The Nation 30th June, 2012

Daniel’s trial: Court orders police to probe alleged death threat against star PAGE witness 57

Boko Haram: NSA Dasuki adopts fresh tactics, meets North East leaders PAGE 7 Nigeria risks break-up if sect is not checked, Bishop Oyedepo warns

Dasuki

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL.07 N0. 2172

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

Late Ijeoma Chinwe Onyiuke's elder sister, Nwamake Onyiuke, consoling her niece, Miss Adaeze Ikem Obih, during the farewell service for her at the Present House, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos… yesterday PHOTO:Abiodun WILLIAM

SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

PAGE DANA 6 crash victim Ijeoma fasted 21 days before untimely death Mournful farewell for her

N150.00

Crash of Okotie’s second marriage

We’re shocked, sad -

Church members, celebrities PAGE

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Pastor Okotie with ex-wife Stephanie

Alleged $620,000 bribery scandal

Lawan to hire forensic expert to vet Otedola’s video clip

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3

Aftermath of flooding: Lagos, Ogun residents count losses 4&5

PAGES

Lawan

Otedola

Snakes take over community

2 News

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

•From left: The Registrar, Pastor Yemi Nathaniel; the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aize Obayan and the Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo at the 7th convocation ceremony of Covenant University, Ota... yesterday.

Photo: Dayo ADEWUNMI

•The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, answering questions from newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja... yesterday.

Photo: Akin OLADOKUN

Alleged $620,000 bribe: Lawan to hire forensic expert to vet Otedola’s video clip T

HE suspended Chairman of the House Committee on Fuel Subsidy Management, Mallam Farouk Lawan, plans to rubbish the video clip in which he allegedly collected $500,000 from oil magnate, Mr. Femi Otedola, as bribe.

He plans to hire a team of forensic experts to take a look at the clip with a view to detecting faults.

Lawan appeared before the Police Special Task Force investigating the matter yesterday and dismissed the video as suspect.

It is the main evidence on which the police are building a case against the lawmaker.

The force has punched holes in the ongoing probe of the bribery allegation by the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that Lawan’s defence team has decided to engage forensic experts to take a second look at the video after suspecting ‘grafting.’

•Police fault investigation by the House of Representatives Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation It was learnt that the suspicion followed fresh information that Otedola and Lawan met in an hotel at Apo,Abuja, where the bribe was allegedly offered.

It was gathered that the defence team, after its session yesterday, concluded that “some powerful forces are trying to make Lawan a fall guy.”

The lawyers now want to challenge Otedola to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the video clip is authentic and not a computer manipulation.

It could not be immediately ascertained who Lawan will hire, but a source said: “Some foreign experts might be involved.”

One of his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who spoke with our correspondent

last night, confirmed the plan to hire forensic experts.

He said: ”We are not ruling out the engagement of forensic experts because different stories from the video clip do not add up. Otedola said it was a sting operation, but Lawan was never arrested and neither were the security agencies involved nor Otedola able to provide the bribe money.

“So, when the push comes to the shove, we will bring the forensic experts.

“The truth is that Nigerians have not heard the true story of what transpired. But it is unfortunate that Lawan has been crucified.

“Lawan raised the alarm in Leadership newspaper of April 28, 2012 about some marketers coming up with a bus load of dollars to bribe him. Based on this, the police invited him on

May 9, 2012 to substantiate his allegation. The police also followed it up on the 16th of May. “But Otedola made the revelation on the 11th of June, 2012 when the police had started investigation into the allegation levelled by Lawan. So, by implication, it was Lawan that actually complained and not Otedola.

“We will meet in court.”

Meanwhile, Farouk Lawan appeared before the STF yesterday in company with some of his lawyers.

But the meeting was brief as he was allowed to go home at about 5.30 pm.

A reliable source in STF said: “We only interacted with him briefly. We are happy that he is keeping to his bail terms.

“We may not have another interaction with him till next Wednesday or Thursday. We

Religious extremism gave birth to Boko Haram ––Mark R

ELIGIOUS fundamentalism gave birth to Boko Haram insurgency, Senate President, David Mark, has declared.

Mark, who spoke to reporters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State at the end the 2012 Senate retreat, said the phenomenon of religious fundamentalism should be urgently addressed if the country was to contain the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

Although he recognised the existence of pervasive poverty in the North and a gaping gap in education between northern and southern Nigeria, Mark insisted that more fundamental than the issue of poverty, unemployment and lack of education is religious fundamentalism.

He said: "There is something far more fundamental than the issue of poverty or that people are unemployed, or that people are not educated. All these things are not going to happen overnight.

"I think that the root cause of Boko Haram is religious fundamentalism and we must address it. We cannot shy away from it.

"You fracture your right leg, when the doctor comes, you give him your left leg to put POP. How will the right leg heal?"

Mark said that the most important thing the Senate resolved as far as Boko Haram insurgency is concerned is that religious preachers must be restricted.

The country, he said, can no longer afford to allow people to go about preaching what they want.

He said, "If Islam believes that suicide will take you to hell and Christians believe that suicide will take you to hell, why are we allowing some Islamic preachers to preach something else?

"Why haven't they been told that suicide is not acceptable in any religion?

"But the bad guys are the ones who are preaching that you know if you commit suicide, there is no problem; you are in heaven. Not only that you will go to heaven, but you will have some 77 virgins waiting for you.

"For heaven's sake, what is happening now with Boko Haram in the North? We are in Akwa Ibom, will the governor of Akwa Ibom wait for the governor of Borno to do a project before he starts doing projects?

"Who is the contractor that will go and work in Borno or any affected area in the North?

"It will only get worse. It cannot improve by the action of Boko Haram.

"It is only important and proper that we tell them what they are doing is going to make you go backward and the gap between the North and the South will continue to increase.

Onyedi OJIABOR, Assistant Editor

"If some people don't want to hear it, that is the truth.

"You cannot compare what you have seen in Akwa Ibom with any of the northern states.

"Yes, they are not receiving the same amount of money. But the cost of construction in the south is not the same as the cost of construction in the north."

Insisting that all hands must be on deck to make the country peaceful, Mark confessed that he lacked knowledge of any member of Boko Haram.

"I don't know any Boko Haram man. If I know one, I will talk to him. "When I said that some northern leaders are pretending, that's the truth.

"Some of them are pretending that they know the leaders of Boko Haram and that they can talk to them.

"I don't believe that they do. I used the word 'we'. I'm told that people are criticising me and saying that I'm part of the North. Did I say I'm not part of the North?

"I said I'm part of the North, and that is why I used the word 'we'.

If I know the leaders of Boko Haram, I will talk to them.

"If they know, they should also talk to them. But if they don't know, then there is no need to pretend that they know, just to be relevant.

"They should say so, that they don't know any thing about them.

Then all of us will work together as a team.

"But if they don't know and don't want to admit that they don't, how do we solve the problem?"

Mark said that he has always preached dialogue with Boko Haram "so that they explain their grievances and then we can address those grievances."

He, however, wondered how to dialogue with an unknown group.

He said: "So, those people who are criticising me that I shouldn't have said so about northern leaders, I did not exclude myself.

"But I'm open enough and I'm frank enough to say I don't know any Boko Haram."

The Senate President assured that sect members who elect to come forward for dialogue would not be arrested, because "they have grievances and we want to address the grievances."

are not happy that the Chairman of the House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Mr. Adam Jagaba, has not honoured police invitation.”

The top police source faulted the ongoing investigation of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges into the bribery saga, saying: “What they were doing on Thursday was contrary to the law. The police have stepped into this matter but the House, which is central to what we are probing, is now investigating the same matter.

Some of them investigating are even expected to assist the police in our investigation.

“They need to be told point

blank that what they are doing is not good. It is like interfering with our ongoing investigation.

“During their emergency session, they promised to cooperate with the Nigeria Police. But they have constituted themselves into an investigative body.

“But we are going ahead with our investigation in full force.

What the House is doing cannot affect us.”

On Jagaba, the police source said: “He has refused to honour our invitation. But let us see what next week will portend. If he is persistent, we know what to do according to the law.

“We have exercised restraint so far, but we will apply the full weight of the law at the appropriate time.

“The law is there. House members have no immunity under the law.”

Pension scam: Senate probe panel deceived leadership, says Task Force chair Maina

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HE Chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, has said that the leadership of the Senate was deceived by the committee handling the pension probe.

Maina, who spoke in Abuja when the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) paid him a solidarity visit, vowed to fight with the last drop of his blood to ensure that he is vindicated.

He said that people are asking him irrelevant questions about the pension matter, adding that the Senate committee report is fake and not telling the truth.

His words: "I realised that the Senate Committee report contains flaws and a lot of deceit.

They need to come to the side of the truth. What surprised me is the fact that the Pension Task Term was able to recover a sum of N181.6 billion. These were monies government never knew anything about.

"The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is well known across the world and has integrity, came to the floor of the Senate to inform the Senate that the Pension Task Team, out of the money they recovered for government, we took N74 billion from it and injected it into this year's budget. Is that not enough achievement? But it was not reflected in the Senate committee’s report.

"There is no mention of those that stole the money and are being prosecuted. The houses that

Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja have been seized by government, the money that was found in the houses, nobody mentioned any of these things.

"And then somebody is saying that these people are angels.

When you steal people's money in this country then you are now an angel? Is that what we need?

Are we trying to teach our youths to steal?

"To me, the leadership of the Senate has been deceived. Because I do not believe in lying and I will fight corruption and the issue of pensioners with the last drop of blood in me. We are here to stay.

“Nobody has ever asked me where I got the N181 billion from. Nobody ask me where the money had being all this while. Nobody is asking these questions. Nobody is asking where are these people they have arrested; what has happened to them?

"We have cheque books which show how they received about N300 million a day. EFCC, ICPC, SSS have done a great job to ensure that the right thing is done. How can one person just seat down in his room and right a rubbish report and say Pension Task Team embezzled money?

I do not approve any money.

Can you believe the Chairman of the EFCC was being questioned in the presence of the person they arrested with a lot of money? I do not know what is happening in this country."

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

3 News Group faults Ango Abdullahi over comments on Senate President Olugbenga ADANIKIN, Abuja

A

GROUP, League of Patriots, has faulted Prof.

Ango Abdullahi’s statement on the Senate President, Senator David Mark.

The group lamented that Abdulahi's comment is an indication that he is less concerned about the killings and bombings in the northern part of the country.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, the President, League of Patriots, Dr. Steve Mairabo, stated: "We read with dismay the statement credited to Prof. Ango Abdullahi attacking Senate President, Mr. David Mark, over his criticism of the lukewarm attitude of northern leaders in dealing with the Boko Haram insurgency.

"If the truth must be told, the distinguished Senate President took the bull by the horn by his remarks. It is a known fact that northern leaders have behaved like the proverbial ostrich while terrorists ravage the region."

It states in part: "Ango Abdullahi is not worried about the massacre in the North that has continued to turn Nigeria into the country's version of another Middle East says much of the kind of northern leader he is.

"A scathing criticism of the Senate President's honest and unbiased assessment of the attitude of our so called northern leaders is not what the region requires at this time, but a conscious and conscientious attempt to stop the madness in this part of the country.

"No doubt, the Senate leader is a national leader in his own right and has the right to feel concerned about the present situation of things in the country.

"What Ango Abdullahi had demonstrated is that intolerance that has led to this present scenario. The fact that some people regard themselves as authentic northern leaders or to refer to some areas as far North is very unfortunate and it is from this angle that Ango Abdullahi is speaking.

"That David Mark has piloted the affairs of the Senate without the proverbial banana peel demonstrates the integrity with which he has handled the Senate, and Nigerians are proud of him."

$620,000 bribe-for-clearance scandal: Lawan tenders shocking evidence before committee

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HERE were hints yesterday of the reasons behind the cofidence exuded by the embattled former Chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc Committee on the Management of Fuel Subsidy, Mallam Farouk Lawan.

A National Assembly source told our correspondent that Lawan is set to shock Nigerians with proofs of his innocence. Lawan had once said he would be vindicated at the end of the investigation.

The House Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Thursday commenced investigation into the sum of $620,000 Lawan allegedly collected from the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum, Femi Otedola.

Lawan, who entered the investigation room at 1:06pm on Thursday appeared unruffled by the media attention the allegation of bribery levelled against him has gained in recent time. On sighting the more than 50 newsmen who had waited earnestly for his arrival, he said, “Mr Chairman, it is a full house.”

However, contrary to earlier promise by the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, that the session would be open to media coverage, the Chairman of the Committee, Gambo Dan-Musa

Jagaba denies police invitation

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HAIRMAN, House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Adams Jagaba, has denied being invited by the police over the $620,000 bribe-for-clearance saga.

When the scandal broke, Lawan had said that he notified the House Chairman on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial crimes about it and handed over the money to him.

Jagaba, however, denied any knowledge of the money or the deal in response to a letter written to the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, by the Special Task Force (STF) probing the matter.

Jagaba, who expressed surprise over his invitation by the police however expressed concerns that some people appeared desperate to tie him to the case.

He said: “I have never received any invitation from the police to that effect, but I am surprised to be reading in some newspapers that I was invited and I refused to appear.

“To set the record straight, neither my office in the National Assembly nor the one in my constituency is in receipt of the said letter purportedly written to me by Farouk.

Dele ANOFI, Abuja asked journalists to leave after he had read his address.

Mohammed later defended the Committee’s decision to hold the investigation behind closed door. According to the House Spokesman, the decision was to avoid distraction as other investigations on the same matter were going on.

Dele ANOFI, Abuja

“In fact, I also saw it for the first time in the newspapers as published.”

A House of Representatives source, however, told The Nation that the desperation to link Jagaba to the case was a result of his official position in the House.

He said: “Being the Chairman of a very powerful Committee, Jagaba’s words or, better still, his confirmation that he has a acknowledge or is in possession of the said money would give credence to the claims of Lawan.

“But if the man is not in possession of the money or has a knowledge of the deal, how would he deliberately implicate himself? But we have to look at the letter Lawan purportedly written to Jagaba very well.

“I have seen the advertorial and I think the people are getting desperate to hold on to anything.

That letter was not only suspicious, it has no acknowledgement and the date and time. I think the se unity agencies would do a through job of this thing.”

He said the Committee would not want media attention to create a situation where evidence of one investigation would affect the course of the other.

According to the source, the lawmaker, who was also relieved of his chairmanship of the Education Committee, was not only relaxed throughout the session, he was very cooperative and was ready to assist

the committee in its assignment.

Saying that Nigerians are in for a shock concerning the bribe, the source affirmed that the issue of the whereabouts of the money would be laid to rest by the time the report of the Committee is tabled before the House.

Asked about the disposition of Lawan to the Committee’s questions, the source said: “He

• From left: The Special Assistant on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson; Commissioner for Infromation and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Hamzat and Commissioner for Trasnsport, Mr. Kayode Opeifa at a joint press confernce on the reconstruction of the 3rd Mainland Bridge at Bagada Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos... yesterday.

Photo: Omosehin MOSES

was confident in the way he carried himself, because he has proof. He did not fidget and he gave us the relevant things we requested from him.

“You know he was Vice Chairman of Ethics committee in 1999. So, he knew the extent the Ethics Committee could go.

So, he was quite open. The reality is that he has all the text messages. He has evidence that will shock everybody with the little we got from him.”

The source also revealed that the Committee was cautious but firm about the whereabouts of the cash, going by past experience. “Nobody saw any money with the former Speaker Adolphus Wabara. Where he fell into the trap was that he allowed himself to be deceived.

They cajoled him that he should accept that he took the money and that he should pay back and that there won’t be any problems. He fell for it and went and dropped the money. As soon as he dropped the money, they nailed him.

“As for Farouk, he did not deny collecting the money as he seemed to be aware of the consequences, but the whereabouts of the money is what the investigation should determin.”

He also said that the main focus of the Committee is to ascertain the relationships between the alleged bribe and the outcome of the report.

“Our own job basically is to find out if he went out to take bribe to influence the report in any way. You should not forget that Otedola has three companies involved in the case.

“One can recall that the report was tabled on the 19th. If they had taken money from anybody, why would they be indicted. You know their mandate was PMS. This is a very simple matter. If your company was not involved and you have documents to back it up, then present it.

“In the case of Zenon, he made documents available. But as for AP, he did not present any document and that was why AP was still there. He started helping the committee by giving them information. At the end of the day, it turned around. The story changed and started with some threats, but Farouk went to get that money to save himself, not knowing at that point too, the man was also looking for how to blackmail him.

“That is basically how far I can go with you until the man appears before us to have a look at another angle to the saga. But from what he has, Nigerians will be shocked.”

DANA Air to pay $30,000 to crash victims’ families next week

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ANA Air yesterday said it would comply with the directive of the National Assembly Committee probing its June 3, 2012 crash by paying $30,000 to each family of the crash victims before July 3.

The declaration by DANA Air came just as it said the carrier had received more than 50 documentation forms from familiy members of the crash victims out of the 119 of the 120 families it had contacted.

Speaking yesterday at a memorial service for crew members of the crash that

•Receives 50 completed insurance compensation forms occurred at Iju/Ishaga area of Agege in Lagos, on June 3, 2012, the spokesman of DANA Air, Mr Tony Usidamen, said the airline would not do anything less than what is statutorily required of it as far as compensation for crash victims is concerned.

Usidamen explained that DANA Air has full insurance cover for the aircraft, the passengers, the crew and third party liabilities, insisting that it had been in touch with families of crash vic-

tims to ensure that all processes related to insurance documentation were facilitated for compensation payment.

He said: “As at the close of business on Thursday June 28, 2012, DANA Air has received the completed insurance forms for 50 of the victims. To facilitate the completion of claims by the families, the company has established toll-free lines.

DANA Air will continue to provide this service until all claims have been addressed

and settled.”

The assurance by the airline came just as the National Cabin Crew Association of Nigeria (NACCAN) also called on DANA Air to ensure that the $150,000 due the four cabin flight attendants are paid to their families.

According to the spokesperson of the association, Austyn Njoku, doing that will be one of the ways of assuaging the pains of family members who lost their loved ones in the crash,

which he said remains a huge loss to the association.

He noted that no amount of money would make up for the lives that were lost in the crash and called on the Federal Government to carry out out an overhaul of the aviation sector and ensure that airline operators maintain their aircraft as and when due.

Njoku further called on the Federal Government to ensure that old planes that may not have been properly maintained are banned from

the Nigerian airspace.

He wondered why the Federal Government could not set a 10-year age limit for aircraft operating in the country, affirming that there is more assurance of safety with newer planes that are regularly maintained as opposed to old ones.

Speaking at a memorial service, he explained that government needs to put measures in place to ensure that operators have cheaper access to new planes, as is done in the United Arab Emirates(UAE) for Emirates Airline.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Flooding: Lagos, Ogun C

•Second Rainbow Bus/Stop flood on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway after the rain on Photo: OMOSEHIN MOSES Thursday

•Mile Two flood on the expressway to Badagry

•A man carrying a lady through flood

Photo: OMOSEHIN MOSES

ALL it a day of rage and bedlam and you may not be wrong. It was a day the heavens’ violent and relentless yawning left residents of Lagos and Ogun States at the mercy of nature’s cruel hands.

All across the two states, the story bear a familiar refrain.

Flood, flood and flood everywhere. While the rains came as a welcome relief from the baking heat that endured between January to April this year, its present offering has come, rather as a pill too lethal to swallow.

With residents displaced from their homes and roads taken over by flood waters, this is one gift nature has unleashed with a tinge of vengeance.

And since Thursday, from Lagos to Ogun State, virtually everyone has been counting his loses and lamenting his anguish, just as every home has equally been counting its misery.

Leaving sorrows, tears and despair on its trail, residents of the two states recounted their experiences to The Nation on Saturday: Boloaji –Ikorodu: The rain which started at 7pm, continued relentlessly till 8am.

We woke up only to find that the entire area had been completely over run by flood waters. Both human and vehicular movements were seriously hampered. The development led to many people staying indoors. While those who ventured out, did so with the help of an improvised canoe, others watched in abject helplessness. An area that was never used to canoe, suddenly witnessed the presence of such means of transportation.

Apart from canoes,

•A man being carried through flood

Linus OBOGO, Segun AJIBOYE, Miriam NDIKANWU and Oziegbe OKOEKI motorcycles were also used in ferrying people.

In what seemed like different strokes for different folks, Bolaji told The Nation that while it was lamentation for so many of the residents, it was triumph for commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called okada and canoe operators who had to quickly cash in on the torment of the residents by mother nature.

Bolaji said that the okada and canoe operators made a kill of the bad situation, as they charged between N50 and N100 to get people across the floods ravaged area.

According to Bolaji, the nearness of the affected area to a canal also contributed to the flood waters.

For Agbebi –Akute, Ogun State, it was hell let loose Thursday and Friday as residents of Alagbole and Iyakoyo were literally held hostage by flood waters occasioned by the torrential rain that lasted all day. For those who dared to make it out, it was not easy for them as they had to be carried on the back of others. But the service was not free.

According to him, it was a dreadful sight to behold as trucks and canoes were freely used in ferrying people to escape being drowned in the flood. “I was on my way to work and had to make a U-turn when I could hardly discern the road from the gutters.

Everywhere was overtaken by flood waters.

“For those carrying people on their backs, they charged as high as between N150 and N200, while canoes charged between N250 and N300. But for some families, there appeared to be no escape route following the invasion of their homes by the merciless flood waters.

For motorists who thought they could have their way with the rampaging flood, they were reduced to ‘submarines’. But so far, there was no reported casualty.

In the home of a certain family, they had to evacuate their children to a family friends’ house as their apartment was reduced to a swimming pool.”

Recounting her experience, Yemisi- Akute, Ogun State, “said some part of Akute was like an island, no thanks to a dam which content was coincidentally released at the same time the floods came calling. Vehicular traffic was marred by the large body of water that took the entire road by the jugular. As late as 2am, long queues of vehicles could be seen snaking their way uncertainly to their various destinations.

For residents of Lambe in Ogun State, they were trapped in their homes and those who made it out were not so lucky to find their way home as the major road going to their houses was enveloped by flood waters.

Stanley –Ayobo, Lagos State: In Ayobo area of Lagos, houses could be seen submerged. Residents had a Herculean task entering their houses. It took some of the residents about five days to bail out water. It was such a pitiable sight to behold. The topography of the area further compounded the problem. I could not immediately confirm this, but a friend said the bridge linking Lagos and Ogun States was impassable because it was submerged.

Ndubuisi, Alimosho, Lagos: At Aboru, both married and single women freely lent themselves to be carried by men. The situation was so frightening that they were no longer bothered how they were being carried. What they were interested in was to be helped to a safer area from the flood strewn area.

At Apple Junction, Femi Kila and several other streets around Ago Palace Way, in Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos, many residents were sacked from their homes by the Thursday and Friday’s downpour, which last for more than 18 hours.

According to Bayo Adeoye, the rain left many residents of the area trapped for several hours.

Adeoye said residents who left home early in the morning were trapped because their homes were overtaken by flood waters.

He said the flood waters made most of the houses in the area inhabitable. “The rains left may people along the Ago Palace Way homeless. It was tough for the people because their homes were overtaken by water. You can imagine somebody who went to work in the morning, but could not gain access to the house by the time he came back.”

In the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, Idewu, Baale, Wilmer Streets and many others in the area were left flooded by the rain. A resident, Ayodele Olalere, said the rain left many businesses paralyzed.

According to Olalere, residents resorted to the use of canoes and other floating materials to move around.

“The flood paralyzed many businesses in the area. People started using canoes to move round the neighourhood.”

For residents of Isheri Oshun, Burknor Estate, suburbs of Lagos, it was double calamity. While the flood waters made their homes inhabitable, different kinds of reptiles ensured that they never went anywhere near their abandoned homes as they swiftly took over the waters.

Femi Salawu, a resident, said he moved out of the area after discovering that the waters were infested by snakes. Salawu vowed not to go back home until the waters receded. “I am not going back to that place until the water dries up. You cannot imagine what we are going through. Big snakes found their ways into homes of people, leaving us

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

residents count losses with no choice than to run for our dear lives,” Salawu explained.

Meanwhile, road users on the Apapa -Oshodi express way are still subjected to untold hardship from the havoc the Thursday downpour wreaked across the metropolis.

The problem is more compounded due to the prevalent bad road and blocked drainages that have left the route from Oshodi Apapa still flooded.

The deep gully at the Mile Two FESTAC end of the road almost renders the road impassible. Motorists who ply the route yesterday where held up in traffic for hours, while many commuters resorted to trekking to their offices.

At Sanya and Second Rainbow Bus stop, it was a vast stretch of water covering the road.

“The situation is really disheartening, we have been on this road for over an hour now, we just have to come down and trek to Mile 2 so as to join another bus to Apapa, said a commuter who gave her name as Julian.

Julian wondered why Julius Berger reconstructed only one lane and left the other unattended to. “Since last year, the drainage from Second Rainbow Bus stop has been blocked and this makes it impossible for the flood to recede whenever it rains.

“We were excited when we saw Julius Berger working on the road from the ApapaOshodi route, hoping that before the peak of the raining season, there would have been some rehabilitation work on the other lane, but sadly, nothing of such happened and many residents that ply this route can tell you that the road has been blocked since Thursday.”

Another commuter, Jude Okezie, said the situation is so unfortunate considering that Federal Government visited the road severally last year and yet failed to address the challenge before the peak of this year’s rainy season.

“This situation was very obvious last year because the entire stretch from Apapa to Oshodi has completely failed on both lanes. The Minister of Works and other top government functionaries visited this road last year and they saw the challenge. Relief came when we saw Berger working on the other lane, but even work on that lane has stopped also.

Okezie said Julius Berger, knowing the challenge on the road would have helped open the drainage channel while still working on the other lane.

“They are professionals and should know better where the challenges are on the road and could have put up palliative repairs while still working on the other lane. That way, the impact would not have been this severe.” he added.

For residents of Gloryland community in Isheri Olofin, Egbe Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), they have appealed to Lagos State Government to urgently

come to their aid and rescue them from the problem of flooding in the area which started about seven years ago.

The situation, a spokesman for the community, Mr. Isaac Okorie said, got worse with the construction of the LASU/Iba road, because the construction company, Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) diverted erosion to the community.

According to Okorie, a series of letters have been written to the appropriate authorities with no response.

The Thursday’s downpour, he said has rendered most of the residents in the community homeless.

“As early as 2am yesterday (Thursday), when the rains started, residents were trapped in their houses and have been calling on neighbors for rescue; right now, more than eight houses are submerged in the flood. We are appealing to the state government to come to our aid,” Okorie said.

The streets affected according to him are; Bishop Ogbonna, Prince Wale, Prince Hakeem Balogun, among others.

He also decried the nonexistence of drainages in the area, despite promises by the LCDA chairman.

Lagos to dedicate today sanitation on drainage clearing Meanwhile, Lagos State Government has that it will dedicates today’s sanitation exercise to the evacuation of drainage channels as measures to curtail the effect of torrential rainfall that would be witnessed in the next two weeks in the state.

State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, said this was necessary considering that the coming weeks will be the most critical peak of the raining season.

He urged residents to come out for the exercise which has been specifically dedicated to the cleaning of drains in the state environment.

He admonished Lagosians to join hands with the state government to ensure a flood free Lagos, saying his Ministry has also intensified its mid-rain cleaning programme.

Bello said the Ministry of the Environment has just completed the pre-rain cleaning exercise aimed at ensuring that all forms of impediments on drainage channels were removed to allow for effective discharge of storm water into the lagoon.

He urged residents not to panic as all the major drainage channels had been cleaned and dredged in anticipation of this year’s rains, adding that as the rains get more intense during the year, Lagosians should relate effectively with their respective Resident Engineers and Drainage Maintenance Officers whose phone numbers have been published and presently been posted to all the 57 Local Government and Council Development Areas in the state, to tackle flood related matters.

He warned residents who still patronize cart pushers to

•Some houses taken over by flood

•A submerged car

•A flooded living room

•Tunji Bello desist from this illegal act as the refuse collected in each neighborhood, were been dumped into canals close to them at night by the cart pushers.

He also urged Lagosians to patronize PSP Operators who will ensure that collected wastes in each local government were properly disposed of.

The Commissioner also warned Inter-State Bus Operators, state transport owners and road transport workers association/unions, commercial bus operators and okada riders to comply with the restriction of human and vehicular movement order which is between 7.00am and 10.00am.

•Some residents and motorists wading through the flood in Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Lagos

•A car submerged in flood on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State

6 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

‘DANA crash victim Ijeoma fasted 21 days before ntimely death’

•Late Ijeoma Chinwe Onyiuke’s elder sister, Nwamake Onyiuke, consoling her niece, Miss Adaeze Ikem Obih, during the farewell service for her at the Present House, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos… yesterday

A

farewell service was held in honour of Ijeoma Chinwe Theresa Onyuike, one of the victims of the June 3, 2012 Dana plane crash yesterday at The Present House Church Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State.

The occasion triggered off a lot of emotions as members of the congregation recalled the good times they shared with the deceased before she met her untimely death in the air crash. At the release of hundreds of balloons into the air and the shout of ‘Ijeoma’, which in Igbo language means ‘safe journey’, her siblings and friends could not control their emotions any longer.

They wept uncontrollable as they bade the deceased goodbye.

Recalling her last encounter with the deceased ,Chika Ikemobi, the elder sister of the deceased, said she spoke with her about an hour before she boarded the plane.She said she informed the deceased that she had known her DNA without knowing that she was predicting the process she would go through shortly after the conversation.

She said : “Ijeoma has passed away but she lives on. She was fantastic in all ramifications. She lived her life serving God, serving her family members, and everybody that she had contact with. She simply left a legacy for all of us.

“My last encounter with her was an hour before she she boarded the flight. She told me that she was going to have a good time with our other sisters. Even though I was not in Abuja with them, she said I should place the order for what they were going to eat because they missed my presence. I placed the order and later on, she called to tell me that they were already enjoying themselves.

“Thereafter, I said, ‘Ijeoma, do you know that I know your DNA?’ She replied that she was the one that knew my DNA. I strongly answered that I was the one that knew her DNA. That was our last discussion before she went to board the plane in which she died.I never knew that I was only predicting the process that I would go through after that time. Now, I am going through the real DNA test required to know her next of kin”.

Amaechi Onyuike, the head of the family, said Ijeoma spent her life serving God. He said she fasted for 21 days shortly before she died. He described the deceased as the cord that bound the family together.

The late Ijeoma, according to him, “was our favourite sister. She cared for every member of the family. She used her good way of life to hold the family together. She had a good relationship with each of her siblings. Her death was grievous and severe. The manner that she died was like struggling with death. We are comforted by the fact that she was faithful to the Lord and by the grace of God, she is sleeping well in his bosom.

“I received the news of her death through a phone call. It took about a day to figure it out that she actually died in the plane.”

Commenting on the state of the aviation industry, he said:”I think there is need for us to be very careful with the aviation

Innocent DURU

industry. We need to begin to pay attention to the lives of people. It is terrible that we lost many lives in the disaster. We need to take a good look at he aviation industry and put up measures that would avert a reoccurrence of this kind of calamity.

Ijeoma was a God-fearing person. She was always making efforts to get closer to God and that was why she fasted for 21 days before she died in the plane crash. We would surely miss her”.

Pastor Itua Ighodalor, who was also present at the farewell service, spoke glowingly about the deceased. He said: “Her death is a very painful one. She was a young lady that died unexpectedly. She went to Abuja, boarded a plane which we all thought would have a safe landing but suddenly, she died in it with152 others. The least we can do at this point is to stand by the family to comfort and console them. We pray that God would never allow such to happen again.”

He added: “The crash is a pointer to the fact that we need to tighten up a lot of things in our aviation industry. Between 2005 and 2006, we had a couple of mishaps and just when we were thinking that there was some respite, this one took place again. The thing is repeating itself. We need to carry out serious checks on our airports, the aircraft, and all the people running business so that we can be sure that we have done everything possible to avert calamities.

“That is not to say that there may not be accidents but when it does occur it would not be as a result of negligence. These 153 to me were superstars who gave their lives to change Nigeria. I pray that things would really change in our country”.

Pastor Moses Ida Michael, who officiated the service, described the deceased as a God-fearing person. He said she was a member of the prayer group and spent all her life serving God.

•From right: Mr. Amechi Onyiuke, Ijeoma’s brother; Sandra Onyinke (Mrs) sister in law; Mr. Henry Ikem Obih, brother in law; Mrs. Chika Ikem Obih, sister; Miss Natachi Ikem Obih; Miss Adaeze Ikem Obih; Miss Nwamaka Onyiuke; Mrs Patience Osikoya; Mr. Derex Odumegwu Onyiuke

•Family and friends at the service

•The balloons … yesterday. Inset: The late Ijeoma. PHOTOS: Abiodun WILLIAM

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

News 7

Boko Haram: NSA adopts new tactics, meets Shuwa, Abba Kyari, Ciroma T HE National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), yesterday continued his shuttle of trouble spots by meeting with elders in Borno State.

It was learnt that Dasuki has opted for dialogue instead of carrying the battle to the doorstep of Boko Haram.

Investigation revealed that the NSA had closed door session with Borno elders, including a former Minister of Communications, Gen. Mohammed Shuwa; ex-Military Governor of the North-East, Brig-Gen. Abba Kyari; Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Umaru Shehu; Ambassador Usman Galtimari (who recently headed a presidential committee on the crisis in the North-East) and a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), Comrade Ali Ciroma.

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: "The NSA is trying to change his tactics.

He is exploring dialogue with all leaders in the troubled spots. He said instead of taking the battle to the doorstep of Boko Haram, it is better to facilitate dialogue.

"He is engaging all these leaders in order to mobilise them to play key roles in prevailing on the sponsors of Boko Haram to sheathe their swords. The truth is that some of the sponsors are known to the locals.

"And Northern leaders are working covertly to assist him to restore peace to all the affected states in the North."

Asked if the government will concede anything to Boko Haram leaders, the source said: "We have not got to that level because the NSA is reaching out to the elders to facilitate dialogue on terms acceptable to all."

But the NSA said yesterday that he has not fixed any timeline to put an end to the

•No timeline for ending Boko Haram menace, says NSA

Nigeria may break up if Boko Haram is not checked, Oyedepo warns

T

HE Chancellor Covenant University (CU), Otta, Ogun State, Dr. David Oyedepo, has called for a complete overhaul of the nation’s security system against those he called ‘religious bigots’ scheming to Islamise Nigeria through repeated attacks on churches.

Oyedepo also urged the Federal Government to be more committed to the insecurity problem, failure of which he noted, may lead to disintegration.

“I want to believe that what we have on our hands today is an islamisiation agenda being propagated and sponsored by some religious bigots who are poised for war, and if government does not decisively stem down this tide, Nigeria may cease to be a nation.”

In his address themed: Towards the rescue of a nation on the brink of collapse: Necessity for a new generation of thinkers, delivered at the seventh convocation of CU at the university premises yesterday, Oyedepo said consistent attacks by the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram (Western education is forbidden) leaves much suspicion in its trail. He noted that if Boko Haram members are agitating for their rights as they claim, government institutions rather that churches should have been their targets.

“Now let us think: If Boko Haram, as claimed by some of their symphatisers, is fighting the government for its rights, the question is, is it the church that is depriving them of such rights? If the bombs in the north are just reactions to class oppression or poverty in the nation, why are mosques exempted from bombs?

He continued: “Did the militants in the South South, during their struggle, ever attacked worshippers in the mosque on Fridays? A lot of political hypocrisy must be going on here.

“Are there no Muslins in the West, South and East of Nigeria? Why are they not shooting at people in churches who gather for worship? Why are they not throwing bombs at Christians? I believe some individuals are simply without any other mission other than breaking Nigeria.”

He said insecurity today remains the nation’s greatest albatross, dwarfing other national malaise like poverty, corruption, unemployment, among others.

Oyedepol lamented that the Boko Haram phenomenon has cost the nation huge human, economic and financial loss, which the World Investment Report put at N1.33 trillion in foreign direct investment (FDI). He said Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Boko Haram insurgency.

He said he did not make any January 20 commitment to resolve the violence in the North.

A statement issued on Friday

by the Special Assistant to the NSA on Media, Karounwi Adekunle, said: "The NSA has denied reports quoting him as putting a timeline to the end of Boko Haram Islamist sect hostility in parts of the country.

"The NSA, who is on tour of

Adegunle OLUGBAMILA despite huge unemployment in the country, the few existing institutions and organisations are relocating to neigbouring countries like Ghana because such companies consider security as key to their continued existence.

Oyedepo further cited the case of wars in some African countries such as Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, Sierra-Leone, Liberia, Congo, Ethiopia and the ongoing Malian uprising, juxtaposing the causes and durations of such wars with the level of human loss and victims displaced.

The above examples, the cleric stressed, are enough to provoke Africa, nay Nigeria, to a new realm of thinking, noting that the black continent is yet to learn the fact that war does no one any good.

Oyedepo described those perpetrating the atrocities as selfish, self-centered with low self-esteem who fail to think about the consequences of their action.

‘The question now is, when would Africa start to learn her lessons? In spite of the gruesome data captured in this speech, Malians are still killing themselves today. It is not what we hear through lessons but thinking through what we hear. It is no what we see that equals lesson learnt but thinking through what we see. This is what I believe is the problem of Africa-inability to draw lessons from the things we see, hear and observe and even experience.”

Advocating a ‘stop and think’ approach to the nation’s malaise, Oyedepo further added: “The greatest challenge to Africa’s development is the underdeveloped minds of Africans. He (African) therefore becomes cheap as pawns in the chessboard of their benefactors. The mind of the Nigerian should be transformed into new mind that can dream new Nigeria into existence; minds that can resist indoctrination of evil.”

Dr Oyedepo called on well-meaning Nigerians, the academia to join in the clarion call for an end to violence and also help the perverted towards a new re-orientation.

“Until we solve the security problems, we may not solve the economic problems. If you kill for the sake of conversion, can that dead man be convertible? Rather, you have lost a God-like asset for your nation and lost an opportunity to live a better life.

some states where Boko Haram hostility has been rampant to meet stakeholders in such areas, was quoted in some media reports to have said that an end will come to Boko Haram hostility before the commencement of Ramadan Fast.

"The NSA never at any fo-

NASS will get revised PIB in 14 days, says Allison-Madueke Vincent IKUOMOLA, Abuja

•Allison-Madueke

B

ARRING any lastminute change of heart

by President Goodluck Jonathan, the revised draft of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will be ready for submission to the National Assembly in the next 14 days, it was learnt.

The Special Taskforce on the Review of Petroleum Industry Bill and the Petroleum Industry Bill Technical Committee yesterday submitted their reports to the President and other stakeholders.

According to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alisson-Madueke, the revised draft is expected to be discussed first at the next Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Madueke, who spoke to State House correspondents shortly

after the draft was presented to the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja also said the new bill is a product of 50 years efforts.

“We will go forward now as directed and prepare for the presentation to the Federal Executive Council. My assumption therefore is that within the next 10 to 14 days, it will be in their hands. But again, that will be at the pleasure of Mr. President.

“Ours is to present it and review it with government stakeholders as it is done for every bill that is done for the government to present.

“This bill has been 50 years in the making. It has taken a long time. It went through the entire gamut of the sixth session of the National Assembly and it did not get promulgated into law. In agreement with the seventh assembly, we took it back and completely reviewed it again.

“This is not a small bill. It is a critical bill for this country and for our oil and gas sector. Therefore, at this point, government will do the final review and put it in front of the FEC for approval. Part of that process is that it will go through the Attorney-General office.

“Nigerians should understand that we have been in a hurry for a long time to put this bill out, but we will try to ensure that by the time it enters the National Assembly, we are very comfortable with it. We are putting forward a bill that we believe the oil and gas sector can stand on and can grow on for many years to come in this country.”

On what makes the new bill different from the former one, she said: “The teams have reconfigured the various sections. The fiscal regimes used are so much different. The manner and templates for various calculations have been looked at differently, and other fiscal areas.

“The issue of domestic gas and fiscal regime for domestic gas have been looked at robustly.

The issue of the reconfiguration of the NNPC to ensure that it becomes the commercial entity that it is supposed to be and we can actually grow a first rate national oil company that over the years will grow to compete with other national oil companies of the likes of Petronas, Petrobras etc. “ All these have been looked at. The administrative roles and some others have also been looked at. The intention to ensure that the Ministry of Petro-

leum Resources is actually a professionally run ministry and that it engages professionals in the oil and gas sector to work within the ministry, which is not the case at all now.

“We have professionals now, but they are along the administrative line. We want to ensure that like other agencies of government, there are professionals in the ministry itself, so that the ministry is not dependent solely on its technical status.”

Speaking further on the bill, she said it took the committees about six months because of the extensive revision that has been done on the bill.

“A lot of details have gone into it. We have looked at the fiscal regime. We have looked at the reconfiguration of the NNPC to ensure that going forward, it becomes the commercial entity it should have been all along. We have also looked at other administrative roles within the gamut of the sector as well. “ I think that the teams have done a very good job. We are very pleased.”

Mr. President, she also said, had directed the Ministry of Petroleum along with relevant government stakeholders to do the final overview and prepare it for presentation to the Federal Executive Council.

rum in Potiskum, Damaturu, both Yobe State on Thursday or today in Maiduguri, Borno State said he will bring an end to the sect's hostility before the start of Ramadan fast.

"His cogent message in all the meetings he's held so far with some stakeholders is the need

for leaders to reach out and prevail on Boko Haram members to cease fire so as to create room for dialogue.

"This clarification has become necessary to avoid further spread of this misinformation and unnecessary insinuations."

8

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

9

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

T

HESE are hard times to be a banker or a staff of Barclays Bank in Britain just as it is not easy to be a Nigerian in that nation, if you heard the BBC interview of former Nigerian EFCC Boss Nuhu Ribadu last Thursday on how former Governor Ibori gave him a $15m bribe which he asked his operatives to take to the CBN in a convoy. Similarly it is not easy to be an Egyptian nowadays in a foreign land when you have to defend your newly elected president against charges that he would not eventually introduce Sharia Law after being elected on the momentum of a street revolution that was secular in origin and cuts across religious lines and affiliations. But definitely, you would be proud, like a Roman citizen in the ancient and glorious days of the Roman Empire, to proclaim to the world you that you are a citizen of Rome, if you are a citizen of any of the nations that qualified for the semi finals of the 2012 Euro Nations Cup, the final of which comes up tomorrow July 1 in Eastern Europe. These nations are Spain Portugal Germany and Italy.

What is however at stake here today is reputation, both corporate and sovereign, and how it is affected by corruption which can only be negative especially in banking as in the case of Barclays; and how good performance in a popular sport like football can boost the image of debtor nations such that their citizens feel ten feet tall at the moment of triumph on the soccer field and their sovereign debts become ' frozen in time' as it were.

Corporate reputation is the public image of an organization in the environment in which it operates and where it is positive the organization is perceived as a solid corporate citizen and vice versa.

Sovereign reputation on the other hand is the way a particular nation is regarded or respected in the comity of nations which is a global audience that has been shrunk greatly into a global village by satellite TV and the Internet -

Corruption, reputation and soccer

such that virtually every one knows what is going on in any part of the world 24/7. It is in this context therefore that we consider the topic of the day and the institutions and nations involved.

Barclays has admitted to falsifying interest rates in its overnight lending business and has been fined $ 450m while a former boss has confessed that Barclays was involved in 'systemic dishonesty'.

The British PM David Cameron has gone further to say that the financial authorities must go further and find out the individuals in the Barclays Hierarchy or Management responsible for the professional infringement for punishment which really is a sad day for Barclays staff in the period involved which is between 2005 and 2009. Since the global crash financial crash started in 2008 there has been clear signals that not only government but society at large globally have an axe to grind with banks generally for being bailed out while the businesses and customers they served in various industries went under during the period of the global financial meltdown and beyond.

For Barclays which hitherto had a solid global reputation for honesty and integrity the huge fine and admission of guilt can only lead to a massive global reputation melt down and there have been calls for its present CEO Bob Diamond to

resign.

At first one could be forgiven for thinking that the Ribadu BBC interview was washing Nigeria's dirty linen in the public in terms of corruption. But the interview and narrative went on to show that inspite of the massive revelations and huge funds involved in the fuel subsidy report fraud saga at home, corruption is not peculiar Nigeria trait after all, but a global phenomenon indeed. This was because almost all the British police officers involved in the Ibori trial got their hands soiled with bribes at one stage or the other during the investigations of charges of fraud and abuse of office against the former Delta State governor.

All the same, the incident and its airing on a global news organ has dented Nigeria's sovereign reputation and that of its citizens as a nation of lawful and law abiding citizens-breeding instead a reputation so sordid that the daily revelations on the fuel subsidy report can only make murkier globally. I really pity Nigerians living abroad and our diplomats whose official duty it is to defend our sovereign reputation and keep a straight face that all is well when our reputation globally is really in tatters as a nation state in terms of corruption in the comity of nations.

With regard to Egypt the election of candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood should be a logical expec-

tation given that the body was the unofficial opposition to successive personal dictatorships that ruled Egypt from Gamal Abdel Nasser to Anwar Sadat and Housni Mubarak. But there have been new fears that the new president will revert to Sharia Law once entrenched in power. Which means that the reputation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a party of ardent Islamists has preceded it to power and is creating problems of credibility for it in terms of its intentions both spoken and unspoken Already the army has moved to remove real power from the new president.

For how long the new president will survive without parliament and without budget powers is a matter of conjecture . For now what is clear is that many Egyptians even though they are Muslims are not comfortable with the prospect of an Egypt run on Sharia Law even though the new president has said he would protect both women and Christians in Egypt during his administration and new tenure of office.

I cannot but relate the fears in Egypt to an alarm raised by some people in US over the purported interference of the Obama Administration in education as alleged by the Catholic Church in that nation.

The Catholic Church feels that government should not interfere in education in the US according to its constitution and has pledged to wage a war against the Obama administration in this regard. What bothers me though was the way that one of those against the Obama policy showed his resentment.

He said- 'this is not the Middle East, this is not Nigeria. Surely, I can go to Church here without being bombed'. Which in Egypt's case is a reference to the ascendancy to power of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as its prospects and in Nigeria a reference to

the bombings of Churches in the north by Boko Haram which is against western education and wants to introduce Sharia law in Nigeria. Either in Egypt or Nigeria there is a phobia for what both the Muslim Brotherhood and Boko Haram represent and the that has resonated in far away US. That perception in the US is a negative sovereign reputation for the Middle East especially Egypt and Nigeria in terms of religious tolerance and security of human lives and property in the two nations. Definitely there can be no worse sovereign reputation for any nation state in modern times , than this.

But then every cloud has a silver lining and even seemingly dismal sovereign reputations especially with sovereign debts can have their moments of respite and even rapture and glory . Of the four semi finalists in Europe's Nations Cup, two, Spain and Portugal are exquisite sovereign debtors . The third Italy is struggling not to be put in the categories of the PIGS of Euro zone which is where Portugal and Spain belong in the euro debtor acronym formed from the categorization Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain as the leading debtor nations of Europe.

Yet both Spain and Portugal thrilled the world to vintage soccer last Wednesday while economically struggling Italy faced Euro zone richest nation Germany last Thursday. It is not the results that interest me but the way that patriotism and good performance on the football pitch can make giants of the impoverished nations of Europe and lift the spirit of their their people and their austerity battered existence. That to me is a sovereign reputation to be desired by any nation and its people anywhere in the world, no matter how short lived and fleeting it may seem, from the harsh reality of economic life.

10 COMMENTARY

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

In defence of Jonathan’s trip to Brazil

vincentakanmode@yahoo.com

I

N spite of the public outrage provoked by President Goodluck Jonathan’s flight to Brazil at a time Kaduna, Yobe and other parts of the country were boiling, I strongly believe the President should visit the Latin American country again and again. My position has nothing to do with the claims made by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Reuben Abati, that the nation had more to gain from Jonathan’s presence at the Earth Summit in Brazil than the direction and motivation he would have provided as the nation’s chief security officer.

It is also not an endorsement of the vilified view of the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, that the President can rule from the Mars. My position is informed by the new spirit the President has demonstrated since he returned from the trip.

It would seem that the trip to Brazil was all that our President needed to know that some radical decisions needed to be taken against the minders of our security apparatus. Before the trip to Brazil, concerned Nigerians had shouted themselves hoarse that the nation’s security system required a change of guards, but all their cries fell on deaf ears. Even when the sleepy former National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi, compounded his inefficiency with the embarrassment he caused the President and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the South South economic summit in Asaba, Delta State on April 27 and the calls for his removal became more strident, the Presi-

dent chose to defend him.

Surprisingly, the President got to Brazil and the same complaint over which the people had shouted themselves hoarse was whispered into his ears in a few Portuguese words during his short stay, and it sunk in like fork in puff-puff. Our placid President became animated almost to the point of arrogance. The first sign of a new President Jonathan emerged as soon as he returned to Abuja penultimate Friday. He called a meeting with his security chiefs, after which he announced the immediate removal of Azazi and the Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Mohammed.

Before the dust raised by the removal of the NSA and the Minister of Defence could settle, the President turned his winnowing fork to the oil sector, sweeping away the Group Managing Director, Mr. Austen Oniwon, and the entire management team of the organisation that has become a metaphor for corruption.

Even before the President returned to Nigeria on April 22, I had told a querulous friend that his flight to Brazil in the face of the clear and present danger the Boko Haram sect posed to the Presidential Villa at the time was the best decision he could have taken. Didn’t the good old Kenny Rogers say that the world is a casino and the people in it gamblers? You survive in it by knowing what to do with your cards at every material time. You must know when to play your cards, when to fold them, when to walk away and when to run. Realising how impotent our security system had become under Azazi and Haliru, and borrowing from Kenny Rogers and the Yoruba adage that a good warrior is one who knows when to fight and when to run, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces fled into safety in far-away Brazil.

We can only be grateful to him for taking the necessary precaution against the national embarrassment that would have been our lot if the militant sect had extended their attacks

‘

Even before the President returned to Nigeria on April 22, I had told a querulous friend that his flight to Brazil in the face of the clear and present danger the Boko Haram sect posed to the Presidential Villa at the time was the best decision he could have taken.

Didn’t the good old Kenny Rogers say that the world is a casino and the people in it gamblers?

’

on the hapless residents of Kaduna to Abuja, a stone’s throw from the embattled northern city. Many would remember that before the Kaduna crisis, the President had raised the alarm that the militant sect was out to get rid of him. Imagine the damage it would have done to our image, if the rampaging sect had advanced to Abuja and captured the President and the First Lady. Mercifully, the President did not only escape with his wife, he also saved 116 other Nigerians who fled with him to the Latin American country.

The President needs another visit to Brazil, if the current debate concerning public declaration of his assets must come to an end. There, in simple Portuguese (the official language of

Too damned to give a damn?

V

ERY soon, President Goodluck Jonathan will have no option but to unleash the Azazi treatment on the yamheads who continue to make him stutter through the two-hour irregular nonsense called the Presidential Media Chat. If we must know, there is no legal basis for this presidential grilling by a group of carefully selected ‘seasoned journalists’ save the opportunity it offers Nigeria’s Number One citizen to ‘interact’ with his subjects. Evidently missing in the Sunday, June 24, 2012 edition of the programme was the attribute of interactivity.

What we saw was an irritated President struggling to contain his anger as he bumbled through the barrage of sensitive questions, especially the ones that touch on our collective existence as a nation. I was truly troubled by his deadened extrapolations on national issues. The fiddling and fidgeting were too obvious.

If the live telecast had not taken place some 48 hours after the temporary relocation of Aso Rock to Brazil for the Earth Summit, I would have blamed his below-par performance on jet lag. It is one thing when a President works from the plush ambience of Aso Villa. It is another kettle of fish when, due to the importance of the Earth Summit to our collective survival, the President is compelled to ponder and compile executive directives while on the Presidential jet! This heavy burden is not helped by the fact that some ‘ignorant’ critics of Jonathan’s journey to Rio de Janeiro had accused him of embarking on a needless junket at a period when the country was under the siege of murderous terrorists. Apparently, it was one below-the-belt blow that Jonathan did not take lightly. He hit his critics back the hard way.

In justifying the trip, Jonathan, in the course of the programme, shouted down the ignoramuses for not only playing politics with the official trip but also speaking from the position of the uninformed. He just could not understand what the noise was all about. Why, for crying out loud, should we send the roof crashing on his head for travelling at a period when there was pain and anguish in the land? Must we expose our beloved country to public odium in the comity of nations with a plea that he should not attend an international summit just because some extremists chose to throw bombs, engage security forces in gun battles, and kill innocent citizens? Are we that lightheaded not to understand that the real aim of the insurgents is to castrate governance? Why should any true patriot then play cheap politics with this matter? These and many other questions were asked by a fuming Jonathan.

Now, listen to his scare mongrel, astonishing excuse for hugging the skies like he did last Wednesday when he made a one-day dash to Brussels, Belgium, to attend the Summit of the World Customs Organisations: “I have no regrets going to Brazil…If you know the tactics of terrorists, Nigerians who were worried that I travelled got worried out of ignorance. One of the tactics of terrorists is to strangle government. If they heard that the President or

the Vice President wanted to travel but couldn’t do so because they struck, they would celebrate.”

What eloquence! What unbridled dimension of elocution!

Question is: who cares what gives the terrorist a kick? Definitely not the alienated citizenry who could not even get through to their President at the touch of their cell phone numbers in a programme that was touted to be ‘interactive’.

Sir, the point these ‘ignorant’ critics of yours are making is quite simple. They would rather appreciate a leader who stays at home to address delicate matters of statehood than the one who savours the pressurized comfort of a presidential jet just to give the international community a warped impression that his administration is not under the ‘stranglehold’ of insurgents. Ordinarily, we should douse the fire at home first before embarking on a vain public relations stunt abroad! Or is that too much to ask of the President?

However, that was not the only thing that riled Jonathan and got him angry with those who have turned ‘criticising Jonathan’ into ‘a big business in Nigeria.’ I am sure our President knows that criticism is not necessarily destructive. If he can dishabituate himself from the tendency to keep lumping his critics into one opprobrious cluster of haters and take a dispassionate view of what they say or write about him, he will definitely come to appreciate that they mean well. At least, he should appreciate the fact that no one can be all knowing, in spite of the sycophantic ‘wisdom’ of those court jesters in the kings’ palace and presidential mansions.

We are his flesh and blood. If he claims to share our pains, then he should show it in a more humane form than taking a ride in the skies while men, women and children squirm in pains caused by gunshots.

The President’s fire-for-fire mood came to the fore again that night when one of the four-member panellists raised a damning poser on why the President has not publicly declared his assets as he did when he was Vice President some years back. If they were expecting the usual presidential courtesies, the panellists and the nation were completely bewildered by Jonathan’s retort. His language and choice of words were bereft of those superfluities. He fired all cylinders, occasionally throwing his hands in the air with a dismissive poise.

He said, “The issue of assets declaration is a matter of principle. I don’t give a damn about it if you want to criticise me from here to heaven. The issue of public declaration, I think, is playing to the gallery. You don’t need to publicly declare any asset.”

He went on to give a thousand and one reasons why we could be playing into the hands of some people by condescending so cheaply to making a public declaration of assets acquired privately. He could have done it under some kind of duress during President Umaru Yar’Adua’s short-lived tenure; but he was not cut out for such nonsense now. After all, he said, “If I am somebody who wants to hide, it is what I tell you that you will even believe.” Conclusion? Nigeri-

Brazil) he will be told that it is not honourable for a statesman to operate at the periphery of compliance with the law. Even if the law does not expressly require a statesman, particularly a sitting president, to declare his assets publicly, the principle of leadership by example requires him to so do in a country where corruption constitutes the biggest challenge to national development.

It becomes even more imperative for him to declare his assets because other public office holders, including his immediate predecessor and former boss, the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, had declared theirs publicly. The President compounded matters with his claim that he publicly declared his asset as Vice President against his own will because the then President had declared his. If anything, the statement seems to lend credence to widespread speculation that President Jonathan is not enthusiastic about the war against corruption.

If the President visits Brazil, Portugal and other Portuguese speaking countries more regularly, the nation could be lucky that during one of such visits, someone would tell him again in Portuguese that the power, works, transport and aviation sectors require the kind of overhaul recently carried out in the security and oil sectors.

From my mail box •Jonathan said he can’t declare his assets.

He said it is a matter of opinion. That simply means he has something to hide. As a public servant, I don’t see anything wrong in the President declaring his assets. That shows transparency in all government dealings. The late President Umaru Yar’Adua was the first to declare his assets when he got into office.

That was a leader showing good example.

Tayo Tola Agbaje, Garki, Abuja

Knucklehead With

Yomi Odunuga E-mail:yomi.odunuga @thenationonlineng.net SMS only: 07028006913

ans should hold their peace and believe that the President has not acquired ‘much’ since the last time he was forced to declare his assets!

However, we must concede to Jonathan that he was not under any compulsion to tell us how much he has amassed as Aso Rock’s chief tenant. It is not a legal issue but that of principle and morality. It is his choice not to give a damn. It is also a personal choice if he does not give a hoot about what signal this sends to those working under him and for him. By now, we should be conversant with the arrogance that comes with power, especially if that person happens to be Nigeria’s President. We are not, in the least, surprised that the leadership of his party has come out to defend his position. It would have been a refreshing breath of fresh air if they had done the opposite. We are; therefore, cool with their shenanigan of a defence.

Nevertheless, in all this, we can only hope that this delusion of not giving a damn does not go beyond the presidential heresies of that night. It can’t just be a question of choice.

Because he bears the burden of over 150 million Nigerians, Jonathan is damned to give a damn about everything. The half-hearted answers he gave to burning national issues give little for one to cheer about. His stout defence of the (mis)management at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was as shocking as the manner in which he sent the same management packing later in the week. Utterly befuddling too was his pampering of a major character in the Hon. Farouk Lawan bribe scandal. We were not convinced about his answers to Boko Haram and other burning issues. In a country where a Jos High Court recently sentenced 26-year-old Obinna John to death by hanging for stealing a meagre N1,705 from an old woman, this President ought to give a damn about how the public perceives him in this era of crazy looting of our collective patrimony.

Whichever way he looks at it, Jonathan is damned to give a damn about these things. For a man who promised a breath of fresh air and for a President who swore to a Constitution that makes security and welfare of citizens the primary purpose of government, Jonathan should be wary of being entangled in the web of absolute power corrupting absolutely. We do give a damn about the examples he sets and he should damn well know this!

Michael O’

Crash of Okotie’s second marriage:

‘We’re shocked, sad’ / 12-13

Life without d my husbanow l's G.O's wid -RoBesethe lyn Oduyemi

LIFE & STYLE/ 41

INTERVIEW/ 18-22

‘My greatest fear is losing my wedding ring’

Weekend

PEOPLE THE NATION, Saturday, JUNE 30, 2012

Relat io

nship

11

I'll keep marrying till I die

o h w a b a s a M ld o r y -88 ives at the last count has 97 w

s i h n o s k a Spe h t a e d d e r u rumo

Alhaji Masaba

See Pages 16&17

12

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Crash of Okotie’s second marriage:

We’re shocked, sad

S

HOCK, sympathy and caution still characterise the atmosphere around yuppie Pastor Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church, a few days after he publicly announced the breakup of his four-year-old second marriage to delectable ex-wife Stephanie, at a Sunday morning worship service. The news, which immediately spread like wild fire across the country, jolted many who could not help but recall the glamour and public support that followed his marriage just four years ago.

Memories of his break-up with Tina, his first wife, remain fresh in the mind. Tina, who had come all the way with him for 14 years, had travelled to America where her prolonged stay caused members of the church anxiety. It took Pastor Okotie time before he finally announced more or less in the same manner he did just last Sunday of the crash of his marriage to Tina his first wife, at a service in his church. “Tina was not coming home to the marriage anymore,” he had said. The marriage was over and he was moving on.

When our reporters visited the church during the mid-week service, the first of such since Pastor Okotie made his second famous marriage break-up speech, the mood that enveloped the church reminded one of the same mood that characterised the church when Tina left.

Everywhere, there were echoes of un-answered questions. For most of the members who longed for more answers, they defied the rain of Wednesday, to ensure their presence in church. The expectation was much. They wanted to know more. What could have made their jerrycurled pastor to separate from his second wife Stephanie, who until that Sunday was usually called ‘mummy’ at the church?

After the praise worship, Pastor Okotie, in an all-white kaftan, stepped into the church, escorted by security men like the pop star that he had been many years ago. When he got to the pulpit, he took over the microphone and went into singing and spiritual chant. He had transformed to the spiritual realm. He spoke in tongues, jumped and gyrated all over as members flowed along to catch up with his pace. For many inside the church, he was the centre of attraction. They just stared at him, with much feelings for him, feelings that they could not express to him, which they would have loved to express. Many among them would have loved to wrap him up and tell him, ‘it is well’ because, once again, their loving pastor is alone, and the church is now without a ‘mummy.’

Finally, it was time for the pastor’s sermon, and the members shifted on their seats, with much expectation that here again, the pastor would tell them more about his separation from his second wife Stephanie. But he talked on how to grow in Christianity; how to grow into maturity and be in tune with and in a solid relationship with God.

–Church members, celebrities

•Suspense at Household of God’s mid-week service Paul UKPABIO It was a moving sermon, which told the church members that their pastor is moving on in his relationship with God. He may not have matured fully, but he is in the process of maturing, and hopes one day, to mature fully. As for Stephanie and that marriage, he did not say a word. Pastor Okotie has moved on…?

What some members said after midweek service

•Okotie with ex-wife Stephanie

Around the vicinity of the Household of God Church, the members shied away from dropping comments on the break-up as the church ground bristled with security. You would think the church had advised the members not to talk about the incident. But not so outside the church. The members commented freely about the incident but most pleaded to remain anonymous.

Mandy: We are sad. And right now, we are worried about our pastor, worried about how this marriage separation is going to affect him.

Personally, I wish it didn’t happen.

Ayo: I don’t want to talk about it. It is his personal decision. I don’t know what happened and what made him take the decision. I am a family man, I take decisions in my house and when I do, I don’t expect people to change it or scold me for it. I would have talked more if it was some other matter. This is my pastor’s matter, not mine.

Chuks: Definitely, there are unanswered questions. What beats me is that there was no indication at all. I meanwhile, I have been attending Household all this while, I can’t believe what is happening. I don’t know what to say.

Mummy B: Something is wrong somewhere.

No two people live together for that long and then part without something having taken place. I was hoping that Pastor would tell us more today, but he didn’t. That cannot stop my family and I from attending the church though. It didn’t stop us when he parted ways with his first wife. It won’t stop us now. My husband didn’t come today because he is not around. If he was around, he

•...When the going was good

13

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

just any casual reason. You marry a woman because you want to share your life and love with the woman. If what they professed they had in their hearts for each other was genuine, then I don’t think they will get themselves to the point of separation.

Right now, they are not disclosing the issues that led them to this. But they just agreed to separate. As to your question about the church not having fore-knowledge of what was going to take place last Sunday, I will say that Pastor Kris has always been a very private person, he is somebody that makes his business his business.

Personally, if I say that I did not see it coming, I will not be sincere. For instance, I have been with Stephanie in the church and I have seen her. Pastor Kris needs the right hand. He is a pastor and a teacher, anybody he gets married to, needs to have a vast knowledge of the Bible. I think they got married because they have been friends for long.

•Front view of Household of God Church

•Tee Mac

would have been here.

Sister Esther: Our Pastor needs our prayers at this time. I feel terribly sad. It is a blow to me because the pastor and his wife were a beautiful couple.

The woman is so beautiful, but God knows best. Who are we to judge them? We cannot judge them. Like I said, God knows best.

Dapo: I feel for Pastor, truly I feel for him. He is such a gentleman, only God knows what went wrong. It can’t be an easy decision for them, but one cannot rule out childlessness.

You remember that it was an issue in his first marriage.

•Obaze

•Ita-Giwa

Women are particular about having children for their husbands. I don’t think Stephanie will be an exception, even if she had already had children in another marriage.

What some celebrities say: Senator Ita Giwa (Politician) I think marriage is a private thing between a couple, and not something that the public should influence. It is a private thing if a couple have any difference between each other, they should call themselves together and sort it out between them. I know Pastor Kris Okotie and I know

they will sort it out with each other. It is beyond us, it is beyond the public. It is their private matter.

Bashorun Dele Momodu (Publisher) It is sad and unfortunate that the marriage did not work. I feel like a stakeholder in that marriage. I attended their wedding and I was very excited about the love they exuded openly. Pastor Kris has been my friend of many years. He is a man who supported me all the way during my exile years. So I feel very bad that this is happening again to him. But then, he is a human being like the rest of us. Being a pastor does

Everywhere, there were echoes of un-answered questions. For most of the members who longed for more answers, they defied the rain of Wednesday, to ensure their presence in church. The expectation was much. They wanted to know more. What could have made their jerry-curled pastor to separate from his second wife Stephanie, who until that Sunday was usually called ‘mummy’ at the church?

,

not make you less human. What I like about him is that he is a very brave man, who is ready to carry his cross alone at any time.

Even Jesus our Lord carried His own cross at a time. So there is nothing strange or new in men of God going through trials and tribulations. If he finds love again, I don’t think anything should stop him from doing so.

He cannot live alone perpetually. Every man needs a good companion. So we can only pray that God will find him a permanent companion.

He should not be discouraged.

As to your question whether he should marry a foreigner, I will say that it does not matter where a woman comes from, a human being is a human being.

But I do not think that his choice of a wife should be limited to his church members.

A man should look beyond his immediate environment for a marital partner. In a relationship, one person must make the move.

Gloria Doyle (Musician) I actually feel a lot about marital issues. Pastor should settle down and go out for the right reasons before taking the step. You don’t marry a woman because she is beautiful, you don’t marry a woman because of

Tee Mac (Musician) There is no point two people living together as husband and wife, if they are not happy with each other. Happiness is very important in any relationship.

Two people can only live and be happy with each other, if it is so sanctioned by God. But if they both think that it will save both of them a lot of stress by living apart from each other or separating from each other, then it is best they do so. There is nothing like ‘till death do us apart’ anymore, that injunction is outdated. We are in modern times and every relationship has to be guided by love and happiness. It is correct for Pastor Kris and his wife to split if the love and happiness that joined them together are no longer there. Anyway, I believe that two people can live together without being married. I wish Pastor Kris Okotie all the best and also wish his ex-wife Stephanie all the best.

Benny Obaze (House of Bevista, City Clothier) The separation between Pastor Kris Okotie and wife Stephanie is unfortunate. I feel for the pastor, but he probably knows best. But if you are in a marriage and it is not working out, instead of living in despair or a pretentious life, it’s better to end the relationship. Pastor Kris has been my friend and pastor, so I am sure that the decision that he has made is good for him and his now separated wife. So like he said, I think we should respect his privacy. What I can do is to pray for him so that he can find his true love. I believe something must have gone wrong which we are not privy to.

Marriage is a very difficult thing. We can never know the whole details of what went wrong. However, God said that it is not good for a man to be alone. So I am advising him to marry again, if he sees the right partner. I support him to remarry because a marriage did not work does not make him a bad man or does it make Stephanie a bad woman. It was an irreconcilable difference.

People can get to a point that they cannot reconcile and it becomes best for them to separate, instead of living a pretentious life. I’ve known the pastor over the years, he is not pretentious. He is straight. He is still a young man, in his early 50s, and a pastor of a very big church. So he should find a good partner who will serve God with him.

,

14

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

•Recovered IED hidden in black polytene bag

•Recovered IED powered by generator

•Recovered IED concealed in an empty groundnut oil tin

T

HE Commissioner of Police in charge of Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD), Foluso Adebanjo, has said a basic training programme in EOD the force has organised for some of its men would boost the staff strength of the command and enhance its ability to be proactive in voiding the effectiveness of bombs planted by anti-social elements.

Speaking as a representative of the Inspector General of Police at the commencement of the basic EOD training course 15(b)/2012 for anti-bomb technicians and investigators at the Traffic Training Wing of the Police College, Lagos, penultimate Tuesday, Adebanjo said the training programme became necessary because of the need to identify and detonate explosive items and attend to other emergency situations.

He said the training programme was aimed at consolidating the successes already recorded by antibomb units across the country and to checkmate further destruction of lives and property of innocent citizens.

He said: “Since the beginning of this year, we have professionally deactivated and defused about 1,850 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) or home-made bombs across the country, out of which in Kano State alone, our EOD operatives have defused about 625 IEDs, while other states shared the remaining figures.”

He said the EOD men in the states have successfully disarmed and disabled high calibre IEDs and bombs, which would have caused very severe devastation and loss of lives and properties of innocent citizens.

He explained other efforts made to check the misuse and misapplication of explosives to include beefing up security and putting in place monitoring mechanisms in all explosive magazines across the country to prevent explosives and allied materials from getting to wrong hands.

He also revealed that the EOD Command and all their units are engaged in aggressive sensitisation of the public on ways to identify basic IED components and bomb threat response techniques.

He said the Explosive Ordinary Disposal Command was poised to utilise their resources in the fourweek intensive training for the 200 policemen mobilised for this course, to ensure that they pass out as credible, efficient and intelligent officers; men with formidable foundation who are ready to imbibe the ethics of modern policing for better service delivery to the citizenry. He said the trainees would derive enormous benefits from the EOD basic training, in theory and in practice.

He told the participants, who

•Bomb Basket for neutralising bombs andIEDs

Ebele BONIFACE were drawn from various police commands across the country, that it is more or less a new, expensive and, indeed, a transition from their conventional police life to a more complex professional duty, as it involves explosives and its allied materials. He said the onus was on them as individuals to be determined to join in the fight against terrorism and to serve their fatherland.

He advised the trainees to shun bad practices, laziness, unethical conduct and indiscipline, which he said the command would not tolerate during and after the training.

He noted that there would be no limit to the training, saying the basic training is just the beginning, while the Inspector General of Police is working on effective capacity building for EOD personnel by emphasizing training and retraining. He said what IGP meant in effect was that they would further be involved in more local and advanced training abroad, which would be aimed at sharpening their skills to combat the menace of IEDs, improve upon the quality of training received and to enhance proficiency and professionalism.

He said today, the people are more concerned about controlling the acts of insurgency; a feeling he said touches the mind of the Inspector General of Police and prompted his approving the training and mobilisation of additional 500 policemen into the EOD Command.

On the necessary equipment, he said the IGP had provided so much that there would be no reason to fail him. He also said the impact of the EOD Command’s services was being felt all over the country and beyond, as it had detonated almost 2,000 bombs.

On the quality of the personnel undergoing the training, Adebanjo, flanked by his assistant, ACP Kehinde Eboka, said the participants were well grounded in science and technological know-how to be able to undergo the training successfully.

He said the hazards involved make it paramount for a participant to have knowledge in science and technology as well as a sharp mind.

He assured of quick response to EOD distress calls 08127156222 and 08126373635 and the email address, bombfor@hotmail.com, as their priority is to save lives and property.

The EOD commissioner solicited the cooperation of the public in the roles they are expected to play in the task of saving lives and property, especially being security-conscious to detect strange objects and alerting his men on time.

He solicited the cooperation of members of the public to report any suspicious objects found anywhere or reasonably suspected to be Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), stressing that such suspected objects should not be tampered with.

CP Foluso also said that any person with such information should contact the police in his neighbourhood immediately or the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Units in the state. He said useful informa-

‘

He advised the trainees to shun bad practices, laziness, unethical conduct and indiscipline, which he said the command would not tolerate during and after the training

,

Police launch initiative to counter bombings, train 500 new anti-terrorists tion to the police would help to avert most of the bombings in the country and reassured the public of EOD Command’s efforts to control the misuse and misapplication of Improvised Explosive Devices by societal deviants.

Commending the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed D. Abubakar, he said his support, commitment and initiatives had made their duty less cumbersome and enhanced their productivity.

Citing an example, he said one of such IGP’s initiatives is the approval for the training and mobilisation of additional 500 policemen, out of which 100 policemen had been trained and posted to beef up EOD units in states across the country, while another batch of 200 policemen will start training this month.

During the graduation ceremony for the basic EOD training course 15(a) 2012 Bomb Technicians and Investigators, he said besides the unfortunate civil war of 1967 to 1970, Nigeria has relatively been peaceful and that suicide bombing was alien to Nigerians who were generally referred to as the happiest people in the world. He said today, the situation is different and the EOD Command must rise to the challenges facing the country.

Explaining how the command came into existence, he said it came into being in 1976, shortly after the end of the Nigerian civil war, to take care of the unexploded ordinances and mines which were posing danger to the inhabitants of the Eastern part of the country.

He stressed that the EOD, which started as a unit in 1976, metamorphosed to a squadron in 1982 and grew into a full command in 2008, headed by a Commissioner of Police. He said its functions had expanded to match the current trend in terrorism, which has claimed the lives and property of many innocent Nigerians.

He also revealed that the EOD Command, which had been facing the challenge of inadequate manpower, has now been relieved of the problem as the IGP is determined to tackle the security challenges relating to the use of IEDs by increasing the operational workforce of the command. He said Abubakar, in his wisdom, approved the mobilisation and training of additional 500 officers and men.

He told the graduands that he believed that all of them knew what was expected of them at a bombing scene, having been taught the rudiments of post-blast investigations and that such phrases as “soak time”, “seat of explosion” and “sympathetic explosion” were no longer alien to them. He also said the training was aimed at equipping them adequately well and strengthening their capabilities to confront the security challenges posed by IEDs and their associated threats.

He said some of them would be sent for further training locally and in countries known for their achieve-

ment in EOD technology, such as the United States of America, Germany, Israel and the United Kingdom, stressing, “in EOD, there is no level where training stops.”

He told those that were graduating that they must take everything they were taught with all seriousness because they would be dealing with dangerous objects. He charged them to always endeavour to do the Nigeria Police proud wherever they are posted to serve. He also commended them for all the self-discipline they exhibited throughout the duration of the course, which he said must reflect in their conduct on the field.

It will be recalled that during the declaration of the basic EOD training course 15(a) 2012 on May 2, 2012, at the Police College Traffic Training Wing, Ikeja, Lagos, CP Foluso explained to participants that crime is a threat to the security of any nation and a secured state is a fertile ground for economic, political, social and wholesome advancement, while an unfriendly climate precludes both external and internal investment. Hence, the command’s mission or objective is to combat misapplication of explosives and allied accessories by societal deviants against national security and economic interests He said the duties and constitutional roles of EOD include detection, identification, recovery and disposal of explosives; inspection and control of commercial explosives or radio-active materials which are legally imported, to ensure that the importation is in accordance with import license issued by the relevant authorities; to provide escort of explosive or radio-active materials to prevent loss of control; provision of security for important events to ensure bomb-free environments.

Others, he said, include the provision of specialised EOD security services at airports, seaports and other entry points; provision of security at key and vulnerable points such as explosives, magazines, oil and related facilities; prevention of sabotage at government installation; investigation of cases involving the use of explosives and appearances in court to give evidence; attending proactively to cases of bomb blasts through the use of IEDs in any part of the country; public enlightenment on the hazardous nature of explosives and other toxic chemicals and the relevant safety or precautionary measures to police institutions, government and other interested organisations; general enforcement of explosive and mining regulations and laws and the Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Agency legislations; and to ensure public safety by combating vandalisation of oil pipelines.

He said the frightening lethal use of explosives manifests itself in form of suicide bombings, arson, vehicle borne IEDs, destruction of private and governmental establishments, while security agencies’ offices and residents have become targets of attacks.

15

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

R

ESIDENTS of No 7, Oluwabamigbe Street, New Town, Ondo State, were thrown into mourning penultimate week after some revenue collectors attached to Ondo West Local Government Area allegedly killed a 71-yearold widow, Mrs. Victoria Ogunti.

The three council officials (names withheld) were said to have stormed the residence of the woman in order to collect tenement rate from her.

Ogunti was said to have explained to the council officials that she had no money to give to them. She, however, promised to pay the due sum at a later date.

Her pleas were said to have fallen on the deaf ears of the council officials who allegedly insisted on collecting the money before leaving her residence. In the ensuing argument, Ogunti was allegedly pushed down by one of the visitors and she fell into a coma.

All the efforts made to revive her yielded no fruit.

A resident, Rhoda Akinyelure, who was at the scene, told our correspondent that when the three council officials arrived Ogunti’s residence to demand the tenement fees for the building and a shop where she sold provisions, she pleaded with them to come back at a later date.

Akinyelure added: “When they would not leave her alone, she left them and went into her apartment, because she had come out of the bathroom to attend to them. I guess her action angered the council officials who overreached themselves and lashed out at her for daring to ask them to come back for payment.

“The matter resulted in an argument and one of the furious council officials pushed her down.

She passed out immediately and all the efforts made to revive her were fruitless.

“Ironically, the deceased woman was a member of the ruling Labour Party (LP) in this community. It is so unfortunate that she was killed by officials of a local government area controlled by Labour Party.”

Findings revealed that the deceased was rushed to a private hospital where doctors pronounced her dead.

Recalling the deceased’s last moments, a source, who asked not to be named, said: “When Mama (Ogunti) was pushed down by one of the cruel revenue collectors, she passed out instantly.

“Those of us at the scene tried in vain to bring her back to life.

She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.

“The revenue collectors were reckless and callous in their conduct. It is high time they were brought to justice to serve as deterrent to their colleagues who are in the habit of collecting revenue by force.”

After the incident, angry residents marched to the headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area, threatening to burn it down. It took the intervention of men of the Enu Owa Police Division to douse the tension by promptly arresting the council officials.

Recalling the protest that followed Ogunti’s death, Michael Adeniyi said: “The council officials would have seen hell, but they ran away as soon as Mama passed out. But residents gave them a hot chase as they ran back to the council secretariat.

“They would have razed their office and set the suspects ablaze but for the timely

•The late Mrs. Ogunti

How three Ondo council officials allegedly killed 71-year-old widow over tenement rate Kunle AKINRINADE intervention of policemen who apprehended them.”

A police source, who asked not

to be named, told our correspondent that the suspects had been transferred to Ondo Police Command Headquarters, Akure, for further investigation.

The source said: “It is true that

the council officials who allegedly beat the woman to death were arrested and detained at Enu Owa Police Division. But they have since been transferred to our

headquarters in Akure. I cannot say more because I am not permitted to speak in official capacity.”

One of the children of the deceased, Miss Kehinde Ogunti, said the family would stop at nothing to get justice. The bereaved student of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, explained how she had left Lagos to collect her school fees without an inkling that she was coming to witness her mother’s death.

She said: “Mama had asked me to come for my school fees and I left Lagos without knowing that I would not meet her alive.

“One of my siblings, who lived with Mama, told me that some council revenue collectors asked Mama to pay them tenement rate but she explained to them that she had no money. She actually asked them to come back later.

But they said they would not leave until she had paid them.

They subsequently pushed her to the floor in the middle of an argument and she died.”

She explained further that the deceased woman was hale and hearty before the incident, accusing the council officials of being insensitive.

She said: “Mama was not suffering from any illness at all.

She was hale and hearty until the callous government officials killed her. In fact, you would mistake her for a young woman because of her looks.

“What we want is justice because Mama was our only backbone. We lost our father about 10 years ago and Mama had been the one responsible for our upkeep and education, including the two children of our late elder brother. Who will take care of us now that our mother has been killed by heartless revenue collectors?”

A community leader, Yomi Akinnibosun, described the incident as unfortunate, adding that the community would ensure that the matter was not swept under the carpet.

He said: “Many of the council revenue collectors are glorified thugs. You only need to witness how they conduct themselves in public, all in the name of collecting revenue. Why should a senior citizen be treated in such a condemnable manner?

“I want to assure you that we won’t allow this matter to go just like that. We are prepared to take it up until justice is done. If these errant council revenue collectors are prosecuted accordingly, it will serve as a lesson for their colleagues and stave off a repeat of the incident in future.”

Confirming the incident on the telephone, the Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Aremu Adeniran, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, explained that the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

Adeniran said: “Yes, it’s true that the deceased was allegedly pushed to death by some revenue officials from Ondo West Local Government who went to her residence to demand for payment of tenement rate.

“From what we have gathered, the masterminds are ad hoc staff of the council. However, the suspects are still in our custody and the case is now being handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department.

“We shall treat the matter with the urgency it deserves at the completion of a thorough investigation.”

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

•Some of his wives

•Abubakar Masaba

Six years ago, he was harassed by security agencies who also detained him because he had 86 wives. Today, the number of his wives has risen to 97. In this interview with JIDE ORINTUNSIN, Nigeria’s super polygamist and Islamic cleric, 88-year-old Alhaji Mohammed Bello Abubakar Masaba Bida, says he is not done yet. He also speaks about his rumoured death in his Bida country home. Excerpts:

L

AST Saturday, the news of your death was everywhere.

How did you feel about the incident that threw many of your followers into confusion?

At about 1: 30 am on Saturday, I received a phone call but I did not know who the caller was. When I

picked the call and tried to exchange pleasantries with the caller, he responded in Hausa language. He requested to speak with Alhaji Mohammed Bello Masaba and I said I was the one speaking.

I asked how he got my telephone number, but instead of answering

I would have taken only two wives but I’m fulfilling a divine assignment — Super polygamist Masaba the question, he expressed surprised that I was still alive.

According to him, he had been fed with the false news of my sudden death. The caller, who told me that he was calling from Kano State, said the rumour going round the state was that I was dead. I thanked him for his concern about my well-being. I also told him that if my time was up, I would definitely die. I pleaded with him to help me tell his people that I was hale and hearty and that I suffer no ailment.

At the last count, I received about 125 phone calls from within and outside the country on Saturday. I received phone calls from Kano, Sokoto, Abuja, Nasarawa and even from so many people in Lagos State where I resided before I returned home some years ago. So many people also trooped to my house to catch a glimpse of me and to ascertain that I am not dead. I am alive, despite the wicked

rumour being peddled by my detractors who want me dead. They may have wished me dead, but they are not God who created me.

It is from God that I came, and to Him I shall return. But it is not yet time for me to die, because I am yet to accomplish the tasks Allah assigned me to do here on earth. I know that after I must have fulfilled the tasks given to me, He will ask me to come back to Him. With the volume of telephone calls and the people who trooped in to know if you were actually dead, are you not afraid that you may die soon and leave your 97 wives and many children in crisis?

I am not afraid at all because I am a servant of Allah. I am more emboldened that those disgruntled elements who are opposed to what I am doing are ungodly people and they had tried so many times in the past to cause distraction for me. But I am not

bothered because God has always made me to triumph over them despite their evil machinations. I do not nurse ill-feelings against them because they are so insignificant even in the presence of God. The only person I can be angry with is the devil and all his handiworks.

In the past, those who have seen me as their enemies that should be conquered have tried unsuccessfully to harm me in the spirit world. Their occultism has no effect on me and my household.

These people I am referring to are not Christians, but my fellow Muslim brothers who are not comfortable with what I am doing. But my hope is in God Almighty who has been shielding me from their evil plans. These people are in the habit of destroying men of God for saying the truth, and I think this is not good enough.

Why are they fighting you?

The fact remains that those who

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

•His house in Bida

•Masaba leading prayer

‘

Large number of wives? I only have 97 wives. I am still going to marry more. I will keep marrying them for as long I am alive. Whoever is fighting me because of my wives or love life, such an individual has missed it. Left for me, I would have married maybe two wives, but what I am doing is divine. It is an assignment and I will keep marrying till the end of time...

,

are telling the truth or doing the right things and condemning openly what they consider as bad can never work with those whose paths are crooked or perpetual liars. They went to India to fight me; they failed. Do you believe that I have been informed about the identities of the people who were

spreading falsehood against me and I was advised to go and report them to the security agencies?

But my response is that they should be left alone because I am not bothered by their antics. They are mere human beings and inconsequential persons in the presence of God. As far as I am concerned, I

have turned deaf ears to them.

One worrisome development is the security challenges that are facing the country, particularly the bomb attacks on churches, which led to reprisal attacks in Kaduna last week...

Muslims who are involved in such dastardly acts or who are

planning to join forces with such terrorist groups to unleash mayhem on the Christians during worship sessions at their churches have become accused persons before God. Also, any group of Christians who plan to attack their Muslim brothers and sisters in mosques during Juma’at service will be condemned before God. But what we are witnessing in the northern parts of the country about the attacks on churches by some terrorists group under the auspices of Boko Haram should not be considered a religious war but an attack by a group of disgruntled elements.

If we Muslims must be sincere to ourselves in this country, how many times have we been attacked by our Christian brothers when we are praying in the mosque? The decisions of some undesirable elements that have resorted to killing innocent citizens who are mostly ordinary Nigerian and members of the Christian fold should be condemned by every right-thinking person. But the federal and state governments should be held responsible for their inability to arrest and prosecute such offenders since the beginning of the crises in the country so that it will serve as a deterrent to other people who might be planning to launch attacks on public and private properties as well as killing and maiming their compatriots under whatever guise.

Even after the civil war in 1970, no individual or group of persons threw bombs anywhere in the country. During the turbulent period in the annals of the Nigerian nationhood, there was no case of anybody or group of persons attacking any Christian or Muslim with bomb explosions. But any discernible mind ought to have wondered why there has been prevalence of bomb attacks with Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s civilian administration at the centre. The government should take a look at the history of the administrations before it and research into what could be responsible for the incessant bomb attacks in some parts of the country and why the government has been rendered helpless in the face of the daunt-

ing security challenges. Nigerians should ask how long Mr. President will continue to watch helplessly.

For those of us from the northern part of this country, we should ask ourselves this honest question: why is it that bomb explosion is peculiar to the northern part of the country? Why have we not been having similar ugly incidents in the South-West where we have equally large number of Muslim faithful and Christian adherents, or in the South-East?

We should endeavour to know why this region is prone to bomb attacks. Why are there bomb explosions in Kano, Kaduna, Suleja, Madalla, Abuja, Jos, Zaria, Bauchi, Damaturu, Biu and Maiduguri, among other northern cities? It is very sad that leaders in the region, who are supposed to condemn the ugly incident and proffer a lasting solution to the problem have kept sealed lips over the shameful and ungodly trend. I am now wondering whether we should allow these undesirable elements to destroy the peace of our people and portray us as bad people.

Northern leaders should rise to the occasion and stop the madness among our youths. I am not afraid of anybody and I think I must say the truth. I think we can co-exist without causing harm to one another. I will not condone this nonsense being perpetrated by the so-called faceless Boko Haram sect members.

You seem to be hard on the dreaded Boko Haram sect. Don’t you think you are calling for their wrath?

My annoyance was borne out of the fact that the government has not prosecuted and convicted any of the suspected Boko haram members in their custody. They are faceless people and whoever kills his fellow human being will not find the favour of God both on earth and in the hereafter.

What is your advice to Christians whose places of worship are being attacked and their members killed or wounded?

They should continue to exercise restraint, pray to God to touch the hearts of their assailants. They should refuse to be drawn into retaliation by these undesirable elements, because no one has sent these disgruntled elements to go and attack Christians’ places of worship, except by their evil thoughts and deeds. We should blame the security problems facing the country on our leaders’ inability to say the truth, corruption and selfishness.

Last April, you clocked 88 years, but you are looking young and smart, even with your large number of wives. What is the secret?

Large number of wives? I only have 97 wives. I am still going to marry more. I will keep marrying them for as long I am alive. Whoever is fighting me because of my wives or love life, such an individual has missed it. Left for me, I would have married maybe two wives, but what I am doing is divine. It is an assignment and I will keep marrying till the end of time.

I just want to advise those fighting against the number of my wives to stop because such people are waging war against God, their creator.

What is your word to our leaders?

My advice to our leaders at all levels is that they should have the interest of the people they are ruling in their hearts and provide for the needs of the people. Today in the country, less than 10 per cent of the population are living comfortably while the remaining 90 per cent are suffering. Let them do what is right, shun corruption and avoid avarice.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

•Akinrinade

My greatest fear is losing my wedding ring —Osun varsity VC ,

Professor Sola Akinrinade is the Vice-Chancellor of the Osun State University. He assumed office as the pioneer vice-chancellor of the institution in August 2007. His tenure expires in a couple of weeks. GBENGA ADERANTI met him at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Osun State where he talked about Nigerian university education and administration and his life. Excerpts:

E

VERYWHERE is in darkness. What could be responsible for this in a university environment?

Power failure is not a recent phenomenon in this country. It has been there for ages. I graduated from here (Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1981.

But I remember that in those days, each time there was power outage, the generator would pick up immediately. It is a major problem because no university can function properly without power supply.

Research is crippled, teaching and learning is affected. Experiments are conducted in laboratories, which require power supply. And university is not a commercial enterprise; it is a social service.

The important thing is that these things must be available at public cost; not something that we should be priding ourselves that our generator is functioning efficiently.

It is a failure of the public system that the generator is functioning. If the public network is working properly, for God’s sake, nobody should be talking of an efficient generator. It is a shame really that we have degenerated to the level that we

are talking about efficient generator, efficient solar system. We should have regular electricity generated by public supply. That, for me, is the way forward and we need to address it because it crippling our institutions.

If you go to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, almost every minute of the day, a generator is running. That is not supposed to be the case. Even the noise of the generator is enough to distract those who are sick, and we need to address this.

Assuming that we have resigned to our fate in respect of public power supply, I think those who are manning the generators should be on stand-by to start it as soon as there is power outage.

Don’t let us argue too far. In 1991, the population in the university was nothing compared to what it is today. When I was an undergraduate, our enrolment rose from 6,000 to 10,000. What you needed to service that population is nothing compared to what you need to service the population of 30,000 now. And the cost of powering the generator, that is the diesel, you can imagine the phenomenal cost. If you are

spending N10, 000, N20, 000, N80,000 per hour to run diesel, you know what that means to the income of the university. It is not so much about the people that are supposed to mind the generator; it is whether they can even afford to turn on the generator in the first instance.

When we run the generator for an hour, 100kv, that is 105 litre per hour. Multiply that by 150. That is not the same thing as getting supply from the PHCN. By the time the chief executive calculates how much he has spent in a week and how much is coming from the regulatory authorities as overhead cost for the university, the question you will ask yourself is where does he get the balance? He is not going to spend his salary to run generator and he is not going to divert funds that have not been approved.

I think the universities should be able to generate their own power…

You see, we’ve heard that story so many times. Can’t the university generate its own power supply? But the cost of hydro electric generation is not cheap. They might be able to do it, but the cost of maintaining it, can they? The usage, does it justify the

investment? What is the total voltage they are using in a day to justify having to build a hydro electricity or solar power? Look at gas turbine; these things cost billions. The question you ask yourself is yes, the knowledge is there to be able to do it, but in terms of efficiency of cost, is it worth it?

Let’s suppose I’m generating electricity for Osun State University. One, I can’t even use the minimum that I need for it to be efficient. It means that people in my neighbourhood must be ready to buy from me. But can they buy at the cost price of what I’m generating compared with the wider system provided by PHCN, which is not efficient but which is better in terms of cost? If we are going to generate power as an institution, it is required that we have to sell at minimum percentage return for profit so that people will be able to maintain what you are running. What it means is that it will not be efficient in terms of cost. Yes, you can generate by yourself and sell to others, but who is ready to buy from you? At what cost?

What many institutions have resorted to is to introduce alternative power system for some critical equipment, especially laboratory equipment. The question is how long can we continue like this? And we want to compete internationally when you are bothering yourself with something they have taken for granted? These are some of the things we have to address if we want to compete internationally.

People talk about falling standard of education, but you see a six-year-old child that is computer literate when some years back, many people never dreamt of computers. What is your take on this?

You see, I’ve heard general comments that standard of education has fallen. If you read my interview with a newspaper some months ago, I disagreed totally.

Standard is not the same thing as implementation. Standard is objective. You need to achieve this. If you are in Primary Three, you should know this; if you are in Primary Five, you should know this; if you are in JSS2, you should know this; those are the standards. If you compare what our children are required to know today with their age mates in the time past, today is a far higher standard than it was in the past.

I will give you a typical example: by the time my children were in primary four, I could hardly help them with their Mathematics, because what they were learning was not what we learnt in the secondary school. That is one level. The other thing is in the depth of the work they were doing; that is the number of subjects they are taking now. When we were in the secondary school, until you got to Form Three, you offered a maximum of 10 subjects. Now it is about 17, including such subjects like entrepreneurship education, computer studies and sexuality education. These are critical knowledge and skill that you need to survive in today’s world, which they are being equipped with. Now, that is the standard.

The question is, are we able to implement that standard?

The Nigerian Educational Development Research Council, which is in charge of curriculum development in the country, is busy trying to refine and redevelop the curricula for most of our subjects. I was part of the team that developed the civics of the programme, the new one for secondary schools. Now, what they are supposed to be learning today is far higher than what they are learning. Even in my own undergraduate days, the things we learnt, the history we studied, the world has gone beyond that. We have to upgrade ourselves. We have to upgrade our capacity. We have to do better than we are doing. But the critical question is these higher standards, are we able to implement it? That is the issue, and I believe that in most cases, we are not.

The capacity of our teachers at every level is reduced. I said somewhere that our teachers, particularly at the junior level, are getting bigger certificates and lower knowledge. When we were in primary school, we were thought by those that had Standard Six, some by Grade Two, or Grade Three teachers. You could not get NCE teachers teaching in the primary schools. Now, in most primary schools, the least qualification is NCE. And we have many graduates teaching in primary schools now. But does that make them better teachers? Why is it that our pupils’ •Continued on page 22

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Saturday

THRILLER

Justice by juju On the trail of hunters, night guards and local vigilance groups

•Continued on Page 20

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

20

On the trail of hunters, night guards and local vigilance groups A

dying firelight glowed amid the remains of the simmering hearth.

Fumes twirled tiredly from the glowing ember and whirled lazily skywards into the darkness. Out of the blackness, some youths in badly worn jean emerged to train the muzzle of his gun at the reporter, bellowing insolently as he did. “Hold it!” he cried, like a hyper-active police corporal at an illicit check-point.

“Inner light!” he barked as the reporter cruised to a halt. Closer, the gun-totter loomed menacingly, fingering the trigger of his rifle as he cast icy glances into the car.

A surreptitious wave, a piercing whistle like a cricket’s chirp, and seven other figures emerged from the gloom to swoop menacingly on the car, barking invectives and throwing questions like poisoned darts.

Impatiently and quite threateningly, they inquired about the reporter’s whereabouts and destination at 11:35 pm. Minutes later, they waved the reporter on, clutching their cocked rifles like a disappointed army unit storming a deserted enemy camp. Few paces onwards, about 15 metres to be precise, another checkpoint loomed forebodingly in the darkness. Unlike the preceding one, it had just one person, an aged cripple, manning it. Unlike the hyper-active youths in the rear, he brandished no rifle neither did he bark in practiced icy tones, he simply waved the car to stop leaning forward to peer in at the occupant.

Save the amulets on his arms and a long eel-like whip dangling sinisterly in his left hand, he presented no threat even at close range. They call him Baba Bilisi (Tragedy).

Further findings would reveal that he is in fact more of a threat than the various teams wielding assault rifles and machetes along Itele road, Ogun State.

Together, they constitute a formidable force of vigilance groups patrolling the Ogun State Township, every night till daybreak; however, unlike most of his peers, Baba Bilisi operates alone. He shows no mercy and takes no prisoners and woe betides any bandit that crosses his path before daybreak.

The Nation investigations revealed that nobody bothers to intervene or counsel Baba Bilisi and his colleagues to show suspected armed robbers or marauders mercy once they have been apprehended. And the reason is not far-fetched. Past experiences had shown that the suspected armed robbers arrested by the neighbourhood vigilante had regained their freedom few days after been handed over to the police.

“Usually, they come back to maim and kill everybody involved in their arrest,” disclosed a resident who simply described himself as Alhaji Jelil. Corroborating him, a member of one of the communities’ vigilance task force claimed: “Those law enforcement agents can hardly be trusted.

When we discovered that they accept bribe from armed robbers and let them back onto the streets, we decided to deal with them in our own way.”

And that “way” could involve any number of ways, according to him. “Simply put, we show no mercy,” he said, backing his disclosure with the argument that bitter experiences in the past have shown that armed robbers “show nobody any mercy.”

Frequent deadly attacks by armed robbers on various communities in the township taught each community to evolve its peculiar breed of neighbourhood watch or what is widely known in the local parlance as vigilance watch.

Similar informal policing measures are practised in various cities and rural communities across the country. “It involves the natives looking out for themselves since local law enforcement agencies cannot be trusted,” argued Nnamdi Okojie, a pastor

•Many suspected armed robbers like these use charms as protection, prompting local vigilance groups to do likewise

Olatunji OLOLADE, Assistant Editor and farmer based in Itele.

Thus every night, at around 11:30 pm, able youths across different communities strap their guns to their backs and walk through their neighbourhood blowing shrilly on whistles or banging on large metal bells to let the residents know that they are being watched over, even as they alert rampaging and heavily armed robbers to the reality that their likely target areas are being competently guarded.

Why vigilante?

The increasing incidence of crime since the end of the military regime has favoured the proliferation of heavily armed vigilance groups across the country. Often times, vigilance groups have their origin in political or militant organisations designed to ensure that the interests of specific ethnic groups in different parts of the country prevail.

With the general concern over crime, most of these groups have extended their scope to

vigilante activities.

The hunter guard system The institution of night guards which became central in between the 1930s and the 1950s in western Nigeria was initially unendorsed before being authorised by the colonial administration during World War II and then legalised in some parts of the Western province in the 1950s.

The Lagos newspapers and the colonial administration have used quite indifferently two expressions, i.e. night guard system and hunter guard system probably because the latter could designate both an organisation specifically composed by hunters and an organisation in which night guard activities could be assumed by various community members.

Hunters from the country were often used as night guards in many Yoruba cities in the 19th century before being forbidden by the British administration. The district officer suppressed them in Ibadan in 1903, where they were

considered too dangerous, and replaced them with a civil police force. Some communities soon re-introduced night guards in areas where criminal activities were important and the police absent on the border area between Dahomey and Nigeria, as early as the 1920s, and in Ikeja district (North of Lagos) in the early 1930s. In Mushin, a small locality within the district, migrant leaders banded together, formed seven Village Group Councils, asked for more police protection and finally set up night patrols using themselves and hiring guards.

Similarly, the Yoruba News indicated that, the best measure to protect Ibadan was to entrust the job to hunters as it was done in other towns, a measure which was taken a few weeks later.

Other articles and administrative reports stated that a similar system was operating during World War II both in Lagos and in many other smaller towns of the region and notably, Oshogbo, Ede, Ogbomosho, Ife and Oyo. Apparently, night guards, first introduced

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•A typical example of a protective amulet from criminals.

Ekeh argued that the fundamental structure of Nigerian government is so utterly corrupt and unaccountable to its citizenry that it cannot fulfill the most basic peacekeeping functions.

Under such conditions, argued Ekeh, the rise of vigilantism is not only likely but also inevitable.

•Obodo: local vigilance group claims credit for his rescue from his kidnappers, faulting police’s claim to have rescued him informally in many south-western cities in the 1930s, were then authorised after some hesitations by the colonial administration in various cities of the provinces and even in the Lagos colony at the beginning of the war. The context was actually quite particular: wave of armed burglaries in Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta were largely reported by the press whereas the NPF and NA policemen were depleted because they were enrolled in military service.

According to further findings, at least two types of night patrols functioned during this period: the ones organised by existing local authority and the ones set up by new associations of residents. In several wards of Ibadan, for instance, residents constituted themselves as ‘neighbourhood associations’ and asked some local police to patrol their area, adopting a curfew or imposed guidelines for the admittance of strangers. In January 1942, the district officer eventually authorized the Olubadan, the higher chief in the city, to set up a hunter guard system.

Asking the assistance of the chieftaincy assisted the colonial administration to regain control over a movement that tended to escape any form of administrative supervision.

Villainy or valour?

In May 2002, Human Rights Watch (HRW), in conjunction with a Nigerian NGO called Centre for Law Enforcement EducationNigeria (CLEEN), issued a report entitled “The Bakassi Boys: The Legitimisation of Murder and Torture.” The report condemned the extrajudicial crime-fighting activities of the Bakassi Boys, who had been conducting vigilance operations in the Igbo-speaking

region of Nigeria since the late 1990s. HRW argued that while vigilance action may have been initiated as a desperate effort by citizens to protect themselves from the rampant crime in the region, the vigilantes have now become a terror themselves, committing a range of atrocities including torture and execution without trial. The report chronicled the vigilante excesses and challenged the Nigerian government to prosecute the Bakassi Boys for their crimes and bring all law enforcement activities under control of the established federal criminal justice system.

Responses to HRW’s report came quickly from Nigerian pundits and intellectuals. Many of them, while agreeing for the most part with the facts cited, differed rather markedly regarding the report’s evaluation of the vigilante phenomenon. Many also took exception to HRW’s proposal that legal action against vigilantes and enhanced training for Nigerian police constituted an appropriate or adequate response to Nigeria’s intractable law enforcement crisis.

Peter Ekeh, a prominent contributor to the discourse, acknowledged what he calls the “courageous reports” issued by Human Rights Watch regarding the destructive activities of oil companies in the Niger Delta and other human rights abuses in Nigeria. He criticised HRW’s argument that the Bakassi Boys represented a resurgence of pre-colonial structures and practices suggesting that the explanation for the rise of vigilantism in Nigeria is “far less complicated.” Ekeh redirected attention to the deplorable conditions that, in his opinion, have made vigilante justice a necessary evil. Most crucially, he cited the complete failure of government to protect the civilian populace

Juju and justice The employment of various charms and occult abilities by both criminals and vigilantes is a central dramatic tradition of vigilante watch. The charms employed are of two main types: defensive charms, such as those that prevent harm from bullet or machete, and revelatory charms that are used to extract confessions. The charms purportedly protect the owner from injury and belief in the efficacy of such charms remains widespread.

For instance, many residents of Lafenwa, Itele, believe that no one could take on the armed robbers without adequate countercharms of power greater than the protective charms worn by the criminals.

Unlike the protective charms that are employed by robbers and vigilantes alike, revelatory charms are used by vigilantes to identify people of shady character particularly men of the underworld. Acceptance of the efficacy of these truth-seeking jujus is crucial to the claim that vigilantes can administer justice without recourse to due process of law.

Therefore, the historical provenance of the authority these charms are granted seems much more significant than Ekeh acknowledges when he dismisses the precolonial roots of vigilante justice in Nigeria not a few people have argued.

Truth-seeking jujus have a long and illustrious history in Nigeria, and despite colonial campaigns to destroy them and missionary efforts to discredit them, they remain important fixtures of village life and more recently, city life across the country.

Known as ariinsi or aliisi in Igbo, truthmediating jujus were at one time a central institution for justice in the region. One of the most famous Igbo arfinsi, Ibin Ukpabi, was located in a cave near Aro Chukwu. The British colonials recognized the authority vested in the shrine, which they called the “Long Juju,” and in 1900 they mounted an expedition into the “hinterlands” to destroy it.

While they successfully dynamited the cave and subsequently brought the region under colonial control, the priest of the ariinsi simply relocated it, and Ibin Ukpabi and the countless other shrines like it remained important mediators of justice in the region.

Portable oracles vested with power from a fixed shrine or independently imbued with such power were employed by secret societies and other social mediators to divine the truth in legal disputes. Jural guilds, such as the Ekpe society that originated in Calabar but exercised legal authority in communities more than a hundred miles up the Cross River, consisted primarily of traders allied to protect their goods and freedom to travel against the predation of thieves and slave raiders.

The case against armed vigilance groups The Nigerian Constitution prohibits the establishment of state and local police

precisely because ambitious leaders could employ local militias to oppose federal forces or silence political opposition. The official endorsement of vigilantism, however, may have provided governors with a legal loophole for doing just that. In late 2002, as Nigeria moved toward the 2003 elections, critics of the incumbent governors in some of the south-eastern states began to fall victim to a horrifying wave of brutal assassinations. Police reported their belief that the statesponsored squads were behind the killings of several opposition leaders.

A lack of clear distinction between authentic vigilance groups, political thugs, and renegade imposters however obscured the already murky status of vigilantism in Nigeria. As the vigilance actions against criminals became increasingly entangled with the suppression of earnest political opposition, the popular support for vigilantism began to wane. While some Nigerians still feel that their life is safer than it was before the vigilantes began their campaign against criminals, public opinion has become more pessimistic about the consequences of vigilantism. Nevertheless, not a few critics insist that such condemnations of vigilante activities as the HRW’s fails to understand that many Nigerians feel that reform must begin at the grassroots level. The vigilance movement, they allege is an armed uprising, not against the government, but against the absence of effective government. For Nigerians, this understanding of Nigeria’s predicament, while setting the requirements for reform quite high, has a certain practical plausibility that universal human rights prescriptions lack. It is a charter for a higher national destiny and code of ethics that must first be seized by people in their own communities rather than imposed from above by government or externally by international law.

The vigilance movement captures a shared vision of what Nigerians wish vigilantes could be, and what they unfortunately appear to have become.

Notwithstanding Stephanie Okwusigo, Manager of a private security firm argued that in all but exceptional situations, policing functions must be carried out by state agents. The Federal Government is directly responsible and accountable for the actions of all those who perform law enforcement functions, including any private groups to whom these functions have been devolved, and for ensuring that standards of human rights protection are met; any security system established outside the constitutional provisions of the country would do nobody any good in the long run, she said.

However, not a few Nigerians are less than confident that such a development is likely in the near future and so they focus their attention on their own com-munities.

This political realism is bluntly reduced to the slogan “fuck the world, save yourself’ emblazoned across a t-shirt worn by Ebube, the lead character in Issakaba 2, a movie that offers an alternative perspective into the Bakassi Boys controversial vigilance service in south-east Nigeria.

Eventually, most Nigerians would probably agree that vigilantism is not sustainable as a system of justice. When viewed from the ground, however, shouldering the gauntlet to cleanse their communities of crime seems a more plausible goal than depending on state law enforcement agencies.

“It’s a very sad situation. Most neighbourhoods today depend on local vigilance groups to guarantee peace and adequate security on their streets and their homes. In my neighbourhood (in Omole Estate, Ikeja) for instance, I contribute monthly to a security purse. The money is used to pay the salaries of the vigilance group employed to ensure security in the area. The action became necessary following the persistent failure of the police to guarantee our safety in the area,” revealed Busola Obanla, a Lagos-based hotelier.

“Many instances abound in which vigilance groups have proven to be more efficient in fighting crime than state law enforcement agencies,” he said, citing the recent kidnap and subsequent rescue of exSuper Eagles playmaker, Christian Obodo.

In the wake of Obodo’s rescue, a vigilance group in Delta State, Emevor Vigilante Group, expressed disappointment over claims by the Delta State Police Command on the rescue of kidnapped soccer star. The group claimed credit for the footballer’s rescue.

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•Continued frrom page 18 achievements in the national competitive examination are going down with all the higher qualifications of their teachers? You have people with MA degrees teaching in secondary schools; does that make them better teachers? We should be asking ourselves the question, where did we get it wrong? It not so much that standard has fallen but the capacity to implement the standard.

It takes longer time for a student to get a degree in Nigeria. Why is it so?

There are challenges on ground. There are basic and practical challenges to doctoral programmes for many of our departments, particularly the sciences.

You see, it is not so much the time you spent in doing PhD that matters, but the quality of the PhD. If you spend less than 6-7 years to do a PhD, it doesn’t mean you are doing a lesser job. Because you spend a longer time does not mean you are doing a poor job. The nature of your research sometimes determines how long you spend on the job.

But saying it is taking longer time, it is taking longer years here, it has not so much to do with research but the kind of environment people are working. The environment for research and administrative environment of doing it, all these are parts of the challenges at hand.

I will be reluctant to vilify our system, but I know that there are some bureaucratic delays that affect the speed at which our people do their work. The question is what is the cause of the delay?

People are worried about the number of private universities we have in Nigeria.

Do you think it is healthy?

Private universities are a necessity. The capacity of public institutions to absorb the number of candidates that applied for admission is limited. There are lots more candidates that are applying than our public institutions can absorb. Secondly, even the ones that are available, their facilities are stretched excessively.

Stretched because they are not growing at the speed at which they should. And that is a major thing, because we have so many candidates who pass the UME every year and they cannot get in. Over 70,000 applied to UNILAG as first choice this year.

UNILAG took about 6,000. What about the rest? UI, some 40,000 applied. They took about 3,000. What happened to the rest?

University of Ilorin, some 79,000 applied as first choice, and they were going to take about 5,000. What happened to the rest? If we don’t want to cause a social upheaval in this country, there is the need to address hundreds of thousands of our youth who are shut out of higher education every year.

Unfortunately, the private universities are not absorbing enough quantity to reduce the pressure on the public universities because most of them have to operate at the cost recovery level. So, they charge tuition at a level that the average person cannot afford.

A few days ago, I was at the Lagos State University and I was just chatting with my colleague; he said the enrolment has dropped because of the introduction of the new fees. It is a major problem. Public institutions cannot survive with the kind of fees they are charging now, except they get massive support of the government.

Our government must invest in education.

That is the way forward for public universities. Private universities are not charity organizations. Only a few of them can afford to subsidies the tuition of their students, probably the rich ones. But I doubt if any can run without charging the actual cost, and the actual cost runs into hundreds of thousands. So, it also shuts

•Other faces of Akinrinade

‘You won’t catch me dead wearing anything other than Yoruba dress’ out the people. They cannot get a space in public institutions; they cannot afford a space in private institutions. It is a serious problem.

Our government must invest to expand the spaces that are available in public institutions, and they must invest at such a level that they can afford to charge fees that are not astronomical. And if they are reducing fees, they must be ready to provide funds that will match the needs of the institutions. These are the issues we need to address.

If you look at universities like Covenant, Bagkok, Redeemers, Bowen, Madonna and so on, most people believe that right now they are better than OAU, UI, UNILAG and other public institutions.

What is your take on this?

I don’t want to get involved in that debate. The question of ranking is better left to the regulatory authority; in this case, the National Universities Commission (NUC). I don’t know how you define ‘better’. Is it in terms of the quality of instruction and instructors? Because, take it or leave it, most of our public institutions have some of the most qualified personnel in this country. You don’t have to accept it, but that is the truth. If they are talking about facilities, well, maybe they can talk.

Covenant University has some of the best facilities available for any institution in the country. Nobody is doubting that. Bagkok University, maybe it is true. But you cannot compare them with the UI. It is no issue.

They may have state-of-the-art facilities for the courses they are running. But in terms of the population they serve, do they come anything near OAU or University of Ibadan? I don’t think so. The pressure on the university in the public is much higher.

Why? They have more students. Students have been shut out of the private institutions by fees, so the few that are there are enjoying. But when you talk about facilities, yes they are new because they are recent. In terms of pressure on the facilities, it is less than those of public universities.

Why did you leave OAU for Osun State University, considering the challenges of a new university, particularly a state university?

This interview is taking place in my office

,

I don’t know about being ambitious but I will tell you what somebody said, if you have never been accused of arrogance, you are probably not ambitious enough. If your ambition is small and your goals are easily attainable, think big. From my undergraduate, I had always known that I was going to be academic. I kept that in my mind. I was driven not so much by ambition; I was driven by passion to make a difference that is what has always driven me in anything I try to do

,

at OAU. This is Obafemi Awolowo University. This is not Osun State University. This is my personal office. I retain my status and position at the Obafemi Awolowo University. Why did I leave? It is the challenge. It comes to a stage in your life where you have to decide what to live for; whether you want to live for yourself or you want to live for the society.

I chose to live for the society because it is more ideal. I made myself available. I was privileged to have been appointed as a member of the Osun State Planning Committee. By the time we were working in the committee, I was quite clear about the vision of the founding fathers. The committee had one of the most accomplished academics in this country.

They knew what they expected of a university. So, I was very clear and the government had a clear focus that they wanted to establish a proper university that would compete with any of its peers effectively.

So, it wasn’t difficult for me to accept the challenge of serving as a foundation vice chancellor because I was familiar with what we want to achieve. I had contested for the post of VC in Ife. Incidentally, I was a candidate for the position here in Ife. At the time, I didn’t meet the seven years requisite as a professor, and it wasn’t stated in the advert. But it tutored me in the awareness of issues. I was already involved in the administration of the university. I was the dean of the Faculty of Arts for four years in my last years. I was the Chairman of the Committee of Deans.

From there, I became the VC. You sound like an ambitious person.

How was life when you were younger?

I don’t know about being ambitious, but I will tell you what somebody said: ‘If you have never been accused of arrogance, you are probably not ambitious enough.’ If your ambition is small and your goals are easily attainable, think big. From my undergraduate level, I had always known that I was going to be academic. I kept that in my mind. I was driven not so much by ambition but the passion to make a difference. That is what has always driven me in anything I try to do.

When as lecturer 2, I decided to contest for the congregational seat of the university senate, people thought I was ambitious, ‘What is wrong with him?’ I had grown up in this system. I was an undergraduate here. I did my masters here. I was appointed a graduate assistant upon completion of my national youth service, and I know that there were lots of potential in this system.

People are bright. There are people who have done excellently. When we went to England and competed with our colleagues, and we were shining, it was not as if we were inferior to anybody.

Things started going down in 1985. It wasn’t the first time that the university was closed but it was the first time it was closed and the calendar was thrown into crisis and the university has never recovered since then. Frankly, I don’t really know the session OAU is now. That is the truth, and that is not good enough. But the signal had

been there for a long time. All we are concerned about is that things can be done better. When I contested, it was to be able to contribute my quota to the debate of moving this university forward, because I knew as a lecturer 2, there was a limit to my ability to influence things. But we could contribute to the debate. We could make our voice heard. We can get our opinions across. The platform is the senate. I got elected from the senate to the Appointment and Promotion Committee; a very important organ of the university.

We needed to be able to make a statement to the kind of people to be appointed, the kind of people to be promoted. What are the things that qualify you for promotion?

We need to be able to drag the debate. We need to be able to drag the issues. It is not so much an ambition but the fact that we want to make the difference. My desire was we could do things differently. Let us do things better than it was being done. That has been driving me over the years. By the time I became a professor, my professorship was announced two years after the effective date. My professorship was in 1999, but it was announced on July 31, 2001. Shortly after, I had to travel to England. In the thinking of many people, he is now a professor; he has been going abroad before, he is not likely to come back this time around. I just laughed. I have never been carried away by living abroad.

If I wanted to stay abroad, I would have stayed. But we can make a difference in this place. We can change the ways things are done in this place.

In England, I had an interesting conversation with a friend in July 2002.

We met at a restaurant and he said, ‘Prof, I don’t know you are in England.’ I told him that I was actually getting set to return to Nigeria and he said, ‘Return to Nigeria to do what?’ I said that is my country and that is where I work. He said, ‘Why do you want to go back? Things are bad. Quality is declining, standards are getting low.’ He gave all sorts of reasons. I said my friend, I want to go back. I said if I got appointed as head of department, my department must be run differently. If I got elected as dean, my faculty must make the difference.

And that was the driving force for us; the drive to make the difference. I could have stayed in England. I had a good job.

The truth is that I never felt comfortable staying in that environment. It is not constraints. At the back of my mind, I always think that back home, we could make the difference with our knowledge and skills. Now that I had a form of leverage, is that the time I should leave the system? It is the time I should go back to change the place.

You are asking about my growing up.

I’m not really sure that my growing up is important but the value that has driven my grown up, particularly in the university.

Here in this department, there used to be a group they called the bright ones. They were the younger ones. And there was a time we were driving change in the faculty and they •Continued on page 49

LOCATION

BACKSTAGE

SNAPSHOT

REEL NEWS

MUSIC

SCREEN

Edited by: VICTOR AKANDE

Tel: 08077408676

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

ntertainment

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012, 2012

23

After five years of marriage, I'm going to be a father —Emeka Ossai

•See page 28 - 37

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

STANDh BY! Wit

VICTOR AKANDE E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com Tel: 08077408676 (SMS only)

THINK

nt part of An importa s of any the succes is its civilisation late the mu ability to e t led to the a th factors ther success of o Eric .— s civilisation rt Reine

SNAPSHOTS

Segun Arinze hosts new TV show

The shelf filmmaker Just yesterday, I got to know that the film Thongs of Roses

by Emeka Ossai was the first to expose Omotola JaladeEkeinde. We hear more about Yinka Edwards as a cinematographer today, not necessarily because he studied at the National Film Institute, Jos; ...

Karen Igho P A O s e m o c e b

Could the problem of Anini be similar to that of Ofinga, another classic and family value film by Remdel Optimum Communication which is yet to leave the shelf? If they have a similar problem, perhaps Anini is guilty of staying this long on its owner's shelf

WRITE TO US! Do you watch Nollywood movies? What do you think of the Nigerian motion picture industry? Send your review of any movie or short essay on any topic of your choice about the film industry in not more than 200 words. Send entries by e-mail to: victor_akande@yahoo.com or SMS your short comments to 08077408676

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

RE ELNEW S Agbelebu Mi premieres

•L-R: Chief Tony Okoroji, Mr. John Ugbe, Managing Director MultiChoice Nigeria and Mrs. Ijeoma Theo-Obodo,

MultiChoice romances COSON

M

ULTICHOICE Nigeria, on Tuesday in Lagos, signed a landmark Music Broadcasting Licence Agreement (MBLA) with the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) for license to use Nigerian music in the society's repertoire in all its broadcast platforms in the country.

Expressing his satisfaction at the development, COSON Chairman, Tony Okoroji described the platform as a great thing. “It has been a long time coming. MultiChoice has clearly shown that it is a responsible corporate organization with genuine concern for the protection of intellectual property in Nigeria. Their partnership with us for the development of the

music industry is commendable,” he said.

Also at the signing ceremony in Lagos, Mr. John Ugbe, Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria said that MultiChoice is committed to the promotion of the entertainment industry in Nigeria. He urged corporate bodies to partner with relevant agencies to support and protect intellectual property in the country. He deplored all forms of intellectual property crimes such as broadcast piracy which is currently bedeviling the broadcast industry in the country.

“Piracy has a detrimental effect on any industry and will lead to the long term erosion of the industry. This includes the effect on artists and filmmakers rights

Nigeria's Yinka Edwards makes Durban Talent Campus list

T

rd

HE 33 edition of Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), South Africa's oldest film event will the hosting its 5th Talent Campus participation. The programme which has accredited about 50 young filmmakers in Africa has two Nigerians in the list. They are notable Nigerian Director of Photography, Yinka Edwards, and one Aderinsola Ajao.

Yinka Edward is fast establishing himself as one of Africa's leading cinematographers.

He studied at the National Film Institute, Jos, with his student work winning him Best Cinematographer, Best Music Video and Best Short Film at the 2005 NFI International Film awards. His credits include Mak `Kusare's Ninety Degrees (winner, Best Feature Film, Zuma International Film Festival) and Comrade (which he also produced). In 2007 he was handpicked to work on the BBC's acclaimed series Wetin Dey. He then headed to Namibia to shoot the country's first indigenous TV series The Ties That Bind. Yinka was the Director of Photography for Kunle Afolayan's multi- award winning feature The Figurine, through which he won the 2010 Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for cinematography. He is currently working with Izu Ojukwu on a new film in Ibadan.

This year's candidates were

chosen from over 250 submissions, and hail from 18 different African countries, They are also expected to participate at the 33rd Durban International Film Festival taking place from July 19-29, 2012.

The 50 African filmmakers will come together for 5 days (20th24th), in the Talent Campus Durban programme to be inspired and enlightened in the medium and industry of cinema. The programme facilitates opportunities for skills development through workshops and master classes with industry leaders, and the establishing of relationships with other participants and film professionals also present at the festival.

For the first time, Talent Campus Durban will be hosting Talent Press, a programme which, in association with the Goethe Institut and FIPRESCI the International Association of Film Critics, mentors four African journalists in the craft of film criticism. For a second year, Talent Campus Durban will include Doc Station, in which three selected Talents have the opportunity to refine and polish documentary projects for presentation within the Durban FilmMart's DOC Circle.

Talent Campus Durban is a cooperation with the Berlinale Talent Campus, which recently celebrated its 10th edition with over 350 participating Talents

and their payments. Piracy also has a detrimental effect on the economy, since generally those involved in piracy do not pay for the right owners for the works that they utilize and hardly, if ever, pay taxes and/or employ staff. The money that they make on the theft, since that is what piracy ultimately is, goes only to their pockets and not the rightful owners of the rights or materials,” he said.

The highpoint of the MBLA is the voluntary undertaking by MultiChoice Nigeria to pay an agreed annual license fee to the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) as rights for musical work exposed on DStv and ancillary platforms. The payment follows weeks of mutual negotiation with COSON.

•Yinka Edwards

during the 61st Berlinale Film Festival. Through the international programme, which extends to Talent Campuses in Buenos Aires, Guadalajara, Sarajevo and Tokyo, as well as Durban, participants are initiated into a global community of filmmakers and connected via a wide social network operated through the Berlinale.

Talent Campus Durban taps into the rich resources of a diverse cross section of the next generation of African filmmakers.

This year's theme “Africa Superimposed” will focus this process in the profound innovation that African film has to offer the broader world, and the ways in which the richness of African culture and African approaches are making a stronger impression on film across the globe.

•Oluwasegun

Oyo State Festival beckons

C

OME December, 2012, Ibadan, the ancient city, and capital of Oyo State will be painted in flashy, rainbow colours; typical of a world class carnival outlook.

Playing host to the first ever Afrocentric people's festival tagged Oyofest, the festival is one of the ingenious ideas of the Governor of the State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

From 1st to 8th December, organisers of the carnival say that humanity from across the country, African continent, Latin America, Caribbean and the rest of the globe shall be converging at the second largest city in Africa, the seat of power of the former Western region of Nigeria, the sprawling and rusty town of Ibadan to celebrate the best of cultures, traditions and values.

Reports reveal that the government of the ancient city, and custodian of the Old Oyo Empire is feverishly planning the Carnival tagged Oyo State Festival. The events is expected to take place in all the major cities of the State, while the final lap is slated for Ibadan.

The concept of the festival is a celebration of history, culture and values which will be marked with music, dance, talent hunt, gender celebration, drama, and youthful mental/physical competitions.

The event will be making use of the instrumentality of the rich trajectory of the Oduduwa descendants in the West African coastal States of Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Ghana to dispossess black people in Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, America and in Diaspora.

Festival Ambassadors shall be decorated amongst youths, artistes, sports-personalities, diplomatic corps, academia, royal/religious leaders and professionals from within and outside the State. The unveiling of the Oyo State Festival is scheduled for a not too distant date where the official logo of the festival shall be launched and all the events announced with the Festival Ambassadors.

Organisers reveal that several pre-event activities have been lined up to usher in the festival come December.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Many Nigerian female singers take drugs to cope —Davina Ochema Davina Ochema made headlines a couple of years ago following her rumoured affair with former MD of a brewing firm, Chief Festus Odumegwu which she said was a false allegation. The singer is again in the studio working on her second album which will soon hit the music shelve, she spoke to SEGUN AJIBOYE

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Remembering

Christy EssienIgbokwe

Nigeria agog for Usher Raymond

Acute hepatorenal survivor turns to music

American music sensation joins Kennis label

Orphans sing for peace

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COVER

IIFF calls for women filmmakers

R

UNNING under the theme Women Alive, the 2012 edition of International Images Film Festival for Women is seeking film entries from female filmmakers. The film entries which must put into consideration, the agency of women in society and the ways in which women survive under and inspirationally rise above the most brutally repressive and poverty stricken conditions, is meant to celebrate women's agency in transition and recognises the positive, peace-building change that individual women can bring to their homes, communities and nations.

The theme engages with the United Nations' Millennium Development Goal (MDG) number 3, promoting gender equality and empowering women, in relation to all the other MDGs. Founded in 2002 by Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe in response to the proliferation of beauty contests at that time, the International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF) has, each year, selected films that interrogate, debate and celebrate the resilience of women against many odds and nevertheless their contribution to society and history.

This year, the festival will take place on November 23 to December 1 in Harare, December 6 in Bulawayo. December 7 in Gwanda and December 13-14 in Binga.

Organisers say while the film should have all the attributes of good cinema, including good production values and entertainment value, it should also show some analysis of the woman or women featured. Production date is irrelevant, but the film must have a woman in lead role.

“Ideally the film should be witty and humorous, featuring women who are not afraid to push boundaries in their quests, women who embrace the principles of extreme leadership”.

35 millimetre feature films are automatically admitted into the main competition. This is because technical faults frequently occur with DVDs. DVD and tape features, shorts and documentaries, are also programmed in other categories.

Deadline for confirming film entries is August 31, 2012 with enquiries to The Festival Director, IIFF, Box BW 1550, Borrowdale, Harare. Email:wfoz@icapatrust.org

John Dumelo, Chioma Chukwuka tango in The Past Came Calling

O

•Emeka Ossai

NE of the Amata brothers, Ruke Amata has just returned to the Nollywood sphere with the movie, The Past Came Calling which features one of the best hands in Ghollywood, John Dumelo and A-list Nollywood actress, Chioma Chukwuka-Apotha.

The movie which will hit the cinemas from Friday July 6, 2012, it is said addresses the issues of advanced fee fraud (419), inter-racial relationship, juvenile delinquency and the effects of divorce on the child among others. With premieres in Banjul, capital of The Gambia and United Kingdom, the cinema audiences in Nigeria are in for a time of their lives as the movie will be shown all over the cinemas from next month.

As a credible producer, Ruke Amata has to his credit successful flicks such as Bachelors, S.O.D Son of the Devil, The Accursed, Growing Up and Emotional Hazard. Other members of the cast are; Marie Kumba Gomez, Oliver Jolliffe, Demetri Turin, Penelope Humbert and others.

The movie which was shot in many parts of England tells the story of a young Medical Student (Susan) who came to the UK to study with her 'sister', Maggie (Chioma Chukwuka). She never, in her wildest imagination, believed she could ever fall in love with a white man, until she is introduced to a dashing young Guy (Dermot) by her 'sister's boyfriend, Kachi (John Dumelo). But the heart is not so smart; they met and began what became a sizzling romantic relationship, until the events of the past came calling.

Speaking on what the cinema audience in Nigeria should expect, the producer said ''the cinema public in The Gambia and the United Kingdom had a thrilling time when this movie showed there, my people here won't be an exception.'’

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

W L O H L Y OOD

N40m damages:

Court rules in favour of MCSN

A

Drake, Chris Brown offered bout

S fans continue to buzz about Chris Brown and Drake's bottle-throwing battle in a Manhattan nightclub earlier this month, a promoter is offering the entertainers $1 million each to slug it out in the ring, according to reports.

Boxing promoter Damon Feldman says that billionaire bottling heir Alki David has offered to bankroll the bout and that he'll sweeten the purse with an extra $1 million for charity if the two agree to lace up the gloves and fight one on one.Feldman says he'd like to stage a pay-perview fight consisting of three one-minute rounds on Aug. 25. The odds of seeing Brown and Drake punch each other out aren't good, however. Members of Brown's camp have already said that they know nothing about a fight offer. Drake's camp hasn't responded to the challenge.

Since the Drake-Brown brawl went down, nightclub W.i.P. has been shut down by the New York Police Department for various violations. San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, who was present during the melee, has sued the club over injuries he allegedly received during the incident.

Spice Girls announce West End musical

R. Kelly ill due to past surgery

R

. KELLY has been forced to cancel a promotional trip to New York City, his publicist reports, as he took ill morning while traveling from Chicago. The "Pied Piper of R&B" had been slated to appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and NBC's Today, but he's apparently wrestling with throat issues brought on by the emergency surgery he underwent last year.

"While on his way to New York to celebrate the publication of his longawaited memoir SoulaCoaster, multiplatinum R&B superstar R. Kelly was taken ill and had to return to Chicago for medical treatment," reads an official statement. "Initial indications are that he is suffering from complications from surgery he had last year to treat an abscess on his vocal cords."

His rep adds that it's "unclear how long Kelly may be sidelined."

The "Trapped in the Closet" creator underwent surgery in July 2010, after being rushed to Chicago's Northwestern Memorial hospital. In a message to fans the following month, he shouted out all the "prayer warriors" in his corner.

•Orits Williki

Crane over Ghollywood

Nadia Buari gives mum special birthday treat Highest paid Ghanaian actress revealed

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Me and the dwarf in me

I

have a friend whom I like to think of as a frenemy. This guy has a way of irritating me with the first thing that comes out of his mouth. Ordinarily, he’s such a generous person and one would not want to fault him. Sometimes I wish he could just tape his mouth when he’s with me so that I can continue to enjoy his friendship.

But no, he wouldn’t keep quiet and he doesn’t check the impact of the things he says before he utters them. Why I’m so aggravated about this person is that he holds a position where people look up to him and some actually hold on to what he says. Yes, he has such a charming disposition to those who follow him that they would never believe the kinds of things he says when he’s not in the public glare.

Last week, I managed to answer his call because I had ignored it for a while. Meanwhile, his generous donation to the launching of my film went a long way, so I needed to be civil to him by answering his call. With nothing on my mind to say to him, I chose to do the listening and before I could thank God that he was learning to watch his unbridled tongue with me, I said something about meeting some dwarfs on a visit to a friend’s home. And the next thing he said shocked me. He said, “I was really shocked when I found out that this my friend has a child who is a dwarf. I wonder why he didn’t put a knife through the child’s neck the moment they found out he is like that.”

Maybe I wouldn’t have been shocked if this person was not a revered person in the society. I would expect all those who are put in positions of authority to be familiar with imperfections of life

and to know how to accommodate such. We all should find some kindness in us when confronted with life’s many inadequacies.

I knew up with a grandmother who accommodated everybody and everything was normal even if the real face of it, they looked abnormal. I was taught early in life never to look down on anybody and to know that whatever fate had befallen somebody could hit you if you laughed too much at that person.

My understanding of dwarfism came with the realization that I’m also a dwarf in many areas. I wake up everyday seeing people with better opportunities than I do. That dwarfs me when standing close to them. I see people with better things than I can ever dream of having and I become monetarily dwarfed by them. And in the real sense of dwarfism, I am not so tall.

In fact, most of my shoes and even slippers are so high that I suffer cramps at times all in the name of wanting to look tall.

If we check ourselves, we can see areas where we are dwarfs. Only God is perfect and so, we should never make negative comments about other people.

I’m not answering questions so much on relationship this week because that statement by that frien drove a knife through my heart.

Maybe God should give him a dwarf as a child as a test and we would see whether he would kill that child.

For him and the rest of the people who look at dwarfs as if they were some kind of being s from another planet, I being information to you on what dwarfism is and what causes it.

What is short stature (dwarfism)?

What causes short stature?

D

WARFISM, nanism, short stature, orrestricted growth is a medical disorder in which the person is of abnormally short stature. According to various sources, short stature may be caused by over 200 different medical conditions. Dwarfism is defined as an adult height of 4 feet 10 inches (148 cm) or less. However, as population groups around the world have varying average statures, height definition may vary.

Today the term short stature is becoming more widely used, while the term dwarfism is becoming obsolete.

Short stature may be caused by one of over 200 different medical conditions, or a combination of them. Therefore, signs, symptoms and features vary considerably. In general, the disorders are divided into two main categories - PSS (proportionate short stature) and DSS (disproportionate short stature).

In very rare disorders may result in cognitive problems (mental developmental problems).

Growth hormone deficiency occurs when the pituitary gland does not produce enough growth hormone. Growth hormone is essential for normal childhood growth.

Signs and symptoms of growth hormone deficiency include: The child’s height is below the third percentile of standard pediatric growth charts The child’s growth rate is slower than other children’s of the same age Delayed sexual development during teen years No sexual development during teen years Turner syndrome - not an uncommon condition that affects females, can result in short stature and impaired sexual development.

While signs and symptoms might not be noticeable during early childhood, delays in physical growth during later childhood and sexual development during the girl’s teen years may be the first signs. Signs, symptoms and features may include: A wide neck (web-like), a small lower jaw (receding lower jaw), a high and narrow palate, the hairline at the back of the head is low, widely spaced nipples, broad chest, short hands, cubitus valgus - the arms turn outward at the elbow, arms and feet swell, especially at birth, delayed growth, delayed sexual development.

All in all, dwarfs are normal people who can get education and rise to the highest level life has on offer. Saying negative things about them and wishing them dead is a sin.

Matchmaking Males I am Adesina Akeem Adebayo from Osun state, am 27 years old, a business man am a Muslim, need a good God fearing lady as a wife.

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Hearts With Adeola Agoro

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Ten reasons he may have dumped you

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HERE are some pretty consistent reasons among men why they dump their girlfriends. Let’s look at what some women do to end up being single again. Of course, this doesn’t fit every instance of a breakup, and this doesn’t apply to every woman, but a lot of guys tend to come up with the same reasons. After all, it can’t ALWAYS be something that the guys did....could it?

1. Women don’t listen. When a man says something, give him a chance to speak. Listen to what he says. The problem is that sometimes, guys will end up with someone who makes him feel as though he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. We’re not always right, but we do have opinions, and it gets under our skin when we’re made to feel like our opinion doesn’t matter. Who wants to stay with someone like that? How to Keep Your Man: Communication 2. Women listen to their friends too much. We understand the need for female friendship. We can go with the girls’ night out deal. But when you start letting your single girlfriends (who constantly run guys off, or haven’t dated since antenna TV) get into the business of your relationship, that’s asking for trouble. You want to think that your man has a mind of his own when he’s out with the guys, right? We’re no different. We expect you to talk to your girlfriends, even if it’s about us. Just be careful what you decide to bring back from those conversations.

3. The relationship is NOT a family affair. We’re not trying to take you away from your family. This is a relationship, not a kidnapping.

However, if we’re mature enough to leave home and keep what goes on between us just between us, then is it too much to ask of you to do the same?

If you tell your mom and your sisters about every single argument and disagreement that we have, then don’t you think that they’re not going to like us very much? Then you’ll wonder why we don’t like going around them, right?

4. We’re not joined at the hip. We don’t have to go every single place that you go, and we don’t expect you to go everywhere with us. That’s what makes our time together special. We each had our own likes and dislikes before we met. You did things alone or with your girls, and that’s fine.

Don’t try to drag your man with you if it’s going to be nothing but you and the girls talking. We don’t want to sit and listen to talk about hair, nails, fashion, whose man is cheating on who, etc. Just shoot us first, if that’s the case.

5. Is this a relationship or a prison sentence? We expect parolees to give an account of where they’ve been almost all the time, and who they’ve been with. Parole officers check to see if the parolees actually report to work.

A relationship is supposed to have more trust than that. If a man feels that he’s not being trusted, and he hasn’t done anything deserving of the interrogation process (a la Law and Order), then don’t expect to have him around too much longer. This would apply primarily to someone who has a lot of insecurities.

6. Independence is great—to a point. Call it ego, male insecurity, whatever you like. There’s no getting around the fact that we need to feel that we’re in this for more than just sex (yeah, I know...sounds weird coming from a guy). If you keep telling a man (and showing him, too)

that you can do everything on your own, then what do you need him for?

As shallow as it may sound, we do have to have our ego fed just a bit (maybe some guys more than others, but I think you get the idea).

7. Being too dependent is not a good thing, either. I know it sounds like we can’t make up our minds between numbers 6 and 7, but there is a balance. It’s like we want a grown woman who can handle her business, but still let us know that there’s a place in her life for us that only we can fill. You’re not a child, and we don’t expect to treat you like one, or take care of you like one. If you come to a guy for every single thing, and can’t seem to make up your mind or make decisions...well, one day he will make up his mind and not come back.

8. Don’t you ever have anything nice to say? Yeah, we mess up from time to time (and it may seem that those times run pretty close together).

But what about some props? Can’t your man do anything right? I’m not talking about being patronizing, or treating him like a first grader keeping his colors inside the lines (“Way to go, Ronnie!”). Nobody can stand always being criticized.

Psychologists call it “positive reinforcement.” Men call it “giving us a break.”

9. There’s no future in the past.

We’ve all made mistakes. The thing is to learn from them, not live in them. if your man made a mistake, and you’ve agreed to forgive him for it, then do that. Don’t bring it up and keep beating him over the head with it. If you keep bringing up the past, then be prepared to talk about your man in the past tense, as in “ex.”

Hello Aunty Adeola, my name is Promise, 24 years old, a follower of your column in The Nation newspaper. I pray may you never be face with any problem and thanks for being there for people like us. Aunty, this is my problem: I have no parents and my uncles turned everything to their own by subjecting me to hardship. I labour before I eat because of this I ran away from home to another state and I’m in Owerri where I was able to work and I sat for WAEC. After that, I was still working and also seeking for admission but I could not get it due to our bad system of education. In 2010 I was able to save up to N285,000 because they were paying me N10,000 monthly in my working place.

My friend told me what is involved to gain admission in Nigeria so I sat for JAMB for the third time and also thought that the money I saved would go a long way, little did I know it would not so I quit the work and paid more attention on how to go to school because my aim was to go school so that I can get a bigger work.

The person that worked the admission for me took N80,000 from me and when I got to school I met a lot of expenses in my first and second year, right now I have nothing left on me to pay for my third and final year and also have a project that is coming up in no distant time and I have only six months left on my house rent.

Aunty, please I have come a long way, I don’t want to drop out of school, right now I have nowhere to turn to or someone to call upon and I have sold some of my belongings at cheaper rate in school.

Aunty I am appealing to you and all Nigerians to help me graduate from school, please Nigerians don’t let my effort be in vain, I school in Owerri. My account number is 6016077148, Promise O., Keystone Bank (former bank P.H.B). Thanks. ( E m a i l : edorastephen@yahoo.com).

Britney Spear in skin-tight red at a recent event

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

This week’s story was sent in by a reader who had followed the 3 part tale of Eva carried in this paper recently. Her case is similar to Eva’s but with a whole new twist that is really shocking. Her story:

A

FTER reading Eva’s story, I decided to write my own piece so the world can know what some women like us go through in their marital homes. Unlike Eva’s husband who was an abusive and violent man, mine looks gentle, as if he can’t hurt a fly. But behind those looks lies a heart that’s as deadly as that of a rattle snake.

So, how did I end up with such a man, you might wonder? Please read on to find out.

I met my husband (whom I will call BJ for the sake of this story) while I was working in a bank. I was in the marketing department which was not an easy section to be as we were most times given targets running into millions of naira as deposits from customers to meet. I had gone out one day to see a prospective client, a rich businessman when I ran into BJ. He had come to visit my client, Mr Godwin and was on his way out.

My client introduced us, then said: “Tilda, it’s a good thing you are here. You need to see BJ. He’s the kind of client you are looking for. He has a lot of money to deposit in your bank.”

“Ahh! Mr Goddy! You know I’m just struggling to come up to your level,” he said, laughing.

Mr Godwin scoffed.

“Don’t mind him. Make sure you take his contact before he goes,” he said, turning to me. I studied the guy closely. He looked in his thirties and was simply dressed in a grey T-shirt and jeans, with a pair of brown sandals on his feet. He didn’t look like someone who had money, at least, not the kind of high net-worth individuals we usually went after for deposits.

However, I still took his card, telling him I would call him later. I didn’t contact him for a while as I was busy with other clients who looked more promising. Then one day, I was in the office when I was told I had a visitor. On getting to the reception, I saw a very well dressed man, a stranger I had not seen before.

He then introduced himself and that was when it clicked.

“I’m really sorry, sir. I didn’t recognise you,” I apologised. In his well-cut suit, designer, expensive-looking shoes and other accessories, he looked really different from our first meeting.

More high net-worth, I thought to myself. I was impressed and I quickly invited him to my private office, a small cubicle which I shared with a colleague, Isabel.

“I was expecting your call,” he said, gazing intently at me.

I apologised again, blaming my tardiness on pressure of work.

“You know how it is. It can get really hectic in here,” I explained.

Palace of pain (1) “So, what can I do for you, sir?” I asked eagerly, praying quietly that he really had lots of money as Mr Godwin said. I really needed a rich client to meet up my target that month as my boss was on my neck to deliver. The pressure for deposits was becoming really intense and some who failed to deliver were being shown the way out like a colleague who was sacked the previous week. I didn’t want to lose my job as there was too much at stake.

He smiled, showing white, even teeth that contrasted nicely with his coffee brown skin.

“First, stop calling me sir.

It makes me feel old. The name’s BJ,” he said.

“Alright. BJ,” I said, smiling a little. I didn’t care whatever he wanted me to call him as long as he had enough money to deposit.

He then invited me out, stating we could discuss business over dinner.

I accepted and that weekend, he took me to a nice Chinese restaurant in town. I had a great time. And what made the date even better was that BJ had agreed to deposit a huge sum of money with my

bank. As I went back home in the taxi I had taken, I kept thanking my stars for bringing him my way.

The best thing about it was that I didn’t even have to ‘hustle’ for it. Unlike some of my other clients that I had had to do a lot of leg work, cajoling, sweet-talking and other means before they gave me their money, BJ had brought himself to me. I had underrated him because of his appearance the first time we had met, but he ended up surpassing so many of my other wealthy customers.

That night, I slept soundly for the first time in weeks, having not only met my target for that month, but even overshot it with the deposit from BJ. Besides, I had made a large amount as my commission and that gave me a lot of satisfaction.

The proposal I did not hear from BJ again for nearly a month. I was a bit disappointed because I had felt a connection with him. It wasn’t just that he was very rich (though that didn’t hurt), but he seemed a decent kind of guy. It wasn’t just me alone for he had also made a deep impression among the ladies

The best thing about it was that I didn’t even have to ‘hustle’ for it. Unlike some of my other clients that I had had to do a lot of leg work, cajoling, sweet-talking and other means before they gave me their money, BJ had brought himself to me

in my office as some of them kept asking after him. That too was not surprising as most rich men always made an impression on most of my deposit-hungry colleagues!

Even Isabel was encouraging me to date him.

“Girl, don’t let that guy slip through your fingers,” she said one morning in the office while munching greedily on a doughnut.

I looked up from the computer screen on my desk where I had been working.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

“For one thing, he’s loaded, a multi-millionaire.

He’s good-looking too and a sharp dresser...”

“So?” I asked again, with raised brows.

“Is that all you can say?

What more do you want in a guy?”

“All he did was take me out to dinner. He hasn’t asked me to be his girlfriend,” I pointed out.

She sighed.

“Maybe you didn’t give him the ‘green light’. Some guys need encouragement, you know,” she noted.

“Aren’t you forgetting something? Jamie,” I stated with emphasis.

He was my boyfriend of over five years and we were planning to get married. He worked in a government agency in Abuja while I was in Lagos. It wasn’t easy for us because of the distance but we kept in touch by phone and also tried to see each other as often as possible.

“I know you love Jamie.

But can you trust him to remain faithful being so far away in Abuja?” she wondered.

I assured her my boyfriend loved me too much to mess around with other ladies.

“We will be getting married soon anyway and I will move over to join him,” I stated confidently.

Isabel shrugged.

“That shouldn’t stop you from keeping BJ close to you.

He’s a big fish that most girls would love to hook.”

“Why don’t you ‘hook’ him yourself then?” I countered.

“I might do just that, you know. Can I have his number?” she asked, picking up her phone.

“Thief! Ole!” I said teasingly.

She laughed and said: “Siddon there. I go snatch am from you if you no sharp o!”

I made a face at her and went back to work.

I had told Isabel I was not interested in BJ romantically, but that did not stop me from feeling excited when he called one evening after work. He said he had been out of the country on a business trip and wanted to take me out again.

I didn’t want to seem too eager so I told him I was busy but I would let him know in a few days when I would have the time.

“Don’t keep me waiting too long. I really want to see you,” he said.

I smiled to myself after the call, pleased that he had missed me.

That weekend, I went out with BJ again. This time, he took me to the cinema. After watching a movie, we attended a dinner party that was held in a swanky hotel on the Island that he had been invited to.

I felt inadequately dressed for such an event but when I told him, he said: “You look fine. You will look pretty in anything.”

It was a nice evening and I didn’t want it to end. Later, we took drinks at the poolside of the hotel, chatting and taking some snacks.

I sipped a chapman while BJ settled for some brandy. It was a balmy night with a cool breeze blowing from the lagoon nearby. That night, BJ told me a bit of his background. An orphan, he had lost both parents in quick succession while still in high school. He was sent to live with an uncle in Ibadan while his younger sister, his only

sibling stayed with their grandmother in the village.

His uncle, though not wellto-do, had insisted on sending him to the university.

“It was tough because he had his own children to train, all on his civil servant’s pay.

But we managed and I was able to graduate. He said he had worked for a couple of years before deciding to go into business, specialising in the importation of industrial chemicals, equipment and recently oil and gas. He had really done well for himself and I told him so.

“Your wife must be really proud of you,” I stated.

He laughed at that.

“Wife? Do you see any ring on my finger? he enquired, showing me his fingers.

I shrugged.

“Some men hide their wedding rings, pretending to be bachelors just to hoodwink unsuspecting ladies.”

He laughed again.

“I believe men who do that are irresponsible. Why pretend to be what you are not?”

My mobile phone rang just then. It was Jamie. We spoke for a while and as I hung up, I felt a little guilty.

He thought I was at home in bed, not realising I was out on a date with a wealthy customer of our bank.

“How’s your man?” BJ asked as I took a sip of my drink.

“He’s fine,” I replied.

“He’s such a lucky guy. I envy him,” he said.

I looked at him surprised.

“Why would you do that?

With all that you have going for you –good looks, money, status-you can have any woman you want. So, why would you envy Jamie?”

“Because he has something precious, something I would love to have, but is currently unavailable,” he stated, his eyes boring deeply into mine. They were mesmerising eyes that seemed to draw me into them and I found it difficult tearing my eyes away.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” I said, though I knew quite well what he meant.

He gave a little smile.

“I bet you do. You should know by now that I like you.

I’m not looking for a fling. I can get that from anywhere. I want something deeper, more meaningful.”

I shook my head.

“You know that’s not possible. I...”

“Yes, I know. Jamie, your fiancé. But even with that, maybe you can create a little space in your heart and life for me. Is that too much to ask?”

I thought about it a little.

“I will try,” I stated, smiling coyly at him.

“You look so sweet when you smile like that. You should be smiling more often, you know,” he said.

I laughed, feeling really relaxed and happy.

He leaned forward and taking my hands in his said: “Tilda, I have a proposal that I want to make to you.

Will you...?”

To be continued Names have been changed to protect the narrator’s identity.

What is the proposal that BJ wants to make to Tilda?

Join us for the juicy details next week in the Saturday Nation!

&

LIFE

STYLE

Society Profile

THE NATION, Saturday, JUNE 30, 2012

Gossip Interviews

t u o h t i w Life d n a b s u h my See Pages 44&45

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w o id w 's .O G s l' e h t e B Roselyn Oduyemi

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

I recognise the pains, but life goes on —Apostle Oduyemi’s widow

Popularly called Mummy, Rev. Mrs. Roselyn Oduyemi of Bethel Ministry is the widow of late Apostle Gabriel Oduyemi.

Quite glamourous, with a highly commanding presence and impeccable diction, you cannot afford a distraction when she speaks. The General Overseer of Bethel Ministry in this interview with MERCY MICHAEL opens up on the state of the church after her husband’s death, challenges and vision. She also speaks on what she misses most about her husband and sundry issues:

•Rev. Mrs. Roselyn Oduyemi

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T’S been many years now and what has life been without the late Apostle?

Hmmm, new…, it’s been different, challenging but exciting because I find myself doing so many things and sometimes I wonder, if he were to see me now, he will be quite proud of me, I think. So that’s it. It’s different.

His passing, no doubt, has created a vacuum in your entire life. How have you been able to deal with that?

First of all, you are living with someone you loved terribly and who loved you a lot and he’s not there anymore. Of course, you feel that the vacuum is there but as

time goes on, you learn to deal with it, and with prayer, committing everything to God, you learn to deal with it. And if you realise that there is just so much more for you to do, you will just move on. That’s really it.

And I decided I will never ever be an object of pity. I knew that my life had changed. I knew that God had so much for me to do.

In fact, God spoke to me and said that He opened up a door of destiny for me and I had a choice to work in through the door with boldness and confidence or sit and lament. But I think I made the right decision. So I had to reinvent myself really but it’s been good.

Can you recall the last moments of his life?

I don’t want to. Let’s not talk about yesterday. I think we should talk about the now.

What do you miss most about him?

What do I miss most? He was a loving husband, loving father, wonderful man, precious. He was my prince in shining armour. He was there for me. He was there for the kids. I always tell people this, you hear man of God, man of God, before you become a man of God, you are man okay.

So talking now as a family, you miss that. Then again, you realise that God is now the man in the house; it’s as simple as that. He says He’s the father of the fatherless and the husband of the widow. So I’m working in that covenant right now.

Speaking of fond memories, tell us about that which you hold so dearly to your heart?

They are too many. They are too many because I had a fantastic marriage. Where to I start? Common girl! They are too many.

What were the challenges that you encountered stepping into his shoes?

I didn’t step into his shoes. I stepped into my own shoes. The challenges have been that of the Lord’s, what do you have for us in this season? What do you have us do?

Because I believe that each person has his destiny. I believe each person has his or her assignment and so he’s done his bit and had left, I needed to find out what God wanted me to do and start moving in that direction.

So that has been the challenge. I’m a sort of person that gets bored easily. I just can’t handle certain kinds of routines, and I knew there was more, God always has more for His people and I wanted that more. I was hungry for that more and He has been faithful.

Would you say the pastors have been very supportive?

First, God is my support. He says He’s a very present help in times of trouble. He says be still and know that I am God. He says I will never leave you, I will never forsake you.

I will never leave you without support. I will never disappoint you. And God surrounded me with good people, supportive pastors, men and women who believe in me. So that has really been wonderful, great.

Do you sometimes walk around the house and feel daddy is still here? And how have you been coping with that?

First and foremost, daddy is gone, he’s not here. He’s in heaven so I decided to trust God. Of course, you know it’s not easy. But with God, all things are possible. For example, when he passed away, I think my children grieved. At one point, I travelled and I came back and they had uprooted all my

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‘

Coping has to do with God. Coping has to do with what God has for you in the now. Coping has to do with saying okay, this has happened, recognise it. I recognise the pain. I recognise the change but I refuse to live in the past; so we are here today. What do we do with today? What do we do with this season? How do we go about this journey? Lord, as long as you are there, you’re holding my hands; I will take it one day at a time...

•Rev. Mrs. Roselyn Oduyemi plants from my garden. I love plants. So for two years, I didn’t have a thing in my garden. One day, I just got up and started planting and doing all that planting helped with the healing. And coping, I said okay, our bedroom becomes my bedroom.

I’m not the kind of person that wants to immortalise people who are gone. I think it’s sinful, it’s part of idolatry. God spoke to me about these things. So what I’m doing is I’m here in the now. I’m coping with the now.

Let me tell you something interesting, my son said to me sometime ago: ‘Mummy, would you mind it if we break down this house when you are gone?’ I said I won’t mind. I said I’m here I will enjoy it for the now. If you want to scatter the thing, please do whatever you want to do because I’m going to a better place. So coping has to do with God. Coping has to do with what God has for you in the now. Coping has to do with saying okay, this has happened, recognise it. I recognise the pain. I recognise the change but I refuse to live in the past so we are here today. What do we do with today? What do we do with this season? How do we go about this journey?

Lord, as long as you are there, you’re holding my hands; I will take it one day at a time. Things will happen. Good things, bad things, difficult things but I sieve every-

thing through Him. And so He says all things work together for good. So whatever has been happening, good or bad, it’s for good. That’s my mindset.

From what you’ve been saying, his vision was quite different from yours. What is your vision for the ministry?

(Laughs) My vision for the ministry right now is to raise chosen champions. I said to the church, we are going into a spiritual boat camp, where we will raise men and women who will go out with the gospel. If you look at Isaiah 61, it says the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. If you look at the first part of that scripture, it talks about deliverance, healing. Now part two starts with building oaks of righteousness. We are now in the building stage, where people are built up to stand and it is these people who are like the oaks of righteousness, who become the plants of the lord. And it is these people who go about to restore the waste places of generations. That’s where we are.

In the meantime, the healings will take place, the deliverances will take place but the focus is on building people who will be repairers of things that have been spoilt in the past. The signs and wonders haven’t stopped; the healing hasn’t stopped, no, no, no. But right now, we are in this building phase; I don’t know what God will say tomorrow. I don’t know. But I can assure you

whatever He says we should do, is what we will do.

How spiritually prepared are you for the position you are occupying now?

Excuse me! I was married to a man who didn’t put me behind, we did the work together. I mean it wasn’t strange, we went out, we ministered together. There were times we would go for international conferences he was invited as the speaker and he would introduce me and give me his time to speak.

How many men can do that? So it isn’t a question of how prepared I am. I think God prepared me.

How is your experience as a woman in the ministry, considering our male-dominated ministry in Nigeria?

Interestingly, I suppose that because we did minister together, even the men were used to me. They knew me as a woman of God and it has been the same.

They’ve been giving their support. It’s amazing. And I think again, it’s the grace. God just releases His grace. And I’m not trying to be anything or anybody. I just take it little by little, one step at a time. So I don’t have those issues basically.

When did you get the call and what was your reaction?

That was when we were joined as husband and wife. Word came that we should start a church. And there was just this move in my heart that we should start. When the call came, it came to both of us. He ran away for some time…, because he was a business man, so I started. God used me to start the work.

Bethel, as of today, cannot boast of many branches, would you say the congregation is thinning out more than some years ago?

God said I should have branches, but not yet. There has to be levels of preparation. I am not looking for anything. I just want to do what God says I should do. And that is why I am always before Him saying Lord, show me, lead me, guide me. If God says to me today, start branches, we will start. It’s as simple as that but I just don’t want to do things because people are doing it. What is the point?

Everybody’s work will be tested by fire.

There are things that will be burnt. I have no time for that. And God gives grace for everything. It is better to have a church of 50 people that you’re taking to heaven than to have a church of a thousand people who are not going anywhere. It’s that serious for me. So, I’m not on any ego trip and I’m not trying to compete with my husband. We did the work together. And now that I’m here doing it, I’m just saying okay Lord, I’m a baby, I’m a child, show me what to do. I don’t know this thing.

The problem arises when people are pressured to do something. I don’t have time for that.

What’s your take on men of God being flamboyant, acquiring private jets and fleets of luxury cars?

Have you seen my garage? Okay, you need to see my garage. Excuse me! What does the Bible say? The Bible says that seek He first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.

’

The Bible says that God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. I judge no man. People know what they did to get these things. My husband got these things because he was a business man. I don’t know what people are doing today.

But you see, the most important thing is that each one of us will stand before God to give an account. Now, I’ve lived in this home for 25 years and God still allows me to live here but this house doesn’t hold me. As long as those things don’t possess you, because one day you will die and leave all of them behind and face God. That’s the most important thing.

The Bible says all these things we see will be burnt by fire. A man’s life does not consist of what he possesses. When these things become your aim, it’s a problem.

For example, when we had our jet, it was for soul winning. But somebody else may have a jet for something else. Look, these things are between people and God. So I will never criticise anybody because on that day, God will hold us all accountable. If God gives a man of God the grace to have 10 private jets for his purpose, why not? If people who are unbelievers have jets and carry girlfriends up and down, why can’t men of God have jets?

Why can’t men of God live well?

You know the world is so wicked. They want to see men of God who are poor and suffering so that they can control them. So, a rich man comes to church and he’s sitting there and you can’t preach the truth because he’s the one financing the ministry. You know they always want to control the pastors and they think that if they don’t give, if they don’t pay tithe, the church will not move on, shame on them. But, when pastors have all these good things and can stand on that pulpit, rebuke, exhort and encourage, that’s what it is all about. So please, I pray that more men of God will have jets and live well.

Your husband’s private jet, was it because of the high cost of maintenance that made you give it away?

No! What do I need a private jet for?

Tell me now. I don’t need one for now.

Not yet. When the time comes, God will provide another one and many too.

In many marriages today, you here men say that their wives are not submissive. And there is a thin line between submissiveness and slavery. What’s your take?

I think I should give you the tape on my preaching in church yesterday. And that is where the church is failing because we have all kinds of women ministry and they tell you submit, submit, submit, we need to start talking to men in the church.

They should play their role. The question is, we submit to one another in love. It is a loving relationship. A man has no right to dominate his wife. It is sinful. God said we should have dominion over everything. When a man dominates his wife, their marriage is under a curse. They are living under a curse because the Bible in Genesis says, the woman’s desire will be for her husband but the man will dominate her. That was through Adam. But now in Christ, what is happening? We have a covenant. And Jesus said, love one another. Are husband and wife not brothers and sisters? If you love me, you won’t try to dominate me and destroy me. You won’t try to abuse me and beat me up.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Just denim Omowumi OGUNTUASE

Denim pieces have always been fashionable and reliable. They are items that just seem to go and come.They are very unpredictable and useful. Although they were originally used for workmen’s clothes, either in jackets or trousers.

Different designers have been adding their own styles to denim, some mixing it with our own native ankara and they really look good and make you blend the western-African look well.

Some people tend to believe that if your jean is not blue, then it is not jean, but coloured jeans also look good and are very stylish.

Stretch jeans are great on everyone and even those who have fit bodies. Ladies in tight blue, black or other colours of jean present a trend conscious ladylike appeal. Even guys in denim shorts look sexy.

Ladies, your jeans can be high-waist, boyfriend or just the normal pencil or straight jean, whichever one, paired with the right accessories, can make you look simply chic or corporately fabulous.

Guys wear coloured jeans too and do nice colourblocking with it. You can look casual or corporate depending on your complementing items.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

M a k e th o s e e y e s PO P

Recently, ladies have been favouring the nude make-up style going for the more natural look, but even with that, you can still make your eyes speak and look bigger. You need to break out from the normal black mascara and go for something like purple or blue. If you also want the smoky eyes, after using your eyeshadow, add a black touch to the edge and outer corner of your lids, extend it a little bit to the tip and then use black eye pencil to define and darken the under part. If you are

Omowumi OGUNTUASE

using contacts, your eyeliner or pencil should be an opposite colour to that of the contact. If you are using green contact, purple should be good for you and if your contact is brown, blue would do. Do not be scared though, you will not look over glam with all these. They will blend well with the nude make-up.

Your body needs sleep to regenerate —Priscilla Omoifo

Your body needs sleep to regenerate, while lack of sleep can affect both immune response and vital functions such as learning and memory. So, give yourself the best sleep possible, says Priscilla Omoifo, the CEO of Priscilla’s Pride Day Spa. In this interview with KEHINDE FALODE, she spoke extensively on how good sleep position is essential for your health and wellbeing.

As a professional, what do you think are the major causes of sleep difficulty (insomnia) and joint problems?

There are so many reasons why people do not sleep, first of all, I would say that we all work so hard, right, and the brain is constantly active, so the truth is, most of the time, one of the reasons why we cannot sleep is that people find it hard to shock, you know, their brain, to stop it from working and just relax.

Another reason is that most products we have in the country are not made to allow our body to lie in its natural position, they are not comfortable and so what is happening is that, your body is constantly trying to find the proper position to stay so that you can fall asleep. So you find out that a lot of people are busy tossing and turning and if somebody is married to a partner who snores, the snoring may be a problem so she cannot fall asleep.

Again, we work so hard that our brains cannot shut down so we can sleep. So a lot of these, you know, are part of the reasons why it is so hard to fall asleep.

So, what do you think can be done to help?

We are introducing a product which will benefit a lot of Nigerians. The product is called Tempur and basically, it is a visco-elastic, temperature sensitive, open cell product that actually allows the body to rest in its natural position.

So the idea is a product that actually adapts to your body so that your body can lie in its natural position and you can sleep comfortably and what that actually does is help you to relieve aches and pains. It helps to stop snoring. It actually is so comfortable that it relieves stress. So, when you are stress-free, you find out that you sleep more better.

What are the little things that can also help apart from what Tempur can do?

Let me advise people on how to have a good night’s sleep.

First of all, your bed form is very important, your bed must be right; ensure that you are sleeping on the right bed, most people sleep on the wrong beds and your weight matters, your body shape matters and so you make sure that your choice of mattress is the right one for you. That is the first advice.

Another thing I want to say is that you should do light and regular exercises, nothing strenuous though, you should have a moderate exercise lifestyle, a little bit of cardio, a little bit of weight training, not so much so, it also helps to reduce fat, to be stress-free and to relax much better. I always tell people to try to drink less coffee at night times or take too much sugar. What it does is to make the body hyper and make you to be more active.

If you want to have coffee, I always advise to take coffee in the morning; it boosts the metabolism, but if you are drinking coffee or sugar based products closer to the bed time, it really reduces the potential of having a good night rest.

Another way you will have a good night’s sleep is that you should not take business problem home. Once you are done with business in the daytime, let it stop there. Go home, relax, and enjoy with your family.Do things that are more relaxing rather than thinking all the time. A lot of people plan the next day while they are home.

Another thing also is that you should have warm shower. Most people may not like having their bath at night time, and it helps.

Then, of course, your bedroom atmosphere must be cosy. You want it to be comfortable, you want it not to be too cold, too hot, you want the temperature to be what your body will appreciate.

So the atmosphere matters a lot. If it is clean and comfortable, it will actually help.

Sensational recycling designer set to lead the pack at 2012 Vodacom Durban July

The young Capetonian fashion designer who blitzed onto the fashion scene by winning the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award, Lara Klawikowski, is eager to show off her skills as one of the most fearless and creative designers using discarded and waste products in her creations, in line with this year’s race day theme “A Material World”.

Klawikowski, who now runs her own design studio in Cape Town, has been a consistently strong contender in the Vodacom Durban July fashion competitions, winning the highly coveted and prestigious Young Designers Award in 2009, the Extraordinary Hat competition in 2010 and last year she was victorious in the Vodacom Durban July Fashion Challenge.

The 2012 theme, “A Material World”, asks designers to look to minimise the environmental footprint of their craft, a skill that Klawikowski embraces with enthusiasm.

SOCIETY

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THE NATION SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Encomiums as South-South ACN chieftain becomes Otunba of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos

I

•Engr Emiyede (left) receivng a staff of office from Oba Salami

Mr. Ibidinana

Apart from the conferment of these chieftaincy titles, the ceremony also showcased the cultural and traditional heritage of the South-South people.

Speaking after the ceremony, ecstatic Emiyede called on Nigerians to eschew all forms of bitterness, anger and live in peace and harmony in order to achieve our desired socio-economic development.

He said Nigeria was blessed with immense human and material resourses, but could only achieve its maximum potential in an atmosphere of peace and stability.

Emiyede decried the rising spate of insecurity, theft, kidnapping and recent wave of terrorist attacks in most parts of the north which would further disintegrate the country rather than unite us against the common enemies of corruption and bad governance in the public space.

He said Nigeria was an indivisible nation, irrespective of our religions, tribes and languages , adding that we must make effort to develop our country and make it a better place to live in for tomorrow’s children.

Earlier in his opening address, the Oba of Ibeju-Lekki, Dr. Rafiu Bamidele, said the awards were given to the representatives of South-South people within the kingdom because of their contributions to the development of the people within the area.

He said:“South-South people, from historical data, have proved themselves to be naturally endowed with love, wisdom, humility, dedication, honesty, loyalty, administrative prowess and hard work which they always exhibit whenever they find themselves.”

•Mr. Ogherowho (left)and Mr. Johnson

WHAT

&

WHERE

Mr. Ogherowho,

T was a glorious day for the leader of the South-South people in the Action Con gress of Nigeria (ACN), Lagos State, Engr. Isaac Emiyede, when he was made Otunba Gbobaniyi of Ibeju-Lekki Kingdom

by Oba Dr. Olusegun Bamidele Salami, the Onibeju of Ibeju Kingdom .

It was also the day the vivacious ACN chieftain was also honoured his kinsmen from Urhoboland for his exemplary leadership. He was given the Merit Award for Creditability and Exemplary Leadership by Urhobo Musicians and Movies Association of Nigeria.

The well-attended ceremony, which took place at the Onibeju palace, attracted people from different walks of life . All the SouthSouth ACN co-ordinators with their exco members from the 57 LGAs of Lagos State and the South-South traditional chiefs were in attendance to honour their own.

The Onijebu of Ijebuland, in his speech, did not only praise Emiyede, the monarch also commended the South-South people in Lagos over their contributions not only to the Lagos ACN, but democracy and the political development of Lagos State under the leadership o Engr. Emiyede.

Other people honoured with Emiyede included: Mr. Isaac Ogherowho, the Asoju of Urhobo in Ibejuland; Mr. Victor Oveh Johnson, the Asoju of Isoko in Ibejuland and Mr. Israel Ibidinana, the Asoju of Ijaw in Ibejuland.

The Onibeju of Ibejuland, HRM Oba Dr. Olusegun Bamidele Salami, was full of praise for Emiyede.

Hajia Ibironke Siddiqah on her 50th birthday recently

L-R: BBC Correspondent, Sam Olukoya, Mrs Anu Shyllon and Mrs Dupe Spencer during the burial service of their father, Elder Joseph Olukoya, at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Olugbodi, Ibadan

READER’S VIEW

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

49

Cross River State’s 76 oil wells: If tomorrow comes...

I HAD postulated our end to solicitude regarding the 76 oil wells taken from Cross River State sometime ago. However, with the recent social, legal and political developments preceding the July 10 expected Supreme Court’s judgement on this issue, I was wrong. Solicitude is even more effervescent now in Cross River State.

Those 76 oil wells have our imprimatur already. So, any other beneficiary would only inherit a poisoned chalice. Issues touching Akwa-Cross usually fray our fraternal nerves. But, until you heal the wounds of the past, you will continue to bleed profusely into the future. If tomorrow comes, I sincerely hope that Akwa-Cross will still remain sisters.

Akwa-Cross once ruled the public service of Nigeria: from Eyo Ita, Wellington Bassey, Eyo Esua, Edet Wey, Udoakaha Esuene, Louis Edet, Etim Duke, Udo Udoma, Ani, Usoro, Edem Koofreh, Etim Inyang, Clement Isong to Mkpang, Andrew Bassey, Hogan Bassey, Henshaw, Imoke, Wushishi, Eyo Ekpo, Okokon Ndem, Anwan, Effiong Udo Okon, Atakpa Ntieyong Akpan and Philip Efiong. But over the years, our strength and ranks have been rankled, decimated and set on a steep decline. It is only now that we are gravitating gradually out of the woods, more strong-footed and focused and wiser. So why this recent internecine attrition?

Ariadne’s Thread: Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete. Minos had Daedalus build a Labyrinth, a house of winding passages, to house the bull-man, the Minotaur, the beast that his wife Pasiphae bore after having intercourse with a bull (Minos had refused to sacrifice a bull to Poseidon, as the king promised, so the god took revenge by causing his wife to desire the bull). Minos required tribute from Athens in the form of young men and women to be sacrificed to the Minotaur.

The house that Daedalus built was a maze of innumerable confusing passages of various wandering paths, so deceptive that no one was able to return to the entrance.

Theseus, an Athenian, volunteered to accompany one of these groups of victims to deliver his country from the tribute to Minos.

Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and gave him a thread which he let unwind through the Labyrinth, so that he was able to kill the Minotaur and find his way out again.

Flowing from this, Ariadne’s Thread is now universally assessed as any simplistic method, process or routine employed to solve intractable and seemingly insoluble problems.

The onshore/offshore dichotomy, political schisms and littoral questions were all dealt with by the application of the above Continued from page 22

named us ‘the bright ones’. You see, we had somebody who was called the commander of the bright ones. That was Dr. Toye Falola of the University of Houston. The challenge to change the ways things are done to get scholarship in place to run things properly has been the driving force for me and for many of our colleagues and friends. And for those who have believed so much in me to vote in elections, campaign for me when I put up my papers, it was because they believed I could drive the process of change.

Are you thinking about becoming the VC at the Obafemi Awolowo University sometime in the future?

No way!

Why? Some things are gone. What I’m I looking for again? I’m a vice chancellor. I pioneered the Osun State University.

Won’t you go for second term at the Osun State University?

No. It is a single term of five years.

You see, parts of our problems in this country is the peoples’ failure to accept the reality. Look, from day one, you knew that you had a five-year term, why are you looking for a second term? Why don’t you structure yourself, do what you want to do within your tenure? All these I have not finished, I have not completed;

•Governor Imoke

Orok Otu DUKE principle. Therefore, the Doctrine of Estoppel, which our Supreme Court upheld in the case between Akwa-Ibom State and Rivers State and others on 11th of March, 2011, should be our fait accompli……if tomorrow comes.

Former President Obasanjo (with Bayo Ojo, SAN) had managed the hitches over the offshore/onshore dichotomy and the disputed oil wells to the satisfaction of Cross River, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers States - many years ago. These issues had closure. Or so we thought. Now, Bayo Ojo SAN holds brief for Akwa-Ibom State. Immorally, ex-President Obasanjo might as well come and take sides-just to fulfill the scriptures.

When seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think that sardines will be thrown into the sea.

Musings: Issues at hand 1) The ICJ Judgement of 10/10/2002 ceded Bakassi to Cameroon, recognised the 1971 and 1975 Maruwa Declarations that recognised status quo and recognised Cross River State as a littoral state (based on the maps used).

2) The Green Tree Agreement has not been

domesticated or ratified according to section 12(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

3) No adjustment or amendment to any of our various states’ boundaries has been carried out according to section 8 (2) of 1999 Constitution (as amended).

4) After the ICJ Judgement of 10/10/2002, The National Boundary Commission had confirmed via a letter dated 4th January, 2004 that Cross River State is a littoral state.

5) In AG CROSS RIVER STATE Vs AG FEDERATION & ANOR (supra), the Supreme Court had held that: “Boundaries are fixed either (1) by proved acts of the respective owners as for example by agreement, assurance, undisturbed possession and estoppel…”(2005) 6) The same 2005 Supreme Court ruling had confirmed Cross River State as having, apart from Bakassi, estuarine boundaries in Akpabuyo and Calabar also. This judgement goes further to recognise on-shore wells in Cross River State being operated

by Addax and MoniPulo.

7) Justices Uwais (presiding), Katsina-Alu, Dahiru Musdapher, Edozie, PatsAcholonu, Oguntade and Akintola Akitan made up the panel that took the aforementioned decisions in 2005.

8) On 26th October, 2006, an amicable settlement was mooted by the then President Obasanjo and agreed to by Akwa-Ibom, Rivers and Cross River State.

9) In 2012, both NBC and the Attorney General of the Federation are trying to jettison the actual map used by ICJ in its judgement on Bakassi.

10) Now, all those territories in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Akwa-Ibom and Cross River States, which were under the suzerainty of the Obong of Calabar over the years have been excised from the Efik Kingdom.

11) If you even follow the warped argument that the 76 oil wells and Bakassi were located and allocated to Cross River State as Siamese twins and that Cameroon only took Bakassi and out of benevolence left the 76 oil wells behind, would simple logic and equity not demand that either Cross River State inherits the wells or we call our Cameroon brothers to come and reclaim their remaining inheritance? Why would the wells be allocated to any other entity?

Furthermore, the malicious attempts by NBC to redraw the boundaries to hem in and spite Cross River State (instead of using the ICJ Map) will inadvertently concede more of Nigerian territory to Cameroon.

12) Akwa-Ibom State has about 1200 oil wells (Offshore due to the agreed political solution) and enjoys a monthly derivation allocation of about N20,000,000,000.00 (Twenty billion naira) (excluding excess crude windfall),while Cross River State earns nothing and is even battling to recover

her miserly 76 oil wells added to Akwa-Ibom State since 2008.

Akwa Abasi Ibom that the two sister states believe in had once adumbrated that any bird that finds comfort on a tree branch and prevents another sister bird from perching on the same tree branch, will be made to lose its wings. We pray again for providential guidance and intervention.

If tomorrow comes…..

Now, different interests are stoking the fire and prodding us to fight each other. Two PDP states, nay two brothers in SouthSouth. Even FGN agencies are further compounding the issues by manufacturing Parts 1, 2 and 3 of the same map as if it is a production of a Nollywood movie.

If tomorrow comes, will the intended outcome alter the fact that one third of AkwaIbom State population resides in Cross River State? Or the fact that Cross River State is still hosting refugees from Mbiabo Ikot Offiong, Bakassi and Benue/Taraba States?

Will anyone remember that U. J. Esuene Lodge and Stadium honour a man from Eket in Akwa-Ibom or that Margaret Ekpo who has an airport named after her in Calabar, was an Igbo woman married to an AkwaIbom man?

Having lost Bakassi, are we not supposed to be getting a Federal Government grant in perpetuity for our loss? Does it matter if General Gowon and his government sold us out to Cameroon without our consent-the same way NBC would go on to produce maps without inputs from the concerned and affected states- in conformity with the extant Law? Literally shaving our head in our absence.

We have endured indignation in Nigeria to a point of satiety. Have we not exhibited enough restraint, maturity and diplomacy?

Yet we are hardly remembered or adequately compensated for our efforts.

The pronouncement of 10th October… took away Bakassi and the 10th of July is gravid.

Ariadne’s Thread brought us succour, methinks. But the Pandora’s box that we seek to open now, will have its political and social effects and fallouts.Que sera, sera.

If tomorrow comes, Cross River State will still be green and clean …. with the lowest crime rate in Nigeria. Akwa-Cross will still be together, Governors Imoke and Akpabio will still remain brothers. But they should ask Akwa-Cross, ’’Where are your ancestors-where are they now? And the prophets-are they still alive?” (Zecharia1:5) However, this foreboding feeling of apprehension will be assuaged by the return of Cross River State’s 76 oil wells, …if tomorrow comes.

•Rt. Hon. Orok Otu Duke wrote in from Duke Town, Calabar.

‘My greatest fear is losing my wedding ring’ nobody can complete the work of an office. The office will always be there till Jesus Christ returns. That is it. If you get a second term, it will end one day. If you get a third or fourth term, it will end one day. It is the problem of African leaders. If you keep saying one term more, that term will end one day.

The inability of people to separate themselves from the position they are occupying is a problem. People should know that nothing lasts forever. The permanent secretary should know that one day, he will retire. Permanent secretary is not permanent. I don’t know why they call them permanent secretary.

Tell me the good, the bad and the ugly you experienced while in the UK. I have lived in the UK on and off for many years. I was a student there. I went on fellowship. I had a full time appointment. I’ve always enjoyed life in the UK because I was clear on my mind about why I was there. You know when I was there as a student, I knew I was there to do a degree programme.

As a postgraduate student, I knew I was there for my PhD. When I was there for fellowship, I knew why I was there.

I didn’t set a goal beyond what I wanted. I knew each experience counted for me. I wasn’t there because of pleasure. Everywhere, there was a challenge. I think by and large, I had a

good time in England.

What was the incident in England you would not forget in a hurry?

One of my most positive encounters was my introduction to ICT. I had played games on computers here once or twice before going to England, but we were used to being pampered in this system in Nigeria. If you want to type, you give it to secretary or typist.

I went to England with that mentality.

I wrote a paper for my PhD supervisor and it was hand-written. He read it, made his comments and wrote at the end of it, ‘You should try to familiarise yourself with the word processing system. So many computers are available in the laboratory.’ Just a simple sentence. I was challenged. That was one.

Number 2, I wrote an article for a newspaper. I gave it to the secretary to type for me. She typed it, and when she returned it, she had this stick on the thing, ‘7 pounds 50’. I looked for the money and gave it to her. I looked for my friend who had been in England before me, he said nobody is going to type for you here. For me, that says a lot about the system. As a PhD student, I wanted to register in another institution; they had this institution for further education, which was for people who could not go to the university or polytechnic but had further education skill. I enrolled for

basics of typing, 12 weeks, Monday to Friday. By the time I finished, I was very good in typing. But by the time I started typing, people were already using the computer. The typewriter, which was useful at a time, within a few days, I jettisoned it. I had to start using the computer.

But the interesting thing about it was the first time I went to computer lab, it was my friend, we were doing PhD together. I asked him to come and teach me and that was very interesting, because in most instances, the best teacher is yourself. We went together to the computer lab, opened the system, and I was working and enjoying myself. By the time I looked back, he had disappeared. When I was going to leave, I wasn’t sure of how to get out of the system. I was looking at it. I saw quit and exit commands.

Fortunately, I pressed quit, but after some time, I couldn’t get out of the system. I just abandoned the system and went out of the place. That was the last time, because I became familiar with it. But for me, it was a learning experience. England was an interesting place.

What is your wardrobe like?

I wear suit to work during the week.

Sometimes, I wear native. But I like African dress and I’m not sure you can catch me dead wearing anything but native Yoruba dress, except I’m

dressing casually in the house. But if I’m going out, I wear native dress.

What about the time you were in England?

When you are in Rome you act like Romans. The nature of the society does not allow this kind of dressing, because the weather is different and the dressing there matches the weather.

How manage you still keep your wedding ring?

I can’t be caught dead without it. My greatest fear in the world is losing my wedding ring. That is always my fear, because if anything happens to it, it is like I’m jeopardising my own marriage. I don’t know; it is part of me.

Then I should regard you as a saint…

No, it has nothing to do with being a saint. It is a question of your commitment. I’m married. I’m not ashamed to declare it to the world. If you get to my office, you will see the picture of my wife on my table.

Have you ever been harassed by a female student?

Unfortunately, I’m not a lecturer at UNIOSUN, and I don’t think I would be harassed. It is not the question of you being harassed; it is a question of the state of your mind. It is whether you surrender to the harassment.

Nobody is harassed who is not willing.

No lecturer can say that a girl is harassing him; he would chase her away.

50

W

ITH 2015 a couple of years away, a seeming jostling has begun among various geo-political zones all staking a claim to the nation’s number one seat. What is the position of the Igbo or the South East on this?

On the part of the South East, the region has been clamouring for the office since 1979 when Dr. Alex Ekwueme eventually became Vice-President. And with every passing election, the South-East has always been clamouring and continues to restate the same position.

But my argument has always been that power is not given on the basis of sentiment. Rather, it is given on the basis of desire, determination, conviction and hard work. And when that is made clear, you expect other sections of the country to go into a relationship with you by way of an alliance or coalition.

The South-East is today the only region that has distracted itself from clinching the presidency. But we can achieve that if and only if we put our act together. Based on my knowledge that we have a large population spread across the country, we stand a good chance of winning elections in this country if they are free and fair.

But this cannot be done without a political platform that is sympathetic to that aspiration.

And it is for this reason which I foresaw years back that propelled me to form the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). APGA was that platform that would have made it possible. Of course, the story of APGA is already well documented.

To realise the aspiration of the South-East to clinch the presidency, come 2015, we have started working towards getting back to the starting block.

Without that, the aspiration of an Igbo presidency come 2015 will remain a mirage. We must understand that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), given its present composition and structure, is not going to give its ticket to an Igbo man to contest on its platform. You must also understand that President

•Chief Okorie

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012 Goodluck Jonathan is not only qualified to run but has the advantage of the incumbency to clinch the ticket of his party.

Worthy of note is the fact that the South West is not clamouring to produce a president this time around. It is not because they do not desire it, but because former President Olusegun Obasanjo was there for eight years. And it is not surprising that they will rather try to work out an alliance with other opposition parties. But for the South-East, it is still a long way and that long way will be made shorter if the right platform is put in place.

How does the South-East intend to work towards achieving that common platform, given their obvious lack of political cohesion?

You will agree with me that 2015 is not tomorrow. If you were to pose the same question to me by the end of this year, my answer will be slightly different. But as we speak, that viable platform which everybody will be proud to jump on will soon be in place.

We have not given up. The law of the land has made it possible for us to form a party. The Nigerian Electoral Act has given us the necessary enablement to create a viable platform where our people can realise their aspiration. Our ability and capacity to mobilise have not waned and that explains the fear of our detractors to have us registered as a party. We do not even have councillors in any of the wards and yet people are already afraid. But very soon, Nigerians will know why people are afraid of United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) being registered as a party. The petition against us is not coming from the North, West or South-south, but it is from the South-East.

Despite that, we have surrendered APGA to them and rather than celebrate, they are still afraid of us. Their fear is predicated on something that we have that they do not have. We have gone back to the drawing table to tell Nigerians that it is neither name nor symbol that we are relying on. We are already a brand and because of that, whatever name or symbol we come up with, we will still make the impact that will surprise many people.

You spoke about having something that those you said you abandoned APGA for do not have. What exactly is it that you have that they do not have?

We have the ability to mobilise people across the country effortlessly with little or no money.

We have done it before with basically nothing. We had 36 functional offices spread across the country. Those who accused me of misappropriating funds in APGA cannot even raise funds to buy a pin or stapling machine in a functional office.

In spite of the fact that we did not have the resources to compete, our organisation and mobilisation capacity saw the late Dim

How the Igbo can clinch the presidency in 2015 — Chekwas Okorie Chief Chekwas Okorie was the founder and National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Having lost the fight for the soul of the party through a protracted court battle to Chief Victor Umeh, Okorie is in the process of getting another association, United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) registered. In this interview with LINUS OBOGO, the erstwhile APGA boss pilloried former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme for stooping so low to be Chairman, Advisory Committee to PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. He also spoke on how he thinks the Igbo can clinch the presidency in 2015, among other issues. Excerpts: Odimegwu Ojukwu come third in the presidential election of 2003. But when they pushed me aside in 2007, what did they score in the 2007 presidential election with the late Ikemba alive and kicking then? APGA had zero votes. That means there was something that was there in 2003 that was no longer there in 2007.

The republican nature of the Igbo has largely been blamed for the seeming lack of political cohesion in the region. How do you intend to address this culture of ‘everyman to himself’ to ensure a unanimity of purpose ahead of 2015?

The Igbo have always been united. What people understand to be lack of unity among the Igbo

is their republican nature. So, what the Igbo need at this point in time is a political platform and not a cultural or traditional platform. Recall that when there was the NCNC, the Igbo had over 70 per cent political unity. When there was the NPP, the Igbo had 60 per cent political unity, despite the presence of the NPN. When APGA came on board as late as 2002, there was massive mobilisation of the people. But what was lacking was the war chest to translate the mobilisation to empowerment.

Yet APGA made a bold impact.

That is why so many people are still very emotional about the turn of event in APGA. So, what it takes to unite is not all about people congregating in a strange

party like the PDP. Let me give you an instance, when Dr. Alex Ekwueme, a famous Igbo politician and statesman, agreed to serve as chairman of advisory committee to a chairman of a party, the PDP, the Igbo people wept when they watched him take an oath of office. He may not know the damage he has done to himself and his people. Nobody would have believed that Ekwueme could have stooped so low to become chairman of an advisory committee to advise a party chairman in an individual capacity.

It is a thing of shame that Ekwueme, despite his robust profile, had to come down from his Olympian height to become

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

•Chief Okorie

My argument has always been that power is not given on the basis of sentiment. Rather, it is given on the basis of desire, determination, conviction and hard work. And when that is made clear, you expect other sections of the country to go into a relationship with you by way of an alliance or coalition...

‘

,

a glorified ‘personal assistant’ or ‘secretary’ to a national party chairman. He may not have seen it as a personal humiliation, but it is a painful humiliation to those who look up to him for leadership.

What this shows is that he lacks the capacity and the clout to serve and speak for his people

without having to pander to the wishes of his employer. So, given this shameful scenario, is it the PDP, ACN, or the CPC that the Igbo should be looking up to?

The Igbo, young and old, big and small need a platform where they can realise their aspiration.

Do you think Ekwueme’s acceptance to serve as Bamanga Tukur’s adviser is a measure of

desperation to stay relevant?

Do you not think also that at my level and stature, I could not have tried to remain relevant by seeking comfort in PDP by compromising my integrity all this while if personal comfort was the issue? The issue here is that the Igbo people are looking for someone who is prepared to suffer and bear their pain and

carry their cross by providing that platform that others can utilise. The Igbo cannot negotiate from their bedroom as individuals, they cannot negotiate as employees of the establishment. It is only on a platform where they can express themselves, given their number and strength that will make them attractive. Remember the good old days when the Great Zik was a beautiful bride. But today, we do not even have a bride, not to talk of being beautiful. So, we need to equip ourselves to become a beautiful bride and move on to becoming suitors without the need for physical surgery to transform our gender.

How can the Igbo fill the leadership vacuum created by the passage of Zik and now Ojukwu?

That has been part of my lamentation. At the risk of being misunderstood, let me say that nobody can fill any vacuum. A platform will throw up a leader.

Let me give you the example of Ojukwu, a man I followed for 22 years. When he was in NPN, how much of a leader was he to the Igbo politically? He was neither their leader in SDP. Igbo people did not congregate around him as their leader while he was in these two parties. Even when he moved over to ANPP, his impact was not felt by his own people. It was not until he found himself on the APGA platform that he began to shine like a thousand stars in the sky.

A viable, credible, acceptable and functional platform will throw up a leader for the Igbo. If it was because of his Biafran exploits, why did the Igbo not follow him all through his journey in those parties? I was the only one following him faithfully and so, I can tell the story of his frustrations, travails and triumphs. When General Buhari put him jail in 1984, how many Igbo rallied round him?

How many people gave him a hero’s welcome from his travails as their leader? So, situations and platform will throw up a leader and from the leadership, the people will come to know who their famous leader is and follow him.

What is the current position with regard to your new party, UPGA and its registration?

Well, at the moment, we are in a period of going to court. But in our collective wisdom, we have decided not to go to court. That means that the issue is resolved.

To put our detractors’ mind at rest, we have ensured that the name and symbol of UPGA are totally different. We have tried to avoid blackmail by our detractors by ensuring that anything ethnic, tribal or sectional is removed completely.

Despite what the electoral law says regarding party registration, we are making sure that we have 36 states represented during UPGA’s registration. The law says that 24 states, including Abuja, must be represented. But we want all the 36 states to be represented, because it is a national party. We are leaving no stone unturned in meeting the requirement of INEC. UPGA’s registration may not be far from now, but we are no way in a hurry. A new party will be birthed soon that will have no sun as its logo or symbol.

Your critics are wondering why you think you desperately need a party of your own,

despite that there are over 60 of political parties in the country.

Is it desperation to lead at all costs?

If you know what my Igbo title means, ‘Messenger of the Igbo people’, you will agree with me that that is not a big title for somebody who wants to lead. I’m a mere messenger. I have had other big titles, but I dropped all of them. The title has galvanised me in every decision I have taken since assuming it. If it was just to be a member of a party and take care of myself and family, of course, I will not be doing what I am doing. I got involved in Igbo struggles since 32 years ago. I have come a long way as a man.

By 1992, I was the youngest member of the inner council of the Ohanaeze, when the leadership then felt there must be a bridge between the old and the young.

Based on what I have said about the cause of the Igbo, if I have fused with any of the parties in the country, what I have been preaching all this while will not be realisable. Do not forget that Nigeria has an unfair and lopsided political structure. If I had not done what I have been doing, someone like the late Odimegwu Ojukwu would not have flown a presidential flag in the post-civil war Nigeria. Also, there would have been no APGA to produce governors and legislators at both national and state levels. Why did I not run for the presidency, if that is what my detractors want to canvass?

But I chose to play the role of a kingmaker. Today, I can boast that I am the most consistent politician from the entire SouthEast. Anyone who feels he has been more consistent than me should step forward so that we can do a profile assessment.

It is not about me wanting to be a leader, but creating a platform that will serve the people within the context of the Nigerian political equation so that they can be a factor to negotiate with.

There is no negotiating platform for my people and I am just not trying to find myself somewhere and shed crocodile tears. I am condemned to the Igbo struggle and no amount of blackmail or intimidation can stop me. Some of those that found themselves in APGA today never believed in the party. In 2002, Governor Rochas Okorocha told me pointedly then in the presence of Chief Ralf Okoye Nwosu that APGA was a small party and he was not ready to lend his support. He said the Igbo people would fight for their right within the existing big parties. But nine years after, he has become a governor on that platform. Did he not form Action Alliance and could not use it to be anything?

In PDP and ANPP, what did he become? And now that he is in APGA, within one year on APGA platform, he is already thinking of running for the presidency.

Even if they want to dis-inherit me, they should do it with a sense of history and respect. I have been hearing recently of what they call Odimegwu Ojukwu’s legacy in APGA, which I consider laughable.

Ojukwu’s legacy could only be situated with the context of Biafra but not APGA. APGA was not co-founded. There is no such thing as co-founder in politics.

A founder is one who initiated an idea.

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

52

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

COMMITMENT:Backbone of successful

D

EAR Reader, You are welcome to this last edition

for this month. We started by looking at the meaning of commitment, and we moved on to the second edition by looking at two levels of commitment.

Last week, I thought on the benefits of commitment. Today, I shall be exploring The Demands of Commitment.

Man is a spirit, possessing a soul, and lives in a body. In other words, man is a tripartite being. If that is true, and it is, it means that God expects commitment in marriage to affect the three realms - spirit, soul and body. Understanding this is crucial to the success of any union.

Spiritually, be committed to the spiritual demands of your family.

Husbands, you are the high priest and prophet of the family. You are to take the lead in the spiritual well-being of the family.

Take time out to pray for the family, and fasting sometimes, when the need arises. Lead the family by your example of commitment and devotion to God and the cause of the Kingdom. Spend time with the family in prayer and studying of the Word of God. Wives, you are the family’s spiritual anchor.

You are created to be very perceptive, so you are able to sense things when no other person can. At times like that, be committed to taking such issues to God in prayer. The story of the mother of the Wesleys cannot be over-emphasized. It is on record that she took every child daily in

prayers, communication and quality relationship.

It was, therefore, impossible for her children to miss their places in destiny. Her commitment to her family paid off for posterity.

Mentally, buy materials that help to develop your psychological abilities of each other. Invest in each other. The Bible says: Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17). Learn to share thoughts and ideas one with another. Show the children the right way to mental excellence. Invest in their mental development, by buying them books and other educational materials that will enhance their mental dignity, not things that will corrupt their minds, all in the name of flowing with the trend. Commitment demands that you are never too busy or tired to spend time with your children daily, no matter how late. Let them know they are your top priority in life, and keep them assured of your love always.

Physically, the family

marriages (5)

welfare must be given the utmost priority that it requires, if family success must be realized. You cannot expect your family members to be successful, if you deprive them of the basic necessities of life. So, do your best to ensure they enjoy the best you can provide.

What more? To be committed to your marriage, you need to be truthful.

There is no substitute for truth! Your “Yea” must be found “Yea”, and your “Nay” must be found “Nay”. Effective rulership of your family can only be established, when members of your household know your commitment to truth. Truth commands and compels respect.

It is very important that husband and wife respect, appreciate, and fulfill their marriage vows to each other. This is the only way to be committed to your marriage. It is the keeping of your marriage vows that will help you to be successful in marriage.

Also, when you are committed to your marriage,

Health in nation building

W

E all want to be long to a nation that we are proud of but such an entity is a fruit of many and various efforts. To live well, to have abundant life, to live life to the full is the aspiration of any human being who is not foolish. Each of us is a potential building block of a good society wherein such dreams come true. If a country aspires to be the best it could possibly be, it is important that it is built upon living-stones and not stumbling blocks.

Human health, as we frequently discussed in this column, is a combination of bodily (physical), mental (of the mind), and spiritual (of the soul) health. For each of us to perform well as building blocks of a good society we need to be healthy human beings.

One of the greatest teachers of all times, Jesus, once said: “by their fruits, you shall know them”. This is true in all aspects of life. If a person is healthy (bodily, mentally, and spiritually), it reflects in his attitudes, his performance, his relationships, his works, his contributions to society, etc. If a person is unhealthy, the tendency is that, not only he will suffer the consequence; other people will also suffer the consequence.

A nation cannot develop without peace; peace within its people and peace in their environment. In civic realities, both go hand in hand. Where there is continual strife, injustice, oppression, corrup-

tion, violation, hatred, prejudice, fanaticism, confusion, arrogance, and a legion of negativities, efforts and resources are forced away from developmental issues. Civic leadership must care about the health of its people if it is serious about nation building.

We are living in the 21st century, a time of great civilization, advanced science and technological achievements that have lifted off the curse of hardships for much of humanity, and a world of social media that has turned the world into a global village where no man, no country is an island unless this is self-imposed. Against this 21 st century background, it can be truly described an abominable thing to see a nation of rich resources with too many people living in squalor, misery, unbelievable hardships, and backwardness.

Civic leadership needs to be tireless in its good efforts to enlighten, educate, and support people on good living and on civic responsibilities and contributions. No intelligent person can expect the best physical and mental performance and contributions from people who do not have basic needs in life such as abundant clean water, constant and reliable electricity, good food, affordable and comfortable housing, safe and efficient transportation, accessible health care, support to raise families, education and opportunities, etc.

Sometimes, these are the

you must be loyal to your spouse, especially in his or her absence. Loyalty demands that your allegiance to your spouse must be in place, in order to have a successful marriage.

Also, you must learn the attitude of forgiveness.

Forgiveness in marriage and among family members is not an admonition, but a commandment. It is so vital that no marriage or family can survive without it. Forgiveness is a way of admitting, ‘I’m human, I make mistakes, I want to be granted that privilege,’ and so I grant you that privilege. None of us is without sin. The Word of God says: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:2324). You are only a product of grace.

In case you are reading this article and you are not born again, you are not justified yet and you don’t

der: when will the people of this nation be able to wow the world with positive things? It all boils down to the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the people.

Within families, parents should do the best they can to see that their children grow up in wholesome health taking care of: the home environment, poor perhaps, but the best and happiest that it can be; nutrition as best as possible; life support – water, electricity, communication, health care, education and enlightenment as best as can be; peace – as best as can be. Children should be taught about neighbourliness and how to maintain sanity so that they are not swept away by dangerous extremisms in religion, ideologies, and leanings and therefore can become positive contributors and building blocks of a fair, good, and just society where they themselves and their neighbours, humans of much diversity, can live in freedom and progress.

Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please E m a i l bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910

Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 0 7 0 2 6 3 8 5 4 3 7 , 07094254102 For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches, and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, and Building A Successful Family.

Brain problem warning signs K

few and precious seeds a civic leadership needs to sow and in no time there will be a blossoming of stable businesses, blooming industries, wonderful enterprise, and notable contributions to civilization amongst its people. If a people lack well-being; by their fruits you shall know them. If a people have well-being; by their fruits you shall know them.

I was at a scientific conference in April 2012 in San Diego, California, USA and a middle-aged white man from eastern Europe stopped by my poster presentation and read the poster. Then he turned to me smiling and shaking his head and said: “Surely, you did not do this work in your country. You have too many problems to be thinking of this kind of thing!” We laughed over the matter but it was a reality check. I was surprised that he actually thought like that and wondered if the world really expects nothing good from us.

In these few months in the USA, anytime I hear news from our part of the world, it is about a disaster; churches bombed every Sunday, and a completely disastrous plane crash were amongst the most recent. I often won-

have the grace of God upon your life. Why not say this prayer of faith and enjoy the grace of God upon your life to meet up with the demand of commitment: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner.

Forgive me my sins.

Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.

Now I know I am born again!

EEPING the brain sharp by interacting with others and engaging in intellectually stimulating activities has been found to prevent and slow the progression of all diseases.

If any of the following happen to you, see a doctor.

Head Injury Any injury that leads to unconsciousness can indicate a concussion. Tests are needed to determine the extent of the damage.

Seizure A seizure can include involuntary jerking of the limbs, altered perception, unintentional staring, involuntary repeated muscle movements, or loss of consciousness. If you have a seizure and have not been diagnosed with epilepsy, see a doctor immediately.

Brain aneurysms and tumors, both potentially life-threatening, are two possible causes of seizures.

Numbness, Tingling, or Paralysis Numbness, tingling, or paralysis on one side of the body is one of the chief symptoms of stroke.

Sudden Headache An extremely painful headache that comes on almost instantaneously can indicate a ruptured aneurysm or stroke.

Confusion or Forgetfulness Repeatedly forgetting conversations or names, or misplacing objects is cause for concern. An occasional memory lapse is normal, but if it happens persistently, this might be an early symptom of dementia.

Lagos set to reduce maternal mortality T

HE Lagos State Ministry of Health has held a stakeholders’ meeting to reduce rate of maternal mortality in the state.

The one-day meeting was based on the report of the 2010 indirect maternal mortality ratio survey conducted in Lagos State.

Speaking at the event which took place at De Renaissance hotel, Lagos, the state Health Commissioner, Dr Jide Idris said that the ministry is doing everything possible to achieve the millennium development goal.

“To reduce maternal mortality by 75 percent in 2015, the state government will intensify health education among the masses as well as regularly train and retrain medical personnel. The revitalization of the primary health centres and an enabling environment in the private sector will also reduce

Risikat RAMONI mother’s death. While it is true that we are not encouraging traditional birth attendants, it is also instructive to note that we are not throwing them away.”

In his presentation, a reproductive health expert,. Mr Ejike Oji said there is the need for every woman to be informed about family planning method and how to manage her fertility and reproduction.

He urged women to visit competent physicians and not quacks whenever there is the need to remove unwanted pregnancy.

“Many women often go through abortion complications, therefore the Lagos state government should ensure a post abortion care facility to reduce maternal mortality.”

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

53 Coping with diseases with Prof. Dayo Oyekole

Hepatitis ‘Living a healthy life style can prevent stroke’ Stroke can be devastating to the victims as well as their families, robbing them of their independence. It is the most common cause of adult disability, hence the need to know more about the ailment. Dr. Agwuni Njideka a medical doctor with the Navy Hospital, Lagos in this interview gives a vivid description about stroke or brain attack and ways to prevent it.

On stroke

It’s a condition where blood clots or a ruptured artery or blood vessel interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. A lack of oxygen and glucose (sugar) flow to the brain leads to the death of brain cells and brain damage, often result-

ing in impairment in speech, movement and memory.

The two main types of stroke include Ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic strokes account for about 75 percent of all strokes and occurs when a blood clot or

Thrombus, forms that blocks blood flow to part of the brain. If a blood clot forms somewhere in the body and wanders off to become free floating, it is called an embolus. This wandering clot may be carried through the blood stream to the brain where it causes stroke.

Both cerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage result in lack of blood flow to the brain and build up of blood that puts too much pressure on the brain. Out come after stroke depends on where the stroke occurs and how much of the brain is affected. Smaller strokes may result in minor problems, such as weakness in the arm or leg, while larger stroke may lead to paralysis or death. Many stroke patients are left with weakness on one side of the body, difficulty in speaking, incontinence and bladder problem.

Those at risk

Anyone can suffer from blood stroke, although many risk factors for stroke are out of control. Several can be kept in line through proper nutrition, medical care and healthy life style. Some of the risk factors are: over age 55, being a male, a family history of stroke , high blood pressure, smoking cigarettes, diabetes, obesity/overweight, a previous stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), high level of homocysline and amino acid in blood, birth control use or other hormone therapy, use of cocaine and heavy consumption of alcohol among others.

Symptoms

Within the few minutes of stroke attack, brain cells begin to die and symptom can become present. It’s important to recognize the symptoms as prompt treat-

ment is crucial to recovery.

Common signs are: sudden dizziness, trouble walking, loss of balance and coordination, speech problem, numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, blurred, blackened or double vision, sudden severe headache without cause among others.

A possible sign that stroke is about to occur is called Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). It’s a temporary interruption in blood flow to part of the brain. Symptoms of (TIA) are similar to stroke but last for a shorter time period and do not have noticeable permanent damage.

Prevention/advice for stroke victims

Most stroke victims will require rehabilitation after the event. A person’s condition is generally dependent on the area of the brain and the amount of tissue that was damaged. It is common for the rehabilitation process to include speech, occupational and physical therapy and family education.

One way to prevent stroke is to notice a transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini stroke that provides symptoms similar to stroke.

Knowing the symptom of stroke can lead to earlier treatment and better recovery. Much of stroke prevention is based on living a healthy life style. This includes knowing and controlling blood pressure, finding out if you have arterial fibrillation, not smoking, lowering cholesterol, sodium and fat intake, following a healthy diet and moderate intake of alcohol, treating diabetes properly, exercising regularly and managing stress, taking preventive medication and cholesterol lowering drugs.

The power of positive thinking (2)

T

HINK positive and ex pect only favourable results and situations, even if your current circumstances are not as you wish them to be. In time, your mental attitude will affect your life and circumstances and change them accordingly. Effective positive thinking that brings results is much more than just repeating a few positive words, or telling yourself that everything is going to be all right. It has to be your predominant mental attitude. It is not enough to think positively for a few moments, and then letting fears and lack of belief enter your mind. Some effort and inner work are necessary.

When you expect success and say “I can”, you fill yourself with confidence and joy.

Fill your mind with light, hope and feelings of strength, and soon your life will reflect these qualities.

Here are a few actions

and tips to help you develop the power of positive thinking: Strive to use mostly positive words while thinking and while talking.

Use words such as, ‘I can’, ‘I am able’, ‘it is possible’, ‘it can be done’.

-Try to disregard and ignore negative thoughts.

Refuse to think such thoughts, and substitute them with constructive happy thoughts.

- In your conversation use words that evoke feelings and mental images of strength, happiness and success.

-Before starting with any plan or action, visualize clearly in your mind its successful outcome. If you visualize with concentration and faith, you will be amazed at the results.

-Read at least one page of inspiring book every day.

-Watch movies that

make you feel happy.

-Minimize the time you listen to the news and read the papers.

-Associate yourself with people who think positively.

- Always sit and walk with your back straight. This will

strengthen your confidence and inner strength.

- Walk, swim or engage in some other physical activity.

This helps to develop a more positive attitude.

Concluded Source: Best Health

H

EPATITIS is an inflammation of the liver. Un less further qualified, the term is usually taken to refer to a virus infection of the liver; also known as “infectious hepatitis”. Hepatitis is also (occasionally) a result of a bacterial, protozoan or other microbial infection. There is also Toxic hepatitis which is caused by poisoning of the liver with various chemicals (such as industrial solvents), drugs, or (very rarely) general anaesthetics.

Virus hepatitis occurs in two basic forms, one of which is called infectious hepatitis (or hepatitis A) and the other, serum hepatitis (or hepatitis B), which is also “infectious”. It is fairly certain that these two conditions, although clinically similar, are caused by different viruses and the modes of transmission are different.

In Hepatitis B, transmission is mainly by the injection or transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, or by accidental skin pricks or other injuries caused by contaminated needles or other sharp objects. Transmission also occurs from inadequately sterilized hypodermic needles, syringes, surgical and dental instruments, tattooing instruments and razors. Hepatitis B is also common among narcotic addicts and others who use unsterile syringes for drug injections.

The virus which causes hepatitis A, by contrast, is mostly transmitted in the faeces. Although it can be spread by blood transfusion, the main route is from infective faeces to the mouth via the hands or objects contaminated with the faeces.

The patient with hepatitis may notice little or nothing wrong, but in more severe cases, the patient will have fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, a severe loss of appetite and aching in the muscles. Then jaundice, caused by an accumulation of yellow bile pigment in the blood, appears after a few days or, in some cases, a week or two from the onset of the symptoms. The liver may become enlarged and tender and may develop cirrhosis. The conditions may lead to death from liver failure.

In Holistic Lifecare, hepatitis patients are strongly advised to have adequate bed rest, with proper care in the handling of infected excreta. Alcoholic beverages should be strictly avoided.

The holistic remedy being suggested for total cure of Hepatitis is a combination of natural extracts of Eugenia caryophylatta, Musa cavendichii, Citrus lemonis, Euphorbia unispina and Capsicum frutescens,.

For further information and consultation on Holistic Lifecare research and services, especially on Blood Infections, Infertility, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chronic Debilitating Conditions as well as mental and social problems, please call on: 0803-330-3897 or visit: Mosebolatan Holistic Lifecare Centre, Adeyalo Layout, Ogbere-Tioya, Off Olorunsogo Express Bridge, Ibadan.

Website: www.holisticlifecare.com. Distance is no barrier, we can send remedies by courier if need be. We also have facilities for accommodation, admission and hospitalization in a serene and homely environment.

54

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Thailand: Country of a thousand smiles

E

VERY June, Rotary International holds an annual conven tion of its members and guests in one major city or the other in the world.

Rotary is an organisation of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

This year’s convention was held in Bangkok, Thailand in May for one major reason. The rainy season in that country peaks in June and can be very devastat-

Ujah EMMANUEL

ing. Besides, May is a time the schools, especially the universities, are on holidays and so be a ready source of volunteers to help in the hosting of anticipated visitors.

Thailand, in its 800 or more years of existence, has never been under any foreign rule, so its language, Thai, has always been its lingua franca. Unlike Nigeria that inherited English from the British colonial masters, Brazil that adopted Portuguese as its

‘

national language or the Republic of Benin that uses French because it was under France, the Thai people only study English, French or any other foreign languages as academic subjects in schools.

So, they needed to recruit volunteer students on vacation to serve as guides to the anticipated Rotary visitors.

Over 35,000 Rotarians and guests attended the convention.

The king of Thailand, one

Right from the airports to the convention centre and hotels, there were efficient guides who spoke the languages of the visitors to guide and help them

’ I

T is almost five years since Sunfit went into the Nigerian hospitality market. Then, the Amuwo Ododin,Lagosbased fitness and hospitality outfit came with a promise to deliver on three core areas fitness, accommodation and spa.

A look at how far it has fared since then in delivering the offerings tells more of commitment to maintain and improve on standards.

While accommodation has had a good mention with the expansion of the outfit from its original 12 rooms to about 42 rooms and the spa getting more clientele, the fitness offering seems to be getting the most of mentions in the one-stop fitness and hospitality outfit.

With about N30-N45 million spent on its current facility upgrade, especially the gym, stress machine, squash

•A Budha temple in Thailand

of the longest ruling monarchs on earth, who incidentally is the grand patron of Rotary in the country, and the government of Thailand relaxed the visa conditions for entry into the country and subsidized the registration fees for attendees. In addition to this, hotels and guest houses reduced by half their room tariffs.

The convention was as perfect as a Rotary convention should be with great

public speakers, ranging from the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Muhammad Yunus, to Angelique Kidjo, a world renowned singer and the UNICEF ambassador for peace.

The tourism ministry together with tour operators made the convention a huge market for its business.

Right from the airports to the convention centre and hotels, there were efficient guides who spoke the languages of the visitors to guide

and help them.

At the Impact Centre, the venue of the convention, about 30 kilometres from Bangkok city centre, the tour operators mounted desks to sell guided tours to any willing visitor. For a fee of US$30, one registered for a guided Bangkok city tour, for US$50, there was a package to take a visitor to the old palace of the king and the temple of the Emerald Bhudda, and for US$100, the tours were organised to the breathtaking

Tourism News Sunfit upgrades facilities

•The gym court,among other equipment, Sunift is taking the lead in fitness,healthy workforce and client campaign among hospitality outfits and even mainstream fitness centres.

The outfit is not relenting in its effort at providing total wellness, beauty and business to clients and Amuwo Odofin

residents-a sort of payback to its host community.

With additional 14 top-onthe-line life fitness cardio machines fitted with entertainment, the new flooring of the squash court and a spinning room with 40 bikes, Sunfit is more ready to take any guest or client,

whether individuals or corporate bodies to a world of total wellness.

The hotel’s gym and fitness outlets now parade welltrained instructors who constantly engage in retraining and exchanges. One of such exchanges was a recent seven-day training organised

by Life Fitness in Ghana where two of the instructors participated and were also certified by the global leader in gym equipment manufacturing.

Those who enjoy swimming can now work out in the refurbished indoor and outdoor pools of the hotel, while the umbrella shades guests sipping wine underneath it from the sun.

Again, the spa now wears a new look with lifestyle and beauty products from Dermatogica, an American beauty product manufacturer.

World ‘N Traveland unveils self-servic

•L-R: Taiye Jigide, Head of Operations; Olufunlayo Faloye, CEO; and Arinze Adigwe, Head of Customer Relations, all of World ‘N Traveland at a press conference to unveil the company’s unique self-service travel kiosks in Lagos.

W

ORLD ‘N Traveland, Nigeria’s leading travel agency has introduced a unique self-service travel kiosk machine, first of its

kind in Nigeria that will provide one-stop travel services to discerning Nigerian travellers.

Unveiling the machine at a

55

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012 Island of Pathaya, a 170kilometre trip to the bridge of the River Kwai where a major battle was fought during the 2nd World War. This trip included a ride in the train constructed by the Japanese during the 2nd World War, a visit to the elephant park and a river journey in floating rafters.

Modes of transportation ranged from taxis, motorcycles and tricycles, an equivalent of our Keke Napep, only that theirs were

Focus on women at UNWTO CAF meeting

Thailand, in its 800 or more years of existence, has never been under any foreign rule, so its language, Thai, has always been its lingua franca

•First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan with her tourism award.

She is flanked by Tourism Minister Edem Duke (left) and UNTWO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai and Cross River First Lady Obioma Imoke

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•The bridge on River Kwai

more elegant and solid and were locally made.

There was also the sky train, a train service with its rails about 30-feet above ground. Perhaps because of the floods that result from monsoon rains.

At the front of every hotel, there were taxis and tricycles waiting and willing to take guests at very cheap prices to shopping centres, tailoring

shops or jewellery stores. The catch was that the visitor must spend at least 10 minutes at such venues. The chances were that the visitor would buy or catch a business deal. The taxi or tricycle operator was rewarded with a fuel coupon by the shop which he would redeem at any gas station. This way the shops got customers, while the taxi driver got his reward

•The floating restaurant

and the visitor parted with some money.

The staple food of Thailand is rice. Tapioca, from cassava is another.

The gains from the influx of visitors for the convention were put at above 100 million US dollars. This does not include ongoing business deals which participants struck while in Thailand.

Many are planning return trips.

Even though the convention was only for less than a week, the sweet memory would linger for years.

Since the convention had over 2,000 Nigerian Rotarians, the Nigeria’s charge d’affaires to Thailand, Mr Danjuma Tarfa, had a busy time visiting Nigerians in their hotels and making sure their needs were met.

The Thai people don’t shake hands. They rather clasp them and take bows with smiles.

The vegetation of Thailand is very much like that of Nigeria. After all, both countries are just five degrees above the equator.

98 per cent of Thais are Buddhists, while only about one per cent are Christians and the remaining one per cent muslims.

Tourism News

HE Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Device kiosk in Nigeria T velopment Corporation press conference in Lagos, Olufunlayo Faloye, CEO of World ‘N Traveland, said the specially designed World ‘N Traveland self-service travel kiosk was to bring new travel trend obtainable in developed nations to Nigerians.

According to Faloye, “The World ‘N Traveland self-service travel kiosk is a one-stop all encompassing travel shop that provides the Nigerian travellers with the ease, security and assurances of high quality service at a reduced cost.”

From July 7 this year, the first phase of the launch will see about 50 of the World ‘N Traveland self-service travel kiosks installed in various high traffic areas such as airports, shopping malls and supermarkets around Lagos and Abuja.

(NTDC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has suggested that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration should be charged with the responsibility of organizing the annual Abuja Carnival.

Runsewe made the call during a visit by a delegation from the FCT Tourism Department led by its Director, Mallam Abdulsalam Yahaya.

According to Runsewe, the FCT is better placed to bring its unique input and strategic role in the federal capital to bear in the organization of the carnival instead of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation which is currently saddled with the responsibility.

Among other observations, the NTDC chief said that exorbitant taxes on hospitality out-

‘FCT should organise Abuja Carnival’ fits should be reduced, maintaining that they help to grow the economy, hence should enjoy some concessions in tax rebate.

Runsewe also advocated the establishment of a tourism village in Abuja to be sited in Ushafa, stressing that South Africa has a similar model called “Lesedi Village” which showcases its cultural uniqueness while generating income for its economy via tourist traffic from around the world.

The NTDC boss promised to sustain the working relationship with the FCT tourism department, especially with the coming on board of Mallam Yahaya, noting that there was need for the tourism department to work in sync with the

NTDC as the corporation was on the fast lane of tourism development in the country.

Expressing his satisfaction with the insight of Otunba Runsewe, Mallam Yahaya admitted that he came to familiarize and seek further synergy and cooperation between both bodies.

Yahaya promised that under him, there would be a consolidation of the working relationship between the NTDC and his department asserting that they were not competing with the NTDC, but appealed to the NTDC helmsman to continually carry them along in prosecuting the mandate of promoting and regulating tourism activities in Nigeria.

INISTERS and delegates from African countries gathered at Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State for the 53rd meeting of African tourism ministers under the auspices of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

First Lady, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, has applauded African tourism ministers for looking into the roles of women and youths in tourism development.

She gave this commendation at the presidential dinner held in honour of African tourism ministers and delegates attending the ongoing 53rd UNWTO Commission for Africa holding in Calabar.

The First Lady who was honoured on the night by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Edem Duke, for what he described as her ”onumental and exemplary support for women and youths in tourism,” said the theme (Responsible Tourism: Opportunities for women and youths) of the three-day conference, which started on Monday, showed African ministers’ commitment in coming together to address issues in the lives of women and youths in Africa .

According to the First Lady who is also Nigeria’s Tourism Ambassador, the theme is quite ‘‘timely and relevant considering the fact that women and youths constitute about 85 per cent of our population and, therefore, critical to our development,also highlights the roles they can play in our world,’’.

Tourism, she said, if properly developed had the potential to offer the individual and corporate bodies the opportunity to advance their interests and alleviate pov-

erty as well. The First Lady also called for the creation of the Tourism Development Fund (TDF) in Nigeria and other African countries, as it would go a long way to empower women and youths to create wealth as contributors to the development of our countries.

She pledged to bring her influence to bear in the creation of awareness for tourism at the grassroots level even as she said that there was a meeting point between her NGOs and the UNWTO Commission for Africa with both organisations dedicated to the creation of conditions that would give women and youths protection while advancing their interests.

The First Lady commended her husband, President Jonathan, for appointing 13 female ministers into his cabinet, the first time ever to have such numbers.

This, she said, showed a commitment to empowering and advancing the cause of women.

She urged other governments to follow suit while calling on the legislators to enact a law that would make it legal to have more women in power The Tourism Ambassador sued for peace in the continent because “it is the driver of development”. To this end, she disclosed that African First Ladies, the body which she currently heads, would hold a session in Nigeria between July 21 and 27 this year and that this forum would create new initiatives and possibilities for African First Ladies.

Africa, she said, must advance tourism as an instrument of peace and prosperity and position women and youths as agents of change.

Therefore, she promised to continue to use her different organisations and platforms for the promotion of culture and tourism in Africa.

The Regional Director of the UNWTO Commssion for Africa, Ousmane Ndiaye, being installed by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Edem Duke, as the Eti Ufan Ufok Duke of Duke House during the 53rd UNWTO CAF meeting in Calabar.

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Barbing is now a serious business, says Mbadiwe •Marks 20 yrs of barbing contest •Chief Mbadiwe (right) with Mr. Thomas •Carissa Mbadiwe

•Some past winners of the contest

•Chief Mbadiwe

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HE air of exhilaration was unmistakable penultimate weekend at No. I, Goriola Street, of Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos. This is the home of Chief Victor Mbadiwe, Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of J. Green Mbadiwe and Sons Limited, sole distributor of the WAHL clipper brand in Nigeria and the sub-region as well as the organiser of the Annual WAHL Barbing Contest.

The near-festive mood on this day at the modest home of Chief Mbadiwe was understandable: Preparations for this year’s edition of the Annual WAHL Barbing Contest, which comes up tomorrow at the Syrian Club, Ribadu Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, has begun in earnest. It is the 20th edition.

The competition which began in 1992 on a modest scale, has come a long way in transforing the barbing trade from being a perceived pastime of the dregs and scums of society into a profession to be proud of. Thanks to J. Green’s initiative in partnership with WAHL Clipper Corporation, USA. “As a result of our promotion, barbers have become proud of their profession,”Mbadiwe enthused in a media chat with select journalists.

He added: “We’ve been making them to believe that the profession they’ve been is a noble one. Look at President Goodluck Jonathan, even Governor BabatundeFashola, they surely have barbers who cut their hair.

Our REPORTER “It is a profession people want to have. President Barack Obama has his own barber; you see, Obama has a way of cutting his hair. It is the job of a barber.”

Some of the past winners of the barbing contest, who were at the media chat, lent credence to Chief Mbadiwe’s assertion. One of them, AdemolaKujore, who won the first prize in the 2003 and 2004 editions, said winning in the competition had added value to his life and those of his colleagues.

For instance, Kujore said he bought a small generating set, popularly dubbed I better past my neighbour, which greatly enhanced his business and status.He said proudly that he had trained others too, adding that he now enjoys a celebrity status in his neigbourhood. And he would forever savour the day he had to present his wining trophy to Governor Fashola at an event organised by the Lagos State Barbers’ Association. According to him, he is now married with kids.

The others, who spoke glowingly about how the barbing profession has transformed their lives, included Adebayo SaheedKolalekan, who won the first prize in 2008 and 2011;OlawaleTawose, who won the third prize in 2000, 2001, 2002 and second prize in 2004 as well as Collins Ukaegbu, first prize winner in 2009.

The Global Special Projects Manager of WAHL Clipper USA, Mr. Bob Thomas, said of the barbing trade and the competition: “When I first came to Nigeria… barbers were not considered professionals. Now, you can find WAHL clippers all over the markets and in modern retailers such as Game Store. Barbers are now considered professionals and there are different levels of barbing salons, some inexpensive, some moderately priced and some very expensive.

“Barbers and stylists are excelling in their trade and you can see that by the wide variety of haircuts and styles in just walking a few blocks on the street.”

Twenty four barbers are usually chosen for the competition by a lucky dip. They are given an opportunity to demonstrate their talents/skills.

Out of the lot, the first, second and third winners are picked for the prizes. They are assessed on four criteria: appearance, equipment, skills in the art of barbing and speed.

Since 1992 when the contest started with the winning prize of N25,000, the stakes have been upped considerably. For this year, the first prize will attract the sum of N250,000 and a state-of-the art WAHL clipper

barbing kit; the second prize winner will get N150,000 and a barbing kit and the third prize winner, N75,000 and a barbing kit as well. This is in addition to a variety of consolation prizes.

Chief Mbadiwe added that there would be a lot of fun at this year’s edition. “There will be a lot of entertainment; there will be comedy, music and a lot of souvenirs. It is going to be a great day,” he promised.

A major highlight of the annual event is the opportunity it affords J. Green Mbadiwe and Sons Limited to venture into charity.

“By choosing the ‘best’ barber of the year, we were saying congratulations to the barbing industry,” says Mr. Thomas, adding: “The event is also the time for Chief Mbadiwe to showcase some of the charitable acts that J. Green Mbadiwe and Sons Limited has done through the WAHL division. Helping a school for the blind or an orphanage or any of the other charitable donations has had an effect on the Nigerian society as a whole.”

Altogether, no less than 25 charity homes have received one help or the other from the charity venture.

Interestingly, Chief Mbadiwe’s venture into the WAHL clippers

‘

When I first came to Nigeria…barbers were not considered professionals. Now, you can find WAHL clippers all over the markets... Barbers are now considered professionals and there are different levels of barbing salons, some inexpensive, some moderately priced and some very expensive. Barbers and stylists are excelling in their trade...

,

distributorship business was fortuitous. It started 25 years ago with a casual visit to a friend’s house where a spectacle - a neatly packed WAHL barbing clipper kit – caught his fancy.

Taking note of his interest, his friend then advised him to try to buy some units of the clippers brand when next he travelled and “test the market.”

He took the advice, travelled to the United States, called up the WAHL clipper brand’s manufacturers, brought some units to Nigeria and ‘sampled’ the market, beginning with Alaba International Market.

“To our surprise and delight, the product turned out to be a hit,” he enthused, adding: “We have never looked back since then.”

However, while the promotion of the barbing contest has, according to him, enhanced the popularity of the WAHL barbing clipper in Nigeria, the sour point is the high level of the fake versions of the product in the market. He admitted that the fakes have, in fact, taken over 60 percent of the market! But his consolation is that the StandardOrganisation of Nigeria (SON) and other regulatory agencies are helping to control the influx of these fakes into the market.

He warned that the fake brands are injurious. He said they have been discovered to cause blisters and rashes on the scalps. But he was confident that those who appreciate quality still look for the original brand of WAHL clippers, which he said, can be found all over the major markets in Nigeria.

J. Green Mbadiwe and Sons Ltd. is also developing safeguards against fakes. According to the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Carrisa Mbadiwe, its address card will henceforth be inserted into the kits to be sold, while a portal through which the product will now be sold on the internet will be developed.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Oyo to introduce NHIS, Abiyamo programme

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From left: Prof. Sophie Oluwole; Dr Femi Akinola representing Ekiti State Government; Chairman, Dr. Bisi Akande; Reverend Adetunji Adebiyi representing Lagos State Government; Mrs Fransisca Emmanuel and Prof. Adebayo Williams during a public lecture, Mushin in Lagos: The Past in the Present, organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Institute of Government and Public Policy at the Malaria Research Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos... yesterday . PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

OVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State yesterday said that his administration would soon introduce the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to the state as part of efforts to improve the health care delivery of his government.

The governor, who disclosed this while receiving the Health Minister, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu, who paid him a courtesy call in his office in Ibadan, also said that the Abiyamo programme being proposed by his administration would come on stream in the next two weeks.

He said that the NHIS

scheme to be introduced in the state would be community-based and that all strata of the society would be involved so as to improve the health status of the people.

Governor Ajimobi also expressed his administration's commitment to the eradication of malaria which he described as one of the highest killer diseases in the state.

The governor said it would do the people of the state a lot of good if malaria was wiped out, adding that part of the efforts at eradicating diseases was the introduction of free health mission through which over 300,000 people had been treated across the state free of charge.

Daniel’s trial: Court orders police to probe alleged death threat against star witness A N Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta yesterday ordered for a police investigation into the alleged threat to the life of Mr Adeluola Babatunde, the star witness in the 38-count criminal charge slammed against former Governor Gbenga Daniel by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).

Babatunde, a Business Development Manager with Sky Bank Plc who in May 7 sitting testified that he managed the account of Blue

Ernest NWOKOLO, Abeokuta

Chapel Company (a firm where Daniel is believed to have interest), cited "threat" to his "life" by unknown persons as one of the reasons he could not come to court at the last adjourned date.

But yesterday at the resumed trial of Daniel, Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje, ordered that there should be no further inquiry into the allegations of threat to the life of Babatunde by either defence

or prosecution counsel "in order not to unnecessarily delay the hearing of the matters" of the case.

Justice Mabekoje, therefore, ruled that investigation into the said allegations should be undertaken by the police and he asked the prosecution, the EFCC, to formally report the threat case to the Ibara Divisional Police Headquarters for a probe with the Certified True Copy(CTC) of police find-

ings submitted to the court upon conclusion of the investigation.

The order followed the oral evidence given yesterday by Witness Babatunde that his life was neither threatened by Daniel nor any person related to him, adding that the reason he was not in court at the last June 5 adjourned date emanated from an ill health.

The witness spoke when

Ondo 2012: Akeredolu picks governorship form

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HE former President of the Nigeria Bar Associa tion (NBA), Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), yesterday vowed to fight the poverty in Ondo State with infrastructural development such as provision of pipeborne water, agricultural development, good health care, education, road network and other social amenities should he win the forthcoming governorship election of the state.

Speaking at the National Secretariat of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at Abuja where he purchased the form for indication of interest in the race, the aspirant allayed the fear that power of incumbency would give the present governor, Olusegun Mimiko, an edge over him.

According to him, the power of incumbency can only play a role in a state where the governor has recorded outstanding level of

…vows to alleviate poverty John OFIKHENUA, Abuja performance not in a state where the electorate are grappling with infrastructural challenges.

Akeredolu pointed out that Mimiko only plays to the gallery as the state is replete with a array of uncompleted

projects.

Akeredolu submitted that he would match his opponent with issues not violence, stressing that "we are not going to resort to thuggery."

He said: "We are not going to engage anybody over the issue of incumbency. Where there is already abysmal failure incumbency will not matter."

Senator Lawal Shuaibu, the National Secretary of the party, handed over the constitution of the party and party guidelines to the aspirant who was with the acting state Chairman, Chief Adesoji Olusola; state Secetary, Hon. Adesipe Adegboyega; Treasurer, Engr Ade Adetimehin; state Youth Leader, Enas Mohammed; and state Woman Leader Evelyn Modupe, among others.

Ogun CNPP lauds OGSEC over LG polls

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HE Ogun State Electoral Commission (OGSEC) has been highly commended over its preparation for the state local government election slated for July 21 in the state.

The Ogun State chapter of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties CNPP stated that the way and manner the

OGSEC was able to manage the crisis that rocked the state PDP over factionalism which resulted in court cases was highly laudable.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta, the chairman of the CNPP in the state, Otunba Owolabi Odebudo, also commended the OGSEC for successfully screening the 28 po-

From left: The Archbishop of Ondo Province, The Most Revd. Gabriel Olaosibikan; Rt. Revd.

Dr. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi and the Primate of All Nigeria Anglican Communion, The Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, at the unveiling of the newly dedicated church and vicarage of St. Peter's Anglican Church, Osi Ekiti donated by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West ...yesterday.

litical parties vying to contest in the coming LG polls, in which 14 of the parties were cleared to field candidates for the polls, stressing that the electoral body did a perfect job in the screening exercise, thereby raising the standard of election in the state.

Otunba Odebudo, a twotime gubernatorial candidate on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Ogun State and the South West Leader of the PRP, called on the OGSEC to ensure absolute transparency, free and fair local government elections in the state.

The CNPP chieftain equally appealled to the ACN government in the state to allow for free playing ground for all the contesting political parties fielding candidates in the election, adding that the CNPP was determined to at least win 10 of the 20 local government councils in the state, with his party, PRP clinching at least 3 of the local governments.

Otunba Odebudo called on the 1,947,258 registered voters in Ogun state to turn out enmass and exercise their voting rights during the election, urging also the state government to provide enough security operatives during the election, as it has always been doing in the state.

cross - examined by Daniel's lead counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan.

When the commission re cross examined the witness at the court yesterday to explain why discrepancies existed in Skye Bank's statements of accounts of Blue Chapel Company - designated as exhibit 1 and exhibit 11 by the court, the defence counsel, Prof.

Osipitan objected.

Osipitan argued that the oral evidence cannot be used to add to or subtract from what has been put in writing, stressing whatever discrepancies the prosecution felt it has observed, such could be "resolved at the stage of court address or judgment."

Defence counsel posited further that the witness is incompetent to provide answers to the questions put forward to him on the grounds that he was not yet a staff of Skye bank at the time the transactions recorded in statements of accounts were carried out.

According to Osipitan, whatever answers the Witness volunteered to the prosecution's re - examination, would amount to "tissues of hearsay evidence."

Countering, EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs said the objection by defence counsel was weak.

Citing Aguda 20.24, Jacobs said the witness is required to explain the contradictions in the statement of accounts of Blue Chapel Company.

But after listening to the arguments of both counsel, Justice Mabekoje ruled that the witness should answer the question regarding contradictions in the two statement of accounts.

And in explaining, Witness Babatunde told the court that the contradictions existed in the two statements of account marked exhibit 1 and 11 because some of the "enteries in

exhibit 11 were missing," stressing that account for why the data contained there may not balance.

The case has been adjourned till July 9 for the continuation of the trial and to enable the EFCC make some of its other witnesses available in court by the next adjourned date.

Amosun, Fayemi lament state of Lagos/Ibadan Expressway

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GUN State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and his counterpart from Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, have lamented the deplorable state of Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, calling for the intervention of the Federal Government without further delay.

The governors disclosed this in Lagos while fielding questions from newsmen after the burial ceremony of the father-in-law of ex-governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.

Amosun explained that the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway was the busiest road in Africa, the most important highway connecting the entire country and the most strategic in terms of economic development of the nation.

Dr Kayode Fayemi disclosed that the south-west governors met with President Goodluck Jonathan and offered three options on how to end the distress of commuters on the derelict expressway.

PUBLIC NOTICE NWAOKOBIA I formally known and addressed as Miss Judith Ndidi Nwaokobia now wish to be known and adresss Mrs Judith Ndidi Ebirim. All formal document remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE MORAL MAJORITY PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY: This is to inform the general public that the above named non-governmental organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for the registration under part C of the companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Hon. Kevin Agbaegbu (National Leader) 2. Engr. Bartho Nkpululu (Chairman) 3. Hon. Goody Okoronkwo 4. Charles Ibekwe.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To assist in creating a sound moral society 2. To explore necessary awareness that would facilitate corporation and understanding among people.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Area 5, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Hon. Kevin Agbaegbu.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Kaduna , Kano , eight others record 45 new cases of wild polio … one case of the Derived Virus Type 2

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HE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) yesterday disclosed that Nigeria has so far recorded 45 cases of wild poliovirus in 10 Northern states this year.

It, however, said the number of states with Wild Poliovirus has reduced compared to 25 cases in six states for the same period in 2011.

It, however, said domestic funding of polio eradication has increased from $17m to $30m per year.

According to a News note by UNICEF, signed by Fatratra Lalaina Andriamasinoro, the affected states are Niger (1); Jigawa (2); Kaduna (8); Kan (8); Katsina (7); Sokoto (5); Zamfara(4); Borno (6); Yobe(3); Bauchi (2) The statement said: “In key infected states like Borno, Kano, Sokoto and Yobe, more than one in three children has received less than four doses of oral polio vaccine. Polio-free states like Kaduna and Niger were re-infected in 2012. Nigeria contributes 90% to the polio burden in Africa and more than 50% of this year’s cases worldwide are from Nigeria.

“Low quality routine services are further deteriorating. For DTP3, for example, coverage plummeted in 2011 with the number of un-immunized infants increasing by 55% compared to 2010.

“There were also central stock-outs of four of the eight childhood vaccines.

Children are missed during campaigns due to a mixture of operational and social factors and these program gaps must be addressed if more children are to be reached.

“While the proportion of missed children has shown a slightly decreasing trend in the last three rounds (7.2% in February, 7.4% in March and 7.2% in May), hundreds of thousands of children continue to be missed during polio immunization campaigns in Nigeria.

“According to the latest UNICEF Social Data Analysis, Kano has the highest percentage of missed children (8.9%), followed by Kebbi (8.4%) and Sokoto (8.1%). In all northern high risk states, caregivers’ refusals to vaccinate their children account for 24% of the total

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation number of missed children during the May Immunization Plus Days.

UNICEF, however, acknowledged that Nigeria ’s funding of polio eradication has increased from $17m to $30m per year.

The statement added: “In 2012, the President of Nigeria declared polio eradication as a national emergency, and Nigeria has committed additional funds to the program from its own treasury.

“Domestic funding to polio eradication increased from $17m to $30m per year.

Nevertheless, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is currently facing its largest funding gap worldwide since its inception, with a total shortfall of $1 billion out of the $2.23 billion budget.

“The Nigeria Emergency Plan for 2012 that was finalized in April is promising and if vigorously implemented can achieve a rapid jump in campaign coverage. This plan aims to improve the national ownership and accountability, review Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIA) and Plans for 2012-2013, improve SIA quality and monitoring, and enhance surveillance.

“The 23rd Expert Review Committee (28-29 March 2012) clearly emphasized the need to rapidly improve campaign quality in the worst performing local government areas (LGAs) in high risk states.

“NPHCDA, UNICEF and Partners as part of the polio eradication program, have deployed a team of Volunteer Community Mobilizers to address the issues of missed children and refusals to polio immunization programs.

“This initiative is hoped to contribute to the reduction of missed children through targeted interventions house-tohouse to generate demand for and acceptance of oral polio vaccine.

“In total, over 2,150 settlement level volunteer community mobilizers will be deployed in the settlements where missed children and refusals of oral polio vaccine are still persistent.”

Sultan donates to the less-privileged

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HE President-General of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammudu Sa’ad Abubakar III Thursday urged Muslim Ummah in the country to extend gestures to the less-privileged and the vulnerable.

The monarch made the call in Goronyo headquarters of Goronyo Council Area of Sokoto State at the distribution exercise of 2,300 bags of assorted grains and cash to the disabled persons and widows in the area by the state Zakat and Endowment Committee.

Adamu SULEIMAN, Sokoto He said as muslims, “we must have concern for and assist the vulnerable people around us because it is an islamic obligation that all Muslim Ummah must perform.

However, Sultan Abubakar III also urged well-meaning individuals to continue to assist the needy at all times.

According to the royal father, “ it is unfair for wealthy individual not to render assistance to the poor class.”

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

JTF arrests most wanted ex-militant ‘Gen. Cairo’

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HE Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta region, Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested a most wanted ex-militant suspected to be behind the spate of Pipeline bombings and vandalization in the region.

Known as Seiyifa Gbereke, (Alias General Cairo), he was arrested in Yenagoa after the task force intelligence team tricked him out from his hideout in Warri.

Lt.Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the JTF Media Coordinator who paraded Gbereke before journalists at

the JTF Headquarters in Yenagoa, Friday, told journalists that the ex-militant had been on the wanted list for about four months before he was finally arrested in Yenagoa.

Nwachukwu disclosed that Cairo has been the ring leader of a gang of eight who specialise in destroying pipelines across the region.

“He led a gang of eight to destroy Agip and Shell pipelines around various communities in the region, including Azabgene, Tuomo communities and around the Taylor Creek area.

Explaining how the 25-year old ex-militant was arrested, the Media Coordinator disclosed that he was lured from his hideout in Warri, Delta State to Yenagoa, in Bayelsa State, where he was arrested.

Speaking to journalists, Gbereke said the bombings and destructions of major oil operations in the region was aimed at drawing the attention of Federal Government to compensate him and his group, the Movement for Survival of the Niger Delta region.

He explained that after

surrendering his arms during the Amnesty programme, the authorities failed to document them.

Accroding to him, all efforts to reach out to the Amnesty office of Mr. Kingsley Kuku were futile, despite protests carried out in Warri and Bayesa. According to him, all the petitions written to press home his demands ended without any result.

“We carried out the pipeline vandalizations and bombings so that government can give us what we want,” said Gbereke, who said he has 70,000 youths under his

command.

Asked if he made efforts to reach out to the authorities concerned before embarking on his mission of destruction, he said, “we have made so many efforts, including protests along major roads by mounting road blocks in Warri and Yenagoa . We also wrote petitions to the amnesty director, Kingsley Kuku.”

On why his group refused to submit their arms during the first and second phase of the amnesty, he stated that, “we were all afraid, but government said we should still submit our arms, I submitted 9000 arms without compensation.

“We bombed Agip and Shell trunk lines, Beniseide, Tuomo Agip line s and others”, noted the ex-militant.

On how he sourced explosives, Cairo said he uses black power and Nitrate.”

Meanwhile, the JTF has disclosed that it is continuing with its investigation into Gbereke’s activities, adding that the ex-militant has given officers of the JTF useful information.

Obi appoints UN envoy as SSG, swears in commissioners Nwanosike ONU, Awka •The new SSG, Oseloka Obaze (right), being sworn in yesterday, as Governor Obi watches.

VPolice explain attack on Oshiomhole

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DO State Police Command yesterday explained how the convoy of Governor Adams Oshiomhole was attacked at Usen in Ovia South West Local Government Council while leaving a campaign rally.

It said students of the stateowned Institute of Technology and Management allegedly barricaded the road in the outskirts of the community and became unruly despite assurances from the governor that he would address them at another date.

•We’re not involved, says PDP Osagie OTABOR, Benin

A press statement signed by the state police spokesman, DSP Anthony Airhuoyo, said Governor Oshiomhole met the students of the institution while on his way to the campaign venue and promised to address them on his way back.

The statement reads: “After the campaign at about 6:15pm, the governor decided to address the students on a later date as it was getting late, but the students barricaded the

high way at the outskirts of the town and were compelling the governor to visit their institution.

“When their demand could not be met, they became rioutous.

“In the process of despatching the riotous students, two of them were injured and are currently receiving treatment. Nobody was killed in the process.”

The statement added that the students later re-grouped and went to Usen police outpost and vandalised the

place.

It said investigation into the incident had since commenced and that the area was closely being monitored by the police.

It was gathered that a car belonging to the chairman of the local government council was attacked by the students.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State has denied involvement in the attack on the governor at Usen.

The party said it would institute an independent investigation into the incident and make it public.

Gunmen kidnap APGA chieftain in Onitsha

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ESIDENTS of the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State, were yesterday thrown into confusion, following Thursday night’s abduction of a prominent businessman and top notcher of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state, Chief Emmanuel Chinemelu, by gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers.

The incident, according to eye-witnesses, took place at about 8 p.m. at his No. 8 Uga Street office, Fegge, few kilometers from the Fegge Police Station, in Onitsha South Local Government Area.

Okodili NDIDI, Onitsha According to the source, Chief Chinemelu, fondly called “World Bank”, a native of Oraukwu community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was allegedly abducted by heavily armed boys who stormed his office in an SUV Jeep.

The source stated that the kidnappers, numbering about five, shot indiscriminately into the air for about 30 minutes to scare away people before they whisked their victim

away to an unknown destination.

The Anambra State Police Spokesman, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, who confirmed the incident, said that the police in the state are on top of the situation, even as he stated that the kidnappers were yet to establish link with the family of the businessman as at the time of filing this report yesterday.

However, the Chairman of Campaign for Democracy (CD) in the South East Zone, Dede Uzor A. Uzor ,expressed shock that gang could oper-

ate for about 30 minutes at Fegge without any challenge from the over 323 police personnel serving at the Fegge Police Division.

He lamented the inability of the police to handle the situation, and called on the Police Commissioner, Ballah Nasarawa, to overhaul the police divisions in the state for optimum performance.

Uzor noted that the police, instead of fighting crime and protecting the citizens, were busy arresting and extorting money from people, and lamented that crime is on the increase in the state.

Amaechi condemns murder of Rivers ANPP chairman …Says police must apprehend killers

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IVERS State governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has condemned the killing of the state Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Julius Nwaofu, by unidentified gunmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, Amaechi decried the dastardly act, calling it “wicked and atrocious at this time in the life of our nation and state.”

While consoling the bereaved family and ANPP members, the governor made insisted that the police must get to the root of the murder.

He directed that all security agencies in the state must work assiduously to ensure that the perpetrators of the evil crime are caught and brought to book in no distant time.

“As a state government, we will ensure that the security agencies do not relent until the criminals behind this heinous act are captured and made to face the full wrath of the law,” Amaechi said.

He further urged everyone in the state to remain calm as the government is working closely with law enforcement agents to rid the state of such inhuman and unlawful activities.

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NAMBRA State governor, Peter Obi, yesterday, administered the oath of office on Mr. Oseloka Obaze, who swornin as the Secretary to State Government (SSG).

Also sworn in were twelve new commissioners that will pilot the activities of the state with Obi for the next 18 months.

Before his new appointment, Oseloka Obaze served with the United Nations (UN) between 1991and 2012. He was also a former member of the Nigerian Diplomatic Service (1982-1991).

Obaze holds a Masters of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

However, eight more nominees are being screened by the state House of Assembly screening committee, headed by the Deputy Speaker, Chukwudi Orizu.

The ministries yet to be assigned commissioners are finance, Agriculture, Health, Education and Lands and Survey among others.

The new commissioners and their portfolios are: Chief Joe Martins Uzodike (Information and Culture), Callistus Ilozumba (Works), Emeka Nwankwu (Public Utilities), and Lady Henrietta Azuka Agbata (Women Affairs).

Others are Prof Chinyere Okunna (Economic Planning and Budget), Mrs. Azuka Enenmuo (Local Government), Edozie Aroh (Youth and Sports), Engr. Ifeanyi Obi (Housing), Robert Okonkwo (Commerce and Industry).

Former Commissioner for Lands, Barr. Peter Afuba was moved to the justice ministry as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Vincent Ezenwajiaku will oversee the special duties ministry, while Collins Ohamobi took over as commissioner for transport.

Ken Saro-Wiwa’s figure haunting our memory — Prof. Wole Soyinka Bisi OLANIYI, Port Harcourt

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OBEL laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka, has declared that it is not possible to speak of ecological preservation and cultural intersection in Nigeria without the figure of renowned environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, haunting the people’s memory.

Soyinka spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt while presiding at the Annual Town Hall Meeting of “The United Nations Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland: Issues and Responsibilities.”

The Nobel laureate, who was represented by Dr. Kombo Braide, named Nigeria’s principal adversaries as politics, misconceived notions of development and commercialism.

Soyinka said: “Ken’s (SaroWiwa) principal claim to our attention today, in addition to his literary achievements, was his role as an ecological fighter, who sought to defend the integrity of his environment and protect the culture of his people, the Ogoni, both of which he feared were close to extinction, culturally if not physically, thanks to the operations oil-drilling corporations and their contemptuous relation to the human and physical environment in which they prospered.

“Once, it was a lonely fight, but it is one that has drawn adherents from all walks of life, as witnessed at the recent international conference in Brazil, known as Rio+20, that concluded this past week. Quite a number of notable companions in that humanistic pursuit have been drawn into the struggle. There are similar ecology-based struggles in other parts of the world.

“Modernism, with unaccustomed gadgetry and the novelty of a different life style can prove a most seductive weapon of inner transformation, and we cannot underestimate the impact of a choice of either resisting and being wiped out, or else accepting what appears to be an unstoppable juggernaut.

“Our late colleague, Ken Saro-Wiwa, was at the forefront of the demand for ecological and cultural respect.

Culture and Economics are not incompatible, indeed, together they go to the root of self-determination, of the preservation of identity and thus, create modalities for egalitarian integration of peoples within that larger entity known as nations.

“Is it not a shame that, even till this day, when you fly over parts of the oil producing Delta region of Nigeria, you can look down on hundreds of gas flares which have been operating, unchecked, for over half a century? They have become part of the landscape. Need one wonder what is happening to such an environment, to the trees and fauna, to the ancient fishing ponds and farmland, to birds which fly through those poisoned zones covering hectares and hectares of land?”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

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THE NATION SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 29-6-12

Stock Exchange recovers with N18b gain

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T the close of business yesterday, positive activities in some capitalised stocks such as First Bank (1.58 per cent), Oando (5 per cent), GT Bank (0.67 per cent), Access Bank (2.69 per cent) and Zenith Bank (0.36 per cent) helped to stabilise the market, pushing indicators northwards.

Bullish activities returned to the market, upping trade log by 56 per cent, 54.3 per cent and 62.9 per cent of totally transacted deals in terms of volume and value.

In summary, lead indicator, All-Share Index, gained 57.33 absolute points, representing 0.27 per cent appreciation, to close higher at 21,599.57 points. Similarly, the Market Capitalisation of all listed equities gained N18.30 billion, representing 0.27 per cent ap-

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

preciation, to close higher at N6.895 trillion.

Specifically, for volume trades, UBA emerged top on the list with 25.521 million units of its shares exchanging hands, followed by closely by Transcorp and GTBank with trades of 23.290 million and 22.716 million units respectively.

According to market sources, a dearth of supply volumes coupled with a hold back of available units at lower prices translated into a 4.9 per cent lift for Stanbic IBTC; Sterling Bank also notched up maximum points to close the day at N1.20, while Access Bank and First Bank managed to secure gains of 2.7 per cent

and 1.6 per cent respectively.

Conversely, UBA, despite trading robustly had a marginal correction of 27 basis points to close the week at N3.66.

PZ Cussons had its bids stacked at the lower end of the market right from inception, however, as trading progressed, the situation hardly improved; it eventually closed down 4.9 per cent at N25.50.

Dangote Flour and Dangote Sugar ended the day positively with gains of 4.8 per cent and 4.5 per cent respectively; closing bids, however, suggest that a further mark up might be probable in the earlier hours of next week's session.

In all, the market recorded a total of 40 equities with price change with 25 appreciating while the remaining 15 reduced in value. Oando led the gainers, table with an increase of N0.64 to close at N13.44 followed by RT Briscoe with a gain of N0.10 to close at N2.11.

Others on the list were Stanbic IBTC, Dangote Flour, CCNN, Evans Medical, Dangote Sugar, May &Baker and Fidson.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 29-6-12

THE NATION SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

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SPORT EXTRA

Arsenal will be sweet test for Eagles—Keshi

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•Okagbare

SENIOR AFRICAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP

Okagbare, Amechi strike gold for Nigeria

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FTER losing her crown as Africa’s fastest woman in the 100 metres dash, Blessing Okagbare yesterday redeemed her image by striking another gold medal for Nigeria in the Long jump, with a leap of 6.96 metres.

The London Olympics bound Okagbare picked up her pieces after she lost the 100 metres gold to Garbon’s Zang Milana on thursday.

In the same vein, Amechi Morton’s gold medal that was earlier withdrawn in the men’s 400m hurdles, has been restored, to increase Nigeria’s medal haul on the table. Morton had run a time of 49.32secs to win the gold medal.

Earlier on the local

•As George captures silver From Stella Bamawo, in Porto Novo organising committee of the ongoing Senior African Athletics Championship holding in Porto Novo, Benin Republic had claimed that the Nigerian had obstructed a South African Athlete during the race.

Mamadou Hanne of Senegal’s time of 49,39secs earned him a silver medal, while Kenya’s Boniface Mucheru maintained his 3rd position.

It was not a pleasant story for Abiola Onakoya who ran a time of 46.21secs to place sixth, while Isah

Salihu placed eight with a time of 46.98secs However, IsaccMakwala of Botswana won the men’ 400m race in a time 45.25secs. Fibre blade runner won the silver medal of the men’s 400m race in a time of 45.67secs, while William De Beer of South Africa settled for the bronze medal in a time of 45.67secs.

Also in the women’s 400m final decided on Friday Evening, Regina George captured the first silver medal for the day for the country after running a time of 51.11secs.

As at the time of filing these results, Nigeria is third on the medals table with 3 gold,

Football culture •Continued from backpage the players and coaches having done their jobs in training.

The spectacle in the Spain game against Portugal affected the match officials. Twice the toss for who begins the shootout was done with winning both.

As the kicks were being taken, the managers worked. With scores at 2-1 in Spain’s favour, Portugal’s manager re-jigged his line-up by withdrawing Bruno Alves from the taking third penalty kick. The reason was simple.

Portugal needed to score that kick to return the pressure on the Spaniards and Nani did that when he perfectly hung the ball inside the roof of the goalpost.

However, Portugal’s boss missed it when he left Ronaldo to take the fifth kick which he never took. What a pity because Ronaldo and indeed Portugal’s exit had been confirmed when Cesc Fabregas scored Spain’s fifth kick.

Match winners are rear to find. But when any team has one, the game is almost won, especially when such a player is a big stage competitor.

Balotelli is an enigma. The weird one is highly talented. A striker whose tantrums have made the headlines more than the goals he has scored. Yet, he has this uncanny way of rising to the big occasions and the Germans would forever remember him as the one who killed European Cup dream.

Going to the semi-finals between Germany and Italy, most pundits tipped the Germans to win. They hinged their stand

on the German’s remarkable form. They were right in assuming such. But, the Italians have been slow starters. They also improve as they play, yet they understand what to do when the stakes are high. Put simply, the Italians are known for creating upsets.

The Italians shocked the Germans at the semi-finals stage of the 2006 World Cup in Germany on July 4. The Azurris had beaten them 14 times in 30 matches before the one on Thursday. What the Azurris’ win has depicted is that they are the Germans’ nemesis.

With the stage set for Sunday’s final game between Italy and Spain, it is wise that one keeps his prediction to heart. The combatants are tested, although the Spaniards are the odds-onfavourite to the lift the European Cup at dusk. But that is the extent we expect. Yet, the Italians have proven to battlers against all odds. They have match plans that suit every team. They could upset the Spaniards because they are good markers of the ball and also they play with grit. One won’t be surprised if the Italians win. If the Spaniards should retain the trophy at the expense of the Italians, then it would be from the penalty shootout.

One looks forward to a thrilling session of penalty kicks where the two goalkeepers (Ike Casillas and Buffon) will establish who among them is the best in the

world. Remember, the two teams met and drew 1-1 at the group stage.

Germany had it all- stars, skills, stamina and fans’ support, but they lost. Why? They lost the psychological battle; they lost concentration. Soccer is not all about skills; it’s more. That is the lesson that the Italians have brought to the European Cup competition. Spaniards, watch out.

Let’s pay Keshi Why do we like to make ourselves the laughing stock in football? What does it take to pay coaches their wages? Do we expect Stephen Keshi to report the NFF to FIFA before his salaries are paid?

My joy is that Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi is ready to solve our soccer problem hence one has chosen this platform to alert him on the need to pay Keshi his three months salaries.

We celebrated his appointment.

We promised him a car and a house. We haven’t fulfilled either of the promises.

The minister should please provide money to settle our obligations to Keshi. He could then direct that the cash be deducted at source anytime NFF’s subvention is ready. It won’t be out of place if the minister can use his good office to get one of the new cars in the ministry’s pool for Keshi if cash is not readily available.

Keshi worked in Togo and Mali, there were no tales of unpaid or outstanding salaries. So, why is he being treated like we did to foreigners before him?

2 silver, 2 bronze medals.

South Africa is leading with three gold medals , five silver medals and two bronze medals. Kenya is second with 3 gold , 2 silver and 2bronze medals.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's Christy Udoh, Gloria Asumu, Damola Osayemi and Lauretta Udoh got a gold medal in the women's 4x100 relay on Friday evening in a time of 43.21 secs, while the men's 4x100 run by Oghene Egwero Obina Metu, Adeti Durutoye and Peter Emelize settled for a silver medal in a time 39.34secs.

EAD coach of the Nigeria national team, Stephen Keshi believes the upcoming friendly match between the Super Eagles and Arsenal will be hugely beneficial to both sides.

The Super Eagles will meet Arsene Wenger’s team at the Abuja National Stadium on August 5 as the Gunners intensify their preparations for the 2012/2013 season.

It is the first time Arsenal will be playing in Nigeria and Keshi believes the experience will be special.

“The game will be very special and I believe it is going to be hugely beneficial to both teams.

“Like you know, Arsenal are preparing for the new Barclays English Premier League season while we will also use the game to prepare for the upcoming World and Nations Cup qualifiers, so this game is very important,” Keshi told SuperSport.com.

Keshi also hinted that homegrown players would be relied upon to prosecute the game against Arsenal.

“The game will be especially important for the home-based players who will have a chance to prove themselves against top flight competition,” he said.

The coach also took the time to appraise his rebuilding project with the national team which has seen him blend domestically-based talent and the foreign-based professionals.

“To be honest, I can’t say I’m satisfied yet with the project.

Yes, there are improvements in several aspects but we will be

deceiving ourselves if we think everything is perfect,” Keshi said.

Yakubu excited by China adventure Nigeria striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has said he seeks a new challenge with Chinese club Guangzhou R&F after his time in the EPL. Yakubu has completed a three-year deal in China believed to pay him 100,000 pounds a week, but the striker has insisted he did not move because of the cash.

“Many will wonder why I chose China, the truth is that there is not much to prove after scoring over 100 goals in a league considered as one of the best in the world. The best thing for me is to move for adventure and new challenge,” he said.

“Guangzhou R&F were the only team who made contact and showed seriousness in having me, so I decided to come here.

“I can feel the love, warmth and professional attitude here. My coming to China is not about money, I have found love, happiness and sincerity here which money can’t buy, I am eager to kick start my China career.”

‘The Yak’ paid a parting tribute to the players and fans of Blackburn Rovers.

“I thank Blackburn Rovers, the fans, fellow players for making my one season there seem like a decade - I appreciate their support [and] I hope the club will come back again into the top flight as soon as possible,” he said.

Tomorrow in THE NATION PUNCHLINE

SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.7, NO. 3072

One of the most important portfolios in this country is that of national security adviser. Yet, the President has never considered any of his kinsmen in the creeks for that position. Yet, it is in the creeks that we could find some of the best materials for the office, with all kinds of ‘Generals’ like Tompolo, Boyloaf and ‘General’ Ateke Tom, to mention a few, who command ‘armies’ that make Nigeria catch cold whenever they sneeze!”

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RESIDENT Goodluck Ebele (Azikiwe?)

Jonathan was easily at his articulate, coherent and lucid best during his last Presidential Media Chat aired live on national television. The Ohi Alegebe- led interview panel did a reasonably good job.

There is no doubt that the President has grown in confidence and assertiveness even if the rigour and depth of his thought are still far from satisfactory, given his high academic credentials and the complexity of the challenges confronting Nigeria today. What is even more surprising is a new ‘I don’t care’ and ‘You may go to hell’ attitude exhibited by the President on some sensitive issues.

This unusual haughtiness is most strange coming from a President who just over a year ago was submissively reminding us of his humble origins and the fact that as a young child, he could not even afford to wear shoes to school.

It would perhaps have been understandable if the President had expressed intense anger or displeasure at the massive corruption associated with the discredited fuel subsidy regime. We would most probably have applauded him heartily if he had demonstrated impatience with the crawling pace of the anti-graft agencies, even in the face of such scandals as the mismanagement of pension funds or the nauseating malfeasance that continues to cripple the power and other vital sectors of our economy. But no, President Jonathan’s passionate ire was triggered by the suggestion by Moddibo Kawu that he should have publicly declared his assets on assumption of office as elected President, just as his deceased predecessor, President Umaru Yar’Adua, had done.

The President could barely disguise his strong disapproval of what obviously seemed to him an arrantly nonsensical idea.

His now notorious retort no doubt continues to astonish millions of his country men and women watching him on that occasion.

In his words: “It is personal and I don’t give a damn about that. The law is clear about it and so making it public is no issue and I will not play into the hands of the people. I have nothing to hide. I declared under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua because he did it, but it is not proper…You don’t need to publicly declare your assets and it is a matter of principle…” Unfortunately, the President was not asked to enlighten his audience a little bit more on the details of the socalled personal principle he invoked to rationalize his vehement denunciation of public declaration of assets. In any case, if the President has nothing to hide (and I have no cause to believe otherwise), what does he mean about not wanting to “play into the hands of the people”?

Does the President agree that the abysmal level of corruption is a key factor in deepening underdevelopment and worsening the poverty that now so seriously threatens the

Why must he give a damn?

•President Jonathan country’s cohesion, stability and very existence? Does he agree that the current legal regime that provides for secret declaration of assets by public officers has not in any way stemmed the debilitating haemorrhaging of the national treasury through brazen elite primitive accumulation? If so, what was wrong in the late President Yar’Adua’s decision to raise the bar of public morality by going beyond the demands of legality to voluntarily make public his assets declaration just as he did as Governor of Katsina State? Is it not evident that any President who, after Yar’ Adua’s stellar example, hides behind legal sophistry to re-introduce opacity in the declaration of assets is doing the country’s anti-graft war a great disservice?

But then, President Jonathan is obviously unconcerned about logic or rationality. We can shout as much as we want on any issue

of our choice. His imperial majesty’s presidency will believe what it will and do as it pleases because it can’t ‘give a damn’ about the views of nonentities who arrogate undeserved importance to themselves. All the rhetoric about the equality of citizens before the law as the defining essence of liberal democracy makes no sense in Nigeria’s contemporary ‘Animal Farm’ where some animals are inevitably more equal than others, especially when they don the toga of invincible presidential power.

Is it any wonder then that President Jonathan did not ‘give a damn’ about public opinion when his administration so abruptly and cynically removed the purported fuel subsidy on the 1st of January this year - a policy now proven to be predicated on shaky assumptions and shakier data? Is it surprising that the President did not ‘give a damn’ in jetting out of the country allegedly with a delegation of over 100 persons to a Global Climate Summit in Rio De Janeiro even as our internal socio-political and economic climate was in flames with violence and counter-violence claiming scores of lives in Kaduna and Yobe states? Surely, Mr. President did not have to ‘give a damn’ about the feelings of students, teachers, administrators and alumni of the University of Lagos before mauling the institution’s name and slapping a new identity on it without consultation in a supposedly democratic dispensation. Yes, what is the big deal about honouring a democratic icon through a most undemocratic and authoritarian process?

But then fellow Nigerians, if I were in President Jonathan’s shoes, would I ‘give a damn’ about your views and feelings? I don’t think so. As a certain highly perceptive Dame and First Amazon reportedly put it so graphically: “Na siddon we siddon, dem say make we come be Deputy Governor. Na siddon we siddon, dem say make we become Governor. Na siddon we siddon, dem say make we come be Vice President. No be siddon we siddon, dem say make we come be President”? Pray, is that not the end of discussion? If a man owes his meteoric po-

—Tunji Adegboyega

litical ascendancy to the wings of good luck, why should he give a damn about you? If you voted massively for a man whose party has plunged the nation in unprecedented poverty and misery over the last decade and a half, why should he take you serious? Will he be wrong to conclude that you are masochists who take perverse delight in suffering?

Dear Mr. President, I have said it before and I want to reiterate it. This people are hard of hearing. Your benefactor and godfather, the ageless farmer, scourged them with whips. Please sir, chastise them with scorpions. And you know the good thing, Mr. President? They are ever so forgiving and will vote for you again and again a thousand times if necessary. Please sir, carry go! With good luck perpetually on your side, why must you give a damn?

Lawal Ogienagbon @ 50 Yesterday marked the golden birthday anniversary of my friend, colleague and this newspaper’s Deputy Editor, the industrious and enterprising Lawal Ogienagbon, even though I missed the grand ceremony to commemorate the occasion. Ah, how time flies. I remember how we started off years ago at the defunct Daily Times where our professional skills were nurtured by such brilliant editors as Onyeama Ugochukwu, the late Femi Sonaike, John Araka, Dapo Aderinola and Ndu Ughamadu, among others. Along with such brilliant minds as Tunde Olusunle, the late Femi Olatunde, Hakeem Bello, Emeka Nwosu, Ebere Wabara, Abiodun Raufu, Louis Okoroma and Yomi Ol,a to name a few, we worked extremely hard and had such great fun. Lawal is easily one of the most accomplished news men in the business. It is heart warming that so many years down the line, this unassuming professional continues to soar like the Eagle. I thank God for you, brother.

Surely, the sky remains the limit and the best is yet to come. …Ajimobi’s progressive credentials No, it was not the printers’ devil. Last week’s inexplicable error in this column was solely mine. Governor Abiola Ajimobi did not cross over to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as I wrongly wrote. He was an elected Senator on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) from 2003 to 2007 before he moved to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to contest the governorship election in 2007.

Governor Ajimobi was never in the PDP. Indeed, I am told that his late father was an elected legislator on the platform of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic. The governor has an impressive progressive pedigree. I have received scores of calls and text messages in this regard and I stand duly corrected.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Football culture

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HENEVER you watch Spanish teams, you will appreciate why Pele, the greatest of them all, once described the game as beautiful. The Spaniards make the game so easy. They move the ball around to confound their opponents.

The spectacle starts when the frustrated opponents watch in awe as they struggle to retrieve the ball from the Spaniards.

Given the way Spain plays, the argument from other coaches that they don’t have time at the national team level to blend their players becomes otiose.

What is playing out in the Spanish team is the fact that they have a football culture anchored on the passing game, which many pundits have ascribed to Barcelona. This football culture is underlined by the fact that those players outside the Barca set-up understand what to do during matches.

The strength of the Spanish side rests not

with the way they dominate the game by stringing accurate passes among themselves but the urgency they show in retrieving the ball from their opponents.

Curiously, three of the four countries in the European Cup competition signpost the need for countries to have unique playing styles that their nationals can easily embrace to excel.

The Germans play the direct style, devoid of finesse, hinged on tenacity and driven by the spartan spirit of winning, no matter the quality of the opposition. In the current European Cup tourney, the Germans who play their trade in other European countries have tried to infuse what they learnt playing in England, Spain and Italy, yet they don’t lose sight of the vintage German power-play that breaks into counter-attack anytime they catch their foes on the back foot.

What else can be said about the Italians, who contain the opposition by protecting their goal area? Yet, they deliver the killerblow when the opening is created in front of

the goal post. Not many can describe any of the goals scored by the Italians because they come in a flash, perhaps through one player’s brilliance- remember the Balotelli goal in the group stage. So stiff is the Italian game that we saw 120 minutes of cautious soccer against the English, a timid side, in terms of tactics.

As for the Portuguese, theirs is the missing link between the Spaniards and the Italians. Yet, the cognate skills of Cristiano Ronaldo that dwarf the fact that they have equally talented players in the squad although their history in big time competitions are anchored on the exploits of Eusebio.

The Portuguese are rugged. They exhibit enough tenacity during matches to hold any team. But they have over time relied on one striker, who most times is the celebrated type, who must be marked in top-rated competitions.

With discerning playing styles, what counts will be the inputs of match-winners in both teams. What will be evident in such

titanic games will also be the players’ skills, the mangers’ tactical savvy and the roar from the crowd as they watch in awe from the stands and at home.

What we saw in the first semifinals between Spain and Portugal encapsulated the afore-mentioned variables. With this setting, luck plays a tremendous role in deciding the eventual winners.

What we saw in Wednesday night’s semifinals was the result of training- exhibition of skill, stamina, determination, concentration and psychological stability. The players played to the manager’s script, knowing the others’ strength and weaknesses.

As the game rolled towards extra time, the managers made tactical changes that enlivened the tie since they knew that the penalty shoot-out is anyone’s game to win or lose.

After 120 minutes of scintillating soccer, there was no guess work in picking those to play the mandatory five penalty kicks. The managers talked with their assistants. Then, they assembled the players to announce what they already knew. At that point, the prayer sessions were for God’s intervention,

•Continued on Page 63

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