The Nation June 28, 2015 by The Nation

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

Beekeepers set out to remove a million bees from NY home

CAPTURED

EEKEEPERS have quite the task ahead of them as they remove an estimated 1 million honey bees that have taken up residence at a New York home. The Times Herald-Record of Middletown reported that two beekeepers were at work Thursday removing siding on the outside of the Wallkill house to get to the bees. The Orange County family living there discovered the bees while they were clearing trees. They were preparing to replace the siding, but couldn’t get to it because of the bees. One of the homeowners is allergic to the insects. Marcel Witschard Jr. and Carl Witschard said it will take at least a week for them to remove the bees.

Napping or knocked out? Commercial motorcyclists (okada) rank amongst the greatest traffic outlaws in most cities. This unfortunate cyclist plying the Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos from which they have been barred tangled fatally with a goods-bearing truck at the weekend.

HE ongoing defanging and disenfranchisement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership by party rebels intensified late last week as Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara announced new legislative leaders for the National Assembly in defiance of their party. The APC had forwarded to both Senator Saraki and Hon Dogara an official list containing eight names to be selected as the party’s NASS leaders. The party had expected that the list, which was meant to serve as a compromise, would bridge the divide between the rebelling NASS leaders and the party. The list was, however, spurned. If Senator Saraki and Hon Dogara were elected in defiance of the APC by the members of the upper and lower chambers, and across political parties, it is not clear by what authority, moral or political, the party’s list for the other appointive leadership positions was dishonoured. On June 9, the party had presented Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon Femi Gbajabiamila for the leadership of the National Assembly. Alleging imposition by the party, and arguing that a section of the APC had not been adequately compensated and accommodated by party leaders in the sharing of plum and powerful offices, Senator Saraki and Hon Dogara stirred up revolts against the party, formed alliances with the party’s enemies, and caused deep embarrassment to the APC. The revolt succeeded beyond expectations, and a new antiparty NASS leadership was enthroned. Continuing the spirit of the revolt, the two

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NASS leaders get long rope to hang NASS leaders again defied their party by virtually unilaterally selecting junior NASS leaders who by convention should represent the party in the legislature. If the two rebelling NASS leaders could not appoint leaders for the PDP in the legislature, why would they, hiding under zonal caucuses, seize the responsibility to do so for their own party? Those who wished the APC well, and were in addition hoping Nigerian democracy could be deepened by brilliant legislative leadership, had their expectations dashed when, instead of seeking rapprochement with their party, Senator Saraki and Hon Dogara pressed their advantage and further humiliated their party. The summary of their position was anchored on two premises: one, that the NASS must be independent and seen to be so; and two, that the party must exercise no authority over the legislature. The two premises are intertwined. State governors under the APC have requested to be allowed to rein in the rebellious legislators. Assuming they truly desire to do so, and have the leverage to undertake that thankless job, it is not certain they would succeed, given the mood of the rebelling APC NASS legislators, and the incredible and intoxicating successes they have achieved in the last few weeks against their party. By undermining their party so brazenly, and accentuating the divisions within it, it appears the two triumphalist legislative leaders may have weak-

ened their party irreparably, at least in the short run. The party should expect to be punished severely in the next polls if the shambolic pace it has embraced should continue for a little longer than the electorate can tolerate. The party has not demonstrated that it possesses the ability to manage crises and conflicts, nor that it even has men and women of proven intuition and foresight. Suddenly, and in comparison, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has seemed to be a better manager of men and politicians than the APC, and the opposition party has cleverly and calmly sought to take silent advantage of the brouhaha in the ruling party. Given the high amperage of the defiance the APC is experiencing, the options before it are

becoming more and more constricted. It cannot sack the rebels without precipitating an even more massive revolt that could in turn lead to mass defections, divisions in the party, and ultimately a split. It cannot also discipline the rebel leaders without accurately gauging their popularity and nuisance value. Though the party is now sensibly building a consensus among governors and state party chairmen, and is expected to make a move soon against the rebels, success is by no means guaranteed. Party leaders were at first reluctant to wield the big stick against the rebels when the revolt started. By failing to do so, it had encouraged an even fiercer revolt now permeating and suffocating the ranks of the party. If rebellious legislators

sense that the party is indeed impotent to act against them, and loyal legislators also fear that the party is unable to protect and defend them, the party will be completely disregarded, and every APC politician will become vulnerable to enemy fire. The party has in the past few days tried to assert itself more vigorously. It will do more than that, perhaps as a last resort. It will wield the big stick eventually if the governors are unable to rein in their national legislators. No one knows just how big the stick remains, given the fact that it had withered from more than three weeks of disuse. But when it is finally wielded, it will either serve the purpose for which it is intended, or complicate it. Having dithered for

weeks, the APC has nothing else to lose but to wield the mythical big stick, and hope for the best. As unpleasant as that desperate remedy may appear, to give in to the rebellious legislators, or to do nothing, is to make the party completely irrelevant and impotent. Or worse, the party will become vulnerable to the more aggressive and, in retrospect, more robust and well-defined PDP.

Buhari sails between Scylla and Charybdis

HEN the National Assembly crisis began, before the controversial elections that ruptured the party openly on June 9, there were discrete suggestions that President Buhari, by his refusal to lift a finger, encouraged the strong-arm tactics of the aspiring NASS leaders. His aides have denied this unflattering insinuation of complicity. More, there is no indication whatever that he connived at the insurrection, let alone participate in it. However, when the NASS revolt was at its sanguinary worst, scenario builders specu-

lated that the president probably allowed the defiance in the legislature to mature in or-

der to whittle down the influence of a few party leaders. Again, there is probably no truth in this, for, if anything, the president actually seems well disposed to the party’s proposed but defeated senate leadership. If the president feared being ‘encircled and emasculated’ by key party leaders, as some notoriously suggested, it is probably worse now considering how helplessly he stands the distinct possibility of being encircled and emasculated by influential party leaders in the legislature and elsewhere whose loyalty to the APC and trustworthiness

no one can vouch for. In a cryptic subversion of his inauguration statement of belonging to everybody and nobody, President Buhari must by now have discovered that he has to belong to somebody, if anybody is to belong to him. If he is not to cede control of his party to unmanageable individuals intent on hijacking it for private reasons and probably unhealthy ambition, the president will have to begin to assert himself much more than he has thought possible under constitutional rule.

By ADEKUNLE ADE-ADELEYE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

COLUMN

Snooping around the capital city (Once again, rustling tea leaves in Abuja)

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•The rowdy session in the House

HERE is something very becalming and soul-tranquillizing about Abuja which sits oddly with its reputation as the capital of deadly political intrigues and the capitol of brawling honourables. Sumo wrestlers abound. Kept thugs, like restrained Alsatians, stare at you from the sprawling amphitheatre of national disorder. Abuja roils forever in palace plots and succession tsunamis. As one king recedes into antiquity, another begins his reign fumbling and fidgeting ominously with the levers and leverages of power. The king must die, so that the kingdom may live. The emperor is dead, long live the empire. You cannot escape family history. Abuja was founded in political intrigues. Its old progenitor prince, the much fabled Abu Jah, was known to have left the Zazzau emirate with his supporters after being worsted in a nasty succession battle in the new Fulani stronghold of Zaria . He had journeyed southward, avoiding the route to the paladins on the plateau with their sure and assured palate for human flesh until he got to the rural paradise nestling on the vast plains of earthy farmers and bucolic humanity. It doesn’t get more peaceful and rewarding. There is no big deal about this. Most Yoruba towns and villages were also founded on the same template and prelate: a congregation of disaffected princes and affected paupers fleeing victorious palace coupists. The founder of your own town was an old Oyo prince who had left his forefathers’ empire after being told in no uncertain terms by royal kingmakers that they did not consider him worthy of his father’s storied stool. Go southward, young man, he was ordered with metaphysical finality and alacrity. And southward, he went. As the new found capital of Nigeria, Abuja had its baptism of the fire of political intrigues very early in the day. One night towards the very tail end of 1983, raking gunfire shattered the calm and bucolic charms of the emerging city as well as the complacency of the ruling party, the infamous NPN. Soldiers had come to terminate the inglorious tenure of the corrupt oligarchy. It was said that the Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Shagari, the then president, fled through a tunnel in the presidential palace ably assisted by some loyal soldiers. He was apprehended close to the city of Lafia a few days later. When the smoke cleared, the NPN government had become history. But so also had one of the principal plotters. The urbane, courtly and much admired Brigadier Ibrahim Bako lay dead in the rubble, his life snuffed out by friendly fire. The story had it that the brigadier had gone into the presidential

dwelling to persuade Alhaji Shagari, a great buddy of his father, to surrender without violence. But something went catastrophically awry with the signals and in the ensuing firefight, Ibrahim Bako was mistaken for enemy and was cut down in the prime of life. Thus ended the life of one of Nigeria’s finest officers. The then Major General Mohammadu Buhari became Nigeria’s military ruler. It may interest those currently causing trouble in Abuja that despite his dour, uncommunicative and taciturn exterior, no tactical or strategic detail ever escapes the attention of Mohammadu Buhari. He was rumoured to have ordered discreet investigation into the friendly fire business which terminated the life of the distinguished officer. But in a great turn of historical irony, the officer who led the forward assault troops that night eventually became a distinguished senator of the Fourth Republic. If it is the same Buhari that Nigerians have elected their leader and not an expired phantom, the Abuja confederates can be sure that they will hear from him very soon. The problem with political intrigues is that once started, no one can be sure of the outcome, not even the principal plotters. Intrigues are equal opportunity employees and they often metastasize in such a way that that they eventually consume their own principals. They trigger off a chain of human reactions the end of which no one can foresee except those very adept at reading tea leaves. But if we cannot vouchsafe the eventual outcome of political intrigues, we can foretell the outcome of monumental corruption and graft. It is arrested and retarded national development. After trillions of petrodollars have been lost to humongous graft and brazen state larceny, Abuja is finally beginning to take shape as a modern city of tropical charms and beguiling tranquility. In its leafy suburbs and the architectural wonderland of its suburbia, you have to pinch yourself to confirm that you are still in the hellhole that Nigeria has become. As a famous European leftwing contrarian has contended, the glittering cities of the west are not just a monument to human industry and ingenuity but a tribute to millions wasted in process. It is all about the geography of nations. In the tropics, nature plays a spoiling mother. Just as it did to our hunter-gatherer ancestors furnishing them with unearned fruits and venison aplenty, it has also done to their hunter-gatherers successors furnishing them with unmerited natural resources which they waste and fritter away in licentious profligacy. What will take a fraction of resources to build in the west

often consumes entire national patrimony in Africa. As it was in the beginning…… It is late June in Abuja and nature is out in its full resplendent garb. Even the leafy trees and the lush grass appear to be singing. The nostrils pick the aromatic therapy of becalming nature. It clears the mind and the head. The battle zone is far far away, or so it seems until adamant reality began to impinge on dreamy reverie. There can be no paradise surrounded by hell. Something has to give. As the First Nation aircraft banked steeply and furiously into the cloudy skies, you are happy to leave Lagos and its diehard denizens. The old colonial capital still retains its Havana-like charms and the quaint Brazilian allure of the surviving ancient quarters of its Portuguese speaking returnees. But despite the best heroic efforts of succeeding administrations, the unfurling megalopolis and bustling conurbation of teeming humanity is fast becoming the world capital of cannibal capitalism with its ever expanding frontiers and trapped economic wannabes. If Nigeria forgets Lagos, Lagos will neither forget nor forgive Nigeria. Lest snooper gets carried away by his own sense of epic narrative, it is meet to disclose that what had brought one to Abuja is not the fracas of hooligan honorables or the shenanigans of squabbling senators. As they say, all politics is local. If you are not a good man in your locality, you are not likely to be a good person in your nationality. Like many people, snooper has been personally tormented and traumatized by the plight and misery of workers in Osun State. Last Saturday after reading Muyiwa Adetiba’s devastating putdown of the serving governor, yours sincerely felt compelled to send a terse text to a younger friend and old comrade in arms. Anybody who knows Muyiwa Adetiba must know that he is a man without malice or ill will. The governor was so riled and roused by the text and the article that he insisted on an immediate rendezvous in Abuja without any further ado. After two long and lengthy one

to one sessions, the last stretching into the wee hours of Wednesday morning, one felt sufficiently buoyed that the dire situation of workers in Osun state will be ameliorated if not completely succored in the coming days. In the circumstances, if one loses hope about the fate of Nigeria, exile is no longer an option. The only option is the mental asylum, that is if one is averse to forcibly joining the ancestors. The business of the trip concluded, one could not leave Abuja without a courtesy call on the man of the moment who seems to thrive best in adversarial circumstances: Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Even this late in the night, the Asiwaju domain was like an ongoing political rally. You wonder whether they ever do sleep in Abuja. A political war council was obviously in session and the place was crawling with political generalissimos : serving and former governors, serving and former senators, current and lapsed assembly people, honorables and former honorables, political ex-servicemen etc. In the expansive dining place, snooper was offered a seat by the departing former governor of Jigawa and his former student at Federal Government College, Kaduna in the seventies: Saminu Turaki. In what seemed an eternity after, the man of the moment suddenly materialized from nowhere like a troublous spirit. He appeared pleasantly surprised to find snooper virtually alone in the dining area munching away without being in the least fazed by all the paraphernalia of power. “Ha! The Oloja is here!” the Lion of Bourdillon crowed. Wondering which latest title this one was and sensing that his friend and esteemed comrade in political arms of many decades was not averse to a quick banter despite the unremitting political pressure, snooper rose to the occasion. “Oloja of where oooo?” yours sincerely demanded. “Oloja of Yakoyo”, the great warhorse retorted as he darted into an adjoining living room for another marathon meet. If all this hurly and burly could be going on, these great political exertions, then it means that the political crisis that has plagued nation and ruling party would soon be a thing of the past, snooper rather naively concluded as he crashed into bed in the early hours of the morning. But the sun had hardly risen when Bukola Saraki struck again from his senatorial bunker. Once again, the wonder boy from Agbaji and master of Panzer politics made a short shrift of party directives about senate officials. Ruling Senator Bariyu Gbenga Ashafa summarily out of order, the son of Oloye threw the party directives into the dustbin with a regal frown and without giving it as much as a glancing look. The lower

house followed as if on cue with much wild lunging and fistfest as Speaker Yakubu Dogara looked on in boyish bemusement. Surely something is bound to give and very soon, too. Senator Saraki seems to have gone too far in his defiance and contempt of party norms and principles. Men are hanged not because horses are stolen but so that horses will not be stolen, as they say. If the party does not act on this latest Saraki contumely, it is bound to face a shuddering implosion as its authority and legitimacy evaporate. If it acts, it may face a signal fracturing as Saraki leads his fellow dissidents back to the old PDP or some emergent and emergency power formation. Complicating the power game, President Mohammadu Buhari has quietly reasserted his authority by insisting through his alternative spokesperson that he is indeed the leader of the party. It is surely a strange and confounding party leader who will not take more than a cursory interest in the current imbroglio tearing the fragile alliance apart. Yet by asserting his leadership claims while showing an apparent disinterest in the festering rebellion in NASS, the president has summarily liquidated all other loci of power in the party while tying the hands the party panjandrums behind their back. Without a presidential imprimatur it may now be impossible to rein in or discipline the Saraki faction without open warfare breaking out in the party. In an objective rather than pejorative manner of speaking, all those who helped the retired general to power may yet discover that it is difficult if not impossible to shed the military frame of mind. In the army, there are no political middlemen only officers and men. Buhari is showing his hand as a master of strategic attrition in which the opponent is worn down in a battle of will and psychological stamina. The rope-adope strategy famously exemplified by Mohammed Ali prepares you to absorb punishing body blows while you wait to deliver a terminal sucker punch. Nigeria and Nigerians are in for very interesting times. In all probability, it is bound to get rowdier and more chaotic in the short run as centrifugal forces in the ruling party fight for dominance and supremacy and as old regional prejudices reassert themselves in the face of possible political marginalization. If Buhari’s reforms and efforts to sanitize the polity kick in early enough, he may be able to summon a pan-Nigerian phalanx backing and protecting him. But if they don’t, he may find himself at the mercy of an adroitly scheming Bukola Saraki and fellow confederates bent on thwarting and eventually ousting him. It is still early in summer and tea leaves are beginning to rustle once again in Abuja.

Baba Lekki solves the change riddle for the nation

T was a distraught and distressed Okon who went in search of the old contrarian who had moved his headquarters of state subversion to the seamy swamps of Okokomaiko. “Okon, why are you looking like a man who has just been beaten by his wife, or am I the yeye man who cannot pay you?”, the old man smiled with a contorted visage. “Ha baba no be like dat sam sam.

Sikira no fit. Even him Yoruba papa no fit. But dis days when I go market go buy meat, he get one Hausa meat seller who dey shout as I dey reach him slab. “Ha, ha Yaro Okon, akoi changi, akoi changi, ba changi mana, ba changi”, baba wetin dem mala dey say?”, the poor boy moaned. “Ha Okon you are a fool. The man is asking you whether you have correct change”, the old man shot back.

“Wetin be my own for dem yeye change? No be dem mala for Abuja say him get am for plenty change?” Okon snarled. “ Okon, dat one na dem parable of meat seller. What the mala is saying is that no be Daura mala alone go bring change. For there to be real exchange, everybody must have correct change. Yeye Nigerians”, the old man spat and dismissed an even more confused Okon. “

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

NEWS

Senate crisis a setback, says Buhari

O R P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari, the emergence of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member as deputy Senate President in the current dispensation is nothing short of a setback for his administration. He is irked that some members of his own party, All Progressives Congress (APC), conceded the position to Ike Ekweremadu when the PDP never gave that much all through its 16 years in power between 1999 and last May. But he is optimistic that the APC will overcome the setback. President Buhari made his feelings known at a meeting with a delegation of the Unity Forum at the Aso Rock Villa on Friday night. The forum is the group of senators backing Dr. Ahmed Lawan, the APC anointed candidate for the Senate Presidency. Buhari, at the meeting, reportedly pleaded for the understanding of APC Senators as the party explores reconciliation options. However, the majority of the APC governors and state chairmen of the party are insisting that Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Reps Speaker Yakubu Dogara comply with the party’s direc-

•APC governors, state chairmen want Saraki, Dogara to accept party’s list on principal officers From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

tive on the choice of principal officers of the National Assembly. The APC governors and state chairmen are encouraging the leadership of the party to enforce discipline to prevent it from collapsing. President Buhari at the Friday meeting was said to have said there was no reason for the party to be divided over who heads the National Assembly. “The President gave us audience and admitted that the development in the Senate was a setback but he expressed confidence that APC will overcome it,” a source at the meeting said. “He said there was no basis for the split among APC Senators which led to the concession of the Office of Deputy President of the Senate to the PDP. He said PDP did not give the opposition such an opportunity in its 16 years in power. “Buhari told Lawan and others not to take the law into their hands as the leaders of

the party explore reconciliation options. He said peace and the survival of the nation’s democracy should be paramount more than any other thing.” Asked to assess the President’s mood at the session, the source added: “He was not happy about the development in the Senate but he was hopeful that the situation is redeemable if some leaders can sacrifice their ambitions for the survival of APC and his administration.” Another source said: “The session was cordial and reassuring. The President interacted with us individually and even had time to crack jokes with us before we receded into the business of the day. “As for the Lawan group, it was Senator Barnabas Gemade who spoke on behalf of the 51 aggrieved Senators. “Gemade said the Unity Forum is after justice since its members have demonstrated their faith in APC leadership and having been loyal to the party to a fault. “Gemade restated the six demands of the group and the need to prevail on Saraki and

Dogara to abide by the directive of the party on the nominees for principal offices in the Senate and House of Representatives.” The source quoted Gemade as saying: “When the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo called a meeting to address the looming challenge, it was only our group that responded; we were the only group which participated in the party’s straw poll and even on June 9, we deferred to the party’s invitation to a meeting at the International Conference Centre. “Before anybody knew it, the Like Minds went for the inauguration of the Senate and elected Saraki. “We have proved our unflinching loyalty to the party. This is the time for the party to assert itself and enforce discipline or else members will continue to take the leadership of the party for granted.” Ahead of the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC on Tuesday, there were indications last night that the governors

elected on the platform of the party and state chairmen are pushing for Dr. Saraki and Hon. Dogara to comply with the party’s directive on the choice of principal officers of the National Assembly. They said they will no longer tolerate the defiance of the party by the two leaders. A member of the NWC said: “We are expecting a stormy session on Tuesday. Saraki and Dogara will have to choose between loyalty to the party or self-serving agenda. “The only condition for moving forward is for these leaders to accept the list sent to them by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Those recommended by the APC for Senate positions

are Sen. Ahmed Lawan(Majority Leader)— North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye( Chief Whip)— South-West; Sen. George Akume( Deputy Majority Leader)—North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim(Deputy Chief Whip)—North-West. The party’s list for the 8th House of Representatives is as follows: Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila( House Leader)——South-West; Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa( Deputy House Leader)— North-West; Hon. M. T. Monguno( Chief Whip)— North-East; and Hon. Pally Iriase( Deputy Chief Whip)— South-South. It was gathered that if Saraki and Dogara refused to respect the party’s list, APC may resort to sanctions.

Petrol tanker explosion kills to the scene of the accifive in Kebbi visitors dent.

FULLY-LOADED petrol tanker yesterday exploded at Dabi in Kebbi State, killing five people. Six others were injured. The tanker was heading to Mahuta in Kebbi when the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle on the hilly Dabai junction resulting in its fall and subsequent explosion. The accident also left 12 houses and some vehicles parked by the roadside destroyed. The Dabai-Suru and DabaiMahuta road junction also serves as a market, especially for fresh fruits. The Kebbi Deputy Governor, Samaila Yombe, who hails from Dabai, was among early

Yombe condoled with relatives of the victims, the Emir of Zuru, Sani Sami, and the Chairman of Zuru Local Government Area, Ibrahim Rumu. He pledged to offset the medical bills of the hospitalised. Yombe said the State Emergency Management Agency had been directed to provide prompt relief materials those who lost shops, household property, livestock and food crops to the inferno. A resident of the area, ElYakub Dabai, described the accident as unfortunate and hoped authorities would sensitise drivers of heavy duty vehicles on how drive through tricky terrain.

Suicide bombers kill three in Maiduguri, injure 16

• People lay flowers at the scene of Tunisia hotel attack in Sousse province of Tunisia yesterday following Friday’s attack on a tourist hotel in Sousse, east Tunisia that left at least 37 people dead and 36 others injured. PHOTO:AFP

WO female suicide bombers killed at least three people and injured 16 in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, yesterday. Witnesses said the two women tried to get into a hospital but were stopped by security guards at the gate and blew themselves up. “We evacuated the charred bodies of the two security guards, another civilian and the two bombers,” said Auwal Mohammed, a member of the community in Molai, where the hospital is situated. A source at the mortuary of Borno State hospital in

Maiduguri confirmed it had received three corpses after the blast. Another hospital source said 16 people injured in the attack had been brought in. President Muhammadu Buhari has held talks with counterparts in neighbouring countries to set up a joint force to tackle the insurgents and he is planning to visit Cameroon later this month to discuss deeper collaboration. Buhari is also due to visit U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on July 20 and the fight against Boko Haram is likely to be high on the agenda.

OOU accident: Relations in frantic search for corpses

RIEVING parents, relations and friends y e s t e r d a y besieged the morgue of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Ogun State, to claim the corpses of 12 students of the institution who died in a motor accident on Friday. The accident happened on the Lagos –Ibadan Expressway when a 20-feet container fell off a moving truck and crushed the Toyota Hiace passenger bus in which the students were travelling to Lagos for the weekend. The Students Union of the institution yesterday released the names of seven of the victims. They are: Odubanjo

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta/Kelvin Osa Okunbor

Eunice Oluwadamilola (Pol. Science, 200 level); Ogunnoiki Omolade Mariam (EFM History 100 level); Aribiola Yetunde Elizabeth (Biochemistry, 100 level); Adams Suliat Oluwatobi (Accounting, 100 level); Pampam Funmilayo Latifat (Chemical Science, 100 level); Asade Christianah Ibukun (Law, 200 level) and Dairo Olatunji Michael (Physics, Graduate). The students’ body said some items bearing the names of the following people were recovered from the scene: Kutu Ayonimofe Emmanuel, Ayoola Sheriff

•Victims identified Gbolahan, Akinyemi Remilekun and Kazeem Akeem. It however said: “This does not mean the persons were involved.” A Chemical Science student, Akinbo Laughter Ibukun, was named as survivor of the accident. The union said autopsy on the dead was in progress. It declared t o m o r r o w b l a c k Monday during which there will be no lectures at all the campuses of the institution in honour of the dead. A candle-lit procession will also be held by the stu-

dents. “No Club should operate within OOU environs on this day,” it said. Many of the parents, relations and friends who went to the OOUTH morgue were advised to search elsewhere. Head of the teaching hospital’s Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology Department, Dr Deji Agboola, told The Nation that he had checked twice and found that corpses of students said to have died in an accident were not kept at OOUTH. Agboola, an associate professor who also doubles

as the Chairman of the OOU branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said grieving relatives had been coming since Friday following media reports that the dead were deposited at the OOUTH. He said the wrong information was creating problem as it tended to give the impression that they had something to hide. Agboola said an investigation by himself, the Head of the Students Affairs and Chief Security Officer of the institution showed that the corpses were deposited at Fakoya Hospital, Sagamu. Former governor of Abia State Dr Orji Uzor Kalu yesterday sympathised with

the management, staff and students of the university over the loss. Kalu, in a condolence message said he was ”shocked and devastated when I heard the news.” ”It is disheartening to lose our leaders of tomorrow in such a circumstance. It is sad that the students died in their prime at a time the country needs the younger generation to contribute their knowledge towards the growth of the society,” he said and prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead. K a l u commiserated with the Ogun State Government and the bereaved families on the tragedy.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

NEWS

I’ve no deal with PDP, Ekweremadu, says Saraki •Promises reconciliation with S aggrieved senators, party leaders ENATE President Bukola Saraki claimed yesterday that he had nothing to do with the reemergence of Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President at the June 9 controversial election at the Upper Chamber. Saraki, whose choice as Senate President went against the wish of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), also denied receiving any message to attend a party meeting at the International Conference Centre (ICC) on the day. He spoke at his maiden press conference in Abuja as Senate President. He said that contrary to the insinuation in many quarters, he had no deal with Ekweremadu or the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Ekweremadu becoming deputy senate president. All he did, according to him, was to reach out to all Senators to support his (Saraki’s) bid to head the Senate. His words: “On the morning of the inauguration, I didn’t finish meeting until 4:00 of that day and I had got information that efforts would likely be made to make sure that I didn’t get

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

access into the chambers. “So, as early as 4:00am and 5:00am, I had made contingency plans that I must get into the National Assembly because the plan before was that Senators-elect should go to the Transcorp Hilton Hotel around 8:00clock and 9:00am to proceed to the National Assembly. “But I was advised that it would not be safe or secure for me to do that because some people made sure that if I didn’t get into the chambers, it would not be possible for me to be nominated for the nomination to be seconded and for me to accept the nomination. “I can tell you today that I was in the National Assembly Complex as early as 6:00 in the morning and I stayed in a car in the park from 6:00 in the morning till quarter to 10:00am. “This is the truth. I stayed there and I was there with no communication whatsoever. “So, anybody who said they spoke to me to go to the ICC, that is not true because I didn’t even know what was going on. All I was monitoring was how people were arriving at the complex. “It was at quarter to 10:00

that I got information that the Clerk to the National Assembly had entered the chamber. “So, I got out of the small car I was inside, stretched myself and put on my babariga because I didn’t have it on before then. “I walked from the car park into the chamber. That was why some of you would have seen that I looked very tired on that morning. “Even when I was in the chamber, I didn’t know what had transpired earlier on. “The only thing I observed was that it appeared that some of our Senators were not in the chamber and the fact that my colleagues arrived in batches, I had the opinion that they were on their way and by 10:00am, the programme started. “Before I knew it, my election had come and gone. Even my people were worried. It was only when I got into the chamber that they were relieved.” On the alleged pact between him and PDP Senators to vote for him and then choose Ekwermadu as Deputy President of the Sen-

ate, Saraki said there was no such deal. He blamed the re-election of Ekweremadu to the position on the absence from the Senate chamber of greater majority of APC Senators. “Never in our wildest imagination did we envisage that some Senators would not be present on the day of the inauguration,” he said. “In my own view, and in the view of some of those who worked closely with me, I worked hard for my election. “I had direct contact with every single Senator, one on one; weeks leading to the election. I did not rely on anybody. I worked hard both in our party, the APC, and out of it. “I approached every Senator, I talked to them...we built confidence, not only in the APC, but also, in the PDP. I talked to them. “That was why I laugh when people said I had a deal with Ekweremadu or I had a hand in the emergence of Ekweremadu. “I didn’t need any deal to win. I had penetrated...There

•L-R: Corporate Affairs Adviser Nigerian Breweries, Kufre Ekanem; Novelist Chimamanda Adichie and Managing Director/ CEO Nigeria Breweries, Nicholaas Vervelde during a literary evening yesterday... in Lagos. PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Protests in Onitsha over ‘transfer’ of Boko Haram prisoners

VER 20000 traders in the commercial city of Onitsha yesterday put business aside for a while to protest what they said posed a threat to their lives and means of livelihood. The traders took to the streets to kick over alleged plan to transfer detained Boko Haram suspects to prisons in Anambra State. All commercial outlets, including the Onitsha main market, Ekwulobia, Eke Awka and Nnewi markets were shut and commercial and social activities grounded. The police said the traders’ action was baseless. The protesters blocked Uga Junction, the major road connecting the state capital

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

Awka and Onitsha, chanting war songs They also carried placards some of which read: ‘We need Biafra, we don’t want Boko Haram’; ‘We are going to declare another war if this decision is not rescinded’. Security operatives were quickly deployed in all the major streets in the state to maintain law and order. The President General of the Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATAS) in the state, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, told reporters in Onitsha that it was wrong of the federal government to bring Boko Haram suspects to Anambra State. He said detaining Boko Haram anywhere in the state

•All markets shut would constitute a threat to the traders’ businesses. He said they stood to lose as much as N5billion in the event of any Boko Haram crisis in the state. He asked Governor Willie Obiano to seek the assurance of President Muhammadu Buhari that no Boko Haram prisoner would be brought to the state. Asked about the veracity of the ‘transfer’ of the Boko Haram detainees, Ezenwankwo said the traders had their ears to the ground The state Police Command warned the residents against taking the law into their hands, stressing that people should

confirm information before acting on it. Spokesman for the police, Mr. Uche Eze, said: “We are on top of the situation and that was the reason the protest was peaceful without any destruction by those who embarked on it.” A stakeholder in the state, Godwin Ezeemo, hoped the rumour would remain a rumour. Ezeemo said: “Mixing extremists with ordinary prisoners tends to do more danger than they are trying to prevent.” He advised government to create special prisons for hard line terrorists in the country. He also demanded assurance from the federal government that it has no intention of inflicting terrorists on Anambra.

was no deal; I didn’t need any deal in the first place. “I had worked hard such that everybody who was a Senator, I campaigned hard and canvassed for their votes and won their confidence. “One of the meetings held at Transcorp Hilton, which Senator Godswill Akpabio cochaired with Senator Ibrahim Gobir and a few others had both APC and PDP members in attendance. “At that meeting, if you heard most of them there, the position they took was that ‘this is the Senate President they want.’ “Across party lines, they believe in me and that this is the Senate President that can lead us...there was no deal. “Sometimes, I wonder how some of our colleagues found themselves at the ICC. If it had been a case of the Clerk of the National Assembly making an announcement that the event had been postponed or it was no longer holding… There was no invitation. I’m sure some are asking now: what really happened?” Saraki also said that long before the June 9 election PDP Senators had made it clear that they would support him “without even meeting me because in their own meeting, majority had decided to vote for me.” He added: “In their own interest, strategically, they decided that, look this is a fait accompli because 30 of their own Senators were going to vote for this man anyway and the remaining felt it was better to join. “It wasn’t until 2:00am that they called us to tell us about their decision. “With regards to the deputy, when they told us that they had a candidate, we, too, told them we had a candidate for Deputy Senate President in the person of Senator Ali Ndume. “After our own meeting, it was our thinking that it was after the election of the Senate President that the two groups in APC would meet and we would agree on a candidate. “We never in our imagination thought they would not turn up. By the time we got there, we were only 24 while the PDP Senators were more than 40. “In an election, there is no way they would not have defeated us and that was what happened? “Now, when people say it was a deal, I say that if the Clerk to the National Assembly had started the procedure in the House of Representatives first and moved to the Senate thereafter, today, we, the APC, would have had the deputy Senate President. “It is unfortunate that we have a PDP man as Deputy Senate President. It is painful. It is painful for any APC member because we went through the struggle. That was not what we signed for. “But it has happened; but it is unfortunate and it is not fair to put the blame on one side because it is a combination of errors and miscalculations that led us to have what we have. “So, to suggest that it was out of a desperate act to emerge is what I reject com-

pletely and those who followed the events would know that I didn’t have that deal to emerge.” Asked about his relationship with the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu he said: “he is one of the leaders of the party. We have great respect for him. Myself and him, we have worked very closely together on major issues in this party leading to this issue that were very important at different stages in the development of our party. “In this matter, as much as I wanted to win his support, unfortunately I didn’t happen. It happens like that. “I think at the end of the day we will look at the things we have done together that have gone well, many before now: three, four major issues. “One is a setback but I don’t think that that in any way should be what should dictate the kind of relationship that we have. I believe that we are both responsible and committed to the project of the party and idea that we would overcome this and move forward. “That’s our intention as part of the healing process too to be able to do that and it will happen.” On the process of healing in the Senate, he said “The process of healing is going on. It is just two weeks after the election. It is normal after an election like this, for this kind of position that was fiercely contested, there will be sentiments, there will be emotions. “If you can remember after the presidential primaries, for weeks there were huge sentiments and emotions. There are some people today who are now pretending that they love President Buhari more than us. They didn’t attend rallies, they sat in their houses. We were begging them. “What I’m saying is that two weeks for me is short in a healing process. We need to give some time. Two weeks is too short. “What I can assure you as somebody who has taken this position I will not stop until I see there is a full healing process, full reconciliation. Those that know me know that I’m a fair minded person. I will be fair to everybody because everybody too has contributed for us to get here. “Things have happened unfortunately, it cannot be a winner takes all; everybody must be part of that process. We will get there. During this period of recess, by the time we come back, I believe that we will be able pretty much to get together as united APC family. “I want my action to speak more than what I say. Let’s come in one month’s time. I’m confident that this will be a thing of the past. The issues before us when we were elected are greater than this.” Saraki also said that the talk about 2019 presidential election makes him sad. He said: “On 2019 aspiration, I hear a lot about this 2019 and honestly I feel very sad. I’m very, very sad that people are talking about 2019.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

NEWS

Posterity will judge us if we fail Nigerians, says Rep

Lagos demolishes SURE-P taskforce office

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

AGOS State yesterday demolished the structures that once served as administrative and recruitment office for the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) Taskforce at the old tollgate axis along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. It was learnt Governor Akinwunmi Ambode ordered the immediate demolition of the building which housed the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in the state. It was further gathered the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit was directed to demolish the structure last Monday but could not carry out the execute it before yesterday due to some exigencies Before the state turned bulldozer on the building, former governor Babatunde Fashola wrote to former President Goodluck Jonathan over use of the building for illegal recruitment of youths at loggerheads with state government officials. Though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)led government could not explain the specific status of the officials who claimed to be working for the presidency, the SURE-P youths abandoned the premises after the general elections. Some persons suspected to be miscreants later converted the place for other activities. At the time of filling this report, the miscreants said to be part of the over 5,000 youths recruited by the agency displaced by the demolition were seen hovering around the area. Rubbles and heap of documents used by the agency were sited carted away from the scene by trucks. Confirming the demolition, the Chairman of Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, Hakeem Adedeji, a Superintendent of Police, said it was ordered by the state governor. He said: "The reason for the demolition of this place is to the best knowledge of the governor because he was the one who directed that the buildings should be pulled down for the interest of the public." Adedeji said he believed that the governor must have issued the directive based on the abandonment and conversion of the facilities into hideout by miscreants. He said: "In fact when we arrived, we couldn't find any federal government officials inside the building but street urchins. And there is need to avoid that. "That was why we believe that if the building is demolished, no one will convert it for as hideout."

â&#x20AC;˘ Caterpillar demolishing the former building of SURE-P/FERMA building along the Lagos toll gate... yesterday PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Over 2,000 aides for new NASS O members VER 2000 legislative aides are being recruited by new members of the National Assembly as thousands of job seekers keep thronging the complex since its inauguration on June 9. Others bombarded the legislators with telephone calls and home visits. Apart from the regular civil servants and political appointees at the level of Special Advisers and Special Assistants lubricating the National Assembly machinery, 2, 750 aides serve the 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives. Each of the federal legislators is entitled to a minimum of five aides: Senior Legislative Aide, Legislative Aide, Personal Assistant and office secretary. They can function either in Abuja or the constituency office of the lawmakers. The Principal officers have more aides. Stringent screening of visitors to the National Complex by policemen, private security contractors and dedicated security officials under the

â&#x20AC;˘Applicants intensify scramble for jobs From Jide Babalola, Abuja

NASS Sergeant-at-Arms has not succeeded in stemming the streaming in of the job seekers. "Many of us have been working in private companies, law firms, banks and other reputable places but the logical search for greener pastures motivates people like us to be here in hope of getting employed as legislative aides," Ms Helen Edokpayi told The Nation on Sunday. The monthly salary of the legislative aides ranges from N150,000 to 250,000 while the salary and allowances of Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and Special Advisers start from N950, 000 per month. A source at the National Assembly said: "The number of people within this salary bracket in the offices of Senate President and Speaker during the seventh Senate was more than 60. "Besides, the Deputy

Senate President and Deputy Speaker also have many such appointees, including those who do next to nothing throughout the year. "Some people have been lucky to serve as Secretary, Personal Assistant or Senior Legislative Aide to legislators over a period of two or three terms; once you do the first four years, you develop interest for another four years. "There is a measure of arbitrary authority that the Senate President, Speaker and their deputies can exercise in deciding how long the list of their aides, including Special Assistants should be. "That is part of the reasons why many delectable and well-qualified ladies in the banking sector are also lobbying for such job opportunities." While many legislators have picked one or two aides from those who worked for them during the campaign

period in their constituencies, the high cost of accommodation in the Federal Capital Territory has encouraged them to recruit aides in Abuja. The National Assembly's budgeting process and expenditures have remained complex since 1999 such that only a few members of staff and aides have a clear idea of the breakdown or expenditure items in the annual N150 billion budget of the legislature. Incessant protests by legislative aides between 2001 and 2003 led to the separation of legislative aides' salaries from legislators' salary account. Before then, many legislators were alleged to be paying their aides a mere fraction of their entitlements or simply employing only one or two aides while collecting the full salaries for all. Even until recently, some legislators were alleged to have presented the names of their wives, children and other relations living outside Abuja to the National Assembly Service Commission as legislative aides.

British tour operators evacuate tourists from Tunisia

RITISH tourist companies yesterday rushed to evacuate thousands of foreign holidaymakers from Tunisia, 24 hours after a gunman killed 39 people as they lounged at the beach. The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the massacre. Most of the victims were Britons,according to Tunisia's Prime Minister Habib Essid.

British Prime Minister David Cameron feared the number of British casualties might rise from the five already confirmed dead. German and Belgian tourists were among other casualties in the Friday attack at the Imperial Marhaba hotel in Sousse, 140 Km south of the capital Tunis. Tour operators Thomson and First Choice, which are owned by German travel

group TUI, said they had about 6,400 customers across Tunisia at the time of the attack, including several of the people killed and injured. They sent 10 planes to evacuate tourists and said 1,000 had already been repatriated. They also said they would cancel all their holiday packages to Tunisia for at least the next week. A gunman disguised as a tourist opened fire on tourists

as they lounged on the beach at the hotel with a rifle he had hidden in an umbrella. The Tunisian government plans to close down, within the next one week, 80 mosques that remain outside state control for inciting violence. It was the second big attack in Tunisia this year following the Islamist militant assault on the Bardo Museum in the capital in March when gunmen killed 21 foreign visitors.

ISIS claims to be behind deadly Tunisia attack

HE Islamic State (ISIS) yesterday claimed responsibility for Friday's bombing in a Kuwaiti mosque in which 25 died and the assault on a beach in Tunisia, which killed 39. It warned that more attacks soon will follow. "Let them wait for the glad tidings of what will harm them in the coming days, Allah permitting," it said in a statement, referring to the "apostates" who had been the target of the assault. On the same day French security men found a beheaded body in a factory in the south of the country.

The three incidents followed an appeal Tuesday from the Islamic State's spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, for Muslims to mark the holy month of Ramadan by carrying out acts of "jihad," or holy war. "Make Ramadan a month of disasters for the kuffar," meaning infidel," he said in the audio taped address. He promised followers "tenfold" rewards in heaven if they died in such acts during the holy period, associated by most Muslims with fasting, prayer and peaceful reflection. The attacks suggested that some may have heeded his

words. About 9:30 a.m. in the quaint town of Saint-QuentinFallavier in southern France, a deliveryman crashed a vehicle into a shed containing gas cylinders at an Americanowned factory, causing an explosion. After the driver was caught by firefighters, police found a severed head on the factory fence flanked by two flags bearing Arabic inscriptions. Minutes later and 4,828 kilometres away, a man wearing a suicide belt walked into a Shiite mosque in Kuwait City and detonated his

explosives among worshipers gathered for the Jumat prayers, killing 25. Two hours passed before at least one gunman burst into a Mediterranean beach resort in the Tunisian town of Sousse and randomly opened fire on bathers lounging under beach umbrellas, killing 39. The Islamic State asserted responsibility for the attack in Kuwait, saying in a statement circulated on social media accounts that one of its members, Abu Suleiman alMowahid, targeted the mosque because it had been used to try to convert Sunni Muslims to the Shiite branch of Islam.

ON. Ajibola Famurewa (Ilesa West and East federal constituency) has apologised to Nigerians for the violent rows that disrupted proceedings at the House of Representatives last Thursday. He said: "It is just we seek for your forgiveness as a mark of respect for the mandate you freely gave us with a pronounced and assuring conviction that such disgraceful scenario will not play out again in the life of this 8th Assembly." Famurewa tendered the apology while receiving members of his constituency during a courtesy visit yesterday. Many of his constituents expressed displeasure over the free-for-all that saw the clothes of elected lawmakers turned in the full glare of global media. Famurewa called on the leadership of the party to intervene in the leadership tussle in the Green Chamber before it reconvened on July 21. According to him: "I make an open appeal to the leaders and executives to bring to the fore their political experience and maturity to nip this crisis in the bud once and for all. "When we take charge and come alive to fulfill our electioneering promises, Nigerians will eulogize our party and if otherwise, we will be at the receiving end." Promising that the APC will redeem the nation, Famurewa said: "Sooner, we would team up to legislate ways out of all these pyramids of problems and ensure a new lease of lives for the teeming population. "This Muhammadu Buhari- led executive would be given all required legislative backing to transform the country and reposition it as a truly prosperous independent nation within the continent and internationally respectively."

School opens new complex By Kunle Akinrinade RTWOOL Schools has opened a new multipurpose complex in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State. Speaking at the inauguration of the complex, the Chairman of the governing council of the school, Bayo Olugbemi, said the need to mould children in a better environment informed the new facility. He said: "This is a multipurpose complex that has all it takes to impact knowledge on pupils; hence, we are encouraging parents to bring their children for purposeful learning and good upbringing." The school's Executive Director, Taiwo Adetunji, said: "Our directors love children with passion and this was responsible for the decision to make sure our pupils enjoy a better learning environment."

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

Buhari is a man of destiny, says Waziri •Ex-EFCC boss urges support for President

ORMER Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a man of destiny who deserves to be supported by all Nigerians. Waziri, now into private law practice, spoke yesterday at Uga-Mbagwa, Ushongo local government area of Benue State, while fielding questions from journalists after the commissioning of her community's worship centre. "I believe in President Buhari because he is believable and he has remained constant like the morning star since I know him. "Beyond that, I'm sure that he is a man of destiny, a resolute, sincere and committed leader who says what he means and does what he preaches," she said. Waziri added: "In the history of Nigeria, he is today the only leader who has contested the presidential election for four consecutive times and made history by defeating a sitting president. "Remember he almost paid the ultimate price when his convoy was targeted in Kaduna before the election. Some other persons would have chickened out and even fled the country but he remained resolute and committed to the course he believed in. "That I can tell you is the kind of gut the nation needs at this critical time especially to fight corruption, which is one of our greatest challenges today." When asked why she was not visible during and after the recent general elections, Waziri said she had been out of the country attending to some pressing issues. She said the time has come for Nigerians to come together and salvage the country irrespective of their differences.

NEWS

Five northern govs raise alarm over Kamuku Forest T G

FG proposes shut down of open drug markets July 1 From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

OVERNORS of Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara and Kebbi States yesterday identified the massive Kamuku Forest, which spans their states, as a threat to national security. The governors at a meeting in Kaduna said that given the series of criminal activities that have been going on in the forest for some time now, every necessary step must be taken immediately by government so that it might not become another Sambisa Forest. Sambisa in Borno State is the Boko Haram fortress where most of its attacks were planned and executed. Dozens of its training camps are also located in the forest although the Defence Headquarters claimed troops have destroyed some of them and liberated hostages found therein. Host Governor Nasir elRufai told reporters at the end of the meeting that it

•Fear it may serve as breeding ground for terrorists From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

was necessary for government to pay attention to the forest now because "that forest is capable of breeding future Boko Haram." He added: "The forest, which is in the centre of the Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Kabbi and Zamfara, has been of serious security concern. "So, we have just met to brainstorm with a view to fashioning out a coordinated approach in tackling the security challenges in our states. This has become necessary to avoid a spill over. "We met with security chiefs in charge of our respective states so that, we can as quickly as possible bring an end to the loss of lives, cattle rustling and loss of property." He said their action had the backing of the federal au-

thorities. At the meeting were Govs Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina),Abdulahi Yari (Zamfara State),Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi) and Abubakar Bello (Niger). Governor El-Rufai who had earlier addressed his first Town Hall Meeting reiterated his government's commitment to devote the state resources to people oriented projects. He said:"the new government of Kaduna State has declared that the resources of the state will be devoted to serving the public, with schools, hospitals and roads; aiding our farmers and doing our utmost to create jobs. "To do that, we must cut the cost of running government. Ours will no longer be the state that has too little left for the needs of the majority of the people.? "That is our guiding principle as we reduce costs.

And we have taken concrete action in this regard. "We have restructured our ministries from 19 to 13. We have also decided that we will have only 13 commissioners, 10 special advisers and 12 special assistants. "You all remember that the previous government had 24 commissioners, 41 special advisers and about 400 special assistants. "But good governance is not about recruiting vast numbers of political appointees. It is about the smallest number that can provide the quality of service that is required,?" he said. El-Rufai said he found the state in a bad shape but pledged that he would never use that as an excuse for non-performance. "It is our duty to do our best always. That is why we are finding creative even if difficult ways to deliver on our promises," he said.

HE federal government has declared it will shut down open drug market to check abuse and ensure organised distribution system. The shutdown is expected to commence on July 1. The federal government added that it has set up a Presidential Committee on Pharmaceutical Sector Reform to develop strategies towards the institutionalisation of a well ordered drug distribution system. The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Linus Awute, who made the announcements at the weekend in Abuja, foreclosed the possibility of postponement of the proposed shutdown. He also said that the latest development was in line with the implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDGs). Awute explained that regulatory agencies like the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have been directed to ensure full compliance. He said: "We are hopeful that the existence of open drug markets in the country will be a thing of the past as the drug distribution system of the country has remained uncoordinated, chaotic and resulted in the circulation of fake, adulterated, substandard and counterfeit drugs." The Permanent secretary also said that the chaotic drug distribution poses a very big challenge to the pharmaceutical sector and the federal government considering the negative impact the situation has on the entire health care delivery system.

How to support Buhari, others, by Otubu

ICPC arrests fake medical doctor over visa scam HE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested a fake doctor in connection with a visa scam. George Dawari, according to the ICPC, was arrested on June 5, 2015 on the strength of a petition alleging that he demanded the sum of N450,000 from a couple for the purpose of procuring a five-year visa to the United States for each of them. During a search of the suspect's residence in Abuja, ICPC operatives recovered some medical equipment, including a stethoscope and medical overall bearing his name. He had earlier told the petitioners that he was a doctor and offered to administer drugs on one of them. Also found in the suspect's house were six green Nigerian passports, four of which had been stamped with the United States visas. The passports were declared to be fake by the US Embassy after scrutiny. The suspect is to be charged to court for violating section 16 of the ICPC Act 2000 and section 321 of the Penal Code.

• From Left, widow, late Chairman, Dekit Construction Company, Mrs Deborah Olagunju, and her children at the funeral service of her husband in Ibadan at the weekend

Bayelsa 2016: Ex-First Lady's camp splits

EMBERS of the camp of former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, are divided over the choice of an aspirant that will contest the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with Governor Seriake Dickson in Bayelsa State. It was gathered that members of the camp initially planned to bury their differences and present a popular aspirant capable of edging Dickson out of the party's ticket at the primary election. But problem was said to have started when Mrs. Jonathan, after consulting with her close associates, asked the camp to field her godson and a former presidential aide, Waripamowei Dudafa, for the governorship post. Some senior politicians and elders in her camp were said to have kicked

•Faction may defect to APC From: Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

against the choice, saying they were not comfortable with the choice of Dudafa. After failing to convince the former First Lady to drop her choice, a good number of the camp's members were said to have pulled out their structures from the group. It was gathered that members who left the camp have been holding series of meetings at the residence of a former deputy governor, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu. While the Mrs. Jonathan's faction was said to have resolved to remain in PDP and slug it out with Dickson, the Seibarugu's group, it was learnt, resolved in their last meeting to move to the All Progressive Congress (APC). Over 80 politicians

drawn from local government areas of the state were said to have attended the meeting. One of the PDP leaders, who have been attending the meetings, said the group's sole project is stopping Dickson's reelection. The source, who pleaded anonymity, said their movement to the APC had been sealed, adding that it would finally bury the PDP in the state. "Sooner than expected, all of us will move to the APC. Our number is increasing and once we attain our targeted numerical strength, we are going to join the progressives. There is no going back on this decision. "We have decided to leave the PDP for Dickson and Dudafa. But our movement because of the number

involved and the calibre of politicians involved will sink the PDP in Bayelsa," he said. It was learnt the group's last meeting was chaired by Major Andrew Oputa, an ex- Security Adviser when former President Goodluck Jonathan was the governor of the state. Present at the meeting were a former Senator in Bayelsa East, Nimi Bariagh-Amange and the former Acting Governor and Speaker, Chief Nestor Binabo. Others were Mrs. Marie Ebikake, a former Commissioner for Transport in Dickson's administration; former state lawmaker, Dr. Amalayon Yuosuor; former Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Sylvanus Abila; former Legal Adviser to Bayelsa State, Olorogun and former Commissioner for Conflict Resolution, Captain Karimu (rtd).

HE General Evangelist of Motailatu Church Cherubim & Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), Elder Prof. Joseph Otubu, has appealed to Nigerians to pray and support the good policies of the new administration. He said this will make President Muhammadu Buhari and other elected officials succeed in their efforts to change the nation. Otubu, who spoke with newsmen in Lagos, said no government can succeed with the full cooperation and prayers of the masses. "We have to realise that they are there for us. We elected them into offices. So, it behoves us to continue supporting them with prayers. "We have to lift them up daily that forces working against the nation will not succeed in manipulating them. We should pray that they do not receive and implement bad advice." But beyond prayers, Otubu, a renowned gynecologist, said Nigerians must believe in the new helmsmen by supporting their policy thrust. "We should comply with their instructions and be ready to follow them in the path of righteousness. "As citizens, we can destroy any government through civil disobedience. We should follow them as long as they are working for our interest."

Union alleges plot against new varsities From Damisi Ojo, Akure

EMBERS of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) have raised the alarm over moves by some politicians to destabilise the four Colleges of Education recently upgraded to universities by the federal government. The Federal Government had on May 20, announced the upgrading of four Colleges of Education to universities. They include Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo now Adeyemi University of Education, Alvan-Ikoku College of Education, Owerri becoming Alvan-Ikoku University of Education, Federal College of Education, Zaria now Federal University of Education, Zaria and Federal College of Education, Kano elevated to Federal University of Education, Kano. According to COEASU's National Vice-President, Smart Olugbeko, some politicians are planning to stop the elevation of the institutions because their zones did not benefit from the exercise. He advised these people to acquaint themselves with the process and procedures that led to the upgrade of the Colleges. The union leader said these Colleges were upgraded purely on academic and professional considerations devoid of ethnicity and politics, these are Colleges that have been producing graduates in various education disciplines for the past thirty years. According to him, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, is 51-year old and has been running degree courses since 1981 with all her degree courses fully accredited. Olugbeko also stressed that the various committees set up by the federal government at various times found the facilities and personnels in the Colleges appropriate for Universities. He said that was why the committees recommended the change in the status of the institutions. Olugbeko therefore advised Buhari's administration to quickly initiate the bill towards amending the law establishing the Colleges to reflect the new status.

Akure Group elects exco

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

NEWS

HE Akure Renewal Group, ) (ARG) on Saturday elected members of its executive. The ARG, a body of indigenes of the old Akure Division of Ondo State who are concerned about the development of the city, meets monthly in the city. The election, which took place at the Metropolitan Hotel, Oyemekun Road, Akure, had Professor Emmanuel Abiodun Fayose, retired professor of Geology, University of Ibadan, as President. Also, Professor OluAderounmu, former Provost, Adeyemi College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, was elected as Vice President. In his remarks, the president urged renewed dedication to Akure and its development. He called on all sons and daughters of the city to be committed to the future of the city, stating that it was a job to be done by all.

"Dont crucify Aregbesola over unpaid salaries"

CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Canada, Prince Adewale Akanbi, has warned the people of Osun State against blaming Governor Rauf Aregbesola for the current financial situation of the state. He urged the people of the state to open up their minds and take away vital lessons from the delay in the payment of workers' salaries. Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, Prince Akanbi said it was regrettable that reasons for the salary delay could not be properly situated and understood by the people so as to prevent its re-occurrence. According to him, it is true that there was a sharp drop in the price of crude oil at the international market but prior to the state governorship and presidential elections,

Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo.

millions of dollars were allegedly given spent on the re-election bid of forearm President Goodluck Jonathan. He wondered why the people of the state never bothered to query where the funds were sourced, saying no doubt, it was money meant for the states from the federal account. "Since that time, the state share of the statutory allocation has consistently dropped from N4.6 billion to between N1.4 billion and N400 million monthly," he said. However, Akanbi sympathised with the people of the state, particularly the civil servants, who are directly affected by the situation. He enjoined the people to support the Aregbesola administration in the effort to industrialise the state and

move it away from the status of a 'civil servant' economy. Akabi appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to pay about N30 billion owed Osun State being fund for the federal projects done by the Rauf Aregbesola administration. He said if Osun State government could recover the money at this critical time, it would solve financial challenges facing it. Akanbi blamed the Federal Government under Goodluck Jonathan for playing politics with the lives of the peoples of Osun State when he paid N22 billion of Federal projects executed by former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to the incumbent Governor Ayo Fayose but denied Osun State same treatment. "From the information at

my disposal, no fewer than twenty three states are unable to pay workers' salaries for many months but I think Osun was more affected being a state still with very small internally generated revenue needed at a critical time like this to compliment the dwindling federal allocation. "May be someone like me would be able to analyse and put the situation in the right perspective because I live in a developed economy like Canada, where things are done normally. I will advise the people, though it may be difficult, to be dispassionate about this problem and see clearly in order to save themselves from possible future crisis." He also charged the opposition to stop politicising the issue that affects people's welfare and survival.

â&#x20AC;˘From left: Senator Oluremi Tinubu,APC Leader, Lagos Central Senatorial District,Prince Tajudeen Olusi,former Commissioner for Home Affairs,Hon Babatunde Balogun,during the presentations of 220 GCE form to the Lagos Central Senatorial District,at her Constituency Office,Yaba Lagos

CJ solicits Lagos speaker's assistance on autonomy for judiciary

AGOS State Chief Judge, Justice Olufunlayo Atilade, has sought the assistance of Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, for financial autonomy of the judiciary with a view to managing its activities and resources effectively just as obtainable in the House of Assembly. The Chief Judge said the call for assistance has become necessary because of the challenges it has had to contend with in the recent past due to dearth of resources and or failure of the relevant agencies to release its money when due. Atilade who was represented at a courtesy visit to the speaker by the Chief Registrar, Emmanuel Ogundare, said if the judiciary has financial autonomy it will help dispense justice faster and more efficiently and also deal with other issues confronting it. The CJ also advised the lawmakers to always furnish her office with a copy of any bill it intends to pass in order to have input of her office for more robust legislation. According to her, it is unfortunate that despite the fact that bills being attended to by

By Oziegbe Okoeki

the House is normally published before passage, the judiciary don't normally get copies on time to make meaningful contribution, she urged the speaker to look into it so that they can make full contribution to it. While congratulating the Speaker for his election as the leader of the eight Assembly, the Chief Registrar who was accompanied by Mr. Olumide Lawal, Director Finance and Admin, Mrs. Adio BJ, Director of Account, Mrs. Deni Ajayi, Deputy Chief Registrar, also pleaded with the House to look at its budget favourably by the time the next budget is presented to the House. Responding, Obasa commended the Chief Judge for her efforts at ensuring speeding delivering of justice in the state since assumption of office, he also commended her effort at ensuring that innocent persons who are held behind bars for number of years are set free through her recent effort. He assured the CJ that the House

will look into the judiciary budget when the time comes with a view to assisting them to achieve their aims and objectives. The speaker also said on the financial autonomy the judiciary seeks the House will work with the ministry of justice to see how it can be done. He noted that the issue of autonomy for the judiciary is not new as the issue came up during the 7th Assembly but the problem with the autonomy of the judiciary at that time was that they wanted their capital

budget to be given to them directly. He assured however that they would look at how the autonomy can be achieved by working with relevant agencies to get the best result. He also promised that the Assembly will ensure that copies of bills being processed by the House are forwarded to the judiciary to ensure its comprehensive input. With the speaker to receive the team from the judiciary were Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade, Hon. Bayo Oshinowo, among others.

Why Osun APC elder caucus disowned Deputy Speaker Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

HE Elder Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has explained why it disowned Hon. Sulaiman Lasun Yusuf, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. The group said his candidacy did not have the blessings of the party leadership, therefore,? the Elder Caucus dis-associated itself from the National Assembly poll in which Yusuf had emerged the Deputy Speaker. According to the group the scenario that characterised the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly and emergence of Yusuf as Deputy Speaker was not only a despicable act of betrayal and disloyalty to the party but also a breach and negation of the party's directive. The caucus in a communique signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Prince Felix Awofisayo and Barrister Gbadegesin Adedeji respectively, said Yusuf's acceptance of the position was condemnable and should be seen as an anti-party acticvity. It further noted that the action disrespected the party leadership, adding that such action, if allowed to remain, is capable of promoting indiscipline and elevating 'treachery and rebellion to an art.?' "We examined critically, particularly as regards the circumstances that brought about the election of Hon. Lasun Yusuf, member representing Osogbo/Olorunda/Irepodun/ Orolu Federal Constituency of the State as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. "That the acceptance of the office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives by Hon. Lasun Yusuf is not only a despicable act of betrayal and disloyalty to the party, but also a breach and negation of our party's directive on the issue. That Hon. Lasun Yusuf allowed himself to be overwhelmed and driven by admixture of personal interest and vaulting ambition detrimental to the progress and stability of the party that nurtured him and on whose platform he was elected in the first place. "That his action, if allowed to remain, is capable of promoting indiscipline and elevate treachery and rebellion to an art. That we condemned this anti-party tendency on the part of Hon. Lasun Yusuf without reservation and we hereby dissociate ourselves from it. That we pledge our support and unflinching loyalty to the dynamic and indefatigable Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, with a reminder that when the going is tough the tough gets going," the group said.

Africa must fight corruption, says Don

HE need to fight corruption and materialism by Africans has been emphasised as the only solution to tackle the under-development being encountered by the continent. A political scientist, Dr. Olufemi Badru of the department of Politics and International Relations of Lead City University, Ibadan, made this known while featuring on a discussion programme tagged

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

"Rhythm of the Black Race," held at the Arts Theatre of the University of Ibadan. While presenting a paper entitled:"Africa and the Burden of Underdevelopment: Philosophical Diagnosis and Prognosis," Dr. Badru stated that Africans must collectively and conscientiously determine to fight the systemic corruption that has eaten deep into the

system of many countries. He further pointed out that Africans must eschew morally base descriptive values such as high- level of materialism, exploitative interaction, social irresponsibility, among other things, adding that they must embrace desirable values such as altruism, fellow-feeling, social responsibility, which he said were largely lost in the present day Africa.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

•Oyegun

•Saraki

•Dogara

Saraki, Dogara: What should APC do?

INCE the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly and the election of the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, where Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara emerged Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively against the position of their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party, which won the presidential and National Assembly elections has been thrown into crisis. The matter escalated this week when Saraki and Dogara also refused to listen to the advice of the party leadership on who should occupy the party leadership positions in both chambers. While Saraki-led Senate dumped the list of candidates for Senate Majority Leader, Deputy Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip and successfully elected different candidates for the positions in defiance of the party, Dogara’s attempt to do the same at the Green Chamber ended in a stalemate as the House went on a long recess after a free for all fracas. Reacting to this development, concerned supporters of APC and some of its leaders have called on the party to do something fast to regain authority and save the polity.

•Buhari

The crisis that trailed the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dagora as the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, against the position of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to plague the ruling party as the NASS leaders also rebelled against the party leadership on their choice of other National Assembly leaders. In this report, Sam Egburonu, Associate Editor, Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, Sunday Oguntola in Lagos, Abdulgafar Alabelewe in Kaduna; Kolade Adeyemi in Kano; report on the options available to APC and the implications on the polity and the party

‘My hands were tied’ Explaining why he did what he did, Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Thursday, June 25, 2015, wrote a letter to the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), John Oyegun, explaining that he went against the party’s wishes in the appointment of Senate leaders because his hands were tied. It would be recalled that before the election of the Senate Majority Leader and the other leaders of the Red Chamber, APC National Chairman, Oyegun had written a formal letter to Saraki, telling him to choose Senator Ahmed Lawan as Majority Leader, amongst other nominations made by the leadership of APC. But when it was time to elect the leaders, the Senate President nominated Senator Ali Ndume instead; an action APC leaders described as the height of rebellion and disrespect for the party’s supremacy. So, in the letter, which he signed personally, the Senate President explained that the APC’s letter on who to nominate came after the zonal caucuses had chosen their candi-

dates in line with parliamentary convention. Saraki further said that he would have liked to please the party but his hands were tied. He also assured the APC of his continuing loyalty in the letter which was addressed to National Chairman, John Oyegun. Also, explaining the reasons behind the fisticuffs on the floors of the House before the House went on recess, Hon. Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura of the All Progressive Congress (APC), representing Zango/Baure Federal Constituency of Katsina State, said “The action that occurred inside the chamber of the House of Representatives was in reaction to the illegal and unconstitutional action taken by Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives, an action in his usual tradition of total disregard to the wishes of the majority members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus, the Party itself and the spirit of the Party. “We are aware of a letter sent by our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) dated 23rd June 2015 conveying the approval of the Party’s Principal Officers visa-vis the APC House Leader, the APC Chief Whip, the APC Deputy House Leader and the APC Deputy Chief Whip for the House of Representatives. This letter by the Party is in compliance with the expressed wish and mandate of the Majority Members of the All Progressives Congress APC Caucus in the House of Representatives. This action of the Party and the APC House Caucus is in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, the House Rules and Parliamentary tradition, practices and precedents in Nigeria and all over the World. But to our surprise and in breach of our privilege and rights as contained in the Constitution and extant House Rules, Mr. Speaker refused to read the letter from our party. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not Party Principal Officers but are House of Representatives Presiding Officers and by precedent and practice are expected to provide a level playing ground for all members, while the Party Principal Officers are supposed to be the main advocates for their individual party positions. The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are elected by

all members of the House of Representatives irrespective of party affiliation and it is also possible under our extant rules for a Speaker and his Deputy to be elected from a minority/opposition party in the National Assembly. Therefore, Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives cannot under extant Laws and House Rules Appoint, Choose, Select, Dictate or even provide guidance on how Party Principal Officers emerge or are elected or selected. That responsibility and authority lies with each Party and Party’s Caucus members in the House,” he told the press during the week. While every concerned observer said APC must do something fast to save the situation, the right option left for the party is not generally agreed upon. Options open for APC Tambuwal option: Some Nigerians, especially APC supporters, worried by the current war of words amongst APC members over the development, are of the view that the party can adopt what they described as ‘Tambuwal option.’ Taken from how the Peoples Democratic Party reacted when Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, a PDP lawmaker from Sokoto State, aligned with the opposition to emerge the Speaker of the House of Representatives against his party’s decision, the option implies turning a blind eye. That is, avoiding the temptation of sanctioning the offender in order to stall further confrontations that may hurt the party. It would be recalled that when former Speaker of the House of Representatives emerged against the decision of the then ruling party, PDP practically turned blind eye and so he served as PDP Speaker with the firm support of the opposition until the tail end of his tenure, when he formally declared for the then opposition party, the APC. Not all APC sympathizers are willing to accept this option. Those who are opposed to it say in PDP’s case, Tambuwal did what Saraki and Dogara are not doing today. According to them, after Tambuwal emerged speaker through his alliance with the opposition, he did not openly disregard the positions of his party leadership. He accepted Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola as the Majority Leader of the House as advised by the

•Contd. on page 10

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

NEWS REVIEW

Saraki, Dogara: What should APC do? •Continued from page 9 PDP leadership then. He not only made every move to appease PDP leadership but also accepted practically every other fence mending requests they made after his emergence. Saraki on the other hand ignored all the requests of the APC leadership, including the letter written by the APC National Chairman, Oyegun, bearing the list of the candidates nominated by the party leadership for the remaining Senate leadership. Implication: From the views of many of our respondents, there is the fear that if APC adopts the Tambuwal option in the current circumstances, it will open room for other rebellion, a development that will ultimately lead the party to lose authority. “This option should not be considered

because it will lead to a situation where party directives will no longer be binding on anybody. In that case, anybody can just do the same thing that Saraki and Dogara are doing,” most of the respondents said. Sanction Most Nigerians opposed to Tambuwal option in this matter are insisting that the party must enforce discipline. They insist that the only credible option is for the party to act fast to enforce party supremacy which has been defied twice both by Saraki in the Senate and Dagora in the House of Representatives. “This rebellion against the party has resulted in a situation where PDP is now in control of the two chambers of the National Assembly in spite of the fact that APC has majority in the two chambers. We cannot close our eyes to the damage already done to our party and the more dis-

astrous implications in the future if we keep quiet now. We must sanction these people no matter the implications. Our investigation shows that those advocating sanction do not however agree on the kind of sanction that should be prescribed against them. So far, informed observers said the party can either suspend or expel Saraki and Dogara. A few others said the sanction need not necessarily include their supporters at the National Assembly. This suggests that Saraki and Dogara may also be isolated and disciplined. However such sanction is applied, it is agreed that it will have varied implications. Implications Our investigation confirms that most political leaders in the country agree that suspension or expulsion of the two NASS leaders may result to serious crisis for

the party and the polity as it may result to the possibility of defection of the principal parties. “If Saraki and Dogara are suspended, they may decide to defect to the opposition PDP and no matter how you may try to manage the resultant crisis, the party and the polity cannot be better for it,” said a source. Not every respondent agreed that in event of sanction, Saraki and Dogara will automatically leave APC. Some informed observers say they may think twice before defecting because of the ruling on the Ondo State House of Assembly matter, which may imply their losing their plum seats. Also, there are some observers that said Saraki, if suspended for some time may decide to remain like that and work as Senate President. Informed observers however warned that for APC, suspension

or expulsion of the offending NASS leaders implies that the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal executive would be dealing with a hostile and unstable NASS. “This is not what we voted for,” said an APC member in Lagos. Isolation Some top politicians who do not want to be named however said another option that may be considered is Isolation. “Another option open for APC-led federal government is to isolate the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives. This implies either isolating them for sanction without touching their supporters at the national Assembly, or Mr. President not depending on them in the running of his government,” explained one of such respondents who added that “it is important these two party men are disciplined.

Balarabe Musa: APC must insist on party supremacy Abdulgafar Alabelewe in Kaduna spoke with Alhaji Balarabe Musa, the former governor of old Kaduna State

•Musa

ECOND Republic Governor of the old Kaduna State and prominent Northern voice, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, has told the All Progressives Congress (APC) to insist on party supremacy in the current crisis rocking the party in the National Assembly. Balarabe Musa however said, President Muhammadu Buhari must wade into the National Assembly crisis, should his party fail in doing so, arguing that, if the President fails to do so, the National Assembly will lead him into a worst situation than they led President Shehu Shagari in 1979. According to the septuagenarian politician, APC cannot afford to let go of the developments in the National Assembly because its existence as a party depends on the loyalty of its members. In his words, “No political party worth its name will sponsor a candidate and leave the candidate to do what he feels like, because at the end of the day, the party will be responsible for his conduct. “Even as we talk of democracy and internal democracy, we cannot exclude the power of a political party over the power of a candidate it has sponsored in an election to represent it because there, they are representing the

party. “Under this circumstance, the APC should insist on the supremacy of the party without undermining democracy. It must insist on the loyalty of its members otherwise there will be no party and there will be no party government. “First, the party through its National Chairman should try to convince the members of the party in the National Assembly of the need to listen to the party and take guidance from the party,” he said. The first Executive Governor of Kaduna however advised that if the National Assembly members refuse to listen to the party chairman, the President must intervene between the party and members of the National Assembly. “But this will be very difficult under the current circumstance because those he would be persuading are not members of his party, this is because it was PDP members who elected the Senate President and the Speaker, so there is a limit to how the party and President can prevail over these members. He will be trying to prevail over Senators and members of the House of Representatives who are not members of APC but PDP, the party he defeated just yesterday. So, it is not an easy task, it is a very difficult matter. “But all the same, President Muhammadu Buhari has been

elected as the President of all Nigerians, like the Yoruba say, ‘Oga patapata or Kabiyesi’ and the north would say ‘Sarkin yanka’. So, the President has enormous power irrespective of the party. If he is skillful, he can still prevail over the members of the Senate and House of Representatives to behave in the interest of the country,” he opined. While he likened the current development to the 1979 regime of President Shehu Shagari, Musa advised Buhari to turn to Nigerians for assistance if the National Assembly insist on dragging him into Shagari’s predicament. According to him, “at the end of the day, Nigerians will choose whether to support the president or the legislature and from the look of things, Nigerians will prefer to go with their president, rather than pitching their tent with the legislature. “One example the President should be reminded, because he knows about it is that during the Second Republic, when Shagari was the President of Nigeria and we were governors, a serious problem arose within three months of our swearing-in. Members of the National Assembly attempted to fix their own remuneration. When Shagari realised that the economy of the country at that time could not support that, he called meeting of the National Economic Council and informed us that he called members of NPN in the Senate for a dinner and they refused to attend because he did not support the idea of National Assembly fixing its enumeration. “So, he sought for our help irrespective of our party differences. Initially, we told him to handle it alone since it was an NPN internal matter, but after making us to understand that it will become a national issue, we agreed to form a 5-man committee, made up of a governor from each of the five parties. After the committee sat down and recommended remuneration for all public officers throughout

the country, from local government to the Presidency. “After submitting our recommendations to the President, he went to the press to publish the recommendations of the National Economic Council and the National Assembly was up at arms, the Senate in particular, under the leadership of Senator Joseph Wayas. They even threatened to remove governors from members of the National Economic Council. “Again, the President on our advice decided to involve party leaders to prevail on their members in the National Assembly because they were all sponsored by parties. So, Awolowo, Zik, Aminu Kano, Waziri Ibrahim and Akinloye were all invited to a meeting of party leaders with governors. In spite of the animosity between Shagari and Awolowo, Awolowo did not prevent his party governors from attending the meeting to help Shagari because he saw it as a na-

tional matter, but to our surprise, Senate President came to the meeting laughing. We later discovered that the President had approved the money they wanted. “Now, that failure of the President to restrain the National Assembly members from fixing their own remuneration opened the gate of corruption, stealing and criminal waste of resources in this country, which we are still battling with. If Shagari had been able to stop them, we wouldn’t have been where we are today. Immediately they got that, they began to give themselves all sort of allowances and harass ministers, asking for contracts and all that. “Now, APC’s President Muhammadu Buhari is now facing the same problem that Shagari faced and could not deal with it. Now, if the President fails to prevail on the members of the National Assembly and fails to call on Nigerians for support, they will lead him to the same situation as they led Shagari and his own will even be worse because the state of the nation as it is today is more negative, 100 times more negative than it was in 1979,” said Balarabe Musa.

Auwalu Kolade Adeyemi in Kano, spoke with Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, former Special Adviser on Legal Matters to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha

•Yadudu

ROF. Auwalu Yadudu, former Special Adviser on Legal Matters to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use political solution to tackle the

crisis occasioned by the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives respectively against the wishes of the leadership of the party. Yadudu, who also served exmilitary Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar as Special Adviser on Legal Matters, however, faulted the emergence of Saraki as Senate President, but

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

NEWS REVIEW

Olisa Agbakoba: They must be ready to compromise to move forward Sunday Oguntola spoke with constitutional lawyer, I Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) on the options available for APC

T is a very difficult issue. The way I understand it is that both sides have to be ready to compromise to move forward. This is not what Nigerians voted for; Nigerians voted for change. I believe the issues behind this development are very crucial. One, the presidential system recognises parties up to the point of election. Once elections have been won, the constitution is silent on what should be the roles of political parties. So, the All Progressives Congress (APC) that wants to dictate how National Assembly officials should emerge is only acting based on the British system. We have the British culture but practises the presidential system. The constitution says members of the National

Assembly are free to elect their leaders without recourse to any party. To me, the APC didn’t handle the issues well. The party had over two months since it won the presidential election to determine who gets what. I expected them to have settled all the contentions before they became public knowledge. It appeared the party focused too much on winning the presidential election and went to sleep. That remains a fatal error. So, in that circumstance, you cannot blame Saraki because he simply

capitalised on the situation as an astute politician. Having said that, I believe Saraki and Dogara should compromise. That will help to save the polity and the nation’s democratic experience. If they insist on having their way, it may spell doom for the APC. Very soon, the APC will become the PDP and viceversa. Nigerians are disappointed with the struggle for positions. They have to resolve the issues early before Nigerians become disillusioned.

Chekwas Okorie: Buhari Abubakar Tsav: Buhari should should intervene now Sam Egburonu, Associate Editor, spoke with Chief Chekwas Okorie, National Chairman of United Progressives Party (UPP) and a former presidential candidate

THINK APC has so far mismanaged the situation. I am not happy to refer to PDP as a political party that has anything to offer, but it managed similar situation better. As you know Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker of House of Representatives against PDP’s decision was a similar situation, but as soon as it happened, PDP quickly embraced Tambuwal and the president then did not hesitate to congratulate him. The party went further to announce that what happened was a family affair. So, coming to the current development, I thought APC should have handled it better. President Muhammadu Buhari wisely decided not to be directly involved in who emerged the National Assembly leaders. So, he can easily work with the outcome of the NASS elections. But it is the party, the APC, that is continuously losing out. Having said that, I think the president cannot continue to be aloof because what happens to APC, happens to him. He should broker some truce between the APC

and NASS leadership. Talking about options available to APC, I think the party should swallow its pride and accept the situation. Speaking as an experienced political party manager, if I were APC leaders, I will not convene a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at this point in time. This is because tension is still very high. Convening a NEC meeting that is supposed to determine whether Saraki and Dogara would be sanctioned is dangerous. It will hurt the party more than it would hurt the people involved. I say so because Nigeria is not well structured. The North has majority and so will ultimately dominate the NEC. So, it is their point of view on this matter that will prevail. In fact, I will be surprised if the NEC meeting convened by the national Chairman of the party at this point in time will not turn round to demand his resignation. Such a meeting at this point in time is dangerous and ill advised. I will rather suggest that the best option now is for President Buhari to be challenged to intervene in this APC internal crisis so as to bring about peace. A NEC meeting at this point in time will shock the convener. •Okorie

remain neutral

Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, spoke with Retired Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav

HE APC is a group of defectors from the PDP who are desperate for power. Apart from President Muhammadu Buhari and a few others, the rest are selfish and greedy persons who are only interested in what they can grab for themselves. Buhari is wearing a white garment and is dining with gluttons who may soil his

•Tsav

white garment with red and black soup. So, he should remain neutral as he presently is, otherwise they may drag him into this show of shame. Meanwhile, I commend Dr Bukola Saraki and support his stand in the interest of national unity. If the APC is a disciplined and democratically united party with interest of the nation at heart, they would not make any noise about this situation, but all they are interested in, is the monetary aspect of these positions. They have won the election but they do not know how to manage their victory as a result of greed. I am sorry for President Mohammadu Buhari.

Yadudu: APC should adopt political solution hailed Hon. Dogara’s emergence as Speaker of the House of Representatives. While speaking to The Nation in his home in Kano, Yadudu argued that while Dogara was elected by a reasonable majority of the House under a free and fair atmosphere, Saraki’s emergence was marred by procedural defects. In his words, “regarding the elections of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, I think Yakubu Dogara was elected fair and square by the House of Representatives, duly constituted and after proclamation. I have no problem with Yakubu Dogara’s election. There is nothing wrong with it. Maybe, the outcome is not what the party expected. “Now, legally speaking, the election of Bukola Saraki, in my view, is flawed. It has procedural defects in that the election took place by a fraction of the Senate which was not yet fully constituted; and the procedure for conducting the election of principal officers at the Senate by the Clerk was in my view wrong—because what is required

is to verify and authenticate those Senatorselect by presentation of their certificates and then he will proceed according to the standing rules of the Senate, the election of the principal officers; and the standing rules require that all Senators-elect will participate. “Now, the numbers of the Senatorselect who participated in his election, although it was claimed to be a majority, wasn’t a complete Senate acting. Now, some have said that there was quorum already established. Now, the Senate was not yet constituted, so, you cannot form a quorum. You don’t speak about a quorum of an institution which is not yet constituted. On the option APC should take to salvage the situation, Yadudu who was the former Dean, Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano (BUK) said, “judging from the mood of the party, initially, they kicked against it, but I think they have come to settle for the fact that this very unfortunate reality that has been imposed on them and

they are dealing with it. They should try to find a political solution to it. “Obviously, even challenging the matter in a court of law is not necessarily a good thing because they don’t want to generate a stalemate in the Senate so that once a legal action is instituted to challenge the proceedings of the selection of the principal officers, the 8th Assembly and at least that portion of it that is in the Senate will be stalemated; and there will be all sorts of problems. Maybe, a political solution is the best option and the way to go forward. Commenting on the implications, the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of BUK stated that, “I think it is a sad development because the election we went through on the 28th of March and on the 11 of April had been peaceful and rancor-free and the generally acclaimed to be free and fair; and were conducted according to the rules. Now, what happened at the Senate in my view are lies in the face of democratic ideals and rule of law, it is not good for our polity.

He, however, agreed that, “obviously, there will be political consequences; but it depends on what the actors (I mean the political parties and the individuals involved) want. If you are selfish and you don’t consider the overriding interest of the nation at heart, this thing can drag on. It will pull them back in a way that they will not act as an institution. It may also rob off on the performance of the Chief Executive (President Buhari), by the way, it does not at all prevent the Chief Executive or the executive from discharging his or its functions; of course it may cause delays, cause irritations and Mr. President being a member of APC may not be happy. “Although he has said that he doesn’t mind who emerges as the leader or leaders in the National Assembly, he has said that whoever emerges the leader he will work with; but of course, no president will want to see such very important institutions being torn apart.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

NEWS

Wike impounds another Amaechi's ally's car

UN agency praises Nigeria's drug control master plan By Kelvin Osa Okunbor HE United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has extolled the formulation of a National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) by Nigeria. In a goodwill message at the occasion of the official launch of the Master Plan, UNODC congratulated Nigeria for the important document. It used the opportunity of the global focus on the drug problem to reiterate the call for sustained concerted efforts in the war against drugs and related organized crime in Nigeria. The UNODC also called for more access to improved drug abuse treatment. It added that science and evidence-based practices must prevail in the delivery of prevention and treatment of drug use. Mr. Polleak Okserei, who presented the goodwill message on behalf of the UNODC country representative, said: "These approaches are the foundation for all our efforts. With nearly 200,000 drug-related deaths and with 1.65 million infected with HIV in 2013, access to evidence based prevention and treatment can sometimes be the difference between life and death. People also endure unbelievable pain due to lack of controlled medications for medical purposes." NDLEA chairman Ahmadu Giade thanked the UNODC, EU and the inter-ministerial committee for their priceless efforts in the formulation of the Master Plan. NDLEA Director General, Mrs. Roli Bode- George, who reviewed the Master Plan, said its beauty was that its formulation and implementation was based on the principle of collective participation.

Ekeremadu, Mimiko, others for awards

ENATE Vice President Ike Ekweremadu and Ondo State Governor Segun Mimiko are among eminent Nigerians slated to receive the Integrity award of the Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ). The award ceremony holds on July 31st at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja Lagos. A statement by the General Secretary of NACJ, Charles Okhai, said the awards are "designed to encourage integrity and discourage corruption among Nigerians." While Mimiko will get the award for good governance, foremost journalist, Ray Ekpu and Managing Director of First City Monument Bank Plc, Ladi Balogun, are to receive professional integrity awards. For corporate bodies, Dr. Bembo Victor, Managing Director of Mediplan Health Care Ltd and Barrister Allen Onyema, Chairman Air Peace and Babatunde Wilkey, Managing Director of BW - Meat Embassy will be honored with Integrity Award for quality Services. Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State will receive the awards for integrity in politics. There will also be a posthumous award for the late Dr Stella Adedevoh for her sterling demonstration of patriotism and professional integrity during the Ebola Virus saga.

From: Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt HE Wike Administration in Rivers State yesterday bared its fangs afresh, seizing in a commando style a car belonging to the immediate past Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha. Security personnel acting on the order of the state government invaded the Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt private residence of Okocha and forcefully took away a Range Rover believed to be his official car. Okocha was not in town at the time of the invasion, which came a week after a similar confiscation of a Lexus SUV from the residence of the immediate past Commissioner for Information in the State, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari. Okocha described the action of the government as illegal. He said by phone from Abuja that the SUV was officially allocated to him by the last administration in the state. But he said he was not surprised "at the uncouth action, knowing Wike's nuances like the back of my hand." He wondered why the tyres of the vehicle were deflated by the government agents, saying: "I was also informed that Wike alleged that I stole the car and he deflated its tyres. "I challenge Wike to show a photo proof that the tyres were found deflated. I challenge him to show enough proof that the vehicle was stolen." He said the action was nothing short of "another subterfuge to perpetuate his witch-hunt against selfless and defenceless aides of the former governor of Rivers State" Okocha warned that "this seeming introduction of militarism into our democratic experience and the attendant ignominy may well become our bane, if not checked." He added: "As Chief of Staff, Wike performed as transport officer. By the records available at the transport office, Wike was in possession of 13 vehicles of different brands and handed none over to me as his successor, not even the Permanent Secretary of the Government House, Port Harcourt. "Even the official residence of the Chief of Staff, where Wike stayed was never handed over, until one year and four months, when he reluctantly vacated, leaving the premises completely bare. "In Wike's defence during his arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he quoted that N80 million was used to renovate the Chief of Staff's residence, yet what I inherited was a residence overgrown with weeds and taken over by reptiles. Nobody shouted." The former chief of staff also urged supporters of Amaechi and members of the APC in the state to remain law abiding, peaceful, calm and steadfast in the face of the intimidation by what he called the caretaker administration.

â&#x20AC;˘ (L-R) Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Rita Maduagwu; Governor Willie Obiano and Dr. Nkem Okeke, Deputy Governor during the "Doing more with less" strategic retreat for the Anambra State Executive Council in Awka...at the weekend

Massive fraud uncovered in Benue exam board, others

HE transition committee set up by Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom to scrutinise the handover notes of his predecessor, Gabriel Suswam, has uncovered massive fraud at the State Examination Board. The committee is headed by former Head of Service (HOS) and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Mike Iordye with Professor Steven Ugba and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) among others as members. The committee is sitting at presidential lodge located within Government House Makurdi. Documents obtained exclusively by The Nation

â&#x20AC;˘N15m , Hilux van donated to PDP campaign From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

shows that the management of Benue State Examination led by a top female executive (name withheld) singlehandedly coughed out N15 million from the accounts without approval. The said cash was donated to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the last general elections. It was also gathered the female executive also bought a Toyota Hilux vehicle at N10 million, which was donated to the party for campaign with the hope she would be retained at the board if the PDP won. It was learnt that the defeat

of PDP at the state and federal levels emboldened some top management members of the board to leak the information. Investigation revealed that since the sleaze was leaked to members of the transition committee, the embattled female executive had embarked on vendetta by posting those she suspected to have blown the whistle behind her ordeal to other ministries. One of the affected staff, Abur Dyer, who has served the examination board for many years, has been unceremoniously moved to Ministry of Finance without an office as a punitive measure. But those who see their

transferred as punitive measures have vowed to fight back and open up to the transition committee. A member of the committee who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity said that apart from the examination board, the transition committee also uncovered massive fraud in Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Benue Links Transport Company and Ministry of Finance. Millions of were said to have been paid on dubious contracts without proper documentation in the agencies.

Jega to lawmakers: Conduct major electoral reforms of Electoral Act

HE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has called on the National Assembly to be decisive in reforming the Electoral Act and reviewing the Constitution. Mr. Jega made the call at a Dinner organised for him by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) the Trade Union Congress and some Civil Society Organisations in Abuja on Friday night. "Electoral reform has just begun, a lot more efforts need to be done," he said. "The Justice Muhammed Uwais panel has a lot of good recommendations, which are yet to be taken on board and implemented." The electoral chief added that "between now and 2019, there is sufficient time and scope for us to be able to ensure that additional reform methods can come in." He said INEC under his

leadership "made a recommendation two years ago for amendment to the electoral act and the constitution to improve the legal framework before 2015 general elections. "Regrettably, it did not materialise up to the time we did the elections, and the existing legal framework is fairly good. "It could have been better if the legal framework had been improved.'' Jega called on the National Assembly to continue to support INEC and give it the necessary encouragement required to improve on the good foundation that had been laid out. He pledged support to future electoral reforms and improvement in the electoral process in the country. He commended INEC commissioners and staff for their support and efforts under very difficult circumstances for

successful elections in 2015. He also commended the labour movement for their continuous support to INEC and the reforms in the electoral process. The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said the reforms, which the INEC boss brought to bear on the organisation reflected in the 2015 general elections. "With commitment, patriotic and honest disposition, Jega was able to, through administrative wizardly, accomplish the historic success of 2015 general elections. "That was how Jega was able to outwit our chronic election riggers out of relevance in the innovations of the permanent voter cards and card readers," he said. Wabba advised that whoever would be the next INEC boss should continue with the benchmark set by Jega. He said Nigerians would not

accept a reversal of the progress made with the 2015 general elections where the will of the people was truly reflected in the ballot. He called for the full implementation of Uwais report, adding that it will go a long way to achieve full credibility in the conduct of elections. Salisu Mohammed, Chairman, Labour Party Caretaker Committee, said it was time for Nigerians to build institutions that would have enduring legacies. "What happened in the National Assembly is a cause for concern for all who have concern for Nigeria's future. "It shows that our democracy is still in infancy and if care is not taken, we may suffer serious setback," he said. Jega, who conducted Nigeria's general elections in 2011 and 2015, is set to retire as the Chairman of INEC on Tuesday.

Ambode promises permanent NYSC orientation camp AGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed commitment towards the construction of a decent and state- of-the- art permanent orientation camp for the Lagos State National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He said a plan towards actualising this dream was underway.

By Medinat Kanabe Ambode spoke at the closing ceremony of the orientation course for the 2015 batch A Stream 11 corps members at the NYSC IyanaIpaja orientation camp. He said: "The Lagos state government will leave no stone unturned in working assiduously to ensure that the

proper platform for youth development be in place and properly utilised." He also urged the corps members to accept their posting to the various places of primary assignment in good faith and assume duty in earnest. NYSC's Lagos state coordinator, Cyril

Akhanemhe, stressed the needs for a permanent orientation camp. The Director General, NYSC, Brigadier General Johnson Olawunmi, explained that the scheme was aware that the Lagos state was making efforts to provide a permanent orientation camp like some other states.

Ropo Sekoni

Page 14

Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

Our hallowed chamber tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

Our lawmakers should start fighting for the people and not for themselves

T was forward march to the past on Thursday as the House of Representatives members exchanged blows on the floor of the House over the sharing of its principal positions. The angry lawmakers tore each other’s clothes, exchanged blows, upturned tables and threw bound copies of law books, kicked chairs and shouted on top of their voices during the fracas that lasted for about 105 minutes. So, those who thought we have seen the last of fisticuffs in the hallowed chambers of our National Assembly now know how mistaken they are. Although the June 25 crisis was somewhat expected, the surprise, again, is that it has come this early. Indeed, it must have been obvious to the discerning by June 9 when the National Assembly was proclaimed that all was not likely to be well in that arm of government for some time to come. The bile this time was not significantly different from that of the past: sharing of positions in the House. Two main things that our lawmakers don’t joke with are their salaries and allowances, as well as political offices. In the Thursday instance, the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had written to the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, to announce Mr Femi Gbajabiamila as Majority Leader; Mr Alhassan Ado Doguwa as his deputy; Mr Mohammed Monguno as chief whip and Mr P. Iriase as his deputy. As the party with the majority members of the House, this appears within the party’s prerogative. These were the names the APC members expected the speaker to read to members with their various positions on Thursday. But, instead of doing that, the speaker called for an executive session. This did not go down well with those who felt he should have announced those names as the party’s candidates; and trouble started. The Senate President had earlier on June 9 rebuffed similar instructions passed to him by the party leadership. The dirty horse-trading eventually had the post of deputy senate president ceded to Ike Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a senate dominated by APC members. Mercifully however, the kind of fracas that occurred in the House of Representatives was averted then because 51 other APC members were at the International Conference Centre in Abuja for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari when Senator Bukola Saraki quickly conducted the election (coup) that saw him emerge as senate president. However, anyone who is seeing the developments in the National Assembly only in the context of intra-party squabbles over leadership positions is making a big mistake. I see it more in the context of President Buhari’s anticorruption war. I have often said that corruption would not fold its arms and watch being rubbished as President Buhari might want to do; it would always fight back, especially in a country like ours which it used to see as a haven. It is in the

•Dogara

interest of corruption that the ruling party does not know peace. In all these crises, the president has his own share of the blame. As a matter of fact, the PDP said that much. Even if I so believe for different reasons, I would neither elucidate nor amplify, at least not now. Suffice it to say that it would be myopic and naïve of the president not to have so far seen the nexus between the National Assembly crises and his anticorruption war. Secondly, those who thought it would take ages for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was defeated in the last general elections to learn the ropes as opposition party must be prepared for even more shockers. The party is fast adjusting and must be savouring the developments in the National Assembly; that is if not saying outright that it serves them (APC) right! The point is, PDP might be pretending to be standing aloof, but it is working underground and it is the result of its surreptitious endeavours that is manifesting in the National Assembly. But nobody should blame the former ruling party; it is not easy to be out there in the cold just like that, after being in power for 16 unbroken years. So, it is the ruling party that has a lot of job to do to show that it can manage its success at the polls. Unless the APC is able to find amicable solutions to the challenges as some of its stalwarts have been promising, some of these matters may end up in the law courts, given the fact that each of the caucuses is digging deeper rather than beat a retreat. The big questions that could make it near-impossible for the dramatis personae to retreat include, for example, whether it is possible for Senator Saraki or Dogara to back down at this stage, because of the circumstances under which they emerged as senate president and speaker of the house, respectively. Where do they put their allies in the PDP who made their emergence possible if they do that? I

“But, if the legislators must fight in the hallowed chambers again, they are free to. As a matter of fact, they can even remove each other’s teeth with blows but not over their obscene salaries and allowances or over political positions, but over the multifarious problems facing the country”

guess at this point, the question of who is right or wrong is almost late in the day. Suffice it to say that a matter that ought to have been an internal affair of the ruling party has been exposed to external manipulation and the PDP, expectedly, is taking full advantage of the situation. What is happening is that, since the elections had been won and lost, the scales had since fallen from the eyes of the hitherto romantic multitude of incompatible lovers. Everyone, it seems, can see clearly now that the rain that lumped the pigeons with fowls is either gone, or at least subsiding. Whether it is to thy tent O Israel is however still in the womb of time. As a matter of fact, that is left to both sides to decide. They both hold all the aces as to whether to stay together and enjoy their wedlock, or endure it, as the case may be. But, if the legislators must fight in the hallowed chambers again, they are free to. As a matter of fact, they can even remove each other’s teeth with blows but not over their obscene salaries and allowances or over political positions, but over the multifarious problems facing the country. As one of my fans once said, that (their salaries and allowances) is one point on which they are ever so united. Mum is usually the word across party lines when the issue comes to legislators’ pay. It has been like that since the lawmakers began by approving for themselves N5m each as furniture allowance in 1999. The point I am making is that, so far, the lawmakers have been fighting the bad fight. Let them resolve henceforth, to fight the good fight. Dogara seemed to realise this when he said on Thursday: “To be candid, we have promised so much in the course of our elections and even the very party I belong to… the APC… we have promised change and Nigerians expect us to really talk about those matters, those issues that bother them most. They want to hear us talk about unemployment, poverty, in my region they want us to address insecurity and as long as this House is divided and not united, we cannot achieve that”. He did not fail to mention that they have been lucky indeed to be elected. “Let me remind us of the fact that, we are a very, very fortunate people. In a nation of 170 million people, only 360 of us are selected or elected to represent the people and we should be grateful to our constituents for sending us here”, he said before adjourning the House to July 21. July 21 may seem a long time, but it is not. That is why it is important for the ruling party to get its act together and give Nigerians the promised ‘change’. So far, that much expected change is not yet born. It is still in the womb of time.

CHIBOK GIRLS: STILL ON MY MIND

otufodunrin@thenationonlineng.net

08050498530(SMS only)

Much ado about spokesmen

IMEON Ateba, the irrepressible journalist, blogger and advocate, sure knows how to stir the Facebook community with his provocative postings. When he wrote that he was hearing speculations that I may be named as the media spokesperson for President Muhammed Buhari, I had a good laugh. I didn’t have to worry why he took the speculations seriously to write about it. I took the posting as his own way of stirring up a discussion on the kind of person that should be appointed to replace the former spokesperson, Dr Reuben Abati. I remember thanking Ateba for thinking highly of me being qualified to be named for the media aide job but noted that I am in no way close to President Buhari and his associates to be considered for the job. More so, I added that I do not desire the position for any reason. By then, I was myself aware of speculations that the president would either retain Malam Garba Shehu the spokesperson of his campaign organisation or name the Managing Director of Sun Newspapers and President of the Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina. For reasons best known to the president, he decided to name the two experienced journalists and triggered off a controversy over his decision. Although they both have different designations and one is senior to the other, not many were persuaded of the need for two spokespersons. There were those who felt there was bound to be a clash between the two appointees except there is a clear delineation of duties. I wasn’t initially convinced myself that Adesina should quit his Sun Newspapers’ position for the Special Adviser’s post until I read his valedictory column in which he noted that he was ready to make a sacrifice to serve the nation. The appointment of Pastor Laolu Akande as spokesperson for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also attracted reactions over his choice, considering that he has been based in the United States for years. Why not appoint one of the many capable media hands in the country? Some have wondered. I am sure anyone who takes time to read Akande’s profile will have no doubt about his suitability given his local and international media experience. Much as the choice of who is named spokesperson is important, their ability to perform their tasks will depend on how well the presidency lives up to the expectations of the public. It is not enough that President Buhari has chosen one of the best journalists in the country to be the head of his media team as he stated during his meeting with State House Correspondents, it is up to him to make it easy for Adesina and others to defend the government’s policies. The media team should be involved in policy decision-making as much as possible and carried along at every stage of implementation instead of making them to defend policies they don’t know much about. I have no doubt that the spokespersons will do their best to justify their appointments, but the president and vice president should not expect that they will be able to ward off every negative publicity. What is important is that the spokespersons have necessary information to provide government’s reaction on any subject of interest to the media instead of having to decline to comment when they are contacted.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

COMMENT

Ikorodu robbery, the police and A public security

CCORDING to eye witness accounts, the recent armed robbery operation, that threw a part of the ancient town of Ikorodu into pandemonium for hours, was executed in a most daring commando fashion. Unusually, according to reports, the 16 man dare-devil robbery gang that carried out the dastardly robbery plot was led by a young lady in her early twenties. Like in the movies, the robbers were said to have used explosives to smash the rotor doors of the two banks where they operated to gain entry and instructed the banking staff and customers to lie down motionless. While the robbery operation lasted, the robbers allegedly made away with cash loots running into millions of naira. In a bid to, perhaps, frustrate security operatives from successfully trailing them; the robbers purportedly set the three SUVs that brought them for the operation ablaze. In a fashion that has been compared to the March 12 robbery attack in Lekki, Lagos, the robbers, shooting sporadically, ostensibly escaped with their booties through the Ipakodo jetty at Ikorodu, using two motor boats. Aside the destruction done to the buildings housing the two banks where the robbery operation took place, a few people were equally reportedly injured. Fortunately, as at the time of putting this piece together, no life was reportedly lost through the operation. But then, as it is always the case with such high scale robbery scheme, the two banks involved, as well as people working and living in the vicinity are still counting their losses. Similarly, some of the customers that were trapped in the two banks, while the operation lasted, are yet to get over the traumatic experience. Indeed, some of them might live with the shock of the horrible experience for a long time to come. Now that the dust gathered by the sad event is gradually settling down, it is imperative to properly scrutinise some of its far-reaching fallouts. First, it is instruc-

From Tayo Ogunbiyi

tive to stress that the banks that were robbed were allegedly located directly opposite the Ipakodo Police Division, Ikorodu. Ordinarily, this is supposed to be an advantage to the banks, but as things eventually turned out, it is rather sad that the robbers held sway for as long as they wanted with such irritating audacity. According to reports, as soon as the robbers had satisfactorily completed the robbery act, they brazenly challenged policemen at a police station close to the scene of the event to an open gun duel of which the latter thoughtfully declined. This only goes to actually confirm what have been the fears of many Nigerians concerning the preparedness level of men and officers of the Nigeria police to deal with such anti-social occurrences. It smacks of unbelievable effrontery for robbers to audaciously hold a group of people hostage for as long as they are willing to in a country reputed to be most populous black nation on earth. It was gathered that some of the gunmen were outside the banks firing into the air for over an hour and that the whole operation lasted for more than three hours. While it lasted, the policemen at the station were said to have fled for their lives. Eyewitness account had it that some of the policemen hid at the back of Ipakodo Grammar School for more than one hour to escape the fire power of the robbers. The puzzle herein is that if banks, public institutions and people that live close to a police station are not really assured of their safety, what would then be the lots of those who are located in places where there are no police presence of any sort?

Your guess is as good as mine. It is rather amusing that in our clime, it is characteristic for robbers to hold people hostage for hours only for police and other security operatives to surface immediately after their departure. This is exactly what happened in the Ikorodu episode. A few minutes after the robbers were gone; the whole place reportedly became flooded with policemen, armoured tanks and one Operation MESA men. This is a rather disturbing trend that the police authorities and the leadership of the various security agencies have to properly look into. In as much as one understands the various challenges of the police especially, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak well of us as a nation that a gang of robbers could hold a place hostage for as long as they want without any resistance whatsoever from the security operatives. If this odd pattern is not frontally addressed, it portends a great danger for us as a people. It is also important to point attention to what is fast becoming an emerging escape pattern of robbers through the waterways. As it has been previously stated, the armed robbers that recently took Ikorodu by storm escaped through the Ipakodo jetty at Ikorodu, using two motor boats in a fashion akin to the March 12 robbery in Lekki, Lagos. This definitely calls to question the vulnerability of our waterways. It is, therefore, important that relevant security agencies and stakeholders swiftly look into this with a view to coming up with strategies that will effectively ensure the protection of our waterways. This is particular important now that the Lagos State government is making practical and noticeable efforts to promote water transportation in the

State. The assurance of Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, that the waterways would soon be fortified, if backed with required action, is, therefore, a welcome development. The Ikorodu robbery episode also calls attention to the deplorable situation of youth in the country. It is pathetic that the youth who should normally be in the vanguard of nation building are taking to destructive social vices. This, if not quickly checked, signifies a bleak future for our dear nation. Hence, faith based organisations, key social-cultural bodies, related government agencies and other youth based stakeholders should continue invest in the development of the youth. This is the best way to safeguard the future of our deer country. Equally, all the partners of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund must not relent in their efforts towards equipping and empowering the Lagos State Police Command in the onerous task of checkmating robbers and criminals in the state. It is only a common frontal response that could effectively forestall future occurrence of such dastardly robbery act as the one recently experienced in Ikorodu. Public security cannot be obtained without the active involvement, participation and support of everyone in the society. Despite the magnitude of the Lagos State government investment in public security, there are still herculean challenges that governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resources alone cannot tackle. In as much as everyone in a state pursues varied interests, the pursuit of public security should, nevertheless, be the common goal of all. The involvement and participation of individuals and non-governmental actors in the issues of public security is, therefore, a necessity for the actualization of a secured society. â&#x20AC;˘Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

COMMENT

The real agenda Jobs: that is the urgent message, as hundreds of job-seeking youth storm the precincts of the National Assembly, even as legislators tussle inside

HE Nation, on its front page of June 24, published a big picture with a head tag: “Job hunt at the National Assembly”; and caption: “A crowd of job seekers in search of legislative aides jobs scrambling for legislators’ attention at the lobby of the National Assembly, Abuja ...” The picture, though, could have passed for a mass of well wishers. Still, it was not a day for swearing-in; or any ceremonial panache. Indeed, The Nation source at the scene said the crowd was made up of putative legislative aides, reportedly invited by the authorities of the National Assembly (NASS) bureaucracy, for pre-engagement interaction. Whatever further details about the crowd, that it was job-driven speaks of some serious agenda, which the feuding National Assembly (NASS), over its own leadership, would appear too distracted to appreciate. Indeed, it was implicating symbolism of a sort. Job-seeking youths mass at the NASS lobby, focused on getting themselves jobs as legislative aides, to distinguished senators and honourable House members. But inside the hallowed chambers, the senators and representatives themselves betrayed tragic distraction by feuding over the house leadership — an exercise that ought to have been a shoo-in, if all the feuding parties had embraced equity, justice and fair play! If putting the NASS leadership in place is a means to an end — a means to picking, among the legislators, who best can manage their peers to get the job done quickly, efficiently and effectively — then the tragic distractions of the legislators are best felt. If you war and war over getting the means right, what is the guarantee that you would ever get close to tackling the end? Yet, there is work, a lot of work, to be done. There is high level of trauma in the land, the chief economic trauma being mass joblessness; and the people look up to their elected representatives to hit the ground running, in striving to solve the

ETIRED Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, hit the nail on the head over the hullabaloo regarding the alleged N275.5million election fund fraud; the whole scheme was an attempt to blackmail him. Any dutiful and objective appraisal of the issues arising from reports over the matter cannot but agree with Okiro that the Principal Administrative Officer in the Press and Public Relations Unit of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr. Aaron Kaase, was really out to blackmail him. It is difficult to fault the genuine accounts of Mr. Okiro on this matter when he asserted, at a press conference, in Abuja on June 8, 2015, that “the PSC spent N217.3million of the money and that the remaining N132.6 million was returned to the commission’s project account.” Mr. Kaase had claimed, in his petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), that “the money was part of the N350 million collected by the PSC for monitoring conferences and training of staff ahead of the March/April general elections.” It is easy to deduce that an Okiro-led PSC out to defraud the government would not have left a balance of the money in a special account of the PSC. If the intention was

problem. Yet, from the contrasting pictures of a people massing for jobs, and their elected officials seriously feuding over what could have been avoidable, there is this awry impression that the National Assembly is not quite primed for the great task ahead. Indeed, Nigeria is at a terrible juncture. Though the country, by its tempestuous history, appears in near-eternal crisis, this is a particularly dangerous juncture, socio-economic wise. According to the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), unemployment rate increased by 24.20 per cent in the first quarter of 2015. That means, between January and March this year, nearly one out of every four Nigerians is unemployed. Tracking a 10-year employment statistics, from 2006 to 2015, also suggests a deteriorating phenomenon. In 2006, according to NBS figures, unemployment figures averaged 15.97 per cent (more than one person in every 10). Though the figures, at the fourth quarter of 2006 had dipped to 5.30 per cent (slightly less than one in every 20), it had climbed to 23.90 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2011 (again, nearly one out of every four Nigerians jobless); to further flare to 24.20 per cent from January to March, this year. Between 2006 and 2015, a lot had happened, on the political plane, to further strangulate the economy (though extant figures claim Nigeria’s

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economy grew by an average of seven per cent all these years) and further spread mass poverty (since strangely, the so-called paper growth hardly resulted in development, talk less of mass prosperity). Still, on political history: 2006 was the final but one year of the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency, with that government’s attempt at illegal term extension infamously dubbed “Third term” and the humongous corruption that swirled round it; 2007 was the year the health-challenged President Umaru Yar’Adua took power. His death, in May 2010, led to high tension and confusion, which further had adverse effects on the economy; and 2011 was when President Goodluck Jonathan won his own first term, after completing what was left of the late Yar’Adua’s. That year announced the infamous oil subsidy scam, which grew worse as the Jonathan term wore on. That unemployment peaked during the first quarter of 2015, in the heat of the electioneering for the 2015 election, which President Jonathan and his former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost, was logical; given the turn of events during the Jonathan Presidency. It was on this basis that, for the first time in Nigerian history, a ruling federal party was voted out of office. This unprecedented loss came with a mass craving for the new ruling party to make things right. That drove the ‘Change’ electoral war cry, which resonated with the masses. But the gravity of that new covenant seems lost on the National Assembly, as it takes false but avoidable steps, at the very start of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency. The National Assembly should use the job invasion of its lobby as a point of re-contact. It must stay focused and realise the enormity of the current economic crisis; and take its rightful place as a historic change agent. It should not wait for calls for Nigerians to “Occupy National Assembly” before snapping into its historic role. Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, is a time bomb waiting to explode.

LETTERS

Okiro and his blackmailers to embezzle public funds, the N132.6million would have ended up in the private bank accounts of Mr. Okiro and other high officials of the PSC. Again, Mr. Okiro made the point that “because the approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) came late, we were able to conduct only one-day training, and the PSC staff were paid their allowances and daily travelling allowance (DTA) for the exercise and their entitlements for

LEASE permit me to comment on the News Review in The Nation on Sunday, 21 June 2015. I would like to comment specifically on “The possible candidates, the permutations” bit of the piece. The two leading candidates that the writers highlighted to take over from Prof Attahiru Jega as the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were retired Justice Ayo Salami, former President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Indubitably, these two dis-

the journey to the states for the monitoring.” Mr. Kaase had said “that instead of the fourday approval granted by the Bureau of Public Procurement, a mock training of two hours was conducted at Northgate Hotels Limited, Mararaba, Nasarawa State instead of Kano State.” However, an objective appraisal of the two positions stated here shows that while Okiro is right, Mr. Kaase is mischievously wrong. If approval for the trainings were

granted only a few days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, was it still feasible to conduct a four-day training exercise? Mr. Kaase would have had a case if he had shown that the companies that were awarded the training contracts were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and also did not meet the registration requirements for participation in contracting endeavours emanating from the PSC. As

long as he failed to show that the companies that got the PSC training contracts were not qualified to embark on the endeavours they handled for the PSC, his claim that Mr. Okiro abused the powers of his office by awarding the training contracts to his girlfriend and cronies showed he was on an idle mission, rather than attempting to expose corrupt practices at the PSC. In any case, what point did Mr. Kaase set out to make when he claimed that “Okiro has failed to refund the money granted for the other three days in his request letter?” If, as things are

becoming clearer by the day that there is a N132.6 million balance from the N350 million in a special project account of the PSC, what kind of money refund is Mr. Kaase talking about? Is Mr. Okiro expected to refund monies already paid to the contracting firms to conduct the one-day training exercise? In the final analysis, the point just has to be made that Mr. Kaase’s tantrums against Mr. Okiro, in the name of idle petitions to the ICPC and the EFCC over the alleged mismanagement of the sum of N350 million, remains a failed blackmailing scheme. Thomas Adegoke, 5 Cuito Crescent, Off Yesderam Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Re - Race for Jega’s job: The possible candidates, the permutations tinguished eminent legal minds are eminently qualified and most suitable for the job and what’s more, both veteran legal luminaries have excellent reputations for incorruptibility - a personality trait that is extremely rare among Nigerians. These two “possible candidates” have, without doubt, all the requisite credentials, attributes, attitudes and expertise for the job. Let me quip that I have never met these two personages before and neither am I related to nor connected with any of them. Surely, they are

both well known to me through their individual public life of selfless service to the country, which in my eye is satisfactory, outstanding and exceptional. At this juncture, I should say that Prof Jega remains the best INEC Chairman since the inception of the electoral umpire in 1998, by any standard. And this rejoinder is actually premised on the assumption that the Professor of Political Science “is not seeking another term and has even said that he will reject such if offered to him”, as quoted in the News

Review in question. However, between Justice Salami and Mr. Agbakoba, I will lend my full support to the choice of the former NBA President as the next INEC boss. Reasons: First, I had personally scanned the Nigerian space to search for a possible worthy successor to Prof Jega, I could not find another known Nigerian who is as qualified as Mr. Agbakoba. It is on record that I actually suggested him for the job a few days after the Presidential-cum-National Assembly elections on March 28. Second, on account of age,

he becomes naturally the preferred candidate, being much younger than the highly respected Justice. Third, since President Muhammadu Buhari seemed to have expressed, explicitly or implicitly, his intention to reform the judiciary for greater performance, effectiveness and efficiency, I will recommend the former PCA for the chairmanship of the Judiciary Reform Committee. I hope PMB is listening with rapt attention. By Yomi Akinola, MNSE, Ibadan

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

COMMENT

Ekiti: God is not mocked Recent disclosures of DSS hyperactivity in that election, together with that of elements within the Nigerian Army, can only go to further confirm that Fayose must currently be supplicating God for forgiveness Commenting on the subject on Ekitipanupo this past week, a member wrote: “Remember Fayose denied ever collecting N2b from the Ecological Fund for a long time. On the state radio and television, he turned payment from the Ecological Fund to theatrics, saying: “Whether ecological fund, meteorological fund , biological fund or Ekitilogical fund o, I don’t know anything about it. I have not collected any kobo.” He kept denying this until APC, armed with the FOI law, was about to obtain facts of the payment from the Fund. Officials in the office leaked our initiative to him and before you know it, Fayose got his media aide to admit collection of the money. A week later, he announced the award of contracts for ecological projects worth exactly N2b. When the projects were advertised, and where sited, remain unknown to anybody. He equally denied collecting N22b in refunds on federal projects executed by the state government. Meanwhile, ex. Minister Dayo Adeyeye exposed Fayose inadvertently during President Jonathan’s campaign in Ekiti State.

Intending to shore up GEJ’s profile, he announced that the president had refunded money spent on federal projects but that slip reportedly put him in trouble with Fayose. Contributing to the same topic, I wrote, inter alia: “I think that the correct emphasis on the Ekiti situation should be the following: 1. Governor Fayose got paid over N10b – that should now read N22b outstanding indebtedness plus another N2b ecological fund. 2. He has been paid monthly federal allocations to date – including the one for which he did not pay salaries in September (?). 3. He requested and got a six-month moratorium on bond repayments on which Fayemi never once defaulted. 4. He cancelled the welfare fund for the elders, which was gulping a minimum N100m per month under Fayemi. 5. He has not paid subventions to Ekiti State University and the College of Education for at least four months. 6. He unilaterally reduced Obas’ salaries, and among other things, abrogated some state agencies with hundreds of workers. If he is not paying

salaries because of debts allegedly incurred by his predecessors, as he continues to claim, without proof, shouldn’t he reschedule the repayments as he did with the bond?” Now, if we were operating in the realm of conjecture when those comments were written, what about now that the federal government has affirmed it is not owing the state a kobo? Incidentally, I have read some rebuttals from supporters of the government. But how would they rebut the live video recording which captured Dayo Adeyeye at a presidential campaign at which both Fayose and the ex-president, among others, were present and, in which, Adeyeye praised Goodluck Jonathan for giving Ekiti a university, as if from his own purse, as well as for paying all the federal government’s indebtedness to the state. In a situation where a whole state, its royalty, the gentry as well as its hoi polloi, have been comprehensively silenced, it would be greatly appreciated if Governor Fayose would let the world know the truth about his failure to pay workers and pensioners up to date. It would not help pointing fingers at other defaulting states, as circumstances differ. He should let us know if, as claimed by one of the few remaining Ekiti elders still with a voice, himself quoting one Omot Omenge, he is paying for some pre-election commitments.

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governance. We cannot forget that he has had a million demons to fight for survival and was, therefore, obviously distracted. This interrogation will, therefore, not be about how secure the state is, with its tens of kidnappings, not on how the elders, whose welfare package he had, like Thatcher the milk Snatcher, yanked off their reach nor, indeed, about how those investors who, encouraged by the relative peace of the Fayemi era, sank billions on first rate hotels, are now getting by, if at all. Focus would therefore be on the governor’s failure to pay the state’s work force and pensioners. This becomes germane in the light of the federal government’s release of the list of which states it owes; a list on which Ekiti State did not appear. For the moment, therefore, we are taking that list as fact until the Ekiti State government can prove to the contrary beyond doubt.

Enough of this charade – Shagari did not work with NPN majority in the Senate

DO not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” GALATIANS 6: 7-8. According to newspaper reports, Governor Ayo Fayose was in church this past week to celebrate and thank God for his ‘victory’ at the state’s governorship election of 21 June, 2014. The governor certainly knows better and, as a Christian, should be well aware that God cannot be mocked. Recent disclosures of DSS hyperactivity in that election, together with that of elements within the Nigerian Army, can only go to further confirm that Fayose must currently be supplicating God for forgiveness. However, that’s for another day. We would rather talk today about BELIEVE Nigerians must be sick and tired of the charade following the Saraki/Dogara sell-out in the National Assembly. The show of shame in the House this past Thursday, and with Saraki arrogantly rejecting the party’s choices, the time has come for the APC to firmly establish party supremacy over these nauseating, overarching individual ambitions. The party must go for broke and Saraki and his co- conspirators could very well head back straight to the PDP to meet their corrupt, alleged instigators and financiers whether from within or outside the National Assembly. He could, in fact, visit Otuoke, post haste. With the NPN having 36 of 95 Senate seats, and 165 of 443 in the House

of Representatives in the Second Republic, President Shehu Shagari did not have a majority in any of the chambers of the National Assembly; yet filled the offices with its party members and, poignantly, with Bukola Saraki’s father as Senate

-MAIL from a reader about last week’s article: As I expected, your description of what transpired in the NASS leadership election as a fiasco is spot on. On the 9th of June, I got several calls of lamentation from wellmeaning Nigerians who, like me, are severely weather-beaten by PDP’s sixteen inglorious years, wondering if all hopes of redemption are now in vain. Nearly all were tearfully emotional,

leader. The leadership were the party’s choices, not of some individuals who think the world of themselves. Nor has President Obama’s party a majority in both senate and congress. If by their own hands, these prodigals end up where Nigerians thought

we had exited in 1999, they are the ones who have cockroaches in their wardrobes and, therefore, risk jail terms or worse, for economically despoiling the country. This I guess, should indeed, be their just comeuppance, rather than their present life of

Still on the Saraki-APC Fiasco showing Nigerians’ high hopes on the president, his party and his yet to be team. Is President Buhari aware that what endears him to an ordinary Nigerian is his honesty, discipline, and the penchant for law and order, all of which vamoosed in the manner Bukola Saraki was elected Senate President? The manner and the characters behind

his emergence smack of nothing but treachery and back stabbing, both of his party, and the Nigerian people. While the process in the House was transparent, this cannot be said of the charade in the senate. I was, therefore, not surprised to see Mimiko, Akpabio and company, celebrating. How come the clerk of the senate who displayed

obscene opulence and arrogance. I have no doubt that Nigerians would file right behind the APC and President Buhari in the government’s fight against corrupt gangs who intend to coyly continue their 16-year stranglehold on the country. such disrespect for the president has not been sanctioned till now? Wike has just invaded the home of Ibim Semenitari, a former Rivers State commissioner, with thugs and policemen, destroying both her, and her husband’s, properties. This, in an APC-controlled federal government? Are our people asleep? Or they just don’t know what to do with power?

The Achilles’ heel of a country I suspect the people are getting tired of a police unit existing in name as the de jure strength of the nation but which constantly allows itself to be showcased as the de facto Achilles’ heel of the nation

ES, dear people, Nigeria has done it again: it has written its name in the universal book of infamy once more. This time, it did it through the antics of a daring female teenager who led an armed gang to lay a brazen, crude and openly defiant siege on a bank in Lagos and rob it blind – for as much as eighty or so million Naira! The news report gave further details which I am certain will be denied or corroborated very soon, but which are difficult to believe. There are two things here. First is the effect of unemployment on the people and second is the response (or lack of it) from the police. We will address the first later. Today, let us take the second. The fact that the police were said not to have responded to this brazen attack on the country is disheartening. Let me hasten to tell you that it is not an easy thing to be accosted by gun wielding robbers. I believe the mind just seizes up on you. Most times it is not so much out of fear as out of anger, that someone who refuses to put his back and arms to work to earn a living would sooner pick a gun and put it in the face of another human being than pick a shovel. And that’s why we have the police. At such times, we call them up to use their supernatural powers to discourage people like that. Last week, however, that organ was

said to have failed us in the hour of trial. According to news reports, some of the robbers had first scared away the policemen in the police station right across the street from the bank by shooting at them. Then the shooters remained outside while the siege on the bank lasted. During that time, it was said, the few remaining policemen had taken refuge somewhere. I am so hoping this account is not true, and that sometime soon, someone will come up with a better story to bolster the people’s confidence in the police. Not that the police have invested much in the people’s confidence. Sometime in the week, I was listening to a radio programme, which took in calls from listeners, on whether the army should really be taken off check points. It shook me to hear many of the negative comments from the public on their police. Some said they could not trust a police that asks complainants to pay one hundred thousand Naira ‘to facilitate running around’ in order to investigate a complaint. Many lamented the fact that the police are too used to collecting ‘twenty Naira’ from people for them to be effective at checkpoints; they just might go and collect that twenty Naira from a bomber. But I ask: are our Nigeria Police content and happy with the dilapi-

dated image they have garnered over time? Why then are they not making any efforts to do something about it, all to a man? From the news report on the assault on the bank, not one person even attempted to accost these robbers either by force or stealth. We all know that it’s not all the time that force of arms actually works in emergencies; some situations demand mind games and contest of wills, personalities and intellect. When these are put to use, they can prove superior to bullets and guns. It is also when that happens that heroes are born, although they can also die. The fact that we have no heroes in this story means that no one was willing to try these. (Whisper) I think they were running away from the reality that, somehow, Nigerian heroes wind up dead. Seriously, this reluctance by Nigerian policemen to do their jobs is truly scary, considering that everyone believes they have the nation behind them. They carry the nation’s power anyway. This authority should have been brought to play during that siege, not after, as the reports gave. The reports said that about an hour after the event, there were many police vehicles and men besieging the place you would think it was another problem. They had come to assess the crime scene. I had an experience like that too, but I will not regale your ears with that story now. What then might be responsible for this timidity? The reason I ask is that I suspect the people are getting

tired of a police unit existing in name as the de jure strength of the nation but which constantly allows itself to be showcased as the de facto Achilles’ heel of the nation. I think someday, they will bring down the house. You remember the dogs feeding on a little boy and the police looking on? Or the crowd frenzy that killed some students while the police looked on? Ah ha! I don’t know, but you might cite reasons such as insufficient armoury, or insufficient training, or insufficient funds to run the unit, or even insufficient morale. Me, I would cite the fact that this country is completely messed up and no one knows who is doing anyone’s work anymore, or what effect anyone’s action may have on others. Wherever you have a compromised political leadership as we have had in the last sixteen years, there is often a tendency for people to take the law into their hands and for others to throw up theirs. I think the general belief is that the gradual descent of the police into the state we witnessed last week has been caused by their involvement in the political games of the unconscionable politicians that have run the country from the very beginning, including the colonial period. There has been no political dispensation that has not used the police for awkward purposes, beginning from the colonial times. Professionalism in the police came dead on arrival. Professionalism needs to be

brought to play so that policemen can earn the respect they require to function. Crime has gone up several notches in sophistication so the police need to be brought up to date in crime fighting. What is said to have happened last week represents the lowest point of our shame. We can swallow that. What we cannot swallow is doing nothing and going back to business as usual as if nothing happened. I think that is the real crime for which we will need that young female to come and bail the country out by leading us in the fight against crime. Talking seriously, we need to get the police to step up. P.S. – Give that list already. I am adding this postscript to share my amusement with you. I listened to the reason given by one of the president’s media men on why the release of the cabinet list is delayed. He said something to the effect that the president was taking his time because he did not want to have to sack someone almost immediately after engaging him or her. Frankly, I laughed. In short, he did not want to make any mistakes in his choice. I have always quoted the saying that the only person not making any mistake is standing still. Well, that’s what the president is doing right now. But if he will end up appointing human beings and not angels or Martians, then he should just do it and hope to God he gets it right. Believe me, as long as there are only humans on earth, some of those to be appointed will turn out to be monsters, serious mistakes, perfect, good, mediocre, unnameable, etc. Sir, close your eyes, say a prayer and give that list already.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

COMMENT

(122) The ruling party and the president: for the sake of Nigeria and the talakawa, will the APC and Buhari be different? (2)

HEN this column used to appear in The Guardian under a slightly different name, I wrote something about the inauguration of Umar Musa Yar’ Adua as successor president to Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 2011 that I recall now with an acute awareness that what I wrote then is very pertinent to what I am writing about now in this series on the established pattern of the complete subordination of the ruling party in our country to the incumbent president. In essence, what I said then was this: Yar’ Adua’s inauguration marked the first time ever that an elected civilian president was succeeding another elected ruler without the “interregnum” of a military dictatorship coming between them. I was not of course the only commentator who made this observation at the time. What may have been peculiar about what I wrote then was my emphasis on the fact that, one, the succession of one elected ruler by another was taking place within the same ruling party and, two, that the elections that brought Yar’ Adua to the presidency had been deeply flawed, so much so that Yar’ Adua himself ultimately admitted that this was the case. To those observations, I now wish to add some remarks that are more pertinent to the present discussion. What are these remarks? Virtually the whole world has rejoiced that in Buhari’s election and inauguration, we have the fact that for the very first time in our country, an elected president from an opposition party has replaced the incumbent president from the ruling party. There is of course not the slightest doubt that this indeed does mark an historic moment that is of far greater significance than the succession of Obasanjo by Yar’ Adua in 2011. However, there is another aspect of this historic fact that has been almost completely ignored and this is the fact that how Buhari became president through the victory of the new ruling party, the APC, is absolutely without precedent in the entire post-independent political history of our country. Indeed, so fundamental is this point that it ought to be a great teachable experience for all Nigerians at home and abroad, especially Nigerians younger than the age of forty. This is the central issue that I wish to reflect upon, if only very briefly, in this concluding piece to the series that began in last week’s column. But before I come to the point, there is a need for me to make some clarifications about where I stand in relation to the APC as the new ruling party at the centre in our country, especially with regard to the chieftains and bosses of this new ruling party. In making these clarifications, I shall be very brief but also very clear, very unambiguous. Since I am not a member of any political party in Nigeria or any other place in the world, it stands to reason that I am not a member of the APC. Indeed, although I do very sincerely wish the party well as our new ruling party, strictly speaking, I am not a supporter of the party. The ONLY party in Nigeria that would have had my support if it had control of any state in the country and became one of the opposition ruling class parties would be the party founded by the late Gani Fawehinmi,

for even before the end of his first term as President, the makeshift plurality had cracked and Obasanjo was nearly impeached as a result of the fracturing of what was touted as “the biggest ruling party in Africa”. The rest, as the saying goes, is history: the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections were all massively and violently rigged, and with maximum impunity too. There are important lessons for the APC and all of us to learn in this unedifying story. First, the experience of winning control of power at the centre through a genuine nationwide plurality that you then have to nurture and consolidate is very new in our country. The prevailing pattern has been that of a plurality that is imposed from above and maintained through rigged elections, the use of state violence and terror to cow both the opposition and the populace, and the massive monetization of politics. In the last days of the PDP era, monetization became more specifically dollarization of politics. Under such conditions, the ruling party is completely subordinated to the presidency and its enormous machinery of power and patronage. In such circumstances, as a politician, •Will APC and Buhari work together to consolidate the party's winning nationwide plurality with good gov- your fortunes or, conversely, ernance and fairness and equity to all? your misfortunes, are dependent on how close or this being the National Conscience the largeness of vision of the propri- country. Please remember that Nasir how distant you position yourself to Party. And even then, this would have etors and editors of the newspaper el Rufai who is now in the APC and been a highly critical support. In the that I and a few other completely in- has become an ardent follower of the president. And if a sufficiently entire postcolonial political history dependent columnists feel wel- Buhari once remarked that Buhari was large and expanding number of poliof our country, the ruling class party comed within the stable corps of this “permanently unelectable”. What ticians feel distanced from the presithat has had my greatest support – newspaper’s columnists that are Rufai did not know or could not know dency, the ruling party begins to fragnot my membership – was the Peo- loyal to the party and its leadership. at the time was that the APC would ment and implode, with dire conseple’s Redemption Party (PRP), the I am deeply appreciative of the op- emerge and he and Buhari would find quences, not only for the ruling party same party to which Chinua Achebe portunity and the privilege to write new political life on the platform of – but for the nation itself. Will APC and Buhari abjure the and Wole Soyinka belonged for for and in this newspaper, with the the APC. some time. In my view, the APC does solid assurance that my independI now wish to add that in the ACN, pattern that has so far prevailed in not remotely come close to the egali- ence is recognized and respected. Tinubu and his Southwest base could our country’s ruling class politics tarian and people-oriented pro- Long may this last! May the relation- also never have produced a winning wherein, in a multiethnic and plugrammes and policies, together with ship between columnist and news- candidate for the presidency for ex- ralistic nation in which 7 out of every the consistency of moral and ideo- paper never come to the sorry state actly the same reason that Buhari in 10 Nigerians live in abject poverty logical practice of this sadly mori- that it did in The Guardian when the the CPC could have stood for elec- and/or joblessness, the ruling party bund party. Our new ruling party combination of the overthrow of in- tion as president a dozen times and has never felt that it had to work for may yet evolve gradually toward dependent journalism by a dispro- he would not have won a single time. and earn the nationwide plurality these achievements or may even sur- portionate concern for the profit Beyond these initial remarks, I now which, in theory, is absolutely necespass them, but that is yet to be seen. margin with the institution of a phil- make the most important observation sary to win control of power at the One decisive step that would indicate istine and reactionary management of all: nobody has ever won the post centre? Perhaps what this question ulsuch progressive evolution of the sent me and other columnists migrat- of president in Nigeria on a true and timately boils down to is this: in our APC would be a very clear, a very ing away from that newspaper! not imposed or rigged nationwide constitutional and political order, the palpable move away from the widely And now to the big issue of the plurality. In the First and Second Re- presidency we know much about, but held and not exactly incorrect view precedent-setting nature of how publics, the post of elected Head of what of the ruling party, what of its that the party is the brainchild and Buhari became president through State was won through alliances be- relationship to the presidency? In my thus effectively in the pocket of a sin- the APC, together with the fact that I tween political parties that were all view, so far in our country’s political gle political godfather, Bola Tinubu. consider it a very teachable moment regionalist, the major ones as well as history, the ruling party at the centre One more point of clarification, in our country’s political history. In the minor ones. In the Fourth Repub- is to the presidency and the country and I shall resume the central issue in last week’s opening piece in this se- lic inaugurated in 1999, this absolutely what used and retreaded tyres are to this piece – the precedent-setting ries, I drew attention to the fact that crucial nationwide plurality was con- hundreds of thousands of cars in our manner in which APC became our Buhari is the only person in our coun- cocted by the outgoing military gov- part of the developing world: withnew ruling party, together with how try who has sought the office of presi- ernment of General Abubakar out such tyres, the car will not move, Buhari became an elected president dent FOUR times. I also asserted that Abdulsalami, with significant help but among all the parts of the car, whose electoral path to the presi- even though the elections were mas- from former military and civilian these retreaded tyres are the cheapest dency is also unprecedented in our sively rigged by the PDP in each of Heads of States, the Americans, the and the most easily replaceable. It is country’s political history. Here is the three times when he lost, he could European Union, the African Union, time that we began to think of the this last point of clarification. This not have won if the elections had been and the United Nations. In this re- ruling party and indeed all our pocolumn, the Talakawa Liberation clean, free and fair. This is because his spect, it might be true to say that the litical parties as the central engine Herald is published in a newspaper party, the CPC, was a regionalist party only election that ever credibly con- block of the car. which, as everyone knows, has that could never have garnered the firmed the then new ruling party’s Biodun Jeyifo strong ties to both the APC and its nation-wide plurality needed for elec- imposed nationwide plurality were bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu party leader, Tinubu. It is a mark of tion as president of the republic in our the 1999 elections. But it did not last,

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

COMMENT

sms only: 08116759748

FTER the emergence of Bukola Saraki as Senate President and Yakubu Dogara as Speaker of the House of Representatives against the wishes of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I suggested that the party cut its losses and move on because the embarrassment it was subjected to was avoidable. It got its politics wrong and had to live with the consequences. I was also assuming that the ‘victors’ would do the wise thing by allowing the party they had betrayed, as well as those who had lost out, to console themselves with the crumbs – the principal officer positions. The events of the last one week in the Senate and House are clear pointers that we are in interesting times where things are not always what they seem. The mildest word I can find to describe the game being played by Saraki and Dogara is ‘curious.’ Until now I was under the impression that politics was about compromises; a game in which either side sooner or later abandon entrenched positions to meet each other half way. I am even more mystified as at to the end of all the intrigues. What agenda is at play here? To defy your party once is bad enough, but to treat its leadership – everyone from president to national chairman and governors - with such contempt is well nigh unforgiveable. People go on about APC being paid back in its coins because it benefitted from the template of disobedience created by former Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, but even that original sinner didn’t go this far. Once he got what he wanted, he moved to mollify the incensed Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and allowed the party to install its choice – Mulikat Akande – as Majority Leader. I am still trying to make sense of how Saraki and Dogara think they can function in a poisoned National Assembly that is now polarized into sundry factions. With embittered individuals whose egos have been deflated and dreams shattered roaming its hallways, this legislature would be nothing but a hotbed of intrigues. Forget about the public posturing of the presiding officers, they would never sleep with two eyes closed. In the ongoing crisis two concepts have been going toe to toe: legislative independence versus party supremacy. Each side has tried to justify its position standing on these grounds. However, there can’t be an absolute interpretation of these ideas. I had argued in this column two weeks ago that in the United States despite the acknowledgment of party supremacy there is a lot of tolerance of independent action by lawmakers taking into consideration the peculiar political considerations of their

T is a tough time to be a governor in Nigeria. Many lost the April 11 election because they could not pay salaries. Those still in office are scratching their heads trying to think up a way to pay to save themselves from embarrassing strikes and the bad press surrounding their insolvency. A number of governors have blamed their inability to pay on the dwindling amounts they receive from the Federation Account. Their internally generated revenue (IGR) is miniscule – leaving them between a rock and a hard place. So you would think the rank of

E-mail: festus.eriye@gmail.com Twitter: @EriyeFestus

The poisoned assembly

•Saraki

constituencies. There is, however, a stricter interpretation of the concept under the parliamentary system because lack of discipline within the ranks of legislators of the ruling party could bring down the government of the day. What is clearly lacking in the current crisis is the application of common sense. The APC has swallowed its pride and moved from its original position of not recognising Saraki and Dogara. Unfortunately, the Senate President and Speaker are still posturing as legislative purists when we know that what is at play here is just a raw Nigerian political power game. Can Saraki swear that when he was governor of Kwara he didn’t decide who became Speaker of the state house of assembly? Could the rebellion he’s superintending in Abuja ever have happened under his watch in Ilorin? This is not the first time that a party would present to the Senate or House a list of its agreed nominees for the principal officer positions. It happened under David Mark’s leadership and I don’t recall the new Senate President weeping over the im-

•Dogara

peachment of legislative independence. Actually, all those trying to argue that the party should have no role in picking the leaders of the National Assembly are only being hypocritical. The party is integral to the political process and cannot be separated from it. You are elected and do your business on its platform. In whatever chamber you function your identification is on party basis. Indeed, any indiscriminate change of affiliation would lead to the loss of your seat as the Supreme Court ruled recently in the case of Ifedayo Abegunde representing Akure South/North Federal Constituency of Ondo State in the House. He was asked to vacate his seat for leaving the Labour Party (LP) to join the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Many of those who don’t want to hear about party instructions rode into the National Assembly on the coattails of APC and Muhammadu Buhari. They were swept into the legislature by the change tsunami; it wasn’t because they were so popular in their constituencies, or espoused any unique agenda that got them

elected. Most voters were largely motivated to vote for presidential and governorship candidates. When it came to the legislature they simply ticked the appropriate party boxes because many of the legislative candidates were not known to the electorate. To turn around and treat a party that lifted you up with such contempt is truly despicable. Let’s not forget that Nigerians voted APC in with a clear mandate to change things. In addition to handing it the presidency, they empowered the party with robust majorities in the Senate and House. Saraki and Dogara have, through the back door, exchanged the clearly expressed will of the voters for cohabitation with a party that was rejected by the people just two months ago. And they did so without another election or referendum – simply riding on the fuel of ambition. In this era of ‘gotcha politics’ when wounds are still raw from the elections, some people may delight in gloating over APC’s troubles. Well, whatever makes them happy! But irrespective of partisan identification, the more sober and reflective amongst us would know that griev-

“Many who don’t want to hear about party instructions rode into the National Assembly on the coattails of APC and Muhammadu Buhari. They were swept into the legislature by the change tsunami; it wasn’t because they were so popular in their constituencies, or espoused any unique agenda that got them elected”

Governors and those unpaid salaries the debtors would be filled mostly by the ‘poorest’ states. Amazingly, some that receive the highest amounts from Abuja and have fairly high IGR are on the list of debtors – the likes of Akwa Ibom and Rivers! Meanwhile, some states that receive the lowest amounts from the Federation Account have been meeting their obligations to workers faithfully. It just goes to show that life’s not about what you have but what you do with what you have.

So what did the debtor governors do with have they have received in their time in office? There are those that can point to physical developments, while others have only ill-thought out and abandoned white elephant projects to show. One often heard plaint is that after paying salaries they have very little left to fund development activities. In other words most states are not viable. If they were business entities they would have long filed for bankruptcy. In spite of this stark reality the 7th

Senate spent valuable recommending the creation of more states who expect to survive on the handouts from the Federation Account. But this is no longer a sustainable model for doing government business. Governance is more than just receiving a cheque from Abuja and sharing it among workers as salaries. It takes more than that to be a governor. That high office requires its occupants also to come up with creative solutions and when necessary take tough decisions – even those that come with a political cost.

ous damage has been done to our fledgling democratic culture. If Saraki and Dogara get away unscathed with what they have pulled off why should any other person obey party leadership – whether PDP or APC? What moral authority would the leaders of the new governing party have to punish future rebels when it failed to act against those whose wrote the primer for this extreme acts of political truancy? Irrespective of whether APC takes overt action, depend on it – there would be consequences either now or in the future. On the occasion of his valedictory appearance as Speaker, Tambuwal bemoaned the fact that the House under him couldn’t do too much. He blamed it on unceasing ‘distractions’ from former President Goodluck Jonathan. That was part of the price he paid for going against his party’s wishes. During President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term he had a torrid time at the hands of rebellious PDP House members who rallied around the leadership of the taciturn Speaker Ghali Na’Abba and pushed the nation to the brink of an impeachment crisis. When it was time to dole out tickets for the 2003 elections, the party exacted its revenge and all the marked rebels were denied a return to the National Assembly. Na’Abba himself was humiliated at the primaries. In the end no one should be too shocked by the upheavals arising from the leadership contests. If only Senate Presidents and Speakers were elected directly by voters we would have been spared the drama. Unfortunately, those who have to choose are lawmakers joined at the hip to various interests whose major concern is not necessarily the good of the Nigerian people. When these forces collide sparks are bound to fly. The foundation of the Fourth Republic federal legislature was laid in intrigues and turbulence. It kicked off with the riot over furniture allowance in 1999. It entered another level in the battle to oust onetime Speaker Patricia Etteh. So heated was the struggle that one aging lawmaker’s heart couldn’t take the strain. His corpse was carried out of the chambers. The Dogara dogfight is only the latest episode in a chamber accustomed to cage-fighting. Classes may come and go but the character of our poisoned assembly remains the same. That is why I find some of the outrage over last week’s proceedings a bit overdone. Even PDP has described them as shameful. Coming from the party that wrote the script for shamelessness that is rich! Governors now know that not paying your workers is a killer. But continuing to carry a bloated civil service is equally a crushing burden. They also know that the federal cheque would never be enough to meet their needs. Many may have to bite the bullet and reduce their workforce. If they don’t have factories to provide jobs for the unemployed, there’s always the land. Some of the richest countries in the world got where they are simply by prioritising agriculture. When this alternative economic path kicks in it would open possibilities for widening the taxation net for more revenue.

LIFE

SUNDAY

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

Medinat Kanabe takes a look at cases of parental punishment and discipline gone extreme, including outright child abuse and neglect, and the place of the law in such matters.

â&#x20AC;˘Continued on Page 20

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

20 SUNDAY LIFE •Continued from Page 19

When parental discipline turns horrific

•A boy maltreated by his prophet father

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

SUNDAY LIFE 21

•Burnt with hot iron

“As we removed his cloths to clean him up, we noticed his back. It was full of fresh cane injuries and looking really bad. When we asked who did it to him, he said his daddy. We asked him if he had eaten that morning, he also said no. So we prepared tea for him; but as he drank, he began to throw up. “ • A housemaid maltreated by her female boss

22 SUNDAY LIFE The Ojora of Lagos, HRM Oba Fatai Aremu Aromire, recently celebrated his 21st year on the throne. He spoke with OLATUNDE ODEBIYI on his enthronement, his achievements so far, marriage, religious life and more.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

SUNDAY LIFE

Frontline artiste and Cultural Ambassador, Tar Ukoh, popular as 'Mambissa,' is using his gift - music to campaign for the release of the Chibok girls who have been in the captivity the insurgent Boko Haram group since April 15 last year. In his latest release, Mambissa is urging President Muhammadu Buhari to do everything possible in alacrity to bring back the girls in sound condition. In an interview with Senior Correspondent FANEN IHYONGO, the revolutionary artiste said the 'Chibok Girls' are a metaphor for not just the general insecurity in the land, but for the crisis that would confront Nigeria, if young girls become scared of going to school simply because they could be kidnapped by terrorists.

â&#x20AC;˘ Mambissa

â&#x20AC;˘Kadiri

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

24 SUNDAY LIFE

•Ifeyinwa Awagu, Ijeoma Asala, Gladys Ifeozo, Temitope Olushola , Chanelle George and others at the event

•Cross section of the widows

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

OUT & ABOUT 29

June 28, 2015

Chief Sodimu goes home

ueen of Herbal Slimmer, Mrs. Quincy Olasunbo Ayodele, gave final rites of passage to her late dad, Chief Amos Oluwole Sodimu, popularly known as Gbokoniyi. Chief Sodimu, a lawyer, industrialist and community leader, died

L-R: Engr. John Ayodele, his wife Olasunbo Ayodele and Mrs. Funmi Obasanjo

4th Annual Yes International Lecture Series/Coctail Party

January 28, 2015 at age 88, a day after Quincy`s birthday. The burial commenced with a wake-keep on Friday, June 19, 2015, while the final burial ceremony held on Saturday, June 20, at Cathedral of St. James African Church Idi-Ape, Ago Oko, Abeokuta , Ogun State. By OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

L-R: Mrs. Tola Solomon and Princess Vicky Hastrup

Big, big fun as FEGICOLLA Class of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;95 celebrates 20

un, laughter and cheers filled the air last Saturday as the Federal Government Girls College, Akure Class of '95 celebrated 20 years since leaving their alma mater. The all-ladies affair which took place at the exquisite Lagoon Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos had in attendance over 60 old girls who were obviously enraptured with seeing one another once again. It was tagged 'Reunion '95' and the high points were when each of the ladies came out to give a brief update of their lives so far, the sumptuous buffet and when the president of the association placed a call to their principal at the time, Chief Mrs E.O Shodeinde, who for unavoidable reason could not be at the event.

L-R: Ogun State SSG, Barr Taiwo Adeoluwa, Barr Muiz Banire, Chairman of the Occasion Mr. Biodun Shobanjo, Publisher Yes Magazine. Azu Arinze, and Onyeka Owenu,

L-R: Gbenga Adeyinka, Kunle Bakare and Segun Arinze

PHOTO: Muyiwa Hassan

University Foundation Programme Students of Cambridge College, Ikeja, cutting the cake at their Valedictory programmeâ&#x20AC;Ś Recently

L-R: Bukky Agbi, Echi Obaro, Bolanle Williams, Bola Agunbiade, (President) Victoria Iwagwu, Bukky Koyenikan and Bukky

Group photo of old girls present at the event

30 SUNDAY LIFE EXTRA Head of Esu deity worshippers in Osogbo, Chief Omokayode Idowu Esuleke tells Taiwo Abiodun of his strong belief in traditional religion, its efficacy and why he once took an oath of office, swearing by Ogun, the Yoruba god of iron.

â&#x20AC;˘Esuleke (Baale Esu)

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

Insight

At a time like this when the fortune of oil is dwindling and the economy is nose diving Sina Fadare reports that a peep into the potentials in cashew production can be the launching pad towards the nation's economic break through.

â&#x20AC;˘Continued on Page 32

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

32 INSIGHT

•Continued from Page 31

Mr. Anga Sotonye, is the National Publicity Secretary, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN). In this interview with Sina Fadare, he laments that a huge amount of cashew produced in the country are wasted due to lack of processing facilities.

•Dr Sunday Agbeniyi, CRIN

PAGE 33

JUNE 28, 2015

• Mimiko

• Fayose

Fayose vs Mimiko:

Fresh threat to PDP's peace? Pages 36 & 37

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

POLITICS

HE dust of electing a new Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the Adamawa State House of Assembly is settling down but informed observers could not forget in a hurry the messy deals that took place before the emergence of the present House leadership. Politicians are always making frantic efforts to control things around them for perhaps future political gains. This was the case in the battle for the leadership of Adamawa House of Assembly. It has been alleged that the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar made frantic efforts to grab the entire leadership of the Adamawa State House of Assembly but failed in the subsequent political battle between his supporters and the loyalists of former Governor Murtala Nyako. Insiders said Nyako's supporters, who describe themselves as te original All Progressive Congress Party (APC) did not take kindly to alleged plot by Atiku's loyalists to take control of the House. It would be recalled that Admiral Murtala Nyako, the former governor of the state, was impeached by former President Goodluck Jonathan's government under controversial circumstances. Also, a case of treasonable felony was slammed against him before he fled to England. So, even when his party, the APC, went ahead to win the Adamawa State governorship election, Nyako's supporters did not want to be dislodged within the party. So, Atiku Abubakar's choice for the speakership, Mallam Rufai Umar, from Gombi constituency, was reportedly monitored by Nyako's loyalists who quoted sources as giving details of the whooping sum of money shared by his sponsors a day to the elections. But before the elections, Nyako introduced what insiders described as the masterstroke. As a result, Umar lost the election to Rt Hon Kabiru Mijinyawa, of Yola South who emerged the new speaker Sources said despite the huge investment made by the group, Atiku's candidate, Mallam Rufai Umar, failed woefully recording only 8 votes while Rt. Hon Kabiru Mijinyawa won with 17 votes out of 25 Adamawa State House of Assembly members during the plenary. Explaining the development, Nyako supporters who monitored the process said it would have been too dangerous to allow the former Vice President control the House at this stage. The source also alleged that this would be the third time Atiku Abubakar would be losing his hold on the party in the state. It would be recalled that after the impeachment of Admiral Nyako, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri became the Acting Governor, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar sponsored Alh. Ibrahim Mijinyawa Yayaji for the APC gubernatorial congress but was defeated by then Sen Mohammed Jibrilla Bindo who came from the Nyako side of the APC after Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. When the former Acting Governor was removed from office and replaced with Bala Nggilari, the APC again held its congress and Atiku Abubakar again sponsored Alh. Ibrahim Mijinyawa Yayaji throughout the APC campaigns in Adamawa State but the Nyako group also defeated him even after he went round with Yayaji in the 21 Local Government Areas of Adamawa State. Dismissing the result of the Adamawa State House of Assembly leadership as nothing strange, another source close to the APC said it was an

â&#x20AC;˘ Abubakar

â&#x20AC;˘ Nyako

Adamawa House leadership: How Nyako's men beat Atiku's supporters Barnabas Manyam in Yola reports on the intrigues that trailed the last leadership elections of Adamawa State House of Assembly open secret that the former VP can no longer produce any Local Government Chairman in Adamawa State as his politics now ends in Abuja and Lagos. Since the election of the new House leadership, stakeholders have been deeply interested in unveiling how the battle was lost and won. According to a dependable source, this is how the drama played out. A few days to the inauguration of the Adamawa State House of Assembly; Admiral Murtala Nyako jetted out to Abuja but left the APC hardliners behind to ensure the defeat of Atiku Abubakar's men. Nyako had reportedly left a motivating message to his supporters when he said; "tell them, my children at the Assembly that I wish all of them well and I congratulate all of them for the resounding defeat of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and they should freely select a speaker and deputy speaker of their choice among them. I will continue to offer fatherly advice to them but they should be wary of those who will bring money because that money is Greek Gift". Some APC sources said perhaps this was what scared the new honorable members from collecting the alleged "Greek Gift" offered by Atiku Abubakar's group who sponsored Mallam Rufai Umar for the post of speaker. So, they elected the former legislative leader of Yola South Local Government during the administration of Murtala Nyako. Rt. Hon Kabiru Mijinyawa is a young man with penchant for helping others. He started exhibiting the traits in him since

1999 when he was a counselor in Yola South before becoming the leader of the Yola South legislature. The Deputy Speaker, Hon Sunday Peter, represents the Guyuk constituency. He was a Special Assistant to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Admiral Nyako, Mr. Kobis Ari Thimnu. Sunday was later made an SA to Governor Nyako. A brilliant young man, those who know him intimately said he is outspoken, loves interactions and solving of challenges. The new members have begun to settle down for business and some of them took time off to tell newsmen their plans for Adamawa State.

The Deputy Speaker, Hon Sunday Peter, represents the Guyuk constituency. He was a Special Assistant to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Admiral Nyako, Mr. Kobis Ari Thimnu. Sunday was later made an SA to Governor Nyako. A brilliant young man, those who know him intimately said he is outspoken, loves interactions and solving of challenges

Sani Mohammed, a lawyer, who represents Mubi North in Adamawa State House of Assembly in an interview said the problems confronting his domain is insurgency and he will work closely with all relevant agencies to bring insurgency to an end. Hon Sani Mohammed said he was happy to be a member of the Assembly and he wants to call on the Federal Government to rebuild all the bridges destroyed by Boko Haram during their invasion of Mubi North and he intends to sponsor a bill to come to the rescue of victims of insurgency. On his part the member representing Mubi South constituency, Hon Abdulrahman Abubakar, said he also intends to contribute his quota in moving his community forward by ensuring social security for all because in the developed world, social security is a basic ingredient for social cohesion and without social security people can become members of the dreaded Boko Haram because they have nothing at stake. He said he would ensure that everybody is carried along by ensuring that at least basic amenities would be provided for them so that they will feel the impact of government nearer to them because the society due to poverty are feeling frustrated and a frustrated man can join Boko Haram or anything to cause harm to the society. The member representing FuforeGurin Constituency, Alhaji Mohammed Maikante Abubakar, said the people of his constituency will not regret voting him into office because he would change things for the better in the area. He promised that job employment in relevant federal establishments would be given to members of his constituency.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

POLITICS

Buhari has started well -Ifeanyi Ubah Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, big-time player in the oil and gas sector and boss of Capital Oil, is an engaging speaker. A reporter's delight any day; he speaks from the heart and does not even attempt to dodge controversial questions. For about two hours, the one-time gubernatorial aspirant in Anambra State sat down with Taiwo Alimi and Adetutu Audu to speak about himself, business, politics, TAN and other controversies around him. It is vintage Ubah at his candid best. Excerpts:

OU are the strong force behind Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and a lot has been said about it. In some quarters it has been said that you got money from former President Goodluck Jonathan government to do it, how do you react? What I did with TAN I would do it again 200 times. I spent my money on what I believe in and that is the trait of an Nnewi man. If Jonathan had given me money to run TAN, will I still be in Nigeria doing my business? I would have been running helterskelter now. I thank God for the life of Jonathan but he did not give me a single kobo to do what I did with TAN. Even if his people were not marketing Jonathan well, I believed he did something for Nigeria. You can't be perfect as a human being but at that point in time, he could not do much. Boko Haram overran his government. He was like a lame duck and I told him 'you have to move on'. 'You have to show them what you have done'. And I started without him. If I was running to him to collect money, I would be belittling myself. I spent my money to run TAN because I was convinced that Jonathan is a good man and he is still a good man. Nigerians do not understand him and the politics on Nigeria is media driven. His problem was that he had so many bad eggs around him. At a point they say the Minister of Petroleum was giving us money and I say if there is anybody that minister has injured, it is me. I have not benefitted anything from her in the last seven years and that is why it was easy for me to break out of the group of people that make up the oil marketers. If I'm involved I wouldn't be able to break out like that. I am an independent man and these are things people must know. I would more than TAN because I'm a Nigerian and I have my right. TAN is not died and after Jonathan it would continue to air its opinion and whenever there is a point to make TAN would be there. Some Nigerians h a v e complained that the n e w government under President Muhammadu Buhari is too slow. Do you share t h i s opinion?

President has started well. It is good that he is taking his time. There is no point rushing him to make mistake and TAN would evaluate him well after 100 days in office. TAN is here to stay. I know his capacity and his genuine desire to move Nigeria forward. I think his pace is fine. He is not rushing things. He is not playing to the gallery. This is what Nigerians must understand. Somebody must be there to talk about it. And that is why I am saying he has started well. We are always in a rush so he should not allow himself to be stampeded to making fatal mistakes. I can't be a perfect man, but I'm speaking from my heart. I am not a Politian, I am a businessman and I can tell you that practicality is the best way. Anything I do and say is from practice and no politician can brainwash me. I am happy I did TAN and like an old soldier I am matching on with TAN. We should be part of issues in Nigeria. We cannot afford to stand aloof. In the U.K today, an Ibo man is aspiring to be Prime Minister. A Yoruba man is aspiring to be governor in the UK, so why can't we talk a b o u t government and take position. We must say what we mean and that is what TAN is doing and it will continue

to mobilise people. When Fashola was to become governor of Lagos, he came to my office and threatened to eject me on getting to power and I respect him for that. He would tell you unless you do it right, I would do this and that to you and I respect him for that. TAN is not about PDP, TAN is not about Igbo. TAN is about all Nigerians. We mobilised people in Lagos because we believed that Igbo have contributed a lot there and should have a stake in government. Go to Surulere, Amuwo Odofin, Alaba Market, Somolu, Okota, Mile 2 it is all about none indigenes. So, why can't these people have a stake in how Lagos is governed? TAN is all about give and take, balancing the equation. So, at the end of the day, we got six House of Representative seats in Lagos and eight House of Assembly seats in Lagos. This has never happened in Lagos. But we tried, we built a platform and it is real. We have members all over the country. We are about 14 million members. And the structure is solid. President Buhari suffered for 12 years and if you see the manner he won the election, you would know that it is a reward of all he has suffered. I don't have big ambition in politics. If I have, I would have been a Senator representing my constituency and the man that won here, Andy Ubah, you know what I did to make him succeed. He cannot come back here and say I did not contribute to his success. I know what I want to do. I don't want to grab everything. I am in politics for a vision. Today, government doesn't know what to do to pay salary and I would tell them what to do at the right time. And that is what TAN is all about. You have also been hammered for breaking out to provide fuel during the last crisis in the country. Many said your motives were not honourable but politically motivated? My passion for this country is beyond business and at the same time I don't ask for anything. I have a mission to liberate Nigerians. What I did during the fuel issue I would do again given the opportunity. I did it because of my passion for this country. It is not because of politics. I don't need anything from government but to give all I have and expect Nigerians to appreciate it for what it is. As a big-time business man what do you think about government policy in the last dispensation and how do

you think President Buhari can improve on it? On government policy, government needs to have a very strong research team and know those that can do the work well. During the last administration, you would know that those who are in Goodluck's economic team are monopolists. And they monopolised their sectors. If that trend is allowed to continue this country would be plunged deeper into disaster. They have killed this country and made the masses to suffer more because they made things not affordable to the masses. You find them mixing business with politics. Government has been saying they would deregulate and you go and position your business in line with deregulation and it never came. Before now, those who do not understand deregulation very well fought against it but today they are asking for it. Government policy is one that would say tomorrow, nobody would import Tokunbo car (used cars), but it would not be implemented. And government takes politics above policy, which is not supposed to be. Policy is supposed to be above politics. Policy is what keeps the country going, but here, politics wipe away policy of government. This is not correct. Buhari should not listen to many people in government because they are giving advice for their pocket not for the masses. If there is deregulation, petroleum would sell for less than N100. So, policy is what I will call 'Masses Parliaments'. Ask people what they want and go for it. Buhari should take government policy seriously, above politics. For example, when government said it would deregulate, I went to the United States and bought 19 vessels. I sailed them to Nigeria, only for government to summersault and the equipment that I have invested on is useless. I have a vessel today floating for three years without anybody using the vessel because there is no volume to carry. In the US, when this kind of thing happens, government will come back to the people who have invested and subsidise them. Here, nobody cares and I think that is why Nigerian businessmen manoeuvre their way and cut corners. Given another opportunity will you contest for the governorship position of Anambra state? It is something I cannot say for now. It is not in my agenda now. When I was contesting, I told my people that I am coming out at that particular time because I believe that I can use the seal of government to change things. For example, deregulation in the oil sector. I can't really say that I want to go into governance because my hands are full now. I want to go back to my business. I want to change some things in my industry and prove that local content is working. I want to prove that indigenous Nigerians can change the face of Nigerian economy. So, I cannot tell you that I would go for it again. But if it is the wish of my people, my family, my wife, my good friends and it is the will of God, then I will think about it. You have referred to yourself as the most misunderstood Nigerian. Why do you think is so? It is because Nigerians take people at face value. Ifeanyi

â&#x20AC;˘Contd. on page 38

â&#x20AC;˘ Ubah

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

POLITICS

Fayose vs Mimiko: Fresh threat to Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, reports on the face-off between Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State and Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State over Mimiko's emergence as Chairman of PDP's Governors Forum and the likely implication of the showdown on the future of the party

EMBERS of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other prominent party chieftains are working round the clock to nip in the bud, a fresh threat to peace in the party following festering confrontation amongst its governors over the chairmanship of the PDP Governors' Forum. Following a petition to the NWC by some governors rejecting the emergence of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State as the new Chairman of the PDP Governors' Forum, the relative peace achieved by the party after its electoral defeat in the hands of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) is now threatened. Party sources said the leadership of the party is worried by the development and will do anything to quickly nip it in the bud so as to prevent a return of the party to its warring days. "This is a very wrong time for us to allow any crack amongst our governors. The ongoing disagreement between governors Fayose and Mimiko over the chairmanship of the PDPGF is unhealthy and dangerous. It is out rightly uncalled for and should be avoided. The good thing is that the current party leadership is not leaving anything to chance. Firstly, we have mandated all parties involved to stop talking to the media about the issue. Even members of the NWC were warned not to answer questions from the media on the matter. Secondly, we have promptly summoned a meeting with the governors to discuss the matter. It is my belief that after a few meeting sessions between now and the weekend, the matter will be resolved. I don't see us allowing this to drag on for long in the interest of the party. We are talking about governors elected on the platform of the PDP. How many do we have left that we will now allow them to bicker amongst themselves? They are the poster boys of the PDP as we speak and we cannot afford to joke with them. I agree with you that the disagreement is dangerous," a member of the party's NWC told The Nation on condition of anonymity. But in spite of last Wednesday's confirmation of Mimiko's election by the leadership of the party, reliable sources claim Fayose and his co-travelers are unrelenting in their opposition to the Ondo governor's leadership and this may just be the

â&#x20AC;˘ Mimiko

â&#x20AC;˘ Fayose

beginning of another round of intra-party squabbles in the embattled party. A party's nod Mimiko's earlier disputed election as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum (PDPGF) was reconfirmed by his colleagues in the early hours of last Tuesday at a meeting held in Abuja. The leadership of the PDP subsequently endorsed his emergence the following day, claiming it has resolved the crisis generated by the PDPGF chairmanship. Sources said all the PDP governors were present at the meeting with the exception of the Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade. Those in attendance were Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Darius Isiaku (Taraba), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), John Jonah (Bayelsa), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Idris Wada (Kogi), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Udo Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe). Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, said the election of Mimiko as Chairman of PDP Governors' Forum was ratified by all the 12 governors present. Mimiko's emergence Mimiko, a second term governor of the party in the southwestern state of Ondo, emerged chairman of the Forum last week at the governors' meeting in Abuja, where only seven of the party's 13 governors and two deputies were present. PDP governors at the meeting besides Mimiko include Capt. Idris Wada (Kogi), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Darius Ishaku (Taraba), and the deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah. The meeting, which was slated for 7pm last week Tuesday night and did not start until about 9pm, but came to a close at 12am last week Wednesday morning, according to sources, who were in attendance, saw Mimiko elected as the PDPGF helmsman unopposed. The Ondo State governor replaced former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who was the first to occupy the position following the formation of the Forum. "I can only wonder why anybody will kick against the process that led to Mimiko's emergence. It was a unanimous decision by all governors present at the meeting where election was held. Nobody contested against him and nobody showed interest before or during the meeting.

I'm afraid this is a bad time to allow ourselves to go sentimental about little things. We should learn from our past mistakes and avoid this type of rancor. Apart from Fayose, I am yet to get the names of the governors complaining. It appears this is a case of one individual threatening to bring down the roof over nothing," a governor from the South-East who was at the meeting, said. The Nation also learnt that the choice of Mimiko was endorsed by the party's leadership before his election by the governors. According to party sources, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the outgoing Chairman of the Forum, had ensured the support of the PDP leadership for Mimiko even when it was obvious that some governors are opposed to his preference. "This situation is a dicey one because nobody thought it would escalate this way. The outgoing chairman, Akpabio, sought the support of the party leadership for his preference of Mimiko as his successor. After assuring the party that opposition to the choice has been addressed, Mimiko was endorsed by the party. "Perhaps we should have gotten more involved than we were. Perhaps we shouldn't have gotten involved at all. Well, the position now is that we have a crisis on our hands and we need to move swiftly to stop it. And that is what we are doing now," our sources within the NWC said. Fayose's grouse But Fayose reportedly rallied some other governors in the party to kick against Mimiko's emergence. Consequently, he petitioned the national leadership of the party to intervene before the matter degenerates into a full blown crisis. Fayose and three of his colleagues were conspicuously absent at the meeting where Mimiko was elected. Party sources claimed their absence was because they had earlier opposed the choice of Mimiko for the chairmanship position. Aside the Ekiti State Governor, PDP governors absent at the meeting that produced Mimiko as the new PDPGF chairman include Governors Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers State, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. A source at the party's national secretariat in Abuja was quoted to have confirmed the receipt of the petition against Mimiko. The party's National Working Committee (NWC), it was learnt, promptly decided to meet with the governors to iron out the matter.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

POLITICS

at to PDP's peace?

Egbu, former Abia SSG, bounces back •As Leaders of Thought elects him President HE sun is beginning to shine again in the direction of Chief Ralph Egbu, the former Secretary to Government of Abia State. Egbu who bestrode the political landscape of Abia State for over 16 years when he served three long terms as Chief Press Secretary to three governors; once as Special Adviser on Petroleum and Public Enlightenment, twice as Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism; once as Commissioner for Finance and finally as Secretary to the State Government (SSG), disappeared from the state's political radar since 2007 after the emergence of former Governor T.A. Orji under the platform of then Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). It is not quite clear what made Egbu to withdraw to his shell except muted talks of hostility arising from alleged deep rivalry for the governorship seat in 2007 as Egbu was said to be one of those considered by former governor Orji Uzor Kalu alongside the eventual winner. Recent information from Abia however suggests that Egbu has again become a frequent face in many strategic political meetings holding in the state in recent times. His supporters are excited at his quiet return to the political stage. One of them, Kingsley Obioma, a grassroots leader, explained the feelings of his people over Egbu's return when he said, "we believe his comeback to active politics will benefit us; that is the entire Asa people, who are found in about six local governments between Abia and Rivers and who make up the population in the area presently known as Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State where you can find the functional oil wells in the state. To me and most of his other supporters from our area, the state would be better for it because Egbu is no doubt one of the intelligent politicians around." Last week, leaders of Asa clan gathered in Umukalu in Oza West of Ukwa West under the auspices of Asa Leaders of Thought and held an election in which Chief Ralph Egbu emerged the National President. Commenting on this development Obioma said "With this, you can see that Egbu's pre-eminent position among his people has been reconfirmed and it is obvious that he has been given a wide card with which to bring both for himself and his clan bigger political and developmental achievements. We expect that his core driving force would be to remove Asa land from deliberate subjugation and marginalization." We already hear that the new leadership of Asa Leaders of Thought under Egbu is not happy with the way amnesty programme was executed by Dr. Kingsley Kuku during the Jonathan era. According to an insider source, we all feel that Kuku-led amnesty programme, by omitting Asa people, was merely telling us that there is no reward for good conduct." Egbu is likely to come back to lime light again fighting such issues and many more.

• Akpabio

• Secondus

"There is a petition against the emergence of Governor Mimiko as PDPGF chairman. The complainants did the right thing. The party leadership has been petitioned and it is left for them to do the right thing as soon as possible. It is only when they fail to act that we may see a full blown crisis over the issue," a source said. While it was confirmed that Fayose signed the petition, it wasn't established as at the time of filing this report which of this colleagues joined him in appending their signatures to the petition. "I can only tell you that I know Fayose authored and submitted the petition to the NWC. I don't know if he had other people with him as co-signatories," our source said. According to glimpses from the petition, the aggrieved governors were said to have protested that the choice of Mimiko did not follow due process on grounds that Mimiko defected to the PDP only last year. However, Mimiko's supporters insist that his emergence as chairman of the Forum followed a proper process. They denied that any governor stayed away because they were opposed to Mimiko's choice. "Apart from the attendance of majority of PDP governors, the notice of the meeting at which he emerged, was properly circulated. Those who were

absent didn't come because of pressing issues in their states. Some even sent their deputies to represent them at the meeting," an aide of the Ondo Governor said. An old feud? The Nation also learnt that beyond the chairmanship issue, there has been no love lost between Fayose and Mimiko since the latter's defection to the PDP last year. Sources claim the rift between the duo dates back to Fayose's struggle for the PDP governorship ticket in Ekiti State. "There is this story that Mimiko preferred another candidate to Fayose and secretly worked against the latter's emergence as the PDP candidate in spite of the fact that he was not a member of the PDP as at then. And when Fayose picked the PDP ticket, Mimiko allegedly encouraged former Lagos Commissioner, Opeyemi Bamidele, to join the Labour Party and run against Fayose. He supported and campaigned for Bamidele against Fayose and the PDP. These are the genesis of the face-off between the duo. For Mimiko, those who are close to him say his dislike for Fayose stems from the unceremonious manner in which the Ekiti State Governor dumped Mimiko's Labour Party after contesting on its platform for the senate in 2011. Although he lobbied Mimiko immensely before getting the nod to run on the platform of the Labour Party back then, Fayose didn't deem it fit to consult the Ondo governor afterwards before he returned to his former party, the PDP" our source said. It was also gathered that the two clashed over who should be the coordinator of former President Goodluck Jonathan's campaign in the South-West. While party leaders in the zone favoured Mimiko to lead the campaign, the presidency was better disposed towards Fayose following his earlier surprise victory. Although Mimiko eventually emerged the campaign boss, Jonathan had to invite the duo alongside prominent party chieftains in the zone to a meeting where he reportedly said Fayose is the key to the party's success in the zone, urging Mimiko and others to accord him more regard in the scheme of things if the party is to win in the South-West. In spite of the Presidential intervention, the two governors failed to close ranks and pundits believe this affected the party in the South-West. Not even the numerous efforts by embattled Senator Buruji Kashamu to reconcile the two yielded much fruits.

There is a petition against the emergence of Governor Mimiko as PDPGF chairman. The complainants did the right thing. The party leadership has been petitioned and it is left for them to do the right thing as soon as possible. It is only when they fail to act that we may see a full blown crisis over the issue

• Egbu

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

POLITICS

‘My passion for this country is beyond business’

•Contd. from page 35 Ubah was loved when he did not come out in the media. When Ifeanyi Ubah came to the media they started reading so many things into it. Politics is a dirty game and when I ventured into it, many people were afraid and they tried to pull me down. There was a combination of forces that fought me but by the grace of God, I defeated all of them. The noise that characterised the election is no longer there now since I lost and that was when I realised that they just wanted to tarnish my name. But, one with God is majority. Especially, when you know your heart and inner strength and the plans you have for your people is genuine. Even Jesus Christ was not loved by all. Not many people know the background of Dr Ifeanyi Ubah. Can you tell us more about growing up? I have a humble background and like every other children my parents were ready to send us to school but at a very tender age I was not ready to bear the hardship that my parents suffered in order to ensure we get education. So, I opted out because it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to take care of our education. I decided to opt out. Though I was brilliant and it was painful, I took that decision to start apprenticeship at Enu-Owa, Idumota in Lagos to learn tyre training and business. That was during the era of HRH Oba Afeyinka Oyekan. I was a part and parcel of Isale Eko boys and I have my history there. By the time I was 18; I was already aiming for my own independent business and started flying out of Nigeria with goods. I would fly goods to places like Bamako, Mali and Ghana. I ended up in Ghana and from there; I was taking goods to other countries. I was the only Nigerian then doing major tyre business and taking goods to other African countries. My tyre business grew in Ghana and I was doing business with many big companies all over the world. I ventured into automobile at some point and I was lucky because I was among three or four Nigerian executives flying goods by air. Providence led me to meet the, then Captain of Kotoka International Airport; R.O Sachin, partly due to the fact that I frequented Ghana Airport then. He took a liking to me and we became close friends. That was when he told me that he studied at Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State. He sold my first car; a brand new Peugeot 504 to me. Therefore, I bought my first car at the age of 18. Luckily for me he bought the car in Nigeria when he was at Jaji before he was promoted on getting back to Ghana, so it had a Kaduna registration number and all I needed to do is take it back to the border, pay the necessary duties and change of ownership and the car was mine. From Ghana I moved on to DR Congo and within a year I became the President of Nigerian Community in DR Congo in 1991. I was the President of that society for 11 years. At 21, I built my first house in my village, in Nnewi and got married the same year and I was happy my parents were alive to witness this. I remember that when I made that decision to quit school and moved on, my father cried and that was the only time I have seen him cry. So, I made a resolution that I would make him proud someday. One other thing I had wanted to do is to marry early and while we were still living in a decorated mud house I prayed over it and I met my wife that same day. However, I was afraid she would not accept my proposal because I was living far away, but she did and at 21, I got married to her. That is one of the happiest times of my life but I had to wait for her to finish school as an undergraduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. That is that about growing up. You said Ghana gave you the springboard in international business, why did you leave there for DR Congo? While in Ghana I was taking good to Congo and because my business was flourishing there, I decided to move there and grow my business there. Moving to Congo was a stroke of luck for me. When I was the President of Nigerian community there, it gave me the opportunity at that

• Ubah early stage of my life to travel to many parts of the world. In addition, getting visa to travel to other countries became very easy. For businessmen that have done business in Congo, they would tell you that you are guaranteed a good margin of returns on investment. The indigenes are not so much into business, and it gave me opportunity to do international business and go into different things. I was doing business in Belgium, Netherland, the whole of Schengen countries, United Kingdom, the United States and so on. I remember in 1993, when I travelled to Las Vegas, U.S, they mistook me for a young African millionaire coming to gamble away money, but I was there to attend a popular Automobile programme; the Las Vegas Auto Show at Las Vegas Convention Centre. I take delight in training and retraining myself and I go to different countries to do that. In Nigeria, today, I know my pedigree and few businessmen have the trade exposure and training that I have in international business and the volume and capacity of business that I do internationally. I am an all-round man and I remember participating frequently in the biggest Auto Mechanical workshops in Frankfurt, Germany. It is the biggest automotive show in the world and I am always attending to learn new things in the auto industry. I used that to train myself in my line of business. Then, another chapter opened in my life when I became a close friend of Congo President, Laurent-Desire Kabila, because Congo had become like a second home to me. I was particularly involved in rehabilitation of many industrial complexes and many mining concessions in DR Congo. So, these are my reference points in how I made it and the kind of businesses that I do. If you can imagine that at 21, I had houses in Nigeria, in Congo, Ghana and the village, it means my money was working for me. And my friends that I grow up with are still around me. They know who I am, my character, what I am capable of doing. From 1993, I invested in South Africa when there was nothing like the Southern Sun or Holiday Inn in Johannesburg and other big hotels like we have today. I was staying in a small hotel and we were doing a lot of businesses with Anglo America Corporation. For a Nigerian or a black man to enter Johannesburg that time, you must have a permit, and I was getting it and doing business with many foreign companies, from Germany

and others that had their corporation there. I bought my first house there at the age of 24 or 25. I was among the first set of Nigerians that visited Dubai in 1992 and 1993. That time, there was no direct flight. We had to go through another country to arrive there. We opened up Dubai. So, I have a long history of achievement, hard work, touring and adventuring into business opportunities. When I was in Congo, we were also doing business with Lunda and Luanda; we were buying fish from Windhoek, Namibia, can beers from South Africa Brewery and we would charter aircraft to fly them from South Africa to Congo and from Congo to Lunda and Luanda. We were doing a lot of businesses in Dares Salaam, Tanzania. We would cross Lubumbashi in Congo, to Tanzania. We had mining concessions in Kisangani, which is rich in diamond and gold. We had good partnership with Anglo American Corporation in our mining business. It was all well good for me and I came back to Nigeria in 2001 after Laurent Kabila was assassinated. I spent one more year in Congo before my wife said we have had enough and we should come back home. And that was how I returned to Nigeria. Your closeness to the late Congo President, Kabila must have put you in harm's way when he was assassinated by one of his aides; what was your experience like? In fact, I was lucky to be alive to tell the story. I was on a mission by Late Kabila to the former President of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida in Minna, Nigeria, when he was killed. I got to Minna late Friday and was told to wait till Monday to see Babangida. So, I had to wait three days at Shiroro Hotel, waiting to see the General. On Monday, he met me and gave me a note to take back to Congo. On getting to Lagos on Tuesday and as I was entering into the office of Chief Cletus Ibeto, one of my mentors, he said there is problem in Congo and it is on TV. That was how I learnt that Kabila may have been killed. I told him I must go back to Congo because he was like a father to me. But Chief Ibeto convinced me to stay a few more days for things to calm down. I waited a few days and flew back and I almost paid for it with my life. On getting to Congo, I couldn't talk to anybody and they took me in as a suspect. But I told them that I was outside Congo, when the thing happened and if I had anything to hide I would not come back. I was released but after a year, my wife said we have had enough of Congo and we should just go

Politics is a dirty game and when I ventured into it, many people were afraid and they tried to pull me down. There was a combination of forces that fought me but by the grace of God, I defeated all of them. The noise that characterised the election is no longer there now since I lost and that was when I realised that they just wanted to tarnish my name

home. Inside me, I was scared of coming back home to do business because of the volume of business I was doing in Congo as well as the competitive nature of every Nigerian. Congo is a peaceful country, like many Francophone countries. It is more pleasurable to live there unlike Nigeria where there is a lot of competition and race for life. What I call tikitaka game. Everybody here is busy. Go to Isale Eko Bridge and see determination on faces of people; young and old. However, in Congo, it is different; the environment is quiet and calm. If you invest in a $100,000 worth of articles from Dubai to Congo, you are sure that you would make $300,000 to $400,000 within a month. So, why come to Nigeria where competition is the order of the day? Your teenage years were spent in Lagos where you learnt tyre business. How did that impact in who you are today? I am proud of my background. You can go to Enu-Owa and ask about me. Go to No 6, Palace Road Olodi Apapa where I was living and doing business as a teenager. I grew up to know business in Lagos. I was like a mini AJ (Ajegunle) boy and have learnt to appreciate the pains of people that are there. The same way I appreciate the pains of my people in my village too. Meanwhile, in all these stages, I was making friends. It is all about people. If I come home for festival, you will see more than 20 vehicles in my house. If I don't move they don't move. They always see me as a leader. Imagine at 21, I was made president of over 5000 Nigerians in Congo. Many Nigerians will come to Congo from South Africa, because you can cross to Congo from South Africa by boat. We call them Mungo Park. They would come looking what to do and would get stranded and I was saddled with the responsibility of caring for them; feeding them, entertaining them. There was war in nearby … Congo Brazzaville and about 400 Nigerians fled to DR Congo and l had to feed them morning and evening. I have friends all over the world and whatever I have achieved today is by dint of hard work. I have not gotten any government waiver. Nigerians appreciate people by face value not by doing research to know who they are. I have done well for myself by working hard, training myself and researching and making good friends. In addition, these are the things I gained doing business in Lagos. Not many people know Ifeanyi Ubah until your 40th birthday when the newspapers were awash with congratulatory adverts from eminent Nigerians. It has been said that you orchestrated it for political gain? The surprising package that I got when I was doing my 40th birthday was never planned for. It would tell you how much I love people and how much they love me too. It was as if hell was loosed by people who love me. I was not even in Nigeria and did not plan for any celebration. What I remember was that my friend: Ali Baba collected my phone, saying he would like to tell my friends about my birthday and that was all. At that time, I was in China with Governor Rochas Okorocha to show him some investment opportunities. Even, some weeks to my birthday, I took about 14 House of Representatives members to China to show them how I was building my ship. I don't socialise much. I'm not a social person. I have always been friends to people who are 10 and 15 years older than me. I don't befriend my mates, even though I respect them, especially people that I grow up with. But I seek advice from my friends who are older than me. However, I don't have too many friends but whatever I believe in I go for it and I believe in my ability. And God has been my helper. What is a typical day of Dr Ifeanyi Ubah like? I work for many hours every day. My entire mechanism rests when I know I have accomplished what I set out to do. I will then have a good shower and sleep peacefully. I travel a lot and chat with my wife and children on a daily basis. I engage myself with quality discussion with my wife. I have never worked for anybody.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

POLITICS

Lagos and the gains of mainstream politics O

OR two weeks running, some political commentators on the emergence of the leaderships of the 8th National Assembly - Senate and House of Representatives, seem to miss the point and have allowed their personal interests to override national concern. Their prejudiced views unfortunately have refused to situate some of the key actors, especially the present Deputy President of Senate in his rightful perspective. Since emerging the number two person, Senator Ike Ekweremadu with Senator Bukola Saraki as President of Senate, mischief makers have deliberately slanted his emergence with coloration of a regional appointment rather than visualise this great feat as a continuous call to national service, a responsibility he has ably discharged meritoriously since 2007 till date to the admiration of not only his colleagues but Nigerians. It is either those hate writers choose to be mischievous or they simply refuse to accord him the honour he deservedly merits. For the avoidance of doubt, a clearly televised election in a keenly contested poll seen nationwide, cannot be painted in the web of ethnicity, or sectionalism. The votes he garnered showed a complete national spread, which confirmed that the man in question was just not a Lilliputian thrown up by sectional biases but one who is a player at the national level. In my retirement, one pet hobby of mine as one sits out at the balcony every morning and evening in Benin is to voraciously read up all the Dailies, listen to radio and television analyses, including surfing on the communication high way to keep up to date with goings-on in Nigeria and the world in general. Having followed with keen interest the activities and performance of Dr Ekweremadu over the years, first as Senator then as Deputy Senate President, it will be saying the obvious that in him lies a true patriot and emergent national figure. For a man who enjoys the support and camaraderie of all his colleagues, a pedigree he had kept faith with since the 6th, 7th and now the 8th Senate, it would be a great disservice not to appreciate and allow him assume the cozy post he duly won in that testy energy sapping contest against an All Progressive Congress candidate, Senator Ali Ndume, at the hallowed chamber of the Senate on June 9, 2015. His accolades and attributes, indeed are worth mentioning here. Broad minded, humble, never pugnacious and imbued with high intellect, his arguments on the floor of the Senate made in such sublime serene language that even those who might not toe his views initially, are bound to be swayed by his superior position and elucidation, which undoubtedly puts him in good stead as a leader capable of carrying on his shoulders all the Senators through senate proceedings. He has always been in the inner sanatorium of the Senate, very influential, has immense knowledge of the working of the senate and would always be a fountain of knowledge for his other colleagues to draw inspiration from. One who has tremendous support across board and had made significant contributions to fashioning better laws that would lift mankind out of misery and want, is just not your backroom senator, but one who had earned our respect and should be accorded all due respect.

• Ekweremadu

Critics of Ekweremadu miss the point

By Ezekiel Omoroya From the much this writer had known of the lawmaker who while as serving senator, had time to burn the midnight oil, reading and thus bagging a PhD in Law, last year from the University of Abuja, cannot be wished away. All the committees he headed are of national importance. He had been at the Ethics and Privileges, Niger Delta, Solid Minerals and Judiciary and Human Rights. Others are Internal Affairs and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He was later to be Chairman on Federal Character and Government Affairs, as well as Chairman Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and also Chairman joint Steering Committee of Policy Analysis and Research Project of the National Assembly (PARP). He is also the current Chairman of Governing Council National Institute Legislative Studies. On the International scene, elected into the ECOWAS Parliament and first as Deputy Speaker Parliament, Dr Ekweremadu later became Speaker ECOWAS Parliament and also chaired Ad Hoc Committee on Political Situation in Niger Republic and Republic of Guinea. The Bills and Motions he had sponsored, portray him as a national personality. Since 2003, from records, Ekweremadu had sponsored such Bills as Civil Process Severs Bill, Private Detectives and Investigators Bill, State of the Nation Address Bill and River Basins (Amendment Bill). He had equally co-sponsored Nigeria Police Act (Repeal and Reenactment Bill, ) Abortion of Discrimination Against Women Bill, National Human Rights Commission Act Amendment Bill, Legal Aide Act, Elimination of Violence in Society Bill, Legal Practitioners Act (Amendment Bill) and Criminal Justice Victims Remedies Bill. The Motions attached to him are very encouraging. It is to his eternal credit that Dr Ekweremadu moved the Motion on The Absence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that triggered chain of legislative interventions leading to the emergence of an Acting President, The Passing Away of President Umaru Musa

Yar'Adua, Surging incidence of Kidnapping and Hostage taking in Nigeria, Outbreak of Hostilities in Jos, Plateau State, The Menace of Gully Erosion and Landslide in South East. A man who has the interest of the masses at heart, he had severally spoken and raised motions on the floor of the senate on such issues as Deplorable State of Nigerian Roads (A wake up call on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA); Abandonment of Nigeria Ship Crew in Captivity in Somalia and General Insecurity in the Nation. Perhaps more than anything are the illuminating lectures he addressed at different fora both in Nigeria and overseas. A cursory look - Constitutional Amendment and Electoral Reforms in Nigeria, Curbing Menace of Corruption in Nigeria through the Constitution, Role of Legislation in Engineering Order Built Environment in Nigeria, Review of the 1999 Constitution and the Stability of Nigeria and the Repositioning of the Local Government System for Sustainable Development through Constitution Review. Others are Key Governance Issues in Nigeria and Succession Challenges in Nigeria. As reported widely in the newspapers both at home and overseas, his lecture series at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Democracy of SubRegional Integration on the topic, 'Global Economic Crisis Implications for Africa', received a louder acclamation and widely accepted by scholars, strategic thinkers and top politicians from all over the universe that had converged for that Commonwealth international conference. His vision and thought are not parochial in nature and for a man whose amity is warm and infectious, this awardee of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic CFR, Dr Ike Ekweremadu, deserves being the Deputy Senate President and the sky indeed is his limit. The challenge as always now is for him to leverage this exalted position to fashion out innovative Bills and Laws that would make Nigeria a better place and its citizenry happier. –Dr Omoroya wrote in from Benin City

NE of the fascinating points of the recently concluded 2015 general election with particular reference to the Lagos State gubernatorial electioneering campaign was the calculated canvass for votes by the two leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to convince the electorate on the need for the state to cease from being in opposition at the federal level. Since the return of the country to democratic rule in 1999, Lagos State has remained one of the very few states in the federation that has not, at one time or the other, been governed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Zamfara, Bornu and Yobe are the other states never to have at once aligned with the center until 2015. Prior to the presidential election, the then ruling PDP, encouraged by the power of incumbency, had hoped to win the presidential election and had enjoined the electorate to ensure that Lagos State, for once, falls into what it termed 'mainstream politics'. The then opposition party, the APC, buoyed by its success at the presidential poll, flew similar kite! The APC also bid the electorate not to let the opportunity to align with the centre pass by. The outcome of the election now belongs to history! Lagos is now governed by the APC that equally controls the central government. Undoubtedly, Lagos is a beautiful bride that all the political parties covet for obvious reasons. The state represents a major way forward for the socio-economic renewal of the country. Lagos is the former seat of power for the country and is home to about 2,000 industrial complexes and over 10,000 commercial ventures. It contributes 30% to the nation's GDP (2006 statistics) and is the leading contributor to the non-oil sector GDP (2011 statistics). It accounts for over 60% of Nigeria's industrial and commercial activities; 70% of National Maritime Cargo Freight, over 80% of international aviation traffic and over 50% of Nigeria's energy consumption. Equally, Lagos is a highly private sector-driven economy. Growth in Lagos would therefore have spiral effect on Nigeria as a whole. All these enable the state to generate most of its revenue (73 per cent of the total), giving it an incentive to perform well. Unlike other state governments, it does not depend on the allocations from the Federation Account to drive its developmental agenda. Regrettably, when the federal capital was relocated to Abuja in 1991, Lagos was left to rot away by successive military administrations. The federal government has refused to emulate countries such as Germany, Brazil, Malaysia, Australia and Tanzania, which have relocated their national capitals without abandoning infrastructural development of the former capitals. Bogged down by a burgeoning population of over 18 million people, Lagos had over the years become what former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, once described as 'a jungle'. At the return of the country to democracy in 1999, the state government, under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his successor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, embarked on aggressive infrastructure renewal and development that has, within 15 years, transformed Lagos from being a symbol of urban disorder to a widely cited example of effective governance in Africa. In its efforts to clean up the rot left behind by the abandonment of Lagos, the state government had repeatedly clashed with the federal government in many instances that have raised questions whether we practice true fiscal federalism in Nigeria. The state demanded

By Sola Ogunmosunle

increased powers from the central government. As a matter of fact, the Lagos State Government had instituted dozens of lawsuits challenging the overbearing powers of the federal government over the other federating units in the federation. The state was always at loggerheads with the federal government such that the then President, Obasanjo, blocked numerous Lagos projects ranging from traffic control to independent power generation, claiming they exceeded state authority. The state's attempt to create additional 37 local government areas to the existing 20 in 2004 was stifled by the federal government despite the Supreme Court ruling that the new LGAs were validly created. The federal government, holding on to some form of ambiguity in the ruling, withheld the statutory allocation to the existing LGAs for many months to snuff life out of the created LGAs. Some form of political solution was later reached in 2008 under the administration of late President Umaru Yar'Adua to name the newly created entities Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) Now that the state belongs to the mainstream politics, the expectation for some form of partnership for development has been elevated. It is presupposed that the two sides will bury the hatchet and bring the feud to a close. The very first area where the state can begin to enjoy its new found romance with the center is the payment of the amount owed Lagos by the federal government. According to the former governor of the state, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, the federal government in Abuja owes the state certified N51billion, being costs of repairs carried out on federal roads. If this happens immediately, it will be a good starting point for Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the new governor of the state. One other area that the federal government can partner with the state is the ceding of the abandoned federal government owned structures and institutions in the state. The federal secretariat in Ikoyi is one property that can be put to good use if ceded to Lagos State. The subsisting law suit on the property can be settled amicably out of court. The derelict National Stadium in Lagos can also be ceded to Lagos State that can possibly manage the facility better than what is obtainable now. It is also hoped that the state's clamour for a special status as a former capital of the Nigeria nation will receive a favorable consideration from the National Assembly, particularly if the motion for the bill emanates from the Executive. It is a well accepted fact that when it is well with Lagos, it is well with Nigeria and when it is well with Nigeria, it is well with Lagos. –Ogunmosunle is of the Features Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

• Ambode

POLITICS

Following the confusion arising from the recent counter suspensions in Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports on the mass defections and the crisis in the state chapter of APC

ndications have emerged that erstwhile members of the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) who dumped the party at various times and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), are key players in the incessant crises rocking the Bayelsa state chapter of the ruling party. Sources within the two parties told The Nation that since the PDP defectors, who joined the APC at different times, decided to form themselves into a faction within the party with a view to protecting the interests of defectors in their new party, they have been constantly coming into collision with the leadership of the APC in the oil-rich state. According to Peter Abah, former Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), in Ogbia Council area of the state, "The influx of PDP members into the APC is already generating crisis and the defectors are working seriously to split the party instead of developing it. It is discovered that they are only concerned with positions, even at the expense of the original APC members who nursed the party at the onset. It is common knowledge within the APC in Bayelsa State and even in the state generally, that the unending crises

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

Bayelsa APC crisis and the PDP defectors in our party is being caused by ambitious and troublesome defectors from the PDP in the state. While original members of the APC are willing to accommodate all defectors irrespective of where they are coming from, the same cannot be said of these old PDP people. Some of them are driven with so much ambition that they do not care if the party is endangered by their actions. That has been the issue within the party and we need urgent intervention to stop this menace." But another source alleged that the unwillingness of the old APC members to tolerate the defectors is behind the trouble within the party. According to the APC chieftain from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state, "those who see themselves as the owners of the party in the state because they got into the party before others who defected from other parties, are acting like winner who must take all the prizes. They seem to have forgotten that we all joined hands together to ensure victory for the party during the last election. Bayelsa APC is nothing without the defectors who made it a strong party to reckon with today in the state." A leader in the defectors' faction, Godwin Sidi, a former Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (NPDP), said some of the APC members allegedly connived to suspend some party members without following the party rules

â&#x20AC;˘ Dickson

and constitution as well as the law of fair hearing. Tales of expulsions and suspensions

The internal squabbles troubling the APC in the state reportedly blew open when the leadership of the party, few

Innocent Chukwuma; and the former Economic Adviser to the President and current Director of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Nigeria, Prof. Osita Ogbu. Others on the advisory list are the ProChancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Dr. Chilo Offiah; former Aviation Minister, Amb. Fidelia Njeze; Chief Loretta Aniagolu; Dr. Chikelu Mba; Mr. Emeka Odo; Princess Ngozi Nnadozie; Mr. John Okoye; Mr. Kelvin Emeka Onah and Mr. Ikechukwu Chioke. From the list above, it is obvious that the 15-man Committee whose membership comprises mostly "economists, entrepreneurial gurus, financial professionals, energy and civil society experts" as well as renowned politicians who have distinguished themselves creditably in their various fields of endeavor, were carefully selected by the governor based on their outstanding track records and ability to deliver on their new assignment. Most policy makers in Enugu strongly believe that the state, under Governor Ugwuanyi stands the chances of surviving the negative influence of this economic meltdown, on the premise that he had earlier unveiled his blueprint of "seamless continuity and consolidation" with programmes and policies aimed at diversifying the state's economy high on the agenda, the point remains that a lot still needs to be done to move the state forward. In this regard, the committee is expected to eat, dine and sleep with the said document, which is the policy thrust of his (Ugwuanyi's) administration, in the course of its assignment. On the need to restructure the state's internally generated revenue road map to be able to reposition it in line with current challenges in the nation's economy and boost the income of the state, the committee is also expected to lay emphasis on investment promotion, agricultural revolution, and

prudent management of government resources. This is in view of the fact the state has the economic potentials to harness and create new viable opportunities aimed at generating resources for rapid development. For instance, Enugu being a natural resources-endowed state has played early roles as the capital of Eastern Region of Nigeria with avalanche of mining opportunities such as coal, lime stone, oil and gas, clay, iron ore, and other mineral resources. It is on record that coal mining, which commenced in the state in 1916, was used for National Power Supply at Oji River and Cement Production at Nkalagu, among others. The Oji River power plant, which uses coal to generate power, has the capacity to supply electricity to all the eastern states of the country, if revitalized. It is therefore, strongly believed that if coal mining in the state is given adequate attention through the revamping of the sector in partnership with the private sectors, the state stands a better chance of boosting its revenue for sustainable development. Agriculture is another sector the advisory committee is expected to give the priority attention it deserves. This is achievable through massive investment in the sector to be able to produce and export foodstuffs such as palm oil, rice, cassava, pepper, pineapples etc and agro-based raw materials derived from forestry, among others. In conclusion, one is convinced that the present economic scenario, which requires the critical need for government at all levels in the country to develop the non-oil sectors, strengthen their tax base as well as internally generated revenue, could be surmounted through these options enumerated above and the expected cherished recommendations of the 15-man Economic Advisory Committee. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Amoke, the Senior Special Assistant to the Enugu State Governor on Media, wrote from Enugu

Ugwuanyi's tasks for Enugu advisory team

HERE is no doubt that the recent constitution of a 15-man Economic Advisory Committee by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to assist him generate ideas on how best to tackle the adverse effects of the dwindling revenue from the Federation Account due to the drastic decline in the prices of crude oil in the global market, was a right step in a right direction. Although most economic indicators have been relatively stable in the past two years till early this year due to viable economic growth, accommodating interest and exchange rates' policies, benign inflation and stable oil price index, some of these variables have been unstable in the past few months due to persistent decline in oil prices. Today, the situation is even worsened by decline in oil production due to consistent shut-ins and shut-down of trunk-lines at various oil terminals and the ugly effect of crude oil theft in the industry. It was on the premise of the above, that Governor Ugwuanyi in a bid to achieve his action plans for the state, through his development initiatives, quantum of wisdom and passion for growth, carefully assembled a cream of notable think-tanks from all walks of life to assist him surmount the current economic crunch in the state and the nation at large, in order to advance the state and alleviate the sufferings of the people who voted him into office. As a technocrat of repute and an experienced hand in the business of governance and legislation, the governor strongly believes that his passionate vision for the state and commitment to programmes and policies that would promote peace and advance development, ought not to be quelled by the perennial drop in the revenue of the country; hence the need to grab the bull by the horns.

â&#x20AC;˘ Ugwuanyi

Mr. Louis Amoke This saw to his recent assemblage of men and women of proven integrity and competence to assist his administration proffer advice "on the best economic policies that would help engender sustainable economic growth in the state". These gurus according to a statement by the governor through his Chief Press Secretary included: The Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, an outstanding entrepreneurial and financial magnet, Monsignor (Prof.) Obiora Ike, who serves as Chairman of the committee; the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu; former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji; foremost industrialist and Chairman of Innoson Group of Companies, Chief

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

â&#x20AC;˘ Sylva

weeks back, announced the expulsion of two senior members of the party for alleged anti-party activities. The two expelled members, according to the reports are former Chairman of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, Perekeme Kpodo, and a stalwart of the party, Sunday Oputu. The state Secretary of the party, Marlin Daniel, who announced their expulsion at a press conference in Yenagoa, said the duo had already re-joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He noted that party equally suspended seven of its members for the same offence. Those suspended are Godwin Sidi, Harrow Zuokumo, Enoch Koripamo, Christopher Abariowei, Fred Akamu, Rosemary Okeazi and Livinus Opratapu. Most of the people named here defected to the APC from the PDP. But the crisis deepened when the suspended chieftains regrouped and announced the suspension of the chapter Chairman, Tiwei Oruinimghe, and his deputy, Eddy Julius, during the week. The faction also suspended the party's state Secretary, Daniel Marlin, and the member of the party's Board of Trustees (BoT) representing the state, Peres Peretu. The faction, operating under the aegis of Integrity Group, accused the suspended party leaders of engaging in anti-party activities. Oruinimghe however dismissed the action of the faction, noting that members of the group have been expelled and suspended from the party by the state APC leadership. He described the action of the group as laughable and ridiculous. Sidi, who was among the seven leaders suspended for alleged anti-party activities, while appealing for the intervention of the national leadership of the party to save the APC in the state from disintegration ahead of next year's governorship election, said there is need for some people to be called to order within the party. "I am therefore, calling on the SouthSouth Vice Chairman and national leadership of our great party to intervene in order to strengthen the state structure. Their intervention will also avert disintegration ahead of the coming governorship election in the state." Sidi alleged that some actions taken by some people within the party are meant to distract members of the APC and the public from gross misconduct, abuse of office by some chieftains within the party in the state," Sidi said. A gale of defection APC in Bayelsa has been receiving defections from the PDP as far back as January this year. The most recent of such defections happened earlier this month when a former Chief of Staff, Bayelsa Government House, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, dumped the PDP and joined the party. Ikiogha, a close associate of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was one of

POLITICS the pillars behind the emergence of Seriake Dickson as governor of the state in 2012. He was appointed Chief of Staff, Bayelsa Government House by Governor Dickson on his assumption of office in February 2012, but was redeployed to Abuja liaison office, following alleged strained relationship between them. Speaking with newsmen after defecting, Ikiogha said the decision to join APC was taken after wide consultation with his supporters in the wake of the crisis of confidence rocking PDP in the state and the hijack of the party by few persons with selfish ambitions. Ealier in May, some prominent stalwarts of the PDP have dumped the party for the APC. The defectors included the then Senator Clever Marcus Ikisikpo (Bayelsa East Senatorial District), who led Nadu Karibo (Ogbia Federal Constituency), and a former member Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Azibola Omekwe (Ogbia Constituency), along with their teeming supporters and loyalists to defect to the APC. Ikisikpo who spoke on behalf of the group at the national secretariat of the APC said the interests of their constituents, as well as the entire Bayelsa State would be better served in the APC. The serving Senator who is a founding member of the PDP disclosed that but for the fear of the unknown; they would have joined the APC before the start of the just concluded general elections. In April, shortly before the last presidential election, a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly; Hon. Alfred Egba, led other prominent chieftains of the PDP to the APC. The lawmaker who served in different capacities in the State House of Assembly Committees, moved to the APC with his supporters and associates, including former Special Adviser on Special Duties to Sylva, Chief Sonme Ogilogi and a former commissioner in the State Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Tom Egba. To kick start the defection galore, in January, the APC in Bayelsa had received Fred Oboro, a chieftain of the PDP into its fold. Oboro, a former senator, was a founding member of the PDP in Bayelsa. He criticized his estranged party for lacking internal democracy. Party confident Back then, many people saw the defections as good omen, but with the incessant crises rocking the party today, many are calling on the party to be cautious of those abandoning their political camps to seek shelter in the APC. But the party's Publicity Secretary, Panebi Fortune, said the APC has nothing to fear as PDP was dead in the state. He said the ruling party had also accepted defeat, following the exodus of prominent politicians ahead of the governorship election. Fortune dismissed insinuations of internal crisis in the APC because of the suspension of some party members accused of antiparty activities. He said: "What happened was that we discovered that some expelled APC members were recruited and paid by the PDP to cause problems in our midst. One of the expelled members deceived some APC members, by using them to create crisis among us. We discovered on time and acted fast by suspending those known to have met with him. As expected, those people formed what they called 'The Integrity Group' to fight back. They embarked on a failed mission of issuing a statement that they have also suspended some members of the State Working Committee (SWC), including our Chairman, Tiwe Oruminighe." The spokesman urged other party members and those willing to join it to disregard the activities of the group. He said the people behind the group were sponsored by the PDP government. Fortune said: "The APC is intact. We are one family and we are working with one purpose of seizing power from the clueless PDP to better the lots of Bayelsans. We are, however, bent on ensuring party discipline."

Ebonyi and Umahi's 'holier than thou' posture

N Tuesday June 9, 2015, Ebonyi State House of Assembly was inaugurated. Speaking shortly after proclaiming the start of the fifth Assembly, the new governor of the state, Chief Dave Umahi, promised the legislators that he would not interfere in the affairs of the Assembly. He however said he "will only play a fatherly role to ensure the success of the Assembly". While reviewing the activities of the fourth Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Umahi listed "inadequate funding, refusal of the government officials to obey the laws enacted by the Assembly, interference of the executive in the matters of the legislature and interference of external forces" as some of the factors that defined the immediate past Assembly. He urged the members to resist such so as to succeed. Umahi's speech at the Assembly complex followed the same pattern as his inaugural speech at the Abakaliki Township Stadium. All those who listened to the inaugural address and the speech at the Ebonyi State House of Assembly would not fail to note the triumphal tone of the governor, who was actually the deputy governor during the period he was referring to. It is not hard to discover the attempt to paint a 'holier than thou' posture in the governor's promises. In the first place, by promising not to interfere in the affairs of the House of Assembly except to play a fatherly role, Umahi believes that all Ebonyi people have forgotten how he manipulated the membership of the Fourth House of Assembly by ensuring that only his selected people got elected into the Assembly. The truth which Umahi believes people no longer remember is that while he was the State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and as soon as the then governor, Chief Martin Elechi, hinted him on the possibility of making him his running mate to prepare him to eventually succeed him, Umahi decided to ensure that he controls the Assembly. It is therefore stunning that after meeting with the members-elect to the Fifth Ebonyi House of Assembly in his lodge; Umahi should come out to promise non-interference. During the meeting on Monday preceding the inauguration of the Fifth Assembly, the governor virtually handpicked the floor functionaries making sure that only the members whose capacity and clout are predictable made it. To ensure that he maintains a strangle hold on the Assembly, Umahi selected a third term member of the Assembly and his man Friday, Odefa Obasi Odefa, to be the Deputy Speaker while a second term member from Izzi clan, who to all intents and purposes ought not to be in the Assembly, Ogbonnia Nwifuru, was selected as Speaker. While Odefa was a former broadcast journalist, Nwifuru is an experienced bricklayer. Again while Nwifuru represents Izzi West Constituency, Odefa represents Onicha East Constituency. The mischief in the pairing of the floor functionaries could be seen easily. Umahi ensured that functionaries from the old Abakaliki bloc are those in need of confidence while those from the Ebonyi South, his foot soldiers, ply intimidating presence. For instance, Mr. Joseph Nwaobasi, who was selected as Majority Leader, just crossed over from the All Progressives Congress, (APC) while the Deputy Majority Leader, Kingsley Ikoro, is a second term legislator from Afikpo North West. You need to see these two

â&#x20AC;˘ Umahi

By Agwu Ogo Agwu personalities to understand the political mischief intended in their positions. The point is that Governor Umahi knows how to beat the drum in the bush and come out to ask, what noise is that? This is a trait he perfected from his days as Ebonyi State Chairman of PDP. It is therefore not hard to see that having emerged as governor by all means, he has settled down to implement policies of deception for the gullible Abakaliki people. Within just one week on the seat as governor, these acts of public trickery could be seen in most of his major actions so far. The relationship with organized labour in the state is a ready case in point. While he was campaigning to be governor and knowing the financial profile of the state, Umahi, who was the deputy governor under Elechi, created the impression to the workers that it was Elechi's act of stubbornness and wickedness that made it impossible for the state to pay the minimum wage and promised that if elected he would pay a hundred percent increment on workers' salaries. After entering into that agreement with leaders of the labour unions, workers were mobilised to proceed on indefinite strike thereby crippling activities in the state in the last days of Elechi's administration. But while he was being sworn into office as governor on May 29, 2015, Umahi started singing a new song, telling the workers that his government would sit down with their leaders to look at what was accruing to the state as revenue so as to ascertain whether the state could pay the hundred percent increase promised workers. The governor disclosed that the past administration, which he was part of, left an empty treasury. And while he was painting the picture of lack of funds to pay workers the agreed salaries, Umahi set up a total of 22 committees to map the way forward for his administration. Experts in policy analyses are united in the belief that when a government or institution wants to deceive the people or create the impression that it was doing something, the only thing to do is set up committees and move in circles. It is therefore surprising that after serving as the State Chairman of PDP and Deputy Governor for the past eight years, during which he had virtual control of every apparatus of government, Umahi should claim that he does not know what to do as governor. While members of the committees are shuffling about in the erroneous belief that their recommendations would be of use to the government, Umahi is busy implementing his blue print which includes vendetta and witchhunt of political opponents. Part of that blue print is the ongoing probe of the local government system in the state. Umahi believes that the local government council chairmen supported the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, (LP) against him in the last election, so he wants to hunt them down. Even when Umahi gave the council chairmen the impression that he wants to work with them, he went behind to instigate the House of Assembly to probe their stay in office. As the witch hunt against council chairmen is going on, the governor cancelled the appointment of 16 Permanent Secretaries by Elechi. A lot of people in the state are already wondering if the sack of the permanent secretaries would help to increase the finances of the state. But the most glaring case of duplicity could be found in the governor's inaugural address. While other state governors who are faced with dwindling revenue are shrinking their ministries and agencies, Umahi is creating new ones. One of the ludicrous agencies he promised to set up is that of Religion and Public Welfare. And the fact of 22 committees suggests that he would appoint 22 commissioners. Yet, in his lengthy inaugural address, the governor said his administration would construct six flyovers in the state. The only projects contained in his address are only those projects that have to do with his area of specialization as a civil engineering contractor. Already he has taxed all commercial banks in the state to pay N100 million each for them to move over to the Ocho Udo City. None of the banks received an itemized description of what the N100 million is meant to cover. At a recent meeting with labour union leaders, Umahi indicated that every worker in the state should have 10 percent of his or her salary deducted at source for development projects. He did not say anything about his salary or security vote. But one thing is clear; a policy of public deception is being unfolded in Ebonyi State! â&#x20AC;˘Agwu wrote in from Edda, Ebonyi State

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

POLITICS

Now, who will probe Wike?

How far can Saraki go? T is no longer news that in contradiction to his party's nominations, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Thursday at the plenary session announced Senator Ali Ndume from Borno State as the new 8th Senate Leader. Also, Saraki announced Senator Bala Ibn Na'Alla from kebbi State as the new Deputy Senate Leader. What, according to pundits, is unclear is how far the Senate President is ready to go in his seeming determination to keep defying the leadership of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)? First, he opposed the party's choice for Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, went into alliance with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and emerged as the President of the 8th Senate. And in spite of concerted efforts by party leaders and a call on him by President Muhammadu Buhari to respect party decisions, he dumped Lawan and Senator George Akume and pronounced Ndume and Na'Alla as Senate Leader and Deputy respectively amidst protests by his fellow APC senators. With his actions since emerging Senate President, Saraki has left no one in doubts that he is up to something. His intentions are only left to be seen and pundits are divided on how far he can go fighting his own party. While some predict that the strongman of Kwara politics may be on his way out of the party, others say he is acting the scripts of those who want to weaken the ruling party. But time, and only time, will tell what Saraki is up to.

Sylvia's supporters drum up support for Buhari

•Saraki

The return of Chuba-Ikpeazu ITH the ruling of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, Hon. Lynda Chuba-Ikpeazu is set to return to the Green Chamber of the National Assembly. The judge had ordered the sack of Emeka Godwin Idu, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member of House of Representatives representing Onitsha North/South Federal Constituency of Anambra State. He also ordered the cancellation of the Certificate of Return issued Idu by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Chuba-Ikpeazu had, in a suit she filed on March 18, 2015, challenged the decision of her party, the PDP, to substitute her name with that of Idu after she was accepted by the party's National Working Committee (NWC). Justice Ademola held that the substitution of Chuba-Ikpeazu was wrong because it violated sections 31(2)(j) and 50 of the PDP constitution; sections 31(1)(2) and 33 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended); section 222(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Article 25 (xii) of the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections, 2014 of the PDP. He also said, "Finally, the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Clerk of the National Assembly are ordered to swear in Honourable Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu as member representing Onitsha North/South Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives forthwith," the judge said. Chuba-Ikpeazu, the winner of the first Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant (1986), the first Nigerian in Miss Universe since Edna Park in 1964, who was crowned Miss Africa in the same year, was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003 representing Onitsha North-South Federal Constituency as a candidate of the People's Democratic Party.

• Wike ast week, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State announced his readiness to probe former Governor Rotimi Amaechi. He didn't stop at that. He also instated a task force that has since been forcibly retrieving government properties from former state officials. According to him, it is 'criminal for anybody to go away with government properties without accounting for them after office." But a senior driver at the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has cried out that Governor Wike failed to return the 15 Toyota Hilux trucks he took from the agency for his governorship campaigns while serving as the Minister of State for Education. The driver, name withheld, explained that Wike, the then Minister of State, "borrowed" the vehicles promising to return them back to the fleet after the presidential and the governorship campaigns, but the driver feared that the 15 vehicles may never make it back to UBEC's fleet. He said he was particularly angry when he saw on television how Wike was sending armed state officials out to recover government vehicles from officials who served under his predecessor, whereas "he too failed to return our own vehicles in his possession." Now, who will probe Governor Wike?

ORMER governor of Bayelsa State and All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Timpire Sylvia, has been described as bridge builder and consummate politician whose political experience has been a great asset to the people of Bayelsa State and Niger-Delta. Ruling the declaration in Lagos recently, members of People's Movement, a Niger-Delta association, urged politicians in the country to emulate Sylvia's virtues. Spokesperson of the group, Mrs. Ibifuro Tatua told Ripples that Sylvia not only pioneered Bayelsa State industrial growth but also devoted his energy while in office to solving problems of infrastructure development in Bayels State and promotion of best democratic tradition. Talua, on behalf of the group also commended President Muhammadu Buhari over steps his administration has taken to provide good governance in the country. She implored the president to remain on track adding that he should also ensure that he recruits competent hands like ex-governor Sylvia to team up with him in order to enable Nigerians reap dividends of democracy. "Sylvia is a consummate politician, a bridge builder, that can help Buhari accelerate his reforms and promote efficiency in government.

Between Boroffice and Alasoadura

enator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Robert Ajayi Boroffice on Wednesday gave his fellow Ondo Senator, Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central), a political blow to the jugular when he said he was not party to the latter's argument at the National Assembly on Tuesday that he (Borrofice) was a better choice for Senate Chief Whip's office as against the party's candidate, Senator Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central). At the APC senators' caucus meeting on Tuesday, Alasoadura was said to have rejected the decision of the party to decide who would occupy the Senate leadership positions. This provoked Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) who accosted him and pushed him violently. And adding salt to Alasoadura's injury, Borrofice said the fellow was not speaking for him. He said: "It is very unfortunate. I was not at the meeting called and I don't know what happened exactly but I did not canvass for support to be Chief Whip. So, I am not in the race. I did not ask anybody to canvass support for me. I did not ask anybody to nominate me for any position and I was not consulted even by the person who nominated me. I think it is not tidy enough."

• Sylvia

•Continued from page 46

their national team but was told that we were Nigerians and had played for our country. He then linked us to a Malaysian team. We had our trials and they liked us and that was how I moved to Malaysia. In Malaysia, I played for Kedah FC and we won all our matches that season in 1992, which earned us the 2nd division title and were promoted to the Premier League. We won the double in 1992/93 season and we were given State Award, which is the PJK Award for Excellence, in 1993. In 1994, I left for Terengganu FC, played two seasons and then returned to Nigeria to process my visa for an offer in Portugal before the embargo was placed on sports men and women. Unable to travel for the trials, I stayed back for about a year before I left for the German regional liga (2nd division) in 1996 with SG Bad Soden. This was where I called it quits due to my troubled knee injury. I returned to the country to help one of my friends with his Academy when Diepreye Tebo told me to come over to the UK to do my coaching course. I did my coaching batches levels 1, 2 and the UEFA licence B course. I also used the opportunity to run sports consultancy and football mentoring with West Ham Football Club. Coaching It has been encouraging, I must tell you. For me to have played in the national team and also outside the shores of the country despite growing up from one of the low towns in the country, I feel I owe the young ones something. That was why I had to leave the community I was running its U-14s and U-16s in the UK to return home and contribute my own quota to football development.

few weeks, something didn't ring true. It was clear the manager didn't need me. I'd be in the first-team squad in the week, but would be in the stands or on the bench on a match day. There was no dialogue at all with the coach. “The first time I got to speak to him face to face in his office was in December, when I couldn't take any more. He admitted he hadn't seen me play before they signed me and, when he'd actually watched the videos, he'd told [the club] straight away my style wasn't for him. I said to him: 'You're telling me this in December? Why didn't you tell me when I got here in the summer?' I'd never have gone there if I'd known. Perhaps it was about politics, but it was wasted time.” Pogba spent a few days at Den Haag, scoring in a 7-1 friendly win with 80% of voters on an online fans' forum urging the Dutch club to sign him. When the contract negotiations dragged, a phone-call from Saunders, appointed Crawley's interim manager when John Gregory required heart surgery over Christmas, lured him to Sussex. This is a short-term arrangement, with much dependent upon the result on Sunday as to whether Pogba's stay like that of Saunders is extended into next term. Indeed, while Florentin has been establishing himself at St-Etienne in Ligue 1 and Paul claiming successive Serie A titles, with a third for Juve imminent, Mathias's career has been a whirlwind. The brothers still speak every day, geeing each other up and sharing their contrasting experiences in the game. There will be a telephone call from Paul, a player coveted in England, Spain and France and whose £75m sale would allow the Italian champions to revamp their squad, wishing him luck against Coventry. Thoughts of Real briefly put to one side. “I look at my two brothers: one is at Juve, champions of Italy year after year; the other at a club qualifying for Europe. But why stop there? Why should any of us? Let's look to climb higher, to do more, achieve better. I want to progress, to play in the Premier League. That's what I'm targeting. I do think, in the future, all three of us could be playing in the same country, in the same championship, perhaps all against each other. In England. Flo loves England and would love to play here one day. Paul has already been here with Manchester United. He could come back to this country. It's possible. Very possible. We'll see.” All three are treated like returning heroes when they visit La Renardière these days, the local youngsters using their progress at clubs across Europe as inspiration.

IN VOGUE By Kehinde Oluleye

Tel: 08023689894 (sms) E-mail: kehinde.oluleye@thenationonlineng.net

Raising a voice for the Nigerian girl With Temilolu Okeowo temilolu@girlsclub.org.ng 07086620576 (sms only) Please visit my blog www.temiloluokeowo.wordpress.com for more inspiring articles. Twitter@temiloluokeowo

H A U O N Y E S â&#x20AC;&#x201C;RAM

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

HAT sort of books do you like most? My taste for books is defined by my interest for revolutionary change in the current affairs of humankind. A universe with enough of everything and yet too many go on living on nothing, and the few Lords of Capital alongside their cronies in power appropriate everything for themselves alone. This is the very economics for all human stories, the struggle for existence, including the desire to love and to be loved. Read up books like Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell, The Iron Heels by Jack London One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, The House of The Spirits by Isabel Allende, Cosmos by Carl Sagan, Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov, Ten Days That Shook the World by John Reed, My life by Leon Trotsky, Karl Marx: A Life by Francis Wheen, An Autobiography by Angela Davies, The Thief’s Journal by Jean Genet, Hidden From History by Sheila Rowbotham. Every growing mind must necessarily read Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder etc. Only then you can begin to understand that these beautiful books and stories have one thing in common, the quest for the meaning of existence, and the struggle to survive first the forces of nature, which the human mind has not been able to fully grasp and all human subterfuges and obstacles so created by us throughout the ages to further confuse and set us at a disadvantage. So I enjoy reading all sorts of books and stories, from all over, from all ages. Fiction, non-fiction, science, science fiction, literary criticisms, poetry, politics, philosophy, history, economics etc. let me specifically mention science and science fiction, which actually began for me with Cosmos by Carl Sagan. I have then tried to lay my hands on nearly everything that Stephen Jay Gould has written, read all the series under the subtitle of ‘Reflections in Natural History’, and behold how nature truly works. His books, of course helped me to discover Richard Dawkins and I have come out a better person in understanding how nature and life truly came into being. For science fiction, one of my best take is the Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov, Brave New World by Alex Huxley, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein. These titles are damn too good to be condemned to being read by science fiction enthusiasts alone. When you read a book, what are the salient things you look out for most? The first thing you want to look out for is if the author succeeds in fulfilling your expectation/s, both in terms of informing and educating you the reader, if you come out of the pages richer in mind and insight. Language and the style employed to convey this is also extremely important. There are books that are bomb from the very first page. Read The Shock Doctrine and No Logo, both by Naomi Klein, and behold all the lies about corporate capitalism. I expect a book to be enriching in all regard and this is why exploration is important, the mind must in no way be limited. Unfortunately here, most readers will not explore, they are more lazily comfortable to stick to what is already known. So they are reading the lies behind the success stories of the rich or get rich books whose authors were enriched by the gullibility of millions of readers in buying the books and not content of the books. Read How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World by Francis Wheen. Otherwise readers are consuming the trashes of religion, as if we are condemned to reliving the early stone age, where we can make no meaning of the outside world. On our own, our stories and history, came down to us fully written by the gods, too many minds have not moved an inch from the stone age. The only innovation is the replacement of the small letter “g” with a Big Capital “God”. So in reading books like god is not

Trotsky’s History of the Russian Revolution or John Reed’s Ten Days that Shook the World, you cannot but wonder what stuff is needed to make real changes, and yet with count down to a century after success of the Bolsheviks the world is still unable to make a success of another Socialist Revolution. The key lessons therein is that Nigerians expecting revolutionary changes without the making of a revolution, are in wait for a disappointment to come. This is not intended to say that it is wrong for the masses to have desired change and voted for a change of government by electing Buhari into power, the very first time an oppositional party is coming to power. History and the world is there for us all to learn from, human affairs are governed by the same principles, and history will not be an exception now. There are no revolutionary changes to be made without first making a revolution. And like the Russian Revolution alluded above, makes quite clear a revolution can only succeed when it chooses from the very begin to be permanent and this is only possible by breaking away from the ideas of neo liberalism. The task of transforming society cannot be accomplished behind the working masses, they are the only driving force for development and anything less than a workers’ government to drive this process will only mean a movement to nowhere. Trotsky comes next in that order. In him is the unity of revolutionary action and writing, greatly more because his writing on the Stalinist bureaucracy offers the working masses the means not to throw the baby away with dirty water. His book titled Revolution Betrayed provides the classic analysis of what happened to the Soviet Union predicting the collapse of USSR, 50 years earlier before its demise. This question cannot be done if we don’t mention Christopher Okigbo’s Labyrinths. We commit the error to want to attribute the fame of Okigbo more on the circumstances of his death, as if that was what brought his name to fame. The only truth is in the pages of the book, read it and see how poetry can live forever. I heard once from the lips of Femi Osofisan, the writing process for Okigbo was a sacred event, to come in onto me, when he is composing is to have no space to put your feet, for the room will be filled all through with papers of earlier draft that Okigbo thought was not good enough. You can’t begin to compare this to anyone of us who pride every single line, Okigbo is the poet perfectionist, who goes on to crack the depth of his thought to unearth the only right way an imaginary and a line should be delivered. Tchicaya U Tamsi’ Selected Poems is for me forever green, it is one most refreshing read ever and I rush to it, to keep the poet in me alive, and let me inform. He comes highly recommended by no less a poet than Okigbo himself. When do you like to read and what time and why? Reading for me is not regulated. I try to read as often as time and schedule will permit; in motion, in the bus, at home at night, waking early to read before stepping out of course as a poet you cannot but find time out of no time to write, bearing in mind that writing in this clime is herculean. So we can only find time out of our leisure to read and write and yet we are not all doing badly, if you check the volumes of materials writers are dishing out every day. And the sacrifice that writers are making of their time, of their resources, how they even go to the extent of squeezing blood out of stones to get into print… What is your preferred literary genre? I do not have a preferred genre, even though a poet is expected to have a natural affinity with poetry. The truth is that the Poet cannot limit himself to just reading poetry. I read as much fiction as possible. My best love story which cannot be surpassed for me is ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I don’t think Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is any less a love story,

ME AND MY BOOKS ‘Why I am a tenacious and revolutionary poet’ Dagga Tolar is the former Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Lagos chapter. With over 10 published collections of poems to his credit, he has shown through his works that he writes with deep revolutionary zeal and compulsion. He tells Edozie Udeze in this encounter that until writers look deep into the problems of the masses, their works may not necessarily create the desired impact Great by Christopher Hitchens, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, I am more fully human to behold all of my human weaknesses and have no need to look further than my human self, in resolving any contraption before me. There are some books that fail all your expectations and you simply drop out of them. But I must say that I try to force myself through to the end, if I can manage through the first ten pages, which is usually very easy… I go through to the end; the least that can happen is that my mind earns the education of how a story ought not to be written or how a poem ought not be constructed. For a poetry collection, I am more particular with how the poet uses words to convey meaning in a crushingly new manner. I want to see expected l o g i c thrown to the wind w i t h stylistic caution a n d surprise a n d surpass m y imagination. Abiku by Soyinka does this for me all over, not in the sense that it takes on the spirit child theme who enjoys inflicting pain with its continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Of course J.P. Clark with his own humane approach to the subject matter succeeds even more in this regard. What then is the literary value of poems like Abiku for us today, outside of an insight into a pre-modern society trapped in the womb of underdevelopment and its attempt to explain a phenomenon unequipped with all of the material understanding to bring this task about. But then that is where Soyinka’s poem comes out shining in defying common logic and working himself against the expected thought process. He delivers to this age and generation poems that can speak to us today of the very fact of failure of the

ruling elites in Nigeria, with its history of repeating failures at governance a n d inflicting untold pains on t h e working masses. Of course Soyinka is a master in delivery of the unexpected. Even in his play, Death and the king’s Horseman he performs the same expertise on us all, when he makes Olunde to choose to commit suicide instead of his father. Samuel Becket employs the same technique as Estragon and Vladimir wait on and you can’t begin to imagine if this waiting will go on forever. Your mind is waiting too for what they are waiting for and the playwright throws us t h e impossible waiting for ever, you can’t beat that. I t h i n k F r a n z Kafka too needs to b e included •Tolar in this category with his story titled Metamorphosis. Who are your favourite authors in the world and why? For me and all times Marx and Engels, won my heart for life, the way they worked out the working of history, unveiling dialectics and its contradictions in all of the under-trappings of human activities, unleashing on the human mind what had so long been held in secrecy. The idea of “History as progress”, (a title chapter in that great book What is History by E.H. Carr) is unlocked before us all in the opening lines of their book The Communist Manifesto, “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle”, Carr says “History in its essence is change”. So when you read Leon

Continued on page 56

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

ARTS

Title: The Example (The era of Babatunde Fashola as governor of Lagos State Author: Edited by Sam Omatseye Publishers: Kraft Books, Ibadan Year of Publication: 2015 No of Pages: 351 Reviewer: Badejo Adedeji Nurudeen

JUNE 28, 2015

The fruitful years

VENTS that shaped G o v e r n o r BabatundeFashola’s administration as a governor is still etched in our memories, needless to say that former governor Bola Tinubu is in the best position to explain the reasons for his choice. One very important event has made Governor Fashola dear to my heart. It was a personal experience. Sometime in August 2014, I ran into Governor Fashola’s entourage as the heavens opened while he was inspecting the 70 million gallons per day Adiyan Waterworks phase 2, it was indeed a spectacle seeing the governor fully dressed in rain coat and heavy boot. Just like I once saw his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who rolled-up his trousers and jumped into a flood with bare foot to inspect drain blockage on MuriOkunola Street in Victoria Island. To me, this is selfless and purposeful leadership. The Example: The Era of BabatundeFashola as Governor of Lagos State is a compendium of articles put together to celebrate his legacy of service. Edited by the renowned columnist and wordsmith, Mr Sam Omatseye, and a foreword by redoubtable Professor ItseSagay, (SAN),a former teacher of Governor Fashola at the university. The array of contributors ranging from a former governor, serving and former deputy governors, serving and former commissioners, captains of industry, special advisers and special assistants give this book an edge in understanding at close range the Fashola phenomenon. Continued from page 55 you can’t compare for me, I like the hanging out, the wasting of time and waiting and in the end the waiting pays off for Florentino. How do you imagine waiting out on love through the Fermina’s husband death. How do you sustain this through decades? This is the making for me of the classical love story. It is a must for the poet to learn from the masters of the prosaic art. What poetry is not. And there are no better names than the classics as penned by the likes of Leo Tolstoi. ‘War and Peace’. Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy etc. of course you dare not exclude Chinua Achebe “Things Fall Apart, Ngugi wa Thiongo. ‘The Devil on the Cross’, ‘Wizard of the Crow’, Akwei Armah’ Beautiful Ones are not yet Born… The essence of these readings is to introduce the poet to the multiple possible themes for the writer. I can begin to count how many times I come out of reading a prose text or even between reading it and I am writing a poem, I have confessed some through my dedications, but in most cases they go unconfessed and unacknowledged. we want to make it out that we are good and great, when in actual fact we all stand on the

The contribution of Mr RotimiOyekan, a consummate banker, former Commissioner of Finance and childhood friend of Fashola since 1978, is the most compelling of all. He analysed, based on experience and exposure, the financial planning and development of Lagos State under Fashola. The complexities of revenue generation and infrastructural development tied to sustainable financial structure and availability was highlighted by Oyekan. He also explained the dogmatic posture of Governor Fashola in the execution of the ambitious LagosBadagry 10-lane superhighway with light rail; the governor has stubbornly soldiered on despite the huge demand of the project on the finances of the state. The former commissioner revealed how Fashola’s letter to the World Bank clearly outlined the perspective, purpose and

spirit as well as the financing strategy of the administration. How the 15 years Economic and Financial Model developed jointly by Lagos State government and P r i c e Waterhouse Coopers helps the state in actual planning framework for infrastructural development. This particular contribution is an exposé on the effect of public-private partnership on the working relationship between government and the private sector on areas like debt management, internally generated revenue, bonds issuance and public finance. It is apt to note that financial operations and development under Fashola are hinged on debt issuance programme, multilateral financing and publicprivate partnership. Indeed, Oyekan’s contribution should be a model for states thinking of removing themselves from the apron strings of monthly federal allocation. Following on same thoughts is Mr AderemiMakanjuola’s contribution. Makanjuola, an exbanker and now aviation offshore big time player is the chairman of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), the publicprivate partnership scheme designed to curb insecurity in the state, the hunch of this idea is to equip and strengthen the security agencies in the state, with particular interest in Nigeria Police Force. In this chapter we read for the first time how the state

government acquired two new, fully equipped, top-ofthe-line Bell 12-seat helicopters for land and terrain survey, rescue and surveillance duties for the state. More than the scepticism of a private sector person not wanting to do business with government, this acquisition was financed by a bank with all attendant risks but the personality of Governor Fashola saw this transaction through. Greening and cleaning Lagos, which is the hunch of the contribution of MuizBanire and TitiAnibaba, is one exercise that has come to stay. Particularly the creation of recreational parks has lend beautification to the state, some of these parks are strategic and political, with the GaniFawehinmiPark, Ojota serving as the abode of ‘Occupy Nigeria during the anti-subsidy removal protest in 2011. The beauty and landscaping of these parks are aesthically sight to behold. It is also an avenue for the government to generate employment for street urchins who hitherto slept under the bridges and to curb environmental degradation in open areas. On ethnicity which recently reared its ugly head in the state. Fashola’s harmonisation and the involvement of major stakeholders is very instructive; as stated by AminuYaroIdris, the SerikiHausawa of Lagos (head of Hausa community in Lagos), Fashola provided the community a new massive cemetery at Ayobo (with facilities provided by him privately) when the former one in Agege was filled-up. Also, he had an extensive consultation with the Seriki when the demolition exercise of the Ijora-Badiya was to be carried out, to pave the way for the 1008 housing estate. Particularly more striking was the effective tackling of

the Ebola virus disease outbreak through Lagos State. Many Nigerians wonder what could have happened had the episode of July-September 2014 had crept into Nigeria through another state. The contribution of Messrs.JideIdris, Walter Olatunde and Wale Okecentered on the gamut of the state’s health infrastructural development and policy formulation. Ranging from disease control, reproductive health, medical mission, free health scheme, primary healthcare centres, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), pharmaceutical services, blindness prevention programme and motor park health and prevention programme. OlasupoShasore, (SAN) contended that for any given society to work, its laws must be perfect and implementable. From the repealing of over hundred years old Lagos Magistracy and Criminal Administration Laws, to the development of Mortgage and Property Law of Lagos State which also provides the desired framework for the operation of the ambitious Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme- Lagos HOMS. Under this arrangement like never before, home ownership and delivery had become easier. The workings of the state executive council as enumerated by Mr LanreBabalola, the Chief of Staff to the governor speaks volumes of the business-like manner in which the council takes decisions- every item is subjected to a rigorous debate before decision is taken. The personality of Governor Fashola is examined fully by close aides on governance, delegation of tasks, political development, personal issues and security. We read how his aide-de-camp missed travelling with the governor’s convoy to the office because he went to the toilet! How Governor Fashola can be served food or coffee by any of his aides but cannot delegate signing

certificate of occupancy to any. Quite early in the administration, too, it is said that he took a break to arm himself for the office of governor. That the governor is workaholic will be an understatement as attested to by his close aides. Fashola’s efforts on media management is endearing. His passionate plea to media personnel to be careful while visiting the isolation centre for the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease is quite touching. The commencement of 100 days in office briefing and media engagement had endured till he gave the last one recently, and the numerous town hall meetings on security, taxation and the Youth Stakeholders Forum organised by the IGNITE Enterprise and Employability Project; the hunch of which is to tackle the recurring unemployment in our clime. The signature of development under Governor Fashola is too numerous to be captured in one book. Even with less than 5 days to go, he is still delivering the goodies as attested to by the numerous projects commissioned recently. The Fashola Phenomenon will continue as part of our history. This is a book for every shelf, the packaging is presentable. Save for repetition, contributions from some serving commissioners would make good highlighting here. It will serve the incoming government of MuhammaduBuhari good if Governor Fashola is appointed a minister in-charge of power. The power issue in Nigeria requires meticulousness and strong acumen, particularly for someone who can combine both being a democrat and technocrat. For in the last eight years, Fashola had built and inaugurated four Independent Power Projects in Akute, Alausa, Mainland and Lekki Peninsula. He is an example, indeed, of a Nigerian who could walk on the rock and leave his footprints.

Revolution and poetry shoulders of others for nearly all of insights we arrived at. As a child what books tickled you most? Cyprian Ekwensi won me over completely to the full embrace of literature with two of his titles An African Night Entertainment and The Passport of Mallam Ilia. These for me were the two titles that provided my baptism into the secrets of the arts. That words could be weaved together to stir feelings across generations, clime and distance by just putting imaginations to work. Growing up in the 80s, there was no escape from Hadley Chase, the thrill, the fact that one could stay up all night to follow a storyline to the end, it was as if putting the book down, would transform the storyline. The chase for more crime thrillers discovered for me Nick Carte. The madness was not as raving as Hadley Chase. But I think this era began by ascent into creative writing, because I thought a series titled Crime Catcher and took pen to paper. For the period that I was not yet fully formed. It remained no more than an attempt.

George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ had tremendous impact on me as well. This was my first contact with the ideas of a revolution, even when it was taught with the very intention of using the conclusion of the text to dissuade the reader from being sympathetic or embracing revolutionary ideas. George Orwell comes out in full sympathy and support for the revolutionary actions of the Bolsheviks in 1917, which was only cast in the animal act, the parody actually is in the emergence of the Stalinist bureaucracy, At what point in your life did you begin to nurse the idea of becoming a writer? To start writing does not immediately and simultaneous birth the idea of becoming a writer. My experimentation with crime writing coming out of reading Hadley Chase and Nick Carter could not even kick off. I was not yet fully armed with all of the instruments to accomplish such a task, so it was not surprising to me now that I didn’t go beyond some ten pages sheet. My poetry is not any different, you begin writing

by paraphrasing what you have just in your own words. At this beginning stage the word plagiarism does not exist, so for my experimentation at lyrics and song writing was the beginning and even then it was nothing but a rehash of Bob Marley’ songs in words not his. It took my entrant into the university to meet again with poetry, interestingly indirectly from my love for reggae music on campus. My first poem therefore dates back to1988. And since then I have not looked back. What you can refer to as my first collection titled “Daggering Boots” was completed in 1992. It therefore follows that the idea of becoming a writer was borne in 1992, with the consciousness that I had written more than enough to make up a collection. How has writing shaped or reordered in your life? Writing has given me more than anything else in my life, the means and ability to impact on others. Of course I must equate writing with Marxism as well. These two are what have given full meaning to my life and the whole of

•Tolar writing and reading in my adult life. If you meet your favourite author face to face what would you like to ask him/her? Okigbo will be that for me, the impossibility of the meeting makes no difference, and the question or should I say the request will simply be allowing me come into his presence to behold how his Labyrinths was accomplished. What book do you plan to read next? I open to as many books

that can come my way as possible, I own a new title of Richard Dawkins. How do you arrange your private library? From the floor to the ceiling with my collection of books I simply should be a Librarian. Hopefully, if the future and resources avail themselves to my direction, I intend to give all my books ordered in a library formation and opened for use by people who are interested in the kind of titles I have been able to gather over the years.

Ailing airlines in search of lifeline

Page 58, 59

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

• Raji

‘Drastic measures necessary for business growth’ Page 60

-- Page 53

Mitigating housing deficit through NHF • Kumo

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FAO, SON partner on food security in Africa

• From left: Chairman, Genesis Group, Ichie Nnaeto Orazulike, his wife Ngozi, Managing Director/CEO Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo and his wife Uche, when Ichie Orazulike was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Port Harcourt at the weekend

NDIC moves against greedy bankers

HE Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) is advocating for stringent sanctions against banks with weak or poor corporate governance to discourage bankers from greedy behaviours A statement from the NDIC said the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the NDIC Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim while reviewing "the various laws governing banking operations in Nigeria i.e the Banks and Other Financial Act 1991, the Companies and Allied Matters Act, the NDIC Act, the CBN Act and the Failed Banks Act expressed the need for more stringent sanctions to serve as deterrent to irresponsible and greedy behaviours." The statement from the NDIC signed by Mallam Hadi

Birchi, Head, Communication and Public Affairs said Umaru Ibrahim "cited the case of the recent move by the regulatory authority in the United Kingdom to enhance supervision and management of banks with emphasis on personal responsibilities of directors. In this regard, both the UK companies Acts 2006 and the recent tough new banking rules are compelling some bank directors to rethink their suitability and competence to remain as bank directors. Some board directors actually resigned." Ibrahim noted that in their bid to establish a robust and stable financial system to promote national development, supervisory and regulatory authorities also accorded priority attention to sound corporate governance in their own

operations. Already, some of the initiatives put in place by the NDIC to promote sound corporate governance, Ibrahim said, "included adoption of a charter and code of corporate governance for its Board, compliance with the code of corporate governance for all regulators under the auspices of the Financial Services Regulation Coordinating Committee, code of conduct for its bank examiners and compliance with provisions of relevant Acts of Federal Government on disclosure and accountability." Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim gave the charge while delivering an address at the 2015 Executive Breakfast Meeting of the Society for Corporate Governance in Nigeria, where he identified the failure of sound corporate

‘Why power supply is epileptic’

OVERNMENT agencies, including Armed Forces and ministries owed electricity distribution companies over N1.4billion as at last February, the Acting Managing Director of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Bolanle Onagoruwa, has stated. Onagoruwa, who spoke at the West Africa Power Summit, which ended in Lagos, last week said Armed Forces alone owed over N1.3billion of the total debt. According to her, the Army's debts to DISCOs stood at over N1.2billion as at the period under review.

By Sunday Oguntola

The Police Force came second with almost N92million electricity debt followed by the Air Forces with a little over N53million and the Navy with N10.5million. Electricity debts, she said, by other government agencies stood at over N30million with the Prisons leading the pact with close to N11million. The Ministry of Interior owed N8.2million followed by Ministries of Finance and Health with close to N3million debt each. Justice owed over N1.3million while education

had a debt profile of over N900, 000. Such mounting debts, Onagoruwa stated, have been hampering the operations of DISCOs and power distribution across the nation. According to her: "DISCOs want to offer more power to customers but how can we when we are owed so much? These outstanding debts are a major clog in the wheel of our progress." She listed other challenges facing DISCOs as inadequate transmission network, low gas supply and difficult collections owing to lack of customer enumeration, inadequate metering, ghost workers, ghost

governance as one of the factors responsible for the 2009 Nigerian banking crisis. Ibrahim recalled that the special examination conducted on the 24 banks in Nigeria by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and NDIC revealed that 10 of the 24 banks were critically distressed as a result of many factors amongst which was poor corporate governance. According to him: "the special examination revealed that boards and executive managements in some banks were not equipped to run their institutions as their ineffectiveness manifested in the form overbearing influence of some board members, ineffectiveness of board committees; non-adherence to the CBN code of corporate governance and weak ethical standards amongst others."

fending, fraudulent ex-NEPA staff, aggressive neighbourhood and power theft. Onagoruwa also lamented low power supply affect electricity distribution firms. "When we don't get enough power, it is difficult to distribute power enough to customers," she stressed. IBEDC, for example, needs a minimum of 1,000 Mega Watts (MW) daily but she said: "we get 300 MW daily or sometimes 250 MW. "Until we sort out the issue of generation, we would have a lot in our hands," she stressed. On what IBEDC has achieved, Onagoruwa said the firm has installed 52,041 meters between May 2014 and June, 2015.

HE Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) are calling for the development of sustainable agriculture and food security in Nigeria and Africa at large. Justifying the need for the partnership, FAO said based on the continued increase of human population in Africa said by 2030, Africa will need to feed about 1.5 billion people and by 2050, close to 2 billion, hence agriculture needs to be more recognised for inclusive economic growth and food security in Africa. The representative of FAO in Nigeria, Dr. Louise Setsehwaelo made this call during her keynote Lecture at the Africa Standardisation Day seminar organised by the African Organisation for Standardardisation (ARSO), in Abuja, stating that Africa's economic growth needs to be inclusive. She said, "African countries still need to do a lot more, both individually and collectively. We have what it takes to move forward, we have the human capacity and other

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

factors needed to drive the economy. "Agriculture needs to be recognised for inclusive economic growth food security in Africa. Based on the continued increase of human population in Africa, by 2030, Africa will therefore need to feed about 1.5 billion people and close to 2 billion people by 2050." Also speaking, Director General, SON, Joseph Odumodu affirmed that Africa is the only continent that cannot feed itself fully. "We import some of our food to feed ourselves. It is not debatable if agriculture is important in Nigeria or Africa, agriculture provides food, employment and of course it contributes a lot to our GDP in Nigeria. "We need a lot more collaborations with extension workers, people in agriculture. We need to adopt what we call good agricultural practice standards in Nigeria, to ensure that we create a better balance between what we do and the outcomes that we have currently in Nigeria and make agriculture very sustainable," Odumodu explained.

30 % food produce lost to waste annually

IGERIA losses over 30 per cent of its food produce to waste annually, experts have said. Duro Kuteyi, Managing Director, Spectra Industries Limited, a food production company who made this disclosure during an interactive session lamented that at least 30 percent of crops are wasted due to non-availability of processing facilities, adding that before food crops are moved from one part of the country to the other a lot of it would have been wasted. While urging the federal government to re-examine the possibilities of processing agricultural products to save Nigerians from further wastes, adding it is the only way wastages can be eliminated. According to him, the equipment should be

By Ambrose Nnaji

enough collateral for agro processing. He said: "Nothing is wrong with our local food, nonetheless nonprofessionals have spoilt the market" adding that it is time for the professionals to actually come out and do what they know best." The company boss informed that Spectra Industries has introduced Hybrid food a new brand of product that would provide the nutritional value for man's daily need into the market. Also the company General Manager, Olusoga Awonuga stressed the importance of creating awareness for people to understand what they actually eat.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

BUSINESS

Ailing airlines in search of lifeline F

OR majority of the domestic airline operators, the operating climate is getting dicey, what with the spiraling cost running into billions of naira. With a debt profile of over N130billion owed by six domestic airlines to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), those affected are seeking a additional lifeline to enable them continue in business. In the letters written to AMCON, the airlines listed the names of the oil marketing companies they owed and the respective amounts. The carriers said it had become unbearable for them to continue operating without paying the outstanding bills. The Managing Director, AMCON, Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi, confirmed that the airlines had written to the corporation seeking for assistance but declined to give details. The AMCON boss had some months ago said the agency might not hesitate to assist airlines and other companies owing it if the assistance would help them to pay the debts. Among the domestic airlines currently owing AMCON are Aerocontractors, Arik Air, Air Nigeria, Chanchangi Airlines and IRS Airlines. Already, AMCON has converted some of the debts owed by Aerocontractors into a significant equity stake. The Chairman, Airlines Operators of Nigeria, the umbrella body of all the domestic carriers operating in the country, Captain Nogie Meggison, declined to comment on the development. He said he chose not to comment on the matter for reasons best known to him. But a top airline operator condemned the concerned airlines' action. He said it was wrong for airlines to start seeking for a fresh lifeline from AMCON when they were already owing debts running into billions of naira. The former General Secretary, AON, Alhaji Muhammed Tukur, said it was wrong for the airlines to look up to AMCON for another intervention. He said it was understandable that AMCON had taken over the debt airlines owed banks but it was a sign of bad management on the part of airlines which were seeking such a fresh lifeline. Tukur said, "It is understandable that AMCON has taken over the multibillion naira debts that the airlines are owing the banks. But for the airlines to be asking AMCON to come and assist them to pay fuel marketers their aviation fuel bills is bad. "The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority needs to investigate such airlines because they appear not to be doing fine and very soon, such airlines will start cutting corners in the areas of aircraft maintenance and other critical safety areas." An industry analyst and Head, Research and Statistics, Zenith Travels, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, described the request as ridiculous and wrong. He said, "Well, I am a bit confused here; these individually owned airlines owe the aviation agencies. Already, the airlines have duty waiver on aircraft spare parts and collected loans from banks collectively owned by Nigerians. They have also collected loan facilities granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria. "They are the architect of their problem and they better look inwards first at themselves before rushing out again for another round of subsidies. Is it not better to have a national carrier draining the public purse than private carriers draining it by proxy? The airlines should be the cartel and not the fuel marketers. But lack of cooperation and consolidation among the airlines is the main cause of the current problems."

The dwindling fortunes of most domestic airlines has compelled them to seek fresh lifeline, reports, Bukola Aroloye

â&#x20AC;˘ Local airline Inquisition into N200bn airlines' intervention fund Apparently miffed by the manner airlines and aviation agencies stirred controversies over debt overhang in the sector, analysts have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the N200 billion intervention fund that had gone into the sector in the past few years. They advised the government to stop releasing funds for airlines' bailout. The analysts said that most of the airlines could not give full account of what they did with the funds they accessed from the N200 billion bailout given by the past government, explaining that "because nobody monitored the implementation, many of them used the money on things they were not meant for." Part of what they were supposed to use the money for was to settle bank loans which had weighed down the operations of the airlines, shrinking their number to three. Already, the airlines are in tangle with aviation authorities as their debt had exceeded N5billion. This is different from their indebtedness to marketers and other supply companies. "And yet their debt profile keeps rising because they are not disciplined. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has not been auditing their books and many of them are not supposed to be in airline business because they are not prudent," John Ojikutu, a consultant to the International Civil Aviation Authority, said. "How can government allow an airline access N35 billion from the funds and then owe staff several months of salaries, sack them and wind up the airline without anybody question developing the management for three years now," he asked. "As at today, Nigeria has recorded close to 20 failed domestic airlines in the last four decades due to carefree attitudes", he lamented. Ojikutu noted that within a year in the life span of this present administration, government through the Ministry of Aviation has intervened in the sector with about N200 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria through the Bank of Industry to bail out private airline operators from debts and bank loans. It has taken about $60 million or N10 billion from the Bilateral Air Services Agreement funds for the remodelling of some airports and has borrowed yet $500 million or N80 billion from China, allegedly to buy aircraft

to establish a national carrier which it planned to handover, including the remodelled airport terminal buildings, to private individuals who are mainly government sponsored investors and who are not well grounded in aviation management and operations. "It would, however, be appropriate for the incoming government to assess and review the civil aviation transformation programme of the present administration which has expended well over N200 billion by way of intervention in two years on both public and private operators in the sector," he summed. Shehu Iyal, former senior special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on aviation, disclosed that Aero got N20 billion, Arik Air accessed N15 billion, Kabo Air, N6.66 billion and Chanchangi Airlines, N3.4 billion. Others are Dana Air, N618 million, Caverton Helicopters, N1.348 billion, Overland Airways, N805 million and FirstNation Airways N271.7 million, apart from others which are still accessing. Nigeria's wobbling aviation industry Nigerian airlines may just be waiting for the undertaker. This is the effect of protracted epileptic operations, which has led to an intense battle for survival that the domestic airlines have had to contend with over the years. The situation, which hitherto had showed flashes of prosperity over the last decade, especially with the floating of some new airlines like Arik Air, has further dipped, raising great concerns for the domestic industry. For instance, the high cost of aviation fuel, multiple taxes imposed on airline operators, inadequate infrastructure, amongst others, are some of the huge challenges facing the sector, and its operators. In view of the importance of these issues to the development of the aviation industry, stakeholders posit that the earlier the aviation authorities addressed them, the better for the industry. The multiplier effects of some these unresolved issues have kept the airlines tottering on their feet, while it has equally confined some to the graveyard. Aircraft fleet and maintenance Domestic airline operators in the country have found it difficult to acquire efficient equipment for specific route operations in the country and even beyond. This has taken serious toll on the operational efficiency of such airlines, and in most cases, forcing them out of business. For instance, when First Nation airline commenced

operations about four years ago, it started with three leased Airbus A320200 aircrafts. However, the airline ceased operations in October 2012, reportedly because of problems with suitability of the aircraft for the routes it plied, that is, Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. But a year later, the airline returned to the skies, after changing its aircraft to two Airbus A319-113, which is believed to better suit its operations. Another airline, Arik Air, at some point, deployed an A340-500, a four engine capacity aircraft, on its LagosLondon route, even with low load factor on the route at that time. Experts in aviation insist that this is not an economically viable option, considering the fuel consumption and maintenance cost that will be incurred on the aircraft. Sadly, in spite of the Cape Town Convention agreement on aircraft purchase and lease, Nigerian operators have not fully benefitted from it because of the harsh operating and business environment locally. Aircraft maintenance is also eating deep into the finances of airlines in the country. Apart from minor aircraft checks that are done locally, major checks like the 'C" and "D" checks are done outside the country and paid for in dollars. This does not come cheap, especially given the exchange rate of N200 to a dollar. For instance, it costs about $400, 000 to do a 'D" on an average aircraft. The Chief Executive Officer of Capital Airlines, Amos Akpna, explained that the cost of aviation fuel in the country is very high and called on the government to find ways to bring down the prices. "The airline charges about N800 per ticket as fuel surcharge. A Boeing 737 burns about 3,500 litres from Lagos to Abuja, costing about N180 per litre. Currently, fuel accounts for 45 per cent of the cost of operating an hour's flight in Nigeria," he said. In similar vein, the Managing Director of Medview Airlines, Muneer Bankole, also called on the federal government to intervene, as the high cost of aviation fuel has made the cost of running airline in Nigeria high. "The Nigerian aviation industry should have a window where we can service fuel. Now, how many airlines do we have in the country? The challenges are enormous and we are not making much profit, but we are just striving to remain in business," he said. Multiple charges Airline operators have over the

years been complaining about the alleged multiple charges that they pay to aviation agencies. Bankole has severally complained about the several unharmonised charges airlines pay. These include but not limited to five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), collected by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on behalf of other agencies; landing and parking charges; terminal navigational charges; fuel surcharge; passenger service charge, amongst others. He therefore called for the harmonisation of these charges in the interest of the sector. "The federal government needs to harmonise these charges. These are the challenges we face in this industry. NCAA is collecting five per cent on tickets sold, which I think is enough for the agencies, but unfortunately, we still pay other agencies from the money we earn," he lamented. Infrastructural deficit In December 2013, it became clear that one of Nigeria's gateway airports; the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport (NAA), Abuja, which has only one runway for both international flights, needed a second runway. This was further accentuated by the embarrassment caused the nation, when air passengers including a former Aviation Minister, Mrs. Stella Oduah, were stranded nationwide following the cancellation of their flights, caused by a Boeing 747 cargo plane from Saudi Arabia that veered off the runway and damaged Navigational Aids (NAVAIDS) at the airport. Abuja bound passengers and those who had wanted to fly into the city from other cities were stranded for close to 18 hours until the cargo plane was removed and the airport. Apart from the fact that passengers were stranded, the domestic airlines, who are struggling to survive lost millions of naira to that incident, while those who had scheduled appointments either missed them or had to reschedule. Depleting airlines Prior to Dana Air crash of June 3, 2012, there were 10 domestic airlines operating in the country. They include Arik Air, Aero, Medview, Dana Air, IRS, Overland Airways, Chanchangi, First Nation, Air Nigeria and Associated airlines. But immediately after the Dana crash, two airlines; First Nation and Associated airline for fear of being sanctioned by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded their operation themselves since there was

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

BUSINESS 59 Pomp as Forever Nigeria marks 15th anniversary

•Buhari

•Obi

•Meggison an audit in the offing. The third airline; Air Nigeria, though was bedeviled by crisis ranging from industrial crisis to inability to pay aircraft leasing company; GECAS money for the airplanes it leased from it. It was finally grounded by the regulatory body for insolvency. Although new airlines like Medview, Discovery, Azman, including returnee Dana, have joined the industry, raising hopes for the business, it is still a far cry from profitable operation. It therefore goes without a doubt that virtually all the domestic airlines in the country are financially unhealthy and this has created a situation where they cannot either expand or compete favorably. BASA One of the challenges facing the Nigerian aviation industry is the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), entered into by the Nigerian government with other countries, which is skewed to favour foreign airlines operating into the country. Stakeholders are worried that with the multiple entries granted foreign airlines into the country, domestic airlines woos have been further compounded. This challenge has been on for a very long time with stakeholders and analysts calling the federal government to initiate a review of these BASA's. Today, as a result of these BASA's that were not in favour of Nigeria, some international airlines now have multiple entries into the country ,while Nigerian carriers who are striving to survive have not been able to reciprocate this in other countries. The multiple entries granted these airlines, experts have said has contributed to the killing of Nigerian carriers. By and large, experts submit that the domestic aviation industry is in dire need of surgery, if it is to survive.

T was celebration galore when Forever Living Products Nigeria Limited celebrated its 15th anniversary in all its 15 centres nationwide recently as friends, business associates and wellwishers came together to felicitate with the company. The week-long event tagged: 'Celebration of Success, Resilience and Integrity of Forever Business in Nigeria' had a touch of glam and panache. There was more celebration as the parent company, Forever Living Products International Inc. in Phoenix Arizona, with over 37 years in profitable global existence, and present in 158 countries, also celebrated their Global Rally event in Singapore, at the prestigious 7star Marina Sands Bay Hotel. Forever has for fifteen years created a healthy business environment which has enriched Forever Business Owners of the company in wellness and financially. The (Forever Business Owners) FBOs were able to reflect at their earlier years as FBOs and were grateful on their achievements. These are independent members of the Forever networks distribution system who are recognised as fullfledged business owners. Wellness centres are business ventures set up by FBOs to provide services in line with FLP policies. The flavour of the new management team was evident at the main event as they upped their game in the celebrations. There was the red carpet (Aloe'd Carpet), with a back-drop of their products which got the excitement and the buzz going. Top artiste, Skales, performed with his hit songs that got the elderly grooving. The grand finale also featured awards segment, as Forever Nigeria presented plaques of honour to distinguished individuals who had contributed to the growth and success of the company in Nigeria. There was the Legacy Award to Engr. and Mrs. Adewale Oyemade, in appreciation for their good works in laying the foundation for the growth of Forever business in Nigeria. Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Tay were honoured with Leadership Builders Award in appreciation for their hard work and dedication in building many Forever Business Owners into leaders in Nigeria. A Regulatory Leadership Award went to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), for ensuring that only the right quality food, drugs and other regulated products are manufactured, exported, imported, advertised, sold and used in Nigeria. Forever Nigeria had, in the past, received several awards from NAFDAC, Nigeria's prime regulatory body, in areas of quality product and full compliance to the

•Stories By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

statutory laws. Other certifications include the International Aloe Science Council, the Kosher Rating, Islamic Seal of Approval and the Halal certification. The Partnership Award, went to the Nigerian Heart Foundation, for years of its professional support to Forever Living Products. The company's management was also honoured, as one of them, the Director of Operations, Mr. Bode Olasinde, received award for his meritorious hard work and dedicated long service as a pioneering staff of FLP Nigeria. There was also an award of meritorious hard work and dedicated long service as a pioneering staff of the company to Olufemi Sanya, while Forever Sapphire Manager, Tope Rotimi Akinola received a Leadership award in appreciation for the demonstration of his good leadership skills as he opens his training sessions to all FBOs without discrimination, at his own expense. Speaking at a press conference earlier, at the company headquarters in Ikeja, Forever Nigeria Country Sales Manager, Olusegun Israel-Adegboye, commended FBOs for their dedication and resourcefulness and said that the company's anniversary celebration was all about them. "Our success is reflective of your commitment, your dedication and hard work. Even as we celebrate, we continue to commit ourselves to serving and supporting you. With our offices in major cities and product centres

easily accessible to you and new business owners; we ensure you get the best." Others present at the press briefing, were Forever Nigeria Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Loye Akinyele; Director of Operations, Mr. Bode Olasinde; Mr. John Ekperigin a Double Diamond Manager; Mrs Ayeni, a Sapphire Manager; Dr Clement and Dr. (Mrs.) Maria Idigo, Double Diamond Manager and Fehintola Foluso-Onagoruwa, a Sapphire Manager. Speaking at the event, Ekperigin, a former senior lecturer, College of Education, Warri, Delta State, said health challenges brought his wife, a pharmacist, into Forever and they had not looked back. "We gave the business our best shot, and today we are living our dreams and I can say, no business would have satisfied our aspirations and hopes in life than Forever." Ekperigin said he had visited several luxurious resorts and stayed in seven-star hotels across the world, courtesy of Forever Living Products. The same sentiment was espoused by Dr. Maria Idigo, who said there was no better business on earth today than Forever business. "It is an international business and you can never go wrong. This is a business you do and continue to receive bonuses even after you retire. The glamour is that in Forever business, you are your own boss; you plan your schedules and work at your pace. But you need to work hard to make it to the top," she cautioned. On her part, Fehintola Foluso-

Onogoruwa said the creation of the social media, introduction and use of technologies like mobile payment had taken the performance and profitability of the business to another level. FBOs in Nigeria include politicians, engineers, doctors, lawyers, business people, young school leavers, youths who are charting their careers in Forever business in the current economic situation. With almost 500,000 registered FBOs nationwide Forever organises event where they celebrate the efforts and accomplishments of the FBOs. But this event was held to celebrate the company for its accomplishments, enduring progress, improving lives, contributing to national development and wealth creation within the economy, especially through the tough economic seasons. High performing FBOs in Forever start from the Manager level upwards to the Gem Managers ranking with the Diamond as the most precious gem. Forever Nigeria has 35 Sapphire Managers, 7 Diamond Sapphire Managers, 4 Diamond Managers and 2 Double Diamond Managers. Of the 158 countries in which Forever International is present, Nigeria ranks 4th and has consistently been ranked Number 1 in Africa in terms of quantum of sales and quality of the FBOs. An elated Mrs. Mabel Ayeni, a Sapphire Diamond Manager and one of the pioneer FBOs of the Network Marketing Company recalled how she had also been to many exotic places all over the world and watched her fortunes grow with Forever.

•From left: Mrs. Ayeni, FLP Sapphire Manager, Mrs. Fehintola Foluso-Onagoruwa, Sapphire Manager, FLP Director of Operations, Mr. Bode Olasinde, Country Sales Manager, Olusegun IsraelAdegboye, Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Loye Akinyele; FLP Double Diamond Managers, Dr Clement and Dr. (Mrs.) Maria Idigo, at a press conference in Lagos to mark Forever Nigeria 15th anniversary.

MTN Nigeria, CNN inspire business enterprise in Africa

USINESS enterprise is about to wear a new look thanks to the synergy of cooperation between MTN Nigeria and CNN International. The vehicle being deployed for this initiative is a multi-platform initiative tagged: 'Africa View' as commercial partners with the aim of inspiring growth and business development in Africa. The 'Africa View' vignette series airs within CNN's flagship news and current affairs programme 'Connect the World with Becky Anderson'. The series provides background and context to trends, figures and initiatives shaping the African continent. Dynamic, entertaining,

modern and inspirational in style, the insert showcases topics and influential sectors driving African countries; from education and energy to technology and innovation. The programme, which is largely driven by MTN, will be featured on primetime CNN programmes such as Inside Africa, Africa Startups, African Voices and Market Place Africa and will tell the story of Africa's diversity, dynamism and role on the global stage. As part of activities to launch the partnership in Nigeria, MTN Nigeria and CNN jointly hosted a special forum in Lagos.

The interface and discussion session headlined by seasoned panelists among who was Prof. Pat Utomi, professor of political economy and management, Mr. Mike Ikpoki, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria and Mr. Mteto Nyati, Chief Enterprise Officer for MTN Group, was well attended by corporate and SME customers, major industry stakeholders (internal and external) as well as media representatives. Speaking on the partnership initiative, Mr. Ikpoki said the partnership is an enterprise initiative by MTN Nigeria to showcase the socio-economic development and achievements of

Nigerians and other Africans across the world. "MTN is proud to partner CNN International on Africa View to showcase the developments and achievements of Africans across the globe as well as Africa's socioeconomic progress. We are especially excited about this partnership because it provides our business the opportunity to create awareness about our service offerings and showcase MTN Business as the ICT partner of choice for new and expanding enterprises while not neglecting MTN's pivotal role as a major enabler for digital inclusion in Africa" Ikpoki said.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

BUSINESS

S a conglomerate, what is the weight of the Odua Group of company in terms of finances? If you look at it from the origin of the business itself, what you describe as Odua Group was founded in 1976 and in fact most of the companies have been around since 1950s. It was created as the business arm of the former Western Region Government extending up to Asaba in Delta State today and all the states of the southwest. The focus of the founders was a very robust economy based on agriculture, social services and so on. As a result of the scope of what we inherited, you would find us with interest in financial services, insurance sector and some key sections of the economy including hospitality and manufacturing. How much would you say the group is worth? Normally with government owned enterprise it is usually difficult to make certain kinds of measurements. But I can tell you straightaway that we are a group that is sitting on an asset base of close to N80bn but it is more of a sleeping asset. The equity holding is less than N1bn. With that kind of asset base you expect a better turn over than what we currently have. We are still far away from where we should be. The challenge of ownership is to some extent slowing things down. There is a difference between government and business are two different things. But irrespective of ownership business is meant to thrive and grow. With government, that kind of understand is usually very tough. Ownership is 100 per cent government - each of those five states own 20 per cent. The fact that it is not one state controlled is a huge opportunity for Odua Group to make bold inroads in the sector it operates. To a large extent would you say this is responsible for the underperformance of some of the companies under the Group? In fairness, that is the truth. It is the truth within the context of that one is the issue of leadership and direction and the other is the realisation of the purpose of the business by the shareholders. But if there is a proper alignment of both, there is no reason why the businesses would not do well. The misalignment between the ownership and purpose of business has really affected the fortunes of the company. How has it been like overseeing the affairs of the Group this past one year? My background says exactly the way I see things and what I want to do. I have a background in the private sector spanning over 27 years and rising to the position of sitting on the board of a multinational. When I was brought in, the mandate was clear and it was to deliver on set goals and transform the entire place. What was critical for me was to understand what I met on the ground and what I met on the ground was surprising to me. There was a lot of money idling away. I found a situation where the purpose and mission was not really very clear to people. Coming from a background where objectives are defined annually, in terms of budget,

'Drastic measures necessary for business growth' Adewale Raji, is the eighth Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Odu'a Investment Company Limited, a conglomerate with vast interest in real estate, manufacturing, hospitality, telecoms, agro-allied business, etc. In this no-holds-barred interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf he shares his vision to turnaround the fortunes of a once vibrant conglomerate. Excerpts: wasn't really easy. I couldn't clearly see the purpose of the business even though there were huge expectations from those of us who are employees and we have to deliver. I met an organisation that was a business but was not operating from that perspective. That represented some challenge. It wasn't easy. In my previous environment, what we call budget is a 'holy' book where the performance indicators are well-defined. It is not our bosses that would tell us when we are succeeding; we would know ourselves when we are doing fine. I understand and accept that this is not business as usual and that it is going to be tough to be able to bring about positive change. For every decision taken, we want to understand the processes involved. When we hit our targets, of course, there would be bonuses and certain benefits. Coming to an environment where the budget is not clearly defined, getting people to understand certain things, especially your vision for the business, can be tough. Like I tell people, if we must be in the big league, then we have to start doing things that people in those big leagues do. What are your short-term, mid-term and long-term objectives and strategies for success? Being relatively new in the company and with the kind of background I have, I think when you just put something on the table and say these are my strategies, people would say, perhaps, you have come to turn the place upside down and into what it is not. What we have tried to do is simply engagement with people. What I have done this past one year is to try and convince my board and management staff that we should go into strategic retreat and try to create that vision together and see what it could look like. We asked ourselves a lot of questions and that started pricking our minds and got people beginning to key into what we are also looking at. Also people have to believe that what we set for ourselves we can accomplish. We are called a conglomerate and if we are a conglomerate are we living up to that billing, we asked ourselves recently. On that basis, we crafted a new mission statement that said what we wanted to do was one, to be a leader in our chosen sectors and that we want to be delivering above par, in terms of growth and profitability. The old mission statement of the company was that we want to be the 'partner of

â&#x20AC;˘Raji choice' but that is not inspiring enough. I look forward to an Odua Group in the future that when we check the performance and return on assets and equity, we would still be very proud. So, the vision and mission was recreated to create the atmosphere for success. We are working very hard to get the company competing at all levels and also become one of the most preferred brands in the sectors we currently operate. As a company limited by shareholders, what are the reaction of the shareholders to the current fortunes of the company? The shareholders are the five state governments of the Southwest and the decision to recruit from outside is part of the manifestation of their dissatisfaction with what was on ground and that they expect a paradigm shift. I want to give kudos to them for that kind of decision. They have expectation and that is good returns for the business. After our strategic retreat, the board came up with a three-digit growth target over the next five years. We are going for a 250 per cent growth in five years. We have shared our vision with our shareholders and that it would be a mix of the old and new. At this stage there is a belief

but I think we need a reinforcement of that belief by starting to deliver on the expectations of the shareholders. Are you planning on going public soon? At this stage no because when you say you are going public, you are calling people to come participate in success. But before you can do that you need to create something that can convince everybody and raise their appetite. The decision to go public cannot be one for the management to take. Our biggest task now is to take the business to the next level. If we do that then maybe we can convince them into taking some decisions as regards the business. The company has been having these past months. Maybe you want to shed more light on the issue? As a result of the direction we want to go and my role in guiding that process to ensure it's a team effort without abdicating the responsibility because at the end of the day the overall accountability lies with me as the chief executive. That is what brought the misunderstanding. The truth about it is that we are into hospitality business and as we all know, the branded hotels are the ones who own the future in the industry in Nigeria because

they command respect, have high standards and attract patronage. As the chief executive of the Group, the overall accountability lies with me and that is why I need the backing of everybody including the board in whatever decision and direction I think would be best for the company. The board room mostly leans on democracy and sometimes democratic decisions are not business decisions. The wrangling came as a result of some of these issues but then it was a minor issue and we have moved on as a Group. Is your appointment based on tenure? Senior people in any management team would not take up roles that would not be defined by tenures. I was on the board of PZ Cussons for eight years, I had settled down so much there thinking I would retire there before coming to head Odua Group. My appointment is tenure based and it's for five years. In five years where would you want to leave the company? I would take it from two levels, from the point of view of stakeholders. Let us talk about the shareholders; I want to see an organisation that shareholders would be happy with in terms of performance and returns, in terms of the dividends that they are receiving. Apart from the shareholders, the second angle is to see all that the founders of the Group set out to achieve at its creation and which is to give equal opportunity to all and make it the pride of the entire region. What steps are you taking to revive your interests in the hospitality sector? We have all agreed that we want to see a sustainable hospitality business and when we look at the Lagos Airport Hotel and the rest, we are hoping to go through a transparent process to make sure that we have a recognised partner that we can work with. We have not chosen a partner yet but we are in the process already. Most of the Group's investments have largely been within the Southwest. Are looking at extending to other part of the federation and beyond the shores? If you take a look at successful conglomerates in Nigeria today, you'll realise that even though the products are nationwide, the point of manufacture is not. Take Unilever for example, their factories are in Agbara and Oregun but their products are everywhere. That is the approach we

want to take. We want to get to the level where we would start putting out national brands regardless of where they would be sited. We are also working very hard to become an international brand as well. How would you assess the operating climate for businesses in Nigeria? The truth about it is that the environment in Nigeria is not very favourable to manufacturers in Nigeria for so many reasons including power and government policies. But then there are businesses that have been surviving in Nigeria. While some could look at these as challenges, others see them as opportunities. A lot of companies in Nigeria today use natural gas to generate their own power supply. For them, the cost of diesel and running generators is too outrageous. So, many of them now run their businesses with gas turbines and are doing very well. We have indeed seen people who have weathered the storm and overrode the tide to remain successfully in business in Nigeria today. There are opportunities in the economic climate more than the challenge, that's how I see it. Are you looking at introducing new products and services into the market soon? The best companies in Nigeria are into manufacturing and I do believe that as a Group we also need to go back into manufacturing. What that means is that we need to go back to the era of creating brands. There is a lot of work going underground to get us back where we belong as far as the manufacturing sector is concerned. To what extent has the management and employees of the company keyed into your vision for the organisation? This is the key reason why engagement was part of the process from the time that I assumed leadership of the company. There is an acceptance by all that we can actually grow from where we currently are to where we want to be in the not too distant future. We also understand that we would require a mix of the old and new to get the desired result. We need to acquire additional talents from outside. Talents attract every other thing and that is what we are looking for at the moment. We are strongly relying on ideas, finance and expertise. With those three things, we believe we would move mountains. We are running an administration of inclusiveness. It is not just about the management but also about the employees as well. It is a way to make everybody responsible and make inputs to the type of success that we want to see very soon. How do you motivate your staff? Do you apply the stick and carrot approach or something entirely different? Nobody likes to talk about the stick; instead people are only interested in the carrot. What needs to be clear to people is what you stand for. It has a lot to do with ethics, integrity and professionalism. The moment people know what you stand for, they would naturally know how to relate and work with you. So, inclusiveness has been very key in moving the company forward since I took over the leadership role.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

â&#x20AC;˘Frozen chicken

Toxic metals, bane of imported poultry S INCE the past two weeks, the media has been awash with the National Agency for Food Drug and Administration Control's (NAFDAC) threat to begin the enforcement of the ban on imported frozen poultry as a study showed that imported turkey and chicken are unfit for consumption due to the presence of potentially toxic metals, high formalin levels and the antibacterial residues in the meat. At a press conference/presentation of the study on 'Prevalence, Quality and Acceptability of Frozen Poultry meat in major cities in Nigeria', on the 15th of June, the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, threatened to deal ruthlessly with smugglers and dealers found with the banned products. According to a study conducted by Prof. Olumide Tewe, a nutritional toxicologist, University of Ibadan, and his colleagues, high levels of toxic metals, food-borne diseases and formalin were discovered in the meat. Prof. Tewe, who led the research team, said that the sample for the study of imported frozen poultry carcasses were obtained from wholesalers and retailers in Lagos, Ibadan, PortHarcourt and Abuja and analysed for heavy metals, microbial status and meat quality parameters. The nutritional toxicologist said the analysed smuggled or imported poultry food were found to be unsafe for consumption, warning that the continuous consumption of imported chicken and turkey could damage the human system on the long run, unlike locally produced poultry which have been found to be safe for consumption. The NAFDAC DG, who warned that imported poultry products will no longer be tolerated, said that NAFDAC is going to work closely with the Nigerian Customs to enforce the ban on imported poultry. "NAFDAC is concerned with the antibacterial residues

in these poultry. When we talk of drug resistance, we should also look at the animals we eat. They are injected with antibiotics and when people keep eating it, they may develop resistance to these antibiotics." Explaining, Dr. Adekunbi Omotoso of the Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, who researched on the antibiotic residues in imported frozen poultry, regretted that the study they carried, revealed high levels of ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin and fluoroquinolones in imported frozen poultry as against the levels detected in locally-processed poultry. "Levels of ciprofloxacin detected were above acceptable limits. For instance, the European Union maximum residue limit for the sum of ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin in poultry tissue is 100 microgram per kg but we discovered levels above 1000 which is dangerous to human health," noted the eloquent Omotoso. Explaining the microbial load as revealed by the study, one of the researchers, Prof. C. I. Alarima, said the study showed that imported poultry meat, particularly chicken and turkey are loaded with the microbes. These are bacteria that cannot be seen with the ordinary eyes. The president of the Association of Poultry in Nigeria, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, has also said that the country loses about N399.4bn annually to poultry smuggling. He stated this while speaking during the 2015 Nigerian Poultry Summit, adding that smuggling of frozen chicken into Nigeria was a major challenge facing the sector. However, the pertinent question that should be asked is: Why has the illegal smuggling of poultry prevailed amidst previous warning? Local production of chicken is said to fall short of the demand for the product, thereby creating an avenue for smuggling. According to the president

of the Poultry Association, while the local demand for frozen chicken is above two million metric tons annually, Nigerian farmers are only able to produce 300,000 metric tons leaving a wide gap of more than 1.7million metric tons. "Out of this figure smuggled chicken accounts for 1.2million metric tons annually," noted Dr. Oduntan. In an interview with consumers, almost all of them voiced their preference to locally grown free range and semi free range poultry, which they said is more tasty and succulent but unfortunately beyond the reach of the masses. "An average fowl which perhaps weighs 1kg when slaughtered and dressed cost N2,500 and an average live turkey too will not cost less than N5,000,"said Mrs. Nkechi OKoli, adding that with N2,500 she can buy three kilos of frozen imported chicken while N5,000 can get me more than five kilos of imported turkey meat." Another issue that may look insignificant but is actually of paramount importance, is the preference of most Nigerians for hard chicken meat. This they cannot easily source from poultry farmers and processors here but from the imported poultry and live poultry. A majority of poultry farmers and processors deal with broilers which mature between 3-4months, resulting in very soft meat. This is the kind of chicken meat served in most fast food eateries. Broilers encourage quick turn over and less money is spent on feeding and caring for them as they are slaughtered within a very short time. But consumers prefer chicken meat from old layers, cockerels. Then the issue of the Nigerian customs. If government is going to achieve its desire of the ban on poultry importation and smuggling, then the Customs must sit up and face their responsibilities. Nigeria with a population of about 165million is grossly underprovided with the essen-

tial food component which is protein. For example, data from the Federal Office of Statistics[FOS], Central Bank Nigeria[CBN], and Food and A g r i c u l t u r a l Organisation[FAO] indicate that

from cattle, less than 2kg of beef is available to an average Nigerian per year and just a mere 4kg of eggs per annum is available to each Nigerian. More investment is required in the farming and pro-

cessing of poultry in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for frozen poultry and achieve the desire of government that placed a ban on the importation of frozen poultry in Nigeria.

Maltina extends entries for awards

RGANISERS of the recently launched Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative have announced the extension of the deadline for submission of entries for the innovative awards. This announcement is coming on the heels of appeal by secondary school teachers across the country for more time to enable them file their entry for the coveted prize worth over N50 million. Disclosing news of the extension in Lagos recently, Mr Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc. on behalf of Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, stated that submission of entry has been extended to Friday July 17th 2015. "We have extended deadline for the submission of entries for Maltina Teacher of the Year because of the overwhelming appeal by teachers across the country who pleaded for the extension. This initiative is for teachers, we believe it is just fair

for us to take their interest into consideration. As a company, we always listen and take the voice of the people into consideration in our decision making process," he said. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has commended the company for initiating the project. According to the union, Maltina Teacher of the Year will not only help in improving teaching conditions and the education sector generally, it will go a long way in restoring the pride of teachers and the dignity of the teaching profession in the country. The union, which announced its endorsement of Maltina as its official drink at all occasions recently, reiterated its commitment to the success of the social investment project. Making the declaration on behalf of the union at the launch, the Acting Deputy General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Chief Wole Oyeniyi, stated

that "Maltina has taken the lead in bringing back the lost glory of the teaching profession. It is the first time that an organisation is putting up a project of this magnitude for teachers in Nigeria. We really appreciate you and the contribution your organisation is making towards the improvement of education sector in Nigeria. We want to appreciate and commend your effort. I want you to know that with this gesture of yours, NUT has decided to make Maltina our official drink from now. At every ceremony, every event, even in our homes, Maltina will be our official and preferred drink. "Now we know that there are people out there that still appreciate and are willing to encourage teachers. I will implore other corporate organisations to follow your lead. We need more of initiatives like this to keep inspiring our teachers to do more," he said.

HE MD/CE of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria Alh Gimba Ya'u Kumo in his effort to encourage increased access to the National Housing Fund (NHF) has unveiled an initiative to better lots of existing and prospective house owners. The gesture was part of deliberate measures put together by the Bank not only to increase shelter but for individuals who needed fund to renovate their homes. The initiative is known as the FMBN Home Renovation Loan (FHRL). The service is expected to afford Nigerians an opportunity to access housing mortgages solely for the renovation or improvement of their existing houses or family owned properties. Basically, it is designed for people who are contributors to the NHF. So, with the contribution, NHF contributors can be granted maximum loan to the tune of N1million. Interested contributors can thus, have access to the facility as long as they remained committed to the scheme. According to the Head of Department, Corporate Affairs, FMBN, Mr. Lawal Isa "applicants must be a contributor to the NHF while the maximum loan amount shall be N1, 000,000.00 (One million Naira only), subject to the income limit of the beneficiary as well as the ultimate cost of renovation.?" It's accessible to ?every individual whether civil servants at the Federal, State as well as workers in the private sectors.? On the loan repayment period, it is considered a maximum term of four years or employee's remaining years of service, whichever is less. More so, with eight percent interest rate, the repayment of the loan will be done through monthly deductions within the maximum stipulated period by the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) and the

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

BUSINESS

LECTRIFYING was the word recently as Chemstar Paint Industry, manufacturers of Finecoat and Shield Paints held its annual GMD/CEO Annual Merit Awards (GAMA) at its premises in Alagbado, Lagos. Guests and staff warmly clad in rich blue Ankara fabrics displayed deep camaraderie and threw banters, while rich music permeated the air from the background. In his opening remarks, the GMD/CEO of the organisation, Remi Awode lauded the entire staff for their commitment, hardwork and dedication. He noted that they remain the key factor behind the success the company has recorded in the past years, and therefore deserved to be celebrated. Awode pointed out that Chemstar 2015 GAMA award is a special one, as it coincided with the organisation's 20 years of bringing colours to life. He

Mitigating housing deficit through NHF By Chas Nwam

respective Heads of Service or account office of the states. However, in a situation of inability to repay the loan, death or disengagement from service, the FGSHLB would be responsible for liquidation of the outstanding loan balance through the beneficiary's terminal benefits. This is most applicable to federal civil servants. For state public servants, they will adhere to almost the same requirement except that the State Government shall be responsible for repayment of outstanding loan balance through the beneficiary terminal benefits. More so, there must have been an approved letter of undertaking from the office of Head of Service to deduct and remit monthly repayments to FMBN. Applicants are also required to provide two guarantors with verifiable sources of regular income; in case the beneficiary's terminal benefit was insufficient to offset the loan. "Applicants will take out a Reducing Term Assurance policy which guarantees the outstanding loan and covers death, incapacitation and loss of job," Isa said. As regard private sectors, "letter of undertaking from the chief executive of the employing organization to deduct monthly repayment of the loan from the employee's monthly salary and remit directly to FMBN. "And that in the event of resignation, death or disengagement from service, the organisation shall be responsible for repayment of outstanding loan balance through the beneficiary terminal

• Kumo

benefits. "Applicants shall provide two (2) guarantors with verifiable sources of regular income; in case the beneficiary's terminal benefits may not be sufficient to offset the loan "Applicant shall take out a Reducing Term Assurance Policy which guarantees the outstanding loan and covers death, incapacitation and loss of job." He went further on the loans conditions, "the

facility shall not be available to any contributor who has enjoyed NHF loan to buy or build a house. It could be taken jointly by a couple, subject to the income assessment of both parties while the loan can only be taken once in five years. "Beneficiaries may however, be eligible to apply for NHF loans for home purchase after fully liquidating a home renovation loan earlier taken. Also applications

are to be submitted with certified Bill of Quantities indicating the amount required for the renovation." While the loan is meant for every worker irrespective of public or private sector, applicants are required to present letter of undertaking from the FGSHLB, HOS or an organization head to deduct and remit the monthly repayments to FMBN. So, it is proposed that FMBN will approve the sum and disbursed the home renovation loans through the FGSHLB for Federal Civil Servants and directly to the account of beneficiaries in the case of State Civil Servants and employees of the organised private sector, after acceptance of offer and the fulfillment of laid down conditions. Moreover, ?at the federal level, applications will be administered and accepted by the FGSHLB while at the State level applications are to be compiled by the relevant authority and forwarded to FMBN through the State controller of the particular State. "In the case of employees in the organised private sector (including other government agencies and parastatals not covered by the activities of FGSHLB) the applications shall be aggregated by the Permanent Secretary or Chief Executive of the organization. The applications shall be received and assessed at the respective State Offices, to accord a level of ownership for effective management of the loans and broaden the Bank's risk asset origination platform.

Chemstar celebrates staff in style By Daniel Adeleye

said that all the members of staff of the company did well in the 2014 financial year, but there are some who performed exceedingly well. "I have passion for the industry. I studied Industrial Chemistry and I worked with a paints company for about two years, where I developed interest in paints production. I love what I'm doing here. The company is also blessed with well-qualified and motivated staff. So we work as one big family." The height of the day's event was the presentation of awards and gifts to deserving staff. The awards came in categories: Category One for members of staff who have meritoriously served the company in various capacities for a period of ten years. A total of 15 staff smiled home with a

meritorious award certificate each, an LED TV set, chestsized refrigerator and cash prizes. Category Two has two

members of staff who have also contributed immensely to the growth of the company in their departments for a period of 15 years. They went

home with a meritorious award certificate, a DVD home-theatre system, an LED TV set, a refrigerator and cash prizes.

•Remi Awode, CEO, Chemstar Industry (2nd right) Fola Laguda, GM Sales (2nd left), his wife and another member of staff on the occassion

"For applications emanating from State Offices, the loans shall be approved and disbursed directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries after receipt of consent to disburse from the relevant authority through which the applications were submitted." Principally, the NHF scheme was established in 1992 to address hurdles to accessing long term loans for housing finance. It was aimed to ensure that every Nigerian has access to housing loans at affordable interest rate through participation and contribution to the fund. The overall objective was to provide cheap source of loanable funds to nurture and sustain the mortgage industry and eventually facilitate affordable homeownership for the low and medium income groups in the country. More so, section 14(2) of the legal framework that sets up the Fund, NHF Act of 1992 stipulates that a contributor to the Fund can access a loan from the Fund for the purpose of building, purchasing or renovation of existing homes. Perhaps, in order to realise this mandate, the FMBN developed concessionary loan windows to enable people access mortgages for home ownership. It was on this presumption that the FMBN deemed it necessary to develop some windows that will enable greater access to the NHF. So the initiative was designed for all NHF subscribers who are willing to renovate or improve existing properties which are personally owned by them or through family ownership. It is anticipated that proper implementations of the scheme is capable of addressing housing need of the people as well as improve public perception of the institution. • Nwam writes from Abuja Amid joy, the awardees attested to the mentorship and fatherly role of the company's GMD/CEO, Remi Awode. One of the Category One recipients and Head of Admin and Account, Lateef Olawale appreciated the GMD for recognising their hard work in the company in the last ten years, adding that such kind gesture is not common amongst business organisations anymore. In his own remarks, the company general manager, sales and marketing, Fola Laguda who is another Category One award recipient described the GMD as a great man and mentor. He attributed the success he has recorded as the company's sales manager to the challenges of the job. "For us to be where we are today, it's been awesome and it's about being target-driven. In a multiproducts company like ours, we've been able to surmount all challenges."

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

INTERVIEW

‘Why there is no true revival yet’ Y

OU have been on apostolic tour of Latin America lately. Are you still a pastor or you are now an apostle? I don’t really believe too much in a title. I don’t tell people what I am or not. I think it is between God and I. Rather, I think it is the fruits of the works that will validate the office, not the appellation. I would say that we have been committed to doing God’s will in the last 25 years of the church. We never envisaged we would ever go to Latin America or have anything to do with the continent. So, how did all these start? Actually, I have a friend who is a Latin Americna in the US. He said he believed God was calling us to Latin America but I said no. We only have a few churches in Europe and travel to some African countries. That should be fine for us, I told him. As far as we were concerned, it was never an agenda. But I prayed about it a few times because what he said stayed in my spirit. A few months later, he spoke with one of his friends, about three of them, in Latin America and they said the letters of invitations were on the way. There would be ministers’ conferences and crusades. So, I began to pray more seriously because even though God told us some things when we were starting that the ministry will affect the nations of the world, we didn’t really remember again. I was praying when I attended a conference in Chicago and a preacher from Latin America was ministering, one of the biggest preachers from that part. After his session, we were about having a dinner at the host’s office when someone from Latin America started chatting with me. He insisted we should go because a few weeks before they were in Kenya when God opened the eyes of one of the pastors to see a long bridge linking the West Coast to Latin America.

The Senior Pastor of Grace Family Church International Lagos, Rev. Yinka Ojo, shares with Sunday Oguntola his recent experiences with Christianity in Latin American nations such as Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia and others. Excerpts: He said preachers criss-crossing and God told them He was busy to be sending African preachers to Latin America and vice-versa. To him, the conversation was a confirmation of that revelation. So, we made arrangements and left. So, the first trip was to? It was to Costa Rica. From there, we flew to Colombia and Mexico. You know what? I don’t think I have experienced anything supernaturally spectacular in all my years in ministry. The cripples walked, the blind saw. The signs and wonders were unprecedented. It was obvious God was doing something beyond us. The people were so hungry and things that one read only in past revivals were happenings at the meetings we ministered. We were shocked and humbled. I remember it was during that trip that we met a young man whose father had planted over 30 churches and handed them over to them. The father started going to other countries and the young man had to oversee the churches his father planted. He came and said God spoke to him to submit all the churches to us in Mexico. He wanted us to father him and all the pastors of the churches. We saw so many unusual things and other nations started calling for us. But we cut the first trip short because we said we only budgeted for two weeks. Then, you went again? Yes, last year we were back in Mexico and Nicaragua. The same signs and wonders followed the meetings. I heard people testifying oil was being poured on them supernaturally. I had never seen anything like that. We had nothing to do with what happened. It was obvious it was God Himself at work. This year, we will be in Argentina and Peru. We have

to take things easy because we have other things we are doing and we don’t want one to suffer for another. With all of these, does that mean we will be seeing less of you in Nigeria? No, by the grace of God, we will always be here. Nigeria is my primary point of call. It is my base. With the wisdom of God, we will be able to apportion our time very well to do all of these. God has also given us very loyal and faithful men in the system. What structure do you have in the church to accommodate your trips? We have some pastors who have been with us 20 years and more. In November, when we celebrate our 26th anniversary, we are hoping to honour some of them who

have been with us for over 20 years. We have those who came from the first week of our establishment who are still here. What magic helps you retain them for that long considering that it is believed the turn-over rate of pastors among charismatic Pentecostal churches is huge? The Lord has just given us grace to have stable members. What God is doing with us is really unexplainable. I believe they are loyal and committed because they have located their place. We teach a bit about loyalty and also demonstrate it, in a small way too. All the glory to God because it is something unusual to have stable members and ministers. I never knew that God would have honoured our faithfulness all to this point. You left a career in Geology. If you were to be practisi n g ,

•Ojo

would you have come this far? I don’t know what would have happened. But If I was not saved and I was practising, I probably would make more money. But I don’t miss anything. When you are called, you don’t aspire to be rubbing shoulder with your secular contemporaries. I am so busy that I don’t care about anything. I am not where my contemporaries in the university are financially but I don’t miss anything. There is no such desire in me again at all. The only thing that satisfies me is doing what God has me to do. I still meet some of my university mates but I don’t miss anything they have. I believe what I am doing has more eternal value and impact. I don’t miss the oil money and I don’t desire it at all. You were holding ministers’ conferences. What happened to them? We still do. In fact, one of them is coming up soon. They were inspired by the errors we saw in the body of Christ. So, we bring ministers together, pick a controversial issue like redemption of first born and tackle them. Some of the participants have even wondered why we were going against some fathers of the faith. We show them from the scriptures but they say no as long as it is some father that are pushing them, nobody should talk against them. It is at that point that I say I take exemption to that. The greatest father is our father in heaven. Jesus is the head of the church. I respect everybody, especially older ministers of the gospel but we worship none apart from Jesus. Nobody’s words are sacrosanct but those of Jesus. I believe some were sincerely ignorant but others don’t just care. One of the issues we treated was praying in the name of a founder or re-

nowned Christians. It is very wrong because the name of Jesus is enough. This is the New Testament. Preachers should not take back to the Old Testament in the name of honouring men or immortalising people. Are you trying to raise followers for yourself? We are not interested in that. We have our bible school where we can teach whatever God lays in our hearts. But we are after revival in the land. If we would be honest, there is no true revival in Nigeria. With all the mega churches and massive followership? Revival is not about gathering crowds. Politicians do a better job at gathering people than preachers. With good publicity, you can gather thousands of people in a nation with 170 million. We don’t have revival yet when the words of Papas and Mamas are more quoted and retained than the words of God. Men are more popular than Jesus now. I heard someone said if you cannot seed me, you cannot see me. This is one of the things that preachers say that may rhyme but distort from the word of God. We really have to be careful. You don’t need to seed anything to get anything. Jesus paid the price for everything we need. So, what is true revival and how can we get it? True revival is when brothels, beer parlous and hotels shut down because people are turning to God. And to get that done, all the visible leaders in the nation now have to repent or God will do something soon. What the body of Christ celebrates is not what the Lord asks us to. We are not celebrating service, love and selflessness but we are celebrating mammon. As long as we celebrate things, there won’t be revival. The church has to repent first. We must remove the big logs in our eyes and the ministers are the ones with the biggest ones.

NEWS

RESIDENT of the Youth Fellowship of Yaba Baptist Church Lagos, Taiwo Orolu, has challenged Christian youths in Africa to develop their spiritual, physical, mental and moral capacities toward solving challenges facing the continent. He spoke at the Summit of Greatness organised by the fellowship in conjunction with Lift Africa recently. Tagged youths as vessels of change to Africa’s greatness, the conference attracted participants from Ghana, Cameroon

Christian youths urged to rescue Africa By Adeola Ogunlade

and Liberia. It featured seminar, round table discussion, song renditions and awards to supporters and ambassadors of Lift Africa. Orolu described Africa as the most youthful continent because over 65% of its population is below 35. This youthful population, he lamented, has not been harnessed because of bad

leadership, stressing that most youths in the continent have taken to crime and terrorism. The prevailing doom, he argued, provides Christian youths with the opportunity to serve as agents of change through proper preparation of their mind, social, spiritual and moral competencies toward addressing the problems in Africa. “We must begin to prepare ourselves for leadership

positions right from the cradle as leadership positions are not a period of learning but to act and act right,” he stated. He cited the biblical David who started developing his leadership strength as a young boy and exploded when the opportunity came to fight against Goliath troubling the armies of Israel. He said the task of rescuing Africa from perdition lies with youths, urging them to

rise to the challenge. Lift Africa Ambassador from Cameroon, Mbushou Kingsley, said youths are instruments to lift Africa from its lowest ebb to the highest level of influence. He said: “Youths are the greatest vessels of vitality to lift Africa to greatness but its takes attitude to get to the right aptitude”. “We can’t activate change if we listen to the voice of fear instead of voice of faith.

Change will never come if we keep listening to those who say we can’t instead of those who say we can. “Let’s behave right and change will come, not through brutal fights.” President of Lift Africa, Babatunde Adejumobi, challenged young Africans to be light bearers in every little corner they found themselves. “God’s purpose is for the black race is to be the spiritual eyes to the world. We must not fail in this onerous divinely ordained task even when it matters most,” he said.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

WORSHIP

COLUMN

Living Faith By Dr. David Oyedepo

Impartation of spiritual gifts for supernatural mine own self do nothing: as I hear, turnaround! ofI judge: and my judgment is just; •L-R: Pastor & Pastor (Mrs.) Irofagha James with the guest speaker, Pastor Tunde Bakare and his wife, Laide during the annual convention of the Glory Christian Centre, Lagos … at the weekend

Church lifts Ikorodu community

O fewer than 1,000 residents of Isawo community in Ikorodu Lagos last week received free food stuff, clothing, shoes and medical checkup courtesy of Grace to Grace International Church. The weeklong empowerment programme tagged Grace and Mercy Project (GAMP) also witnessed the donation of four sewing machines to graduates of the church’s Grace Fashion Institute. They were also given N30, 000 each to kick-start their fashion businesses within the community. Initiator of the project, Pastor (Mrs.) Atinuke Adesanya, who is also the senior pastor of the church, said GAMP was essentially about giving back to the society and lifting the masses. “There is no other motive or motivation than lifting the people and giving them succour. We don’t want anyone to be useless, stranded or helpless. “So, what we are doing is to help them with their immediate and short-term needs for a better future,” she

•Proposes free health centre By Sunday Oguntola

stressed. The United Kingdom-based preacher said the items were donated by members of the church in the UK for the suffering masses in Nigeria. She stated that plans were on to construct a purpose-built walk-in health centre in the next one year where residents can access free medical attention and drugs. The centre, she assured, was at a special request of the community, adding that at least a paid doctor and nurses will be hired to offer healthcare to the residents at no cost. “We believe health is vital because money cannot buy happiness. So, we are ready to put the health centre in place in another one year so that we can tackle diseases and save more lives.” Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the general overseer of Dominion Chapel International Abuja, Archbishop John Praise, urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of helping others. Praise said kindness is a

seed that will never go unrewarded by God. “Whatever you make happen for others, God will make happen for you. Everything is a seed and if you are helpful to someone today, you will obtain mercies with your seed in multiple folds,” he added. One of the fashion graduates, Mercy Okon, praised the initiative and vowed to make good use of the investment on her. “I am so overwhelmed by what I have been given. I am determined to make things work and become self-sufficient so that I can be in a position to help others within the shortest time possible,” Okon stated. One of the residents, Gbenga Ajisafe, expressed the community’s gratitude to the church. “What they have done for us in such a little time here is incredible. We have received all manners of gifts and we have nothing to give back in return than to say that God will bless them for us,” he said.

Seek salvation, not wealth, cleric charges

HE Shepherd- incharge of Celestial Church of Christ, Jesu Durotimi Agbofeti, Ibadan Oyo State, Senior Evangelist Aderemi Lawal, has urged Nigerians to seek for salvation rather than prosperity. He also warned fake ministers to repent or face the wrath of God. Speaking with our correspondent in his church, Lawal noted that many had been led astray because of the crave for wealth. He lamented that many ministers were influenced by economic considerations, as

From Jeremiah Oke, Ibadan

against calls of God. According to him: “When people lose their jobs and are unable to get another one, they attend Bible Schools and become automatic pastors. They will start telling people that God called them. “Some even discovered that they can feed themselves and their families with the name of God at the detriment of people’s salvation.” This deviation, he said, will only attract the wrath of God. He pointed out many pastors are under immense pressure

to preach prosperity to attract worshippers. “Many people are preaching prosperity rather than salvation. Meanwhile, the primary objective of the men of God is to help people to know they have to abstain from sins and accept Christ but many men of God have missed their priority. “My advice for the fake pastors is to turn a new leaf before they encounter the wrath of God,” he added. He reasoned that if churches can inculcate the right values, the nation will be sanitised and fixed.

MFM plans farewell serviceity.” for late dad

ASTOR Kola Akinlonu, a prominent pastor with the Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM), will hold a farewell fellowship in memory of his late father, Chief Festus Akinlonu, the Obamuwagun Otu of ancient Ondo Kingdom. Akinlonu, one of the 15 graduate children of the deceased, said the fellowship was to celebrate his father, who became saved before he died.

He said: “My late father made me proud as a born again Christian by jettisoning all the worldly glamour and benefits of his chieftaincy titles to embrace Christ. “I remember that after my late father had become a born again, he maintained that all his life on earth had never been as sweet and fulfilling as it is after his conversion. “For this reason, he urged us all to embrace gatherings that edify Christ in its total-

He recalled that his uncle, celebrated artist/sculptor popularly known as Dejak, claimed he got the God’s mandate to take evangelism to the Akinlonu’s family. The uncle instituted a monthly house fellowship dedicated to Late Chief Akinlonu foundation last September in Ondo town where he renounced membership of all societies against Christ.

VERY spiritual gift at work in a man is ordained to change the story of that man. However, spiritual gifts are imparted largely through a desperate quest from the seeker (John 7:37; 1 Corinthians 12:31; Isaiah 41:17; Proverbs 18:16). Spiritual gifts are spiritual forces ordained to effect spiritual turnarounds in the lives of believers. How much of the gift of God at work in us, determines how profitable our lives will be (1 Corinthians 12:7). Let’s explore some of the spiritual gifts available to us. The Spirit of Grace: It enhances our steadfastness and sustains our commitment to God. Paul said, “By the help of God, I have continued unto this day.” (Acts 26:22; see also 1 Corinthians 15:10). The Spirit of Faith: It empowers the believer for dominion (Hebrews 11:3334; Ephesians 6:16). The Spirit of Love: It empowers us to love God, and this brings us to realms of unlimited breakthroughs. The Spirit of love is also a giving Spirit, and that is our gateway to a world of financial fortune (1 Corinthians 2:9; 2Timothy 1:7). The Spirit of Revelation: The Bible in Ephesians 1:1718 calls it the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation. That is, the Bible opens to us supernaturally and the secrets of scriptures are unveiled to us through this Spirit (Isaiah 60:1). The Gifts of Healing: This puts us in command of sicknesses and disease; it is first beneficial to us and then it flows to others around us (1 Corinthians 12:9). The Spirit of Counsel: This is also called the Spirit of guidance. Jesus said, I can

because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me (John 5:30; see also Isaiah 50:4-5). It is the Spirit of counsel that opens us up to divine instructions on any issue of concern in our lives. When the Lord becomes our guide, we shall not want because His guidance is the gateway to our high places and fulfilment (Psalm 23; 1-6; Romans 8:14). WHY DO WE NEED THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL? It is our escape from the dangers of life set by the enemy (Proverbs 14:12). Every believer needs the Spirit of counsel to triumph, and it takes men of understanding to draw out counsel from the heart of man (Proverbs 20:5). VIRTUES INHERENT IN DIVINE GUIDANCE When God guides, He goes Before the Guided: When God leads, He goes before the led to make every crooked path straight (Isaiah 45:1-3) He goes with the guided: And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him (John 8:29). He walks with the guided: When we follow God’s guidance, we become co-labourers with Him in same (Mark 16:20). He works through the guided: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). He works for the guided: Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24; Psalm 118: 23). When God is at work, marvelous results are obtained. Therefore, when we are guided, we end up a marvel to our world. The Spirit of Wisdom: This Spirit empowers us to rule in the midst of our enemies, because the end-time church is ordained to reign (Proverbs 8:14-16). WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM? It connects the believer to celestial wisdom—wisdom from

above: There are four kinds of wisdom namely: earthly, sensual, devilish and the wisdom from above. The Spirit of wisdom is our access to the wisdom from above, and whatever is from above is above all (John 3:31; James 3:15-17). It unveils divine secrets: It guarantees our access to divine secrets, which will make a star of us any day. For instance, Job became the greatest of all men in the East because the Spirit of the fear of the Lord guaranteed his access to divine secrets (Job 29:4; Daniel 2:19). It unravels the future: The Spirit of wisdom unlocks the future to us and that sets us free naturally from discouragement or depression. For instance, Joseph reigned by the Spirit of wisdom; as a result, he could not be deterred or discouraged because he saw a glorious future ahead. The Spirit of wisdom is innovative: It generates witty inventions, which implies creating solutions. It does not wait for solutions; it creates them (Proverbs 8:12). It is the Spirit of exploits: This Spirit does not just speak great words, but accomplishes great feats. This is because the wisdom of God is the wisdom of mighty works (Mathew 13:54). In conclusion, God has ordained our access to all the Spirits gifts of God; however, being born again is the first step that guarantees our access. Are you born again? This simply means have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so by saying this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” For further reading, please get my books: Unlimited Power of Faith, Exploits Of Faith, The Law Of Faith, Anointing For Exploits and Understanding The Anointing. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

NEWS

Why Christians should not consult PROF of Anatomy and the death of Christ was to seal S u r g e r y , palmists, by don his doom and liberate fallen hu-

Iheanyichukwu Okoro, has warned Christians against consulting palmists or palm readers. The practice, he said, is a form of divination detestable to God. He said subscribers to palmistry are deceived by the devil. Prof Okoro spoke while delivering a lecture titled: “The hand that handles the scalpel” at the 5th inaugural lecture of Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Shagamu. He said: “I have taken time to dwell on the palmists interpretations of the flexion palmar creases of the hand, not because I believe in what they are saying but to reveal the

By Medinat Kanabe

futility of the figment of imagination of the unconverted human mind. “Palmistry, whether ancient of modern is a form of divination, God warned the isrealites not to be associated with those that practice divination.” Stating that the devil has deceived men to believing that they can reveal the future by whatever means, he maintained the devil himself cannot reveal the future. “If he could tell the future, he would not have rebelled against God in heaven because the result he got was not what he expected. “If he knew the future, he would not have instigated evilminded religious leaders to crucify Christ. He didn’t know that

manity from the clutches of evil. “Therefore, anybody who claims to have the ability to reveal the future except as permitted by God is a pretender and should be rejected. Only God knows the future,” he added. He explained that those palmer creases were put by God to help humans fold their hands effectively, noting that the skin of the palm is thick and without those creases humans would not have been able to achieve firm grip on objects. He also said that after a thorough research, he and his team have concluded that the formation of the palmer creases in the hand of the embryo in-utero was not by chance but by genetic inheritance.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015 CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE UBIA Formerly addressed as Miss Mfon Uwem Ubia, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Mfon Aaron Atat. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

UDO Formerly addressed as Aniedi Etim Udo, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Aniedi Okon Robert. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADEOSUN Formerly addressed as Adeosun Olushogo Joseph, now wish to be addressed as Oyebanji Olushogo Joseph. Former documents remain valid. Wema Bank Plc, Ekiti State University, UNILAG, Embassies and general public take note.

ABIOYE Formerly addressed as Miss Abioye, Christianah Toyin, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Orisaleye, Christianah Toyin. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ONUNDI Formerly addressed as Miss Risikat Folashade Onundi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Risikat Folashade O. Adebiyi. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly addressed as Mrs. Adebimpe Olufunke Olaore Adesoye, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Tella, Adebimpe Olufunke. Former documents remain valid. Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Civil Service Commission and general public take note.

OWOLABI Formerly addressed as Miss Owolabi Olapeju, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. WilliamsOwolabi, Olapeju. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I BEKANWAH DONATUS SUNNY BEKANWAH SUNNY BEKANWAH BEKANWAH SUNNY D. is the same person as BEKANWAH DONATUS SUNNY. Former documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public take note.

MABAWONDU Formerly addressed as Mabawondu Adesewa Oyainkansola Mabel, now wish to be addressed as Williams Asher Adesewa. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. ASORO Formerly addressed as Miss Temitope Benice Asoro, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Temitope Benice Asoro Akinrolabu. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I Ugwu Osita Joseph is the same person as Nwogbo Osita Joseph. now wish to be known as Ugwu Osita Joseph. Former documents remain valid. Ngeria Immigration Service and general public take note. OKULEYE Formerly addressed as Okuleye Adetoun Aziza, now wish to be addressed as Yussuf Adetoun Azizat. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. ADEBULE Formerly addressed as Adedotun Adebule, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Adedotun Akinmade. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. OYELEKE Formerly addressed as OYELEKE, Bolanle Dorcas, now wish to be addressed as OJO, Bolanle Dorcas. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. BELLO Formerly addressed as Bello, Tolulope Ruth, now wish to be addressed as Akande, Tolulope Ruth. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. OGUNMUYIWA Formerly addressed as Miss ADEFUNKE OLAYEMI OGUNMUYIWA, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. ADEFUNKE OLAYEMI OLABIRAN. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADOGA Formerly addressed as Miss Elisheba Agbo Adoga, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Elisha Agbo Apeji. Former documents remain valid. Federal Min. of Health, N.M.C.N and general public take note. USMAN Formerly addressed as Miss Usman Idiat Olajumoke, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Ayoade Idiat Olajumoke. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. AMOS Formerly addressed as Miss Amos Charity, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Najeemdeen Charity. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. IKECHUKWU Formerly addressed as Miss Ikechukwu Ifeoma Stella, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Ehiem Ifeoma Stella. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. OLAWALE Formerly addressed as Olawale Habeeb, now wish to be addressed as Onihale Olawale Habeeb. Former documents remain valid. Lagos State Local govt. Service Commission and general public take note. OWOYEMI Formerly addressed as Owoyemi Bamiji, now wish to be addressed as Famuagun Emmanuel. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. AFUYE Formerly addressed as Miss Afuye, Oluwayemisi Bukola, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Bamgbose Oluwayemisi Bukola. Former documents remain valid. In-Sourcing Limited, FBN, Plc and general public take note.

ADESOYE

CORRECTION OF NAME My name was wrongly spelt in my voterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s card as Abdullai Kamoludeen T. instead of Abdullahi Kamoludeen Ishola and My date of birth 3rd of March, 1979 instead of 31st day of March, 1979. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OMOTAYO Formerly addressed as Miss Titilola Loretta Omotayo, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Okoyo Titilola Loretta. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. TURNER-SHAW Formerly addressed as TurnerShaw, Olasumbo Oluwatosin, now wish to be addressed as Otitoju, Olasumbo Oluwatosin. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. SEFU Formerly addressed as Miss Maryam Folorunsho Sefu, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. MaryamFolorunsho Kayode Sote. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. ABOLADE Formerly addressed as Miss Olaide Sharon Abolade, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Okpokiti Olaide Ebiere. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. TIJANI Formerly addressed as Miss Alafia Safuri Tijani, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Tijani Safurat Adebisi. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. OLORUNFUNMI Formerly addressed as Olorunfunmi Elizabeth Oluwapinre, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Ayodele, Elizabeth Oluwapinre. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EJIKE Formerly addressed as Miss Cynthia Onyeka Ejike, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Cynthia Onyeka Nwagboniwe. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. MAKUOCHUKWU Formerly addressed as Miss Ezeonu Emmanuella Makuochkwu, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Okeobi-Nzekwe, Emmanuella Makuochkwu. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SANUSI Formerly addressed as Miss Sanusi Abiodun Monsurat, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. SanusiBorokinni, Abiodun Monsurat. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. GADIN Formerly addressed as Miss Gadin, Ngunan Persis, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Offor, Ngunan Persis. Former documents remain valid. FSTC,Jalingo, UNIJOS and general public take note. IGWEGBE Formerly addressed as Igwegbe Iheyiuche Priscilla, now wish to be addressed as Ewereoke Iheyiuche Priscilla. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. MEGBABI Formerly addressed as Miss Megbabi, Adefunke Adepeju, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Onilenla Adefunke Adepeju. Former documents remain valid. Lagos State LGSC and general public take note. AJORO Formerly addressed as Mrs. Kehinde Olufunmilola Ajoro, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Kehinde Olufunmilola Ogunkoya. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. AGORO Formerly addressed as Moroof Adewale Agoro, now wish to be addressed as Moroof Olawale Agoro. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. IDOWU Formerly addressed as Miss Idowu Olabisi Olufunke, now wish to be addressed as Ojo, Olabisi Olufunke. Former documents remain valid. FCE, Akoka and general public take note.

65 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

BERNARD Formerly addressed as Miss Bernard Eunice Olanike, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Olawodun Eunice Obehi. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. OLADIPO Formerly addressed as Mrs. Feyisetan Oluwatosin Oladipo, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Oluwadare Oluwatosin Oladipo. Former documents remain valid. Ekiti State LGSC, Ado-Ekiti and general public take note.

OGHOERUKE

LEGUNSEN

NSELINDA

I, Formerly known and addressed as MISS. SONIA OCHUKO OGHOERUKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. SONIA OCHUKO ANOKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly addressed as Legunsen Adebimpe Memunat, now wish to be addressed as Elias Adebimpe Memunat. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly addressed as Miss NSE LINDA CHIOMA, now wish to be as Mrs. ALLAGOA LINDA CHIOMA. Former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EBIWARE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss (Dr.) Kesiena Florence Ovuakpor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. (Dr.) Florence Kesiena Richard-Omale. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Miss AGATHA NKEIRU ORAGWUNCHA, now wish to be known as Mrs. AGATHA NKEIRU CHIKE-OKOYE. Former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANAMASONYE Formerly addressed as Anamasonye Chinonye Remiglus, now wish to be addressed as Azuawusiefe Chinonye Remiglus. Former documents remain

Formerly known and addressed as Miss PEACE MARK ETUK, now wish to be known as Mrs. PEACE INIODU FRIDAY. Former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

GBADEBO Formerly addressed as Miss Gbadebo Bukola Adenike, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Adebayo, Bukola Adenike. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. ONI Formerly addressed as Miss Oni, Nife Ayobami, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Oguntimehin, Oluwanifemi Ayobami. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. AKINTOLA Formerly addressed as Mrs. Akintola, Oyebola Emmanuel, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Akintola Oyebola Florence. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHIBUOKE Formerly addressed as Mrs. Chibuoke Clara Chinyere, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Ozongwu Clara Chinyere. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Louis Ikenna Godson is the same person as Dike Ikenna Godson. Former documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public take note. AMINU Formerly known Ele-Ojo Enoch Aminu now Ele-Ojo Musa Aminu, former Ugbede-Ojo ThankGod Aminu now Ugbede-Ojo Ibrahim Aminu, former Ojochengbe Blessing Aminu now Ojochengbe Halima Aminu. All other document remain valid. General public take note.

ALAO Formerly addressed as Miss Latifat Omolabake Motunrayo Alao, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Latifat Omolabake Motunrayo Bada. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OMOGBEME

Formerly addressed as EBIWARE LOVE KIN, now wish to be addressed as MRS. EBIWARESUODE LOVE ACHILE. Former documents remain valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, OKOYE JEREMIAH OGUEJIOFOR and OKORIE JEREMIAH SUNDAY refers to the same person. Now to be addressed as OKOYE JEREMIAH OGUEJIOFOR. Former documents remain valid. General public please note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, DANIEL MCKEE and DANIEL WEST refers to one and the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as DANIEL MCKEE. Former documents remain valid. General public please note.

RABIU Formerly addressed as Miss Rabiu Kehinde Oluwakemi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Momma Kehinde Oluwakemi. Former documents remain

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, UKO, STEPHEN SUNDAY and STEPHEN OKOH refers to the same person. Now wish to be addressed as UKO, STEPHEN SUNDAY. Former documents remain valid. GTB and general public please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, EDOLLY UDONG OKON and EDOLLY EVANS UDONG refers to the same person. Now wish to be addressed as EDOLLY UDONG OKON. Former documents remain valid. General public please note. CORRECTION OF NAME I, MALIK MOMOH ALEX not MALIK MOHAMMED during the registration of my WAEC,NECO and JAMB mistake was made in spelling of my names. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANJIBA Formerly addressed as MRS. ANJIBA KENNETH AYEBA-ENENIMIETE now wish to be addressed as MRS. ANJIBA DANIEL LAMPTEY-PUDDICOMBE. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ATOYEBI Formerly known and addressed as MISS ATOYEBI ABIMBOLA AJIKE MOTUNRAYO now wish to be addressed as MRS. OLAJIDE ABIMBOLA AJIKE MOTUNRAYO. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CALMDAY

ODEYEMI

Formerly addressed as MISS UGOH EBIN UKOH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UGOH KELVIN .E. PETER-KIO. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly addressed as MR. ABDULKAREEM HASKE SULEIMAN, now wish to be addressed as MR. OMOKIDE OSHIREKU ISRAEL. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SULAIMAN Formerly addressed as SULAIMAN LATEEF BOLAJI, now wish to be addressed as BOLAJI SAMUEL OLUWASEUN. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

DAVINSON Formerly addressed as ALATISHE YINKA DAVINSON, now wish to be addressed as ASIEGBU ALATISHE YINKA DAVINSON. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

UKOH

KALU Formerly addressed as MISS JOYCE IFEOMA KALU now wish to be addressed as MRS. JOYCE IFEOMA OKEZIE. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

NWAOGWUGWU Formerly addressed as NWAOGWUGWU CYNTHIA, now wish to be addressed as NWACHUKWU CYNTHIA. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

IBITAYO Formerly addressed as Mr. Ibitayo Benjamin Oladimeji, now wish to be addressed as Mr. Okumodi Benjamin Oladimeji. Former documents remain valid. Access Bank and general public should take note.

AKPAN

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Formerly addressed as Miss EMEM MOSES AKPAN, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. PEACE DANIEL JAMES. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to notify the general public that I Ajibode Ademola Alani is the same person as Ajibode Ademola David. All documents bearing the above names remain valid. Osun state polytechnic should please take note.

OSARUMEN

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Formerly addressed as Miss OSARUMEN DORA AIGBERADION, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. OSARUMEN HEZEKIAH OGOGO. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to notify the general public that I Mrs. Arit Nse Dan is the same person as Mrs. Akpan Arit Effiong John. Former documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public should please take note.

OSHOK Formerly addressed as Miss Akpama Virginia Oshok, now addressed as Mrs. Udoh Virginia Oshok. All former documents remain valid. FBN Plc and general public should please take note.

UZOIGWE Formerly known and addressed as Mr. Joseph Chijioke Uzoigwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Uluocha Otitochukwu Uzoigwe. All former documents remain valid. FBN Plc and general public should please take note.

OLAGUNDOYE Formerly addressed as KEHINDE OLUWASEUN OLAGUNDOYE, now wish to be addressed as KEHINDE OLUWASEUN TIJANI. Former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OJO Formerly addressed as MRS. OJO EBEHITALE OLUWAFEMI, now wish to be addressed as EBEHITALE AKHIGBE - MUDU. Former documents remain valid. NIS and general public should take note.

ADEBOWALE Formerly addressed as Adebowale Raphael Awoale, now wish to be addressed as Simon Peter Elder Oluwanishola Adebowale Animashaun. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly addressed as MISS IFEOMA VIVIAN CALMDAY now wish to be addressed as MRS. IFEOMA VIVIAN OSINAME. Former documents remain valid. NBA, FIDA and general public should please take note.

ABDULKAREEM

valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, MR. OSIAGOR VICTOR M. and JOSEPH MONDAY refers to the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as MR. OSIAGOR VICTOR M. Former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Formerly addressed as MISS OMOGBEME, MARGARET ANIKPE, now wish to be addressed as MRS. ONOHWAKPOR AKPOBARO MARGARET ANIKPE. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. Formerly addressed as Miss Odeyemi Bosede Olufunke, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Eesuola Bosede Olufunke. Former documents remain valid. TESCOM Oyo state and general public take note.

OVUAKPOR

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to notify the general public that I Isiaka Ajani is the same person as Ogundijo Isiaka Ajani. Former documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public should please take note.

OBINWEZE Formerly addressed as MISS OBINWEZE NGOZI FLORENCE, now wish to be addressed as MRS. OKOROJI-ANICHE NGOZI FLORENCE. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EJIKEME Formerly addressed as MISS EJIKEME ONYINYE ANASTESIA, now wish to be addressed as MRS. ANIKENE ONYINYE ANASTESIA. Former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ETUK

WARMATE Formerly addressed as Miss WARMATE IBINABO PRECIOUS, now wish to be known as Mrs. JEREMIAH GIFT PRECIOUS. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

DINA Formerly addressed as Dina Funmileyi, now wish to be known as Dina Oluwafunmi Hector. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OYEDELE

valid. General public take note.

Formerly addressed as Miss Oyedele Kafilat Oyewunmi, now wish to be known as Mrs. Alhazan, Kafilat Oyewunmi. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MUSA Formerly addressed as Emmanuel Musa, now wish to be addressed as Elias Timothy Yashim Friday. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly addressed as Miss Sherifat Temitope Shoremekun, now wish to be known as Mrs. Sherifat Temitope Adejare. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

UNOZOR Formerly addressed as Miss Unozor Cindy Adaobi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Okpara Cindy Adaobi. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. OKONKWO Formerly addressed as Miss Okonkwo Ogomegunam Chinasa, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Ikeakor Ogomegunam Chinasa. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. UBOFF Formerly addressed as Miss Uboff Comfort Iniobong, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Uzoigwe Uboff Comfort Iniobong. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. OFUOKWU Formerly addressed as Miss Loveth Chioma Ofuokwu , now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Loveth Chioma Ehiemenonye Isibor. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. DIGWU Formerly addressed as Miss Digwu Celestina Adaeze , now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Uzoh Celestina Adaeze. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. SALAMI Formerly addressed as Miss Salami Bilikis Temitope, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Senu Elizabeth Temitope. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. IFEBUNANDU Formerly addressed as Miss Ifeoma Chioma Ifebunandu, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Ifeoma Chioma Ezechinyelu. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. SOWEMIMO Formerly addressed as Miss Sowemimo, Salewa Noimot, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Akinyemi, Omosalewa Noimot. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. BABATUNDE Formerly addressed as Saidat Abolore Odesanya Babatunde, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Babatunde-Sanya, Saidat Abolore. Former documents remain valid. Lagos State LGSC, ANAN and general public take note. ODUNZE Formerly addressed as ODUNZE CHINWE PEACE, now wish to be known as ODUNZE RITA IJEOMA. Former documents remain valid ACCESS BANK PLC. and the general public please take note.

BARIBEFE Formerly addressed as Miss SARAH DUMKIE BARIBEFE, now wish to be known as Mrs. LEVURA SOLOMON UBI. Former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME OKOI SOLOMON UBI and WISDOM SOLOMON UBI. refers to one and the same person. now to be known as WISDOM SOLOMON UBI. Former documents remain valid general public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME COLLINS DAVID UZOMA. and CORNELIUS DAVID UZOMA. refers to one and the same person, now wish to be known as CORNELIUS DAVID UZOMA. Former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MBAH Formerly addressed as MBAH CHIBUIKE AUSTIN, now wish to be addressed as MEZIEOBODO CHIBUIKE AUSTIN. Former documents remain valid. NOUN and general public should please take note.

ORAGWUNCHA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME ORJI IJEOMA JOYCE and ORJI IJEOMA refers to one and the same person. Former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

UKENYE Formerly addressed as Miss RITA CHIDINMA UKENYE, now wish to be known as Mrs. RITA CHIDINMA CHUKKWU. Former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SHOREMEKUN

OGUNYEMI Formerly addressed as Noah Adegboyega Ogunyemi, now wish to be known as Noah Adegboyega Oluwayemi. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SOGBESAN Formerly addressed as Miss Sogbesan, Motunrayo Enitan, now wish to be known as Mrs. Owode, Motunrayo Enitan. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

JUNAID Formerly addressed as Miss Junaid, Mayowa Ganiyat, now wish to be known as Mrs. Junaid-Kazeem, Mayowa Ganiyat. Former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME Tijani Sikiru Ayinla refers to the same person as Sikiru Tijani Abioro. The above names appear in my cheque book and voters card respectively. Former documents remain valid. General public please note.

EKUNDAYO Formerly addressed as Ekundayo Sawyerr Igaoba, now wish to be known as Ijaoba Sikiru Ayinde. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLOGUN Formerly addressed as Miss Ologun Fehintola Dorcas, now wish to be known as Mrs Ajiboye Fehintola Dorcas . Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OSIN Formerly addressed as Miss Evelyn Isimeme Osin, now wish to be known as Mrs Evelyn Isimeme Kukoyi. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just N4,500. The payment can be made through FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number - 2017220392 Account Name - VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to gbengaodejide @yahoo.com or thenation_advert @yahoo.com. For enquiry please contact: Gbenga on 08052720421, 08161675390, Emailgbengaodejide@ yahoo.com or our offices nationwide. Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

–

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Driver’s or driving seat? C

HARITY begins at home. THE NATION ON SUNDAY of June 21, 2015, welcomes us this week: “In this report, our correspondent in Yenagoa…writes about oil spill in some communities and how the people are demanding for action from the oil firm responsible.” News Review: delete ‘for’ in the interest of Bayelsans. Next is the COMMENT: “In the south-west, the two factions of the OPC contested amongst themselves (contested between each other) which of them deserved to gain the contract.” “…a high school boy was kidnapped last Tuesday morning, but rescued by security men (security guard) acting on tip-off (a tip-off).” “Why Lagos Assembly leadership election was rancour free (rancourfree)—Majority Leader” THE GUARDIAN opinion pages of June 16 take over the deconstruction of the English language with four errors: “A wiser President Buhari will seek to track where the crooks have stashed away their loots, whether at home or abroad.” ‘Loot’ is uncountable. “…scrap all those policies and practices that have (had) hitherto not worked to solve Nigeria’s problems….” “Odigie-Oyegun said the election is (was) one of the challenges the party had to face….” Education Review: “…have helped to allay their fears (fear) about Islamic religion” “Happy World Milk Day from your calcium fortified (calcium-fortified) Loya Milk” “On number (a number) of issues….” National Mirror of June 4 takes over the baton from the preceding medium: “Ambode reads riot act (the riot act) to LASTMA, KAI, VIO” “…because that is (was) where I proposed to my late wife.” The next three faults are from a full-page advertisement by Diamond, Your Bank, published in DAILY SUN of June 22: “The Central Bank of Nigeria, (needless comma) CBN has recently

(yank off ‘has’) directed all banks in Nigeria to periodically publish….” “Failing the above, the Bank will be constrained to, amongst (among: language currency) other measures….” “No room for looting in Buhari (Buhari’s) govt, says Adesina” “So, we want to take our destiny in our (our own) hands. We are the architect (architects) of our own future. We want to win election (an election or elections) in this state and I cannot see reason why we cannot win.” Use either ‘reason’ or ‘why’—do not mind some dictionaries and English language pamphlets that condone the faux pas. “My very good friend and brother, Ike Ekweremadu, misfired when he said he has (had) got the share of the South East.” “NWF begins All Africa (All-Africa) Games build up (build-up)” “Promasidor assures on NYSC female volleyball tourney” Who did the sponsor assure specifically? FEEDBACK WRONG: She has taken driver’s seat as the Managing Director of the company. Right: She has taken the driving seat as the Managing Director of the company. – 305 ERRORS IN THE USE OF ENGLISH In Nigeria (Page 4) by Femi Owa. The writer lied. As Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said in his book entitled “MY COMMAND”, “It is either the teacher is not qualified or he is incompetent”. This teacher is not qualified. The situation is indeed dire but it is also a time that calls for quick – minded leaders especially governors in the “driving” (driver’s) seats of states – THE NATION EDITORIAL, June 11, 2015. Special note on usage: “In the driver’s seat”, meaning “in control”, is a formal (fixed) idiom. It cannot be changed to “in the driving seat”! Examples: While the General Manager is on holiday, his assistant will be in the driver’s seat. She is in the driver’s seat as the Managing Director of the company. The governors in the driver’s seats must do something differently in their states this time round.

I repeat, nobody has any licence – poetic, literary, journalistic or editorial – to change, restructure, alter or rearrange a formal (fixed) idiom! My brother, keep the flag flying! (BAYO OGUNTUNASE/ 08056180046) I must profusely thank Dr.S.C. Chuta (08038094832) of the University of Nigeria Nsukka for his enduring words and counsel. His biblical references are quite apt in the circumstance and apposite to my resolution over the forgiveness of former govern of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji. I accept the ecumenical injunctions and your advice on grounds of my spiritual beliefs and reconsideration of the gory abduction incident. In addition: “Ebere, my brother, please forgive and forget for God will surely bless you the more.” (Dr. Benny Davids/ 08163136985) I declare that I have forgiven T. A. and wish him well. I appreciate all those who intervened, one way or another. Let me also plead with the publisher of The Sun and former governor of Abia State (1999-2007), Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, a devout Catholic, to forgive his successor in office in the spirit of the foregoing espousals. I extend the same call to all colleagues of mine in The Sun to let bygones be bygones. As someone rightly pointed out, The Sun has grown bigger than just Abia State. “It has evolved a nationalistic outlook and should reflect that instead of your columnists’ obsession with good riddance.” We must move on with our lives and extricate ourselves from the burden of angst against controversial Senator Orji. Continual and indeterminable grouse about T. A. can only endanger our essence of existence. I have decided to drop this load of otiose animosities involving all those I bear grudges against henceforth. I am obligated to forgive T. A. for reasons adduced above. After all, the Almighty Father says that vengeance is His. (From this columnist and contributors)

Another look at Tanzania’s digital migration T ANZANIA has generated plenty of buzz in the African television industry-and rightly so. For starting its digital migration process in December 2012 and completing it on 30 April 2015, the East African country succeeded where other countries, including Nigeria, failed. Back in 2006, the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN’s leading agency for Information and C o m m u n i c a t i o n Technologies (ICT), set 2015 as the deadline for member countries to switchover from analogue television broadcast to the digital platform. That deadline expired on 17 June, unmet by many African countries. Tanzania, however, succeeded. Digitisation, the latest direction in broadcasting, entails the digitalisation of signal source, broadcasting system, transmission and terminal products. Among its benefits are the freeing up more communication spectrum space for other uses, considerably better audio-visual quality and creation of job opportunities arising from the vast spectrum space yielded. Tanzania, with some justification, should be jubilant over its success. In Beijing, China, venue of the 5th edition of the annual StarTimesorganised African Digital TV Development Seminar, Pang XinXing , President of StarTimes, Tanzania’s digital Migration partners, basked in the euphoria of Tanzania’s success and recommended its model to Nigeria. “Nigeria can leverage on the support that StarTimes provides for Africa. StarTimes is aimed at ensuring that every household in Nigeria can access digital TV, afford digital TV, watch digital TV and enjoy digital TV,” he said. Tanzania’s Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr. Fenella Mukangara, also gushed. ”We merged with StarTimes so it was very possible to have a company which was dedicated specifically for that purpose and funding obtained through StarTimes and they managed to sort everything out. Otherwise, it was not a very easy task,” she said. Tanzanians are reported to have purchased an estimated one million STBs, the device needed to access digital signals. However, Tanzanians’ joy at digital migration may evaporate within a few years when they discover that they have to do it all over again, including purchasing new set-top boxes. The country migrated on T1 network, a first generation technology. This implies that the country may, again, need to migrate to T2 network, a

•Mukangara

By Damilare Afuwape product of second generation technology which is considerably more spectrum efficient, the main reason for digital migration in the first place. As it is, Tanzania and other countries which migrate on T1 technology will not maximize the dividends of digitisation. The essence of digital migration is to free up spectrum currently used for television for use in other areas particularly for mobile telephone networks like GSM. With T1 technology however, only minimal spectrum is freed up unlike T 2, which uses much less spectrum for television and frees more spectrum for government to sell to telephone and internet operators. Migration a la Tanzania will also certainly come at a cost to those who have acquired T1 set-top boxes, which is outmoded. StarTimes angered the Kenyan and Ugandan public with its continued importation of T1 decoders. Three years ago, the Ugandan Consumers’ Protection Awareness Association called the attention of the country’s authorities to the fact that the Chinese company, in flagrant indifference to the country’s goal of digital migration, kept importing T1 decoders and accused StarTimes of turning the country into a dump for decoders no longer needed in China. Same thing happened in Nigeria where despite the Nigeria B r o a d c a s t i n g Commission’s directive, StarTimes initially deployed T1 boxes before it was pressured into changing to change to T2. As I write, many Startimes subscribers in Nigeria are still using old T1 boxes. With StarTimes President’s offer to help Nigeria, using the model it

used in Tanzania, Nigeria may be the next destination of outmoded technology dressed up in the garb of a modern one. In the event of this, Nigerians may end up paying twice for set-up boxes and fattening the bank accounts of Chinese manufacturers. StarTimes, which already has a partnership with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) via the NTA/StarTV Network that began in 2010, appears to be in a position to do as it wishes. The Digital Implementation Team established by the Federal Government has recommended NTA as the country’s signal distributor when the digitisation process is eventually completed. This will make NTA the custodian of all distribution frequencies in the country. If NTA is ratified as the signal distributor, the implication is that all operators will depend on the National Broadcasting Commission for licensing and the NTA for frequencies. This, in turn, would mean that StarTimes’ partnership with NTA (the latter has no technical role in the migration process) has effectively handed over a matter as sensitive as broadcasting to a foreign a company. And with NTA as sole public signal distributor, it will have unrestrained control over operators. The NTA is the junior partner in its partnership with StarTimes. While the terms of the partnership agreement allow the parties involved to provide partpay-TV and part Free-to-Air (FTA) services, NTA/ StarTimes only provides pay-TV services. At the expiry of subscription, a subscriber has no access to FTA channels, a clear breach of the agreement. •Afuwape, an engineer, lives in Abeokuta

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

N June 17, 21-yearold White supremacist Dylan Roof walked into the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He was warmly greeted and invited to join the bible study group of Pastor Clementa Pinckney and eightotherchurchmembers.After the study finished, the young racist brandished a semiautomatic weapon, firing at close range that he would put to sudden end the lives of all other people in the room who had so graciously welcomed him into their sanctuary the hour before. ThathedidthisinCharleston and at Emmanuel dripped with racial symbolism and now with the blood of innocent human beings whose only offense was that their outer skin was of a darker hue than Roof’s and their inner being strove to be as close to God as Roof strove to be to evil. The streets of that city have witnessed manifold racial cruelties.Inaway,Charlestonwas built and constructed by hatred. Its port served as the entry for tens of thousands of kidnapped Africans brought to America that they may slave in bondage toward the wealth of another. Millions upon millions of bales of cotton and other commodities harvested or produced by enslaved hands would sail from that port to make America the world’s greatest economywhilerenderingitsBlack folk the poorest and most oppressed of the nation’s population. Charleston was the place where the American Civil War began. Afterthatwarendedslavery, Charleston became a bastion of White racism and legalized discrimination. As a memorial to all that was evil in American race relations, the Confederate flag – the beloved symbol of the Southernslaveholders–flewover the State Capitol building, defiantly waving its racism insignia in the face of the equal justice and protection that American law proclaimed for all its citizens. Sadly, the bitter message of the Confederate flag spoke more factually than the noble promises of the American constitution. Emmanuel Church had always stood in counterpoise to the city that was its reluctant host. The church was burnt to the ground in the 1820’s once it was discovered that Denmark Vesey and others were using it as headquarters to plan a slave revolt. The church would not be rebuilt until after Civil War had run its course and the seeds of legal freedom had been planted inbarrenSouthernsoilthatwould neither welcome those seeds nor give them ample harvest. Since then, Emmanuel has been a site of activism for racial fairness and equality. Clearly, the racist murdererhaddonehishomework when he selected this site for his murders. Roof claimed his deed was tosavetheWhiterace.Heclaimed Blacksweretakingoverthenation and raping White women en masse in the process. His irrationality has long roots. Because the Southern soil has been so inimical to racial freedom, it has lent all of its fertility to virulent hatred of Roof’s kind. Roof might have been young but his position echoed what his slavery-abetting forbearers proclaimed two centuries ago. Roof was but a 21st century executioner of 19th century beliefs. In the face of countervailing fact, evil beliefs and cultural tradition die slowly and sometimes not at all. In committing the church massacre, Roof hoped to ignite a racial war whereby the South could win what it lost in the first version. While this classifies Roof as an extremist, it does not mean his beliefs do not find understanding among the White mainstream.Afterkillingsomany people in such a foul manner,

FOREIGN

The racism of American Politics

Hatred is the song better left unsung, the deed better left undone.

•Dylan Roof Roof was not manhandled when arrested. When he complained of hunger,hisarrestingofficersdetoured to a popular fast food location to buy him a burger and fries. Had Roof been a Black man suspected of shooting White churchgoers, he wouldnothavesurvivedtheinstance of his arrest no matter how passively he behaved. Remember Charleston is the same city where a police officer fatally shot a fleeing Black man in the back at a traffic stop gone awry. Remember that America is the place where police recently shot a 12-yearold Black youth merely playing with a toy gun as young boys are wont to do. It is nation where a gang of policemen tackled an unarmed street hustler, choking him to death for selling a handful of cigarettes without a permit. The race war the young man hoped to spark has not occurred. His act has boomeranged against his cause. Black people and the White minoritywhotrulybelieveinfullracial equality were already mobilized because of the spate of police killings of unarmed Black men. This would only further rally them but as a potential strong political factor in the elections to come not as some armed faction. His actions would make the majority of Whites, who harbor some degree of prejudice, to temporarily feel uneasy about their racism. Their minds told them that Roof was right in his fears but went too far in his actions. After a few days, they have already settled back into their more implicit racism as if nothing had ever transpired to make them question whether their biases were valid or banal. Roof made a terrible miscalculation from his own standpoint. He did this as the 2016 presidential campaign season was moving into clip. He placed conservative Republican candidates inbindfromwhichtheyarestilltrying to extricate themselves. Only one Republican candidate, the ineffable Ben Carson, plainly acknowledged the killings were racial. Carson is an outlier; he is the latest version of what has become a recurring oddity in Republican presidential campaigns. He is Black and has no chance of winning; but Republicans give him more public airing than he is worth because his presence lessens the visibility and blunt of their racism. Yet, on this point, Carson escaped the plantation to say the only thing that logic could say on this matter. No other Republican candidate dared condemn the act as racism because they know the core of their party is racist. Thus, Jeb Bush remarked he did not know what was onRoof’smindashepulledthetrigger

extinguishing the lives of people who had just hugged him. That Roof had written in plain English and warped mind that he wanted to kill Black people did not seem to register with dear Jeb. This latest Bush acted like he did not understand the English language – must be a family trait. However,ifsomeyoungmannamed Muhammed had attacked a predominantly White church, Bush would have had no trouble effusively analyzing it as extremist Islamic terror bent on destroying America. If Bush could so forcefully recognize a foreign ideological menace, how could he be so ignorant of one so deeply imbedded in the fabric of his nation’s history? He fibbed. He knew exactly what this was – an evil that Republicans dare not speak its name because it is as integral to their ideological anatomy as a trunk is to an elephant’s physical one. He did not condemn racism because he needs racist support to win his party’s nomination. Thus, he condemned the murders as a crazed act but not as a racist once. To vehemently condemn the racism inherent in the massacre would be to condemn the rank-and-file Republicans who sympathize with gunman Roof’s analysis of America. While too polite to have done as Roof, most Republicans hide a perverse sentiment in favor of Roof. They feel sorry for him as a boy right in sentiment, misguided in action. Roof is of them and they are of him. None of the murdered Blacks matter that much to them. However, Roof could have been their son, a neighbor’s child or even them themselves. The other Republican candidates followed Bush’s lead acting partially deaf, dumbandblindtotheobviousnature of what transpired. They meanly hoped the event wouldfadefromtheheadlines.When it did not, they began to fret. Their calculations of the 2016 election started to weigh against them more than their moral conscience. Thus, the Republicans made a subtle shift. Insteadofattackingthelargerquestion of racism which the massacre opened, they would attack yesterday’s racism by focusing attention on the Confederate flag. Suddenly, South Carolina and otherstatescontrolledbyRepublicans but will significant Black populations decided to remove the Confederate flag from their State Houses. As usual, the political move was less noble than it seemed. Republicans havelittlehopeofwinningevenasolid minority of the Black vote in 2016. With President Obama off the ticket and with the growing frustration of Blacks at Obama’s indifference to progressive policies, the Republicans

see a low Black voter turnout as vital to recapturing the White House. They realize the great majority of BlackswhovotewillsidewithClinton or any other Democrat. The Republican hope is to keep the total number of Black voters much lower than during the Obama elections. To an important extent, the road to election victory goes through the Black community. (It too goes through the Latino community. The Republicans have scotched this chance due to their stance against immigration.) Republicans are scared the numerous police killings of unarmed Blacks and now the Charleston massacre may arouse Black political passion, producing a high voter turnout impeding the Republican course to victory. To salvage their electoral chances, they betrayed the flag they revered as a symbol of bravery and grand, antebellum tradition now gone. In doing so, they hoped to deflect attention from their present racism by agreeing to trash this symbol of past racism. Until this point, most Southern Republicans defended the Confederate flag as a symbol of the bravery of the Southern soldier and of the depravations faced by the White South in the Civil War. (They forget that the Black South did not have to await war to suffer greatly.) They claim the flag represented the right of individual states to be free from the dictates of an overbearing federal government. If this represented freedom it was that most perverse type which allows another human being to own another and steal his freedom. White Southerners claim the Civil War was about state’s rights. But the only right they considered worth a damn as that of owning Black people as if they were chattel, meaning the war was waged over the issue of slavery and no other. To achieve their present covertly racist aims, the Republicans are now willing to sacrifice their sacred, overtly racist past. The vile flag may no longer fly over government buildings but it will continue to unfurl in inner chambers of their hearts where no eye can see. On June 26, President Obama delivered the eulogy for Pastor Pinckney killed in the massacre. This might have been Obama’s finest moment and the most stirring address of his presidency. What he said befitted the hour. But with Obama, there is always a “but.” What he did not say or said only elliptically was more telling. Though elegant, he purposefully engaged in circumlocution to avoid saying “racism.” He spoke more graphically of the past but only sketchily about how to cure the present. At one point he stated that “We were blind to the pain the Confederate flag stirred in too many of our citizens.” This was a rather odd thing for a Black man to say in a predominately Black church. Are Blacks now part of the culpable “we” who hoisted this horrid flag and supported what it meant? We have no part in it. During his Presidency, he has on many occasions publicly singled out Black people and our alleged social pathologies for being the proximate cause of our own poverty. Now, we are also complicit in our past slavery. We are not part of the “we” to whom Obama alluded. He had not the

courage to say “White people” when it comes to criticism. Thus, he lumped victim with perpetrator to cover his political flank. He garnered great applause upon remarking that the Confederate fighters were brave but the cause of slavery for which they fought was wrong. A gifted orator, his delivery lent more to this statement than the words would alone convey. Slavery was more than wrong. Wrong is when a person says ‘two plus two equals five” or when one turns left when he should have turned right at the corner. A slavery which claimed the lives of millions, leaving a trail of bones at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean stretching from West Africa to the American coast and suffering tens of millions of Blacks to live under the lash and torture while others profited from the most harsh labor was more than wrong. It was an incarnadine evil. Although more eloquently and gracefully than his Republican counterparts, Obama did much the same thing they did. He focused on symbol of old racism – the rebel flag—and not so much on the current reality of the thing. To his

credit, he did, at least, give mention to racism’s present but more as a tributary to the main channel of his message. In this, he was the alter ego of the Republicans. While they sought to reduce Black political arousal, he sought to stir it. While Republicans sought to comfort their fellow Whites that their covert racism was acceptable, Obama danced about as not to openly offend and alienate the less virulent racists among them. While emotional and stirring and given in the cadence of the Black pulpit, his intervention was no less a political balancing act than those of the Republican hopefuls. As long as American politicians calculate in this manner, nothing great will be done to erase this blemish. People like Dylan Roof will appear and reappear along with the violence they cherish. We will continue to bury the innocent dead instead of the culpable evil. There is a message in all this for Black Africa. Given how America plays its own Blacks, Africa cannot expect a fairer shake from American foreign policy. A word to the wise…. 08060340825 (sms only)

This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah, on the centrary it is a confirmation of (revelation) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the book –– wherein there is no doubt –– from the Lord of world.

Qu’ran 10 vs 37 Sponsored by ALHAJI KHAMIS TUNDE BADMUS Asiwaju Musulumi of the Yorubaland

RAMADAN GUIDE WITH FEMI ABBAS e-mail: femabbas@yahoo.com Tel: 08122697498

Children in Ramadan

HILDREN are Allah’ greatest gift to man. Their presence in a house is blessing. Their contribution to matrimonial security is immense. Those are children for you. They sometimes can act as teachers just as they can as students. They learn fast. They teach fast. They are a major security for parents in any given environment. Children have both temporal and spiritual roles to play in a matrimonial home. And with such roles, they sometimes create hope for humanity and sometimes, they signal despair. They are the greatest asset in the possession of parents in time of peace. They are also the greatest weapon for their parents against the forces of Satan. Because of their innocence, they pave way for Allah’s forgiveness and quick acceptance of prayers. And, most importantly, children guarantee the continuity of man’s existence on earth. It is only with them that the fulfilment of today’s promise is possible tomorrow. In the Qur’an, children are mentioned many times and most often with reverence. They are treated in that glorious book as a major issue in the life of man. As orphans, they do not only have a role to play, they also compel some adults to play a role relating to them. As heirs to their parents, they have substantial shares in inheritance. Muslim children are like cubs. They follow the footstep of their parents or guardians very scrupulously to the admiration of the latter. Children are often with their parents during the five daily prayers. They watch their parents as the latter give charity to the poor. They accompany them to public lectures and Islamic social gatherings. And, in Ramadan, children are part of the Muslims’ total spiritual package. They wake up with them at night. They fast with them in the day. They break the fast with them at sunset. They join their parents at Tafsir and night lectures. They participate in Laylatul Qadr and in giving Zakatul Fitr to the poor. In all these activities, they are supposed to be encouraged. At the tender age of seven, they should be guided to fast even if for half a day. And when they reach the age of 10 they should be strengthened in faith and in religious deeds through fasting. They should be provided with necessities of life both on the temporal and spiritual grounds. With these, they will grow up to become the fulfilment of their parents’ dreams. Most children grow up as good or bad citizens by emulating their parents. A child is therefore what his parents make him. If advantage of Ramadan is not taken by parents to mould their children into good Muslims what other platform will be used? Your child is your sun. Make hey while it shines.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

Fashola at 52 :Revisiting the momentous years

ODAY Babatunde Raji Fashola , SAN turns fifty –two . It is his first birthday outside office as the Governor of Lagos State. Having really never been a loud person when it comes to celebrations , a thanksgiving prayer and his sustained private engagement with the less privileged would predictably be all to expect. However, being freshly out of office the occasion offers an opportunity to conduct a rapid overview of the momentous Fashola years in the service of the good people of Lagos. Receiving the endorsement and backing of the symbol of the struggle to sustain the ethos of true federalism and then out going Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom he had served loyally as Chief of Staff, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN ran a most stimulating campaign. He was an underdog as an Action Congress governorship candidate in Lagos State in 2007, but Fashola started proving skeptics wrong almost as soon as he had been sworn in on May 29, 2007 as he started building on the foundation laid by Asiwaju Tinubu . His inaugural speech that day laid out his areas of priority as the governor of the most populous state in Nigeria. He emphasized development of the human capital, free public education up to secondary school level and the refurbishment of the schools where the education was being provided, creation of jobs for the teeming mass of unemployed people, development of critical infrastructure such as road, rail and water transportation systems, the waging of a relentless war against crime, the deepening of the project of environmental rehabilitation, and commitment to the cause of justice and the rule of law, among others. Of all the programmes he enumerated then, Babatunde Fashola ,SAN stressed his determination to change the attitude and orientation of the people of Lagos State towards rules and regulations and the enforcement of law and order. Fashola made it clear in his inauguration speech that for him to record any achievement during his tenure of office, it would be necessary to establish an administration that would be unmistakably committed to law and order. The areas in which Lagosians need reorientation as he laid it down then would include sanitation habit, driving, property development, attitude to tax payment, and also to trading. He also made it clear that it would be impossible to realise a commitment to law and order without an effective agency for law enforcement and a highly motivated system of justice delivery. In the absence of state police, Fashola knew that he would have to continue to work with the federal government-controlled Police Command. He therefore rallied the private sector and other critical stakeholders through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund to galvanize much needed resources that facilitated the re-invigoration of the Rapid Response Squad with sorely needed modern equipment for crime fighting from guns and ammunition to Armoured Personnel Carrier , Patrol vehicles, boats and even helicopters . The Emergency Toll Free lines 767 and 112 as well as the Command and Control Centre were also established. He also caused the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) to recruit and train additional staff , procured more equipment for them and went ahead to facilitate the establishment of the Lagos State Special Traffic Mayors through which he consciously encouraged a policy of community involvement in traffic control and management. As I have earlier stated, Fashola was aware as well of the importance of a transparent system of justice dispensation. To ensure that the process of disposing cases brought before it is fast and fair, the administration approved a new welfare package for the judicial personnel, built and commissioned new court rooms and equipped them with modern facilities, and put in place a panel to review the procedural rules. Now, it’s important not to create the impression that all that Babatunde Fashola and his team did in his determination to alter Lagosians’ attitude toward law and order as well as rules and regulations was

•Fashola

By Hakeem Bello to put in place an elaborate system of deterrence. An effective system of deterrence is important, to be sure, as the governor himself would state again and again. However, and in his thinking, it was more important to work on people’s minds and get them to accept on their own the importance of playing by the rules and obeying laid down regulations. In this regard, Fashola did a lot in different sectors and, I dare say, his achievements were monumental. One major factor responsible for the high level of success was the power of the former governor’s personal example. Fashola repeatedly stressed it to all his officials, commissioners and aides that he who makes the law ought not to be seen breaking . Fashola was the first governor of Lagos State to reject the use of siren. As he argued, only ambulances, Fire Brigade vehicles and men and women of the Police Force who were on emergency mission need them. He also often insisted that at no time should any of the drivers in his convoy conduct himself in any way that could engender panic or fright in other road users. Fashola made punctuality at State Executive Council meetings mandatory for himself and other members. He wanted the people of Lagos State to imbibe the habit of voluntary compliance with the law and he made himself the epitome of what he preached. But I should perhaps, at this point, direct attention to the issue of the considerable time and attention that Fashola and his administration devoted to getting Lagos drivers to begin to take traffic regulations seriously. Lagos traffic has always been challenging. As Governor Fashola himself puts it in his second inauguration speech, the conduct of drivers on the highway represents a barometer for gauging the collective mental health of a people. Because of the non-compliant attitude of drivers, traffic hiccups were common and avoidable accidents, regular.. Because of all this, and also because, to use his own words, “it nourishes street trading, hinders security personnel from effectively fighting crime and makes efficient and timely response of fire and medical services difficult when emergencies occur,” Governor Fashola considered it important to work on the attitude and orientation of drivers. It was to this end that a Drivers’ Education Institute was established in each of the five divisions of the state. The institute was charged with the purpose of training and re-training drivers on traffic signs, traffic rules and regulations and basic vehicle maintenance, among others. The Governor took a firm decision to check the habit of converting bridges and highways to bus stops and markets in addition to the enforcement of the reviewed State traffic law as passed by the House of Assembly . Almost from his very first day in office, Fashola working with his team strove to change people’s attitude towards the payment of tax. In a speech delivered at a stakeholders forum on taxation in December 2007, he made

clear his belief that the purpose of any government, “indeed its most legitimate reason for being there, is to secure the greatest good for the greatest number,” and he noted the readiness of his administration to take on the challenge and indeed “make a difference.” Having admitted this however, Fashola was quick to add that an administration can only fulfil this obligation only if it has the means. Public goods and services, as he went on to say, can only be procured with money or such other valuable means. Because such means are often scarce, governments all over the ages have always relied on money generated through tax to fund its activities and also carry out its duties towards the citizens. “Were it not for taxes,” Governor Fashola says, “there would be no governments, no law and order, no security and no public facilities.” He quoted Franklin D. Roosevelt, the former President of America who once contended that “taxes, after all, are dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society.” But while regarding tax evasion as a crime, Fashola’s oft underscored position was that it should be possible to make people and corporate organizations take tax payment as an obligation and a duty; and in such a way that they will voluntarily comply with the regulations governing taxation. To this end, he regularly hosted what was termed the Stakeholders’ Forum on Taxation. In his addresses at these annual meetings, Fashola always travelled back to elaborate on the history of taxation, and also often gives examples of what obtains in other parts of the world. Additionally, through Quarterly Budget report meetings, Town Hall meetings on Security , Stakeholder consultations and every 100 Days through an account of stewardship rendering event which at different times targeted public servants, artisans , diplomats , the business community, political leaders and the general public among others he would lay bare before them the situation with their own government . Indeed, certain that the citizens would play their role in the social contract, the administration was able to conceive and initiate major infrastructural projects making use of long term facilities which the flow of taxes would not have made possible. Another major area in which the Governor exerted himself and his team to effect a re-orientation in Lagosians’ attitude was the environment. Clearly, the greening and beautification project of the government has been much discussed, and I will only return later to briefly point out its benefits. For now, what I want to concentrate on is how the governor worked to influence the people’s sanitary habits. By way of practical measures, the Fashola administration caused Dino bins which people could use for waste disposal to be placed at thousands of locations in the state. Additional waste collection trucks were also bought and handed over to the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) by way of enhancing its capacity to respond to waste disposal needs of the state while PSP operators also received support towards obtaining loans from Banks to buy new trucks. In order to inculcate healthy sanitary habit in young minds, Environmental Advocacy Programmes were launched in secondary schools. Beyond educating pupils on how to dispose waste, as well as where, and where not, to urinate or defecate, several of these schools were provided with toilet facilities and waste disposal bins. Hand washing in schools which proved critical to containing the Ebola infection started way back in 2008 in Lagos State schools. Babatunde Raji Fashola was also concerned about the reality of incessant flooding in the state. While conceding that this reality has to do largely with the fact that Lagos naturally is a low land, the former governor would be quick to add that the situation has been “compounded by widespread acts of citizens’ non- compliance, including dumping of refuse in canals or con-

struction of illegal structures across drainage channels.” As usual, Fashola’s initial reaction was practical. He approved along with his team that drainage channels be constructed in areas of the state that are prone to incessant flooding. Old ones were also to be dredged and cleared regularly. While his government remained dedicated to the job of constructing and clearing drainages as a measure of checking flooding, Babatunde Fashola was still of the conviction that influencing the minds of the people remains equally important. Because of this, sustained campaign against dumping of refuse, wastes, water sachets, food remnants, and disused spare parts in drains and canals continued on radio, television and other media. Communities were being challenged to monitor the flow of water in drainages closely and report anyone who dumped anything that could block any of them to law enforcement agents. Again, as Fashola declared in his second inaugural speech, Lagosians must, “in the same manner that Europeans prepare for winter by heating and changing to warm clothing,… (we need to) begin to deliberately and methodically prepare for the rainy season. We must utilize the dry season, when there is no flooding, to launch a massive campaign for active community involvement across the state in the clearance of all water flow channels so that the onset of rains no longer takes us by surprise.” I stated earlier that I would return to the greening and beautification programme of Governor Fashola. During his tenure, several relaxation/recreational parks were constructed, trees and flowers planted and open spaces, verges and medians beautified. Governor Fashola was very vocal in articulating the objectives of the programme, not least of which being the way it improves the aesthetic appeal of the environment and helps mitigate the effect of green gas emission. Babatunde Fashola also listed as part of the benefits of the project the fact that it stimulates the market for seedlings, fertilizers, as well as simple agricultural tools and implements. But perhaps the greatest benefit of the beautification project inheres in the way it helped to keep a great percentage of the hitherto mass of unemployed young men and women productively engaged. Fashola noted this in one of his speeches, pointing out how those who, formerly, had been “derided and written off as miscreants” are today “usefully engaged in beautifying our environment and, thereby, extricating their lives from the ugliness of idleness.” During his tenure as governor , Fashola recorded legions of achievements in several areas including provision of affordable housing for the people through the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme ( Lagos HOMS) , construction of roads, the daring commencement of the Lagos Light Rail Project , development of public transportation system and the waterways, the waging of war against crime, etc. In concluding this piece, I need to make it clear that my intention is not to suggest that Fashola’s government has been perfect. Actually, the administration had its fair share of challenges either due to a misunderstanding or outright misrepresentation of some of its policies and programmes but it never ceased communicating with the people whose confidence the administration earned and never took for granted. It also earned its fair share of accolades both locally and internationally on several fronts as a model from Waste Management to Taxation , Security , Transportation , Public Health (remember Ebola) and general good governance. Has the administration solved all the problem ? No, it’s not possible as no government can solve all the problem. This, in my view is normal; and Governor Fashola himself realizes very well that he is not infallible and he would be the first to acknowledge that having to take decisions for 18 hours daily for eight years was not a tea party. At this point, I think what is left for me is to congratulate my boss , Babatunde Fashola, SAN on his birthday. Many happy returns of the day. •Bello , is Special Adviser on Media to Mr Babatunde Fashola , former Governor of Lagos State.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2015

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) bridge of change is gradually undergoing avoidable turbulence at the federal level and nobody seems to be in control at the centre except one, two or three ambitious northerners camouflaging individual interests as that of the entire country. And without equivocation, the avoidable leadership squabbles in the national assembly amongst members of the ruling APC must have emanated from the treacherous theatrics of these men that have stayed long enough in the centre’s corridors of power and have now forgotten that they have nothing more to contribute to the country but trouble. The unraveling power game, though unnecessary, is a testimony to the need for the existing altruistic leadership of the ruling party to think deeply now about how to rescue the party from imminent perdition from inordinately ambitious members. And the sad truth is that the bulk stops on the president’s table as leader of the party to do something to rescue the situation from the hands of these political mafias so as to guarantee party supremacy that governors under the platforms are demanding for. The reason for this is that since the ruling party escaped plots to scuttle its existence, it will be sad for it to now disintegrate at this point when it now control the centre due to the greed and indiscipline of some of its members. The former President Goodluck Jonathan’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) did everything possible to disintegrate the current party at the centre but failed woefully in the bid to achieve its goal of continuing to rule at the centre. Then Nigerians had a common enemy in the former president and were determined to send it packing when they found solace

Atiku’s unfurling APC power game By Sheriff Garba

in the APC that promised to institute fundamental positive change into the polity. Now that the party with the change mantra has mounted the saddle, what Nigerians are being subjected to is another theatre of the absurd as senators’ and honourable members battle one another in the leadership sharing contest in the red chambers and the House. The man at the heart of the avoidable shameless political legislative bout is Dr Bukola Saraki who won the senate presidency through subterfuge in an election that deliberately ensured that half of senators were disenfranchised. This development has kept mouths agape in the public sphere while pundits were already wondering if the defiance of party order by Saraki was not without the backing of powerful elements within the fold. Saraki had gone ahead to defy the party on the list of other principal officers of the red chamber. Speaker Dogara has equally played the Saraki game in the appointment of principal officers for the House of Representatives. Some observers have pointed out that ordinarily what transpired on the day Saraki was elected in cahoot with the opposition PDP is nothing but a betrayal of the APC and what it stands for before Nigerians. How can the party that produced the presidency make any meaningful change in a national assembly with leadership that compromised with that old ineptly corrupt party order that the electorate worked assiduously to send out of power during the last elections? Others argued along the same line saying that despite the political inadequacies of

•Atiku

President Mohammadu Buhari, few northerners that ought to help him achieve the change mantra are seriously scheming to succeed him in 2019 by putting up structures in the legislature and the states and also discretely preparing ground, even though pretending to be the president’s loyalists, to dismember the APC before returning to the PDP more stronger to possibly take over power. One of such few northerners is Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, former chieftain of PDP and AC and now chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). These pundits pointed in the direction of his recent press release that needlessly distanced him from the shenanigans called election in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that produced Dr Bukola Saraki as senate-president quite contrary to the dictates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that controls majority of members in the red chamber.

This position must have been given impetus by an earlier release by the Atiku media office moments after Saraki was elected in a controversial manner and at a time when other respectable leaders of the party were still at a cross road over the abracadabra that happened in the red chamber. This writer recollects that Atiku, some moments after the senate election congratulated Saraki and Dogara despite the obvious controversy thrown up by the Senate’s election. This writer as a northerner considers it an irreconcilable hypocrisy for Atiku to believe that irrespective of the political mix through which the presiding officers emerged, even if it means that the PDP are directly in control, the 8th National Assembly would not lose focus of its role as a partner in progress with the other arms of government, especially the executive arm. It would not be wrong to agree with some observers that

see his calling on those that collaborated with the PDP to shortchange APC to ‘see their elections beyond the narrow interests of respective political parties’ as a signal of his plan to gather more followers across party divide to buy into his future presidential ambition which many believe he plans to pursue by 2019. Further to the fact that there is no rumour without an iota of truth behind is the content of his second release which tried futilely to dispel the notion that his target was how to dislodge the current presidency in 2019. In that release, the Turaki dispelled insinuations that he has anything to do with the avoidable tussle in the senate despite admitting that it is correct for individuals or groups to seek to pursue their interest even if such is in defiance of party principle and resolution and can break down chain of discipline like is being witnessed in the scenario created by the Saraki and Dogara elections. For instance, in a situation where a party man’s ambition contradicts that of the political party that gives him the mandate, Turaki did not tell Nigerians how that can benefit and sustain our democracy or promote equity, fair play and justice. To Atiku, supremacy of the party can be sacrificed simply because according to him: “In politics, it is a mistake to expect fixed outcomes.’’ No wonder that Atiku has not said a word about the latest defiance to party directives by Saraki and Dogara. Simply because President Mohammadu Buhari, in his wisdom, maintains an apolitical stance on the democracy of ambush that happened at the senate that tallies with the

mindset of Atiku, he has gleefully announced to the world: ‘On this, I stand with President Buhari.’ Will he still be standing with the president in the next three years or is his loyalty with him in as much as he feigns nonconcern to measures Atiku and his team is taking to dislodge the president out of power. In Atiku’s usual way of playing politics of divide and rule, he has infiltrated the rank and file of the party. Just recently, the All Progressive Congress (APC), under the aegis of the Chairmen’s Forum under the leadership of its Acting chairman, Alhaji Umar Haruna Muhammed of Kano State, after supposed four days of deliberation in Abuja noted: “We are urging all the aggrieved National Assembly to embrace dialogue and the re-conciliatory moves being championed by Mr. President, and the national leadership of our party, for the sake of national interest and APC.’ The question to ask the group is how can you have time to pursue national interest in the midst of unleashing detrimental parochial interest and infliction of injustice against use elements in the party. The direction that the Saraki clique in the senate with the obvious covert backing of Atiku will only dump the nation in a cul-de-sac that may act as catalyst for denying Nigerians the much expected change. This urge for inordinate ambition will only batter beyond recognition the APC and the Buhari brand. The current president will only be victim of his dangerous apathy to serious issues of politics. Where is the national interest that they claimed was being pursued in this instance? May God save the country from politicians without conscience in the land! •Garba is a political scientist and lives in Asokoro, Abuja.

Media seige on Abia: The limit of indulgence

N the last couple of years, I have been involved in the media imbroglio between two prominent citizens of Abia state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief (Senator), Theodore Orji, both past governors of the state. Although I am not an indigene of Abia state, my interest in matter goes beyond my understanding of the limit to which media practitioners can allow themselves to be used by politicians to settle personal or group scores. I shall return to this particular point – the perfidious recruitment of journalists for personal wars – but I think it is important to state that my interest arose first and mostly because I happened to have worked with the two exgovernors at a certain period. That was when Dr Kalu, was governor with Senator T. A. Orji his (Kalu’s) Chief of Staff. I was not a formal appointee of the administration but I was sufficiently close to the governor, and inevitably the Chief of Staff. I did a lot of media errands for Kalu especially at the period he was having problems with some members of the Abia political elite. I stood behind him when some highly respected citizens of the state took advantage of their closeness to the media to harass him. For example, let me repeat my narrative of my encounter with Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who was then a minister of the federal republic of Nigeria. Maduekwe, to the chagrin of many, formed the habit of always taking on Kalu on the pages of newspapers nearly on a daily basis. And it got to a stage when I had to do an article with the title, “Minister of Orji Must Go”. Of course, the article received ovation at the

By Ethelbert Okere Government House, Umuahia but, conversely, did not go down well with the minister who promptly complained to our mutual friend, Chief Hope Uzodinma, now a Senator. Uzodinma called me on telephone and had the following message for me: If you love yourself, you must see me immediately. I had to travel with a night bus from Owerri back to Abuja to see Uzodinma and the same evening, we went to see Chief Maduekwe, who was then the Minister of Transport, at Dipchirma House (or something like that) in Central Area, Abuja. I had known Maduekwe, who remains today a role model for me, long before Dr. Kalu became governor. Naturally, he expressed surprise that I could “be used” to make life uncomfortable for him. I reminded him of how much I regarded him but politely told him that he was the one making life uncomfortable for Kalu who many of us, especially from Igboland, had so much admiration for. I told him that we (I) felt that he had better things to do as minister than always descend on Kalu as he was fond of doing. To cut the story short, we agreed on a truce and I make bold to state that that was the end of Maduekwe’s incessant attacks on his governor. Anybody who is in doubt should go and ask both men. When Kalu had problems with his Deputy, Eyinnaya Abaribe, I was there and I did an article under the title, “Abaribe Should Resign”. I remember, Hon. Eziuche Ubani, who was

• Ikpeazu then serving the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, calling me to advise that I should not set my foot on Umuahia if I loved myself. I can go on and on but one thing to note most importantly is that when we were doing all that, Kalu had no newspaper of his own. It was for that reasons that I admonished our colleagues who got recruited to work in the newspaper he founded years later to take it easy once the fight between Kalu and his erstwhile friend, T. A. Orji began. Some of them heeded the advice and some did not. One of those who did or have not is Ebere Wabara. Two years ago, at the heat of the media fight, Wabara issued a press statement on behalf of Dr. Kalu and signed off as the latter’s media adviser. While reporting the story, the newspapers referred to him as an Associate Editor and member of the Editorial Board of the newspaper Dr. Kalu is publishing. I did make an intervention to ask whether it was professionally correct for one person to be special assistant to a politician and at the same time

• T.A. Orji be on the highest editorial decision making organ of a newspaper published by that same politician. Of course, the matter on which Wabara made the statement concerned Dr. Kalu (his political boss and professional employer) and his quarrel with Senator T. A. Orji. I got several responses from colleagues as well as politicians who agreed that I was making a good point. But because the Nigerian media is wrought with more impunity than we even have in the political parties, Wabara continued with his antics. One thing later led to the other and there was this encounter he, Wabara, had with security agents who took him from his residence in Lagos to Umuahia where, according to the story, he was charged for sedition over, not surprisingly, something he wrote about Governor Orji and his administration. Hell was let loose in a section of the media where Wabara and his publisher dominated. The matter went to court and, according to reports, the charges were dismissed and Wabara became a free man.

The proprietary or otherwise of the actions of Governor Orji is beyond the scope of this article but what is of concern to me is that Wabara has since thrown every sense of decency over board in his bid to get even with T. A. Orji. His weekly column in the newspaper published by his political cum professional benefactor is devoted chiefly on T. A. Orji even after the latter has left office as Governor of Abia state. Incidentally, Wabara is an indigene of the state. Those familiar with the column know that it is all about an unashamed solidarity with his publisher in the endless story of an “ungrateful” Orji who was brought out from prison and made a governor. I thought Nigerians had read enough of that until their newspaper became awash with the same issue (of from prison to government house) a few days before the expiration of the tenure of Governor Orji; which prompted me to do an article in which I sought to know whether the media siege on Orji and indeed Abia state will ever cease even when he leaves office. But for Wabara and his benefactor, no dice. In a recent column, he alluded to something like never going to forgive Orji after recounting the Lagos to Umuahia police saga. And I ask, forgive? What does it really matter if an Ebere Wabara cannot “forgive” a Theodore Orji? Is Wabara in a position to cause Orji any discomfiture even if the entire newspaper is handed over to him to do columns on Orji every day? My take on Wabara’s noforgiveness talk is that he is suffering from a measure of

timidity and lack of knowledge of what to do. The no forgiveness mantra lacks the type of sophistication expected of a supposedly seasoned journalist and writer like him. I ask, what is Wabara capable of doing to Orji, column or no column? By Wabara’s own admission, the matter for which he was charged was dismissed. Now, if he still feels wronged, the expectation from a fellow of his exposure and caliber is to take legitimate steps against Orji, such as suing the latter and the security agencies for damages or whatever. To use precious editorial spaces to talk about forgiveness or not forgiveness is at once timid and an abuse of privilege. In that article, Wabara gave notice that he will begin “a series” on Theodor Orji and how he ruled Abia State. Minus that we are dealing with a very queer situation where he writes for a paper owned by Orji’s “arch enemy” (really?) I do not think any newspaper proprietor or indeed the whole journalism practice, would condone such a thing – I mean putting a would-be target of a virulent attack on notice. And I ask our people in the industry, is that the way? I have written severally that Dr. Kalu and his media boys have taken the matter too far. As I noted in my previous article, the final victim is the entire Abia state not just Orji. Abia is the only state that has the misfortune of having a media siege laid on it by two of their own –And any discerning observer knows that they have since gone beyond their target. The entire Abia, not just Senator Orji, is the victim of this subterfuge.

QUOTABLE

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3260

“I don’t think it will be right for the president to be involved in nocturnal meeting just to elect leaders of the National Assembly when his party has majority in the House. The president should face his own work and let the members of the National Assembly face theirs.” —Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Alani Akinrinade (retd), on President Muhammadu Buhari’s supposed aloofness over the National Assembly crisis.

Nigeria - A complex simultaneous equation? Opuro ngbinla, oniwayo ngbiu’gbado Sinu oko t’alabosi da. E o r’aiye? Haruna Ishola in the 70s.

AM a not a member of The Redeemed Christian Church of God; my Christ Apostolic Church is good enough for me! However, I have some close pastor friends, like Pastor Segun Adegbiji, Pastor Magnus Maduka and Pastor Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, who often make it their business to keep me abreast of major events in the church, including audio and video recordings of Pastor Adeboye’s sermons. There was this unforgettable sermon, about 20 years ago, in which Baba Adeboye gave an equally unforgettable testimony about himself, concerning a very complex simultaneous equation he had to solve during his PhD programme. For those who are not into Mathematics, simultaneous equation is finding two or more bundles of unknowns, usually x and y, and is usually the first topic you are taught in Algebra or Additional Mathematics. The higher you go up on the ladder of Mathematics, the more the number of unknowns you are compelled to solve. Oftentimes, such assignments can be daunting and, more often than not, only special brains and minds can come out successful. Such was the plight of Baba Adeboye during his Doctorate Programme in Mathematics. He had to look for answers to 18 unknowns. Within a short time, his sharp brain got him the answers to 10 unknowns. However, that euphoria was soon followed by a complete blackout. He continued to work very hard so as to get answers to the remaining eight unknowns, but after several days of a constant pursuit for answers that stubbornly refused to come, he opted to do the predictable by embarking on a three-day fasting and prayers, the only ritual he had gotten used to from his teenage years. On the morning of the third day, whilst having his bath, the Holy Spirit came along, and in a “still, small voice” whispered the solutions to four out of the remaining mental log jam. After a few more days of “continuing prayers”, the solution to the remaining four unknowns – a fitting reward for his faith and constant prayers. The bottom line of that testimony is that no matter how complex or impossible a problem may look, hard work, prayers and fasting would get us the solutions. Let us, for a moment, go back to that Haruna Ishola’s philosophical masterpiece, rendered in the early 70s in honour of that famous social club in Ilorin, Egbe Omowunmi. The song conceives of a theoretical landscape; a large farmland where a group of professional liars and cheats were engaged in the planting of Okro vegetable, and another group of professional fraudsters, hired killers, kidnappers and thieves are engaged in cultivation of corn and other legumes. Ordinarily, if those two incompatible and suspicious groups appreciate and respect each other’s nuisance value, there would be peace - at least that type of peace that is akin to the peace of the graveyard. However, to make matters worse, a third force, the “Alabosi Group”, suddenly shows up to lay claim to ownership over the farmland, while insisting that for peace to prevail, all proceeds from the farmland must be shared along with them and the sharing manifestly skewed in their favour! What other name can we use to describe the day-to-day relationship on such a farmland other than “a complex simultaneous equation”, to which, like that Mathematical dilemma faced by Pastor Adeboye, about 50 years ago, only God Almighty has the answer? Let us now expand the horizon of our analysis and extrapolate our theoretical landscape to that of a local government or state government, and, indeed, a nation. Ladies and gentlemen, scholars and students reading this article, welcome to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Nigeria, a country of 170 million, 36 states and 774 local gov-

•Buhari

•Obasanjo

•Adeboye

•Ishola

By Olumuyiwa Runsewe

ernments, which, when added together, constitute his own complex simultaneous equations he has to confront and find compulsory answers to within the four years of his administration. There are some deductions and lessons arising from the outcome of the last general elections that would and should influence some of President Buhari’s attitudes. No 1. The outcome of the elections should remind us of that famous Biblical saying, that there is always an “Appropriateness of God’s Timing”. The late Premier of Western Region, Chief S.L Akintola, had a vision that it would be in the political interest of the Yorubas to forge a lasting political alliance with the North. Convinced that his gamble would not fly amongst the rank and file of the Action Group Party, he went ahead to form the NNDP with prominent Yoruba politicians like Chief Remi FaniKayode, Chief Rosiji, Chief T.O.S Benson etc and aligned with the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, to form the Nigerian National Alliance, NNA. Of course, the NNA won the 1965 general elections, but to the extent that Akintola’s gamble was never appreciated by the Yorubas. The lesson here is that what Chief S.L Akintola attempted to do between 1960 and 1965 and failed, with dire consequences, the same gamble has been so adroitly and painstakingly worked out by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and has succeeded a with nation-wide applause and appreciation, especially by the Yoruba South West. Secondly, and as a consequence of the first deduction, the South West geopolitical zone would be operating from the bedroom of power for the first time since 1960 Independence. They are no longer going to operate from the corridors and fringes of power! Really? In the famous and regular outbursts of that chemist shop-owner in the now rested Village Headmaster, Mr Bassey Okon, “Is dati so?” From the day the presidential and na-

tional assembly results were announced, in which the APC had a landslide victory and up to the morning of Tuesday June 9th, that was my optimistic perception of events that would unfold. That treacherous masterstroke unleashed by Senator Bukola Saraki and his bedfellows in the senate, coupled with the complex intrigues behind that elections opened the gate of the Senate to only Sarakiloyalist Senators, and then locking it and announcing to the whole world that the “Gate of the national assembly had been shut”, thus sending those APC Senators at the International Conference Centre, a false sense of “yes, we are in control, nothing would happen until we arrive at the Senate Chambers…” I have looked into the two most famous English dictionaries but I cannot find the most appropriate definition of what happened. Let me therefore manufacture an English word that best captures the events of that day – SARAMBITIOUS (please don’t quote me beyond this article ooo)! How do we unravel this puzzle? How come only 57 Senators were allowed in to vote for Saraki and within a few seconds thereafter, the gates of the senate were opened and 20 more senators came in to vote for Senator Ekweremadu? What happened at the senate on that morning reminds me of a masterpiece of an article by the late Chief H.O Davies, whilst writing on the Constitution of Nigeria in 1960, in which he described Nigeria politician as “SPOILT CHILDREN OF YESTERDAY’S COLONIALISM”. As it should be expected, the APC has not been at peace with itself and, wait for this! A sizeable collateral damage has been inadvertently inflicted on the Buhari Presidency and, indeed, one of the complex simultaneous equations he must confront frontally or be perpetually burdened by what happened on June 9th both at the Senate and House of Representative chambers, which was again manifested by that show of shame on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday 25th June.

“A sizeable collateral damage has been inadvertently inflicted on the Buhari Presidency and, indeed, one of the complex simultaneous equations he must confront frontally or be perpetually burdened by what happened on June 9th both at the Senate and House of Representative chambers.”

As for the Southwest’s influence in the bedroom of power, time will tell. But if the “Ides of June 9th” is to be correctly analysed and interpreted, it seems the Southwest caucus in the APC, and, by implication, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Leader and the most visible architect of the party’s victory, has been cut to size! In fairness to President Buhari, the relationship between him and Bola Tinubu is still very cordial and laden with mutual respect for each other. However, the northern political establishment and caucus within the APC must be counselled to tread carefully and see, in the APC victory, the great opportunity for progressives governance and the change in all aspects of our social, educational and economic development that the whole world have been waiting to see In Nigeria since 1960. Asiwaju cannot afford for this alliance to fail. The consequences of a failure would be, for him, better imagined than described. If I meet Asiwaju Bola Tinubu today, I would counsel him to ensure that the APC caucus should continue to sustain loyalty and a foothold in the Yoruba west by attempting to mend fences with as many of the aggrieved or enstranged members in the AD, AC, ACN and APC. Why on earth and for whatever reasons would former Governor Segun Osoba (especially) and Senators Akin Odunsi, Gbenga Kaka and Obadara ever be allowed to part ways from the mainstream? In the major challenges that lie ahead, it is better to speak with one and consensus-laden voice. Let us go back to another implication of President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory as follows. The Lord God, our Creator, has made General Buhari’s life and times (up to the present, a big lesson and a proverb to all of humanity and especially to all Nigerians. Simply put, when a man (or woman) falls down from the horse of life, ladies and gentlemen, please don’t ever write him off. The Creator, who “maketh those things that be not as though they were” (Romans 4:17) might yet smile on him and clear his path from the “Land of Egypt” to the Promised Land of Nigeria’s Presidency. He did it for General Olusegun Obasanjo 16 years ago. He has done it again for General Muhammadu Buhari and the “stone that the builders rejected” in August 1985 has now become the cornerstone in 2015! After a whole four weeks as president, the era of congratulations should be over. But congratulations, all the same. We strongly appeal to President Buhari to please ask his deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, or that golden boy of Nigerian journalism, Femi Adesina, to interpret that Haruna Ishola’s philosophical masterpiece at the top of this article, line by line, and internalise the message. That way, the enormity of his burdens that lie ahead would become a lot clearer. But, wait a minute! The whole world reported through various TV channels and newspapers that during the post inaugural party at Aso Rock on May 29th 2015, President Buhari silently walked away from such a joyous occasion, including world leaders, to go and perform his afternoon muslim prayers! It was such a consistently prayerful attitude that solved Pastor E.A Adeboye’s many complex simultaneous equations for him 50 years ago. Is Nigeria a complex simultaneous equation? Yes, she is! But General Buhari is now in charge. Change has come. Solutions have come. Better days are here. God Bless Nigeria. Amen. •Runsewe writes from Ogbogbo- Ijebu via Olumuyiwar@Gmail.com

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