The Nation June 23, 2013

Tambuwal to PDP: I’m Speaker of Nigeria –Page 2

Again, FAAN, Bi-Courtney clash over Lagos airport billboards –Page 5

Trade blame over use of ‘thugs’

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

SUNDAY ABIBAT MOGAJI: SPECIAL TRIBUTE - INSIDE

Vol.07, No. 2525

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

N200.00

JUNE 23, 2013

‘She is not only my mother, she is my hero.

To Africa, she is Mama Africa’ -Tinubu

Nigeria in tatters, laments Danjuma

Accuses Northern leaders of ‘talking too much’ Atiku: Anyim committee can’t resolve PDP crisis –Page 2

Former VP calls for independent panel –Page 5

–Page 5

•National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (2nd left) exchanging pleasantries with former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) (right), Senator Chris Ngige (middle) and Chief Audu Ogbeh (left) at his Ikoyi, Lagos home yesterday when they visited to condole with Tinubu on the death of his mother, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji.

Photo: David Adejo

Resign or die, Boko Haram warns Borno govt officials

Northern CAN blasts Jonathan over terror victims Sect regroups –Page 2

FAMILY OF SIX PERISH IN PORT HARCOURT–Page FIRE –Page 9 ?

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NEWS THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Nigeria in tatters, laments Danjuma

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ORMER Minister of Defence, Lt. General Theophilous Danjuma, says Nigeria’s future lies in having a ‘clear sense of direction.’ And to chart this new direction are ‘patriotic elder statesmen’ whom, he said, the country is in dire need of.

General Danjuma spoke yesterday in Zaria, Kaduna State, after he was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Jarmai Zazzau by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris.

Reviewing the socio-political situation in the country, the former Chief of Army Staff said the current perplexed nature of Nigerians is a clear indication of leadership failure over the years.

He deplored the state of the economy which he said is in tatters and the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

He said the north, in particular, lags behind the rest of the country, pointing out

•Accuses northern leaders of talking ‘too much’

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna that in the present highly competitive world, northern children are missing out on qualitative and functional education.

He added: “I have taken many risks in my life for the sake of Nigeria and at the age of 75, I thought I have paid my dues. I just wanted to spend the rest of my life in quiet retirement, leaving the public arena for a new generation of leaders to improve on the modest achievements of my generation. It seems to me now that real retirement is only possible in the grave.

Our lives and living are apparently inevitably tied eternally to responsibilities.”

According to him, the event was supposed to be festive with a durbar, “but given the sad reality of our present situation in northern Ni-

geria, I pleaded for a simple but dignified ceremony devoid of pomp and ceremony.

“We are in a season of sorrow and mourning caused by decades of neglect of a sizeable segment of our society. Now, our people are dying in thousands in needless battles and conflicts.”

He decried the state of the economy, saying, “In a highly competitive world, our children are missing out in getting qualitative and functional education. The masses of our people are chained down in dehumanising and grinding poverty, while we continue to maintain few islands of false prosperity in the turbulent ocean of penury and squalor. There cannot be peace and harmony where there is wide disparity between the few rich and a multitude of the poor.

“Nigeria and indeed, northern Nigeria has never been in short supply of politicians scheming and screaming for due and undue advantages. What has been in short supply are patriotic elder statesmen who would use their experience and wisdom to give our country a clear sense of purpose and direction.

“When elders become decadent, the youths are bound to become delinquent. Our people are confused and perplexed, they have become like flock scattered on many hills without a shepherd. This is a clear indication of leadership failure.”

He stressed that northern leaders have been talking too much and doing less for the development of the region, “we urgently need to put our house in order so we can

overcome our various challenges. This is the time for elders to be circumspect and temperate in their utterances. It is not in our character as northerners to talk too much. We need to think more, pray more, plan more, work harder, relate better. Battles are fought and won through wisdom and strategy than through inflammable pronouncements and political tantrums.”

But he was optimistic that Nigeria “can be reawakened and rebuilt to achieve greatness” regardless of many years of mismanaged opportunities and resources.

“If we renew our mind and reconcile with one another, if we coordinate our determined efforts, we can make northern Nigeria selfreliant and self-sufficient, while enhancing the unity and prosperity of all Nigerians. But we must first have peace,” he said.

He said he was gratified for receiving the honour in Zaria where “I spent some of my formative years.”

He described the city as one of the few in the north that first opened their gates to pioneer missionaries in northern Nigeria, “which is why Wusasa has become the second home of many northern Christian leaders.”

Also speaking, former

military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida said Gen. Danjuma has emerged as a good replacement for the late Sarduna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, to lead the north on the path of development.

President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by the Minister of State for Works, Amb. Bashir Yuguda, described Danjuma as a true Nigerian who helps to stabilise the country and democracy.

Kaduna State governor, Mukthar Ramalan Yero, said the former minister has touched the lives of Nigerians through the Foundation he created, adding that rather than fold his hands in comfort, he took the discomforting path of rendering a helping hand to the poor and needy in the country.

Among those who attended the turbaning were former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Babangida; Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State; Acting Governor of Taraba, Alhaji Garba Umar; Minister of State for Niger Delta, Darius Dickson Ishaku; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana; former Minister of Aviation, Alabo Tonye Graham- Douglas; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; and Senate President, David Mark represented by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi.

Boko Haram regroups in Borno •Warns civil servants: Resign or face death

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•Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (arrowed) leading members of his cabinet and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party faithful on a 4-kilometre trek in the monthly fitness walk tagged 'Ajumonrin' from Challenge area to Mapo Hall in Ibadan, yesterday

Tambuwal to PDP: I am Speaker of Nigeria

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PEAKER of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, declared yesterday that he is Speaker for all parts of Nigeria and not for his party, PDP, alone.

He spoke in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State, when he was honoured by the Alawe of Ilawe, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi, Afuntade I with the chieftaincy title of Bobagunwa.

The PDP had taken him to task for his complementary remarks about the achievements of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State during a recent visit to Osogbo.

But reacting yesterday to the PDP criticism, Tambuwal said: “A few weeks back in Osogbo members of the Peoples Democratic Party criticised me for speaking well about the developments happening in Osun State when I

•Urges Fayemi to continue the good works

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

visited Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

“I am Speaker for the entire House of Representatives and Nigerians and not only of the PDP. Once you are elected to the House, you represent the aggregate views of the people.”

He promised to uphold the honour done him by the Ilawe-Ekiti community.

“I accept the honour and shall never discredit it. I want to inform us that I will build my first house in the Southwest part of this country in Ilawe-Ekiti for the great respect I attach to the honour done me here today,” he said and told Governor Kayode Fayemi to sustain the “good

works he has been doing in the state.”

“Development is an open process which everyone sees wherever and whenever it is taking place. I have been following the development and I can say the governor is one of the few Nigerians whose conducts have been commendable. I admonish you (the governor) to continue the good works and the good Lord will be with you.”

The governor, in turn, noted Tambuwal’s ‘exemplary leadership’ in the House of Representatives and described him as “a leader in whom I am very well pleased.”

Fayemi equally commended the Alawe for his leadership qualities and his effort in transforming the en-

tire town in his first year on the throne.

“The monarch has just spent one year on the throne.

We can only imagine what the town will be like when he marks the tenth year on the throne,” the governor remarked.

Also honoured yesterday by the traditional ruler to mark his first year on the throne were Chief Titilayo Oluwatuyi as Eyelua of Ilawe and Otunba Henry Oladele Ajomale , Gbobaniyi of IlaweEkiti.

Oba Ajibade said the event was originally scheduled for April 21 but had to be postponed as a mark of honour for the late former deputy governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka.

OKO Haram insurgents are regrouping in parts of Borno State following a month-long military crackdown.

The fundamentalists have been largely on the run since the May 14 declaration of state of emergency in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states by President Goodluck Jonathan as part of the effort to restore peace to the Northeast.

However, refugees fleeing the battle zone in Borno State said they sighted some of the insurgents regrouping and terrorising residents in Gwoza and Bama districts.

The refugees who arrived Maiduguri, the state capital, said the militants have also written letters warning government workers to resign their jobs or face death.

Other refugees have reportedly fled to neighbouring Cameroun.

“They warned government officials and civil servants in Bama to resign or else face death in the next seven days. We are all scared, this could be more deadly, so we ran for our dear lives,” said Abba Fannami, who fled to Maiduguri with six family members.A police officer

said Boko Haram fighters were ransacking homes in Gwoza district, forcing residents to hide in caves in the rocky hills.

Soldiers and police on bombing raids with jet fighters and helicopter gunships have dislodged the insurgents from camps in a game reserve.

But the refugees confirmed reports that the fighters have regrouped in the mountains and rocky hills of Gwoza and Bama districts.

In recent days the extremists — whose name means “Western education is sacrilege” — have targeted schools, killing 16 high school students and two teachers in two attacks.

The militants also have attacked primary schools, burning down at least 50 in the past year, according to the Borno State Commissioner for Primary Education, Tijjani Abba Ali. Spokesmen for the Defence Headquarters and the Army could not be reached for their comments on the development.

In a separate operation in Kano State, police said they rounded up 400 migrants yesterday and are deporting those who do not have the necessary documents.

Column

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

On post-military party disorder I S the party over? It is necessary and even mandatory in the light of the current ruptures and eruptions in the dominant party structure in post-military Nigeria to take a closer look at the military origins of party formation in the post-military Fourth Republic. This is with a view to determining the origins of the current crisis of party formation in contemporary Nigerian politics and the possible ways out of the historic gridlock.

To be sure, this exercise has little or nothing to do with whether Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the embattled chairman of the PDP, survives the throne of bayonets. Whatever his tragic illusions of grandeur, Tukur is a mere epiphenomenon in a consuming and engrossing dance of the political forest. If he is able to see himself as he truly is, or the situation as it really is, then there would be no need for what is known as dramatic irony.

Like President Jonathan, Tukur himself is a a product of a determinate historical process which must eventually unravel before our very eyes. The fate of the nation is far more important than the fate of two individuals however important or self-important. It is this process and the political occlusions as they violently unfurl that must be of concern to patriotic Nigerians.

Just as individuals suffer from what is known as post traumatic stress disorder, so do societies.

Nigeria suffers and has continued to suffer from the stress and traumatic disorder of post-military rule.

If the worst afflicted is the ruling party, the other party formations also suffer from the stress and roiling contradictions to a lesser degree.

A dispassionate analysis of the crisis must also take on board the current efforts of opposition parties, spearheaded by the ACN and the CPC, to form a broad-based alliance against the ruling party. The opposition must take more than a passing interest in developments in other African countries and the mixed results so far.

Whereas in Guinea, Senegal and the Benin Republic, the stitching together of various and seemingly incompatible political tendencies succeeded in upending the status quo and inaugurating a new social order, in Zimbabwe it led to an abominable compromise and tense power-sharing while in Kenya it eventuated in civil war and near genocide. The last presidential election in Kenya merely showcased the bitter ethnic divisions in the nation.

In Zimbabwe, the old wizard of Harare still continues to rule the roost even as the opposition has become a butt of joke and bitter derision. By the time the wily and obdurate Robert Mugabe was done with it, the opposition had lost so much ground and prestige that at the moment it is no longer in a position to mount a challenge in the name of freedom and democracy..

With the scion of Karamoja Odinga Oginga still sulking and with the son of Jomo Kenyatta a presidential fugitive from international justice, Kenya remains a seething volcano.

There are many who believe in retrospect that Nigeria would have been spared its current post-military trauma had the old opposition coalition that fought the military junta to a standstill remained steadfast in its insistence that nothing good could come out of a post-military Nigeria without a major restructuring and reconfiguration of its top-heavy and lopsided political structure.

By jettisoning its original demand for a national conference be-

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

fore meaningful elections could be held, the opposition fell for a military sucker punch which made it a willing tool and accomplice in a power game for which it was particularly ill-suited and ill-equipped.

The old masters simply overran and overpowered it. The result is a military ordained party in perpetual power with all its democracy threatening toxic side effects.

The hardnosed and hard-headed pragmatists dismiss this rosy view as touching in its idyllic naivete.

One, it ignores the realities on ground. Second, it overlooks the balance of power even as the military shambled away in disorderly and disorganised retreat having exhausted its political and historic possibilities. It was not the civilian agitators that got rid of General Sani Abacha. It was the military themselves. It was not the NADECO insurgents that summarily eliminated Abiola. It was the culmination of the original move to clear the political deck of its human cobwebs.

NADECO and its allies merely panicked and pressurised the military establishment to come up with a fresh initiative. In other words, the departing military still retained

the initiative. Hobbled by struggle-fatigue, riven by internal divisions and dissensions and with its international source of funding about to dramatically evaporate since the global donor community were aware of its limits and limitations, the opposition could only meekly comply.

It was not cut in the mould of an ANC which had the cohesion, the capacity and the superior organisational ability to wage a longdistance struggle. In any case, the strength and disposition of the enemy often crystallises the strength and disposition of the adversary.

Unlike the apartheid monstrosity which had the ideological solidity, the political clarity and institutionalised memory about the kind of society it was creating, the Nigerian military never came up with a set of coherent ideas about a new type of society with the military as its arrowhead beyond its reliance on sheer brute force.

Both the Babangida and the Abacha Transition Programmes were exercises in sustained brutal duplicity unleavened by neither redeeming vision nor intellectual sagacity. Once the vice grip of each on the levers of power and brute

force was prised apart, it was easy for either to briskly unravel.

But what the military echelons lacked in intellectual sophistication and ideological subtlety, they made up for in raw political cunning. Despite its loss of prestige and authority and the sudden death of its leader, the military after Abacha remained the dominant political party in the nation. Babangida, Abacha and Abubakar to a lesser extent knew the Nigerian political class and had them solidly within their rifle sight, so to say.

It is useful to recall that in his maiden broadcast to the nation, General Abubakar had pledged to continue with the Abacha Transition Programme. It was a remarkable howler. But the Minna-born soldier quickly changed his mind once the master puppeteer behind the veil ticked him off. Without Abacha’s savage repression, his transition programme was dead on arrival. So were the league of elected charlatans.

But you cannot bequeath what you don’t have. What the military was looking for were not visionary idealists or transformative leaders who could take Nigeria to the next level but politically correct journeymen sworn to protect the status quo. People who could be relied upon to indemnify the retreating army against loss and loss of face. It is to be noted that it was not NADECO leaders who began immediately crisscrossing the country to identify and plot with the pair of safe hands but members of the old military aristocracy.

Thus was born the PDP and by extension the Obasanjo presidency as a protective shield for the retreating military and as a grand cartel for the protection and furtherance of the interests of the monied plutocracy thrown up by military rule as well as the old oligarchy. It is to be noted that 20 years earlier, the NPN was born in chillingly similar circumstances and very much for the same purpose.

It is to be noted that in the run up to the presidential election of 1999, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma famously noted that that although the Yoruba people had been asked to produce the next king, they could not be kingmakers in their own cause, Thus a strange king was procured for the Yoruba people even as the king lost in his

own ward. Twenty years earlier, Obasanjo himself as military head of state had even more famously observed that the best person would not always win a contest.

In contrast, when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was told about the ambition of a former military ruler of the old west to join the partisan political fray, the old man had tersely responded that while he was not interested in probing the military as an institution, individual members who chose to join partisan politics would have their background subjected to searching scrutiny. Obasanjo would have chuckled to himself. The old man still didn’t get it. It was the shortest and sharpest political suicide note in Nigerian history.

So it is then that we are faced with the conundrum of a party which was not founded on the premises of national development or rapid transformation but on the platform of sheer racketeering and privilege pimping. Can the PDP give what it doesn’t have? Can it take Nigeria to the next level?

While the PDP must be commended for its policy of demilitarisation through cooptation, it has also re-militarised the polity through its politics of harsh regimentation and its garrison mentality.

This is what is currently playing out with seismic reverberations across the length and breadth of the country. It is not a revolutionary upheaval but the volcanic implosion of a party that has come face to face with the fatal contradictions of its origins, roots and foundation in military autocracy and the transformative, politically redemptive yearnings of most Nigerians.

The nation-threatening explosions will go on for quite some time until the PDP is put out of its misery by a pan-Nigerian ensemble. Obasanjo who drove away the original founders has himself been driven to the outer margins of the party. This last week, in a futile show of sterile impotence, the party’s South West caucus endorsed Jonathan’s re-election bid without the former president’s input. It doesn’t get more bitterly ironic.

And it is morning yet on the day of traumatic transition from military despotism to true democracy. It didn’t start raining yesterday.

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Humour out of uniform

man victories, Ludendorff, a nononsense Aryan fanatic, famously issued a writ for retraction. His boss quietly complied.

Years later when Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of the German Republic visited the implacable Ludendorff at home and offered to make him Field Marshal, the gruff and implacable soldier growled: “ Field Marshals are born not made!” With those famous words, the great soldier ordered the former Austrian corporal out of his presence.

It will be recalled that Ludendorff had earlier collaborated with Adolf Hitler in the infamous Beer Hall Putsch. When the whole thing ended in a nasty fiasco, it was said that Ludendorff calmly walked through the hail of bullets as if he was taking an early morning stroll. Great soldiers are born indeed. Over to you, General Alabi-Isama.

•Anenih

H boy. Oh boy, while we are still talking about militarised politics and a politicised military, has anybody stumbled on snippets from the forthcoming memoirs of retired Brigadier-General Godwin AlabiIsama? If his current interview and snippets collected by Snooper from the underground press are anything to go by, the book promises to be as explosive as it is riveting.

It is rollicking humour out of uniform. Aficionados of wit and verbal polish must recall the ancient column from good old Readers’ Digest.

Walahi, these old military chaps are a cheeky and daredevil lot.

Alabi-Isama does not take hostages, and neither is he interested in the Geneva Convention for literary warfare and all that effete rubbish, He shoots straight and then calmly tallies the casualties of his verbal howitzers, This is the

devil of Agbanikaka himself. Like the master marksman that he is, AlabiIsama deflates inflated reputation with the pin of a grenade before tossing the explosive at the mortally wounded human pile. It is not a pretty sight at all Perhaps the most riveting and hilarious was the revelation that one of Nigeria’s most decorated war heroes actually took a bullet in the buttocks while fleeing from Biafran insurgents. An internet sadist has added the savage addendum that the bullet journeyed through the spine and finally lodged itself in the brains, thus explaining the penchant for irrational and wild outbursts. A pellet in the pia mater is not a funny thing. Come on, Godwin, be nice, please be nice now.

No one could have suspected

that the urbane and ever polite retired Brigadier carried such explosives in his head. The man they call chairman is often the soul and life wire of a social gathering, bubbling with boyish enthusiasm and goodnatured bonhomie. As a reserve general in the intellectual militia and the army of Nigerians as opposed to the Nigerian Army, Snooper often attends some of these parties incognito, dressed like a plumber.

The controversy between AlabiIsama and his former commander over proper war credits is bound to echo the classic military duel between Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg and General Erich Ludendorff, the two best known German warlords of the pre-Hitler era. When his former boss persisted in claiming credits for certain Ger-

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

News

FAAN, Bi- Courtney in fresh war of words over billboards

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HE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and BiCourtney Aviation Services yesterday launched into a fresh war of words after each side accused the other of employing thugs to perpetrate illegality in and around the Ikeja Airport.

The bone of contention was the billboards which FAAN accused Bi-Courtney of placing at the airport illegally with the aid of thugs.

The authority tore down the billboards with BiCourtney alleging that FAAN did so with thugs.

It was their second face off in as many weeks.

The coordinating spokesman for agencies in the aviation sector, Mr Yakubu Dati, said Bi-Courtney has no right to erect billboards on any property that does not belong to it and this includes the airport.

Dati, who is also the general manager, Corporate Communications, said BiCourtney's alleged violation of the rules and regulations of government is a serious infraction that will not be allowed to stand.

He said:" We woke up this Saturday (yesterday) to discover that our property has been invaded by hoodlums, who decided to mount billboards.

"Thugs and hoodlums hired

by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of the MMA Domestic Terminal 2 (MMA 2) concession, caused a brief breach of the peace around the terminal when they forcefully replaced the advertisement flex removed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

"That is why we mobilised

* Trade blame over use of ‘thugs’ From Kelvin Osa Okunbor

to recover the property and sanitise the whole environment. As you can see now, we have cleaned up the whole place and sanity has been restored.

"Only two weeks ago, we ordered that nobody should place any advertisement around the airport until, such persons clear with FAAN, the manager of the entire airport.

"We would not allow this, and security agencies will wake up and do the needful."

Dati denied any knowledge of a court injunction that grants ownership of the property to Bi-Courtney.

"How can a tenant claim to be more powerful than the landlord, this is unacceptable."

However, Mr. Steve Omolale-Ajulo, who spoke for Bi-Courtney said it was FAAN that engaged 60 thugs to assault workers of the aviation services company.

He said: "For the second time in two weeks, officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) vandalised the advert billboards placed by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) on the hotel project at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA2) yesterday.

"Besides, the agency's officials with about 60 hired thugs invaded the premises of MMA2, where they assaulted the workers, damaged a video camera and seized many handsets belonging to the workers.

"They swooped on the billboard barely 15 minutes

after it was reinstalled and vandalised it before taking it away in a van.

"They had earlier vandalised the same advert billboards on the hotel project and another on the pedestrian bridge on Thursday, June 6, this year, despite a subsisting court order by Justice Stephen Adah of the Federal High Court, Ikeja Division, given on November 15, 2011.

"But yesterday, the FAAN officials stormed the site of the hotel project in several vans, buses and a fire truck and once again pulled down the billboards, causing heavy traffic jam on Airport Road.

"Angry that the action was being recorded on video camera and mobile phones, FAAN's officials and their hired thugs pursued BASL's workers they suspected were doing so into the premises of MMA2 and beat them up while attempting to seize their cameras and phones.

"In the process, many of our workers were seriously injured, while a video camera belonging to BASL's Communications Department was seized from the cameraman, damaged and taken away on the excuse that he was recording the vandalism of the billboards.

"They moved from the gate to the Cargo Shed of MMA2, where they assaulted many of the workers, who trooped out to witness FAAN's show of shame, injuring them in the process."

BASL officials reported the assault to the police yesterday.

The face off and the tension generated by it caused a gridlock on the airport access road before FAAN security officials dispersed them and order restored.

Anyim committee can’t resolve PDP crisis -Atiku

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ORMER Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has faulted the constitution of the Pius Anyim Committee by President Goodluck Jonathan to resolve the lingering internal crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said he does not trust the Anyim panel to do an objective job as its judgement may be skewed in favour of the president.

Atiku said in a statement in Abuja yesterday, that since the purported second term ambition of the president is central to the PDP crisis, the only way to resolve the problem is to establish a body of independent-minded party members, representatives of various factions and the founding fathers of the party, to proffer a solution.

Such a body, he said, should be given the authority and autonomy to devise the appropriate strategy to resolve the ongoing turmoil in the party and rescue it from extinction.

His words: "The task of rebuilding the PDP is urgent and we cannot afford to stand akimbo while the democratic foundation of the ruling party is disintegrating. Any group or persons charged with the responsibility to rescue the PDP should be able to freely and objectively explore all options to resolve the crisis

* Former VP calls for independent panel without the imposition of a single individual.

"We have a duty to save the PDP from disintegration while preserving its democratic principles and its vision for a better Nigeria. A house divided cannot stand.

These threats are real and we need a more credible committee to do the job than a committee that is subservient and driven by a narrow agenda."

He warned that dire consequences await the PDP should the crisis be allowed to persist.

The former vice president said the crisis remains a concern for him, as a founding member, and pleaded with party elders and other stakeholders to play their part in reversing "these regretful developments within my party."

Lamenting the erosion of the principles on which the party was founded, Atiku said: "At the outset, our idea was to establish a party committed to democratic values that would be greater than the individual and accountable to the people.

"Any deviation from the PDP's founding principles will result in the party losing domestic and international credibility as the guardian of democracy in Nigeria.

"Most Nigerians perceive the PDP as a party that does not respect the provision of its own constitution.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently investigating the PDP leadership for failure to abide by the provisions of the PDP constitution. The INEC claims that the PDP failed to hold free and transparent elections when selecting members of the National Working Committee. Worse still, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party has not been meeting as required by the PDP constitution. Whim and caprice has replaced the governing laws of the PDP constitution."

The former vice president further called on the leadership of the party to revisit the recommendations proposed by two committees headed by Second Republic vice president Dr. Alex Ekwueme and Gen Ike Nwachukwu, which he noted proposed 'viable and constructive solutions to move the party forward'.

"It is curious to many of us why the party leadership lacks the moral courage to implement those recommendations.

Can impunity and imposition ultimately replace the will of the people?" he asked.

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News

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NGF: Accept defeat, Niger Delta group tells presidency *Presidency, governors must respect outcome of NGF election From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Jonathan to confer with African leaders on piracy P RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is due in Yaounde, Cameroun today to participate in the Summit of West and Central African Heads of State and Government on Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea.

The summit begins tomorrow. It is coming against the background of rising incidents

of piracy in the Gulf.

President Jonathan will be joined by other Heads of State of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS)

to deliberate on new proposals and a joint action plan to tackle piracy and maritime criminality in the region.

Documents to be considered and ratified at the Summit include a Memorandum of Agree-

ment among ECOWAS, ECCAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission on maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa; the policy statements of the Heads of State and Gov-

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HE Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition (NDCSC) has condemned what it called "the impunity and show of power in Rivers State" by the leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the face-off between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

It also asked the Presidency and the governors to respect the outcome of the duly-conducted election of the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF), where Amaechi was re-elected as the chairman, but which President Jonathan was reportedly not comfortable with.

These were contained in the NDCSC's communiqué in Port Harcourt yesterday, at the end of a special roundtable, with the theme: "Defending Democracy." It was signed by the Chairman of the coalition, Anyakwee Nsirimovu and 23 others.

The Rivers governor defeated his Plateau State counterpart, Jonah Jang by 19 votes to 16, with the humiliation leading to the emergence of factional NGF, led by Jang, to cover the shame.

The NDCSC is a non-partisan, non-profit, non-governmental coalition of critical civil society organisations, drawn from across the communities of the nine states of the political Niger Delta region, academic community, labour unions and other stakeholders.

Members of the coalition are united in their vision of a just, equitable and indivisible people and in the building of effective participatory democracy, good governance, social, economic and political justice, and the respect and promotion of the fundamental human rights of all citizens and residents.

The communiqué read in part: "We call on the Presidency and all elected representatives of the people to end, the most undemocratic culture of impunity, by taking the rule of law and due process requirements seriously.

"NDCSC calls on the President to void forthwith, in the public interest, any practice or use of powers democratically and constitutionally entrusted upon him to govern, protect life and property of citizens in an abusive manner, or manipulating the same in settlement of political scores.

"We call on the Presidency and political elite to shun speeches that can be termed hate speech and have capacity to cause dissension, humiliate and or reduce the integrity of his office.

"NDCSC calls on the Presidency and governors to respect the outcome of a dulyconducted Nigeria Governors' Forum election that is considered free, fair and credible.

Therefore, leave positive examples for broader future elections.

• L-R: Senator George Akume, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and former Governor Adamu Aliero of Kebbi State during a condolence visit to the Tinubus yesterday.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

ernment on maritime safety and security; as well as a Code of Conduct on the fight against piracy, armed robbery and illegal maritime activities.

It is expected that at the conclusion of the summit, legal instruments for cooperation on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea will be adopted by participating heads of state and government.

On President Jonathan's entourage are : the Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke; Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro; Minister of Transport, Alhaji Idris Umar; Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Joseph Ezeoba; and DirectorGeneral of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.

The President will also hold bi-lateral talks with President Paul Biya on issues such as border security and the welfare of Nigerians living in Cameroun.

You can't decide where I visit, Onoja tells ACF From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi ORMER Military Administrator of Plateau State, General Lawrence Onoja (rtd) has taken a swipe at the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and advised it to stop chasing shadows.

He said the group cannot decide for him where to visit and who to support.

According to him, he has no regrets visiting President Goodluck Jonathan. He queried some ACF members who often visit the villa with their wives and asked: If they do not support the president why are they always doing in the villa with their wives?

In a telephone interview with The Nation , General Onoja, who is a member of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) dismissed statements credited to the chairman of ACF Alhaji Aliko Mohammed that he and another member of the Pan northern organization visited the Villa to urged the president to run as nothing but selfish. " My relationship with Arewa Consultative Forum is not a Master-Servant, so nobody has the right to tell me where to go or who to support.

President Goodluck Jonathan is our elected president so it is my right as an individual to visit him or any group in the country , and there nothing any one can do about it" said Gen. Onoja .

On allegation that he endorsed the President to run for a second term he said: "President Jonathan is a Nigerian and a minority like me, he has every right like any Nigerian to seek a second term in office, as enshrined in the constitution."

Gen. Onoja who is a card carrying member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) warned ACF not to cause disaffection between him and the president.

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• Business tycoon, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (left) and Chairman Silverbird Television, Mr. Ben Bruce-Murray also at Tinubu’s residence yesterday

Fashola condoles with Tinubu

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AGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), at the weekend paid a condolence visit to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the death of his mother, Alhaja Abibatu Magaji.

Alhaja Mogaji died last week in her Lagos residence.

Fashola described the late Iyaloja-General of Nigeria Market Men and Women as a tower of strength for all who had the privilege to be close to her.

Speaking to journalists after the visit at the Ikoyi residence of the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Fashola said, Mama Mogaji was also faithful and just to all who sought to make Lagos their home.

"All of us who have had the privilege of Mama being part of our life understand the different ways she has touched us. She's a mother to all of us

biological and non-biological.

She was a tower of strength.

She was faithful to all who sought to be part of the Lagos larger family", the Governor said.

Describing the effect of the news of her death on him, the governor, who just was just back from Brazil, declared "It was a big blow in the sense that I had just left Lagos and landing in Brazil only to put my phone down, it was a bombshell I received that four hours after I left Lagos she had passed on".

He added, "She loved ceaselessly, she gave selflessly and she was religiously loyal to whatever she was convinced about. She lived a very good life, a life of many lessons for those who wish to learn those lessons, a life of public service without office, a life of compassion to people, a life I would like to capture

in a tribute if I find time to write".

On how best to immortalise her, Fashola said, "I think the greatest way Mama will remain immortalised will be in our hearts, how much of her selflessness we can emulate, how much of her compassion for other people's children we can seek to emulate, how much courage we can show in seemingly lost causes which had no direct benefit to us and pursue them in a singleminded manner".

Praying for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased, the Governor declared, "One still stand fully to say her prayers were ultimately answered because in all our conversations, she kept on insisting that she was going to live long but that we were going to survive her. So in that sense her prayers have been answered".

Also at the residence of Asiwaju Tinubu to pay condolence visit was a delegation from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which delivered a letter of condolence to Asiwaju Tinubu signed by the National Executive Council of the party.

The letter, read by the CPC National Secretary and leader of the delegation, Buba Galadima before many visitors to the Tinubu residence, read in part, "This is a letter of condolence over the death of our mother, grandmother and leader, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji (CFR), President of the Lagos Market Women Association.

"Mama was a colossus in her own drive, an astute business woman, community leader, an organizer who lived a life of humility, honesty and sacrifice unparalleled in our society. Mama has lived a fulfilled life whose reward only Allah can quantify"

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Kaigama succeeds Esele as TUC president

By Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

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HE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) finally has a new president after a 13hour election that lasted all night.

He is Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, a staff of the Ministry of Environment and Urban Development, Taraba State.

Kaigama is also the National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN).

Elders of the congress described the election which was observed by local and international observers as "very free and fair."

The election, which started with delegates' accreditation around 4:00 pm ended at exactly 4:30 am yesterday.

The contest was between Kaigama and Ogun-born National President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Comrade Babatunde Ogun.

At the end, Kaigama got 356 votes to Ogun's 314.

The National President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and other Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), Comrade Sunday Salako, is the Deputy President 1.

President of Construction union, Comrade Augustine Etaifo emerged as Deputy President 2 with 334 votes while President of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSEAEC), Comrade Bede Opara also emerged as Deputy President 3 with 345 votes.

30 million to benefit from water projects N

O fewer than 30 million Nigerians will have access to water supply when the various reform programmes under implementation in 12 states are completed, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, has assured.

States to benefit are: Lagos, Cross River, Enugu, Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Taraba, Osun, Anambra, Kano, Jigawa and Yobe.

Speaking with reporters in Abuja, Ochekpe said the projects are being carried out in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance with support from the World Bank, European Commission, Africa Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank.

She said: "The objective of the programme is to deliver sustainable water supply services to the citizens through the following: Rehabilitation/expansion of the water supply infrastructure and establishment of the enabling environment for sustainability."

On the transfer of water to Lake Chad Basin, Ochekpe disclosed that $14.4 billion dollars is needed to begin the process.

The Federal Government had expressed concerns over the receding waters in the Lake Chad Basin.

This, the minister said, was as a result of "the effect of

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•FG needs $14.5billion for transfer to Lake Chad Basin

From: Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

climate change."

She noted that all efforts are being made by member states to see that the transfer

of water process is achieved.

According to the minister: "Head of States of the Lake Chad Basin have been conferring with one another to convene a donor conference.

"They have started a preliminary conference in Marseille, France last year .

The chairman of the Summit of Head of States convened a site event on the issue of the support for the transfer of water.

"Arrangements are being made to convene the actual conference of donors and former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been appointed as one of the champions for that process."

•L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; his wife, Erelu Bisi; Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; and Deputy Chairman, Committee on Climate Change, Federal House of Representatives, Busari Olayemi, at the conferment of chieftancy title of Bobagunwa of Ilawe Kingdom on the Speaker, during the Ilawe Unity Day Celebration, in Ilawe-Ekiti yesterday

'Foreign earnings from honey higher than crude oil'

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HE Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said that global foreign exchange earnings from honey production have grown above that of crude oil production.

According to him, a barrel of honey attracts more foreign exchange than crude oil.

He said that a barrel of crude oil is currently sold at $101 while a barrel of honey is sold at the international market for $1,539.

35 percent okada riders are graduates, says chair HE National President, Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Alhaji Babangida Maiura, yesterday stated that at least 35 percent of commercial motorcycle operators are graduates.

Most of the operators, he said, were lured to the business by economic exigency, adding that none of them is planning to hand over the trade to their sons.

He pleaded with all tiers of government, especially those that have banned motorcycle operation in their states to provide alternative employments for their disengaged members.

He spoke during the 15th national convention of the association where he was reelected as president at Abuja.

Muaira said: "We want governments to make provision for alternative measures.

"You see if there are

News

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja alternatives to the business of okada, we wouldn't have engaged ourselves in it. Nobody wants his son to inherit him as an okada rider."

Maiura regretted that 35 per cent of the operators are graduates but were only lured into the business by the nation's unemployment challenge.

Speaking, the ACOMORAN South West Chairman, Alhaji Adebayo Akinpelogun, noted that the association was not comfortable with the proscription of commercial motorcycle, in some states.

He explained that since state governments started accusing their members of connivance in crimes, the association has been organising seminars on how they can collaborate with security agencies.

He argued that state governments that proscribed their operation did so because the riders constitute the less privileged in the society.

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja Adesina, however, noted that the price is inclusive of extant royalties attached to sales of honey at the international market.

He spoke at Abuja through the Deputy Director, Youth and Gender, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Karima Babangida, at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored "Farmer-toFarmer" (F2F) dialogue between honey producers and bee-keepers.

The conference with the theme "healthy bees, healthy environment, healthy humans" was initiated to checkmate indiscriminate bush burning, vandalism of beekeeping facilities, honey theft and sundry challenges against sustainable honey production in Nigeria.

It attracted over 100 key actors in the honey production value-chain, including Nigeria's statutory security formations.

Adesina explained that the ministry has initiated collaborative measures with honey producers to train youths and women on bee farming and honey processing, adding that the measure was in line with its ongoing Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA).

"Under the Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the ministry, apiculture is one of the highly rated agricultural enterprises that have the potential for creating job opportunities and wealth," Adesina stated.

He added: "In countries like Ethiopia, which has achieved the position of being the world's 8th largest exporter of honey and the 4th largest exporter of beeswax, modern bee-keeping currently provides employment for over two million people and other countries like Tanzania and Kenya are actively promoting apiculture as a poverty-reduction tool.

"The beauty of promoting

bee-keeping in Nigeria is that it has one of the best honeys in the world arising from her comparative advantage to cheaply produce healthy honey in terms of abundant natural vegetation untainted by chemicals and genetic manipulation, favourable weather year round and all the materials needed to manufacture bee-keeping equipment are locally available."

7

Rivers council chairmen blame police for insecurity From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt OUNCIL chairmen in Rivers State have blamed the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu, for the worsening security threats in the state.

Speaking at a joint briefing in Port Harcourt, the Caretaker Council Chairman of the troubled Obio/Akpor Council, Hon. Chikordi Dike, alleged that the police were at the council premises when the bomb exploded.

According to him: "I want to place it on record that the so called explosion that occurred happened before the police.

"They were in the premises of the council. On my arrival to the council, I met all of them there."

The chairman of Okrika Local council, Hon. Tamuno Williams, regretted that crime has increased in the area following the inability of the Police Commissioner to tackle the situation with zeal.

He said: "Basically, we are working with the DPO and the JTF but we recall that even yesterday there was pipeline vandalism.”

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Inyama goes home

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RS. Ekwutosi Inyama (nee Achara) is dead.

She was aged 55 years.

She died in Houston Texas USA on February 26th.

She is survived by husband, Mr. Sam Inyama, Chief of Staff to former Senate President, Adolphous Wabara, and principal partner of Zeenac Team Consult, two sons and two daughters all based in the United States of America.

A Christian wake holds on June 27th at her residence, Ezinma Court ObinkitaArochukwu while interment follows on June 28th after funeral service at Presbyterian Church ObinkitaArochukwu in Abia State.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

News

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‘Why Ekiti ACN will not reject PDP members’

KITI State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has debunked claims of rejecting members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) willing to join the party.

The chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe, who spoke in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, explained that the reported rejection of opposition members by the ACN in the state was “a ploy

by PDP to confuse the genuine members of the public willing to join our progressive party.”

Awe clarified that plans

FromSulaimanSalawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

have been concluded for “the massive influx of PDP members who have shown genuine interest to join our party.”

The ACN chair said the party hierarchy had met and directed the entire party secretariats in the 177 wards across the 16 councils in the state to open registers for willing PDP and other opposition members “where they must put their names and be ready to come to the open

as a prove of their sincerity.”

He said: “I recall that our party took a decision on June 12 at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium that all those willing to join our party should be received at ward levels without any hindrance and this has been happening daily across Ikere, Gbonyin, Emure, Aramoko and all our towns in the state.

“Nobody is forcing them to do anything; it is their free volition based on the performance of the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.”

Ogun Assembly passes resolution to halt carnage on roads

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HE Ogun State House of Assembly (OGHA) has passed a resolution for the convening of a stakeholders’ forum to find lasting solutions to the increasing loss of lives and property due to the activities of some companies and their reckless drivers operating in the state.

The Speaker, Prince SurajAdekunbi, said the Assembly would put all legislative mechanisms in place to convey the stakeholders’ forum to

From: Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

tackle the problems and restore sanity on the roads.

The OGHA resolution came on the heels of the killing of an Egba High Chief and senior lecturer at the Mass Communication Department of the OlabisiOnabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Dr. Gbenga Dalley, when a truck crashed into his Toyota Camry car along the Abeokuta- Siun Sagamu road last Wednesday.

Two other unidentified persons also lost their lives along with Dalley in that multiple car accident.

The state legislators last Friday acting upon a motion moved by the Minority Leader, Hon. Job Akintan, on the need to halt indiscriminate parking and reckless driving of the drivers of trucks carrying products from the companies, resolved that a forum should be created for stakeholders to fashion out solutions to carnage on Ogun State roads.

Ajimobi promises jobs for ‘area boys’

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YO State Governor,AbiolaAjimobi has promised that his administration will provide jobs for street urchins, popularly known as area boys, to completely rid the state of crimes and criminal activities.

This pledge came even as Nollywood actors and actresses hailed the governor for his ‘brilliant performance’ in the last two years, describing it as unprecedented in the history of the state.

Speaking at the popular Mapo Hall in Ibadan shortly after completing the third edition of the monthly fitness walk tagged ‘Ajumorin

Walk’,Ajimobi said that arrangements have been made to ensure that the area boys are gainfully engaged so that they could contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.

The Ajumorin Walk, which took off from Challenge and terminated at Mapo Hall, was led by the governor.

The exercise also featured top government functionaries, a large number of Nollywood actors and actresses, local government chairmen, politicians, market men and women and the general public.

The governor, who expressed his government’s commitment to improving the lots of the state in all ramifications through the creation of wealth, stressed that there would be no particular segment of the society that would be left behind in the scheme of things.

Some of the Nollywood actors and actresses who participated in the Walk included Muyiwa Ademola, Fathia Balogun, Femi Adebayo, Olaniyi Afonja (Sanyeri) and others.

Aregbesola not high handed, say Osun LG chairmen

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HE 30 councils’ executive secretaries in Osun State have absolved GovernorRaufAregbesola of alleged high handedness by

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Funeral for Adekitan

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HE burial arrangements of late Madam AbigaelOluwasoderoAdekitan, who died on April 30, 2013, has been announced.

Service of songs for the deceased will take place on June 27 to be followed by a lying-in-state scheduled to hold the following day at her residence at 3, Honourable Street, off Ishutti Road Egan,

Igando Lagos.

On Friday, June 28, there would be a Funeral Service at the Foursquare Gospel Church, Igando, while reception follows immediately at Royal Treet Hall, off LASU – Ojo Road in Igando.

She is survived by husband, children and great grand –children.

The council bosses at a press conference inOsogbo, the state capital, during the weekend, said it was erroneous for any individual or group to accuse Aregbesola of meddling in the administration of their councils.

The chairman, Osun State chapter of ALGON, Prince AdekunleAyantoye, said that Aregbesola administration has accorded due respect to all tiers of government, including the judiciary.

He stressed that the approach is made manifest in the several initiatives by the state government that border on the socio-economic development of the state.

Oyo police nab suspected ritualist

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17-year-old boy has been handed over to the Oyo State Police Command after he was caught by teachers at St. Luke Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan, while allegedly chanting incantations on a student at a nearby bush where the student had gone to ease himself.

The action, the teachers

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan claimed, was to kidnap the victim According to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), OlabisiOkuwobiIlobanafor, the suspect, ChukwuChijoke, had claimed that the charm found on him was a gift from his grandfather,

which has the powers to make him command anyone to do whatever he asked them to do.

But the suspect explained that the charm posed no evil on the student.

He said the name of the charm was “Ezebinafor” and that it was a gift from his grandfather for protection and to invoke command.

COMMENT and ANALYSIS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

Talakawa Liberation Herald (18)

Analog is to a single mirror image as digital is to a hall of mirrors: reflections (1)

BY BIODUN JEYIFO

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FINALLY knew that I had to write on this subject of the crushing blow that digital technology has dealt analog technology in our world when, a few weeks ago, the NEPA service vendor for my neighborhood in Oke-Bola, Ibadan, advised me to get a digital meter as a replacement for the old analog meter that I, like all other customers of NEPA, had been using up to the present time. The man more or less sang or chanted hymnal praises in celebration of the superiority of digital technology over the utterly disgraced analog instruments and appliances. But when I asked him to tell me precisely what this superiority and the advantages that came with it were, he did not exactly lose his métier, but beyond very broad generalities, he did become rather imprecise. This sent me into some rather cloudy thoughts concerning what I myself knew and did not know about this presumed universal and relentless epochal shift from analog to digital in virtually all parts of the globe. By the time the NEPA man left, I was convinced that I had to sort out things for myself on this very important subject, especially as the man seemed completely nonplussed when I asked whether with the replacement of my old analog meter with its digital equivalent I could assume either that power generation and supply by NEPA would improve or that I, like other costumers of NEPA, could expect more honesty and transparency in the determination of fees for electricity provided by our hapless national power provider. This piece is the first fruit of the project of self-clarification that began with that encounter with the NEPA vendor.

We can, I assume, accept that everyone reading this piece has seen his or her own image, her own reflection in a mirror. But I think I am not far off the mark if I suggest that most people reading this piece have never seen reflections of themselves thrown back at them in a hall of mirrors. But what we lack in direct experience we can make up with the exercise of our imagination. Thus, I doubt that anyone reading this piece can have any difficulty at all in envisioning the great, incommensurable difference between seeing oneself as reflected in a single mirror image and seeing the endless duplications of the image of the self that one encounters when one wanders into or is plunged into a hall of mirrors. That difference, that incommensurability between the single mirror image and the vast and vanishing horizon of images and reflections of the self is the metaphor that I deem appropriate to the task of giving a concrete differentiating image between analog and digital technologies. I am not certain that this is the best or the most appropriate metaphor that I could have come up with, but I ask the reader to please bear with me as I tease out the implications of this metaphor for the subject of this piece.

Now since I am a professor of English and Comparative Literature and not of Electronics or Engineering, the reader must take seriously my humble confession that I do not have expert or clear knowledge of the defining technical processes of analog and digital technologies. Although over the years and decades I have tried to make up for the unhappy fact that in high school I was not among the best students in mathematics and the sciences, I do not have the knowledge and the vocabulary to explain to myself and others what exactly is happening when the physical laws of nature and the universe are deployed or even manipulated in engineering in general or electronics in particular.

For instance, I am greatly impressed in learning that in both analog and digital technologies, sound or visual waves are converted to electrical signals so that they can be transmitted and then reconverted at a point of reception into the original waves that had

•Computer and Television sets been converted into electrical signals. But please don’t ask me about the finer points of exactly how human or natural sounds and sights are either transmitted into electrical signals in the first place or how, at the point of reception, they metamorphose back into the sounds and sights that we hear and see with our human faculties.

These highly technical processes require some contextualisation in real life experiences. I did enough of Physics in high school to know that all that we see and hear in this life come to us in invisible waves. From that basic knowledge that is backed by my own natural instincts comes my layman’s appreciation of the fact that the essential thing that distinguishes analog from digital technologies is the fact that the transmission and reception of electrical impulses in the former (analog) are much closer to real time and experience than in the latter (digital). This is because in digital technology sound and visual waves are not only changed to electrical signals that are then transmitted and received as recorded, but they are further electronically “refined” by being converted to codes that can be stored and used later in circumstances completely removed their production or occurrence in nature or human activities. Again, please don’t ask me exactly how electrical signals made from sound and visual waves are transformed into codes in digital technology. I have faith in the “explanation” available in the jargon of the experts in the fields of engineering and electronics that states that the analog signal is a continuous signal close to physical measurements while digital signals are discrete or discontinuous codes generated by digital manipulation. This “faith”, though made possible by the powers of abstract reasoning, is in fact rooted in actual experience.

Permit me to explain this claim by reference to two key instruments or appliances of analog and digital technologies, these being tape recorders and computers.

Both in my professional career and in my personal or social life, I have worked a lot with tape recorders. For this reason, I can affirm that it was a great moment for me when the “tape recorders” that I used stopped being tape recorders and became, quite simply, recorders. This, as we all know, was marked by the fact that the magnetic tapes on which recorded sounds were “captured” were simply discarded and that was the end of it: you no longer needed those highly brittle and eminently degradable tapes to record sound. That phenomenon has now been absorbed into my (and our)

stock of common knowledge and experiences that we take for granted, but I can never forget the wonder and elation that I felt the very first time when I recorded sound without using tapes and without having to worry about how and where to store what I had recorded. I can now assert - with some regrets - that if digital recorders had been around when I did the research for my first published book that dealt with the traveling theatre movement of Hubert Ogunde, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola, Amos Olaiya and the others, I would have been spared hundreds of hours of work and worry having to carefully label and preserve every single magnetic tape that I used.

Since I have written on the subject several times in this column, my remarks on computers in the context of the move from analog to digital technology and appliances will be brief.

I never learned completed the task of learning to type on the old, sturdy and for the most part reliable typewriters, whether Remington or Olivetti. Perhaps it was this previous experience that made me at first resistant to learning and mastering typing on the computer keyboard. But once I discovered that digitalisation made the task of typing not really a “task” but a facility that, in comparison with the typewriter, was endlessly much easier and less cumbersome to operate, I quickly became avid in typing on the computer keyboard and producing my own essays, monographs and books.

What used to be a chore that I somewhat resented and left to others to do at great cost to my financial solvency became something in which I found much pleasure and fulfilled aspirations.

I have focused on these two electronic appliances largely because they are so central to my own personal encounter with the digital revolution, the epochal move from analog to digital technologies. For other people, the “totemic” instrument or appliance might be cell phones in comparison the old large and weighty landline phones. Who among us now leaves his or her house without the cell phone? Who in the past could carry their landline phones with them? Perhaps the clearest and the most ubiquitous sign of the “faith” we all now have in digitalisation as inscribed in the cell phone revolution is the fact that cell phones are now deemed indispensable in all the marketplaces of local, national and global communications. If you lose your cell phone, its replacement is swift and relatively uncomplicated. I do not recollect that anyone I knew had such “faith” in landline phones that were the epitome of analog technologies.

Does the digital revolution, in being so dazzling, so talismanic in its instruments, appliances and effects, not carry with it some risks for us all, individually and collectively?”

No reflections on digitalisation and its impact on our country and our world can be complete without mentioning the replacement of analog television sets with their digital equivalents, their digital nemesis. At the most obvious level, the picture and sound values are infinitely better in the latter than in the former, apart from the fact that analog sets tend to be bulkier and weightier. I am not making a plug here for flat screen television sets, though I confess that I am susceptible to the aesthetic allure of their sleekness, their élan. I am alluding more properly to the programming and reception that digital sets make possible beyond anything one could have hoped for or received from analog sets.

Here I must confess that it was only with the arrival of digital technology on the scene that television broadcasts in our country looked anything close to what you see in other parts of the world with advanced scientific and technological cultures. This particular observation needs some emphasis: television is one of the great cultural legacies of the last century; in the new millennium, it has become even more decisive in bringing national, continental and global communities closer with regard to programming and reception. Nigerian television programming and reception came of age, perhaps could only have come of age, with the advent of the digital revolution. South Africa is far ahead of Nigeria in continental programming and reception. This, I would argue, has a lot to do with which of the two countries had the infrastructures in place to make the most of the digital revolution.

My own preferred way of understanding and coming to terms with the digital supersession of analog technology lies in critically unraveling the term “digit” that is the root word for “digital”. I think intensely of the digits and integers that are the codes into which digital technology transforms the electrical signals made from human and natural sounds and sights. Sounds and sights as digits and integers? Doesn’t this abstraction, this extreme technological reification of nature and experience carry with it some risks, some hints of alienation and anomy? Is the hall of mirrors a place of utopic fulfillment and/or a site of the loss of the self in empty, confounding amplitude? In plain language, does the digital revolution, in being so dazzling, so talismanic in its instruments, appliances and effects, not carry with it some risks for us all, individually and collectively?

These will be the composite starting point in next week’s concluding essay in the series as we go back to my query to that NEPA services vendor: Will my new digital meter lead to improved services and more fairness and honesty in NEPA billing practices?

Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

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Comment & Analysis

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Curbing drug abuse and trafficking

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UNE 26 is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987, this day serves as a reminder of the goals agreed to by Member States of creating an international society free of drug abuse. It aims to raise awareness of the major problems that illicit drugs present to society and at the same time, remind youths and adults not to make the mistake of experimenting with drugs.

World Health Organization defined substance abuse as “the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs”. It is estimated that about 76.3 million people struggle with alcohol use disorders contributing to 1.8 million deaths per year. The United Nations reported that around 185 million people globally over the age of 15 were consuming drugs by the end of the 20th century.

Drug abuse (addiction) involves compulsively seeking to use a substance, regardless of the potentially negative social, psychological and physical consequences. Certain drugs, such as narcotics and cocaine, are more physically addicting than some other drugs.

One has control over the choice to start using drugs, but once addicted, the pleasurable effect of drugs makes one want to keep using them. There are lots of reasons why people take illegal drugs. Some use drugs to escape their problems while others are bored, curious or just want to feel good. People may be pressured into taking drugs to “fit in” with a particular crowd or they may take drugs to rebel or get attention.

An addiction is not just measured by how many times a person use a drug. Some drugs are so addictive that they may only be used once or twice before the user loses control. A person crosses the line between abuse and addiction when he is no longer trying the drug to have fun but because he has come to depend on it.

People can become addicted to illegal drugs as well as drugs prescribed by doctors.

When prescription drugs are taken the right way, they are safe and there is usually little

By Rasak Musbau

chance of addiction. However, prescription drugs can be dangerous if they are abused (for example, taking too much or taking them when they are not needed). Mothers and guardians most often administer drugs on their children without going to health providers. This is also drug abuse. Some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs are painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs.

The more worrisome drugs being abused in our environment is marijuana, cocaine and alcohol. The drug abusers are mostly youth.

This should be a source of concern to every one of us. While casual use of marijuana exists among the affluence, it is more common among school drop-outs, homeless and unemployed and unemployable that is acutely sensitive to all sort of criminal behaviours.

The criminal activities of the drug users at their hide-outs (which are not hidden anyway) are now becoming too frequent for comfort. There are those who operate like cults, carving out their territories of influence where they intimidate, rape and rob innocent residents at will. Residents of areas such as Abisogun Leigh Street in Ogba, Queens drive (formerly Oyinkan Abayomi), Victoria Island, Adura field in Alagbado and ‘Kuwait’ located inside Gowon Estate in Egbeda know better of their harrowing experience from this group. There was a particular incidence I witnessed earlier this year when a whole street had to close its entrance doors when there was a fight by the omo amugbos where guns were used around 8:00

am in the morning. Some, including children fell into gutters while scrambling for safety.

Next, are forceful beggars who illegally obtain toll from motorists at alternate roads when there is traffic on the highways. There are also those who operate on the streets that one must obtain ‘clearance’ from when one buys a new car. If much was not achieved from ‘street begging’, some do enter into mosques and churches to go and beg for money. Their tales usually range from having their wives critically ill at the hospitals, challenge to offset house rent or in need of money to eat.

It is important to illustrate what drugs such as marijuana do to the body and minds of the users. The smoke of marijuana is toxic.

It can lead to serious disorders, including cancer. The negative effects also include confusion, acute panic reactions, anxiety attacks, fear and loss of self-control. Chronic marijuana users may develop a motivational syndrome characterized by passivity, decreased motivation, and preoccupation with taking drugs. Like alcoholic intoxication, marijuana intoxication impairs judgment, comprehension, memory, speech, problemsolving abilities. Of particular worry is the permanence of its ill-effect among people who began smoking in adolescence. Aside the smokers, every one of us, as passive smoker is a potential victim of some of the ill-effects. Yet, there is hardly any area in Nigeria free of this drug problem and the subsequent criminal behaviour of its users.

No doubt, when you give people foothold,

“One has control over the choice to start using drugs, but once addicted, the pleasurable effect of drugs makes one want to keep using them. There are lots of reasons why people take illegal drugs.

Some use drugs to escape their problems while others are bored, curious or just want to feel good. People may be pressured into taking drugs to “fit in” with a particular crowd or they may take drugs to rebel or get attention”

they take a strong hold. As such the gory tale of open use of marijuana is an indictment on the part of our security operatives especially the anti-narcotic agency. The federal controlled security agency legalized this illegal drug through their own illegal act of extorting money from traders. Some of them are also criminals in uniform who smoke at same spots where criminal activities are planned and executed by hoodlums. The traditional standards and values that place additional responsibility on holder of public offices in sane society are almost nil here in Nigeria.

The police, in particular, will in the years to come have much more to do if the trend of crime and behaviour that aids drug is not given attention it deserves now. Plainly put, our anti-drug war is still cosmetic in approach. We will be fooling ourselves if we believe we are tackling the situation by merely sensitizing motor-parks and running jingles in the media without effectively starting the war from the production and distribution outlets. Treatment of cause should be more important than its symptoms.

In sum, anti-narcotic agency must step up the clampdown on the production, control of the sale, distribution and use of illicit drugs.

Agencies of government saddled with national orientation and those with responsibility of curbing crimes must be up and doing.

In this regard, Lagos State Government establishment of Drug-Free Club and plan to include drug abuse in its school curriculum is seen as right on-spot.

As we celebrate this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking globally, the lesson for us all to learn is that breaking addiction to drug is the only way to get off the hook. It may not be easy to quit. But the efforts will be rewarded by better health, better relationships with the people in one’s life and a sense of accomplishment that only living drug-free can give. Make health your “new high” not drugs.

•Musbau is of the Features Unit of Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy.

Comment & Analysis

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

15

Etete's tale Another dent on Nigeria’s anti-corruption war

T

HE Dan Etete story is just one more humiliation, out of several, that successive corruption-complicit regimes have foisted on the country. By his own confession, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources committed sundry crimes against his country, yet, he is not standing any trial. Conversely, over the same issues, Etete was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment in Paris in 1997, for aggravated money laundering. To make matters worse, the current Minister of Justice and Attorney-General (AG) of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, in 2011, aided Mr. Etete to claim a staggering $1.1 billion from a smelly oil deal, which an associate of President Goodluck Jonathan, and several other top officials, allegedly benefited from.

The putrid and sordid tales of Mr. Etete and his company, Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd. started in 1995, while he was Minister of Petroleum Resources under the General Sani Abacha regime.

As a minister, he was accused by major oil companies of demanding huge kick-backs from oil companies, before they could renew their licenses or win any oil contract. He also awarded one of the most endowed oil wells, OPL 245, to Malabu, which he originally co-owned with Mohammed Abacha, few days after it was formed, for $20 million, out of which the company paid only $2 million. When, however, Abacha died, and Olusegun Obasanjo became President, the Federal Government took back the ill-gotten oil well in 2001, and subsequently re-awarded it to Shell Petroleum in 2002.

Malabu contested the re-allocation in court, and petitioned the House of Representatives, which, strangely, decided the matter in its favour.

The Obasanjo government subsequently restored Malabu's rights in 2006, and the benefiting oil majors in turn resorted to international arbitration and the courts. To justify his questionable

“Y

OU can only go round a pepper tree, you cannot climb it.”

The crab may swim across big and small rivers but it will eventually end up in an old woman’s soup pot.

“How are you celebrating Yoruba democracy day.’They’ like the man but no gree make dey change ‘unilag’ to his name.

Na UNN name dey want make dey give am” The above was sent to me by my friend, on June 12, as I read it I recalled that phrase “oso abiola” (refers to how ibos reacted in the aftermath of the elections) the date was like any other day except it has become a reference point for some of the nation’s many fairy tales.

IBB has been our pillar— Abiola’s family. Misquoted, or misrepresentation. It tells it all, it is true, and it is a lie. Already, I seem to enjoy the tragi-comedy in the Abiola family, on who is the greatest and the revelation that even Obasanjo gave some ‘smart’ members of the family a few millions to keep body and soul.

I have gone through countless opinions, commentaries and figments of June 12. This is my admonition…

There are several hundred stories about June 12, so there is about Nigeria, depends on who is telling it.. Whether it is about Vatsa or IBB, or it’s about Idiagbon or Ojukwu, the document that says we should split by 2014. How Ironsi was killed or was Balewa shot?

Rumours, and small facts, myths and outright

part in the deal, the Minister of Justice claimed that the Federal Government acted as an 'obligor' to resolve the dispute in 2011, for which Malabu received the sum of $1,092,040,000, for the same oil block that the company made a paltry down payment of $2 million in 1995. Mr. Adoke, however, did not tell Nigerians what happened to the huge rip-off, paid by the oil companies to Malabu; a sum that ordinarily would have been paid directly to Nigeria's coffers, instead of a self-serving, personal company of Mr. Etete.

According to Mr. Etete in his defence before the French court, what he received was what he called 'sponsors fee', stating boldly that it was a common practice in the petroleum sector. He stated in 2002 that what happened under him had been happening before, and was still happening in the industry. To our common shame, the French court found him culpable and punished him for money laundering. His claim that corrupt inducement is a common practice in the industry has been confirmed as recently as in 2011, under the watch of President Jonathan; with the deal that his Attorney-General helped Mr. Etete to perfect.

According to the findings of several foreign agencies, various companies subsequently shared the loot paid to Mr. Etete.

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye •Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile •Associate Editors Taiwo Ogundipe Sam Egburonu

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

One of the alleged beneficiary companies belonged to one Abubakar Aliyu, who is closely associated with Mr. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former President Musa Yar'Adua and President Jonathan. Other companies which had no working relationship with Malabu also received large chunks of the money paid by Shell and ENI to Malabu. To justify these payments, Mr. Etete claimed that: 'Malabu shareholders decided to spend their money the way they deemed fit'. He claims he only got $250 million from the deal.

On his part, the Attorney-General, in defence said: “from the foregoing, the role played by the Federal Government, its agencies and officials in relation to Block 245 was essentially that of facilitator of the resolution of a long-standing dispute over the ownership and right to operate Block 245.”

Interestingly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before it decided to stay clear of the trail of the Malabu filthy lucre had reported: 'Investigations conducted so far reveal a cloudy scene associated with fraudulent dealings. A prima facie case of conspiracy, breach of trust, theft and money laundering can be established against some real and artificial persons.” Yet, the anti-corruption agency opted not to pursue the money to its ultimate destination, despite its finding that crimes have been committed against the state.

It is also worrisome that the previous House of Representatives could urge the Federal Government to restore the ownership of Malabu over Block 245, when it conducted its investigation, despite the glaring criminality. The greatest tragedy, however, is the possibility that a minister could award such a humongous national resource to himself.

All said, however, there is the need to bring the culprits to justice.

LETTERS

Abiola and some tales in Nigeria

moonlighting tales and the actors keep dying one after the other. Former example anything said against Abacha, no Abacha to defend it… And how about that document that killed June 12, signed by the Sule Lamidos, Ciromas, Dongoyaros, Marks, Gusaus, Musa Yar’adua, Rimis, Nwobodos...and some several dozen fellows dead and alive to establish the ‘fi edi ha’ (take small part of yansh siddon) interim govt.

When a woman has ten children, there is nothing that happens in the night that she does not know about I have used the term ‘rumours’, because most important events about Nigeria are only available at elite men parties and commoners’ beer parlors and palm wine joints.

A sizable amount of Nigerians believe that MKO got what he deserved, after his long romance with the military with

business interests that were largely fronts for top military brass. All these businesses are dead today anyway.

Rumours: that once upon a time, despite all that claim of Nigerians voted for the first time a Muslim/Muslim ticket.

Many Christians and others till tomorrow believe that folklore of him ‘sinking’ a ship load of bibles. Or wait, that he and IBB basically put Nigeria into Organisation of Islamic Countries.

Many Nigerians benefitted from the MKO salt, wrapper, sugar and monies, but why did IBB and his men not stop the process when they could— forget that lame excuse of ‘pressure’ to hand over as promised?

If there was a particular group so against MKO emerging president after the military class, it was the Yoruba elite that fought against him..

T

Curbing street beggars in Efurrun

HERE is growing trend in Effurun which demands urgent attention of government and her agencies. It is the proliferation of beggars in our streets and major junctions such as Airport, Jakpa and Enerhen junctions. The worrisome part of this trend is that over 95% of them are women with children that

range from few months to 12 years and are from a certain part of northern Nigeria.

These children are used to pursue passers-by to beg for money. This is abnormal in any right-thinking society. I have also noticed that the babies in the hands of these

And while everyone who claimed NADECO went on to better their lot via asylums that came like VISA lotteries, the man died alone.

Many elite would say, after all he stabbed Awo and worked for Obasanjo to stop the Yorubas and was rewarded with money for Concord to fight Tribune...His bakery served ECOMOG and was responsible for that ‘wheat policy’…so?

How strange that our democratic symbols are rife with all manner of controversies, MKO was labelled International Thief-Thief by none other than Fela, a democracy without democrats and caricature activists.

I recall this factual tale, from an inside player that what hurt Abacha was the fact that after the brouhaha, he met with MKO and made him an offer (some big sum). MKO accepted, only to renege.

women are always sleeping and I have wondered why.

Out of curiosity, I made a private investigation and discovered that most of these toddlers are drugged, making them to sleep for hours so that they can carry out their acts undisturbed. This again is the

Is it not an irony NADECO today is headed by Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, an Igbo son?

I have stopped since to preach our false unity, preferring to engage on the strength of our diversity. We are not one, cannot be one and the earlier we face that rumour the better.

While some celebrated the dictator that Abacha was, some even rate him higher than Jonathan in all spheres, after all even his looting records have been broken by the current crop.

If anyone had the chance of immortalising MKO, it would have been Obasanjo, but here’s a man that has never hidden his scorn for the name MKO for reasons only more tales can tell.

Just before you ask me my drive in this admonition, my take or stand. I will tell you, 80% of Nigerian young people aged

highest form of child abuse.

The government must do something fast and get this people off the roads and streets. Most of these people are not even ready to work and I have always asked them, any time I meet with them where are their husbands?.

around the 35year point don’t understand June 12, and these include the Akokites that prefer their ‘sexy’, name Unilag against some MAU-MAU acronym.

Many young Nigerians beyond book theorisation do not know themselves or Nigeria except rumours, fairy tales and perceptions, few real, but many largely false.

I say categorically the problem with Nigeria is not PDP, nor APC, but a politically bankrupt class and a grossly diminished intellectual yard.

That Nigeria itself is a tale celebrated and argued based on ethnic groups and religion, whims and caprices of a few that will continue to lord it over us because we are yet to find out whether MKO drank a poisoned cup of tea or Abacha ate poisoned apple.

We are not a united nation; we are not even a nation, we never may become one, till we are ready to move forward with the truth, stop all the tales, start to appreciate our diversity and ‘steal less’ and ‘lie less’ ever year we will keep June 12-ing—only time will tell.

Charles Dickson

Their actions are callous and demeaning. I believe if they are serious-minded people, they should have relatives, friends and tribes men who could help them start small scale businesses, but the question still remains, are they ready to engage in meaningful trade?

Alexander Ighoro Effurun, Delta State

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16

Comment & Analysis

Ropo Sekoni ropo.sekoni @thenationonlineng.net

A

FEW months ago, the current Inspector-General of Police did what most Nigerians had considered impossible.

He put an end to police roadblocks across the country. At the beginning, most Nigerians did not believe he would have the courage to keep toll-collecting police officers off the highways and intra-city roads. But as soon as it became clear that the no-nonsense IG was ready to fire road-blocking police officers, Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief and praised the IG for his braveness. A few months after this micro revolution, citizens are back to harassment by new groups of uniformed men on highways and city roads.

Members of the Federal Road Safety Commission appear to have succeeded members of the Nigeria Police Force on road-side duties.

FRSC red-capped men and women are now as ubiquitous on all roads between towns as the federal police withdrawn from the road a few months ago. Just like the police before them, FRSC officers stop moving vehicles on the highway and on streets within towns that are clearly not federal roads. Like the NPF men and women, FRSC offic-

Femi Orebe femi.orebe @thenationonlineng.net 08056504626 (sms only)

P

OST the PDP locust years, 2003-2010 in the entire Southwest, but more poignantly in Ekiti, we can, with more than considerable justification, thank God as the Holy Writ enjoins us in 1 PETER 2: 9: 'But ye are a chosen generation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light'.

When, between 2007 -2010, Ekitis rooted for Dr Kayode Fayemi and swore to stick by him whatever the odds; when men, both within the state and outside it were playing god; when then President Obasanjo believed he could turn daylight to darkness, we were counting on nothing more than the almighty God and the young man's democratic pedigree, his good moral upbringing, his well-known erudition and scholarship, the fact that we know this one is in good political company and will never lie to us and, indeed, that which we knew of his exertions in the cause of democracy and human rights. Even when 'Mama' was suborned, by the powers that be, to eat up her Christian conscience and ran, Awol, from her duty post in AdoEkiti, we stood firm just like we did as Fayemi and his illustrious Deputy, our own late MOREMI, Mrs Funmi Olayinka, went all through the judicial acrobatics and shenanigans a thoroughly misbegotten Nigerian judiciary could manufacture. Ekiti stood ramrod behind Fayemi until when The Nation's highly perceptive columnist, Dele Agekameh called 'Fayemi's Final Triumph', in his column of Wednesday, June19, 2013. That was at the Supreme Court on May 31, 2013.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

New road-side policing?

One point arising from the replacement of NPF with FRSC, VIO, and NC men on the roads is the increasing harassment of citizens ers dutifully ask for drivers’ licenses, vehicle registration, insurance papers, fire extinguishers, etc.

They even stop and delay drivers whose tail lights are out.

I rode with a brother recently.

He was flagged down on the Lagos-Ibadan highway around noon.

After producing every document requested of him by the FRSC men, he was told that the passenger-side rear light "was not working." My brother responded that this must have just happened and that he would fix it in Ibadan. I expected the FRSC men to give him a warning, but they quickly handed my brother a N2,000 ticket, asking him to turn in his driver's license. Of course, several mini-buses that were stopped did not experience much delay. They were quick to stretch their hands to the men in red caps. My brother blamed me for refusing to sit at the back. He was right; all the cars with one or two persons at the back were ignored by the officers. I quickly learnt my lesson and chose to sit at the back (at the so-called owner's corner) on our way back.

On our way back from Ibadan the same day, we saw another lawenforcing group. These were Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO). Like the FRSC officers we saw in the morning, they too were there to

ensure safety on the road. Five or so buses were stopped in front of us. Even though we were not flagged down, I got down out of curiosity to ask one of the bus drivers what the problem was. The VIOs were asking commercial bus drivers the same set of questions that we were asked in the morning

by FRSC officers. One of the officers came to ask me for my identity and why I had stopped without being asked to do so. I told him I just wanted to know what they were doing on the highway. He told me with a stern look, "doing our job and please do not block the traffic sir."

Even on Ikeja roads, FRSC and VIO are competing for attention or business. It is not uncommon to come across these men and women within half a mile on the same road on the same day in Ikeja, particularly on Olowopopo Avenue and Agidingbi Road. As if the FRSC and VIO are not enough menace on the roads, men of the Nigerian Customs are also stopping moving vehicles on Funsho Williams Avenue, Ibadan-Ife and Sagamu-Ore roads, to name a few. In their own case, Customs men claim to be searching for smuggled goods.

They ask drivers to produce their customs papers, even when the vehicles carry proper registration

documents. One Customs officer even accused me between Araromi-Obu and J-4 of driving a car that must have been undervalued, saying "the amount paid on the car was rather small." I assured the officer that I bought the car in Nigeria from someone who had used it in the country for more than two years before I bought it. I was luckier than other road users. The chubby customs officer released my papers.

One point arising from the replacement of NPF with FRSC, VIO, and NC men on the roads is the increasing harassment of citizens, particularly commercial drivers. It does not make sense to save road users from the menace of one armed force and put them in the jaws of men and women of three other forces. There must be better ways for Customs men to prevent smuggled goods from entering the country. This is why there are ports of entry into the country. Customs officers checking for smuggled goods outside the airport or in places that have no borders with other countries must have ulterior motives.

Citizens need to be properly educated about the roles of FRSC and VIO. Are they competing agencies? At the beginning, FRSC officers were to enforce speed limit

The Ikogosi graduate summer school: Fayemi introduces another paradigm shift in education

Now, there can be no going back as we see every stratum of the Ekiti society endorsing him, asking him to continue the good work even the blind can see -4 More Years for JKF - they say -Just Keeping the Faith. Fayemi's good work is seen in every nook and cranny of the state. That, he ensured simply by deriving his government's annual budgets bottom up. How? The governor, ahead of his budget preparations, goes on a state-wide tour of the Local Government areas during which the peoples' immediate and preferred projects are presented to him by the people themselves.

And, in clear contradistinction to our friends of the other party, Fayemi will let the constituents know that all the projects cannot be accommodated in a single budget, and that what could not be taken immediately will be included in the next. That way, there is no single Ekiti community that can claim not to have felt the government's presence.

I am happy; even ecstatic. Last week, it was: 'Aregbesola waohs them', during the past week it was a woman of real conscience, Mrs Bose Adedibu, widow of the late strongman of Ibadan politics, Papa Lamidi Adedibu, who could not , like other PDP members in the state, continue to live in denial, celebrating the Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajimobi for his great strides.

Said Mrs Adedibu: 'I remember vividly that at that time, the people of Oyo state lived in perpetual fear of insecurity. But now, everywhere is peaceful and people are going about their business without fear or molestation'. That was aside her good words for the governor in other areas and we do hope she will help drum that to our Accord friends.

Like his Oyo state counterpart, Fashola continues to dazzle, now building institutions that will immortalize him , just like Ibikunle

Amosun and Adams Oshiomhole continue to receive rave reviews of their sterling performance. This is what I call being in a good political company; one that does not deceive the people.

And this is where Governor Kayode Fayemi and the Ikogosi Graduate Summer School initiative comes in. Just like the Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, once said: 'The buildings will come down in 20 or 30 years time. It is the institutions and the policies underlying them that will remain and once those policies are there, whoever is there in future can erect other buildings'. Fayemi has by the IGSS programme once again demonstrated that building institutions is the fulcrum of his administration, thereby erecting for himself, imperishability. This man will be remembered and celebrated long after many an Ekiti state governor had been forgotten.

Of that, I haven't a scintilla of doubt.

What then is the Ikogosi Graduate Summer School?

From his first day in office, Fayemi has agonised over the state of our education, at all levels in the country, but more pointedly, in Ekiti. He has been tortured to no end, for instance, about the loss of the culture of inquiry and moderation that the university represents in other climes, about journal articles that are everything but scholarly; to publications that are driven solely by quest for promotion and so add nothing to real knowledge as well as to the menace that VCs without CVs represent to the university system.

Of course, says he, there are VC's that are still eminently worthy of that name. I should know these concerns of his because I served on his Education Committed - one of his first set of committees established very early in the administration to interrogate all the issues accounting for collapsed

education in Ekiti. The IGSS is another building block to remediate that albatross. The IGSS is a bold move to turn Nigeria's endemic brain drain to brain gain.

In the words of the two cocoordinating directors of the programme, the suave and seminal Drs Wale Adebanwi and Ebenezer Obadare: 'higher education has, from the period of the regime of structural adjustment, suffered so much depreciation from which it is yet to recover. A glaring consequence of this is brain drain with Nigeria now exporting what it so desperately needs, namely, it's human resources and mental capital. This hemorrhaging of human resources, they assert, has in turn led to the loss of high quality manpower in our universities. The IGSS is therefore designed to provide access to highly-trained and accomplished Nigerian academics abroad to interact with graduate students in Nigeria alongside the home-based but no less accomplished and highlytrained scholars thus leading to the blending of global and local scholarship of the highest standards for the benefits of graduate students, first, of Ekiti origin. It will give the students an opportunity to access free and fine grain mentoring from foreignbased scholars in addition to local supervision which will constantly expose them to world-class research as well as engage them with ongoing global discourses not only about their particular disciplines, but also the place of Africa in the world'.

The programme which has an inaugural 50 Ekiti graduate students spread over the liberal arts, social sciences, law, education, banking and finance, and that rallying ground and crucible of diverse disciplines - Africa Studies - kicked off on Monday, 16 June, 2013, to a wondrous keynote

on highways. VIO was principally responsible for ensuring that those who obtain drivers’ licenses are certified to do so. These two agencies now behave like customs men.

They wait outside their offices to ascertain that drivers have proper documents. FRSC men no longer enforce speed limit. They are not even properly equipped to do so.

There are no radars to ascertain that drivers are driving within speed limit. There are no signs to indicate speed limit from zone to zone.

Unlike what obtains in other countries, there is no agency that certifies periodically that vehicles are safe to be put on the road. In other places, vehicles are checked for mechanical fitness and emission control and certificates are issued for passing such inspection. Para-military men and women are not given beats on the highways to do this.

Withdrawing the black-uniformed federal police from 'Wetinu-carry/wey your particulars' beats that often turned into unofficial toll gates for police offices and the enthusiasm of traffic-related officers that have succeeded the traditional police: FRSC and VIO as road-side police only deepen the lack of democratic policing in our country. The kind of exotic English or crude pidgin (all designed to draw money from the pockets of road users) that federal traffic policemen and women speak does not fail to push the average citizen to say 'but what kind of country do we live in?'

My experience on my way to and from the heart of Yorubaland in the two weeks has compelled me to re-publish this piece which had appeared earlier on this page. address delivered by my friend of many decades, the world acclaimed poet and teacher, Professor Niyi Osundare, on what he titled: THE SPIRIT OF IKOGOSI and there could be no better way of ending this article than by quoting Niyi at some length on what the government of Dr Kayode Fayemi has made of Ikogosi Warm Springs in its singleminded determination to make Ekiti the tourist's destination of choice.

Wrote Professor Osundare: 'Consider the very location of the Ikogosi Graduate Summer 'School'.

Ikogosi. A place of near-Edenic serenity tucked away in the awesome flanks of Ekiti hills, made popular by the differing temperatures of its springs. Until recently, Ikogosi was nothing more than a promissory mantra in political campaigns and recurring decimal in the arithmetic of annual state budgets. Half-executed projects littered its landscape. Giant mosquitoes and dragon-like reptiles played host even in the most executive of its executive suites.

Government after government extolled its potential as a tourist money garnerer, but fell tragically short of taking adequate care of the goose that was expected to lay the golden egg. But as we look round today, a terrific difference arrests our gaze: gleaming access roads, enticing swimming pools, cozy chalets, capacious multi-purpose halls, spacious amphitheatre (with dramatic intimations of the famous Christ's School Quadrangle), woodterraced tour walks, etc. A worldclass golf course is rearing to tee off into existence to the pastoral astonishment of a sleepy Ekiti terrain, etc. A world-class golf course is even teeing into existence much to the pastoral astonishment of a sleepy Ekiti terrain. There is every indication that Ikogosi is beckoning to the world; the tourist naira rain is about to fall.'

My last word though: those packaging Ikogosi Tourist Resort for the world should go no further than Osundare's keynote address to carve its profile from the Advert nuggets he gave, pro bono.

Without a doubt, God is good to us in Ekiti state.

Comment & Analysis

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Tunji

Adegboyega tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

B

BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron will definitely be going off limit if he makes good his promise to meet with Nigerian authorities with a view to making them rethink the National Assembly's position on same-sex marriage. Yes, countries can try to sway one another over certain policies or programmes that they consider inimical to their citizens or their countries, or better still, to global peace and harmony. That is part of what diplomacy is all about. And, of course, many nations have taken advantage of this vehicle to 'talk' to one another for their individual benefits. It is usually when diplomacy has failed that nations resort to war.

But Prime Minister Cameron's issue with a Nigerian legislation that is still in the works (or inchoate as we've come to know such since the days when Lagos State tried to create local governments a few years back), is puzzling. The National Assembly has prescribed 14 years imprisonment for same-sex marriage offenders. Those who witness, aid or abet such unions as well as those who operate gay clubs and societies, and engage in public displays of same-sex affection would be punishable by as many as 10 years jail. The House of Representatives passed the bill on May 30 while the Senate passed a similar bill in November 2011. But for the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan has not assented to the bill to give it the force of law, Mr Cameron's proposed 'consulta-

Postscript, Unlimited!

By

Oyinkan Medubi 07057012862 (SMS only) puchuckles7@gmail.com

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OW, I assure you this title has no bearing on the fact that our president, Dr. G. E. Jonathan, who I'm sure is a good man in himself, wears a hat. Indeed, it is a coincidence. If my memory is correct, I think Alice in Wonderland was written long before he was born. I would guess several decades in fact. Indeed, the president's hat (we really must talk about it someday) has become such a status symbol now that it is sold nearly everywhere one turns. When I asked a buyer once why he was buying it, he said he was hoping it would put him on top of the world and remove the world from on top of him. When I asked the seller whether it really did bring luck, he said it had brought him plenty of luck; he had sold hundreds of it. But you know, I'm not sure he was not confusing his luck with the one our president said he had brought to the nation.

Sometime in the week though, dear reader, I had a good laugh when I read about the president's call to the nation. On yeah, he still had his hat on, joking or not. He asked us as a people to get over our egoistic tendencies, for goodness' sakes, and put an end to 'electoral impunity'! As they say in the movies, I did a double take: What the...! I mean here we

17

Doing it gay or straight British PM should respect Nigerians’ rights on same-sex marriage tions' with the Nigerian authorities would have been belated.

We have long anticipated that signing the bill into law may draw the displeasure of the U.S. and European Union countries that are generally critical of the suppression of gay rights in Africa, so, Mr Cameron's planned 'consultations' on the issue should be understood from this context. But, as we say here, wetin concern agbero with overload? I wonder how this is an issue that these foreign countries should poke their nose into. How does Nigeria's refusal to legalise same-sex marriage affect Mr Cameron or British citizens, or the citizens of any EU nation for that matter?

No doubt, even as we speak, homosexuality is going on in some parts of the country and it has been like that for years; but it is not a national problem. As a matter of fact, I hear it is prevalent among some of our rich people, and some have even rumoured that they use it for different kinds of rituals or fetish purposes; not for pleasure as is the case abroad. But we have not made any issue out of it all the same. One, it is not rampant; and second, it appears it has been going on among consenting persons. This is how far we can go on the matter and to this extent,

those who engage in homosexuality in Nigeria also have some right; it is not as if they cannot do it at all; what we are saying is that we do not want to see them do it. And I think the rest of us who feel this way should also have our rights protected.

Honestly, apart from the fact that none of the two dominant religions in the country sanctions the act, it is disgusting. How does a man start caressing another man before the act? I can't imagine how repulsive it would be for a man to be touched suggestively by another man; or for a lady to be touched in a similar manner by another female.

Let's even forget religion, the point is that homosexuality is unnatural.

Maybe that is why it is common in the US and in the European countries. Most of the things we see in those places, including human beings, are not the way they were at creation. Take Michael Jackson of blessed memory, for instance.

Sorry, if I am being somewhat obscene; it is inevitable; same-sex marriage itself is obscene, ab initio.

In Nigeria, nay Africa, when you see a lady with pointed boobs, you can be sure what you are seeing is for real. In climes where Mr Cameron and others fighting for legalisation

“Honestly, thanks, but no thanks, Mr Cameron. We prefer the way we are and Britain should please recognise the fact that we are at liberty to do that. We are more interested in reclaiming our lost innocence; I do not know how legalisation of same-sex marriage can do that for us. If Britons want it gay, we prefer it straight. We don't want to be part of the impending curse of the danger down below.”

of same-sex marriage come from, chances are those things had been tampered with and whatever seems to be pointed there is only a caricature of the original. As usual, the whites have a way of giving those things some highfalutin names to make them attractive. For example, cosmetic surgical procedure for reducing the size of large breasts is fancifully called mammoplasty. In Nigeria, we knew little of tummy tuck until a few years back.

The point I am making is that if permissiveness (or is it over-permissiveness?) has made America and Europe to disconnect from Mother Nature, thus making them to gladly embrace homosexuality, they are the ones that need to return to source; not the other way round. Nigeria is blessed with beautiful ladies of all shades and sizes; and for real. The same goes for handsome men. These may be in short supply in Britain because most of their ladies look one kind and this may explain why some of their men prefer hanging out with our girls that are in hot demand all over Europe. It is when men, as lovers of variety, cannot have access to such beauty of beauties that they start thinking of hanging out with men like them, and vice versa.

Here, it used to be an abomination for people who were not legally or traditionally married to ‘know’ one another; that is gone because we've imbibed the wrong values. And that was something done between a male and a female.

To now think of man doing it with man and woman doing it with woman! Haba, that is not only abominable, it is repulsive. It is alien to our culture. Is Mr Cameron aware of what they call ethnocen-

tricity? Does it mean that Mr Cameron's hands are not full to be thinking of such mundane 'consultations'? If he wants to help his Nigerian counterpart, there are more serious areas of need where he can be useful. We still don't have light; security remains a serious challenge; there is youth unemployment, etc. We do not need 'consultations' on same-sex marriage.

Anyway, as Nigerian authorities warm up for Mr Cameron's proposed 'consultations', they should be ready to let the British PM know that his country is the one that needs deliverance, not Nigeria, at least as far as same-sex marriage is concerned. Maybe we should even let him come over to have a feel of our hospitality to fully appreciate the point I am making.

When he comes over, we should put at his service some of our girls from any of the fattening rooms in Calabar, to let Mr Cameron see what Nature is all about. I have no doubt that his opinion on the matter would no longer be the same by the time he returns to Britain.

Or, how would the Britons feel when their Prime Minister returns after the 'consultations' to say something like " em, em, at some point, the Nigerians seem to be making sense"?

Honestly, thanks, but no thanks, Mr Cameron. We prefer the way we are and Britain should please recognise the fact that we are at liberty to do that. We are more interested in reclaiming our lost innocence; I do not know how legalisation of same-sex marriage can do that for us. If Britons want it gay, we prefer it straight. We don't want to be part of the impending curse of the danger down below.

Is it the season of the mad hatter now?

It's Alice truly in Wonderland all over again, and the mad hatter is as usual scampering all over the place have been all this while groaning in pain over the intractable crisis shaking the governors' forum because of their excellences' inability to decide which figure is higher than the other, 19 or 16. All we needed was a word from the presidency but none came. Perhaps, we should get a consultant to help us on the matter: we can get the services of a primary school pupil to help us to count pieces of stone on the ambient football pitches of his/her primary school.

Actually, there are three things here. The first is the fact that this country believes it is running a democracy. You believe it, I believe it but our representatives do not believe it. Just witness how a good number of them got into the assemblies and state houses and even into high positions within those assemblies and state houses. Just witness the fact that it is on record that that good number neither took part in nor won any election to start with.

These are the people we 'elected' to forge out our peace, development, and future hope. Since they have no democratic foundations, how then do we, simpletons that we are, expect them to understand or even respect our democratic yearnings?

Following from that is the second issue. Based on the democratic foundations that this present republic is built on, a mini election was conducted and the entire process publicised, as all elections should be.

The results were also quickly known, as they should be, like all transparent elections. Now what do

we have? The loser is the winner and the winner is the loser. It's Alice truly in Wonderland all over again, and the mad hatter is as usual scampering all over the place confusing everything; worse, he's still mad.

The third issue is even more fundamental, and it troubles me no end. Why on earth would any sane Nigerian insist on romancing and caressing a spectre that we are trying with all our might to kill, burn and bury? Here we are, not knowing what to do with the June 12 'mistake' made by one individual on the behalf of us other stupid millions of Nigerians who really don't count, and here are others, benefactors of that very 'mistake', doing their utmost to repeat the errors of their ancestors. Now, what do we call that?

Seriously, I asked before and up till now, no one has given me a satisfactory answer: what is the official role of the governors' forum either in the nation's affairs or even in the constitution? Why have they so suddenly taken centre stage that no day passes now without one piece of news or the other on the antics of this forum being paraded before my beautiful eyes? Truth is, at this point, I don't care; I care more that this situation is a metaphor for lessons that have gone unlearnt by us or that we are all appearing not to notice. It is a metaphor for the 'electoral impunity' that is so Nigerian because the government appears to have its hand deep in it!

We are not noticing that elections are no materials to joke

around with, even though we seem to be developing the habit of thinking that it is 'just politics'. We do not seem to have sufficiently grasped the locus of right thinking: that the will of 'the people' translates into votes, whether the people be ten, twenty, thirty-five, ten million, or one hundred and twenty million. A vote is a vote, and it is sacred. Indeed, a vote is so sacred that it carries a spiritual essence that is supposed to translate into hope for a better, brighter future. When that essence is tampered with, it becomes a bone that sticks in the throat because the ghosts of skeletons past, present and future continue to haunt the annuller. The June 12 bone is still in Babangida's throat, Abacha's throat (well, he managed to dislodge his by dying), our national throat, etc. Since we cannot all take Abacha's panacea, we just have to keep coughing and hope the sticky bone will one day come dislodged.

As I was saying, this government appears to be tacitly, and I must say silently too, repeating the political errors of 1993, showing that we have learnt nothing, and we have forgotten nothing. I honestly do not understand how it can pay tribute to the heroes of 1993 and at the other corner of its mouth intone, 'cancel the newest election'.

I can imagine Chief M. K. O. Abiola rising up from the grave, looking gravely at this government and making only one sound: 'Ah, Ah!' before lying down again to continue his rest. Now, that would

speak volumes - the sound that is, not the rest. The problem is that the government will not be able to hear it, only the people will.

All this I think stems from one simple problem: the government is still working with the pre-colonial statistics. You know the problem with statistics? They lie, because anyone can manipulate them for any end. The old statistics say that Nigerians are gullible because less than fifty per cent of them are educated or literate enough to understand simple mathematics and interpret simple figures. The horrifying truth dawned on us however when the video of that little NGF election was shown on the internet and everyone began to make comments: Nigerians now know better and can understand mathematics and interpret figures.

Thus, dear government, it has become very public knowledge indeed that the person who had the nineteen votes (Amaechi) is expected, by mathematical law, to have won the election while the person who had the sixteen votes (Jang) is expected to have conceded victory like an old gentleman. So, by the new statistics, the person with the less number of votes cannot declare himself winner; to do so is to be as confused. But then, he could just sort of be fooling around, like the hatter.

Obviously, putting a stop to electoral impunity must first stop with the government, then with the politicians. I just wish though that our leaders would see past their long hats and actually do something about reducing the price of my favourite foodstuff in the market. Oh, wouldn't you just like to know what that is!

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Comment & Analysis

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ADDLED and burdened by an electoral consequence of a fatal collective blunder, the political space grizzles the inaction of a motley collection of duffers in the vineyard of a supposed meister. In activating our civic devoirs and democratic covenant, we created a plethora of value deficits in our electoral judgments that led us to this stalemate and suspended-animation. The complex signals of confusion to the voters, some days before the polls, coming from revered political hierarchy, compelling massive support for this man of luck, made victory attainable for impostors in power and slow-witted personages.

It was a political error by the command masters who misread the nuance of the fortunate chap by falling for his theatrics and melodramatics. A man that was unsure of even a razor-thin victory ended up being congratulated for his massive ‘good luck’ at the polls. In a rare show of incongruous jubilation, two parties of incompatible identities, roared into ecstasy of perfidy, celebrating the fall of a serial contender of the khaki memory and a noisy cleric of latter fame that was his deputy. And paradoxically, the party that issued the proclamation on votetransfer engaged in this kerfuffle without even obliging its own representative, that was the collateral damage of this strange overnight cooperation, a deserving sentiment. Not too long, the web of fraternity between the incompatibles became tangled with cracks when sharing the spoils of their pyrrhic victory. Withdrawal. Lamentations.

Disappointments. And then, a requiem.

Divorced, the beautiful bride during the election, the one that added value to the one that lacked value, went back to the “khaki groom”, a member of the septuagenarian club, to consummate a new romance to dislodge the lucky dude from his rock of refuge.

Politics, like computer, can also reboot. The masters of the game, who made the initial blunder, are restarting again hoping that this time around, the citizens can have ‘a piece’ of the action from these collapsed conglomerates and experimental amalgam. This is another narrative for a prophetic morrow.

Settled within his rock of luck with the patience of his choice, the lucky man is unruffled about the breach of covenant. He is unrepentant in his default in the creation of dividends both in kind and in cash for the people that entrusted their collective destinies into his hands. He has breached covenant. He has breached trust. And latching on the citizens’ generous spirit of forgiveness, he is reclining in the indulgence of a return, dismissing the immorality of the content of his intention with putative immortality.

Four years in the saddle, the two years inherited from a deceased master and two years of electoral charity, the citizens are inured to the spectacle of power intrigues and power base consolidation. The people with the power of vote have been subdued by the same men they invested into power with their votes. Projections and calculations of 2015 are unsettling the polity with cacophonous distractions. They have not finished the one they are eating they are contemplating how to eat the one they are projecting. Excluded from the equation of recompense, and piqued by their abandonment by this assembly of middling leaders, the people are concluding that their misfortune

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

The failure of luck

•Jonathan

By Dapo Thomas was caused by the suspect appropriation of their collective fortunes by the same man parading his medal of luck in every balcony of might. Shocked and stunned that this government is a milchcow for parasitic midges sucking the content of the national vault, the citizens, joined by international sympathisers, are worried by the scope and scale of corruption in government. Elaborate and systematic larceny is becoming a metastasis and we-the people-are agitating for a chemotherapeutic surgery to halt this dangerous slide of emptying the nation’s fiscal larder.

We have a government that we are not feeling. There is a government but there is no governance. There are no dividends but there are divisions. Our government is too distant from us. There is a disconnect. No blood is flowing between the people and their government. The only blood that is flowing is the blood of innocent citizens that are victims of the monstrous creations of the state: Boko Haram, ritualists, kidnappers, armed robbers, hired killers and other collective machinery of terminations.

Tortured by the guilt of reneging on its promise of providing plentitude for the people, this mingy government, notorious for its putz around mentality, punctuated its inaction, in a fright of rage during the fuel price increase, with a puzzled contemplation of what it called palliatives as if the citizens are not worthy of permanent healing or a prophylactic attention by the government.

The popular refrain, chorused by all invading military ragamuffins when substi-

tuting one for another during the inglorious years of military charade, was that our hospitals had become mere consulting clinics.

Though when departing into eternal confinement, the military never upgraded the “consulting clinics”, it is tragic that even now, 14 years into democracy, our hospitals are still glorified clinics and government health policies and reforms are revolting and risible. They are patronising of the citizens but fall short of addressing their health challenges comprehensively. Assuaging the plight of the citizens in the area of transportation during the roll-out of the “palliative regime” under SURE-P, the government gave out new buses but it never addressed the condition of the roads the buses would ply. Most of the federal highways are in terrible condition. The craters, gullies, potholes and canals that dot our highways are a reflection of the insensitivity of the government to the hardship the people go through.

To now imagine that citizens will have to travel six to ten hours on these roads of ‘yahooze’ shape shows how much indeed the government loves its citizens!

The many surgeries done to the power sector that had consumed trillions of naira still leave the nation in the dark and to the generosity of the moon. The fluctuating megawatts have become a bottomless pit to the nation’s treasury with heaps of naira filling this pit of eternal darkness with no trace of light at the bottom of the pit. Every prognosis of improvement and every prophesy about increase in megawatts has somersaulted like a marble on the precipice. What can a nation do without power? And lack of it is responsible for a new phenomenon called GEJ paralysis-a situation of national lull caused by government’s inaction over its energy-related problems, where citizens’ activities are diminished, or more poignantly, demobilised by a dysfunctional hydroelectric technology.

A greater puzzlement of our national catastrophe is the castration of its future; a condition that leaves a substantial percentage of its youths roaming the streets without any prospect of being compensated for their acquired skills, expertise, education, artistry and talents. Disturbed by this legacy of moping morass exhibited by the present crop of leadership, my fear is that national leadership is on a steady decline if the witnesses of today’s leaders are the natural successors of the present non-performers.

Obasanjo’s statement in Jigawa that “you can help somebody to get a job, but you cannot help him to do the job” had a tinge of sarcasm and ego-triping. But a deeper reading locates the statement in a philosophical context more serious than Obasanjo’s egoism. When providence places you in a position you never expect to find yourself because of some obvious limitations, or in a position higher than your mental resource, it is you, not providence, that will have to show that you deserve the benevolence of providence by doing the work you got through “good luck”. Constructed on electoral happenstance, and not on any past historic exploits, need we ask again the reason(s) for the failure of luck.

Third-hand smoke causes significant damage to DNA - Research

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EW research has claimed for the first time ever that third-hand smoke from cigarettes causes significant genetic damage to human cells.

Third-hand smoke is ‘noxious residue’ produced by cigarette smoke that clings to virtually all surfaces after second-hand smoke has disappeared.

The study from the Laurence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California also found that this toxic residue becomes more harmful over time.

Even after you’ve finished smoking toxic residue is left behind on surfaces, furniture and fabrics - and can cling to them even after washing.

Co-author Lara Gundel said: ‘This is the very first study to find that third-hand smoke is mutagenic.

‘Some of the chemical compounds in thirdhand smoke are among the most potent carcinogens there are.

‘They stay on surfaces and when those surfaces are clothing or carpets, the danger to chil-

By Victoria Woollaston dren is especially serious.’

The researchers used a variety of tests to establish if third-hand smoke breaks down DNA strands and leads to long-lasting DNA damage and gene mutation.

‘Until this study, the toxicity of third-hand smoke has not been well understood,’ continued Gundel.

‘Third-hand smoke has a smaller quantity of chemicals than second-hand smoke, so it’s good to have experimental evidence to confirm its genotoxicity.’

People can be exposed to third-hand smoke through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact.

Researchers said third-hand smoke is particularly insidious because it is extremely difficult to get rid of. Previous studies have found that it can still be detected in dust and surfaces of homes more than two months after smokers moved out.

To generate the samples researchers at the Berkeley Lab put paper strips in smoking cham-

bers.

Common cleaning methods such as vacuuming, wiping and ventilation have not proven to be effective in lowering the presence of these particles.

The report added: ‘You can do some things to reduce the odours, but it’s very difficult to really clean it completely. ‘The best solution is to substitute materials, such as change the carpet and repaint.’

To generate the samples, the researchers put paper strips in smoking chambers. The acute samples were exposed to five cigarettes smoked in about 20 minutes. The chronic samples were exposed to cigarette smoke for 258 hours over 196 days.

During that time, the chamber was also ventilated for about 35 hours. The researchers found that the concentrations of more than half of the compounds studied were higher in the chronic samples than in the acute.

Courtesy: Daily Mail

Lekan Otufodunrin Otufodunrin@thenationonlineng.net 08050498530 (SMS only)

Impact-driven journalism

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HE first ever Impact Journalism Daya unique project involving 20 leading newspapers across the world publishing dedicated sections packed with creative solutions to global issues on the same day- was marked on Saturday.

The project, initiated by Sparknews in collaboration with media partners, seeks to kick start change in the way we think of news and newspapers. It promotes reporting of the best, smartest initiatives, with the hope of inspiring others to replicate, innovate and communicate the ideas to others.

The Nation is proud to be one of the media partners for the project, which I consider very thoughtful considering the need for the media to more than ever before seek to make more impact in the lives of their audience.

With the global economic crisis, many are in search of solutions to the various challenges they have to cope with. Living has become tougher in not only underdeveloped nations but also in developing and developed nations.

Unemployment is on the rise, poverty is growing, more diseases are emerging, environmental degradation is worsening and terrorism is spreading worldwide among others problems.

In the midst of the bleak situation, readers as Christian de Boisredon, founder of Sparknews rightly puts it, are hungry for stories with a difference. He says they want “stories that bring hope and concrete solutions, at both local and global level. They are looking for signs of change they can identify with. Change that will make them think…and act”.

The media undoubtedly has immense capacity to influence their audience and have been doing so through fulfilling its educating, informing and entertaining functions. It’s difficult to imagine life without the mass media, which beyond the traditional print and electronic medium now include the online platforms.

We really live in troubled times in which the media should be interested in helping to provide solutions. We have to move from just telling stories and highlighting problems to providing concrete solutions. Journalism for journalism sake cannot serve the present generation of readers who have found themselves in desperate situations requiring urgent ideas about how to survive.

With the media not been immune from the economic crisis, the temptation for the media will be to be more ‘business like’ and focus on issues that could sell their papers and not salient issues their readers want to read about. While media owners should be concerned about their survival they must now fail in their social responsibility to the readers.

Journalism must impact on the lives of the people or else it will become irrelevant.

Journalists must make a conscious effort to identify the challenges in their community and contribute to solving them.

Journalists should be concerned about the positive impact of their work through feedbacks from their audience.

Readers need hope to believe that tomorrow will come. They need to be inspired to know that they can overcome whatever challenges they are going through presently.

They need to be encouraged to maximize their potentials.

With the world now being truly a global village, thanks to the Internet, there is the opportunity to seek and share solutions to global issues. The Impact Journalism Day should serve as a reminder for journalists to make the world a better place through their publications.

POLITICS

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

• Amaechi

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• Kwankwaso

• Wamakko

PDP 'rebel' governors and

NTERESTING days, weeks and months lie

ahead in the build-up to the 2015 general election.

For months, peace has remained elusive in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In some state chapters of the party, key members are at daggers drawn. The same scenario is also playing out at the national level.

Could this recurring crisis be all about the alleged second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan or much more than that? While the president is almost certain to seek for another term in office, there are some powerful political interests hell-bent on stopping him.

In the last two months, the political space has been heated up with series of mostly contrived crises.

From the post-election crisis trailing the chairmanship election of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF); the call by some PDP stakeholders asking the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to step down and the

third force option

The battle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the war of attrition between some governors and the leadership of the party on one hand and President Goodluck Jonathan on the other is throwing up new permutations ahead of the next general elections.

Remi Adelowo reports suspension of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, have all been linked to the politics of 2015 and the rumoured desire of the president to contest for a second term in office.

And from all indications, the two camps - one for and the other against the President's alleged ambition - seem not to be ready to sheath their swords.

A pointer to this fact emerged last week when PDP governors who voted for Amaechi at the NGF election joined their counterparts from other parties to boycott a meeting convened by the president to resolve the impasse arising from last month's Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC),

resulting in a walkout by all the 36 commissioners of Finance.

Days before the meeting was held at the Presidential Villa, the absentee governors disclosed their intention that they would be in attendance. One of the governors, Ekiti's Kayode Fayemi, had in a television interview said, "I'm not aware of any meeting called by Governor Jonah Jang (NGF factional chairman of NGF). But if the president calls for a meeting, I will attend because he is the president of the country."

That turned out to be a dummy, as none of the proAmaechi governors showed up, nor sent a representative.

Sources disclosed to The

Nation that the governors' action was allegedly due to feelers they got that the president would have used the parley to give legitimacy to the Jang's faction.

"The meeting was planned in such a way that after all the thorny issues concerning the FAAC crisis had been ironed out, the president would have asked Jang to speak on behalf of his colleagues. This, no doubt, would have conferred legitimacy on the Jang's NGF faction and pull the rug off the feet of the proAmaechi governors. And even if they disagree with the president's action, it would be almost impossible for the governors to walk out on the president," the source explained further.

Curiously too, none of the absentee governors has spoken publicly on why they boycotted the meeting, while the Presidency has also refrained from making any official statement on the issue.

Going for the broke In a speech that was interpreted as daring the PDP leadership and the president, Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, a few days ago revealed the identities of PDP governors who voted for Amaechi at the NGF election.

According to Lamido, himself, Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Babangida Aliyu (Niger) voted for Amaechi against the President's prefered choice, Jang.

Short of calling the bluff of the PDP leadership, Lamido added that the suspension of Wammako, which followed that of Amaechi, was a mistake, which must be corrected by the party.

Though the party has since lifted Wammako's •Continued on Page 21

20

Politics

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

'Our innovation in education can curtail terrorism' Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during a recent media chat with some selected journalists spoke on some socio-economic developments in the state, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

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OUR government came up with the now famous tablet otherwise known as Opon Imo (treasure trove of wisdom or tablet of knowledge), which it hopes to improve learning. But there are fears that the project has gulped and will gulp more in terms of funding. There is also the issue of sustainability. What's your take on this?

We project that the Opon Imo will be distributed among 153, 000 students across secondary schools from SS1-3. We imported 50, 000 Opon Imo and we are assembling the rest 100, 000 here in the country.

Talking about the scalability and whether it can be sustained here, the issue of sustainability does not arise. You see, during the launch, my brother and friend from Oyo State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, said 'those who say this is fated for failure and therefore might not be sustainable, please just tell them that does it require any persuasion to reject leaf as the medium of serving food rather than using plates?'

If that idiom or illustration is quite clear to you as it is to me, you know that Opon Imo is an innovation, no doubt, that is bound to change the idea of learning forever in Osun and in the world. Why? And I say that the alternative to Opon Imo is beyond whatever anybody can imagine.

But in that our own, we limited the holding capacity of the Opon Imo tablet to the 56 text books that we need. There could be states where students learn up to 100 subjects, Opon Imo has the capacity to take all the 100 hundred subjects as against 56 subjects we do here. So the contents we have are just a reflection of what we need. Let's now agree that the needs are the same, what's the average cost of a textbook? I did the survey and I found out that the average cost of a textbook is N1,000. For any pupil at that level of education to have the number of books in Opon Imo, the parent or the government must be ready to spend N56, 000. But that's not the case here. If each tablet contains 56 books that would have cost either a government or par-

But in spite of that, we have devised a means to ensure that all teachers at that level will be given training on the operation of the tablet and in each school there will be a maintenance unit in which the schools themselves will manage.

ents at least N85, 680, 000, 000 but we spent just N200million.

If hard copies are N85billion plus at N1, 000 average cost per book and digital copies of the same books are N200million, which is cheaper?

So, what is cheaper to acquire: is it the hard copy or the digital copy? Which is sustainable: is it the procurement of hard copies of books every year or the procurement of Opon Imo that can last for five years? The only thing you can say is this, each child may not need 56 books in a year, and I agree with you. But you cannot deny the fact that having these books is an advantage. You can't deny that fact. Even if you reduce the books to 10 per student, the cost of that to either the government or the parent is still more than N200million. It is the most cost-effective way affording each child's assess to books wherever they are, whether in the cities or single hamlet settlements.

Laudable as this initiative is, what measures are in place to ensure continuity after you have left the scene as governor?

We will try and get a worthy successor. The people will always choose their own government.

But we are not God. But one thing is clear in human nature, nobody will leave that which is clear to something that is uncertain. In the past, human beings were not always wearing clothes; it came as the knowledge of man advanced. But since cloth came, man has refused to drop it. So if modernisation is a result of human advancement and there has not been any single advantage of that advancement, in that philosophical sense, I don't think even anybody in his normal sense will deny that which is cost-effective, which makes learning better, which gives you the access to learning, which guarantees universal access to all forms of learning to the old order which

�

is not as enduring and which does not provide for all the way this is providing for all.

So by the normal human attitude to change and advancement, there is no question about how succeeding regimes will take this. That's one. But beyond that, is the issue of expertise to operate and maintain. The workings of Opon Imo is not different from your normal GSM phone, its touch screen with finger control. The device is divided into three essential segments namely: the e-library, textbook and the virtual learning centre. The operation of the tablet is amazingly simple such that any 14-year-old can easily use.

But in spite of that, we have devised a means to ensure that all teachers at that level will be given training on the operation of the tablet and in each school there will be a maintenance unit in which the schools themselves will manage. And should there be a problem beyond the management of the school, we are going to have in nine zones, maintenance centres to attend to intractable challenges.

To reduce downtime to reduce any challenge any student will have. We have deployed units of the tablets to three schools and I've not heard any extraordinary issue. The way the youngsters have taken to the tablet is amazing because it's as if their heads have been programmed for it. They are amazing in their knowledge of the tablets.

If you listened to my speech during the introduction, I said not just the software will be produced here but the hardware will be assembled here too.

The demand for the tablet outside the state is expected to be heavy within the next three years and I think will cover the entire state of the federation.

What Opon Imo guarantees is that wherever the students are they can learn; whether in the school, at home, on the farm, on the field, inside the car, inside the bus, inside the taxi, everywhere and anywhere.

Opon Imo has huge potentials. The capacity of the device is limitless, it's a vital tool. It can also be used for religious education and anti-terrorism training for instance. All we need to do is to get scholars to produce the right content that would be used to assist the almajiris to learn and others as well.

What is Osun doing to promote agriculture?

What we have done in agriculture is more than what we have done in other sectors.

The three cardinal points of this administration are centred on agriculture intervention and is foodbased. It is our major concern in agriculture. We created an omnibus programme, ORIS, communist agriculture. Our administration is just a fly by night administration. Our programmes are integrated.

You once said that the state was ready to grant tax holidays to investors who are interested in investment in agriculture. Has the state recorded any success along that line?

Outside Lagos, I don't see any other government that has been able to attract more investment in the last few years. We have three companies now that have come on board in line with our incentives.

There is the garment factory that our intervention has brought. It is the largest garment factory in Nigeria. There is RLB, which is a company from Ghana, that produces telephone handsets, laptops, desktops. They have commissioned their plant here.

This was possible as a result of our bold initiative.

Hospitality industry is growing daily. Since we assumed office, the influx of people in the state has improved substantially in the state.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Politics

N

IGERIA's political history is replete with monuments of willful resistance to change by the powers that be.

The colonial office, through crookery and other obnoxious means strove to stop the nationalists from fighting for independence. Truth became a victim as nothing was too sacred to trample upon by the rampaging colonialists. At the end of the day, the will of God for the country came into manifestation.

Did the civilians in the First Republic learn any lesson from the fall of colonialism? Not at all!

They too unleashed terror on the opposition. With time, terror confronted terror, and, "Wetie" and other skirmishes led to the collapse of that republic. The rest is history. Students of medieval history knows too well that without renaissance, the world would have remained in the dark, no wonder change, though often confronted, remains the only constant decimal in global political calculus.

It was in line with this pedigree that the Nigerian League of Democrats met in Asaba, the Delta State capital, to discuss the current crisis in Rivers State.

As Uthman Dan Fodio rightly put it, conscience is an open wound, only the truth can cure it. The Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, out of concern for the Nigeria project has reminded President Goodluck Jonathan and the presidency to be careful lest they unwittingly foster unpleasant political heist on Rivers State.

He rightly pointed attention to the insecurity in the north, which is sufficient for discerning leaders to know that it could be dangerous for anyone that as Nigeria sits on the precipice, heating the system further could lead to anarchy.

The Nigeria Democratic League is united with the Nobel Laureate to aver that bickering and parochialism are no solutions to the crisis staring Nigeri-

•Adebanjo, National Coordinator, Nigeria League of Democrats

•Amaechi

River crisis: Spanner in the wheel? ans in the face now. Already, factionalisation based on some political jobbers' penchant for •Bush fanning the embers of vendetta has already divided the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The league is of the same mind with Prof Soyinka and all peace loving Nigerians that enough is enough on unnecessary political belly aching and the dangerous fanning of schism among the good people of Rivers State and, well, in all parts of the

By Olu Ayela country, should stop forthwith.

All apostles of politics as it was in the beginning should realise that change, when it must come, will come whether people like it or not. The Nigerian League coordinators are eagle-eyed across the country to document the activities of interlopers, beating their chests as leaders of our people. These people wherever they are or no matter their privi-

leged pedigree should, however, note that every day, the pot goes into the well to draw water, but one day its bottom will drop. It is a simple arithmetic.

The League officers have observed that the opinion of many Nigerians that the presidency and its cohorts plan to rubbish Governor Rotimi Amaechi's good work in Rivers State cannot succeed. This accounts for the riddle in the election at the Governors Forum, in which Amaechi re-

tained his seat as chairman, and yet the presidency is said to be backing the Jonah Jang faction.

Any discerning Nigerian who has visited Rivers State of late will realise that Amaechi would be difficult to put aside.

What is democracy other than giving the electorate good roads, food on the table, peaceful environment to work and creating gainful employment for the people.

In all of these, Amaechi is a champion any day. The construction and expansion of roads, awards of overseas scholarship to indigenes, establishment of modern health facilities, building and equipping schools are just a few on the list of this populist governor.

Critical to Nigeria's development is the need for power to shift to the north in 2015. It is incumbent on the north too to ensure that an experienced, trusted and detribalised leader emerges from their ranks come 2015. This recommendation is germane to promote fairness and equity across the land.

The League is also of the opinion that non-performing political office holders should not hold the electorate to ransom because Nigerians are already warming up for a change and there is no stopping them.

The fanning of schism in the nation is a call up to progressive elements to come together and give Nigeria, the land flowing with milk and honey, but which has continued to bring forth sour grapes a break, the right leadership.

It is not too late for the progressives to perish whatever has caused them bitter acrimonies in the past. Let them shun 'I and I' and other dividing tendencies and unite to liberate our people from the shackles of modern slavery and pervasive servitude.

Ayela is a veteran journalist, based in Lagos.

PDP 'rebel' governors and third force option • Continued from Page 19

suspension, the PDP governors opposed to him are still unrelenting in calling for his ouster, accusing Tukur of running the party like his personal estate.

The third force option The 'rebel' PDP governors are not taking chances in their battle with the president and Tukur, The Nation has learnt.

Aware that attempts will be made by the Presidency to castrate them politically in the run-down to the 2015 general elections, impeccable sources revealed that the governors are working on several options to frustrate this plan and stay relevant before and after the next elections.

Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, alluded to this fact a few days ago during a media briefing.

He declared: "This party (PDP) belongs to all of us. It does not belong to the governors; it does not belong to the president and it doesn't belong to the party chairman or anybody. We have invested so much in the party and I don't think any governor is thinking of leaving this party, but if you are suspended, dismissed or expelled, of course there are no

• Amaechi

• Kwankwanso

• Wamakko

options."

The first option, it was learnt, is get Tukur out and if possible hijack the party's structures from loyalists of the president and in the likelihood that this plan fails to sail through, the governors have allegedly resolved to work against the president at the 2015 PDP presidential primaries.

The Presidency may have got wind of this plan, necessitating a recent statement credited to the PDP Board of Trustees chair, Chief Anthony Anenih, that the president would be offered an automatic ticket as the party's presidential candidate.

Criticism of this plan particularly from northern

stakeholders notwithstanding, The Nation, however, learnt that the PDP leadership, backed by support from the Presidency, may go ahead with it.

Another option on the table is for the governors to form another political party to further their political aspirations.

If this plan works out, the new party will serve as a 'third force' to challenge the dominance of the PDP and the yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress (APC).

This option also has its drawbacks, according to a source close to one of the governors.

According to him, time factor may scuttle this plan, as the period between now and the next

election is considered as rather too short to put the party in the consciousness of Nigerians.

Also being considered by the governors is to move en masse from PDP and join the emerging APC. Leaders of APC are allegedly mounting pressure on these PDP governors to join the new party, while allegedly assuring them of equal stakes in the party.

A few weeks ago, the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the three major parties fusing into APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, met with Governor Kwankwaso in Kano,

21

in what a source said was part of the ongoing plan to woo formidable politicians into APC. The last option according to The Nation's findings is for the governors to remain in PDP, work for the party in every election for elective offices, except the presidential election.

Battle for 2015 presidency For most northern governors and politicians, nothing short of the region clinching the Presidency in 2015 would be good enough.

In his post-mortem of the NGF election and its likely implication on the 2015 presidency, Kwankwaso was quoted at his media briefing thus: "Let me say that we are northerners and I think we should be consulted on what we need. Some people have decided that we should take the chairmanship of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

"That is not our choice; we know what we want and we are not expecting anybody to choose for us. We should choose for ourselves. I think that point should be clarified."

It remains to be seen how these calculations from the 'rebel' governors will shape the post-2015 direction of politics in Nigeria.

22

Politics

Against the backdrop of its claim that it is now the party to beat in Ogun State ahead of the 2015 governorship election, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, examines the chances of the Labour Party (LP) in the forthcoming election.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Ogun 2015: Is Labour Party really a threat?

A

LHAJI Rafiu Ogunleye, a former deputy governor in the state and a politician from the eastern senatorial district of Ogun State, recently spoke about the possibility of the Labour Party (LP) defeating the Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N) in the 2015 poll in Ogun State.

The pronouncement sums up the feeling within the camp of the relatively new LP in Ogun State. Ogunleye is the known leader of the party in the state. But the statement elicited resentment from the ruling AC N which described such as mere wishful thinking.

Indeed, the LP is sparing no effort in its quest to announce itself as a serious contender in the politics of the state ahead of the 2015 general election. With claims of mass defection into its fold by members of other political parties in the state, leaders of the party seek to create the impression that it is being seen as an alternative.

But pundits and politicians say the party may not have what it takes to dislodge the ruling party just as the AC N says the LP cannot offer the people of the state anything as it is a party peopled by disgruntled mischief makers who are fond of playing politics with development issues.

Before now, much couldn't be said of the LP in the politics of Ogun State other than it fielded Chief Jide Awosedo as its gubernatorial candidate during the last election and came a distant fourth in the race.

Senator Lekan Mustapha who flew the party's flag in Ogun East senatorial district also lost woefully.

Awosedo and Mustapha remained the biggest political figures to be associated with LP in the state until a few weeks back when Ogunleye led some aggrieved members of the ruling party into the party (LP) and emerged as its new leader and financier.

They were soon joined by a splinter group within the Otunba Gbenga Daniel's (OGD) faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) allegedly led by the former governor's political son and gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in the state, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka.

Indications that Isiaka may have pitched his tent with the LP came to light during his 51st birthday ceremony at his home in the Ibara Government Reservation Area, GRA, Abeokuta, the state capital.

Labour Party members and officials, led by party chairman in the state, Olabode Simeon, and secretary, Sunday Oginni, witnessed the event, where posters and leaflets of LP were being distributed to guests.

Isiaka's supporters from both Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) participated in the distribution of the LP campaign materials When asked by our reporter if the presence of the LP chieftains symbolises his next political move, Isiaka said, "my friend, you can see things for yourself, but I will speak at the appropriate time." He is yet to deny or confirm his membership of the LP in spite of rumours surrounding his alleged romance with the party.

Rumours are also rife that OGD himself may have made up his mind to dump the PDP for the LP to re-launch and actualise his failed dream of installing Isiaka as Governor of Ogun State during the 2015 governorship election.

According to sources, OGD has convinced himself that the only way he can ensure the election of his long-time associate, is to repeat the 2011 experiment of moving his supporters from the PDP to another party, this time the LP. Other PDP heavyweights who are rumoured to be preparing to dump their party

•Amosun

•Daniel and join the LP in the state include Alhaji Sarafa Ishola, Chiefs Jubril Martins Kuye, Alani Bankole, Hon. Biodun Akinlade, Tunde Alabi and Waliu Taiwo. But beyond the rumours, none of the named politicians has come out to confirm their membership of the party.

The Nation learnt that the movement to the LP is not a generally accepted one even among political associates of OGD. While some are currently boasting that the impending move will signal their return to power, others are strongly expressing their objection to the purported defection.

But the party says it will spring a surprise in 2015. According to Ladi Adebutu, one of the leaders of the party, seventy per cent of the electorate in Ogun State will actually support and vote the Labour Party in 2015.

"I can tell you that all the 20 local governments of this state, particularly the three local governments of Remo (Sagamu, Ikenne andRemo North), the effect will be very well-felt.

"I am not the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). I have not conducted the counting, but I know the number of people will be enough to make the difference between winning and losing at an election situation.

"We have eighteen months or thereabouts to the 2015 elections and I can assure you that in the next ninety days, it will be clear to everybody that Ogun State is a Labour Party state," he said.

But Adebutu's claim has received knocks from many quarters. In the opinion of Akin Adegbite, state treasurer of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the LP is no threat to the ruling party ahead of the 2015 general election.

"We have on our hand a band of propagandists who think they can fool all the people at all times. Isn't that funny? You can only fool some people at some times. Not all people at all times. I hear of thousands and millions defecting to LP in Ogun State.

Where are the defectors?

"In my own view, the LP is just making noise so as to attract some attention to it. The party lacks any known credible leader. Most annoying is the fact that all the people they claimed have joined their party are yet to publicly confirm being members of LP. How can a political party exist on rumours?

"Scavenging for disgruntled members of other political parties to beef up your own unknown party cannot win election anywhere in the world. Politics is serious business and should be seen as such. When

a party declares millions of members on the pages of newspapers and have nothing to show for it on its registers, then such party is unserious," Adegbite countered.

In his own opinion, a chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the state, Deinde Ifarajimi, said the LP is not on ground in Ogun State. According to him, it is strange that a party that is actually unknown to the voters is making so much noise ahead of a crucial election.

"I am even beginning to suspect foul play in the whole thing. I think this is a ploy by the ruling party to deceive serious opposition parties into relaxing and thinking that the LP can truly confront Amosun and the AC N. "Otherwise, I don't see anything on ground to suggest that LP can win even a councillorship seat anywhere in Ogun State.

Those following them should be prepared to labour in vain.

"There is no way a handful of disgruntled politicians who left their various parties sadly will converge in one new party and immediately win the governorship. They are strange bedfellows and soon, they will start bickering and fighting over crumbs. That is when all their lies will crumble.

"I want to see OGD, Osoba, MartinsKuye, Akinlade, Oladunjoye, Remmy Hassan, Adijat Oladapo, Salmon Adeleke, Job Akitan, John Obafemi and others they claim have joined them line up and declare for LP publicly. Until then, I will not waste my time discussing the chances of the party in the governorship election. How can they win? Where are the people to campaign for them? There is no LP in Ogun State for now," he declared.

The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Engr. Bayo Dayo, also rated the LP low when he described the party as a mushroom party without any electoral value among the people of Ogun State.

"They ought to have learnt their lessons when they went to the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in the last general election and lost woefully. They should know that the popularity of their principal, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is waning by the day and it is better they retrace their steps back into the PDP. "Daniel wants a party that has no structure on ground like the Labour Party which he can hijack and manipulate as he likes, reminiscent of what he did in the PPN. It would be politically suicidal for him to repeat the same mistake he made when he misled his associates to the PPN," he said.

For the AC N, there is no reason for it to be scared of the LP or any other party at that because the people of the state appreciate the ongoing developmental projects in the state. Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the LP is ignorant and its leadership has lost touch with the people, and as such cannot be a threat to the ruling party.

He said the ongoing infrastructural development programme was a response to the inadequacy and old-fashioned state of the facilities, many of which have not witnessed government touch in the last 20 years.

"The 16 road projects being constructed across the state is an attempt by the Amosun administration to modernise our state and prepare it for the envisaged role as the investors' destination. That is why we have set a standard for our roads to be six-lane with accompanying road furniture.

"The administration has also been very frugal and transparent in the award of its contracts. We can boldly say that with the quality of roads that we are constructing, nobody can fault our contract costing. Our people know what they want and who is serving their interest. They will not listen to mischief makers who are pretending to be critics," Olaniyonu said.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Politics

Political

ripples

B

Politics of Okorocha's attack

T

HE recent attack on the convoy of Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, in Oguta by some protesting youths is still generating ripples in the state.

An unconfirmed report has it that the protest was allegedly masterminded by an unnamed senator and key leaders of an opposition party in the state.

Okorocha had visited the area to inspect some ongoing projects, but in the thinking of his opponents, the visit was a decoy to campaign for APGA candidate, Walter Uzonwanne,

•Okorocha

who is contesting the bye election for Oguta Constituency seat in the House of Assembly. The protest, according to a source, is to portray the governor as unpopular in the area.

•Oghiadome

Still on Ekweremadu and Enugu governorship

T

•Ekweremadu

HE last seems not to have been heard on the controversy surrounding the zoning of the 2015 governorship in Enugu State to the Nsukka zone.

A few weeks ago, Governor Sullivan Chime stirred the hornet nest when he declared that it was the turn of the Nsukka zone to produce the governor in 2015. But the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, rumoured to be interested in taking over from Chime has denied knowledge of the zoning policy.

And just a few days ago, a pressure group, Greater Awgu Forum, said it is the URN of the zone (not Nsukka) to produce the next governor. Ekweremadu hails from Greater Agwu. It remains to be seen how this controversy will be resolved.

Aftermath of S' West PDP endorsement of Jonathan

A

few days ago, key leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West met in Lagos. At the end of the meeting, they reportedly endorsed President Goodluck Jonatham for a second term in office.

Instructively, some prominent members loyal to expresident, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, like the party's former National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola exGovernors Olusegun Oni, Adebayo Alao-Akala, to mention but a few, stayed away. This development, observers noted, is another clear indication that the party will be contesting the 2015 general elections as a fractured entity.

•Obi

Will Obi endorse Obaze?

S

•Jonathan

Political Politics

Is Oghiadome warming up for Edo governorship?

Y virtue of his position as the Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, there is no doubt that Oghiadome is a major political force in Edo State. Latest report indicates that the former deputy governor is allegedly interested in succeeding Governor Adams Oshiomhole, when the latter's tenure expires.

However, the COS has remained coy on this rumour, prefering to concentrate on his present duties at the seat of power.

ECRETARY to Anambra State Government, Oseoloka Obaze, has finally confirmed speculations that he would be contesting the 2014 Anambra governorship race. At a public function recently, the SSG was reported to have disclosed that his desire to succeed Governor Peter Obi is in line with the aspiration of the people of Anambra North Senatorial Zone to produce the next governor of the state.

But the big question remains whether Obi would throw his weight behind his trusted aide when crunch time comes.

23

turf

with Bolade Omonijo boladeomonijo@yahoo.com

The changing political landscape

T

HE winner in the current bid by three of the major political parties to merge into one formidable force can only be the people, the voting public. If the registration id succeeds, there would be a real choice in 2015. It could force the hands of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at throwing some dividends at the people. It would also force candidates of both parties to come up with some issues and, for once, it could be payback time.

As things stand today, the allies are stronger in many parts of the country. In the Northwest, the tendency that started to manifest at the last election has come full circle.

Clearly, the governors, representing the dominant tendencies in Jigawa, Sokoto, Kano and Kebbi States, all currently controlled by the PDP, have spoken eloquently.

Their voices have not been muffled. Alhaji Sule Lamido of Jigawa was not stingy in declaring how the voting at the Nigerian Governors Forum went. He named the nine PDP governors who voted against Jonah Jang, the president's choice who also got the backing of the party establishment.

The governors dared Jang and Tukur and, when the party attempted to bare a non-existent fang, they threatened to prove that politics remains a game of numbers. The suspension of Wamakko had to be rescinded shamefacedly.

It is a forerunner of what to expect in the days ahead.

The Northwest is dead against a second-term Jonathan presidency and has shown that it would throw everything into the battle.

This is coming after the northeast had demonstrated that it would go with any other party but PDP. A political history of the region which follows its traditional history indicates that PDP may have lost its hold forever.

In 1999, the Northern opposition party All Peoples Party won in Borno, Yobe and Gombe States. The PDP won in the rest. Earlier, in 1991, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was victorious at the polls in Borno, Yobe and Taraba States, while the National Republican Convention (NRC) was consoled with control of Bauchi and Adamawa. In the Second Republic, the Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) controlled Borno (now Borno and Yobe) and Gongola (now Adamawa and Taraba States), leaving Bauchi (now Bauchi and Gombe).

The upcoming All Progressives Congress (APC), if it plans well and devices a winning formula, is poised to benefit from the anti-PDP feelings in the two far Northern states, more so in the Northeast where the people are naturally progressive. A division in the conservative bloc would therefore be a blessing to the new party.

Unless there is an earthquake before 2015, the doors to the Southwest are shut against Jonathan and his party. The region is the bedrock of progressive politics and merely strayed from the line for a while following a perception that the Alliance for Democracy, and later the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) are too narrow to pose any threat to the national ruling party.

The PDP remains dominant in the Northcentral, Southsouth and the Southeast. However, the APC is waxing stronger in the Northcentral with the support it has in Niger and Kwara States. The weal leadership being provided by Jonah Jang in Plateau makes it vulnerable.

At no point in the contemporary political history of Nigeria is the opposition party in a strong position to displace the ruling party than the APC is now. Contrary to the sentiments expressed by President Jonathan that the party should win in 23 states in the general elections of 2015, the party is certainly much weaker today than it was in 2011. Then, many voted along lines dictated by sectarian values. He won even in the Southwest. But, with some unguarded utterances from him and failure to perform to the expectation of the people, it is very unlikely that he would benefit from such primordial sentiments this time.

My interest in the direction victory would go in 2015 stems from the need to cure the polity of the dangerous ailment, impunity. True, it could be said that most of those on the political scene today were raised together.

However, it has been shown that the environment means much in politics. Whoever emerges a leader in the Southwest, for example, is moved to shout the Awo slogan and thus influenced by the tradition. This is so in the current dispensation.

I am convinced that a displacement of the PDP from the centre could only promote development as the succeeding administration would realise that the same treatment could be meted to it by the electorate if it fails the test.

• Contin

24

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

THE SUNDAY INTERVIEW

‘Our leaders have lost moral authority’

Philip Asiodu has held different positions at various times in the country but not many are aware of his dexterity in cracking jokes. Before the commencement of this interview with INNOCENT DURU, he showed his skill in cracking jokes and spoke about his wish for Nigeria before he exits to the world beyond. Excerpts:

•Asiodu them. We also have the Oxford and Cambridge Club here in Lagos and London. I belong to both. I have been able to keep socially meeting people that you like and that has been extremely useful.

Your profile shows you are a man of many achievements but given the opportunity to turn back the hand of time, is there any part of your life you would want to amend?

Strictly looking at it, I have been fairly lucky and fortunate in the decisions I took. There is no part of my life that I really regret.

It is true when I was in school; I thought I might engage more actively in political matters. Therefore I chose that I would try to become a lawyer because as a lawyer you could still have time for politics. If I became a doctor, I thought it may not give me time.

So when I first went to Oxford to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics I was expecting that at the end of that I would do Law, come back as a lawyer and be able to practise the profession of law and also have time to engage in politics.

But as I drew nearer to the time of graduation and saw the way politics was developing, it was no longer of much interest to me. Although when I left Oxford I went to London with the intention to study Law but when the British were leaving, Nigeria had to have a diplomatic service and they advertised for people to come in as trainees for the foreign service. I applied, I was interviewed and accepted and I gave up the idea of reading Law and came back as one of the 12 pio-

“

The behaviour in office of then seeking to cover that money leads to massive corruption.

So when the signal coming from the top is that anybody can take as much as possible as he likes from the coffers of the state and flaunt it, it doesn’t give you the moral authority to tell the people to be patient

“

Y

OU will be 80 years old in a few months time but you really look agile and far younger than your age. What is the magic behind this?

I am glad to hear that I look younger than my age.

Thank you very much. First you thank God if you are not born with some genetic disease that might worry you. Next is to acquire early enough good habits like eating moderately, if you drink, drink moderately. Then obey the rules of hygiene. Keep as clean as you can and exercise yourself so that you don’t become too fat because the body must maintain a balance. When you become too obese you over task your heart. For every extra pound of kilogramme more capillaries, your heart has to work harder to push blood to all those parts of the body. There used to be this American doctor who tried to counsel people that were a bit over fat. He would ask them ‘would you imagine putting the engine of a Volkswagen beetle to drag a nine-seater Cadillac? Try to avoid needless obesity, work hard enough, play well, take exercises but learn to sleep enough. If one may add, because these days with our processed food which is not as good as the natural food which our elders used to eat, people sometimes look at suggestions by dieticians and doctors about taking vitamin supplements especially anti-oxidants like vitamin A. People think you have to be a very old man before you can use it but quite early in the middle age, you supplement dieting with recommended supplements. I think it is simply all about doing things moderately.

How has life been after your retirement from public service; how do relax and do you socialise?

I told you that we were brought up in this tradition where games and athletics were as important as or even more important than academic work. While in school, I played and represented the school in cricket, tennis, squash, and hockey. After leaving school, one played a little of cricket in clubs but, after sometime, became too busy to participate in sports and games involving so many people. You can’t hold 21 people waiting because you couldn’t finish your meeting in the office and of course you grow older. So gradually, one played no more cricket, one played no more hockey but one kept to playing tennis and squash and when because of developing arthritis, one couldn’t play squash and tennis anymore, I moved on to golf. I started my public service career in a foreign office. If you are a games’ man and you go to the cricket club or squash club, you make friends easily. Even after retirement I kept playing tennis and occasional squash but now I play golf. I was a member of Island Club, Ikoyi Club, one goes there occasionally and we have Kings’ College Old Boys Association, I associate with

neers of the Nigerian Foreign Service. It is possible that if my father had not died when I was 16 years, he might have influenced me to be a lawyer. If I were a lawyer, I probably would have gone to the root of private practice and politics but he died just about when I was about to take school certificate and he was the only person who could have influenced my decision. Looking back really, there is nothing to regret about myself. Thoroughly, I enjoyed myself as a young boy born in Lagos in February 1934. Before I became conscious, my father who was a Customs Officer was transferred to Calabar. Calabar was where I became conscious, started schooling, learnt to read and write Efik as my first language and ten years later he was transferred back to Lagos.

At what point did you find love, especially getting married to somebody outside your tribe at a time inter tribal marriage was not common?

(Cuts in) Not so uncommon. I married in 1964 December. Asaba people have been pioneer civil servants if you like. Even in the census of 1961, the two towns with the greatest numbers of pensioners were Abeokuta and Asaba. Throughout the Warri province, Asaba people were the first teachers. Being literate people they were among the first civil servants. They were found everywhere; you would find them in the Customs, in the P & T . It was one Nigerian civil service and you could be transferred from Lagos to Calabar. My father served in Lagos, he served in Burutu and Calabar. Asaba people, because they were posted to all these places, many of them had wives from there. If you go to Asaba today, there is no language that you speak that somebody would not answer you. Inter marriage was not so unusual especially in the south but in our own case, you grow up somewhere, you go to school, you socialise with people around, your father was literate, so you grow up in a sort of cosmopolitan atmosphere where people visiting you were not confined to tribes. In a place where you grow up, you may pick up an association that may lead to marriage later. In short, there was in the background, approach to life, I am a Roman Catholic same with my parents, my wife also came from a Catholic family so in terms of religion there was an affinity. Although I speak Asaba because my parents came from there, I have never really lived in Asaba so the chances of finding a damsel there when it came to marriage, geographically, was not that easy.

You took a shot at the presidency in 1999. Why have you become so inactive politically?

Well one is 79 years old and who am I going to appeal to? The younger ones will say ‘this old man should go and sit down his time •Continued on Page 25

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

THE SUNDAY INTERVIEW

•Continued from Page 24 has passed’ or they may say that we created problems for them. But more importantly what are the conditions of politicking today?

Unfortunately the 1999 constitution insists that you cannot be a candidate except a political party sponsors you. There is no provision for independent candidacy and as far as I am concerned there is no proper political party in Nigeria today. Properly defined, a political party has a manifesto. It says this is what I want the country to be. It cannot tell you that I am going to power to loot the state or to enrich myself. It has to say I am going to power because when we implement our policies, the nation will develop and the people will be happier. There is no party today with that; they are not issues oriented. They are simply cabals for selecting people for office. That system must be changed. What are their demands for you to be their candidate; to come and take a form for N50million.

Even in my days trying to campaign, I fixed a meeting in Asaba, Delta State for 11 o’clock in the morning. There’s no point from Delta in those days you would not reach Asaba if you left your house by 8o’clock that you would not reach there before 11 and I made sure the meeting would end before 3 o’clock so that they could go home on time. Even the man in Igbuzor that is 20 minutes from the meeting would say I should send money for transport and money for hotel accommodation. You see what we have become?

In my days as a student, I used my pocket money to go to Glover Memorial Hall to listen to Zik. Now we are saying that a man coming 10 minutes away from the venue of a meeting is saying send me money for hotel. The cost of seeking political office is too high and compounds corruption; we would have to address it.

Secondly, parties must become issues oriented. Planning, like I said earlier, is important. We abandoned planning effectively after the coup of 1975. Never mind jokes we cracked about holding plans which were never respected.

Now we are again trying to say we believe in planning but like I showed recently in a comparison of statistics of budget allocation in 2010 to 2012 compared with the planned provision of the planning estimate, you will find that the allocation in vital sectors like education, infrastructure, productive sector hovered around 36 percent. The allocation to the assembly was about 647 percent. That just shows we have not accepted the discipline of planning. If we could have a situation now on which parties could build their manifestoes on the desire for Nigeria to become what we said it should be in 2020, and let the partisan competition be which party can deliver it quicker, then you are back to issues. I am disappointed that we are talking about forming APC to challenge the PDP, but on what basis.? Some people want to replace some people. I have not seen a party that comes out to say Nigeria’s approach to governance must change; we believe in good governance. First we believe in re- arranging allocation of resources so that capital projects led by education, health and infrastructure take the majority and they get 60 percent. We now believe that the cost of governance must be reduced, therefore these are the salaries which would apply to party offiUnfortunately cials, apply to party members in the 1999 constiexecutive ministers and apply to the legislatures. We establish career tution insists long training pattern but merit and that you cannot productivity would be the yard stick of promotion. If we can do be a candidate this and remove this question that you can only be a candidate if you except a political are sponsored by a political party, party sponsors remove this question of paying money from public purse to politi- you. There is no cal parties automatically and if we must, go to the German model provision for inwhereby a party has to win a minidependent canmum percentage of votes to qualify didacy and as for any public support so that you are limiting the number of people far as I am conwho can say I am a party. If we do cerned there is these things, we must encourage people of talents, of good pedigree, no proper politipeople who have gone through a good educational system which cal party in Niemphasises honesty and integrity, geria today. people who are not hungry, people who are not looking for public ofProperly defice in order to survive, we must fined, a political then encourage them to participate in politics. It would be too late for party has a me but I will be happy to see that manifesto situation because it will then give me the comfort of knowing that Nigeria will be on the mend so that my children and more particularly, my grandchildren do not have to be sentenced to a life of being economic fugitives.

How do you wish to be remembered?

Me? Well, how do I want to be remembered? We are not the type of people Nigeria remembers a lot. As I said, one has enjoyed a reasonably good life. I was able to come to a Nigeria which could give you good education, I was able to go to the best educational institutions, I have enjoyed my career. I will just like to be remembered as a Nigerian who had hoped that before he disappears Nigeria would have helped to restore the respect for the black man which we lost with the introduction of the Atlantic slave trade in the 16th century. Unfortunately, we thought we could have done that by the end of the 20th century but we have not. I hope that before I go, the basis would be laid and good governance will return to Nigeria so that at least latest by 2050 we would have been able to do for the black man what the Japanese did for the yellow man in 19th century.

They restored them to international respect. Then I will be remembered as one of those little public servants who tried to contribute to creating the basis for this renaissance You worked with many leaders in the country from the pre independence era to the post- independence era. Which of these leaders would you want to work with again if given the opportunity and why would you?

Well that would be a negative way of putting it. I would rather

to work with him. Of course when he was removed in 1975, quite soon around September of the same year, I was asked to retire, of course with full benefits. I was asked to retire in public interest. But before they went public, I must say, the chief of staff supreme headquarters, the secretary to the government and I think the IGP, three leading members of the supreme military council, called me and said ‘you have to retire because you can’t fit in into the new image of the permanent secretary that we want’. May be they were correct because I was brought up in a tradition where you spoke the truth on the basis of objective data you could gather; you did not doctor your recommendations to suit any whims or caprices. You honestly told government what the options were. You made suggestions but it was left to them to take the decisions and once the decisions were taken, it was my duty to implement it faithfully and that I did. I would not have liked the situation in which civil servants were not allowed to say clearly, objectively and fearlessly what they thought was correct. They were correct because I couldn’t fit into that image, so I retired with the pension of the time.

After my retirement, I was able to go into private sector, do one or two investments and on the basis of my reputation in service I was invited to serve on the boards of a number of multinational companies. So in terms of personal comfort, probably I was better off, but in terms of satisfaction as a Nigerian and in terms of satisfaction as an instrument for positive change, of course my career was truncated. I believe that if we had continued on that path of development and if the abrupt coup of 1975 did not end the Gowon regime, I think we might have been able to influence the general to go through an orderly handover to the civilians more or less on the Brazilian pattern. With the destruction of the public service which happened after I was removed when 10, 000 people were retired even from states which didn’t have enough civil The mass purge of servants. Newly created people that needed states were even forced to even bring people for re- not to be purged as it tirement. They retired people who were obeying was established later rules correctly. I didn’t when Monsignor mind if I as permanent secretary and few others Pedro Matins was associated with top policy asked to look into it suggestions and implementation were asked to he found out that go. But for them to go bemore than 95 percent low us and retire deputy perm sec, senior assistant of those that were perm sec; people who retired should not were obeying lawful orders, some of whom were have retired if due being recommended on process was well the basis of excellent performance, that followed. That demoralisation, that injustice has impacted so badly destroyed the morale on subsequent developand the fearlessness ment in Nigeria.

In essence, you are of the public saying that there is none servants. of the leaders you worked with that you cannot work with again?

As a civil servant as I said, I worked quite happily under Balewa, under Ironsi, under Gowon and then I retired.

Subsequently, briefly in 1983 I now came back not as a civil servant but as an economic adviser under President Shehu Shagari. Shagari had good intention but unfortunately a bit too lenient to some errant ministers in his first term. In fact as a private adviser, I know that we made some presentations to him to remove some of them but he didn’t. He waited until the second administration and in his second administration, in selecting the people, the guidelines he gave for the functions of government were quite clear that he was determined to give us an excellent administration. Under the 1979 constitution the president was entitled to seven special advisers, two for the vice president and two for him. In selecting those seven only two were from the north. He wasn’t going to play the politics of just taking anybody putting him there. Every memo under his new guideline had to indicate that the ministry of economic planning had contributed to it. In short he was going back to planning and observing the discipline of planning. The abandonment of two principles has left Nigeria in the unfortunate situation we have found ourselves today. I was quite happy to work with President Shagari but it was very brief. Then later on in 1992 -1993, when things were so bad and the people were crying out, General Babangida was obliged to form the transitional council under Chief Ernest Shonekan and selected quite a number of people based on past technocratic records to be part of that transitional council. I went in as secretary for petroleum and mineral resources. I thought we were meant to serve for at least 18 months. My understanding was that we were supposed to be the people to organise election for a succeeding civilian administration but we would not be candidates so that there would not be question of conflict of interests. If we were able to do 18 months of implementing more or less civilian administration and were seen to supervise genuine free election, then the take-off into democracy would have been smoother. That did not happen and it was unfortunate.

In your early days and some few years ago this country was never like this. Where in your opinion did we get it wrong?

If we come to the latest situation, that destruction of the public service in 1975, the mass purge of people that needed not to be purged as it was established later when Monsignor Pedro Matins was asked to look into it he found out that more than 95 percent of those that were retired should not have retired if due process was well followed. That destroyed the morale and the fearlessness of the public servants.

A good number of these people that were prematurely retired had no resources anywhere. They thereby enthroned the principle of make hay while the sun shines which is a euphemism for corrup•Continued on Page 66

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be more positive and say that while in school, we used to take our pocket money to go and listen to late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe talking about freedom, and African renaissance and Nigeria being a vanguard of African renaissance. He was a leader who considered himself as a citizen of the world, preaching that Africa must resume the respect that it had before. I am still inspired by that kind of idea and when you met somebody like Dr Azikiwe, he was urbane, friendly and at home with you. When I became permanent secretary in 1965, it was before him I swore an oath of allegiance. Later on, I had the opportunity in the time of General Gowon when eventually politicians were brought into the cabinet after the military coup because after the January military coup when Ironsi became the supreme commander, the army did not want politicians in the cabinet. In fact, they wanted perm secs to assume that title but we said no. No ministers were appointed, so permanent secretaries played their old roles of coordinating inputs for policy, preparing council memoranda for policies which the ministers under the civilian regime then took to cabinet and when decisions were taken the permanent secretary was responsible for coordinating the resources of men, material and money in the ministries to implement decisions of government. That was quite fulfilling. Now with no ministers, permanent secretaries presented the memoranda themselves to the supreme military council and when decisions were taken, unlike when there were ministers to explain to the public the decisions of government. The permanent secretaries had to play this role and that gave us an unusual exposure to the media and the public.

One was happy working under Prime Minister Balewa who was the leader of the federal government. Later on briefly, Ironsi was in power for about six months. He left the civil service intact and we were able to play our roles. After him General Gowon came along; very fair minded, genuinely patriotic, wishing to do his best for Nigeria. Of course his first years were difficult with the rejection of his succession to Ironsi by Ojukwu, the attempted succession, the civil war and the attempt to have reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction after the civil war then unfortunately for him, he delayed handing over and was removed by a military coup. He was genuinely patriotic, he respected civil service, he genuinely listened, and took decisions to move the country forward. I was quite happy

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Politics

'Why Igbo presidency is impossible in 2015' Dr. Eddie Mbadiwe, is a member of the House of Representatives for Ideato North/South constituency, Imo State.

He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the nagging APGA crisis and the Igbo presidency project, among others.

A

s the leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the House, how do you feel about the current crisis in the party?

I am worried about the crisis because APGA by philosophy is a progressive party. The crisis is very bad for our party and our people but I believe that with time, may be this crisis will be resolved. People shouldn't believe that they are right all the time. They need to make concession at times because at the end of the day, the society is bigger than any of us. We should be thinking of what is best for our community and our people but we are not doing that at the moment.

I came from England to run for this election. I would have joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but I believe that PDP cannot move this country forward because there is no philosophy. It is like a cabal who want to see what they can get for themselves. This is not what politics is all about.

Politics is about service to the society buy PDP is a party where people are only after what they can get from the system. That is why I support the merger of some of the opposition parties into All Progressives Congress (APC). I am not saying that they are different human beings; they are the same Nigerians but let's have some different philosophies that define where we are going.

PDP doesn't know where they are going, but APC will give more stability to this country. There are too many political parties in Nigeria to have any meaningful opposition; the other parties have to merge in order to have a more formidable platform to go for power. The way they are fragmented at the moment, they can never get power, so the merger is good for the country.

But your party announced it is not involved in the merger, so which APGA do you belong to?

There are factions in APGA at the moment. There is the Governor Peter Obi's APGA, which does not believe in the merger. I think that the national chairman made a statement that APGA will not surrender its certificate which means that they are not ready to merge. There is Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State who believes in APC and held a rally recently to say that APGA Imo or APGA Rochas is now APC. I am with my governor. If Ojukwu had not died, there wouldn't have been this split in APGA. The major cause of the split was the fact that Ojukwu, who had been the rallying point, is dead. If Ojukwu had not died, I am sure APGA in the next election would have got about four states and that will give us a leverage to grow, but as the party is at the moment, if I tell you that APGA will win Anambra election, I am not being realistic because you must unite first to be able to win.

So, the crisis is very bad for our people.

How do you assess APGA government in Imo State?

The government is doing very well. I travelled home some weeks ago and the road infrastructure being put in place is wonderful but the government needs to publicise what it is doing.

What is your view on local government autonomy and internal democracy among political parties?

• Mbadiwe There is no internal democracy in all the political parties in the country; it is a major problem which must be addressed. Local government election in Nigeria is a charade. Each governor wins all the seats. Is that possible? It is not possible, and that is why I am appealing to the National Assembly to have the courage to domicile all the elections in INEC. The state electoral commissions should be scrapped because it is a waste of time and resources. All they are doing is what the governors ask them to do.

They should be completely dissolved. We cannot grow as a country if people have no confidence in the electoral process.

We need to muster courage to address this fundamental issue by scrapping all the State Electoral Commissions and put all elections under INEC. I am not saying that INEC is an angel but their performance in the last election was more credible than it used to be. It is getting better and I believe it I'll be better in future elections.

Will you vote for local government autonomy?

For me, I will vote for autonomy of the local governments. But it has both merit and demerits. Grating autonomy to the local governments may make the federal government too strong and may defeat the federal structure we have. The federal government may use the local government to subvert the

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You don't become President by wishing it, nobody gives you power; you have to take it. The Igbo have to organise themselves and come out with one voice.

When election starts, you will have between 50-60 Igbos running. In that kind of scenario, who is going to be president?

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state; it is an issue that has to be looked into critically, but there is need for the local governments to have direct allocation. In some states, the governors seize the money and give them what they feel like giving them. It requires a lot of courage; we need to do those things that are in the interest of the people.

How do you react to the

ongoing constitutional amendment process by the National Assembly?

There are quite some issues that need urgent attention; like the local government autonomy, dissolution of state electoral commissions and state creation.

Anybody that takes a critical look at this country will know that we don't need more states though there is inequality at the moment.

The south east is the only zone with five states, the rest of the zones have six states. If people want to be true and objective, the southeast should have one more state to balance the spread.

Apart from the southeast, there should no more states because they are not bringing any progress. We only have increased number of sirens and convoys and this is the money we can put into education. But the South East needs to agree in principle.

Why is the amended budget yet to be signed?

I wish I know the cause of the delay in signing the budget. I am worried because we are already in June and this is a budget that is supposed to start operating in January. All the speed we used in passing the budget and the gains have been lost. There is so much suffering in the land and I think we have a duty to look at the budget again and pass the final

budget so that the nation can move forward.

How realistic is the Igbo presidency project?

You don't become President by wishing it, nobody gives you power; you have to take it. The Igbo have to organise themselves and come out with one voice. When election starts, you will have between 50-60 Igbos running. In that kind of scenario, who is going to be president? The other groups will exploit the situation. Let us first of all organise ourselves, unite and talk to other Nigerians, make friends with them. It is not a matter of saying it is our turn, such things don't happen in politics. You have to get it by negotiations and persuasion. You have to convince other groups that other zones have had it, we have not had it, we should get it. You have to look at structures to know which party is more likely to produce the president and you ask within that structure.

In fact, that is one of the reasons I didn't join the PDP. The PDP has no regard for the Igbos. The highest Igbo man in PDP currently is the National Publicity Secretary, what is that in terms of party structure? The presidency will come naturally but it may not come in 2015 but it will come.

Can rotational presidency get Ndigbo the slot?

Rotational presidency is a recipe for disaster. What you will enthrone by that is mediocrity. I believe the president should be produced on the basis of excellence.

Let the best person run this country.

You must be well-equipped to be able to run a country like Nigeria. If you put a mediocre just because you are rotating, we will continue to slide. Let's elect presidents based on what the person has to offer and not on the basis of where they come from.

What is your score card in the House?

I was very actively involved in the election of the current Speaker of the House of Representatives and I think we made the right decision because Tambuwal has shown that the trust we placed in him is not misplaced.

The very first thing I did in the House was to sponsor a motion to censor and punish GSM providers for poor quality of service. The next motion I sponsored was an amendment of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act to make education compulsory up to SS3 because the major problem we have in this country is illiteracy. That bill has gone through the second reading and public hearing and will soon become law. If we have it as law and government ensures the enforcement of this law, we will have a different country in the next 15years.

People will understand themselves better and the issue of Boko Haram will be a thing of the past because nobody will say that western education is sin. I have awarded over 15 university scholarships and will award more this year.

We have been able to get jobs for at least 10 graduates, empowered some youths to make them self-reliant by giving them tricycles. We built community centres, dug boreholes and also got a major road which links OkigweNnewi rehabilitated.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Glamour

Kehinde Oluleye Tel: 08023689894 (sms)

E-mail: kehinde.oluleye@thenationonlineng.net

Get corset

sexy C

•Biola Alabi

ORSET has been under the radar for a while, but the corset top has made a big comeback.

This time, the look is slightly less formal and the fabric choices more unusual than in the past.

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Corset is normally lined, and moderately padded for added shape.

Corsets are also used as bridal dresses.

Corsets make lovely bridal dresses when worn appropriately and moderately. They are now so popular that today's bride can't do without them. It is the official bridal design. Not only are they a fabulous bridal dress but are extremely popular for both day and evening events.

Are you in need of a special garment for •Jennifer Olize that special occasion?

Then the romantic and sexy tube dress is just right for you!

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

A

By Aisha Adeyoola

blazer is one fashion item a woman should have in her wardrobe. It goes well with several occasions these days; it fits perfectly with jeans, gowns and any other dress you can name. However, here are ways you can jazz up any dress with a blazer.

On a Sunday: You want to go all churchy on a Sunday? A blazer with any of your favourite pants or skirt can be worn and you are good to go!

Friday nights: Partying with your girls on a Friday night is something every girl loves.

Nothing looks classier than a blazer and a pair of shorts. You can wear the blazer as a top but if you need extra convenience, you can wear a colourful tank top underneath to spice it up!

Glamour

Blazers all the

way!

Office girl?

A black blazer over a floral maxi skirt goes well for a modern look. Style it with lovely heels and you would just look chicly as ever!

•Toun AJ Blazer

•Yemi Alade

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Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Sexy Nollywood actress, Ebube Nwagbo, reveals her favourite things to Kehinde Falode.

1

Favourite bag designer Prada 2

Favourite shoes designer Giuseppe Zanotti

3

Favourite watch designer Patek Phillipe 4

Favourite Nigerian designer Tiffany Amber 5

Favourite book read lately Become a better you,

by Joel Osteen 6

Favourite perfume Boadecia the Victorious. It's a London-based luxury brand of perfume. It's exquisite!

7

Favourite skirt Short skirt.

8

Ebube’s

p o t

10

Favourite TV programme Fashion Police with Joan Rivers.

It's hilarious 9

Favourite quote ...‘Work Hard, Ball Hard’.

10

Favourite car The G Guard.

It's the latest G.wagon jeep

by Mercedes.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

Glamour

&

OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL (08033572821) raphseg2003@yahoo.com

Dignitaries honour Evans at his wedding

L

ast weekend, dignitaries across the rivers gathered at The Garden City of Port Harcourt for wedding ceremony of Evans Bipi (a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly). The wedding witnessed high attendance of political bigwigs in the country, including, Dame Patience Jonathan, former Governors of Rivers State, Peter Odili and wife, Mary Sir Rufus Ada-George, Sir. Celestine Omehia, Senator George Sekibo, Barr. Nyesom Wike, Hon. Austine Okpara, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Timi Alaibe, Alabo T.O. Douglas, Chibudom Nwuche, Chief Felix Obuah. Guests were entertained at The Civic Centre, Port Harcourt.

* The couple, Evans Bipi and wife, Rhoda

* L-R: Hajia. Bola Shagaya and Mrs. Obioma Imoke

* Dr. Peter Odili and Wife, Mary

* L-R: Dr ( Mrs ) Racheal Seriake Dickson and Dame Patience Jonathan

* Celestine Omehia Of Rivers State

* L-R: Mrs. Kema Chikwe, Mrs Magaret Alamieyeseigha and Hon. Uche Ekwunife

* L-R: Evelyn Onyilo, Mrs Toru Ofili and Linda Somiari-Stewart

* King Ebitimi Banigo Amayanabo Of Okpoama

Kolawole Oyekan Olagbemiro weds OlaoluwaTemitope Wedding of the son of the outgoing Vice Chancellor of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Prof and Mrs. Timothy Olagbemiro in Lagos City Hall, last week.

The groom, Kolawole Oyekan Olagbemiro and his Mr. Akin Oyegbile and parents of the groom, Prof. Timothy Olagbemiro, outgoing VC of Bowen University, Iwo and his wife bride, Olaoluwa Temitope (nee Onolaja) Florence.

A cross section of the family at the reception

Without any doubt, my husband is special and he is made for me. He is kindhearted and caring; and there is this aspect of him that I like: he is not a flamboyant person and very homely

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

III

ABIBAT MOGAJI 1917-2013

Abibat Mogaji: Activist as economic powerhouse

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HE has been described in many superlative terms. But a few will suffice here. For some, she is an icon of repute.

Others have also called an indefatigable woman of substance and an unrepentant defender of women rights. But of all these accolades, one that has stood the test of time is her contributions to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria.

This is the story of Alhaja Abibatu Magaji, President General of the Market Traders Association of Nigeria, who died eight days ago at the ripe age of 96.

For as many decades, Mama has been in the spotlight, surviving many civilian administrations and military regimes that have presided over the affairs of this country.

This writer's first encounter with her was in 1978 during the formal opening of Tejuosho Market. The ceremony performed by the then Military Governor of Lagos State, Navy Capt. Ndubuisi Kanu, had in attendance people of substance, including Mama Magaji.

For many traders, who were privileged to own shops in the first of its kind market, described then as the biggest in the West African sub-region, the role played by Mogaji in the construction of the edifice has remained indelible.

According to those in the know, Mama it was, who exerted enormous pressure on the state government to build a befitting market given the decrepit state of the old Tejuosho Market, which site is presently occupied by Nigeria Television Authority, Channel 10.

Though not lettered, Mogaji presided over the affairs of Nigerian market men and women in the most ingenious way.

Deploying a combination of native wisdom, tact, diplomacy and consensus building, it was no surprise that her leadership of market traders in Lagos, and by extension Nigeria, remained controversy-free for over 60 years that she held sway.

These qualities have, undoubtedly, endeared Mama to past and present Nigerian leaders at all the three tiers of government, who regarded her as an encyclopedia of Nigeria's political history.

Many Nigerians will recall an incident in the mid-80's when Nigeria's then first lady, Mrs. Maryam Babangida paid a visit to Mogaji at her residence.

Babangida told reporters that she had come not only to pay

By Abdulrasak Sani homage to Mama, but also to tap from her wisdom on how to carry out her responsibilities as the first lady. The visit, till date, has remained historic and symbolic.

In spite of her advanced age, Mogaji's doors remained open for everyone irrespective of age, status, creed or political leanings.

With her extensive influence and personality, many in Mama's shoes would have thrown their weight around. Not Mama Mogaji! She remained true to herself: humble, unassuming and not given to worldly things.

It was also to her credit that she preferred to do things which included assisting people (known and unknown to her) without making a song and dance of it. Several stories abound of how she quietly intervened on behalf of people and her colleagues who had issues with government.

For Mama, her concern for the plight of people in distress was second nature. Thousands of people reportedly benefitted from her philanthropic gestures, from providing financial assistance to setting up business concerns, offering scholarship for poor students, amongst other numerous humanitarian causes.

At the twilight of her life, which necessitated cutting down on her public outings, Mama remained as busy as ever, hosting important personalities ranging from politicians, top government officials, business moguls, to mention but a few, at her Ikeja, Lagos residence. This class of people, they had come to seek her counsel on varying issues from the mundane to the serious.

Mama had the time for everybody. Countless times, she had reportedly overruled her aides, who conscious of her age and the health implications of not having enough rest, wanted her to slow down on her activities. But expectedly she would insist that she had to attend to everybody who came to see her.

A tribute to Mama will not be complete without reference to her immeasurable contributions to the political development of this country. Since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation and even prior to that, Mama's home was a mecca

‘Mother of all’

A

LHAJA Abibat Mogaji, who much later in life became the doyen of market associations and a legendary example of courageous leadership and political activism was born on October 16, 1916. As a wife and mother, she was also a great role model. She was obedient, faithful and submissive to her husband, whom it was said, she loved dearly. Described as an epitome of motherhood, she came to be known as Iya Gbogbo (mother of all).

Alhaja Abibat not only cared for her own children, but offspring of relatives and others close to her benefited a great deal from her motherly attributes. She was a disciplinarian, never sparing the rod; she gave good upbringing to her children.

The story of Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu's early and youthful life was closely intertwined with that of his mother with whom he largely grew up. He once had this to say of her a few years previously: “My mother will share everything she has with everybody and she taught us that much. We shared. She will go hungry to give to people. Ditto my late father. When I was growing up, even though we had a large family, my family, the Tinubu family, was not poor but I was one of the poor elements. Even though the Tinubu family was not poor, my own section of the family was poor but believed in sharing. We shared everything up to some pieces of sugar. That's the truth. We grew up with such belief that we should share everything. My grandmother was called iyagbogbo mother of all. She had orphans and other people grew up with her. At her old age, my mother still has the same trait.”

Early in her life as a trader, she traded in gold and silver and some other items. In those days it was expensive to travel by bus or taxi. At times, when she had no money to undertake the long journey from the Lagos Island to Oke Odo where she usually went in pursuit of business, she would walk all the way with her son, Bola, to hawk her wares.

To become Iya Oloja, she learnt under the tutelage of her predecessor, Madam Pelewura of blessed memory.

On becoming the market leader, she plunged into the

By Taiwo Ogundipe, Associate Editor battle to have a saner market place in Lagos, championing the cause of market men and women in the state, making sure that their rights are not trampled upon while at the same time ensuring that they were not in conflict with the rules and regulations of the state. She was appointed in 2009 by the Lagos State government to chair the Lagos State Market Board.

Her influence was increasingly felt nationwide as she went on to dabble into national politics from the fifties when

Contd on page IV

of sorts for politicians of all divides, all jostling to secure her support and prayers.

These politicians realised that Mama's word was virtually law for market traders whose support for any politician can go a long way to determine his or her success at the polls.

Quietly and effectively, she deployed her organisation and mobilisation skills to support any worthy cause that she believed in. Her role in the evolution of the larger than life image of her son, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is noteworthy.

Tinubu today, is arguably, the most powerful Yoruba politician whose influence within the political sphere has been acknowledged at home and abroad.

It is also no surprise that the former Governor of Lagos State has imbibed some of the qualities of her mother, some of which include his profound generosity, unquestionable leadership acumen, great political and mobilisation skills and the ability to stay true to a cause which you believe in - a trait that is patently lacking in many of today's politicians.

How then can one celebrate a woman whose legacies would remain everlasting for many decades to come? Though she has gone to meet her maker, the outpouring of head-swelling tributes over her achievements as a trader, woman activist and politician is a clear pointer that this female icon of her time lives on.

Sani, a media consultant writes from Lagos

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

IV

ABIBAT MOGAJI 1917-2013

Scenes from her past birthday celebrations

E

IGHT days after her glorious passage, prominent Nigerians have continued to extol the sterling qualities of the President-General, Nigerian Market Men and Women, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji.

The late revered market leader was 96. Her remains were interred last Sunday at Ikoyi cemetery Lagos.

President Goodluck Jonathan led the tributes, praising Mogaji for championing the causes of market women and the poor for decades.

Jonathan, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the deceased touched lives in so many positive ways.

According to him: “President Jonathan believes that the highly revered and respected market leader, businesswoman, political activist and philanthropist will be long remembered and honoured in Lagos and across the country for her championship of the cause of market women and men as well as for her acclaimed persistence, well into old age, in defending the interests of the poor and underprivileged in society.”

Senate President, David Mark, described the matriarch as an ideal mother who contributed her quota to the peace and development of the society.

The deceased, he said, was a great businesswoman and leader whose philanthropic gesture cut across ethnic and religious boundaries.

He added that the late Mogaji would be remembered for her industry and leadership quality pointing out that she was “a great leader who brought dignity and honour in administration and purposeful management in commerce and industry in Lagos and its environs.”

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, said her death had deprived the nation of a great commercial and political pillar.

Tracing her involvement in politics from the Action Group's days, Ajimobi said the deceased left her footprints on the political terrain, especially in the mobilisation of the womenfolk, for political and development purposes could never be wished away.

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, described her as a pillar of support for many people, especially the downtrodden.

Describing Alhaja Mogaji as an “activist par excellence,” Fayemi recalled that the deceased used her position to mobilise market women to fight for their economic rights and empowerment. The governor pointed out that Alhaja Mogaji was in the forefront of women emancipation and participation in politics, especially in having a say in the election of their political leaders.

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, described the death as a monumental loss. According to him: “With her demise, the nation has lost a senior citizen who contributed her quota to the growth of the nation. Mama was a model mother, industrious woman and philanthropist who brought up her children with the fear of God. We must find some comfort in the fact that she lived to a ripe old age, seeing her children rise to prominence in the society.”

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, described the late Alhaja Mogaji as a great mobiliser for good cause, saying Lagos State and Nigeria have lost a progressive woman of distinct qualities.

He recalled how his acquaintance with Lagos State as a postgraduate student and his services in the banking sector afforded him the opportunity to appreciate the organisational power of Mogaji as the leader of the market women association.

Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, lamented the deceased died at a time she was most needed.

He added she would be missed most considering the current situation in the country, pointing out that advice from highly respected people like the late human rights activist would have made a significant positive impact.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, described the death of Alhaja Mogaji, as a big blow not only to Lagos State and market women all over Nigeria but also to Delta State which shares a close affinity with Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi, a proud daughter of Delta State.

Uduaghan recalled with nostalgia, the bond that existed between Alhaja Mogaji and Oluremi, adding that it was not surprising that apart from her husband who gave full consent for her to run as senator, the deceased stood as unrelenting motivator for the dream to be realised.

Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, in a

Deluge of encomiums for Mogaji

By Sunday Oguntola statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, said the demise of Alhaja Mogaji was a great national loss given her prominent position in the coordination and mobilisation of market women for national development.

“Mama symbolized hope for the hopeless, championed development and empowerment for the less privileged and represented inspiration for the younger generation,” Ahmed said.

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar said the death of a

mother was one of the saddest events in the life of children.

As a caregiver, protector and character moulder, Atiku said, a mother's place in the lives of her children could not be compared to anything else.

According to him, the pride of a mother was to see her children grow up as responsible adults that realized their dreams or aspirations.

He said the late Mogaji's pride was to leave behind children who were determined to make their marks in life.

PRONACO spokesman, Olawale Okunniyi, described Mogaji as one of the few women in Nigeria, who inspired the democratic struggles of the Nigerian people.

Okunniyi said Abibatu Magaji would be remembered for her consistent support and prayers for the progressive movement and the struggles to entrench democratic order in Nigeria.

He said: “We will live to remember mama's doggedness and regular prayers for us in our various endeavours to entrench democracy in Nigeria. Mama was also the strongest mobilising factor for women during the PRONACO Peoples' National Conference between 2004 and 2007.”

Former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, stated her death has made Nigeria poorer in quality counsel.

He noted the tremendous support the deceased gave him and other successive governors of Lagos State.

“Between 1994 and 1996 when I was the military administrator of Lagos State, Alhaja Mogaji as the head of market men and women was virtually a mother to me. Her counsel and support in those turbulent political days were very invaluable.”

On a woman of substance

“

Eulogies rain down, the accolades cascade, the praise singing spreads and the salute resounds. That is the way great minds and great people exit unto the greater beyond. For Alhaja, even though she was great in life, in death she is spectacular. Though she has translated into another world, she has etched a powerful and lasting impression in our hearts and on our minds as a people and as a nation. We all must wonder in questioning-when comes such another?

I read about her exploits mostly through the pages of newspapers and through the broadcast media. I heard most of her compelling stories from those closest to her. In two years of being part of the Asiwaju Tinubu team I gleaned from the several visits to her personally and her home in Ikeja the enchanting power of her influence and the compassion of her soul. The sheer number of people around her, who depend on her and draw great inspiration from her life is awesome.

She is one of those Mark Twain, one of the greatest

By Sunday Dare

novelists probably had in mind when he talked about two paths coming up. One almost bare and less travelled. The other path beaten up by the feet of men and women who had passed through. Alhaja chose the road less travelled and we see clearly where it has led her. It led her first to the path of selfless service to humanity. Then to greatness and successful career in activism and politics. Ultimately, it led her to that place reserved only for heroes and heroines. She was different. She was meant to be. She found her cause early. Discovered her vision and passion quickly and totally devoted her life to a cause greater than herself.

Let her epitaph read: Here lies one of Nigeria’s greatest minds. Here lies a woman of substance. Here lies a true defender of the downtrodden. Here lies a mother in a million.

When comes such another? Adieu!

- Dare, Special Adviser Media to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

‘Mother of all’ Contd from page III she enlisted in the Action Group, galvanizing support for the leader, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. She also hobnobbed with the likes of Azikwe, Balewa and Sarduana.

She was also influential during the military era, starting with the regime of the late General Aguiyi Ironsi in the early sixties. The General sent an emissary to her, entreating her to get her fellow market men and women to reduce the price of foodstuff. She was vociferous in checking excesses of the various military regimes in the country. She had a very close working relationship with General Ibrahim Babangida whom she was able to forthrightly and courageously sway to toe the right path in running the affairs of the country.

She also became an active and influential member of the Unity Party of Nigeria during the political era of the Second Republic. She became an undaunted activist during the struggle to reclaim the June 12 mandate believed to have been won by the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola.

She had early in life perceived the leadership traits of her son. the young Bola Tinubu was a proof of this. Although there was no prediction that he would become a great

political leader, the Alfas told his mother that the young child would grow up to become an alanu, a merciful child.

The Alfas predicted that he would love and help people and he would always work for the unity of the family.

Bola Tinubu lived up to this prediction as he advanced in age. He would share his food with all those who came into the house while eating. He would not tell his mother but she would get to know later through Bola's siblings and then she would prepare more food for him.

He would always care for people and help around the house. He would go to Ereko Market to buy foodstuff and cook for the family. He was a good cook. He also supported his mother in her business. Back from school, he would immediately change his clothes and go to his mother's stall in the market. He assisted her in arranging her wares based on the instruction she had written on paper.

His caring habit never left him as he grew older. His mother increasingly had a feeling he would become a great man in future. To her, he was evolving in a metaphorical sense into a needle with a thread behind it. He always had people around him. This she saw as a sign of a future great leader. This eventually came to be as he later became the governor of Lagos State and an increasingly influential national and international political leader..

Tribute

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

V

ABIBAT MOGAJI 1917 — 2013

•L-R:Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Asiwaju Bola Hammed Tinubu, Alhaji Femi Okunnu and Sen. Ibikule Amosun during the burial ceremony of Alhaja Abibat Mogaji Photos: MUYIWA HASSAN & OLUSEGUN RAPHAEL

•Alhaji and Alhaja. Lateef Jakande

•L-R: Commisssioner for Transport, Lagos State, Kayode Opeifa, Hon. Ayodele Adewale

•Hon. Wale Hammed and Demola Seriki

•L-R: Prof. Yemi Latunji Bello and Mrs Abimbola Fasola

• L-R: Chief Henry Ajomale and Hon. Muiz Banire

•L-R: Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; The former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

•L-R: Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Bola Ikuforiji, former UN Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Ekiti State Governor, Fayemi, and Edo State Governor and Adams Osihomole.

•L-R: Chief Bisi Akande; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Otunba Henry Ajomale , and Tom Ikimi.

• Muslims at the residence of Alhaja Mogaji in Lagos, during the burial ceremony

•L-R: Alhaja Abba Folawiyo; former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; Alhaji Aliyu Dangote, and former Ekiti State Governor, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.

•Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu performing dust to dust.

•L-R: Omoba Murphy Adetoro; Prince Agunsoye, and Alhaji Muibi Jamiyu, and Senator Munir Muse.

•The remains of late Abibat Mogaji at the cementary in Lagos .

•L-R: Alhaji Lateef Odunsi, and Alhaji Saka Babalola

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with

YETUNDE OLADEINDE

molaralife@yahoo.com

?

Princess

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

Why you must see the dentist

Stranger than fiction:

47

—PAGE 56

Baby’s body parts disappear from hospital For Mr. and Mrs Obinna Oleh, the fact that their son Kingsley is dead is a reality that is hard to live with. But they were further tormented by the discovery that his body was mutilated, with some parts missing.

According to the couple, nurses at the hospital blamed the mysterious incident on "Spiritual arrow", while the doctor claimed that rats feasted on the body Taiwo Abiodun investigates

•Kingsley

O

BINNA Oleh, a motor spare parts dealer and his wife Success, a school teacher, had gone to the hospital to collect the remains of their 13 month old baby who had died in the hospital. However, when they got there they were confronted with the greatest shock of their lives. The body of their dead son released to them had many of its vital organs missing.

According to Oleh, Babawale Joshua, a medical doctor and Medical Director of Ajike Medical Centre located at 11, Adeyemi Street, SakaAbule Iroko, Sango, Ogun State claimed that rats ate up the baby’s missing parts while nurses in the hospital said it was a ‘spiritual arrow’ that was responsible for the disappearance of the parts!

The question on the lips of the Kingsley’s parents and the rest of the community is: where are the missing vital organs? The missing organs from the dead body that was handed over to the distraught parents are: two testicles, the tip of the baby’s private part, his two eyes, fingernails, lower and upper lips, his two ears and some veins in his arms.

On that fateful morning when the Olehs were presented with the mutilated remains of their son, their protest attracted neighbours who converged on the hospital and almost lynched the doctor and set the two storey building housing the hospital ablaze.

The journey to the ‘butcher’s’ table It all started on June 7 when Kingsley Oleh fell ill. His parents living on Adeyemi Street, Saka - Abule Iroko decided to take him to Ajike Medical Centre located on the street where they live.

According to the father, “I had patronised the hospital about four years ago. But since then I’ve always used Ikeja General Hospital (Lagos University Teaching Hospital), but since the baby

was only coughing and feverish which was minor, I decided to take him to Ajike Medical Centre.” The mother added, “However, when the baby was admitted at 5:30am, I discovered that the doctor was not treating him well, I challenged him the second day on his nonchalant attitude.

On Saturday, when I did not see any improvement I called my husband who had gone to Ladipo where he is selling spare parts and asked him to come. My husband came, and when he saw the way the doctor was behaving he was not happy.

The doctor seeing our countenance relocated us into another private room and then gave the baby an injection. Some minutes after he injected the baby he (the baby) became uncomfortable with

•Ajike Medical Centre

his stomach swollen. I again challenged him but he said nothing was wrong with the baby.”

In tears she continued, “Well, in the evening of that Saturday the baby died. When we went there to take the corpse the nurse on duty did not allow saying we can’t take it until the doctor is around. When Dr Babatunde Joshua, the owner of the hospital came to issue a death certificate we were not allowed to take the corpse. They asked us to go and bring money to settle the medical expenses.”

A twist in the tale However, when the couple returned on Sunday, prepared to pay the hospital bills, one of the nurses told them that the dead baby had been attacked by some ‘spiritual arrow’. They were taken to where the dead baby was kept, “When the nurse opened the room where the baby was

PHOTOS: TAIWO ABIODUN kept we were shocked! The wall was full of blood, the floor of the room was stained with blood! We discovered that the upper and lower lips of the baby had been cut, the two ears were gone, the two eyes were gone while cotton wool were inserted in the two eye sockets. Not only this, they had removed the tongue, finger nails and removed some of his veins from his hands. They had also removed his seeds (testis) and cut the tip of his private part. When we saw this we screamed but the doctor ran to us and said it was rat that ate up the parts. We then grabbed him to explain what happened to the baby, the two nurses and the security man fled. While the doctor was pleading and begging, I went to Sango Police Station to report and a police officer came along with me. The doctor then made frantic calls to the police to come and rescue him and that he would give them any amount. A police patrol team came and started shooting to scare the people that gathered away.”

Upon arrival at the Police station, Mr Oleh continued, “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) started harassing me and said I was harassing the doctor and that a call was put through by the Baale of the community that I was vandalizing the hospital. The DPO threatened to shoot me.

He said he would kill me and bury the case and nothing would happen. I told him he dare not because I came to report a case and that he was defending a suspect. I was beaten and put behind the counter and the DPO threatened to put me in cell! I heard the doctor saying he has connection and that he would also spend money to make sure the case will not continue. When we were allowed to go home, I was told that the police had come to harass the woman who was taking care of our children. The police broke into our house and upturned everything. I learnt that they were looking for the medical certificate the doctor issued to us.”

Afraid that they might be attacked the couple and their children have relocated to another place over the fear that the police have taken sides with the suspect. According to Mrs Oleh, “We are hid•Continue on Page 54

48

Life •Continue from Page 53

ing somewhere now because the doctor has bribed the police and they are after us.”

To buttress their suspicion that their son might have been a victim of ritual, they showed the reporter the death certificate that was earlier issued to them by the suspect. “This is the death certificate the doctor issued, and we know that is what he is after. The doctor said it was rat that ate up this baby and removed its parts while the nurses said the baby was attacked by spiritual arrow, yet they keep pursuing us.”

According to the father of the deceased, the police are not cooperating as he believes that since the doctor has been spending money for them they wanted to cover up the crime. He said “On Monday (last week) at the Eleweran Police Station the policemen said they would detain me on the ground that the doctor petitioned the police and accused me of malicious damage on his hospital, this shocked me. The police have been bribed, they are trying to upturn the case.

They want to twist it and they are begging me not to go to the press and that Inspector General of Police must not hear of the case. But see what they are doing to us. The mutilated corpse is now in the mortuary at Ifo General Hospital.”

Other revelations When the family was asked if they know anything about the past activities of the suspect, they said no. However, the wife said, “You know when things happen like this one would then start to hear a lot of stories. We heard that babies and expectant mothers had been dying in the hospital. In fact, the beds here (in the hospital) are not up to 10.

Imagine the two storey building he

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

Stranger than fiction

•Mr. and Mrs Obinna Oleh called hospital there are no patients, it is all empty offices. When the police came they were even shocked to have seen such a big hospital without beddings.”

According to Madam Oleh, a night after their son reportedly died in the hospital around 2am while sympathizers were mourning with the family over the loss of their baby, they were all outside their house when they saw a black Jeep on the street asking for where the doctor’ s hospital was located. “We became suspicious and wondered what the occupants of the Jeep could be doing and looking for the doctor at that wee hours

of the night for. On the second day, that was on Sunday morning when we discovered that they had mutilated the body of our baby that all these things started recurring. The doctor should be interrogated.”

Last Tuesday Police form the Homicide section of Eleweran in Ogun State visited the street. It was learnt that when they came they did not go into the hospital building to inspect what was reported. One of the police officers who went there said they only visited the street to investigate the veracity of the story.

But funny enough they only went to the Baale’s’ palace, spoke with him and left.

In search of justice and safety Meanwhile, the parents of the deceased have sent appeals to Nigerians to save them from further harassment as the police had allegedly become partisan. “Our son was killed and his body mutilated yet the police keep on threatening us.We know they want to humiliate us, oppress us and want us to withdraw the case but we would not. That is not the way to do it. What I want now is justice! Imagine, they did not give us the autopsy report from the hospital, why didn’t they give we the parents of the baby the result of the autopsy?” Mrs Oleh asked.

D

OWN town in Lagos is Merriment Bar on Alves Street in Lawanson area of Lagos. It is a cathedral of sort for men who stroll in one after the other after the day’s work to, in the words of the poet John Fletcher, “Drink today and drown all sorrows.” Music booms from the loudspeakers, reverberating with sounds from current hip-hops songs.

Once in a while, the new rhyme is put on hold for the euphoric beat of the inimitable Fela Anikulapo Kuti. This usually ushers in a new lease of life as the bar comes alive with older men echoing the refrain and responses after the music legend. On each table, the number of beer bottles far outnumber the glass cups. The long stretches of chairs and tables arranged on both ends of the street and another set leading inwards to a crescent gives the scene away as an Owambe gathering, a common feature of Lagos weekend life.

Although the reporter visited on a Monday evening; it appears evening at the bar feels like a weekend outing.

Columbus Ndukamma is one of the men manning the bar; he waded through scores of merriment seekers puffing cigarettes in the company of their female companions who are gently sipping from bowls of pepper soup to answer the question posed to him. When asked the number of drinks sold on a daily basis, he gave the average as 30 crates. “The number increases on weekends and public holidays”, he added. According to him, the number of bottles in a crate differs from each other as they come in varieties of 12, 18 and 24. When put together statistically, this amounted to a total of 520 bottles consumed in a single day. All in a single bar and just on one street! The total cost of this will amount to N10,400 when multiplied by N200, the amount most beer brands are sold in this kind of location.

At a different level At another part of town, the highbrow area of Victoria Island, a N10,4000 worth of drink consumed by over a 100 people is less than the price of Cristal Champagne which a ‘big man’ places on a table in a typical upscale Lagos Night Club. For instance, at the Troy Restaurant and Club on Victoria Island where this reporter visited, Cristal, a variety of wine is sold for N125, 000. Palme D’or Rose another brand of champagne goes for N85, 000.

The cheapest of the brands such as Mort Rose (small) and Moet& Chandon Brut sell at N18, 000. There is also a new

•Bottles of expensive champagne on display

Between champagne and beer

Both the rich and poor in Nigeria are united by an obsession, drinks. Hannah Ojo writes about how taste distinguishes and defines class.

entrant in the Nigerian market called Montaudon promoted by Jide Adenuga, a business man which sells for N750, 000.

The prize for a bottle of champagne can go from the most expensive to the most ludicrous. Such is the tale of the world’s most expensive champagne ‘Taste of Diamonds’ which costs £1,200,000 created by Luxury designer Alexander Amosu, a US born Nigerian noted for creating custom-made items like suite, Blackberry and iphone which is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as most expensive. The custom made drink which design, according to Amosu is inspired by the superman style signature is hand crafted from an 18ct solid white gold weighing approximately 48gsm of solid gold centred by a single flawless deep cut white diamond weighing 19cts. The label which is engraved with the client’s name is also handmade in 18ct solid gold and weighs approximately 36gsm.

Champagne, a sparkling wine which originates from France is a drink that the taste buds of most wealthy Nigerians crave for. It is sometimes referred to as ‘bubbly’ as it possesses a sparkling quality caused by the bubbles it creates when poured in a flute glass, with which it is often served. Whether at birthday parties, weddings, dinners, picnic and

other events, the number of champagnes available for guests to latch on to is considered a statement in the wealth status of the host.

Champagne is an elite obsession in Nigeria.

According to Spiros Malandrakis, a senior analysts at Euromonitor, the research organisation which broke the news of Nigeria being the second fastest champagne market in the world, “ It’s not even about the middle class, it’s about the elite. People may find it surprising that Nigeria came second in the rankings, but it has an extremely extravagant elite, with Nollywood and the oil industry”, he said.

Confirming this claim, a worker at the Oriental Hotel, a high class luxurious hangout for the super-rich on Victoria Island told this reporter that Nigerians are the highest consumers of champagne at the hotel which also attracts a sizeable number of expatriates.

“While the Chinese would prefer their Chinese tea, Indians usually go for Vodkas but Nigerians are the champagne consumers.” The source also confirms the class of Nigerian clienteles to be mostly oil workers from Chevron, Shell and other big oil companies. Also listed are politicians of different cadres, even local government chairmen.

As the rich pine after champagne

for its vivacious effervescence, so are the poor and some members of the middle class obsessed with beer.

However, the poor’s hankering for brewed liquor appears to be a consolatory drink to escape depression caused by hardship. One of the drinkers at Merriment Bar, Lawanson who identifies himself as Ayo said; “it is depression arising from disappointment that force men to drink”. Ndukamma, a bar man also testifies to the fact that most of his customers at the bar hardly stop at one bottle as some could go for four or more. “When a man has difficulties, beer gives him freedom and satisfaction.”

He supported the fact that even paupers who hardly make enough to feed the many mouths on their waiting list still find money to drink. “Drinking makes you forget your sorrows,” he said. As if sensing the amusement in the reporter’s demeanour he promptly asked; “do you drink?,” perhaps to emphasize his point.

The Nigerian beer industry is reputed to be the second largest beer market in Africa. There is an ironical twist to the event that as beer consumption in developed countries dwindles owing to the economic downturn; that of Nigeria is expanding. This is manifested in the

Although the story of the couple was confirmed by the police, they insisted that the suspect is still in their custody.

However, rumours are making the rounds that the suspect had been released.

Keeping mum A visit to the street and the hospital premises show that many residents of the area have decided not to talk about the incident for fear of being molested.

In fact, many of them believe strongly that the hospital was only a facade for committing crimes. For instance, a woman who begged for anonymity said “I live in this area but nobody has been patronising the hospital. Many children and pregnant women have died there . I believe it is nemesis that has caught up with the doctor over the death and mutilation of this boy.”

When contacted, the Baale of Saka, Jubril Owolabi who was accused of calling the police when the mob tried to vandalise the hospital over the death of the boy, he said “I am the head of this community and I cannot see people vandalising such edifice and keep quiet.”

He added that he simply played the role of a community leader by calling in the police.

Asked if he patronises the hospital which is located near his residence, the community leader said he is a believer in traditional medicine.

Meanwhile, the hospital has been sealed off while its head office in Amje area still offers skeletal services. A worker there confirmed to the reporter that his boss was still with the police at Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Many are waiting with bated breath and keen interest to see how this case goes. increase in beer parlours or ‘people’s cathedral’ in most streets in various part of the country, except for the north where there is a restriction, yet people still invent ways to quench their thirst for liquor.

According to analysts the surge in the beer market can also be attributed to a growing middle class and a large number of young people drinking most of who are also finding succour in the escapism of beer bottles to ease the tension of unemployment. Mr Nicolaas Vervelde, MD/CEO of Nigerian Breweries Plc attested to this in an interview in a brand magazine where he said: “a young population, a big population, growing middle class, growing organization, per capita, all fundamentals in that sense are indicating a very exciting growing beer market.”

The inclusion of women into the drinking class is fast fuelling the trend also. Mrs. Bolanle Ogun, a distributor of a popular brand of beer in Ibadan once said that she used to hide the fact that she drinks beer because people in the society frown at the sight of a woman drinking. Like other western culture which found their way into the Nigerian system; the sight of a woman drinking beer appears to be becoming accepted as they too are not free from depression.

In a couple of years, the country is expected to take the number one slot, findings according to Euromonitor International reveals. The beer turn over in Nigeria is said to be growing faster than the economy itself. “ At the moment, beer consumption is about 19.5 million hectolitres (a metric unit of capacity equal to 100 litres) in 2012 and growing at about 8-9 per cent per annum”, said Esili Eigbe, an analyst with Stanbic IBTC. Also, there is a forecast that champagne consumption in the country will reach 1.1 million litres by 2017. 2011 consumption was pegged at N8b naira.

What implication does this spell for a fragile economy? Mr. Temitayo Odeyemi, a social scientist from the department of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University said the trend translates to a disadvantage in terms of foreign exchange. “We spend more, give more that we release which creates an unfavourable balance in both trade and payment,” he submitted.

Does champagne consumption really surpass that of beer in the country? In the words of Chinua Achebe; “The death that will kill a man begins as an appetite.”

BUSINESS THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

A

S the Nigerian stock market recovers, stockbrokers and other operators have been urged to brace up for the challenges ahead and sustain the recovery.

The Chairman of Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Mr. Emeka Madubuike, made the call while speaking at the maiden edition of the annual capital market night organised by the association in Lagos recently with the theme: “Investment Opportunities in Frontier Market.”

According to him, the market is looking up and as operators, they need to brace up for the changes coming with the market recovery.

He therefore called for r a lot of hard work, integrity, transparency and collaborative efforts to confront the obvious changes that lie ahead.

“We believe that by working to-

How to sustain market recovery by experts Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

gether, all of our members will survive in one form or the other. Our association –the front-line operators of the capital market, has gone through very difficult time in the last five years since 2008, but thankfully we are beginning to see a recovery, which gives us a lot of hope going forward,” he said.

He said the operators are very

Oil firm restates commitment to host communities

S

EPLAT, a joint venture partner with the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company Limited has restated commitment to the welfare of its host communities.

Making this pledge over the weekend was the Deputy Base Manager, Lucky Oberiuwheri.

He spoke in Sapele during the flag off of the second phase of the company’s healthcare programme.

According to him, “The company is very passionate about the welfare of its host communities, which is why it is always ready to develop its human capital in order to achieve necessary socio-economic development.”

He noted further that construction of road networks in OkuovuUgborhren in Sapele local council which cost over N100 million among other capital projects as well as skills acquisition and capacity building to empower the youths in welding, fabrication, electrical, fashion and design, computer science, catering was part of efforts to boost socio-economic activities in the state.

Echoing similar sentiments, Toni Kan, the Corporate Affairs Consultant to Seplat, said what the company is doing is laudable; adding that other companies operating in the communities should take a cue.

Delta state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was rep-

resented by his Special Adviser on Local Government Projects Monitoring, Sir Jude Sinebe, while commending the company said what the company is dong is worthy of commendation as the government alone cannot do everything.

hopeful and looking forward to a market with 40 million investors from the current five million investors.

“We are also expecting a stateof-the-art trading platform that promises great customers and operators experience, $1trillion market capitalisation and one that is the main driver of economic development,” he said.

The ASHON chairman, who is also the managing director of Compass Investments and Securities Limited, called for the support and cooperation of all stakeholders in the efforts to attract more patronage to the market.

“To our partners on this project called the capital market, our fellow regulators, investors and other stakeholders, we ask for support, understanding and cooperation as we work collectively to position the market to play it pivotal role in the

development of our economy,” he said.

The special guest of honour at the event and Chairman of Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, commended the stockbrokers for restoring investors’ confidence in the market.

“I want to commend you for restoring investor confidence in the market. You will need to maintain a cordial relationship with regulatorsthe Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria. You will also need to train and retrain yourself to meet up with global standards. Despite the challenges in Nigeria, the nation is still a good investment destination. This is an outcome of my interaction with foreign investors.

They believe that in Nigeria, there is high risk and high return-on-investment (RoI),” he said.

•From left: Jay Lee, Business Development Manager, Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics, West Africa, Kate Henshaw, Samsung Consumer Brand Ambassador and Brovo Kim, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics, West Africa at a press briefing on Samsung’s new range of “Timeless design” products.

PHOTO: JOHN EBHOTA

Wapic Insurance’s N3.51bn rights issue excites shareholders

S

HAREHOLDERS of Wapic Insurance Plc have expressed satisfaction over the N3.51 billion rights issue being embarked on by the company, calling all the existing shareholders to take advantage of the offer to increase their holding. They observed that the profile and public perception of the underwriter has since improved following its take over by Access Bank Plc. Speaking on behalf of members of Renaissance Shareholders Association of Nigeria, the president, Ambassador Olufemi Timothy, said: “It is a good development.

My advice to shareholders is to endeavour to take up their rights and even buy more. “You know Access Bank took over the company as a result of its take over of Intercon-

tinental Bank, which was the parent bank. All the insurance business of Access Bank will be handled by the company and it will leverage on the good will of Access Bank to boost its business and create value for investors.

“So, for me, it is a good buy and it is a promising company.”

Wapic is offering 6.65 billion ordinary shares of 50kobo each at 55kobo per share to its existing shareholders in the ration of eight new shares for every 10 previously held. The offer opened on Monday, 10th June, 2013, and is billed to close on Friday 5th July 2013.

Speaking through Taukeme Koroye, a non-executive director of the company, Wapic’s Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, explained that the rights issue was a

first step towards raising additional capital for Wapic’s longterm infrastructure and expansion objectives, adding that the required endorsements from shareholders to guarantee the success of the offer has been received He added that requisite approvals have been received from the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, and the Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE, while explaining that shares being offered would rank pari passu in all respects with the existing shares of the company. The Managing Director of Wapic Insurance Plc, Mr. Segun Balogun, also disclosed that plans are in top gear to ensure complete uptake of the issue. “Our shareholders are excited at the prospect of a company with a significantly

robust capital base and the underwriting privileges it would confer on the company,” he added.

Balogun further stated that Wapic is gradually being repositioned for growth in all aspects and lines of business, adding that the company has strengthened its capacity by restructuring its business model. It would be recalled that shareholders had on June 4, 2012, during the company’s 53rd Annual General Meeting, authorised plans by the Wapic’s board of directors to raise N5billion to boost the company’s operations. The additional funds, which shall be raised will be used amongst other things to expand operations, improve infrastructure and IT capabilities and also to inject additional capital into the company’s subsidiaries

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‘Ethical compromises must be exposed’ -- Page 52

Briefs Nigeria beats Malawi to emerge ARSO President

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IGERIA’S international profile got another lift over the weekend, following her emergence as the next president of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) in an election conducted in Cameroun.

At a keenly contested election held in Younde, the Cameroonian capital, Nigeria became the only candidate standing following the tactical withdrawal of the other contenders one after another, Malawi being the last to withdraw.

By this result, Nigeria represented at the ARSO by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) would steer the continent’s umbrella body in charge of standardisation and quality assurance for the next two years.

The build-up for the election was interesting due to the strategic importance of the position, against the rising profile of the continental body, but Dr Joseph Odumodu, the Director-General of the Standards ORganisation of Nigeria (SON), who contested for Nigeria, appeared much favoured.

Odumodu, in his capacity as Vice President had left impressive credentials in ARSO and most delegates preferred his emergence, but this did not stop the horsetrading which started right from the kick off of the ARSO’s standardisation week, of which the election is a major highlight.

Odumodu’s strongest contender in the election proper was the Director-General of Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS), Mr. Davlin Chokazinga, following the withdrawal from the race of their counterpart from Sudan.

ARSO has 34 member countries, entitled to one vote each but only the nineteen nations present for the weeklong event and the organisation’s General Assembly, were eligible to elect the new leader.

Confident of their chances to clinch victory, the Nigeirian and Malawaian representatives canvassed the seventeen other countries until a few minutes before the ARSO Assembly took place yesterday.

Just before the meeting was called to order, Malawi conceded to Nigeria, declaring that it had become clear that the southern African nation did not stand a chance against the towering clout of the West African country.

In his post-election speech, Odumodu noted that he intended to work with all the member nations of the organisation to tackle the problem of low industrial capacity for diversified manufactured goods.

Other issues that would occupy his attention he said, are the lack of qualified standardisation personnel, dearth of effective standardisation and conformity assessment infrastructure, over dependence on imports from outside the continent for more than 90 percent of its goods; SMEs’ lack of capacity to take advantage of globalisation among several other objectives.

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BUSINESS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

•A prototype of the proposed national carrier

National Carrier: Hurdles to cross

country was not only ripe for it but stands to gain a lot once it comes on stream.

According to him, it is the way to go. “Unlike what obtained in the past, all that government will do is to create a company where individuals can get involved. It will be driven by the private sector; it will not be a government-owned facility.

“It creates room for manpower improvement and training, improve their capacity. The BASA agreement will create that opportunity. Nigerians will also be able to dictate the pace as it is with foreign airlines, whose schedules most times are dictated by the citizens of those countries. The foreign airlines make flight convenient for their citizens. The national carrier will address the issue of convenience of our citizens.”

Speaking further, Dati said as part of the big picture for the sector, a lot was being done to set things right in the nation’s aviation sub-sector.

From remodelling, to safety measures, among other things, these are some of the measures being put in place to make the aviation in the best footing.

“Some 13 airports have been designated as cargo airports because of their proximity to food baskets, including Abuja, Akure, Calabar, Ilorin, Jalingo, Jos, Kano, Lagos, Makurdi, Minna, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo have been prioritised as perishable terminals.”

This, he stressed, would enable them key into the over N250 billion annual airfreight export market out of Africa.

“Countries like Kenya, South Africa, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Egypt, he noted, are partici-

Barring any last minute hitch, Nigeria One, which is being touted as the new national carrier, will come on stream with the government and other interested parties working round the clock to make the plan materialise. But there are fears by concerned stakeholders that things may go awry judging by past futile efforts, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf pating in the trading in commodities such as fruits, fresh fish, vegetables and flowers while Nigeria, which produces these commodities in abundance, records zero participation,” he stressed.

Dati noted that in recent times, the more dynamic destinations for African products are China, with 27.5 per cent yearly average growth registered over a decade-long period and India, growing by 19.5 per cent during the same period.

The development of Economic Free Trade and Export Processing Zones will be targeted alongside cargo airports and afro-allied industrial clusters, based on local opportunities and the state’s competitive and comparative advantage in agriculture production.”The Nigerian aviation sector is establishing

closer co-operation with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and state governments for concerted and strategic focus to this efforts,” he added.

Asked specifically on when the new national carrier will become fully operational, Datii said it has to go through a lot of processes.

“Approvals by relevant organs are still being sorted out.

So, hopefully before the end of the second quarter we should see something concrete.”

Proposed investment According to analysts, a quantum of investment in the neighbourhood of $100million is being touted as the projected capital outlay required to bring the new national carrier on board.

But as at press time, this could not be confirmed as

“

There is a lot that needs to be done before you start talking about another carrier.

Massive debts were racked up in the name of the Nigerian people on behalf of Nigeria Airways. Today, many retrenched staff are still being owed their entitlements. There is no way people like us who are aggrieved cannot give our goodwill to that kind of venture. So, it won’t work

“

T

O parody the words of Victor Hugo, the famous French poet, you can’t stop an idea whose time has come. This is what the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, seems to be saying when she recently announced plans by the Federal Government to float a new national carrier.

Oduah, who dropped this hint in Abuja, at the interactive meeting with owners/ operators of foreign and Nigeria registered business aircraft, stated that the proposed national carrier will soon take off as the template was at the final approval stage with the Presidency.

She said: “The national carrier is currently at the final approval stage. There are many stages but we have eventually come to the final one. As soon as we get this final approval, we are on our way to owning a new national carrier. So, very soon, the new national carrier will be on stream.”

Oduah said the proposed national carrier and the new airport terminals being built across the country would help shore up Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)by generating more employment through both the pubic and private sectors of the economy.

Framework for new national carrier Speaking with The Nation over the weekend, top aviation sources said the idea of the new national carrier is already a fait accompli.

Confirming this development, Mr. Joyce Daniel Nkemakolam, Acting Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who spoke exclusively with The Nation on his way to Monrovia, said plans were in top gear to get the national carrier ready for the pleasure of the Nigerian air travelling public.

Echoing similar sentiments, the General Manager, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Yakubu Dati, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, gave more insight.

Justifying the need for the national carrier, Dati said the

Dati was not specific.

“It is open to all comers.

Economy has no barrier. In a capital intensive business as aviation, you can’t do it alone, so we welcome as many interested investors as possible to make it work.”

Asked to state the proposed number of aircraft fleet to run the new national carrier, Dati was noncommittal.

However, Director of Airport Operations of FAAN, Henry Omeogu, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa in Rivers State, in an interactive session with newsmen recently, said the proposed national carrier was going to be driven by the private sector, adding that some 30 brand new aircraft would be acquired to run the national carrier.

Omeogu was accompanied by the Regional General Manager, Southsouth/Southeast of FAAN, Mrs. Ebele Okoye, and the authority’s Director of Maintenance and Engineering, Mr. Femi Ogunode.

The FAAN’s director of airport operations also stated that only brand new aircraft would be allowed in the national carrier, and would offer world-class services.

Support for national carrier One of those upbeat about the new national carrier is Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

He spoke at the commissioning of the General Aviation Terminal in Abuja.

Nigeria, he said, deserved a national carrier. The lawmaker who spoke in Abuja recently said Nigerian travellers should be given airport facilities that were at par with those obtainable in overseas countries.

He said, “The new GAT terminal in Abuja and other remodelling exercises are positive developments in the aviation industry that had long been identified with decaying infrastructure. The terminal will help airlines operators, passengers and private investors.

“I want to appeal to all users of this facility and others that are being remodelled to make proper use of them.

It is important that managers of the new terminals should ensure that the facilities are properly and adequately maintained at all times. That is the only way to justify the huge amount spent by government in providing them, apart from encouraging the government to do more for the aviation industry.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Macaulay Timothy, a frequent air traveller, said, “It is disheartening to note that a massive 95% of international traffic to and from Nigeria is controlled by foreign carriers.

So, if we have a national carrier, we can maximise the gains.”

Mrs. Ifie EzenwaUgwoke, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Treavens Travels Limited and Tours, Lagos, is also on the same page with Timothy.

“It is something that we have been yearning for years.

When Air Nigeria came I know the gains we benefitted as local tour operators. All the favours you get like group bookings, a situation where you can unbend the rules, is only possible with the local airlines. It is something that will do Nigerians a lot of good,” she stressed.

She, however, added a caveat: “National carrier or not, the question is whether Nigeria will be willing to support it because there are many elites who don’t want to hear anything about local content

Continued on page 51

BUSINESS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Nexim Bank and structural transformation of Nigeria’s economy

National Carrier: Hurdles to cross Continued from page 50 and they forget that those foreign airlines they are rooting for didn’t get there in one day.

The only way the national carrier can last the test of time is if Nigerians support it 100 per cent. Nigerians must be willing to give it the needful patronage.

“As a stakeholder, I know the kind of humiliation we face anytime we travel outside the shores of this country.

Those outside don’t have respect for local tour operators and this more or less has created a crisis of identity for us because to the people out there all what we know how to do is outbound tours, not in-bond tours. For a country that has many beautiful and alluring tourist sites, it is only good that we organise tours within our country but because we don’t have a national carrier, this is sometimes difficult to do. So, the new national carrier is indeed a good idea.”

Chris Aligbe, former manager, corporate affairs of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL), who is upbeat about the national carrier, also gave a word of caution: “The failure of the first national carrier was not due to corruption but due to government interference with the management and the running of the airline.”

Aligbe, who is also the chief executive officer of Belujane Konzult, however, noted, that as much as he would support the formation of another national carrier, it is advisable that government owns between 5 and 10 percent in the airline, while the remaining percentage should go to the private sector.

According to him, “in NAL, the managers only took instruction from the government. For instance, the Tony Momoh board was sacked for increasing fares, the airline was remotely managed by people in government and that way, there was no way it would last.

“We must avoid what led to the failure of the defunct national carrier and the plan to form several other ones since then if we must have a new national carrier this time around. I am optimistic that a new national carrier will go a long way in saving the industry a lot of money and assist travellers. I think the minister is passionate about it too.

“But government only needs to own a little share to give it a sovereign coverage.

That is the difference between British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways. Kenya is also proud of Kenya Airways.

Today, Ethiopia is proud of Ethiopian airlines because they are successful,” he said.

“Unless Nigeria has a national carrier, it will never turn Nigeria into a hub. For instance, KLM turned Schipol airport into a hub, Emirates turned Dubai to a hub and so on. We even need more than one national carrier, but as soon as government owns more that 10 percent in the new carrier, there may be a problem,” he added.

Arguments against national carrier Captain Dele Ore, renowned aviation expert, has come down hard on the pro-

51

N •Oduah

•Ore

posed plan for a new national carrier. As far as he is concerned, government is trying to push the horse before the cart.

The idea will flop, he stressed.

“The question to ask is what led to the liquidation of the former national carrier?

A lot of factors, including political interference, were responsible for the demise of the Nigeria Airways,” he stressed.

Pressed further, he said, Nigeria Airways was notorious for pulling aircraft off scheduled routes with passengers left in the lurch to embark on a Federal Government sanctioned charter.

“High ranking government officials had the power to delay flights or even in extreme cases force diversion, just as government agencies employees were known to fly on the carrier without paying; the idea was that the money owed by their individual agency to Nigeria Airways for their travel was all to be settled at the end of the day as the carrier also belonged to the government.”

He is, however, peeved and said, “There is a lot that needs to be done before you start talking about another carrier. Massive debts were racked up in the name of the Nigerian people on behalf of Nigeria Airways. Today, many retrenched staff are still being owed their entitlements. There is no way people like us who are aggrieved cannot give our goodwill to that kind of venture. So, it won’t work.”

Going down memory lane, he recalled that this is second venture into the airline industry following the collapse of Nigeria Airways in 2003 under debts of more than $60million.

According to him, last year, both Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int’l) and Air France (AF, Paris CDG) were approached over a planned possible partnership in the new airline, a proposal both subsequently turned down.

To analysts, if experience is anything to go by, there is no reason for another foray in to airline ownership by the Federal Government. But pray, is someone listening?

IGERIA is the natural leader of Africa. For decades, our dear country has been Africa’s foremost producer and 8th world largest exporter of crude oil to the international market. Nigeria is strategically located to take advantage of modern forms of transportation to enable her participation in cross-border trade, and build a virile domestic economy. Our population growth rate of average 3 per cent since the last national headcount of 2006 currently has the population estimate at more than 160 million. This in combination with impressive GDP growth average of 6 per cent over the last decade has more recently amplified the importance of Nigeria within the international community. Indeed, a stable country outlook brought about by our return to democracy in 1999, and the robust reforms which several organs of government have continued to deliver, are endearing the country to both local and foreign investors, chiefly from enterprise point of view.

Our clime is one richly endued with natural and human resources. Therefore, the numerous and abundant potentials of Nigeria, which are widely recognised, actually include the opportunity for our country to provide the world one of the most inspiring stories of human development that China and emerging Asia seems to now tell exclusively. But the Vision 2020 tells that policymaking in Nigeria takes cognisance of our potential to leap forward in the global economic, and, in effect, diplomatic order in a few years ahead.

However, it is evident that the important story of Nigeria’s advancement from where we are would not be told by earnings from our hydrocarbon reserves (although we have one of the world’s largest); our success would be driven by a robust manufacturing industry; self-sufficiency in agriculture for food and processing so that excess yields could tap export markets; world-class service sector to serve domestic industries, global outsourcing and export markets, and commercial access to wider range of mineral deposits that dot every nook and cranny of our country. The inherent limitations of crude oil-fuelled economic growth, in terms of employment generation, procyclical access to funding for development, and corruption, have come to the fore after the 1970s when as a young nation we came into sudden and abundant wealth from crude oil sales.

Structural transformation The structural transformation of the Nigerian economy is underway. Although we recognised it as a necessity, lack of national ownership and successful implementation elsewhere created the rally against the Structural Adjustment Programme imposed by International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the ‘80s.

But since then, successive administrations have continued to harp on the need to restructure the fabric of the Nigerian economy. However, what the

•Orya

By Roberts Orya

Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has done, perhaps more than any previous regime, is combine commitment with practical actions in diversifying the Nigerian economy away from sole reliance on crude oil for external revenue.

The management of Nigerian Export - Import Bank (Nexim Bank), which I head as managing director cum CEO, has identified four sectoral anchors of the economic Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR) in order to support it and enhance success of the programme. Succinctly, these sectors are Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Solid minerals and Services, which we encapsulate as our “MASS Agenda.” From the institutional viewpoint of Nexim Bank, I am excited at the prospects of playing a role in diversifying the Nigerian economy and harnessing the immense potentials of the sectors which had, hitherto, been neglected. Indeed, the role Nexim Bank is playing is unique as a development finance institution (DFI).

Role of Development Finance Institutions Multilateral Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), best exemplified by the World Bank at global level, and African Development Bank (AfDB) at continental level, are alternative financial institutions. Their ubiquity is not represented by brick and mortar; quite unlike commercial banks, DFIs are not known by the high number of branches they have even in the high streets of Lagos, London, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, New York and Dubai.

Rather, the spread of development finance institutions are seen in people and businesses they impact. Quite often, DFIs are bearers of risks which commercial lenders would term excessive, and therefore avoid. New industries, new initiatives, people without financial collaterals, projects which cannot pay commercial cost of finance, etc have been beneficiaries of funding by DFIs. This way,

business formation can continue, people can continue to innovate, bias against social and reputational collaterals are reduced, and projects can be incubated and nurtured to when they can attract lending from commercial banks.

In light of the foregoing, the role of development finance institutions are of critical importance in Nigeria where banking penetration is less than 15 per cent of the population, commercial lending rates are prohibitive, land titles are not even available to owner occupiers, but where innovators are born daily, and where we have to eradicate poverty. And of course, delivery of necessary (infrastructural) projects to aid implementation of programmes under the plan of structural transformation of the Nigerian economy cannot be funded by governments’ tax incomes considering several long-term projects that cannot be delivered by commercial lending. If this is true with government, it is true also for businesses, perhaps more so.

Therefore, while at global level the World Bank lends to governments to deliver crucial projects, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) lends to private sector businesses.

And in Nigeria, there are a handful of DFIs which are promoted by the government to support businesses beyond the limits and inclinations of commercial lenders.

What Nexim Bank does Nigerian Export – Import Bank is the official and sole Trade Policy Bank of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

In this regard, Nexim Bank provides financing, risk-bearing facilities, market information and value-added advisory services to businesses towards deepening export-oriented investments in the country’s non-oil sectors of manufacturing, agro-processing, solid minerals and services, for job creation and economic growth.

This mouthful raison d’etre quickly introduces the ownership, functions, focus and goals of Nigerian Export – Import Bank. At the same time, it connects you to my passions and the passions of the executive management and staff of

Nexim Bank since my tenure in September 2009.

Nexim Bank is your banker if your business aligns with the objective of the Nigerian government of the day which seeks accelerated economic diversification and increase in export revenue through economic activities other than in the oil sector.

Nexim Bank has provided 12 billion naira in lending to Nigerian export manufacturers in the period August 2009 to April 2013, with many of them carrying the “Proudly Nigerian” label on their products in the West African sub-regional market and globally.

Similarly, Nexim Bank has funded agro-processing export businesses, to the tune of 6.6 billion naira over the same period.

In the solid mineral sector, we are working in partnership with industry stakeholders to take formal mining off the ground again. Although mining is capital-intense, the Nigerian solid mineral sector needs more than funding. The legal and regulatory frameworks in Nigeria are works – in-progress. The Mining Act has been reviewed to reflect the ideals of all market participants. Nexim Bank has so far provided over 2 billion naira in early funding to help some commercial miners to develop their site in order to start operation and invite further funding from other sources apart from the longterm commitment of Nexim Bank to the nascent industry.

The Nigerian Creative and Entertainment Industry Stimulation Loan Scheme (NCEILS) which Nexim Bank manages for the Federal Government reflects Nexim Bank’s adherence to prudential guidelines on crediting provisioning. Whilst the fund lends at below commercial rate, it is not a grant. It is meant to fund businesses across the entertainment value-chain including filming production, cinema operation, music recording, intellectual property development, recording studios, etc., as a revolving fund with repayment terms. Irrespective of the challenges operators in the industry have faced with developing good proposals, we believe this is a cultural issue, and not an insurmountable technical limitation. Thus, Nexim Bank has to date disbursed over 1.4 billion naira for the Fund. Entertainment industry project proposals under review exceed 5 billion naira in value.

Including disbursements to the creative and entertainment industry, Nexim Bank has disbursed 8.5 billion to the services sector, covering support to transportation and hospitality industries.

In my next article in this series, I will share my views on the drive for job creation under the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the role Nexim Bank is playing to sustain existing jobs in our focal industries while supporting creation of new ones.

•Roberts U. Orya is MD/ CEO, Nigerian Export-Import Bank

T

BUSINESS

HE chamber of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) was filled to the brim. In the council chambers was the Doyen of Accountancy in Africa, Akintola Williams, past presidents and other invited guests. The venue was the colourful investiture of the 49th president, Alhaji Kabir Alkali Mohammed.

In an encounter with Mohammed you want to know what he has in stock for members and he opens up on the challenges and how some members soiled their hands in the past.

Would it be business as usual? “As the conscience of the nation, we must be actively involved and, indeed, drive the process, for the renaissance of our nation’s value systems. We must continue to expose ethical compromises, and sanction deviants, whose conducts, if not checked, can demean and bring the hard earned, and towering goodwill of the profession to disrepute.

We must stand up and be counted, on the side of equity and justice, both in words and in actions, such that the premium placed on the integrity of accountants will continue to be justified.”

Mohammed continues: “Painfully, wealth is celebrated without recourse to source. If leadership is to continue to be for service, rather than for the pillage of the common wealth, we must inevitably redefine and enforce our value system.

Pointedly, such a renaissance of our value system must begin with the institute and its members. We must lead by example. Accordingly, my theme for the year is ICAN: Redefining Values, reinforcing the brand. The historical public interest mandate, of the accountancy profession, is driven by strict adherence to the ideals of objectivity, integrity, technical competence and diligence, with great ethical disposition.”

He, however, advises members to serve as role models and excellent examples for others. “As we savour the joy of this established ICAN tradition, benchmarked on global best practice, I regal in the saying that, ‘the history of free men, is never really written by chance but by their choice.’ The Institute made this proactive historical choice, nearly five decades ago. This cherished value is not a luxury but a necessity and an ideal, which we must strive to attain as a people, if we are to collectively fulfill the dream, and advance the cause of humanity.”

Mohammed goes on to give credit to the Institute’s founding fathers who laid a formidable foundation for others to build on. “I salute our founding fathers, for the enduring legacy, their foresight, vision and strength of character, which gave birth to this cherished tradition of excellence, of whom we are all proud.

The greatest honour we can give to them is treading the path of integrity and service, which they shrewdly charted. I will never depart from this honourable path,

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

‘Ethical compromises Beyond must be exposed’ Talent

By Adetayo Okusanya

• Williams

By Yetunde Oladeinde

no matter the odds.”

Happily, Mohammed goes down memory lane to recall how it all began as well as the people who motivated and inspired him. “First, I will dedicate my achievements to my parents, Malama Maimuna and Alkali Mohammed Salis and some elder statesmen.

These include Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Mallam Turi Mohhamed Mamman Daura and Mallam Hassan Gafai, all my former bosses at the New Nigerian Newspapers Ltd, Kaduna, and my first employers fresh from secondary school.”

Mohammed adds: “ As my role models and benefactor, they inspired, encouraged and used their good offices to ensure that my academic prowess was rewarded with a scholarship in 1972 from North Western state, with which

I proceeded to the West Ham College (now East London University) for my Advance level certificates at the Chelmer Institute of Higher Education , Chelmford (now University of Essex) for the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administration just before going to the London School of Accountancy.”

In 1978, Mohammed emerged as one of the best qualifying candidates at the London School of Accountancy in the final examinations of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), UK. “I was subsequently admitted into its esteemed membership and nothing has given me so much joy and professional fulfillment than this historic achievement. It is indeed a dream come true.”

At this point, he goes down memory lane to recall some of the people who influenced his career positively. “Let, me also put on

“

If leadership is to continue to be for service, rather than for the pillage of the common wealth, we must inevitably redefine and enforce our value system. Pointedly, such a renaissance of our value system must begin with the institute and its members. We must lead by example

“

52

record the priceless roles, played by past presidents like Emmanuel Itoya Ijewere, Princess Agnes Adeniran, Sir Ike Nwokolo and Chief Adeboye Badejo in my professional career. Although, I became a member of ICAN in the late 80’s , one year after my return from the UK, my participation in its affairs, really started at the Bursary of the University of Sokoto, the Finace Department of the United Bank for Africa PLC and later the Finance and Accounts Department of NEPA.” While working at NEPA, Mohammed recalled that he encouraged all the staff to sit for ICAN examinations, persuaded the organisation to pay the annual subscriptions of qualified chartered accountants. “What must have really brought me to limelight within the Institute was when I formally approached it in 1992 to recommend to me ten Auditing and Accounting firms that I could engage for some accounting work and subsequent auditing of the accounts of NEPA. It was these modest contributions that attracted the attention of these past presidents, who subsequently visited my office to encourage me to press forward with the good work. Their high powered visit remains the watershed in my relationship with this noble Institute.”

Indeed that was Mohammed’s journey to the ICAN Council, first as a government nominee and later as an elected member.

“Besides leading to the formation of ICAN NEPA District Society and my active participation in other ICAN activities, their visit and subsequent interactions, brought me deserved visibility, which eventually culminated in my being the first elected chartered accountant from far northern Nigeria to become president in its 48 years history.”

During the presidency of Mrs. Okpareke, Mohammed also got the opportunity to attend the revered National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies. “The experience was challenging, instructive and refreshing, as it further opened my eyes, to the great possibilities in this nation. As a nation, we are at a cross road with our societal values decaying at a fast pace. Today, the youths relish in vices as if living an honest life is a recipe for naivety or antithetical to human progress.

Indeed, the ideals of integrity, transparency, diligence and trust, which define civilised societies, are observed not only in the breach by many, including professionals, but also are daily sacrificed for short term selfish monetary gains, by persons in fiduciary positions.”

Email: adetayookusanya@hotmail.com

Park! Stop!! & put on your inner light!!!

F

OR those who are familiar with the words in the title, it must bring to mind the specific circumstance of being pulled over at a police check point. It’s usually not a pleasant experience for your journey to be disrupted by these instructions, but you are mandated to obey and usually will do.

As we start a New Year, the three steps in the phrase can provide useful guidance as we follow the instructions to review the past year and prepare for the new one.

STOP! – Just like driving, life seems to be in constant motion as we go about tackling the challenges of our daily lives. We are always busy fighting fires, however in the bid to move forward, oftentimes we need to stop thinking about all that we did in the past year, as well as all that we plan to do in the New Year.

We ought to just focus on “stopping” and shutting down all systems, so we can initiate a “reboot”.

PARK!! – When being pulled over at a police check point, the instruction to park is a requirement to get off the busy highway. Being “parked” ensures that you settle down and focus on the business at hand, attending to the requests and instructions of the police officer.

In a similar way, there is the need for us to take time off to review the year gone by. Time for us to “Get Off” the busy highway of life and follow a clearly defined process like the “Best Year Yet!” program to ensure valuable lessons are learned from the accomplishments and disappointments of the past year. Being properly “parked” ensures there are little or no distractions especially at a time of the year when people are often busy shopping, attending parties, and hanging out with friends and family. It helps to plan this time in advance and let your stakeholders know that you will be taking some personal time to reflect and regroup. In the past few years, I have found the period between Christmas day and New Year’s Day or the 1st/2nd January a good time for this.

PUT ON YOUR INNER LIGHT!!! – Turning on the light in the car is important when you are stopped at a checkpoint at night. In the dark, the light helps the police to easily identify the occupants/contents of the vehicle and also helps the driver/passenger to easily locate their driving and vehicle particulars (documents to be presented).

Putting on the “inner light” in a review process can be quite illuminating. The ability to (i) define and connect with the bigger purpose, (ii) take decisions based on one’s core values and , (iii) gain clarity about the things that are important, are further enhanced by the reflective nature of putting on the “inner light”.

Following these three steps in general and answering the ten (10) questions in the “Best Year Yet!” process specifically, has been a very rewarding experience for me over the past 5 years. I look forward to the time set aside for this with excitement as it generates a huge sense of gratitude.

It’s always amazing to see the list of all the accomplishments that could have been forgotten or taken for granted, especially all the people that have supported me and been blessings in different ways in the course of the year.

I have also learnt to view my disappointments as opportunities to learn lessons that will be useful in the future.

Taking a second look at disappointments is less about regrets and more about understanding what happened and possibly why and how it happened, so that course-corrections can be made from lessons learned.

The most interesting part of this process is the celebration of all the goals achieved in the year. Some goals were just good ideas about eleven months ago and now they are things that have been concretely achieved. Every goal I have achieved (big or small, business or personal) gives a boost to my “success energy” and fuels me with the confidence to “stick to” this tried and tested process.

As we start the year, remember to STOP, PARK and PUT ON YOUR INNER LIGHT!!!. That way, when you get back on that busy highway of life, the knowledge gained from passing through a “checkpoint” will give you the confidence and conviction to achieve your life’s dream.

• Okusanya is CEO of ReadinessEdge

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

BUSINESS

One year after: Dangote leads

market from doldrums to vitality

I

NVESTORS and other stakeholders could not have had a better yield than they are presently enjoying in the market, following the return to the full grip of the bulls on the market from the bearish era after a long spell of lull.

Many investors lost hope following the global financial meltdown which ravaged economies in 2008, Nigeria not immuned, as the down turn wiped off almost 70 per cent of the value of the market. Since then, the market has been struggling to recover.

However, investors began to have part of their hopes rekindled when the market began to bounce back. In the second half of 2012, the market recorded a record growth of 34.5 per cent. The market began the upward swing precisely after the President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Aliko Dangote resumed office on June 19, 2012 after an interregnum.

It would be recalled that Dangote, s former Vice President of the Exchange was elected the President. He had barely assumed office when his election became a subject of judicial dispute. He was however returned to the office after 22 months following the ruling of the court of appeal.

His resumption, stakeholders claimed, opened a new vista in the life of the market which hitherto had been comatose.

Prior to his assumption of duties, the implementation of Nigerian government policy on fuel subsidy in January of 2012 had stalled economic activities at the beginning of the first quarter, the result of which was felt in the capital market through the first half of 2012.

However, there was more excitement in the second half of the year with steady growth across most sectors, and the inclusion of selected Nigerian government bonds in the JP Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM). Consequently, international institutional investors flocked to the Nigerian bond market, while local institutional investors appetite for equities was reawakened.

After a superlative growth of 74.7 per cent in 2007, the market dipped by 45.7 per cent in 2008, 33.7 per cent in 2009. It recovered by 18.9 per cent 2010 before falling again by 16.3 per cent in 2011. Towards the end of 2012, the market growth, measured by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) was already over 33 per cent. The President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Ariyo Olushekun, had assured that there was no likelihood of any major negative development in the market that could reverse this performance and make the market to close negatively in the year.

Given the efforts of regulators aimed at repositioning the entire financial system and the capital market in particular, market analysts were optimistic that a positive growth would be recorded this year, however, they never expected the magnitude of growth that was about to manifest. In the

MARKET FLASH Bukola Afolabi obrijo4u@gmail.com

•••Market soars by 76 percent

beginning of 2012, analysts from three leading investment banking firms, FSDH Securities Limited, Meristem Securities Limited (MSL) and FBN Capital Limited projected a growth of below 15 per cent for the year.

For instance, analysts at FSDH Securities Limited, projected that the market would close at 13.3 per cent. Those at MSL envisaged 13.5 per cent while FBN Capital Limited projected a growth of 14 per cent. In projecting the robust outlook for 2012, analyst at MSL said their bullish sentiments were driven by expected performance of the financial service (majorly banks) sector of the market among others. Meanwhile as at last week the quantum leap in the performance of the market was beyond their expectation.

Most investors and other stakeholders are of the view that the business acumen, good leadership qualities and international contacts of the Exchange President combined have impacted positively on the Nigerian stock market which grew by 77 per cent in capitalization within one year of his return to NSE. In the last one year, capitalization of the NSE has soared by N5.202 trillion, while the NSE All-Share Index rose by 76 per cent. Specifically, the market capitalization rose from N6.712 trillion to N11.914 trillion by the close of trading last Monday. In the same vein, the ASI grew from 21,028.39 to close at 37,085.11 Market analysts and operators said the leadership of Dangote has created harmony in the Council and good atmosphere for the management of the exchange to implement strategies which have taken the market to the new levels.

Dangote had last year promise to support the management and work with all council members to ensure restoration of investor confidence.

He had pledged that during his tenures as NSE president, he would be guided by five key elements. These are: transparency and improved governance of the market; improving the liquidity, turnover and size of the market; enhancing market efficiency by ensuring clearer and updated rules, processes and procedures; provision of worldclass infrastructure and technology for our market and massive capacity building and rapid skill enhancement of the staff of the stock exchange and investor education.

He almost promised not only to turn around the market but also to ensure it becomes the leading light in Africa.

Dangote said: “We are one of the best in the sub-Sahara Africa. In fact we are number three in Africa but we are targeting to be number one and we will soon get there.”

Analysts said the NSE has made progress in achieving some of these milestones in the market. The NSE has improved disclosure and govern-

ance level in the market, introduced market making, retail bond trading and raised the level of investor education.

Commenting on the performance of the market under Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer of Lambert Trust and Investment Company Limited, Mr. David Adonri, said the NSE has undergone transformation from a mono product capital market to that with multiple products offering.

“Dangote has successfully restored a firm order to affairs of the NSE within the past one year. The Board room crisis that he inherited from the previous Council has become a thing of the past. The NSE is once more poised to taking its rightful position in the process of capital formation for the Nigerian economy,” Adonri said.

Another broker and Chief Executive Officer of Investment Centre Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Odunwa, said the market has done exceedingly well in terms of restoration of investor confidence, quantum positive leap in market indices and return of local investors back to the market in the past one year under.

“The market that defiled various corrective policies put in place since the meltdown years suddenly started responding positively on a sustained basis since his return as the NSE President. Dangote’s personifies investment, hardwork, integrity, resilience, humility, the Nigerian can-do spirit, goodwill, transparency, trust and confidence which are necessary ingredi-

ents that positively drive a stock market.

“It is not a surprise that his experience, charisma and global contacts were brought to bear on the market coupled with the professionalism and hard work of the NSE management led by Oscar Onyema that ensured the implementation of world-class policies and best practices which finally turned the market around,” Odunwa said.

In his own assessment, Chairman of Lagos State Pension Commission, Tunde Dabiri said he was not surprised at the exploits of Dangote’s leadership at the Exchange because of his ability, doggedness and antecedent. “I am not surprised at the extent of his success in the last one year at the Exchange. He is a well-focused business man and he knows what he wants at any particular time.

“His presidency is beneficial and don’t forget that he has a stake and he has to make sure the system works and improves. I wish him all the best as he continues to be a major driver of manufacturing in Nigeria. We can only encourage him to do more.”

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Company News Shareholders applaud Lafarge Wapco

A

DELUGE of encomiums has been poured on Lafarge WAPCO Plc by shareholders in appreciating the document recently released at the end of the 2012 financial year. They were full of praises for the board of directors and the management for the company's performance and the outcome of the year's financial result. According to the statement from the chairman: "Domestic demand for cement in 2012 was estimated at 18.3 million metric tons, up by approximately 7% on the estimated demand for 2011, this reflects a contraction in demand compared with the last five years where years on year growth in demand averaged approximately 10.8% . The lull in demand during 2012 was principally caused by an unusually prolonged rainy season which lasted into the fourth quarter of the year, a period of dry spell when construction activities were expected to pick up. The consequent flooding in most parts of the country as a result of the heavy rainfall also meant that construction activities by major contractors and private home builders were disrupted.

"The Nigerian economy continues to offer tremendous opportunities but the capacity of manufacturers to harness the opportunities was constrained by the prevailing challenges of the operating environment. Economic activities were paralysed at the beginning of the year due to the nationwide civil unrest which only settled after an agreement with the Nigerian Labour Congress was reached for a partial removal of the subsidy.

The partial removal of subsidy on petrol and increase in food prices as a result of flooding of farm land led to a spike in inflation rate which increased to 11.9% by the end of 2012 from 10.9% at the start of the year."

Vitafoam: Need to sustain growth earnings in 2013

V

ITAFOAM is one of the companies to watch for strong growth in earnings in 2013.

The foam makers seem to have been sleeping since 2009 when its profits began a downward creep. Fiscal 2013 seems to be a year of waking up and stretching out for the company.

The company’s first quarter operations ended well with sales revenue at N4.05 billion and net profit of N174 million. That yielded a net profit margin of 4.3%, which was much better than the net profit margin of 3.5% recorded at the end of its 2012 operations in September.

Vitafoam’s second quarter operations for the period ended March 2013 shows an all-round improvement in key earnings indicators.

Both revenue and profit growth accelerated during the period. Sales revenue came to N8.79 billion at the end of the second quarter, up by 15.4% from the corresponding quarter in 2012. Based on the second quarter growth rate, sales revenue is projected to stand at N18.3 billion for Vitafoam in 2013.

The projected revenue will be an increase of 26.4% over the full year revenue figure in 2012.

This will be a major growth in sales revenue compared to a marginal decline of 0.3% in 2013. Except in 2011 when turnover grew by 36.7%, sales revenue growth has been generally slow for the company in recent years.

On the average, however, the company has maintained a good level of stability in earnings performance. In the past five years, it grew sales revenue by an average of 16.2%.

A new strength in profit performance has accompanied the company’s improved sales revenue outlook for 2013. At the end of the second quarter, the company posted a net profit of N408 million, a rise of 16.9% over the figure in the corresponding period last year.

If the current growth rate is maintained to a full year, the company is expected to post a net profit of N861 million. This will be a new peak in the company’s profit records and a big leap of 72.2% over the fullyear profit figure in 2012.

54

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

L

ET us begin by setting the tone for this interaction. We also appreciate the increasing number of our readers, the growing number we derive from the rise in the new callers we attend to every week. The entire MC&A DIGEST team appreciate the time and interest all of our readers invest in going through our articles across the newspapers we are published, each and every week. We also appreciate the fact that the options of readable publications open to you all are unlimited, so your interest and time invested in ‘fellowshipping’ with us, is quite a (real) cost.

It is on the strength of that realization, we have continually dug deeper, to create literary images that have potentials to add value in some way, no matter how distant. For some time now, we have focused on Nigerian Export-Import Bank, looking at the institution’s role, relevance and importance, in our nation’s process of economic repositioning.

As a consequence of the change in the global economy, and the emerging trend in relationship among nations, Nigeria, as indeed, every nation in the world, is at a crossroads; it is a time for nations to make decisions and take actions with utmost care. The decisions and actions taken by nations around the world, today, will have strong and critical bearing on the path of the given nation’s economic progression in the near future. For Nigeria, the decisions and actions taken today will, to a large extent, determine the path of our economic growth in the future. The options open to our economy (bearing in mind its peculiarities) are either the path of Value-Added growth or a continuation on its present path of resource progression.

It is, however, important to immediately remind us, there is the urgent need to change the present economic path we tow for reasons we have listed in our articles in the past. Worthy of re-note, global economy is witnessing change in pattern and dimension. Economy of scale has shifted from size to sophistication.

That explains the investment pattern of developed and emerging markets, where attention is shifted to (1) Human Resource development – education, training and empowerment (2) Technological advancement (2) Economic democracy (3) Industrialization.

The emerging global trend is compartmentalization of the progressively inter-connected world we live in, along the lines of regional relativity, inherent resources and extent of economic development. So, in addition to the G8, G5… in addition to the old economic blocks, we now have the BRIC nations. All of these are indicators of the need for internally driven economic development, for survival in the new economic world and for relevance within the global space. Therefore, Nigeria, as a nation, need to give a more aggressive and focused attention to growing our economy by depending more on ourselves (and our resources), even as we consider the potentials of regional integration, economic diversification.

The projections are well-derived: consistent economic growth rating, growing employment rate (at least 90%), vibrant investment climate, private sector-driven industrialized economy, enduring and globally competitive economic structures and flourishing international trade - all of these add up to determine the extent of economic development (of any given na-

55

NEXIM Bank in Nigeria’s Path to Economic Growth - 1

L-R: Christopher Chukaedordu, the St MD/CEO of Nexim Bank and Ist president of The Afrexim Bank; Roberts U. Orya, MD/CEO, Nexim Bank; and Victor Akeodozi, former deputy governor (Fss), CBN, and the 1st Chairman Of Nexim Bank at the ongoing twentieth general meeting of Shareholders of The African Export-import Bank, which opened at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

tion) regional and/or global competitiveness.

As captured in Yr-2013 report on Africa Competitiveness, Competitiveness is about planning and investment. Competitive economies are rated by a careful consideration of the state of health of all of the factors, institutions and policies that determine a given country’s level of productivity – sets the path of economic growth.

With the above-mentioned at the back of our minds, it becomes easy to appreciate the federal government’s efforts towards building a competitive economy, with the establishment of Nigeria ExportImport Bank – NEXIM. NEXIM as an economic development institution is driving our economic development, regional integration and global competitiveness by its direct involvement in growing our export-import trade. Closely linked with its immediate objective of promoting the nation’s export-import trade, are the multiplier effect impact of its direct achievements on the nation’s economy, in form of increased private sector engagement, industrial development, employment opportunity generation, diversification of the nation’s economy (aggressively stimulating investment in the non-oil sectors), and increasingly improving on our regional and global competitiveness.

We have concerned ourselves with NEXIM Bank in the nation’s economic evolution, for the purpose of presenting a better understanding and appreciation of

the institution’s role (and strategic importance) in the process. In our previous write-ups, we had detailed the bank’s pluses. In this phase of our tracking, we shall run through the major milestones of the bank’s engagement, of direct benefit locally, regionally and globally, starting withNEXIMSEALINK Project.

As a concept, the Sea-Link Project is a game changer for Nigeria, Africa and the world; a product of deep thinking, based on careful resource engagement for immediate and long term benefits, of lifelong impact. It can be likened to the discovery made by Mongo Park, when he sailed down the River Niger! Each time the Managing Director, NEXIM Bank, Mr. Roberts U. Orya talk on the concept leading onto the project execution, he concentrates on the details, with uncommon passion. NEXIM SEALINKProjectis about leveraging on strategic competitive advantage; the establishment of a dedicated RegionalSealink…as the solution to challenges of road transport across land boarders.

The benefits of an efficient water transport system across the coastal corridors of nations within the region include faster transportation, a more efficient, safer and cheaper access to markets across the region, increased trade volume and the opening-up of international markets across African region. Nations within the African region will experience greater economies of scale as a result of this strategic initiative. So, Mr. Orya’s ini-

tiative was attractive to some others who now partner with NEXIM Bank, to see the project through.

For Nigeria, NEXIM’s Sealink project will quickly open up new opportunities for export-import trade. More and more private investors will take advantage of the coastal transport system and market access to invest in bigger value export trading. More employment opportunities will be generated for Nigerians, and finally, our large population will experience greater value rating. Mr. Orya’s NEXIM and their co-investors are, together building a very important structure with potentials to aggressively stimulate a whole new level of economic growth opportunities for Nigeria and the African region. We should expect greater level competitiveness when this Sealink project becomes operational.

The critical point to note here, beside the proactivity, creativity, hard work and daring investment ingenuity of the NEXIM team, is the potentials to actualize change and economic growth, this initiative has demonstrated. As we have always noted, NEXIM Bank is a change driver needing of greater investment. A financially healthy NEXIM Bank will enable a spin-off of greater economic gains for Nigeria, Africa and the world. Nigeria will enjoy a more advantageous competitive advantage at the global economic space, if NEXIM Bank is financially better positioned to exploit its potentials.

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WORSHIP THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

'Nigeria needs more than prayers' 14

YEARS after democracy, are we there yet?

Of course, we all know we are far from being there. You know becoming a man is not a day's job. So the task of nationhood is not a child's play. We have come a lot way, no doubt, in the sense that we have been able to have uninterrupted democracy, but I also know there is still a lot to be done.

We are a growing democratic culture but we still need to cover a lot of grounds.

Some people have said preachers like you only tell people to pray while the nation is slipping away. Is prayer enough to save Nigeria?

Yes, I believe developed nations did more than praying.

I believe that prayer is effective in talking with God but you also have to talk to leaders. I am of the opinion church leaders must speak out and call political office holders to caution. Yes, we must pray, but we must always engage our leaders. I don't believe we should fold our arms but we must speak out and take a stand.

A prominent church leader joined the call for convocation of National Sovereign Conference recently. Will you support such move?

No, I don't. I believe those making these calls are ethnic champions with different agendas. If such conference holds, they will tear this country apart. Besides, we have elected officers representing various corners of this country.

They should be able to discuss whatever challenges we have in Nigeria. Why should we duplicate that body again? All the ethnic lords will have their ways pursuing agendas that will not favour us. So, we don't

Bishop Taiwo Akinola is the General Overseer of Rhema Christian Church & Tower International in Otta, Ogun State. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on national issues. Excerpts: need national conference; let our lawmakers discuss all that should be discussed.

There are fears and projections that Nigeria will not survive beyond 2015. Going by the tension in the political atmosphere don't you see this coming to pass?

I do not believe in that prediction or suggestion at all.

That country has said its own. I don't believe any nation can determine the fate of others. I know the country can begin to orchestrate events that will prove that prediction right. So, it is up to Nigeria to work against it. The glory of Nigeria is in our size. Everyone wants to come here to do business because of our population. So, it is in everyone's interest that we remain one.

Besides, the Bible says the boundary of nations is determined by God. God is the one that carved out Nigeria and we must not allow that suggestion to come to pass. We must work against it. Let us speak with one voice and our leaders should shun ethnic agenda. Nigeria is a solid nation and we will not disintegrate in Jesus name.

How do you want to react to the monumental corruption in this nation?

Corruption is a fallout of our moral decadence and cultural disorientation. When someone comes from the village and returns in six months with money, we celebrate him.

We don't bother how he came about the money. We then

•Akinola

taunt his contemporaries who return with nothing. So, we are all involved in this. Traditional rulers, church leaders and religious institutions must work to change this. Let's allow people to know that ill-gotten wealth is of no value. When that starts, it spreads to all sectors.

The government gets the sig-

NEWS

RCCG empowers 30 widows

F

OR 30 widows in Lagos province 17 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), it was all smiles last week.

They received economic empowerment courtesy of the women's fellowship of the church aimed at changing their status in the society.

The empowerment session was the height of the 3-day Sisters' Convention with the theme "reliable daughters of zion at the end time".

The widows drawn from the 30 areas in the province were given support items such as grinding machines, deep freezers, hairdressing equipment, clothes and foodstuffs free of charge.

Also, hundreds of residents within the neighbourhood were offered free medical check-up during the convention.

The wife of the provincial pastor, Pastor (Mrs.) Christiana

By Sunday Oguntola Omunagbe, explained that the schemes were aimed at addressing deep-seated poverty among the beneficiaries.

She lamented that the nation has failed to address acute hunger and unemployment, stating that such omission does not portend well for collective well-being.

Omunagbe said: "There is no more integrity, transparency and accountability. The whole world is looking unto us as women of honesty to influence positive change."

She assured that the women have been trained for better economic performances, adding that mentors have been assigned to offer them free advice after investment.

According to her, women in the province have built a

sanctuary in Olambe area of Ogun State.

She added that two maternity centres have been added in the province through the efforts of the women fellowship.

A speaker at the convention, Pastor (Mrs.) Victoria Obayemi, advised women to be concerned about the spiritual well-being of their families.

Speaking on keeping the

nal and act accordingly. We should even include anti-corruption subjects in our curriculum so that we can catch Nigerians from young.

We have no country but Nigeria. No matter where you go, your skin marks you out.

You can never be a first class citizen outside here. This is the fire of our homes burning, Obayemi, who is the wife of the pastor- in- charge of Region 2, said: "Women are the home makers and the responsibility to keep the fire of the homes burning lies with us."

She advised all women to get busy and start stoking the fire with the fuel of caring, companionship, complete commitment, charitable communication, appreciation, responsibility, forgiveness, romance and active spiritual involvement.

The beneficiaries exuded joy during the presentation.

• Omunagbe(second right) with one of the beneficiaries and other women fellowship officials at the presentation

only country we have and we have to change our people's perception. Why should you pocket what belongs to others?

Why should you plan to cheat me or anybody for that matter?

Supposing pastors and church leaders decide to organise protest marches against government policies and actions, will you be willing to participate?

I would not.

Why? Thank you. You see there is no value for human life in this country. So many people can hijack the protest march and begin to destroy property.

They can take over and derail the protests. When they do that, the government can send security men after the protesters, leading to loss of lives.

But the church employed that method in the US to great success. Why not give it a try here too? Won't it be cowardice to chicken out?

Thank you, but you see we don't all have to think alike.

We have different perspectives to issues. If you regard it as an act of cowardice, I will ask you to go ahead. You are still my brother but I will not join you in any protest.

In advanced countries, the police have regards for people. But here, they are quick to use fire arms to disperse protesters. I watch on CNN some

days ago and saw how policemen were even protecting protesters elsewhere. I know how many people would have died if we try it here. I don't want anybody to puff teargas into my system for nothing.

Everything in this country has failed. How does that make you feel?

No, every system here has not collapsed. We still have many things running. But having said that, we know things are deteriorating here. But we have ourselves to blame for it.

If we all elect the best with our consciences, we won't be where we are again. You find most of the protesters that you mentioned are only interested in dislodging the persons there so that they can take over and do worse things.

We must all come together to fix this country. Pastors, journalists, doctors and traditional rulers must team up to save Nigeria. Things are bad because we are ready to change our lives. It takes Nigerians to change Nigeria. It takes Nigerians to move Nigeria forward.

What will people find in Rhema Chapel that might be difficult to find elsewhere?

Every living church believes in Christ and eternity but there is always peculiarity.

Here, we were asked to raise a glorious army of champions.

Here, nobody is allowed to suffer. We rally round one another and refuse to discriminate on any basis. We love one another and raise champions. The totality of the gospel is what we preach here.

xxx

AD E R T S U 50 M N NIGERIAAN I CHRIST R S AUTHO Are you a Christian author? Are you bothered about poor exposure at bookshops and limited patronage?

The Nation is offering you an unbeatable opportunity to showcase your books and talk about your passion.

The 2-in-1 project involves an advert supplement backed with a profile story on each participant.

Kindly contact Sunday Oguntola on 08034309265 or shinystarontop@gmail.com for advert details and participation.

You will be glad you did!

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

The hidden blessing in persecution

M

Matt. 5: 11- 12 says, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

Beloved, Christianity is all about persecution and victory.

No Christian can boast of his faith if he has not been persecuted. Persecution, false accusation, etc are the trademark of the people of the world. The history of early Christians is characterised by persecution, threat, death of which great numbers were burnt alive on such accusations that could not be substantiated. So, if, in the honest effort to be Christians, and to live the life of Christians by trying to win souls for Christ, others persecute and revile us, we are to consider this as a blessing. We should take it patiently to show to the world how much the Christians under the consciousness of innocence, can bear persecution. For that is evidence that we are the children of God. Luke 23: 21-23 & 25 says, "But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed…. 25 And he released unto them

Pastor Lazarus Muoka

HEAVEN AT LAST him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will".

No sin occasioned the death of Christ but that we might be saved. The Chief priests delivered Him up to Pilate to crucify and Pilate was very unwilling to be the instrument of our Saviour's death because he knew there was nothing that could justify him to put Christ to death. Thus, Jesus was pronounced guiltless and justified by his judge but yet crucified for His innocence. So, it is expected that whosoever gives himself entirely up to God and His righteousness, making the Holy Scriptures the rule of his words and actions, will be scorned, reviled and persecuted.

1 Thessalonians 3: 3 says, "That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto". All Christians are exposed to persecution, and should not hope

Worship COLUMNS to avoid it and God imparts the highest rewards to those who suffer most. Hence the crown of martyrdom has been thought to be the brightest that any of the redeemed shall wear and hence many of the early Christians sought to become martyrs, and threw themselves in the way of their persecutors, so that they might be put to death.

And literally they rejoiced, and leaped for joy, at the prospect of death for the sake of Jesus.

All that was to show that there is something in living a righteous life that can sustain the soul, which the-world does not possess, because nothing but the consciousness of innocence could have borne them up in the midst of these trials and the flame that was kindled to consume the martyr has also been a bright light, showing the truth and power of the gospel of Jesus.

You may not enjoy persecution but you need it and in it is your blessing. Do not look at the fiery trials as unusual things, but to expect them, and prepare for them, for it will come but when it comes because you are prepared for it, it will strike but will not hurt you.

The scandals, afflictions and persecutions which fall upon God's people are to try them, not to consume them, to try their graces, and destroy their corruptions, to give them opportunity to make proof of the truth of their faith, sincerity, and constancy.

The duty which God expects and requires from them who suffer these fiery persecutions for the sake of His Son is for them to rejoice and be exceedingly glad for their reward is at hand.Comments and enquiries to heavenatlast2003 @yahoo.com; 07037911600.

CONTROVERSY

Should churches pay instrumentalists?

M

ANY instrumentalists and singers are on collision path with churches based on compensation package, triggering a controversy with great repercussions, reports Sunday Oguntola It was supposed to be the most exciting moment of the service. Worshippers, ever eager and exultant, stood up prepared to dance. The regular praise leader took to the podium. For the next 10 minutes, he sang like always. But the congregation's response was rather uncharacteristically dull.

Something was missing in the praise worship session. The drummer and keyboardist were nowhere to be found. Their absence stalled what normally would have been an enjoyable praise session. Even the praise leader knew he could not move the congregation like before. The general overseer, a vivacious, observant preacher, realised the session marred the entire service.

The congregation could not wait for him to end his sermon. Many of the worshippers headed home thoroughly disappointed, with what they described as the dullest Sunday service in the history of the Lagos-based

Pentecostal church.

The drummer and keyboardists stayed away in protest against the church's failure to "appreciate their gifts". The church, they argued, was always lively because of their talented performances. "We give our best but get nothing in return.

Everyone returns home blessed while we are yet drained and broke," the keyboardist explained.

The drummer, on his part, said he was moving to a nearby Pentecostal church that has agreed to place him

• Inyang

59

on a fat monthly salary. The appreciation, he said, will not only make up for his troubles but also motivate him to perform better. Sad as his exit was from his former church, he said he was left with no option.

This scenario reopens the debate on whether or not it is proper for churches to pay singers and instrumentalists.

Observations revealed that many Pentecostal churches have imbibed the culture of paying instrumentalists and musicians. This, it was gathered, is to prevent them from being poached and to secure good worship experiences.

The general overseer of Jesus Liberation Squad, New Oko Oba Lagos, Apostle Dele Johnson, said instrumentalists and musicians should ordinarily not be drawing pay from churches. Johnson, a former instrumentalist with Foursquare Gospel Church and The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), however, stated present-day instrumentalists are not mature to the point of playing for free in churches.

According to him: "It depends on how mature they are but I realised many of them are not. The Bible says God gives us gifts to profit, so they want money. And you really have no choice if

Living Faith

By Dr. David Oyedepo

Engaging the breakthrough power of faith (2) ELCOME to your regular column.

Your personal engagement is key to the fulfillment of prophecy in your life. Nobody can fulfill destiny on your behalf. It will require your own faith, for it is to you according to your faith (Matthew 9:29). Therefore, to see prophecies fulfilled in your life: 1. Take heed to them: The prophecies you don't take heed to will never get fulfilled in your life. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts…(2 Peter 1:19-21).

Recount and re-echo them (Proverb 4:20-23). Any prophecy you mock, you cannot partake of its benefits. If you count yourself out, you are out!

2. Engage in spiritual warfare to see them fulfilled: This means, engaging in prayer. Put up a fight of faith to ensure the delivery of your own portion.

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; (1 Timothy 1:18).

You are called to engage in a fight, so you can ward off every adversary (1 Corinthians 16:9), and lay hold of what eter-

W

nal life has in store for you (1 Timothy 6:12). You can't be a spiritual civilian and conquer; you conquer as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3).

3. Give yourself wholly to the demands of the prophetic word: There is always a part you have to play, before you can commit God to do His part.

When you give yourself wholly to those things, your profiting will be seen by all.

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all (1Timothy 4:15). You need to work it out, not play with it.

Make Your Faith Set: If faith is so powerful, then why do we appear so powerless? It is because our faith is not rooted and grounded enough.

Every change of level meets people suddenly. Except your faith is ready, you will trash it.

If your faith is not set, you will miss your set time. You need a set faith to take delivery of your next levels. Therefore, you need to build your faith or it will fail you when your lifting comes.

Invest in making your faith set, by tapping into the depth that God has given to those who have it. Henceforth, every step you take towards building your faith, will produce amazing results. Grace to partner with God through building up your faith, receive

you want to retain their services."

Johnson admits his church pays, stating that it is not totally wrong because "we must also learn to appreciate the gift of God in their lives." Many pastors, he said, "do not value instrumentalists and treat them shabbily."

If the general overseer of House Favour Church Egbeda Lagos, Rev. Bayode Olubo, has his way, he would not pay. In fact, he said he was not paying until recently when he came across a full-time, professional drummer. "My grouse with them is that they equate themselves with men of God. They feel they also make things happen in churches and should be treated as kings," he began.

He said many instrumentalists were hopping in and out when he was not paying, a situation that bore negatively on services. Though he now pays, he warned instrumentalists and musicians to humble themselves and depend on God for sustenance.

The senior pastor of The Stone Church Ibadan, Pastor Alex Adegboye, said churches really have no choice but to pay instrumentalists to get the best out of them. "We pay because we want the best. If you don't, they just leave for another church and that will be it," he stated.

Admitting that the development amounts to monetisation of talents,

NEWS

•Johnson

it right now!

Unveiling The Demand Of Faith: It is important to understand that every prophecy must be personally received, personally believed, personally expected, personally anticipated and personally fulfilled. It has to be personalized or you will just be singing it as a slogan.

So, it takes your own faith to be saved; no one can be saved on your behalf. In the same way that it takes your own faith to be healed, it also takes your own faith to have victory.

Even though God called Abraham and Sarah, He still dealt with them on individual basis (Isaiah 51:2). So, it's vital for us to appreciate the individuality dimension of the race of life; that will take us to our next levels.

Also note that It is not to you according to the prayers of anybody; it is only to you according to your faith. Even when you are being prayed for, your faith must be able to connect with it or you won't get it.

Remember, Jesus went to Nazareth and laid hands on people; but Jesus in whom the fullness of God dwelt, could do no mighty work,... And He marvelled because of their unbelief... (Mark 6:5-6). So, the anointing in your presence does not make a difference. It takes your faith to connect with the anointing.

Friend, the power to see set your faith is the preserve of those redeemed. You are redeemed as you confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are set for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to you today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with your precious blood. Today, I accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You, for saving me! Now I know, I am born again! I will conclude this teaching next week.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org Adegboye said instrumentalists should be left to their consciences to deal with the issue. "If they are really mature, they should do it free but since they prefer money, you just leave them to sort it out with God." He, however, said instrumentalists have personal needs and rehearsals to attend, which he said makes paying them a necessity.

The associate pastor of Sure Word Assembly Okota, Lagos, Pastor Aity DennisInyang, gave a yes -and- no answer to the question. According to her, "If they(musicians and instrumentalists) are working full time, they should be paid since that is the only thing they do.

"But if they work elsewhere, they should not be paid. That should be their contribution to the church and the ministry." The award-winning singer said choosing not to pay exposes the musical talents to secular enticements. "If we don't take care of them, the secular world is waiting for their talents and gifts."

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THE ARTS THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

A new boost for African Literature

•Unigwe, 2012 winner of NLNG Literature prize

T

HE voices were somewhat discordant. “The good times are here for African literature.” “No, it is not yet uhuru.”

But in a way, they all were excited to welcome this latest development to lift African literature to a higher level.

The attention seems to be focused more on prose fiction and short stories, when poetry and drama are being left out.” It was indeed with mixed feelings that Nigerian writers welcomed an additional literature prize which was announced by the Etisalat telecom company last week in Lagos.

Even though many writers have described the literature prize as quite ambitious and value-driven, aimed totally at giving African prose writers the opportunity to win and grow their trade, the emphasis, in the contention of most writers, is that literature should be allowed to breath on its own. African literature should be given the space to dictate to its readers in such a way that the stories told by Africans have to be seen to be the true representation of African scenes, African events, African affairs, African stories and indeed what the people believe and stand for.

Etisalat Literature prize.

While launching the prize last week, Ebi Atawodi of Etisalat, said the prize was being set up, among other salient issues, “to support African writing which is going through an era of great impetus.”

She adde: “Now with new writers emerging each year and the popularity of African literature clearly on display at international awards it’s proper to give more attention to literature presently.”

She went on: “These examples can be seen in the Caine Prize, the Man Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. So, the best in African literature may yet be ahead. It is now time to create a pan-African homegrown platform that promotes and celebrates emerging talents, especially in fiction.”

Etsalat made it clear that the

•Habila, 2001 winner of Caine prize

•Abdullahi

As the Etisalat telecom firm adds another literature prize to the array of the existing ones for African literature, Edozie Udeze speaks with Nigerian writers on this development prize was conceived and instituted as an essentially pan-African award to look into the literary elements that constitute the African peoples where ever they are. This is why it is structured to be awarded to purely those whose works are fresh and appearing for the first time.

These works have to be written by authors of African origin and descent and solely from the point of view of African values, both in terms of content and subject matter. The prize winner will get a £15,000 cash prize and a one-year residence in a university in the Middle-East, among other prizes.

Is the prize real?

While the institution of more prizes speak good of the level of literary firmament in Africa, a lot of writers still express some reservations about the motive, the conditions and reasons for these prizes. Denja Abdullahi, the Vice President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), in his own reaction welcomed “this addition to the array of prizes we have for writers to aspire to.” He, however, observed: “But like I always say, I do not believe any award or prize confers any excellence on a prize of writing. It only acknowledges the presence of merit in a given writing based on the criteria governing such an award or prize.”

Abdullahi’s argument is that no award for literature should be set up with the primary aim to correct anything or for the panel to start influencing what is written. He gave example with the Caine Prize

which many have criticised in recent times for making Africans write for neo-colonial sentiments.

“The Caine Prize has a lot of neocolonial or is it post- colonial pretentions. What we are saying is that an award should be simply set up to promote good writing, encourage reading and the labour of love of writing and nothing more.” Abdullahi is an ANA award-winning poet.

In the same vain, Arnold Udoka, a renowned chorographer, playwright and poet, observed that “the Etisalat literature prize for African fiction must be considered in the context of existing literature prizes in Africa – ANA and NLNG.” He however, asked: But then, what is informing the philosophy behind the prize? It must be seen to go beyond literature prize being trendy globally or for Etisalat’s brand visibility through the arts or a UAE expression in literary capitalism.”

Udoka whose poetry collection, I am the Woman, adorns most bookshelves all over the world, noted, however, that “from the outset, the prize promises to be more than the presentations of the award, brush the dust from our backsides, walk away and wait for next year’s award. It is clear that the Etisalat African fiction award intends to fill the literary impact lacuna created by existing awards which fail to promote the book or the writer.”

“Let’s therefore hope,” Udoka said “that by this gesture, Etisalat is taking the African writer to the

market space/place.” This, to him, should be the guiding spirit behind the prize which he equally pointed out should not be allowed to deviate from the principle of making African stories be wholly African.

Neglecting other genres?

Apart from the Nigerian LNG prize for literature which rotates its prize among the four genres of literature, the Caine, the Etisalat and some others have no room for drama and poetry. Many Nigerian writers have frowned at this utter neglect, saying that it does not speak well of literature. “Is this supposed to dampen the creative drive of writers in these two genres?” was how Daggar Tola, chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) reacted to the issue.

Yet to him, “the more prizes for literature, the merrier, for it will encourage writers who labour hard to write.”

Abdullahi’s regret also is that no one even tries to look in the way of poetry and drama so as to keep those fortes in the eye of the people. He said: “Oh, my worry about all these explosion of literary prizes is that no one remembers the poet and the playwright when instituting such. Are we now saying that those who write those genres are not worthy of acclaim or that the genres themselves have no contemporary relevance?”

This is what the literary clan in Nigeria and Africa have to note and bring to the attention of the public for literary discourse.

As for Udoka, this unfortunate

“From the outset, the prize promises to be more than the presentations of the award, brush the dust from our backsides, walk away and wait for next year’s award. It is clear that the Etisalat African fiction award intends to fill the literary impact lacuna created by existing awards which fail to promote the book or the writer”

development, as it were, calls for worry and concern. He said: “My little objection is on the emphasis on fiction and the limitation to prose only. This might in the end, limit the sphere of literary expression and discourse. But then, the prize, to me, creates an opportunity to excite, encourage, explore, exploit, promote and project the creative dexterity and vibrancy of the writers of the mother continent.”

Uniqueness The core content of the Etisalat prize lies in the fact that more attention will be focused on the writer and his work. While other literary prizes in Africa may be for the good of the prize money and what the author can do with it, Atawodi of Etisalat declared otherwise. She said: “We are de-emphasising the money issue and focusing more on value for the writer and his craft.”

She equally drew attention to the fact that the winner will be mentored and guided by Giles Foden, the world-acclaimed author of The Last King of Scotland. And in addition, 1,000 copies of the book will be distributed to choice schools throughout Africa. The intention is to make the book known and also encourage the author to be of more relevance to literature.

Also, the winner will be taken on a four-nation tour where proper attention will be paid to his work.

Apart from that, the writer will be allowed an all-expenses writers’ residence in a choice university in the Middle-East. All these, to Atawodi, are to enable the winner gain more exposure, have enough time to think and write more so that literature will continue to grow, thrive and ferment.

Generally, writers noted that the panel of judges should no longer be an exclusive affair of university professors who view literature from an elitist angle. According to Abdullahi, “we leave out the ordinary reader in the assessment of what is good literature and yet we cry that people are not reading. Therefore, members of the writers’ clan should be on the panel. That way, the views will be balanced and totally representative.”

Etcetera

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

65

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

CHEEK BY JOWL

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

POLITICKLE

GEJ XI

Jokes Humour Wrong Results A HUSBAND stepped on one of those penny scales that tell you your fortune and weight, and dropped in a coin.

“Listen to this,” he said to his wife, showing her a small, white card. “It says I’m energetic, bright, resourceful and a great lover.”

“Yeah,” his wife nodded, “and it has your weight wrong, too.”

Lost Dog AN OLD farmer is inconsolable after his dog goes missing. His wife suggests he take out an ad in the newspaper, which he does.

But two weeks later, there’s still no sign of the canine. “What did you write in the ad?” his wife asks. “‘Here, boy’,” says the farmer.

afternoon, and I suffer from silent passage of gas in the evening. Sometimes I have silent passage of gas at unpredictable times. For instance, just now. Doctor, can you help me?”

“Sure, I can help you‚” says the doctor.

“But first you need your hearing checked.”

First Draft POMBE didn’t enlist in the Army before the war; he was drafted. So he wasn’t going to make life easy for anyone. During his physical examination, the doctor asked softly, “Can you read the letters on the wall?”

“What letters?” Pombe asked with a hint of craftiness.

“Good,” said the doctor. “You passed the hearing test.”

Multiple Silencer “DOCTOR, please help me,” says an elderly patient. “I have silent passage of gas every morning.

“I have silent passage of gas every

You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

—Abraham Lincoln

QUOTE

•Adapted from the Internet

H

The writer here mines football sentiment for a scorecard on player performance in President Goodluck Jonathan’s fair-weather selection – a team for the season but by no means a team for all seasons.

1. Peter Godsday Orubebe. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. Champion of local Niger Delta politics, amnesty programme gatekeeper and goalkeeper, within and without government circles, of the ‘2015-or-nothing’ project for President Goodluck Jonathan.

2. Godswill Akpabio. Akwa Ibom State Governor. A right side defensive Jonathan stalwart known to some fans as ‘The witchdoctor’, less for midfield or defensive wizardry reminiscent of Argentina great Juan Sebastian Veron than a 2010 declaration on American cable news network CNN. He famously displaced John Akpanudoedehe of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for a second spell in the presidential eleven and, lately, as Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, orchestrated controversial opposition to Rivers governor Chibueke Rotimi Amaechi’s election as governors forum chair.

3. Oronto Natei Douglas. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research and Documentation. Robust left side international defender who brings his human rights campaign experience to play towards GEJ’s 2015 re-election goal.

4. Anyim Pius Anyim. Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Former senate president and perpetual power player, he sits comfortably in front of the Back Four of Akpabio, Douglas, Tony Anenih and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, disrupting opposition and dictating localised play.

5. Chief Tony Anenih. Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP. Known as ‘The fixer’ to followers, the ex-commissioner of police and septuagenarian defender in old-fashioned ‘libero’ mould was signed to fine-tune Jonathan’s 2015 swansong with emphasis on curtailing wayward Northern attackers. He comes highly recommended after successfully aiding presidential election of the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola and masterminding ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian emergence.

6. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy. A diminutive world-class defender of deceptive mien, she deploys massive debt relief experience and fuel-subsidy-removal-based intricate economics to confound opponents and stun followers from a (dollardenominated?) central position.

7. Diezani Alison-Madueke. Minister of Petroleum Resources. Trained building designer and exemplar of feline attacking grace, she scored a series of firsts to build a formidable profile in government from the ‘right’ wing. From being a member of the board of Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria to transportation minister and the first woman of oil, she features very much in the Big League.

8. Bamanga Tukur. PDP National Chairman. Ex-ports authority general manager, ex-governor, ex-minister, ex-presidential candidate and ex-member of the Board of Trustees of PDP, the touted ‘Lionel Messi’ of Jonathan’s team seems to play to the gallery, nay, party guillotine. For, where the genuine article coagulates Barcelona’s play and poaches relentlessly for the Spanish giant, Tukur divides and disorientates in equal measure as the Adamawa PDP and governors forum rancour suggest. Prone to starting another attacking move before concluding one, the businessman is hardly a fan favourite.

9. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. President. Commander-in-Chief. Team skipper. In the squad initially as vice captain and acting leader upon demise of principal, Umoru Yar’Adua, after benefiting from career ‘luck’ at state level. Leadership icon of the Ijaw, his laid-back style hardly projects the traditional Number 9 who holds the play up to allow fellow strikers take up lethal positions.

Cheered by surrounding yes-men whenever he touches the ball, he is more like the lone ranger who brooks no rival for the top striker’s shirt. And once muscled off the 2015 path by poverty, security issues, plummeting power supply, and perennial plague, the opposition, the captain commands a protective ring of South-south ‘elders’ and ex-militants as Mujahid AsariDokubo.

10. Namadi Sambo. Vice President. Assistant skipper. Architect and politician of modest note until he gained official First Eleven prominence via governorship of Kaduna State. But for recent hint of presidential ambition eventually denounced, he faithfully supports his strike partner. No spectacular Number 10 either, he adopts a safety-first approach in play.

11. Stella Oduah. Minister of Aviation. In the squad for, among other reasons, abundant attacking experience as the president’s campaign Director of Administration and Finance, she is somewhat prone to flights of fancy from her left wing position.

OW TO Writer’s Fountain WRITE A Of course, Melville tangled the tale with so GRIPPING STORY: Every good story should carry a health warning. It would alert many emotional highs and lows, fumbles and the reader to the risk of becoming so absorbed digressions that the tale – probably more by the work of fiction before him that he may revered today than read – has become a classic. grow oblivious to the everyday world. But, as Without realising it, Melville discovered a writers, how do we achieve this desirable writing formula sustained in the early days of writing – all stories tended to peak emotionally effect?

First, forget about ‘plot’. If we define it in the middle.

However, critics pointed out that the pattern simply as a pattern of emotive incidents, plot didn’t work for the successful 19th century novel doesn’t just make a story.

Here’s a plot: man meets fish, man loses or short story. Then, the pattern involved the fish, man meets fish again, fish kills man. Who peak of tension coming close to the end. The cares? Only the fish, the man and the water upward climb was a zigzag of emotional bailiff who has to appear at the silly man’s heights and depths, of little triumphs and inquest. But that’s Moby Dick by Herman suspenseful torments, leading to a grand finale.

The reader was then eased gently back to the Melville. everyday world in the final episode where all Critical numbers: villains were caged and broken hearts mended.

•Children spend more time learning about True, sometimes the villains triumphed and life through media than any other manner. the hero/heroine expired in a fit of melodrama.

•The average child spends approximately But at least the loose ends of the story were 28 hours a week watching television, which carefully tidied up in the epilogue. The formula is twice as much time as he spends in school. is trite now, but it still works. Arrange your •China has close to 25% of the world’s emotive or touchy incidents around it and you population. have a story, no matter how trivial the incidents.

•Do you know that 85.7% of statisics are A tortoise is washed by flood into your garden? made up?

The result is an epic!

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

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RIGHT OF REPLY

Re: Aregbesola, Omisore, and Omoworare T

HE attention of the Iyiola Omisore Campaign Organisation has been drawn to an article titled “Aregbesola, Omisore and I” authored

by Babajide Omoworare, and published in your newspaper’s edition of Sunday, June 16, 2013 on page 26.

Omoworare was described in the publication as the “Senator representing Osun East”, - a claim which is still in litigation as we shall presently show.

The said publication was replete with half-truths and blatant falsehood.

While we could have ignored the piece as an amateurish regurgitation, we found it compelling to set the records straight, especially as facts of history were distorted and misrepresented.

The issues touched by Omoworare fall into three main categories; namely, the record of the performance in office of his boss, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as governor of Osun State for the past three years; the politics of betrayal in the Alliance for Democracy; and the 2011 elections in Osun State. In each of the three categories, Omoworare was, at his best, economical with the truth.

We start with the last general elections in the state. It is on record that prior to the 2011 elections in Osun, 38 stakeholders went to court seeking an order to stop the election on the ground that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ambassador Rufus Oluwatoyin Akeju, was a biased umpire, having served, in Lagos, as special adviser to Senator Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, one of the parties contesting in the elections.

The said Ambassador Akeju had also been confirmed as a card-carrying member of the ACN. The court granted the order, restraining INEC from recognising Akeju as REC and restraining the same Akeju from conducting or supervising the conduct of the elections. The INEC, however, ignored the court order and allowed the said Akeju to preside over the elections in Osun State. For record purposes, the suit number is FHC/OS/CS/26/2011 while the ruling was delivered on March 28th, 2011. Interested parties should please check up the court records. Permit us to say that this is a court of competent jurisdiction.

The outcome of the elections presided over by the said Akeju was a •Continued from Page 25 tion. Once civil service lost its prestige and fearlessness and could not keep telling minister,, sir these are the financial instructions, this is possible this is not possible; it would destroy checks and balances. That was terrible for Nigeria. Unfortunately for us, even though Gen Murtala Muhammed and Gen Olusegun Obasanjo were members of Gowon’s cabinet which approved the 1975-1980 plan which stressed that oil is a wasting asset and in the meantime we must use the resources of oil to diversify the Nigerian economy and develop it and proceeded to identify a number of capital goods and intermediate good industries, metallurgy from iron ore to steel, oil and gas to petrochemical, fertilizers, all these plans were there, but unfortunately in the process of denigrating what happened under Gowon were abandoned. But most seriously abandoning the discipline which planning imposes; where you before hand identify priorities for national development and when resources come, you will apply them to that. What has then happened is that having abandoned the plan, money came and was spent but where is it?

What can we show for it? I keep emphasising this point and you media people should please take it up because we must be saved from the present waste of resources and excessive selfseeking by people in leadership positions.

Insecurity has almost become a way of life in Nigeria. What is the way out

•Aregbesola

By Victor Oriola

massively rigged polls throwing up Omoworare and his likes. As law-abiding citizens, the plaintiffs in the original case then went to court seeking to invalidate the election held against a subsisting court order. The court was about determining the suit when the ACN rushed to delay the hearing of the substantive suit. The appeal by the ACN is still pending in the Court of Appeal. It is also on record that INEC later approached the Court of Appeal to appeal the original court ruling restraining it, first, from recognising Akeju as REC Osun State, and, second, from allowing the said Akeju to supervise the conduct of the Osun polls.

The case appeal number is CA/AK/ 46/2011 with INEC and Akeju as the appellants and the PDP as the respondent.

Why Omoworare denies the existence of these court cases over his socalled victory is not far to decipher.

The presence of these cases cannot but give him jitters. Omoworare behaves like the ostrich, pretending that the court cases do not exist. But even that will not wish them away! It is barefaced misinformation and deception that Omoworare failed to make refer-

•Omisore

•Omoworare

ence to the fact that the election on which he stands to describe himself as the “Senator representing Osun East” is still in litigation. We would have expected him to have been distinguished enough to admit the above facts as he did on his scampering away from a fresh contest after the 2007 election petition ruling. The election that he claimed to have won was illegally conducted and the court is handling the case appropriately. It would have amounted to endorsing an illegality were Iyiola Omisore to file a petition against an election the court had ruled should not hold.

Omoworare‘s supposition that all previous elections, except that of 1999, were rigged is a self-serving, indicting accusation. The 2003 elections where Chief Bisi Akande was voted out were adjudged one of the best elections in the state. In Osun east senatorial district, Iyiola Omisore won despite being unjustly imprisoned during the period. The groundswell of sympathy guaranteed his victory even when he could not campaign round the district because of his incarceration.

Omoworare must note that if democracy is to take firm roots in Nigeria, it is deceitful to see only elections won by us as free and fair while those won

by our opponents are bad-mouthed even when clear evidence shows that such elections were free and fair. Everyone knew why Chief Akande lost in 2003. Akande himself knew why he lost. Before that election, knowledgeable AD leaders in Osun had seen the ominous signs and had sounded the alarm. But like the proverbial hunter’s dog destined to get lost in the forest, Chief Akande spurned all good counsel and continued with his policies – and the people paid him back in his own coins by massively voting him out of office. That is the correct analysis of what happened in Osun State in 2003 and only a jaundiced writer like Omoworare would pretend not to know that.

On Omisore’s relationship with Chief Akande, Omoworare should have been tutored properly. The Alliance for Democracy was formed in Omisore‘s hotel room in Abuja under the watchful eyes of the late Chief Bola Ige. Omoworare was a young man still trying to find his feet at that time.

Omisore bankrolled not just the party but also the election of Akande as governor of Osun State. Facts are sacred.

Contrary to accusations that Omisore disregarded and harassed the former governor, it is rather the other way

‘Our leaders have lost moral authority’ of this?

What is at the bottom of insecurity and why are we not effectively anticipating incidents of terrorism? The answer, I believe is are twofold. First, the signals coming from the top down are not signals which will enforce the core values of integrity, honesty and transparency. The cost of seeking political office is too high. The behaviour in office of then seeking to cover that money leads to massive corruption. So when the signal coming from the top is that anybody can take as much as possible as he likes from the coffers of the state and flaunt it, it doesn’t give you the moral authority to tell the people to be patient. Because of that resources have been shifting from what we should be spending in order to enable Nigeria go to higher levels of development into private pockets. The self -seeking is too much.

What is your view about sanctioning of corrupt officers?

What do we do about sanctioning people who have been found guilty of corruption? You saw the terrible case in which somebody who misappropriated N26 billion was fined N760, 000 and somebody who stole a goat was sentenced two years. What signal do such send? Those are part of the underlining factors. Now because of corruption there is a situation in which we are often as a country, am sorry for the government, operating as if we are blind and do not have the data to

anticipate problems. In the old days, money for security votes trickled down the ladder even to the position of the police inspector, making and rejoicing with people in the market square in the village pubs. Here was a situation of having little money to entertain and whosoever stranger that came into the village within 24 hours the residents knew. Now is there the resources for intelligence gathering at the bottom for us to be able to do that? This is another terrible situation. When you have a situation in which the citizens because of the massive self -seeking and self appropriation of resources by the people at the top are not caring for the public good, the citizens become, if you like, distanced from the leadership; the willingness to obey is not there and even the willingness to exert sanctions for corruption is not there, the resources at the bottom to gather intelligence data is not there, then this terrible cocktail results in the situation in which we find ourselves.

We must communicate good values from the top. We must re-instate the situation in which the leadership has the authority and that can only come from exemplary behaviour; behaving according to precepts, making sure that there is discipline, making sure that what you are doing is in the interest of the public good and not of private interest.

What is your take on the state of emergency declared in three states in the

north?

I am happy and in support of the state of emergency. I am in support of trying to find the people who have declared war on the state but that is the first step. The next big step is for the president to proclaim an ethical revolution to bring us back to the core values of discipline, transparency, honesty, integrity, respect for the public good, pursuit of the public interest and the utilisation of resources maximally to improve the possibility of Nigeria resuming rapid economic progress, diversification, and wealth creation for the people.

The hope of the common man seems to have been dashed. What is the way out?

We must try to be constructive. I do not believe in extreme pessimism. I believe that people ruling today should please look again at where the country is going and if it is sustainable. What we are doing now is not sustainable and it is time now for us to say from the top down enough is enough and to go back to things which would enable this country to resume growth, development and to know peace. First thing is this: we must drastically reapportion the allocation of the resources available. We cannot continue with the amount of money being paid to the legislatures and the executives.

We can’t! Whatever anybody is able to earn legitimately in the private sector is okay. At independence the salary of a

round as Omisore was hounded and tossed around in the desperate bid of the cabal that had formed around Akande to betray the gentleman’s agreement of one term only agreed to within the party caucus prior to the 1999 elections.

That was the prelude to the campaign of calumny, ostracisation, and orchestrated impeachment of Senator Omisore as deputy governor of the state on flimsy grounds. Senator Omisore was betrayed by others he had helped. It was not the other way round. Their plan was to politically bury Omisore despite all he did for them but God is ever on the side of the righteous. Omoworare was not part of the caucus and so cannot claim firsthand knowledge of what transpired.

We must also note that during the days of the United Nigeria Congress Party [UNCP] when Senator Omisore was already a key player in the politics of Nigeria, Omoworare was still a student.

Let it be known to Omoworare and others of his ilk that Omisore as Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee for four years transparently supervised the appropriation of almost N49 trillion to the applause and commendation of the public. His tenure as chairman of that strategic committee was a golden age of appropriation processes in the country. As a professional engineer, he has undertaken many top-flight engineering projects.

Thus, Omisore is not the ordinary, business-as-usual politician but a tested and experienced professional that has the wherewithal to take Osun to a new level of collective prosperity.

As we close, a word of advice is necessary for Omoworare: Facts of history cannot be whimsically distorted.

Omisore was pivotal to making Chief Bisi Akande, current National Chairman of ACN, governor of Osun State.

The injustice done to Omisore was monumental. Let all those who aspire to the position of leadership toe the path of truth because truth exalts; falsehood is a reproach. Omisore holds no personal grudges against anyone; not even against Akande, Omoworare or Gov. Aregbesola.

•Oriola, is Media Adviser, Iyiola Omisore Campaign Organisation. minister, a permanent secretary and a professor was about equal. The difference was about N2, 000 to N3, 000 or thereabout. What is it today? It is terrible. The executive too would have to look at it. If you look at our economy, by the time you pay the chief executive of Nigeria, the President N30 million per annum that is salary and allowance, of course he would live in presidential house, he would entertain with public votes, I think that is okay. We need to reach the situation again where we can devote may be for a start 60 percent and little more later to public expenditure and a great deal of this public expenditure to education because education is the route to escape from poverty; it is the route to upward mobility. Many of us who look okay today and many of them in government it is the education they had that made them to get to that position. It is the primary duty of any religious leader to try to ensure that the broad masses of Nigeria are enabled again to get good, quality public education. America is a land of capitalism by excellence but there is no American who doesn’t have access to quality public education and that is what we must do here. We must also put in place good health care and infrastructure. If we had enough power (electricity) available today, a lot of the people who are going into crime because of joblessness would be employed. A tailor who can only manage one machine now will have four and four apprentices.

The poor woman who comes home to grind pepper for two hours on stone, in five minutes would do it and have more time for other things.

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THE NATION SPORT SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

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SPORT EXTRA

Musa, Omeruo battle ready for Spain ... Oduamadi almost

A

HMED Musa and Kenneth Omeruo, were back fully in training on Saturday afternoon, after initial fears about their possible readiness for the game against Spain Sunday afternoon. The third player who was on the injury list, Nnamdi Oduamadi, was already 60 per cent ready as at press time.

He is expected to have a late fitness test on Sunday morning ahead of the game and indications are that he would be ready for the match.

Head Coach Stephen Keshi who happy with the cheery news thanked the medical crew for a job well done.

He told the world media that he expects all his 22 players will be fit, while regretting the absence of Lazio midfield man, Ogenyi Onazi, who was out to injury prior to the tournament.

The Eagles last training session at the venue of the game was mild and easy as the coaching crew decided to take it easy with the players to avoid any knocks from any quarters.

Speaking after training, Keshi said the game is like a World Cup final to the Eagles, as he expects his boys to take the fight to the World and European champions. “We respect Spain but we don't fear them and I think as African champions we deserve some respect ourselves, but we will give the game our all and hope it would be enough to take us to the next stage of the tournament.

Results

Confederation Cup Brazil 4-2 Italy U-20 World Cup Greece 2-1 Mexico Turkey 3-0 El Salvador Colombia 1-1 Australia Paraguay 1-1 Mali

Peter Rufai gets nod for Orumba League From Okogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

M

EMBER representing Orumba North and South Federal Constituency, Chief Ben Nwankwo, yesterday unveiled the former goal keeper of the Super Eagles, Peter Rufai, as the Technical Adviser of the Greater Orumba Community League, a grassroots football competition.

Rufai has the mandate from Chief Nwankwo to bring clubs from Europe searching for talents in Africa to monitor the league and discover at least 5 budding talents that can be sponsored for professional leagues in Europe.

Speaking, while inaugurating the Local Organising Committee (LOC) headed by-ex fighter Ngozika Ekwelum , Chief Nwankwo, who is a member of PDP, said the league is open for all communities, schools and colleges as well as local governments within the Orumba territory.

The lawmaker charged them to give their best in order to produce future Nigerian stars from the league and shun all kinds of usage of mercenaries, announcing that the finals would be slugged out on December 28 at Neros Stadium Nanka. ''There are talented people in soccer from Orumba but there is nobody to speak for them, hence we discussed with Peter Rufai to assist us to put at least five of our young players in the national map,” stated Nwankwo.“Rufai has adopted Orumba as his home, hence we are proud to be doing this with him.”

CONFEDERATION CUP

Super Eagles dare unbeaten Spain N

IGERIA'S Super Eagles are underdogs going into the last leg of their group game at the FIFA Confederations Cup against World and European champions, Spain, tonight.

Group B of the Confederations Cup in Brazil was wide open following Uruguay's 2-1 win over the Super Eagles at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Bahia on Thursday.

Stephen Keshi and his team know that they have a mountain to climb against the tiki-taka-playing Spaniards at the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza. Spain has been in cruise control of Group B after two wins out of two including the 10-0 mauling of minnows, Tahiti.

Vincent del Bosque's men have not lost a competitive game since their 0-1 loss to Switzerland at the 2010 FIFA World Cup while the African champions just had their 18-match unbeaten run truncated

by Uruguay bringing to an end a 13-month streak.

Keshi will lead his men into this tie with two of his key players, Nnamdi Oduamadi and Ahmed

Musa, doubtful.

Both players suffered knocks in the loss to Uruguay, though Musa could still feature in the tie while Oduamadi has a 50-50 chance of making the squad for the match.

But Spain could recall the core of their first-team players that includes the like of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Roberto Soldado and Iker Casillas.

Nigeria has a mathematical chance of reaching the last four but will have to beat Spain to give them that chance.

However, the odds are heavily stacked against the African champions, though they will draw inspiration from their predecessors in 1998 which stunned Spain 3-2 at the FIFA World Cup in France - the only head-to-head meeting between both nations at the senior level in competitive football.

In January this year, the Super Eagles played against Catalonia in a friendly that ended 1-1, but Spain will offer a different opposition when the game gets underway from 8p.m. Nigeria time on Sunday.

Keshi: My Eagles can shock Spain

D

ESPITE being branded the underdogs ahead of their clash against world champions, Spain, Nigeria's head coach, Stephen Keshi, still believes "anything can happen."

Keshi, 51, still fancies his team's chance of creating an upset in a contest some analysts have branded mission improbable and others have termed impossible.

"Anything can happen in football, even beating Spain, and that depends on how determined and motivated my team will be during the game," said Keshi.

The former Mali and Togo manager has refused to draw comparisons between the Spaniard 1998 team which lost 2-3 to Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup game in France and their present squad.

Keshi did not mince words in warning that in footballing terms so much has changed between both nations in the last 15 years since Nigeria stunned Spain at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. "It was another level of football in 1998 and this is different. But anything can still happen," said the Nigeria manager.

Nigeria will ride on Lady-luck on Sunday inside the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza to stun the

tiki-taka-playing Spanish national team and hope that Uruguay does not beat Tahiti by more than five goals.

The Super Eagles still occupy second spot in Group B of the FIFA Confederations Cup behind Spain despite a 1-2 loss to the South American champions, Uruguay, on Thursday.

• Mikel Obi (r) in action against Uruguay

Balotelli adopts five Brazilian kids

M

ARIO Balotelli was the only Italian player to leave the Azzurri's hotel despite riots in Salvador, one of the Brazilian cities hosting the Confederations Cup where the striker is known for his support of charity organisations.

La Gazzetta dello Sport quoted Coach Cesare Prandelli as saying that Italy had no intention of leaving the tournament despite alerts from authorities as police try to curb widespread protests over funds spent to organise next year's World Cup. “Balotelli had a special permit because he looks like one of (the residents)," the coach said, "and because of the things he did here, where he has already been twice.

"It is important that he realises

how lucky he is and that he helps other people."

Balotelli tweeted during his visit: "I look like a person from Bahia," as he was greeted by people while walking in the capital of the Brazilian state.

"Everything is quiet and there is nothing to fear," Balotelli said. "I only fear the journalists," he joked as he teased reporters who struggled to keep his pace.

Eagles, Spain game sold out

T

ODAY'S Confederation Cup group game between Nigeria's Super Eagles and Spain has been sold out totally according to the FIFA Coordinator for Fortaleza, Marc Andreas Harold.

“As we speak over 50,000 tickets have already been soldfor the capacity stadium and people As Nigeria ambush Cuba tomorrow 55,000 are still requesting for more. In fact tickets have become very scarce ORTUGAL U20 defender would strive to revive their the and I think it's because of the Tiago Ilori has said he World Cup hope on Monday quality of the two teams”, he said hopes his team and Nigeria when they tackle Cuba at the moments after Super Eagles boss

Portuguese Ilori tips Flying Eagles ...

P

make it past Group B of the FIFA U20 World Cup in Turkey.

Portugal defeated the Flying Eagles 3-2 Friday night to begin their quest for the world championship on a winning note.

Two-time champions Portugal lead Group B with three points after the first round of matches, while South Korea are second also on three points after their 2-1 win over Cuba.

Both Nigeria and Cuba have not earned any point. “It was a good match against a good team and I hope Portugal and Nigeria go through to the next round of the competition, said Ilori, whose father is Nigerian.

The Sporting Lisbon centre back moved to Portugal from London, where he was born when he was only eight years old.

Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles

Kadir Has Stadium in Kayeri - a new and modernised stadium opened in 2009.

The 33,000-capacity stadium is the home of Turkish top-flight club Kayserispor and Turkish second-division outfit Kayseri Erciyesspor.

Ilori

The 22-year-old first visited Mata Escura, a favela in Salvador, in 2007, when he began supporting the local charity Acopamec and Italy's Agata Smeralda with the long-distance adoption of five children.

Balotelli, who was born in Italy to Ghana immigrant parents, was adopted when he was three by a family in Concesio, near the northern town of Brescia.

Stephen Keshi and Skipper Vincent Enyeama addressed the world press ahead of the game.

Harold said he expects a very tight game that is almost impossible to predict and wished Nigeria well against the double champions. “You have no reason to lose the last game but it happened now there is an opportunity to correct that and I know that Spain too will be looking for victory. It's going to be very tight for the two teams”, he said.

TURKEY 2013

Obuh laments Portugal defeat ...As Ajagun promise fight back

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3-2 defeat in their opening fixture at the FIFA U-20 World was not the anticipated result for Flying Eagles Coach John Obuh.

Describing the loss as unfortunate, Obuh has said that the match against Cuba should now be the focus.

“It was a keenly contested game but unfortunately we lost, this was not what we had hoped for,”Obuh said. “We have to take the defeat in good faith so as to face the next game because we have to qualify for the next round.”

The Group B opener has seen Portugal take an early lead in the group while Nigeria starts from the bottom and will be hoping for better days ahead, first against

debutants Cuba and later South Korea who came from behind to win their first match 2-1 and tie on points with Portugal.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's skipper, Abduljaleel Ajagun, has promised a fight back by the team after they lost 3-2 to Portugal in an opening U-20 World Cup game.

“We are all disappointed we lost the game, but we are also looking forward to our next game against Cuba on Monday,” said Ajagun, whose two second-half goals were not enough to stop a Portugal victory on Friday night in front of over 10,000 fans at the Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri.

“We will improve in our next game and score the goals that will get us back in the competition.”

QUOTABLE "We cannot make progress with corruption in our society. It (corruption) has swallowed almost everybody. So, if there are laws making it difficult for cases to move on, let them be amended and reviewed. That should be the priority of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Bar."

SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 7, NO. 2525

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EFORE delving into the meat of this article, the Syrian tragedy demands attention. The United States recently joined Europe in publicly stating it would funnel weapons and other war materiel to the fractious rebel coalition. The move was taken because Assad’s forces allegedly had used chemical weapons. This was pretext. In reality, the initiative came because Assad had gained a significant battlefield advantage. Obviously the Syrian rebels could not halt Assad’s ascendance themselves. For the past year, Western nations have secretly aided and equipped the rebels. This level of lethal clandestine help from America and others has become insufficient due to the enhanced Iranian, Iraqi and Hezbollah martial subvention given Assad’s government.

In a sense, President Obama deserves pity. Publicly, he confidently enounced the geo-political sagacity and moral rectitude of the new policy. Outside the public’s gaze, he must have been hauled toward this decision kicking and screaming.

The US government ‘finding” of Syrian government use of chemical weapons is suspect. In early May, the UN’s lead investigator in Syria concluded the rebels had deployed the lethal chemical weapon, sarin. She found no evidence of regime use. The US quickly repudiated the report. We now know why.

The facts uncovered by the UN inquiry do not fit the tale America wants to construct. For America, Assad must be seen as incarnadine evil and the rebels as freedom fighters of the noblest order. Facts contrasting this depiction are tossed aside. Again, American policy is based on a simplistic caricature of a complex, nuanced reality. Again, American arrogance has decided on a course of action before assessing if the facts warrant that action. Once the decision is had, facts become secondary. They are manipulated to support a conclusion that has been reached without their assistance.

That Assad would order the small-scale deployment of chemical weapons is the masthead of illogic.

With the battlefield tilting in his favor, the man had nothing to gain from a tactical deployment of chemical weapons. A cunning survivalist like Assad would not risk such a strategic blunder to gain ephemeral advantage in a relatively minor skirmish. He would not take the gamble providing Western detractors a pretext to escalate their support for the flagging rebel groups. Assad had little to gain from such a noxious display yet much to lose.

The rebels had much to gain and little to forfeit by spraying chemical weapons then planting the delinquency on Assad’s porch. Pinning the blame on Assad suited rebel interests because it would prompt American action. This may have been the rebel’s most effective military maneuver since gaining the upper hand in the battle of Homs several months ago. It appears that all remains fair in war – even the treachery of gassing one’s own supporters — in order to gain an advantage.

After President Obama’s prior statement that the regime’s chemical weapons use would materially change American policy, that the regime would be found to have abused the dreadful instruments become inexorable.

After the world discovered the Iraqi war was based on a falsehood, the American government pledged it would not repeat the mistake. Seems an arrogance of power makes for a porous memory.

The same type of dubious intelligence has been contrived to support a foregone conclusion in Syria. After all, it seems odd the UN and US can have basically the same information yet reach opposite conclusions regarding chemical weapons usage.

Powerful interests embedded in the American political and military establishment seek Assad’s ouster. If this means war or near-war, let the slings and arrows fly. He is marked for ouster and these powerful interests are accustomed to hitting their mark.

Thus, American involvement in Syria will escalate. This means the war shall enter a more violent yet still inconclusive phase. Increased American aid will prevent the rebel’s possible collapse. However, additional weaponry will not decisively change the equation. It shall make for a more lethal stalemate since Assad’s sponsors will respond in kind. The military battle cannot be won until the sponsors of one side cave or, conversely, give such massive, unmatched assistance that the other side’s sponsors find it too costly to compete further. America is the only military capable of lending such unparalleled support.

President Obama’s announcement is a mistake albeit not of the magnitude of his predecessor’s fabrication of an entire war. America did not author the Syrian civil war. Assad penned this war with his unique script of injustice and suppression. However, America now may stoke the conflict beyond present dimensions. War hawks in America will become frustrated that increased weapons assistance has done little except birth a more violent standoff. They will

—Elderstatesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, lamenting the high level of corruption in the country.

May the protests continue The rich man’s power lies in his secure, vaulted places. The poor man’s power is the street

• A demonstrator is shot by rubber bullets as anti riot police officers charge after clashes erupted during a protest against corruption and price hikes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last week. PHOTO: AFP

BRIAN

BROWNE pressure the President to escalate American involvement.

Talk of no-fly zones, bombing and aerial support will dominate the policy discourse. In fact, there will be no genuine policy debate. The policy has already been determined by vested interests more permanently ensconced and influential in how the machinery of government grinds than is the current occupant of the White House. The American war factory will increase its assistance to the rebels because that is the nature of war machines. This tragedy will occur without an objective assay of America’s strategic interests or of the risks in catapulting Syria into a bleak unknown. It seems war, too, has reasons that reason shall never know.

This escalation shall sadly bear President Obama’s name although he reluctantly heads the procession towards war. He may be the head but he is not the lead. Time and time again, to prove he is not effete, he has given the war hawks too much leeway. They have repaid him by cajoling him toward imprudent action. This time, his unwillingness to hold the war factory in check may well cost him and his nation a price heavier than he is wont to pay.

Today, he gives increased aid to an unruly unreliable agglomeration in an obvious swamp of a martial emprise. Tomorrow, he will be pressured to send American planes into the Syrian airspace to make the battlefield safe for the rebels and rescue American prestige from stagnant misadventure. By his decision, the world moves one fateful step closer to heavy war in a strategic nation where both contestants enjoy support from rival great powers. This may be a short walk to disaster. The recent G-8 meeting concluded these great powers shall work to resolve the crisis.

However, the internal politics of these nations augur against such cooperation. The cloud of war stands over Syria. Mars, the god of battle and prince of bloodlust, smiles as he polishes the instruments of war, hoping they shall soon be used in a massive eruption of destruction and death.

While governments make fools of themselves in Syria, populations across the world are tiring of being fooled by their governments.

Protests abound in many nations. People take to the streets demanding redress from insensitive governments. Too many people suffer the weight and woe of economic inequality. Social services have been abolished so conservative governments may shift their fiscal deficits to deficits in the life the humble shall live.

Wages are cut so the profiteer can achieve his thumping desire of seizing the fat and meat of the land. Jobs that should be had are now lost. Homes that should be places of light and the laughter of happy children

and glad parents, are dark and vacant.

Hope may not be scattered to the four winds but it has been evicted from its dwelling place. When a man and his dreams have been rendered homeless, he has little alternative but to take to the streets. As people realise, when their government professes “to serve” them, that the government actually uses the term in the same manner one does to say the chef has served the roasted lamb. The people are not the ones government calls to dine; they are the dish government gives the privileged to dine upon. The poor and weak are not the guests; they are the meal. Upon realising government has travestied democracy and betrayed their sacred trust, people have a choice. Most accept the sorted deal the strong arm of government thrusts at them. A growing minority has found that their feet may be their most effective voice. They have taken to the streets, marching in protest against arrogant, indifferent government. The people seek to turn the table by giving back to government much of the discomfort government has given them.

Brazil has been wracked by an entire week of protests. Over one million people have participated.

The protests were sparked when an insensitive government increased bus fares by nine percent, in part to fund World Cup construction overruns. Although government rescinded the fare increase, people remain in the streets. They like the taste of protest because they distaste the trajectory of their lives. The fare increase was but a fuse, not the incendiary. The real incendiary was the life struggle too many Brazilians face.

Corporate media paints an impressive tableau of the Brazilian economic miracle. Denizens of the favelas say they have yet to see, much less experience, such a thing. Thus, they have taken to the streets in search of it. The protests’ intensity belies the myth of a carefree, happy folk. Yes, Brazilians love samba music; their festivities are second to none. But they are people still. It is a rare thing to secure happiness on an empty stomach. Such a thing may be paradise for an ascetic but is hellish for the rest of humankind.

Brazilians still need to eat, send their children to school and buy grandma’s medicines so that she may survive, at least, one more day.

The protesters now assail the decision to host the World Cup. For a nation with a large segment of its population gripped by poverty, hosting such a thing is a false monument of national progress that says “tudo bem” (everything is well) when everything is far from well. Hosting the World Cup amidst biting penury is a costly lark by a political elite too confident in its own power and riches. Estranged from the suffering of the many, this elite has become careless in its

treatment of the working class backbone and the lumpen periphery that are the genuine Brazil.

As much as the common people love football, they would rather the funds be spent on more milk, food, medicine, housing and education, not on stadia and venues only the moneyed can enjoy. The Brazilians have seen what the World Cup did for poor South Africans; Nothing. It lifted their hopes only to crash them in burnt disappointment. For the common South African, the games were an expensive narcotic. The high was costly but transient. The hangover was more permanent. When they awoke from the high, the people discovered they were no better situated than before. The poor can’t afford to pay such a stiff price for a momentary flutter of pride. Average Brazilians know this and many want no part of the foul procession. While the World Cup will hold, it will not do so as an unfettered party. By embarking on this immense frivolity, the Brazilian government inadvertently placed itself on trial. May the protests continue until government acquits itself by returning to working for the people instead of for itself.

In Ethiopia, thousands recently protested political oppression and the massive displacement of farmers and whole populations by government allied with global agro-business. This took courage. Government in Addis Ababa traditionally has little patience with dissent. It usually descends on protests will the subtlety of a boulder. Perhaps the demise of brilliant but megalomaniacal late president Meles has allowed a crack of freedom in an otherwise stifled political space. Hopefully, the people will have the courage to continue protesting so that they may stake claim to a new democracy in this ancient land. If not, the ancient land will return to something resembling a more medieval structure of society and the repression inherent in such an old political edifice.

In America, hundreds of Blacks protested before the White House. Slowly, Blacks are recognising they have given the tenant in that House their all while he has given them the shaft. Most observers have concluded President Obama’s Africa policy is weaker than his predecessors. To a large degree, his domestic policy suffers like affliction. Black America is in a worsened state than when the President took office.

He has not lifted a finger to stem the hemorrhaging.

His special gift to the Black community has been a series of public speeches haranguing them to depart from their stereotypic lethargy and expostulating that they should not expect any special help even if the economic ground is being swept from under them.

Although it embraced him with a love transcending into adoration, he has turned a cold shoulder to the Black community. The forces of poverty and racism converge on that community to buffet it in manifest ways. Unless something is done, the Black community will plummet into a condition not experienced since the advent of the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1950s. That this decline accelerates under the watch of the first Black president seems an irony of history. The more the policies and psychology of this administration are weighed, however, the more it seems that things have taken this malign shape by sinister design. As with the military on the war front, the President appears to be enthralled to indifferent, if not regressive, forces regarding domestic policy and its relationship to the Black community. Thus, may the protest grow larger and more potent.

In conclusion, almost imperceptibly people around the world are realising their governments have strayed too far from their stated purpose. Perhaps the most important protest was the Iranian presidential election. This time, authorities respected the ballot. If they manipulated the result, the authorities knew they could face with a massive protest crippling the regime. They did not want the Arab Spring to migrate into a Persian Summer. Faced with the reality of people power, those in formal authority bowed to the potential of the street and the common person. The West will view this as a sign that Iranians seek general rapprochement and a specific deal on the nuclear faceoff. The West reads too much of its interests into this essentially internal affair. The people voted in this manner because they want a government more responsive to their daily needs.

The forces of arrogant, mindless conservatism hold sway over too many capitals and nations. This has caused us to live in a world of weakening democracy and growing inequality. These and other protests show people see the challenge and threat before them. Some know action must be taken lest the world fall into an era of where plutocracy, war and inequality rule and the common person becomes uncommonly destitute and bedraggled. Human progress has been won at too high a price for the world to slip back into the bog. May the protests continue.

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ISSN: 115-5302 E-mail: sunday@thenationonlineng.net Editor: FESTUS ERIYE