Mar 31, 2014 by The Nation

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•From left: Sub-Committee Chair Senator Christopher Coons; Chairman of Heirs Holdings Tony O. Elumelu and Sub-Committee Ranking Member, Senator Jeff Flake after Mr. Elumelu’s testimony before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Sub-committee in Washington, DC...last Thursday. Mr. Elumelu was invited to testify at the hearing to represent the views of the African private sector.

Legal giant GOK Ajayi dies at 82

NLC: don’t sell refineries

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

ABOUR is disturbed that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) intends to sell the four troubled refineries. The refineries are two in Port Harcourt, one in Warri and the other in Kaduna. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said, it would oppose the plan. There is also the proposal to commercialise certain federal institutions. In a statement, NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar said: “It is scandalous that the same government which has always promised to use the gains from petroleum price increases, which it has received over the years, to reactivate existing refineries and build additional ones can turn around to announce the privatisation of refineries. This Continued on page 2

•‘Fayose haunted by his past’ •Arise leads truce bid PAGES •Fayose, Adeyeye agree to work together •SEE 12 & 43 •I have unfinished job in Ekiti, says Fayemi

•From left: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga; Director-General, UNIDO: Mr. Li Yong; and Country Representative, UNIDO, Dr. Patrick Kormawa, during a working lunch organised by the ministry for the DG in Abuja...yesterday.

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TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

EKITI 2014

•The late Ajayi

ODWIN Olusegun Kolawole (GOK) Ajayi, a chief and one of the legal profession’s giants, is dead. The late Ajayi, a progressive inclined lawyer, who practised for 59 years, died in a Lagos hospital Friday night. He was 82. To lawyers, the death of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has left a major vacuum in the profession. The late Ajayi represented

By Adebisi Onanuga, Eric Ikhilae (Abuja) and Precious Igbonwelundu

the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Chief Moshood Abiola and the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. He also handled landmark cases, including the deportation of the late Abdulraham Shugaba, the Second Republic Majority Leader of the Borno State House of Assembly, which he won. Family sources said the late

Ajayi died after an illness, which prevented him from practising law for some years. Leading lawyers and members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) expressed yesterday shock at Ajayi’s death. The lawyers eulogised the legal icon, who they described as “an exceptional bar man”. To former Attorney GenerContinued on page 2

21 Boko Haram detainees die in failed jailbreak Panic over shooting near Presidential Villa

WENTY-ONE Boko Haram detainees died yesterday during an attempted jailbreak at the detention facility of the State Security Service (SSS) headquarters in Abuja. There was panic in the city after sporadic shootings shattered the Sunday morning serenity of Asokoro – home of the rich and powerful, including the Presidential Vil-

‘

Jonathan safe, says Abati

When the detainees were to be served breakfast, the coordinator of the jailbreak broke his manacles and seized a gun from one of the operatives to liberate his colleagues From Yusuf Alli, Yomi Odunuga and Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

la. The SSS cleared the air when it announced that there had been an attempted jailbreak.

The detainee, who coordinated the failed jailbreak, died in the commotion. Some Boko Haram suspects and three SSS operatives were injured.

’

The SSS said 18 of the detainees were killed during the attempted jailbreak. Three, who were injured, died in the hospital. The service also said two of its op-

eratives were seriously injured. The SSS gave the breakdown in a statement by its Deputy Director, Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar. The statement said: “Following our earlier releases, it has been established that eighteen (18) casualties were recorded, while two (2) Service personnel sustained serious injuries. Continued on page 2

•CITYBEATS P10 •SPORTS P24 •CEO P27 •JOBS P32 •POLITICS P43 •FOREIGN P57

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS Lamido lashes Jonathan over missing $20b, National Conference

J •END OF THE R OAD: RO

A truck and an LT 35 bus inside a gutter after an accident at Dopemu Bus Stop, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway ...yesterday PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

IGAWA State Governor Sule Lamido lashed out at the Jonathan administration for what he called its failure to address Nigeria’s ills. He described the leadership as “totally disconnected with the people”, saying “all its policies are formulated in parallel with the needs, plight and interest of the common man and the country.” Lamido also condemned the National Conference, the government approach to the Boko Haram killings and abandonment of projects in his state, among others. He spoke in Dutse, the state capital, at the weekend while receiving a delegation of the Bank of Agriculture. It was led by

From Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse Managing Director Dr. Falalu Santuraki. The delegation, which praised Lamido’s support for agriculture, proposed a N1billion minimal interest loan to support irrigation for farmers at the Hadejia Valley, with minimal interest. Lamido lamented that the Auyo irrigation scheme was abandoned for over 30 years by the Federal Government. He expressed regret that the promises made by President Jonathan to release N10 billion for the project and the reassurance by Vice President Namadi Sambo when he visited three years ago had not been fulfilled. Continued on page 58

NLC: don’t sell refineries Continued from page 1

is clearly unacceptable, and the public have strongly opposed this attempt several times in the past, even on the floor of the National Assembly.” Omar added: “ We are disturbed by the statement by the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, OLLOWING the attempted jailbreak by From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, Boko Haram suspects at the State Security who was reported to have Service (SSS) Headquarters in Abuja and idential Villa. The two-lane road directly in front of the Force announced that plans have the ensuing sporadic shootings, security was strengthened yesterday around the Presidential Headquarters were fully barricaded with Armoured been concluded by the BPE to Personnel Carrier (APC). Before yesterday, only one Villa. The SSS Headquarters is directly adjacent to of the lanes was barricaded. But security presence at the other two gates to the Gate 7 entrance to the Presidential Villa. The left end of the SSS Headquarters building Presidential Villa, the one by the Supreme Court and adjacent to the gate 7 now had armed military Fire Service buildings - were normal as at press time HE French government yesterday. Movement within the Villa was also normen stationed at its junction. has cleared former Minmal. Armed military personnel and a vehicle were ister of Petroleum ReThe Special Adviser to the President on Media and also stationed on Aso Drive before the SSS Headsources, Chief Dan Etete, of the Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, on his Twitter account quarters when driving from the flyover from Luiconviction of money laundering said: “What happened at the SSS HQs has nothing charges preferred against him in gi Barracks. to do with the Villa. President Jonathan is safe and Security has also been strengthened in front of a French court. the Police Headquarters, which is beside the Pres- well. Thank you for your concern and support.” The French government said in bulletin number 3, dated March 7, 2014, issued by the Responding to a question, the tainees. to warn and deter others. source said: “The coordinator of She issued two statements. “The gun shots attracted the Ministry of Justice, Criminal, the jailbreak lost his life too dur- The first said: At 0715 hours, the attention of the military with Cases and Pardon Division that ing encounters with security Service suspect handler went to whom we have an understand- Etete had been pardoned and operatives. the detention facility within the ing of mutual assistance in the cleared of the conviction by the French court. “Apart from mopping up the headquarters to feed the sus- event of any threat. The bulletin, which was detention facility, security has pects. “The Army immediately dealso been strengthened based on “One of the suspects attempt- ployed a team to reinforce our signed by the magistrate in the order of the Director-Gener- ed to disarm him by hitting him perimeter guards to forestall any charge of the national criminal al of SSS, Mr. Ekpenyong Ita.” at the back of his head with his external collaborators. The situ- record, Xavier Pavageau, said The SSS Deputy Director, Pub- handcuff. ation has since been brought the former minister was freed. The French court in 2007 senlic Relations, Marilyn Ogar said “His attempt to escape drew under control. Further details tenced Etete, who was Petrothe jailbreak occurred during the attention of other guards at will be communicated.” the breakfast session for the de- the facility who fired some shots Continued on page 58 leum Minister under the late

21 Boko Haram detainees die in failed jailbreak Continued from page 1

“Three (3) other detainees who sustained gun shot injuries during the incident have also died. “Meanwhile, investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the immediate and remote causes. Any other detail will be communicated.” A source, who spoke in confidence, explained how it all happened. He said: “When the detainees were to be served breakfast, the coordinator of the jailbreak broke his manacles and seized a gun from one of the operatives to liberate his colleagues. “He shot sporadically and sprayed the facility at random, leading to the killing of some of his colleagues. In fact, the coordinator killed most of his colleagues. About 21 Boko Haram detainees died in the ensuing melee. “Many other detainees and three SSS operatives were injured. But due to reinforcement, none of the detainees was able to escape.”

Tight security ring round Presidential Villa

privatise refineries as well as commercialise the Nigerian Television Authority, the Federal Radio Corporation, the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria Films Corporation, Skypower Catering and Hotels Services and the Commodities and Exchange Commission as well as the partial privatisation of Bank of Agriculture and the Bank of Industries. He also announced the commercialization of National Parks.”

French govt pardons former Petroleum Minister Etete By Adebisi Onanuga Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to three years imprisonment after finding him guilty of money laundering charges. Etete, who was tried by the French court in absentia, was also fined 300,000 euros(about $440,000) by the French for money laundering. The former minister was also convicted of using 15 million euros of funds believed to have been fraudulently obtained to buy properties in 1999 and 2000, including a chateau in northwest France, a Paris apartment and a luxury villa in the chic Paris surburb of Neuilly. The court, which then issued a warrant for Etete’s arrest also Continued on page 58

Lawyers pay tributes as GOK Ajayi dies at 82 Continued from page 1

al and Minister of Justice Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN),

Ajayi’s demise is a great disaster and loss to the legal profession. Akinjide who is of the 1978 set of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) with Ajayi, described him as “a great man”. “My condolences goes to his wife and children. May his soul rest in peace”, he said. Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) and Mr. Festus Keyamo described the late G.O.K Ajayi as a complete gentleman, who will be missed by all. Ojo said his death had drawn the curtains on possibly the finest era of legal activism in the country. “He was at the forefront of law for the benefit of humanity. He stood permanently on the side of the oppressed. You can always predict where you would meet him; on the side of justice. “He fought a gallant battle of life. He conquered. His legacies are unimpeachable. “The justice sector in Nigeria has lost a constant voice of truth. Africa has lost a bright legal mind. “When history of legal titans who shaped and re-shaped their

Passage of a legal icon

HIEF G. O. K. Ajayi belonged to the first generation of Nigerian lawyers, having been engaged in law practice since pre-independence. Born at the traditional Odo-Esa quarters in Ijebu-Ode on May 29, 1931. He attended Ijebu-Ode Nursery School between 1936 and 1937, St. Saviour’s School, Lagos between 1938 and 1940 and CMS Grammar School, Lagos between 1941 and 48. He went to Britain where he attended the London School of Economics and Political Science. He was called to the English Bar in 1955 and to the Nigerian Bar on November 29, 1957. He remained in private practice. He held the traditional title of Odole of Ile- Ife. Ajayi belonged to the second set of lawyers elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The first set had only two persons – the late Chief Rotimi Williams and the late Dr Nebo Graham Douglas(1975). He was of the 1978 set and his contemporaries were the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo(SAN), Chief Remi Fani-Kayode (SAN), Prince Tanimose Bankole Oki ( SAN), Mr E.A Molajo (SAN), Mr Kehinde Sofola (SAN), Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) and Chief Olisa Chukura (SAN). Others of the 1978 set are Dr. Nwakanma

worlds is being told, a befitting page is assured for the legendary G.O.K.” Akintola said: “Someone just broke the news of his death to me a moment ago. Chief Ajayi was an intelligent man. He was

By Adebisi Onanuga

Okoro (SAN), Dr. Mudiaga Odje (SAN), Mr. P. O .Balonwu (SAN), Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), and Dr Augustine Nnamani (SAN), who later became a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Those who knew him and close associates described the late Ajayi as an exceptionally quiet man who was disciplined and strict. A progressive to the core, the late Ajayi will be remembered for many of the legal wars he fought on behalf of the progressives against the ruling government. The late Ajayi was very close to the late Awolowo and was the key lawyer to the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). He represented the party in Awolowo vs Shehu Shagari, the case that challenged the election of Shagari in the 1979 elections. He also represented the cause of the progressives everywhere in Nigeria. When the Second Republic Majority leader of the then Borno State, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Shugaba, was deported from Nigeria by the Alhaji Shehu Shagari administration, it was the late Ajayi who took on the case, fighting it up to the Supreme Court where, in a unanimous decision, the court

a brilliant lawyer, dedicated progressive and a gentleman to the core.” Pam, who said he once worked closely with the deceased, described him as “a gentleman to core.

in a judgment delivered by Justice GBA Coker in 1982 declared as illegal the deportation of Shugaba. The late Ajayi, in the 1983 elections dispute, represented the late Chief Micheal Adekunle Ajasin, of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) against Chief Akin Omoborowo, his former deputy that crossed to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and was declared the winner of the governorship election in the old Ondo State. The Supreme Court unanimously declared Ajasin winner, thereby restoring the peoples’ mandate. The late Ajayi also represented the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN). The late Alao Aka-Bashorun, the then President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), organised a legal defence team of over 270 lawyers, led by Chief Ajayi when Chief Fawehinmi was charged before the Transition to Civil Rule Tribunal in 1989. The late Ajayi also handled the controversial legal battle of the treason charges preferred against the late Chief MKO Abiola, when the Gen. Sani Abacha junta charged the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election with treason and allied offences.

“He taught us most of what we know in this profession. He will remain an inspiration to us anytime. “We will miss everything about him, particularly his commitment to the legal profession.”

Keyamo said his death was an indelible and irreplaceable loss to the entire legal profession. “Truly one of the very last of the finest breed of the surviving first generation lawyers in Nigeria. He was remarkable in his

•Falana

impeccable forensic advocacy which he often delivered with a soft, but piercing, voice. In terms of the skills of advocacy, he was my personal hero.” He said Ajayi, would go down as one of finest lawyers the country had ever produced. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), a Professor of Law, said the Bar and the country lost a legal giant. He described Ajayi as “a lawyer of lawyers and lover of the Nigerian masses. “He was highly cerebral and intellectually confident. He was very hardworking and upheld the ethics of the legal profession. Continued on page 58

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS

•From left: Convener, Green Path Convergence, Comrade Abiola Ojo, Director, Gender Development Programmes in Hacey, Ms. Rhoda Robinson, Nollywood star Hafiz Oyetoro, House of Representatives member Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Prof. Tunde Babawale, President, Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Women Arise Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Lecturer, Faculty Of Law University Of Lagos, Wahab Shittu, Founder, Fola Ogunsola Foundation (FOF), Mrs Fola Ogunsola, Chairman, Oto-Awori Local Government Development Area, Hon Bolaji Kayode, Director ,National Orientation Agency,Lagos State, Waheed Ishola and Chairman Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders(CACOL), Debo Adeniran at a lecture organised by Green Path in Lagos...at the weekend.

Jonathan advises varsity administrators

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has urged university administrators to run 21st century educational system. He said to do this, they must address the challenges of poor work ethics and prolonged industrial actions. Delivering a convocation address at the 43rd Convocation of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka at the weekend, Jonathan said: “You will agree with me that the development we desire can only take place in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility”. The president, who was represented at the 43rd Convocation of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka by the Supervising Minister of Education Nyesom Wike, said inadequate funding was not the only challenge facing tertiary institutions in the country. He urgd alumni of universities to work with his administration to fund developmental projects in respective universities. Jonathan said: “The reality we face is that the task of funding our universities cannot be left to government alone. Let me therefore reiterate me appeal to university administrators to continue to seek other ways of generating additional revenue needed to fund research and other capital development in the institutions they administer.” Vice Chancellor of the UNN, Prof Bartho Okolo said the complete dependence of institutions on government would not bring growth.

Troops recover arms from Fulani settlement

ROOPS from the One Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna yesterday recovered arms from Laduga village, a Fulani settlement, in Kachia local government area of Southern Kaduna state. Eighteen people were also arrested. The army was said to have stormed the village in the hours following a tip off on alleged plans for reprisal over the killings of seven herds men in the southern part of the state after the March 14 attacks on three villages in Kaura Local Government Area. No fewer than 125 people were killed in the attack believed to have been carried out by Fulani herds men. The troops were said to have condoned the village for a search leading to the arrest of suspects. Spokesman One Division, Col. Usman Abdul, said the the military carried out the action for public good.

Alison-Madueke: APC warns against tampering with House probe

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned against any attempt to put pressure on the House of Representatives Committee that is currently probing the disturbing jet scandal involving Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the investigation into the scandal is of great public interest, hence those who are reportedly piling pressure on the House Committee on Public Accounts should back off. It said the allegation that the minister has spent 10 billion naira of taxpayers' funds to junket around the world in chartered private jets is very serious and cannot be swept under the carpet as the PDPled Federal Government will like to do. ''Scandal is the hallmark of the PDP-led Federal Government and the presidency, hence both may not feel the public anger at the report that a minister, whose most notable 'achievement' is her contribution to Nigerians' burden with her fixation on end-

PDP accuses opposition of campaign of calumny

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring campaigns of calumny against it. A statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said : “We have observed the ill-conceived and wicked offensive deployed by the APC wherein it has now resorted to attacking the personality of individuals and institutions of government using a section of the media. “In the last few days, the media have been awash with paid write-ups and advertorials by the APC using resources meant for the development of their states to castigate, discredit and ridicule PDP officials and other well meaning individuals in the country. “Nigerians must note that as we match towards the general elections, the APC has no single democratic structure on the ground. It

less fuel price increases, has been frittering away the country's resources on the altar of unprecedented profligacy. ''But Nigerians are interested in knowing the truth. Since the presidency has shown no interest in unraveling the truth about the latest scandal to hit the country under its watch, the House of Representatives which has taken on the challenge of seeking the truth should not be hindered by

From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

still lacks genuine followership and has no defined presence at the grassroot. On the other hand, the PDP remains the party with the largest number of members and supporters and shall continue to be committed to the national interest for the good of all. “We wish to remind the APC that he who fails to work, works to fail. This is the ultimate fate that awaits them in 2015 and they should have nobody but themselves to blame. Of course, as bad losers, the only plan the APC has perfected is to incite the people and unleash mayhem in furtherance of its greater plot to truncate our democracy by reenacting the ugly experience of December 1983. This agenda has also failed as Nigerians are no longer in the dark regarding who the true enemies of our dear country are.”

anyone. ''Nigerians will like to know whether or not the minister spent the huge funds on jets, who authorized the spending of such funds, whether or not the expenditure was appropriated by the National Assembly and which laws allow a government minister to junket around the world even on private trips,'' APC said. The party commended the

House Committee on Public Accounts for its diligence and stated willingness to be fair to all and to carry out a thorough investigation. It urged the committee members to continue to put the interest of Nigerians above any individual or party's interest and to rebuff any attempt to pressure them against carrying out their constitutional duties.

N17.3b judgment: Firm urges court to halt INEC’s preparation for elections

F a firm, Bedding Holdings Limited (BHL), has its way, a Federal High Court in Abuja will stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from preparing for future elections. Justice Ibrahim Auta, who turned down an ex-parte application by the plaintiff, ordered service on defendants in the suit, to enable them respond to issues raised. The suit has INEC, its Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as defendants. The plaintiff contends among others, that the defendants cannot, without complying with the court’s earlier judgment of January 28, 2014 utilise its patented process of applying the Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machines for voters’ registration for INEC’s continues voters’ registration exercise preparatory to the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states and the 2015 general elections.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

The court had, in the judgment of January 28 held among others, the BHL possesses a valid and subsisting patent right over the process of using DDC machines for voters’ registration; awarded N17.3billion in damages against INEC, Jega and others for right infringement and ordered that subsequent application of the process must be with the firm’s consent. BHL further contends that INEC and others have not only declined to comply with the judgment, they have commenced the deployment of its patented process for voter’s registration as part of preparation for the governorship elections in Ekiti, Osun and next year’s general elections. It wants the court to determine among others, whether, by the combined interpretation of the provisions of sections 2, 3(3), 19,25 and 26 of the Patent and Design Act 2004 and the subsisting judgment of

January 28, 2014 the defendants could employ its patented process for its continuous voters’ registration exercise without the plaintiff’s prior consent. The plaintiff seeks an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from further infringing on its patent rights by embarking on the voter’s registration or production of voters’ register in preparation for future elections without first obtaining it’s consent. It also seeks an order nullifying the voters’ register produced by the defendants, using its patented process, without its consent. BHL wants the court to declare that the continuous voters’ registration exercise being carried out by INEC in preparation for future elections, without its (plaintiff’s) prior consent amounts to an infringement on its patent rights. It also wants the court to declare that by virtue of the provisions of sections 2, 3(3),

19,25 and 26 of the Patent and Design Act and the January 28 judgment, the defendants cannot use the plaintiff’s patented process for its voters’ registration exercise. In a supporting affidavit, BHL’s Chief Executive Officer, Sylvester Odigie stated that this was not the first time INEC and its Chairman would violate the court’s judgment. He cited the continuous unatorised usage of his company’s patented collapsible and transparent ballot boxes by INEC and Jega despite a subsisting judgment given on May 28,2013 by Justice Adamu Bello, upholding BHL’s patent rights over the ballot boxes. Odigie urged the court to grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiff because if left unrestrained, the alleged continuous disobedience of court judgments by the defendants was capable of lowering the dignity of the court and endangering the nation’s electoral process. Hearing in the suit has been fixed for April 30.

Terrorists behind Benue killings From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

ORMERZamfara State Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi has said killings in Benue and adjoining Middle belt states are being carried out by terrorists. He urged security agents, particularly members of the Joint Military Task Force to be more vigilant if the nation must see the end of the activities terrorists. Shinkafi said: “reports from our intelligence and security unit confirms that those so called herdsmen are actually terrorists in disguise. “As a former executive governor, as a northerner, I can tell Nigerians and authoritatively so, that the herdsmen that we know are usually not more than two or three, tending to their cows with a long stick as their weapon. “Today, we are faced with the so-called Fulani herdsmen numbering from 5 to 30 at a time, armed with sophisticated weapons. We recommend that anytime the so-called herdsmen are more than two or three in number, the Joint Military Task Force should arrest them, search them and if guns or matchets are found on them, they should be treated as terrorists and dealt with decisively on the spot. “We have enough blood-shed and we want an end to it now,” Shinkafi said. Shinkafi, who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees, National Coalition for Jonathan and Sambo Presidency (NACOJSP) spoke in Abuja on saturday at the inauguration of states Chairmen and zonal councils the coalition.

Peace in Delta From Shola O’Neil

YOUTH activist and community leader in Delta State,Uyadonghan Powede has urged the leadership of Kokodiagbene community in Warri Southwest Local Government Area to work towards sustaining peace and security. Powede, who spoke shortly after the election of the Kokodiagbene Youth Development Movement, urged the new President of KYDM, Ebipade Timiyan, and members of his cabinet see to their victory as that of the people. He said: “While I felicitate with the newly elected president, I want to also encourage those who did not win in the election to accept defeat and work with the new leadership in moving the community to greater heights.” The community leader urged the new executive to maintain the prevailing peace and security in the area and build on it in the interest of the community.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS

Amnesty: Boko T

•From left: Representative of Mrs Abimbola Fashola, Abisola Oshodi, Chairman of Board of Trustees, Courage Education Foundation (CEF), Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Project Director, CEF, Mrs Modupe Ajagunna, Chairman, Lagos State Football Association and Vice Chairman, CEF, Seyi Akinwumi, at the fundraising ceremony of CEF in Lagos.

•From left: Senior Strategy Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Tony Agenmonmen, Company Secretary, Uaboi Agbebaku, Human Resources Director, Victor Famuyibo, Director and Sales Director, Hubert Eze at the launch of Legend Extra Stout's Stanoil and Metalised labels in Lagos…at the weekend.

Second left, Director General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhi, Chairman Bozac Group, Dr. Patric Chibueze, (Left) winner of Fair and white Gold Pageant 2014, mis Dimoke Tiana, and Mrs Abba folawiyo, during the official launch of Fair and White Gold aultimate beauty product and unveiling of the brand Ambassador in Lagos at the weekend. Photo: Muyiwa Hassan

•From left: Executive Director , Project Development International Affairs, Mr. Fola Martin Seye, Executive Director , Centre for Democratice Goverbnment in Africa, Philip Ehighale, Director-General, Centre for Democratic Giovernance in African (CDGA), Dr. Dafe Akpoch and the Executive Director, Finance CDGA, Mr. Adeniji Omirun, during the world press briefing on Sustaining PHOTO: ABIDOUN WILLIAMS moment on Social Service Delivery in Good Government by the CDGA in Lagos...

HE Amnesty International (AI) yesterday said more than 1,500 people were killed in first three months of this year in the Northeast as a result of Boko Haram insurgency. It said more than half of the killings were carried out by members of Boko Haram, including scores of school children. The organisation said the situation has escalated into a noninternational armed conflict with all parties allegedly violating international humanitarian law. It asked international community to ensure independent investigations of acts that may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. It however expressed concerns that civilians are “paying a heavy price as the cycle of violations and reprisals gather momentum.” The AI made the disclosures in a fact-sheet by its Research and Advocacy Director for Africa Netsanet Belay. The document gave the details of pattern of killings by Boko Haram and alleged extra-judicial (summary) executions by Nigerian security forces. The organisation queried the alleged killings of over 600 people, mostly detainees, during the 14 attack on Giwa Military Barracks in Maiduguri. In spite of the persistent denials by the Defence Headquarters, the AI alleged that the over 600 detainees were extra-judicially executed in various locations across Maiduguri. It claimed that since January 2014, approximately 150 dead bodies had been brought by the military to the State Specialist hospital mortuary. Belay said: “An increase in attacks by Boko Haram and uncontrolled reprisals by Nigeria’s security forces had seen the death toll in Northeast Nigeria rise to at least 1,500 people, more than half of whom are civilians, in the first three months of 2014. “More than 1,500 deaths in three months indicate an alarming deterioration in the situation. The international community cannot continue ver to look the other way in the face of extrajudicial executions, attacks on civilians and other crimes under international law being committed on a mass scale. Civilians are paying a heavyprice as the cycle of violations and reprisals gather momentum. “The escalation of violence in Northeastern Nigeria in 2014 has developed into a situation of noninternational armed conflict in which all parties are violating international humanitarian law. “We urge the international community to ensure prompt, independent investigations into acts that may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.” The organisation, which gave the details if the death toll, however described the killings by Boko Haram as “truly shocking.” Belay added: “More than half of the killings have been carried out by members of the Islamist armed group Boko Haram, including scores of schoolchildren who have been the victims of deliberate attacks. “The scale of atrocities carried out by Boko Haram is truly shocking creating a climate of fear and insecurity. “But this cannot be used to justify the brutality of the response that is clearly being meted out by the Nigerian security forces. The Amnesty International faulted the alleged killings of over 600 people, mostly detainees, during the 14 attack on Giwa Military Barracks in Maiduguri. It also described the attacks on Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri on March 14 as a “tipping point”. Belay said: “Amnesty

•People standing by the wreckage of a car that has been blown up by suspected Boko Haram militants in Maiduguri on March 25, killing five police officers, while a separate blast killed three. PHOTO: AFP

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

International has documented the killings carried out in January, February and March 2014 by both Boko Haram and the Nigerian Security Forces. It highlights 14 March as a tipping point when the security forces unleashed a brutal crackdown on former detainees. “On 14 March, Boko Haram gunmen attacked the Giwa military barracks in Maiduguri, Borno state. They reportedly fought their way into the detention facilities and freed several hundred detainees. “Amnesty International has received credible evidence that as the military regained control, more than 600 people, mostly unarmed recaptured detainees, were extrajudicially executed in various locations across Maiduguri. “Amnesty International has pieced together a partial timeline of events following the 14 March attack in Maiduguri. “The evidence is based on interviews with residents, lawyers, human rights campaigners, and hospital staff across the city as well as satellite imagery showing three possible mass graves in one area of Maiduguri. “Amongst the testimony gathered by Amnesty International were the voices of witnesses who described what happened when the military found 56 of those who had escaped from the Giwa barracks. “The former detainees were in a classroom. They started screaming ‘we are not Boko Haram. We are detainees!’ My neighbours and I saw the soldiers take the men to a place called ‘no man’s land,’ behind the University of Maiduguri. We watched as the soldiers opened fire killing all 56. They were killed in front of us. All of them.” “Other eyewitnesses in Jiddari Polo, also in Maiduguri, described how members of the “Civilian Joint Task Force” rounded up freed prisoners and handed them to soldiers. More than 190 people were executed, many of whom were too

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

Haram killed 1,500 from January to March Boko Haram death toll • • •

• • • • • •

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•

• frail to run. “I saw the soldiers asking the people to lie on the ground. There was a small argument between the soldiers and the civilian JTF. The soldiers made some calls and a few minutes later they started shooting the people on the ground. I counted 198 people killed at that checkpoint.” The AI demanded independent probe of alleged acts which amounted to war crimes in the battle against insurgency. Belay said: “Given Nigeria’s apparent unwillingness and inability to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of these crimes, Amnesty International is calling on the African Comission and the United Nations to assist Nigeria in investigating acts that may amount to war crimes and crimes against

humanity committed by both Boko Haram and the Nigerian security forces in north-eastern Nigeria. “The summary killing of these detainees amount to extrajudicial executions and are crimes under international law. These killings follow an entrenched pattern of deaths in custody of detainees held in relation to the situation in the northeast. “The international community, and in particular the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights and the UN Human Rights Council, must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation is conducted into these allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Nigeria.” “Amnesty International is also

calling on the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to assess immediately the conflict situation in North-Eastern Nigeria and provide full and effective support to end these acts of violence against civilians. “It must also strongly condemn the on-going war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by all parties to the conflict. “As Nigeria assumes the chairmanship of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council next month, the AU needs to critically ask itself how far its member States are living up to their commitment to uphold the principles of the African Union and respect for rule of law and human rights.”

• • • • •

14 January: A car bomb exploded in Maiduguri killing as many as 43 people. 19 January: Suspected Boko Haram gunmen attacked the village of Alau Ngawo Fatie, Borno State, killing 18 people. 26 January: in Adamawa State, gunmen suspected of being Boko Haram members attacked a church in Waga Chakawa Village. Between 31 and 47 people were reportedly killed in the attack, including two policemen. 26 January: Boko Haram attacked Kawuri village, Borno State, killing between 52 and 85 people. 11 February: An attack by suspected Boko Haram members left more than 50 people dead in Konduga town, Borno state. 16 February: Several villages in Adamawa State were attacked by Boko Haram members leaving 65 people dead. 19 February: Between 60 and 90 people died when suspected Boko Haram gunmen attacked the palace of a traditional leader and a school in Bama in Borno State. 25 February: Between 43 and 59 people were shot dead by suspected Boko Haram members in an attack on a school in Buni Yadi, Yobe State. 26 February: Suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed 37 people in attacks on Kirchinga, Michika and Shuwa villages in Adamawa State. Military sources claimed to have killed six Boko Haram members. 1 March: Two bombs were detonated in Maiduguri, Borno State, killing 52 people. Boko members were alleged to be responsible. 1 March: 39 people were reportedly killed in an attack on Mainok village, Borno State by suspected Boko Haram members. The JTF ambushed Boko Haram members as they prepared to attack Mainok village, killing 40 insurgents. 2 March: Mafa village in Borno State was reportedly attacked by suspected Boko Haram gunmen. They killed 29 people and destroyed several houses. A bomb left by the attackers was said to have been detonated later, killing two police officers. 3 March: Suspected Boko Haram members attacked Jakana Village in the Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State and killed between 40 and 48 civilians. 9 March: Nigeria's military claimed to have killed over 210 Boko Haram members in raids on Boko Haram camps in the Sambisa forest, Borno State. 14 March: Boko Haram attacked Giwa barracks in Maiduguri. More than 600 people, mainly former detainees, were killed in the attack and its aftermath. 20 March: An improvised explosive device detonated in a market in Ngurosoye village killed at least 16 people. On the same day the military allegedly bombed Kayamla village, killing 10 residents. 24 March: JTF killed 18 suspected Boko Haram members as they prepared to attack Bama and Ngurosoye towns. In the last two weeks of March, the JTF has attacked Boko Haram camps in Borno State around Lake Chad, the Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains. Reports in the Nigerian media indicate that hundreds of corpses have been seen transported away from those areas by military personnel. No precise figures have been received from the military. The camps attacked include Gombole, Mele, Kecheri, Dufrfada, Yuwe, Duguri, Polkime and Malafatori, among others.

Acting CBN Governor seeks stronger African central bankers

CTING Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Dr Sarah Alade is seeking stronger African Central bankers to support developmental projects. Alade spoke yesterday at the 7th joint Annual meetings of the Economic Community of African Conference of African Ministers of Finance in Abuja. She pitched for the close examination of the mandates of central banks in Africa beyond the current prescription of price stability which the continent’s central banks pursue. According to Alade, “before globalisation, central banks of developed economies were involved in development issues, we cannot be industrialized in Africa with narrow focus on price stability,” she said. The expansion of central banks to play supportive role to fiscal authority she said will help drive industrialisation in the continent. Africa, she said, has to find its own solution to industrialisation as partnering with the private sector alone will not solve the problem. Establishing financing institution, such as Brazil did, she said could also help in development initiatives but should be as an example rather than depending on support from public banks. Africa, she said, needs “to refocus and see how

Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor)

best to improve the volume of financing projects in Africa as well as establish credible policies based on transparency and accountability” which she identified as important. For effective industrialisation that would bring inclusive growth, Alade canvassed for human capital development to be of top priority in the continent. “We must invest in people to achieve industrialization and also build the public sector to positively contribute in the initiative,” she said. She added that “Commitment and political will is very important in this industrialization drive. We don’t need to pay lip service to it.” Speaking at the conference, Executive Secretary of the ECA, Mr. Carlos Lopes told African central bank governors that rapid innovations in financial services offer exciting opportunities for monetary policy to play a role in promoting inclusive industrial development. He said monetary policy must be consistent with Africa’s structural transformation agenda. In his words, “in some situations this may require trade-offs between the central banks’ core mandate of price stability and the objective of financial access and economic stimulus for industrial development.”

A major area of tension at the meeting was the question of rethinking the mandate of African central banks and whether the focus of their mandates should remain on price and financial stability or broadened to include measures that promote the development of economy in key areas such as industrialisation. Core to the debate was the importance of remaining independent from political influence in the interest of financial stability. The ECA Chief noted that central banks must ensure more productive use of Africa’s reserves. According to him, “it is troubling that unlike other developing regions of the world, African countries hold in aggregate more deposits in Bank for International Settlements (BIS) reporting banks than they receive in loans from them.” This trend, he said, suggests that the bulk of revenues from exports of African oil and commodities are not intermediated by local banks. “The revenues remain in overseas banks which recycle about 60 per cent of these deposits as cross-border loans back to African banks and the non-bank sector. I am sure many of you will agree that this situation is •Dr Sarah Alade totally unacceptable,” he said.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS ASUU to embark on internal cleansing

Jonathan, others honour women at Mother’s Day From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday led other Nigerians to honour women at a special church service at Aso Villa Chapel, Abuja to mark this year’s Mothering Sunday. During the service, President Jonathan led men to sing special songs in honour of mothers. Speaking at the service, his wife, Patience Jonathan, hailed women, whom she said contributed to the improvement of family values and cohesion. Paying tributes to women, whom she said stood for the rebirth and transformation of a new Nigeria, she pushed for the removal of obstacles working against the progress and development of women and the girl-child. Mrs. Jonathan urged women to work for peaceful co-existence by using their positions as peacemakers and bridge-builders. Citing Proverbs 22:6, she enjoined women to train their children and teach them Christian morals. Said she: “Women are home builders and peacemakers. A mother does not discriminate; she shares and endures. A mother forgives, she loves naturally and unconditionally. Real mothers unite the nation and render selfless service to humanity.” The First Lady reminded the congregation of the sanctity of motherhood, which she said deserved the highest regard in adoration and respect.

PUBLIC NOTICE AKPAN I, formerly known and address as Miss Glory Itoro Obong Akpan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Glory Itoro Obong Pepple. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. DEED OF LEASE This is to inform the general public that the Original Lease of Document belonging to Joseph Obasi of No. 14 Ugwu street Afia Nine Ogui N/ layout Enugu, lost his Deed of Lease Reg. as No. 83,83,527, got missing on Feb.2014. All effort to trace it prove abortive. If found please return to the nearest police station. LOSS OF DOCUMENT The Originals of POAs registered as 94 at pg 94 in Vol 1473 and another reg. at 66 at pg 66 in vol 1665 now in favour of Engr. Benneth Ndubuisi OKolo is Missing. If found call 08067958203 or 08033441363. A reward awaits you please.

Members of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) of St. Luke Chaplaincy, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, PHOTO:NAN Gwagwalada, celebrating Mother’s Day in Abuja…yesterday

Remittances to ex-PHCN workers hit N370b

HE Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, has said the committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, has remitted to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), N370billion. He said the money is for the payment of the former employees of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Dikki added that the committee had verified to date, 45,136 workers for payment out of 47,913 staff. According to the BPE Head, Public Communications, Mr. Chigbo Anichebe, Dikki made the disclosure during a chat with reporters

•BPE to release N6b check-off dues to union leadership after he unveiled the agency’s 2014 work plan in Abuja. The BPE boss said the bureau’s nationwide field verification of the possible 4,194 PHCN retirees, 2,931 or their next of kin have been verified, leaving 1,163 yet to be verified. He said the verification committee and the bureau were making effort to ensure that the outstanding pensioners were verified and paid their entitlements. The BPE boss advised the pensioners or their next of kin, who had not been verified, to do so before Wednesday. He said of the earlier 47,913 workers’ list obtained

from PHCN, 45,136 verified staff entitlements had been cash-backed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for payment. The BPE boss explained that 338 on the retirees’ list were exited workers, while 21 were cases of duplication. He said 262 cases were currently being processed and 551 had been recommended for validation by the Verification Committee on Payment of PHCN Severance Payment, following a nationwide verification exercise. The DG said President Goodluck Jonathan made it a priority and demonstrated great commitment in re-

solving labour issues in the power sector. He noted that besides committing the proceeds realised from the sale of power assets for the payment of the workers’ terminal benefits, government at the initial stage of the transaction, released N57billion to take care of the workers’ pension. This was coming after government had increased the workers’ salary by 50 per cent and regularised the casual workers of the defunct PHCN. Government also released over N6 billion to the union leadership as check-off dues from the workers entitlements.

Boko Haram crisis is a collective responsibility, Shettima, Nyako reply Jonathan

ORNO State Governor Kashim Shettima and his Adamawa State counterpart Murtala Nyako yesterday said the Boko Haram challenge is a collective responsibility and not about shifting blame as President Goodluck Jonathan did on Saturday. Shettima said the insurgency in the North-East is about misguided spiritual belief and wanton destruction of lives and property instead of Jonathan’s claim that it is about lack of access to Basic Education. In a statement last night through his Special Adviser on

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

Communication Alhaji Isa Gusau, Shettima said Jonathan might have been misrepresented on what he said at PDP’s Northeast zonal rally in Bauchi. The statement said: “Secondly Governor Shettima feels Mr President might have been misquoted, misrepresented or misunderstood on instances attributing the insurgency in the North-East to lack of provision of basic education by State Governments because the Minister for Special Duties and chairman of Presidential Committee on peaceful resolution of security challenges in the north was well reported by the media confirming what we all know in Borno State that many well schooled graduates including first class degree holders were found to be members and even leaders of the Boko Haram. “ In addition, the sect has set ablaze many functional and transformed schools in Borno. They have always targeted primary and secondary schools. “Recently, they attacked a Federal Government College and the governor knows that the President very well understands that the crisis is about misguided spiritual belief and want of destruction of lives and property. Recruits are sometimes paid as little as N5,000

to set our schools ablaze. “ It is agreeable that not much has been done to create jobs to engage the youths so as to discourage them and this is a collective fault that is shared not only by all tiers of government but by community leaders and in some cases, citizens unwilling to be gainfully engaged. “It is however a good developement that Mr President has since shown commitment to partner with States and Local Governments of the North-East to advance the economic fortunes of the NorthEast and this effort, which should be aggressively implemented and sustained is a way forward to addressing the problems in the immediate and long term.” The statement reminded Jonathan that the governor inherited the Boko Haram crisis in 2011 and had done much to make the state, especially Maiduguri safe. The statement added: “Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has the highest regard for the President,Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and will therefore not join issues with him. “The statement in reference does not even apply to Governor Shettima because while the statement was said to have referred to Governors in the North-East that have served for eight years in office,Governor Shettima has

served for less than three years and it is to the knowledge of everyone that in the case of Borno State,Governor Shettima inherited the Boko Haram crisis in May,2011. “ As at the time he came in, insurgents were freely carrying weapons on the streets of Maiduguri,the state capital,there were serial cases of assassination and explosions. “Today, Maiduguri is relatively safe and calm except for isolated instances. Governor Shettima has left no one in doubt about his resolute commitment to addressing the issue while working with the Federal Government which has the constitutional responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of all Nigerians. “The President through the Federal Government has shown increased commitment and things will most hopefully get better.” Nyako criticized the President for what he described as of lacking humility in his approval to issues. In a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr. Ahmad Sajo, Nyako said it was unfortunate that the President has chosen once again, to blame everybody but himself, things going wrong with his government. He said the President’s decision to blame the governors, is not a mark of good leadership.

HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is to beam a searchlight on the activities of its members, with a view to ensuring that they conform to world’s best standards in education service delivery. The union President, Dr Nasir Fagge, who spoke at a leadership training workshop, said ASUU frowned at the academics, who did not live up to the standards set by the union. The workshop was organised by the Ibadan zone of the union. Fagge said for the union to achieve the goal of building the country and safeguarding the education sector, ASUU members must rededicate themselves to the positive leadership values. According to him, “given the context of the encroachment of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank into the educational sector, we have no choice but to strengthen our commitment and faith in ASUU as our bastion of resistance.” Fagge said as a union of integrity and intellects, it would ensure that lecturers were exemplary role models to the students as well as defend the principles of the teaching profession. “As we continue to deepen our struggle to reposition our universities to be internationally-competitive, we must continue to focus the searchlight on ourselves,” he said.

US Federal Aviation begins audit By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

FOUR-MAN team of inspectors from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (US FAA) arrived the country yesterday to carry out re- certification of Nigeria’s Category One civil aviation safety rating. Without Category One civil aviation safety certification, no Nigerian carrier can fly directly to the United States of America. The exercise begins today. It will last five days. Nigeria was granted category one civil aviation safety rating in 2010. The Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Benedict Adeyileka, an engineer, said the authority had carried out a mock audit to ensure its safety processes were in line with the prescribed requirements. According to him, the four-man team from the United States’ FAA would carry out the assessment for five days in compliance with the applicable sections of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. The standards are contained in ICAO Annexes 1,6 and 8 detailing the eight critical elements of a state safety oversight, as prescribed in the ICAO document 9734 A.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS agriculture Ibadan ‘forest of horror’: Ajimobi meets Power, on agenda with security chiefs tomorrow T EHINGBETI 2014:

•Residents warned to stop attacking mentally-sick people

HE Oyo State government will hold a Security Council meeting tomorrow to deliberate on the discovery of the Soka “forest of horror” in Ibadan. According to a statement by Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s media aide, Dr. Festus Adedayo, the meeting would review the state of security. The statement said the government was bothered about the attack on mentally-sick persons in Ibadan and the resort to jungle justice. Residents have been attacking mentally-ill people found with suspicious items since the discovery of the Soka “forest of horror”. Since the discovery penultimate Saturday, about four mentally-sick men and women have been killed by a mob. They were linked to the Soka forest, following the discovery of suspicious items, such as “human tongues and bones”, on

Christians thank God for revealing kidnappers’ den

HERE were testimonies, prayers and thanksgiving yesterday at churches in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by people who had being kidnapped in the past but escaped. Christians thanked God for exposing the “forest of horror” in Soka, which was discovered penultimate Saturday. At many churches, the sermon was centered on the “forest of horror” and the miraculous way God chose to expose it. At the annual Good Women Convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Oyo Province 2, held at the RCCG Holy Ghost Power Cathedral, Oluwo Nla, Basorun, a member of the church from Praise Assembly, Mrs. Mary Olufunke Benjamin, thanked God for rehabilitating her daughter, Olajumoke who was kidnapped six years ago, but was set free after intercessory prayers. She said Olajumoke was sent on an errand around noon on the fateful day, but did not return after several hours. Mrs. Benjamin, a teacher, said: “Her dad From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

them. The statement said the Security Council meeting

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

sent her on an errand. When she did not return after several hours, we began to search for her. She was later found around Olive Primary School at Iso Pako. A boy who knew her saw her at a bush path and asked what the problem was. She could not talk and the boy carried her from the spot to our house. Eventually she was revived and brought back to live a normal life again.” She said since the incident, she always prays to God to set people in captivity free and expose evil doers. The convener, who is the wife of the pastor in-charge of the province, Mrs. V. O. Abisona, praised God for His faithfulness, saying: “Unceasing prayers are exposing the evil ones in our society.” Mrs. Abisona said the church would continue to pray for a crime-free society. On the Mother’s Day celebration, she urged mothers to re-dedicate themselves to the work of God.

would discuss insinuations that some politicians were behind the attacks on the mentally-sick. Members of the State Secu-

•Lagos State Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello addressing officials of Ejigbo Local Government Council after inspecting a canal at Faye Street during the monthly environmental sanitation ... on Saturday. With him are Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure Ganiyu Johnson (second left) and Ejigbo Local Government Council Chairman Kehinde Bamigbetan (right). PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

Police parade suspected assassin, others in Ekiti

HE police in Ekiti State have arrested a man, Kolawole Onibile (29), who claimed he was hired to kill the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Mr. Olubunmi Ajimoko. Onibile, according to police sources, was a former local government official. Parading the suspect at the police headquarters in AdoEkiti, Police Commissioner Felix Uyanna said Onibile phoned Ajimoko and told him some people hired him (Onibile) to kill him. According to the police, Onibile said he decided not to do it because Ajimoko had been good to him. Onibile allegedly said he would spare Ajimoko’s life, if he gives him N150,000, claiming those who hired

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

him promised to pay him the same amount. Uyanna said: “The preliminary investigation showed the suspect has several bank accounts opened with different names. He also has many of identity cards with different names but same picture. The suspect confessed to the crime, but claimed he was not sent by anyone and never meant to kill the victim. “He said he decided to swindle his victim when he ran into financial difficulties, knowing full well the victim can afford the stated amount.” He said after withdrawing N145,000 from ATM, Onibile was arrested while withdrawing the balance of N5,000. Onibile told reporters he

devised the scheme to pay his school fees and repair the ceiling of his home. Uyanna said the command recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from three suspects, who were riding on a motorcycle, numbered KAK 139 QB, on the AdoIlawe road. He said the weapons were hidden in a Ghana-must-go bag. Also paraded were two students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Dapo Oduwale and Olajuwon Adebanjo, who were described as “notorious for robbers and cultists”. They were arrested after allegedly robbing some students in their hostels at Iworoko-Ekiti. Another student of the institution, who had reportedly been rusticated, Akintunde Ayoola, is being held at the Police Headquarters for allegedly being involved in the death of Ayodeji Olaseinde.

rity Council are heads of security agencies. Ibadan Southeast Local Government Chairman Abass Najimdeen has urged residents to stop killing mentally-ill people. He said anyone suspected of any crime should be handed over to the police. Najimdeen spoke at the weekend at Mapo Hall at a monthly programme of the Nigeria Union of Journal-

ists (NUJ), tagged Guest Platform. Two mentally-sick women were mobbed in the council last week. Najimdeen warned residents to stop taking the law into their hands, adding it would be wrong to kill suspects without allowing the police to investigate their claims. He debunked allegations by the Accord that the Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration contributed to the survival of the Soka forest, saying: “There is no iota of truth in the allegation because investigations showed the Soka saga has been on long before the administration of Governor Ajimobi.” Najimdeen described Ajimobi as a God-fearing man, who cherishes the sanctity of human life. Acknowledging that there was tension and suspicion across Ibadan due to the shocking discovery, he said two mentally-sick women were rescued from a mob about to set them ablaze at Musiliu and Orita-Aperin. According to the council chairman, one of the women was in possession of handsets and a cutlass, and N56,000 was found on the other.

HE seventh edition of the biennial Lagos Economic Summit, popularly called Ehingbeti, will hold from April 8 to 10 at the Eko Hotel and Suites. Power generation and food sufficiency are some of the issues to be discussed at the summit, themed: “Powering the Lagos economy: Real opportunities, endless possibilities”. Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives Prince Gbolahan Lawal said the agriculture value chains to be focused on are poultry, rice production, cassava cultivation, aquaculture, vegetable, post-harvest, as well as abattoir and lairage. He said as every other sector, inadequate electricity supply has impacted negatively on agriculture and is threatening food sufficiency in Africa. The commissioner said inadequate power supply has been a major setback for farmers engaging in hatchery, poultry processing and production.

‘The agriculture value chains to be focused on are poultry, rice production, cassava cultivation, aquaculture, vegetables...’

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

Council’s N1.8bn budget

“L

ifting Agbado/ Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, to a higher level is my administration’s joy and we will not look back because our hands are already on the plough.” This was the statement of the council’s chairman, Hon Augustine Arogundade at the presentation of the council’s N1.8billion budget proposal to the council’s legislature for the 2014 fiscal year. The council chief tagged the proposal: A budget of consolidation, explaining that the budget is less in figure than in 2013 because “it is meant for the completion of ongoing projects.” Saying that the 2013 budget achieved 70 per cent performance, Arogundade praised members of his team for their cooperation, adding that with their efforts, the administration touched every ward within the LCDA, “despite the meagre resources at the council’s disposal.” He said the budget would ensure infrastructural development, progressive service delivery and eradication of poverty in the area. The council’s Chief Whip, Mr Babatunde Aremu, urged the executive to computerise the council’s activities for efficiency, accountability, transparency and generation of more funds into the coffers of the council. The council’s Head of Information, Mrs Oreoluwa Gbinigie, warned residents against paying taxes in cash to any council official.

• Udeme

28-year-old apprentice driver, Udeme Udotom, has told police detectives how he repainted and re-registered a trailer he stole from his employer to save his family from poverty. He was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), led by Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police (SP). The squad also arrested Abib Garba (35) and other members of a six-man kidnap gang. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Umar Manko, ordered Udeme’s arrest following a petition by the truck’s owner. Udeme, an Akwa Ibom State indigene, said that before re-registering the truck, he sold two empty containers belonging to the company after off-loading their contents.

• The kidnap suspects

‘I stole truck to save my family’ •Police arrest six kidnap suspects

By Ebele Boniface

Kyari, it was gathered, led SARS operatives to AkwaIbom State where the suspect was arrested while the truck was recovered. “When I heard that SARS came from Lagos to look for me, I knew there was trouble. Somebody who did not appear like a police officer suddenly appeared and asked me come forward. I then noticed that the whole place was surrounded by police operatives. They handcuffed me and I later took them to the house of the buyer of the container, where the 40-foot trailer was parked,” he said.

Udeme further said: “A company along Mile 2 in Lagos, gave me job as a conductor and apprentice driver on monthly salary of N5, 000, but they paid me only N2, 500. Before I got the employment, some friends in AkwaIbom had said they needed empty containers. When they heard that I had got a job at a place where I could get empty containers, they started disturbing me on phone. On that day, we offloaded the containers at Sango-Ota, Ogun State and I later carried them to our yard at Mile 2. I moved to AkwaIbom State where I sold two containers at N100, 000. I later

got a driver to be driving the truck for me. I paid him N500 monthly. He was about delivering cement when the operatives came. He heard of my arrest and ran away. Hardship was too much for me. Poverty is like a curse on our family. I have three children and they are in private schools. I pay N10, 000 on each of them.” Garba said: “I was a commercial motorcyclist before I joined a kidnap gang. It was poverty pushed me into it. When I got N1 million ransom, operatives shot me in the leg; I dropped it and ran away. It was my eventual arrest that led to the arrest of

other members.” The other suspects are: Ugochukwu Ezeoma (27) from Abia State who was involved in the abduction of a Briton; Samuel Oha (22) form Ihiala, Anambra State; Obinna Ohuoha (37), a buyer of stolen vehicles from kidnappers; James Emoh (32) from Orlu, Imo State and Bernard Okoro (24) from Ohaofia, Abia State. According to the police, their victim (names withheld) was kidnapped on February 9 at his Ogun State home while preparing for work, adding that it was his wife who reported the incident through a petition to the Commissioner of Police.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

Fear as hoodlums invade communities

ESIDENTS of Cele and Water communities in Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State are living in fear of incessant attacks by some suspected land grabbers. On the lips of landlords and their families now is the question: Who is next? Reason: The hoodlums who have allegedly taken over both communities, selling their lands and buildings, were said to have gone on killing spree. Not a few landlords were said to have fled to seek refuge elsewhere. The communities are pointing accusing fingers at some self-acclaimed grand-children of a late notorious hatchet man to a Lagos socialite and land speculator (names withheld), who was sentenced to death by hanging in 1979 for murdering a land owner and farmer, Mr. Raji Oba, in the area, over

•IGP warns against police complicity By Jude Isiguzo

same land. Some policemen are alleged to have compromised. The embattled, last Saturday expressed their hopelessness as they urged relevant authorities to act fast to prevent a major calamity that might befall them in the hands of their attackers. The crisis, it was learnt, began in the early 70s when the scramble for land in the Alimosho area was rife. Apparently poised to guard against such undue invasion of their lands, residents of the village then formed what was known as Farmers Congress which was headed by the late Oba. Oba was allegedly shot dead in front of his house in the presence of his wife, Sabitiyu, by agents of the socialite.

The communities, through their lawyer, Mr Yinka Sanni, The Nation learnt, have flooded the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), M.D. Abubakar, with petitions, urging him to warn his men against complicity in the matter and other land cases. The police chief, in his response, has threatened to deal ruthlessly with any of his men found culpable in any land matter, even as he vowed to deal decisively with the hoodlums causing breach of peace in the affected communities. A resident of the communities who is secretary to Sanni Lemomu family and claimant to the land in contention, Prince Emmanuel Adesina Oriade, said: “ I have been living in this Alimosho for over 35 years and by virtue of my interaction with land owners there, I was

•Oriade

•Abubakar

appointed the Secretary of Sanni Lemomu Jamiu family, the owner of almost 26.3 acres of the land here. It shares boundaries with other families and has been here since 1996 after the death of the head of the family, Pa Mustafa Sanni. “Since then, there had not been any problem within the family even among the tenants

- those who bought portions of land from the family. Sanni Lemomu is one of the most peaceful families in this Alimosho, who acquired land under federal acquisition. There are almost 28 villages and this Sanni Lemomu family interacts like brothers.” The hoodlums, he recalled, invaded the communities in

The hoodlums ... were said to have gone on killing spree. Not a few landlords were said to have fled to seek refuge elsewhere’

2002, wreaking havoc. “We learnt that they were hired by one Alhaji. And since then, we have not known peace. It is very unfortunate. Around 2003, a portion of land was sold to a woman and the hoodlums came and re-sold it to a police officer. It became a tussle. We want the police IG to rescue us,” Oriade added.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS Ekiti 2014

Ekiti poll: Fayose, Adeyeye to work together

‘Ex-governor is living in fool’s paradise’ From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

•Arise to broker peace among aspirants

HE governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, former Governor Ayo Fayose, and an aspirant, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, resolved yesterday to work together for the party’s victory in the June 21 election. They agreed on a powersharing formula, which may halt a winner-takes-all situation, if it is faithfully implemented. In a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, Fayose urged him to nominate Adeyeye for a ministerial position. He informed the President that the deputy governor’s seat would be zoned to the South Senatorial District, where Adeyeye hails from. A source said Adeyeye agreed to the terms of agreement, but conceded to Fayose the right to freely choose his running mate. These resolutions were reached at a “unity and understanding meeting” be-

By Emmanuel Oladesu

tween the party chieftains. Adeyeye earlier joined other aspirants in condemning the primary election that led to Fasoye’s emergence as the party’s flag bearer. A letter of “agreement and understanding to work together”, signed by Fayose and Adeyeye, reads: “We, Fayose and Adeyeye, who are principal players in the just concluded PDP primary, have come together to form a common front in the 2014 governorship election. As a result, Adeyeye has agreed to accept the Ekiti ministerial appointment at the pleasure of Mr. President. I, Ayo Fayose, have no objection and plead with the President to accede to our request to allow us both to move to the field together as a team. “We also agreed to give Fayose a free hand to pick his running mate due to its sensitivity, however, from

•Fayose

•Adeyeye

the South Senatorial District. We will both appreciate an audience with Mr. President and the National Chairman on this and other related matters concerning the 2014 elections.” It is not known if Fayose has met with other aggrieved aspirants, including former Police Affairs Minister Navy. Capt. Caleb Olubolade, Chief Abiodun Aluko, Mr. Bisi Omoyeni, Senator Gbenga Aluko, Ambassador Dare Bejide and Senator Bode Olowoporoku. There are speculations in the PDP that Fayose may pick Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, his former deputy, as his running mate. The PDP has given the former senator represent-

ing Ekiti North District, Mr. Ayo Arise, the task of reconciling aggrieved party members. Arise, who confirmed this in a statement yesterday, said he would work with the former Speaker of the old Ondo State, Mr. Femi Akinyemi; former House of Assembly member Bisi Kolawole and Chief Dele Okeya, among others, to achieve the goal. He said “We have been working to bring aggrieved parties together in the interest of Ekiti State, its people and the PDP. I reached out to Adeyeye, who is a major contender in the governorship race, and I will also reach out to other aspirants. “No doubt, the reconciliation effort is yielding results and, in the next few days, the people of Ekiti State, especially PDP supporters, will be informed of grounds that have been covered. “My concern as a loyal party man is that the PDP must win Ekiti State and we will not allow internal crisis to destroy our chance of returning to government in Ekiti. “I urge our party members and supporters to remain calm and refrain from listening to rumours and hearsay. When all issues are settled and agreements reached, we will inform our people.” On the consensus option, Arise said: “I think we have gone past that stage.”

POLITICAL pressure group, the Ekiti Good Governance Group (EGGG) has described as “one huge joke” the belief by former Governor Ayodele Fayose that he can win the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State. EGGG, in a statement at the weekend, said Fayose, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), “should continue to amuse himself and the national leadership of his party with all sorts of claims derived from his disconnect with reality”. The group was reacting to a statement credited to Fayose that he “brought Governor Kayode Fayemi to office and would remove him from office”. According to EGGG, Fayose, who could not make himself a senator in 2011 would not have claimed he made anyone a governor, if he was in touch with the reality of defeat that stares him in the face in the June 21 election. In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Ojo, the group said Fayemi had already won the 2007 governorship election, “a mandate which was stolen by the PDP”, before Fayose begged to be accommodated in the campaign train for the 2009 rerun. The statement reads: “During the 2009 rerun poll, Fayose saw himself being hunted and haunted by the PDP. He was to be arrested and slammed in prison after denigrating the PDP while in exile. On arriving Ekiti, he read the mood of the Ekiti people, who were rooting for Fayemi, and joined the throng. “The money he collected from his purported supporters ended up in his personal pocket, without spending a kobo to do any mobilisation, thus profiting all alone.” The group said in spite of Fayose’s support for the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Yinka Akerele, in the 2007 governorship election, the latter came third. It said as an ANPP chieftain, Fayose also lost in his AfaoEkiti hometown at the 2008 council poll and the 2010 House of Assembly by-election in Moba Local Government as a Labour Party (LP) chieftain, despite distributing several tanks of kerosene to the people. The group said: “Fayose is not a threat in the forthcoming governorship election. Senator Babafemi Ojudu, who represents Ekiti Central, left the newsroom to join politics and defeated Fayose, who touted himself as the father of Ekiti politics. “In the run-up to the 2011 senatorial election, there was nothing Fayose did not say. He even went on radio to say he would quit politics to rear cane rats (grass cutters), if he did not beat Ojudu in the election, but Ojudu walloped him by 37,974 votes and he did not quit politics. “So, if he is telling leaders of his party that he should not be considered for federal appointment if he loses in June, they should know that he is just amusing them because he cannot win the election.” EGGG said Fayose failed the people as governor from 2003 to 2006 when he had the chance to turn around their fortunes, hence his rejection by Ekiti people. It said: “Is Fayose going to be governor over the people of Ijan-Ekiti, who the cruel assassination of their illustrious son, Ayo Daramola, is yet to be avenged? Will he be governor over Ifaki-Ekiti people, where the blood of Tunde Omojola still cries for justice or over Ikogosi-Ekiti people where Omojola hailed from? “How can he, in good conscience, solicit the votes of AdoEkiti people, whose monarch, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, he harassed and ridiculed? Can Fayose solicit the votes of the poeple of Ikere-Ekiti, where five students of the College of Education were shot and killed on March, 16, 2004?

Ondo CJ orders probe into lawyers’ lock-up

HE Ondo State Chief Judge, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, has directed the Sheriff Department of the State High Court, sitting in Akure, to probe the “locking up” of 14 lawyers in their chambers by officials of the State Board of Internal Revenue (OSBIR) and policemen. The Justice Kumuyi gave the directive following a petition by the Human Rights Centre of Association of Catholic Lawyers in Ondo Diocese. When the Sheriffs visited Tililoye, the rights activist told them that he was surprised that the Sheriff’s office was absent when the police and OSBIR locked them up. He said: “This situation would have been avoided if you were carried along. Based on your training, you would have known that the ex-parte orders cannot be executed after 14 days according to the High Court Rules. “Besides, sealing up the premises is not the same as locking up occupants inside the premises. When we told them they were in

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

the wrong premises and we are not party to the order and not duly notified of the case, they went ahead and locked us inside.” The lawyers have sued the state government and the police and are demanding N500 million as compensation. In a new twist, the lawyers are urging the Federal High Court, Akure, to prosecute the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Director of OSBIR, Mrs. Monisola Olaoye, for perjury. They alleged the director lied on oath when she stated in her counter affidavit that the premises was “partially sealed up”. The lawyers urged the court to read Mrs. Olaoye’s official letter after the incident, “where she said the premises had been sealed up” and gave conditions for its reopening. Pictures of the two gates of the premises locked with chains and padlocks are before the court. Hearing was fixed for Wednesday.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS

Tale of a money spinner called Arira The sudden discovery of the commercial value of a hitherto useless Arira wood has changed the economic outlook of Irele community and its indigenes in Ekiti State. The main buyers are the Chinese who call the tree “the new cocaine”, SEUN AKIOYE reports

USINESS could not have been better for 16year-old Lanre Odunnusi (surname protected) and many people in his Irele community in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State can testify to that. To show his newly acquired status, he bought himself a boxer motorcycle – which costs N110, 000. In the last six months, he has made dramatic changes to his life, which includes dropping out of school. “Arira has changed my life. In the last six months, I have bought a bike and I have everything I need, all from doing the Arira business,” Lanre said as he prepared to take his motorcycle on a ride with his friend. Prior to June 2013, the people of Irele had been predominantly farmers, blessed with a large expanse of land. Irele farmers were known as the kings among Ekiti yam farmers. During the course of clearing the land for farming, the farmers often met a strong resistance in the hundreds of thousands of Arira trees which mostly proved difficult to uproot. The head of the community, Chief Odofin Madayedupin, said: “We used to burn the Arira tree; they are very stubborn and you need to uproot them completely to get rid of them. When we prepared for the planting season, Arira was always a problem for farmers.” But that changed the afternoon in June when a stranger walked into the town and demanded to buy the “troublesome” Arira. At first, the farmers were happy to dispose off the wood and to make a little extra for what they considered useless trees. But in July, more people came and then one day, some Chinese exporters showed up in the town and the trade in Arira wood began in earnest. The economy of the town changed as money poured in. The Chinese exporters were willing to pay thousands for a piece of good Arira wood in the measurement of 7ft and 12 inches. The next six months proved decisive as more prosperous indigenous merchants evolved, many indigenes resident in Lagos, Ibadan and other far -away places began to return home. The trade in Arira known as the “new cocaine” had begun.

Lucrative business Arira tree with the botanical name Pterocarpus Mildbraedii is a savanna specie found in Oye and Ikole local governments in the

northern fringes of Ekiti State. It is also found in larger quantities in Kogi State. The tree at maturity– usually five years– is 12 inches thick and 7feet tall, though many are shorter and thinner than that. Arira has at least three branches, which can also be exploited for money. The first Chinese merchants who came to the community exploited the villagers in the initial business deals, cutting more than 10 trailers of wood and paying only N10, 000. Soon the youths began to see the potential and joined in the trade. At first they merely load the wood into the trailers and earning a pitiful sum of N400 per log. But today the indigenes are in full control of the business. They control every aspect of it and some of them even deal directly with the Chinese exporters in Lagos. The economic chain of the Arira business is complex and often confusing. At the top of the chain are the Chinese exporters who buy from a local marketer. Next are the marketers, who are either indigenes or outsiders; they comb the community for the best Arira specie. There is usually an operator who cuts down the trees; he earns N500 per log of wood. The tractor that transports the log to the gantry takes N500 per log and when it gets to gantry, it costs N4000 per log. This is where majority of the indigenes have found prosperity. They buy the trees and sell to middle men at the gantry making some tidy sum. At the gantry, the loaders–usually 10 in number– who are also indigenes charge N60,000 to load a trailer with 200 logs. The trailer owner also charges N1000 per log and a full trailer costs N200, 000. But the indigenes are not the only beneficiary of the trade; the government is also raking in its share of the boom. According to the Director of Forestry (Non timber forest produce), Ministry of the Environment in Ado-Ekiti, Olubunmi Olatilu, the state government is aware of the Arira boom and collects a levy on the wood. “Until a year ago, it was used locally for charcoal; it was not even listed in our tariff. But now the government has its own share of it,” he said. According to Olatilu, the state collects toll fees from marketers who also need to get an approval for N150, 000 with a six month validity period after which they must

renew. This, according to Olatilu, is to prevent exploitation. Also, the marketers need to register at the gantry for a fee of N50, 000 and for every stump exploited, government collects N850. There are the border control officers and the forest guards who reportedly collect N60, 000. But underneath the booming trade is corruption. According to several sources who are involved in the trade but who asked not to be named, the cost of corruption from the gantry to Lagos could be as much as N100,000, excluding other legitimate charges. One source said soldiers on the road to Lagos collect bribes as high as N10,000 while the police also demand bribes. The interstate agencies in Osun and Ogun states also collect tolls and some officials also demand bribes. “If you are transporting the wood to Lagos, you need to keep a minimum of N100,000 aside to pave way for your smooth journey because of all the officials on the way. As soon as they see it is Arira, they jump up because it’s Christmas for them,” a source said. In all, a trailer load of good quality Arira wood successfully transported to Lagos fetches about N1.6 million. If one deducts the expenses, the net profit to a marketer could be in the region of N1.2 million. But many of the Irele indigenes prefer to conclude their business in the town; a successful sale of a trailer of the tree in Irele could fetch about N800, 000. Every day, a minimum of six trailers depart Irele for Lagos, carrying with them millions of naira worth of wood. A bulk of the money, however, remains with the Irele indigenes.

A changed community It is difficult to find a household in Irele not directly involved in the Arira business and many of these households have tales of prosperity to tell. When The Nation visited the town, not much has changed in terms of physical structures but the story of Arira prosperity lies more in the changed lives of the indigenes. “We the elders allowed the youths to be involved in this business because we could see the prosperity it has brought to the town. Those who were poor suddenly became rich and built houses. Others bought cars. It has been almost like a dream, our people have never seen this kind of economic boom

before,” Madayedupin said. Lanre’s connection to the Arira trade is being a loader. With that he was able to buy his bike and some other necessary things needed in his house. Olumide Adesegun, also a loader, confessed the trade has changed his life. “ I have made money that I never dreamt of,” he said and shifted uneasily on the logs of Arira he had been sitting on. I only work during the holidays and I make about N40,000,” he confessed. This is no small money for a poor 15-year-old in a poor community and there are others who have really made it big. The Nation learnt that since the trade began, no less than eight houses have been built using the proceeds from the trade. Also, several cars were bought; some of which remain in Irele and others taken to Lagos. “I know children who suddenly became rich and were able to give their parents N100,000 to buy whatever they want,” Lanre said. Olaniyi Ogundele, a big trader in Arira and one of those who have built a house through the trade, politely acknowledged that the trade has been good to him. “ Arira has changed our lives, many of us were poor people but today lives have been changed; thanks to our once invaluable tree. Personally, I have benefitted immensely and I am very thankful to God. I bought this motorcycle and built a house all less than one year,” he said smiling after every sentence. In late February when The Nation visited the community, there was a peaceful calmness in the town. Flung in the northern fringe of the state, Irele is the border town to Kogi State. In Ado Ekiti, the state capital, not a few claimed ignorance of the town, so the indigenes use the closest community of Aiyedun to describe their town. Around noon a group of youths were engaged in the loading of Arira into a trailer, carrying the log on their shoulders. To lessen the workload, they joked and sang among themselves. At the end of the day, each one will get about N10,000.

A looming famine

But in spite of the wealth the Arira has brought to the people of Irele, there are fears of an impending famine in the community. With the easy money brought by Arira, none of the youths feels inclined to farm any longer.

Youths of Irele loading Arira woods

“ We don’t farm again. All our children have gone after Arira and our farms laid waste. What are we going to eat next year if we don’t farm,” one elder, who was generally referred to as Baba, asked. Afolahan Madayedupin, a big trader in Arira, shared this sentiment. For him, if nothing was done, the community might be setting itself up for an unpleasant farming year. “ We normally farm in this place but nobody wants to do it now. To get labourers to work on your farm is even difficult, one boy gave his father N100, 000 to go and hire labourers and they couldn’t find any,” he said. Subsequently, the price of foodstuff has gone up in the community. Food sellers no longer cut N50 meat but now sell for N200 per piece. “We are in Arira era,” they said. Education too has been affected with many students dropping out of school temporarily and permanently.

The Chinese connection The first big merchants to show interest in Arira were the Chinese. They came from Lagos and bought in large quantities. None of the villagers had any knowledge of what the Chinese use the wood for or why they are desperate to get their hands on them. Madayedupin said: “We don’t know why they want it, we just know they are very eager to buy them.” But with the Chinese involvement, rumours began to spread that the wood were used to build ships, some mentioned railways while others said the Chinese use it for charcoal. But, according to The Nation’s investigation, all major marketers who bring

the wood to Lagos have just one destination: China Town in Ojota, Lagos. According to a major marketer who pleaded anonymity, the Chinese in China town are sole exporters of the wood. “All we do is to bring the Arira down to China Town where they buy them and pay in cash. No matter how much you bring, the Chinese pay you in cash right there,” he said. Another marketer told The Nation that the major buyer was a Chinese man called Mr. Chou. His office he said was directly on top of the N100 Supermarket. Investigations in China Town revealed that the wood is treated as a secret in the market. They are usually discharged at the back of the building away from the prying eyes of the public. When The Nation visited Mr. Chou in his office, a Nigerian interpreter coldly asked if the reporter was there on business, then he called Chou who was holed up in his inner office. A quick perusal of the room showed that a part had been divided to serve as a private space for Chou while the other is the reception area. A table with two opposing chairs sat in the middle of the room and at the other corner was a sleeping mattress. Chou denied knowledge of the Arira tree. He said he neither knew what they are used for or how to get them and he would not be happy to entertain any other question on it. When The Nation first visited the market late February, there were more than 5,000 Arira woods at the back. But in March, the package had reduced to less than 500, an indication that business has been good. So, what do the Chinese use the Arira for and why do they always pay in cash? An enquiry at the Chinese

THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS

Arira wood waiting for export at the back of China Town, Ojota, Lagos P

HOTOS: SEUN AKIOYE

‘ The government

Chinese government. This, according to sources, was due to the illegal use of the trees to smuggle cocaine into the country. This has cut the demand for the wood drastically and has become a big source of worry in Irele. Last week, the town of Irele wore a sour look. Strewn along the road from Aiyedun through Ipao to Irele were Arira trees waiting for buyers. Lanre acknowledged that there has been a lull in the business but he prayed for a quick resolution so business can continue. “ Please help us tell the government to resolve this issue. See all our trees on the ground waiting for buyers, the government should lift the ban,” he said in a low voice.

should leave this business for us. Fear of deforestation Environmentalists have We will regulate it expressed concern that the exploitation of and pay taxes and continuous the Arira could lead to But majority of other levies to the deforestation. the indigenes of Irele They claimed it is government, but disagreed. just one of the species of tree the forest and it has the the government incapacity to regenerate itself. They have an ally in Olatilu should not ban or who said: “The quantity being exploited now does not connote the extinction of the regulate this specie. As government, we are not folding our hands, business regeneration exercise is going Arira tree

Embassy through the Chinese Commercial and Trade Office yielded nothing. But Olatilu said: “The major use of wood

is construction and furniture. From the length of the Arira, you can see it cannot be used for anything else but

furniture. But that is my own deductions; I cannot emphatically say it is used for furniture.”

‘

But recently there has been a lull in the business because there has been a ban on importation by the

on and private loggers are being encouraged to cultivate unused land for Arira.” So, what is the future of Arira and the economic prosperity it has brought to the town of Irele? Many of the

citizens believe that more wealth will come to the town through the tree. For Afolayan, the government can still help by providing more tractors to move the trees from the forest to the gantry. Currently, there are only 15 tractors in use, short of the 30 needed for effective business. The indigenes do not want the government to regulate the business of Arira. According to Ogundele, the traders themselves would regulate it. “The government should leave this business for us. We will regulate it and pay taxes and other levies to the government, but the government should not ban or regulate this business,” he said. But the elders of the town have counseled the youths about the future of the business. Speaking on behalf of the elders, Madayedupin said the youths should reinvest the money into other sustainable businesses. As this reporter was about leaving the town, Ogundele’s mobile phone rang; it was a call from his business partner. The voice at the other end sounded excited and it also affected Ogundele. “Yes, I am coming right away,” he said. “That was a business call. Somebody wants to buy my trees. I am sorry I cannot attend to you again. This is more important to me,” he told the reporter and then swung his bicycle around and disappeared into the middle of town.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

FROM OTHER LANDS

Another wasteful proposal

•Fed Govt wants to allocate another N167bn to fight oil theft?

HE government of President Goodluck Jonathan will never cease to amaze on its share scale of corruption and waste. When his party men and media handlers deny that his government is clueless, we always wonder whether they just came into town. The latest of his blundering is the President’s claim that his government will fight oil theft with $1billion. He spoke at a meeting in The Hague, with the Netherland’s Prime Minister, Mark Rutte. This is the same government that had awarded former Niger-Delta militants and sundry other warlords humongous contracts to guard national oil pipelines. In all this misadventure, Nigeria still boasts of the strongest military in the sub-region. So, we ask, is it not the responsibility of

‘Would it not be fair to say that Nigerians have not been told the real objective for this presidential brief? Unless the government takes up this challenge and offers reasonable account, would it not be fair for the President’s political opponents to see this as a money laundering effort of this government in preparation for the 2015 elections?’

the military to guard the country’s territorial integrity and national assets? Or is the government saying that our military lacked the capacity to fight the perennial excuse of oil theft accounting for our dwindling oil revenue? If in 2014, nearly N1trillion has been budgeted for national security, what is this assertion by the President that $1billion (about N167bn) will be used to fight oil theft, meant to convey? Would it not be fair to say that Nigerians have not been told the real objective for this presidential brief? Unless the government takes up this challenge and offers reasonable account, would it not be fair for the President’s political opponents to see this as a money laundering effort of this government in preparation for the 2015 elections? President Jonathan’s presidency has been associated with kleptocracy, and by its everyday conduct, it is as if his government is determined to take the gold medal in this category. Regrettably, corruption has become accentuated under Jonathan’s watch, and it is perpetuated through processes such as the bogus project of fighting oil theft, by security contractors that have no idea of what they have been handsomely overpaid to do. The glaring example is the unreasonable award of oil-pipeline security contracts to ex-militants, who have otherwise been over-compensated for raising-up arms against the state. As we warned at the onset of that misadventure, the idea of asking elements who had engaged in oil industry sabotage as a means of political protest, to pro-

tect our pipelines was unreasonable. Indeed, the security contract awarded to the ex-militants can be likened to surrendering one’s patrimony to a neighbourhood brigand, just to pacify him. There is the possibility that you may have provided the thief, a complete cover to comprehensively steal to his heart’s desire, without any fear of interference. Whether the oilpipeline contractors are fighting the oil thieves or they have become accomplices, we may never know. But what is glaring is that under their care, our oil revenue has continued to plummet, while they smile to the banks as the protectors of the oil pipelines. Now, despite the failure of this misadventure, which many Nigerians forewarned against, President Jonathan has again set out on another wasteful proposal. We hope that the National Assembly will have the courage to stop this expensive gambit. As we have maintained on this shameful surrender to criminality in the oil industry, the Nigerian military should be mobilised to discharge their constitutional responsibility. If more resources are needed to guard oil pipelines that run within our national territory, then the resources should be spent on the Nigerian military. We condemn the resort to questionable security retainers, who are part of the problem, as the solution to the problem. As we have seen, even among the emergency security contractors, disagreements and sabotage is rife. We hope it is not too late for the government to retrace her steps.

Temptation •President Jonathan must resist acting illegally in states under emergency

S the politicking intensifies ahead of the 2015 general elections, the administration of President Jonathan must be very careful to ensure that it does not engage in actions that could further aggravate tensions in an already-volatile polity. Such caution is especially important, given the allegations of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) that the Federal Government is contemplating the removal of the governors of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states under the guise of its fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria. Apparently, the plan is to declare a total state of emergency in those states, making the removal of the governors a necessary corollary of that action. If indeed the Jonathan administration is considering such a move, it would be a disastrous mistake. In 2004, former President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a state of emergency in Plateau State and removed the-then governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, replacing him with General Chris Alli (rtd.). In 2006, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State was also removed and replaced by retired General Tunji Olurin. The unconstitutionality of both moves was widely condemned, regardless of the alleged culpability and incompetence of the politicians involved. The imposition of unelected outsiders also failed to resolve the crises for which they had been brought in. Given the patent illegality of such unconstitutional removals, it is a surprise that the Federal Government would even contemplate it. This is, after all, an administration which had ostentatiously

promised to adhere strictly to the rule of law at all times. Indeed, it did start off on an admirable note: the prompt acceptance of electoral tribunal verdicts which did not favour it were widely applauded across the political spectrum. It was, however, a false dawn. As President Jonathan became more deeply entrenched in office, it appears that he has been readier to embark on riskier ventures. This was signalled by his infamous “I don’t give a damn” response to enquiries on publicising his declaration of assets in June 2012. It was followed up by an increasingly inexplicable refusal to come to grips with egregious cases of corruption and unethical conduct within his administration: the pension scam, the oil subsidy fraud, the armoured-cars fiasco, the Malabu Oil scandal, and most recently, the U.S. $20.9 billion case. Rather than come to grips with these issues, the president has chosen an unworkable strategy of dissimulation instead. Promises are made, and committees and panels are set up, not to get to the bottom of the matter, but to cynically buy time until the public memory is distracted by yet another scandal or crisis. When concerned citizens and groups point out the unhelpfulness of such measures, they are lambasted in the most intemperate terms. It is against this background of an increasing readiness to fight dirty that the state of emergency gambit must be seen. For a government that has become notorious for dodging hard questions and for privileging symbolism over substance, getting rid of those it cannot legitimately confront is an obvious course of action.

Such action would be tragically wrong. It would divert attention away from a failing anti-terror campaign by needlessly inflaming political passions. The tension that would be consequently generated can only aid the Boko Haram insurgents. It would hamper cooperation with other governors, who would be naturally resentful of the cavalier treatment of their colleagues. And as the Obasanjo experiment has shown, the chances of resolving the fundamental issues would remain as slim as ever. The Jonathan administration must remember that political opposition is the lifeblood of democracy. Disagreement is not manifested for its own sake, but as part of the completion of ideas which puts incumbent governments on their toes. Rather than attack those who point out the problem, it makes far more sense to address the problem itself.

‘It is against this background of an increasing readiness to fight dirty that the state of emergency gambit must be seen. For a government that has become notorious for dodging hard questions and for privileging symbolism over substance, getting rid of those it cannot legitimately confront is an obvious course of action’

Obama attempts a new start with EU • In response to Ukraine crisis, transatlantic unity is vital

LADIMIR Putin’s annexation of Crimea has challenged what many assumed was a selfevident truth: that borders in Europe cannot be changed by force. Barack Obama was right to point this out in his speech in Brussels on Wednesday. What was left unsaid is that the Ukraine crisis has brought the leaders of the US and EU together in a way that could scarcely have been imagined even a few months ago. Twenty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, transatlantic co-operation has faltered amid mutual suspicion and frustration. The US still believes the EU’s management of the euro crisis has been bedevilled by laborious decision-making, political division and narrow self-interest. On the defence front, Washington has long been concerned at the way Europeans are cutting military spending in response to domestic budgetary pressures, leaving the Pentagon to do the heavy lifting inside Nato. EU leaders, for their part, have been incensed by revelations of spying by the US security agencies, notably by the bugging of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone. Prominent Europeans bluntly assert that the US can no longer be trusted. President Obama’s speech was therefore a timely opportunity for the US to restate the importance of the transatlantic relationship and reassert an old truth that America remains a European power. Or, as he put it, Nato nations never stand alone. Much of his speech focused on the immediate challenges Russia poses to the west and the need to isolate Mr Putin politically. More broadly, he correctly restated how the US and Europe stand together in the promotion of freedom and democracy. Mr Obama scored some other notable points. It was absurd for Russia to claim the US was conspiring with fascists in Ukraine. He also observed that Russia could not achieve security, prosperity and status through brute force. Those rhetorical flourishes aside, the president and his EU counterparts now need to look to deepen the newfound transatlantic unity. First, the US must recognise that Europeans, and other allies, have become less confident in its willingness to engage. Mr Obama has created the impression that he is a domestic policy president. Within Nato, in particular, the US will now need to spend money, time and capability to underscore that Washington regards the defence of Europe’s eastern perimeter as non-negotiable. Europe also has much to do to regain American trust. The EU has the economic and political mass to be a global player. But in response to Russia’s new and aggressive actions, EU members need to halt the precipitous decline in defence spending. The bloc as a whole also needs to acquire much greater strategic coherence in foreign affairs, especially in its stance towards the Kremlin. There is a special responsibility for Ms Merkel, Europe’s most powerful figure. In the Ukraine crisis, she is for the first time emerging as a leader on security matters. But Germany needs to start shouldering more responsibility within Nato, abandoning its traditional comfort zones and taking its seat at the high table along with the UK and France. Dealing with the Ukraine crisis is the major challenge ahead. If Mr Putin engages in more aggressive action over Ukraine, the US and EU must impose sanctions in lock step. Over time, they must also collaborate to reduce Europe’s energy dependence on Russia, if necessary through the export of US shale gas to Europe. In Brussels, Mr Obama, as ever, struck the right tone. Now comes the hard part – not the resumption of a new cold war but a hard-headed, patient and unified approach to an unpredictable adversary who is bent on rapidly restoring Russia’s influence in his neighbourhood. - Financial Times

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: Nigeria is at a defining moment of her history. To my brothers and sisters who believe Nigeria should break-up, I want us to please consider some realities. The amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates is now 100 years old. The crises at hand are self-created. We should rather think of finding solutions to our problems. I repeat with convictions that none of the regions in Nigeria can really go alone. We have gone too far, inter-married and have business concerns all over the country. I have traveled through all regions in Nigeria. I have seen Igbos, Yorubas, Hausa-Fulanis who are products of inter-tribal marriages. Just too many of them. Where then do they belong if not Nigeria? I have met several Yorubas, Igbos and southerners in the North who have never travelled to their home states and even with the state of origin problems. I have seen several products of inter-tribal marriages in the West, East and South-south. These are Nigerians who have no better homes than the states where they were raised up! Our problem is not the union, but the overt and covert establishments of poverty and infrastructural deficiencies by the political elites as

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Nigerians rise against forces of division

well as the conformist nature of us the followers via primordial attachments to ethnicity or religion. Let this be clear: those who brought us to this mess cut across all regions, tribes, creeds or faiths. Not one can be exempted! Then what we need to do is to stop blaming the union, come out of our selfimposed socio-political delusions by refusing completely to dance to the music of ethnicity or religion. When we keep talking of ethnicity or religion, we are simply doing exactly what the political class wants us to do. They want us to be distracted with the amalgamation, ethnicity or religion while they keep denying us of dividends of democracy. They continue to amass wealth and say they are fighting for us. Which region is not afflicted with poverty or infrastructural deficiency? If we were to break-up to-

day who else will provide political leadership if not the same political class? Take a look at any of the North-west, North-east, North-central, South-west, South-east and South-south regions; which region is free of intrinsic internal differences? Which of the regions is free of ethnic-related crises? Which of the regions is free of complaints of marginalization by ethnic minorities? Why are there continuous demands for the creation of more states across all regions if not because of cries of domination by larger ethnic groups? Which region is free of poverty, infrastructural deficiencies, poor standard of education, irregular or no power supply? The way forward is to demand for a new Nigeria where things work and where leaders are chosen based on their visionary capabilities and not ethnic or religious affiliations. Remember: We have done it be-

fore; we can still do it better. Sir Herbert Macaulay (from Western Nigeria) handed over the leadership of the National Youth Movement to Sir Azikwe (from Eastern Nigeria). In the First Republic, Umoru Altine from Sokoto (Northern Nigeria) and Dr Bashorun Balogun from Ogun (Western Nigeria) were mayors of Port Harcourt and Enugu respectively while Ebube Dike, an Igbo from Okigwe (Eastern Nigeria) represented AjeromiAjegunle Constituency as an Honourable member of the Western House of Assembly. Stop primordial attachments to ethnicity or religion; recognize that our problems are the same across all regions and vote for visionary leaderships in 2015 across all levels or tiers of governments irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations. • Akinlolu, Abdulazeez Adelaja University of Ilorin

Tragedies and public relations imperative

IR: ON Saturday, March 15, 19 Nigerians died in a stampede during an ill-fated recruitment exercise for the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). The exercise, which was carried out across different recruitment centres across the nation, allegedly had over 500, 000 applicants in attendance – a mammoth figure by any standard. The fallout from this was swift and criticisms from different quarters trailed the exercise; the Federal Interior Minister and the Comptroller General of the NIS were also officially queried by the presidency. The tragic incident exposed the NIS and the federal government to public scrutiny and ridicule, with many calling for reparations. In an attempt at damage control, the government announced the cancella-

tion of further screening of candidates and also directed that employment slots be reserved for the families of those who died during the stampede. Not only that, President Goodluck Jonathan, also ordered that employment automatic be given to others who sustained injuries during the exercise and were subsequently hospitalised. The incident was a Public Relations disaster, as evidenced by the first, crucial mis-steps: at the initial stage, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abba Moro, blamed the dead youths by saying that “the applicants lost their lives due to impatience and for not following the laid-down procedures spelt out to them before the exercise.” This reaction was widely condemned and tagged as showing insensitivity and a lack of remorse on the part of

the government. It also showed a lack of skill, tact and preparation in dealing with sensitive issues; for example, a government that wishes to be seen as caring and responsible in times of crisis must show empathy to the affected parties, particularly when there is a loss of life and property. There is undoubtedly a need for governments around the world, Nigeria included, to incorporate Public Relations (PR) into every area of policy formulation, execution and management. Besides offering adequate publicity to every policy thrust or drive, it helps deal with crises when they occur – and they do occur. The NIS incident is a good example of a crisis that would have been better handled given proper PR management and ill-advised utterances such as Moro’s would

never have found their way into the press. The government must learn from this incident and incorporate PR into all areas of administration. Proper crisis management plans must be put in place to mitigate damage and key government officials or spokespersons must be educated on just how to respond to sensitive issues to avoid instigating public ire. The art and practice of Public Relations by the government must to a large extent reflect honesty, openness, advocacy, fairness and most importantly; constant communication. If these tenets had been followed in handling the NIS crisis, the public backlash might have been potentially substantially reduced. • Adeolu Isadiran Lagos

On the Immigration tragedy

IR: The immigration recruitment debacle raises a lot of questions and says much about how low we have sunk as a people. First, those in leadership positions in this country (all of them without exception) love power but lack the basic knowledge of the responsibilities that go with it. In Nigeria, when a minister does what he/she is employed to do, you’ll see sycophants taking advertorials in national dailies to sing their praises to high heavens, but when the situations arise to question their competence and rationality, they blame every other person but themselves. And in all of this, what would OkonjoIweala have to say about over 600,000 jobless Nigerians pursuing 4,556 jobs until some of them met their death in an economy she is always quick to paint in bright colours? Now we also have a clue to why crime is on the increase: the government is taking money from jobless applicants.The conscience of those ruling us have taken leave of them. Now if that is not corruption, then that word has lost its meaning. And Jonathan has the audacity to tell the whole world that corruption in Nigeria is exagerated! Just some weeks ago, the President of Zimbabwe said you have to bribe your way to get anything done in Nigeria. What other proof do we need? Whither our morality? The message Jonathan is sending accross is that to get anything from government, you must first be prepared to suffer a tragedy like loosing a limb, be blinded, or sacrifice a member of your family. If anyone thinks Jonathan will sack Moro, that person would be greatly disappointed because President Jonathan cannot differentiate between his ego and morality; he looks at everything through the prism of politics. I’m surprised Olisah Metuh has not blamed those who died for dying just to discredit the Jonathan government, after all, he just has to say something to convince his principal he is working, even if it exposes him as a man who is weak in thinking. To Jonathan, those dead are just another figure. Life goes on. It is all politics.• Simon Oladapo, Ogbomoso.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

COMMENTS

RONICALLY, defining a Lagos State indigene, or Lagosian, was expectedly not quite straightforward as the Association of Lagos State Indigenes (ALSI) held the 6th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture and Merit Award at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, on March 22. Prof. John Obafunwa, the guest speaker and Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), who spoke on the theme, “The place of Lagos State Indigenes – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, after a conceptual exploration that significantly accommodated “native and original inhabitants” of Lagos and those whose progenitors had settled in Lagos at least “60 years” before Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule in 1960, acknowledged the difficulty of categorisation. The topic, he argued, was “mostly historical and partly futuristic”, a perspective that allowed him to approach the definition of a Lagosian by presenting a “list of indigenes” that he described as “not exhaustive.” His logic was that the personalities, however, represented a picture that could prove useful in clarifying the concept. His list comprised Herbert Macaulay, Mobolaji Johnson, Lateef Jakande, Olatunde Vincent, TOS Benson, Babatunde Fafunwa, Teslim Elias, Gbolahan Mudashiru, Femi Okunnu, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Musiliu Smith and Babatunde Raji Fashola. Among these were a pre-eminent pre-independence nationalist, the first military governor of the state, the first civilian governor of the state, a former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, three prominent former federal ministers, a former Attorney –General and Chief Justice of Nigeria, a former military governor of the state, a former civilian governor of the state, a former Inspector Gen-

‘There is no doubt that the burgeoning population of Lagos, a consequence of several factors including, notably, the irresistible attraction of the space as a metaphor for greener pastures, is not about to end. On the contrary, Fanimokun alarmingly prepared the minds of members of the audience for the phenomenon called “metacity”, also known as hypercity. He predicted that “by 2015 Lagos would become a metacity”, meaning that it would be home to more than 20 million people’

N 2001, my cousin Sadie Ette was among victims of the September 11 tragedy. It is now more than 13 years since that tragic incident changed our world, and even though there is still pain and anguish for me and other members of her family, I find the ideals of Peaceful Tomorrow (an organization established by family members of 9/11) as one that could be replicated in Nigeria to tackle the incessant strife, tribal conflicts, and terrorist attacks that have led to unnecessary bloodshed and property destruction in Nigeria in the past few years. The Peaceful Tomorrow’s organization (of which I am a member) was launched as a project of the Fellowship of Reconciliation – USA in February 2002. The name of the organization comes from a statement made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that “Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.” What founding members of this organization share is “a belief that the violence that took their loved ones’ lives could spin out of control, and fear could be manipulated by politicians and the media to justify foreign and domestic policies that would increase violence while decreasing U.S. citizens’ rights and liberties over the years to come.” I believe these ideals can also be used as a peace-initiative template (either collaboratively or independently) in Nigeria, especially with a world that is now so interconnected in many ways. For instance, Sadie was born in the USA but her parents, who attended school in Georgia are from Eket, Akwa Ibom State. I am a first cousin of Sadie, and to emphasize how interconnected we are: My mom (who Sadie lived with while attending school in Ekpoma) is from Eket , my dad from Benin, I did my youth service at the Nigerian Military School in Zaria, worked in Lagos, travelled extensively across the country as a journalist before emigrating to the USA in 1989. And from these varied experiences the simple truth is we are all one; what every family desires is peace, stability, sustenance and a roof over their heads. One of the biggest challenges in this century will be how much attention our leaders pay to international integration as well as events in other parts (like the terrorist incidents in Nigeria) that could have a cascading effect on other parts of the world. In fact, President Barack Obama harped on this fact in 2009 during a visit to Ghana, when he said: “The 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome

From megacity to metacity eral of Police of Nigeria and the incumbent civilian governor of the state. Nevertheless, it may not be exactly clear why Obafunwa thought this listing would be helpful in simplifying the identification and identity of Lagos indigenes. Interestingly, the vice-chancellor took advantage of the forum to elaborate on what he called the “challenge of indigenisation” at LASU. According to him, the dream of the university’s founding fathers was that it should have a 70 per cent indigene composition, and since his appointment as the institution’s head in 2011 he had achieved 60 per cent indigene makeup. Although he did not provide an insight into the process, it is enlightening to note that as part of the 2013/2014 screening of candidates for admission, the Lagos State University Independent Indigeneship Verification Committee issued an illuminating identification guide, which indicated “acceptable evidence of Lagos State indigeneship.” According to the identifiers, “freshmen who claim Lagos State as their state of origin” are expected to back such identity with “Photocopy of birth certificate of the applicant; Photocopy of birth certificate of the applicant’s father; Evidence of title to landed property (Long standing title usually over 50 years); Written testimony from relevant Oba to certify claim to Lagos State; Written testimony from Secretary to Local Government.” The statement ended with serious-sounding information, saying, “Freshmen are to note that this exercise is so important that failure to scale through successfully means forfeiture of admission.” The journey to this juncture dates back to the 14th century, according to Chief Rasheed Tunde Fanimokun who chaired the event. He asserted, in the course of what he called “a historical address”, that a society called Eko had existed before the coming of the Portugese in 1472, adding that Lagos community emerged in the 18th century and Lagos became a British colony in the 19th century. He also highlighted the fact that Lagos State was created in the 20th century, specifically

May 1967, and that the 21st century has witnessed its transformation to a megacity with a population of over 10 million, which he labeled as “a model of unity in diversity.” However, he expressed a fundamental grouse that was strikingly echoed by the major speakers throughout the duration of the event. “We are on the receiving end. We occupy a minority position in our state”, he complained. Chief M.F. Adeyemo, chairman of the planning committee, rephrased the same view in the form of a rhetorical question. She asked: “Why should the indigenes of Lagos State be relegated to the background in their state?” Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Minister of State for Defence, declared that it was difficult to “quantify the extent of marginalisation of Lagos indigenes.” Not surprisingly perhaps, he gave a political colour to the issue even though he preached “oneness despite our political differences.” According to him, “in the last 16 years the Lagos State executive council has been dominated by outsiders.” Obanikoro who represented Lagos State in the Senate from 2003 to 2007 shared his experience with the audience, stating that during his time as a federal legislator, he was “the only indigenous Lagosian out of the three senators representing the state.” He rejected the “near ubiquitous mantra of Lagos as ‘no man’s land’”; and pointed an accusing finger at those he referred to as “usurpers of Lagos indigenous space in political and leadership structure.” The enduring socio-economic importance of Lagos, which was the capital of Nigeria from 1914, the year of the historic amalgamation, to 1991 when the seat of the central government moved to Abuja, could not have escaped recognition. Obafunwa called it “the commercial capital of the country,” while Fanimokun described it as “the nerve centre.” Both men also argued for exceptional treatment for the state. For Obafunwa, it deserved “special status akin to federal territory for funding and infrastructural development to handle expansion and population pressure.” On his part, Fanimokun advocated “a befitting and well-defined status” for the state. There is no doubt that the burgeoning population of Lagos, a consequence of several factors including, notably, the irresistible attraction of the space as a metaphor for greener pastures, is not about to end. On the contrary, Fanimokun alarmingly prepared the minds of members of the audience for the phenomenon called “metacity”, also known as hypercity. He predicted that “by 2015 Lagos would become a metacity”, meaning that it would be home to more than 20 million people. It goes without saying that such a development would come with multidimensional challenges in the political and socioeconomic spheres. The burden of the phenomenal enlargement must not be underestimated. It is predictable, for instance, that the indigene question will remain on the front burner. What is true for Lagos holds true for the country. Nigeria’s population put at over 168 million in 2012, and estimated by the United Nations to grow to 440 million by 2050, means that there must be an expansion of leadership vision to address the implications of not only current reality but also projected increase.

Vision for a peaceful Nigeria By Ben Edokpayi or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well…This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America’s prosperity. Your health and security can contribute to the world’s health and security. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.” While this speech was intended for Ghanaians, I believe the message resonates for countries like Nigeria as well, which has in the last few years, been struggling with issues that threaten the countries security and stability. World leaders and organizations need to put more emphasis on introducing lasting peace initiatives on the African continent not just because of its importance, but also because it is the right thing to do. Africa is increasingly becoming important in this era of globalization, so it is crucial that the western World begins to invest in sustainable development initiatives here, and not just on only what can be derived from the continent. The fact that World Bank statistics identifies seven of the 10 fastest growing economies as being on the African continent places more importance on peace and stability. This point was also emphasized by former UN Ambassador and civil rights leader Andrew Young at a lecture I attended October 2012 in Oakland, California organized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center. In his speech titled “I Dream a World that Works” presented at the Barbara Lee (U.S. Congresswoman) and Elihu Harris (former Oakland Mayor) Lecture Series, Young projected that America’s leadership role will have to be intertwined with what it does to ensure success and stability in the African continent. I was in Nigeria a few weeks after that conference, and one of the items that dominated the news while I was there was an attack on a Catholic church in the northern Nigeria city of Kaduna that left scores dead and many others wounded. In fact these kamikaze-style attacks have become a re-

curring trend continuing into 2014, especially in the north-eastern part of Nigeria and have the potential of triggering a deeper ethnic conflict if not stemmed. In addition to this the Niger Delta region has been restive for some time now, too. In fact these attacks have now become so bloody, frequent and daring that Nigerians are now beginning to ask themselves: What is really going on? With an economy that the Economist magazine has predicted will soon outpace South Africa’s economy to become Africa’s largest economy, it is important that the world begins to pay more attention to this scourge in Nigeria. It is encouraging to see recent partnerships between Nigeria and the United States in tackling this scourge’ solidified by a Nigeria-U.S. Bi-National Commission meeting in Abuja in February. Following the meeting the U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, assured that with the backing of the U.S. the Nigerian government and its military will defeat Boko Haram. But the Nigerian government still needs to step up the pace and utilize every resource at its disposal in stemming this tide especially as we approach an election year. • Edokpayi is Nigerian-American journalist and strategic communications expert.

‘Africa is increasingly becoming important in this era of globalisation, so it is crucial that the western World begins to invest in sustainable development initiatives here... The fact that World Bank statistics identifies seven of the 10 fastest growing economies as being on the African continent places more importance on peace and stability ’

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

COMMENTS

HEN traditional rulers speak, we have every reason to take them by their words. Being custodians of our tradition and culture, they wield very great influence on people within their domain and beyond. This is even the more for those of them whose stools attract considerable national respect. For the latter, their actions or inaction bear great influence on the direction of events in an ethnically fragmented country as ours. That is why governments at all levels have had to rely on the traditional institution as the quickest vehicle to the grassroots. It is for the same reason that our royal fathers are insulated from partisan politics. Thus, in their actions and utterances, traditional rulers ought to place peace, orderly conduct and the common good of the disparate interests within the society over and above sectional predilections. Only then, will they be able to command the respect and loyalty of their various subjects. This pristine perspective came under serious challenge last week when the Lamido of Adamawa, His Royal Highness, Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha angrily reacted to the seeming disagreement at the national conference over the mode of voting. Apparently piqued by the sectional tone the debate was assuming, the Lamido had warned that northern delegates should not be pushed to the wall else they walk out of the conference. He told those who cared that there will be dire repercussions for the country if the north makes good this threat. Defying all attempts to call him to order, he said if something happens and this country disintegrates, those shouting their heads off will have no place to go.

‘If we excuse the Lamido for the walk out threat, how do we rationalize the copious efforts he made to drive the point home that he has an alternative country should Nigeria disintegrate?’

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Lamido’s un-royal threat Hear him, “I and the people of Adamawa and many others have somewhere to go. I am the Lamido of Adamawa and my kingdom transcends Nigeria and Cameroon. A large part of my kingdom is in the Republic of Cameroon apart from my kingdom in Adamawa” That part of his kingdom in Cameroon is called Adamawa State, he further revealed. Ordinarily, one would have been tempted to view Mustapha’s reaction as a ventilation of frustrations with the way debate had been proceeding at the conference on the voting procedure. There is no doubt that the inability of members to arrive at an agreement on it seems to have set a bad tone for the conference. Yet, it is in the nature of gatherings of this nature that serious disagreements will occur. The issue is not that disagreements occur (as they are bound to) but how they are eventually resolved. If there were no divergences in opinion as to how best to organize and run the affairs of this country, there would have been no need for the conference in the first place. Sharp differences abound as to the right approaches to harmoniously organize the disparate groups that make up this country and realize their potentials to the fullest. The Lamido may have wished that issues be resolved fast and in the overall national interest. But such issues take some time and are better resolved through compromise and persuasion rather than threats. Unfortunately, the course of compromise and bargaining cannot be helped by arm twisting others through threats. One would have expected such a concerned traditional ruler to have reached out to his counterparts

from other parts of the country to find common grounds on the issue if he is moved by national fervour. But that was not to be. Rather, he became the arrowhead of sectionalism, issuing threats and boasting of options available to him and those he purported to be speaking for. By conjuring up the possibility of a section of the country walking out of the conference, the Lamido failed to play that unifying and fatherly role expected of his exalted office. Why opt for the line of least resistance instead of deploying his creative energies to find common grounds with his counterparts from other divides who owe their membership of the conference to the national traditional council? It is sad that the Lamido chose very early in the day to act out the script of the north which had threatened even before the commencement of the conference to walk out if they are not favoured by the direction of discussions. Such a temperament at this point in time is to say the least, unedifying as it can no longer serve the cause of this country. It would have been much better if such unpatriotic views came from some relatively unknown delegates out there to seek public notice. Coming from a first class traditional ruler, there is more to it than ordinarily meets the eyes. Not unexpectedly, the latest threat fits into the pattern of reactions of the north to negotiations even before independence. At the stage this country is, one had expected that such threats as a way of resolving conflicts should have been consigned to the dust bin of history. If we excuse the Lamido for the walk out threat, how do we rationalize the copious

efforts he made to drive the point home that he has an alternative country should Nigeria disintegrate? That is the moot question. And in it may be found answers to the insecurity that has held this country down for some years now. Lamido said his kingdom transcends Nigeria and Cameroon and that there is Adamawa State in the Republic of the Cameroon where he and others can find easy assimilation should Nigeria disintegrate. These statements are as weighty as they are revealing. Above all, they are loaded with very frightening security implications. It could be construed that the Lamido is a citizen of both Nigeria and Cameroon with his territories and subjects in the two countries. If that deduction is correct, then there is no difference between those of his subjects living in Nigeria and others living in the Cameroon in terms of citizenship. This will further imply free movement of people from both territories in and out of the country. It will also mean that between Adamawa State in Nigeria and Adamawa State in Cameroon, the Nigerian government has vicarious responsibility for their upkeep and maintenance. Given the Boko Haram scourge and the fact that Adamawa is one of the three hotbeds of the insurgents, the revelations by the Lamido should not be treated with levity. Not with the suspected complicity of Cameroon in providing safe havens to the insurgents. Before now, the military high command in the three states under state of emergency had variously accused Cameroon, Chad and Niger of duplicity in the war against Boko Haram. What we have been fed with courtesy of the unguarded outburst of the Lamido may be the veritable lead to the festering insurgency in that part of the country. And such a lead can only be ignored at a great risk. The royal father has told us that there are no boundaries between these countries and Nigeria. Curiously, despite the obvious threats such pose for our sovereignty and survival, our leaders have failed to muster the needed political will to decisively address the matter. Lamido’s stunning disclosure should seriously challenge the federal government to evolve foolproof measures to secure our borders in those parts of the country. Our national security will continue to be at grave risk as long as our borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger exist only in name.

FROM OTHER LAND

EARLY every country facing an extremist insurgency is run by a kleptocratic clique. Corruption, in other words, has security implications. On Feb. 20, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan fired his respected central bank governor, who was trying to discover what had happened to an estimated $20 billion that disappeared from the nation’s oil revenue over an 18-month period. Four days later, across the country in the parched northeast, members of the Boko Haram extremist group attacked a public boarding school, shooting children in their sleep and setting school buildings afire. It was the latest in a string of massacres by the group, whose statements call for an Islamic state ruled by sharia law in Nigeria. Is there any connection between the president’s actions and the Boko Haram insurgency? Motivations for complex phenomena like insurgencies never stem from a single driver. Still, a remarkable correlation exists between severe and systemic corruption and ideological extremism. Of the bottom 11 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index — a wellknown annual ranking of perceived corruption in nations around the world — eight harbor a violent extremist movement. Not one of the 11 countries identified as least corrupt does. In fact, nearly every country facing an extremist insurgency, from Nigeria to Afghanistan to the Philippines, is run by a kleptocratic clique. And almost every popular revolt aimed at toppling a government in recent years, from the Arab uprisings to Ukraine’s revolution, began as a protest against acute corruption. Corruption, in other words, has security implications. Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, exemplifies some of them. For months before his ouster, the central bank governor, Lamido Sanusi, had been denouncing the gap between the sales price of exported oil and the amount of money that actually reaches government coffers. Most of the missing billions are believed to have been diverted to the pockets of the president and his cronies — with the help of the oil minister, who keeps the accounts. As one Western official in the capital, Abuja, put it in November: “The oil minister is Jonathan’s ATM.” Nigeria is a textbook example of the “resource curse.” It is blessed with vast mineral and oil wealth, but government officials have diverted much of those riches to their own pockets. As a result, Nigeria’s development outcomes are hardly higher than those of its destitute West African neighbors. Given the widespread graft at the top, it is no surprise that corruption permeates every level of government. Police of-

Where corruption and insurrection go hand in hand By Sarah Chayes ficers shake down street vendors and bus passengers; they imprison people just to release them for payment of an illegal “bail.” “Most of our men joined the police to make money,” concedes Muhammad Guri, commander of a police bomb squad in the northern city of Kano, the target of numerous Boko Haram attacks on police stations. The worst offenders, say many Nigerians, are civil servants. Oil money that does make it to government coffers is often funneled to lower-ranking officials through contract fraud. Layers of padding in the contracts ensure kickbacks for the civil servants involved in awarding them, as well as hefty profits for the contractors themselves. In this way, even government spending that was supposed to contribute to economic development or health or education is hijacked for personal gain. Many Nigerians suggest the emergence of Boko Haram was in part a reaction to this systematized corruption. The group’s moniker translates to “Western-style education is sinful.” Many Westerners assume the name to be a rejection of tolerance, critical thinking and the scientific method; the significance may be quite different. But in Nigeria, the entire system of schooling is part of the corrupt structure. Students pay others to take their exams. Parents pay for a place in university. Even in nursery school, says Esther, the mother of a 3-yearold boy, “if you give something extra to the teacher at the end of the week, she pays attention to your child. If not, your child gets cranky.” University spots are extremely tough for ordinary Nigerians to secure, and plum jobs in the civil service are open only to college graduates. Kemi Okenyodo, director of the anti-corruption advocacy group CLEEN, puts it this way: “At least initially, Boko Haram had the principle of kicking back against the corruption in the state. It wasn’t against Western education per se. Western education was seen as a tool for corruption and

oppression.” Many Nigerians share this analysis. None of this excuses Boko Haram, which perpetrates savage attacks on ordinary people who are victims of government corruption themselves. But militant, puritanical religious views of the type espoused by the group are a common reaction to acute corruption well beyond Nigeria. The reflex is visible among disenfranchised youths across North Africa, and in Somalia, Afghanistan, Central Asia and elsewhere. And government corruption is a common theme in foundational Al Qaeda documents. Closer examination of the correlation between corruption and extremism, and of how severe corruption interacts with other risk factors to fuel international security challenges, could inform better policy approaches. Secretary of State John F. Kerry recently condemned the “unspeakable violence” of Boko Haram militants before announcing increased counter-terrorism assistance for Nigeria’s government. As so often when confronted with extremism, U.S. decision-makers have allied themselves with the corrupt government and abusive security services. Missing from Kerry’s statements was any criticism of the suspension of the central bank governor or of the vast official theft of oil money, a crime that affects all Nigerians and may be providing fodder for the very extremists U.S. leaders would like to help eradicate. • Chayes, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace contributed the piece for Los Angeles Times

‘None of this excuses Boko Haram, which perpetrates savage attacks on ordinary people who are victims of government corruption themselves. But militant, puritanical religious views of the type espoused by the group are a common reaction to acute corruption well beyond Nigeria’

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

BUSINESS

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

JOBS

We want a SONCAP programme that would serve its purpose; a programme that would be dynamic, where all the identified loopholes would be effectively plugged thereby making it difficult for the plaque of substandard products to continue to dominate the Nigerian business space. -Dr Joseph Odumodu, DG, SON

THE CEO

On a higher pedestal - P. 32

‘We’re going to hand over a solid bank’ - P. 27

News Briefing

Agribusiness financing requires $6.5b

‘Gassupplyshortage cripples powersupply’ LACK of adequate supply of gas, is responsible for the poor electricity supply in the past few months, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has said. –Page 26

‘Switch to digital broadcasting’ll be chaotic’ ANY attempt by Nigeria to switch over to digital broadcasting next year will lead to chaos, a former Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Stephen Bello, has warned. –Page 26

‘Operators flouting anti-money laundering rules’ MANY operators are not complying with Anti-Money Laundering and Combat of Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) rules in the country, Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Francis Usani, has said. –Page 34

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil

-$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 RATES

Inflation

• From left: Managing Director, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu; Chief Operating Officer, Nkoli Edoda and Head, Corporate Finance, Victor Bisong, at the quarterly forum of Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) in Lagos.

Firms in last-minute rush to meet regulatory deadline A HEAD of today’s deadline for quoted companies to submit their audited reports and accounts for the year ended December 31, 2013, several firms are making lastminute efforts to scale the deadline and avoid the poor corporate governance tag and sanction of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Post-listing rules at the NSE require quoted companies to submit their earnings reports, not later than three months after the expiration of the period. Most quoted companies including all banks, major manufacturers, oil and gas companies, breweries and cement companies use the 12month Gregorian calendar year as their business year. The business year thus terminates on December 31. NSE’s regulatory filing calendar indicates that the deadline for submission of annual report for companies with Gregorian calendar business year is today, Monday March 31.

-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

• 60 per cent of quoted firms may face sanctions By Taofik Salako

Capital Market Editor

The Nation’s investigation at the close of the market at the weekend indicated that less than 20 per cent of affected companies had submitted their earnings reports. At the last count, some 33 firms have so far submitted their reports in line with the listing requirements. Market sources said several companies were finalising arrangements to submit their reports today, in time to beat the close-of-business deadline. A spokesperson for a leading healthcare company confirmed that the annual report and accounts of the company would be submitted to the Exchange today.

Notwithstanding the expected rush today, there are indications that more than 60 per cent of the affected companies may miss the earnings deadline. Market sources said they expected the momentum of submission to be high today, since compliance within deadline is generally regarded as a measure of good corporate governance. Besides, companies that failed to meet the earnings deadline will also be sanctioned by the Exchange. They are liable to monetary fines and namingand-shaming publication of their names The NSE had slammed some N60.2 million as fines on 34 companies for failure to meet deadlines for 2011 audited reports. With a range of N3.8 million and N100, 000, average fine for the year was N1.77 million. NSE has since sustained the twoway sanction. Firms that have submitted their 2013 results included

Unilever Nigeria, FCMB Group, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (Nahco), Julius Berger Nigeria, Livestock Feeds, United Bank for Africa (UBA), First Aluminium Nigeria, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, Sterling Bank, Dangote Cement, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria, Berger Paints, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria, Cadbury Nigeria, Zenith Bank, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), Guaranty Trust Bank, Nestle Nigeria, Forte Oil and Africa Prudential Registrars among others. NSE tags and applies fines on companies that fail to meet earnings reports’ deadline. Under the corporate governance and rules compliance assessment report known as XCompliance Report, NSE identified four different kinds of tags or symbols to alert investors about the status of each quoted company.

ber. It was further gathered that some arrears are now paid but it excludes outstanding salaries of some workers deemed to be non-performing. He said there are no more regional offices but branches with Lagos now having two branches as against the former three branches it used to have. One of the workers who had earlier resigned from the firm said several other workers are very keen to go but are just buying time for their emolument which the board is not ready to pay referring to only their pension fund as their entitlement. In his reaction, the Man-

aging Director, Fin Insurance, Sallau Hamman, it was not true that workers were being owed salaries but affirmed that the new investor has cleared salary increments that were outstanding for the period 2011 till date. He said rather branches being closed, management is embarking on strengthening the structure of the risk bearer, adding that he is not aware of the any merger plan. He said: “I am not aware of any merger but I can confirm that ACA has substantial shares in Cornerstone and Fin. I am also not aware of plans to retrench staff.”

Sack fever grips Fin Insurance workers

OLLOWING the acqui sition of Fin Insurance Plc by African Capital Alliance (ACA), workers of the company are getting agitated over mass sack owing to allege merger proposition with Cornerstone Insurance Plc by ACA, it has been gathered. Their fears are coming on the heels of the acquisition of Fin Insurance by ACA, the largest shareholder of Cornerstone Insurance Plc. African Capital Alliance is also a core investor in Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. Industry sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said before the end of the year, Fin Insurance and Cornerstone under the

By Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

control of ACA are to merge. One of the sources said a new executive director has been seconded from Cornerstone with three other workers to overlook internal audit, claims and underwriting in anticipation of the takeover. He said the targets of workers in all the branches were doubled, adding that acheievment of the new targets would form the basis of their retention or otherwise. He added that Fin Insurance, Ibadan branch workers, the business manager of Apapa and some branches in the Southeast and Southsouth are owed salary since Decem-

By Collins Nweze

NVESTMENTS of $6.5 billion per year are needed to take agribusiness to the desired growth level, it has been gathered. This is at variance with the yearly fund supply of about $1.5 billion, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has shown. To secure more funding for agribusiness, the apex bank and banks are, therefore, implementing fresh measures aimed at empowering farmers financially and providing favourable fiscal policies for their operations. For instance, the apex bank has granted zero tariffs for the importation of agricultural machinery and equipment. The bank said it took the action, to create a robust agricultural sector and provide enabling environment for investment. CBN Director, Development Finance Department, Paul Eluhaiwe said banks are also working with Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and other key stakeholders to develop an innovative financing mechanism, tagged Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL). The apex bank director said the scheme is expected to provide farmers with affordable financial products, while reducing the risk of loans to farmers under other financing programme offered by the financial institutions. The initiative will build capacities of banks to expand lending to agriculture, deploy risk sharing instruments to lower risks of lending and develop a bank rating scheme to assess banks based on their lending to the agricultural sector. It is expected that the initiative will help unlock access to bank finance, critical for stimulating agric lending and increasing food and crop production in the country. Besides, the N200billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) was established in March 2009 by the CBN in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to fast-track the development of commercial agriculture in the country. The applicable interest rate under the scheme has been retained at nine per cent even as the fund has continued to be disbursed to eligible applicants through the deposit money banks. The banking watchdog admitted that the future of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is clouded with various uncertainties that include increasing resource scarcity, heightened risks from climate change, higher energy prices, demand for biofuels and doubts about the speed of technical progress.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS

Flight Schedule MONDAY - FRIDAY LAGOS – ABUJA Departure Arrival 1. Aero 06.50 08.10 2. Associated 07.00 09.30 3. Air Nigeria 07.00 08.20 4. IRS 07.00 08.20 5. Dana 07.02 08.22 6. Arik 07.15 08.15 7. Chanchangi 07.15 8. Air Nigeria 08.15 09.35 9. Dana 08.10 09.20 10. Aero 08.45 10.05 11. Arik 09.15 10.15 12. Chanchangi 10.00 11.00 13. IRS 11.15 12.35 14. Dana 12.06 12.26 15. Aero 12.20 13.30 16. Air Nigeria 13.25 14.45 17. Chanchangi 13.30 14.30 18. Arik 13.45 14.45 19. IRS 14.00 15.20 20. Aero 14.10 15.30 21. Air Nigeria 14.50 16.10 22. Dana 15.30 16.50 23. Chanchangi 15.30 16.30 24. Arik 15.50 16.50 25. Aero 16.00 17.20 26. IRS 16.30 17.50 27. Arik 16.50 17.50 28. Dana 17.10 18.30 29. Chanchangi 17.30 18.30 30. Air Nigeria 17.35 18.55 31. Air Nigeria (T/TH) 18.30 19.50 32. Arik 18.45 19.45 33. Aero 19.20 20.40 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

LAGOS – BENIN Arik 07.30 Associated 08.30 Aero 10.50 Arik 11.45 Associated 13.00 Aero 14.25 Arik 15.30 Associated 16.00

1. 2. 3. 4.

Arik Aero Arik Aero

1. Arik 2. Aero 1. 2. 3. 4.

LAGOS – CALABAR 07.30 11.20 12.50 16.00 LAGOS – JOS 10.55 11.15

LAGOS – KADUNA Aero 08.00 Chanchangi 10.00 Arik 10.00 Arik 15.10

ITU has also warned of dire consequences for member-countries that fail to meet the deadline. Speaking on the sideline at a training by the NCC for lawmakers in Lagos, he said broadcasting is the most in terms of its ubiquity, availability, cost and reliability. He said: “Digital broadcasting is coming upstream, but the 2015 target for switch over to digital television is not achievable “Transmitting stations may be able to broadcast digital TV signals, but 90 per cent of television sets will not be able to receive the signals. “If they go digital next year, 90 per cent of Nigerians will be cut off

from their TVs. If they switch off analogue to digital, there will be chaos.” According to him, his conclusion is based on the premise that infrastructure that will facilitate seamless transmission are still not available. Bello said: “There will be need for government to facilitate local manufacture or massive importation of settop boxes which will enable present analogue TV sets to receive digital signals if there is a switch over in 2015. “Other infrastructure such as data centres and machine-to-machine communication are gradually being introduced into the Nigerian market and in a few years will begin to contribute to economic development.”

12.15 12.45 09.10 11.00 11.10 16.20

LAGOS – OWERRI Aero 07.30 Arik 07.30 Air Nigeria 13.40 Arik 14.00 Arik 16.30

08.40 08.40 14.55 15.10 17.40

1. 2. 3. 4.

Arik Aero Arik Aero

LAGOS – WARRI 08.15 11.50 11.55 14.55

09.1 12.50 12.55 15.55

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

LAGOS – KANO Air Nigeria 07.10 IRS 08.00 Dana 08.10 Arik 12.20 IRS 14.00 IRS 18.15

08.50 09.45 09.40 14.00 15.45 19.55

LAGOS – OWERRI 07.20 14.00 16.30

08.30 15.10 17.40

LAGOS – UYO 10.35

11.35

LAGOS – MAIDUGURI 1. IRS 11.15 13.15 2. Arik 15.50 18.00 LAGOS – ILORIN 1. Overland 07.15 2. Arik (M/T/TH/F) 17.30

By Lucas Ajanaku

08.50 12.40 14.10 17.20

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1. Dana

NY attempt by Nigeria to switch over to digital broad casting next year will lead to chaos, a former Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Stephen Bello, has warned. Bello, who is the Principal Partner, Kayafas Konsult Limited, said with the level of preparation on ground, any attempt by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to switch over will leave over 90 per cent of the 167 million population shut out from the rest of the world. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has set next year as deadline for member-countries to switch over from analogue to digital broadcasting.

08.30 09.10 11.50 12.45 13.40 15.20 16.30 16.40

LAGOS – PORT HARCOURT (CIVIL) 1. Aero 07.15 08.35 2. Arik 07.15 08.35 3. Arik 09.00 10.20 4. Dana 09.27 10.40 5. Aero 10.50 12.30 6. Arik 11.40 13.00 7. Air Nigeria 12.00 13.10 8. IRS 13.30 15.00 9. Arik 14.00 15.20 10. Dana 15.03 16.20 11. Air Nigeria 16.00 17.10 12. Arik 16.10 17.30 13. Aero 16.15 17.30 14. Arik 17.10 18.30

1. Arik 2. Arik 3. Arik

Switch to digital broadcasting’ll be chaotic, warns ex-NCC commissioner

08.00 18.00

LAGOS – ABUJA SAT/SUN Arik 7.15; 10.20; 2.20; 5.20pm – 7.30; 9.15; 10.20; 2.20; 4.50; 6.45 Aero 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 – 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20 Air Nigeria 08.15; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30 – 08.15; 13.30; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30

• From left: Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh; Executive Commissioner, Operations, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo and Chief Executive Officer, Bestman Games, Mrs Nimi Akinkugbe at the centenary edition of the Capital Market Committee meeting in Lagos.

Gas shortage cripples power supply, says NNPC L ACK of adequate gas supply, is responsible for the poor electricity supply in the past few months, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has said. Its Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Dr. David Ige, said it is a short term challenge, adding that it would ease before year end. Ige, who was responding to complaints and claims by the new investors in the power sector that lack of gas supply is affecing their efforts at improving supply, said their complaints were genuine. He attributed the problem to gas pipeline vandalism. He said: “There is truth in their complaints. Over the last two to three years, we have seen a big growth in our gas supply development. We have maximised our ef-

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

forts in infrastructure; every day, we are building new pipeline infrastructure. Gas supply has grown from 500 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d) three years ago to 1.5 billion standard cubic of feet per day (Bscf/d). “But, we are having serious short term challenge and there are two things responsible for that. One mostly arises from vandalism; so, at any point, we are repairing one pipeline or the other. Last year, Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) was down for seven months. Now ELPS is back, Trans Forcados is down. At every point, we have been experiencing one major outage or the other.”

He continued: “And the way our system works is that the pipeline artery connects major gas supply assets. Trans Forcados is connected to Oben, Sapele and Pan Ocean assets, so when the pipeline is down, we lose the three gas plants at once. When ELPS is down, we lose Escravos, so we are truly struggling with these outages and because it happens repeatedly and there is almost no time one of them is not down. All the efforts that we have made in terms of bringing supply up, the consumers never have been able to see the full benefit of it because there is always one problem or other.” He also said the other dilemma is the tightness in supply. He explained that the corporation could not do the maintenance on its facilities because, this couldn’t further reduce the supply.

Lagos terminal invests $220m on port equipment T HE management of APM Ter minals Apapa Limited said it has invested $220 million to upgrade its facilities and acquire modern container handling equipment at the Lagos port. Its Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Neil Fletcher said since the old Apapa container terminal was concessioned in 2006, APM Terminals has invested and worked hard to ensure efficiency in service delivery. He said vessel’s waiting time at the port facility has reduced drastically from 28 days in 2006 to less than a day at present, adding that the terminal handles an average

By Oluwakemi Dauda

monthly throughput of 50,000 TEU’s. He also said the terminal operator is constructing a new administrative building and container examination facility to meet the high demand for physical inspection of cargoes. “We are building a new three story building which includes 200 square meters of new offices for Customs in Apapa and we have a meeting with some project team who will be refurbishing the customs of-

fices at the inspection building,” he said. He said his terminal grants waivers to importers when necessary. “We waive storage charges on anything we are responsible for. We get about 15 requests a day for waiver and out of those request, 90 per cent start off by saying, we know it is not your fault but can you help us? That is what I get. If it is our responsibility, we will waive. We waive for scanning and physical examination cargo that was not positioned within 48 hours. Most of them are not our fault but we still waive the charges,” Fletcher said.

FAO urges action on youth unemployment

By Toba Agboola

HE Food and Agriculture Or ganisation (FAO), an agency of the United Nations Organisation (UNO), has expressed concern over increasing number of youths roaming the streets in search of jobs, urging the Federal Government to make investment in agricultural transformation a high priority to create more employment. Addressing the 17th annual lecture of the Agriculture and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), in Ilorin, FAO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Louise Setshwaelo, said Nigeria and other countries in the sub-Sahara Africa are facing soaring youth unemployment and high level of poverty against the background of generally impressive economic growth. In line with the reality of the situation, Dr Setshwaelo said there was immense need to put in place policies, strategies and programmes to support agricultural development and the agricultural transformation agenda (ATA). She said: “This will assist the country to concretely address the challenges of creating more decent jobs for scores of unemployed young men and women as well as generate inclusive economic growth with a level playing field, to move rural women out of poverty.” She highlighted also that the sector is confronting the issue of aging farmers, but that said get youths to respond to opportunities in agriculture has becoming challenging. She said those attempting to t a k e a g r i c u l t u r e’ s r ei ns, f i nd starting agric business difficult as rising production costs have increased financial outlay ,acting as a barrier to new entrants.

Consumers protest ‘crazy bills’ at Ikeja DISCO

By Akinola Ajibade

LECTRICITY consumers from Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, last week, protested against crazy bills by Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC). The President, Amuwo Odofin Landlord Association, Chief Ade Owas, said the protesters came to complain over non-issuance of prepaid metres, illegal disconnection and poor power supply, adding that it was inevitable in view of the harrowing experiences of consumers in the area. He said his people were made to pay between N12,000 and N18,000 every month when they do not run any manufacturing plants in their residential apartments. He said the firm issued an estimated bill of over N500,000 per month to a woman, adding that the consumer neither operate a factory or business centre. Addressing the protesters, the power firm’s General Manager, Customers Service, Mrs Olubukola Ojuronpe, said the firm would eradicate estimated billings soon and come up with payment option plan from tomorrow. She said: “The DISCOs are frowning at estimated billings and they have resolved to stop it. We are planning to eradicate ‘crazy’ billings in Ikeja jurisdiction. We would come out with payment option plans as part of efforts to address issues bordering on estimated billings. Thereafter, there would be metering of houses and the distribution of prepaid meters in May. Our technical partners have gone round to procure quality metres and they would be ready in May this year.’’

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

THE CEO

• Kuru

’We’re going to hand over a solid bank’

Soon, Enterprise Bank, one of the bridged banks, will be sold by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). Its Managing Director/CEO, Ahmed Kuru, believes his team has accomplished its task, saying any investor that acquires the bank, will find it a good buy. In this interview with reporters, he speaks on the bank’s fortunes and other isues. Group Business Editor SIMEON EBULU was there.

HAT is your assessment of the bank from the time you assumed office till now? When we were appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), we clearly said our mandate was and still is, to manage the bank commercially, professionally, to take the bank out of the woods, position it for better service delivery. In any organisation, there are three things that are key to success. These include the people, technology and processes. When we came on board, we met people that were clearly de-motivated, people that were not properly trained and were not sure about the future. By and large, we have been able to motivate the people, trained them, built confidence and positioned them to be able to compete favourably with anybody. We made it very clear from the beginning that we are not here for the size game. We are not interested in being number one, two or three. Our strategy has always been to be an efficient bank, a retail bank and to be a bank that is focused towards helping small businesses. There is no way you can achieve that without having a highly motivated workforce. So we invested a lot of resources towards building our people. The core banking operations that were supposed to drive our operations when we came on board, most of them were obsolete when we came on board. So we have been able to upgrade some of our core banking operations, we have upgraded our servers and equipped most of our branches with the necessary tools required for efficient banking delivery. We were able to turn around the bank and right from the

first year, the bank has consistently been profitable, which to us, is a very big achievement. We are not distracted by the sale process. Right from the beginning, it was very clear to us that AMCON, at a certain point in time, will divest from the bank. So the divestment is not an issue for us. I always tell people that most of the banks in Nigeria are for sale and they are being sold daily. If you go to the Stock Exchange today, you will see the transactions that happen in the banking sub-sector. It has always

‘Our strategy has always been to be an efficient bank, a retail bank and to be a bank that is focused towards helping small businesses. So we invested a lot of resources towards building our people. So, we have been able to upgrade some of our core banking operations, we have upgraded our servers and equipped most of our branches with the necessary tools required for efficient banking delivery’

being the highest. People are always changing ownership in terms of selling and buying stocks. So if AMCON wants to divest, what it is doing is selling its shares which is not something strange in the industry. So the fact that AMCON is divesting now is good for the industry. We are almost finalising on our 2013 accounts, but will not want to comment on that because it is with the regulators. But what I can tell you about our account is that it is improving by the day. We are very confident that at the end of the day, we are going to hand over a very profitable financial institution. We have almost 160 branches. The bank is now electronically driven. There are incentives to encourage people to use ATM and other electronic channels. What’s the time frame for the sale of the bank? Right from the beginning, our mandate was to run the bank and run it commercially. So, even when AMCON decided to sell the institution and appointed financial advisers to assist them, we decided not to get distracted with what is happening. I can confirm to you that we are not part of the sale process. Professionals have been appointed and they are driving the process. What we are doing is to run the bank. Of course, the timeline was discussed with us initially, but like every other thing, there were issues pertaining to adhering to the timeline, particularly in this kind of environment. Initially, the target was to the first quarter of this year, but because we started very late, what AMCON has said is that the process should be completed by October. For us, we are ready, everybody is welcomed. What AMCON •Continued on page 28

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

THE CEO

•Continued from page 27

decided to do was to leave the professionals to do their work such that there is no much interference. About 24 prospective investors have shown interest locally and internationally. A lot of them called us, including international financial institutions that showed interest because they have seen the figures and the financials and they strongly believe that the bank has a lot of potential. So, we don’t know how many institutions finally made the list. But what we decided to do internally is to focus on running the institutions; we don’t ask questions about what is happening and we have allowed those responsible for the process of divestment to carry on with the assignment. At any point in time, if AMCON requires our attention, they will surely get it. But our mandate is to run the bank and we have energised our members of staff because whoever is buying the institution is not buying the building, but the value, the customers, the quality of staff and so we are working on those mandates so that the valuation of the institution would be very high. How will you assess the financial performance of the bank? Since we came on board, we have been building the books on the average of 20 per cent yearly in terms of our deposit and if it is risk assets, we have done over 80 per cent. When we came on board, our loan-to-deposit ratio was less than five per cent, but today it is in excess of 60 per cent because we are building our loan book. In terms of profitability, last year we closed in excess of N11 billion. Our rate of return on equity is also increasing. Our return on capital is one of the best in the industry because you may see some banks declaring N50 billion, N100 billion, but what we need to look at is what is the capital deployed. If I am able to declare N5 billion or N10 billion on an equity of N25 billion and somebody is declaring N100 billion on a capital of N100 billion, it tells you the efficiency ratio. Averagely, on a year-on-year basis, we have been building our books by 20 per cent and that is why AMCON, because of the health of our financial figures and the achievements recorded so far, picked Enterprise Bank as the first bank it wants to showcase and to divest. The level of interest that has been shown indicates that what we have achieved so far is commendable. Generally, if you look at the health of our risk assets, it is also solid. You look at the character of the customers and the active accounts. We have almost 160 branches. The way banking is today, it is not the number of branches that matters anymore. Banking now gradually is electronically driven and what we try to do is to take banking services into the office of the customers. So, most of the branches that we have we are trying to make them more of e-banking to such an extent that from inside their offices, customers can scan documents, they can go to the internet and they can give you instructions without necessarily coming into the banking hall. In most of the banks, what we do is to come up with incentives to encourage people to use their ATM machines, to use their electronic cards so that they don’t necessarily need to come into the banking hall because that is why the cashless policy is being supported strongly by the banking community because it will bring down the cost of operations. Operational cost is very high in the industry today. That is what is contributing to the high interest rate. So if we are able to share services, bring down the operation cost and take our services to the customers, obviously it will bring down the cost of financial services.

’We’re going to hand over a solid bank’

• Kuru

‘We started with an operating loan book of less than N5 billion in 2011. We have grown it to around N76 billion. Last year, our target was to do around N100 billion. This year, we intend to grow our loan book to around N130 billion because we believe that is what will support our balance sheet’ What is your loan target for the year? We started with an operating loan book of less than N5 billion in 2011. We have grown it to around N76 billion. Last year, our target was to do around N100 billion. We are a small bank; we don’t want to go back to the old days, so we are very conservative when it comes to building our loan book. This year, we intend to grow our loan book to around N130 billion because we believe that is what will support our balance sheet. But we are also very

careful in diversifying our loan portfolio. Now, it is very easy if you want to build your loan book, for example, in the oil and gas sector, you can do that in one month with one transaction. But for a retail bank, you are trying to build the small loans and the small loans which we normally sell through products take a longer time. This is because we are talking about N10 million, N5 million, lease and so. That takes a longer time but usually performs because the irregularities are not up to five per cent.

We have a lot of products to support our retail banking strategy. What is the bank’s most priced niche, or strength? Really, our revenue strength, just like most banks in Nigeria is from lending because that is the core line of our income. We do have a lot of income that comes from fees and commissions, but ultimately if you go through the balance sheet of most banks, between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of the revenue base is from lending. So we are not an exception. We make more money

from lending even though quite a lot of fees and commission do come either from foreign exchange transactions, treasury activities, but basically lending is where we make more revenue. Now, public sector funds for us in the industry, before now was sort of cheap funds because there are no strings attached to them and usually you keep them in current accounts and it gives you a lot of leeway to have a lot of resources or to lend. So quite a lot of banks – some of the big banks and some of the small banks; realised that the composition of their deposit profile had a lot of public sector funds. Whether we like it or not, in Nigeria, the government plays key role in our economy. They are the major source of liquidity in the economy. So banking with public sector funds used to be very profitable because it gives you the cash flow. Obviously the increase in CRR would affect the investible cash flow that you have. At 75 per cent CRR, what it means is that if you collect N1 billion of any government deposit, N750 million of that money will be kept somewhere at zero interest rate. Meanwhile, it is also part of your balance sheet. So, there are lots of other benefits that you get if a deposit is part of your balance sheet, but now it works on the reverse side. So, definitely it will affect the cash flow that we have. But I can also tell you that it is also a welcome idea. It is something that the banking industry can also deal with. What it means is that we now have to refocus and re-strategise and go after the small businesses. If you observe the level of financials in Nigeria, it is less than 60 per cent which means that there is still a lot of room to grow in other sectors. What is happening now is that most banks have gone to the drawing board to see how to compensate the exclusion of 75 per cent public sector funds from the funds that they have to play around with. So, I will say it has affected the business because if you are going to Ikeja and you have a friend that has a boat, he will take you there faster than if you go through third Mainland Bridge. So, we are in business and once you are in business, you look for opportunities and public sector funds. This, I tell you, provides a lot of opportunities. But gradually, given the implication of excess liquidity in the economy as a result of the availability of public sector funds, I think the banking industry have come to realise that it is important that the mop up is done so that we can maintain price stability. If you have excess liquidity in the market, what it means is that you will not be able to control exchange rate stability and inflation. So, looking at it from a professional perspective, I think the banking industry has accepted and identified with as a sacrifice to strengthen the banking environment because it will help exchange rate, it will also help inflation and will also regulate money supply in the market. Which of the policies of the Central Bank greatly affected your operations, either positively or negatively? If you ask me what CBN policy has affected us as a bank, one can selfishly say the CRR. This is because it had taken money that typically is free, away from me. If I have N50 billion which typically I was earning from and you take it out, definitely there is an income loss to me. So, from a selfish perspective, I think that is a major policy that has affected us in the industry. But from a professional perspective, I think it is something that is necessary and something that we have identified with because in the last couple of years, what the CBN does is that most of these policies are brought to the Bankers’ Committee, we discuss, agree, and some we don’t agree. Sometimes when you have the urge to make profit and you look at the larger economy, then you can see sense in some of those actions.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

MONEYLINK ‘How procurement can reduce corruption’

African capital market worth $300b, says CSCS chief A FRICAN capital markets is worth over $300 billion, the Chief Executive Officer, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Kyari Bukar, has said. Bukar, who spoke at the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) bi-monthly forum hosted by CSCS , said the on-going West African Capital Market Integration would help boost the market and create more opportunities for investors. He said integration process we have started is going to be in phases. He urged investors to be careful in choosing their portfolio managers to ensure their resources are entrusted with credible, efficient and well capitalised operators. Bukar, who spoke on the theme: ‘Role of Central Securities Clearing System in the nation’s financial sector,’ said investors needed to be informed about the mar-

By Collins Nweze

ket and companies where they are putting their capital. He said: “The most important thing for a market like this is to have an informed investor. The investors needed to be informed for them to exercise their choices. There is need to enlighten investors to enable them make the right choices for the future.” According to him, there is also need for investors to regularly check their accounts with the CSCS, as such would update them on the performance and position of their investments with brokers. He said the automation of brokerage business has reduced the cost of operation for most operators. Automation, he said reduces cost of operation for compa-

nies. “The most important thing is that investors should be in control of their money or go for collective investment scheme. Still, investors need to beware and invest in portfolio managers that are credible, efficient and have all the necessary capital to be in the position to sale their assets,” he said. He said both the big and small operators have gone retail, meaning that they can accommodate both big and small investors after getting their processes fully automated. “Previously, if it is not large volume, brokers may not efficiently service the system. But with automation of operations, some of the big stockbrokers have through automated system, have realised

By Alvin Afadama

branch, Onyeani Ebugheme of Aba Factory Road Branch, among others. She said the exercise has also produced 1,080 lucky winners with 360 of them winning refrigerators, 360 gas cookers and 360 cash prizes of N50, 000 each. Oladunni, a petrol attendant who won one of the cars, said: “I didn’t believe it when I was called and told I had won a brand new car from saving money with FirstBank until the branch manager took me to Lagos to pick the car. I was very excited and I couldn’t hide my excitement until I started driving the car back home,” he said Ani-Mumuney said the grand prize a Terrance Duplex located in Ajah axis of Lagos will be won at the finale draw. She said the winner will have the opportunity to live among the high net worth

•Bukar

individuals within the affluent environment. She explained that to qualify for the promo, customers are to operate a savings account and increase it with the sum of N10, 000 monthly the balance of which should be maintained for a minimum of 30 days to qualify for the bi-monthly draw. She said: “While fresh savings account holders will need to maintain the sum of N 10,000 monthly and maintain this balance in his account for 30 days to qualify for the bi-monthly draw. “For the quarterly and grand finale draws, account holders need to maintain incremental balances of N20, 000 every month for three consecutive months to qualify for the semi-annual draw or maintain a balance of N60, 000 over the quarter to qualify for the semiannual draw.”

DATA BANK

FGN BONDS Tenor

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

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10%

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

Amount 30m 46.7m

Rate % 10.96 9.62

Date 28-04-2012 “

GAINERS AS AT 6-3-14

SYMBOL TOTAL INTENEGINS GUINNESS COSTAIN UPL LEARNAFRCA AFRIPRUD FIDSON MOBIL WAPIC

O/PRICE 159.00 0.60 185.00 1.42 3.85 1.80 2.90 2.90 118.01 0.75

C/PRICE

CHANGE

172.95 0.64 194.25 1.48 4.00 1.87 3.00 3.00 122.00 0.77

13.95 0.04 9.25 0.06 0.15 0.07 0.10 0.10 3.99 0.02

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP

147.6000 239.4810

149.7100 244.0123

150.7100 245.6422

-2.11 -2.57

NGN EUR 212.4997 NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) 149.7450 (S/N) Bureau de Change 152.0000 (S/N)

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

O/PRICE

CAP GUARANTY UACN DNMEYER RTBRISCOE LIVESTOCK COURTVILLE WEMABANK CONTINSURE OASISINS

45.00 25.98 59.36 1.22 1.29 3.27 0.67 0.98 0.99 0.52

C/PRICE 40.62 24.52 56.41 1.16 1.23 3.12 0.64 0.94 0.95 0.50

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%

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917

Saved in News mac 27 Business pages Akpan as Moneylink 31-03-2014

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

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 Offer Price

AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 155.16 ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH 9.17 BGL NUBIAN FUND 1.09 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.17 CANARY GROWTH FUND 0.68 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CORAL INCOME FUND 1,618.91 FBN FIXED INCOME FUND 1,090.40 FBN HERITAGE FUND 114.02 FBN MONEY MARKET FUND 1,087.30 FIDELITY NIGFUND 1.67 INTERCONTINENTAL INTEGRITY FUND 1.05 KAKAWA GUARANTE ED INCOME FUND 143.11 LEGACY FUND 0.78 NIGERIA INTER DEBIT FUND 1,898.70 • • • •

CHANGE -4.38 -1.46 -2.95 -0.06 -0.06 -0.15 -0.03 -0.04 -0.04 -0.02

Amount Sold ($) 399.9m 399.9m 399.9m

Name

LOSERS AS AT 6-3-14

SYMBOL

HE Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN) has said the right application of procurement practices will help reduce corruption and enhance budget implementation in the country. Its President, Mohammed Aliyu said the transformation agenda of the Federal Government may not be realistic if the right people are not in the right positions. He spoke in Lagos during the annual conference of the institute with theme: ‘Mainstreaming the procurement practice in Nigeria, its implication on the transformation agenda of the Federal Government’. Aliyu said Nigeria is in need of people that will bring productivity to the economic development and revival of the economy. He said procurement and supply chain management practices could be used to fight corruption through efficient management of resources. He said CIPSMN is determined to continue to point out the ugly conduct that someday this might lead to other unbearable outcome for the nation. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim said the president is committed to good procurement practices in the county and he is taking the lead in transformation agenda. He said that the government will not hesitate to invoke all the sanction provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007 against any public officer or contractor or consultant who contravenes any provision of the law. He said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are investigating cases of infractions.

that servicing the customer, whether they have N1, 000 or N10 billion, is usually the same. Stock brokers now require very little efforts in servicing the investors. There must be a code that the industry must develop to serve all investors,” he said. Kyari explained that the CSCS is implementing the transaction cost analysis because it wants to understand the total cost of each transaction to an investor. He said investors buy shares to make money and are always concerned about fees and other cost of transaction that follow each deal. “Investors pay fees when they are buying shares and when exiting. We need to benchmark ourselves, against other markets. Since foreign investors look at the various markets, and apportion their resources to them accordingly, depending on many criteria, there is need to be competitive with cost,” he said. According to him, investors may also be looking at how free or open the market is, how easy it is to go in and out, and the riskiness of the country, especially whether it is democratic or not among other factors. He said there are other investors that consider other elements like the transaction costs before they go in.

FirstBank to give out duplex in Big Splash Promo

IRST Bank of Nigeria Limited will be giving out a Terrance Duplex to a grand prize winner in its ongoing Big Splash Promo. The promo, which commenced in July 2013 and runs till July this year, was designed to coincide with the lender’s 120 years anniversary of banking services in the country. FirstBank’s Head, Marketing & Corporate Communication, Folake AniMumuney, said the promo was designed to reward customers for their patronage and loyalty to the brand over the years. She said the exercise was also designed as a platform for enhancing savings culture in the nation and encouraging the youths as well as the unbanked to embrace the financial services. She said the promo has so far produced six winners of brand new Toyota corollas. The winners are Dickson Dyaji of Zaria branch; Ajadi Oladunni of Ogbomosho

By Olatunde Odebiyi

UBA BALANCED FUND UBA BOND FUND UBA EQUITY FUND UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

Movement

1.2636 1.2952 0.9261 1.1574

Bid Price 154.40 9.08 1.07 1.17 0.67 1.33 2,616.04 1,090.11 113.22 1,087.00 1.62 1.03 142.62 0.76 1,894.36 1.2524 1.2524 0.9090 1.1574

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000

Movement

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 28-3-14

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 28-3-14

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31 , 2014

EQUITIES W ATCH

Email: taofad2000@yahoo.co.uk Email: taofad2000@yahoo.co.uk

For 12 decades, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) has sustained enviable position as Nigeria’s first and flagship financial services group. As FBN marks its 120 years of operations, Capital Market Editor TAOFIK SALAKO highlights the milestones and strategic future outlook of Nigeria’s leading bank

First Bank: As it was in 1894, so it is in 2014 T

O a very large extent, the Nigerian financial services industry, and the economy generally, depends on the banking subsector. While the emergence of largecapitalisation non-bank companies in cement, breweries and manufacturing sectors have reduced the dominance of banks on the Nigerian stock market, the financial services sector still accounts for about 30 per cent of total market capitalisation of quoted companies on the Nigerian stock market. Quoted banks and bankholding groups account for more than 90 per cent of the market capitalisation of the financial services sector. Notwithstanding the fact that banks and bank-holding companies account for less than 10 per cent of quoted companies, they account for an average of two-third of normal trading turnover at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). It is within this context that the primary importance of First Bank is situated. At its opening value today, FBN Holdingsthe holding company for First Bank of Nigeria Limited and its subsidiaries, is bigger than each other sector and sub-sector on the NSE with the exception of its financial services sector, consumer goods sector, oil and gas sector and industrial goods sectors. Technically, FBN Holdings, on its own, holds significant influence on the overall market situation than several other individual sectors such as agriculture, construction, information and communication technology and healthcare among others. With capitalisation nearly three times the size of entire populous insurance subsector, FirstBank’s pricing trend will exert more influence on overall market situation than the collective trend in several subsectors. Operationally, the structures and operations of FBN Holdings and FirstBank lend credence to its leading position. The most diversified financial services group in Nigeria, FBN Holdings operates products and services across commercial banking, investment banking, insurance and microfinance business in seven countries including its primary market and head office- Lagos, London, Paris, Johannesburg, Beijing, Abu Dhabi, and Democratic Republic of Congo. While the group rests primarily on FirstBank, other subsidiaries include FBN Capital, a leading investment banking and asset management company; FBN Life Assurance, a life insurance business; and FBN Microfinance Bank, which offers microfinance services. With some 1.3 million shareholders, FBN Holdings has the largest shareholders’ base.

In the beginning

Established in 1894 in Lagos as the Bank of British West Africa (BBWA) in Lagos by Sir Alfred Lewis Jones, a shipping magnate from Liverpool, England, with paid-up capital of £12,000, FirstBank swam the tides and rode through the rough and thick to turn its Marina, Lagos sod-turning into the proverbial seed that falls unto the fertile soil. It started out to demonstrate its future-as Nigeria’s main development partner and flagship bank and Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA)’s financial powerhouse. As early as 1896, it opened the first branch office in Accra, Ghana. It followed this with another branch in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1898. In 1912, FirstBank expanded its coverage to cover the Southern and Northern Nigeria with a branch in Calabar and another branch in Zaria. The same year, it showed the dexterity that will mark its future with the acquisition of its competitor, Anglo-African Bank; blazing the trail in mergers and acquisitions in the SSA region. As Nigeria birthed with the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates, FirstBank was the originating banker with branches in Kano, Zaria, Calabar, Lagos and Ibadan. The desire to reach and serve all has been the hallmark of the bank’s branch network, the largest group in the SSA region. By 1963, FirstBank was already operating 114 branches across West Africa. As it metamorphosed, the bank changed its name to Bank of West Africa (BWA) in 1957 to truly reflect the regional identity. It enhanced its international status with the merger with Standard Bank, United Kingdom in 1966 and adopted the name Standard Bank of West Africa. It domesticated its incorporation and changed name to Standard Bank of Nigeria Limited in 1969. By 1971, FirstBank listed its shares

on the NSE, opening the window of opportunities for Nigerians to be co-owners. It has since built up the largest, most diversified and widely dispersed shareholders’ base. It adopted its current name of First Bank of Nigeria Limited in 1979, holding aloft the brand essence of its past and future. It converted into a public limited liability company (Plc) in 1991 and became First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

The Nigerian bank

While its current assets base, loans and advances, branch network, number of employees, number of shareholders and corporate social responsibility underscored FirstBank’s leading position in the current milieu, Nigeria’s economic and developmental history bears testimony to the bank’s contributions in the early period of national development. In 1947, the bank granted the first long-term loan to the Nigerian government and subsequently partnered with the government in 1955 to expand the railway lines. At independence in 1960, FirstBank advanced the first-ever loans to the citizens of independent Nigeria, setting the stage for Nigeria’s blossoming retail banking. FirstBank’s current balance sheet is indicative of the continuing growth along this tread. By the period ended September 30, 2013, group total assets stood at N3.7 trillion, 14.6 per cent above N3.2 trillion recorded by December 2012. Total customer deposits rose by 16.6 per cent from N2.4 trillion in December 2012 to N2.8 trillion in September 2013. Also, total customer loans and advances stood at N1.6 trillion, an increase of 4.5 per cent on N1.5 trillion recorded by December 2012. On the average, FirstBank is committing about N1 billion on agriculture annually, with the aim of energizing Nigeria’s largest sector. It recently partnered with the China Development Bank to create an on-lending facility worth $100 million for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. Besides, FirstBank has over the decades helped to redefine the Nigerian financial services sector into its pride of place as SSA’s financial services hub. With innovations in products, services and technologies, it has changed and sustained the strides that have been hallmarks of Nigerian banking industry’s robustness. For instance, in 1991, it introduced the first Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to leverage convenience, round the clock banking. It followed this with the implementation of biometric ATMs in 2010, which subsequently became an industry mandate by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and launched the first cash deposit ATM in Nigeria. It marked another milestone ij 2002 with the establishment of the FBN Bank (UK) under the regulation of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), making history as the first Nigerian bank to own a wholly-owned, full-fledged bank in the UK. In 2007, FirstBank scored several firsts including introduction of Finnone credit administration software, the first by any bank in Africa; the floatation of the first-ever hybrid capital offering in Africa with its hugely oversubscribed N100 billion capital issue, establishment of Nigeria’s first global custody business and the opening of the Paris branch of FBN Bank (UK) to serve as a marketing base to service francophone West Africa. It hit a landmark in 2008 as Nigeria’s first bank and quoted company to hit the N2 trillion market capitalisation. FirstBank has also helped to define and deepen corporate social responsibility. Since 1894, it has supported Nigerians’ collective aspirations for social well being through various self-initiated and sponsored projects and collaborations in education, health, youth development, entrepreneurship, social services, sports and culture among others. As early as 1978, it started the

•Onasanya

FirstBank Essay Competition to foster intellectual development and hone writing skills in Nigerian secondary schools. In 1994, it launched a university endowment programme, which has grown to have Professorial Chairs in 10 Nigerian universities. It took a far-reaching corporate responsibility commitments in 2012 by signing up to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP), in recognition of the Nigerian banking sector’s role and responsibility to deliver positive development impacts to society while protecting the communities and environments in which we operate. Annually, FBN spends more than N500 million each on educational sponsorships, health and entrepreneurship. It has supported the Nigerian polo for over 90 years through its sponsorship of the Georgian Cup of Kaduna International Polo Tournament. This also applies to golf, through its five-decade old sponsorship of the Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship. FirstBank has been the official bank and major sponsor of the Dala Hard court Tennis championship which holds annually at Kano Club, Kano. In all these, appreciative stakeholders have also helped FirstBank to burnish its brand essence by recognizing its milestones and honouring its commitments. In 2013 alone, the bank won some 25 awards including the Number One Bank Brand in Nigeria by The Banker Magazine, Best Bank in Nigeria 2013 by Global Finance Awards, Best Retail Bank in Nigeria by The Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards, Best Bank in West Africa by The African Banker Magazine, Distinguished Corporate Award by University Advancement Centre, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Best Bank in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, Best Foreign Exchange Services in Africa in the EMEA Finance Treasury Services Awards, Best Bank in Nigeria in the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards, Best Company in Infrastructure in the SERA Awards, Best in e-Banking Award and Telecom Financing Bank of the Year Award in the Nigeria Telecom Awards, Most Reliable Bank of the Year” in the Hall of Grace Awards, Best Company to Work For in Nigeria and the Most Innovative Human Resource Structure in Nigeria by the Great Place to Work Awards, Most Innovative Africa investor SRI 50 Company in the Ai Index Series Awards, Bank of the Year in the Nigeria Elite Business Awards, Most Compliant Advertiser in the Financial Institution Category at the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) Advertising Best Practice Awards, Financial Brand of the Year in the Marketing World Awards, Best Bank of the Decade by LEAD Awards, Most Dedicated And Supportive Organization for the Development Of Information Management in Africa by the Records and Information Management Award, Most Trusted Brand in Nigeria for 2013 by Brand

‘FirstBank has also helped to define and deepen corporate social responsibility. Since 1894, it has supported Nigerians’ collective aspirations for social well being through various self-initiated and sponsored projects and collaborations in education, health, youth development, entrepreneurship, social services, sports and culture among others’

• Maccido

Health, Overall Best Category in Banking & Insurance category in HR Best Practice Awards by Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and Sectoral Leadership Award in the Financial Services Sector of the Nigerian Stock Market by the Pearl Awards. Its chief executive was variously voted the Bank CEO of the Year in the BusinessDay Banking Awards and CEO of the Year in the Nigeria Elite Business Awards in 2013. FirstBank was recently adjudged Nigeria’s Number One Bank Brand by The Banker Magazine.

Expanding the frontiers

With the seamless conclusion of its transformation into a financial services holding group, FirstBank’s next developmental phase has shifted again to strengthening the regional, continental and global presence. Its recent expansion into West Africa through the acquisition of some of the operations of International Commercial Bank (ICB) marked a milestone in the expansion of Nigerian financial services companies within the sub-region and Africa generally. The new phase of development, according to the management of the bank, will provide a strong geographic and commercial base from which FirstBank can continue to grow progressively in Africa. With operations in Guinea, Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone, ICB provides FirstBank with a strong geographic platform for growth and an established customer base across the mid-corporate, small and medium enterprises (SME) and retail segments that complement the bank’s existing strategy in Nigeria. ICB has over 600 employees and 120,000 customer accounts spread across these four markets. ICB also operates in markets with major investments in key growth sectors on the continent, most notably the major mining industries that are prevalent in Guinea and Ghana and emerging in Sierra Leone as well as positioned for the commercial operations in the emerging oil and gas opportunities in Ghana and Guinea. It should be noted that FirstBank had in 2011 acquired BIC in the Democratic Republic of Congo, starting its progressive and case by case approach to inorganic growth opportunities. Since acquiring BIC, the bank has successfully managed an integration process that has incorporated BIC into FirstBank’s operations while delivering short term improvements in financial performance as well. This is the strategy that it will further deploy to harness and integrate the synergies and opportunities presented by the latest ICB acquisition. This reflects FirstBank’s customary progressive approach to growth. Its approach is rooted in the multi-local business model which ensures that the best of local culture and experience is mixed with the banking expertise the bank has built up over more than a century of operations. Group Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, said the acquisition of ICBGFH assets in Ghana, Guinea, Gambia and Sierra Leone was the first stage of the bank’s ambitions to steadily build broader and more diverse footprints across Africa. According to him, ongoing initiatives aimed at optimizing benefits of recent investments and countering pressures induced by regulatory changes in Nigeria would complement the bank’s expansionary drive to deliver greater earnings diversification and increase shareholders’ value through higher returns on equity among other benefits.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

ISSUES In the past, banks shied away from agric financing. Things have changed with the Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced policies to enable farmers secure loans with ease. Banks now treat agric financing the way they handle other business transactions, reports COLLINS NWEZE.

•Farm harvester in operation.

On a higher pedestal I

•Agric financing on front burner

N the spirit of competition, banks are wont to outdo one another. From the drive for cheap deposits to financial literacy for the youth and now agricultural financing, the buzz is on and no one is being left behind. Ten years ago, no lender would give loans to farmers. Such loans would be considered lost from the date of approval. But today, the lenders have started a scramble for agric businesses, having seen the potential and knowing how much a well-priced loan can add to their profitability. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) set

the tone when it introduced the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) to the banks. Under the policy, banks can lend to the agricultural sector and its value chains without fear of losing such funds. NIRSAL is already being implemented by the banks and is expected to drive agricultural revolution in the country. The CBN said NIRSAL, unlike previous schemes, emphasises lending to the valuechain and to all sizes of producers. The Federal Government also plans to double agric sector share of banks' credit to 10 per cent in about two years. The loans to

agriculture as a share of total credit, rose to N320 billion, or five per cent at the end of last year from less than one per cent in 2011. Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, said the Federal Government has made a fundamental shift that takes agriculture away from the realms of developmental activity to business. “The CBN has shifted the mindset of the banks. It’s a new agriculture sector in which they can actually invest money and make money,” Adesina said.

CBN’s views

Already, lenders and the regulator are

discussing how to increase lending to the sector. For the apex bank, the government needed to pay more attention to agriculture, which still has one of the greatest potentials in growing the economy. CBN Acting Governor, Dr. Sarah Alade, said one way of achieving this, is by collaborating with the banking system to fix the problems of the value-chain in the agricultural sector. She said economic development was about enhancing the productive capacity of an economy by using available resources to reduce risks, remove impediments, which otherwise could hinder investment. Speaking at an international conference on agricultural value-chain financing in Lagos, she said the CBN has so far committed about N1.169 trillion to different intervention schemes being promoted by the Federal Government. Alade said the funds were committed by the CBN in collaboration with the Federal • Continued on page 33

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

ISSUES • Continued from page 32

Government into key economic schemes for economic development. She listed the schemes as the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (N69 billion); Commercial Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (N200 billion); NIRSAL (N200 billion); Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme (N200 billion). Others are the SMEs Restructuring and Refinancing Scheme (N200 billion) and Power and Airlines Intervention Fund (N300 billion). Alade, who was represented by CBN Director of Research, Charles Mordi said the schemes were meant to address the challenges confronting agriculture and agric business in the country. She said the government and the apex bank instituted the intervention programmes to enable key players in the economy to have access to finance, adding that access to credit remains important to the agricultural value-chain. She said the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme was introduced in 1978 to encourage lending to the agric sector, adding that the scheme has up to date, supported the sector by guarantying loans to over 800,000 beneficiaries.

Stakeholders’ views

A report by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), showed that agriculture accounts for roughly 41 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria and 50 per cent of the economically active population in the country. Figures revealed by the report showed that if the Nigerian government is sincere in its poverty reduction campaign, it absolutely has to fix agriculture. It also showed that the country has 70 per cent of its population in rural areas living on less than one dollar a day. It attributed the 70 per cent population figure still living on one dollar a day to the fact that the nation was yet to revive its agricultural sector. It stated that since 2000, agriculture has been the slowest growing sector, growing roughly at about 5.1 per cent per annum. According to Adesina, who was formerly, the Vice President for Policy and Partnerships, AGRA, the subsector's development has to be encouraged to transform the economy, generate jobs and equitable growth. Adesina who spoke at a Bankers Committee meeting to discuss funding needs for the subsector said: “When you look at the history of the agriculture sector, in the 60s, we used to have the groundnut pyramid; we used to have palm oil, cocoa among others. Nigeria was known as an agricultural basket, not only in the country, but globally. Today, we have lost all that. So we are actually importing inflation because as global commodity prices are rising, we are importing food and by that we are driving inflation in the country.” Nigeria, he said, is trying to reverse decades of neglect of its farming industry and push agriculture as its “new frontier for growth” because it can no longer depend on oil to drive its economy.” The government's efforts to boost food supply by 20 million metric tons from 2011 to 2015 has seen the country’s food import bill drop by more than half to $5 billion from $11 billion two years ago, Adesina said. Also, the Managing Director, United Bank for Africa, Phillips Oduoza, said the bank has continued to channel resources to the sector, given that it remains the mainstay of most economies in Africa. “UBA has a deliberate policy to continue to fund agriculture. Our lending to the sector is already above the industry average. We are doing about seven per cent of our total portfolio in agriculture," he said. He commended the fact that lending to agriculture is generally on the upward trend from Nigerian banks, disclosing that banking sector funding to agriculture has moved from just about 0.5 per cent of total industry portfolio prior to 2009 to about 4.9 per cent of banking industry loan book currently. “Interestingly, the non-performing loans coming from agriculture lending is lower than most people would have thought," he said. Oduoza also explained that UBA is expanding its electronic banking products to improve the way it serves its more than seven million customers. He said the bank has rolled out an array of electronic banking products, from cards to point of sale terminals, which is helping to reduce the cost to income ratio of the bank while making a

On a higher pedestal

‘

We will continue to invest in agriculture. In the past years, agriculture has played a significant part in our business, but we want to look at the entire value chain more intently. We want to engage with the rural farmers directly and not just from policy level

’

positive impact on the bottom line. Group Managing Director of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Emeka Emuwa urged Nigeria and other African countries to make agriculture more productive in their fight to end the scourge of poverty in the continent. He spoke at the International Conference organised by the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) sponsored by the bank. In his welcome address to the conference which had "Propelling Economic Development through Functional Agricultural Value Chain Financing Models: Lessons Learnt and Emerging Opportunities” as its theme in Lagos, Emuwa advised African nations to redouble their efforts to make agriculture more productive. “If you can get agriculture to become more productive, you will be better positioned to tackle the scourge of poverty in the continent. It is unfortunate that there has been a decline in the sector due to the emergence of other economic sectors in Africa," he said. Citing of Nigeria, Emuwa told the conference that the emergence of oil and gas stunted the agricultural sector. He said Union Bank has been supporting agriculture over the years ;stressing that in the current financial year, the bank will be engaging directly with farmers in order to have a deep understanding of the entire segments of the business so as to inject more funds than have been invested in the past. "We will continue to invest in agriculture. In the past years, agriculture has played a significant part in our business but we want to look at the entire value chain more intently. We want to engage with the rural farmers directly and not just from policy level", he emphasised. Ecobank Nigeria has equally said it will grow its agriculture support loans to over N50 billion in the next one year. The bank said the plan is in line with its policy to support the growth and development of the agriculture sub-sector of the economy, as part of its contribution to the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government. Ecobank Country Head, Agric and Export Finance, Abel Ajala, who made this known, said the lender has introduced concessionary interest rates for its agriculture finance

•Adesina

• Dr Sarah Alade Acting CBN Governor

•Mrs Sola David-Borha, CEO Stanbic IBTC Bank

•Jibril Aku, CEO Ecobank Nigeria

scheme, as well as created agriculture and export units manned by professionals for easy loan risk assessment, ensuring that beneficiaries utilise fund given to them judiciously. He noted that Ecobank is supporting the agriculture value chain that comprises the producers, the processors and markets/ exporters of agricultural products. He said the focus on the agric sector has become necessary to stem an impending food crisis on the continent.

emanating from the banks, Nigeria might be close to winning its economic diversification objectives that will lead to less dependence on oil.

NIRSAL performance

According to the CBN, NIRSAL is also expected to be a catalyst for innovative risk management strategies, long-term financing for agribusiness and significant job creation by new entrepreneurs. ``The mandate of NIRSAL is to act as the custodian of all credit guarantee schemes, interest draw back schemes, and commercialisation initiatives related to an integrated value chain approach to agriculture and agribusiness in Nigeria,'' the CBN said. Under NIRSAL, there are five pillars to be addressed by an estimated $500 million that will be invested by the CBN, according to the programme document. There is also a Risk-sharing Facility of $300 million, planned to address banks' perception of high-risks in the sector by sharing losses on agricultural loans. There is equally an insurance facility of $30 million intended to expand insurance products for agricultural lending from the current coverage to new products, such as weather index insurance, new variants of pest and disease insurance. Besides, there is also a Technical Assistance Facility amounting to $60 million meant to equip banks to lend sustainably to agriculture, producers to borrow and use loans more effectively and increase output of better quality agricultural products, among others. The improvement in the sector's was linked to access to credit through the new policy focused on increasing private sector participation, emphasis on the entire agriculture value chain, and using agriculture to boost employment, wealth creation and food security. Analysts have commended the performance of Nigerian banks as demonstrating their fate in the capacity of agriculture to transform the economy. The CBN explained that with the credit trend

Years back

Analysts said the structural imbalance of the Nigerian economy has over the years, remained a source of concern to the government, stakeholders and investors who insist that the economy has to be diversified. The discovery of oil in the early 1970s diverted government's attention from agriculture to oil. This has adversely affected the performance of the agricultural sector over the years, but opened calls for the diversification of the economy, beyond oil revenues. Therefore, the dismal performance of the agricultural sector in terms of its contribution to Nigeria’s yearly total revenue in the last four decades prompted the CBN, in conjunction with the Bankers' Committee to deliberate on ways of increasing lending to agriculture. This prompted the CBN, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to establish the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) in 2009. The CACS was meant to finance agricultural value chain from input supply to marketing. The scheme commenced operations on April 23, 2009 with the approval of the Federal Government. The establishment of N200 billion CACS was meant to fast-track the development of the agricultural value sector of the economy through the provision of credit facilities at a single digit interest rate to large-scale commercial farmers. There has been, in recent years, huge flow of funds from abroad to the agricultural sector. Nigeria attracted agricultural investment worth more than $8 billion in the past 18 months ended June, 2013 Adesina said. Still, only 40 per cent of its 21 million hectares of arable land is cultivated. Agriculture employs 70 per cent of Nigeria's population, Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, said. These statistics, analysts said, remain a pointer to the immense opportunity that he agric sector represents, which the banks and government at all levels need harness for overall good of the people.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

THE NATION MARCH 31, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

ILAN seeks NAICOM’s intervention in dispute with underwriters

HE Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN) has called on the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to intervene in its dispute with underwriters over the poor fees paid on their scale of service and issues of delayed payments. ILAN President, Chief Lebi Omoboyewa, who made the call in Lagos, said the dispute has remained unresolved for many years. He said there is urgent need for intervention by the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel to avoid unethical practice in the profession. He said: “Over the years, underwriters pay us poorly and in some other instances, delay our payment. This has been bothering us. Adjusters in Nigeria had an agreement with the under-

• NIA sets up Committee Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

writers over 50 years ago on scale of fees. Some few years back, we went back to NIA to let us agree on a new fee for our service by reviewing it upwards. This was in view of inflation which has rendered loss adjusters to operate below economic level. “Presently, quite a lot of adjusters have been frustrated out of service, whereas in the industry, the older you are, the more experienced you are supposed to be. But when this people are treated with indifference, they go away. “Quite a number of underwriters see adjusters as mere contractors forgetting that we are equally professionals like them before we branched into the specialised area of loss adjusting.

Operators not complying with anti-money laundering, terrorism rules, says NFIU

ANY operators are not complying with AntiMoney Laundering and Combat of Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) rules in the country, Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Francis Usani, has said. Usani, at an AML/CFT training for insurance and reinsurance firms and brokers in Lagos, said the Unit would sanction erring operators, saying most operators are still defaulting on reporting suspicious transactions. He noted that the Unit has intensified efforts to sensitise the operators to enable them to live up to their responsibilities. He said while the unit continues with the sensitisation, any firm found violating the law would be sanctioned in line with the provisions of

We also play the balancer between them and the insuring public,” he said. Omoboyewa noted that the underwriters treat them like beggars after rendering service to them, adding that the institute has complained to the Commissioner, who rationalised the issue as a trade dispute. “We have complained to the commissioner who said it is a trade issue. But we believe that all arms of the industry, including loss adjusters, underwriters, brokers and agents are under NAICOM and if one arm is aggrieved, it is the duty of the Commission to seek audience with the two parties and find a way of resolving their problems. “We believe that there is no amount of money you spend on advertisement without maintaining a sound understanding and confidence between you and the insuring public, your money goes down the drain. It is the adjusters that can say what underwriters should pay to the satisfaction of the public.”

• Omoboyewa

• Thomas

Omoboyewa said despite the setback and the frustration on their members, the Institute has continued to ask the members to continue to obey the ethics of the profession. He wondered how long the loss adjusters can hold-on to this if proper things are not done. Reacting to the ILAN president’s claims, NIA Director-General, Mr. Sunday Thomas, said the association has set up a committee to look into the matter. He said the loss adjusters are paid based on percentage, irrespective of the claims figure. He said that as the amount of claims

go up, the fee they are paid also increase, noting that insurers and other arms of the industry are all victims of low fee and rate in the industry. He said: “We are all victims and we have explained to the loss adjusters that we are partners in progress. A committee is already looking into the matter and if there is need for adjustment in the fee we pay to them, we will do it. “On the issue of delayed payment, we have told them to report any insurance company that has refused to pay them beyond the 90 days stipulated period. But none of them have filed any report with us.”

the law. Assistant Director, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr. Sam Onyeka, said the business environment is getting complex and only institutions that are able to manage their risks efficiently and particularly in accordance with, AML/CFT risk, will survive. He said: “AML/CFT compliance is an international obligation and all acts of noncompliance attract sanctions which include N1 million and N10, 000 for each day the offence continues. “The Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements are absolutely compulsory. In line with FATF requirements, NAICOM will step up AML/CFT regulatory activities for Insurance Brokers,” he said.

GNI posts N903m profit

• Unveils new board

REAT Nigeria Insurance Plc (GNI) has posted a profit after tax (PAT) of N903 million in its financial year ended 2012, representing a 119 per cent growth from the N399 million recorded in 2011. This is even as the company unveiled its new board members during the 48th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos following the conclusion of its divestment. The company also witnessed a growth in its gross premium, recording N2.88 billion and N2.4 billion in turnover. Total assets grew marginally at N8.43 billion in the year under review as against the N7.26 billion recorded in 2011, while N833 million was paid out as claims to its various customers. The new Chairman, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, who made this known at the AGM, assured the shareholders of the board’s commitment to bringing to bear their various wealth of experience to ensure optimum performance by the organisation. The Directors are Mr. James Naiyeju, Mr. Bade Aluko, ArchBishop Felix Alaba Job, Mrs. FolusoOnabowale, Mr. Dapo Otunla, and Mrs. Cecilia Osipitan the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Others are Mr. Rotimi Olukorede

and Mrs. Roselyne Ulaeto. He said: “The company is evolving as all the indices point towards growth. The board is committed to its vision and mission and we will ensure sound fiscal discipline which will enhance profitability and growth. “The development of the domestic economy is a major desire of our company and we are eager to be among the leaders of change so as to enhance ultimately the purchasing power of all. “The expected continuous improvement in the operating environment will definitely serve as the pivot of our growth. We are committed to this growth. We intend to create wealth and meet the expectations of our various stakeholders.’’ The Managing Director, Mrs. Cecilia Osipitan, said with the conclusion of the divestment process, the firm is now fully focused on growing its bottomline, implementing the re-engineering initiatives and customer service improvement programme’. She said following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive for banks with subsidiaries to either sell off their subsidiaries, or adopt a holding structure, Wema Bank Plc, the majority shareholder of the 54-year-old firm, decided to sell its stake in the company.

• From left: Alabi; Mrs Osipitan and Archbishop Job at the event in Lagos.

Continental Alarm introduces fire detector

OR insurance firms to protect themselves from high fire and allied claims, Continental Alarm Limited has introduced a device, the Videofied Optical Smoke detector, that will help curb huge claims in the industry. The Managing Director Continental Alarm, Mr. OkwyOkeke, while launching the product at a seminar on ‘Curbing losses due to fire and allied claims,’ organised for operators in Lagos, said individuals and other corporate organisations can also curb fire in their homes and organisations. Okeke noted that insurers are burdened with significant fire and allied claims, resulting in Mansard Insurance paying about N250 million last year, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc paid over N186 million. According to him, the insurers are beginning to groan under the high claims paid out onfire and allied claims. He said the device may as well be the silver bullet for fire and allied insurance same way the autotracker has been to auto insurance.

He said: “Not too long ago, the industry was virtually helpless in face of car theft and vandalism. It initially responded with different low-level technological innovations to protect itself. “We recall the days of double locks on auto doors, especially the Peugeots, and 504 in particular. “Then we saw pedal locks, steering locks, demobilisers, fuel-cuts, etc., however these devices were more of inconveniences to auto owners that though many bought them in a moment of panic and anxiety and they ended up not using them as recommended. “Both auto owners and insurance companies continued to experiment with different gadgets until the auto-tracker arrived the scene.Auto-trackers are so successful in curbing auto theft it became an instant industry hit. The insurance companies took it to the next level by installing them on their account for vehicles above a certain value threshold, it was a nobrainer and many of us wondered why it took them so long to fig-

ure”. He said technology has solved many problems in our world and mobile technology has changed the way we live in Nigeria in the last 12 years of so. This, he said, would continue to do so even as the simple Subscriber Identification Module embedded in a plastic (SIM Card) is adapter to transmit different forms of data. He explained that using a simple smoke detector with an embedded SIM Card many losses due to fire can be curbed just as the auto-tracker has vehicle theft. “Our smoke detector will wirelessly transmit a text message and initiate a phone call to you besides just sounding an alarm in the event that it detects smoke unlike the conventional smoke detectors that sounds an alarm on site with little or no chances that the alarm will be heard and by the right person. “This Videofied Optical Smoke Detector is a simple device that will help insurance companies save on claims,” he added.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

TAXATION

Guidelines on tax exemption status of NGOs

NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation (NGO) is an association of persons registered under Section 590 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990. Upon registration of the association, the body corporate may contract in the same form and manner as an individual in accordance with Section 605 of CAMA 1990. It is to be noted that by virtue of the provisions of Section 23 of the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) any organisation registered under any law within the federation or any part thereof as a co-operative society shall also be treated as an NGO. NGOs include organisations, institutions and companies engaged in ecclesiastical, charitable, benevolent or educational activities of a public character. Many countries including Nigeria have recognised the significant role being played by these organisations in building a strong, caring and well-functioning society as well as in contributing to its welfare and economic growth. In recognition of this, government grants tax incentives to such organisations in form of exemption of their profits (other than those derived from trade or business carried out by them) from income tax and zero rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) for their humanitarian services. The role of the tax authority is to ensure that these tax incentives or benefits are appropriately enjoyed and not abused and that the obligations associated with the tax benefits are complied with by the NGOs. Therefore, these guidelines are to check possible abuse and ensure standardisation. Legal basis Section 23 (1) of the CITA Cap C21.LFN 2004 states that the profit of any statutory, charitable, ecclesiastical, educational or other similar associations are exempted from CIT obligations provided such profits are not derived from any trade or business carried on by such an organisation or association. Where an NGO engages in any trade or business, the profit derived there from will be subjected to income tax as provided for in the Act. Also, where the NGO invests its assets in any institution, the income derived from such investment shall be subjected to tax. It should be noted that Capital Gains Tax (CGT) shall arise where assets are disposed of by the NGOs at a gain. Case Laws A relevant case is that of Arbico Ltd Vs FBIR, (1996) 2 All NLR 303. The plaintiff in the dispute, Arbico, had acquired a plot of land, erected a building and sold the property at a profit. The company was subsequently assessed for tax on the proceeds of the sale of the property. The company objected to the assessment on the basis that the transaction was a one-off and did not constitute “trade”. The case was ultimately settled in the Supreme Court. In the ruling, the court laid down two important precedents: • Firstly, that the word ‘trade’ should be interpreted in its widest sense in accordance with its common everyday meaning; • Secondly, that an isolated one-off transaction can still

constitute a ‘trade’. Tax reliefs available to NGOs In addition to the income tax exemption granted to NGOs as noted above, Section 25(3) of CITA provides that any company making donations to such an organisation listed under the Fifth Schedule to CITA shall enjoy tax deductible donation not exceeding 10 per cent of the total profits of that company for that year as ascertained before any deduction of such donations is made and must not be of capital nature. Goods purchased for use in humanitarian donor funded projects are zero rated under the VAT Act Cap V1 LFN 2004 as amended. Registration with FIRS by NGOs All NGOs are expected to register with the nearest tax office of FIRS with the following documents: • A copy of registration certificate issued by Corporate Affairs Commission, • Certified copy of memorandum or constitution, rules and regulations governing the NGO, • List and profiles of the trustees/board members nominated; one of the trustees/board member must be a serving government official from relevant government agency responsible for the activity of the NGO; • Copy of the current Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) of each of the Trustees and • Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed

Filing of returns by NGOs

Mashi

In line with section 55 of CITA, it is mandatory for all NGOs to file a tax return every year and such return shall contain: • The audited accounts, tax and capital allowances computations and a true and correct statement in writing containing the amounts of its profits from each and every source computed in accordance with the provisions of CITA; • Such particulars as may by such form or return be required for the purpose of the Act and any rules made with respect to such profits, allowances, reliefs, deductions or otherwise as may be material by virtue of the CITA; and • A declaration to be signed by a director or secretary of the organisation that the information contained in the return is true and correct. Responsibilities of the Tax Office • Clarification of tax status - An NGO seeking clarification on its tax exemption status shall direct such enquiries to the tax office where it was registered and the NGO desk in the relevant office shall process the enquiry and respond to it. • Application for TCC: An NGO shall direct its application for TCC to the tax office where it was registered and file its tax returns. The relevant office shall process the application and issue the TCC if the NGO is found qualified and if unqualified be given reasons in writing within two weeks of the application.

• Monitoring - The relevant tax office shall monitor the activities of NGOs within its jurisdiction regularly to ensure compliance with the provisions of the tax laws. Other statutory obligations of NGOs In addition to its obligation to file tax returns at the appropriate tax office, NGOs are statutorily required to: • Maintain accurate record of employees; • Maintain proper books of accounts • ‘Deduct Pay-As-You-Earn from employees’ salary and remit same to the appropriate tax authority; • Pay VAT on goods and services consumed except those purchased exclusively for its humanitarian projects or activities; • Pay tax as and when due on non-exempt activities. Failure to comply with the above requirements will attract appropriate the penalty prescribed by law. It is to be emphasised that the fact that an NGO is exempted from payment of income tax does not remove the obligation to file returns regularly. It is also to be emphasized that profits derived from business or trading activities are liable to tax. All NGOs should abide with the tax regulations in order to continue to enjoy the tax incentives granted by the government in furtherance of their charitable activities.

BUSINESS

Duke seeks backward integration

ORMER Cross River Governor, Donald Duke has charged investors on the need for backward integration, where the local resources are ploughed back into the economy. He spoke at the inauguration of an eatry the CommintBuka in Surulere, Lagos. He praised the owners of the facility for resourcefulness, noting that it is established to cater for all in the society. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Commint Bureau De Change and CommintBuka, Mr. Jeff Fayomi said their aim was to take care of all classes of the society at lower rates. He said they would provide special treat at smaller cost. Also, the Executive Director of the firm, Mrs. Foluso Ojelade, urged Nigerians to discover their untapped potential to reposition the economy and make it to be at par with others in the developed

world by 2020. She enjoined them to build the strategy. Duke, who chaired the occasion, while eulogising the sterling virtues of the brains behind the venture, was elated of the continued progress and expansion of the CommintBuka. He saluted their courage and the vision, noting their sagacity. His wife Onari also praised the owners of the firm, describing them as impeccable characters, who should be emulated, especially their long relationship. She said the location of CommintBuka was strategic and would not help it only succeed, but would also assist in adding value to its services. Others at the event included Revd. Julius Omonola, Pastor, New Heritage Baptist Church, Somolu and Rev. Ayomide Akano, Pastor, Good Tidings Baptist Church, Lawason, Surulere.

•GM Auto plant in Chicago

GM stops selling some Cruze small cars

ENERAL Motors Co (GM.N) said it had told its dealers to stop selling certain Chevrolet Cruze small cars without saying why, in another blow to a company already facing a crisis over defective ignition switches linked to at least 12 deaths. The automaker said the affected Cruze cars, 2013 and 2014 models equipped with a 1.4-litre turbo engine, are not being recalled. The action only covers the affected models that are unsold on dealer

lots, which make up about one-third of the vehicle’s inventory at dealers, a GM spokesman said. The 1.4-litre gas turbo engine accounts for about 60 per cent of the Cruze’s retail sales mix in any given month, a GM spokesman said. The vehicle also is sold with a 1.8-litre gas engine and a two-litre diesel engine. “With GM still in the midst of trying to resolve the recall related to faulty ignition switches on the Chevrolet Cobalt and other legacy

models. The last thing they need is a major issue with one of their current high volume production models, in this case, the Chevrolet Cruze,” said Kelley Blue Book senior analyst Alec Gutierrez. Last year, Cruze sales rose 4.4 percent to 248,224 vehicles, making it the 12th strongest selling vehicle in the U.S. market, according to Autodata. Through February, Cruze sales this year were up 19 per cent. “I can just confirm that we put a stop-sale in last night,” GM spokesman Alan Adler said.

He said he did not have any details on why the action was being taken, but said stop-sale orders can happen for various reasons. He said stop-sale orders mean the dealers need to do something to the vehicle before it can be sold. Last month, GM recalled 1.6 million older-model cars globally to replace defective ignition switches that can be knocked out of the “run” position while driving, turning off the engine and disabling airbags.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

• AMMASCO plant

More than 5,000 jobs are to be created in the lubricants sub-sector of the oil industry with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AMMASCO International Limited and the Nigerian Automobile Technician Association (NATA), which gives the former the right to produce customised oil lubricant for NATA and the country. This will facilitate the supply of oil to the northern markets and provide jobs for many unemployed. TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

5,000 jobs coming as AMMASCO, T NATA sign MoU

HE lubricants sub-sector of the oil industry has the capacity to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs if all the idle capacities are utilised. At present, there are over 60 brands of imported lubricants in the market. The importation of lubricants amounts to mortgaging jobs meant for skilled workers in the country. Many of the lubricants are recycled oil with little or no addictive introduced into them by the manufacturers. These lubes come with undervalued invoicing and sold at cheaper rates than locally-produced ones. This has created unfavourable conditions for the local lubricants, which pass through manufacturing processes, and which make them to sell at higher prices than foreign ones. The Executive Secretary, Lubricant Producers Association of Nigeria (LUPAN), Mr. Emeka Obidike, said the association is concerned with the rate these imported products are allowed into the country. He said the impact of this activity, if unchecked, would not only lead to the closure of the existing

plants, but a lot of jobs would be lost. However, hope has risen as more jobs are expected to be created as the new initiative between AMMASCO and NATA will generate more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs to support the Federal Government’s job creation drive. The Chairman, AMMASCO International Limited, Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad, canvassed more refineries, adding that this would ensure the provision of raw materials for lubricant makers and jobs for the teeming unemployed youth. He also said in addition to facilitating the supply of oil for the consumption of the northern markets, the company has provided job opportunities for the teeming population in the country. According to Mustapha, the AMMASCO has created thousands of jobs since its inception in 2008. He said the two organisations also

agreed to partner to revolutionise the subsector to attain global standard. The deal and the expansion are expected to open up other jobs in construction, management, engineering, and administrative duties. For instance, the company will require people to blend; engineers to work in electrical, mechanical and civil engineering departments. It will also require salesmen who are to make the product available to consumers in Nigeria and the entire West African subregion. Lubricant sales executives are to promote whatever products or services on offer, report to the head of marketing and cover various activities, generate and follow up on leads and prospect and manage customer relationship. They are to manage a marine lubricant distribution and marketing outfit and also determine the most ef-

fective processes for commercialisation. The new expansion will also pave way for field canvassing marketers who introduce the brand to potential customers by visiting them. It will also require the services of marketers, drivers, salesmen to make the product available to consumers in Nigeria and entire West African sub-region. Muhammad said when he came up with the idea of setting up the company, some pessimists said it was bizarre for an investor up north to be contemplating such an idea as oil rigs are not close to the region. He said the delivery of petroleum products by the company to the admiration of its customers has cleared such reservations. “When you have the determination and you want to set up something of high standard, you will set it up. That is what we are doing now and we are trying to do more and more. We are now looking at the possible ways by which we can transport large quantity of crude •Continued on page 38

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

JOBS

5,000 jobs coming as AMMASCO, NATA sign MoU •Continued from page 37

oil in order to sustain the refinery up north so that we can give more and more employment to the teeming youths,” he said. National President, NATA, Comrade Michael Ajayi Omonayin, said the association had been looking for how to secure jobs for members, adding that with the MoU, more of the members will have something doing. He said one of the step being taking by the association is how to secure loan from Bank of Industry (BoI). These, according to him, will create more enytrepreneurs among the members. “The association and BoI are still meeting over the condition in which the loan will be disbursed since the former arrangement made it difficult for Micro-Finance Bank to access the fund. So, the association is meeting with BoI to see how they are going to make the condition more flexible for Micro-Finance. “On SURE-P training, the committee in charge of the training is still working; when they finish, we would let all states know when the programme is going to com-

merce,” he said. He said AMMASCO’s choice was born out of its track record in the production of quality lubricants that have continued to dominate the market. According to him, a critical market survey also put AMMASCO as the leading, adding that responses from various customers, many of who are members of the association, attest to the fact that AMMASCO products are the best in the market. As part of encouraging its local production , the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has also issued ISO Certificate to AMMASCO International Limited, reckoning it as one of the leading oil lubricant firms in West Africa. The Director General, SON, Dr Joseph Odumodu said AMMASCO has proven its worth in terms of upholding standards and professionalism, adding that the agency and expect other indigenous companies to take learn from what AMMASCO is doing. “ We are really impressed and we urge Ammasco to keep it up,” Odumodu said. The company has entered into an agreement with some professional groups and other corporate institutions for the blend-

• Mohammad

• Odumodu

ing of high quality products. Some of such bodies include the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). The products in the stable of AMMASCO International Ltd can be classified under four broad categories; these are: the automotive, industrial and ma-

rine lubricants, and specialty products, such as greases and oil treatments. Also, the distribution of these products have been extended to some parts of the West African sub region, such as the Niger Republic, Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic and the Central African Republic, among others.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Yellow Brick Road Agency gets new chairman YELLOW Brick Road Agency has announced the appointment of Mr. Foluso Phillips as the new Chairman of the communications agency. Phillips is the founder and Chairman of Phillips Consulting, the premier indigenous management consultancy in the nation. He is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and sits on the board of various organisations, including the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce, the Special Olympics of Nigeria and the Nigerian Leadership Initiative.

Yellow Brick Road is an integrated communications agency, which evolved from ZK Advertising in 2011. Its founders, Kaliko Olowole and Nnenna Onyewuchi, took over with the aim of changing the relationship of agencies to clients; shifting from service provider to strategic partnering Over the last nine years (first as ZK and later as Yellow Brick Road), the company has worked with local and international brands including FirstBank, Dangote, Oando, FCMB, ARM, PZ Cussons, SABMiller, Black-

berry, The British Council and Standard Chartered. The agency was also responsible for both the launch of Celtel in Nigeria and the subsequent rebranding to Zain. Phillips’ experience building an international business brand over the last 21 years, makes him the ideal person to guide Yellow Brick Road on its path to becoming a nationally and internationally recognised epitome of excellence in the industry. On his appointment, Phillips said: “I look forward to acting as the

Chairman of Yellow Brick Road as I, particularly, share their vision of transforming their role in the marketing communications industry from that of service provider to communications partner. I am also encouraged by the energy and enthusiasm of not just its management but the team as a whole.” Managing Director, Yellow Brick Road, Kaliko Olowole said: “We began the search for a chairman for the Agency well over two years ago and after much deliberation, we decided Phillips would be the best fit both

culturally and professionally. We are deeply honoured that Phillips has agreed to be our chairman and look forward to some really exciting times ahead.” The Director of Strategy and co-founder Nnenna Onyewuchi, also added: “Phillips has built a strong and sustainable business, while maintaining a sterling reputation as an ethical professional. There is no better example for what we are striving to create here at Yellow Brick Road.”

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Fishing-out your dream job: You need a game plan

OU’VE got that great résumé in hand and you are rearing to get on and be on your mother of all searches:- to find a job! But wait, it takes much more than having just a résumé and bristling energy to have a successful job search. You need a search game plan. The job hunter or career changer can find job hunting to be a frustrating experience. Fact is, it’s a job finding a job! There are no set of rules for job hunting; no magic formulas or solutions. However, by utilizing all the options available, you can make the job search more efficient and be successful in the shortest possible time. A successful job search starts with thorough preparation and planning. This is true, whether you are beginning your career, seeking reemployment or considering a more satisfying occupation. First and foremost assess your personal characteristics; take a good look at who you are and what you have done. This will require time and effort, but the time you invest will be worthwhile. Self-assessment can help you to decide on a realistic job objective. The information you discover will also be helpful when writing your resume, completing job applications and preparing for job interviews.

The options In exploring career options the questions are: Do I want to remain in that field?

By Olu Oyeniran

• Would the strengths I have serve in a related field of work? • As a recent college graduate, could I translate my strengths into a career? In answering these questions, carefully consider personal circumstances, your lifestyle, health, family circumstances and financial needs. Keep these factors in mind when making career plans. Considering everything you know about yourself, try to think of some career possibilities that you could do well arid would enjoy.

Organisation is key Staying organised in the hunt is imperative! Maintain a notebook with contact sheets for recording names and information relative to your efforts. Keep copies of all job leads or ads that you respond to. Maintain a calendar or weekly plan of action for your job hunt and record and review the number of contacts made each week. As stated earlier, it is job looking a job! If you are experiencing a career transition, staying in the routine of a job hunt is difficult. Remember, you are marketing yourself each and every day. Begin each day with the attitude that you are “open for business.” Follow the plan you established for yourself and keep with it until you’ve reached your goal. There are several techniques and strategies for effective job fishing. We

shall proceed to look at them.

Fishing-out your dream job: Networking

Networking is a key process in job seeking, job keeping, and position advancement, in the future it will be necessary to give greater attention to this process as competition for good jobs becomes keener and advancement opportunities become fewer. Networking in a nutshell, is nothing more than asking the people you already know to help you find out about the job market and meet the people who are actually doing the hiring.

The hard facts:

• Informal contacts account for almost 75 per cent of all successful job searches. • Recruitment agencies find about nine per cent of new jobs, mainly for professional and technical people • ads yield another ten percent or so. Don’t hesitate to talk to friends, acquaintances, and neighbors about your job search in reality, you are asking for advice, not charity. Most of the people you contact will be willing to help you, if only you will tell them how. The ultimate object of your job search is to convince the person who has the power to hire you that you ought to be working for him

or her. The one you want to talk to is not necessarily the president of a company; it is rather the one who heads the department that could use your expertise. Direct contact with the hiring authority is far and away the most effective job - hunting method. Your strategy and schedule should reflect that fact, and most of your energy should be devoted to direct contact. You may want to explore other methods of contacting potential employers, but that should take up no more than a quarter of your job – hunting time. How do you find the hiring authority? If you are lucky, someone you know periodically will tell you whom to see and introduce you. Otherwise, you will have to do some homework. If you cannot find out who heads the department that interests you, call the company and ask the operator. Do not assume you can get to the hiring authority through the personnel department. If at all possible, you will avoid filling out ally personnel forms until you have had a serious interview.

The informational interview The contacts you make during your preliminary informational interviewing will be the core of your network in your job hunt. You will also want to zero in on other contacts within your career area. Your goal is to get referred to the person who has the power to hire

you.

Here are some tips: • Determine which organizations, positions, career path, or specific persons are of interest to you. Do enough research so that you will be able to talk intelligently to your new contact. • Ask the individual when it would be a good dine to chat. Give a brief summary of your background and what you are seeking. Focus on what you have in common. Have a goal in mind and state your purpose. • Be flexible. If they offer another time for a meeting, make e\very effort to make yourself available to their schedule. • Ask for information, direction and advice, NOT A JOB! • At the meeting, he sure to ask for referrals. • Always listen attentively and take notes if necessary. Respond to any questions directed to you with comments. • Be sure to bring your resume and ask for their critique of it. • By all means, be courteous and thankful and he sure to follow-up by sending a handwritten note thanking him or her for their time.

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

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

MOTORING

Nissan SUV tows plane •The Nissan SUV towing a plane

ISSAN recently accomplished a fresh milestone as the Y62 Nissan Patrol towed a 170-tonne Iiyushin cargo plane down 55 metres at Sharjah International Airport, UAE. Authorities say this record is unprecedented yet and has thus earned the Nissan Patrol Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

ONCEPT Autocentre Limited, a subsidiary of the Kewalram Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with General Motors for the marketing of Isuzu brands in Nigeria. The General Manager of Koncept Autocentre, Gaurav Kaul, said the firm was created to handle the Isuzu business with GM. Deputy Managing Director, Kewalram Chanrai Group, which has Koncept as subsidiary, Victor

OSCHARIS Group has canvassed use of genuine spare parts as part of measures to ensure safety on the roads. Its Group Chairman, Dr Cosmas Maduka, spoke at a seminar for the firm’s dealers, key stakeholders in the business, including the Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Chidiebere Nkwonta. The event was aimed at addressing after-sales challenges of the firm. It has as theme Safety on our roads Imperative of genuine spare parts. To achieve this, especially with its Ford brand, Coscharis Motors, in partnership with Ford sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), launched what it called Certified Parts Wholesale Dealer (CPWD) network. Maduka, represented by the Executive Director, Special Duties,

The record, according to the authority, eclipses previous attainment in 2006, when a slightly modified Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDi towed a 155-tonne Boeing 747 through a distance of 150 meters. The 170-tonne Iiyushin II-76 plane including fuel and cargo weighs over 170-tonnes – approximately 62 times the kerb weight of a standard Y62 Nissan Patrol.

The Iiyushin II-76 plane is known as one of the world’s toughest cargo planes and it is designed to deliver cargo, take-off and land in some of the world’s most extreme environments. Nissan claimed a standard production Y62 Patrol was used for the attempt, adding that the only modification done was on a towing hitch compatible with the aircraft to connect the car with the aircraft’s pushback ring.

Managing Director, Nissan Middle East Mr Samir Cherfan, said: “Nissan celebrates another landmark day with its second Guinness World Record. The overwhelming response has been the inspiration for the historic events and the achievement will motivate us to ensure we deliver ‘Innovation that excites’ in everything we do.” Fondly called the ‘Hero of all

Terrain,’ the Y62 Nissan patrol is mated to an advanced sevenspeed automatic transmission and a sophisticated, electronically controlled, all-mode 4X4 system with 298kw and 560Nm from a 5.6litre naturally aspirated V8 engine. The Y62 Nissan Patrol is one of the Nissan models scheduled to roll out of the VON Automobile plant in Lagos Nigeria next month.

Koncept seals Isuzu dealership with GM Eburajolo, said the brand was returning for the better. Eburajolo recalled that Isuzu was a major auto brand in the country, occupying a reputable position because of its strength, durability and performance. "We want to bring it back and push it to its enviable place among other vehicle brands," he said. According to him, the Isuzu

brand would have exclusive s h o w r o o m s an d af t e r - s al e service outlets different from other brand being handled by the company. "We will not use the Mitsubishi facilities; we are building the showrooms and after-sale outfits for the Isuzu," he noted. President/Managing Director of General Motors, Africa, Mr. Mario Spangenberg, said the

American automobile-manufacturing firm was happy with its new agreement with Koncept. He also spoke on the possibility of setting up an assembly plant in Nigeria in line with the objectives of the auto policy of the Federal Government. He said they were studying the new policy on the matter. "We need a clear understand-

Coscharis harps on safety By Muyiwa Lucas

Cosmas Maduka (Jnr), noted that with sales increase of the Ford brand, there has been an increase in demand for spare parts and after-sales services. Explaining the rationale for the CPWD initiative, Maduka noted that some of the firm’s customers live in or operate their businesses in remote areas of the country and as such, have no easy access to the company’s facilities whenever they have issues bothering on spare parts. A situation, he claimed, has led to patronage unscrupulous spare parts dealers who end up selling counterfeit and substandard spare parts to customers in need. He regretted that the use of

counterfeit products has exposed some motorists to untold and avoidable hazards including breakdowns, parts failure, accidents and sometimes leading to loss of property and or lives. “We have come to the understanding going by the rate at which the brand is growing in our market, that we cannot provide all the after-sales needs all by ourselves. This gave rise to collaborating with spare-parts dealers in the market to make genuine Ford Motorcraft Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) spare-parts available to customers who may have need for parts from time to time,” he said.

Maduka explained that Coscharis Motors past invested a great deal in after-sales facilities, to tackle the menace. Nkwonta, in his presentation, reiterated the dangers of using fake spare parts and the consequent loss of human lives. Yearly, he said, over 1.2 million people are killed in road crashes around the world, while 20-50 times that number suffers from serious injuries. He said: “Currently, 3,300 deaths and over 66,000 serious injuries occur each day from road crashes, affecting lives of not only the victims, but also those close to and also perhaps financially dependent upon

ing about the policy before making any investment; we have not made any commitment; we are investigating what the legislative position will be and we shall evaluate it," Spangenberg said. Beside, the two firms are not foreclosing the establishing of an assembly plant aimed at manufacturing the vehicle in line with the automotive policy. them. Road Safety requires not only driver fitness but vehicle f i t ness. A w el l m a i nt a i ned vehicle not only speaks volumes about the owner, but will protect the owner on the road. “It is important that we address the importance of vehicle maintenance using genuine parts for road safety and create awareness of preventative steps in properly maintaining our vehicles, thus underlining the importance of using genuine spare parts.” The FRSC Lagos Sector Commander listed the advantages of original parts to include safety and reliability, non-negative effect on vehicle’s re-sale value as the longevity of original parts and accessories will help to avoid excessive wear-and-use expenses thus saving life and money.

SAFE DRIVING

N Monday, October 14, 2013, I received a text message from one of the Telecoms service providers in Nigeria which states thus:……… Text REG to 746 to check your SIM registration status. Register before June 30, 2013 (2013 when we are already, in October) or you will be disconnected. Will it be out of way if I say that it is the service provider itself that has been disconnected from reality? What shall we say if a service provider is not updating its data regularly. No wonder, their services are not yet catching up with the increasing demands. Hence the poor networks and communication all around. In the same vein, there are lots of confusion concerning the traffic signs and road markings installed in various parts of the country. In the course of my research, I observed the following: •The use of traffic signs that are not even in the Nigeria's "revised" highway code. This is common among the road construction com-

Traffic signs crisis panies. •Traffic signs with shapes different from the shape specified in the Highway Code •Traffic signs with colours different from what is specified in the Highway Code •Warning signs positioned too close to the object of caution. •Road markings wrongly laid down. For example, the use of broken lines at points where there should be solid lines. •Traffic signs with wrong information (Wordings). •Absence of road signs and markings at some points where they are expedient. •Malfunctioning traffic lights without alternative traffic control in some heavy traffic areas. •Delapidated traffic signs crying for repairs, painting or refurbishing and road markings already fading

off. •Traffic signs already overgrown and covered by road side bush. In view of the above among others, I hereby suggest the following urgent actions: •Establishment of an urgent Highway Code review Committee which should comprise of the Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Ministry of Transport, Federal Road Safety Commission, State (and FCT) Vehicle Inspection Officers, Association of Driving Schools/Instructors of Nigeria, Driving Standards Agency (UK) and United States Ministry of Transport among others. The objective will be to review the current highway code so as to correct the errors therein and add other missing information. •The Federal Ministry of Transport or the Federal Road Safety Commis-

sion should organise a workshop for all the state Ministries of Transport and Ministries of Works with the aim of teaching them the road signs and also emphasise the need for uniformity and compliance to avoid confusing the road users. •Unbiased and uncompromised implementation of regular re-training of all categories of drivers and vehicle owners before the renewal of the national driver license (3 years interval). This has become necessary because of past low emphasis on the right driver education in Nigeria. There is no doubt about the fact that there is a very wide knowledge gap among all categories of drivers in Nigeria, including the VIPs. Vehicle Technology and the driving environment are dynamic thereby calling for regular updating of drivers knowledge to ensure effective and safe vehicle control in every driving condition. The contents of driver

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

training also needs to be improved upon to attain the expected positive attitudinal changes. The above suggestions call for urgent and proactive actions to drastically reduce the rate of accidents and the consequent loss of irreparable lives and valuable properties.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

POLITICS

MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Governor Kayode Fayemi has kicked off his campaign for a second term, with a colourful rally in AdoEkiti, the state capital. Apart from giving an account of his stewardship, the governor unfolded his plans for the state. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the frills and thrills of the event and the peoples’ passion for continuity.

•Okorocha (third left) raising up Dr Fayemi’s hand at the rally. With them are (from left) Prof. Adelabu, Fayemi’s wife, Erelu Bisi (first left), Governors Amosun, Nyako and Wamakko, Chief Awe and Otunba Adebayo.

‘I have unfinished job in Ekiti’

ROOMS filled the air at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti. As from sunrise, the venue was aglow with festivities. Itinerant drummers ushered in party leaders to the campaign ground, singing and dancing. Traditional rulers, accompanied by chiefs and palace attendants, took their seats. It was as if the monarchs were attending another ‘pelupelu’, the famed Ekiti confederation meeting of yore. Party faithful, who adorned customised t-shirts of various colours and fez caps, were in ecstasy. Many supporters came in lorry loads from the 16 local governments. It was not a rented crowd and there was no thuggery. The progressive governors were impressed by the orderliness. As they drove into Ado-Ekiti, Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa State), Abdulazeez yari (Zamfara), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi, (Oyo), Kwara State Deputy Governor Peter Shakira, and former Governor Modu Sheriff (Bornu) savoured the warm hospitality of the natives who cheered them. “If Dr. Kayode has not performed, they will not welcome us this way”, said Nyako, attesting to the popularity of the governor among his people. Also at the rally were former Ekiti State Governor Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Senator Ajayi Boroffice from Ondo State, Senator Ayo Adeseun from Oyo State, Senator Jide Omoworare from Osun State, Senator Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central), Osun State Secretary to Government Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly Dr. Wale Omirin, APC Interim Women Leader Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, House of Representatives members Oyetunde Ojo and Bimbo Daramola, the Chairman of Fayemi Campaign Organisation and the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Chief Folasade Tinubu-Ojo. Towards the end of the rally, Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola joined his colleagues. His presence electrified the stadium. Fayemi, accompanied by his wife, Erelu Bisi, a woman activist, and the deputy governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, a princess of Ado-Ekiti, stormed the stadium around noon. The bespectacled governor was holding his broom in right hand. He appeared in his trademark ‘Awo cap’, a reminder of the glorious past, which Ekiti is yearning for. Beaming an in-

fectious smile, the governor exuded confidence of a promise keeper. As a professional in politics and prudent administrator, he had achievements to reel out. Having tendered his stewardship, he asked for another tenure of four years to serve with diligence. “Look at the streets and see what we have done. Three and half years ago, I made some promises at my inauguration. I have fulfilled my eight-point agenda”, Fayemi said. “The reward for hard work is more work. The work of development in Ekiti has not been completed. We must continue to fight against poverty and want in Ekiti. I have laid the foundation. We should now build on it”, he added. Four musicians-Elemure Olgunyemi, Buga, Adewale Ayuba and Olamide-entertained the crowd. Actors and actresses, who appreciated the achievements of the activist-governor, came to drum support for his candidature. One of them, Olaiya Igwe from Egbaland, Ogun State, extolled Fayemi’s virtues, saying that he has not disappointed Ekiti, Southwest and Nigeria. “The APC governors have one thing in common. They are developing their states. Unlike those in the other party, they believe in progress. In Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti, they are making a lot of difference”, he said, urging the people to sustain the progressive tradition. The actor also pointed out that Fayemi is committed to both the living and the dead in his state. He said while the governor is providing amenities for the living, he is immortalising the memory of departed legends. In particular, he said the entertainment industry is happy that he had honoured the late Chief Kola Ogunmola from Okemesi Ekiti, who passed on 40 years ago, in recognition of his contribution to the industry. “The spirit of Ogunmola, thr father of Peju and Yomi Ogunmola, who died 40 years ago, is praying for Fayemi”, Igwe said. Traditional rulers applauded the administration for restoring peace and security. “Monarchs are no more abused and threatened with deposition in Ekitiland. We don’t have a noisemaker as governor. Yet, his works speak for him’, said a traditional ruler. An old woman, who was led into the stadium by two of his grandchildren, said: “This

governor has not let hunger kill us. He finds time to remember us. I am old and cannot work again. But, he sends salary to me every month”. Ekiti State APC Interim Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, who welcomed the dignitaries and party supporters, described Fayemi as a 21st century administrator and scholar, stressing that he will had an edge at the poll. He lamented that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains are threatening fire and brimestone, instead of engaging in a campaign of ideas and issues. “Some people need the combined forces of Rusia and America to win. But, what do the people of Ekiti want? The people of Ekiti will vote for us. No matter the threat and intimidation, Ekiti will move forward to elect Dr. Kayode Fayemi for a second term. Go in peace, Vote for the APC. APC will rule Ekiti again in 2014”, he said. Adebayo, who ruled the state between 1999 and 2003, observed that Ekiti are now vigilant, warning that rigging will lead to chaos. He told the crowd that the PDP candidate is unfit for the State House. “I read in the newspapers that the PDP is bringing a man of questionable character to rule us. APC is presenting a scholar with a doctorate degree. But, they are presenting a man with dubious credential”, he fumed. The former governor took exception to the remark by the PDP candidate, Ayo Fayose, that he chased him out of office in 2003 and installed Fayemi in 2010. “In 2003, the PDP stole the governorship. We are in 2014. Ekiti will never accept thieves and charlatans to rule us again. We are campaigning, but their candidate is in court facing EFCC charges. They said Adebayo is a gentleman and he didn’t fight. This is a different time. If I am tempted, I will fight. Ekiti was under darkness. Today, Fayemi has brought light”, Adebayo said, urging the people to troop out on June 21 to vote for the APC. Sheriff, who was the first to speak among the APC national leaders, hailed Fayemi’s achievements, saying that he is a working and performing governor. The former Bornu governor enjoined the people to give him another four years to serve meritoriously. “From what I can see, the people of

Ekiti have already decided. They are only waiting for the time to vote. They have said that they are behind fayemi to run for the governor. I have seen changes in Ekitki State. I congratulate him for performance. We are behind him for the second term”, he added. Endorsing Fayemi, Wamakko, said the Ekiti governor has projected the APC as a credible platform by his commitment to democracy and transparency. “APC is about the unity of Nigeria. It is about performance and transparency. We are for a governor who can develop his state and people. We will continue to work for national unity. Our diversity will remain our strength. We want leaders who can accept responsibility. One of the rare leaders who must be supported and endorsed is Fayemi. It is the choice of Ekiti and we endorse your choice”, he said. Nyako, former Chief of Naval Staff, applauded Fayemi for serving Ekiti without blemish and wished him a landslide victory at the poll. “Governance is being transformed in Nigeria and Governor Kayode is a great contributor. He needs your vote to give you his best”, he said. The Adamawa governor added: “The record of the governor in Ekiti State speaks for itself. He is a good leader, who is committed to good governance. He has run a transparent administration. Governor Kayode is one of the most serious governors we have in the country. He cares for his people and he cares for all Nigerians. I am here to appreciate the qualities of Governor Kayode. You should give him another chance. He will take Ekiti to a greater height”. Yari renewed the agitation for the sanctity of the ballot box, saying that, beginning from Ekiti, the APC will demand for ‘one man, one vote’. He said electoral malpractices will not be acceptable. “We were in Washington recently where these things were discussed. You knew about it. It is a challenge to Jega. Ekiti is the starting point. We will only accept one man, one vote”, he maointained. The Sokoto governor described Fayemi as “a colleague and associate in progress”, who has subscribed to the APC’s vision for change, a new Nigeria, transparency and accountability. “I

‘The work of development in Ekiti has not been completed. We must continue to fight against poverty and want in Ekiti. I have laid the foundation. We should now build on it’

am not surprised by this huge gathering. Ekiti people appreciate what Fayemi has done in the last three and half years”, he added. Urging them to let the governor down, he said that Fayemi will always live up to expectation. Yari, who expressed delight at the huge crowd, asked: “Are you ready to vote for JKF for a second term?.” The crowd responded with a thunderous yes. Owelle Okorocha gave the longest speech and it was not boring. He started by chanting the mobilisation slogan of activist youths. “Great Nigerian youths”, he shouted, waving his broom as the youths gave the expected response. The APC Governors’ Forum Chairman said, since the people have a choice to make, they should endorse the APC at the poll. “The name, PDP, is a failure. You know the meaning of PDP? Peoples Deceiving People, People Destroying People, Papa Deceiving Pinkin. “In 12 years of the PDP, there is nothing to show. Look at what happened in Abuja. Our youths are dying. Look at the nation; the people are suffering. That is why we are bringing change. Fayemi’s victory at the next election has been signed, sealed and delivered. Fayemi has the people. He has worked for the people. In four years, he has made every sacrifice to move Ekiti forward”. Amid his speech, he paused to ask a question. “How many of you will vote for Dr. kayode Fayemi? Raise up your hands”, he requested. All the people raised up their hands. Then, he added: “Kayode will work for you. Like trhe Sokoto governor has said, Kayode is unique. If he contests elections in other states, he will win. So, Ekiti is privileged to have this young, handsome, articulate person as the governor”. Okorocha gave a “marching order” to Ndigbo in Ekiti to queue behind the APC aspirant. He said that he gave the order in his capacity as the “Owelle”. The Imo governor also addressed the Hausa community in a flawless Hausa language. Amosun, who spoke after him, said that moment of truth has come in Ekiti. He urged the people never to go back to that dark era when the state was enveloped in tension. Amosun observed that since Fayemi has served them loyally, he deserves a second term. “There is a deliberate and courageous attempt to serve the people of Ekiti. Things that •Continued on page 44

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

POLITICS Conference delegates decry marginalisation of Yoruba in Kogi

HE six delegates to the National Conference from the Okun Yoruba area of Kogi State have expressed concern over the neglect of their communities by successive administrations. The delegates spoke in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at a dinner organised for them by the Okun Development Association. Former Minister of Industries and President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Chief Kola Jamodu, who spoke on their behalf, said the neglect of infrastructure in the Okun and Oworo areas were unacceptable. The delegate resolved to work with their colleagues from other parts of the country to seek solutions to the problems Okun delegates are retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Raphael Osanaiye, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Chief Bayo Ojo, (SAN), Ambassador John Kayode Sinkaiye, former Deputy Chief of Staff to the President Prince Olusola Akanmode and Dr. Femi Obayori of the Lagos State University. Jamodu said the delegates were conservant with the demands of the Okun people, which are contained in their position paper on the conference. In his goodwill message, the deputy governor of Kogi State, Chief Yomi Awoniyi, expressed satisfaction that Okunland was being represented at the conference by credible delegates. He said the delegates will pursue the interests of the Yoruba in Kogi State. The President of Okun Development Association, Ambassador Babatunde Fadumiyo, urged the delegates to agitate for the creation of Okun State and the relocation of the Okun’s political boundary from the Northcentral to the Southwest geo-political zone. Former Minister of Health and the Convener of Okun Think-Tank Prof. Eyitayo Lambo said it was by divine favour that Okun, with five local government areas, has six delegates at the conference. He implored the delegates to work as a team to advance the cause of Okun people, regardless of which platform brought them to the conference.

‘I have unfinished job in Ekiti’ •Continued from page 43

were not possible before are now possible-roads, schools, security scheme for old people. You should not allow the PDP to take us backward into that bad era. “All the people, multi-nationals, international agencies and our people agree that Fayemi has performed. All the PDP wants is to rig. Are you going to allow them? You should resist rigging. It is one man, one vote. One man, one vote should count. Give Fayemi another four years that will bring development and advancement to the people”, he said. Shakira, who represented Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, urged the people of Ekiti to live up to their character and antecedents on poll day. “You have a history of development and progress in the Southwest. You should sustain the tempo”, he added. Ajimobi described Ekiti as state of scholars and intellectuals. “In a town of scholars, who should be the governor? Who should rule a state of intelligence? Who should rule a state of civilisation? Who should rule a state of character? Who should rule a state of development? Do you want to be ruled by thugs? Ekiti is now different. You should use brilliant people to run the government”, he said. An excited Fayemi thanked the people for turning up at the campaign with the resolve and determination to push for continuity. He clarified that he is still an aspirant, until the selection process is completed according the party guidelines. He addressed the crowd in Yoruba and English. “As I entered this place, I became calm”, he said, hailing the crowd. Fayemi said that his priority is the development of Ekiti, Southwest and Nigeria. He appraised the activities of his administration, saying that he has fulfilled his campaign promises to voters. “Our teachers are the mist catered for in the country. Our students are now doing well in their WASC examinations. We knew how the result was like before. We knew how our roads looked like three years ago. Our roads are now motorable and befitting. Our farmers have seen a farmer-friendly government”, he said. The governor reminded the people of their cherished history. He described Ekiti as a state of intellectuals, who had struggled to get to where they are today in Nigeria. He said, having overcome the hurdles of the past, the state should not regress backward. “The election is not about Fayemi alone. It is about Ekiti. We don’t want to go back to where we were coming from. We don’t want to go back to that period of crisis. We don’t want people answering EFCC charges in court to rule us”, he said. The governor said that he will not let the people down, if his mandate is renewed. He promised a prudent administration that will deepen development in Ekitiland. He said there will be no room for theft and graft, adding that the unfinished business will be tackled with resolve and sense of duty in his second term. “Our government will not steal Ekiti money. We will use the money to develop Ekiti. we will vote to have peace. We will vote to have development. We will vote to have employment. We will vote to have the god things of life”, he stressed.

The role played by Senate President David Mark in maintaining the stranglehold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on power in recent times suggests that he is one of the pillars that sustain the ruling party. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI examines how the Benue State-born politician has succeeded in steering the Senate above trouble waters, where others failed.

How Mark sustains his influence on power

• Mark

E is a smooth operator, but the growing influence of Senate President David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark has been very much evident in recent times, following the crisis that rocked the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre. Mark stood out like a rock in a surging sea throughout the crisis, making him one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s most reliable allies. For this reason, he is one man the President cannot afford to disappoint and he uses his influence on the President once in a while. For instance, following the tragic aptitude and fitness test conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), which claimed the lives of about 17 applicants, Interior Minister Abba Moro would have been relived of his job, but for the intervention of Mark. Moro, who hails from Benue State just like the Senate President, had quickly reached out to the well-respected man who nominated him for the ministerial position, to plead with President Jonathan who was said to be livid with the minister over the tardiness in conducting the ill-fated test. Mark’s influence within the Senate and in the polity generally, it is said, has grown over the years, marking him out from his predecessors. Before his emerged on the scene as President of the Nigerian Senate, on June 6, 2007, that office was widely seen as a minefield of banana peels. This is owing to the fact that previous occupants of that office since the advent of the Fourth Republic were not able to meander through without stepping on the peels. But Mark, retired army general, former governor, former minister of communications and one of the Babangida boys at the height of military rule in the country, has had an unassailable run since he came into the scene. Somehow he commands a lot of respect from his fellow senators. After his first term in 2007, he returned in 2011, and does not look

• Lagos State House of Assembly member Hon. Alawiye King, former House of Representatives member and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Hon. Adekunle Alli and Alhaji Sinari Bolaji Daranijo, a Lagos community leader, during Pa Alli’s 80th birthday in Lagos.

like somebody whose job is threatened in any way. Against this background, the question that has been on the lips of many Nigerians for a long time is: what is Mark’s staying power? The consensus of respondents is that Mark has a good understanding of Nigerian politics. He displays a good political sagacity in the way he handles the affairs of the upper chamber of the National Assembly. In the view of Monday Ubani, a Lagos-based legal practitioner and chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja Chapter, Mark adopts a populist political method in his dealings with fellow Senators particularly and politicians generally. His words: “He reaches out to them, by making sure that they do not have reasons to grumble. In other words, he carries them along and makes that everyone is properly settled, including financial inducements. Political leaders have problems within the Nigerian set up, when they eat alone. As long as he shares whatever accrues to the upper chamber equitably among all the members, there would be no complains from any angle.” In the absence of any reason for agitation, his position has never been threatened. Another respondent who does not want to be named puts it this way: “David Mark’s reputation as a man of the people is well known in the National Assembly. I think he is a better mixer, compared to previous occupants of that position. He is a guy who understands the importance of human relations in dealing with people.” He is of the view that Mark humbles himself, by not allowing his exalted position to get to his head. “Let’s not forget that he was a good student while he was at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), he was a good soldier and an accomplished administrator,” he added. The overriding factor, according to observers, is that Mark appears to understand the mindset of his colleagues. He is believed to be wealthy. Being a former governor, minister and one of Babangida’s close associates during the military era, money is not his problem this time around. In this regard, he ensures a constant flow of Ghanamust-go bags. Besides, he does not deny or delay the privileges meant for his colleagues. These include constituency allowance, furniture allowance, choice houses, contracts and overseas trips and estacodes. He knows that many of them are hardly interested in the business of lawmaking, which explains why the chamber is always near empty at every session. As a result, he does not pay attention to absentee members. After all, better an empty house than a house full of traitors. Besides, the incumbent Senate President knows that a cordial relationship with the Presidency is critical and crucial for his survival. In Ubani’s opinion, Mark has protected the president very well. “In doing this, he has been very careful not to be seen as being neither subservient nor belligerent. He has been playing a role you could describe as very reconciliatory; he panders to the Presidency when it is necessary and to the house when this is called for,” he explained. In that regard, the legal practitioner believes the Senate President has been able to strike a balance between the two sides and this has helped in no small way in protecting his political party, the PDP. Indeed, the way he handled the recent face-off on the floor of the upper chamber over the recent defection from the PDP to the APC has also earned him respect from both sides. Everyone expected the issue to cause a big uproar in the Senate, but some-

how he doused the tension, without ruffling feathers. Ubani noted that the fourth term legislator refused to pander to the whims of former PDP Senators who say they have decamped to APC, and wanted him to announce that development on the floor of the Senate, by telling them that the matter is in court. He added: “He also refused to pander to the interest of some members of his political party who wanted the defectors to be sanctioned. At the end of the day, no one could accuse him of being used to further the interest of any of the two major political parties. But, overall, he succeeded in protecting the interest of the PDP, through the matured way he handled the matter.” He also portrays himself as a statesman, by ensuring that he is seen to be vocal on all national and international issues. For instance, condemns the insecurity in the land when Boko Haram insurgents strike. On the other hand, he calls the bluff of foreign powers when they become overbearing, as they sometimes do when it comes to issues like gay marriage. A brief recap of the tenure of his predecessors is imperative, to better appreciate what Mark has achieved in that regard. At the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999, Senator Evans (or is it Evan?) Enwerem set the tone for other occupants of that coveted office under the Olusegun Obasanjo era, when he stepped on the infamous banana peels and his reign was shortlived. His albatross was the allegation of falsification of his name. But there was more to his fall. He was investigated for the crime of corruption. But the controversy as to whether the senator’s real name was Evan or Evans soon became the subject of intense media attention. He was removed from office on November 18, 1999. He survived for just eight months. After him, the cerebral and bombastic Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, came on board. His tempestuous reign as Senate President also did not last long. Okadigbo, who was usually hailed with his traditional title, the Oyi of Oyi, was known for his opposition to his own political party, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time. But it was his cat and mouse relationship with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo that became his greatest undoing. He was charged with corruption and removed from office in August 2000. He spent less than a year as Senate President. Incidentally, Okadigbo was actively involved in the removal of Enwerem. There was also Anyim Pius Anyim, the Ebonyi State-born politician who occupies the office of Secretary to the Government of the federation at present. He became the Senate President in August 2000 after the removal of Okadigbo. As Senate President, his attempt to impeach Obasanjo failed. He, however, did not seek re-election in the 2003, knowing that his opposition to Obasanjo would cost him a reelection. The reign of Adolphus Wabara, who became the Senate President in 2003, also ended in acrimony. Like those before him, allegations of corruption brought about his downfall. In April 2005, he resigned following allegations that he collected a bribe from the then Minister of Education, Prof. Fabian Osuji, to facilitate the passage of his annual budget. Although Wabara’s charges were eventually dropped, the damage had been done. It was all part of the game plan. He had to go. Senator Ken Nnamani completed the vicious cycle of banana peels the Senate presidency had become until Mark made a grand entry in 2007.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS

Ondo LP loses members to APC in Mimiko’s ward

HE camp of the Labour Party (LP) in Ondo East/ West Local Governments of Ondo State, the hometown of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, depleted at the weekend as scores of its members defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The defectors were led to the APC by former PDP Secretary in Ondo East, Simeon Folasiyan, and a House of Assembly aspirant, Ralph Akinrolabu. They said they decided to join

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

the APC to show that indigenes of Ondo kingdom are not in support of the alleged maladministration of the Mimiko administration. Receiving the defectors at a grand reception in Ondo Kingdom, the Special Adviser to Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Environmental Sanitation, Mr. Bola Ilori, said the people were moving to APC “because of the hardship in the state”.

‘Makurdi Airport terminal ready soon’

•Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (third right); National President/Territorial Chairman, The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Pastor Gabriel Olutola (second left); Pastor James Soude (left); Osogbo Area Superintendent, Pastor Paul Usman (second right); and Oke Igboji Area Superintendent, Ilesa, Pastor Isaac Ogundele, when Pastor Olutola led a team to the Governor in Osogbo...yesterday

Dickson: our problems caused by bad leadership

AYELSA State Governor Seriake Dickson has attributed Nigeria’s problems to 100 years of leadership failure. The governor spoke at the weekend in Yenagoa, the state capital, at a summit organised by the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF). He said: “If Nigeria is boiling, it is because there has been a leadership failure for 100 years.” Dickson, who was represented by his Principal Secretary, Doye Diri, derided critics for blaming Nigeria’s woes on President Goodluck Jonathan. He said the problems existed before the present administration, but that Jonathan has been tackling them through his transfor-

•‘Stop blaming Jonathan’ From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

mation agenda. The governor said it would be unfair for people to expect magic from the President, adding Jonathan, if allowed to implement his agenda, would make Nigeria a better country. Describing his kinsman as a detribalised President, he urged the young professionals to support and pray for Jonathan’s success. Dickson said the ongoing National Conference was one way the President intended to address the challenges facing the country. He disagreed with those calling for the disintegration of the country, observ-

ing that after 100 years Nigerians should be discussing unity and love, instead of secession. “If somebody gives you a woman that you don’t like but you have been able to live with her for 100 years, that means you must have grown to love her. “We have gone far and we cannot at this point turn our back. We are the same people. Africans are the same people. We cannot be talking about disintegration after 100 years,” he said. Dickson said the unity of the country could only be consolidated on justice and peace. He said people should expunge the idea of born-torule from their minds add-

Marwa, supporters join PDP

ORMER Military Governor of Lagos State and a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decision followed a meeting yesterday with his supporters in Yola after their complaint of being marginal-

ised in the APC. Marwa accused APC’s national leadership of handing over the party to Governor Murtala Nyako. Marwa, who contested the last governorship election with Nyako under defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), said his supporters were marginalised at the APC membership registration in the state. He noted that as members

of the legacy parties which formed APC he would not accept a situation where Nyako, who came from PDP, would just take over the party from “the original founders in the state”. Marwa said he would dialogue with the PDP to ensure their fair share in the party. Others, who spoke at the meeting shortly before the voice vote, insisted they should leave for PDP.

Fayemi inaugurates medical library at EKSU

KITI state Governor Kayode Fayemi has pledged to make the Ekiti State University (EKSU) a world-class institution. He said this would be achieved by providing logistics and infrastructure that would enhance the standard of the institution. Fayemi spoke at the weekend at the 19th convocation of the institution. He said the administration’s increased financial commitment to the institution was to ensure that its products could compete favourably with their counterparts across the globe. Fayemi inaugurated the College of Medicine’s library, which is reputed as one of the best in Nigeria. He also kicked off the construction of two roads in the

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

institution. According to him, the library would fast track the full accreditation of the college. The governor recalled that the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities’ Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, described EKSU as a model for states that have more than one university and are incapable of financing them. He said the merger of the three varsities in the state is paying off, adding that EKSU’s graduates emerged the best students in the just concluded examinations at the Nigerian Law School. Fayemi said the ongoing laying of fibre optic cable in the state capital is part of the government’s plan to make the

university a centre for ICTbased examinations and aptitude tests for organisations. He donated an 18-seater bus to the Students Union Government (SUG), led by Temitope Ibitola. While taking the governor round completed projects, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Aina, thanked him for his support to the institution. Aina said the university, for the first time since its establishment in 1982, now gets a capital grant and has a N50 million increase in its subvention. He hailed Fayemi on the institution’s partnership with some universities in South Africa, saying this will facilitate exchange programmes that will build the capacity of workers and students.

ing that all Nigerians were born equal. The summit, which attracted young professionals from different walks of life “the role of young professionals in nation-building and the quest for puorpseful leadership” as its theme. It attracted four speakers and presentations by a 10year-old saxophonist from Akwa Ibom State, David Eka, as well as a young female singer from Bayelsa State, Naomi Mac.

HE remodelled Makurdi airport Terminal will soon be completed and inaugurated, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said. The Managing Director, Sale Dunoma, called on the contractor to follow the specifications as FAAN engineers would continue to monitor

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

progress of work. He was conducted round the terminal by the Airport Manager, Olatokunbo Arewa. Dunoma hoped the terminal will make Makurdi attractive to airlines. The MD inspected the arrival and departure halls, lounges, toilets and office spaces.

Council presents budget

HAIRMAN of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State Oluwole Enilobobo yesterday presented a budget of N1.4billlon to the legislative council. He said the main thrust of the budget is to ensure that it improves the lives of the people. A statement by the council’s Director of Information of the council, Tola Oshunlaja, the budget has a 22.7 reduction from what it had in the previous year due to the dwindling allocation from the federal account.

By Nneka Nwaneri

The budget will be financed from revenue receipts and other internally generated revenue. According to him, the budget was also designed to complement policies, programmes and projects for direct impact on the lives of the people. Among such projects are cleanliness; general administration; women and youth empowerment; community development; provision of social amenities as well as other infrastructural development of the community.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31 , 2014

NEWS

Immigration jobs deaths: Tears, pains at victim’s funeral

ESIDENTS of OkonAku in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State condemned at the weekend the death of Sunday Okezie Kalu. He was among the five people, who died at the Nigeri Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise during a stampede at the Elekahia Stadium in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital. They wailed as the remains of Kalu, a microbiologist, arrived from Port Harcourt. His body left Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) at 6am and was re-

Truck driver ‘kills’ girl, 4, Man, 38

•Condolence letter rejected From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

ceived by his parents, relatives and youths about noon. A white ambulance carrying Kalu’s remains was escorted to his hometown by his weeping friends, who handed the body to Ohafia youths. They took it round the community. When the body got to his family home, the late Kalu’s 48-year-old mother, Mrs. Justina Okezie Kalu, who had

collapsed and was hospitalised for days on hearing of her son’s death, went into a coma and almost died. His father was speechless. He watched his son’s body, as it was brought out of the ambulance. His legs were trembling and his head was bowed. The people at the funeral rejected a condolence message by the State Command of NIS. The victim’s relatives said it should not be read, as it was unnecessary. The deceased’s father, a 55-

•The late Kalu year-old security guard with the Abia State Primary School Board, said nobody should blame his son for attending the recruitment, but the organisers, who toyed with people’s lives.

TRUCK driver, Mr. Chimezie Isaac, has allegedly killed two pedestrians–a four-year-old girl and a 38-year-old man. The cause of the accident, which occurred at Umunkama village in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, could not be ascertained at press time. A source, who preferred anonymity, said the driver of the truck with registration number Lagos: LSD 283 XD was heading for Akwa Ibom State on the Aba/Ikot Ekpene Highway when his vehicle swerved and killed the victims. The Nation learnt that the victims died on the spot. Their bodies were deposited in a mortuary. Police investigation has begun. Efforts to get the identities of the victims were unsuccessful at press time. The police could not be reached for confirmation, but their source confirmed the incident, saying investigation had started.

Residents lose N2m property in fire

ROPERTY worth more than N2 million were burnt at the weekend in Aba, Abia State. The Nation learnt that the incidents occurred at Uratta near the expressway and on Omuma road in Aba about midnight and 3am. Witnesses said the fire at Uratta affected buildings and men of the Fire Service put out the inferno at Omuma, preventing it from spreading to adjoining buildings. A resident of Uratta, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as unfortunate. He said: “Do you know •Secretary, Somolu Local Government (representative of Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa), Dr Owolabi Salu (left) presenting an empowerment tool (Industrial Weaving Machine) to one of the beneficiaries of Gbenga Ashafa Trust Endowment (GATE) Scheme, Mr Kazeem Ibraheem at the senator’s constituency office, Ikosi- Ketu, Lagos...yesterday.

From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

what it means for someone to put out a fire at that time of the night? We battled to stop the fire from spreading. I wish you were there to see the damage the fire did to people’s property. The inferno did a lot of damage before the Fire Service men arrived. I don’t know who called them, but had the call been made early, the damage wouldn’t have been huge.” The victims could not be reached at press time. Abia Fire Service chief Victor Gbaruko, in a telephone conversation confirmed the

incidents. He said nobody died. Gbaruko, who estimated the cost of the damage to be over N2million, said it would have been worse, but for the response of his men, who arrived at Omuma early. Gbaruko said: “My men were returning from Uratta when they received an emergency call from someone, who alerted them to a fire outbreak on Omuma road. “The infernos can be attributed to electric sparks from short circuits. We have advised people to unplug electrical gadgets when they are not in use.”

20 gunmen invade

Journalists decry Sun editor’s arrest council chambers

HE League of Veteran Journalists, Oyo State chapter, has condemned the manner of arrest of Mr. Ebere Wabara, an editor with Sun Publishing Ltd, publishers of The Sun, by the police. In a statement by the Chairman, Alhaji Kola Animasaun, General Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Sola Osotoye, the league said: “The manner of arrest is a violation of Wabara’s human rights and an assault on the rule of law, which the government professes to uphold.” It said the manner of the arrest and the treatment meted out to the editor were tantamount to abduction – an action, which a civilised organisation like the police should not be associated with “since we are not under dictatorship.” The group added: “At no time was it announced or stated that Wabara was invited by the police and he refused to honour the invitation. Also, it was not indicated that proper warrant of arrest was presented when Wabara was being hounded by the police in the presence of his family, including his young children.”

•Cart away mace From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Onitsha

TWENTY gunmen at the weekend invaded the secretariat of Idemmili South Local Government Area of Anambra State at Ojoto and took away the mace. A source said they came about 3pm in a Hilux van without a plate number, blowing a siren. He said they rushed into the legislative chambers where the mace was kept, grabbed it and went away with it, adding that the incident occurred when the lawmakers were sitting.

5000 affected by windstorm in four states, O fewer than 5000 says NEMA tions.” “The hostels were gutpersons have been

affected by windstorm across the Southwest this year alone. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which broke the news yesterday, noted that about 600 houses have been destroyed. Urging Nigerians to be cautious of climate-related disasters, the agency stated that about 250 pupils of Unity Secondary School, Ikire, Osun State, have been displaced by fire. NEMA’s zonal coordinator, Iyiola Akande urged Nigerians to embark on voluntary tree-planting to cushion the effect of climate change. After assessing the extent of damage in IjebuIgbo, Ijebu North Local Government of Ogun State, Akande said that over 200 houses were destroyed by windstorm and about 3,314 persons affected. “In Idi Araba town in

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Ogo Oluwa Local Government Area and Onipanu town in Surulere Local Government all in Oyo State, about 100 houses were destroyed and over 800 persons affected,” he said. Akande said the windstorm destroyed over 515 houses in Ekiti State with Hail Storm causing severe destruction in Omu-Ekiti and hail pebble injuring one person. “About 1,099 people were affected in Ado Ekiti and Omu Ekiti altogether and Osogbo and Ilesa West communities had bitter taste of the windstorm with scores of houses and several people affected. “Earlier, we had assessed the destruction of two blocks of hostel at Unity Secondary School, Ikire, Osun State where over 250 children have been affected and 80 of them are due to start their final examina-

ted by fire two times barely five days apart from each other during school hours. “From the assessment, we suggested that more security facilities should be provided while perimeter fence is highly recommended against intruders who could be mischief makers,” he said. The coordinator advised that pupils be trained on basic risk reduction by the state government to prepare the society in resilient to disaster occurrence. Akande warned people to desist from hiding, under makeshift structures, which he said could cavein as a result of heavy windstorm and result in disaster. “Parents should avoid sending children on errand under the unfolding transition from dry to raining season to prevent exposing the vulnerable children to danger,” he said.

THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS Youths call for sack of Alison-Madueke, Moro

•The protesters...yesterday.

PHOTO: BOLAJI OGUNDELE

RAFFIC on the everbusy DSC Expressway, Efunrun, Delta State, was disturbed yesterday, as hundreds of youths, under the umbrella of the Niger Delta People’s Salvation Front (NDPSF), called for the sack of two ministers. The protesters, led by Rex Anighoro, spokesman of the NDPSF leader, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, said the protest would be taken to Abuja, if President Goodluck Jonathan fails to sack the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke and the Minister of Interior Affairs, Abba Moro. The protesters, dressed in red T-shirts, imprinted with pictures of Alison-

Suspect in EFCC net reappears in fresh oil theft

HERE was drama at the headquarters of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at the weekend. One of the suspects on parade for oil theft was discovered to have been apprehended in the past for a similar offence. He was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution. Tall, dark, 33-year-old Joshua Timothy Orupere was among the two Britons and 12 Nigerians arrested for attempting to steal oil from pipelines belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company on the Chanomi Creek in Western Delta. The suspects also tried to bribe officials of the JTF with $650,000. “We have arrested this person before. I think his name is Orupere,”one of the officers insisted as he pointed at him. His observation startled the JTF Commander, Major-General, Emmanuel Atewe. Gen. Atewe, who was represented at the event by the JTF’s Media Coordinator, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, was furious, having ascertained that Orupere was supposed to be undergoing prosecution by the EFCC. Orupere, who broke down

NOSDRA hails JTF for arrests

HE Chairman of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Maj Lancelot Anyanya (rtd), has praised the Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Pulo Shield, Maj-Gen Emmanuel Atewe, for the latest arrest of oil thieves, including two Britons, at the weekend. Lancelot said the success of the JTF in ridding the Niger Delta of oil theft and illegal bunkering was important, if NOSDRA must sanitise and save the environment. “The problem of crude oil theft, illegal bunkering is one that has been a major worry to everyone. We are excited as an agency that those ills, those vices, those criminal activities are being eliminated. “Our worry at NOSDRA is about oil spill and a major source of that problem is that of oil thieves because more often than not, these saboteurs do not have the expertise to deal with the infrastructure they attack, thereby damaging our ecology. “This damage to the ecology is one that no one is immune from because of the health implications. It is an economic terrorism and a crime that must be won.” He called on stakeholders in the oil-bearing region to embrace a new regime of engagement being canvassed by NOSDRA, which places premium on patriotism and conscientious approach to the fight against oil theft. “There is now an urgent call to reason and to duty and we have to ensure we do all that is necessary to rid the region of oil spillage because the environment is our future.“ From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

in tears after his identity was uncovered, was arrested and paraded by JTF last July for the theft of 1.2 metric tonnes of crude oil loaded in two vessels. He was arrested at Sagana, off the coast of Akassa in Bayelsa State but he attempted to bribe the then

Chief of Staff, JTF, Col. Fidelis Azinta with $30,300. The suspect was paraded with the dollars and was later handed over to the EFCC after a brief ceremony at the JTF’s headquarters. But Orupere, who should be behind bars or undergoing prosecution, was arrested for a fresh case of oil theft involving bribery alongside two Britons.

Police corporal kills baby

POLICE corporal attached to the headquarters of the Edo State Police Command, Samuel Abiola, has allegedly killed his 19-month-old baby. Corporal Abiola was said to have beaten his wife, Abigail, to coma before strangulating the baby. The incident occurred at their residence at Sam Enobakhare Cresent, Off St. Saviour Road, Benin City, the Edo State capital. The policeman, who hails from Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, was alleged to have impregnated another woman from Oghara in Delta State. His wife said the attack occurred at 6pm on March 25 without any prior quarrel with the husband.

•Beats wife to coma From Osagie Otabor, Benin

She said her husband started beating her when she asked about his countenance. Abigail recalled that her husband abandoned her at the hospital after having the baby through Caesarian Section. Abigail said she spent almost two months at the hospital before some policemen intervened and discharged her from the hospital. “He kicked me in my stomach and pressed my neck. He slapped me and I ran out. He carried the baby, bite it in the neck, belly and face. He later locked me out.” Abigail’s mother, Mrs. Jane Omoruyi, said she visited her

daughter that day only to discover that she was battered by her husband. She said her son-in-law opened the door after several knocks and she saw her grandson writhing in pains with visible marks on his body. Mrs. Omoruyi said Abiola told her that he gave the baby some drugs. She said they took the child to Jonos Medical Clinic where doctors confirmed him dead. The Chief Medical Director, Dr. Jolly Nosakhare Iguma, confirmed that “a mother and her daughter brought in a dead baby”. Police spokesman Moses Eguavoen said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

His new gang was said to have offered $65,000 to the Commander 4 Brigade. Unknown to Orupere, Col. Azinta, the brains behind his first arrest, had been transferred to head the brigade after his promotion as a Brigadier-General. He also turned down the bribe and arrested all the suspects. On how he returned to his illegal business, Orupere said he was granted bail by the court. He claimed that he partook in the fresh incident after the masterminds convinced him

that they had all the required approvals. But an angry Atewe blamed the menace of oil theft on lack of diligent prosecution by the responsible agencies. He said until agencies saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting suspected oil thieves discharged their duties dilligently, economic sabotage would continue. The JTF commander said the Task Force lacked the power to prosecute arrested offenders, adding that the cabals behind theft have the logistics to frustrate ongoing war against economic sabotage.

•Disrupt traffic From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

Madueke and Moro, carried banners and placards. They said youths supported President Jonathan and planned to stand by him, but noted that he must let the ministers go. Anighoro said the petroleum minister had ‘exhibited recklessness’, while the Interior minister had shown he has no value for life. “We want to say we support Jonathan and we intend to stand by him, but Alison-Madueke and Moro must go. “These people have given the opposition things to say against the president. If this is not heeded, we shall take this protest to Abuja and other places. “It is a shame that a nation as Nigeria can’t carry out a simple recruitment without wasting lives. “The Petroleum minister has let us down. Our mothers in the villages cannot afford three square meals. Diezani must go. “We, the youths of the NDPSF, in collaboration with youths from all parts of Delta, have come to demand that these ministers resign or be sacked by Mr President,” Anighoro said. Youths from the Ijaw, Urhobo, Anioma and other tribes in the state took part in the protest.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS (SHOWBIZ)

Voters upset judges Voters upset judges on Nigerian Idol Idol on Nigerian

S the ongoing Nigerian Idol reality show sifts contestants for the Top 12 stage, the first set of three candidates that scaled through via public votes did not seem to satisfy the judges. The three-man panel expressed its disappointment, Saturday night, during the show, saying that voters were sentimental, as there were better candidates with the least number of votes. R’n’B singer, Darey ArtAlade was the first to speak. According to him, although the three contestants adjudged by the voters as the best in the group are talented, there was at least one person who could have also been voted in. He however did not mention the candidate. On the previous show, Darey, who was asked to sum up his experience for the day, gave a nod to Evelle, Daniel Buba and Elvis Jay. “Unfortunately, the judges don’t get to decide which contestants has to go on to the next stage, only the votes of viewers at home will determine who goes home or stays back to battle for the coveted Idol crown,” he had said. Of the three, Elvis Jay, was the only one favoured by the viewers. Going by the outcome of last week’s public votes, Germany-based Nigerian soul singer, Nneka Egbuna was less diplomatic. “I am upset,” she said. “I came all the way to add credibility to this show, but it is unfortunate that you guys (voters) are not on the

•Stories by Victor Akande

same frequency with us (the judges). For Dede, protégé of the Afrobeat precursor, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, there was no point shying away from mentioning the guys who could have been among the best-three. Expressing his disappointment, he said two guys; Evelle and Daniel Buba should have been voted in, because they are undoubtedly talented. There was palpable silence in the studio as show anchor and On-Air Personality, IllRymz was about to announce the voting result. The quiet soon gave way to murmuring as Jezzy Rae and Lisa were called out. Over the years, there have been criticisms of voting patterns in reality shows, because contestants with the least performance appear to be more aggressive in canvassing friends and family members for votes. Often times, they come tops, while the guys with the audience hype expect fans to vote for them naturally. This year, telecommunications company, Etisalat is the headline sponsors, through which the votes are collated, while Pepsi as official beverage company of the competition. Despite the criticized choice of voters, there is a leeway for any contestant whose promotion to the next stage, the judges feel strongly about. Although they declined using the Lifeline, as that could only safe one contestant of their

choice, the judges may use the Wild Card, another prerogative with the capacity to safe three candidates, by putting them on the next stage. The show is blazing hot week after week, as 12 of the numerous contestants are selected for the gala rounds. The number of contestants is still enormous, and fans’ followership of the individual contestant has not been pronounced. However, with several side attractions, the event continues to excite TV viewers. For example, memories of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti held sway, with Dede, putting up a remarkable performance during the recording of the first group of Top 30 contestants. Dressed in a black t-shirt, that had the image of Fela, and the inscription; ‘United We Stand’, Dede, as he is popularly called said, “Fela influenced who I am today greatly, though he is no more in body, he constantly remains in my heart.” The show which airs on Saturdays and Sundays on NTA, STV, HIP TV, CRBC Calabar, DRTV Warri, and Startimes Channels promises a grand prize is N7.5 million, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry, an iPod and a brand new SUV car. The first runner-up gets N1.5 million, a Galaxy Tab, Blackberry and iPod, while the 2nd runner-up will receive N1million, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry and an iPod. Organisers say each of the finalists from 4th to 10th place will also receive a cash prize of N100, 000, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry and an iPod.

•Nneka with Dede

Beyoncé weeps after tour

AFTER all the highs of her Mrs Carter World Show, Beyoncé broke down in tears in front of thousands of fans on Thursday night, as her tour came to a dramatic end. The star posted an Instagram picture of her leisure spot to her 11 million followers on Saturday, two days after finishing the final show of her tour in Lisbon, Portugal. In the picture, the singer appeared barefoot, wearing sunglasses, a simple pair of black trousers and a matching top, with her long blonde hair tumbling in waves around her shoulders. The quiet time became

necessary for the singer who is said to have performed to fans all over the world for a year, and stepping out 132 times, not spending enough time with her little daughter, a reason she wept in front of fans. “When I first started the tour, my baby was not even walking yet,” she told the crowd. “I just want you to know that I am so lucky. I’m giving you all an ugly crythank you all again.” But Beyonce’s hubby, Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy were never far from her during her tour. The little girl got a royal treatment when she turned 2, on Jan. 7. Her famous parents rented out Jungle Is-

land, a wildlife park and botanical garden in Miami, as birthday treat. Queen Bey, as she is fondly called had excited fans who screamed and cried. Jay Z, who performed in the final show, was quick to embrace his wife and treat her to some celebratory refreshment. Grabbing his favourite champagne, Armand de Brignac, the rapper poured his wife a big glass but she happily grabbed the whole bottle. Cheering the crew, Beyonce, Jay Z and all her dancers were seen posing in a group photo before getting to the real partying.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS Navy to add two more vessels to its fleet

Obasanjo backs competition in Cable TV market By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

O increase the number of functional ships in the nation’s naval fleet, the Nigerian Navy (NN) is set to get two more vessels. Already, naval personnel trained by the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) are in China to bring home a custommade Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV). Similarly, another set that would travel to the United States to bring a US Coast Guard Ship GALLATINE, purchased by the NN are currently undergoing trainings. Speaking in Lagos after his first bi-annual tour of ships and establishment, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) NAVTRAC, Rear Admiral Goddy Anyankpele said trainings for prospective National Defence College (NDC) participants had begun, adding that the pilot stage was very successful as the NDC qualifying examination result revealed over 90 per cent pass by naval officers. He added that efforts were on to boost the capacity of naval per-

•Rear Admiral Anyankpele flanked by the command’s Chief Staff Officer (CSO) Rear Admiral A.A. Oshinowo (right) and Rear Admiral A.A. Yusuf...yesterday. PHOTO: PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU

By Precious Igbonwelundu

sonnel for international relevance, just as he said that the force was collaborating and affiliating with relevant bodies for the accreditation of courses run in its training schools. Anyankpele said: “Already, the Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College has been partially accredited in four courses-Accounting, Business Administration, Hospitality and Catering Management as well as Office Technology and Management- pending the fulfillment of the complete requirement for full accreditation. “Also, the NN Engineering College has been given interim accreitation in some of its courses following the recent visits by the

National Board for Technical Education. “NN School of Health Sciences, Offa is now affiliated to some health institutions such as Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa, Nigerian Army School of Nursing, Yaba” Anyankpele said plans were on to introduce Chinese Language in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, as well as Arabic Language in its schools for easy communication of its personnel during Peace-Keeping operations. The China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC) had launched NN’s first of two P-18N offshore patrol vessels contracted to it by the NN. The

OPV’s launch (F91) also marked the hull formation ceremony of the second vessel, F92, which is expected in the country later in the year for completion. Though the first one was built in China, part of the contractual agreement between the NN and the Ship’s company is to ensure that 50 and 70 percent of the second ship will be constructed in Nigeria to enhance local shipbuilding capability and provide technology transfer. CSOC has also signed a contract to upgrade the Nigerian Naval Shipyard in Port Harcourt including the construction of new jetty and dry dock so that it can build OPVs and maintain vessels.

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for stiff competition among operators of Cable Television Network. Obasanjo spoke in his Abeokuta, Ogun State Hilltop at the weekend when a firm, Montage Cable Network presented him with its decoder, thus making him the first person to subscribe to the network. The former president lamented the monopoly in the cable television network business with its attendant hike in price of the services rendered. He said when there is competition, consumers would have the power to bargain. According to him, a market where there is a monopoly is not good for the economy, saying that he was happy that Montage Cable Network has entered the satellite cable transmission to break the monopoly in the market and afford consumers the opportunity to make choices. Obasanjo drew an analogy, using the traditional market system. He said: “In our normal way, you don’t go to the market and say there is only one garri seller. You don’t go to the market and say there is only one yam seller; there must be plenty of them and then you must be able to bargain. “For me, the beauty of market in our traditional way is the ability to bargain. Thank you very much (Montage) for giving us the market,” he said, while endorsing the new cable network. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Bamidele Adetunji said the network would serve as alternative to DSTV, but not to displace anybody from the market, adding that this alternative is qualitative and affordable as monthly subscription is pegged at N5,000 not minding the number of channels the cable network would have in the future. According to him, Montage Cable Network would kick off with 36 channels cutting across news, sports, African movies, foreign movies, baby television, animal kingdom, cartoons, among several others. He said that it’s decoder is small and portable and with time, the cable would increase its stations to 60, but that the subscription price would still be the same.

Immigration jobs tragedy: Ex-prisons chief pleads with Nigerians

former Controller General of Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), Mr Akanam Effiok has craved the understanding of Nigerians in general and in particular families of victims of the recent Nigerian

Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment tragedy across the country, while calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to ignore calls for the sack of Interna l Affairs Minister Abba Moro. In a statement Mr Effiok

said: “I, like most Nigerians, am shocked by the tragic events of Saturday, March 15. I express my deep and sincere sympathy to the families of those that died in the recruitment exercise. “I wish to convey my

hopes that those wounded during the exercise will experience quick and full recoveries. I am also pained by the inconvenience experienced by the applicants. “I acknowledge the need to understand what hap-

pened and why it happened. By all accounts, the Minister of Interior , Comrade Abba Moro and the Nigeria Immigration Service had good intentions. The exercise was mainly to test the knowledge of the candidates and to

employ qualified persons into the service.” On the call for the sack of the minister, Mr Effiok said it had been generally “ridiculous , highly subjective or some times self indulgent’’.

FOREIGN

Ukraine crisis: US, Russia ministers in Paris talks R USSIAN Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry have arrived in Paris for crisis talks on Ukraine. The meeting was hastily arranged after President Vladimir Putin phoned President Barack Obama on Friday. Russia has annexed Crimea and there are reports of thousands of Russian troops massed close to Ukraine’s borders. Earlier Mr Lavrov set out demands for a neutral and federal Ukraine, an idea Kiev called “full capitulation”. However, Mr Lavrov has categorically denied any plans for an invasion. But he has stressed Moscow will protect the rights of ethnic Russians and Russian speakers, after pro-EU protests in Kiev led to the ousting of Ukraine’s

President Viktor Yanukovych. He had faced months of protests after pulling out of an association deal with Brussels. On Sunday the US ordered its top general in Europe to return early from a trip to Washington. Gen Philip Breedlove, Nato’s supreme allied commander Europe, had been due to testify to Congress, but a Pentagon spokesman told Reuters his return was prudent “given the lack of transparency and intent from Russian leadership about their military movements across the border”. Hours before the Paris talks were due to take place at the Russian ambassador’s residence, Mr Lavrov told Russian state TV that Ukraine should come up with a new constitu-

tion “providing for a federal structure” and neutrality. The Russian foreign minister said Moscow, the US and European Union should act as a support group for Kiev to begin a nationwide dialogue that did not involve the “armed radicals”. Moscow claims that fascists have taken power in Ukraine, jeopardising the safety of Russian speakers. In an interview on Saturday, he said Russia had been deceived after being promised “there would be no movement of Nato military infrastructure closer to our borders”. The Ukrainian foreign ministry said it deeply regretted Mr Lavrov’s “patronising” remarks. “At the point of its automatic rifles, this aggressor demands

only one thing - Ukraine’s full capitulation, its split and the destruction of Ukrainian statehood,” said a statement carried by Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Nato’s outgoing SecretaryGeneral Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned on Sunday that Russia’s government was “[flouting] the principle that every state is sovereign and free to choose its own fate”. Map of Trans-Dniester Mr Putin is also thought to be demanding that Washington accepts Crimea’s independence from Ukraine. Separately, Moscow is keen to tackle the issue of TransDniester, a pro-Russian separatist region of Moldova on the south-western border of Ukraine. It accuses Ukraine and Moldova of “blockading” the area while the EU and the US stay silent.

Rapper Benzino shot in mum’s funeral procession

•Scott

EALITY TV rapper Benzino has been shot and injured - allegedly by his nephew - while attending his mother’s funeral. The 48-year-old star of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, whose real name is Raymond Scott, had been driving in the funeral procession in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on Saturday, when Gai Scott pulled alongside in a Bentley and fired into Benzino’s Dodge SUV, ac-

cording to authorities. The boss of Hip-Hop Weekly sought help from a passerby and was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds, where he is reported to be in a critical condition. Family and friends are said to be at his bedside, including fiancee Althea Heart. Gai Scott, 36, has been arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder. It is claimed there had been an on-going feud between the pair. He is due to appear in court on Monday. In a statement, a representative for Benzino said he had been shot in the shoulder. “At this time we ask that you keep Benzino in your prayers as we are hoping for a speedy recovery,” it added.

Malaysia flight MH370: Chinese families vent anger

ELATIVES of Chinese passengers from the missing Malaysian plane have vented their anger at government officials, after arriving in Kuala Lumpur. Chanting “Tell us the truth”, they said they wanted the Malaysian prime minister to apologise for what they regard as misleading statements. Eight ships and nine planes searched around 252,000 sq km (97,000 sq miles) of ocean for debris on Sunday. The Beijing-bound plane disappeared on 8 March with 239 people on board. International investigators have

concluded that, based on satellite data, the missing Boeing 777 crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean. The search zone shifted on Friday after further analysis. But while aircraft continue to spot debris in the water, nothing recovered by ships has so far been verified as being from the plane. Some relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have refused to accept the Malaysian account of events and blame the authorities. On Sunday, several dozen family members travelled from

Beijing. After landing in Kuala Lumpur they held a news conference at a hotel holding up banners that read “We want evidence, truth, dignity” in Chinese, and “Hand us the murderer. Give us our relatives,” in English. Their designated representative, Jiang Hui, said they wanted the Malaysian government to apologise for the initial handling of the disaster, as well as for Prime Minister Najib Razak’s earlier statement that indicated the plane had crashed with no survivors. He said the conclusion had been

announced “without direct evidence or a sense of responsibility”. He said the group wanted to meet airline and government officials face to face - although he stopped short of saying that these included Mr Najib, as some relatives had earlier suggested. Before the relatives travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the search for survivors would continue. “The hardest part of my job is to see the families,” he said. “I’ve always said we are hoping against hope that we will find survivors.”

On Sunday, Malaysian officials cancelled their daily update on the search for a second day. The objects recovered by Australian naval ship HMAS Success and China’s Haixun 01 on Saturday had been examined and were thought to be fishing equipment and other flotsam, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) said in a statement. The BBC’s Jon Donnison explains how a “towed pinger locator” is used An Australian vessel carrying a US device known as a “towed pinger locator” is due to join the search in the coming days.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

NEWS Legal giant GOK Ajayi dies at 82 Continued from page 2

“We shall miss his intellect, guiding hands, leadership, fatherly advice and, above all, his principles,” Osipitan said. To Femi Falana (SAN), the late Ajayi was “a graceful bourgeois lawyer”. Even though he was Conservative, he defended progressive causes with uncanny audacity and relentless commitment. His knowledge of the law was unimpeachable. He had total contempt for corrupt judges and incompetent lawyers,” the right activist-lawyer said. He went on: “For over four decades, his name featured prominently in the law reports and learned journals. In spite of the incipient rottenness in the legal system, Chief Ajayi was never associated with corrupt practices. “Through the instrumentality of the law, Chief Ajayi fought against the deportation of a Nigeria legislator, illegal seizure of passports of social critics and fraudulent election results perpetrated by criminally-minded politicians.” He provided a robust defence for Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN and Chief MKO Abiola when they were charged with political sabotage and treason respectively. He was counsel to Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Adekunle Ajasin. “For defending pro democracy and human rights activists, Chief Ajayi’s passport was seized while he was subjected to untold harassment by security forces. But he was not deterred as he was as constant as the northern star in the defence of rule of law and social justice. “We walked together when Comrade Alao-Aka Bashorun led the NBA from 1987 to 1989.

In the last few years, he was disturbed that the NBA had progressively compromised and lost its powerful voice. The greatest tribute that Nigerian lawyers can pay to Chief Ajayi is to resolve to liberate the NBA from the grip of reactionary and corrupt bar leaders.” “An Iroko has fallen and the profession will never be the same again”, said chairman, NBA Committee on Legal Practice, Funke Adekoya (SAN). She described the late Ajayi’s death as “the passing of an era”. “He was the one who challenged the Federal Government on quota for education and lawyers of his generation are fast disappearing. “It is now left for those of us who are still here to carry on the baton. “He was a great man and was respected and loved by many. “His ethics were impeccable. No rumour or any negative thing about his practice. He was a role model to many of us. “His life is a lesson for us to stick firmly to professional ethics and endeavour to fight for what we believe is right,” she said. Chairman, NBA, Ikeja, Monday Ubani, said Ajayi’s sudden death was shocking. “There goes to the Maker and to the ancestors one of the finest souls in the legal profession. “He was a titan and bestrode the legal profession like a colossus. His sudden death, without a prior notice of any ailment, is surprising. Nigeria and the legal profession will surely mourn and miss this great man.” Former chairman, NBA Lagos branch, Mr. Taiwo Taiwo said the Bar had lost one of its leading lights, especially not only as

an active barman, but also as a leader of the legal profession. He would surely be remembered for a lot of cases he has handled up to the Supreme Court. These are cases wherein the principles of law were developed. I am sure that all members of the legal profession, especially all those who knew him when he was in active practice, would remember him for his contribution to the development of the legal profession.” Lagos lawyer Wahab Shittu said the late Ajayi was an extraordinary advocate with great talent. “GOK was on the same pedestal and rating with the likes of Chief FRA Williams, Chief Afe Babalola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi in terms of professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness. “A principled and disciplined advocate, GOK easily qualifies as one of the greatest and most colourful lawyers this country

21 Boko Haram detainees die in failed jailbreak Continued from page 2

The second statement said: “Further to my earlier statement, we wish to state that the roads leading to the office were cordoned off to prevent possible assistance from external collaborators. “During this period, the precinct of the office and adjoining neighborhoods were thoroughly searched. Meanwhile, normalcy has returned to the area as the roads have been opened for free movement of persons and vehicles “We wish to restate our commitment to the safety of the people and the Nigerian nation at large. “Any other detail will be communicated.” Heavy security had been built around the Presidential Villa and the Federal Capital Territory by soldiers with military helicopters deployed in the area. There was suspicion that the

jailbreak might be a prelude to a major attack on the Villa and Abuja. A source said: “All military formations and security agencies have been put on the alert to ward off any aggression by the sect. “The Villa is being heavily protected as I speak with you only to guard against any spill over. But the Villa is not under threat in any manner.” As at 5pm, normal traffic had been restored to the SSS headquarters motorway and Villa precincts although some sol-

French govt pardons Etete Continued from page 2

ordered him to pay 150,000 euros to Nigeria as compensation for moral prejudice and 20,000 euros in fees. The bulletin number 3 from the French Justice Ministry which conveyed the pardon

Lamido lashes Jonathan over missing $20b, conference Continued from page 2

He also said the dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri federal road, which was started more than eight years ago, remained uncompleted. He described this as a manifestation of lack of seriousness from the leaders. Lamido accused the President of gathering elders and respectable nationals to be embarrassing themselves in the name of national conference. He said: “Some comments and statements from some delegates to the conference is disappointing and a threat to the unity of the nation.” “It is unfortunate that our last line of hope, which comprises

the emirs, clerics and elder statesmen, has been assembled somewhere and are busy insulting one another in the name of national conference. Believe me, if the situation continues, our nation’s unity is in danger,” he said. The governor added: “If the PDP or APC members of the House of Assembly abuse one another, it is understandable because it is democracy for one party to challenge another.” Lamido noted also that the administration is full of deceit and lackadaisical attitude to people’s needs and interests. “It is quite unfortunate that today in Nigeria, hundreds of innocent people are killed, like chicken on a dai-

diers were still sighted around the area. The SSS launched a probe into the incident to determine whether there was sabotage or not. Another source added: “The internal probe has started to ascertain if there was any culpability by anybody or group. This will involve grilling of surviving Boko Haram “We are also trying to determine the real motives of Boko Haram behind the jailbreak. “We will get to the roots as soon as possible and whoever is involved will be dealt with.

ly basis for no just reason and nobody cared to talk about it.” His words: “It is only in Nigeria that $20billion would be declared missing from the public treasury, but no one cared to talk about it because leaders can dare any huge consequences in bargaining and securing their political interests. “The leadership in this country is totally disconnected from the people. All its policies are formulated in parallel with the needs, plight and interest of the common man and the country”. “The masses are today living in agony due to high level of injustice, denial, imposition, abuse of office ensured by the tyranny of bad leadership.”

granted Etete stated: “Statement of convictions to be recorded on bulletin No. 3 in compliance with Art. 777 of the code criminal procedure. In the absence of convictions to be recorded on bulletin no. 3, the said bulletin will bear only a transversal bar (Article R. 84 of the code of criminal procedure).” The statement said that consequent upon the state pardon granted Etete, his solicitors, Pierre Benoliel, wrote to the French Ambassador in Nigeria to accord the former minister recognition and deal with him as a free man without constraints. “The letter dated March 7, reads: As youknow, Mr. Dan Etete, eminent personality in Nigeria is a great friend of France and has been so for many years. “In spite of the judicial vicissitudes that he has unfortunately known in the beginning of years 2000, he is now free of any constraint and he complies with the fiscal and legal French administrations.”

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM

ARIK PRO AM GOLF

Tourney to honour Jonathan in May

Moses plays for eight minutes in Red’s win N I G E R I A international, Victor Moses made yesterday a rare appearance as Liverpool climbed back to the top of the Premier League table for the first time since December.They comfortably dispatched Tottenham 4-0 at Anfield. The Super Eagles’ winger saw only eight minutes of action, replacing Raheem Sterling in the 82nd minute. Despite Liverpool’s excellent form, the former Wigan attacker has largely failed to impose himself during his loan season from Chelsea. The 23-year-old does appear on course to be part of a title-winning team, but

By Akeem Lawal his contributions have been minimal. Moses hasn’t started a league game since December 1 and has only rarely managed to earn himself an appearance from the bench. His inability to get important playing time at the club has been a cause for concern for Nigeria Head Coach Stephen Keshi ahead of the World Cup in June. Sunday’s result ‘however’ capped a fine weekend for Brendan Rodgers’ side after Chelsea were beaten by Crystal Palace on Saturday and Manchester City could only draw with Arsenal. The Reds eighth successive league win was barely in doubt as they dominated

proceedings from start to finish. A Younis Kaboul own goal had given the Reds the lead after just two minutes before Luis Suarez made it 2-0 on 25 minutes. Liverpool’s domination continued throughout the second period and Brazilian Coutinho struck a third from outside the box, before Jordan Henderson’s inswinging free-kick went through a crowd and straight past Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal to complete a resounding victory. Meanwhile, despite going top, Rodgers says that he is not thinking about what could be Liverpool’s first title

since 1990 and their first ever Premier League crown. “The dream is for our supporters, they want to win the title - but it is not in my thinking, my thinking it is to prepare the team and perform well and if we do that we can continue to win games and then we can see where that takes it,” Rodgers told Sky Sports.

Eagles must qualify for World Cup 2nd round- Ezeugo

ORMER Super Eagles’ defender Emeka Ezeugo has tipped the team to sail through to the second round of the 2014 World Cup holding in Brazil in June. The former Heartland FC and Abia Warriors handler said the Eagles have better luck compared with his own time and he believes the team has no excuse than to qualify for at least the second round of the Mundial.

From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja “That is a very easy group than the group at our own time. You cannot ask for a better group than this and I see no reason why the team cannot progress from there. This draw that produced Nigeria, Bosnia, Iran and Argentina is far better compared with the USA ’94 group pairing that had

Argentina, Bulgaria and Greece ,” he said. Ezeugo also had words of advice for his former colleague in the Eagles, now the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi as he prepares to make public his 35-man World Cup provisional list. “I have always believed that the buck stops at Keshi’s table on whoever he wants to take to the World Cup and

Warri Wolves out of CAF cup

ARRI Wolves on Sunday afternoon crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup when they lost to C.A.Bizertin by 2-1. The game started on a fast note with the Bizerte boys taking the battle to Warri Wolves and their efforts paid off in the 7th minute when Harbaoui Hassen scored the first goal with their vociferous fans behind them. Musa Najare restored parity when he slotted home a pass from Stanley Dimgba who had outwitted Mathlouthi Hamza and onrushing Machani Ali in the 27th minute to silence the home crowd.

From , OSemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin However, center referee, Mutaz Adbelbassit Khairalla from Sudan who had given Ike ThankGod a yellow card in the 31st minute issued him a second one when the ball touched his hand and the home team seized that opportunity to unleash more terror but the defence of Warri Wolves stood their ground until the 41st minute when Oke Ogagote failed to clear a loose ball and Bizertin striker, Rejaibi Adem had no choice than to give them the second goal. The second half was well fought with Ibenegbu Ikechukwu sustaining an injury which ruled him out

and he was replaced by Azubuike Egwuekwe in the 75th minute. Coach Paul Aigbogun introduced Joshua Obaje in place of Michael Egbeta, while Josiah Maduabuchi replaced Stanley Dimgba who was the Man of the Match but their efforts could not do much as the first assistant referee, Walid Ahmed Ali raised his flag to end the game 2-1. Those who started the match are Okiemute Odah in goal, Goodluck Onamado, Ojo Mine, Ike ThankGod, Bright Akpojuvwewo, Egbeta Michael, Ibenegbu Ikechukwu, Najare Musa, Anubi Kola and Stanlley Dimgba.

I do not want to contend that with him. But my advice to him is that the World Cup is for the best players of any Nation to play,” “Keshi is the man in charge and he knows that if he wins he take the praise but if he fails he takes the blame. so, I believe that he will like to take players that would give him the good results he needs and will not deliberately over look any good player,” he said.

RESULTS PREMIER LEAGUE ManUtd 4 - 1 Aston Villa Crystal Palace 1 - 0 Chelsea Southampton 4 - 0 Newcastle Stoke City 1 - 0 Hull City Swansea 3 - 0 Norwich West Brom 3 - 3 Cardiff Arsenal 1 - 1 Man City Fulham 1 - 3 Everton Liverpool 4 - 0 Tottenham LA LIGA Espanyol 0 - 1 Barcelona Celta de Vigo 1 - 0 Sevilla Athletic Club 1 - 2 A/Madrid Madrid 5 - 0 Rayo Vallecano R/Valladolid 1 - 0 Almería Osasuna 1 - 1 R/ Sociedad Bologna 0 - 2 Atalanta Milan 3 - 0 Chievo Sassuolo 0 - 2 Roma Torino 2 - 1 Cagliari Sampdoria 0 - 0 Fiorentina Hellas Verona 3 - 0 Genoa Lazio 3 - 2 Parma

R I K A i r Nigeria has concluded plans to stage a Pro Am Golf Tournament in honour of P r e s i d e n t Goodluck Jonathan slated for May 15 to 18 this year in Otukpo. The Head of Abuja Office of Arik Air, Dr. Nnamdi Bolu told NationSports at the weekend that the aviation firm is ready to make the competition one of the best ever organised. “Arik Air has been a key supporter of sports in Nigeria and this has been demonstrated by the various sporting events and personalities we have sponsored in the last few years. “Also one of the reasons why golf appeals to Arik is because most of the people that play golf actually form a key segment of our clientele. So I think it is important for Arik to demonstrate that we actually value as a company what they value which is golf. “The main reason why we

From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja chose Otukpo Golf and Country Club as venue for this event is because of the charity nature of the club. I was shocked when I heard that the Otukpo golf club is the only club in Africa, if not the world that is open to the public free, particularly the locals round the Otukpo village and its environ. “That is amazing, because golf being an elitist sport for a club to open its door to locals and general public free of charge is worthy of praise and support as well,” he said. The chairman of the organising committee of the competition Otunba Olugbenga Odusanya, also disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President, David Mark will be among the 350 professional and amateur golfers that will feature in the 18-holes golf course tournament. 150 professional golfers and 200 amateur golfers are expected to compete in the four day competition.

Akinola House rules Mitchel School Sports competition

HE 4th Biennial InterHouse Sports Competition of Mitchel Private Schoool,Ikeja Lagos State ended with AKINOLA HOUSE emerging the overall winner of the competition on Friday. Akinola House had 8 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze with a total of 16 medals to beat three other houses in all the events competed for during the competition. Idowu House came second with 8 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze with a total of 14 medals while Abiona House came 3rd position with 2gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze with a total of 11 medals. The Proprietress of Mitchel Private School, Mrs Taiwo Idowu, while delivering her welcome address, said that the contribution of sporting events and activities of this magnitude to an accomplished lifestyle cannot be over emphasised,

By Bowale Odukale stating it creates a sense of healthy competition. Idowu also disclosed that it is also imperative to appreciate the positive correlation between sporting prowess and intelligence as GSM phones can only be activated with the use of sim cards so also through sporting activities man’s intelligence get activated and re-activated. Also speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the of the day, Hon Dele Obadina opined that such sporting activities like the interhouse competition, will enhance sense of pride, promotes team spirit and recognises participation among the pupils of the school and urged parents to allow their children to fully involved in sport activities for the total well being of their wards. Sporting events competed for included 25m, 50m, 100m, 200m. Others were Sack race, Old student race, staff race etc.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the public may easily contact 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, 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833, 08191778888.

142TH KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

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

he Kano State Executive Council held its one hundred and forty-two (142nd) sitting under the Chairmanship of Governor Engr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE today Wednesday 26th March, 2014 (25th Jumada Ula, 1435 A H). However, as usual, Council reviewed the 141st deliberations and approval before tabling the memoranda submitted for the 142nd sitting. At the 141st sitting, eleven (11) MDAs submitted an impressive number of seventy-six (76) memoranda for deliberations by Council of which forty-five (45) were approved for execution with an expenditure of Two Billion,

Seven Hundred and Seventy-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-six Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty-one Naira, Twentynine Kobo (N2,776,966,831.29) covering forty-four (44) projects. Thus, only one (1) was approved on policy issue. After the deliberations on the 141st sitting, Council faced the business of the day, i.e. the 142nd meeting but not without christening a theme for the meeting. The theme of this sitting is 'the progress so far made' in the implementation of major projects under the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport. The three major projects selected for this 'progress report' will consume over N14.2 billion. They are: i) The Construction of Sports Complex at former Nama Site, Kofa Na'i'sa- N2, 761,959,814.28, ii) The Construction of the Flyover Bridges (State Road-Kofar Nasarawa and Ibrahim Taiwo Road) - N5, 933,520,068.38, and iii) The Construction of Wuju-Wuju Road over Jakara -Kwarin Gogau River- N5, 564,487,900.00. These selected projects and numerous ones being implemented have transformed the landscape of the old city of Kano. The city has never witnessed such revolutionary development and expenditure in its history and the benefits expected from such projects when completed cannot be quantified easily. This explains the widespread recognition, citizen's applause and open support to the government because the State is experiencing profound infrastructural changes. There is now certainty about the nature and meaning of these changes, which is to modernize the State Capital to be ahead of its contemporaries. It is becoming glaringly clear that this administration's transformation process is bringing not only rapid infrastructural development but improving the living standards of its citizenry through increased economic activities. Thus, the 'report' submitted by the Hon. Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport indicated that the construction company for these projects has made appreciable progress in the execution of each. These projects and the numerous major ones being executed confirmed the fact that the Government is purposeful and committed in fulfilling the Governor's campaign and inauguration promises. Hence, at the 142nd sitting, eleven (11) MDAs submitted fifty-three (53) memoranda for deliberation by Council of which thirtythree (33) were approved for execution with an expenditure of Five Hundred and One Million, Six Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty One Naira Only (N501,619,851.00) covering twenty (20) projects. Thus: 1. MINISTRY OF HEALTH The Ministry of Health submitted two (2) memoranda for deliberation by Council. One (1) of them was approved for execution. Thus: Presentation of Complaints in Respect of the Operations of Security Personnel at Muhammad Abubakar Rimi Market, The Influx of Fake Drugs from Maradi (Niger Republic) and Activities of Drug Hawkers:The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Health applauded the laudable effort of the present administration towards the eradication of illegal handling/sale of drugs in Kano State. A Task Force Committee was enacted to conduct the activities of the commendable policy. The Committee comprises personnel from the following Security Establishments: i. The Nigeria Police ii. Civil Defence iii. Vigilante iv. Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA), and v. Hisbah Corps. However, despite the efforts of the administration to support the Committee in its war against fake and abuse of drugs, some members are conniving with illegal importers of counterfeit drugs into the State thereby sabotaging the laudable program. After diligent investigation by the authorities decision was reached, which was approved by Council for a drastic transfer of all security personnel identified as supporting dealers and distributors of fake drugs. Presently, the State is facing influx of fake drugs from the neighboring Niger Republic and the drug hawkers aid the distribution of such drugs to all parts of Kano State. This necessitated the need to open a collaborative mechanism to be set up with the authorities of Niger Republic in order to stem the illegal influx of drugs into Kano State. Council agreed to implementation of the following steps: i. Government to issue out directives to both the Nigeria Police Force and Hisbah Board to arrest illegal Drug Hawkers within and outside Kano Metropolis. ii. Government to direct the Kano State Chief Judge and the Honorable Attorney General/Commissioner, Ministry of Justice to intensify efforts toward prosecuting the offenders found distributing or hawking of fake drugs. iii. Government to direct the allocation of additional vehicles for the operations of the Task Force Committee. OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR/HONORABLE COMMISSIONER, MINISTRY FOR LOCAL GOVERN MENTS The Deputy Governor/Honorable Commissioner, Ministry for Local Governmentssubmitted five (5) memoranda for deliberation by Council. Three (3) of them were approved for execution as follows: a) Presentation of Report on the Need and Permission to Sign a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) Between Kano Pillars Football Club and G - Sport, Middle East:The cited issue was presented to Governor Engr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE in the month of December, 2013 by the Chairman Kano Pillars Football Club but was referred to the Special Adviser on Sports for comment and advice. Sequel to this, a delegation Chaired by the Deputy Governor/Honorable Commissioner, Ministry for Local Governmentsvisited and met with officials of G - Sport in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE). Deliberations were made on the nature, content and modalities involved on the agreement. Five (5) salient observations were made, which were presented to Council for consideration as follows: i. Regulators of the Nigerian Premier League were not notified officially on the cited MoU. Investigation revealed that Article 6.4 of the League Regulations was violated. ii. The "Kits" sample submitted by G - Sport did not conform with the officially registered color of the Kano Pillars Football Club for the Premier League and could not be used in the competition. iii. Too many Agents were involved instead of only G - Sports. Others should be considered as facilitators: iv. The 9-month gestation period for the MoU needed to be cancelled for the arrangements to be more beneficial to the Kano Pillars Football Club. v. The consultancy fee, sponsorship for 5 - year period, percentage of the merchandise items, etc. need to be properly realigned in favor of the Kano Pillars Football Club. The foregoing observations instigated the presentation of ten (10) important recommendations to Council for consideration, which ultimately culminated to the request for Council to consider and approve the release of the sum of $55,000 USD as downward reviewed consultancy fee to be paid to G - Sport. Council appreciatively acknowledged the presentation and approved as follows: i. Implementation of the ten (10) recommendations presented pending signing of the MoU. ii. Subsequent release of the sum of $55,000 USD as Consultancy fee to G - Sport as the Principal Agent. b) Presentation of Report and Request for Funds for the Accommodation of Kano State Intending Pilgrims for the Year 2014 (1435 A H) Hajj:The Kano State Deputy Governor/Honorable Commissioner, Ministry for Local Governmentsled a relevant delegation between (1st - 14th March, 2014.) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia for the purpose of securing proper accommodation for the intending Pilgrims from Kano State. The assignment was successfully executed as details were presented to Council for consideration along with the following two (2) prayers: i. Council should approve retention of the nine (9) houses secured at Makkah from the four (4) specified accommodation providers at Shara Mansur and Yabalash areas. ii. Council to consider and approve the release of the sum of SR2,739,500.00 to enable the payment for accommodation in respect of intending pilgrims from Kano State for the year 2014 (1435 A H). The presentation was appreciatively acknowledged as Council approved the execution of the two (2) prayers forwarded so as to ensure the provision of appropriate accommodation for intending Pilgrims from Kano State for the year 2014 (1435 A H).

3. MINISTRY OF LAND AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Three (3) of the seven (7) memoranda submitted for deliberations by Council from this Ministry were approved for execution as follows: a) Request for Funds to Enable the Payment of Compensation for Property Affected by the Rijiyar Zaki Friday Mosque Extension Project:The Rijiyar Zaki Juma'at Congregational mosque was identified to be in need of expansion/extension being situated in a densely populated area and patronized by an impressive number of worshippers. Cognizant of the resolve to improve all facilities across the State by the present administration, the Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Land and Physical Planning submitted the cited request. Details on the requirements were presented for consideration by Council along with the request for the release of the sum of N8, 758,960.00 to enable the payment of compensation for the property/structures acquired for the expansion of the stated Mosque. Council noted, considered and approved the release of the requested sum of N8, 758,960.00 to the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to enable the payment of compensation for the property stated. b) Request for Funds to Enable the Payment of Compensation for Properties/Structures Affected by Koki Secondary School Expansion Project:Cognizant of the policy on the positive general transformation of the Education Sector by the present administration, the cited request was submitted to Council for consideration so as to improve the available number of classrooms/facilities at Koki Second-

ary School. Such was acutely required due to the high population density/demand in the area. Details on the number and monetary compensation value of the respective properties/structures were presented to Council for consideration along with the request for the release of the aggregate sum of N17, 824,780.00 for the purpose. To expedite prompt execution of the expansion project, Council approved the release of the requested sum of N17, 824,780.00 to the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to enable the payment of compensation for the acquired properties/structures for the expansion of Koki Secondary School. Council approved the request. c) Presentation of Request for Funds on the Revalidation of Contract for the Construction of the Road Network in the Legislative Quarters:The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Land and Physical Planning reminded Council, through the contents of this memorandum that, the cited Contract was proposed for execution at the initial Contract sum of N67, 834,109.20. Council instructed for a negotiation of 5% downward review as follows: Rabi’u Musa Kwankawaso o Initial Contract sum N67,834,109.20 o Less 5% N 3,391,705.43 o Discounted Contract sum N64,442,403.74 Notably, the Contractor was paid the following: o 30% advance payment N20,350,232.76 o Certificate No. 02 N15,096,539.66 Total money received by the Contractor = N35,446,772.42. Therefore, balance for the revalidated Contract sum remains N28, 995,631.32, which was requested for release to enable the completion of the cited project. Council noted, considered and approved the release of the requested sum of N28, 995,631.32 to enable the speedy execution of the project to its successful completion to 100% level.

4. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION The Ministry of Education submitted five (5) memoranda for deliberation by Council. Two (2) were approved for execution as follows: a) Request for Funds to Enable the Conduct of the 2014/2015 Entrance Examinations into Kano State Science and Technical Colleges:The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Education submitted adequate details to Council for consideration on the cited issue, through the contents of this memorandum. Emphasis was placed on the fact that, the entire financial implications are currently to be entirely handled by the State Government due to its current policy on the provision for education free of charge at all levels in Kano State. Already, 18,000 admission forms were printed and distributed through Zonal Education Offices, Local Government Education Authorities, STSB Secretariat and its School (12,000 copies for SS and 6,000 for JSS). As such, Council was requested to approve the release of the sum of N9, 500,000.00 to enable the STSB conduct the 2014/2015 Entrance Examinations into its Schools at both SS and JSS levels. Council noted, considered and approved as requested. b) Presentation of Request for Funds for the Establishment of a Girls' Secondary School at Kurna Asabe, Dala LGCA:Kurna Asabe was identified as a densely populated enclave in Dala LGCA without a Girls' Secondary School. Female Students of Secondary School age usually trek for considerable distances to attend Secondary Schools. Notably, the area has an appreciable number of Primary Schools that could provide adequate catchment for a Girls' Secondary School once established. In fact, Gobirawa Primary School, most populous in West Africa, is within the vicinity. The contents of this memorandum presented details on the sixteen (16) items required along with the financial implications to the tune of N168, 691,540.17, which was requested for release. Resolve of the present administration to provide for education qualitatively at all levels and in all ramifications, prompted Council to approve the release of the requested sum of N168, 691,540.17 for the stated project. 5. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT Thirteen (13) of the twenty (20) memoranda submitted for deliberations by Council from this Office were approved for execution as follows: a) Presentation of Request for Funds to Enable the Provision of Additional Facilities/Infrastructure at the Corporate Security Institute Zakirai, Gabasawa LGCA:The Corporate Security Institute Zakirai has come of age, courtesy of its establishment to fruition, by the present administration under its commendable empowerment policy. After graduating three (3) batches of trainees and in expectation of the commencement of the fourth (4th) batch, the Institute still requires provision of additional facilities/infrastructure to enhance its status. These include: i. Provision of three (3) Toyota Coaster Buses to be used in conveying trainees on excursions, training and during graduation ceremonies. ii. Improvement of infrastructures. iii. Provision of more Training Equipment and facilities. iv. Provision of official car for the Deputy Director. v. Connecting the Institute with the National Grid (PHCN) to curtail excessive use of standby electricity generators. vi. Provision of recreational facilities. Council appreciated the presentation and approved as follows: o Issuance of a directive to the State Ministry of Rural and Community Development to connect the Institute with National Grid (PHCN). o Issuance of a directive to the State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to provide recreational facilities at the Institute. b) Notification on the Need to Engage in a Tripartite Agreement Among the Federal Government of Nigeria, Kano State Government and BNOT Harel Limited:The Secretary to the State Government reminded Council, through the contents of this memorandum that, the State Government granted approval to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the sponsorship of two (2) of its Staff to attend a two (2) - Week Intensive Training on "Artificial Insemination" of ruminants (18th November - 2nd December, 2013) at Embryonic Institute - Cheshire, United Kingdom (UK). In this vein, the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources submitted the cited request, which was endorsed and presented to Council for consideration by the Secretary to the State Government. Council was intimated that BNOT Harel Ltd. expressed willingness to conduct a three (3) month intensive training on artificial insemination and other beneficial endeavors for the State. Thus: o Three (3) months training for twenty (20) Local Staff. o Procurement and distribution of Artificial Insemination materials at Kadawa and Dambatta Livestock Development Centers. Essentially, this will upgrade the milk production of local cattle from 1 - 15 liters per cow per day to 15 - 16 liters per cow per day. Relevance of the request towards modernization of milk production for the consumption of the citizenry in Kano State was considered as Council granted approval to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to invite the Company for further deliberations on the MoU along with cost implications for the immediate take - off of the programme. Council awaits submission on the cost implications. c) Presentation of Report on Performance Assessment of the Sponsored Postgraduate Kano State Indigenous Students Studying in Jordan under the 501 Scheme:The contents of this memorandum informed Council on the academic performance of the 154 sponsored students studying in three (3) institutions in Jordan under the 501 Scheme. Main highlights were submitted as follows: o The Schools visited by the Committee included University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; University of Jordan and Mideast, Aviation Academy, Jordan with students' distribution as follows: i. University of Science and Technology, Jordan = 53 ii. University of Jordan = 01 iii. Mideast Aviation Academy = 100. o Academic performance of all the 154 was at Grade "A" level. General observations of the Committee instigated the forwarding of the following recommendations to Council for consideration: i. The Kano State Government to direct the Scholarship Board to pay the second (2nd) year tuition fees for the students and all other associated allowances especially the upkeep allowances. ii. Certificates of the students require authentication by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Education. iii. The State Government may consider granting an approval for the upward review of the feeding allowances to Mideast Aviation Academy students to $700 instead of $500 due to the high cost of living at the Academy. iv. The State Government may consider and approve commencement of the process of sending the students on graduating to various Countries for the Type - Rating Course on Commercial Aviation Aircraft (BOEING, AIR BUS, etc.) Council acknowledged the presentation . e) Request for Funds to Enable the Payment/Refund for Additional Expenditure Incurred in the Procurement of 2014 UTME/ JAMB Registration Scratch Cards for 1000:The Ministry of Education commended the laudable policy of the present administration in Kano State for the procurement and distribution, free of charge, to eligible Kano State Indigenous Candidates, the registration scratch cards for UTME and JAMB. Nevertheless, the Ministry reported that 3,961 candidates amongst the 5,225 that appeared for screening qualified by fulfilling all the criteria. A balance of 1,000 such scratch cards was provided at an additional cost of N4, 500,000.00 yet to be paid for. Details were presented as follows:

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014 i. 1,000 UTME Registration Scratch Cards at N4, 000.00 each = N4, 000,000.00. ii. 1,000 Registration Fee at N500.00 = N500, 000.00. Total = N4, 500,000.00. As such, Council was requested to approve the release of the sum of N4, 500,000.00 to enable the Ministry of Education pay for the already incurred expenditure on the laudable project. Council acknowledged the request favorably and approved the release of the sum of N4, 500,000.00 to the Ministry of Education for the stated purpose. f) Request for Funds to Enable the Procurement and Allocation of One (1) Unit of 63 - Seater Luxurious Bus to Kano Pillars Football Club:The Kano State owned Premier Football Club, Kano Pillars, is in dire need of a befitting/serviceable means of transportation to facilitate easy shuttle to and from away matches of the National Premier League Competitions and others. The Kano State Executive Council was notified of this important need and promptly responded by granting approval for the release of the sum of N54,000,000.00 to the Secretary to the State Government to process the procurement and allocation of one (1) unit of 63 - Seater Luxurious Bus complete with air conditioning (AC) to the Kano Pillars Football Club. This is to facilitate easy shuttles to and from their engagements in recognition and optimism for their commendable performances. g) Request for Funds to Enable Kano Participation at the 2014 Nestle Milo Basketball Championship Savannah Conference Finals in Kaduna (23rd April - 3rd May, 2014):Optimistic of commendable performances of Kano State representatives at such sports encounters, the Secretary to the State Government endorsed the cited request and presented it to Council for consideration, on behalf of the State Ministry of Education. Council was notified that Kano State was selected along with other nine (9) Northern States to participate in the Championship for both genders categories. Two (2) Schools that emerge champions will represent the zone at the National Finals slated for Lagos. Details on the requirements were presented to Council for consideration along with the financial implications to the tune of N2, 234,000.00, which was requested for release for the stated purpose. Need to discover talents prompted Council to approve the release of the requested sum of N2, 234,000.00 to the Ministry of Education for the stated purpose. h) Request for Funds to Facilitate the upcoming Local Government Elections in the State:Conduct of Local Government elections in Kano State will soon be a bye - gone issue. Preparations are underway as attested by the cited request. Details were presented to Council for consideration, which were acknowledged as Council approved the release of the sum of N30, 000,000.00 to KANSIEC for the stated purpose. i) Request for Funds to Enable the Payment for One (1) Way Air Tickets for Fifteen (15) of the 501 Scheme to Return Home from Malaysia on Completion of their Respective Courses:Council recalled the sponsorship of students for postgraduate courses overseas. Already some of the sponsored Kano State Indigenous Students studying abroad have completed their studies and are preparing to return home. Contentedly, the Secretary to the State Government endorsed the cited request, from the State Scholarship Board, and presented to Council for consideration. Details were presented along with the request for the release of the aggregate sum of N2, 940,000.00 for the purchase of one-way tickets for the return journey. Council noted, considered and concertedly approved as requested. j) Presentation of Request for Permission to Sign a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Kano State Government and KAKZCHI Shoe Makers Development Association:The Kano State Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism notified Council that, the establishment of a Common Facility Center (CFC) was successfully executed in collaboration with UNIDO as assented to by the present administration. Consequent to this commendable development, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism proposed to enter into partnership with KAKZACHI Shoe Makers Development Association for the utilization of the facilities available at the CFC. The Association is based in Kano and comprises members that specialize in leather works. The facilities available at the CFC would be fully utilized for leather works productions towards the improvement of commercial activities/engagements in the State. Further, Council was informed that the draft copy of the MoU was vetted and cleared by the State Ministry of Justice awaiting Government clearance for execution of its contents. As such, Council was requested to grant approval to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism to sign the MoU for the sustainable growth of the CFC. Council acknowledged the presentation and approved as requested. k) Request for Funds to Enable the Conduct of the Training of 1,000 Traditional Barbers (Kwankwasiyya Aska):The current Government in Kano State was applauded for the general implementation of its empowerment policy, which cuts across various categories of the citizenry in Kano State, Barbers inclusive. In this vein, Council was respectfully reminded of the approval granted on Wednesday 24th April, 2013 for conduct of training of 2000 Barbers (Amana Manicure) in the State. So far, only 800 benefitted from the Endeavour. As such, the Traditional Barbers Association (Kwankwasiyya Aska) still awaits extension of the programme so as to arrive at the promised 2000 figure. For the training and the procurement of Training Package the sum of N72, 216,500.00 was requestedto enable Lafiya Jari Coordinating Committee to facilitate the program. Council acknowledged the presentation and approved the request. l) Presentation of Report on the Allocation of Houses at Amana, Bandirawo and Kwankwasiyya Cities:The implementation of the construction project/allocation of houses at the three (3) newly established modern cities of Amana, Bandirawo and Kwankwasiyya reported the stand of the projects so far and the proposal for the allocation of the constructed houses are highlighted below: i. Kwankwasiyya - all categories of houses (3, 4 and 5 bedrooms) constructed to 100% completion level = 530 ii. Amana - all categories of houses (3, 4 and 5 bedrooms) constructed to 100% completion level = 524 iii. Bandirawo - all categories of houses (3, 4 and 5 bedrooms) constructed to 100% completion level = 453. So far, the following allocations were made to 73 applicants that indicated interest in owning the houses by making some appreciable payments on the costs of the houses. Thus: o Kwankwasiyya = 57 leaving a balance of 476. o Amana = 04 leaving a balance of 520. o Bandirawo = 03 leaving a balance of 450. Details on the names of the 73 allottees were presented to Council for perusal. Council acknowledged the presentation appreciatively. m) Request for Funds to Enable Kano State Karate Team Honor an Invitation Received from the Karate Federation of Nigeria:The KEN President Karate Championship is scheduled to hold (26th - 29th March, 2014) in Ilorin, Kwara State. A copy of the invitation letter for Kano State to participate in the event was presented to Council for consideration along with the details on the financial implications to the tune of N352,000.00, which was requested for release to enable the Kano State Karate Team participate in the event. Council noted, considered and approved as requested. 6. MINISTRY OF WORKS, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT Five (5) of the six (6) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from this Ministry were approved for execution as follows: a) Presentation of Current Status Report on Amana Luxury Taxis and Request for Release of Take - Off of Funds:The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport presented the cited report/request, for consideration by Council, on behalf of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) Transport. The salient highlights of the report were presented as follows: o 245 vehicles were made available for the Scheme. o 182 of the vehicles were allocated to beneficiaries of the Scheme. o 28 of the vehicles were pledged and allocated to the Kano Pillars Football Club. o 35 of the vehicles still remain under the custody of the Chairman Implementation Committee. o 36.2% or N67,900,000.00 had been recovered from the projected N187,000,000.00 outstanding. o That the Amana Leasing Company Ltd. had been incorporated with RC Number 1168577. In conclusion, the SSA Transport requested Council to approve the release of the aggregate sum of N5,291,000.00 to cover the expenditure for the period of February to December, 2014 distributed as follows: i. Salary for eight (8) Staff (February - December, 2014) = N2,211,000.00 at N201,000.00 per month. ii. MTN Monthly subscription at N30,000.00 per month = N330,000.00. iii. Monthly Office overhead to cater for water, diesel, Office consumables, PHCN bills, etc. at N100,000.00 per month for eleven (11) months = N1,100,000.00. iv. Public enlightenment, radio talk shows and other marketing issues at N100,000.00 per month for eleven (11) months = N1,100,000.00. v. Provision for recoveries funds, travels, etc. at N50,000.00 per month for eleven (11) months = N550,000.00. Total = N5,291,000.00. Council appreciatively acknowledged the presentation and approved as follows: o Release of N2,211,000.00 to cater for the salaries of eight (8) Staff for eleven (11) months (February - December, 2014). o Release of N200,000.00 as monthly overhead for the Company. b) Presentation of Progress Report on the Construction of Covered Sewage Conduit/Road (Wuju - Wuju Road) over/along Jakara - Kwarin Gogau Rivers (Mid February, 2014):The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport presented the cited progress report to Council for consideration. Main highlights were presented as follows: o Contractor M/S TEC Engineering Company Ltd. o Contract sum N5,564,487,900.00. o Commencement date October, 2013. o Completion date October, 2014. o Contract period twelve (12) months o Advance payment N1,585,879,051.56 (30%). o Scope of works the work involves construction of circular covered sewage/asphalt road along/over Jakara - Kwarin Gogau Rivers. o Amount of money certified to date - 30% or N1,585,879,051.56. o Overall progress 5.2%. General Remarks:- The Contractor has already mobilized both personnel and equipment to the site. Works commenced immediately with: o Removal of about 24.276 CUM of rubbish at Aminu Kano Way. o Cut and fill 9,500CUM pumping of water at the existing pond. o 48,000.00 CUM back filling. o 28,000.00 CUM and production of 1.5M diameter rings 40nos. Conclusively, photographs were presented to Council for perusal. Council acknowledged the presentation appreciatively. c) Notification of Issuance of Appraisal Letters to the Federal Government Organizations in Kano Occupying Kano State Government Owned Houses (GPs):The contents of this memorandum substantiated to Council that, arrangements to retrieve all the houses being occupied by the staff of the Federal Government is underway. In this vein, a comprehensive list of all the houses and the Federal Government Organizations that occupy them were presented to Council for information. Council acknowledged the presentation with appreciation and blessed the efforts. d) Presentation of Progress Report on the Construction of Flyover Bridges (State Road - Kofar Nassarawa and Ibrahim Taiwo Road (from Radio Kano): Mid February, 2014:The contents of this memorandum presented the salient highlights on the progress of the execution of the cited projects as follows: i. Contractor TEC Engineering Company Nigeria Ltd. ii. Contract sum N5,933,520.068.34. iii. Commencement date December, 2012. iv. Completion date June, 2014. v. Contract period Eighteen (18) months. vi. Scope of works The work involves construction of two (2) flyover bridges with one (1) Silver Jubilee Roundabout - Gidan Murtala Rotary Intersection and terminating after Kofar Nassarawa Gate. The second (2nd) starting from Gidan Radio along Ibrahim Taiwo Road crossing over Obasanjo Rotary Intersection. The project also includes five (5) interchanges, slip roads and expansion of some portion of all roads involved. vii. Amount of money certified to date 30% advance payment was made to the Contractor or N1,695,291,448.10. viii. Remarks o Main bridge State Road - Kofar Nassarawa: - substructure = 100%; precast/launching of beams = 100%; casting of in - site deck

63 = 63%; retaining wall = 100%. o Main bridge Ibrahim Taiwo from Gidan Radio: - substructure = 100%; precast/launching of beams = 83%; retaining wall = 100%. o Clovers: - pilling = 100%; pile cap = 100%; abutment and pier = 95%; pier cap = 95%; retaining wall = 41%. o Percentage progress = 8.3% o Landscaping shall commence soon. Conclusively, photographs were presented to Council for perusals, which were appreciated. e) Presentation of Progress Report on the Construction of Sports Complex at Former NAMA Site, Kofar Na'isa: Mid February, 2014:The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport presented a precise report on the progress of the cited project. Thus: i. Contractor TEC Engineering Nigeria Ltd. ii. Contract sum N2,761,959,814.28. iii. Commencement date March, 2013. iv. Completion date February, 2014. v. Contract period eleven (11) months. vi. Scope of works the work involves construction of Sports Complex of more than ten (10) different Sports Pitches and construction of 4,112.18M road network with 7.0M width carriage way and 1.5M shoulder on both sides and 9029.6M side and main drains and culverts of various types and sizes within the Sports Complex. vii. Amount of money certified to date 30% advance payment or N749,674,806.37 was paid to the Contractor. An interim valuation certificate No. 1 was paid in the sum of N301,300,321.13; certificate No. 2 amounting to N186,339,314.55 is still with the Ministry of Finance while interim valuation certificates No. 3 and 4 in the sums of N204,226,151.45 and N379,800,709.11 respectively, are receiving the attention of the Projects Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate. viii. Overall percentage progress 71% ix. Remarks landscaping = 60%; gymnastics center = 75%; conveniences = 75%; construction of main drains = 92%; planting of trees = 33%; construction of hostel = 58%; construction of administrative block = 40%; facility management center = 30%; restaurant = 30%; installation of water pipe = 60% pave brick = 40.5%; etc. In conclusion, relevant photographs were presented for consideration by Council which was acknowledged appreciatively. 7. MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION One (1) of the two (2) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from this Ministry was approved for execution. Thus: Presentation of Request for Approval to Transfer Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta to Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST) Wudil:The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Higher Education adequately traced the history/genesis of the cited request, through the contents of this memorandum. Council was informed that the decision was already made on the transfer in principles pending official documentation. As such, two (2) main prayers were forwarded to Council on the issue for consideration and approval which include the followings: i. Council to consider and approve the official transfer of Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta to KUST under the established Faculty of Agriculture that offers Degree Certificates while the Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta continues to offer ND and HND Courses, etc. Council appreciated the presentation and approved the implementation of the prayers forwarded on the cited issue according to the details presented. 8. OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF CIVIL SERVICE This Office submitted two (2) memoranda for deliberation by Council. One (1) was approved for execution. Thus: Presentation of Request for the Replacement of Staff at Sa'adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano:The cited request was submitted to and endorsed by the Head of Civil Service as presented to Council for consideration. Reportedly, the Sa'adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso lost a sizeable number of its Staff due to the mass exodus in search of greener pastures. Specifically a total of 141 (92 Academic and 49 Non - Academic) Staff were lost translating to a personnel cost of N212,969,700.04. Details were presented to Council for consideration. As such, the Institution wrote to the Office of the Head of Civil Service seeking for clearance to employ sixty (60) Academic Staff and fifty (50) Non - Academic Staff translating to an annual personnel cost of N106,473,016.44, which is still lower than the cost difference realized from the adverse loss of personnel at the Institute. In this vein, the Head of Civil Service forwarded the following two (2) prayers for consideration and approval by Council: i. That clearance be granted to the Institute to employ at least 50% of its requirement for academic staff (i.e. thirty (30) academic staff). ii. That Council should consider approving for the Institution to employ at least 1/3 or seventeen (17) non - academic staff. Council acknowledged the presentation and approved execution of the two (2) prayers forwarded on the issue but directed that concession be accorded to graduates of the 501 Scheme in filling the vacancies. 9. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES One (1) of the two (2) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources was approved for execution as follows: Request for Funds to Enable Dredging of Sector Three (3) Night Storage Reservoir at Watari Irrigation Project - Scheme:The night storage reservoir was presented to Council as an important component of an irrigation scheme. It helps in storing the water required daily by farmers to efficiently irrigate their farms. Further, Council was informed that the Watari Irrigation Scheme was planned to cover a total of 1,400 hectares of which only 700 hectares were successfully developed and put to use by KNARDA since the year 1987. The balance of 700 hectares is currently under construction with support from the Federal Government. The Scheme had been continually operated without adequate maintenance as the required equipment available are not in serviceable condition. Consequently, farmers wait for several hours for their farms to be served with the water required for necessary irrigation due to accumulation of silt and other materials. This lowers the efficiency/capacity of the entire scheme. Related to this, the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources submitted the cited request for Council to approve the release of the sum of N4,998,400.00 to effect the necessary repairs as well as dredge the night reservoir at Watari Irrigation Scheme for optimum storage efficiency. Council noted, considered and approved the release of the requested sum of N4,998,400.00 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the stated project due to its significance. The Ministry for Local Government was instructed to handle the funding. 10. JOINT MEMORANDUM; MINISTRIES OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND EDUCATION Request for Funds to Undertake the Second (2nd) Phase of Brooding and Distribution of Broiler Chicks to 100 Young Farmers' Clubs in 100 Secondary Schools of Kano State:Clubs/Societies/Associations along with their characteristic activities by students/pupils are part and parcel of any viable education/school curriculum as specified in the document designed on the National Policy on Education. Young Farmers' Club is among such clubs whose activities accentuate/supplement the day - by - day classroom instructions/ teachings practically. Though significant, clubs were dormant prior to the second (2nd) incumbency of Governor Engr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. This administration is responsible enough to revive the activities of Young Farmers' Clubs in our secondary schools. Commensurate to this, Council was notified, through the contents of this memorandum that, fifty (50) Secondary Schools benefitted from the revival of the programme. One hundred (100) more expectantly await the effort/endeavour to be extended to them. Details of the requirements were comprehensively presented to Council for consideration along with the request for the release of the aggregate sum of N14,670,290.00 for the purpose. Council noted, considered and approved the release of the sum of N14,670,290.00 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to enable the production of broiler chicks for distribution to one hundred (100) Secondary Schools in Kano State. 11. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY, COOPERATIVES AND TOURISM Presentation of Report on the Outcome of Meeting Between the Attorney General/Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Justice and the Executives of Tanners Council on the Closure of KANO TAN S.A Challawa:The unfortunate case of the occurrence of the fatal accident that cost the lives of two (2) unfortunate workers at the tanning factory, KANO TAN S.A Challawa was thoroughly deliberated upon by the Kano State Executive Council. A Committee was enacted to investigate the issue. The assignment was carried out with recommendations proffered to Council for implementation. The contents of this memorandum substantiated to Council that, all conditions specified for adoption by the Company were abided by. Details were presented for consideration amongst which are: i. The company agreed to pay the Group Life Insurance rounded up at N1 million to each family; ii. The company agreed to pay a grant of N1,500,000.00 to each of the deceased families; iii. The Company agreed to employ two (2) persons from each family; iv. The Company agreed to pay tuition fees to one child of each family up to Secondary level, and v. All these payments exclude the benefits for NSITF and Pension Fund. With this agreement Council ultimately granted approval for the re - opening of the Company and the implementation of the package to the bereaved families. UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE 142ND EXCO SITTING 1. SWEARING-IN OF TWO (2) NEW PERMANENT SECRETARIES AND ONE (1) COMMISSIONER OF KANSIEC Council witnessed the swearing-in of (2) new Permanent Secretaries namely; Kuliya A. Zubair and Mahmud Bello Bari who were posted to Manpower Development Directorate, Office of the Head of Service and Ministry of Special Duties respectively. Muhammad Yakubu Kunya was sworn-in as Commissioner for Kano State Independent Electoral Commission to replace former Commissioner Late Umar Liman. The Governor urged them to be committed and diligent in their working places. 2. PRESENTATION OF AWARDS i. An Award to Governor Engr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE by the Greek Ambassador as the "Best Governor" for the Transformation of Education, Infrastructure and Excellent leadership. ii. Letter of Credence to Governor Engr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE from the National body of ANAN, Kano Branch. iii. An Award of Excellence to Governor Engr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE by the National Association of Computer Science Students (NACSS) as "Best Transformer" in the Nation. 3. ROUND-TABLE CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS (APC) Council delightfully acknowledged the able representation of the Kano State by the Deputy Governor/Honourable Commissioner, Ministry for Local Governments at a Round-table conference organized by All Progressive Congress (APC). The topic of discussion was on Budget making and implementation. Accordingly, the Deputy Governor/Honourable Commissioner, Ministry for Local Governments chaired the plenary session and informed the audience about the Kano State new approach in budget formulation and budget implementation. The State budget ratio of 75% capital and 25% recurrent has transformed the State, as the amount is being invested on development projects. He also informed them on the State cancellation of security vote and the increase in the "Internally Generated Revenue" from N360,000,000.00 to N2,200,000,000.00 monthly. These achievements impressed the participants. 4. GRADUATION CEREMONY OF 500 WOMEN TRAINED ON HOME BASED TRADE Council witnessed the Graduation Ceremony of the 500 Women trained on Home Based Trade and the distribution of training package to the participants. Government urged the beneficiaries to make good use of what they have acquired during the training to make themselves self-reliant.

Signed: Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports andCulture

WHO SAID WHAT

MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 9 NO 2,804

‘World leaders and organisations need to put more emphasis on introducing lasting peace initiatives on the African continent, not just because of its importance, but also because it is the right thing to do’

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

HE story began in an obscure room in England. The ignominious fall of the Abacha junta foreshadowed a new era in Nigeria. Like bivouacking armies, the habitués of that room had shifted their tents from home to a stranger's land. There and elsewhere in the western world, they pitched battles for democracy against an era of the butchery and finality of a tyrant's order. IBB first represented it and preceded Abacha of the Gestapo, goggle frame and the fame of excited whores. The unraveled Abacha era meant it was time to go home for this man. Others did not trust the so-called promise. They doubted democracy would return. To them, it was a false dawn, shadowy with booby traps. Isolation and battle from a distance had imparted them with an awful comfort. Better to grieve and throw lobs of bombs from outside than risk the fates of the then lamented dead. Kudirat Abiola, Alfred Rewane, Bagauda Kaltho, Shehu Yar Adua, et al. It was not fear; it was realism. They had love for country. But as Chinua Achebe noted in his Things Fall Apart, it is from the house of the coward that fingers are pointed to the ruins of a brave man's house. They were not cowards, but they had had enough ruins to lead them to the path of caution. But this man was not for the popular caution of his fellow fighters for democracy. After a futile drama of cajoling, persuading and jostling for ideas, he surrendered any effort to sway them along his path of bravado. "I want to go and see my mother," was the clincher for Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No one could argue against that sentimental salvo. They surrendered to mama's boy. He left them in London, back to the land of his birth for a rebirth of politics of the progressives. He did not want to stay back like a fighting romantic. Not like the Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda, who would not return home 29 years after the Second World War was fought and won. For Tinubu, the war was won, that war against the soldiers. If Heraclitus knew that the story of life is battle, he knew another theatre was about to brew at home. He wanted his rifle loaded. He craved the solitude, or what Alan Sillitoe called the loneliness of a long distance runner. He had to win but he had to trust his gifts and conscience. That capacity to trust his judgments and instincts and win in unlikely circumstances has come to typify his public life. We have seen this in the past decade. We saw it in his decision to defy Obasanjo while other Southwest bigwigs of the AD followed the president's coattail. They were caught napping seeking the oxygen of survival while the Owu chief swept all the states for PDP. Lagos State with Asiwaju Tinubu became an island of the progressives. We saw it when he hit on the bright idea that independent power projects would

RIPPLES BRAZIL 2014: WE’LL ALLOW WIVES IN EAGLES’ CAMP – Keshi

FIFA preaches fair play. The camp must be thrown open to concubines too.

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

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

Uncommon man

‘

• Tinubu simplify power. He was ignored, but it is the wisdom of the day. When his years as governor were in their last flames, he placed his cards on one Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. He weathered a bitter and divisive storm from within his inner sanctum and outside interlopers. But that choice of the governor of example has remained the best decision to date of his public life. With the captain came a whirlwind of progressive onslaught in governance in the country. The Adam of change in Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, has stunned the state of red dust and doughty warriors with his forays of spectacular achievements in education, roads and the environment. Then came the other states in the Southwest. Ekiti State under Kayode Fayemi signposted a welfare programme for the elderly and unleashed infrastructural renewal. The State of Osun under Rauf Aregbe-

T is so difficult to associate beauty with so much ugliness; especially beauty of the feminine kind. But Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, Nigeria's oil minister and a woman of exquisite beauty has, in just a few years as head of this all-important sector, earned the dubious distinction of being the most scandalprone person to head that office. She has notched up enough ugly tales about her office that her feminine good looks would compare to the mask of gorgon. There are enough hoary stories about this oil queen to write a fat, steamy book. Running now is the Diezani private jets scandal. A few months ago, an NGO petitioned the National Assembly (NASS), detailing how our dainty queen had notched up a bill of over N10 billion flying the world in such luxury only associated with Arab sheikhs. It is a tale of unrestrained extravagance and flamboyance many thought was a cruel joke on Nigerians. But as the House Committee on Public Accounts began its probe on the allegations, it has been revealed that not only one jet, the Challenger 850, but there is another XRS plane which she flies for overseas trips at the cost of 600,000 euros per return

How different would the nation have been if Asiwaju Tinubu did not act alone in that sultry room in London, or if he had tagged along with his fellows with Obasanjo? We would be a nation of one party, with the opposition clawing and snarling impotently from the sidelines.

’

sola is turning a supposedly backwoods state into a city on the hill, with his audacious blend of educational innovations, infrastructural breadth and policies of compassion. Later came the duo of Abiola Ajimobi in Oyo State and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State. All over Ogun State are testimonials of roads and bridges constructed in such breakneck speed that states with fabled riches have not matched in eight years of performance. You just have to visit Ibadan to see how one man's tenacity and devotion can change a society. Ibadan has been liberated from the squalor and timid vision of all the governors in that state since 1999. All these men stand for the opposition in national politics. They have governed with a

HARDBALL

Diezani's unending book of scandals trip. It has been revealed that she chartered this jet twice last year on trips to London. And hold your heart: there is yet a third jet! Investigations are still on-going though, but that seems to be the catch about this fair lady; probing her has always ended in a cul de sac. Her inquisitors seem to always hit a stone wall or is it a golden wall as a cynic once conjectured? Just before this jet affair rebounded, we had been fed the kerosene subsidy, which was an N850 billion ear-tingling caper. She allegedly defied a presidential order to vacate the dubious regime and for years supervised a most duplicitous transaction of importing kerosene under the subsidy template and selling it to the public at market rate. What this would amount to is that while the cycle lasted, only the minister and her team were being subsidised. And this matter

BEN EDOKPAYI

greed for change. I wonder what their predecessors think now when they see what these men have done. How different would the nation have been if Asiwaju Tinubu did not act alone in that sultry room in London, or if he had tagged along with his fellows with Obasanjo? We would be a nation of one party, with the opposition clawing and snarling impotently from the sidelines. The same is said of France today about Charles de Gaulle, whom historians have described as "always alone". He is the most remarkable Frenchman since the small general from Corsica. It was in that spirit that he embarked, about a year ago, upon a mission to build an opposition party. That has given the nation the All Progressives Congress. This is, as it stands, a titillating proposition. He has with his accustomed brio, empathy and fiery dexterity brought together the most formidable opposition in the nation's history. As it is, this is a stellar achievement. All the other coalitions in our history, from UPGA to PPA, were soap bubbles because the partisans could go back to their default homes. APC presents a fait accompli. It has weathered the disorienting logic of its critics that it is a pigsty, accommodating the scum of prostitutes. Those who say that lack historical judgment. All great political acts were no moments of purity. Ask Churchill who coalesced enemies into his war cabinet, including those who would have sold out to Hitler. Or Lincoln, who ran a government of rivals as documented in Doris Kearns Goodwin's A Team Of Rivals. They forgot that even Awolowo's Action Group was a whirlpool of strange ideological bedfellows as historian Sklar and even Duddley tell us. Charles de Gaulle, the statesman of rigidity, accommodated communists when he set up his government. The party is a winnowing machine and it ultimately yields to the organising genius of its leaders. This is the task that Tinubu faces and the jury is still out on that. If he succeeds, then it would be his greatest decision. So far, except his critics don't want to admit it, he is the most influential citizen of this era. He is a picture of endurance and wise daring. As his foes come at him, he soars and fattens like John Webster's black birds in a dark and stormy cloud. As he marked his 62nd birthday, he focused on the common man. Yet he is not a common man. But few leaders combine his contradiction of a "patrician" breeding with the common touch like him. He can speak the language of the CEO with the same assiduity that he chants the rhythm of the Mushin meat seller. Street wise, elite savvy, he is a double threat who can descend from the sky and erupt from the earth at once, to paraphrase American journalist Roger Rosenblatt. He has the skill to speak anyone's language and rally others together. We need that kind of temperament and talent in an age of religious schisms and tribal loyalties. If that is his gift today to Nigeria, it is also his challenge. Happy birthday.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above just fizzled out. There was the Malabu miasma: though this multi-billion oil block (OPL 245) dated back about 15 years, it is under her watch that it was resolved - but not in favour of Nigeria's government as it ought to be, but in favour of various fronts and shell companies. Thus a lucrative oil block dubiously acquired by some renegades was eventually disbursed to their benefit. The payout by Shell last year for this oil block was a hefty $1.3 billion and instead of this swelling Nigeria's treasury, it was a huge payday for economic saboteurs and their collaborators in government. Our oil queen remained conveniently silent and aloof over this shenanigan that brewed right under her nose. We are to assume that it was no business of hers but we know better. There is the January 2012 subsidy upheaval, which ended up showing how subsidy had become a huge multi-trillion naira racket. All the panel reports from this epic drama is now an easy chair upon which our oil lady sits coolly, unperturbed. What about the $20 billion missing oil money that recently consumed Mr. Lamido Sanusi, the Central Bank governor? What about Transfigura, Vitol, crude swap, etc? It is indeed a fat, sordid book.

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