The Nation June 26, 2013

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Villa dinner won’t stop NGF

‘No final decision on £3,000 visa bond’

NEWS

Page 4

NEWS

Page 4

•Governors insist on meeting

•Foreign Minister, UK envoy meet

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VOL. 8, NO. 2528 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Tinubu to Ladoja, Akala: anti-Ajimobi plot ‘ll fail

•From left: Chief Akande, Asiwaju Tinubu, Senator Ajimobi, Owelle Okorocha and Senator Amosun acknowledging cheers from the crowd in Ibadan…yesterday

Oyo opens first flyover in 35 years

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OLITICS was in the air yesterday at a landmark ceremony — the opening of a flyover — in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who cut the tape to open the key facility, had a word for the duo of former Oyo State Governors Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo AlaoAkala. Your gang-up against Governor Abiola Ajimobi will fail, he told

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

them.

Ladoja, who is the leader of Accord party and Alao-Akala, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were former arch enemies, who have united to fight the Ajimobi administration.

“It (the alliance) will collapse like a pack of cards,” the former Lagos State Governor said as he inaugurated the Mokola Flyover built by the Ajimobi administration.

The bridge is expected to

APC names interim NEC From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

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EADERS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) - the opposition’s vehicle for its planned displacement of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) —yesterday named members of its Continued on page 4

ease the traffic jam at the ever-busy Mokola axis of the city. It is the first to be built by any civilian administration in the state in the last 35 years.

Also inaugurated yesterday was the ultra-modern motor park at Podo with the capacity to accommodate 60 luxury buses and 311 minibuses. It has a terminal building, shopping malls, restaurants, management office, vehicle service points, a car wash, public toilets and boreContinued on page 4

•The bridge...yesterday

PHOTOS: FEMI ILESANMI

Amaechi to Rivers CP: shoot me if you wish •PAGE 60

•Amaechi

Governor to lead protest over ceded oil wells

•PHCN: BPE TO PENALISE DEFAULTERS P12 •FARMER WARNS ON FISH IMPORT BAN P5

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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NEWS

Can Madiba

•From left: Corps Marshal/CEO Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Osita Chidoka; Deputy Managing Director, UBA Plc Mr. Kennedy Uzoka and MD/CEO UBA Foundation Ms Ijeoma Aso at the launch of the 'Don't Text and Drive (DTD) Campaign Initiative of the UBA Foundation in partnership with the FRSC in Abuja…yesterday.

Less than one month to his 95th birthday, former South African President and anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela is in a bad shape, making not a few to wonder if he will live to see his next birthday or leave before then.

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•From left: Manager, Mobile Financial Service, Etisalat Nigeria Oluwaseun Omotosho; Head, e-Business, Stanbic IBTC Mr. Adeleke Adekoya; Head, Policy, Economic Analysis & Research, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Henry Nkemadu and Divisional Head, United Bank for Africa ( UBA) Mr. Adeyinka Adedeji, at the Nigeria Cashless Society Initiative Conference in Lagos...yesterday.

ULY 18 will mark his 95th birthday. Less than a month to this important day in his life, former South African President and antiapartheid hero Nelson Mandela lies on a hospital bed in Johannesburg.

Hundreds of messages of love and support have been left outside the hospital where the former South African leader is in a “critical condition”.

It comes as close relatives of the 94-year-old held an emergency meeting at the former anti-apartheid leader’s home in Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, this morning.

It is not known what the family is meeting to discuss but several members, including Mandela’s exwife Winnie and daughter Makaziwe, visited the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria last night.

As fears for Mandela’s health worsen, well-wishers have flocked to the hospital to leave letters, cards

• A police officer placing flowers for Mandela outside the MediClinic Heart Hospital... yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

and flowers along the outside of the building.

Among the cards were handwritten notes from schoolchildren thanking the inspirational leader who helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa.

The security wall has the hospital has now been transformed into a homage to Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison because of his beliefs.

One of the messages read: “We love you Mandela. God bless you.”

Another read: “We love you Tata Mandela. I am still young, I still need to see you. get better. (From) Tino.”

Other well-wishers have trav-

‘Mandela opened P

•From left: Kwara State Commissioner for Finance Mr. Demola Banu, Managing Director, SAP West Africa Mr. Richard Edet and Taraba State Commissioner for Finance Alhaji I. D. Wanapia, during the SAP’s Revenue Management Summit in Abuja.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

• From left: President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Mr. Olumide Akintayo, President , Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) Mr. Bala Kaoje and President, Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors (NIES) Chief Emeka Eleh, during PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS APBN’s board meeting in Lagos ...yesterday.

RESIDENT Barack Obama’s imminent visit to South Africa excited ailing former President Nelson Mandela, his daughter said yesterday.

Zindzi Mandela said she said to her father: “Obama is coming. He opened his eyes and gave me a smile.”

She was speaking after relatives and chief members of Mandela’s clan gathered for a meeting at his rural home in Qunu, Eastern Cape province, yesterday morning.

Among those who arrived at the homestead were his grandson Mandla Mandela and other family members, Thanduxolo Mandela, Ndaba Mandela, and Ndileka Mandela.

A South Africa Press Association correspondent said the meeting followed an “urgent call” reportedly made by the former president’s children and quoted Napilisi Mandela, an elder in the Mandela family, as saying the meeting was being called “to discuss delicate matters.”

The 94-year-old remains in a critical condition, South Africa’s government said Tuesday as relatives gathered at his home for a family meeting that local media reports described as “urgent.”

The anti-apartheid campaigner and democracy icon has been in hospital with a lung infection since June 8. His condition was downgraded over the weekend from “serious but stable” to “critical.”

Obama is due to arrive Senegal this night, his first stop in a tour of Africa, before heading to South Africa on Friday.

Officials have said it is up to Mandela’s family to decide if the former leader is well enough to

meet the president, and no meeting is scheduled.

United States Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said: “On the Mandela question, I should have added, we, of course, while we’re in South Africa, are going to be very deferential to the Mandela family in terms of any interaction that the President may have with the Mandela family or with Nelson Mandela. Ultimately, we want whatever is in the best interest of his health and the peace of mind of the Mandela family. And so we’ll be driven by their own determinations in that regard.

“We’ll be in touch with them.

The President wants to support them in any way. He’s supporting them with his thoughts and prayers as it is. And if he has an opportunity to see the family in some capacity, that’s certainly something that we may do. And he’ll be going to Robben Island as well, which I think will be an important and powerful symbol at this time when the world has Nelson Mandela in their prayers.

“I would just add that the President has always seen Nelson Mandela as one of his personal heroes. And he was honored — well, first of all, his first political activism, when he was in college, was driven by the Anti-Apartheid Movement and the inspiration of Nelson Mandela. And carrying that forward, he was honored to meet him in Washington in 2005.

He was very moved that Nelson Mandela called him after the 2008 election and spoke to him several times in the years.

“The First Family… will visit Robben Island and have the opportunity to take in the remarkable his-

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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NEWS

make it to his 95th birthday?

Wall of lo •W lov ve: A child pointing to one of the messages left for Mandela at the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital...yesterday. PHOTOS: AFP

elled to Nelson Mandela’s home in a Johannesburg suburb to pray for the 94-year-old after the president who is suffering from a reoccurring lung infection.

“I will wait for Madiba to come back home. I will make sure, I’m going to pray later, and then Mandela, I hope you come. I love you Mandela,” well-wisher Thembi Magagula said outside Mandela’s home in Houghton yesterday.

It comes after the country’s President Jacob Zuma yesterday urged the country to send their wishes to the man he called the ‘father of democracy’.

President Zuma visited Mandela

in hospital on Sunday night after his condition detterioated.

In a press conference yesterday, he confirmed that doctors are doing everything possible to help the former president feel comfortable, but refused to give details of Mandela’s condition, saying: ‘I’m not a doctor’.

Zuma also said President Barack Obama would go ahead with a visit to South Africa, despite concerns about Mandela’s health.

“President Obama is visiting South Africa,’ Zuma said. ‘I don’t think you stop a visit because somebody’s sick.’

Obama, who arrives in Africa

this week, is due to visit Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.

White House spokesman Jay Carney wouldn’t speculate about how Mandela’s health would impact Obama’s upcoming visit to South Africa, saying only that the U.S. president ‘continues to look forward to his trip.’

‘The president obviously has long seen Nelson Mandela as one of his personal heroes, and I think he’s not alone in that in this country and around the world,’ Carney said.

Zuma, who in the past has given an overly sunny view of Mandela’s health, briefly spoke of his visit on

•A line of 37 police officers waiting to place flowers for former South African President Mandela outside the Medi Clinic Heart Hospital ...yesterday.

Sunday night to Mandela in the hospital in the capital.

“It was late, he was already asleep,” Zuma said. ‘And we then had a bit of a discussion with the doctors as well as his wife, Graca Machel, and we left.’

The president said South Africans should accept that Mandela is old, and he urged people to pray for their former leader.

“Madiba is critical in the hospital, and this is the father of democracy. This is the man who fought and sacrificed his life to stay in prison, the longest-serving prisoner in South Africa,” Zuma said, using Mandela’s clan name.

Mandela, who became South Africa’s first black president after the end of apartheid in 1994, was hospitalized for what the government said was a recurring lung infection. This is his fourth hospitalization since December.

Mandela was jailed for 27 years under white racist rule and was released 23 years ago, in 1990. He then played a leading role in steering the divided country from the apartheid era to an all-race democracy.

As a result of his sacrifice and peacemaking efforts, he is seen by many around the world as a symbol of reconciliation.

his eyes, smiled after being told of Obama’s visit’

•Makaziwe Mandela (right), the daughter of former South African President Nelson Mandela, arriving with Ndileka Mandela (left) and Tukwini Mandela, the granddaughters, at the Medi Clinic Heart Hospital in Johannesburg…yesterday.

•A group of women singing for Mandela in Johannesburg...yesterday. PHOTOS: AFP

tory there and pay tribute to the extraordinary sacrifices made by Nelson Mandela in his pursuit of freedom for the people of South Africa as well as so many other figures in the anti-apartheid movement.”

In an interview with CNN on Monday, Mandela’s other daughter, Makaziwe, said she believed

her father was “at peace with himself.”

Asked if the family should “let him go,” she said they wouldn’t because he had not asked them to.

Tuesday’s news of Mandela’s unchanged condition deepened the sense of gloom among a 50-strong crowd of well-wishers gathered outside the Pretoria hospital where

Mandela is being treated.

Mingling with television reporters, they strained to hear the details of reports on the health of a man they knows as “Tata Mandala” Father Mandela.

The perimeter wall of the hospital is now plastered with goodwill messages. Early Tuesday, more than 100 white doves were released

– a symbol of peace for the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

“It’s a mix of emotion, because he’s feeling pain. But on the other side we want him to survive”, said Nhlanhla Mhlong. “If he cannot survive then we want him to be released from the pain.”

It is a deeply painful time for those closest to Nelson Mandela.

Mac Maharaj was jailed alongside Mandela at Robben Island.

Now, as one of the former leader’s official press spokesmen, he must field calls about his friend’s frail health.

“I have to make a conscious effort in this job to put aside my feelings,” Maharaj said.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

NEWS APC lists Akande, El-Rufai, Masari, Okonkwo, Mohammed for NEC Continued from page 1

•From left: Senators Nenadi Usman; Chris Ngige and Sonni Ogbuoji on resumption after two weeks break in Abuja…yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Tinubu to Ladoja, Akala: anti-Ajimobi plot ‘ll fail Continued from page 1

holes.

The third project is a neighbourhood business complex at Scout Camp, Challenge, comprising 760 open stalls, 384 lock-up shops, two blocks of warehouses, an administrative building, a large parking space and a canteen.

Tinubu said: “ I read recently that some of them were collaborating; the old enemies who drove themselves out of office with guns, cudgels, sticks and cutlasses. They say they want to collaborate again. Ah! they have failed because they will fail again .

They were down before; they are down again.

“No matter what evil they put together, they will continue to collapse like a pack of cards. Lest they forget; we helped them before; let their conscience tell them. I, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did what I had to do to protect the integrity, the character, the content of our democracy and the freedom of our people through him, but what did they pay back? Today, here we are. They left the office of the governor in shambles and they turned the state backward and rotten.

“Now, the office is clean, free and you see rapid progress; you see a government that made the people the cornerstone of economic

policy. You see civilisation in the Ajimobi administration.

You see restoration; you see commitment and radical transformation and urban renewal.”

Tinubu contrasted the two years spent so far in office by Ajimobi with that of the two former governors, saying: “They even refused to paint the buildings in the secretariat where they worked. They were enemies of progress; they were enemies of change and they were enemies of the people,” he said.

At the ceremonies were the National Chairman of ACN, Chief Bisi Akande, Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola

(Osun) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo). Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

Others were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao, Chief Kola Daisi, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji, the Speaker

of the House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu and WEMABOD Chairman Dr. Adebayo .

Crowds of ordinary folks thronged the inaugurations held in three locations within the Ibadan metropolis. Many Continued on page 60

Special Forces capture 11 Boko Haram chiefs

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LEVEN suspects, who the military claim to be Boko Haram leaders, have been captured, the authorities said yesterday.

Among the suspects is said to be one of those believed to be behind the posting of online videos. They were seized by member of the Special Force who combed Mandara mountains and Sambisa forest.

But the Special Forces also recorded some casualty from encounters with Boko Haram insurgents who are regrouping in Borno State.

According to a member of the

From Yusuf Alli, Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

nine-man team, which visited Borno State on an appraisal tour, the Special Force is making progress in warding off Boko Haram members who shifted base to Manadara mountains, including Gwoza and 1 Kirawa Hills, which are under heavy surveillance.

The nine-man team was led by the Director of Operations in the Defence Headquarters, AVM M. O. Faloyin.

The source said: “The land and air raid of these mountains have

yielded results, in spite of the difficult nature of the terrain.

The special troops have captured more than 11 leaders of Boko Haram, including one of the coordinators suspected to be behind the posting of online videos.

“We are hopeful that we will be able to secure these mountains, hills and forests in the next few days. We won’t allow the insurgents any breathing space.”

A statement by the Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, confirmed the arrest of some Boko Haram leaders but it was silent on the actu-

al figure.

The statement also confirmed that the Special Forces recorded some casualty in one of the units deployed to secure the mountains and Sambisa Forest.

“As a follow-up to scheduled assessment visits to troops in the Northeast of the country, a ninemember Defence Headquarters Operational Assessment Team returned from Yobe and Borno states to brief the Chief of Defence Staff with updates on the situation in the operational area of the Special Forces operating in the Northeast.

the peoples of the various countries who were all regarded at that time as Commonwealth citizens. He further recalled that this time-honoured practice was unilaterally jettisoned by the UK Government in 1985, thereby weakening the bonds of the Commonwealth family.

“The Honourable Minister further opined that the proposed policy would definitely negate the joint commitment by Prime Minister David Cameron and President Goodluck Jonathan to double the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries by 2014, just as it would hinder people-to-people contacts, which is one of the cardinal principles of the Commonwealth.

“Ambassador Ashiru pointed out that the decision of the UK Government is coming at the time the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers have unanimously recommended for adoption at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) holding in Colombo, Sri Lanka in November 2013, a proposal to remove visa re-

quirements for holders of Official and Diplomatic Passports from member states.

“The Honourable Minister, therefore, called on the UK Government to reconsider the proposed policy, which is incompatible with the strong and cordial relations built over the years between the UK and Nigeria.

“He however informed the British High Commissioner that the Federal Government of Nigeria has a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians who may be affected by the proposed policy, if finally introduced.”

The Sunday Times reported that from November, a pilot scheme would target visitors from Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka, Ghana, Pakistan and India. Visitors

Continued on page 60

Interim National Executive Committee.

The list is to be sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to meet the deadline given the new party.

The law allows APC to submit the list of its Interim National Executive Committee 30 days after the submission of its intent.

On the list are Chief Bisi Akande (Chairman); Senator Annie Okonkwo(Deputy Chairman, South); Aminu Masari(Deputy Chairman, North); Alhaji Tijani Tumsah (Secretary); Mallam Nasir-elRufai(Deputy National Secretary); Hajiya Sadiya (Treasurer); Alhaji Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary and Mr. Isa Madu Chul (Deputy National Publicity Secretary).

Others are the National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso; National Vice Chairman for Southwest, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; National Vice-Chairman, Southsouth, Chief Tom Ikimi; National Vice Chairman, Northcentral, Gen. Abdullahi Aboki; National Vice-Chairman, Southeast, Dr. Ayim Nyerere; National Chairman, Northwest, Mr. Salisu Fagge; and National Vice-Chairman and Northeast, Umaru Duhu, among others.

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From Yusuf Alli, Vincent Ikuomola and Nike Adebowale, Abuja

Olugbenga A. Ashiru, MFR, summoned the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Pocock, to his office on Tuesday, 25th June 2013, over the proposal by the UK Government to impose a £3,000 ‘cash bond’ on first-time visa applicants from Nigeria, and other selected countries of the Commonwealth, which are regarded as “High Risk” countries.

“At the meeting, which was held at the Tafawa Balewa House, the Honourable Minister expressed the strong displeasure of the government and people of Nigeria over the policy, which he described as not only discriminatory but also capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family.

“The Honourable Minister recalled with nostalgia, the times when nationals of the Commonwealth travelled freely to the UK and to other member states.

This, no doubt, deepened the strong historical bonds between

Continued on page 60

Villa dinner won’t stop NGF

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LL is set for today’s meeting of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) which was convened by the Chairman of the Forum, Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Also, the Presidency yesterday started reaching out to governors of on the motive behind the dinner planned by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The presidency said the dinner is designed to be a book launch by the President.

But the governors were still kept in the dark on the nature of the book from the President.

The pro-Amaechi governors remained adamant last night on their decision to hold the NGF meeting.

They have however told presidential emissaries that they bear no personal grudges against the President.

A governor, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent,

No final decision on £3,000 visa bond, says UK envoy

IGERIA protested yesterday the planned £3,000 (about N750,000) visa bond for its citizens traveling to the United Kingdom.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Olugbenga Ashiru told the UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Pocock, that the UK should reconsider the policy or Nigeria might be forced to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians He said the UK policy would undermine the spirit of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Besides, he claimed that the policy will hinder Nigeria and the UK plans to double the volume of bilateral trade.

Ashiru met with the High Commissioner, who said the policy, if eventually implemented, would affect a small number of honest risk visitors in Abuja.

A statement on what transpired by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ogbole Amedu Ode, reads: “The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador

The leaders of the three merging parties(ACN, ANPP and CPC) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) met between 9am on Monday and 1am on Tuesday to ratify the list of the new Interim Executives.

The session was also attended by four governors - Dr. Kayode Fayemi(Ekiti); Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Comrade Adams Oshiomhole(Edo); and Chief Rochas Okorocha(Imo).

A source at the session said: “We had extensive discussion on the issues dealing with the registration of APC. All the parties came in with the lists of their nominees into the Interim National Executive Committee and after careful scrutiny, we adopted what each group brought.

“Our meeting was free of rancour or acrimony, contrary to the insinuations of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party which has been jittery over the emergence of APC “We have so far met all the conditions, including the composition of the Interim National Executive Committee. We have worked round the clock and selected the best among us.

“This heavyweight Interim Executive Committee has shown our determination to provide Nigerians the best al-

aged 18 and over, according to the new planned policy, which is aimed at cutting immigration and abuses of the system, would be forced to hand over £3,000 from November for a six month visit visa.

A statement by Dr Pocock after the meeting with Amb. Ashiru said: “ The British Government has announced that it intends to undertake a very small scale trial of the use of financial bonds as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system (which occurs when some people overstay their visa terms).

“The details of a pilot scheme are still being worked out. No final decision has been made. If the pilot were to go ahead in Continued on page 60

OUR ERROR In the advert on page 42 of yesterday, which was signed by the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Dr. AbdulFatah Ahmed, Sen. Abubakar Bukola was inadvertently referred to as the Executive Governor of Kwara State. He is a former Governor of the state.

The error is regretted

FromYusuf Alli, Abuja

said: “We have consulted all over; we are going ahead with the NGF meeting convened by Amaechi. All is set for the meeting.

“We have also warned our members to be careful in attending the dinner first because they might use it to tie them down from coming to the NGF session.

No governor will want to walk out on the President.

“But our position is that we can attend the dinner after the NGF meeting if it won’t be too late for the presidency.”

Another governor said: “The presidency has been trying to reach out to the governors to defend the rationale behind the dinner.

“They have persuaded us to attend the presidential dinner.

When I asked, they said the dinner is about a book launch by the Continued on page 60

•Ashiru

ADVERT HOTLINES: 08023006969, 08052592524 NEWSROOM: LAGOS – 01-8962807, ABUJA – 07028105302 COMPLAINTS: 01-8930678

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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NEWS

Farmer seeks phased ban of fish importation

By Joseph Jibueze

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Niger State-based fish farmer, Malam Zakari Usman, yesterday urged the Federal Government to adopt “a careful and phased implementation” of the prohibition of fish importation.

In a statement in Lagos, the farmer noted that an outright ban, as contemplated by the Ministry of Agriculture, could have negative impact on consumers.

Usman, a retired banker, said the government’s bid to save foreign exchange and promote local farming with the proposed ban is noble, but should not be done at once.

He said: “An outright ban will have profound consequences for the people, who will be abruptly denied their sole source of protein.

“A strategy of careful and phased implementation seems imperative, given that this product touches the basic essential aspects of people’s sustenance and healthy living in the country.

“It is common knowledge that fish is the most economical and affordable source of protein for millions of Nigerian consumers.”

Usman said the Ministry of Agriculture recently painted a gloomy picture that Nigeria produces only 30 per cent of the country’s fish needs.

According to him, Nigeria requires 2.66 million tonnes of fish annually to satisfy the dietary needs of its citizens.

He added: “Out of this, only a paltry 700,000 tonnes is produced locally – this includes only 200,000 tonnes from aqua culture. Further, in case of locally farmed fish, the fish feed accounts for 70 per cent of the cost of production – which is imported, draining valuable foreign exchange.”

Usman quoted the Oyo State Director for Agriculture as saying, for instance, that the state would increase table fish production by 250,000 tonnes per annum while the production of value added fish and fisheries would be increased by 100,000 tonnes per annum.

UBA partners FRSC on Don’t Text and Drive campaign From Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor), Abuja

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O effectively stop motorists from sending or reading text messages while they drive, UBA Plc has donated 60 hand-held devices, tablets and Points of Sales (POSs) to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

The devices will be used as take-off tools for the e-ticketing initiative of the FRSC. Speaking at the campaign against the use of phones while driving and the official launch of the FRSC e-ticketing in Abuja yesterday, Mr. Kennedy Uzoma, the Group Deputy Managing Director of UBA Plc, said the bank’s effort was to create awareness on safe driving, by discouraging texting.

The partnership with the FRSC, he said, is UBA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme “for national coverage to drive safely and use technology to change the way people behave”.

Anenih angry as senator’s firm gets seaport contract

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reminded the minister that the company neither participated in the bid process for Calabar channel nor was its competence and capabilities assessed, as was the case with the other firms jostling for the same contract.

Anenih said: “The consortium has no reference whatsoever of previous jobs done. They were completely alien to the Calabar channel project and did not even take part in the bids of 2010 and the later procurement process.

“The consortium was not prequalified and did not pass through the selection process like other companies. It, therefore, follows that the Presidential approval for the appointment of the consortium, led by Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited to

enter into a joint venture with NPA, which culminated in the agreement to form Calabar Channel, was obtained without following due process.”

This is the fourth controversial attempt at making Calabar River navigable. Only two years ago, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) cancelled the entire process following protests over NPA’s attempt to award the contract to itself.

The current conflict is prompted by the decision of the Ministry of Transport to circumvent procurement procedures as well as its refusal to adhere to BPP’s directive designed to achieve transparency. All these, as maritime watchers say, are prompted by their desire to impose their preferred firm on the nation.

Court issues bench warrant for arrest of two oil marketers

Concession fallout: National Theatre eyes N13b allocation

MULTI-billion naira contract for the dredging of Calabar and Ibaka Deep seaports was secured by a serving senator, investigation has revealed.

The contract was awarded to a recently incorporated Calabar Channel Management, jointly owned by the senator’s firm, Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). About N3 billion was voted in this year’s budget for the beginning of the capital dredging of Calabar Port alone.

It was also learnt that the senator’s company holds 53.3 per cent of the equity participation in the contract while the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) holds the rest, contrary

By Olamilekan Andu

to Chief Tony Anenih’s claim.

But Anenih, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has petitioned Transport Minister Idris Umar over the contract.

He sent a strong-worded petition to Umar, querying the rationale behind the choice of the senator’s company to manage the two international channels.

Anenih, who is also the chairman of the NPA board, detailed in the five-page petition what he called irregularities that characterised the creation of the Calabar Channel Management as well as the flaws in the partnership agreement.

Although his petition put

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USTICE Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, yesterday issued a bench warrant on two oil marketers: Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Habila Theck.

The duo had failed to attend their trial without giving the court cogent reasons.

The judge also revoked the bail granted Ogunbambo, (the first defendant) for the same offence.

The oil marketers and their company, Fargo Energy Limited, were being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a N979.6 million fuel subsidy fraud allegation.

They were arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and use of forged documents.

At the last adjourned date, hearing in the matter could not proceed because of the absence of their counsel, former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba and Adebayo Adenipekun, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

equity participation at 60 per cent for NPA and 40 per cent for the senator’s company, available records indicate that NPA owns 53.3 per cent while Niger Global owns 46.7 per cent.

Of the 300 million shares belonging to Calabar Channel Management, 160 million belongs to NPA and 140 million to the firm.

Investigation also revealed that what exists is a partnership between NPA and Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company, not a consortium, as Anenih indicated in his petition to the minister.

According to Anenih, nothing recommends the senator’s company for such huge project, given what he called its “poor record with the Nigerian Ports Authority”.

The PDP board chairman

By Adebisi Onanuga

The lawyers’ absence also stalled the hearing of an application filed by Agbakoba, seeking to quash the charges against the defendants.

The former NBA president had raised three major constitutional and jurisdictional issues against the EFCC, one of which touches on what lawyers call “Miranda rights”. These are the secured rights of persons arrested or detained, to have legal representation immediately on arrest and before making any statement.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the defence told the court that the first defendant had called on Monday to say he was not feeling well.

But the counsel could not provide detailed explanation of the first and second defendants’ absence in court.

Justice Onigbanjo adjourned further hearing on the matter till September 16.

•From left: Prof Ademola Oyejide; Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain, Chief Isola Oyewumi; Managing Director, Osun State Investment Company, Mr Bola Oyebamiji; Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; and his deputy, Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, during a courtesy visit of Ikire indigenes to the governor, in Osogbo, Osun State.

Why Obama can’t visit Nigeria, by U.S. Deputy NSA

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RESH facts emerged yesterday that security challenges facing the nation might have accounted for Nigeria’s exclusion from American President Barack Obama’s three-nation shuttle to Africa.

But the exclusion will not affect bilateral relations between the United States and Nigeria.

Obama said the trip would focus on trade and investment, democratic institution-building, young people and unleashing economic growth.

The clarifications were made at a joint briefing by American Deputy National Security Advisor, Mr Ben Rhodes.

The briefing was addressed jointly by the Senior Director for African Affairs, Grant Harris, and Senior Director for Development and Democracy, Gayle Smith, on President Obama’s upcoming visit to Senegal, South Africa and Tan-

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

zania.

The text of the briefing was made available to reporters yesterday in Abuja by the Information Office of the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy.

Rhodes said: “With respect to Nigeria, we certainly believe that Nigeria is a fundamentally important country to the future of Africa. We’ve put a lot of investment in the relation-

ship with Nigeria through their leadership of ECOWAS, through the significant U.S. business investment in Nigeria and through our security cooperation.

“Obviously, Nigeria is working through some very challenging security issues right now. And in that process, they’re going to be a partner of the United States. We certainly believe we’ll have an opportunity to further engage the Nigerian government through bilateral meetings

going forward. But at this point, we just were not able to make it to Nigeria on this particular itinerary.

“I will say that we purposefully designed the itineraries to be able to reach West Africa, South Africa and East Africa, and in West Africa, to visit Senegal, a French-speaking, Muslim-majority democracy that is an important partner of the United States and provides a platform for the President to speak to the broader region.”

By Ozolua Uhakheme, Assistant Editor (Arts)

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ORE facts emerged yesterday on the economic viability of the Federal Government’s proposed concession of the landed areas of the National Theatre complex, Iganmu, Lagos.

The General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of National Theatre, Mr. Kabir Yusuf said the theatre would get about N13 billion budgetary allocation for the refurbishment of facilities in the complex, as proceeds from concession.

He said top on the list of facilities to be renovated is the 5,000-seat capacity main bowl, which is the biggest on the continent.

Yusuf spoke in Lagos when he conducted some members of the Senate Committee on Culture, Tourism and National Orientation round the complex on Monday.

He said the concession would be on public-privatepartnership (PPP) arrangement to last for 30 years. The project will be executed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT), option.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Hassan Barata, led two other members of the committee, Femi Ojudu and Abubakar Tutaza, on an oversight visit to agencies and parastatals in the ministry.

Barata said the development of the landed areas would involve the construction of a leisure park, a recreation centre, a shopping mall, a three-storey car park and a five-star hotel.

The senator explained that contrary to rumours, the National Theatre and its landed areas would not be sold.

“The National Theatre will remain a Federal Government asset and will not be sold. So also are the landed areas which will only be concessioned for 30 years,” he said.

Falana urges Jonathan to withdraw directive on death sentence

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AGOS lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to withdraw the directive he gave governors for immediate execution of condemned prisoners.

Falana made the plea yesterday in a statement in Lagos, titled: President Jonathan Goofed on Death Penalty.

By Adebisi Onanuga

He said: “If the directive is carried out in utter violation of the constitutional right of appeal of over 900 convicts and they are killed before the determination of their appeals, it will be tantamount to crime against humanity for which the President may be charged and

tried before the International Criminal Court (ICC).”

The frontline lawyer quoted the President as directing the 36 governors to sign death warrants to facilitate the immediate execution of the over 900 convicts who are awaiting the hangman in various prisons.

He noted that in a bid to

tackle the problem of prison congestion, the President was reported to have said as follows: ‘In the case of capital punishment, the state governors will sign. Even governors find it difficult to sign. I have been telling the governors that they must sign because that is the law.’

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THE NATION TUESDAY JUNE 26, 2013

NEWS

NGF crisis: Lawyers fight over representation of parties

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ISAGREEMENT among lawyers on who should represent Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State and two others yesterday stalled proceedings in the suit by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on the leadership crisis in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).

Fashola is seeking among others, an order restraining Plateau Governor Jang from parading himself as Chairman, NGF on the grounds that Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi won the election.

He also pleads for an order restraining Osaro Onaiwu from acting as the forum’s Sole Administrator.

Named as defendants are Jang, Asishana Bayo Okauru (forum’s Director- General), Onaiwu and the forum’s Registered Trustees.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Yesterday, the inability of Paul Erokoro (SAN) and Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) to agree on who should represent Jang and Onaiwu and a similar disagreement between Awa Kalu (SAN) and F. N. Nwosu on who should represent the registered trustees stalled proceedings.

At the mention of the case, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), accompanied

by Femi Falana (SAN), announced appearance for the plaintiff.

Oyetibo, accompanied by Mathew Burkaa, announced for Jang and Onaiwu. Erokoro also announced for the same parties.

Kalu announced for Okauru and the trustees. Nwosu also announced appearance for the trustees.

The claims by Oyetibo and Erokoro (to be appearing separately for Jang and Onaiwu) and Kalu and

•Disagreement stalls proceedings Nwosu (to be appearing separately for the trustees) sparked argument that lasted about 30 minutes, with each lawyer claiming to have been validly instructed.

At a point, Osinbajo opposed suggestion that the case be stood down for sometime to enable the lawyers sort themselves out.

He urged the court to strike out the processes filed for Jang and the trustees because the filing of two processes for a party amounted to an abuse of court process.

“This is the same confusion in the Governors’ Forum,” he noted.

Justice Peter Affen said it had not got to a stage where the documents filed by the two sets of lawyers were filed separately for Jang and the trustees.

He advised the lawyers to resolve the disagreement.

“We are in the spotlight again, both the Bar and the Bench. We should not allow acts that will further erode from our credibility.

“Let us not be caught by the problem of the Governors’ Forum. They did not resolve their problem amicably. This is why we are here. We should amicably resolve ours,” Justice Affen said.

In a short ruling after, the judge held that it was an obvious conflict in the representation of the first (Jang), third (Onaiwu) and fourth (the Trustees) defendants.

“I will grant an adjournment to enable counsel resolve this conflict,” the judge said and adjourned till July 3.

It was later learnt that the lawyers agreed that Oyetibo should lead the legal team for Jang and Onaiwu, as he was duly briefed.

They explained that the initial confusion in legal representation was caused by some Jang’s loyalists, who briefed Erokoro (SAN) on behalf of Jang.

They told The Nation that “the matter has been resolved with Oyetibo as the lead counsel.”

Jang and Onaiwu have filed a preliminary objection and statement of defence to the suit.

They want the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that it lacks jurisdiction to hear it, the suit is frivolous and that the plaintiff lacks the right to sue.

Jang, who gave details of what transpired at the May 24 meeting of the NGF, insisted that he is the forum’s leader.

Fed Govt registers 10m farmers, says Minister

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INISTER of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said yesterday that 10 million farmers have been registered this year under the Growth Enhancement Support scheme (GES).

Speaking during a visit to Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema, Adesina said in Katsina State alone, 196, 000 farmers were registered.

He said the Federal Government was determined to give the registered farmers fertilisers, chemicals and improved seeds.

“Government will also provide crop insurance to them in case of drought. In Katsina State, 196,000 farmers have registered for the 2013 cropping season.”

The minister also said farmers produced nine million tonnes of food between 2011 and 2012, representing 85 per cent above the targeted five million tonnes.

According to him, the achievement has reduced the proportion of poor people in the country from 19.3 per cent in 1992 to 8.5 per cent in 2012.

Dr. Adesina also told Governor Shema that Nigeria had met the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 1 target on reducing the number of hungry people in the country by half, three years ahead of the targeted date.

“By 2015, the Federal Government is expecting that 3.2 million tonnes of rice will be cultivated; 1.1 million tonnes was cultivated in 2012 in 10 states.

“The Federal Government is also sure that by 2015, over 3.5 million jobs will be created by the sector; 2.2 million jobs were created in 2012.”

ORMER Head of State Governor Shema said the state had cultivated 15,000 and presidential hectares through irrigation farming, adding that Nigeria standard-bearer of would soon become an exporter rather than an importer of the Congress for Progresfood. sive Change (CPC), Gen. He pledged the support of the government toward enMuhammadu Buhari (rtd), hancing agricultural productivity. yesterday said with the education sector in shambles, socio-economic infrastructure breaking down and deep-seated corrupUSTICE Rita Ofilition, the country has emBy Joseph Jibueze Ajumogobia of the Fedbarked on “the path of deeral High Court, Lagos, eral Government. struction.” yesterday halted further He said since Ahaotu was The CPC chieftain, who neither from the office of the spoke as a special guest/ proceedings in the trial of a Attorney-General nor from speaker at the Annual Naformer Aviation Minister the EFCC, it would be neces- tional Conference of the Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, sary to enquire into how he Academy for Entrepreneurwho was accused of money came to prosecute the case. ship Studies (AES), held at laundering.

Following the observation, Eko Hotel and Suites, LaThis followed confusion Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia said gos, said what the nation over the right of the prosecushe had to be properly guided needs “at this crucial time tor, Mr. Vitalis Ahaotu, to to be sure of “a proper repre- of its journey is a transforhandle the case on behalf of sentation of the crown.” mational leader.” the Economic and Financial She directed Ahaotu to file a Crimes Commission written address within three (EFCC). days.

Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Adedipe also filed a reply to Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), on ROFESSOR of Law, the address.

June 6 observed that the Itse Sagay (SAN), yesHe said: “My Lord, assumcharge, for which the accused terday advised judges ing without conceding that Mr. was being tried, was signed Festus Keyamo was issued to hear any application for a

by M.S. Hassan for and on objection with a fiat to prosecute on be- preliminary behalf of the EFCC Chairhalf of the Attorney-General, brought in an economic and man, Ibrahim Lamorde. we submit that he (Mr. financial crimes case with He said rather than an EFCC Keyamo) does not have the the substantive suit. He said lawyer prosecuting the case, power to donate such power this is necessary to stop the Ahaotu, who is with the Festus to another, such as Mr. ploy by lawyers to use preKeyamo Chambers, has been liminary injunctions to deAhaotu.” appearing to prosecute the The judge directed the lay cases. case.

Sagay, who delivered a court’s Deputy Chief Registrar Adedipe observed that unto write Adoke within three keynote address at the Lagos der the 1999 Constitution, the days so that he could resolve branch of the Nigerian Bar Attorney-General of the Fedthe issue of who was given a Association (NBA) Law eration Mohammed Adoke Week on the theme: ‘The defiat.

(SAN), who is the Chief Law Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia ad- cline of the professional ethOfficer, has control over crimijourned till July 8 for mention. ics and standards of the Ninal matters involving the Fed-

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Court halts Fani-Kayode’s prosecution over fiat confusion

•From left: Former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar; Minister of Works, Mike Onolememeh; and Chairperson, AES Excellence Club, Dr. Nike Akande, at AES’ 5th Annual Conference, held at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos ...yesterday

Buhari: Nigeria on destruction path

By Lucas Ajanaku

He lamented that those in charge of the management of the country do not have ideas about how to move the nation forward.

Buhari was represented at the event by Dr. Mohammed Hassan Lawal, former Minister of Works and Housing. He said as Nigeria reaches another crossroads in its march to nationhood, the process of governance, the issue of leadership and the “teething problems of nation building are issues that must be examined and discussed. This should go on until the nation comes to some kind of agreement about them, and about how much of characteristics of good governance it must

‘...the teething problems of nation building are issues that must be examined and discussed’ adopt because these underlie the conditions that lead to the birth, emergence, stability and development of nation-states.”

According to him, it is no longer news that the problem of the country is that of bad leadership.

He said the unfortunate but not surprising result of this has been “our endemic

bad governance, which alienates people from their leaders, shuts the door on the development of national consensus and prevents the emergence of a clear national identity.”

“Rule has been arbitrary and unaccountable; decisions have not been consensus-oriented and government is not responsive, neither has the conduct of its business been transparent.

“Therefore, the fight for good governance is our collective fight and we must contribute our quota in seeing it to its logical conclusion, which is the emergence of a democratic republic founded on the rule of law in which our people can place their hopes and faith,” he said.

Sagay to judges: avoid ploys by lawyers to delay cases

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By Precious Igbonwelundu

gerian legal practitioner’, said an insatiable and an unrestrained urge for material things were responsible for the decline in the profession.

He accused lawyers of corrupting judges, noting that some lawyers have established themselves as middle men to approach judges to buy judgments.

Sagay, who described the practice of bringing preliminary objections to stifle and frustrate prosecutions, for the stealing of enormous

funds, as the greatest danger in the country, said it creates a powerful and rich club of criminals, who are greater than the law and state and have access to power.

He berated lawyers, who serve as middle men between the judges and litigants to buy judgments, just as he slammed lawyers, who have cultivated the habit of embezzling their clients’ money.

“One major misconducts in the legal profession is the habit of some senior lawyers, who deliberately prolong court proceedings by

filing frivolous preliminary objections.

“To save Nigeria, and pending the enactment of inevitable legislation to eliminate this malpractice, any application for preliminary objection in a case involving an economic and financial crime should be taken together with the substantive matter. This means the delivery of one final judgment. So, the whole case, objection and substantive matter can proceed to the Court of Appeal and thereafter to the Supreme Court.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY JUNE 26, 2013

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NEWS

Oil theft: Mark insists on death penalty

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ENATE President David Mark yesterday insisted on death penalty for oil thieves.

He said persistent crude oil theft would have a devastating effect on the economy if not checked.

Mark spoke in Abuja when he welcomed the senators back from their one month break.

He said: “We must, therefore, address it squarely. I still maintain my earlier stance that oil theft should attract capital punishment.”

The Senate President lamented that the nation was still bedevilled by economic

•Rolls out legislative agenda From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

and security challenges.

He said the gains were apparent in the three states where a state of emergency had been declared.

Mark added: “As we make progress and win the hearts and minds of the people, government must intensify the provision of social amenities in the areas where normalcy has been restored.

“We must do everything possible to address the so-

cial and economic needs of our people.”

He urged the senators to give the welfare of Nigerians priority in their parliamentary activities during the Third Session of the Seventh Senate.

According to the Senate President, consideration of the report of the Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and consideration and passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would top the Senate’s agenda for the current session.

He said other priority areas include Pension Reform Act (amendment) Bill, review of the Electoral Act, 2010, preparation for flood during the rainy season and preparation for the first Africa Legislative Summit in November.

He said: “I have no doubt that the Seventh Senate will be judged by how well we tackle the items on the present legislative agenda.

“If we get it right, and I am sure we will, we shall succeed in turning adversity into opportunity for our compatriots and alter our collective destiny.”

Presidential aide launches MDGs, TAF empowerment project From: Olugbenga Adanikin and Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

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HE Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbeneol, has launched the Albino Foundation in Abuja to cater for the interest of the less-privileged.

It is designed to be of social and economic benefit to the vulnerable.

Three hundred and seventy Nigerians, including women and youths, are expected to be empowered with the requisite entrepreneurial skill acquisition and vocational knowledge to engage in productive ventures at the first phase of the project.

Dr. Gbeneol said his office has been working with the TAF Albinos to make the project a reality.

“My office formally entered into a collaborative working arrangement to develop and implement special empowerment interventions designed to engage and address the specific socio-economic challenges of poverty and lack of relevant skills for productive engagement prevalent among the nation’s identified vulnerable groups.

“Let me recognise the efforts of the Albino Foundation for being in the forefront of the Albinism cause. I hail its commitment to the fight to address the dynamic challenges of the millions of persons with albinism in Nigeria in addition to its advocacy efforts aimed at changing the negative mindset and socio-cultural stereotypes about albinism in Nigeria.”

Dr. Gbenoel added: “Three hundred and seventy Nigerians including women and youths would have been empowered with the requisite entrepreneurial and vocational knowledge to engage in productive ventures. By this time, funding would have been provided for equipment and startup capital for the beneficiaries of the project.”

Minister urges law against harassment of widows

T •From right: Customer Relations Manager, Jk Michaels, Mojisola Komolafe; Business Development Manager, Leke Ogundimu; and Partner Consultant, Dr. Bello Omololu, during a breakfast meeting where they presented their research report and PHOTO: NNEKA NWANERI product launch at the Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Senate confirms Nnamani, Saro Wiwa’s wife for infrastructure commission

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HE Senate yesterday confirmed the appointment of former Senate President Ken Nnamani and Aminu Diko as the Chairman and DirectorGeneral of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.

Although the nominees received a smooth confirmation, some of the senators insisted that the Senate should ensure that future nominations complied with the federal character principle.

Senate Leader Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba said it was important for the Senate to ensure that the federal char-

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From: Onyedi Ojiabor,

Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

acter principle was adhered to.

He decried a situation where indigenes of Akwa Ibom State are allegedly neglected in appointments in favour of other people from the Southsouth geo-political zone.

Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) noted that Edo State always had the lion’s share of appointments meant for the Southsouth geo-political zone.

The lawmaker said the

trend should be checked to ensure equity and balance in appointments in line with the federal character principle.

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) said the Senate should ensure that appointments were not concentrated in one state to the detriment of others.

Senate President David Mark hailed the Ayogu Ezeled Works Committee for introducing an innovation in the screening of nominees.

He said lack of infrastructure is worrisome and urged Nnamani and his team to

take their functions seriously in the interest of the country.

Mark also said the issue of zonal representation raised by the senators would be addressed in compliance with the federal character principle.

Besides Nnamani and Diko, other members of the commission are Mrs. Comfort Saro Wiwa (Rivers State) (Southsouth), Janet Fabisola Adeyemi (Ondo State) (Southwest), Mrs. Yabawa Wabi (Borno State)(Northeast), Musa Elayo (Nasarawa State) (Northcentral) and A.U. Kanu (Abia State)(Southeast).

HE Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, has urged lawmakers to sponsor bills that would tackle infringement on widow’s right.

Hajia Maina, who spoke in Abuja when she briefed reporters on the activities to commemorate the 2013 International Widows Day (IWD), also reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment in ensuring that its citizens are integrated and mobilised in the scheme of things.

Hajia Maina enjoined lawmakers at the federal and state levels to legislate against oppressive and degrading traditional practices that have placed women at the lower rung of the social and economic ladder.

According to her, “all relevant public and private institutions should provide functional basic education to the citizens to prepare them for meeting the challenges of bereavement.”

The minister, who hailed MTN Nigeria, one of the Internet providers, for its

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

support towards uplifting the downtrodden, noted that there should be collaboration among the relevant stakeholders to institutionalise interventions among widows to foster widows’ integration into the society.

Her words: “Our communities should promote the values that encourage the care of widows and training should be given to the counsellors to provide integrative counselling to the widows.”

This year’s IWD with the theme: ‘Widows Rights are Human Rights’, is supported

by MTN Foundation.

•Hajia Maina

Alleged $1.69m fraud: Court dismisses Ajudua’s application AGOS lawyer and alleged fraudster, Fred Ajudua, has lost an attempt to regain free-

dom.

A Lagos High Court, Ikeja presided over by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole yesterday dismissed his application in which he was asking the court to quash the $1.6 million fraud charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since 2003.

Justice Oyewole dismissed Ajudua’s application for lack of merit.

He held that the application challenged the fundamentals of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law. Justice Oyewole said granting Ajudua’s application would affect the credibility of the criminal jus-

By Adebisi Onanuga

tice system with regard to the protection of witnesses.

Although the complainant has withdrawn from the case and filed an affidavit before the court for the discontinuity of proceedings, the judge held that he was not responsible for the prosecution of the case and therefore could not terminate it.

Justice Oyewole said if the prosecution has reached a dead end in the case, it would say so, “otherwise the defence cannot terminate the case even at the withdrawal of the witness as claimed by the defence.”

He described as strange, the application “coming at this stage of the trial.”

Justice Oyewole said the testimo-

nies of the six witnesses are already before the court and none of them will be touched until the statements of other witnesses are analysed.

He said testimony in a criminal trial is not at the discretion of the witness.

Ajudua was arraigned with Charles Orie in 2003 for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.6 million between July 1999 and September 2000.

The suspect absconded after being granted bail by Justice Oyewole.

The judge issued a warrant for his arrest but the police were unable to produce him in court since then, prompting adjournments.

Ajudua in a Motion on Notice dated June 7, filed through his counsel, Mr. Alex Agba, argued that

since the complainant had withdrawn the case and filed an affidavit before the court, it should quash the charge.

In the application, supported by a 16-paragraph affidavit, Agba said each case should be treated on its peculiarity.

He told the court that further hearing in the matter would be a waste of time as the witness that is supposed to testify has indicated his unwillingness to continue with the matter.

On his bail application, the judge adjourned further hearing till tomorrow.

Ajudua’s counsel, Agba, had asked the court to restore the bail of his client revoked on December 15, 2005, with the same condition and with an additional surety.

He said alternatively, the suspect

should be granted a fresh bail with the conditions the court deems fit while the trial lasts.

Agba read to the court a letter from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba to substantiate his claim that his client was suffering from a complicated ailment and again urged the court to grant the application, adding that the dead cannot stand trial.

But EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Wemimo Ogunde (SAN), opposed the bail, saying the defendant, having delayed the trial for seven years, should no longer enjoy such right.

He indicated readiness for a speedy trial.

Ajudua was, however, returned to the prison custody. Ruling on the bail application has been adjourned till tomorrow.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

CITYBEATS Student, 22, held for Internet ‘fraud’

CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

. •'Swindles' American ladies with fake marriage proposals

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22-year-old student of Microbiology in Imo State University, Uche Chibuzor Akobundu, has been arrested by operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Police Command for allegedly swindling six American women of over 50,000 dollars.

The suspect allegedly perpetrated the fraud on an Internet dating site where he tricked them into believing that he would marry them.

His accomplices, Nnamdi Nwakwue Dike (26), Ogunniran Olawale Akintunde (33) both tellers with Skye Bank in Lagos and Imo states, and Sani Bala Ismaila (28), an errand boy with a Bureau de Change in Ikeja, were paraded yesterday.

Their arrest followed a petition via SFU's website from Amelia Brosick, an American, on April 16.

She alleged that Devon Miles, suspected to be a Nigerian, defrauded her of $16,439 through different tactics. She said she met him on dating site www.200sk.com in June, last year, adding that the suspect, under the guise of dating her for marriage, obtained the alleged money through Western Union Money Transfer.

SFU's spokesperson Ngozi Isintume, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said upon the receipt of the petition, the Western Union Transfer was contacted, which sent a detailed spread sheet showing all transfers made to the suspect.

She said: "Nnamdi Nwakwue Dike and Olawale Ogunniran attached to Western Union Transfer from Skye Bank, Owerri and Allen Avenue, Ikeja branches were arrested. Their revealing statements led to the arrest of the serial internet fraudster, Uche Chibuzor Akobundu aka Devon Miles/Martin Williams, and Sani Bala Ismaila.

"The Microbiology student of Imo State University and an indigene of the state confessed to the crime, saying that he started internet fraud four years ago and specialised in defrauding single American ladies through on-line dating.

He admitted that his first victim was one Antonniette, from whom he got $10,000. He added that while with Antonniette, it got to a point that Western Union barred her from sending money, but she resorted to sending her driver, Nelson Mackey, who sent money to him five times, totaling $6000.

•Akobundu

By Jude Isiguzo, Police Affairs Correspondent

"Other victims were: Jettie.F Simpson, from whom he got $5000; Shelly Bashir sent only $100 and backed out when she suspected that it was fraud. The next victim was Billie Klock who sent him $13,000 before the relationship ended after five months. Aurea Desena sent him $8000 which he wasted in South Africa.

"It was when his relationship with the last victim stopped that he met the petitioner, Amelia Brosick, whom he duped of $16,439. He connived with a Skye Bank staff, Nnamdi and Ismaila to perpetrate the fraud. He confessed that he provided the duo with the photocopy of his identity card so that they can pull out the monies while he gave them some percentage of the amount. In fact, it was Nnamdi that advised him to open an account with another name to avoid being caught and it made it easy for Nnamdi to pay him, collect his own share and pay the rest into his bank account. The suspect said he wasted the money on trips to South Africa and hotel bills."

Dike said he was employed as a contract staff in 2010 and was moved to the Western Union Department in 2012. He claimed he was only doing his job as the prime suspect came with evidence to claim his fund.

Akintunde admitted that he transacted business severally with Ismaila, including paying money to Devon, though he had not met him personally.

The PPRO said the suspect was in SFU's detention last year over a related case, but was warned to be careful and diligent in carrying out his duties.

Two die as truck crashes into building

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WO persons yesterday died when tragedy struck at Igwuruta in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. A truck carrying pipes crashed into their home. A person also sustained injury.

The driver died instantly while one of the building's tenants later died at a nearby hospital. The driver of the vehicle marked Rivers A630 KNK was said to be driving from Owerre to Port Harcourt when he lost control at Igwuruta.

Margret Amadi, a lucky survivor, said: "I am a fashion designer. I was working with three of my colleagues when we had a very rattling sound. All of us fainted and when we regained consciousness, we realised the

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

building had collapsed on us.

A man who runs a liquor business said the truck damaged her goods worth over N1 million.

A youth leader in the area, Johnson Chiwendu, said such an incident had become a recurring decimal in the community, saying: "We are not going to take it lightly with the owner of this truck. This is the time to take action and end reckless driving by truck drivers plying our roads."

The remains of the driver have been deposited at an undisclosed mortuary. The ownership of the truck is yet to be determined.

Bamigbetan praises Fashola, Manko

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HE Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, yesterday praised the police and the state government over the arrest of his kidnappers on Sunday.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Umar Manko, on Monday paraded two of the kidnappers Ogbonna Emenike and Uchenna Nwanyu - after seven of their accomplices were killed in a gun duel at their hide-out in Agbara industrial area of Ogun State.

It was hours after the criminals kidnapped an Indian, Vivex Changrani, in Ikoyi.

Bamigbetan said: "I thank the Nigeria Police for discharging their duty with courage and

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CTIVITIES slated for the inauguration of Emmanuel District of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church began on Monday with a three-day revival. It holds at the church, 84, Old Ota Road, OrileAgege, Lagos, from 6.00pm daily.

Mothers’ Day Variety Show will hold at the auditorium on June 27 from noon. His Grace, Prophet . S. A. Abidoye, the Baba Aladura and Chairman, C&S Church Worldwide, will visit

By Seun Akioye

technical finesse. The message this sends to residents of Lagos is that the support which the administration of Governor Raji Fashola continues to give the police is fruitful.

"I thank the Commissioner of Police for his vigilance and persistence in cracking a scary mystery that had put all in fear, kudos also to the team of detectives led by Kyari. His team has inspired confidence in the capacity of the police to rid Lagos of criminals."

The council chair was abducted near his residence on the night of April 15 while returning from work. He was held for five days at an unknown location in Badagry area.

Church inaugurates district The Nation and The Punch on June 28.

He will also visit the Mount of Deliverance, Igbusi Village, Ifo, Ogun State and dedicate the Akute branch of the church on June 29.

The inauguration and installation of Special Apostle S.O Ewulo (JP) as the district’s chairman/general leader hold on June 30 at 9.45 am.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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NEWS Ikuforiji, aide perfect bail conditions

Aregbesola advocates care of environment O SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has urged youths to embrace his administration’s environmental policies.

He said this would prevent further degeneration of the environment.

Aregbesola spoke yesterday after receiving the Environment Gold Award of the Institute of Environment and Ecology, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. He said his green policy is aimed at regenerating the environment, adding that his administration has bought 2.5 million seedlings of various tree species under the Igi Iye (tree for life) initiative.

Aregbesola said: “The environment should not be seen as ours alone, but that

•Osun buys 2.5m seedlings for tree planting From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

which belongs to many unborn generations.”

He said the environment should not be trampled upon, but should be regarded as a precious resource of nature put in our care.

Thanking the institute for the award, the governor said it would spur him on to strengthen awareness on the importance of protecting the environment.

Osun State Commissioner

‘Tinubu’s mum was an achiever’

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IRECTOR-GENERAL of the Awolowo Centre for Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, Prof. Moses Makinde has commiserated with the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the death of his mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji.

In a statement yesterday, Makinde said: “There are no greater encomiums than those already showered on your mother. While, for this reason, you will be proud of her as your mother, she too, wherever she is now, will be proud of you as an illustrious son, who has established his greatness in the socio-political history of Nigeria. You and your mother are two illustrious citizens of Nigeria.

“We and your admirers, cutting across the political divide, congratulate you for witnessing your mother’s death, even though it happened at a time your political star is rising fast to illuminate the entire Nigerian political space.

“While we commiserate with you on this loss, we congratulate the dead for leaving a child like you behind. We congratulate you too for having a mother whose life was full of achievements of various descriptions. May the Almighty Allah grant her eternal rest.”

Osun PDP member’s ‘killer’ arrested

•Party wants murder probed •ACN urges police to tighten security

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From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

MEMBER of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, simply identified as Laniyi, has been arrested for allegedly killing another member of the party, Kunle Olagoke (25), last Sunday during a clash in Edunabon, Ife North Local Government Area.

A police source, who preferred not to be named, said Laniyi has been arrested and investigation has begun into the killing.

The PDP’s Publicity Director, Prince Diran Odeyemi, yesterday urged the police to unearth the circumstances that led to the murder and bring the culprit to book.

In a statement, Odeyemi said: “The insinuation that the crisis erupted as a result of a supremacy battle between supporters of a governorship aspirant and another group is far from the truth.

“The congress was held over a year ago and there has been no rancour in the area until this unfortunate incident. The killing has nothing to do with anybody’s governorship ambition.

“I urge the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the murder to ascertain the culprit and bring him to book.”

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) described the killing as “a foretaste of the PDP’s plan for next year’s governorship election.

In a statement, the ACN’s Publicity Director, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, urged the police and other security agencies to brace up to protect the people during next year’s election.

He said: “Olagoke’s killing is reminiscent of the murderous disposition of some PDP governorship aspirants, who are bent on winning by violence and murder. Those PDP leaders, who are notorious for violence, thuggery and murder, are on the loose and have started killing from Edunabon.

“If they are not checked now by the police, things could get worse before next year’s election. A stitch in time would save several lives, so the police must act swiftly to bring Olagoke’s killers and their sponsors to justice.”

Explaining that some opposition politicians had threatened the governor on many occasions, Oyatomi said “dangerous characters” should not be allowed to roam the streets.

He said: “It is clear that these desperate politicians will stop at nothing, including killing their own member, to get their party’s ticket. If they could do that to their own member, then they will do worse things before, during and after the election if the law fails to stop them.”

for Environment and Sanitation Prof.

Olubukola Oyawoye said tree planting is a necessity for a good environment.

OAU’s Vice Chancellor Prof. Bamitale Omole, who was represented by his deputy, Prof. Ayobami Salami, said the people should take responsibility for the growth or otherwise of the environment.

He praised the governor for the “remarkable feats” recorded by his administration, which he said have improved the state.

•Aregbesola

At the event were Deputy Governor Mrs. Titi LaoyeTomori; Acting State Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Elder Adebiyi Adelowo; the Head of Service, Mr. Sunday Owoeye; members of the State Executive Council (SEC), market women and students.

AGOS State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji has perfected the bail conditions set for him and his Personal Assistant, Mr. Bode Atoyebi, by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court on Monday.

A member of the speaker’s legal team, Mr. Abiodun Onidare, said: “Ikuforiji has perfected the bail conditions set for him and Atoyebi within 24 hours “This means they have perfected the N1 billion bail set for each of them by Justice Buba of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi. They also swore an undertaken that they would always make themselves available in court as they have been doing since the start of the trial.

“They filed the affidavit of means and the judge signed the perfection of the bail papers. With these, the Warrant of Arrest to detain them if they fail to meet the bail conditions within 48 hours has been nullified.”

Ikuforiji reassured Lagosians that he would be vindicated. He said: “Since I have no skeleton in my cupboard, I reassure Lagosians that I and my colleagues at the Assembly shall continue to work for the development of our dear state and the general well-being of all Lagosians as we have always done. I urge you all to keep supporting the state government, so that we may continue to serve you better.”

Members of the Assembly said those behind the travails of the speaker will soon be exposed.

Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Security, Strategy and Publicity Mr. Segun Olulade alleged that the case was the handiwork of people, who are “uncomfortable with Ikuforiji’s political fortunes and prospects”, adding that the truth shall prevail.

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NEWS

‘Nigeria is poor’

By Medint Kanabe

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IGERIANS will remain poor unless those in power focus on human development and are accountable.

The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof.

Abubakar Momoh, spoke yesterday at the annual lecture of the institution’s Alumni Association.

The lecture was titled: “Good governance, a tool for the revitalisation of socio-cultural values for social development”.

Momoh said public office holders manage poverty instead of reducing it.

He cited an example of the tricycle, popularly called Keke Napep, saying it cannot reduce poverty but can only manage it.

Momoh said Nigeria is a poor country and this will be proven when she stops exporting crude oil.

He said: “Nigeria is a poor country and this will be known when there is no more oil. If Nigeria stops exporting crude oil, Togo’s export will be higher than ours.”

Momoh said instead of subsidising the poor as good governance demands, Nigeria subsidises the rich.

He said Africa is the only continent in the world where poverty and corruption is increasing.

Momoh said good governance must be centred on human development and building a viral economy.

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (fifth left); Head of the defunct Interim National Government Chief Ernest Shonekan (fourth right); President of the Lagos State University (LASU) Alumni Gen. Cecil Ezekhaigbe (fourth left); the Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saidi Adeola (third left); Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development Babatunde Hunpe (second left); Mr. Fatai Olukoga (third right); LASU Vice Chancellor Prof. John Obafunwa (third right); Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, Mr. Bashorun Olalekan Wasiu (right) and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), LASU Alumni, Fatai Sonoiki (left) at the lecture...yesterday.

PHOTOS: MOSES OMOSEHIN

Court stops monarch From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

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N Akure High Court has restrained the Aladeokun of Alade in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Olusegun Akinbola, from wearing a beaded crown.

The court said the crown is the exclusive preserve of the Owa of Idanre, Oba Fredrick Adegunle Aroloye.

Oba Aroloye approached the court to stop Oba Abimbola from presenting himself as a monarch and to stop him from performing some spiritual functions of the Owa of Idanre.

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•Prof. Momoh

•Children dressed in cultural attires at the lecture. From left: Ifechukwudi Ezekoli, Mariam Agada, Adefolarin Ademola and Ufoma Onojovwo.

UNILAG students protest ‘sexual harassment’

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TUDENTS of the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos (UNILAG), yesterday protested “sexual harassment by their lecturers”.

They urged the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Raheem Bello, to investigate the allegation and bring the culprits to book.

About 100 students, dressed in white t-shirts, sang anti-lecturer songs. They carried placards with various inscriptions,

By Emmanuel Oladesu

such as: “Must we sleep with them to pass exam?”; “Is illicit affair part of the curriculum?”; “We say no to harassment” and “The authorities must call our lecturers to order”, among others.

Some of the students, who spoke with The Nation, said female students were often harassed by certain lecturers.

They threatened to disclose the identities of the lecturers, if a panel is not set up by the management to look into their complaints.

They alleged that some lecturers were fond of inviting female students to their offices to harass them, adding that many students were suffering in silence.

The protesters said some female students have fallen victims because of the fear of

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

formula remains the same and clarified as follows: “National vice-chairman, Southwest and zonal PRO, Ekiti State; zonal organising secretary and zonal financial secretary, Lagos State; zonal secretary and national auditor, Ogun State; zonal treasurer and national legal adviser, Ondo State; zonal auditor and zonal youth leader, Oyo State; national secretary and national woman leader, Osun State.

Each state has an ex-officio and the national ex-officio still exists.”

Filani said the meeting showed that Southwest PDP is united and prepared to work together to win future elections, particularly those coming up in Osun and Ekiti states next year.

He said issues that caused disagreement in the zonal party had been settled.

On a meeting held in Lagos yesterday by some

Southwest PDP chieftains, Filani said it was not an official PDP meeting.

He said: “The official meeting of the party is the one held here today. In a text message I received yesterday, the convener of the Lagos meeting, Chief Bode George, said their meeting is without prejudice to the meeting holding in Ibadan. He even sent an apology for his absence.”

On the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2015 election by PDP leaders in the Southwest, he said the decision was unanimously made.

Chieftains at the meeting include: Former Osun State Governor Isiaka Adeleke, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, former Ogun State Speaker Mrs. Titi Oseni, former Ogun State Deputy Governor Mrs. Salimot Badru, Chief Buruji Kashamu and Ambassador Abayomi Finni, among others.

The student said while some lecturers are father-figures, role models and mentors to them, there are randy ones who are bringing tertiary teaching into disrepute.

He said: “Really, some of our lecturers are good and we relate with them very well, but we have a few who are always eager for illicit affairs by force. These are the bad eggs we are protesting against.”

Ondo election dispute: Court to fix judgment date

Southwest PDP declares Oyinlola’s position open

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest yesterday declared open the seat of the party’s national secretary, which was formerly occupied by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Speaking with reporters shortly after a meeting of the party’s chieftains at its Zonal Office in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Southwest PDP Caretaker Chairman Chief Ishola Filani said except the national chairman, auditor and financial secretary, other exco members were asked to resign following the nullification of their election by a court.

Filani said: “All other officers have been asked to resign.

The position of the national secretary was nullified at the court and has been declared open. Other injunctions at the lower and appeal courts threw out the case. As far as we are concerned, the position of the national secretary is open to all members.”

He said the zonal sharing

being failed by such lecturers.

A male student said: “The fact that we are openly protesting shows that all is not well here. Some of our lecturers have descended so low to threaten female students with failure, if they refuse to sleep with them. We have evidence and we are ready to tender them before a panel set up by the university. Our trust and confidence in these lecturers have been betrayed.”

From Damisi Ojo and Leke Akeredolu, Akure

•Akeredolu

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EGAL fireworks in the governorship election dispute in Ondo State reached a peak yesterday with the adoption of briefs by the three contending parties at the Appeal Court.

The parties are the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP).

The ACN and PDP are challenging the judgment of the Justice Andova Kaka’n-led Election Petition Tribunal, which declared Dr. Olusegun Mimiko winner of the election.

The tribunal dismissed the ACN’s petition on the premise that the “injection of fictitious names into the voters’ register was a pre-election matter”.

It agreed that there were unlawful injection of names into the register but said it lacked

jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Yesterday, ACN’s lead counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), argued that the case revolves round the 2012 voters’ register.

Olujimi said at a stakeholders meeting before the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told parties that the difference between the 2011 and 2012 voters’ registers was the addition of about 7,000 names.

He said prior to the election, ACN and its candidate, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), were not able to open the soft copies given to them by INEC, adding that they discovered the “injection of fictitious names” into the register after the election.

Olujimi said any election conducted with “such an invalid register” is also invalid and cannot represent the people’s wishes.

Mr. Nathaniel Olusola (SAN), counsel to Mr. Olusola Oke, the PDP’s candidate, said an election is a process and “it is in-

clusive of the display and publication of voters’ register”.

He said the voters’ register is the foundation of credible elections, adding that INEC has confirmed his client’s stand by not calling any witness to defend the allegation of illegal injection of names.

Mimiko’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) said the oral presentation of ACN’s counsel has exposed “the futility of the appeal”.

Olanipekun said Section 20 of the Electoral Act makes the case a pre- election matter.

He said there was no way the court could order a rerun without nullifying the election result in councils won by Akeredolu and Oke. LP’s counsel Mr. Yusuf Ali urged the court to dismiss the appeals of Akeredolu, the ACN and Oke. Justice Muhammed Garba said the judgment date would be communicated to the parties.

Other judges on the appeal panel are Justices Gana Misheila, Martins Eko, Emmanuel Agim and Obietonbara Kalio.

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Nigeria, others target $500b trade volume

IGERIA and other D8 countries have agreed to increase the volume of trade among member countries from its current $150billion to $500billion within the next five years.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr.Olusegun Aganga, during the First D8 Ministers Council Meeting on the Preferential Trade Agreement in Abuja, yesterday.

He also proposed that the D-8 Trade and Investment Council made up of the private sector and sponsored by the Ministers of Trade be established as soon as possible.

The Developing Eight countries popularly referred to as D-8, include Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan and Egypt.

To fully maximise the benefits of trade between Nigeria and other D8 member countries, Aganga said Nigeria would develop its own country specific and regional trade strategies, which would be based on the areas

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

where the country had competitive and comparative advantage.

The minister noted that Nigeria would work closely with other D8 countries to remove the barriers to improved and mutually beneficial trade relationship among member countries within the next five years.

Also, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, called on the Organised Private Sectors of the D-8 countries to take advantage of the Preferential Trade Agreement to boost trade and investment among member countries.

In his opening remarks, the Secretary-General of D-8, Dr. Seyed Mousavi, said that the meeting would provide a pragmatic approach towards increasing intra-trade among D8 countries.

He said, “One of the core objectives of the D8 Roadmap is to increase the intra trade of D-8 countries to at least 15 to 20 per cent of their total trade in the world by the end of 2018.

Contractor summoned over N4.3b Lokoja project

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HE Managing Director, Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Hajiya Inna Maryam Ciroma, has summoned the contractor handling the dredging of the Lokoja River Port to a meeting to explain why the job has not been completed.

Speaking with reporters after the facility tour in Lagos yesterday, the newly appointed NIWA boss noted the contract for the dredging of the river was awarded at the cost of N4.3billion by the Federal Government and wondered

By Oluwakemi Dauda

why the work was moving at snail speed.

She attributed the low activities at the port to the just commissioned Onitsha port and non-completion of the work going on in Lokoja. She urged the contractor to fast-track the completion of its job to boost NIWA’s revenue.

Noting that funding was a major problem confronting the agency, she said the organization generated N1.66billion last year.

•L-R: Head Of Egyptian delegation, Mr. Ahmed Talaat; Minister of Industry, Trade And Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga; And Turkish Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr. Mustafa Sever, during the D-8 Ministers Council Meeting, in Abuja... yesterday

PHCN assets: BPE to penalise defaulting investors A NY new investor in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) that is unable to pay the 75 per cent bid balance would be penalised.

Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki, who disclosed this in Lagos, also said that the new investors are expected to fully take over in October this year after paying the balance of 75 per cent bid.

The investors in the PHCN successor companies had earlier made the mandatory 25 per cent payment.

Dikki, who spoke during a television programme, however, expressed the confidence that all the investors were serious businessmen who have the required financial muscle to pay the bid

•New owners to take over in October From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

price.

Head, Public Communications, Mr. Chigbo Anichebe made this disclosure in a statement yesterday.

He also allayed fears of monopoly by the investors, saying that the necessary framework and institutional checks had been put in place to regulate their activities and appropriate pricing.

The BPE boss appealed that the investors be given time to increase capacity.

He said: “They (investors) will after take over, re-tool

and bring in new machinery like turbines, which are not easily bought off the shelf to put power on proper footing”.

Besides, he said the investors would need time to retool after take over and between two- three years to bring in the required machinery after which the country would witness increased and steady power supply.

Dikki assured Nigerians that power supply in the country will improve when the private investors take over. He expressed confidence that the introduction

of sound maintenance culture would ensure that the current installed capacity of 6000 megawatts is exploited and put on the national grid. He stressed that that alone would stabilise power supply.

Dikki who also spoke on agriculture and transportation sectors in the country, said the Bureau was working in tandem with the transformation agenda of the present administration to transform the two sectors through the privatisation of the Abuja Securities and Commodity Exchange (ASCE) and the setting up of a regulatory body in the transport sector.

Pension contributions now N3.4tr,says NPC boss

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HE contributory pension scheme introduced in 2004 has generated about N3.4 trillion, the Acting Director General, National Pension Commission (NPC), Mrs Chinelo AnohuAmazu has said.

She spoke in Abuja at an interactive workshop for Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Judges of High Courts.

Mrs Anohu-Amazu said despite the phenomenal growth of the scheme, many workers are yet to fully understand the initiative and its objectives.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

She said the interactive workshop was one of the ways through which the commission was reaching out to stakeholders in its quest to ensure that the scheme achieved its primary goal of providing an enduring, selfsustaining and effective pension system.

She said NPC found the judiciary as a critical stakeholder in the pension reform and therefore chose to interact with the judges to ensure proper appreciation of the le-

gal and regulatory framework involved in the adjudication of pension cases.

The NPC boss said the debate was currently on at the National Assembly for the amendment of the Pension Reform Act 2004 Mrs Anohu-Amazu noted that inputs from the judiciary would go a long way in ensuring that the amendment reflected the people’s desire.

She stressed the importance of the interactive workshop with the judiciary, saying: “The commission is aware that as it is with all reforms,

there are bound to be some concerns and misunderstandings.”

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, who declared the workshop opened, commended the NPC for the initiative.

He noted that the responsibly for interpreting the Pension Act falls on judges of the Federal High Court.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the judges to do justice to cases arising from the implementation of the Pension Act.

No cause for alarm on economy, says Presidency

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HE Presidency has allayed fears over the nation’s parlous economic indices and their impact on the average citizen.

At a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe said the situation is under control.

Okupe was speaking against the backdrop of a tumble in the Nigerian crude oil earnings arising from a revelation of a discovery by the United States, of shale oil; signifying a possible loss of oil earnings from the US. He said the Nigerian economy is not in any way endangered by the apparent loss of the American market.

The government, he said, had put in place the appropriate mechanisms aimed at not only cushioning the effects, but also blocking the various

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

exit points for crude oil theft.

Okupe said the Nigerian Navy and other maritime related security agencies have been equipped to stop the menace of crude oil theft.

He added that an appeal had been made by the Federal Government to western countries to assist in blocking the sale of stolen crude from Nigeria in their various countries.

According to him, the necessary reforms programmes are already in place in vital sectors such as agriculture and oil and gas.

He similarly stated that phased reduction in the size of the public service had begun about three weeks ago, in line with the recommendations of the Steve Oronsonye Report.

Okupe said the exercise, which is aimed at cutting down on the existing heavy recurrent public expenditure to the tune of N1 trillion, would be spread over a period of three years.

Said the President’s aide: “Already, the Federal Government is adopting appropriate strategies to effectively mitigate the impact of decline in the US markets. The number and volume of term contracts with Asian refiners is gradually being increased.

“Current term volumes to Asian refiners stand at 120,000 barrels per day. In both the short and medium term, a combination of market openings in Europe and Asia will effectively compensate the loss of US market and offer needed support for Nigerian crude oil exports.

“Every discerning observer will notice that socio-eco-

nomic challenges, which had existed for several decades and which the current Transformation Agenda is effectively tackling are clearly spelt out in the Mid-term report presented to Nigerians by President Goodluck Jonathan a few weeks ago.

“These challenges include, among others, dependence on oil exports, high recurrent expenditure, high food importation, poor infrastructure, high inflation, falling reserve and rising domestic debt “The Jonathan administration has implemented key reforms to reduce dependence on oil and these reforms have resulted in the Agricultural sector alone contributing over 40% to the Gross Domestic Product in two years. Oil exports are now 69% of our total exports as against 91% in 2008”.

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•Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko (left) discussing with Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III at the commissioning of an agric training centre for youths at Kware village.

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Lawmakers seek completion of water scheme

OME lawmakers in the Anambra State House of Assembly have called for the completion of the Obizi Water Scheme in the state.

The members told newsmen in Awka that the completion had become necessary to make potable water available in the state especially in Aguata Local Government Area Mr Ikem Uzoezie, a member representing Aguata I State Constituency, said the completion would also alleviate the sufferings of the people in the area.

He said that the inferno at Ekwulobia market last week, which destroyed over N700 million worth of property, could have been averted.

According to him, it was difficult for the traders and inhabitants of town to access water to fight the fire.

“It is unfortunate that the fire service in Aguata could not save the situation. People around had to battle it with or without water.

“We wonder why the Obizi Water Scheme which is expected to provide water in the market is not ready. If it is ready what happened on that day could have been avoided.

“If you look at the damage done by the fire we must have lost over N700 million and this would have been saved if we had access to water supply.”

The member representing Aguata II Constituency, Mr Ikechukwu Umeh, who is also the House Committee Chairman on Commerce and Industry, described the fire incident in the market as “unfortunate’’.

“This is very unfortunate and we have contacted the Emergency Management Agency in Anambra on a possible way out.

Anambra

“We should have a functional fire service in Aguata and I would reach the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on the incident,’’ he stated.

•Arogundade

Sokoto sets up skill centres F

sentation of a vehicle and N50,000 to Malam Sani Dan-Halima and Malam Sani Barga as first and second prize winners

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respectively, while Malam Umar Sani clinched the third prize of a motorcycle and N50,000.

Taraba to revive water works

HE Taraba Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Rebo Usman, said on Wednesday that the state government would soon reactivate the Lau and Ibi water supply facilities destroyed by flood in 2012.

Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jalingo that the water works were massively affected by the flood and require urgent rehabilitation.

According to him, the Ibi water works was submerged by the flood, triggering erosion which nearly cut off the facility.

The commissioner said an embankment would be constructed in both facilities to protect them from complete destruction due to

Rainstorm wreaks havoc A three-hour rainstorm has destroyed no fewer than 180 structures including residential homes, schools and hospitals in Musawa, headquarters of Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The disaster was the second in about two weeks following a similar occurrence on May 29 that destroyed 50 structures in the town.

The Chairman of the council’s Transition Committee,Alhaji Tanimu Kira told newsmen after inspecting the affected areas that a committee had been set up to verify the extent of the damage, adding that a relief package would be distributed to the victims.

He said that the council had provided the victims with temporary accommodation pending intervention by the state and federal governments.

He also said that the council had distributed 100 bags of cement on June 11 to the victims of the May 29 incident, noting that the gesture was an interim measure to cushion the hardship faced by the people.

Taraba

erosion.

He attributed the delay in the commencement of the rehabilitation project to the non release of funds promised by the Federal Government.

Usman, who did not disclose the financial implication of the project, however urged residents of the area to be patient.

“The government is mindful of the hardship the residents are going through in getting potable water due to the destruction of the water-works”

ISHERMEN in Difa riverside community of Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State have appealed to the state government to assist them with fishing gadgets or funds to boost their occupation.

The leader of the fishermen, popularly known as ‘Sarkin Ruwa,’ Malam Haruna Manaja, made the appeal while speaking with journalists in the area.

Manaja noted that most of the fishermen in the village were forced to abandon their occupation due to lack of money to buy fishing nets, canoes, hooks and other items necessary for the business.

The fishermen boss, who said there were about 100 fishermen in the village about 10 years ago, expressed regrets that most of them were forced to abandon the job due to lack of fishing items. ‘’About eight years ago, we had about 100 fishermen in this village who were earning their living through fishing.

Local govt gets digital library

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DIGITAL library with five reading rooms and other modern facilities has been built for public use by the Mushin Local Government Area in Lagos State. The aim, according to the chairman of the council, Hon Olatunde Adepitan, is to change the mindset and psyche of the residents of the council, expose them to material that can enhance their economic wellbeing and draw youths from all forms of crime.

He said although his administration has embarked on projects to improve the welfare of people, none of such efforts was able to change the psyche of the people.

“It was for this reason that we decided to embark on the construction of this library in order to help build the minds of youths, through reading and writing. It is an investment we believe can help us to develop the minds of the youth through curious research.

“The internet facilities here are free, but shall be monitored to guide against abuse. It is strategically located in order to serve a large percentage of the target audience; the youth.

It has five large reading rooms, children library, archives, library for the aged, among others,” Adepitan said.

He, however, used the opportunity to ap-

By Precious Igbonwelundu

peal to philanthropic organisations to assist in equipping the library in order to meet the council’s expectations.

At the event were state legislator, Bolaji Ayinla Yusuf; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ademorin

Fishermen ask for help Gombe ‘’But as I talk to you now, we have just over 30 or at most 40 persons fishing now. ‘’Some of them left fishing for farming and others for other menial jobs, because they could not afford to buy fishing items, ‘’ he said.

The sarkin ruwa also decried the damages done to the fishing items by hippopotamuses in the river and called on the government to permit them to kill ‘troublesome’ hippopotamuses in the river.

He stated that the fishermen were empowKuye; Auditor General for Local Govts, M.M. Hassan among others.

Kuye said the inspection exercise was part of government’s effort to ensure transparency and accountability in the councils , just as he appealed to all officers that will be part of the inspection to be diligent, objective as well as protect the interest of the government.

“The inspection is not meant to witch-hunt anyone, or suppress information but it is to complement government’s effort at providing dividends of democracy to the masses, he said ”

Muslim leaders push for peace

•From left: Chief Jacob Eghietseme Idinye (best transport reporter, Electronics); Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Lagos State, Nseobong Akpabio and Chairman/ President, Nigeria Institute of Freight Forwarders, Dr. Zebulon Ikokide during the 6th year Transquest annual Transport Development Symposioum/Transport development Excellence award by Transquest Media Concepts, at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos

Council chief restates commitment to education C HAIRMAN of Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Hon. Augustine Arogundade, has reiterated his commitment to educational development.

Speaking at a programme at the Children’s Day celebration held at the African Church Primary School, Meiran, Hon. Arogundade said: “Since assumption of office, our administration has made available free GCE forms for secondary school students; constructed Ilapo Primary School and renovated Aboru Primary School as well as Amikanle Primary School. I promise that we will not relent but continue to execute policies and programmes that will enhance excellent teaching and learning environment.”

Speaking

HE Sokoto State government has established three agricultural skills acquisition centres in each of its three senatorial zones in a bid to improve livestock production in the state.

Governor Aliyu Wamakko made the announcement in a statement issued in Sokoto

by Malam Abubakar Dangusau, his Special Assistant on Press Affairs.

He made the announcement at the end of the annual Gumare Fishing Festival in Romon-Sarki in the Tambuwal Local Government Area of the state.

Wamakko said that his administration would continue to accord priority to the agriculture sector which, he said was the mainstay of the economy.

“We will indeed, continue to ensure that all forms of farming activities in the state are bolstered.

“Food security is next to nothing and it is extremely crucial to find solutions to the current food problems plaguing Nigeria.’’

The statement said that the government was also committed to improving and encouraging fish farming in the state, adding that the government had also introduced modern fish farming techniques in the 23 local government areas of the state.

It advised the people to engage in any form of farming with a view to improving the socio-economic development of the society.

“We should go back to the farms as they hold the key to the transformation and revitalisation of our personal and national socio-economic development.’’

The highlight of the occasion include pre-

47

By Kunle Akinrinade

further on the policy direction of his administration on education and school development, he said: “As a government, we have always been proactive towards the provision of basic and quality education to prepare our school children for adulthood and as good leaders of tomorrow. Many of our policies which are in tandem with the agenda of the Lagos State government have children in focus.”

He called for the support of individuals and corporate organisations in the quest to uplift the lives of children in the council area.

“I call on well-meaning individuals, corporate bodies and the public to support our administration in meeting the needs of our children as government alone cannot shoulder the responsibilities. The task of ensuring an atmosphere conducive enough to our children education is a collective effort.”

The occasion which was witnessed by members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and community leaders featured match past and quiz competition.

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HE leader of Arewa Progressive Women, Hajia Adiza Dahiru has urged Nigerians to support the demand of the Nigeria League of Democrats, a non-governmental organisation for power to return to the North.

She said the organisation’s call for power shift was patriotic and would return the country on the path of progress. Dahiru noted that the north has been under pressure to catch up with the South in terms of education and social equality.

She said: “For so long, the north has been very slow in the issues of education compared to the fast pace and strong drive for the acquisition of education in the South. The poor attention to education keeps pushing some of our people to Almajeri class who often end up as illiterates. “ Dahiru further explained that the situation largely contributed to the prevailing porous security situation in the north, which has crippled economic activities. “The effect has become lethal and steady destruction of lives and property because of poor management of resources in the hand of our leaders.”

She said the Arewa Progressives Women made up of patriotic Nigerian women would support any organisation that works for the unity of the country which the League of Democrats stood for, even as she thanked the National Coordinator, Otunba Omoniyi Adebayo for providing the enabling leadership.

“We will continue to high moral candor and the equitable sense of the league for this timely call for power shift to the north. The organisation has demonstrated that it is committed to building a united Nigeria which all must support,” she said.

Dahiru also said that 2015 will be the biggest challenge for northern leaders. He enjoined

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USLIM leaders in Sepeteri, a town in Saki East Local Government Area of Oyo State have called on security agencies to unmask those behind the incessant clash between them and the Christian community in the area.

Baba Adinni of Sepeteri, Chief Muda Ogunsola made the request during a press briefing held in Ibadan to shed more light on why tension has persisted in the area.

Arewa women back power shift

By Musa Odoshimokhe

them to support the call. “Arewa women believe that the north has educated men and women who can provide good leadership for this country. They must rise to this clarion call now and help the country back on its feet.

“We wish to remind Nigerians to use the sense of justice and fair play to put into account the length of time that power has remained in the south with special regard to the late Umaru Yar’Adua who died on the seat, a huge loss to the north and Nigeria in general.”

Responding to the Arewa Progressive Women support for the organisation, Adebayo remarked that what the league is doing is to unite the country by ensuring that justice and fair play subsist in the country.

He said: “This is the only way we can sustain the current democracy in the country.

•Otunba Adebayo

By Adebisi Onanuga

The Muslim and Christian communities in the ancient town of Sepeteri have been fighting each other over a parcel of land, located directly in front of an Islamic college, which a Baptist Church was laying claim to.

Chief Ogunsola further said that recent investigations by the state police command have absolved the Muslim community of any culpability in the crisis.

He alleged that a petition by some Christian leaders in the community compounded the problem on ground.

Ogunsola, who was a former chairman of Saki East Local Government Area said the security agencies in the state should look beyond the land matter and unmask the sponsors of the crisis.

“The community is already divided and there is tension in the town but we are asking the people to keep calm and maintain peace.

“We are not and had never said we are the owners of the land. The land belongs to the community and the community will decide what to do with it,” Ogunsola stated.

According to him, the late Obalufon of Sepeteri, Oba Karimu Oyesiji, the regent of the town and some notable high chiefs and community leaders of the town had been interrogated by the police and had cleared the air on the ownership crisis over the land.

“The land belongs to the community and the community, through the late Oba and the Agoro said they have not given the land to the Baptist Church.

“The Agoro was invited by the police at state Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Iyaganku. He told the police that the land has not been given to anybody and he said the community was ready to give land to the church at any place but not that particular spot,” he added.

Ogunsola alleged that the receipt being flaunted by the church leaders for the acquisition of the disputed land was a forged document.

According to him, the receipt was issued on the letter head paper of the late Obalufon, who was installed in 1986 for a land the church claimed to have acquired in 1973.

•Chairman, Mosan-Okunola local Council Development Area Hon. Abiodun Mafe presenting delivery pack to pregnant women at the council secretariat.

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Monarch donates to homes

HE Ojora of Ijoraland, Oba Abdul Fatai Oyeyinka Aromire has donated to motherless and old people’s home in Lagos.

The monarch made the donations as part of activities marking his 19th anniversary of the ascension of office. He donated bags of rice, baby materials, pampers, bicycles, food flasks, clothes and among others.

On why he chose to celebrate his anniversary by donating to motherless homes and the old people’s home, Oba Oyegbemi said it was his way of appreciating what God has done in his life.

“This is my little way of thanking God for His blessings on me since assumption of office as Oba. My major problem is that all the wealthy people in the country are not doing what they are supposed to do in assisting the less-privileged peopele. So, what I am doing is an act of thanking my God for His help,” he said.

The Oba, along with his council of chiefs, was received by the Matron of the Nigeria Red Cross Society Motherless Home, Mrs Juliana Obanife who, with the state’s secretary of the association, Mrs Nwike Ijeoma urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of giving.

“The little we can do to help the children we should do because some of them may become leaders tomorrow. There is nothing too much or too small in assisting the less-privileged. I urge all to cultivate the habit of giving to the poor in the society,” he said.

The traditional ruler also advised the government and the well-to-do in the society to always help the old people and the less-privileged people.

“My advice to the government and businessmen is that they should take care of these

By Amidu Arije

old people and the motherless,” he said.

The monarch also urged government to consult traditional rulers while carrying out developmental projects in the country.

“Let us go back to square one. In years past, before the government will do anything, they will seek the advice of traditional leaders because we are the ones at the grassroots. We are very close to the people and we know how to talk to our people concerning any issue. Let the government see traditional rulers as partners,” he said.

•Governor Dankwambo ered as the income generated through the fish business was able to sustain them.

Communities decry arbitrary bills

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ESIDENTS of Oke Ira Community and its environ,in Lagos State are kicking against arbitrary issuance of estimation bills by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Ikeja Distribution Zone. The action is common in areas operating with analog meters and it has been on for the past two years . According to the residents,PHCN officials complain of shortage of staff.

The residents through a petition signed by Hon. Babatunde Bankole, Elder Olayinka Fadahunsi (chairman of the Association) and Comrade Hamilton Olajide (Secretary) respectively, further alleged that PHCN Ikeja distribution Zone has failed to solve the problem of constant breakdown affecting NOB – OLUWA Feeder, that supply electricity to the most populated area in Oke Ira and its environs right from the back of Excellence Hotel in Aguda to the end of Power- Line in Oke Ira. They called on the Managing Director of NIPP Mr. James Abiodun Olotu to act quickly on the installation and commissioning of the abandoned second Oke Ira 15MVA, 11/33 KV. transformer.

‘Give priority to agriculture’ THE Federal Government has been urged to give priority to agriculture to ensure food security and reduce dependence on oil.

The advice was given by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adura Farms Settlement in Ogun State, Chief Lawrence Olusesan Bankole. Going on memory lane, he said the old Western Region survived on cocoa, to prosecute its major infrastructural and educational programmes.

Bankole said given the right atmosphere, agriculture will engage most of our youths actively and increase the country’s Gross National Product and “reduce our dependence on oil”.

•Oba Aromire (middle), his wife Olori Omotolani (right) and Matron Nigeria Red Cross Society Motherless Home, Mrs Juliana Obanife during the presentation.

PHOTO AMIDU ARIJE.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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COMMENTARY FROM OTHER LANDS

EDITORIALS

Snowden’s future

• Comparing the NSA leaks to the Pentagon Papers is wrong

Off the table

•Mr Cameron should be told in clear terms that Nigeria won’t go back on same-sex marriage

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E are not averse to foreign countries making inputs on policy matters in Nigeria if they must because no country is an island unto itself. Moreover, the world has become a global village and one in which policies made in one country could have consequences far beyond its borders. To this extent, countries should be amenable to constructive criticisms of their policies and programmes by other countries. But it is something else when such criticisms or suggestions border on meddlesomeness.

This is exactly our concern about the statement by British Prime Minister David Cameron, that Britain would seek audience with its Nigerian counterpart on the same-sex marriage bill already passed by the National Assembly. The legislators spoke the minds of Nigerians by prescrib-

‘This is where the British prime minister missed the point. How can he assume that what is good for Britain should be good for Nigeria, or other countries for that matter? If same-sex marriage is food for Britons, it could be poison for Nigerians. As a matter of fact, contrary to Mr Cameron’s belief that “nothing should be off the table”, same-sex marriage is off the table”. And this is the point that Nigerian officials must make clear to him whenever his proposed ‘consultations’ with them take place’

ing 14 years imprisonment for same-sex offenders. All that is required is the president’s assent for the bill to become law.

Apparently, Mr Cameron has forgotten that Nigeria and Britain have no cultural affinity; otherwise, he would not be recommending that Nigeria toe the line of Britain in matters relating to same-sex marriage. Indeed, his country’s proposed engagement of the Nigerian authorities towards swaying them on the stance of the National Assembly on the matter is taking meddlesomeness too far.

“With countries like Nigeria, where we have a very good relationship, a very strong relationship, nothing should be off the table”, the prime minister said. He added: “So, when we meet with Nigerian politicians and Nigerian leaders, we should be very clear about those things that we agree about and very clear where we disagree.” Mr Cameron said further that the UK has a “very good record on equal rights for lesbian and gay people”, adding: “we believe that’s right for every country in the world.”

This is where the British prime minister missed the point. How can he assume that what is good for Britain should be good for Nigeria, or other countries for that matter? If same-sex marriage is food for Britons, it could be poison for Nigerians. As a matter of fact, contrary to Mr Cameron’s belief that “nothing should be off the table”, same-sex marriage is off the table”. And this is the point that Nigerian officials must make clear to him whenever his proposed ‘consultations’ with them take place.

In Nigeria, nay Africa, we cannot “have proper equality for lesbian and gay people”; it is only in Mr Cameron’s

imagination that such rights (that is if at all that is a right) “should apply everywhere in the world.” That is the height of ethnocentrism which Nigeria should not take, whether from Britain or any other country for that matter.

As we said earlier, there is nothing basically wrong in one country seeking policy change in another country, but it must give convincing reasons to justify its position. Mr Cameron has not told us how Nigeria’s same-sex bill will affect either his country as an entity or its citizens; here we are talking about enlightened self-interest. It is insufficient to hide under a nebulous concept of ‘fundamental right’. Even if Nigeria’s position is going to affect whatever comes to it by way of British aid (because Mr Cameron made a veiled threat when he linked the issue with aids), we have to stick to our position. In any case, it is better to be rid of Mr. Cameron’s aids than to be slapped with the AIDS of sodomy, which the West, the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, now deodorises as “same-sex marriage”. If on that score Britain and its fellow travellers are beyond redemption, Nigeria is not. So, President Goodluck Jonathan must make the point that we cannot trade virtue for money by assenting to the bill, immediately.

Nigeria is a sovereign nation, and this fact has to be respected by other countries, the same way Nigeria should respect the sovereignty of other countries.

To compare sexuality with religion, race or lifestyle, as Mr Cameron has done, is disingenuous. If the British do not care about whether people are gay or straight, we do. And that is also a fundamental right that should be respected.

Fund your faith

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•Report that the FG may stop sponsoring pilgrims is cheering

FFICIAL funding of pilgrimages has become a distracting influence on the polity and sadly, an avoidable drain on public till. We are however elated by the report that the Federal Government may stop annual funding of pilgrimages. Though not yet conclusive, the initiative is quite belated.

Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President, at a recent stakeholders’ summit organised by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission unveiled: “…we have a challenge facing us, as there are indications that the Federal Government may stop funding pilgrimage activities...

This is understandable given the need to separate religion from the state. Pilgrimage is a personal and spiritual matter.’’

To us, religion, like pilgrimage, is a personal issue between God and man and such affairs, especially in a secular state like Nigeria, should not be allowed to overburden her governance. But at the current rate, the reality is that a sizeable chunk of public funds at federal, state and local government levels is devoted to servicing annual pilgrimage - at the expense of other salient challenges.

The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo started the idea of sponsoring pilgrimages in the old Western Region, with a small fraction of the populace as beneficiaries, unlike now that the number of recipients is alarmingly high. Later, the northern regional government emulated the initiative for basically Muslim pilgrimages. It was subsequently extended to include Christian pilgrimages across the country. But

there is need for a rethink of the matter since governance is suffering on many fronts.

It is shameful that Nigeria, of all the countries that observe the yearly spiritual ritual, reportedly has the highest number of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and Israel, a large percentage of them on government sponsorship. Yet, crime rate and corruption daily loom large in the country: Worse is the fact that most pilgrims are not imbibing the right values. Thus, trips to these holy lands seem not to be achieving the desired spiritual cleansing necessary to bring to bear the fear of the Almighty in governance and other public facets.

We are not in any way averse to people embarking on holy pilgrimage. What we loathe is for such adventures to be predominantly at the expense of the state.

Such conspicuous public consumption, under the guise of religious patronage, cannot be justified in this nation where majority of the people live on less than a dollar per day.

The continuing sponsorship of pilgrimages is inconsistent with the intent of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in section10, to wit: ‘The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.’ Apart from the two prime religions of Islam and Christianity, there are other fringe religions in the country. We ask: why are governments at all levels giving patronage to pilgrimages from the two religions, against the constitutional provision that Nigeria is a secular state? This act, apart

from being an infraction of the law, can equally create a rancorous situation, especially at this point that religion has proved to be a great source of tension in the country.

Sponsorship of pilgrims is unnecessary because only Islamic religion encourages adherents to go on Hajj, with a proviso - once in a lifetime by those that can afford the trip. The Christian religion is silent on this, which means such journey is not compelling.

Rather than religious sponsorship, the government should create an enabling administrative atmosphere that could guarantee hitch-free pilgrimage by those that can afford it. What is of importance to Nigerians is for governments to serve them better by providing for their needs or putting in place the environment to facilitate such.

‘It is shameful that Nigeria, of all the countries that observe the yearly spiritual ritual, reportedly has the highest number of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and Israel, a large percentage of them on government sponsorship. Yet, crime rate and corruption daily loom large in the country: Worse is the fact that most pilgrims are not imbibing the right values. ’

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HETHER Edward Snowden finds refuge in Ecuador, or elsewhere, the US government has no choice but to seek his extradition. Having violated his secrecy contracts, Mr Snowden has broken serious laws and should face the music. What he disclosed to The Guardian and Washington Post highlights the breadth of the US National Security Agency’s eavesdropping operation. But he did not uncover any breach of US law. Nor do the contents of the leaks invalidate what the NSA is trying to do. There is much scope to tighten its accountability – not least by cutting down on the number of private contractors with access to highly classified information. But treating Mr Snowden as a hero is no answer.

Comparisons to Daniel Ellsberg, the celebrated leaker of the Pentagon Papers in 1971, are particularly inapt. Mr Ellsberg first approached elected senators in the hope they would publicise the papers to discredit US conduct in the Vietnam war. When that failed, he leaked to the media. Mr Snowden made no such attempt. More importantly, Mr Ellsberg willingly submitted to US authorities and courted prosecution so he could defend his civil disobedience on home soil. It was declared a mistrial and he went free. In contrast, Mr Snowden had fled to Hong Kong before his NSA leaks were published. Hong Kong happens to be a part of the sovereign territory of China, the world’s largest (and most cyber-active) autocracy. Mr Snowden’s current host is Russia. His next stop is likely to be Cuba.

Failure to prosecute Mr Snowden would also open the floodgates to many more leaks.

Successive US governments have let the national security state outsource much work to contractors, such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Mr Snowden’s employer. Curbing the shadow NSA economy ought to be a priority for President Barack Obama. But his administration is right to leave no doubt that breaking the law has serious consequences.

Other countries have justifiably raised concerns that US citizens have far greater protections than foreigners from Prism and other NSA programmes that snoop on telephone and internet communications.

These concerns need to be addressed. There also need to be more stringent protections for US citizens. But before we treat Mr Snowden as a heroic whistleblower, it is worth remembering that he has reached out to governments that care little for the rights of their own people. Mr Ellsberg has generously embraced Mr Snowden as his equivalent. That remains far from obvious.

– Financial Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile •Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon •Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) Yomi Odunuga •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Group Business Editor Ayodele Aminu •Sport Editor Ade Ojeikere •Editorial Page Editor Sanya Oni

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu • Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •Chief Internal Auditor Toke Folorunsho •Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge •Advert Manager Robinson Osirike •IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Press Manager Udensi Chikaodi •Manager, Corporate Marketing Hameed Odejayi • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: At the third Building and Construction Round Table (BCERT3), a two-day workshop organized by the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBON), with the theme “Enforcing Transparency and Accountability in the Nigerian Building and Construction Sector”, held at Musa Shehu Yar’ Adua Centre, Abuja, from May 23-24, the issue of transparency and accountability in the construction industry were discussed.

The workshop held that lack of accountability is the major challenge to construction sector in Nigeria, which can only contribute a paltry 2.0% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2012. The communiqué said that Quantity Surveyors are construction cost consultants from the beginning of a project to the end and implored them to always live above board.

Quantity Surveyors are not only the factors affecting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s construction industry. Our culture is a big challenge. When a contractor wins a construction contract, his colleagues and associates, family members and friends see it as manna from heaven, celebrate with him and urge him to see it as “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity and a share of the national cake.

The anti-graft institutions like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) were established to ensure

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EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 1000 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.com

Improving transparency in public construction there is zero tolerance to corruption in all sectors of the economy.

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) was also established to instil sanity into public procurement and backed by Public Procurement Act 2007.

But these institutions have not lived up to expectation because of their challenges major of which is the lack of federal government interest to eradicate corruption in Nigeria. If government is inter-

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ested in forestalling corruption, at least in the construction industry, it will subscribe to the membership of Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST).

CoST is a country-centred multistakeholder initiative designed to promote transparency and accountability in publicly financed construction across the globe. It has as members, countries like El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Malawi, Philippines, Tanzania, United

Kingdom, Vietnam and Zambia.

At CoST’s core is the belief that the processes involved in the construction of public infrastructure must be made more transparent.

The public must be armed with the information they need to hold decision makers to account and to ensure better value for money in the construction sector. CoST is making this ideal a reality.

CoST is a governance initiative that employs a multi-stakeholder

the interest of teachers, especially those in the primary and secondary schools who saw teaching as non rewarding profession. The scenario saw a mass exodus of male teachers who joined other businesses with a view to providing for their families. Little wonder in our public schools today, female teachers far outnumber the male.

The military dispensation with its attendant strikes has come and gone but the citizens of this country are yet to be convinced that democratic dispensation places

more value to education than the military as our schools and tertiary institutions are nothing to write home about in comparison with their overseas counterparts in terms of infrastructure and academics. Most of our public schools are in a very bad shape.

They are not conducive for learning as the classrooms are without doors and windows and enough seats for the pupils and students. Office of the head teachers and principals are like animal pens. More worrisome is that the classrooms have become

Why standard of education keeps falling

IR: The standard of education started taking a different shape when labour unions began to embark on a litany of strike which lasted for several months without the union reaching a consensus with the federal government. Students were left to their fate as they could not return to their studies. Consequent upon that, parents, especially those that could afford the bill resorted to sending their children abroad to complete their education, This development helped to kill

Tribute to Alhaja Abibat Mogaji

IR: Death has once claimed a woman of substance; a true Awoist, a formidable business woman (Iya’Loja). Alhaja was politically literate and highly enlightened.

I remember her glorious past as leader of leaders of Iya’Loja that supported my ambition to contest the Federal House of Representatives seat vacated by late Hon. Ajimotokan who was made commissioner by Alhaji Lateef Jakande in 1979.

That I won the primary and general election on the platform of UPN to

approach. It involves government procuring entities and oversight agencies, private sector consultants and contractors, and civil society groups working together to improve transparency. It is a catalyst to driving change. It encourages demand and pressure for transparency by bringing together interested stakeholders from the public, private, and civil society sectors. CoST seeks to complement rather than replace a country’s supervision, audit, regulatory, investigative, and judicial functions. The complexity of the construction sector presents a major challenge to improving transparency. Nigeria’s construction industry will benefit if Nigeria can subscribe to its membership.

• Olufemi Oyedele, Lagos

represent the then Ikeja Federal House of Representatives seat in the Second Republic was largely due to the support of Alhaja Abibat Mogaji-led women support. History will remember her as one of those who ensured women are not relegated to the background but given equal opportunity and she helped to produce women trailblazers in elective positions in Nigeria. Alhaja Mogaji lived a fulfilled life and deserves to be well celebrated in death. She left good legacies and stood as a role model and

mentor for young women.

After the second Republic, our political path did not cross but I always remember her with fond memories.

Alhaja successfully added value to Lagos State political legacy and by inference the nation. She never contested any election but no one wins an election without her support especially in her area. She was a political ‘Guru’; and an ‘Amazon’ well loved by her people. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu gained prominence and acceptability under her as his mother.

Rest in perfect peace with Allah that you served well on earth. I commiserate with the children and the immediate family members. May the good Lord console them. Adieu my dear political Mama; your good deed of the past can never be forgotten. God will give you your due eternal rest.

Hon. Josephine Olatomi Soboyejo, Fmr. member, Federal House of Representatives; &Fmr. Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Development, Ogun State

havens for hoodlums where they settle themselves with wraps of cannabis and other drugs.

Teaching is not the only factor that impacts positively on students.

The environment and other factors like well equipped library and laboratory etc matter a lot. But unfortunately these facilities are lacking in our schools and the hope that they will be made available before 2015 is very slim as the country is now battling with the challenges of insecurity and the tussle for leadership in 2015.

The utopian year when education is expected to regain its lost glory is fast approaching but so far the score board is blank. It would be foolhardy for the present government to over flood its program with politics instead of embarking on meaningful projects like revamping the education industry that would determine our stand with other climes in future.

A nation without education is a dead one. Government should therefore focus on this very important issue instead of having many irons in the fire.

• Nkemakolam Gabriel Port Harcourt

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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COMMENTS

Jagged road edges kill again! RoboCup 2013; Lagos Osborne Sand-sand Challenge Cup Pls

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N the NTA News, did you see the jagged road edge at the crash that killed five NANS students? Honest Nigerian political and road Tony maintenance managers, Marinho if any exist, should know that jagged road margins kill more people than speeding, by forcing vehicles to suddenly cross lanes into other traffic. If the ‘unemployed’ in the ministries of works ‘dressed’ the road edges and filled potholes, vehicles would ‘Keep Right’ and stop jerking around and thus reduce crashes thus saving hundreds of lives and misery for thousands. The Lagos-Ibadan road is a good example of bad maintenance road edges.

Will someone please put WHO messages and other life skill social message films like CNN’s Girlrising about girl education, child trafficking, prostitution, violence etcetera on local TV and radio for the millions without cable TV? How many actually watch CNN to see Girlrising, ACT adverts and other wonderfully educational films? Check www.girlrising.com.

Life is serious. Seven happy proud Nigerians died from generator fumes. It is not hard to trace the deaths to the corruption and incompetence-ridden power paralysis at local PHCN office, ministerial failures and historical myopic presidential inadequacies in power policies and implementation.

Their deaths were engineered 10-20-30 years ago by failures at Federal Executive Councils that refused to power Nigeria into the 21st Century. So next time you hear of someone getting CON or yet another plaque and pension for ‘services rendered’, remember these seven prematurely dug graves and thousands more. Government must accept policy and financial responsibility and apologise for the last 30 years of failures in power, education, health and roads. We must institute compensation strategies. ‘Death by Deliberate or Failed Government Policy’ should be actionable. Politicians and civil servants must pay for their failures in the past and present. A government jagged road causing a crash must be compensated for by government. Lawyers to the families of the dead NANS 5, where are you?

S

OMETIME last year, I wrote about how important it is to have more people willing to share information with security agencies in the fight against violence and terror in the northern part of the country. In that piece entitled: “Boko Haram and the North”, my argument was that one crucial missing factor that had been hindering the fight against violence, especially the sort of organised terror for which groups like the Boko Haram (and now, also, Ansaru) have become notorious for championing in the North, is the insistence of those with valuable knowledge about these groups to consciously shield their relatives and friends purely on filial affinity. And as many commentators have noted, such primordial considerations need to change in the interest of peace and the poor, suffering people of the North.

So when, recently, I read the story of an anonymous, 60-year old man, of Kanuri descent, in Borno State, who reportedly handed over his son to members of the Joint Task Force, JTF, who are currently battling to flush out Boko Haram and other insurgents who have long held Borno State and many parts of the north-east of Nigeria by the jugular, I was, perhaps, like many other Nigerians, very impressed and hopeful that, at least, we are getting somewhere.

According to the widely-publi-

‘If parents can put their feet down and dissuade their children from taking the easy route to sudden wealth and perdition, a greater percentage of the economic and social problems we now experience in Nigeria will be history’

Coming out of Lagos on a Sunday morning, there is an inspiringly beautiful sight on the sun-warmed sand-sand ‘landfill’ reclaimed from the ocean next to Osborne/Third Mainland Bridge area. As far as the eye can see there are youth- all occupied with the great game-football. It should be a Nollywood youth inspiration set. There are many different teams and the games are civilised and well-organised.

This would be a goldmine opportunity for government, individuals and corporate bodies to invest in the ‘good’ youth.

Talent scouts, 1000 good footballs with government and corporate logos and perhaps even kit can be provided. A ‘Lagos Sand-sand Challenge Cup’ can be donated and competition funded. The media can visit and identify rare talent. If those 1000 youth are kept off the streets and doing something healthy and constructive, Lagos and Nigeria will be safer places.

Government often ignores the good active, strong, sports and other talented youth at its peril. Good honest Nigerian kids, who just want to engage in unavailable positive social and sports activities deserve as much of a break and funding assistance as the youth being ‘rescued’ from negative social activities like thuggery, NURTW, violence, drugs, alcohol and HIV/AIDS. Ever heard of the RoboCup? The Robotic World Cup is on this week engaging America and Columbian universities in cutting edge robotics and artificial intelligence. This game is not a game but a high tech battle disguised as a game. Where are Nigerian universities in spite of the cry about IT? Are they too myopic and preoccupied with ‘biz-admin’? Budgets, politicians and powerful academics often consumed by infighting, neglect to fund, access or utilise research grants in robotics. Therefore Nigeria’s robotic experience is negligible in its technology faculties. We have in Nigeria many bomb and crash amputees needing robotic limbs. It is up to government and technology faculties to broaden their scope, encourage their students with grants and travel to attend inspirational events as the RoboCup for skills. International linkages with Japan, Columbia and advanced robotic countries would help. Nigerian students could do so much more with better education policy and leadership.

We join in sympathising with Senator Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on the loss of his illustrious mother Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji at

96 years. And as we do so, will some newspaper please start a body count of the daily victims of the various violence prone areas? Violence today is epidemic, killing more Nigerians than AIDS and malaria. This violence is in the press and encompasses our lives, including cultists on campus, Fulani antiBirom, Fulani anti-Tiv, pro-cattle anti-farming, commercial road carnage defying the speed limit, robberies, murders, kidnapping, uniform brutality and finally political anti-democracy violence towards 2015. Add to these the Boko Haram mayhem and you have enough names to fill a memorial cenotaph every week in most states. And please add the army of Nigerian pregnant women lining up to ‘die of childbirth’ in rubbish ‘mission’ houses and poorly equipped, understaffed maternity centres, private and government. This particular government-sanctioned conspiracy against women is ‘Mass Maternal Murder’ and engineered by evil government policies. Should the families sue the system?

Meanwhile the revenue continues to be shared and Nigerians are scared at the cost of politics. Any chance of a parliamentary system? The British want to send reckless bankers to jail. The Senate suggesting that principal officers of Senate should have salaries for life even though they get special position allowances and disgraceful emoluments while 70% of Nigerians earn less than $1 or N150/day.

‘So next time you hear of someone getting CON or yet another plaque and pension for ‘services rendered’, remember these seven prematurely dug graves and thousands more. Government must accept policy and financial responsibility and apologise for the last 30 years of failures in power, education, health and roads’

A father’s uncommon sacrifice cised report, a businessman in the Hausari Ward of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was said to have alleged that his son, a member of the deadly group, had participated in the killing of several people in Maiduguri and subsequently handed over the son to men of the JTF in his ward. The son reportedly left the parent’s home a few months ago only to suddenly return home recently to plead with his father to allow him refuge from the current massive onslaught of security forces against the Boko Haram in Borno State, which is now under a state of emergency, alongside Yobe and Adamawa states.

Following the crackdown by the JTF, a fallout of the emergency declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan on May 14, this year, members of the Boko Haram have been running for cover. Apart from the JTF, a group of youths under the aegis of Community Vigilance Group is also on the prowl, hunting down Boko Haram members, and in many instances, handling down instant death sentences in the form of jungle justice to whoever is caught. It is in the wake of these counter-insurgency moves that the young man reportedly ran back to the bosom of his father and confessed to how he had joined hands to kill people and loot banks, pleading with his father to shield him.

But he met a brick wall as his principled father reportedly turned him down flatly. The old man was said to have told his son that it was against his conscience to keep a roving assassin, an armed robber and such a big security threat in his home. Pronto, the man approached the office of the JTF and told them of the criminal involvement of his son in serial killings and robbery.

Some soldiers followed him home to arrest the son, but as fate would have it, the son tried to escape arrest and was shot dead.

Remarkably, in an affirmative demonstration of his unflagging will to live on the right path, not only did the man turn over his son to the authorities, he also had the fortitude to resist touching the illgotten wealth his son reportedly starched away near their home. The young man had revealed to the father and the family the location of two cars and millions of naira he had acquired from his association with Boko Haram’s activities. Impressively, the father declined to taint his Islamic faith by taking inheritance of assets he considers haram (forbidden).

This is a remarkable story by all account. A story that, no doubt, demonstrates the true face of religious faith, the true face of Islam. It doubtlessly vindicates many of the moderate Muslims who have been trying to tell anyone that would listen that extremist groups like Boko Haram do not represent Islam. It is a story that is sure to add more volume to the voice of those Muslims whose voices have long been drowned out by the guns and bombs of radical, violence-oriented Muslim groups and individuals like Boko Haram and their members. It is difficult to properly account for how far this might go in convincing doubters that Islam has no place for the likes of Boko Haram but what a bold statement in vindication of those who have continuously argued in defence of Islamic extremism.

Of course, this is not the first time a father would keep his paternal feeling from interfering with his judgment where terror and his son are concerned. In 2009, after Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s failed attempt to detonate a bomb on a flight to Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States of America, it later emerged that his father had, prior to the botched attempt, warned the authorities about the increasing

extremist leaning of his son. Today, Abdulmutallab, has come to be known notoriously worldwide as “the underwear bomber” now in jail in America. One staggering discovery, all through the renewed offensive against terror in the North-East in particular, is that the residents have been showing more bravery in exposing violent elements in their midst, even if these elements were family members. In many cases, the implications for the whistle blowers have been perilous. However, this un-named businessman’s case is without doubt at a different level. It is a heroic deed and sacrifice of highly uncommon extent for a parent to be so brave for the sake of his faith and the safety of others, to the detriment and even death of his own flesh and blood. This could rightly be christened: “A Brave Father’s Uncommon Sacrifice for Sanity”.

Still, maybe we should afford ourselves the right to tinker our praise for the old man in question with a slight dose of ‘practical pessimism’ here, for a combination of factors might have been responsible for his decision. So, maybe, we can look at this man’s act in a slightly different light. In this regard, perhaps we can be a little cynical and play the devil’s advocate by arguing that he might have acted more in self-preservation – that time-tested, time-proven golden rule in human existence knowing fully the potential dire consequences for his son and the burden that might put on members of the family. Now, is it totally implausible to think that the man was merely trying to save his own neck from his son by resorting to that course of action? Let’s look at it this way: in April this year, the son was said to have threatened to kill the father shortly before he (the son) bolted out of home. He only came back to appease his father

Dele Agekameh when he realised that he could no longer take the heat the JTF, with the help of members of the Youth Vigilance Group, was dishing out to him and his fellow terrorists at Boko Haram’s training camps in Kirenoa and Sambisa games reserve forests of the state.

Whatever the ‘permutation’, in the final analysis, especially in an increasingly materialistic 21st Century, when it seems that the values of altruism are becoming increasingly peripheral in the lives of many, we have to doff our hats to this brave man’s uncommon vote for faith, peace and sanity. Many people in his shoes in the past might have been tempted to look the other way and cover up their wards’ misdeeds for some selfish interests. Maybe, we should ask: How many Nigerians can go the whole hog to expose the nefarious activities of their children or wards like this Kanuri businessman?

If parents can put their feet down and dissuade their children from taking the easy route to sudden wealth and perdition, a greater percentage of the economic and social problems we now experience in Nigeria will be history.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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COMMENTS ‘David Cameron should go to hell with his help to Nigeria. History will not take it kindly with anybody who supports the evil offer that the British government is offering Nigeria. I have never seen, not even in the holy books that man to man, woman to woman should marry. Let him come to Nigeria and stand in the open place and say it; whether he will not be pelted with pure water’ For Olatunji Dare

•Jonathan

For Segun Gbadegesin PDP covers every member no matter what he or she does as long as it is in the interest of the party. PDP members are like vultures that are eating the carcass of a dead animal. Nigerians are the carcass on which PDP eats and whose bone it cracks without minding the consequence. Now PDP is at it again by endorsing the Jonathan for a second term in office, not minding the suffering of the poor Nigerians who have been suffering insecurity, poverty, and power supply since the inception of the party. Take for instance, fortnight ago NGF election was held and the president that we are all looking up to for direction said 16 is bigger than 19 and the governor who scored the least number, Jang started ‘Janging’ according to Oshimhole. From H. Ozi Momoh They destroyed their party’s constitution in order to actualise their selfish political objectives, we did not speak out because we were not PDP members. Then, they invaded the NGF and tore it to shred, we did not speak out because we did not belong to that association. When they would set the country on fire by their rampaging desperation and antidemocratic practices, it would have become too late for us to speak out. Those who see nothing wrong in this orchestrated infamy should realise that injustice does not begin and end with one individual; it spreads like wild fire. From Ifeanyi O.Ifeanyichukwu Re: Echoes of Babel. Most Politicians in Nigeria today are our societal headaches.

Only just a few of them are considerate to the mass populace. The intrigues in NGF, the styled tactical declaration for second term on governorship, senatorial repeat is common to them all in all the political parties. The Echoes of Babel is shared by them all! Even the so-called progressives could not challenge those running House of Reps, Senate, House of Assemblies thrice! No other family party member. As for ex-Governor Akala, let us see his joker for success on his new target. From Lanre Oseni Your piece ‘Echoes of Babel’ is a master piece. It aptly captures a true picture of the party that has prided itself as the biggest party in Africa . To me, the party is nothing but a house of commotion, a bad manager of internal crises whose leaders are clueless and bereft of ideas. 2015 is around the corner and with the emergence of APC as a formidable party, we will see what becomes of the PDP and the rest of her leaders. From Ojo A. Ayodele, Emure Ekiti Segun, you are just too much. Your piece of advice to the president was at the right time. You are a bridge to the unity of this Nation. Please keep the good work. From J. K. Usman

Did Tinubu hear what Tofa said?

Asiwaju should be very careful the way he romances with the Northerners. Upon all Awo did for the North; won the civil war for them, the only consolation we have is the anullement of June12 elecetion. Make we shine our eyes oh. Anonymous Tofa would have remained in his shell rather than commenting on June 12. If he had won the election, he would have been tagged a regional president. It is only a naive who will say remembering June 12 was a colossal waste of time. The like of Tofa should by now try to emulate Sardauna of Sokoto whose legacies are still very alive to emulate. He should know that, the role he played in that election is still very fresh in the memory of Nigerians. He should talk as elderly stateman not as a novice. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa Lagos If Tofa is still bitter about losing to MKO, I think he is a civilian with soldier’s ideology. A true democrat will not even raise an eye brow to say negative things about June 12. He should know that the politics he played 20 years ago was a politics of ‘only we can rule’, which, if played now will be resisted by all. Take note Tofa, you did not win. Abiola won.

From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa Lagos Congratulations on your piece on Tofa.

You said it all especially when talked about the quality of his mind. I only want to say in addition that the dead are better than some who are still living. From Pastor Ugwa Pius It was beter Abiola die than Tofa becoming president. Let him contest election again because when you fail in a exam, you will repeat as my mentor, Buhari is doing now. Anonymous I have just read your piece at the back page of The Nation. I enjoyed especially your last paragraph. I always admire courage. From K. I. Oleh, Aba In my opinion, Bashir Tofa is not a man of strong character. The evil he had done will continue to haunt him as long as he remains defiant to truth. Anonymous Olatunji, thanks for your write-up on Bashir Tofa: What manner of man? In my opinion, Gov Jang of Plateau State has just graduated from “Bashir Tofa’s Political School of Embarrassment”, otherwise, how can Tofa and Jang face Nigerians that they won the Presidential election (1993) and Chairmanship of NGF (2013 ) respectively? A very “big thanks” to IBB and Jonathan for their unquantifiable support in promoting anarchy. Whether they like it or not, we are no fools.

Anonymous The June 12 presidential election has exposed Tofa for what he is. Nigeria was lucky for not having his kind of person as president then. I wonder how he would have ruled Nigeria successfully without grinding the ship of state to a halt. From Ojo A. Ayodele, Emure Ekiti What a master piece, you have captured very well, not only the person of Tofa, but more importantly the reasoning of a click of power brokers of our country. June 12 was annuled, but definetely, no one can ignore its significance and consequences.

Anonymous Re: Bashir Tofa: What manner of a man?

Bashir Tofa had learnt nothing and

remembers rubbish! It was painful witnessing June 12 election result annulment, it was nevertheless better than seeing Tofa won that, or win any election in Nigeria. Islam thought us not to tell lies, never to be joyous at another’s pain and be honest at all times. Tofa broke all those commandments. May MKO Abiola of blessed memory, continue to have his soul rest in peace and rest well in Al-janah firdauz, ameen. Who knows tomorrow?

None except God-Allah. From Lanre Oseni Your write-up on Bashir Tofa refers. This man was one of those that put this country in this mess we find ourselves now. I knew he will be unhappy whenever he recalls his role in the annulment of the June 12 1993 eletion even to the grave. Anonymous What do you expect from a man whose name was not in register, who cannot win his constituency to say? Allow him to warm his mouth. Thank you. From Kenneth Lagos June 12 has been turned into an ethnic or tribal affair, which has lost its meaning.

As far as you are concerned, everybody must share your opinion, I think that makes you very little in mind and thought. Bashir Tofa is entitled to his opinion as you are entitled to your opinion. Anonymous Sir, your article on Tuesday was well written, kudos! Tofa was indeed part of the mischief to frustrate the electoral process. From Dan, Kaduna Indomitable Dare, if June 12 has not become a watershed in the history of Nigeria it is a thorn in the flesh of the establishment and those who murdered sleep will sleep no more and it will continue to dangle on their neck like a sword of damocle. You are a gift to this generation. From Ifreke Okon Edet, Port Harcourt For Tunji Adegboyega Re: “Doing it gay or straight” (your column of Sunday, June 23 refers). It’s Nigerians, not the British PM that should respect themselves by stopping to beg for any form of the so-called aids. If the British PM has no leverage over Nigerians, his statements should have been regarded as empty threats. From Kunle O. Burundi rejected this nonsensical interference in 2009; though a country slightly bigger than Lagos State and its budget is 70 percent sponsored by donor countries.

Cameron should advise the British royal to practise same-sex marriage. Anonymous.

David Cameron should go to hell with his help to Nigeria. History will not take it kindly with anybody who supports the evil offer that the British government is offering Nigeria. I have never seen, not even in the holy books that man to man, woman to woman should marry. Let him come to Nigeria and stand in the open place and say it; whether he will not be pelted with pure water. Insecurity, poverty, political instability are all threatening the existence of Nigeria and he cannot talk about these ones; he is threatening to stop his help to Nigeria. We don’t need Cameron’s help.

He should keep his evil plan within his country. From Hamza Ozi Mommoh, Apapa, Lagos.

This gay thing has become a national problem, particularly amongst educated youths. Check the profile pictures on the Facebook to see how bad this thing has

•MKO

spread in the nation. Anyway, your article is timely and point blank. Thanks. Anonymous.

Tunji, may the Almighty God bless you for making my Sunday a fulfilling one. As I read your piece titled “Doing it gay or straight’ in The Nation on Sunday newspaper, I received the assurance that Nigeria, my country, is a nation of high moral values. What will the British derive from legalising homosexuality and gay marriage in Nigeria? Homosexuality is so demeaning and dirty that it is not a practice in the animal kingdom. If leaders of the so-called civilised world are looking for new fields to plant their moral decadence, they try it in Siberia with the Russians. As for Nigeria, we are already bent on implementing our economic and moral transformation. From Benjamin.

Just finished reading your script on samesex marriage. You made very useful points.

We are Africans, we have social norms and values. Part of the reason why we are where we are today is that we compromised some of these norms. Never again! Nice piece.

From Eng. Emeka Ikom, Cross River State.

Tell me, Tunji, how long have you been struggling with the fact that you are a latent homosexual? Because I’ve never seen anyone spew so much vitriol over something that doesn’t affect him in any way. If you wish to hide your preference for men, please do so. But please, leave openly gay people alone to live their lives. Only God has the right to judge anyone. Anonymous.

This piece is scintillating. Mr Cameron wants Nigeria to adopt same-sex marriage.

The truth is that the ruling class has sold this country to Europe and closed the way to indigenous capitalism. The people must wrest Nigeria from the Camerons. Thanks,.

From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna.

Cameron should first reverse the gay marriage they introduced before Nigerians would listen to his consultations. We are mature to know the good from the bad and the ugly. So, his consultations would be meaningless if he failed to give us hope on how to solve our problems of insecurity and social vices that are threatening our democracy. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

Thanks a great deal for giving a clarion call on the need to live ‘straight’. God bless you. From Ade, Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Re: ‘Uncommon fraternity’ (The Nation, June 16). Glory be to Almighty God. Success shall continue to be yours who took it upon yourself to help him (Faleye) and his family through your column; same to donors and myself with good intention. You mean no senator, House of Reps, state house of assembly members read that request? Na wa o! Presidency via the Minister of Education and state governors too did not read the request? Nigeria! From Lanre Oseni.

Thank God. Thank you. Thank DHL and thank the DHL staff for this beautiful act.

From A.T. Mozie, Nsukka.

Life

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Text only: 08023058761

•Chairman, Leadership Groups, Mr Sam Nda Isaiah and Rev Kukah

Kukah to North’s leaders: wake up to challenges – SEE STORY ON PAGE 26

Reconnecting with the roots

Open door series for Kongi

– Page 28

– Page 37

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

NORTHERN WRITERS SUMMIT

In the face of globalisation, emergence of new information management technology and economic recession, where do the North and its literature fit in? This question and more were on the front burner when writers, political, traditional and religious leaders from the region and the Niger Republic met in Kebbi State to chart a new path for literature and governance, reports EVELYN OSAGIE.

‘Wake up to challenges of new media‘

T

HEY came gorgeously clad in babariga and hijab. But it was not another merrymaking occasion.

The challenges faced by literature, education, governance and security were uppermost on their minds.

With the theme: Mulitimedia and Northern Nigerian Literature, writers, scholars, political, traditional and religious leaders from the North and Niger Republic met at the Second Northern Nigerian Writers’ Summit in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. The event, which was organised by the Association of Nigerian Authors, Kebbi Branch, was attended by the governors of Kebbi, Kano and Katsina states, among others.

The organisers said hosting the summit in the Kebbi State capital was strategic. The place is linked with the Sokoto Caliphate, which was established by the famous Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio and his brother Mallam Abdullahi Gwandu, and renowned for scholarship and intellectualism.

Justice and equity at all levels will bring the desired solution to social challenges in the North, Rev Father Mathew Hasssan Kukah, who was the summit’s keynote speaker said.

In spite of the region’s historical scholarly past, Rev Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, decried its poor state of literacy. With the North’s over 200 ethnic groups with diverse languages and cultures, it is shocking that its leaders and elites have failed to exploit the diversities for development, peace and harmony, Kukah argued. He blamed the slow rate of development in the region to the undemocratic manner with which some leaders hold on to power.

To achieve harmony, he said: “The first problem that the North must overcome is one of how it wishes to address the identity ambiguity. In moments of political crises and perceived threat to the interest of the north, the trumpets of One North, One People, come out blaring their horns and summoning us to war or to political action…There is the clear evidence that One North is not a region but a religion at least that is the popular perception. The reluctance of the Muslim north to share power with its non-Muslim population is a cause for serious worry and threat to integration.”

While urging the leaders to wake up to the challenges of globalisation and the new media, he called for intellectual/literary renaissance, saying literature has the power to liberate people from “prejudices, stereotypes and corrupt practices that keep us apart”.

“The challenge of globalisation the multi media is not much a question of whether we should or should not accept it. Rather, it is now a question of how we can cope with it. Against this backdrop, even the whole idea of what is literature will gradually be redefined due to the great opportunities to deploy these media instruments,” Kukah said.

If the leadership fails to live up to expectation, Kukah said, the onus is on writers to show them the way and steer society on the right path. In his view, the Northern Literature has remains undefined and underdeveloped and this has hampered the region’s inability to keep pace with modernisation. He urged writers and scholars to strive to eliminate the ambiguity that the term “Northern Literature” connotes.

While condemning the discrimination against other ethnic group, especially in the media, he observed that the trend has also hampered the development of literature across the region.

Kukah said: “Due to the assumption that the dormant definition of the north assumed the supremacy of both Islam and Hausa-Fulani culture, the result is that written material or oral literature from other communities have never been able to gain access into the genre of what we might call Northern Literature…We need a society where narrow and voluntary identities, such as religion, race or class do not dwarf citizenship and human rights.

“Our common citizenship must be the focus of our dreams in literature…Writers must rise

•A roundabout showcasing the Assembly mace in Birnin Kebbi.

•From left: Hajiya Bala, Alhaji Kamba and Dr Jibril

ADVOCACY beyond the limits of religion, region, empty politics and face the challenges of building a new order. They must now begin to take themes that deal with our pluralism and diversity. We must dream of a world such as the one that led to the making of the timeless film, Guess Who is coming to Dinner or Trading Places.”

Women writing advocate Prof. Asabe Kabir of the Department of Modern European Languages and Linguistics, Uthman Dan Fodio University, called for the increased promotion of girl child education and northern women writers. Northern women, according to her, have played prominent role in the development of

‘We need a society where narrow and voluntary identities such as religion, race or class do not dwarf citizenship and human rights. Our common citizenship must be the focus of our dreams in literature…Writers must rise beyond the limits of religion, region, empty politics and face the challenges of building a new order’ – Kukah

literature in the region. To achieve the recognition they deserve, she urged the women writers in the North to come together as a group to support one another in their literary voyage.

In addition, Kabir spoke against the ban or censor of contemporary Hausa popular prose fiction known popularly as Soyaya novel/novelettes or Kano market literature, saying it has the potential of becoming internationally-acclaimed if properly harnessed.

He said: “We shall do everything humanly possible to revive the excellent legacy of scholarship that scholars of Sokoto Caliphate has made us proud of with a view to utilising its moral content to find lasting solution to problems affecting our growth and development as

‘We shall do everything humanly possible to revive the excellent legacy of scholarship that scholars of Sokoto Caliphate has made us proud of with a view to utilising its moral content to find lasting solution to problems affecting our growth and development as a nation’ – Dakingari

PHOTO: EVELYN OSAGIE

a nation.”

The Freedom Radio, Kano, General Manager (Operations), Umar Saidu Tundunwada called on the government to sponsor literary programmes, projects and association along with the resuscitation of literary competitions and contests across the region; while speaking on the need for the synergy between the various sectors of multimedia, particularly the radio, and literature.

Nupe renaissance advocate Isyaku Bala Ibrahim laments the absence of a strategic plan and government’s inability to consolidate past efforts and devise new approaches to produce works and popularise the use of translation in most indigenous language. He cited translation of creative and scholarly texts as a major tool for development.

He also called on leaders to ensure other ethnic groups in the north such as Nupe should be carried along, urging that they borrow a leaf from their Niger State counterpart who has established a Book Development Agency to publish translated works of writers in the state into indigenous languages.

Kebbi State Governor Alhaji Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Abdullahi Kamba Kamba, said his administration is making determined to keep up the pace and tradition of scholarship in the state. According to him, he has rehabilitated over 1000 primary and secondary schools across and constructed over 100 new ones which included girls-only schools, among other efforts geared towards creating conducive environment for teaching and learning.

ANA President Prof Remi Raji, who was represented by his deputy, Malam Denja Abdullahi, praised the peace and harmony in the state, adding that the association would work closely with the government and others in the region to restore the state to its former scholarly status.

The summit, Kebbi State branch of ANA Chairperson, Hajiya Memunat Bala, said is one of the moves ANA is making to promote intellectualism and scholarship in the state and region. She hinted that the state ANA have undertaken some activities in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the state in that regard.

At the end of the two-day event, a communiqué was written. It states: “The Media in Northern Nigeria should open up spaces •Continued on page 27

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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The Midweek Magazine How Africa can overcome poverty

H

OW can Africans combat the challenges of democracy and improve their living conditions? It is by adding an African flavour and momentum to their endeavour, says a United States based scholar, Prof AbdulKarim Bangura.

He said such position is part of the cultural heritage of Africans, that must be revitalised in the hearts and minds of some Africans.

He noted that African countries do not need a Eurocentric approach to democratic development because ‘we have the answers in Africa, all what we need is the context and environment to make it work.’

He spoke as a guest lecturer at this year’s Centre For Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) Distinguished Public Lecture titled: The democratic project and the human condition across the African continent, which held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). It was organised in collaboration with the Department of Sociology.

The Howard University lecturer also charged Nigeria to take up the leadership position of Africa, adding that it has the resources to do so. He said failure to do so, South Africa might overtake her in the leadership race on the continent. “Nigeria gave the world Prof Wole Soyinka, the late Chinua Achebe and Toyin Falola, among

•Bangura

By Ozolua Uhakheme, Assistant Editor (Arts)

LECTURE other distinguished scholars in various fields of human endeavours,” he said.

Bangura pointed out that for Africans politics defines duties and responsibilities alongside obligations and rights. All these, he said, relate to the various activities that have to do with survival. He added that the survival

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

concept is continuing, dynamic and dialectical.

“The fundamental principle that is at the basis of this concept is a moral one. Moreover, the African moral order never defined rigid frontiers of good and evil. Good and evil exist in the same continuum. Whatever is good, by the very nature of its goodness, harbours a grain of evil.

This is a guarantee against any exaggerated sense of moral superiority which goodness by itself mail entail. The notion of perfection, therefore, is alien to African thought.

Perfection in itself constitutes a temptation to danger, an invitation to arrogance and self-glorification. The principle of balance defines the relationship between good and evil. As life operates in a dialectics of struggle, so also does good balance evil vice versa,” he added.

According to him, the essence of an African-centred approach is that it is imperative and urgent for Africans to be concerned about broader development as well as approaches to development that are undergirded by humanity or fellow feeling toward others. He stressed that when African-centredness is considered along with the idea of socialisation effects of developmental environments and the possibilities of a reinforcement of these notions and contexts, the implications for an African development process appear vital.

Continuing, he said: “African-centredness gives a distinctly African meaning to, and a reason or motivation for, a positive attitude towards the other. In the light of the calls for an African Renaissance, Africancentredness urges Africans to betrue to their promotion of good governance, democracy, peaceful relations and conflict resolution, educational and other developmental aspi-

E •Prof Kabir and Prof Yusuf Adamu

‘Wake up to challenge of new media‘ •Continued from page 26

to encourage literature and creativity in minority languages in addition to Hausa; there is need to explore the opportunities provided by the internet to advance Northern Literature; build viable democratic culture in states in the North for the progress of literature and its translation; Northern state governors should establish book development agencies and sponsor cultural and literary activities for the promotion of the culture of reading and writing; writers in Northern Nigeria should be innovative, creative and explore other themes for the production of quality works; government in Northern States should fully implement the provisions in the National Language Policy as it relates to the usage of Language of the Immediate Communities (LIC) in teaching children in their formative years.

“Writers and film producers should collaborate in film production that portrays and promotes the rich cultural diversities of Northern Nigeria; government and private organisations in Northern Nigeria should lend their weight of support to the activities of ANA to promote literary activities in the entire North and Nigerian as a whole; the Federal government is urged to provide grant to the Association of Nigerian Authors for the promotion of literature and the arts as was done for Nollywood producers for production of films; and State

Translation Bureau should be established for the translation of works in the diverse languages of the north.”

Other dignataries at the event included Katsina State Governor represented by the Commissioner of for Information, Alhaji Gide Sani Batagarawa, who donated N1 million to association; Kano State Governor Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Umar Farouk Jibril, who donated N250, 000; the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Justice Usman Mohammed, represented by Justice Ismail Haruna Rasheed of Kebbi State High Court; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abdullahi Lamba Yami; the Emir of Gwandu, represented by Mainan Gwandu Alhaji Junaidu Hassan Usman and the Emir of Zuru and Grand Patron of ANA Kebbi State, represented by Dan Masanin Zuru, Prof. A.A. Zuru.

Discussants included Chairman, Leadership Group, Dr Sam Nda Isaiah; Editiorial Board Member, Dr Bala Mohammed; Malam Usman Magawata; Alhaji Umar Said Tudunwada; Mr Asimiafele Aigbokhaode and Kebbi State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ishaku Daudu.

Delegates from Zamfara, Niger, Kano, Katsina, Taraba, Sokoto and Kwara states, including ANA Abuja branch and Niger Republic were in attendance. Those from Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa states, among others, did not attend.

rations.

“We ought never to falsify the cultural reality which is the goal of Africancentredness. Thus, we would have to oppose all sorts of simplified or supposedly simplified approaches and stress instead the methods which will achieve the best possible access to real life, language and philosophy.”

Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, who was represented by the Deputy Director in the ministry, Ms Grace Gekpe, said disturbing images have emerged from the African, citing the UNDP Human Development Index report that paints a gory picture of the continent. He said, according to the report, Africa’s share on the world market and the values of its exports can be compared to that of Hong Kong. “In terms of GNP, the continent is comparable to an average European country and the budget of an average African country is equivalent to the budget of an average European city,: he said.

He, however, noted that Nigeria like other African countries, is confronted with the challenges of poverty, disease, unemployment, illiteracy, terrorism and many other ills. He assured that as an administration, ‘we have made efforts to confront these challenges headlong in the areas of agriculture, education, healthcare delivery and employment generation.’

Director-General, CBAAC, Prof. Tunde Babawale, observed that democracy has been experiencing perturbations, adding that despite the expectations from democratic governance, the rules of democracy have been sidetracked or disregarded.This, he said, has made dividends of democracy to remain a dissolving mirage in many African countries such that a majority of the people lives below one dollar a day.

Tributes for Rolling Dollar

VEN in death, the life and times of the late Octogenarian music legend, Fatai Rolling Dollar, continue to attract encomiums from Nigerians.

Last Friday at the celebration of this year’s World Music Day at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, ace dramatist and President of Hi-Life Allstars Club, Mr Dejumo Lewis, described Rolling Dollar as a true legend who mentored other legends.

He said Rolling Dollar’s experimental fusion of Nigerian genre of Nigerian music with Ghanaian’s palm wine music greatly influenced some upcoming artistes then such as the late Fela Ransome Kuti, Chief Ebenezer Obey, and King Sunny Ade on how to play the guitar.

“He stayed in music for 15 years before going curiously into oblivion for 28 years during which he took up some odd jobs as security and church worker. Baba Dollar staged a dramatic comeback into the limelight in 2003 and had a great breakthrough with his hit song; Won kere si number wa, which was produced by Kunle Tejuoso of Jazzhole Record fame.

He remained at the top of the music till he passed on on another auspicious date, June 12, 2013. A couple of outstanding lessons must not escape us from the life, works and times of the icon also known as Seriki Oni guitar,” Lewis said.

He recalled that the late Dollar moved into music with the ‘Agidigbo, an indigenous cultural wind-box instrument, and later switched to the guitar.

Lewis emphasised that Fatai’s creative service to the nation, humanity and his utmost respect for culture and tradition should be emulated.

This year’s celebration was organised by The National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) in a collaborative performance with Hi-Life All Stars Club

•The Late Fatai

By Chinasa Ekekwe

TRIBUTE as parts of effort to preserve the art. With the theme, ‘Music for peace’, the event featured performances that preached and encourged peace and unity in the country.

The audience were thrilled to performances from the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) in a classical traditional music and High-life Allstars Club, who later featured the legendary icon, Jimi Solanke.

Laws to strengthen cultural industry underway

T

HE Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Hassan Barata, has said the National Assembly will deploy necessary legislative tools to strengthen the cultural industry in Nigeria.

He spoke at the closing of the Sixth edition of African Arts and Crafts Expo (AFAC), organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC).

He said legislation would make AFAC a rallying point that is second to none among arts and culture events in Africa.

“AFAC is part of the tools through which the culture sector has entrenched

From Bukola Amusan,Abuja

itself as a major contributor to the nation’s drive for jobs creation and youth empowerment towards economic transformation.

“It is, therefore, significant to note that AFAC has shown improvement in all parameters when compared to the previous ones.

“With 17 countries coming into Abuja with over 250 exhibitors and officials from Africa and beyond, especially China, South Korea and Pakistan, it is a positive omen for Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy for Africa economic integration,’’ he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

28

The Midweek Magazine Reconnecting with the roots

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

The Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, in colloboration with the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Art, New York, has held a group exhibition in Lagos, featuring three female Nigerian artists

T

HE art works were rendered in different media by three United Statesbased female Nigerian artists, who are recipients of Fulbright Scholar and Guggenheim Fellowship

Awards.

They used their recent group exhibition, No One Belongs Here More Than You, held at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos (CCA), in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Art, New York to express their ideas and notions of belonging, of space and time, of notions of the individual and the collective.

The works, which are in drawing, mixed media, sculptural installation, performance art, video and photography highlight the artists’ responses in this context in varied manners and methods.

No One Belongs Here More Than You, features works by Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze, WuraNatasha Ogunji and Nnenna Okore, who took advantage of their temporary stay in the country to engage with their country of origin in a critical moment of their artistic practice as

• Okore’s Hiding from the Sun

well as their professional development.

The show, which opened on June 15, will run till September 14.

The trio works in diverse media; drawing, sculptural installation, performance art, video and photography. All these works dwell on ideas and notions of belonging, of space and time, of notions of the individual and the collective, highlighting their own responses to this context in a unique and individual manner.

By marking, drawing, snapping, twisting, shredding, tying, dyeing, sewing, by the layering of actions, violent, poetic, by the conversa-

tions, loud,public, intimate and above all by the movements and encounters in their current space, the totality of these divergent and converging processes and experiences encapsulate the diverse ways in which they situate themselves and their practice beyond any fixed notion of place or identity allowing them the freedom of artistic, contextual as well as aesthetic possibilities. In particular, Amanze creates large-scale drawings and art works which are influenced greatly by textile processes, print-making, collage, and architecture.

As artists of Nigerian descent who have spent

most of their lives living, migrating and journeying across continents, their individual and collective movements, histories, memories and perspectives integrate to highlight points of intersection and overlapping. No One Belongs Here More Than You embodies both a metaphysical crossing of time and space, as well as the relationship of each artist to materiality. This experience marks the onset of a journey of reintroduction, rediscovery and reconnection to their ancestral place of origin. Inevitably, as the artists navigate the unique nuances of their longitude and latitude, their current artistic explorations are intricately woven into the here and now.

Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze creates large-scale drawings influenced by textile processes, printmaking, collage, and architecture which explore themes of authenticity, hybridity and mobility.

She is the recipient of several awards and residencies including the Fulbright Scholar Award at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2012/13 For Wura-Natasha Ogunji, a performance and visual artist, who works in a variety of mediums, is best known for her videos, in which she uses her body to explore movement and mark-making across water, land and air. Her recent performance series explores the presence of women in public space in Lagos, Nigeria. He has received many awards, including a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (2012) and grants from the Idea Fund, Houston (2010), and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation (2005).

An Associate Professor of Art at North Park University, Chicago, Nnenna Okore, shows works that comprise mainly sculptures and installations. Until now, she has been exhibited in museums and galleries across Chicago, New York City, London, Paris, Cancun, Sao Paulo and Copenhagen. She is a recipient of Scholar Award; and has also been recognised by the Chicago Tribune, BBC and New York Times, among others.

Olaolu Gbadebo takes his medications every three hours through a tube fixed to his navel. He has inspired his parents to launch an initiative to, among others, integrate children with cerebral palsy into the society. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes on the life of the amazing child who only communicates through his infectious smiles and gestures.

B

Life of a cerebral palsy child

ORN at 34 weeks of gestation in Kano, in 1996, Olaoluwa had asphyxia at birth and a stormy neonatal period with seizures. He also had psychomotor developmental delay, which was later diagnosed as Cerebral Palsy. With time severe drooling, increased stiffness of the limbs and dystonic posturing involving the neck and trunk followed, resulting in a relatively fixed contracture of the joints of all the four limbs, an inability to lie supine in bed and a progressing side ward bending of the spine (scoliosis).

From birth, Olaoluwa also suffered regular bouts of seizures and as a result of his drooling, frequent colds and pneumonia which often led to brief periods of hospitalisation. By age eight, the seizures somehow disappeared only to reappear at 14, after his Scoliosis surgery.

Feeding has always been fairly easy as he tolerates most meals painstakingly prepared by his mother but oral intake of liquids is a problem and by age nine, giving him his medication had become a major exercise. After major surgery, Olaolu’s intolerance for liquid intake became acutely.

On May 21 2010, when he was 13 years and 10 months, Olaoluwa had a successful spine surgery followed by tendon release surgery on three of his limbs and the fitting of a PEG to aid nutrition, timely medication and ease of care. He is fitted with a Stomach Feeding Tube (PEG), which is still in place. It is painstakingly cleaned every now and then. Organisms must not breed so Olaoluwa does not come down with infections.

A reasonable amount of flexibility returned to Olaoluwas limbs and his sleep pattern improved after this surgery. But he remains fully dependent; he is still managed with diapers and presents occasional episodes of generalised tonic chronic seizures.

In spite of all these limitations, Olaoluwa, who has limited communication skills, consisting mainly of gestural expressions, few words and kisses to show approval, wakes up with a smile and is always in good spirits.

But what could have kept this young lad’s spirit flaming. It is love. And attention from his parents, his two elder brothers, healthcare givers and friends/well wishers.

And his unquenchable spirit has opened door for other kids with similar condition. A foundation has been launched by his parents. It is simply called Benola. The not-for-profit organisation is committed to change and

ADVOCACY cause progress for persons living with Cerebral Palsy. It strives for their inclusion into society to ensure that they and those who care for them live the best possible life under the peculiar circumstances in which they find themselves.

The initiative is focused on professionally networking families, friends, health care professionals, care givers and educators in order to keep them abreast of current trends and options available for better management of Cerebral palsy. It achieves these objectives through forward-thinking programs like information and referral services, capacity building, advocacy, and research designed to help those living with Cerebral Palsy, find ways to better cope with their unique circumstances.

According to Olaoluwa’s mother, Mrs Alaba Gbadebo, who had to resign from teaching to have time to take care of her son, since Olaoluwa’s birth, “We have lived the reality of seeking for first, a cure for his ailment and later, after years of search and better understanding of cerebral palsy, a way to give him the best possible form of existence under the circumstances in which we find ourselves.”

Apart from being seen by numerous specialists in Nigeria, Olaoluwa has received medical care in the following countries: Hamburg, Germany: September and November 1997; New Delhi, India: January and December 1999; London, England: February 2006 and December 2008; Bangalore, India: March and July 2010 and another one on February and March 2011 in Bangalore, India.

In addition, “we have taken advantage of our various visits to Asia, Canada, China, North and South America, South Africa as well as some African countries to interact with experts, caregivers and manufacturers of Special Needs Equipment to see what could be done to improve the quality of life of our son.

“What we have realise is that, for those living with limitations in these parts, there is, indeed, a very serious GAP, because in their planning for infrastructure, health care delivery and social welfare, government and indeed the pri-

vate sector, often fail to make provision, for those living with limitations,” she stated.

“Access to specialist care, facilities or equipment and affordable medication for those living with limitations are in poor supply and, where they are to be found in major population centres, are out of reach of the common man. The result is that for those born with limitations who manage to somehow survive early death, the quality of existence always fall far short of even the United Nations (UN) minimum standard, a situation that could have been different if better care and training had been made available to such individuals much earlier in life.”

Mrs Gbadebo is undaunted by the stress she has to go through either grounding her son’s tablets and mixing same with liquid like water, passing same solution through the tube or placing orders in advance for diaper or asking friends who travel abroad to help buy. “The joy my son radiates each day is much more than those things termed as stressful. And no one comes in to this house or goes away without seeing Olaoluwa. His movement is restricted. We can’t take him everywhere because of his drugs and body frame. He is on Assistive technology-those are different mobility aids.

Before my mother passed on, she used to divide her monthly Pension stipend into two parts and give Olaoluwa half. I am happy my son is alive and grateful to God that we have the means to give him all that care.

“That actually inspired my husband into setting up the NGO. That if we can go through this in spite of our resources, how much more the down trodden, the poor and the voiceless in the society”, she said.

Mr Gbadebo, a retired naval officer, was all philosophical. He said, “Between a train and the station platform, there is a gap which if ignored, could lead to grievous bodily harm for commuters. To help prevent such an ugly occurrence, the announcement, ‘Mind the Gap’ is made continuously on platforms of the London Underground.

“Indeed, everywhere you care to look in life, there are gaps. But unlike the case of the London Underground, a lot of these gaps are left

‘What we have realise dis that, for those living with limitations in these parts, there is, indeed, a very serious GAP, because in their planning for infrastructure, health care delivery and social welfare, government and indeed the private sector, often fail to make provision, for those living with limitations’

•Olaoluwa

unattended because they don’t directly affect us. We rather choose to gloss over them, give them a token glance every now and then or just plain pretend they don’t exist while we struggle to make sense of our own lives. That, unfortunately, is the case with the disabled in our society, a unique group of individuals who hardly ever future in the budget and planning of both government and the corporate world.

“Given time and adequate resources, BENOLA intends to fill this GAP by using Cerebral Palsy as a platform to speak for those living with limitations, raising awareness on the need for change by all concerned, being a part of the change process itself and making a case for appropriate legislation that will ensure a proper place for these unique individuals. By this project, my son is not for commercialisation.”

On the Unique acronym- Benola, Mr Gbadebo said: “The name Benola is an amalgam of the names of two individuals, who have had the most influence on our lives. BEN is from our late father, Benjamin Olatunji Gbadebo, who taught us to fear God, respect man and live a sincere, honest and frugal life. And Ola comes from our last son, Olaoluwa Gbadebo, who continues to show us the beauty and peace that come with the acceptance of one’s fate.

His remarkable inner-strength and tolerance for pain has also taught us the joy of living a life with limitations,” he noted.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Forecasts Niger Insurance Gross Premium - N2.73b Profit after tax - N212.95m Mutual Benefits Gross Premium - N2b Profit - N885.633m Regency Alliance Gross Premium – N812.596m Profit after tax – N256.437m Learn Africa Turnover - N1.06b Profit after tax - N58.336m Total Nigeria Turnover - N46.676 b Profit after tax - N942.1m MRS Oil Nigeria Turnover - N51.20b Profit after tax - N712 m Eterna Turnover - N27.64b Profit after tax - N563.834m Okomu Oil Palm Turnover - N2.667b Profit after tax - N1.044b Stanbic/IBTC Bank Net operating income N16.805b Profit after tax - N2.737b ASL Turnover - N1.084b Profit after tax - N101.355m GT Assurance Gross Premium - N3.892b Profit after tax - N710.62m Cornerstone Insurance Gross Premium - N1.223b Profit after tax - N80.01m Oasis Insurance Gross Premium N562.500m Profit after tax - N79.868m African Alliance INS Gross Premium - N1.215b Profit after tax - N107.213m Berger Paints Turnover - N976.303m Profit after tax - N88.258m SCOA Nigeria Turnover - N835.0m Profit after tax - N18.200m Dangote Sugar Refinery Turnover - N38.251b Profit after tax - N3.49b Studio Press Nig. Turnover - N3.375b Profit after tax - N20.422m Julius Berger Nig. Turnover - N80.125b Profit after tax - N2.55b Intercontinental Wapic Ins Gross Premium - N1.41b Profit after tax - N250.450m Equity Assurance Gross Premium - N2.45b Profit after tax - N287.283m Standard Alliance Insurance Gross Premium - N2.142b Profit after tax - N475.964m Continental Reinsurance Gross Premium - N6.917b Profit after tax - N805m PRESCO Turnover - N2.60b Profit after tax - N800.9m RT Briscoe Turnover - N4.553b

29 NLNG is one of the biggest success stories in our country. From what I am told, the company has invested $13 billion so far since inception, and has become a pacesetter in terms of revenue generation for the government.

-Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga

Foreign investors moving out funds, says NSE F OREIGN investors are pulling out their funds from the capital market than they are investing, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has confirmed.

A latest report on foreign portfolio investment by the NSE obtained by The Nation showed that foreign portfolio outflow increased slightly above inflow in May, the first of such instance this year.

Besides, foreign investors, which had dominated the market in the previous two months, reduced their total proportionate contribution to trades at the stock market to 48.68 per cent, down from 64.48 per cent in April.

The report showed that foreign portfolio inflows stood at N45.73 billion while foreign portfolio outflows rose to N46.13 billion, leaving a negative of N0.4 billion.

By Taofik Salako

Although marginal, market analysts said the combination of decline in total foreign participation and net negative flow, might have been the early sign of the downtrend at the stock market.

The earlier four-month report ended April 2013 had shown renewed interests by foreign investors. The report had indicated that while investments from Nigerian investors had slowed considerably since January, foreign investors had gradually increased their stakes. Foreign investors accounted for 64.48 per cent of total transaction value at the NSE in April as against 52.78 per cent they recorded in March when they displaced domestic investors

as the most influential investment block.

Besides the dominance of foreign portfolio investors, the report underlined increasing retention of foreign capital in the stock market.

While total foreign inflow for the four-month period stood at N191.78 billion, total outflow was N148.76 billion.

Breakdown analysis of the flows showed that inflows stood at N40.96 billion, N39.34 billion, N43.13 billion and N68.35 billion in January, February, March and April respectively as against outflow of N20.50 billion, N36.63 billion, N37.01 billion and N54.62 billion within the same period.

The NSE indicated that the foreign portfolio investment (FPI) outflow includes sales

transactions or liquidation of portfolio investments while the FPI inflow includes purchase transactions involving equities on the NSE. After they orchestrated massive decline at the NSE and created the ripples that sent the market to its longest recession ever in 2008, foreign investors had gradually flowed in more funds than they were taking out over the past four years.

Foreign investors had taken out N360 billion in 2007 as against inflow of N256 billion, initializing the first worries that set the stage for the massive scramble for exit in 2008. In 2008, FPI outflow stood at a staggering N634 billion as against inflow of N154 billion for the year.

However, as the domestic investors caught the panics

and were pushing the market further downward, foreign investors increased their inflow gradually from N229 billion in 2009 to N382 billion in 2010 and grew this to N513 billion in 2011 before trimming down to N451 billion in 2012. Over these years, FPI outflows were lower than inflows at N196 billion, N195 billion, N335 billion and N357 billion in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.

NSE’s data indicated that total foreign portfolio transactions-inflows and outflows, increased from N615.6 billion in 2007 to N787.4 billion in 2008. These trimmed down to N424.6 billion in 2009 before rising consecutively to N577.3 billion and N847.9 billion in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Foreign portfolio trades stood at N808.4 billion in 2012.

‘Weak network cause of blackout’

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

C

• From left: Divisional Head, Marketing and Corporate Communication, Keystone Bank Limited, Mr Muhammed Ciroma; Managing Director/CEO, Mr Phillip Ikeazor and Executive Director, Mr Ademola Adewale, during an interactive session with Business Editors in Lagos.

ONTRARY to explanation by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) that vandalised gas pipelines was responsible for the ongoing nationwide massive loadshedding and regular blackout, The Nation has learnt that it is weak transmission network that is the cause of the problem.

A source in the company, who spoke in confidence, said the transmission network is so fragile and has worsened in recent time, adding that the transmission facilities hardly take more than 3,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

•Continued on page 32

NSE picks Sterling Bank, others for market’s top index

T

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) is undertaking a review of stock market indices to reflect the capitalisation and liquidity of key determining stocks for the market and some key sectors.

The biannual review includes two broad indices and five sectoral indices. The broad indices are the NSE 30 Index, which tracks the 30 most capitalised stocks on the NSE and the NSE 50 Index, an extended index that tracks 50 most capitalised stocks. The sectoral indices include the NSE Banking Index, the NSE Consumer Goods Index, the NSE Oil & Gas Index, NSE Industrial Index and the NSE Insurance Index.

Nigeria owes World Bank, AfDB, others $5.336b - P 30

•Reviews seven indices

By Taofik Salako

The revised indices will become effective on July 1, this year.

Preliminary report by the NSE on the review of the indices indicated that Sterling Bank Plc, Oando Plc, CAP Plc, Presco Plc and Okomu Oil Palm Plc would be making debut on the NSE 30 Index, underlining the growing profile of the stocks. They will likely replace the five of Total Nigeria, Dangote Flour Mills, Mobil Oil Nigeria, Ashaka Cement and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria.

Besides, the report indicated that Sterling Bank would also make the NSE

Banking Index, an influential index that tracks the largest sector of the market. Two other banks- Unity Bank and Wema Bank, are expected to also make the banking index.

They will replace the trio of Skye Bank, Fidelity Bank and Diamond Bank.

The NSE 50 Index will see entry of five stocks including Livestock Feeds, AIICO Insurance, Wapic Insurance, Eterna and Northern Nigeria Flour Mills in replacement of stocks such as Custodian and Allied Insurance, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, Continental Reinsurance and Cement Company of Northern Nigeria.

The stocks that make indi-

Why market down trend may persist - P32

ces are usually picked from the most liquid sectors based on their market capitalisation. The liquidity is based on the number of times the stock is traded during the preceding two quarters. To be included, the stock must be traded for at least 70 percent of the number of times the market opened for business.

The NSE 30 Index, NSE 50 Index and NSE Industrial Index are modified market capitalisation index with the numbers of included stocks fixed at 30, 50 and 10 respectively. The numbers of included stocks in the NSE Consumer Goods Index, Banking Index, Insurance Index and Oil and Gas Index are 15, 10, 15 and

seven.

As such, the sectoral indices comprise the top 15n most capitalised and liquid companies in the insurance and consumer goods sectors, top 10 most capitalised and liquid companies in the banking and industrial goods sector and the top seven most capitalised and liquid companies in the oil and gas sector.

The Index Committee of the NSE stated that the Exchange was not oblivious of the fact that the number of the stocks that will be included in some of the indices may be inappropriate for optimal portfolio diversification, assuring that the numbers would be reviewed as sector conditions change.

Shareholders inject N1.4b into Linkage Assurance

- P34

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

30

MONEY

Nigeria owes World Bank, AfDB, E others $5.336b

IGHTY per cent of Nigeria’s $6.67 billion external debt owed to multilateral institutions, The Nation has learnt.

These global organisations are the World Bank Group, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA), International Development Bank (IDB) and Economic Development Fund (EDF).

Report from FSDH Securities Limited indicated that the Exim Bank of China, which constitutes 11.3 per cent of the debt stock, was the next biggest creditor to the country; 8.51 per cent of the debt is owed to other unnamed creditors.

The debt statistics, which is for the first quarter of this year, represents an increase of 2.20 per cent from $6.54 billion in December 31, 2012, but constitutes about 2.49 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Stories by Collins Nweze

Data from the Debt Management Office (DMO) shows that Nigeria’s total debt stock (addition of external and domestic debts) as at March 31, 2013 stood at N7.53 trillion, representing a decrease of 0.29 per cent from the December 31, 2012 figure of N7.55 trillion.

A breakdown of the debt stock shows that external debt accounted for 13.79 per cent of the total debt stock at N1.03 trillion while domestic debt stock accounted for 86.21 per cent of the total debt stock at N6.49 trillion. The total public debt stock in the country is estimated at about 18.04 per cent of the GDP. FSDH Securities Limited’s forecast GDP and debt stock for Nigeria in the next three years shows that

the debt position is sustainable.

“Our revised debt-to-GDP forecast for 2013 is 18.79 per cent. The country’s economic managers need to ensure that all debts contracted are used for productive projects to improve the welfare of the citizenry,” it said.

DMO puts the country’s domestic debt stock to GDP is estimated at 15.55 per cent. The breakdown of the total domestic debt stock by instrument type shows that the Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds accounted for N3.82 trillion, representing 58.84 per cent; Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTBs) accounted for N2.34 trillion, representing 36.01 per cent and Treasury Bonds (TBs) accounted for N334.56 billion, representing 5.15 per cent.

FSDH also expects the Nigerian bond market to deepen further through fresh corporate and municipal issues and FGN bonds reopening. Consequently, it said there is a need to balance maturity, liquidity and market depth in order to maintain a robust bond market.

The firm noted that the debt to GDP ratio is acceptable as it is below the applicable critical limit of

UBA inaugurates Ruby account for women

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HE United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has re-launched its Ruby current account into the financial market.

According to a statement, Deputy Group Managing Director UBA Plc, Kennedy Uzoka, at the re-launch in Lagos, said the special account for women is designed for the discerning women of substance and is meant to recognise their economic position in the society while encouraging them to grow economically.

“We are presenting the enhanced ‘Ruby’ to the womenfolk in recognition of their virtues and importance in the society as home makers, professionals and female entrepreneurs,” he said.

Head, Retail Products, UBA Plc, Ms. Olumide Osunyomi, listed the special features of Ruby to include, zero commission on turnover,

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•From left: Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Inusa Bello; CEO, Don-P Company Limited, Enugu, High Chief Peter Ojemen; Managing Director/CEO, Segun Ogunsanya and Chief Operations Officer, Deepak Srivastava all of Airtel Nigeria at the Channel Partners Conference and Awards organised by the company for its trade partners in Lagos.

CBN to launch microfinance fund in August T HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is considering launching a Microfinance Development Fund (MDF) in August, to enhance credit flow into key sectors of the economy.

Speaking at a workshop organised for Microfinance Banks (MfBs) in Lagos, CBN Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department (OFISD), Olufemi Fabamwo, said the MDF is a pool of funds created for MfBs to enhance on-lending to their customers.

He said the fund is not for every MfB, but for those that have met the guideline, which entails having a track-record of good performance that shows that they have low loan default. This, he said, will show that beneficiaries have the capability to lend within the concept and principles of MfB. He said the CBN will provide guideline on how the fund will be accessed by beneficiaries, adding that delay in not releasing the fund was to ensure that appropriate frameworks are in place.

The CBN has reiterated its commitment to deepening the Nigerian financial system by providing loans, introduction of new products and appropriate control structures.

The MDF, when established, would assist in addressing teething challenge of underfunding for microfinance institutions in the country. It will further comple-

•CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido

ment past and current efforts aimed at strengthening the microfinance sub-sector of the financial system, improve financial inclusion and by implication improve the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rate significantly.

The CBN also disclosed that efforts were also being made by the to consolidate on the achieve-

ments recorded so far by the country in the development of micro finance banks by strengthening the regulatory frameworks and other guidelines. This also includes formation of National Microfinance development Strategy with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the recent signing of a major agreement with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

To strengthen the microfinance subs-sector, the CBN has also instituted new guidelines for their operations. Under the new rule, microfinance banks would operate under three categories, which include Unit, State and National Microfinance banks.

A unit of the bank is authorised to operate in one location without branches/cash centres and is required to have a minimum paid up capital of N20 million. The state microfinance bank requires a minimum paid up capital of N100 million. It is allowed to open branches within the same state or the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

But the national microfinance bank is authorised to operate in more than one state, including the FCT. It is requires a minimum paid up capital of N2 billion and is allowed to open branches in all states and the FCT, although subject to prior written approval by the CBN.

40 per cent for countries in Nigeria’s economic peer group. “This means that Nigeria’s debt portfolio has wide fiscal sustainability space. There is a commitment by the Federal Government to ensure that the total debt stock does not exceed 25 per cent of GDP,” it said.

It however, said that the total debt analysed excludes the debt that arose from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) bond issues, which banks are supposed to contribute 0.5 per cent of their total assets for 10 years to redeem.

highly attractive interest rates; customised gold debit cards; unlimited number of withdrawals or deposits and the use as payroll account.

There is also up to 15 per cent discount on services offered by Ruby partner outlets nationwide; free enrollment on UBA e-Banking products and services; access to consumer credit facilities and a personalised premium gift item.

While urging all women to sign on to the product, a Director of the bank, Mrs. Onari Duke, called on women to brace up to the challenge of expanding their competences and taking advantage of the ‘Ruby Account’ to improve on their entrepreneurial drive to excel.

“This product has been designed to enhance our role in the family in particular and economy. I enjoin all discerning women to signing up to Ruby Account,” she said.

Developers carpet govt over mortgage bank funding

EAL Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) has accused the Federal Government of low commitment to recapitalising the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FBMN).

The Federal Government, as part of plans to provide affordable housing for the people promised to provide $100 million credit facility to recapitalise the FMBN. Speaking with reporters in Abuja, President of the association, Chief Olabode Afolayan, described the action as lack of seriousness to providing the fund as well as offering affordable housing for the people.

“The last time we were with the President during the presidential retreat in December and the issue of mortgage refinancing came up, the government said they want to enhance the bank by encouraging MRC for them to enhance demand through the provision of mortgages.

“The Federal Government also said it during the inauguration of the new board of the bank. During the flag-off of housing estate for the paramilitary, the President repeated it that they are going to recapitalise

From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

FMBN. For goodness sake how can you be saying the same thing for three years,” he queried.

Afolayan lamented that it’s more than three years the federal government pledge to provide the fund but with no result. He added that the government has not justified by their action of their intention to provide affordable housing.

However, Afolayan called on the people to know their destiny is in their hands in terms of housing rather than being dependant on the government.

The implication he said for there to be housing in Nigeria it is going to be 99.9 per cent private sector driven. He further said stakeholders in the sector will not believe a thing from the government except something is done within the next couple of days.

REDAN President also stated that the government should stop making such promises as it was creating artificial pricing in the process. He explained that people are now having bad asset as such supply is now coming up when the demand is not there.

StanChart announces digital banking plan

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TANDARD Chartered has announced its digital banking vision aimed at enhancing customer banking.

In a statement, the bank said the move was part of its global focus meant to socialise and extend customers’digital lifestyle into banking.

The bank also announced that it will be introducing series of digital services and solutions to the Nigerian market that will enable its clients save time to enjoy their passion. The bank said that Breeze, its banking software is designed to provide customers with a superior, convenient and personalised banking experience.

“The application will eventually be developed into a “virtual branch”, where customers can place

requests as well as apply for products and services. Breeze’s introduction into Nigeria follows successful launches by Standard Chartered in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, China, Dubai and Pakistan,” it said.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd, Bola Adesola, said: “Today’s consumers are tech-savvy and mobile. They want banking that not only meets their financial needs but also anticipates them.”

On the launch of Breeze, Regional Head of Consumer Banking, West Africa, Carol Oyedeji, said: “The digital era is in full swing. Today, we are more connected, more mobile and more social than we ever were.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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MONEY

‘Banks to spend $84m on new computer platform movement

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EPOSIT Money Banks (DMBs) will spend an estimated $84 million to migrate to Finacle 10 platform, to enable them to enjoy seamless integration of their services and products, experts have said.

Finacle 10 is an upgraded version of Finacle five and seven, which banks acquired after the 2005 consolidation in order to provide a faultless, well-coordinated, and incorporated services to their customers.

Developed by Infosys Technology, Finacle 10, is a software package used in generating data across various spectrums of operations such as internet banking and telephone banking, among other electronic payment services. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Wema Bank Plc, Mainstreet Bank Limited, among others, migrated to Finacle 10 platform because of its sophistication, reliability, and ability to help provide innovative products.

The Chief Executive officer, Precise Solution Limited, Mr Yele

Stories by Akinola Ajibade

Okeremi, said each bank would spend $4 million to migrate to the Finacle 10 platform.

Explaining why IT platform is expensive, Okeremi said banks would spend money in bringing the software package; install them and training people to use it.

He said the 20 banks in the country are expected to spend between $84 million or $85 million to provide the technology and further improve their services.

The need, he said, became necessary to make the lenders perform optimally, and remain competitive. He said the phase of banking, which is spurred by technology is changing globally as evident in the introduction of latest technology, noted that Nigerian banks are not ready to be left behind.

He said: “Conservatively, a bank would spend close to $4million to migrate to Finacle 10 platform. I can tell you that many of the banks are not acquiring the platform.

Rather, they are migrating from the old Finacle to the new ones, the cost of which cannot be less than $4 million. When you factor in the cost of bringing expatriates to Nigeria to fix the technology, feeding, accommodating them, training bank’s workers to use the technology, among others, you will discover that banks are spending millions of dollars to provide the platform.”

Also, an official of Computer Warehouse Group, Mr James Agada, said a lot of money is required to upgrade to Finacle 10 platform.

He said: “It is a lot of money. I’m only a vendor and cannot say exactly the amount of money required to get the platform. Only the banks can provide the figures because they are strongly involved in the issue. They need to change their processes, hire consultants and train people who understand the platform well before they can migrate to it. This made the platform more expensive.”

‘Banks, credit bureaux should work together’ CREDIT bureau agencies and banks have been urged to work together for the growth of the country.

Speaking during a conference organised by the Association of Credit Bureau of Nigeria in Lagos, the Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr Chris Onyemenan, said the work of banks and credit bureau agencies are inter-dependent, adding that they must complement each other to move the industry forward.

He said fraud and related activities in banks would reduce if credit bureau institutions are provided with useful information on the names, credit history, and the business profiles of loan seekers among others.

Onyemenan said the Commission is a key stakeholder in curbing fraud, adding that it would provide a standardised national identity system for the country.

He said: “The cooperation between banks and credit bureau agencies is needed to foster the growth of the financial market. The market has faced crisis in recent times because there are no adequate statistics on fraudulent activities committed in the country.

“By the time Nigeria has a centralised identity management system in place; it would be difficult for people to commit fraud and escape. When there is national identity base on ground, people would have all their details in one place. Their names, pictures, signatures, next of kin, among other information are going to be recorded. It would be easier for banks to get up-to-date date information on their customers among other stakeholders in the financial chain.”

CIBN harps on training

THE Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) will continue to provide sound training for its members to ensure professionalism in the industry, its Chairman, Lagos Chapter, Mr Bolade Agboola, has said.

Speaking during a forum by the chapter, Agboola said professionalism is key to the growth of the industry, adding that people perform better when they are well-trained.

He said the chapter understand this, hence it emphasises training and re-training of bankers. He said the chapter and the national body had on several occasions provided fora to boost professionalism. He said courses that are of much importance to banking practices have been organised for members to acquaint them with the trends globally.

According to him, new trends are evolving in the banking world and, therefore, required that workers get the required skills to function well in the industry. He said risks management is one of the areas that are dynamic and requires proper understanding of bankers, adding that many banks abroad have implemented BASEL 1, 11 and 111.

He noted that the chapter organised a conference in the United Arab Emirates early in the year to make members grounded in various risks management courses.

He said local banks will soon implement BASEL 111, stressing that bankers, especially those working in strategic areas must acquire proper risks management to survive. He advised members to key into various skills acquisition programmes organised by the institute at state and national level for growth.

‘GIABA does not prosecute offenders’

• From right: Chairman , Vdt Communications, Mr Tunji Gafar; Managing Director, Vdt Communications, Biodun Omoniyi and Mr Moses Omuetha of Business System Conformance Improvement and Certification (BSCIC) during the presentation of ISO 9001:2008 certificate and Customer Forum of the company in Victoria Island, PHOTO: NNEKA NWANERI Lagos.

Lottery commission okays banks’ promos

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HE National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has cleared the promotional campaigns of banks . The banks, it said, complied with the guidelines for the exercise.

The banks are Sterling Bank Plc, Keystone Bank Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mainstreet Bank Limited, and Access Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Unity Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Wema Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Unity Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc and Ecobank Nigeria Plc. Speaking to The Nation, NLRC’s Assistant Director, Enforcement and Compliance, Mr Henry Uwadiae, said the commission took time to evaluate the promotional campaigns and found that they were not fake.

He said the scrutiny followed allegations that banks are hiding under the cover of promos to deceive customers into opening accounts with them. He said investigations had shown that banks are complying with all-known regulatory re-

quirements guiding promos.

He said: “So far, no bank has flouted the rules of organisng lottery. We have not found any of the bank wanting. Therefore, the issue of placing embargo on the promotional campaigns of banks does not arise. The banks cannot be sanctioned because they have not committed any offence. Punishments can only be applied when an operator is deemed to have committed offence relating to the launching of a promo.”

He said the commission and the Consumer Protection Council are working together to ascertain the authenticity of the promos organised in various sectors of the economy. He said the commission liaises with the CPC to protect the interests of people, adding that the bodies are always at the venue of the promos to verify some facts.

“At the venue of the promos organised by banks or any other operators in the economy, we ensure that our staff and those of consumer protection council know the true winners. Also, we make sure that

the gifts are not fake. Besides, we get in touch with the winners to know whether they received their gifts or they are lost in transit.

“Though no bank has been indicted for not complying with promotional rules, that does not mean banks cannot made mistake. If we found out that a bank contravenes the rules, we would first disclaim the bank. This implies that we cannot guarantee the sincerity of the promos that was organised. In serious cases, we seal off the premises of the bank. Based on this, the bank would not be allowed to open to customers. The aim is to instill discipline, and make offenders know that fake promos are criminal offence,” he said.

He said promos among telecom operators have been a major source of concern to the commission, adding that banks have shown that they are reliable, committed and transparent in such areas. He appealed to companies to follow due process when they are coming out with a promo, adding that that is the only way they can win the confidence of consumers.

THE Director-General, Inter-Governmental Agency against Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (GIABA), Dr Abdullahi Shehu, has said that the body does not arrest people that launder money.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, Shehu said the agency is mandated to provide data on money laundering and the 21 predicate offences. He said the frameworks on money laundering are provided by the body, adding that there are records for each member states to check the crimes.

He said: “GIABA was not established to prosecute cases of anti-money laundering. Our duty is not to charge to court anybody convicted of money laundering. Rather we compile cases of money laundering, work with relevant organisations to educate and proffer solutions to the problems. We are not law enforcement agency, but an institution committed to the cause of reducing the crimes through our frameworks,” He said the body has conducted joint evaluation of anti-money laundering measures among the member states, adding that Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) have been set up in many countries to handle such issues. He said the body compiles reports detailing the corruptive tendencies and habits of private government officials and conducts researches to find the level of involvement of people in corruption.

Stakeholders advised on tax payment THE former President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Mr Babatunde Fashoto, has advised stakeholders to see tax payment as vital to the growht of the economy.

Fashoto spoke at a forum by the Lagos Inland Revenue Service(LIRS) in Lagos. He said there are lots of misconceptions on the issue of tax payment in the country, arguing that many accuse of government of imposing numerous tax on the citizens. He said tax is the only way through which the government can finance various capital intensive projects.

He said instability in the international prices of crude oil made governments to look for extra means of sourcing funds for the growth of the economy.

According to him, there is no where in the world where tax is seen as a secondary matter. It is occupies a primary position in the economy, hence the decisions off governments at various levels to attach much importance to taxation.

Adding that: “ Though there is no country that has a perfect tax system in the world, the need to improve on various tax law is necessary to foster the growth of the economy.”

‘Standardise corporate governance’ THE Chief Executive Officer, Financial Reporting Council (FRC), Mr Jim Obazee, has advised financial regulators to help standardise corporate governance codes under their supervision.

Obazee, in a statement, said the roles of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), National Insurance Commission(NAICOM) and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) were crucial to sound corporate governance policies in the country.

He said the achievements of a sound corporate governance policy depend on regulators and other agencies.

The council in line with FRC Act No 6, he said, had been maintaining a register of professionals, who render services in public entities,adding that this would help to complement the efforts CBN, SEC and other stakeholders in the sector.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

THE NATION INVESTORS

Why market downtrend may persist, by experts T

HE downtrend at the stock market in recent days may subsist in the immediate period as equities undergo price corrections in view of their earnings and prospective yields.

Market pundits said the price corrections could last for the next few weeks as investors seek to lock in profit from substantial capital gains in recent months while buying investors re-evaluate the price-earnings potential of equities to determine the appropriate entry prices.

The Nigerian stock market opened this week with a loss of N1.14 trillion in the previous eight trading days. Aggregate market capitalisation of all equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), which had stood at N12.855 trillion June 11, 2013, opened this week at N11.715 trillion.

The All Share Index (ASI), the main value-based index that tracks prices of all equities on the NSE, has tracked the downtrend for the past

Stories by Taofik Salako

two weeks, recording its first successive weekly decline so far this year. The ASI opened this week at 36,464.39 points as against 40,012.66 points recorded prior to the downtrend on June 11, 2013.

Investment managers and analysts told The Nation that several equities appeared to have been overvalued by the sustained bullish rally in the previous months, setting the market for a round of price corrections.

Managing director, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, said the price corrections may last for the next few months based on the fact that some of the stocks that had driven the market rally seemed to be overpriced.

According to him, a valuation of most of the real sector companies that have enjoyed significant price appreciation, based on earnings yield and price earnings multiple

shows that there is a gradual disconnect between their earnings and market prices.

“This could be an early indication some bubble in their market prices, hence the expectation of price corrections over the coming months,” Chukwu said.

Managing director, GTI Securities, Mr. Tunde Oyekunle, said what the market is undergoing now is a minor price correction due to profit-taking transactions by investors who had garnered substantial gains in recent period.

He however expressed concerns that the minor correction could lead to further significant correction if the global economic outlook worsened citing the strong linkage between Nigerian market and foreign investors.

According to him, the current market situation calls for cautions on the part of buying investors while it will make for better invest-

ment management for existing investors to take some profit to balance their portfolios with some liquidity.

Economist and investment advisor, Sterling Capital Markets, Mr. Sewa Wusu, said while the outlook for the stock market remains positive over the long term, the market could be under selling pressures from profit-taking investors.

“The outlook for the stock market looks positive in the long-term horizon. In the near term however, there is the likelihood of the infiltration of selling pressure given the recent bullish run we have witnessed in recent time. Most funds managers may take profit on recent gains to optimize return on their portfolios,” Wusu said.

He advised investors to evaluate the market on the prospects for good long-term returns rather than concerns on short-term fluctuations, pointing out that the capital

Tantalizers draws $2.5m from IFC’s $7m loan

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ANTALIZERS Plc has received $2.5 million, about N400 million, from the protracted $7 million loan facility from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), easing the liquidity crunch that had orchestrated the company’s N304 million net loss in 2012.

A report obtained ahead of the company’s general meeting today indicated that the disbursement of the loan, which was approved in 2010, started in April 2013.

The drawdown was reportedly delayed by the difficulties encountered by Tantalizers in the perfection of collateral for the loan.

IFC holds 8.15 per cent equity stake in Tantalizers, making it the fourth largest shareholder in the fast food company.

Directors of Tantalizers have said paucity of funds due to delay in •From left: Head of Finance and Operations, NASD Plc, Mr Titus Oladunni; Managing Director, Mr Bola Ajomale drawdown of the IFC loan hamand Legal and Compliance Officer, Miss Omobolanle Sanusi, during a briefing in Lagos to announce the launch of pered the company’s strategic the company and beginning of Over the Counter (OTC ) market operations on July 2. branch expansion, renovation and marketing activities and was

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IOSCO publishes framework for traded funds

HE International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) has published its final report on Principles for the Regulation of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) as part of efforts to tighten regulations for the fast-growing segment of the capital market.

The new regulatory framework contains nine principles intended to guide the regulation of ETFs and foster industry best practices. There is only one ETF- the NewGold Exchange Traded Fund on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

IOSCO underscored the importance of effective regulation for ETFs pointing out that investors’ interest in ETFs has increased worldwide as evidenced by the sharp increase in funds invested in these types of products.

According to IOSCO, assets managed under ETF structures totaled almost $1.9 trillion at the end of January, this year, representing some seven per cent of the global mutual fund market.

“This dynamic growth in ETFs has gradually attracted the attention of regulators, concerned about the potential impact of ETFs on investors and on the broader marketplace, as the industry has continued to evolve through diversification and the launch of new innovative products,” IOSCO noted.

The global body of securities regulators noted that the final report on ETF was a result of numerous con-

sultations among IOSCO’s member regulators and their repeated engagements with representatives of the global ETF industry.

“As such, it reflects a shared consensus within the regulatory community as to how the regulation of ETFs should be approached. Taking into account the comments expressed during the consultation process, IOSCO has focused its final recommendations on features that are specific to ETFs. The principles address ETFs that are organized as Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) and do not apply to other, non-CIS, Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs),” IOSCO stated.

It outlined that the report was structured into two main sections with the first section detailing ETF classification and relevant disclosures for investors, including prin-

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ciples intended to clearly differentiate ETFs from other non-CIS ETPs, as well as from other CIS. According to IOSCO, it is important that investors are able to appreciate both the similarities and differences of ETFs with other competing products, as well as the way ETFs achieve their investment objective and the quality of their performance typically vis-à-vis a reference index.

Principles under the first segment also encourage the disclosure of related fees and expenses, including the eventual impact of securities lending on these, as well as complete, accurate and understandable disclosure to address the types of risks investors may be exposed to particularly through ETFs using complex strategies that may involve the use of leverage or reverse

leverage.

In the second section, the framework addressed concerns tied to the structuring of ETFs including the management of potential inherent conflicts of interest and of counterparty risks arising from the two main types of replication methods: physical and synthetic.

“IOSCO encourages regulators to consider imposing requirements to ensure that ETFs appropriately address risks raised by counterparty exposure and collateral management,” it stated.

The conclusive section of the report addressed ETFs in a broader market context, underscoring the importance of intermediaries’ disclosure and conduct requirements particularly in terms of product suitability and referring to other work that may be relevant.

CSCS grows net profit to N2.6b

ENTRAL Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, the clearing, settlement and depository company for the capital market, recorded impressive performance in 2012 with net profit after tax rising by 158 per cent to N2.58 billion.

Audited report and accounts of the CSCS for the year ended December 31, 2012 showed that the depository posted a total turnover of N5.17 billion in 2012 as against N4.19 billion

market is a market for long term.

The downturn at the stock market came on the heels of global downshift in world’s equities’ market amidst worries about the outlooks for advanced economies. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its outlook for USA’s economic growth in 2014 from 3.0 per cent published in April to 2.7 per cent, citing what it described as “excessively rapid and ill-designed” fiscal cuts. The IMF warned that fiscal reductions in the areas of education, science and infrastructure could reduce potential growth.

Nigerian equity market has a strong linkage with the international financial markets. NSE’s update showed that foreign investors accounted for 64.48 per cent of total transaction value in April, a substantial increase on 52.78 per cent they recorded in March when they displaced domestic investors as the most influential investment block.

in 2011, an increase of 19 per cent.

Profit before tax recorded a higher growth of 77 per cent from N1.73 billion to N3.06 billion while profit after tax jumped by 158 per cent from N1 billion to N2.58 billion.

The company increased dividend payment from N500 million for the 2011 business year to N750million for the 2012 business year, representing a dividend per share of 15 kobo for the 2012 business year.

On the performance of the company, the Managing Director,

Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Mr Kyari Bukar, said the performance of the company reflected its prudent financial management of resources and successful implementation of a corporate transformation agenda.

According to him, CSCS expanded its data exchange platform to include modules to cater for settlement banks, stockbroking firms, and custodians while it sustained an •Continued on page 33

largely responsible for the negative bottom-line in 2012.

According to the report, the company was only able to open one outlet and renovated two stores in 2012 as against earlier plan to open six new outlets and renovate several stores in 2012 based on expectation of the funds from IFC. The non-renovation of the ageing outlets adversely affected the competitiveness of the outlets as customer preference was for new and more appealing outlets.

Already with bank loans totalling more than N1.5 billion, the cash crunch in 2012 also limited marketing activities and forced the company to undertake critical review of its operations.

In the second half of 2012, the company decided to close down sub-optimal outlets, especially lossmaking outlets. It closed two outlets in the last quarter of 2012 and stepped this up with closure of seven other outlets in January 2013.

With the release of the part of the IFC loan, the company has embarked on renovation of its major outlets while it has stepped up its marketing and expansion initiatives.

‘Weak network liable for blackout’ •Continued on page 29

The source said in the recent past, the directives they get from the transmission control station in Oshogbo is to drop load unlike in the past when most of the signals were to pick load.

“The transmission system is in bad shape. I must tell you that, anything above 3,000MW threatens the system’s integrity and may result in system collapse. Signals we get lately are to drop load because it is safer to load-shed than to be involved in system collapse. The Federal Government just have to reinforce the transmission,” the source said.

Besides, the Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. David Ige, during a forum in United States, confirmed to The Nation that gas is not the problem to increased electricity supply. He said the nation has available gas enough to give Nigerians 5000MW. According to him, weak transmission infrastructure was responsible for poor power supply contrary to what the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, said inadequate gas supply was the bane of improved power supply.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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THE NATION INVESTORS

Board orders RT Briscoe’s management to present turnaround plan T

HE Board of RT Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc has ordered the management of the company to immediately present a turnaround plan for the flagging company as directors and shareholders rue the first loss in many decades of the operations of the company.

RT Briscoe literally came to a screeching halt in 2012 with a loss of N280.7 million, its first loss in several years. With basic loss per share of 32 kobo in 2012 as against earnings per share of 15 kobo in 2011, the negative bottom-line broke the enviable long-standing records of consistent dividend payment of the automobile and real estate group.

By Taofik Salako

The board has not recommended any dividend payment for consideration at the July 2013 annual general meeting of company as against N98.03 million and N81.7 million distributed for 2011 and 2010 respectively. The board has also not recommended any bonus issue as against the practice in the previous two years.

Impeccable source in the know of the situation at the company said the board demanded for turnaround plan and ordered

Transcorp assures shareholders

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HAIRMAN, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu, has assured shareholders that the board and management of the conglomerate were working to build it as a lasting legacy that shareholders can hand over to their heirs.

Addressing shareholders at the general meeting of the conglomerate, Elumelu, whose holding company is called HEIRS Holdings, outlined several strategic initiatives and acquisition that the group had made in recent period.

He noted that the group has made significant progress in terms of improved operational and financial performance pointing out that initial restructuring exercise undertaken on assumption of control of the group had emplaced it on a foundation for sustainable growth, based on strong corporate governance.

“We have made new acquisitions like the Ughelli power plant and embarked on an aggressive expansion of our hospitality business. We want to build a business that lasts, whose shares you can give to your heirs,” Elumelu, who was re-elected at the meeting, said.

He pointed out that Transcorp had in 2012 led a consortium that won the acquisition bid for the Ughelli Power Plc for $300 million under the Federal Government’s ongoing power sector reforms and privatization programme.

According to him, the initial deposit of 25 per cent has been made and the balance will be paid on take-over which is scheduled in a few weeks.

“In the hospitality sector, Transcorp Hilton Hotel was named the winner of the Hilton Worldwide Sales Team of the Year

Prize for 2012 for the Middle East and Africa Region. This award was in recognition of the hotel as the highest performing hotels Sales Team as measured by specific Hilton Worldwide conference and events measurement metrics,” Elumelu noted.

In his review of the 2012 financial statements, chief executive officer, Obinna Ufudo, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc, attributed the group’s financial results to the focused execution of the company’s redefined corporate strategy based on income diversification, cost optimization and more effective risk management controls.

According to him, the company’s 2012 profits before tax increased by N1.6 billion representing a growth of 123 per cent from N1.3 billion to N2.9billion.

“This unprecedented growth was as a result of the combined effects of a reduction in administrative expenses and a quantum increase in investment income. The cost optimization exercise instituted at the company’s corporate centre continues to yield desired results. This is indeed the beginning of a new era for Transcorp – an era of accelerated and sustainable growth,” Ufudo said Transcorp Group comprises of strategic investments in the hospitality, agribusiness and energy sectors. Its notable businesses include Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja; Transcorp Hotels, Calabar; Teragro Commodities Limited, operator of Teragro Benfruit plant - Nigeria’s first-of-its-kind juice concentrate plant; Transcorp Ughelli Power Limited and Transcorp Energy Limited, operator of OPL 281

CSCS grows net profit to N2.6b •Continue from page 32

‘A’minus (A-) rating from Thomas Murray Rating Limited of United Kingdom, a foremost central securities depository rating agency.

He said the company would focus primarily on assets safety and its clearing and settlement mechanism in the Nigerian capital market.

“We are committed to pursuing our aspiration of seeking avenues to sell our premium services to new prospects. Along this line, we are optimistic that in the current year, we shall fulfill this aspiration by our engagement as the clearing and settlement agency to the NASD Limited, the promoter of the trading network for transactions of unquoted securities,” Bukar said.

Also, in his report to shareholders of the company, chairman, Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Mr. Oscar Onyema noted that in furtherance of its

growth objectives, CSCS had benchmarked its process and risks framework against the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems and the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (CPSSIOSCO) principles, which provide globally acceptable standards for assessment of financial market infrastructure.

He said the outcome of the benchmarking exercise led to the establishment of an enterprise risk management department.

He noted that CSCS has also included the provision of Over-theCounter (OTC) services to its service offerings in respect of secondary market on shares of unquoted companies.

“With the use of technological innovations, the company improved its process thereby reducing market infractions while maximising efficiency in its services,” Onyema said.

tightening of the company’s expenditure profile following the 2012 audit which indicated negative bottom-line.

The management of the company is expected to outline strategic initiatives to curtail administrative, selling and distribution expenses as well as significantly increase the group’s top-line performance.

The turnaround plan is also expected to dwell on options for the resolution of the company’s huge indebtedness, which has been a major drag on profitability.

With increase in bank loans from N8.1 billion in 2011 to N8.9 billion in 2012, RT Briscoe’s interest expenses rose by 63 per cent from N776.3 million in 2011 to N1.3 billion in 2012. The huge interest expense significantly eroded the bottom-line.

Audited report and accounts of RT Briscoe Group for the year ended December 31, 2012 had shown that turnover rose from N19.61 billion in 2011 to N21.98 billion in 2012. Gross profit increased from N2.18 billion to N2.68 billion. While operating profit decreased slightly from N965.66 million to N941.8 million, the huge increase in finance costs reversed the company’s profit before tax of N310.66 million in 2011 to a loss of N228.5 million. After taxes, net loss increased to N280.7 million in 2012 as against net profit of N149.9 million in 2011.

The board and shareholders of the company had lamented the financial mismatch that arose from the inability of the company to access capital through the capital market, in spite of

expressed interest to raise new equity funds.

Chairman, RT Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc, Mr. Clement Olowokande had told shareholders at the last general meeting that the huge debt outlay and the pressing financing expenses were due to the inability of the company to source equity capital since the capital market meltdown in spite of the company’s growing business.

According to him, the excruciating liquidity squeeze and lack of access to amenable capital have continued to militate against corporate growth and returns. RT Briscoe’s third party borrowings doubled from N4.1 billion in 2010 to N8.1 billion in 2011.

He had hinted that the company would consider raising new funds through public offer as the capital market improves.

•From left: Mr Ogunniran, Dr. Hamzat, Mr Ettah and Mrs Halima Alao, at the inauguration of Metro Gardens Estate .. . on Friday.

Lagos praises UACN property company

U

ACN Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc at the weekend inaugurated its new premium residential estate, Metro Gardens, in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos amid commendations from the state government.

Speaking at the event, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, commended UPDC for the development of the estate and its compliance with extant laws and rules.

He said such initiatives like the UPDC’s Metro Gardens would assist the state government in its quest to provide meaningful homes to people in the state assuring that government is always willing to support private sector efforts in housing development.

According to him, given the resources at the disposal of government, it lacks the capacity to meet the full housing demand but private sector developments would provide good complement.

He stressed the importance of voluntary compliance with town planning and building codes in order to avoid demolition.

Chairman, UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc ,

By Sampson Unamka

Mr Larry Ephraim Ettah, said the 55-unit estate has been equipped with facilities designed to make the life of residents comfortable adding that the company’s facility management team is also readily available to attend to residents needs.

He assured that UPDC will continue to complement the megacity strategy of Lagos State Government by embarking on real estate projects that conform to international standards, which are aesthetically appealing and offer delightful living experience to residents.

“We will also continue to build for sustainable value by ensuring that our designs comply with the basic tenets of sustainability, environmental friendliness and social responsibility,” Ettah said.

He said that company is proud that the Lagos state Building Control Agency (LSBCA) has duly certified the estate as evidence by the Certificate of Fitness for Habitation which was issued by the agency to UPDC a few weeks ago.

“Indeed, our company is the first recipient of the certificate under the new dispensation,” Ettah said.

He noted that the completion of the estate was indicative of the profile of the company as developer of choice noting that when the estate was acquired from the previous developer in 2011, construction work at Disney Court as the estate was then called had stopped for several months.

He said in line with the company’s mission of adding value to lives and business, it took over the project; re-evaluated it and completed it in May 2013, 18 months after construction work re-commenced.

Managing Director, UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc, Mr Hakeem Ogunniran, described Metro Garden as a mixed residential development on 1.827 hectares of land, comprising of a total of 55-units with facilities as swimming, gymnasium, club house, Internal road network, external CCTV, Intercom Service, fire alarm system and smoke detectors, DSTV, portable e water treatment plant, electricity service and sewage treatment plant.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

34

INSURANCE

Shareholders inject N1.4b into Linkage Assurance

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HAREHOLDERS have injected N1.4 billion into Linkage Assurance Ltd, following its botched merger with Cornerstone Insurance Plc. Notwithstanding, the fresh fund, the underwriting firm said it still hopes to find a suitable partner to merge with in the future.

Sequel to this, shareholders of the two companies had disagreed on merger arrangement of 30:70 which was in favour of Cornerstone.

During the 2012 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Linkage Assurance in Lagos, shareholders asked the company’s board to discontinue the merger discussions, insisting that if the company intends to merge with another firm, it should not be Cornerstone.

Speaking at the AGM, a shareholder, Mr. Nona Awo threatened that shareholders would not allow the company’s board to railroad them into a merger arrangement of 30:70 in favour of Cornerstone. He added that minority shareholders would definitely

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

move against it.

In the same vein, President of the Nigerian Shareholders Solidarity Association, Mr Timothy Adesiyan, said: “We are not against merger of the company if the need arises but definitely, we will not merge with a Cornerstone.”

However, in a new development, Managing Director of Linkage, Mr Gus Wiggle, in an interview with The Nation, said one of its shareholders increased its holdings from 17 per cent to about 53 per cent by injecting about 1.4billion into the company.

According to him, the next stage for the company is to grow organically while management shops for people it can partner with.

Wiggle noted that the industry is fragmented at the moment and as such, there is need for more mergers and acquisition, cit-

ing the recent merger between Custodian and Allied Insurance and Crusader Insurance as setting the pace for others to follow.

“Until we are able to streamline our numbers and are able to work in a smaller number which is what the market really wants, we may not have companies in the industry that can compete favourably in the global sphere”, he noted.

Explaining why the merger with Cornerstone did not work, Wiggle said the numbers which is the reason for the merger did not add up.

“The indices of what propelled the merger in the first place suddenly did not add up and we just felt there was no reason for it to continue.

“Also the shareholders have the final say and because they believe their interest was not been considered, we had to respect their view by ending the merger. Presently we are building the company,” he said.

• Wiggle

Pension operators not running down life annuity, says chair

C • Uduanu

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HAIRMAN of Pension Operators in Nigeria (PeNop), Mr. Dave Uduanu, has said it is the choice of would be retirees to opt for programme withdrawal or life annuity products.

Before now, insurers had alleged that some Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) in their desperation to continue to manage Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders’ pension savings even in retirement run down life annuity products and their providers.

Uduanu, who spoke with journalists said PenCom has done its bit in working with insurance companies and the regulator. He

said that insurers and PFAs were invited to a seminar where the two products were extensively discussed.

At the end of the day, it is the choice of would be retirees whether to go with programme withdrawal or annuity.

He said: “It is not the job of PFAs to sell annuity. We do not sell annuity. We give our contributors the option to choose programme withdrawal or annuity. Therefore we cannot answer why insurers are not selling. It is just

that people decide to choose programme withdrawal.

“As we said at the workshop, because the scheme is just seven years, programme withdrawal may take the lead, and after a while annuity will catch up.

“There are issues we also raised about annuity with the National Insurance Commission (NIACOM), which will address them.

“It is not the fault of the PFAs that annuity is not taken. I know that there is high demand for annuity recently and it will soon pick up.”

CIIN to enhance national transformation

HE Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has resolved to contribute to ongoing national transformation process as it engenders far reaching implications for the insurance sector, especially in gaping business opportunities and the need to design policy packages that could take care of the emerging risk exposures.

The Director-General of the institute, Mr Adegboyega Adepegba, has said.

He said this was the resolution of insurance practitioners following deliberations on issues thrown up by the institute’s conference in Lagos where an eight-point communiqué was issued.

He said members also acknowledged the fact that the CIIN needs to explore platforms

for bringing the professionals in governance into the fold with a view to tapping from their exposures in the resolution of some key issues burdening the business and practice of risk bearing.

He added that the industry is facing serious challenges from the less than optimal financial literacy in the country and to this effect, the industry needs to put the necessary machinery in place for up-scaling its ongoing awareness creation.

The insurers, he said, acknowledged that modern insurance is highly technologydriven, necessitating the need for insurance institutions to deploy cutting-edge technology in order to square up with the growing trends engendered by the national transfor-

mation process across all sectors of the economy.

Also, he said the industry should promote fruitful partnership with other relevant bodies and agencies in order to create beneficial synergies in business promotion and should take a sterner look at the issue of corporate and individual practitioners’ market discipline by putting in place a disciplinary system that is compatible.

“Operators need to take human capital development more seriously with a view to entrenching an enduring succession plan while it stands in the vanguard of promoting medium and small scale enterprises in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government,” said Adepegba.

• Adepegba

What to do after a car accident that’s not your fault

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EALING with your car insurance com pany after a car crash can be a timeconsuming hassle. Now imagine what it’s like to deal with the insurance company of the person who crashed into your car. Here are some tips to ensure you maintain your cool and your sanity when making a claim with an at-fault person’s insurer.

Car insurance

The driver that crashes into your car is responsible for reporting the accident to his or her car insurance company. However, it’s a good idea for you to contact their insurer as well. Motorists who cause accidents are often reluctant to report them. So, it is important to obtain the most complete information from the at-fault person at the scene of the accident. You need to collect the insurance company name, claims phone number, address and even the insurance agent’s name.

You should then inform the other person’s insurer that you have been involved in a crash with one of its policyholders and disclose your property damages or injuries. Also, relay only the facts of the accident, even if you believe the other driver to be at fault. The police will ultimately determine who is at fault and the insurer will make its determination of fault based on the police recommendation, your commentary notwithstanding.

Although you may feel that you have not caused the accident, you should contact your insurance company anyway. This establishes your good-faith accident-reporting effort and

can aid you if the other party’s insurer denies responsibility for the accident.

Theory vs. reality

Theoretically, you should only have to notify the other party’s insurer of your damages and injuries, take your car to a body shop, visit a doctor and expect the insurer to pay your bills.

But theories don’t always reflect reality. Car insurance companies may demand that you obtain their authorisation before proceeding with vehicle repairs and injury treatments. If the insurance adjuster doesn’t authorise a repair before you take it to the auto shop, it can create a problem. At minimum, make certain that the insurance company has accepted liability before going ahead with repairs. Get that authorisation in writing. Ask the insurer to e-mail or fax it to you.

If the insurer’s claims adjuster resists paying for certain car repairs or injuries because they were not authorised, remind him that seeking approval on every repair technique and treatment can cause unnecessary delays, which increase the cost of your claim in the form of vehicle-storage charges and more legwork for the adjuster.

In addition, the at-fault driver’s insurance company can’t force you to take your vehicle to a specific repair facility. The choice is yours.

Pick your battles

The at-fault driver’s insurer may tell you to seek payment from your own insurer because it has no evidence of its policyholder’s fault.

That’s another reason why you should notify your insurer immediately after the crash. Although most states have made it illegal for an insurer to deny claims without reasonably investigating the facts, or to deny claims when its liability is reasonably clear, you may not want to fight the other person’s insurance company.

If you decide to fight the at-fault driver’s insurer, you’ll need a lawyer — especially if you’ve been seriously injured (read when to hire a personal injury lawyer). An attorney can help you navigate the sometimes-murky laws that govern insurance. But keep in mind that if you hire an attorney, he will take a cut of any settlement he helps you get.

When the other driver lies

You may have evidence of the other driver’s fault. Maybe he even admitted it at the scene yet you find your claim denied by his auto insurance company. Why? Because he probably told a version of how the accident happened that doesn’t square with yours. His insurer may stand behind that story in order to avoid paying your claim. Sometimes the insurance company will take its policyholder’s position, even if it contradicts the police report.

It is common for companies to take their policyholder’s side in cases where no police accident report was made. In many states, if an officer at an accident scene determines the damage is minimal (usually less than $500), he or she will not make an accident report.

Body shop estimates for that same accident,

however, might run into the thousands of dollars. Take your car to a repair shop so you can determine the extent of the damage.

Don’t forget to write down the other driver’s address and policy information, along with statements and contact information from witnesses. This way, you’ll have evidence gathered at the scene to bolster your position on the cause of the accident.

Also, when speaking with the at-fault person’s insurer, ask it to demonstrate how the accident could have happened as the other driver said. If it’s a small claim and you have the time, you can take the other driver to small claims court. Otherwise, you may need a lawyer. Insurance companies know that unless you’ve hired an attorney, they can tell you ‘no,’ or say they’ll get back to you. The longer the matter drags on, the more likely you are to compromise or simply go away.

Another option: Your own insurer

Even if you’re not at fault, you can make a claim with your insurance company for payment of damages and injuries.

If you have collision insurance, file a claim with your own carrier. The company may be more responsive and help you document the claim. Sometimes, your company will pursue the claim. If it takes this approach, often all you will be out in the short term is your deductible. You may get that money back when you settle with the other driver’s insurer.

• Tips by insure.com

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

35

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENUERSHIP

From banking to paints distribution When Tope Akintade resigned last year from Ecobank and went into paints business, many thought it was a costly mistake. His story is a lesson to many would-be entrepreneurs. Assistant Editor DADA ALADELOKUN writes.

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OPE Akintade is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Easy De Mayor Ltd, an Ibadan, Oyo State based distributor of President, Fine Coat, Berger, Premier and Portland paints.

The firm is also well-positioned to undertake projects in all parts of the country. But, its metamorphosis didn’t come by magic. For any one starting out in business, it is a lesson in determination.

His journey to the business world started last year after his resignation from Ecobank Plc, where he last served as Regional Head, State Hub, Osun State. Earlier, he had led the bank’s marketing team in Public Sector Unit in Osun and Kwara states.

Long before his Ecobank days, he served as an Industrial Trainee at the Petroleum Products Marketing

Company (PPMC), an arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

“I once worked without pay for one year at Favourite Services Company Ltd, Ibadan, in order to garner the requisite job experience, which has become a big headache for most young graduates nowadays,” he told The Nation.

“I got employment at the Nigerian Breweries Plc as a Key Distributor Salesman before joining Wema Bank in August 2001. Through impressive performance rooted in hard work, I rose to become the Head of Banking Operations/ Operations Manager at Osogbo 2 Branch of the bank. I left for the then Oceanic Bank Plc in November 2008 and served in various units, including the Regional Head, Cash Management Unit, Ibadan, before its merger with Ecobank Ltd.”

•Akintade

However, for many like Akintade, especially on a relatively different terrain, getting started is always a hard row to hoe – an adventure that is akin to wandering in a minefield.

When asked for how easy or otherwise it was for him to roll his business off the ground last year, he said: “It was not easy. It was by the grace of God, coupled with determination and self-discipline. One’s ability to see into the future from where one is will en-

able one to prepare for the challenges ahead. That was part of what worked for me. Eight per cent of white-collar employees in the country today will still start their own businesses in future,” he said, advising: “It is better for them to attempt it now.”

On start-up capital, he said: “The start-up capital of any business is dependent on the nature of the business, assets, existing competitions and other factors. In our own case as paints’ distributors, apart from capital, we needed good location, product knowledge and requisite training among other variables. Above all, we were driven by irrepressible determination to succeed.”

The Ikere-Ekiti-born businessman said, it had not been a bed of roses in the competitive business environment.

“I had sleepless nights but with God, there is no impossibility. That is what has kept us going in the face of daunting challenges. The success of any business is largely dependent on how it is run. In our case, we have a structure that enables us to deliver without fail. We work with personnel that are trained by the company we represent,” he said.

He continued: “We have painters that are professionally trained in handling the products. We maintain robust relationships with professionals like architects, builders, engineers and painters that are knowledgeable in our sector. I also think

T

• From left: Director-General, Institute of Chartered Administrators and Researchers of Nigeria (IARN), Prof Jacob Etinagbedia; Registrar,Institute of Corporate Marketing and Management of Nigeria, Mr Akinseye Uyetaki; fellow, IARN, Mr Onyekachi Onugu; and Vice Chancellor, Al-Hilkmah University, Ilorin, Prof Sulyman Abdulkareem, during the induction of fellows of IARN in Lagos.

FIIRO, BoI partner on SMEs’ loans

HE Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Lagos (FIIRO) and Bank of Industry (BoI) are to provide microenterprise loans to new businesses,according to FIIRO Director-General,Dr Gloria Elemo. Credits of up to N50,000 would be available to prospective beneficiaries.

The credit initiative, would work through a micro finance institute.

Empowering women is important to Ore Somolu, the Chief Executive Officer, of Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), and her success story shows how skills can unlock potential and change lives, reports DANIEL ESSIET

An amazon using IT to empower women

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RE Somolu is an entrepreneur with deep appreciation for information technology (IT) and leadership. She feels that, finding opportunities for young people is a critical challenge for Nigeria, where 62 per cent of the population is below 25.

Empowering women is important to Somolu, and her success story shows how skills can unlock potential and change lives.

She belongs to a generation of Nigerians, who are the most globally connected people ever to have lived on the continent. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), a non- profit organisation, working to encourage women to use technology to empower themselves.

W.TEC’s work is executed through a project, which builds technology skills among women, technology literally workshops, research, career counselling and mentoring.

Notable among these is the Girls Technology Camp, which seeks to help girls develop an early interest in computers and other information and communication technology.

Today, the female entrepreneur has been successful in not only starting, but also operating a social enterprise. She is committed to the cause of young women.

• Somolu

In a market with many social enterprises institutions, Somolu’s organisation stands out as one very focused on the holistic development of women. For her, entrepreneurship must be an integral part of every young person’s education.

“We need to impart not only the technical skills of entrepreneurship, but also the mindset of the entrepreneur, through our formal and informal education systems, “ she stressed.

To help address this challenge, her centre educates young ladies to become job creators and problem solvers.

On her educational background,

she said: “I had my secondary school education at Queens College, Yaba, Lagos. From there, I went to the University of Essex where I studied Economics and graduated in 1998. I did a Masters in Information System at the University of London, and then a oneyear certificate programme in applied sciences in the United States where I worked for an NGO, Education Development Centre, for about four years before returning to Nigeria.

“After returning to Nigeria, I did my NYSC and then worked with an oil and gas firm for about two years before going to establish W.TEC. Actually, I had to take that step because it was something I had always wanted to do right from when I left secondary school. Ever since I attended a computer training school while waiting to proceed to tertiary institution, I’ve always enjoyed the fact that I could apply the skill to different areas. Even when I was in the UK studying Economics, I kept up my interest by trying to learn new things; I got involved in the business of typing and printing essays for students.

“I, therefore, realised that technology could be very valuable and empowering. The quest to explore more was what made me study Information System. One of the

that our ability to imbibe the appropriate attitude has really worked for us. It is something that up-and-coming ones who want to excel in business must imbibe. Above all, we don’t compromise integrity and due respect for our clients.”

Noting that his experience is “a lesson for starters,” Akintade said: “Starters must have vision, be focused with undiluted determination and must have financial discipline.

Even for those in paid employment now, the only thing they can pass to their children is legacy. If you are a manager in an oil company or a bank today, while leaving, you can’t pass the position status to your child. So, it is important in this dispensation that one has Plan B or C that will be hinged on the eventual actualisation of one’s God-given talent.”

He gave the list of his company’s ever-growing clientele to include professionals - engineers, architects, builders, painters and private individuals. “We also undertake consultancy services,” he added.

Saying that he was well-prepared for his engagement, Akintade holds a degree in marketing from the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, and a Masters in Brand and Product Management at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State.

He is also a Member of the Institute of Chartered Economics of Nigeria and has received trainings in Nigeria and abroad.

courses I took while studying for my masters was IT for Policy and Development. Through research also, I learnt that there were very few women, especially in Africa, using IT. I actually did my thesis on Gender and Technology for Development.”

On her working experiences, she said: “Working with the NGO in the US enhanced my interest because my job was as a project assistant, researching on how men and women use technology and also how to encourage women and girls into the area of science and technology. My career gradually moved into that line, and empowering women with information technology has become dear to me.”

On how she discovered ICT? In 1982, she said: “My father brought a ‘Commodore 64’ computer home.

He’s an engineer and very interested in learning about new technology.

My siblings and I were excited to have a computer, although we were uncertain what we could do with it.

We quickly learnt how to play games with it and my favourite was Hangman. In 1993, my dad (again!) brought home a computer with the Windows 3.1 operating system. My siblings and I played around with it to figure out what we could use it for and the Paint programme became an early favourite.”

Speaking with The Nation at the close of a baking and confectionery course for some members of New Realm Baptist Church, Ojo, Lagos, Dr Elemo, said FIIRO would work with BoI to provide loans to accelerate private sector development.

By reducing the risks involved, she said the collaboration allows micro enterprises to get little business loans, which will not be tied to collaterals.

She said the institute would give special emphasis to beneficiaries of the programme.

Mrs Elemo said loans are offered in combination with business planning and technical assistance.

She said new small and micro companies need to be encouraged to start up something and speed up the pace of transformation.

This has led to the challenge of sources of financing to meet their needs.

Mrs Elemo said the institute was training bakers to make the inclusion of cassava flour compulsory for bread and confectioneries.

She pointed out that that cassava flour did not contain cyanide that causes colon cancer, adding that baking and confectionary training has exciting new opportunities for people and the communities they live in.

With its programmes, she said FIRRO works simultaneously to create jobs, encourage entrepreneurship, build leaders and strengthen communities.

Mrs Elemo said FIIRO is one of the pioneering research for development centres for cassava in Nigeria. The institute, she added, has made significant contributions to the understanding of cassava fermentation and the development of mechanised technologies for processing gari and fufu flour, among other cassava products.

She said FIIRO has developed over 50 commercialisable technologies, most of which have been diffused through technology transfer to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

36

AVIATION Ex-Minister seeks airport’s completion FORMER minister of aviation, Mr Felix Hassan Hyat, has called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the completion of the Kaduna Airport.

He made the call while inspecting facilities at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos at the weekend.

He explained that the ongoing remodelling of airports is desirable after the many years of decay of aviation infrastructure during the military era. He affirmed that the criticisms that had trailed efforts to fix the airports by the current minister should be reconsidered.

He said the decadence in the airports during the military rule has been a major challenge for development in the sector.

“We came in from a military set up in 1999. There was a total decay in all the sectors, not only in aviation and ministers have their challenges to face.

There is something wrong; you cannot fix a whole thing in one day and no minister can come out that he can fix so many things at a time.

“All ministers have their own challenges, even the current aviation minister, she cannot fix all at once. If another minister comes, the minister will continue from where she stops.

“This development is far ahead of 1999 when we took over, so there is always development and this is what we want.”

According to him, the government projects should not be allowed to derailed because of criticism from the public.

•From left: Executive Director, Business Development, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Aviance), Mr Gordon Gofwan, receiving his company’s award from Deputy Regional Director, ICAO Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa, Mr Boitshoko Sekwati, in Nairobi, Kenya. With them is Mr. Abiodun Adewuni, Customer Relationship Manager (Africa), NAHCO Aviance.

Why govt is upgrading MMIA

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HY is the Federal Government upgrading infrastructure at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport(MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos?

It is to make the airport a hub in West and Central Africa, the coordinating spokesman for aviation, Mr Yakubu Dati, has said.

The government, he said, was determined that Nigeria meets the minimum requirements for airport facilities in line with global standards.

The upgrade of facilities, he said, would improve safety and security, such that the airport could drive more passenger and cargo traffic for these was regions.

He spoke of plans by the government to expand facilities at the

Stories by Kelvin Osa-Okunbor Aviation Correspondent

MMIA, which he said, would raise the bar in overhauling the safety and security system.

He said intervention programmes in terminal expansion and passenger facilitation were being executed under the exercise.

Dati said a template has been designed for the construction of a fivestar hotel and multi-layer car park at the airport.

The project will be private sector driven.

Such projects, Dati said, would add value to the airport in service delivery and the creation of jobs.

To attain the hub status, Dati said the Federal Airports Authority of

Nigeria (FAAN) is pursuing the certification of the airport in line with the prescribed requirements by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

He said: ”The government is seriously pursuing a hub status for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. This is key given the strategic location of the airport to many parts of the world. Airlines fly over Lagos towards Europe, Middle East and other West African countries.

“To take advantage of this strategic window, that explains the reason government is carrying out an aggressive infrastructure upgrade of facilities at the Lagos Airport, to bring them in line with global standards.”

Airline operator calls for low interest rate

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HE Federal Government should offer low cost loans to airlines to keep them afloat, an operator has advised.

In an interview in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of Overland Airways,Captain Edward Boyo, said some governments abroad took such initiative to save airlines from collapse.

He said: ”But the quickest reform the government can make is to provide low cost capital for the airlines. And it is nothing new; governments in other countries have done it.

“Every government must protect the economy for the benefit of their people, not opening the economy for foreigners to come and take advantage of them. Due to the high cost of capital in Nigeria, you have a situation where European, American and other foreign companies are coming to drop their aircraft in the Nigeria market. And it is because they have access to cheaper capital

E

“The problem that operators have is high financing of aircraft. This is a problem in Nigeria and Africa, generally. We have lower financing costs in Europe and more advanced countries. An aircraft is measured by its airworthiness, not by the age. ”The last intervention fund had a good intention from the government, but many airlines did not get the cash. The banks that were generous in funding the airlines got into trouble. Even despite the intervention, to show you how deep airlines were in the negative, the intervention fund was not sufficient.

“The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) had to bail out some of the airlines so that they can survive. That is the job of government. The government has come to the assistance of the airlines. Since the last intervention fund never turned the fortunes of the airlines for better, government felt it needed to improve air trans-

portation system in the country.”

Boyo listed the problems of domestic airline operators to include low capacity of funding institutions, which hampers aircraft acquisition, high lending rate to airlines that has become a major challenge for many operators and increasing lease rates.

Others, according to Boyo, are prohibitive maintenance costs, which have made domestic airline operators to fake aircraft abroad for major checks, such as C and D, high import duties and taxes on aircraft parts, which add to operators’spiralling cost.

On how to attract funding and patronage to domestic airlines, Boyo said safety drives patronage and funding. He added that though the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported recently that Africa’s accident record remarkably improved by 58 per cent in 2011 over 2010 record, it is still well below world average.

ceremony last week at the Paris Air Show.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “It is a huge accomplishment to take home the top honours in every First Class category again, underlining our leading premium product proposition.

“Etihad Airways has, in just 10 years of operation, risen rapidly in the Skytrax rankings because we are continually investing in innovative new product and service concepts.

We believe that world-class hos-

pitality should not be limited to hotels and restaurants, so we are elevating the travel experience by bringing the best of hospitality to every touch point in the journey.

“The Skytrax World Airline Awards represent a global benchmark for airline excellence because they go straight to the source – the traveller. To be recognised and named by our guests as the best in the world is an affirmation of the value of our unique philosophy and innovation.”

Etihad Airways tops awards

TIHAD Airways has swept the Skytrax World Airline Awards’ First Class category, receiving all three awards, for the second year in a row.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline took home the coveted title of Best First Class for the fourth consecutive year, as well as taking home top honours for Best First Class Seats and Best First Class Catering.

The awards, which are voted on by travellers from more than 160 countries, were presented at the Skytrax World Airline Awards

Bristow to train pilots in Nigeria THE Managing Director, Bristow Helicopters, Captain Akin Oni, has said the training of more indigenous pilots by the airline would help to reduce dependency on foreign pilots in the industry.

Oni said with the training programme put in place by the airline, very soon there would be no need for foreign helicopter pilots in Nigeria.

The need to have more indigenous pilots, he said accounts for the aggressive policy pursued by Bristow Helicopters, in training not less than 10 pilots every year.

He said the rotary wing giant will continue to train Nigerian pilots and engineers to reduce the number of expatriates working in the country, affirming that the company’s target is to have 100 per cent Nigerian pilots.

Oni said: ‘’As it is in our tradition in Bristow Helicopter, we are about to train another set of Nigerians to become pilots in our ever expanding Nigeria aviation industry. This is not the first time we are doing that.

“In fact, in Bristow we are noted for incubating Nigerian pilot in the rotary wing of the aviation industry. We have the highest percentage of Nigerians trained as pilots in the helicopter wing of the industry.

“In other words, there is virtually no helicopter aviation company that you do not see ex-Bristow pilots well bread in the Bristow tradition of safety.”

Carriers face high operating cost

THE International Air Transport Association ( IATA) has warned that African carriers would face high operating costs in the third quarter of this year, with the cost of aviation fuel averaging 21 per cent higher than other parts of the world .

Its Chief Executive Officer and Director-General, Mr Tony Tyler, who made this known explained that the carriers would also face stiff opposition from their counterparts outside the region, in long haul operations.

He said carriers from Africa would need to work hard to resolve aeropolitical barrier that still stands in the way of enhanced regional connectivity.

He said: ”The region’s airlines continue to face high operating costs, especially for fuel, which is on average 21 per cent more costly than in other parts of the world.

Long haul services face increase this stiff competition from carriers outside the region, while significant aero-political barriers still stand in the way of enhanced regional connectivity.

He said: ”African airlines continue to be the weakest performers, with passenger load factors below 70 per cent operating margins averaging less than one per cent and profits of just $100 million. Compared with the $100 million loss of 2012, however, this is a better performance. Passenger capacity growth 6.7 per cent is expected to be outstripped by demand growth of 7.5 per cent This will improve load factors.”

Meanwhile, the body upgraded its global outlook for the airline industry to a $12.7 billion profit in 2013 on $711 billion in revenues.

This is $2.1 billion better than the $10.6 billion profit projected in March of this year and an improvement on the $7.6 billion profit generated in 2012.

“This is a very tough business. The day-to-day challenges of keeping revenues ahead of costs remain monumental. Many airlines are struggling. On average airlines will earn about $4 for every passenger carried—less than the cost of a sandwich in most places,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director-General and Chief Executive Officer.

Four service providers get awards THE African Airlines Association ( AFRAA) has presented four awards to service providers and suppliers for their exemplary service delivery in aviation.

The awardees include the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Aviance, which received the Ground Handling Service Provider of the Year; SITA, Egypt Air and Servair, which got the Aviation Service Provider of the Year Award.

Aviation Catering and In-flight Service Provider of the Year Award was presented to SERVAIR. The Third award, Training Service Provider of the Year, went to EgyptAir Training Centre for its investment in state-of-the-art facilities, dedication to developing aviation capacity in Africa and training assistance it provides to other African aviation organisations.

NAHCO got the award for its adherence to international safety and security standards, attainment of ISAGO and investment in ground handling equipment and facilities at their bases of operation.

The award was presented by the Secretary-General, African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Ms Sosina Iyabo to NAHCO’s Executive Director, Business Development, Mr Gordon Gofwan in Kenya, Nairobi.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Open door series for Kongi @ 79

PH Literary Society raise funds for centre

L

A

LL is set for the Open Door Series Project WS79, which will feature an essay competition, play productions and cultural presentations, to mark the 79th birthday of the Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka. The project is being organised by Zimirage Multimedia Limited.

The theme is Memoirs for our future and the event will hold from July 13 to 14. Soyinka will receive 79 students, who participated in the project’s essay competition at his Abeokuta, Ogun State home. The London segment of the project will hold on July 20.

According to the Project Producer, Mrs Lilian Amah-Aluko, the organisers are not marking the day because it is a birthday. She noted that ‘we intend to mark the day because it symbolises for us all a continuation of the life of an inspirational man who has fought and is still fighting for the dignity of man, the rights of the individual and the unity and security of Nigeria.’

She stated that all the events are designed to herald the 2014 edition that will mark the 80 th birthday anniversary celebration of Soyinka, adding that the essay competition is open to secondary school students across the country.

“Our main goal in the Open Door Series is to combat fear, violence and its contingent reactions through the use of education, arts and culture.

“We are starting with the youths (secondary school level) because we believe that they can still be positively influenced and molded into the leaders of tomorrow that we desire them to be,” she said.

The Open Door Series Project WS is a platform for international cultural exchange. The programme has evolved over the past three years to include an international Essay competition for senior secondary school students, advocacy lectures, tours, drama and cultural presentations.

Amah-Aluko explained that apart from being the theme of this year’s project, Memoirs for our future, is also the title of a new book- a compilation of the winning essays from WS76 to WS78 as well as other selected essays from submissions for all the years.

•Prof Soyinka

By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

ANNIVERSARY He disclosed that the Nobel Laureate will be writing the foreword to the book while he will present the books to the public on July 20. Soyinka, will also flag off the WS80 essay competition to the Diaspora students at the summit that will hold during the event.

The executive producer, Alhaji Teju Wasee Kareem, who identified sponsorship as a big challenge for the project, said that in the midst of such challenges, organisers have been blessed with a few highly supportive sponsors and partners. According to him, the following have indicated interest in joining hands with the project to spread the word that global diplomacy can be achieved through arts and culture. They are the government of Ogun State led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Government of Ondo State led by Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. But, the organisers are looking forward to private and corporate bodies for support and partnership.

“The Project WS brand was inspired by the essence and ideals of the Nobel Laureate in Literature, Prof. Wole Soyinka. These ideals sum up in the artiste’s humanism as reflected in his globally-acclaimed various roles as a cultural, civil rights and political activist are the pedestal on which we have built the programme of the Open Door Series,” he said.

ITERARY icons, scholars and friends of the Port Harcourt Literary Society (PHLS) have converged on the Garden City to launch the Port Harcourt Literary centre for building a Port Harcourt Book Centre (PHBC).

The event attracted guests, such as Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State; his deputy, Engineer Tele Ikuru, United Nations Educational Scientific, Cultural organisation (UNESCO) Country Representative, Prof.

Hassana Alidou, Executive Vice Chairman, Moni Pulo Ltd., Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Managing Director; Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, chairman of the occasion, Prof. E. J. Alagoa, Chairman, Board of Trustees of (PHLS) Dr. Chidi Amuta and the acclaimed writer, Capt.

Elechi Amadi.

When completed, the facility will be unveiled next year when Port Harcourt assumes the prestigious title of UNESCO World Book Capital (WBC), and the Book Centre, which houses a library, theatre, events centre, writers’ residence and some leisure outlets, is just one of many initiatives planned for 2014.

They said the state is on the brink of a cultural renaissance that will have lasting positive impact on the society. Capt. Amadi described the event as one of restoration and the realisation of broken dreams while commending Governor Amaechi for being the first governor to have taken a serious look at the arts and its role in the city.

Amuta urged Nigerians to support the project generously, stating that ‘our gratitude will be shown in the form of building and a monument that all will be proud of.’

Prof. Alidou said the centre, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, would be an invaluable asset to Port Harcourt as World Book Capital. For this reason, and because

A

N art exhibition of young artists,which will feature mixed media, paintings and craft, will open tomorrow at Queensland Academy in Isolo, a Lagos suburb With the theme Catch Them Young, the exhibition is a platform to discover talents and feature works of art done by pupils of Queensland Academy. The

T

•From left: Braide, Onileagbon, Chukwu and Agoi

By Olushola Orebajo

PARTNERSHIP good writers, but are not encouraged.

“Relating with the police and the armed forces will go beyond exchanging books.

It would be a mutual relationship where there would be agreement between us and them,” he said.

Chukwu commended the efforts of Lagos Chapter of ANA, saying: “ANA Lagos has been of great support to the interest of writers in Lagos, especially Femi Onileagbon and Folu Agoi who see to the establishment of the relationship.”

The Vice Chairman of ANA, Lagos chapter, Femi Onileagbon, urged writers

By Uche Udoh

ANNIVERSARY the development of the Book Centre fits into the context of the MDGs, she urged everyone, including the multinational companies in Rivers State, to partner with PHLS. The evening also witnessed a multimedia walk-through of the proposed Centre by the architect, Mr Iheanyi Esiaba and a presentation on the World Book Capital Project by Mrs. Koko Kalango, founder of the Rainbow Book Club.

Governor Amaechi, who pledged the support of the Rivers State government to the project, emphasised that the centre is not a Rivers State Government project, but is being handled by the Port Harcourt Literary Society, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that needs support.

Catch them young exhibition opens tomorrow

ANA donates books to police HE Lagos State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has initiated moves to build mutual relationship with the security agencies through book. Some members of the association’s executive have visited the Lagos Police Command’s spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superitendent of Police (DSP) and donated 420 books to the police.

On the entourage were Dr. Chukwunyere Chukwu, Femi Onileagbon (the vice chairman of ANA) and Folu Agoi, a former ANA Lagos chapter chairman.

The books presented include Avenge the Avenger, Dan Iska the place of exploit, Owanbee! One Good Turn Deserves Another, Echoes from the Jungle, Dynamics of positive thinking, Songs of wisdom, Escape, Are You Ready and You Are A Success.

Chukwu said the idea to relate with the police and the armed forces is a great idea.

“We want to donate our books to the police library because I know there are also writers among the police, who in one way or the other can’t express themselves. He noted that such a relationship with the police would be like the flesh and blood.

He observed that some police are also

•Amadi

among security personnel to express themselves assuring that the association would organise activities that would encourage and inspire them to achieve their dreams in writing.

According to Femi, “There are certain inner pains among the forces that cannot be explored or talked about in an ordinary paper, but rather in a book that would express their minds. Piracy has being a major challenge bothering most book writers, but relationship with the police and the military, would help us eradicate such challenges through our relationship with the forces. The police will protect the interest of writers by raiding pirated books sellers.”

By Seun Adeyemo

exhibition is an initiative of the school management and Dr Kunle Adeyemi.

According to the Principal of the school, Mr Kayode Oni, “there is nothing functional without art. If you want to develop, you must be creative, to be creative you have to be able to express yourself” he said. He added that “imagination when put on paper is art.

If we are creative, everybody would know what to do and that’s why the students are trained because they are the leaders of tomorrow. Activities of art make the student reason and help check their restlessness.”

Head of Primary School, Mrs Christianah Ogunkoya commended the beautiful works of art done by the children. “We are catching them young in this area (art). They are good in art and craft and are protecting the image of the school through the works of art.

There is no profession you do without having an aspect of art in it,” she added.

The former Vice President, Society of Nigerian Artists and coordinator of the workshop, Dr Kunle Adeyemi said the exhibition is a good avenue for art advocacy and that the idea of catching them young is to field the next generation for future artists, future professionals, and people who would understand that art has lots to do for humanity.

Director Queensland Board, Mr Siyanbola Oladapo said the school have since realised the need to make the children to think outside the box; help them develop the talent in them and train them to become a total person.

A participants at the workshop, Miss Okudoh Josephine, said the workshop though wasn’t easy has changed her perspective and how she sees things. She thanked her mother for her endless support.

Another pupilMmesoma Onuoha said the workshop brought out her artistic skills.

Some of the works done by the students include joyful marriage, journey, mother and child, sunrise amongst others.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

•Residents, Olalere (first right) and some pupils of IDSS

‘Creativity pays better than Okada and Keke NAPEP’ Youth development can be better addressed through creative ventures, rather than handouts that do little to inspire productivity, social critics say. EVELYN OSAGIE, who was at a creative feast at Iseyin, Oyo State, reports.

F

IFTEEN-year-old Ibrahim Rasaq is a dreamer. In his poem, A dream, he says: “…I have a dream of success I have a dream of liberty…

I have a dream of hope…

I was born to rule the world I have a dream that tells me about the future…

I have a dream that I would succeed in life…

I have a dream that at last that dream would come to reality” Ibrahim, an Senior Secondary (SS 1) Science pupil of Iseyin District Secondary School (IDSS), Oyo State, spoke of his dream during the creative feast organised by the residents of Ebedi International Writers Residency with pupils and staff of Iseyin District Secondary School (IDSS), Oyo State.

The pupils of IDSS came en masse clad in blue and white uniforms. Each had excitement written on their faces. They had been learning and it was time to show their pairs and visitors what they have learnt. And by their presentation the efforts of the residents became noteworthy.

They sang, danced, acted and presented poetry recitation of poems written by them and that of the residents.

Those, who have already mastered the art of reading in Yoruba and English, read from the Toafeek’s works. Interestingly, Deborah Rowland, a Edo girl, who read a poem entitled: ‘Ma F’epe Sere’ from Taofeek’s Soki Lewi Oge II, caught attention of the audience. When asked how she did it, she said, firstly, she developed the interest and then “set her heart on learning the language” and its autography.

One way to boost Ibrahim’s dream, social critic and writer Taofeek Olayiwola, said, is by harnessing the creative talents in the youth. He condemns government handouts, saying it is unproductive. He added that more attention should be given to the development of creativity and the creative industry.

Speaking at the feast, Olayiwola said: “Nigeria is full of raw talents with outstanding ability that matches their peer across the globe. The government should do more to galvanise them. Year-in-year-out, you’d hear the government talking about empowerment programmes. Empowerment is not by buying okada and Keke NAPEP for people that would maim them and keep them unproductive. One way of empowering people is to rekindle the spirit of creativity in them such that they would be able to make full use of their

brains and live-off their ideas.

“Creativity is what would truly empower them – that is if it is properly harnessed. It has the power to fetch one his/ her livelihood and sustenance. And one way they can begin to truly empower is by supporting projects, such as the Ebedi International Writers Residency in Iseyin, Oyo State that nourishes creative talents. They should seek to replicate it across Nigeria such that writers may grow from two or three per batch, which Ebedi houses to about 20 across residency all over the country. The move would be landmark for the promotion of creativity and empowerment.”

Along with a Ghanaian writer, Macdell Kofi Sackeu and playwright and poet Chika Obasi, Olayiwola, were the last set of residents at the residency programme, which was established and being sponsored by former House of Representative member and former President of Association of Nigeria Authors (ANA), Dr Wale Okediran. After spending six weeks at the residency, writing to their hearts delight, these residents brought their stay in Iseyin, Oyo to a close with a creative feast.

Aside offering writers a conducive serene atmosphere to write with accommodation, feeding, money, taken care of and has an arrangement with a publisher to publish the manuscripts written in the residence and enjoy their copyrights, it also operates a mentorship programme that seeks to galvanise the budding talents in the town.

To kindle the spirit of creativity in the young, each set of residents spend at least four hours every week with pupils teaching the art of writing, among others.

For these acts, a parent and Senior Teacher handling Literature and English in IDSS, Prince Femi Olalere, is grateful, saying their efforts have greatly impacted their children.

He said: “Since the place was opened in 2010, our young ones have been intoduced into the art of writing and other

‘Nigeria is full of raw talents with outstanding ability that matches their peer across the globe. The government should do more to galvanise them. Year-in-year-out, you’d hear the government talking about empowerment programmes. Empowerment is not by buying okada and Keke NAPEP for people that would maim them and keep them unproductive’

forms of creativity like dance and drama. As one that has been here for a long time, our children have learnt a lot from the programme, which is based on the academic calendar (each term, we receive a set of resident and each year we usually receive three sets of residents and this is the third for this session). If people like us were introduced into to this art at a tender age as them, I must say that things will not be as stagnant as they are. We say a big THANK YOU to the founder and sponsor of the residency and all the residents that have come and gone.”

He urged the children, who got 80 book donations from the founder, to: “Put the art to heart, practice what you’ve learnt and make use of them. Those who have written poems or short story continue writing no knowledge is lost.”

Seeing the pupils have done them proud, the residents beam with pride and went ahead to recount their six-week experiences. The Ghanaian, who was at the residence for the second time and had completed three titles, said: “The first time I came here, I was inspired by natural ambiance surrounding the town so my poetry collection is about nature but I couldn’t complete my manuscript and had to come back and within one week I was able to complete it; did another two titles and was able to complete them too. I am going to miss the ambiance of Iseyin.”

“At Ebedi, I crafted Itan d’owe 2 and Ewi a loju lodi I. I am yet to decide which publishers to present them to,” Olayiwola said.

For Obasi, the hospitality would always linger on his.

“Dr Okediran and his people were not only kind to us but embraced and accepted us. I wrote without any distraction which has been a problem back home. What I came to do I achieved it: I finished the first part of the full-length novel, entitled Fatherland that I’m working on,” he said.

Obasi added that empowerment should not be left to government alone. He urged big firms to sponsor proactive projects that would empower youths. “Corporate bodies also have a role to play in the issue of empowerment. They seem to be shying away from sponsoring writing. Instead of only promoting musical gigs, they should sponsor literary projects such as Ebedi. As they are sponsoring musicians with thousands and millions of dollars, they should also remember that creative writing has put Africa on the world map. Prof Chinua Achebe maybe dead but his works and achievements live on. Those who are connected to such projects would be remembered when the books are open,” he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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The Midweek Magazine The travails, U S A L V I triumphs of T Amissionary aR politician (3)

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

C

HAPTER Six, aptly titled, “How Knoweth This Man Letters…?” is a critical and rigorous interrogation of the question: How did John Ayanfe Ajayi acquire so much academic knowledge and distinctive scholarship, since he only read up to primary six?

To answer this question, the author compares his circumstances to that of his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. The Jews asked the question: “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” The book notes that Jews were “oblivious of the fact that, at the age of 12, Jesus sat in the synagogue in Jerusalem in the midst of scholars, people who held doctoral degrees in their disciplines, exchanging ideas with them,” being a typical Ajantala, a childadult genius or prodigy in Yoruba mythology. Similarly, the book explains that many people are ignorant of the fact that the author engaged in considerable private reading, independent research and academic self-development through correspondence courses. He also took formal examinations that earned him academic and professional certificates comparable to first and second degrees. This chapter is an exposition of how Pa John Ajayi became a home-grown professor who could not be outperformed or intimidated by any intellectual of his time. It is a revelation of how the author became an academic terrorist despite never seeing the four walls of a university. This segment of the autobiography is a practical manual for those who want to learn about self-development. It could be a motivational tool and an encouragement to those who lack the financial resources but are desirous of achieving higher academic goals.

Chapter Seven of the autobiography details the work experience of the author from the tender age of 10 years until he

BOOK REVIEW Title:

Adventures in Courage

Author:

John Ayanfe Ajayi

Reviewer:

Femi Ajayi

Pagination: 561 breathed his last on earth.

The sundry occupations discussed in the book as having been engaged in by the author at various times of his life are not just indicative of his versatility but also evidence of his positive work ethics, cando spirit, doggedness and diligence. The job descriptions and titles include Isaana Oju Ale re e (Matches for evening light are here), Agbegilodo (timber merchant), the Alagbaro (the farmhand), Weaver of Baskets and Maker of Thatch, the Untrained Teacher, the Public Letter Writer, Journalist and Salesman, the block maker, the Oyinbo Elepo (Fuel Merchant), Gari Maker, Produce Merchant, and the Party Agent.

An incurable believer in the dignity of labour and an apostle of “hard work does not kill,” Pa Ajayi did every legitimate job

Rising from ‘stormy’ mess

D

IVINE CHRISTIAN’S Not for the Glitter is the story of lust, greed, hate and love.

It takes the reader into the world of two teenagers - Kate and Lovette. The 32-page novelette focuses on how these three emotional elements destroy the long-time friends of the two friends.

In it, the 15-year-old author tells a story of the spoilt, materialistic, and greedy Kate Okon (the main character) with an insatiable lust for exquisite things.

She is an only child whose lust leads her to seek admission in one of the flashiest universities in the country where she could catch a beer gutted old man with fat pockets. This determined teenager doesn’t stop there but goes ahead to steal her friend’s rich guy, an act that was fast becoming her habit.

That was the straw that breaks the camel back for Lovett. After enduring years of living under Kate’s shadow and pretending it didn’t matter, the one thing that sets her apart, so to speak, is whisked away in seconds. And for that reason Kate is surely going to get it.

See how the author describes Lovett’s reaction following the act, thus: “Lovett had had enough! She was no longer going to postpone teaching Kate a lesson.” Lovett gives Kate a truly bloodthirsty lesson that leaves her gang-raped, pregnant and thrown out

BOOK REVIEW Title: Author:

Not for the Glitter

Reviewer:

Evelyn Osagie

Publisher:

Ochado Platinum Nig. Ltd

Divine Christian

of school. You say “Kate deserved it!”

Well, while reading the book, you’d find that Lovett is not so innocent herself.

In fact, this quote from one of the earliest pages of the book shows the

available to raise money for his cherished life goal: sound education. From his account, he started work as an auxiliary teacher because “teaching provided the only salaried employment in those days.”

However, he had to leave teaching because of “the drudgery of the job, compounded by the untrained, uncertificated stigma, the low earning and the monotony.” He even tried to become a constable in the police force, as he “preferred that to remaining in teaching without any prospect of advancement” or returning to good old farming!

This was the difficult situation under which he went into trading. The objective, he says, was “first and foremost, to facilitate the means of funding advanced education.” He reflects, “All the business enterprises I did in those years were for keeping body and soul together, while the real goal [good education] remained at the back of my mind all the time.”

Not for him the life of a loafer or cheat, he strongly believed the only way to success is hard work, self-denial, perseverance, dedication to the achievement of the defined goal. He says excellent service was always his goal.

Despite his diligence and dedication, the author recalls how he got sacked from A. J. Seward under very strange and inexplicable circumstances. However, he says the contrary winds that led to his getting sacked took him to Cadbury Nigeria Limited, where he rapidly rose to become an Area Manager. “When a person needs to be pushed up the ladder of life, men and circumstances are used by the divine hands for the pushing.”

Chapter Eight of the book is about his Family Life. The chapter describes how the loneliness of being orphaned at the age of 23 years drove the author into early marriage, as he lost his father when he was only thirteen and his mother barely ten years after. Desperate “to fill this aching void through marriage,” he got married in 1954, at the age of 24, to the second girl he ever befriended, Beatrice Adebanke, then an 18-year-old girl. The author speaks glowingly and passionately about this love of his life “who filled her roles beautifully.” She was a wife as well as a mother.” The early and unfortunate loss of his parents, a shattering experience of his life, ironically brought his marriage to his wife Banke (the best marriage that he could have had), a testimony to the truth of the Scripture, “All things work together for good to them who love God…” He equally says that his blissful marriage to Banke made her untimely transition at the

age of 60 on 25th December 1996 “the most grievous experience of my life.”

The author also uses the book to explain the circumstances that led to his contracting another marriage even during the subsistence of his “recounted blessed marriage.” He attributes his second marriage mainly to the fact that his wife, because of the demanding circumstances of her profession, “was most of the time in the early days an absentee wife.” Aside from “this fact of perennial separation” from his wife, the author, in his characteristic bluntness and candour, confesses, “But fundamentally, the African in me is polygamist.” So, in 1958, while his first wife was undergoing her midwifery course, the author married another spinster, then Miss Margaret Ogbenuubi Ojo, who, like him, was a descendant of Erinmo. He recalls that he had to snatch the maiden from the man to whom she was betrothed at a tender age, “as the custom went in those days.” Explaining the seeming conflict between this anti-tradition action and his self-description as “an irredeemable traditionalist,” he says, “while I am a traditionalist and I respect the tradition of my people a lot, I revolt against, and break at will, such as I regard as unreasonable, anachronistic and unacceptable.” He points out that this oppressive aspect of our marriage custom falls into this category. The author pays tribute to the understanding of his first wife, her liberality and the motherly role she played to his second wife for the period the second marriage lasted. He regrets the dissolution of his second marriage, which he attributes largely to his pattern of “distancing from wife” because of the roving existence forced on him by his occupation.

The book underlines the topmost priority that the author placed on the education of his children. He states, “I could not bear to have children that would not be welleducated and well-read.”

The book also highlights the travails and trials of the author in his quest to build a personal house to provide shelter to his family. The experience, he notes, was “typical of the difficulty faced by all salary earners in the country and perhaps most countries of the world.” As the monthly income is never enough to take care of immediate and basic family needs while the building of a personal house is capital intensive, it is a daunting challenge saving enough capital, except in rare cases where employment conditions of service include a housing loan scheme.

deepest thought the girl has towards her friend. “Lovett and Kate had been best friends since primary school. And if Lovett had been asked to describe her best friend, she would have said Kate was the most selfish person she had ever known and her parents were to blame.”

The whole episodes are bitter pills for Kate to chew but what seems like another a sad story turns out alright in the end.

She learns her lesson - though through the hard way – and goes from being spoilt and snobbish to a more mature and friendlier, Kate who becomes a loving and tolerant mother. But did she forgive her friend finally or gets married in the end; you may have to buy the book to find out.

One thing is crystal clear, Divine’s didactic novelette, Not for the Glitter, tells the story of some young people, especially adolescents who are carried away by the twinkles and glamour of the times. Obviously, there are many Kates out there whose cases are worst than hers. But not all of them have a rich father who is willing and able to help them to stand on their feet again by sending them off abroad to an aunt to have the baby or have a readymade job to give like Kate’s.

Hence, in simple and understandable language, her book warns the young and adults alike, against the dangers of negative and insatiable attitudes and lusts that subsequently lead to destruction.

It also true friendships and love that seek the good of others. Evidently, if true love had existed between the two friends their story would have been different.

Aside greed and lust, the book also has “indulgence” as one of its thematic preoccupation. Through her work, Divine calls on parents to give their wards proper home training instead of indulging them to their own destruction.

In it, we see in many occasions how Kate’s rich parents indulge her. And how they failed to put their feet down against some overbearing and irresponsible behaviours and unrestrained decisions of hers. And the result is a disillusioned girl forced into womanhood before her time.

And to drive home her point to parents like Kate’s, the character’s thoughts of self-realisation is meant to serve as inspiration. It reads thus: “Kate had now come to realize that her parents had overindulged her because her because she was an only child. The same thing wasn’t going to happen to Nina.” Nina is the name of her baby girl.

Divine, sister to nine-year-old author of Arthur becomes King, Berith, writes didactic pieces that promote positive behaviour among the young, especially girls, while condemning negative attitudes that are prevalent among them.

Divine is gradually toeing the feminist path. Her works have girls as main characters and treats issues that girls her age are usually confronted with.

Her novelette, The Music Competition, talks about girls pursuing their dreams against the odds.

Like Berith, her book, Not for the Glitter, will be formally presented on this Saturday in Lagos. It would make a more interesting read if it is further developed into a full-fledged novel.

•To be continued

40

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Book of ‘ideas’ decries racism in English language A former United Nations (UN) Assistant Secretary-General, Dr Agwu Ukiwe Okali, has launched the Okali Seminal Ideas Foundation for Africa (OSIFA) to promote Africa’s participation in the world of ideas and ensure that its development is spearheaded and sustained by the ideas of its people. His book, Of Black Servitude without Slavery: the Unspoken Politics of Language, which is the first volume of OSIFA’s Africa Seminal Ideas Series, was presented at the event in Lagos. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

W

HY should the English Language contain words that denigrate a people who use it?

Why should it harbour in is system, blatant concepts, ideas, expressions and words which are anti-black and so racist against Africans and people of African descent? Can those offensive words ever be expunged?

The thought of ridding English Language of racism may be far-fetched, but a Nigerian diplomat, Dr Agwu Ukiwe Okali, believes it is possible.

He has begun the crusade in his book titled: Of Black Servitude without Slavery: the Unspoken Politics of Language, presented in Lagos last week. The publication is the first volume of the Okali Seminal Ideas Foundation for Africa (OSIFA) Africa Seminal Ideas Series.

The foundation, founded and chaired by Okali, was inaugurated at the event. Its goal is to enthrone a culture of ideas within African societies that will, in turn, end the continent’s ideas-dependency and marginalisation, while restoring its intellectual dignity.

His vision statement is captured in these words: “I want us Africans to be able not only to catch our own fish, but, more importantly, to figure out what to do should the river dry up, and even better still, how to keep the river from drying up.”

One of its objectives is to protect and project African intellectual dignity by countering and dispelling defamatory notions and misapprehensions about African ideas and knowledge systems, borne in the English Language.

Having been exposed to and associated with the world’s best minds in the course of his work in a multi-cultural organisation, he came to the conclusion that Africans are also among the very best. They are not intellectually inferior. He, therefore, does not see why Africans should be treated as lesser mortals.

Okali, who last served as a United Nations (UN) Assistant Secretary-General, regretted that Africans do not receive corresponding respect for their intellectual competence and abilities, despite the fact that they can hold their own in any task anywhere.

He said: “It becomes clear, then, that what the continent needs is a bold and assertive intellectualism, and not a passive and compliant one, to help its current marginalisation. It certainly is the case that ideas, some of them great ones, abound in African societies, just as in other societies.

“What is needed now is articulation of these ideas in a systemic, durable and, therefore, cumulative form, and with the requisite publicity. This will help to end the current exclusion and marginalisation of the continent.

“A major objective of OSIFA is precisely to encourage this articulation of ideas, not by the originators of such ideas, but by other witnesses and participants in events – much the same way that the world got to know about the wisdom of Socrates mainly from the accounts in the works of others, especially his students Plato and Xenophon, and his critic, the playwright Aristophanes.

“Actually then, stripped of its disparaging connotations, the negative statements about Africa carries one message: the need to intensify the presence and participation of Africa in today’s world of ideas, this being the only effective way to dispel the ignorance and counter the misapprehensions behind such negative thinking about the continent.

“Striving to meet this need is the mission of the Okali Seminal Ideas Foundation for Africa (OSIFA).”

Reviewing the publication, writer/critic Prof Kole Omotoso called it “a book to crow about.” The book, he said, deals specifically with English, highlighting the fact that it is simply unacceptable that such a world-wide means of communication should be the carrier of racist sentiments, consciously and unconsciously, on a daily basis, around the globe.

“That an African should take on the crusade of ridding the English language, as well as the other European and nonEuropean languages, of this blemish is something to crow

A

NEW online magazine, Ogavendor, has been launched to get news from different websites on various issues.

The website, which was launched recently is an introduction to a new, faster and much easier means of staying informed online. It has since then grown tremendously with many site visitors.

Ogavendor is a news aggregator website that was founded by two young computer science graduates after much market research and planning. The site, which is already gaining grounds and getting interest from the international community features news and juicy gossips on the go as well as stories on international brands that serve as business models.

The need for the site began when the team became

•From left: Dr Ping, Senator Nwachukwu and Dr Ukali.

about,” Omotoso said.

The second reviewer, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, represented by his son Umar, said there is the need to for stakeholders to change stereotypes of Africa being intellectually inferior.

Also to be fought against is the notion that most bad things are “black”, he said.

“There is a huge challenge in changing what has become the ‘systemic and systemically applied’ use of language that reflects an inferior/superior complex. This represents a challenge which could not be easily overcome. Still, that is the objective of the author of this book, to eliminate the ‘badness of black’ idea and mind-set.

“This, in my view, remains an uphill task but not an impossible one, if there is the political will and all stakeholders play active roles in changing these stereotypes,” Gambari said.

Immediate past Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Jean Ping, who was the keynote speaker, said “the outside world” has foisted on Africa a persistently negative assessment of its intellectualism, which has led to a loss of self-confidence by Africans and an apparent inability to break out of a state of “ideas-dependency”; worsened by the myth that “no good thing has, or can, come from Africa.”

According to him, the work of re-focusing African minds to accord greater value to African indigenous systems will be greatly lightened by visible improvement in the way African states manage their affairs.

“A political dispensation that sets a high store on the value of good leadership is, therefore, needed to elevate the image of Africa and bolster the effort of re-launching African intellectualism into the world of ideas, and re-directing it towards fostering African development,” he said.

Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Bola Akinterinwa, who represented Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, praised OSIFA for its bid to remove a lack of boldness in Africans about their ideas.

He said Africans should also be concerned about how they look at and present themselves to the world.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, who chaired the event, said a being black does not make a

Firm launches online magazine

By Nneka Nwaneri

aware of the amount of time Nigerians spend online and therefore decided to provide their visitors with all the current news on diverse topics in Nigeria from finance, politics to music and entertainment thereby creating a well rounded Nigerian that’s not only up to date in sports but also in entertainment and news.

person inferior. “The mere fact that you are black does not connote you are backward. That is so untrue,” he said.

He urged OSIFA to organise seminars to articulate ideas on how change such negative perceptions, which will be an opportunity to tell the world “that being black isn’t evil.”

“Let us join OSIFA in this drive,” he added.

A member of the foundation’s trustees, emeritus professor of forest ecology, David Ukiwe Ukali, said OSIFA aims to work to raise Africans’ boldness in participating in the world of ideas and help regain their confidence.

“OSIFA adds to these efforts the new dimension of concentrating on ideas development itself, by adopting a strategy and providing structures for promoting the generation and free flow of ideas in African societies, and by so doing not only promote the generation of ideas that will better inform our development and enhance the chances of our contributing to the global stock of ideas, but most importantly help to restore our confidence and reduce our dependence on other for ideas,” he said.

Former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof George Obiozor, said Africans must do what the Bible urges: Man, know thyself.

“Let the African achieve and create an environment of respectability. The Japanese and Indians went through it and they are over it. They have earned the world’s respect,” Obiozor, also a former Nigerian ambassador to Israel, said.

The former NIIA Director-Deneral called for a leadership that recognises talent and intellectualism. He decried a situation where anyone with a sound idea is seen as a threat to be eliminated rather than nurtured.

“If a mediocre is in charge, they bring everybody to their level of mediocrity, and if you don’t join in you become an enemy.

Here, we have leaders in search of enemies,” Obiozor said, emphasising that such thinking must end.

Professor of Zoology and former Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Anya O. Anya, who presented the book, said no society would succeed until they effectively apply their ideas.

“If you have a society that does not know what ideas are about, then you have a problem. Nigeria and Africa cannot get anywhere until they start facing their problems here,” he said.

According to one of its founders, 21-year-old John Adewusi, the advent and outburst of online content in Africa and Nigeria is imminent and that Nigerians have gone global in getting happenings around the world on their palm.

“At the heart of www.ogavendor.com lies a self-sufficient Nigerian news engine. This machine intelligence continually watches over and reads hundreds of different Nigerian web sites, including everything from major Nigerian news portals, to the tiniest blog or forum, pooling them together on one convenient online platform; thereby providing a well rounded coverage of all major happenings in Nigeria.” On this site you will get the latest headlines and news from sports, entertainment, politics and forums

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

POLITICS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Many indigenes and groups have endorsed Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola for a second term, owing to his performance in office in the last three years. On the live television programme, ‘Ogbeni Till Daybreak’, last Friday, the governor reviewed his achievements and hinted about his intention to seek re-nomination. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reports.

Aregbesola: Warming up for 2014

S

IX years ago, the people of Osun State voted for change. But the votes did not count for three years. From the ballot box, the liberation struggle shifted to the court room. The legal fireworks that ensued underscored the determination of the progressive politicians to halt the plot by the conservative bloc to drag the State of Living Springs to doom. Indisputably, it was the temple of justice that saved the state from electoral terrorism and retrogression.

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Governor Aregbesola inherited a state almost in ruin. The period between 2003 and 2010 was remarkable for pain and fear. Oyinlola Administration was full of tension. It was an administration swimming in the pool of legitimacy crisis.

Peace has deserted the state. Instead of borrowing a lead from the Aregbesola and his party manifestos, and working assiduously to the progress of the three senatorial districts, the key functionaries were only targeting the ACN family for liquidation. Some of them were hounded into detention. Some lost their lives. The symbol of the struggle was declared wanted. It was falsely alleged that he threw bombs at Osogbo, the capital.

At the yearly ‘Oroki Day’, he escaped death harrowingly when state agents pounced on his vehicle and supporters.

However, when his mandate was restored, reality dawned on Aregbesola that the struggle had just started. The euphoria that greeted that change of baton withered immediately in the face of the mounting challenges. The critical sectors were on their knees. Osun, which has the largest number of towns in the country, is one of the poorest states. But that misery had been compounded by the opulence of the interlopers. To clear the Augean table was non-negotiable. For the modern-day Oranmiyan, governance could not be a tea party.

The governor had to live by example.

His Spartan lifestyle became an advantage. His first step was to embarked on value engineering. One of the critical elements was the strategic reduction of the cost of governance. It smacked of selfsacrifice and denial to shun contentiousness, which the public office may inadvertently permit. Deliberately, he delayed the setting up of the cabinet of talents and other political appointments.

After six months, the state had N30 billion in its coffers. Aregbesola also blocked the financial loopholes. Corruption became a punishable offence. The inflation of contract cost became a thing of the past. Since the governor only came to serve and not to pillage the treasury, it was evident that only decent people who shared his vision could cope with his style and move at his pace.

Many doubted him when he promised to create 20,000 jobs in his first hundred days. Few believed him when he said that it was time to fight the infrastructure battle. Also, his intervention in the education and health sectors has rekindled the memory of Ige and Akande era. His ethical and moral crusades have sensitised the people to the value of virtue (Omoluabi). Many believe that the fruits would be savoured beyond his tenure. Not only has Osun become a huge construction site, the prudent management of scare resources have assisted in the erection of lasting legacies in the

•Aregbesola and his deputy, Mrs Laoye-Tomori... last Friday

‘Aregbesola also blocked the financial loopholes.

Corruption became a punishable offence. The inflation of contract cost became a thing of the past. Since the governor only came to serve and not to pillage the treasury, it was evident that only decent people who shared his vision could cope with his style and move at his pace’ state in the last three years.

These achievements have been lauded by many indigenes and groups who are now agitating for continuity beyond 2014.

Statesmen, professionals, traditional rulers and other observers have submitted that there has been a clean break from the sordid past. But these feats have also be dismissed by the detractors, opponents, and critics, particularly in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a camouflage and window dressing. Returning the salvo, the governor, who hinted about his intention to extend his service beyond next year, challenged them to a duel. “We enjoy the confidence of our people and we will defeat our opponents. We represent our people and there is no cause for fear”, he said.

Aregbesola rendered the account of stewardship at the weekend during the quarterly live television programme, ‘Ogbeni Till Daybreak’, at the Osun Centre for Arts and Culture, Osogbo. The event was between 10 pm and 5.50 am.

He was accompanied by his deputy, Otunba Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, who doubles as the Education Commissioner. The Secretary to Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Chief of Staff Gboyega Oyetola, Senator Babajide Omoworare from Ife/Ijesa District, state legislators, special advisers, traditional

•Chief of Staff Mr Gboyega Oyetola (left) and Secretary to the Government Alhaji Moshood Adeoti.

rulers, and party chieftains witnessed the programme.

It was a joint review of the ACN government by the governor and the people.

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. As Aregbesola got kudos for the jobs well done, the unfinished business of his administration was also laid bare.

To analysts, he cannot afford to rest on his oars. Various callers brought into the governor’s attention the problems of their towns and villages. The response to questions on the activities of the administration was not a one-man show.

Judging by the specific nature of the enquiry, the governor would ask the commissioner, permanent secretary, director or head of parastatal to make clarification.

The Commissioner for Information, Hon. Sunday Akere, who welcomed the people to the event, said that the essence of the programmes was to give opportunities to the indigenes to participate in governance. The unusual governor is administering the State of Osun in an unusual manner”, he said. He called on the people not to relent in supporting the administration to achieve more progress.

The governor promised to sustain the platform, which has offered unlimited opportunities for interaction and exchange of ideas between the government

and people.

Aregbesola reflected on the epic revolution in the education sector through the introduction of the ‘Opon Imo’. He explained that the goal was to ensure the democratisation of education. The governor also said that the move would guarantee access to digital technology.

“Never again will anybody be denied access to total learning”, he said, stressing that education, which should be total, qualitative and functional, should be the birthright of the youths.

The brain behind the tablet of knowledge is Kabiru, son of the governor. The governor had initially concealed this, until the ACN National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, heaped praises on him for donating his talent and service during its inauguration. Since then, critics have alleged that he got the contract from his father.

However, the younger Aregbesola only donated his skill and knowledge of informatics free of charge.

The governor explained with pride and fondness that, his son, who opted for informatics instead of medicine in a university in Cuba, has added value to his administration. “He is not the contractor”, he emphasised. It was another eye opener. Experts in the hall noted that it •Continued on page 44

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

POLITICS The ‘strong man of Ibadan politics’, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, passed on five years ago. OSEHEYE OKWUOFU writes on Oyo State politics in the post - Adedibu era.

O

Adedibu: Five years after

N Tuesday, June 11, 2013, family friends, and political associates of the late Ibadan politician, Chief Ariyibi Lamidi Adedibu gathered at his expansive Molete home. It was to mark the fifth anniversary of the demise of the late People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Oyo State. When he died in 2008 at the age of 81, Adedibu was not only a dominant figure on the political terrain, he had also distinguished himself as a grassroots man, a national party leader, acknowledged party mobiliser and a charismatic leader of the rural poor.

Apart from the fact that his political importance was widely acknowledged by politicians seeking elective positions, the impression created in some quarters was that of a man promoted violence and thuggery, an opportunist, and a very ambitious politician with a price.

Chief Adedibu’s 57 years of overwhelming influence in Oyo politics earned him many titles such as the “Alaafin Molete” “Field Marshal,” “Adedibully,” “Dry Fish;” “Controller of Politics in Oyo,” “the Ashipa of Ibadanland,” “the Exponent of Amala politics”, “The only Father of the PDP,” and “the Garrison Commander of Ibadan politics.”

But all that have gone with the politician, whose death was received with sadness and joy .

Though enthroned by the late Adedibu, the former Oyo State Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, shortly after the death of the politician, felt he could not carry on with the reign of terror that had taken over the state . He began a gradual withdrawal from the Adedibu political dynasty, a move which led to the subtle disarming of armed gangsters of the “garrison commander.” He could be said to have succeeded to a large extent before he was voted out of power in 2011. But Akala lacked the political will to rid the state of thuggery, brigandage, and violence since he was a product of the system.

Morally, many argued that Akala was

biting more than he could chew. The move by Akala to withdraw himself from a system of which he was a sole beneficiary, created a big crack in the PDP and the Adedibu’s political family. In no time, disaffection, bitterness and acrimony erupted within the ranks of party faithful and loyalists as many became aggrieved and marginalised .While some were said to have been pacified with huge sums of money by Akala, others fell out of the party and chose to pitch their tent with the ACN and Accord Party. The widow of Adedibu, Alhaja Bose, and the vestige of the political family that remained with Molete on the other hand, felt betrayed.

Many of the political office holders, who Adedibu single-handed put in office, deserted the family. As the saying goes, the centre could no longer hold and everything fell apart. The once bustling Molete home of the “great leader,” and “strong man of Ibadan politics” has since lost its boisterous character; it is now more like a grave yard. Adedibu’s home, formerly known as “Mecca”, the place is now deserted, leaving the widow and few family members to occupy the vast estate.

In his days, brigandage and thuggery held the state by the juggler. Many lost their lives and property, while others were raped, maimed and incapacitated .

Though, Oyo State Police Command always mobilized its highest intelligent agents to dismantle the Ibadan ruffians, an end to political thuggery in Oyo State was not in sight. Security became a nightmare. The state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers

•The late Adedibu

(NURTW) became an arm of the state government under the administration of Alao-Akala in his bid to secure a second term in office. it grew worse when the NURTW split into two factions. While Alhaji Lateef Akinsola a.k.a. Tokyo led one faction, the other was led by Alhaji Lateef Salako a.k.a. Eleweomo.

There was a growing need for good governance, infrastructural development, security of lives and property in the state.

The residents, outcry for security and peace grew. And this was demonstrated through the ballot box in the April, 2011, governorship election. It enthroned the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) flagbearer, Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi.

His election ushered in a fresh air of security in the state. Shortly after his swearing-in, Governor Ajimobi inaugurated

‘There was a growing need for good governance, infrastructural development, security of lives and property in the state. The residents, outcry for security and peace grew. And this was demonstrated through the ballot box in the April, 2011, governorship election. It enthroned the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) flagbearer, Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi’

the state security outfit code-named Operation Burst. The governor identified two critical areas that needed urgent attention. security and infrastructure development.

It was no longer business as usual. Many things began to fall in place as sanity was restored in governance. Political thuggery , brigandage, and violence were banished. And a new Oyo State emerged .

Since Adedibu’s demise, there are many repairs that have been carried out: Restoration of security of lives and property, inauguration of the Oyo State Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES) , beautification of Molete bridge, a place hitherto famous as heaven for thugs and social miscreants, the beautification of Iwo bridge, formerly reputed as the battle ground for factions of NURTW , construction of the Mokola bridge, the longest bridge in the state, and massive urban renewal , just to mention a few .

Many political thugs, who made their living from violence, have now been disarmed and rehabilitated into the good life. Now, peace, sanity and good governance reign in the state.

As family , friends, and well wishers celebrate the fifth anniversary of the late politician, the people of the state also joined in the celebration. But, a celebration of peace, good governance , serene environment and massive urban renewal.

The political phase, which the late Adedibu represented, whether good or ugly live for posterity.

Chief Lamidi Adedibu, the “Alaafin Molete” and “the Garrison Commander of Ibadan politics” was born into the Olupoyi chieftaincy ruling house at OjaOba, Ibadan, on October 24, 1927. He attended Mapo Elementary Primary School, Ibadan, and Ibadan High School. He served as Publicity Secretary to the defunct Action Group (AG) in the colonial period and later became the Chairman of Youth Wing of the party in Ibadan. In May 1956, Adedibu contested election into the Western Regional House of Assembly on the platform of the Action Group in Ibadan East Constituency and lost. In 1976, he was elected a councilor into Ibadan Municipal Government. After the failed campaign for the late General Sanni Abacha for life President, Adedibu later pitched his tent with the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) during the advent of democratic rule in1999. He regained the control of Oyo politics in 2003 with the emergence of Senator Ladoja who, he sponsored against the AD government of Alhaji Lam Adesina.

Aregbesola warming up for 2014 race

•Continued from page 43

is now instructive that children should be allowed to pursue courses of study based on interest and competence, and not on parental wish or pressure.

Apart from the allegation of personalisation of power, which the governor vehemently denied, the PDP has also accused him of incurring heavy debt. He dismissed the critics as economic illiterates. “The issue is not about debt, but what we are doing with the loans”, he said.

Aregbesola explained that when the soft-term loans were used for long term projects without any bearing on the social welfare, gap existed between expectation and reality. That debilitating effects, he pointed out, have been corrected by seeking for facilities to re-finance them, stop the project and embark on progressives programmes for development. The timeframe is then, used to process access to the capital market, he added. delving into statistics, the governor said that the state receives N3.6 billion monthly from the Federation Account, although periodically, money comes from the excess crude. Workers’ salaries would gulp N2.6 billion.

Thus, if the debt profile is assessed against the financial status of the state, there is no cause

for alarm because, as the governor put it, it is within the limit of N30 billion.

To underscore the administration’s commitment to proper financial management, the governor said that the state has paid the May salary for workers without receiving the April allocation. To those who thought that Aregbesola has not done well by refusing to distribute state money to party chieftains, he said that his camp of progressives are keen on service to the people, and not the appropriation of the resources for development. “To that extent, they are carried along. They (PDP) believes in appropriating.

That is not the essence of government”, he stressed.

In Osun State, the federal roads have become the governor’s burden. The people have been complaining to Aregbesola, who is within reach, instead of the distant Federal Government. The governor said that he could not ignore the demand for the reconstruction of the roads.

Whether the Federal Government refunds the money for the construction or not, he said that his administration would not look back.

However, Aregbesola clarified that the proposed MKO Abiola Airport, which is located between Ido-Osun and Ede, is be-

ing done by the state government. He quickly added that “it must be approved by the Federal Government”. The governor also clarified that the Federal Government’s approval does not affect its ownership.

The contract, which is handled

by Aerological Engineering Limited, is expected to gulp N4,5 billion. The project is also expected to be completed in February, next year. The governor said that the project will generate employment opportunities.

Recently, it was reported in the social media that the governor slapped his deputy, Mrs. Laoye Tomori. He expressed sadness over the fabrication, saying that “I and my loyal deputy have never quarreled before”. The governor said that, even at domestic level, he has never beaten his children, a duty he has allowed her wife, Sherifat, to perform. Besides, Aregbesola said that it would have been discourteous of him to descend so low to beat a woman and somebody who is older than him. “My deputy is a woman. She is older than me. How can I beat an elderly person”, he queried?

Aregbesola said that he would not be distracted by the enemies of the state and the people. He promised to focus on the developmental activities that have earned him the respect of the in-

digenes. One of them is the robust agricultural programmes, which has revolutionalised the sector. From these farms, government has been buying free eggs and meat for the pupils under the ‘O-Meal’ scheme. Mrs. Laoye-Tomori said the government is feeding 300,000 pupils daily, adding that this has led to increased enrolment. “The foods are from the state. 15,000 fowls are killed daily. They are from poultries in the state. We used 5,000 kilograms of fish to feed the children, in addition with 8,400 crates of egg weekly”, she said.

On the controversy over the ownership of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, which board is being chaired by Prof.

Wole Soyinka, the governor cleared the air. He said that the centre belongs to the state, and not the former governor. The case is in the court.

A caller from Owena complained that erosion was threatening the border town. His claim was not affirmed. The Special Adviser on Environment, Comrade Bola Ilori, explained that people being threatened by erosion are violators of the law who built their houses on the canals and swampy areas. He urged the people to be environment-

friendly. Government, he said, will not condone such violation.

On the local government allocation, Aregbesola said that his administration has not oppressed the local governments by starving them of funds. “We have allocation committee and the Head of Personnel Management are members. We look at the allocation to the state and local government and decide.

We devote the money to capital projects, especially the roads in the local governments”, he added. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Oluwadamilare, also explained that the activities of the committee are transparent.

Aregbesola maintained that he has served the state loyally. He said that his party will retain power in the next year election.

To him, the PDP has been bragging in this season of electioneering. He said they would be judged by the electorate in 2015.

He predicted success for the proposed party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Victory everywhere”, he said, when asked about the prospects of the APC and his expectation.

“The strength of the ACN is the Southwest, CPC the Northwest and ANPP the Northeast. We will come together and there will be victory”, he added.

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CELEBRATING AJUMOSE’S MARCH OF PROGRESS B M ff E L

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fi O O

TRANSFORMATION BRIDG E, MOKOLA, IBADAN

L O N B M ff

KET, SCOUT CAMP MARAN AD IB E, NG LE CHAL

PODO MOTOR PARK, IBADAN

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 25- 06-13

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Investors lose N225b as market slips again

OR every stock that recorded relatively marginal gain yesterday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), four other stocks suffered comparatively higher losses, underlining an overtly bearish market that ended with a loss of N225 billion in market values.

Aggregate market value of all equities on the NSE declined to N11.296 trillion from its opening value of N11.521 trillion, indicating the average loss of 1.96 per cent in market’s returns. The market had lost N194 billion on Monday as aggregate market value of all equities closed at N11.521 trillion as against its opening value of N11.715 trillion.

While the 48-stock losers’ list was dominated by highly capitalised stocks and considerable three-digit losses yesterday, there were only 12 gainers with the highest and only three-digit gain being 200 kobo.

By Taofik Salako

Total Nigeria led the decliners with a loss of N8.07 to close at N157. Cadbury Nigeria followed with a loss of N5 to close at N50. Nigerian Breweries trailed with a loss of N4.99 to close at N150.01.

PZ Cussons Nigeria dropped

by N4.50 to close at N40.50, while UAC of Nigeria declined by N4.25 to close at N53. Guinness Nigeria slipped by N4 to close at N251; Okomu Oil Palm dropped by N3.10 to close at N40, while Presco dwindled

by N2.39 to close at N34.50.

Seven-Up Bottling Company lost N1.95 to close at N52.50 while Unilever Nigeria placed tenth on the losers’ list with a drop of N1.39 to close at N55 per share.

Turnover remained on the average with exchange of 461.28 million shares valued at N5.4 billion in 7,377 deals.

Banking subsector remained the most active with a turn-

over of 259.86 million shares valued at N2.80 billion in 3,018 deals.

Meanwhile, Nestle Nigeria resisted the downtrend, leading the pack of contrarian stocks with its gain of N2 to close at N993. Northern Nigeria Flour Mills followed with addition of 59 kobo to close at N26.50. Champion Breweries chalked up 53 kobo to close at N5.85.

Dangote Sugar Refinery added 52 kobo to close at N10.35 while Ecobank Transnational Incorporated gained 49 kobo to close at N14.99.

Market analysts said the downtrend was a minor correction due to profit-taking activities from investors who had garnered substantial gains in recent period.

While they differed on the immediate prospects of the market, analysts were unanimous about the long-term fundamentals of quoted companies and the market structure.

Many analysts expect the downtrend to continue in the meantime, until several equities perceived to be overvalued bottom out and find new support levels.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 25- 06-13

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

55

MONEY LINK

Nigeria, others need Islamic financing, says Sanusi

N

IGERIA and other African countries need to tap into opportunities provided by Islamic Financing to fund infrastructure in the continent, the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said.

He said this yesterday in Abuja at a conference on Infrastructure Development through Alternative Funding (Islamic Finance) in Africa.

The governor was represented by his Special Adviser on Non-Interest Banking, Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar.

He said Islamic bonds called Sukuk, if well developed can serve

Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor)

as a financing option for the governments as is already evidence in countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and others.

“It is my believe that if properly structured, will compliment government’s efforts in infrastructure development,” Sanusi said.

Also at the event, former Managing Director of Jaiz Bank, Mustapha Bintube said Islamic banking has come to stay in Nigeria.

“In Nigeria, many people told me it was not possible but today, with a modest beginning, it is going to stay

CBN to banks: appoint women as board members

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all the banks in the country to appoint 30 women each as board members in their various financial institutions.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the on-going Ministerial Platform.

She said the policy will allow women to have easy access to loans and other financial support from banks.

Maina also disclosed that labour saving farming equipments for women farmers will soon be introduced and capital support provided to women farmers’ cooperatives and groups, to enhance their production and increase farm output.

She assured that the primary

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

healthcare facilities in the rural areas will be intensified to curb maternal and child mortality, breast and cervical cancers, HIV/AIDS and malaria.

Maina said that states’ executive, the legislature, traditional rulers, Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and community based organisations have been engaged to seek legal administrative reforms on the advancement of women, children, and vulnerable persons of the society.

She also restated women’s preparation for the 2015 general elections, saying that the ministry is concluding arrangements to resuscitate a ‘100 Women Lobby Group’ to swing into action and mobilise support for women in politics.

FCMB adopts Holdco structure •Appoints new MD

F

and it is going to make impact in the economy of this country,” he said.

The acting Managing Director of Jaiz Bank, Usman Hassan urged the federal government to conclude the development of the framework for the issuance of Sukuk in the country.

He said: “This is necessary because with Sukuk you cannot have failed projects and cannot be diverted.”

•Sanusi

Fashola backs cash-less policy

I

MPLEMENTATION of the cashless policy by banks would reduce their cash management cost, and enhance the speed of doing business, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has said.

The governor, who was represented by Lagos State Accountant General, David Sumoni, said this at the cash-less policy conference organised by Novo Limited and Reach Legal Consulting in Lagos.

He said transiting to cash-less society means moving to a system that is more efficient and safer. “ It is a system in which most transactions are conducted using electronic channels such as online transfers, mobile payment, debit cards among others,” he explained.

The governor noted that Lagos is at the forefront of the cash-less initiative as the CBN chose the state for the pilot of the policy.

He said there are various reasons why the transition to cash-less society can no longer be ignored, adding that it is easier to track online transactions, which ultimately prevent money laundering and other fraudulent practices.

By Collins Nweze

Fashola explained that the government has both participatory and supportive roles to play in the success of the transition to cash-less society and the first and important way through which this can be done is by implementing policies and laws that creates an enabling environment in which a cashless environment can thrive.

“In Lagos State, we have started passing legislation on the cash-less system. Primarily, we are trying to ensure that we have laws in place to protect both the users and the providers. A great concern for Nigerians is online security. Our laws have started evolving to cover electronic transactions and offer protection against electronic fraud.

“We are also empowering our security agents to investigate and prosecute internet fraud. We have to be a step ahead of hackers at all times. If the transition is to be successful, the average person on the street of Lagos must believe that it is safe to use a Point of Sale (PoS) terminal in his shop or enter his debit or credit card details to make online transactions,” he said.

DATA BANK

FGN BONDS Tenor

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

NIDF NESF

OBB Rate Call Rate

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 25-06-13

SYMBOL CHAMPION IHS ETERNA IKEJAHOTEL DANGSUGAR FIDELITYBK ETI NNFM LIVESTOCK AIICO

O/PRICE 5.32 1.82 3.10 0.74 9.83 2.86 14.50 25.91 4.89 0.87

C/PRICE 5.85 1.98 3.30 0.78 10.35 3.00 14.99 26.50 5.00 0.88

CHANGE 0.53 0.16 0.20 0.04 0.52 0.14 0.49 0.59 0.11 0.01

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) 149.7450 (S/N) Bureau de Change 152.0000 (S/N) Parallel Market 153.0000

MANSARD PZ WAPIC UBN NASCON NAHCO COSTAIN MAYBAKER CCNN CUSTODYINS

O/PRICE 2.20 45.00 1.00 11.90 11.66 6.07 1.42 2.55 10.53 1.65

C/PRICE 1.98 40.50 0.90 10.71 10.50 5.47 1.28 2.30 9.50 1.49

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

CHANGE 0.22 4.50 0.10 1.19 1.16 0.60 0.14 0.25 1.03 0.16

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

LOSERS AS AT 25-06-13

SYMBOL

IRST City Merchant Bank Plc has adopted a holding company structure in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN)’s directives that banks must operate in area that best suited them.

The lender has also appointed Mr Peter Obaseki as the new managing director, while Dr Jonathan Long retained his Chairmanship position.

The bank, in a statement, said it had completed all the regulatory and legal processes required to operate to set up a holding company and further operate its subsidiaries independent of the group.

It said the holding company, which henceforth will be known as FCMB Group Plc, would have three wholly-owned subsidiariesFirst City Monument Bank Plc, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, and CSL Stockbrokers Limited. It said other entities in the holding company will report to the three direct subsidiaries.

It said the shareholding in First City Monument Bank Plc have been exchanged one-for-one for FCMB Group as a result of the holding structure system.

The bank said: “Shareholders will continue to own all the subsidiaries 100 per cent including First City Monument Bank Plc, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, CSL Stockbrokers, Credit Direct Limited, FCMB United Kingdom Limited, Arab Gambian Islamic Bank Limited, First City Asset Management Limited and CSL Trustees Limited.”

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE INVE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY • ARM AGGRESSIVE

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 139.16 165.11 0.80 1.16 1.16 100.00 1,000.00 1,817.23 14.39 1.39 1.87 12,214.81

9.08 1.00 139.16 163.93 0.78 1.16 1.15 100.00 1,000.00 1,808.06 13.69 1.33 1.80 11,854.08

• KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUNDARM AGGRESSIVE • OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

56

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

57

NEWS

Tinubu’s daughter was mama’s wish, market leaders insist

M

ARKET men and women in Lagos State have unanimously debunked claims that former Governor Bola Tinubu imposed his daughter on them as the new leader.

Rising from a meeting yesterday, they said the choice of Tinubu’s daughter, was the wish of the governor’s late mother and Iyaloja-General, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji.

They told reporters that their late leader had requested before her demise that Mrs. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo be installed as her successor.

The Iyaloja-General of Mile 12, Alhaja Iyabo Ahmed; Iyalaje of Lagos, Alhaja Afolabi Bilkis and Babaloja-General of Lagos, Chief Wasiu Balogun, who spoke on behalf of the market leaders during the weekly meeting held yesterday, confirmed that it was the wish of their late leader and not an imposition from anyone and they wish to respect her wish.

Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo said the decision to make her the new market leader after the burial of her grandmother came to her as a shock, because it was never her plan to be a market leader, adding that she had her eyes on politics and was already preparing to contest for a

By Yinka Aderibigbe

political office in the next dispensation.

She said, if it was her wish to be a market leader she wouldn’t have bothered to equip herself academically as she had done, because you don’t need any degrees to be a market woman, but it was the wish of mama.

Mrs Tinubu-Ojo however promised to continue with the good legacy of her late grandmother and see to the improved welfare of market men and women.

She said: “It came to me as a shock when I was told mama said I should replace her, I did not set out to be a market leader, my intention was to contribute my own quota to the development of my community, and this I was preparing for by going into politics.

“In fact my plans are already on ground before I was approached with the decision and wish of mama. Even as close as I was to mama, she did not tell me herself, I was hearing this for the first time from them, I’m sure she disclosed this to people close to her. If I had known this would happen I would not have bothered with all the degrees I have.

“I refused initially, but my mothers, the market leaders,

Al-Makura: APC‘ll win 2015 polls

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ASARAWA State Governor Tanko Al-Makura is sure that the umbrella party for opposition political parties, the All Progressive Congress (APC), will sweep the 2015 general elections.

The governor spoke yesterday in Lafia, the state capital, when he received the Chairman, Merger Committee of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Alhaji Garba Gadi in Lafia.

He said: “With the synergy and brotherliness shown by the merger committee, the merger will succeed and APC will win all the forthcoming

elections.”

Al-Makura hailed the committee for its efforts at getting the assignment done. He promised his continued support to the committee to ensure the success of the merger.

“Not only the CPC, but also all Nigerians have seen the efforts of the merger committee,” he added.

Gadi praised the governor for his contributions to the merger.

He said: “Without your support, the merger committee would not have achieved the set objectives, and this would continue to be appreciated by all of us.”

insisted that mama’s wish be respected. I had no choice. They also said because of the good work of my father and my grandmother I must accept the offer. All these made me consider the offer.”

The market leaders who spoke one after the other during the meeting, pledged to continue in love and oneness, they also promised to keep the flag of the market leadership flying, as it was the wish of their late leader.

They equally promise to continue with the good legacy of Mama Mogaji and bring to bear all what Mama has taught them while alive, especially the welfare of all the market women and men in Lagos state and even beyond.

Alhaja Iyabo Ahmed, the Iyaloja of Mile 12 said they shall continue to do what is needful. “Now is the time for us to put to practice all what mama has been teaching us, to love, to care and to be in oneness, all these we shall do.

“Of course, the sanity of our market is also very important, no one needs to tell us we need to keep taking care of our markets, we have been preaching these, we will continue to talk and act it.”

This is the first meeting of the market leaders since the demise of Alhaja Mogaji.

State, which were closed for over a month after armed robbery attacks, may soon reopen to customers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that armed robbers, on May 14, raided three banks in the town, killing three

persons and escaping with unspecified amount of money.

NAN checks in Omu-Aran revealed that one of the banks has begun the renovation of the damaged portion of its building, especially the broken doors and vaults.

Funeral for Madam Adenuwe

•The late Mrs. Adenuwe

T

THE burial ceremony for the late Mrs Meriani Olorunnotemi Adenuwe, alias Iyaola, begins tomorrow with a Christian wake at her residence in Mushin La-

gos. Madam Adenuwe was 102.

On Friday, there will be a service for the deceased at Christ Divine Apostolic Church, Nigeria, Oke-Arin Street, Ilupeju. Interment follows immediately at Atan Cemetery, Yaba.

Guests will be entertained at New City Primary School, Opposite Keystone Bank in Palm Avenue, Mushin, Lagos.

The deceased is survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

T

HE Ekiti State Government has started paying the furniture allowance arrears of former local government officials, who served between June, 2011 and February, 2012.

The first phase of the payment, which would be concluded by the end of the week, covers over 143 people in 13 of the 16 local governments.

The 13 councils are: Ekiti East, Gboyin, Emure, Ikere, Ekiti Southwest, Efon, AdoEkiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ikole, Moba, Ilejemeje, Oye and Ido-Osi. Kicking off the payment yesterday in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area, the Deputy Governor, Prof.

Modupe Adelabu, said those in Ise/Orun, Ijero and Ekiti West local governments were captured in the second phase because they did not submit their information to the Ministry of Local Government Affairs on time.

She said the amount to be collected by beneficiaries vary because some councils had paid some of the allowance.

Ekiti East Council Chairman Sunday Atobaje thanked Governor Kayode Fayemi for the payment.

INEC to release parties’ guidelines today From Vincent Ikuomola and Nike Adebowale, Abuja

T •Al-Makura

According to him, the purpose of the visit was to express appreciation for the support and guidance Al-Makura gave the committee, which has enabled it to succeed.

Gadi urged APC governors and the party leadership to settle the issue of those who would lead the party, to enable it make progress.

Banks to reopen in Kwara community OME commercial banks one month after robberies in Omu-Aran, Kwara

S

Ekiti pays allowance of ex-council officials

The workers were seen putting finishing touches to the building at 8am to start transactions, probably by next week.

An official of one of the banks told NAN, on condition of anonymity, that the banks decided to reopen for business after assurances from stakeholders that there would be tight security.

“We have had series of meetings with relevant stakeholders on the way forward after the robbery incident and these had yielded positives results.

“I think the fruitful outcome of the meetings resulted in the renovation work you are witnessing now to facilitate commencement of banking transactions,” the NAN source said.

Mr Bidemi Olawuyi, Secretary, Omu-Aran Development Association, while reacting to the development, said the association had taken some measures to assist law enforcement agencies.

HE National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, yesterday said the outline of the guidelines for political parties will be released today.

The INEC chairman assured various parties that advanced copies of the final draft would be made available to them the same day.

Prof Jega spoke at the quarterly interactive session with political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said: “You are also aware that we discussed the outline of the guidelines for political parties. We took some of your inputs; the final draft has been finalised and a signed copy will be published.

“We will make advanced copies available for you tomorrow (today).”

The INEC chairman explained to the parties the reason for the recent restructuring by the commission, which affected several directors.

He said the radical change was aimed at ensuring improvement in competences of INEC workers ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Prof Jega said: “I know that a lot has happened after our last meeting. The commission did some restructuring and reorganising. The commission did this across the country to ensure that round pegs are put in round holes, to ensure improvement in competences ahead of the 2015 elections.”

The INEC chairman said the commission is determined to change the electoral process, adding: “The 2015 elections will be much more remarkable than the 2011 election.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26 2013

58

NEWS DPP’s report on slain UNIBEN student ready next week

L

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

EGAL advice of the Department of Public Prosecution on the killing of a final-year student of the University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu, would be ready next week.

The late Momodu was allegedly shot by the former Divisional Police Officer of Ogida Division, Mrs. Carol Afegbai and buried at the 3rd cemetery.

His body was exhumed, following a court order and a post-mortem examination was conducted on him.

The police, who earlier claimed that Ibrahim was killed in self defence, said it has ordered detention of Mrs. Afegbai’s orderlies and sent the case file to the DPP. Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General Henry Idahagbon yesterday said the DPP’s report would be available between July 1 and 6.

Idahagbon said the DPP has been overhauled to ensure that legal opinions are ready within 30 days.

He said the over 300 cases awaiting legal opinion for over six years have been cleared.

“That UNIBEN student case was brought on June 7. On or before July 7 the legal opinion will be ready.

“Because we discovered that we lacked the human capacity to handle the cases, the governor approved the appointment of private lawyers to handle the cases on our behalf.

“It was after clearing the Augean stable that we established a rule that no legal opinion should stay more than 30 days. Since my appointment, we have ensured that.”

Ex-minister’s son remanded in prison for stealing her jewelry

T

HE police yesterday arraigned Richard Tallen, son of a former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs Pauline Tallen, before an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing his mother’s jewelry.

Richard, 30, was arraigned on a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, house breaking and theft contrary to Sections 97, 346 and 287 of the Penal Code.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutor Abiola Oyewusi told the court that Richard conspired with others, now at large, and broke into his mother’s room at her private residence at Kobia Close, Wuse, Abuja.

He said the incident occurred on June 13.

Oyewusi alleged that the accused, who is the only son of the politician, and his accomplices succeeded in carting away jewelry and other valuable items worth millions of naira.

The prosecutor said that during police interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted committing the alleged crime.

Oyewusi objected to bail for the accused because investigation was ongoing and the remaining accused still at large.

“We are strongly opposing the bail of the accused because the offences he is charged with are not ordinarily bailable.

“We ask the court to give the police two weeks to finish their investigation and to try to arrest the remaining ones at large to face prosecution,” he said.

Senior Magistrate Bashir Alkali, refused the application for bail and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

He adjourned the case to July 10, for hearing.

My regrets, by prisoner who is to face firing squad A DEATH row prisoner in Edo State, ThankGod Ebohs, whose execution was delayed on Monday, has said his only regret was his inability to see the three children delivered to him by three women.

He is to die by firing squad but his execution was delayed because the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal was abolished in Edo State in 1999.

Ebohs spoke to reporters in 2010 inside the Benin Prisons when he joined other inmates to enrol in an educational facility provided for inmates by a philanthropist, Patrick Eholor.

Four death row prisoners- Chima Ejiofor, Daniel Nsofor, Osarenmwinda Aiguokhan and Richard Igagu- were executed by officials of the Nigeria Prison Services after a High Court ruling against their appeal.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Henry Idahagbon said Ebohs was convicted in Kaduna by a Robbery and Firearms Tribunal for robbery, rape and murder.

Idahagbon told reporters that Ebohs robbed a family, raped the wife and forced a bottle into his victim, which led to her death.

Ejiofor killed a child delivered to him out of wedlock by a Bini woman .

The commissioner said: “Chima was a spare parts dealer in Benin. He impregnated an Edo woman and

T

EU, UK blast Edo

HE European Union and the United Kingdom have condemned the execu tion of four prisoners in Edo State.

Judgment was delivered against the four inmates on Monday in the legal suit instituted by Legal Defence and Assistant project (LEDAP) on behalf of the affected inmates at the Federal High Court, Benin Division.

United Kingdom’s Africa Minister Mark Simmonds said: “I am deeply saddened that four prisoners were executed in Edo State on Monday. These executions, the first since 2006, end Nigeria’s seven year moratorium on the death penalty.

“This is a serious setback for human rights in Nigeria, coming only a few months before the Universal Periodic Review of Nigeria by the UN Human Rights Council.

“We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances. There is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value. It is particuFrom Osagie Otabor, Benin

had a child.

“Several years later, he went back to his village and married an Ibo woman.

During Christmas, he invited the child to spend the holiday with him.

“When the child came, he killed him, saying he does not want to have a child out of wedlock.”

Osarenmwinda was said to have killed his victim and dismembered the body, which he buried in several places to avoid detection.

Idahagbon advised those

From Vincent Ikuomola and Nike Adebowale, Abuja

larly concerning that there are reportedly around 1,000 prisoners currently under sentence of death in Nigeria, and I would urge the Nigerian authorities to halt any further executions”.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, Ms Catherine Ashton, said: “I recognise the serious nature of the crimes involved and express my sympathy to the families and friends of the victims.

“However, executions can never be justified. I reiterate the longstanding opposition of the European Union to the use of the death penalty and recall the importance of UN Resolutions calling for the establishment of a moratorium as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty.”

against death penalty to channel their grievances to the National Assembly for an amendment of the law on murder and robbery.

He said: “These are gory murders carried out by hardened criminals. If a person is convicted for robbery, the only thing the judge can give is the death penalty.”

Ebohs said he chose to learn to broaden his knowledge.

He said he had three children from various mothers but had not seen them since he was incarcerated.

“My parents are dead.

Nobody has ever visited me. I am a musician. I have three children from various women.

“I have not seen any of them and I don’t know their whereabouts.”

He said it was the military decree that anybody found with arms and robbery is sentenced to death.

On why Ebohs was not executed, Idahagbon said the law prescribed the methodology of the killing and that no other method could be used as the prison has only the hangman’s noose.

Why we sacked 13 dons, by UNIBEN

T

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

HE University of Benin (UNIBEN) yesterday gave an insight into why it sacked some senior members of staff. It said they were sacked for admission racketeering, changing of students’ grade and collection of money from students for several services.

Those affected included a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, two doctors from the Department of Mathematics, three lecturers from the Department of Production Engineering and History and International Studies, a lecturer from the Optometry Department and four lecturers from the Department of Microbiology.

A university source said one of them forged signatures of principal officials to secure employment for some persons.

A statement by the institution’s spokesman, Harris Osarenren, said the officials were dismissed for misconduct.

He said the workers were sacked after the Governing Council approved their dismissal, following recommendations of a disciplinary committee.

Non-academic staff affected included those in the security unit, a clerical officer and a worker in the office of the vice chancellor.

Civic centre for Idanre people

C

HAIRMAN of Media Link Limited, Chief Babu Akinbobola, has called on Idanre, Ondo State indigenes to support the community’s effort to build a befitting civic centre.

Akinbobola, was recently appointed as the chairman of Idanre Civic Centre Committee (ICCC), by His Royal Majesty, Oba Fredrick Aroloye, Owa of Idanre Kingdom. The committee has a unique assignment to rally all Idanre indigenes both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to be part of the historic move to build a befitting Civic Centre for Idanre.

In 1935, Idanre indigenes contributed six pence each to build our present Town Hall which now serves as the High Court, behind LA Field.

The names of individuals and families that contributed the money are still available till today in an archival register in the palace.

78 years later, Idanre is on the threshold of history.

At its inaugural meeting in Lagos recently, the ICCC chairman said the committee will “ take a cue from our illustrious past. In other words, instead of organizing some effusive fund raising bazaars, we have chosen to galvanize our people to fund this project.

Consequently, every male adult is mandated to pay N2, 000 while female adult is levied N1,000.

•A nursing mother, Emem NseNnana, with her daughter, Godsliving, at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA’s) cell in Akwa Ibom State.

PHOTO: KAZEEM IBRAHYM

S

Aspirants warm up for PDP national secretary

OUTHWEST Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains aspiring to the position of the national secretary have begun consultations ahead of the mini-national convention billed for Abuja on July 27.

The intense lobby for the slot followed the declaration

by Zonal Caretaker Committee led by Chief Ishola Filani that members were free to contest for the position. The slot is zoned to the Southwest.

The former National Secretary, Brig-Gen. Olagunsoye Oyinlola (rtd) was shoved aside from the National Executive Council (NEC) last year. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not void his election, there are indica-

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Group Political Editor

tions that he may not regain the seat, unless he re-contests at the proposed convention.

PDP sources said that the former aspirants, including Chief Tunde Daramola (Lagos State), Prof. Tunde Adeniran (Ekiti), Prof. Taoheed Adedoja and Chief Ebenezer Babatope (Osun), may revive their ambitions. Another source said that some party leaders may ask the political scientist, Prof.

Femi Otubanjo, who has donated his expertise to the party on many occasions, to declare interest. However, party insiders said that these party elders are not desperate, adding that they may still step down for Oyinlola again at the convention.

A party leader from Lagos said: “Those who opposed Oyinlola came majorly from Ogun State because they felt that, as a member of the Obasanjo camp, he was not favourable disposed to the authentic state executive committee led by Adebayo Dayo.

Also, pro Ayo-Fayose forces opposed Segun Oni and faulted his emergence as the National Vice Chairman at the Osogbo zonal congress. Both may still return in the spirit of reconciliation”.

At yesterday’s meeting of the PDP elders in Lagos hosted

by Commodore Olabode George (rtd), it was decided that the contest for the postion should be thrown open. This option may have ruled out the prospects of consensus candi-

dacy, the source added.

At the meeting, where the elders asked the Board of Trustees (BoT) members from the zone to demand for more federal appointments, it was resolved that the zone should prepare for the 2014 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states so that PDP can bounce back into relevance.

However, despite the tone of the communiqué, which hammered on unity and cohesion, it was clear the meeting fell short of expectation. A party elder from Lagos who shunned the meeting complained that it was convened to rubbish the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who is said to be having some unresolved issues with the national leadership.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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NEWS

Detained bus driver’s dad to judge: have mercy on us

By Precious Igbonwelundu

T

HERE was a drama at a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, yesterday.

The scene was created when the father of a commercial bus driver, Quadri Kasali, who has been denied bail since March 5 last year for allegedly attempting to kill a Lagos judge, Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, prostrated before Justice Christopher Balogun, pleading for mercy.

Aderemi Kasali, who said he has been coming to court from Abuja, where he works as a driver, threw himself on the floor, begging the judge, who ordered his orderly to take the old man out.

The man, who lamented outside the courtroom, said: “I have been coming to court since last year from Abuja. My son, Quadri, has been in detention. I come from Abuja where I work as a driver and each time I travel to Lagos, I borrow money. I am begging Justice Balogun and Justice Adebajo to forgive us.

They should have mercy on my son and let us go. We do not have power and we don’t know anybody. They should just have mercy on us.”

Balogun at the last hearing dismissed a bail application filed on behalf of the defendant, but assured an accelerated hearing on the case and adjourned for the commencement of trial.

Although counsel to the defendant, Oludare Falana, at the resumed hearing urged the court for an adjournment on the grounds that he has filed an application seeking the dismissal of the charge against Kasali, as well as the fact that the prove of evidence from the prosecution has just been served on him and he needed to study it, Justice Balogun rejected the prayer and stood the matter down for 15 minutes to enable the defence study the proof of evidence.

After 15 minutes, Adamson called out the first witness and the Personal Assistant (PA) to Adebajo, Adedayo Akinseye, to give evidence.

Led in evidence, Akinseye told the court that he did not see when the defendant hit the judge but only heard people shouting “he has killed him.”

He said he was in the car with Justice Adebajo and the driver on their way to Falomo, and on getting to Moloney Street, a commercial bus blocked the road.

“I told the bus driver that he was causing traffic jam, but he asked me if he should fly.

“Justice Adebajo then alighted from the Ford Everest Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and told us to meet him in front. He went through the back and minutes later I heard people shouting, ‘he has killed him’.

“I jumped out of the car and saw the commercial bus speeding off. I ran after him but came back to the scene of the incident and helped Justice Adebajo back to the car.

“We drove to the General Hospital on Lagos Island, where we were directed to see a radiologist for an X-ray. The result showed that Justice Adebajo’s left hand had been fractured and dislocated.

“It was in the hospital that the commercial bus driver came to plead and he was about to be beaten up when Justice Adebajo ordered that he should not be beaten,” he said.

•Abia State Governor Theodore Orji (second left) cutting the tape to open the office complex for the Ministry of Justice in Umuahia. With him are Deputy Governor Emeka Ananaba (second right), Acting Chief Judge Justice Shedrach Nwanosike (left) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Emma Nwaka .

Jonathan rejects State of Nation P Address bill RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday declared the State of the Nation Address bill passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to him for assent as unconstitutional.

Jonathan said some clauses of the bill contradict provisions of the constitution, especially Section 67.

The President also said the bill offends the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in the constitution.

He returned the bill and proposed some amendments to enable him sign it.

The President, in a letter read by the Senate President, David Mark, said certain sections of the bill should be altered in line with constitutional provisions.

He said the constitution has provided for the kind of address the National Assembly wanted in the bill.

The President said: “I am of the opinion that the 1999 Constitution has made ample provision for the kind of address contemplated by this bill.

‘It would therefore amount to a duplication to enact legislation on the same subject matter.

“This is more so as the pro-

•Backs autonomy for local councils From Onyedi Ojiabor, Sanni Onogu, Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

posed legislation seeks to circumscribe the President’s discretion regarding whether or not he should attend the joint meeting of the National Assembly, the time to present the address.

“This is inconsistent with the doctrine of separation of powers and the letter and spirit of the constitution.”

Jonathan insisted that bringing into force another law on the issue would amount to a duplication of legislation.

The President said assenting to the bill would be subject to the incorporation of some amendments that would bring it in conformity with the dictates of the constitution, especially the discretion conferred on the President by Section 67 of the constitution.

He proposed the redraft-

ing of Clause 1 (2) to make it more flexible by substituting it to read: “The State of the Nation Address shall be delivered to a joint sitting of the National Assembly within 30 days of the commencement of the legislative year.”

On clause 3, which empowered the National Assembly to summon the President, where he decides not to make the address, Jonathan said it should be substituted with a clause that conforms to the language of the constitution.

According to him, the clause should rather read: “Where for any reason the president is unable to present an address in accordance with Section 1 of this Act, the President shall in writing, inform the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and either designate the Vice President to present the address on his behalf or transmit to the President of the Senate and the

Speaker of the House of Representatives, the text of the Address”.

Jonathan urged the Senate to amend clause 5 to read that “The National Assembly shall have power to regulate its procedure with respect to the provisions of this Act.” The President asked for deletion of clause 6 as it would no longer be consisted with the proposed amendment to clause 3 above.

The Senate last month passed the State of the Nation Bill into law.

The law sought to mandate the President to address a joint sitting of the National Assembly on the general state of the nation once in a year.

The President backed the National Assembly on the quest to grant local government councils financial and political autonomy.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, said the quest for local government autonomy was not negotiable as it was the very essence of true federalism.

Jonathan’s position was forwarded by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Pius Anyim.

Tambuwal decries ‘internal autocracy’ in parties

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HE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has decried “Alien political doctrines” that are likely to cause disaffection among Nigerians.

Tambuwal, in a speech titled: “In togetherness we deliver on our mandate,” delivered during the opening of the third session of the Seventh House yesterday said such doctrines are not only alien to democracy but are also destructive to peaceful social co-existence in a civilised society.

The Speaker, who was responding to criticisms that he was fraternising with the opposition, flayed those he described as a new group championing “the obnoxious cause of the deepening of internal party autocracy and demagoguery,” He said: “Preparatory to 2015, many have started introducing political doctrines that are alien to democracy and destructive to peaceful social co-existence in a civilised society, they are busy

•Says sycophancy is not loyalty

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

fanning the embers of partisan hatred and strife.

“According to this new doctrine, it is a political offence for a member of one party to greet someone in another party. It is indeed a heinous crime for one to visit, attend the funeral, birthday, coronation, wedding or any such ceremony of someone in an opposing political party.

“The proponents of this shameful doctrine not only offend our sensibilities, they constitute an affront on democracy and civilised co-existence and must be halted before they damage our polity.

“My dear colleagues, we refuse to be students of this school of thought.”

Tambuwal made a distinction between politics and governance, saying there is a great difference between a candidate and an elected official.

His words: “At this juncture, I am persuaded to state once again that from the lit-

tle that we know, there is dichotomy between politics and governance.

“Thus, there is a difference between a candidate of a party and an elected official, who has assumed a non-partisan responsibility and taken oath to protect and preserve the constitution, to serve the people and the nation. “ Needless to say that generally, whenever partisan interests conflict with national interest it is partisan interests that must be sacrificed in the preservation of the national interest.

“The oath we took is that of constitutionalism and national service and not of suffocating partisanship.

“Again, while we are clamouring for the deepening of democracy, including internal party democracy, there has arisen a new group championing the obnoxious cause of the deepening of internal party autocracy and demagoguery. This is inexcusable and indeed reprehensible at

this time in our history. Dissent is a healthy element in any democratic setting and those who equate loyalty to sycophantic follower-ship not only miss the point but put democracy at risk.

“For our part we should continue the struggle for promotion of the building of strong institutions rather than strong men both at the level of government as well as political parties.

“That is where the salvation of our democracy and indeed our nation rests.

“It is also appropriate to remind ourselves that beyond the challenges routine to our functions as legislators, an even bigger challenge is fast approaching. I am referring to 2015 and the gathering clouds of politicking: first we must resist the temptation to beat the gun, we have an electoral umpire whose gun sound we must await; secondly we must resist being distracted from the execution of our mandate.

He enjoined members to prepare to work hard to pass critical bills awaiting passage.

‘Be safety conscious’ From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

RIVERS State Commissioner for Special Duties Dickson Umunakwe yesterday advised residents to be safety conscious.

He said careless handling of inferno could endanger lifeand property.

The Commissioner, who expresses sadness over the recent fire that killed a family of six, said residents should be safety-conscious.

Fake naira notes flood Abakaliki markets From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

MARKETS in Ebonyi State, especially those within the capital city of Abakaliki, are now flooded with fake naira notes by a suspected syndicate.

It was gathered that the syndicate takes advantage of unsuspecting businessmen and women they transact business with and exchange the fake notes with genuine notes.

Investigations by our reporter showed that a suspect, Obaji Chijoke, was arrested at Nkaliki market in Abakaliki Local Government Area after paying for a disc he bought from Nwite Izuchukwu with a fake N1,000 note.

“The CD is sold for N100 and he (Chijioke) was expecting a balance of N900 of genuine currency notes,” a source said.

Izuchukwu was said to have examined the N1,000 note to know if it was genuine.

When he discovered that it was fake, he raised the alarm which attracted other traders, who handed the suspect to the police.

It was further learnt that when the police searched Chijioke, N25,000 fake notes were discovered in his pocket.

Police spokesman Igbo Sylvester said the money recovered from the suspect was fake, adding that they were still investigating the matter.

Igbo advised traders and other service providers to be cautious of the type of currency they receive.

“Traders and other service providers should be on the look out to avoid the counterfeiters from disseminating fake currency notes in Abakaliki,” he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

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NEWS Special Forces capture 11 Boko Haram chiefs Continued from page 4

“The force, which has been tasked in support of the implementation of the State of Emergency, is conducting operations to stop terrorism and to restore normalcy to the security situation in Northeastern part of the country.

The team also visited troops’ location in various parts of Borno and Yobe states. Interacting with the troops inside Sambisa forest, the team leader, and Director of Operations in the Defence Headquarters, AVM M. O. Faloyin, conveyed the greetings and commendation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), whom he said was very proud of the troops.

“He said the CDS was satisfied with the high level of successes so far recorded in the operation and thanked them for a job well done, urging them not to rest on their oars until the entire region was fully sanitised and cleared of all terrorists activities. The team also assured the troops of regular logistic supplies while the mission lasts.

“Briefing the team earlier, the Commanding Officer narrated the conduct of the operation to rid the forest of the insurgents who had made the location their sanctuary. “ He said some notorious leaders of the terrorists have been captured while some materials recovered in the camp have also provided useful intelligence for subsequent operations.

“The team was shown the various weapons, including rockets, and locally fabricated weapon accessories captured in the forest. Other items include a large number of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) making materials, among others.

“Other items, such as laptops,

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mobile communication equipment (GSM phones), used for shooting and posting online videos, locally made rockets and rocket launchers were among several items seized by the JTF from the arrested terrorists and displayed for the team to see.

“Also, seized vehicles of different brands were shown to the team. Several vehicles destroyed by the terrorists as well as their tailoring equipment, apparently used for producing fake uniforms, were also shown to the team. “ The Commanding Officer also said that the unit also incurred some casualty in men and equipment. According to him, the troops are currently engaged in night and day patrols of the area to dominate the forest and apprehend any terrorist who may be lurking around.”

Security funds may soon be on the first line charge in the nation’s budget. This move is to ensure that the armed forces and security agencies in the country are proactive in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.

This was an outcome of a fourhour closed-door meeting between the Service Chiefs and members of the House of Representatives yesterday over the security situation in Borno, Yobe

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and Adamawa states where a state of emergency was declared by the Federal Government.

Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim led the military brass to the meeting. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Immigration, Customs, Prisons and the Police were at the briefing for lawmakers.

Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Victor Ogene said the interaction was on a need-toknow basis.

He told reporters that considering the relative restoration of peace achieved by the armed forces and security agencies in Yobe and Adamawa states, members of the House had been informed that the curfew may be relaxed during the Ramadan.

He said the House while endorsing the emergency declaration of President Goodluck Johathan said it would monitor the events closely and that the meeting with the Service Chiefs was a fulfillment of that promise.

According to ,Ogene, 13 Boko Haram camps, which served as the operational bases of the sect were now in the custody of the armed forces and security operatives.

“They are in charge of places where the symbol of Nigeria has

been supplanted and now the green-white-green has been restored in those places.”

On challenges being faced by the security forces, the lawmaker said one of such challenges is distinguishing between Nigerians and Nigeriens because there are six states that are Kanuri speaking.

While praising the armed forces and security agencies for restoring peace in the affected areas, he assured them of the continued support of the House.

“The leadership of National Assembly is working on an amendment and funding for security. In the proposed amendment, it will be on first-linecharge. In fact, they will get the money before the sharing,” he added.

Ogene added: “We’ve found that there is institutional and infrastructural decay. Men of the Nigerian Customs and Immigration who are at the border don’t have houses. Whatever is being budgeted should get to them and be used for what it is meant for.”

He added, “We also wanted to know where the funding for these nefarious acts is coming from. All in all, it was a useful interaction which we will engage in from time to time.

Tinubu to Ladoja, Akala: anti-Ajimobi plot ‘ll fail Continued from page 4

were singing and drumming to celebrate what they described as monumental achievements of the administration.

Okorocha praised his Oyo State counterpart for transforming the state, particularly Ibadan where he said he built one of his schools taking care of indigent students.

Amosun congratulated the people of Oyo State for voting a “performer’’ as the governor, saying the result of their decision is the all-round transformation being witnessed in the state.

Goodwill messages were also given by Mrs Orelope-Adefulire and the National President of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero, among others.

Ajimobi said the bridge was a dream come true and a historical mileage in the state.

He berated the opposition whom he said embarked on a campaign of calumny since the day the construction of the bridge began. He urged them all to acknowledge excellence wherever they saw one.

The governor said: “I re-

Amaechi to Rivers CP: shoot me if you wish

LTERCATIONS between Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and State Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu continued yesterday, with the former challenging the latter to shoot him if he so desires.

Amaechi’s challenge came in the wake of allegations by local government chairmen that the police stopped their people from paying solidarity visits to Amaechi at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Recently, Amaechi accused the police chief of compromising the state’s security by allegedly leaking secrets to outsiders.

Mbu described the governor as a tyrant, who lacked respect for constituted authority.

The governor, who spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt where he hosted some supporters, led by Senator Wilson Ake from Orashi zone, vowed to defy the ‘no-rally order’ made by the police.

Amaechi said yesterday, while

From Bisi Olaniyi and Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

receiving Orashi people: “You (people of Orashi region of Rivers State) are by far stronger than me. I got a report yesterday (Monday), very late at night that police planned to stop you. You should have recorded them, so that we can show to the world, how much a tyrant the commissioner of police is.

“Let us assume you are coming to protest; the commissioner of police cannot say he banned protest, when it is part of your fundamental human rights, which are in the constitution. His personal order is now superior to the Constitution.

“We have been suffering. We are now in a police state in Rivers state. If they blocked the entire Orashi region, and not allowing more than a million persons, from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Abua/Odual, Ahoada East and Ahoada West LGAs. All police-

men in Rivers State put together are not more than 17,000. With their guns, they tried to stop you.

What you showed them is called people’s power.

“That you came out, despite the fact that the police blocked all the roads, looking for people in buses and stopping them from driving out. That you still passed that road and came here, you are stronger than me. You are more courageous than me.

“Part of the fight we are getting now is because of our desire to protect our oil resources. There are politicians who have played politics with us. In the past eight years, they have not been part of government and poverty has set in.

“The danger in letting them to take power is that for four years, they will not be able to do anything, because for eight years, they have got nothing. By the time they finish chopping and remember that you are alive, it will be four years. They have

been out for eight years and they cannot wait to come in. Promise me, we will stop them.

“They can bring 50 commissioners of police. They can bring 50 Mbus. Mbu can live in their house. Just promise me that the people’s power will defeat them the way you defeated them this (yesterday) morning. It does not matter, how much they want to come in. Only the people can defeat them.

“They have not taken your (Orashi) oil wells yet. They have taken oil wells from Etche people. They have taken from Kalabari people. They have taken from the Andoni. There is a claim by our sister state in Egbema and we also have boundary with Delta state. How do we know they will not claim from the Delta area?

“How do we know that if we close our eyes, the ones they are claiming in Egbema, they will not take them from us? You can never tell, how we will be losing our oil wells everyday.

“If I speak, they will say we are against government. Should I sleep as governor of Rivers State and be watching them?

“Orashi region, for now, is one of the highest producers of crude oil in Nigeria and we ask the Federal Government to do something around there. What have they done? That is our argument.

But the Rivers police yesterday denied stopping people from paying solidarity visit to the governor.

Spokesperson Mrs. Angela Agabe, said the allegation that supporters of the governor were barred from entering Port Harcourt, was incorrect.

She dismissed the allegations by the state government and some council chairmen that policemen stopped indigenes of four local government areas from paying solidarity visit to

member that on Thursday, December 22, 2011, when we flagged off the construction of this flyover, we provoked the unbelief and disdain of cynics and political opposition. To them, the construction of the bridge was akin to building the biblical Tower of Babel, with its impossible tendencies.

“Even when the bridge was being constructed, we became the butt of jokes of the opposition who, either out of mischief, naivety or their wellknown cynicism, mocked the absence of an erect bridge, months after its flag-off. Unknown to them, the essential components of the bridge, being mostly pre-fabricated, were undergoing construction in the company’s yard. Now that the bridge has been completed, they have shifted their mischief to the cost of the project, choosing to ignore the comprehensive features of the project which, among others, include the upgrading of 1.2km long service roads and intersections, beautification of roundabout and space under the flyover, construction of new water mains, street lighting and the payment of compensation to the numerous property owners whose properties in this commercial centre of the city were affected.”

‘No final decision on £3,000 visa bond’ Continued from page 4

Nigeria it would affect only a very small number of the highest risk visitors. The vast majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa.

“Let me put this in perspective. Over 180,000 Nigerians apply to visit the UK each year.

About 70% or around 125,000, of those applicants are successful.

Travel between our two countries is a key part of our strong cultural and business relationship. Financial bonds would be focussed on only a tiny minority of potential abusers. It would NOT be a “£3000 visa charge” as some media reporting has alleged.

“As soon as more details of the policy have been decided, we will inform the Nigerian Government and public fully and officially, in the spirit of our long standing friendship, and our wish to help bona fide Nigerian visitors to work, study or do business in the United Kingdom.”

Villa dinner won’t stop NGF Continued from page 4

President. We have not seen a copy of the book and no one could tell us the title.

“It is all about plot to divide the governors and stop proAmaechi members of the NGF from holding their meeting. We are however ready for this session.”

Continued on page 63

APC names interim NEC Continued from page 4

ternative in 2015.”

On the legal action instituted against the registration of APC, the source said: “We do not lose sleep over it because those behind it have no genuine case.

“We have done our best to follow all the laid down regulations for registration; we are hopeful that we have met all necessary criteria.

Responding to a question, the source added: “We are already forwarding the list of the Executive Committee to INEC. “Hopefully, between now and Friday, everything should be in shape. INEC gave us 30 days, after submission of our letter of registration, to raise our Executive Committee.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

NEWS India floods: Uttarakhand helicopter crash kills eight EIGHT people have been killed in northern India when a rescue helicopter involved in flood relief efforts crashed near a pilgrimage site.

The Indian Air Force says five crew members and three civilians died when the helicopter hit the side of a mountain and fell into a river.

It was on a rescue mission near Gaurikund in the state of Uttarakhand.

The army is leading the evacuation of thousands of stranded people, including pilgrims visiting holy sites.

More than 800 have died in the flooding so far.

Officials fear the death toll could rise as more bodies are recovered from remote areas. About 97,000 people have been rescued since devastating floods hit the state on 15 June.

Early monsoon rains in India are believed to be the heaviest in 80 years.

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USSIAN President Vladimir Putin confirmed yesterday that a former United States (U.S.) spy agency contractor being sought by the U.S. was in the transit area of a Moscow airport, ruling out handing him over to Washington.

He also dismissing U.S. criticisms as “ravings and rubbish”.

His refusal to hand back Edward Snowden risked deepening a rift with the United States that has also sucked in China and threatens relations between countries that may be essential in settling global conflicts including the Syrian war.

China rejected U.S. criticism for letting Snowden flee the Chinese colony of Hong Kong as “baseless”.

In his first public comments on Snowden since the fugitive flew in on Sunday, Putin said

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Putin snubs U.S. Snowden request the 30-year-old American was in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, not having gone through passport control, was free to leave and should do so as soon as he could.

Snowden has applied for asylum in Ecuador but Quito has said it is still considering the application and the United States is trying to persuade the governments of countries where he might head to hand him over.

“He has not crossed the state’s border, and therefore does not need a visa. And any accusations against Russia (of aiding him) are ravings and rubbish,” Putin told a news conference during a visit to Finland.

Making clear Moscow saw no

gain in extraditing Snowden, he said: “It’s like giving a baby pig a haircut: there’s a lot of squealing, but there’s little wool.”

“We can hand over foreign citizens to countries with which we have an appropriate international agreement on the extradition of criminals. We don’t have such an agreement with the United States ... Thank God, Mr. Snowden committed no crimes on the territory of the Russian Federation.”

His words appeared a direct rebuff to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking only hours earlier.

“It is accurate there is not an extradition treaty between Russia and the United states, but there are standards of behaviour between sovereign

nations,” he said, in Jeddah.

The U.S. State Department said diplomats and Justice Department officials were talking to Russia, suggesting they sought a deal to secure his return to face espionage charges.

Snowden, charged with disclosing secret U.S. surveillance programs, left Hong Kong for Moscow on Sunday and the WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group said he was headed for Ecuador.

Journalists camped out at the airport have not spotted him inside, or leaving, the transit area. He has not registered at a hotel in the transit zone, hotel sources say.

A receptionist at the Capsule Hotel “Air Express”, a complex of 47 basic rooms

‘Chopper crash kills air force chiefs in Nicaragua KEY members of Nicaragua’s air force, including the chief of staff, are among 10 people killed in a helicopter crash.

The helicopter was returning from a military base in the north-west when it came down near a lake west of the capital Managua. The cause is unknown.

Air force Chief of Staff Colonel Manuel Lopez was killed in the crash, the Nicaraguan army said.

The air defence chief and the head of air force counter-intelligence were also among the dead, the army said.

The soldiers had reportedly been at a training session in the north-west town of La Paz Centro and were returning to the capital when the crash happened.

Army officials said an investigation was under way.

•Brazil demonstrators protest against a proposed constitutional amendment by President Dilma Rousseff to deal with the country’s PHOTO: GETTU IMAGES unprecedented social unrest.

Qatar ruler hands power to son

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ATAR’s ruler formally handed power yesterday to his 33-year-old son, capping a carefully crafted transition that puts a new generation in charge of the Gulf nation’s vast energy wealth and rising political influence after the upheavals of the Arab Spring.

The 61-year-old emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, used a televised address to note repeatedly the importance of shifting leadership to more youthful hands - an indirect acknowledgment of the demands for reforms opened by the uprisings that have swept the region.

Qatar has been a player in the regional turmoil, using its riches to support rebels in Libya and now in Syria. Qatar also has broken ranks with other Gulf states to offer help to the Muslim Brotherhood, which rose to political dominance in Egypt. Its influence is further spread by the powerful AlJazeera TV network, which it founded.

Syrian al-Qaida claims suicide attacks

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Syrian branch of alQaida yesterday claimed responsibility for what the group said were suicide attacks on security compounds in Damascus that killed at least five people, while troops fought rebels on the edge of the capital in the latest surge of violence in the Syrian capital.

The claim by Jabhat alNusra - the first in months came as the U.N.’s special representative trying to end Syria’s civil war said hopes for convening a peace conference next month are fading.

The Nusra Front has emerged as the most effective fighting force on the side of the opposition fighting to oust President Bashar Assad. The group has previously claimed car bombings and attacks on government soldiers and its fighters have been leading other rebels groups in battles for military bases in the north much of which is under control of the opposition.

The group’s affiliation with al-Qaida, however, has significantly contributed to the reluc-

furnished predominantly with grey carpets and grey walls, said Snowden had turned up on Sunday, looked at the price list and then left.

U.S. officials admonished Beijing and Moscow on Monday for allowing Snowden to escape their clutches but the United States’ partners on the U.N. Security Council, already at odds with Washington over the conflict in Syria, hit back indignantly.

“The United States’ criticism of China’s central government is baseless. China absolutely cannot accept it,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in Beijing, also dismissing U.S. criticism of Hong Kong, a Chinese territory, for letting Snowden leave.

There has been speculation in the Russian media that Snowden may be talking to the FSB security service, a successor of the Soviet-era KGB, and could be involved in a prisoner swap.

Putin said Russian security agencies “never worked with... Snowden and are not working with him today”.

Fallout from a protracted wrangle over Snowden could be far-reaching, as Russia, the United States and China hold veto powers at the U.N. Security Council and their broad agreement could be vital to any settlement in Syria.

International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said on Tuesday he was pessimistic an international conference on Syria could take place in July as hoped and urged Russia and the United States to help contain a conflict which has killed almost 100,000 people.

tance of the opposition’s Western backers to arm the rebels with heavier weapons.

More than 93,000 people have been killed since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011. It started as peaceful protests against Assad’s rule but turned into a civil war after some opposition members took up arms to fight the government’s harsh crackdown on dissent. Since then, radical groups like the

Nusra front have gained influence on the battlefield as opposition’s political leadership struggles to unify its ranks.

“Since our previous meeting here on the 5th of June, the situation on the ground in Syria has hardly improved. It is still relentless destruction, killing, more suffering, more injustice, and more uncertainty for the future of the Syrian people,” Brahimi said.

Taliban militants storm Afghan government compound

T

ALIBAN militants stormed the presidential compound yesterday after bluffing their way past two checkpoints, triggering a gunbattle that left eight attackers and three guards dead and sent journalists attending an official event scrambling for cover, officials and witnesses said.

The well-planned daylight assault in a highly fortified zone of the capital was a bold challenge to Kabul’s authority just a week after the

Taliban opened a political office in Qatar as the Islamic militant movement said it was willing to begin a U.S.led peace process.

NATO also formally handed over security for the entirety of the country to Afghan forces just last week. The body it leads, the International Security Assistance Force, said it was standing by if needed during the skirmish but Afghan authorities did not ask it for help and thwarted the attack on their own.

INVITATION TO TENDER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MODERN MARKET IN IKOLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT Ikole Local Government is hereby inviting interested and reputable building contractors with relevant experiences to submit their bids for the construction of modern market in Ikole Local Government, Ekiti State.

S/N TITLE OF PROJECT LOCATION OF PROJECT 1.

Construction of modern market Omuo-Ifaki Express road, Ikole Ekiti QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:Tenders are required to submit their proposals with the following requirements which shall be used as criteria for preliminary selection.

Mandatory (without which the firm will be disqualified) i.

Evidence of incorporation with the Corporate Affairs Commission:ii.

Evidence of professional license to execute a construction of such magnitude iii. Evidence of payment of tax by the firm for the last three (3 years) as at when due iv.

Evidence of payment of overhead tax and development levy by the CEO of the company in Ekiti State, Nigeria for the last three years (3 years); v.

Evidence of registration of Business premises in Ekiti State Nigeria; vi. Six (6) months bank statements and reference letter from the bank; vii. List of verifiable documentary evidence of at least two (2) similar jobs not less than N10,000,000.00 successfully executed within the last 3years including their letter of awards, completion certificate and relevant certificates of valuation where the job(s) are on-going. viii. Sworn Affidavit that: The company is not bankrupt: The company does not have Directors convicted by any Court in Nigeria or other countries for any criminal offence in relation to fraud of financial impropriety.

SUBMISSION Application accompanied by the relevant documents should also be forwarded in sealed envelope marked at the top left corner and boldly written; BID FOR IKOLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT Market project and addressed to: The Chairman, Ikole Local Government, Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti State (Attention: Director of Planning) CLOSING DATE All submission must be received at the above office not later than 1.00p.m. on Tuesday 9th July, 2013 IMPORTANT NOTICE: Submission should be made in the order specified in this advert: Applications are invited to the bid opening ceremony scheduled for 10:00am on Monday 15th July, 2013 at the Local Government Secretariat Ikole Ekiti Nothing in the advert shall be constructed to be a commitment on the part of Ikole Local Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria.

BORISADE ADEYINKA Director of Administration For: Chairman, Ikole Local Government

62

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

63

NEWS

Amaechi to Rivers CP: shoot me if you wish

Continued from page 60

Amaechi.

“After God, you (people of Orashi region) are the next set of people that came out to support me, including your son, Dr. Peter Odili.

“There is no personal quarrel between me and anybody. It is the quarrel between Rivers State and the rest. We just have to defend our rights.

“We have a right to be Nigerians and Nigeria has an obligation to make us to be responsible citizens of Nigeria. We will forever be Nigerians. We will go nowhere else, because we believe in Nigeria. Nigeria must make us happy too. So that we can say to the world, ‘we are proud Nigerians’.

“My brother, Chibudom Nwuche (former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives), said we are not running an inclusive government. My brother, the Governor of Ekiti State (Dr. Kayode Fayemi) told me that they call it stomach infrastructure.

“Part of the problems we are having is that our brothers, who have gathered in Abuja, have been hijacked by those who are not from Rivers state, to cause confusion in Rivers state.

“We are trying to complete the road to Nwuche’s village and we must complete it. If we have done that, what else is inclusive? What they mean by inclusion is stomach.

“Governors in this country have two choices to make. You either stand by the people or stand against the people. How do you stand by the people? Many people have been here and we have been hungry, in the midst of plenty. We have not had infrastructure. No employment. I am not saying it has improved, but we are moving towards improve-

ment.

“I will not stand against you, just because I want to share the money. Everybody should read history. Once you leave office, all those who shared money with you, will forget you.

“You will be so lonely in your house. You will call one of them, I have not seen you for some time. Your Excellency, I am a bit busy. I will see you next week.

Next week, he will not even come.

“If you stand with the people and respond to their yearnings for development, when you walk the street, you will see them behind you. We must stand together and resist them. The era of rigging must stop now.

“Why politicians do not care about you is because votes do not count. If they know that if you do not perform, you will not win, then the will be responsible.

“Nwuche said we are not performing. Ask him, when you were deputy speaker, what did you do? Let him not do it in Ahoada, let him do it in Ochigba (his village). As a speaker, I can show you the people I trained in the university.

“I can show you one person, as a speaker, I took overseas to study in the university and he is back. He is working now. Let him (Nwuche) not say you are comparing because you are a governor. When he was deputy speaker, I was speaker. I can show you the people I paid their fees in the university.

“If you want to be included in government, bring the ideas for development. Sit me down and criticise me for not developing your area. Tell me I am developing my village more than the other areas. Put facts. Let us argue.

Let him (Nwuche) come for elec-

tion.

“The fact remains simply that once the governor chooses to be on the side of the people, he must know that the rich people will come against him. Because the elite will come and ask you, since we put you there, what about the outcome. I assure you and our people that I will continue to stand by you.

“We are looking for a date we will demonstrate against what the Federal Government and the commissioner of police are doing in Rivers state. We have told our chiefs to get ready. Once we get a date, once we get people from overseas and Nigeria that will join us, we will give you the date. I have told the commissioner of police to be ready to shoot me. I will be in front.

“I will not sit here (Government House) and wait for you to march here and give me letter. Instead, we will put SSG here.

“Then, I will march in with the people. We will give SSG letter to give the Federal Government.

So, that if they want to shoot me, they can shoot me, because we have the right to express our views.

“You have the right to criticise me. There is nobody that is a perfect man in the world. When you criticise me, my own job is to sit down and listen. If you are not talking from the stomach infrastructure, you must be making sense.

“I met with Nwuche, two weeks before he went to them.

He said, ‘look, I am your supporter’. We had breakfast in my house. Ask him. He criticises other people very well. Let them remove me, if they want to remove me.”

From the accounts of the local

government chiefs who made it to Government House, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Abua/Odual, may have been disciplined by the police commissioner for allegedly ‘working’ with the Amaechi loyalists.

Udi Odum of Abua/Odual, who made the allegation, said the only option left to the people was to take their security destiny in their hands against invaders, since the DPO in his area has been removed.

According to the council chiefs from Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Abual/Odual, the DPOs in their respective domains had stormed their local government areas to stop their solidarity trip to the governor in Port Harcourt.

The council chiefs also reported that kidnapping, which the governor had reduced to the barest minimum, has become a thriving business in the state again.

Ahoada East council chair Cassidy Okegbidi said the abduction of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members was causing a panic in his domain.

Okegbidi said: “Right now, there is no single NYSC member in my area.”

Some supporters of the governor claimed the area commanders of their localities came to their councils’ headquarters and aborted their scheduled trips to Port Harcourt.

Explaining the mission of the people for Orashi, Leader of Rivers State Caucus in the House of Representatives Asita Honourable Asita told the governor that they were at the Government House to show solidarity to him in the face of the on-going crisis within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ake said: “Our sons and daughters are beneficiaries of your human capital develop-

ment. Governor Amaechi’s people oriented projects in the Orashi region cannot be compared to any past administration in the state.

“The workers of iniquity will not see you. The people of Orashi region and Rivers people will see the last day of the expiration of your tenure. Amaechi, please count on our support at all times.

“Our towns and villages are riddled with multiplicity of your high-impact developmental projects, spanning from Kubor in Abua/Odual Local Government through all the nooks and crannies of Orashi region down to Ndoni, at the Northern tip of the region.

“Finally, we are here as a people, united to salute your courage, which often times is misunderstood by your detractors. Your vision, forthrightness and indeed, your unparallel accomplishments in governance are worthy of emulation.”

TODAY IN THE NATION

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.8 NO.2,528

‘‘If parents can put their feet down and dissuade their children from taking the easy route to sudden wealth and perdition, a greater percentage of the economic and social problems we now experience in Nigeria will be history’ DELE AGEKAMEH

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

P

ENULTIMATE Tuesday must’ve been the saddest day in Mrs Mercy Lekwa’s life. That day Mama Nnenna, as we call her, lost her precious son, Lekwa Okon Emagha, aka Bobo, in a twilight shooting at a filling station in Lokoja, Kogi State, an innocent victim of possibly sibling jealousies he knew nothing about.

My wife was the first to break the news of Bobo’s death to me and it hit me like a sledge hammer. She and Mercy had been friends from the early nineties when she helped madam run her restaurant, since closed, along Sultan Road, Kaduna.

When her husband, Mr Okon Emagha, an aircraft engineer with the aviation pest control unit of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, died in 2001, he left her with four grown up kids to take care of. Bobo, 28, was the second and only male.

As a widow whose civil servant husband had left little behind, she could barely make ends meet. And as if to make her life even more miserable, her in-laws took over even the small asset he’d left behind by way of a modest bungalow he had built in his village, along with the furniture; among her husband’s Igbo kin – Mr. Emagha, like herself, was from Ohafia, Abia State – in-laws, for some inexplicable reasons, seem to see nothing wrong with taking over what should be the inheritance of a widow and her children.

Fortunately for her, Mercy was not the selfpitying lazy type. She was a good cook. She tries as best as she could to put her husband’s death behind her and work hard, using her talent, to earn enough to fend for her kids.

Again fortunately for her, all of them were decent and well-behaved.

As the man of the house, Bobo became its pillar. He did odd jobs here and there even while in school to help with the bills. He was not only hard working. He was also bright and full of initiative. Anytime anyone asked after him from her, as my wife often did, her face would light up as she told the person, “Bobo is my husband, my father, my wife, my brother, my everything!” And the girls, far from feeling sibling jealousy, adored their only brother.

This was the Bobo who was snatched the Tuesday before last from a mother who had come to depend so much on her son. His killing was the more tragic because it came only several days before he was to resume work after completing a five-month course as one of 36 engineering staff the National Agency for Science and Engineering (NASENI), a parastatal of the Ministry of Science and Technology, had sent to Belorussia to improve their skills. Bobo had come tops in the group.

Worse still for Mercy, the death came only a couple of hours after he had called to tell her he was coming home over the weekend

People and Politics By

MOHAMMED HARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

Mercy’s personal tragedy

•Map of Nigeria to see the rest of the family before resuming work.

His death came in the shape of a hired gun whose mission apparently was to kill the son of the owner of the petrol station in question. Bobo was a friend of the target of the alleged hired killer. His misfortune was that he was witness to the killing; obviously the alleged killer did not want to take any chances leaving any witnesses behind. With a suspect in the police net less than a week after the killings there is suspicion that Bobo’s friend was killed because he was his father’s favourite and as such was entrusted with running most of the family’s businesses.

The killing of Bobo and his friend was clearly symptomatic of the insecurity that has become so pervasive in the land, partly because it has become all too easy for anyone so minded to acquire arms, small firearms especially.

The story of Bobo’s employment by NANIS and the tragedy it turned into for his mother is proof positive that the problem of this coun-

RIPPLES Confederations Cup: IDEYE RUES MISSED CHANCES

...even my OLD GRANDMOTHER would have scored those goals

‘The killing of Bobo and his friend was clearly symptomatic of the insecurity that has become so pervasive in the land, partly because it has become all too easy for anyone so minded to acquire arms, small firearms especially‘ try has never really been our religious, ethnic or any other differences but the way our politicians and the rest of us alike have exploited those differences for selfish reasons.

The story started over forty years ago in Keffi, Nasarawa State, when his mother went to live with an uncle as a young lady.

The uncle got her a teaching job in one of the town’s Native Authority primary schools.

As a young teacher she took a special interest in three of her pupils who liked to play truant. Day in day out she would pull their ears in, metaphorically speaking, and counsel them about the virtues of knowledge. They hated her for it but she persisted as if she was their mother.

Fast forward to 2011. As Mercy herself told it, one evening she was waiting by the roadside along Sultan Road, Kaduna, for a commercial motor-cycle to get home when a jeep that had just driven past her stopped, reversed and parked besides her. The person seated in the “owner’s corner” wound

HARDBALL

I

MAGINE a scenario where you left your family or host to catch a late evening flight. You had indeed boarded the flight and made the last calls to say your safe trips and good nights. Three hours later, you are not at your destination but back where you took off from. You had been on a flight to nowhere; you had roamed the skies like a bird of the night and made what is known as ‘air return’ in aviation register. This was the fate of an Arik Airline flight which emanated from Abuja to Uyo last Friday.

Hardball could not get a special device to get on that plane with those passengers (and I say just as well) but invoking the power of empathy, one can feel their trauma.

Nothing makes a man pray more fervently, reflect deeper or stay sober better than a troubled flight. This flight, as reported, was remarkably troublous. Flight W3 533 had left Abuja at about 7.00 pm for Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, only to make a u-turn and return to Abuja two hours later with the same passengers on board.

The story really is that this flight was plagued by a peculiarly Nigerian malaise and the life of those hapless 50 passengers and crew was put in jeopardy. As the report goes in one national newspaper, the pilot was on the verge of lowering the bird on the

Leap of faith runway of Ibom Airport but had to “swiftly abort landing following a power outage at the airport.” As a result of the time-lag before the plane made it back to Abuja, it is suggested that it must have hovered for sometime perhaps hoping the airport would be relit so that it would eventually land.

Apparently, the power outage was not restored for quite a while so it shuttled back to Abuja.

Power outages at our airports have almost become the norm these days. Not even our international ports are spared. On Saturday, April 21, 2012, a British Airways flight could not land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. It had to hover for about two hours before it eventually landed; there was blackout at Nigeria’s premier entry point for two hours! What holds a novelty and confounds even Hardball is whether there is a possibility of an outage as the plane approached the landing stretch. What about the control tower? Though Nigeria has become a strange land where strange occurrences happen daily, this one is a new high or low

down the rear glass and spoke to her in familiar tone. He asked her if she did not recognise him. She said she didn’t, all the time thinking the man was your typical Casanova who cannot resist anything in skirts and at the same time wishing he would just drive off and leave her alone.

Instead he alighted, walked to her side and told her the story of the three truant primary school pupils she had taken an exceptional interest in Keffi. That awoke her memory.

Well, said the man, he was the most notorious of the three. The man, it turned out, was Dr. Mohammed Sani Haruna, the DirectorGeneral and Chief Executive of NANIS. After realising who he was, she accepted his offer of a ride in his jeep to her home to meet with the rest of the family. There, he told them how their mother was God’s instrument for what he has become.

At the time only the girls were home. Their brother was away in Jos working with MTN as a contract staff. Like so many graduates he had found it difficult to get a job even though he had passed his Higher National Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic with distinction.

When their guest made to leave, he told “Mama,” as he called her, to ask Bobo to send in his curriculum vitae to the agency which was undertaking a recruitment exercise at the time. That was how Bobo eventually got his job at NANIS, after which he was posted to the parastatal’s office in Okene, Kogi State.

For Dr. Haruna it obviously did not matter that “Mama” was a Christian and Igbo and he was Muslim and Hausa. She had done him a good turn some 40 odd years ago and he thought he owed her to return the favour.

Since the death of her husband in 2001, life for Mercy had not been exactly a happy one.

Not only were her in-laws rather nasty in taking away the modest asset her husband left behind, she also eventually lost his official quarters in Unguwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna, which had been sold to her under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s monetisation policy even after she had made the mandatory down payment of 10 per cent. She lost the house to a fellow Christian who conspired with some of the officials in charge of implementing the policy, only for that person to sell it to a rich Alhaji. As is the case every so often, in this case money, clearly, was thicker than religion.

Two Tuesdays ago, Bobo, as one of the few silver linings in the cloud under which she had lived for the past 12 years, was cut down in his prime. Life for Mercy must seem harsh, brutish and unfair. One can only pray that the Good Lord gives her and Bobo’s sisters the fortitude to bear his great loss.

•For comments, send SMS to 08059100107

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above (depending on where you stand or your altitude).

It was reported that the plane had ‘swiftly aborted landing’, meaning that it took off abruptly in the middle of attempting to land.

One will need to interrogate aviation experts as to the dexterity and mental acuity a pilot requires to achieve this seeming feat. Even a bird executing this stunt has to be sure of its state of fitness lest it does injury to its wings.

It cannot be a frequent occurrence in the aviation world can it? What was the state of the passengers while this was going on?

Imagine what the various announcements would be: they would have to announce the brace up for landing in Uyo; then the sudden aborted landing and swift take-off, the hovering, the return journey and re-landing in Abuja.

What a merry-go-round, what wasted time, resources and efforts and what trauma. If you are listening to find out when someone would take responsibility for that extreme dereliction of duty, you will listen long. If you think anyone would be publicly upbraided for almost wasting the lives of those passengers; if only to send a strong message to other errant staff, it won’t happen. Flying in Nigeria remains a leap of faith isn’t it?

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