June 30, 2014 by The Nation

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Ibadan flood death toll likely to hit 18

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NLNG votes $1b for vendor financing

HE Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has set aside S1 billion to facilitate its vendors’ access to funds, Managing Director Babs Omotowa has said. He said the financing scheme was instituted to address the difficulty in accessing funds from financial institutions by goods

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

suppliers and contractors, who provide services to the company. The scheme is done in collaboration with banks. Omotowa said: “NLNG recognises the fact that funding is the bane of the Nigerian manufacturing industry. This led to the introduction of $1 billion NLNG Local Vendors Financing Scheme (NLVFS),

which facilitates access to funds from participating banks by NLNG-registered vendors. “This way, vendors get speedy access to finance for their contracts or procurement orders at competitive rates. Vendors are also required to provide any collateral and are burdened with only modest capital contribution, with the

banks given the assurance of domiciliation of payments with them. “ Omotowa, who spoke in Lagos at the weekend, said the company was building six new vessels for carrying cargoes across the globe. He said the management is expanding the fleet of NLNG’s subsidiary – the Bonny Gas

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Continued on page 4

•EKITI POLL: MY TAKEAWAY, BY FASHOLA WHAT THE ECONOMIST SAYS Pages 2&3

Boko Haram kills scores in attacks on churches Gunmen kill 13 Fulani herdsmen Troops destroy 80 sect’s camps

400 suspects freed in Abia •254 return to Jigawa, Kano

FTER a two-week investigation, about 400 Boko Haram suspects detained in Abia State have been released by the State Security Service (SSS). It was learnt that the 400 suspects had no case to answer, but a few of them will still be subjected to security screening. Jigawa and Kano states confirmed yesterday that 254 of the over 400 had returned home. The SSS was said to be interacting with a few who the agency may trace to their states to ascertain that they have legitimate means of livelihood. But the military was silent on the suspected Boko Haram kingpin, who was allegedly found among the suspects.

HERE seems to be no let-up in the bloodletting in some parts of the country. Suspected Boko Haram insurgents killed no fewer than 56 people yesterday in attacks on three Borno State villages near Chibok. More than 200 pupils of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, who were abducted from their dormitory on April 15, are still missing. In Taraba State, gunmen killed 13 Fulani herdsmen. The state has been a flashpoint of ethnoreligious crises and killings. The gunmen attacked churches during a service yesterday morning. They shot at worshippers, killing many of them in Kautikiri, Nguragila and Kwada villages. They attacked Church of Brethren Nigeria (EYN), Deeper Life Bible Church and Church of Christ International (COCIN). The insurgents also burnt down the churches. A church was attacked during worship in Kautikiri village, five kilometres from Chibok. Samuel Chibok, a survivor of the attack on Kautikiri village, about five kms from where the girls were snatched, said that around 20 men in a Toyota pick-up van and motorcy-

WHERE ARE THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15?

Continued on page 4

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

HE Federal Government has not begun the sale of the four refineries, the DirectorGeneral, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki, has said. Dikki spoke in Abuja on the modalities for the privatisation of government’s entities. A major labour organisation in the oil and gas

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According to military sources, all the suspects have been released from the detention facility of the 144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army. Said a source: “After interrogation, these suspects were handed over to the SSS. More than 400 of them have been released after documentation. “A few of them are still interacting with the SSS. The agency will only trace the villages or towns where these few come from to ascertain their claims.” Another source said: “So far, most of these suspects have no issues but the SSS is still trying to tidy up a few

BPE: Refineries sale still on hold

Continued on page 4

Initially, I thought they were military but when I came out, they were firing at people. I saw people fleeing and they burned our houses

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

•GETTING SET SET:: Super Eagles star Ahmed Musa in training in Brasilia...yesterday. Nigeria will play France in a Brazil 2014 second round match today. PHOTO: AFP

•Dikki

Continued on page 4

•SPORTS P23 •CEO P27 •MOTORING P35 •JOBS P37 •POLITICS P45 •FOREIGN P58

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS

Why reform is

•From left: Chief Security Officer,Julius Berger Nigeria Plc,Uthman Abdulhameed,Ogun State Liason Adviser, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Kola Okeowo Public Relations Officer Lagos,Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Suzan Obi,Baale Atakobo/ Okeeko Community, Ogun State,Chief Dare Ogunfuye And Site Manager,Julius Berger Nigeria Plc,Ogun Dtate, Wolfran Schollmeier at the presentation of building materials to Atakobo community in Ogun State... at the weekend. PHOTO BOLA OMILABU

Are Nigerians reluctant to accept reforms? How far can they go to ensure reforms are frustrated? The Economist thinks they can go to any extent to ensure reformers are cut to size, citing Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s loss of the governorship election in Ekiti State as a good example.

O •From left: Manager, Health and Safety, Jamiu Badmos, Director, Leadership and Organisational Development, Etisalat Nigeria, Rabi Isma, Senior Project Officer, Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network, LEARN, Mrs Tonne Saheed and Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, Etisalat Nigeria, Oyetola Oduyemi at the 11th edition of the Etisalat Career Counselling Initiative in Lagos.

NE of Nigeria's most reformminded and articulate governors has been ousted in an election in Ekiti, a south-western state, by a populist who was once impeached following charges, albeit unproven, of embezzling public money. The vote was deemed generally free and fair. The result highlights public resistance to political reform. The incumbent governor, Kayode Fayemi, a member of the All Progressives Congress, Nigeria's main opposition, was trounced by Ayo Fayose (pictured) of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), the party

•Fayemi

that rules Nigeria at the federal level and is backed by the president, Goodluck Jonathan. It was a big win for the government, which hitherto controlled none of Nigeria's six southwestern states and has been struggling with internal divisions; several PDP governors have defected to the

Fashola’s take away on Ekiti poll Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, in this piece, analyses the Ekiti goverorship election From left: Frontline journalist Steve Ayorinde, General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Kola Oyeyemi, Life Coach, Spicy Chrysalis, Adaeze Adophy and Managing Director, This Day, Mr Eniola Bello, during the unveiling of Destiny Walk, an awareness campaign to revive the reading culture in Lagos... yesterday . PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

S the ink is yet to dry on the analysis of the results of the recent Ekiti polls and the landslides that are reminiscent of 1983 under the now-defunct NPN (National Party of Nigeria) now seems like child’s play, I feel compelled to comment for many reasons, which I will summarize below:

The eminent public commentators

•Chief Commercial Officer, Dana Air, Mr. Obialor Mbanuzuo (left) being received by Head Commercial, Uyo Akwa Ibom International Airport, Owem Ekanem, and Head of Operations, Dana Air, Mr. Ememobong Akam Ettete on arrival at Uyo International Airport during the Airline Re-launch Lagos-Uyo-Abuja route... at the weekend. With them is Media Relations Manager, Dana Air, Mr. Sam Ogbogoro. PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE.

These are some of our most seasonal, informed and respected columnists, whose back page writings have shaped opinion in the public space on the many Nigerian newspapers. As I read several of them in the week commencing on Monday the 23rd of June, 2014, they all seemed to be saying, “We got this wrong”. Interestingly, none of them could have called this result a week before without raising eyebrows about their credibility. The word on the street was that the incumbent had served his people well. About this, there was no debate. Whether it would be enough to secure victory was another matter. If these eminent commentators were willing to stick their necks out

one week before the election, I guess the worst prediction perhaps would have been to suggest that it would be a close election. If a good Governor did not win his ward, let alone his Local Government, none of the Deputy Governor, three Senators, all the House of Assembly members won their Local Governments, the question that arises in my mind is: Is this logical human behaviour? Is there an incumbent amongst all those defeated in Nigerian electoral history who lost all their Local Governments and even their wards?

Logical human behaviour? The arguments for the victorious camp and their supporters, (or the “propaganda”) to justify an “unprecedented” electorate behaviour were that: (a) money and inducements were factors that swayed the electorate; (b) the incumbent was elitist and disconnected; he spoke too much English. I did not offer these arguments. It came from them before and after the election. (a) Money and Inducements We had heard about this before Ekiti. It came from the very top, like many orders from above. It was de-

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS

Why reform is

•Fayemi

The eminent public commentators

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

so hard in Nigeria, by The Economist ‘

Unqualified teachers who have been told to take tests as part of Mr Fayemi's education reforms probably voted against him. So did civil servants upset by his more meritocratic hiring practices. Such people plainly prefer the old politics of the belly

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•Fayose

opposition. By gaining a gubernatorial foothold in Ekiti the PDP's chance of victory in next year's presidential election looks brighter. In dismissing a forward-thinker, the voters sent out a loud message. After coming to power in 2010, Mr Fayemi laid new roads, improved the

university system, presented a plan to get more young people into jobs, created a social-security scheme for the elderly, and cut corrupt wage payments to government workers. But such reforms upset people with a vested interest in the old political system. Unqualified teachers who have

been told to take tests as part of Mr Fayemi's education reforms probably voted against him. So did civil servants upset by his more meritocratic hiring practices. Such people plainly prefer the old "politics of the belly", which keeps them comfortably on the state payroll and hands out cash in

return for their votes. "We felt we had the people on our side, but the people themselves made this decision," an aide to Mr Fayemi mournfully admits. "It is worrisome just how much enlightenment the electorate needs." Indeed, the election was a clash between appeals to good governance on

livered on an electoral podium in Kano. A serving Governor was accused of diverting money meant for delegates. It was the unspoken word in Nigerian politics. But the party of the Governorelect has jumped headlong into the place where many feared to tread; perhaps because they don’t give a damn. In the public space on television, members of the party have now broken the taboo, Ekiti was all that mattered. They paid for it and all of us can do whatever we like; after all, they control the National Treasury, oil proceeds and all that is being forensically audited. But they have finally helped to show Nigerians, if by default, that there is now an ideological difference between their party and the main opposition. I will address this later. But, even if money mattered, the incumbent gave out money under a state-funded and well publicised welfare scheme for elderly and vulnerable citizens. The project had run for 3 years successfully. The beneficiaries knew that the money came every month, they banked on it, and there is no report that it had been stopped. Were these people the “elite” that the incumbent served or the grassroots from whom he was accused of being disconnected? Is it logical human behaviour for all of them to have abandoned him and preferred the new but untested money by the party of the Governor-elect, in such a way that not even in his ward did they show fidelity to that well-conceived policy by voting to retain it?

could the incumbent be excused for speaking too much English than in the land of professors in Nigeria. Is it logical human behaviour for a land of many intellectuals to reject so overwhelmingly an incumbent that was a respected family man, a devout Catholic, gentleman and urbane representative, even in his own ward?

party of the Governor Elect would rather not do that. They say, by their own methods, these things do not matter in any gubernatorial tenure. Do nothing, gather money, buy rice, stop at a few local pubs to show you are ordinary (maybe without shoes) and distribute money and rice to the “grassroots”, and you are sure to get to Government House; and this is the plan for the whole of the Southwest and the Presidency. This ideology will quieten those who ask why there is no electricity or why we can’t find the Chibok girls or indeed why audit reports on $20 bilion or $10 billion should not matter. It should quieten the rich and the poor who now live in fear of insecurity. Indeed all those who are looking for employment and those who have died in the process should simply tarry a while. The money and rice are on their way. If you still do not see the ideological difference on economic issues, let me spell it out in other words. The party of the Governor Elect appear to agree with the party of the incumbent Governor, that the poor matter and that indeed something should be done for them. What they disagree about, is what should be done. The party of the Incumbent Governor argue that through new schools, new roads, new hospitals, tourism development and physical infrastructure renewal, the fortunes of Ekiti people will get better economically and developmentally; because, skills will be created and honed, services will be offered, jobs would be delivered on a sustainable basis. On the contrary, the party of the

Governor Elect argues that a oncein-four year fix of dash, cash and inducement is what the people prefer. The people of Ekiti seem to have chosen this economic ideology by the “votes” of June 21, 2014. Did they? This is their prerogative, I cannot question it, but I intend to learn from it, because the Ekiti people are highly respected people who have contributed ideas and values to our national development. This is why I am curious. Is the land of honour and intellectuals teaching us something new? I think these are the matters for scholarly research which the incumbent in his most commendable and statesmanly post-election speech (which many have interpreted as an unqualified concession) urged upon us. He sacrificed, so that perhaps we could all learn about a “new human behaviour” of a great people of honour, valour, integrity and selfpride. I have been accused of “insulting Ekiti people”. There is no reason for me to do so and I did not do so. I asked questions so that we can learn. This is the realm of the Research that the incumbent Governor urged. To make an inquiry. I think the party of the Governor elect must not feel uncomfortable about me asking questions. If they exercise the bragging rights that come with the results and the incumbent Governor’s “concession” they should not feel uncomfortable about research and inquiries that also come with the “concession” speech. It may well be that the party of the Governor-elect may be right in their assessment of what the people of Ekiti and by extension Nigerians want, this would make any inquiry appropriate because; it may compel a change of strategy for many political parties.

(b) Elitist and disconnected I have asked myself where else

The ideology now crystallizes When the merger of the main opposition party was being consummated, not a few commentators asked what the difference was. Try as the new party did, the party in power either said there was no ideology or at times that the new party cannot be different from them; because, some of their own members were now major stakeholders in the new opposition party. In perhaps what is a most welcome Freudian slip, they have shown through Ekiti that there is the major ideological difference on economic issues. We have seen some differences on social issues like pardons and National Honours. But the difference on economic issues is profound. They have propounded a new definition for infrastructure. They call it the infrastructure of the stomach or “stomachstructure”. By this, they assert that although the incumbent has built schools, hospitals, markets, tourist complexes and other infrastructure that provide a system for organising the economic development and affairs of Ekiti, to create direct and consequential jobs for construction workers, architects, quantity surveyors, school teachers, doctors, and even employees of banks that lend money to finance these projects; the

the one hand and the lure of oldschool clientelism and populism on the other. Despite Ekiti having a relatively well-educated electorate, the old ways prevailed. This does not bode well for political reform across the country.

•Fashola

It should make governance a lot easier if they were right. Do nothing, put money together, share it a few weeks to election, strut to Government house, and why should you bother about agriculture, electricity, housing, security, Healthcare and more? After all, everybody has been paid in advance to go and fix these problems by themselves. They will not matter, we will see them in another four years and rule again for the next 60 years, or indeed for eternity.

Postscript I intended this as a take-away. It seems to have emerged as a multicourse menu that will take time to digest about the prospects for our national polity and development.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS NLNG votes $1b for vendor financing Continued from page 1

•The Director at the Centre on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, Stanford University,United States, Professor Larry Diamond (left) speaking during a visit to National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos.

400 ‘North’s traders’ freed from Abia Continued from page 1

things. “We are just being proactive in our activities in view of the rising insurgency nationwide.” A response from the SSS was being awaited as at press time. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Umar Kyari, who spoke with our correspondent, said about 225 of the suspects had been released to the state. He said: “The suspects arrived in batches. The first group was made up of 114 and the second comprised 111. “There was no condition attached to their release in any manner whatsoever.” Kano State confirmed the release of 29 suspects. The state said some of the 29 indigenes claimed that they were tortured. A statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Alhaji Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye,

said Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso advised the 29 to continue to pursue legitimate businesses anywhere they found themselves. Kwankwaso spoke when the 29 freed indigenes visited him at the Government House in Kano, following their release from detention in Abia state. The statement added: “Governor Kwankwaso argued that there is no law in the country that restricts any citizen from travelling and doing business lawfully anywhere in the nation, lamenting that what the security agents did to the travellers was a clear violation of their fundamental human right.” Kwankwaso was quoted as saying: “Upon hearing that some Northerners were apprehended in that state (Abia), even though we were unaware that Kano indigenes were among the captives then, we began discussion with the

authorities concerned to secure their release. “But we later thought that it will be impossible to have that number of people going on business without having anybody from Kano. This is the reason why we sent a powerful delegation to discuss with them for your unconditional release or referral of the matter to court.” The statement said: “The governor, who thanked the Almighty God for making the captives to return home safely, urged them to accept what happened to them as predestined. “Earlier one of the released travellers, Mudasir Aliyu Kumbosto, revealed that they were severely tortured and painfully maltreated while in detention at the barracks in Abia State and denied access to the Kano State government delegation that went to see them. “He, however, thanked the

Transport (BGT) - adding that the six new LNG carriers are being built at the Korean shipyard. A $1.41 billion loan has been secured for the project. The delivery of the first vessel is slated for October 2015, while the others are expected to be delivered by November, 2016. He said: “Production for the six train plant approaches, name-plate capacity and LNG is now delivered in more distant destinations in response to changing business opportunities. As a result, additional shipping capacity has become necessary. Bonny Gas Transport has completed plans to acquire six new vessels, which are being built and will be completed by 2016. Financing for the six vessels has been arranged in two programmes, a $310 million sixyear additional programme debt (APD), and a $1,100 million 12year new vessel debt (NVD). “The vessels are dual diesel engines. Four of the vessels will replace six older vessels while

two are aimed at fleet optimisation to meet NLNG’s increased appetite for more tonnage” The acquisition of the new vessels has positive results in terms of skills and capacity development, as well as job creation for Nigerians. Omotowa said: “It is the Nigerianisation of the ships that excites me. 60 Nigerians have left for Korea to study ship building at the Samsung and Hyundai shipyards. A total of 600 Nigerians will be trained.” Besides, the NLNG chief noted that locally sourced materials are also being used in ship-building, such as the furniture, among others. Currently, the Bonny Gas Transport, the NLNG chief said, has 23 ships in its fleet, adding that 13 LNG carriers are owned by BGT. 10 are on long term loan. No company in Nigeria has such fleet and ships. “We have trained 500 Nigerian cadets and they work in the fleet and through our subsidiary, NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML), we have trained Nigerians to become captains,” Omotowa said.

BPE: Refineries sale still on hold

governor for his efforts and for making time to see them return home safely and for giving each of them N20,000 as transportation stipend to their respective communities in the state.” The 486 suspects were arrested penultimate Sunday morning by officers and men of the 144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Aro Ngwa and Imo Gate along EnuguPort Harcourt Expressway. Their arrest attracted protests from the Hausa community in Rivers State, some prominent Northerners and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). Governor Theodore Orji, last Saturday, asked all Northern groups to allow security agencies to do their work. He said: “The position of Abia State Government is that security agencies should be allowed to thoroughly investigate the matter.”

Continued from page 1

sector, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), last Tuesday, accused the BPE of attempting to sell the refineries in scraps, despite the agreement with the workers to rehabilitate

them through a turn-around maintenance (TAM) arrangement before privatisation. Addressing reporters yesterday at the inaugural annual lecture of the “Just Friends Club of Nigeria (JFCN)”, Dikki said the BPE had not Continued on page 60

ACF to insurgents: respect holy month

HE pan Northern sociopolitical organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has appealed to Boko Haram insurgents and all those engaged in terrorism to embrace peaceful dialogue during the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan. Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Yero urged the people to embrace peace and peaceful coexistence irrespective of religion or tribe during the holy month. In a message to Muslims on the commencement of Ramadan, the ACF urged the nation’s leaders

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

to demonstrate love, fairness and equity in all their dealings while the followers should also pray for God’s guidance to our leaders. The message signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the month of Ramadan is not only meant for Muslims to abstain from food and drink, but to reflect and devote themselves to the teachings of the Holy Quran. The statement reads “the holy month of Ramadan has commenced in which Muslims all over the world keep fast abstainContinued on page 60

Boko Haram kills scores in attacks on churches Continued from page 1

cles rolled into town. They sprayed it with bullets, focusing much of their fire power on worshippers in a local church. “Initially, I thought they were military but when I came out, they were firing at people. I saw people fleeing and they burned our houses,” Chibok said, adding that two of his relatives had died in the attacks. “Smoke was billowing from our town as I left,” he said. A local pro-government vigilante, who declined to be named, said residents had recovered 15 bodies from the village. Another attack on Kwada, 8kms from Chibok, left some people dead, a security source operating in the area said. Residents and a member of the vigilante group in Chibok said 38 bodies were evacuated at Kwada, nine at Nguragila and another nine at Kautikari town, bringing the dead to 56. “But we are still combing the communities, especially as we learnt some people were shot while fleeing into the bush,” the vigilante members said. Maina, a resident of Chibok, said the attacks were well coordinated, adding that some of his relations at Kautikari recounted that the insurgents

Troops destroy 80 sect’s camps

BOUT 80 camps belonging to Boko Haram have been destroyed by the military since the imposition of emergency rule on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. Many of the camps were in Borno State which has been the hotbed of the insurgency. Also, an intelligence report at the disposal of the security revealed that the recent attacks on Kano, Abuja and Kaduna may have been preemptive to avert an impending massive raid of Sambisa Forest by troops. The preemptive clue is a major factor the military has been dissecting since Wednesday’s explosion at EMAB Plaza in Abuja. No fewer than 23 people die in that attack. A top military source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent on plans to curtail insurgency, said most of the vehicles used for bombing were operated from 8am till 11 am. In a separate assault on Friday evening, insurgents killed seven soldiers in the village of Goniri, Yobe State, a security source and witnesses said. “The attackers went to churches with bombs and guns,” Timothy James, a Chibok resident, said on the telephone. Enoch Mark, an outspoken Chibok leader since the abductions, gave a similar ac-

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

snatched. The source said: “According to our records, troops have destroyed over 80 camps of the insurgents spread across Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. “These destroyed camps were wellestablished, like military bases with electricity supply and appliances, including freezers and internet access. “We were able to dislodge Boko Haram from these solid camps, which they put up before the declaration of the emergency rule. So, you can see that the state of emergency has assisted so far.” The source said: “The insurgents have resorted to satellite camps; they are no more stable in one place. “This is why they now run makeshift battles. You can therefore understand the challenges of troops. We are sustaining air surveillance of all these

count, telling the AFP in Lagos: “Presently, as we are talking now, we are under attack.” “We cannot tell the number of dead bodies,” he added. “I was told the attackers burnt at least three churches to the ground.” Mark said that the military did not respond to distress calls after the attack began. Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) condemned the attack.

camps and cells in order not to give them a breathing space. “Nigerians have been asking what the military is doing about all these attacks but much of our plans and actions must not be made known for tactical reasons. We are working round-the-clock to take the battle to the insurgents.” Asked why there is an upsurge in attacks by the insurgents, the high-ranking military officer added: “I think they got intelligence signal that Sambisa forest may soon become untenable for them and they decided to embark on isolated attacks. “We are certainly going to conduct a massive raid of Sambisa forest and it is not unlikely they got the information and opted to strike in Abuja and other places. “From the angle of the military, these attacks do not signify the potency of the

He urged the Federal Government to deploy more troops to work with local vigilante to end the incessant killings. A youth leader, Dr Manaseh Allen, urged the government to act quickly, saying the bloodbath was increasingly alarming. “I want the security agencies to double their efforts. If these people (Boko Haram) can come during the day and succeed the way they have been, what of if they de-

Continued on page 60

cide to come at night?” he asked. An explosion on Friday night in a brothel in Bauchi killed 11 people and injured 28, according to the police. In Friday night’s attack on a military outpost, the suspected Boko Haram fighters arrived in four armoured personnel carriers and 11 Hilux trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns, said a security source and a witness who

•Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh

gave his name only as Hamisu. “They were all dressed in full military gear but they did not direct their onslaught on the civilian population,” Hamisu said by telephone. The militants are extending their reach beyond their remote northeastern heartlands. A bomb in Abuja killed 21 people last Wednesday, the third attack on the capital in Continued on page 60

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THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS

APC condemns terrorist attacks in Abuja, Bauchi

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the deadly terrorist attacks in Abuja and Bauchi in which no fewer than 37 people were killed and several others injured. The party called the Boko Haram sect, the suspected brains behind the attacks, “despicable and inhuman” in its misguided terror campaign. In a statement yesterday in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC repeated its earlier statement that nothing could justify the spilling of the blood of innocent citizens. The party commiserated with the families of the blasts’ victims. It urged the Federal Government to review its strategy in the fight against terrorism, adding that whatever the government was doing was “definitely not working”. APC noted that the failure of the government’s strategy made it possible for the deadly terrorist attacks to have become almost a daily occurrence. “Whatever strategy being used by this Federal Government is not yielding enough positive results. Otherwise, these terrorists would not have gone from carrying out their attacks on the outskirts of a city as Abuja, for example, to exploding a bomb right in the heart of the city, as was witnessed in Wuse 2 last week,” APC said. The party wondered why Abuja had remained so vulnerable to such attacks, considering the millions of naira reportedly spent on the close circuit television (CCTV) project that was supposed to boost the city’s security. APC asked: “Or, has this project again become a victim of the runaway corruption and incompetence for which this administration is renowned?” The party noted that instead of reaching out across partisan lines, as the opposition has suggested several times, the Federal Government had resorted to chasing shadows “while the killing of innocent citizens in-

•Party berates Fed Govt for chasing shadows

Jonathan condemns Bauchi bombing, Kaduna killings

•Doctors offer free services to Abuja victims

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has condemned Friday night’s bombing in Bayan Gari, Bauchi State, and the mass killings in Southern Kaduna. The President commiserated with the families that lost their loved ones in the attacks and extended his heartfelt sympathies to those injured and those who lost their property in the wanton assaults on Bauchi and Kaduna states. Jonathan reassured the people of both states that the Federal Government would continue to take actions to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly attacks and restore the fullest possible security to all parts of the country. In a statement yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, the President directed government agencies to speedily make emergency medical and relief assistance available to the injured and the displaced by the bombings and attacks. He urged Nigerians to cooperate with the Armed Forces and security agencies, who have been working “incessantly to end the menace of insecurity in the country within the shortest possible time”. Also, the President of the Association of General Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Odafe, has said victims of the Abuja bomb blast will get free services from the association’s members. Odafe addressed reporters at the weekend in Abuja on doctors’ role in the face of security challenges across the country, especially last Wednesday’s bombing at Emab Plaza in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja. The union leader urged the Federal Government to invest well in the heath sector. He described the sector as crucial, adding that the government should prioritise By Olamilekan Andu

tensifies”. It added: “The scorecard of this Federal Government in the fight against terror is very dismal. Some 76 days after over 200 girls were abducted from Chibok (Borno State), the girls are not any nearer home today than they were on the day they were abducted; all the clueless and ineffective administration of President Goodluck Jonathan can do is to engage in image laundering that has caused the taxpayers US$1.2 million; witch-hunt the media

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

health matters. Odafe said: “According to a popular saying, everybody knows that health is wealth. As such, the government should take health as a social matter because of its needs by ordinary people. There should be an immediate establishment of a Heath Bank by the Federal Government.” The union leader said this would assist in revamping the Health sector. He added: “We lost some of ours because of the current insecurity in our country. But that will not deter us. Our association has deployed medical doctors to care for the victims of Abuja blast and beyond without discrimination. “Let me say this: all over the world, family doctors always work with governments to care for the people, especially the lessprivileged who cannot afford medical bills. “We ask our members to render such services for the public. It is mostly free, especially at an emergency time as this. Our doctors are doing it, and we will continue to offer such services. “We, as private doctors and members of the Association of General Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, have deployed our members to respond - according to their professional training - to emergency situations that may rise in any part of the country. It is part of our corporate social responsibilities. “We have told our members all over the country, especially those in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja that any victim of the bomb blast should be treated free, even though we are in private practice. We must cooperate with the government at ensuring the well-being of our citizens.”

as well as those perceived to be opponents of the administration and engage in a continuous and unprecedented abuse of national institutions. “This administration could have pumped the US$1.2 million it frittered away in the name of image laundering in the United States (U.S) into the fight against terror, which seems to have waned. “Unfortunately, as the President kicked-started his wasteful image laundering with an oped in The Washington Post, he was being skewered in another U.S newspaper, The New

Dwindling Federal revenue: We’ve challenges ahead, says Saraki From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

•Dr Saraki

EVERAL states and local government areas may be in for hard times, no thanks to the dwindling revenue accruing to them from the Federation Account. Until there is a better revenue from the Federal Government to the states and the local governments and Abuja, Nigerians will need to tighten their belts in the days ahead, it was learnt yesterday. Former Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki gave the warning at the weekend in Omupo, Ifelodun Local Government Area at the empowerment programme of a member representing Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa in the House of Representatives, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim.

Saraki, who represents Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, noted that those challenges informed his decision and the like minds, to pitch their tents with the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the change the country earnestly needs. Saraki, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, said: “Unfortunately, we cannot depend only on the Federal, states and councils to do everything, especially in today’s environment when the revenue that should be going to the different tiers of government is much less than what is expected. “Many of us have been shouting that there is need for government to increase the revenues so that there is more money to the states and the councils, particularly the council chairmen who, unfortunately, come at a time when there are challenges, because a lot is expected of them at the grassroots. “But ,clearly, they cannot

do magic in an environment when the revenue accruing to them from the top is not adequate. There is need for a serious government to address the issue of revenue so that the people at the grassroots can feel the impact of government. “Where council chairmen are barely just paying salaries, what time do they have for development? This is the period when all of us must support our people and not rely on council chairmen for everything.” On the 2015 general elections, the former governor urged the gathering to be wary of “Abuja politicians” who would come around only during elections. Saraki said: “I told you severally, my people in Kwara State, election will come and go. My people, don’t let anybody come and deceive you. Our royals, women and youths, we are here all seasons; we don’t come and we don’t go. Since May 2011 till date, who have you been seeing? Now, you will see many people, but you know those who are consistent.”

York Post. “The paper’s (New York Post) Editorial Board wrote of the President’s newspaper diplomacy: ‘Remember, this is the same leader whose military initially claimed it had freed the girls, whose wife’s anger was directed at Nigerians protesting the government’s inaction rather than the kidnappers and who presides over Africa’s largest economy and fourthlargest armed forces’. “There is no better demonstration of the fact that the administration has wasted public funds on a misbegotten im-

age laundering than this.” APC also described the treatment meted out to pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year’s lesser Hajj from the Maiduguri (Borno State capital) airport as another in a series of shadow-chasing by the government. The party said the government would rather misuse national institutions to flex muscles against innocent citizens than tackle the terrorists headlong. It noted that forcing the pilgrims to travel by road from Maiduguri to Kano before their flight was callous and poorly thought-out, considering the dangers they were likely to face on the road. APC said: “The argument that the flight from Maiduguri was stopped at the last minute because of security is hogwash. Is that also the same reason that a private plane, which flew into the same airport with eight people on board, was forced to fly back empty after those who wanted to travel in it were prevented from doing so? Is it the same security reason that forced the closure of Akure airport, even as planes that ferried APC leaders to the airport were on the tarmac? Is it also why newspapers were targeted across the nation? “The truth is that the Jonathan administration is playing dirty politics with the fight against terror, using national institutions to abridge constitutionally-guaranteed rights.” The party advised the Federal Government to stop wasting public funds on image laundering because no good advert can sell a bad product. It said: “This government should realise that its raison d’etre is the security and welfare of Nigerians, and it has failed woefully in this regard. Therefore, it should be humble enough to admit its limitations and then reach out to all stakeholders, including those in the opposition, to rejig its anti-terror strategy and save our innocent citizens from the killings and maiming by Boko Haram.”

Union threatens to cripple NCAA over workers’ welfare By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

HE Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has threatened to ground the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for what it called its failure to address workers’ welfare. The union has issued a 30day ultimatum to the NCAA to address its workers’ welfare or face its wrath. ATSSAN said it would move its secretariat temporarily to the NCAA headquarters in Lagos, if the agency’s management fails to address the workers’ demands at the expiration of the ultimatum. ATSSAN’s National President Benjamin Okewu said the union was fine-tuning its strategies to ensure that the action succeeds. ATSSSAN, in a letter to NCAA’s Acting Director-General Benedict Adeyileka, demanded the resolution of welfare matters tabled before the agency’s chief before July 5. It was also learnt that several outstanding employees’ files on welfare, such as allowances and travel claims, had piled up on Adeyileka’s desk for 10 to 12 months. ATSSSAN called for the full implementation of the approved conditions of service for NCAA workers. The union vowed to move its national secretariat temporarily to the NCAA headquarters until the matters are resolved at the expiration of the ultimatum. It was learnt that ATSSSAN is not happy with the way some agencies were handling workers’ training. A source said the union had demanded that aviation agencies, such as the NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) should furnish the union with their 2014 training proposals to ensure that none of its workers is excluded from training.

•From left: Dr Moyo Adejumo, Chairman Lagos State take Force Lagos State Ministry of Health, Pharm Elijah Mhammed Registrar Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Dr Paul B Orhi, Director General NAFDAC during press briefing by NAFDAC on a joint operation by Interpol and Federal TAsk Force on counterfeit and Fake Drug and Unwholesome processed food tagged Operation Parcupine carried in June at Oshodi office... at weekend PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAM

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (fourth left) listening to the musical performance of students of the School for the Blind at the modern digital music studio at the new workshop built with the support of the state government during the governor’s visit to the school at Oshodi on his 51st birthday...on Saturday.

Nigeria can’t survive another four years under PDP, says Odigie-Oyegun

NOTHER four years of misrule under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is unthinkable, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said. The APC chairman said Nigeria may not survive, if the ruling party is allowed to continue its maladministration for another four years. Addressing reporters yesterday in Benin, the Edo State capital, the former Edo State governor also said his party conceded victory to the PDP in the Ekiti State governorship election because APC did not want anything that

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

would make the people react negatively and violently. The party chairman said APC would challenge the trampling on the fundamental human rights of the people before during and after the election. He said Nigerians should embrace the APC as the new party with a different agenda to fix Nigeria. Odigie-Oyegun said: “We are presenting our party as new, as different. We have done the studies as people who truly care.

“There is no way we can prove it to you because we have not ever ruled this country. But we can tell you: look at our states. “We are not pretending to be angels. Politics is not a seminary nor is it the papacy. What is important is: what are you doing with the lives of the people? That is what is critical. “Are you restoring hopes to their lives? Are you making their lives better? If not for themselves, do they believe that the lives of their children will be better? “Are your policies concentrated on improving their lives? Are the sectors working in the interest of the ordinary Nige-

rian? Do we have power? Do we have quality schools? Do we have security? Do we have jobs? “Can we continue in this kind of state? I have told people who are ready to listen that this country cannot, and I tell you that I mean it, survive another four years of the PDP. “There is no way it can survive. So, we need people who have plans to start taking care of these issues and these things. That is what the APC represents.” He said many people who had no business in Ekiti State were allowed into the state while those with concrete reasons to be there were denied access.

This, the APC chairman stressed, was part of what the party would challenge. Odigie-Oyegun said: “The Ekiti governorship election, to some extent, is still a mystery. It still has aspects that we are trying to unfold. But the first point is because we are a party of change, because we are a party that wants to show Nigerians that there is a different way of doing things, that the party doesn’t have to be bitter, despite all our reservations, the governor was advised to concede, despite our reservations for a lot of reasons. “One, we did not think even the heavy

militarisation of the area. We did not think it was worthwhile raising tensions, which may lead to the spilling of innocent blood, because I was there in Ekiti. “I had to leave virtually in the dead of night because of intelligence that we received. I had to drive all the way from Ekiti to Lagos. Most of our people who got there also left. “There was this state of tension which needed only a little spark to set it on fire. We said that was not our style of politics... ‘Governor do the honourable thing.’

Presidency unwilling to bring back Chibok girls, says Ezekwesili

ORMER Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of unwillingness to bring back the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, nearly 80 days ago. She noted that since the Presidency discarded the report of the Presidential Committee on the abducted girls, it was clear the government was willing to bring back the girls. Ezekwesili said a trouble is exacerbated when there is the denial that there is no trouble. The former minister spoke yesterday at the usual rendezvous of the #BringBackOurGirls protesters in Abuja. She said the protesters re-

From Grace Obike, Abuja and Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

mained undaunted standing up for the abducted schoolgirls, since they are unable to do so for themselves. Ezekwesili said: “Reading in the news about the Presidency tearing up of the report of the Presidential committee on the abducted girls leaves anyone believing that the government is willing to bring back our girls in doubt. There is trouble when there is the denial that there is no trouble. “Our tool of engagement may differ in various forms, but one thing remains the same: bring back our girls now and alive. “We will continue to fight for our girls, who are powerless to fight for themselves, to

ensure that they are returned safely to their families.” Also, speaking yesterday on a radio programme on Rock City FM in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Dr Ezekwesili warned Nigerians against sitting idly by and expect that quality governance would just happen. The former minister noted that good governance is a product of the citizens’ constant demand for quality leadership from their leaders. She said electing people into offices or paying taxes are not the end of the duties of citizenship. According to her, democracy won’t be complete if the citizens “do not demand accountability” from the leaders they elected to serve them.

Dangote Cement to open Cameroon plant August

HE Africa expansion drive of the leading cement manufacturers in Nigeria, Dangote Cement Plc, is paying off. The company has announced that its $150 million Cameroon plant will begin production in August, barring any last minute hitch. The company’s management said the 1.5 million tonnes per annum capacity plant is almost ready and will begin the initial production at one million tonnes per annum before production will be stepped up to the maximum capacity level. Conducting reporters round the factory in Douala, the Cameroonian capital, Dangote Cement’s General Manager Abdulahi Baba said the plant would revolutionalise the cement industry in Cameroon

By Olamilekan Andu

and stimulate the East African economy. He said Dangote Cement would be churning out its quality grade of 42.5 at a very competitive price. According to him, the plant is ready for test-running; what remains to be completed are little engineering parts and access roads to the plant. Baba said the plant would be the most modern in Cameroon because of the latest technologies used in the construction from Germany, the United States (U.S) and France, put together by the renowned plant engineers, Sinoma. The Dangote Cement chief said the company would bring in clinker, adding that production would be carried out in the

most environmental-friendly level. According to him, the dust emission by the plant will be lower than the 50mm international standard. Baba said the soil test showed that the plant areas needed to be piled. He said the factory would be have been ready by now, if not for the thorough job the company was doing on the plant. Baba said Cameroonians were eager to see Dangote Cement begin operations at the Douala plant because of the records of the company in other countries. The general manager said the company enjoyed the cooperation of the host communities and the government of Cameroon.

THE NATION MONDAY JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS

The Nation shines at Rotary award

Lagos targets 100 per cent 2014 budget implementation

T was a moment of honour for The Nation as it clinched two awards at the Rotary’s Humanitarian Reporting Award held at the weekend in Lagos. Serial award-winner Olatunji Ololade won two awards of the six awards. His entry, “Don’t let us die before our time”, won the Peace and Conflict Resolution prize, beating his contenders, Isaac Aremu of The Guardian, with the entry “Rotary Preaches Peace”, and Arukaino Umukoro of The Punch, with the entry: “Lagos schools where hackers are trained”. Ololade, an Assistant Editor, also won the Maternal and Child Health category with his entry: “This marriage will kill me”. The award, which was the fourth edition, was established to “recognise the efforts of the media at reporting stories that motivate or encourage a call to action to serve humanity as well as building relationship between Rotary and the media”. Also, The Nation’s Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha and Seun Akioye were first and second runners up in Disease Prevention and Treatment (print category), which was

•Ololade (right) receiving one of the two prizes he won at the Rotary Humanitarian Award from District Governor, District 9110, Olugbemiga Olowu...at the weekend. By Wale Ajetunmobi

won by The Punch’s Bukola Adebayo. The Punch’s Kunle Falayi also won in the Basic Education and Literacy category. Wendy Agbo, a Television Continental (TVC) reporter, won the Overall Reporter of the Year, having won in Dis-

ease Prevention and Treatment and Maternal and Child Health categories and became first runner up in Economic and Community Development category, all in broadcast category. The chairman of the award committee, Deyemi Ogunkoya, said the award

Death toll rises in Ibadan flood

HE death toll in the flood which wreaked havoc in Apete and Olodo in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Saturday has risen to about 18, residents said yesterday. At Iyana Offa, Olodo area of the city, the police said two bodies of a boy and a woman were recovered among eight persons that were swept away by the flood. A middle-aged man was found hung on a tree alive and taken to a hospital. Oyo Police spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police Olabisi Clet-Ilobanafor said there was no proof to confirm the death of 10 persons at Apete. “There was no report by any person to show that 10 people were swept away in the flood at Apete. Even before the rain, the DPO at Apete Police Station had requested reinforcement and there are policemen on ground. These policemen have been warning the people against the use of the particular makeshift bridge but they would not listen. Atleast if it is true that people were actually swept away in the flood at Apete, we will have their relatives or members of their family coming to look for them,“ Ilobanafor said. But residents of Apete insisted that 10 lives were lost in the flood due to the sudden collapse of make-shift bridge which people in the area have been using since the collapse of the main bridge following the August 26, 2011 flood disaster. Following the alleged deaths recorded at Apete bridge, angry youths yester-

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

day attacked and vandalised the work station of the contractor handling the IjokodoApete road and the bridge linking the two communities, destroying equipment and property. An eyewitness said: “It was around 6.30 pm that it happened. We just heard cry of people who fell into the river and I decided to join the rescue team and we eventually succeeded in rescuing about six people while not less than 10 others were washed away.” Bassey Etum, one of the securitymen employed by the construction company, said he had to run for his life alongside five other colleagues when the irate youths came. Said Etum: “After the river had overflown its banks, residents at the community said people drowned because of the bridge that collapsed. They vented their anger on the company and destroyed our machines and equipment. They stole computers and other office equipment too. There were six securitymen here when they came last night (Saturday night). They wanted to lynch us; so, we ran into a nearby forest. When we returned around 11pm, nothing was left untouched; the whole place had been vandalised.” Another eyewitness, Tunde Emiola, said the youths were angered by the slow pace of the construction company . “The rain started in the afternoon but by 6.30pm the bridge was submerged and standing precariously. I was among the crowd at the Apete

end of the river bank. We saw people trying to make use of the bridge and warned them but they were desperate to reach home before it was too dark. Suddenly, the wooden pillars holding the bridge collapsed and people fell into the river. The current was too much. So, there was little hope for survival. We rescued two people but more than 10 others drowned immediately. I was there and saw it all till very late. The youths were really angry at the number of deaths.” One of the policemen on the scene of the disaster said the youths were hostile towards them, wondering why they had to take laws into their own hands. He said: “They threw stones at us and shouted at us from the other side of the river when we reached here. They said the government abandoned them and caused the death of their neighbours who were swept away on Saturday evening. But we are trying to calm the situation.” The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ido Local Government, Prof. Joseph Olowofela, said the development was unfortunate. “I was here on Friday with the contractor that was to erect a stronger bridge. But we realised that the volume of the water was too much; so, we decided to wait for it to come down. Unfortunately, heavier rain fell on Saturday which swept away the existing one. We are hearing lots of stories about the incident but we are yet to ascertain how many people were actually involved.”

had the objective to affect communities, thereby introducing global focus to the community-based projects and opens doors for newsworthy humanitarian local stories. He said: “The award seeks to acknowledge the positive work of journalists and underscores the importance of addressing relevant issues and to also recognise reporters, who have focused on global news trends occurring at the local level.”

AGOS State government has set a target of 100 per cent implementation of its 2014 budget. Deputy Governor Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire gave the assurance while opening a retreat for the management staff of the Ministry of Finance. She said the government is determined to improve quality of life of the citizenry through urban renewal and sustainable infrastructure development. Mrs Orelope-Adefulire hailed the ministry for organising annual performance retreat to evaluate their performance and exchange ideas on issues relating to their various schedules. She observed that in recent years, there has been an increasing pressure on the public sector to develop world class capacities for policy making, service delivery and corporate service. She said: “Without availability of adequately trained personnel and fi-

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

nancial managers, all government efforts geared towards implementing effective policies to confront challenges will be a waste.” She urged the Federal Government to heed to the call of special status for the state that serve as the economic nerve centre of the country and contributed well over 60 per cent of the nation’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Commissioner for Finance Ayo Gbeleyi said the annual performance retreat became necessary following the crucial role the ministry played in the implementation of all sustainable programmes and policies of the state government. Gbeleyi noted that financial managers should continually sharpen knowledge and skills in providing proactive and sustainable financial solutions consistent with the best practices all over the world to make government programmes implementable.

Oyo council boss advises on CSR

HE Caretaker Committee Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mr Abass Aleshinloye, has urged companies in his constituency to be serious with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He said companies were doing little to better the peoples’ lives.

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

Aleshinloye spoke on a tour of companies in the council. He told reporters companies must give back to their host communities, adding that he would do everything possible to ensure the communities get their dues.

THE NATION MONDAY JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS

Protesting lawyers risk arrest in Ondo From Damisi Ojo, Akure

HERE may be mass arrest of protesting lawyers in Ondo State with effect from today, as their boycott of all courts under the state’s juridiction enters the fourth week. Lawyers from all branches of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Ondo are demanding the withdrawal of tax clearance as a compulsory condition for bail. Judicial proceedings in the state’s courts have remained on standstill, as the lawyers have also directed litigants to stay away from courts. It was learnt that the intervention of eminent lawyers and judges to resolve the matter had failed due to the insistence of the Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Olaseinde Kumuyi, on implementing his circular The CJ reportedly informed some lawyers he met on the premises of the High Court, Akure last week that as from today, any protesting lawyer found in the court would be arrested. Already, armed soldiers in two vans were noticed at the gate of the High Court, Akure on Friday around 3p.m. But their mission could not be ascertained. The CJ’s circular makes production of tax clearance a mandatory bail condition. Last week, the crisis reportedly assumed a new dimension when chairmen of three NBA branches petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) on the boycott and refusal of the chief judge to withdraw the circular which they alleged was unconstitutional and an act of interference on the just determination of cases by courts. Piqued by the petition, the CJ was said to have stayed away from the NBA Law Week held last week. But judges from the Federal High Court, Industrial Court and Court of Appeal witnessed the events. Ironically, Governor Olusegun Mimiko reportedly sent his Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) to participate in all the events.

Lagos shuts five firms, others over environmental offences T HE Lagos State Government has closed five companies, an oil bunkering outlet and several shops for environmental degradation. It urged residents to stop building structures on drainage channel, warning it could lead to flooding. Officials of the Zero Tolerance Department of the Ministry of Environment, escorted by policemen from the Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit stormed several areas at the weekend to enforce the closure. The areas where the enforcement was carried out were in Surulere, Ijesha, Cele, Ballet, Anthony and Jibowu. The exercise was led by Assistant Chief Scientific Officer of the Ministry Ademola Adegbite. At Anthony area, Bertola Machine Tool Limited was closed for degrading the environment with heavy-duty equipment stationed along the road. The company was sealed after it failed to com-

•Warns residents against building structures on drainage

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

ply with the notice served by the ministry. Two interstate bus companies were also shut at Jibowu area for similar reason. They are Bonway Motors Nigeria Limited and Ifesinachi Motor Industry Nigeria Limited. While Bonway Motors was sealed for parking and loading on walkway and roadside, Ifesinachi was closed for deliberate channeling human faeces into drainage channel. The company has a machine, which it used in pumping the faeces into the drainage channel. At Ballet area on OshodiApapa expressway, a car dealer company and Transglobal Logistics Company, dealing in caterpillars and other heavy-duty equipment were closed. The two companies parked their vehicles on the

walkways and did not abate the nuisance after they were served notices. Three shops dealing in chemicals were also sealed at Ijesha area because they were sited on road setback. A cabin on road setback and some shanties at Mile 2 area were also sealed. An illegal oil bunkering joint along Lacasera Road, Alaba was closed for similar offence. The illegal bunkering joint, according to the taskforce, totally degraded the environment with diesel and fuel. About five shops behind the bunkering joint were also sealed for not complying with the environmental laws. At Eric Moore, Surulere, a mast belonging to Glo Nigeria Company was shut, while in Ikate, about eight shops were sealed. The eight shops were sealed because occu-

pants displayed their wares on the gutter and emptied their waste into the drain. Commissioner for the Environment Tunji Bello had warned that the government would no longer tolerate illegal activities of degrading the environment. He vowed to close any shop, company and others that breached the environmental laws. According to him, the affected places shut were duly notified to abate the nuisance to the environment, but they did not comply. This led to the closure until they comply. Bello, while debunking report at the weekend that there would be no flooding in the state, said the government would no longer tolerate acts that frustrate efforts aimed at solving the problem. The commissioner, who harped on the state’s flood control mechanism, said: “It

Don’t be discouraged, Ekiti deputy governor urges youths

•Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (second right); his deputy Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori (left); Project Manager, Andalusian Mining Limited, Perth Western Australia Colin Miller (middle); Managing Director of the firm, Wayne Miller (second left) and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mineral and Natural Resources Prince Tunde Ajilore (right), after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Australian firm for gold mining in Ilesa at the Government House, Osogbo...yesterday.

Why I marked birthday with blind students, by Fashola

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), accompanied by his wife, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola, on Saturday commemorated his 51st birthday with a visit to the School for the Blind, Oshodi. With the visit, the governor has kept faith with his tradition of commemorating his birthday since assumption of office with the less-privileged. Fashola, according to his Special Adviser (Media) Hakeem Bello, said the visit represents very sobering moments for him and an opportunity to say thank you by adding value to the pupils’ lives. Addressing the members of the Board of Trustees, management staff and students, he said his experience last year with some of the students were constant reminders to him of how unappreciative fully sighted

is not for us as a government to say that there will not be flood disaster again. I never said that. Flood can occur anytime. “Erosion problem and indiscriminate erection of structure on drainage channels could cause flooding. Flooding is unpredictable. It can happen anywhere. “But the most important thing we needed to do is to prepare and preempt flooding. What the state government had done was to prevent flooding. And we will continue to do it. We cannot boast of not having flood. All we can do as a government is to prepare and guide against flooding. “We are not God and we cannot claim to be one. No government official will ever say that his state is completely free from flooding. It is unpredictable”.

people can be. He recalled his experience with two of the students he met last year. One was a law graduate who had to defer her admission to the Law School because she suddenly lost her sight and the other was a young business entrepreneur, who had to learn adaptive ways to run his business without his sight. The governor added that the experience of the two people also speaks of how easily the fully sighted people often take their positive situation for granted and the fact that it disconnects them from those who have lost it. He stressed that in the business of those who cannot see, no one could be described as a customer as anyone can lose his or her sight, adding that for him, it was an opportunity to say thank you by adding value to their lives. Fashola maintained that last year when he visited, he

made some promises and that his visit this year was to check on what he considers an unfinished business, which he has at the school. He said though he sent money to the school, the funds would not have achieved its purpose if good use had not been made of it by the good men and women who are administering it. He noted that it was indeed a pleasure that the taxpayers’ money earmarked for the facelift of the school has been made use of in a good way. He added that if over N1billion had been budgeted for scholarships in Lagos, it was profound that the School for the Blind was still remembered. He said he was always in touch with the school while the construction process was on going and that going by what he has heard from the Board of Trustees, the management, the students, he is

satisfied and believes it is a mission accomplished. He said the decision to provide services through the school was done through the government in order to institutionalise it, so that such a hand of fellowship would not end with the term of the government. On how the school could still benefit from the funds, the governor urged the school management to always apply every year to the Scholarship Board, even when he is no more in office. He emphasised that the ruling party in Lagos, the All Progressives Congress (APC) supports free education while some parties may not. But he said the choice lies before the people to make in helping to keep the free education policy going. Earlier, while welcoming the Governor, Chairman of the Management Commit-

tee of the Nigeria Society for the Blind which manages the school, Asiwaju Osibo Afolabi, thanked the governor for the support which the school has been enjoying from him. He also expressed appreciation for the new workshop which the governor has facilitated in equipping as well as the scholarships offered to the students. He called for gazetting of the support to enable continuity after the end of the governor’s tenure of office. The governor, who was accompanied on the trip by the Special Adviser on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga, was later presented with a birthday card and a cake by the management of the school before he inspected the facilities at the workshop. Fashola and his guest were also entertained by the students who rendered various evergreen tunes at their new digital music studio.

IGERIAN youths have been urged not to be discouraged by the state of the nation’s insecurity and restiveness. The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, who made the appeal at the weekend, added that rather, the “youths should look into the future with hope that all will be well.” Mrs. Adelabu, who spoke as special guest of honour at the graduation of Grange School, Ikeja, Lagos, urged them “to take the bull by the horns by being change agents who will arrest the drift and reshape the country.” According to her, the youths have what it take to secure a promising and brighter tomorrow for themselves as long as they refrain from folding their arms, but rising up against injustice as future leaders. She also reminded parents to pay due attention to the upbringing of their wards, stressing that a child’s development can only be total if the home and the school play complementing roles. Besides, the deputy governor urged parents to prepare their children for future leadership roles by bringing them up in the way of their lord, even as she described education as the best legacy any parent could bequeath to his or her ward. She told her audience that education has been given a priority attention as the fourth on the Eight-Point Agenda of the Ekiti State government under the leadership of Governor Kayode Fayemi. She said education and human capital development has been pursued with utmost seriousness since the administration took office. The deputy governor also charged the pupils to be good ambassadors of their homes and the school, which she noted has invested in them what they require for future challenges.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNY 30, 2013

NEWS RAMADAN KAREEM

Ramadan 3rd, 1435AH

Amosun, Amaechi, Ajimobi urge Muslims to pray for peace, unity

IVERS State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his Oyo State counterpart, Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, have urged Muslims to pray for peace and unity. Amaechi’s Chief Press Secretary, in a statement, urged Muslims to make Nigeria a focal prayer point as they go through the Ramadan rites. Amaechi also called for persistent prayers for the country’s leaders to enable them act right. “At this point in the life of our country where peace and safety of the citizens has become critical, it is evident that we need divine intervention in our nation.

By Tajudeen Adebanjo and Ernest Nwokolo

“We need to pray for our leaders to know the right thing to do and have the political will to do it right for the good of our country,” the statement read. The governor wished Muslims across a blissful season of Ramadan and the strength and courage to complete it. He also stressed the need to seize the opportunity of the fasting period to intercede for a peaceful and better Nigeria. Amosun enjoined Muslims to imbibe the Islamic principles of love, compassion, selfdiscipline and obedience to constituted authority during the Holy Month. The governor, who noted that Ramadan is one of the

pillars of Islam that must be observed by faithful Muslims, expressed his confidence that with prayer and right purpose, Nigeria can overcome its myriads of challenge. Amosun, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Wakama, also admonished adherents of Islam to continue to pray for enduring unity, peace and progress at all times. Ajimobi urged Muslims to pray to the almighty Allah to touch the hearts of the insurgents, whom he said had been disrupting the peace of Nigeria to sheath their swords and embrace peace. The governor, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said: “There is no gainsaying the

Ondo deputy governor, APC seek tolerance

HE Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, urged Nigerians yesterday to use the period of Ramadan to spread the virtues of love, peace and tolerance as exhibited in the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad Olanusi, who made the plea in Akure, the state capital, said the holy month provides an opportunity for Nigerians to draw nearer to God and jettison all forms of bitterness, division and violence while making amendments in their hearts for forgiveness and peaceful coexistence in the land Olanusi, in a statement by

it to a greater heights. Also, the State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) urged Muslims to use the period to pray for the country on its security challenges. APC Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya lamented the present situation in the country, especially on massive corruption, abduction, unemployment, harassment and subversion of people‘s will at the polls by those in the corridors of power among other vices. He urged them to move closer to God, particularly during the period for the benefit of the masses.

Lagos speaker preaches peace

PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji has described the period as a ‘‘sacred month in which prayers are easily accepted and speedily answered by the Almighty Allah.’’ A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Adebayo, called on all Muslims nationwide to diligently observe the Ramadan period with the reading of Holy Qur’an, prayers and giving of alms. “Muslims should give alms and assist the less-privileged in the society and pray for the restoration of lasting peace to our country,” Ikuforiji said.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daisi Ajayi, urged Nigerians to continue to work and pray, against insurgency and ensure that the Ramadan fasting is effectively utilised as a means of spiritual rejuvenation According to him, the month of Ramadan is a period of sober reflection, self denial and commitment to the will of allah Olanusi called on all Muslims in Ondo State to continue to pray for the state administration under the leadership of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in his bid to take

By Oziegbe Okoeki

While expressing concern over the incessant blood-letting by the Boko Haram, Ikuforiji believed that Nigeria will overcome the insurgent at the end. He said: “I strongly believed that with strict observance of all that is needful for Muslims in the next one month, particularly fasting with prayers and good conducts, there is no doubt that peace and normalcy will return to our communities across the federation, especially the Northeastern states where Boko Haram insurgents are killing and maim-

ing innocent people. All Muslims must also use the period to offer special prayers for the over 200 Chibok school girls that were kidnapped and ferried away into the unknown over two months ago, “ he said. ‘‘We need to pray fervently for peaceful coexistence, development and an end to strive and wanton killings by Boko Haram and kidnappings ravaging in some parts of Nigeria,’’ the speaker declared. He praised Nigerians for their resilience and perseverance in the face of hardship over the years, assuring of better days ahead.

‘Let’s pray against terrorism’

HE Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman and an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, have urged Muslims to pray against terrorism. Abatemi-Usman, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Michael Jegede, said the nation has lost too many citizens to the Boko Haram. “Over 10,000 people have reportedly died since 2009 due to the Boko Haram menace. “Nigerians can no longer sleep with their eyes closed because of the heightened level of insecurity in the country. How long will this continue? We need to pray to God to come to our aid,” he said. The senator representing Kogi Central also appealed to members of the Boko Haram sect to have a rethink during the Ramadan period and embrace peace by respecting the sanctity of human life. He said: “What do you gain from the wanton killing of guiltless citizens while they go about struggling to see that they keep body and soul together? “There is no religious teaching in the

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

world that supports the ruthless killing of human beings for whatever reasons. There is therefore the need for the Boko Haram members to have a change of heart in this Holy Month of Ramadan by sheathing their swords and allowing peace to reign. “Whatever grievances they have, they should know that dialogue remains the only best option for any kind of conflict resolution.” Baraje appealed to Nigerians to take the advantage of Ramadan fast to rejuvenate their covenant with God through renewed tolerance, patience and endurance. He enjoined Muslims to be guided by the teachings and lessons of the holy month. According to him, the month of Ramadan should be another opportunity to seek divine guidance on the affairs of the nation. Baraje prayed Allah to strengthen every Muslim with sound health and resources to prosecute the holy exercise. He urged Muslims to consider the holy month as an extension of divine benevolence to liberate mankind from social, economic and spiritual bondage.

fact that the relative peace being enjoyed in Nigeria is being threatened by the activities of Boko Haram. The sect has been on the prowl, killing and maiming innocent citizens on daily basis. These are, to say the fact, needless killings.” He told Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for the safe release of the over 200 students of the Government Girls’ College, Chibok, Borno State who were kidnapped by Boko Haram since April 14, 2014. While congratulating the Muslims for witnessing the holy month of Ramadan this year, he admonished them to attune their minds to the messages of love, brotherliness and peaceful co-existence inherent in the holy month, urging them to always be their brothers’ keepers in whatever they do. “As our Muslim brothers and sisters are expected to adhere strictly to abstinence from food and other things during the month of Ramadan, I wish to enjoin them to extend their hands of fellowship to other fellow Muslims and non-Muslims alike. “It is only by doing this coupled with sharing whatever they have with others, especially the less-privileged, that their supplications can be answered and the world will be a better place to live for all and sundry,’’ he said.

RAMADAN GUIDE WITH FEMI ABBAS

e-mail: femabbas@yahoo.com Tel: 08122697498

Breaking in error

OR the first few days at the beginning of Ramadan every year, there is tendency for some fasting Muslims to forget that they are fasting. Thus, naturally, it is possible to accidentally eat or drink out of forgetfulness. This often occurs to Muslims who hardly fast outside the month of Ramadan. If it happens to you, there should be nothing to worry about. As soon as you remember, just recondition yourself to the regulations of Ramadan and continue your fast. Do not tell anybody. Let it remain a secret between you and your Lord. It does not matter whether you finished eating or drinking before you remember or you were reminded of fast. In Islam, actions are judged according to intentions. And who else judges both actions and intentions other than Allah, the All-seeing, the All- knowing. Even in the daily Salats, provisions are made for rectification of forgetfulness in terms of Sujudus-Sahwi. But the forgetfulness in Ramadan accommodates neither drunkenness nor sexual intercourse nor cheating of any kind while Ramadan lasts. As a Muslim, you are not supposed to drink any intoxicant in the first place, Ramadan or no Ramadan. To be drunk, therefore, in Ramadan, under the pretext of forgetfulness is a confirmation of hypocrisy or infidelity. As for sexual intercourse which can only occur legitimately between a husband and his wife, it is unlikely to be done out of forgetfulness. At least if the husband cannot remember Ramadan, the wife should. Sexual intercourse cannot be done unconsciously. But if sex occurs in your dream and you suddenly wake up to discover that you are already wet, all you need to do is to clean up with Janabah (purification) bath. And, then, you continue your fast. However, to bail yourself out of any doubt or ambiguity, you may fast for one day after Ramadan as atonement for the doubtful act.

THE NATION MONDAY JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS

Niger APC: we’ve been vindicated

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has praised the Commissioner for Local Government, Isah Liman Kantigi, for admitting that the road projects in the 25 local governments were a “failure” Kantigi, who inspected projects in New Wuse, Tafa Local Government, said the projects were awarded at N12 billion in 2009. He said the projects were jointly initiated by the state and local governments as “failed” projects. The project has been completed in Kontagora; the projects in Suleja and Tafa local governments are nearing completion while the projects in the remaining 22 local governments have suffered neglect and abandonment after government has spent about N5 billion on the project. The opposition in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Jonathan Vatsa, said: “We in APC wish to congratulate the Commissioner for Local Government Isah Liman Kantigi for admitting that the 10-kilometer roads have failed.” The party blamed the failure of the project on the antics of the state government tampering with the local government fund. It alleged that the councils were not properly funded.

I’m not fighting Jukun, says Umar

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola speaking during the Ramadan Lecture and Special Prayer for the nation organised by the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Council, at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos...yesterday. With him are: the society’s National Vice President, Alhaji Aare Abdulrafiu Ademola Sanni (left), National Missioner andGuest Speaker, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad (second left) and the State Chairman, Alhaji Nurudeen Olalekan Okuleye.

Jigawa indigenes relive ordeal in Abia

IGAWA State indigenes, who were deported from Abia State, have called on human right organisations to take action against the Abia State government and the military for their “inhuman and unconstitutional treatment”. The deportees were among the 486 northerners who were arrested in Abia State on their way to various states in the Southsouth and Southeast. They said they were treated as terror suspects and their rights to movement and freedom restricted.

From Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

One of the deportees said: “A lady among us was a new bride who was going to join her husband, who is an officer in Rivers State. “The remaining women accompanied her according to our tradition. “But we were all arrested, detained and deported back home. What type of country

are we in? Does this mean no northerner can go to the South?” Kamilu Nasiru said most of them took ill because of the way they were treated. Another deportee said: “Despite our right to worship, we were prevented from observing our five daily prayers for the 12 days we were detained.

“We were fed once a day, including the women and children among us.” The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adamu Ahmad Sarawa, said the House had set up a committee to investigate the matter. “We are all aware of what happened to you in your search for lawful livelihood as granted by the constitution. “We are urging you to remain patient and be law abiding where ever you find yourselves.”

Gemade won’t get up to five votes, says Suswam

ENUE State Governor Gabriel Suswam has said the senator representing Benue North East, Barnabas Gemade, will not get up to five votes during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries. Reacting to an earlier

NAFDAC warns on deadline From Tayo Johnson,Ibadan

•’We were maltreated’ •Call for action against govt, military

HE Director-General of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Paul Orhii, has said the agency will not back down on the August deadline given for the distribution and sale of unregistered veterinary medicines, pesticides and animal feeds. He said appropriate sanctions would be visited on defaulters. He gave the warning at a workshop on Safe and Responsible use of Veterinary Medicines, Pesticides and Animal feeds, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Represented by the agency’s Director, Veterinary Medicine and Allied Products, Dr. Musa Umar, Orhii said compliance with the agency’s one year moratorium granted was still low, despite the deadline. His words:”Even though the one year moratorium granted on the distribution and sale of unregistered veterinary medicines, pesticides and animal feeds ends in August, the response to compliance is still very low. Assuredly, sanctions will follow at the appropriate time.”

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

statement by the former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) in which Gemade told Suswam to forget his senatorial ambition, the governor said there was no way

the senator would defeat him in the primaries or even the elections. Suswam described Gemade’s outburst as an act of desperation, saying there is no “shaking” in his senatorial ambition because his per-

formance speaks volume and the people of Benue North East are behind him. “I will travel abroad so that nobody will accuse me of interference. I will return to pick my ticket as I will surely beat Gemade.”

By Musa Odoshimokhe

ARABA State Acting Governor Garba Umar has said the government is not at war with the Jukun people. He said peace will return to the southern part of the state. Addressing reporters in Lagos yesterday, Umar’s Senior Special Assistant on Media Aaron Artimas said the allegation that the Jukun were targets is not true. He said government has continued to boost security in the southern part, noting that some divisive elements are bent on discrediting government’s efforts. Artimas said those insinuating that the acting governor has declared war on Jukun are enemies of peace, urging them to be honourable in their conduct. “It is pitiable to say the acting governor is fighting the Jukun or Southern Taraba people. The Jukun tribe has a cordial relationship with his government, he often consults with the Aku Uka, who is their paramount ruler. “He has visited the region several times since this crisis started, he has lead all warring parties in the region to sign a peace pact at the Aku Uka palace in Wukari. “He has respected Jukun people in his cabinet. Those spreading bad information about the government are the enemies of the Jukun; they don’t want development to come to the region. “They want Jukun youths to remain unemployed, so they can be using them to foment trouble and destabilise the government,” he said.

Police warn political thugs

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

HE police in Edo State have raised the alarm on plans by some individuals to carry out mayhem because of the House of Assembly crisis. At the last aborted sitting, the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers adjourned plenary till July 2; their Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) colleagues adjourned till today. Police spokesman Noble Uwoh, in a statement yesterday, advised the lawmakers to abide by an earlier agreement not to sit separately in the hallowed chamber. Noble warned politicians, thugs and miscreants against loitering around the Assembly premises or its environs.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS Ohakim: I’ve learnt my lessons •‘I left N26.8b in treasury’ From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

ORMER Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim cried yesterday, begging those indigenes he might have offended during his tenure. Ohakim, who addressed reporters in his country home at Okohia in Isiala Mbano Local Government, said he had learnt his lessons. He said: “I’ve paid dearly for the mistakes I made while in office. I took certain decisions, which I did not market well. In my desire to develop the state, I pushed my people too far and I was punished, but I’m appealing to Imo people to forgive me so that we can move forward.” The ex-governor said some of the actions he regretted included the sacking of 441 teachers with forged certificates, the ban on commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders) and the demolition of shops in Owerri, adding: “I thought I was doing the right thing, but it was used against me.” He said people would have discovered four years after that the state fared well during his tenure. His words: “When I was in office, the state’s economy was buoyant. There was money in circulation. But today there is hunger in the land. I know that the people have seen the difference between my government and the present administration.” Ohakim expressed worry about the dwindling fortunes of the state. Said he: “I left N26.8 billion in the treasury and I handed over a healthy economy to Governor Rochas Okorocha, but today the money has been squandered and the people are suffering.”

Police kill suspected kidnap chief

OLICEMEN in Aba Area Command, Abia State have killed a suspected kidnap kingpin, Chigadi Odinwa, whose gang allegedly terrorised residents of the commercial town. The Nation learnt that on April 9, Prince Ndubuisi Christopher was kidnapped by Odinwa and his gang as he entered his home at 37, Church Road, Osusu Umuikpeghi in Ohuru Isimiri Division. The kidnappers, who took him to their hideout, reportedly stole his Nissan Xtern Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with registration number ABUJA: RBC 305 AA. A source said following a tip-off and intervention by the police, who stormed the sus-

From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

pects’ hideout, the victim was rescued two days after his abduction. Luck was said to have run out on the gang when the police were informed that the suspected kidnappers were at a hotel at Ukwu Agbu, planning another operation. Aba Area Commander Peter Wagbara, it was gathered, reportedly despatched more policemen to assist the Ohuru Isimiri team, who were said to have laid an ambush for the hoodlums. The source said the suspected abductors opened fire and the police responded, adding that Odinwa was hit and he died on his way to hospital.

Two members of the gang, including a woman, were said to have been arrested. Others escaped with bullet wounds. The same gang was said to have been responsible for the kidnap of a woman in Eastern Ngwa two weeks ago. She was released after her family paid a ransom. Although the police recovered stolen items from the hideout of the suspected kidnappers, the woman’s car and that of Ndubuisi have not been recovered. Police also received information that a woman identified as Grace harboured kidnappers and child traffickers at a compound on Bible College Road, Umuelendu, near Aba.

It was learnt that when the police stormed the place, some suspected criminals were arrested, but the woman, who allegedly bought tricycles popularly called Keke Napep and gave the hoodlums for their operations, escaped. Also arrested at the compound were two men and a woman, who operated a Toyota Carina car with number plate ABIA: AQ 369 ABA, said to be fitted with gadgets, which the suspected criminals used to intercept police signals. Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna could not be reached at press time, but a senior police officer, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying investigation had begun.

Muslims urged to emulate Arisekola

HE Ogun State chapter of the National Council for Muslim Youths Organisation Of Nigeria (NACOMYO) has urged wealthy Muslims to emulate the philanthropic gesture of the late Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, Alhaji Arisekola-Alao. It described him as a great pillar of Islam. The organisation in a

From Jeremiah Oke, Abeokuta

statement yesterday jointly signed by the Secretary, Alhaji Abdul Rahamon Oyeneye and Assistant Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Taofiq Muh’d Awwal, in Abeokuta said if people could cater for their neighbours, Allah’s blessings would increase in their lives.

Ekweremadu warns public against impostors

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

EPUTY Senate President Ike Ekweremadu cried out yesterday over the activities of fraudsters, who allegedly opened a Facebook account in his name with intent to defraud. Ekweremadu, who denied having any Facebook account, urged the public to be wary of the antics of fraudsters, who might use his name to solicit funds. The Special Adviser on Media to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu, in a statement in Abuja, titled: “Senator Ekweremadu has no Facebook account”, described those behind it as impostors. He said anyone, who deals with those behind the account, runs the risk of being duped. The statement reads: “The attention of the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate has been drawn to the activities of impostors, who open Facebook accounts in the name of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. “Their intentions are to engage in shady deals and defraud the public. “Our supporters and the public are warned not to have anything to do with any of such Facebook accounts, as they have nothing to do with Senator Ekweremadu or the Office of the Deputy Senate President.”

Ihejirika receives accolades

ORMER Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, re-

ceived at the weekend, praises for the services he rendered during his tenure. He was also honoured by the Ohanaeze Youths Council for the services he rendered to the country. The ex-Army chief received the accolades at the inauguration of the Ohanaeze Youths Council led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro at the headquarters of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation. The Acting President of the Ijaw National Congress, Charles Ambiowei, showered encomiums on Ihejirika, describing him as a professional soldier, who discharged his duties efficiently and was loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan. The Ijaw leader said the former COAS curbed the

From Chris Oji, Enugu

Boko Haram insurgents, confining their activities to a limited area. He noted that the Boko Haram insurgency was contrived by faceless Nigerians, stressing that the motive was to make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan.

Rotary governor launches book

HE District Governor of the Rotary District 9110 Nigeria, Mr. Olugbemiga Olowu, will today launch a book, titled: “Streams of Love”. The book, which will be presented to the public at 3 pm at the Rotary Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, is a collection of poems.

•From left: Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) council member, Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye; Chairman, SON Governing Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Mustapha; President, African Standard Organisation (ARSO), Dr. Joseph Odumodu; and House Committee Chairman on Industry, Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Onawo, at the opening of ARSO 50th council meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.

IPMAN crisis worsens as bailiff is ‘beaten up’ in Aba T HE crisis rocking the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has worsened, as a bailiff attached to the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, was allegedly beaten up in Aba, Abia State. He was there to serve a notice of consequence of disobedience to court order called Form 48 on members of the association. The court on March 20 gave judgment in favour of Chief Lawson Obasi, saying he was the authentic national president of IPMAN. Based on the judgment, Chief Obasi appointed Chief Lawrence Kanu, Emmanuel Ogbonna and others as Caretaker Committee members to run IPMAN, Aba depot unit for three months after which an election would be held. The Nation learnt that as the Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo

From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

faction led by Sir Gilbert Nwoke, who are the present occupiers of the office, refused to vacate office and hand over to the Chief Obasi group, an order was given by the court for a service of Form 48 on them (the Elder Okoronkwo group). Those affected included Sir Gilbert Nwoke, Aliche Oti, Ugochukwu Mbakwe and Kingsley Udeonu. Others are Chigozie Amazu, Ikechukwu Okeoma, Austin Egelonu and Emeka Ogalabu. The bailiff, Abiye David was, however, said to have served the first set of people the notice last Wednesday without any problem. It was learnt that trouble started the following day

when he went to serve the remaining people. On getting to the Aba depot IPMAN office, he was told that the people were in a hotel owned by one of the IPMAN leaders at Okpulu Umuobo holding a meeting. David, who was said to have gone to the hotel, was allegedly beaten up and his identity card seized. It was alleged that the people, after attacking him, invited soldiers and accused him of being a kidnapper. The soldiers were said to have taken David away and handed him over to the police in Aba where he was allegedly detained. A factional chairman of IPMAN, Aba depot unit, Lawrence Kanu, who was said to have become aware of the development, went to

the police station to identify David as a bailiff, but he was also allegedly detained. Both men were reportedly taken to Abia police command headquarters, Umuahia where they were held until Friday evening when Police Commissioner Ibrahim Adamu ordered their release. The bailiff was said to have been hospitalised after his release. Spokesperson for the Okoronkwo faction, Simple Nwankpa, exonerated his group from what befell the bailiff, but shifted the blame to the hotel management. “The problem was between the bailiff and the hotel management. IPMAN should be counted out of this,” he said. Adamu confirmed that the IPMAN factional chairman and the bailiff were brought to the command headquarters last week. He, however, declined further comments.

Ihedioha knocks Imo’s economy

OUSE of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha restated yesterday his fear over the ‘failing Imo State economy’. He said the state might become grounded before next year. The lawmaker, who is also a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), attributed the alleged poor economy and huge debt to the failure of the Rochas

Okorocha administration to initiate policies and programmes to stimulate economic growth. The deputy speaker, who spoke during an interactive section with reporters in Owerri, noted that the borrowing and spending pattern of the present administration had resulted in a debt profile. He said if stringent measures were not taken, the state might not meet its obligations. Said he: “Most of the people

showing interest in governing the state have not found out the position of the economy. Imo is broke. The next governor will inherit a huge debt. This is why we need somebody, who has the reach, contacts and capacity to salvage the state from collapse.” Ihedioha said after Okorocha’s administration, the state might depend on aids and grants, adding: “My desire to govern Imo is not motivated by material or self-

ish considerations, but because of the passion to save the state through my contacts and goodwill. I’m not in the race so that I can be in power, because since 1992 I’ve been in power and will remain in power.” His words: “My strength is not hinged on the state’s charter of equity, which favours my zone to produce the next governor, but on my credentials and capacity to deliver, as I’ve been doing since I was elected to represent my constituency.”

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

COMMENTARY FROM OTHER LANDS

EDITORIALS

Taming cyber crime

• This is a task that must be done by the Federal Govt and other stakeholders

S if to underscore the fact that the scourge of cyber crime is not only here, but real, the Nigerian InterBank Settlements Systems (NIBSS Plc) recently reported the banking sector as having lost N159 billion to electronic fraudsters between 2000 and the first quarter of 2013. Nigerians only need to recall the single incident of September 2013 during which two undergraduate students reportedly hacked into the computers of Union Bank PLC, after which they allegedly stole N2 billion, to appreciate the terrible dimensions of youth involvement in the crime. Are cyber crimes an exclusively Nigerian problem? The answer of course is ‘no’. A recent report quoted the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as reporting that the global economy suffers a loss of about $445 billion annually from cyber crimes, leading to stunted growth of industries, damaged trade, loss of competitiveness and innovation. The problem with Nigeria is that the Federal Government has not done enough to address the scourge known to be at the root of the negative perception of its citizens abroad – a scourge that continues to bleed the nation’s treasury as well as those of corporate actors by billions of naira annually, apart from corroding the delicate architecture on which the cyberspace is erected. A more worrisome aspect of the problem is that those involved in cyber crimes are mostly youths within the age bracket

of 15 to 35. We understand that the great merit of the cyber revolution lies in the fact that vast amount of information are available in different formats for end-users at the touch of a button; that singular characteristic would also explain its attraction to the youth. It is needless to aver that its potentials to unleash their creative energies to catalyse development remain unequalled. In the hand of a scammer however, the internet is nothing but a tool for subversion. This is where Nigeria appears to have more than its fair share of internet abusers to earn the ignoble reputation of being the largest scam-baiting community on the planet. No doubt, there is evidence that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is doing something about the menace. Only recently, it held the first 2014 National Cyber Security Forum (NCSF). In its policy document, the ONSA is said to have identified cyber crime, cyber espionage, cyber conflict, cyber terrorism and child online abuse and exploitation as five top cyber threats facing the country. We see the classification as, at best, a necessary first step in the effort to situate the problems. We expect to see greater effort in terms of practical, effective controls to curb the intrinsic abuses while safeguarding the nation’s vital assets from potential cyber enemies. Like the Federal Government, it seems to us that other critical stakeholders like

the banks, the Computer Association of Nigeria, software developers, the judiciary and the police have remained light years behind in embracing the challenge posed by the use of internet technology for doing business. The situation is what appears to have yielded the space for cyber criminals to prey on the system. Perhaps, there is no better time than now for the stakeholders to come together to develop a framework for action to tame the scourge as indeed other threats. We are particularly happy that the just-concluded NCSF organised by ONSA, in conjunction with the Ministry of Technology and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) saw the need to incorporate the youths in the search for solution to the crime. We consider that an important beginning.

‘Perhaps, there is no better time than now for the stakeholders to come together to develop a framework for action to tame the scourge as indeed other threats. We are particularly happy that the just-concluded NCSF organised by ONSA, in conjunction with the Ministry of Technology and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) saw the need to incorporate the youths in the search for solution to the crime’

NLNG’s benevolence

•$2bn grant to six varsities will go a long way in advancing the cause of engineering

HE Nigeria (Liquefied Natural Gas) Limited, an indigenous liquefied natural gas company, has set the template of desired corporate social responsibility necessary to salvage engineering infrastructure in the nation’s universities. In a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed with six leading universities, each varsity under the agreement is expected to collect N340 million that is meant to ensure effective development of engineering education in the land. Nigeria (LNG ) Ltd is to spend $2billion on the project. The initiative is commendable in a country where engineering as a discipline has long lost its empirical touch. The latest corporate gesture is not the first from Nigeria (LNG) Ltd. The companyhad earlier identified and has been promoting the sciences and literature studies through a yearly competition. The latest gesture is coming under its University Support Programme

‘We call on other multi-national companies and growing corporate concerns to emulate NLNG’s bold initiative geared towards rescuing engineering studies/ discipline in the nation’s universities. The world has gone technological and the only way Nigeria will not lag behind is for corporate concerns to complement government’s inadequate contributions to engineering studies’

(NLNG USP) and is targeted at constructing modern engineering laboratories and equipping them with modern tools. We are nostalgic that the initiative, upon completion, will act as the long desired catalyst necessary to catapult the country to becoming an engineering haven of note. The lucky universities are: University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Ibadan, Ibadan; University of Ilorin, Ilorin; University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt; University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. These universities were picked after careful consideration was given to areas of comparative advantage and peculiarities of each of them. The selected universities, according to N(LNG) Ltd, were also reportedly the best rated by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and other international bodies, with due cognisance to their long standing contributions to the development of local capacity and the grooming of notable engineers that have contributed immensely to national development. We must state though that we have fears about whether the funds would be judiciously spent in view of the endemic corruption that has permeated the roots of even the supposed citadels of learning in the country. But our fears have somewhat been allayed by the words of assurance from Babs Omotowa, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG when he reportedly said that the funds will be judiciously deployed for designed purposes of building and equipping laboratories that will uncompromisingly meet international standards. In Omotowa’s words: “…The MOA spells out modalities for the execution of

the programme, ranging from financing to contracts and procurement as well as safety, quality assurance, quality control and sustainability of the laboratories…We also believe that one result is certain from these processes, the laboratories will be world-class that will spur the development of engineering education and help bring the universities at par with their peers world-wide.” Prof. Isaac Adewale, ViceChancellor, University of Ibadan, who spoke on behalf of other recipients, equally assured that the projects to be embarked upon by the institutions would be of global standards. We only hope that all these words of assurance will become a reality in months to come through world-class teaching and innovative engineering discoveries by the engineering faculties of these privileged institutions. Also, making a success of this corporate social responsibility move will go a long way in ensuring that engineering graduates produced by the institutions are able to rub shoulders with their peers from other parts of the world. This is the only way through which the funds voted for the laudable initiative will yield positive result We call on other multi-national companies and growing corporate concerns to emulate NLNG’s bold initiative geared towards rescuing engineering studies/ discipline in the nation’s universities. The world has gone technological and the only way Nigeria will not lag behind is for corporate concerns to complement government’s inadequate contributions to engineering studies.

The U.S. sanctions Egypt’s return to autocracy but expresses shock at its repression

AVING EMBRACED Egypt’s new autocrats, Secretary of State John F. Kerry ought at least to stop acting surprised when they behave like autocrats. Mr. Kerry paid a fawning visit to Egypt’s military strongman on Sunday, labeling President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi’s farcical election “historic” and promising a full restoration of U.S. aid. (The Apache helicopters are coming “very, very soon,” he assured his hosts.) Mr. Kerry’s jet had barely cleared Egyptian airspace when the regime humiliated him and the United States by sentencing three journalists to long prison sentences. Mr. Kerry issued an indignant protest, as if the sentences were in any way out of character for the regime he had just congratulated. Mr. Sissi, until recently the general in charge of Egypt’s armed forces, came to power in a coup last year, overthrowing an elected government led by Mohamed Morsi. Since then, the regime has killed more than 2,000 of its own citizens and ordered death sentences for hundreds more, at times in mass trials that make a mockery of the judicial system. It has silenced media and raided civil society, charging both Egyptians and Americans. Tens of thousands of political dissidents are imprisoned. One of them, Ahmed Maher, now staging a hunger strike, is reportedly facing charges of treason for writing a commentary in this newspaper criticizing Mr. Kerry’s whitewashing of the regime’s record. The secretary’s response has been to express confidence repeatedly, against all obvious evidence, that the regime is moving in a democratic direction. When asked about the death sentences of more than 100 Muslim Brotherhood supporters, Mr. Kerry replied, “I think it’s more appropriate for President al-Sissi to speak to those at such time as he deems fit. . . . But I will say to you that he gave me a very strong sense of his commitment” to human rights. The next day the three Al Jazeera journalists were sentenced for allegedly aiding terrorists: Peter Greste, an Australian, and Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, a dual Egyptian-Canadian citizen, to seven years and Egyptian Baher Mohamed to 10 years because he was found in possession of a single bullet casing he had kept in his home as a souvenir. Three years ago, as the Arab Spring began, President Obama was emphatic. “What we will oppose,” he said then, “is an attempt by any group to restrict the rights of others, and to hold power through coercion and not consent.” That commitment has given way to a calculation that stability matters more than the “dignity” Mr. Obama used to champion. We think the promise of stability is a mirage. The Muslim Brotherhood ruled badly, but it won elections; driving the movement underground is likely to provoke violence. Squelching the media, oppressing any remaining liberal opposition and returning to a military-dominated economy won’t spur the innovation or growth that Egypt needs. Maybe we’re wrong and Mr. Obama is right to return to the old model of cozying up to Arab dictators. But, then, don’t insult everyone — Egypt’s courageous political prisoners most of all — by pretending that human rights are a priority. Washington Post

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THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: Presently, rail transport accounts for a tiny percentage of the GDP as road transport, freight and passenger have virtually taken over all the traffic, hitherto conveyed by rail, which is the most suitable mode of transportation for heavy traffic flows. It is worrisome that rail, which used to carry three million tonnes of freight in 1964, now carries less than 10,000 tonnes per annum! Passengers have equally declined from about 11 million in 1964, to less than one million now, putting much pressure on our roads. The heavy duty equipment that is daily being transported from one part of the country to another is largely responsible for the deplorable state of the roads. Apart from the pressure on the roads, frequent plying by truck and trailers has been

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When will our railways come alive?

largely responsible for the high incidence of road accidents involving smaller vehicles. The importance of rail transportation can never be overstated. That is why the federal government should take a more drastic and concerted efforts at revamping this ailing sector. In the past, piecemeal efforts were made to revive the railways. For instance in 1995, during the Sani

Abacha regime, the federal government expended over $500m on rail contracts, awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Company while the Olusegun Obasanjo administration mooted the 25-year rail vision programme. The privatization of the NRC was geared to the granting of about 25-30 years of the operation regions to investors. The late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua/

Goodluck Jonathan administration later reviewed the 25-year Strategic Vision Document by commencing a number of reform programmes covering systems transition, modernization and stabilization, spanning 2002 to 2027. As a way forward, the speedy passage of the Railway Bill would be a major panacea that would open the railway transport sector up for an

The problem with our ivory towers

IR: In today’s world, the right to education is recognized as one of the basic human rights. Hence, everyone—men and women—have the right to education. The need for the elimination of illiteracy, which is an encumbrance to the socio-economic development of a nation, culminated in the right to education. But, with the current spate of hikes in tuition fees and students’ protests bedevilling public universities, do university managements act in accordance with the four A’s of—Availability, Accessibility, Affordability and Adaptability attached to the right to education? Does the Nigerian Government act in compliance with UNESCO’s benchmark for education in budgetary allocations? Day in day out, reports of schools’ closures are aired on television and radio stations. Also, pictures of students carrying placards and chanting ‘Aluta’ songs inundate our newspapers and the social media. These students’ protests are staged over inadequate learning, insalubrious living conditions and the soaring tuition fees. The last, in fact, appears to be the chief reason for students’ remonstrance nowadays. It is indisputable yet lugubrious that Nigeria’s education system has gone to the dogs since the current administration took over. Federal polytechnics across the country have been plunged into academic quiescence since last year, just as the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP)— have been unable to reach an accord. Nigerian public universities, on the other hand, have adopted a

rather iniquitous practice of increasing tuition fees exorbitantly, to sate their rapacious desires. The recent shut-down of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and the many protests that were staged by the students of the Lagos State University over the issue of a hike in tuition fee epitomize the greed of university managements and the government‘s insouciance to the education sector. Also, the University of Calabar, in rolling out the welcome mat to its freshers, mandated them to pay N10, 000 as acceptance fee before commencing registration. This stands in total contrast to the N2,500, which, before now, was paid as acceptance fee and which was included in the school fee.

IR: On June 25, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano marked his 100 days in office. Chimamanda Adichie, the awardwinning female novelist, spoke on language and community on that occasion when she attested to the improved security situation in the state, having learnt from a relative who resides in Onitsha that Anambra state is now secure. Onitsha, one of the commercial centres in the state, used to be infamous for criminal activities. It was once a haven of pick-pockets, kidnappers, armed robbers and other shady characters. But, upon assumption of office, Obiano mapped out strategies to check the criminal activities. He boosted the morale of the security

Evidently, university authorities have been bitten by the bug of avarice and rapacity, and Nigerian parents and students are suffering the consequence of the bite. One would think that the supervising Minister of Education would find a panacea to the epidemic of fee hike, but alas, the minister is much more concerned about his political ambition in his hometown than the plight of the education sector. Isn’t our ailing education system an omen of a failed future for Nigeria? Doesn’t this portend doom for Nigeria? How does the bowlerhatted man, who is striving to win Nigerians’ votes in the 2015 general election, intend to achieve a better Nigeria when our higher institutions are in a shambles? Nige-

rian universities which were once citadels of excellence have now been transmogrified into cesspits of corruption and extortion, with their glory being overwhelmed by their private counterparts. Nigerian students are now the hapless victims of academic extortionists because of the minister’s cavalier attitude to tertiary education. ASUU should try to rectify the imbroglios of the closed universities by extirpating the bug of greed from its house—if it truly has the interests of the students in mind. The Federal Government should try to meet up with UNESCO’s benchmark for education, to prevent many more imbroglios. • Kingsley Charles, Lagos

Obiano: 100 days after

personnel and gave them patrol vehicles. Vigilante groups, the Navy, the Army and the NDLEA were coopted and integrated into the joint security task force code-named operation kpochapu charged with ridding Anambra state of criminals and kidnappers. His efforts to combat crimes in the state are yielding positive results. Notorious kidnappers terrorizing the people of the state and abducting rich people for ransom were arrested and clamped into detention. In recent past, buildings at Aguleri and Ogidi towns that served as hide-outs for kidnappers were demolished. In addition to overhauling the parlous security situation in the state, the governor has also recorded giant strides in the area of infrastructural

development. Anambra State has become a construction site now. From Onitsha to Nnewi, from Ayamelum to Orumba, new roads are being constructed, and dilapidated ones repaired. The governor inaugurated 14 new roads in the state just as three flyovers are being constructed in Awka, the capital city. A bridge that will link the oil-fields of Aguleri to the outside world is being built, too. To augment and increase the financial base of the state, the governor has taken steps to develop the historic Ogbunike cave into a worldclass tourist centre. He is also partnering with the World Bank to tackle the ecological disaster ravaging some towns in the state. For instance, in 2006, Ekwulobia, erosion

active participation of key, reputable and technically-experienced railway investors under a well-restructured Public-Private Partnership operation. This will help break the government’s monopoly which over the years has proven to be counter-productive. More importantly, there is the need to muster the political courage to deal decisively with the so-called cartel, alleged to be sabotaging genuine attempts at revamping this important sector. These mafias have also been blamed for the predicament in the power and petroleum sectors of the economy. I am of the opinion that fines should be introduced to discourage heavy duty vehicles from plying our roads as this will compel entrepreneurs to explore alternatives to road haulage, which the railways will definitely provide. Travelling by train, tube or metro line could be interesting. There is need for re-orientation for the populace to embrace alternative means of transport aside road and air transportation that is now becoming unreliable and horrific. Recalling the mandates of the NRC, it is expected to ensure the carriage of passengers and goods in a manner that will offer full value for money; improve the market share and quality of service amongst other modes of transportation; ensure the safety of operations and maximum efficiency; and meet the social responsibility in a manner that will meet the requirements of rail users. Genuine investors should be identified and given the necessary incentives, conducive business environment and enabling legislation to save the system from an imminent collapse. • Adewale Kupoluyi Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

caused the mass exodus of the Umuachina people from their ancestral homes to different parts of the state in search of refuge. Happily, Governor Obiano is working assiduously to check the menace. The governor’s distaste for filth and dirt is rubbing off on the people. He has since kick-started a campaign to keep Anambra cities clean. The people are imbibing the habit and attitude of keeping their surroundings clean. They don’t dump refuse in the drainages, anymore. If the morning shows how the day will be, then, Anambra under Obiano promises to become a haven of economic prosperity sooner than later. •Chiedu Uche Okoye Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

COMMENTS

T is impossible to escape a superlative adjective for the emphatic success of Mr. Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ekiti State governorship poll of June 21. By his spectacular emergence, the governor-elect has apparently demonstrated the actuality of his self-definition. Days to the historic election, he said in an interview, “You cannot take away the fact that I am a recurring decimal in the political equation of Ekiti State. You can’t take that away from me. You cannot equally deny that I am a grassroots person.” His unqualified dominance, reflected in the accurate description of his victory as a landslide, has understandably continued to generate shock waves, especially in unbelieving quarters. Particularly remarkable is the fact that four days after Govenor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) conceded defeat in a rare show of sportsmanship, and following a transition-related meeting between the two men, the incumbent’s party indicated its intention to legally protest against the loss. Strikingly, domestic observers and foreign monitors endorsed the election, employing terms that left little or no room for antagonism, such as “free”, “fair”, “transparent”, “peaceful” and “credible.” However, from the APC’s point of view, expressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, “Election is a process, and whatever happens on the voting day is only an integral part of that process. What happens before, during and after the voting day complete the process.” There is no doubt that by the APC’s move, which is an obvious afterthought, Fayemi’s celebrated submission has been vitiated. The regrettable picture of contradiction was avoidable. It is ridiculous, and reflects a laughable management structure, that the party and its candidate expressed inconsistent views. Did the candidate make his surrender broadcast without input from the party leadership? It is pertinent to note that Fayemi said, “I have just spoken with my brother, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, congratulating him on his victory.”

‘Predictably, Fayose’s sucker punch, for that is what his election represents, will generate emotionally charged reactions from his supporters and opponents for quite some time; and it remains to be seen whether he would justify his victory by achieving greater political and governmental success than Fayemi’

HE outcome of the governorship election in Ekiti State which went in the way of former Governor Ayodele Fayose, took not a few people, especially the progressives, by surprise. The details showed that 360,000 votes were recorded with Fayose, beating 17 other candidates, garnered 56 per cent and his closest rival, the incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi, a paltry 33 per cent. Coming in a distant third is Opeyemi Bamidele who barely scraped five per cent. Since the result came in bits and pieces from Saturday evening to Sunday morning when it was officially announced, reactions to Fayose’s victory has been that of consternation, perplexity, befuddlement, shock and outrage. In an election that is adjudged to have fulfilled the minimalist demand of freely cast polls and honestly counted ballot, the outcome is against the run of received wisdom that Ekiti people would ordinarily vote a party parading the likes of the incumbent, Fayemi. This is not just on the strength of his achievements in office, but also the quality of their personalities. Many meanings have expectedly been read into this development. The first is the resurgence of the PDP in the South-west. Of course, this victory was well savoured with pictures of President Goodluck Jonathan and party chieftains beaming with smiles and clinking glasses of the choicest wine. The president evidently had a resurgence of hope that his dipping electoral fortunes in the South-west might be reversed. But then, the flipside is that this victory will soon turn to ashes for him since it signposts the defeat of an incumbent by the most unlikely challenger. Let him then be sober. For indeed, Fayemi was considered a performing governor whose programmes were considered to be well-conceived, well executed and well received and yet he lost. This is in sharp contrast to Jonathan who is seen largely as a clueless tourist in government whose only capability is sadistic preying on opposition, the weak and easy targets, even as his failures continue to mount in inability to provide security, unmitigated corruption, grinding poverty and dimming hope for Nigerians. The second assumption, flowing from the first, is that this trend may extend to the August 9 governorship election in Osun State. Everything is wrong with this assumption. With the benefit of political science, we know that no two elections are the same and that two months is still a long time to consolidate or inverse a political trend. Every election, to be credible, must have an element of ‘bounded uncertainty’. This is the assumption that in-sofar as the election has not been conducted, the people could decide to go one way or the other in the exercise of their sovereign right to decide who governs them. This assumption of ‘uncertainty’ is however within certain boundaries of rationality and subject to scientific evaluation and there-

Fantabulous Fayose Reinforcing the confusion, Fayose who initially commended Fayemi’s acceptance of defeat in flattering terms, has uncharitably labelled it as a publicity stunt, alleging that the governor is strangely not picking phone calls from him. According to him in an interview, “The governor said I am conceding defeat. Let me be realistic with you, there is a difference between propaganda and reality. I have been calling the governor since after our meeting, but he hasn’t picked the call.” Should this development be seen in the context of the APC’s opposition and interpreted to mean that Fayemi may be reviewing his capitulation? Indeed, there are understandable reasons for Fayemi not only to rethink the election, but perhaps more importantly, to also replay his tenure and its implications for the people of the state. Before the crushing electoral defeat, public perception of his administration, largely informed by media presentation, gave him good marks for good governance. Against the background of his unexpected loss, it is apt to wonder whether the media was faithful to its role in re-presenting reality. Or possibly, the people wanted, from their own perspective, something better than “good”. Evidently, this poll was an enlightening lesson on the fundamental distinction between appearance and realty. An apparently puzzled Fayemi correctly noted that his understanding of the people’s expectations may have been flawed. He said philosophically in his broadcast, “Indeed, a new sociology of the Ekiti people may have evolved. However, the task of understanding how the outcome of this election has defined us as a people will be that of scholars.” It is said that profound illumination is often accompanied by profound blindness. Perhaps he was blind to the other side of the coin.

In other words, it could be argued that the outcome of the election also defined Fayemi and his administration. It is worth mentioning that about one month to the election the publicised result of a poll released by ANAP Foundation indicated that Fayose, 53, a former governor of the state who held the reins of power from May 2003 to October 2006 when his four-year term was abbreviated by impeachment, had the support of 31 percent of the electorate, while Fayemi was backed by 29 percent, with 37 percent “yet to decide.” The pollster portrayed the election as “a close race”. It is instructive that this particular poll, which expectedly attracted knocks from Fayemi’s camp, truly turned out to be wrong, but not to Fayemi’s advantage; worse still, the race was far from being “close.” Of course, this explains why quite a few in Fayemi’s circle are still in aftershock. It seems illogical that Fayose who conceded that he had a negative and unattractive track record in office without concrete evidence of reformation would gain acceptance so effortlessly. This is the character who said in a pre-election interview, in words directed at the electorate, “I am assuring them that the Fayose they were afraid of is a better Fayose. He is more mature and more responsive. If you say I’m a bad man, I say I’ve changed. I am appealing to them that I am a changed man.” It is worth considering whether this appeal worked and resulted in the electorate having a change of heart. Did this, among other things, put Fayose in the good books of the Ekiti voting population against Fayemi’s supposedly persuasive governmental performance? Interestingly, it is a reflection of the stain on Fayose’s image, which he carried into the election, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officially contradicted reports that that it would drop the corruption-related charges against him in connection with his previous tenure as governor and abort his ongoing trial at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, following his emergence as governor-elect. Is this case likely to be concluded before October when Fayose is expected to take over as Governor of Ekiti State, and therefore enjoy immunity as a sitting governor? Furthermore, it is curious that his 2006 impeachment, which he insists was politically motivated, was evidentially overlooked by the electorate. Is it possible that if the decision to remove him from office was left to the people rather than their representatives in the House of Assembly, he would not have been dethroned? Predictably, Fayose’s sucker punch, for that is what his election represents, will generate emotionally charged reactions from his supporters and opponents for quite some time; and it remains to be seen whether he would justify his victory by achieving greater political and governmental success than Fayemi.

False analogy between Ekiti and Osun By Sola Fasure fore prediction, and in most cases, with pin-point accuracy. Osun is not like Ekiti in many material respects and therefore cannot bring the same outcome. The first is that the PDP does not have as much grip in Osun as it does in Ekiti. Indeed, the projection before the election was that Fayemi would do well in Ekiti South, split the Centre and make the required 25 per cent in the North. Whereas in Osun, PDP has no stronghold in the West, Central or South as virtually all its heavyweights in the state have joined APC. Ede, the last bastion of the party, fell when former Governor Isiaka Adeleke defected to APC and has since joined the campaign train of Governor Aregbesola. The two main governorship candidates, Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his challenger in PDP, Senator Iyiola Omisore, are from the same Osun East, Ijesa and Ife constituencies, respectively. While Ijesas will deliver 90 per cent of the votes for Aregbesola, not only because he is their son, but also for the many programmes he executed in the zone, including 15 township roads which were commissioned recently, Omisore will count himself lucky if he can get 30 per cent of the votes in Ile-Ife. This is in light of the unprecedented crowd that welcomed the start of his campaign, in the ancient city, the effusive royal blessings and endorsement he received from Oba Okunade Sijuade and also the projects he executed in Ile-Ife. By way of contrasts, Omisore, when asked, could only point to one project, the Airforce Training School in IpetuIjesa which has since been disputed and credited to former CDS, Air Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin and former Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada. Secondly, Osun did not join the tragic bandwagon of 2011 in the South-west when the whole region regrettably voted for President Jonathan. It was the only state that saw the future and voted for the presidential candidate of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu. Of course, it is moot point that in spite of his living in denial, President Jonathan is probably the most despised politician in the South-west today and it flies in the face of logic that Osun that soundly rejected him in 2011 will now endorse his party and candidate in 2014. What on earth has changed that could have endeared him or his candidate to them? Thirdly, if the point is on grassroots support and connection, Aregbesola is far ahead of his closest competitor.

There is no artisan or trade union group that has not endorsed him and openly supported his second term bid. Any doubter should take the local cab or a commercial motorcyclist (okada) and start discussion on ‘Aregbe’ and gauge the political mood in the state. Fourthly, most of his projects are of direct mass munificence. Take the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), through which 40,000 youths were taken off the streets with the first batch of 20,000 given soft landing in employment and empowerment in various schemes. They are fanatical in their support of the governor. The beneficiaries of other programmes like O’REAP and other ‘O’s are also rooting for their benefactor. Also, the parents of the 300,000 school children given free meals every school days, the 750,000 given free school uniforms, the 10,000 given computer tablets are all touched at the grassroots. We must also not forget the thousands of the elderly and vulnerable citizens that are receiving free health-care services and monthly stipend from the government. What do we make of the thousands who enjoy free train rides every festive period? These are all grassroots impacted programmes that will count in political decision making at that level. Lastly, Ekiti and Osun are not operating from the same moral values wave-length. The ethical revolution that gave birth to the Omoluabi consciousness in Osun will serve as a bulwark against ceding of electoral birth-right for a mess of pottage. Osun people value honour and integrity and have always voted on principle. They have withstood the most rampaging dictatorships and have defied the most brutal siege to make a forthright political statement. We will be looking forward to a free and fair election and, of course, the return of Oranmiyan. • Fasure lives in Osogbo.

‘Osun did not join the tragic bandwagon of 2011 in the South-west when the whole region regrettably voted for President Jonathan. It was the only state that saw the future and voted for the presidential candidate of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nuhu Ribadu’

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

COMMENTS

OR those who have followed the direction of medical tourism in this country, the news that Indian hospitals are soon to be established across the six geo-political zones of the country must have come as a very cheering one. The new Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Ganashyam Rangaiah said the initiative is to make Indian health facilities more accessible and affordable to Nigerians in various communities. According to the High Commissioner, the idea was informed by the high cost of seeking medical attention in India by Nigerians. Hear him, “We have discovered that the cost being paid by a Nigerian patient going to India for medical treatment is even more than the treatment itself. What we have therefore decided is to have many Indian hospitals come to establish themselves in Nigeria’s six geo-political zones. We strongly believe that with the spread of Indian hospitals in the country, Nigerians may not have to travel to India for any treatment.” Though accurate data on the volume of Nigerian medical tourists to India may not be readily handy, all indications point to a huge influx of our people for medical attention in Indian hospitals. And in this category are those facing medical challenges for which there are no local capacities for their treatment. Because of the relatively cheaper cost of seeking medical treatment in India in the face of that country’s avowed excellence in some specialized medical areas, many of our people have in recent years come to prefer Indian hospitals to those of the western countries where the cost is somewhat very prohibitive. With such influx, abuses and exploitation by some of the hospitals have been reported. Even then, the credibility of some of the hospitals being patronized and the quality of their services remain controversial. Reported cases of failed or unsuccessful kidney or heart transplants or related sophisticated surgeries have not helped matters. But these have in no way diminished the confidence of our people in Indian hospitals as they still prefer them to local alternatives. It is therefore good a thing that such facilities will soon be available at their

Emeka OMEIHE 08121971199 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Indian hospitals coming doorsteps. Good as the Indian initiative is, it speaks volumes on the quality of leadership we have had in this country. It is also symptomatic of the rot in all fields of our national life. For a country that is immensely endowed both in human and natural resources, it is a matter of shame that we have failed woefully to harness these resources to develop our country. The health sector is not alone in this rot as our education system has suffered worse reverses in this direction. Today, much of our hard earned foreign exchange is expended in school fees in neighbouring African countries with Ghana topping the list. Yet, a few years back, Ghanaian citizens were all over this country doing menial jobs for survival. It is a mark of failure of leadership that this country has had to depend on the outside for such basic needs as education and health when we have the capacity to turn our country into a centre of excellence. The issue is more nauseating in the face of the fact that there are thousands of well qualified Nigerians excelling in the medical field in other advanced countries of the world. The United States of America has a surfeit of such highly qualified and highly rated Nigerian physicians. They are reluctant to return to the country because the basic facilities for work are not just there. And for those of them who may wish to return, the negative direction of our nation’s politics will constitute a serious impediment. Instead of focusing on the real issues of development, political expediency has so

HE recent arrest of over 486 suspected Boko Haram insurgents, travelling in a convoy of 35 vehicles in the wee hours of the night by vigilant soldiers of the 144 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Asa, Abia has evoked clownish and laughable sabre-rattling from some Brahmins, masquerading as lawmakers and spokespersons of the far north. First information report, according to the base commander Lieutenant Rasheed Omolori, indicated that, soldiers on their routine patrol at Aro Ngwa and Imo gate along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway intercepted the flotilla of Hummer buses, with male occupants, within the age bracket of 16-24. Two of these buses escaped to some unknown destination. It is instructive to note the statement released by Major General, Chris Olukolade of Defence Headquarters that a terror kingpin on the wanted list of felons was detected amongst these suspects. As we speak, the remaining detainees are undergoing interrogation, screening processing. In all these saga, neither was the Abia state chief executive, Governor TA Orji nor his officials, agents or privies tangentially or directly involved in any of the processes of interdiction, processing or screening. Rather it was strictly a military affair. But all these were conveniently brushed aside by some reprobate lawmakers from Jigawa House of Assembly who took umbrage and went haywire brimming with threats vowing to drag Abia State government to court. Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, a Jigawa state delegate, at the ongoing National Conference threw caution to the wind when he spewed ethnic jingoism, alleging that those arrested were itinerant ‘traders’ criminalized on account of their religion and ethnic origin. Recall that a week before the incident, a Boko Haram foot soldier was shot by security operatives at the Lokpanta cattle market while trying to commit some bloody curdling shenanigan. He was reportedly treated at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia. As an aside, just as the Boko suspects were being arrested at Abia, their loony counterparts in neighbouring Owerri, Imo

‘It is well known that the first educational institution in the world was the University of Timbuktu, Mali. The university was organized around three great Masajids or Mosques: the Masajid of Jingaray Ber, the Masajid of Sidi Yahya, and the Masajid of Sankore. Masajids are places of worship for Muslims’

much taken control of our activities as if it has become an end unto itself. Today, the struggle for leadership has become such a huge business that all manner of devious strategies have been deployed to effectuate it even if that will stall the development of the country for decades. That has been the folly of this country. It is good a thing that Indians are coming to show us the way to develop our health sector. There is no doubt that there is immense value in bringing to this country such health facilities for which our people troop to India in search of. The point raised by the High Commissioner on the cost components of medical treatment in India should not be lost on anyone. He said the cost of the actual medical treatment in India is a small fraction of the overall cost to foreigners seeking medical attention in that country. In this regard he has in mind such costs as air travels, feeding and accommodation for patients and accompanying relatives. He reasoned therefore that with the hospitals domesticated within our shores, it will be cheaper for our people to have access to quality medical care. That point is unassailable. That apart and as he rightly argued, the presence of such hospitals will encourage many Nigerian doctors trained abroad to come home. Besides, he said the overall objective of the project is to make Nigeria a referral medical treatment country in West Africa. “Gradually, we want Nigeria to stand on her own strength and be the beacon of medical strength for the rest of West Af-

rica “Mr. Rangaiah stated. The sentiments by the High Commissioner are as encouraging as they very prospective. That is the direction this country ought to be going. It is yet unclear what arrangements there are to give effect to this high-minded and visionary idea. It is also not certain whether prospective investors are coming as private concerns and what level of interest the Indian government has in the project. But one quick way to hasten the process is to collaborate with the various levels of the government to ensure that such hospitals do not remain a figment of the imagination of its initiators. There is no doubt that our health sector is dire straits. That has been the reason for the patronage of foreign hospitals at exorbitant costs. Bringing such hospitals with their highly rated quality services to this country will be of immense benefit to our suffering people. Not only will it be cheaper and affordable, it will save the lives of people lost daily due to lack of adequate medical facilities. Besides, cases of people dying of fatigue and stress while travelling abroad will also be highly reduced. Beyond these, the idea from India should serve as a serious challenge to the federal government. It has to come up with policies that will quickly upgrade our health facilities such that our people can attend to their health challenges locally. Health is wealth. And a nation that cannot provide for the health needs of its citizens is doomed.

‘Bringing such hospitals with their highly rated quality services to this country will be of immense benefit to our suffering people. Not only will it be cheaper and affordable, it will save the lives of people lost daily due to lack of adequate medical facilities’

The terrorist threat in Abia By Chinyemike Torti State, had planted improvised explosive devices at Winners Chapel, World Bank area, primed to pulverize any object within a 10 metre radius. Again it took the quick intervention of security operatives to avert what could have been a near holocaust. It is noteworthy to mention that a few days before these three incidents that happened in quick succession, Governor Shettima of Borno had predicted that members of the Boko Haram sect will seek to extend their activities to other parts of the country in a speech delivered at a two-day conference on security and human rights, organised by the Centre for Historical Documentation and Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Does the Born chief executive know much more than he is telling Nigerians? Recall that Kabiru Sokoto, a senior Boko Haram Commander was apprehended by operatives of the State Security Service in the Borno State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja after escaping from the custody of police. In deconstructing the motives of the legislators who raised dust against Dr. TA Orji, one fact stands out. They wish Abians nay southerners, to cower under inane threats, lose concentration and drop their guards to provide a killing field for the Boko Haram. Recall that President Goodluck Jonathan said that criminals who are disguising as herdsmen have continued to wage war against Nigeria while curtailing Boko Haram’s insurgency is overstretching security agencies and the economy. The upshot of all these is that the security template put in place by Dr TA Orji at the height of the kidnapping/abduction episode is a panacea to get rid of the menace of insurgency. On account of this, Abia has been adjudged the safest state in the federation-a fact attested to by the many accolades which the governor has garnered within the last three years like the Daily Independent Man of the Year 2012, and Best Governor of the Year on Security Matters by the Ghana Security Watch. It is axiomatic that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance because the terrorists are sullied with a cultural mindset of blood-letting. Even though a huge chunk of these potential terrorists were arrested, there is no knowing how many that already slipped in. Abians, nay the entire southern flank must adopt the know-your–neighbour security format. Trailers and other heavy articulated vehicles conveying food stuff, from the north, including empty fuel tankers must be banned from nocturnal movements. Their commodities like yam, water

melon, tomato must be stripped searched before being discharged at designated bays. Those illegal immigrants, suspected to be from the Maghreb region now strutting all over the state, should be persuaded to move elsewhere. The security agencies have been doing very well and deserve our commendation and support with timely intelligence. Boko Haram is a product of ignorance and therefore it is the duty of all responsible members of the society that spawned the malaise to combat it rather than pursuing diversionary tactics like threatening to sue the Abia State governor. Boko Haram is the poisoned chalice of the northern political elite and they must face the reality and encourage a more self-critical approach. Ideas like ‘education is a sin’ should be challenged by the Muslim Ummah. After all, it is well known that the first educational institution in the world was the University of Timbuktu, Mali. The University was organized around three great Masajids or Mosques: the Masajid of Jingaray Ber, the Masajid of Sidi Yahya, and the Masajid of Sankore. Masajids are places of worship for Muslims. People should be made to be aware that Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Republic and Turkey - countries that have migrated to first world economic status are predominantly Muslims. The time has come for Nigerians to challenge barmy ideas; to generate creative, informed and inclusive discussions to counter the ideological underpinnings of terrorism, whilst simultaneously providing evidence-based recommendations to governments for related policy measures. Not too long ago there was this false alarm from a sitting state governor who espoused the theory that Boko Haram was a conspiracy by the Jonathan administration to ‘depopulate the North’! A paradigm shift is needed and the time is now. •Torti is a management consultant and public policy analyst.

‘The time has come for Nigerians to challenge barmy ideas; to generate creative, informed and inclusive discussions to counter the ideological underpinnings of terrorism, whilst simultaneously providing evidencebased recommendations to governments for related policy measures’

NATIONSPORT MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT Today's fixtures

•Enyeama

•Omeruo

Nigeria’s Quadri dethrones Egypt’s Lashin as African Champion

•Quadri

I DREAD flying domestic routes in Nigeria, largely because of turbulent skies. I also don't have faith in the maintenance culture in Nigeria's business concerns. I only embark of trips by air, only where it is absolutely necessary. For international routes, I feel more comfortable because the aircrafts are mostly news ones and with proper maintenance. But on Wednesday morning, I changed this myopic view. I boarded the 110 minutes flight from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegres and had my heart inside my mouth. It wasn't a funny affair. Toyin Ibitoye tried cracking jokes during the turbulence by teasing Nwankwo Kanu. Smart guy Kanu, he kept quiet but exposed Ibitoye when he caught him holding onto the seat in front of him and almost standing. We all laughed but it was short-lived. When the aircraft landed, I heaved a sigh of relief. I suggested to Pius Ayinor the need for us to return to Sao Paulo by air. Ayinor accepted and we walked towards the arrival hall to book the flight. I was sad. I thought Ayinor would say no, having flown with us from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegres. I was wrong. I should have known that some of us on board the Airbus 320 TAM flight to Porto Alegres slept off. Having bought the ticket back, I kept figuring how I would cope with the turbulence. After Nigeria lost 3-2 Argentina, my mind all through the night was on the return trip. Once I stepped inside the aircraft, this time GOL Airlines, a Boeing 737-800 series, I felt this inner conviction that all will be well during the trip. The difference between both trip, was that the pilot in the GOL Airline informed us what to expect. He started by saying he expected clear skies but things went awry, of course it was expected since the flight was through the Atlantic Ocean. Ten minutes this flight, the dancing commenced. It was scary. It god so bad that the pilot ordered that on board services should be stopped. You could see from everyone awake that they were scared. Forty minutes looked like forever. There was pin-drop silence. Soon, like the echo in the desert, the pilot's voice rented the cabin to announce that the aircraft had begun its descent into Florianopolis, an Island in Brazil. Ordinarily from the looks on people's face, it meant some relief. but it brought forte another turbulence, this time with the plane swerving. Honestly, I said my last prayers. Soon, I could see roof tops; no more turbulence; a sigh of relief. But for aviation rules, I would have dropped at the Island. In interchanging seats, because it was a flight that ran through two cities, I asked Ayinor if he experienced the turbulence. Tryst Ayinor with his jokes. He retorted: '' Which kind yeye turbulence. I just sleep go jare.'' When Ayinor smiled, my heart sank. I prayed I could sleep while travelling. The flight from the Island to Sao Paulo wasn't that stormy. When I got to the airport lounge, I vowed to travel by road, not because it is safer, but because I stood a better chance of being alive inside the bus than the aircraft. NOT AGAIN! Getting out of Porto Alegre airport involved securing a decent accommodation to pend the night. We arrived on match day. We also had o send stories back home. There was the need to transcribe the interview sessions to enrich our newspapers. We headed straight to the information desk at the airport to inquire about the available hotels. The man on the desk pitied us. He said that their neighbours, Argentina had booked all the good hotels, months before the game. He suggested on far flung hotel. We accepted. We had no choice. Relieved, we boarded the taxi. Before then, I observed the scorn of the cab man's face when we showed him the paper where the hotel's name was scribbled. I drew Ayinor's attention to it. we waved it aside. timer wasn't our friend. We needed to drop our bags and head straight to the Stadium. At the hotel, because of the distance, we asked the cab man to wait. hurriedly, we dropped our bags and went to the stadium. Nigeria lost 3-2 to Argentina. Stories were written, we had to go home. It was drizzling but we had to go home. Slightly drenched and tired, we entered the taxi to the hotel. I slept but soon woke up hungry. I left my room. Behold, Ayinor was outside with of our other colleagues. We wanted to eat. Soon, we were served food through a pigeon hole. Curiously, I looked at the food mart and what I saw shocked me. It was the picture of a boy kissing a girl. I screamed; not again. But I thought was a shock turned out to be a child's play as I probed further. I was served two meals instead of one. I protested but the woman said it the normal practice. I was curious but kept mum. Having eaten, I tried charging my phone. I looked at my side table and found condoms. Shocked, I swept them aside but noticed that the plugging point was at the other side. I moved over. What I saw told me that I was in the wrong hotel. Behold; a vibrator, ladies' pants, itchy cream and other female make-up kits. It wasn't a joke. I headed for the fridge. It was stocked with everything you can think off but not for free. I took a bottle of water. As the clock ticked, I sprang up from sleep. The noise around the hotel premises was terrible. Boys and girl were at work. The girls were screaming, apparently enjoying what they were doing. It was unbearable. I stormed out of my room only to find other Nigerians including my friend Pastor Ayinor. It was 3am. the traffic into the hotel as we stayed outside told us we were sleeping in the wrong hotel. It wasn't a red light zone. It was an undercover hotel in a reserved area for such obscene things. Neat surrounding and the building built to capture the topography of the place. Desolate in the day but a buzz of atrocities at night. We suggested to walk down the long road outside than to be abused by the cries of screwing Brazilians. God forbid. No prize for telling me what we did at sunset. A quick bath and away we flew. BRAZILIAN HAIR INDEED •Any Nigerian returning to the country from Brazil to Nigeria from the World Cup must have the purchase of Brazilian hair in his cost list. It is the first request any Nigerian lady will seek from you. For those of us with plenty of female friends, it was expedient to look for it. After all, our wives would expect some. Did you say hmmmmmm. Ns you sabi! I no know book o! So, on Tuesday, I saw a Nigerian girl starring at me as if to say where do I know this man from. I'm used to such stares since I started appearing on television. she kept looking, trying to figure out where she must have seen me. Hello, I muttered. You are a Nigerian, she asked. I nodded and we started talking. the train and we continued our discussion inside the train. Once she said she going to Republica, my face lit. It meant that I could seek help to locate where to buy the Brazilian hair. My new friend took me there. It was located in a place called Galleria. Plenty of the stuff there but the price was ridiculous. The cheapest I saw was $400 for 250kg. My female friend told me that Nigerian girls and women like the fuller one of 500kg. I multiplied it by two and SMILED. Brazilian hair for $400 upwards. Take me out of here. OVER 112 HOURS SO FAR FOR EAGLES •I now understand the implications of traveling by road better. 16 hours return trip from Sao Paulo to Curitiba. Another 56 hours return trip from Sao Paulo to Cuiaba. Then you add 36 hours return trip from Sao Paulo to Brasilia, then you will why one needs to celebrate. Add these figures by road to the four hours return trip by air from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegres, one needs to thank God for travelling mercies. These long hours travelling would have been unnecessary if Brazil had inter-state train network. Not any fault of the Brazilian government. Brazil is a country surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Trips by air are turbulent because it is done through the length and breath of the Ocean, depending on where you are headed for. These 112 hours clocked by road have been very safe. At every stop, we found steamy hot meals. Malls are open 24 hours for the passengers who come out of the buses in droves. I won't dare travel by road in Nigeria at night. I surely don't want to show anyone that I know how to die. HAWKING INSIDE THE TRAINS, BUSES •Hawkers of goods in buses in Nigeria should read this. Here in Brazil, hawking of goods is done by smartly dressed boys inside the train. I haven't seen girls hawking inside the buses or trains. What these hawkers once on board the train or bus is to give everyone who cares to accept it, their product. Having completed the length of such a train, they return to take their cash. But this is not the beauty in their hawking style. If you don't patronize them, the pick it back with disarming smiles, not hisses or abuses. What a civilized bunch of hawkers. I wish my country men and women who hawk goods and services can emulate these Brazilians.

BUSINESS

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

JOBS

New airlines, more jobs

News Briefing Uncertainty over 85 Primary Mortgage Banks THE number of Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) operating in the country may be decimated by close of business today. This is because the grace given to PMBs to recapitalise ends today. –Page 26

Infracos ‘ll face institutional challenges

LONG term evolution (LTE) internet service providers Spectranet Nigeria Limited has said the firms that will be licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide infrastructure (Infracos) will also be confronted with the problems current players in the industry are living with. –Page 26

Lagos to pay N1.78b to 354 retirees today THE Lagos State Government is to pay a total of N1.78 billion pension benefits to another 354 workers today. The beneficiaries are those who retired from the state Public Service under the Contributory Pension scheme. –Page 34

‘The June deadline is by the corner; Mr. President’s word is a bond. We must generate more power; we are prepared to assist all our agencies in making sure that the ball keeps rolling. We can’t afford to fail in our duties.’ •Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo

CEO

‘Local firms will buy Shell’s, others’ assets’ - P. 27

- P. 37

SEC moves to block illegal insider trading

ECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) has amended its rules on insider trading as a major step to tighten the nooks on insiders’ trading and exploitation of sensitive share price information by directors, management and their relatives. A document on the amendment obtained by The Nation showed that the apex regulator has that would block insider trading through nominee accounts, described by the Commission as a discreet way directors of companies and their relatives and other insiders could bypass regulatory rules that require them to declare transactions on their accounts. The new amendment now requires disclosure of insider trading through nominee account to be reported to the Commission within 48 hours by the director and the fund

By Taofeek Salako

manager of the account. According to the amendment, “where the purchase of shares on behalf of a nominee is related to an insider it should be disclosed to the Commission within 48 hours by the director so involved and the nominee account manager”. The new amendment has been approved by the board of SEC, paving way for its implementation. Some insiders were bypassing reporting requirements through the usage of nominees’ share accounts to trade on their shares, thus circumventing the effective ability of the apex capital market regulator to monitor and determine inappropriate exploitation of price-sensitive information. Before the new amendment, SEC had suspected that several transactions that took place on

behalf of nominees that are for insiders were usually not reported as such as specific names that could have alerted the Commission to the insider dealings were not mentioned with the disguise of the transactions under the nominee accounts. The new rule would enable SEC to track insider dealings and other suspicious transactions. The apex regulator has indicated that it would specifically sanction any director or nominee account manager that fails to comply with the new rule. Section 315 of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2007 defines an insider as any person who is or is connected with the company in one or more of the following capacities- a director of the company or a related company; an officer of the company or a related company; an employer of the company or a related

company; an employee of the company, involved in a professional or business relationship to the company; any shareholder of the company who owns five per cent or more of any class of securities or any person who is or can be deemed to have any relationship with the company or member; members of audit committee of a company; and any of the aforementioned persons who by virtue of having been connected with any such person or connected with the company in any other way, possesses unpublished price sensitive information in relation to the securities of the company. ISA further outlines that any reference to unpublished price sensitive information in relation to any securities of a company is a reference to information which relates to specific matters relating or of concern, directly or indi-

COMMODITY PRICES -$117.4/barrel

Cocoa

-$2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

- ¢132.70/pound

Cotton

- ¢95.17pound

Gold

-$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

-$163/lb MARKET

CAPITALISATIONS NSE

-N11.4 trillion

JSE

-Z5.112trillion

NYSE

-$10.84 trillion

LSE

-£61.67 trillion

•From left: Founder of iQuibe, Mr. Chukwuma Monye; Head, Communications, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mrs. Uchenna Mojekwu; winner of the iQUibe Innovation Challenge, Mr. Tony Oniwon; Chief Operating Officer of Avantgarde Financial Consultants, Mr. Adewale Alli and the General Manager, Sales (West Africa) of CNBC Africa, Mr. Opeoluwa Filani, at the certificate presentation to winners of the FCMB-sponsored iQube Innovation Challenge, in Lagos.

RATES Inflation

-8%

Treasury Bills -10.58%(91d) Maximum lending -30% Prime lending

-15.87%

Savings rate

-1%

91-day NTB

-15%

Time Deposit

-5.49%

MPR

-12%

Foreign Reserve

$45b

FOREX CFA

-0.2958

EUR

-206.9

-242.1

-156

-1.9179

SDR

-238

RIYAL

-40.472

Multiple taxation killing business, says MAN

DATA STREAM Oil

rectly to that company, that is, is not of a general nature relating or of concern to that company; and is not generally known to those persons who are accustomed to or would be likely to deal in those securities but which would, if it were generally known to them be likely materially to affect the price of those securities. ISA describes insider dealing as a trading that occurs when a person or group of persons who being in possession of some confidential and price sensitive information not generally available to the public, utilises such information to buy or sell securities for the benefit of himself, itself or any person.

NAICOM urges establishment of firms to underwrite terrorism, others

HE National Insurance C o m m i s s i o n (NAICOM) has urged state governments to establish insurance companies that can underwrite terrorism and other high risk that other companies are unable to write. Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel who spoke in Lagos also urged existing insurance firms to encourage states to buy stakes in their companies. Citing example of terrorism insurance as a risk that no insurer in the country can presently underwrite on its own, he said the participation of the government in insurance business will go a long way in compensating victims of terrorism.

By Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

The NAICOM boss said this is a big challenge for the sector and in solving the problem, they are recommending the states to buy into insurance. He said: “The state being the largest spender in the economy can buy into insurance business. The Federal Government can conveniently invest like $1 billion which is over N160 billion as a fund and then provide some kind of reinsurance facility for some few companies that may want to venture into writing terrorism insurance. This is the spirit of states getting involved in insurance. He said:“Although insurance is a business you can do

under the exclusive legislative list. No state can legislate on the issues of insurance except the Federal Government. But if a state comes up and says it is interested, especially in developing businesses like terrorism, micro insurance and others, the commission will be willing to grant them licenses to run an insurance company. “Any economy that is in the early stages of development will naturally need institutional approach to growth. When the economy gets more mature, then it will begin to rely on economic factors.” He said in the past, state insurance was discouraged because it assumed monopoly and behaved in a way that they

could do anything they like. “State insurance companies ordinarily should be a model in professionalism. In the past, we had state owned insurance companies that their behavior became worse than charlatans. They were run with high level of arrogance because they had a measure of monopoly. “So, whether you like them or not, government businesses must go to them, whether they give you service or not, there is nothing you can do about it. “This why Federal Government decided that it is better to build an enabling environment to enable business strive and provide good regulatory environment, statutory provision and so on.”

By Toba Agboola

HE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has lamented that its members are closing shops because of the effects of multiple taxtion on their business. The group therefore urged the Federal Goevernment to step in and halt the drift to reduce the growing number of the unemployed. Its Cross Rivers State Barnch Chairman Elder Iniobong Jackson lamented that the plea of the group to the government over the years has fallen on deaf ears as nothing is being done to streamline and harmonise the tax structure. He said the incidence of multiple taxation had become a nightmare to manufacturers both in terms of cost of doing business and method of collecting these taxes and levies. “The problem of multiple taxation has become so bad that it is actually pushing manufacturers to leave Nigeria and to relocate elsewhere. “This problem is pushing organisations to retrench staff because of the high cost of doing business, and I have to state that it is one factor that is discouraging inter-state commercial businesses,” he said. He said there was the need for state governments to fix federal roads in their states and ask for refunds in order to ease manufacturers’ difficulties in moving products to end users. According to him, with Nigerians’ penchant for buying imported goods, indigenous manufacturers may not be able to expand to create jobs for jobless youths who have resorted to violent crimes. He stressed the need for the Federal Government to set up monitoring mechanism to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) patronise made-inNigeria goods.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS

Uncertainty over 85 Primary Mortgage Banks

HE number of Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) operating in the country may be decimated by close of business today. This is because the grace window given to PMBs to recapitalise ends today, having been extended from the initial December 31, last year. Consequently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will draw the curtains on the categorisation of PMBs into national, state or regional operators. Under the new arrangement, PMBs willing to be a national operator will require N5 billion as minimum recapitalisation, while anyone willing to operate as state or regional operator must have N2.5 billion as minimum recapitalisation. Although the list of PMBs and their categories are still kept secret, The Nation’s investigation revealed that seven PMBs have been categorised as national operators having met the minimum required sum of

•As recapitalisation deadline ends today By Muyiwa Lucas

N5 billion while 26 has been categorised as state or regional operators. However, depending on the outcome of last minute transactions that may happen at the close of business today, these figures may change. For instance, the CBN had categorised five PMBs as being subsumed in mergers and acquisition, and seven as state PMBs with properties held for sale; 13 PMBs were categorised as either downscaling or converting to microfinance banks (MFBs) or finance house; two PMBs categorised as granted time to conclude their transaction; while 25 PMBs did not meet the recapitalisation deadline. “PMBs with real estate held for sale have been given up to June 30, 2014, to sell them and bring in the

proceed as capital, and those downscaling to microfinance or finance house sub sector, as well as those with ongoing transactions have till June 30, 2014, to conclude transaction,” a CBN memo, dated January 24, 2014, read. Efforts to speak with Dauda Yusuff, Head, Corporate Services unit, FMBN, proved abortive. However, The Nation contacted Chief Bisi Ogunjobi, Chairman, Board of Directors, FMBN, and former Vice President, African Development Bank. He explained that the CBN is looking at the submissions of the PMBs to determine who qualifies for the recapitalisation. “The conclusion of the CBN is being awaited on the various PMBs that have met or not met the criteria set and hopefully, very soon, we will now those who have met the various criteria ei-

ther as a national PMI or State or regional PMI. The national PMI recapitalisation is N5 billion while that for the regional or state PMI is N2.5 billion; and maybe those who have not been able to scale through or meet the conditions, the CBN will have to decide as to what to do to those that have failed to meet the conditions,” Chief Ogunjobi said. The chairman further clarified that once the CBN decides, the FMBN will only transact business with only those who meet the conditions set by the CBN, particularly with respect to the collection of the National Housing Fund, NHF. “Normally, the FMBN does some accreditation of the PMBs that we have to work with. After we have got the final go ahead by the CBN, then we have to revise or update our accreditation criteria and know

NPA to fast-track automation of port operations

•From left: NEXIM Managing Director, Robert Orya; Minister of Marine Transport and Merchant Marine, Republic of Congo, Martins Parfait-Amie Coussoud Mavoungou and former president, African Development Bank (AfDB), Babacar Ndiaye, at an event organised by NEXIM in Cameroon.

Infracos ‘ll face institutional challenges, says Spectranet

ONG term evolution (LTE) internet service providers, Spectranet Nigeria Limited has said the firms that will be licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide infrastructure (Infracos) will also be confronted with the problems current players in the industry are living with. Under its open access model, the NCC proposes to license seven Infracos to provide affordable and ubiquitous internet access to every nook and crannies of the country. While one Infraco will serve Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, the others will serve the six geo-political zones in the country on the basis of one each. Director at Spectranet Nigeria Limited, Ezekiel Fatoye said the Infracos will also face the challenges of double taxation/regulation, right of way (RoW) bottlenecks, insecurity and other challenges that have been frustrating players in the industry, constarining expansion and service. Fatoye said the firm wanted to build its metropolitan optic fibre cables (OFC), wrote formally to the state government to seek its blessing to start the project but never got its approval. According to him, the government argued that granting approval will have adverse effects on infrastructure such as roads that will be damaged. He said when the firm said it has an

By Lucas Ajanaku

alternative technology that will not necessarily involve digging of roads, he lamented that the offer was still turned down. “The infrastructure companies that will be licensed by the NCC will face the same problem that we are facing in the industry now. We have been linked with laying fibre from Lagos to Abuja and other parts of the country but every state has its own policy. Every state has its own headache. Every state has its own attitude towards providing telecoms infrastructure. They are not looking at it any longer as all of us belonging to one country but looking at it from the point of view of what they can gain from the project immediately. “We wanted to lay fibre optic cables, we wrote to get approval for the RoW but they did not give it to us. We now came back and said since you said lay opric fibre cables will spoil the roads, we have a technology that will not allow us to break the roads or whatever but they still refused to agree. So if NCC now licenses new companies, those new companies will face these problems that we are facing too.” He said the problem could be addressed through the enactment of a law that will spell out the responsibility and limits of the three tier of government. Nigeria operates a federal system

of government under which three levels of government exist. While some items are placed on the exclusive legislative list for the Federal Government to make decisions on, others are placed on concurrent and residual lists. While analysts say telecoms rightly belongs to the realm of the exclusive legislative list, the states and local governments have also argued that the immediate impact of the activities of the telcos will be felt by the people in their areas. They have therefore insisted that they cannot fold their arms and allow the operators to have field day. Fatoye said doing 4G or LTE is dependent on the availability of bandwidth, adding that if you don’t have the bandwidth to carry it there is a problem. He therefore called for the reduction in the prices of international bandwidth in the country as this would help in making the service more affordable. He said: “The 4G or LTE has registered highest growth globally across various technologies and offers cutting edge experience to users. The broadband wireless service in Abuja and Lagos is being delivered by Spectranet on the most advanced technology, which is fast and reliable. Today, reliable and fast access to the internet is no more a luxury but a necessity, and broadband penetration has a direct impact on the country’s growth.

those PMBs to deal with,” he said. Asked what the fate of PMBs that failed the recapitalisation exercise will be, Chief Ogunjobi said that would be the decision of the CBN and not that of the FMBN. However, The Nation further gathered that an appropriate exit strategy is currently being worked out for those PMBs that did not meet the recapitalisation deadline. The PMBs are primary mortgage institutions while FMBN is secondary market institution. PMBs are the institutions that deal directly with those seeking to take mortgage, as they apply to them directly for funding. The PMBs are responsible for the selection of the beneficiaries of the NHF, as they analyse and deal directly with the customers. The FMBN goes through the PMBs because they don’t deal directly with the customers because it is through the PMBs that their applications are processed, but the funds is provided by the FMBN.

HE Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is focusing on researchbased policies and measures that will ensure uninterrupted port operations, fast-tracking automation of port operations, continuous dredging and removal of critical wrecks along the channels to guarantee conducive business environment essential to achieving its vision to be the leading port in Africa, The Nation has learnt. Its Managing Director Mallam Habib Abdullahi said the successful implementation of the port reform programme by the Federal Government in 2006 has given birth to the improved operations and has opened many investment opportunities for investors at the nation’s sea ports. He spoke when the Belgium Ambassador to Nigeria, Diru Verheyen, paid him a courtesy visit in his office. He assured investors, port users and other stakeholders on quick return on their investment. Findings revealed that cargo throughout at the seaports stood at 19.66 million metric tonnes in the first quarter of this year, showing an increase of 14 per cent over the 17.25 million metric tonnes recorded in the first quarter of last year. A breakdown of the throughput figure shows that general cargo, containerised goods inclusive, contributed 6.32 million metric tonnes or 32.2 per cent to the throughput figure,

By Oluwakemi Dauda

witnessing a slight increases of 1.4 per cent over the 6.23 million metric tonnes recorded in the corresponding period of 2013. It was gathered that 2.3 million metric tonnes of dry bulk cargo were handled at the ports in the first three months of the year as against 1.97 million metric tonnes handled in the same period of last year. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment accounted for 27.4 per cent of the cargo throughput at 5.39 million metric tonnes compared to 3.75 million metric tonnes handled in the corresponding period of last year. The increase in LNG cargo was 43.8 per cent. Refined petroleum products handled at the ports, it was learnt, stood at 4.61 million metric tonnes representing 23.5 per cent of the total cargo throughput. Container traffic, including empty containers, amounted to 426,976 TEUs, showing a growth of 15.1 per cent over the 2013 figure of 371,085 TEUs. A total of 78,754 units of vehicles were handled in the period under review showing an increase of 32.1 per cent over the same period of 2013 figure of 59,608 units. A total of 1,327 ocean going vessels with a total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 33.94 million called at the ports during the period under review. This compares favorably with 1,172 vessels with GRT of 28,830,386 handled in the first quarter of last year.

‘Why govt needs to record farmlands’

REGISTER providing a more comprehensive picture of farmlands available is crucial for national planning, the Director African Region, Cassava Adding Value for Africa,Dr Kola Adebayo, has said. He noted that most rural land is undocumented, making it highly vulnerable to land grabbing and expropriation with poor compensation. He stressed that the development of ownership register for agricultural land is important, as it will show farms and farm businesses that are Nigerian-owned. Adebayo added that improving the performance and productivity of the agricultural sector is vital for broad-based growth, more jobs, investment, and substantially less poverty and that land governance is a proven pathway to achieving transformational change and impact that will help secure future for the benefit of Nigerians. With the emotive issue of foreignowned farms and agribusinesses causing considerable anxiety, he said the government understood ‘’the need for more information’’ on

By Daniel Essiet

foreign ownership levels, to help ‘’foster an informed public debate’’ on the topic. For him, foreign investment is not a new thing as it would help build agriculture and it is important for the future as the nation seeks to boost food production and security. He stressed both domestic and foreign direct investment(FDI) is vital to the continuing growth of agriculture to capitalise on growing demand for food. He expressed concern that Nigeria is home to a lot of usable, uncultivated land that would have been develop to reduce poverty and boost growth, jobs, and share prosperity. Adebayo noted that securing land for national prosperity could effectively end ‘land grabs,’ grow significantly more food, and transform development prospects. According to him, the future of food security will depend upon the sustainable management of land resources as well as the conservation of farmland for agriculture.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

THE CEO

‘Local firms will buy Shell’s, others’ assets’

• Rone

PHOTO: ADEJO DAVID

Shell and other major oil firms are divesting from Nigeria. They are citing oil theft and illegal bunkering, among others, for their action. Will their planned exit leave a vacuum? No, says Mr Julius Rone, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, UTM Offshore Limited, who believes that indigenous firms have what it takes to play in the big league. He tells TAJUDEEN ADEBAJO and OLATUNDE ODEBIYI that there is nothing to fear about the oil majors’ planned exit.

HAT does offshore oil business mean because it sounds like Greek to a lay man? Offshore means 70 to 80 per cent of oil operations are done at sea. We provide support services for these operators. We are presently working with Total, Agip and Exxon Mobil. We do their support services and on their platforms we provide fast intervention vessels. We provide anchor handling support services for their uptake and loading at their terminals. Shell is divesting some of its assets in Nigeria. What does this mean for an economy like ours? This is a positive development for indigenous companies. You can see that most of the divesting assets are being acquired. Nigerians are taking the lead in the sense that we are going into acquisitions in areas we did not have indigenous companies playing in the past. Take for instance companies like Seplat, Televara, Sahara. They are playing a major role in the activation of investments. It is a big opportunity for them and also a credit to the local content policy. We are feeling the impact of the policy because without it you can never dream of a Nigerian company buying into Shell. Presently, Nigerian companies can go into a $1 billion or $2 billion business to discuss acquisition process with any of the international oil companies (IOCs). And these are international transparent processes, not government intervention policy. This is a process that has international dimension and transparency. So, if any Nigerian company comes out as the preferred bidder in any of those assets, you should know what they have put into it. By putting

the fund to match whatever they say you must commend them. Are you saying that Nigerian companies have the capacity to acquire these assets? Yes, they have the capacity, they have the technical knowhow and they have the funding. Because I must say this, Nigerian companies are putting their best foot forward. Presently, Seplat is doing very well; they have been listed on the stock exchanges in Nigeria and London. Oando is also listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. They were in the market in Toronto; you can see Nigerian companies are equal to the task. As for capacity, you know if you don’t give someone the opportunity you won’t know his capacity. The Nigerian government has given indigenous companies the opportunity to show what they can do. So, on the issue of capacity and capability, we are in the forefront. Some of these IOCs cited oil theft, illegal bunkering for their decision to leave. How can these problems be solved?

We have done a presentation with our technical partners from China to the Nigerian Navy. The Nigerian Navy has accepted our technology. It is a technology which if deployed, will reduce oil theft. One of the greatest problems about the oil sector is that, nobody wants to take responsibility. So, we got more involved with our technical partner, we approached the Nigerian Navy and presented them a solution that within 24 hours of deployment of the technology they will start seeing result. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Navy and all the security agencies can be in their offices and see what is going on in the various locations. We have gone very far with our talks with the Nigerian Navy, they have okayed it. We are going to discuss with NNPC. So, by the time we would have agreed on that technology once it is deployed, the issue of oil theft will become a thing of the past. There are fears that soon Nigeria will not be making more money from oil, especially

‘The PIB is indigenously benefiting to Nigeria, that is the truth of the matter and if PIB is passed today, Nigerian companies will benefit more than the IOCs. That is why the resistance to PIB is coming from the foreign companies; they know that if PIB is passed today, it will give more opportunity to Nigerian companies’

because of the discovery of Shale oil in the U.S; which is a major market for our oil. What does this portend for us as a nation? You can see that Nigeria is not so much dealing with America in the marketing of crude oil. Nigeria has started creating new angles of selling oil. We are very lucky because our crude oil is the best crude oil in the world. So, Shale oil, the issue is there but Shale oil is not something that can cover the energy demand of the world. So, whether Shale oil or not, there must still be crude oil, refined product to be used by other investors around the world. Nigeria is also putting more emphasis on our gas because Nigeria is more of a gas country than petroleum. How do you think Nigeria can benefit from gas and stop the present wastage through flaring? Gas is capital incentive but the government is doing something to reduce the cost of investment to attract more investors. In a couple of years, we will be making more money from gas. Presently, UTM is in partnership with the government of Ghana through the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) and then, we have taken a model whereby in a typical arrangement, we just went to China, with the Minister of Petroleum from Ghana and the Managing Director of Ghana National Petroleum and also other top officials of the ministry and the corporation. The essence of the synergy is to build up the local industry since Ghana has a local content quality like Nigeria. We are paternering with GNP so that the IOCs will not continue to bring in cheap products into •Continued on page 28

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

THE CEO

‘Local firms will buy Shell’s, others’ assets’ •Continued from page 27

Ghana and move out with capital flight. Part of the deal will be a partnership with Nigerian oil or a local company. The drilling company, which will be Ghana owned, will create employment for up to 350 people. We have agreed with the operation and management company that 70 per cent of those people will be locally employed and trained to work on the drill ship. So, we looked at that idea and model as a good model that can be adopted by NNPC. We have approached NNPC and discussions have started. Recently, a company called Sea Drill released a statement, saying it had signed a contract with Total E&P for $1.2 billion for five years. What that means is that once Sea Drill finishes the drilling, they will move the drill ship away. If it is a Nigerian company it will stay here; so, that is why we are saying that no matter the areas involved in this oil and gas business, Nigerian companies have the capacity. Presently, we are discussing with Cosko in China, they are the ones building the drill ship. In a couple of months, the drill ship will be ready for deployment in Ghana and once that is done, we will open up a discussion with other ship yards in South Korea and Singapore that are into the building of drill ships. These are models we want to bring into Nigeria so that we can keep Nigeria’s local content infrastructure in that area of exploration because 80 per cent of the drilling goes to drill ships. If we have a drill ship today, all these companies coming to Nigeria are international companies. As I speak to you, there is no single Nigerian company that owns a drill ship. So, that is why we are approaching NNPC to partner with them on how they can support the local companies to be in the forefront of this drilling. Why is it that no Nigerian company has a drill ship? A drill ship is an asset that costs $1 billion. It is not an asset that you can just go and acquire and park. You must have a contract to run it. These are all major transactions involving the countries of these IOCs. For instance, Agip in Milan, Total in France and Chevron in America. The Nigerian government wants a drill ship to come into Nigeria, but whatever the drill ship is coming to do here they should support us to set up this company because we understand the dynamics of the business. What is the local content policy all about if there is no support for indigenous companies? Nigerian companies that have the capacity must have a share in raising this company. It is not something you can just go and bring and give to any company just like that, it is something for which you should get internationally accepted operation and management experts and then you support them with people from your own country. So that in another five to 10 years, a Nigerian captain can be piloting a drill ship. These are the strategies the Ghanaian government has put in place. There have been complaints of foreign domination, but if we say that the IOCs should go today, do you think we have the capacity to run the oil industry on our own? You see, a drill ship is worth $1 billion. But the process of acquisition has to do with us having a company like I said, we are taking a drill ship to Ghana, it is not that UTM is going to manage it; we are taking an internationally acceptable operating and management company to take over it. They will manage and operate in conjunction with the local people. So, that is why we are saying the same model can be adopted in Nigeria if we understand the dynamics of the business. There is no way you can ask

• Rone

PHOTOS: ADEJO DAVID

‘Yes, they have the capacity, they have the technical knowhow and they have the funding. Because I must say this, Nigerian companies are putting their best foot forward. At present, Seplat is doing very well; they have been listed on the stock exchanges in Nigeria and London. Oando is also listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’ the IOCs to move out, let Nigerian companies take over 100 per cent. No, there is a transition process. Take for instance, formerly, we did not have Nigerian companies doing the normal oil services, but today, we have many operating it; Nigerian companies are participating in all beats which were hitherto exclusive to IOCs. So, we must make sure our local content is done very well; giving all the necessary support and encouragement to take us to this level where we are. We still have the capacity to get to the top, the full capacity that is why we are saying that they should give us the necessary support, push us

to be in league with the IOCs especially in the area of having a drill ship. Do you think NNPC will buy into this idea? The thing about NNPC is that they have a different arm that will deal with us. You should be aware that NNPC and GNPC are prepared to go into partnership. NNPC does not want to earn, they only want to operate but presently, the idea of having a drill ship has encouraged the investment of the current policy in NNPC. So, NNPC has been running a situation now whereby if you have an idea, bring it to the table, sit down with

NNPC, discuss it as a business and plan it and work it into a simple arrangement. If we have accepted, you sit down with us and work it out. What is your take on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)? The PIB is indigenously benefiting to Nigeria, that is the truth of the matter and if PIB is passed today, Nigerian companies will benefit more than the IOCs. That is why the resistance to PIB is coming from the foreign companies; they know that if PIB is passed today, it will give more opportunity to Nigerian companies. So, if PIB is in place today, we will have

more indigenous companies participating in the oil and gas business. There are so many areas that are locked down for foreign companies, but the PIB will give more elbow room to Nigerian companies to operate. So, we think that the National Assembly should before this set runs out its tenure try and pass the PIB so that Nigeria can be like Malaysia and other companies that have been operating independently. Tell us about your company. How did it start and your future plans? Our focus and target are that we want to build a business in which Nigerians will be proud. We are building our workforce to be the best. We are investing in infrastructure. We are giving our staff professional training so that we continue to render higher services in international best practices. This business we are doing is one that you cannot cut corners; you must ensure that everything is working in order to achieve your objectives. We are building a platform in Ikorodu, on the outskirts of Lagos, as part of our corporate social responsibility. Our maintenance programme is solid and safety is our watch word. We make sure that we get our crew to do what is right. We also bring in international partners to work with us periodically and explain to our staff the latest technology. What are your challenges? One of the major challenges is the high interest rate. You know the interest rate is so high that many Nigerian companies are finding it difficult to do business. There are also challenges with funding of ship and at the same time since most of the equipment used are imported, there is challenge with the naira. The naira is losing value against the dollar. All these are challenges but the major challenge is funding from banks because they believe that there is a lot of danger in oil and gas as well as maritime trade. Are there other reasons? I think we have explained to you that the cost of running their businesses. They tell you the cost of running their offices. By the time you are paying about 27 per cent on a dollar, you are paying 12 per cent; you are adding that to your mark up. All these are the challenges in the business. So, where you are supposed to pay down in two, three to five years, you stretch it up to seven, eight years. All these are the issues we are facing. We are trying to surmount them to be able to remain in business. If a business man went to a bank, got a loan, went and built a vehicle and brought the vehicle in, why would you ask an oil company to bring a vehicle? If they should know that it is an oil company, the government should find a way to give concession, instead of paying 100 per cent, it pays 50 per cent. It should give a concession to any Nigerian company that is able to prove that this ship is Nigerian own, paid for, financed for in Nigeria. We should use that as part of the concession to encourage indigenous companies to keep investing in the country Are you considering building a shipyard? That is definitely rare because in Nigeria, you have over 5,000 ships working and we do not have shipyards for their maintenance. By the special grace of God, we are thinking along that line and very soon, it will be up and running. Instead of taking your ship to Ghana or to Europe, you just take it there at no cost and bring it and come back. If you are able to meet up with their standard in completing it and it is up and running, that will alleviate the issue of taking your ship abroad for adjustment and maintenance.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

MONEYLINK

DMO warns banks against contravening law on borrowing

O check arbitrary borrowing by all the tiers of government, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has warned banks to get clearance from the ministry of finance before lending money to either the federal, state or local governments. The Nation gathered that DMO was upset that some banks are lending to state and local government and their agencies without clearance from the Minister of Finance. This action by the banks, the DMO said, is “in contravention of the extant laws including the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007and the Debt Management Office Act, 2003. In Particular, Section 24 of the Debt Management Office Acts, 2003, pro-

By Nduka Chiejina Assistant Editor

vides that “All banks and financial institutions requiring to lend money to the Federal, State and Local Governments or any of their agencies shall obtain the prior approval of the Minister” The DMO then warned that henceforth all banks in the country must desist from lending to State and Local Governrments and their agencies unless they have obtained the required clearance from the Minister of Finance. The nation’s debt managers in a circular to all banks noted that “as operators in the financial system, all banks are expected to be conversant with all laws and regu-

lations related to their business. Accordingly, all banks are expected to be conversant with the provisions of Section 24 of the Debt Management Office Establishment, etc) XR 2003, which states that ”All banks and financial institutions requiring to lend money to the Federal, state, and local governments or any of their agencies shall obtain the prior approval of the Minister (of Finance)” The Debt Management Office said it had observed that some banks were contravening this law despite raising the alarm last year that banks are still not complying with the law as it relates to lending to all tiers of Government and their agencies.

The latest circular reminded the banks this warning will be the last the DMO issue on the subject as “any further contravention will be responded to, with the full sanctions applicable by the federal Ministry of Finance.” The DG of the DMO was not available to speak on this development as he was said to be out of the country with the minister of finance. However, the circular stated that the DMO will “advise the relevant regulatory authorities, including, but not limited to, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, to apply the necessary sanctions, in accordance with the relevant laws.” Under Section 44 (1) of the FRA, 2007, any Government of the Federation or any of its agencies or corporations that wants to borrow must: specify the purpose of the loan; and present cost/benefit analy-

Sterling Bank wins Innovative Bank Award

OR Sterling Bank Plc, it was a moment to cherish as its efforts aimed at providing unique banking products and services to suit the various categories of its “One Customer” was recognised. The bank at the weekend in Lagos, bagged the Most Innovative Bank Award, courtesy of its Kia–Kia Account. The event was the BusinessDay Annual Banking Awards held in Lagos. Receiving the award on behalf of the Bank, its Head of Retail Products, Gbenga Adegoke, described the award as a reward for hard work and painstaking research by the bank to come up with products that will be acceptable to the unbanked/under-banked Nigerians and in support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s financial inclusion initiative. He however expressed the appre-

ciation of the Bank to the Management of BusinessDay, other institutions and individuals involved in the process of selecting the Award winners for considering Sterling Bank worthy of the Award. Adegoke assured the over 1000 guests at the event that “Sterling Bank will continue to engage in research and come up with new products and services to meet the changing needs of our “One Customer”. In an interview with reporters, Adegoke, who described the introduction of the product as a success story, said the acceptability of KiaKia has been unprecedented as artisan and many others who were previously excluded from the formal banking system now operate the account as it provides easy and instant access to top class banking services offered by Sterling Bank. His words: “Kia Kia Account is

distinguished by the immense ease and convenience associated with its opening process. It can be opened on the spot even without the customer being physically present at the branch with limited documentation requirement. This has been responsible for the increased volume of customers this product has attracted during the slightly over 16 months of its introduction”. Sterling Bank Plc. is a leading commercial bank in Nigeria and one of the country’s fastest growing banks. Originally incorporated in 1960 as NAL Bank (the country’s first investment banking franchise), it acquired the operations of the erstwhile Equitorial Trust Bank in November 2011 in pursuit of its growth and expansion plans. The Bank operates out of 168 branches, about 4,648 POS and 422 ATMs across the Nigeria.

Enterprise Bank chief canvasses healthy living

HE Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Bank Limited, Mallam Ahmed Kuru, has called on Nigerians to be conscious of their lifestyle and prioritise the habits of regular exercise and healthy eating to ensure a fit and healthy life. Kuru, who spoke at the end of the second edition of the Walk-For-Life campaign, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative organised by the bank, stated that lack of regular exercise and poor eating habits by people cause health challenges later in life. The second edition of the Walk-forLife campaign which took place at the

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year

35m 35m

11.039 12.23

19-05-2014 18-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 400m 400m 400m 400m 400m 400m

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33

NIDF

OBB Rate

Price Loss 2754.67

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day

Amount 30m 46.7m

Rate % 10.96 9.62

Date 28-04-2012 “

GUINNESS PORTPAINT REDSTAREX ETERNA UNILEVER NESTLE NEIMETH OASISINS WAPIC MBENEFIT

O/PRICE 189.21 4.90 4.93 4.55 50.00 1,050.00 1.21 0.51 0.77 0.52

C/PRICE 200.00 5.14 5.17 4.77 52.40 1,098.90 1.26 0.53 0.80 0.54

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

(S/N)

GAINERS AS AT 6-3-14

SYMBOL

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10%

CHANGE 5.70 4.90 4.87 4.84 4.80 4.66 4.13 3.92 3.90 3.85

DISCOUNT WINDOWx Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00%

LOSERS AS AT 6-3-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

FO CHAMPION CAVERTON LENNARDS ABBEYBDS JAPAULOIL CCNN UTC CILEASING ROYALEX

5.21 6.37 1.47 1.99 0.75 1.05 0.56 1.70 29.70 1.09

C/PRICE 4.95 6.06 1.40 1.90 0.72 1.01 0.54 1.65 28.83 1.65

CHANGE -4.99 -4.87 -4.76 -4.52 -4.00 -3.81 -3.57 -2.94 -2.93 -2.75

weekend, saw staff of the bank and their friends as well as family members, walk a distance of about nine kilometers covering Victoria Island, Lagos and Ikoyi. While commending the staff and other members of the public for turning out in large numbers to participate and complete the health walk, Kuru emphasised the need for moderation in all the people do. S He said: “I am one of those who believe in moderation in anything we do. For me, people should be free to eat well but the watch word should be moderation at all times because too much of everything is bad.

DATA BANK

FGN BONDS Tenor

sis of the loan purpose. Furthermore, the purpose for which the loan is intended must be in the approved budget and the proposed loan, including existing other public debt, should not exceed the fixed limit of consolidated debt of the borrower. Also,the proceed of the loan must also be utilized for the intended purpose only. Last year, it was learnt that the “Federal Government rarely specified the purposes for which the internal loans were meant. The cost/ benefit analyses as well as the feasibility study for loans were hardly done. If done at all, they were perfunctorily carried out, merely by listing or enumerating some benefits of the loans. Although, the National Assembly approved loans, such loans were scarcely authorized in the Appropriation Act.”

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96%

Movement

Amount Sold ($) 399.9m 399.9m 399.9m

Exchange Rate (N) 155.75 155.8 155.7

Date 2-5-14 2-3-14 1-29-14

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX

NSE

6-2-14

28-10-11

% Change

CAP Index

N13.07tr 40,766.16

N6.617tr 20,903.16

-1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGET FUND FBN HERITAGET FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FIDELITY NIGFUND INTERCONTINENTAL INTEGRITY FUND KAKAWA GUARANTEED INCOME FUND

Offer Price Bid Price 165.58 164.19 9.17 9.08 1.11 1.11 1.19 1.19 0.69 0.69 1.39 1.33 1,669.87 1,669.87 1,100.51 1,099.64 1,100.03 1009.16 119.57 118.72 119.52 118.68 1,087.30 1,087.00 1.67 1.62 1,05 1.03

LEGACY FUND NIGERIA INTER DEBIT FUND PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND STANBIC IBTC ETHICAL FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

143.11

142.62

0.78 1,977.19 14.30 1.15

0.76 1,965.15 13.95 1.12

1.3472 1.3587 1.0193 1.1798

1.3363 1.3587 1.0012 1.1798

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000

Movement

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 27-06-14

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 27-06-14

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

EQUITIES

Investors stake N30b as equities gain N349b N

IGERIAN equities trended to a new high last week as investors upped stakes amidst expectations of strong second quarter earnings and dividends from companies with April, May and June year-end. The main index at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the All Share Index (ASI), rose by 2.57 per cent to close the week at 42,187.62 points, its highest point so far this year. The ASI, which doubles as the country index for Nigeria, had opened the week at 41,129.27 points. The rally last week replaced the negative year-to-date return with a positive return of 2.08 per cent. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities rose by N349 bil-

lion to N13.930 trillion as against its week’s opening value of N13.581 trillion. The bullish market was spurred by increased demand for shares as investors take positions ahead of expected release of second quarter earnings. Investors increased their stakes to N30.03 billion with the exchange of N2.89 billion in 30,650 deals last week as against a total of 1.53 billion shares valued at N20.08 billion traded in 26,820 deals two weeks ago. Financial services sector remained atop activity chart with a turnover of 1.36 billion shares val-

ued at N12.01 billion traded in 12,267 deals; representing 47.2 per cent of aggregate turnover. The conglomerates sector followed with a turnover of 938.04 million shares worth N5.04 billion in 3,004 deals. Oil and gas sector placed third with a turnover of 334.12 million shares worth N7.29 billion in 7,508 deals. On stock by stock basis, the trio of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc were the most active stocks, accounting for 1.37 billion shares worth N10.18 billion in 6,028 deals. The three stocks accounted for 47.3 per cent of total turnover. Price analysis showed that 49 stocks appreciated while 40 stocks

depreciated during the week, leaving 111 stocks unchanged. Most indices at the NSE also appreciated with the ethical NSE Lotus Islamic Index leading the rally with a week-on-week gain of 3.95 per cent. The NSE Consumer Goods Index rose by 3.75 per cent while the NSE Consumer Goods Index appreciated by 3.28 per cent. The NSE 30 Index, which tracks the 30 most capitalised stocks, gained 2.60 per cent while the NSE Banking Index rose by 1.30 per cent. However, the NSE Oil and Gas Index crashed under the pressure from profit-taking transactions on Forte Oil, Oando and Conoil. The NSE Oil and Gas Index dwindled by 10.29 per cent while the NSE

Insurance Index slipped by 0.40 per cent. In percentage terms, Japaul Oil and Maritime Services recorded the highest gain of 17.86 per cent to close at 66 kobo. WAPIC Insurance and Guinness Nigeria followed with a gain of 11.11 per cent each to close at 80 kobo and N200. ABC Transport Services rose by 10.59 per cent to 94 kobo while Julius Berger Nigeria appreciated by 10.24 per cent to close at N76.45. On the other hand, Forte Oil recorded the highest loss of 17.48 per cent to close at N206.30. NPF Microfinance Bank followed with a loss of 16.67 per cent to close at 85 kobo while Oando dropped by 9.91 per cent to close at N27.36 per share.

NSE reviews market indices, picks UACN as ethical stock

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) at the weekend announced the results of the biannual review of its sectoral and group indices, with addition of UAC of Nigeria (UACN) as one of the ethical stocks that meet the stringent Islamic standards for investment. The reviewed indices included the NSE 30 Index, NSE Lotus Islamic Index (NSE LII) and the five sectoral indices of- NSE Banking Index, NSE Consumer Goods Index, NSE Oil & Gas Index, NSE Industrial Index and the NSE Insurance. The composition of the indices after the review would be effective

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

HAREHOLDERS of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) Plc have commended the establishment of a new subsidiary that will operate on a free trade zone status. At the annual general meeting of Nahco at the weekend, shareholders expressed optimism on the prospects of the company with the take-off of the new subsidiary, Nahco FTZ, which has been granted a licence by the Federal Government to operate a free trade zone(FTZ) within the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. Initial estimates indicate that Nahco FTZ could attract about $500 million investments into Nigeria. Shareholders who spoke at the meeting said the new subsidiary would not only attract investment into the economy but would also boost the fortunes of all stakeholders of the company. They commended the board and management and pledged to support the project. Nahco FTZ will take off fully this year. Some of the shareholders who spoke at the meeting included national coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu; Bishop Goodluck Akpore of Onitsha Zone Shareholders Asso-

tomorrow. UACN will replace Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) in the NSE LII while Ashaka Cement will replace Skye Bank in the NSE 30 Index, the index that tracks the 30 most capitalised stocks on the NSE. Also, Sterling Bank will displace Wema Bank in the banking index while the duo of Staco Insurance and Unity Kapital Assurance will replace Consolidated Hallmark Insurance and Prestige Assurance respectively. Champion Breweries will displace DN Tyre & Rubber in the consumer goods index. Meanwhile, there were no changes

in NSE Oil & Gas and Industrial Goods indices. The stocks were picked based on their market capitalization from the most liquid sectors. The liquidity is based on the number of times the stock is traded during the preceding half year. To be included, the stock must be traded for at least 70 per cent of the number of times the market opened for business. The NSE began publishing the NSE 30 Index in February 2009 with index values available from January 1, 2007. On July 1, 2008, the NSE developed four sectoral indices with a base value of 1,000 points, designed to provide invest-

able benchmarks to capture the performance of specific sectors. The sectoral indices comprise the top 15 most capitalized and liquid companies in the insurance and consumer goods sectors, top ten most capitalized and liquid companies in the banking and industrial goods sector and the top seven most capitalized and liquid companies in the oil & gas sector. In July 2012, the NSE launched the NSE Lotus Islamic index (NSE LII) which consists of companies whose business practices are in conformity with the principles of Shari’ah with the aim of increasing the breadth of the market and

creating an important benchmark for investments as the alternative non-interest investment space widened. All the companies that appear on the Islamic index have been thoroughly screened by Lotus Capital Halal Investment, in accordance with a methodology approved by an internationally recognized Shari’ah Advisory Board comprising of renowned Islamic scholars. The price indices, which were developed using the market capitalization methodology, are rebalanced on a biannual basis -on the first business day in January and in July.

Nahco’s free trade zone excites shareholders

ciation, Alhaji Muktar Muktar, Mrs. Oludewa Thorpe and Mrs. Esther Augustine. “Nahco FTZ is a clear value to the company and its stakeholders. FTZ gives the company the opportunity to be a cargo hub for West Africa and entire Africa because those companies that are either importing or exporting will always like to pass through FTZ because they will not pay any duty for that. This gives Nahco opportunity for growth,” Nwosu said. Addressing the shareholders, chairman, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) Plc, Mallam Suleiman Yahyah said a

management team has been put in place to run the affairs of the new subsidiary, adding that the company is developing a 25-year master plan for the new subsidiary. According to him, Nahco FTZ will afford the company the opportunity to import goods in a borderless environment. “It will also improve our shipment capacity and capabilities and give us a unique platform to service value-added aviation-related business. This will enhance significantly air traffic into the country and bring for Nahco Plc increased volume in form of cargoes. We also believe that when the FTZ comes

into full operation some of the exports that we lose to neighbouring counties would revert to us,” Yahyah said. Reviewing the performance of the company for the year ended December 31, 2013, the chairman said turnover rose by 11 per cent from N7.4 billion to N8.1 billion, while profit after tax rose 35 per cent from N609 million to N820 million. He said the company decided to increase dividend by 20 per cent from 25 kobo to 30 kobo while simultaneously increasing its liquidity position, cash flow and amount retained in the business in order to

support future capital expenditure and its West Africa roll-out strategy. In his remarks, managing director, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) Plc, Mr. Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo said the company would consolidate on its 2013 performance. “Our team of resilient business development strategists is well positioned to secure emerging business opportunities. We also believe that in the course of the year, our newly licensed subsidiary, Nahco FTZ will commence operations and add value to the group,” Oluwasegun-Ojo said.

work which had a positive impact on asset quality. The rating cements Access Bank’s position as a systematically important banking institution in Nigeria and reflects the full synergy of the merger with the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc. The rating agency stated that the bank’s extensive network of 310 branches and cash centres has cre-

ated improved visibility among the banking population and has translated to a significant market share across the key market indicators. The rating report noted that nonperforming loans-gross loans ratio stood at 2.4 per cent, the lowest recorded in the last five years, which compares favourably with the industry average of 3.6 per cent. According to the report, Access Bank’s improved rating further cor-

roborates the bank’s enhanced capacity to execute larger transactions as well as access long-term funding from local and foreign multilateral agencies and institutions’. This was further confirmed in the successful tier II capital of $400 million Eurobond recently raised by the bank. This will provide sufficient headroom for the bank to achieve its targeted 20 per cent asset growth in 2014.

Agusto upgrades Access Bank’s rating

GUSTO & Company Limited, a rating agency, has upgraded its rating on Access Bank Plc from “A” to “A+” with a stable outlook. In its new rating report, Agusto & Co indicated that Access Bank achieved the upgrade by actualizing a good liquidity position, satisfactory capitalization as well as improved risk management frame-

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

ISSUES Power projects do not come cheap. They require huge funds which the operators do not have. They no longer have to worry as banks, with the support of World Bank and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), have started showing interest in funding power projects, writes COLLINS NWEZE.

•Power plant.

Power sector

Overcoming the cash challenge U

NVEILING his agenda shortly after assuming office early this month, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele raised the citizens’ hopes on improved electricity supply. In a blueprint for the power sector, he pledged improved investment from local and international lenders to solve the power crisis.

CBN under his watch, he said, would facilitate investment in key parts of the power value chain by providing funds at concessionary rates to targeted investments in the power sector. "We will encourage investment in gas to power infrastructure to improve the reliability of supply of gas to the existing and new power plants. We will also support investments in renewable

energy in rural areas through matching funds schemes, and providing first loss guarantees," he promised. Emefiele has the support of the World Bank and other local and international lenders which are showing renewed interest and commitment to funding the power sector. Already, the World Bank Group is committing $1.4 billion in Nigeria to support efforts to improve power infrastructure. The global lender is also planning to set up an infrastructure facility and Nigeria would be among the first set of countries to benefit from it, given the nation’s large size and the scope of its infrastructure needs. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, explained the World Bank's effort: "They want to concentrate on power, and are already actively working with several private sector companies that want to invest in Nigeria. They are promising to give Nigeria about $700 million under the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) guarantees for the power sector, as well as a willingness to invest another $700 million to support

transmission." The Minister explained that the power infrastructure support finance was derived from the initiative of the World Bank Group and its affiliate, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which lists Nigeria as one of the focused countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to benefit from such funding. She assured of government's preparedness to execute and implement the negotiated projects. She also allayed fears that the projects might be abandoned midway. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said: "The World Bank Group hardly participates in any white elephant project. They have their teams that normally come every six months to supervise what is going on, and when they see the project is not performing well, they stop disbursing, cancel it and take the money elsewhere." The World Bank is not the only international lender that has indicated interest in funding projects in the power sector. The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has also approved an African Development Fund • Continued on page 33

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

ISSUES

• Mr Emefiele

•Power Minister Prof Chinedu Nebo

Overcoming the cash challenge

lenders have also stepped in to help bridge the funding gap. For instance, the Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, said the bank was committed to partnerships of this nature that help energise the sector. She said the power challenges identified in the focus countries for this partnership were opportunities for growth through sustainable investment. Mrs David-Borha also disclosed that through the partnership, financing will also be available for off-grid solutions that rely on cleaner fuels such as biomass and biogas across Sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, Ecobank Nigeria will invest $25 billion in five years to help solve Nigeria's power sector crisis. Ecobank Country Head, Power and Energy, Olufunke Jones, said the investment is in line with the bank's policy to support the growth and development of the power sector in Nigeria. She said the bank has played a major role on the buyside of the power sector privatisation exercise by providing financial advisory services, lead arranger role, acquisitioning financing and guarantees to Distribution Companies (DISCOs), Generating Companies (GENCOs), and National Integrated Power Plants (NIPPs). She said: “Nigeria has one of the largest gaps between demand and supply for electricity. To bridge the gap, the country requires a combination of favorable government policies, private sector participation and foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as transparency and persistent monitoring that will guarantee an improved business environment." According to Jones, the power reforms have created opportunities for Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and Operating Expenditure (OPEX) funding, which is a consequence of the handover to new owners. In her words, "there is the urgent need to rehabilitate the distribution networks in order to make them robust and flexible enough to accommodate the nation's demand for power." Also, Ecobank Nigeria Local Account Manager, Corporate Banking Group, Mrs. Funmilola Ogunmekan, said the power sector is faced with the challenges of upgrading mostly obsolete equipment and processing under a traditional technology framework. This, amongst others, is the immediate challenge before the potential of the industry is fully manifested. Mrs. Ogunmekan reiterated that this year, the bank will leverage its position as a bank with the third largest branch network to provide effective utility collections and cash management services while providing the required additional CAPEX/OPEX funding requirement for at least five of the DISCOs across the country. The United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) is not left out. The bank said it has so far

• Continued from page 32

(ADF) Partial Risk Guarantee (PRG) programme of $184.2 million to support Nigeria's power sector privatisation. It also provided an ADF loan of $3.1 million for capacity building for the country. The Director of the AfDB's Energy, Environment and Climate Change Department, Alex Rugamba, explained that the PRG programme in Nigeria would increase the country's electricity generation by catalysing private sector investment and commercial financing in the power sector through the provision of PRGs. "The PRGs will mitigate the risk of the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), a Federal Government of Nigeria entity established to purchase electricity from independent power producers (IPPs), not fulfilling its contractual obligations under its power purchase agreements with eligible IPPs," he said. According to him, this would in turn increase the comfort level of private sector financiers and commercial lenders investing in the Nigerian power sector privatisation programme. Rugamba noted that an effective and steady power supply is critical to the sustainability of Nigeria's development path. He therefore, said the Board's decision would allow the AfDB to support the Nigerian Government's efforts to reform the power sector and position the country for sustainable and inclusive growth. Similarly, an infrastructure financing agreement for Africa between global infrastructure giant General Electric and Standard Bank to the tone of $350 million is also directed at breaking the power jinx. In a statement, the bank said the partnership seeks to provide affordable access to power infrastructure to augment traditional large scale grid capacity development. The partnership will target Nigeria, Angola, Tanzania, South Africa and Ghana. Others are Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan. Financing will centre on project finance, equipment finance, trade finance and advisory. Announcing the partnership, President/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GE Africa, Jay Ireland, said the partnership comes at the right time when there are concerted efforts to boost access to energy across the continent. He said partnerships of this nature would certainly support efforts by respective governments in finding captive power solutions to meet the growing demand for alternative fuels. Ireland said the partnership is in line with the country-to-company agreements, which GE has signed with a number of African governments aimed at generating incremental power and increasing access. The renewed interest in power projects financing is not limited to foreign lenders and multinationals alone. A number of local

‘

•Dr Okonjo-Iweala

•Mr Oduoza

‘

We will encourage investment in gas to power infrastructure to improve the reliability of supply of gas to the existing and new power plants. We will also support investments in renewable energy in rural areas through matching funds schemes, and providing first loss guarantees

extended $700 million (about N113 billion) in funding to different investors towards the acquisition of power assets in Nigeria. The bank's Group Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Phillips Oduoza, said: "It is a growth sector we are playing very big." It is the same thing for Zenith Bank Plc, which said it expects to increase loans to the privatised power companies. The lender said loans to the power sector may rise to 10 per cent of the bank's loan book by year-end, up from 4.3 per cent in the third quarter and 1.3 per cent at the end of June, last year. The bank said opportunities have opened up in the power sector and the bank is willing to take advantage of such opportunities. The value of Zenith Bank's loans to power companies was about N40 billion in the third quarter after the handover to new investors. Zenith Bank gave loans to companies including Eko Electricity Distribution Company and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, both in Lagos State. For some of the banks that have seen the opportunities in the power sector, the bond market is one sure way to go. Some of the banks have drawn huge funds from the bond market to fund power projects. For instance, four Nigerian banks raised $1.45billion in the last three years through Eurobonds to assist them in meeting their power sector funding obligations. This was disclosed by the Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO), Dr. Abraham Nwankwo. The banks are Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Fidelity Bank and FirstBank. GTBank, for instance, issued $500 million, while Access Bank issued $350 million. Fidelity Bank and FirstBank issued $300 million Eurobonds each. Nwankwo said the funds will be instrumental to helping Nigeria meet its infrastructural needs, especially power. Indeed, experts said if Nigeria must realise her dream of becoming one of the top 20 economies in the world in 2020, the power crisis must be resolved. Already, Nigeria targets an ambitious 40,000 Mega Watts (MW) of electricity. This represents more than half of the installed capacity on the African continent. With a population estimated at 167 million, its maximum electricity generation capacity of about 4,500 MW is inadequate to meet demand estimated at 10,000 MW.

Nigeria has one of the largest gaps between demand and supply for electricity. To bridge the gap, the country requires a combination of favourable government policies, private sector participation and foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as transparency and persistent monitoring that will guarantee an improved business environment

’

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, said to meet the generation targets set for 2020, significant private sector investment is required in the supply chain, including generation, gas to power infrastructure and distribution networks. He identified inadequate financing, especially with regards to the DISCOs as one of the major challenges facing the country’s power sector. Amadi who spoke during the visit of delegates from United States Agency for International Development/Power Africa to NERC office, said improvement in the industry was necessary to sustain the political will behind the Nigeria power project. He said the role of banks in solving this crisis, by providing the needed financial backbone to the projects, cannot be overemphasised. The Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismark Rewane also said that Nigeria is targeting a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) worth N900 billion by 2020, but in meeting that target, the country needs to fix its power challenges by attracting improved funding from both local and international investors. Rewane, who spoke in Kaduna during the Finance Correspondents and Business Editors conference, said the heightened attention the recent rebasing of the economy attracted suggests a need for a more structured argument for the exercise, adding that investment is necessary for capital accumulation and economic growth. The CBN recognises this much, which was why Emefiele said the apex bank would deploy developmental initiatives to create an enabling environment with appropriate incentives to empower innovative entrepreneurs to drive growth and development. He disclosed that some of the CBN's developmental functions will include credit allocations and direct interventions in key sectors of the economy such as power, agriculture, Medium and Small Enterprise (MSME), oil and gas, and health sectors of the economy. According to him, the core principle is that the CBN will act as a financial catalyst by targeting predetermined sectors that can create jobs on a mass scale and significantly reduce the nation’s import bills. He said that at the end of April, yearly private sector credit increased by 26.4 per cent, reflecting strong appetite by the banking system to catalyse the real economy. The CBN Governor noted that between 2010 and last year, the country attracted over $22 billion in FDI, making her one of the top FDI destinations on the African continent. He was however, quick to add that the corresponding effect on the nation's GDP that could occur as a result of improvements in the power sector cannot be overstated.

THE NATION JUNE 30, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

Only 2.5m motor insurance policies are genuine, says NIA

NLY 2.5 million motor insurance certificates out of about 12.5 million registered vehicles in the country have been captured in the 2013 Insurance Industry Database (NIID), indicating that 10 million vehicles operate with either fake insurance cover, or none at all. Outgoing Chairman, Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) and the Executive Vice Chairman, Industrial and General Insurance Plc (IGI), Dr. Remi Olowude, made this known while passing the baton of leadership to his successor, Gus Wiggle. He said however that the development translates to a significant increase in the motor insurance business portfolio of member companies. He said the association in the year under review, sustained positive response to the menace of fake insurance documents with the inauguration of the NIID project. Now in its third year, the NIID, he explained, has become an established verification tool for both the law enforcement agents and the insuring public in confirming genuine motor insurance policies, adding that the initiative also enjoys the support of the federal and state agencies in the enforcement of compliance with the minimum Third Party Motor Insurance requirements for motor vehicles. He said a well-equipped datacentre, which serves as a secondary backup, as well as disaster recovery centre to the primary host has been established,

Stories by OmobolaTolu-Kusimo

adding that despite the huge success recorded so far, there is still room for improvement. One of the critical stages of improvement of NIID, pertains to the development and deployment of the Marine Insurance Module. This next face of NIID is scheduled to commence soon, he said. In the review period, a combination of changes in the business environment, unpredictable economic policies and unabated increase in the cost of doing business, presented daunting challenges to all member companies, he said, adding that the association deployed well thought-through initiatives and strategies to combat these threats and harness their inherent opportunities. He said insurance companies generated a premium income of N285 billion in 2013, representing an increase of 15 per cent, noting that this was acieved despite the fact that the industry had targeted a premium income of N1 trillion as far as 2012. Wiggle said a combination of changes in the business environment, unpredictable economic policies and unabated increase in the cost of doing business, presented daunting challenges to all member companies in the year under review. He said National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), deployed well thought-through initiatives and strategies to combat these threats and har-

• Deputy Chairman NIA, Eddie Efokoha; Chairman, Godwin Wiggle and President CIIN, Bola Temowo at the event.

ness their inherent opportunities. He said: “I must commend NAICOM for its ever-improving vibrancy and effectiveness in piloting the industry.Without the support of the commission, NIA could not have made much progress. In 2013, apart from ensuring efficient premium collection, the Commission patiently midwifed the full implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS). “The Commission did not only train the finance officers of insurance companies, they also guided the companies in the submission of their annual accounts and ensured prompt approvals. It also rolled out guidelines on the operations of micro insurance, which if complied with, will bring about the development and growth of that segment of

insurance business. “It is important to note that our ability to sustain micro insurance initiative has the potential to boost premium income for the industry. Member companies are encouraged to invest in this line of business in the drive to increase penetration, strengthen financial inclusion, and enhance the insurance sector’s contribution to the nation’s rebased Gross Domestic Products (GDP).” On human capital development, the NIA Chairman said in tune with the association’s commitment to building capacity and expertise in the industry, the governing council of NIA instituted a scholarship scheme to assist beneficiaries obtain master’s degrees in actuarial science. Wiggle in his acceptance speech said he will focus on the sustaining

the good relationship that already exist with the regulator and reach out to other regulators in the financial services sector whose oversight functions impact on insurance business. He said: “We will enforce market discipline by encouraging peer review among member companies with a view to aligning the market practice with international best practices. “We will also sustain the current effort at addressing those laws that militate against the growth of the market such as the Companies Income Tax Amendment Act (CITA) 2007 amongst others.” He noted that Nigeria has the comparative advantage in the production of oil and gas and will therefore, fasttrack the process of reestablishing the oil and gas insurance pool.

‘Micro insurance is business, not social responsibility’ By Damilola Akinsola

• From left: Executive Director (Pension Mgt) Nigeria Electricity Liability Management LTD/GTE (NELMCO), Bayo Fagbemi; Administrative Officer, Parastatal’s Pension Dept, Pension Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD), Yahaya Umari; Assistant Director, PTAD, E.S. Audu, Managing Director, NELMCO, Sam Agbogun; Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (Electricity Sector), Comrade Temple Ubani and Secretary, NUP, Comrade Olukayode Ogunbiyi, during a stakeholders workshop on the transition of NUP, electricity pensioners to PTAD in Benin, Edo State.

Lagos to pay N1.78b to 354 retirees today

HE Lagos State Government is set to pay a total of N1.78 billion pension benefits to another batch of 354 workers today. The beneficiaries are those who retired from the Lagos State Public Service under the Contributory Pension Scheme. The benefits, which will be presented to the retirees in their Retirement Bond Certificates (RBC), are their accrued rights for service rendered to the state before the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in April, 2007. The Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission, Mr. Rotimi AdekunleHussain, made this known in a statement by the Commission’s Press and Public Relations Officer, TaofeekLawal. Hussain said the beneficiaries would receive their retirement bond during a presentation ceremony to-

• Set for pre-retirement seminar

day, at the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) Hall in the Central Business District of Ikeja. He noted that the payment is consistent with the state government’s commitment to the well-being of its employees even in retirement. He emphasised that the Retirement Bond Certificate presentation ceremony is the second and concluding tranche of the 11th batch. He said: “Three hundred and fiftyfour retirees will be receiving a total sum of N1,786,667,297.09k being their accrued rights for past service to the state prior to the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme in April, 2007. “Before now, 437 retirees majorly drawn from the local government areas and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), were paid a sum of N1,723,737,915.59 during the first tranche of the 11th batch in

April, this year.” He explained that the Commission has scheduled another pre-retirement seminar for about 1,200 workers, who will be retiring from the Lagos State Public Service between July and December.

According to him, the seminar, which is the sixth of its kind, is organised in collaboration with stakeholders to broaden the knowledge of the would-be retirees on how best to prepare for their retirement and access their retirement benefits under CPS. He said the seminar would come up on Wednesd at Ikeja.

Staco hosts NCRIB Members’ Evening

TACO Insurance Plc will tomorrow host the July edition of the NCRIB members evening at the Insurance Brokers House in Lagos. According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations of NCRIB, Tope Adaramola, the event will further create rapport between the host underwriter and brokers, who constitute the major stakeholders in the nation’s insurance value chain. He said the event will feature spe-

cial presentations by the Managing Director of the host company, Mr. Shakiru Oyefeso, while the President of the NCRIB, Mr. Ayodapo Shoderu, will apprise members with contemporary trends in the industry. The NCRIB Members’ Evening has remained one of the most veritable platforms for exchange of business information and networking between insurance brokers and selected underwriters in the nation’s insurance industry.

ICRO insurance is a business aimed at making profits and not a social responsibility as implied by some operators, Commissioner for Insurance, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Fola Daniels has said. Daniel disclosed this while speaking with reporters in Lagos,said that micro insurance is a highly profitable business and urged investors to invest in micro insurance. Expressing concerns on the state of insurance awareness in the country, he said, the way forward in insurance growth is for operators to embrace micro insurance adding that only the dynamic and proactive can survive in the insurance sector. He said the Commission will not coax the operators to do it and that is why we are taking a backseat. He stressed that the industry should drive the process noting that the commission is only supposed to be pathfinders who open windows and move on. He said investors will benefit more from micro insurance in view of the privilege of paying little or no tax. He said: “Micro insurance is a thriving trade and not a social responsibility. It is a very fast trade and only those that embrace it will make profits from it. “Micro insurance has been on the increase in some African countries such as Kenya and South Africa where its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been on the upsurge.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

BUSINESS MOTORING

The 2015 Lincoln MKC’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine presents a suitable amount of punch for most situations; the AWD system features torque-vectoring technology that enhances precision by sending more power to the outside wheels in corners, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency addition

•Lincoln MKC

Lincoln MKC redefines luxury T

HE MKC has good genetics on its side, as it is mechanically based on the excellent Ford Escape. Note the word “based,” as opposed to past Lincoln efforts that were more akin to removing a Ford oval and slapping on a Lincoln badge. It certainly doesn’t look much like an Escape. Indeed, if the MKC imitates any particular vehicle, it is the Audi Q5. Lincoln has clearly drawn inspiration from the Q5’s distinctive liftgate and integrated taillights, and the profiles of the two are rather similar. But the winged grille is pure Lincoln, and the overall effect is quite pleasing to the eye. The MKC’s cabin also pleases with its tasteful wood accents and sleek, high-tech dashboard. The MKC gets the Escape’s more powerful, optional turbocharged engine as standard equipment. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder crank out a respectable 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, but one can also get an upgrade, to a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder good for 285 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque. Complementing this power is genuinely athletic handling. The MKC drives more like a sporty hatchback on its tiptoes than a nearly 2-ton crossover SUV. As good as the MKC is, there are some exceptionally desirable models in this segment. Top choices include the practical 2015 Acura RDX, the stylish Audi Q5, the sporty 2015 BMW X3, the classy Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class and the family-friendly 2015 Volvo XC60. Truth be told, one will be hardpressed to give the MKC a decisive nod over

any of these outstanding vehicles. But the MKC holds its own, and it is typically priced lower than these competitors as well.

Body Styles The 2015 Lincoln MKC is a five-passenger compact luxury crossover SUV. There are available packages/equipment groups known as Premiere, Select and Reserve. Standard equipment for the base MKC (Premiere) includes 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, LED taillights, heated mirrors, rear privacy glass, rear parking sensors, keyless ignition and entry, dualzone automatic climate control, an eight-way power driver seat (with power lumbar), driver memory settings, a four-way power front passenger seat, heated front seat and leatherette (premium vinyl) upholstery. On the technology front you’ll find an 8-inch touchscreen with the MyLincoln Touch interface, a rearview camera, voice controls (Sync) and a nine-speaker audio system with two USB ports, an SD card reader and satellite radio. The Select package (required with the 2.3liter engine) adds power-folding side mirrors, leather upholstery, an eight-way power passenger seat (with power lumbar), ambient interior lighting and a cargo cover. The Reserve gets you a panoramic sunroof, a hands-free power liftgate with a foot sensor, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, a naviga-

tion system, a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert and an embedded modem that enables remote communication with the vehicle via the MyLincoln Mobile smartphone app (including GPS location, remote start and status checks for fuel, tire pressures, etc.). Depending on configuration, additional features are also available. The Climate package comes with automatic high-beam control, automatic wipers, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. The Technology package contributes adaptive cruise control, a lane-departure warning system, a forward collision warning system and an automated parallel-parking system. Stand-alone options include adaptive suspension dampers, 19- or 20-inch wheels and a 14-speaker surround-sound audio system.

Powertrains and performance The Lincoln MKC’s base engine is a 2.0litre turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive optional. Fuel economy is EPA rated at 23 mpg combined (20 city/29 highway) with FWD and 22 mpg combined (19 city/26 highway) with AWD. All MKCs employ a six-speed automatic transmission. The optional 2.3-litre turbocharged fourcylinder churns out 285 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque. It comes only with AWD. Fuel economy is barely affected at 21 mpg combined (18 city/26 highway).

Safety The MKC comes standard with stability control, antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags, a driver knee airbag and full-length side curtain airbags. Also standard is MyKey, which allows parents to set electronic parameters (such as maximum speed

and radio volume) for when teenagers are behind the wheel. Blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a frontal collision warning with emergency brake priming are optional.

Special features When you first slip behind the MKC’s wheel, you may find yourself wondering what they did with the shifter. Since it is all run by computers anyway, Lincoln has elected to present the MKC’s transmission as a vertical stack of buttons to the left of the touchscreen, opening up a handy storage area at the base of the centre stack where the shift lever normally resides. The shift buttons themselves don’t feel as high quality as we’d like, but we can’t argue with the increased versatility that results. Overall materials quality in the MKC isn’t a home run, but one may call it a solid double off the wall. The tastefully finished wood inlays and available leather upholstery impress, though the generic Ford-spec climate buttons and the dashboard’s dull silver-painted plastic trim do not. The standard MyLincoln Touch (a.k.a. MyFord Touch) system handles Bluetooth, audio, navigation and other vehicle functions via its crisp 8-inch touchscreen. In practice, however, MyLincoln Touch’s processing speeds still seem sluggish during certain tasks. Nonetheless, it is greatly improved over past iterations and tech-savvy owners will likely appreciate the system’s vast capabilities. The MKC’s backseat offers adequate legroom unless there are tall folks in front, in which case it is pretty cramped back there. One can make it work, but rivals like the Acura RDX and BMW X3 are more accommodating. Cargo capacity is also disappointing. The MKC offers 25.2 cubic feet behind the second row and 53.1 cubes with the rear seatbacks folded down. Rivals such as the RDX and Volvo XC60 are notably roomier.

MOTORING

IA Motors has unveiled an Android AutoTM, a device that allows drivers to easily access many of the features found in their Android-powered smartphones through the instrument panel’s touchscreen. Tagged Kia In Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) integration solution, is one of the first products to emerge from the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA), a consortium of auto and technology industry leaders of which the Hyundai Motor Group is a founding member. The IVI system was tested in the eight-inch touchscreen of the new Soul urban utility vehicle. As expected with any Kia vehicle, the technology is intuitive and easy to use. After connecting an Android phone through the Soul’s standard USB connection, drivers are able to “project” their Android-powered smartphone onto the Soul’s in-dash display, giving them access to apps and services which have been optimised for the vehicle with voice input and controls that are viewable at a glance. Users will instantly recognise their basic Android phone applications, such as messaging, phone, Google Play Music and Google Maps upon connecting their Android phone to their Kia vehicle. Third party audio apps including Stitcher Radio for Podcasts, iHeartRadio – Internet Radio and NPR will also be offered through the user’s Android smartphone. The IVI announcement comes on the heels of the latest generation of UVO eServices enhancements. Available in the 2015 Soul, UVO eServices now offers four new features: Geo-fencing, Speed Alert, Curfew Alert and Driving Score.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

Kia Motors introduces Android AutoTM

•Kia Soul Stories by Tajudeen Adebanjo

Many more technologies for comfort and convenience are featured in the new UVO system, including Local Search, powered by Google for finding locations, addresses and points of interest. Sirius XM

Travel Link , offering access to traffic, weather, fuel prices, sports scores, stock information and movie times, makes the Soul the perfect companion for those who live their lives on the road with family and friends. Kia is offering its IVI system with

Android Auto in select models starting in 2015 as part of the UVO Premium Navigation system. “The ability to ‘project’ the smartphone’s applications and functionality has been a strong customer demand that we aspired to address,” said Paul Choo, director,

Coscharis eases Landrover ownership

OSCHARIS Motors is creating a Privilege Scheme platform geared towards its corporate customers and prospects. It aim is to offer companies including their customers and staff an enticing and beneficial Privilege Scheme which will smoothen the road to ownership of a new Jaguar or Land Rover vehicle. This scheme extends to all their respective family members. According to Ufuoma Umukoro, the General Manager, Sales – Coscharis Jaguar Land Rover, “all of us aspire to own iconic brands whatever the product category might be, and in the world of motoring there are few, if any, brands with more aspirational overtones than Jaguar and Land Rover.” Consequently, the concept is to offer the Freelander 2, Discovery 4 and Range Rover Evoque and Jaguar XF at a favourably discounted price despite the new automotive policy. More than 65 years ago, the seeds were sown on a Welsh beach for the introduction of a simple and rugged go-anywhere vehicle. But today, the

OVERNMENTS and their agencies are regulators and must not in anyway play the role of operators. There is a need to go back to the basics. In section 8 subsections1 – 4 of the original Decree 1988 which established the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Driving Schools are charged with the duty of training learners as well as re-training the drivers of the public and private sector organisations. To this end, the FRSC in its regulatory role, designed an ongoing standardisation programme and a curriculum for driving schools to carry out these functions. Why then is the same agency competing with driving schools in the training role? Should income generation be a focal point for a

Land Rover range grew to incorporate the stylish yet practical Freelander 2 as well as the wonderfully composed Discovery 4 which blends luxury and practicality with no compromise in sight. For those who enjoy keeping in front of the pack when it comes to

trend-setting, the rakish Range Rover Evoque makes an appropriate statement, on and off-road. For the more trado- modern luxury car aficionados, the svelte XF series pampers and performs while offering surprising economy of operation.

GM halts sales of Chevy Cruze

ENERAL Motors Co is to recall about 33,000 Chevrolet Cruze sedans with potentially defective air bags made by troubled Japanese supplier Takata Corp, the automaker said. In a crash, the driver-side air bag on the 2013-2014 Cruze could fail to inflate, GM said. The issue is not directly related to other problems with Takata air bags that have led to the recall of about 10.5 million vehicles worldwide, many of them made by Honda Motor Co and Toyota Motor Corp, including 3 million earlier this week. With the Cruze, GM is “moving quickly to identify the vehicles involved, and other facts, including whether there are any accidents or in-

juries, all of which will be shared” with U.S. safety regulators, GM spokesman Jim Cain said. Cain said GM expects to file an official recall notice “soon” with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Earlier this year, GM recalled 21,000 Cruze sedans from model year 2012, also equipped with Takata air bags that could fail to inflate in a crash because of electrical problems. The auto firm had initially advised its North American dealers not to sell new and used Cruze sedans on their lots. The Cruze is GM’s top-selling car in North America. GM has built about half a million 2013-2014 model year Cruze sedans since October 2012.

Silicon Valley Accelerator Lab. “The goal is to provide a smarter and safer way to use smartphone technology while offering the freedom our mobile devices give consumers today. Kia’s IVI system will help us reach that goal.”

Dana Motors rolls out World Cup Rio offer

HE unquenchable zest for providing unrivaled customer-centric offers has propelled Dana Motors to bring to the fore the best deal for its all new Kia Rio available in 1.2 and 1.4 Litre engine to the teeming public and customers nationwide. This move is geared towards bringing the brand closer to the customers with an impressive Brazil 2014 World Cup offer. In the spirit of Brazil 2014 World cup finals, Dana Motors gives its customers a special offer with the Rio’s sporty personality, impressive fuel economy, and a high safety level. Packed in this offer are free comprehensive insurance, free registration, three free services, five year warranty, and free delivery to the place of buyer’s choice with lots of free gifts. This offer is valid till the July 31.

Anchored on the Kia Motors slogan “the Power to Surprise”, the new Kia Rio is offered in a stylish four-door sedan configuration. All new Kia Rio 1.2 and 1.4 Litre engine is loaded with features for optimum performance and enhanced fuel economy. It is made from high pressure die-cast aluminum to keep weight down, therefore save on fuel and designed to suit variable road and weather conditions. The new Kia Rio has a cuttingedge style and design with a tilt adjustable steering wheel, low wide stance and short overhangs that give it a strong youthful identity that emanates flair from every angle. From a structural framework that absorbs impact force in both frontal and side-on collision to a range of active and passive safety measures, the Rio protects those that matter.

SAFE DRIVING

Road safety regulators and operators (2) very strategic agency like FRSC? The Commission, FRSC “shall provide such facilities for the driving schools as may enable them to achieve its objectives under this section” (Section 8 subsection 4). The FRSC by the Decree and Act is to “establish in each state or operational zone, a model driving school as a standard for driving schools in each state or operational zone for the testing and retraining of drivers” (section 8 subsection 1). Between 1988 when the FRSC was established and now (2014), it has not established a single model driving school, neither has it been providing the required facilities for the operation of the driving schools

(not even the construction of a single driving range which can be of use to driving schools) thereby leaving the essentials to pursue the non-essentials. In the same vein, the state governments through their agencies also register and regulate driving schools. Why then should they be competing with driving schools for driver re-training programme? Why should they put income generation above the safety of lives and properties? Without much ado, I hereby suggest the following: •The governments and their Agencies (including the FRSC) should focus only on their regulatory and enforcement roles while

the driving schools are to focus on the training and re-training of drivers. There are about 500 approved driving schools in Nigeria. •Instead of establishing model driving schools, governments and their agencies (including FRSC) should encourage and assist the driving schools to comply with the set standards compatible with global standards. Appropriate disciplinary measures should be put in place to ensure full compliance. •Driving Schools should be engaged by governments and their agencies to run corrective or correctional training programmes for arrested traffic offenders to make their regulatory roles more effec-

Jide Owatunmise Registrar / Chief Executive, Professional Driving and Safety Academy

tive, unbiased and result-oriented. •To be continued

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

• Air Peace’s Boeing 737-500 aircraft on the tarmac.

• A Boeing 737 aircraft belonging to Discovery Air on the tarmac.

• A Boeing 737 aircraft belonging to Azman Air on the tarmac.

It is an industry with high mortality rate. Yet new airlines keep springing up. Three more, Azman Air Services Limited, Discovery Air and Air Peace, have landed, raising hope of high job prospects, KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

New airlines, more jobs T

HOUGH capital intensive, airline business yields a lot of returns, if well managed. It also provides a lot of jobs. The entry of three new outfits, Azman Air Services Limited, Discovery Air and Air Peace will usher in new jobs. The jobs will be for pilots, aircraft engineers, flight dispatchers, cabin crew, information technology and communication (ICT) specialists, aviation economists, accountants and other aeronautical professionals. The Chairman and Managing Director, Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said about 350 professionals have been employed to work with

the airline, which is expected to start operation soon. He said about 40 pilots have been sent to the CAE Aviation Academy in Oxford for training after their competence tests, adding that about 15 indigenous pilots and aircraft engineers are to be engaged by the airline on completion of type rating. Some of the pilots were trained by the Federal Government under the Presidential Amnesty Programme. Onyema said: “My mission for setting up Air Peace is to use the airline to create jobs for Nigerians. Someone told me that one air

plane could give about 100 people jobs. The airline will invest in the training of Nigerian pilots to enhance their competence and checkmate capital flight. The coming on board of new airlines is expected to fill the vacuum created by ageing workforce in the aviation sector. There are over 300 young Nigerian pilots and over 400 aircraft engineers who would be engaged by the start up carriers.” According to experts, many professionals are required to work in a scheduled •Continued on page 38

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

JJOBS OBS

New airlines, more jobs •Continued from page 37

airline with a single aircraft. For startup carriers with about seven aircraft in their fleet, multiplier effect in terms of jobs creation is high. With the coming three new carriers, thousands of jobs will be created, they said. Other jobs to be created by the new airlines include ticketing personnel, loaders, flight operations personnel, airline security personnel, air side drivers and safety management experts. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated some of the carriers to engage young Nigerian pilots. The idea, according to NCAA’s Acting Director-General, Benedict Adeyileka, is to enhance their capacity through type rating and accumulation of flight hours. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation, Captain Shehu Usman Iyal, said the President has directed that the 127 pilots and engineers trained under the amnesty programme and other unemployed pilots be engaged in the aviation sector in line with the Federal Government’s agenda on jobs and value creation. Iyal said: “The Federal Government is committed to providing the needed environment to facilitate job placement for the young pilots and engineers. “We will liaise with Amnesty Office to provide jobs for these trainees. The Amnesty Office has its list and their qualifications and they have their areas. Some of the pilots are type rated on helicopter operations, while others are type rated on fixed wing aircraft. We will start with the data base and from there we know where we will place them. “The President is concerned and that is one of the areas we are looking into and we will work with the Special Adviser on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to resolve this issue.” On job opportunities for the young pilots,

• Adeyileka

• Onyema

• Babalola

Iyal said: “That is a possibility. The pilots have even gone a step further by undergoing jet conversion courses. When you get jet conversion, it is an advantage and it goes a long way. This is the area we are going to look into. This other 200 pilots that are unemployed, what we want to do for them is being worked out because the opportunities are there. The job is there; the machines are there.” The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, urged airline owners and players in the aviation and allied sector to employ the young pilots

and aircraft engineers who have the requisite competence and licenses having being trained in some of the foremost institutions across the globe. The 127 aviation professionals, Kuku said, have been trained to the level that it would be difficult for any organisation to deride them as incompetent. “The Nigerian government will take further steps to complete “on duty training” for these pilots and aircraft engineers to make it difficult for any employer to reject them,” Kuku added. The Chairman of AZMAN Air Services

Limited, Dr Abdulmunaf Yunusa, said the airline would create jobs for professionals. He said the airline’s mission is to create opportunities for a viable and robust aviation sector that empowers players to create jobs for youths. He said the airline has trained over 74 young men and women to pursue various aspects of aviation at the aviation college in Zaria. The company, he said, has also trained various cadres of technical crew in training facilities within and outside the country. The Chairman of Discovery Air, Mr. Tunde Babalola, said the airline has already put measures in place for the training of Nigerian professionals. He gave assurance that the airline will train some Nigerian aviation professionals in line with global standards to offer world-class service. He said the airline would adhere to the over 500 flying hours’ requirements for their pilots to ensure competence on command of the aircraft.

‘My mission for setting up Air Peace is to use the airline to create jobs for Nigerians. Someone told me that one air plane could give about 100 people jobs. The airline will invest in the training of Nigerian pilots to enhance their competence and checkmate capital flight. The coming on board of new airlines is expected to fill the vacuum created by ageing workforce in the aviation sector’

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Ever-useful tips to make your job search effective T

RY this: do a Google search on how to conduct job searches. You’ll come up with literally a billion different articles and pieces of advice… with a lot of the ideas out there contradicting each other. One person says, “Do it this way,” and then the next person has a different take on what you need to do. Whatever, you improve your job search, motivation and energy doing all or some or any of the following:

Be nice to everyone

“Nice guys finish last” doesn’t jive with me in job search situations. If you are kind, thoughtful, caring, and supportive – people remember that as your personal brand. We are, in essence, more motivated to do things to help others who treated us well, while we are less inclined to even give people (who burned us previously) the time of day. Have a polished, targeted, accomplishments-driven resume If you cannot own your accomplishments and demonstrate value to a prospective employer, how on earth do you expect to convince them to hire you? Drawing up a résumé to get you “any job” is not smart.

Don’t hide behind your

By Olu Oyeniran

computer… NETWORK

Between a consultant and a client: “ I have emailed my resume to no less than 76 different job openings, but hadn’t heard anything back. “How many did you contact, personally or network with?” “Zero” Unfortunately, hitting “send” 64 times isn’t going to do it, especially in this job market where everyone else is out there pulling strings, making contacts, and cultivating powerful referral networks. An excellent resume is important, yes, but if you don’t have anyone interested in receiving it, you obviously are missing the critical component of a job search.

Never, EVER, give up hope

Believe in yourself. Remember, you are driving this bus… and while the job search can be incredibly defeating when you get rejection after rejection, but once you give up hope in yourself, all is lost. Sure, you have have the occasional pity party, but then you need to grit your teeth and get back on that horse again. Keeping the job search in action is the only way you’ll have a chance of snaring something.

Manage your personal brand… every… single… day.

– think about this quote (author unknown): Watch your thoughts; they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions; they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. Keep the faith; never give up, and remember your biggest recipe for job search success boils down to having a focused job search, polished resume, and networking, networking, and networking. And having patience.

Get out every day, even if it’s just a walk through your back yard

Visit your local library, and yes, the local unemployment office. Being unemployed doesn’t mean

you need to be in seclusion, facing the uphill battle all on your own. Don’t overlook transition assistant programs for those who’ve left the military, the resources provided from local employment centers, and the benefits that result from just talking with people. Here’s another “insider tip” that few use: Visit your Chambers of Commerce. You’d be amazed how wonderful the people are who man these offices… and wow, what a terrific resource they can be. These people are so helpful, and I guarantee you won’t leave your Chamber’s office unsatisfied. For example, they can provide details on upcoming business networking events (great for meeting professionals in your area), provide you with a membership directory (packed full of local companies, addresses, and sometimes, contact names), and on occasion can provide job leads.

Grab a drink and curl up with a good book

Never overlook the calming effect of just sitting still and taking time for yourself. If you feel guilty stepping away from your job search, opt for a self-help book to brush up your time management skills, or whatever skill you wish to improve upon, or go

with something like the following: • What Color is Your Parachute written by Richard Nelson Bolles (Great read!) • Who Moved My Cheese written by Spencer Johnson (Funny stuff!) • JobSearchGuru’s JOB HUNTING MANUAL- Just published for purposeful job hunters in Nigeria. You may be jobless, but you are never, never useless or worthless. And don’t you forget it EkiniConsult is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right DoorsStrategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

•Oyeniran is Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Associates. He can be reached on Jobsearchhow.com.ng Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

BUSINESS

Forum chair canvasses NG adoption by MSMEs

HAIRMAN, Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) Mr. Austin Okere, has highlighted the potential of digital explosion in Nigeria. He said a framework for the Internet governance is needed and should be targeted at Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Speaking at the forum’s conference in Lagos, Okere said the theme Harnessing multi-stakeholders’ framework for Internet governance and economic growth was timely

VDT unveils new products, services

He reiterated inclusive growth, seeking that NIGF targets the adoption of .ng by ensuring enrolment of this national resource by stakeholders in the MSME sub-sector, which he put at over 17.7million in Nigeria, and who are likely to see more benefit with the adoption. Okere, who is also founder and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc, noted that the modern wave of Internet has taken Africa by storm and Nigeria is no

exception. He pointed out that a World Bank study showed that 32.9 per cent of Nigerians depend on technologies of this age like high speed Internet data, broadband and Long Term Evolution (LTE)-Broadband, among others. Nigeria, he said, though ranked eighth out of 212-member countries of the United Nations in terms of number of Internet users,it occupies 128th spot in terms of Internet penetration. He quoted the World Economic

Forum as indicating that out of every 100 urban Nigerians, 50 accesses the internet monthly, 58 have internet-mobile phones and 21 smart phones. He added that CWG leveraged on the abundance of broadband capacity to launch a programme of empowering MSMEs, which she tags CWG 2.0, to work with banks and government agencies, such as SMEDAN and the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment to provide affordable technology to help

North Korea’s economy ‘grew by 1.1% in 2013’

NDIGENOUS information communications technology (ICT) player VDT Communication Limited has unveiled products and services it said it is pursuant to its pledge to “continually uplift our service quality in order to delight customers, improve profitability and reduce wastages”. Its Marketing Communication Manager, David Ese, said the firm operates one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in the country primarily through the convergence of multiple networks into one providing a broad range of end-to-end efficient and reliable broadband communication services. “We provide high quality digital leased circuit (DLC) service to customers requiring dedicated point-to-multi point links between offices around the country. This service provide data connectivity at reliable lightning speed, 24/7 on-line information about all circuits and links as well as a regular update on its plans, technology and future prospects,” he said in a statement. According to him, the technology firm also offers flexibility allowing for modern technological variation when required. The organisation’s channelisation equipment provides for bandwidth scalability, thus enhancing clients’ variation request from time to time. Also transfer of data, video, voice along the DSL links are at a speedy rate, thus enabling effectiveness and efficiency of work. He has the firm also delivers last mile connectivity to end-users, connecting head offices to branch offices in a point-to-point or pointto-multipoint configuration via its own wireless network in each of the cities where it operates. Through a cost-effective metro optic fibre network, he said the firm also delivers last mile connectivity for its clients connecting head offices to branch offices in a point-to point or point-to-multipoint configuration in a seamless manner for continuous communications. It also delivers Digital Signal Bandwidth from 64kbps up to STM1 capacities which integrates seamlessly with our premium routing equipment.

• President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Remi Bello (left) presenting a membership certificate to Yinka Ogunbiyi. With them is Chairman, Membership Committee, LCCI Mr Babatunde Ruwase.

Bulgarian banking under attack, says central bank

ULGARIA'S central bank has said there has been a systematic attempt to destabilise the country through attacks on the banking system. It said it would use all powers at its disposal to protect citizens' savings. Shares in Bulgarian banks fell sharply for the second day in a row. These is speculation that a run on deposits at the country's fourthbiggest bank, Corporate Commercial Bank, could spread to others. The central bank took control of Corporate Commercial Bank last week and said its problems were isolated. Economists and Fitch Rat-

ings agency have also played down the risk of contagion, while foreign banks with subsidiaries in Bulgaria insist their operations are safe. But comments by a deputy from the country's ruling party on Thursday that another bank may suffer a similar fate further hit confidence and left investors rushing to ditch Bulgarian bank stocks. "In recent days there has been an attempt to destabilise the state through an organised attack against Bulgarian banks without

any reason," the central bank said in a statement. The central bank urged all state institutions to work together to protect financial stability and take legal action against those spreading "untrue and ill-intentioned rumours" about the health of Bulgaria's banks. Shares in First Investment Bank plunged 23 per month on Friday. Other bank shares also declined. "The whole banking sector is being sold off due to the problems around Corporate Bank. Investors are worried the problems can spread," said Boyan Gatsev, a trader with Varchev Finance.

Iraqi oil exports set to soar as south evades clashes

RAQ'S oil minister said the nation's crude exports would accelerate next month, adding to signs that violence in the country's north is not affecting the oil-rich south. "Oil exports will witness a big increase, as recent events didn't reflect negatively on Iraq's crude output and exports," Oil Minister AbdulKareem al-Luaibi said Wednesday. "International oil companies are working normally." While violence in Iraq spurred companies including BP PLC and Exxon Mobil Corp. to evacuate staff, there are few signs so far that oil

production is being affected. Iraq's exports will be close to a record next month, according to loading programs obtained by Bloomberg. Luaibi added that he had spoken to BP about increasing output at the Rumaila field, the nation's largest. Toby Odone, a BP spokesman in London, declined to comment. Iraq, holder of the world's fifthlargest crude reserves, produces and exports most of its oil from the Shiite-dominated south, which remains largely unaffected by the clashes. Gunmen Wednesday seized the 20,000 barrel-a-day Ajeel oil

Japan consumer price growth hits three per cent

ONSUMER prices in Japan rose at a yearly rate of 3.4 per cent in May, the fastest pace in 32 years, as the effect of the sales tax hike started to be felt. Japan raised its sales tax rate from five per cent to eight per cent on April 1. The price growth in May follows a 3.2 per cent jump in April and is a big boost for Japan's attempt to trigger inflation. Japan has been battling deflation, or falling prices, for best part of the past two decades and that has hurt domestic demand and stifled growth. The Japanese government has

MSMEs to build capacity and attract credit to their businesses. The objective, Okere said, would enable the 17.7 MSMEs to build sufficient capacity to employ an additional staff each. This will create an additional 17.7million jobs, fuelling inclusive growth. He urged NIGF, led by the Local Multistakeholder Advisory Group (LMAG) and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), the managers of .NG country code domain name, to partner MSMEs.

taken various steps over the past few months to try and reverse this trend, and the country's central bank has set a target of a two year inflation rate. The measures, which include boosting the country's money supply, have started to have an impact and consumer prices in the country have now risen for 12 months in a row. Virtually the entire surge in the consumer price index (CPI) over the past two months can be attributed to April's consumption tax hike" Policymakers have been hoping that once prices start to rise, con-

sumers and business will be encouraged to start spending and not hold back on purchases, as they may have to pay more later on. The tax hike in April was the first in 17 years. The increase comes as Japan is facing rising social welfare costs due to an ageing population. At the same time, the country is trying to rein in its public debt which at nearly 230 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) is the highest among industrialised nations. The tax hike is expected to help ease some of the financial burden of the government.

field, which remains inactive, in the northern oil hub of Kirkuk, police said. Brent crude, the global benchmark grade, was down 0.1 per cent at $113.86 a barrel just after 11 am. Prices have dropped by over one per cent since reaching a nine-month high on June 19. Brent may slip back toward $110 "in the near term" as the fighting in Iraq has not disrupted output, according to a report issued by Danske Bank A/S. Luaibi said exports averaged over 2.5 million barrels a day this month, but did not make an estimate for July. Government troops continue to control the state-run North Oil Co. and the Baiji refinery, the country's largest, Luaibi said. Baiji has been shut since June 15 after Sunni insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria tried to seize the 310,000 barrels-a-day plant. "The Iraqi Oil Ministry will not allow any party to infringe on its establishments or installations," he said. "The Oil Ministry is working to regain control of any oil installation taken by gunmen." The northern Kirkuk oil field is defended by troops from the selfgoverning Kurdistan Regional Government, which controls 45 billion barrels of crude reserves. The rest of Iraq holds 150 billion barrels in proven crude reserves.

LAST year, North Korea’s economy grew by 1.1 per cent in according to estimates by South Korea's central bank. It is the country's third consecutive year of positive growth, in spite of international sanctions against it. The Bank of Korea puts North Korea's gross national income (GNI) at 33.8 trillion won (£19.6billion), or roughly 2.3 per cent of South Korea's GNI of 1,441tn won. The bank said last year's expansion reflected gains in agriculture and mining. North Korea - which does not release its own economic data - is heavily sanctioned under UN resolutions for its nuclear and missile tests dating back to 2006. The UN Security Council's sanctions on Pyongyang target the country's missile and nuclear programmes and attempt to punish North Korea's reclusive leadership through a ban on the export of luxury goods to the country.

Canada factory and raw material prices fall

CANADIAN industrial product prices unexpectedly fell last month, due largely to cheaper energy and a stronger currency, while prices for raw materials fell by more than predicted in May, principally because of cheaper animals. Statistics Canada reported on Friday that factory prices were 0.5 per cent lower in May than in April, after a 0.2 per cent drop in April. They were 3.4 per cent higher from May 2013. The raw materials price index fell 0.4 per cent on the month, the first decline since November, but rose 7.6 per cent on the year. The median forecasts in a Reuters survey of economists was for no change in product prices from the month before, and a 3.8 per cent increase on the year; and a 0.1 per cent monthly fall in raw materials prices and a 7.5 per cent rise on the year.

Judge schedules new Argentine debt hearing

A UNITED States judge has scheduled a hearing for Friday in the latest twist in Argentina's attempt to manage its debts. It follows a complaint from hedge funds about the country's plans to make a payment to creditors who participated in its past restructurings. The Argentine government has been in a 12-year legal battle in the US courts. It is fighting investors who have refused to agree to join a debt restructuring agreement. The South American country defaulted in 2001 following an economic crisis, and has been in a legal battle with bondholders led by hedge funds NML and Aurelius Capital Management.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

TAXATION

Self-assessment practice

HE self-assessment tax regime is a system of tax administration whereby a taxpayer is granted the right by law to compute his liability pay the tax due and produce evidence of tax paid at the time of filling returns. Returns: This refers to an act of submission by individuals or companies of a record of financial statement and other required related documents to the tax offices for a specific financial year. The law requires every company (including a company granted exemption from incorporation) to, at least once in every year without notice or demand, make and deliver to the tax authority a return in the form of: 1) The audited accounts, tax and capital allowances computations and a true and correct statement in writing containing the amount of profits from each and every source; 2) A declaration which shall be signed by a director or secretary of the company that the returns contain a true and correct statement of the amount of its profits computed in respect of all sources and that the particulars in such returns are true and complete. • For newly incorporated companies, the submission shall be within eighteen months from the date of its incorporation or not later than six months after the end of its first accounting period, whichever is earlier. • For existing companies – companies that have been in business for more than 18 months – the submission shall be not more than six months after the close of the company’s accounting year. The taxpayer bears the burden of accurately calculating his liabilities, pays the tax due and files self-assessed returns on or before the due date. The tax returns are accepted by the tax officers as filed, subject to simple arithmetic checks to ensure that tax forms are duly completed. The tax authority may subject the returns to further administrative checks to determine whether or not a taxable person self-assessed less than what ought to be. Where the taxpayer fails to meet his obligations, sanctions are immediately applied. Non-filers are subjected to administrative assessment that are based on information obtained from the tax payer and other sources with appropriate penalties and interest effective after the due date; it relies heavily on post-filing controls such as riskbased audits, collection enforcement measures etc. Composition of Returns A. Company Income Tax 1) Duly signed audited account or statements of affairs 2) Tax computation 3) Capital allowances computation 4) Schedule of assets 5) Duly completed self-assessment forms (Company Income Tax and Education Tax) 6) Evidence of payment of the taxes due (or as applicable) B. Petroleum Profit Tax • Computation of estimated adjusted profit or loss; • Estimated assessable profit of that period; • A schedule showing: • The residue at the end of that period in respect of its assets, • All qualifying petroleum expenditures incurred in that period, • The value of any of its assets disposed in that period, and • The allowances due it under that schedule for that period. • A computation of its estimated chargeable profits of that period. • A statement of other sums, deductable under section 22 of Petroleum Profit Tax Act (PPTA), the liabilities for which were incurred during that period. • A statement of all amounts repaid, refunded, waived or released to it, as referred to in subsection of its estimated tax for that period. C. Personal Income Tax • Completed income tax forms (Form A) in the prescribed form: • Statement of the amount of income from every source, • Particulars of income, allowance, relief etc,

• Declaration/attestation of the correctness of returns by taxable persons, • Forms to be signed by a director of the company, and the secretary of the company. • Evidences of payment of tax. D. Pay As You Earn (PAYE) • Completed Form A (income tax form for returns of income and claims for allowances and relief) • Form H1 (annual income declaration) • A schedule of tax deduction from the employer containing the following information; • Name of the employer • Tax Identification Number (TIN) of the employer • Name of employees • TIN of employee • Basic salary • Allowances • Tax charges • Overall total charged and remitted • Evidence of payment of tax. E. Value Added Tax (VAT) • Fully completed Form 002 • Value of all taxable goods and services purchased or supplied during the preceding month. • Evidence of input tax deducted (as much as possible). • Evidence of payment of tax. Filling: This is an act of compliance with the tax law which requires that returns must be submitted within a stipulated period (statutory due date) regarding an individual or a company. Due dates of filling returns: This refers to statutory date by which a company or individual taxpayer, depending on the tax type, must file its tax returns or risk a relevant sanction which may include being charged penalty and interest on a varying degree as the relevant tax law prescribes. Section 41 of CITA provides: 1) “Every company including a company granted exemption from incorporation shall, whether or not a company is liable to pay tax under this Act for a year of assessment, with or without notice from the Service, file a self-assessment return with the Service in the prescribed form at least once a year.” 2) “Subject to this Act or any organization made thereunder the time of filing returns shall be:a) In the case of a company that has been in a business for more than 18 months, not more after the end of the accounting year and; b) In the case of newly incorporated company within 18 months from the date of its incorporation or not less than 6 months after the end of its accounting period, whichever is easier, in addition, the form of returns shall be signed by a managing director of the company and the secretary respectively.” 3) “Any company which fails to comply with the provision of sub-section 2 shall be liable to pay as penalty for late filing as follows:a) N25,000 in the first month in which the failure occurs, and b) N5,000 for each subsequent month in which the failure continues.” Part III, Section 12 of VAT law as amended provides: 4) “A taxable person shall render to the board, on or before the 21st day of the month following that in which the purchase or supply was made, a return of all taxable goods and services purchased or supplied by him during the preceding month in such manner as the board may, from time to time, determine.” 5) “A person who imports taxable goods into Nigeria shall render to the board returns on all the taxable goods imported by him into Nigeria.” Part IV, Section (1) of the Personal Income Tax as amended, provides: 6) “For each year of assessment, a taxable person shall, without notice or demand therefore, file a return of income in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed information with the tax authority of the state in which the taxable person is deemed to be a resident, together with a true and correct statement in writing con-

‘Where the taxpayer fails to meet his obligations, sanctions are immediately applied. Non-filers are subjected to administrative assessment that are based on information obtained from the tax payer and other sources with appropriate penalties and interest effective after the due date; it relies heavily on post-filing controls such as risk-based audits, collection enforcement measures’

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed Mashi

‘If there is a failure to file a selfassessment return on due the date, Section 55(1) (2) and (3) of CITA 2004 as updated in 2007 provide the penalty of N25,000.00 in the first month in which the failure occurs, and N5,000 for each month in which the failure continues’ taining:a) The amount of income from every source of the year proceeding the year of assessment computed in accordance with the provision of this Act and rules or regulation made there under, and b) Such particulars as by the return may be required for the purpose of this Act and rules or regulations made there under with respect to any such income, allowance, relief, deduction or otherwise as may be material for the purpose.” 7) “The form of return shall contain a declaration which shall be by or on behalf of the taxable peWrson that the return contains a true and correct statement of the income computed in accordance with the provisions of this Act and rule or regulation made there under or that particulars given in the return are true and complete.” 8) “A taxable person shall file with the relevant tax authority the returns as stipulated in this section within 90 days from the commencement of every year of assessment.” Consequence of failure to file returns on due date • If there is a failure to file a self-assessment return on due the date, Section 55(1) (2) and (3) of CITA 2004 as updated in 2007 provide the penalty of N25,000.00 in the first month in which the failure occurs, and N5,000 for each month in which the failure continues. • Where an offence that relates to failure to file returns is proved to have been committed by the consent or connivance or to be attributed to, any neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer, servant or agent of company as well as the company, Section 55(5) of CITA 2004 as updated in 2007 provide the penalty of fine not exceeding N100, 000 or imprisonment of not less than six months or both fine and imprisonment. • Where there is a failure to furnish a statement or information or keep the records required, Section 85 of CITA 2004 as updated in 2007 provides a penalty of N20,00 and N2,000 for each day during which the failure continues and six months imprisonment in default of payment. • Any person who aids, abets, counsels, incites or induces any other person to make or deliver any false return or statement under the CITA, keep or prepare any false accounts or particulars concerning any profits on which tax is payable under the CITA, or unlawfully refuse or neglect to pay tax will be subject to the provisions of Section 94(2) CITA, 2004 as updated in 2007 to a penalty of N1000 fine or five years imprisonment or both, fine and imprisonment.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

POLITICS

MONDAY JUNE 30, 2014

THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated its national executive elected at the party’s convention. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the issues that the leadership must address, ahead of the next year’s general elections.

Challenges before Odigie-Oyegun

HE maiden national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was successful. The turn-out at the convention held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, was impressive. The six geo-political zones of the country adequately represented. The high point of the event was the election of a substantive National Executive Committee headed by former Edo State Governor John Odigie-Oyegun to replace the interim executive committee led by Chief Bisi Akande. Political observers say the choice of Odigie-Oyegun, a Christian from the Southsouth zone, would allay the fears of some Nigerians that the party hierarchy is dominated by Muslims. Many party officers emerged through consensus, an indication that there was no acrimony over the emergence of the new executive. But, there were pockets of disagreements in the wake of the historic event that forced some party leaders, including Chief Tom Ikimi and Chief Olusegun Osoba to stay away. So, the Odigie-Oyegun leadership would be automatically saddled with the task of addressing their grievences in the interest of unity and harmony. The task before the new executive is daunting. Some of the areas that would task the political skills of the Odigie-Oyegun team include the post-convention reconciliation; the selection of the presidential candidate and his running mate, the projection of the APC roadmap to Nigerians, and the challenge of the next general elections.

• Chief Odigie-Oyegun

•Asiwaju Tinubu

‘The task before the new executive is daunting. Some of the areas that would task the political skills of the Odigie-Oyegun team include the postconvention reconciliation; the selection of the presidential candidate and his running mate, the projection of the APC roadmap to Nigerians, and the challenge of the next general elections’

Reconciliation The immediate challenge facing the executive is how to reconcile the aggrieved members, who have distanced themselves from the party. For instance, controversy trailed the conduct of the ward, local government and state congresses that preceded the convention. There were claims of imposition in some chapters. In Ogun State, for instance, the two factions are working at cross-purposes. How the Odigie-Oyegun led executive handles the disagreement would determine how far it can go in maintaining peace in the chapter. The Olusegun Osoba group has complained about marginalisation because the defunct interim national leadership recognised the executive committee supported by Governor Ibikunle Amosun as the authentic executive committee in the state. APC National Legal Adviser Dr. Muiz Banire acknowledged that there were problems arising from the wards congress. He said one of the major challenges facing the new executive is how to reconcile and assuage the feelings of the aggrieved. He said: “Their concerns would be addressed appropriately. We can’t afford to leave anybody behind in our journey. Every member has to be on board. The reconciliation of members that are a bit unhappy with the system is our priority.” The Convener of Nigerian Voters Assembly, Comrade Moshood Erubami, said the success of the new executive would be determined by its ability to blend divergent interest groups within the party. The rights activist said “the

• Gen. Buhari

• Dr Onu

success of Odigie-Oyegun will depend on his ability to unite the fold.” Erubami said the APC leadership should condone disagreement within its ranks. “The leaders should allow every shade of opinion to be heard,” he said, adding that the executive must also avert arises in the course of strategising towards the 2015 elections. The civil society activist said it is time for the APC to reassess its strategies and let Nigerians discern their true capabilities. “There should not be anything hidden; let the wishes of the majority hold sway in any decision making process. That is the challenge of the Odigie-Oyegun’s leadership,” he added. Former Minister of Petroleum Resources Professor Tam DavidWest warned against the danger of allowing internal crises to distract the party the preparations for the general elections. He said the party provides a better alternative for Nigerians to kick out the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This opportunity should be not squandered, he added.

Presidential ticket Will the party zone its presidential candidate to a particular part of the country? A Political Scientist, Dr Ralph Ejiofor advised the party against zoning its presidential ticket to a region. Rather, he said the party should create a level playing field for every member

• Owelle Okorocha

that is interested in the highest office. He said a party of progressive elements should allow its presidential candidate to emerge through open and transparent process. He advised the APC to allow the best candidate to emerge, irrespective of religion, ethnic or sectional interests. “With that, the best and popular among the aspirants would emerge,” he said. Ejiofor enjoined the new executive to allow internal democracy to reign in decision making. He said the era of imposition of candidates was over. All aspirants for elective offices should emerge through primaries or consensus. According to him, the process through which the candidates emerge will determine the chances of the APC at the poll. He advised the party to project APC as a platform for all Nigerians, irrespective ot tribe and religion, adding that its leadership should be sensitive to the PDP propaganda. Ejiofor argued that the religious situation in Nigeria today is particularly delicate, especially given the malicious bombing of churches and mosques and killing of innocent persons by the Boko Haram insurgents in the North. Banire debunked the rumour that the APC has zoned its presidential and vice presidential tickets to certain zones or regions. He said the ticket is open to every member, irrespective of where he or she comes from. He noted that there are speculations and discussions on the issue, adding that there is

no official position yet. On the mode of selection of the presidential candidate, Banire said that the party will be guided by its constitution. The constitution, he said, provides that the presidential candidate should emerge through primaries or consensus. He emphasised that, whichever way, the decision has to be taken at the convention. “Nobody can tell you who will be the presidential candidate of the APC. We don’t zero our mind on a particular aspirant. We will be more transparent in picking the party’s standard bearer than any other party. The APC is a credible alternative to the PDP. We have to demonstrate to the whole world that we are superior to them. Change has come. There will be no imposition of candidates. This is a new era. People will decide who should be the party’s standard bearer,” he stressed.

Party manifesto According to political observers, what matters to the electorate is the party’s programme, particularly the difference it would make, in terms of making a positive impact on the life of the people. Many are of the opinion that the time is ripe for the APC to start selling its programmes to the electorate in an articulate and positive manner. The new APC Chairman, they say, must bring his experience to bear on the mass mobilisation and sensiti-

sation of people to the strategic importance of the APC roadmap. A grassroot politician, Alhaji Usman Maitaba, advised the new APC leadership to deploy party members to the rural areas, with a view to marketing its programmes. According to Maitaba, reaching out to the rural dwellers who constitute large percentage of voters would offer them the opportunity of knowing that there is a better alternative to the PDP. He called on the APC to translate its manifestos into local languages for foster a beeter understanding among voters. The party, he said, should not wait for the commencement of ethe lectioneering campaign before reaching out to the people. Erubami said the major challenge before the Odigie-Oyegun is the mobilisation for change in 2015. “The formation of the APC is the greatest thing that has happened. It has created the opportunity for the people to make a choice in 2015,” he stressed. The activist urged the party to use its membership to seize power from the PDP. Erubami observed that the welfarist programme of the APC puts it in good stead to wrest power from the ruling party. However, Prof. David-West said that an APC-controlled Federal Government would turn the country around within six months. He said the party’s manifesto, if implemented, would restore hope and confidence in the people.

2015 elections Stakeholders believe that the ultimate goal of any political party is to win powe. Less than eight months to the next elections, is the APC ready for the challenge? Banire said the party is ready. His words: “If we manage ourselves and the goodwill we enjoy all over the country, 2015 will be a walkover for us. The party enjoys tremendous goodwill across the country.” Against the backdrop of the outcome of the Ekiti State governorship election , David-West warned the party not to take things for granted. He said the APC should plug all the holes in the PDP rigging machine. He added: “Over 700,000 voters registered and only 400,000 were allowed to vote. The INEC disenfranchised over 300,000 because they didn’t have voters’ cards, not because their names were not on the voters’ register.” David-West added: “Ekiti election was a mystery. The mystery must be resolved. The new APC leadership should find out the new strategy of the PDP in election rigging. This is very important because the PDP candidate Ayodele Fayose was quoted as saying that “our new strategy has worked”. It is very important to find out what the PDP meant by new strategy. “The APC has what it takes to win the 2015 general elections. The party should be extra vigilant. If the PDP wins again in 2015, Nigeria is finished. The leadership of the APC should not allow the result of the Ekiti governorship election to distract them from kicking out the PDP in 2015. All hopes are on APC to rescue the country from mismanagement and corruption which the PDP stand for.”

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

SPACE FOR SALE LOSS OF DOCUMENT

This is to notify the General Public that the Deed of Conveyance dated 16 th December, 1978 registered as No. 44 at Page 44 in Volume 1764 of the Lands Registry in the office at Lagos in respect of piece or parcel of Land at Ajuwon village near Iju Area, Lagos State belonging to MADAM JUMOKE JOSEPH is missing and all efforts to trace and find it proved abortive. This publication is for record purpose. Members of the Public are to take note.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

IN THE HIGH COURT OF LAGOS STATE OF NIGERIA PROBATE REGISTRY, IKEJA DIVISION WHEREAS the person whose names are set-out in the first Column under died intestate on the date and place stated in the said Column. AND WHEREAS the person or persons whose names and addresses and relationship (if any) to the deceased are set out in the second Column here have applied to the High Court of Lagos State for a Grant of Letter of Administration of the Real and Personal Properties of the deceased. NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Letters of Administration will be granted to such persons unless a NOTICE TO PROHIBIT THE GRANT is filed in the registry within (14) days from the date hereof. S/N 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75.

NAMES OF THE DECEASED PERSON:

S/N

Mr Sule Dan Asabe late of Block 1, Flat 1, Ijora GRA, Opposite Water Corporation Ijora, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of April, 2013 at Kaduna State. Alofe Ajayi Samuel (Otherwise known as Alofe Samuel Ajayi) late of 7, Ojaomo Street, Alapere Ketu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of February, 2014 at Lagos. Essien Joseph George late of Block 140, Flat 4, LSDPC Medium Phase 4, Ogba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 30th day of October, 2011 at Akwa Ibom. Mr Kayode Kufile late of 1, Kufile Crescent, Akinde Ojokoro, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 6th day of May, 2013 at Federal Medical Centre Yenogoa, Bayelsa State. Jerry Dike (Otherwise known as Dike Jerry) late of 48, Alhaji Haruna Street, Ogba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 11th day of February, 2012 at Federal Medical Centre Ondo. Mrs Folajoke Adenodi (Otherwise known as Folajoke Adenodi (Nee Akinfe) late of House 75, BM Street, Federal Hosuing Estate, Shagari Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on lthe 7th day of June, 2009 at U.S.A Miss Omotayo Saliu (Otherwise known as Saliu Omotayo) late of 1, Rafatu Oyekola Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 2nd day of July, 2012 at Luth, Idi Araba. Kabir Aderogba (Otherwise known as Kabir Ademola Aderogba) late of 2, Atoke Gbadebo Street, Bucknor Estate, Isolo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of November, 2012 at Health Gate Consult , Ojuelegba Surulere, Lagos. Mr Michael Babatunde Odejimi (Otherwise known as Odejinmi Michael B.) late of 20, Agboola Crescent, Ijegemo-Ijegun, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 20th day of March, 2012 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Mrs Umar N. Aisha (Otherwise known as Mrs Umar Nuhu Aisha (Nee Isah Aisha) late of Block 3, Flat 9, 3 Close, 4 Road, Festac Town, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of June, 2013 at Lagos. Osobukola Edward Obisesan (Otherwise known as Edward Obisesan Osobukola) late of 11, Daniel Ederowho Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 22nd day of August, 2006 at Lagos. Ekpagha Akpovofene late of 11, Baruwa Street, Agboju amuwo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of May, 2012 at Aniso Specialist Medical Centre, Uselu, Benin City. Adebayo Olusegun Isaiah (Otherwise known as Adebayo Isaiah Olusegun) late of 14, Omilade Street, Mafoluku Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of October, 2013 at Lagos. Mrs Esther Ebere Nwosu (Otherwise known as Mrs Esther Nwosu) late of 20, Jalipon Close, Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 2nd day of January, 2009 at Havana Specialist Hospital. James Patience late of 5, Shyllon Street, Ilupeju Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of May, 2012 at Mainland Hospital Yaba. Ebunoluwa Eyitomiwa Banjo late of 1, Spancer Street, Alagomeji Yaba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of March, 2012 at London. Oladapo Adeyi (Otherwise known as Adeyi Oladapo) late of 17, Tapa Street, Bariga, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of July, 2011 at Vital Medical Clinic. Okeke Linda Agnes (Miss) (Otherwise known as Mrs Okeke Linda and Linda Agnes Okeke) late of 13, Alfa-Nla Street, Agege, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 22nd day of October, 2012 at Alimosho General Hospital. Okwubunka-Ukachukwu (Otherwise known as Ukachukwu Okwubunka and Stephen) late of 4, Simeon Udoagwu Street, Tedi, Ojo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 31st day of March, 2013 at Abia State. Miss Victoria Okoro late of 7, Adekunle Street, Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 28th day of August, 2012 at Esteem Hospital, Lagos. Solanke Segun late of 1, Solanke Close, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of November, 2013 at National Hospital Abuja. Kasunmu Louis Olusegun (Otherwise known as Kasumu Olusegun) late of 16, Osapa Road, Lekki Eti-Osa, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of November, 2013 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Emmanuel Misheal Nanven (Otherwise known as Emmanuel Mischeal ) late of Line B, Block 2, Rm 22, Ijeh Police Barracks, Obalende, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of September, 2013 at General Hospital, Lagos. Francis Ami Balogun (Otherwise known as Francis Balogun and Balogun Francis) late of 10/12 Estaport Avenue, Soluyi, Gbagada, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of May, 1991 at UCH, Ibadan. Adebayo Samuel Adedeji (Otherwise known as Adebayo Adeniyi Michael) late of 1, Adedeji Adebayo Street, Anthony, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of April, 2013 at Lagos. Kamilu Ibikunle Wolimoh (Otherwise known as Wolimoh Kamilu Ibikunle) late of 23/24, Edu Street, Epe, Lagos State , deceased who died intestate on the 20th day of May, 1991 at Lagos. Mr Jackson Emekoma late of Block 19, Mobile Barracks, Idimu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of March, 2012 at Precious Hospital, Lagos. Mrs Bayomi Adeola Sodeinde (Otherwise known as Sodeinde Bayomi Adeola) late of 23, Omotayo Banwo Street, Ogudu, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of February, 2010 at Lagos. Caxton-Martins Ademola Ezekiel (Prof.) (Otherwise known as Professor Ezekiel Ademola Caxton-Martins and Caxton- Martins Ademola Ezekiel) late of 22B, Akinpelu Street, Bolade Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of December, 2012 at Ile-Ife , Osun State. Mr Evbotokhai Philip Taiwo (Otherwise known as Philip Taiwo Evbotokhai) late of 20, Christopher Akintimehin Street, Owutu, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 26th day of June, 2012 at Strong Tower Specialist Hospital, Lagos. Opeke Samuel late of 138, Okeira Street, Railway Compound, Ebute Metta, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of June, 2013 at Luth. Mr Babatunde Lateef late of 15, Jimoh Ogunlere Street, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 22nd day of April, 2014 at Lagos. Mr Oseni Sanni Sowemimo late of 6, Owonifari Street, Sango-Ota, Ogun State deceased who died intestate on the 26th day of December, 2007 at Otta. Mr Okosmat Odih late of 13, Olatunbosun Street, Egbeda, Alimosho, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of October, 2013 at Lagos. Oboh Joseph late of 22, Olubuade Street, Amukoko, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of July, 2013 at General Hospital Badagry. Olugbuyi Ogundipe Oludare (Otherwise known as Olugbuyi Ogundipe) late of 20, Market Street, Somolu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of December, 2013 at Offa, Kwara State. Mr Adetola Badejo (Otherwise known as Mr Adetola Osin Marcus Badejo and Mr Badejo Adetola) late of 7, Ladipo Street, Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of November, 2005 at 20, Akowojo Road, Egbeda, Lagos. Julius Olusegun Fadare (Otherwise known as Julius Segun Fadare late of 11, Bada Street, William Estate, Akowonjo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 25th day of January, 2013 at Lasuth. Sosanya Mosunmola Fausat (Otherwise known as Adelakun Mosunmola Fausat, Shosanya Mosunmola and Fausat Owotomo Adelankun) late of 6, Timi Agbele Street, Agbede, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of May, 2012 at General Hospital Ikorodu. Rasaq Salawu (Otherwise known as Salawu Rasaq Akanbi) late of 14, Babajide Street, Ipaye Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of May, 2013 at Lagos. Kwofie Grace U. (Otherwise known as Kwofie Grace and Kwofie Grace Unwa) late of Block 25 Engineering Close, Unilag Estate, Magodo, Isheri, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of April, 2012 at Ogun State Oladele Abisola Bisiriyi H. (Otherwise known as Oladele Bisiriyu Humulikhean Abisola and Oladele Abisola ) late of 11, Adebanjo Onabadejo Close, Akinyele Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 20th day of February, 2010 at Lagos. Olubunmi Ropo Fakiyesi (Otherwise known as Mrs Olubunmi Ropo Fakiyesi) late of 40, Macaulay Street, Apapa Road, Ebute Metta Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 10th day of November, 2006 at Lagos. Prince U. Nwatulegwu (Otherwise known as Prince Uzoma Nwalulegwu ) late of 21, Diran Alake Street, Oshogunle, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 10th day of June, 2012 at Lagos. Victor Ifeanyi Godwin (Otherwise known as Mr Victor Ifeanyi Godwin and Victor Godwin ) late of 14, Jarinat Alaba Street, Ebuwawa Ikorodu, Oyo State, deceased who died intestate on the 3rd day of May, 2012 at Oyo. Oladejo Ezekiel Oladeji Joseph (Otherwise known as Oladejo Ezekiel) late of 8, Ibikunle Ademola Street, Ikola Odunsi Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 25th day of December, 2012 at Lagos. Safurani Kehinde Adedeji late of 34, Diamond Close, Off Ikugbon Mire Street, Mowe deceased who died intestate on the 31st day of January, 2014 at Lagos. Mrs Akindiji Mary (Otherwise known as Mrs Mary Nkem Dibia-Akindiji) late of 9, ogunbiyi Adande Street, Omole Phase I, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of September, 2013 at Lagos. Ajayi Solomon Babatunde (Otherwise known as Solomon Babatunde Ajayi) late of 10, Akinlade Savage, Iju, Ishaga, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 24th day of November, 2011 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Victor Eromosele (Otherwise known as Mr Victor Eromosele) late of 19, Feyintola Street, Abule Egbe, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of January, 2012 at Lagos. Juliet Chineye Akinrinde (Otherwise known as Mrs Akinrinde Juliet Chineye and Nnadiugwu Chineye) late of 13, Ajibola Arowolo Street, Ajangbadi, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of January, 2013 at Badagry General Hospital. Lawal Jamiu Alade (Alhaji) (Otherwise known as Alhaji Jamiu Alade Lawal) late of 5, Moshalasi Street, Gbagada, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 2nd day of November, 2011 at General Hosptial Gbagada. Adejumo Morufat Adenike (Otherwise known as Adenike Morufat Jaiyesimi and Mrs Adenike Jaiyesimi) late of Block 68, Flat 3, Meran Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of April, 2011 at Lagos. Iheukwumere Nnochiri late of 43, Oladehinde Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 12th day of January, 2012 at Abia State. Ayodele Olapeju (Otherwise known as Mrs Ayodele Margret Olapeju) late of 3, Prince Wale Ajayi Street, Off Abaraje Road, Ikotun, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 28th day of November, 2012 at Ogun State. Showemimo Justina Omazor (Otherwise known as Mrs Showemimo Justina Omazor and Mrs Showemimo O. Justina) late of 14, Cashew Close, Obadore Along Lasu Isheri Road, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 4th day of January, 2013 at Lagos. Opara Cosmos (Otherwise known as Mr Cosmos Opara) late of 20, Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of June, 2013 at Lagos. Adewumi Comfort Chika (Otherwise known as Mrs Adewumi Comfort) late of 2, Olanrewaju Tawo Street, Obadore Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of June, 2013 at Lagos. Oyebowale Mufutau Alani (Otherwise known as Mufutau Oyebowale Alani) late of 11, Adeniji Eleru Street, Abule Egba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 13th day of July, 2010 at Lasuth Ikeja. Mrs Mumini Lafitat Ajoke (Otherwise known as Mrs Latifat Ajoke Mumini and Mumuni Latifat ) late of 3, Idewu Close, Bale, Orile , Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 28th day of February, 2013 at Lagos. Fatoye Oyinade Janet late of Plot 2, Harmony Drive, Harmony Estate, Ogba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of September, 2012 at Lagos. Mrs Theresa Olufunmilola Solesi (Otherwise known as Mrs Solesi Theresa Olufunmilola) late of Block 12, Flat 2, Ibic Model Estate, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of July, 2013 at Lagos. Mrs Comfort Akpabio (Otherwise known as Mrs Akpabio C.E.O.) late of 9, Alhaji Imam Thanni Street, Ijehsatedo Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of June, 2005 at General Hospital, Lagos. Williams Rebecca late of 20B, Ogunsolu Street, Cement Bus Stop, Abeokuta Expressway, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of February, 2014 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Asikhia Joseph Odeikhdoa (Otherwise known as Odeikhoa and Asikiha Joseph ) late of 46, Akinola Street, Bariga, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 25th day of December, 2006 at General Hospital , Ikeja. Emeka Agoha (Otherwise known as Mr Agoha Emeka) late of 18, Nwajei Street, Ori Okuta, Agric Bus Stop, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of December, 2012 at Delta State. Mudashiru Aremu Adebiyi late of 25/27, Aina Street, Adelemo Alakuko, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of November, 2011 at London. Rufina Ojobo Augustine (Otherwise known as Agustine Rufina and Ojobo Augustine Rufina) late of Single Quarter Mounted Troop Police Barrack Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died on the 29th day of July, 2011 at Gbagada General Hospital Rosie Friday Nsikan (Otherwise knonw as Nsikan Rosie Friday) late of 5, Adeola Avenue, Karaole Estate, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of June, 2012 at Lagos. Olusanya Moses Oludotun (Otherwise known as Pa Moses Oludotun Olusanya) late of 17th Irepodun Street, Agiliti Mile 12, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 13th day of September, 2013 at Lagos. Cyrina Anyanwu (Otherwise known as Cyrina Ngozi Anyawu) late of 20, Odewale Street, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 10th day of August, 2012 at Olive Hospital, Lagos. Ngwu Cyprian Umezurike (Otherwise known as Ngwu Cyprian) late of 27, Bola Ademuyiwa Street, Isolo, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 12th day of August, 2013 at Enugu. Kayode Adesanya late of Plot 55, Flat 6, Abesan Estate Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 28th day of April, 1992 at Maritol Medical Centre, Surulere. Agboluaje Wakeel Gege (Otherwise known as Alh. W.A.Gege Agboluaje) late of 6, Femi Ayeni Street, Agbado, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of December, 2011 at Lagos. Adediji Olanrewaju Stephen late of 17, Kehinde Abass Street, Iba Lasu Ojo Road, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 10th day of February, 2014 at Orile Agege General Hospital.

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NAMES OF APPLICANT APPLYING FOR THE GRANT

Mrs Stella Dan -Suleiman and Miss Ediben Macy Dan Sule, both of Phase 4, Road 2, Nyanya, Abuja , widow and the only child respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Alofe Ajayi Rebecca, Miss Alofe Ajayi Mary both of 7, Ojaomo Street, Alapere, Ketu, Lagos, and Mr Ayodeji Ogundipe of 10, Samora Street, Elebiju Ketu, Lagos, widow , one of the children and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Ekaete I. Bassey and Tony Akpan Essien both of Block 140, Flat 4, LSDPC Medium Phase 4, Ogba, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mr Opeolu Ebenezer Kufile and Mr Ibukun Olasupo Kufile both of 1, Kufile Crescent, Ojokoro Lagos, father and brother respectively of the said deceased Clement Dike, Agness Dike and Glory Dike all of 48, Haruna Street, ogba, Lagos, father , mother and sister respectively of the said deceased. Mr Olusimiade Adenodi and Ms Olufunke Adenodi Akinbuli both of House 75, BM Street, Federal Housing Estate Shagari Ipaja, Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Alhaji Ashiru Aremu Saliu and Mrs Modupe Saliu both of 1, Rafatu Oyekola Street, Ejigbo Lagos, father and mother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Hafsat Olatundun Aderogba and Akeem Kolawole Aderogba both of 2, Atoke Gbadebo Street, Bucknor Estate, Isolo, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Bose Elizabeth Odejimi and Miss Afolakemi Odejimi both of 20, Agboola Crescent, Ijegemo-Ijegun, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Umar Nuhu and Umar Muhammed Mufeed both of Block 3, Flat 9, 3 Close, 4 Road, Festac Town, Lagos, widower and the only child respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Susan Olufunke Osobukola and Mr Adewale James Osobukola both of 5B, Obabunmi Street, Abule Taylor, Abule-Egba, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ovie Ekpagha and Omotigho B. Ekpagha both of 31, Oyemekun Street, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mr Michael Adekunle Adebayo and Mr Adebayo Olufemi David both of 14, Omilade Street, Mafoluku Oshodi, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Josephine Adaku Nwosu Youdeowei of 3rd Avenue N Close, House 10, Festac Town, Lagos, and Chioma Agatha Nwadibia of 25, Trans Amadi Road Port Harcourt, mother and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. James Michael, James Dorcas and James Emmanuel all of 5, Shyllon Street, Ilupeju, Mushin, Lagos, three of the children of the said decased. Banjo Oluwatosin and Mrs Ololade Agbomire both of 1, Spencer Street, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos widower and sister respectively of the said deceased. Toyin Adeyi and Fasasi Jamiu both of 17, Tapa Street, Bariga, Lagos, one of the children and uncle respectively of the said decased. Alphonsus Okeke of 28, Ajala Street, Council Ikotun, Lagos, the only brother of the said deceased. Okwubunka Okwuchi and Okwubunka Chibueze both of 4, Simeon Udoagwu Street Tedi , Ojo, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Remy O. Opah of 7, Adekunle Street, Oshodi, Lagos, the only brother of the said deceased. Adunni Solanke and Adekunle Monsuru Aina both of 1, Solanke Close, Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Kasunmu Ceclia Olusola of 16, Osapa Road, lekki Lagos and Kasunmu Paulinus Ayodele of LSDPC Ojokoro Estate, Block 19, Flat 6, Lagos widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Paullina Nanven of Line B, Block 2, Room 22 Ijeh Police Barracks Obalende and Lucas Nanven of BT 75, Flat 2B Gowon Estate, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased Olusegun Odufeso and Biola Odufeso both of 10/12 Estaport Avenue, Soluyi, Gbagada, Lagos, two grand children of the said deceased. Adebayo Adekunle David and Adebayo Adeniyi Michael both of 1, Adedeji Adebayo Street, Anthony, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Wolimoh Risikat and Wolimoh Halliah both of 8, Joseph Ayodele Babalola Street, Igando, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Mrs Patience Emekoma and Mr Ebuka Emekoma both of Block 19, Flat 3, Car Wash Mobile Barracks, Idimu, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Akijoye Olugbemiro Sodeinde of 28, Oremeji Street, Magodo, Lagos, only surviving child of the said deceased. Mrs Abimbola Caxton-Martins, Miss Abioye Caxton Martins and Miss Modupeola Caxton-Martins all of 67, Iyun Road, Surulere, Lagos, widow and two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Evbotokhai Yemisi Kuburat and Akomolafe Abigail Kehinde both of 20, Christopher Akintimehin Street, Owutu Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and sister respectively of the said decased. Mrs Aina Olamidehinwa Samuel, Mrs Nkechi C. Samuel and Miss Oluwaseun Stella Samuel all of 138, Okeira Street, Railway Compound, Ebute Metta, Lagos, two widows and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Toyin Babatunde and Miss Zainab Babatunde both of 15, Jimoh Ogunlere Street, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Fatai Sanni Sowemimo, Madam Kuburatu Ajibola (Nee Sowemimo) and Madam Ayoka Agboke all of 6, Owonifari Street, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, the children and niece respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Regina Azuka odih and Miss Rebecca Ifechukwude Odih both of 13, Olatunbosun Street, Egbeda, Alimosho, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Godfrey George Oboh of 9, Idowu Fadeyi Close, Idimu Road, Ejigbo, Lagos, the only surviving child of the said deceased. Mrs Olusola Adebola Ogundipe of 20, Market Street, Somolu, Lagos, and Mrs Abosede Oresajo of Plot 17, Solomon Niran Aluko Crescent , Ikosi, Ketu, Lagos, mother and aunt respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Mojisola Adeniyi and Miss Seun Badejo both of 7, Ladipo Street, Mushin, lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Adetola Olusegun Fadare, Olaolu Alaba Fadare and Adegoke Olalekan Fadare all of 11, Bada Street, William Estate, Akowonjo, Lagos, three of the children of the said deceased. Sosanya Abdulrasaq, Sosanya Ayodeji and Sosanya Oluwafemi all of 6, Timi Agbele Street, Agbede, Ikorodu, Lagos, widower and two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ekelojuoti Faidat (Nee Salawu) of 37, Akoro Street, Mushin, Lagos , Samsideen Salawu of 2, Omololu Amukoko, Street, lagos, and Rashidat Salawu of 14, Babajide Street, Ipaye , Lagos, widow and two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Prof. Emmanuel Nwiah Kwofie and John Idaresit Kwofie both of Block 25, Enginnering Close, Unilag Estgate, Magodo, Isheri, Lagos , widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Bashiru O. Oladele and Azeez A. Sanni both of 11, Adebayo Onabadejo Close, Akinyele Ipaja, Lagos, widower and brother respectively of the said deceased. Fastus Segun Fakiyesi and Abisayo Iyanuoluwa Fakiyesi both of 5, Church Street, Igbo Oluwo, Ikorodu, Lagos, widower and the only child respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Eziwanyi J. Nwatulegwu, Uche Uzoma Nwatulegwu and Nwokoma Nwatulegwu both of 21, Diran-Alake Street, Ogundele Shogunle, Lagos, widow , one of the children and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Nike Folake Godwin and Miss Rhoda O. Godwin both of Jarinat Alaba Street, Ebuwawa N. Corodu widow and the only child respectively of the said deceased. Oladeji Olalekan of 8, Ibikunle Ademola Street, Ikola Odunsi Street, Ipaja and Oladeji Omobolanle of No. 1, Dita Street, off Offin Canal Lagos Island widow and one of the children respectively of the sai deceased. Olatunde Adedoyin Adedeji and Nuratu Adedeji both of 34,Diamond Close, off Ikugbonmire Street, Mowe , two of the children of the said deceased . Mr Onyejebose Sijewere, Mrs Sylveria Ijewere, Mrs Yewande Olupitan and Mr Akinlolu A. Akindiji all of 9, Ogunbiyi Adande Street, Omole Phase I, Ikeja, Lagos, four children of the said deceased. Olusola Olusegun Ajayi and Oluwasayo Mary Ajayi all of 10, Akinlade Savage Iju Ishaga, Lagos, two of the children of the said deeceased. Kate Eromosele and Micheal Eromosele both of 19, Feyintola Street, Abule Egba, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Festus B. Akinrinde and Daniel Akinrinde both 312, Plot 142, Iba Housing Estate, Lagos, widower and father-in-law respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Olamide Lawal and Mrs Olabisi Adebayo both of 5, Moshalasi Street, Gbagada, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said decased. Jaiyesimi A. Wasiu and Babatunde Taofeek Adejumo both of Block 68, Flat 3, Meran , Lagos, widower and brother respectively of the said deceased. Lolo Nnochiri and Alex Obioma Alago both of 43, Oladehinde Street, Aguda, Surulere, lagos, widow and uncle respectively of the said deceased. Mr George Olusola Benco and Mr Oluwole Benjamin both of 3, Prince Wale Ajayi Street, Off Obaranje Road, Ikotun , Lagos, two brothers of the said deceased. Showemimo Ebenezer Aremu and Showemimo Peter Kayode both of 14, Cashew Close, Obadore Along Lasu Isheri Road, Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Anthonia Durotioluwa Opara of 20, Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, and Mr Opara Ifeanyi Anthony of 39, Lafenwa Street, Ejigbo, Lagos widow and brother-in-law respectively of the said deceased. Adewumi Idowu Thomas and Adewumi Daniel Iretiogo both of 2, Olanrewaju Taiwo Street, Obadore Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ganiyat Oyebowale Azeez of 6, Salau Ayo Alakuko , Lagos, and Kafilat Oyebowale Fatai of 2, Temitayo Street, Alagbado, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Alhaji Mumini Jimoh Ogunlanki and Mr Mumini Mubarak both of No, 5 Fagbayi Street, Otto, Ebute Metta, Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Joseph Musa Fatoye, Fatoye Abayomi Ayodele and Fatoye Olajumoke Bosede all of Plot 2, Harmony Estate, Ogba, Lagos, widow and two of the children respectiuvely of the said deceased. Mr Olusola T. Solesi, Mrs Mosunmola Y. Dairo, Mr Adeoye O. Solesi and Miss Olujumoke A. Solesi all of Block 12, Flat 2, LBIC Model Estate, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos, widower and three of the children respectively of the said deceased. Emma O. Effiong Akpabio asnd Ime O. Effiong Akpabio both of 9, Alhaji Imam Thanni Street, Ijeshatedo, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Amos Williams E. and Glory Bassey Ben both of 20B, Ogunsolu Street, Cement Bus stop Abeokuta Expressway Ikeja, Lagos, brother and cousin respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Asikhia Mercy , Mr Asikhia Eseche and Sunday Asikhia all of 46, Akinola Street, Bariga, Lagos widow and one of the children respectively of the said decased. Blessing Agoha (Nee Ohai) and Chichi Agoha both of 18, Nwajei Street, ori Okuta Agric Bus Stop, Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and sister respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Victoria Adebiyi and Miss Adeola F. Adebiyi both of 25/27 Aina Street, Adelemo Alakuko, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ojobo Solomon Rufina and Ojobo Benjamin both of Single Quarter Mounted Troop Police Barrack Ikeja, Lagos, one of the children and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mr Friday Nsikan and Theresa Simon Bassey both of 5, Adeola Avenue, Karaole Estate, off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, widower and sister respectively of the said decased. Oluremilekun Olusanya of 53, Olasande Street, Papa Ajao Lagos, and Olusanya Modupe of No. 14, Irepodun Street, Agiliti Mile 12, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Mr Theophilus Ikechukwu Anyanwu and Anyanwu Rosemaria Ngozi both of 20, Odewale Street, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ngwu Eunice Uju and Ngwu Patrick Obinna both of 27, Bola Ademuyiwa Street, Isolo, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Olutola Dele Adesanya and Miss Funmilola Adesanya all of 21, Sofoluwe Street, Off Ajelanwa Fatade Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Adijat Agboluaje, Bukola Agboluaje both of 6, Femi Ayeni Street, Agbado, Lagos, and Adejoke Ajibola of 21, Unity Street, Oke Aro, widow and two children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Omolayo Abosede Adediji of 10, Akinleye Street, Oko Oba, Agege, Lagos, and Titilayo Adediji of 16, Adedoyin Street, Ijegun, Lagos, widow and sister respectively of the said deceased.

I.O.AKINKUGBE (MRS) PROBATE REGISTRAR

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NAMES OF THE DECEASED PERSON:

S/N

Mr Mudasiru Waliu (Otherwise known as Mr Mudasiru Waliu Abudu) late of 6, Elizabeth Street, Opposite Federal Government College Ijanikin, Lagos , deceased who died intestate on the 12th day of June, 2010 at General Hospital Badagry. Asagunla Basiru (Otherwise known as Asagunla Bashiru Adenekan) late of 13, Ogunlana Street, Egbeda, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of April, 2010 at Lagos. Raimi Omoniyi (Otherwise known as Alhaji Raheem Omoniyi Adebayo and Raheem Omoniyi Adebayo) late of 7, Ijero Lane Off Apapa Road, Ebute Metta, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of March, 2012 at Civil Service Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State. Ntuko Charles Chukwudi late of 5, Grace Ntuko Street, Arowojobe Mende Maryland, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 3rd day of June, 2012 at Lagos. Osobase Eric Onobun (Otherwise known as Onobun Osobase) late of Plot 421A, Omofade Crescent, Ikeja, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 13th day of April, 2014 at Benin City. Mr Opoosun Kolawole (Otherwise known as Mr Oposun Kolawole) late of 9, Alayo Peter Akinde Alakuko, Ajegunle, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 20th day of October, 2012 at Lasuth. Mr Waidi Atanda Adebayo (Otherwise known as Adebayo Waheed) late of 22, Durojaiye Street, Lawanson, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of February, 2009 at General Hospital, Lagos. Nwachukwu Ugochukwu late of 17B, Iseyin Street, Igando, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of February, 2013 at Lagos. Alhaji Rafiu Akinloye Oyelami (Otherwise known as Baba Pupa and Oyelami Rafiu Akintoye) late of 11, Alhaji Oyelami Street, Ketu Ijanikin Ojo, Lagos, deceased who died in testate on the 15th day of October, 2013 at Ibadan. Ikechukwu Mordi (Otherwise known as Ikechukwu Godson Mordi and Mordi Ikechukwu ) late of 16, Dosunmu Crescent, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of November, 2009 at Luth. Thomas Abimbola Felicia (Otherwise known as Thomas Abimbola F.) late of 15, Akinleye Street, Agege, Lagos , deceased who died intestate on the 26th day of March, 2012 at Ogun State. Elizabeth Oghonemu late of 3, Ganiat Gbagadesin Close, Alagbado, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 6th day of July, 2012 at Lasuth. Nzepuome Christiana U. (Otherwise known as Uwabuche Nwabueke and Nzepuome Christiana U.N.) late of 40B, 2nd Cooper Road, Railway Compound, Ebute Metta, Yaba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 11th day of July, 1995 at Abia State. Vincent Iroguehi Igbinoghene (Otherwise known as Vincent Iroguehi Enobore Igbinoghene) late of 8, Oke-Olu Road, Lawanson, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 12th day of November, 1975 at Luth. Mr Folajimi festus (Otherwise known as Richard Folajimi Fadureni and Mr Folajimi Richard Festus) late of 51, Association Avenue Shangisha, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of September, 2011 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Mr Odubela Oluwole Theophilus (Otherwise known as Odubela Oluwole) late of 2, Amoo Street, Oke Koto, Agege, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of December, 2012 at Lagos. Kehinde Shamusideen Aiyeloja (Otherwise known as Aiyeloja Kehinde) late of 28, Gbadamosi Street, Itunpate, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 22nd day of July, 2013 at Lagos. Apesin Gabriel Popoola (Otherwise known as Apesin Gabriel P.) late of 21, Shoetan Street, Ifako, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of April, 2011 at General Hospital Ifako Ijaiye. Sulaimon Tijani Adeleke late of 1, Haruna Subairu Street, Ladipo Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 3rd day of May, 2012 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Mr Mbamara Anayo Austin late of 50, Ojuelegba Road, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the19th day of April, 2013 at Malaysia. Ohaji Duru Peter late of 17, Ifelodun Street, Amukoko, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 2nd day of October, 2002 at Imo State. Mr Olajide Falowo late of 20, Twins Street, Mosalashi , Ijesa, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of October, 2012 at Ijero Ekiti. Giwa Risikat Olabode Alhaja (Otherwise known as Giwa Risikat Olabode and Alhaja Risikat Olabode Giwa) late of 5, Dejo Adeleye Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 2nd day of March, 2013 at Luth. Olukole Abiodun Adeniyi -Williams late of 19B, Ajisafe Street, G.R.A. Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 10th day of March, 2014 at Lagos. Mr Daniel Ademola Onigbinde late of 10/12 Yekini Ariyo street, Igando, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of August, 2013 at Lagos. Akano Deborah Oyenike (Mrs) (Otherwise known as Deborah Oyenike Akano) late of 19, Dipeolu Street, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 30th day of June, 2009 at Lasuth. Akano Adepoju Emmanuel (Otherwise knwona s Akano Adepoju) late of 19, Dipeolu Street, Ikeja deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of December, 2006 at Luth. Ihenacho Chidi late of 19C, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 30th day of May, 2010 at Lasuth. Onwueme Chikezie late of 1, Alhaja Abibatu Kolawole Close, Off Olubunmi Street, Isolo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 26th day of October, 2013 at Luth. Mrs Esther Titilola Akintonwa (Otherwise known as Mrs Akintonwa Esther) late of 20, Robert Street, Magodo G.R.A. Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of June, 2012 at Luth. Chief Stephen Olufemi Akinbolagbe late of 27, Ajao Road, Off Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 25th day of January, 2014 at Osun. Olayemi Oluwole Ebenezer (Mr) (Otherwise known as Olayemi Ebenezer) late of 1, Akinwunmi Afuye Street, Ojokoro, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 31st day of January, 2014 at Lasuth. Mrs Mopelola Sobanjo (Otherwise known as Mrs Mopelola Oyinlola Mary Sobanjo and Sobanjo Mope) late of House 52, Flat 2, LSDPC Estate, Ebute Metta, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 22nd day of April, 2013 at Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, Lagos Mrs Okwali Nneoma Martina (Otherwise known as Okwali Martina Nneoma) late of 12, Oyewunmi Close, off Falolu Street, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of July, 2013 at Ebonyi State. Jacobs Akinjide Akintunde (Otherwise known as Jacobs Akinjide) late of 32,Oladeinde Coker Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 12th day of May, 2012 at Mary Clinic Ltd, Lagos. Mrs Ijabodede Bosede (Otherwise known as Iyabodede Bosee) late of 6, Wahab Street, Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of May, 2006 at St. Stephen Memorial Hospital, Lagos. Inspector Emmanuel Osazuwa (Otherwise known as Osasuwa Emmanuel) late of Senior Police Officer's Quarters, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of May, 2012 at Police Hospital, Falomo, Lagos. Okechukwu Helen (Otherwise known as Helen Okechukwu ) late of 65, Funso Kinosi Avenue Ago Okota, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 24th day of February , 2007 at Lagos. Onikoyi Ajibola Hakeem (Otherwise known as Mr Onikoyi Ajibola) late of 5, Jones Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 25th day of July, 2013 at Alimosho General Hospital. Okhilua Bello (Otherwise known as Bello Okhiloa) late of Federal Fire Service Barracks, Ojuelegba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of March, 2012 at General Hospital Lagos. Mr Nwakaire Okafor George (Otherwise known as Nwakaire George) late of 26, Sowemimo Street, Ojo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 3rd day of October, 2013 at Enugu. Onyewuchi Onuwabuchi Pauline late of 53, Awushe Topo Via Badagry, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of March, 2013 at Administrative Staff College of Nigeria Health Services Centre, Lagos. Ogunlana Victoria Arinola (Otherwise known as Ms Ogunlana Arinola) late of 45, Suberu Oje Street, Casso, Alagbado, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 30th day of May, 2012 at Ogun State Obaza Monday late of 1, Olalekan Adisa Street, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of October, 2012 at Afuze, Edo State. Onuh Isaac (Otherwise knwona s Onu Isaac) late of Flat 2, Block 1, Police Barracks , Satelite Town, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of August, 2013 at Nigerian Navy Reg. Hospital, Ojo, Lagos. Daniel Idam-Okoh late of 2, Odunlami Street, Ikate, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of October, 2013 at Lindabel Medical Centre, Lagos. Alhaji Sabiu Olatunji Aremu Hassan (Otherwise known as Sabiu Olatunji Aremu Hassan and Alhaji Sabiu Olatunji Aremu H.) late of 22 Road, J Close, Block 1, Flat 10, Festac Town, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of August, 2012 at General Hospital Lagos. Mrs Comfort Nwaegbu (Otherwise known as Comfort Nwakanwa Nwaegbu and Nwaegbu Comfort) late of 16, William Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of February, 2014 at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos. Babayanju Ikimot Bolanle late of 26, Mushin Road, Isolo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of February, 2014 at Lagos. Mrs Aduke Adeyinka Akindele (Otherwise known as Akindele Aduke Adeyinka) late of 34, Shogbamu Street, Ita Baale Bariga, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of February, 2007 at General Hospital Gbagada, Lagos. Oyelami Adesina Adegboye (Otherwise known as Oyelami Adegboye Adesina) late of 20, Adeojo Street, Wemabod Estate, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of October, 2000 at Lagos. Mr Emmanuel Egekonye late of 35, Abata Street, orile Iganmu Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of July, 2012 at Lagos. Mr Wellome Abdullahi Thompson (Otherwise known as Mr Audu Thompson Wollome) late of 16, Adebiyi Street, Alagomeji Yaba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 4th day of March, 2007 at Lagos. Mr James Ehirim (Otherwise known as NF/1.594 /88 Mr James Ehirim) late of Block 172, Plot 86, Flat 5, Iba Estate , Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of October, 2009 at Lagos. Awosanmi Funmilayo (Otherwise known as Olaomoju Deborah and Mrs Funmilayo Awosanmi ) late of 4, Segun Ogunbiyi Ifako Ogba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 11th day of February, 2013 at Lagos. Amuzu Abdulaili Folly late of 66, Ladega Street, Olodi Apapa, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th dayof November, 2011 at Lagos. Ibikunle Lizzy Apeke (Otherwise known as Mrs Ibikunle Lizzy Apeke ) late of 10, Wale Fajemisin Street, Ojodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 6th day of July, 2013 at Lagos. Akintoye Abigeal Atinuke (Otherwise known as A.A.Akintoye (Mrs) late of 31, Oredapo Street, Shasha, Egbeda, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of May, 2012 at Shagamu, Ogun State Torey Mike Lucky (Otherwise known as Colonel Lucky Mike Torey and Torey Micheal) late of 72, Hospital Road, Effulun, Warri ,Delta State, Edo State deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of November, 2013 at Edo State. Oni Modupeola Ronke Aina (Otherwise known as Modupeola Ronke Aina Oni) late of 3B, Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of July, 2013 at Lagos. Innocent Okwudiri Anaba (Otherwise known as Okwudiri Innocent) late of 27, Coker Compound Orile Iganmu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of March, 2012 at Luth Orunja Michael Bolaji (Otherwise known as Mr Michael Bolaji Orunja and Orunja Bolaji) late of 1, Oshinetero Street, Itire, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 21st day of June, 2011 at Lagos. Ejiofor Chukwunonyelum Juliet (Otherwise known as Chukwunonyelum Juliet Ejiofor and Nonye Ejiofor) late of 19, Akinsoji Street, Mafoluku Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of July, 2010 at Lagos. Onwuegbuche Edmund (Otherwise known as Mr Edmund Onwuegbuche ) late of 26, Ashimowu Bakare Street, Itire, lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of November, 2010 at Lagos. Mr Cyprian Nzekwe late of 7, Oshifila Street, Anifowoshe Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of September, 2011 at Luth Mr Diabele Michael Obiemeka (Otherwise known as Obiemeka Michael ) late of 9, Alinson Street, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 6th day of June, 2011 at Lagos. Mr Christian Ojinmah Iwejo Sunday (Otherwise known as Christian Chukwuemeka Ojinmah and Mr Ojinma Christian C.) late of 25, Bamgbose Street, Command Road, Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 28th day of April, 2012 at Lagos. Mrs Adio Olabisi Adetutu (Otherwise known as Mrs Adetutu Olabisi Adio) late of 10, Obiosa Street, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 12th day of November, 2010 at Lagos. Oyeyemi Lawrence late of 38, Lawal Crescent, Agbede, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of June, 2013 at General Hospital Lagos. Oluwayimika Josiah Olubanjo late of 31, Bamgboye Stret, Agiliti, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of May, 2011 at Luth. Obiageli Appolonia Chukwu (Nee Aneka) (Otherwise known as Aneke) late of 88, Shipeolu Street, Palmgrove, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 26th day of May, 2008 . Mrs Ogar Mary Ilobah (Otherwise kknown as Mary Ilobah and Ogar Mary) late of 15, Abolaji Street, Obawale Ogba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of July, 2011 at Eko Hospital. Elizabeth Oku Cole (Otherwise kknown as Oku Cole Elizabeth E.A.) late of 28, Ajelanwa Street, Off Fatade Street, Baruwa Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of December, 2013 at Orile Agege General Hospital. Mrs Mariam Ogunkola (Otherwise known as Ogunkola Marian) late of 5, Popoola Street, Bariga, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of September, 1991 at Lagos. Mancho Felicia (Otherwise known as Osakwe) late of 6, Salawu Street, Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 26th day of December, 2012 at Nigerian Navy Ref. Hospital, Ojo, Lagos.

NAMES OF APPLICANT APPLYING FOR THE GRANT

Mrs Comfort Adeoti Mudasiru and Mr Oluwatosin Stephen Mudasiru both of 6, Elizabeth Street, Opposite Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Asagunla Mulikat Amope and Asagunla Opeyemi Teslim both of 7, Asagunla Bashiru Street, Oke-Ola , Itele Road, Ota, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Monsurat Mopelola Bello (Nee Omoniyi), Mutiat Bukola Omoniyi, Sediq Omoniyi and Raimot Folashade Omoniyi all of 7, Ijero Lane Off Apapa Road, Ebute Metta, Lagos, four of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Chizoba Ntuko and Mr Ephraim Ntukokwu both of 5, Grace Ntuko Street, Arowojobe Mende Maryland, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Uwadiale Onobun and Emmanuel Ehiszuhale Onobun both of Plot 421A, Omofade crescent, Ikeja, Lagos, two brothers of the said deceased. Opoosun Elizabeth Olaitan and Opoosun Samuel Oluwafemi both of No. 9 Alayo Peter Akinde, Alakuko, Ajegunle, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Busayo Adebayo of 22, Durojaiye Street, Lawanson, Lagos and Mr Moshood Adebayo of 43, Dauda Ilo Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Vivian Kasarachi Nwachukwu of 17B, Iseyin Street, Igando, Lagos, and Timothy Chibuzor Nwachukwu of 12, Oseni Street, Anthony Village, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Oyelami Sulaimon, Oyelami Afeez and Oyelami Ibrahim all of 11, Alhaji Oyelami Street, Ketu, Ijanikin, Ojo, Lagos, three children of the said deceased. Edith Uchechukwu Iziogba and Lawreta Nkechi Isitor both of 15, Olusegun Adetula Street, Surulere Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Omodara Omolara (Mrs) of 49, Arolahun Street, Onipanu, Ilupeju, Lagos, and Thomas Bola Kehinde of 18, Ifenirepo Close, Egbeda, Lagos, two sisters of the said deceased. Winifred Akpofure Oghonemu and Lydia Oghonemu both of 3, Ganiat Gbagadesin Close, Alagbado, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Chionye C. Nzepuome of 40B, 2nd Cooper Road, Railway Compound, Ebute Metta, Yaba, Lagos, only child of the said deceased Hilary Shola Enobore of Block 5, Flat 23, Segun Poboyejo Street, Odogunyan and Martha Eniye Itanola (Nee Enobore) of 16, Amodu Street, Itire Mushin, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Mrs Omowunmi Catherine Festus and Mrs Esther Oladimeji Akinsowon, both of 51, Association Avenue, Shangisha, Lagos, widow and sister respectively of the said deceased. Odubela Olumuyiwa Adesanya and Onisemo Olawunmi both of 2, Amoo Street, Oke Koto, Agege, Lagos two of the children of the said deceased. Mojisola Aiyeloja of 28, Gbadamosi Street, Ikorodu, Lagos, Wasiu Aiyeloja of 58, Tejuosho Road, Surulere, Lagos, and Kudirat Salako of 30, Igbehin-Adun Street, Berger, Lagos, widow and two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Adesanya Adebayo and Ajibona Kemi both of 21, Shoetan Street, Ifako, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Biliki Sulaimon and Sulaimon Kazeem Opeyemi both of 1, Haruna Subairu Street, Ladipo Oshodi, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Messrs Uchenna Mbamara of 9, Rufai Street, Surulere, Lagos, and Charles Mbamara of 36, Isilo Street, Meiran Lagos, two brothers of the said deceased. Emeka Jude Ohaji of 9, Ifelodun Stret, igbo Elerin, Iba , Lagos, and Adanma Ohaji of 35, Ademuyiwa Street, Ebute Metta West Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mr Falowo Olawale Idowu of 20, Twins Street, Mosalasi Ijesa, Lagos, and Miss Adeola Olulowo of 33, Iseyin Street, Palmgrove, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Toeeb Ademola Giwa, Mrs Ololade Sherifat Ajumobi, Mr Moyosore Musa Giwa and Mrs Abisola Zainab Barton all of 5, Dejo Adeleye Street, Omiyale Ejigbo, lagos, four of the children of the said deceased. Olukole Rotimi B. Adeniyi-Williams and Adeniyi Oladapo Adeniyi-Williams both of 19B, Ajisafe Street, G.R.A. Ikeja, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Mrs Monsurat Abiodun Onigbinde and Mr Oluwakayode Onigbinde both of 5, Wonuola Woleola Street, Isheri-Idimu, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Adetokunbo Oluwadurotimi Akano and Adeoye Olayiwole Akano both of 19, Dipeolu Street, Ikeja, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Adetokunbo Oluwadurotimi Akano and Adeoye Olayiwole Akano both of 19, Dipeolu Street, Ikeja, Lagos, two of the children o f the said deceased. Mr Ihenacho Pascal and Miss Ihenacho Chinyere both of 350/352 , Old Ojo Road, Alakija, Lagos, brother and sister respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Chioma Cynthia Onwueme of 1, Alhaja Abibatu Kolawole Close, Off Olubunmi Street, Isolo, Lagos, and Mrs Amaka Okeke of 21, Akinmorin Street, Okota, Lagos, widow and sister respectively of the said deceased. Prfo. Alade Akintonwa and Engr. Babatunde Adeniyi Akintonwa both of 20, Robert Street, Magodo G.R.A. Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased Mr Oladosu Akinbolagbe, Mr Olubukola Akinbolagbe and Mr Akinlolu Akinbolagbe all of 27, Ajao Road, Off Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos three of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Olayemi Olubunmi F. and Mrs Omoyanmola Bukola both of 1, Akinwunmi Afuye Street, Ojokoro, Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and sister respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Ayodele Mary Oyesanya and Oluwatoyin Rebecca Sobanjo both of Block 52, Flat 2, LSDPC Estate, Ebute Metta, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mr Paul Okwali Ogomegunem and Mrs Glory Uduma Okoro both of 12, Oyewunmi Close, Off Falolu Street, Surulere, Lagos, widower and mother respectively of the said deceased. Miss Yetunde Jacobs and Miss Ekundayo Jacobs both of 32, Oladeinde Coker Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos, one of the children and sister respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Elizabeth Olufunke Adeyeye of 18, Tunde Street, Surulere, Area Ntapo-Ijoko, Ota, Lagos, and Mr Ijabodede Babajide Adekoya of 1, Babs Odukale Street, Meiran, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Folorunsho Osazuwa and Deborah Iguodala bot of 126, Aladelola Street, Ketu, Lagos, two sisters of the said deceased. Elizabeth Okechukwu, Lawrence Chidera Okechukwu and Chisom Anthony Okechukwu, all of 65, Funso Kinosi Avenue, Ago -Okota, Lagos, mother and two brothers respectively of the said deceased. Onikoyi Bola Samiat and Ronke O. Madariola (Nee Onikoyi) both of 5, Jones Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Faruq Bello andAtiketu Shuaib both of 10/12 Western Avenue, Surulere, Lagos, one of the children and sister-in-law respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Paulina Nwakaire and Anthony Chidera Nwakaire bot of 26, Sowemimo Street, Ojo, Lagos, widow and only child respectively of the said deceased. Onyewuchi Ikechukwu Stanley and Oyewuchi Helen Adanna both of Togbe Compound, Mowo Via Badagry, two of the children of the said deceased. Ogunlana Adewale A, Ogunlana Folake Abiodun and Ogunlana Olubanke Oluwatobi all of 24, Olanike Ajayi Street, Off AIT Road, Alagbado, Lagos, brother and two sisters respectively of the said deceased. Obazu Elizabeth Ohita and Obazu Ezekiel Ohiomoje both of 1, Olalekan Adisa Street, Ikorodu, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Hannah Oloche Onuh of Flat 2, Block 1, Police Barracks, Satelite Town, Lagos and Agada Job of 18, Aboekuta Street, Sango Ota, Lagos widow and uncle respectively of the said deceased. Patricia Uzoma Idam-Okoh, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Idam-Okoh and Michael Chibuzor Idam-Okoh all of 2, Odunlami Street, Ikate, Lagos, widow and two children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Bimbo Akintola of 50, Oyindamola Governor Road, Iktoun, Lagos, Mrs Oluwabusayo Okolie of 43, Omodokun Rofsco, Agbado, Ogun State and Olaide Abike Oshikoya of 2, Saibu Okoya Street, Ipaja, Lagos, three of the children of the said deceased. Joseph Emeka Abemudu-Francis and Comfort Cuervo Nwaegbu both of 16, William Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Babayanju Bushiru of 14, Olarokan Street, Abule Egba, Lagos, Babayanju Monsurat of 138, Apapa Street, Shomolu, Lagos, Babayanju Mosuru of 26, Mushin Road, Isolo, Lagos, and Babayanju Tawakalitu of 23, Aliyu Iman Ikorodu, Lagos, widower and three of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Ojonla Akindele and Bunmi Akindele both of 14, Ogunbowale Street, Mushin, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Mrs Omiyinka Oyelami and Mr Adegoke Oyelami both of 20, Adeojo Street, Wemabod Estate, Ikeja, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Onyinechi Emeto and Thankgod Egekonye both of 23, Adekunle Shole Street, Egan Isuti Road, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mr Michael SundayWellome and Umoru Wellome both of 28, Kukoyi Street, Ketu, Lagos, brother and the only child respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Esther Ehirim and Prince James Ehirim both of Plot 172, Iba Housing Estate Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Awosanmi Oyebimpe and Awosanmi Gbemiga both of 4, Segun Ogunbiyi Ifako Ogba, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Ayisat Abdulaili and Adamu Abdulaili both of 66, Ladega Street, Olodi Apapa, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ibikunle Oluwayomi Fred and Ibikunle Modupe both of 10, Wale Fajemisin Street, Ojodu, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Akintoye Claudius O. and Akintoye Christopher Olufemi both of 31, Oredapo Street, Shasha, Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Abadami Torey and Ayodeji Torey both of 2, St. Micheal Close, Maryland , Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Olakunle Oni, Olabisi Tokunbo Oni-Melodi and Dolapo Oladimeji Oni all of 3B, Bank Road, Ikoyi , Lagos, three children of the said deceased. Mrs Favour Emelda Anaba and Chisom Anaba both of 27, Coker Compound Orile Iganmu, Lagos, widow and nephew respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Esther Titilayo Orunja and Miss Eniola Orunja both of 1, Oshinetero Street, Itire , Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ejiofor Katchy Charles and Ejiofor Onyinyechukwu both of 1, Ajibola Street, Ikotun, Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Charity Chinyere Alisigwe of 10, Olorogun street, Itire, Lagos, and Fracnis Onwugbuche of 29, Alowode Street, Surulere, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Chinonso Nzekwe and H.R.M. Igwe Dr Nzekwe Kelly both of 29, Ajakaye Street, Mangoro Agege, Lagos, one of the children and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Obiemeka Patience and Obiemeka Samuel both of 7, Emeriga Street, Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Ogechi H. Ojinmah and Miss Chizitere Q. Ojinmah both of 25, Bangbose Street, Command Road, Ipaja, lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Miss Opeoluwa Sakirat Adio of Block 57, Plot 7, Off AIT Road, Alagbado, Lagos, and Mr Aiyegbusi Gbolahan Oluyemi of 14, Christianah A. Street, Oke Aro, Lagos, the only child and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Ajibola Oyeyemi and Mr Tope Oyeyemi both of 38, Lawal Crescent, Agbede Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Toluwalase C. Oluwayimika and David Omotayo Ikudayisi both of 31, Bamgboye Street, Agiliti, Lagos, one of the children and brother-in-law respectively of the said deceased Mrs Charles Osogu Aneke of Block 19, Alapere, Ketu, Lagos and Mrs Catherine Nwasoke Ude of 2, Arowolo Adeyemo Avenue, Gbagada, Lagos, brother and sister respectively of the sid deceased. Mr Fidelis Ashebe Ogar and Miss Evelyn Ada Ilobah both of 15, Abolaji Street, Obawale, Ogba, Lagos, widower and sister respectively of the said deceased. Miss Elizabeth Cole of 28, Ajelanwa Street, Off Fatade Street, Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos and Mrs Patience Ezeaku of A34, Alpha Bay Estate, Tourism Road, Off Alpha Beach Road, Lekki, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mr Gabriel A. Ogunkola and Michael A. Ashade both of 5, Popoola Street, Bariga, Lagos, two grandchildren of the said deceased. Mancho Victor Chidi of 6, Salawu Street, Oshodi, Lagos, and Osayemere Osakwe of 11, Olaore Street, Oshodi, Lagos, widower and nephew respectively of the said deceased.

I.O.AKINKUGBE (MRS) PROBATE REGISTRAR

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

CITYBEATS

Family of ‘defiled’ teenager seeks justice

HE family of a 12-year-old girl, Love Emeka, who was allegedly sexually abused by

Kingsley Anyanwu, is demanding a speedy investigation and prosecution of the suspect by the police. Anyanwu allegedly raped Love on June 20 at his 32, Mosalasi Street, Mazamaza, Lagos home. He allegedly forcefully had canal knowledge of the little girl inside his bedroom and inflicted serious bruises on her private part. The girl was, until the incident, a house-maid to Anyanwu’s mother. It was gathered that she was introduced to Anyanwu’s sister, Maurine, an employee of Zenith Bank, Oba Akran, Ikeja branch by a relative. Maurine took Love to her mother to help her as a maid and she has been living with the old woman and her son in their three-bed-room family house since January this year. In a petition to Commissioner of Police Umar Manko, the girl, through her aunt, Mrs. Ijeoma Joseph, who resides at Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, said Anyanwu waited for his wife to go to work before descending on the girl.

By Jude Isiguzo

“I was busy washing plates in the house. Uncle Kingsley called me to come into his bedroom to help him read out a message from his phone. I went to answer him in the room and suddenly, Uncle Kingsley grabbed me, forcefully removed my pant and raped me. My screams attracted Mama’s attention and she called and asked where I was and why I was crying. Kingsley replied his mother, saying she should not worry, that there was no problem. “When he wanted to rape me the second time, I struggled and managed to escape and ran out of the house to a nearby church where I met one woman. I remained in the church and joined them in the all-night vigil that Friday till the next day. The following morning, I wanted to go home but I was afraid. While I was sitting down somewhere by the road side, one ‘Uncle Ugo’, the landlord of the house where I was sexually abused, saw me and took me back home. “Uncle Kingsley’s sister came to the house and started beating me for running away from the house. She later

called my aunt, Mrs. Ijeoma Joseph and informed her that I ran away from the house and that she wanted her to come and take me since she was the one that brought me for Maurine”. The Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), through which the petition was channeled, said Mrs Joseph and Mrs. Maurine, whom she originally handed over the girl to, agreed and she returned to her house at Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja. NOPRIN said Maurine claimed that her reason for returning Emeka to her aunt was because she was wasting food. It was later when Emeka’s aunt began to question her on her reason for running away from the house that she opened up to her that Anyanwu sexually abused her. It was gathered that upon examination of the girl, her aunt confirmed that her private part had been seriously bruised and was dripping with a foul-smelling liquid substance. She said she immediately took her to Adeniyi Jones Primary Health Centre at 55, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja,

where a medical examination confirmed the alleged rape. The report, it was said, confirmed ‘bruises in her vagina’ and issued her a referral slip to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, for expert management. NOPRIN’s coordinator, Okechukwu Nwanguma, in a statement to the police commissioner, said:”We write to bring to your attention and to urge you to ensure investigation into the complaint we received. NOPRIN requests the commissioner to order a prompt, impartial and full investigation into this act of sexual abuse with a view to ensuring that the alleged culprit, Kingsley Anyanwu, is prosecuted in court if found culpable.” “We also request that Mrs. Maurine be investigated for her attempt to cover up the alleged crime of her brother against a child that was handed over to her. Anyanwu’s other sister who beat up the child-victim allegedly for running away from the house should also be investigated. NOPRIN will follow up closely on this case to ensure that justice is done,” the statement added.

Female banker, businessman abducted

FEMALE banker with a new-generation bank and a businessman, have been abducted by kidnappers in Lagos. The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N100 million from their families to set them free. Sources said the female banker, simply identified as Mrs Ladi, and Mr Patrick, the businessman, were kidnapped in front of their houses while returning home from their places of work in Elemoro area of Ajah. It was gathered that the gang attacked both victims as they were driving into their compounds and forcefully took them away. They “made contact with their families after 24 hours, demanding N100million each to set them free.”

•Police: ‘We’ve one suspect in our custody’ By Jude Isiguzo

Family sources disclosed that they opened up a bargain with the suspect and after five days in their custody, “the kidnappers settled for N6million. We reported the matter to the police and they asked us to play along and we did”. Police sources told The Nation that the matter was reported at Elemoro police station and was transferred to the state command at GRA, Ikeja. The Commissioner, Alhaji Umar Manko, it was gathered, ordered the officers in charge of Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) and State Criminal Investigation Bureau (SCIB) to investigate the matter.

Sources said on the day the ransom was to be paid, a combined team of crack detectives from the two departments followed the family of the female banker to the place where the kidnappers was supposed to collect the N6million from them. “Police stormed their hideout around 2am on Saturday morning. They were monitored for some days before operatives struck. The suspect who was to collect the ransom was arrested and he took policemen to a bush inside Elemoro village where the female banker and businessman were chained. His cohorts fled when they sighted policemen from an abandoned uncompleted building

from where they were operating”, the source said. It was gathered that the banker and businessman were also rescued and re-united with their families. Police sources said the suspect confessed that his gang came from Delta State to carry out the operation, adding that the operation was their first. “We are still lodged in a hotel as we are new in Lagos. If we had succeeded with this operation, we would have used the money to rent a house for use as our base. Some people warned us about Lagos, but we refused to listen. We do not know the people we kidnapped; we just monitored them and attacked at random”, the suspect reportedly said. Police sources said the suspect was already assisting them with information on how his accomplices could be arrested.

NAFDAC warns

THE Director General of National Agency for Food And Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii, has warned that the agency is not going back on the August deadline for an end to unregistered veterinary medicines, pesticides and animal feeds in the country, Orhii who spoke at a workshop on safe and responsible use of veterinary medicines, pesticides and animal feeds in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, said appropriate sanctions would be visited on those found dealing with the items after the deadline. Represented by the agency’s Director, Veterinary Medicine and Allied Products, Dr. Musa Umar, Orhii observed that compliance with the agency’s oneyear moratorium granted on the distribution and sales of the unregistered items was still low despite the fact that the deadline ends in August. He explained that the workshop was meant to create awareness on the need to produce safe food through safe and responsible use of veterinary medicines, pesticides and animal feeds.

‘Proper way to develop youths’ THE Managing Director, Skiddo Foods Nigeria Limited, Mrs Julia Shinaba, has urged the youth to make potential benefits of entrepreneurship as a means of improving their livelihood. It is the source of job creation, empowerment and economic dynamism in a rapidly globalising world,” she added. Mrs Shinaba said lack of an adequate understanding by youths on how to be successful in self reliance creates more problems in the country, adding that youths must learn how to fish instead of begging for fish. Shinaba advised parents to encourage their children/wards to learn a trade in their tender age. She also urged higher institutions to ensure that entrepreneurship training is included in their curricula for undergraduates.

Lawmaker lifts constituents

UNDREDS of residents of Igbogbo-Baiyeku, Ijede and Imota communities in Ikorodu II constituency in Lagos State have been assisted with several materials and cash by the lawmaker representing the constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola. It was at the lawmaker’s yearly empowerment programme held at Homat Event Centre in Igbogbo area. The beneficiaries, who came from all the communities, trooped to the venue to receive the materials, which included hair driers, sewing machines, generators, rechargeable fans, deep freezers, farming tools, cash and cartons of beverages. Akinsola, a first-time lawmaker, said the gesture was borne out of the need to engage and empower her constituents in productive businesses rather than going around begging for money and food. She said she got several requests from the people, asking for different assistance; this, she said, made her to send out empowerment forms to them free of charge and shortlisted genuine people that deserved to be assisted. She said: “The materials being distributed today are dividends of democracy because I was elected by the electorate to uplift them and make our society a habitable place. This is a product of a passion to serve the people that sent me to the assembly. I always feel that I need

By Wale Ajetunmobi

to make them happy; I love my people and I want to make positive impact on them. I am not doing this because of re-election.” On how she got the funds to provide the materials, Akinsola said: “I save money every month to get these things to them. I participate in monthly contribution to save money and do this. I have been planning this programme for one year and I didn’t touch the money I was saving for it. This is why we have been able to provide several materials for this empowerment programme.” The former Lagos Head of Service, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, who chaired the occasion, praised the lawmaker for remembering the people, noting that the essence of politics was to uplift the people. Former Secretary to the state government, Chief Olorunfunmi Basorun, said the lawmaker had always been responsive to the people’s needs, adding that service to the people should be the watchword of politicians. Mrs Idowu Abdullahi, who got hair drier, thanked the lawmaker for the gesture, promising to turn around her hair-dressing business with the machine. About 300 people benefitted from the programme, which was graced by top politicians and traditional rulers in the communities.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

CITYBEATS We can’t control nature, says commissioner T

HE Lagos State Government has refuted rumours that it claimed to have power over flood-related disasters, saying that only God has control over nature. Commissioner for the Environment Mr Tunji Bello made this clarification on Saturday while refuting a media report titled “Lagos not worried about flood related disasters.” “The results we have achieved in the last few years are not the effort of an indi-

•Residents advised on flooding

vidual, but the collective efforts of our engineers; the support of the good people of the state who believe in our programmes; the provision of funds by Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and the Almighty God who made it possible,” he said. While many states experience serious flood challenges

across the nation, Lagos remains one of the few states not affected by serious flooding, he said. He added: “What we have done over the years to control and reduce the incidence of flooding is the implementation of our all-year deflooding programme which is made of pre-rain,

By Jude Isiguzo

quizzed by our investigators”. Mitchell said, the suspects would soon be charged to court following the establishment of a prima facie case of conspiracy, unlawful possession and exportation of narcotics.

NDLEA staff, four others face prosecution

STAFF of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and four other suspects are to be prosecuted for drug trafficking, it was learnt yesterday. Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, said one of its staff, Ibidayin Godwin, attached to the Anambra State command, would be prosecuted for allegedly aiding and abetting a suspected drug trafficker, Adetoye Taiwo, in smuggling three kilogrammes of methamphetamine to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. NDLEA’s Head, Public Affairs, Ofoyeju Mitchell, said the seizure was made at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) shed by operatives. Giade said: “I have institutionalised a culture of transparency in the NDLEA. Anybody indicted must be thoroughly investigated no matter how highly placed and if found guilty, the law

will take its course. The agency will continue to provide a level-playing field for all. No stone must be left unturned in the quest for a drug-free society. We must bring every culprit to justice by turning our investigative search-light in all directions”. NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport Mr. Hamza Umar said that more arrests had been made, adding that investigations were ongoing. He said: “We apprehended on Adetoye Taiwo, who is a clearing and forwarding agent, with methamphetamine meant for export to Malaysia. In the process of investigations, he indicted Ibidayin Godwin, an officer of the NDLEA working at the Anambra State command. We have also arrested three others - Taiwo Ososanya, Fatai Olawale Akera and Alhaji Yusuf Olayemi Bankole - who are being

• Godwin

• Taiwo

Training for council workers

OCAL government workers in Lagos State have been charged to be change agents and conduct themselves in ways that would promote the integrity of government and service delivery in the state. The Director-General of the Lagos State Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC), Mrs Olubunmi Fabanwo gave the charge at the flag-off of training for the mid career officers of the 20 local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), at the PSSDC Centre at Magodo. The ceremony was witnessed by the Director of Finance and Administration of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Ekundayo Ajakaiye, as well as the Permanent Secretaries of the Local Government Service Commission and that of the Local Government Training and Pensions, Mr. Ashamu Fadipe, and Mr. Jamiu Adewale Ashimi, respec-

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

tively. Fabanwo, said as senior managers at the local level, the training was aimed at equipping the workers and building their capacity to deliver cutting edge services to the people in line with the service charter of the state government. She said: “We came up with these 10-suite courses to build your capacity, especially at the local government because as the government nearest to the people, your efficiency would be felt more quickly by the people, and through this, you can better understand the workings and policies of the state government.” “There is also public policy implementation programme which is open to these levels of officers to enable them get a better understanding and grasp of the policies of the government and their respective councils,” Fabanwo said.

mid-rain, and post-rain massive dredging, maintenance and cleaning programmes across the state. “We have sustained this through adequate preemptive and preparatory deflooding programmes, as well as regular upgrading and expansion of drainage channels across the state.” The commissioner further explained that even advanced nations of the world with the best of technologies cannot lay claim to control over flood-related disasters, but explained that “we have been able to manage through our deliberate and planned deflooding programmes and with the help of God, we have been able to reduce to the barest minimum, the incidence of flooding in the state.”

Bello explained that whoever claims to have control over nature is claiming God, and no man on earth can equate God in any way. He assured Lagos residents that the government would vigorously implement its allyear massive dredging and maintenance programmes in order to ensure that the state remains flood-free. He also advised residents to desist from acts that could lead to flooding by ensuring that they don’t erect structures along drainage alignments and don’t dump waste into drainage channels. “As we are now in the peak of the rainy season, Lagos residents should not panic whenever it rains as we may experience rain of high intensity with thunderstorm and occasional flash flood on

• Bello

some roads,” he said. He however assured that, with regular cleaning and maintenance of our channels, whatever storm water generated will be absorbed by our drainage channels in course of time.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NEWS (SHOWBIZ)

Dorobucci video: Search for Channel O Marvin super fan begins

S part of its planned project for the month of July, Channel O, in collaboration with Mavin Records, at the weekend, began a frantic search for a lucky super fan to feature in the forthcoming Dorobucci video. The search, which ends on Friday, July 4, will see the lucky super fan featuring alongside the Mavin family of Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr. Sid, D’Prince, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello and Di’Ja in the video. In addition to starring alongside some of Nigeria’s sensational singers, the lucky winner will get the chance to hang out with the artistes who will answer questions on their music. According to the organisers, to enter for the competition, any interested participant has to follow @channeloafrica and

@donjazzy on both Twitter and Instagram, while also using the platforms to explain why he or she is the “ultimate Marvin fan” by using the hash tag: #CHOMavinSuperfan on all messages. Don Jazzy, according to reports, will reveal the details of the Channel O Marvin Super fan for the music video later in the year. Commenting on the development, Channel O Africa’s Lee Kasumba said: “Channel O’s audience are incredibly loyal supporters of the channel and its lineup; so, anytime we can offer them an amazing opportunity to engage up close and personal with the stars that are lighting up the airwaves, we always like to do that. We are delighted to be

Foluke Daramola premieres Cobweb in style By Mercy Michael

T •The Marvin family

partnering with the wonderful team at Mavin Records to make one Super fan very happy. Also, Mavin Records boss, Don Jazzy, said: “Channel O has enthusiastically supported African music for over 15 years and is always willing to engage with the industry and the fans. So, to work alongside them to create a memorable experience for one Super fan is something we were happy to do. Of course, at Mavin Records, we are expecting to make the Dorobucci video one of our best ever, so it’s going to be something very special to be a part of.” This collaboration, which will run over social media platforms, is the latest of Channel O’ project for July, in line with its SWAG (Something We Africans Got) theme.

OP Nollywood actress Foluke Daramola-Salako, at

the weekend, premiered her much-talked about flick, Cobweb, at the Silverbird, Ikeja City Mall, Lagos, amidst enthusiastic reception by the audience. The screening sponsored by Procter and Gamble was preceded by a red carpet. From the red carpet, accolades poured in for the crossover actress cum producer. Cobweb opened with gripping teasers that got most of the audience looking forward to having a great time. And in less than 15 minutes into the screening, the audience had cause to heave a sigh of relief. The movie which was directed by Toka McBaror, parades veterans actors like Dele Odule, Funsho Adeolu, Ayo Adesanya, Foluke Daramola-Salako, Uti Nwachukwu, Tamara Eteimo, Mary Lazarus. It also introduces two new actors, Kayode Salako( Foluke’s hubby) and Olamide Davis. Cobweb tells the a story of a young boy, Sam Amakiga (Olamide Davis) whose father desperately wants him to become a scientist because he( the father) doesn’t have Western education. As the only son, his father focuses all his attention on him, to the detriment of his two daughters. Eventually, Sam becomes the star he wishes for, but to the detriment of his sisters. Daramola-Salako, in a chat with The Nation, said: “I can’t thank God enough for this day. Honestly, I am overwhelmed. I can’t stop these tears from rolling. I didn’t expect this, even though I knew I would get positive response. This is my first English movie and I am encouraged to do more.” “Cobweb is a film I first shot as short film and it went ahead to clinch several

•Folake

awards and major nominations. It got six nominations at the AMAA awards and won Best Sound at Best of Nollywood awards. It is not all the time you get these loads of corporate bodies supporting your project. Now, what actually spurred the support by corporate organisations is the quality of the production of the short film. They saw the quality of what we had shot before, so they decided to come on board. “The budget of the film is huge. Creativity is money anywhere in the world. So, when I thought of Cobweb, I just wanted to do something different that will match international standards. This is my first English film. I just wanted to prove to my critics and my fans that I can make a difference. But what actually gave me more of the push is my husband who believes that as a Master’s degree holder, I should freely express myself. Besides, he knows the kind of stories that I have. I have fantastic story lines that I will want to express in pictures, so he said I should do an English film and he would support me.”

•Lamboginny and Zaina

Lamboginny, Zaina re-create Shabba Ranks’ Mr. Loverman

WENTY-TWO years after Jamaican reggae artiste Shabba Ranks released his hit song, Mr Loverman, the duo of Nigerian singers Lamboginny and Zaina have now recreated the song in a new video directed by Mr Frames. According to reports, after putting up an outstanding performance of the song at Dare Art Alade’s Love Like a Movie concert (LLM2), Lamboginny’s unique Reggae voice teamed with Zaina’s have given the song a new blend. In the past years, Lamboginny, one of the ambassadors for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has worked with other female stars in the entertainment industry, including Stella Damascus, Kaffy, Monalisa Chinda, Chidinma and Muna, among others.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

NAMES OF THE DECEASED PERSON:

S/N

Mukaila Amobi Adebayo late of 71, Igando Road, Ikotun, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of May, 2013 at Lagos. Mr Afisi Ishola (Otherwise known as Ishola Afeez) late of 4, Okoya Ojo Road, Ajegunle, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of July, 2011 at Lagos. Agu Emmanuel C. late of 14, Okedumola Street, Alagbado, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of March, 2010 at Good Health Medical Centre, Lagos. Babatunde Dare Oladunjoye (Otherwise known as Oladunjoye Babatunde Dare) late of 50, Olorunsogo Street, Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 11th day of November, 2012 at Lagoon Hospital, Ikeja. Mr Dennis Ochi late of 34, Ade Oshodi Street, Ijegun Egba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of June, 2008 at Ezioha, Ogugu Agwu LGA, Enugu State. Orimoloye Helen Titilayo late of 2, Bayo Oyewale Street, Ago Okota, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of October, 2011 at Lagoon Hospital, Apapa. Okoro Tina (Otherwise known as Mrs Tina Okoro) late of 31, lateef Aregbe Street, Okota, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of November, 2013 at Olive Hospital, Lagos. Mohammed Gidado Bobbo (Otherwise known as Mohammed Gidado) late of Block 2, Flat 4, LSDPC Estate, Ilupeju, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 27th day of January, 2014 at Abuja Obanure Funsho Vincent late of 74, Imole Avenue, Ajasa Command , Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 29th day of May, 2012 at Lagos. Olaniji Vincent Olowoniyi late of Plot 2, Samuel Ajayi , Magodo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of July, 2012 at General Hospital, Lagos. Mr Ugbonta Echereobia (Otherwise known as Mr S.E. Ugbonta and Samuel Echereobia Ugbonta) late fo 26, Seriki Aro Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of January, 2006 at Dominion Medical Consultants, Ikeja. Uwakwe Simeon Obiora(Otherwise known as Uwakwe Simon Obiora) late of 33A, Redwood Road, Northern Foreshore Estate, Lekki, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 15th day of January, 2013 at Lagos. Olufemi Tayo Opebiyi late of 11, Oluwanisola Street, Bariga, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of July, 2009 at General Hospital Gbagada, Lagos. Alliu Akeem late of 21, Alapere Street, Ketu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 25th day of June, 2013 at Lagos. Harry Osagie Imarhiagbe late of 5th Avenue, A Close, House 10, Festac Town, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of February, 2005 at Ituah Hospital Ltd, Festac. Mrs Kehinde Sanya (Otherwise known as Babatunde ) late of Block 216, Flat 3, Moshalasi Bus Stop, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of March, 2012 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Mr Anthony Ogwu Achoba (Otherwise known as Mr Achoba Anthony O.) late of 8, Ibikunle Street, Ijegun, Satelite, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 2nd day of December, 2010 at Nigerian Navy Ref. Hospital, Ojo, Lagos. Fatukasi O. I. (Otherwise known as Aderinola Aderinoye and Fatukasi Aderinola Aderinoye) late of 126, Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 30th day of October, 1998 at Jolad Hospital Gbagada, Lagos. Mr Ogbonna Nwodo (Otherwise known as Augustine Ogbonna Nwodo) late of 5, Gbadamosi Close, U-Turn Bus Stop, Abule Egba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 28th day of April, 2011 at Lagos. Ayodele Komolafe (Otherwise known as Komolafe Ayodele) late of 78, Egbeda Idimu Road, Egbeda, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of October, 2012 at Lagos. Samuel Olusanu Ajayi (Otherwise known as Ajayi Samuel Olusanu) late of Block 678, Flat 5, Abesan Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of March, 1993 at Lagos. Chief Olajide Isreal Alao Olawaiye Esan (Otherwise known as High Chief Olajide Esan) late of 5, Mudashiru Awe Street, (Formerly Hagley Street) Yaba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of June, 1999 at Ikoro Ekit, Ekiti State. Samuel Olufemi Oluseyi Campbell (Otherwise known as Campbell Oluseyi Samuel Olufemi) late of 5, Vaughan Street, Off Apapa Road, Ebute Metta, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of August, 2008 at Lagos. Daniel Oremu late of 1, Americana Close, Off Iba Road, Ojo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 29th day of November, 2013 at city of Houston Texes , U.S.A. Mr Okpudoh Sunday Johnson (Otherwise known as Mr Johnson Sunday) late of 28, Ago-Owu Street, Bariga, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of December, 2012 at Nigeria Army Ref. Hospital, Yaba. Cosmas Imo Itoro (Otherwise known as Imo Jackson Etukudo ) late of 19B, Tunji Oluwatayo Close, Ogudu G.R.A. Ojota, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 25th day of February, 2012 at U.C.T.H. Calabar. Ezekiel Odunayo Isaac late of 74, Oduduwa Way, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 14th day of February, 2014 at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. James Mamman Alli late of 38, Majolate Street, Palmgrove Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 2nd day of September, 1998 at Edo State. Odinaka Daniel Orji (Otherwise known as Mr Orji Odinaka) late of 39, Mafoluku Road, Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 31st day of December, 2013 at Abia. Mr Chukwuemeka Timothy Okpara (Otherwise known as Okpara Timothy) late of 11, Sam Akilome Street, Ojo Alaba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of March, 2013 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Opara David (Otherwise known as David Nnawuhie Opara) late of 6, Abike Ogidi Close, Off Kokoroabu Abalatura Junction, Ikorodu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 31st day of December, 2013 at Ikeduru, Imo State. Austin Ayodele Akoli (Otherwise known as Akoli Austin) late of 11, Onifade Street, Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of February, 2014 at University Teaching Hospital, Abuja. Mr Timothy Augustus Babasanya (Otherwise known as Babasanya Timothy) late of 5th Avenue F Close, House 1, Festac Town, Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of August, 1997 at Luth. Momoh Sam Olusegun late of 49, Post Office Road, Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of July, 2013 at Port Harcourt. Dr Sebastian Okwuoha Alaneme (Otherwise known as Alaneme Sebastian) late of 8, Alaneme Street, Off Comfort Oboh Street, Kirikiri , Lagos deceased who died intestate on the 18th day of July, 2008 at Luth. Miss Adesina Modupe Boloanle (Otherwise known as Modupe Bolanle Adesina) late of 1, Omololu Olotu Street, Abule Egba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 20th day of October, 2011 at Lagos. Samuel Kadiri (Otherwise knwona s Mr Samuel Kadir) late of 2, Samson Abayomi Kola Alagbado, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of October, 2012 at Lagos. Odia Ngozi (Otherwise known as Odia Ngozi (Nee Ijedinma) and Ngozi Odia) late of 6, Tinuade Street, Igando Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of February, 2013 at Lasuth, Ikeja. Abiola Samuel Babatunde (Otherwise known as Samuel Babatunde) late of 24, Ayantuga Street, Mushin, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 12th day of March, 1994 at Abeokuta. Christian Ekwueme Osuoha (Otherwise known as Pa Christian E. Osuoha and Rev. Christian E. Osuoha) late of the Apostolic Faith Church Anthony Village deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of June, 2005 at Imo State. Mr Alugo Mojeed Akingbemi late of 16, Anuoluwapo Street, Agege, Magbon, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 11th day of June, 2008 at Lagos. Agoro Surat Abioye late of 1B, Igbeyinadun Street, Sari Iganmu, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of April, 2012 at Lagos. Mr Julius Oikhomelo (Otherwise known as Mr Julius Okhemelo) late of 40, Alafia Street, Off Orisunibare Bus Stop Ikotun, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of April, 2012 at Lagos. Mr Fred Ikhifa Okhaibhor (Otherwise known as Mr Okhaibhor Fred Ikhifa) late of 20, Wole Akinseye Street, Off Isheri Oshun Road, Ijegun , Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 5th day of September, 2013 at Lagos. Mr Adekunle Aro (Otherwise known as Federal ) late of Abimbola Frozeen Foods, 4 Aguda Close, Adebayo Bus Stop, Ojodu Berger, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of February, 2014 at Ogun State Eromosele Sylvester (Otherwise known as Eromosele) late of BT 79, Flat 16, Road 411 Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of March, 2012 at Eruwa . Adewale Ayodele Taofeek (Otherwise known as Adewale Ayodele) late of 3, Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 26th day of July, 2010 at Orile Agege General Hospital. Mr Mark Sunday Ekenedili Obinna (Otherwise known as Mr Macsony Obinna Ekene) late of 8, James Estate, Ajara Badgry, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of May, 2012 at Lagos. Osakwe Ehis Pedro late of 10, Salako Crescent, Mafoluku Oshodi, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of January, 2010 at Lagos. Abbah Mary (Mrs) (Otherwise known as Mary Abbah) late of 38, Ajasa Command road Ewegbemi Bus Stop Mercas Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 6th day of February 2012 at Lagos. Babalola Felicia Anike (Otherwise known as Mrs Felicia Babalola ) late of 43, Aralice Street, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 30th day of October, 2010 at Lagos. Ameh Michael David late of 3, Fabajo Close, Oko-Oba Agege, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 31st day of May, 2012 at Orile Agege General Hospital. Akaolisa Pius Okechukwu late of 34, Inufele Street, Off Isheri Oshun Road, Ikotun, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of August, 2013 at Lagos. Mr Adewusi Adefolu Timothy (Otherwise known as Mr Adewusi Timothy Adefolu) late of 28, Ifelodun Street, Oko Oba Agege, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of February, 2010 at Lasuth. Okafor Thomas (Otherwise known as Mr Thomas Okafor ) late of 88, Paul Way Compound Oyingbo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 6th day of October, 2001 at Lagos. Mr Sunday Adedayo Olaoluwa late of 96, Okunola Road, Egbeda, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 11th day of July, 2012 at Lagos. Adebiyi Ibrahim Tokunbo (Otherwise known as Adebiyi Ibrahim) late of Elewe Eran Police Barracks Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of July, 2007. DSP Abdul Ganiyu Adetunji Alabi (Otherwise known as Aliais Afro and Alabi Ganiyu) late of 5, Asama Street, Off Benlo Guest House Ajagban, Ojo, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 4th day of November, 2007 at Ajeromi General Hospital Ajegunle, Lagos. Mr Ekerendu Iniekung Antai (Otherwise known as Ekerendu Iniekung ) late of 41 Road, Block 6 Flat 15, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 17th day of March, 2013 at Lagos. Theophilous Adekolajo Olaseni late of 59, Ijemo Road, Agbado, Abeokuta deceased who died intestate on the 6th day of November, 1996 at Abeokuta. James Abolaji Balogun (Otherwise known as Mr James Balogun and Mr Balogun James) late of 64, Sam Sonibare Street, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 9th day of July, 2013 at Lagos. Mr Udida Martin (Otherwise known as Udida Martin Jacob) late of 5, James Oyelede Street, Mosalasi , Alagbado, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 31st day of May , 2013 at Warri, Delta State. ASP Friday James Mbang (Otherwise known as Mbang Friday James ) late of 9, Shodehinde Street, new Oko Oba, Agege, lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 7th day of April, 2013 at Cross River State. Elisha Morire O. Akingboye (Otherwise known as Elisha Morire Olasanmi Akingboye) late of 13, Subuola Street, Surulere, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of July, 2004 at Lasuth Ogedengbe Rotimi late of 2, Segun Block Road, Ewupe , lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 19th day of September, 2013 at Lagos. Mr Nwaeze Moris (Otherwise known as Mr Nwaeze Moris Kelechi) late of 3, Olusanya Street, Aboru Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 8th day of October, 2011 at Lasuth. Yisa Opebiyi late of 3, Ogayemi Street, Oko Agbon Yaba, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 23rd day of September, 2013, at Ogun State Chief Bariyu Adedeji Towolawi (Otherwise known as Mr Bariyu Adedeji Towolawi) late of 33, Kujore Street, Ojota Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 29th day of January, 2005 at Lagos. Idowu Ayinde Adebowale late of 7, Ishola Daniel Street, Orile Oshodi, lagos, deceased hwo died intestate on the 9th day of August, 2008 at Lagos. Ijedima Sandra (Otherwise known as Ijedinma Onyeisi Sandra) late of 43, Santamaria Street, Igando, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 16th day of February, 2013 at Lasuth Alhaji Afolayan Abdul Kareem (Otherwise known as Afolayan Abdul Kareem) late of 4, Association Close, Ogudu Ojota, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 11th day of June, 2013 at Luth. Mr Shem Adamu late of 5, Alake Lane Off Fakoya Street, Egbeda, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 30th day of November, 2012 at Isolo General Hospital. Olorioke Stella (Otherwise known as Isaiah Stella) late of BT 78, Flat 4, By 411 road, Gowon Estate, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 29th day of October, 2011 at Lasuth Okedeyi Sabaina Taiwo (Mrs) late of 1A, Suhi Close, Opposite Oja Ipaja, Lagos, deceased who died intestate on the 1st day of September, 2009 at UCH Ibadan. Mathias Ogbaje late of Nigerian Ports Authority Lagos, deceased who died intestate on thbe 9th day of June, 2012 at Luth

NAMES OF APPLICANT APPLYING FOR THE GRANT

Mrs Adebayo Risikat and Miss Adebayo Rukayat Mopelola both of 71, Igando Road, Ikotun, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Tawakalitu Ishola and Mr Sodiq Ishola, both of 1, Saka Kayode Street, Shibiri Ekunpa , mother and brother respectivelyof the said deceased. Eke Njideka Francisca and Agu Henry Izuchukwu both of 38, Musibau Street, Ago Okota, Lagos, sister and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Bisoye Oladunjoye and Oluwatosin Victoria Oladunjoye both of 50, Olorunsogo Street, Mushin, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Nnamdi Owen and Mr Chizoba Henry Ochi both of 34, Ade Oshodi Street, Ijegun, Egba, Off Satellite Town, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Julius Folusho Orimoloye, Bamidele Ayodeji Orimoloye and Omolara Adesola Orimoloye all of 2, Bayo Oyewale Street, Ago Okota, Lagos, widower and two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Clement O. Okoro and Miss Adaugo Okoro both of 31, Lateef Aregbe Street, Okota, Lagos, widower and only child respectively of the said eceased. Hajia Hawau Gidado Modupe and Faisat Gidado both of Block 2, Flat 4, LSDPC Estate, Ilupeju, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Victoria Foluke Obanure and Adeyoju I. Adeniyi both of 74, Imole Avenue, Ajasa Command, Ipaja, lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Gladys Olajide and Olowoniyi Iyadunni, both of Plot 2, Samuel Ajayi, Magodo , Lagos, two sisters of the said decased. Mrs Joy Nnenna Ugbonta and Mr Livingstone Ikemba Ugbonta both of 26, Seriki Aro Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Obiageli Mendlin Uwakwe, Mrs Chika Nwangwu , Mr Victor Uwakwe and Mrs Angela Okeke all of 33A, Redwood Road, Northern Foreshore Estate, Lekki, Lagos, widow and three children respectively of the said deceased. Samuel Oludare Olufemi and Debora Opebiyi both of 11, Oluwanisola Street, Bariga, Lagos, two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Chinyere Akeem and Ugochukwu Aliu Akeem both of 21, Alapere Street, Ketu, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Theresa Imarhiagbe , Frances Imarhiagbe and Edegbe Imarhiagbe all of 5th Avenue, A Close, House 10, Festac Town, Lagos widow and two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Omoniyi Babatunde Onifade Funlola (NeeBabatunde ) and Femi Babatunde all of Block 216, Flat 3, Moshalasi Bus Stop, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos, three children of the said deceased. Peter Akoh Achoba of 2, Dr Segun Wahab Street, Ikorodu, Lagos, and Micheal Atayi Achoba of 1, Lola Prat Close, Ojodu Abiodun , two of the children of the said deceased. Abimbola Fatukasi and Kehinde Adewale both of 126, Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Chinenye Ogbonna and Mr Sunday John Nwodo both of 5, Gbadamosi Close, U-Turn Bus Stop, Abule Egba, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Dare Komolafe of 20, Apo-Eso Street, Ejigbo, Lagos and Niyi Bada of 3, Adegbola Street, Ikeja, Lagos, brother and cousin respectively of the said deceased. Miss Omolara Ajayi of Block 678, Flat 5, Abesan Ipaja, Lagos, and Miss Modupe Ajayi of Block 125, Flat 1, Ojokoro, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Olutope Esan and Olumide Esan both of 75, Shipeolu Street, Shomolu, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Emmanuel Ebunoluwa Campbell and James Modupe Campbell both of 38, Ondo Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Josephine Enaturu Onemu and Gladys Nwagbol I. both of 1, Americana Close, Off Iba Road, Ojo, Lagos, widow and cousin respectively of the said deceased. Mr Friday Johnson Okpudoh, Mr Nkanga Johnson Okpudoh and Miss Mercy Johnson Okpudoh all of 28, Ago-Owu Street, Bariga, Lagos, two brothers and sister respectively of the said deceased. Ime Inyang and Mirabel E. Inyang both of 19B, Tunji Oluwatayo Close, Ogudu G.R.A. Ojota, Lagos, sister and cousin respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Olubunmi Josephine Ezekiel and Miss Oluwatobi Mercy Ezekiel both of 74, Oduduwa Way, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, widow and only child respectively of the said deceased. Nimbe Izedomi Alli and Odion Elizabeth Alli both of 38, Majolate Street, Palmgrove, Mushin, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased Orji Friday and Ike Kunle Obiy both of 39, Mafoluku Road, oshodi, Lagos, two brothers of the said deceased. Mrs Maria Okpara of 11, Sam Akilome Street, Ojo Alaba, Lagos, and Mr Iheanacho Timothy Okpara of 35, Godlove Steet, Egbeda, lagos, widow and only child respectively of the said deceased. Opara Nwabugo Ijeoma and Asimole Chinyere both of 6, Abike Ogidi Close, off Kokoroabu Abalatura Junction, Ikorodu, Lagos, widow and sisterin-law respectively of the said deceased. Isimot Motunrayo Akoli (Mrs), Mayowa Olympia Akoli , Folusho Duncan Akoli and Folabi Adolf Akoli all of 11, Onifade Street, Mushin, Lagos, widow and three children respectively of the said deceased. Ademola O. Babasanya of 5th Avenue, F Close, House 1, Festac Town, Lagos, and Mofoluke A. Olotu of A6, Close, House 29, Citec Mbora Estate, Jabi, Abuja two of the children of the said deceased. Yemisi Bamidele Momoh and Akin Ejibunu bot of 49, Post Office Road, Mushin, Lagos, widow and cousin respectively of the said deceased. Dr Kenneth Alaneme, Mr Micheal Alaneme and Mr Ikenna Alaneme all of 8, Alaneme Street, Off Comofrt Oboh Street, Kirikiri, Lagos, three of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Jumoke Victortia Ogedengbe of 1, Omololu Olotu Street, Abule Egba, Lagos and Mr Sunday Adesina of 8, Arowolo Street, Abule Egba, Lagos, sister and borhter respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Dupe Samuel , Oluwafemi Samuel and Olwuatosin Samuel all of 2, Samson Abayomi Kola Alagbado, Lagos, widow and two of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ijedinma Katerin Ejime and Ozor Henry both of 3, Adekunle Street, Manna Cola Estate, Alagbado, Lagos, sister and brother-in-law respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Olufemi Ajoke Ashley Dejo of 5, Larkin Court Doncaster Estate Victoria Austratia and Dr (Mrs) Olayinka Akanke Abosede of 10, Modupe Amele Street, Magodo Phase II, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mr Godwin Osuoha of 39A, Ayilara Street, Surulere, Lagos, and Rev. Emmanuel Moho of Apostolic Faith Church Anthony Village Lagos, two brother and sister respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Alugo Muibat , Mrs Salako Iyabode , Mr Alugo Ayoola and Mr Alugo Akintunde all of 16, Anuoluwapo Street, Agege, Magbon, Lagos widow and three children respectively of the said deceased. Mohammed A. Ashabi and Shamusideen A. Delu both of 1B, Igbeyinadun Street, Sari Iganmu, Iganmu, Lagos, one of the children and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Abigael Oikhomelo of 40, Alafia Street, Ikotun, Lagos, and Mr Amos Oikhomelo of Block 8, Flat 6, Bank Olemon Estate, Surulere, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Blessing Okhaibhor and Mr Lucky Okhaibhor both of 20 Wale Akinseye Street, Off Isheri-Oshun Road, Ijegun, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Adekunle Adedayo, Adekunle Hannah and Adekunle Florence all of Abimbola Frozen Foods 4, Aguda Close, Bus Stop, Ojodu Berger, Ogun State, three of the children of the said deceased. Veronica Eromosele and Christopher Eromosele both of BT79, Flat 16, Road 411 Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Adewale Babatunde and Adewale Ahmed both of 3, Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Felicia Obinna and Mr Kanayo Chukwu Obinna both of 8, James Estate Ajare Badagry, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Osakwe Grace (Mrs) and Osayemere Osakwe both of 11, Olaore Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Jennifer A. Abbah and Jerry Abbah both of 38, Ajasa Command Road, Ewegbemi Bus Stop, Meran Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Babalola Olajide Yinka of 12, Balogun Street, Off Brown Oshodi, Lagos, and Babalola Olajumoke of 5, Boye Oyetoro Street, Ishafa Oke-Aro Ogun State, two of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Ameh Franca of 3, Fabajo Close, Agege Oko-Oba Road, Lagos and John Ameh of 4, Fabajo Close, Agege, lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mr Akaolisa Annah A. and Miss Akaolisa Deborah A. both of 34, Inufele Street, Off Isheri Oshun , Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Adedoyin Adewusi and Adesegun Adewusi both of 28 Ifelodun Street, Oko Oba Agege, Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Felicia Okafor and Miss Augusta O. Okafor both of Peters Street, Agbado, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Dorcas Olaoluwa, Omotolani Esther Olaoluwa and Emmanuel Olaoluwa all of 96, Okunola Road, Egbeda, Lagos, widow and two children respectively of the said deceased. Adebiyi Adetutu and Adebiyi Kudirat both of 16, Kiniwun Ifa Street, Ifako Gbagada, Lagos, two sisters respectively of the said deceased. Kazeem Alabi and Abdulateef Alabi both of 5, Asama Ajangbadi Ojo , Lagos, two children of the said deceased. Mrs Ekerendu Elizabeth and Mr Eyo Ekerendu both of 41, Road Block 6, Flat 15 Gowon Estate, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Esther Olaseni and Micheal Olaseni both of 106, Oyetoro Street, Meiran Agege, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mr Bukola Balogun and Mr Olalekan Balogun both of 64, Sam Sonibare Street, Surulere , Lagos, two of the children of the said deceased. Udida Dorathy Undele Oshiama and Udida Vanessa Alorye of 5, James Oyedele Street, Moshalashi Alagbado, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Alice Friday James and Usang Friday James both of 9, Shodehinde Street, new Oko Oba Agege, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Florence Funmilayo Akingboye of 14, Ohamu Close, Oworonsoki, Lagos, Ms Olanrewaju Adeola and Akingboye Adebiyi both of 2, Dorcas Ogunmola Street, Alijeloro Estate, Alagbado, Lagos, widow and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Ogedengbe Fatimo of 2, Segun Blocks Road, Lagos and Abidat Mustapha of 8, Bammeke Road, Shasha, Lagos, widow and sister respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Nkechi Nwaeze and Miss Gift Nwaeze both of 3, Olusanya Street, Aboru Iyana Ipaja Lagos, widow and only child respectively of the said deceased of the said deceased. Mojeed Opebiyi, Taiwo Opebiyi and Olumide Ilurimi all of 3, Ogayemi State Yaba, Oko Agbon, Lagos, two of the children and cousin respectively of the said deceased. Miss Muinat Towolawi, Engr. Sikiru Towolawi , Fatai Towolawi and Engr. Owolabi Risiku Badejo all of 33, Kujore Street, Ojota, Lagos, three of the children and cousin respectively of the said deceased. Idowu Muritala Adewale of 3, Abeokuta Street, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, Idowu Mufulat Abidemi (Adejare) of 186, Chicken Jones Dalemo Bus Stop, Sango, Lagos and Idowu Musiliu Owolabi of 12, Latora Street, Ipaja, Lagos, three children of the said deceased. Ijedinma Katerine Ejime and Ozor Henry both of 3, Adekunle Street, Mannakola Estate, Alagbado, Lagos, sister and brother respectively of the said deceased. Mrs Mousurat Babalola, Mrs Rushidat Abdulkareem , Miss Khadijat Abdulkareem and Mr Abdulkabir Abdulkareem all of 4, Association Close, Ogudu, Ojota, Lagos, four of the children of the said deceased. Mrs Mercy Adamu and Mr Bawa Ishaya both of 5, Alake Lane Off Fakoya Street, Egbeda, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased. Olorioke Toluwa and Miss Bosede Isaiah both of BT 78, Flat 4 By 411 Road, Gowon Estate, Lagos, widower and sister respectively of the said decased. Pastor Okedeyi David Olusanjo (Jr) and Afolabi Okedeyi both of 1A, Suhi Close, Opposite Oja Ipaja, Lagos, widower and one of the children respectively of the said deceased. Comfort Ogbaje of New Site Agbara Ogun State and Mr Phillip Ogbaje of 11, Cyprian Adegbaro Street, Ipaja, Lagos, widow and brother respectively of the said deceased

I.O.AKINKUGBE (MRS) PROBATE REGISTRAR

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

FOREIGN MUSINGS

The revolt in Iraq

AST Saturday marked the centennial of the formal close of World War I. In what is now generally known as The Treaty of Versailles, named after the city in France where the document was signed, the German Forces and The Allied Powers formally agreed to a cessation of all hostilities There is something significant in international relations about the present and ongoing danger in Iraq that pertains to this. Article 231 of this treaty, which prides itself as “the war to end all wars”’ states inter-alia: “The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies.” It also led to the birth of The League of Nations, which unfortunately the United States of America’s Senate refused to ratify under President Woodrow Wilson, America’s 28th president. We shall come to this next week in this column. The relevance of the above to the issue today is about the unending conflict in Iraq, even after the exit of U.S - led invasion of 2003. History has it that a British civil servant by the name Mark Sykes ion 1922 in his infinite (now finite as it were) wisdom drew the artificial lines which created Iraq and Jordan, just as in Africa, without regard to commonalty of culture, religion, tribal and other quintessential necessities that make a unified nation-state. The Kurds, as powerful as they were never attained statehood under this treaty and thus the status-quo remains till this day. Therefore present day Iraq, formerly known as Mesopotamia, arose out of the ashes of a decimated and incinerated Ottoman Empire by the British. The recent upsurge therefore in violence between the Shi,ite Islamist Party of Prime Minister Nuri al-Malaki and the Iraq Sunni minority rebel group under the Levant (ISIL) movement, which is a former affiliate of the al-Qaeda in Iraq has been a worrisome development with increasing potential for another major war in this part of the world.

Global Focus

America, who has its largest embassy in the world located in Baghdad’s International Zone DAYO FAKUADE, Foreign Editor (IZ) had no choice last week but rush a contingent of 276 Special sms 08134230367 Operations forces to Baghdad to provide intelligence to Iraqi daborgu@gmail.com Forces, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi protect American citizens and supervise their evacuation from the country as expedient. The problem is the increasing militarization and potency of the ISIL, which has lately amassed immense weapons and cash which have enabled the organisation capture major cities like Mosul, Baiji, and Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit. There are lots of issues involved which are exercabating the present imbroglio in Iraq and they also have their antecedents in what is now happening in Afghanistan; a country where America is billed to pull out its troops in December of 2016 but leaving behind 9,800 troops. Secondly it is now adamantly insisting on a security agreement which will not only guarantee immunity for its troops left behind but more involvement in helping to cement the fragile peace and military sucesses already achieved in this tortuous, costly and decadeold intervention. Now back to Iraq, when the US forces finally pulled out on December 18, 2011 there were no security agreements signed between the two nations and neither was any formal role for the US troops which were merely 150 specialists, so to speak, about 5,000 private security consultants all operating under what it called the Office of Security Cooperation. To its credit, of course it left a sizable working official civilian American population of 18,000 on the ground and built the largest embassy in the world costing a whopping The Iraqi Sunni rebels now have access to $750million. Iraq key and even Syrian oil refineries, on acBut the downside as we are now witnessing count of the instability occasioned by that counis the bungling inability of Prime Minister try’s civil war, not to talk of hundreds of infilNouri Maliki, who has been woefully unable trating foreign fighters and recruits from to harness the goodwill left behind by the deneighbouring Turkey and other nations. parting US led allies regardless of one’s reserOne can wonder why such irreconcilable vation for the invasion in the first place. combinations of differing ideological groups

The lesson remains that Maliki cannot continue the marginalization of the Sunnis and expect peace to reign in his domain. More importantly is the fact that the PM who just won his third term in the April 30 election cannot afford to do business as usual. He needs to muster the political wherewithal to unite and stabilize Iraq

including the Islamic Army, the 1920 Revolution Brigades, the Mujahedeen army, the Rashadeen Army, and Ansar al-Sunna, the Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order and otter Baathist offshoots their leader could be making such moderate in road and success in Iraq while such coalition collapsed like a pack of cards under the murderous onslaught of Assad in neighbouring Syria. Prime Minister Maliki who had earlier gone to Washington cap in hand for further assistance is now miffed and angry with US for refusing to offer further and immediate help to fight the Sunni rebels. What is he doing? Thumping his nose at Washington with the delivery of Russian jets on Iraqi soil last week. How far this can help his government ward-off the increasing gallant allantry bravery being demonstrated daily by the rebels is yet to be seen. In the meantime, while Baghdad takes delivery of the Soukhoi Fighter Jets from Russia and Belarrus, President Obama last week requested from America’s Congress for a $500 million military facility to assist ISIS and its al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria. Call that too little, too late since it might no longer make any dent on Assad’s killing machine having scattered the rebels into various refugee camps. Since the war in Syria started over three years ago, conventional wisdom had been that the U.S will organize some meaningful military assistance for the rebels in Syria; most especially around this time last year when the rebels were making tremendous progress against Assad. Now it might be too late in the day. The lesson remain that Maliki cannot continue the marginalisation of the Sunnis and expect peace to reign in his domain. More importantly is the fact that the PM who just won his third term in the April 30 election cannot afford to do business as usual. He needs to muster the political wherewithal to unite and stabilize Iraq. He cannot continue to rely on foreign intervention to put his country back on the track of progressive development and stability. Well as our refrain and constant admonition, our globe is a treasure; let us keep it safe and liveable. Go green and live green by planting a tree in your neighbourhood today. See you next week.

FOREIGN NEWS

Eritrea faces UN human rights probe

Scottish independence: Hundreds protest over 'BBC bias'

HE United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) has set up a Commission of Enquiry into Eritrea, seen as one of the world’s most repressive states. The three-member panel will report back in one year. In a statement, the HRC condemned “widespread and systematic” human rights violations, including torture and other cruel punishments. Eritrea rejected the resolution. Human rights groups have previously called the country a “giant prison”. Amnesty International last year said some 10,000 Eritreans had been imprisoned for political reasons since independence from Ethiopia in 1993. This was denied by the government. A country-specific inquiry into alleged violations is something Eritrea, and indeed many countries, desperately want to avoid. Although the UN Human Rights Council cannot order

H •Ahmado Boudou

sanctions or referral to the International Criminal Court (only the UN Security Council has such powers), its inquiries receive enormous public attention. Recent investigations into Syria and North Korea have made headlines around the world, and human rights groups do believe the council’s thorough research, its evidence-based findings, and the subsequent public “naming and shaming” can spur abusive regimes towards change. Earlier this month, four Eritrean Catholic bishops took the rare step of publicly criticising life in

the country as “desolate”. Many of the migrants who drowned off Lampedusa last year were from Eritrea. Young men must do national service until the age of 40, prompting an estimated 3,000 to flee the country each month. The use of conscription was also condemned by the HRC, along with restrictions on the freedom of expression, religion and peaceful assembly. All private media have been closed down and only members of four religions - the Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran Churches and Islam - are allowed to practise freely.

Argentines vice-president charged in corruption case

RGENTINE Vice-President Amado Boudou has been charged in a corruption case. Mr Boudou is suspected of using his influence when he was economy minister to ensure that a contract to print Argentina’s currency was awarded to a company he allegedly controlled. Earlier this month, he was questioned for more than seven hours by a judge, in a closeddoor court session. If convicted, he faces up to six years in jail. He denies any wrongdoing and has rejected calls to step down. The judge ruled that Mr Boudou would remain free while awaiting trial. Five other suspects have also been charged.

The case involves the Ciccone Calcografica printing company that has been under investigation for more than three years. Mr Boudou is suspected of using a front man to buy the company when it filed for bankruptcy in 2010.

The company later received tax breaks to pay its debts. It also published material used in the re-election campaign of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in 2011. Mr Boudou was once seen as a possible successor to President Fernandez.

‘Referendum’ ends in Hong Kong

ONG Kong has been voting on the final day of an unofficial referendum on universal suffrage in the Chinese territory. The 10-day poll was held by protest group Occupy Central, which says almost 800,000 voted online or in person. A Hong Kong government spokesman has said the vote has

no legal standing. Campaigners want the former British colony to be able to elect its leader, or the chief executive. China has pledged direct elections by 2017. However, voters will only have a choice from a list of candidates selected by a nominating committee, and China’s communist authorities have said all candidates must be “patriotic”.

UNDREDS of people gathered at BBC Scotland's headquarters in Glasgow to protest over the corporation's coverage of the referendum. The protestors claimed an "unhealthy bias" existed in favour of the pro-Union Better Together campaign. Organiser Moira Williams said there was "increasing discontent" about the way the independence campaign was being represented by the BBC. However, the BBC said its referendum coverage was

"fair and accurate". Several hundred people protested with flags and banners outside Pacific Quay, the BBC's Glasgow base. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Williams said: "We organised this event because we are witnessing increasing discontent over BBC referendum coverage and we felt we needed to stand against this unhealthy bias. "Whether Scotland votes 'Yes' or 'No', let it be based on facts provided in a fair and accurate way, not because people have been mis-

guided." She added: "The BBC should be doing what it says in its job description - being unbiased and impartial." A spokeswoman for BBC Scotland said: "Our coverage of the referendum story is fair and impartial in line with the editorial guidelines." The Scottish independence referendum takes place on 18 September 2014. Voters will answer the Yes/No question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

Iraq receives Russian fighter jets

RAQ SAYS it has received the first batch of fighter jets it ordered from Russia to help it as it fights an offensive by Sunni rebels. The defence ministry said five Sukhoi attack aircraft would enter service in “three to four days”. The insurgents control large swathes of the north and west after a string of attacks over the past three weeks. On Saturday, the government said it had retaken the northern city of Tikrit, but rebels dispute this. Recapturing Tikrit is a tantalising prospect for Iraq, as the BBC’s Paul Adams reports State television said 60 militants had been killed and that preparations were now being made to move north towards rebel-held Mosul. The rebels confirmed there had been heavy fighting in the city they took on 11 June, but implied the attack had

failed, saying they were pursuing what was left of the army offensive. Iraq’s ministry of defence said the deal with Russia “was aimed at increasing the firepower of the air force and the rest of the armed forces in order to fight terrorism”. Iraq’s prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, told the BBC last week that his government had signed a deal with Russia and Belarus to supply jet fighters. The deals are reportedly worth up to $500m (£293m). Iraq’s air force has struggled to impose itself against the militants, led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis). Reports say the air force has run out of certain air-toground missiles. Iraqi military sources have said the offensive on Tikrit the mainly Sunni hometown of former leader Saddam Hussein - is being co-ordinated with American military

advisers. However, although the US has confirmed it is flying armed drones in Iraq to protect US personnel on the ground, US officials say the 300 military personnel they sent to aid the government are not directly involved in the hostilities. Meanwhile, Iraq’s most influential Shia cleric has called for a prime minister to be appointed by Tuesday to try to defuse the country’s political crisis. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said key positions should be agreed before the new parliament meets then. Pressure has been building for a national unity government. Prime Minister Nouri Maliki wants a third term, though correspondents say he is seen by many as having precipitated the crisis through sectarian policies that have pushed Iraq’s Sunni minority into the hands of Isis extremists.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

Britain should stay in EU to protect economy, CBI says

HE success of the UK economy depends on staying in the EU, the head of the country’s biggest business group says. Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director general John Cridland told the Observer EU membership supported jobs, growth and the UK’s “competitiveness”. His comments come after Prime Minister David Cameron lost a vote on the next president of the European Commission. He tried to block the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker, who is seen as a backer of closer political union. EU states voted 26-2 to appoint Mr Juncker on Friday, and Mr Cameron called it a “bad day for Europe”.

Mr Cameron wants to renegotiate Britain’s position in the EU before holding a referendum on membership after the next general election. Some Conservative MPs believe Britain should leave the EU, and on Friday Tory MEP Daniel Hannan proposed a “Swiss-type deal where we are only in the free market and we are outside everything else”. But Mr Cridland opposed this, saying: “Alternatives to full membership of the EU simply wouldn’t work, leaving us beholden to its rules without being able to influence them.” He said the CBI, which lobbies the government on behalf of businesses, would “continue to press the case for the

UK remaining in a reformed European Union”. “The EU is our biggest export market and remains fundamental to our economic future,” he said. “Our membership supports jobs, drives growth and boosts our international competitiveness.” After Friday’s European vote Labour leader Ed Miliband said the UK was now “closer to the exit door” in Europe, posing a threat to the economy, and UKIP leader Nigel Farage said Mr Cameron had been “utterly humiliated”. But Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Mr Cameron had been “brave” to take on Europe and said the debate had now changed.

Japan: Man sets self on fire over military rule change

MAN set himself on fire in central Tokyo in protest at a proposed law which could allow Japan to deploy its military overseas. The man was taken to hospital after being hosed down but his condition was not immediately known, officials said. Japan’s government could make the change to its pacifist constitution as early as next Tuesday. The US-drafted constitution bans war and “the threat or use of force” to settle international disputes. Witnesses said the middle-aged man, wearing a suit and tie, climbed onto a pedestrian bridge at Tokyo’s Shinjuku station. “He was sitting cross-legged and was just talking, so I thought it would end without incident,” one eyewitness told Reuters. “Then all of a sudden his body was enveloped in fire.” Reports said the man used a megaphone to shout for over an hour about the change to Japan’s constitution. Video shown on national television in Japan showed the flames being extinguished by offic-

ers. Japan has well-equipped and well-trained armed forces but there are severe restrictions on them being deployed abroad. Under Article 9 of its post-war pacifist constitution, Japan is blocked from the use of force to resolve conflicts except in the case of self-defence. Mr Abe has said Japan must change to adapt to a new security environment But Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he wants a new interpretation of the constitution to be agreed on. The move has split opinion inside the country. Critics of the move warn against what they see as increasing militarism, while conservatives argue that the restriction is a double standard forced upon Japan. Mr Abe’s plan has led to criticism from China, whose relations with the Japan have become strained over territorial disputes in East China Sea. Correspondents say the move will likely please the US, with whom Japan has a longstanding security treaty.

Prince Harry visits firehit Chilean shanty town

RINCE Harry has visited a Chilean shanty town community where homes were destroyed by wildfires this year. Thousands were left homeless and 15 people were killed when the blaze hit homes in and around the port of Valparaiso in April. The prince visited people living on steep hills overlooking the city. He was invited into one temporary home where he proved popular by fixing a television just in time for Chile’s World Cup match against Brazil. Almost all of the wooden properties in the area, a small

hilltop community called El Vergel, were destroyed in the wildfires, leaving 100 families homeless. The charity Techo is helping the villagers build new homes out of chipboard and corrugated iron, and inside one of the shacks, home to Coca Perez, 50, and her teenage son and daughter, the prince noticed their television was not working properly. Mrs Perez said: “He looked at it and he started to fiddle with the cable. “He managed to get it working so we could watch Chile playing Brazil. Now I can tell everyone that Prince Harry is my TV repair man.”

•Prince Harry

The prince also visited Carolina Guzman, 33, who lost her home in the fire. “I feel really moved to have met Harry and thankful and happy. I feel like crying,” she said.

North Korea fires two missiles off eastern coast

ORTH Korea has fired two missiles off its eastern coast, according to the South Korean military. It comes just days after Pyongyang tested what it says were new precision-guided missiles. The rockets fired were short-

range Scud missiles with a range of about 500 kilometers, Yonhap news agency cited a military official as saying. Japan has already voiced protest against the test firing. On Thursday, Pyongyang fired what were believed to be three short-range missiles into

the sea in an apparent show of force ahead of a visit to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping. North Korea has recently expressed anger with alleged South Korean artillery testfires near a disputed maritime boundary in the Yellow Sea.

EU leaders join Ukraine-Russia talks amid new clashes

U leaders held talks with the presidents of Ukraine and Russia yesterday as a truce between government forces and separatists neared its end. The joint telephone conference, which lasted more than two hours, came after new clashes in the east of the country. A Ukraine military spokesman says five soldiers were killed in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions at the weekend.

The ceasefire was extended on Friday for three days and is due to end on Monday at 23:00 local time (20:00 GMT). Some rebel leaders refused to observe the truce and low level attacks have continued over the weekend. Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyy said five Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and at least 17 wounded in clashes in the east of Ukraine.

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

FIFA restricts Yobo to quiet 100th cap

ORLD football – governing body FIFA has turned down a request by the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) to honour Captain Joseph Yobo on his 100th cap –day against France in Brasilia. Should he be picked for the match by Coach Stephen Keshi, it would be Yobo’s 100th senior cap for Nigeria, since he featured against Zambia in Chingola in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match that ended 1-1 on 24th March, 2001. A request was made by the NFF to present a signed official jersey to the 33 –year old defender prior to kick – off inside the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha,

but FIFA insisted it could not go ahead. NFF chiefs have decided to have a brief presentation of the jersey to the player by NFF President Aminu Maigari at the team’s Brasilia Palace Hotel after the match. Yobo, who started his career as a striker and also featured for Nigeria at U-20 level, playing at the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup that Nigeria hosted, has scored seven goals in his previous 99 senior matches. He has also won Africa Cup of Nations gold (2013) and bronze medals (2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010) and played in three FIFA World Cup finals (2002, 2010 and 2014). If he features against France, he will be playing in his 10th

FIFA World Cup match, more than Jay Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu – the

only other Nigerian players to have featured in three FIFA World Cup finals.

•Yobo

AHEAD OF FRANCE CLASH

Greeks mock Eagles over cash row

UPER Eagles players and their officials were the butt of cynical remarks in Brazil media and in the international press yesterday, when the news broke that the Greek players donated their share of FIFA’s $8 million to all participating teams in World Cup final, to the Greek government to build sports centres for their national teams. Super Eagles’ show-of-shame was mentioned along with the despicable conduct of Cameroon’s and Ghana’s players at the Brazil 2014 World Cup, which enters its second round stages.

•Donate FIFA cash to Greece govt •Wants fee to be used to build sports centres From Ade Ojeikere, Brasilia A brief letter, which was made public in Brasilia according to NewsBomb.gr reads: ‘’ We do not want extra bonus. We only play for Greece and its people. All we want is for you to support our effort to find a land and create a sports centre that will house our national teams.’’ Compare and contrast this gesture to Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ shameless refusal to train last Thursday in Sao Paulo

and their insistence on collecting their cash before tonight’s game against France in Brasilia, culminating in President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration shipping in $3.85 million to them, then you would appreciate why Nigerians are the laughing stock of the world in Brazil. Again, compare Eagles’ disgraceful showing to Cameroon players’ threatening not to show up in Brazil at all prior to the World

Cup kick-off over a bonus row. Earlier last week, $3 million was brought to Brazil so that Ghana would play their last group stage game against Portugal. These ungentlemanly conducts say a great deal about the importance of integrity and national spirit, even in a sport as high profile and rapidly competitive as football. WORLD CUP ROUND OF 16 RESULTS Holland 2 - 1 Mexico Costa Rica 1- 1 Greece Won 5-3 on penalty

NEWS Boko Haram kills scores in attacks on churches Continued from page 4

three months. President Goodluck Jonathan said Nigeria had entered one of the darkest phases of its history during a visit to the scene of the Abuja blast on Friday. Yesterday, the President, in a statement by his spokesman Reuben Abati, condemned the Friday night killings in Bauchi and the mass killings in Southern Kaduna. Abati said: “The President commiserated with all the families who lost loved ones in the heinous attacks and extended his sympathies to all those who suffered injuries or lost their properties during the wanton assaults on Bau-

chi and Kaduna States. “He reassured the people of the two states that the Federal Government will continue to take all necessary action to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly attacks and restore the fullest possible security to all parts of the country. “The President directed all relevant federal government agencies to continue to speedily make emergency medical and relief assistance available to all those who were either injured or displaced by recent bombings and attacks. “Jonathan also urged all Nigerians to give maximum support and cooperation to the Armed Forces and security agencies. “The security agencies, he

said, have continued to work incessantly to end the menace of insecurity in the country within the shortest possible time.” The police in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, said unknown gunmen on Saturday trailed and killed 13 Fulani herdsmen who were returning from village markets in Garba-Chede and Maihula. Police Spokesman Joseph Kwaji said yesterday that the herdsmen were waylaid and killed by unidentified youths along a bush path on the outskirts of Maihula in Bali Local Government Area of the state. According to him, no arrest had been made but the police had beefed up security in the

itary was put on the alert in the last one week. “With the attacks on Kano, Abuja, and Bauchi, the Defence Headquarters has ordered 24-hour surveillance nationwide.” Meanwhile, fresh facts emerged yesterday that it had been difficult to track down the sponsors of insurgency because most vehicles involved were snatched or seized from their owners. This development on the vehicles was said to be the outcome of a painstaking probe of number plates, chassis numbers and even particulars of most vehicles retrieved from scenes of explosions. “Each time we tried to trace the owners of these

vehicles and arrest them as sponsors, we have always discovered that they had nothing to do with insurgency or terrorism,” another source said, adding: “We cannot detain the owners of such vehicles who also lost them to the insurgents. The element of justice must be there. “But we are not relenting in unmasking these sponsors. The reality is that there is a network between Boko Haram and other insurgency groups like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb. “This fact made President Goodluck Jonathan to declare recently that Boko Haram is no longer a local terrorist organisation.”

Troops destroy 80 sect’s camps Continued from page 4

insurgents and it will be unfair to draw this conclusion. The military is not weak. We see the attacks as part of the moves to gain the strength of publicity.” The source said the military was already probing all clues to the recent attacks to strengthened security nationwide. “For instance, by reason of weather, the vegetation of Sambisa Forest is not nice; it is always flooded during rainy season, muddy and slippery. There is likelihood that the insurgents might want to shift their main base. “They may operate satellite camps here and there. This explains why the mil-

area to track down the perpetrators. He added that it was not clear why the incident took place but further investigation would reveal the reasons for the attack and the people behind it. Bali Local Government Area Chairman Andrew Yerima said the herdsmen were trailed by the armed men from Garba-Chede market where they were believed to have gone to sell their cows. Yerima called for calm and advised residents of the area not to take the law into their hands. He assured them that the culprits would be brought to book.

MONTHLY SATURDAY BOXING SHOW

Edun: Lagos boxers ‘ll excel at C/wealth Games

HE Chairman Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF), Olawale Edun has declared that the Lagos boxers currently fighting for a place at the national camp ahead of the Commonwealth Games will excel if selected for the biennial event. Speaking at the 54th edition of the Monthly Saturday Boxing Show, an initiative of the LBHF in conjunction with the Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association (LABA), Edun said the boxers, all products of the monthly competition held every last Saturday at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, have the potentials to do well at international level. He said the LBHF will not relent in its efforts to consistently provide the platform for a regular competition in the pugilist sport, adding that by so doing more young talents will be discovered for the future. “This is another great outing by the young stars and at the beginning of Ramadan. We normally do not hold the competition during the fasting period for the Muslims because the health of our boxers is of paramount importance to us. But this month we will hold it here at the same venue. We want to engage these young stars and see how we can keep them busy with boxing. “I saw a bright future in one of the young boxers today, Isiaka Jamiu. He is just 12 years old and will go places if encouraged. With the right commitment coming from their coaches,

Lagos State will do everything within its power to ensure that the future of boxing and every other sport is secured in the state,” he said. Meanwhile, in the 10 bouts lined up for the day, Ogunyanju Dare got the beatin of his life in the hands of Dauda Azeez in the 49kg weight category, as Akinlade Abel also defeated Rasaki Ogubjobi in the 56kg weight category. Also in the 64kg weight category, Hammed Rufai lost to Kazeem Saka, while Elegbede Samuel defeated Demola Olaleye in the 69kg weight category. However, in one of the female bouts, Elizabeth Oshoba defeated Musa Adesewa in the 51kg weight category, as it was a case of no-winner-no vanquished in the exhibition bout between Samori Adeyemi and Lekan Idris in the 25kg weight category. In another female bout, Blessing Dada showed class when she defeated Adebayo Zainab in the 37kg weight category, and Femi Akintayo also wasted no time in putting down Kudus Aliu in the 75kg weight category. The final bout of the day was between Victor Stun and Samuel Ebohen in the 81kg weight category. Though both boxers knocked down each other at intervals, Ebohen however emerged as the winner of a keenly contested bout. The next edition comes up last Saturday of July.

ACF to insurgents: respect holy month Continued from page 4 view of the prevailing economic

ing from eating, drinking, sexual pleasure and other unlawful activities as decreed by Almighty Allah. “The Holy Quran as a guidance for mankind, with evident demonstration and clear proofs leading to the right path, which also teaches Muslims to distinguish between good and evil was revealed in the month of Ramadan. “The period of Ramadan is therefore not only for Muslims to abstain from food and drink but to reflect and devote themselves to the teachings of the Holy Quran, practices and sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). “It is also an occasion for Muslims to reaffirm their belief in the oneness of Almighty Allah and commitment to the ideals of Islam. Fasting also entails helping the less fortunate and poor in our midst in

hardship and inequality nationwide. “ACF wishes the Muslim Community a peaceful, rewarding and blissful Ramadan fast. It equally urges Muslims to devote themselves to prayers for unity, peaceful coexistence and the courage to overcome the security challenges confronting Nigeria”. The Director General Media and Publicity to Governor Yero, Ahmed Maiyaki, quoted the governor as saying: “Let us seize this divine mercy through worship and prayer for Allah Almighty to bring the present spate of insecurity in our land to an end. Ramadan is a period of enormous divine grace and salvation, it is therefore a time for to pray for Allah’s mercy in bringing lasting peace and harmony to Kaduna State and Nigeria at large”.

BPE: Refineries sale still on hold Continued from page 4

reached an understanding with the labour unions on the sale of the refineries. He explained the relevance of Labour in the sale of refineries, adding: “If Labour agrees with us toda, we will start the process of advertising for a privatisation adviser.” The BPE said the Federal Government had agreed that Labour should be part of the steering committee. According to him, the chairman of the committee, who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources, will convene a meeting to have the workers’ input following their readiness. The committee, Dikki said, would decide how the stake-

holders would structure the transaction. He said: “I have just told you that the BPE has not commenced the privatisation process. The privatisation process will commence with a meeting of the steering committee, chaired by the Minister of Petroleum. “The government has already given approval that Labour should be part of the steering committee. So, they can have their own input into the privatisation process. “But like I told you, we have not reached an understanding with Labour yet. Once we do, then the Minister of Petroleum will convene a meeting of the steering committee and, like I said, members of Labour are part of the steering committee. We

will now sit down at the steering committee and determine how the transaction will be structured.” Dikki added that the steering committee, which is expected to determine the privatisation strategy, cannot do so until the government appoints a transaction adviser. The transaction adviser, he said, will conduct not only the due diligence on the refineries and the companies but also on the Petroleum sector. Dikki said: “It is the outcome of those sectors’ studies by the transaction adviser that will now be an input into the steering committee to determine what mode of privatisation we are going to adopt. Like I said, that has not been done.”

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

62 USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY

Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the Security agencies for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. The public may easily contact Kano State Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) for breakdown of vehicle(s), traffic congestion, accidents, and illegal/wrong parking on – 08091626747. Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754, and 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833, and 08191778888.

155TH KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING PREPARED BY COUNCIL AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, KANO.

ano State Executive Council held its One Hundred and Fifty Fifth (155th) sitting today Wednesday 25th June, 2014 (27th Sha’aban, 1435 AH) under the Chairmanship of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. The sitting was held on the return of the entire Kano State Top Government Functionaries from the fifth (5th) retreat conducted in Kaduna (19th – 23rd June, 2014). The retreat was held to: i. Provide synergy and create a platform for wider Consultative and inclusive engagement amongst all Stakeholders. ii. Ensure inclusiveness and openness in Governance. iii. Critically evaluate the Budget performance between January and June 2014. iv. Provide grounds for participants to deliberate upon means of improving Budget performance and consolidating the achievements recorded. Essentially, the main theme of the Fifth (5th) Retreat was tagged: Mid Term Review, Consolidation Mechanism and Celebration of Success. At the Retreat presentations were made by selected MDAs, which could be divided into the following Sectors: INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR: Under this Sector, this administration has expended the sum of N257,059,195,884.00 on the provision of two flyovers at State road (N5,933,520,068.34) and Murtala Muhammed Way (N10,180,245,223.03), five Kilometer roads in the 44 Local Governments (over N71,172,359,134.46), major entrance roads into the State Capital (i.e.Dan’Agundi-Sharada-Sani Abacha Youths Centre Road (N5,712,820,922.59); Sheik Ja’afar Road (N2,245,577,691.91); Gwazo Road (N3,468,779,461.15); Hadejia Road (N3,164,559,371.27); Zaria Road (N5,396,914,643.82), Ashton Road (N1,012,459,710.49)), construction of the three cities of Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo (N13,600,000,000.00), construction of 35MW of Hydro-electric power generation utilizing Tiga and Chalawa Gorge Dams (N14,228,852,600.00), covering/road provision on the Jakara/ Gogau rivers (over N6 billion), provision/installation/repairs/ reactivation of street and traffic control lights, laying garden interlock tiles along pedestrian walkways, etc. These projects are geared towards facilitation of easy movement, provision of decent housing, attracting of foreign and domestic investment by ensuring conducive environment. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR: The policy directions of this administration are geared towards food security, job creation and poverty reduction. Thus, under this Sector around N7,900,815,629.67 was expended on the provision of agricultural inputs, such as implements, fertilizers and pesticide to farmers, establishment of Five Agricultural Institutes, such as Animal Traction, Poultry Production, Fishery, Horticulture etc that provide skills acquisition and training programme for youth’s empowerment, etc. HEALTH SECTOR: “Health is Wealth” as the saying goes. The present administration in Kano State is fully aware of this and maintains its resolution to positively transform the Health Sector by improving the healthcare delivery system and facilities. The Primary Healthcare System along with facilities for it has been improved as heralded by the establishment of the State Primary Healthcare Agency. Likewise, Secondary Healthcare Delivery along with facilities for it has been improved as most of the General Hospitals across the State have been renovated and provided with required equipment. Most notable among the positive transformation drive for health include; provisions for equipment to the Kano Dental Center, Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Hasiya Bayero Pediatric Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), construction of new hospitals and renovation of the existing ones, establishment of health related institutions, such as College of Nursing Madobi, Post Midwifery School Gezawa, School of Health Technology Bebeji, supply of free drugs, etc. Various projects and programmes were showcased ranging from infrastructures and medical services as well as training and retraining of staff. This explains the sum of N5,698,216,048.95 expended on the sector in order to improve healthcare services delivery through the State. EDUCATION SECTOR: The Education Sector enjoys priority consideration due to the obvious reason that it is the basis for human existence and development cognizant to which this administration has never relented in its effort to provide for irrespective of the level and/or ramifications. The sum of N36,273,493,837.90 was expended by the two Ministries; Ministry of Education and Higher Education from the inception of this administration to date to ensure the provision of access to education at all levels and for long term human capital development. The offshoot of such expenditure are the increased number of children enrolled into Public Schools from 1.7million to 3.5million, sponsorship of over 2,300 Kano State indigenes to pursue various courses within and outside the country,

establishment of 44 Schools for Islamic Studies and Technical Schools, establishment of 22 institutions including the Northwest University, conversion of various unused/underused public buildings and facilities for use as Schools leading to the establishment of Governor’s College, First lady College and other viable institutions/activities, construction of more/repairs of Classrooms at both Primary and Secondary Schools to accommodate pupils at the approved ratio of sixty (60) pupils per Classroom, introduction of e-learning in majority of Secondary Schools, provision of Science Laboratories in majority of schools, free feeding and uniforms of Primary pupils, etc. WATER SECTOR: Reliable source and supply of qualitative water for domestic, agricultural, industrial, etc. use by man is a priority that ensures healthy, peaceful, productive and serene human living. As such, sourcing, purifying and supplying potable water for use by the citizenry in Kano State are among the preoccupations of the present administration. All the Water Treatment Plants that supply water to Greater Kano as well as Regional Schemes have been reactivated and ensured to be in constant access to electricity supply. Again, distances covered by water pipelines that transport portable water to locations of demand has been increased while Aluminium Sulphate (Alum) and related Chemicals were procured for the Water Treatment plants. Execution of these projects has consumed N15,924,475,892.07, out of which the sum of N12,295,115,431.10 was on the importation and lying of 1000mm and 600mm ductile water pipe while Aluminium Sulphate and related Chemicals consumed N1,202,699,800.00 leading to increased water production by more than 80% in the State. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND SOCIAL SECTOR: This sector’s main concern is the development of the creative talents and productivity assets of the human capital of the State through the introduction of various empowerment programmes, reduction in social vices such as drug abuse, divorce, street begging, etc. The multitude number of beneficiaries cutting across unemployed/ unskilled youths of both genders stand to tell the story on how their respective lives have been positively transformed by the empowerment programs of the present administration. Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisitions training were the main emphasis. Thousand have benefited and are now self-reliant. In addition, the present administration has identified Sports as a viable venture to invest in order to provide access to lucrative skills and be another outlet to State’s talented but unfortunately unemployed youths. A Sports Institute was established at Karfi on Zaria Road along with the development of a Sports Complex at Kofar Na’isa. Three (3) Sports Boarding Primary Schools have been earmarked for establishment to have the entire State as their respective catchment area. This sector has consumed over N10 billion. In fact, the Communiqué issued at the end of the fifth (5th) Retreat presented six (6) observations and eleven (11) recommendations, which were acknowledged and appropriately adopted. Thus: • i.

OBSERVATIONS That from January to June, 2014 the general performance of the Budget stood at 63%. ii. That the Institutional reforms introduced by the present administration have remarkably improved the Internal Revenue Generation (IGR) – especially collection efforts by the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Kano Geographic Information System. iii. That allocation of 25% recurrent expenditure and 75% capital expenditure are on track. iv. That emphasis placed on the on–going projects in order to ensure their completion to 100% level on schedule is on track. v. That the transparency exhibited in line with international “Best Practice” manifest in the weekly publication of the decisions/ conclusions of the Kano State Executive Council is acknowledged and further cements/endears the positive relationship of the State with Kano Citizens, Development Partners at home and abroad. vi. That the Statutory Allocation from the Federation Accounts (FAAC) is becoming uncertain. RECOMMENDATIONS: i. That all revenue generating MDAs should intensify effort towards achieving their respective envisaged targets so that the revenue generation figures should shift from the 67% of the 2013 period to at least 90% in 2014. ii. That priority allocation to capital over recurrent expenditure should be maintained (75:25). iii. That all MDAs should develop a framework that spells out completion time line for all projects and programmes embarked upon by the administration before the year ends. iv. That all MDAs should ensure proper documentation of projects/programmes. v. The synergy among MDAs should be established and

Rabi’u Musa Kwankawaso sustained to ensure proper coordination in executing / implementing programmes and projects. vi. That the Budget Tracking Unit and Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate need to be strengthened. vii. That unnecessary delay in all Government transactions should be curtailed. viii. That awareness and sensitization on the land reforms should be sustained by the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning and Kano Geographic Information System (KANGIS). ix. That the proposed policy of free education at all levels is highly commendable, hence all Stakeholders should give maximum support towards its successful realization. x. That, in view of the dwindling Federation Statutory Allocation, there is the need to pursue the various tax and other fiscal reforms initiated by the present administration so as to ensure/enhance the revenue base of the State. xi. Synergy and interface among the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Budget are vitally required to ensure effective budget implementation, control and execution. In fact, the Communiqué issued after the retreat commended the performance of the administration in the execution of various projects and programmes across the State, which in the long run would impact positively on the socio-economic well being of Kano State and the country at large. Thus, the gathering agreed on the fact that whether one is a member of a political party or not, whether appreciative of the person and public performance of Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso or not, Governor Kwankwaso has one widely acknowledged quality, which even his adversaries readily admit to, and this is personal courage and willingness to go the whole hog to implement new and progressive policies for the development of the State as a whole. His efforts should be seen as societal for it seems hard to conceive of dividend of democracy without the presence of some degree of equality or egalitarianism among the citizens. His ability to get others to willingly follow him in the implementation of a policy or a course of action is exceptional. He is a leader with a vision; a clear, vivid picture of where to go, and a firm grasp on what success should look like and how it could be achieved. As a good leader, he was able to direct his vision into reality which is attested by the record of his achievements in office between 1999 and 2003, and now since May 29, 2011, and by his personal conduct as the Governor of Kano State in all those periods. The gathering considered the fact that in just three years, the Administration has built thousands of classrooms for primary and secondary schools; has renovated all the major hospitals and health centers; has led the way in the rejuvenation of the physical assets of the State, from road and building, modern land administration, construction of super flyovers to important milestones in agriculture, sports, youths employment, healthcare provisions to the population, fiscal discipline, and prudent management of resources, improved Internally Generated Revenue, pioneering tax incentives, brand new urban mass transit policies and transportation facilities, novel maternal and health policies, innovative reform of the civil service for better performance and service delivery, and ground-breaking policies in traffic management, public safety, and other inventive rational management of urban infrastructure, which saw the establishment of institutions such as Kano Road Transport Authority (KAROTA) and Kano Roads Maintenance Agency (KARMA). This is not to mention the Administration’s enviable track record in the establishment of new institutes for the development of the youths and other talents in the State, public housing such as the establishment of new housing estates such as Kwankwasiyya, Amana, and Bandirawo housing projects. In addition, the participants considered and appreciate the phenomenal achievements of Governor Kwankwaso in higher education, from the renovation of facilities to the establishment of new policies in order to build up best practices in higher education administration. Consider, for example, the fact that he is the founder of the State’s only non-Federal universities, namely the Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil (which he established in his first term from 1999-2003) and the Northwest University, which has admitted its second set of students all within such a short period. With this review over, Council faced the business of the day by tabling and deliberating on the thirty-two (32) memoranda submitted by twelve (12) MDAs of which fifteen (15) were approved for execution with an expenditure of Six Hundred and Seventy Five Million, Ninety Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety Eight Naira, Seventy Kobo (N675,098,998.70) covering eleven (11) projects while the remaining four (4) were on policy issues. Viz:

THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 1. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT The Secretary to the State memoranda on behalf of deliberations by Council. execution as follows:

SECRETARY TO THE STATE Government submitted fourteen (14) the Chairman and some MDAs for Five (5) of them were approved for

a) Presentation of Report from the Kano State Government Delegation on the Arrested 486 Northern Nigeria Indigenous Citizens of Northwest Geo – Political Zone:The Secretary to the State Government presented the endorsed submission of the Hon. Commissioner for Special Duties and the Kano State Solicitor General on the cited issue. Deliberating on the presentation, Council noted that the continued detention of 486 people for several days without trial or access to legal representation is a flagrant breach of their human rights as guaranteed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Council, therefore, called on the Security Agencies in particular and the Federal Government to immediately arraign the suspects in appropriate court or release them forthwith. b) Request for Funds to Enable the Provision of Take–Off Empowerment Packages to 967 Prospective Kano State Indigenous Graduates from Training at the Kano State Entrepreneurship Development Institute:The Secretary to the State Government politely reminded Council, through contents of this memorandum, of the approval granted for the conduct of Training on Formalization of Informal Business and Access to Business Grants for Kano State Indigenous Traders. In its official mandate, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism screened and selected 967 Traders Indigenous to Kano State for the training at the Kano State Entrepreneurship Development Institute. The training commenced immediately and is on the verge of completion after which the beneficiaries will be educated on the concept of Modern Business Operations Process towards enhancing the sustainable growth and development of Kano State economy generally. Cognizant to the commendable empowerment policy of the present administration, the Secretary to the State Government endorsed and presented to Council for consideration, the recommendation from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism for the release of N20,000.00 to each of the 967 graduating Trainees as empowerment package. This totaled up to the aggregate sum of N19,340,000.00, which was requested for release by Council to cater for the stated purpose. Council considered the request as appropriate and approved for the release of the aggregate sum. c) Request for Funds to Enable the Refund of Transport Fare in Respect of Fifty Four (54) Kano State Indigenous Students Returning Home from Ukraine:The contents of this memorandum adequately substantiated to Council that, the Kano State Indigenous Students sponsored for studies in Ukraine were to be relocated to another Country but had to return home (to Kano) pending their relocation. One way tickets from Kiev to Nigeria was negotiated with the Travelling Agency engaged for the purpose. 800 KM Local Movement from Odessa to Kiev was involved for which the sum of $100.00 had to be sourced for each of the fifty four (54) students to total up to the aggregate sum of $5,400.00. The Travelling Agency requested for the refund of the sum of $5,400.00 which was endorsed by the Secretary to the State Government and presented to Council for consideration. Council approved the release of the request. d) Request for Funds to Enable the Procurement of Two (2) 32 – Seater Buses and Fifty (50) Units of Desk–Top Computers for the School of Health Technology, Kano:The Accreditation Requirements of the School of Health Technology, Kano instigated the Ministry of Health to submit the cited request. In a nutshell, the Ministry of Health requested Council to approve the release of the aggregate sum of N40,500,000.00 to enable the procurement of two (2) 32 – Seater Buses and fifty (50) units of Desk – Top Computers for the School of Health Technology, Kano towards its proper accreditation. Council considered and approved the release of the aggregate sum of N33,700,000.00 for the purchase of two (2) units of 32 – Seater buses. One bus will be allocated to School of Health Technology, Kano and School of Technology Bebeji each. Council also approved the release of the aggregate sum of N6,800,000.00 for the purchase of fifty (50) units of Desk – Top Computers. e) Presentation of Relevant Statistics Gathered from the Activities of Kano Geographic Information System (KANGIS) (2nd January to 25th June, 2014):Authorities at KANGIS submitted the cited presentation for consideration by Council via the Office of the Secretary to the State Government. Since, the start of re-certification exercise being undertaken by the Agency 3,627 applications were received and treated. The Agency also has issued out 1,427 New Certificates to their owners. These activities have generated the sum of N561,684,557.37 as revenue to the State Government. The concise summary was presented as follows; SN DESCRIPTION TOTAL i. Total applications for recertification 3,627 ii. New Certificates issued 1,427 iii. Total revenue generated N561,684,557.37 iv. Deposition at Government Treasury N525,575,153.63 v. Current Balance N36,109,403.74 Council appreciatively acknowledged and commended the good work by KANGIS. 1.

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Both memoranda submitted for deliberations by Council from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources were approved for execution as follows; a) Request for Funds to Enable the Conduct of Monitoring and Evaluation of the 2014 Wet Season Growth Enhancement

63 Support Scheme (GESS) Programme:The GESS Programme for the year 2014 was flagged–off and Council was notified, through the contents of this memorandum, of the need to monitor and evaluate the conduct of the programme in the State. The Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources proposed the enacting of four (4) Committees to cover the four (4) Kano Agricultural Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) Zones in the State. Each Committee comprises six (6) Members (Chairmen inclusive) to total up to twenty four (24). Council was further informed that visiting teams from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abuja may periodically visit Kano State throughout the duration of the programme. Council approved the proposal and trimmed down the sum of N7,437,000.00 requested as allowances, logistics and Radio Jingles for the committee to N5,000,000.00. b) Presentation of Report on the 2013/2014 Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) on Paddy Rice, Groundnut, Maize and Wheat Production in Kano State:The Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources submitted the cited report for consideration by Council that 69,838 farmers have registered for the programme to be served by nineteen (19) Redemption Centers across the State. And 66,051 of the registered farmers for the four (4) crops were able to redeem their inputs for which the Federal Government paid 50% while the farmers paid 50%. The report also stated that 222 farmers have registered for the dry season groundnut production programme. All of them have redeemed their input which included two (2) bags of SSP, 1.5 litres of insecticide and 2 litres of herbicide at the total cost of N7,150.00 plus a bag of 50kg seed free of charge. Related to this, 485 farmers registered for the dry season maize production. All of them have also redeemed their input which included two (2) bags of NPK and one (1) bag of urea fertilizer at the total cost of N2,750.00 plus a bag of 20kg seed free of charge. Out of 1,150 farmers that registered for the seed multiplication exercise for wheat, 734 of them have redeemed their input which included two (2) bags of NPK at the cost of N6,500.00 plus a bag of 100kg seed free of charge. The contents concluded that the Lake Chad Research Center was mandated by the Federal Government to handle the important GESS Programme. Council acknowledged the presentation appreciatively. 2. MINISTRY OF LAND AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Both memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning were approved for deliberations as follows: a)

Request for Funds to Enable Purchase of a House (Property) for Expansion of Sabon Sara Hospital:This request was originally submitted to Council for consideration from the Kano State Ministry of Health sequel to the approval granted for the construction of the Sabon Sara Hospital at the cost of N42,194,431.90. The Hospital was constructed to completion and has commenced operations. Expansion of the Hospital was identified as a booster to the Healthcare Delivery Services provided. A property in close vicinity to the Hospital was offered for sale which the Ministry of Health presented to Council for consideration at the cost of N6,750,000.00. Council considered and directed the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to verify the value of the property and advise Government. The directive was carried out and details of findings were presented to Council for consideration along with the advice to Government to approve for the release of the sum of N6,750,000.00 to enable the purchase of the stated property for the expansion of Sabon Sara Hospital. Council noted, considered and approved as advised. b) Request for Funds for the Repair/Maintenance of Steel Barricades on Ten (10) Metropolitan Roads:Steel barricades that deter heavy vehicles to ply some metropolitan roads are constructed to protect such roads from early depreciation/dilapidation. Ten (10) locations were identified at which steel barricades were damaged by reckless unpatriotic drivers. Requirements to effect repairs were assessed and estimated to the tune of N2,922,046.00 which was requested for release by Council. The details presented were considered as relevant and Council approved the release of the sum of N2,922,046.00 to enable Kano Urban Planning Development Authority (KNUPDA) undertake the repairs of ten (10) steel barricades on Kano Metropolitan Roads. 3. MINISTRY OF WORKS, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT Four (4) of the five (5) memoranda submitted for deliberations by Council from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport were approved for execution as follows: a) Request for Funds for the Renovation of V. V. F Hostel Kwalli, Municipal Local Government Council Area, Kano:The V. V. F Hostel at Kwalli was identified as dilapidated to deplorable stage requiring renovation urgently. Cognizant of the resolve by the present administration to provide for the Health Sector in all ramifications, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport submitted the cited request for consideration by Council. The scope of works required were assessed and estimated to the tune of N23,341,179.81, which was requested for release by Council for the stated purpose. Council considered the details presented and approved as requested. b) Presentation of Request for Funds to Enable the Construction of Two (2) Blocks of Proto–Type Magistrate Courts at High Court Complex, Audu Bako Secretariat, Kano:The Hon. Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport amply substantiated to Council the need for the execution of the cited project, through the contents of this memorandum. Details were presented to Council for consideration along with the assessed and estimated cost implications to the tune of N99,497,843.00, which was requested for release by Council for the stated purpose. Council deliberated upon the details presented and approved the release of the sum of N99,497,843.00 to enable the execution of the construction of the two (2) blocks of proto – type Magistrate Courts at the High Court Complex, Audu Bako Secretariat.

c) Request for Funds to Enable the Procurement and Installation of Ten (10) Assorted Electricity Generators at Some Government Owned Hospitals:This request was originally submitted to Council for consideration from the State Ministry of Health. The need for the continuous supply of electricity at the Health Facilities instigated the submission of the request to which the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport responded and secured quotations from reputable Companies for the project. Details were presented to Council for consideration along with the request for the release of the aggregate sum of N75,774,555.00 to enable the execution of the project by the most responsive Company under the supervision of the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport. Council considered the request/project as appropriate and approved the procurement of Electric Generators to the following Hospitals: Muhammed Abdullahi Wase (800KVA), Abubakar Imam Urology Center (350KVA), Yadakunya Leprosy Hospital (100KVA), Sabo Bakin Zuwo Hospital (100KVA), Doguwa General Hospital (100 KVA), Sumaila General Hospital (100KVA), Dambatta Zonal Medical Stores (100KVA), Wudil General Hospital (150 KVA), Hasiya Bayero Pediatrics Hospital (114KVA) and Tiga General Hospital (60 KVA). c) Memorandum on Re–Design, Renovation and Reactivation of Activities at the Kano Race Course, Nassarawa GRA, Kano:Provision to revamp and sustain sports and related activities in Kano State is among the laudable preoccupations of the present administration. A comprehensive Modern Sports Complex was constructed at Kofar Na’isa annexed to the Sports Institute established at Karfi among the twenty four (24) Skills Acquisition Institutes to empower the teeming unemployed youths for selfreliance. Further, the Kano State Government supports conduct of participatory sporting activities of all categories. Soccer tops the list as heralded by the support enjoyed by the Kano Pillars Football Club. In the same vein, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport submitted the cited request for consideration by Council. Comprehensive details on the scope of works required assessed and estimated to the tune of N397,270,012.89 was presented to Council for consideration and granting approval for release. Rejuvenation of Horse Racing activities at the Kano Race Course was considered worthwhile by Council as approval was granted as requested for the project to be executed on Contractual arrangement under the supervision of the State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport. 4. MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT The only memorandum submitted for deliberation by Council from this Ministry was approved for execution. Thus: Presentation of Details and Request for Funds to Enable the Conduct of the Advocacy and Sensitization Exercise on Child Labour (Aikatau):The Hon. Commissioner for Women and Social Development responded to an Executive Directive on the issue and submitted the cited presentation for consideration by Council. Essentially, the programme was designed to coincide with the celebrations of the “World Day Against Child Labour” (12th – 17th June) every year. Main thrusts of the programme include: • Increasing Public awareness regarding the ills of Child Labour (Aikatau) and related activities. • Generating grassroots support for the Law prohibiting the practice as well as ensuring Public Ownership of the Document on the Law for its easier implementation by Government. • Showcasing the various policies, projects and progammes executed by the Kano State Government aimed at improving the lives of the children. The Programme for the year 2014 comprises three (3) components to the tune of N3,812,408.00, which was requested for release by Council to enable conduct of the programme. The sum is to be expended on Town Hall Meetings, Media Campaigns and Production of Sensitization Materials. Congruence of the programme/request with the empowerment policy of the present administration prompted Council to approve the release of the sum of N3,812,408.00 to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to enable the conduct of the stated programme. UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE 155TH EXCO SITTING 1. BOMB BLAST AT THE SCHOOL OF HYGIENE, KANO The Government/Good People of Kano State; the Nigerian Federation as well as the entire World vehemently condemned the callously perpetrated bomb blast that occurred on Monday 23rd June, 2014 at the School of Hygiene, Kano. Eight (8) victims lost their lives while over twenty (20) others were seriously wounded. Property worth millions of Naira was destroyed. Kano State Executive Council unanimously prayed to the Almighty Allah to grant eternal peace in janatil – fir – dausi to the entire deceased eight (8) victims and facilitate quick recovery for the over twenty (20) wounded persons. 2. THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION Council acknowledged the visit of the President, Global Development Bill and Melinda Gates to Kano State Governor on 24th June 2014 to condole him and the people of the State on the death of Alhaji Ado Bayero and to commiserate with the State over the Bomb Blast and the death of innocent people. The President pledged to support the state in agriculture and health sectors.

SIGNED: HON. COMMISSIONER, INFORMATION, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, YOUTH, SPORTS & CULTURE, KANO STATE

TODAY IN THE NATION

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

N his first term in office as the chief executive of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Godswill Akpabio visited The Nation to showcase his doings to the editors. In the midst of his characteristic flourish about his strides in infrastructure and education, I propounded a question. I asked him whether he was worried that his evident performance did not guarantee his re-election, as history had proved time and again. The decibel of his oratory dropped a note, and he said every leader ought to pray that they should not suffer the fate of Jesus when the people chose Barabbas, an armed robber, in his stead. The next morning, Governor Akpabio’s picture blossomed on the newspaper’s front page, with a caption, “No to the politics of Barabbas.” He is rounding off his second term. Everywhere a performing leader has lost, it is choreographed as the people’s will. The people, some historians have argued, rejected Winston Churchill, who is now regarded as perhaps the greatest leader the British ever knew, ranked by some only with Queen Elizabeth. The poet prime minister, who saved a nation from the ruins of its pride in the shadow of a hectoring tyrant, was swept out of power. They said he was a warmonger. When Bill Clinton left office, the Americans chose a warmonger – they did not know it then - rather than Al Gore, who worked with Clinton to give them the greatest economic expansion in history. They rejected Gore because Clinton, his co-traveller, had a dalliance with Monica Lewinsky. The election, it was argued, was about character. Ditto the case with Charles de Gaulle. The Germans did not vote Hitler to power to foment a world war or to exterminate the Jews. They embraced the mustachioed despot to reassert the German pride after the ignominy of the First World War. Hitler was the apotheosis of the martial spirit on the rise in Germany since the middle of the 19th century. Sometimes we overcast the people either as villains or heroes. It is, to me, always about the elite. It is the elite who manufacture content. They flatter the people’s hopes and vanities. The people come to believe it themselves and act as though in consensus. That has always been the danger of democracy. It is in that light I view the Ekiti vote that brought Ayo Fayose victory. No one can tell me that the civil servants in Ekiti State thought it was wrong to run a bureaucracy based on honour, where no forged certificates or ghost workers abounded. No one can say that even the teachers did not want a better education system in the state since most of them had PhD holders in their families. It is hard to accept that all those who rode the state roads did not see the difference before and after Governor Kayode Fayemi took the reins of office. The winner succeeded in telling them it was not good enough for them and they believed. What happened in Ekiti arose from the ability of the opposition to take advantage of

VOL 9 NO 2,893

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

intouchnation@gmail.com 08054501081(sms only) Twitter: @samomatseye

The nanny state

‘

No one can tell me that the civil servants in Ekiti State thought it was wrong to run a bureaucracy based on honour, where no forged certificates or ghost workers abounded

’

•Dr Fayemi

the weakness of the Fayemi style and recalibrated it as the people’s enemy. They abhorred his aloofness. De gaule was aloof when he fought for France, when they voted him in as hero, when they rejected him and when they re-elected him. Governor Fayemi took bonds in billions of Naira, why did he not follow the patronage pattern, they asked. Why did he not spend the money on persons rather than principles? Why did he not build an infrastructure of followers who ran the politics for him? The money would go round, and even if you do not perform, you will have enough people, both in high and low places, in your party and outside, who love your deeply. When election comes, they will concoct excuse for you where you fail and exaggerate your doing where you pass. He would have done well even if within his party he understood that he was a politician in Nigeria and not in Washington. They knew him well, and they changed the narrative. They did not say he did not do infrastructure, or build schools or hospitals, but he did not touch them in their vital part: the stomach. I have two stories. One, a woman said in Yoruba, “he built roads, he built schools, he

built hospitals but he did not build the stomach.” Another woman, an elder who did not receive the N5,000 social security benefit, went to the polls to cast a malice vote because her neighbour received it. The programme gave the money only to elders who did not have any support from either well-to-do children or existing sources of income. The woman in question was receiving support from a son, who was a Customs officer in Lagos. I call this elder envy. The ordinary folks, both young and old, who wanted largesse, envied the sort of life where government loaded them with free money. The young envied the elder who received N5,000 and the other elders envied their neighbours. It is the force of the spin we witnessed in Ekiti State. Would you say that they did not know that Fayose was in court over alleged murder and theft? They knew. Why did they not convict him at the polls? Because one argument defeated another. The same people who hailed Churchill also cursed him for being a warmonger. They forgot that at one time in the war, virtually every household had a gun in Britain. The same people who called Jesus messiah also shouted, “Crucify

HARDBALL

NCE upon a time, when Hardball was not born, the fable goes that a certain hunchback, being weary of backing his life’s burden like a rusack, started to seek a cure for his condition. He had travelled the length and breadth of the land to no avail until he met this wily witchdoctor. Upon diagnosis, he opined that the hunch was not ordinary, that the mortal baggage was the result of the sins of his fathers now stacked on his back by the gods as a living testimony. There was antidote of course but precedent upon the condition that unlike his father, he was a good man. I am a man of honour, he said promptly, you will find corroboration in the entire clan and beyond, he said frantically. Hold your peace, the medicine man said gently, the gods of the land do not seek corroboration they are the story, from the beginning to the end. Was it not your fathers to the fifth generation who gathered this evil load you now have to lug about? Why is it your lot to carry it? Though you look innocent and

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Jonah, Ama, the hunchback and the witchdoctor – a fable benign, would you be one of those who have a good face and dark heart? Would you kill in the bush and dash to the foot path and ask who has killed? If you are not double-faced, do you forgive? Are you low and meanspirited like a rapscallion? You know the gods would forgive anything, even murder and serial adultery (which by the way has grown to a scourge around here), but not an unforgiving nature and meanness of heart. Not to forget is to play god and no man is god and our gods abhor any man playing god. To be mean and ungracious is to assume eternity. Only god is eternal and man, miserable man, will always come and go like the seasons. What is man to go to bed with grudges, with bitterness and ill-will

him!” Those who spun the story of a disconnected Fayemi worked on a number of factors. One, Fayemi’s belief that when you do your work, you will get the praise. This did not work because they knew Nigeria had changed progressively over a generation of alienated leadership. Honour has been redefined in the culture of the people. Infrastructure is important in government to inspire dignity of labour. When government provides them, individuals work for their own profit, and so earn their own pride. But before their eyes, lazy men become billionaires and smart men work for them. Success no longer depends on the assiduity or the acumen but on indolence. They see the political elite buy all the lands, hold parties in Dubai and New York, and their labours lead nowhere. It is to the credit of the cynical elite that they impressed the people that buying bags of rice for them, which will satisfy them for a few days, is more important that the bags of cement that make a school that can make them wise for life. The election shows that we have bred a cynical citizenry because we have had a cynical political class. The people do not feel part of the system. They don’t want to be productive. They want to be receptacles, and that is what infrastructure of the stomach means. They don’t want to be cheated anymore. If the leaders steal, let them give us part of it, even if it is a bicycle, or a bottle of beer. It is that bad. The very currents of this election exposed the so-called National Conference in progress. What the people are calling for, by this logic, is the nanny state. The nanny is closer to the child than the parent. The nanny does not own the house, the food, the furniture, or the car, but she is closer to the child than the parent. Some have said we should meet the people halfway. Give them some pork, and develop a little. Just as Apostle Paul said, he is a sinner to the sinner. Maybe it is a model, but it is not a model of development. What it means is that we have moved, as a people, from the hypocritical phase of our politics. We have, by the vote, agreed that we are a corrupt country, and only corruption can give us our leaders. It will be tragic if this is true. Then what we might have are leaders like Coriolanus in Shakespeare’s Plebian Play where the man who fought and saved the people is forced into exile because he did not want them to see his wounds because they already know his story. Our people need to be saved from themselves, and that calls for a more communicative elite. But then, when the people chose Barrabas over Jesus, was it because Jesus did not communicate well? Were his miracles not enough? His parables, his lofty morality and common touch? Jesus was no Coriolanus who said: “I have not been common in my love.” But the people rejected him. What happened in Ekiti was not the battle of ideas, but the triumph of corruption.

towards another man? Who does he think stirs him back to life each day? Ah, man! Fleeting breath, morning dew, blooming flower that exfoliates in splendour and majesty only when its end is nigh! Anyway, never mind the digression, I am no god myself, I only bear message. I will give you antidote to your hump but there is a caveat: if you are not the good man you pose to be, you will end up suffering double jeopardy because as you cure your hunch back, your stomach will protrude until… so do you still want the herbs? Yes indeed I want the herbs, the hunchback replied, the whole village world can attest to my obvious good nature. Well then, replied the witchdoctor, here you are, take this bunch of herbs, warm it in an earthen pot and dab three times on

your back in the morning and at night. Do it for seven days and present yourself let us see whether you are as much a good man, as you claim. Hunchy promptly set about his treatment, but he had a ‘lump’ in his heart. Ten years ago a dainty young man had made off to town with the only woman that ever flashed him a hearty smile. He had never lived it down. The ‘sore’ had festered in his heart all these years and he would harm the young man the instant he sets his eyes on him. He is convinced he has justification to retaliate against this impudent young man. He kept soothing his back with warm herb. By the third day he could feel enormous relieve on his back … but his stomach has become discomfiting. By the fifth day he could barely rise to his feet… the hunchback’s troubles it seemed, had been brought forward. He could never present his self to the medicine man. Never again… MORAL: be quick to forgive, shake hands, make up and move on because you are not god.

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