoko Has Gone Mad Again!

er-in-chief of the Ekiti political warriors, shaped in Fayose’s rambunctious image, he wanted to bless the president with the nomination of a minister of genuine Ekiti extraction. Fair enough.

For effect, he promised Buhari “a worthy and competent Ekiti professional for appointment”. Well, well, well!

“Worthy and competent” — in what field, Hardball might ask?

In political mugging? In truth, this polity can testify to Fayose’s expertise in that line.

Since he took office, his army of political muggers and allied underclass denizens have found absolute fulfilment in Ekiti’s one-day-one-trouble odyssey.

In legislative subversion? Walahi, sai Baba, he is your man! If you ever have cause to defrock a pea-cocky National Assembly; and cut to size both the Senate and the House of Representatives, Fayose’s nominee is the one to give

the tutorials.

See, as mighty as the constitution is, Fayose has proved mightier. He has sacked parliament, has spent the people’s money without parliamentary approval and has even appointed commissioners, as sole political Leviathan.

What is more? He has not only boasted, he has shown that no court can touch him; and no parliament, unhorse him.

In rabble-baiting? Again, surely a proven expertise! As we speak, Fayose’s energetic rabble have rammed trailers to cordon off vital highways, just to shut out exiled Ekiti parliamentarians, allegedly coming to town to impeach Fayose, the mighty man of the people!

Meanwhile, the same Fayose, aka Mr. No Apology, was unapologetically behind the most condemnable hate adverts, during electioneering, claiming the then candidate of the then opposition All Progressives Congress

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